- Liqu -

It’s hard to understand.

For some reason, Shari is set on taking those adventurers with us.

All my experience with those people tells me that they are an unnecessary risk we shouldn’t take chances with.

No other creature is this fixed on destroying our cores.

No other creature tries directly to kill us.

But they do!

Yes I know I tried to interact with adventurers before, but back then I was desperate and decided on a whim.

I had never any intentions to build a close relationship.

It was just an experiment to find out if it is possible.

And it didn’t work out!

Furthermore, now I have to protect someone!

However, she seems to be set on becoming friends with them.

Not that I would prevent her from having relationships as long I can stay close.

Yet she should stay aware of the nature of her counterpart.

So I’m a little worried about her safety.

I will maintain vigilance and hold on to as much energy as I can gather, to be ready in the case of an emergency.

Shari instead is trying to get closer to them and even helps them to move this construction.

I would complain that she is wasting resources like this but in fact, this is a good training for her.

The more she indulges herself in this practice to shape, solidify, and control her slime, the more it will become natural to her.

Soon she will be able to control her body like a real slime.

Well, she is a real slime.

Maybe not by descendance, but apart from that she's completely normal.

I mean that she comes closer to act like one and like this, it feels like she comes closer to me.

Maybe I can in the future show her some hunting techniques or some of the skills I’ve learned in the past.

That could bring us even closer.

But now you have to focus, Liqu!

These people can mean harm to her, so you should always be vigilant!

On the other hand, this is the most extended time I was ever able to have contact with humans, without unfortunate incidents.

And I was also able to have a normal time with Shari’s parents.

That was nice!

To have this kind of interaction was completely novel to me.

If this is because I am together with my Shari, then this is an unbelievable benefit of a side effect.

That having my Shari with me will bring me so much joy was completely out of my expectations.

I surely will never let go of this!

So it could be that this situation with those adventurers works out.

Maybe my Shari has knowledge I don’t possess, regarding interaction with humans.

As far I understood we are even on the way to enter a town.

I could see a town up close!

That would be a fascinating experience.

Yet her choice regarding this attire is hard to comprehend.

In regard to my dulled vision, these things we wear have no real purpose.

They don’t protect and slimes have simply no problems regarding weather conditions.

They may also obstruct vision on our cores.

But is that worth it?

It’s not that I don’t trust my Shari but I hope she knows what she is doing.

Regarding her knowledge of people, which due to direct interaction with them surpasses mine for sure, it could be possible that wearing those helps somehow in establishing relationships.

Until now the success proves her right.

So maybe I should support her more in these matters.

Yes, I will try to interact with them!

Something is seemingly not working out.

I tried to talk to the one with the crossbow, yet to no avail.

For some reason, the guy always refuses any conversation with me.

Whenever I draw close he grips his weapon and ignores all of my attempts to start a talk.

Well, he isn’t directly ignoring me.

In fact, his eyes are downright glued on my body, but it became clear to me that I can’t establish any proper relationship with him.

That’s what you gain for trying to be nice.

My attempts with the girl were even more devastating.

While the guy at least tolerates me around him the girl gets always this look.

I think when I compare it to the faces in my mental library it meant something along the lines of "please don’t kill me" or "stay away".

At least it had something to do with apparent panic, that’s for sure.

Also, she directly runs in the opposite direction when she notices my presence.

That’s an unreasonable behavior, considering I shall protect her as Shari said.

And I assume the main contribution will be my task.

Shari can stand her own against smaller creatures, but she doesn’t fare well when it becomes necessary to end them fast.

I had a look at her handling the one wolf that came through.

She was far too defensive and could have sped up the whole ordeal significantly.

While they are no real threat, it is of utmost importance to kill fast if you hunt.

Before they get the chance to run away!

Defensive actions are only reasonable if you don’t need the others or you have only one opponent and can trap him.

Against the bigger ones, her approach would be right.

I really need to show her the ropes with that!

Yet, she still has her issues with the necessary behavior to do so.

I have no problem with the fact that Shari relies on me.

Nonetheless, I want her to be self-sufficient.

My precious shall not suffer because she isn’t able to support herself and I don’t know if I can always do enough myself.

I will not tolerate any risks if it concerns my Shari!

Anyways, I need to act gentle and have to avoid pressuring her too much.

I want to see her happy, so she shall not feel forced.

Because of this, I will also further support her in her attempts to get close to those people.

However, I feel increasingly frustrated.

Especially as Shari forbid me to draw close to them when they're around the campfire.

Something about their need to rest and that I disturb them when I do so.

How can I be friendly if I can’t interact with them?

Her orders are confusing as they are!

But I still need to support her.

All I do now is to patrol the campsite and occasionally grab one of those critters which think I wouldn’t notice.

The good thing is, because of this I am totally full right now.

My Shari was right, that they pose good bait.

But I feel excluded right now.

Shari can sit with the others just fine.

Right now she is even taking some flesh in.

Yet she seems so hesitant to do so.

I don’t see any reason, as there is no problem with stuffing it in her.

It doesn’t really matter if the flesh is old or not, as long as it isn’t completely rotten.

Past that the benefit is quite disappointing.

But that’s still no reason to hesitate and it looks fine.

It should provide her with a day’s worth of energy.

Nonetheless, she just stares at it.

Finally, she stuffs it inside her body.

It’s hard to understand what kept her from doing so in the first place, but if she could solve her issues I’m glad.

She has still a complicated expression, but she needs to do this.

A dissolving disorder is one of the things that a slime cannot afford.

And she already has that problem with slime that comes from humans.

They make a majority of valuable sources of nourishment, so I ask myself if I can raise her better in this way.

She seemed pretty set on this.

On the other hand, it was okay that I provided her after the encounter with the wolves, even if a big part of it was still from those humans from before in me, which I naturally gave her as well.

If a little time in between is enough to allow her to take it in, then maybe the hurdle isn’t so high.

She might be able to adapt eventually.

In the end, this is what makes up a slime.

And for sure she is one!

Yet, I want to help her in her current endeavors, so I would like to do something nice to earn the trust of those adventurers.

What do you mean that I was referring to them as food before?

Those things are completely unrelated!

Being on friendly terms shouldn’t prevent one from ensuring one's own survival.

After all, just my Shari matters!

If I need to convert them all into sustenance for her, then so be it!

However, as we are in no dire state I can try to build a good relationship for now.

The man with the crossbow is already sleeping and Shari seems to have a fine talk with the girl.

I am envious that she could manage what I could never achieve to do.

But it wouldn’t help if I barge in, so that is a "no" too!

Anyways, I want to contribute too.

Yet I don’t know what I can do.

The girl is occupied and the guy sleeps, so there is no one left to tend to.

Wait!

That’s not it! There's a third one!

The boy on that construction, which was unconscious until now.

I could take care of him so that the others see how nice I am.

They apparently care a lot about him, so I should be able to gain their favor like this.

Without further delay, I approach his resting place.

He seems very out of it, but stable and should be able to regain consciousness soon.

That’s what my knowledge about human anatomy tells me!

However, his pose seems to be uncomfortable and someone should watch that he stays fine.

And that one will be me!

So I decide to sustain his head, which lies on the hard ground with my body.

Without disturbing him too much, I let my liquid glide slowly under him and take position over his head.

Then I use my mass to raise his upper body and a short moment later his head rests calmly in my lap.

I glue it a little, so that he has no disturbed sleep, but stays in a comfortable position.

I also comb his hair a bit and clean him as good as I can, without intruding too far inside.

He stirs a bit while I do so.

That should be a good sign, regarding his health.

Like this, I proceed to treat him as good I can.

He had this bulge of slime over his wound in Shari’s color.

That was an interesting idea to cover the wound and it obviously worked.

The moisture under his clothes prevents that it dries up and vanishes.

But the blood under the surface seems to pond there as it is.

That prevents slightly that everything grows back together.

So I start to adjust it a bit with my mass.

I lay my hand on the current and mix myself in it.

Then I remove the coagulated blood carefully by dissolving and replace the slime layer in a way that the healing can proceed unimpeded.

There were some rests of a plant inside and I think that my Shari intended something by integrating it, so I left them as they were.

However, as the direct attendance to his wound was surely very invasive for him, he stirs and aches during the procedure.

Shortly after I’m done he shifts inside my lap and opens his eyes, looking directly at me.

"Am I dead?" (Chris)

"No, not yet!" (Liqu)

I answer honestly.

It was a rather weird question regarding the fact that he wouldn’t be able to pose it if he was.

And I said "not yet" because as far I know death is something inevitable for humans.

They grow old and before long their body is unable to sustain itself any longer.

Maybe I am the wrong to tell, regarding the fact that I am rather young compared to them.

Nevertheless, now that I have my Shari I don’t intend to die.

Never!

All I have to do is to eliminate all the threats that could endanger us and stay alert.

And the time I have.

I ask myself if I should convey this to Shari or let her figure out herself that she has a body of permanently rejuvenating slime and a crystal core, which even can slightly regenerate.

Neither of them can succumb to time.

Yet, I believe that this is a surprise she should realize herself.

However, I should tend back to my patient.

He still seems to be rather clouded so I stabilize him and adjust my hold before he can hurt himself in that state.

"Wh-where am I?" (Chris)

"In the forest, with me!" (Liqu)

I give him my best smile and try to calm him down, as sick and injured people need peace to recover.

"I-Is Myra all right?" (Chris)

"Myra? Ah, the squirrel-girl! Yes, yes, still alive!" (Liqu)

"Thank god! I am so glad!" (Chris)

I can see a tear emerging from his eyes.

He seems to be a nice guy and wasn’t the slightest bit agitated by me.

That’s new!

Abruptly his expression changes and he is pressing out some words.

"Wait. W-who are you?" (Chris)

"Me? I am Liqu!" (Liqu)

He tries to lift his head, which is prevented by my hold around it with my slime.

When he fails, he opens his eyes completely, which were until now always half-closed.

Due to his weary body, I assume.

Yet, even his opened eyes seem somehow to widen even more when he gets a good look at me.

I smile at him.

"Hi!" (Liqu)

"AAAAAHHHHH!" (Chris)

Sigh! So much for new experiences.

As soon he screams, squirming around in my lap, the guy with the crossbow readies the same at me.

I take my usual counter-measures, by increasing the sturdiness around my core and letting the hardened mass swirl around it.

Like this, no bolt should be able to pierce through.

Yet, he doesn’t seem to want to shoot.

Maybe because he needs us to get out of the forest.

Maybe because I still have the head of his friend in my grip.

Whatever it is he doesn’t attack.

The girl as well is rushing at me but stops before she is reaching me.

Still afraid, huh?

Yet at least she speaks now to me.

"What are you doing to Chris?!" (Myra)

"He looked uncomfortable, so I thought I take care of him." (Liqu)

I don’t know what they have I was just trying to be nice!

Chris seems to have understood that his friends are close and is apparently a bit overwhelmed so that he stays quiet for now.

"Liqu, withdraw immediately! He obviously doesn’t like it and needs to calm down!" (Shari)

When she asks me to do so.

But it is disappointing, that my benevolent acts are ending like this.

Interacting with humans is such a difficult challenge.

"Okay, but it’s sad! Now I am really appreciating, that you would let me sleep next to you before." (Liqu)

Yes, she is the only one that stays with me, without being afraid or aggressive! My chosen one! The one who is my all! My precious Shari! And nothing will take you away from me! I will make sure of it!