She came barging in out of nowhere — what was she going to say?
Maybe I should have just replied with something like "Wh-what did you say?!"
Behind her,
She had that exhausted look of someone who was always being put through the wringer.
You could practically see that she was being dragged around by Ramiris.
And now, standing in Ramiris's path was a figure dressed in luxurious attire —
He'd been sitting at the far end, quietly observing the proceedings of the conference, but he clearly had no intention of letting intruders run wild.
And just like that, Ramiris was captured with almost comical ease.
She flailed and struggled, "Wh-what do you think you're doing?!"
and other such exclamations.
She was quite the character. Not a shred of a Demon Lord's dignity in sight — which was oddly endearing.
"Lord Rimuru, I've captured this suspicious individual. What would you have me do?
She's been spouting nonsense about destroying this town, so how should I dispose of her?"
Diablo approached me and asked in his characteristically polite tone.
"Ughhh! I can't escape with all my power even at full output?!
Th-this guy! He's no ordinary fighter!
What do you want?! What's this about?! What did I do?!"
As always, she was awfully loud.
Honestly, escaping from Diablo, who had more than twice her magicules, would be tough.
And this is a Demon Lord, huh?
The fact that you'd start thinking Demon Lords weren't that impressive was entirely thanks to this one.
"Lord Rimuru, do you know this fairy?"
Fuse asked me.
Ah, the conference had been interrupted again. If only she'd waited a bit longer before barging in.
Her inability to read the room was the same as ever.
"Yeah, her name's Ramiris. She's a fairy I know.
She's technically a Demon Lord, I guess? Looks like one, at least..."
"You! What do you mean, 'looks like one'?!
I'm the most feared among the Ten Great Demon Lords, you know!
I'm Ramiris, the Labyrinth Fairy!"
She puffed out her chest triumphantly — still in Diablo's grip, no less.
There was nothing dignified about it whatsoever, but she seemed completely oblivious.
"Huh? A Demon Lord...?"
"Oh? That one?"
Something like that — the reactions from those attending the conference showed remarkably little surprise.
"Huh?
...Wait, really?
Why not?! This should be a much bigger deal, right?
I'm a Demon Lord, you know! Why such a flat reaction?"
No, no.
Demon Lord or not, you're being held captive.
I'm pretty sure everyone's just exasperated.
...or so I thought, but— "Well, I mean, Lord Rimuru is also a Demon Lord, so having a Demon Lord as an acquaintance does make a certain amount of sense..."
"More like, we're still too stunned about Veldora's revival to be surprised by much of anything at this point..."
The attendees nodded in agreement at such remarks.
Come to think of it, yeah, that tracked.
Conversely— "Huh?! Veldora's been revived?!
You lot have been duped!
I took that guy down with a single punch!
He was nothing to write home about. Well, his era's over anyway.
If you want someone to fear, you should be afraid of me from now on!"
Saying this, she burst into hearty laughter.
She really was all bark and no bite.
I took Ramiris from Diablo and brought her over to Veldora.
"Veldora, sorry to bother you, but could you keep this little one company for a bit?
She is a Demon Lord, so your Demon Aura shouldn't kill her or anything."
"Hmm? I am currently busy solving a great mystery."
"Ah, the culprit was Yasu. The mystery's been solved, right?
Then I'll leave her with you."
With that, I headed back to my seat.
Veldora's eyes went wide, clearly shocked — as if to say, "Wait, why'd you give away the culprit first?!"
And when Ramiris saw Veldora, she fainted on the spot and became docile.
With both troublemakers settled down, I moved to wrap up the conference.
...……
……
…
In conclusion, at the same time the king was freed, Marquis
Depending on their response, Youm would rise up.
The Dwarven Kingdom would use Tempest's recent victory as a basis for boldly declaring the establishment of formal diplomatic relations.
The Magic Dynasty Sarion would also issue an official statement recognizing Tempest as a sovereign nation.
And once Tempest had finished improving the roads, they would reach out regarding diplomatic ties.
These two nations could make such moves precisely because they were not under the Western Holy Church's influence.
The problem was the Kingdom of Blumund.
"Even if we break with the Church, the gains would certainly outweigh the losses.
But the Council won't stay silent about it..."
That was the biggest sticking point.
But regardless, a confrontation was inevitable.
"I'll try to convince the higher-ups. Once I have their agreement, we can proceed with the offer for diplomatic relations.
You'd accept that, right?"
I was pressed for confirmation.
Which was only natural.
If we were talking pure profit and loss, Tempest was about to become a nation officially recognized by two great powers — the Armed Nation Dwargon and the Magic Dynasty Sarion.
Diplomatic ties with such a Tempest would be a welcome development.
But compared to maintaining relationships with all the allied nations on the Council, the scales could tilt either way.
I could give them an answer.
In truth, maintaining ties with the Council was more profitable in the short term.
But within ten years, Tempest would be enjoying equivalent or greater benefits, and within twenty years, the tables would completely turn.
This was based on calculations from the Wisdom King's complete predictive analysis.
But I wouldn't say that.
The results are born from the choices you make.
And the problem for us was the Western Holy Church.
The Church didn't recognize monster nations, and by extension, a clash with the Holy Kingdom of Lubelius was predicted to be unavoidable.
And that was a major issue.
We needed to win and prove both our utility and our willingness to cooperate.
Not all problems would be easily resolved.
Everything depended on what we did from here on out.
Each nation concluded the conference based on their own respective interests.
This impromptu conference would come to be regarded as a historic turning point.
But of course, we had no way of knowing that at the time.
—————— The conference was over, and we were cleaning up.
I had a nagging feeling I'd forgotten something... and sure enough— "Oh, you! What's the meaning of this?! What's going on?!"
A loud voice came my way.
Right. She was still here.
If I didn't deal with her soon, she was going to start crying.
No helping it.
After fainting at the sight of Veldora, she'd woken up, gotten interested in manga, and without even noticing the conference had ended, hit it off with Veldora.
When she noticed everyone starting to move, she'd panicked and remembered her original purpose.
She was incredibly carefree, but she was probably just making a big deal out of some trivial news, as usual.
The delegates from various nations, who'd been preparing to leave, stopped at Ramiris's words.
Remembering Ramiris's presence, everyone returned to their seats.
Seeing this, Ramiris seemed satisfied — she tossed her nonexistent chest hair back with an exaggerated nod.
And then— "I'll say it one more time!
This nation is going to be destroyed!!!"
she declared.
"Wh-what did you say?!" (delivered in a flat monotone) When I asked instead of giving a proper response— "Heh heh! Well, I don't exactly want that to happen either.
That's why I came all this way to warn you. You should be grateful!"
she said, being her usual condescending self.
Engaging with her would only drag things out, so let's just move the conversation along.
"So why are we going to be destroyed?"
She adopted a serious expression and surveyed the dignitaries from each nation.
After a brief moment of thought— "Well, it's not entirely unrelated to humans, so fine. Listen up, all of you.
It's been activated — the Banquet of the Demon Lords, proposed by Demon Lord
The supporters are Demon Lord
With three Demon Lords co-signing the proposal, it's been accepted.
I received word of it myself.
The topic at this Banquet is 'retribution against the one who killed Demon Lord
The name that came up as the culprit is 'Rimuru, the one who newly claims the title of Demon Lord.' You... you've claimed the title of Demon Lord?"
She asked in an unusually serious manner.
Her words caused a stir among those in the conference room. This was apparently quite an important matter.
Wait — Demon Lord Carrion? Who was that again? I had no memory of fighting anyone like that...
"I mean, I did take the title of Demon Lord, but I don't know anything about killing Demon Lord Carrion..."
"Wait a moment!!! Is it true that Lord Carrion has been killed?!"
Glurusis cut in, shouting over my words.
Huh? Was this guy perhaps one of Demon Lord Carrion's subordinates?
"Demon Lord Ramiris, I must ask. Was Lord Carrion truly slain?"
"Hey, hey! Don't just barge in like that!
But, fine.
It seems like Rimuru didn't do it, and there's definitely something suspicious going on here.
This is where the great detective Ramiris takes the stage!
According to the usual rules, the culprit is always the one who brings it up first!
Which means... the culprit is obviously Demon Lord Clayman!"
Ignoring Glurusis's question entirely, Ramiris launched into her own theory.
And, frustratingly enough, the prediction and answer arrived at by the Wisdom King matched hers perfectly.
In her case, she'd probably just wanted to try out a line from the manga she'd been reading.
"Hey, I agree with that theory, but answer Glurusis's question too.
Was Demon Lord Carrion actually slain?"
The venue fell silent, waiting for Ramiris's answer.
For the delegates of the great nations, the defeat of one of the Demon Lords was a matter of grave significance.
It could potentially upset the balance of power among the Demon Lords.
But Ramiris was completely nonchalant about all of that.
Without a care in the world— "Huh? I dunno. I was just told, 'A banquet on this topic is being held, so please attend,' and that was it."
she answered innocently.
She was ultimately just a kid. The fact that she'd come to warn us at all was something to be thankful for.
"So why did you come to tell me?"
"Hmm? Well, actually, if you got killed, I'd be worried about what would happen to my Beretta, right?
So I decided to side with you, and that's why I came!
With that settled, I'm going to create an entrance to the labyrinth here. That's okay, right?"
"W-wait, how did the subject change so fast?! An entrance to the labyrinth? What's that about?
I appreciate the warning, but that's a completely different topic!
And don't just casually talk about Beretta like she's yours!"
"Aww, come on. Don't sweat the small stuff!
More importantly, Beretta wanted to greet you. Hey, Beretta, come over here!"
Ramiris completely ignored what others were saying, plowing ahead with whatever she wanted to talk about.
She had that "I'm done listening" attitude.
She really was an incredibly free-spirited fairy.
...……
……
…
In any case, the gathering was dispersed.
It seemed impossible to get any more information out of Ramiris.
I promised the delegates from each nation that I'd let them know if any new information came to light, and they accepted that.
With that, the conference attendees prepared to leave and departed.
Well, technically, the Dwarven King had only turned off the magic circuit of the crystal ball.
Fuse said she'd stay overnight at the inn before heading home.
Duke Eldral also threw a tantrum, saying he wanted to talk with his daughter , and would stay for a few nights before returning.
Though the conference had been convened on short notice, an impressive roster of important figures had assembled.
In the end, the capricious fairy's participation wasn't the most dignified conclusion, but it could still be considered a major success.
And so, the impromptu conference came to an end.
—————— Now then, the scene shifted, and the executives gathered.
Youm, Myulan, and Glurusis — those three also participated.
In a small meeting room, everyone took their seats.
According to what I'd heard from Fuse, the Banquet of the Demon Lords meant that all Demon Lords would assemble.
Apparently, it required the approval of three or more Demon Lords, and once activated, it carried considerable coercive power.
Participation required serious resolve, and it was said to be one of the few inter-Demon-Lord pacts capable of binding even the most free-spirited of Demon Lords.
Still, its activation had been rare, and there were few records of it remaining in human literature.
Even so, the name was well known because the last time the Banquet of the Demon Lords had been activated, the Great War between Humans and Monsters had erupted.
That had been a thousand years ago, and it was said to have brought tremendous devastation and calamity.
The Banquet of the Demon Lords — a gathering that brought chaos and ruin to the world. That was its reputation.
"If the target is really Rimuru, you'd better be prepared.
In the worst case, you'd be making enemies of eight Demon Lords.
That is, assuming we trust that Demon Lord Ramiris's words..."
Fuse said this to express his concern for me.
I told him not to worry, I'd manage somehow.
But honestly, being targeted by the Demon Lords was the last thing I wanted.
So I decided to convene a strategy meeting.
"I know we've been having nothing but meetings, but bear with me.
The topic this time is the 'Banquet of the Demon Lords.' Apparently, according to Ramiris here, I've been targeted.
Does anyone have suggestions on what to do?"
As always, I started by asking for opinions.
"Yes!" —
When I called on her— "Why not just take down all the Demon Lords?"
I was a fool for expecting anything useful.
I felt a vein about to pop on my temple. I was pretty sure something similar had happened before.
"Shion, how exactly would we take them down? Give me something realistic!"
At my words, Shion drooped dejectedly.
"However, I am concerned that Demon Lord Milim's name is on the proposal as well.
It certainly smells like some kind of conspiracy."
This was the kind of opinion I'd been waiting for.
"Agreed. I find it hard to believe Demon Lord Milim would betray Lord Rimuru.
It's nothing more than an unfounded hunch, but I trust my instincts."
Indeed — no evidence, but a gut feeling.
Actually, I didn't feel that Milim had betrayed me either.
The Wisdom King's analysis, though data-limited, also indicated it was unlikely barring some change in circumstances.
I chose to believe in Milim.
"Heh heh heh. In any case, if we're going to fight the Demon Lords, we simply need to defeat them.
Besides, Lord Rimuru alone should be more than enough to handle the Demon Lords!"
Shion nodded vigorously, and— "Exactly! For a newcomer, you show real promise.
You've articulated precisely what I was thinking!"
I nodded along.
How did this even happen?
Looking around, I saw that most people — Veldora chief among them — shared this sentiment.
The cautious faction consisted of only
Everyone was brimming not so much with enthusiasm as with bloodlust.
When had everyone become such warmongers?
"Wait, wait. Don't rush into anything.
In any case, I agree with the view that Milim hasn't betrayed me.
That being said, something must be going on.
Ramiris's theory that the culprit is Clayman is a good read, I think.
We should assume something's afoot."
I skillfully steered the conversation and succeeded in stopping the more dangerous talk.
The meeting started to become productive.
"See? See? See?
The great detective Ramiris's deduction was perfect, as expected!
So, shouldn't we just go beat up Clayman?"
"Hmm, that's a valid point.
Very well — I'll go and take care of it. A quick kill should suffice..."
"W-wait, hold on, Shion! Calm down!
Don't start getting ready to leave — you neither, Benimaru! Souei too!"
Good grief.
This was nowhere close to a productive discussion.
And to make matters worse, Ramiris was getting caught up in the excitement too.
"Seriously though, what's the deal? Why are there so many powerful sorcerers hanging around this place?!
If there are this many, then Beretta should just stay with me, right!"
and other such things.
She was a handful. She clearly had no intention of giving up.
And now that she'd noticed how strong my subordinates were, she was getting ahead of herself too.
Her adaptability was astonishing.
"May I say something? I find it hard to believe that Lord Carrion was slain.
Might I also be allowed to attend this... Banquet of the Demon Lords?"
Glurusis made this request.
Hmm. It was a possibility.
"Participation is limited to the Demon Lord themselves and two to three of their closest retainers.
If someone with no connection goes, they'll just be killed, and that'll be that,"
Ramiris answered.
I also had a thought and asked Ramiris about it.
"Hey, is it possible to convey that I'll be participating?"
All eyes focused on my face.
If we were going to be targeted anyway, maybe it was better to go on the offensive.
I was confident that with the new barrier's test firing, even in the worst case, I could at least escape.
Going on the offensive felt better than sitting around in the shadows.
Above all, I had no intention of letting this town come to harm again.
If anyone threatened my subordinates, they'd better be prepared for the consequences.
Ah, it seemed brashness had rubbed off on me too.
"Kuahahahaha! You've got fire in you! Good — I shall come with you!
I'll go along. Those Demon Lords are nothing to fear!"
"That's right, that's right!
If the Master is going, then I'll be safe!
With Beretta here too, my protection is absolute!"
"...No? I'm not going along as your bodyguard or anything."
"Ehh?! That's so cold, Master !"
"And since when are you calling me 'Master'..."
They'd apparently become manga buddies at some point.
Getting along was fine, but it looked entirely one-sided from where I stood.
Ramiris used the Demon Lord exclusive communication line to send a message to all the Demon Lords, conveying that I would be participating in the Banquet.
She initiated a spatial interference-based call using an unnecessarily complex magical formula.
While Ramiris was occupied with the communication, Beretta rose and approached me to offer a greeting.
"Congratulations on your evolution to Demon Lord.
I too have received a share of my master's evolution, and I wished to express my gratitude.
Thanks to that, I have evolved from a Magic General Puppet into a Holy Demon Doll."
He said this and bowed to me respectfully.
He had apparently acquired the Unique Skill "Holy Demon Synthesis."
A Holy Demon Doll — capable of nullifying virtually all physical attacks and magic, bearing both the opposing attributes of holy and demon.
When I'd felt powerless inside the Holy Purification Barrier, I'd thought that as a Magic General Puppet, he wouldn't have been able to move either — and that sentiment had apparently been the catalyst for his evolution.
A new spirit core had formed within his body and fused with his magic core, resulting in a Holy Demon Core.
I really wanted to study it, but now was hardly the time.
"O-oh. Glad to see you're doing well.
Once this whole thing is over, let's have a chat sometime."
"Haha! I am grateful for your kind words. I look forward to it."
"Yeah. I'm glad you're actually listening to what Ramiris says.
Just... follow her orders as long as they're not reckless.
If anything happens at this Banquet of the Demon Lords, I'll be counting on you."
"Leave it to me. I shall meet your expectations!"
We exchanged those words, and I had Beretta take a seat.
Since Ramiris had only one subordinate — Beretta — Glurusis would also participate in disguise.
Myulan also seemed to want to settle her grudge against Clayman, but Youm apparently stopped her.
Well, she wasn't much in terms of combat power anyway.
Beretta and Glurusis would participate under Ramiris's direction.
Shion watched me talking with Beretta with a jealous look.
If I didn't bring her along, she might cause a scene.
And so, Shion was confirmed as part of my party.
Then there was
Right. Truly reliable.
That settled it.
Benimaru and Souei looked crestfallen, but I had to ask them to accept it.
There was also the matter of defending the town.
I'd have Geld and Gabiru participate in bolstering the town's defenses.
In the unlikely event that the Holy Church sent an enforcement squad, I'd have Diablo stationed outside the town.
He was the only one who could single-handedly defeat a Holy Knight and break the Holy Purification Barrier.
Souei might be better deployed outside the town as well.
While waiting for Ramiris's reply, we held a detailed discussion.
In conclusion, my participation was approved.
For the Demon Lords, it may have also been easier than attacking a human town for no reason.
But this worked in our favor.
And so, I would be participating in the Banquet of the Demon Lords.
The Demon Lords I had history with were
But this time, the target was Clayman.
I hadn't forgotten about the Orc Disaster.
There was also the matter with Myulan.
And above all, Milim's involvement was troubling.
If you want a fight, you'd better be ready.
You've made an enemy of me.
I'm not the kind of person who readily forgives those he's labeled an enemy.
...Though naturally, beautiful women and pretty girls were excluded from that rule.