- Liqu -

What happened was quite interesting.

I was halfway sure that we would be in trouble when these humans came to accuse us, but my Shari managed to talk to them.

In this regard, I have to say she's far superior.

I never managed to interact with humans in a way that didn't lead to the demise of one side.

Obviously not mine.

Yet she could calm them down even if they were hostile.

That's an impressive skill.

After this, I could eat the meat which was brought for me.

It still feels weird to get this without having to do anything to receive it.

Yet it also wasn't too great.

Like the rations Shari brought with us, the flesh was already dead for too long.

From experience, I know that the best time to dissolve flesh is directly the moment it dies.

After that, the amount of energy I can receive from it gradually decreases over time.

If I have to make a guess the reason is that the life leaves it.

Yet the decrease stops when it starts to decay.

This must be because for a while other forms of life grow from it and are drawn to the source.

Still not as much as when it's still alive, but it is a convenient condition.

However, today I wasn't very expending.

Maybe the dissolving of this dead wooden thingy took a bit of energy, but the other stuff I did was simply moving my body.

So I'm fine with this meat.

My Shari seems to be a little exhausted.

Naturally only mental fatigue, as a slime's body can't tire out.

But I know she wouldn't appreciate it if I bother her in this state.

This isn't too bad since I can take that time to process what happened today.

A short rest is perfect in this regard.

I wake up some time later.

I scout the other room with a tendril and see that my Shari is in that weird structure at the wall.

Again she let herself sink inside it.

But considering that she always avoids losing her human shape it means quite a lot that she voluntarily abandons it just to delve in there.

I never used such a thing, but if even my Shari goes so far then maybe I should give it a try.

I contemplate if I should use this chance right now.

No matter how great it might feel, together with my Shari this would be just unmeasurable joy.

Yet I dismiss this idea as I'm rather sure she would become upset.

So I need to find another way to occupy myself.

I could watch my Shari's rest like I always do, but I know the longer I look the harder it would get to resist the urge to join her.

So something else.

Do I have something else?

Wait!

There is someone above!

Didn't she say she would wait for me?

Well, I was never someone to let down expectations, so I squeeze myself into the hole and head upwards.

There aren't a lot of critters anymore, but I manage to grab one as I pass by.

"Squeak!"

Fresh is still the best.

The hole leading to her room is like I left it.

I just need a moment to drift through and reassemble myself on the other side.

Naturally, I'm cautious.

For all I know the girl might have betrayed me or my traces from last time might have been discovered and an ambush was prepared inside the room.

"Liqu!" (Anvenia)

Well, one could call this an ambush.

Yet it isn't the kind I'm familiar with.

After all, it's not common for adventurers to jump at me with open arms.

It could be a problem if she has too much residue on her, so I catch her mid-air while concentrating my mass at some point at the torso before carefully putting her back on the ground.

Naturally, I make sure that none of her fragile human parts get damaged.

Yet she's the friendliest human I ever met, so I pat her on the head.

"You really came back!" (Anvenia)

"Yes, yes. I said I'd try." (Liqu)

"This is wonderful. Come, I have a book I wanted to read to you. Can you do that trick again where you show me the scene? Pleeeaaaasse?" (Anvenia)

Actually, I find these books very interesting.

They're nothing new to me.

Some adventurers would carry one with them in rare cases.

The idea that these things contain information is intriguing.

I even once made sure that I would intentionally not dissolve one while dealing with them, but I was quite disappointed to realize that there were just a large number of strange symbols in it.

Apparently, my Shari can somehow find meaning in these.

I realized when she stared at them in this guild building, but I still believe that the contents would be easier to understand if they would use pictures instead of these weird patterns.

Yet this might be a chance.

While this girl speaks the symbols' meaning out loud, if I concentrate really hard, I might be able to memorize some of them.

"I like this one very much. It's a story about a prince who woos a princess and elopes with her from her oppressive family." (Anvenia)

"What is so good about this?" (Liqu)

In the end, they are just two more humans doing this lovey-dovey stuff I've already seen enough from.

I mean, linking with my Shari is much closer than anything they could ever do.

If she just would let me!!

Also, what is this about prince and princess?

She said prince, so this must mean it's a special kind of human.

I can't believe this book would describe anything else since humans are extremely self-centered beings.

But why should their lovey-dovey be any better than anyone else's?

"Ehm, it's really romantic, and how they overcame all the obstacles to be with each other in the end was so wonderful." (Anvenia)

Okay, I can understand this to some degree.

It's not like I wouldn't also wish for a similar outcome with my Shari.

"Here, this scene is especially good:

The princess didn't know in or out. Restless, she walked back and forth on the great terrace on the far east of the castle. Mumbling to herself she tried to make sense of her feelings, yet even the cold night couldn't cool her troubled mind. Never had she felt like this before. It was just a brief moment, only a few exchanged glances and barely any spoken words, before her brother sent her away, saying her presence wasn't necessary. He must have been a foreigner. Dark complexion, fine features, yet still she noticed his well-developed physique and blushed at her own thoughts." (Anvenia)

You're blushing too little one.

"Ahem:

Yet she knew that it was pointless. There wouldn't be any chance to ever meet him again. 'Sigh, he's probably already forgotten me,' She said. 'How could I!' a voice suddenly called out to her. The princess was confused. This part of the palace, this whole floor was off-limits. There was no way anyone could come here. The security was tight and all the ways guarded., but then his face appeared from below the balcony. He must have climbed the facade. She was speechless. Not only because such a crazy thing happened, but because his strong figure made her so." (Anvenia)

The girl finishes at this point and looks at me with expectant eyes.

"And? Isn't it great?" (Anvenia)

"I guess it's fine. (Liqu)

Not that I couldn't pull off the same.

I am strong and climbing a wall is one of the simplest exercises for me.

Yet it seems to be important to her and I couldn't find any faults.

On another note, she's speaking way too fast.

I wasn't able to understand any of these symbols since she rushed her words in such an excited manner.

"Uhm, can I ask you a favor?" (Anvenia)

"What kind?" (Liqu)

"Could you play the scene with me?" (Anvenia)

"Didn't I already say I would?" (Liqu)

"No. I mean in big. Can you make everything my size, so I'm really in there?" (Anvenia)

"Moving this much mass is complicated and difficult. Why do you want this?" (Liqu)

"I want to play a role. This would be perfect, but if this isn't possible then I'm sorry for asking." (Anvenia)

"Oh, I can do this. It's just difficult but I'm good. What exactly do you want?" (Liqu)

"I want the scene, with the balcony." (Anvenia)

"And the prince, right?" (Liqu)

"Oh, no. I play the prince. Being the princess is boring and bothersome." (Anvenia)

Weird.

I was sure she would be the princess.

I mean she said herself that the prince is strong and tough, while she is weak and frail.

That's clearly mismatched.

But why not? At least I'm soft enough to be the princess.

"Fine. What exactly does the princess look like?" (Liqu)

"Here! She is on the cover." (Anvenia)

What is this?

This depiction is far too crude.

There is almost nothing right, be it proportions, color, or size.

"Duh. That's not much to work with." (Liqu)

"Does that mean it's not possible?" (Anvenia)

"No. It just means I have to be a little bit more creative." (Liqu)

Color would be impossible in the first place.

Considering the proportions it seems I know more than whoever made this about humans, so I guess I can figure something out.

The long hair is difficult, but at least it's manageable as long there's not too much movement.

Concerning the size, I think I should adjust it to the little one here.

Otherwise, I guess whatever she tries would look incredibly off with how she's barely able to reach my current form's hip.

"You can do it?" (Anvenia)

"Just watch me." (Liqu)

And with this, I release my mass.

Controlling large amounts of mass is no problem in itself.

The difficult part here is that the girl asked for details.

Fine forms are a lot harder to create.

Especially in a wide range.

Yet this girl wants the whole scene.

Just forming one figure should be easy, yet I still have to place the rest of my mass somewhere.

She said there's a balcony, so whatever I don't need for the princess I might just store it there.

In front of the window seems to be the best place with the moonlight.

Yet inside a room it's just like a small wall consisting of pillars connected to the top.

Since I have no better model for the princess I'll just use the girl to shape something appropriate.

I try to get some of the book's princess' features done, but in the end, it still looks more like the girl.

As it's closest to the center of all the mass I'm using, I store my core at the edge of the newly created slime balcony.

I'll control my shaped princess with some strands on the ground.

I doubt this girl will ask for any complex manoeuvers or I would be troubled.

The most difficult should be to make my construct speak.

This far away from my main body, this is an issue, but if I concentrate really hard I am sure I can pull this off.

Naturally, I use different vocal cords.

My usual voice would be weird for the princess after all.

"You see? I said I can do this." (Liqu-princess)

"You are awesome! Just like in the book." (Anvenia)

"What exactly you want to do now?" (Liqu-princess)

"Oh, wait! My role. I'm the prince." (Anvenia)

She walks next to the slime-balcony.

A huge smile is plastered on her face.

"Can you say the last part of the princess?" (Anvenia)

"Okay:

Sigh, he's probably already forgotten me." (Liqu-princess)

"How could I!" (Anvenia)

She said something about the princess being speechless, so no further words were needed from me.

"Ahem:

Milady. From the first moment I saw you, I knew we were destined to be together. There is nothing in this world that could keep me from meeting you again."

These words sound nice.

If my Shari would be the one to say them I couldn't be happier.

Together, no matter what happens.

This would be so wonderful.

"But what about the other humans? Won't they fight us? Don't you fear them?" (Liqu-princess)

"Oh, you know already how it continues? Oh, sorry:

No, I don't! Without you, there would be no future in the first place. If I couldn't be together with you there would be no reason to live anymore. It would be just empty, meaningless time." (Anvenia)

I really can relate to this prince.

Since I met my Shari it was as if something brought color into my world.

I was never really invested in anything I did.

Maybe to stay alive, but even this became dull and boring over time.

But now that I'm together with my Shari I feel things.

I am sad when she's angry, flustered when she says I made a mistake, happy when she acknowledges me.

And the one time she protected me...

I still can't fully grasp what I felt back then.

All of that means something to me.

All that gives me purpose.

And all this is something I will never give back.

And this all just because I met one person.

I can relate.

"Whaah. Is everything alright?" (Anvenia)

"Is something wrong? Did I make a mistake?" (Liqu-princess)

"I-I think you're crying. And every part of you is wobbling. Are you fine?" (Anvenia)

"Yes. Yes I am. I just thought about the most wonderful person in this world." (Liqu)

At this moment, I perceive movement from the wall.

Blue slime is oozing inside through the small hole I made.

It gathers and starts to gain shape.

"Liiiieequuuu!!! Youu goddaamneeed waaalkiieng calaaamityee! Trouublemaker! Chaos incarnate!" (Shari)

"And there she is." (Liqu)

I feel so happy to see her.