- Shari -

"-AAAAAAHHHH!"

Okay.

Well, I'm screwed.

The maid's still-lasting scream should have been heard well enough by anyone who isn't completely knocked out.

As I see it, there's no way to get out of this.

Even if we retreat back to our rooms this woman's testimony should be enough to convict us.

But aside from that they also have all the evidence they need.

The holes, the slime.

Nope, no chance.

Showing them the network of holes in the first place won't support my position.

I consider jumping out of the window and running, or "sliding", as fast as possible away from here.

Yet I'm unwilling to do so.

Despite this obviously bad situation, I might be able to solve this somehow by talking.

At least there might be some hesitance from the soon arriving guards to engage us directly.

While I already turn to open the window in advance I contemplate if I can manage to convince whoever will come here that there is no need to punish us.

Yet our already, thanks to Liqu, quite strained reputation might make this difficult.

The second thing I contemplate is when this woman will finally stop screaming to catch some air.

I mean, I can understand her.

That girl is apparently important and if she even has the slightest idea about us then it's a very well-founded concern.

Especially as Liqu still has spread quite far and the girl is basically standing in her center.

"-aaaaaahhhhhhh..." (maid)

Ahh, it seems like she finished now, but it's mostly just because exhaustion finally got the better of her.

I highly doubt that we can convince this person that we have no ill intentions for being here.

Still, I try to play it down by making a friendly impression with a smile.

Yet her cramping up face tells me it might have stretched a little too far.

Her state might be described as shocked, but then she seems to catch herself.

The next moment she sets her eyes on the girl.

"Your highness!!" (maid)

"What!?" (Shari)

Okay, no time for this yet!

The maid rushes to the girl which is apparently of much higher status than I assumed.

I step directly in-between.

Now one might ask why I'd do this and like this aggravating any sprouting sentiments by actively denying her to take that child away.

The reason is simple: While doing so might upset this maid even more, I need to convince whoever is coming next.

And for this, it would be more beneficial if the girl might put in a good word for us.

That much I've got out of my brief exchange with her.

While she has a very wrong impression about my relationship with Liqu, she seems to be quite infatuated with her, even going as far as protecting her from... Well, me.

So it's not farfetched that she will do the same against any arriving guards.

For now, I need to keep that maid occupied and prevent that this looks too much like a hostage scenario.

"Good night, miss... Sorry, I don't know your name yet. Mine is Shari. May I inquire yours?" (Shari)

"GET AWAY FROM HER!! GO AWAY! FIEND!" (maid)

She tries to get past me.

No common action considering that most sane people keep their distance from a mass which could dissolve them down to their basic components and turn them into gooey mass.

But it seems like the worry over the girl makes her ignore everything else.

Quite committed I need to say, yet that's not good for me.

I position myself so I'm blocking her off from the girl.

At least directly walking through me should be a bit too much for this woman.

"Well, it seems like we've got a rough start. I'm sorry for such a late disturbance. I would like to solve this. Pleased to make your acquaintance." (Shari)

I am sure she isn't, but that's not what I'm aiming for.

With a now fixed business smile, I extend my bare slime hand in her direction waiting for a shake that will never come to force her to focus on this instead on further saving attempts.

The longer I can keep her at bay the more time her panic has to recede which might stop further reckless saving attempts.

It seems to work somehow.

The initial terror subsides and all that's left is desperate fear.

"P-please. Don't do anything to her. Please don't." (maid)

Just desperate whimpering comes now from her, even if I didn't do anything yet that would incline her to fear for the worst.

"I didn't intend anything in that regard." (Shari)

"Lorena. You misunderstand! They're friendly! Please, don't be angry." (Anvenia)

My plan to let this girl vouch for us already bears results.

Even if I've noticed that short questioning gaze in my direction when she said friendly.

Well, she doesn't know me yet.

The maid meanwhile stares dumbfounded.

"Y-your highness. You have to get away from them." (Lorena)

"Why? They're nice. You don't need to worry." (Anvenia)

I think I should at least ease her up by making Liqu stop being everywhere around that girl.

"Liqu, can you form back to normal, please?" (Shari)

"Am I not normal?" (Liqu)

"No. I meant back to your usual human form." (Shari)

"Oh. If it's just that, sure." (Liqu)

In a blink, Liqu reassembles herself to her usual appearance.

"You don't know what these are! Please, run away!" (Lorena)

It doesn't help, as "her highness" has no real intention to do so.

Like this, the situation got kinda stuck.

Until,

"What is going on here?! Y-you?!" (Dion)

"Hello, Dion." (Shari)

It might be due to the fact that his room is on the second floor, but I'm really glad that someone familiar came first.

Yet on the other side, he might be upset.

Especially the fact that he is in his nightgown points in that direction.

"You see, it seems like we got a little situation here, but I can assure you that this is truly just a big misunderstanding." (Shari)

"Great God. Just what is wrong with you?" (Dion)

"There is a very good explanation for this." (Shari)

"I am very curious and doubtful about what kind of excuse you have." (Dion)

Yep, and as soon I made one up I will tell you.

Almost at the same time, some guards arrive at the scene.

But as I predicted no one is willing to jump straight at Liqu, but the halberds make me quite nervous.

"Would you kindly point these things in another direction? I would like to solve this peacefully. Also, you can basically see through us. We are both completely unarmed." (Shari)

Yes, I know the fact that we don't have any weapons with us won't bring me very far concerning that we are monsters and per se dangerous.

But at the moment I am willing to use all the distracting comments I can throw at them.

Confused guards are more to my liking than aggressive ones.

"You need to save her! You can't leave her highness to these monsters. Do something!" (Lorena)

The guards grow again a little twitchy at this and I ask myself if there is a way to get them down without killing them since everything that happens here is obviously Liqu's fault and these people who just act according to their duty don't deserve to die.

Yet before anyone can storm at us Dion raises his arm.

"Everyone, calm down!" (Dion)

The guards stop, while the maid looks quite exasperated.

Then he looks at us.

"Just to confirm, you don't intend to harm her highness in any way, right?" (Dion)

"No, they wouldn't! Liqu is my friend!" (Anvenia)

Dion tries to hide any reaction to this statement and looks at me for an answer, but the bewildered looks behind him tell what is the consensus.

And that is that this little girl is not in her right mind.

"I absolutely don't intend to do anything to her. In fact, I would like to get as fast as possible out here and pretend this never happened." (Shari)

"I fear this won't be possible. The count will be informed about this, but I as well would prefer a peaceful solution." (Dion)

"Perfect. As I said, lowering the weapons would be a good start to make this happen." (Shari)

Honestly, it's not perfect, but the best I can get at the moment.

"Sigh, fine. Men, lower your weapons. Now it would be better if you on your side would move away from her highness." (Dion)

"Sure. As long no one tries anything stupid. Liqu! Come to me!" (Shari)

I move extra slowly, so Liqu can catch up and in the worst case, deflect any attacks on me.

Yet she gets impeded.

A small hand grabs for her arm.

"Will you come back? Please, say yes!" (Anvenia)

Uh, I'm rather sure she will get an extensive scolding for anything that transpired here.

We aren't really the first choice as caretakers for children.

"I'm sorry, but it seems unlikely that we would get the permission, if we even make it out of this unscathed. I wouldn't count on it." (Shari)

"You're a nice human." (Liqu)

Well, that smile Liqu shows her friend might look charming, but the fact that she just now patted her head and totally drenched her hair will weird some people out.

At least this maid looks as if she might faint at any moment.

"Could we now leave her highness' accommodations?" (Dion)

"Sure. And really, the part with the highness absolutely took me by surprise." (Shari)

"It should be obvious, but you aren't allowed to talk about this." (Dion)

Well, even if I doubt that I'd count for anyone as a reliable source of information I guess rumors would be just as bad.

We head down the stairs, past a number of guards who seem to have been rallied to storm the third floor any moment.

"Everyone! Return to your assigned post! The incident has been settled!" (Dion)

No one asks any questions, but I guess most of them are confused why the slimes are coming from above when we're supposed to be in the cellar.

"I would like you to retreat to your lodgings for now. Wait there. I'm sure the count will send for you in due time." (Dion)

I'm partly wondering why the count didn't come himself, yet it might be that it's not part of the emergency protocol that the count runs in the direction of the panicked screams.

That's what you have an aide for.

We walk back into our dungeon.

There's no other way to call an underground facility that houses monsters.

I notice that the number of guards in front of the exit at least quadrupled.

Not that I believe they're going to attack.

I made it very clear that this would end rather messily.

I don't even know if there's a way to fight Liqu in an enclosed space.

At least, some of Dion's words implied that they won't try to kill us off, even with all the trouble we caused.

Yet I can't be sure that the count will share his opinion.

After all, we now know too much.

But heck, how could I get into this?

A goddamn royal?!

Why is royalty in an almost militaristic estate close to the southern border?

These lands have for a reason the reputation to be savage.

Mum told me it's for my best if I never will get involved with nobles.

Then where do royals rank in this regard?

And Liqu played with her!

I don't even know what they did together to be this close, but I can be absolutely certain that nothing they did was upholding the dignity of the royal family.

She slimed her goddamn hair!

And who knows what else.

This will for sure be considered as lèse majesté.

Can monsters get convicted for that?

For all I know, I should prepare for the worst, and this foremost means bringing that slime back into line.

"Okay, Liqu. Would you kindly tell me how you ended up in that girl's room?" (Shari)

I try my best to get the same dark tone into my voice that my mum had when she once asked me why all the boys in the village had teary reddened eyes and inflamed nostrils, like you might get them when someone throws a spicebomb in your face.

But hey, they started it.

It seems to work somewhat as she becomes visibly uneasy.

"You see, yesterday..." (Liqu)

"Yesterday!?" (Shari)

She started to work on our downfall the moment we arrived?!

"Uh, yes. When I mapped out the building to know where everyone is I encountered her by chance. Or rather, she noticed me." (Liqu)

"And then for some reason, you got along and you decided today to repeat this visit, right?" (Shari)

"Yes." (Liqu)

Honestly, knowing Liqu and her craving for someone to spend time with her I can somewhat understand why she did it.

"And please tell me, why did you even map out the building back then? Don't say it was to find Elin. I won't believe this. You two aren't so close." (Shari)

She looks guilty to the ground.

"Liqu." (Shari)

"I wanted to know how everyone is positioned so I might... take them all out when it might become necessary. I didn't trust these people. I still don't." (Liqu)

This slime was fully prepared to go on a killing spree.

Great. Just great.

And sadly just within my expectations.

"A-are you very angry?" (Liqu)

Sigh. How to raise your slime?

"Somewhat. You know, what you did was incredibly reckless and this so soon after what you pulled during the day. This might have severe consequences for us. I really try to make do with what I have. I even try to include you in my future. So it would be nice if you wouldn't ruin everything behind my back. I know that you don't know very much, but because of this, I want that you at least talk to me in advance. Now our situation might worsen drastically. If we just get thrown out of this place we can still call ourselves lucky. Yet now people might die because of your carelessness. I know, you don't care about human lives, but I do. It weighs on me. Even more if a conflict could have been avoided. Do you at least understand my point?" (Shari)

"I guess so. You are too kind. You don't know how it is to get hunted your whole life. It's true, I never felt much for my prey and it was like this ever since the beginning. Yet I guess the steady exchange of lives also numbs you. I can't say that I have trust in your plans, I think they're terribly risky. You wish for a kind of peace I couldn't even dare to imagine. Yet now... if it's you this might be possible. I love you. So I have trust in you, and I'd love to have a future. With you." (Liqu)

Maybe I put too much of an idea in her head or core by referring to a shared future.

But on the other side, this gave her a goal.

If this makes her more prone to follow my lead then I've achieved my goal.

Suddenly an officer with an entourage of soldiers enters.

"The count will receive you now." (officer)

That is if we ever get another chance to make plans.