A.N: This chapter is centered on small fun stories about characters' daily life, and a few events who aren't important enough or haven't changed from the canon in a sufficient way to be added in a normal chapter.
All those stories take place in a time-spawn between right after the previous chapter, and a few months later.
Third POV:
-"Raaargh! How can you win this round, Ifrit? My plan was perfect." Veldora yelled, restraining himself from flipping the goban as it's a behavior opposed to the game's spirit.
-"You're losing focus by looking at the outside every five minutes," replied nonchalantly Ifrit, now accustomed to his room-mate's bursts. "It doesn't help when putting in practice such complicated play."
-"I can't help it, I'm intrigued with what Rimuru and Mithra will do next. I never expected such turns of events, first with the Vampire, now with that damned Hero who sealed me. She didn't even bother to tell him how to undo her freakin' jail."
Ifrit turns to the screen who shows the outside, to see Rimuru playing with Charybdis's Core, seemingly bored in his house. The Spirit got accustomed to all the strange things who happened since he got forcefully removed of Shizu's body. Between a dreadful encounter with the Storm Dragon -who's now just a loud, yet lively oversized fella- and the convenience of Rimuru's Stomach, his existence took a curious turn.
The only thing he can't get used to (and Veldora neither) is the voice of [Great Sage] who assesses their situation once in a while. Ifrit made a mental note to never piss her off when he saw Veldora get lectured for almost a week because he freeloaded in lieu of analyzing the Infinite Prison. And he'll renew this promise with the next course of events.
-"Hey Rimuru, you called?" Mithra entered the room, in a casual summer outfit, eating an ice-cream.
-"I think I found an utility for this Core. And a way to make Veldora take responsibility." The concerned Dragon ceased his tantrum when he heard his name, giving a questioning gaze to Ifrit. "Between his... Misdeeds with Lulu, his carefree attitude who made him the target of Velzard's torture sessions, and his slowness in analysing his seal, he needs a way to get back on track. Y'know, for his own good."
-"Hey, not fair! For the Vampire, it was a youth mistake... I'm the youngest of the True Dragons, gimme a break. And did your Skill just give you false info on what I'm doing?"
-"I second. Can't have him get beaten to a pulp by his sister when he'll get out," acquiesced Mithra, anticipating a bad time for the poor Dragon once he'll get out. "But how will you do it?"
-"Well, he's supposed to be this creature's 'father', no?" he said while showing Charybdis's Core, with a mad grin who's giving goosebumps to Veldora.
-"...I don't like where this is going," said a Veldora who's sweating a little.
-"Oooooooh, I like that." Mithra also smiles like a degenerate, before recomposing herself. "But, are you sure it will work? And with what power? I don't think we have enough magicules to name such a beast."
-"First, I dunno. We'll see by testing it. And second, I'll just use 'his' magicules. I managed to barely tap in his reserves for now, so I'll just open the dam for this special event."
Now, Veldora's body is shaking uncontrollably, he realizes the madness of what Rimuru wants to do but can't do anything to stop it. He start to pray for this plan to fail, but heavens won't hear him.
"Okay, [Great Sage], do your best, and transfer the Core to where Veldora is. And since it's fitting for what will happen, I'll name it Scylla."
Veldora felt a great amount of his magicules leaving, making him a little sick and giving him a headache. Fortunately, he's a big guy, he'll be fine. When he recovered, he saw a huge ball of light rapidly approaching, magicules swirling around it like a storm.
When the ball touched 'ground' and the light faded, a little girl appeared. Looking to be about 7 years old, with big round gray eyes, electric-blue hair in twintails, and wearing a long green dress and sandals. The kid named Scylla, looked around and when her sight landed on Veldora...
-"Daddy?"
He felt his heart shatter, as the realization hit him strong like a universe thrown at his face. Now, the monster born of a cloud of his magicules, that Humans called his 'child', called him Daddy.
Scylla ran and hugged him with a strength not fitting of such a small kid. Ifrit remained deadpanned on the side, thinking Veldora brought it upon him by his actions. As for the new dad, he's dying inside, fearing his new responsibilities. He never imagined having a child of his own, and now he has to take care of one.
-'[Notice: it's advised for Veldora to raise her properly, on top of his other obligations. If he succeeds, his chances to be seen as dependable by the Individual Velzard, and thus, avoiding any troubles will be maximal. You're allowed to get Ifrit's help. Good luck.]'
-"Ku-kua-kuahahaha..." Veldora laughed nervously, thinking Rimuru and the Sage might be crueler than his own sister. But he knows if he screws up, his punishment will be certain and worse than anything he ever faced.
And soon, he'll mentally thank the Creation to have a trusted helper called Ifrit to take care of Scylla. Indeed, this kid took the uncontrollable energy of her 'father' to a new level, and is a running ball of curiosity and playfulness, so energetic in fact the mighty Storm Dragon sometimes has difficulties to keep up with her.
***
-"Mmmh... I'm not sure, more spices maybe?" Rimuru is in deep thoughts about a new recipe, hesitating on the path it should take.
-"I wonder what kind of dish he'll create," said Shion, hiding behind the door of the kitchen. "Knowing sir Rimuru, it can only be miraculous as always."
-"Meh, for today I'm not sure." Mithra, who's also behind the door, replied with a doubtful tone. "I don't like that face, brings trouble."
-"Really? Well, maybe it's best if we let him work in peace." Shion and Mithra left, and went toward the Demon's office. "And where did he learn to cook like that? Did you teach him or something? And while we're talking about cooking, I don't remember seeing you in the kitchen before."
-"He's self-taught, mostly. He trained with a fellow cook a few decades after to reach this level. And I'm ashamed to admit it, but it was because of me. When he was young, I could only do the strict minimum, and he learned to discover more flavors." Mithra sweatdropped, and looked away flustered, much to Shion's curiosity. "I got so used to this new standard I let him cook everyday. So once, he threatened me to stop cooking if I didn't try to get decent at it. Now I can defend myself. But habits die hard, and I still rarely cook."
Hours passed, and when those two prepared to leave the office after a good day of work, they stumbled upon Rimuru who seemed to be looking for someone.
-"Did one of you eat my test dish?"
-"No, why? Someone did?" Mithra frowned, not really pleased about what could transpire of this. "Did you prepare a counter, just in case?"
-"Yeah, I still remember what happened last time." Rimuru trampled while talking, showing his uneasiness. "The culprit must have eaten it two-three hours ago, so the effects have started already. Call me if you found him."
Mithra left the administrative building with Shion, who's wondering why the sudden emergency. They understood soon, while approaching the training grounds, where a commotion could be heard. Here, they saw Gobta, being hugged by a worried Goblina and other Hobgoblins trainees panicking about something. Even Hakurou is at his side, a hand on his forehead to see if the big-nosed Hobgoblin got a fever.
-"For what do we fight, seriously? Life is only an illusion, granted by chaos. We're props in this world, and will return to nothingness..." Gobta talks slowly, his eyes wandering aimlessly and devoid of life.
-'Here, Rimuru. We'll need a big dose, quick.'
Rimuru teleported immediately to Mithra's location, and forced Gobta to swallow a full spoon of a yellow jelly. The delirious green boy suddenly stopped to talk, and looked at his surroundings, seemingly lost.
-"What am I doing here? I remember I ate an appetizing dish which was left in the kitchen, and after... Nothing."
-"Whew... Crisis averted. It's all good now, take a little rest and you'll be kicking again." Rimuru wiped off his imaginary sweat and looked at the troop. "Give him some space now, you can return to your activities."
The crowd dispersed, and training resumed, with a Hakurou who went unintentionally softer after this event. Rimuru returned to the building, with Mithra and Shion a few steps behind. Shion came closer her boss's ear and whispered:
-"What was that? Gobta acted so out of character."
-"He was lucky we found him soon enough. The last time someone ate Alest- Rimuru's cooking when he wasn't sure of the result, the victim almost took his own life. Apparently, this guy can accidentally create dishes that make you go all depressed and fall into a profound despair. Fortunately it only happens with brand new recipes, so no worries. Usually Rimuru taste them himself." Mithra quickly said the last part when she saw Shion getting terrified about this news. The Kijin thought deeply for a while, before looking back, kinda worried.
-"...My old cooking, was it terrible like that?"
-"Oh hell naw, this 'thing' is a hundred times worse... But if I'm being honest, your old food was one of a kind too." At those words, Shion dropped her head, ashamed of feeding her friends with such a culinary disaster, and not understanding how she made them suffer. Mithra patted her head to cheer her up. "But that's in the past now. You've made progress, and your village isn't reluctant anymore to taste it. And what's a little collateral damage when it concerns a pervy, lazy Gobta?"
Talking about him, he'll remember this as the day the Voice of the World acknowledged his progress, and granted him Poison Nullification and Spiritual Attack Resistance, without knowing why.
***
One day, a public bath was built after the discovery of a source of natural hot water. The facility is a mix between an occidental pool and a Japanese traditional onsen, the later part being also a surprise for when Shizu will return to visit Tempest. It became popular among the population, and beyond.
-"Here, that's the best spot I could find. You can observe Hinata from here to your heart's content." Rimuru showed Luminous a hidden 'observation spot' on a hill a little outside the town.
-"Oh, thanks a lot. I can extend this blissful experience as much as I want without being bothered by the gorilla." Luminous drooled a little thinking about the paladin's nude body.
Yes, when Luminous heard about the onsen and the concept of gender baths, she found a way to make Hinata accept a 'vacation' for her services to Ruberios. They bathed together, and Luminous engraved in her mind the unprotected curves of her target, until Mithra took a dip in the water too.
The Demoness, aware of Luminous's tendencies and in the mood to mess with her, warned Hinata, making the girl raise her guard. Luminous got enraged about it and left the bath. Until she stumbled upon Rimuru, who, on his side, wants to friendly mess with Hinata, still annoyed by the girl's serious temperament.
"Wait a minute, this isn't a trap or anything? From what I saw you're not the kind of guy to willingly peep on girls."
-"I'm not. I'm good with imagining, and appreciate little 'incidents' and wardrobe malfunctions." Rimuru materialized a fake mustache and a monocle, making Luminous raise an eyebrow. "Just, I found it while searching for a quiet spot for a nap. Oh, and before you try to pry on Hinata... Use this."
-"Binoculars?"
-"You don't want the old hag to detect your presence by using Magic Sense toward the bath, don't you? She'll probably throw a fireball if you try."
-"Fair point. I'll remember this gift, Rimuru, and owe you one." Luminous gave a high five before laying on the grass and scrutinizing her right-hand's soft body.
Rimuru left her, mentally laughing at his innocent joke, knowing Luminous will look suspicious with the marks she'll get around her eyes, as he soaked the lens of the binoculars with ink.
***
Once, at Freedom Academy, when the Class S got outdoor training...
-"Okay, my little demons. It's time we prepare you for the incoming joint test with Class A. But what kind of exercise should I give you?" Shizu hesitates, touching her chin with her thumb. Her thoughtful face looks cute when you don't know what will come after. "We may start with three laps around the city's walls. I gave this kind of training to Yuuki and Hinata once, and with your Spirits, that should do."
-"Urrgh, I feel sorry for the kids..." Yuuki, who came to visit them for their first real outdoor lesson after their recovery, remembers the absolute trials he suffered for years under the legendary Demon Instructor. Shivering at the mere thought of these nightmarish regiments, the Chairman and accomplice of the Moderate Troop still fear the sharp glare of her former teacher when she's in that mode.
-"Okay, you weren't kidding about it." Rimuru who's here for his weekly visit in his disguise form, winced about this potential torture session, unfitting for kids, and probably deadly for normal humans. "I have to intervene, or I'll be haunted by the desperate cries of half-dead kids."
-"Well, good luck pal. If you do a miracle, I'll take you on a special trip to Yoshida's shop."
-"Deal, I only heard good things about him, and I admit I'm curious."
Rimuru approached Shizu, and quietly asked her to follow him in a corner of the field. He looked behind, only to see the children -except Chloe who admittedly saw worse by now- trembling in fear, tears waiting for a moment of weakness to break the dam.
-"Do you need something?" Shizu asked, completely oblivious to the cruelty of what she plans to do.
-"...Tell me, are you secretly a sadist?"
-"Wha? Of course not. What's getting into you?" Shizu rejected the label fiercely, shocked to hear her friend and savior having wrong thoughts about her.
-"Imma be blunt, but your idea of a 'training' is plain torture." Rimuru crossed his arms and shook his head, for a dramatic effect. "They may not be normal kids anymore with their Spirits, but they're kids. You'll have to tune down your plans at an acceptable level, or they'll only get trauma from it."
-"Are you sure? Yuuki never complained about it."
-"Did he have any choice? When you trained the Hobgoblins with Hakurou, I saw why they call you the Demon Instructor. Don't get me wrong, that's not a problem in itself. But you don't do that with kids, not even with normal adults. Even Hakurou knows when to go softer." Rimuru took a break in his explanation by thinking quickly, before continuing somehow worried about something. "Answer me honestly, how did you learn to train someone?"
-"I copied how the Hero trained me, why?"
-'...Chloe, you have a few apologies to give.'
Rimuru proceeded to teach Shizu how to properly create acceptable training for the students in a few minutes. Realizing the sheer difference between her plans and Rimuru's, she began to sweat. When he finished, she returned to her class and asked them to do only as many laps around the field as they could in 10 minutes.
The kids didn't wait as they feared she would go back on her initial course if they got late. They also gave radiant smiles to Rimuru, silently thanking their benefactor, who could pass for a saint.
After a while, Yuuki walked toward Rimuru, cheeks flowing on his tears. Shizu apologized to him for the hell she made him live as her student.
As per the deal, Yuuki invited Rimuru to Yoshida's shop, but also called Shizu and the kids. The kids, as he wanted to surprise them, and Shizu, as a token of his gratitude for what she did, no matter her nightmarish training.
***
-"Please Mithra, help me. I don't know how to make Middray accept it." Milim makes puppy eyes to try and melt Mithra's heart. She's desperate to make Middray stops rejecting on the spot any talk about cooking.
-"Heh, don't worry Milim. Now I know how he acts, I can lay the perfect trap." Mithra taps Milim's shoulder before confronting the Head Priest of the Dragon Faithfuls.
It's been a day since they came here. Milim went to visit her followers once in a while, but almost lost it when she was served a bowl of raw vegetables. Another in a really long streak who started millennia ago.
She returned to Tempest in the middle of the night, and picked Mithra -kinda kidnapped her in reality- to get emotional support, and maybe find a solution to this stupid problem.
Milim never dared to confront Middray herself, as she feared it might destroy their relationship. He may be a dummy bald thickhead, but this guy is also one her oldest acquaintances, and one of the rare guys who's sturdy enough to train with her.
-"Hey Middray, remember our talk of this morning?" Mithra greeted him, her jolly tone not showing the tension of their first exchange earlier today. "I think you got a misconception about your doctrine."
-"Mithra, you won't make me acknowledge 'cooking' as a part of our noble way of life." The muscular baldie responds with a smile of his own, still annoyed but intrigued about her new thoughts. "But if you found something about anything else, do enlighten me. What did I miss?"
-"It's still related to cooking, AND don't you dare interrupt me right now. I never cut you in your talk so try to do the same yourself. You're the Head Priest, act like it and not as a ruffian."
Middray took a deep breath, agreeing about that specific part. If he wants to be worthy of his title, he must act reasonably. On the side, Hermes tries to calm his heart, as he almost got a stroke, anticipating a clash between them.
"Okay so, you said you reject any kind of unnatural transformation of nature, to preserve it in its purest state, right? And you follow the principle of training to your limits and reach your true potential as a way to respect Milim and cultivate the body you were gifted, right?"
-"You remembered well. So?"
-"Well, cooking is a way to reach the true potential of those ingredients you eat raw. You can't know it as you firmly reject it, but by cooking them, you bring out in the light their secrets, their power."
-"...Continue." Middray frowned his eyebrows, surprised of this turn of events.
-"A well made dish is like a fruitful training: you feel deep in your entire being, a blazing fire that sharpens your body and gives you peace of mind. It gives you the will to continue and reach new heights." Mithra acts mighty and grandiloquent, trying to give more power to her plea. Fire and spotlights can be seen in the background, dancing in rhythm with her demonstration. "All the powerhouses of this world use the power of cooking, even if they don't actually need to eat, because they're aware of the potential of this art. Be it a Primordial Demon, a Demon Lord or a True Dragon, I never saw anyone letting go of this opportunity, and you can ask Milim for confirmation."
'Wow, it seems to work,' she thought while noticing Middray absorbing her words like a sponge with big eyes, while an assembly started to gather. 'I should thank Rimuru and the pervy Dragon Guardian, their idiocy was a good way to learn the art of spiel. And now the last blow.'
"And it's unfortunate to see you refusing it without even trying once. It's like casting aside a foreign way of cultivating your strength just because it doesn't originate from your culture. So, Middray. Will you keep being stubborn, or will you do me the honor of giving it just one thought?"
-"...Just one try. You better not disappoint me after such a passionate talk."
Mithra then brought out of her Spacial Storage a dish specially prepared by Rimuru for special events a few days ago. She originally took a surplus in secrecy, to eat it in peace as a night treat. Might as well use it for a good cause. Not showing any emotions, the Head Priest took a bite.
Silence fell on the assembly, all of the Dragon Faithful gulped with difficulty, waiting for Middray's verdict. But they heard nothing for a while... Until he took another bite. And another, and at last nothing remained.
They couldn't believe it, and gasped when someone noticed Middray began to cry. It was tears of epiphany.
-"How could I be so blind? It's... beautiful, and warm. I feel so full. You win, I acknowledge it."
The crowd erupted in cheers, Milim gave a high five to Hermes who went flying under the pressure, then she rushed to Mithra and hugged her.
-"That's one of my besties alright. Thank you Mithra."
-"How could I repay you for making me learn the truth?" asked Middray still in emotional shambles.
-"No need, as I'm not finished with your mistakes." Mithra smirked, ready to act as a Demoness should do and give Middray a payback for his era of stupidity. "Because if you refuse unnatural changes of nature, why are you wearing such processed clothes? All of you should either be wearing mere pelts, or be gloriously butt-naked... Maybe that's why Milim wore so little before, she understood it, wanted to please you but got too ashamed to go all the way."
Cheers stopped as fast as they started, and silence loudly took back its place. While Milim looked puzzled, not understanding what's happening, all the inhabitants of the city started to glare at Middray with murderous intent. They really gobbled Mithra's bullshit, and the perpetrator is proud of her malicious joke.
She took a drink, and gave some cool juice to Milim. She took her time to taste it, while cheering on a half panicked, half furious Middray. The poor guy is now pursued by all the Faithful who want his head, as some think he really wanted to force them to get naked, and some others now blame him to be the main reason why Milim clothes were so revealing.
That's today's lesson folks: be weary of the power of bullshit.