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Inside Kaito's bedroom, the women looked at Rimuru lying on the bed with wide eyes.
"Rimuru has become a Demon Lord?"
Shizue asked Kaito, who was sitting in a chair sipping tea.
"That's right. She's already a Demon Lord, and based on my read of things, setting aside combat experience, her current strength should be considered top-tier even among Demon Lords."
[Eye of Identification]
Rimuru Tempest
Loyalty: 100
Affection: 100
Abilities: [Raphael, Lord of Wisdom], [Beelzebuth, Lord of Gluttony], [Storm King Veldora], [Uriel, Lord of Vows]...
Overall Strength Rating: SS
Kaito looked over the readout and felt a quiet sense of relief settle in his chest. Over a million souls, and not a single one wasted.
In the original anime, Rimuru's strength after becoming an awakened Demon Lord had been S+ at best. Not even SS. But now her combat power had leaped all the way to a level where she could hold her own against Guy Crimson and Milim. She might not win outright, but she wouldn't lose either.
At the SS level, if a fight ever had to reach its conclusion, the world itself would probably go down with it.
Shizue looked at the sleeping beauty on the bed, a soft and fond smile spreading across her lips. Then she turned to Kaito with a meaningful look.
"Hehe, I'm just saying what I genuinely feel."
"After all, who would have thought the little girl who used to cause trouble and run wild all day would one day become a Demon Lord!"
Kaito felt heat creep into his face at that. When it came to causing trouble and running wild, he was hardly innocent either.
The Idle Duo was simply too well known throughout the city. You could walk up to any child on the street and they could tell you exactly who the two members were.
"Hahahaha!"
Kanae, sitting nearby, covered her mouth and laughed, thoroughly enjoying the sight of Kaito being teased.
"Cough, cough. Shizue, I understand. I'll talk to Rimuru about reining it in a little from now on. Yes, I'll have a word with her!"
In his entire response, he didn't mention himself once, as if all the mischief had been Rimuru's doing alone.
Sakuya, standing behind him, pressed a hand gently to her own forehead.
"If at all possible, I really do hope you can rein yourself in a little as well."
"Waking you up every single morning has become the most demanding part of my day."
"Is, is that so? Then I'll..."
Kaito stopped mid-sentence. His expression shifted, turning serious in an instant.
"Sakuya, stay here with Rimuru. I need to step out for something."
Kanae stopped laughing and stood up.
"Did something happen? Should I inform the others?"
"No need. Even if they came, this isn't something they could help with. Don't worry, I can handle it."
He gave everyone in the room a calm, confident smile.
"But if things go truly wrong, get out immediately. Even if the city is destroyed, as long as the people are safe, everything can be rebuilt."
"Do you understand?"
Shizue looked at him with a serious expression, her worry plain to see.
For her, Kaito wasn't just the person who had saved her life. He was someone she had always thought of as a younger brother, just as she had always thought of Rimuru as a younger sister. These two were the people she cared about most now, and she didn't want anything to happen to either of them.
"I will. I promise."
Kaito set aside his smile, gave Shizue a firm nod, and disappeared from the room.
Slime World · Skies Above the City
"Wahahaha! So this is the place! It looks so interesting!"
The pink figure hovered high above the city with her hands on her hips, letting out a bright, carefree laugh as she looked down at everything below.
Whoosh.
Kaito appeared in the sky not far from her.
She noticed him instantly and flashed over, stopping right in front of him.
"Hmm? Are you the one who rules this city?"
Her small, cute face wore a look of genuine curiosity.
Kaito recognized her at a glance.
'Milim Nava. No wonder I felt that much magical energy. Right on schedule, too.'
[Eye of Identification]
Milim Nava
Loyalty: 0
Affection: 63
Abilities: [Satanael, Lord of Wrath], [Magicule Breeder Reactor], [Drago Nova], [Dragon Eye]...
Overall Strength Rating: SS (SS+)
Note: The value in parentheses reflects combat power after activating [Satanael, Lord of Wrath].
Kaito lowered his guard after confirming who she was.
His own strength wasn't something most people could match, but that was precisely the problem. Anyone who could actually give him a real fight was the kind of person who would level the world if they lost control. Compared to those types who were completely wrapped up in their own ambitions, Milim was, in a strange way, the easiest to deal with.
"My, my, if it isn't the Destroyer herself, Milim-sama! What brings you all the way to a little place like ours?"
He beamed at her with a wide, easy smile.
"Huh! You're really strong! And there's another aura in this city that's not the slightest bit weaker than mine!"
Milim swept her senses across the city, clearly picking up on the various powerful presences within it, and let out a noise of surprise.
Though in truth, of everyone in the city, only Kaito standing before her and that one other aura were really worth noting. Still, having so many powerful individuals gathered in one place was something else entirely.
"Hehe, is it against the rules to have a lot of strong people around?"
Milim scratched her cheek and tilted her head.
"Hmm, no, it's not that! It just seems really interesting! How did you even manage it?"
Kaito looked at her, head tilted, practically radiating cuteness, and smiled.
"That's a secret. Anyway, was there something you came here for, Milim?"
Milim grinned.
"I just came to say hello! And to see who it was that ruined Clayman's plan!"
"Clayman?"
Kaito put on a convincingly puzzled expression.
"It's just, it's just, oh no! I've already said too much! Saying any more would break the agreement between Demon Lords! Mmm mmm..."
Milim clapped both hands over her mouth and shook her head frantically.
Kaito watched her and couldn't help but laugh.
"Hahahaha! Alright, if you can't say, I won't push. How about this, would you like to come take a look around our city?"
"Oh, and my name is Kaito. My friends all call me Kai-chan. You can use that too!"
Milim looked at him with a curious, slightly puzzled expression.
"I'm a Demon Lord. Aren't you afraid I'll cause destruction?"
Kaito smiled.
"I think the adorable Milim wouldn't attack a friend's city, would she?"
Milim stared at his open, sincere face. Her gaze dropped, just slightly.
"Friends, huh..."