Chapter 189
Chapter 189
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 189
Chapter Title: Pink Slime
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Pink Slime.
Its original acidic secretions were completely gone, replaced by a slime that sprayed a fluid designed to improve the target's mood.
It could even change its shape to whatever form was desired.
This was the moment the ultimate employee(?) was born—one that would satisfy a wide range of demands for the shop's future operations.
‘More like a tool than an employee, though.’
Squish!
To create this one, he'd hunted down a mutant slime capable of freely altering its own form.
Then he'd added a ‘taming’ potion to ensure it harbored no hostility toward them.
‘Gelatinization’ to enhance its elasticity and softness.
And a cocktail of drugs to make anyone who touched it feel good just from contact.
It was probably thanks to the taming potion he'd fed it while subduing the creature.
The slime now perched on his hand wriggled harmlessly, showing no trace of enmity like before.
If anything, it seemed to recognize him as its master, eagerly licking at his hand here and there.
The squishy sensation of it crawling over his skin felt amazing.
Better even than the slime he'd made before for tactile play.
Like adding a hint of jelly to the mix.
When he clenched his fist, the slime—possessing a strange elasticity—reshaped itself within his grip, overflowing between his fingers.
It moved to envelop his entire hand.
‘Nice.’
He loved the fluid freedom of movement and the delightful squishy texture.
Customers would surely adore a massage from this thing.
Just having it on his hand felt oddly pleasurable. If it climbed onto someone's back or other erogenous zones...
‘Hmm...’
They'd love it.
Squish!
He gazed at the slime wriggling on his hand.
Its shape-shifting ability needed testing too.
"Turn into a hand shape."
Squish!
The slime morphed, taking on a form similar to his fingers.
He touched it.
Softer than a real hand.
‘Doesn't quite feel like the real thing.’
"Can you make it firmer?"
At his words, it twitched as if straining.
It hardened significantly from before.
Almost like it had bones inside.
Of course, it still felt off compared to a real hand, but this was more than enough.
Pair it with an illusion to fool the eyes, and this texture alone would make it feel genuine.
"Can you make two?"
Squish!
It grew larger, then—poof—two hands sprouted.
A truly versatile slime.
"Amazing. I've never heard of a slime this obedient."
Prelia approached, sounding impressed.
She pressed right up against him, wiggling her hips as she asked,
"Y-You're going to use it on that person, right?"
"That person?"
"Y-Yuris. The Goddess of Victory..."
Who knows.
He doubted Yuris would care for it.
He shook his head.
"Yuris prefers something a bit rougher than this."
There was someone else who'd love it more.
-I want an illusion of being violated by a slime...
The hero Niki.
Her pure desire to be ravished even by monsters weaker than a slime was still fresh in his mind.
This slime was modeled after the ecchi slime from her fantasy, complete with self-shaping and aphrodisiac-laced fluids for that lewd sensation.
If Niki saw it, she'd probably beg to try it right away and take it home.
Not that he planned to give it to her.
‘It has all sorts of uses.’
Lost in such thoughts as he stared at the slime,
"Boss, don't new products like this need a test subject?"
Prelia purred, plastered against him. Her voice made it clear she was hooked on the slime.
A succubus would sense it.
The sweetness infused in its bodily fluids.
No wonder she was in heat.
"You're not using it."
"Wh-Why not?"
She sounded shocked at the firm refusal.
"Can't use the first demo on an employee."
"B-But what if something goes wrong and it harms a customer...?"
No such risk.
Prelia didn't know, but he'd already run countless simulations in illusions.
The magic circle that had processed and satisfied innumerable customers' desires had thoroughly analyzed this slime's performance and drawn perfect conclusions.
-The slime, fully infused with the compounds, is completely safe.
Safe if he used it.
-But overuse may lead to addiction to this specific slime. Use with caution.
"Overuse" was stricter than expected.
No addiction risk unless used daily.
That put his mind at ease.
No one would visit the shop every day just for a taste of this slime.
Besides.
‘Even if they did, I could just say no.’
He could control it.
"It's fine. I can manage it."
So he couldn't hand the debut of a new product to an employee.
Prelia smacked her lips in disappointment at the firm refusal.
But as an employee, she had no grounds to argue.
"Let's head back. We've got everything we came for."
He tucked the slippery slime from his hand into his backpack, fiddling with it as he did.
Time to clock out.
He couldn't stay out forever.
"Tch. Fine."
Unable to defy the boss, the succubus obeyed promptly.
Mission accomplished, they returned to the shop.
He planned to shelve the gear he'd brought and head home.
‘Wrapped up all the urgent stuff.’
Humming a tune, he made his way back.
On the way, he encountered a completely unexpected customer.
"Where have you been? I've been waiting."
The empress, out in disguise, stood before the shop in a hooded robe, eyeing him.
Disguised in shabby clothes, but he knew that blazing red hair and bright amber eyes.
They were old acquaintances by now.
"Ah..."
Why was the emperor at their shop?
Seeing her waiting out front sent a chill down his spine.
Facing her, he recalled her words implying she knew what kind of place his shop was.
Had she come to brand them heretics?
Or discovered the succubus employee?
Too many possibilities; he couldn't guess why the empress had come.
"What brings you here?"
"...Why would I come to an illusion mage?"
"Ah..."
He nodded at her roundabout way of saying she wanted an illusion.
Normally he'd greet her with a smile, but today was awkward.
First, the succubus employee.
He couldn't parade a succubus in front of the empire's emperor.
If caught...
Clang!
His neck prickled.
Plus the freshly captured ecchi slime.
That couldn't be exposed to the empress either.
Niki or Eirin might understand and even volunteer to try it, but to a non-customer like the empress, it was just an unfamiliar monster.
He beckoned Prelia.
"Back to the dorm."
"Huh? But boss..."
"I'll handle her alone. Go home, no arguments."
If she learned you were a succubus, it'd be over.
"Understood."
She bowed and withdrew.
"You've hired new staff, I see."
"Yes."
"Not in the reports..."
"Picked her up a few days ago on short notice. She's good at her job."
"Is that so?"
The empress's eyes gleamed as she watched Prelia depart.
"Strange. A female employee in such a lewd space... She's no ordinary woman."
"She's diligent. Took her in since she had nowhere else to go."
"I see."
She watched Prelia vanish.
But soon turned away.
"Never mind. Whatever that woman's true nature, as long as you're by her side, it should be fine."
Her tone implied she knew something, sending another chill down his spine, but he forced a smile.
Panicking now would do no good.
It'd be as good as admitting suspicion through body language.
"Still, my informants—whom I ordered to monitor your movements—will need proper handling."
Even hearing she'd been openly surveilling him left him speechless.
"Let's go inside first."
"Very well."
As he opened the door, he sensed a faint killing intent on his presence.
No need to look; he knew the source.
The alley across the street.
A razor-sharp gaze.
Poised to strike at any moment.
Likely the empress's shadow guards, shadowing her like ghosts.
Naturally wary of leading her into a windowless room.
"No need to worry. No harm will come to you."
He knew instantly if those words were for him or the lurkers aiming at him.
The killing intent vanished in a heartbeat.
Her guards melted back into the shadows at her command.
"I don't see you as bold enough to harm me."
The empress gazed down at him with dignified eyes.
She was shorter, looking up at him, yet her stare felt like it pierced from on high.
The gaze of one who'd lived her life as an absolute being.
"How could I touch the empire's sun?"
"Heh, indeed."
Smiling, she followed him inside.
"So this is the shop Yuris and Niki rave about."
After surveying the place at length, the empress continued.
"First time here in person... It's rather shabby."
"...Ahem. Embarrassing, I know."
Par for the course for imperial eyes.
It was rundown even by noble standards.
Limited funds at startup meant bare minimum construction.
He had money now, but...
‘A few hundred gold is pocket change to an empress.’
He knew how opulent her throne room was.
"Let's head to the lounge. I'll prepare tea."
"Alright."
Cold sweat poured as he brewed the tea.
Every move tense, he served it before the empress.
One slip could mean lèse-majesté and the execution block.
"Fine tea. Quite premium... This is the same type High Elf Reina gifted me."
She sipped, eyebrows rising in surprise.
"The high elf's a regular here too, I hear..."
She spoke calmly, as if intimately familiar with his customer list.
That only made his skin crawl more.
"...So, what illusion would you like?"
He swiftly changed the subject.
"An illusion..."
She wet her lips thoughtfully.
"I want to rest."
"..."
"Can you show me an illusion free from the heavy burdens of emperorship?"
Possible, sure.
"But you know what kind of illusions this shop offers...?"
He could meet the request, but the method might not be conventional.
"My informants say only that you fulfill desires, but I can guess your methods..."
"...And you still want it?"
"Of course."
She sipped again, silently.
"Even I need a break sometimes."
In that case.
"But."
"...?"
"If unsatisfied, your next destination might be a cell."
That just meant he'd have to try even harder.
Your Majesty.