Chapter 22: Chapter 15

 

- Shari -

 

I'm on the road.
With Liqu.
A crazy, violent, and sociopathic slime, which won't leave me.
And traveling with her is certainly tedious.

Example, please?

 

"Can we stop for a moment? I need to let mass out." (Liqu)

"Didn't you just do that?" (Shari)

"That’s the fault of this attire! Usually I would just lose my spent matter on its own while moving, but like this, I have to carry it with me, which requires energy on its own!" (Liqu)

 

So she wants to throw dead weight away.

 

"But this effort should be totally neglectable compared to your total energy. I made it back home with the little I had and didn’t feel exhausted." (Shari)

"I dislike wasted effort in general. Also you won’t feel actually exhausted, but if you hold on to this kind of mass your body will feel gradually unresponsive." (Liqu)

"Wait! You mean I could suddenly become unable to move?" (Shari)

"Not completely. You would switch into some kind of survival mode, let go of anything that slows you and start to dissolve anything in your vicinity. Even soil has a bit of life inside. Not enough to bring you so far as to be operational, but enough for marginal movements to get you to the next plant. After that, you might be able to act consciously at least. Still, catching prey is essential at this point." (Liqu)

"Urgh! How do I know how bad my condition is?" (Shari)

"You could simply move it. Send a wave through you and check how smooth it works. You first need to develop a feel for it. Imagine the wave as something that travels from one side of your body to the other and then you activate it." (Liqu)

 

Again something I don’t really like to do.

But as it is apparently essential for something similar to my health I try to do so.
Sending a pulse from my head to the toes, I get a strange feeling of clearance of my body.
When it passes my core the impression gets weird for a moment, but all in all, this wave was quite easy to maintain.

 

"Did so and it took hardly any effort." (Shari)

"If you were completely full there would be no effort at all. It would go on its own. Yet, you had not used much since I charged you, so it works out for now, but you need to take more care of yourself." (Liqu)

 

I get what you are trying to say, but do you have to sound like a mother?

 

"It seemed to me that the way is rather long, so you should relieve yourself frequently too if you want to keep going for a greater distance." (Liqu)

 

That’s like telling me to pee more frequently!
That’s embarrassing!
And she still has no awareness of that!

 

"By own experience, I can tell you it’s not good to hold it in for long." (Liqu)

"Right now stop! That talk gets far too weird to stay comfortable." (Shari)

"But that’s important! I’m worried that you are overexerting yourself without noticing. You are always wearing these clothes and like that prone, for this to happen!" (Liqu)

"God! If I do it, will you stop this talk?" (Shari)

"Sure." (Liqu)

 

As I became overly conscious of that act, due to this talk, I move behind a tree to let the matter go.
My stubbornness shall not lead me to ruin, because I fail the distance by ignoring my condition.

 

"And don’t watch!" (Shari)

"Ehm, sure?" (Liqu)

 

Okay; It's simply about leaving behind what I don’t need, to keep going.
Absolutely logical.
There is but one problem,

I don’t know how to do this.

Before, the residue left my body on its own with each step, like a snail's trail.
However, doing this consciously I don’t know how to differentiate between good and bad mass.

 

"Is something the matter?" (Liqu)

 

It’s embarrassing enough.
There's no need to prolong it.

 

"How do you leave empty mass consciously?" (Shari)

"If you want I can show it to you directly." (Liqu)

"NO! No linking! Especially not for something like this! Just explain it!" (Shari)

 

Does she know no shame?

Of course.
Why am I even asking?

 

"Yes, yes! You gather the slime at the place where you want to release it. That would be easier if you wouldn’t wear all this stuff. After this, you concentrate on the gathering, and instead of moving it all at once, you suck it back in just from the middle. The part that doesn’t respond is the residue you want to leave and will simply fall down. You can also do it simultaneously, by pulling from the inside and at the same time sending new mass through the outer layer." (Liqu)

 

It progressively seems to me that using this body is more complicated than I thought.

Did I underestimate slimes?

 

"Do all slimes learn this stuff when they come into existence?" (Shari)

"Nope! Just me. Most slimes just don’t care for exploring their own possibilities. I learned by trial and error." (Liqu)

 

So I didn’t underestimate slimes, but definitely Liqu.

 

She is more proficient than one might guess if she is that much of a self-taught person.
I use the described process on my hand after freeing it out of the cloak and think I manage fine.
It works exactly as she said and again I wonder how she got so smart that she makes a fine teacher.
Which I would never let get close to children!

So we start to proceed on our way.

 

"If you can teach so well, why did you not just educate a normal slime till you’ve got it to the preferred state?" (Shari)

"It’s not like I did not try. But you are overestimating slimes. They are far less responsive than you give them credit. You can’t tell them anything, no matter how hard you press. At most you will crush their minds, even if the core stays intact, they are gone then." (Liqu)

"Wait! You also killed other slimes?" (Shari)

"Nah, it was more like permanently disabling them." (Liqu)

 

This doesn't sound the slightest bit better.

 

"In the first place there are not so many ways slimes can hurt each other, since dissolving doesn’t work on the slime or the core." (Liqu)

 

Makes sense.
Like snakes can’t get poisoned by their own venom.

 

"Did you not feel regret by doing this to your own kind?" (Shari)

"Why? They are completely neglectable. The only one who matters is you." (Liqu)

 

Despite my incapability to feel cold, a shiver spreads around my body.
Literally, I mean there is a wave of stirred liquid on my surface.
This slime makes me sometimes extremely anxious.
Just imagining the rampage if something were to happen to me is disturbing me deeply.

 

• Too! Much! Pressure!

 

Soon we finished the first part of our trip.
We leave the beaten trail to my village and continue on the connecting road between Siras and Ekoras, two border towns.
Since Siras is relatively closer to the capital, as far I know the bigger city, better administrated, and significantly cleaner, I turn left towards Ekoras.

As much as I like to have public order, maintained infrastructures, and administration, all these things are my enemies at the moment.
The more distance I have from organized subjugation squads the better.
The same goes for guards and greater amounts of humans.
Even if I get exposed if there are not too many threats I might make it.
Especially with Liqu at my side, since I doubt there is much that can defeat her.

The path from my village was in fact the easy part, as we are now on a road that is actually in use.
And I am aware that with those coats we look extremely suspicious, so meeting other people might become a challenge.

 

Fortunately, the first day ends without any incidents and we walk even through the night since our conditions allow us to do so.
Yet through the deepest dark, we rest lying against a tree.
Just about three hours.

While we keep walking, I start to wonder why we don’t see any people.
This road is just a connection along the border and so there is little reason for traffic.
The trade runs in general centralized through the capital and not between the towns.
Nonetheless, no one using it seems uncommon to me, yet not absolutely impossible.
Suddenly I notice movement in the woods.

 

"Stop! And don’t you dare to run! We might get angry if we need to chase you down!"

 

• God, is that a joke?

 

I stare in disbelief at the six rather ragged-looking guys.
Two wear self-made bows with completely wooden arrows, two other daggers, one a cleaver, and the one who spoke a very big axe. He also stands out from the rest because of his much wider build. In a bad way.

 

"Nice that you are able to follow orders, that makes it far easier!" (Bandit chief)

 

• This is ridiculous! The first time I leave my village and I get directly robbed?
   
• Are you fucking kidding me!

 

"Are you fucking kidding me?" (Shari)

 

That was a slip of tongue or rather of artificial slime vocal cords.

 

"Boss, it’s a girl and she sounds young and nice." (thug 1)

 

I cringe inside and at the same time don’t know if I should laugh at the idea of his obvious implication.
Due to the lack of the respective organs, hormones, and feel, I am practically sexually disabled.

 

• Thank you Liqu!

 

Under normal circumstances the prospects might look grim for me, but if I am one thing no more than it is normal.
Now his intention of trying something this just appears bizarre.

 

"Hey missy don’t be rude, that’s not nice. You should compensate us for your demeanor, while we just tend to our work." (Bandit chief)

 

If they wouldn’t just swirl creepily, I might roll with my eyes.

 

"I have three questions!" (Shari)

"Oho! As much as three! Aren’t we going a little overboard missy? Well, as we will get to know each other closer, you can ask ahead!" (Bandit chief)

 

And again I regret that because I don’t breathe I can’t really sigh anymore.
Still, that can’t keep me from imitating the respective gesture.

 

"Sigh!" (Shari)

 

This still feels appropriate.

 

"Okay, first question: What the heck makes you believe that two people, wearing nothing but coats make some valuable targets?
Second question: Why do you even consider the idea of approaching two extremely suspicious persons, hiding their faces, on an unmaintained road, without expecting any risks?
And finally, repeating myself: Are you fucking kidding me?! There is barely any traffic on this road, yet for some reason, you are here! Is the world still not through with me? Am I such a good target? I feel like I’m gonna lose it!" (Shari)

"Whoa miss…" (Bandit chief)

"Don’t you dare to call me once more "Missy"!!! Okay; here is the deal: I have here some damaged coins. You can have them since bartering with those on the market would be a hassle. In exchange, you forget we've ever been here! Otherwise, you die!" (Shari)

 

I don’t feel threatened by those guys.
It’s obvious that these people are not even close to the proficiency the adventurers had.
And since they cannot see my core, there is barely a way to harm me.

However, I am still apprehensive about killing, although they surely earned it.
Mum ingrained in me that if my life is threatened any appropriate measure is right, no matter what it demands.
My life might not be endangered.
Nonetheless, the situation is close enough to the scenarios we went through.
So I won’t let them take advantage of me.

On the other side, I mind the gravity of human lives, so I want to prevent any deaths.
But the main reason is that things would surely get messy.
They might not be trusted civilians, but I don’t want to risk rumors about wandering monsters, leading to hunting assignments on me.

 

"Hah, you think you can bargain with us when we simply can take everything you’ve got and then have our fun?" (Bandit chief)

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The prospects are bad.

 

"Listen, if you proceed with this nonsense, you all will die!" (Shari)

"Ah, that’s bold, you believe you can kill all of us by yourself?" (Bandit chief)

"Not me! She!" (Shari)

 

I point at Liqu, with whom I agreed before that I take the "talking-to-humans" part.

 

"Oh, both of you are girls! Well; that makes it worth it, to answer your first question!" (Bandit chief)

 

While the bandits with bows are aiming, the rest of the group is encroaching on us.

 

"Liqu! Can you take them out without one escaping?" (Shari)

"I can kill them?" (Liqu)

"I suppose you can’t just knock them out, without blowing our cover, right? (Shari)

"Nope." (Liqu)

"I don’t wanna get found out, so no escapees. Can you do it?"

"It might become difficult if they scatter in all directions. Five sure. Six maybe. Safe if you engage one. And they need to come closer." (Liqu)

"Well, they are already coming. Stay ready, till you think you can do it.

Oh! But please leave the cloak intact." (Shari)

"Duh, bothersome, but yes." (Liqu)

 

Soon they are closer than I can be comfortable.
I feel that they aren’t the least bit considering us a threat.
The guy that first found out I am a girl, is also the first to advance on me.

 

• No discussion here about the gender of slimes, it’s difficult enough!

 

With the desire to examine his prey, he throws rudely the hood of my cloak behind, while threatening me with his dagger.

 

"What the fuck is that!" (thug 1)

 

He looks confused at my exposed head which is…

Completely wrapped in bandages.
Yes, naturally I took safety measures while traveling!

While Liqu shall stay in the background, there is too much that might go wrong if I interact with people.
The least I can do is to prevent a clear view of my body, save for one eye that doesn't give too much away.

 

"Damnit! Take these off!" (thug 1)

 

He tries to rip the bandages down, yet before he can do more, the knife I stored conveniently in my arm slides out directly into my glove.

I drive it instantly into his stomach.

 

"Ahhrgh!" (thug 1)

 

While he might not die directly, I know that such a wound untreated will not leave much hope for him.
So I consider it an act of mercy to kill him now, instead of prolonging the situation.
It’s not that I don’t feel anything regarding their deaths, no matter how justified.
However, I already made the decision, by assigning Liqu to do it.
Now to stop would make me a hypocrite.

Like this, I slit his throat and he dies.
It helps much that my hands don’t shake, as no diverting signals are sent to them.
While this body does the things I envision, irregular orders aren’t possible.
So my hand is steady.
Or the slime which is clutched around the blade, if I need to be precise.

 

"Wha-... Kill them!!!" (Bandit chief)

 

I caught the bandits off guard and they failed to react to my strike in time.
Yet now they are rushing at me and I find one arrow embedded in my waist.
It did not enter far and is not even close to my core, but a hint of danger was there.
By the way, the other arrow missed me miserably.

It's not a nice feeling to have your life threatened, as insignificant the threat is.
It seems I am not the only one who thinks so, as Liqu in an act of rage, probably because they threatened my life, ejects out of the cloak, and literally explodes in the middle of the bandits.

 

"Zsschhh"

 

As she aimed for one of them while ejecting, that one is dead before he can even assess the situation.
She grows to a considerable size in the middle of the remaining two, who were advancing on us.
Promptly she grabs one, which had a dagger, next to her with a giant appendage, and starts dissolving him.

 

"Zsschh"

 

This man is certainly dead and the corpse gets thrown at one of the archers, sending him to the ground.
Only the chief with the axe remains at the front.
He understandably retreats instead of swinging at the mass of liquid in front of him.
It is so much that he wouldn’t even get close to her core.
That is if he would have been even able to analyze the situation.

 

• Something I doubt.

 

Yet, instead of choosing him next, Liqu ejects a large amount of slime at the other archer.
I guess the one that shot me.

 

"Zsschh"

"Ahhh!" (archer)

 

Somehow the lump that hit him dissolves his body.

 

• So she can even throw this stuff.

 

I am not sure if he's completely dead after the effect ends up, but this damage is nothing that allows him to survive.
Directly after throwing the projectile, she rushes at the remaining archer, like a giant wave of doom.
This one already got back on his feet and tries to run, but cannot even start to speed up before he is completely encompassed and dies a moment later.
I notice that when she kills, Liqu always muffles the screams.

The bandit chief meanwhile is giving his all to escape and even made some distance.
Still, he is built quite bulky, so he couldn’t run too far.
By now I dare to think that Liqu left him on purpose, knowing she had no difficulties catching up.
At least at killing people she's a genius.
Not that this is a favorable trait.
And like before she rushes at him as a formless wave, startling him so much that he falls down on the run.

Liqu comes to stop directly in front of him.

 

"W-What are you?" (Bandit chief)

"You threatened my Shari! Insulted her! Planned to disgrace her!" (Liqu)

 

Have I ever mentioned before that I fear her going on a rampage?

Yes?
Seems like it’s getting started.

 

"Liqu just end it! This is hard enough for me! Please don’t prolong this and get it done!" (Shari)

 

She seemingly reacts to my voice, then tends again to the quivering man in front of her.
In one motion she throws her arm through his mouth.

 

"Zsshhh"

 

I can hear the dissolving sound; see his shrieking face a moment before the slime etches through his eyes and he drops dead.
I get a little frightened while remembering that she did the "hand in mouth thing" to me too.
Liqu turns in my direction.

 

"Can I dissolve them?" (Liqu)

 

Under normal circumstances, I would like to bury those men, although they were evil.
But aside from the fact that I have no shovel or can with this body barely use such one, this would take too long to be comfortable on the road.
And leaving them here would throw questions regarding their wounds.

 

Furthermore, that fight should have taken a significant amount of energy from Liqu and since I assigned her, I need to take responsibility for her condition.
So I decide to let her have her way, albeit reluctantly.

 

"Okay you can, but first I want to seek for coins. You know about money, right?" (Shari)

"Yes, adventurers often spoke about this while hunting." (Liqu)

 

Who hunted who?
It's better if I don't inquire.

 

"Good, it helps if we have a bit more. Can you look too? Metallic coins!" (Shari)

"Yes, yes!" (Liqu)

 

• Overeager like always.

 

Like one could guess they weren’t rich.
Thirty-four in copper, two of them are big ones, and four silver coins.
That makes forty-six copper and seven silver.
Also ten destroyed copper.
Here it was good that the boss had the group's money with him, as the others got quite excessively treated by Liqu before they died, destroying their belongings.

I put them in the pouch which is getting heavy by now.
Liqu already finished her meal.
I really hope that the slime in the grass will vanish before anyone notices.
However, other than that there is no evidence that anything happened here.

In any case, seeing Liqu fighting like this reminds me definitely of a walking calamity.
Just the idea that I could become something similar is disturbing at best.
And now the calamity is approaching.

 

"I am done!" (Liqu)

"Fine, let’s get moving, this was no positive experience!" (Shari)

"Yes sure, just one more thing!" (Liqu)

"What is it?" (Shari)

 

Suddenly she lashes her hands around me and touches the open part of my neck under the bandages.

 

"What…" (Shari)

 

Promptly I feel liquid gushing through the gap inside me.

 

• She's again pumping me full!
   
• Wait! She did just eat those people! So the mass contains…

 

"No!" (Shari)

 

I try to push her away, failing miserably by gripping through her.

She just looks confused at me.

 

"You haven’t had anything. You need more to sustain you." (Liqu)

"Even if you say so, you did just eat those people. I-I don’t want this! Flesh is one thing, but humans are nothing I want to feed on!" (Shari)

"I can’t see a difference. Flesh is flesh and slime is slime." (Liqu)

 

Sure. It was clear that she thinks so.
And now I can’t do anything against that.
It's already inside me, merged with all the rest!

 

"Just respect that I don’t want to live like that, okay?" (Shari)

"Okay; from now on I only help you after I dissolve things different than humans." (Liqu)

 

This is as far as possible, considering her.
She wouldn’t allow that I end up weakened, so I can’t ban her completely.
And I have the feeling if I would get into a dire state, she would break her word.

Still, even if she did the dissolving, I feel like I crossed a line I can’t step back from.