- Shari -

Okay, this went far better than the worst case.

This is something, right?

Fine, it was a catastrophe, but as long as I don't hear a city-wide alarm or the guards trying to catch up to apprehend me, I will consider this a success.

Speaking of which, it's time to deal with another issue.

"Are you going to keep following me?" (Shari)

"I don't have much incentive to do so. I doubt you'll get into more trouble so quickly." (man)

Oh man, you don't know my luck yet.

"Well, thanks. And I guess also for the assistance." (Shari)

"No need to. I literally just did my job." (man)

At least I can split up now, which is good, as I still have another business to attend to where I wouldn't want to have a crown agent with me.

Because at this point, my order at the alchemist should be ready.

Though, he probably is still somewhere behind me.

I still believe that I might've been fine with only the plants and then I simply would've partly dissolved them as soon as I need the poison, but he successfully managed to convince me that a professionally prepared concoction would be better, even if it ends up being quite expensive.

However, now that I reminisce I think I might have fallen for a mercantile trick.

Yet at least I can hope that what I bought is going to be extremely deadly.

And yes, I know that this sounds somewhat ominous.

Fortunately, it's just around the corner from the healer.

Since it's about peculiar substances I hope it will suffice for the alchemist to recognize me by the creepy mask and the cloak.

When I enter, I once again become aware of all the weird substances around me.

Yet I don't see anyone at the counter.

"Hello? It's me again!" (Shari)

Next, I hear some rumbling from the backroom.

"Ah, the adventurer who spends fortunes on poison." (Matthew)

He's either mocking me for my uneconomical spending habits in an already very risky business or questioning that truly monster subjugation is going to be the application for this.

Especially, because I know from experience that it's not too difficult to apply at the adventurer guild.

I don't really know a witty retort here so it should be better to cut this short.

"Yep, that's me. So, is it ready?" (Shari)

"Naturally. You'll find that it meets all your expectations." (Matthew)

"I hope so, for this price." (Shari)

I pull the three gold coins out we agreed on.

"Well, you should expect this much. After all, you have to count in my work. And without my expertise preparing this would've been quite the risky endeavor." (Matthew)

Now that I think about it, since I wanted a potent poison it should be quite dangerous to handle it.

That is as long as you're not a slime that has no body functions which could be messed up by foreign substances.

"Can I finally see what I'm paying for?" (Shari)

"As you wish." (alchemist)

He pulls out a jar from under the counter.

"If my assumption is right, I believe you have some knowledge about such substances. So I don't think I need to fret and tell you how terribly delicately you need to handle this. If you open the vessel carelessly, a stray gust of wind might scatter everything into the air. Which might kill everyone till the far end of the street." (Matthew)

"Powder?" (Shari)

I thought he was going to prepare a potion.

Maybe only a bit thicker than usual, since it would contain less water.

"As you told me you wanted a pure version that if possible should not be diluted by water. Well, I can assure you that this powder is the purest form you can get. Sprinkle a bit of it in someone's drink and they'll be dead before they even notice." (Matthew)

"Uh, I don't think I'm going to use it like this." (Shari)

"Sure, if you say so." (Matthew)

He doesn't believe me the slightest bit.

And I can't even truthfully deny that I'm not going to use this against people.

"Seriously, if I'd just want to kill somebody would I really bother to buy something so strong and expensive?" (Shari)

Considering this stuff can kill even the greatest of beasts it would be overkill.

Not that I'd be hindered from still making use of it.

Only in a more offensive manner.

"You don't have to convince me. Especially since I already inquired about you at the guild." (Matthew)

"You did what!?" (Shari)

"Don't look at me like this. Haha, little pun. You know the mask. I had to make sure that I'm not selling to the wrong type of person. If this ends up in a river or well, the many dead will be on me. I have a working ethic to uphold." (Matthew)

I kinda feel betrayed.

And certainly worried.

If the guild reports to the authorities that I'm stocking up on deadly poison, I might get into trouble.

Yet I suppose now that I'm affiliated with the queen I might get out of this.

But wait a moment, he's still going to hand it over.

Does that mean the guild truly vouched for the slime?

"So, since the deal still stands I suppose I'm trustworthy enough?" (Shari)

"Well, it isn't too uncommon for adventurers to use poison. Yet since you're surprisingly only at rank C and also not an accomplished member, the guild would usually conduct an interview to determine the intended usage before I'm allowed to give it out. Since you're apparently not even familiar with these procedures it might've become difficult to get a pass. However, I was told that you're currently in a special contract, and like this, all your actions are vouched for by that party. Must be a pretty influential individual if they don't even bother to check." (Matthew)

Wow.

Thank you, Count Kahan.

Who would've thought that having a job brings so many boons?

"So the only thing I ask of you is to handle this carefully." (Matthew)

And so he holds the jar in my direction, while I put the money on the counter and get ready to receive it. But before I can truly grasp the vessel he speaks again.

"Before I hand this over I really have to ask if you truly understand how to handle this kind of substance. How would you open this jar?" (Matthew)

With my bare slime ready to receive it.

Though I doubt this is the supposed answer here.

"Extremely carefully?" (Shari)

"This wasn't the answer I was looking for. What I'm trying to say is that any kind of moisture might put the mix into a reactive state. Any kind! This means already contact with the skin and its shallowest amounts of sweat and fats would suffice. And believe me, skin contact is already enough. Though, probably not as instantaneous as if the victim got it directly into their system." (Matthew)

Wait a moment.

So if I spread this stuff in my slime any touch of mine might become deadly?

This directly makes me more apprehensive of this idea.

However, the ability to attack with a mere touch without dissolving sounds convenient.

Though, I will really have to look out that my inner flow isn't scattering it everywhere.

That's the downside of a not solid body.

I noticed long ago that during the day it can happen that the mass that was in my arm can end up in my foot and so on.

Paying attention to this might become annoying.

"You don't need to worry. There's no way I'm going to poison myself." (Shari)

Because it's literally impossible.

"If you say so." (Matthew)

I can finally take the jar.

There are still the smallest hints around the edges.

And I truly feel that it's a most peculiar mix in there.

Not to speak that it's quite the amount.

I'll certainly use it sparsely.

Especially after all the money I just spent on it.

"A pleasure doing business with you." (Shari)

"Since I confirmed that you're safe to sell to, there's something else I'd have for you if you're truly interested in poisons as I am." (Matthew)

For the sake of my character, I would wish I could say no but he got me hooked there.

"Okay, I'm kinda intrigued. Though, I'd like to mention first that I mostly care about the effectiveness and less about certain gruesome results." (Shari)

Just to make sure before he starts going on about how it's making someone bleed from all the orifices or liquefying the eyes.

I already have enough of this with Liqu.

"Nothing like this. It's far more special." (Matthew)

He procures a tiny vial with an odd murky brownish-purple liquid inside.

"Okay..." (Shari)

I absolutely have no idea what else I can add to a discussion about poison.

Not like I can tell anything from just this.

"This, my friend, is a one-of-a-kind substance. If ingested by the victim it will cause severe hallucinations and put the victim into a highly suggestive state." (Matthew)

"This truly sounds quite peculiar." (Shari)

"Oh, it is. I can't tell you anything about the source but you have no idea what I had to do to have it delivered from the other side of the continent. It was almost impossible to get it delivered through Koreso." (Mathew)

A man and his poison, sigh.

"Why are you showing me this?" (Shari)

It's obvious that he's personally invested in this vial.

"Because I'd like to sell it to you. Naturally at an acceptable price. Two gold should suffice." (Matthew)

This comes as a surprise.

If he's right, cloudshroom couldn't even compare to this.

"You really want to sell it to me? It didn't sound that way after you told me about the lengths you went to obtain it." (Shari)

"Oh, you can say there's one more condition." (Matthew)

"Condition? What is it?" (Shari)

"If you ever have the chance to use it, I'd like you to report me every detail about its effects. Call it professional curiosity. I simply want to expand my knowledge." (Matthew)

Did I mention before that I'm questioning Matthew's character?

But he's right that this vial is valuable and I should be able to find an application in the situation I currently find myself in.

I mean, it's a conspiracy.

The magical "you-do-whatever-I-want" drug could be just what I need.

"Okay, deal!" (Shari)

"Splendid! Then tell me about the effects it has on the 'monsters'." (Matthew)

He conspicuously winks at me while saying this.

I've got busted so hard, huh?

But I'm quite sure he's not going to spread the word more than he already did.

Wouldn't be a good tactic to keep repeat customers.

Like this, we conclude the deal and I'm once again poorer but in exchange, better armed.

So, time to deliver all this poison to the palace!