Slime Girl

- Simon -

Alright, time for an easy assignment!

Nothing but a bit of reconnaissance.

Which basically can be translated into: Get yourself drunk in the tavern, but not so drunk that you mess up or can't pay attention to details anymore.

You'd think that being part of a secret agent network to sabotage the hold the Marquis has over Siras would be more exciting, but if you are supposed to act in secrecy, most days are likewise supposed to commence uneventfully.

So I go about my job, sticking quietly to myself, while drinking a healthy blush to my cheeks that will hopefully make me seem too drunk to raise any suspicion.

In my opinion, staying rational while getting drunk is quite an impressive skill, which might be why our boss assigns me those jobs.

That guy can barely hold his liquor, and when he fails to do so, it gets really scary.

Though my job is paying attention to all the details, and I think one just marched in.

Or rather three details.

Two young women, one with pretty vibrant hazel hair, and a younger one with slightly longer red hair.

In tow, they have a pretty huge guy, who seems to handle his broad frame a little too lightly.

Considering their equipment, they look like some adventurer group, yet this is definitely not the part of town that type of folk would frequent.

Not so close to the great bridge, with this density of Koresoan patrols.

That would just unnecessarily provoke fights and lead to a clash and subsequent conflict that would hardly be welcomed by the guild.

Yet those people seem pretty set on causing trouble.

Simple troublemakers?

A ploy from the marquis?

In any case, to investigate stuff like this is why I'm sitting here.

"What may I serve?" (tavern keep)

"Oh, ehm, just some of your staple beverage and a table for my friends and me." (Shari)

Hmm, I hear insecurity, but is that because they are supposed to get themselves into trouble?

No, at least not immediately.

They're just settling down at a table.

However, as they do, I notice the coat of one of the women slips aside for a moment, and spot a flash of well-made armor beneath.

This is not just your typical riffraff.

But... is that a royal emblem on the plate!?

Wh-why?

Seriously, how could anyone be this stupid?

At this moment, the situation gets a lot worse, as a troop of legionaries enters.

Yet they're heading for the counter, so this doesn't seem to be a raid.

I almost got worried there for a moment.

"A table and the best liquor you got, barbarian!" (centurion)

Hah, they barely conceal their motives anymore.

Koresoans never made an attempt at hiding the fact that they see all other people as lesser, but in recent times, they got a lot more extreme in their beliefs, and worse, practical in their application.

The people from Dierna, who more regularly conduct business on this side of the river, might be more agreeable, but I've never met a Koresoan who doesn't view their own culture as the best of the best.

In regard to Siras, this particularly meant that Koreso basically seized unofficial control of the town, as they sent their 'order maintainment support troops'.

As if anyone would take this for anything other than what it is.

An occupation.

"Well, at least they do well as slaves. Good that they have at least one calling." (centurion)

Damn assholes.

As I said, they basically flaunt their sick ideas in public.

But obviously, nobody is going to call them out on their shit.

Otherwise, you may find yourself with a collar of your own soon enough.

However, I don't quite like how this one woman looks at them.

Her gaze is hard to interpret.

It looks almost hollow, but the way she stares unceasingly at them, I can almost feel it brooding inside of her.

It's almost like her skin is rippling with fury.

And this gets worse with each new word they add.

"Hah, that scum deserves all they get! Who can't listen has to feel the consequences! Just don't spare with the lightning." (centurion)

And she's standing.

There goes any assumption that they could be counteragents, sent to make me expose myself.

Because those would never escalate that much.

Which only leaves the other option.

"I'm a...B-rank adventurer. I could stab you, and kill all of your men before you would even have exhaled your last breath." (Shari)

Did she seriously just have to check her own identity!?!

Seriously, what kind of amateurs did the crown send here?

Barging into the place in a way that can only draw attention, picking a fight with Koresoan soldiers, I seriously have to question the common sense of these people.

I mean, they hold like ten different indicators to suggest their alignment.

So many that it almost appeared like a trap.

If they had left, I would've secretly checked them out first, and, after proper surveillance and confirmation of their status as trustworthy, facilitated a roundabout way to contact them via the code phrase.

Yet now those idiots blew up.

In a way that not even counteragents would.

That redhead surely looks like she truly would've gone for stabbing them all.

Whoever taught that one that it's okay to make a point about your ethical values as a spy should get an appropriate punishment for ruining our next generation so profoundly.

Yet if things get violent now, this may affect more than just them.

And I assume they can at least put up a fight.

At least none of them looks particularly disturbed, and they haven't had the chance yet to drink themselves to courage.

So, in crass violation of all our protocols, I decide to intervene before they get to stab each other.

"Oh my gosh! What's the poor atmosphere in here?! Isn't a tavern supposed to be a jovial place? Why don't we indulge in our desires instead of something as mood-killingly as this?!" (Simon)

"You, what are you getting involved for?" (centurion)

Maybe I can play this off.

Things didn't escalate beyond salvageable yet, and it's the best time to put my socializing training into practice.

"Just some poor lad who'd like to enjoy their drink without bloodshed. It would sour the taste, you know? I tell you what, the next round is on me, and in turn we'll forget about this unpleasant session, deal?" (Simon)

Hah, there goes my budget.

If the boss doesn’t already rip me a new one for incurring this risk, that might do it.

"You seem like that's quite worth it for you. Guess we can agree on this." (centurion)

Oh heavens, finally something that works out.

"And you, my dears, are now leaving the other direction." (Simon)

Time to get those idiots out of here.

However, suddenly, that buff guy turns back to the legionaries and waves excitedly.

"Goodbye, barbarians!" (Liqu)

Before I stand perplexed for too long, my training takes over, and I manage to push myself to act.

"Out! Now!" (Simon)

Fortunately, this comment stupefied the patrol even more than it did me, so I can barely guide them out of the hind exit, before those legionaries decided to head back at the comment of that muscled idiot.

Only when we are three streets further, and I made sure enough that no one has followed us, do I allow myself to reprimand them.

"Seriously, do you plan to die, you fools? What was that?" (Simon)

I have no idea who they are, but by now I'm absolutely certain that the Marquis would never employ morons like these.

The redhead only stares at me with vacant eyes, which, weirdly enough, don't seem to move at all and are stuck in a bit of a strange position, before finally regaining her senses and speaking to me.

"Excuse me, and you are?" (Shari)

"Apparently, your savior, so a bit more gratitude would be warranted!" (Simon)

"Excuse the question, but could it be that you're with the royal agents in town?" (Vela)

I stare at them, contemplating my next words very carefully.

"Why would you ask that?" (Simon)

While this was by all means a pretty suspicious question, everything that happened until now would point me at the contrary.

The Marquis' people can't just go around, starting fights with Koresoan legionaries.

And could something like this truly be a ploy?

Would the legionaries be in on that until the last moment, and then, instead of stabbing each other, they suddenly shake hands?

I truly won't believe them to act in such a crude manner.

On the other side, telling such morons top secret information doesn't sound smart either.

"Because we are the reinforcements, sent to take out the Marquis." (Vela)

Seriously?

Do they even believe themselves what they speak there?

"Vela, this isn't what I'm here for." (Shari)

"It's all linked together! You could at least try to be a little open here." (Vela)

Could you at least get your stories straight?!

I honestly don't know anymore what to make of them.

"Ahem, you do realize that if you may be onto something here, I couldn't just take you to some secret base?" (Simon)

Damnit.

Did I already say too much?

"Fair enough. Then maybe we could just somehow stay in contact, to make sure we can coordinate our strategies?" (Vela)

"Maybe. But it would have to be a neutral place." (Simon)

"Well then, just guide us to an alley of your choosing. We'll wait." (Vela)

Might actually be the best approach.

"Guess I will." (Simon)

So this strange young man is guiding us through the town.

I need to give Vela some credit, her plan kinda worked out.

Although a little messily.

To think we'd make contact like this.

Yet now I'm a little at a loss regarding how to make those agents trust us.

It's kinda obvious that they wouldn't just let some random weirdos in on their greatest secret. Already that we got so far is nothing short of a miracle.

But I guess, we can hope that they'll return, the way he brought us here to this alley.

That, or they're preparing to kill us all, because we know too much.

But that seems hardly feasible.

After some time, I perk up, as my vibration sense tells me two individuals are approaching.

"So you brought this group here? Damn, will you ever learn? Secrecy is our greatest asset. If we squander it on such endeavors, we'll end up without it. And shortly after, very likely dead." (?)

Huh, that voice sounds familiar.

But who?

"I understand. But I still think you should talk to them." (unknown savior)

"Not like I got much of a choice in this regard, or whoever acts next will mess up things even worse for us." (?)

Seriously, I'm so sure I know that voice.

Well, I'm hopefully about to find out once he gets closer.

Then he's there.

A cloaked figure, clad in dark-brown.

He lifts the hood back and speaks.

"So who are you, and what exactly are you thinking stirring up such a ruckus in my town?!" (poor tavern lad)

It's him!

I'm sure!

"Michael!?" (Shari)