- Shari -

 

“So you’ve got your money. What now?” (Elin)

“Next, we will head to the guild to show our proof of the subjugations and claim our reward. Then we will go to get a room at the inn and prepare there for tonight. I think this will be the best time for what we are about to do.” (Shari)

“I understand that we're waiting for the night, but is the guild really the best place for you two?” (Elin)

“It certainly is. I'm rather sure that none of Cid’s men would try to attack us at such a place. Also, we can need the additional money and honestly, the 'proofs' are starting to decay.” (Shari)

 

I may not be able to smell them but this other sense I've got regarding air scanning does tell me such things quite clearly.

 

“Makes sense, but I need to say that your perception is a little twisted if you see this place full of professional monster killers as a safe haven!” (Elin)

 

She might be right on this.
Nonetheless, I won't let the money go to waste.

 

“We'll still do so. I don’t want to have carried these ears with me for nothing!” (Shari)

 

With this last word, we set off on our way.
We keep ourselves to public places since with more witnesses an attack becomes less likely.
Like this, we make it to our destination without incidents.
We still got lucky as I know Ekoras' reputation and what people here would do for money.
But the guild is still located in the better part of town.
It would have been bad if Liqu would dissolve people on the street or if bystanders ask why no blood escapes from my stabbing wounds.
And so on and so on.

In the building the giant hall with the counter awaits me.
To avoid any problems in the queue I decide to go alone.

 

“Liqu, wait here and don’t cause any trouble. Elin, make sure about that. I'm going to the counter.” (Shari)

“Wait!” (Elin)

“What is it?” (Shari)

“We don’t have a name yet!” (Elin)

 

Have I missed something?

 

“A name? Sorry, but what are you trying to say?” (Shari)

“If you want to have the record for the killed creatures applied for all of us we need a group. And respectively a name.” (Elin)

“Well, Shari and I belong together!” (Liqu)

“Liqu, shut up! And what makes you think that you are with us, Elin?” (Shari)

 

Even if I wouldn’t want to kill her, I have no idea how to keep Liqu from doing so.
And coming from this ground setup, it's a rather far call for her to join us.

 

“Didn’t you tell the guard that we formed a group? Your story should stay consistent, am I right?” (Elin)

 

This girl is far more cunning than I assumed her to be.

 

“In addition, we are together in this. So it would just make sense to involve me or not? And it’s not like I couldn’t be of any use.” (Elin)

“Urgh, Liqu what do you think about this?” (Shari)

“A human wants willingly to accompany us? That's a first for me! But she wasn’t nice. Can I dissolve her?” (Liqu)

“First, not so loud! Second, not just like this! So what do you say?” (Shari)

“It’s fine with me. I would like to see how this plays out.” (Liqu)

“Guess you’ve got what you wanted.” (Shari)

"Great! So about the name?” (Elin)

"Urgh, Liqu do you have something?” (Shari)

“You really ask me!?!” (Liqu)

 

She's getting quite excited about this.

 

“I'm not good with names. So if you have any idea, that doesn’t sound too bad and isn’t exposing us as monsters then I’m in. Also, I have decided that Elin has no vote, so it’s up to you.” (Shari)

“Hey!” (Elin)

“Oh, did the extorter want anything to say?” (Shari)

 

At least she is sensitive enough not to speak up here.

 

“So, do you have something in mind?” (Shari)

 

Or... core?

 

“Ehm, what about…” (Liqu)

“Yes?” (Shari)

“How would be: 'Core dwellers'?” (Liqu)

 

That sounds a bit particular.

 

“Why this?” (Shari)

“They... You know, they do define who we are and we.... are dwelling here. So I thought it might be fitting.” (Liqu)

 

I am really not sure, but cannot see much speaking against her suggestion.

 

“Well, it’s not like I had a better idea. So why not.” (Shari)

 

With this, we are now the Core dwellers!

What a name.

 

“Then if there’s nothing else I will go to the counter and let our group and our first subjugation get recorded.” (Shari)

"Oh, here is my card. You will need it to register us." (Elin)

 

She hands it over and subsequently I have to take Liqu's card as well.

 

“And you shouldn’t forget that for the first time what you bring them there and especially the quantity seems extremely unusual.” (Elin)

 

She might be right about this.
The way Jacob spoke about goblins they aren't common prey and we brought quite many ears as proof.
The only good part is that Liqu could hold back so that they ain't too dissolved.
Rather conscious about this I next approach the counter.

I have the bag with the ears from the goblins and woodpiercers ready and join the queue, terribly careful to not touch anyone of these rough people around me.
Fortunately, I don’t have to keep this up for long and am soon at the counter.
A rather slim man in the uniform of the guild officials is in front of me.

 

“Good day! What can I do for you?” (receptionist)

“Uh, I would like to register our newly formed group, and while I’m at it directly record some subjugated monsters.” (Shari)

"A group registration? This will cost a fee of fifty copper for administration. Are you sure about this?" (receptionist)

"Quite! Would it be possible to just subtract the fee from our reward?" (Shari)

"Depends on what you've brought. You shouldn't expect too much, most newbies make this mistake." (receptionist)

"I think it should suffice." (Shari)

"If you say so. So first about the group. I need to know the particular members." (receptionist)

"Here are the cards. Me, Liqu, and Elin." (Shari)

"Two intermediates and one beginner. Are you really sure about this?" (receptionist)

"I was. Why shouldn't I?" (Shari)

"They read you two applied just a short time ago and Elin on the other side usually works alone. I doubt you have the necessary experience to lead a group and don't think that Elin works well in a team. And then there are the different levels of qualification." (receptionist)

"This shouldn't be a problem. I have some prior knowledge on these matters and we went on an assignment with Elin without any issues." (Shari)

 

That's a blatant lie, but why would I tell him?

 

"Also, your party composition looks kinda problematic." (receptionist)

"In which way?" (Shari)

"Coming from your sheets, you lack a vanguard if I've seen right. Someone to keep the beasts in check while you work from the backlines." (receptionist)

"We have our means in that regard. You don't need to worry." (Shari)

 

Showing as much determination as I can behind this mask I leave him not much of a choice.
In the end, it is our decision and not his.

 

"Sigh, alright. Do you have a name?" (receptionist)

"Ehm, yes?" (Shari)

"Would you mind telling me?" (receptionist)

 

He gets a little restless, but sorry, I am quite embarrassed about saying this out loud.

 

"Uhh, so, it would be, core dwellers." (Shari)

"Excuse, could you repeat that?" (receptionist)

"Core dwellers! Okay?" (Shari)

 

And now he furrows his brow astonishingly far.

 

"Is that a pun to the slime subjugation tasks? You should take this more seriously!" (receptionist)

"No, we want this name! We decided on this one, so please register it!" (Shari)

 

This becomes a little exhausting.
And his look is hard to stand.

 

"You really want me to register that?" (receptionist)

"Yes, please!" (Shari)

 

And please let me get over with this!

 

"Fine, it's not as if you'd violate any rules with that. I will register your group." (receptionist)

 

Finally!!
Thank you very much!

 

"And you said you wanted to record something?" (receptionist)

"Yes, we killed some monsters and brought the proof, right here." (Shari)

"Okay, put them here on the counter. And please, just the designated area, not on the wood! The blood. You understand?" (receptionist)

"Sure, so here is this first!" (Shari)

 

I hand over the ears of the woodpiercers.
It was good to have Elin for dismantling them, as their ears are small and tricky to get off.

 

"Oh, woodpiercers? They can be fierce. You really managed to get so many of them? How? Have you designed a trap?" (receptionist)

"Sorry, business secret. Can't tell you." (Shari)

"If you say so. I count seven. The assignment for them was twenty-five copper each. That makes a hundred-twenty-five for you if I subtract the fee for your group. You were right about the amount. This was a good haul." (receptionist)

"Ehm, we aren't done yet." (Shari)

"There's more?" (receptionist)

"Y-yes. These just attacked us on the way. Mainly we were up against goblins." (Shari)

"Goblins? Do you know how dangerous they are?" (receptionist)

"We managed fine. Here are the ears." (Shari)

 

So I take the sac with the bloody goblin ears out.
They were so many that we had to shorten them, as large as they are.
Elin cut them to a size where she said that we wouldn't be suspected of committing fraud against the guild by selling the same ear twice.
I hope this holds true.

So I empty them on the counter.
But the look I receive is making me worried.

 

"Is something wrong?" (Shari)

"Wha..." (receptionist)

"We had to cut them like this! Otherwise they would have been too big for our stash!" (Shari)

"N-no. What? I mean, how many are they?" (receptionist)

"Uhm, thirty-four. We went to the old abandoned mine to gather void stones there and it was heavily infested." (Shari)

"You killed thirty-four goblins? In their cave? H-how? There is no way you fought this many in combat! Not on your rank!" (receptionist)

 

Oh shit, that could become a problem.

Think fast, Shari!
What would be a good explanation?

 

"Well, we were properly equipped. We used some kind of acid and made it drift inside. They breathed it in and died due to the inner burns." (Shari)

 

Hope that does suffice as an explanation.
At least I am sure also their insides got disintegrated while being in Liqu.

 

"What agent does cause something like this" (receptionist)

"I'm sorry, yet this is something I cannot disclose, but you will notice small burns on some of the ears." (Shari)

 

The main issue is, I don't know enough about alchemy to go more into detail and make it sound convincing.

 

"So your team really killed this many on their own?" (receptionist)

"We were assisted by Jacob's group. Can we please just get this done?" (Shari)

 

I wouldn't want that much that to make them vouch for us, regarding recent incidents.
But before we get suspected of anything...

 

"Sigh, fine. Now it seems they are acceptable fresh and all identifiable as left ones. You wouldn't believe how many try to present the right ones too. Still, I cannot believe you were able to kill this many. But as the proof is right here I have to record it." (receptionist)

 

Oh! How generous of you to do your job and not falsely accuse and charge us!
He takes an abacus and starts to fiddle around.

 

"So the common goblin goes for twenty copper and here we have thirty-four of them. This makes a total of six silver and eighty copper. Together with the surplus from the woodpiercers that are eight silver and five copper. Quite an amount I believe!" (receptionist)

 

"Oh, before I forget it, we have also three cores, one for each member of the group." (Shari)

"Okay, I won't get surprised anymore." (receptionist)

 

Don't promise too much.
I procure the three cores and put them on the counter.

 

"What?" (receptionist)

"Is something the matter? The cores are alright, I think." (Shari)

"Alright? Did you even break them? How can I possibly believe this?" (receptionist)

"They are properly inactive. Or do you think I would bring in gems instead of slime cores? What is this subjugation even worth? There must be a way to confirm the origin." (Shari)

 

Next, he takes some magnifying lenses and looks extremely closely at them.
Then he breaks one with a hammer.

 

"Hm. No glass. I don't understand this." (receptionist)

"Because they're genuine cores! So what is it?" (Shari)

"Five copper per core. That makes Fifteen copper." (receptionist)

"Five!? They destroy any equipment that is used. This isn't nearly worth the trouble!" (Shari)

"See it as the fee to be a guild member. Aside from that, it is absolutely possible to use iron bars. The guild provides them just over there. Some members even use random sticks. This is really no problem. So take what you get." (receptionist)

 

He grabs somewhere under the counter and procures the money.
While he seems a little unwilling to part with the sum, but ultimately gives in.
I take it rather grudgingly yet it's not like we lost any equipment while killing these slimes.
Or rather mentally disabling them.

 

"Will this be recorded for our group?" (Shari)

"Yes. If you proceed like this you and your teammates might soon get promoted to a higher rank. If any of this is true." (receptionist)

 

Rather satisfied with the practical result I turn back to my group and am on my way.
Yet not without overhearing the following:

 

"Tsk. Thirty-four goblins, sure! And then those cores." (receptionist)

 

Ignoring that last comment I approach my newly formed team and signal that everything worked out and is fine without any complications.

 

A thought I would deeply regret moments later.