Another woman's intense desire led to this moment. Rimuru and Mary found themselves living in Ingrassia for the time being, fulfilling that desire. The only problem was... teaching? Really?
Notes:
6.8k words or so, the average length for this fic
Enjoy!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Five Otherworlder children fated to die… is this the future you've entrusted to me, Shizu?
No, no. Calling it fate is wrong. It's circumstance. Unfortunate circumstance.
In lieu of a powerful Skill, the wild power within these Summoned kids will eventually consume them. Like a sort of inverse of Gluttony, I'm imagining. Not pleasant in the slightest.
That's just a likely outcome, even with outside help. The guaranteed outcome, if I do nothing at all. But that's why I'm here in the first place. I'm glad I chose to be here, even if I don't know quite what to do.
Thankfully, the academy's library can help me out. At least a few books and grimoires have solutions for me, right? The problem is putting them into practice. How much of this is theoretical, anyway? I can't go off speculation alone.
Saving these kids, no matter what. This is Shizu's dying wish, I know it.
If it wasn't? I'd want to save them anyway. They don't deserve to die. Not for no reason. Not before they get to experience the world. And, well, who better to save them than me, really?
I've got a unique set of skills… heh.
Still, a teacher? Me, a teacher? Sure, I've taught others before, though that was as a senpai at my general contracting company. Actual education? What if they need to learn math? I was good enough for my profession. How exactly does science fit in to this world's, uh, system? Physics, natural order, law, history, and politics. I'm woefully unfit for this role, I've come to recognize.
I might need some help here.
Tanya would be good for this, wouldn't she? That battalion of hers, she taught them, didn't she?
…
…Actually, never mind. Oh! I bet Hakurou… ah, hmm… no. No.
They're kids. Right, they're just kids.
No worries, right?
And anyways, I've got help! Of a sort.
-=-=-=-
Morning
Freedom Academy
Kingdom of Ingrassia
"I'm aware that Professor Tempest believes you fit for the role, and their ability to handle those kids has been both a great surprise and help."
An older gentleman, of average height and slightly more rotund than the average (though not overly so) led the way down the hall. Small spectacles hung on the bridge of his nose, a small kerchief in hand as he dabbed sweat from the side of his face.
"They told me they'd be fine, and though I had my doubts with them, I've since been proved, well, mostly wrong. Much to my own relief. That m- w- uh… the Professor's word means a great deal more to me now than it did at the time, of that there can be no obfuscation."
His step was a bit slower than comfortable, his age no doubt a factor. Even so, he stood strong enough, his gait steady and echoing along the hall's tiled flooring with just as much enthusiasm as his current companions.
"Prosit." His companion responds.
"I'm sorry?" The man raised an eyebrow, looking back.
"Sorry?" The woman doesn't meet his gaze, though not really on purpose. Her head turned back and forth casually as she took in the hallway's architecture, "It sounded like you sneezed."
"I did not sneeze, Miss…"
"Sue. I told you that earlier, didn't I?"
"Miss Sue." He ignored that. He was good at ignoring things, but hey, two could play at that game, "It's just, while you do appear at an adult age- er, though, quickly, if you may confirm-?"
"I'm 20, yeah. The drinking age in Ingrassia is 16, right?"
"It is."
"Interesting, it was higher back in- ah, never mind." Mary looked at him, "I don't actually drink, though."
"I hope you aren't offended if I claim surprise at that."
"I'll try my best not to be."
"It's just, from your rather… hm, I suppose rough appearance is the best way to put it. Your kind, certain adventurers, they seem more stuck to a bottle than not. Not to offend, I might reiterate. Just a trend I've noticed."
"I am no longer trying my best not to be offended." Mary narrowed her eyes, "Your kind? What is that. An adventurer? I am an adventurer, but I can't be that rough looking. I even brushed my hair this morning."
She looked about as she always did, actually. Blue overcoat left open, over a white button up with the top button undone. Black pants leading into knee high white and black-tipped boots. Her katana hung from a rope cord of a sort over her shoulders; she'd given up on keeping the sheath through her belt at her waist, due to her coat's length making it awkward. She elected instead to carry it the same way Rimuru usually did with theirs.
"That's not quite what I was getting at, Miss Sue." The older gentlemen interrupted, looking forward, "Your hair is just fine. It's more so your, shall we say, aura?"
"Adventurer. We both know this by now. I do adventurer things. And listen, Sir, I've been at the local Guild headquarters for a week, and I've already seen underwear-sized armor and glowing knight suits. I think my aura must be tame compared to most."
"You'd be surprised."
"I am surprised." Mary pointed accusingly at his back, which he did not see, "You must see adventurers every day. I don't understand the problem."
"This is a school, Miss Sue."
"A school that teaches magic." She fairly pointed out. "Among other things."
"Yes, well…" The man brushed her off, "We've arrived, now."
"Oh sure, I'm winning so we're just done talking now I guess."
"This is the classroom." He ignored her, turning towards the door, "This is where I- oh, my goodness! Not again."
Mary followed his gaze. At the top of the doorframe, a chalkboard eraser had been planted between the top of the slightly ajar door. A prank.
She'd never seen this exact version of the joke before. Though, she vaguely recalled once where Bibi had tried it with a bucket of water, but the bucket ended up falling on Drake's head and giving him a concussion.
And that was the end of pranks in their battalion.
Point being, she understood the message here. These kids, maybe even Rimuru as well, thought they were being funny.
"I can take it from here." Mary shook her head, "Thanks for showing the way."
"Yes, you're welcome." He shook his head, turning and walking back down the hallway, "Take care, and good luck."
That last part was mumbled, though Mary, with well-above human level senses, caught it easily. After a moment, she shrugged, moving to open the door.
I'll just dodge the eraser while going through-
"RAAAAAAHHHHH!!!"
Mary's eyes flashed neon as a flash of flames flared up, and then dissipated, right past the doorframe. Her hand, in the meanwhile, shot up, catching something fleshy and bone-y.
Why.
The eraser hitting the top of her head jolted her out of her momentary stupor, neon glow – and thus, her Skill – fading.
She blinked.
Bright orange hair. There was a kid holding a sword in front of her.
"Let me go!"
Was what the kid probably said, though it came out muffled given that she was currently palming the kid's face and holding him off the ground.
She zoned out and paid little mind to this, even as his repeated leg kicks did absolutely nothing to shift her grip in the slightest.
Did this kid...
"Did you just attack me?" Mary couldn't contain her incredulousness. Then, a second realization struck, and she lowered the kid to the ground, letting go immediately after.
"That was mean, Sensei." A soft voice came from further in the room.
"No way!" A louder voice yelled, "That was hilarious!"
"Now now, no harm was done, was there?"
Mary's gaze shot over, still ignoring the now pouting kid just in front of her. There were red marks where she'd palmed his face, a fact she paid no mind to.
"Rimuru…" Her eyes narrowed, a menacing aura filling the room.
-=-
"Now that we're all here, good morning everyone!"
There was a level of enthusiasm in Rimuru's voice that neither of their current companions could match. Possibly, it had something to do with the novelty of the experience. The slime was a teacher now! Unfortunate circumstances notwithstanding, there was undoubtedly fun to be had in leaning into the role with gusto.
This was mirrored in Rimuru's dress. Blue button up shirt, a tie, and slim fitting slacks leading down to brown leather loafers. Further, a thin black overcoat of the scholarly sort sat along their shoulders, with Shizu's magic-concealing mask stuck firmly their face. Topping the look was a neat braid in the back, keeping their hair close and stylish with the ribbons it made use of.
And topping that was a comical lump on the back of Rimuru's head, from where Mary had smacked him.
"Now, roll call as always!" Rimuru held up a clipboard, tapping it with the back of their other hand, "It's doubly important today, so here we go. Alice Rondo!"
"Here!" It was the boisterous girl that had the louder voice from earlier. Blonde, smug looking, and with red eyes. She also had a teddy bear under one arm, partially hidden by her cloak.
Were kids allowed to have toys in class? How old were they?
"Gale Gibson!"
"Here, Sensei!" A taller boy with slightly spiky, sandy hair. The tallest in the room after herself. Maybe the most physically powerful of the kid students, though through a quick eye flash of Ability Severance she could tell his magic was simply at the median of the class.
"Chloe Aubert!"
"I'm here, Sensei…" A quiet, understated girl with black hair. She had a book in hand, and a muted demeanor. Ironic, Mary couldn't help but think.
"Ryouta Sekiguchi!"
"Here!"
Mary did a doubletake. She hadn't really noticed him. Black hair, no books or weapons or notable height. His magic was familiar to her own, in an odd way, and that was a little interesting. But not that much. He seemed ordinary. It was almost a relief.
"Kenya Misaki!"
"Right here, Sensei!"
Kenya Misaki, huh?
The orange haired, fiery kid that Rimuru had encouraged to attack her as a prank. He was a kid, so she didn't blame him. It looked like the red marks had faded.
Good for him.
Hm. They were all kids. Obviously. They were just kids. Young, impressionable, innocent little beings that hadn't seen the real world yet.
Oh fuck. She had not thought this through at all.
What the fuck kind of mess had she gotten herself into this time? Kids? She couldn't teach kids!! Granted, she was just acting as an assistant, but still!
This was- they were- she had no-
Back in Tempest, she interacted with only a select number of people. Tanya, Hakurou, Rimuru, Shuna, Geld. The Executives, all adults, or near that or older at least. She'd never visited the school, like Rimuru and Tanya. She hadn't sung butchered Christmas carols months ago with the massive crowd of monster children, like Shuna and Gobta had.
She specifically avoided doing so, even. They were like… you know, gross or whatever.
Yeah. That was definitely it.
Just- they, these were just… kids. Kids that were going to die soon.
…
They didn't deserve-
"Mary?"
"Hm?" She blinked, glancing over.
Rimuru gave her a thumbs up, "Introduce yourself!"
Introduce myself?
"Um. Alright." Mary looked forward and straightened her shoulders.
How hard could an introduction be?
Uh, don't forget to breathe. Breathe in… breathe out.
Stop looking so nervous. A mental voice that sounded an awful lot like Tanya said. In war, once you've been looked down upon, it's over.
Don't make it obvious. Don't be weird. Inhale, exhale. Right, there we go.
"Hello. My name is Mary Sue. Rimuru's my… boss." Humor was a good icebreaker, right? "Unfortunately."
A stifled giggle from the audience. An outraged sputter from the side.
"Hey! What d'you mean, unfortu-"
"I've been trusted by my fellow Executives to make sure Rimuru stays out of trouble. Have you been told- never mind. I have to keep an eye on them, so I'll be working as a teaching assistant. Not all the time though. I'm busy. But still, it's a pleasure to meet- to make your acquaintance."
A bit awkward, a bit stilted, assuming you were experienced enough to look past the surface.
She found it hard to fall back into old military habits of "rigid, disciplined, always!" and "present a strong front at all times" and a few others Drake had tried to instill on the rare occasion he wasn't slacking off himself.
Do as I say, not as I do. Clearly.
It was hard, because she didn't remember most of them, either consciously or subconsciously. For obvious reasons.
Mary crossed her arms, resisting the urge to shift awkwardly.
The room was silent for a second, then another.
She opened her mouth after a third and fourth second to say more, perhaps ask Rimuru "Am I done?" or something of the like, when a hand shot up.
It was the blonde girl. She was stretching up out of her desk a bit, staring intently as her hand stood high in the air. Despite how obvious it was the girl wanted to speak, she did not.
No one said anything.
"Oh, you have a question." Mary said after another few seconds of awkward silence. "Alice Rondo, right? What is it?"
"Finally!" She let her hand drop and settled back in her seat, "Why were your eyes glowing green earlier?"
"That's easy. Because my eyes are green. Was that it?"
"No." Alice narrowed her eyes, trying and failing at an intimidating glare, "They were glowing. Glowing."
"Oh. They were." As Mary had learned from repeated interactions with Milim, continuing to argue against someone that clearly wouldn't mind arguing forever was more annoying than it was worth, "That was just my- well, one of my Skills. I measured your magic levels, is all."
A bit of a lie, a bit of the truth. She could observe a lot more than just magic.
The Unique Skill: Ability Severance was more than the title implied. A bit of a misnomer, in truth.
In order to "sever" a person's abilities, one of the aspects of Mary's Skill was being able to feel the "frequencies" of energy that "abilities" made use of.
It's not scissors, but rather more like a multitool.
Otherwise, the target of Ability Severance would be random and less effective. Intent and flow are important here.
By imbuing her Skill into her eyes, Mary could "see" the underlying threads of power without severing them. Expanding it into her eyesight made severing possible. Though, given how abstract the concept of "line of sight" can be in regards to power, doing so is often difficult. After all, it's not like someone's field of view is an actual extension of their body.
"An extension of the body." Some part of her subconscious thinks, then dismisses.
There was also probably an actual name for this sort of thing, somewhere.
She didn't know it, or really care.
In any case, via Ability Severance Mary could view the general flow and makeup of essentially all abilities or powers, whether they were of magic, aura, vitality, or otherwise. This allowed her to become familiar with and understand a great number of energy "frequencies" that otherwise would remain singularly Unique and unknown to all but their user.
"Why'd you do that?"
"I felt like it." Mary ignored her after that, turning to another student, "Ryouta Sekiguchi. That's a hand, so, question?"
Ryouta put his hand down.
"You said Sensei is your boss, and they're an adventurer."
Mary waited a moment.
"…Was there a question there?"
"What are you?"
That was certainly a… loaded question, though he probably didn't realize it. Luckily, she had an answer, and even if she didn't, he'd given her the same one just a sentence of so earlier.
"An adventurer. Just like Rimuru." She paused. "But I'm way cooler."
The entire class looked doubtful at that. Mary was the slightest bit offended, honestly.
"Then, you fight monsters and stuff?" Kenya piped up, without raising his hand Mary noted.
Not that it was her problem. Rimuru was the real teacher here. If they wanted order in the classroom, they'd have to be the one policing things.
Mary stuck her hands on her hips, "Well…"
-=-
Earlier that day...
"Good morning, Miss Sue!" A young woman called out as Mary approached, kicking a stand under one of the building's double doors and holding the other open herself.
"Please stop calling me that." Mary adjusted her grip, sliding the barrel over her shoulder just the slightest bit, so that it wasn't pinching her, "We're around the same age, aren't we?"
"I'm 19 as of just over a month ago." The young woman wouldn't meet her eyes, a soft smile on her face as she looked… somewhere lower.
"Close enough." Mary stepped inside, ducking slightly and making sure not to bump anything. The two massive wine barrels held effortlessly over either shoulder made the shuffling a bit awkward, though manageable. It's not like their weight was an issue. Just the size.
"We're in the same, uh, peer group? Something like that. And anyway, I'm too young for you of all people to call me that."
"You've been a great help the past few days, Miss Sue. I couldn't possibly disrespect you by referring to you in any way that is less than polite."
The young woman said this whilst staring quite disrespectfully at Mary's back and arms. She let the door swing shut and moved to shut the other as well, not once turning her gaze elsewhere.
"I think it's more impolite to ignore my request to use my first name. But if you're stuck on it…"
Mary made her way towards the back of the inn, crouching slightly and setting down first one, then the other barrel. Throughout this, she showed no strain whatsoever.
"Here is good, right Laurentina?" Mary patted the top of one of the barrels, twisting slightly to look over her shoulder.
As she did so, the other woman's crimson gaze snapped up from… somewhere. She looked like she had something to say, but then – coincidentally at the same time that Mary turned to face her fully and moved to place her hands on her hips– she bit her lip and said nothing instead.
"Laurentina?"
"I- yes. Yes." Laurentina shook her head, brushing a strand of silvery hair behind her ear, "That spot is fine. Do those even weigh anything to you?"
"Do they- the barrels?" Mary blinked, tightening the sleeves of her blue overcoat which had been tied around her waist. It was slipping down a bit. "No, not really. It's like carrying a couple apples. Uh, really easy, I mean."
"Even though they're filled with wine?"
"Yeah."
Laurentina stared at her rather intently.
It was a bit uncomfortable. Most of the time when someone stared at her like that, they wanted to fight.
Mary adjusted the rolled up sleeves of her white button-up and mentally raised her guard, just in case.
"Right…" She shifted, and looked to the side, fiddling a bit with her belt. For some reason, she had the feeling that she should make sure her door was locked that night.
Considering this was the inn she was rooming at for the time being, that was probably a wise decision.
-=-
"…sometimes. Mostly, I've been hanging around the local Adventurer's Guilds and doing odd jobs wherever I'm needed."
She was only acting as a part time assistant, despite Rimuru's offer to have her set her up the way they had been. Babysitting – Rimuru and children, apparently – was only a piece of her purpose for being here, after all.
The reality though? Tanya's request sat at the forefront of her mind. There was danger within this city and nation, an existential threat to Tempest itself via that cultish fiend known as organized religion. Also, hanging around kids for multiple hours every day sounded like a waste of time.
In her mind, that was better spent honing her skills in various training courtyards, or practicing her kanji drills, or catching a fully stocked wooden fruit cart – with one hand, no less – right as its back wheel fell off, saving the entire stock from rolling out of the cart and down the cobblestone path.
That last part had happened this morning, actually.
She would keep an eye on Rimuru, as was her duty. But there were shadows within Ingrassia that desired searching. Prey that thought itself a future hunter, not knowing the truth.
The Hunter had just arrived. Or at least, the Hunter's apprentice.
There was little doubt in Mary's mind that Tanya would have been the better choice to be here. Mary's own investigation skills were fledging, her active participation untested compared to her previous passivity.
Even in Xerxes, when she'd broken free from the Dream and taken on Eve and Nin Gen in short order, she was only showing flashes of independence, acting on Tanya's orders at most avenues rather than taking a truly active role in events.
There was nothing wrong with following the orders of your superior. But if you never learned to act outside of them, you would forever be doomed to the role of second fiddle. The backup. The "Yes, boss!" of characters. The list goes on.
"Why?" Ryouta asked.
"Why not?" Mary crossed her arms, "I help people. That's my goal."
And then you would die.
Tanya – after Xerxes, inarguably the one Executive that probably, truly could match Rimuru if push comes to shove – could not leave the city while Rimuru was away. And Mary needed her independence, her active mettle tested in the fires.
As nice as free room and board at the expense of the Academy sounded, Mary had a job to do that required commitment elsewhere. It was no real trouble. She had enough wherewithal to live on her own terms within Ingrassia, even without working, and so she did.
Well, she lived on her own terms. And she also worked. Hence the "doing odd jobs" thing.
This was all besides the fact that accepting outright charity from Yuuki Kagurazaka, a man she had yet to meet, struck an odd chord in her mind. She didn't like owing people favors, especially not the apparent Head of the Free Guild.
It sort of defeated the purpose of information gathering, if the people in higher places were in control of her living situation. They were the most likely to need investigating, as they'd know the most about Ingrassia's situation above and below.
And who knew what sort of secrets the Free Guild Head was holding? Mary had trusted a higher power that was supposed to be good, once upon a time. It hadn't ended well.
Rimuru seemed to trust him though, which was a point in his favor. Maybe she was being too cautious. Tanya would argue that there was no such thing, but Mary had known her long enough at this point to know she sometimes took that too far.
Then again, Tanya had every reason to be that way, as Mary knew just as well. It wasn't paranoia if they really had been out to get you. Which left her in a bit of a conundrum as to how to approach this whole thing.
Caution, or caution to the wind? It was her choice to make.
She'd hear him out if he ever wanted to speak, at the very least. Rimuru's confidence pushed her to that much courtesy. Or indeed, she might have to seek him out herself to see what he knew.
Mary pushed it out of her mind. She was more of a "deal with it, if and when it happened" sort of person. She might not have fully regained flight, but winging it wasn't impossible by any means.
"Your goal is to help people?" Oddly enough, Chloe decided to speak up.
She had an odd expression on her face, on that Mary couldn't exactly parse. There was an odd light to her eyes…
"It is." Mary nodded. "That goal…"
"Take care of yourself first and become strong, so that you may one day be strong for others." Tanya pointed at her, a serious look in her eye, "That will be your new goal."
…was given to me by a good friend. She almost said. It stumbled over in her mind, refusing to escape.
"…is important. To me. People should help people."
Mary liked helping people. That much was true, she thought. Her intense desire to save had pushed her into the Great War. She once wanted to make right the world, albeit through God's Will.
But had she really done that to help people? To save them?
Or had it been…
"It's that simple, I think" Mary finished.
"We're going to save some people. Isn't that your thing?"
Was it really that simple?
"Alright! Thank you for that, Mary." Rimuru clapped their hands together, drawing the room's attention over to behind the desk where they stood. "Now then, let's head outside everyone. It's time for another demonstration!"
A demonstration?
-=-
Right, should have expected this.
The sun shone warm rays down on the open, grassy courtyard.
Rimuru and Mary stood together, with the 5 students grouped up in front of them. They five all wore what Mary assumed to be the school uniform, which appeared to be a sort of black cape with a raised white collar. For the boys, this was along with tan tunics and black pants of slightly different designs underneath. For the girls, the tunic was pink and had a matching pink skirt.
Both of those seemed a bit impractical. It was a gender separation thing, obviously, but for a school environment, wouldn't pants be more practical? The boys got pants.
To be fair, she'd had the bare minimum of formal public schooling before war and transcontinental travel had shifted her focus significantly. Or maybe it was her military background talking.
When was the last time she'd worn a skirt? A dress? Hadn't she enjoyed those kinds of clothes, once upon a time? Yes, perhaps. But that was also Before.
Things were different now. But how different were they?
Anyway.
For a uniform, pink stood out a bit, didn't it? That one was more of a nitpick though, Mary would admit. She was partial to blue and green, personally. Maybe even a specific teal hue.
Hm.
The kids were chattering to one another. Of course they were.
…weren't they a bit too energetic?
Well, most of them, Mary mentally amended. Chloe Aubert was smiling, true, yet notably less animated. That seemed to be her general state, of which there was nothing inherently wrong with.
"Alright! Here's the deal, everyone. It's fight time, just like our first day." Rimuru pointed at the kids, "This time though, it's the five of you versus my assistant."
Mary had been entirely unsurprised when Rimuru had slipped this idea to her via Thought Communication. After all, she had Hakurou and Tanya as teachers. "Demonstration" was practically synonymous with "spar" at this point.
"You were serious." Mary knew the slime had been serious, had been unsurprised, and yet was disappointed all the same. "You really want me to fight children. I'm not sure that's-"
At the same time, the orange haired brat – Kentaro, right his name is Kentaro – crossed his arms and stuck his chin out with a pout.
"What's the big idea here, Sensei? Five on one? You want us to beat the snot out of your assistant that bad?"
Mary blinked. Then, she blinked again.
"Actually, I have no problem fighting these children."
"That's the spirit!" Rimuru shot her a thumbs-up, "Here's the deal. You five get 10 minutes before fighting. Talk, think up a plan. Remember, working with others is important. No one likes a lone wolf that goes off and disrupts the formation. Alright?"
"Yes, Sensei." The five students chorused.
Oddly, none of them looked worried or concerned.
Mary couldn't help but be a little annoyed, even though they had no real reason to respect her yet. She knew this, and didn't really care.
"Oi."
Everyone looked at her.
"I'll make things more interesting." Mary grabbed her sheathed katana, holding it out slightly so they all could see it. "See this? If you make me draw my blade out, even just a little bit, you win."
There we go.
A slight narrowing of the eyes, confident grin, a quiet huff of laugher.
The gauntlet had been thrown. These children, they were confident, now.
Too confident.
I'll go ahead and spoil the ending for you. The 10 minutes of prep time meant nothing.
In the end, they were unable to make Mary draw her blade, even just a little bit.
-=-
This would be far from the only time the five Otherworlder children fought against Mary. Just the same as they were far from done sparring with their fulltime teacher, Rimuru.
Needless to say, they would not win any of these bouts. It would be a long, long time before any of them were the right level for that. Honestly, most of them would never reach the point where a true victory over Rimuru or Mary's was possible.
One of them in particular would get very close, sure. But that was a tale for a future time.
Right now, these five children were just that: children.
Even if they'd been forced into this shitty situation. Even if they were supposed to die soon. They understood, yet they didn't understand enough.
Alice, Chloe, Gale, Ryouta, Kenya.
I want to save these children.
They hadn't yet grasped the stars and found that they burned. The Heavens were still gilded.
I want to save them.
Rimuru continued to teach them as best they could. It was true they had never been a teacher, but it was also true that they could have been, given the right circumstances once upon a time. Ah, but that was then, and this is now.
I will…
And right now, Rimuru would revert the fate of these doomed children, no matter the cost.
…definitely save them!
Wasn't that the mindset of a true…?
-=-=-=-
One Month Later
City Outskirts
Kingdom of Ingrassia
"I was in Tempest yesterday."
Rimuru handed her glass bottle of some brown liquid, then grabbed another. They fell back ungracefully from their crouch, landing with a quiet puff of air, sitting back, and reclining against the trunk of a large tree. Mary sat with them.
It was a hilltop they sat together on. A large tree sat at the apex, with the ground descending at a slight incline for hundreds of meters on end. Down the hill and a good distance away, the majority of Ingrassia proper shined.
Technically, they were still in the city of Ingrassia itself. A large grassy plain extended beyond the city limits, stretching a great distance until the outermost wall of the nation was met. They hadn't strayed that far, as the inner wall covering the city's middle ring – that would be the "city proper" just mentioned – towered a notably smaller distance to their right. But it was far, nonetheless.
Just down the way, 50 or so meters at a guess, the five students played. Well, they were sparring, sort of, but in the way children with magical powers and a lack of rules did. Ranga was with them, too. To play, and to watch them.
They were all having fun.
On top of the hill, a blanket had been set at the base of that large tree. It was checkered, red and white, and in the center was a large picnic basket Ranga had delivered just minutes ago. Leaning against the tree on the blanket's edge were the two conversing.
"The warp pad hasn't been finished yet." Rimuru continued. "I had to use Shadow Movement. But Vesta is confident that it will be done before the year's halfway mark."
Right now, it was around… May, give or take. Mary took a sip from her – what was it again? Right, it was – cola, expression twisting slightly at the carbonation.
It's good, though.
"July, huh?" To think, she'd been in this world for over a year now. "Is it that easy?"
Was that fast, or slow? Teleportation was an unheard feat in her previous world. Mana research was very new, and while there were records of miracles like it, there was nothing concrete. Just stories, and usually, stories with bad endings.
"Easy is hard. Er, you know what I mean. Technically it's usable now, but only in bursts and to nearby locations. Plus, he wants to make sure it's completely safe, before anything." Rimuru chugged half their cola, then sighed something half between satisfied and nostalgic. "There's a lot of coordinate data that needs to be implemented, too. Though, he does make it seem pretty simple, huh? Teleportation, real teleportation – or, warping, I guess – in a just few months."
Mary nodded, taking another sip.
"I didn't really think about it before," She began, "But, this is a different- world? Dimension?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"Should the year be the same length?"
"I don't see why it wouldn't." Rimuru shrugged. "That's sort of what you'd expect from isekai stuff."
"Isekai. Right."
That was a unique term. "Sekai" essentially means "world". Mary knew that much. However, she didn't really understand what "isekai stuff" was supposed to mean. She decided not to ask.
"How long are we going to be here?"
"That's sort of what I wanted to lead in to. There was an informal meeting with the Executives. To summarize, we talked about a lot of trade and political stuff. The exchange with Eurazania is proceeding well, and a merchant based in Blumund has picked up on our high-grade potions. Also, I decided to go in detail on what Shizu left behind. They seemed a lot more approving of my choice after that."
"…All of them?"
"Good one." Rimuru's expression went flat, "Speaking of which, I met with just Tanya and Souei after. Tanya forced me to do a bunch of paperwork, and Souei let her. Can you believe it?"
Mary laughed quietly. "I can."
Rimuru smiled, drinking deeply from their cola yet again.
"Ah, but other than that, it was really peaceful. They're keeping a close eye on things, as you might expect. Apparently, things have been quiet around the Forest proper as well. And it's just… I'm so glad, you know. Nothing's happened. I understand everyone's objections, but I still stand by this. And besides, it's all running so smoothly and, well, maybe even better than usual. I'm glad."
Rimuru looked out across the grassy expanse, watching Ranga and the children.
"Everyone's really come into their own. I'm not so worried anymore. If I'm ever… well, never mind. It means I can focus on this problem wholeheartedly." They nodded, assured in their convictions. "To that end, I spoke with Treyni about a theory I had. Before that though, I do have a question for you."
Mary held her hand along the top of her cola bottle, pressing the bottom against her knee and holding it balanced there.
"Okay."
"You've been around them for awhile now. I was wondering… can you just sever the wild power from them?"
Mary shook her head.
"No, I'm sorry. It's not really an ability or a power, more so that it's literally a part of them. Not even Intrinsic Skills are like that, not really, though it's pretty close. And besides, I can't permanently sever abilities, as far as I'm aware."
"I figured as much. Thankfully, I found another method that I'm sure will work. But really, it can never be easy, huh? And the permanent part isn't even the issue. If you could safely separate it, even for just a moment, I could get rid of it." Rimuru sighed, "Your Skill is different from mine, so I wanted to check all bases. Still, I've seen you cut their powers during spars. If you can't, then how…?"
"It's not the same. That wild power is a part of their- uh, their person. Their soul, I guess. But they're still pulling on it and using it to power something else." Mary paused, "It's a bit different, but that's one of the reasons it's still so hard for me to fight Tanya. Her magic pool is basically on the level of an Intrinsic Skill with how closely it's tied into her body. And she has a backup, too. That's not fair at all."
"Not fair?" Rimuru let out a huff, an amusement born of a shared pain, "I'd guess another reason is because she fights-"
"-she fights dirty, yeah. 'Tanya, you've done flashbang thing to me three times already, and it's been 10 minutes. That's fucking unfair.' And what does she say? 'What the fuck is fair? There's no fairness on the battlefield. I'm trying to win.' It's not like I don't know that, but it's a spar! Unbelievable."
Rimuru tried to hold it in for a moment, but couldn't. They laughed, hard, enough that they nearly spilled the little that remained of their cola.
"What's funny? That really happened."
"I'm sure, I'm sure. It's just," Rimuru calmed down, shaking their head, "You're so fond of her, you know."
"I'm- huh?"
"Nothing, nothing. Forget it. I was just reminiscing. Hey, remember when you spit on me?"
"No." Mary lied, a bit confused by where this was going.
"You did. It was gross." Rimuru swiftly moved on, "The thought hit me of just how surreal this is. Not just you, of course, but it's still night and day. You've come really far since I first met you, Mary. It's strange. I'm oddly proud."
A breeze ruffled the single-tree canopy above them. Ranga's bark drifted to them, along with laughter.
It was like a 3 tons of bricks hit her all at once. Mary exhaled, looking to the side.
"…Have I?" Rimuru heard her say under her breathe.
It had been over a year. How much had really changed? A lot, anyone could say, but it for some reason it didn't feel that way at all. Sometimes, she felt like progress had been made. She smiled, and it was her intent to smile. Her eyes glowed, and it was neon green instead of burning golden.
Sometimes, she felt like that same little girl who'd signed up for a war of her own volition.
And then had met a special brand of divine punishment for her arrogance. Really, that Mary Sue. She thought that she could make a difference?
Oh, the world would be different. That much was certain.
But why? What purpose was there? What purpose was hers?
Was there ever an answer?
Rimuru frowned. "An answer?"
Oh. Oops. That last part must have been out loud.
"Do you need one?"
"I don't have one." Mary had no real answer, not to this question nor the other one.
"Hmm." Rimuru finished their cola, absorbing the empty bottle with Gluttony and crossing their arms. "Okay. I'm not the best at this sort of thing, but I'll try. Mary, you've spent the last month doing whatever you can, right? Helping people, taking jobs, working hard for others' sakes?"
"I- that's right." Where was this going? They'd strayed into an odd topic of conversation, one that stepped a bit out of her comfort zone, and a little bit away from what she'd been kinda sorta angsting about. It was related enough, though, that Mary didn't stop Rimuru from continuing.
"Did you enjoy it?"
Did she-?
Mary was silent for a moment.
"It does feel good. To help."
That was the truth. To help. To choose to help.
"Then, there's your answer."
Rimuru leaned back on the grass, hands behind his head. Further down the hill, Ranga and kids played, faint laughter and shifting air drifting up to them along the breeze.
"If you want my opinion, it's really simple. You don't need to have some great big purpose in your life. You just need to live it your own way. If you're unhappy, then do what makes you happy. If you want to help people, then help them. And if you don't, then don't. But honestly, that's up to you."
Choice. That was life: choices. One decision after another, living and breathing however and wherever it goes. And then one day, you don't get to make a choice. You die.
I want…
What did she want, really?
Choice.
Right, right, this was her choice.
She'd chosen to be here.
In her last moments a lifetime ago, she'd been the one to pull the metaphorical trigger. A rebellious, desperate ploy, born out of an exhaustion she still hadn't quite shaken. Nearly two months ago, she'd chosen to accompany Rimuru. An act of independence, born out of a new, personal desire to move forward, ever forward.
She'd made a choice under her own power.
Didn't that matter? Didn't that mean something?
She had chosen to be here.
-=-=-=-=-=-
Known Skills List
Tanya:
Common Skill: Thought Communication
Extra Skill: Flames of Babylon
Extra Skill: Magic Sense
Extra Skill: Magic Aura
Extra Skill: Voice of the World Communication
Unique Skill: Tetra Breaker
Mary:
Common Skill: Thought Communication
Extra Skill: Magic Sense
Extra Skill: Magic Aura
Extra/Intrinsic Skill: Physical Enhancement
Unique Skill: Ability Severance
Notes:
This chapter was originally titled "Moving Toward That Future" but I decided that title fits better at the start of the next arc, which we're not at yet. So I changed it. Plus, now there's rhyming.
Next time: "The Path We Take"