- Shari -

This situation is more ridiculous than any I could have ever imagined.

The monster that turned my body into an aberration of humanity, is at the moment hugging me, grinning like a child, and presenting herself to my parents with an attitude as if we just eloped.

And this happens with the corpses of three dead adventurers, in our living room!

Her childish grin is a bit weird, considering that she is taller and looks far more developed than me in certain areas.

In general, her body does not represent her infantile personality, if you don’t count that far too affectionate attitude towards me.

How did she come to shape herself like this?

On a whim, for all I know about her.

"So this… thing did this to you?" (Hannah)

"Hello my name is Liqu, what a nice occasion to meet the creators of my chosen one."(Liqu)

God! This slime has no ability in reading the mood.

You just killed four people, are a monster, and the one who did indescribable things to their daughter.

Do you really think she will shake your extended hand!!!

"You turned my daughter into slime!!!" (Hannah)

"Ehm… Yes!" (Liqu)

Damnit! Not good!

My mother becomes hysteric.

I should do something.

I tend to my mother.

"M-Mum I don’t think you should provoke her. Dad; could you please take her somewhere?" (Shari)

"Yes, might be better." (Jona)

My dad is also relatively shaken but can take my trembling mother back into their room.

This is for the better, aside from the danger Liqu poses, I cannot see how their presence might be of any help.

And I don’t have any intention, to let them hear the details of what happened in that cave.

But now that they are gone I can at least ask the question that weighs the most on my mind now.

"Why the heck are you here?!!" (Shari)

"You are my friend! Naturally I stay at your side." (Liqu)

Oh yes; how could I forget?

She’s obsessed with me.

At least she abducted and confined me in a dark place to shape me into her ideal partner.

That's what obsessive people do.

Why did I ever consider that I can leave her without problems?

"And how did you find my parent’s house?" (Shari)

"I followed you!" (Liqu)

"How?" (Shari)

"Well, you leave mass behind with every step that you take." (Liqu)

I can’t deny that.

The proof is directly at my feet.

However…

"Did you not say that these tracks vanish fast?" (Shari)

"But not this fast. You can follow them around half an hour before they dissipate." (Liqu)

That means she was less than half an hour behind me when I arrived here.

"So you were here the whole time? Why didn’t you show yourself?" (Shari)

"Didn't know what to say and was a little embarrassed." (Liqu)

She coyly turns herself left and right like a maiden in love not knowing how to approach her crush.

Nothing of the ferocious killer, I have seen just moments before.

Her whole bearing shows me once again:

She's just a child.

A child that has no common sense or an understanding of how people behave.

A child that just murdered four trained fighters.

I simply cannot let her stay unattended.

If I would, she might just murder the whole village to keep dangers away from me.

It's obvious that she has no issues with killing.

Or she might just repeat what she did to me.

Can I let this happen to someone else?

That whole thing is getting so complicated.

If I would still have a brain I might right now get a headache.

While I ask myself what I shall do with a crazy, childish, over-attentive slime, with sociopathic tendencies, the very one peers at me.

Soon after she asks:

"Are you fine?" (Liqu)

"You mean apart from the fact that you turned me into a monster and people try to kill me now? Yes everything is absolutely great!" (Shari)

"So you feel fine?" (Liqu)

God! Read the mood stupid slime!

Before I can try to tell her something about the basics of social behavior, she crosses the distance between us and lays her hand in the middle of my chest.

At this point, I do not feel anymore like reprimanding her about personal space, and before I can even say something…

"You are not fine!" (Liqu)

Yes, I know that I have so many problems that I am deeply stressed, but I don’t think that she meant this.

"What do you want to say?" (Shari)

"You are far too light and your energy is low. When was the last time you did replenish yourself?" (Liqu)

Oh, that’s what she meant.

Her voice is tense and filled with worry.

At least she seems to truly care about me.

"I’ve just eaten a whole bush of berries." (Shari)

She stares with a blanc expression at me before vigorously shaking her head.

"No, no, won’t do, won’t do! You need proper nourishment; fast!" (Liqu)

I am afraid to ask what she does consider to be "proper".

"Here this is good! You can take this! That is more than enough!" (Liqu)

I should have known.

She points at the corpse of the mage.

I need to make this clear.

"No! I eat no humans! Are you right in your mind? Oh right I forgot! You are not! Just forget this!" (Shari)

"Huh; still too soon? Then there is only one possibility left!" (Liqu)

Does she really believe it’s just a question of time until I eat people?

Before I can think deeper about her words, I feel a sudden push at the point her hand still touches me.

Promptly current gets released there inside me.

I see how her green slime pours in and mixes with my blue color.

Somehow it gets difficult to move the parts where we are fusing.

I feel how close to the same amount of my current mass is applied in addition.

And she doesn't even change in any way.

Just how much mass has this slime?

When she finally stops the foreign feeling, where her slime intruded, gradually loosens.

I can see how the green slime in me starts to turn blue.

That monster did just feed me again!

And to my dismay, I have to admit that I feel better

With a smile plastered on her face she states:

"I said I give it to you whenever you need it." (Liqu)

That sounds wrong in so many ways.

After that, she turns back, walks to the three corpses, and promptly starts to dissolve them one after the other.

As my life was endangered before I had no real capacity to process this, but seeing her dissolving those people up close is kind of disgusting.

And she seriously wants me to do the same?

Furthermore, does it count as not eating humans if she does it and then feeds me?

Not good! Don’t think about this! Wrong trail of thought!

However, at least she does not leave any tracks behind for her killings.

But that is not helping at all with the fact that four adventurers died in my parent’s home!

That puts me in a tight spot, considering that surely someone will come to investigate what happened to them.

And I have heard that they were heading to my home in the beginning.

The highest chance is that someone in the village recommended them to come here.

So the investigator will come to the village, ask around, hear that they did want to come here, follow that lead, and ultimately find me.

Good luck with explaining that you are innocent, future me.

No kidding, I leave traces behind with every step I make.

Obvious, blue, fluid traces.

And something tells me that Liqu won’t go away if I tell her to leave.

So no safe way to hide this much of a secret.

Even leaving and coming back when it’s over will not help, as the existence of a monster close to the village combined with four disappeared adventurers is a little too convenient.

That means I can’t stay here.

Not that someone will come right away, but the timeframe I hoped for significantly decreased.

I need to prepare for my leave.

The question is: Which destination?

I may have said that before, but I don’t want to live in a cave.

Nonetheless, it could get difficult to buy a room in an inn.

Maybe a disguise could work.

But how to disguise "that"?

Perhaps a long cloak, gloves, and bandages around the visible parts?

I guess coming from the weight I could pull this off, but it would look suspicious.

Yet less than a slime abomination, asking for a room.

The next problem might be that I have no money.

And for sure not enough to afford a room for two.

Yes, I know.

I know I said, for two.

Let us be real here.

If I don’t take Liqu with me, she will follow on her own and ruin everything, if I don't make sure she is absolutely controlled.

The only good point is that with her obsession, I might have a lever on her.

Also, this incident has demonstrated that I have no real ability to fight.

Having a guardian is not the worst, even if I’m highly biased towards its persona.

And finally: She knows more about my "condition" than anyone else, so for the sake of information I will take her.

Now back to the money issue.

Am I a bad… "person" if I am unhappy about the fact that Liqu had to dissolve the whole equipment of these adventurers with them?

I mean they wouldn’t need the money anymore.

Also, they attacked me, so compensation is only fair.

So there's no reason to destroy it.

But it’s too late now.

She is already at the ranger on the other side of the room.

At this moment, following an idea, I turn to the window.

I was right.

The corpse of the thief is not completely dissolved.

I turned away from this gruesome sight after I knew that there was not much more coming from this direction when she started.

Yet, I should have known.

As soon Liqu made sure that he is no threat anymore, she came directly to me.

One should always consider her obsession.

New rule for the future.

So I walk to the body.

I repeat: This is just compensation.

And truly the rogue is not completely dissolved.

I don’t really want to describe the state of mutilation, but at his side is something sparkling.

That’s what I was looking for: Coins!

It seems like they gave the team’s funds to him.

Maybe because his role in the team required greater awareness than the others, so giving him the money was safer.

Or maybe it was just because his outfit, as I remember it, was designed to hold different things like the shells I saw before.

So he had the stash.

The shells are all destroyed and I can see different colors of the currents inside them.

Probably different alchemical substances made of plants, to poison and the likes.

Those were naturally absolutely ineffective against Liqu since slimes can’t get poisoned.

Because metal seems to be a little more resilient than flesh or the shell material and they were supposedly in a stash before, the coins were not gone when Liqu was done.

Still, how shall I explain the half-melted condition most of them are in?

It could be a problem considering, that the material of those coins is what determines the value.

By the way, they are copper and silver; gold is in general only used by the rich.

While hundred small copper coins or ten large make a silver, ten silver equals a gold coin in value.

The difference in weight and the material determines the value of the units.

Still, around half of them are apparently unscathed.

Or rather not too severely damaged.

There are twenty-eight small copper, sixteen in bad shape, and six silver coins, but just three of them seem usable.

I could use the intact ones without people thinking I’d scam them.

So the money problem is maybe not solved, but less severe.

Nonetheless, paying for stuff will become difficult.

"So you want to feed on him, after all?" (Liqu)

"Wha-" (Shari)

That question took me by surprise.

And the fact that a monster suddenly appeared behind me.

Had bad experiences in that regard.

"Ehk, no did just confirm something. Stop asking weird things." (Shari)

First, I don't know why I even bother to answer this stupid thing.

Second, why didn't I just tell her that I loot… "compensated" myself with the money?

It’s not like she would judge me for this.

I don't even know if she has any idea what money is.

Probably yes, but no moral code that considers it in any form.

Not important, as I was anyways totally justified.

"Oh… okay then I take it. Still you should work on this food disorder." (Liqu)

She says shortly before taking the corpse in.

No! I'm not answering this!

I hereby refuse to engage in any conversations regarding the pros and cons of the consumption of humans!

And dismiss any further thoughts about the definition of cannibalism, under the aspect of race.

Like this, I walk back inside with the found coins… stored inside my body.

Okay, you’ve got me.

I just had no stash at hand and they needed to be somewhere before a certain slime finishes the job.

When I enter, I notice my father did come back out again.

I am a little glad that my mother takes her time inside.

The last thing I need now is her shouting at a man-eating monster about how wrong its actions were.

I had enough absurdity for this week.

The coins get quickly stored in the first container I find, as I really don’t want to have anything floating inside me when talking to my dad.

Well, there is still the core, but we all know how that went.

Also, the coins shall dry before I put them in a pouch.

Slimy money would be as suspicious as melted coins.

Or a client not showing his face.

"Okay Shari, I could calm down your mother a little. Now would you please tell me what the hell transpired, for four dead people to pile up at our home before we even had breakfast?" (Jona)

Don’t make a comment that Liqu in fact had breakfast.

"Short version would be, that the adventurers that were assigned this time for slime subjugation, were quite committed to the task. To my disadvantage. And on the other hand, we have the creature that… Well; we all know what it did. She is apparently now obsessed with me, won’t let me leave, and is extremely overprotective." (Shari)

"So that monster is at fault for causing all this?" (Jona)

"A warning: Don’t even try to reason with her. I had five days of this and she doesn’t even begin to understand any implications. The sole positive regarding her is that she is not malicious, since she is too stupid, nor hostile. However, better not provoke her, she’s still a monster." (Shari)

"So what are you intending? That we should just let it slide?" (Jona)

"You know, I had some time thinking about this and my conclusion was that for example if a direwolf had attacked, I wouldn’t argue with it about the ethics of eating me. The same goes for Liqu. I can’t really apply logic on her that she has no access to." (Shari)

"So you are forgiving her?" (Jona)

"I didn’t say that. It’s just that there isn’t any benefit for me, in shouting at her. I really don’t want her now crying around me, so it seems I have to cope with it for now." (Shari)

While saying that I casually try to slap my father’s shoulder.

Yet at my approach, he promptly backs off.

"Ah! I-I’m sorry Shari it’s… it’s just hard to adjust to your… looks." (Jona)

It was a stupid move on my side as well.

I even made a scene before at the table because of this.

But that does not mean that it doesn’t hurt.

"And what shall I say about this? I haven’t even made it to look in a mirror yet." (Shari)

Yes, it’s true, while I know how my limbs and torso look since there was nothing to do about it, my face is an entirely different story.

I am not stupid and able to presume a likely estimation of my looks.

This doesn’t mean I want to face it!

No pun intended.

Still, if I want my "cloak and bandages plan" to work there will be no way to get around it.

"If it does help you, dad, even if I feel incredibly weird, there is no real discomfort. And I shouldn’t have tried to touch you! That was stupid." (Shari)

It was.

Not just because of the predictable reaction, but especially since I still have no control over this body.

"No, I shouldn’t get startled by my own daughter. That all feels just wrong." (Jona)

"That’s what I would say to describe everything that happened to me since I went to the forest. Never mind! What I would like to know from another human’s perspective: How bad do I look? I mean, am I ugly?" (Shari)

"No, I wouldn’t describe it like that. More… unusual. It’s not like you could directly judge it after normal standards." (Jona)

"Thanks for the honesty! If you would excuse me now. I think it’s time to confirm it myself. Don’t worry if you hear a high pitched scream. That’s just me then." (Shari)

"At least your sense of sarcasm is still the same." (Jona)

So I enter my parent’s room.

Why?

Because mirrors are quite rare and the only one we have is a small heirloom of my mother.

"Ehm mum, got a minute?" (Shari)

"Shari. I’m sorry that I left you out there alone with that "thing" and also that we didn't really talk yesterday. I… I just couldn’t…" (Hannah)

"No reason to apologize mum. To be honest, yesterday I did need some rest as well. And to be more honest, I am glad when you have no contact with Liqu. Discussing anything with her is a futile effort. She is a child with no concept of ethics and consequences as far as I know." (Shari)

"And what you plan to do, regarding her?" (Hannah)

"I have no real plan for now, but it seems I need to come up with something, as it looks like she is pretty set on following me." (Shari)

"And you will allow this?" (Hannah)

"Seriously, even if she would leave me a choice, my situation is quite bad. I still have no idea how that body works. She does. And having a bodyguard when your life is targeted, like today, is a necessity. I really don’t want to die. (Shari)

At the moment, I would love to sit on the bed, but regarding the mess, my own is at the moment, that would be rude.

"I’m sorry Shari, I really am. If I could do anything to help you I would." (Hannah)

"Again; you don’t need to blame yourself, mum! I already made up my mind about the prospects I have at the moment. A chance to turn back didn’t come up. I am just glad that you believed me or rather that we had not the whole "oh god, it's a monster" thing." (Shari)

"Sheesh, as if I wouldn’t recognize my own daughter." (Hannah)

"Well; to say so I’m not entirely sure if I would even recognize myself. Speaking of which, could you lend me your mirror for a moment?" (Shari)

"Yes sure. It’s not too bad. Your features are still quite well off, apart from the fact that you always looked a little tomboyish." (Hannah)

"God, mum!" (Shari)

While saying that, mum already got the mirror and hands it over to me.

The moment I take it, our hands brush slightly against each other.

I can see that she was startled a tiny bit at the sudden sensation of the slime but managed to keep her calm.

I give her high credit for it.

I need a bit of time before I am prepared to look at the reflecting surface, but eventually, I am able to do so.

It's as I anticipated.

It wasn’t too difficult to estimate that the same blue translucent tone on my entire surface is also on my face.

Rather weird is my hair.

It is simply odd when something of such a unique structure as your hair, is now entirely different.

I already knew that it consists of slime since I ripped off this strand.

It comes still close to my old wild hairstyle, if not for the color.

However, seeing that the top of my head now looks like it melted and even sometimes drips a bit is unsettling.

Nonetheless, what really is unnerving are the eyes.

I had blue eyes before and the color isn’t even far apart.

But it wasn’t my entire eye without pupils!

Yes, it was maybe a bit much to expect, that I look more human than this.

Yet, only to look in these borderless, dead fisheyes disturbs me greatly.

After all, they are not real.

I have nothing akin to human organs in this body.

It's logical.

Everything I sense is not acquired by normal means.

I just tricked myself somehow to believe that I need these eyes to see.

Even when this permanent roundabout view should have indicated me to know better.

The same goes obviously for my ears and nose as well.

I have the corresponding senses, yet it must be something different.

Some kind of analysis that I just don’t understand.

In any case, looking into these eyes reminds me of that fact.

This whole human body is shaped.

Artificial.

Only a story I tell myself.

In reality, I am closer to those formless blobs, I know slimes to be.

And I hate that thought!!!

"Zsch"

"Shari!" (Hannah)

I awake from my daze and note that the mirror I did grasp with one hand starts to dissolve at its borders.

Instantly I throw it on the bed to stop myself from destroying my mother’s heirloom.

Again I messed up with my self-control.

If Liqu will have any use, I hope I get at least that out of her, to prevent further slip-ups.

"Sorry mum. I didn’t intend to…" (Shari)

"There is nothing to forgive. It’s ok." (Hannah)

"Everything I touch gets destroyed! It is really better to avoid me!" (Shari)

"I’m not afraid of you! You are my daughter and nothing will change that!" (Hannah)

She looks me straight in the eyes and I can’t even imagine how freaked out I would be at my sight.

Still; as soon I’ve calmed down a little, she reaches out her hand, brushes at my cheek, and wipes a slime tear away, I didn’t even realize was there.

I should think about how stupidly dangerous that was.

That my simple surprise could have seriously hurt her.

However, I don’t.

I just stare at my mother devoid of any thoughts.

And she smiles back at me.

"See?" (Hannah)

Then she rubs the slime between her fingers.

"Nonetheless, this stuff feels really weird."(Hannah)

.

.

.

"Pffft-gllrb!" (Shari)

I chuckle and can’t really stop giggling for a full minute, if not longer.

Also, some bubbles are escaping and plop directly out of my head instead of leaving through my mouth, but that can’t dim this moment.

My mum just tilts her head in a questioning manner.

"Did I say something wrong?" (Hannah)

"Pft-glrrb! No! No, you didn’t! That is exactly like I would describe it. Pfft; just weird!" (Shari)

That is maybe the first moment I could laugh freely since this whole mess started.

"Thank you, mum." (Shari)

"You’re welcome." (Hannah)

We spend some time with idle chatter, greatly benefitting my mental health before the tone again gets serious.

"You know mum I can’t stay here. I would get found out eventually and there is no way that no one would link us to the missing adventurers if someone comes looking." (Shari)

"Don’t you think we could explain it or maybe blame that monster?" (Hannah)

"That wouldn’t change anything. I would still be here. And are we really hoping for a fair trial for the big slime monster? No. If I stay, I will only pull you two with me in this mess." (Shari)

"But what are you going to do? Do you have any plans?" (Hannah)

"At the moment it would be improvising. For now the main goal is evading certain investigation squads and preventing death." (Shari)

"Those prospects sound quite grim." (Hannah)

"Only, if I’m not careful. If I stay away from major cities I should be fine. If nothing else I can be rather sure, that Liqu would put her life on the line to protect me, so the danger decreases. I just don’t know how I should feel about being accompanied by her." (Shari)

"I still can’t understand that you are even considering this." (Hannah)

"It’s not like I have a choice and after what she has done to me, I can at least use her to my advantage." (Shari)

"If you convey it like this." (Hannah)

"By the way could I have two of our rain cloaks and maybe some bandages?" (Shari)

"Sure, what for?" (Hannah)

"Disguise. Can’t walk the streets looking like a walking nightmare. So I need to hide as much as possible. Same goes for Liqu if she’s going to follow. And she will." (Shari)

My mother opens a closet and inside there are three cloaks we use when we have to work on rainy days.

Two she hands to me, along with four sets of bandages.

The cloaks are black in color and cover my body from the head to the feet.

Since I won’t leave immediately I don’t put it on right away.

Today I still want to rest.

If that’s even possible while having that crazy slime around.

"Let me in! I want to see her! I want to see my Shari! You can’t keep me away from her! She is my chosen one!" (Liqu)

Sigh.

It would have been so nice.

If there is one positive thing about this body, then the fact that I can’t have a headache, which is something I would otherwise surely feel right now.

"No! She's with her mother now and you don’t have any rights regarding her!" (Jona)

"That’s not fair! I want in! Let me! I wanna! I wanna! I wanna! Waaah!" (Liqu)

"A child, huh?" (Hannah)

I throw a tired expression at my mother.

Well, I don’t know how it looks with this face, but I definitely feel tired.

So I face the inevitable and open the door before anything bad happens.

"God, Liqu! Stop that ruckus and sit quietly in a corner!" (Shari)

"SHARI!!!" (Liqu)

And I’m getting embraced.

It's like talking to a wall.

It soon becomes too much for me and I try to push her away.

To say it like this: Ever tried to push away a mass of liquid that on its own grows back into position?

AND THAT WHILE YOU ARE LIQUID YOURSELF!!!

It’s vexing, absolutely annoying, that I can’t manage to get this over-attentive slime away from me!

"Enough! Separate! Now!" (Shari)

"Please just a little more." (Liqu)

"Stop it or I get angry!" (Shari)

Needless to say, I already am.

Yet, she promptly draws back.

Timidly looks to the ground and quietly says:

"Sorry, got too excited." (Liqu)

So easy?

I knew that she is kind of obsessed, as she followed me through the forest.

However, just now I realized how desperate she is to please me.

To gain my favor.

So I have my own, obedient killing machine.

I can’t see how this might go wrong.

"Okay, now you listen! You will stay today inside the house! And make sure that you will not get seen by anyone!" (Shari)

"Are you saying I can stay?!" (Liqu)

Oh god, she's getting excited!

Before the crazy slime can again throw herself at me, I quickly nod at my father, separate myself, and head into my room.