33 The Dryad's Request

Stepping into the hall I noticed all the usual figures including Rigurd's son. Everyone looked at me and nodded or greeted me. I greeted them back and sat down in my chair, the room having changed from yesterday as Shuna had been working on the carpets for the main hall. Rimuru was slowly changing the architecture to seem more Japanese whilst I added some touches of Roman culture here and there. Cisterns were a recent addition, the large bodies of water allowing flushing toilets and such in future. 

Me and Rimuru understood that old technologies were still very helpful to old ones, so we decided to do the old and the new. Thus why we were wanting to eventually get an Aqueduct built that leads from our village to nearby mountain tops. Amongst these technologies and developments I also added the shop-housing that was famous in the Roman Empire. Families could live on the second floor of their business, it was a rather efficient and family-centric system for housing. The village was starting to become a unique fusion of Roman architecture and Japanese. I loved it and Rimuru seemed to enjoy it as well.

"Rimuru-sama!" Rigurd stood and bowed as Rimuru entered not long after I did. A lot of people in the village loved Rimuru as their leader. I was just considered a high-ranking member of his staff. It was a little annoying to be considered a side character but ultimately I was here for a good life, not a chaotic despotic lifestyle. The rest of the members bowed their heads as he entered, the slime looking awkward still as he was getting used to the mantle of power. He looked at me and I sighed.

I clapped. "Now, now, everyone calm down, don't make him stand there..." Everyone panicked a little and said their apologies whilst looking at me in gratitude, they had almost made Rimuru stand for them. I just shook my head, 'The concept of Face... Really frustrating...'

The atmosphere calmed and returned to order as Rimuru had Shion sit down so he could turn into a slime and rest on her legs; and under her boobs... 'I understand the mood Rimuru.' I smiled a little and shook my head, he already had Shizu but he's after Shion now. Now that I considered it, the idea wasn't crazy, he was a slime and had unending stamina. 'Don't want those images in my head!'

Small conversations started as many members spoke on their activities and what they had been doing. One such conversation was the one between me and Rimuru, his questions being focused on my magic.

"How did you do that last spell? The one called 'Polar Claw'?"

"You ask that but all I know is that I can just do it." He went silent for a little as he was no doubt speaking to the Great Sage, Ciel. I took a sip of tea that had been placed just moments before by a cute Hob Goblin woman with purple hair. Her ass quaked with every movement and her breasts were tumbling behind a rather loose shirt, if I did not already have Shuna I'd hit that... Rimuru followed my line of sight and made a small thumbs up. He was too funny sometimes, he really was becoming more and more of a friend to me.

"Well, if you can allow me to eat the spell I may be able to use it too..." He made a cute slime face as he looked at me, I swear i could see sparkles flowing around his 'eyes'. I chuckled at his antics and just shook my head.

"It comes from a different system of magic, my Unique Skill allows me to manipulate the rules somewhat... I do not know if you could do it. We can attempt tomorrow if you would like." His 'eyes' glows once more as he jumped up and down a little. Shion was listening on with a little understanding in her eyes, she was very dedicated but definitely not a thinker. I suppose loyalty is the most important aspect to a secretary. 

"We'll do that then... I don't know If i can do much for you but if you need something you can just ask." I closed my eyes and smiled as i sipped some more tea. His attitude was appropriate for business partners but I wasn't seeing him as that.

"We're friends, I don't need anything in compensation. Don't blame me if you get hurt though." He bounced off of Shion's lap and became his human self, the smile he had painted across his face being contagious. He held out his hand for a handshake, I grasped it and shook on it. A golden light flickered over my vision as my status screen updated my titles.

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|Titles: Magic Researcher \ Healer \ Friend of Rimuru Tempest \ Ally of Ciel|

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'Well, shit... Ciel doesn't like me that much huh... All well, she'll come around, or he? I don't know.'

Rimuru didn't notice any changes to me and released the handshake after a second, his form returning back to slime and slinking back up onto Shion's lap, the woman happy once more.

"Everyone! If we could focus the meeting onto the information that we have gathered about the Orcs?" At this moment some Hog Goblins that had been training for a limited time under Souei stepped forwards. It seemed as if they had something to do with this information, it was probably Souei's efforts mainly. Everyone quietened down and looked at Rimuru, waiting for his words. In seconds Rimuru threw out a map of Jura, the entire scrolled map being extremely detailed and including the trade routes of countries, curtesy of the information I had gathered.

Rimuru pointed his finger down at a certain part of the Great forest of Jura, on our side of the river. "This is where the current host of the Orcs reside, they are currently pillaging some outskirt goblin villages that I had not met with yet. They are closing in towards the Lizardmen." The room was abuzz in conversation as Benimaru, Hakuro, Shuna and Shion showed a look of utter hatred. The Orcs had wiped out their families and erased their lives' efforts in but a day. It would be hard to convince them to accept the Orcs... That would be the case normally but with the Dryads presence and request soon to come, I won't have to worry about it.

"They number around 200,000 in military force." The numbers shocked the Kijin and even shook the Hob Goblin leader's faith in the power of Rimuru. Numbers had a quality all their own of course. Unfortunately in a fantasy setting, number were less valuable in comparison to an arch mage or a hero... In Tensura a single Demon Lord could vaporise them. 

"Souei has communicated the numbers and positions as he went out for a mission yesterday. As far as he could see the 200,000 Orcs are all armoured in plate and carrying weaponry of fine craftsmanship. If we are to verse them than we would probably use attrition." My right eye twitched at the idea of fighting against the Orc Lord with attrition... They just would get more scary as time went on. As if the Dryads agreed with me the golden-green light of the Dryads' magic appeared in the centre of the table. Everyone except me went on guard as Benimaru, Shion and Hakuro prepared for combat by revealing their weapons. Shuna stood and began to emit shadows.

"Sit down, all of you." I spoke authoritatively, Rimuru and the others gazing at me strangely before acquiescing to my demand. My temper allowed for no other response as their actions showed how on edge they were and how unconfident they were in their own powers.

"Dryad, you have come at a rather dramatic time... I am guessing you have an askance of us?" My tone was rather straight forwards, allowing no worming out of answering. The green circle disappeared and the Dryad, Treyni, emerged. There were several vines of pallid green colouration that lightly swirled around her as the smell of fresh flowers and spring rains wafted into the room. Her looks were very beautiful and could be considered fairy-like, her fey nature completely exposing itself in her silver aura. It was honestly impressive that she could make the Kijin worried. Dryads were rather OP in the forest it seemed.

"Hello, Silviana-san, it is good to see you in person. Rimuru-sama, it is good to meet with the master of the monsters..." Rimuru watched the Dryad in caution but because of my previous actions he was more inclined to be friendly.

"Umu, hello Dryad-san, may i ask why you are here?" The other people in the room were blown away with the presence of the Dryads, they were a pseudo-divine existence within the forest of Jura and were said to be able to manipulate the forest to their wishes. In other words, you didn't want to fuck with the Dryads lightly.

"To answer both of your question... I, Treyni, have come with a request from the Dryads in the Great Forest of Jura. Rimuru, ruler of monsters, would you be willing to end the Orc Lord before he becomes a blight upon the forest?"

Silence lasted for a long time as Rimuru quietly thought it out. Many of the councillors were looking at Rimuru, waiting for his response. More than two minutes passed as no doubt he was communicating with The Great Sage, asking information on the Orc Lord and such... It seemed that since he entered into a relationship with Shizu he was more willing to use the resources at his finger tips. This was a good change.

"I... accept. The Orcs are coming to our doorstep anyway, we must fight them, I will kill the Orc Lord and end this threat." The firmness in his voice was reassuring, the Kijin smiling a little too wildly as the other members of the meeting all shouted their agreement. Treyni smiled kindly and stepped down from the table, taking a position next to Benimaru; the man shrinking a little back from the woman who was quietly enjoying his reaction.

'Well, here we go! Once this is finished we have some time to rest... I believe it was a couple months before the Demon Lord stuff happens. If that is the case I'll be able to gain a lot of status points... That reminds me, i need to see if I could gather those black magicules and accelerate my growth.'

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