.
996 GBC, Tempest, Rimuru City~
.
Kal's POV~
.
"It isn't so bad…"
"What isn't, Aniki?" I glanced towards Rie before looking back to the scene of the revived people surrounding Rimuru.
Their genuine love and adoration for Rimuru made me want to build something similar. A small place where people too adore and love me. A place I can call home.
But such dreams are not for yet. First I want to roam this dangerous but wonderful world. Explore all its mysteries and find every secret it hid.
And… find true companions who can accompany me on this journey. At that thought I look back to Rei, replying to his question.
"Nothing."
"Really?" Rei asked, the doubt on his face made me laugh.
"Yep," I replied popping the p.
Rei hummed before questioning me again. "What's next Aniki, you already have control over your ability. Are you still planning on staying here?" His question made me pause.
"No… we are leaving for some new place," I said as the image of the silver-haired princess crossed my mind and the letter she sent me.
Shaking my head I continued. "And staying stagnant gets boring."
Rei nodded at my words. His face neutral, not caring either way. As we discussed where to head next the people surrounding Rimuru left, leaving him alone with Shion and Benimaru.
Suddenly Kal heard Shion shout. "What about my cooking?"
Rimuru whispering something to Benimaru flinched hearing her voice. He bounces one-eighty to look at her. Sweats pouring out from his slimy body.
"Seems like he wants to eat your cooking after so long. It looks to me like he wants to confirm your everyday endeavour." Benimaru said with a sweet smile, taking Shion's focus away from Rimuru.
"So that's the case! Rimuru-sama if you want to eat my cooking just say so!" Shion practically exploded with delight as Rimuru shot a betrayed look towards Benimaru who ignored him.
Benimaru nodded sagely before adding, continuing. "Since Rimuru-sama especially wants to eat your cooking, I'll take my leave." At that he started walking away but Rimuru stopped his retreat.
"Please wait up Benimaru-kun. About that passphrase, of course, I remember." Benimaru froze at those words before turning around shooting a pitiful look towards Rimuru who like him also ignored.
"If I remember correctly the passphrase Benimaru-kun decided on was… 'Shion's cooking is extremely bad.' Am I right?" Shion's smile froze as an extremely terrifying aura released from her, Rei beside me almost fell down feeling her aura.
Ohh! I remember that scene, didn't she receive a skill that made her dishes taste exactly like she wants them to be?
"Wait can I also try!" Thinking about it, I called out.
"Sure!" Shion replied happily, the dark aura surrounding her faded immediately. While Benimaru and Rimuru looked like I just signed my own death warrant.
"Kal, you have a sensitive tongue, I think you shouldn't eat Shion's food," Rimuru tried to pursue me but I declined telling him I would be fine.
Seeing me not giving up he just gave up, not wanting to attract Shion's ire.
Soon we all reached where Shion made food for us. It took her fifteen minutes to prepare everything and while she did Rimuru and Benimaru fought under the confused gaze of Rei. I ignored them thinking about the first delicious meal I would eat after coming to this world.
No matter how much I try to adapt to my super sensitive tongue, I can't find the food delicious, at most I'll find them decent. But with Shion's skill, I can finally enjoy food after so long.
"The food is ready! Come now, please take your seats." Shion called us, her voice breaking Rimuru and Benimaru's scuffle.
I took a seat and looked at the food below. It looked horrible. I can even see a purple skull floating and screaming in the soup.
*GULP* Rimuru, Benimaru and Rei. They all gulped looking at the food. Their expressions were absolute horror.
I didn't mind their expression and scooped a spoonful of the stew and brought it to my mouth. Emptying the spoon, I slowly started chewing under the gaze of the other four occupants.
*Gulp* once every last bit of content went down my throat, I opened my closed eyes and uttered. "Delicious!"
Then without a dew, I started devouring the stew, ignoring Shion's delighted and the other idiots' shocked faces.
In less than 5 minutes I finished the stew before asking for seconds. The trio looked at me like I went mad or something but again I ignored them just like cows do to flys.
At that point, they gathered the courage to try the food and when they placed the food in their mouths their eyes widened and mouths flung open.
I laughed at the sight as Shion served me another plate, once again ignoring them questioning Shion I started eating my food. I finished the second serving faster than the first one then asked for the third serving and then the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth. After eight I stopped counting and raised my bowl for more.
I don't know how long I ate but at some point, even Shion's delight faded and turned shock.
"More, please." I raised my bowl for another serving but Shion shook her head.
"I can't you ate everything."
"What?!" Now it was my turn to become shocked.
"What "what?" You ate for almost three hundred people worth. Look it's already night." Rimuru shouted while pointing at the stary window.
"Really?" I asked before adding. "Well sorry about that it's just it's been so long since I ate anything delicious I lost myself."
"Dude, why's your stomach not bursting? You ate so much where the hell did it all go?"
"I can probably eat everything eatable on Akashic World and not burp," I revealed shaking my head.
"Really?!" Rimuru exclaimed in disbelief.
"Yeah…"
"Then please try this." Suddenly Shion handed me a carrot which I ate hesitatingly.
Immediately a feeling of fullness overwhelmed me, making me nauseated.
"What is this?" I asked struggling to hold back the vomit coming up my throat.
"I made this thinking to make you full." She answered.
"Fucking magic!" When you feel like you are some shit in this world, magic comes to fuck you in the ass.
"Agh! Why are you guys even here, didn't we have a celebratory feast tonight?" I questioned.
"Yes we do, but watching you woggle down all that food was more entertaining." What the fuck? Am I some muckbang or what?
"Yeah! That's some Goku-level shit." Rimuru said, agreeing with Benimaru.
"Of course, you know Goku how am I not surprised…." I muttered.
"Excuse me?"
"Nothing! Let's just head to the feast, I need something strong to wash down the nausea." I waved Rimuru's question off before standing and heading for the party outside.
Rimuru and Benimaru looked at each other before shrugging and following me alongside Rei and Shion.
We reached outside and slipped into the celebration.
I left Rimuru and Lot and joined the dwarf's group. And it did not take me long to drown a few mugs of rum they offered, though this time I took in limit not wanting to lose control and cause a scene again.
Soon I got lost in my thoughts, thinking about all the paths I could take from here. I can accept Ranni's invite, or just continue exploring the world. I can go back to Baharuth and start governing my territory, try to build something similar to Rimuru's Tempest. Though for that I have to find trustable and worthy subordinates like him.
As the night started slipping away, I was approached by Rimuru.
"Yo! You look awfully distracted." He said, finally free after receiving all the congratulations from his people.
"Hmm… nothing," I answered.
"It doesn't seem like nothing, you have been standing here for hours without moving." At those words, I turned to look at him.
"Actually… I was thinking about leaving." My words froze Rimuru as he processed them.
"Is that so?" He asked after a few seconds.
"Yes."
"So where are you planning to go."
"I'll go Baharuth before heading off to Westeros."
"Westeros? That barren magic-deprived continent?" Rimuru questioned and I was surprised he knew of that place. Regardless I replied.
"Yep! But before that can you tell me the location of that spirit communion place?"
"You mean the Dwelling of the Elementals?"
"Yeah that," I answered getting an exasperated sigh from Rimuru.
"Fine." After that Rimuru started telling its location and how to reach it. Once I got the coordinates, I went to find Rei to prepare for our journey. Ending the wonderful day.
.
.
.