Italics indicate thinking
Bold is for attacks
Cryer's POV
For a bit things were nice and relaxing around the village, they build a small building and I started stocking with some of the old books I carried around or had stored in the immediate area but it was the start of a library which was nice.
"What a lovely little place, nice, quiet and out of the way." Shuna said coming to see me.
"Hello there." I nodded putting a book on a shelf "Yes, it is, it's nice to have someplace peaceful in all the hustle and bustle of a growing town."
"This town is so nice." The ogre princess smiled "Everyone here is so kind."
"It's true, it surprises me a bit." I said "I would have never thought to see creatures of the forest uniting like this, Rimuru is a charismatic being that's clear. I never thought the quiet life would suit me."
"So this is different than how you used to live?" she asked.
"Quite so, my work in the past was more violent." I explained "I'm not against aggressive action when warranted but living that as a day to day grows tiring, especially when a majority of your power is magical in nature, it's draining."
"You are a magic user primarily yet you seem to have a body made for physical combat." She gestured to my arms "You are…rather muscular."
"Haha." I chuckled a bit "A strong mind is useless without a strong body to withstand the spells and attackers, weak bodied mages are usually easy targets when caught without a defensive spell, or close range comes into play. Plus my body was made this way for a reason I'm sure…I wonder why sometimes."
"Why what?" Shuna asked.
"Oh nothing, just letting my curious mind travel." I said putting some more books away.
"Well I hope to see these shelves filled with books, if you need help managing it please ask." Shuna said "I'd be happy to come around."
"Please visit as much as you'd like." I told her "The doors are always open for you, but don't go shirking your duties to help me, I'll manage just fine."
"I wouldn't do that, but coming to speak with you is nice."
Shuna bowed and saw herself out leaving me with my books.
"That girl, she's an interesting one." I laughed before I felt a change in the air pressure "Someone's here."
I headed into the main area of town and found people talking with Rimuru.
"What seems to be the problem?" I asked "I detected something off in the air, what could it be?"
"It's the Lizardmen tribe." Rimuru explained "Something about them coming out to negotiate with Goblin villages."
"Lizardmen this far out?" I hummed "That's rather rare, they prefer the swampy areas of the forest."
"I'm gonna go check it out." They said "Hopefully get to the bottom of this."
"I wonder why they are out here; I suppose I'll tag along and listen."
"Sure if you want, the ogres are coming too." The slime gestured.
We headed to the edge of the forest where there was a lizardman waiting.
"Just one?" Rimuru said.
"And dressed like a common soldier?" I added "How odd."
Just then there was a commotion from down the path as a whole platoon of lizardmen arrived.
"This is the person you will be working with." One of the lizardmen who was dressed almost like a cartoonish depiction of a ninja explained "The strongest Lizardman warrior and future leader, Gabiru!"
"I have come here to give you the chance to be my subordinates." He said.
"Haha, seems I was worried about nothing." I shrugged "I wonder why he's so strange though, a positively odd fellow."
"By becoming my subordinates, I will ensure the destruction of the orc army." He explained "Worry not feeble goblins…wait none of you are goblins."
"He's actually dumber than he looks." I whispered.
I don't think Gabiru realized how seriously on the back foot he was, he kept boasting and bragging as though he was in a position of power. It ended up at the point he had annoyed so many people that Rimuru just had Gobta duel him. He wasn't awful in battle by any means but he lost in just a few moves.
After that the Lizardmen left in a hurry and we returned to the village to talk things over.
"Wait there are 200,000 orcs?" Rimuru said.
"The number has grown since they attacked our village." Souei explained "They must have been just one division. They seem split into two groups that will soon meet at the eastern empire's river."
"That's actually near where the Lizardmen live, seems they'll be attacking them soon, after that…well they'll march here eventually." I explained.
"But what's their motive?" the slime wondered.
"I was thinking the same thing." I said "If it's an orc lord we're dealing with than it will want to destroy, and nothing more, but orc lords don't just pop up, something or someone is manipulating from the shadows."
"There is one last thing, while investigating, someone made contact with my clone." Souei explained "A Dryad."
"The Guardians of the forest." I was surprised, they rarely made contact with others.
"I'd like to meet her." Rimuru said.
"How kind." A gust of wind formed in the room and a beautiful green haired maiden appeared out of it "It's a pleasure to meet you, I am the Dryad, Treyni."
"Why are you here?" I asked.
"Ah hello to you as well, you've been keeping the forest peaceful as you promised, but now that the orc lord has arrived, he must be dealt with before all of the Great Forest falls, that is why I came to ask Rimuru to defeat him."
"Me?!"
It seemed like war was coming like it or not, fighting was no problem for me but one question kept coming to my mind, what was causing this, it was too calculated for orcs and for a Lord to spring up so randomly was unheard of, this was fishy and I wanted to get to the bottom of it.
AN
Thank you for reading. Feedback is appreciated. Feel free to message me any questions or concerns.
Pick up- Chapter 18
Till Next Time!
