King Gazel Dwargo was not a man to accept appearances without testing the strength of the metal. As he walked through Avalon's marble gardens, his veteran warrior eyes constantly analyzed Valerius's posture. The butler, with his immaculate white gloves and perfectly straight spine, seemed far too refined for the brutal world of Jura.
"Sirzechs, your city is a jewel and your laws are impressive," Gazel said, stopping abruptly to face the butler. "But in my kingdom, a sovereign is only respected if his right hand can hold the weight of the crown on the battlefield. This... 'servant' seems more suited to serving tea than facing the steel of a hero."
Sirzechs smiled, sharing a knowing look with Grayfia.
"Valerius, King Gazel desires a demonstration of defensive courtesy. Please, satisfy our guest's curiosity—but try not to wrinkle the carpet."
Gazel called forth his elite captain, an immense dwarf whose muscles looked like carved stone, armed with a battle-ax glowing with runic energy. The duel was set in the center of the training courtyard. While the dwarven captain roared, preparing a strike capable of splitting mountains, Valerius merely adjusted his cufflinks. The attack came like thunder, but Valerius did not flinch. With a movement that defied visual perception, the butler slid past the blow, used the palm of his hand to redirect the weapon's shaft, and with a light touch to the dwarf's chest, used the attacker's own momentum to launch him ten meters away.
The captain fell in a heap, confused and disarmed. Valerius approached, retrieved the ax with one hand, and returned it to the dwarf with an impeccable bow.
"I apologize for the roughness, Captain. Your strength is admirable; it simply lacked a bit of... civilized restraint."
Gazel Dwargo remained silent for a long moment before letting out a laugh that echoed through Avalon. "By the hammers of Dwargon! You have a monster dressed in silk, Sirzechs. Now I believe in the strength of this empire."
With the proof of strength concluded, the focus shifted to high-level diplomacy. Rimuru, who had been watching while eating one of Benedict's pastries, joined them in the Crystal Conference Room. Under Grayfia's supervision, the Jura Three-Nation Pact (JTNP) was sealed.
The treaty established an unprecedented alliance:
Avalon: The Financial and Administrative Center, managing the Gold Ducat and human diplomacy.
Tempest: The Resource and Production Center, providing raw materials and the forest's labor force.
Dwargon: The Industrial and Technological Center, refining metals and sharing engineering secrets.
This alliance definitively isolated the Kingdom of Falmuth. Any attack on one nation would be an attack on all three.
With the pact sealed and Falmuth in a prestige crisis, peace in Avalon gained a new depth. Sirzechs now turned his attention to intellectual progress. To become the pinnacle of civilization, Avalon needed an absolute understanding of the laws governing reality. He withdrew to the [Visionary] chamber to manifest the architect of his nation's technological evolution.
Unlike the creation of Valerius, which required elegance, this manifestation required cold, mathematical precision. Sirzechs channeled memories of sterile laboratories and complex equations. The light was not royal crimson, but a focused, sterile blue-white.
From the condensed magicules emerged a tall, thin figure with blue-black hair tied back functionally. He wore a lab coat made of marble silk, filled with pockets for tools that did not yet exist.
«Notice. Singular Unit creation complete.» «Race: Homo-Hollow (Superior Intellectual Variant)... Success.» «Naming: Szayelaporro... Confirmed.» «Skill Acquired: [Level 8 Scientist / Divine Data Analysis]. Profession: Director of R&D and the First of the Ten Swords.»
Szayelaporro opened his eyes and immediately began analyzing the magicule density in the air. He possessed unique bone marks around his eyes that resembled sophisticated glasses. He bowed to Sirzechs with a gesture that felt more like a calculation of respect than an act of faith.
"Lord Sirzechs," his voice was calm and melodic, "this world is wonderfully inefficient. Thank you for giving me the tools to dissect that inefficiency and transform it into perfection. Avalon will not just be a city; it will be an experiment in constant success."
Szayelaporro became the First Sword, not by brute force, but by being the mind capable of creating the weapons and medicine that would put the Homo-Hollows generations ahead of any other race.
At the ministerial council, Szayelaporro wasted no time. "Lady Grayfia," he said, adjusting his bone lenses, "your forms are excellent, but the processing time is a waste of biological energy. I have designed a system of writing automatons that will reduce your workload by 42%."
Grayfia arched an eyebrow with genuine interest. Under the First Sword's leadership, Avalon entered an era of innovation, merging dwarven engineering with Hollow bio-magic to create intelligent lighting and resonance crystal communications.
As time flowed with the precision of an Avalon clock, news from the deeper parts of the forest finally arrived. The imbalance caused by the Orc Lord had been resolved.
Author's Note:
The Power Trio: With the alliance between Sirzechs, Rimuru, and Gazel, the "Jura Axis" is officially the strongest power in the region.
The First Sword: Szayelaporro isn't here to fight with a blade; he's here to fight with science. The "Ten Swords" aren't just generals; they are the pillars of the state.