Lost Kids

During the days of Milim's visit...

There's a bunch of lost souls in the forest.

Mostly boys, and one girl.

But they are with destiny.

They struggled with the forest that their top priorities now, are finding food and a place to stay.

Personalities were a loooot different.

The boys are headstrong in their own way, but not even they can get too out of hand because the lone girl cries too easily if they get 'too scary' because she was timid and meek.

'OK, now where are we?' an obnoxious white-haired boy with a growing buzz cut wondered.

'Beats me, anywhere is better than there!' the longer-haired white one snarked.

'But why are we still finding the Town of Monsters we're summoned for? We ran away didn't we? Why do we hafta do it?' a brunette boy with spiky-hair questioned.

'They might know a way to send us back because those guys sure as hell won't! They'll keep us here as their Heroes on a leash!' the previous speaker spat in disgust.

Cue bloodlust from one of them...

'Uwaaaa that's taboo to senpai!' spiky brunette laughed nervously at the boy clad in black who was the one oozing bloodlust.

'Hooo? Taboo, neh? Well I don't like the idea of being leashed, either. By scumbags no less.' a bluish-purple-haired boy spoke coolly in contempt.

'Y-yeah...the way they looked at us after calling us Heroes...and making us fight monsters...c-can we even do that?' the long girl who has shoulder-length purple hair squirmed nervously.

'Sure we gained skills like in Video Games, but NOT fighting prowess! Only Sasagawa, Hibari and Rokudo can fight while we relied on our Skills to get by. We need the latter more to survive this shitty place!' long-haired one grumbled. 'Skills alone just won't cut it, especially with what we put up for the past month since running!'

'I agree, we get by so far thanks to senpai-tachi and Rokudo, but one day, all it takes is a bad day, I hope we get reliable help soon...' the brunette boy sighed.

'Children? Don't go that way, we haven't cleared that area yet.' they meeped and turned to see a large...pig monster? And it's carrying a small rake and a sack. His voice is also quite booming, startling them. 'That area is full of Hallucinogenic Weeds. It's causing us trouble for building roads by making us see weird things by smelling its fragrance alone!'

'Uhm, so does that mean the Town of Monsters is nearby?' the girl piped up nervously.

'Yes. Just walk southwest from here and you'll see the road we built...and then go straight left following the road as soon as you get out of the forest. Keep following the road.' the pig monster advised, pointing away from himself. 'Bit of an advice as we'd rather live in peace, don't start trouble. Rimuru-sama would rather want peace and violence is a last resort if any one of us is attacked by enemies.'

'Hai!'

'Thanks a lot mister!' and the group ran off.

'Nooow then, where to burn these plants safely? Dangerous even as smoke, what trouble...' even muttering, pig-man was still kinda loud.

'I guess the plants that dude speak of sounds a lot like Marijuana back home huh?' long-hair mused thoughtfully.

'Probably, if it even scares monsters!' said spiky brunette.

They found the road and turned left as by the right, were several pigmen flattening soil and some putting mortar and bricks on the still-building road...and in no time flat before sundown? There it is! A bustling town of monsters!

'Uweee...so its near Falmuth in a way...' spiky-brunette mused as they saw a bustling town.

'They're civilized for monsters...and those guys are extremely afraid of these? They look extremely peaceful!' buzz cut sputtered out as the town was...normal!

'But...doesn't the building look kind of...Japanese-y?' the lone girl gasped softly, pointing out her observation. They looked closely at her words and indeed, the buildings are all Japanese-y, its like they stepped into Edo Wonderland! Only difference is that these people didn't wear kimonos.

'Uwaaa, you're right! I see old japanese style buildings!' spiky brunette gasped. 'If Nagi-chan hadn't pointed that out, we wouldn't see because we're too focused on the people here!'

'It looks normal other than citizenry...lots of green-skinned people and some dragonfolk and pigmen from before.' Longhair commented. Even children running around! 'Rokudo, how's the brat?' he asked, looking at blue-haired boy. He took out a pack with holes.

'Still under my illusion, worry not.'

'Honestly, we had to keep him under illusion because there's no way he'd behave in a world like this and get us killed by his antics. And stupid idiot will get himself killed just for being stupid I've seen smarter toddlers. He'd be the type with a little flattering, he'll get leashed. We really need to go back soon if the possibility exists.'

'The buildings are Japanese-y. Their ruler who's a Slime built all this.' the boy clad in black spoke. 'We need to see the Slime.' Nagi, their lone girl began asking around...

'This way!' and she led them through the crowded roads and kept going straight, until they found a large government building. The government building...is modernly-built!

'W-wow, isn't this place too big for a Slime?' spiky brunette gasped out.

'His employees need the space, duh! This is a government building and many departments had to be built!' longhair sighed when Souei appeared in front of them. 'Yeow!'

'What is your business here?' he questioned them before having a closer look. '...human children?' And they're so filthy, with clothing damage.

'A-ano, we're here to see Slime-boss.' Nagi piped up shyly. 'H-he might know a way how to get us back home...to our world.' she said. 'The country of Falmuth summoned us as Heroes, b-but...'

'We don't want to so we ran away.' said longhair gruffly. 'The way they talked to us about this hero bullshit, we're clearly living weapons to them, using our skills! But the problem is two of us...they haven't developed any, they'll die in a few years if we're stuck here so we have to go back to our world as soon as possible!' he explained. 'Nagi and Lambo are gonna die from Magicule Poisoning and those shitheads clearly don't care!' seeing the urgency of the young humans who came to them with such a situation that they chose to turn to monsters than their fellow humans given their circumstances, he agreed to let them see Rimuru.

'Very well. I'll lead you to Rimuru-sama.' Souei agreed as he led them inside, upon seeing how urgent the children clearly felt. He led them upstairs and to an office where Souei just entered without bothering to knock. Sitting on the desk was a very cute young boy who doesn't look older than ten doing errr woodwork as he's writing on woodblocks and beside him is a single-horned woman in a secretary suit, just one button away from wardrobe malfunction. The boy however, has a Japanese-y face.

'Rimuru-sama, human children are here to see you.' Souei reported as the boy called Rimuru looked up and he popped to slime form, startling the teenagers. 'They said they are otherworld children, summoned by Falmuth as Heroes...or rather, living weapons. They came here for help.'

'I see...so it's that kind.' the slime's voice is kinda cute! 'I know of their existence but still, summoning many otherworlders and Falmuth is clearly grasping at straws here as only one true Hero out of many otherworlders is chosen by the World itself. A human otherworlder with power comparable to a Demon Lord and these kids clearly aren't the chosen one. What's even worse is they're yanked out of their lives at any moment without a say in the matter.'

'Is there a way for us to go back? Three of us have families while others...clearly are fine either way.' said spiky-brunette.

'I'll be blunt with you.' said Rimuru as he changed back to his human form and he looked serious while also, having sympathy for them. 'Summoning, is a one-way street.' that was to their horror. 'The Summoning is been abused by many human kingdoms who want the advantage of summoned Heroes with enhanced abilities and powerful Skills gained from crossing over to this world, or even just knowledge of their original world that could be put to military use to serve as a bolstering force for their military might, and the most unscrupulous ones can carve special runes into the Summons' souls that bind their loyalties to their summoners on threat of death and they're very much aware of this. And the Summoned doesn't exactly get a choice in the matter or even the chance to refuse.'

'I can see that you're clearly Japanese...because the oldest one here is Izawa Shizue, who lived her entire life as an Adventurer known as Explosive Monarch. She died of old age two years ago, which is rare for most adventurers who don't even live past their first year in that career. She has two eldest pupils, Sakaguchi Hinata and Kagurazaka Yuuki...and before her dying years, a bunch of children no older than elementary schoolers in danger of Magicule Poisoning as well.' said Rimuru. 'She was plucked out during the Bombing of Tokyo back in WWII. Her only mother killed by falling burning debris before she got summoned here seventy years ago.'

'Ah...'

'Summoned aside...there's also Reincarnates like myself.' Rimuru told them, stunning the kids. 'People who die in Earth will sometimes hear a voice. A voice that grants skills based on their dying wish before reincarnating here. Only my closest friends here knows the truth about me.'

'Rimuru-sama never told us his old name though.' Shion pouted.

'That's because I prefer my life here as well. I'd rather not be the old me again, Shion. I'd rather be the lovable cute slime, Rimuru.' said Rimuru jovially. The kids noted the woman's name is a good name for a girl back home. 'And I like the name Veldora gave me, Rimuru Tempest.' Rimuru snorted as Shion squealed in cuteness and Souei could only chuckle.

'My life in Earth was lacking, without fulfillment. Empty.' Rimuru continued on with a somber sigh. 'Adulthood there isn't all it's cracked up to be and sadly, naive schoolkids don't know the horrors of being an adult in our country.' he said with a cynical smile. 'Things these kids before us will never know nor experience and life here is much happier. The Summoning is a one-way street because of the selfishness of human kingdoms, so as fellow Japanese, I will help you settle down in Tempest, our town of monsters if you don't wanna live in a human country in fear of being located and dragged back to serve in their military. You can have jobs, we're all about free will here as long as nobody starts trouble.' he promised them.

'Shion, take them to our clothing department before the bathhouse...and show them to the VIP Hotels.' he instructed Shion. 'And after that, you kids have free time to explore and if you're hungry come back to the hotel. But come sunset, come to this office.' he told them. 'One of my subordinates, Touka can help you with Magicule Poisoning. But that will come with a cost.'

'A cost?' Rokudo frowned. They don't have money! He was prepared to use his illusions to make it look like they paid, but considering they're monsters, how effective are his powers? That, he didn't know.

'There's a possibility that you will become a Demi-Human as only monsters can safely possess high levels of Magicules.' said Rimuru grimly to their horror. 'To live is to become like us as time passes by. So I'll give you time to think.'

xxx

'Well...certainly wasn't expecting that.' said Rokudo as they followed Shion out.

'Ano...what's it like? Nagi asked Shion. 'A demi-human...'

'Well, we have a former Demi-Human before, Touka.' said Shion. 'She is a rare human with an innate ability to have high levels of magicules and absorb them as well to get stronger, or empower others if they ran out of power.' she explained. 'Later when Rimuru-sama named her, she evolved into a Succubus, a fairy demon that eats dreams.'

And that's it? Succubus back home are known as sex demons, seducing men and taking their life force or worse, souls in exchange for bedroom bliss! Yet here they're just Dream Eaters?

'Demi-Humans still age normally as humans do, until the time came that once you become a monster, longevity begins. Rimuru-sama estimated me to be a woman around human 25 years in age, but I'm over 500 now as an example.'

'Heee...'

'Named?' Rokudo frowned.

'Most monsters are nameless...we could go on for our whole lives without a name.' said Shion. She explained the Naming System to the kids. 'So should you become a monster one day, when you want a name, make sure a powerful monster names you, not a weak one, otherwise you won't evolve any more unless your namer dies. Like me, I was an Oni before and when Rimuru-sama named me, not only did I get stronger but I even evolved into a Kijin!' she chimed happily. 'And to think Oni become Kijin in old age yet I got mine in young adulthood!'

'Uhm, OK...' "So I'm considered nameless when I become a monster..." Nagi thought.

Upon arrival to the clothing department, they were free to choose what they want to wear since their clothes look like 'they've seen better years' during their travel.

'The clothes sure are modern-ish...' longhair marveled. 'I guess its thanks to Rimuru's Japanese influence!'

They could take what they liked, being modern-ish in appearance. And are they all...silk?! Not a single cotton fabric or spandex?

Wow. Talk about living in class!

And the Communal Bathhouse! ONSEN!

Sadly, no shampoo or soap yet. They only made hygiene products for monsters, they haven't made stuff for human visitors yet...at least they have scrubs.

Upon having new clothes, they decided to explore around Tempest, the town of monsters.

It's indeed, a peaceful life in this still-developing town.

'Well? What have you found out?' the black-clad boy asked Rokudo.

'This town is originally a Hobgoblin-Only Village and Rimuru was their leader, those green-skinned folk.' said Rokudo, after returning back to his body in the park they stayed in. Until Orc Disaster happened three months ago, when a Majin stirred trouble by naming Monsters to do his bidding but until Orc King Geld, the monsters he named before were weak. The Oni from before were one of the six sole survivors when the Orcs devastated their village...and the Orcs are apparently suffering as well that they chose the path of thorns to survive even if it meant troubling everyone else.' that story, was a long one. '...to atone for their sins, they're now laborers until this town is done building to accommodate over a hundred thousand citizens. Laborers they may be but they still had rights at least and treated kindly by the townsfolk and easily forgiven. Everyone in this town are all Named Monsters.'

'Are we alright here?' Nagi asked him. 'We can stay and hide here? This town is so...so...normal.' she croaked out. 'Everyone's nice and polite. Yet humans in Falmuth are so...entitled.'

Entitled was understatement of the year, the older boys scowled. That one word summed everything up which was why they ran off after stealing some money thanks to Rokudo's illusion skills.

'Yes. As long as we don't start anything...apparently Rimuru wants co-existence and avoid racial prejudice as much as possible and reasonably can, because by the end of the day if something happens, he will always choose his people over the aggressor even if they're humans.'

'Yikes, that means we can't let Lambo out.' longhair sweatdropped. 'If he annoys the local kids enough...we'll be in big trouble!'

'You know I can adjust his attitude, right?' Rokudo asked him with a raised eyebrow.

'You can?'

'Duh.'

'Wish we knew that sooner...I swear, when he was normal and not under your spell in our short stay in Falmuth, I felt half my lifespan got shaved off with his antics and to think he's only five years old...who the hell are his parents, they're so irresponsible?' longhair grumbled. 'No discipline, no self-preservation, worse than a chuunibyou and no common sense whatsoever, just allowed to run amok with no consequence? Its a miracle nothing happened in our world but we can't let that stuff happen here. This is medieval society and the horrors that come with it. In history, in medieval society, children can and will get killed just for looking at a thug wrong.'

'Sigh...we can relax now I guess...let er' rip, Rokudo.' said spiky brunette with a gloomy sigh. 'I'm against this out of moral reason but troublemaker or not, Lambo does not deserve what's coming had he run amok in this world and gets caught. He'll pay, age-be-damned and by consequence, us because we're his minders.'

'Right...so then, I'll be editing his memories so he's educated.' Rokudo took out his trident and looked at their lone girl. 'Nagi, I'll copy your education and imprint it in his mind.'

'OK.'

xxx

Rimuru was in deep thought when Treyni visited him with that piece of information. As long there's a tree in Jura Forest, Dryads knows what's going on anywhere and everywhere. Wood Products are also an alternative eavesdropping device. The children were by a park he built for kids. 'I see...so this Rokudo is a brainwasher since editing memories falls along that line.' he said thoughtfully. 'And they're willing to live here to escape being...child soldiers.' the idea made him shudder.

'They must be in shock as back in my world, Child Soldiers are illegal. Criminals caught with the crime of Child Exploitation get a very harsh punishment, and the children rescued. Yet humans here...I admit I haven't explored this world since becoming Rimuru so I have no idea how humans here behave.' said Rimuru. 'I have little knowledge since the few humans I met are kind and with morals, but they can't exactly represent the entire society here.' he said, remembering the people he met. Cabal's party. Fuze. And the King and Minister of Blumund Kingdom. Gazel don't count as he's a Dwarf but he's also a just and moral man. 'I ended up being Ruler before I knew it.'

'That's true.' Treyni giggled. 'Then, shall I enlighten you a little, to understand the children better?'

'Yes please. What are humans here like, other than the nice ones I met before the Kijin joined us?'

xxx

Sunset...

The kids made their way back to Rimuru's Office.

'Okaeri.' Rimuru spoke, greeting the kids. 'You guys are a bit early, but Touka will be here in five minutes after class lets out, so it's a short wait.' he reassured them. 'Rest a bit since you walked your way here.'

'Thanks Rimuru-san.' sighed spiky brunette in relief. 'What we'd do for a bike now...' he said tiredly.

'Unfortunately bikes don't exist in this world.' Rimuru tut-tutted. 'Before I reincarnated here, I was a General Contractor. My jobs are related to Construction Work so I have no idea how to make a bike.' he chuckled. 'Shion, open the windows. Touka will fly in.'

'OK.' Shion opened the windows at his word, letting quite the breeze in. Soon enough, a beautiful young girl dressed in a black dress flew in. She has four bat wings. Two small ones on her head and two for functionality.

'Rimuru-sama, I'm...' her eyes fell on the guests. 'BACK?!' she did a double-take. 'Hibari-senpai?!' now her words stunned the teenagers.

'...you know me?' Hibari, the black-clad boy frowned. 'How, when I never met you before?' last he checked, he never encountered this girl in his life.

Rimuru and Shion exchanged looks. Given Touka's past...oh dear. They got worried.

'Uhm...its me.' said Touka shyly. 'Sawada Touka.' at this, the spiky-brunette did a double-take. Hibari on the other hand, raised an eyebrow. 'You saved me seven times from bullying and took me to hospital.' NOW Hibari remembered her. 'Its hard to forget the only person who actually helped me and showed me kindness before I died.' she said softly.

'...you were shot dead outside your house.' Hibari frowned. 'You must be like the slime, you reincarnated.' he mused thoughtfully. From Herbivore, she became quite the Carnivore now.

'Yes.' Touka nodded. 'I was a human before, but given my skills, I had to become a Demi-Human to survive, before I joined this town.' she explained. 'But how on earth are you here?'

'They were summoned as Heroes.' Rimuru deadpanned and Touka balked and since she wore her emotions on her sleeve, she clearly felt sorry for them.

'That...huh? For all my expertise in magic in the years I lived here, Souei-san and I stole many magic books from other countries, there's no way back.' Touka apologized. 'I can't help them.'

'We know that long ago.' said Rimuru. 'There is one thing you can help them with, while I design a house for these kids and their cohabitation. The little kid and the lone girl are in danger of dying in a few years from their growing magicule amount as they have no Skill to spend it off with. Death by Magicule Poisoning.'

'They have no choice but to be students in Magic Class just to expel their excess magic off other than the inevitable future of becoming a Majin as they grow older and powerful.' said Touka softly. 'Me I can accept easily since there's nothing worth going back to Earth for me anyway even if a return spell existed, who knows about them?'

'I'm OK.' Nagi decided in determination. 'I don't want to die.'

'Lambo-san doesn't want to either.' Lambo who had education brainwashed into him, shivered. He had Japanese and basic education from Nagi copied and downloaded down pat.

'Very well. I will enroll you as students in my Magic Class.' Touka smiled. 'We can get you a staff to harness magicules with and we'll start with Basics as you can't learn high-level magic without those basics. But Rimuru-sama, we may need to commission a mini-staff for Lambo.' they all pointedly looked at Lambo who was smaller than kids his age should be. 'Is he three years old?'

'Five.' said the longhair flatly.

'FIVE?!' Touka and Shion squawked in horror. That, tiny little kid, five?!

'HE DOESN'T LOOK FIVE!' Rimuru howled in disbelief. 'I thought he's fresh out of diapers! That's taking Child Soldier WAY too far!'

'Irresponsible Parents. Kufufufufu...' Rokudo chuckled darkly, causing the Reincarnates to sag their shoulders in dismay.

'For now they'll stay in the hotel for VIPs until their home is built.' Rimuru decided. 'So what are your names kids? I have to add you to Citizen Registry. Say your names in Earth Western Order please, to avoid confusion here.'

The kids introduced themselves.

Hibari Kyouya was the eldest, followed by Rokudo Mukuro, Sasagawa Ryohei, Gokudera Hayato, Yamamoto Takeshi, Hanazawa Nagi, and Lambo Bovino. Rimuru created a wooden file.

'Er, what happned to paper?' Gokudera asked Rimuru, baffled with the wooden plates he uses.

'Paper here is Parchment, as in, the kind made out of animal skin.' Rimuru deadpanned. 'Expensive! There are no trees or anything plant usable to make paper here! And rearing animals for that is space-constraining our livestock here are solely chickens out of practicality's sakes. And even if there IS the equivalent of a mulberry tree here for washi paper, I don't wanna piss off the Dryads!' he shuddered at the idea. 'Every tree we take for building, we immediately replace with saplings to balance things out.'

'Ah...'

'Alright, Magic Training for Nagi and Lambo can wait until the Dwarves made a Staff for Lambo.' Rimuru told the kids. 'I will be their teacher in the morning in Civilian School since you got your hands full with our town's children and the farms.' he told Touka. 'So you kids have free time. Shion, inform our Hotel Employees that the children will be there till their house is built.'

'Yes, Rimuru-sama!'

xxx

'Didn't expect that...' said Yamamoto. 'Dame-Daidai reincarnated here.'

'Dame-Daidai?' Gokudera blinked. That translates to 'no-good orange', doesn't it? Moreover, he had heard enough and he has a lot to think about, given circumstances before he was summoned to this world.

'...she was clumsy and has poor grades in school...that it became open season for bullying on her.' Yamamoto explained. 'She was afraid of everyone because she knew nobody would help her. Not even teachers. Nezu-sensei was the worst. She was in my class and she pointedly ignored me today, only having eyes for Hibari-senpai with good reason.'

'Then why did you ignore her? That's extremely uncool!' Ryohei frowned in disapproval.

'So did your sister y'know. She's in our class too.' said Yamamoto wryly. 'She was the class idol being cute. She was influential in the classroom that one word from her could have saved Sawada. But she never used her power in class. She acted as if what was happening didn't exist.' Yamamoto deadpanned, making Ryohei do a double-take.

'E-Eh? Kyoko...didn't do a thing?' Ryohei shook, out of shock. 'I know my sister! T-that can't be right!' he shook in denial. 'Its Kyoko who's always reminding me that I should behave and stop picking fights!'

'She has no excuse. I have, even if its selfish.' he said glumly. 'My arms are my future as a Baseball Player. I have to keep my arms safe even if my conscience is haunting me every day. But now Karma came to roost. My future as a Baseball Player is taken from me by those magicians and I can never see my dad ever again.' he laughed hollowly. 'And now Dame-Daidai is a respected figure in this town, a teacher even with Rimuru's trust while I have nothing now. The tables surely turned. And I have to repay what I owe her too, if she'll even let me.' said Yamamoto with conflicted feelings.

'Anooo...you can start by not calling her that.' Nagi pointed out. 'She's an important person here now. A school teacher and a Magic Instructor. The others might take offense if you insult her within their hearing range and we have no idea how far they can hear.'

'Yeah...I gotta change.' Yamamoto agreed. 'Karma charged its price and I have to pay it now. And you're probably your sister's Karmic Price if you ended up here, senpai.' he told Ryohei as the older boy shook.

'...is that why I got isekai'd in our dining room in front of my family?' Ryohei shook. 'My parents and Kyoko...saw me disappear.'

'...'

It was somber trip back to the hotel.