"Is that it?"
Upon hearing these words...
...the room fell into deafening silence...
All eyes focused on the man before them...
Every action of his... carried a meaning in itself...
...at that moment... even blinking felt wrong...
At that time...
Only that man dared to speak...
And others could only listen...
As Nirvakal continued in his emotionless tone:
"I had no intention of harming Tempest or its people in the first place..."
"Unless they break the three conditions I mentioned..."
"If you don't trust me..."
"Then..."
"You have my word..."
"That..."
"There will be no damage to Tempest or its people due to my actions."
When Rimuru and his subordinates heard these words...
They heaved a sigh of relief in their minds...
Even though Nirvakal was a stranger to all of them—and his words held no guarantee, and what he said might not be true, and he might not keep his word—still...
Upon hearing him, they unknowingly trusted him instantly...
They had no sense of doubt towards this man's claim of not harming Tempest...
Which was quite strange, but they didn't question it—they were simply relieved...
But...
...As everyone was relieved...
Nirvakal's eyes had a subtle glow in them...
...which was quite unusual and barely noticeable...
...though it subsided immediately...
...as Nirvakal's gaze was fixed on Rimuru...
Wondering something...
Nirvakal was thinking...
"Why are these people so relieved and happy inside?"
"Even though I only said I'm not going to harm Tempest's people and Tempest itself... I know they are their people, and they must protect them as they consider them their responsibility... But is there really a need to feel delighted just because I'm not going to harm these worthless ants?"
"...And why does almost everyone in his nation only feel admiration and love for this slime?"
"Every single person in existence does things because they expect some benefit or have another motive behind it... Every single one of them differentiates their own people with things like wealth, looks, species, etc."
"...Which is something they themselves created... and they blindly judge others by it, thinking they're right..."
"...They kill and eat animals because they consider it good. Then why do they say it's wrong to kill their own people? Don't animals also have lives, like themselves? Then why do they deserve to die and be eaten, while killing their own kind is wrong?"
"Is it because they're stronger than the animals, so they can do anything?... Or the so-called survival of the fittest? Then why is killing their own kind not considered the same?"
"Every single person has their own ideals through which they see the world, considering what's right or wrong based on what benefits them. They label something that benefits them as right and something that doesn't as wrong..."
"...And they believe their actions are just, never questioning them... Which is why every person carries negative emotions like envy, greed, fear, etc., even if it's very small—it's always present..."
"...But why does almost every person in this slime's nation have only admiration or love for him?"
"...He is similar yet opposite to me..."
"...For me, wherever I pass, everyone feels admiration and respect for me—but it's because of fear, because I'm stronger..."
"...And if I wasn't, they would have trampled me long ago. That's quite different from this slime, who is admired for his care toward his people. His power does play a role in it, but there are those stronger than him, yet they still admire him..."
"...Which makes him more interesting.
As these thoughts were flowing through Nirvakal's mind...
We see Rimuru...
...a bright smile hung on his face... clearly due to Nirvakal's earlier statement about not harming Tempest or its people...
Rimuru was wondering something...
"So Kaal had no intention of doing any harm in the first place, hehe..."
Rimuru smiled as this thought appeared in his mind, but soon, a hint of doubt replaced that smile on his face...
"But..."
"...why am I feeling this much ease just from his mere words, which hold no guarantee?"
"...Why am I trusting his words this much even though we've just met, and he's still a stranger to me?"
"...And..."
"...I didn't sense any skill being activated by him to deceive us?"
"...Then..."
"...what's the reason behind this ease and trust?"
As Rimuru was wondering this...
Raphael spoke...
"Answer: It is likely because his words were actually true—without any hostility or lies. Only pureness in them. And indeed, there was no skill behind it. But... there's still no proper explanation as to why you felt such ease upon hearing them."
Upon hearing Raphael's response, Rimuru nodded in agreement... and wondered...
"It's confirmed after Raphael-sensei's words that Nirvakal isn't lying..."
"...But..."
"...why is there still no explanation for why I felt so at ease from his words?"
As Rimuru was deep in thought, he looked at Shion, Benimaru, and Diablo, who were all calm with slight smiles on their faces...
Then he put this thought aside—realizing it wasn't important at the moment—and turned his eyes toward Nirvakal...
Everything was quiet...
The moon had decided to show itself...
The clouds hiding it were now gone...
The moonlight gently erased the darkness that once covered the streets...
It looked especially enchanting tonight...
...as it made its way into the conference room through the window...
...reflecting off Rimuru's face, making it appear peculiarly soothing and radiant...
...a faint glow flashed in Rimuru's golden-yellow eyes...
...which were now focused on the man in black robes...
...a faint smile appeared on Rimuru's face...
And with a friendly, casual tone, he spoke—
"With you having accepted my condition, I..."
With a momentary pause, he continued—
"Rimuru Tempest, accept your conditions and welcome you to Tempest..."
"...From now on, you are also a part of Tempest—as its ally..."
"...So..."
"...Let's get along well, Kaal."
As Rimuru said this, he shook Nirvakal's hand once more—a sign of goodwill and new beginnings...
And everyone in the room began to clap after hearing Rimuru's words...
While the sounds of clapping echoed through the room, hands were clapping but...
...there were many thoughts running through Benimaru, Shion, and Diablo's minds...
Benimaru had a peculiar look on his face as he was wondering—
"When I first heard these conditions, I thought only someone dumb or drunk would accept them, unless..."
Benimaru glanced at Nirvakal and continued thinking—
"...Unless this man is really worth that much—and Lord Rimuru still accepted these conditions..."
"...And he is neither drunk nor dumb, which only signals one thing..."
"...that..."
"...Lord Rimuru sensed something so great in this man that he accepted these conditions just to keep him in Tempest..."
Benimaru heaved a sigh in his mind—
"...It seems I am still lacking in many ways compared to Lord Rimuru..."
Unaware of Benimaru's thoughts, Shion, who was clapping her hands with a look of annoyance—her brows raised—was thinking something while looking at Nirvakal with that same annoyed look—
"He was talking rudely to Lord Rimuru the whole time... even if Rimuru didn't mind it, I don't like it..."
"...Lord Rimuru is a Demon Lord... it felt like this guy was looking down on him..."
"...Now that he's one of our allies, I'll make sure to teach him the proper way to address Lord Rimuru..."
When that thought came to her mind, her lips curved into a rather sinister smile.
At the same time, unaware of Shion's smile, Diablo maintained a calm and collected demeanor...
...while clapping...
He was pondering—looking at Rimuru and Nirvakal—
"It seems Lord Rimuru has also realized this man's capabilities, since he accepted those seemingly absurd conditions..."
"Knowing Lord Rimuru, it's not surprising he could understand the meaning behind this man's actions and how he managed to set up this entire situation..."
"...To someone who couldn't comprehend his actions, these conditions would've just seemed absurd, but..."
"...To someone who could grasp his intentions—it would've looked like a rare chance to recruit a man who should never be let go..."
"...And now he has joined Tempest, which means Tempest will become many times stronger... and things are about to become more and more interesting—kukuku..."
Diablo had a slight smile on his face, already anticipating what was going to unfold in the future due to Nirvakal's presence alone...
As Nirvakal was lost in thought...
Rimuru stared at him...
... a slight glow shimmering in his golden eyes...
... filled with anticipation, excitement, and curiosity.
And then, in his usual casual and friendly tone, he spoke—
"Umm, Kaal, since you're now a part of Tempest, would it be alright if I ask what you're good at?"
"It's necessary because you'll need to do something to earn money—and with that, you can buy whatever you want."
"We can't really pay you if you're not doing any work. That wouldn't be fair to others who are working while you're just eating for free, right?"
Rimuru paused for a moment, a mischievous grin forming on his face as he thought to himself—
"...Did you really think you'd be doing nothing just because you're a member of Tempest now? Hehe..."
"...I have many ways to get you to work for us..."
"...Since you'll need money to buy things and fulfill your desires..."
Upon hearing Rimuru's words...
Nirvakal had a thought—
"So he's trying to find some excuse to make me work for Tempest..."
"...Even though he accepted the conditions, he's still finding ways to employ me for Tempest's benefit..."
"...Even though I don't need money or anything to fulfill any kind of desires..."
"...Well then, let's just play along with him..."
With that thought in mind, Nirvakal spoke in his usual cold demeanor—
"There's no work in existence that I can't do."
When Rimuru heard these words...
... his eyes glittered with excitement...
... while his lips curled into a mischievous smile...
... and a thought appeared in his mind—
"Hehe, I knew it. With his sense of superiority, he'd say something like this—that he can do anything..."
"...Now I can definitely make him work for his share..."
With this idea in mind...
Rimuru spoke in his casual and friendly tone...
"So you're saying you can do anything, right?"
Nirvakal replied in his usual cold manner...
"...Yes. So what kind of work do you have that you think suits me?"
Rimuru paused for a moment, thinking, then replied in his usual tone...
"Right now, we have many different kinds of jobs that are important for Tempest."
After a short heartbeat of silence...
Rimuru continued...
"I'll suggest a few of them. You can choose any if they interest you. If not, you're free to suggest something else you're good at."
"We have jobs like..."
"Special Intelligence & Strategic Advisor..."
"Diplomats and International Relations Experts..."
"Engineers and Technologists..."
"And there are many others. If you want, I can list more... or you can tell me what suits your taste."
Hearing Rimuru's words...
A voice suddenly echoed in the room...
"If you want, you can become my attendant and support me with my duties of helping Lord Rimuru..."
Everyone's eyes followed the direction from where the voice came...
It was none other than Shion voicing her opinion...
A playful smile on her face... as a thought came to her mind...
"If he becomes my attendant... then I will be able to teach him proper manners on how to address Lord Rimuru, hehe..."
A light flashed in Shion's eyes as this thought came to her mind...
Hearing Shion's words,
Benimaru's eyes twitched a little...
He heaved a small sigh while thinking...
"So she has finally done it... no wonder she's been so quiet for a while. But..."
Benimaru glanced at Nirvakal and continued his thoughts...
"... Why does she want Kaal as her attendant...? She's probably thinking of teaching him a lesson due to his tone towards Lord Rimuru..."
"... Nothing can be done about her..."
While Benimaru was thinking this...
Diablo also spoke, in his respectful and calm tone...
He leaned slightly forward...
One hand behind his back...
And one on his chest as he bowed slightly toward Rimuru to express his respect...
"Lord Rimuru, if I have your permission... may I also express my thoughts on this matter?"
Rimuru nodded slightly as a sign of agreement...
And then Diablo looked towards Nirvakal...
And said in his usual respectful tone...
"Lord Kaal, I also have a suggestion..."
With a slight pause, he continued...
"Why don't you work together with me and help me in my tasks? I think we will get along well."
Diablo was thinking something as he said this...
"He is an interesting person with a cunning personality and unpredictable actions and powers..."
"... Which is good for the diplomacy department and dealing with other nations..."
"... And he is quite an interesting person..."
Hearing Diablo's words...
Benimaru wondered with a puzzled face...
His brows raised slightly...
As he looked at Nirvakal and thought...
"What's so special about him that even Diablo, who rarely takes action, also wants Kaal to join him..."
While Benimaru was wondering this...
Nirvakal finally opened his mouth...
In his cold and detached manner...
His eyes focused on a certain place in the room...
And he said...
"I want to work with these two..."
As these words left his mouth...
The whole room fell into silence...
Even breathing seemed to stop...
As Rimuru followed Nirvakal's eyes...
... And looked in the direction where his eyes were focused...
He asked in a shocked voice...
"Them!!?"
To be continued...