Thinking about it, it's not like I can't use more than one. First, let's go out in the open. If it doesn't work, I will kill them or just run away—depends on how much they want to fight me.

  How can I say it? Let's try calm and certainty.

  "Don't be scared, and don't try any sudden movements." They didn't obey me in either, trying to move back, their stances changing. "I'm not a friend, spy, or whatever of Aurore. And I don't see why I'd kill any of you." But I could try if you start.

  The male vampire got a little closer, as if he realized something. "Are you the Heir of Sacrifice? The siblings didn't have enough heirs in their numbers, and I don't see why any of them would choose to bond with oozes. Their kind doesn't accept anything but becoming a Dominion's finger." The other also comes a little closer, taking the hand of the male vampire.

  Heir of Sacrifice, my ass. That came out wrong...

  "Say we believe you, since you rescued us." Yes, I'm the hero here. "What do you want from us?" That's a good question.

  And I only have two of them on my mind. I have enough on my plate as is—no time to waste.

  Waste more than I already did, that is.

  "What's your deal with the weremonkeys? And most importantly, do you have anything that could give me the upper hand against Aurore? Revenge and all that." Yes, think about the betrayal and give me the goodies.

  The female one looks at the furred humanoids. "We worked a deal with them—" Before she finishes, the weremonkeys make some noises, and both vampires look behind me.

  The oldest trick in the world!

  I did turn a little, though—one eye on the fish, the other in— What the actual fuck!

  The tentacles are already close to the river. It seems the monster didn't want to waste any more time since we got away.

  Like from a horror movie, two fins the size of a boat cut the river's surface like blades. Soon, the river erupts as a giant mouth full of needle-like teeth appears. Even though these teeth are probably the size of harpoons.

  The beast bites down on the tentacles with ferocity, the river turning red with blood. The river froths for a moment as the surviving tentacles swiftly retreat deeper.

  The two fins take a turn in the giant river before submerging again.

  That’s a battle I wanted to watch. From far away, that is.

  Looking at the female, she changes her surprised, stricken face to a more neutral one. "What was I saying? Yes, we made a deal with the weremonkeys. They said they had a hidden boat and would help us cross the river. However, their kin vanished. Trying to look for the boat near the river seemed like a bad choice." Obviously.

  "I told you, it was stupid! I can see from here, and I see no boat!" the other vampire says, a little angry.

  "It's a hidden boat—it could be anywhere!" She turns from her fiancé and looks at me. "Anyway, it seems we’ll need to take the long way there, which is worse. The weremonkeys already told us that area got even further away—a vast land was assimilated there just a while ago. One of their kin, far away, specialized in communication and told this group's leader." That’s fascinating. It could be my country—it's near here, more or less, right?!

  "Where is this place that was assimilated?" As soon as I ask, the two look at each other, a knowing look in their eyes.

  "I suppose you have a particular interest in the new habitants? No matter, it's northwest. We could even invite you to come with us—we need the strength. I doubt you’ll accept or can, with the whole succession happening." The vampire points at the location where supposedly this place is.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  I look at the weremonkeys, who only smile at me. Some of them point in the same direction.

  Going to keep that in mind. A direction is good as any—if I don’t find a map.

  There’s just one thing—I don’t have a compass. Even if that shit worked here, anyway.

  Through mindspeak, I ask my slime friends:

  "You oozes are good with directions? Like, can you memorize that place? I need to go the direction these guys are pointing. I don’t have a compass for that." Do they even know what a compass is?

  "...Ooze better than compass. Knows slime place in the world. Compass is weird, how it works? Ugly compass, ugly compass! Compass concept really weird..." So they’re also walking maps?

  "So, where are we, and what’s over there where they’re pointing?"

  "...We are here, there is there. Simple. Here. Here. Really simple..." No, they aren’t walking maps.

  Like trying to assuage my doubts, Lin points a tendril at the location. I move forward and back—the tendril keeps pointing in the same direction. At least they're a half-assed compass. Maybe it will work. Not that I'd say it to them—they didn't seem that fond of compasses, or the concept of them.

  The couple starts again, mindspeaking to me as if they noticed I was talking with someone.

  "Now, for something that could be useful to defeat that villainess. You could go to the sewers. If Elysia didn’t find it, there’s a mutated wererat as small as my foot. He’s known to steal things—including one of the relic artifacts owned by the ruler. I don’t actually know which one." The male vampire doesn’t give me a certainty vibe.

  The other vampire continues where he left off.

  "Maybe our blessed Margonne would know. Some weremonkeys could guide you there—they wanted to look for their fallen brethren near the palace, as they said there’s a sewer entrance nearby its entrance." It couldn’t be, could it?

  "Alright, thanks for the info. It seems both of us are on time. So, goodbye." No use wasting my time here anymore.

  "Thank you again for saving our lives. I wish you luck in the succession. Neither of the surviving siblings are as good as our Margonne." Looking at the slime, he continues, "Not as great as Elysia and Anwen either. It seems the best ones are the first to go, doesn’t it?" Yes, don’t know if the villagers were that good, but they were the first to go as well.

  Probably it’s only me left. Still, maybe they’re in the palace—maybe not in the sewers—but that place is as good as any.

  I bid my goodbyes to the couple and weremonkeys. The first vampires that weren’t assholes. They got a black sheet from somewhere—in a blink, each one envelops themselves in it. Still, I can see them through it.

  Maybe it’s for the sun. If I remember right, Houonas said they disliked it. Not mortally, though—they didn’t turn to ashes like the fictional vampires I knew.

  Ten and a half hours. I wish it's enough time to find this wererat. With three weremonkeys following me, I start calling Houonas—it's time to change the plans. Using the communicator is easier than I thought—just push energy, and the sensation of the thing activating goes directly to my brain. A little invasive, but it works.

  *"Hey Houonas, how are things going? I’ve got a better plan—I’m going to the sewers to find a wererat thief that apparently has one of the ruler’s relics with them. Does Darefei know anything about it?"* The story seems pretty fishy.

  After a couple of minutes, Houonas replies, *"Blessed is to hear thine voice. I beg thee pardon as I talked with Darefei. The dwarf got angry but nevertheless quickly changed its mind. He heard about this local tidbit and says there is credence to it. He asks which way thou wilt go to the sewers."*

  Maybe it’s not an elaborate prank. "I’m following some weremonkeys—it seems there’s a sewer near the palace’s entrance." Which I suspect is where it is.

  After a couple of seconds, I get my reply. *"Darefei knows the way. We will soon finish our wards here. I will bring thee items with me."*

  *"Thanks. Oh, get one of my bags on the way down—I kind of left it there because it was heavy. If it’s too heavy for you or if someone got it, just leave it." That was a pretty dumb idea.*

  Like going to the river—I didn’t even get my water!

  *"I will, master. Fare thee well. Weremonkeys, in most of their kin, are not criminals—but even they have their bad apples."* Like I’d let the weremonkeys kill me that way, ha.

  *"Thanks, and you can call me Henrique, by the way. This ‘master’ thing sounds weird to me."* Especially if someone hears my call and discovers I’m an heir. Not that I didn’t already have a full slime armor yelling it.

  I wait a little without an answer.

  Silence. Then, finally:

  _"Good luck."_

  …Weird.

  I’ve got a thing to focus on, though—time to find these sewers. At least I have armor protecting me from all the smells and shit. Literally.

  That fucking old geezer would be a little more brown, though.

  But for all that is holy, I walked all this fucking way for water, almost died, and I'll still leave here fucking thirsty—not that I'll go near that river. Better to ration what I have.

  For sure, I'll have way better luck in the sewers—not in finding drinking water, I mean, but getting a cool trinket to survive this succession.

  Why do I need to clarify things to myself, anyway? Well, it seems I'm going insane. More than normal.