Maternal Slime Chapter 78: A Venture Into Clay Gone Wrong

'A ghost or am I losing my mind?'

The answer is likely sowhere in between, as Lecia stares exhaustively at her computer monitor back at ho. With everything that happened, she had to cancel all etings to reflect on the sudden disappearance of Victor Grayson.

To her secretary, her boss must've seed crazy trying to get her to rember the man. Yet, despite being the one who organized the eting and relaying the academic's background, all actions and mories of such were wiped.

The forr professor didn't just physically leave in a blink of an eye; he was removed from anyone's mind who might've seen, heard, or spoken with him.

That is, everyone except Lecia.

"There's nothing in the cara footage, either. It's like he never entered into the building in the first place. Graah!"

Throwing her head back, the Stonehenge leader feels she is leaning closer to losing her mind.

Despite this, her eting was not a re hallucination. Everything her secretary inford her about Victor was accurate, except left out was how the historian was more than simply "retired".

Rather, he died three years ago.

Or at least, that's what the records show online. Whatever the case may be, she's either t his ghost, witnessed a new kind of magic she can't fully understand, or both.

It's probably both.

...there's a saying: 'Seeing is believing'. It's a poor excuse, since I would doubt it even if I were to hear it from myself, even with my ti. Still, Lecia, you have already seen evidence of this truth using one of the books.

Recalling his last words, Lecia understands he's referring to the green fire. Ironically, his disappearing act adds weight to his authenticity, even if she doesn't wish to trust him. That, too, may have been his intention.

'One of the books,' Lecia repeats in her head. 'Then, we're not the only ones studying the language.

That should've been more apparent if Egyptians held the first written record of summoning the ntioned "shadow" that brought Cleopatra to life. Would the sa book travel all the way to England, just to be buried at Stonehenge intact?

No, it's more likely that copies or variations spread, just like how the worship of Isis spread over centuries into dieval tis—and apparently, even into this modern day with fanatics attacking others.

"God damn it..."

Lecia can't decide whether to laugh or cry. It's safe to say, though, that there aren't many she can trust now. Especially now, as Victor's words confirming her fears replay in her head.

...but you mustn't think of it as a single revival. In reality, Cleopatra was simply a catalyst for one of the many forms that walked among us.

Eyes hardening as she thinks of Amy's grave, Lecia stands up from her desk.

"That artist definitely knows sothing."

Things are not so easy anymore. Daniel might deny such knowledge, just as he excused the drawing of one of the symbols she caught; however, if he's part of the followers of Isis, then she's made a bigger mistake than she thought by commissioning him.

When leaving her office in a rush, she even gave Rachel a warning after canceling their planned lunch eting, but she couldn't elaborate why without knowing enough of the situation behind the followers.

For all she knew, however, Rachel could be a follower. There's also Jessica, who knew of this rumored revival of Cleopatra. Perhaps it's her bias, but she can't help feeling more wary of her friend's wife than the astronor.

Shutting her eyes, she shakes her head.

'No, calm down. I need to learn more about these so-called followers first before making judgnts on whom to trust,' she decides, figuring that even if they stopped all studies, the people against them might not. For all she knows, anyone within her organization could've been hiding themselves, not just people she closely works with.

With no ti to regret, she must keep moving ahead as she's done. Thus, stepping to her bookshelf on the side, she scans the columns to find the book by Layna Moore—one she ordered online a few years ago.

It all seed crazy from the records the author was studying about her grandfather's journals, but now, it may give better insights into the minds of those who attacked them. This book is also the only one that predicted that one of the stars in the Aquarius constellation would drop.

Breathing slowly, she grabs the book in defiance, unwilling to back down just when things are getting stranger.

'He said I've already seen evidence of the truth, huh? Then, let's make sure to face it again.'

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anwhile, within Mary's studio, Daniel's prediction of his lovely British girlfriend's reaction to his second sli mother's help is...

...as expected.

"Uwaah! Viviane, you're such a godsend! I...I'll pay double whatever Daniel might tempt you!"

The praised lake dweller remains woefully unamused as Mary rubs against her cheek with beseeching tears. Seeing no end to the violation of personal space, she loosens her form just a tad.

Shlip!

"Eek!"

Mary nearly fumbles forward, leaning on air as the slippery sli passes under her. Luckily, the sa sli pulls her back, stabilizing her footing as she reforms from behind.

"Honestly, you're too much," Viviane begins, huffing. "All I did was answer your emails like you would've done it."

Keeping to herself this ti, the ebony artist recovers as she turns around. "How I would've done it eats up a huge chunk of my ti! So days, I get barely any work done!"

"I'm very sorry that you're popular with clients."

Mary pouts. "Oh, co on, love. You know ! I thought you might empathize with better than this."

In response, the lake dweller snorts slightly. "I don't need your perspective to tell that you take on too much work. Anyone can see that."

Grumbling, Mary lowers her gaze and fidgets. "I realize, but how can I pass up commissions that I find interesting?"

Nodding, Viviane smiles. "And I understand that drive too, but so sacrifice is necessary for your health. Speaking of which...?"

The artist blinks before widening her eyes, then straightens. "Oh, right! Yes, the physical..."

She left the studio an hour ago while the elder sli went through her morning communications. Unlike Daniel, however, she wasn't the least worried about how the second mother would respond in her place.

It remains the case as she pulls a thumbs up, grinning much too easily. "Still human as can be! I even had them do a blood test, so I should get the results in a few days. However, they had a record of my body asurents from before, so...uh, I felt bad, but I had to bla them for getting it wrong the first ti."

Viviane narrows her eyes. "aning, it will be even more suspicious if you revert to your sa dinsions."

Coughing, Mary shifts her eyes. "I guess I'll just have to keep my proportions, huh?"

The two girls swim in silence before breaking into a giggle together. Then, the sli shakes her head. "You really don't have to try making excuses with , Mary, but doesn't this an you'll have to go shopping?"

"That's a future problem," the artist maintains before leaning forward to take the lake dweller's hands. "Now, I think I'm clear to truly join with-ah..."

Flattening her lips, Mary rembers that her motherly comrade would get an early look into their discovery of the fog if they rge. Thus, swallowing, she reluctantly lets go of the sli's hands and rubs her neck.

"Sorry, I shouldn't be too hasty. Daniel would give us a yelling if we experinted too far," she excuses.

Not that Viviane doesn't agree, but she sighs, aware there's more to such hesitation. Of course, she's in no position to press when she hid the details of the wizard from them in the beginning. Allowing herself to remain ignorant, she clears her throat.

"Forget that. Don't you have commissions to work on? I ca here to help you, not play around."

"Hey, I take offense to that. Playing around is part of the job!"

"Need I remind you that you told Mister Jenkins that his purple-sky orchard painting would be ready tomorrow? I already affird to him that would be the case, since you just have to apply your final touches."

"Urgh...that's right, I did say that. Okay, fine, but that shouldn't take long. An hour of work for so of the paintings I promised this week, then we do sothing cool, deal?"

Uncertain, Viviane narrows her eyes. "I'm getting a sense of déjà vu that doesn't belong to ."

"It won't be anything like with what happened with Anne, I swear! Rather, I want to make a clay bust of you!"

"Oh?"

"Seeing how you don't have to breathe, can't feel anything, and can wiggle your way around, you're practically an ideal living base I can safely apply clay to directly!"

"Ooh! That sounds-"

Viviane catches herself, realizing how strange it is to feel happy about the idea. Quivering in disbelief, she grabs her head. "No, hold on! Who would want clay rubbed onto their face?!"

"You do~"

The lake dweller shuts her eyes. "Kugh, y-you really are rubbing off on ."

The artist lifts her chin. "And I'll take that as a complint! Of course, I'll gladly rub on you~"

"No, begone!"

Undeterred, Mary claps her hands together. "Please? I've always wanted to try doing a clay sculpture."

Wiggling her lips, the lake dweller eventually groans. "Ugh, fine! Go ahead and prepare for it. It'll be faster for to finish your client's painting simultaneously so that you have more ti to apply your stupid clay."

"Yay! Alright, I'll get everything...wait, I'm setting up?"

However, the lake dweller walks away before Mary can fully process her role. Although she's happy that the sli agreed and understands what needs to be done for her client, her feelings are more complicated than expected.

Smiling crookedly, she stares blankly ahead. "D-did I just turn into the assistant?"

...

..

.

Splick!

Less than an hour later, Viviane splits into two.

With the orchard painting done and varnished, the lake dweller's naked self sits on a chair with plastic laid on the ground to protect the wooden flooring. The other, clothed self, helps Mary bring out a bucket of clay she had in storage.

"Alright, let's get to splatter!" Mary cheers.

Viviane sighs lightly, then stares at her naked half, who slumps exasperatedly at the eccentric girl.

"Why even ?" the naked one starts.

"Because you're so lovely, Viviane~" Mary sweetly answers. "In fact, if this goes well, I want to do it for all of us!"

The clothed one shakes her head. "I shouldn't have asked."

Mary titters while getting so plastic wrapping to protect her hands. "Oh, co on, this will be fun. Even better, you get to squish clay around yourself!"

"More like awkward," the sli scoffs. "Rather than start with , how about we choose another, like, our son?"

Holding her breath, the ebony artist steps closer to the clothed sli. "Wait, co to think of it, neither you nor Anne have ever transford into a male before!"

Viviane harrumphs. "I don't doubt I can do it, but I'd prefer to keep myself female. In any case, I'll just transform my split, so that will make feel sowhat comfortable."

"I don't believe you've done that either, right?"

Viviane hums, nodding to herself. "That's true. I've always just had myself."

Shrugging for a mont, Mary wiggles her wrapped hands with eagerness. "Well, in any case, I'm down. Our love would be the hardest to agree to this in person anyway. Hehehe, I can already imagine his reaction to a bust of himself!"

Viviane giggles, seeing it too. Drawing with more excitent, she wills her naked half to change shape. "Then, I'll transform my split just a bit, and...there!"

Shoom!

With his chest flat, wider shoulders, and carrying beautiful olive eyes from Amy, Daniel appears before them naked and seated. It's all thanks to fusing with her son that the elder sli can bring out every detail stored in her mory, down to perfection.

"Wow..." Mary breathes, then wiggles in delight as she grabs a clump of clay. "Oh yeah, this is so satisfying! Hey, I can let lose so frustration with this clone, right, Viviane?"

The lake dweller stifles herself. "I suppose, but rember, let's not be too harsh. This is our child, after all."

Leaning closer to the fake, Mary only chuckles evilly; however, after a few blinks, the clone's hand snaps up to stop the ebony's approaching application.

He exhales, exasperatedly. "Hey, what the-What do you think you're doing, Mary? Also, why are we in your studio? I thought we were...?"

Flinching at his confusion and mobility, the female artist swallows and turns to Viviane with a strained chuckle.

"Ha ha, very funny. You don't have to make your clone act too much like him. We'll never get anything done!"

However, the elder sli wide eyes and contracted pupils drops the artist's heart. She can already guess that sothing unexpected has occurred again.

"Okay, seriously!" the clone growls, ever so confused by his sudden position. "What just happened? I rember Mother and I fusing to beco Vida, then we-"

"Mary, hold him down...now," Viviane cuts, stepping forward and extending her arm quickly.