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Jura-Tempest Federation · One Week Later
Boom.
A massive explosion rang out across the busy commercial street in the city center.
"Wahahaha! Kai-chan, you can't catch me!"
Milim, small and adorable in a sailor uniform, shouted back at a very flustered Kaito.
"Milim! You are going to give me an explanation today, one way or another!"
"I'm a Demon Lord! Everything I do is justified!"
Milim planted her hands on her hips, chin raised, completely unrepentant.
"Alright, alright! A Demon Lord, is it? Don't make me do something drastic!"
"Hmph! Give up, Kai-chan. There's nothing you can do to me!"
Milim dismissed his threat without a second thought. She was one of the oldest Demon Lords. What exactly was he going to do?
"Fine! You're forcing my hand! You'll regret this, Milim!"
"Kai-chan! I'm the Demon Lord!"
And with that, the two had more or less reenacted the classic Danzo and Hiruzen exchange, just with considerably less dignity involved.
Kaito tilted his head back and shouted up at the sky.
"Sakuya!!! Milim stole Rimuru's pudding again! And she tried to pin it on me! You have to set the record straight!!!"
The smug expression on Milim's face vanished in an instant.
A look of genuine terror crept across her features, and she pointed at Kaito, her face going slightly pale.
"Kai-chan! You, you, you actually called Sakuya! That's playing dirty!"
"Hmph hmph!"
Swish.
A silver-haired girl in a maid outfit appeared between the two of them, basket in hand, as if she had simply materialized out of thin air.
The moment Milim saw her, she launched into her defense at full speed.
"Sakuya! Listen to me! It was Kai-chan, yes, it was all him! He stole Rimuru's pudding and won't admit it!"
Kaito stared at her in complete disbelief. He had not expected Milim, of all people, to learn the art of getting her accusation in first.
'Which scoundrel taught her that? I'll have them dealt with immediately.'
Meanwhile, in another part of the house, a certain blue-haired girl was lounging comfortably on the sofa, being waited on by Shion and Diablo while reading manga in peace.
"Achoo!!!"
"Rimuru-sama! Have you caught a cold?"
"Master! Shall this subordinate fetch you a blanket?"
Rimuru set down her manga and waved them both off.
"I'm fine. I just have this feeling someone is talking about me behind my back. Anyway, haven't Kai-chan and Milim come back yet?"
Diablo, immaculately dressed in his butler's uniform and as always quietly angling to replace Shion as first secretary, gave a prompt bow.
"Kaito-sama and Milim-sama have not returned yet. It seems they have not settled things between them!"
Rimuru shook her head.
Two grown, absurdly powerful beings, fighting over pudding. Truly something else.
"Oh, I nearly forgot to mention. The pudding Milim-sama took was the one Miss Sakuya had prepared specifically for you."
"WHAT! That pudding was made by Sakuya?!"
The calm amusement on Rimuru's face evaporated on the spot. She went from a casual observer to a furious cat in about half a second.
One had to understand that Sakuya Izayoi, as a perfect Head Maid, was accomplished in everything, and her handmade desserts were in a league entirely of their own. She had spent years managing the Scarlet Devil Mansion and its famously difficult residents. Her culinary abilities required no further explanation.
"Milim, you've done it now! Shion, Diablo, with me! We're going to settle this!"
Author: Not so childish now!
The three of them arrived in the hall just in time to see Milim being carried in by Sakuya, lifted by the scruff of her neck with one hand, while Kaito strolled in behind them looking thoroughly pleased with himself.
"MILIM!!!"
As the saying goes, when enemies lock eyes, fury ignites. Rimuru made a beeline straight for Milim, grabbed her by the shoulders, and began shaking her with great enthusiasm.
"Give me back my pudding!"
Milim, rapidly becoming dizzy, wailed.
"Let go! Everything is spinning! My head!"
Sakuya released her grip on Milim and said gently:
"Rimuru-sama, you can let go of Milim-sama now. I will prepare another pudding for you."
Rimuru let go.
Milim swayed on her feet, eyes glazed, seeing things that weren't there.
"So many puddings! Hehe! They're all mine!"
Sakuya reached over and gave Milim a light tap on the head. Milim snapped back to reality immediately.
"Milim-sama. Playing dumb will not help you here. As punishment, your pudding allowance for today is cancelled."
"How can you do this to me!!!"
Kaito watched Milim's devastated little face and finally took pity on her.
"Alright, I'll give you mine. Cheer up, you look terrible when you pout."
"But you are never to steal Rimuru's pudding again. Stealing is wrong. Understood?"
Milim's eyes lit up like two small stars. She nodded frantically.
"Really?! Kai-chan, you're the best! Don't worry, I won't steal Rimuru's pudding ever again! You truly are my closest friend!"
Rimuru turned to look at her flatly.
"Hmph! I'm Kai-chan's closest friend! You've only known him for a week!"
"I am!"
"I am!"
The two reached a stalemate and simultaneously turned to face Kaito.
"Kai-chan! Who's your closest friend?! *2"
Kaito felt his scalp prickle. When had he wandered into a situation like this? He had no choice but to brace himself.
"Both of you! You're both my closest friends!"
"How half-hearted!"
"Exactly!"
Just as Kaito was quietly searching for an escape route, the hall door opened and Benimaru walked in.
The moment Kaito saw him, it was as if he had spotted a lifeline.
"Benimaru! Do you have something to report? Come on, let's step outside, no need to bother everyone in here!"
Benimaru barely had time to register what was happening before Kaito had already steered him back through the door and out into the open air.
"Uh, Kaito-sama, I actually came to find Diablo-sama. There's nothing that requires your attention right now."
Kaito blinked.
"You came to find Diablo?"
"Yes. There are some matters I'd like to ask him about."
"What kind of matters?"
"Things concerning demons. As one of the oldest demons in existence, I believe he would have a great deal of information I need."
Benimaru said it with a steady, serious expression. He already knew who Diablo truly was, the Primordial Black.
Kaito had asked Rimuru to give Diablo his name the day after she woke up. At the same time, Kaito had drawn five hundred thousand souls from the Conqueror's Banner and fed them directly into Diablo, sending his strength rocketing upward.
[Eye of Identification]
Primordial Seven Pillars, Black: Diablo
Loyalty: 100
Affection: 100
Abilities: [Temptation King Azazel], [Thought Acceleration], [Universal Perception], [Demon Lord's Haki], [Spacetime Domination]...
Overall Strength Rating: SS-