Of All The Stars

4. The Envoy

'Actually, on second thought, let's go with option two!' Rimuru thought quickly as he looked at me in a panic.

'Distract her, and I'll change it. Once I do, devour it all. Understood?' I thought, earning a nod from him.

"Hey Shion, can I get a napkin?" He asked as Gobta and Gobzo walked in.

"Oh, sure!" She said, reaching into her pocket and looking away for a brief moment.

Tapping the bowl with my finger, I used my Transmutation skill to exchange the contents with something else.

Apparently, it wasn't worth much, so it ended up becoming a bunch of leaves of some sort.

Rimuru took the napkin and quickly pretended to eat everything by becoming a slime and jumping into the bowl, absorbing the leaves to make the illusion that he actually dissolved it.

"Thank you for the food." Rimuru said, putting down the napkin.

"Shion?" Rimuru asked.

"Yes, sir?" She asked.

"The next time you decide to make a meal, get Benimaru's approval first." Rimuru said, causing Benimaru to flinch and turn to him with a look of fear and betrayal.

Rimuru stuck his tongue our at him.

"Rimuru, let's not do that. After all, he didn't expect it either. If he had, he would have told you. Isn't that right?" I asked, looking at Benimaru, who nodded quickly.

Rimuru sighed. 

"Fine, but Shion is going to need your supervision any time she goes in the kitchen from now on, understood?" Rimuru asked.

"Of course!" I said, smiling as Benimaru looked at me with tears in his eyes.

"Shion, how about instead of making this a punishment, we turn it into a little bit of fun?" I suggested to her.

"Like what?" She asked.

"Cooking lessons. That way, you can improve and impress Rimuru when you finally succeed." I said with a grin.

"Deal!" She said, shaking my hand.

I have no idea how Rimuru actually talked me into this.

At the moment, I was in charge of negotiating with the Lizardmen, so I was standing next to Shion and Rimuru. Benimaru, Rigurd, and Hakurou, behind us.

"Which one's the envoy?" Rimuru asked, looking around when the lizardmen began banging the metal ends of their spears against the ground repeatedly in unison, causing a loud metallic bang each time.

The lizardmen parted in rows of two to each side, allowing the one who I assumed to be the Envoy to pass.

"Talk about a dramatic entry..." Rimuru said in annoyance.

The spear banging stopped as soon as the envoy raised his left hand in a fist.

The Envoy launched himself off of his mount and landed before us.

I laughed a bit at the theatrics he was doing.

Two lizardmen were using shields as spotlights.

"Ho there, fellow monsters, I am Gabiru of the lizardmen. From now on, you will all serve under me and consider it a great honor!" He exclaimed in a dynamic pose as the lizardmen with him gave applause.

"Pay close attention and savor this moment forever. You have the great privilege of speaking with the future chieftain of the lizardmen personally! You may bow!" One of the lizardmen said, introducing the envoy.

None of us were impressed, to say the least. But at least he wasn't an enemy, so most of us let it slide for now.

Sensing danger, I turned to the side to see Shion emitting killing intent.

"Shion, please calm down. You're gonna make me go from slime to slim if you don't stop squeezing!" Rimuru exclaimed, wiggling frantically in his slime form.

I placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her down, taking Rimuru and handing him to Benimaru, causing her to immediately start bowing in apology to Rimuru.

"Right then, Gabiru, was it? This request of yours seems a bit sudden, don't you agree?" Rigurd asked as I stepped forward.

"Seriously, do I have to spell everything out for you? You must have heard the rumors by now." Gabiru asked him.

"What rumors?" Rigurd asked .

"My people have witnessed the beginning of an Orc invasion. They're trying to take over the Great Forest of Jura, which is why it would be prudent of you to come and fight under me." He said before going off on a tangent.

"I, the illustrious Gabiru, can protect you! Serve me, and you weaklings will have nothing to fear from the Orcs!" He said as the shield spotlights were used again.

"I am strong! Much stronger... than... you..." His eyes wandered over everyone before finally landing on Shion and I for a moment, then looking down.

"Wow." He said in a deeper voice than before.

Covering my chest, I scowled as he then called an impromptu meeting with his henchmen.

Rimuru turned to me.

"If it's true that the Orcs are invading, maybe forming a united front with the Lizardmen isn't a bad idea." Rimuru said to me as I nodded.

"I'm not completely sold on having this guy as an ally." I said with a sigh.

"Me neither..." Rimuru said with a shake of his slime body.

"Right then, it has come to my attention that there are those among you who have tamed Direwolves. Those among you who have will be my officers. Go forth and fetch them for me." Gabiru said.

"My lord, may I dispose of him?" Benimaru asked with a charming smile.

'Shit, he's hot!' I thought before shaking my head to clear my thoughts.

"Yes!" Rimuru said, also in a daze as Benimaru then walked forward, cracking his knuckles. 

"Wait, no! I was just kidding!" Rimuru called as he retrieved Benimaru.

'This Gabiru guy's not taking us seriously. I'll have to change that with my negotiations.' I thought as I took a deep breath.