I called Gelde over to handle the cleanup after the battle.
The Yellow Corps 's work ethic was astonishingly impressive. I'd asked them to restore the ravaged terrain to its original state, and they were already hard at it.
Gelde had been kicking himself for not being more useful in the battle, so he'd accepted the job with enthusiasm.
He'd already gotten to work.
I'd also asked him to retrieve the
And then, after giving those instructions, I remembered.
Right. I'd forgotten something critically important.
"Oh crap… I forgot about Veldora…"
The moment those words left my mouth in a mutter, every single one of my executives froze mid-motion.
They exchanged glances with one another, silently consulting through eye contact about what to do.
The Holy Knights were watching us with wary expressions, but we had no bandwidth to worry about them.
So… what now?
I glanced sideways at my executives, and in unison they all looked away.
Real reliable, you lot! I could tell they wanted nothing to do with this, plain as day.
Well… I couldn't exactly walk up to the guy who'd been eagerly awaiting his turn and say, "Oh, we're done now, you're good to go!"
He'd probably go on a rampage.
No choice.
"Fine, I'll go explain things myself. You all head back and take it easy. You Holy Knights as well—go take a bath and relax. Some of you look like your clothes are in tatters, so you'll need a change of clothes too…"
The Holy Knights looked at me blankly, as if not understanding what I'd said.
Well, the Kingdom of Englassia did have bathhouses too, so it wasn't that they didn't know what bathing was—but maybe they couldn't imagine monsters taking baths.
Hmph, let them be amazed then! Because, if I do say so myself, our baths were far better than anything in the Royal Capital.
Good advertising too. They could rest up and wash away their fatigue.
Then came the change of clothes. Everyone who'd fought
We'd also prepare our newly developed hemp jinpants for them, for the sake of promoting our nation's goods.
For the women, there were yukatas too, with quite a range of options.
Their armor could be restored once their spirit recovered, but that clearly wasn't happening anytime soon. We couldn't just leave them like that.
I noticed
How on earth had she fought such an intense battle against the Holy Knights like that?
For anyone who couldn't walk on their own, I had Ranga and his subordinate Star Wolves carry them.
I assigned Hakuro to look after the Holy Knights and asked
Rigurd would handle the bath and clothing preparations without a hitch.
I had a feeling it might turn into a banquet too, but that was fine. It was the usual thing, and besides, our farmland had been expanding recently.
Right. After every incident, there was a banquet.
Maybe that was a custom found just about anywhere.
With those thoughts, I left the scene.
Afterwards, upon hearing what I had to say, Veldora exploded in rage and went on a rampage, blasting the tunnel wide open and bursting through to the surface.
He then soared high into the sky and was spotted soaring overhead, right above the exhausted Holy Knights.
Taking on his dragon form and releasing Demon Aura for the first time since his resurrection seemed to have calmed his anger surprisingly quickly.
Thank goodness his rage subsided before he actually attacked the Holy Knights.
Basically, this old geezer—or well, not really old—just wanted to blow off steam. If you didn't vent him properly, he became dangerous.
Going forward, I might need to provide Veldora with a designated arena for his rampages.
For us, it was all rather quaint and heartwarming—an amusing little anecdote.
But for the Holy Knights who'd nearly been attacked, it was apparently a full-blown nightmare.
When they were already running on empty, a nightmare incarnation descending from the heavens had arrived.
"Gyaaaaah! It's Veldora!"
Or, "Abababababa!"
They'd apparently displayed quite the variety of entertaining reactions.
I would've loved to see it, but it was also a little pitiful.
Well, they'd never think of pointing a blade at this country again, so in the end, his timing couldn't have been better.
I briefly wondered whether even this incident had been part of the Wisdom King's calculations, but surely not. There was no way it could read that far ahead, and that was giving it far too much credit.
The battle against Hinata had gone so perfectly according to the Wisdom King's design that I'd started getting ideas like that.
Anyway, the battle against the Holy Knights had come to a close with a complete victory.
−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−− Back in town, the Holy Knights headed to the baths.
Rigurd scurried about as usual, making sure meal preparations and everything else was in order.
Thanks to Souei's quick communication, there shouldn't have been any need to rush, but that was just Rigurd's nature.
His diligence in checking for ingredients that certain religious beliefs might prohibit was admirable—he really had done his homework.
He must have been meeting with adventurers and merchants behind the scenes, learning about human culture and perspectives.
After stepping down as captain of the security force, Rigul had thrown himself into supporting his father, Rigurd. He might just make a worthy successor.
Nobody would ever believe he'd once been a Goblin with no strength to speak of.
The venue was the banquet hall.
I'd ordered them to be ready since banquets happened so frequently, and this was the result—a brand-new building, fresh off construction.
It looked like a gymnasium-sized circular dome.
Inside, a vast wooden-planked floor stretched out in every direction. The seats of honor had tatami mats.
In case of emergency, it could double as a shelter, so it held a considerable number of people.
Space was plentiful, so the building was sturdy and large.
The frame was made of steel, but it would gradually transform into Magisteel over time. When you thought about it that way, this country had a tremendous advantage.
While I was musing about all this, the meal arrived, set beautifully on trays.
As expected, the bowls were exquisitely crafted, the kind you'd see served at a fine restaurant.
It had all started when I'd idly shaped some clay and fired a few bowls for fun, and the children had mimicked me and started making their own.
Every household used bowls made by the children.
They were getting quite good at it now.
They used herbal juices and all sorts of mysterious substances for coloring, and some of the results were strikingly vibrant.
You never knew what people would try.
The trays being carried in were similarly elaborate pieces of art, crafted from the leftover scraps of processed lumber.
Looking at it all, from the hot springs to the cooking vessels, my hobbies were reflected everywhere.
Compared to the days when I'd been eating grass, the comfort of daily life had improved beyond belief.
And now I could even enjoy flavors. I'd worked hard for this.
Today's menu was tempura. Wonderful.
Perfect in appearance, magnificent in taste.
Shion couldn't handle presentation, and no matter what cooking skills she might have, I would never entrust everyone's meals to her.
This tempura too had been developed by showing Shuna my memories, one recipe at a time.
It had been a lot of work. But the hazy recollections of flavors transferred through our Thought Link were what made this level of reproduction possible.
The Kingdom of Englassia had plenty of delicious cuisine, but nothing Japanese.
Recreating Japanese food—well, even if a Japanese "otherworlder" existed, it probably wouldn't happen overnight.
I'd really gone through a lot.
To start with, I'd gone all the way to the ocean to catch huge quantities of fish, trying to make something like bonito flakes.
Only because we'd established a preservation method through spatial transfer could we procure such a wide variety of ingredients.
Cuisine was the pinnacle of culture.
A nation without rich food culture was meaningless in my eyes.
Of the three pillars—clothing, food, and shelter—food was the most important, in my view. Though, of course, that depended on the person.
So, without hesitation, I'd poured effort into all sorts of culinary development.
The current challenge was white rice. Wheat-based grain had been relatively easy to find.
I'd even seen white bread sold to the wealthy in the Royal Capital, so we'd been able to recreate it fairly easily here too.
The problem was rice.
Whether or not there were any plants in the grass family—I was sure there had to be. That conviction had driven me to search.
But compared to the Japanese rice that had undergone centuries of selective breeding, the taste just couldn't match up.
Well, naturally. I hadn't expected it to be easy.
And so, selective breeding was underway.
The truth was, there was a solution.
When I asked the Wisdom King for a good method, I got a straightforward answer.
The approach was to use Shion's "Cooker" ability to falsify the results, thereby forcing the selective breeding to succeed.
But was that really okay? I couldn't imagine such a method taking root.
So instead, I'd quietly produced a small batch of white rice through my own ability's alterations—just enough for my own consumption.
Asking Shion to do it would have gone to her head, so I'd prepared it secretly on my own.
I'd handed it to Shuna, and it was now being used in the Holy Knights' meals as well.
This time was special. I had a calculated interest in letting them experience the country's usefulness firsthand.
Carrot and stick. After being beaten hard with the stick, a little kindness might make them fold.
I didn't think the Holy Knights would be that easy, but it was a classic strategy for a reason.
Though, white rice was my personal obsession, so it might not even taste that great to the Holy Knights.
The tempura, on the other hand, should be universally appreciated as delicious. It had apparently been a hit with adventurers and merchants too.
Incidentally, I'd also run an experiment growing rice-family plants using magicule-enriched water.
The result was pitch-black rice that looked like it had squid ink mixed in. The taste was not just decent—it was actually quite good.
But it looked unappetizing due to preconceptions. Oh, and it would probably be poisonous to humans.
I'd named it Monster Rice, and its nutritional value—for monsters—was astonishingly high.
Before I knew it, it had become the staple food of the Monster Nation.
The fact that it could withstand high concentrations of magicules alone made it rare.
Before long, the meal setup was complete, and all that remained was to wait for the Holy Knights to finish their baths.
………
……
…
The Holy Knights emerged from the baths wearing the yukatas and jinpants that had been prepared for them, and made their way to the banquet hall.
The clothes were unfamiliar, but after feeling how comfortable they were, they seemed to warm up to them quickly.
Well, sure—they were practically track-suit levels of comfort. Perfect as everyday wear, or loungewear at least.
They were escorted to their seats with hesitant, cautious expressions.
The female attendants guiding them showed no nervousness whatsoever, their movements natural and smooth. Impressively practiced.
The Holy Knights were probably startled by that too—their own movements carried a certain awkwardness.
And when the female attendants who'd guided them to their seats bowed and stepped away, Hinata turned her gaze toward me with evident resolve.
"For this entire affair, I take full responsibility. My unilateral decision caused you immense trouble, and I offer my sincerest apologies.
I do not presume that I alone can atone for this, but please—show mercy to my subordinates…"
With those words, she knelt before me and bowed her head low.
And then—just then.
I could almost see. Her yukata slipping, the gentle curves of those twin hills revealed.
Oh no—my sense of adventure was surging. Normally it would have been something else surging, but no such luck this time.
Still, what could you do? A man never forgot his sense of adventure!
At a time like this, I was just grateful I had a body that didn't get nosebleeds!
But seriously—a yukata. This was devastating. Absolutely devastating.
A woman fresh from the bath in a yukata—that was the ultimate combination.
And when that woman was a beauty like Hinata? The combined effect was terrifying.
I'm beaten… completely and utterly beaten.
I felt like I could forgive everything.
Then, to me— "Rimuru-sama, what are you looking at?"
Shuna asked with a radiant smile.
Why was it that, despite her gentle voice, I felt a chill like ice?
Why? How had she caught me?!
"Nothing, nothing at all! I wasn't looking at anything!
Besides, Hinata—your apology shouldn't be directed at me. Direct it toward Shion and the Hooded Corps.
They're the real victims."
So saying, I pointed toward Shion and the Hooded Corps.
It wasn't deflection or anything like that—just genuine honesty.
Shion flinched, her body going rigid. She clearly hadn't expected to be called upon.
Addressing Shion and the others, Hinata said: "I'm deeply sorry.
I had convinced myself that monsters were evil beings.
That communication with them was impossible, that they were enemies who would steal everything if you let your guard down…
Please, forgive me…"
Hinata bowed deeply.
Following her lead, the other Holy Knights hurriedly did the same.
In unison, the Holy Knights apologized: "We're sorry!"
Shion seemed agitated, fidgeting uncertainly.
"Shion, forgive them. I understand your pain. I understand your anger.
But not all humans are evil.
I'm telling you this too: humans are creatures who can overcome their mistakes.
So, please—judge them carefully. There are those among them whose souls are noble."
When I spoke to her, Shion hesitated further.
For her, humans had been synonymous with evil.
But I didn't want her to think that was true of all of them.
Her hesitation lasted only a moment.
With a clear, resolved expression, Shion declared: "Understood! I will judge people by looking at their souls—distinguishing the good from the wicked!"
And with that, she flashed me a bright, genuine smile.
Her expression was serene, as if a weight had been lifted—perhaps she too had overcome some great karma.
The Hooded Corps echoed their agreement, each voicing their willingness to forgive.
What a great bunch. My beloved companions.
Accepting the apology, letting bygones be bygones.
The line between what could be forgiven and what couldn't was a blurry one, but this time it looked like reconciliation would go smoothly.
As long as people could communicate and understand each other, they could learn to respect one another's perspectives.
And just like that, a reconciliation was achieved.
Now then—there was no point in keeping things somber.
The beautiful food would go cold, and that would be a shame.
More importantly, if I kept Veldora—who hadn't gotten to rampage at all—waiting any longer, he'd get cranky again.
Veldora could eat using a body I'd created from my own clones.
Like me, he didn't actually need to eat, but he'd been shocked by the taste of the food.
He'd become quite the foodie—more than I'd ever expected.
And so, the feast began.
Hot, post-bath bodies. Ice-cold ale.
Of course, it was all prepared. The secret brew crafted in our country.
Not a single detail overlooked.
In the Kingdom of Englassia, wine had been the drink of choice.
They did have ale, but it wasn't particularly good—weak in fizz, or rather, the carbonation was lacking.
Lukewarm beer was probably a factor in the poor taste too.
Naturally, I'd had it improved.
You never underestimated my passion for food and drink.
Or rather—"Make it like this!" and the research would begin immediately. The responsiveness of this country was frankly frightening.
Maybe it was because I'd become a Demon Lord? Then again, it felt like things had always been that way, even before.
Ah well.
Thanks to the cooperative monsters of the Monster Nation, we'd built up a solid collection of alcoholic beverages.
Wine was imported.
Ale was domestically produced.
Plus sweet potato shochu and barley shochu.
It was no wonder banquets happened so often. Thanks to everyone faithfully following my directives, the food in this country was legitimately amazing.
This might be called a "meal gathering," but it would inevitably become a banquet. No doubt about it.
I didn't even need the Wisdom King to predict it—I could say that with full confidence.
And sure enough, the prediction came true.
The Holy Knights marveled at the delicious food. For the seafood course, we'd even prepared freshly sliced sashimi.
I hadn't managed to replicate soy sauce yet, but a similar condiment served as a substitute.
It wasn't quite perfect, but Shuna was working on it. Before long, we'd have the real thing.
One of the Holy Knights, curious about the Monster Rice that the monsters were eating, took a bite and let out a shriek.
"T-this! My magic power is recovering?!"
Hmm? That wasn't the kind of shriek I'd been expecting.
I'd thought it was poisonous to humans, but maybe it acted as medicine for anyone with a certain level of magic power?
Actually, maybe it was precisely because he'd been pushed to the brink of magic depletion in intense combat that the effect was so pronounced.
While I was pondering this, the other Holy Knights started clamoring for Monster Rice too.
Reluctantly, I had enough prepared for everyone.
I'd set aside my personal stash of white rice, but the black rice—the Monster Rice—was more popular?
Well, it was just a matter of appearance. The taste was good. Those without preconceptions would probably accept it easily.
They'd been stunned by the tempura and sashimi, and the Monster Rice seemed to restore magic power too… I had every reason to expect positive publicity for the country.
Most importantly, I could spot plenty of instances where monsters and Holy Knights were chatting together in good spirits.
A healthy trend.
Maybe it was the alcohol talking, but if this kind of scene became natural, it could be the start of real friendship between both sides.
Eating delicious food. Spending enjoyable days.
To protect that, everyone worked hard at their roles.
I would continue to protect this way of life. That was my job.
I'd just made that fresh resolve when— ………
……
…
By the time everyone was pleasantly tipsy and in high spirits, a man named Arnaud—said to be the Holy Knights' strongest fighter after Hinata—dropped an absolutely devastating bombshell.
"So, Rimuru-sama. Who's the strongest person in this country?"
Obviously, that was with the understanding that Veldora and I were excluded…
My executives perked up at the question.
It probably seemed like a casual remark to Arnaud, but for the monsters, it was a different matter entirely.
Some of them had apparently been engaged in ranking disputes behind my back—a foolish thing that had nothing to do with anything. And maybe the topic of relative strength had become something of a taboo.
If it was a taboo, it might leave lingering resentment.
In that moment, I wasn't actually drunk—had no reason to be—but I was drunk on the atmosphere.
Veldora and I, irresponsibly caught up in the mood, said something we probably shouldn't have.
"Qua-hahahaha! Why not just fight and find out?!"
"Exactly! Stop arguing about it. Why not hold a martial tournament or something?"
And so on.
I wasn't drunk, but I was drunk on the vibe.
It was a problematic statement, and I could've realized that without even thinking hard.
Because the instant they heard "martial tournament,"
The atmosphere shifted instantly, giving way to a sudden aura of serious intent.
"Kufufufu. That is an excellent idea!"
"I'm not against it! That sounds pretty good to me!"
Benimaru followed, and then one by one— "Let's have a real fight, shall we?"
"You all—if you perform well, I might cut some of your special training."
"I-I, too, shall participate!"
"I'm joining too! I'm aiming for the top, with everything I've got!"
"Sounds fun. I'll cut down everyone in my path!"
"I've yet to play enough. I want to fight someone who puts up a real challenge!"
"I should test my own strength too, for once—not just commanding my squad."
They all began declaring their participation.
By that point, I'd already realized it was a slip of the tongue, but it was far too late to take it back.
Veldora looked like he was having the time of his life, so I just kind of let it go.
And just like that, the "Tempest Martial Tournament" was set into motion.