The clear blue sky above Trost District was dotted with slowly drifting clouds. The sounds of daily life—laughter, footsteps, and conversations—began to fill the streets. Children ran around in front of a bakery, and mothers bustled about carrying baskets full of vegetables. Life moved on as usual, peaceful… almost too peaceful.
Walking down the main street of the district were three figures: Levi led the way, followed by Yukito, who carefully observed his surroundings, and Rimuru, who occasionally looked up at the sky as if searching for something. But soon, Rimuru's expression changed.
He stopped walking, standing still in the middle of the road, eyes locked on a small child laughing while chasing a butterfly.
"Rimuru?" Yukito turned, noticing the slime—now in his human form—had halted.
Rimuru let out a deep sigh. His eyes looked dim, as though burdened by sorrow.
"I know what's going to happen in this place…" Rimuru murmured. "So many who don't know… so many who will die for nothing…"
Levi glanced over his shoulder, his voice flat but firm. "Don't let emotions cloud your judgment. In this world, death isn't a surprise. It's routine."
"But that doesn't make it any easier to accept, Levi," Rimuru replied softly. "These children and everyone here… they won't even know what hit them. Just screams, blood, and ruin."
Yukito stepped closer and gently patted Rimuru's shoulder. "I know you want to save everyone. So do I. But if we act recklessly, we might just accelerate the destruction."
Rimuru clenched his fists, his head hanging low. "I am strong.... but I feel helpless"
"You're not alone," Yukito said firmly. "We're not here to change fate entirely. We're here to give hope… no matter how small."
Levi finally stopped walking, standing beside them. "If you want to grieve, save it for after the mission. Right now, all you can do is fight."
Rimuru lifted his head, his eyes regaining their glow, though sorrow still lingered in them.
"Alright," he said at last. "If I can't save everyone… then I'll at least make sure some of them survive."
Yukito nodded. "And maybe… change one small part of this dark history."
After wandering through the streets of Trost, the three decided to rest for a moment in the center plaza—a wide open space in the heart of the district where townspeople often gathered. In the middle stood an old fountain, with a statue of a dove that had grown worn with time.
Levi sat on a long stone bench facing the fountain. His arms were crossed, eyes scanning every corner of the plaza with sharp focus.
Yukito sat beside him, watching the people passing by. Meanwhile, Rimuru stood by the fountain's edge, staring at his reflection in the rippling water.
But the calm was soon shattered by the sound of hurried footsteps approaching from one of the narrow alleyways.
"Captain Levi!" a loud voice called out.
Four people—Eld Jinn, Oluo Bozado, Petra Ral, and Gunther Schultz—rushed in, their uniforms dusty and their faces a mix of relief and frustration.
"Where have you been, Captain? And who are these two?" Petra asked, glancing toward Yukito and Rimuru.
Levi let out a short breath, then stood up from the bench. He looked at his four squad members for a moment before answering in his usual flat but firm tone.
"They're my friends," Levi replied.
Yukito bowed respectfully to the four members of the Levi Group, while Rimuru simply raised his small hand and gave a soft smile.
Petra still looked skeptical, her eyes darting between Levi and the two strangers. Gunther and Eld exchanged glances, seemingly shocked to hear the word "friend" come out of Levi's mouth—a word he rarely used for anyone.
Oluo, meanwhile, stepped forward confidently, his eyes locked on one figure: Rimuru.
Still standing by the fountain, Rimuru raised an eyebrow in confusion as Oluo approached with a serious expression.
Without warning, Oluo suddenly dropped to one knee in front of Rimuru, gently taking his hand in both of his own as if touching the world's greatest treasure.
"My name is Oluo Bozado… and you… you're like an angel descended from heaven," he said earnestly. "This might sound crazy, but… will you marry me?"
Silence. Everyone froze.
Rimuru stared at the hands holding his, then at Oluo's hopeful face. His expression was somewhere between confused and amused, but he tried to stay polite.
"…Eh?" Rimuru murmured, tilting his head. "Is this some kind of joke?"
Yukito stifled a laugh, while Petra groaned loudly and slapped her forehead.
"Oh god, Oluo… You just met them!" she exclaimed. "Can you not embarrass yourself for at least one hour?"
Levi growled softly. "Bozado, if you've got enough energy to act like a clown, I'll make sure you do triple drills this evening."
Oluo quickly stood up straight, releasing Rimuru's hand, his face bright red. "Y-yes, Captain! My apologies, sir!"
Rimuru just chuckled, patting Oluo's shoulder casually. "You're a funny one. But about the marriage… I'll have to decline."
Oluo stood frozen, still beet red—this time from embarrassment. Petra looked like she was holding herself back from throwing a shoe at him, while Eld and Gunther finally lost it and started laughing quietly.
Eld crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow, teasing, "Maybe if your face was a little easier to look at, Rimuru would've considered it."
Gunther laughed even harder, nearly choking as he tried to hold it in. Petra shook her head with a grin, clearly unwilling to miss the opportunity to join in.
"And maybe if you didn't imitate Captain Levi's speaking style every five seconds, you'd seem a little more… normal," Petra added, causing Oluo's face to sink even deeper into embarrassment.
"I'm not imitating anyone!" Oluo protested, though his voice sounded uncannily like Levi's usual monotone, causing everyone—including Yukito and Rimuru—to look at him with barely concealed amusement.
Levi, who had been standing silently with arms crossed, let out a faint sigh. His gaze remained sharp, but there was a slight change in his expression—subtle, almost invisible to the untrained eye. But to those who knew him well, it was something rare: a thin smile.
He watched the interaction between his squad and his two "new friends." The lighthearted atmosphere, the natural laughter, even Oluo's foolishness—it all brought a flicker of warmth into a world otherwise harsh and cold.
"Sometimes, it's moments like this that make everything feel… a little more alive," Levi thought to himself, then shifted his gaze back toward the road leading out of the plaza.
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