After the whole Tempest Slime Corps announcement is completed it's finally time to actually discuss the recent events. We set up the meeting and almost begin when all of the sudden Fuze runs in yelling, "We've come in accordance to the Blumund-Tempest Security treaty, you can count on us to help in your war against Farmus."
I laugh a little and walk up to him, patting him on the shoulder. "We've got a lot to talk about."
"Eh!? It's already over!? It's been less than two weeks since Farmus declared war!?"
I watch as Rigurd talks to Rimuru about a messenger they sent to them in the background. After he's done speaking to him Rimuru gets up and says, "Listen, uh..."
As he says this I sense something else outside with [Universal Detect]. I think I know who this is. Moving the curtains to get a good look outside I say, "Rimuru, we've got company."
"Eh?" He walks over to me, "Oh, it's Gazel!"
Calling a halt on the meeting before it even started we walk outside. King Gazel lands in front of us accompanied by a group of elite soldiers on Pegasus'. He announces in a regal tone, "So, I see you two have decided to become Demon Lords. At first I didn't believe it but I guess anything is possible with you two."
Rimuru says, "Sorry, we were having a strategy meeting for our retaliation so..."
"Then I shall also take part."
I comment, "Don't worry, I've already anticipated your arrival. Please come with us."
"Gladly."
When I turn and see Fuze I see him in utter shock with his lower jaw basically on the floor from me casually saying we're Demon Lords now. He mumbles, "Demon Lords!? What does he mean by this!? How do I report this!? What..."
Laughing, I walk up to him and wave my hand in front of him. "Fuze? Are you there?"
He snaps out of it and grabs me by the shoulders. "Demon Lords!? What do you mean by that!? Does the quick end to the war have something to do with it!? Are both of you Demon Lords!?"
"Calm down, let me explain."
As I try to calm Fuze down another unfamiliar voice is heard saying, "To think someone like you would side with Demon Lords."
Rimuru turns and asks, "Who's that?"
I say, "He's an Archduke of the Sorcerer's Dynasty Sarion if I'm correct. Erald Grimwald if I'm correct."
"How do you know all this!?" I shrug. He calms down and thinks this over. He then asks, "Why would such a big shot come here?"
Souka, out of nowhere appears in between all of us and says that he might be here for Eren. Suddenly he yells, "I see! So it's you two! Bastards! You Demon Lords dare bewitch my daughter!"
I look for Eren and see she's currently too far away to stop this for some reason. Oh well. I put my hand forward and use [Hermetic Reality] to completely shut down his magic. In the time it took for that to happen, Eren makes it and smacks her father as hard as she can. Yelling at him for attacking us she quickly turns around and apologizes on his behalf.
As this goes down Gazel is discussing the situation with Farmus' forces with one of his soldiers. It seems that's a hot topic right now because Fuze walks up and asks, "Yes. That reminds me. What happened to them?"
Rimuru thinks for a few seconds and loudly proclaims, "It seems they went missing in action."
{Idiot.}
Huh!? [Solomon]? Did you just insult him?
{Notice- Unable to understand the given question. No answer can be given.}
Alright then. That came out of nowhere.
Fuze looks very unsatisfied, "I should have expected this. I will attend this meeting in that case. I trust you two but I must also take action. I cannot sit idly by and watch these events unfold."
As we accept this Diablo suggests, "I understand that killing him isn't an option but if it's convenient I could erase his memories of this. Altering memories is a specialty of mine."
"Scary!"
I comment, "I mean, if you think that's scary I could brainwash everyone here completely turning them all into mindless puppets including you."
"What!?"
I laugh teasingly, "Don't worry about it. I won't do that...at least for now." Rimuru looks a little worried. I slap his back, "I was just kidding Rimuru! Don't worry about it."
Rimuru eventually recovers and tells Diablo to not worry about Fuze. After hearing this Gazel comments, "You seem to trust him."
I shrug, "Well, for me it's less trust and more he's not much of a threat." I walk up to him and hover in the air to whisper in his ear. "He's not really very smart, you know."
Laughing he says, "I see!" Turning to Erald he says, "Then in that case I guess they are the main problem now."
"Pretty much."
As we say this Erald walks up and bows. "It's a pleasure to meet you two. Chancellors of the Great Forest of Jura, or should I say the The Twin Rulers." Looks like that title has been spreading. It started a while back but I guess it's starting to catch on more.
Rimuru clarifies, "Oh, you can just call me Rimuru Tempest. I don't like formalities." Crossing my arms I also tell him to call me by my name and add the comment, "You came here to get an idea of what kind of people we are correct? I believe you have seen enough but if you want more information then you can stay."
"Impressive, so you already knew. Very well, I'll gladly take that offer."
Rimuru asks, "Why did you invite him without me?"
"It would be convenient don't you think, we can gain their trust in the meeting."
"That's not the point, you're always making decisions without me. We agreed we'd both need to agree when making big decisions!"
"Stop being a baby, you clearly also would have asked this." He pouts angrily. To think this used to be a 37 year old man. I turn to Erald again, "I would like to point out that I knew I didn't have to use [Hermetic Reality] to stop your attack. The spell wouldn't have worked, you didn't pour enough Magicules into it. That was probably a test so did I pass?"
He smiles, "It appears you have."
"Good."
As we prepare to restart the meeting, Eren and her father get into another argument when she starts talking to King Gazel. He acts more like an uncle to Eren than anything else but apparently that's enough to activate his overprotective dad mode because he starts picking a fight with him. Eren smacks him again to get him to stop. What an interesting family. It's already a pretty strange family dynamic but when you add Elmesia into that family tree it's even more interesting to watch.
All this is interrupted by Veldora who comes running in asking for the only thing he cares about in this world. The next volume of the manga Rimuru gave him. He comes in yelling and screaming about it, completely oblivious to the current situation like a child. I think I can see where Velzard was coming from now although it is kinda extreme even for me. "Rimuru! Do you have the next volume! I finished this one already!"
Without thinking about it Rimuru turns, "Later Veldora. I'm in the middle of something." Realizing who's name he just said he goes silent. Fuze, Gazel and Erald all mutter, "Veldora!?"
I respond, "I guess since Rimuru couldn't keep quiet I should probably say it. Veldora is our sworn friend and brother. Yes, he's the actual Storm Dragon Veldora."
Fuze collapses on the ground with foam coming out of mouth while the other two come at me with a menacing aura. "Our apologies but we didn't quite hear that. Care to explain!?"
"Sure." I shrug, "But it's a pretty long story. We should probably discuss this in secret though." Knowing it's for the best as well, they accept and are ushered into a private room with Rimuru and I.
Entering the room, we find some seats and sit around a table. Fuze is still shaken up by the reveal while Erald and Gazel both sit there stone faced ready for the reveal. As it starts Rimuru explains everything about our time in this world from the beginning to the end. Of course leaving out some important details but for the most part keeping it accurate. As this happens I tune it out for the most part as I focus on something else. A little interaction between the clone I still have spying on Yuuki and Yuuki himself.
Fly Clone's Perspective
Yuuki and Cagali sit around in the Grandmaster Office. Yuuki is sitting on the sofa casually reading one of the manga's Rimuru left him while Cagali is preparing some tea for him. Perfect time for a surprise.
I jump off the wall, fly to the middle of the room and turn back to normal. This sudden appearance makes Cagali drop her teapot and Yuuki jump a little. Once he gets a good look at me his face darkens as he stands up, "What are you doing here?"
Deactivating my Magicule suppression device and activating [Demonic Presence], instantly making Yuuki feel a little sick from the massive amount of Magicule pressure in the air, I say in a friendly voice, "I was just stopping by you know. Can't I say hi to my best friend!?"
I stand up and start walking towards him instantly, making him raise his guard. "How." I swing with my left arm forcing him to block. "You." With my left punch being strong enough to force him to use all his strength to block thanks to the [Demonic Presence] wearing him down quickly this leaves him open to a right punch which I take advantage of and punch him directly in the stomach. The shockwave pushes outwards as Yuuki loses his breath and grasps his stomach as he collapses on the ground. "Doin'?"
As he collapses his eyes go blank and he stops moving. My punch was enough to knock him out. As this happens I feel something attempt to penetrate my defenses and hit my back. It's Cagali. I turn around menacingly, "It's no use Kazaream..." She freezes. "You can't beat me in a fight. You know, I usually wouldn't attack a princess but..." I pick her up and slam her against the ground. "You left me no choice here." As she watches, shocked and confused, she loses consciousness.
I stand over them as [Solomon] does it's magic.
{Notice- Ultimate Skill [Saul] has been used to perform a forceful subjugation.
Subjugation successful.
Notice- Ultimate Skill [Saul] subskill [Alpha's Call] has been activated.
Erasing subject's memories of recent events.
Memories successfully erased.
Giving subjects subconscious orders.
Orders successfully implanted.
Placing subjects in original positions.}
I turn back into my fly form and watch as Cagali destroys the tea pot with magic and prepares a new one with lifeless eyes then moves back to her original position where she was when I revealed myself. Yuuki does the same with the manga at the same time. Once everything looks exactly like it was a few minutes before the lights in their eyes come back and they continue like nothing ever happened.
Migeru's Perspective
When I finish observing Rimuru is finished with his story and answering questions. I help him answer a few before we reach an endpoint and I say, "Alright so this conversation's been great and all but we shouldn't get ahead of ourselves. We still have another meetup to attend here. We should settle that before anything."
Gazel says, "I see, you got a good point. Perhaps we should settle those matters before anything."
Rimuru and Erald who were talking about a road building project as Gazel and I said this also agree. Finishing up their discussion with some additional input from me with mathematical calculations we decide to conclude the private meeting for now. Fuze was just sitting there not knowing how he could contribute with a confused look the entire time which, gotta say, I can't blame him. Without [Genius] and [Great Sage] back then and [Solomon] now, I wouldn't be able to keep up either. Those skills have been a massive help.
I can sense prideful arrogance in the air as I say this. I'm pretty sure I know who.
Rimuru says, "Okay then, let's go."
We walk out and prepare to actually finally have the group discussion where a certain Fairy will interrupt it by flying face-first into some glass.. Looks like the Walpurgis arc is finally going to kick into full swing.