As the Orc Lord was devoured by Rimuru, the effect of Starved finally wore off. The frenzied Orcs regained their sanity one by one, their crimson eyes fading back to normal. The chaotic battlefield gradually quieted as Rimuru stepped forward, long sword resting at her hip.
With a deep breath, she projected her voice across the swamp:
"Everyone! It's all over!"
A wave of relief swept through the battlefield.
"OOOH—!!"
"It's over!"
"Lord Rimuru!! Thank you for saving us Lizardmen!!"
Even little Gobuta jumped nearly three meters high, flailing in celebration.
The Orcs, once berserk under Starved, now knelt on the ground, mourning their fallen king. The Orc Lord's son silently lowered his head, tears sliding down his cheeks.
"O King… you are finally free…"
Benimaru's Request
Rimuru approached Benimaru and his group with a gentle smile.
"Back then, we agreed: once the Orc Lord was defeated, you would regain your freedom. Thank you all for your hard work."
Benimaru looked at Rimuru—this strange, kind, emotional Slime who had taken them in when they were homeless. He remembered the warm villagers of Dimensional City… Mrs. Kamado, who constantly invited Shuna and the others for meals; Shinobu, who always smiled despite arguing with the barbecue stall owner; Kagaya Ubuyashiki with his gentle presence; Gobuta getting scolded almost daily…
Gratitude welled up inside him.
He suddenly dropped to one knee.
"Lord Rimuru, we have a request!"
Rimuru blinked. "A request?"
Benimaru lowered his head.
"Please—you and Lord Takumi—accept our fealty! From this day onward, we are yours to command!"
Behind him, Hakurou, Shion, and Souei all knelt as well.
Hakurou chuckled. "This old man has no objections."
Souei's cold face softened. "To serve Lord Rimuru and Lord Takumi… is a blessing beyond measure."
Shion immediately squeezed Rimuru into a huge hug. "I'm already Lord Rimuru's secretary! I'm staying forever!"
Rimuru laughed shyly. "I don't mind, but I should ask Takumi too—"
"No need. I accept."
"Lord Takumi!"
Everyone turned in shock as Takumi appeared behind Rimuru with Sakuya beside him.
Rimuru immediately jumped into Takumi's arms.
"Takumi!!"
"Yes, yes, you worked hard too," Takumi said, patting her head.
Shion clenched a handkerchief between her teeth.
"Why… WHY does Lord Rimuru spoil him like this?! Even if it's Lord Takumi… UWAAAAA—!!"
Takumi ignored her cries.
"Alright, everyone. Get up. We're family now—no need for formality."
"Yes!!"
Gobuta hopped over. "Big bro Benimaru, I thought you were gonna leave!"
Bonk! Hakurou smacked him with his sword hilt.
"You foolish disciple! I haven't finished training you! How could I leave?"
"Masterrr!"
Everyone burst into laughter.
"Alright," Takumi announced, "let's go home."
"YES! Lord Rimuru! Lord Takumi!"
The Great Jura Forest Council
The next day, in a vast cave serving as a temporary council hall, representatives of many races gathered for a historic meeting.
"Then, Speaker Rimuru Tempest, please begin," Toreini announced.
Rimuru sat in the main seat, drenched in nervous sweat. She kept glancing at Takumi, who watched with a small smile.
Help me… please… her eyes pleaded.
Takumi turned away, sipping tea.
Nope. Suffer.
Rimuru swallowed hard.
"Well… it's my first time running a meeting like this. I'll share my thoughts first."
She took a deep breath.
"I do not intend to pursue the Orcs' crimes."
"WHAT?!"
"How can—?!"
The Orc representatives trembled as murmurs spread.
Rimuru continued.
"The Lizardmen suffered the most, so let me expl—"
"Wait."
Rimuru turned. "Takumi?"
Takumi ignored her and instead looked at the Lizardmen's delegation.
Slowly, dangerously, he asked:
"Are you absolutely sure you need Rimuru to explain herself to you?"
A terrifying silence fell.
Cold sweat beaded down the Lizardmen's faces.
One tried to speak—
—but suddenly he saw a vision.
A swamp full of Lizardmen corpses.
His own head separated from his body.
He gasped, snapping back to reality.
Takumi sat there, legs crossed, smiling without warmth.
"What were you about to say? Go on—say it."
"N-Nothing!! Lord Takumi, you misunderstand!"
"Yes! We have no objections!"
"We follow Lord Rimuru's judgment completely!"
Smart, Takumi thought. Very smart.
Rimuru, still confused, blinked.
"Huh? I didn't even explain yet!"
But she decided not to question it.
"The Lizardmen are such good people…" she mumbled innocently.
Takumi smothered a cough.
Good people? More like terrified out of their scales.
Rimuru continued the meeting.
"Ultimately, I believe cooperation is the best path forward. The Orcs were manipulated. Their sins… I have already absorbed."
The Orc Lord's son finally stepped forward.
"…Thank you."
Rimuru smiled.
Takumi watched quietly.
This meeting—this alliance—was the first foundation stone of Dimensional City's future influence.
A multi-race union.
A shared peace.
A forest with a single guardian ruler—Rimuru.
And behind her, the unseen pillar strengthening everything:
Takumi, the Herrscher of Finality.
The development of Dimensional City was only just beginning.