- Shari -

I look around in the room where we splattered enough viscera that I'm sure the inn will experience a heavy drop of guests.

Actually, we're screwed.

Thank you very much world.

It will take too long to clean this up.

That's not even considering that someone out there certainly has heard this massacre that transpired here.

The soldiers had the job to get rid of any possible witnesses so they could deal with our group and get away.

Though it didn't work out like this and the panicked death cries of around two dozen men and women, yes they were diverse on that matter, should have drawn some attention.

And then we have the innkeeper.

That one somehow manages to hide in a corner behind a tossed table.

So, to summarize, we're screwed.

But I'm a nice person, so the first thing I do is try to soothe the man who probably believes he's at the conclusion of some horror story.

Naturally, I approach him as inoffensively as I can, whatever that entails.

"I'd like to tell you that we're the good guys here. You may tell this to the guard as well when they come at any moment. So you can rest at ease." (Shari)

After I announced so loudly that we have the princess here I assume the attackers planned to kill him as well.

But I doubt he appreciates that I basically saved his life.

Instead, I get this typical stare at my body accompanied by the usual "Oh-my-good-the-slime-is-going-to-eat-me" racism.

However, I have no time to change his mind about my person.

We have to decide what to do, now.

"Okay, how do we proceed from here on out?" (Shari)

"I don't know about you, but I presume that when the guard comes and sees this massacre they won't bother asking if the still present slimes are hostile. So I'd suggest not being present at all at that time." (Elin)

"Elin? How is the princess?" (Shari)

It was her sole job to watch her.

"Still fine. I only went out to check up on the situation after the screams stopped. But could we please stop this idle chatter and get the fuck out of here?" (E)

"And how?" (Shari)

"Through the window up here. I've got a route, but you should first cover yourself. There may not be many but most people react poorly to your blue appearance." (Elin)

"But it's so beautiful!" (Liqu)

"Sure, but it's still too dangerous." (Elin)

Elin really learned how to handle Liqu.

The issue is, my old cloak stopped existing.

And I liked that one.

I still have an army cloak, made for rough weather, but this one doesn't do such a great job at concealing what I am.

Liqu at least still has her clothes, albeit they're soaked in slime and sprinkled with blood.

But if Elin's escape route is worth anything then not too many people will see me like this.

I quickly rush up the stairs and take my stuff.

I had to leave my army sword behind since I couldn't find it anymore in this chaos of blood and similar-looking swords.

My daggers will have to suffice and also, it would just slow me down.

Since the others were already prepared, it only takes moments till we're ready to go.

However, Elin's escape route is a bit peculiar.

"You can't expect her highness to jump down there!" (Lorena)

"Sure I can. And just to mention it, we wouldn't have to if someone wouldn't have compromised our position." (Elin)

"I had to tell her something!" (Lorena)

"Then tell a lie! Honestly, I don't know if you're really that stupid or, much worse, just act that way." (Elin)

"Enough! We have no time for this! Liqu, get her down!" (Shari)

"Yes, yes!" (Liqu)

Liqu has her cloak on by now and doesn't bother with slipping out.

Instead, she takes Anvenia surprisingly gently in both her arms.

I hold Lorena in place for a moment while Liqu simply jumps out of the window with the princess.

"Ieehk!" (Lorena)

It was to be expected that she wouldn't like that part.

But Liqu stays surprisingly firm when hitting the ground.

Barely any slime is flowing out of her cloak and Anvenia lies perfectly cushioned above it.

But looking at Liqu's bottom side I guess she tore her pants.

Anvenia stayed impressively calm during the fall.

The next one is me.

Since I'm learning from Liqu's mistake I first slip out of the fresh pair of pants I just put on and throw them down the gully, which earns me some weird stares.

But it's necessary.

While not as high as the last distance I jumped down I simply know my body won't stay stable on impact.

So I take the leap and brace myself for the crash.

The result is not as bad as I thought.

I could keep quite much of myself at the center and am only squished to half my height.

That much I can quickly renew.

"If anyone needs help, we can catch you!" (Shari)

"Nope, I'm fine!" (Elin)

She jumps by herself and manages to distribute her weight in a way that she lands completely well.

Vela follows next and apparently knows the same trick.

And Zeon I never doubted. This leaves...

"I can't!" (Lorena)

"We have no time left! Jump!" (Shari)

"But, but I had no training. I..." (Lorena)

"Her highness is depending on you! Jump!" (Shari)

At least she listens to commands.

But the way she closes her eyes while passing the border of the window tells me enough.

Before she hits the ground I dash forward with stretched arms.

I won't make any comments about her weight, but the impact is hard and I again lose much of my shape for a moment.

And then have an awkward moment where I princess-carry the maid.

And she can't get down from me fast enough.

But because of her position, she steps several times inside my body and this situation isn't any less weird than the former.

"Ahem, now that your couple moment is over, and before Liqu kills her competition out of jealousy, I'd advise that we run from the real law enforcers. Follow me, I know the way!" (Elin)

Elin is so fast that I can't even say something about this terribly embarrassing statement.

When we start moving I can already hear new shouts from inside the inn.

We follow her through several alleys and are extremely careful while crossing one road, till she suddenly stops apparently nowhere special.

"Something wrong? Are you tired?" (Shari)

"No, we've reached our destination. Just look down." (Elin)

I do as told and see a drainage channel.

That is leading to the sewers...

"No! Just no! I am no sewer slime!" (Shari)

"Says the one who just forced someone to jump. If we're followed they might get us any moment, so we really need a safe place. This grants us some time!" (Elin)

Goddamnit!

The others pull open the cover and one by one they enter.

Though it needs a bit of the usual convincing regarding Anvenia and Lorena, Elin is fairly eloquent and won't accept no for an answer.

Since I have no choice I enter as well.

I'm just glad I can’t smell the scent that obviously exists here and bothers those with working noses.

We walk a distance further and can then finally stop to calm down.

"Okay, why did you lead us down here of all places?" (Shari)

"Because my plan considered that the whole city guard would be hunting two slimes. This means we can't hide anywhere in town or people might become paranoid and spot us. On this route, we can stay out of sight and still traverse the whole town without being seen. And we need this advantage right now." (Elin)

Honestly, I don't know how many witnesses can even tell what happened.

The innkeeper might be a problem or, as unlikely as it is, someone could've survived.

We didn’t really make a clean getaway.

So this place is still a good way to stay out of sight.

I guess Elin even knows how to traverse the sewers.

"Alright. Team meeting. We need to figure out how to proceed from here on out." (Shari)

"We should just run away. Apparently the whole palace is compromised. If our message didn't even get through to them we might as well give up." (Elin)

"No, we can't! Not after all that happened! We will complete this mission!" (Vela)

"I'd say as well that we should try to deliver her somehow. If we run now there's no telling what they might send behind us. And they'll surely somehow use this incident to their advantage and twist the truth. We need a chance to tell our side to the king." (Zeon)

"But we can't just make a racket and hope that we won't have to kill half the city's population." (Shari)

"Why not? I'm much better now! I can dissolve us a way through till we arrive where we need to be." (Liqu)

Liqu is as straightforward as usual.

That's under the assumption that they'd even hear out the slimes under those circumstances.

Which is a bit unlikely.

But all opinions are important.

"We can't leave her highness in these conditions!" (Lorena)

"I-it's fine. It just stinks a bit." (Anvenia)

Okay, storming the castle isn't an option and fleeing is no option either.

That honestly doesn't leave much.

"If we could just deliver a message directly to the king, so it won't get intercepted." (Vela)

"But that's almost impossible. Especially now. Even if we don't accompany you they might frame you for this incident and use this to arrest and get rid of you all. And we aren't directly presentable at the moment." (Shari)

"And what if just you two go?" (Elin)

"Sorry, did you lose it?" (Shari)

"It's almost dark now. If you manage to sneak past the guards and directly talk to the king you can present our case. Slimes intrude almost everywhere, don't they?" (Elin)

"Ah, there was that one incident when a slime was discovered in the palace. I believe it even came out of the sewers." (Lorena)

"You all are aware that we're slimes? That's a kinda significant feature. I doubt the king will look past that and... well, not panic and call the guards to exterminate the monsters." (Shari)

"Then bring the girl." (Elin)

"What?" (Shari)

"Well, it was her home. She should at least know where her dad sleeps, right?" (Elin)

It makes sense but is certainly still no simple matter.

"Anvenia, would you?" (Shari)

"Uh, I think so. I always visited my dad's place. But I seldom left my rooms." (Anvenia)

"Rooms?" (Vela)

"The princess basically had her own district within the palace. Their majesties often visited her and ate together but she wasn't exposed to others. So she rarely left the facilities. But occasionally she would visit her family." (Lorena)

This sounds terribly sad.

"The plan to bring Anvenia is sound, but how would we enter?" (Zeon)

"And where would we have to deliver her?" (Vela)

"Ahem, the particular rooms would be on the fourth floor. The west wing, as the princess' was in the eastern one." (Lorena)

"I am sure I can find dad's room! Or mum's!" (Anvenia)

Still, it's difficult to imagine how we would bring her.

"I still have no idea how to get into the palace. Not to mention the fourth floor. Slimes might be sneaky, but with a child, this certainly won't be as easy. There'll still be guards everywhere." (Shari)

"Why? What's so difficult?" (Liqu)

"Liqu, we can't kill anyone! We need their trust. Murdering people would completely oppose our purpose." (Shari)

"Yes, yes, I understand this, but it's still very easy." (Liqu)

"Okay, enlight us. What's your solution?" (Shari)

"I saw the building. There are holes. We only have to climb up and get through." (Liqu)

"But Liqu. What about Anvenia?" (Shari)

"Yes, what about her highness?" (Lorena)

"I can carry her? She's not heavy. I can do this. And we don't need clothes for this, right?" (Liqu)

Honestly, I wish I could find faults with her plan, but I don't.

It could work out.

We don't need the others for this job.

Their presence would even be detrimental as a large group would be easier to discover.

As things are such a desperately simple plan might be the best way to go.

I turn to the others.

"What do you think?" (Shari)

"I proposed this and won't be involved. Sounds fine to me." (Elin)

"Tsk, doesn't seem like we have many other options. At least the enemy won't expect such a move." (Vela)

"I'm against this! Are you seriously intending to drag her highness along the palace walls? All the way carrying her as... as slimes?" (Lorena)

She almost chokes on those words.

"I trust in your abilities. If Liqu says she can do this I believe her. This is simply the best way to go about this in our current situation." (Zeon)

"Sorry Lorena, three to one and I and Liqu vote as well with yes. There are no other options." (Shari)

Lorena grumbles, unwilling to accept this, but ultimately doesn't retort.

For me, it's also a bit hard to accept this plan, as it's extremely risky for me and I'm absolutely sure that I'm underpaid.

But there's no other choice if we want to progress.

Sigh, and I promised Dion.

And I always keep my promises.

Okay, it's time to infiltrate a castle!