"Where… am I?"
Roger slowly rubbed his forehead. It ached faintly. But what truly shocked him was the strength in his hand—this familiar yet long-lost sensation of power. Since he'd been poisoned, his body had been deteriorating day by day. Toward the end, he'd lost nearly all his strength. Even if the Navy hadn't executed him, he probably wouldn't have lasted another month.
But now—this power was back.
He stood up, feeling the energy surging through his body, and an uncontrollable excitement welled up inside him. Who wants to die willingly? He wanted to live—wanted to spend time with his child, with his beloved. That had once been an unreachable dream.
But now… it might actually come true.
Roger walked to the window and pushed it open. Blinding sunlight poured in, and an enormous, bustling city came into view.
But what stunned him wasn't just the grandeur of the city—it was the beings walking through its streets.
Humans, yes, but also creatures he'd never seen before:
Werewolves straight out of legends.
Elves with wings gliding above the crowds.
Humanoid beasts with the heads of pigs.
Above the city, a massive dragon soared across the skies. On the ground, several giant centipedes, each hundreds of meters long, crawled through the streets carrying hundreds of people on their backs.
"What… what kind of unbelievable place is this?" Roger muttered, his mind reeling.
"Guest, you're awake?"
A gentle voice spoke behind him.
"Huh?!" Roger spun around in surprise. He hadn't even sensed the presence!
A young girl with soft pink hair stood before him—on her forehead, two small horns poked out.
"My name is Shuna. I'm Lord Rimuru's secretary. I'll be looking after you." she said with a sweet, warm smile.
"I see. Thank you. You're a beautiful and kind young lady!" Roger replied, smiling with genuine appreciation.
"Thank you for your kind words. Lord Rimuru is waiting for you in the office," she replied politely. "Please, follow me."
Shuna led the way while Roger casually chatted with her as they walked.
"So, Shuna-chan… would you be free for dinner tonight?" Roger asked with a playful grin.
"Hmm—"
Before Shuna could answer, an unfriendly voice cut in.
Roger turned his head—and was immediately greeted by the cold, killing gaze of a red-haired young man. The guy was glaring at him like he wanted to skin him alive.
"Uh… did I… offend you somehow?" Roger asked cautiously.
"She's my sister," the red-haired man replied coldly. His gaze never left Roger.
"Uhhh…" Roger scratched his head awkwardly. Trying to hit on someone's sister right in front of them? Yeah, probably not the smartest move. He gave a sheepish smile.
"Hmph." Benimaru snorted, not even bothering to respond further. He stepped between Roger and Shuna like a solid wall. Anyone trying to touch my sister is dead meat—no exceptions!
Roger accepted his mistake and quietly followed behind, saying nothing more.
As they walked, many humans and elves greeted Benimaru and Shuna. The pair responded with genuine warmth, clearly held in high regard here. Their presence inspired respect and affection alike.
Soon, they arrived at a massive conference hall. The room was nearly full. At the head sat Rimuru, calmly listening to his subordinates report on various matters.
After all, he was a Demon Lord now—the sovereign of this entire nation. He'd been away for a while, so naturally, it was time to deal with national affairs.
"Roger! You're awake!" Rimuru beamed. "Come, sit here!"
Roger nodded and sat down beside him.
"Everyone, this is the Pirate King—Gol D. Roger," Rimuru introduced. "In their world, he's a legendary figure. A man truly worthy of respect."
"Rimuru," Roger turned to him, "what's going on here? Why did you bring me? And… where even is this place?"
Rimuru sighed. "Could you not ask all the questions at once? You've been unconscious for three months. This is another world—my kingdom. The Jura Tempest Federation."
"Another world?" Roger blinked. A giant question mark practically floated above his head.
"This isn't the world of the Pirate King," said Diablo, standing nearby. "After you collapsed, Lord Rimuru brought you here."
"Ah… thank you. And you are?" Roger still looked disoriented but managed to bow slightly.
"I am Diablo. Lord Rimuru's First Secretary," he said with a respectful smile. "Also… a demon."
"Demon?!" Roger exclaimed.
"Relax, relax. Diablo isn't an evil demon," Rimuru chimed in. "Anyway, let's not get sidetracked. Roger, everyone—today I've called you all here because there's something important we need to discuss. We're still waiting on a few others to arrive."
"More people?" Veldora blinked. "My friend… don't tell me you invited all of them?"
"Who?" Roger asked, now fully immersed in confusion. It felt like he'd been clueless since he woke up.
"The other Demon Lords," Rimuru replied with a grin. "You've already met Milim and Ramiris. But there are five more. Including… mm, that guy over there, sleeping in the corner. He's a Demon Lord too."
Roger: (＠_＠;)
So there are this many Demon Lords?
Then what about the heroes?
If there's only one of them… isn't that just a little too tragic?