- Shari -
After the talk with Peras, I should meet up with my team.
I shouldn’t have been surprised that they were informed before I was.
Jaren should have much more experience than I do in leading and so it's not strange that they give him the details in advance.
As I see it, if there was any other reason for giving us the rank of an officer if not to mess with us, the only point might be that we should have a status that won't allow any of the common soldiers to mistreat us and raise Liqu's anger.
I need to head to the conference room for the team meeting.
There I see how our team is already lined up.
All five of them.
Jaren looks pretty composed.
Vela surprisingly stopped glaring at us.
Galos and Balion look pretty disgruntled, but aside from a low grumble, it seems to be fine.
And Elin is there as well.
She seems to be doing okay, but who knows how she fared on her own in this place.
Since I had the best experience with Jaren, I address him first.
"So, seems like we're going on our first mission." (Shari)
I should mention that I have no idea what a group leader should say in this kind of situation.
"Officer, we prepared our equipment and are ready to leave any moment." (Jaren)
This reminds me.
"Ehm, is the distribution of our stuff regarding our provisions and such already settled?" (Shari)
"In general, everyone carries his own load, but scouts are exempt from this. The additional weight is distributed among the fighters with consideration of each one's physical ability." (Jaren)
"Okay, I don't want to sound lazy, but carrying too much stuff will make it hard for us to maintain our shapes and I have to say that it's not a good idea to let Liqu carry any provisions." (Shari)
"It should be possible for the rest of us to share the load. In the first place, it's just a short mission and we will be most of the time on horseback." (Jaren)
"Horseback? Uh, I see some issues." (Shari)
One would be that I don't know how heavy Liqu is.
Probably more than a rager.
At times, the wooden floors creak below her, but she didn't break through them, yet.
However, I wouldn't want to torture a poor animal.
This applies also to us even sitting on those animals.
The shaking alone should be enough for us to lose our shape.
And us flowing around them is no experience I wish for any living creature.
"Oh. But this is the fastest method to get to our destination. There might be a different one though... Anyways, I've heard you weren't given any travel equipment yet. So I took the liberty to request two bags for you." (Jaren)
Jaren takes some steps back and procures two bags.
They're much smaller than the big one I have but more comfortable to carry with the smaller size.
For a short mission, this should be better.
"I would suggest that you too go and prepare your equipment, officer. After this, we meet up at the stables close to the front gate. We should look if it works out." (Jaren)
He is right that I should take all of my weapons with me for this mission and also my good cloak since we’ll be traversing a rather well-frequented road.
However, before that, I want to do something else.
And so I go to the barracks to meet this water mage.
I isolate the first soldier who doesn't manage to escape in time and ask my questions.
Okay, maybe I used slime dash to get in front of him before he could get away.
It's not like I can't fetch my shoes after this.
"Excuse me? Would you be so kind to answer me a question?" (Shari)
"Whaah-Wha-What do you want?" (soldier)
Ah, cooperative.
"I would like to know the location of Niboku." (Shari)
I want to talk to Niboku for a special reason.
"H-he should be in the barracks. Niboku is naturally in the men's quarters." (soldier)
"Thank you very much for this." (Shari)
I even make a curtsy to appear especially well-mannered.
However, since he is more than anything else keen that I leave he doesn't appreciate that gesture.
After that, I directly make my way into the barracks.
I only need to find out on which side the shrieked high-pitched screams belong to the men.
I ignore most of them while entering.
Finally, I find my target in the dormitory.
Time to engage him, before he can react and run away.
"Hello Niboku, I was looking for you." (Shari)
I give him my brightest smile.
Shortly after realizing what that entails, I cancel everything.
He still looks bewildered.
"W-What do you want?" (Niboku)
"I get that quite often recently." (Shari)
He isn't panicking as much as I thought, but saying that he's mildly disturbed might still be an understatement.
"Why are you here?" (Niboku)
I hope he doesn't mean the fact that I'm in the men's quarter.
The only excuse I have would be that this doesn't really matter regarding my condition.
Yet I guess this wasn't it as he already thinks of me as a slime, to my dismay.
"I've heard we would have a mission together and wanted to talk to the team members in advance, and I know almost nothing about you." (Shari)
"And now?" (Niboku)
"I'm curious. You don't look half as panicked as people usually are." (Shari)
He looks wary and I notice some distress, but he appears to still be capable of thinking rationally.
"Because I don't know you. Our lord wouldn't send us to just get eaten like the others seem to assume. Nonetheless, I can't help but worry about you." (Niboku)
"Well, then I'm glad. That's still much better than the usual reaction towards my person. Most people have their prejudices towards slimes." (Shari)
"To be honest, slimes don’t exist where I come from, so I have no idea what I'm supposed to think." (Niboku)
"Ah, yes. I thought you looked like a foreigner. Where do you come from? And how it comes you don't know slimes there? As far I know they spread everywhere." (Shari)
"I'm from Yamata. And the reason we don't have slimes there is simply that it's a group of islands in the west." (Niboku)
"Yamata? Wait, we are very much in the middle of the continent. There are at least two countries between Rakis and the ocean. How did you end up here?" (Shari)
"While I can understand the need for basic information, I don't see why I should share the story of my life with you." (Niboku)
"Fine, I was just curious." (Shari)
"Now could you please tell me what you want from me? I hope it was not just inquiring about my homeland." (Niboku)
"No. I was told you are a water mage." (Shari)
"Well, yes. While it's a convenient kind of magic, you don't get much out of it. You can't utilize it well in a fight, and healers and earth magic engineers are better paid for their services. In the end, we're speaking about something as mundane as providing water." (Niboku)
"This is still a great support in the field. That means you can also gather it?" (Shari)
"Well, yes. That's basic. Water isn't coming out of nowhere. The same as the earth I am only manipulating what is already there. No water means no spell. However, I’ve heard creating water should be possible, but at an incredible cost." (Niboku)
I really have to fight that smile that is creeping upward.
"Why do you look so weird? Uh, sorry. Weirder than usual. Ahem, why this question?" (Niboku)
"If you can gather water, that means you can also gather moisture, yes? Like drying something? They said this might become handy at that lake." (Shari)
"I rarely use it like that." (Niboku)
"Why not? Never had recently washed clothes you wanted to dry?" (Shari)
"Why would that bother me? I like a little dampness to them." (Niboku)
Ah, I forgot.
Mages are weird.
"Also it's very different from what I'm usually doing. Creating an assembling point is quite the opposite from driving it away." (Niboku)
"Wouldn't it work to do the gathering close to the area you want to dry?" (Shari)
"Or I might make it worse by dragging more to the point." (Niboku)
"Why not test it? Can you... I don't know. Dry this glove?" (Shari)
"That was your intention all the time, wasn't it?" (Niboku)
"You know, one of my greatest issues is that everything I keep in contact with my body gets drenched with slime. If you can help on that matter I would be really grateful." (Shari)
"Slime is not water. Otherwise I might be able to control you." (Niboku)
"I hope you weren't serious just now." (Liqu)
She not only spoke in a slightly ominous voice but also started sending small slime tendrils in his direction.
"Liqu, he said he couldn't. Calm down." (Shari)
"Sorry for the disappointment." (Niboku)
"You didn't try. If it's about the slime, I'm perfectly fine with just getting the wetness out." (Shari)
"I think I could give it a chance. No promises." (Niboku)
Great. He starts with some movements around my glove.
Yet...
"Is this taking much longer? It's just dragging on and on." (Liqu)
"No one forced you to follow me here. If you want to leave you can. As long you won't eat anybody while wandering off." (Shari)
I would be extremely worried, having Liqu roam the estate unattended, but she doesn’t have to know.
Meanwhile, Niboku is making progress.
He places the hand close to the sleeve and a moment later water assembles around it.
"Did it work?" (Shari)
"I guess. Though I need direct contact with the place I draw from. Not the most pleasant thing to do." (Niboku)
He gives it back and guides the water into a cup.
"Wonderful. Thank you very much for this." (Shari)
"You appear far more affable than the soldiers give you credit for." (Niboku)
"Thanks for this. I won't bother you any longer. We'll meet again tomorrow." (Shari)
He seems to have nothing to add.
Things being like this I leave the barracks as the crowd on the floor of gawkers and people waiting to get in grew worrisomely large.
It's not very difficult to get out, as they aren't too keen to come close.
After that, we meet with Jaren at the stables as we agreed.
"So what now?" (Shari)
"We should ride to the place of the last attack and from there see if we can find traces we can track. Elin! You think you can do this?" (Jaren)
"Sure, it was barely covered in my courses, but it’s not too different from basic adventuring knowledge. I've got this." (Elin)
I don't know too much about Elin's skills, but I believe her when she says that she has a keen eye to gather information.
"So, regarding riding..." (Shari)
"Maybe at least give it a try?" (Jaren)
"I really don't see this happening." (Shari)
Nonetheless, I should be cooperative and at least attempt to do it.
Rather disheartened I approach the horse bound in the stable.
It focuses me with a wary look.
Slowly I extend my arm in its direction.
"WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
Well, that it's having a panic attack might be an understatement.
It rams its body left and right, strangles itself with its reins, and in general looks as if it's in some kind of death struggle.
Stable personnel comes to seize this obviously terrified creature, but struggle to regain control over it.
Getting the hint I draw back to a for this animal more comfortable distance.
Okay, lesson learned.
Animals hate me!
Maybe it noticed that my body has no scent, that I move oddly, or enough slime was visible for it to realize what I am.
My last meal wasn't too long ago so it could've even been some lingering dissolving scent.
Whatever it was, this creature got the impression that it's done for if I touch it.
I turn to Jaren.
"Was that clear enough?" (Shari)
"Yes... We’ll be lucky if this one doesn’t injure itself and has to be put down." (Jaren)
"If that happens, can I have it?" (Liqu)
Put your hand down, Liqu!
This should answer the question regarding why it was so terrified.
"And what now? Shall we walk all the way?" (Shari)
"It's not exactly nearby, but I have another idea." (Jaren)
"What is it?" (Shari)
"We have a simple carriage here. It's rarely used as one can't drive with it through most of the local terrain and it's slower than with a horse for each person, but it might work as an improvised solution. I would suggest you two sit on the far end." (Jaren)
That's advice I will take.
After that, we get back to our rooms to prepare for the mission.
It seems nothing is going to stop our venture from happening.
Thx for the chap, congrats for the n°100 and happy new year !
Nice that it came so conveniently with the number.
Thx for the chap, congrats for the n°100 and happy new year !
@expentio same
It shouldn't surprise me that they informed them before us. -> I shouldn’t have been surprised that they were informed before I was.
There I see how our team already lines up. > team is already lined up. (Even if this is present tense POV, Shari walks in and sees it already done)
Vela surprisingly truly stopped to glare daggers at us. -> is Vela glaring at Shari or not? Hard to tell with this wording. Maybe “Vela surprisingly wasn’t glaring at me.” (Is Liqu with her? Is that what the “us” refers to?)
pretty disgruntled but aside from a low grumble, it seems to be fine. -> disgruntled, but aside from a low grumble it
but who knows what kind of experiences she made on her own at this place. -> experience she’s had on her own in this place.
Since I've made the best experiences with Jaren, I address him first. -> I’ve had the best/most experience with
carries his own load, yet the scouts are freed from this. -> load, but scouts are exempt from this.
to sound lazy but carrying too much stuff will make it -> lazy,
At least she creaks at times on wooden floors, yet she didn't break through those yet. -> she makes wooden floors creak, but she hasn’t broken them yet. (Maybe “broken them…yet.” Like Shari expects it won’t be too long before Liqu will be heavy enough to fall through wooden floors)
than the big one I have but more comfortable to carry with the smaller size. -> have,
would suggest that you as well go and prepare your equipment, officer. -> you also go
also my good cloak since I will traverse a rather well-frequented road. -> since we’ll be traversing a
It's not like I couldn't fetch my shoes after this. -> I can’t
Hello Niboku. The one I wanted to talk with." -> maybe “Niboku, I was looking for you.” ?
and wanted to talk to the team members in advance. At least I have no idea about you." -> maybe “advance, and I know almost nothing about you.” ?
He looks foremost vary and I notice still distress, but he appears to be able to make keen judgments. -> maybe “He looks wary and I notice some distress, but he appears to still be capable of thinking rationally.” ?
just get eaten like the others not got tired to assume. -> eaten like the others seem to assume.
To be honest, where I am coming from slimes don't exist. So I have no idea -> honest, slimes don’t exist where I come from, so
Fine I was just curious." -> Fine,
we speak about something as mundane as providing water." -> we’re speaking
However, it's said that the power of creation could be possible. Yet at an unmeasurable greater cost. -> However, I’ve heard creating water should be possible, but at an incredible cost.
look so weird?. Uh, sorry. -> weird? Uh
rarely use it like this." -> like that.
If you can help on that matter I would be really glad." -> dealt grateful.
She doesn't only use a slightly ominous voice but in addition, small slime tendrils are growing in his direction. -> She not only spoke in a slightly ominous voice, but also started sending small slime tendrils in his direction.
having Liqu roam the estate.
But she doesn't have to know -> estate unattended, but she doesn’t have to know.
later water assembles around. -> around it.
We'll meet then tomorrow." (Shari) -> meet again tomorrow.
and people waiting to get in grew worrisome big. -> worrisomely large.
we meet as appointed with Jaren at the stables. -> meet with Jaren at the stables like we’d arranged to.
see if we can find traces we can trace back. -> traces we can track.
"Sure. Was barely covered in your course but it's not too different from basic knowledge of adventurers. -> Sure, it was barely covered in your courses, but it’s not too different from basic adventuring knowledge.
much about Elin's skills but I believe her when she says that she has a keen eye to gather information. -> skills,
strangulates itself at the reins, and in general looks as if it's in some kind of death struggle. -> strangles itself with its reins,
this obviously terrified creature but has much trouble gaining control over it. -> creature, but struggle to regain control
or some slime was visible enough to realize what I am. -> or enough slime was visible for it to realize
I tend to Jaren. -> I turn to
We can be glad if this one won't injure itself and has to be taken down." -> We’ll be lucky if this one doesn’t injure itself and have to be put down.
It's not directly close, but I have another idea." -> not the same as riding a horse,
it's slower than with a horse for each one. But it might -> for each person, but
“Okay, lesson learned. Animals hate me!”
Are you sure that’s a slime thing and not a Shari thing?
Congrats on over 100 chapters
Thank you really much for all the editing.
Vela surprisingly truly stopped to glare daggers at us. -> is Vela glaring at Shari or not? Hard to tell with this wording. Maybe “Vela surprisingly wasn’t glaring at me.” (Is Liqu with her? Is that what the “us” refers to? - It's surprising for Shari that Vela isn't glaring anymore, since she had quite some animosity towards her.
Liqu is with her. It's a bit of a problem that she had no text in the last chapter and wasn't mentioned in this while being present. There was this line at the end of the last: "I turn around, make sure Liqu follows, and start to leave the room."
experience she’s had on her own in this place. - I think it's plural, since Shari thinks that Elin was in more than one situation and made in all of them experiences. Also, "she's had" sounds wrong.
Since I've made the best experiences with Jaren, I address him first. -> I’ve had the best/most experience with - I'm sure it's plural here. The translator says the same. Shari means that she had positive encounters with Jaren and so relies on him the most. Can "had" stay alone there?
At least she creaks at times on wooden floors, yet she didn't break through those yet. -> she makes wooden floors creak, but she hasn’t broken them yet. (Maybe “broken them…yet.” Like Shari expects it won’t be too long before Liqu will be heavy enough to fall through wooden floors) - The thought was that there's an audible strain on the wood. The "yet" was meant as there's still the possibility Liqu might break straight through the floor, but it's not certain. - This? "At times, the wooden floors creak below her, but she didn't break through them, yet."
would suggest that you as well go and prepare your equipment, officer. -> you also go - I think "too" might be better.
eaten like the others seem to assume. - It's better, but I'm a bit sad that the joke is lost. Niboku is a bit sarcastic here and implies that the constant nagging of the other soldiers is going on his nerves.
However, I’ve heard creating water should be possible, but at an incredible cost. - Not completely sure here. I wanted to say, that Niboku only heard slightly farfetched rumors. Also, the incredible cost is mere magic power. It's not like there are dangerous drawbacks. This sentence could imply this.
If you can help on that matter I would be really glad." -> dealt grateful. - dealt?
Sure, it was barely covered in your courses, but it’s not too different from basic adventuring knowledge. - Just noticed a mistake. Elin is talking about her courses in scouting.
We’ll be lucky if this one doesn’t injure itself and have to be put down. - I think it's "has".
It's not directly close, but I have another idea." -> not the same as riding a horse, - Jaren means the location isn't in walking distance.
It's a slime thing. Monsters are too aggressive to care enough, but slimes for almost two centuries prey on everything that's not running away fast enough. And they're especially nasty as they're constantly following and sneak upon them when they sleep. Animals developed a sixth danger sense when it's about those scentless killers. And the idea of a fast one as big as Shari was a bit too much for poor horsi.
@expentio
'experience' could refer to the entire thing as a whole, like '2 falls, a broken arm, endless tripping; the entire trip was a miserable experience'. And yes- "She's had" is awkward, but I don't think it's incorrect. It's like "best thing they had had in years", it's not wrong, but it's still pretty awkward.
Jaren-same as above-I was using "experience" to refer to all her interactions with Jaren. Like "I've had the best experience with X over the years I've known them." It's referring to the overall thing rather than the specific encounters or details. If it was 'results' or 'encounters' than it would be plural since it's specifically about the multiple individual events rather than the thing as a whole
yet-the ellipses there was to make it a bit more dramatic/comedic, just to add a bit of emphasis like Shari is adding it on after realizing "wait, Liqu totally is going to fall through the floor some day, isn't she? I hope that doesn't happen to me...". Comma works fine for it
you go-too works fine.
incredible cost-don't some spells take more energy than a mage actually has and start taking power from their life force if they try to cast it anyways? Or is that not a thing in this setting? Anyways-maybe "but it would take an incredibly amount of power/energy." ?
dealt-fcking autocorrect, should have been 'really grateful.' I have no idea how autocorrect fcked it up that badly, but I've seen it take one short word and 'fix' it into being like 4 words of gibberish
horse-https://www.thesaurus.com/e/grammar/has-vs-have/
One way have and has combine with other verbs is to describe what could happen (but hasn’t yet):
You have to call me tonight.
He has to do his homework before dinner.
These actions have not occurred yet. As before, have is used with the pronouns I, you, we, and they, while has is used with he, she, and it.
so the complete/extended sentence could be read "We'll be lucky if this one doesn't injure itself and make us have to put it down." 'we' being the reference pronoun, so using have instead of has. Alternatively it could be "If it injures itself it has to be put down." But that's somewhat awkward phrasing
not close-Ah, I thought he was talking mode of transport, not the distance. So probably should be 'It isn't nearby' or "It isn't within walking distance"
I figured it was a slime thing, but it's still fun to tease Shari. I can safely do this since I'm not in their same universe. Though, even in universe I think Shari would appreciate teasing and stuff like that since it would indicate closeness and fondness for her, something far better than fear or disgust
@FallingLeaf
How's this for Elin? It avoids doubling the word.She seems to be doing okay, but who knows how she fared on her own in this place.
incredible cost-don't some spells take more energy than a mage actually has and start taking power from their life force if they try to cast it anyways? Or is that not a thing in this setting? Anyways-maybe "but it would take an incredibly amount of power/energy." ? - Human magic is simply fixed to their body's capacity. There are workarounds, but in general it's about the amount/effect. Maybe they would be able to fill a cup. Though, mana depletion can cause health issues, as it's extremely taxing on the body.
We'll be lucky if this one doesn't injure itself and make us have to put it down. - It's not the job of their group though. He's talking in general, while being kinda out of the responsible.
Thanks for the help.
Can you imagine how terrifying slimes must be for the local wildlife? Especially defenseless prey animals? They're not rushing at them but rather slowly crawl ever a bit closer. One can run, but then they'll eventually come again after a few minutes. Non-territorial ones might fare better, but the others are in a kinda bad situation. And the horse couldn't run in the stable. And slimes are still little landmines.
@expentio
elim wording-workds well
horse-that "make us have to put it down" was a sample alternate option (though even that 'us' in there was referring more to the staff at the count's estate rather than Jaren himself and his team). I think the least clunky option was the original suggestion "We’ll be lucky if this one doesn’t injure itself and have to be put down." It doesn't imply Jaren's group will be the ones that have to put it down, but does say that if it injures itself it likely would be killed
Sounds like slimes are endurance hunters, like ye olde humans of the ancient past