About half an hour earlier, while Rimuru was still enjoying a relaxed breakfast with his family and friends, King Gazel sat at ease in one of Tempest's lavish lounges, slowly savoring his tea as he carried on an easygoing conversation with Blumund's royal couple, Drum and Virelle.
"King Drum, to be honest, I'm a little surprised to see you here," Gazel admitted after a moment, turning his head to study the plump king beside him with a thoughtful, probing look. "Word reached me that things got rather chaotic in your kingdom not long ago. For you to leave at a time like this, I can only assume the situation has finally been brought under control."
"Thank you for your concern, King Gazel. And yes, the situation has been handled properly," Virelle replied, offering a strained smile that failed to reach her eyes, and who could blame her, after all, the events of the past week were still fresh in her mind.
A week earlier, the moment Rimuru dropped the bombshell that five of their kingdom's noble families had been acting as traitors and secretly feeding information to the Western Council and Falmuth, both Drum and Virelle rushed back to Blumund without even taking a break along the way. The moment they arrived, they wasted no time setting everything into motion, launching a full-scale cleanup operation as they worked to root out the rot before it could spread any further.
The first thing they needed was a list of names, and surprisingly, that part came easier than expected. Once the Intelligence Department began digging into the noble families' finances and putting pressure on their servants, the truth started spilling out faster than anyone anticipated, and secrets that had been carefully buried came to light one after another. Within just twenty-four hours, all five families involved in the conspiracy had been identified. With their betrayal laid bare, there was no room left for excuses. The culprits were dealt with quickly and without mercy, and every bit of wealth they had amassed through their dirty dealings was seized and absorbed into the national treasury.
Of course, all of it was handled behind tightly closed doors, kept as quiet as possible to avoid throwing the entire kingdom into chaos. After all, panic was the last thing they needed on top of everything else. That was also why only those directly responsible were punished instead of erasing the noble houses completely. The families themselves were allowed to retain their titles, but under strict regulations and constant oversight that stripped away most of their actual authority, leaving them nobles more in name than in any real sense of power.
Naturally, that decision did not sit well with everyone. Resentment simmered beneath the surface within those households, but the more sensible members of those families were quick to shut down any reckless thoughts before they could grow into something dangerous. Given how deep the betrayal had run, the fact that they were still alive and still held their titles was already more mercy than they had any right to expect, and they knew better than to push their luck any further.
"Hmm... that's good," Gazel said with a thoughtful nod, deciding to leave it at that instead of pressing further. He already had a fairly clear picture of what had unfolded within Blumund's borders, and after cross-checking it with the reports from his own network of spies, his opinion of the plump king sitting before him in a much more favorable light. Drum might not have looked particularly imposing at first glance, but the way he had handled the situation spoke volumes, and Gazel appreciated decisive and resolute men, especially those in positions of power.
Before they could continue their conversation, the lounge door opened, drawing everyone's attention as the sovereign of the Kingdom of Raja, Queen Towa, stepped inside. She paused just inside the doorway for a brief moment, her eyes calmly sweeping across the room as she took stock of the guests who had already gathered. Only after that quiet assessment did she move, walking forward with smooth, unhurried steps, toward an open seat and settling into it, positioning herself across from the two kings and the queen.
"Hello, King Gazel, King Drum, and Queen Virelle. It is a pleasure to meet you," Towa greeted them with a warm, composed smile.
"The pleasure is ours, Queen Towa," Virelle replied at once, returning the smile with one of her own, while Drum gave a respectful nod beside her.
"Queen Towa, I'm glad to see you in good health," Gazel added, his tone measured and formal, maintaining the proper decorum expected of a king despite the fact that they shared a familial connection.
"Yes, the past two months have been quite fortunate for me," Towa said with a bright, genuinely pleased smile. "Ever since Raja became a vassal state of Tempest, our kingdom has prospered beyond anything we could have imagined."
The moment those words left her mouth, a stunned silence settled over the lounge. The other three royals stared at her, eyes wide, completely caught off guard. Drum and Virelle were not hit quite as hard since they had already heard hints of this from Rimuru, but hearing it spoken so plainly by Queen Towa herself still made their expressions stiffen in surprise.
Gazel, however, was hearing this for the very first time. "When did Raja become a vassal nation!?" he blurted out, nearly losing the composure he prided himself on. The sheer shock of it made it hard to keep his reaction in check. His mind raced, trying to make sense of what he had just heard. His own spies had reported nothing, not even a hint of such a major development, and while his intelligence network might not rival Blumund's, they were definitely not incompetent enough to completely miss something this huge.
"Well, it has been two months since we received Lord Rimuru's blessing," Towa explained calmly, completely unfazed by his reaction. "It happened shortly after he helped us resolve the issue with the cursed lake and brought an end to the conflict with the Kingdom of Astoria."
"I see..." Gazel muttered under his breath, though it was clear he was still struggling to fully process it. The realization that something of this scale had happened without his knowledge sat uncomfortably with him. His first instinct was to question whether his intelligence network had somehow failed him, but the more he turned it over in his mind, the more that idea lost weight. This wasn't a lapse on his people's part. This was Rimuru deliberately keeping everything tightly controlled, revealing nothing until Tempest was ready to present itself as a proper sovereign nation. Even understanding that, the level of control involved was impressive and almost unsettling. It left Gazel caught between genuine admiration for the blue-haired ruler's capability and a quiet, lingering unease that he could not quite shake as a fellow king.
"Queen Towa, if you don't mind, could you tell us more about the state of your nation after becoming a vassal?" Virelle asked, leaning forward with clear curiosity. After all, both she and Drum had received the same offer from Rimuru, and hearing firsthand how things had changed in Raja from its queen was invaluable. It could very well shape how they approached their own decision.
"It has been a wonderful experience so far, and honestly, it has taken a huge weight off my shoulders," Towa said with a soft, pleasant smile while her posture relaxed as she spoke. "The changes they have brought to my kingdom are nothing short of miraculous. Advanced farming methods that have nearly doubled our yields, along with simple tools that even common farmers can use without difficulty. A new education system that does not only focus on children, but also gives adults the chance to learn and improve their lives. Improved military training, along with high-grade equipment that far surpasses anything we used to have. New roads, stronger homes that can withstand harsh weather, safer infrastructure across the board, and..." Her voice trailed off as she caught herself mid-sentence, her cheeks turning a faint shade of pink as she realized how carried away she had become. "Forgive me, I got a little carried away," she added with a small, embarrassed chuckle.
"There is nothing to be embarrassed about, Queen Towa. Your excitement only shows how much you care about your nation and its people," Drum said warmly, offering her a reassuring smile. "Anyway, getting back to it... how did your people react to all these sudden changes, and to the fact that you've been vassalized by..." He hesitated, his words faltering as he trailed off, clearly uncomfortable with finishing that thought out loud.
"That we've been vassalized by a nation of monsters?" Towa finished for him smoothly, without a hint of offense in her voice, while Drum responded with a slow nod and a somewhat awkward smile, silently grateful that she had said it for him. "Hmm... well, the situation in my kingdom was a bit different from what you might expect. Since Lord Rimuru had already helped us through a major crisis, the people had formed a surprisingly positive impression of him. Because of that, convincing them to accept the vassalization was not nearly as difficult as one might think," she explained, resting her chin lightly against her fist as she spoke. "Of course, there were skeptics who questioned whether this was truly the right path for Raja and its future. That much is unavoidable. But once their stomachs were full, once the cold winds stopped slipping through the cracks in their homes, and once their children were finally given a real chance at a future that did not involve breaking their backs in the mines or risking their lives as adventurers... those skeptics shut their mouths pretty damn fast."
Then the warm smile on her lips slowly faded, replaced by a sharp, dangerous glint that shifted the atmosphere in the room almost instantly. Her eyes hardened as that same dangerous light flickered within them, and her presence grew noticeably heavier. "Unfortunately, no matter how much you give, no matter how much you improve their lives, no matter how much patience or kindness you show, there will always be a handful of fools who insist on causing trouble. Just like rodents chewing through the very granary they depend on." She lifted her chin and looked directly at the other monarchs, her gaze cold and unyielding. "That is why those rodents were removed permanently, before they had the chance to poison the grain... or cause even the slightest inconvenience to Lord Rimuru."
Once again, a heavy silence settled over the room as the three rulers stared at Towa, genuinely taken aback by the glimpse of steel beneath the seemingly sweet and gentle young queen.
"Towa... you've certainly changed a lot..." Gazel said, a complicated look in his eyes as her words kept echoing in his mind. Ruthless, decisive, unwavering. It was the kind of mindset a ruler needed to survive, something he himself understood better than most. And yet, for someone who had known her for years, who had seen her just two months ago as she was back then, the sheer speed of that transformation was difficult to fully accept.
"Yes, I have," Towa replied calmly, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear as she met his gaze without hesitation, clearly understanding what he was trying to say without him needing to spell it out. "Everything that happened with the Kingdom of Astoria and the cursed lake... it forced me to see things differently. I realized that when a ruler cannot bring themselves to make the hard decisions, it is the citizens who end up paying the price for that hesitation."
"Well... you're not wrong," Gazel admitted after a brief pause, letting out a slow breath as he leaned back slightly in his seat. There was no point in denying it. As unsettling as her words were, he couldn't come up with a single argument against them. After all, even he knew that if it came down to it, he would choose the greater good of his nation over a handful of troublemakers.
Just then, the lounge door opened again, and this time the reaction was instant. Everyone snapped to attention, their eyes widening in unison as they rose from their seats when Queen Frey of the Harpy Queendom of Fulbrosia stepped into the room with effortless grace and confidence. Her sharp gaze swept across the gathered royals, taking in every detail in a single glance before she moved forward without hesitation. Reaching an empty seat beside Towa, she lowered herself into it with practiced elegance, crossing one leg over the other, and only then did she speak.
"Well, while I do appreciate the respect, there's no need to stand on ceremony, after all, I'm also a guest of Rimuru-sama, just like the rest of you," Frey said with a light chuckle, clearly entertained by their stiff reactions.
Hearing that, the others quickly snapped back to their senses, the tension easing just enough for them to sit back down as they realized she was right. They had all been invited here by Rimuru, so there was very little chance that Frey, despite being one of the Ten Great Demon Lords, would actually do anything that lived up to her title and risk upsetting their host.
"Queen Frey, it's a pleasure to see you," Gazel said, stepping in before anyone else could speak, hoping to ease the tension that had settled over the room, while the rest of the guests followed his lead and introduced themselves one by one. Once the introductions were out of the way, Gazel continued. "However, I must admit, I'm quite surprised to see someone of your status attending this event," he added, since as far as he knew, Rimuru was not part of the Demon Lords, so the sudden appearance of the Harpy Queen had caught him completely off guard.
"Oh? And why is that? Do you believe I am not qualified to be here, or to receive an invitation from that man?" Frey asked, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly as they locked onto the Dwarf King as she let a hint of a Demon Lord's Haki seep into the room.
'What is this pressure!?' Gazel's eyes widened, and a cold sweat broke out across his skin almost instantly as an invisible force pressed down on him, crushing and suffocating in its intensity. It felt like the very air had grown heavy, squeezing him from every direction. 'Is the gap between the Demon Lords and the rest of us really this wide!?' he thought as he released his own Hero's Haki, pushing back against her overwhelming presence.
What Gazel did not realize was that the massive gap in strength he was experiencing stemmed almost entirely from Frey's recent evolution. After receiving a new Ultimate Skill from Rimuru and ascending into a True Demon Lord, her very existence had risen to an entirely different level. She was no longer the same being he might have measured himself against in the past. If this had happened before the Charybdis incident, things would have been very different. Back then, Gazel, with his mastery of the sword and his standing as a Sword Saint, would have been a genuine threat to her, and depending on the circumstances, there was a real chance he could have come out on top.
Back in the present, as Gazel and Frey's auras pressed against each other, Drum, Virelle, and Towa could only sit there, uneasily shifting their gazes between the two. As ordinary humans, they could not perceive the haki being released by either Gazel or Frey, but they could still sense how the atmosphere in the room was dropping low while tension was rising alongside it.
Before things could escalate any further, Gazel made a conscious decision to pull back his haki. "Ah, forgive me, Queen Frey, I didn't mean it like that," he said, meeting her gaze directly. His words were polite, but there was a firm resolve in his eyes that made it clear he wouldn't back down if she pushed things any further.
Much to his relief, Frey withdrew her own haki soon after and leaned back against the couch as if nothing had happened. "Don't worry, King Gazel, it was just a jest," she said with an easy smile. Even so, both of them knew she had been testing the so-called famed dwarf king. "And as for your question, yes, it would have been strange for me to attend this occasion if not for the fact that Fulbrosia has sworn its loyalty to Rimuru-sama."
The moment those words left her mouth, the room fell completely silent once more. The other four occupants could only stare at her, stunned into speechlessness, and for a few long seconds, no one even attempted to respond.
After all, it was one thing for the Kingdom of Raja to submit to Rimuru and Tempest. That decision, while surprising at first, could still be understood when looked at from a practical standpoint. Raja was a human-led nation with limited military strength and no exceptional individuals capable of standing against major threats. In a world filled with powerful beings and unpredictable dangers, seeking protection from a rising force like Tempest, even if it was a monster nation, was a logical move. For Queen Towa, it had been a calculated decision, one made for the survival and future of her people.
However, this was an entirely different matter when it came to the Harpy Queendom of Fulbrosia. Unlike Raja, Fulbrosia was ruled by one of the Ten Great Demon Lords, Frey, a figure infamous across the world, who alone served as a powerful deterrent against any would-be invaders. On top of that, Fulbrosia was not some young or fragile nation. It had a long and established history that stretched back far beyond many human kingdoms like Raja or Blumund. It was a nation with deep roots, hidden strengths, and a well-trained military force, and combined with the natural advantage of the surrounding mountain ranges that only the harpies could truly navigate with ease, it was a stronghold that few would dare to challenge.
That was exactly why Gazel and the others were so shaken by what they had just heard. Fulbrosia was a powerful, stable kingdom with no real need to bow to anyone, yet it had chosen to do so anyway. The idea that such a nation would willingly pledge its loyalty to Tempest, a country that had not even been formally recognized on the world stage, was nothing short of shocking, and it left them all wondering just what kind of magic Rimuru had worked on the harpy queen.
"Queen Frey, if you don't mind, could you tell us what led you to take such a step?" Towa asked, though she sounded more curious than shocked, given that she had made a similar choice herself.
"That is not a problem. The details will be made public soon enough anyway," Frey replied before going on to recount the entire Charybdis incident, along with Rimuru's role in saving her nation. She also made sure to mention how effortlessly he defeated the calamity-class beast, as well as the benefits she had been promised after bringing Fulbrosia under Tempest's banner.
"Ah, I see. No wonder you chose to entrust your future to Rimuru-sama. In that sense, we really are quite similar," Towa said with a gentle, almost fond smile. Frey's brow lifted slightly at that, a silent prompt for her to elaborate, and Towa did just that. She spoke of the hardship that had plagued her kingdom, the looming threat of war, and how Rimuru had stepped in, not only purifying the cursed lake that had plagued their land but also eliminating the threat that had been hanging over them for so long, giving Raja a chance to breathe again.
"I understand now. You were right, Queen Towa. From a certain perspective, we might be considered kindred spirits," Frey said, a soft smile touching her lips. "And I take it you do not regret your decision."
"Not at all, Queen Frey," Towa replied, her smile widening just a little, the answer coming without even a hint of hesitation. "If anything, my kingdom is advancing so quickly that even I sometimes struggle to keep up with it."
While Towa and Frey continued their conversation, Drum and Virelle listened intently, their attention fully drawn in as the two queens spoke in detail about the benefits their nations had received from Tempest. Each point only made the offer they had been given seem more appealing, more tangible. Before long, the couple found themselves exchanging another quiet glance, carefully weighing the opportunity Rimuru had placed in front of them and what it could mean for the future of Blumund.
Gazel, meanwhile, was growing increasingly uneasy. He did not miss that brief exchange between the Blumund royals, and it did not take much effort for him to figure out where their thoughts were heading. That realization stirred something uncomfortable in his chest, and a troubling idea slowly began to take shape in his mind. For a moment, he found himself wondering if this entire gathering had been arranged with a specific purpose in mind. Was this meant to be a subtle form of pressure, a way to surround him with examples until he felt compelled to follow the same path as the others?
However, before his thoughts could spiral any further, the lounge door opened once again, and Shuna stepped inside, carrying herself with her usual calm and composed grace. "Esteemed guests, I apologize for the delay, but we will not keep you waiting any longer. Please follow me, Rimuru-sama is ready to receive you."
******
"Welcome, and thank you for coming to this auspicious occasion," Rimuru greeted them with an easy, welcoming smile as everyone took their seats around the circular table, each person facing one another. "However, before we begin, there is one more person who will be joining us," he added, and almost on cue, the door to his right slid open. A moment later, Shizu walked in before gracefully taking the seat beside him. Rimuru's smile softened slightly as he gestured toward her. "Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce my life partner and the love of my life, Shizu Izawa Tempest."
"Hello, everyone, it's a pleasure to meet you," Shizu greeted them politely, inclining her head a little in greeting. Then her expression warmed almost immediately when her eyes landed on Towa. "And Towa, it's nice to see you again."
"Yes! It's lovely to see you!" Towa replied as her face lit up with genuine enthusiasm. "Also, how is your..." she began, clearly about to ask about Shizu's pregnancy, but she caught herself mid-sentence when Shizu gave her a subtle shake of her head. "...life. How is your life going?" she added, stammering slightly as she tried to recover without making a fool of herself.
"It's going great," Shizu said with a soft, amused chuckle, clearly finding Towa's awkward, flustered recovery endearing. She let the moment pass without drawing attention to it and smoothly continued, exchanging polite greetings with Drum and Virelle before turning her attention to Gazel. "King Gazel, I believe this is our second meeting, if I am not mistaken."
"Indeed, Miss Tempest. It was a few years ago when you completed a particularly troublesome commission for us," Gazel said, nodding slightly as he recalled the incident with a particularly elusive demon that had been terrorizing the outer regions of Dwargon. Since it wasn't feasible for him to leave his duties and pursue it himself, they had hired the Legendary Hero, the Conqueror of Flames, and she did not disappoint, resolving the problem within three days.
"Ah, yes, the good old days," Shizu said with a soft sigh, her voice carrying a touch of nostalgia as she remembered her adventuring days. Still, if anyone asked her now whether she wanted to return as the Conqueror of Flames, she would refuse without a second thought.
"By the way, Miss Tempest, it is quite a surprise to see you well and... alive," Gazel said, hesitating slightly as he glanced at Rimuru to gauge his reaction. To his relief, the blue-haired man did not seem offended. "What I mean is that there have been rather widespread rumors of your death circulating throughout the Western Nations, particularly within the Free Guild."
"Ah, well, the rumors of my death were greatly exaggerated, and as you can see, I am very much alive and doing quite well," Shizu replied, a faint smile playing on her lips as she briefly glanced at Rimuru before returning her attention to Gazel. "However, I would truly appreciate it if this information remains within this room for the time being. As you can imagine, there is a reason those rumors exist, and the time will come for me to make my return."
"Of course, of course, do not worry. You have my word, Miss Tempest, your secret is safe with us," Gazel said sincerely, while Blumund's royal couple voiced their agreement.
"Thank you," Shizu said with a gentle smile before turning her attention to the final person at the table. "And you must be Queen Frey. I have heard a few things about you from my husband."
"Oh, I hope it's all good things," Frey replied smoothly, letting out a soft, refined laugh as she lifted a hand to her lips. 'Heh, so this is the wife Rimuru-sama mentioned back then? A mere human as the head wife of that incredible existence? How foolish. It seems it would be much easier for a queen like me to take that top spot,' she thought to herself, hiding the mockery in her heart behind a perfectly pleasant smile.
Or so she thought...
'Does she really think that mockery and that superiority complex don't show on her face? And let me guess, she's after my position as the head wife... how amusing. It might actually be fun to see how far you can go before you realize there's no one in this world who can take my place in Rimuru's heart,' Shizu thought to herself before saying, "Of course, it's all good. After all, Rimuru doesn't have a habit of badmouthing people behind their backs," as she laughed along with Frey while already considering just how entertaining it might be to toy with the Harpy Queen a little.
"Well, now that the introductions and pleasantries are out of the way, let's focus on the objective of today's gathering," Rimuru began again once Shizu had been properly introduced to everyone as his golden eyes moved from one guest to another. "However, before we get into that, since we're all here, does anyone have any thoughts or proposals they'd like to put forward?" he added, giving them the space to speak first.
A brief silence settled over the table as the others exchanged glances, each weighing whether to speak up before Frey took the lead. "In that case, Rimuru-sama, I have made a decision. Instead of becoming a vassal state, Fulbrosia would like to become a part of Tempest and exist as one of its cities."
"What!?" Gazel, Towa, Drum, and Virelle all snapped their heads toward the Harpy Queen, shock clearly written across their faces as the weight of her words sank in. This was not some simple declaration of allegiance. What Frey had just proposed was the complete surrender of Fulbrosia's sovereignty, dissolving it into Tempest as nothing more than another city. It was a far more drastic step than becoming a vassal state, and the sheer scale of it left them completely stunned.
"You all make some amusing expressions," Frey scoffed, her lips curling into a faint, knowing smile as she looked around the table, clearly entertained by their reactions. "Do not take me for a fool, I know exactly what I am doing. In fact, I have been considering this ever since Lord Rimuru explained the benefits of becoming a vassal state to me. And then it struck me, if we are going to serve under him anyway, why cling to the illusion of independence? Why not dissolve the nation entirely and become a part of Lord Rimuru's empire? It would be far more efficient without needing to worry about taxes or dividing resources when everything would ultimately belong to him regardless."
Truth be told, Frey had grown tired of ruling Fulbrosia over the past few decades. What had once been a position of pride had slowly turned into a constant burden she could never truly set aside. Even so, she had endured it because she had no real choice. As the ruler, she had to uphold her authority, maintain her prestige, and act as its shield against the outside world. But the recent incident with Charybdis had pushed her to her limit, leaving her mentally and physically drained to the point where it felt like the stress alone might turn her hair gray. More importantly, it had forced her to confront a truth she could no longer ignore. She was not as powerful as she had believed. Compared to the forces now gathering under Rimuru, she had been completely outmatched, to the point where even his subordinates could have easily wiped the floor with her.
That realization was what led her to make this decision. Now that Rimuru had entered the picture and granted her new strength, she saw an opportunity she had never had before. She was more than willing to step back from the throne and focus entirely on growing stronger, leaving the management of Fulbrosia in Rimuru's hands. More importantly, it allowed her to redirect all of her time and energy toward what truly mattered to her now. No more wasting effort on tedious political games, no more stressing over decisions that drained her. Instead, she could devote herself fully to pushing her abilities to their absolute limit and pursuing a far more personal goal. That goal being to overthrow Shizu and claim the position of Rimuru's head wife for herself.
"Frey, are you sure about this? Have you really thought it through?" Rimuru asked, looking directly at the Harpy Queen.
"Indeed, Rimuru-sama. I never act without thinking things through carefully," Frey replied without missing a beat, in a firm and unwavering voice.
"Very well. In that case, I will accept your proposal, but we can go over the details later," Rimuru said after a brief pause, giving a small nod as he reached his decision. Frey returned the gesture calmly, though a quiet sense of relief settled in as her declaration went through without any unexpected twists.
Truth be told, her bold move had completely caught him off guard, but it was not a bad development. Watching someone as proud as Frey willingly hand over her nation sent a powerful message, one that was not lost on the others in the room. It neatly planted the idea in others' minds as well, especially Gazel, whom Rimuru knew would be a tough cookie to crack when it came to his goal of achieving a mostly peaceful world domination.
Once things with Frey were settled, Towa took the opportunity to speak. "Rimuru-sama, the negotiations with the Astoria Kingdom are finally complete, and they have agreed to serve under you just like Raja," she said with a small, satisfied smile. "In return, all of their troops, along with the first prince, have been released from captivity and allowed to return home," she continued, though her expression soon shifted and a hint of unease crossed her face. "As for the younger prince... his attitude never changed over these past few months. He remained fixated on avenging his father, no matter what was said to him. In the end, his own mother, the queen of the Astoria Kingdom, who personally came to negotiate on their behalf, disowned him. She stated that she no longer had any connection to him and that we were free to do whatever we deemed necessary."
"Wow, this queen sounds quite level-headed and wise. Maybe she should have been leading their nation from the very beginning," Rimuru said with a light chuckle, not sounding particularly surprised, as if he had already been briefed by his people on the situation Towa was describing.
"She really is. I had quite an enjoyable time speaking with her," Towa replied with a soft, appreciative smile before her expression turned serious. "Rimuru-sama, the decision Queen Frey just made... I think, at least on a personal level, I would like to do the same," she admitted honestly while her words caused Gazel's eyes to widen yet again as he turned sharply toward her. "However, please forgive me, as I cannot make that decision right away. I need to consider how my people would respond before taking such a step. It is not something I can decide on my own."
At that moment, Towa could not help but feel a flicker of envy toward Frey. The Harpy Queen ruled with absolute authority and could make sweeping decisions without having to justify them to anyone. There was a certain simplicity to that kind of power, a freedom that Towa herself did not have. Unfortunately, things were not so simple for her. She had to weigh countless factors before making a decision like that and could not afford to act on instinct alone, no matter how appealing the idea might seem.
"Don't worry, Towa, you have all the time you need," Shizu said, offering her an encouraging smile. "And if you ever need help, you can come to me anytime."
"Thank you, Shizu," Towa replied with a warm smile. For someone like her, a young girl forced to grow up too quickly for the sake of her kingdom, even simple words like those were enough to touch her heart.
"Rimuru-sama, we finally have an answer to your proposal." Seeing that Towa had finished, Drum took the opportunity to speak. He glanced briefly at Virelle, and she gave a small nod before continuing in his place. "After a great deal of discussion and consideration, we have decided that we would like to become a vassal state of Tempest, if that is acceptable, of course," she added while Gazel sat quietly to the side, looking like he had just about had enough of everything that had happened in this room.
"Of course, that's not a problem, but I was thinking we should wait about half a year before making it official," Rimuru replied, and almost immediately, Drum and Virelle's expressions faltered, caught off guard by his response. He noticed it right away and raised a hand slightly, signaling them to hear him out. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not retracting my offer, but the timing just isn't right," he continued while tapping his fingers lightly against the table in thought. "Your people still view monsters as dangerous. There's no way they'd accept being vassalized by Tempest right now. So for the time being, you'll recognize us as an independent sovereign state alongside Dwargon, Raja, and Fulbrosia, and we'll establish a formal treaty between our nations. Then, once your people start seeing the kind of development we bring to Raja, they'll slowly become more open to the idea on their own."
"Ah, I see," Drum said, scratching the back of his head with a sheepish, slightly embarrassed smile. "With everything going on in our kingdom lately, we didn't really think that far ahead."
"It's alright, King Drum. It happens to the best of us," Rimuru said with an easy chuckle, brushing it off without any hint of judgment. "So, does this arrangement work for you?" he asked, as Drum and Virelle exchanged another quick glance, silently confirming their thoughts before nodding together in agreement.
"Good," Rimuru said with a satisfied nod before shifting his attention to the one person who had remained unusually quiet throughout all of this. His eyes settled on the Dwarf King, and a faint smirk tugged at his lips. "So, Gazel, got something on your mind?" he asked.
"Rimuru, I'm not handing over my nation, so don't even think about it," Gazel said with a tired sigh, rubbing his temple as if he already knew where this conversation might head and wanted to shut it down before it even began.
"What are you talking about, Gazel? I would never force you to do that," Rimuru replied, flashing him a bright, sunny smile that, from Gazel's perspective, looked far more like the grin of a devil in Gazel's eyes.
"Anyway, I do want to discuss some trade and research agreements with you, but that can wait," Gazel continued, clearly steering the conversation back onto safer ground while keeping a cautious eye on him.
"Sure, in that case," Rimuru said smoothly, letting out a small, amused chuckle. Then, with a casual motion, he produced a document and placed it at the center of the table, drawing everyone's attention. "I, Rimuru Tempest, in the presence of four sovereign nations," he continued, as Gazel, Drum, Towa, and Frey stepped forward one by one to sign their names, silently acknowledging what was about to be declared, "...declare Tempest an independent sovereign nation!"
To be continued...