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"Your shop is being sealed as of today. Here's the sealing order!"
A law enforcement officer from the Jura Tempest Federation in the Pirate World thrust a sealing order forward and addressed the owner standing before him.
"Huh? Why are you sealing it again? I came all the way to this world to open a shop!"
The bald shop owner stared at the sealing order in disbelief.
"Your shop is suspected of operating a gambling establishment. Per orders from the highest level, it is to be sealed immediately."
The officer delivered the explanation with a grave expression.
At the words highest level, the pachinko parlor owner went pale.
That meant no one could help him. No one at all.
He was on the verge of tears. Why did the highest level have to come after his tiny little pachinko parlor? Did they have nothing better to do?
Who did this to me? he raged inwardly. I curse you to lose every gamble you ever make for the rest of your life!
"Achoo!"
At that very moment, Kaito, who was finishing his preparations to depart for Walpurgis, the Banquet of the Demon Lords, sneezed out of nowhere.
"Kai-chan, are you not feeling well? Why are you sneezing?"
Rimuru, standing beside him, looked over with a concerned expression.
"Don't be ridiculous. What kind of person do you think I am? I don't get sick. Someone out there must be cursing me."
Kaito gave a confident nod, as though the conclusion were obvious.
"Maybe it's because you've offended too many people, Kai-chan. Someone's probably bad-mouthing you right now."
Kaito scoffed.
"Are you kidding? Are any of the people I've offended still alive? They're all dead! I have yet to meet a single person who crossed me and lived to tell about it."
Rimuru listened in speechless silence to his self-aggrandizing declaration. All those who offended him are dead?
Would you dare say that in front of Shizu-nee?
"Alright, alright, you're amazing. Now let's go."
Rimuru said it in the most perfunctory tone possible and turned toward the portal ahead.
The two of them stepped through together, Sakuya and Grayfia following close behind, and in an instant they arrived in an alternate dimension.
The enormous round table was already full. Every pair of eyes in the room turned to fix on Kaito and Rimuru the moment they entered.
"Yo!"
Kaito caught the collective stare, put on his most familiar grin, and threw up a hand in greeting.
"That must be her. The one who killed Clayman."
Frey, the Sky Queen, rested a finger against her cheek, a playful smile curling her lips.
"Indeed it is. I didn't expect Guy Crimson to invite her to Walpurgis."
Carrion, the Lion King and leader of the Animal Kingdom, replied with a broad, hearty grin.
"That's right, I invited them. Their strength more than qualifies them to stand among the Demon Lords."
Guy Crimson sat with his legs crossed, his expression composed and serious.
"If Guy Crimson says they're qualified, I have no objections."
Leon Cromwell was the first to second the proposal.
"Good. Any further opinions can be raised in due course. For now, please take your seats."
The moment Guy Crimson finished speaking, the table expanded on its own, and two adjacent chairs appeared beside it as if conjured from thin air.
Kaito wasted no time. He strode over and settled in, pulling Rimuru along with him, while Sakuya and Grayfia took up their positions standing behind them.
"Then let the banquet officially begin."
Guy Crimson gave a slight nod toward Misery, the Primordial Green, who stood nearby in her maid uniform.
"Allow me to introduce the attendees!"
"Demon Race, Dark Emperor, Guy Crimson-sama!"
"Fairy Race, Labyrinth Lord, Ramiris-sama!"
"Dragonoid, Destroyer, Milim Nava-sama!"
"Giant Race, Fury of the Earth, Dagruel-sama!"
"Vampire Race, Queen of Night, Luminous Valentine-sama!"
"Fallen Angel Race, Ruler of Slumber, Dino-sama!"
"Winged Race, Sky Queen, Frey-sama!"
"Beastman Race, Lion King, Carrion-sama!"
"Human-Demon Race, Platinum Sword King, Leon Cromwell-sama!"
Misery then turned to the two newcomers.
"Human Race, Prince of the Jura Tempest Federation, Kaito-sama!"
"Demonoid Race, Empress of the Jura Tempest Federation, Rimuru Tempest-sama!"
"That concludes the introductions."
With those words from Misery, Walpurgis officially got underway.
This time, without Clayman's presence, and with the other Demon Lords extending the courtesy of not making waves, no one actively stirred trouble.
"Hehe, Kai-chan, you're finally going to be a Demon Lord! I'm telling you, being a Demon Lord is amazing!"
Milim leaned forward with sparkling eyes, practically bouncing in her seat.
"That's right! Kai-chan's going to be a Demon Lord, and Rimuru too!"
Ramiris flew up from her seat and chimed in happily.
"Hey, hey, hey. I never said I wanted to be a Demon Lord. Rimuru is the one becoming a Demon Lord."
As far as Kaito was concerned, the title of Demon Lord brought nothing but headaches. Whoever wanted it could have it. He was here for the free food and drinks.
On that thought, he glanced at the conspicuously bare table, then turned to Guy Crimson.
"Guy Crimson, this is a pretty sorry excuse for a banquet. The table's completely empty. Are we supposed to survive on fresh air?"
"Heh, my apologies. Misery!"
"Yes, Guy Crimson-sama!"
Misery slipped out briefly and returned leading a procession of attendants, who began laying out dish after dish of exquisite food across the table.
"Now we're talking. What's even the point of a banquet if there's nothing to eat?"
Kaito grabbed a chicken leg and got to work, then elbowed Rimuru beside him. "Rimuru, eat up! It's free. Don't let a bargain like this go to waste."
Rimuru needed no further convincing. She reached out and seized what looked like a lobster dish and dug in alongside him.
Milim and Ramiris, who both hung around with the pair often enough to know the drill, joined the assault on the food without a second's hesitation.
The entire mood of Walpurgis shifted in an instant. The four of them ate with the single-minded ferocity of starving ghosts unleashed, barely pausing to breathe, let alone speak.
Guy Crimson watched the spectacle unfold with an expression of pure, unrestrained amusement. He even waved Misery over to replenish the table after the first round was cleared.
"Burp... Kai-chan, I really can't eat any more."
Rimuru leaned back and patted her little belly with a satisfied groan.
"Nani? You can't eat any more?"
Kaito stopped mid-bite and stared at her in naked disbelief.
You're a Slime. Where exactly does it all go? If you can't finish it, at least pack it to take home!
Unlike Kaito, who had long since shed any lingering concern for appearances, Rimuru apparently still retained some shred of dignity.
"Kai-chan, that's enough. Everyone's been waiting, you know."
Kaito looked up. In his right hand, a chicken leg. In his left, a lobster. His mouth gleaming with oil. And surrounding him, every single person at the table staring at him with an expression of pure, baffled shock.
Their collective silence communicated the thought clearly enough: What is wrong with Guy Crimson? Is the Jura Tempest Federation actually broke?
Look how hungry the Empress and her Prince are. If it's really that bad for them, we could arrange a food delivery.
It was fortunate Kaito couldn't read minds. Had he known, he would have sincerely thanked them and handed over his mailing address on the spot.
"Ahem... I'd say that's about eighty percent. Let's leave it there for now."
He opened his mouth to an almost alarming width and swallowed both the chicken leg and the lobster in a single bite.
Guy Crimson, visibly relieved that the feasting appeared to be over and clearly not eager to give anyone an excuse to start again, quickly spoke up.
"Then, let us discuss Rimuru's ascension as a Demon Lord..."