With the meeting with Gazel concluded, Rimuru let out a sigh, his shoulders relaxing as he made his way to his office. He knew he needed to regroup with everyone who had returned from Walpurgis, but as he approached the door, a surprising sense of dread settled in his stomach.
Yet, that dread was quickly replaced with warmth as he saw Ramiris shoot at him the moment the door opened.
Flying with surprising speed, she made her way to claim her rightful throne, his head.
"Ah… Dino always makes fun of me for being small, but he's missing out." Ramiris muttered with a satisfied sigh before poking her head out and looking at him. "Yo, Rimuru, I vote to forgive Milim!"
Frey rolled her eyes slightly as she heard Ramiris.
"Ignore her. Those two started to scheme something after they stopped messing around."
"Tsk, that's not fair. Why you gotta go and snitch on me?" Ramiris asked with slight annoyance.
Not being able to hold back his chuckle, he spoke up.
"I'm not mad at Milim. She's just gonna have to survive without snacks for a week or so. There's no need to make a big deal out of it. But if you want, you can tell her that you convinced me to lower her punishment to only four days."
He heard Ramiris instantly burst out into a burst of happy laughter as she heard him, her wings fluttering as she instantly took to the air again.
"Alright! That's great! I'll go to the Labyrinth, and I'll let her know!" She announced before quickly shooting through the air, with Beretta quickly chasing after while Treyni leisurely followed.
With Ramiris gone, Rimuru turned to Shion, only to find his mood souring slightly at the sight of her pouting expression. Her usual confidence was absent, replaced by a look of quiet frustration.
Noticing his gaze, Shion spoke up.
"I hesitated to protect you… I kept it in during Walpurgis because I didn't want the other Demon Lords to look down on you. But I failed you." She paused, her fists clenched as she recalled the moment Viola had attacked. "I know you told us you wanted to deal with Clayman, but I should have acted. I'm supposed to be your shield, your knight. But when it came down to it, I failed you."
Rimuru felt a wave of discomfort wash over him as he listened to her. It wasn't often that his mood swung so much, but the memories of the fragmented future still lingered at the back of his mind. Yet, he quickly pushed those thoughts aside, focusing on Shion.
"No." Rimuru said firmly, his tone gentle but resolute as he tried to comfort her.. "You did exactly as I asked you to. Thanks to that, I was able to leave an impression on the rest of the Demon Lords."
"But—" Shion began yet stopped as she noticed Rimuru's expression turn serious.
"Shion, this isn't our final battle. When the time comes, you can show me your full strength. But I need you to promise me something. If I ever tell you to run, promise me you will."
The atmosphere in the room shifted slightly with the request. Frey narrowed her eyes, Shizue's expression became uncomfortable, and Shion herself looked confused and worried.
"Is something wrong?" Shion asked.
Stopping momentarily, he gave her a gentle chop on the top of her head with his hand.
"No, I was just making sure that my stubborn knight won't blame herself in the future if I ask her not to step in." Rimuru teased with a warm smile. Shion pouted slightly, rubbing the spot where he'd playfully tapped her.
"Well... when you put it that way…" Shion muttered, her expression turning determined. "I won't. Unless I am actively getting in your way, I will protect you. That is my purpose."
Rimuru couldn't help but sigh as he heard her answer. But he couldn't blame her either. He could see the affection in her eyes as she spoke, so with a simple nod, he agreed. If it truly came to it, he could forcefully teleport her away using Uriel.
"Alright." Rimuru answered. "Just remember to be careful."
Then, to lower the slight tension he had caused, he turned to Shizue. She was holding a small blonde fox that was curiously yet cautiously looking at him. The moment the fox noticed him looking at her, she instantly cowered, using Shizue's body as protection.
"Now, you must be one of Clayman's Five Fingers, aren't you?" Rimuru asked, gently reaching his hand for the fox to smell it. "I broke the curse Clayman had placed on you, but then I got so focused on making sure Walpurgis went well that I didn't even have a chance to meet you."
The fox hesitated for a moment, then cautiously sniffed his hand before resting its small head on his palm, as if trying to thank him for releasing the curse.
"Do you want to stay over in Tempest now?" Rimuru asked, giving the fox a warm smile before continuing. "We have treats."
Shizue chuckled lightly at his words, gently nudging the fox forward so Rimuru could pick her up.
"I found her hiding after you left with Valentine. Poor little thing must have been scared to death."
Gently grabbing the fox, he could feel the pure power the little thing had. It was strange, but the small fox itself was probably strong enough to hold back if not defeat Ranga on pure magicules alone.
Gently scratching the fox's head, he felt her relax in his arms. Whatever role they played for Clayman, they were now latching onto the safest option. Which was Shizue, and by proxy, Rimuru.
"Would you like a name?" He offered.
Instantly, the small fox let out a slight bark. Nodding her head eagerly as her three tails began to sway gently.
The majority of the names he could think of from the top of his head were all stupid, and he would feel bad if he gave the small fox a name like 'Vulpix.' or 'Tails.' Even Kurama, the nine-tailed fox, would feel like a bad omen to put on the small fox. The last thing he wanted was for a monster that would need the Talk-no-jutsu to become friendly.
However, he didn't think long as he swapped the letters around slightly.
"How about Kumara?" He asked, instantly feeling a portion of his magicules get drained away instantly.
The small fox let out a happy bark before jumping down from his arms and running around in circles around him, full of energy. In the end, Shizue couldn't help but chuckle as she leaned down to pick the small fox up.
"I should probably start getting ready to head to Englassia to pick up the kids." Shizue chimed in, gently petting Kumara's head. "Do you need me to do anything before I leave?"
"No, just make sure that the transfer goes well." Rimuru answered. "You should probably go rest, too, Shion. There will be some envoys arriving tomorrow, and I'd like you to be in the meeting."
Shion nodded, and though she wanted to stay, she left along with Shizue, leaving Rimuru alone with Frey.
Once the door snapped closed, Frey turned to look at Rimuru, her eyes still narrowed.
"Care to explain what's going on?" She asked. "Everything went according to plan, but you are… off. Did something happen with Roy?"
Rimuru let out a sigh as he heard the question.
He didn't want to tell Shion because that would only cause her to become more protective of him, and if the time came, he would rather if she didn't take a stand for him.
Ramiris was a different story. This sort of heavy news would just make her stressed out. She was quite happy at the moment, and he wanted to keep things that way.
He had fully intended to tell Shuna and discuss it with her, but now that Frey asked, he hesitated on whether or not to be fully honest with her. Yet, she was the second strongest after him. That is if you ignored Veldora, who was far stronger than either of them.
She was smart, cunning, and strong. If destruction was coming, she would be one of his strongest allies. And the more she knew, the more she would be able to help.
He had already made the choice, yet what he saw only solidified his decision. As he looked at her, he could see that she was genuinely concerned for him, though she was trying not to show it.
"I saw a possible future. You could say it's still fresh." Rimuru began, walking to look out of his window again as the citizens began to exit the Labyrinth. "It's a future I would like to avoid."
Frey nodded as she heard him. By now, the Prophet "lie" had spread to the point where no one in Tempest would question him on his ability to see the future. If anything, it was to be expected.
Raphael had been able to stop before catching the attention of the so-called "Administrator," but that didn't mean they were safe now. He would be on guard for any attacks that could hurt or target his skills from now on, so he was fairly sure that he had already taken a massive step to prevent that future.
Yet, there were still a lot of questions.
As these thoughts weighed on him, Frey's expression softened. She stepped closer, coming to stand beside him. She, too, began to look out of the window, going quiet as she tried to gather her thoughts.
"Could you show me?" She asked quietly, her eyes still focused on the view outside.
At her request, Rimuru created a link through Thought Communication and gave her some brief glimpses. He didn't share the last fragment in which the one who had given him the memories died, but what he shared was enough to cause Frey's expression to stiffen.
"This… is this a guaranteed future?" She asked, her eyes closing as she replayed the images in her mind, searching for any sign of hope.
"No."
They stood there together, side by side, sharing the silence of the moment. Then, without a word, one of Frey's wings unfurled and gently wrapped around him, pulling him slightly closer.
"So, what are your plans now? Don't tell me you are going to give up." Frey asked, glancing outside before turning to look at him.
Rimuru let out a soft yet tired chuckle, the sound breaking the tension. He turned to her, offering a warm smile that was both reassuring and determined.
"What else? We grow, we prepare, and when the time comes…" Rimuru began, his expression growing more and more determined. "We destroy them."
A small yet genuine smile appeared on Frey's face as she heard him.
"It's strange…" Frey muttered, her voice soft as she looked into his eyes. "I don't understand it myself, but I believe you."
As she spoke, the wing wrapped around Rimuru drew him a little closer, closing the distance between them.
Minutes passed in the comfortable silence, with Frey's wing holding him closely in a protective manner. As they stood silently, the small discomfort that continued to linger inside of him finally vanished.
"This is nice." Rimuru mused, chuckling slightly. And as he turned to look at Frey, he couldn't help but be left slightly speechless. She looked exactly the same as before, but her concerned expression tugged at his heart. The warmth of her body next to him as she tried to comfort him.
It was amusing, but he recognized the feeling. He felt it briefly from time to time with her but never quite as strong as it was now.
"You know, I just remembered something." Rimuru mused, reaching to gently caress the feathers gently covering him.
"What is it?" Frey asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Walpurgis is over." Rimuru answered with a warm smile as he turned to look at her.
"Hm?" Frey asked before she burst out into a beautiful laughter. "You can't be serious, can't you? Right now? Really?"
Rimuru stepped out of her wings before a pair of wings sprouted out from behind him, which he used to cover his own body, pretending to be shy.
"What can I say? I am a tad bashful." Rimuru joked.
"You look ridiculous." Frey teased, which caused Rimuru to hide his face with his wings.
Rimuru's wings fluttered playfully before he peeked his head out, using his most innocent expression.
"Ridiculous? And here I was trying to be nice and shy for you." Rimuru joked before his expression turned mischievous.
Taking a few steps forward, he spread his wings, covering most of his office and creating an imposing view.
"Better?" Rimuru asked, the mischievous expression on his face causing Frey to roll her eyes before she, too, spread her wings.
Frey's fingers traced the delicate lines of a feather she had given Rimuru, a small smile appearing on her lips.
"Hmm… That's some nice feathers. I wonder who you got them from." Her voice was soft, almost teasing, as she admired the feather.
"Oh, you know, just a cunning and beautiful Queen." Rimuru answered, leaning in slightly. "I didn't even have to say a word for her to jump in and help me convince some nasty Demon Lords to ally themselves with our Empire."
"Oh? Empire?" Frey echoed, getting closer too, as a mischievous expression appeared on her face. "I almost forgot. I guess I am messing around with 'The Emperor.' The newest and meanest Demon Lord."
Rimuru reached out, gently caressing her wings. The touch sent a pleasant shiver through her, causing her wings to flutter slightly in response.
"You know, I feel like we make a pretty good match. I bully Clayman, and you bully Carrion. The other Demon Lords should watch out."
"Ah, Carrion, that annoying Lion. He's been more resilient than I hoped. I was sure he was going to join Tempest after he resigned as a Demon Lord. But I might have to go over there and smack him around for a bit. I have a promise to keep, don't I?" Frey asked.
Rimuru smiled in response.
"Let's forget about Eurazania for a while. We have enough on our plates. We can go mess with him after we get full control over Jistav and Falmuth." Rimuru answered, looking her in the eyes.
She smiled for a moment before her expression became slightly complicated, almost annoyed at herself.
"You can't be serious. Was that really it? That was all I was missing?" She muttered, taking a step closer to him, almost pressing her body against his.
Rimuru couldn't help but let his eyes wander for a moment on her body, to which Frey let out a strange hum.
Looking at her in the eyes, Rimuru saw her bring her face closer, almost as if taunting him.
The two of them were close enough to almost touch noses, and reacting instinctively, Rimuru finished leaning closer, sealing her soft lips with a kiss.
Frey's body relaxed as she returned the kiss, her wings slowly lowering until they rested behind her. This gave Rimuru an opening to cover her with his own wings, wrapping the two of them and bringing her closer.
Yet, before they could get carried away, Frey placed a hand on his chest and gently but firmly pushed him back.
"You have kept me waiting for some time, you know?" Frey said, her voice taking on a playful yet teasing tone. Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she mockingly reprimanded him. "Charybdis, obtaining the spirits, Awakening, war… I don't blame you for holding off and being busy… but…" She trailed off, her expression shifting to one of exaggerated hurt as if she had just been deeply wronged.
"Oh? And what should I do to make up for it?" He asked, playing along with her.
Frey brought a hand to her chin, tapping it a few times in mock contemplation before nodding decisively as if coming to a profound conclusion.
"Since you made me wait, the least you could do is make it special." Her eyes darted around the room, taking in their surroundings with a critical gaze. Then, with an exaggerated sigh, she shook her head. "An office? Tsk tsk tsk."
Rimuru laughed as he heard her, but he couldn't help but agree. A few ideas coursed through his mind before he nodded.
"You're absolutely right." He admitted, smacking his forehead.
"Should I take that to mean that you have something in mind?" Frey asked, raising an eyebrow in genuine curiosity yet keeping up her playful voice.
"Wouldn't want to spoil the surprise now, would I?"
Frey smiled at his answer, and in one swift movement, she made an Obsidian Mirror appear behind her.
"Well, then, Mr. Emperor." Frey purred, her voice low and filled with playful challenge as she took a few deliberate steps backward, closer to the mirror. "I'll give you a few days. Don't keep me waiting."
Giving Rimuru one final wink, she took another step back into the Mirror. The moment she entered the mirror, it shattered. The small pieces vanished in an instant, leaving Rimuru alone in his office.
After a moment of silence, Rimuru let out a sigh as realization set in.
'She was kinda mad, wasn't she?'
[...]
[Answer. Somewhat.]
[Would you like an in-depth explanation?] Raphael asked, to which Rimuru shook his head. He knew where he had messed up.
"Ah, I forgot to tell her about Sarion's envoys." Rimuru muttered. Since Sarion and Fulbrosia had a somewhat hostile relationship, he wanted to ask her for details, but he should probably not follow her right now.
It would be fine, probably.
— — —
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