Before heading out I at first fetch my clothes and make Liqu wear hers.

This doesn't take long and I would rather look as civilized as possible.

The more savage our impression the worse it appears that we were with that girl.

The now assembled number of guards we meet in the main hall is concerning, yet I doubt the count would call us to his room if he plans to get rid of us.

We head to the second floor stopping at the familiar office of the count.

We are expected so we directly enter.

Inside I see Dion and the count.

Both look not too happy, but Dion at least managed to slip into some clothes.

Although a little hurried as they're not properly bond.

The count on his side has a grim expression and wears simple clothes while sitting at his table.

Now all I can do is to de-escalate to the best of my abilities.

For now, I should look as if I'm really sorry.

I do so by looking down, fiddling with my fingers while thinking about the places I would right now much rather be like I did all the times when mum scolded me.

For example, that one time when I accidentally gathered the wrong berries and secretly flavored the soup with them.

How should I have known that they don't make it just a little bit spicier, but rather cause severe diarrhea?

They were just a slightly different shade of brown.

Hoping that what worked to some degree with my mum might help with a displeased noble I do so, but my fingers soon become a gooey clump and I am troubled to separate them again.

This might distract me a little which causes the opposite of the intended impression and makes me look as if I'm not properly focused right now.

"Ahem, it seems there was an incident. Anything to add about this?" (Radon)

Count Kahan speaks calm and composed, but his voice carries an intensity that tells me I should now look at him.

Feigning innocence would be usually my first choice.

However, we are a little too obviously guilty.

So I can just admit everything within the limits and hope for a mild judgment.

"I'm sorry. Apparently we ended up in a restricted area. I can just say that this was purely by chance." (Shari)

Dion's gaze tells that he has his doubts about this, while the count keeps his impregnable front to us.

"You somehow slipped past all the guards, passed two floors, and ended up in the most secluded room in this mansion, purely by chance?" (Dion)

"Yes!" (Shari)

Dion doesn't seem to be the slightest bit satisfied with this answer, but the count speaks first.

"The guards found a small hole inside the room. Care to explain this? I am very curious about how you overcome all the security measures without anyone noticing." (Radon)

I really wanted to obscure this part, but unfortunately, he has far too much information about everything.

"Liqu... dug inside the mansion's interior. It's possible to move rather freely between the walls. Also, there's not much sound while moving, so this might be why no one noticed." (Shari)

"You..." (Dion)

I can already hear at the sound to it that he wants to say something reprimanding, but the count raises his hand and he grows quiet.

"Could I ask why Liqu did so?" (Radon)

"She was hungry. The meals didn't always come on time, so she decided to hunt the critters within the walls as some kind of midnight snacks. I don't know exactly what it was she got, yet you might have noticed a sudden decrease in their presence." (Shari)

This might just be a part of the truth, but I cannot say that Liqu was going to kill every last one of them.

"Racas. A monster said to be derivated from common rats and mouses. As a peculiar quirk, they are basically harmless, yet rather aggressive in their pursuit to procure food from others. It's said that if a house contracts them once then all you can do is burn it down to get rid of them. And even this has a probability to fail." (Dion)

"See? She basically was helping with these critters." (Shari)

"I don't care very much about common pests." (Radon)

He intently glances at us.

Fortunately, we aren't common.

"Rather, I would like to know how you ended up in that place." (Radon)

"I don't really know yet." (Shari)

"And you?" (Radon)

And now the most dreaded part begins.

He signals Liqu to talk.

"I'm not completely sure. She might have heard me when I got one of those critters, or rather the sounds it made. Then she knocked at the wall. I became curious and came looking. And so we met yesterday." (Liqu)

"Yesterday!?" (Dion)

"Yes. And today I was visiting her again. My Shari must have followed me when she noticed I was gone." (Liqu)

"Sigh, so you basically truly met her by chance. Are you aware who you encountered there?" (Radon)

"Some people, including the ones present, said "her highness". Aside from this, I have no idea who she is." (Shari)

"She is Anvenia Nox Demis Aurealis!" (Liqu)

I stare stupefied at this slime.

Dion too and even the count shows some surprise.

"How do you even know this?" (Shari)

"She told me. It was a weird name so I became interested and because of this memorized it." (Liqu)

A hand goes up to my forehead as a means to cope with all this ridiculousness.

However, I apply too much pressure so that my complete hand and a part of my forearm sink into my head before I notice and pull back out what I can.

Now we for sure know too much.

"You are right about her identity. Since the rest is common knowledge, are there any open questions?" (Radon)

"I know that highness means she is royalty, but people weren't too invested in politics where I come from." (Shari)

"Anvenia Nox Demis Aurealis is the first daughter of our current King Parcian who inherited the throne seven years ago at the age of nineteen and his wife Queen Serenia." (Radon)

I guess he doesn't bother with those ridiculous second names, as the royals should share theirs.

Going by this, the girl should be around six, seven at most.

Any prior "intimate contact", before they became officially king and queen, would have been frowned upon.

"So she's a princess?" (Shari)

"Yes. And if her majesty won't conceive a male child she will at a high probability inherit the throne." (Radon)

"Okay, fine. Now to the biggest question in the room. Why is she here?" (Shari)

"Around a month ago a number of assassination attempts started, targeting her highness. While she survived all of them some were concerningly close to succeeding. It was decided that the princess couldn't stay in the palace or it would just be a matter of time before one succeeded." (Radon)

"I get this part, but why here of all places? The south doesn't have the best reputation." (Shari)

"Whoever conducted the attacks had influence. Any foreign power would have left more traces. This leaves most of the members of the noble houses as the possible culprits. Yet it's not a simple task to say who is part of them and who isn't as, naturally, in public they all swear loyalty to their king. Only house Kahan is beyond any doubt. While having considerable force we never meddled in the race for power and our oaths bind us. At the same time, our troops are devoted to their duties, difficult to infiltrate, and among the most skilled this country has to offer. So it was decided that this might be the safest place for the princess and she was secretly brought here, hoping to shake off the murderers. Just a few selected guards know who is up there. The rest weren't informed to prevent any leaks of information, yet now someone found out." (Radon)

I personally like it that he refers to me as someone, but I guess now is the wrong moment for a creepy smile.

"So what happens now? We aren't necessarily considered as trustworthy, but the fact that we are here tells me there is something else planned than our execution. Am I right?" (Shari)

He smiles at me.

Not a kind smile, but one hiding his intentions.

"You're saying you've spent two full nights with her, Liqu?" (Radon)

"Yes, yes." (Liqu)

"This adds up with the report about the princess being unusually tired since last night. She could barely have had any time to sleep." (Dion)

"What exactly did you two do?" (Radon)

"She read books to me and I showed her my impressions." (Liqu)

A sigh from Dion, surely because the princess is apparently lacking common sense.

"Ehm, I would still like to know how deep we're in trouble." (Shari)

"So you just played with her?" (Radon)

That's for sure no answer to my question.

"Playing? Yes, yes. One could say so." (Liqu)

It always makes me cringe when Liqu is left on her own in a discussion, but I can't really butt in here.

"What are your thoughts regarding this child?" (Radon)

"Shari said I can't dissolve children." (Liqu)

"Oh, did she?" (Radon)

Could you please not bring up this topic, Liqu?

"Yes, yes. But there wouldn't be much to gain from her in the first place. Also, I don't feel like it. It's rare to meet someone who's friendly towards me." (Liqu)

"And if now someone would try to kill her?" (Radon)

At this point, I feel a little ignored regarding my former question.

"Then I would dissolve him. Without her would be more boring than with. "Playing" was a nice experience." (Liqu)

"Mhm. Interesting." (Radon)

"Question! Why isn't she afraid of slimes?" (Liqu)

"The princess lived quite a sheltered life. While she received basic education one could say that she lacks... life experience. It's rather safe to assume that she never before encountered a slime. Also, his majesty did everything he could to shield her from negative influences. Never in her life had she experienced ill-treatment. She didn't even realize that her life was threatened." (Dion)

"As much I respect my sovereign, but regarding the upbringing of his child his overprotectiveness might be detrimental for her development. She is too carefree." (Radon)

Now even Liqu gets an answer before me?!

"I don't want to appear rude, especially since I am very sorry about what happened, but the suspense is killing me. Could I please now know what you are thinking, my Lord?" (Shari)

"Hm, let's see. First, I believe that you had no ill intentions towards her highness. Liqu had more than enough time to kill her. She didn't. Which is positive to a degree. However, this incident, in addition to the other reports I've received regarding you two, proves that, different from your claim, you're not able to contain that creature. Isn't that right?" (Radon)

Basically, he's saying it's all my fault since Liqu can't be held responsible.

Being a crazy monster and all.

"It's not an easy task." (Shari)

"And you failed on it. There is nothing else to say about this." (Radon)

"Does this mean we're fired?" (Shari)

He smiles again at this question.

"You know that I cannot let you go with this information. Something like this would be worth much for the right person. On the other side, I am rather sure that the attempt to cut loose ends would heavily backfire. So while you're not perfectly reliable I believe you can still be of use. Also, I might be able to take advantage of your relationship with the princess." (Radon)

"Are you sure my lord? Their actions don't speak well for them." (Dion)

"They might be troubling entities and their alignment is mostly based on the fact that it's unlikely for anyone else to employ them. However, they are trustworthy regarding her highness. They brought me my son back and his testimony proves that they truly don't harm children, which makes it unlikely that they would support those who do. I am willing to count on this." (Radon)

I am relieved.

This took some weight from me.

"Nonetheless, I think some kind of punishment has to occur." (Radon)

"Punishment? What kind of punishment? I am rather sure you're not talking about a public flogging. " (Shari)

Not that I would decline this.

I have no problem taking an ineffective punishment.

"Well, essentially I am." (Radon)

"Excuse me!?" (Shari)

"Tomorrow both of you will serve as training partners for the troops. All of them. They were by far too afraid of you and should get used to fighting stronger opponents. Naturally, you're not allowed to inflict greater harm on them, yet the practice wouldn't be effective if you wouldn't fight back. I would say this poses an ideal training." (Radon)

"How shall this commence?! We're just standing there and they hit our bodies?" (Shari)

"No, no, no! My Shari can't be at risk!" (Liqu)

"I don't think so. I liked your solutions with the stones. Those will make appropriate targets." (Radon)

"I'm sorry to object, but it's still too dangerous. I will get non-stop hit close to my core. Liqu won't allow this." (Shari)

And neither will I!

"I won't pretend to know how your bodies work, so tell me if I'm wrong, but yours and hers aren't fundamentally different. Is that so?" (Radon)

"She's bigger, but... not fundamentally different." (Shari)

"Then there should be no problem. Simply take a form which allows you to store your core far away enough from your front, where the stone should be located. Then I don't see any issues. Right, Liqu?" (Radon)

"No, not really. This should be fine. She can do this, I know." (Liqu)

This slime just sold me out!

Wait! This is because she wants this to happen!

This will force me to abandon my human appearance for a longer period of time!

This damned cunning slime!

"But... fighting the whole day? This will consume exorbitant amounts of energy. I don't think I can keep it up for that long." (Shari)

"Naturally, we will from the start provide enough meat so you can keep going. Yet breaks shouldn't be necessary." (Dion)

They are set on doing this!

"Then we will see tomorrow if you can prove to be useful. You can leave now." (Radon)

With repeatedly collapsing mouth, due to my mental impression of grinding my teeth, I walk with Liqu back to our room.

I will need this rest it seems.

And I already know that I will hate tomorrow.