- Shari -

I always feel bad when people are staring at me.

Those people being high-ranking officials isn't making things any better.

Not to speak of a king in a wide robe who stares in our direction with a look that is bordering on contempt.

"Serenia, what are you planning here?" (Parcian)

"My dearest, I'm working on the solution for our current predicament." (Serenia)

"In what way?" (Parcian)

"In this!" (Serenia)

She points at us.

Liqu, being like she is, directly starts to wave at the people.

"A monster!?"

"Such a creature!"

Yep, yep, the usual outrage at our existence.

I'm used to that by now.

And it wouldn't better my position to get all riled up about it.

"What are your plans with... them?" (Parcian)

Should I appreciate that he's holding back?

"Parcian, as hard as it may be to see at the moment, those two give us the means to finally go on the offensive. Just let me talk for now. If there's anything you're not agreeing with you can say so." (Serenia)

I think I should speak up now since this is essentially about us.

"So, you want our help? What exactly are we supposed to do?" (Shari)

"We need to find this production facility. Given the quality of the collars and the know-how, it's quite certain that it must be in the vicinity of the capital, if not within its premises. And because of you, we now have some concrete leads." (Serenia)

"The chancellor!" (Shari)

At this, the people present begin to whisper to each other.

Seems like I started quite the topic.

"You know, there are thoughts one shouldn't speak out loud. Yet I suppose this is more difficult if one lacks what encases them." (Serenia)

"Oh, I can assure you that what contains my thoughts is very solid." (Shari)

"If you say so. I'd like you to be confidential about the mission you're about to receive." (Serenia)

"Ahem, may I mention here that we are Count Kahan's subordinates and primarily work for him? And we should report back in due time that our mission is completed." (Shari)

"Who do you think is the count's superior? I'm certain that he won't go against an assignment coming from us." (Serenia)

"What even is it that requires our questionable services?" (Shari)

"It's fairly simple. We need to find the production facilities and destroy them. While also taking out or apprehending anyone involved." (Serenia)

"We?" (Shari)

Oh damn, I can see where this is going.

"Naturally you won't have to lead the investigations. Rather, I need some form of enforcement. Your existence poses a unique advantage for our purposes. As you might have guessed, the situation is extremely tense at the moment. One wrong move and this silent war we're fighting might become very loud and bloody. This is the reason why open actions were difficult to pursue until now. However, this only applies if we use our official troops. While hiring mercenaries might still be a viable option there's a great risk that we'll be exposed as the ones behind an attack which could serve as a justified reason to declare open war. Yet if we're talking about a sudden monster attack..." (Serenia)

"You're planning to use us as disposable units you can abandon while feigning ignorance?" (Shari)

"To say it frankly, I plan to point you at your target and have you release your worst. Yet you won't be abandoned afterward, you have my word. Especially since you're far too valuable for this. No, rather we'd provide safe means of retreat while feigning ignorance to any pursuers. And once this troubling situation is over I'll personally make sure that you'll earn all the honors as well as a royal pledge of immunity, you have my word." (Serenia)

To be honest, this deal might have its advantages.

I'm not that much of a patriot however, I already sided with the royalists here, and switching sides or bailing out feels wrong to me.

That and I doubt that these Koreso supremacists will have any sympathy for Liqu and me, while their slavery habits don't make me want them to take over here.

The issue I have with accepting this mission is the usual one everyone has when they need to trust a stranger.

I don't know her.

She could now tell us all kinds of fancy stuff and in the end, we get screwed.

"While I appreciate the gesture, and I know how strange this sounds coming from me, I'd like to have something solid. A proof of trust or at least a contract." (Shari)

"You're making quite the demands here. And this while your origin and status are at best questionable." (Parcian)

"Such insolence!"

"How dare this creature?"

"May I mention here that Liqu singlehandedly cleared a troop of several hundreds of your enemies? I'm sure our alignment is more than proven at this point. All I'm asking for is a bit of assurance for that what we were promised." (Shari)

"Granted." (Serenia)

"Serenia!" (Parcian)

"What? Are we lacking paper and sigils? Are slimes known to be untrustworthy partners? Yes, it might be uncommon but the least we can put on the line is our word of honor." (Serenia)

The king doesn't seem to like this idea.

I believe he's worrying about his reputation if he's discovered to make legally binding contracts with slimes.

But then he nods.

But before I'm agreeing to anything I should know more about our new mission.

"Before I'm subscribing, I'd like to have more details." (Shari)

"At the moment there are three possible targets. The most important naturally being the production facility. However, there would also be the lord whose men ambushed you and certain dissidents whose role in preventing you from entering the palace was discovered. I'd like for all of them to be eradicated." (Serenia)

"Ahem, I'm sure you're not familiar with my contract with the count, but it involves that I won't play his big bad monster he can use to spread terror. And even if Liqu has no such reservations, it's forbidden that any innocent people get dissolved." (Shari)

"Please, we're talking here about traitors, killers, honorless scum. And regarding the production facility, the collar is a complex mechanism that requires insight into the process. Anyone who works on these perfectly knows what they're for. Do you really want to argue that someone working on a tool to enslave free people could be considered innocent? You can consider this as a half-official verdict coming from the crown, which will eventually become fully accredited." (Serenia)

"I'm just a tiny bit worried about my reputation here." (Shari)

"There's no need to because it isn't planned that there'll be any traces left to point your way. And once it's over you'll be granted a full royal pardon for any acts you may ever have committed and be guaranteed protection under the crown as well as a guarantee for your maintained livelihood." (Serenia)

Is she for real?

It sounds a bit too good to be true.

Not only that everything we did that could be considered a crime, like certain assassinations or the killing of adventurers, would be pardoned, but also that the guard should rather protect us instead of chase us down.

But if I understood her right, she means that we can rely on the country to pay our bills till the end of our days.

This offer sounds too good to be true.

And all of this on an official document with the royal sigil.

"Serenia, don't you think this is going too far? You seem to fancy those creatures too much." (Parcian)

At this, some members of the entourage nod affirmatively.

"Dear husband, you don't seem to see what kind of weapon we can obtain here. Firstly, they're reliable combatants. Otherwise, Count Kahan wouldn't have been interested in them. He's a very straightforward man. But the true value depends on their application. We're talking here about beings that managed to sneak into the best-warded part of the palace, overwhelmed all our guards without even having to injure a single one of them, and all this while carrying our daughter. What do you think they would be capable of without such restrictions? We have numerous enemies at the moment. I think it's time to reduce their number." (Serenia)

"Sigh, but this will be on you." (Parcian)

She barely acknowledges his answer and turns to us.

"As I've understood it, you are already quite involved in this situation and it's only a question of time till you're going to be exposed. If you agree I'll personally guarantee that you don't have to fear that time. So, are these terms agreeable?" (Serenia)

"Well, as long as everything is going to be officially finalized, on a legally binding document without any nasty surprises then it sounds indeed agreeable. Oh, and I want Count Kahan to act as your guarantor in case anyone tries to pull a 'slimes-aren't-people-and-can't-do-contracts'. We can subscribe now and deliver a finalized version of the contract to him later. I trust him to be honest enough to uphold a contract he puts his sigil on." (Shari)

"I'm sure this will be possible." (Serenia)

"Then I agree. And Liqu naturally too." (Shari)

As long as she really plans to follow up on this.

"Then I'm glad. And there's another point I'd like to mention." (Serenia)

"That would be?" (Shari)

"This scum dared to threaten my daughter and I plan to wreak havoc and agony on their miserable souls! With or without your help, their days are numbered!" (Serenia)

From one moment to the next this calm and serene woman completely changed and almost felt like she was burning with an intensity I never saw before.

"Wow, how did you do this? I never saw someone change their soul's emission so radically." (Liqu)

Of all the things she could ask, she has to question the queen's soul.

I'm not the only one who's a bit perplexed by this.

"Well... I have honestly no idea how to answer this." (Serenia)

"You don't have to humor her, your highness." (Shari)

"I was just not prepared to hear a being like her speaking about my soul." (Serenia)

"Uh, yes, that's a slime thing. But let's get back to the 'making your adversaries pay' part." (Shari)

She looks at me for a moment, breathes in and out, and through this has apparently made up her mind.

"Fine, I'll prepare the documents. Do you have any other wishes?" (Serenia)

Immediately I speak.

"I'd like to visit our team. They trusted us and I am responsible for them." (Shari)

"This can certainly be arranged. Anything else?" (Serenia)

Promptly Liqu's hand rushes so hard up that it's splotching against the ceiling.

I already dread what comes next.

"Yes?" (Serenia)

"I want to see Anvenia! I like her." (Liqu)

Okay, this slime is officially crazy.

What does she think is going to happen?

That the parents are going to say, "Oh well, let's leave the princess in the same room as the man-eating monster"?

"You can't be..." (Parcian)

"As you wish!" (Serenia)

What was that just now!?!