Minutes earlier, Milim had discovered a city hidden deep within the forest.
It blended almost perfectly with its surroundings.
The construction was beautiful. The layout was orderly. Even the roadsides were lined with trees, arranged deliberately rather than growing wild. The entire place gave off a sense of harmony that Milim found unexpectedly pleasing.
Inside the city, she sensed several presences whose magicules surpassed A-rank.
That alone did not surprise her.
What truly astonished her was something else entirely.
The city was filled almost exclusively with low-ranking demons.
And yet, every single one of them possessed high intelligence.
They could think independently. They could understand orders. They could execute tasks without relying on instinct alone.
Not long ago, no such group had existed within the Jura Forest.
Yet now, here they were.
As if they had appeared out of thin air.
Under normal circumstances, no one would even imagine something like this being possible. Strength aside, these beings cooperated naturally. They supported one another. They functioned as a true society.
Milim couldn't help but wonder.
Just how terrifying was the leadership of the one commanding them?
Even with her sharp mind, she couldn't fully grasp it.
She was happy.
Truly happy.
It had been a very long time since she felt this kind of excitement.
Without hesitation, Milim activated her unique skill-Dragon Eye, the ability that allowed her to see through truth itself. One by one, she scanned the abilities of those within the city.
"Amazing..."
She couldn't help but say it out loud.
Almost all of them were named monsters.
"...Did someone really name them all?"
A surge of emotion rose within her chest. Surprise. Amazement. A faint sense of awe she hadn't experienced in hundreds of years.
For monsters, magicules were life itself. Their strength, their existence, everything revolved around them. And to give a name to another monster meant transferring one's own magicules.
Once given, those magicules could not be recovered.
It was a one-way loss.
That was why, under normal circumstances, no one would ever do such a thing on a large scale.
And yet someone had.
Here.
For tens of thousands.
Milim felt a rare stirring in her heart.
The master of this place was extraordinary.
Completely different from Clayman. Different from Carrion. Different from Frey.
Her involvement in Clayman's scheme had always been nothing more than boredom. With her endless lifespan and love of battle, nurturing a Demon Lord was simply a way to pass time. Something mildly interesting. Something to distract her from loneliness.
But now, she could tell.
This existence was different.
Not boring.
Not shallow.
Not replaceable.
He was unique.
As Milim continued her search, two presences immediately stood out. Their magicules were vast. Deep. Almost boundless.
And then she sensed something else.
"...Found them."
"And there's an even stranger one here."
"A Hero?"
"A Hero building a city."
"And cooperating with monsters?"
Her eyes lit up.
"How interesting."
Sensing the Hero deliberately releasing his aura ahead of her-as if openly guiding her-Milim laughed and rushed forward without hesitation.
...
"A Demon Lord?"
Rimuru stared ahead, his thoughts spiraling.
"At times like this, shouldn't the Four Heavenly Kings show up first?"
"Isn't the Demon Lord supposed to come last?"
"Who starts a fight by sending out the final boss right away?"
As Rimuru grumbled internally through Thought Communication, Shirou Emiya calmly replied in kind.
"How do you know she didn't send them already?"
"Maybe the Orc Lord and the demon who named him were her Four Heavenly Kings."
"Maybe she's here to avenge her subordinates."
Rimuru fell silent.
Before he could respond, Shirou Emiya had already drawn forth his pre-summoned Inherent Barrier. His posture straightened, his expression turning serious.
"I am the Vice-Speaker of the Jura Forest Great Alliance," he said clearly. "My name is Shirou Emiya."
"As you can see, I am a Hero."
Rimuru stepped forward beside him.
"I am the Speaker of the Jura Forest Great Alliance," he said. "Rimuru Tempest. A slime."
Then, cautiously, he added, "May I ask what brings a great Demon Lord like yourself to our forest?"
"You-"
Before Milim could finish speaking, Shirou Emiya suddenly felt a surge of killing intent from behind.
"Stop."
The word carried power.
A compulsory Word of Power.
The moment it rang out, Shion and the others who had leapt into the air froze mid-motion and fell back to the ground. They landed heavily, forced out of their attack stance.
This Word of Power was one of the results of Shirou Emiya's personal research into magic.
"Lord Emiya!"
"Calm yourselves," Shirou Emiya said without turning around. Having learned magic perception from Rimuru, he already knew exactly what was happening behind him. "Lord Milim has not yet displayed hostility."
"Attacking her outright would damage our dignity."
"Stand down."
"That's right," Rimuru added quickly. "Now isn't the time to fight."
"...Yes," Benimaru said after a brief hesitation. He and the others immediately knelt. "We acted too hastily."
"We sincerely apologize for our discourtesy, Lord Milim."
Rimuru spoke carefully, his tone respectful.
Through Thought Communication, Shirou Emiya had already transmitted Milim's identity to him.
The daughter of the Creator God.
One of the strongest beings in this world.
A disaster-class existence standing at the very pinnacle.
Offending her was not an option.
"Hehe."
Milim laughed.
"What an interesting performance."
She glanced lazily at the kneeling figures behind her, then turned her attention back to Shirou Emiya and Rimuru.
"As expected of you two," she said cheerfully. "To have so many high-ranking demons as subordinates."
"...You could tell?"
Rimuru was genuinely confused.
Because Shirou Emiya had stopped them earlier, Benimaru and the others hadn't displayed their true strength. And yet Milim had seen through them instantly.
"Hmph."
Milim crossed her arms proudly.
"That level of concealment is child's play."
"With these Dragon Eyes, I can see through hidden magicules as easily as breathing."
"So don't think you can pretend to be weak in front of me."
"...That sounds similar to my Analysis and Appraisal."
Rimuru hesitated, then spoke to Shirou Emiya through Thought Communication.
"What do we do, Shirou?"
"Can we really handle an enemy like this?"
"It'll be difficult," Shirou replied honestly. "She's one of the strongest candidates."
"Then we should probe her intentions first."
"...Agreed."
After their brief exchange, Shirou Emiya smiled faintly and asked aloud, "So then, Lord Milim. What exactly is your purpose in coming here?"
"My purpose?"
Milim placed her hands on her hips, grinning.
"I came to see who killed the Orc Lord."
"And who interfered with our plan to nurture a Demon Lord."
"...And now?"
Rimuru asked quietly.
"Now?"
Milim's smile widened.
"Now, of course, I'll test his mettle."
The moment her aura shifted, a sense of danger washed over the area.
Rimuru screamed internally.
"She really is here to avenge her Four Heavenly Kings!"
"How are we supposed to fight a disaster-level existence like this!?"
"...Should we use that method?"
Listening to Rimuru's frantic thoughts, Shirou Emiya couldn't help but chuckle.
"Don't tell me," he replied, "your method is feeding her honey."
"...Eh!?"
Rimuru nearly shouted out loud.
"How did you know!?"
"Because," Shirou Emiya thought dryly, "that's exactly what you did in the original story."
Outwardly, he simply smiled.
"Besides that," he added calmly, "do you have any other ideas?"
Rimuru fell silent.
Facing the overwhelming presence before them, Shirou Emiya's expression sharpened.
"Still," he continued through Thought Communication, "your idea isn't impossible."
"She gives off a very childlike feeling."
A Demon Lord's age couldn't be judged by appearance alone. But from Milim's words and behavior, it was obvious.
She was strong.
But she was also immature.
"Right!?" Rimuru brightened instantly. "That's what I thought too!"
But before his internal laughter could continue-
"But first," Shirou Emiya interrupted.
He lifted the longsword in his hand.
His stance was steady. His intent clear.
"I want to test her mettle."
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