Half an hour before the arrival of Luminous Valentine
Inside the meeting room, Rimuru sat at the head of the round table, his gaze slowly sweeping across the people gathered around him. Every person seated there represented one of the many races living under Tempest's banner, individuals entrusted with carrying the responsibilities of their people.
Representing the Hobgoblin population was Rigurd, the massive and muscular Goblin King who also served as Tempest's mayor. Despite his imposing build and intimidating appearance, however, Rigurd carried himself with a calm sense of dignity and treated everyone he met with kindness and respect. He oversaw the day-to-day operations of Rimuru City and handled the countless responsibilities that came with governing a nation growing at an incredible pace. Seated beside him was his son, Rigur, the Head of Security, acting as his second.
Next was the representative of the Kijin, Edelgard, the current head of Kijin Village. She possessed striking lilac eyes, lustrous white hair that flowed down her back, and two black horns protruding proudly from her head. Sitting beside her as her second was her younger son, Benimaru, Tempest's Commander-in-Chief and one of Rimuru's most trusted subordinates.
Next, representing the High Orcs was Geld Junior, a massive orc with a towering build and a distinctive mohawk-like hairstyle. Like his father before him, Geld carried a strong sense of duty toward his people and took his responsibilities seriously. Seated beside him as his second was Hakurou, Tempest's elderly sword instructor. Though Hakurou had no ties to the High Orc tribe by blood, Geld considered him a far wiser and more dependable advisor than anyone currently available from his own race.
Next to represent the Dragonewts was Abiru, the chieftain of the Dragonewt Tribe. He was a middle-aged man with long black hair, sharp green eyes, and a metal helmet adorned with a large blue jewel. Acting as his second was his daughter, Souka, the leader of Kurayami, one of the Jura-Tempest Federation's intelligence organizations operating under the Tempest Intelligence Bureau.
Representing the Dryads was Treyni, an ethereally beautiful young woman with flowing green hair, blue eyes, and a semi-transparent body that gave her an almost mystical appearance. Accompanying her were her two sisters, Doris and Trya, who shared the same ghostly beauty and translucent forms. However, despite their similarities, each possessed distinct facial features and differing hair lengths that made it easy to tell them apart.
Next was Towa, the queen of the Kingdom of Raja, representing her nation as it prepared to be officially announced as a vassal state under Tempest. Accompanying her was an elderly woman with weary eyes who quietly observed both the room and its occupants with a mixture of curiosity and subtle caution. This was Amanda Spellweaver, the mother of Lucius Spellweaver, the man who had once attempted to murder their nation's queen. Ever since his crimes had come to light, his entire family had found themselves placed under intense public scrutiny despite Towa's direct orders that they not be held responsible for Lucius's actions. However, shame and public opinion were not burdens so easily erased. Determined to restore some measure of honor to the family name and wash away the stain Lucius had left behind, Amanda had stepped forward to take up the vacant position of Court Mage. At the same time, she had begun personally teaching her daughter magic so she could one day inherit the role, all while caring for her husband, who had fallen into a deep depression after the entire ordeal shattered their family.
Lastly, representing the Giant Ants was none other than their queen, Cassandra. She was a beautiful and muscular woman with dusky skin, long red hair, black eyes, and a pair of ant-like antennae protruding from her forehead. Even seated among the many powerful individuals gathered around the table, her presence and the regal way she carried herself naturally drew attention. Currently, she wore a form-fitting evening gown that transitioned from a sparkling white and light blue bodice into a deep royal blue skirt that glittered faintly as it flowed all the way to the floor. Ironically, Cassandra had once absolutely despised the human custom of wearing what she considered little more than useless rags to cover their bodies. To her, such things had seemed restrictive and unnecessary. However, over time, and thanks to the relentless persuasion of a certain pink-haired shrine maiden, she had slowly developed a fondness for dressing up and appreciating her own beauty.
Meanwhile, representing the Tempest Wolves was Ranga, a large and intimidating wolf currently lying beside Rimuru's feet. Despite his fearsome appearance and status as one of Tempest's strongest fighters, he was currently enjoying the head scratches Rimuru absentmindedly gave him with complete contentment, acting exactly like the good boy he was.
The two of them served as the sole representatives of their respective races. Ranga alone was enough for the Tempest Wolves since he served as the unquestioned alpha of his pack, while Cassandra's species operated through a hive mind, making additional representatives unnecessary.
Aside from them, there were several other people present in the room as well, representing Tempest itself. One of them was Testarossa, who sat calmly adjacent to Rimuru, quietly observing the guests as they continued to arrive. Seated beside her was Ultima, who looked completely uninterested in the entire affair. Unlike Testarossa, she made absolutely no effort to hide her boredom. Even so, unwilling to disrespect Rimuru or openly complain during an important gathering, she remained seated and quietly sipped on the honey drinks that had been served to everyone at the start of the meeting.
Standing behind Rimuru were Shion and Shuna. One acted as his bodyguard despite his repeated insistence that he did not need one, while the other served as the host of the gathering and doubled as Rimuru's advisor whenever necessary.
Lastly, there was Diablo, silently observing everything from the shadows. Rimuru had specifically called him back from his mission just for today so he could attend the meeting. The reason was simple. Rimuru wanted to be a little kinder and fairer toward the Primordial Noir. After all, every time he remembered how he had treated Diablo in the original timeline, he felt a faint pang of guilt. As time passed, he had come to realize that while some of his harsher treatment had been justified, there had also been plenty of situations where it had not. Looking back now, he could admit that he had occasionally been harder on Diablo than necessary. Because of that, he decided he would make a genuine effort to treat him a little better moving forward, even if the demon himself would probably be absurdly happy over something as simple as being remembered by Rimuru every once in a while.
******
Once everyone had settled into their seats and the room finally grew quiet, Rimuru spoke. "First of all, I would like to thank you all for gathering here in the middle of the celebrations," he said, his gaze slowly sweeping across the table and the familiar faces seated around it. "I know all of you originally came here to enjoy Tempest's recognition as a sovereign nation, but since everyone is already gathered in one place, I figured we might as well take advantage of the opportunity. So I thought, why not use this chance to discuss our future as well?"
"Rimuru-sama, please do not embarrass us by thanking us," Edelgard said as she gently shook her head. "It is our duty to answer your call whenever you ask for us." The moment she finished speaking, several others around the table nodded in agreement without hesitation. To them, there was nothing unusual or troublesome about answering when Rimuru summoned them. In their eyes, this was simply natural. Meanwhile, a small, satisfied smile formed on Testarossa's lips as she observed the scene. This was exactly the sort of attitude she wanted everyone to have toward Rimuru.
"Hmm, in that case, let's move forward," Rimuru said as he leaned slightly forward in his seat. "But before that, introductions are in order." He turned his attention toward Testarossa, who immediately understood what he meant. Giving him a small nod, she gracefully rose to her feet.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I am Testarossa, Rimuru-sama's secretary and second-in-command," Testarossa introduced herself proudly, lifting her chin ever so slightly. "Today, we have gathered here to help Rimuru-sama shape the nation of his dreams. So, without wasting any time, allow me to introduce everyone participating in today's meeting. First..." she began before proceeding to introduce each person one by one. By the time she finally returned the floor to Rimuru, he was wearing an amused smile as he observed the reactions of those who were not residents of Tempest after learning Ultima and Testarossa's true identities. Most managed to hide their shock fairly well, but Amanda was another story entirely. The poor woman looked like she was only a few seconds away from trembling in her seat.
"Now that that's out of the way, let's move on to the first topic of today's discussion, the subjugation of the other races within Jura Forest." The moment those words left Rimuru's mouth, everyone stared at him with complete focus, their expressions carrying not only attention but also a hint of anticipation. "As all of you know, the races gathered here today are among the strongest in the forest. Unfortunately, you are not all of them." A small smile slowly formed on his face as he looked around the table. "Well, I want to change that."
"Benimaru," Rimuru called out, causing the red-haired Kijin to immediately straighten in his seat. His expression turned serious almost instantly. "I'm giving you one week. Coordinate with Souei and gather as much information as possible on every intelligent and non-intelligent race living within this forest." Benimaru gave a firm nod in response without hesitation. "Once that's done, all of you will coordinate with him. Depending on your location and your ability to communicate with these intelligent races, you'll send squads to invite them to join Tempest. If they agree peacefully, then everything ends there. However, if they refuse, you're permitted to use a little force as a display of dominance, but be careful not to go overboard." As he spoke those words, a terrifying pressure suddenly swept through the room, causing everyone present, including the three Primordials, to break out into a cold sweat. "Do not cause excessive destruction to their settlements or slaughter them in large numbers. Those places and those people will become our future resources, so keep the damage to a minimum. Is that clear?" Rimuru asked calmly, despite the overwhelming pressure radiating from him. Unsurprisingly, he received immediate and unanimous nods in return. No one was foolish enough to misunderstand the seriousness of his warning.
"Good. Next, regarding non-intelligent creatures," Rimuru continued, and the crushing pressure vanished as suddenly as it had appeared, allowing several people to quietly release breaths they had unknowingly been holding. "I'm considering capturing and taming some of them for other purposes, but before that, Treyni."
The poor Dryad visibly jolted the moment she suddenly heard her name being called. "Y-Yes?" she stammered in response before quickly straightening herself, with a faint blush spreading across her face.
Suppressing a chuckle, Rimuru said, "I want you to send your sisters throughout the forest and observe these non-intelligent creatures over the next few months. Study them and determine how they affect the ecosystem, and whether they contribute to the forest's growth in any meaningful way," he explained. "If they truly are part of the natural cycle, then we'll leave them be and simply make sure they don't harm anyone aside from their natural prey."
"Yes, Rimuru-sama, you can count on my sisters and me for this task. We know this forest like the back of our hands," Treyni said confidently, a gentle smile appearing on her face as she placed a hand against her chest. Beside her, Doris and Trya nodded in agreement without hesitation. After all, among everyone present, there was no one who understood Jura Forest better than the Dryads, who had watched over its lands for centuries like living journals.
Rimuru gave the three Dryads an approving nod before continuing. "Now, onto the next and main topic for today, the development of Tempest as a nation," he said before gesturing toward Shuna, who, without saying a word, quietly moved around the room, gracefully placing a file in front of each representative one by one. "I plan to turn your settlements into fully developed cities under Tempest, and these files contain some of my ideas on how each region could grow. Of course, none of these plans are set in stone, so once you understand the vision I have in mind, your suggestions are more than welcome."
"First, Edelgard. Your Kijin Village will be renamed Muspelheim, the City of Forge and Fire," Rimuru declared as he turned toward the white-haired Kijin woman. "And you will serve as its mayor."
"Muspelheim..." Edelgard repeated softly, testing the name on her tongue. "Rimuru-sama, I understand the forge part, considering our expertise in weapon smithing, but I don't quite understand the fire part."
"You're right about the forge part. I do intend to turn Muspelheim into the largest hub for high-quality weapons. But not just Kijin-made weapons. I also plan to bring talented blacksmiths from other races to Muspelheim so they can work together and create all kinds of weapons. Naturally, there'll be supporting attractions too, like traditional Kijin clothing, cuisine, and other cultural aspects, but the main draw will still be the sheer variety and quality of the weapons produced there," Rimuru explained. "As for the fire part, well..." A small grin appeared on his face. "I'm thinking of introducing a yearly tournament in your city, something similar to the 'Goblet of Fire.' Challengers would have the opportunity to face the strongest Kijin warriors in your village for a chance to win a powerful weapon of their choosing, along with earning the right to challenge Benimaru, our Commander-in-Chief."
"I think your plan is quite feasible, Rimuru-sama. However, I do have one concern," Edelgard said with a slight frown as she looked down at the file in front of her before raising her eyes toward Rimuru again. "Your approach will bring a large number of outsiders into the city, especially humans, and many among my people do not enjoy socializing with other races."
"Then they will learn to coexist," Rimuru replied firmly, a trace of steel entering his voice. "Of course, a large portion of the city will be dedicated to commerce, while a smaller section will be designated as a residential area and restricted from public access." He paused briefly before continuing. "The people you mentioned can either learn to tolerate the crowds or spend the rest of their lives confined to that district, shut away inside their homes." His expression remained calm, but there was no room for negotiation in his words. "Edelgard, I trust you can properly convey this to them without forcing me to speak with them personally."
"Of course, Rimuru-sama. You need not worry, I will handle it," Edelgard replied, a faint sheen of sweat appearing on her brow. Internally, however, she found herself agreeing with Rimuru's approach. In fact, a part of her believed that anyone who caused trouble for Rimuru should be dealt with swiftly and decisively, before they had the chance to bring trouble upon the rest of their people.
"Good," Rimuru said before turning his attention toward Abiru. "The same goes for Dragonewt Village and the entirety of Lake Siss, which will be renamed Seiryu Lake City from this point onward." He glanced down at the documents for a moment before continuing. "Your city's main purpose will be supplying freshwater fish throughout Tempest. And don't worry about overfishing, because we'll be introducing new aquaculture and pisciculture techniques to your people. Once those methods are in place, you'll be able to massively increase production without damaging the lake itself."
"That would be incredibly helpful, Rimuru-sama," Abiru replied, lowering his head slightly in gratitude. "Also, will our Dragonewt Vi... sorry, I mean Seiryu Lake City, also be designed to attract visitors?" he asked, quickly correcting himself halfway through.
"Sort of, but not on the same scale as Muspelheim," Rimuru answered. "We'll sell various fish-related delicacies along with some of your cultural specialties, and we'll also hold a yearly fishing competition. But aside from that, your city's primary focus will be fish farming. Seiryu Lake City will become one of the lifelines of our nation, providing one of our two major food sources." Rimuru's tone became slightly more serious as he looked directly at Abiru. "So, Abiru, are you willing to take on that responsibility?"
"Of course, Rimuru-sama! I won't disappoint you!" Abiru straightened his posture and answered almost instantly, his voice filled with excitement and determination without even the slightest hint of hesitation. Opportunities of this scale did not come around often, after all. To be entrusted with something that could grow into one of Tempest's most important industries was both an honor and a responsibility, and it was one he had absolutely no intention of letting slip through his fingers.
"Good," Rimuru nodded at him before turning toward Geld. "By the way, speaking of our two major food sources, Geld, I've decided to redevelop your people's abandoned homeland and transform it into a large city called Abundantia, the largest agricultural hub in the world.
Hearing Rimuru's words, Geld completely froze. For a brief moment, he could only stare at Rimuru in silence, almost as if he was questioning whether he had heard him correctly. "Is that... really true?" he finally asked with a slight tremor creeping into his voice. After all, that land was not just some abandoned territory to the High Orcs. It was their homeland. A place scarred by tragedy, burdened with guilt, and filled with memories they could never truly leave behind.
"Why would I lie to you?" Rimuru let out a small chuckle before his expression gradually turned serious. "To be honest, Geld, my decision to use that place for our third major city was partly to honor your father, but mostly because of the vast open land there. If we make proper use of it, we could completely reshape the world's grain market."
"It doesn't matter, Rimuru-sama. The fact that you remembered my father and chose to honor him is already the greatest honor our race could receive," Geld said sincerely in a gratitude-filled voice, and for a brief moment, his usually massive and imposing figure seemed strangely smaller as he lowered his head. "However, how exactly are we supposed to build farms there when that land is nothing but a barren wasteland?" he asked after lifting his head again. His expression grew troubled as old memories resurfaced in his mind. After all, more than anyone else, Geld remembered why his people had fallen into despair and been forced down that path of sin in the first place. That cursed land had given them neither harvest nor hope, only endless emptiness and starvation.
"You don't need to worry about that. I have my own ways of restoring that land," Rimuru replied with a dismissive wave of his hand. "But I can't send most of you Orcs there either. You guys are the backbone of our construction and development efforts. If all of you run off to work the farms, then who's going to build the nation?" he asked before looking around the room once more. "That's why, instead of placing all the farming responsibilities entirely on the Orcs, each of you will select people from your communities who either excel at farming or show potential for it and have them relocate to Abundantia once I've restored the land." His gaze eventually landed on Rigurd. "Rigurd, especially you. Lately, we've been receiving quite a few groups of Goblins wanting to join our nation, and obviously, we can't house all of them here in the capital. So make sure to send them there, where their numbers can actually be put to better use."
As Rimuru explained his plans, he could not help the small smile that appeared on his face. In his mind, he was already imagining the expressions the rulers of the Western Nations would wear once his vision for these cities became reality. Muspelheim producing world-class weapons. Seiryu Lake City becoming a massive source of food. Abundantia completely overturning agricultural production on a scale the world had never seen before. Just imagining their reactions was oddly satisfying. Especially that goth girl from the Holy Empire of Lubelius, whose nation currently stood as the West's largest grain producer and supplier
"So for now, these three cities will become Tempest's major cities, with Rimuru City serving as Tempest's capital," Rimuru continued as he leaned back into his chair and folded his arms. "Then, once we bring every race in the forest under our banner, we'll transform their settlements into smaller cities and assign them specialized roles."
"Now that I've explained the basic structure of our nation, let's move on to development," Rimuru said as he signaled toward Shuna. Understanding immediately, she quietly stepped forward and retrieved two additional files before placing them in front of Rigurd and Geld. "Rigurd, first. The file in front of you contains some of the priority structures I want constructed in Rimuru City as quickly as possible."
"I will see to it personally, Rimuru-sama!" Rigurd declared enthusiastically, slamming his fist against his chest with enough force to produce a heavy thud throughout the room. Seeing his reaction, Rimuru sighed wryly before giving him an approving nod.
"Oh right, that reminds me. Shuna, Testarossa, I have an important task for the two of you," Rimuru said, immediately drawing the full attention of both women. "I want both of you to form a committee with whoever you think is suitable and draft two separate sets of laws for our nation. One for residents and another for travelers. Make them as detailed as possible and leave no major loopholes. Also, bring Shizu along. Her perspective as a human would be incredibly valuable during the process."
"It shall be done, Rimuru-sama!" Shuna and Testarossa replied in unison, already beginning to compile lists of people and potential laws in their minds.
"Coming back to the topic, Geld, the file in front of you contains the projects your team needs to begin working on as soon as possible," Rimuru explained. "Also, there is no need to waste your manpower transporting materials from one place to another. I already have a better solution for that." He then turned toward the red-haired woman who had spent most of the meeting sitting there with an aloof and distracted expression, looking far more interested in her snacks than the discussion itself. "Cassandra, your colony has flying ants, right?" he asked, receiving a nod in return. "Good. In that case, you'll coordinate with Geld and help transport materials and people from place to place. It'll save both time and manpower."
"Hmm, I could do that," Cassandra replied nonchalantly while casually munching on her chips. There was not even the slightest hint of surprise on her face despite being handed such an important logistical role on the spot. Meanwhile, one of Testarossa's eyes twitched at Cassandra's laid-back attitude toward Rimuru, but she held herself back from saying anything. At this point, she had more or less accepted that Cassandra simply operated on her own bizarre wavelength, and more importantly, Rimuru clearly did not mind her behavior in the slightest.
Rimuru nodded at her before turning toward Towa, who had been quietly waiting for her turn with visible anticipation. "Towa, according to our agreement, Raja's development already began after that incident back then, but now it's time to take things to the next level." A grin slowly spread across his face as he looked toward the two human women, causing both of them to shiver at the look in his eyes. "The Kingdom of Raja is our first vassal state, and I intend to make an example out of it. I want to show the world just how beneficial it can be to stand under my banner."
"Is there really any need to make an example of it when that's already the truth?" Towa asked, tilting her head slightly in genuine confusion. Ever since Tempest had become involved with Raja, her nation had undergone changes beyond anything she could have imagined. "Regardless of the reason, Rimuru-sama, you will always have my full support, and the Kingdom of Raja is yours to guide however you see fit."
"Thank you for your trust, Towa, and I promise you won't be disappointed," Rimuru replied with a smile as his expression softened slightly.
Meanwhile, Amanda wore a weary expression as she silently wondered what kind of absurd magic this demon had used on their queen for her to so willingly hand over the future of their nation to him. The more she listened, the more she felt like she was witnessing some kind of strange fever dream. Still, unlike her idiotic son, Amanda knew when to keep her mouth shut. More importantly, she was not blind. Even if her human heart still struggled to place complete trust in Rimuru, her eyes and mind could not deny the prosperity he had already brought to their homeland.
"Well, moving on..." Rimuru began, only to suddenly stop mid-sentence when he felt a familiar presence approaching Tempest. His expression remained calm, but a small smile slowly appeared on his face. 'Miss Valentine, you finally decided to show up, huh?' he thought to himself.
And Rimuru was not the only one who had sensed her arrival. People like the Primordials, Benimaru, Shion, Ranga, Frey, and Shizu had all noticed her presence as well. However, before any of them could move to confront her, Rimuru stopped them with a simple message sent through Thought Communication, telling them to leave this little visitor to him.
"Sorry, ladies and gentlemen, but unfortunately, we'll have to cut this meeting short for now," Rimuru said as he rose from his seat. Around the table, several people blinked in surprise, though no one objected. "Still, I think I've already given all of you more than enough to work with, so starting tomorrow, get to it." He walked toward the door before suddenly stopping midway and glancing back over his shoulder. A playful grin appeared on his face. "And remember, the night's still young, so go out and enjoy the rest of it," he said and gave everyone a wink before leaving the room.
As the door clicked shut behind him, the playful expression on Rimuru's face slowly faded away. The easygoing smile he had worn moments earlier gradually twisted into something far more mischievous, until it finally spread into a wicked grin. "Now then, my dear sister, I hope you won't disappoint me..." Rimuru muttered to himself before letting out a loud laugh that echoed through the hallway.
To be continued...
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Illustration: Cassandra