The morning sunlight coming through the cracks in the window woke up a woman. A young woman with long black hair, black irises and a burn mark on her left eye. Even so, the woman's face was still very beautiful. She slowly woke up from her sleep and gently rubbed her eyes. Her slightly messy hair and the innocent expression on her face when she woke up, could not hide her beauty.
"Hoamm... Where else should I look for that person?" she muttered as she opened her bedroom window and let the warm sunlight fill her room.
Shizue Izawa, that was the name of the beautiful black-haired woman. A woman who had experienced a lot in her lifetime, a strong woman who was even called a hero. Until one day, people referred to her as the "Conqueror of Flames".
Shizue smiled gently at the sight of the birds chirping in the morning, and the gentle breeze that cooled her face. After enjoying the beauty of the morning, Shizue then got up from her bed and went to the bathroom to get ready.
After that, Shizue hung her sword behind her and then picked up her mask. No, that mask didn't belong to Shizue but to someone who saved her. A hero who came to free Shizue from the chains that once bound her.
Shizue put on the mask, before she stepped out of her room. Shizue went down to the ground floor of the inn she was staying at, and ordered a piece of bread and tea for breakfast. After breakfast Shizue went to the Adventurer's Guild in Blumund Kingdom, when she got there, Shizue saw people still talking about the disappearance of the Storm Dragon Veldora.
'Do I need to check the Jura Forest too?' thought Shizue who was a little curious about the disappearance of one of the disaster-bringing creatures. Shizue then walked to the front of the mission board to fill her free time, but she didn't find a single mission that suited her.
Instead, Shizue saw a group of 3 adventurers walking down from the Guild Master's room. Shizue unintentionally listened to the conversation of those who were given the mission to go to the Jura Forest.
'Maybe I can join them to go to Jura Forest' Shizue thought and walked after the three adventurers.
"Are we really going to that forest again?" one of them complained.
"What can I say, it's a direct order from the Guild Master" replied the female adventurer among the three of them.
"Excuse me, can I join your group?" asked Shizue who was trying to get their attention. Hearing someone trying to talk to them made the three adventurers turn their heads towards Shizue.
"Hm, who are you?"
"My name is Shizu, I'm also an A rank adventurer. I accidentally heard that you guys were going to the Jura Forest, and I originally wanted to go there myself. So I decided to go with you guys, is that okay?" replied Shizue while showing her adventurer card.
The three adventurers then turned around and started whispering among themselves before they faced back towards Shizue.
"We're fine with that, after all it would be better if there were more people. Welcome aboard, Shizu-san" said the male adventurer who was the leader of the group.
"Hi, Shizu-san. My name is Eren, and that one is Gido, and our leader is Kaval" said Eren while introducing her colleagues.
"Shizu-san, sorry in advance. Do you mind if you wait for us at the gate? You see, we're not ready yet" Kaval asked.
"No problem, but don't make me wait too long" replied Shizue.
After that brief conversation, Shizue began to walk towards the royal gates to wait for Eren and the others. As they promised, they didn't keep Shizue waiting long and soon caught up with her. Seeing Team Kaval coming towards her, Shizue turned around and walked ahead of them. And on that morning, the four of them entered the Jura Forest with different purposes.
But in the middle of their journey, Shizue sensed some monsters approaching towards them.
"Stand back, and cover me from behind" Shizue told Team Kaval to stand guard behind her, then faced the monsters alone.
......
......
On the other side of the Jura Forest, Rimuru was helping Kaijin and the other villagers build their houses. Although Rigurd requested that Rimuru not directly help them, but Rimuru insisted. He didn't want to be the only one who stood by and watched others work. And thanks to Rimuru's help, the construction of their village was much faster.
As the sun rose, they stopped for a lunch break, then continued their work afterwards. But not Rimuru, who was not helping this time. Rimuru sat under the tent with a plate of meat satay in front of him and leaned against Ranga who was behind him. He was not being lazy but was thinking about his future plans.
'For now I think it's enough, the house and clothes are our top priorities. Then the next is weaponry and innovation, but the problem is the lack of manpower' Rimuru thought with a gloomy look on his face. Rimuru had many plans in his head, and all of them he wanted to realize, but it seemed impossible in the near future. Shortly afterwards Rigurd came to see Rimuru which brought Rimuru out of his thoughts.
"Lord Rimuru, Rigur and the guard squad found some suspicious people nearby" Rigurd said.
"Hm?" Immediately, Rimuru activated his [Universal Detect] skill. And sure enough, he sensed 10 creatures not far from his village, 6 of which were monsters.
"I'll check it out, stay here" Rimuru ordered.
{{ Rigur, return to village }} Rimuru told Rigur to return telepathically, then left with Ranga. It didn't take long for Rimuru and Ranga to arrive at the intruders' place. Rimuru observed them battling several monsters, but his attention was focused on the masked woman wielding a flaming sword.
The woman dodged every attack and quickly counterattacked. Rimuru saw how every monster scratched by her sword simply exploded. But when the last monster was right in front of her, she suddenly fell.
"Watch out!" shouted Rimuru who used his black lightning to kill the monster.
Boomm!
The explosive sound of the black lightning striking filled their eardrums. And the strong wind that blew afterward blew away the mask the woman was wearing. Then the mask landed right on Rimuru's hand. Slowly the dust and smoke blocking Rimuru's view began to dissipate, and when Rimuru saw her face he was speechless. His irises widened in surprise at this unexpected encounter, so a single word came out naturally from his mouth.
"Found you" muttered Rimuru which still sounded clearly in Shizue's ears.
Shizue Izawa P.O.V.
I was very surprised by the lightning that suddenly struck in front of me, but that was still nothing compared to now. Because now I see someone with silver-blue hair and sparkling golden irises looking at me in surprise. I don't know why, but I really wanted to run and hug that person.
"Found you" he murmured which was still audible to me.
Eren helped me up and stood next to me with her mouth open. I looked over at Kaval and Gido who also reacted the same way as Eren.
'What's wrong with them?' I thought before realizing the reason behind their shock.
"Is this mask yours?" asked the man who started walking closer to me. And that's when I realized that his face was very similar to mine.
"Y-yes, thank you" I replied with a small smile to him, then took the mask from his hand.
3rd P.O.V
Rimuru handed the mask back to Shizue and returned her smile. The two of them were completely transfixed with their gazes, and ignored the surprised Kaval Team.
"There are two Shizu-san" Eren muttered, to which Kaval and Gido nodded.
Rimuru was the first to take his eyes off Shizue, and turned to Team Kaval.
"You guys come with me" Rimuru invited.
"Where to?" asked Eren.
"My village, Ranga" Rimuru replied and called Ranga out of his shadow. Ranga's sudden arrival naturally made Team Kaval and Shizue wary, but all caution was lost when Rimuru gently stroked Ranga's head.
"Miss, you should ride Ranga instead. Don't push yourself" said Rimuru who extended his hand to Shizue. Ranga obeyed Rimuru's wishes and lowered his body so that Shizue could ride easily.
After that Rimuru led them back to the village, and was greeted by Rigurd. Rimuru asked Rigurd to prepare a place for their guests, and Rigurd immediately led Rimuru to a small house that had just been built. Although it looked small, it was enough to be their resting place. Rigurd then brought some meat and a place to cook it.
"You guys rest for a while, I'll be back later" Rimuru said before heading out of the small house. When Rimuru had left, Eren immediately showered Shizue with various questions that Shizue herself did not know the answers to.
"Shizu-san, why didn't you tell me you had a twin?" asked Eren.
"I don't have a twin, even I'm as confused as you guys" Shizue replied.
"Never mind, for now let's just enjoy this grilled meat" said Kaval and Gido who began to devour the food in front of them. Eren and Shizue also picked up their bowls and started filling them with the roasted meat. In the midst of eating, Shizue looked at the team of adventurers with her in confusion. 'Didn't they feel the aura that person gave off earlier?' Shizue thought.
Moments later Rimuru returned and saw Team Kaval who was eating heartily, but in contrast to Shizue who was eating politely. 'From the way she sits, she's really Japanese. Also, how can she eat while wearing a mask?' thought Rimuru who smiled when he saw that Shizue was not like the three people with her.
"Sorry, did you guys wait too long?" asked Rimuru.
"N... Uhuk... A-hem, n-no. And also thank you for saving us earlier" replied Kaval who had choked on the grilled meat.
"How about we introduce ourselves? My name is Rimuru Tempest and I'm the leader of this goblin village" said Rimuru as he took a seat right across from Shizue.
"My name is Eren/Kaval/Gido" replied Team Kaval in unison.
"And I'm Shizu, nice to meet you Rimuru-san" said Shizue.
"Yes, nice to meet you Shizu-san" replied Rimuru.
"By the way, Rimuru-san, you're a human right?" asked Eren suddenly. Rimuru raised his eyebrows in confusion but then realized that he had been using his human form all along.
"No, I'm not human, I'm a slime" replied Rimuru as he changed into his slime form.
"But don't worry, I'm not a bad slime" Rimuru continued, which made Shizue choke up this time because she didn't expect that answer.
"I really didn't expect to be saved by a monster, but once again I thank you" Kaval who represented his team thanked him while bowing his head to Rimuru.
"You guys can rest, if you need anything you can find me or you can ask for help from anyone in the village. I told them that you are all my guests" said Rimuru who returned to his human form before walking out of there.
Shizue Izawa P.O.V
After finishing my meal, I went outside and found a sight I had never seen before. All the goblins in Rimuru's village were Hobgoblins, they had all evolved and there was also a wolf that looked similar to a Direwolf. 'Did they evolve too?' I thought as I walked around the village.
Although it's still under construction, I can already see how good this village will be, and it's possible that this small village will turn into a big city. The design of the houses, the construction techniques, and the layout were similar to a human city. Which confirmed my previous suspicions. 'So he's Japanese too' I thought and started walking again.
As the day was already dusk, I thought of going to a higher place to see how the Jura Forest looked like at sunset. And I ended up on top of a hill not far from Rimuru's village. There I stood alone looking at the beauty of this forest, 'If only this forest was filled with intelligent monsters like those goblins, perhaps this forest could be a place of beauty beyond the world's expectations'.
I took off my mask to breathe in the fresh air, as soon as it slipped off my face, I felt a gentle breeze sweep over me and blow my long hair away. But soon I heard the sound of someone's footsteps behind me.
"Are you enjoying the view?" asked the person who was now standing next to me.
"Yes, it's very beautiful" I replied and turned to him.
'Gorgeous...' I thought as I looked at Rimuru who was standing near me. His shiny silver-blue hair was blown by a gentle breeze that made it look as if it was waving, and his beautiful golden irises were in perfect harmony with the color of the twilight sky. I let myself lost in thought staring at Rimuru until Rimuru's voice snapped me out of it.
"Is there something on my face?" he asked.
"Nothing" I replied while shaking my head.
After a moment of silence, I opened my voice again to ask him.
"Rimuru-san, are you Japanese too?" I asked which made him turn to me.
"Yes, and I'm sure you are too. But how did you know?"
""I'm not a bad slime", those are the words of a game right? Well, I never played it but a student of mine told me. Then, how come you have the same face as me?"
When I asked this, I was fully facing Rimuru. Because I didn't want there to be a single lie in his answer later.
"I wonder, I don't know either. When a friend gave me the name "Rimuru Tempest", I began to evolve and acquired this form" replied Rimuru who was still focused on the setting sun. I didn't see any way that he was lying to me at the moment, and I was also sure that there was no reason for him to lie to me.
"That's so, huh. Then, how did you come to be in this world?"
"I was stabbed with a knife and died. But when I opened my eyes again, I was already in the body of a slime"
"So you're the one who reincarnated..."
"Is Shizu-san different?"
"That I... was summoned to this world" Upon hearing my voice that shrank when answering his question, Rimuru's gaze towards me became a little softer. He even reached out and grasped my hand, I returned it with a smile then nodded allowing him to keep holding my hand.
"What was Japan like when Shizu-san was still there?" asked Rimuru a little cautiously.
"Cities burned and became a sea of fire, many bombs fell from the sky," I replied, thinking of my mother.
"War, huh?" muttered Rimuru.
Slowly, the sunlight that had previously warmed both of our skin began to disappear, and the sky also turned dark. The stars and moon were faintly visible as they began to show their beauty. Meanwhile, the two of us were still standing there with Rimuru still holding my hand.
"Before we go back, there's something I want to show you" Rimuru said and brought his face closer to mine. I was surprised by his sudden action and it made me blush. Rimuru's hand went up to hold my shoulder and brought our foreheads together. In the next instant I saw images flowing like a river in my head, and slowly the scenery around me turned into exactly the same as the images of those cities.
"This is Japan in the future, after the war was over the world became peaceful and Japan has developed a lot" said Rimuru.
"Thank goodness, if only mom could see this" I replied softly.
"I want to make this world achieve that kind of peace, a world where children don't have to cry anymore, a world where everyone can live side by side" Rimuru's words made me stare at him in awe, maybe a bit too idealistic but maybe it could be used as a hope for the future.
"I hope all that can be realized" I said while gently squeezing Rimuru's hand.
"It will happen" Rimuru replied confidently and slowly the Japanese cityscape I was looking at disappeared. For a moment I felt a pain in my chest, but all of that suddenly disappeared when Rimuru pulled my hand.
"Let's go back, it's time for dinner"
Once we got back to the village, Eren looked worried and immediately questioned my whereabouts. I smiled and told him that I was just talking to Rimuru. After dinner was over, a female goblin named Haruna came up to me and Eren.
"Excuse me, my name is Haruna. Lord Rimuru asked me to escort you two to your rooms" she said politely.
I thought Haruna would take us to the previous house, but she did not. She took us to a slightly bigger house and inside there were already 2 separate beds complete with mirrors and wardrobes. After Haruna left, Eren and I tidied up our things and arranged them in the wardrobe.
"Eren, how long do you intend to stay?" I asked and sat on my bed.
"Hmm... I don't know, but tomorrow we have to go to the cave where the Storm Dragon Veldora was sealed. And maybe if Rimuru-san allows it, we'll return the day after" Eren replied.
I nodded and then lay down on this bed. It's still a bit rough, but with the current state of the village I think this bed is the best they could make. I subconsciously smiled a little remembering Rimuru's previous words, 'Building everything from scratch, perhaps this world does need someone like Rimuru Tempest'
"Good night, Shizu-san" said Eren who had closed his eyes.
"Good night"
........................................
............................
..................
3rd P.O.V
The next day, while Team Kaval went to Veldora's cave, Shizue stayed in the village to help the female goblins cook. Before leaving, Kaval had asked Rimuru for permission to stay for one more day, and Rimuru allowed them. That morning, after cleaning herself up, Shizue walked to find Rimuru who was currently with Kaijin and Rigurd.
"Rimuru-san" called Shizue who walked over.
"Eh? Shizu-san? I thought you went with Kaval and his team" asked Rimuru who turned to look at Shizue.
"Can I help too?" replied Shizue with a question.
"Of course, we would be greatly helped by that" replied Rimuru happily."Then I'll help and teach the female goblins to cook a little" said Shizue then turned to leave Rimuru, Kaijin, and Rigurd.
The three of them watched Shizue leave, and Kaijin's words made Rimuru instantly blush.
"She's a nice lady, huh. Even Lord Rimuru looks at her like that" Kaijin teased.
Blush!
"Wh-what are you talking about? Never mind, let's get back to work" replied Rimuru who turned his face away.
"It's okay Lord Rimuru, what Kaijin-dono said is true. Lady Shizu really is a good person" Rigurd said and this made Rimuru stop his steps.
"Yes, I know that too" Rimuru muttered with a small smile, but Kaijin and Rigurd did not hear what Rimuru muttered.
Rimuru divided his villagers into several groups. First, there was the Hunting Team, led by Rigur, who was in charge of gathering foodstuffs. Then there was the Building Team, led by Rimuru and Kaijin to build houses in the village. And there is the Kitchen Team which is assisted by Shizue. Rimuru told Ranga to join the Hunting Team as a backup, because just in case they met a monster stronger than them. Rimuru believed in Ranga, that he could at least protect or hold off the enemy until Rimuru got there.
Throughout the day, Rimuru went around to supervise and direct his villagers so that no mistakes were made during construction. And it was not uncommon to hear the voices of the female goblins and Shizue laughing together in between their activities. When it was time for lunch break, the atmosphere in the place was also very peaceful and cozy. Everyone was talking to each other, respecting each other, and laughing with each other.
'.... This village is nice, I didn't expect that in the last moments of my life I could add such nice little memories' thought Shizue who was looking at everyone around her, especially Rimuru who was laughing with Kaijin.
And when Team Kaval had returned that afternoon, Rigurd shouted something that made everyone even more excited. Because tomorrow Team Kaval would return to the Blumund Kingdom.
"Tonight, let's have another party!" Rigurd shouted.
"Woahhhh!" replied the other goblins enthusiastically.
And in the evening, Rimuru and Shizue walked side by side around the village. The two of them did not exchange a single word, but their feet led them to the same place. And in the end, the two of them returned to stand on the hill where they had talked yesterday and were greeted by the same beautiful forest scenery as before. Rimuru glanced at Shizue who was beside him, Shizue took off her mask and let the wind hit her face, then with her right hand, Rimuru brushed away Shizue's hair that covered her beautiful face and combed it behind her ears.
"Are you leaving tomorrow too?" asked Rimuru which broke the silence between them.
"...maybe" replied Shizue who was unsure of her own answer. Shizue's shrinking voice made Rimuru a little worried, and Shizue now lowered her head, staring at the green grass where she stood.
"What's wrong?" asked Rimuru gently.
"No, it's just that I feel sad. From the moment we met, I somehow felt at ease when I was with you, as if you lifted all my worries. And even though we don't have much time, I really enjoy my days here. That's why, thank you Rimuru-san" said Shizue who previously lowered her head now looked straight into Rimuru's eyes.
"Then, stay here with me" then Rimuru's words made Shizue smile sadly. Because she could see Rimuru's sincerity from his words just now.
"Thank you, but if I do that, I might hurt you. I don't want that to happen" Shizue replied.
Shizue closed her eyes and turned her face away from Rimuru. She was happy that Rimuru was trying to make her stay, but Shizue realized how dangerous she was. Although it was only a glimpse, the sad expression that could be seen on Shizue's face didn't escape Rimuru's sight. And when Shizue looked back at Rimuru, she put on a fake smile to cover it up.
Rimuru clenched his fists, because right now, both his heart and mind were telling him to impose his will on Shizue. 'I know this is wrong, but I don't want to be separated from her... ever again' Rimuru thought. But in the end Rimuru fought against it all and accepted Shizue's decision.
"Rimuru-san, we'd better get back, it's almost time for dinner" said Shizue who turned around and stepped out ahead of Rimuru.
And when they returned to the village, Rimuru went to where Kaijin, Kaval, Gido, Rigurd, Rigur, Gobta, and the others were. Rimuru enjoyed their dinner party, although his mind went back to thinking about Shizue.
.... but if I do, I might hurt you.
'Hurt me? What does that mean?' thought Rimuru, as he replayed Shizue's words earlier.
<< Answer, currently the individual named Shizu is no longer able to control the high-level spirit inside her body. There is a possibility that her body will be taken over by that spirit, and start attacking the surrounding area. That's what she was worried about >>
'Eh?! Wait, how did Raphael-san know?!'
<< When Master held Shizu's hand yesterday, I had time to analyze it a bit. And detected the presence of a high-level spirit sleeping inside her >>
Rimuru was surprised and confused as to why Shizue did not tell him this. But the more Rimuru thought about it, the more he realized that forcing Shizue to stay would only make Shizue more depressed.
......
......
Today was the day that Team Kaval and Shizue went back to Blumund. Rimuru and all the villagers escorted their first guest to the village gate, but while walking there Shizue suddenly fell down while screaming in pain. Then flames began to spring up and surround her body, the originally clear sky also turned dark. And her black hair turned red, and the burn scar on her left eye also burned again.
"Argghh... get... away... from me..." said Shizue under her breath.
Rimuru immediately told everyone to move away, and pulled Kaval, Eren, and Gido who were close to Shizue. The flames surrounding Shizue's body lifted her up and enveloped her. And as the flame cocoon exploded, a red creature with flames around it was revealed. Rimuru held back the fire explosion to protect his people.
"High-level fire spirit, Ifrit. How can it be inside Shizu-san's body? Shizu... Shizue Izawa?!" shouted a shocked Kaval when he realized Shizu's true identity.
"Eh?! You mean that Shizue Izawa?! The long-lost hero from the past?" asked Eren who was just as panicked as Kaval.
"No way, no matter what we can't win against him" said Gido resignedly.
'Hero? What are they talking about? Forget it, first, I need to bring Shizue back to consciousness' Rimuru thought as he overheard Kaval and his team's conversation.
"Rigurd! Rigur! Lead everyone away from here. Ranga! Take Kaval and his friends away. I'll take care of this" This order from Rimuru instantly alerted everyone, and began to move according to their master's orders.
'Raphael-san, we have to reduce the damage as much as possible'
<< Answer, does Master want to set up a barrier? >>
'Yes!'
The next second Rimuru activated the barrier that locked him and Ifrit together. Of course, this made Ifrit angry and tried to destroy the barrier created by Rimuru but failed.
"It's useless, you won't be able to get out of here" said Rimuru who drew his sword.
Ifrit then summoned three salamanders to attack Rimuru, but Rimuru easily dodged their attacks and counterattacked using his sword that had been enveloped by his magic energy. Even Rimuru himself was surprised by his fighting skills, because right now he felt like someone who had been through many battles.
'I turned out to be pretty good' thought Rimuru who was amazed with himself.
'Raphael-san, how do we release Ifrit from Shizu-san'
<< Suggestion, Master can use Beelzebuth to absorb Ifrit and separate it from Shizu's body completely >>
Rimuru smiled then immediately dashed forward to attack Ifrit, but suddenly a chain of fire held his body. And then a large magic circle appeared right where Rimuru stood. The magic circle shot out a huge flame like a pillar of fire that burned Rimuru's body.
'Eh? I'm okay'
<< Master has resistance to all elements, just this level of magic would not be enough to inflict injury on Master >>
"Just this? Not enough" said Rimuru who grinned at Ifrit.
Ifrit was surprised that his attack didn't work against Rimuru. Then Rimuru jumped and stabbed his hand into Ifrit's chest, at the same time Rimuru also activated his Ultimate Skill to devour Ifrit and free Shizue. Rimuru pulled back his hand, and Ifrit was sucked into Rimuru's body. Leaving Shizue lying on the ground.
Rimuru looked around him and was grateful that not much damage had been done by this incident. Seeing that Rimuru's battle was over, Rigurd and Rigur brought everyone back to the village. Rimuru approached the unconscious Shizue, and then picked her up.
"I'll take care of Shizu-san. Rigurd, you help the others clean up this mess. And Kaval, if you want to go back now, that's fine too" said Rimuru before walking to his house.
"Yes Lord Rimuru" Rigurd replied.
"No, Rimuru-san, we will wait for Shizu-san to wake up and help Rigurd-dono" replied Eren who preceded his team leader.
Rimuru simply nodded and continued his steps. Once inside his house, Rimuru laid Shizue down on the bed then pulled out a chair and sat beside her. Rimuru originally thought that Shizue would wake up in the afternoon, but it turned out that not long after Rimuru laid her down, Shizue slowly opened her eyes and found Rimuru beside her.
"Sleep a bit longer, don't push yourself" said Rimuru while gently rubbing Shizue's face. Shizue nodded and sighed before closing her eyes again. Rimuru watched Shizue's face, and patiently waited for her to open her eyes again.
2 hours later, Shizue opened her eyes again and the first thing she saw was Rimuru holding her hand. Then Rimuru helped Shizue to get up and gave her a glass of water before laying Shizue down again.
"Rimuru-san..." called Shizue.
"Don't talk yet, I'll find a way to save you, trust me" replied Rimuru who was about to ask Raphael to analyze Shizue's body so he could find a way to save her. But Shizue's voice preceded Rimuru.
"Don't... You don't... need to save me" said Shizue who saw Rimuru was very worried about her.
"B-but..." replied Rimuru as he tightened his grip on her hand.
"It's okay, this is my wish" Shizue continued.
"You don't understand! So shut up and let me save you!" she snapped in surprise, as this was the first time she had seen Rimuru angry, scared, and worried at the same time.
"Ever since I got this body I've always seen your shadow, and whenever you appear, you always ask me for help. You want me to help you, right? Then let me save you!" Rimuru explained his reasoning with his tone still high, but hearing this made Shizue smile slightly.
"I... want to be helped, but I don't want to be saved. Rimuru-san, if you really sincerely want to help me, do you want to hear my story?" Shizue replied to his earlier outburst calmly, and made Rimuru a little calmer as well.
"Yes, I'll listen to everything" Rimuru muttered.
"Thank you, for stopping me. I almost killed someone precious to me again, and I even tried to attack you. Then thank you, for listening to me" said Shizue who then tried to grab the mask beside her.
Rimuru listened to all of Shizue's stories, starting from the beginning she was summoned to this world to all the fears she was afraid of, all the obstacles she faced, all the experiences she lived through, and all the memories she had. Shizue literally recounted her life journey to Rimuru, and Rimuru remained silent listening to all her stories.
"I was once a subordinate of the Demon Lord who summoned me to this world, until I finally met that hero. I fought with that hero but I couldn't defeat her. I thought I was killed that time, but instead the hero embraced me and said "You're safe now". I wanted to hear those words for so long, and when I heard the hero say that to me I burst into tears in her arms. Then she invited me to come with her, and this mask was a gift from her. We adventured together, until eventually she also left me"
"Why?"
"I don't know why either, she just left after saying that she and I would definitely meet again. But in fact, up until now I still haven't met her even once. I fought alone and tried to help others. I decided to become stronger, and save people who were suffering. I fought hard for that, for more than decades."
Rimuru smiled a little listening to all of Shizue's stories, and then Shizue told Rimuru about her students. The small laughter that came out of Shizue's mouth in between the stories also made Rimuru happy, but also made him even more worried.
"Rimuru-san, if one day you meet Hinata, don't be too hard on her and try to talk to her" Shizue pleaded.
"Hm, I'll try" replied Rimuru who knew Hinata's stubbornness from Shizue's story.
"..."
"..."
Shizue was silent for a while, trying to remember the things she wanted to tell Rimuru. And of course Rimuru was still faithfully listening to her.
"I remembered something, the reason I went out on this current adventure was to search for the Demon Lord who once summoned me to this world"
"Revenge?"
"No, I just wanted to confirm something from him"
"Rimuru, can I call you that?" asked Shizue.
"Sure."
"Rimuru, what's your name?"
"Name? Ah, my real name, right? Satoru, Mikami Satoru."
"My name is Shizue, Izawa Shizue" After telling Rimuru her real name, Shizue took a breath and felt that time was running out. Shizue then closed her eyes briefly as she thought about what she would say next.
"Shizue, you should rest first"
"...Rimuru, I have a request, do you want to listen to it?"
"Sure, please ask me anything"
Once again, Shizue closed her eyes to make up her mind as she was sure this was the best. Although there were still many regrets that she had yet to fulfill, but Shizue was sure that Rimuru would definitely keep his promise.
"Eat me"
"What?!"
"Just like when you ate the curse that had been inside my body, it made me truly glad.... I don't like this world, but I can't hate it. That's why I don't want to be swallowed up by this world. This is my last request... are you willing to let me sleep inside you?"
Rimuru and Shizue were now staring at each other with Shizue's hand weakly returning Rimuru's grip.
"... Alright fine"
Rimuru's reply made Shizue smile then a drop of tear appeared and ran down her face before disappearing.
"What's the Demon Lord's name?"
"Leon... Cromwell."
"What do you want to confirm from him?"
"I-I just want him to recognize me as a human. I just want him to say that to me before I run out of time, is that too much?" Shizue answered Rimuru's question but differently than before, the tears she had been holding back flowed down her face.
"I see you as a human, no matter what others think of you. In my eyes, you are a human" said Rimuru while pulling Shizue slowly into his arms. After a few minutes of letting Shizue cry, Rimuru lifted Shizue's face and wiped away the traces of tears on Shizue's face with his thumb.
"Is my recognition not enough for you?" asked Rimuru who was looking at Shizue seriously.
'Why? Why only Rimuru? How long has it been since I felt this feeling? The feeling of security and calm, because I know that I have someone to lean on' thought Shizue who saw the seriousness in Rimuru's eyes. Since the hero left, Shizue no longer had a place or someone to lean on. But even so, Shizue had made herself a person to lean on for people who were precious to her, especially her students.
"Thank you..." said Shizue.
Rimuru then loosened the embrace but shortly after, Rimuru felt Shizue's lips pressed against his cheek. Rimuru immediately turned to Shizue in surprise.
"As a token of my gratitude"
The next second Shizue's hair began to turn white, her body began to age, and finally she breathed her last.
"Shizu-san... rest in peace within me"
<< Does Master want to activate Beelzebuth? >>
'Yes'
Rimuru pointed his hand at Shizue's body and used the Beelzebuth to devour Shizue's entire body. 'Right, this is the best I can do for her. Shizue, I will definitely help you in my own way'.
~To be continued~
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