Late at night.
Emiya Shirou was inside his laboratory, focused on researching magic, when a rapid series of urgent knocks echoed from the door.
He opened it.
Rimuru stood outside.
"Why are you back at this hour?" Shirou Emiya asked.
"Because it's not convenient during the day."
Rimuru stepped inside casually and closed the door behind him, following Shirou Emiya into the laboratory. Shuna was already there, seated at a desk, deep in thought as she analyzed the structure of a magic formula.
"Lord Rimuru, you're back!" Shuna said, smiling brightly when she saw him.
"Yeah. I came back to take care of a few things." Rimuru paused, then grinned. "Oh, right. I brought gifts."
As he spoke, Rimuru spat out a large stack of books from his stomach, piling them neatly against one side of the room.
"These are...?" Shuna picked one up and flipped it open. Her eyes immediately lit up. "They're all magic books. And many of them are secret editions!"
"That's right." Rimuru put his hands on his hips, clearly pleased. "All good stuff I picked up in the human world. Well? Satisfied?"
Shuna and Shirou Emiya were already absorbed, flipping through the pages.
"Not bad," Shirou Emiya said calmly. "I've been lacking fresh data lately. These came at just the right time."
"As long as you're satisfied," Rimuru replied with a laugh.
After skimming a few pages, Shirou Emiya closed the book and set it aside. He looked at Rimuru.
"So," he said, "you didn't come back just to deliver gifts. What's the urgent matter?"
"Ah... yeah." Rimuru's expression gradually turned serious.
Noticing the shift in tone, Shuna stopped speaking and quietly moved to the side to prepare tea.
"Shirou," Rimuru asked, "do you know where the entrance to the Spirit Realm is?"
"No," Shirou Emiya answered honestly.
At the same time, he already understood Rimuru's reason for coming back.
It was about Shizu Izawa's children.
"I thought so," Rimuru sighed. "Looks like I'll have to ask Treyni or Hakurou later."
Treyni was a spirit herself. Hakurou, on the other hand, was simply old and well-informed.
After that brief sigh, Rimuru began explaining everything.
In this world, there existed magic capable of summoning people from other worlds. During the crossing between worlds, the summoned person's soul would be transformed by that power, granting them extraordinary abilities.
That was the case for adults.
For children, it was different.
Children summoned across worlds were extremely likely to be burned to ashes by the overwhelming energy during the crossing itself. And even if they survived the initial transfer, they would eventually die from being unable to control the immense power within their bodies.
According to Yuuki Kagurazaka, their lifespan was at most five years.
While caring for those children, Shizu Izawa remembered that she herself had been summoned as a child. Because of that, she had tried to find the Demon Lord who summoned her, hoping to discover a way to save them.
But she died before she ever found an answer.
Now, inheriting Shizu Izawa's final wish, Rimuru wanted to save those children.
Through Great Sage's analysis, Rimuru learned the reason Shizu Izawa survived back then.
A superior spirit had possessed her.
That spirit helped her control the power inside her body, allowing her to live.
Because of that, Rimuru decided on his path.
To save the children, he had to go to the Spirit Realm.
"I see," Shirou Emiya said, nodding slightly. "Then you really can only ask them one by one."
"That's what I figured too."
Rimuru took a sip of the tea Shuna had prepared, then placed a small box of pastries on the table.
"This is for Shion. Shuna, give it to her tomorrow."
"I'll be heading back tonight," Rimuru added. "I still have to teach the children tomorrow morning."
"Yes, Lord Rimuru," Shuna replied with a smile as she put the pastries away.
With everything settled, Rimuru stood up, ready to leave.
"Wait," Shirou Emiya said suddenly. "There's something else."
"Something else?" Rimuru paused. "Didn't Benimaru say things have been going smoothly lately?"
"That's only on the surface."
Shirou Emiya took out a perfectly polished gemstone and placed it on the table. As he channeled magic into it, an image appeared above its surface.
A young woman.
"This is..." Shuna's eyes widened. "Myulan?"
"Myulan?" Rimuru repeated, confused.
Shuna quickly explained, "She's the mage Youm brought back recently. They say she's extremely strong. Both Youm and Grucius were defeated by her."
"Youm's new companion..." Rimuru frowned slightly. "Has she done anything suspicious?"
"Yes," Shirou Emiya said, his tone serious. "At this point, it can almost be confirmed."
"She's a spy sent by Demon Lord Clayman."
Rimuru and Shuna both stiffened.
"A Demon Lord's subordinate?" Rimuru's pupils contracted.
"That's right," Shirou Emiya continued. "But from my surveillance, their relationship isn't a standard master-servant one."
"It's more like coercion."
"After further investigation, I discovered that Myulan's heart doesn't appear to be her original one. There's also an eavesdropping spell embedded in it."
"I estimate that her real heart is currently in Demon Lord Clayman's possession."
"So he controls his subordinates by holding their hearts..." Rimuru sighed softly. "That really does sound like a Demon Lord's method."
After a moment, Rimuru asked, "Then what do you think his goal is?"
"It's us," Shirou Emiya said without hesitation.
His expression grew colder.
"Do you remember what Milim said? She suspected the Moderate Harlequin Alliance was closely tied to Clayman and went to investigate his territory."
"Before, it was just suspicion."
"Now, we can confirm it."
"There aren't that many coincidences in the world."
"Clayman's shadow is behind everything."
"The mastermind is him."
After listening to Shirou Emiya's conclusion, Rimuru and Shuna both nodded.
They had reached the same answer.
"The key now," Rimuru said quietly, "is what his next move will be."
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