- Shari -
Ugh, I feel strained.
Well, not strained in the usual sense since my body is maybe one of the most relaxed things in this world.
Nonetheless, having had to spend the whole day serving as some kind of advanced training dummy has taken its toll on me, even if we were provided enough flesh to keep going.
Liqu doesn't seem to mind as much.
I am not sure if she had fun, but she never was particularly challenged to beat up her opponents.
Maybe with eight at once, while she wasn't allowed to dissolve or flood the whole area, but her slime tentacle assault still left me with some very disturbing impressions.
Yet it's over now and so we can go back to our rooms and relax.
As far as I know, everyone who participated is now allowed to get a rest period.
And many got minor injuries.
Healing magic can only do so much in patching someone up so that many have still to deal with considerable pain.
While contemplating this I have this side thought if it would be possible to directly increase my energy through the usage of healing magic instead of dissolving stuff, as it's basically the magical embodiment of life.
Yet considering my consumption it might be more efficient to just give me some flesh instead of forcing an estimated dozen of healers to cast themselves dry.
Anyway, I need some rest for now.
While I tried not to overuse high-speed thinking, I had to use it for some of the harder fights, and for the rest was always at the limit of my normal capability with all the appendages I simultaneously controlled.
This is now taking its toll.
I need some rest and hope that the sleep will do its job and literally help cool me down.
Yet I should have considered one very important factor.
Whenever I wish to finally have a break and really need a relaxing time the world is doing its best to sabotage this for me.
So it comes that when I reach my room it's already occupied.
"Vela? What are you doing here?" (Shari)
My last intel was that she still hadn't left the barracks since Liqu screwed with her.
"Can I talk to you?" (Vela)
"Well, you're already here." (Shari)
She points at Liqu.
"Without that thing." (Vela)
Since I get that she's uncomfortable I should comply.
I doubt she would try anything and even if she wanted to, my core is hidden beneath my clothes which I had naturally put back on earlier.
"Liqu, can you leave please?" (Shari)
She's bothered, but as I asked her nicely she does so with a nod.
"Just to say so, her hearing is out of this world. I am rather sure she'll perceive every little word." (Shari)
"Tsk, fine. Whatever." (Vela)
"What do you want from me?" (Shari)
"You've won." (Vela)
"Oh. Yes, great... Do I get a prize?" (Shari)
"Stop this! I'm telling you that I give up. I'm not accepting you, but know that I cannot win. I could see the fights from the window, or rather how that thing eradicated one party after the other without even looking in their direction as it was focused on you the whole time." (Vela)
"Ah, yes. Believe me, that kind of attention is troublesome. But I still don't get what you're trying to tell me." (Shari)
"That monster will certainly run amok if something happens to you and it threatened that in the worst case it would destroy the capital. The only way I see to prevent this is either by killing that thing or by preventing your death. And I doubt you'd help us with the former." (Vela)
"It's not like I intend to die." (Shari)
"Idiot! Every last one of us is prepared to die! Be it a monster, a foreign force, or whatever, we could die on every single mission! This kind of determination is necessary if you head into battle. You not only lack this devotion, but your death would have terrible consequences. And we’re supposed to accept someone like this as our leader?" (Vela)
"I get your point. You're saying that I'm not really into it. However, I can't change this. All I can do is to act to the best of my abilities." (Shari)
"And all I can do is prevent you from dying and causing us trouble. As I said, don't believe that I'm on your side, but I'm at least willing to act on your behalf since our all survival depends on it. So you win. Understood?" (Vela)
"This means in specific?" (Shari)
"This means I'm going to talk to the others. You said Jaren and I are in charge, right? So I will try to somehow make this work before anything happens." (Vela)
"I would especially ask you to talk to Galos and Balion. Those two seem rather hostile and this is mostly because of what happened to you. What even did Liqu do back then?" (Shari)
She rolls her eyes.
Probably because I put the blame on Liqu as if I wouldn't be involved.
On another note, I envy her for being able to perform this action.
"As I said, she threatened me. Basically just that she would find my loved ones and force me to eat them. I have to admit that she's rather creative about torture." (Vela)
I guess laughing it off, being like "Ahaha, monsters, right?" wouldn't be appropriate, right?
"Sigh, sorry. She can be... extremes at times. It's a difficult task to always rein her in." (Shari)
"I won't forget this. On the other side, I know now what I'm up against. Can you promise that you can prevent the worst?" (Vela)
"I can. I have leverage on her. Yet if the worst is driving us all crazy then all hope is dead and gone." (Shari)
Looking at her, I have to say she has a sharp gaze which implies that she's aware of everything.
"I wasn't sure, but you're different from her." (Vela)
"Wasn't this a given?" (Shari)
"Not necessarily. You're both the same kind of creature, but your demeanor is completely different from hers. The most terrifying about her threat was that she didn't lie. Straightforward as a monster would be. You, on the other side, behave too human to be the same. This way your story, as farfetched as it sounds, adds up. Yet I don't know which is worse." (Vela)
Next, she heads to the exit, stopping at the door.
"I will talk to Galos and Balion and get them to calm down." (Vela)
And with this, she's gone.
I on my side, walk over to Liqu's room to talk to her.
"Was I right? Did you hear everything?" (Shari)
"I stopped paying attention halfway through." (Liqu)
"You threatened to make her eat her friends?" (Shari)
"And family and acquaintances. This wouldn't even come close to my pain if she would harm you. I thought she should know about this." (Liqu)
"Sigh. And it's because you're doing stuff like this that people are hostile towards us." (Shari)
"Why do I need people if I have you?" (Liqu)
"Because then fewer people will want us dead. And I don't need the monster image. So don't act like a monster. You can do better than this." (Shari)
"Better?" (Liqu)
"Yes. That little girl, for example, for some odd reason likes you. I don't know what you did, but I am certain it didn't entail dissolving someone she likes and forcing it down her throat. Be aware of the impression you make. If you do the threats towards us will decrease and we both will be safer. Could you do this, please?" (Shari)
"If you wish so, I'll try." (Liqu)
"Great. Then excuse me, but I need some rest." (Shari)
It's still around midday, but I am mentally exhausted at this point.
So I just want to dive into my tub.
"The count wants to see you. Please follow me." (Dion)
What have I done to you, world?!
Left with no choice I flow back out of the tub and take the piercing dagger as well as the new short sword I've been provided.
The first because it's my favorite, the second for appearance's sake.
More blades would be heavy and uncomfortable to carry around and I don't believe I'm in any imminent danger here.
Next, I fetch my uniform to make a proper impression.
I believe that it can just be positive if I present myself like this.
Liqu on her side doesn't get the hint and since I don't want to make the count wait I had no time to correct her.
So she follows naked behind me.
A short time later we are back at the count's office.
Dion leads us in.
"Ah, there you are. Please come in. We have important matters to discuss." (Radon)
Oh, that I am sure about.
"I won't forget this. On the other side, I know now what I'm up against. Can you promise that you can prevent the worst?" (Elin)
Elin really is sneaky if she can barge into the conversation like that and nobody notices her.
Also Vela took Liqu's threat better then I expected.
And someone like this shall be accepted as our leader?" (Velas)
Vela is MULTIPLYING.
I absolutely have no idea how Elin got in there. She's really an assassin.
Thanks for the chapter!
"Oh. Yes great... Do I get a price?" (Shari)
I think you meant prize?
Side note, I saw that Formicea made the top trending spot the other day, congratulations!
Funny enough, in my language those two are exactly the same word. Thanks for the pointer and the congrats.
@expentio
What is your language?
What country do you live in?
@torvn77 German.
It's still around midday, but I am mentally exhausted at this point.
So I just want to dive into my tub.
"The count wants to see you. Please follow me." (Dion)
What have I done to you, world?!
world:... exist.
While contemplating this I have this side thought if it would be possible to directly increase my energy through the usage of healing magic instead of dissolving stuff, as it's basically the magical embodiment of life.
Yet considering my consumption it might be more efficient to just give me some flesh instead of forcing an estimated dozen of healers to cast themselves dry.
Reading this I can't help but imagine a century old gigantic elder slime ruling over an empire forcing the healing mages to do just that, while gearing everything in that society to give it more flesh and healing magic, being revered and feared as a god in the style of the aztec with plenty of sacrifice, mostly captured enemies, being involved. The latter of which forcing the humans(?) under it to sally out for ceaseless flower wars(meaning wars/raids with the aim of gathering said sacrifices) against all its neighbors to appease the slime-god, keeping the end of the world at bay as well as gaining its protection.
Could have been Liqu's far future if not for Shari... then again she would have probably gotten another human slimeified, but maybe with less success leading her to abandon this road and instead trying to force humans to interact with her through overwhelming force leading eventually after many decades to the aforementioned image.
Heh, it's nice to see other people get in on pointing out stuff that might need to be fixed
having had the whole day to serve as some kind of advanced training dummy got a little at the essence even if we were provided enough flesh to keep going. -> maybe "having had to spend the whole day serving as some kind of advanced training dummy got foreign even if"? (not sure what "got a little at the essence" is supposed to mean)
not sure if she had fun but she never was particularly challenged to beat up her opponents. -> fun,
allowed to dissolve or float the whole area but her slime tentacle assault still left -> or flood the whole area,
Healing magic can just do so much in patching -> magic can only do so
estimated dozen of healers to spell themselves dry. -> to cast themselves (usually "cast" is the verb for using magic, while "spell" is the noun for a type of magic)
Anyway for now I need some rest. -> Anyway,
overuse high-speed thinking I did at some of the harder fights and for the rest was always at the limit -> thinking, I did have to use it for some of the harder fights
This is taking now its toll. -> is now taking
My last intel was that she still hasn't left the barracks since Liqu screwed with her. -> still hadn't
anything and even if, my core is hidden beneath my clothes which I naturally put back on. -> even if she wanted to, my core is hidden beneath my clothes which I had naturally put back on (after the training was done)/(earlier) (one or the other could be used)
She's bothered but as I asked her nicely she does so with a nod. -> bothered,
Yes great... Do I get a prize?" -> Yes,
I'm not accepting you but know that I cannot win -> you,
fights from the window or rather how this thing eradicated -> window, or rather how that thing (Liqu isn't in the room, so I think Vela would use "that" to refer to her)
their direction as it was the whole time focused on you." -> it was focused on you the whole time.
This monster will certainly run amok if -> That monster
prevent this is either by killing this thing with or by -> killing that thing
You not only lack this devotion but your death would have terrible consequences. -> devotion,
And someone like this shall be accepted as our leader?" -> maybe "this is supposed to be accepted as"?
to prevent that your death is causing us troubles. -> prevent you from dying and causing us trouble.
don't believe that I'm on your side but I'm at least willing to act on -> side,
You said I and Jaren are in charge -> Jaren and I (pronoun order for this type of thing is "noun and I" or at end of sentence "me and noun")
It's difficult to always reign her in." (Shari) -> It's always difficult to rein her in (reign=rule, like "reigning monarch")
I have a lever on her -> have leverage on her
You're both the same kind of creature but your demeanor is completely different. -> creatures, but your demeanors are
You on the other side behave too human to be the same. -> You, on the other hand/side,
"I stopped halfway to pay attention." -> stopped paying attention halfway through.
This little girl for example for some odd reason likes you. -> That little girl, for example,
know what you did but I am certain it didn't entail dissolving someone -> did,
towards us will decrease. we both will be safer. -> decrease and we
Great, then excuse me but I need some rest." -> Great. Then excuse me,
around midday but I am mentally exhausted at this point. -> midday,
Liqu on her side doesn't get the hint and since I don't want to leave the count wait I had no time to correct her. -> want to make the count wait
"As I said, don't believe that I'm on your side but I'm at least willing to act on your behalf since our all survival depends on it. So you win."
"Isn't it so much nicer when we get along? It's just a shame you had to have a metaphorical sword/slime to your neck before you were willing to be civil."
"So don't act like a monster. You can do better than this."
The dawn of a new kinder, gentler Liqu! She's a changed slime! Of interest is that this should actually make Liqu even scarier to her enemies when she gets mad, since her anger will be more explosive if she reins it in for longer and doesn't lash out right away. Also the whole "beware the anger of a kind man(slime)" thing
"What have I done to you, world?!"
World-"You stole my Liqu!" *shakes fist*
"We have important matters to discuss."
Time for them to help protect the princess! I just wonder if they'll stay at the count's estate for a while longer or if the princess will need to be escorted back to the capital soon
maybe "having had to spend the whole day serving as some kind of advanced training dummy got foreign even if"? (not sure what "got a little at the essence" is supposed to mean) - It was supposed to mean that she feels exhausted on a basic level. Even if her energetic slime isn't depleted she doesn't find it in her to do much more.
thinking, I did have to use it for some of the harder fights - Maybe just "had"?
And someone like this shall be accepted as our leader?" -> maybe "this is supposed to be accepted as"? - Vela is here speaking concretely about their group, so no general. Maybe: "And we shall accept someone like this as our leader?"
It's always difficult to rein her in (reign=rule, like "reigning monarch") - Regarding the always, this is changing what I wanted to say. Shari meant it's hard to do this all the time and keep permanent surveillance. - Maybe: It's a difficult task to always rein her in
You're both the same kind of creature but your demeanor is completely different. -> creatures, but your demeanors are - Is singular creature not possible? Like the same kind of monster. I thought it's right like this if she speaks about the species (slime). Also, Vela is talking directly to Shari, so I think it's more appropriate to say her demeanor is different (from Liqu's).
Speak soft and HAVE A GIANT SLIME BEHIND YOU!
Bringing the princess back is unlikely. She was specifically brought there because the estate is safer than the royal palace where one cannot know who of the nobles is a traitor. I mean, what would possibly have to happen to consider this military complex worse/more dangerous than that place?!
@expentio
F*cking autocorrupt, I’m not even sure what the original word was supposed to be. Maybe “got mentally exhausting/draining” ?
“I had to use it”-works
“we shall accept this as our leader?” Works, though maybe “And should we accept someone” or “And we’re supposed to accept”? Those seem a bit more confrontational that “shall”
“It’s a difficult task”-works
Singular creature does work, and fair enough about Vela focusing on Shari specifically, though the plural “your demeanors are completely different” might be better since Vela is contrasting the two. Other option might be “but your demeanor is completely different from hers.”? Even without that you can sort of tell what Vela is contrasting, but it seems incomplete without it, especially since Vela is trying to be blunt and straightforward so she isn’t misunderstood
“I mean, what would possibly have to happen to consider this military complex worse/more dangerous than that place?!”
The existence of a certain living calamity called Liqu? Except that calamity is on the princess’s side and wants to protect her
@FallingLeaf I think that as Liqu improves on pretended humanity she might be even scarier. It creates some contrast for her springy slimy self
congrats on both Formicea and Slime Girl hitting the treading list a few times recently. I'll read this chapter later
"Liqu, can you leave please?" (Liqu)
maybe (Shari)?
Seriously, I don't understand how this could happen. I checked it twice. Thanks.
@expentio It can happen however many times you check. Same as in programming. And it's main reason why there exist bugs in programs.
"Were I right? Did you hear everything?" (Shari)
Were should be Was
Left with no choice I flow back out of the tub and take the piercing dagger as well as the new short sword I've got provided.
got should be been
Excellent chapter as always. Liqu needs a lesson in the value of having more than one person that you care about. I think Shari might be able to teach her is she takes her time explaining it but I understand she doesn't really like talking to her more than necessary given what happened.
Thanks for the help.
Liqu maybe needs some pointers about how not to make the world your enemy.
Thx for the chap.
I want them to do the linking thing again, such long time since the last :D
Li.linking You .. lewd beast
@Stonelight ,well, that could kind of happen. Like, Liqu is only 10 years old, but it's been years running through dangerous places that humans can't get into. One piece of information that can be very important is about dragons. Liqu has already faced one, and apparently lost the fight. Anything you can gain from Liqu is important information for the realm. But then how to pass this information perfectly?? They...maybe...necessary....they hold hands, Liqu and Shati perverts.
@Shoto Holding hands!? Oh my god!
@expentio Right !? Like, even for me that guy is too much of a perv