In the Kingdom of Casland, 400 years before Rimuru and Hinata came to the world named Ares, a series of natural disasters were happening. A massive drought and a mysterious earthquake shattered the nation into chaos. The civilization wasn't advanced enough to understand the cause of the earthquake. It is possible there is some tectonic activity in that area, but that was still a mere guess. The people were left shaken without any proper answer about the cause of this mysterious drought and earthquakes. But no matter how much they tried to find the answer, it has never come. Worse, what lies upon the people of Casland, was a nightmare of rising poverty and declining sovereignty.
The series of natural disasters also affected other nations. But they didn't suffer as much as the people of Casland. They still have land to grow food, raw materials for various production, and a sea full of natural resources.
Meanwhile, Casland was a nation which landlocked between various other nations. With its city reduced to rubble, houses were destroyed, and their lands were not fertile, to begin with, the already struggling nation has lost its cohesion.
With barely any resources, the royalties were desperate to save the nation. The nobles who were already corrupt from the beginning were only trying to save themselves, fleeing with the national treasury they could gather. They sold their own people to slavery and left anywhere they could go.
On the other hand, in the continent, there are two powerful nations that aggressively expand their territories. These two nations were the Kingdom of Magna and the Kingdom of Gigant. The two nations have been competing with each other to expand their territories while trying to avoid a direct confrontation with each other.
It is fortunate or unfortunate that these two powerful kingdoms would take any kind of territory, regardless of their value. Seeing the weakening state of the Kingdom of Casland, they tried to make it as their own territory. But these two kingdoms have different methods to take the land of Casland. The Kingdom of Magna wanted to make Casland their vassal state by offering protection and relief resources such as supplies and finance. In return, they wanted a large sum of human resources for their military purpose and huge tax from every sector in the kingdom of Casland. Meanwhile, the Kingdom of Gigant wanted to use a more radical method by military force and make them forcefully submit to the Kingdom of Gigant without any terms.
Without any option in their hand, the royalties agreed to the Kingdom of Magna proposal.
At that time, the king who ruled the nation was Constance's direct ancestry. He was a man with an awkward personality, but he never backed down from his words. He was against the proposal, but he also hesitated to face the threat of invasion by the Kingdom of Gigant. The pressure was very high to accept the terms from the kingdom of Magna, but he still never said agree even though on paper, the agreement had been made to accept the proposal.
The day before the formal signing of an agreement with the kingdom of Magna, he prayed as hard as he could. He made a wish to the stars, he wished his nation could stand on its feet without any dependency on the other nation. He hoped that somehow, the kingdom he ruled could have fertile land, huge raw material resources, and loyal people.
And miraculously, a stunning beautiful woman appeared beside him.
"Ara, you seem in a pretty troubled situation."
The woman spoke all of a sudden. He didn't understand how she appeared inside the castle which was guarded by heavily armed knights, but somehow he didn't feel his life was threatened by this woman. In fact, he was more stunned by the beauty of this woman beside him.
"…"
"Oh my, you're blushing. It looks very cute."
"C-cute?!"
The king wasn't an old man so it's understandable he still has a handsome face, but being told as cute is a compliment he never heard of.
"That's right! The face of my beloved has never failed to bring me happiness."
"Be-Huh?!"
He swears he never met this woman before, but somehow this woman already called him her beloved. The awkward situation continued for many hours later, but in short, they finally managed to talk in a good manner.
The king was curious as to why he didn't hesitate to tell each of his problems to this woman. And more surprisingly, this woman always smiled and gave him a gentle touch of comfort.
"If you let me, I can fix everything that bothers you." She said.
"Wha? How?"
"Fufu, you'll see. But I won't do it if you didn't want it."
"I want it! Please, help me!"
The king was desperate about his situation, and without any second thought, he gave permission to this woman to do anything she wanted.
"Huuu… Being relied upon is surely a feeling I have been missing for a long time. Then, be my witness, my love."
She then walked to the balcony, stiffened her posture, and then flew.
The king almost didn't believe his eyes. The woman with the long blue hair, with an exotic dress which was a bit seducing, flew away without any wings or sounds. He still could see her figure, but she was definitely out of reach. And what happened next, was beyond anything he could fathom.
She raised one of her hands, and he felt a chilled wind down his spine. It was a terrifying feeling, yet he believed she didn't do any harm.
That chilly sensation was happening for a couple of seconds.
And after the sensation was gone, he saw the land in front of him, was growing a lot of green trees. Those trees are not just ordinary trees, they also have fruits and strong trunks just by seeing them.
"Fufu, this is just the beginning. Next, it will be grander."
Somehow, her voice are reaching his ear even though she looks far away from him.
"W-Wait!"
"Ara, what's wrong?"
"Who are you?"
"Ohh… I forgot to introduce myself. Fufu, then please remember me well. My name is Velgrynd."
"Vel…grynd?"
"Yes, the scorch dragon Velgrynd."
He was certainly surprised by that introduction. A dragon? What is that?
And it will take a long time before they both can have the same understanding of what happened.
The kingdom has undergone a massive change since that night.
The land had suddenly become fertile enough to grow any kind of plants, the precious metal and every kind of ores could be found in almost every corner of the kingdom, and the people were fully devoting themselves to the king upon the miraculous event.
The nobles who sought the opportunity upon realizing the existence of Velgrynd were trying to take her for their own. Of course, any kind of method they tried to her was failed miserably. She was too strong in literal meaning, and her heart was never wavering no matter how cunning the method was to shake it.
These failures forced them to become obedient, and over time, they accepted it as a natural course.
The most important thing was the disagreement with the proposal to become a vassal state from the Magna Kingdom. At first, the Kingdom of Magna was angry by their sudden rejection, but upon learning about Velgrynd's power, they gave up on pursuing the negotiation.
Only the kingdom of Gigant recklessly tried to invade the kingdom, albeit being utterly beaten down in a brutal way. Velgrynd has single-handedly transformed the kingdom of Casland from a poor country into a new superpower.
The kingdom of Casland became a feared nation by others, and nobody tried to pick a fight with them. Their territories were expanding greatly.
This situation lasted for decades since the king was on the throne without any hitch. It's a golden time.
Yet, things started to change when the king passed away.
Not long after the king passed away, Velgrynd was nowhere to be seen. Not even when an eulogy was held, Velgrynd was in sight. She completely vanished, leaving with nothing except a small words, "Don't worship me, my brother Veldanava is the mightiest one. And I'm here, only for my beloved's soul."
For several months, the royalties in the kingdom launched a series of search missions, yet to no avail. Even the most optimistic person started to waver after many attempts to find her failed.
The disappearance of Velgrynd leaves a great amount of loss. The kingdom lost its guardian, albeit they still could enjoy their new rich lands. But it was prone to conflict.
The other nations were noticing the chaos in the internal affairs of the Casland Kingdom. They tried to invade the kingdom once again, but fortune was still on Casland's side. With their rich resources, their army could have equipment that better than other nations. And not just that, with their massive agriculture supply, they have a better physique for the standard of the world of Ares. The result was the victory for the Casland Kingdom.
Realizing their invasion failed again, most of them never again tried to meddle anymore. Except for one kingdom, which is the kingdom of Magna.
They suspect that the king has hidden the knowledge of magic somewhere. Thus, many schemes were set to obtain that secret knowledge of magic.
They send their spies, bribe officials, and many more.
They patiently proceed with every scheme they set up, until one moment, one mysterious person claims to be "almost" mastering magic.
For one hundred years, the thirst for good news upon the mission to obtain magic has driven the royalties of the kingdom of Magna to haste the process of integration. Seeing the impact of magic on a poor country such as Casland to suddenly improve their condition in just a short time, had made them impatient to use it.
But alas, just as when they wanted to make this unknown man share his findings, he's missing.
The reason was unknown, but for various reasons, death is not an answer that they could accept. Royalties and nobilities, they unite to find this man. In their attempt to find this man, they commit various atrocities against the people who are suspected as helpers of that man to escape.
The reality, however, was uncertain. Whether this man had died or run away, the answer is never to be found.
The situation had heated up the turmoil. Royalties and nobility were suddenly disintegrated, and by many factors, the kingdom of Magna became a field of war for many complicated and complex reasons. By that time, the existence of the kingdom of Magna had vanished.
Learning from what happened to the kingdom of Magna, many nations upheld an unwritten rule to never be involved with magic. But the interest in it never ceased to exist. And in the pretext of wanting the Casland kingdom to "keep the peace", many nations have been trying to meddle in internal national affairs.
The reason for their meddling was simple, to have a piece of their land and to obtain anything that could be useful for recreating magic.
And those things were happening at the same time when they upheld the unwritten rule to never be involved with magic.
Such a hypocrite as the world used to be.
In a room with a beautiful small flower garden, 3 men are sitting with serious faces. They have been talking for hours, not realizing that dinner time has passed long ago. The light from the chandelier inside the room illuminated the whole place with a dim light yet gave a soothing feeling to the three men inside there.
The servants have been serving a coffee many times, yet they never serve any meals since none of them ask for it. One maid, an old female with nice etiquette, grew concerned over the health of these three men. Realizing she could not act on her own, she asked for help from the newly arrived butler.
"Excuse me, Vlan-san. But, His Highness and the others haven't had dinner yet. As I recall, His Highness doesn't even have lunch this afternoon. But they never ask for a meal. What should we do?"
"Is that so? Why didn't you tell me before?"
"My apologies, At first I thought it was only because His Highness wasn't hungry yet. But it's been hours since the dinner time has passed. It's already midnight as well, I can't help but get concerned."
"All right, is there any food left in the kitchen?"
"Yes, there should be still some food in the kitchen. We can heat it up first."
"Good, please prepare it. You can leave it to me for the rest."
"Thank you very much for your cooperation, Vlan-san."
"Don't mind me, I'm just doing my job as His Highness's main servant."
The old woman gave him a smile and went off to the kitchen.
After several minutes, she came back with a tray. There are three plates of meat pie, cooked fish, 3 pieces of bread, a bowl of fruit, and a jar full of fresh water. Vlan gave her a smile and nodded as he took the tray. The old female servant meanwhile, is gone for rest after getting permission from Vlan.
Vlan brought the tray to the room where the three men had been sitting for many hours.
"Good evening everyone."
He clearly just barges in without any restraint. This act, of course, was enough to make them flinch a bit. Except for Rimuru who already noticed him beforehand.
"Woah, Vlan! What are you doing?"
Constance already starts to reprimand him, while Count Billard is keeping quiet.
"Forgive me, Your Highness. But it's already midnight, and you all haven't had any dinner yet. So here, please eat and pause whatever you've been talking about before."
"Oh my, that's pretty much an insolent word for a servant." Count Billard commented. But Vlan was only smiling after hearing that comment.
"I'm sorry Count Billard, but Vlan has a tendency of being rude and brazen to whoever he talking to. I apologize on his behalf." Constance bowed down to Count Billard. But Count Billard only smiled.
"It's all right. I am already aware of Vlan's personality. Please be at ease, Your Highness."
"Thank you very much, Count Billard. Come on Vlan, you have to apologize as well."
"My sincerest apologies to everyone, forgive me for my earlier rudeness." Vlan bowed his head.
The three men were only nodding, and carefully took their dinner. Vlan is still there to serve and accompany them until they finish.
The three men except for Rimuru, should have thanked Vlan for his insistent on bringing a dinner to them. Because when they realize they have spent a long time discussing the future plan, they can feel their stomach has been growling for a long time ago. And because of it, unaware of how starving they are, the food has vanished in just a mere minutes.
The discussion had gone very long and exhausting, yet it was deemed as necessary until the three of them forgot about their own self. Seeing this, Rimuru has deepened his own resolve to help Constance win this civil war.
After finishing the dinner, all of them stared at each other, thinking about what should be discussed next. Vlan has taken everyone's dishes and dismissed himself to take a rest.
"Vlan has taken a rest, how about you?" Rimuru asked Constance and Billard.
"Don't worry, I can still think very clearly," Constance answered.
"Your Highness, it's commendable for you to stay awake for hours doing a good deed, but you can't force yourself or you'll collapse and make yourself absent in the upcoming important event."
"But I'm fine, really. We haven't finished yet either."
"I agree with Billard-san," Rimuru interjects.
"But Rimuru, we still haven't decided on-"
"Don't worry, we can talk about it tomorrow early. Right now, you-I mean, we all need a rest. Don't you agree, Billard-san?"
"Yes, I agree Rimuru-sama. Even though it's important, we need a much more relaxed brain to think about these important discussions." Count Billard agrees with Rimuru.
"See? Let's get some rest first, Constance. Believe me, tomorrow we're in a better shape to discuss things more."
Constance seemed to hesitate, but given the person he needed to discuss with was in favor of holding the talks, he can't pursue any further. As a matter of fact, he hasn't realized how fatigued he is. So in this case, Rimuru and Count Billard were actually doing the right thing for his sake.
"All right, I understand. Sorry for forcing you to continue like before."
"Good decision, hard work is a good thing but rest is a must. I too have gone a bit tired, to be honest." Rimuru positively responds to Constance's words.
"I thanked you for the awareness of having a good rest, Rimuru-sama. This old man has gone pretty fragile to have a breakdown in any circumstance." As much as Count Billard tried to say those words in a joking manner, he could not deny that what he just said was the truth. Unbeknownst to Constance, Count Billard has been enduring his fatigue long time ago.
Ironically, Constance was also enduring himself. The difference is, he didn't realize it. And because of it, he wasn't aware of Count Billard's has gone tired.
Only Rimuru is aware of these two men's conditions. That's why he proposed the idea of having a rest.
"No problem Billard-san. It's only natural to have grown tired. Now let's go to our room and have a good night's rest."
"Yes, I shall head to my room now. Let's meet again tomorrow morning." Constance had stood up and was ready to go back to his bedroom.
"Certainly, Your Highness." Count Billard bowed himself and called Aidan who turns out still awake, and escorted him to his room.
Rimuru in the meanwhile, had no problem to heading back to his room alone.
Rimuru's POV
Phew, finally I can bail myself out of that discussion.
If I could choose one word for the discussion before, I would say exhausting.
But despite it being exhausting, I didn't really mean it. I didn't feel any exhaustion, and in fact, I'm still in good shape. But really, if I still had a physical limitation, I would have gone pass out from that discussion.
The never-ending information to process, and the constant questions being asked around, would fill my head with dizziness.
I can't imagine how much Billard-san had to endure Constance's barrage of talks, and for Constance himself, I cannot understand where his energy came from.
[Constance doesn't seem to really care about himself. Most probably, he experienced something that caused him to stop caring for himself.]
Hmm… That's probably right.
We hadn't talked anything about his past, but I have figured out some of the main problems of the situation in this nation. Looks like I have to discuss it with Ciel and Hinata.
[I will gladly do it with you, Master!]
No no, as I already said to myself before, I wouldn't make myself work on everything by myself. Besides, Ciel is my greatest partner. And with Hinata as my companion, I would also need her opinion.
And speaking of Hinata, she should have come back from the barracks right?
But welp, even though she already come back, it's not appropriate to talk to her straight away right now. I guess even though she's a Saint, she's not completely immune to fatigue like me.
So for tonight, I think I would also take a sleep.
Or so I thought.
I walked to my room alone since every servant in this manor had gone to sleep, and since my room and Hinata's were side-by-side, I could guess if she was already coming back or not by hearing the sound inside of the room.
And hey, I'm not peeping okay?
As I neared the door to my room, I could hear some walking sound inside Hinata's room. I take that as proof she already came back. But as I said earlier, I think it would be inappropriate to come to her right now.
So with that in mind, I opened my room and dismantled my equipment. I didn't bring much though, only a small waist bag and a sword. I locked the door and changed my clothes, then started lying on the bed. I haven't changed my form into a slime since I came into this world, and that has to wait since I made myself look really like a human here.
Well, I already preparing myself to sleep, so what am I waiting for?
*Knock Knock
Huh? Knocking on the door? Who's that?
[It's Hinata, Master.]
Huh?
I thought she'd been resting herself. What does she want?
"Can I come in?" I hear Hinata ask behind the door.
"Sure, come in."
I open the lock and open the door for her. She's already changed her clothes into a simple white sleeping dress made of linen. She immediately walked inside my room and took a seat on the bed. She has a serious look on her face, and staring at me with questionable looks.
"So, is there something you want to talk about?" I asked while closing the door and locked it.
"Yes, and I need your knowledge in this."
"Uh… Sure? What can I do?"
"Listen to me. I'll be straight to the point. There's unknown power in this world. And it's not magicules, not a skill, and not even a spirit."
"What?! What do you mean by that?"
"I mean it as I said. There's something that enhances the physical ability of the human body. I see it with my own eyes. It happened to Captain Alan and some of the knights. I don't know for sure how that happened."
"Wait a minute. Can you describe it to me more clearly?"
[I'll show it to you, Master.]
Huh? Hold on, what do you mean by showing it, Ciel?
[I also sensed the anomaly from the barracks during Master's discussion with Constance and Count Billard. I tried to analyze it, but it's still lack of data. But I can show you the footage]
Wait, during the discussion? So that's why you suddenly stop talking in the early meeting!
[Tee-hee]
Don't Tee-hee it!
But before I could grumble more about it, Ciel already showed me the footage of Hinata and Alan-san's sparring.
Hinata is clearly holding back a lot, as she always doing parrying and dodging. She's even faster than Alan-san.
Urgh… Even by our world's standards, Hinata is one of the strongest fighters in the western world. I think, even if we also count the warriors from the Eastern Empire, Hinata is more than just a middle-rank tier. It's futile to have Alan-san fighting against her.
But I really commend Alan-san's determination to keep attacking Hinata.
The fighting kept on going for some more minutes, and I activated [Thought Acceleration] while I watched the footage. I'm aware I'm still talking with Hinata, yet Ciel showed me the footage.
The moment I've been waiting for has arrived.
In the last attempt to have a score on Hinata, Alan-san is charging at full power with all the remaining strength he had to Hinata. And that's when the odds are coming.
He ran much faster than a normal human can do, he's even faster than a horse, almost as fast as wind. He jumped more than 3 meters high, and the clash between his sword and Hinata's made a small shockwave around them.
This is not normal.
But what caused this to happen?
"I had a spar with Captain Alan, and he fought very well. In his last attack, he showed a superhuman ability that would be an anomaly to a normal human. He ran as fast as the wind, he jumped around 4 meters high, hit my sword along with a shockwave ran through the field. The interesting part is when he prepared himself for the final strike, he took a deep breath and at that moment, I saw something I cannot explain."
Hinata explained her version although secretly I already watched the footage. But her explanation gave me more details than just what I saw. Especially the part when she saw something getting inside the body of Alan-san.
"And what did you see?"
"I would tell you if I knew. But all I can say is, that it is some sort of particle. It mixed around the air and was very small, almost smaller than dust. In Captain Alan's case, the particles have a mixed color while the others who also did the same feat had one solid color."
"The others?"
"Yes, I also had a spar with the rest of them. Or at least, some of them who had a will to fight me. But not all have the same feat. I had a spar with some dozen soldiers and knights, but only a quarter of them showed the same feat as Captain Alan, even though they did not completely do the same as him. Some of them had a regeneration, some had more physical power, some had extra stamina, and some had a better sight."
"Say, don't you think it might be a skill?"
"No, because of those mysterious particles, it makes me think it's impossible that the answer is skill."
"Hmm… If so, then there's only one possibility. If what you saw is not magic in any kind of form, nor a skill or even willpower, then it's something new. A power that does not exist in our world."
"I thought the same. And none of the soldiers and knights were aware of this phenomenon. They saw what happened to Captain Alan but were also confused about what was happening. It means it's up to us to uncover this power."
"This is strange. If these particles could make a human become more powerful even without them doing it unconsciously, there should be a record about these kinds of incidents… wait a minute"
As I said that, I suddenly remembered about the story of the mysterious man who was said to be almost recreating the magic. And if I'm not mistaken, Constance said that according to the rumor, the mysterious man can destroy a rock just by touching it, moving very fast, having unlimited stamina, etc., right?
Say, isn't this similar to what happened to Alan-san?
[It has some similarities. Although Captain Alan seems to have run out of stamina after what happened.]
You're right, Ciel. It's not completely similar, but they have something in common. Which is, giving a superhuman ability to a human.
"Hey, tell me what's inside your mind, Rimuru," Hinata interjects my mind process.
Whoops, I forgot to tell it to her.
"Oh yeah, sorry. My bad. I just recall the story I just heard from Constance."
"What is it?"
So I tell her. From the beginning to the end. Hinata listens with full attention while sometimes interrupts with questions. I couldn't answer all of her questions since I didn't know the details, I only knew what I had been told by Constance.
After she heard all I knew about the story, we discussed what should we do about it. But, I think even without discussion, we both are having the same page about where to start.
"We don't have time to figure out this power. Our priority right now is to help Constance win this war." I made my first argument.
"I'm kinda surprised you're not going to pursue your interest in new things. Although I would say later on we need to figure out this power for its people, I agree for now we have a different priority."
"Oh come on Hinata. You know I was interested, but we have priority to handle. After we finished helping Constance, I would definitely investigate this mysterious power."
"Hmm… You said it to yourself that we wouldn't take many times in this world."
"I… yeah, I said it. Now I think I should take it back."
"Well, I won't say you don't have to. But remember your duty in our world. We also facing a great war, remember?"
"Yeah, and I know where you heading this conversation. Don't worry, I wouldn't abandon my own duty as a king."
"That's what I want to hear."
She stood up and walked to the window, watching the horizon and the night sky. Although in this world there is no energy to keep the street illuminated with light, the night torch and a dim light made from it could give a pretty view.
While Hinata was looking outside the manor, I sat on a chair near a work table. We both have been in silence for a few moments. I don't know what to say, but I also didn't want to disturb her own thoughts. She looks like in deep thinking, since she's been standing there for a while without any words spoken.
As I saw her back from this angle, I suddenly thought that maybe this is how Shizu-san always looks at her.
A troubled girl who never says anything about her problems. A stubborn child who always had a mistrust against the others, but dared to do everything on her own. She's a strong girl who wouldn't depend on others, but deep inside she wanted attention.
I wonder how bad she'd been before meeting Shizu-san. Hinata who appears in front of me is someone who already makes peace with what she's been through. She has scars, it's understandable. But she didn't bleed from those scars anymore. How in the world did Shizu-san manage to heal those scars?
"Rimuru."
As I was lost in my own thoughts, she suddenly took me aback by calling me.
"Yes?"
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure. Why not?"
"Do you wish Sensei is still alive?"
What? What is she asking? Shizu-san is still alive?
I mean, that would be very lovely. The kids wouldn't be saddened by her death, Hinata wouldn't be lost in vengeance and regrets, and Yuuki wouldn't stray too far from his path right now.
Everything might be better if she's still alive.
"Of course. The kids wouldn't have lost their mother figure if she was still alive. You won't waste your time regretting your decision, and Yuuki won't be this bad. Everything would be better don't you think?"
She nodded and smiled a little, but her eyes showed a sad look.
"I knew you would say that," she replied and continued "but believe it or not, all of them were resolved by you."
"What do you mean?"
"The kids might lose Sensei, but you saved them and now they are still able to live to see another day. I learned an important lesson to always try to understand other people, even though I have to get through the regret moment. And Yuuki, well, he's on his own. He has his own goal. And he achieved what he wanted by himself. Instead, if Sensei is still alive, she would be thanking you for being his enemy. Sensei and I would never be able to be his enemy, because we're not as powerful as him. But you, you're the only one who can stop his ambition."
"But that makes things ugly between us, you know that? If Shizu-san is still alive, she might be-"
"Cannot do anything. You can see from his actions alone, that he would not listen to anyone. In fact, through Damrada, he's making you and me clash with each other. He didn't see you're inheriting Sensei's wish. He only saw you as a threat, even with Sensei's wish residing inside of you. What would make you think that he would listen to Sensei?"
"Something unimaginable, I think?"
"You're the only one who can do such things, Rimuru. Sensei is a great person, but she's not obnoxious like you," Hinata paused a little and then continued "and that's why, you're the only one who can stop the obnoxious Yuuki."
"Hinata,"
"What is it?"
"What are you trying to say?"
I feel like this conversation is directed into something that I cannot imagine. But for some reason, I have a hunch that Hinata is doing this on purpose. It's like, she's trying to make me realize something. But what is it?
Hinata let out a sigh for a moment after I asked that question. And then she turns around and looking at me in the eye.
"I asked you that question, to see if you're honest with yourself or not."
"Pardon?"
"You answered with a reason about other people's needs. The kids, Yuuki, and me. But have you ever wondered about your own reason? What would happen to you if Sensei is still alive, have you ever imagined that?"
"I…"
"That's okay, Rimuru. I already know what you're going to say. You're smart in every way, but you're surprisingly dull in this kind of thing. Sorry for taking your time, I have told you everything I need to tell."
She walked toward the door and unlocked it. I was trying to say something to her, but she suddenly stopped before exiting my room, and then she said,
"I think if you talked more with Constance, you'll understand."
Then she closed the door, leaving me speechless while wondering what the hell is she meant.
It's past midnight, and the temperature is cold. Although it's not winter yet, the air is beginning to get chilly. The people on the planet Ares weren't really fond of a calendar, but they were able to count the days. But surprisingly, the planet circles the sun at the exact same speed as the Earth. And that makes it easy to understand about concept of time on this planet. So with that basic, it is safe to conclude that Rimuru and Hinata arrived on this planet during the autumn season.
That night, one man is walking around the manor wearing a thick wool jacket. He's been awakened from his sleep, and now he can't continue his sleep. Feeling a bit annoyed by it, he decided to grab his jacket and walk around the park in the manor's backyard.
He put both of his hands inside the jacket's pocket. He thinks that the cold air right now could ease his troubling mind. But when he continued his walk in the park, someone's voice was calling him.
"Vlan-san?"
He immediately turned his head towards the source of the voice. When he saw the source of that voice, he immediately bowed down.
"Rimuru-sama. What can I help you tonight?"
Rimuru was a bit annoyed by that attitude because he hadn't said anything yet Vlan had perceived he was going to do something.
"Nope, don't worry about it Vlan-san. What are you doing here?"
"You do not need to use honorifics to me, Rimuru-sama. Vlan is enough. And to answer that question, well, to be honest, it's very mundane. I cannot sleep."
"All right, Vlan it is. So you can't sleep eh? I didn't expect you would have trouble with sleep."
"Yes, usually I can sleep very easily. In fact, in the early days of my job as His Highness's servant, I often got late from waking up."
"Hahaha, that's quite a silly problem you have. So what's going on today? There must be something bothering you right?"
"Bothering me… Well, I am not really sure if that word could describe what I'm feeling right now."
"Hmmm… Hey Vlan, care to have me a company tonight? This little park is pretty beautiful. It's pretty well-lightened as well. How about we have talks while enjoying the view?"
"If that is your wish, I would gladly accept. In that case, how about I make some hot chocolate? It's usual to have a warm drink during a cold time."
"Oh don't worry about it. I can make you something better than chocolate."
Vlan was a bit confused by what Rimuru said. But remembering how inhuman Rimuru is, he decided to just follow along.
"Then, I shall gladly accept it, Rimuru-sama."
Rimuru nodded his head, and both of them walked to find a bench to sit on. They found the bench after walking several meters away from their initial place. It's near the torch which is placed on a pillar, with the fire adding some warmth for Vlan. He sat on the bench enjoying the warmth from the nearby fire, while he tightened his jacket around his torso.
At first, he looked around seeing the flowers nearby with unsure looks. He cannot distinguish the one which is beautiful and not. He's not a romanticist person.
"Here you go, Vlan. It's called chamomile tea. It will make you relax a bit."
Out of nowhere, Rimuru handed him a cup of hot tea. Inside it, there's a golden-red liquid, letting out a vapor with a relaxing smell. While confused about where Rimuru could get a cup of hot tea, he received the cup with much gratitude.
"Thank you, Rimuru-sama. If His Highness ever saw this, he would be scolding me for being the one who received hospitality."
"Hahaha… Then, we were lucky he's not here."
They both start to sip the tea. For Rimuru, it's not his first time drinking such a delicious and relaxing tea. But for Vlan, it's a whole new experience. He leans on his bench with both of his hands holding the hot cup. His breath let out a steam because of the cold temperature. Seeing this, Rimuru saw a chance to ask what was going on.
"So, care to share what bothering you, Vlan?"
Vlan answered without hesitation.
"I've been thinking about His Highness."
"Hmmm… You worried about him?"
"Very, Rimuru-sama. Very worried."
"He's pushing himself too hard isn't he?"
"He has always done that, without even realizing. But that's not what I'm worried about the most."
"Hm? What are you worried about then?"
He looked at Rimuru and was surprised that Rimuru didn't wear a jacket. He simply wearing the same tunic as today.
"Rimuru-sama, don't you feel cold?"
"Hmm? Ah, no I'm not. Fortunately, I have resistance against a cold, so I don't feel any cold right now."
"That would be very useful in this world, Rimuru-sama."
"Well, in my world, I used to deactivate some of my abilities to enjoy the facility I made and feel the joy of comfort. But in this world, I'm not in a position to enjoy luxury. Anyway, back to the topic. What is it that you worried the most?"
Vlan paused for a moment. He seems to hesitate to say what's inside his mind. Nevertheless, if he didn't say anything, his mind would only turn round and round back to square one. He needs to say what bothering him.
"Rimuru-sama, after all this time, nobody really wants to help His Highness. Many nobles and other people are only taking advantage of his kindness. They help him when he's in trouble, but in return, they demand something from him. It was never genuine, unlike His Highness."
"I see. Are you doubting Count Billard as well?"
"Honestly, I doubt everyone who's helping him right now."
Then he looked again at Rimuru.
Rimuru realized what that look meant, and for a moment, he wondered how to respond.
"I would say, I'm not one of those people Vlan. You can see for yourself. Constance is in a bad state. No matter how hard he tries to be tough facing all of this, he could collapse at any time. I don't want my presence to be the one who causing it."
"So can I take that as a statement that you would never take advantage of His Highness?"
Rimuru had a pause for a moment before answering it. He would never take anything from Constance, except for one. The one he's been looking for all this time. But he cannot say it loudly to Vlan, his most loyal servant. Before he could explain it properly to Constance, he cannot say his true intention to anyone.
So, Rimuru has no choice other than to lie a little.
"Yes, I would never take advantage of him, Vlan. But, perhaps someday, I would ask him a favor."
"Is it something that would need sacrifice?"
"I hope not."
"So in the end, you still need something from His Highness, right?"
"Yes."
Rimuru has no choice but to answer this question. It's either saying yes or no. Being a good liar is one of the things he cannot master. He almost gave up on making soft words to cover his true intentions. Right now, he only hoped Vlan would never ask further about what he's been seeking from Constance.
There was a sudden silence for a few minutes. Rimuru tried to break the ice by starting to sip the tea. And fortunately, it worked. Vlan also sipping the tea, and slowly breathing his lung. He didn't look at Rimuru, instead, he looked at the night sky. Rimuru saw his face. In that face, he could see a worried expression.
"Rimuru-sama, I may not be the nicest person ever existed. But my loyalty to His Highness, I wouldn't doubt that I'm the highest among the others. As long as you can help His Highness to settle this war, I will let you do what you want. I just hoped that what you asked to him, is not something heavy for him."
Rimuru tried to smile at him. He's unsure whether his intention, his true intention, was something hard to accept for Constance. Rimuru realized the hard part of his true intention was not explaining that he needed a part of Constance's soul, but explaining that if Constance didn't have Shizu-san's soul, Rimuru wouldn't even bother to help him. Indeed, Rimuru was finally helping Constance to win this war. But initially, he and Hinata had tried to avoid every conflict in this world. In that sense, if Constance was not the one who had a part of Shizu-san's soul, they would ignore Constance's circumstances.
But for now, Rimuru decided to brush it off and switch the topic to something more fun to talk about.
"Well anyways Vlan, would you like another cup? I still have plenty."
Vlan smiled at him, realizing his own topic had been brushed off. But now he knows that Rimuru has his own agenda. It makes him a bit relieved that at least, he knew that Rimuru was hiding something. Whether it's dangerous or not, he would patiently observe. For this kind of problem, Vlan has a big amount of patience.
"I would love to, Rimuru-sama."
"Then, here it is."
Out of nowhere, a teapot appeared on Rimuru's hand. It still contains a hot chamomile tea, and Rimuru casually pours the tea into the cup that Vlan's holding. Seeing this, Vlan is once again amazed seeing the sight.
"The power of magic is something unfathomable, Rimuru-sama. I wonder if I can master it as well."
"Unfortunately, you can't. Magic needs a source. In my world, we call it magicules. And in this world, I don't find any magicules in the air."
Even though what Rimuru has done is not magic, he chooses to let it slide by explaining a bit about magic. He continues the explanation about magic, although only the basics. He tells Vlan about the importance of magicules, the chant, the imagination, and the capacity to draw a particular spell.
"So that's how it works? Then is it impossible to recreate the magic in this world?"
"Nothing is impossible, Vlan. But, you know, it's never easy to create something we never knew before. Even if we have guidance, without someone to teach us, it would be very difficult."
"You're always trying to be optimistic, Rimuru-sama."
"Haha, well I was known to be a naïve person in my world. I would never stop believing in something, even if I failed on the first try."
"That would be very nice. Rimuru-sama, may I ask you something?"
"Sure, what is it?"
"How long are you gonna stay to help His Highness?"
Rimuru smiled after hearing this question. He expects something about his true intention or else, but turns out, it's an easy question.
"As long as I can help Constance run this kingdom."
"That means, you would help him even after the war ended?"
"Yes, if he still needs me."
"Believe me, Rimuru-sama, you and Hinata-sama would be needed for the rest of his life."
"Then, I would help him for the rest of his life."
Vlan was surprised by this answer. Before, he only said that with the intention to joke. But turns out, Rimuru answered it with the most unexpected answer for him. As for Rimuru himself, his answer is not a joke. He can manipulate time, so he can spend time as much as he wants in this world and come back to his own world at the same time as he left it. But without knowing this, it's only natural for Vlan to be surprised to the bone.
"Are you sure, Rimuru-sama?"
"Yes of course. I won't back down from my decision."
"It's rather hard to believe, Rimuru-sama. But I'm glad you do."
"Before you were worried about me taking advantage of him and now you're grateful to me for being on his side for the rest of his life?"
"I know it's weird, but His Highness and Rimuru-sama would make a great team."
"Because of my power?"
"Not just that, but because of your personality, Rimuru-sama."
"Hoho… What makes you think so?"
Vlan drank the rest of his tea and paused for a few seconds. He averted his eyes from Rimuru and looked to the empty space in front. Then, after another second, he replied.
"All this time, His Highness never had someone to freely talk about his problem in leading his people. Sometimes he talked to me, but no matter how hard I tried to understand, my brain could never keep up with his problem. I can only make his favorite food when that time comes. But with you, Rimuru-sama, I can see he finally has someone he can walk together with. Someone who has the capability to lead a kingdom. Someone who can be shared about his problems. Someone who he really trusts."
"I'm honored to be praised that much, Vlan. But really, I'm not that good person either."
"I have to disagree with that, Rimuru-sama. In fact, if you are a female, I would love to arrange a marriage between you and His Highness."
"Pffft!"
Rimuru literally spit the tea he was sipping. He really wished that Vlan was joking. And fortunately enough, Vlan was indeed joking.
Rimuru was coughing pretty bad after spitting the tea, and seeing this, Vlan had regretted the joke earlier. Vlan immediately hands out his handkerchief and gives it to Rimuru.
"My apologies, Rimuru-sama. It seems my jokes earlier are a terrible one."
Rimuru, after calming down from the intense coughing, replied bluntly.
"Yeah, not gonna lie. Your joke earlier is a bad one. I'm a male, remember that."
"Yes, I will always remember that."
Although Vlan said those words with sincerity, he could not hide his amusement for being able to make Rimuru surprised that terribly. His lips showed a smile and tried his best to hold a laugh.
Rimuru notices this. He wanted to retaliate, but couldn't think of anything. Instead, he remembered what Hinata just said earlier.
I think if you talked more with Constance, you'll understand.
Initially, Rimuru intended to calm himself by walking around the manor after that talk. But instead, he stumbled upon troubled Vlan, and after one thing to another, he was sitting here on a bench in a small park in the manor's backyard.
Right here right now, Constance is not the person he's talking with. But Vlan is someone who's been the closest to Constance for many years. Perhaps, on this occasion, it's a good chance to understand something more than just a war.
So Rimuru braced himself and asked Vlan.
"Say, what kind of person Constance in your eyes, Vlan?"
Hearing this question, Vlan had brushed all of his inner laugh away and thought of the best answer he could give.
"He is by no means, a very kind person. Although I would say, he's a reckless one. A very reckless person. He would give everything he had to help anyone, and that often made him not realize how exhausted he was. I don't know what's inside His Highness's mind every time he goes through it, but he never realizes that he has a limit. And every time he hit that limit, it would bring anguish to him. He would blame himself for a long time, saying he was not good enough. He would apologize to everyone, even when people he apologized to didn't bother at all."
Vlan paused for another second. Rimuru remains silent, letting Vlan catch a break and perhaps, find the right words.
"Many people think that His Highness is weak because of it. But I disagree," he stared at his hands, clenching both of them while holding a cup, "His Highness is a very strong person. He has the capability to have that tremendous amount of empathy. He lives with constant pain by understanding other people's sorrows. To live a life like that, while still being able to give a sincere smile, he's no weakling at all."
"His strong compassion to help the others, driven by his enormous amount of empathy made him the strongest person I ever knew. He felt that everything was his responsibility. He thought that as long as he lived, he was taking a part in making this world to be better. He's such a keeper, he didn't want to lose anyone even someone he doesn't know. That's why, every life that is lost in front of him, makes him grieve so much. He's… He's burdened with his status, Rimuru-sama."
"I think, he's not suited for the role of becoming royalty where he would face those political conflicts that could lead to a bloodshed. He's disliked by his fellow aristocrats, but he's loved by his people. Anytime someone tried to pick a fight with him, there would be always someone else who'd be willing to fight for him. And many times, it ended with the loss of life from his remaining friends. His great empathy and his status as a prince, as a royalty, made people who loved him so much, are willing to sacrifice their lives for him. Yet, that is exactly what made him in constant pain. And I hated it because nobody understood it."
"I understand," Rimuru replied after a moment of silence covering the air.
"Do you, Rimuru-sama?"
"Yes, I do. Because back in the day in my world, I've met someone like that."
"What is he like?"
"She. She's an amazing woman. Her empathy for the people around her is staggering. She lived with unhappy childhood moments, yet she has grown into a kindhearted person. She fights for the sake of helping the people. And because of it, people hailed her as a Champion."
"She seems to be a significant other of His Highness."
Rimuru smiled upon hearing those words, and then continued, "She lived her life full of struggle. An endless battle here and there. And people love her, many kinds of people idolize her. Even until her last moment, she's been struggling to save a group of troubling children."
Vlan has been looking at Rimuru since he's talking about his unknown female. He always believes that Constance is the only person who has an enormous amount of empathy. Yet, right now he's been told that somewhere out there, there is someone who lives with an endless struggle for the sake of helping other people, much like a person he served with utmost loyalty.
But Rimuru hasn't done explaining yet.
"And just like Constance, she's also having something inside of her that could lead anyone to their death. She has an uncontrollable power, a very dangerous one, inside of her. If it unleashed unconsciously, many people would die."
"Then how does she live her life?"
"As I said, she lives with endless struggle. No matter how impossible it is, she tries to control her enormous power and use it for good deeds. Eventually, she's able to control the power to some extent, but that's already a remarkable feat."
"That's more than amazing in my opinion, Rimuru-sama."
"Right? She's amazing in every way. A really powerful person, both physically and personality. But,"
"But?"
"She's lonely. She's been left behind by his loved ones. Her master, her mother, her students, and her home. In the end, she died with a hatred of this cruel world."
"... So, she's already passed away…"
"… Yeah. She passed away with tears that she disliked the world and begged me to give her another place for rest. And my biggest regret is I cannot help her with anything when she's still alive. If only I was strong enough back then…"
"But you gave it right? The place other than that world?"
"Yes, with my power, I can put her into somewhere else. But that's not the true place for rest. It's not a heaven."
"…"
"Seeing Constance having a loyal servant like you, made me think that Constance might be having a bit of better luck. He wouldn't feel lonely, I doubt he would ever feel like facing this world alone. And I'm sure, you wouldn't let that happen."
"Of course, I wouldn't."
"And she didn't have that. She was repeatedly left behind by her close people. Until now, I still cannot forgive myself for not being able to save her from that miserable life."
"Rimuru-sama?"
"Yes?"
"This person, who exactly she is?"
Rimuru paused for a moment. He didn't expect that question would be pretty difficult to answer.
A champion, a mother figure, a teacher, a family, nope. None of those statements is fit to answer Vlan's question. In the end, it was up to Rimuru to decide who exactly is Izue Shizawa.
Who is Shizu-san for me?
He racked his brain, but there was only one answer he could think of.
"She's… my 'Destined One'."
Yet, he still could not understand the feeling behind those answers. An unexplainable feeling always surges up from his heart, whenever he remembers the figure of the ever-kind, gentle sweet smile of Shizu-san.
Vlan was keeping silent hearing that answer, yet he looked at Rimuru with full conviction.
He's in love with her.
And funny enough, at the same time, Rimuru also found a hint of what he felt about Shizu-san.
Is this, am I in love with Shizu-san?
The next morning, Constance woke up with a fresh feeling he'd never felt for a long time. All of his fatigue was gone, and he felt his mind was wide open to have a good discussion.
Hmm? I wonder what's going on? I had never been this fit before. Oh well, maybe Rimuru is right, resting is really necessary after all.
Unbeknownst to him, last night after Rimuru and Vlan had finished their "midnight talks", Vlan tells Rimuru about Constance's trouble resting. After that, Rimuru with the help of Vlan, had secretly cast a healing spell that could ease the fatigue and spread some amount of sleeping gas in his room so he could sleep soundly.
To add that, Rimuru also did the same thing to Count Billard, for a good purpose.
The result was as good as predicted. Count Billard was also feeling fresh and fit when he woke up.
Rimuru who didn't need any sleep, was always in good shape.
Only Vlan who's still in a sleep at the early hours, but none of the residents in the manor make a fuss over it.
The four important people, Constance, Count Billard, Rimuru, and Hinata were having breakfast together. They were served with a meat stew along with boiled vegetables.
During breakfast, Rimuru started to talk to break the silence.
"Constance, you looking better."
"Yes, I am. When I woke up, I felt my body was so light. I could do a lot of things in this good shape. Thanks for insisting on having a rest last night, Rimuru."
"Don't worry about it. And by the way, Billard-san is also looking better."
"Thank you for noticing Rimuru-sama, indeed I feel much better this morning since I woke up."
"That's very good to hear. Oh and by the way, you haven't been introduced to Hinata right?"
"My my, I forgot about it. Count Billard, Hinata, my apologies for forgetting the introduction. Count Billard, this is Hinata Sakaguchi, a companion of Rimuru."
"My pleasure to meet you, Count Billard."
"Hooo… Very beautiful. I haven't seen any woman as beautiful as you for a long time, Hinata-sama. My name is Billard Greetham, but you can just call me Billard like Rimuru-sama. And also my pleasure to meet you. I hope we can get along."
"Thank you for the praise. But I'm not very fond of taking care of myself, my beauty is something I take for granted."
"My my… If you were born into this kingdom's noble family, you're definitely going to be a hot topic and a fierce struggle for marriage."
Hinata was not comfortable with the conversation, but luckily, although unintentionally, Constance was saying something that made the topic shift into a more serious one.
"Speaking of a noble house, we have to continue our last night's discussion. Do you mind if we talk about it now?"
Rimuru and Count Billard look at each other. Hinata has finished her breakfast, and after hearing that question, she intends to dismiss herself and continue to train the knights and soldiers.
"Well, I'm up for it. How about Billard-san?"
"I don't mind as well. How about Hinata-sama?"
All the glances were looking at her. And Rimuru, knowing that she wasn't fond of these kinds of talks, was trying to help.
"Do you have any plans today, Hinata?"
"Actually I intend to train again with the knights and soldiers at the barracks after finishing the breakfast." She replied while looking at Constance and Count Billard alternately.
"Hoho… Then there's no helping for it. Sorry for delaying your schedule, Hinata-sama." Count Billard is quick to take the hint that Hinata is not the type to excel in political problems.
"Wait a minute, sorry Hinata-sama, we also gonna have a talk about the military policy. May I have your moment to discuss this with us?"
But turns out, Constance wants Hinata to join the discussion as well. And in fact, it's true that there's going to be a discussion about military acts. Last night they couldn't talk much about it since the three of them aren't the ones who understand the most about the military. And Constance thought Hinata could come up and give proper advice.
Hinata's looking at Rimuru. Her glare is telling, "but you should be able to do this?"
In fact, with the help of Ciel, he could have. But he remembered about yesterday. Other than the military, it's Rimuru's job to be a consultant for Constance. And so, it really is Hinata's role.
Gave up, Hinata replied, "All right, but I think we should also have a talk with the two captains."
Constance nodded, "You're right. Let's call Captain Alan and Captain Claune."
And before they knew it, the meeting was held, in a dining room.
The discussion went more smoothly than yesterday, probably because of the better shape from Constance and Count Billard. All matters that had been in deadlock yesterday were done in just a mere minutes.
And so, after around one hour they have almost completed their initial discussion. And continued with the development of the whole discussion, into a military one.
"As far as I understand, we need to decide whether we combine the remaining forces you have that were initially led by Captain Claune with the knights that were led by Captain Alan, or we keep it separately. What do you think about this, Captains?"
Surprisingly, the meeting was dominated by Hinata.
"I think we already talked about this before right? We were going to combine these two forces." Captain Alan replied while looking at Captain Claune.
"Yes, and right now they're managed by Captain Alan's second-in-command. It's Leroy, right?"
"Yes, he's my vice-captain."
"Then you need to decide who's going to be in charge of this newly formed army."
Now, both Captain Alan and Captain Claune have gone silent. They haven't thought that. Not due to lack of knowledge, but how hectic their days had been until they forgot about his matter.
"Hinata-sama is right. Sir Claune, in my opinion, you should be the one in charge. I would gladly give the command to someone of your caliber."
"Are you sure, Sir Alan? Those knights are your subordinates. Don't you have any bonds with them?"
"I am, but now it will be dominated by the new men-at-arms that you've led before. And for my knights, all of them are the proud knights who swear loyalty to His Highness Constance. As long as they were led by His Highness men, there would be no complaint."
"Then, I shall gladly accept it, Sir Alan. Thank you for the honor."
"The honor is mine, Sir Claune."
"But, we also recruiting more soldiers right?"
This time, it was Constance who asked.
"Yes, Your Highness. We have received a quite lot of people who wish to join you. Mainly from the refugees." Captain Claune is the one who answered.
"Where are they going to be placed? A new army or the knight's brigade under Captain Claune?"
This question, however, cannot be answered easily. The need for soldiers is indeed true, but how many of them, is still in question. This is because the supply and the possible battle that could happen were being carefully calculated.
The more soldiers they have, the more equipment and provision would be needed. And for now, they barely have enough food to feed the remaining forces. The equipment was also scarce, even though it most likely could be solved by whatever they could find as a weapon.
The enemy forces surely have a numerical advantage. From the Knight's Brigade alone, they already have 9 brigades which is equal to 4500 elite knights. Count Billard also managed to gain some intelligence although its accuracy was questionable. The intelligence tells that there are around 4 kingdoms that backing up Prince Terrace. All four of them sent 1000 to 3000 soldiers to his retinue.
If Prince Terrace could get 3000 men from 4 nations, then he already has 12000 men, added up with 4500 elite knights from his own retinue. In total, although it's still uncertain, it is possible that Prince Terrace had 16500 men at his disposal.
On the contrary, the newly combined forces from Constance's man-at-arms under Captain Claune and the 10th Knight Brigade under Captain Alan were only around 3,000 men.
It would be a total massacre if they had a battle in an open field.
From that alone, it would be understandable to need more recruits.
"I suggest we placed them on a new unit as a reserve. We focus more on the 3000 men we have right now, and deploy a military campaign with this unit." Hinata made a suggestion.
"But what kind of campaign can be done with only 3000 men against an army that has 5 times more than us?" asked Captain Alan.
"Guerilla warfare." Captain Claune was the one who answered.
"Captain Claune is right. We can deploy a guerilla mission. As a matter of fact, we don't know how accurate the enemy numbers are. Even if they have that much, they couldn't be under one single unit. They must be divided." Hinata added.
"I agree. But Hinata-sama, I have to say I quite disliked this tactic. Guerilla war is not an honorable way for a knight to fight."
"Captain Claune, the option is limited. Whether the victory or loss. Which one would you pick?"
"My apologies, Hinata-sama. I'm willing to give everything for victory for His Highness."
"Good, after all, those men-at-arms are better suited in this kind of battle. I can train them to be able to execute this mission."
"You will personally train us, Hinata-sama?"
"Of course."
"Thank you very much, Hinata-sama."
While Captain Claune's eyes were brimming with a light of excitement, Captain Alan was flinched remembering how harsh her training was. But that was a story for another time.
And this time, Rimuru is joining the discussion.
"All right, we can settle for our troop's circumstance for now. Hinata, how many days do you need to train the main army?"
"Ideally, it will take months. But given the men-at-arms and the knights are experienced, I think I can train them in 2 weeks."
"Understood. Captain Claune, this guerilla mission is mainly for stalling the enemy, not to defeat them as a whole."
"Understood, Rimuru-sama."
"I want you to hold them off from reaching Cardinalis, or any other city that was in Billard-san's territory. It's tough, and that's why we will need to train the other new unit to be your reinforcement. Hinata, this is also gonna be your responsibility."
"Understood, you can count on me, Rimuru."
"And that leaves to Captain Alan. Alan-san, you're in charge of the newly recruited army."
"Understood, Rimuru-sama. But the recruiting process is still underway, how many soldiers we can afford, Rimuru-sama?"
This time, Rimuru looked at Constance. Aware of Rimuru's gaze, Constance nodded and let Rimuru explain the rest.
"5000 soldiers should be enough. Having half of the enemy's total amount will suffice in this guerilla tactic."
"5000?! It's possible to recruit that much, but Rimuru-sama, our supplies are dwindling."
"Don't worry about that, me and Constance will work things out."
Rimuru showed some smug face, while Constance had a tense expression. It was at this time that Count Billard joined the talks.
"The idea of stalling the enemies is to allow His Highness and Rimuru-sama to run a diplomatic mission. Last night, we talked a lot about this topic, although we're not pretty sure about it. But this is the best hope we can get. We're aiming to drag the rest of the noble house to gather and fight Prince Terrace's army together."
This new information surprised both Captains.
"Is that mean, we're going to make this conflict a truly civil war?" asked Captain Claune.
"Yes, it is, Sir Claune. It's the best way we got." Constance replied with a heavy voice.
"I… All right, Your Highness. I will follow whatever path you choose."
"Me as well, Your Highness." Followed by Captain Alan.
"Don't worry. It may seem to be we're escalating the conflict. But what we really intended, is to put more pressure on Prince Terrace from political terms. It's just to show him, that even if he manages to defeat Constance, he needs to bring down another noble. The more noble we got on our side, the more political pressure to give at him."
Both of the captains were pondering this explanation. They did not have any intention to disobey, but they wanted to understand the whole strategy.
"But we will also negotiate for providing extra supply and equipment for us. That's why we were confident to decide we could afford 5000 more troops."
"That's amazing Rimuru-sama!"
"But Your Highness, if the strategy is to put more political pressure on Prince Terrace, then what would be the end of this conflict?"
"Reconciliation. We will shift the whole battlefield into a battle on the table. And with that, casualties would be low."
It's not Rimuru who's answering it, but Constance.
"I understand, Your Highness. This is a good strategy. I promise I won't let you down with my mission."
"I will give my everything to fulfill my role, Your Highness."
"Thank you for all your help, Sir Claune, Sir Alan."
Constance walked toward them and patted the shoulders of both of them.
Behind them, Rimuru, Hinata, and Count Billard were continuing the talks.
"Are you sure you can handle the negotiation with other nobles, Rimuru-sama? I know you're a powerful and divine being, but hiding that identity and trying to negotiate with these self-important nobles is almost impossible." Asked Count Billard.
"Don't worry, Billard-san. I know how many cards I can use. And given the time, I can add up more cards to be used in the negotiation."
"You sure you want to do this? You said it yourself last night, we're going to cast aside this matter for now." Hinata interjects.
"I know. But I think this matter could be a great trump card."
"All right, I won't be stopping you. So how many days you're going to be away from here?"
"Constance and Billard-san are going to prepare the negotiation process, starting from listing the nobles, writing a letter of notification, and preparing the carriage for the journey. I think it would take around 3 days, right Billard-san?"
"Yes, all should be done in 3 days Rimuru-sama."
"Right, in that 3 days, I won't be here helping you prepare the negotiation process. I will collect every card I could get for the negotiation later on."
"All right Rimuru. Be careful. And see you in three days, I presume?"
"Thanks. And you too Hinata. I leave the troops's training to you."
"Jeez, be at ease. I won't fail it."
"I believe you. Billard-san, see you in three days."
"Please have a safe journey, Rimuru-sama"
To Be Continued.
Hello everyone!
It's been a long time since I haven't updated. I'm very sorry for that, I've been busy with college stuff. I also wrote another story which also fanfiction for the Tensei Shitara Slime Datta-Ken series. Sometimes when I got writing block, I would continue that one, and not this story. Sorry for the long update.
And btw, I also have been hooked up with another story from another writer on this site. It amazes me how many people with a talent for writing. They all could be a better writer than the original author sometimes. So again, sorry for the long updates. I can't help myself enjoy the story that was written by a good author on this site :D.
One thing I want to mention to everyone, I'm not a person who has a lot of free time right now. So I could not spend my time writing the story as much as I wanted to. But I intend to finish this story, no matter what. Maybe someday I would hiatus for a while, but not now :D
Ah and another thing I want to say on this opportunity, is a BIG BIG BIG THANKS to everyone who read and gave reviews, followed, and favorited my story :)
Guys, for you who've been reviewing my story, I actually replied to your review via Private Message on this site. But I suppose it doesn't have a notification feature, and I guess you guys didn't know of my message :D. But that's okay, because of that, I would like to reply to some of you who gave me a sweet review :)
-bogaconsulta: Thanks man! I would write more, but in slowww and long updates. I'm very sorry for the inconvenience.
-Sonic2610: Universal Range is something I always wondered too... The LN doesn't give a detailed description of the full ability. So I only made it up by saying it can cover dozens of kilometers, but it would be costly because of the information overload.
-Sol4g: My man! Thank you so much for the always warm and welcoming comments! Your words are always warming my heart and made me fired up to write more and more!
-gamero44444: I'm happy with your comments alone my friend! I also wish you well! I hope my story can keep up with your expectations :)
-Guest: Soon my friend! As fast as I could! But, you know I do not always have free time :D So maybe, you can assume I can only update once in 1 or 2 months.
See you later in the next chapter!
Sampai Jumpa!