Goblin Village, Conference Room
Kaito waited for the room to settle, then looked around the table.
"Next, let's talk about the village's future development. Everyone, speak freely."
Silence.
People glanced at each other. Kagaya Ubuyashiki didn't know the Great Jura Forest well enough to lead the discussion. Rigurd and the others were capable men, but this kind of forward planning wasn't their strength. Most of the village's current population had come from surrounding Goblin settlements, drawn in voluntarily over time.
"...Does no one have any ideas?"
Kaito looked at the silent room and decided he had overestimated things. He turned to Rimuru with a grin.
"Looks like it's up to you. Go ahead, tell us what you're thinking."
Rimuru, seated at the head of the table, pointed both small manifested hands at herself.
"Me? Σ(っ °Д°;)っ"
Kaito gave her a brilliant smile and a thumbs up.
"Of course. My respected Leader."
Rimuru, after all, had lived in modern society in her previous life. She could offer real ideas for a settlement still at the village stage. As for why Kaito didn't speak himself, the thinking was simple. Rimuru was destined to become the ruler of the Jura Tempest Federation. She needed to start thinking like one now. Besides, if the ruler of the Jura Tempest Federation wasn't that adorable creature, something would just feel wrong.
"Ahh! This is unfair! You're a leader too!"
Kaito rapped the table sharply.
"Ahem. This is a meeting. Leader, please conduct yourself accordingly."
Around the table, shoulders shook. Smiles were being suppressed with obvious effort.
Kanae Kocho looked at Rimuru's expression of pure despair and thought she didn't seem like a leader at all. More like a simple, slightly overwhelmed little girl. And yet Kanae found herself perfectly at ease with that. There was something reassuring about it.
'Hehe. In her previous life, she was much older than you!'
"You are so mean! Hmph!"
Rimuru composed herself.
"Alright. Here are my thoughts."
"With Veldora gone, the various races of the Great Jura Forest are fighting hard for dominance. So the first priority is building a force that can protect the village."
"Our total population is just over 3,300 right now. I think we select 300 people for an elite unit. We'll call it the Garrison."
She turned to Kagaya Ubuyashiki.
"How many combatants can you spare?"
Kagaya Ubuyashiki considered for a moment.
"Rimuru-sama, the Demon Slayer Corps is a combat-specialized force. We currently have around 500 active members, all available if needed."
Rimuru nodded, both small hands tucked under her chin in a thinking pose.
"We don't need all of them. Construction needs people too. Here's what I propose: the Corps provides 200 elites, and Rigurd, you select your 100 strongest. That gives us our 300 for the Garrison."
"The Wolf Rider Squad stays as it is."
She looked over at Kaito.
"Any objections?"
"None at all. Excellent proposal."
Rimuru's expression immediately went smug.
'Hmph hmph! You looked down on me, didn't you? Surprised now, aren't you!'
"Then it's settled. Kagaya, Rigurd, you two handle the formation together. As for the captain of the Garrison..."
A mischievous smile crept onto Rimuru's face.
"I'll leave that to you. Everyone agree?"
She looked pointedly at Kaito.
"No objections from this subordinate!"
"Whatever Rimuru-sama decides!"
"Kaito-sama is the obvious choice!"
Kaito stared at the room as the decision was made around him in the span of about ten seconds.
He was supposed to be an observer. How was he suddenly a captain?
"Hold on. Why am I the captain? Why not you?"
"Alas! What can I do? I'm your respected Leader, which means this kind of thing falls to you. Everyone agrees, right?"
'Hmph hmph! Got you this time!'
"Yes!"
"There's no one better for it!"
"You don't have much else on your plate anyway, so you may as well train them properly!"
Even Kanae Kocho wasn't coming to his rescue. Kaito gave up.
'I've ended up a wage slave again.'
'[Ding. This system considers this a high-level position. Host should be pleased.]
'A high-level wage slave is still a wage slave! (〝▼__▼)'
Leaving Kaito to his muttering, Rimuru and the rest of the table finalized the structure of the Garrison:
Garrison
General Commander: Kaito
Total Strength: 350
Squad One: Captain Rengoku Kyojuro (Flame Hashira): 100
Squad Two: Captain Rigur (Village Chief's son): 100
Squad Three: Captain Tomioka Giyuu (Water Hashira): 100
Wolf Rider Squad: Captain Gobta: 50
Kaito also took the opportunity to assign Kanae Kocho as his secretary, which Rimuru objected to loudly and which Kaito ignored entirely.
With the Garrison sorted, the meeting moved on to the village's various departments. Kaijin's blacksmith operation. Myrd's construction team. And so on, department by department, until everything had been accounted for.
As the meeting wound down, Rimuru suddenly climbed up onto the table and threw both arms wide.
"Then it's decided! Grand construction begins now! Everyone, let's give it everything we've got!"
The room rose as one.
"Yes! Rimuru-sama! *n"
Kaito stayed in his seat and watched her. She was standing on a conference table, waving her small arms at a crowd of humans and monsters who were looking up at her like she'd hung the stars. He smiled quietly to himself. Something like a proud parent watching a daughter grow into herself.
One by one, everyone filed out. The room emptied until only the two of them remained.
Rimuru stood in place for a moment, then turned to him with an expression that had clearly been waiting for the right moment.
"What exactly is your relationship with Kanae Kocho?"
Kaito looked at her. He hadn't planned to be evasive about it.
"My relationship with Kanae is…"