"By the way, Kouga, where is Umbra? Do you happen to know where it is?" I asked curiously.
Hearing my question, Kouga immediately replied with enthusiasm:
"Umbra-dono is in his room. He hasn't come out for several months. He said he was going to finish something."
He? If I recall correctly, isn't Umbra just a golem? Has he evolved again after I became a True Demon Lord? Has he gained a humanoid form?. That's strange. Could the evolutionary reward from the Harvest Festival be like that?.
"Is something wrong, Lucien-sama? Should I summon Umbra-dono—" Before Kouga could continue, I interrupted him.
"There's no need. This might be a very important and crucial moment for him. Umbra will come to see me himself once his work is finished," I said calmly.
"Understood, Lucien-sama," Kouga replied.
"By the way, your swordsmanship is great, Kouga. Are there any swordsmen like you in your village?" I asked curiously, even though I knew the ogre (Hakurou) was in that village.
"When I was little, I trained with the sword under the guidance of my mentor. His name was Byakuya Araki. He was a human, but his swordsmanship astonished me, so I revered him as a mentor. Even though it was a brief experience because he was already too old to teach, I respected him greatly and am very grateful," Kouga replied nostalgically.
"After your mentor passed away, did you continue learning the sword by yourself? Or did someone else teach you?" I asked.
"No, I forgot to mention something. I have two fellow disciples. They are my seniors and had been learning from the master for decades," Kouga said, taking a deep breath.
If I'm right, those two must be Kaede and Hakurou, right?
"Who are they? Would you be willing to introduce them to me?" I asked with a faint smile.
"Of course, Lucien-sama. My senior brother is an unnamed Ogre. He directly inherited all of the master's swordsmanship techniques. He is incredibly strong. And my senior sister is a Tengu; her name is Kaede, and she is my brother's partner." Kouga paused for a moment, then continued:
"I trained in swordsmanship under the tutelage of both of them, but I gave up because the master's swordsmanship wasn't quite suitable for me. So, I created my own sword style based on the master's techniques. Several decades passed while we trained together before the two of them went their separate ways. I continued to practice my own swordsmanship and eventually became the Ogre Chief," Kouga said, letting out a soft breath.
I knew it.
"By the way, how long has it been since we last saw each other?" I asked curiously, just to confirm.
"I don't really remember, but if I'm not mistaken, it's been over a century, perhaps?" Kouga answered, scratching his head.
What!!!! C—century?? What have I been doing inside that seal all this time? Has so much time passed without me even realizing it?. I thought to myself while slapping my forehead with my hand.
"What is it, Lucien-sama?". Kouga asked, looking confused.
"No, it's nothing. By the way, Kouga, do you know anything about the current situation of the Jura Forest?". I asked curiously.
"Please forgive me, Lucien-sama, I don't know the current situation of the Jura Forest. Perhaps only Umbra-dono is aware of the situation in the outside world," Kouga said apologetically.
"I see. By the way, Kouga, the demon next to you is Argenta. From now on, you are all comrades, so please get along," I said with a faint smile, observing the interaction between the two of them.
"Before that, I must apologize, Argenta-dono. For prejudging you and attacking you," Kouga said while giving a respectful samurai bow.
Hearing that, Argenta turned her face away with a frown and then said;
"It was my fault for attacking you first. And though I hate to admit it, you're stronger than me. D-Don't get the wrong idea, okay? I only acknowledge you because we both serve Lucien-sama."
Hearing their conversation made me laugh happily. What is this? Is Argenta instantly smitten? Not bad, Kouga.
"Hahaha, that's enough, that's enough. But, I actually think you two would make a great couple, you know. What do you say?". Well, seeing my subordinates happy makes me happy, too. Is this what Rimuru feels?.
"D-Don't make fun of me, Lucien-sama. W-Who says I'm interested in this muscle-brained guy anyway?" Argenta exclaimed with a flushed face.
"Hahaha, this is so entertaining. I officially give my blessing to you two," I said while laughing heartily.
With a frown, Argenta said, "Lucien-sama."
With amusement, I said;
"Can't you see Kouga, Argenta? Look at his face, it's completely red! Are you really sure you two aren't a good match?"
Argenta turned to look at Kouga, then steam practically came out of her head, and she hunched over while covering her face with her hands.
"What do you think, Kouga?" I asked with a faint smile.
That question stunned Kouga, and he was momentarily confused before speaking with a stammer;
"I—i—if Argenta-dono i—is not bothered by a m—man like me... I—I will protect her for the rest of my life, Lucien-sama."
"Did you hear that, Argenta?" I teased.
The two of them happened to glance at each other, which instantly made them feel awkward, and they both quickly looked away.
"Hahaha!" I roared with laughter until tears streamed down my face. Damn it, I'm jealous, you know! Why is everyone else's love life always so easy?.
Suddenly, Argus's voice in my mind interrupted my sorrow.
"What? So they're like this because of me?"
Argus's answer silenced me, and then I asked;
"How does it work? Can you explain it, Argus?"
"Wait... wait a minute. So, could it really influence them to the point where they acted like that?" I asked, confused.
"So, to put it simply, if my emotional fluctuations and desires are excessive, Emotional Control will magnify its effect and make them feel the emotion I'm experiencing? For example, if I'm happy, the people around me will also become happy?"
"What is that? Do I have to keep my emotions stable for the rest of my life so I don't affect the creatures around me?" I asked.
"Of course, YES," I answered firmly.
I deactivated Emotional Control, then looked at my two subordinates who were still acting shy. Tch, damn it, they can't do it.
"You two continue your romance. I'm leaving for a bit," I said irritably, before suddenly vanishing.
The two of them suddenly snapped back to reality, but I was no longer there. They looked at each other again, instantly returning to their initial awkwardness.
"Damn those two," I muttered inwardly.
With both hands in my pockets, I casually strolled through the hallway in my last memory. The room design is beautiful and neat. The walls appear to be made of magic steel, and light from a magic crystal illuminates the space, making it look clean and sophisticated. You've worked very hard, Umbra.
"I remember the last time these hallways still felt like an ancient building. That Umbra, not bad at all."
After walking for a while, I finally arrived at a tall gateway. It looked like a combination of ancient and futuristic architecture with rune patterns across its surface.
"Isn't this door too big? How huge is the room inside? What exactly has Umbra been doing all this time?" I muttered in surprise.
"Well, never mind. Let's just see what's inside."
After entering the room, I was greeted by hundreds of identical monster troops, divided into two types of monsters.
"Are they the troops that Umbra formed using the evolution formula from those ruins? Why don't I see the Soul Devourer troops? Have they been modified?"
On the left stood armored, humanoid monsters with a highly menacing appearance, resembling a combination of insect and combat robot. Their entire bodies were shrouded in a thick, pointed, dark exoskeleton (pitch black or charcoal gray), accented by a blue-green light emanating from the armor's crevices, indicating internal energy or bio-technology. They possessed two large, strong, horrifying claws for hands. Their facial features were dominated by blazing red eyes and a pair of large crystalline fangs that jutted out from the sides of their mouths, giving the impression of a ruthless, deadly predator. Looks like an alien.
On the right were sleek, aquatic humanoids (sea creatures), covered in blue biological armor accented with fins. They had large heads topped with spiked crests and bulging eyes, and each one held a sharp dagger in its hand.
"What the hell is this? This is already looking like preparations for a large-scale invasion. Even though there are only hundreds of them, I can feel that every single individual is strong enough to be called an A-Class monster."
"Argus, can you still sense the Soul Devourer troops through the Soul Corridor?" I asked inwardly.
Argus's answer made me exhale in frustration.
"What exactly has been going on this whole time? I've missed too much. Well, never mind. But that Umbra is pretty good for putting all this together by himself."
I decided to test something by ordering one of each monster type to move.
"Awaken!" At my command, the eyes of both monsters lit up, as if a certain mechanism had been activated.
"Follow me!"
I walked ahead while the two of them followed behind me like puppets. I activated teleportation and brought them both back to the throne room.
The sight before me silenced me upon arrival. Kouga and Argenta were no longer awkward as before; instead, they were chatting very happily with smiles on their faces. Tch. I'm glad they can adapt so fast, but I can't let them forget their duties.
*Cough cough
"It hasn't even been an hour since I left you two, and you're already this lovey-dovey!" I said sarcastically.
My words embarrassed the two of them, and then Argenta asked;
"Where have you been, Lucien-sama? And what are those things?"
"Ah, they're just monsters created by Umbra. I brought them here to test them," I said casually.
"By Umbra-dono?" Kouga asked.
"Yes. Don't ask unimportant things. You two will fight them, but you are forbidden from using weapons or magic. You must use only your physical strength." I said, then ordered the two monsters;
"Attack them!"
The fight was fierce. Even though Kouga and Argenta were holding back, they still struggled to face the two monsters using only physical strength. Your creations are quite good, Umbra.
So, I can conclude that the monster Kouga is fighting specializes in destructive power, and the monster Argenta is fighting specializes in swift assassination.
"Alright, stop," I commanded with a satisfied feeling.
Then, with a wave of my hand, the two monsters returned to the laboratory.
I asked Kouga and Argenta:
"What do you think?"
Kouga answered earnestly:
They will be terrifying war machines on the battlefield. Their strength is immense, even without a soul. How many did Umbra-dono manage to create, Lucien-sama?"
Argenta added: "Yes, they will completely change the situation on the battlefield. The monster I fought was so precise and sharp, as if every single movement had been programmed for a specific purpose."
"Not many, only a few hundred of each type. Even though they're strong, they are just soulless puppets. So, that becomes the minus point of this research." I said calmly.
"By the way, I'm happy for your happiness," I said, teasingly.
Hearing that made both of them blush.
"Well then, goodbye," I said, my back turned to them, and walked out of the throne room.