The demon Gluriss was a wolfman beastkin.
His exceptional talent for stealth had earned him the trust of Demon Lord
He recalled the words from that time.
They went something like this: "Conduct surveillance without ever being detected. Steal intelligence right from under the noses of the other demons, and recruit the鬼人into our ranks!"
When asked about the other demons, Carrion made a bitter face and said: "
He averted his eyes as he said it.
"Hey! Lord Carrion! Why are you looking away? Don't tell me the opponents are that dangerous?"
At that question, Carrion's expression flickered with hesitation for a moment, before shifting from that uncertainty into a wry grin.
"That's right! You don't know anything about Milim, do you? Ah, right, right! Good! Then it'll be fine. Whatever you do, never oppose Milim's subordinate — or anyone claiming to be her subordinate! As long as you don't upset her, you'll be okay! You've got this, I'm sure of it!"
That was what he'd said.
Gluriss recalled those words and turned his thoughts to the question he'd been suppressing in his heart.
Milim — he assumed that referred to Demon Lord
She was certainly powerful. In terms of raw strength alone, she was on par with Carrion, or might even surpass him.
Her personality, though: short-tempered, arrogant, cruel, selfish. Not exactly a reputation worth envying in a Demon Lord.
But what was there to fear about her subordinates?
Gluriss had only lived about a hundred years since becoming a demon. That was why he didn't know.
Anything about Milim beyond the rumors.
Eventually, he arrived at the meeting spot — and immediately came to regret it.
The demon Myuran felt like she could curse her situation.
A joint operation with other Demon Lords' subordinates. That alone was unpleasant enough, but the worst part was that one of them was Demon Lord Milim herself.
"I'm afraid the role you've given me might be a bit beyond my capabilities…"
When she raised this concern, Demon Lord Clayman replied: "You're the only pawn I can afford to use right now.
If I hadn't lost
But it can't be helped, can it? He's dead!"
She realized further discussion was pointless.
Demon Lord Clayman.
His epithet was the Puppet Master.
A practitioner of puppetry who controlled subordinates and allies like marionettes.
This mission had already been decided within Clayman's mind before she'd even been asked.
Besides, being told outright that she was disposable drained any motivation to argue.
There was no choice. With a sense of resignation, she accepted.
She had known. About the Demon Lord called Milim.
Her assignment from Clayman was a single objective.
Beat the other Demon Lords to the punch. Gather intelligence. Procure leverage — dirt that could be used against them!
That was all.
He'd told her that since Milim was involved, going beyond that would be impossible.
She agreed.
Milim was by no means lacking in intelligence. Her short temper gave the impression of thoughtlessness, but in truth, that wasn't the case.
Furthermore, she possessed an almost abnormal intuition, making her incredibly difficult to deceive.
It was best to assume that hiding anything from her was simply not an option.
The one Myuran was wary of was not Milim's subordinate.
It was Milim herself.
Because she knew — and Clayman had known it too, which was exactly why he'd sent her.
Carrion likely knew as well.
The reason was simple: "Oh, are you one of them? I'm Gluriss, subordinate of Demon Lord Carrion!"
"Nice to meet you! I'm Myuran, subordinate of Demon Lord Clayman!"
"I'm Milim!"
Demon Lord Milim had no subordinates.
In other words, that was the situation.
And so, the three who had gathered at the meeting place were introduced.
————— This time, the treaty between the Dwarven Kingdom and the Monster Nation constituted a bilateral agreement.
The representatives of each nation would affix their signatures — in this case, simply their autographs — and the treaty would take effect.
"Can something this simple really establish a treaty between nations?" Rimuru wondered, drawing on knowledge from his previous life. He'd intended to ask, thinking it far too casual, but— "Hmm? There's no problem. I swear upon the gods, the spirits, and the heroic souls of our ancestors. There can be no falsehood in my signature.
You're not even human, are you?
In a contract backed by enforcement power, if you tell a lie, your very existence will be annihilated?"
He hadn't understood at first, but the Great Sage's supplementary explanation made it clear.
Monsters could not lie. That was the fundamental premise he'd been missing from his knowledge.
They were physically incapable of conveying a lie to someone while recognizing it as such. That didn't mean they couldn't deceive anyone, however.
There were other methods — like simply not stating the truth, or presenting only facts to lead someone to a false conclusion.
But openly lying in a formal written contract was impossible.
Ambiguity or deflection was fine, but if you told a public lie in a contract, your existence would cease. This was apparently a universal law among naturally-born monsters.
Monsters born through reproduction had grown somewhat lax about this; some could even lie without consequence.
Goblins, for instance, could apparently lie with ease. On the other hand, higher-ranked monsters — demons being the prime example — were famously bound by contracts once summoned.
Demons could not lie. Despite their reputation for cunning, they were in fact a pure race.
Of course, that very purity was what made them so dangerous — people let their guard down and ended having their souls stolen…
"You don't even know such basic things about monsters? Rimuru, you really are an odd one…"
"Well, I was only just born, you know! Still studying!"
"I see… Well, no matter. I'm recognizing your people as a nation now, so don't go disappearing on me! If you're governing this forest, it'll lead to stability. I'm counting on you!"
"We have no intention of giving up a town we went through all this trouble to build either, so we'll do our best!"
And so, with both signatures written, the agreement officially took effect.
Rimuru still couldn't write every character yet, but he could manage his own name. He'd been taking lessons from anyone who had a free hand when the opportunity arose.
The moment he finished writing his name, the contract paper glowed and split into two separate sheets.
Contract paper processed with Spirit Engineering. The two sheets could be simultaneously burned to nullify the agreement.
But as long as one party remained intact, burning or discarding the other would not void the effect. The burned sheet would simply regenerate back to its original state.
One sheet was burned before their eyes to confirm it was genuine.
The contract was established. This treaty only needed to be known by each nation internally. One side could be made public without issue, but the other needed to remain a secret.
There was no need to announce it to the world.
The Dwarven King accepted one sheet with a satisfied look and said: "Here, take this!"
He produced a fist-sized crystal.
When Rimuru received it: "That's a communication crystal for contacting us. Installation should be within Vester's capabilities.
Use it for emergency communication. Well then, take care!"
With those parting words, he mounted his flying horse.
He cast a brief glance toward Vester: "Vester! Make the most of your time here and devote yourself to research!"
"Y-Your Majesty! This time, I will absolutely live up to your expectations!!!"
The King nodded at that reply: "Well then, farewell!"
And with that, he took flight.
He'd arrived suddenly and departed in a whirlwind.
He truly was a storm of a man.
"Hey,
"Well… He's been ruling for hundreds of years, so he must know what he's doing!
But when I was working in the palace, I never saw him running around like that…"
"Oh well, who am I to talk? I'm not exactly one to judge!"
Right — Rimuru himself would be heading to the human town before long. There was no point saying anything that might limit his own movements.
Brushing the topic aside, the group left the square.
The mediation documents, proof of this national treaty, were stored in Rimuru's stomach compartment. He wasn't about to leave them in a town whose defenses were still incomplete — if they were stolen, that would be no laughing matter.
He had no idea what would happen if they were lost and then regenerated. He wasn't about to conduct that kind of experiment. Best to keep them safe.
And just like that, the treaty with the Dwarven Kingdom was established.
Now then, the Dwarven King had departed, so it was time to address the issue that had been shelved yesterday — just as this thought crossed his mind: "Lord Rimuru, Lord Kaijin, I'm terribly sorry! Would you allow me to work here?"
Vester bowed his head before them.
Now that he mentioned it, this man had almost been the one to trap them in a trap. He'd nearly forgotten that.
"Let me be clear: while you're here, you follow my orders, understood?
Just because you're dealing with monsters doesn't mean you get to look down on anyone. That sort of thing is strictly prohibited! Got it?"
"Of course. I've reflected on my behavior. In truth, it all started with my jealousy toward Lord Kaijin…
I have no intention of making that mistake again!
My desire to throw myself wholeheartedly into the research I love — that is absolutely genuine!"
"I for one would be glad to have another capable researcher around!
If anything comes up, I'll take full responsibility.
Lord Rimuru, trust me on this one — give the guy a chance!"
Kaijin spoke up on Vester's behalf.
The one who'd actually been put in trouble was you, not me, you know…
"Well, if Kaijin vouches for you, I don't have any objections.
Vester, welcome aboard!"
And just like that, Vester joined their ranks.
Vester's inclusion in the group would lead to a major breakthrough in the plan to create specialty products for their town.
————— This was the worst.
Demon Lord Gluriss suppressed yet another sigh in his heart.
He recalled the wry grin on Demon Lord Carrion's face, and a mild surge of anger welled up.
That man had known. No — in this case, it was his own fault for not knowing.
This was the worst.
The fact that the person riding on his back and squealing with delight right now was a Demon Lord — he still couldn't believe it.
The worst.
When they first met, he'd gone and said something like: "What's this, shrimp? No matter how you slice it, using a Demon Lord's name is deeply disrespectful! I'll keep this from Demon Lord Milim, so tell me your real name!"
And the moment he'd said it, he'd been punched into unconsciousness.
Gluriss lamented his fate.
The thing was, when he'd looked at Milim, it had been impossible to see her as a Demon Lord.
Beautiful, lustrous silver hair tied into twin tails, short stature — she looked like nothing more than a child.
It was simply unbelievable that she was one of the strongest beings in existence.
Her face was adorable, but the instant he'd called her "shrimp," her expression had transformed dramatically.
Those wide, bright eyes narrowed into sharp slits, and her puffy lips curled into a cruel smirk.
That was when he'd lost consciousness the first time.
After that, he'd been punched two more times, knocked out repeatedly, and arrived at the present situation.
The other demon, Myuran, maintained her stance of not getting involved.
The worst.
Gluriss reflected on his error. It was common sense that you shouldn't judge a demon by appearances — so how had he made such a beginner's mistake?
Myuran must have known. That fleeting expression she'd shown right before he'd been punched — it was a look of dumbfounded astonishment, as if to say, "What kind of idiot is this?"
He'd have thought the same thing himself, had he known.
This was the worst.
If only — if only she'd given him even a single word of warning…
But then again, hadn't she said that he should absolutely never oppose anyone claiming to be her subordinate?
The idea that Milim wouldn't claim someone as a subordinate, but would instead give her real name — he simply hadn't considered that.
Was it Milim's fault for being too honest? No — saying that now was pointless.
He had learned his lesson.
A demon must never be judged by appearances!
And now, here he was.
Transformed into his wolf form, he was being made to sprint through the forest.
It was only because his body was specialized for recovery that he could endure this at all.
After being beaten black and blue, she'd given the order. Naturally, it never even occurred to him to refuse.
Myuran ran alongside Gluriss. For demons like them, this level of exertion caused no fatigue.
Before long, the three of them arrived at a certain town.
————— Development of the Recovery
Whether it was truly appropriate to call it "development" when the goal was to reduce quality in exchange for greater quantity was debatable.
The question was: could he dilute one Recovery Potion into approximately ten portions, creating a higher-grade Recovery Potion with 98% extraction efficiency and 60% potency?
That was the experiment he'd been running, but diluting with water hadn't worked — it produced an inferior Recovery Potion at only 20%.
Higher quality ingredients apparently boosted the recovery rate by an additional ten percent.
But Vester had made an unexpected discovery.
He'd expressed a desire to see where the Hippokute herbs were cultivated, so Rimuru had guided him to the sealed cave.
Vester had been nervous mounting a Star Wolf for the first time, but he got used to it surprisingly quickly.
And so, guiding Vester into the cave, they were met at the entrance by
After inspecting the cultivation conditions, they'd moved on to the underground lake when— "Lord Rimuru, the high Magicules concentration in this lake is what makes it possible to cultivate the Hippokute herbs, isn't it?
In that case, why don't we try diluting the Recovery Potion not with ordinary water, but with the water from this lake?"
An excellent idea — certainly worth trying!
And so they promptly did just that. A medium-grade Recovery Potion at 40% potency was completed.
Naturally, it was of higher quality — effectively a 50% Recovery Potion.
Wonderful. A resounding success.
After experimenting with the limits of the dilution solvent, they could now produce twenty medium-grade Recovery Potions from a single standard one.
He and Kaijin exchanged a nod and a high-five.
Done.
The first specialty product of the Monster Nation of Tempest.
This was how it came to be.
Vester was having a pleasant time fooling around with Gabiru and the herbs, clearly enjoying himself.
They got along surprisingly well.
"What's this? You two are getting along great. Vester, want me to set up a room for you down here?"
Rimuru had meant it as a joke, but— "Is that really alright?! I actually find the interior of caves very relaxing.
It has the atmosphere of a secret research facility!"
Vester's eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Are you sure about that? B-plus ranked centipede monsters show up in here, you know?"
"Hmm. No problem at all.
As it happens, I've dabbled in sorcery and am something of a capable practitioner!"
Rimuru glanced at Kaijin, who was shaking his head. So it wasn't a lie.
"If you won't regret it, I'll have a room prepared."
"Not a problem at all! Lord Gabiru will be here too!"
Right — with Gabiru around, there'd be nothing to worry about as far as attacks went.
Convinced, Rimuru asked: "Gabiru, can I leave Vester in your care?"
"Leave it to me, sir! I'll be here myself, and I'll assign two subordinates as well!"
Impressive, Gabiru.
The only concern was that he might get carried away, but his abilities had been high from the start.
Lately he'd been showing more composure, and he and Vester seemed to click, so Rimuru decided to trust him.
And so, Vester's research room was established inside the cave.
Dragonewt tribesmen under Gabiru dug out the space, and the resulting room turned out surprisingly comfortable.
It would serve as a laboratory rather than living quarters, but there was no need for residential facilities.
More important was the matter of how Vester would commute between the town and the cave.
While pondering this: "Lord Rimuru, would it be permissible to install a Magic Circle here?
The space on the inside of this door seems to make magic difficult to activate, but outside the door it works just fine.
I'd like to install a Magic Circle in this hall, if I may?"
He wanted to set up a Magic Circle in the very spot where Rimuru had once defeated the Black Serpent.
Apparently, it was a teleportation-type Magic Circle. By inscribing the same pattern at both endpoints, it enabled instant travel between them.
His claim of having dabbled in sorcery didn't seem to be an exaggeration after all. Even Kaijin was surprised — he hadn't known about this.
After making absolutely certain that no monsters would appear in the town, Rimuru gave his approval.
Vester's home in town and the interior of the cave would now be connected by a Magic Circle. With that, the commute problem was solved.
Teleportation Magic Circles — what a convenient invention.
He had Vester teach him the technique immediately, as one might expect.
Gabiru and the others learned it as well, making travel between the town and the cave smooth and effortless.
Vester had proven to be an even more useful man than expected.
He was positively brimming with energy, now that he could devote himself fully to the research he loved.
Rimuru gave him some Recovery Potions and
After being introduced to Kurobei and
This guy was definitely better suited to research than politics.
Rimuru recalled the expression Vester had worn back when he'd been chasing after power — he hadn't looked happy at all.
That kind of thing warps a person.
It really was best to do what you love, as long as it didn't cause trouble for others. Though there was always a catch.
And so, over time, Vester naturally and gradually became one of them.
————— He ceased his meditation and opened his eyes.
The room was dimly lit. It was a suite in a high-end inn within the Dwarven Kingdom.
The kind of establishment the leader of the Shadow Division might use under an alias.
He smiled. It had been a while since he'd had such an interesting experience.
"Your Majesty, how are you feeling?"
A shadow had appeared beside him at some point.
He didn't need to look to know. It was the Shadow Division.
His departure from the palace and arrival here must have caused quite the uproar.
Though, to be fair, having a hundred guards and still losing sight of the person they were supposed to be protecting was simply inexcusable.
They needed to be retrained, he thought.
"No issues!"
A curt reply.
There couldn't possibly be any issues. Even though it had been some time since he'd last performed Soul Possession, it was a technique he was thoroughly familiar with.
He sent a thought to the leader of the Shadow Division.
(You will return to the royal capital, retrieve the flying horse, and melt back into the shadows as usual!)
(Yes! Understood!)
The usual exchange.
His right hand — the leader of the Shadow Division.
The same face, the same Physical Body. The pinnacle of Spirit Engineering, crafted to perfection.
A Synthetic Human.
That was the king's secret alone.
The synchronization rate achieved through Soul Possession with this body was far more precise than what was possible with ordinary people.
This trump card existed to ensure that no harm would ever befall the king.
Dwarven King
Become stronger, you monsters…
With reaction speed alone, that slime had managed to block his wooden sword strike.
Gazel hadn't swung with the intent to parry. He'd been aiming for a direct hit to the head.
And yet — even if a fraction late — the slime had reacted.
How interesting. He thought so from the bottom of his heart.
He didn't know what would come of this treaty they'd signed.
But one thing was certain— Don't disappoint me, slime!
Gazel Dwargo felt a premonition: the era of peace was drawing to a close.