"Well, Rimuru? Did you enjoy the tour?" Kaede asked as she raised her glass, taking a slow sip. Sera stood just behind her, arms crossed neatly in front of her, ever the composed assistant.
Across from Kaede sat the ruler of Tempest himself, Rimuru Tempest, his silver hair catching the garden's soft light. Dressed in dark blue with his usual cheerful smile. Behind him stood Shuna with a regal grace.
"I definitely did," Rimuru said cheerfully. "Maple Tree is ahead of Tempest in several areas. It was nice to see what improvements we might learn from this."
Kaede blinked once, expression flat. "You spent hours in the elven hotels. What exactly are you learning from that?"
Rimuru froze mid-sip, then nearly choked on his wine. Behind him, Shuna's gentle face had taken on a faint frown, a pink aura rising from her shoulders like a warning flare.
"Lord Rimuru," Shuna said sweetly, though her tone carried the weight of divine judgment.
Rimuru paled. "H-have mercy!!"
In a panic, he dove across the garden and crouched behind Kaede like a child seeking refuge. "Save me, Kaede-san!"
Kaede's eye twitched. She glanced down at him, unimpressed.
Sera silently placed a hand on Rimuru's trembling shoulder. Her polite smile was the kind that made even devils rethink their life choices.
'Ah!' Rimuru screamed internally, sweat beading down his temple. 'I'm surrounded!'
"Please, Lord Rimuru," Sera said calmly, her voice soft yet firm. "Compose yourself before my Lady."
Rimuru sulked as he shuffled back to his seat, looking thoroughly defeated. "I have no friends here."
"Stop whining," Kaede said dryly, setting her glass down. "I deal with this every day."
Rimuru slumped deeper into his chair. "Where's my bro? He's the only one I can trust to be on my side."
Kaede's expression softened slightly. "Syrup's hanging out with Hanae and Acer. The other dryads adore him."
"Damn bro," Rimuru muttered, grinding his teeth. "He gets to hang out with all those babes…"
Kaede slowly turned to look at him, then glanced at Shuna, whose smile had become visibly strained, before looking back at Rimuru again. "Keep digging, Rimuru," she said with a laugh.
"Huh?" Rimuru tilted his head, confused.
Before his doom could descend, the garden door opened and a goblina maid stepped in with a respectful bow. "Pardon the intrusion, my Lady, but Lord Rimuru's companions have returned from the tour."
Kaede nodded with a small smile. "Thank you, Giana. Please have them move to the Solar Veranda, the large upper balcony overlooking the central gardens. Rimuru and I will be there shortly."
"Understood, my Lady." Giana bowed again before quietly exiting.
Kaede turned to Rimuru, standing. "Well, you heard her. Let's get going before Shuna strangles you."
"What?" Rimuru jumped, glancing nervously over his shoulder. "Shuna? We're cool, right?"
Shuna smiled serenely, her tone almost angelic. "Why, Lord Rimuru, I would never bring you harm in any way."
Rimuru swallowed hard. "Yeah… right."
---
The Solar Veranda, a grand balcony carved from pale stone and glass-like crystal, overlooking the heart of the city. The afternoon sun poured through the open arches, scattering across the circular table set for its occupants.
The table itself gleamed with enchanted silverware, of natural design, flower-shaped dishes placed on glowing sections of the table, goblinas and haulias pouring tea, and other beverages.
There, upon the gleaming marble expanse of the Solar Veranda, the envoys of the Nation of Tempest sat gathered on one side of the vast circular table.
Benimaru occupied the outermost seat, his crimson eyes narrowed in mild frustration as he fumbled once again with the slender chopsticks in his hands. He managed to lift a morsel of glazed meat, barely, before losing it halfway to his plate. With a quiet sigh, he tried again, determined not to embarrass himself in front of their hosts.
To his left sat Soei, the ever-composed shadow of Tempest and head of its intelligence network. The dark-haired Kijin had scarcely touched his food, preferring instead to savor his drink, a clear, chilled liquor that glimmered faintly in the sunlight. Each sip was measured and deliberate, as though he were analyzing its composition more than enjoying it.
Beside Soei sat Shion, who, much to Rimuru's private disbelief, was eating with an elegance that would have made a noble proud. She maneuvered her chopsticks with effortless grace, taking small bites, even dabbing her lips with her napkin after each one. Rimuru, seated across from her, stole subtle glances every few minutes, still half-expecting her to accidentally snap the utensils in half.
Next came Kaijin, the burly dwarven craftsman and head of Tempest's smithing division. His laughter rumbled low as he engaged in cheerful conversation, occasionally gesturing animatedly with his fork. The warmth of good food and fine drink clearly agreed with him.
And finally, sitting beside him with an eager grin plastered across his face, was Gobta, the leader of the Goblin Riders. He was halfway through his second serving already, gleefully oblivious to the amused looks from the Maple Tree side of the table.
These five formed the official delegation from Tempest that had accompanied their ruler to Maple Tree.
On the opposite side sat Maple Tree's council members, a sight just as formidable, and perhaps more so.
Seated across from Benimaru was Ari, the dark-haired Antari and the second of Maple's daughters. Her calm yet focused demeanor commanded quiet respect as she conversed easily with the red-haired Kijin. The two seemed to be comparing combat doctrines, though Benimaru's occasional frown suggested she was winning that discussion.
Beside her sat Shifu, the stoic Oni and one of Maple's most trusted lieutenants. His crimson eyes were sharp yet patient, absorbing the conversation rather than contributing to it.
Next to Shifu sat Delta, the dark-furred wolfkin girl whose sharp eyes and restless tail betrayed her predatory instincts. Despite her youthful appearance, she remained the strongest of the Faunus.
Seated after her was Aurina, the strategist of Maple Tree, and beside her, Crimara, the iron-willed general who commanded the nation's standing army. Together, they represented the mind and might of Maple Tree's forces, one who planned wars, and one who ended them.
Across from Kaijin sat Chibari, the dwarven engineer whose craftsmanship rivaled even Tempest's finest. Her laughter rang bright as she clinked her glass against Kaijin's, their reunion filled with old memories and talk of forgework.
Next came Eryn, the dark elf who had found himself a core part of Maple Tree's inner workings, and the head of internal affairs.
Beside him sat Kanade, Maple Tree's newly appointed Archmage. Though young, his reputation already preceded him, already creating a magic guild and responsible for the mages in Maple Tree.
And finally, seated nearest the head of the table, was Kirara, the blonde-haired commander of the Spirit Riders. Her new found beauty made her look bored and even nonchalant, but she was anything but.
Around them, waiters moved silently, refilling glasses and replacing plates with practiced precision. The faint sound of the wind brushed through the veranda's crystal arches, carrying the scent of spiced dishes and blooming flora.
A few feet away from the grand round table stood a smaller one, elegant yet modest, set for only four.
Rimuru sat beside Shuna, grinning brightly as she refilled his cup, again. (Thank goodness he was a slime, considering how much he'd been drinking tonight.)
Across from them, Kaede enjoyed her meal with cheerful energy, occasionally glancing up to chat between bites. Beside her, Sera maintained her usual calm composure, a faint smile on her lips as she observed the lively exchange.
The feast went on for only about thirty minutes before the attendants gracefully returned, clearing away the plates, utensils, and the few remaining dishes.
Once the last tray was removed, Kaede lightly tapped her fingers against the table, clearing her throat to draw everyone's attention.
---
"I still can't believe you hired her. Even after she killed Kyoya. I mean, I get that he wasn't a very decent person but still." Rimuru said from where he sat.
Kaede raised an eyebrow. "While that may be true, Glenda more than made up for it when she helped bring back Kirara to me."
She glanced at Kirara who managed a small blush.
"Ooh." Rimuru wiggled his brows. "I sense something in the air."
"Knock it off dude." Kirara cried out. "Like, seriously!"
"Hehehe." Rimuru laughed.
"If we're talking about the Holy Saints," Kaede began, resting her elbow on the table, "what about the other two you captured?"
Rimuru leaned back in his chair, resting his chin against his palm. "Ah, those guys, Fritz and Garde. We're still debating what to do with them, honestly."
He swirled the drink in his glass absentmindedly before continuing. "On one hand, they attacked us without warning. Hinata even mentioned something about Tempest being in her way, but not for long, so it's safe to assume they were planning to wipe us out. On the other hand, everything turned out fine in the end. No lasting damage, everyone's safe."
Kaede's gaze lowered slightly, her fingers curling into a fist beneath the table. 'Except Pito,' she thought bitterly.
"We'll have to stay vigilant," Rimuru went on. "Falmuth taught us how dangerous political plots can get. But aside from that, we'll probably return the saints to Lubelius. Of course, we'll ask for compensation."
That statement earned several confused looks from the members of Maple Tree. Even Kaede raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed.
"That's… incredibly naive, Rimuru," Kanade said from the larger table, crossing his fingers.
Rimuru sighed. "I know it is. But what's the alternative? Do we pick a fight with the Holy Church and Lubelius both?"
"Lord Rimuru," Shion spoke up confidently, a proud grin on her face. "We already defeated the saints who attacked us once. Surely we can do it again."
Rumi shook his head, expression grave. "Even so, Tempest only has a handful of people strong enough to face the Holy Saints. There's you, Benimaru, Hakurou, myself… maybe Geld. But even Soei was defeated last time."
At that, Soei's eyes dropped to the table, his jaw tightening in quiet frustration.
Rimuru exhaled through his nose, rubbing the bridge of it with his fingers. "Exactly. There are ten Great Saints, and that's not counting Hinata. She's… way too strong for comfort."
Rimuru's words hung heavy in the air, quieting even the subtle clinking of silverware. The breeze that swept across the veranda carried the faint rustle of fabric and the scent of wine and spice, but for a long moment, no one spoke.
Kaede leaned back slightly, her eyes half-lidded, hiding her rage at the name as she studied him. "You're worried about her," she said simply.
Rimuru chuckled weakly, but the sound didn't reach his eyes. "Wouldn't you be? I fought Hinata once. She was really trying to kill me then, it's still one of the scariest fights I've ever had."
"Then what's stopping you from acting first?" Ari's calm voice came from the far end of the table. Her tone wasn't hostile, but her gaze was sharp enough to draw blood. "If Lubelius is already planning another move, waiting will only make you bleed slower."
Rimuru met her stare with a small, tired smile. "Because I'm not trying to build a nation that is an enemy of humans."
Kaede's brow furrowed. "That's noble," she admitted, "I would have probably said the same thing three years ago. Perhaps sometime in the future."
Her voice softened, but her eyes didn't. "You're trying to make peace with a kingdom that burns monsters alive for existing. They won't stop because you gave them mercy. They'll stop because they're afraid of what happens if they try again."
Eryn, inclined her head slightly. "My Lady speaks truth. History shows that peace built on goodwill alone rarely lasts. God knows we tried that with the Equinoids and Bovoids. Fear, on the other hand…" she paused, her golden eyes flicking toward Rimuru, "endures longer than faith."
Benimaru crossed his arms, leaning back in his seat. "Even if we send the saints back, we'll need a show of strength. Something that makes Lubelius think twice before trying anything stupid again."
Rimuru sighed, tapping his fingers against the table. "A show of strength, huh…"
Kanade glanced down at his own drink, swirling it absently. The golden liquid caught the light like molten sunlight. "You don't need to make an example," he said with a smirk, "but you can make a statement."
Rimuru tilted his head, eyeing the young man who had just spoken, Kanade, the composed Archmage whose confidence often reminded him a little too much of his own. "Statement? What kind of statement are we talking about here?"
Kanade's gaze flickered toward Kaede. The dark-haired woman sighed softly, rubbing her temple as if steeling herself. "Well, I was already planning to tell Tempest first, since you're our sister nation in the Jura Forest, but…" she paused, looking up with calm determination. "I intend to proclaim myself as a Demon Lord."
The words struck the veranda like a ripple through still water.
Rimuru blinked once. Then again. "Wait, hold the phone, what do you mean you're becoming a Demon Lord? Like Millim, Carrion, and the others?" His voice rose in disbelief. "Why? What would you even do as a Demon Lord?"
Kaede gave a nonchalant shrug, her expression unreadable. "Beats me. But the reputation that comes with it means that nations know not to cross us. I plan to take a seat among the Ten Great Demon Lords." Her lips curved faintly. "Well, it'll be eleven after that… unless you'd like to make it twelve."
Rimuru blinked again, his blue eyes narrowing slightly. "Wait, me? You're saying you want me to become a Demon Lord too?"
The delegates of Tempest turned toward their leader in unison, shock written on their faces. Even Shion nearly dropped her cup.
Kaede nodded once, her tone steady. "That's the statement, Rimuru. If both Maple Tree and Tempest stand as Demon Lord nations, the Holy Church will think twice before waging war against you. They might call you monsters, but they'll learn to fear picking a fight with Demon Lords. I know that I definitely don't want to fight Millim again."
Rimuru leaned back, the weight of her words settling in. For a brief moment, the garden went quiet except for the faint rustle of wind through the veranda's hanging vines.
Finally, he shook his head. "No," he said softly but firmly. "Even then, that's not something I can do." His usual lighthearted tone had dulled to something more reflective. "Becoming a Demon Lord would only draw more enemies, and I've already got enough of those. I want to build bridges with humans, not burn them."
His gaze met Kaede's, calm, but resolute. "That's the kind of nation I want Tempest to be."
Kaede studied him quietly, her expression unreadable, part admiration, part concern. The light from the crystal arches framed her dark hair like a halo, and for a moment, she looked far older than her years.
"…I figured you'd say that," she murmured at last, lifting her glass. "But there's another reason."
Rimuru raised an eyebrow. "I'm not gonna like it am I?"
Kaede leaned back in her chair, her tone casual but her words carrying an unmistakable edge. "Depends," she said simply, swirling the drink in her glass before setting it down. "Falmuth has got to go. If Tempest isn't planning to do anything about it, then Maple Tree will take over the country ourselves."
The table fell quiet. Even Rimuru's easygoing smile faded slightly as he studied her expression.
Kaede continued, her voice steady but colder now. "I had hoped to stay off their radar for a few more years." Her gaze hardened, silver eyes glinting like cut steel. "But now that they've found out about Maple Tree… that's even more reason for them to act. The Holy Church won't hesitate to call us a threat to humanity and purge Jura if it suits their cause."
She paused, the faintest flicker of irritation passing through her expression. "Glenda already confirmed it. Falmuth were the ones who reached out to the Church for help in the first place. All of this, Tempest's invasion, the Saints' attack, it started because of them."
Across the table, Benimaru's jaw tightened, and Soei's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. The tension in the air grew sharp enough to cut through, as the implications of Kaede's words sank in.
Rimuru exhaled slowly, resting a hand under his chin. "And then there's still Clayman to consider."
"Clayman?" Kaede arched a brow. "Demon Lord Clayman? What about him?"
Rimuru leaned forward, setting his cup aside. "Turns out, he sent a spy into Tempest. Her mission was to create an anti-magic barrier right as the invasion began."
Kaede's expression darkened slightly. "Yeah… Crimara mentioned that when she got back. The Church planned something similar, a holy barrier. If both had been activated at once…" She let out a low whistle. "You would've been stripped of most of your power, wouldn't you?"
Benimaru nodded solemnly, his hands folded before him. "We would've been defenseless when the Saints came for us. If that plan had succeeded, Tempest might not exist right now." His jaw tightened, shame flickering in his eyes. "It was my failure as a general to anticipate internal sabotage so early in our development."
Rimuru waved a hand, dismissing the self-blame with a faint smile. "Don't beat yourself up, Benimaru. None of us saw it coming. And besides, we did stop it."
Kanade leaned slightly forward, his tone light but curious. "Speaking of that, how's her new heart holding up?" He smirked faintly.
Rimuru chuckled. "Perfectly. She said to send her thanks. And thanks to her, we got some juicy details about Clayman and his forces."
Kaede's eyes narrowed slightly, her tone skeptical. "I thought Tempest wasn't going to war."
Rimuru's expression shifted, his usual levity fading into something sharper. "Clayman's a different story," he said flatly. "After Millim attacked Carrion, she supposedly returned to Clayman's domain."
Kaede blinked, frowning. "Wait, seriously? That's… troubling. She's already declared war on me too. So it's possible we're both targets."
"Yeah." Rimuru sighed, leaning back. "If Clayman's pulling Millim's strings, things are worse than I thought."
Kaede tapped her fingers against the table, deep in thought. "Then I guess I'll find out more during the next Walpurgis."
Rimuru tilted his head. "The Walpurgis? What's that supposed to be?"
"The Demon Lords' banquet," Kaede explained. "A formal gathering of all the Demon Lords. If Maple Tree's been making waves lately, there's a good chance we'll be brought up in conversation. And I plan to be there in person." She shot him a knowing look. "You should really consider attending too, Rimuru."
Rimuru frowned thoughtfully. "A gathering of Demon Lords…"
Kaede nodded. "Oddly enough, it was Clayman who requested this one. Which means something's definitely going on."
"Gah, there's so much going on." Rimuru cried oyin frustration. "I just want to enjoy my slife. Is that too much to ask?"
Kaede shrugged at this.
---
It wasn't until the next morning, as Rimuru and his companions departed Maple Tree, that the implications of their meeting began to sink in.
Their wolf-drawn carriages rolled steadily down the paved forest road, the morning mist still clinging to the trees. The rhythmic thud of paws and the creak of wheels filled the quiet air. Inside the lead carriage, Rimuru rested comfortably in his slime form, nestled on Shion's lap, quite literally under her chest, much to her content and everyone else's mild exasperation.
"Lord Rimuru," Benimaru called from the opposite seat, his tone unusually firm.
"What is it, Benimaru?" Rimuru replied, his voice muffled slightly from his jelly-like state.
Benimaru's crimson eyes narrowed with thought. "I think you should seriously consider taking over Falmuth, like Lady Kaede suggested."
Rimuru sighed, his blue body wobbling faintly. "Benimaru, really? That's not how I want Tempest to be seen by the rest of the world. We're supposed to build peace, not look like conquerors."
Benimaru, however, didn't back down. "And I understand that, my lord," he said evenly. "But if Lady Kaede follows through on her threat to conquer Falmuth herself, Maple Tree will control three fronts around us. We'd be practically isolated."
That made Rimuru's slime body jolt in alarm. "Wait, what!?" He immediately shifted back into his humanoid form, sitting upright with wide eyes. "What do you mean three fronts?"
Benimaru folded his arms, his expression grim. "Maple Tree already borders us through Lake Siss to the east, the Kyusha Mountains to the south, and several of their vassal states beyond. If they take Falmuth to the west, then the only nation we'd have open contact with would be Dwargon to the north."
Rimuru's brow furrowed. "So we'd be boxed in…"
"Exactly." Benimaru nodded. "If we stay in that position for too long, the other nations will start to assume Tempest is nothing more than a vassal state of Maple Tree. Our independence would be questioned. And eventually…" His gaze hardened. "It's only a matter of time before they annex us outright."
Rimuru leaned back in his seat, the weight of the statement settling in. The thought of Kaede surrounding them hadn't even occurred to him, not as a threat.
"But Kaede wouldn't do that... Right?"