In a spacious and well-lit room, tastefully decorated for entertaining guests, a noisy quarrel erupted.
"Wow, this thing called hot pot is amazing! And these thinly sliced pieces of meat—just a quick dip and they're ready to eat!"
"Mmm~, so fragrant! This fruit-flavored ice cream is delicious too!"
"Milady, you should eat more meat with your meal! Eating cold things isn't good for your stomach."
"Hmph, mind your own business! And make sure to save me some meat, or else..."
"Yes, yes, of course."
"This is so good! It's been forever since I've had proper food. I thought I'd be gnawing on tree bark in the forest forever."
Meanwhile, the masked lady kneeling to the side ate quietly, with slow and measured movements.
The sound of enthusiastic eating echoed through the room.
Rimuru, seated across the table, silently observed the scene, a hint of helplessness on his face.
Standing beside him, Granstar gave a light cough and transmitted his voice directly to Rimuru.
[They probably haven't had a decent meal in days. When I found them, they were fleeing in desperation.]
Rimuru was at a loss for words. Was that really the case? Just moments ago, they looked like they were ready to drop dead. But now, faced with roasted meat, they'd completely forgotten their dignity.
He couldn't help but shake his head. Why would the Human Empire send people like this?
Oh well, maybe they're just lacking basic adventuring common sense.
"Burp~"
Hic!
Hic!
Hic!
Once they were full and satisfied, Rimuru finally decided to start the formal conversation.
"Now then, please allow me to reintroduce myself. I am Rimuru, the master of this village. Did you come here on a mission?"
The group looked a bit startled. This powerful monster village is led by a slime?
They hesitated about whether to reveal their purpose, but Elyun spoke up without hesitation.
"Yes. We received an order from the joint branch leader to investigate the recent anomalies around the Storm Dragon's cave."
Her teammates stared at her in shock.
"Milady! Why'd you spill everything so quickly? They're monsters! What if they decide to kill us all?"
"Yeah! We wouldn't even have time to file a complaint!"
Rimuru raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And why is the Human Empire so interested in the Jura Forest?"
His tone was curious, with a touch of confusion.
The three exchanged glances, surprised.
"You mean... you don't know?"
Rimuru blinked. "Know what? Do tell. Don't worry—we're all friendly monsters here. No malice at all."
As he spoke, he glanced briefly at the masked lady, who remained quiet and disinterested.
"Well, that's a relief, haha..." one of them muttered.
"This isn't really a secret. The Jura Forest is rich in mineral resources and inhabited by many monster races, so naturally it draws attention."
"But more importantly, there's the legendary hidden treasure said to lie within the Jura Forest."
"Treasure?" Rimuru asked, clearly puzzled.
"Yes. According to legend, there was once a city here, around three hundred years ago. A dragon destroyed it while trying to seize the treasure, but was eventually sealed away by a Hero."
"After that dragon was sealed, the Demon Lords and nearby nations formed a treaty forbidding intrusion into the forest."
"But lately, for some reason, the dragon's aura has vanished... and that treaty may no longer hold."
"Wait, a dragon? A treaty?" Rimuru was thoroughly confused now. What treasure? And why didn't Ranga mention anything about this?
"That's right. It's this treasure that has the surrounding nations eyeing the Jura Forest. Rumor has it, whoever obtains it gains power on par with a Demon Lord."
"But... it's just a rumor. No one knows if it's actually true."
Elyun's voice dropped to a whisper as she finished her sentence.
Rimuru secretly guessed that the dragon they were talking about must be the Storm Dragon. But this treasure they mentioned?
[Ranga, do you know of any treasure in the forest?]
Ranga, hidden in Rimuru's shadow, opened his eyes, looking equally puzzled.
[Master, I've lived in the Jura Forest for a long time, but I've never heard of any treasure. These humans love to spread rumors. Please don't take them seriously.]
So that's how it is...
Rimuru shook his head, reminding himself not to jump to conclusions. He could always ask the Storm Dragon later.
Having put that matter aside, Rimuru turned his attention to the masked woman standing nearby.
"I wonder, Miss Masked Lady, could we step outside and talk?"
The masked woman looked at him in mild surprise.
"You can call me Shizu. Step outside?"
"Yes, I just have a few questions I'd like to ask."
"Alright then."
Shizu nodded.
Under the trio's surprised gazes, Rimuru and Shizu left to talk privately.
Driven by curiosity, the three of them secretly followed.
"Hey, what do you think they're talking about? They look so happy."
"Don't push me! How would I know?"
"But they really do seem close... like old friends."
...
Suddenly, something strange happened.
Granstar, who had been silent with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them and stared at Shizu. He sensed a violent, scorching magical aura.
"It's starting...?"
A flicker of alarm crossed Granstar's eyes as he muttered under his breath.
Rimuru, still happily chatting, was caught off guard.
"Miss Shizu? What's wrong?"
He saw her squatting on the ground in pain. The mask on her face was starting to crack.
She kept murmuring to herself.
"I can't suppress it anymore... Go! I don't want to hurt you..."
"Huh?"
Unaware of the danger, Rimuru instinctively stepped forward to help her.
"Rimuru, get back! Her magic's going out of control — it's dangerous!"
"What?!"
Granstar appeared behind Rimuru in a flash, pulling him back and away from the danger.
BOOM!
The surrounding air grew scorching. A terrifying surge of red magic power erupted from Shizu's body.
A massive magic circle formed on the ground, and the atmosphere turned violently unstable.
The trio hiding nearby were frozen in shock.
"H-how did it come to this...?"
"Is that... high-level summoning magic?!"
Elyun's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Damn it... That kind of magic's on par with A-rank strength or higher. Isn't that Calamity-class?!"
"We're doomed! If it really is Calamity-class, it could wipe out a whole city!"
Rimuru turned toward Granstar, concern written all over his face — only to receive a calm, reassuring look in return.
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