"Takeru, and Tsumugi-san, you're here! Come, everyone, dig in!" Seeing Takeru and Tsumugi arrive, Rimuru greeted them warmly.
As for Kaval and the other two, they stared eagerly at Takeru. Since Takeru had not yet arrived, they could not begin eating. Now that he was here, they could barely contain themselves.
Seeing the three's expressions, Takeru shook his head in amusement. Shizu, beneath her mask, was also ravenous but maintained her composure.
Takeru and Tsumugi then unceremoniously took the seats left vacant for them.
"Alright, everyone, let's eat!" Seeing Takeru and Tsumugi seated, Rimuru said with a smile.
"Thanks for the meal!" Upon hearing Rimuru's words, Kaval and the other two murmured quickly and eagerly grabbed pieces of roasted meat.
"Ah, delicious!" The moment the meat entered their mouths, they exclaimed excitedly.
The monster meat had been pre-marinated with special seasonings, giving it a unique flavor they had never tasted before. Combined with their ravenous hunger, they devoured it rapidly.
Shizu, however, did not remove her mask even while eating. Rimuru found this astonishing. Takeru understood: Shizu kept her mask on to suppress the high-ranking spirit within her.
Unaware of this, Rimuru merely marveled at Shizu's discipline and envied Kaval and the others, who ate with such visible enjoyment… Rimuru himself could not taste anything.
As time passed, Kaval and the others continued competing for meat.
"Hey, that's the piece I wanted!" Kaval said, noticing Elyun reaching for it.
"That's too bad! That's the piece I saved for myself!" Hearing Kaval's words, Elyun retorted without backing down.
"Guys, you never show any manners at mealtimes!" Even the ordinarily docile Gido remarked, observing Kaval and Elyun's lack of restraint.
"There's no need to rush. More will be ready soon." Watching them, Tsumugi said gently.
"Thank you, Tsumugi!" Hearing Tsumugi's words, Elyun and the others looked at her as if seeing an angel.
Takeru found the entire scene amusing. All three were remarkably fortunate, always being rescued just when trouble struck.
Another half hour passed before the four finally set down their utensils, satisfied.
"We haven't asked yet… what brought you here?" Now that they were fed and content, Rimuru finally inquired about their purpose.
"We were actually commissioned by the head of the Free Guild in the Kingdom of Blumund to investigate the Jura Forest." Hearing Rimuru's question, Kaval and the others answered honestly without hesitation or concealment.
The Kingdom of Blumund, being relatively close to the Jura Forest, was concerned about the Storm Dragon's disappearance potentially causing unrest, hence the investigation.
"I see." After listening to Kaval's explanation, Rimuru nodded in understanding, privately realizing Veldora's disappearance had far greater repercussions than he had imagined.
"By the way, I've been curious since earlier… Rimuru-san seems to hold considerable authority here." Suddenly, Elyun voiced her observation.
Hearing Elyun's words, Kaval and Gido nodded in agreement.
"Allow me to formally introduce you. This is our master, Rimuru-sama!" Unable to contain himself, Rigurd interjected.
"Master?" Hearing Rigurd's words, the three were astounded.
"Is it wrong for me to be a master?" Seeing their reaction, Rimuru said calmly.
"N-no, not at all!" Looking at Rimuru, Kaval quickly shook his head.
"I could tell you were no ordinary slime, but I never imagined..." Elyun gazed at Rimuru, deeply impressed.
"Enough about that. As you can see, we are building a city here. Um, does the Guild have any opinion on this?" Changing the subject, Rimuru asked the group.
"No, it shouldn't be a problem, right?" Hearing Rimuru's question, Kaval turned to Gido beside him.
"Indeed. This is beyond the Guild's jurisdiction. The question is how the nations will view it," Elyun added.
"I wouldn't know," Gido simply shook his head, admitting his ignorance.
"Don't worry. Neighboring nations will likely send envoys or survey teams to investigate. As long as they confirm you are harmless, war will not occur," Takeru said calmly, looking at Rimuru.
Having taken over the Falmuth Kingdom, Takeru was well-informed on such matters. In the original timeline, only Falmuth had attacked Rimuru.
Now that Takeru had seized control and implemented reforms, he had effectively eliminated that threat.
As for establishing diplomatic relations with neighboring nations, that depended on Rimuru's capabilities. However, besides his considerable abilities, Rimuru was also exceptionally fortunate.
Though things might not unfold as smoothly as in the original work, they would likely not go too poorly.
"Is that so? I understand. Please stay here tonight and rest your weary bodies." Hearing Takeru's words, Rimuru nodded knowingly.
"Thank you!" Kaval and the other three expressed their gratitude to Rimuru.
"Oh, Takeru, you're not leaving immediately either, are you?" Having received Kaval and the others' acknowledgments, Rimuru turned to Takeru.
"I'll be staying here for a few days as well." Hearing his question, Takeru directly stated.
"Welcome. Please treat our guests well!" Hearing Takeru's words, Rimuru first nodded with a smile, then instructed Rigurd and Rigur.
"Yes!" Responding to Rimuru's admonition, Rigurd and Rigur nodded earnestly.
…
That evening, Takeru, taking a moment of leisure, noticed Shizu on the plateau outside the village watching the sunset. After a moment's thought, he walked over to her.
"Is it painful? The high-ranking spirit inside you." Arriving beside Shizu, Takeru spoke calmly.
"Nara-san, you know about my condition?" Hearing Takeru's words, Shizu was startled.
"Of course. Your vulnerability in the earlier battle was due to suppressing the spirit within you, was it not?" Seeing Shizu's surprise, Takeru continued.
"Indeed, Nara-san, you are no ordinary person." Hearing Takeru's words, Shizu said with emotion.
"If you need assistance suppressing the spirit within you, I might be able to help. As fellow otherworldly travelers, would you like to try?" Looking at Shizu, Takeru spoke again.
"Nara-san, you are also not from this world?" Hearing Takeru's words, Shizu was again stunned.
"Yes. And Rimuru, as you may have guessed, is also not from this world." Sensing Shizu's shock, Takeru said calmly.
"I see... However, Nara-san, can you truly help me suppress the spirit within?" Upon learning Takeru was also not from this world, Shizu instinctively assumed they shared the same origin and felt an involuntary closeness.
"If you don't mind, simply call me Takeru. I know some special sealing techniques. I can seal the spirit within you, allowing only a fraction of its power to leak out."
"This will, of course, weaken you considerably compared to your prime. However, you will no longer fear loss of control, and your life will no longer be in danger." Looking at her, Takeru directly explained.
"Really? Then I entrust this to you, Takeru!" Hearing Takeru's words, Shizu spoke excitedly.
"You're welcome." Seeing Shizu's agitation, Takeru gently shook his head.
"What must I do? And when can we begin? I am finding it increasingly difficult to suppress its power. If possible, I wish to proceed as soon as possible. I implore you, Takeru." Placing her hand over her chest, Shizu bowed deeply to Takeru.
"In that case, let us begin now." Hearing her words, Takeru spoke seriously.
"Now? We can start now?" Hearing Takeru say they could begin immediately, Shizu was somewhat surprised yet also pleased.
Subsequently, Takeru used magic to raise four stone walls around himself and Shizu, enclosing them. He further deployed his Universal Barrier, enveloping them both.
"Forgive me." Looking at Shizu, Takeru directly placed his hand upon her head, sensing the high-ranking spirit Ifrit within her. Then, his hands began forming hand seals.