DID YOU KNOW? YOU CAN NOW READ THREE TO SIX CHAPTERS AHEAD. CHECK MY PROFILE FOR THE LINK.
----
"Before we begin," Sally said, breaking the silence that had settled over the conference hall, "there is one matter I would first like to address."
Her crimson eyes shifted away from Rimuru and settled upon the pink-haired Oni standing quietly behind him. "Lady Shuna."
Shuna straightened ever so slightly.
"I would like to offer you my sincerest apology."
The room grew noticeably quieter. Sally met her gaze without hesitation. "I cannot honestly tell you that I regret my actions that day. Everything I did was done with a purpose, and given the same circumstances, I would most likely make the same decisions again."
Her expression softened. "That, however, does not mean I take any satisfaction in the suffering those actions caused."
"I regret that my plans required your life." She lowered her head by a fraction. "It was never personal, and despite what transpired, I sincerely hope you can forgive me."
Silence lingered over the circular table.
Shuna smiled. "You have nothing to apologize for, Lady Sally."
For the first time since entering the hall, genuine surprise appeared upon Sally's face. "...I don't?"
Shuna shook her head. "No."
She folded her hands neatly before herself, her voice retaining the same quiet composure that had always defined her.
"What happened was painful, and I would be lying if I claimed otherwise. For a long time, I found myself wondering why it had happened, and whether there had been another way."
Her gaze drifted briefly toward Rimuru before returning to Sally. "After thinking on it for many days, I eventually realized that I had become complacent."
There was no bitterness in her voice.
"I had begun to believe that because Lord Rimuru was so powerful, because Tempest had become so prosperous, and because we were surrounded by friends and allies, nothing could truly threaten us anymore."
A faint smile crossed her lips. "I stopped considering the possibility that someone could reach me before anyone else had the chance to intervene."
She lowered her eyes slightly. "If that day had been an attack by someone who genuinely wished to destroy Tempest..."
Her smile became tinged with self-deprecation. "...then I would simply have died."
No one interrupted her.
"You reminded me that peace is not something that simply exists. It is something we must constantly protect. If your actions had not opened my eyes to that..." She gave a small bow. "...then I might have remained blind until it was far too late."
Sally remained silent for several moments. When she finally spoke, there was an unmistakable softness in her voice. "I must admit..."
A small smile formed upon her lips. "...that is not the response I was expecting."
Shuna laughed quietly. "I imagine not."
Across the table, Rimuru listened to the exchange with feelings he found increasingly difficult to put into words.
He still remembered the rage that had welled up inside him, the helplessness of arriving too late, and the overwhelming relief when her soul had been returned to him, allowing him to revive her before it was lost forever.
That contradiction refused to leave his mind.
Sally had killed one of the people he treasured most. She had also made certain that the loss was not permanent.
He wasn't sure whether that made forgiving her easier... or far more difficult.
Sally's attention returned to Shuna, and this time her smile carried unmistakable admiration. "You truly are a remarkable woman."
A faint blush coloured Shuna's cheeks.
"Your kindness does you great credit." Sally's gaze shifted toward Rimuru. "Demon Lord Rimuru."
Rimuru met her eyes.
"I believe you are exceptionally fortunate." She inclined her head ever so slightly toward the Ono standing faithfully behind him. "To have someone as devoted as Shuna here standing by your side."
Rimuru smiled, although internally he was practically freaking out.
'What the hell!? Why's she starting the conversation like this? And Shuna, don't go helping her!'
A tiny version of Rimuru appeared within his mental space, throwing his hands into the air in exasperation.
"How am I supposed to be angry at her now? I'll just end up looking petty, like I'm unfairly holding a grudge." He folded his arms, puffing out his cheeks.
"On one hand, she worked for Clayman, doing so much damage to Tempest. Heck, now that I think about it, Clayman probably wouldn't have gotten that far if it wasn't for her."
Then he let out a long sigh, his oversized head drooping. "On the other hand... she's the one who killed Clayman. And she did try to fix the damage, even though she could have just said nothing. And she's Kaede's friend."
He scratched the back of his head, looking thoroughly conflicted.
"I mean, I can kinda get where she's coming from, but it still pisses me off whenever I think about it. C'mon, Rimuru... you have to be the bigger man here."
Returning to reality, Rimuru let out a wistful sigh before looking back at Sally.
"Hey now," he said, a wry smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Just because Shuna's vouching for you doesn't mean you're absolved of what you did, you know. Let me be angry, damn it."
A very faint smile appeared upon Sally's face. "Of course," she replied. "I understand that very much."
Rimuru paused, studying her with an impassive expression before giving a small nod. "...I suppose you do."
Leaning forward slightly, he rested his forearms upon the table. "I do want our nations to become allies, and I want to be able to trust you, so... if you're willing... then I'd like for Tempest and Dhistav to put the past behind us."
The chamber fell silent once again.
"I know it won't happen overnight." He gave a small shrug. "Trust doesn't work like that."
His golden eyes met Sally's crimson ones. "But every alliance has to start somewhere."
"So..." Rimuru extended his hand across the table. "...Let's start here."
For a brief moment, nobody moved.
King Drum blinked.
Veryard looked between the two Demon Lords as though afraid the slightest movement might somehow interrupt history itself.
Even Yuuki's smile seemed to sharpen by an almost imperceptible degree.
Across the table, Sally looked down at the offered hand. A gentle smile slowly spread across her face. "...This is considerably easier than I had anticipated."
Rimuru raised an eyebrow.
"I had prepared for a lot of concessions..." She let out a quiet, almost amused breath. "To be perfectly honest, I expected negotiations over reparations alone to occupy the better part of today's meeting."
Her hand rose slowly toward his. "I certainly wasn't expecting us to reach this point within the opening minutes."
Rimuru laughed. "Well, we're both otherworlders." His grin widened. "It would've been pretty stupid to waste hours dancing around the issue when we could just..."
He stopped. The smile faded from his face.
"...Wait." His eyes narrowed.
Rimuru looked directly into Sally's eyes.
She remained perfectly composed, her outstretched hand still suspended between them.
Yet behind her calm expression, he caught the faintest hint of expectation.
The floor lurched violently beneath them.
BOOOOOOM!!
The entire reception hall shuddered as an earth-shaking impact rolled through Londo, sending chandeliers swaying wildly overhead.
The polished stone beneath the delegates fractured with a deafening crack.
Outside, screams erupted throughout the city.
Every member of both delegations was on their feet before the tremor had even finished.
Ranga's fur bristled. Soei's hand instinctively moved toward his sword.
Alvaro's chair scraped sharply across the floor as he rose. Shion's expression hardened instantly.
Only Sally and Rimuru remained seated for a single heartbeat longer.
Their eyes met across the table.
Rimuru's eyes narrowed, even as Sally said nothing.
"What's going on?" King Drum yelled, unable to keep the panic from creeping into his voice. "Are we under attack!?"
'Who would have the nerve to attack us while two Demon Lords are present?'nHe immediately turned toward Yuuki. "Grandmaster Yuuki!"
"No need to worry," Yuuki replied with his usual confident smile. "We're already on it."
"I knew I could count on you. Yes, please, go take care of it." Drum managed a shaky smile as Yuuki moved to carry out his orders.
'Whoever is attacking right now is either unbelievably foolish... or ridiculously powerful. Attacking a meeting between two Demon Lords...'
A chill ran down his spine. 'Oh no...'
His gaze slowly returned to the conference table, where both Demon Lords remained seated, silently staring at one another.
'They both came under attack while within my kingdom.' His heart nearly stopped. 'What will they do now? What could they possibly be thinking?'
He unconsciously clasped his hands together beneath the table. 'Please... whoever is listening... whatever happens... let Blumund survive this.'
At last, Rimuru rose to his feet, his gaze finally leaving Sally. "Soei."
"My Lord?" Soei remained perfectly still as he answered.
"Are the Kurayami in position?"
"Yes, my Lord."
As Rimuru spoke, a faint golden light flickered within his eyes. His vision pierced effortlessly through the castle's walls, rising high above Londo until it reached the skies overhead.
The clear blue heavens that had welcomed both delegations into Blumund were gone.
In their place churned an endless boiling storm, black clouds twisting together into a colossal vortex that slowly revolved around the entire Kingdom of Blumund, making the nation itself appear like a solitary rock trapped beneath an unimaginably vast whirlpool suspended in the heavens.
At the centre of the colossal whirlpool of churning lightning and howling winds, a massive creature hovered above the city, its enormous wings remaining perfectly still even as the unnatural tempest raged around it.
The creature possessed the general shape of a dragon. However, its body was unnaturally hunched, and its scales had long since turned a putrid shade of black. Entire sections of flesh were missing from its frame, exposing decayed muscle and bone beneath. From those festering wounds, thick violet miasma continuously billowed outward, contaminating the very air before being swallowed by the storm overhead.
'What's that thing?' Rimuru asked internally.
<
'Makes sense. That's why I couldn't sense it with [Universal Detect].' Rimuru let out a slow breath. 'They didn't even let us finish the meeting.'
His eyes shifted toward Sally.
She had risen to her feet as well and was quietly exchanging a few words with her own subordinates, her expression remaining as composed as ever.
'...Is Sally in on this too?' Before he could dwell on the thought any longer, movement around the conference table drew everyone's attention.
Dark-robed figures had silently surrounded the entire room.
King Drum's face darkened immediately.
"Who are you people?" he roared, rising so abruptly that his chair nearly toppled over. "Do you have any idea of the consequences of what you're trying to do? Tell me who sent you, so that I may strangle them to death with my bare hands!"
'King Drum doesn't look too happy about being caught up in this.' Rimuru chuckled awkwardly before his expression became serious once more.
His eyes narrowed. 'I remember those robes... They're the inquisitors from Ingrassia. Why the hell are they all the way out here? Does that mean Ingrassia is behind this?'
He frowned. '...No. There's still something that doesn't add up.'
At the appearance of the newcomers, Shion and Shuna immediately moved to either side of Rimuru.
Shion had already drawn her massive greatsword, the blade resting effortlessly upon her shoulder, while Shuna calmly unsheathed her single-edged sword, both women placing themselves between Rimuru and the encroaching figures without needing to exchange a single word.
As for Soei, he gave Rimuru a single nod before his body melted into the surrounding shadows, vanishing without the slightest trace. Beside them, Ranga's already enormous body began to expand even further, his muscles swelling as crackling black lightning danced across his fur until the Storm Wolf towered over everyone else within the chamber.
"Lord Rimuru."
Rimuru heard Soei's voice echo through their mental link. "Go ahead, Soei."
"It appears that the adventurers who arrived alongside Yuuki Kagurazaka are currently engaged in battle with the inquisitors throughout the kingdom. However..." There was a brief pause. "...there is no sign of Yuuki Kagurazaka himself."
Rimuru frowned. "So... Yuuki isn't a part of this?"
Before he could think any further, the inquisitors surrounding them finally made their move.
As one, the dark-robed figures burst forward with astonishing speed, their blades flashing as they charged straight toward the two Demon Lords.
Shion and Shuna met the assault head-on without a moment's hesitation.
Steel clashed against steel as Shion's massive greatsword swept through the air with overwhelming force, while Shuna's single-edged blade flashed in precise, fluid arcs as she intercepted those who slipped past her companion.
Behind them, Ranga threw back his head and released a thunderous howl.
The chamber trembled.
Violent bolts of black lightning erupted from his colossal body, branching across the room like living serpents before crashing into the charging inquisitors.
On Sally's side of the table, Yamza and Alvaro surged forward as well, meeting the attackers in a direct clash, while Kumara and Eva remained beside their Demon Lord, neither woman taking a single step away from her.
Another wave of inquisitors surged through the shattered doors.
Alvaro's fist met the first of them with enough force to send the man crashing through three stone pillars, while Yamza's sword flashed repeatedly, each thrust forcing another attacker backwards.
Yet more continued pouring into the hall.
Sally's eyes swept over the battlefield once.
Rimuru followed her gaze for only a fraction of a second before nodding.
"The inquisitors are merely a distraction." Sally's crimson eyes returned to the room. "Whoever orchestrated this clearly intends to keep us occupied while the Chaos Dragon wreaks havoc."
"At the end of the day, Blumund gets destroyed on the day it decides to host us. What joyful news that's gonna end up being." Rimuru frowned.
Another tremor rippled through the castle. Chunks of stone broke away from the ceiling.
King Drum visibly flinched.
Sally calmly stepped forward. "I will handle the inquisitors."
Rimuru looked at her.
She continued before he could respond. "They are human." Her expression remained composed.
"As the ruler of Tempest, your intervention against them could easily become a diplomatic incident regardless of who is truly responsible."
A brief pause. "I, on the other hand..." The corner of her lips lifted ever so slightly. "...have considerably fewer expectations placed upon my conduct."
Despite everything happening around them, Rimuru couldn't help letting out a small snort. "...That's one way of putting it."
He looked upward again, his gaze seemingly piercing the castle ceiling. "The dragon's definitely the bigger problem anyway."
Sally inclined her head. "Then we are agreed."
Rimuru nodded once. "We are." He turned toward Shion. "Protect everyone here."
"Leave it to me!" She grinned, moving so that King Drum and his prime minister was directly behind her. Shuna stayed just ahead of her as well.
"Soei."
"My Lord."
"If anything changes..."
"I'll inform you immediately."
Satisfied, Rimuru took a single step forward. Azure light erupted beneath his feet.
[Spatial Motion.]
---
For the briefest instant, Rimuru expected to emerge beneath the swirling vortex above Londo.
Instead... His foot landed upon cold stone.
"...Huh?" The teleportation circle beneath him faded.
This wasn't the sky. It wasn't even outside.
Rimuru slowly raised his head. He stood within an immense subterranean chamber buried deep beneath the Kingdom of Blumund.
Ancient stone pillars disappeared into darkness above, while the floor stretched for hundreds of metres in every direction.
His eyes widened. "...What the..."
Dozens... No. Hundreds of magic circles covered the chamber from wall to wall.
Some had already dimmed, their purpose fulfilled.
Others continued to pulse with an ominous crimson light, countless streams of magicules flowing between them like veins beneath the earth.
At the centre of the labyrinth of formations stood a single figure. A young girl, rather a little girl, who couldn't have been older than eleven.
She performed a graceful curtsy, delicately lifting the edge of her gown between two fingers. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Demon Lord Rimuru."
Rimuru frowned. "You have me at a disadvantage." His gaze swept across the enormous underground chamber before returning to the young girl. "Also, can we move this along? I'd much rather be dealing with the Chaos Dragon than... whatever this is."
The girl smiled pleasantly, as though they were discussing the weather rather than standing opposite one another as enemies.
"I am Mariabel Rozzo, of the Rozzo family. You may consider me your enemy." She spread one arm ever so slightly. "As for the Chaos Dragon, it is completely under my control, so please feel free to indulge me while I have your attention."
"You're the one causing all this?" As he spoke, Rimuru's gaze subtly drifted toward the countless magic circles surrounding them.
'These spells are supposed to weaken me, I'm guessing.' His expression remained unchanged. 'Too bad they aren't working.'
He took a single step forward. "I don't really want to hear all about your nefarious plans." A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "So I'll just make you one offer."
He looked directly into her emerald eyes. "Agree to work for me, and I'll spare your life."
Mariabel giggled. "What a rude thing to say." Her smile widened ever so slightly. "How about this instead?" she replied. "Become my subordinate, Rimuru Tempest, and I won't destroy you... or your nation."
Rimuru let out a weary sigh. "Unfortunately, your way of doing things just doesn't suit me at all."
He rolled one shoulder as though preparing for little more than a routine spar. "Then let's settle this."
"I couldn't have said it better myself." Mariabel laughed softly. The magic circles nearest to her suddenly blazed with brilliant crimson light.
Then four figures materialised behind her.
Rimuru's eyes narrowed.
Yuuki Kagurazaka.
Sally.
And two others he vaguely recognised.
The four of them stood in perfect silence behind Mariabel, their expressions completely vacant as a faint crimson glow emanated from their eyes.
Mariabel's smile became almost triumphant. "Allow me to show you..." She slowly spread her arms. "...the power of the greed that resides within the hearts of men."