Translators Corner (Yet another graphic scene in the Translators corner, as for the novel: Circus Translations does not endorse consumption of alcohol by a minor or otherwise)

Standing upon the balcony, a benevolent smile on her face, with a sky blue dress covering her body, Yuuko was an angel incarnate. She was never a particularly beautiful woman, but at this moment, her face shown with profound joy.

A-Aiko what are you doing there, come down to us.

Doctor Oda said, sweat appearing on his face. He was desperately trying to dispel the suspicions forming in his mind.

Doctor, that is not my name

The angelic voice replied much to his horror. A low murmur filled the hall as people were trying to understand whether this, too, was part of the entertainment that awaited them. In some sense, it was.

Yuuko..?

Oda asked hesitantly. A wide smile forming on Yuukos face, she replied,

Bin~go! Now then, gentlemen, allow me to end this party on a heated note. Exits have been locked for my convenience

And pressed pressed a button she was holding in her hand. The sprinkler system went off. But before the guests could grumble about the ruined suits, they noticed that something was amiss. Particularly, that water did not fall from the sky. Gasoline did. Yuuko took out a lighter from her bag, lit it and held it in her hand.

Gentlemen, if I see you reaching into your pockets or attempting to call anyone, I will drop this below and you will all burn to death. I mean, sure the firefighters might arrive in time Actually, by all means, please call them! You will survive with extremely horrendous burns. You will probably lose some limbs and stay crippled for the rest of your life! But you will live. Arent I merciful? You didnt let Aiko enjoy life. But here I am letting you enjoy yours!

A wicked smile on her face, she was by no means an angel. No, if anything, she was the devil. The guests, faces pale, could not utter a single word out of shock.

But, that would be no fun. I am not a murder. Hence, heres your way out of here. See Doctor Oda? You have thirty seconds to rip him apart with your bare hands. Starting now. 30, 29, 28

By the time the count has reached 20, Oda could no longer scream but would only emit a gurgling sound. Probably due to the blood that was filling his lungs. By the time the count reached 0, his corpse could only be identified by a professional coroner.

Very good!

Yuuko exclaimed, clapping her hands in delightlike a child who was greatly amused.

But I lied

She added, and dropped the lit lighter. And a dozen new screams filled the hall.

.

.

Saint Demon Confrontation Arc

096. Chance to Speak

I called Gerudo over to help with putting things back in order.

The Yellow Numbers manufacturing ability is surprisingly high. So Ill have them work hard returning things to normal around here.

And though Gerudo was quite upset at having no opportunity to fight this time around, he happily accepted my request.

Thus, they quickly got to work.

The demon steel reinforced tunnels we had built proved unnecessary, so Ill have them fill those in as well. Since demon steel is very useful, we cant just leave it lying around, now can we.

And thats the thought that made me realize,

Thad I had forgotten about a very serious matter.

Crap I forgot about Veldora

The moment I thus muttered, the surrounding Department Heads all froze.

They exchanged glances as if seeking advice from each other with their eyes.

The knights looked at us with a face full of suspicion, but we have no time to alleviate their worries.

Now then, what to do

Whenever I tried making eye contact with any department head, they would turn away.

How reliable! I get it, you hate it.

Well it is really hard to come up to a guy who was raring to go and tell himJust kidding, were done already, all good!

Hell definitely rampage.

Not that theres another choice here.

It cant be helped, Ill go and explain. The rest of you return and rest up.

The knights too, take a bath and relax.

Those with ruined equipment will probably need no clothing too

The knights looked at me as if they could not understand what I was saying.

Well, I guess bath culture exists only in Ingracia Kingdom, so its not a surprise if they dont know

And they probably cant imagine monsters taking baths.

Hmph, prepare to be surprised! Our baths are far better than the ones in any royal capital around.

We have great reviews, so rest up.

As for clothing Those partnered with Ranga have lost everything but underwear.

To advertise our country, lets give them some of our newly developed hemp jackets.

The girls can choose to wear a yukata, so theres plenty to choose from.

Seems like with effort we can eventually restore their armor, but thats impossible right now. Not that it will stay like that for long.

From the looks of it, Shion is also not wearing armor. Though she seems to be able to call up clothing at will.

Its just a feeling, but she probably had some grand battle with the knights.

Those that cant walk are being carried by Rangas pack.

I decided to leave the knights with Hakurou and had Souei deliver a message to Rigurdo.

Rigurdo can probably manage to prepare baths and clothing for all of them.

Now it feels like were preparing for a banquet well, I guess its fine. I mean, were always at it anyways, and we recently expanded our fields as well.

Its that, you know? Party after some big event?

I think its a custom basically wherever you go.

Thinking these things, I ventured off to Veldora.

Afterwards, out of rage, Veldora destroyed the tunnel in an explosion and flew into the sky.

Aiming for the tired Knights from above, he gracefully aimed at them.

Hes been releasing his aura the whole time in dragon form, so his anger seemed to have abated slightly.

Good thing I had him release it before he started his assault on the knights.

Basically, this old geezer (not that he is actually) just wants to rampage. Hes only dangerous if he doesnt get to unwind once in a while.

I think well need to prepare such a place for him for future use.

For us, though, this was all a story we could laugh about.

For the knights he attacked, it was a nightmare.

I mean, imagine being completely drained, and then having a nightmare-like being descend upon you.

Geeeeh!! Veldora!!

And,

Abababababa!!

They screamed.

What a funny reaction they showed.

I would have loved if you could see it, but I guess I also felt sorry for them.

Well, I wanted to make sure they would not assault us every again, so this might have been perfect timing for his appearance.

Hmph, I wonder if Raphael had also planned this?.. Nah, I guess not.

Theres no way Raphael could have predicted this far, so lets not overestimate Raphael too much.

I mean, the fight with Hinata had gone completely according to plan, so this was just a thought I had.

So with this and that, I guess we can close this confrontation story by saying that it was our complete victory.

When I returned to the city, the knights were already taking a bath.

Rigurdo, as always, was running around handling food preparations and the like.

Souei should have notified him a while ago, so theres no need to rush, I think its probably just his personality.

But to think that he even ran around asking whether there was any food they couldnt eat because of their religious preferences! Really have to respect him for his diligence.

I bet that hes been talking to merchants and adventurers learning about the human culture for a while now.

Rigur, after making Gobuta the garrison squad leader, has been supporting his father Rigurdo. Isnt he a fine successor for Rigurdo?

But whod believe that he was a simple goblin until not too long ago?

The banquet hall.

Were often having banquets, so make it! I declared a while back, and they quickly built the building.

Its about the size of a gymnasium, and is dome shaped.

The inside has wooden floors with a tatami floored seat of honor.

In worst case scenario, since this building can house so many people, it can be used for evacuation purposes.

The building is quite large so it had to be built sturdy.

The skeleton of it we had reinforced with steel, but were planning on changing that to demon steel eventually. If I think about it, just how privileged is our country?

Just when I began thinking this, I saw food brought out on waiter tables.

Well done. As youd see in an expensive restaurant, the food is inside a hand crafted bowl.

When I had some time, I tried baking one out of clay, and the children, who saw me do that, decided to imitate me.

As a result, every house now uses such bowls made by children.

Moreover, the bowls have gotten rather pretty recently.

Their vividly colored, whether using medical herbs or some other dubious method, and appear truly grand.

Seems like a lot of experimentation went into making them.

The table they are carried on is also an example of intricate craftsmanship.

To think that it was made with the leftover material

Looking at all of this, from the onsen to the tableware, my tastes are reflected in all their actions.

Considering my current pleasant lifestyle, the time I spent munching on grass seems unbelievable.

I can also enjoy food now. Ive really been working hard, right?

Todays menu is tempura. Wonderful.

Looks exactly right, and the taste is great. Made by Shuna. Not, I repeat, not by Shion.

Shions all brawn and no brains, and even if she has a cook skill, I cannot leave everyones meal to her.

This Tempura was slowly developed after showing Shuna my memories.

Shes worked really hard. But, it was only possible because I had memories, albeit vague, about its taste.

Even Ingrasia Kingdom, which had an abundant variety of food, did not have Japanese meals.

True Japanese meals, even among the World Travelers, must be truly rare.

She really has worked hard.

I mean, in order to make something like dried bonito, weve gone off to the sea to catch fish in large quantities.

And since we can easily transport it while preserving its freshness via spatial travel, weve gotten our hands on a great variety of ingredients.

We are at the pinnacle of food culture.

I, personally, think that a country that has a poor variety of food is pointless.

Among the three basic necessitiesFood, Water, Shelterthe most important one is food, after all. Though I guess that might depend on the person.

Which is why, even by going to absurd lengths, weve developed many dishes.

The current problem is white rice. Wheat, on the other hand, weve easily acquired.

I mean, Ive seen rich people eat white bread in the royal capital. So, weve been able to reproduce that product easily.

The problem is: rice.

I couldnt imagine that this grass family did not exist, so I passionately set off to look for it.

But, compared to millennia of selective breeding that Japanese Rice had undergone, what we found was no where near as tasty.

But thats only to be expected. I didnt think this would be easy.

So, were currently in the middle of modifying the plant.

The thing is, my plan is actually really simple. I asked Raphael if there was a way to quickly fix it, and a simple answer was presented before me.

That was: altering the plants properties using ShionsCookskill.

But how will that go? I cant imagine the properties taking root permanently.

So, Ive been doing that with my ability to change just a small portion of the rice (in fact, just my portion).

Shion would get a big head if I let her do it, so I did it myself.

This time, however, I had Shuna allow me to do it to the knights portions as well.

Today is special. They dont know the beauty of my country, so I plan to show it off to them.

Carrot and Stick. Crush them with overwhelming power and then treat them very nicely.

The knights might not be that easy to sway, but I have a feeling that this will be pretty effective.

Well, white rice is my obsession though, so maybe the knights will hate it.

Tempura is widely popular, with Adventurers and merchants loving it.

By the way, we also tried growing some rice on magic energy-rich water.

The result was a pitch black rice, as if squid ink was mixed into it. Its also unbelievably tasty.

But it doesnt look very appetizing. And its poisonous to humans.

We called it demon rice, and it has a surprisingly high nutritional value (for monsters).

At some point it has become the primary food of Tempest.

And just the fact that it can hold that much magical energy makes it a rare good.

Thus we finished the preparations for the banquet and were awaiting the knights return from the baths.

The knights got out of bath, dressed in either the yukata or the jacket and came to the banquet.

It wasnt clothing they were used to, but they seem to have taken a liking to it.

Well, that jacket is basically like a jerseyreally comfortable to be in. Its the best type of clothing to wear indoors.

Some fear on their faces, they were guided to their seats.

The Goblinas leading them werent at all worried, and moved naturally. They are surprisingly good at this.

The knights are also surprised I bet. Theres no extraneous movement about them.

And, thanking the Goblinas, Hinata seemed to have made up her mind as she looked at me.

This incident I bear sole responsibility for the trouble we have caused you, and wish to apologize.

I do not believe I can be forgiven for this, but please treat my subordinates leniently

She said, bowing before me and lowering her head.

And when she did that.

I could see. Two gentle slopes within her yukata.

Crap, things are getting heated up here. Though I wish it was my son that was getting heated up real shame.

But, nothing I can do about that. Men are creatures who can never forget the heat of an adventure!

At times like this I am truly glad this body doesnt get nosebleeds.

But, yukata, huh. Amazing, I must say. It has terrifying potential.

And the sight of a woman right out of a bath is the best.

Compounded with the fact that this woman is a beauty the combined effects are truly terrifying.

I lost Ive been defeated. Complete defeat.

Everything is forgiven, so I say.

But then,

Rimuru-sama, whence would you be looking?

Shuna asked with a smile on her face.

Hmm? Her words are kind, so why do I feel a chill

Why how did she know?!

No no, Im not looking at anything.

Anyways, Hinata

Do not apologize to me but to Shion and the Yomigaeri.

They are the victims

I said, pointing at them.

Theres no reason to deceive them.

Shion jumped in surprise. She hadnt expected to be called.

And to her,

Im sorry.

I have convinced myself that monsters are evil.

That they will attack you when you least expect them, and that they cannot be trusted

Please forgive me

Hinata said, bowing even deeper.

When Hinata did so, the other knights followed.

All together, they criedWere sorry!

Shion started fidgeting, making a distressed face.

Shion, forgive them. I understand your anger and pain.

But, they are not completely evil.

Just so you know, humans are beings that surpass the errors they make.

So do consider them thoroughly. There are noble humans as well

Shions discomfort intensified with my words.

She probably thinks humans are evil incarnate.

But, I wouldnt want her to think that all humans are like that.

Her discomfort lasted a second longer,

And then with a resolved face,

Okay! Whether a person is good or evil, Ill decide after seeing their soul!

She said, and faced me with a cheerful smile.

She seemed as if she had conquered some inner demon and was now cheerful again.

The Yomigaeri also forgave them.

What a good bunch. They are my pride and joy.

Let bygones be bygones.

What can and cannot be forgiven is hard to decide, but this time we were able to reconciliate.

If you meet people who listen to what you say, you can almost always learn to understand their point.

And thus, one problem was solved.

Now then, its not a good idea to stay gloomy.

The delicious food will get cold.

Besides, the agitated Veldora just might get even more agitated.

In fact, hes currently occupying my clone and enjoying a meal.

He doesnt need to eat just like me, but has been stricken by the beauty of cooking.

Now hes just as fussy about his meals as I am.

And thus we began the banquet.

After a good bath a cold beer is must.

Of course, we have it. Its our countrys special alcohol.

Made perfectly.

Ingracia Kingdom specializes in wine.

They do have beer, but its not very good. It lacks a punch or maybe its not carbonated enough?

Or maybe the fact that its lukewarm makes it unpleasant.

Anyways, we have greatly improved upon it.

Dont underestimate my passion for food even for a second.

In fact, if I say I want this! everyone immediately gets to work on making it; arent I scary?

I guess this is proof that I have become a demon lord, huh?.. Wasnt it like this before?

Ah, whatever.

Thus the alcohol diversity of our country has also increased.

We import the wine and produce the beer.

Along with potato and barley shochu.

So its natural that the frequency of banquets has increased. My orders are faithfully being carried out and our food has gotten seriously delicious.

Even if I say lets have a dinner, itll just become another banquet. No question about it.

I dont even need Raphaels input on this to predict the outcome.

Its just that obvious.

The knights are awed by our dishes. I mean, for seafood, we have even made sashimi.

We dont yet have soy sauce, but we have made a similar spice.

Its a bit lacking, but soy sauce is currently being researched. In the meantime, we might improve this to perfection.

Oh, and then a knight who got interested in trying the black rice put some in his mouth and screamed,

T-this! Recovers magical energy?!

Hmm? That wasnt a shriek I was expecting.

Its supposed to be poisonous to humans, but I guess it is akin to medicine for those stronger?

Actually, they were essentially exhausted a second ago, so maybe thats why.

While I was thinking these things, the other knights also expressed interest in the black rice.

It cant be helped, let them have it.

To think that I went out of my way to make white rice and they preferred the black one

Well, the appearance of it is bad but the taste is good. Those without extreme prejudice just might eat it without a complaint.

Tempura, Sashimi, and restorative rice has shocked them I am looking forward to the tales they will spin about my country.

Moreover, Im just happy to see templars and monsters enjoying a meal together.

Its a good scene.

Maybe alcohol had a role to play here, but if such a scene can become the norm, maybe we can truly befriend each other one day.

Eat good food and spend days happily.

Such is my goal, for which I ardently struggle.

Protecting this kind of sight is my job.

So I decided yet again.

We got drunk and everyone was pretty merry.

Arnaud, a person said to be the next most powerful after Hinata, said

By the way, Rimuru-san. Whos the strongest in this country?

A truly ridiculous thing.

Of course, Veldora and I were excluded from this question.

But the monsters, all immediately rose.

Arnaud said a simple phrase with no real intent behind it, but the monsters didnt take it that way.

Chances are, theres secret hierarchy battles going on behind my back, or maybe they decided that a strength-based ranking was a taboo.

Actually, if they made it a taboo that doesnt solve a problem in the slightest.

At the time, even though I dont get drunk, I think I was drunk.

Cause Veldora and I suddenly began to add oil to the fire.

Kuahahaha! Shouldnt that question be solved with a battle?

Hmm? You planning to argue about it? How about having a tournament?

We said

I wasnt drunk well, I was drunk on the atmosphere.

I just said the first thing that popped into my head.

And the moment a tournament was mentioned, the light in their eyes changes.

Though the atmosphere was light until then, things suddenly got serious.

Kufufufu, what a wonderful idea!

Diablo decided to join in,

Isnt it fine? Im personally not against it

And then Benimaru. And following him,

I guess Ill go all out

You guys. Youve done well, I guess Ill let you taste some extra training

I-I will also participate!

Im also in~su! Ill seriously aim higher~su!

Sounds good. Ill cut everyone down!

I havent had enough fun. I want to fight proper opponents!

I as well, rather than constantly leading my men, want to test out my powers!

In short, everyone wanted to participate.

By that moment, I noticed my mistake but it was far too late.

Veldoras also having fun, and frankly, I dont even care anymore.

Thus, the Tempest Tournament has been decided.