The trip back to the Great Forest of Jura was as quick as when we left, only taking us a total of three days riding on the backs of the tempest wolves. Nothing much happened within this time frame, other than getting to know Kaijin and the dwarf brothers a little bit better.
I also took the time to explain a few things to them, such as the fact that I wasn't a permanent resident of the city just yet, and that I was currently living within the ogre village in the forest. They took the news better than the goblins did, accepting that I would be leaving after two weeks or so when they had settled in and I was assured that things would continue to progress well.
When we had arrived back at the Goblin village, I was surprised. I remember telling Rigurd to reach out and recruit Goblins from other villages who were interested in joining them, swearing allegiance to me in the process, but still I was caught a little off-guard by just how many he ended up finding and bringing.
There were hundreds of them, maybe even a thousand! Just how had Rigurd managed to gather so many of these guys in such a short space of time??!
"Welcome back Lord Rimuru!!" Everyone, including the new guests, shouted happily in greeting upon our arrival.
"Rimuru-sama!" Rigurd proudly shouted as he stepped forward. "We did as you had told us and sought out additional Goblin villages who were interested in serving you in exchange for shelter and protection! As you can see, our mission was a great success!!"
'No, this was more than just a success. You may actually have overdone it Rigurd.' I thought with a sweatdrop. I'm pretty sure that I had mentioned it loud and clear that I wanted more goblins so I could even out the numbers between the wolves and goblins. '[ Great sage] how many goblins am I looking at here?'
《Answer: The estimated number of goblins is roughly a thousand》
'Damn, that's a lot more than I planned for…' I thought as I looked over the small goblin creatures. They looked so small and frail, just as the hobgoblins looked before their own evolution. I could just as easily sense the desperation and fear pouring off them in waves, if I chased and rejected some of them, they would no doubt be preyed upon easily by other powerful creatures within the forest.
Besides, they might have been here for a few days now, chasing them out would be cruel. Oh well, guess I just had to put on my big boy pants and deal with it.
After processing my shock, I immediately spoke to [Great Sage, seeking my trusty skill's council. 'Hey [Great Sage], while I have already named 230 Goblins and hundreds of Direwolves, will I be able to name this many Goblins without issue?'
《Notice: Due to the passive growth from the sub-skill Drainage and the improved efficiency in magicule manipulation, the amount of Magicules needed to evolve the Goblins into mid C-ranked Hobgoblins has been significantly reduced. Total remaining Magicule reserves after naming all 1,000 goblins is estimated to be 61.31%.》
Well that was reassuring, though I'd probably still name them in groups. The rest I would figure out as we went along. This would bring the total goblin population up to approximately 1,230 with the wolves nearing five hundred.
While not quite the balance I was looking for, it may actually be better this way, considering that the tempest wolves were of higher rank than the goblins. So in some way it was balanced.
"Good job Rigurd, I'll admit this is a lot more than I thought you'd achieve before I came back, but regardless I approve." I said as I gave the Goblin Lord a thumbs up.
"Sir!!" Rigur said as he stood at attention with tears starting to gather in the corner of her eyes. I quickly turned away from the awkward sight of seeing such a jacked goblin on the verge of tears.
I'd probably have to work on the goblins' timid nature and inferiority complex. I'd forgotten that these guys had been at the bottom of the food chain all their lives. When I initially made the rule of them not growing overconfident, I never actually considered that their vulnerabilities and inferiority would carry on.
These guys glowed at the smallest of praises, quivered like leaves at the slightest of scoldings, and did anything and everything they could earn my favor. It was beyond just loyalty, this was them still being scared of the world despite their growth. And I had a feeling these new goblins would be much the same once they evolved.
I still had time to figure it out, though. I'd do what I could in the two weeks I'd stick around, the rest would just have to come with time as their skills and abilities grew.
"Alright, Rigurd most likely told you but my name is Rimuru Tempest, son of the Storm Dragon Veredia and guardian of the forest!" I shouted as I turned towards my new subordinates. "I'm pretty sure Rigurd has already told you the rules of our little village, correct?"
"Yes sir!" The goblins all responded quickly, most of them a little jumpy.
"I'm adding one more rule to those three. I won't be tolerating any lazy folks in this village. Each and every individual will work for the benefit of everyone, be it gathering and growing food, construction, making clothes and things like security. Everyone will play their part." I said loud enough that everyone could hear, whether they were wolves, goblins, hobgoblins, and even the insectoids Zegion and Apito. "In return, those that work will receive food, shelter, clothing, and protection. Naturally, the only ones that aren't bound by this rule are the young and elderly. Did everyone understand that?"
"Yes Lord Rimuru! We will work hard!!" Everyone responded.
"Not too hard, overworking yourself won't benefit anyone." I quickly reminded them. I had a feeling that I'd actually be reminding them of this point regularly.
Monsters were built with more stamina and strength than humans, even creatures like hobgoblins, even if the gap wasn't as huge as say humans and ogres. Still, that didn't mean I should overwork them or anything, it would be counterproductive, both health-wise and in terms of morale and mentality.
"In line with that thought of working hard, I'd like to introduce some new faces." I informed everyone as I gestured towards Kaijin and the three dwarf brothers. "These are my new friends and subordinates Kaijin, Garm, Dord, and Myrd. They are the finest Dwarven blacksmiths and Artisans that Dwargon had to offer prior to them joining me. They will be a big help for this growing town in improving housing, clothing, craftsmanship, forging, and overall construction of this town. I want you and the others to treat them as colleagues and welcome them as fellow citizens. I will be allocating some of you to work and learn from them, their skills will prove invaluable and having more people with said talents will speed up the overall construction of our town." I informed the goblins particularly this time around. They were the only ones that had the necessary features to learn the craftsmanship of the dwarves.
"Yes, Lord Rimuru! We deeply appreciate you bringing us such valued support, and are thankful to the Dwarves for agreeing to help us!" Rigurd said proudly.
"Good, I also brought other valuable necessities from Dwargon, including seeds of certain plants and fruits that can be cultivated to bolster the food supply and medical herbs for healing.You need to grow them properly to help ensure a steady supply of food and herbs. Some may not be able to grow properly within the forest due to magicule density, and others may mutate as a result." I warned him, it would be a trial and error for most of these plants. If the mutations turned out to be inconsequential for monsters then good, otherwise we'd have to discard harmful plants. "As for training I'll be handling that for the duration that I'm here. I'll create a proper regime and everything."
As they were right right now, the goblins lacked any form of training and had no fighting instinct. I'd have to start from from ground up, basic drills and all that. By the time I left for the ogre village, I had to have a somewhat capable force for things like hunting, patrolling, and local enforcement. I wasn't much of a teacher, so I'd most likely ask the ogre chief if he could spare some of his own to teach the goblins, especially since weapon variety was important. With the goblin numbers now high, that meant I could pair more wolves with them for proper hunting forces too.
~~~
Days passed after our return, I began the process of naming the goblins the following day and finished within three days. That was two days ago, all of those goblins had evolved into beautiful and attractive hobgoblins and goblina's much like the others.
The goblins were quick to get to work, Rigur took to assigning them to the dwarves so as to learn and maximize their talents. Kaijin took in a few apprentices to work with him in his new blacksmith shop. According to him, they were showing a genuine interest and were making the effort to learn, weapon and armor crafting was a delicate art and required time and patience to learn, and Kaijin definitely was a patient teacher.
Garm was teaching his group of goblins the art of making clothes. Particularly with monster materials such as fur and leather, I definitely planned to ask the ogres if they'd be willing to share their silk and weaving techniques with the goblins as well. That would go a long way into improving quality of life.
Dord took to making accessories, something that instantly drew the attention of a couple of goblina that were drawn by the jewlery. It seemed to be the slowest in terms of progression due to the amount of detail that was required when carving out such small items. Still though, I had a feeling that the effort would be worth it once they got the hang of it.
Myrd worked closely with Rigurd and a bunch of other goblins in the actual construction of the village itself. Basic wooden housing and other structures were in the process of being built. The layout and everything looked good from the plans they had showed me earlier.
As for the farming, we'd planted the seeds, but I wasn't expecting it to yield any results for at least another month or two weeks depending on the type of fruit, vegetable, or plant in general. The goblin lords under Rigurd had been left in charge of the various areas we'd planted in, these were the previous village chiefs of the goblin villages Rigurd had recruited.
They had all decided to have Rigurd be in charge of all the goblins, basically passing the responsibility onto him, but they did also take some responsibility within the village itself. I'd told them to keep an eye out for sudden mutations in plants as well as giving them what the expected result should be. I would use [Great Sage] to analyze any mutated plants to see if they were still edible for monsters.
Finally there was my job, aside from overseeing everything that was going on, I was the one training the goblins. I'd started out with some basic early morning drills to help them get into the habit of waking up with the sun and conditioning their bodies. I started with the basics of swordsmanship for some while others took to archery and hand to hand. Those were the areas I felt I could be of some help, other forms of weaponry would have to come later if I could get the ogres to agree with teaching the goblins.
The Tempest Wolves also had their own training sessions. For the most part, I kept most of them separated and had Ranga and Raya practice various hunting maneuvers. The Tempest Wolves were stronger and smarter than they were prior to their evolutions, meaning that they were more capable of working together in the field. Another good surprise was the fact that all the Tempest Wolves gained the skill [Shadow Movement], it's basically teleporting through sinking into and jumping out of shadows, I also acquired that skill through our connection. I had to adjust a bit of their training thanks to that, but it opened up a whole new world of possibilities for the wolves' tactics and strategies.
Another aspect I'd wanted to delve into was the elemental affinities. According to [Great Sage, all the tempest wolves had an affinity for lightning and wind. The males had a primary affinity for lightning and a secondary affinity for wind, while for the female wolves it was reversed. Thus far, only Ranga and Ranko had made some progress in that area, and they were currently trying to get the rest of the pack up there as well.
Funny enough, I'd also gained the extra skills [Black Lightning] and [Black Wind]. These two extra skills were under my Intrinsic Skill [Storm Magic]. Apparently, the elemental affinities of the Tempest Wolves had been influenced by the chaotic nature of my Intrinsic Skill, resulting in an evolution of sorts. These two skills were far more powerful and dangerous to their original versions as a result, I'd have to make the time to practice those skills
…preferably in a safe and isolated area, away from any populace.
Aside from all that, I'd also formed a group called the 'Goblin Riders'. If it wasn't obvious, it's a group of paired goblins and wolves. Currently they number about seventy pairs. I was having them get to know their partners and practice working together for the time being, outside of their training with respective species. I hoped to make this group the local law enforcement of the village, as well as the ones responsible for protecting the village from any powerful monsters.
All in all, village production and adaptation were going quite well, it would only be a matter of days before they were more than stable enough for me to leave.
"Lord Rimuru!" I was interrupted from my thoughts by the excited call of none other than Apito who was flying towards me, with Zegion following close behind. Apito appeared to be holding some kind of wooden bucket as she approached, and Zegion also appeared to be holding one too.
Those two had been rather elusive since my return to the village, I hadn't seen as much of them as I had the others. I hadn't really bothered to follow up due to helping everyone else out and trying to get things to a functioning level. Though, maybe I should have at least asked what they were up to, it wasn't wise to just let two monsters as strong as they were roam around aimlessly.
"Apito, Zegion." I greeted as I turned to face them once they were close enough. "Where have the two of you been?" I asked, though judging by the way the two of them froze and started to become nervous it seemed I may have implied they were in some kind of trouble.
"Please forgive our ununannounced leave of absence my lord." Zegion immediately cut in as he bowed his head apologetically, Apito quickly doing the same. I wasn't really mad, but if it kept them from disappearing like that again, then I wouldn't tell them that.
"Can I at least ask what you were doing?" I asked still rather curious as to why they'd been out of the village in the first place.
"O-of course!" Apito responded, stuttering slightly, before hovering closer and gently placing the bucket she'd been holding down on the floor at my feet.
'Wait, is that…?!' There was no denying the sweet scent and that thick yellow liquid structure.
"Zegion and I had left the village for the Dryad territory to collect honey as per the agreement. The honey was useful in helping provide for the goblins in your absence, they all seemed pleased by it!" Apito explained, confirming my thought that this was in fact honey!!
'Oh… I did tell them to do that, didn't I? To be honest, I had forgotten about the fact that Apito and Zegion were given this task.' I thought sheepishly, feeling kind of bad for berating(?) them. Still though, it looked as though they were actually doing great. 'But seriously, I'm probably lucky to have run into Apito and Zegion when I did. The fact that she can make honey makes her more invaluable than I had originally thought!'
I immediately manifested a wooden spoon, crouched down and took a scoop of honey. The moment it made contact with my tongue, my mouth exploded with a flavor of sweetness I had yet to taste in this world, nor could it compare to anything from my old world really. It was just that good!! It wasn't overly sweet like the honey in my old world either, it was just right.
I wasn't sure whether this was because Apito was the one who made it, and perhaps had a unique method due to her higher level of intelligence compared to regular small bees, or if the source of the nectar being the magical fruits of the Treants actually had something to with it as well. Regardless, this was perfect!!
And would probably sell really well if we were able to mass-produce it, and if she couldn't, that means we could charge a higher price for it. That was something I would bring up another time though, for now being able to provide for the village came first.
"Mmhhmm, this is definitely good!" I praised Apito, who glowed from the praise and her cheeks became slightly dusted in pink, Zegion on the other hand while it wasn't as obvious I could still feel the pride he felt. 'Are all my subordinates going to be like this?' I couldn't really say whether that was good or bad. "Do you think you could set aside
some of your daily produce, about a quarter should do fine?" I asked.
I was hoping to bring some honey for the ogres as well. I'm sure it would go really well with the herbal tea that they made and the sweetness of the honey would blend well with the spiciness of the meat they cooked as well.
"Of course, it will be done." Both Apito and Zegion replied as they bowed their heads.
"Good, then keep up the good work." I said with a nod.
These two were fine additions to the village, and that honey from Apito would really help around. I decided to keep the bucket that they'd given to me, storing it within my [Stomach].
~~~
After my chat with the Insectoids I went to the fields that were being made in the outskirts of the village being overseen by Rigurd and one of the Goblin lords. All in all, things seemed to be going well so far.
I wasn't a master farmer by any means, meaning that I couldn't be sure of anything. [Great Sage] was a big help in helping with the basic fielding and planting, though I'd need to find some experts. The Dryads would probably be the best ones to turn to, being tree spirits and all, they were bound to know more than I did and be in a better position to teach the goblins than any other monster out there.
"Lord Rimuru, we weren't expecting you!!" Rigurd said as he quickly approached me upon spotting me, all the other goblins that were in the fields turned our way upon hearing his outburst and seemed just as surprised.
"It's fine, I just found some free time and decided to check on how things were going with the farming projects. Please continue as you were." I said, the last part loud enough for the rest of the goblins to hear. With a loud cry of 'Yes sir!', they continued their tasks.
Turning to Rigurd, I couldn't help but notice that he seemed to have gotten a bit bigger and muscular compared to before I left the ogre village. He definitely seemed a little bit stronger too.
《Notice: The individual Rigurd further evolved into a Goblin King upon being designated as leader of all the goblins by the other goblin lords.》
'So, he grew stronger in a manner similar to Ranga and Raya due to his position amongst the goblins, that's actually kinda cool. Guess monsters evolve in all kinds of ways.' I thought to myself, before something else registered in what [Great Sage] had just said, 'Still though, to think the other Goblin Lords just dumped this major responsibility, not that I can complain since I did the same when I named them.' There had been no complaints about the hierarchy so far, so why fix something that didn't need fixing. I'd see how things went and adjust as needed.
"So how has the farming been going?" I asked Rigurd as we walked through the field, looking over the sprouting plants.
"There's nothing significant to report as of yet, my lord. As a trial, we've only planted a few of each type of the seeds you gave us. Mainly so we can see which ones are edible and which ones will be negatively impacted by the environment." Rigurd reported.
I couldn't help but agree with his approach. It was best to plant a few of each type and monitor how they grew for now, rather than to plant a bunch of potentially dangerous plants that would do more harm than good.
"Though, there has been one issue, my lord…" Rigurd spoke up hesitantly, almost as though he was afraid of offending me or something. Which given how these goblins tended to act in my presence may not be too far from the truth.
"What is it?" I asked, better he tell me now and we see what could be done, rather than leave it as is and then have bigger problems later.
"Well you see, we goblins have always relied on the bounty of the forest for food and small creatures that we could hunt. Given our previously small sizes, that was enough to get us by. Meaning we have no proper experience when it comes to farming." Rigurd admitted as he lowered his head in shame. I'd already suspected as much when I saw the goblins earlier. "Most of what you see is what we managed to learn from the dwarf brothers, but given their talents lay more with craftsmanship than farming, there was only so much they could teach us."
Yes, I could definitely see where the problem was now. The goblins needed an experienced guide, someone who was well-versed in farming and vegetables. I myself wouldn't be able to help with this one.
Perhaps that visit to the Dryads was going to happen a lot sooner than I had originally assumed.
"Yes, I can see that definitely being a problem. If not shown the proper care, these plants won't grow regardless of their environment. Fortunately, I may have a solution. Ranga!" I called out and almost immediately the Alpha Tempest Wolf jumped out of my shadow and landed right in front of me.
"Yes master, how may I be of service?!" Ranga asked enthusiastically. I wordlessly approached him as he lowered himself, allowing me to climb onto him easily. I turned towards Rigurd.
"Alright, Rigurd, Ranga and I are going on a quick trip. We should be back by sunset at the most, earlier with [Shadow Movement]." I told the goblin king who looked shocked at the sudden announcement. To be fair, I had just decided to leave in the spur of the moment.
"My lord, are you sure it's wise to go alone my lord? I could quickly arrange a small party to go with you!!" Rigurd said.
"No, that won't be necessary. I might already be pushing it by bringing Ranga along with me." I immediately said, quashing that idea. The fact that the Dryads rarely showed themselves means they didn't want their domain to be found and preferred their privacy.
"Where will we be going, master?" Ranga asked curiously as he turned his head to glance at me with his left eye.
"To the territory of the Dryads. Their knowledge and expertise in plant life and forestry in general may prove to be invaluable in helping with agricultural growth. You could stand to learn a lot from them." I responded much to the shock of both Rigurd and Ranga. I guess the prospect of seeing the Dryads again so soon was a bit surprising, given how they hadn't been seen in a hundred years.
If all went well, then this village's agricultural techniques and growth would boom within the following weeks. The goblins wouldn't need to worry about food for a very long time and could even stock things up for winter and the like.
Then there was the suggestion made by King Gazel, the creation of a nation. If, and that was a really strong if, I decided to forge my own nation of monsters within the Great Forest of Jura, then things such as farming and agriculture were going to be of extreme importance, so gaining the knowledge and experience to grow a large variety of crops would help with food and even things like materials. I also had a feeling that as managers of the forest, the Dryads would want to be involved with anything that would improve living conditions of all monsters of Jura in the long term.
"Very well, I'll ensure that no problems arise in your absence, so please do not worry." Rigurd reassured firmly as he placed his right hand to his chest.
"Right, I'll leave it to you then." I responded with a nod.
Ranga took that as his que wordlessly took off, dashing out the village, leaving nothing but a trail of dust.
~~~
The trip to the Dryads part of the forest actually took us a bit longer than I thought it would, reminding me yet again that the Great Forest of Jura was actually pretty huge, if it weren't for [Shadow Movement], it may have taken us even longer. But thankfully, we got there within 2 hours.
Even as we approached the domain, the very nature of the air around us suddenly changed, the magicules seemingly less potent but much stronger? The air smelt a lot more fresh and free, having some sort of soothing effect on my body and mind.
Honestly speaking, it even felt a little familiar but I was pretty sure that this was my first time coming here. Perhaps it was this calming nature that made it so?
I hopped off Ranga, and landed on his left side, petting the large wolf with my right hand as I walked up and stopped next to his head.
"Treyni." I called out, I didn't bother shouting or anything since I was pretty sure the Dryads were aware of my approach from the moment I left the village. Their ability to see everything in the forest was as useful as it was terrifying, but I was teaching myself not to think about it.
"You called, Lord Rimuru?" Treyni said as she and her sisters appeared before me, despite only the former being called.
'Though to be fair, I did arrive in their territory for the first time unannounced, and I did bring Ranga with me, regardless of their sensory abilities, it was probably a bit thoughtless of me.' I mentally noted before responding. "Sorry for the intrusion, I know you and your sisters are busy with your responsibilities in being the caretakers of the Great Jura Forest, especially with the heightened tensions caused by my mother's disappearance. But I would appreciate it if you and your sisters could lend your assistance in a certain task."
"Of course, Lord Rimuru. We would happily do whatever you would ask of us, so long as it is within our power. We always have time for you," Trya happily answered with a serene smile.
"Thank you, that means a lot," I say with a slight blush before focusing on the matter at hand. "In addition to bringing four Dwarven craftsmen and artisans to aid in the development of the growing town built by the Hobgoblins and Wolves while also training them in said arts, I also brought seeds of different crops that I thought would be invaluable in farming to increase their food supply. Unfortunately, even the expertise the Dwarves and I can offer in Agriculture is ultimately limited. Since you all are experts in plants, I was wondering if you three wouldn't mind lending your expertise to improve their farming techniques? It could go a long way in boosting their food supply, and I also want someone trustworthy to keep an eye on the plants in case they mutate into plant monsters or become an invasive species that threatens the ecology of the forest."
"Of course, Lord Rimuru. We would be honored~," Treyni happily replied with a smile while she and her sisters also bowed in response, happy to be of assistance to Lady Veredia's heir and their new lord. I still found their sense of devotion to be a bit unnerving, or maybe it was the fact that I could actually feel it.
"Thanks, I really appreciate it. If need be, you can take a portion of the harvest as compensation for your work, as long as it doesn't negatively impact the village's growth, it should be fine." I stated, wanting to compensate them somehow, though the Dryads only giggled in response which confused me a little.
"While the gesture is appreciated, Lord Rimuru, it is not necessary. For you see, these bodies you see are spiritual in nature, and thus do not need sustenance in the same way that the material bodies of most species within the forest do. For us food is a luxury, not a necessity." Treyni said in an amused tone. "Although, I do believe the additional yield could be used for other things, such as establishing trade with other villages within Jura. It would help word of your presence to finally start spreading in the forest." Treyni suggested, though it was clear she wanted to make my presence known within the forest.
Treyni was both calculative and cunning in various ways, but neither of them were necessarily bad, it just depended if your goals aligned with hers. The best example I could give was the fact that she was loyal to me due to being my mother's son. She wanted all the creatures in the forest to know that the forest wasn't without a guardian and ruler but wouldn't 'advertise' my presence without my permission.
Aside from me and my mother, Treyni also had a strong sense of duty towards the forest in itself. Keeping it safe and flourishing and ensuring that the forest remained untouched by the surrounding threats.
To that end, while she was loyal to me and wouldn't dare question me should I ask her to do something, she also wasn't afraid to make suggestions of her own and maybe push me down a certain path that she felt would be beneficial for me and the forest as a whole.
To be honest, her idea of spreading the word of my awakening made me remember King Gazel's suggestion once more. Maybe it really was best if I thought about the prospect of founding a nation, people often said that leaders weren't born but made. I was currently the strongest monster within this forest, so if monsters truly respected power as much as I'd been led to believe, then it shouldn't take much convincing to persuade them to join me.
"Treyni, what do you think about me forming a nation of monsters within Jura?" I asked the Dryad, she'd been managing for far longer and thus her opinion was important here. She was one of the only people that I could ask for an opinion due to how knowledgeable she and her sisters were.
"Forging a nation of monsters within Jura?" She questioned, wanting to make sure she had heard correctly. I nodded my head in response before speaking.
"Yeah, it's something that King Gazel, the ruler of the Armed Nation of Dwargon, suggested after I told him of my heritage. And it's something that's been on my mind since." I explained.
"I think it's a wondrous idea!" Treyni exclaimed as she clasped her hands in front of her excitedly, much to my surprise, "The notion of uniting the various tribes of Jura would lead to us being collectively stronger than we are right now, not to mention it would make our jobs of maintaining the peace within the forest much easier!"
"Yes, I agree. And with the threats of the surrounding lands wanting to also take advantage of my mother's disappearance, it's important to make a strong front." I said as a frown appeared on my face. "And unfortunately, that's something I can't do on my own. Individually, I'm far weaker than my mother, so my presence, while a potential threat, will not be enough to deter the surrounding nations. Coming together in numbers will be the best way to make ourselves strong."
"That is also a valid concern." Treyni said as she nodded her head, "However, even the respect and authority that we Dryads have in the forest would not be enough to make such a thing possible. Not unless someone strong enough were to stand at the helm of this nation, someone such as Lady Veredia herself, or you, her heir." Treyni added, not bothering with being subtle this time around.
'So she agrees that it's possible, but only if I take the role as the leader of this nation. Not like I was planning to build a nation and then pass the job to someone else. Monsters respect power, and are willing to follow the leadership of someone they view as powerful.' I thought with a sigh. The dryads were powerful, with Treyni being even stronger than her sisters, but their strength wouldn't be enough to get the other stronger species of Jura to follow them.
"I see, thank you for your opinion." I thanked them for their advice.
"Does this mean you're aiming to potentially establish a nation, Lord Rimuru?" Treyni asked, sounding almost excited at the prospect.
"Maybe, to be honest, this was not how I thought things would go." I said with a heavy sigh as I realized that things were starting to turn out far differently than I had envisioned when I first left my mother's cave. "When my mother told me to watch over the forest as the new guardian, I intended to do that. Perhaps whilst being a bit more interactive with those living in the forest, but I never saw myself ruling over anyone. My way would have been similar to my mother's, just without the whole destroying nations thing and being more interactive with the inhabitants of the forest."
But that dream of perhaps living something akin to a shut-in life vanished the moment I left the cave.
"Anyways, I still haven't decided on anything concrete yet. But given the current course of events, it's most likely that I may end up being left with no choice." I responded with a sigh, 'Though I suppose it wouldn't be all that bad. Kaijin and the dwarf brothers are already making large contributions to the town, meaning things such as clothing, construction, and weaponry wouldn't be too much of a problem. Food all depended on how fast our population grew and which species joined, some monsters tend to be more gluttonous than others.'
There was a lot to think about, and that included if this was what the inhabitants of the forest would also want. If I chose to go this route, I'd be bringing a major change to the forest that would make it nothing like it was before. The monsters may follow me as a result of my strength, but may also feel as though I was taking away the freedom they had when my mother was guardian of the forest. I wouldn't force anyone to do anything, but others may feel compelled to do so regardless.
"Well, I appreciate your willingness to assist the developing town with their farming techniques, along with your counsel on this topic." I tell them.
"Of course, Lord Rimuru! We are always happy to help you in any way we can!" Treyni happily says while she and her sisters once again bow out of respect for me.
"With that taken care of, there has been one thing that has been bothering me. This place…it feels familiar in a way that I can't seem to describe, even though I'm pretty sure that this is my first time coming here." I explained, the warmth within me and sense of familiarity hadn't left since I first came here, and while it wasn't a bad feeling it did leave me wondering why. "I don't know, I guess I just get all warm inside and feel kind of relaxed."
The Dryad sisters merely glanced at each other, their emotions almost exploding with positivity and pride. They then nodded towards each other before turning towards me all smiles and excited.
"Lord Rimuru, if you have the time, would you be willing to come would with us for a moment?" Treyni asked as she gestured towards the forest that they called home.
"Are you sure that's okay? I've heard that you don't normally welcome others within your domain." I asked slightly confused as to why they were inviting me deeper into their domain.
"While they are reasons for that, none of those would apply to you, my lord." Dorris spoke up as she stepped beside Treyni.
"Yes, Lady Veredia was the one to grant us refuge within her domain, this territory still falls under that domain. And said domain is now yours." Trya said with a small giggle.
"My sisters are right, as it stands you now have authority over the Great Forest and all its territories. Besides, we're the ones inviting you, and Ranga too." Treyni said as she walked up to the large wolf and began to pet his head.
"I am honoured!!" Ranga replied, his tail wagging as he took pleasure in having the back of his ears rubbed.
Well, I suppose there really was no reason not to. In fact, it would be rude of me. Besides, I was getting to see something that many people only ever dreamed of seeing. I couldn't help but wonder if they were more Dryads within their territory, and if so, why had I not yet met them.
Besides, I was curious as to what it was that Treyni and her sisters wanted to show me.
"Alright then, lead the way." I replied with a smile.
The Dryads promptly did so, Ranga and I following them as we ventured deeper in their territory. It was mostly just trees like the rest of the forest, but these trees actually had a faint glow to them, similar to the Dryads and their leaves were vibrant green. The magicules in the air were also higher here than usual, but that was to be expected in a habitat that was occupied with high A-rank monsters/spirits. It was nothing like the sealed cave where my mother had been, but it was the place with the second highest magicule concentration I'd been to since.
As we walked deeper into the woods, the magicules in the air continued to get thicker. Expanding my senses a bit, I was surprised by what I felt.
' The trees here, they're…alive?' I couldn't help but wonder. Whilst they looked like ordinary trees, some of them were filled with not only tons of magicules, but they even had emotions that I could sense! What the heck was up with that?!
From some of them, I could sense curiosity as we passed by, obviously they were sentient enough to be able to acknowledge our presence.
"Are these trees something similar to you Dryads?" I couldn't help but ask out of curiosity.
"They actually are Treants, our male counterparts, Lord Rimuru," Treyni explained. "Though unlike we Dryads, they rarely leave their host trees, mostly because they are more limited in how far they can move away from their host trees."
'Wow, as interesting as that sounds, it also sounds rough. Not being able to move around with freedom must suck. Assuming they don't genuinely prefer being within their trees, I don't think I would enjoy being stuck in a tree all the time.' I thought.
"So, why exactly have you brought us here? And why does this area seem familiar to me, despite me never being here before?" I couldn't help but ask.
"This, Lord Rimuru, is the part of our territory we used whenever Lady Veredia asked us to watch over you back when you were still in your egg." Treyni revealed, causing my and Ranga's eyes to widen in surprise. "Lady Veredia offered us refuge here in the Great Jura Forest when we were separated from the Queen of Spirits. And in gratitude, we offered our services to her to serve as the forest's caretakers. But in addition to that, Lady Veredia also trusted us to occasionally watch over your egg during occasions when she had to leave the forest."
'That's right, Treyni did mention something like that the day we first met. I can't believe I didn't connect the dots sooner!' I mentally berate myself. It certainly made sense that my mother would bring my egg here. Not only were the Dryads strong and capable enough to protect it from most threats, but the amount of magicules in the air were a good substitute to wherever my mother's nest or dwelling was prior to her sealing. Meaning my body still had plenty of sustenance to both develop and preserve itself.
We kept on going until we reached what I could only assume was the center of the territory due to the enormous tree that stood in front of us. This thing was at least like twenty times thicker than your average tree and nearly fifty times taller. The tree, while huge and flowing with magicules, was not sentient like the rest, and instead seemed to be feeding the land in itself with said magicules being absorbed by the treants and dryads of the forest.
At the base of the tree was a well decorated area, with large roots surrounding it almost as though protecting something. Getting closer it became clear that this was, or rather used to be, a nest of some kind. More than likely where the Dryads used to keep the egg after my mother handed it to them. The layers of leaves and flowers on the floor creating a soft floor, a large bird like nest made out of straw or something which was most definitely where the egg was kept, and the giant roots and vines surrounding the place, most likely to protect the egg from the natural elements.
All in all, this was a well fortified shelter, and it showed that the Dryads had really put a lot of thought into this and were dedicated to paying the trust my mother had given them.
"Man, you guys really did your best huh." It was less of a question and more of an observation.
"Of course, Lady Veredia entrusted us with something that was very precious to her. So much so that no one aside from us and her knew of your existence." Treyni said rather seriously, it was rather uncharacteristic of her. She usually either had a serene and elegant vibe, or she had a mischievous and playful side.
"My mother told me she kept watch over my egg for thousands of years, due to how long it took to hatch. Did no one else really know?" To be honest, my brief encounter with my mother had led me to believe that she wasn't the best at keeping secrets, so I was kind of skeptical.
"Lord Rimuru, honestly we don't have the full story ourselves. But from what Lady Veredia told us she had always wanted an heir, a child of her own. She once spoke about how her sisters had gone their own paths following powerful figures of the world, but she had no desire to go on the same path. While she was elusive to the details of your birth, and who helped father you, we did learn that once she found out she was with child, she took every precaution to ensure your safety." Treyni said as my attention was now fixed on the eldest of the dryad sisters. "She claimed Jura as her domain nearly two thousand years ago. Ensuring that humans wouldn't dare enter, lest they discover you, and knowing that the monsters would never dare approach her nest without permission, all so your egg would have a safe environment to grow."
"Wait, are you saying my mother claimed this entire forest just so my egg would be protected?" That seemed kind of ludicrous, but it also made sense. The egg of a True Dragon was something that adventurers and kingdoms would most likely wage war over.
"Indeed. Though to be honest, it was a fair trade, many of the monsters species that migrated here not only got a place to live, but they all live under the protection of the Storm Dragon. The only cost was that they would be unknowingly serving as layers of defense. Which wasn't really a downside since few people were stupid enough to enter the domain of Lady Veredia." Treyni explained.
"Guess she really wasn't giving up on that egg hatching…" I mumbled more to myself than anyone really. Most monsters would have assumed the child within the egg was dead or was simply too weak to hatch on its own and thus would eventually die.
But she chose to keep faith, that the egg would hatch, regardless of whatever soul inhabited said body. I was still surprised at the fact that she had so willingly accepted me despite knowing I was a human from another world. It was unnatural, then again given the circumstances, I guess I can understand her a little bit.
"Thanks for showing me this…" I said to the Dryads, a smile on my face as I kept my eyes on the nest for a while longer.
~~~
A few days passed since I'd managed to convince the Dryads to help with the agricultural development of the town, and I had tto say things were looking up a lot more in that department than they had been before, the goblins were looking forward to a bountiful harvest when the time came.
Now, obviously the dryads had their own duties to the forest, so we agreed that one of them would be checking on the goblins about twice a week, mainly in regards to agriculture, but if the goblins had something important they wanted to share with me while I was away, then the Dryads would deliver.
Speaking of leaving, it was time for me to finally head back to the Ogre village. I'd done enough to jump start this place for the time being and would check up on everyone regularly enough, but otherwise with the Dwarves and Dryads helping out, this village was on its way to becoming one of the most developed settlements in the forest.
Everyone had gathered to see Ranaga and I off. I'd decided to take Ranga with me, the alpha wolf having become something of a partner, familiar, and friend all packed into one. I was confident that Raya would be able to handle things with the rest of the tempest wolves in the meantime.
"Alright everyone, I'm off now!" I called out from on top of Ranga.
"Right, please take care of yourself Lord Rimuru!" Rigurd said as he stood in a straight posture, trying and failing to hold his composure as tears appeared in the corner of his eyes.
"I should be the one saying that, I'll be counting on you to take care of everyone." I responded before turning towards Kaijin and the dwarf brothers. "Thanks again for coming here guys, I get the feeling this town is just going to keep on growing with your help. I'll be popping by often enough to brainstorm ideas for development and the like."
"Don't mention it, compared to what you did for us, this is nothing!!" Garm said with a grin and a thumbs up.
"Yeah, you literally saved our lives and gave us high paying jobs! If anything, we should be the ones thanking you!" Dord said with a grateful smile and a nod, one that I returned.
"Mhmmm, mhmmm!" Myrd hummed in agreement as he nodded. I'd get that guy to talk one day, I don't know how or when, but I'd do it.
"They've pretty much said it all, but you don't have to worry, we'll make this village into something great. Just make sure you pop up often enough." Kaijin said with a grin, "Oh and don't worry about the troops and all that, I'll put them through the wringer until you get some proper teachers hehehe." He added with a bit of a sadistic laugh.
That's right, given Kaijin's military background, I'd asked him to fill in for me in training the goblins and wolves. I wasn't expecting much since he was now a full-time blacksmith, but it was better than just having them train blindly. Hopefully the ogre chief would be willing to spare some of his people for the job.
"I can't wait to see the results when I come back then." I said, before looking at everyone gathered once more, "See you guys soon!!" I shouted as Ranga and I took off into the forest.
"Good-bye Lord Rimuru!!" The loud cries of the goblins echoed throughout the forest, accompanied by the louder howls of the tempest wolves. In a matter of seconds they were out of sight and earshot due to Ranga's speed.
'They'll be fine, besides I'll be checking in often enough.' I told myself.
~~~
It wasn't long until we entered the Ogre's territory, with Ranga's speed and stamina we'd been able to make it within the hour, and thanks to [Great Sage] making something akin to a mental map in my head, keeping track of aall the locations I'd been to, we hadn't gotten lost and had found our way pretty easily.
Ranga was moving through the treelines like a hound of hell, to a normal person they either would have fallen off ages ago or they wouldn't be able to see anything due to how fast he was moving.
" [Ogre flame]!!" With numerous cries a large torrent of flames suddenly came our way out of the blue, quickly bringing Ranga to a grind halt before he leapt to the right to avoid the attack.
'What the heck?!!' I was immediately on guard as I wondered why the heck we were getting attacked out of the blue.
It was then that numerous ogres came out of the bushes, about seven or so, and they all charged towards Ranga weapons hot. Putting the tempest wolf on edge as he growled at the approaching enemies. I recognized one or two of them as part of the Young Master's troop, meaning they really were from the Ogre village. If that was the case then why are they attacking us?!
《Notice: Due to your suppressed aura the ogres did not sense your presence, but the individual Ranga has not suppressed his aura. Thus it can be assumed the Ogres sensed an incoming threat and reacted accordingly.》
'Of course! And given that we were making a beeline for their village at ssuch insane speeds it's only natural that they would react as they did.' I surmised. I quickly jumped off Ranga, landing in front of him, and released a portion of my aura, about 30% give or take. " Stop!!" I shouted as my aura flared and actually threw the unexpecting Ogres back a bit. I suppressed my aura just as quickly as it burst out, bringing it down to a level where most would be able to sense my presence but not enough to scare anyone, more than sure that the Ogres would at the very least think twice before attacking again.
Sure enough, as they stood up they seemed to be more on the side of caution, at least until their eyes fell on me. Their eyes widened as they recognized me instantly, and the horrid realization of what they had done crashed down on them like a large boulder. Immediately, the leader of the group went down on one knee and bowed his head.
"Lord Rimuru, please forgive our reckless assault!!" The ogre pleaded as he hung his head low, I didn't even need [desire] to see the fear and anxiety that he was feeling in that moment.
' 'Lord Rimuru' huh, guess the rest of the village knows about my heritage then.' I concluded. I wasn't surprised by this really, the Ogres seemed to be the type to respect titles and stature. The chief must have spread word after I left, I just hoped this didn't change their opinions of me too much, I kinda liked where I stood with the ogres before. Not too formal, but not too informal either. There was a chance that progress had been compromised by the revelation of my heritage. I shook my head sideways as I brought myself back to the situation at hand.
By now, the other ogres involved in the attack had also gone down on their knees asking for forgiveness. Did these guys think I was gonna take their lives over a misunderstanding or something? Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if they did, monsters tended to think differently from humans, and despite being a monster now, I still had a very human mentality.
"Be at ease, I know a misunderstanding when I see one. I shouldn't have hidden my own aura so well, it's only natural you would assume Ranga was an enemy otherwise." I reassured them, I could tell they were more than a little surprised at the fact that Ranga was a named creature, but they didn't say anything about it, probably having heard about it from when I asked the Dryads to deliver a message to the ogre village.
"But…we attacked you and your…companion." The lead ogre responded.
"And I said it's fine. No hard feelings, right Ranga?"
"Right! If the master won't hold it against you, then I have no reason to." Ranga responded with a loud bark.
"Thank you my lord, you are truly kind." The ogre responded, I couldn't help but sigh as it seemed that familiarity truly had vanished, I really hoped it wasn't all the ogres who'd fallen into this sense of formality.
"Right, well we were on our way to the village. I've handled all the affairs I set out to deal with."
"Please allow us to escort you, I'm sure everyone will be pleased by your return." the lead ogre said as he and his party stood.
"Sure, why not." I said with a shrug as I climbed back onto Ranga.
The ogres in the village had more than likely already felt my small display of power just now, so it was either they hadn't sent a party to investigate or they were already preparing for my arrival.
With that, the ogre party led Ranga and I through the forest towards the village. Regardless of whatever changes, I was looking forward to seeing everyone again.
~~~
The walk back to the village was about as silent and awkward as I expected it to be. The ogre party was clearly embarrassed over the recent encounter and were still feeling plenty ashamed, but they still did their best to be hospitable.
It didn't take long until the village gates were in sight, and as I'd pretty much expected, most of the village was already gathered by said gates. A pair of ogres had branched from the rest of the troop earlier, probably going on ahead to give the rest of the village a heads up about my approach.
"Lord Rimuru! We are truly honored and overjoyed by your return to our village!" The collective response of all the ogres present at the gate, all of whom were bowing and kneeling on a single knee.
I couldn't help but sigh a little at the over-the-top and zealous reception I got from the Ogre Village, with the feeling of pride and happiness and amazement being felt through [desire].
Though I ultimately wasn't TOO surprised by the reaction I had received, given the revelation of my heritage and subsequent significance to the Jura Forest. The fact that I had asked the Dryads to inform them of the delay of my return likely did not help, due to a mix of anxiety on how to treat me now and the Dryads simply appearing undoubtedly served to confirm my heritage to the Ogres.
I jumped off Ranga, just in time too as the chief and his family approached us. The chief and his wife seemed relieved to see me. The ogre princess was actually happy which made me feel kinda warm on the inside, I hadn't forgotten the fact that she might potentially be one of the women I was destined to be with. Lastly was the young master, the guy couldn't even meet my eyes, though given our last interaction, I didn't blame him.
I'd had plenty of time to think about how I'd handle what happened with him when I got back, because I doubted it was something that would just be swept under the carpet so to speak. And personally, I didn't want to hold a grudge or anything like that. The guy was literally the heir of this village, and I really liked it here, so getting along with him was a must. Besides, I had a feeling that when he wasn't busy being a paranoid, egotistical, and overprotective jerk, he was actually a pretty decent guy. I doubt any child born from the chief and chieftess would be anything less.
"Lord Rimuru, please allow me to welcome you back into our village." The chief said as he and his family gave a quick bow. I was pretty sure they would have been respectful of my return regardless of my heritage being revealed or not, but they were probably taking it up a notch because of it.
"It's good to be back." I said with a nod and a smile. It really was, this place was the closest thing I had to a home in this world, hence the reason I'd been so eager to come back as quickly as possible. I then turned towards Ranga, who was beside me and began to pet him. "I believe introductions are in order, this here is Ranga, my loyal companion and the head of the Tempest Wolf pack."
"It's nice to meet you! Master has spoken highly about this village!" Ranga said with a loud bark, tail wagging in excitement.
"The honor is ours, Sir Ranga." The chief said with a quick bow towards the wolf. He wasn't as surprised as I thought he would be at Ranga being named, then again I'm sure the dryads had filled them in on enough details.
I was a bit surprised that he would actually bow at Ranga, but I quickly remembered two things. Firstly, aside from myself, Ranga was currently the strongest individual in the village in terms of magicules alone. And as usual, the ogres respected sentient and powerful creatures. The second being that I'd introduced him as my familiar/companion, making it clear that I was the one who named him and granted him his power. So out of respect to me, they were also showing some to Ranga.
"It seemed you had quite the adventure upon leaving our walls." The chieftess suddenly said with a bright smile, one that quickly reminded me of Treyni awkwardly enough. I remember thinking vise versa back in the goblin village.
'Those two should really not be allowed to meet.' I thought as I tried to think of ways to prevent the two schemers from directly interacting with each other.
"But it all seemed to have worked out in the end." The princess responded, drawing my attention, "I'm just glad that you returned to us safe and sound, Lord Rimuru." she responded with a giggle.
"My daughter is right, your return and sucess in your endeavors is a cause for celebration, Lord Rimuru. Tonight we will hold an outdoor feast in your honor." The Chief with a nod and a smile, I wanted to refuse, the welcome party had been more than enough. But I would be lying if I said I didn't want to try their cooking again after so long.
~~~
Sure enough, night soon came and the celebrations and feastings started. The atmosphere seemed to be good all around, the ogres seemed genuinely happy and festive tonight. Dancing to the music, feasting on the food, and just talking and laughing amongst each other. Feeling the positive energy in the atmosphere through [Desire] was enough to make me not regret speaking against the idea of a celebration.
One ogre in particular caught my attention during all this, it was the purple ogress I was teaching to cook. She turned out to be quite the skilled dancer when it came to festive occasions such as this one. Her moves are traditional as her body would sway and move rhythmically to the music.
Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on perspective, that resulted in her heavy assets swinging around in a manner that drew the eyes of many ogres, it certainly didn't help that her attire left a certain amount of cleavage for people to see. I tried to ignore the irritation I felt at the others gazing at her.
The ogres had even been kind enough to set a large wooden bowl of meat for Ranga. The tempest wolf happily devours the meat whilst interacting with the ogres that chose to approach him. Many couldn't believe that he was once a direwolf, a C-rank monster, and now he was on the lower spectrum of A-rank.
"I see, so that's what happened." The ogre chief said, I'd been retelling the tales of my adventures to him, his family, the elder, and other notable members of the village. We were all seated on the largest table with lots of food present for us to help ourselves to.
"Yeah, it was a lot more than I originally set out for, but everything seemed to work out in the end." I said as I took a sip of the fruit juice next to me.
"If I may, Lord Rimuru, why did you feel the need to take in the goblins and wolves in the first place?" The chieftess suddenly asked.
"It wasn't that I needed to, but rather things just ended up turning out that way. The initial goblins offered their loyalty in exchange for my aid and protection, as for the wolves, they chose to submit me as a result of sparing the rest of their pack. As for the goblins that followed, as I said earlier that was mainly to even oout the population, or at least make sure the goblins could settle comfortably with the wolves." I said with a shrug, "I didn't deny them that. In the end I'm still guardian to the whole forest but they get more attention from me since their my subordinates."
"Even so, was it necessary to name them? I don't mean to belittle you, but naming a monster is a dangerous task, even to one as powerful as yourself, especially so many monsters." The princess asked in concern.
"Don't worry, I named them in batches so I wouldn't do more harm than good. And I recover magicules faster than the average monster." I reassured the princess, she still looked a bit concerned but didn't say anything more.
The true harm in naming comes from either attempting to name one stronger than yourself or naming too many monsters at once, other than that, one should recover from the process given enough time. Thanks to my sub-skill [Drainage, I could absorb magicules from the environment faster to regain my strength, which was how I recovered quickly. This skill also allowed me to passively grow stronger at a slow rate through absorbing magicules in the air. The higher the magicule density in an area, the more I grew in strength. I grew.
"Besides, I also had other reasons for naming them." I stated, drawing the attention of the ogres present. "The first being to make them stronger and more united. As they were, the goblins were too weak to defend themselves in any manner, they would be too reliant on the wolves for protection in my absence. This would result in the wolves looking down on the goblins and mistreating them."
"I see, so you named them in order to evolve them so they could better defend themselves, which would allow them to also fight alongside the wolves, creating a sense of comradery among them." The chief said with a smirk as he nodded his head, I wasn't surprised to see that he had seen through my trick.
"But wouldn't naming the wolves just increase the gap strength between the wolves and goblins again?" The princess asked, I couldn't help the grin that made its way onto my face.
"The goblins and wolves both grew tremendously as a result of me naming them, the goblins went from E-rank to C-rank turning into hobgoblins and goblina's, while the direwolves went through a unique evolution due to my affinities and became tempest wolves going from D-rank to B-rank monsters with their leaders on the lower end of A-rank." I explained as the ogres eyes widened slightly at the revelation. "At face value, the difference in power may have increased between them, but that's only if you look at it from a magicule perspective. This is where things such as gear, arts, and skills come into play."
"Ah, I understand now. The goblins are a humanoid race, and thus are much more capable of learning than the wolves. That means where they lack in magicules, they can make up with arts and weapons." The elder said as he stroked his beard, "This is part of the reason you sought out artisans in Dwargon, isn't it?" the elder himself was a testament to the fact that magicules weren't everything. Individuals like the young master and princess surpassed him in energy, but his physical prowess, skill, and experience was still far above theirs. And that was enough to almost always guarantee him victory.
"That's part of the reason, the goblins also had no talents in making clothing or constructions at all, watching them attempt to make a house was rather sad." I said with a sigh as I remember the structure they had shown me before I decided to leave for Dwargon. "Things have certainly improved since I got the dwarves to come to the village, and the goblins seem to be learning well under them. They've got clothing and proper shelters, they've even started growing their own food under the guidance of the dryads who have some expertise in agricultural techniques, though they're currently still reliant on the bounty of the forest."
"It seems like things are going well for them then." The chief said with a few nods.
"My lord, if you don't mind me asking, why didn't you come to us when searching for artisans?" The chieftess suddenly asked as everyone on the table turned to her with wide eyes. "Our village is plenty capable in craftsmanship."
"I did think of it, but I reconsidered." I answered, drawing the attention back to me. "I simply figured that you wouldn't want to take part in a task that involved weaker races given the pride of the ogres."
"While it's true that we ogres only acknowledge those we view as strong, we still would have aided in your endeavor." The chief spoke up.
"Is that so?" I said as I turned to the chief, his eyes meeting with my own. I'm pretty sure he was saying this because of my heritage, but whether he actually meant was a completely different matter. The chief merely nodded his head without turning his eyes away from my own. "Well, honestly speaking there is still one area they need help in, the goblins in particular, I wasn't willing to entrust this task to foreigners from other nations."
"Oh, and what may that be?" The chieftess asked as she leaned forward a bit.
"Training the goblin forces. I taught them some basics in hand to hand and swordsmanship, and some seem to have a knack for archery, but they still require a lot of guidance." I told the chief with a sigh. I hadn't been planning on talking to the chief about this so soon, but I saw an opportunity to bring it up and I did.
"I see…and you want us to be the ones that teach them?" The chief asked for confirmation.
"To be fair, I don't really have anyone else to ask." I said with a shrug which prompted a scoff from the young master and a giggle from the chieftess and princess, "Like I said, I'd rather not leave this to foreigners and I don't have enough connections in the forest to ask elsewhere. Though the dryads intend to help me fix that. Besides, I'm not asking for a lot, just a few individuals that specialize in different kinds of weapons."
"Yes, that seems to be reasonable." The ogre chief said as he rubbed his chin in thought.
"I'm not asking this free of charge, by the way, I'm sure we can work out some kind of agreement, but not tonight. We can discuss the details another time, there's no need to rush anything." I reassured him, by now I was sure that the chief was willing to help and listen to what I had to say. The specifics could be ironed out on another date, tonight was meant to be a night of celebration.
"Yes, yes, for tonight we feast and celebrate." The chief said with a nod, I could feel a sense of relief from him, more than likely from having more time to think about my proposal rather than being put on the spot. Then again, his wife was the one that brought it up.
"Right, speaking of festivities, I haven't had the chance to dance yet. Wouldn't be a celebration if I didn't indulge in the fun myself now would it?" I asked with a grin as I stood up, the ogres each nodded their heads as I excused myself and began walking towards the festivities.
I then stopped as a thought came to mind, 'This is either very foolish or very bold, hopefully it's the latter because fortune is supposed to favor the bold.' I mentally said before turning back towards the chiefs table, more specifically towards the princess. Everyone on the chief's table had once more turned to me once they noticed my pause. After a few seconds of thinking over my words, I just spoke whatever came to mind.
"Actually princess, would you mind joining me on the dance floor?" I said with a smile as I stretched out my left hand.
"Eehhh?!" I ignored the shocked cries of the ogres on the chief's tables, the raised eyebrows of the elder and chief, the giggling of the chieftess, and the slightly scrutinizing look from the young master. Instead focused on the princess, who's face seemed to be getting redder and redder by the second.
"My, Lord Rimuru, are you not being a bit too forward." The chieftess teased as the princess' face exploded into a deeper shade of red, her mouth opening and closing as she waved her hands in a poor attempt to refute her mother's words. The rest of the table was too shocked to say anything.
"I think you're reading too much into it. I'm just asking her to dance with me. A celebration such as this one is meant to be enjoyed with friends and loved ones, and the princess happens to be one of the ogres with whom I'm closest to." I said with a shrug, that was total bullshit. I knew it, she knew it, hell everyone on the table knew it, but none of them would call me up on it.
"Perhaps I am." The chieftess conceded, though I could tell she wasn't buying my excuse, it didn't matter in the end. While I would rather have their approval when I started pursuing the princess, because I am going to pursue her, I haven't started just yet.
Reason being I still wanted to get to know her a bit more before I did. That dark elf fortune teller's vision had shown that the princess may be one of my future partners, and that she may evolve in the future, but she also said the future was in my hands.
I'd never really thought about having a harem, but then again I also never thought I'd be reincarnated to another world. Whether or not what was in the vision would really happen depended on what I did.
"So, shall we?" I asked the princess once more. Regaining her composure, she then turned towards her father who nodded his head in approval.
Upon having his approval, she stood and joined me as we left the table and joined the other ogres dancing around the huge bonfire. I allowed myself to just relax and have fun that night. I danced, ate and feasted that night.
It was good to be back
~~~
3rd P.O.V:
In another part of the Great Forest of Jura, near the border leading to the Kingdom of Blumund, five individuals could be seen entering the forest. Three of them were the adventurers that Rimuru had seen upon reaching the entrance to Veredia's cave: Kaval, Eren, and Gido.
"Man I can't believe the guild master asked us to come back to this place just to investigate the monster's behavior." Kaval whined, the three of them had been hoping to take a few days of vacation after their exploration of the Storm Dragon's cave, but unfortunately their guild master, Fuze, had different ideas.
"Hey, you shouldn't complain too much. Guild master Fuze was kind enough to get us into a party with none other than the rising hero Masayuki!!" Eren said as she smacked Kaval with her staff. She was also annoyed by the sudden quest, but she couldn't deny that getting to be in the same party as a hero was a pretty good opportunity, one they may never get again.
Their mission was to investigate monster activities within the forest, more specifically to take note of any changes that may have occurred as a result of the Storm Dragon vanishing. Given how dangerous the monsters within Jura tended to be, the Guild Master managed to convince the rising hero Masayuki, who just happened to be in the area, to also take part in this mission. Offering a sizeable reward in exchange.
"You shouldn't look up to me so highly. I've only recently started my own adventures, so I don't really think I'm deserving of a title such as hero." Masayuki said with a sweatdrop, as he tried to save Kaval from getting smacked again.
"Nonsense!" Gido shouted as he walked up to the blonde otherworlder. "The fact that you've accomplished so much in such a short amount of time says a lot about how strong you are and your potential! Isn't that right Shizu?"
Shizu, the last member of their party, not much was really known about her. She had heard the four of them talking about traveling to Jura, and asked if she could join them. So far, she had been the most quiet, only speaking here and there. Even more confusing was the fact that since they'd met her they'd yet to see her face, since she always seemed to be wearing a mask.
"Indeed, word of your talents reached all the way to Ingrasia, Masayuki. You should take pride in your accomplishments." She encouraged, her voice gentle and reassuring.
"That's right, we're the ones lucky to be in a party with you. So we should make sure to learn as much as we can!" Eren said with a determined look as she held onto her staff tightly with both hands.
As the group continued to move while talking and bickering, mainly Kaval's party, Shizu suddenly stopped and turned to her left side, prompting the others to do the same as they turned to her in confusion.
"Shizu, is something wrong?" Eren asked with a concerned expression. The masked adventurer didn't respond for a few seconds, before turning away from whatever she was looking at and shaking her head sideways.
"No, I just thought I sensed something for a moment. I must have been mistaken." Shizu said, which immediately put Kaval's party at ease.
"You shouldn't scare us like that Shizu! for a moment, I thought a monster was going to jump out of the treelines or something!" Eren said with a nervous laugh.
Shizue couldn't help but sigh, these three were very carefree it seemed, they were walking into a forest filled with monsters, and yet they were now letting their guards down just because she said the coast was clear? It was a miracle they had made it this far on their own.
The group continued on their way, heading deeper into the forest. It was only after five minutes that a figure stepped out of the area that Shizue had been looking at, the individual in question was none other than Gelmude, the majin who had attempted to forcefully recruit Zegion and Apito.
" Fwhew, that was too close." The majin said as he let out a breath of relief. He looked down towards the crystal ball that he was holding in his left hand. "Did you see that, my lord? There's no doubt about it, that mask that name, that woman truly is the hero Shizue Aizawa, the Conqueror of Flames! I thought she was retired! And that blonde one, Masayuki, they said he was a rising hero! What do we do Lord Clayman, this could put a dent in our plans!" Gelmude proclaimed in distress, it was bad enough that he had encountered an unknown majin within the forest that was far stronger than he was, but now there were two heroes surveying the forest?!
*Calm yourself, Gelmude.* A calm and calculating voice spoke out from the crystal, this voice belonged to Gelmude's lord and master, the Demon Lord Clayman. *While the situation does seem to have changed, there is still a way that we can use this to our advantage.*
"My Lord?" Gelmude questioned. He wasn't sure what benefit there was to having two heroes scouring the forest they were in the midst of taking over, but he trusted Lord Clayman to have a plan.
*The flame hero, Shizue Aizawa and the newly rising hero, Masayuki. Hmmm, from what I've heard, the Conqueror of Flames retired due to having issues with her elemental spirit.* Clayman said thoughtfully. *Perhaps we can use that to our advantage. If all goes well I'd gain two powerful puppets, perhaps even replacements for some of my 'fingers'.*
"Yes my lord, those two would make excellent minions!" Gelmude quickly agreed.
*Gelmude, have you heard any word of that majin you encountered?* Clayman asked.
"Yes my lord, the goblin settlement near where I encountered him has begun to rapidly expand and seems to have also tamed direwolves. I can only assume this was his doing." Gelmude responded rather bitterly, he was still sour over being thoroughly humiliated by that stupid majin and being forced to flee, but he knew that he couldn't fight him head on and hope to win.
*Good, then he's still within the forest. Return to Jistav at once, I have a gift for the Conqueror of Flames, hopefully this 'guardian' will also be lured out. I admit he has piqued my curiosity.* Clayman's voice sounded equally amused and cunning. The connection cut before Gelmude could respond, but the majin knew better than to delay any further.
Without another word, he took off into the sky in the direction of Jistav. His master had plans, big plans, for the forest, the heroes and that majin that humiliated him. Gelmude especially wanted to see what would become of that majin, if his master allowed it, Gelmude would gladly make him food for his Orc Lord.
Yes, his power alone would be more than enough to ensure the Orc Lord's evolution into the Orc Disaster.
Authors Note:
And that's a wrap for this chapter, finally glad to have that over with. We covered quite a lot of things here from the development of the goblin village and its inhabitants under the dwarves, the dryad visit and some insight into their past with Veredia, and lastly Rimuru's return to the ogre village.
All things considered I like the way this chapter turned out and I can't wait to hear what you all have to say about it!
Please, like, review and comment. I'm accepting of constructive criticism too.