Authors Note: New type of 'punctuation'. If you see this (~) around words, they are said in a kind of sing-song voice or fluctuating pitch. Example: "I love it ~sooooo~ much!" I hope this makes sense.

Also, the big chapter I hinted at last chapter should be next week. I didn't realize at the time that I still had quite a bit of setup to do for the 'climax'.

A Sticky Situation

Iruma POV

"Now I feel guilty…" I say dejectedly.

"Hey, you didn't know she would go to all that trouble! Cheer up!" Rimuru says cheerfully.

"After she spent all that time putting up 'First Love Memories' inspired decorations just for me, I went and joined a different battler…I'm so sorry Ameri…"

"Yeah, you could've picked a better one, that's for sure. Still, I don't think the Student Council would be a good fit for you anyways, no matter how much Ameri wants you to join. They seem pretty intense."

"If you say so…"

"Oh, hey! I almost forgot! Stay here for a minute, I'll be right back!" Rimuru says before running back into the room we just left.

Ameri POV

I can't believe Iruma went and joined a different battler! How could he!? All this preparation has gone to waste; or it would have at least, except for the fact that it made Iruma smile…I can't help but love that innocent smile of his. It warms my heart every time in a way nothing else does. Still, I would have loved to have him join the Student Council so I could spend more time with him. The time in-between our meeting always feels too long.

Now that the battler trial period is over, it's time to clean up. I begin tearing down the decorations along with the other members when I hear a knock on the door.

"Hey, Ameri. Can I talk to you for a sec?"

I turn around and it's Rimuru. Great, what could she want?

"What?" I ask bluntly.

"Hey, don't be like that! ~I have a present for you~!" She says playfully, probably just trying to piss me off.

What is she talking about!?

"Okay, what is it?"

"It needs to be given to you in private." Rimuru says, grinning mischievously.

Yeah, definitely trying to get under my skin. This girl knows how to be annoying just as much as intimidating. It's an unsettling skill-set, to say the least.

"President?" one of my members asks, sounding concerned.

"It's fine. I will be right back."

I exit the room with the strange girl and we enter a vacant room nearby.

"I have some information for you; It's related to the safety of Babyls." She explains, having abandoned the playful act from a moment ago.

"I am listening."

"Okay, but this doesn't leave this room. This is for Your. Ears. Only." Rimuru says in a serious tone carrying pressure behind it.

I nod my head. Despite not liking this girl at all, I can't turn down precious intel. From what Iruma told me, Rimuru isn't one to lie (at least in serious situations, she does enjoy pranks apparently). Through our chats, he's given me a better read on her, or at least his perception of her. She could be fooling him since he's so innocent and naïve, but she seems to truly care about him so I doubt that.

"So I've been spying on this one individual for a while now, and I can tell he's plotting something." She explains.

"Plotting what?"

Rimuru shrugs.

"I can't give you much, but from what I can tell it's gonna be destructive, or at least dangerous. I'll handle the main threat but there'll likely be a panic among the students. That's where you'll come in! They trust you as the Student Council President, so you should be able to keep them calm in an emergency, right?"

"This sounds like something the teachers should know about, have you told them?" I ask, both concerned and irritated. This isn't something a student should handle on their own. Even if she was hired by the Chairdemon, she's still a high-schooler and one that's younger than me too. She can't handle everything by herself!

"Nah, I don't have the proof or details to tell them anything substantial enough to act on. Plus, you're the only one here, except for Iruma and Sullivan, that know my true role at Babyls. It'd be kinda weird if I went up to the teachers and told them about something like this. They probably wouldn't even believe me." Rimuru says, shrugging.

"Can't you give me more than that!? I need to know what is going on!" I demand.

"As I said, I don't have the details yet, not that that matters much. There's a student here plotting something evil; I'm gonna stop them when they make their move and you're gonna maintain the peace while I do what I need to do! That's the plan, at least. Things would probably be fine with just me handling stuff but pandemonium while I'm trying to do my job would be annoying. I'd prefer if someone else took care of that part for me, that's why I came to you."

"Couldn't you at least tell me who this suspicious student is so I can keep an eye on him?" I ask, hoping for more details. She's being infuriatingly vague.

"I will handle the student and his scheme myself, so no." Rimuru says in an aloof tone.

"How can you be so sure you can handle this issue by yourself!?" I ask, starting to get angry that she's being so obscure about this whole predicament. I feel like she messing with me, stringing me along in some kind of sick game.

"I just know I can. I won't make any mistakes since I've learned the hard way how to deal with people...like him…" Rimuru says before hesitating. She has a distant look in her eyes as if lamenting something in her past. The sadness in her expression is combined with anger and regret. During this pause, I can't help but feel uncomfortable from the somber tension. Then, as if nothing was ever wrong, she abruptly snaps out of it and cheerfully declares "I've dealt with much worse, so this is child's play in comparison!"

That look she had in her eyes, it's almost like she's traumatized.

"Could I have an example? I would find it reassuring if I knew what you were capable of…" I ask, giving a semi-fake reason. I'm hoping to find out what could have possibly happened to her that could make her act like that.

"Nope." Rimuru answers bluntly. "You don't need to know more, you know too much about me already." She gives me a jarringly dark look as if saying 'Don't you dare ask again.' So I give up on satisfying my curiosity. This girl isn't going to budge.

Yeah, I should have expected that. Of course, she wouldn't want to talk about it if it's that painful for her.

"Fine. I will make do with what you have shared with me." I say, ending the tense moment.

"Good, if you want to be involved, just be prepared at all times since I don't know when they're gonna make their move yet. I'm not in charge of you, so you can do whatever you want with that information. Help, or don't help; it doesn't make much difference to me. Just don't share it with anyone. I don't want the fact that I'm aware of this scheme to reach my suspect. See ya."

Rimuru leaves the room and I am left to ponder what she just told me. A dangerous and destructive plot? A mysterious student behind it all? It's all news to me, which means my patrols are insufficient to protect Babyls. I must step up my game and keep a closer eye on things, or I will fail to perform my duty!

**The Next Morning**

Iruma POV

"The battler party? What's that?" I ask.

"It's a presentation the battlers put on. But, really, it's more of a meet-and-greet for the new members. It's a lively event with all kinds of shops and amusements. There are also prizes and awards for the top three battlers announced at the end of the event." Opera explains.

"Wow!"

"Above all, the parents of all the first years come to the battler party to observe. It's a perfect opportunity for them to check up on their kids who are just starting school." He continues.

"That sounds like a lot of fun! Wait, what's all that?" I say, just noticing the elaborate photography setup Opera has put up.

"The Chairdemon insisted on getting you ready for it right away." Opera explains.

"Haha…ha…so where's Grandpa anyway?" I ask, looking around the room.

"He just left a bit ago. There is an important regularly scheduled meeting today." Opera says, clarifying the situation.

"What kind of meeting?" I ask, curious.

"A gathering of the greatest heroes of the Netherworld; The Thirteen's dinner."

"Wow, that sounds important! Grandpa must be an important person here. I knew he led some kind position, but I didn't know it was that grand!" I say, surprised.

"Yes, he is also one of the 'Three Greats', so he is even more significant than some of the members of The Thirteen."

"That's amazing! Hey…I'm just noticing, but where's Rimuru? I haven't seen her today." I say, noticing that I haven't seen my 'sister' around either. Rimuru's normally nearby most of the time so it's strange having her absent. Sometimes she'll wander off to do whatever, but she almost always tells me first/

"She went with Lord Sullivan to the dinner."

What is she doing going to some meeting like that…there's definitely something going on. She's been hiding more from me than usual lately.

"Okay…well, I hope they're back soon. We need to prepare for the battler party together."

"I'm sure Rimuru'll be back soon! He seems pretty invested in you, kid! He won't run off for long!" Veldora says after coming into the room without noticing.

"I guess…" I say, feeling a bit uncomfortable from the man's words.

"Hey, cheer up!" Veldora says before giving me a 'friendly' slap on the back that ends up knocking me to the floor, falling flat on my face.

"Whoops…sorry kid…not used to spending time around humans. I forget how weak they are sometimes, hahaha!"

I push myself off the floor and stand up. Thankfully, I'm not hurt except for a few bruises.

Man, and I thought when Rimuru did that it was too hard…

**A Bit Earlier**

Rimuru POV

"Sullivan. You know how I've been keeping an eye on a suspicious individual at Babyls?"

"Yes, I remember you mentioning that."

"Well, he's pulling something shady, I'm even more sure of that than before. I also think the plot has more to it than just his plan. I eavesdropped on him talking to the phone to someone else about his scheme. The boy appears to be working under someone else outside of Babyls."

"That's very concerning…hmmm…later today I am going to an important meeting with many high-ranked demons attending. Would you like to come with me? It may give you some insight into the way things work here politically. If this involves a party outside of the school it may be spurred by a conflict of that type."

"Well, as much as I hate meetings, I probably should come along. Are you sure this is okay? Nobody will object to a 'teenager' being there?"

"I am one of the 'Three Greats' so I have a good deal of influence here in the Netherworld. I can get away with quite a lot, especially something as minor as bringing a guest with me to a meeting."

"If you say it's ok, then sure."

Sullivan and I fly to a place called 'Babel'. This is where the meeting will be held. It's a large, ominous tower with the meeting being held on the top two floors. We walk into a room on the second to the top floor and find a large table with an assortment of 'powerful' demons seated at it. I spot eight currently in the room. Man, this is giving me some serious Walpurgis vibes. From what was described by Sullivan, I can tell who's who.

Belzebuth – a blond-haired and mustached man sitting at the end seat of the table. He appears to be in charge of the meeting, ranking directly below the 'Three Greats'.

Astaroh – a man with black braided hair and sunglasses. He dressed in flashy clothing. Dubbed the 'All-Seer'.

Amaymon – a navy-blue wolf-like man with a gruff attitude. Dubbed 'Lord of Four Corners'.

Behemoth – A fat pig-like man chowing down on a bucket of food during the meeting. Dubbed 'Glutton Lord'.

Azazel Henri – A sharped faced man with red hair and eyes. Has cat ears on his head and wears glasses and a suit. Chief of Demon Security.

Paimon – a white-haired woman dressed as a maid. The way she's dressed reminds me of Luminous, except this woman is much less terrifying.

Baal – a man with light-blonde, spiky hair. Dubbed 'Thunder Lord'.

(Absent) Asmodeus Amaryllis – dubbed 'Lord of Seduction'.

(Absent) Glasya – dubbed 'Lord of Shadows'.

(Upstairs) Sullivan - (You already know about him) one of the 'Three Greats'.

(Upstairs) Belial – An old man wearing a fedora. One of the 'Three Greats'.

(Upstairs) Leviathan - (Levi for short) A woman with long, blue hair wearing a gold band across her forehead. One of the 'Three Greats'.

(Author's Note: There's an empty spot among The Thirteen, this is in the source material and I think it might be an oversight. Seriously, even the wiki lists them as 'unknown', I swear I know how to count, lol.)

"Rimuru, you will stay here for a bit. You can join me on the top floor later when you are done here. In the meantime, listen closely to these important demons and mind your manners." Sullivan says dotingly.

"Yes, Grandpa." I put on the grandchild act just like we discussed on the way.

Some of the seats at the table have names assigned to them so I make sure to pick one that isn't. I pretend to act apprehensive as I sheepishly sit down. If I start acting all haughty around these guys, it will cause nothing but trouble. These demons are the top of the top here in the Netherworld, so I'm sure they wouldn't take kindly to some 'kid' acting like they're on the same level.

"H-hello." I greet them, feigning anxiousness. I'm not the least bit nervous around these guys. As far as I'm concerned, they're small fry.

"What the hell are you doing here, brat?!" a man with blonde, spiky hair yells. Baal, I think was his name. I refrain from rolling my eyes at his rudeness, despite how much I want to.

He resembles Sabnock, they're probably related or something.

[[Upon analysis, I have determined that this man is indeed related to Sabnock Sabro.]]

"I'm here to observe. I'm Lord Sullivan's granddaughter, Rimuru. I have recently taken interest in Netherworld politics so he decided to bring me here so I can learn something from this meeting."

"Hmph. What does that old geezer think he's doing, bringing a child here?! I didn't come here to babysit some brat!" Baal complains more.

"I promise I won't cause any trouble, I'm simply here to watch and listen. Nothing else." I say, perfectly hiding how pissed off I'm getting from this fool's nasty attitude.

"You shouldn't talk about Chairdemon Sullivan like that, Baal." The head of the table warns him.

"Whatever." He says irritatedly, slumping back in his chair and putting his feet up on the table.

I also noticed the red-haired and-eyed demon with 'cat ears'. He has a short beard, wears glasses, and has sharp features. Based on his name, Azazel Henri, he's a relative of Ameri.

"Now, let us begin the meeting." The head of the meeting announces.

To summarize, essentially everything is going wrong here in the Netherworld, and they're blaming it all on the absence of the Demon King, Derkila. He disappeared a few centuries ago and hasn't appeared since, something I learned about at Babyls. Poaching, illegal trade, and general increased crime rates, all are growing in number every year. Unrest is forming among the populace due to a lack of strong leadership.

"Why don't y'all do somethin' about it?" Paimon asks.

"There's that bumpkin accent again…" Amaymon complains, making fun of Paimon.

The two nearly come to blows, getting up in each other's faces. I sigh internally, realizing that the meeting is going nowhere. Things are reminding me even more of Walpurgis; a bunch of self-interested fools complaining about their problems but refusing to work together to solve them. The only way stuff ever got done back home was when it was dumped on my lap, unfortunately.

Belzebuth explains that there are three candidates for the Demon King position. Sullivan, Belial, and Levi. Yeah, surprise surprise, my 'grandpa' is one of them. Everyone here seems to have a different favorite out of the three options, making an easy solution impossible.

They then talk of some prophecy about the next Demon King and argue about how relevant it is. This causes even more chaos in the room, derailing the meeting further. Sick of just listening to these demons banter back-and-forth, I raise my hand.

"Yes, Rimuru was it?"

"Yes, that's my name. May I go upstairs and see my Grandpa? I don't see this meeting going anywhere at this point."

"Do you think you know better!?" Amaymon yells.

"I might have a suggestion or two. I didn't think it was my place to say anything so I kept quiet." I say calmly.

"Spit it out then, brat!" Baal says, voice full of irritation.

"So I can speak freely?" I ask, making it so if they don't like what I have to say, they have no way to punish me for my words. I don't want to compromise Sullivan's reputation by 'misbehaving'.

"Yes, go ahead and share your thoughts."

"For one, this pointless arguing is a waste of time. Stop bickering like a bunch of children, this is supposed to be an important meeting amongst government officials, right? And secondly, is a Demon King really necessary to keep order? Why don't you people band together and work towards positive change? Act as one entity to take the place of a Demon King in the meantime. You people seem so divided and separate from each other, working towards your own goals and ignoring others' problems. That's why order is crumbling, because, in the upper echelons of the government here, order has already crumbled!"

All of the attending demons stare at me with their mouths agape.

"Well, now that I've said my piece, I'm gonna go join my Grandpa upstairs. Good luck working out your problems, I hope my words help at least a little."

I look back at the demons as I approach the staircase. Most are looking at me with surprise but two particular demons are giving me different expressions. Baal seems angry and irritated and Azazel is glaring at me with an interested look in his eyes. He seems intrigued by me and my words as he stares at me intensely before he is interrupted by his phone. He looks down at it and his eyes go wide slightly and he does a double-take between me and the screen as if comparing the two.

Yeah, nope. I better get out of here.

When I get up the stairs, I walk in on another argument. The three elderly-looking demons are arguing over the cuteness of their grandchildren.

Oh, jeez…Sullivan's broke out the pictures!

I notice the stack of photos on the table. There are dozens of them, mostly of Iruma and some of me with him.

"Look, there she is! My precious granddaughter!" Sullivan announces, voice full of joy.

Maybe staying downstairs was a better idea…

Sullivan runs up and starts pinching my cheeks. I just stand there awkwardly and let him do it to stay in character in front of the others in the room. Once he lets go I introduce myself.

"Hello, I'm Rimuru." I say, trying to sound polite.

"Oh, she is quite cute! Beautiful too! I love the color of her hair…" Levi says. Yeah, thanks for the compliment considering your hair color is almost the same as mine. "…but she doesn't resemble you at all, Sully. Did he kidnap you, child?" she asks, sounding concerned.

"Um…no, I was adopted. Legally; so don't worry. Hehe…"

"Hmm, is that so…well, you still don't compare to my grandson!" Belial says. "Why don't we see how smart you are? Would ya like to play a game of cards with me, girl?"

"No way! You always cheat Belial!" Sullivan immediately shuts down the man's proposal before I can even respond.

"It's fine, I'll play cards with him even if he tries to cheat. I don't mind." I say with a grin. I'm curious as to what kind of trick this old man is about to try to play. I'm sure it's nothing Ciel can't see through.

[[Yes, a simple card trick is no match for me!]]

I know, Ceil. You're too smart to fall for stuff like that.

We begin to play and I sense that he's using some kind of magic on the cards.

[[It is simply illusion magic. He is masking the true identity of the cards, making them appear as different ones in order to give himself an advantage.]]

Wow, something so easy to spot? Kinda pathetic considering this is one of the top three demons here in the Netherworld.

[[It is unlikely that many individuals in the Netherworld would be able to spot such magic, you are just too amazing, Master! It is skewing your perspective on things.]]

Heh, yeah, I guess that could be it.

I counter him by dispelling his 'meager' spell just as he lays his cards on the table to declare his victory.

"I win, young one." He smiles through his bushy white mustache.

"No you don't, look again." I say, grinning arrogantly at him from across the table.

He takes a second look at his cards and his smile disappears. He blinks a few times, not believing what he's seeing.

"H-how!? You saw through my spell and removed it!?"

I just give him a friendly smile, finding further words unnecessary.

"I told you Rimuru is a clever girl. You shouldn't have underestimated my grandchild, Belial." Sullivan declares smugly. I'm a bit annoyed that he's taking credit for my 'cleverness' but I guess he has to pretend to stay in character. Despite this, I feel like his pride is real somehow, maybe he's taking this Grandpa thing a bit too seriously…

"Impossible…a mere child…" Belial says in disbelief, not able to get over losing to me.

"Wow, she really got you good Belial!" Levi taunts the sulking old man. "That was very impressive, child. There aren't many demons who can see through Belial's illusions."

"Really? Wow, I didn't realize!" I say, feigning surprise. "I only spotted it since I knew he was gonna try to cheat from the start, he probably would have gotten away with it otherwise." I lie to downplay my victory. I don't want them thinking I'm too impressive, since that would lead to suspicion.

"Back to the subject of appointing a new Demon King, I think you are the best option, Sully. Just become a Yodh (rank 10) already!" Levi says.

"To be honest, I would feel at ease if you were the boss too! How 'bout it, you in?" Belial asks.

"Hmmm…I have grandchildren for the first time and I'm really enjoying spoiling the hell out of them!" Sullivan exclaims and grabs me into a forced hug. "I take my eyes off them for two seconds and they change so much! Truly, watching children grow up is much more fun than I thought possible!" he says, smiling warmly. "I will stay in my current position."

"I see…I guess I can't blame you!" says Belial.

"The Demon King shall remain absent for now. Let's wrap this meeting up." Levi says, dismissing the meeting.

Before we can even get up to leave, there's a knock at the door.

"Come in."

"Pardon us."

"Ah, Henri."

"Lord Sullivan, I must thank you for looking after my daughter at school."

So Ameri's his daughter then.

"Oh, it's nothing…" Sullivan says, looking slightly embarrassed by the praise.

"But…you've been formally accused of illegally crossing into the human world." Henri states and holds up an official-looking document. "Please accompany me to the station, along with your granddaughter. We need to question you both about the circumstances."

Well…shit.

Iruma POV

{{Hey! Grandpa is in a bit of a pickle right now and I got dragged into it with him so we won't be back for a while. Oh, and just tell the others at school that I'm sick or something. This needs to stay secret from everyone else.}}

Just after receiving the thought communication from Rimuru, Opera's phone rings. He seems to be being told something similar to what I was. I listen in on the one side of the phone call.

"In jail?"

That sounds a lot worse than being 'in a pickle'…why does Rimuru have to downplay everything? I swear, her gauge of what's a real problem is way off!

"…"

"I see…"

"…"

"Mmmhmm…"

"…"

"When will you be back?"

"…"

"Alright, I will."

*Hangs up phone.*

"Jail? Do you think they will be okay?"

"Yes. Lord Sullivan says there is nothing to worry about."

"Okay…"

Rimuru POV

I pretend to act scared as I'm led to a cold, barren, concrete room with a single table, two chairs, and a light hanging from the ceiling. The classic interrogation room.

"W-why do you n-need to question m-me? I don't know anything a-about Grandpa visiting the human world…" I say, voice filled with faux anxiety.

"We just need you to wait here while we have Chairdemon Sullivan in custody. We will ask questions if necessary to fill in the details."

"B-but I really don't know a-anything…" I whimper.

"That may be the case, but we need to cover all our bases."

They leave me in there alone, locking the door behind them. I could easily escape, of course, but I don't want to get in any legal trouble. I sit down at the table and rest my elbows on it, burying my face in my hands. They might be watching me through some kind of device, so I keep up a weepy, scared teen-girl-act just in case.

[[How dare they lock you up, Master! It is unforgivable! I understand we must play by their rules to keep up appearances but still…]]

Ciel complains, showing her emotional side again. I send out thought communications to Iruma, Diablo, and Veldora to let them know what's going on.

With nothing else to do but wait, I close my eyes and focus on detecting what Iruma is doing. Despite the distance between us, I can still observe his movements. It's a bit exhausting though and takes a lot of focus to get a visual of him from this distance, that's why I close my eyes. It makes it easier for me to block out unnecessary stimuli. Ciel can process all of that stuff at once but I can't, at least not without assistance, but I decided to do it myself this time since there's nothing else to do.

After confirming Iruma is doing well, I train my focus onto the interrogation room Sullivan is being kept in. I was expecting intense questioning but find something much different. Sullivan is…playing chess with the detective? What the hell? Is that how demons perform interrogations?

[[It appears that Sullivan is stalling for time so he does not have to answer their questions.]]

Pretty clever, I guess. Why are they allowing it though?

[[Because of his high social position, he carries a lot of influence here and can skirt around the rules with his reputation.]]

Well, I can't use the same tactic, at least not here. If they come back and start grilling me, I'll just have to play dumb. Maybe fake cry a bit or something too? Make them feel bad that they're interrogating a 'little girl'. I hope I don't have to though…if I have to resort to that, It'll be so embarrassing!

My planning is interrupted by a loud booming voice in my head.

{{Rimuru! What did you do to get yourself thrown in jail?!}}

{{I didn't do anything Veldora! I just got dragged into Sullivan's mess since I was with them when he was arrested. It's no big deal, don't worry!}}

{{Should I come to help you break out? Like in one of those movies you showed me? A prison break would be fun!}}

{{Don't even think about doing that! I've got everything under control, so you just stay put and stay out of it, please.}}

{{Awww…}}

There's a small pause before I receive another 'message'.

{{My Lord, it is absolutely deplorable to detain you for someone else's doing. Shall I dispose of everyone involved in your arrest?}}

{{Absolutely not, Diablo! Stay back at the mansion and help keep an eye on the kid. I can watch what he's doing from here but I can't leave at the moment. I need to play by these people's rules so it doesn't cause me trouble in the long run.}}

{{Yes, I will do as you command, My Lord.}}

*Sighs*

Now that the two 'problem children' have been dealt with, all I can do is wait.

Iruma POV

I am in the magical apparatus battler's room with Azz, Clara, and my new friend Kiriwo. It feels weird not having Rimuru around, but I'm sure everything will be fine, or at least I'm telling myself that. I'm actually pretty nervous since if something goes wrong, I won't have her here to back me up with her ridiculous strength. I just have to avoid getting eaten until she returns, which I think I can pull off.

"Where is your sister, Master Iruma?" Azz asks.

"Yeah, where's Riri?!" Clara demands.

"She's at home sick today and will probably be gone for a few." I reply, hiding how uncomfortable I'm feeling telling a white lie to my friends.

"That's unfortunate, I hope she gets well soon." Kiriwo says, wearing a kind, sympathetic smile.

"I'm sure she'll be fine by the battler party, but we'll have to make do without her for now. So, who's coming to the battler party from your guys' families?" I ask, changing the subject to one I'm more comfortable with.

"My mother says she's coming…but I won't allow that." Azz replies, sounding almost threatening. "She'll be stopped." He says with a grin. Azz's made it very clear that he doesn't want his mom here at Babyls for some reason. I'm curious as to why, but I don't probe him for details.

"How nice! I kinda miss the old battler party." Kiriwo says, appearing to me reminiscing.

"Did any family members come for yours, Kiriwo?" I ask.

"No, they didn't. My senior from the Magi-App battler showed up instead. I guess…he's sorta like a guardian to me." he explains happily.

"A guardian, huh?"

"Well, remember. I don't have much magic, and my parents we're quite ashamed of that. Things haven't been going well with them, to be honest."

"Yeah, I get what you mean…" I say understandingly. I know how it feels to have crappy parents myself.

(Flashback of Iruma's parents selling him to a demon.)

"Sorry for bringing up such a depressing subject…my guardian's a really cool person though! He still gives me advice often!"

I hear a ringing sound come from Kiriwo. He pulls his phone out of his pocket and looks at the screen.

"Well, speak of the devil! That's him now!"

"Wow! That's senior who-"

I'm cut off by a screaming voice coming from his phone that hurts my ears, even from a few feet away.

"I told you to pick up after one ring you FOUR-EYED DUMBASS!" a male voice screams through the phone.

"Oops, my bad Bro!" Kiriwo responds to his 'Bro' cheerfully, seemingly unfazed by his left eardrum being brutally assaulted just a moment earlier. "Oh yeah, some new members have joined us."

#He's…kinda on the intense side…# I whisper to Azz as Kiriwo continues his phone conversation off in the corner of the room.

#You don't say…# he whispers back.

Clara is still holding her ears in pain from the screaming that came through the phone.

"Sorry 'bout that. Why don't we get ready?" Kiriwo asks.

"""Right!""" the three of us respond in unison.

We wander around outside, scoping out all the other battlers' preparations. Everything looks so over-the-top and impressive, meaning that if we want the grand prize, we will have to do something even better.

"Wow, all of these battlers are so flashy!" I say enthusiastically.

"Right! So we can't let them get ahead of us! We're gonna have to stand out!" Kiriwo comments.

"Yeah!" Clara yells.

We finally reach our battler's event space and…it's tiny. Much smaller than all the others we saw along the way.

"We only have a small fraction of the space the other groups have…" Azz says dejectedly.

"It's smaller than last year's even…" Kiriwo says with a sigh, also sounding disappointed. "I'm real sorry about this. I'm a third-year, but I'm still Bet ranked. That's why they don't feel the need to give me much budget or space."

"It's fine." Azz says sympathetically.

"Yeah, we can do this! What do you say? C'mon!" I encourage him since the mood has turned somber. Clara nods at my words in agreement.

"Yes, right you are! You all are new members, so I'd love to hear all of your ideas on what we should do this year!" Kiriwo says cheerfully.

"How about we use my flame magic? That might help in some way!" Azz says proudly and produces a flame from his index finger.

"I want something that goes boom! Then kaboom! The kablooie! Something flashy like that!" Clara yells enthusiastically.

"Explosions and fire…something flashy…how about fireworks?!" I suggest excitedly.

"Fire…works?" Azz asks.

"What are those?" Kiriwo questions.

"They're…um…shells filled with gunpowder are fired at the sky…and then they explode!" I explain in the best way I can. It's hard to describe something like this to somebody who's never seen fireworks before.

"Gunpowder exploding in the sky…?" Azz asks in a serious tone.

"And they'll shoot down demons in flight?" Kiriwo asks nervously.

"So it'll kill things!?" Clara asks excitedly.

"That's not it! They're not weapons, they're for entertainment! When they go off, they look like flowers made of light! They're meant to look pretty, not dangerous!"

"Ahhh…for entertainment!" Kiriwo says, sounding like he understands where I'm coming from now…at least more than before. All three of them seem enthusiastic about my idea but I think their imaginations aren't quite accurate to actual fireworks.

"So, doesn't the battler party go until night?" I ask.

"Uh-huh."

"That's perfect! Fireworks are much prettier when set off at night! The Magical Apparatus Battler will go off with a bang! We'll stand out for sure! Also, if we go with fireworks, who cares about a small space since we have the whole sky!" I announce to the other members.

"Flowers in the night sky sound lovely." Kiriwo says, sounding pleased with my idea.

"Truly wonderful, Master. You have such incredible ideas!" Azz compliments.

Clara is running around making different explosion sounds, extremely excited by my idea.

"But even so…using gunpowder might be difficult. Lots of trial and error…" Kiriwo warns.

"That's a good point…we may not have enough time!" Azz realizes.

"Well, we could stay overnight to work on them. That would give us more time." I suggest.

"Yes, that would work! Let's go do the paperwork so we can do that!" Kiriwo says excitedly.

I'm thrilled to be doing this for the first time, but something is weighing down on my mood.

Staying overnight, huh? I've never had a sleepover before, I'm so excited! But…I wish Rimuru could come too…I miss them…