- 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 drained 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, for now I need some rest.

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 to literally 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 to 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 back then?" (Shari)

She rolls with her eyes.

Probably because I put the blame on Liqu as if I wouldn't be involved.

On another note, I envy her to be 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.