- Shari -

I've made my rest as shallow as possible.

While I doubt that Liqu did rest in the first place, I felt uneasy leaving those two unattended.

I mean that was quite a tense situation.

As I was awake, I noticed that this girl didn't sleep either.

At least her wide-open eyes indicated so.

Don't know if she felt my gaze since I didn't use my eyes to watch her.

By the way, I stopped to disguise myself for the rest, as this strain I put on me is countering the very purpose.

And it didn't matter to disguise me in front of that girl, as she already had sufficient information.

I tried to be considerate of her and keep some distance.

Since I already let Liqu guard her this was only a small concession.

The first thing I did after the morning dawned was having her fetch her stuff.

And naturally putting my powder and Liqu's back on.

That was forcing me to take the last bit of powder from the original vessel.

I could manage with this much, as I just had to repair the coverage from before and didn’t need to prepare a completely new application.

The newly bought one comes with us to use when we eventually have to return to the town.

Fortunately, Elin’s appointment for her room was running out today.

This might've been the push to try such a stupid action.

Yet if Liqu wouldn't have got her she might have succeeded with her attempted blackmail.

All she had to do was screaming to attract very unwanted attention to us.

Also, I had to inform our innkeeper that we would depart for a while.

We have no exclusive contract for the room so she might re-rent it but I wouldn't want to pay for the time we aren't even here.

She was quite delighted to hear this, after all the trouble we caused.

I hope we will still have a place to go when we come back.

I take a look at Elin while she packs.

As I've understood, this girl is craving for vengeance and did train to be able to fulfill it at a given time.

Not that I want to impose my opinion on her and say something stupid like:

"Revenge is a two-sided sword. It will harm you the same as your target."

Personally I simply don't believe in it.

There is nothing to gain for taking risks for no reason.

This might be partly due to the fact that never someone hurt me enough to cause such a desire.

If not for a certain slime that took my body.

Obviously I'm not going for revenge at the moment.

That mustn't mean that I go around and tell others what they shall believe.

That is as pointless as pursuing revenge.

I intend to take her along, give her some money, and then never see her again.

I'm not interested in herself, but what I need now is one more person to carry the stones I want to mine.

I’ve calculated that Jacob's group should be too small for getting the whole reward.

So one more miner is welcome.

To my dismay the girl has just a small backpack, not fitting for transportation.

So what I do after that is bringing her along to the just opening market and buy her a big but cheap one for seventy copper.

The benefit lies in the fact that now Liqu can carry the lighter one and like this, we have a handle on her.

This whole venture is incredibly risky but I think my mix of threats, luring her with money, and taking her stuff into custody might work.

Next, I buy her some provisions slightly above prison quality.

"W-wait! Why do we need bread, vegetables, and cheese for forty copper? This is more than enough for five days. Excessively." (Elin)

Like I said before, with two copper you can already buy enough bread for a day.

But this is only the minimum since I intend to let her do rather heavy work the provisions should be enough to keep her going.

I have some responsibility in that regard.

Also, when I told her that I will pay for two days, that meant the time I estimate the mining will take.

The way towards the mine will take around a day by itself and naturally the same back too.

But hell will I do and tell her that.

When we are in the wilderness, she will not have much of a choice but to tag along.

So I bought her enough bread for five days since she will spend two of them with hard work, which came up to ten copper.

Yet, as the right diet is important, something Liqu would surely agree to, I've added the other ingredients in addition.

And especially regarding the cheese I was simply curious for myself.

"This isn’t just for you alone and don't you want the food?" (Shari)

"You-you don't want to cram me up, right?" (Elin)

Uhh, that I would ever have to answer such a question.

"Since when are you cramming people up with vegetables?" (Shari)

"I wouldn't bother with such a thing. Simply finding new prey is easier and more fun." (Liqu)

Thank you Liqu for that unnecessary input.

I've always made sure that Liqu is close to her so that she won’t end up running.

So we finally manage to approach the east gate.

And in accordance find Jacob’s group at our designated meeting point.

"Hello! Nice that you are really coming!" (Shari)

"Who is this?" (Chris)

"Oh, yes. You know, it's a funny story." (Shari)

"Yes... sure. I'm dying to hear it." (Jacob)

Jacob's eyes are those of a man who has already given up.

"You know when I've told you about the creepy assassin in the neighbor room?" (Shari)

"Hey!" (Elin)

"Pssht! My Shari is talking." (Liqu)

That was enough to make her become quiet.

"I especially remember saying I don't want to get involved with that." (Jacob)

"Well, fortunately, she wasn't. Only someone who is good in gathering information and tried to extort us." (Shari)

"I think I've missed the funny part." (Jacob)

"I was at that part. As it got a little bit complicated, I decided to bring her with us. And before anyone here asks questions she has to blink twice to answer. Yes, she isn't necessarily here purely out of her own volition. But we have an agreement, right?" (Shari)

"Y-yes." (Elin)

"See? I've brought us bitter needed workforce. And it won't cut from your share." (Shari)

In fact, I've bribed them right now.

Every little bit that Elin can carry is just a plus for them since I pay her.

"There is the problem that I don't know how to trust her. What happens if she decides to attack us?" (Jacob)

"You think she would do this while Liqu keeps watch?" (Shari)

"Hi!" (Liqu)

He looks at her and there's an actual shiver.

"Maybe not. But make sure she keeps her distance." (Jacob)

"As you wish." (Shari)

Like this, everything is ready and we can depart.

If not...

"Myra!" (Liqu)

"Kyaaahhh!!" (Myra)

Did this poor girl really think it would suffice to just hide behind everyone and stay quiet?

Like always we go through the hassle to separate them.

Interesting is that she with each hug needs less time to calm down again.

For the rest, the typical reactions with Jacob being flustered and Chris glaring daggers at us and spouting death threats until Myra is able again to speak and manages to calm him down.

Things being as they are we need to wait for the situation to ease up, to not give a too weird picture to the guards at the gate.

Yet like this, I think I've got Elin nicely introduced about our relationship with this group.

I would say, she as well needs some time to process this.

But finally, we can go to leave through the east gate.

So I approach the gate, hoping that the guards will not be too inquiring and maybe become acquainted enough that they won't enforce closer control in the future.

Like last time I let Jacob take the front and like this the talking.

"Who goes there?" (guard)

Is this quote somehow obligatory for being a guard?

"Rodin! Don't be so stiff! It's just me and some of the others, heading out on a mission." (Jacob)

"Oh, Jacob! Haven't seen you at this gate for an eternity. Not since..." (guard 2)

"Baird! Please don't let us dwell on this. Would you please let us through?" (Jacob)

I'm getting the feel, that I'm the only one left out from hearing Jacob's past.

Well, and the others in my group but none of them should care.

"Yes, sure. Please show your cards for confirmation." (Rodin)

Jacob's group, used to this, is fairly fast done.

I am sadly not.

This leads to the embarrassing situation that I have to scramble our bags for our adventurer cards because naturally, I wanted to keep them away from our bodies before they get ruined.

But as we just packed them I've got a good gist of it.

"Here! Here they are!" (Shari)

"Took you long enough." (Rodin)

He takes a look at them.

"Fairly young for adventurers. And miss, I need to ask you to lift that hood." (Rodin)

Like always, everybody who knows about this gets nervous at that part.

"Fine, but I need to ask if that will always be necessary if we head out. We have a bad medical problem regarding our faces, so we hide them for a reason." (Shari)

"Sorry to hear that miss, but it's necessary." (Horace)

I lift the cloak and reveal at first the mask and hair I conveniently put on.

"The mask please too." (Rodin)

"I understand. But every time seems a little bit much, right? I mean, next time there would be really no reason. This is a little humiliating for me." (Shari)

"I tell you something, miss. If you don't make problems now, we can next time, assuming it is our shift, let you keep that hood." (Horace)

"That's a deal then." (Shari)

I reveal my powdered face and get a short gasp from both of them.

"Just to say it, the powder is necessary for my health (or rather yours). You won't force me to take that off too, right?" (Shari)

"N-no, that's enough." (Rodin)

Liqu does the same as me and miraculously it proceeds without an incident.

But then it's Elin's turn.

"And you are?" (Rodin)

Damnit! How do I explain her?

"She is..." (Shari)

"I'm Elin. Novice E-rank adventurer." (Elin)

She presents him a card she took out of her coat.

It’s a little surprising, but I guess this was a way for her to make a living aside from blackmailing and other shady acts.

"You are accompanying them?" (Horace)

"Yep, she now belongs to us!" (Liqu)

Liqu steps in and gives this poor girl a slight embrace, causing a terrified shaking.

Oh god! This slime is again acting rogue.

"So you say that the three of you have formed a group?" (Horace)

Before the slime can say anything else I decide to act.

"Yes, we've just met and don't know how it will work out. But for the time being we decided to take her with us on our assignments." (Shari)

"Alright! I can't see any problems. You can pass." (Rodin)

Maybe you can't see!

But well, our group’s composition might be a little unusual but the task is simple enough.

We shouldn't meet anyone on the way to that abandoned mine and then it's just gathering some stones and we are on our way back.

I guess I’m just worrying too much.

I mean, what could possibly go wrong?