"Tsk, it seems this one's brain isn't working quite right either..."
"What does your brother's rebellion have to do with us?"
Rimuru sighed in exasperation. She really wanted to ask if the entire Lizardman race had this low of an IQ.
No wonder they made Rin and Shion so angry.
"Rimuru-san."
Aone, the leader of the trio, said, "I don't think there's any need to waste words on her."
"Right."
""She's a princess, and yet she's ended up like this," Aoba said. "Is someone like her really worth Rin-sama's recruiting?"
"Mhm mhm!"
The youngest, Aomi, said nothing and simply nodded in agreement.
"You..."
Being mocked like this by the three women, the Lizardman Princess felt utterly humiliated.
But the worst part was, everything they said was true.
She had failed to protect her father, and now she was locked away by her brother. Her current self was a disgrace to the title of princess.
"Alright, that's enough criticism for now."
Rimuru waved her hand, and the metal bars in front of them instantly disintegrated.
The sight left the Lizardman Princess stunned.
"You, what is this?!"
"How did you do that?"
"Ah, just a little trick."
"Don't mind it."
Rimuru said, "I came to you this time representing that Lord, to issue one final ultimatum to you and the Lizardmen."
"Submit..."
"Or die?"
"..."
The Lizardman Princess was caught off guard by Rimuru's direct question.
Submit or die?
How could she be qualified to answer something like that?
This was a decision only the Lizardman Chief could make!
"You probably don't understand yet."
Rimuru said, "The moment Gabiru listened to that monster and killed his father, then led the Lizardmen into battle, the fate of your race was already sealed."
"What do you mean?"
Hearing this, the Lizardman Princess's expression turned grave and she quickly asked for an explanation.
Because the story had shifted,
at this point, the Lizardmen still hadn't detected the movements of the Orc Tribe.
Gabiru had gathered his forces and departed.
He even still believed his enemy was the Oni.
"Gelmud already set up a trap long ago, just waiting for Gabiru to march the Lizardmen right into it."
After Rimuru finished speaking, she projected a terrifying scene before them.
A flood of hundreds of thousands of Orcs surged forward, leaving devastation in their wake.
"This is..."
"The Orc Tribe?"
"But why have they become like this?"
Watching the Orcs frantically devouring everything in sight, the Lizardman Princess felt a chill crawl down her spine.
"You're saying that monster called Gelmud plans to use Gabiru and the entire Lizardman race as food for those things?"
The Lizardman Princess wasn't stupid. Especially after seeing the Orc Lord appear,
everything clicked into place.
She understood—
Gabiru was just a pawn, bait to lure out the Lizardmen.
What Gelmud truly wanted was their flesh, blood, and souls!
"Please!"
Without any hesitation, the Lizardman Princess dropped to her knees.
"Please, save us..."
She had no other choice.
She couldn't let the Lizardmen be wiped out by that fool Gabiru.
She had to find a way to save her people.
"I don't have that kind of authority, you know."
Rimuru didn't accept her bow. She looked up and asked the void, "Rin-senpai, what do you say? Should we accept her allegiance?"
"Thank you, Rimuru."
"Next, let me speak with her."
A figure composed entirely of magic power appeared beside Rimuru. It was an illusion projected by Rin using magic.
"Shadow Squad!"
"Greetings, Rin-sama!"
Seeing Rin, the three girls immediately dropped to one knee in unison, showing none of the arrogance they had displayed toward the Lizardman Princess earlier.
"No need to be so formal."
Rin waved his hand, signaling the three to rise.
"You, you are..."
As soon as Rin's figure appeared, the Lizardman Princess felt a kind of bloodline suppression from a higher race.
She couldn't explain the sensation.
But her body instinctively told her to kneel before the man in front of her.
As for the reason...
It was ironic, but in the Cardinal World, Lizardmen were actually descendants of the Dragon race.
If the right conditions were met, Lizardmen could evolve into Dragon-humanoids, and even higher, into True Dragons.
"Nice to meet you, Lizardman-san."
Rin said, "My name is Itoshi Rin. I am the new master of the Great Jura Forest."
"The master of the Great Jura Forest?"
The Lizardman Princess said, "I apologize, but with all due respect, shouldn't the true master of the Great Jura Forest be the legendary Veldora?"
"Even as a steward, shouldn't it fall to the Dryads?"
Realizing her words might have been rude, she immediately tried to correct herself.
"I didn't mean to offend you. I just think claiming such a title might bring you unnecessary trouble..."
She had never seen Veldora, nor had she seen the Dryads.
Both were legendary beings who hadn't appeared in hundreds of years, far beyond the reach of someone like her.
"Hey!"
"You're being too rude!"
"Rin-sama, why don't we just give up on her? These Lizardmen really are arrogant!"
"I, I..."
Hearing the Oni girls scold her, the Lizardman Princess immediately regretted what she said.
She hadn't meant to offend anyone. It just slipped out...
Rin, however, didn't blame her for her tone.
"At the very least, compared to all those flatterers, you're honest."
"But your information is outdated."
"The current Great Jura Forest really is my territory."
Rin said, "Because not long ago, Veldora himself transferred ownership of this forest to me."
"What?!"
"Storm... Veldora..."
The Lizardman Princess's eyes widened.
If that was the case, then Rin's claim wasn't exaggerated at all.
"As for me..."
Rin said, "I'm somewhat Veldora's brother."
"Brother!!!"
Anyone else might have assumed the word "brother" was figurative, referring to a bond of friendship.
But as someone with Dragon Vein bloodline in her body, the Lizardman Princess realized the deeper implication.
"True Dragon?!"
"You're a True Dragon, just like Veldora-sama!"
As soon as she realized the man before her was a True Dragon, the Lizardman Princess felt an overwhelming reverence rise within her, a longing and worship that stemmed straight from her blood.
(To be continued.)