Jotunheim.
The Royal Palace.
Since the Midsummer Festival passed, King Rimuru had been in a deep slumber in his bedchamber.
If this were on Earth, it would have likely plunged into chaos long ago.
But in Jotunheim, it was truly nothing to worry about.
The concept of time for long-lived species was truly vastly different from that on Earth.
During the winter season, as long as one had stored enough food, sleeping for several seasons was completely normal.
Outside the bedchamber, guards patrolled back and forth.
Wind giant, Frost Mist, Mountain Jade, and Ice Dream took turns guarding the bedchamber daily.
And today, the one responsible for guarding was Mountain Jade.
Looking at Rimuru, who had returned to his original form and was quietly lying in slumber, a serene and happy smile appeared on Mountain Jade's face.
Mountain Jade was a Mountain Giant.
Before being given her name by Rimuru, her bloodline was thin, and she was very ordinary within her clan.
But after being given her name by Rimuru, everything changed.
Her bloodline instantly elevated several levels, so much so that even the former nobles of her clan couldn't compare to her.
Her beauty, furthermore, soared by several notches.
Previously, her looks could only be considered upper-middle, but now, among the Giant race, she was absolutely one of the most beautiful.
Recently, no matter where she went, she was the center of attention.
Her parents and younger brother were all proud of her!
What Mountain Jade would never forget was that a noblewoman, who had made her feel extremely inferior since childhood, lowered her head in inferiority after seeing her not long ago.
At that moment, Mountain Jade's soul was greatly shaken, as if she had been reborn and gained new life!
And her new life was granted to her by the King!
Being able to serve Rimuru like this made Mountain Jade feel exceptionally happy and fulfilled.
Just then, Mountain Jade suddenly felt an extremely faint tremor coming from the ground.
And this tremor came one after another, like the sound of a body falling to the ground!
What made Mountain Jade even more horrified was that an extremely ominous feeling came from her heart!
Mountain Jade had experienced this feeling once before.
One time, when she was walking alone at night, her eyelids twitched wildly, and her heart felt as if a huge rock was pressing down on it.
If her father hadn't arrived in time, she would have been eaten by a snowfield bear.
And now, she once again felt this overwhelming sensation.
"Such an ominous feeling, could something big be about to happen?"
"There are so many guards outside, and Storm Dragon Veldora My Lord is stationed here, who would dare trespass into the Royal Palace?"
"No, this feeling is getting stronger and stronger!"
"My King, please forgive my rudeness!"
Mountain Jade picked up Rimuru, who had turned into a dumpling, and immediately began to chant, "Mother Earth, please listen to your child's prayer."
As a Mountain Giant, Mountain Jade excelled in Earth magic.
Because Jotunheim was covered in ice and snow year-round, Mountain Jade's Earth magic also gained ice-cold attributes.
As Mountain Jade cast her spell, layers of ripples spread across the ground of the Royal Palace.
But the Royal Palace was, after all, the Royal Palace; to guard against assassins, the ground and surroundings had long been subjected to various magical enchantments.
The difficulty of her trying to cast Earth magic in the bedchamber was imaginable!
But with unpredictable danger outside, Mountain Jade had no choice.
Layers of ripples continuously spread, and due to the counterattack of the enchantments, Mountain Jade suffered a powerful magical backlash, her internal organs feeling as if they had been struck by a heavy hammer.
But she kept persisting, persisting, and finally succeeded!
The ground was opened up by Mountain Jade into a muddy swamp passage.
However, before Mountain Jade could take Rimuru and jump down, the bedchamber door was blasted open with a bang.
Who else could have broken in but Black Dwarf, Corvus Glaive, Kors, and Kurse, who had become a Cursed Warrior?
Kors, as a Dark Elf, was already skilled in magic, and seeing the patterns on the ground, how could he not know what had happened?
Kors, "I admire your loyalty, but you'd best learn to assess the situation. You are just a maid. As long as you hand Rimuru over to us, we will let you live!"
Mountain Jade said nothing, directly enveloping Rimuru with magic, "Wind giant, I leave the King to you all!"
Boom!
A wave of Earth swept forth, and Mountain Jade instantly sent Rimuru away.
"No!"
Black Dwarf roared in fury, striking his pickaxe at the spot where Rimuru had been teleported away.
But Mountain Jade slapped her jade hand, and the small teleportation muddy swamp passage she had forcibly opened just now completely closed.
Where could Rimuru's Shadow be seen?
Kors regretfully said, "You made the worst choice. I'll give you another chance; open that passage again!"
Mountain Jade said nothing, her body instantly covered in a large amount of rock armor, and she immediately charged at Kors.
Kors remained motionless, but just as Mountain Jade's rock iron fist was about to smash into Kors's face, the Cursed Warrior Kurse suddenly appeared.
He lightly threw a punch, striking directly at Mountain Jade's abdomen.
Instantly, Mountain Jade's body flew backward, heavily smashing against the wall of the Royal Palace.
Pfft!
Mountain Jade was severely injured, spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood, the severe pain in her internal organs making her dizzy, unable to even maintain her rock armor.
Kors, "As you can see, the difference is that great. It's too easy for us to kill you. I admire your loyalty, but you must learn to assess the situation. Rimuru doesn't have Ymir's bloodline, why bother?"
Mountain Jade swayed and stood up, "My King is my life!"
Mountain Jade wiggled her fingers, and magical energy began to gather, but the next second, her body was lifted by Kors, who was choking her neck.
"Woo woo woo"
Her throat being choked caused Mountain Jade, already severely injured, to suffocate.
Mountain Jade instinctively slapped Kors's arm with her hands, but what good was it?
Her struggles were like tickling.
Kors stroked Mountain Jade's beautiful face, marveling, "Such astonishing beauty, you must still be quite young, aren't you? Don't you think it's too regrettable to wither away like this?"
"Speak, where did you send Rimuru? As long as you tell me, you can continue to live!"
Pfft!
Mountain Jade spat a mouthful of blood onto Kors's face, blinding his eyes with blood.
Kors was stunned. As a general under Malekith, the King of Svartalfheim's Dark Elves, Kors's status was equivalent to a "minister" level.
He was absolutely a high-ranking official!
What he never expected was to be spat in the face with blood by a mere maid of Rimuru.
Crack!
Kors squeezed his palm forcefully, directly snapping Mountain Jade's neck.
Bang!
Kors casually threw Mountain Jade's corpse aside, wiped the blood from his face, and said, "It seems a silent assassination is impossible then. Let's have a big fight!"
Black Dwarf gripped his pickaxe, a look of madness on his face.
Corvus Glaive held his war blade, grinning sinisterly, "It should have been like this long ago. Rimuru is definitely asleep, Storm Dragon Veldora fell for the honey trap, are there any other people in Jotunheim?"
....