- Liqu -

My Shari left me.

I feel down.

She said she would come back, but every second of waiting for her feels so empty.

I want her back!

But she gave me a task and I have to fulfill it.

There is one positive thing about the current situation.

This building is big so that I can hide should someone come.

And that means the following:

No clothes!

And Shari can't scold me for not wearing them.

It is a bit liberating to move around like this.

Feels great!

And I wasn't this aware of it before, but this woman, Tamarah, isn't bothering me while I walk around in her home.

How novel.

It's truly uncommon for someone to let me enter their personal space of living.

Yet she appears to be uncommon for me.

From the start, I couldn't sense any fear.

Rather it's genuine interest.

Very interesting!

At some point, I hear something approaching from above.

"Ah, Liqu! You're awake? Where are the others?" (Tamarah)

Really, no fear at all.

Others would be more worried that I was here while they slept.

"Slimes don't need to sleep and the others want to look for things in our room!" (Liqu)

"Oh, is that so? Can you explain this deeper? There were reports of slimes who stay unresponsive when you come close. Aren't they sleeping?" (Tamarah)

"You can turn down your mind and it is refreshing, but real sleep is not needed." (Liqu)

"Fascinating! Do you want something to eat? We can talk during this!" (Tamarah)

"Dissolving? What?" (Liqu)

"Hmm, I have some dry meat, cheese, and bread. Is this alright?" (Tamarah)

Dry?

That means there are no fluids, right?

That doesn't sound very enjoyable.

"Dry meat? You mean not fresh?" (Liqu)

"Well... no. It was dried to make it stay edible. Is that a problem?" (Tamarah)

"It's not very good, but fine." (Liqu)

She comes down, turns into a door on the side, and returns soon with a plate with the mentioned flesh and other goods.

Then she procures two more plates.

She puts some of the goods on the plate in front of her.

I've seen this custom before.

Apparently a temporary storage station for them before eating.

Ah! This reminds me of the meal I had with Shari's parents!

So this is it.

At least, she seems to approve of me.

"So, you said this isn't optimal? Could you explain that in more detail?" (Tamarah)

She talks while slowly eating a bit of the bread.

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"There is not much energy in it. Like if I would dissolve this table or the wall. Simply no value. I make much mass which has no worth and is only dead matter." (Liqu)

"So it is like this? If you want you can simply dump it in this kettle there. So, energy! What kind are you referring to? What decides if something has more or less energy?" (Tamarah)

"Energy is energy! Living things have more. The longer you wait the less there is." (Liqu)

"So this energy dissipates? Then what is with plants? As far I know slimes avoid dissolving them." (Tamarah)

"They... work. Kind of. In general, they have much less. There are some parts that have more. For example, fruits and such. But it's still not much to make do with them. On the other side, they don't run. So it would be possible to fill up with enough time. Nevertheless, it's tedious and unpleasant to convert inefficiently." (Liqu)

"Fascinating! To think I could hear this first hand. You are very intelligent, right?" (Tamarah)

"Don't know. In which way?" (Liqu)

"Well, for sure more than the average slime, right?" (Tamarah)

"Uhh, yes. But slimes are stupid." (Liqu)

"You think so? Do you speak from experience? You must be far older than the average one." (Tamarah)

"I am! I'm already ten, soon eleven!" (Liqu)

"That does surprise me. I thought more around hundreds of years to develop such a consciousness." (Tamarah)

"Nah, ten years are much more than a normal slime lives. But I was always a little different. As long as I can think." (Liqu)

"And when was this?" (Tamarah)

"Well, ten years ago." (Liqu)

"Ahaha, how stupid of me. To think you were right from the start like this." (Tamarah)

"Uhh, no. Ten years ago I became self-aware. Like this it was like my first day of meaningful existence. Before that I was simply there." (Liqu)

"Oh and what caused this change?" (Tamarah)

"Don't know. One day I was hiding from adventurers in a bush. Next to me was another slime. And then he just glided out. Probably because he wanted to dissolve them. Got directly exterminated. When he did that I asked myself: 'Why do you do this? Are you crazy? They haven't seen you yet! Why go out?'" (Liqu)

Huh, that's the first time that someone has paid so much attention to what I'm saying.

It's kinda nice to relay this to another being that is willing to listen.

"But then I realized: 'Why do I care? Why is it important to not get detected? Why even want to live another day?' I had no answers, but at the same time didn't want to end. It would have felt so... pointless. That was all there is to it." (Liqu)

"Wow! So you would say that this was the day you became self-aware?" (Tamarah)

"No, I wouldn't. It was definitely important, but if I wouldn't have been self-aware I wouldn't have been hiding at that time. It must have started before that moment." (Liqu)

"So you were not always a deviant, but it could be that you did slowly develop yourself. Continuously." (Tamarah)

"Yes... Might be. Like a slime." (Liqu)

"Yes, just like a slime." (Tamarah)

She smiles at me and silence comes down with this.

But suddenly I have the urge to say something.

"And I still do!" (Liqu)

"You don't say." (Tamarah)

"I said ten years ago was an important day, but it wasn't the most important!" (Liqu)

"So what was it then?" (Tamarah)

I smile at that thought.

"Naturally, when I've got my Shari. Since then every moment holds meaning for me. Before I just existed and wanted to prevent my end. No direction, no intent, just dumb being there. But now I feel so much I never felt before. Even being scared, hateful, and flustered. This all has now meaning. This is more than I ever was before! And this is just because I have my Shari which causes me to feel this way! She gives me my center and I built around it. I grow every moment I can think about her. This is fulfillment! This is me!" (Liqu)

Huh, she doesn't respond!

Did I say something wrong?

"Hah!" (Tamarah)

What?

"Ahahahaha! That this is your answer!" (Tamarah)

"Is something wrong?" (Liqu)

Be careful what you say human!

"No. No, it isn't. Just to think that all my life I felt better when no one was around and I could concentrate to improve myself and then comes you, who exists solely for someone else. There are many different ways to better oneself, right?" (Tamarah)

"Maybe. Could be." (Liqu)

"Well, I wish you that you will have a long time with your Shari!" (Tamarah)

"I plan for forever." (Liqu)

"Forever?" (Tamarah)

"Slimes don't die!" (Liqu)

"Ahaha! Is that so?" (Tamarah)

"Yes, but please don't tell Shari. She doesn't know!" (Liqu)

"My lips are sealed." (Tamarah)

"Nice to know!" (Liqu)

"I liked this talk. Maybe we can repeat this?" (Tamarah)

"Maybe, but I have now to go. My Shari said I'm supposed to look after the boy." (Liqu)

"The one you brought yesterday?" (Tamarah)

"Are there more?" (Liqu)

"No, but I checked. He's still asleep. Seems like heavy exhaustion to me. Seems he's been through a lot." (Tamarah)

"Good. Exhausted ones are easier to handle." (Liqu)

"Pft. If you say so." (Tamarah)

"I know it! They don't fight back or are able to run that much." (Liqu)

"Okay. But be gentle. He seems to be in a bad state." (Tamarah)

"Sure! My Shari told me so." (Liqu)

And with this, I head up there.

Someone has to look for the boy.

And that will be me!