January 23, 2015.
Beijing, Dongcheng District.
Gulou East Street.
10:47 a.m.
The café was coming together.
Rimuru stood in the center of the empty space, hands on hips, surveying the progress with the critical eye of a being who had once commanded armies and built nations.
The princess was on her hands and knees, scrubbing the floor with a rag.
She looked miserable.
"This is not what I imagined when I swore eternal loyalty," she muttered.
Rimuru didn't look at her.
"Character building."
"This is floor building."
"Same thing."
The building had been cleaned, repaired, and renovated in the span of forty-eight hours.
Rimuru had done most of the work himself—not with magic, but with the terrifying efficiency of someone who had spent millennia managing a nation and had learned exactly how to delegate physical labor.
Which meant the princess did most of the work.
Rimuru supervised.
It was, he reflected, an excellent system.
THE REGISTRATION
"Lord Rimuru," the princess said, sitting back on her heels and wiping sweat from her forehead. "I have a question."
"You always have questions."
"Where are we getting the money for this?"
Rimuru smiled.
It was not a nice smile.
"Excellent question. I'm glad you asked."
The princess's golden eyes narrowed.
"Why do I feel like I'm not going to like the answer?"
WANG LI'S APARTMENT
Twenty minutes later.
Wang Li stared at the papers in front of her.
Then at Rimuru.
Then at the papers again.
"What is this?"
Rimuru was sitting in her armchair, legs crossed, looking entirely too pleased with himself.
"Business registration documents. For the café. I need you to sign them."
Wang Li flipped through the pages.
"Why is my name on them?"
"Because you're the owner."
"I'm the what?"
THE LOGIC
Rimuru explained.
He explained about the café. About the location. About his plans to create a small, cozy establishment that would serve excellent coffee and maybe some pastries, depending on whether he could find a decent baker.
And then he explained about the money.
"I need startup capital," he said. "Equipment, ingredients, licenses, furniture. It adds up."
Wang Li stared at him.
"So you want my money?"
Rimuru waved a hand.
"Not want. Need. There's a difference."
"What's the difference?"
"Want is when you desire something. Need is when it's necessary for the survival of the business."
He paused.
"And possibly for your survival as well."
THE THREAT
Wang Li's blood ran cold.
"What does that mean?"
Rimuru's smile didn't waver.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out the pouch.
The Impostor's tiny voice came from inside:
"Let me out! I'll sue you for emotional distress! I'll file a complaint with the Heavenly Court! I'll—"
Rimuru shook the pouch.
The voice fell silent.
"I'm just saying," Rimuru said casually, "that I've been very helpful to you. I stopped this annoying little creature from ruining your life. I reversed the damage he caused. I'm providing protection and guidance in a world you barely understand."
He held up the pouch.
"And in exchange, all I'm asking for is a small financial contribution to my business venture."
He tilted his head.
"Unless you'd prefer I release him?"
Wang Li's eye twitched.
"You wouldn't."
Rimuru's expression was innocent.
"Wouldn't I?"
The pouch twitched.
The Impostor's voice came again, high and desperate:
"Please don't release me! He's been shaking me every hour! I have motion sickness!"
Rimuru looked at the pouch.
"Nobody asked you."
THE SIGNATURE
Wang Li signed the papers.
She didn't want to.
She really didn't want to.
But the alternative was watching a five-inch cultivator with her face running around Beijing causing chaos, and she had already experienced enough of that for several lifetimes.
"Fine," she said, sliding the papers back. "But I want a say in how the café is run."
Rimuru took the papers and examined the signature.
"Of course. You're the owner. That gives you certain rights."
"What kind of rights?"
"The right to pay for things. The right to be consulted on major decisions. The right to—"
"The right to what?"
Rimuru smiled.
"The right to feel good about supporting local business."
THE PRINCESS'S COMPLAINT
The princess was waiting outside Wang Li's apartment building.
She was still covered in dust from the café renovation, and her expression was that of someone who had been deeply betrayed.
"You used her," she said as Rimuru emerged.
Rimuru raised an eyebrow.
"I prefer 'leveraged available resources.'"
"You threatened to release a tiny evil cultivator unless she gave you money."
"That's not using. That's negotiating."
The princess stared at him.
"My admiration for you is crumbling."
Rimuru shrugged.
"It was going to happen eventually. Better now than when you discover that I'm not actually a legendary hero."
THE CAFÉ NAME
Back at the café, the princess stood in front of the empty storefront, staring at the space above the door.
"We need a name," she said.
Rimuru nodded.
"I've been thinking about that."
"What did you come up with?"
Rimuru was quiet for a moment.
Then he said:
"Tempest Café."
The princess blinked.
"Tempest?"
"It was the name of my nation. My home." Rimuru's voice was soft. "It seems fitting."
The princess was quiet.
Then she smiled.
"I like it. Tempest Café. It sounds... legendary."
Rimuru snorted.
"It sounds like a café. Which is what it is. Don't get too excited."
THE SIGN
They spent the afternoon creating the sign.
Rimuru materialized the materials from nothing—wood, paint, varnish—and the princess watched in awe as he shaped them with careful precision.
"You could just use magic," she said.
"I could," Rimuru agreed. "But where's the fun in that?"
He picked up a brush.
"Besides, manual labor builds character."
The princess made a face.
"You just like watching me suffer."
"I like watching you learn. Suffering is a side effect."
THE MENU
While the sign dried, they discussed the menu.
"Coffee, obviously," Rimuru said. "Espresso, latte, cappuccino, americano. The basics."
The princess was taking notes.
"What about tea?"
"Tea is important. Green tea, black tea, oolong. Maybe some herbal options."
"Pastries?"
Rimuru frowned.
"I'll need to find a baker. Or learn to bake myself."
He paused.
"Actually, I can just create pastries with magic. They'll taste perfect every time."
The princess looked up.
"Is that... allowed?"
Rimuru shrugged.
"Who's going to stop me? The culinary police?"
THE FIRST CUSTOMER
By evening, the café was nearly ready.
The sign was up.
The furniture was arranged.
The coffee machine—a gleaming, state-of-the-art device that Rimuru had acquired through means he refused to explain—was installed and ready.
And then the door opened.
A man walked in.
He was tall, wearing a dark suit, and his eyes were hidden behind sunglasses that he definitely didn't need in the dim evening light.
"Are you open?" he asked.
Rimuru looked at the man.
Then at the princess.
Then back at the man.
"Not yet," he said. "But we can make an exception."
He smiled.
"What can I get you?"
THE GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL
The man sat at the counter.
His posture was rigid. His expression was unreadable.
"I'll have a black coffee."
Rimuru moved to the espresso machine.
"Coming right up."
The man watched him work.
"You're new here," he said.
It wasn't a question.
Rimuru didn't look up.
"Just opened. Well, opening soon. Today is a soft launch."
"I see." The man paused. "And the owner?"
Rimuru smiled.
"That would be Dr. Wang Li."
The man's expression didn't change.
But something in the air shifted.
"Dr. Wang Li," he repeated. "The surgeon who's been in the news recently."
Rimuru placed a cup of coffee on the counter.
"The same."
THE CONFRONTATION
The man didn't touch the coffee.
"I'm here about an incident," he said. "A few days ago. In Dongcheng District. Several buildings were destroyed and then... restored."
Rimuru leaned against the counter.
"That sounds like an interesting story."
"Witnesses described a young woman with silver-blue hair. Golden eyes. Standing at the center of the destruction."
The man's gaze shifted to the princess, who was trying very hard to look invisible.
"Would you know anything about that?"
THE DENIAL
Rimuru's smile didn't waver.
"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about."
The man stared at him.
"You match the description."
"Do I?" Rimuru tilted his head. "I'm flattered. But I've been here, preparing the café. I haven't destroyed any buildings."
He paused.
"Recently."
The man's jaw tightened.
"There are videos. Security footage. The government is very interested in people who can... alter reality."
Rimuru nodded sympathetically.
"That sounds like a serious matter. I hope you find whoever did it."
He slid the coffee closer.
"Now, about this espresso. It's a special blend. I think you'll find it very..."
He paused.
"Memorable."
THE COFFEE
The man looked at the cup.
Then at Rimuru.
Then at the cup again.
After a long moment, he picked it up and took a sip.
His eyes widened slightly.
"This is... very good."
Rimuru smiled.
"Thank you. I take pride in my work."
The man took another sip.
Then another.
By the time he finished the cup, his rigid posture had relaxed slightly.
"Excellent coffee," he admitted.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it." Rimuru took the empty cup. "Would you like another?"
The man hesitated.
Then he stood.
"No. I should be going. But I'll be back."
He walked to the door.
Then he paused.
"Tell Dr. Wang Li that the government is watching. And that she should be careful about the company she keeps."
He glanced at Rimuru.
"Some people are more dangerous than they appear."
The door closed behind him.
THE AFTERMATH
The princess let out a breath she'd been holding for several minutes.
"That was terrifying."
Rimuru shrugged.
"That was nothing. Just a government spook trying to intimidate us."
He picked up the empty cup and began washing it.
"Did you see his face when he tasted the coffee? He'll be back. They always come back."
The princess stared at him.
"You're not worried?"
Rimuru looked at her.
"About what? A man in a suit? I've faced gods. I've fought beings that could erase galaxies with a thought. A government official asking questions is not high on my list of concerns."
He dried the cup.
"But I will need to be more careful. The whole 'kicking someone through buildings' thing attracts attention."
The princess frowned.
"So what do we do?"
Rimuru smiled.
"We open a café. We serve excellent coffee. And we wait."
He looked out the window at the darkening street.
"Because something tells me this is just the beginning."