One and a half months had passed since I was inaugurated as Demon Lord.
Construction of the arena was progressing smoothly.
Geld's leadership was magnificent, and everything was moving along right on schedule.
What's more, Mild — the youngest of the three Dwarf brothers — had made improvements to my blueprints, transforming the whole thing into a stunning building with almost artistic value. As expected of a craftsman, the result was truly impressive.
With something like this, the royalty of every nation ought to be satisfied.
I'm sorely lacking in artistic sensibility, so his help was a godsend.
As for Mild's additions, there would be plenty of time to finish them before the unveiling tournament.
The underground labyrinth was mostly in shape, so I'd left the remaining work to
I would've liked to be involved myself, but I'd run out of time.
To celebrate — or perhaps to gauge — my inauguration, representatives of various tribes had begun flooding into the Monster Nation one after another.
They would swear loyalty to the Demon Lord and receive blessings in return.
But if the Demon Lord lacked the strength to back it up, they wouldn't just fail to prosper — they'd be marching straight toward annihilation.
Until now, the Great Forest of Jura had been an inviolable territory, protected under Veldora's immense blessing.
Now a new Demon Lord claimed dominion over that very territory.
And not just any Demon Lord — one who had only just risen to the position. It was only natural for the various tribal representatives to feel uneasy.
Today, as always, I sat there in full ceremonial regalia, being put on display.
In slime form.
I was practically a decoration at this point — like a mirror cake set on a household shrine.
I'd suggested leaving a clone behind in my place, but that idea was shot down with a smile.
The coordination among my top officials in moments like this was truly something.
Excluding me, they were practically linked by thought alone.
With no other choice, I looked down at the monsters kneeling before me, requesting an audience while I sat there adorned and unable to move. (I was exasperated to learn they'd actually gone out of their way to prepare magical equipment — clothing — specifically for a slime.)
I personally didn't think all this was necessary, but apparently, maintaining an air of dignity was important…
In other words, they'd essentially told me that my normal slime form had no dignity whatsoever.
Well, whatever.
But what was truly interesting was how the different tribes reacted.
With nothing else to do, I sat there like the decoration I was and silently watched the monsters recite their formal greetings…
Their reactions fell into three categories.
Reverence, scrutiny, and fear.
Among those scrutinizing me, a few seemed to be looking down on me ever so slightly, which might actually work in my favor.
The real problem was the ones who were scared.
Musing on that, I continued receiving their audiences.
The first group — those who revered and believed in me — were those who had interacted with me in the past.
The chieftain of the Lizardman Tribe , who was
"It has been too long, Lord Rimuru — no, Demon Lord Rimuru. Congratulations on your ascension. We, too, are…"
He was trembling with nervousness, so I said: "Oh, it's been a while, Chieftain. No need to be so formal. You've been a great ally, and I hope we can continue working together."
That one remark seemed to dissolve all his worries and anxiety, and he reverted to his normally bold personality.
"Oh no, I couldn't possibly be casual with you, Lord Rimuru! And Gabiru — has he been of any use? He really is a hopeless son…"
Officially, Gabiru had been disowned. I realized the Chieftain had remembered something he couldn't say openly.
He was aearnest sort of person. But that was part of what made him likable.
On a sudden whim, I said: "Oh, that's right, Chieftain. I hereby grant you the name 'Abilu.' You're Gabiru's father, and it's inconvenient not having a name."
I made sure to emphasize the "father" part, subtly hinting that he should lift the disownment soon.
Did he pick up on my intentions? The Chieftain — no, Abilu — nodded with deep gratitude.
"I accept! I swear by this name that my loyalty to Lord Rimuru will never waver, not for a single moment!"
With that powerful nod, he took his leave.
I caught Rigul's eye and signaled him to guide Abilu to Gabiru's location.
Rigul nodded and led Abilu away.
Incidentally, Abilu would undoubtedly evolve into a member of the Dragonewt Tribe .
I'd only granted him a blessing and a small measure of power, but casually handing out names like this could become problematic.
I didn't want to be stuck on a death march, and more importantly, I wouldn't be naming people without reason.
This time, naming the Chieftain was also an expression of gratitude for Gabiru's contributions.
From now on, I probably wouldn't be able to hand out names so freely…
Next, the clan leaders of the Orc Tribe came to pay their respects, bringing only a few members each.
They must have trusted us — they hadn't even brought guards.
Those few members were their children and grandchildren.
Food supplies had obviously improved, and their living conditions were better as well.
Most importantly, children had been born, and they had been born as Orcs — something that filled them with both surprise and joy. They had come specifically to report this to me in person.
Orc children being born as orcs — isn't that obvious? That was what I thought, but apparently it wasn't so straightforward.
Until now, mutations lasting only a single generation had been the norm.
With the lower birth rate, they could pour more resources into raising each child. I instructed them to raise their young carefully, since they'd be the future labor force.
Children are treasures — that's a truth that holds regardless of world or species.
I'd also been worried about the inheritance of names, but that seemed to be going well too.
I'd picked names somewhat at random, so the naming conventions seemed convoluted, but for the individuals themselves it felt perfectly natural.
That was a relief. Well, maybe they were just used to it. If you called someone by that name regularly, it would stick eventually.
They hadn't had names to begin with, so it hadn't really been a problem. Perhaps I'd been worrying too much.
As the final member of the Jura Forest Alliance, the Treant Tribe also came to greet me.
Well, since they couldn't exactly move, the one who actually showed up was a Tree Spirit named
As always, I could sense an enormous pool of magic within her.
"It has been too long, Lord Rimuru. Congratulations on becoming Demon Lord."
She greeted me without any hesitation.
I preferred it that way. We exchanged news about our respective situations.
Apparently there were no notable problems at the moment, but their inability to move around was proving to be a headache.
Indeed, Treyni's body in front of me appeared thinner than before.
"All of this is because the Fairy Queen reincarnated, and we were left behind. We can't even move around properly, so there's nothing we can do…"
You just said something very interesting.
The Fairy Queen… no, that couldn't be.
There was no way that tiny little thing was someone that important…
The image of Ramiris's innocent smile flashed through my mind.
"Hah. The Fairy Queen, you say? Do you happen to know her name?"
"Yes, the great Lady Ramiris. Thousands of years ago, she mediated disputes among the wicked ones, and after that she disappeared…"
I'd rather not have heard that.
My image of Ramiris and Treyni's image of Ramiris would never line up. I was certain of that.
But… she must have been waiting all this time.
That the Fairy Queen had become one of the Demon Lords — they could never have imagined it…
And knowing that, having her serve under me — was that really appropriate?
"Um, I might actually know someone who fits that description…"
"What?! Is that true?!"
Treyni reacted with startling intensity.
I'd just introduce them. She might be disillusioned upon seeing that little runt, but knowing Ramiris, she was actually quite a big deal.
She probably wouldn't be discouraged by something like that.
I steeled myself and decided to have Treyni meet Ramiris.
The result?
Treyni burst into tears, overwhelmed with emotion.
Ramiris really was the reincarnated form of the Fairy Queen.
"Oh, just as beautiful and graceful as ever…"
Treyni praised her through choked sobs.
I honestly had no idea who she was talking about.
Especially "graceful" — I couldn't find a shred of that quality anywhere in Ramiris…
"Did you hear that?! Hey, did you hear what she just said?! You see me in a new light now, don't you?!"
Ramiris came bragging to me with her nose in the air.
Annoying.
She flew circles around me, radiating pure elation with a look that said "How about that?!"
Well, whatever.
It was nice to see comrades reunited.
After they'd had their moment of shared joy and things settled down, I once again voiced a sudden idea.
"Why not move into the labyrinth? It's close to the Monster Nation from there, and it's right in Ramiris's domain!"
"Hey! That's not a bad idea! We could expand the floors, and there are some vacant ones, so we could set up a Forest Floor!"
Ramiris nodded enthusiastically at my proposal.
More importantly, subordinates within the labyrinth were immortal. It would be better for them to serve their original master — or so I proposed.
"But as beings of the Jura Forest, shouldn't we place ourselves under Lord Rimuru's protection…?"
Treyni was genuinely concerned about this.
In truth, once I'd authorized the labyrinth's construction, that area had become extraterritorial. The labyrinth's interior was a unique zone subject to both my management and Ramiris's.
I explained this and added that I would overlook the relocation for now.
Treyni hesitated, but said she would return for the time being and consult with the elders of the Treant Tribe .
She vanished in an instant.
As expected of someone with enough magic power to materialize and manipulate a physical body. What a convenient ability.
It was similar to spatial teleportation, but faster. Since I was analyzing it with my own abilities, I'd probably be able to replicate it before long.
Three days later, Treyni returned after promptly completing her consultations.
She immediately requested an audience, and the first thing out of her mouth was: "We, the Treant Tribe and the Tree Spirits , wish to relocate under the protection of Lady Ramiris. Would you grant us permission?"
She made her request formally.
Naturally, I granted it.
"Thank you so much!"
Treyni beamed with joy.
However, the real question was how to actually relocate an enormous tree.
But even that was resolved surprisingly easily.
Ramiris opened a door on the labyrinth's side, and Treyni simply stepped through and moved in.
And so, in the most unexpected of places, the Treant Tribe 's relocation was carried out.
This also meant an increase in Ramiris's forces and contributed to greater stability within the labyrinth.
Managing magicule concentrations and climate control had become vastly easier.
Furthermore, though small in number, the Tree Spirits were perfect for the role of labyrinth guides.
I designated the 95th floor as the Treant Tribe's living quarters, swapping it with floors that Ramiris and Veldora had set up.
And so the Forest Floor was born.
With the largest area of any floor, it was a perfect circle with a diameter of five kilometers.
Around the door leading to the 96th floor, I arranged for the last checkpoint and an inn.
I also set up an armory to sell rare weapons and armor that could only be bought here.
Customers would probably be rare, though. It was unquestionably a passion project.
Surrounding that area, the Treant Tribe 's settlement also took shape.
Thanks to the high magicule concentration, everyone was able to live vibrant, healthy lives.
I'd also secured an agreement for the Tree Spirits to help manage the labyrinth.
Or rather, they had volunteered — they said they wanted to be useful.
I'd gained unexpected allies.
In later years, this floor would come to form a forest city.
A city of healing for those who braved the Dense Jungle Labyrinth.
Known as the "Labyrinth City ," it would become a legendary metropolis of prosperity.
A town that bestowed its blessings only upon those who reached it.
But… that was still a future tale. At the time, I couldn't have imagined that far ahead.
− − − − − − − − − − − − − − − − − − − − − − − − − Now, the second group — those who were observing me.
These were the higher-ranking species of the Great Forest of Jura.
They were represented by the Elephantmen , Minotaurs , and Horsemen .
The Elephantmen had settled in a village beyond an interdimensional barrier gate atop a mountain so remote that no one else could reach it, in a range connected to the mountains where the Orcs had taken up residence.
I'd thought the area was uninhabited, but for a higher-ranking species like them, the environment apparently posed no hardship.
A young girl named
They were called Elephantmen because of their long trunks, but the women had normal noses.
The most notable feature was a slightly reddish skin tone.
Actually, even the men's trunks weren't as long as I'd imagined. If they were too long, they'd probably get in the way, so perhaps this was just right.
However, this species had a staggering amount of pride.
The very first thing she said was: "Hmph. The idea that a lowly slime would reign over us… What an unfunny joke. But I suppose there's nothing to be done. I'll acknowledge your dominion over this forest. However, I will not permit any interference with our people."
She declared this right in front of my entire staff.
Some kind of change had occurred within her; she no longer flew off the handle over every little thing.
It was a positive trend, though slightly unnerving.
As long as she didn't channel it all into one massive explosion.
Seeing that Shion had been restrained, I spoke up: "I see. I understand the Elephantmen's position. If you're saying you want no interference from my side, then I won't provide any support to your side either. Is that correct?"
As I'd said before, if a tribe didn't want to accept the Demon Lord's rule, that was fine by me.
Some Demon Lords might annihilate a tribe for such disrespect, but I was lenient in that regard.
Or rather, I couldn't be bothered.
I'd already told my people to let such tribes do as they pleased.
Benimaru was simply verifying that understanding.
"Yes, that's fine."
Hearing her response, I nodded.
Then, picking up where Benimaru left off: "Understood. Then we'll maintain a non-interference policy toward each other. However, please recognize the rights of the Orcs who've settled in those mountains. Food trade and the like — we'll keep those going freely?"
"Fine. I won't claim any rights over the mountain's resources. As for ore, it's not something we particularly need anyway. I won't meddle in the mountains where the Orcs have settled. We simply despise interference — that's all there is to it. As long as you don't try to conscript us for military purposes, we're agreeable."
"Understood. No problem there. I have no intention of involving you as military forces. I believe a volunteer system is preferable for the army. Our business is concluded. That said, you've come a long way, so please — make yourselves at home. We're planning a tournament to test the warriors of this nation. It should be entertaining, and not something you'll get to see very often. Do enjoy your stay."
That was how I wrapped things up.
The word "volunteer" seemed to catch them off guard — Momiji looked slightly surprised, which stood out to me.
It was always preferable to maintain friendly relations, and since they'd gone to the trouble of coming all this way, I thought it would be nice if they watched the tournament and enjoyed what the nation had to offer before heading home.
Momiji, the Elephantman elder's granddaughter, said: "Heh. I suppose I'll see just how capable the ones who serve a slime really are. After all, you probably just became Demon Lord through sheer luck."
She tossed off those words casually and departed.
But those words were, in their own way, an acceptance of my proposal. She must have just been the stubborn type.
After Momiji left, Shion spoke up: "I held my tongue, but wasn't that going too far?"
"I know, right? It rubbed me the wrong way too," Benimaru agreed.
Well, as a higher-ranking species, they had reached A-rank.
They were undoubtedly strong. So if they wanted non-interference, I didn't need to force them into submission.
That being my reasoning, I told them casually: "Does it really matter? She doesn't seem interested in becoming a subordinate, and she's not hostile either. I'd say it's actually a good thing that she's conceding mountain rights. We've been mining ore all over those mountains — if she demanded it back now, it could spark a war. We're not equals, and if they run into trouble down the line, their attitude will change anyway."
I just casually reassured the two of them.
The tricky part was the mining rights, but since those mountains hadn't belonged to anyone to begin with, it wasn't really an issue.
The whole point of this was to formally establish my claim and publicize it. Any tribe that objected would be considered hostile.
So non-interference was perfectly acceptable.
I could crush them if I wanted to, but I genuinely wished to maintain friendly relations.
I swept aside their slightly insolent behavior with a blind eye and closed the matter.
Then the next two tribes arrived.
The Minotaurs and the Horsemen .
These two tribes had a terrible relationship with each other and had been waging a Hundred-Year War.
They had come specifically to compete against one another.
Radiating an atmosphere that threatened to erupt into a brawl at any moment, they stood before me while constantly posturing against each other.
The Minotaur representative said: "Hey, Demon Lord! If you need help in battle, you want us, the Minotaurs ! We'd be happy to help you wipe out those pathetic Horsemen !"
The Horseman representative retorted: "Hmph, fool! A Demon Lord should have better judgment than that. There's no dilemma here — team up with us, the Horsemen ! We'll slaughter the Minotaurs and every other monster that dares oppose you!"
What a pair. Rather than just sweaty and intense, they were downright obnoxious.
But still.
The moment I laid eyes on them, a thought sparked in my mind.
That's right! A labyrinth — and that means minotaurs!
The Minotaurs would make perfect boss characters, especially around the 30th floor!
I wanted them. I absolutely wanted them as boss units for around floor 30.
The desire surged within me.
But despite that enthusiasm, these monsters' loyalty toward me seemed laughably low.
They saw me as nothing more than a potential employer.
And their intention to use me to destroy the other side was painfully obvious.
I caught Shion's eye.
Shion gave me a look — "Really? You're sure?" — but quickly broke into an evil grin.
"You two are being outrageously disrespectful before my King! If you cannot even show proper manners, you had better prepare yourselves for what follows!"
She proceeded to beat the living daylights out of both of them simultaneously.
It didn't even take a minute.
The young warriors they'd brought along didn't even have time to intervene.
With a single glare, Shion silenced their subordinates, then bowed to me.
That was exactly right.
Unlike the Elephantmen earlier, these two had tried to use me.
Which meant I could freely use them in return.
In the first place, they were a troublesome species that had been fighting and pillaging for a hundred years straight.
In terms of sheer combat power, they were likely on par with or above the Ogres .
When it came to raw fighting ability, they might have been the strongest species in the Great Forest of Jura. Several of them had reached A-rank.
But when a combat-oriented species spent a century warring, everyone around them suffered for it.
Before the other tribes filed complaints, I figured I could dispose of these two without any issue.
"You two clearly have too much energy, so I'll provide you with a stage for your squabbles. If you refuse, what awaits you is annihilation. But if you achieve victory and prove your usefulness to me, I may consider elevating your positions. Give it everything you've got."
I declared this grandly, leaving no room for argument.
Releasing the "Demon Lord's Aura" that I had suppressed until now, I gave them a taste of Intimidation.
The moment that pressure touched them, the Minotaurs and Horsemen collapsed to the ground.
They began trembling violently, and every trace of their earlier arrogance vanished.
Hmm? Maybe I should've just released the aura from the beginning…
No, that wouldn't have worked. The effect was precisely because I saved it for the right moment.
In any case, I would have these two participate in the tournament.
And then, with some appropriate motivation, I'd have them working in the labyrinth.
My mind was already buzzing with the joy of securing excellent boss units, and the desperate pleas of the two representatives — *'We will absolutely, certainly meet your expectations! Please, forgive our discourtesy!!'* — fell on deaf ears.
The two pitiful leaders and their followers departed with pale faces. The other species witnessed this and let their imaginations run wild.
After that, the audiences proceeded smoothly.
Some tribes had strong-willed leaders, but none dared push their luck after witnessing what had happened to the mighty Minotaurs and Horsemen.
And so the series of audiences was drawing to a close…
But the very last visitor would bring with them a new problem.