Slime Girl

- Michael -

"Michael?" (?)

Alright, Michael, compose yourself.

Apparently, whoever sent these imbeciles who think it's smart to just barge into a supposedly secret operation, also deemed it fine to give them my name, so they may shout it around to anyone listening.

But how exactly does she know it?

None of the possible contacts would use this kind of secret intel like this.

But at the same time, none of the enemies could have come to know it.

I wasn't that sloppy.

While I'm stuck contemplating and won't answer, the redhead speaks again.

"Michael, is that you? Is that a disguise?" (?)

Did... did her voice just change?

That's an advanced technique.

And... I think I know that one.

But no, that can't be.

I can see her bare skin.

Which is when the big muscle guy starts speaking with the voice of a cheerful young lady that is also familiar.

"Oh, right! I remember that one as well! Hey, you!" (?)

This is impossible.

The last one?

"I'm human, by the way." (?)

Human?

Simon looks just as confused as I am.

Well, more or less, as I cannot tell if my current level of knowledge influences this for the better or worse.

"Well, take a grip if you want." (Shari)

She extends her hand out to me. Does she want me to...

"Squeeze"

It feels.... squishy.

I take another look at them.

Wait, I do know this chest armor... No way.

After an involuntary step back, my training kicks in, and I use my practiced techniques to compose myself.

It's them!

Inside those bodies.

Those two slimes!

Blue and green.

Shari and Liqu.

What the heck!?!

Okay, Michael, play it off.

I breathe once more and focus on my next words.

"May I ask what this is?!" (Michael)

"Well, we infiltrated the town." (Shari)

"Yes, yes!" (Liqu)

"No. Well, obviously you are, but... this!" (Michael)

I point at both of them, trying to indicate on their bodies what I mean, unsure how to distinguish them and what's inside efficiently.

Fortunately, our blue menace understands me either way.

"S-sir?" (Simon)

"Simon, I'd suggest you start ignoring your common sense from this point on." (Michael)

With these two, this much is advised.

"We were attacked on our way by a group of mercenaries. B-rank, apparently. At least mine was. Quite a lot of them actually. We were barely able to defeat them, but it was a close call, and I had to go through all my supplies. Which means that we had to opt for another way to get in here. Fortunately, we had some suitable body donors at hand." (Shari)

I can barely believe that.

Of course, this trick is an incredible infiltration technique.

Combined with their ability to just change their voice, they can overtake any identity, and one can hardly determine what's going on, if one doesn't confirm it directly at their bodies, as I just did.

"Okay, I can't quite believe it, but please follow me." (Michael)

I've claimed a hideout in the area.

Took me quite some coin to acquire a safe location in this town, but it was worth it.

Usually, I wouldn't even lead allies there and risk it being revealed, but as one could just see, it's even worse to let that troop roam around by themselves.

So I'll have to take that risk.

I guess I can at least be sure about their alignment.

If nothing else, they proved their ability to listen and be loyal.

That's something I can work with.

Who knows, they may pose an opportunity to bring down the marquis.

It's certainly going to become a delicate operation.

Something that becomes severely more difficult with their tendency to apply brute force to achieve their goals.

Nonetheless, if anyone can guide them, it's likely me.

But for now, I guide them through my door.

I'd say it's modest, but in terms of Siras, modest means destitute, so I had to spend a considerable fortune on the interior architecture.

Paintings, sculptures, pottery, and of course, furniture.

If possible, the kind that just looks expensive.

I truly had to raid my mission funds to make this happen.

Two rooms further in, I stop in the living room to process this situation.

"Wow, nice place. I expected something more rundown." (Vela)

"There are no rundown places in Siras. I had to go to some lengths to establish myself here. By the way, I need to insist on you referring to me as 'Corvenus' in public." (Michael)

It took years to develop the identity.

A merchant of some wealth, originally migrating from the North, to make use of his large fortune in a more lucrative position.

As I am often on 'business travels' to the northern cities to inspect my assets there, this allowed for a sustainable excuse for my regular absence.

In conjunction with some truly very substantial tributes to the town, I was able to secure myself a permanent citizenship in the most elite districts of the town.

And I need to press, if I said years, I mean it.

Already long before the pact was a thing, it was on me to survey the increasingly problematic developments in Siras.

Koreso has never been a benevolent neighbor, and it's even today unclear how much of the marquis' rebellion was originally instigated by himself.

Therefore, someone had to claim a position inside.

This makes this place one of the most important secrets to Rakis, as the headquarters of our ever-increasing network of agents within the best-secured city in all of Rakis.

For this reason, I check twice if anyone saw us entering and lock the door as securely as possible.

Once that happened, I guide our newly-formed group to the cellar.

There, behind a false cabinet, lies a door to our secret base of operations; a catacomb of red brick.

With different exits in all directions, our gathered information, maps, tools of practice, even false identities, if someone from the other side were to see this, it would mean the end to all our efforts, and possibly Rakis' complete surveillance network.

Yet I still doubt if those two actually make it better.

Not that I'm doing all that better at dealing with people like Simon.

At least, it seems that none of the others are currently present, which will hopefully make the following talk the slightest bit easier.

"Now that we're in private, may someone tell me how it comes that you're here? Not the thing with the bodies. What was the plan? I can't believe her majesty would just chuck you at the target, hoping some parts of you may stick." (Michael)

"Hah! That was funny! That was a joke, right, Shari?" (Liqu)

"Yes, Liqu, it wasn't necessarily meant in a funny context, but in theory this counts as a joke. However, while it's safe in this context, don't forget how you're supposed to refer to me." (Shari)

"Okay, 'Risa'. But you didn't either." (Liqu)

"Groan!" (Shari)

Hm, the two are talking more with each other than before.

"My name's Vela, by the way." (Vela)

"Fine. Now that this is settled, would you please answer my question?" (Michael)

"Well, to us, it kinda sounded like this the queen's intention was exactly what you just said." (Shari)

Seriously?

"To be precise, the original order was to take up a permanent position outside Siras, to control traffic, and limit the enemy's movement. For this reason, we had a larger troop than just us three, and were expecting further reinforcements so that we might invade the town once the time was right, and establish ourselves." (Vela)

"Wait, I wasn't told this! Nobody said anything about town invasion." (Shari)

"Well, in this sense, it was mostly to bring you into position. So to say, to simply chuck you at the target and see what sticks." (Vela)

"Goddamnit! If I ever get my slimy grasp on this woman!" (Shari)

"Lesé Majesté aside, why are you in here and not with your troop, where you're supposed to be?" (Michael)

"Yeah... the thing is, they ditched them." (Vela)

"But why?! Can't you just for once follow simple orders? As a good agent should?!" (Michael)

"S-sir. What exactly is going-" (Simon)

"Simon, I would suggest you stay quiet for the remainder of the talk." (Shari)

At this, the body of a dead woman looks at me with intent that makes me feel the chill from the grave.

"You see, Michael, I'm very happy that we found you, because I need your help. This isn't optional, by the way. I may seem calm right now, but that's just the corpse stiffness. In truth, I'm seething." (Shari)

Gulp.

That's not a good mood.

Play into her demands, as you're used to.

"What is it?" (Michael)

"You see, some people very important to me were kidnapped. As slaves. I intend to get them back. Yet, right now, it looks like I'll have to do something very severe, like turning this whole city upside down while searching for them, or even invading a neighboring country, to make this happen. For this purpose, your expertise could prove invaluable." (Shari)

Oh, great god!

Why can't anything ever be simple with these slimes!?

Slimes are supposed to be simple, aren't they?