Meanwhile, the newly awakened Gabiru, amidst his followers' flattery, once again lost himself. He convinced himself that Gobta was the village master, and that his defeat was solely due to Gobta's deceptively foolish appearance causing him to lower his guard.
Subsequently, Gabiru's confidants incessantly derided Rimuru and the others for their underhanded tactics. However, among them, a masked clown had quietly mingled.
Gabiru, belatedly, noticed the clown's presence.
"Who are you!" Gabiru demanded, looking at the clown.
"He's been here from the start!" Gabiru's equally dim-witted confidant stated blankly.
"You are exactly as I heard… a remarkable man. My name is Laplace." Hearing Gabiru's words, Laplace slightly bowed and addressed him.
"Laplace?"
"I am an envoy of Gelmud-sama, come to warn you." Looking at Gabiru, Laplace spoke slowly.
"Oh, an envoy of Gelmud-dono? Your efforts are appreciated. What is Gelmud-dono's warning?" Hearing this, Gabiru was delighted. Gelmud was the one who had bestowed his name, so Gabiru naturally held him in high regard.
"Matters have grown troublesome. This Orc army appears to be genuinely led by the Orc Lord." In response to Gabiru's inquiry, Laplace spun around a few times and informed him of the Orc Lord's existence.
Hearing Laplace's words, Gabiru grew solemn, and his subordinates appeared deeply shocked.
"Though the Lizardman chief is a remarkable man, he is no longer young. Frankly, this matter may prove too troublesome for your father." Looking at Gabiru, Laplace once more provoked him.
"I had intended to succeed as chief after repelling the Orc army. It seems that would be too late." Hearing Laplace's words, Gabiru narrowed his eyes, his ambition to overthrow his father's rule ignited.
"Precisely, precisely!" Hearing Gabiru's words, Laplace nodded with a sinister smile.
Then, brimming with grand ambition, Gabiru hastily took his leave from Laplace.
Watching Gabiru depart, Laplace revealed a mocking smirk. Though claiming to be Gelmud's envoy, Laplace far surpassed Gelmud in both status and strength. Yet they shared the same objective: inciting chaos for personal gain.
Elsewhere, as the Orc army drew ever closer, the Lizardman chief was deeply troubled. The Lizardman princess anxiously inquired of her father.
"We can only defend our city. There is no way to battle two hundred thousand Orcs!" Hearing his daughter's words, the Lizardman chief spoke helplessly.
"Chief! Chief! There is an intruder who wishes to see you!" At that moment, a panicked Lizardman's cry interrupted their thoughts.
"I shall meet him. Bring him in." Hearing his subordinate's words, the Lizardman chief spoke calmly.
"Chief, could this be dangerous?" Hearing her father's words, the princess asked nervously.
"You sense his aura as well, don't you?" Hearing his daughter's words, the Lizardman chief understood her concern. Yet with the Orc threat before him and now a powerful intruder, he could only adopt a wait-and-see approach.
Then, as the Lizardmen stood on guard, Souei calmly and openly walked in through the passage.
"Apologies, we are currently occupied with a crisis and cannot properly receive you." Looking at Souei, the Lizardman chief spoke courteously. Unlike his foolhardy son Gabiru, he possessed basic perception of strength and reverence for the powerful.
"No need for formalities. I am merely an envoy, here only to convey my master's intentions." Hearing the Lizardman chief's words, Souei spoke calmly.
Hearing Souei's words, the Lizardman chief paused, then gestured for everyone to slightly lower their guard. He directly inquired, "Then, what is your business?"
"My master cannot bear to see the Lizardmen senselessly sacrificed to the Orcs. Thus, he instructs me to inform you that you may temporarily evacuate Lake Siss. My master can offer you simple sanctuary." Hearing his words, Souei spoke calmly.
"Evacuate? Sanctuary? Forgive me, but I do not know your master." Hearing Souei's words, the Lizardman chief frowned and directly responded.
Faced with a stranger who suddenly appeared and offered sanctuary to his entire tribe, the Lizardman chief naturally suspected ulterior motives.
Though the two hundred thousand Orcs rendered Lizardman victory impossible, with the wetlands as cover, they could potentially survive a defensive stand.
Evacuation, however, if they encountered the Orc army, was certain death. Thus, he could not rashly accept Souei's proposal.
"My master is Rimuru Tempest. The commander of this Orc army is the Orc Lord. Your Lizardmen have zero chance of victory against him." Looking at the Lizardman chief, Souei stated bluntly.
"The Orc Lord... while possible, what is your evidence?" Hearing Souei's words, the Lizardman chief deeply furrowed his brow.
"The Treant has confirmed the Orc Lord's existence. Although the Orc Lord is the quarry of Takeru-sama, a friend of my master, Rimuru-sama, the timing of Takeru-sama's intervention is uncertain. My master, unwilling to see unnecessary casualties, has sent me to inform you."
"What? The forest's guardian has confirmed this? And Rimuru... and Takeru..." Hearing Souei's words, the Lizardman chief was at a loss.
"Hmph, Rimuru? Takeru? Never heard of them. This one's probably also scared of the Orcs and came crying to us! Why not just honestly ask for help!" At this moment, one guard could no longer restrain himself and mockingly addressed Souei.
"Silence! Hold your tongue!" Hearing the guard's words, the Lizardman chief spoke calmly.
Regardless of the veracity of Souei's claims, Souei himself was undeniably a powerful being. The Lizardman chief was not his simpleton son, Gabiru.
"C-chief, such an attitude will make us appear weak..." The guard attempted to continue, but a special thread wrapped around his neck. Blood rapidly seeped out, and at the slightest movement, his head would fall.
"Please wait! I apologize for my kinsman's rudeness. Can you forgive him? As for evacuation, I must respectfully decline. This territory has been ruled by the Lizardman tribe for generations. We cannot simply abandon it." Hearing Souei's actions, the Lizardman chief stood and spoke earnestly.
"As I expected. I understand. Then let me phrase it differently. My master wishes to form an alliance with the Lizardmen. Since you are unwilling to evacuate, this place will inevitably become the center of the battle. In that case, our master will also come here."
Releasing the insolent Lizardman guard, Souei again spoke calmly.
"An alliance? You are proposing an equal partnership, are you not?" Seeing his guard's life spared, the Lizardman chief inquired again.
"Yes." Hearing his words, Souei nodded calmly.
"Judging by your aura, you are likely from the Ogre tribe dwelling in the southwest?" Subsequently, the Lizardman chief grew curious about Souei's identity.
"No longer. I have received the name Souei bestowed by my master and have evolved into a Kijin."
"Kijin? The high-ranking race that occasionally emerges from the Ogre tribe!" Hearing his words, the Lizardman princess appeared somewhat shocked.
"Then, your master who bestowed your name... is an even more powerful existence? And what of your master's friend?" Hearing Souei's words, the Lizardman chief again inquired nervously.
Faced with this situation, with such a powerful individual proposing an alliance, he had no reason to refuse. Yet the Lizardman chief still harbored immense doubt: would someone truly risk great danger to assist complete strangers?
"You named Souei. I have one condition."
"Speak it."
"I wish to meet your master, Rimuru Tempest." Uncertain of everything, he would see for himself.
"Understood. We shall prepare and rendezvous here in seven days. At that time, please witness for yourself. Until then, please refrain from hastily declaring war." Hearing his words, Souei directly nodded.
"I understand."
"Then I take my leave." Having secured the Lizardman chief's promise, Souei turned and departed.
As Souei left, the Lizardman chief slumped wearily upon his throne.