Punctuation Key:
"Spoken dialogue"
'Quoting'
*Action*
Emphasis
Internal thoughts/talking to Ciel
[[Ciel talking]]
{{Thought Communication}}
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Kalego POV
Right... Wrong... Completely wrong... Right...
I am currently grading the exams of my students, specifically focusing on Rimuru Tempest's at the moment. After scrutinizing her through the entire process, I found no evidence of cheating. Honestly, her test not being anywhere near a perfect score on multiple subjects lays credence to her not pulling any tricks despite seeing through my efforts to prevent academic dishonesty, so I have no reason to doubt her in this case.
"It seems that Rimuru either didn't attempt or didn't succeed in cheating, despite all the issues we had with her," I conclude out loud, mostly done with marking the exam answers given by my most troublesome student.
"Oh? What makes you say that?" Balam asks, perking his head up to look at me, seated nearby while doing much of the same as me. All of us professors are here, pouring through our respective students' exams, collected in the teachers' lounge.
"That girl's exam performance almost perfectly aligns with her classroom performance. Exemplary in magical theory, very good in the studies of flora and fauna, yet poor in history and culture studies. The only difference is somewhat better results in those last two, which indicates she focused on those weaker subjects while preparing for the exams," I share with Balam.
As opposed to my irritation, my fellow professor seems pleased with what I said.
"Sounds like we had nothing to worry about in the end, eh Kalego? Even if I can't read her with Buzzer, Rimuru clearly didn't cheat and worked hard to improve her academics," he responds with a shrug, not bothering to look up from his work.
"Yes...that seems so..." I mutter, frustrated.
"Why do you look so displeased then? Aren't you happy that one of your students did well after putting in the effort?" Shichiro asks, finally looking at my face and noticing my frown.
"I am not displeased...only frustrated that I went to all that trouble for nothing, isolating Rimuru and dedicating all that attention to preventing her from doing something sneaky."
"It sounds like you wanted to catch her cheating!" Robin annoyingly pipes up from across the room.
"Silence, you imbecile!" I shout back.
"Oh Kalego, go easier on the newbie!" Shichiro playfully scolds me.
"Tch."
"Anyway, I think I may know why her results are so lopsided, on both the exams as well as Rimuru's general performance throughout the year." he comments, immediately grabbing my interest.
"How so? Did that little fiend actually reveal something about herself to you?" I ask, surprised at my old friend.
"Yes, we had a talk and she revealed quite a lot of her life story, in fact. A very interesting story too, which makes her all the more intriguing to me." Shichiro replies with a smile.
"With her resistance to Buzzer, do you believe she was lying at all in what she told you about herself?"
"She could have, but I don't see any reason in her doing so. It felt a lot like she and Iruma just wanted someone to talk to about it since they've kept it a secret up until our talk, apparently."
"After all those times I've grilled those two about things, you, someone that isn't even their homeroom teacher managed to gain their trust so easily?!" I exclaim, venting a bit.
"Well, I don't know about your relationship with Iruma, but you've clearly been too confrontational with Rimuru. She doesn't seem to be one that gives in to intimidation, as we've discussed before, so if you want that girl to trust you, maybe you should soften your approach. Perhaps make amends so that you aren't constantly butting heads with her." my colleague suggests.
"How am I even supposed to go about something like that? Every time I even approach her, Rimuru guards herself with snide remarks and an arrogant attitude!" I shoot back, not thinking his plan will work in these specific circumstances.
"Maybe you would understand better if I shared what I learned about those twins with you, but I will need their permission to do so. Let's wait until after we are done with grading these exams before talking about this. With how forthcoming they both were about their lives with me, I don't think they would be against me sharing some of it with you if asked."
"Yes, we did get a little carried away just then, perhaps I should refocus on grading all of these." I grumble.
After finishing and marking its final score, I place Rimuru's paper on top of the stack of the other completed exams and pick up the next. 'Iruma Suzuki' is the name at the top of it. I sigh, readying myself to continue and trying to ignore what Shichiro said for the time being. It will cause me nothing but trouble to fill my head with thoughts about my most troublesome pair of students right now.
Done talking with Shichiro, the room is filled with nothing but the sounds of pens scratching papers; the other professors diligently doing the same as me, working through all the exams of their students, interrupted by the occasional quiet chatter between them.
Still, how am I even supposed to address my situation with Rimuru Tempest in the first place if I go about it as my old schoolmate said? I suppose I should wait until I gain that information he mentioned.
"Sheesh, did you even pay attention in class?!" I hear one of my colleagues spit out loud in frustration while grading.
I suppose I am not the only professor here with problematic students...
Ignoring my surroundings, I return to my work, silent.
Rimuru POV
A few days have passed since the end of terminus exams concluded. Everyone in the Misfit Class, alongside most of the other students at Babyls, has been nervously waiting for the results to be posted.
Well...looks like it's the moment of truth... I observe as I watch Kalego stiffly walk into the room with a stack of papers in his hands.
He faces us all, standing behind his desk at the head of the classroom, sternly staring at us as he slaps the large stack onto it, making a dramatic thud ring out. Multiple students jump at the sound, already on edge from the anticipation of learning whether they passed or not.
"Alright, I will return the end of terminus exams you took the other day."
Panicked protests immediately fill the room as the nerves of these teens shatter.
"I'm not mentally prepared yet!" Jazz exclaims, his voice shaking a little.
"I don't want supplementary classes!" Lead shouts.
The buzz of nervous screams and shouts goes on for a minute or so with Kalego looking supremely annoyed with his class, covering his ears and wincing slightly as he waits for it all to die down.
Wouldn't this be a perfect opportunity for him to use his catchphrase?
The thought passes my mind as I indifferently wait for it to quiet down alongside the professor. With how much he loves to shout the word 'silence', it's odd to see this man show a little patience and not raise his voice in a situation like this.
"Just wait until tomorrow!" Lead complains.
There's a moment of quiet as the fervor dies down.
"Now the results," Kalego says coldly, not caring at all that many of these teens don't think they're ready to hear their scores.
Honestly, I'm glad he's not listening to them. Waiting to hear if you passed or not is just delaying the inevitable, which is completely pointless.
"Aw, c'mon!" many of them collectively complain.
"It is extremely unfortunate..." Kalego pauses, closing his eyes and putting on a solemn expression.
Iruma lets out a small gasp, visibly sweating in anticipation of the results. I also hear multiple nervous gulps from the misfits as they all grow more anxious from Kalego's words.
"The number of students who have failed and must take remedial classes..."
He's totally screwing with us, isn't he? There's no way Kalego's not with how dramatic he's being about this.
"...is zero, much to my endless chagrin."
Pfft...I knew it!
Iruma's face immediately lights up, relieved and pleased that he and his friends all passed their exams.
A cacophony of cheers erupted throughout the room, high-fiving and fist-bumping between students, the uproar deafeningly louder than the panic from moments before was.
So I passed on my own then? Sweet.
"Good job Iruma!"
"Hehe...thanks Rimuru! You did a good job too! Everyone did!"
"Splendid work Master Iruma! We've succeeded!" Azz gleefully chimes in.
"We did it!" Clara cheers.
"Yeah! Thank you both for your help!" Iruma thanked the pair happily, making both of them smile widely.
"What, no thanks for me?" I ask, faking jealousy.
"Uh...sorry, thanks Rimuru!" Iruma quickly says.
"Heh, I'm just kidding. No need to thank me; these two did a lot more to help you out this time than I did." I chuckle. I'm just happy he passed his exams since he worked so hard.
[[You worked hard too, Master! You could have avoided the hard work with my help but you studied without the help of your skills.]]
Yes, I know I could've avoided all that work, but a little struggle in my life keeps things interesting, doesn't it? What would be the point of it all if I could just do anything I wanted with a snap of my fingers?
[[I am certain your peers here at Babyls would disagree with that sentiment, Master.]]
I'm sure they would! These kids take shortcuts whenever they can, I think. I mean, most of them only cared about passing so they can goof off during break!
[[...]]
I get the feeling Ciel was about to say something, but oh well. All that really matters is that Iruma passed, and I passed, even without cheat skills. A pretty big accomplishment, I think, considering how much I normally rely on those.
"You three, line up and step on it!" Kalego yells at Camui, Lead, and Goemon, who were dancing around the room happily up until the professor raised his voice at them.
Kalego places something in each of their hands and they all stare at them with sparkling eyes.
"Any Alefs that scored above average will be moving up to Bet. Allocer has ascended from Alef to Gimmel; he had the top score in his grade."
Good for them!
[[You could have had the top score if you had just relied on me for this, Master.]]
I didn't want that, though.
"Everyone did great!" Iruma exclaims, happy for his classmates.
"Indeed! Well done, Master Iruma!" Azz compliments.
"What d'you mean?!" Iruma asks.
"I have to admit, sir, I did not think those slackers would be able to avoid failing, much less pass with flying colors. Seeing you study so hard inspired them all to pull their heads out of the clouds, pick up their pens, and start learning! You have the power to change those around you, Master Iruma!" Azz continues, fully giving credit to Iruma for their classmates' success.
"He's got a point," I add.
It's true; I may have led some little lessons, but Iruma's positive attitude helped these kids a lot, I think. He came up with some fun and unconventional ways for them all to learn; games, songs, those types of things. It helped all these fun-driven demons stay on task while readying themselves for their exams.
"B-but you helped too, Rimuru! You gave all those magic lessons, remember?"
"Just take the credit," I say quietly. "You deserve it more than me."
"You...think so?" Iruma asks in disbelief.
I guess he didn't notice how much he actually influenced all of them.
"Yup," I reply with a nod.
"Indeed!" Azz enthusiastically adds.
Iruma finally seems to accept it as a smile forms on his face. Azz also smiles, but much differently. He looks like he's in awe of Iruma again, giving off a similar feel to Diablo, like he's proud of his master's exploits. Overdramatic, as usual.
"Iruma." Kalego sternly interrupts their little moment, leaving Azz behind on the verge of happy tears.
Iruma approaches him and the room falls silent again as they watch the scene.
"The student whose score has improved the most by far this final exam...happens to be you."
He said this as if it caused him pain, now holding up Iruma's ranking among the first years. Not ranking in the demon sense, but just on these exams.
79th/164
Not bad...not bad at all. Almost right in the middle, actually. I'm proud of the kid.
What's my score, you ask? Well, let's take a look...
42nd/164
Even better! I guess my expertise at magic helped make up for my comparably crappy scores in some of the other subjects.
"It appears I cannot slack off for even a moment." Sabnock comments.
"Though, you didn't go so far as to reach a new rank," Kalego says to Iruma, who's still staring at his score, the glee from it not fully sinking in.
"Thank you so much...um...so Professor?"
"Hm?"
"I need to go out for a bit!" Iruma quickly shouts before bolting toward the door.
"Hey, stop! Where do you think you're going?!"
Iruma rushes out without answering.
Wondering what's up with him, I decided to follow. So, I start walking casually toward the door just to have Kalego try to stop me too.
"I will not let you two run off without an explanation!" Kalego snarls.
He's blocking the door, standing in front of it with his arms crossed impatiently, waiting for an answer.
"I'm going to see what's up with him." I casually answer.
Then, I deftly duck past him, completely evading his attempt to stop me from leaving. I think I heard him yell at me again, but I just ignored it.
It doesn't take much effort to catch up with the boy who's running excitedly across the grounds, a wide smile on his face.
"Hey, what're you doing? Kalego freaked out when you ran off like that." I question Iruma while running alongside him, matching his pace.
"I need to hurry and tell Professor Balam how I did!"
Oh, so that's what this is about.
"I'll come with you, I guess. Who knows what secrets you might reveal to him or others if I take my eyes off you again around him."
"Sure!"
He doesn't seem to care that I just implied that he might reveal his secret again. I guess Iruma's way too excited to think of anything else other than telling Balam how he did on his tests.
But, I think we won't have to cover much more ground to accomplish what Iruma wants. Why?
3...2...1...
*Wham!*
Just as we rounded a corner of one of the buildings, Iruma ran headfirst into the exact person he was looking for. I, of course, detected him before we got there so I was just waiting for us both to run into Balam. By 'run into', I meant find him, but Iruma seems to have taken it literally without me saying it out loud. Funny how things turn out like this sometimes.
Chuckling a little, I look at the tall demon standing in front of us, not fazed by Iruma bumping into him. But, there's something a bit different about Balam...
"Eh?" Iruma, now also looking at Balam, stands there stunned.
Yes, he's definitely noticed the same thing I did.
"Oh...uh...eh...your hai-... your hair's gone!" Iruma bluntly shouts. "Is that my fault?!"
How is that his fault? That makes no sense...
"No, I still have hair." Balam corrects him, pointing at his head.
"Yeah, he's not bald now, y'know," I comment.
Buzz cut along the sides, short on the top; it makes him give off an entirely different vibe, but not in a bad way.
Yes, he has a lot less hair than before, but he's certainly not bald. It's drastic, but I think it looks better than what he was rolling with before. As someone with long hair myself, I'm sure that the mop he used to have was a pain to deal with.
"Oh...right...of course. So if it wasn't because of me, what was it then?"
"Hm...I just needed a change of pace. Anyway, how did your exams go? For both of you."
Iruma gleefully holds up his test paper to show Balam the results "I passed! I couldn't have done it without your help Professor, thank you so much!"
"79th out of 164 students?! You've improved so much! This is all due to your hard work!" Balam exclaims, looking like he's on top of the world after learning how well Iruma did.
Looking like he suddenly remembered something, Balam directs his attention toward me. "Since you're both here, I'd like to ask if you are okay with me discussing your past with Professor Kalego."
With Kalego? I'm not sure if that's the best idea...but maybe he'd stop bothering me if that 'tragic tale' I told Balam gets relayed to him.
"Uh, I guess that's fine, as long as you leave out the parts that I'm sure you understand can't get out."
"Yes, I will withhold those specific details for Iruma's sake."
"Wait a sec, is this okay with you too Iruma?" I ask, realizing that he should have some say in this.
"I don't mind." he breezily replies.
"Alrighty then, go ahead and tell him. Just be careful about those 'sensitive details' please." I, again, caution Balam not to say anything he shouldn't.
"Of course. I wouldn't want to do anything that'd bring harm to Iruma!"
"Good."
"Thank you for agreeing to this. I am certain sharing that information with my close colleague will ease his nerves." Balam says, evidently relieved that we agreed.
Professor Balam begins walking away but then stops and turns back around to face us, apparently having remembered something else. "I almost forgot to ask, how did you do on your exams Rimuru?"
He actually cares about my score? I guess I can tell him. What harm could it do? ...Don't answer that Ciel.
[[...]]
"Rimuru did even better than me! She placed 42nd!" Iruma answers for me before I get the chance.
"But you were the student that improved the most, according to Kalego." I make sure to add.
"That's wonderful!" Balam exclaims, praising me with a pat on the head and doing the same with Iruma.
Ugh...
Kalego POV
"Are you serious, Shichiro?"
Rimuru, surprisingly agreed to my colleague telling me what he knows about her but, to be frank, that story is nigh unbelievable in my humble opinion.
But, it does explain some things about both of those twins' characters.
"Yes, Kalego. I know it is quite the tale, but I find it believable enough, and I think you should too."
"Hmph."
I will have to confirm this during the teacher home visits.
Yes, I've been tasked with meeting the families of my students, much to my distaste. This, of course, was the idea of that idiotic Chairdemon. Those twins being unrelated by blood to that man is hard to believe when I think about how similarly troublesome they are. That is partly the reason I had doubts about the story shared with me just moments ago.
I suppose that man's habits could have rubbed off on them while they were still in a vulnerable state.
Still disgruntled by all of the information I was given, I return my attention to my lunch. Shichiro decided to talk things over food, yet I barely touched mine during his retelling of that story.
"I will try to keep that all in mind when interacting with those two in the future, even if I am not fully convinced."
"You are always so skeptical, Kalego. Just accept it and use it as a way to be a better teacher for them."
"I never said I wouldn't."
Shichiro sighs, seemingly exasperated by my attitude.
Opera POV
Lord Sullivan returned from Babyls only a few moments ago, but already the mansion is in chaos as he runs up and down suggesting many extravagant party ideas. I have managed to talk him down from most of them, however, he isn't the only one who wants to throw a very fancy party.
"Lord Rimuru has shown everyone how amazing he is, as while not from these lands, he has proven more knowledgeable about the Netherworld than a majority of the students who were raised in it! We should hire an entire band to sing Lord Rimuru's praises and invite as many from the school as we can to hear about how amazing my Lord is!" Diablo emphatically proposes.
Lord Sullivan's friend, Diablo, has been in just as much excitement. However, I only need to rein in Lord Sullivan because dealing with Diablo is...that woman.
"As much as I too believe Master is amazing and wish everyone to know it, I do not think such extravagant actions should be taken until we confirm if such celebrations would be acceptable." A monotonous voice rings out
This seems to have worked up Lord Sullivan again as he joins the conversation.
"My grandchildren are amazing, aren't they? They didn't grow up here and did so well on their exams! But we shouldn't tell them about the party, I want it to be a surprise!"
The chatter among the three is suddenly disrupted by a knock at the door, answering it I am greeted by the sight of a delivery man with several dozen bags piled up at the door, before I can question it Lord Sullivan has already made his way over to the door.
"They arrived! Opera please take the bags inside."
I bow and then begin speaking to satisfy my curiosity about the bags. "Right away, Sir. If I may, what is with all the bags?"
"Ingredients, desserts, and presents for the party!" Sullivan excitedly tells me while paying the delivery man and closing the door after I get the last of the bags in.
Looking through the bags I find that no expense has been spared. The majority of the bags contain ingredients that are all top-quality meat and vegetables, there are also many candies and a large cake. Banners that can have customized writing using magic fill one of the bags which Diablo has already gotten into and started setting them up. What remains is mainly games and toys and wrapping paper with ribbons included.
"Sir, do you wish for me to begin wrapping the presents? If so I'll need to know who each is for."
"Oh no, Grandpa wants to be the one to wrap the presents for his beloved grandkids, please leave those to me Opera."
"Very well then Sir, I will begin preparing the ingredients." I begin picking up the bags ready to prepare the meals but then, that terrifying woman also starts grabbing the bags of ingredients.
"I will also prepare the ingredients," Amane stated this to me in a monotone voice, this was not a request, she was stating it to be a fact, is she trying to practice as a home-cook mother?
"While I appreciate the assistance offered, do you have any knowledge or experience with cooking?" I quickly find myself regretting asking this as 'Amane' turns her full attention to me, her dark blue eyes reminding me of that terror.
"I have read dozens of books on cooking methods and dishes while analyzing the knowledge of this world alongside extensive knowledge derived from Master's memories. I also have extensively analyzed a very talented individual's work over the years and can replicate their results. I will be joining you in preparing the ingredients." Once again in a monotone voice, she assures me in her own way that she is capable of doing what she has set out to do and once more states the matter to not be up for discussion.
We both head to the kitchen with the ingredients in hand so that we can get started on the feast that Lord Sullivan wants to have prepared for his adoptive grandchildren.
Amane stops for a moment before suddenly, an apron materializes right in her hands.
"I need the proper garments for this task, I am certain Master will not mind if I borrow this."
"That apron is Rimuru's?"
Amane nods "Yes, Master dabbles in cooking on occasion despite having many who would gladly do it for him."
She ties the apron on and pulls her long blue hair up in a bun so as to not have it get in the way of her cooking.
Being used to doing this on my own, I take charge despite the person I'm working with being someone I find terrifying; thankfully she doesn't seem to mind too much.
With the task of chopping the vegetables delegated to Amane, I start preparing the meat involved in the dish, but my attention is grabbed by how efficient that woman is at the task. I pride myself on being efficient and accurate when doing my job, but Amane is on another level. Swift, precise movements with her knife that are fast enough that I find them hard to follow; the results of her efforts are nothing short of exemplary.
I suppose she is technically part of that Demon Lord, so insane feats like this should be expected.
Shaking my head slightly in disbelief, I return my gaze to my own work and continue with the meal prep.
Iruma POV
Almost all demons fly to and from school, and for those that don't, it's probably so they can use a fancier method of travel.
But although they are perfectly capable of flying, Azz, Clara, Rimuru, and Ranga are all walking along with me as I head home, simply because I can't fly.
One only has to look up to see how much slower this is: As we pass through the school gates, the sky is filled with demons, and ten minutes later they've all passed us, leaving everything quiet besides the wind and the sounds of nature.
Ah, I'm sorry you four, I'd fly if I could!
The four don't seem unhappy about it though. The barren rocky path close to Babyls may feel inhospitable, but the forest after that feels very peaceful and welcoming in the early summer.
"Wheee! Up I go!" Clara cheers as she's grabbed by a vine dangling from the canopy.
"Don't let yourself be eaten, Valac!"
On second thought, peaceful and welcoming might not be the right words. I almost forgot for a moment that I'm in another world, one where forests are full of scary creatures and plants. Really, I might be in trouble if I was left to make the trip on my own!
While Azz and Clara are messing around with a carnivorous plant, Rimuru and Ranga have already gone ahead.
"Hey, shouldn't we wait for them?" I ask, catching up to Rimuru, who seems completely unfazed by Clara getting grabbed up by some monstrous plant.
"Nah, they'll be fine. Actually, while they're busy, there's something I've wanted to talk to you about."
"Oh? What is it?"
"I didn't get a chance to say this before, but... Congratulations!"
I'm caught in a tight hug from Rimuru, which is a pleasant surprise.
"Eh? What is this, Rimuru?"
"You're really managing to fit into the Netherworld now, you know?" she says as she breaks the hug. "Think about it: You scored better on the exams than half the people who have lived in the Netherworld their whole lives. That's no small feat for a human!"
"Ah, thanks! You scored better than me though..."
"I'm an adult, and my pre-existing knowledge meant I easily aced the magic questions, so you can't compare yourself to me. You did amazingly given the circumstances, and I'm proud of you for that."
Now that she mentions it, she's right! At first, I was happy just to hear that I passed, even if I had to work harder than anyone to get there with Azz, Clara, and Rimuru supporting me... But when I remember where I come from, it really feels incredible that I was able to match my demonic peers.
Have I already started thinking of myself as one of them?
We resume walking, still hearing Azz and Clara arguing behind us.
"It's strange to think that at this time last year, I probably would have been working one of the many odd jobs my parents made me do to support them. But here I am, living an amazing life I never could have dreamed of."
"Do you think about your old life much?" Rimuru asks.
"Sometimes, but not much since it's a little sad to think about... Though is it weird if I wonder if my parents are doing fine without me?"
Rimuru looks surprised for a moment, before relaxing again.
"It's not so strange coming from you, you've always been the type to worry about others. I don't think you have to worry about them though; as self-serving as it sounds like they are, I doubt they sold you at a loss. Ugh, that sounds so wrong to actually say..."
"Right, right, they sold me for tonnes of money, of course. That was probably the only nice thing they ever did for me..."
There's a look of sadness and pity on Rimuru's face as I say that, and I suddenly realize how dark it must have sounded.
"Hey, that was all in the past, I'm fine now!" I frantically say, snapping Rimuru out of it. "Look, I didn't feel like my life was horrible back then; I knew it wasn't right, but I was used to it. I'm just looking at it in a different way now that everyone treats me so nicely."
"I know it's in the past, it just sucks that you went through all that. Well, it's good if you're moving on, but let me know if you ever need to talk about it some more. For now, it looks like those two have caught up to us..."
"Valac! Hold on a minute!" Azz yells, chasing after Clara, who's running towards us holding what looks like a cucumber-sized millipede.
"Riri, I found a weird bug!" Clara squeals, shoving the millipede uncomfortably close to Rimuru's face.
"That's terrifying, I don't want to even touch that thing!" Rimuru protests, flickering from one spot to another while Clara menaces her with the creepy crawly creature.
I have a bit of a laugh at the scene, but then Clara turns towards me with a devilish look in her eyes.
Uh oh.
Quickly hopping on Ranga's back, I cling tightly to his fur.
"Run Ranga, run!" I yell, and Ranga doesn't need to be told twice to flee the green-haired terror.
"Wait, Ranga, don't leave me with her!" Rimuru calls out desperately.
The rest of the trip home ended up being very chaotic, thanks to all my new friends.
Rimuru POV
Arriving at the gates to the mansion, Iruma has stopped to thank Azz and Clara for walking with him to the house and apologize if it was an inconvenience. He does this everyday and they always have the same response for him about being happy to walk him home.
I wonder why he feels like he needs to apologize to them every day? Actually now that I am thinking about it, it's not like social norms are like the human world would be here so I guess it would take some getting used to.
I'm disrupted from my thoughts when the doors to the mansion open and Sullivan comes hurrying out to us, I guess he heard us outside.
"Welcome home my precious grandchildren, Grandpa saw how well you did on your exams so he prepared a surprise for you! Your friends are welcome to come in too!"
"A surprise?" Iruma asks.
"It's a party, right?" I also ask, pretty sure that I'm right.
"A celebration to commemorate Master Iruma's and Rimuru's scores? I am honored to join in on such an occasion!"
"Yay! Party time!"
We all walk inside and are greeted by quite the sight.
Isn't this a bit much?
I'm used to extravagant celebrations, but considering the purpose of this one, the amount of decorations seems like way more than necessary.
Iruma looks pumped about it, though.
"Did you all spend most of the day setting this up?" I ask while still looking around the room.
"Of course!" Sullivan happily answers.
Then, in walks Diablo and Ciel. Diablo looks supremely pleased with himself, probably thinking that he's done well helping set all of this up. Ciel also looks happy, without really expressing it much on her face. She's wearing an apron for some reason, so I bet she's been cooking.
Clara and Azz stare at Ciel, probably wondering who this mysterious woman is.
"Is that your mom?!" Clara loudly and bluntly asks.
"Don't be so rude Valac! If that is Master Iruma's and Rimuru's mother, we must show her the utmost respect!"
"Yes, I am their mother, Amane Tempest. It is a delight to meet you both." Ciel stoically responds, as if she hadn't been regularly observing these two through me.
Clara ignores him though and runs right up to Ciel.
"Woooooow! You look a lot like Riri but with Iruma-chi colors!"
"They are my children so, of course, I resemble them both."
Unlike Clara, Azz is clearly on-guard. I remember that his own mother is a bit hard to handle and I bet he's worried that Amane is similar.
"L-let me introduce myself, Ma'am. I am Alice Asmodeus and it is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Amane."Azz greets her with slight shakiness in his voice.
"Yes, Iruma has told me all about you, I am delighted he has such kind peers."
Ciel leans in closer and pats Azz on the head, causing him to flinch.
"I would greatly appreciate it if you would keep an eye on my son when he isn't with his sister."
"I w-will continue to serve Master Iruma for the rest of my days! I have already vowed to stay at his side no matter what!" Azz emphatically answers.
"I want patty-pats too!" Clara shouts, barrelling into Azz and shoving him aside.
"I...we should eat the food Opera and I prepared before it gets cold." Ciel immediately changes the subject and turns and walks away from Clara, making the girl pout.
"Why does Azz patty-pats but I don't?!"
"You just surprised her, and Mom doesn't really like surprises." I reply to calm Clara down, hopefully.
"Also, Lady Amane exudes the presence of a high-borne demon, a woman of class. It is no wonder you offended her with your antics." Azz comments.
"I was just saying hi..." Clara whimpers, pouting even more.
"I'll give you some head-pats Clara!" Iruma interjects, walking over to her and patting her on top of her green hair.
Isn't that just spoiling her? Oh well, I guess it's probably the best option right now.
Moving on, we all head to the dining room to eat since Ciel mentioned that her and Opera prepared something for all of us. Looking at the long table, you can't call this anything but a feast. A mix of Netherworld foods alongside some from Tempest, which are in turn from Earth. Ciel must have dipped into my ingredient stores for this, otherwise I'd have no clue where she'd get the stuff to make these dishes. I don't mind, of course, since she clearly prepared those foods for me and my friends.
While it is great to have Azz and Clara joining us for this party, I do wonder if their parents are okay with them being home late?
"Is it okay with your parents that you are coming home this late? If my children did not come home on time, I would be very worried!"
"No, I haven't contacted my mother yet about this," Azz replies.
"Mama doesn't really care if I run off and have fun!" Clara says in a boastful tone.
"Take it from a mother, we never stop worrying about our children when they are out of our sight."
Azz gets the idea and pulls out his phone.
"Yes, Lady Amane."
As I expected, Diablo is showing Ciel just as much respect as he shows me, which makes sense considering that she's part of me. So, off Diablo goes to take care of that task, leaving us all to enjoy the meal.
"Thish ish shoooo good!" Iruma says with his mouth stuffed, clearly enjoying the feast.
"Iruma, don't talk with your mouth full."
She's really leaning into this mother role...good job Ciel!
[[Heh.]]
Iruma quickly swallows the food.
"Sorry..."
A feast may have been prepared, but with me and Iruma this won't take long to all be eaten. Plus, we have Clara and Azz eating too, though Clara did spend a lot of time also playing with her food which Azz continuously scolded her for. Pretty soon all the food had been eaten and we moved on to the pile of gifts.
"Oh, Diablo, you're back already." I say as I notice he's reappeared. Nobody else seems to have noticed since they're all watching Iruma rip open gifts.
"Yes, I am sorry for the delay." he says, his voice barely louder than a whisper.
"No, no, it's fine. Did something happen?" I ask, wondering why he didn't return immediately.
"Nothing that you need to worry about." Diablo calmly replies.
"No, something definitely happened."
"Well, the woman I was tasked with delivering the message to-"
Diablo is interrupted by the sound of Azz groaning right after hearing his hell-phone going off.
"Oh, Mother..."
"What's wrong Azz?"
"It seems my mother gave your butler some trouble, based on the message she just sent me. Why must she use her feminine wiles like this? It is humiliating..."
"Well, they don't call her the Lord of Seduction for nothin', do they?"
Azz gives me a pained look but doesn't say anything further.
"Let's keep opening presents!" Iruma suggests, trying to change the subject after noticing how embarrassed Azz is.
"As I was saying-" Diablo starts again.
"I think I've got the picture, Diablo. No need to keep going."
"Yes, my Lord."
"None of that 'Lord' stuff while we have guests!" I harshly whisper to Diablo. "Good thing you're being quiet enough that nobody else heard you."
"My apologies." Diablo says with a bow before retreating.
I join the kids in their present-opening, gaining a few gifts myself, but nothing much of note.
"What gifts did you like the most, my grandchildren?" Sullivan asks expectantly.
"I guess this shirt you got me is pretty cool." I say, not really feeling passionate about anything I got. I'm thankful, but nothing stands out to me as a 'favorite'.
"My favorite? I dunno..."
It seems like Iruma's in the same boat.
"Oh, then what would you consider the best kind of gift so Grandpa can get something you really like next time?" Sullivan asks.
"Um...no, that's too much..." Iruma mutters, looking down while trying to come up with something.
"Nothing is too much for you, my precious grandson!"
"Well, I've been thinking about some of the cool stuff my classmates were talking about. Could we maybe go to an amusement park? I've never went to one of those and I'd really like it if I could!" Iruma suggests, getting more and more excited as he talks about the idea.
"Yes, I could have an entire park reserved just for you and your friends!" Sullivan says like that's something easy for him to do.
"You don't need to go that far, Grandpa! Just going will be plenty enough to make me happy!" Iruma immediately shuts him down, wanting none of that.
"Yeah, having the place to ourselves is a bit much. It would ruin the atmosphere, and Iruma might also feel really guilty if everyone else was shut out just for his sake." I add, also thinking that's a bit ridiculous.
"If you both say so, then I will just buy some tickets for you and all of your friends. Walter Park should be a suitable venue!"
"Walter Park? Uh...sure! Did you hear that Azz? Clara? We're going to an amusement park!" Iruma exclaims, his joy evident on his face.
He's so excited. I hope it lives up to his expectations.
[[You appear to be equally excited, Master.]]
No way, I'm too old for that nonsense.
[[Master, I have been observing you for 31 years. This is a clear tsundere reaction.]]
Well... Maybe I'm a little excited...
[[It has been 54 years since you've been to an amusement park. You tried to get your subordinates to build one, but they misunderstood the premise. There's nothing wrong with simply enjoying yourself.]]
Alright, you win. I do really wanna go!
As Ciel mentioned, Tempest's one attempt to create something along those lines ended in failure. The rides were closer to traps than anything, and deadly traps too, stuff that only belongs in the Labyrinth's dungeon. It's been a long time since I've gone to a real amusement park, and if it's anything like the ones on Earth, I might be able to have a little fun.
After presents, we play some games together. Photos were taken of us during the party with some embarrassing moments for me caught on camera.
Eventually it gets dark out, so Ciel sends for Diablo to make arrangements for Azz and Clara to have a sleepover. I don't think Diablo was looking forward to speaking to Azz's mother again but he still accepts Ciel's orders without a fuss.
**The Next Day**
Ameri POV
As the President of the Student Council, most rumors spread at Babyls end up reaching my ears, but this one, in particular, is very interesting.
"That can't be entirely true...I know that since I'm aware of what Iruma is." I mutter to myself while stewing over what was spread to me.
Yes, some grand story about Rimuru and Iruma and how they came from a faraway part of the Netherworld and fled with their mother after both were used and abused. It's a bunch of lies, I can tell, but part of it may be the truth. I know those two aren't true siblings since Iruma is human, but the part about Rimuru...could that be what she actually went through?
Fighting like that at such a young age...if that's true, that explains her personality and strength.
This wouldn't have spread if someone didn't happen to listen in on a certain conversation. Apparently, according to one of my sources, Professor Robin overheard a conversation between Professor Kalego and Professor Balam, and within hours, the rumor reached me. That's how fast stuff that interesting can spread here at Babyls.
I will have to ask one of them about this soon, preferably Iruma. I should be subtle about it though, especially if it ends up being Rimuru I have to question.
I get the impression that this story is Rimuru's making, not Iruma's, so asking him questions about it might not be the most helpful approach, even though I'd much rather spend time with him rather than his sister.
I do have a reading session with him tomorrow, perhaps that would be a good time to ask?
We're going to read, have tea, and celebrate the fact that we've passed our exams. I've already checked the posted results, so I know that Iruma did indeed pass.
Just thinking about spending time with Iruma gets me excited so I'm really looking forward to celebrating with him!
Maybe the questions can wait, since this is a special occasion...we'll see.
Rimuru POV
Everyone in class is celebrating now that exams are over, with all the boys going to a karaoke party and all the girls going to a tea party. Of course, I have no intention of taking part in 'girls' time', and I can't imagine anyone complaining if I went to the boy's party, so I'm heading over there to meet up with Iruma.
I'm glad I dodged that bullet! I mean, a tea party with a bunch of girls? I bet it's gonna be like one of those fabled sleepovers (minus the pajamas) where they talk about their crushes and share secrets...no thank you!
I like tea, but the gossip that's sure to come along with it sounds like torture to me.
Not wanting to wait any longer, I quickly make my way to the Game Battler. There's no need for special sensory powers to tell where everyone is, with deafening music blaring from the 'Screeching Room'. I don't even bother knocking since the booming music is so loud that there's no way it'd do any good.
Almost immediately noticing my presence, the loud music comes to a halt and I find all the boys' eyes trained on me.
Lead, taking the initiative to guard this place against intruders, apparently, steps forward and blocks the doorway before I can step inside.
"Whoa there Rimuru, guys only!"
"Just let me in, man. Don't turn this into a big deal."
"No can do, Rimuru. Plus, you've got your own party to go to, don't you? With the other girls?"
"Yeah, some dumb tea party...like I'd want to go to something like that! Do you think I wanna listen to them talk about boys and fashion, or whatever the hell else they're going to talk about at that thing? I'd rather just hang out with you guys instead, thank you very much."
"Listen, we're no better: We talk about girls, games, and sports. And how are we gonna talk about girls if you're here?! Any secrets we hold dear could be leaked to the enemy camp!"
Enemy camp?! Sheesh, he acts like this is some sort of war...
Well, if he's not gonna budge with simply asking, I can play a little dirty.
"Oh no! It looks like I have no choice but to go to that tea party then! I can head right over, letting all the girls know that you're too immature to be around anyone of the opposite gender!" I say with an evil smile. "Who's at the tea party again? There's Keroli, Ameri... Elizabetta-"
"There you are, Rimuru!" I hear someone say from behind me.
Huh?
Before I can even react, I feel myself lift off of the ground.
It's Elizabetta; apparently, she went looking for me, and now that I've been tracked down, she's picked me up like some small child. I get it, we have a significant height difference, but being unceremoniously scooped up by some teen can't possibly not be embarrassing.
"We were all wondering where you were when you didn't show up to the party, so I came looking for you."
"Why did you pick me up?"
My question triggers some laughs from the boys, including Iruma.
"Oh! Well, you're so small that my habits from babysitting kicked in..." she says with slight embarrassment, setting me down.
I resist the urge to roll my eyes at this.
"Hey, I'm not even the shortest person in the class!" I grumble.
"Sorry, sorry... I'll make it up to you with a nice cup of tea, okay?"
"Thanks, but I'd rather go to the karaoke..."
"Go to your tea party Rimuru! We can hang out later!" Jazz says, still snickering at my embarrassing situation.
"Ugh, fine..."
As I give up on avoiding the Tea Party, Elizabetta grabs my hand and starts leading me away, smiling.
I've only heard rumors and second-hand experiences when it comes to social situations like this and I want absolutely nothing to do with it. Gossiping about boys, sharing secrets, talking about makeup and fashion...all of that is completely alien to me! Just thinking about being stuck in a room full of girls talking about things like that makes me fills with dread.
"I cannot wait for us all to share secrets! You never really talk about yourself, Rimuru, so I am glad you're joining us!"
See? She's practically confirming what I think is going to happen at this tea party!
Soon, we arrive at the Magic Apparatus Battler, where Keroli, Clara, and Ameri are already sitting around a small table in the middle of the room.
"I managed to find her!" says Elizabetta as we join the table. "Now that we're all here, let's introduce ourselves!"
I share a knowing look of discomfort with Ameri; neither of us wanted to be here, I can tell just by her expression.
"Hi, hi! I'm Clara Valac!"
"I'm Elizabetta Ix!"
"I'm...Keroli Crocell ..."
"Ameri Azazel..."
"Uh... Rimuru Tempest..."
"Thanks for the tea, Lady Redhair!" cheers Clara, pouring it for everyone around the table.
"Ah, you're welcome..." responds Ameri, though she looks a little sad... I recall that Iruma had plans to meet with her, so it's easy to imagine she's feeling let down.
As we sip our tea, the atmosphere around the table feels somewhat awkward, with three out of five people clearly outside their comfort zone; so Elizabetta thinks of something to break the ice.
"Why don't we talk about hobbies?"
" "Hobbies?!" " Ameri and Keroli cried out in unison.
She has no way of knowing how much a problem that topic is...
Ameri - Her hobby is embarrassing and illegal.
Keroli - Secretly a celebrity.
Me - Secretly a Demon Lord.
Ciel, got any suggestions for an emergency subject change?
[[It is likely that they have strong opinions on teachers.]]
Thanks, Ciel!
"Or we could talk about our favorite teachers!" I suggest.
"Yes! I think that would be a much better topic of discussion!" Ameri quickly adds.
"I like Eggie-sensei!" blurts out Clara.
Oh boy, here we go...
Iruma POV
As soon as Rimuru was taken by Elizabetta, the party started up again, loud music included. I feel a little bad for not standing up for Rimuru, but I honestly didn't know what to say. It's not like I could tell them that Rimuru isn't really a girl, so it's fine to let her join us, but by the time I got over this hang-up, Rimuru was already gone.
This is fun and all, but I had plans with Ameri...I hope she isn't mad at me for flaking on her like this.
I've already messaged her, apologizing, but that doesn't mean I don't still feel bad.
"Master Iruma, is there any song in here you'd like to sing?" Azz asks, holding a book of songs open.
"Um..."
I don't know any Netherworld songs!
"Pick the next song Iruma!" Jazz shouts, letting me know it's my turn on stage.
"Uh...'kay..."
I start rapidly flipping through the book of songs, trying to pick something that sounds easy.
What do I do?! What do I do?!
[[Ahem.]]
C-ciel?! What are you doing contacting me? You don't normally do that!
[[I was simply checking on you, since I am supposed to play the role of your mother, and I noticed your consternation. If you wish, I can assist you in the same way I did Master during the concert.]]
Wait, you helped Rimuru back there?
[[I assisted Master with the lyrics, yes. I do not have knowledge of many songs known here, but I can give you the lyrics for the same one Master performed at the concert.]]
Thank you so much! You're a lifesaver!
So, I pick that song, feeling a bit weird about it since it's kinda a girly one, not to mention that it's bringing back memories of that embarrassing concert. Either way, this isn't nearly as nerve-racking since it's only a few people instead of an entire crowd watching me.
First taking a deep breath, I sing my heart out, the lyrics appearing in my head as the song progresses, enabling me to sing it without much trouble.
This is actually kinda fun, I'm kinda getting into it now!
"Do you love me? Well, try to see through me, can you give up your soul for me?"
" "Little imp, little imp!" " my classmates chant along with me, waving glowsticks around in the dark room.
"I'll be the little imp that drags you around..."
" "Little imp!" "
Rimuru POV
"I like Professor Stolas because she treats her students very gently! Kalego is too loud and hostile!" states Keroli with unusual vigor.
"I like Eggie! He looks cute as a birdie!" Clara fires back in a huff.
"But he's so mean!"
Wow, I know you figured this topic would be a good distraction, but they really seem to be getting into it...
It only took a few minutes of talking for things to get heated over this subject... and here I thought it'd be a fairly easy one!
[[Master, it seems that the tea is designed to help people relax by encouraging them to speak their minds. Of course, you will not be affected unless requested.]]
Unless requested? It could be an interesting experience, and it is supposed to help people relax...
[[I'll turn off your resistance to it for now.]]
Ciel, surprisingly, allowed this without any argument. I guess she must be in a really good mood right now. Maybe she's having a lot of fun playing the role of Amane or something?
Right after reducing my resistance, I think I start to feel the effects of the tea. It's not like alcohol, but I do experience a relaxing effect as explained by Ciel.
"Wait, you like Balam?" asks Ameri with a look of surprise. I didn't care enough about this conversation to use Thought Acceleration, so I've let myself miss a few things while talking with Ciel.
"Yes! Blam-Blam is fun to climb and he lets me climb him!" Clara exclaims.
"That's because he's weird!" Keroli shoots back.
Out of all of us, Keroli seems to be the most affected by the tea. Her shyness has almost completely faded away at this point. She never speaks her mind like this when not pretending to be Kuromu, as far as I know.
"What do you think, Rimuru? You've been very quiet," asks Elizabetta.
"Oh? Me? I think Balam is really kind-hearted, but I don't like being touched by him... I'm not a cat, stroking my hair isn't gonna make me happy!"
"Oh! Speaking of your hair, how do you care for it? For someone who doesn't style their hair, yours looks so wonderfully soft and silky!" exclaims Elizabetta.
"It is soft!" Clara says with her face buried in my hair.
"I just use magic..." I admit while pulling my hair out of Clara's grasp, causing her to pout slightly.
" "Magic?" " a few of them say in unison.
"Yeah, magic. It's good for keeping yourself clean and I also can style my hair with it too!"
I normally let Ciel do the honors when it comes to messing with my hair, but I still know how to do it myself too.
I give a small demonstration, putting my hair in a bun and magically changing from my uniform into a yukata, eliciting gasps of awe from the onlooking girls. The Misfit Class girls were still impressed despite seeing these abilities before, and for Ameri, it was the first time.
"That's so convenient!" she blurts out, looking shocked at how easily I changed my looks.
I almost feel sorry for doing this in front of her, she probably has to put a lot of care into styling herself...
It's too bad they can't learn how to do this in the same way I do. My hair is not really hair, but just an extension of my body, and just like with any body part, I'm able to directly move it in the same way as one. I demonstrated this once before while here in the Netherworld (although for a completely different reason), but it isn't something I do very often.
"That's some really impressive magic, Rimuru! Did you say it works for cleaning as well?" asks Elizabetta.
"Yep! I never get dirty or sweaty in the slightest, it just vanishes instantly!"
"Riri doesn't shower!" Clara concludes from what I just said.
"Don't be silly, of course, Rimuru showers!" says Elizabetta.
"I...uh...of course, I do..."
Gah! This 'relaxation tea' makes lying so hard! I basically just admitted I don't shower! I mean, I did a few days ago, but that was just a time-out to process a shameful experience; I only ever bathe for the sake of relaxation.
I'm getting doubtful looks from all the girls, and then Elizabetta changes the subject with "So what do you do for your hair, Ameri-"
"Wait wait wait!" I cry out, desperate to clear my name. "I'm not gross, I swear! It's just that showering wouldn't make me any cleaner, since my magic already does it perfectly! If I was any cleaner than I already am, you could use me as soap!"
In fact, I have been used as soap before! Milim just does whatever she wants...
Slimes are very clean creatures; no sweat, dirt, or body odor. Anything that gets on us can be easily absorbed, and our smooth surfaces don't make for a good surface for any grime to stick to. Not all of that applies to my human form, but I'm still kept clean by self-cleaning clothing that's magical in nature.
"Okay, okay! I'm sorry for giving you funny looks, Rimuru!" Elizabetta apologizes with a chuckle.
The talk about hair care continues for a while, leading to the discovery that Clara cleans her hair with soap bars, which apparently surprised everyone more than my own cleaning habits.
But while I'm at ease, the discussion goes somewhere I expected but wasn't prepared for.
"Now, let's get down to business." declares Elizabetta.
"Huh? Business?" asks Keroli.
"Of course! What would girls' time be if we didn't talk about... Relationships?"
I immediately get a sinking feeling in my stomach as the subject changes to something I can't deal with.
Ack! I don't wanna be here!
Wracking my brain for an escape, I realize that there isn't one that wouldn't raise suspicions or start rumors. I'll just have to tough it out and try not to look too embarrassed in front of all these teen girls.
"Do any of you ladies have a gentleman you fancy? Or..." Elizabetta gives a playful smile. "A gentlewoman?"
"Yes! I like Iruma-chi!" calls out Clara with her hand raised.
I nearly spit out my tea, and Ameri looks so shocked you'd think she was struck by lightning. "Eh?! How could you be so forward?! Rimuru is right here!"
"Hi, Riri!"
Just act cool...you don't even need to respond to it.
I just shrug nonchalantly, not sure what to say in a situation like this.
Ameri looks much more disgruntled by Clara's 'confession' than I do, so I simply take another sip of tea while watching Ameri glare at her, both upset and stunned.
I know exactly how Ameri feels about Iruma, so I bet she's seeing Clara as some sort of love rival. But Clara doesn't seem to notice or care at all and just keeps rambling on.
"Yeah, Iruma-chi! He's super nice! And he plays with me and he eats a lot and he plays with me!"
"I will agree that it's lovely how Iruma made such an impact during his evil cycle!" Elizabetta chimes in.
"I...don't really feel any way about it..." Keroli mutters, blushing and looking away.
Is she reverting to her normal shy self? Or...
"...but he's dependable...and kinda...cool..." Keroli admits, her voice pitch raising higher and higher as she keeps speaking. By the time she finishes her point, her face is as red as a tomato and she's covering her eyes with her hands.
You've gotta be kidding me...
"He was quite astounding, yeah!"
"I...guess..."
Ameri is now gritting her teeth angrily and clenching her fists.
"What about you, Madame President? Is there anyone you fancy? You seem very experienced with relationships, is there some trick to making them work? I can't figure it out."
"I...uh...well, you see..."
I'm tempted to reveal what Ameri is clearly trying to hide, but that might be a little too mean, even for me.
"How does love finally get off the ground?! Please teach us!"
"How do ya get 'em to fall for ya?!"
Ameri sputters and stutters as she bends under the pressure of the girls' gazes, all trained on her.
"If she knew that, she wouldn't be in the situation she is now," I comment.
" " " "What?!" " " "
"Oh, no, I've said too much!"
"What do you mean by that Rimuru?!"
"Ask Ameri!"
They all jump right back on Ameri, leaving me in the clear.
Sheesh...all four of these girls seem to have a thing for Iruma. That boy is building a harem without even trying or noticing! I'm kinda jealous...
[[Oh, Master... ]]
I can feel Ciel shaking her metaphorical head at me.
Just kidding!
What? You think I didn't notice that some of my subordinates have feelings for me? I just...can't be with them, that's all.
Firstly, I don't want a partner who is utterly subservient to me. That alone rules out almost all of my subordinates, and the remainder who can show individuality or even defiance around me are still somewhat subservient. The power dynamic in a relationship with one of my subordinates would be heavily skewed at best, completely one-sided at worst.
Secondly, for a subordinate, it'd feel horrible for them if we started dating but then broke things off. To have their shot with the person they spent years looking up to, only to be rejected because they weren't good enough, or even to reject me because I'm not what they expected? Not to mention the harassment that might come from it being publicly known... I could easily end up ruining a subordinate by indulging their wishes.
So yeah, romance isn't much of an option for me at this point.
"I don't know what y-you're talking about! I-if you want relationship advice, ask R-rimuru!"
Excuse me?!
"Wait a sec, I don't have any experience with that!"
"But what about that guy?"
"Huh? What guy?"
"Th-the one you shoved in a closet...wasn't that your boyfriend?"
"Veldora?! Ewwww, hell no! We're not dating!"
"Who was that mysterious hunk then? I heard he was quite attractive!"
That doofus? Attractive?! I guess to some people maybe, but his personality completely ruins it!
"He's a cousin, okay? A cousin!"
I can't go and say the truth, making him my brother, but 'cousin' is close enough that it should shut down the rumor mill about me dating Veldora.
"You kissed your cousin in a closet Riri?"
"NO!"
"Of course, she didn't, Clara. People obviously misunderstood what those two were doing in there. If that 'Veldora' isn't someone you're in a romantic relationship with Rimuru, are you in one with someone else?"
"No, I'm not."
[[ ...! ]]
Our relationship is special, Ciel, but I wouldn't call it 'romantic', okay? Don't be upset...
[[...]]
"So does that mean you're up for grabs? I'm sure there are loads of boys who are into you, Rimuru!" Elizabetta says with a smile.
"I'm not 'up for grabs' either, plus I don't even like guys. Sure, I've met some very gorgeous and charming men, but I'm not attracted to them, only women."
...
Whoops, I can hear the rumor mill starting already.
"I'm surprised that damned bird was right, even a broken clock is right twice a day," Ameri mutters.
"You mean Camui? I think he mentioned something like that during one of his long rambles about girls... He's always creeping on our private business!" Keroli complains.
Or maybe not, it sounds like the rumor mill ran its course long ago.
"I think it's wonderful that you can be so open and honest with your feelings, Rimuru!" Elizabetta exclaims.
"Uh... thanks."
I'm sure this would seem like a much more wholesome moment if I was who I said I was, but no; she just told me, a man, that it's okay to like women. How profound.
"Yes! I wanna tell everyone how much I like them too!" Clara interrupts, not seeming to really get what we're actually talking about. "I like Iruma-chi! I like everyone in class! I like our fluffy eggie-sensei! I like them all!"
"Perhaps you could clarify; since you like everyone, when you say 'like', you don't mean love, right?" Ameri cautiously probes Clara.
"Huh?"
"For example, are you interested in ~marrying~ Iruma?" Elizabetta asks.
"I-I...well I guess I...wouldn't mind doing that..." Clara mutters, her cheeks turning redder and redder by the second.
Ameri looks like she might break that teacup she's holding with how tightly she's clenching it. Her competitive side is in full swing after hearing such a blatant confession about Clara's feelings for Iruma.
"Do you agree, Madame President? That Iruma would make a wonderful husband for one very lucky girl?" Elizabetta continues to instigate.
Ameri's death grip on her teacup releases and it drops, shattering on the floor. She has a faraway look in her eyes, not seeming to register the spill at all.
Ameri.exe has stopped responding? I can guess what she's imagining...
"I'm still here, you know..." I point out, feeling like I should weigh in on the topic of girls wanting to marry my 'brother'.
"Yes, of course, Rimuru," Elizabetta replies. "But as his sister, don't you want to see Iruma get married one day?"
"One day, yes. But why are y'all talking about it in front of me? It must be this damn tea making-"
"A wonderful husband?!" Ameri yells out of nowhere, her face flushed red.
That took her a moment...
While Ameri is aglow with marital fantasies, along with Clara who is mumbling incomprehensibly, completely overwhelmed by what's going on, Elizabetta and Keroli start screaming at each other.
"We're still in school, it's much too soon for any of us to get married!" Keroli shouts.
"I think it's totally great!" Elizabetta argues.
"Well anyway, you can't! It's indecent!" Keroli shoots back, not giving an inch.
"Students getting married is just fine! I think it's lovely!"
"That may be, but you can't know what will happen in the future!"
"So what?! True love is rare, precious, and beautiful!"
"But that's scandalous! You should plan out your future and then decide what to do!"
"In that case, you just need to get engaged first rather than marry immediately! A betrothed? 'Fiancée' has such a nice ring to it... Wait, no!" Ameri shouts, suddenly joining the conversation again, if you can even call this a conversation; more like a screaming match.
This is getting out of hand, perhaps I should weigh in?
"Yes, you need to pursue romance while you're still young! If you wait too long, you might find yourself at a time in your life where it's hard to form new connections or even maintain the ones you have!" I say, thinking I made a good point.
If I had taken that advice in my previous life, I wouldn't have died a virgin. It's much too late for me, being a slime now and all, but if I can help these teens out with some of my adult wisdom, I will.
"Then shouldn't you take your own advice and find a girl you'll be happy with? You said you're not up for grabs, but you're admitting that you should be pursuing romance!" Elizabetta immediately calls me out without a moment of hesitation.
"Uh..."
Crap, she has me in checkmate!
"She can do things at her own pace! You can't force yourself into love, you should wait for feelings to blossom and then seize upon them with an engagement!"
Thanks for saving me there, Ameri!
I give Ameri a thankful nod.
"An engagement is too risky! As a teenager, you won't know who you'll be happy with as a grown-up! You have to let yourself mature before committing yourself to someone, otherwise, you and your partner might resent each other in the future!" Keroli protests.
Ameri looks shocked by Keroli's warning, but I have a cautionary tale of my own.
"What if you end up getting important or famous as an adult though? Then it's impossible to pursue romance without strings attached!" I warn, knowing what it's like to be loved by many yet no longer have the option of casual dating; a simple reality of being too successful.
"I'm sure I'll find a way to deal with it! I-if I was to become famous that is!" Keroli stammers, completely flustered by my words.
That hit home for you, didn't it?
As the only person aware of Keroli's 'alter ego' in this room short of the girl herself, I know how much that warning packs a punch for someone in her situation. It's not exactly like mine, of course, but she is indeed famous and I doubt she can maintain her double life forever.
"If you love each other, get married!" Clara shouts, shattering the brief silence in the room. She seems to have gotten over her shock.
Then everyone else starts yelling their fool heads off, the argument ramping up again. Crazed looks in their eyes, cheeks flushed red, they are completely out of control! On and on, these girls just keep going! I think I'm starting to get a headache despite not being able to feel pain...
"There's a small Riri, so we should make a small Iruma-chi as well!" Clara excitedly yells at the top of her lungs.
It seems like I've lost track of the conversation again...when the hell did they get on this subject?
"Hey, now hold on a second, it's too early for that!" I protest, but Elizabetta quickly retorts with "Don't you want to be an aunt though?"
"But it's completely irresponsible to be thinking about that at your age!"
"Tiny Iruma-chi! Tiny Iruma-chi!" Clara cheers, totally ignoring me.
It's complete pandemonium in here!
Iruma POV
It seems like everyone's worn out.
After hours of singing and partying, the excitement finally died down and I was able to escape. Yes, I had fun, but making Ameri wait for me any longer would be so rude!
"Sorry guys, I need to go do something. I had a lot of fun, so thanks!"
"Yeah, sure thing Iruma. Go do what you need to do." Jazz casually replies, waving goodbye.
"Would you like me to accompany you, Master Iruma?"
"No, thanks Azz."
So, leaving all the other boys behind, I head to our usual meeting spot but find it empty.
Where is she...I thought she'd be waiting for me...?
I think for a moment, trying to guess where my friend might be and only one thing comes to mind.
Did Ameri end up going to the girls' party? I thought it was just my class going, but I could be wrong...well, it's worth a shot.
Remembering that they're supposed to be meeting in the Magical Apparatus Battler's room, I start making my way there.
Rimuru POV
Ciel... Make sure I don't melt into a puddle, I'm so relaxed...
[[Of course, and I'm glad to hear that.]]
It must be because I always have to be careful of what I say, and I haven't freely spoken from the heart like that in a long time...
[[That, and the tea also appears to have a mild sedative after-effect, probably to make the relaxation from speaking their mind feel stronger for the drinker.]]
Oh, so that's why my muscles feel like they've turned to goo.
[[Well-]]
Yeah, yeah, I know.
"Ameri, where did you get this tea? It's amazing..." I ask in a lazy voice, sprawled out on the floor.
"It's a popular new item, I imagine you can find it in any store specializing in tea," Ameri responds from her position slumped on the desk.
I'm not alone when it comes to feeling completely relaxed, since all the girls in the room are laid out in a similar state to me. After yelling incessantly for who knows how long, letting all their feelings out, they're all surprisingly quiet.
"I definitely feel like I've let everything out now...but I don't remember any of the details." Keroli blissfully whispers from her position on the floor.
"I feel so much better!" Elizabetta agrees with her.
That reminds me, I didn't say anything risky did I?
[[No, although I've never heard you summarize your feelings on romance so clearly.]]
Oh yeah, speaking of that... I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings earlier, by the way. I just feel like it's a bit soon to make any romantic commitments, you know? We're both really early in our lives if you think about it.
[[There is no need to apologize. I am not an existence that would usually 'feel', so it is difficult to know how to balance feelings with logic. It is ironic, that it was you who took the logical stance and not myself.]]
Well, you've changed a lot over the years, you know?
[[In a good or bad way?]]
A good way. You're closer to me than anyone else, so it's nice to see you express some individuality from time to time.
"You sure do talk a lot Keroline," Clara comments.
"You know, Madame President, before today I thought you were a lot scarier," Elizabetta admits to Ameri.
"That's just a front she puts up; Ameri's a softie on the inside," I add snarkily.
"Rimuru!" Ameri immediately complains, glaring at me.
"Hehe..." I chuckle quietly to myself, satisfied.
First clearing her throat, Ameri continues making her point.
"Um...Elizabetta, call me Ameri. Since I'm not on duty now."
"But you just complained about me calling you that!" I say, again trying to get on Ameri's nerves.
"That was not the part I was upset about! Ugh...but my point is that you don't have to all be so formal with me." Ameri finally finished what she was trying to say.
"Maybe we should exchange contact information?" Elizabetta suggests.
"Indeed." Ameri agrees.
"Sure!" Keroli also agrees.
"Yeah, why not? I don't mind." I say as I pull out my phone alongside the rest of the people in the room.
"Let's all get together again soon!" Clara cheerfully suggests, her eyes lighting up at the thought of playing with some new friends, I think.
"Yes, this was so much fun! Thank you!" Elizabetta says with a smile that matches all the other girls'.
This was all surprisingly fun, even though I was hesitant at first. Maybe participating in 'girls' time' every so often isn't such a bad thing?
"Oh! I knew I might find you here Ameri! I finally managed to slip away..."
"You can't come in here!"
"Get out!"
"No boys allowed!"
The girls all throw things at Iruma and shout until he leaves, closing the door behind him. I may or may not have joined them in this, just for fun.
"Hahaha...serves him right after what happened earlier!" I say with a laugh, thinking back to Iruma's 'betrayal'.
"What?" Keroli asks curiously.
"Oh, I tried to hang out with the boys at first, but they wouldn't let me! Iruma didn't even say a single word in my defense either!" I complain.
"Why were you trying to join the boys anyway? You weren't trying to get out of spending time with us, were you?" Elizabetta asks.
I can't tell these girls my real reasons...they'll get mad at me if I did!
"Uh...I like karaoke? Yeah, singing is fun so I thought I'd enjoy that more!" I quickly make an excuse.
"Yes...Rimuru is a good singer..." Keroli softly admits.
"Wait, really?" Elizabetta asks, surprised.
"Yes, I've heard her before." Ameri agrees.
"Riri! Sing for us!" Clara urges me, but I ignore her.
"Hey, can we stop talking about this? I'm starting to get embarrassed..." I mutter, ignoring Clara's dumb request.
"Yes, and it's getting late, isn't it?" Ameri observes, looking at the time on her phone.
"Yup, and Iruma is out in the hallway waiting for me I bet, so I'm gonna head out."
With a wave as I leave, I exit the room.