Mikaeru watched as Rimuru looked up with awe. The trial was about to begin and with it, those that had been arrested other than Gobta had been escorted into the trial chamber. There, as professional as ever, King Gazel Dwargo had already been awaiting them.
He looked the same as originally, exuding an aura of pure strength and power. This was him alright. The champion of the dwarves. The dwarf with the power to rival an enlightened. Mikaeru took a look at the knights he had next to him. A-Rank. Nothing to scoff at. It was likely even Shizue would have trouble against them. But even then, they still looked wimpy next to the king.
As everyone in the stands moved in to sit down, one of the knights moved forward, hitting the floor with the blunt end of his spear. "We will now begin the trial!"
The next hour turned out to be boring. It played out like a shitty legal drama with a side of misinformation and prejudice. Saul would never. Mikaeru chose to stay silent for the most part, mostly because he knew the moment he spoke things would fly off the handle. He never spoke respectfully to anyone. It was a personal quirk of his speech patterns. There's no way the nobles wouldn't take offense to that. He would save the speaking for later when things were near its end.
He sighed as he looked at the lawyer they had assigned them. He was the only one allowed to speak. What a joke. The bastard was clearly unprepared, shaking audibly at least once every response.
As for the other guy. A snake of a lawyer he was, giving bullshit stories like, "So there Sir Vesta was, requesting an order from a trusted shop, when this fiend and his monster friends unjustly attacked him!"
With the location of the attack having changed, the trial ended up boiling down to Vesta's word against Kaijin's. It was a guaranteed complete wash.
Knowing that, Mikaeru decided it was time to do something else. He looked up at the dwarf king.
{Notice- Unique Skill [Soul Link] has been activated. Attempting to create a bridge with target Gazel Dwargo}
[Soul Link] wasn't just limited to Rimuru. It was a skill that theoretically allowed a link to be established between any two people. However, unlike [Thought Communication] it wasn't an open link. Both parties had to agree. Gazel had to agree to the creation of a temporary link. So, would the dwarf king accept?
Mikaeru knew that the answer was yes, although the reason why was kind of volatile. His intrinsic resistance Mind Domination Immunity. The odd resistance protected him from all forms of mental attack, making him immune to them including mind reading. That made him the only person in the room that Gazel could not read with his [Tyrant]. A very perplexing thing. There was no way Gazel wouldn't take note of that.
{Notice- Unique Skill [Soul Link] has established a temporary connection to subject Gazel Dwargo}
There it was. Mikaeru listened in as the link quietly activated, then he spoke, "Gazel Dwargo. You can hear me, can't you? I want to ask you a question."
Mikaeru looked up. The king was giving no reaction externally, still acting as if he was only looking at the trial. However, Mikaeru watched as the man silently turned his eyes to him. "You are brave, slime, to attempt to communicate with me in your own trial."
Mikaeru chuckled, "Is that so? I would more so say I am discerning. You don't seem like the type to jump for rash decisions. I believe you are up for a talk."
"Is that so?" Gazel questioned. "In that case, you may speak. What is it you wish to ask?"
"I want a chance to speak with you, even if it is in secret, before we are exiled. I think it might be something worth your time." Mikaeru explained.
"So you have already seen the result of this trial. There are not many monsters with such foresight." Gazel looked away from the slime and back at the trial, "However, I refuse your request. Do you have any…"
Like the insolent cur he was, Mikaeru cut off the dwarf. "The full potion in your servant's possession. You are aware that Rimuru and I made it, correct?"
The line went silent for a bit. Then, as if unperturbed by the disrespect, Gazel calmly said, "Yes, I am aware." He wouldn't question how the slime knew about it. A smart move. "But what makes you believe that is enough to negotiate a talk with me? Leverage as flimsy as that is not going to convince me of that."
"I am aware, your majesty." Mikaeru confidently said, "However, it is enough to gather interest, right?" The king did not respond. "I do not doubt your wisdom, King Gazel. You know the potential we bring with the full potions, not to mention those axes I replicated." Mikaeru's voice sharpened, "I will not beat around the bush here. There is nothing I currently have that would warrant you to say yes to a talk. The village I represent is but a humble monster village deep within the depths of the Jura Forest. So, what I shall use as a method to convince you will be a bit more…idealistic. I propose an investment." Mikaeru said with a very serious tone.
One of Gazel's eyebrows shot up ever so slightly. "An investment, you say? Could you explain?"
"I am proposing a sort of sponsorship if you will. What I wish to gain is nothing too difficult. One, the acknowledgement of Dwargon. And two, a small repeated amount of material aid that I am willing to negotiate the terms on." Two basic requests.
"What do you propose Dwargon gets in return?" He tensed, "And what do you mean by acknowledgement?"
"Acknowledgement is simple. I ask that Dwargon acknowledges the existence of the village we live in. As of right now, we effectively don't exist. We are one monster village in a forest of hundreds. I merely ask that Dwargon take note of our presence." This was to set up for negotiations later when Tempest got up and running. It would make getting Tempest seen as an actual country more simple. "As for what you get in return, that much is a gamble. I don't have much…well, outside of the offer to hand over some more potions."
Gazel's gaze hardened, "Are you saying that you wish to make a deal, with no offers from your side?"
"No." Mikaeru said matter of factly. "As I said before, this is an investment. I am offering priority for your entire country." He smirked internally, "In future, when our village grows, your country will gain priority over all others. You will become the primary benefactor of any and all developments we are responsible for."
"You are quite the ambitious slime." The king had picked up what Mikaeru was putting down. He was proclaiming himself a future king. "Before I give my answer, I ask you, what warrant do you have to suggest your future will indeed go down that path?"
"The acknowledgement of Byakuya Araki."
It was this that finally got the dwarf to break his composure. So it was true. Gazel had still gotten lost within the Jura Forest in his youth. He had still found himself in ogre territory. And in the case of this timeline, he had not only met Hakurou, but Byakuya as well.
"Slime, how do you know of that man?" He asked.
With those words a massive pressure weighed down on him. [Hero's Haki]. The heroic equivalent of [Demon Lord Haki]. Gazel was serious. Mikaeru immediately tensed. However, he pushed through. "How do I know of him…you say?" He laughed, "Well, that much you'll have to ask him…yourself. Not even I know why, but…he chose to talk to me…personally."
Gazel took in those words, then deactivated the aura skill. "I see." He turned his gaze back to Mikaeru, "I shall be waiting for you, slime. Do not disappoint me."
{Notice- Unique Skill [Soul Link] has been deactivated}
With the deactivation of [Soul Link] came the reintroduction to the trial. Everything went as expected. Kaijin's case was lost. Near the end of the trial, Mikaeru watched as one of the guards moved forward, slamming the blunt end of his spear into the ground and yelling out, "I will now give the verdict. Kaijin, the perpetrator of this crime is hereby sentenced to twenty years of labor. As for his accomplices, for aiding in the accomplishment of the crime, they shall also be sentenced to ten years of labor. With that the—"
Before the sentence could be stated, the sound of Gazel's voice cut in. "Wait!" He proclaimed with a voice that almost shook the very walls of the room.
Everyone froze as Gazel turned to look at Kaijin, "It has been a while, Kaijin. Are you in good health?"
"Yes my liege!" Kaijin yelled out in response. "It gladdens me that you remain so as well!"
"Yes." Gazel said. "Now, before I give my word, do you and your friends desire to remain?"
"I apologize, but I am afraid I cannot, for I have already made a vow with another master."
Gazel let out a breath, "I…see." He got up from his throne for the first time in the trial, "I have made my decision! Listen well! Kaijin and his accomplices are to be exiled from the kingdom! When midnight comes two days from now, they shall no longer be officially welcome in these lands! This trial is now over!"
The room filled with a less intense, untargeted form of [Hero's Haki], before he turned around and walked out of his entrance. What a character he was
After the slimes left, Gazel summoned Vesta to a private meeting room. One that Vesta immediately knew he was about to be yelled at. The question though, was why. Already in a kneeling position, the dwarf noble felt as Gazel looked at him from atop a throne. "Vesta. Is there anything you wish to say?"
"A-A thousand pardons, my liege, but this is all a misunderstanding! This must be some…"
"Silence!" Vesta flinched. "If it is a simple misunderstanding, then it is one that has cost me one of my most faithful servants!" Gazel proclaimed.
Vesta shot up, "How can you say such a thing!? You call what he offered faithfulness. He was simply a man off the street!" Gazel's face hardened.
"Vesta, you are mistaken. Kaijin has left on his own volition. When I speak of the servant I have lost…I refer to you." Vesta couldn't help but let out a gasp. "I shall ask you once again. Is there anything you wish to say?"
"I…my liege, I am afraid that I…"
Gazel sighed. "I had great expectations for you, Vesta. I have waited so long. Even during the magic-armor affair, I awaited the day that you would speak the truth of what had occurred. Yet, once again we find ourselves in this same predicament." Gazel put out his hand as if awaiting something. That something being the full potion his servant had carried. He placed it in front of him for Vesta to see. "Look at this."
"Do you know what these are?" The king asked.
"You may give an answer." A guard said.
"It…it is a healing potion, my liege!" Gazel looked at the man, then he gave him a look of disappointment.
Vesta felt the panic as he saw that look. "Yes, it is a healing potion. I received it from the guard captain. It is the potion that healed the miners a few days ago."
Vesta was shocked as he looked at it. This potion. "A…complete recovery potion!?" He reached out. "May I…" Gazel didn't speak, merely choosing to hand it out. "It cannot be. Even with our current technology…"
"It is unfortunate. We have already lost the subjects that know the method to its creation."
"M-My liege! What do you mean!? Who is responsible for this!?" Vesta asked.
"According to the guard captain, the ones responsible for this miracle, were the slimes your actions have just forced me to exile." This stopped Vesta in his tracks, "Due to your actions, our ability to freely make dealings with the creators of this potion have been severely damaged. Vesta, now that you know this, is there anything you wish to say!?"
"I, I, I…" Vesta couldn't answer. Was this really all that his life's efforts had amounted to?
Having lost his patience, Gazel turned around. "You are no longer allowed to step into the palace. Do not show yourself in front of me anymore. For all that it is worth, for your work until now, I give my thanks." Vesta felt as a stream of tears ran down his face.
Returning to Kaijin's workshop, the two slimes watched as the dwarf and the brothers prepared their luggage to make their way out of the city.
Rimuru jumped over, asking Kaijin, "Are you really okay with this? You're not allowed back."
Kaijin turned to look at the slime, "Well, I can't say I'm not saddened. I was raised in Dwargon after all." He smirked, "But, I know this place will still be taken care of. Kaidou gave me his word on that. Even if I am no longer here, I will still have my memories of it."
"I-I see." Rimuru said with a melancholy tone.
Mikaeru jumped over to Rimuru, saying, "By the way. Before we go, I'll go take another once over of the city. We still have some time after all. Just so you know."
"Oh, I understand. Just be back by the time we have to leave okay?" Rimuru asked with caution.
"Got it." Out he went before pulling himself up to the roof. There, he stopped, "I know you're there."
He didn't flinch as the sound of a woman in a black outfit landing behind him appeared. Not long after, the woman bowed, "The king has requested an audience with you. I am here to escort you to him."
"Got it. Let's go." Mikaeru was carried by the woman all the way to what looked like a secret chamber of some kind. One where the king sat prominently in the center. It was obviously not an official meeting room. That much he guessed would be the case, given he was talking to someone he exiled publicly.
Jumping on top of the chair the king prepared, he spoke, "Slime. We both know what you are here for, so we shall skip the pleasantries. You may speak."
Mikaeru knew his eyes would be shining by now if he had them. It was time to get to work. Gazel Dwargo King of Dwargon and Mikaeru Tempest, Future King of Tempest, had entered the negotiation table for the first time. There was no way he was going to waste it.