We reached the inner side of the wall near the great gate.
Beyond this wall lay the outside of the royal capital.
I headed toward the entrance to the underground waterway.
I arrived at my destination.
While staying alert to the surroundings, I removed the grate.
I put the grate back in place and stepped inside.
If Eve had not come, we had planned to leave through the great gate.
But for now we would use this route to avoid attention.
"My lord?"
Seras's voice.
I removed the fly mask as I walked.
When I turned the corner, Seras was there.
Eve and the girl were also present.
I picked up my own luggage.
"Sorry for making you wait."
"It is fine."
"Hati."
Eve called out to me.
I held up my hand to stop her.
"We will talk while walking."
After we started walking, Eve spoke again.
"I am sorry about earlier. I lost myself in anger and…"
"You're shorter-tempered than I thought."
"…I have no excuse."
After a short pause, Eve asked,
"What happened to that woman, the shopkeeper?"
"I did what needed to be done."
"…I see."
She seemed to have understood from that single sentence.
"Was I too soft…?"
"Maybe."
"…"
"More importantly, is the girl all right?"
"Ah, yes."
Eve gently stroked the head of the girl walking beside her.
"Liz, introduce yourself."
"Y-yes…"
The girl looked timidly at me and Seras.
"My name is Lizbet… I am sorry, that is the only name I know. Um… it is long, so please call me Liz."
"I am Touka."
Liz looked puzzled.
Eve had the same reaction.
I had been using a fake name until now, after all.
"After I finished introducing myself to Eve and Liz, Liz came up beside me."
"Lord Touka."
Still looking down, Liz spoke.
"I will do anything… so please let me accompany you and big sister… I beg you."
"…The place I am heading to is dangerous. You might lose your life. If you are still fine with that, I will take you with me."
"I do not mind… even if it is a dangerous place, as long as I am with big sister…"
"Understood. That is fine."
Liz sniffled.
"Thank you… very much…"
Well, I had planned to take her anyway.
"…"
Liz glanced up at me.
"Is something bothering you?"
Liz had seemed to feel some discomfort ever since we met up.
I had noticed it.
"Um… when you were wearing the fly mask, your voice sounded a little different… if it was just my imagination, I am sorry…"
"Ah, that mask has a modification. That is why the voice sounded distorted."
A magic stone that changes the voice—the "Voice Change Stone."
It was listed in the Forbidden Arts Compendium as a magical tool.
When I was shopping, I luckily found the materials in a shop in Monroy.
I made it in the inn room while Seras was asleep under Sleep.
Right now it is attached to the mouth part of the fly mask.
If I pour about 100 MP of magic power into it, the effect lasts for around a day.
Originally I had planned to make it to change Seras's voice.
But it also seems useful for hiding my own identity.
If the quality of the materials improves, it might be able to change the voice even more…
Eve closed the distance until she was right behind me.
"I also have something I want to ask."
I turned around.
"What is it?"
"Strange sounds are coming from your body. How should I describe it… it feels watery."
"Ah, that is my other companion."
"Companion?"
"I will warn you in advance, but there is no danger. So please do not suddenly slash at it, okay?"
I stopped walking.
"Seras, go on ahead and check the area near the exit. I will introduce Pigi-maru to these two."
"Understood."
Seras went on ahead alone.
I turned to face Eve and Liz.
"Introduce yourself, Pigi-maru."
"Pii."
Pigi-maru, who had been inside my robe, dropped to my feet.
Boing.
"Ah!" Liz let out a small sound.
"Hm…? A slime?"
"Piyu?"
Pigi-maru looked at me.
"These are our new traveling companions, Eve and Lizbet."
Eve crouched down.
"I am Eve Speed. Nice to meet you, Pigi-maru."
"Pii!"
Pigi-maru extended a protrusion.
Eve gently grasped the tip of the protrusion with her hand.
"Pigi."
"Hmm… this one seems very attached to you, doesn't he?"
"He is an important partner."
"Piyu〜♪"
"U-um…"
Liz dropped to both knees.
She seemed nervous.
"My name is Lizbet… nice to meet you… Pi-Pigi-maru…san?"
"Pigi."
Twitch.
Liz stiffened.
I smiled a little.
"The way you called him was too stiff."
"Pigi-maru…chan?"
"Pikyu〜n♪"
"This time he seems to like it."
The light-pink Pigi-maru extended a protrusion toward Liz.
"He wants to shake hands with you too."
"Ah—"
Still looking a little hesitant, Liz wrapped both hands around Pigi-maru's protrusion.
"Nice to meet you… Pigi-maru…chan."
"Pii♪"
"...Ehehe."
It was still a bit awkward, but Liz smiled shyly, looking happy.