CHAPTER 3:

SHIZUE

Harry stared as the Reparo actually brought the hut he had been sleeping in back together. "Holy crap, Harry!" Rimuru yelped. "How did…?"

"…I don't know. I mean…I knew the spell, but I didn't think it'd work on something like a hut," Harry said.

Standing with him and Rimuru was a tall, burly man with a short mop of white hair and coarse, but rather attractive, features. The green skin and tusks protruding from his lower jaw marked him as a Hobgoblin, specifically Rigurd, the Hobgoblin Chieftan. He was staring at it, before he chuckled. "Ah, what a useful spell that is. Just as well you only caused damage to your hut and the immediate surrounds."

"Believe me, the Obscurus did more," Harry said. "They had to contain me in a special magical ward on top of the locking charm, and it was only because I tried that spell that I escaped that. I've got the feeling I exhausted a lot of it when I laid waste to that fortress and escaped."

"Well, Great Sage was able to observe it when we came to the tail-end of it," Rimuru said. "Plus, Voldemort had heard about Obscurials, albeit only in passing. An Obscurial is what you are, a wizard afflicted with an Obscurus. It's like a parasite formed by your own magic, due to hating it. Not sure whether there's a treatment or a cure or anything."

"Joy."

"Hey, I'll do what I can to help you, I promised. If nothing else, maybe I can figure out a way to treat you. I mean, those potions you took with you when you escaped were handy. The last time I named all the Goblins and Direwolves, I was out cold for three days. You managed to ensure I was only asleep overnight."

Harry nodded. "I stole them while I was escaping. My clothes and anything I'm holding seems to transform too. I'm glad nobody got hurt."

"It's a rare human who cares," Rigurd said, coming over and clapping a friendly hand on Harry's shoulder. "So I thank you for doing so. Too many humans would think little of cutting down a Goblin if they so much as looked at them funny."

"…Hey, as long as you guys are decent, I won't do such a thing. At least not intentionally," Harry concluded with a crestfallen expression as he looked at the hut.

Rimuru had to name about 500 Goblin refugees after speaking with Harry. Or rather, he had to Name them. Monsters didn't usually have names given to them, so naming them, plus an investment of magical power or 'Magicules', actually made them stronger. They could even evolve into stronger forms, a bit like Pokémon.

Of course, Rimuru's names weren't always the most creative. He basically used the word 'Gob' as a prefix for a lot of them, plus Japanese syllables as a suffix. Rigurd and some of his immediate family were amongst the exceptions. A similar process had been used to Name the Direwolves.

On a related note, Harry had finally met Ranga, and was surprised to hear the massive horned wolf talking to him telepathically. Like most of the Hobgoblins, Ranga and his pack accepted Harry, maybe a little warily, but it was clear how much Rimuru's word meant to them. Then again, Rimuru was, far and away, the most powerful being here. He wasn't just powerful, but his abilities, absorbed from monsters in a nearby cave, were varied.

Anyway, Harry had asked Rimuru about the process, and remembering the potions he had stolen, potions he had learned about from Razen's lessons prior to his imprisonment, he'd offered them to Rimuru. Thankfully, the potions helped accelerate Rimuru's recovery. Thankfully, because Harry didn't want to remain without Rimuru to keep an eye on things and smooth things over if the Obscurus Unique Skill played up.

True, Kaijin and his fellow Dwarves could help. While they were mostly artisans, they could handle themselves in a fight, and Harry had quickly warmed to Kaijin, especially considering he had gotten screwed over by a prominent minister in the kingdom called Vesta. But there was only so much they could do. Kaijin at least had elaborated on what little Harry admittedly knew about Falmuth.

"Harry, you're still a damn sight better than most," Rigurd said. "Besides, we lived in fear of a brutal death too often as Goblins. Who knows what is happening to the other tribes who aren't under the protection of Lord Rimuru. Probably being slain or absorbed into the armies of the other races as fodder."

"Lovely," Harry said.

"Welp, Harry, I've gotta go and help Myrd with some surveying work. If we're going to be building a proper settlement, it's gotta be done," Rimuru said. "Stay out of trouble, okay?"

"Yeah, sure. Though trouble tends to find me…"


It was weird seeing the difference between the Hobgoblins and the Goblins they once were. Save for a few like the childish Gobta and the dopey-looking Gobzo, most of them looked fairly close to human, pointy ears, tusks and green skin aside. Hell, their intellect was the same too. Whereas their previous forms were closer to child-like in size and stature. They were also certainly more friendly than the Goblins back home. They had a nasty streak, those Goblins, he felt.

While he waited for Rimuru to come back, though, he decided to talk with Kaijin some more. The blacksmith was currently repairing some of the weapons the Hobgoblins had, most of them stolen from the corpses of dead adventurers. "I've heard of a few Otherworlders here and there. Mostly tales, really. One or two end up drifting here by accident, a few are reincarnated, but more often than not, like you, they're summoned here by some kingdom or other, hoping for an edge, a weapon. It's an appalling state of affairs. Though you said you come from one country called Britain, while those other three come from another called Japan."

"Yeah. You've heard of any others?"

"Hmm…I reckon that famous paladin of the Holy Western Saints Church might be one. Hinata Sakaguchi…not someone you want here. That church is a bunch of monster-hunting fanatics. And then, another might be the Conqueror of Flames, Shizue Izawa. Very famous hero, that one."

"Those names do sound Japanese, though I can't claim to be an expert," Harry mused. "And given that this is another world, maybe there's just places with Japanese-like names."

"True enough. What was done to you in your world and mine was appalling. Problem is, I reckon it'll get worse before it gets better. Not because of you, and not necessarily because of Falmuth. Keep in mind, Veldora's power and presence kept the monsters from getting too belligerent towards each other. But with him gone…well, there's a bit of a scrabble for power. And that story old Rigurd said, about his son…I asked him about that. And I think there's something very fishy about that."

"How?"

"His son got Named, right? Not by Rimuru, but by some Majin, a Magicborn, wearing a leather plague mask and a top hat. Gelmud, I think Rigurd said his name was. Why did this Gelmud Name just him and then bugger off? Can't have been much of a Naming, either, if he died so readily to the Direwolves. You only have to see what Rimuru did to see the full potential of a proper Naming."

"You're right, that is suspicious," Harry said. "I mean, Rimuru is Naming these people because…well, he's too nice for his own good. But for this Gelmud guy…I dunno. It's nothing concrete, and yet…"

"Well, let's put it this way. There are plenty of shady factions out there. You've got the various kingdoms, to say nothing of the Demon Lords."

"Well, that's not ominous at all."

"Oh, a Demon Lord is nothing to sneeze at, Harry. They're powerful beings, all vying for power and supremacy. True, they also generally keep to themselves, thank goodness, but if one ever decided to take too much of an interest in goings-on here…I shudder to think. Take, for example, Milim Nava the Destroyer. She's one of the better-known Demon Lords, thousands of years old, with the power to destroy entire countries, with the appearance of a teenaged girl. About as bratty too, according to rumour. Be thankful she sticks to her own territories."

Harry shuddered at the thought. "Destroy entire countries? That's bollocks, right?"

"Nope. Like I said, be thankful she sticks to her own territories. Here's hoping Rimuru doesn't become a similar threat. I don't think he will. I like to think I have a good instinct for reading people, even if he's a Slime. And he seems a genuinely nice guy. It's why I slugged that sod Vesta one when Vesta insulted Rimuru. Though I should say, Vesta's not truly evil by any means, he's just a petty sycophant who's wasting his potential in politics. I think that's why His Majesty made my sentence an exile. He knew what I wanted to do, which was to help Rimuru. We are friends, even if we hadn't seen each other for a while before then. I have faith that he'll rescind it eventually."

"Maybe. But I've been stabbed in the back by those in authority before," Harry muttered.

"Lad, you're too young to think like that. I don't know much about your story, aside from your being in Falmuth, but…you have an entire life ahead of you. Don't waste it drowning in self-loathing. Hell, if you want, I could make you my apprentice?"

Harry had to admit, Kaijin's offer made him chuckle. "Thanks, but no thanks. Blacksmithing isn't my thing. I'm actually a half-decent cook, though. So's Rimuru. I should really make a meal myself."

Suddenly, there was a commotion outside, and Harry looked out to find Rimuru and some Hobgoblins perched on top of the Tempest Wolves. But they weren't alone. A group of humans were there too. Two men in their 20s, a blonde girl in her mid-to-late teens…and a dark-haired woman, short and slender, wearing a strange, eerie mask, albeit with a crack on it.

Harry was instantly on-edge, wondering if these guys were from Falmuth. He felt the stirrings of the Obscurial, and he grimaced. Not now, not now!

"Hey, Harry! We're going to treat these guys to some lunch, okay? You wanna come with?"

It was hard to say no to the ebullient Slime. He just hoped he wouldn't regret this…


Three of them, the two men and the teenaged girl, were adventurers from the Kingdom of Blumund. It shared borders with Falmuth, but they weren't necessarily on friendly terms. Kabal was the leader, a rather goofy warrior who had a habit of stepping into messes he shouldn't. Gido was the thuggish-looking thief. And Elen was the girl, a mage.

The dark-haired masked woman was Shizu. And remembering what Kaijin said about Shizue Izawa, and Rimuru's comments about her flames, Harry was wary, even as they ate. He didn't know how long it was until the Obscurial played up again, and these newcomers were making him antsy.

As the three main adventurers left while they bickered, Harry was left alone with Rimuru and Shizu, eating their lunch. Shizu then looked to Harry, before removing her mask, revealing quite pretty features, with a faded burn scar near her eye. "Hello, I don't think we met yet. I am Shizu. Rimuru said your name was Harry Potter, right?"

Harry nodded. "I'm guessing we're discussing this because I'm also an Otherworlder?"

"Yes. Actually, Falmuth sent over a bounty for your arrest, I should point out. It only just came in before we left for Jura." As Harry tensed, Shizu held up her hand. "I'm not here to take you in, and I'll try to ensure that nobody from Fuze's guild comes. My word holds a lot of weight there. I know all too well the plight of Otherworlders on this world. You may not be Japanese, and my country was at war with yours during the time, but…I have students who were in a similar situation to yours, summoned to act as weapons. I'm telling you this because you deserve better. Better than I did."

"You did?"

Shizu nodded. "I grew up during what you call the Second World War. I learned the term later from another Otherworlder. I only knew that it was what we called the Showa Period…and Tokyo was being bombed with firebombs."

Harry blinked when he realised something. "Are you Shizue Izawa, the Conqueror of Flames? Kaijin mentioned you shortly before you arrived."

"…I hate that title," Shizue admitted. "The flames were not gifted to me in transit to this world. No, they are a curse. Like you, Harry, I was summoned here, though I assume Rimuru here was reincarnated as a Slime. By a man…no, a Demon Lord called Leon Cromwell. He was trying to summon someone else, and seemed set to abandon me, only…he saw something in me, and bound an Elemental, a spirit of the elements, to my very soul. That power took the life of someone precious to me."

Harry stared at the melancholy Japanese woman. He realised that it was like looking into a mirror. Someone with a cursed power, a title and fame they despised, summoned for trivial reasons, exploited? He sat there, even as Rimuru and Shizue began discussing Japan after the Second World War. Could Shizue be someone who could help him?

Was he even capable of being helped?

CHAPTER 3 ANNOTATIONS:

So, Harry's learned a bit more about this world…and has met Shizu!

No numbered annotations this time.