- Shari -

While we were walking further down the road we found a raided carriage, along with the dead pair of merchants.

There is my answer why we haven’t seen anyone coming this way and my pity for the bandits lessens considerably.

But I ask myself where the rest of the loot from those bandits is when they seemingly just made a haul.

Probably missed a camp or something like that.

Nonetheless, with the disappearance of the bandits, a problem comes up.

People died here and soon someone will look for the cause.

In general, those things are done by patrols.

However, if I cannot afford one thing, then to get into an inspection.

So it is advised to leave the road before such a patrol will examine me.

Or Liqu, since I am not too keen on bloodbaths.

Regarding how to get into the town will be another, very troublesome story.

I examine the map with my gloves on.

Naturally, I cleaned those from the blood by using liquid I expelled and let them dry before.

No, I didn’t dissolve it!

I said I am not cannibalistic and I stay true to my word!

Always!

I determine our relative position on the map and the direction in which we are currently moving.

So I can identify where on the road to Ekoras we are and how the path would further progress from here on.

This way, I notice that the road leads in a circle around woodlands.

Since I want to avoid patrols and am proficient in navigating through a forest, I decide that we should delve into it.

Also, this might be an opportunity to fetch some herbs while I'm there.

I surely don’t know all of the plants that are valuable to obtain, but gathering those I know would gain me an advantage.

With some wares at hand, I could right away start to look if it is possible to trade them as I’ve planned before.

And in general, having money is positive.

"We are now taking this direction, into the forest!" (Shari)

"Fine." (Liqu)

I haven’t expected any objection.

To her, this way might even feel more natural, than the road.

But I don’t believe she will be much of a help, when it comes to finding a specific location, as she in general was surely just aimlessly wandering.

"Do you know how to navigate through woodlands?" (Shari)

"I can walk through the forest!" (Liqu)

"No, I mean aiming for a definite place!" (Shari)

"If I know the area, yes. But usually I just move in one direction." (Liqu)

What did I say?

"Fine; then just follow me." (Shari)

"Always!" (Liqu)

My good old friend: The imaginary-Liqu-headache!

By observing moss and keeping track of my sense of directions, we pass through the woodlands.

At the same time, I look for things that might be worth gathering.

Yet, the problem is, that my means to store them are quite low.

At the moment I have three options.

The first is to store them inside me.

Since I already do so with the knife it's not really a new approach.

Yet, turning me into a walking carriage is a measure that my self-perception opposes violently.

The second would be to ask Liqu to do so.

She would surely gladly do so if I would request it.

However, asking someone for something you are unwilling to do yourself sits not right with me.

The last is simply to use the sacs we store the clothes in.

Originally I planned to leave them in town and use the empty bags from then on.

But at the moment the clothes are still inside.

It is no question of space, as they are not completely stuffed, but putting herbs inside as well might stain the clothes a little.

I have no general aversion to the smell of herbs, especially now that I’ve lost this sense.

But I don’t know how others stand on this matter.

Nonetheless, this is the most favorable approach, so I will stick to it and be a bit more careful when I store them.

While we are walking I do manage to spot some herbs I can recognize.

I find clearsprout, a ground plant, which can reach up to twenty centimeters and has its name due to the water-blue, translucent edges on the leaves.

They are very good to amplify the healing of wounds at a fascinating rate.

Deep cuts, for example, can heal in two days if applied with a bandage, instead of a week or two.

Because of the storage problem, I avoid gathering berries.

Yet, even without those, I manage to find a nice variety of ingredients.

For example, I can gather different mushrooms, which I know are highly sought after as food ingredients, since they are hard to obtain and like this a special asset to raise the price of the dishes.

And I also find some darkleaves.

You’ve got me into this you stupid plant!

Yes. That is a solution to my problem where to vent my anger.

I will just use these vines as a scapegoat.

Sounds like a perfect plan!

This whole excursion proceeds really smoothly.

Too smoothly, if you ask me.

If it would be this easy to gather high-risk plants without anything happening everybody would do so.

And I certainly know that this is no safe forest.

To say it clearly, this might be the one place humans should not enter.

The Evergrove!

One might find that this name is a bit too flashy, but it fits.

Nowhere else nature is this much... alive.

Besides the abundant monster population, its vast expanse, crossing the borders of many countries, and the variety of different plants you wouldn't find elsewhere, this forest is the perfect location for excursions of adventurers.

Yet there is something else.

This woodland reeks of life, so much one might believe the trees are moving on their own.

And this much life is literally to feel in the air, which explains the monsters, as these are perfect hunting grounds.

We are currently only at its borders, but it's absolutely understandable why the road was built around it.

There are even rumors that the grove takes forceful land back from those who dare to cut it down.

This kind of land is this.

Here should many more threats exist than in my home grounds.

However, until now it was awfully quiet.

And this is a reason in itself to get worried.

"It seems strange to me, that it is so calm here. Shouldn’t anything show up or at least announce its presence to intruders?" (Shari)

"Not really. Slimes are generally left unattended." (Liqu)

"And why is that so?" (Shari)

"Because most creatures in the forest use scent to find anything worthy of their attention and we don’t smell." (Liqu)

"Wait when I first met you, there was everywhere this strange smell!" (Shari)

"That just happens when something gets dissolved, as a lingering presence of the remains. The slime itself has absolutely no scent. But even if they notice this scent it is nothing they like." (Liqu)

And something else to add to my list of things that makes me something that deviates life in a severe manner.

"So no monsters will come for us, as long it doesn’t encounter us directly?" (Shari)

"Yes! Vexing huh?" (Liqu)

It is truly disturbing that she yearns for an occurrence that for most people would imply death.

For her it’s dinner.

"But I found out a good trick! If you shout out like a human the beasts get tricked." (Liqu)

"Like" a human, huh?" (Shari)

"Yes. Shall I try and get us something?" (Liqu)

"Aren’t you full already? How often do you need to refill?" (Shari)

"Well, what we have would last at most two weeks or so before it gets really critical if we aren't expending so much. But there would be side effects before, maybe after a week and you never know when the next chance comes. Also, I like to be full. More possibilities." (Liqu)

"By the way, you didn’t take anything in, after you did the pumping thing last time, didn’t this leave you lacking? That should be a problem if you hate that, no?" (Shari)

"No, no. You can overload yourself for a short amount of time, so I had more than enough to give. You just can’t hold it for long, as it gets lost as soon the concentration wavers. So there was no problem. Shall I get us something then?" (Liqu)

"No; we will need some days to cross the forest and there will be more than enough chances. I don’t want to fight when it’s not necessary!" (Shari)

"You are far too apprehensive of hunting! You should learn these things! They are important!" (Liqu)

"Oh sorry, that I was a sheltered human before, who didn't have to kill and eat her prey raw, out from the wilderness!" (Shari)

"No problem, I’m here to help you on that matter!" (Liqu)

Stupid slime! Stupid slime! Stupid slime!

"Just keep going!" (Shari)