Liqu's POV

We are out to finally get rid of that unpleasant person.

And to free my Shari from the weight of her promise.

Both are favorable results for me.

It is dark, so humans should have problems with their vision right now.

But this Elin is nevertheless leading us well and fast around the streets.

Shari isn't showing too much animosity toward her.

I am still not sure if I shouldn't just dissolve her for what she did, but not if it would upset my Shari.

She already has so much on her mind.

I know now and wouldn't want to make it harder for her.

We soon reach the building and from the look of it, it is just perfect to intrude from an unwatched side.

Elin said that our prey is up there.

A human would need some kind of tool to get there, but a slime can simply crawl.

It is very easy to cling to the wall and push oneself up.

However, there is one concern:

"Umh, can you do it? You are not so used to gliding on your body." (Liqu)

She really isn't.

To manage this kind of movement one has to let go of any shape.

And if I recall she never left that human form of hers.

While it has some benefits, it isn't the most comfortable state to keep up.

However, my Shari thinks differently about this.

She clings to something that is already lost.

And this isn't good.

She has to accept at one point what she is and how beautiful she is.

I am already on the wall and drift up there.

Nevertheless, I direct some of my attention below me.

There is my Shari!

She prepares herself for what will happen.

This might help her but considering her last experiences it is a bit much at once.

But she is so brave and pushes forward.

I don't even need to link to know how negative she feels about this but she endures it.

And finally, she clings to the wall.

A real slime!

No one can deny it now.

She is one and acts absolutely like a natural.

I shouldn't have let her know where I shifted my attention and start to dissolve a hole in the wall.

I first considered the window to be as thin as the glass but it could have broken.

So the wall below is better.

After all, it isn't really a hindrance it just needs a tiny bit more time.

And anyway my Shari needs a moment to get used to herself.

Also, she wants us to stay hidden, so the smallest hole possible is recommended.

Which is a simple task.

"Zsch"

Just some concentrated dissolving and continuous pushing.

In mere seconds I am through and can push myself inside.

Just when I got to reshape myself I become aware of something.

Squeezing herself through a hole could be stressful as well to her.

Soon I see her slowly floating inside.

Her core is a bit early inside leaving her rather exposed but I guess now is not the right time to tell her about safety measures.

She starts to gather herself.

The shape comes slowly into existence getting more concrete by the second.

And then she is back to her old looks.

She even managed to completely replicate it.

I sometimes change things up a bit but she has a very stable mold.

And doing that all so naturally.

I want to praise her.

...What's that look?

Somehow I have the impression I should avoid reacting.

I better leave it at this.

I start to scan the air where the concentration of that Cid person is the strongest.

What for beasts is smelling is for slimes the analysis of the environment.

In fact, the sense of smell is just about receiving the tiniest amounts of something that is emitted into the environment.

Smallest parts of oneself that mix with the air.

And when you know the composition of this something you can always retrace it to the source if you get a hunch of it.

Like this, I can find humans, but also other prey very easily.

In fact, all slimes do this to head for things they find to be worth dissolving.

Maybe in a very primitive way, but the process follows the same principles.

And if you pay very close attention you can even distinguish between things of the same kind.

In this case, this Cid person!

There are several men in the room below us.

Fortunately, they seem to be rather distracted at the moment, but none of them is Cid.

His traces have more of a biting sensation to him.

It's hard to describe this in detail, but I know what I'm looking for.

And it is definitely here.

Ah, it's there!

On the other side of that big door!

No wonder the impression isn't so strong, that thing must be thick, obstructing the emergent.

"Did you hear that these adventurers the boss wants dead are back in town?"

"Was hard to miss! He already sent a whole troop to the place they're staying!"

He did what?

It's good that we kill him!

"But isn't this a little excessive? The boss doesn't tend to take things this personally."

"Apparently one scrunched his hand so much he still can't use it right. And I've heard from Seno that he even sustained burns because of something they put on it back then."

Uhh, was there something like that?

Well, maybe I applied a tiny bit of dissolving enzyme to it.

It should have dissipated quickly, nevertheless, it's potent.

Oh, oh.

My Shari looks at me.

Better not to appear suspicious.

Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

Does it work?

To avoid the situation I glide to the door while being careful not to make any noise.

Would be bad for Shari's plan.

The door might be thick but that's no hindrance for me.

A little dissolving around the lock and I can simply open it.

I could just dwell inside through a small hole but I wouldn't feel good leaving Shari out here alone.

And I wouldn't want to force her to squeeze through a second hole.

That glare!

Shiver!

So I open it slowly.

"Chrrrrrrr, chrrrrrrr!"

Ahh, those are the easiest!

Completely unsuspecting, unable to scream as soon as you are over them.

Snuffing them out like this has something calming.

Like I am used to it I dwell close to the unsuspecting target, having my satisfactory meal already in mind.

"Clunk"

What?

Metal?

Oh no, forgot to stabilize the lock!

It fell!

Have to make fast or...

"Wh-wh-what?" (Cid)

"Liqu! Now!" (Shari)

No need to tell me!

"WAAAAAAHHHHHGlrrr..." (Cid)

Too late!

"Zsch"

For him as for me.

I dissolve him, putting my all into the reaction but it is too slow to get all of him down in time.

He might be small, but a human body still needs some time to disintegrate completely.

"Hey, was there something? Boss?!"

It takes too long to get it done before they will come.

I'm considering stopping this and just proceeding with killing every last of them.

But my Shari seems to ponder.

Then with great determination, she rushes out.

First, she makes the light go out.

That's clever, considering those humans can't see well in the dark.

Though, since I can utilize my own vision I am not so aware of how bad their vision exactly is.

However, that measure won't be enough when they'll eventually come.

"There! I can see someone!"

See?

Does that mean I have to dissolve him now?

After all, I'm not supposed to leave behind witnesses.

But then this would mean I'd also have to dissolve those who see me while I'm at it.

And then those who see this.

Might take a while but if my Shari wishes so.

"Sszzztk"

"Aaaarrgh"

Huh?

This was a slime bullet!

I am absolutely sure.

My Shari used a slime bullet!

We trained this and she made some progress but to get it right this fast?

She might be extremely clever but even then this is astonishing.

To ingrain this knowledge into her core is extremely difficult.

But she managed to pull this off.

She did it!

It should now be easy for her to use this skill since the action is ingrained and thus can get accessed and utilized.

But the mere fact that she could already perform this action so proficiently in praxis is impressive.

She must have repeated her practical exercises thousands of times in her mind.

Unbelievable!

"Wh-what was this?"

"Th-there... I got shot with something!"

And from the reaction, she used something hard inside to increase the effect.

Clever!

"Sszzztk"

"Aaah"

What a waste!

She didn't even aim this shot.

But then why shoot in the first place?

Ahh, I know.

Psychology!

She uses their fear against them.

Using the situation to her advantage.

Ripping them off!

Was that right?

Whatever, it seems it works.

"Aahh, Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh! WAAAAHHHH!"

"G-Greg, what is?"

"No! Don't touch me! Let me! Let me go! Waaaaahhhhh!" (apparently Greg)

What is with him?

My Shari can't know yet how to apply the enzyme.

She never trained to do so, this is impossible.

But what was it then?

I have no time to think deeper about this occurrence as something comes up.

The door next to my Shari just opened!

"Waaaaahhhh!" (big thug)

Whoever was in there has seen.

This reaction is all too known to me.

To his demise, I am now finished with dissolving and thus have an abundance of energy and mass at hand.

"Wusshhh"

Not a chance on his side!

"Zsch"

I am fast, making sure no unnecessary words escape from him.

And so he dissolves away in me.

"Sszztk"

Another slime bullet!

My Shari needs to stop this.

I know how much of a toll it takes to create and fire them.

And I always know exactly how much energy and mass my Shari has.

I need to keep track of it to ensure her well-being.

This is important.

And because of this, I know she cannot afford any more shots.

We need to hurry and end this so she can replenish.

But I see another disturbance.

"Waaah-aah-aahhhhh!" (?)

There is a human child.

And it has clearly seen the both of us.

My Shari herself said I can't leave any witnesses.

And more is always better.

I'm a little bit at the limit of mass this frame can contain.

But the excess mass I could simply give to my Shari so it can help her to recover.

So I should begin.

Huh?

Why does my Shari block me off?

She is...

Linking!!!

* "Don't kill him!" (Shari)

* "But he saw us. Isn't this bad?" (Liqu)

Did I misunderstand something?

* "We don't kill children! Never!!!" (Shari)

* "What else can we do?" (Liqu)

I am seriously confused.

I can't leave witnesses and I can't dissolve them.

What else is left then?

* "We take him with us! We have to leave!" (Shari)

Well, this is an alternative.

But it appears to be quite a burden for us.

Yet it might be the most immediate solution.

At least they aren't heavy at this size.

But before I do so there is something much more urgent.

Collecting the most energetic mass I can gather I give it as fast as possible to my Shari.

She needed every little bit of it.

I could feel this.

Just then I can tend to the child.

"Waaaa-aahhhhglrr..." (boy)

Like she wants me to, I rush to the boy and take him with me.

For the rope on the leg that ties him to the wall, I don't even need concentrated dissolving.

Yet my Shari looks a little tense at me.

Does she maybe think I forgot his air supply?

I wouldn't repeat such a mistake.

So I tell her that she doesn't have to worry.

* "Don't worry! I'm pumping air inside. But had to restrict his movements!" (Liqu)

It is not difficult to repeatedly force air inside his mouth and get rid of the expelled.

One just needs a feel for it.

The advantage is he cannot scream like this since any noise from him would be really bad now.

Otherwise, we couldn't bring him far without getting found.

Like this confining him inside me is the best way of transportation.

Children of this size aren't strong and it is very easy to restrain his movements.

He can't do the slightest bit if I don't allow it.

Now we just need to get out of here.

With this load, leaving through the hole isn't possible so the window must be it.

And I'm out!

"Splash"

Locating the boy a little higher in me I can cushion him well.

Also, I made sure he doesn't get shaken too much so he won't hurt himself.

Oh no, you won't!

He seriously tried to escape!

As if I'd let my concentration waver.

You won't even move a muscle without my or Shari's permission!

"Splash"

Speaking of her she follows swiftly.

Don't know why, but I feel joy when some of her drops hit me.

And it looks so beautiful.

An explosion of that what I love the most.

Soon she has reassembled herself.

And Elin comes back as well.

"Wha... Who is this?" (Elin)

Someone we just found.

"No time to explain! We need to get away! Liqu! Give me his head for a moment!" (Shari)

Why only his head?

Didn't she say no killing?

Ahh, talking!

That must be it.

"If you can now for the closest time stay completely still, I can assure you that you will make it out here alive! So by all means, don't do anything stupid!" (Shari)

I was right.

It was talking.

She could have scolded me if this wasn't her intention and he starts to scream.

Luckily my guess was right.

Sadly now I have to put this fabric cover back on.

Even if being without it was so nice.

I feel entombed with it.

The boy surely too.

Just to tell you, we both don't like this.

Yet what my Shari said did work.

He ceased his pointless struggle.

No more distracting movements from my inside.

Well, apart from this small disturbance in me.

Somehow he vibrates very intensely.

But this doesn't hinder me, so I can ignore it.

"Now everyone, get going!" (Shari)

"Elin! You carry the clothes!" (Shari)

Ahh, almost forgot them.

Well, I suppose I will need them later.

But all in all, that was a really great time I had with my Shari!

This went really well!