Chapter 115 - Five Elders & Merchant

A/N: I've gone close to a month now without writing a new draft. Curse Writer's Block! On that note, what do you guys think would be the ending of these series. I want to know what you think.

Yuuki finished his work as normal for the day. It had been more than a few days since Shizu had left with the children, and Rimuru had disappeared somewhere. From what his intel told him, Rimuru had gone through a gate-like portal, leaving no trace of where he had gone.

"Rimuru-san seems to be quite troublesome," he murmured, leaning back in his chair, eyes fixed on the ceiling. His fingers drummed lightly on the desk, lost in thought. "I can't even gauge his subordinates' strength..." He exhaled sharply, his gaze sharpening. Maybe this is my chance to escape their grips.

A sly smile crept across his face, a hint of mischief in his eyes. He had been waiting for an opportunity like this—an opening that could finally give him the freedom he desired. But before he could dwell on it any longer, a sudden magical pull drew his attention.

Yuuki didn't need to look around. The familiar sensation of being summoned was unmistakable. He rose from his chair with a practiced ease, a brief flash of annoyance crossing his face. So it's time, then.

Without hesitation, he cast a spell, his figure dissolving in a burst of light as he used transport magic to move to Siltrosso.

Moments later, he walked through the large mansion's corridors, each step echoing softly in the stone hallways. The mansion always felt eerily silent when no one was around, but Yuuki was used to it. The walls held memories of countless meetings and discussions, none of which were ever lighthearted.

He arrived at the familiar office—always a place of serious talks, often with dire implications. Inside, Granbell sat at the head of the table, an old man with white hair and the kind of aura that commanded respect. On his knee was a young blonde girl, her eyes wide with curiosity as she observed him.

"Yuuki, you have arrived," Granbell said, his voice as calm as ever. He gestured toward the chair opposite him, where Damrada, another familiar face, sat sipping tea. "You've met Damrada before, right?"

Yuuki gave a slight bow in respect, his tone polite but measured. "Granbell-sama," he acknowledged. He then turned to Damrada, a faint smile appearing on his lips. "It has been some time, Damrada."

Damrada raised his cup in a mock salute, his eyes twinkling with the same quiet amusement that had always been present in their encounters. "Indeed, Yuuki. Seems like you've been keeping busy."

Yuuki sat down in the chair prepared for him, settling in with a practiced ease. The four of them were now encircled in a quiet, almost tense atmosphere. The conversation was about to begin.

Granbell cleared his throat softly, shifting the mood in the room with the weight of his words. "We've all heard of the upcoming war with the Primordial Silver Rimuru."

Yuuki's expression immediately shifted to one of surprise, his eyes widening slightly. "A... primordial?" he muttered, almost to himself. His mind raced. A primordial demon? He had heard rumors, but this was the first confirmation he'd received.

Damrada chuckled, leaning back in his seat. "Ah, you didn't know Rimuru-sama's true identity, did you? Yes, he is the primordial demon, Silver. Rimuru."

Granbell didn't seem moved by the revelation; he simply nodded, his expression unchanged. "We'll go into more detail about him later. For now, let's focus on his actions—and how we will respond."

Yuuki blinked slowly, still processing the information. A primordial... that changes things. His lips curved into a wry smile. "This is a bit more serious than I thought." His voice held a mix of admiration and something else—maybe apprehension.

Damrada continued, shifting the topic back to the matter at hand. "What I've gathered through my connections is that Rimuru-sama has issued a warning to the west, telling them not to invade his forest. After a significant movement of forces within the forest, humans have begun sending reconnaissance teams to investigate."

He paused, watching their reactions carefully, letting the words settle in. "While the nations bordering the forest have received this warning, some—like Falmuth—see it as an opportunity. They're preparing to raid the forest, thinking it will be easy pickings."

Yuuki's lips twitched into a smirk, the idea amusing him more than it should have. "Invading the den of both monsters and a primordial demon... Sounds like a pointless war that's bound to cost the humans a lot of casualties. Even I can't fully gauge how strong Rimuru-san really is."

Granbell, however, didn't seem amused. He took a slow breath before responding. "I can."

Yuuki's eyebrows shot up in surprise, his gaze snapping to Granbell. "You can?" His tone was laced with genuine curiosity, mixed with a hint of disbelief.

Granbell didn't falter. "I've seen him come and go through Lubelios for over a thousand years. We've sparred, shared a few battles. I know his strength, his allies, and his goals. I know what he's capable of."

Yuuki's expression shifted, now genuinely intrigued. "That's quite the backstory..." His voice trailed off as he processed the weight of what Granbell had said. A thousand years of experience? That's a lot of time to learn someone's true nature.

Damrada, leaned forward, his gaze turning teasing. "If you think that's impressive, wait until you hear my story." His lips curled into a sly grin as he leaned back in his chair. "Though I'm not sharing it with you today."

Granbell, his expression still calm, finally spoke again, his voice steady and commanding. "Regardless of our personal stories, we must focus on the bigger picture. Falmuth's actions are reckless. They believe they can overpower Rimuru, but they may very well ignite a war they are not prepared for."

Yuuki nodded slowly, his fingers tapping on the armrest of his chair. "Understood," he said, his voice low. A war with Rimuru... That would change everything.

Damrada's lips curled into a quiet smirk. "But we aren't here to stop the war, right? My intel told me you support it, Granbell."

"Yes, this is, after all, an opportunity," Granbell confirmed, not denying his approval of the war. "This will also benefit the East, so listen carefully, Damrada."

Yuuki looked intrigued, as though he was missing something—a piece of the bigger picture that the two hadn't filled him in on.

"The plan is to kill Rimuru," Granbell stated, his tone unwavering.

Yuuki shot up from his seat, his eyes wide with disbelief. "Are you crazy?" he exclaimed, his voice rising in shock. "Didn't you just say he's a primordial demon? Do you really think you can defeat him? You aren't even in your prime anymore, as a former hero!"

Granbell glared at him, and Yuuki felt his soul shake. He instinctively placed a hand over his chest, as if trying to steady his suddenly shaking soul. "Watch your mouth," Granbell warned in a low, calm voice. With one pointed look, he sat back down in his chair and began tapping his shoe rhythmically on the floor.

"Of course, I can't defeat him right now," Granbell continued, his voice cool and steady, his gaze unwavering as he met Yuuki's eyes. "But under the right circumstances, we can—and we will."

Yuuki stared at him, still processing the audacity of the plan. The words hung in the air, but they didn't ease the unease bubbling in his stomach. He crossed his arms, a frown tugging at the corners of his lips.

Granbell shifted his focus to Damrada, his expression hardening slightly. "Damrada, how does the East see Rimuru?"

Damrada's lips curled into a wry smile, and he leaned back in his chair, the corner of his mouth twitching. "They despise him. They want him dead."

Yuuki raised an eyebrow, surprised by the bluntness of the response. He'd never heard of the East having any particular grudges against anyone—let alone a primordial demon. Curiosity piqued, he leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table as he waited for more details.

Granbell wasn't finished. "I'll handle the Razul and the Luminaries, but who do you think you can bring to the table who has a fighting chance—even if it's just for a brief moment?"

Damrada fell into deep thought, tapping his chin with his fingers, a slight frown creasing his brow. "Hmm..." After a moment of contemplation, he spoke again, his voice quieter but resolute. "I can think of a lot who could survive for a minute or two, but getting them to actually move? That's a different matter. Their allegiance is with the Emperor, after all." He shrugged nonchalantly, his posture relaxed despite the weight of the situation.

Granbell nodded, as if already expecting this response. "If you give me time, I can have about five or so individuals who are all saint-level," Damrada added, his tone more serious now, a slight tension in his shoulders. "That's the best I can do."

Granbell's lips twitched upward into a small, satisfied smile. "That is more than good enough."

Yuuki, still unsure about the plan, raised his hand slightly, his fingers tapping nervously on the table. "Uhm," he interjected, his voice hesitant. "Are we forgetting the fact that Rimuru-san has an army of monsters—and very strong demons, too?"

He paused, allowing the weight of his words to settle. Even in a very generous hypothetical situation where they managed to overpower Rimuru, what was stopping his subordinates from intervening and saving their master? The thought gnawed at the back of his mind.

Granbell didn't hesitate. "We'll have bait," he said, his expression unreadable, his gaze hard. "You worry too much. Rimuru is only an awakened demon lord at most. The only abilities he's shown over the past thousand years are his ability to make gate portals and his swordsmanship."

Yuuki narrowed his eyes, still skeptical. But before he could voice his doubt, Damrada added, "I can confirm. He actually taught someone I knew about swordsmanship before." He paused for a moment, his tone thoughtful, and his eyes distant as if remembering something from the past. "He's very good with a sword, but beyond that, he doesn't have any particularly powerful skills."

"Hehehe..." Yuuki chuckled dryly, slumping back into his chair, his arms folded across his chest. "Let's hope so. So, who is the bait and how do we make them into bait?"

"Hinata," Granbell replied without hesitation, his gaze sharpening. "The church has already declared its support in the war. Even if Rimuru and Hinata are close and wouldn't fight each other seriously, they would still clash, as she's known as the strongest human and the hope of humanity."

"Is it really possible, though?" Damrada tilted his head slightly, a skeptical look crossing his face. "I mean, if they are friends, and if she doesn't go, then everything falls apart."

Granbell shook his head, his voice firm. "She is the face of the church. The followers will lose their faith, especially those outside Lubelios, if she doesn't go. Even if only as an act, they will fight. The plan is to ambush them when that happens."

Damrada raised an eyebrow, a thoughtful look crossing his features. "What do we do with the monsters in the forest?"

Granbell waved a hand dismissively, a faint smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Let them enjoy fighting the human armies. I doubt the monsters, especially the demons, would decline a fight." His gaze darkened slightly as he continued. "Scorch Dragon Velgrynd, though, will be a problem."

"Ah, I can buy some time with her." Damrada pointed to himself with confidence, his grin widening.

Yuuki's eyes widened in disbelief, his voice rising in shock. "You can? How the hell can you buy some time with a true dragon?"

Damrada smirked, his eyes gleaming with a hidden secret. "I have a certain colleague in the East who would be more than happy to hold off the Scorch Dragon."

Yuuki let out a dry laugh, leaning back in his chair as he shook his head. "What is with the East," he muttered with a bitter chuckle. "Several saint-level individuals you can call upon, a grudge against a primordial, and even something that can buy time with a true dragon. Granbell-sama, can we even fight back against the East when they invade?"

Granbell remained silent, his gaze distant, and he ignored Yuuki's question, the weight of the situation clearly pressing on him. He turned back to Damrada, his voice steady but insistent. "Damrada, how long until we can take action?"

"The saint individuals I can bring can be persuaded to join, not that long." Damrada answered, his tone pragmatic. "But the war itself, with the West preparing its soldiers, will probably take a few months."

Granbell nodded, his face a mask of determination. "You don't have to worry," he reassured Yuuki, reaching out to pat the young blonde on the knee. "We can have the war start in less than three months from now."

Yuuki stretched his body as he left Stilrosso and returned to Ingrassia. His legs felt heavy with each step, the weight of the meeting still lingering in his mind. He walked back to his office, his thoughts a whirlwind, and slumped his head onto the table as soon as he entered.

"This isn't going to end well..." he muttered, his voice muffled against the surface. "This is a stupid plan."

He let out a long sigh, feeling the frustration settle in. For a few minutes, he just sat there, hands running through his hair, trying to shake off the nagging feeling of dread creeping up on him.

Finally, he pushed himself up and grabbed a piece of paper from his desk, quickly pulling out a pen. He began writing something, his movements sharp and purposeful.

"Better to make some insurance," he murmured to himself, the words barely audible, "especially with fighting a primordial."

A/N: Sorry guys, I am not that smart so the plotting may not be that smart. Their actions may seem dumb or whatever, but that's that.