- Shari -

It's getting dark.

I've decided to wait till nightfall, as this is the best time to not get discovered by the guards.

The market really has quite a contingent to patrol the streets, which prompted me to decide that we won't directly head to the northern gate, but rather take our chances in the not-so-well-governed west of the town.

At least the controls should be less frequent in this district.

Still, the guards on the wall could pose a problem.

Those are there to keep watch for monsters, but as the wall is high enough people don't have much to fear in that regard.

Like this, I hope that they feel safe enough to be a little lax about surveillance.

Especially, as I'm kinda part of the group of beings they're supposed to watch out for

I advised the boy to sleep a bit since I really don't want him to whine that he's tired later on.

And naturally, we gathered all our new equipment and filled it efficiently into our bags.

Prepared like this we depart into the dark of the night.

Honestly, I am glad to get away from Tamarah.

Not that I don't appreciate all the help we received, but her occasional glances at me were beyond creepy.

And the point that she in fact sells me in bottles is also a great source of concern.

So I am quite eager to leave before any weird experiments come to her mind.

"Uhm, where are we going?" (Lidan)

"We're going to your home. But please stay quiet. We don't want any of the guards to notice us. This would get us into lots of trouble if we'd be seen." (Shari)

"T-Trouble? Why?" (Lidan)

"You know about Liqu and me. Do you really think it would end well if we'd meet the guards?" (Shari)

At least it would be a problem if we got caught in a guard's control.

Mostly for the town, but it wouldn't be very advantageous for me either.

So I would like to avoid it, but occasionally I have to speak to the kid.

I have to soothe him or he might get the idea that we are bringing him to our lair or something equally monstrous.

That he's panicking now would be the last thing I need.

The night is dark, but with such a big group as ours and the more frequent night patrols in the northern market district, it's risky to pass through.

Yet Elin is apparently used to avoiding the guards and makes a very good scout.

She always moves some distance in front of us and ascertains that the way is clear.

With this, we eventually manage to get to the wall in the northwest of the town.

It is a quiet back alley where patrols are unlikely to pass by.

And this is needed, as even Liqu will need some time to burn a hole that's big enough for people into it.

So I better ask her beforehand.

"Do you really think you can do it? This wall is quite thick." (Shari)

"Actually I am glad. Finally I can get rid of the excess. It was so straining to hold onto it." (Liqu)

"Straining? What was straining? Wait! Don't tell me you..." (Shari)

"I've never done this for such a long time and it was really much to contain inside." (Liqu)

She did!

Slimes can only control a certain amount of mass.

But Liqu is advanced.

With sheer willpower, she can force the matter which would get left behind to stay with her.

In fact I counted on this for our assassination, to make sure we don't leave any traces behind.

Giant pits of slime where the former persons were would have been bad.

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I thought she would dump it at the next toilet or river yet I didn't give it too much thought.

But this slime truly kept all the mass that still had some energy with her.

The whole time!

How is she able to do this?

She said it was straining, but coming from my own experience with this body I can barely imagine how hard this was.

She still manages to astonish me.

Yet with so much energy at her disposal, she should be more than able to burn through that wall.

However, I am very conscious about what we are doing here and that it might bring its very own problems.

In fact, this whole venture of ours is just a very reckless flight forward.

The least I can do is limit the risks.

"And Liqu, don't make a too big hole. Just enough so that Elin can crouch through is fine. Simply the fact that a hole is there will cause an uproar and we shouldn't make it worse than we have to." (Shari)

Also, I don't want the town to get overrun by monsters.

After I instructed her, Liqu starts her work.

She is targeting an area close to the ground.

I'm a little surprised that she doesn't even bother to undress.

Instead, she just leaks approximately half her mass out, which causes a rather unsettling sight.

She is half human, half protruding blob.

I shield the boy a bit, so he doesn't panic.

It's good that I have gloves, as my own hands are see-through.

Wouldn't work very well!

But I need to say that Liqu is astonishingly fast.

She just burns right through.

It's a distressing thought, how such a silent killer could get everywhere in and kill you in your sleep.

Yet only if it would concern me since I don't sleep and am no target.

So I am just glad that we can get this done quickly and get away from the crime scene.

"Done!" (Liqu)

"Then let's get out of here!" (Shari)

Liqu is naturally the first as already the act of creating that hole got her on the other side.

I am next and really have to say this hole is tiny.

Not as bad as my dreaded memories from last night, but I actually have to squeeze myself a little.

I may not be able to get stuck and have to ask myself if I've gained weight, but the thought comes up nonetheless.

This leads me to a confusing trail of thought regarding what weight condition is now favorable for my body and how I am supposed to balance my looks and the advantages of having more mass at my disposal.

For now, I am not as good as Liqu at making denser structures.

This ability wouldn’t help my weight, but certainly my looks.

Finishing this mental debate I manage it on the other side.

This leaves now just the boy and Elin.

Naturally, the boy goes first.

Otherwise, we would risk that he runs.

Especially after this sight that Liqu gave.

So now come little boy!

No need to hesitate!

Just two monsters waiting for you on the other side!

Yes, I know why he isn't too eager to come.

But it seems Elin prods him forward.

I guess it's to a small degree payback for making her serve him.

"Now we need to hurry up before someone can see us from the wall!" (Shari)

Not that surveillance is too tight, but it needs only one guard randomly spotting us so that there is still a risk.

Like this, I plan to through the undergrowth till we’re out of sight.

Thanks to our dark clothes and the lax patrols in the city we get away without being seen.

Recently, we got into trouble on a regular basis, so I was a bit worried that something might go wrong.

But as we now made it out of sight this is the perfect moment to take a breather.

If I just could.

"Phew. It worked out!" (Elin)

"It's dark. Not exactly easy to see something from all the way up the wall. Liqu, how are you?" (Shari)

"Blurrrssplishhh"

For some reason, she leaks considerable amounts of slime.

"Got rid of the waste and am close to my normal capacity." (Liqu)

"And now? Should we take the road?" (Elin)

"It would be a little problematic if we encounter a patrol, but I doubt the boy here can keep up if we traverse through the forest with him. Also, we don't have too many provisions. So it might be better to take the fastest route." (Shari)

"If you say so boss!" (Elin)

I seriously have no idea how I got this title!

We start to travel and as soon as safely possible get back on the road.

I more than once steal glances at the boy who appears to be quite anxious.

In the end, he is with people he doesn't know after others did presumably really bad things to him.

Also, what Liqu and I are is quite frightening, so he must still have the not completely unfounded fear to get eaten.

At least I am sure that our bloodhound slime can catch him back.

Aside from this, the journey is rather calm.

The reason is that the north of Ekoras is the relatively safest part.

This road, as the main connection to the capital, is well maintained and any monsters get regularly exterminated.

I've even seen that there are regular assignments in the guild for patrol jobs in the north.

They should be popular, as it's safe money with almost no risk.

And you even get a bonus for actually killing monsters there.

I just hope that I won't be part of this list anytime soon.

At least this makes the way much safer and I don't have to be this much on edge.

And in case we meet a patrol, we aren't looking all too suspicious and could probably talk us out, as long the boy doesn't make a too "kidnapped" impression.

Like this, we should reach the count's estate without issues.