Chapter 104 - Workers

Rimuru appeared in front of a forest, a place which was potent in magicules in the air. Looking in front of him, the gates of the labyrinth, which was the home of the spirits as well as the Spirit Queen, stood before him.

Entering through the gate, he wandered for a few minutes before arriving where he assumed the Spirit Queen would be.

"Welcome, Lord Rimuru," a Dryad bowed as Rimuru entered the large open area akin to a large room.

"Treyni, it has been a while. How have your sisters been?" Rimuru, recognizing the green-haired woman, let her guide him.

"Yes, thanks to your kindness of letting us return to the Spirit Queen, we have been very well," she smiled at him, recalling when she and her sisters were newly evolved Dryads who could not leave the forest.

Rimuru's presence was akin to a savior to them; not only had he let them live and given them bodies that allowed them to live outside the forest, but he also brought them to where the Spirit Queen's home was.

A place which they could not have found because the passage that they knew was closing due to their Queen's reincarnation into a pixie.

As they went deeper, more vegetation and plant life could be seen, not just in the walls and floor, but whole trees and plants were living in bountiful amounts in this 'floor' of the labyrinth.

As Rimuru observed the 'floor,' a small, bright light flew around, gradually making its way toward his location. Knowing what it was—or more like, who it was—he opened his palm and raised it to just around his chest.

The light flitted closer, revealing a small, playful figure that landed gently on Rimuru's open hand.

"It's good to see you, Ramiris," Rimuru greeted, smiling warmly at the blonde-haired pixie now perched on his palm.

"Rimuru!" Ramiris cheered, her wings buzzing with excitement. She bounced up and down, a mischievous grin plastered on her face. "It's been so long! Did you come to play with me?"

Rimuru chuckled, shaking his head. "Unfortunately, not at the moment."

Ramiris's face fell, her small arms crossing in a pout.

She zipped off his hand, landing on his right shoulder with a playful poke to his cheek. "So? You only come when you need something? No fun at all!"

Rimuru couldn't help but smile. "Actually, I do have something I want to discuss."

As he explained his plans for nation-building, he shared his desire for Ramiris to live in the new country.

"I know you enjoy spending time with your pixies and the Dryads, but you rarely leave your labyrinth. You need a place that's safe—both for the spirits and for yourself."

Ramiris's wings fluttered eagerly, her bright eyes sparkling. "So... you're really offering me a place in your country?"

Rimuru nodded with a grin. "Of course. And this way, we can play more often!"

Ramiris beamed with joy, her wings vibrating with excitement. Without missing a beat, she flew from his shoulder and landed delicately in Treyni's open hands.

With a mischievous glint in her eyes, she pointed at Rimuru. "Then let's go! I'm ready!"

Rimuru chuckled, raising a hand in protest. "Not just yet. We haven't even built the first building."

Ramiris puffed her cheeks in exasperation, flailing her arms as though throwing a tantrum. "Why is it taking so long?! Just make it already!"

Rimuru's grin deepened. "Well, you see, gathering materials is a bit tricky. We need to clear the area, cut down trees, turn them into lumber... It's a whole process."

"Hmmm..." Ramiris tapped her chin, her brows furrowing in thought. "You need something to help clear the trees and gather materials, right?"

Rimuru nodded, impressed by how quickly she grasped the problem.

"Inside a forest?" she asked, arching an eyebrow skeptically.

Rimuru nodded again, and she hummed thoughtfully. He stood by, patient as always, knowing that when Ramiris got to thinking, it often meant a clever idea was brewing.

Suddenly, her eyes widened in realization. "I've got it! Treyni, have the Dryads help Rimuru with his construction!"

Rimuru smiled inwardly. "Are you sure? I don't want to force you to do that just for me."

Ramiris waved her hand dismissively. "It's fine, it's fine! Just hurry up and build that country of yours, so we can play more!"

Rimuru sighed in 'defeat.' "I understand. Thank you for your support." He bowed slightly.

As he looked around, he noticed the Dryads starting to gather around them. Rimuru had already realized that Dryads were an all-female race, and their counterparts were the Treants—living trees that would form male bodies if given physical forms.

The Treants were already in Rimuru's forest; their race was stationary by nature. Unless Rimuru gave them bodies, they would remain in their part of the forest.

He had plans to give them physical bodies now, as they were more than happy to bask in the sunlight under his protection. Rimuru had ensured that their area was off-limits to any monsters that might harm them. In fact, the Fair Oni occasionally made rounds in the Treants' territory to make sure they were safe.

"Before you leave," Ramiris said shyly, flying over. "Let's have a chat."

She flew from Treyni's hands and hovered toward a table with a few chairs. On the table, some snacks and tea prepared by the Dryads waited.

"Sure," Rimuru replied, sitting down.

Ramiris cheered, and they spent the next few hours chatting about a variety of topics, as many as they could come up with.

As the conversation wound down, they said their goodbyes. Rimuru stood up and made his way in a different direction from the forest. "You can all wait for me in the Treants' territory."

The Dryads who had come with him bowed their heads and disappeared, leaving behind a trail of shimmering leaves.

....

Meanwhile, in the castle of Amarita, two men were finishing a conversation. One of them was Clayman, the right-hand man of Kagali, the Queen of Amarita. The other man, sitting across from him, had long, grayish-blonde hair tied in a low ponytail. He stood, giving a slight bow.

"Thank you for your cooperation," he said.

"Of course, Sir Damrada," Clayman responded with a smile. "We benefit from this trade as well."

As they exchanged a firm handshake, the room was suddenly disrupted by a burst of magic. Rimuru appeared without warning, uncaring of the barriers set up around the castle for security.

"It's been a while. How has life been for you?" Rimuru asked, grinning as he glanced between the two men.

Damrada froze for a split second, then relaxed upon recognizing Rimuru. "Rimuru-sama, it has been a while. Please enter the proper way next time—I almost attacked you."

Rimuru waved it off casually, uninterested in the formalities. "How's life in the empire?"

"It's been fine, mostly..." Damrada grumbled. "Though, I got demoted. His Majesty summoned a powerful person to replace me as 001 in the imperial guards."

Clayman's eyes widened, stunned by Damrada's sudden revelation of the Empire's secrets, especially since he was in the room to hear it.

Rimuru let out a laugh, patting Damrada's back in a playful manner. "It's alright. That position wasn't all that important anyway. Want me to train you? You could win back your position by defeating the new 001."

Damrada smiled faintly. "I appreciate it, but I'll pass. I'm enjoying my new position. Less work than before."

Rimuru nodded, recalling the old days. "Yeah, you were basically the one managing the entire kingdom whenever Rudra slacked off."

Damrada chuckled softly. "True, true."

Rimuru raised an eyebrow as Damrada's tone became nostalgic.

"It's good to see you again, Rimuru-sama, but I must go now." Damrada bowed his head and headed toward the door.

Rimuru smiled, watching him leave, then waved as the door closed.

Turning to Clayman, who remained silent while nibbling on a snack, Rimuru decided to ask the question that had been lingering on his mind.

Noticing Rimuru's intense gaze, Clayman turned to him. "Is something wrong, Lord Rimuru?"

Rimuru studied him, his sharp eyes scanning Clayman's body language. "Aside from Damrada, have you been in contact with anyone from the empire?"

Clayman tilted his head. "Yes, there were times when Damrada couldn't attend the transactions."

Rimuru nodded thoughtfully. "I see. Looks like I need to be more vigilant." He snapped his fingers.

Clayman blinked, unsure of what to expect, but nothing happened. A strange lightness spread in his chest, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"Do you need anything from Kagali-sama?" Clayman asked, trying to clear the confusion from his mind.

"Ah, yes. I plan on building my nation," Rimuru replied, rising from his seat. He motioned for Clayman to follow as they both left the room, heading toward the lower floors of the castle.

Even without being guided, Rimuru was already accustomed to the structure of the lower floors and knew exactly where to find Kagali.

As they got closer to the largest structure on the deepest floor, a sudden explosion rattled the ground, sending a shockwave through the area. The ground trembled beneath their feet. Clayman placed a hand on his face, sighing as he watched the smoke rise from the explosion site.

"Increase the ventilation output for the next hour or so," he ordered one of the Dark Elves who were stationed on the floor.

The Dark Elf bowed and immediately went off to carry out his order.

Rimuru grinned, watching the smoke billow into the air. The building where it had originated was collapsing under the pressure, the rubble falling apart as a large hand emerged from the structure. Slowly, the rest of a massive golem began to rise from the debris, its enormous body towering over everything.

"It's well-made, but the core probably went berserk due to the wrong amount of energy," Rimuru observed, his hand resting thoughtfully on his chin. He smiled as he watched the golem, which was tall enough that its hands nearly reached the ceiling of the 'floor.'

Meanwhile, three figures were already attacking the golem.

"Kagali-sama's golem failed again!" Tear shouted as she jumped from one building to another, landing lightly and aiming her attack.

"Hohoho, another one scrapped, it seems," Footman remarked, circling the golem's legs and striking with precision.

Laplace, standing with Kagali behind him, watched with a slightly dismayed look. "Man, what a waste. It seemed strong too."

"They look like they're having fun," Rimuru joked, glancing at Clayman, who was scowling at the ongoing destruction.

The worst part was that the damage was mostly caused by Tear and Footman, not the golem itself. The golem's large body was falling down, crushing everything in its path, and each failed punch left behind more destruction as it tried to attack the two.

"They're getting scolded later," Clayman muttered angrily, watching the chaos unfold.

Rimuru chuckled as they continued to observe. After a few minutes, the two had destroyed the golem completely.

Kagali sat on the floor, slumped and moody as she watched her latest creation meet its end. "Tsk, next time I'll do it myself..." she murmured, clearly frustrated. Laplace, standing beside her, looked at her with an exasperated expression.

"Rimuru's rubbing off on you," Laplace commented with a smirk.

Kagali darted her gaze toward him, her eyes widening in surprise. "That demon?!" she snapped, her tone offended. While she enjoyed his company and support, being told she was turning into Rimuru was a huge insult to her. "Don't say such things. No way I'll be like him."

"Well, that's harsh. I haven't even done anything yet," came Rimuru's voice, cutting through the conversation. Kagali immediately stood up, her expression shifting to one of disbelief as she turned to face him.

"...Di-did you—?"

"Hear? Of course," Rimuru smirked, ruffling her hair playfully. "And here I was, planning on helping you build it, too."

Kagali bit her lip. "Can you really make it?"

Rimuru created an illusion of a giant robot, the size of planets, before casually erasing it. "A friend of mine made real sentient robots in the past. My knowledge is way beyond mere golems."

Kagali watched in awe as the intricate and complex robot appeared in the illusion. Her mind instantly started flowing with new ideas to incorporate into her own projects, inspired by just a glimpse of the machine.

"The form of the golem itself is good," Rimuru said, tapping the severed arm of the golem lying nearby with a thoughtful expression.

Kagali's heart skipped at the unexpected praise. She couldn't help but feel her cheeks warm, and she quickly turned her face away, trying to hide the pleased smile that tugged at her lips. Her ears tinged a shade of red, betraying her. "...Thanks," she muttered, looking down at the ground.

Rimuru noticed her reaction and smiled softly. He leaned down closer to the golem, inspecting it. "I could help you improve it, if you want. You've done a lot already, but I think we can make it even better together."

Kagali blinked, a little surprised by the offer. She looked back at him, her eyes brightening at the idea of working together. "Will you really help?" Her voice softened, almost shy, a change from her usual confident tone.

Rimuru chuckled, his usual playful smirk crossing his face. "Is that how you ask for help?" His teasing was lighthearted. It was clear that he was used to this—she'd made countless mistakes in the past, and each time, he'd been there to guide her with patience and care.

Kagali groaned, a dramatic sigh escaping her as she crossed her arms. "Ugh, fine!" she said with a playful pout. She walked over to him with a reluctant yet endearing step. "Please help me fix the golem, Rimuru. I just... I want it to work perfectly."

Rimuru's chuckle turned into a warm, full laugh. He reached out and ruffled her hair, just like he always did. Kagali huffed in mild annoyance, but deep down, she couldn't help but smile a little. His touch was light and caring, like how her father used to be—playful and affectionate, but never too much. It made her feel safe, like a little reminder of those old times. Even if she didn't show it, she liked it, just like she would with her father.

"I'll help," Rimuru said, his tone softening. His hands dropped to his sides as he looked at her more seriously, though the spark of mischief never quite left his eyes. "But I need your help with something else too. Will you do as I ask?" His smile grew just a little bit wider, as if he had a request in mind that she wouldn't expect.

Kagali raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. She had never seen him so serious when asking for help, and it made her wonder what he wanted. "What is it?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.

Without a word, Rimuru suddenly bent down and scooped her up by the waist, lifting her effortlessly over his shoulder as if she weighed nothing. Kagali gasped in surprise, her arms flailing for a moment before she managed to catch her balance.

Rimuru turned to the others, his grin never faltering, his tone casual as he spoke. "I'll borrow her for a bit, okay?" His voice held a hint of playfulness.

Clayman, standing nearby, nodded with a respectful bow, his usual stoic expression softened. "Please take care of Kagali-sama," he said, though his voice held an undertone of warmth. 

"Bye-bye, Kagali-sama!" Tear waved enthusiastically, her voice full of cheer as she waved goodbye, completely oblivious to the fact that Kagali was caught in the middle of a surprise.

"Take care, Kagali-sama," Footman added, his tone as calm as ever. He waved as well, offering a smile, though it was faint. It was clear that they had all seen this before.

Laplace laughed quietly, his eyes gleaming with a mischievous spark. "See ya!" he called out with a smirk, thoroughly entertained by the sight of Kagali's confused expression.

"Sayhi for Quo for me," Rimuru waved.

Kagali, still over Rimuru's shoulder, was momentarily stunned, blinking rapidly as she tried to process what was happening. "Wai—" she started to protest, but it was too late. Before she could finish her sentence, Rimuru had already disappeared, his body flickering as he vanished with her in tow, leaving only a faint trail behind.

Clayman,standing with his arms crossed, turned to Footman and Tear. His aura shifted,suddenly exuding anger and authority.

Turning to Footman and Tear, he cleared his throat, his voice taking on a more measured tone. "Tear, Footman—can I talk to you both for a second?"