Chapter 71 - Bonding and Patricide

The next day, the four of them gathered in the dining room, chatting over breakfast. Rimuru and Luminas sat on one side of the table, while Chloe and Hinata sat on the other. Hinata observed the scene carefully, noticing the subtle changes in behavior-Luminas' close proximity to Rimuru and Chloe's avoidance of eye contact with him.

"Chloe, are you okay?" Hinata asked with concern, noticing her friend's unease.

Chloe smiled, but it was clear she was distracted. "I'm fine. I just... had a hard time sleeping last night," she muttered, averting her gaze. "Anyway, I heard from Luminas that Rimuru-san is an excellent chef! Considering he has most of his memories from Japan, why don't you have him cook something?"

Hinata pondered this. She didn't recall Rimuru cooking in the previous timeline. Perhaps he had always been capable but relied on more skilled subordinates like the pink-haired ogre. The thought of traditional Japanese meals made her nostalgic and eager to take advantage of the opportunity.

As Hinata daydreamed about what dish to request, Chloe gave a small triumphant smile, grateful for the change in conversation. She couldn't possibly admit to her friend that she had spent the night spying on her crush and best friend in a compromising situation, especially with both of them sitting right there, acting as if nothing was amiss.

"You know, Chloe-chan," Luminas said, sipping her tea. "Next time, please don't peek without permission." Chloe's face turned pale with horror. How could Luminas have noticed her? It seemed impossible, given Chloe's Ultimate Skill that should have rendered her invisible.

Chloe's mind raced as she used Thought Acceleration to calm herself. There was no way Luminas could have detected her. Her subskill, Amorous Gaze, was supposed to be imperceptible. Shifting her gaze to Rimuru, who was chatting with Hinata about what to cook, Chloe realized it must have been Rimuru who had noticed.

"I... I wasn't..." Chloe blushed, her voice faltering. "I'm sorry. I won't do it again..." Her shoulders slumped in shame, her face flushing a deep red. She realized how her actions, even if unnoticed, had intensified her feelings.

"Fufu," Luminas chuckled, enjoying Chloe's embarrassed reaction. "Let's talk privately, shall we?" She encouraged Chloe to follow her, leaving Hinata and Rimuru to head to the kitchen.

Chloe gave a wry smile, noticing Hinata's barely concealed grin as she walked with Rimuru. Meanwhile, Chloe and Luminas made their way to a balcony, overlooking the garden and the hidden vampire settlement.

"Just so you know, Rimuru knows you like him," Luminas began, leaning on the stone railing. "It was pretty obvious, even to me."

"Hehe, I wasn't really trying to hide it," Chloe admitted, joining Luminas at the railing. "I have liked Rimuru-san for as long as I can remember. In every timeline, I always fall for him." She reminisced about her countless interactions with the silver-haired demon across different timelines.

"He never really had someone he liked back then. I always thought it was because he was a slime and had lost the desire to find someone." Chloe's eyes moistened as she looked out at the horizon. "Even my advances and confessions were ignored as the infatuation of a child. I love him, yet he didn't feel the same. Now, I just want to make sure he doesn't die in the end."

Luminas looked at her with empathy. She couldn't fully comprehend Chloe's pain, but she could relate to the longing and fear of losing Rimuru. "But it's different now," she reassured Chloe, placing a hand on her shoulder and turning her to face her.

"This Rimuru is not a slime. Sure, a demon doesn't require a partner either," she jested to lighten the mood. "But neither did I, nor Velgrynd. Yet here we are, in a relationship that you wouldn't believe if you hadn't seen it yourself." Luminas brushed away a tear threatening to fall from Chloe's face. "This Rimuru knows your sacrifices and devotion. He won't ignore your feelings, and he will never die."

Chloe nodded, a smile returning to her face. "Yes, this time he won't die."

...........

.....

....

.........

Meanwhile, Rimuru and Hinata were exploring the southern seas, diving to the deepest parts of the ocean in search of ingredients for Hinata's special request. Armed with makeshift harpoons and swords, they navigated the underwater world with ease.

Hinata, wielding her sword in her right hand and a harpoon in her left, sensed her target-a massive spear tuna, four meters long with a tough exoskeleton and a horn-like spear on its front. As it charged at her, aiming to impale her, she deftly blocked its attack with her sword. The clash resulted in the beast's horn shattering. Sensing its vulnerability, the tuna attempted to flee, but Hinata quickly hurled her harpoon, piercing its armored body. With a firm grip on the rope attached to the harpoon, she pulled the large tuna toward the shore.

Emerging from the water, Hinata saw Rimuru slicing a giant tentacle into even chunks. He noticed her arrival and waved.

Hinata nodded, her eyes catching the sight of some food already cooking nearby. Rimuru was using the time to prepare the rest for later. She fought the urge to rush over, maintaining a composed pace instead.

"Good job catching the spear tuna," Rimuru praised, handing her a small plate of food. "I haven't made the takoyaki yet, but here's some yakisoba to start."

Hinata set the spear tuna aside and accepted the plate, finding a seat nearby. She slipped on her black hoodie over her swimsuit and began to eat, savoring the nostalgic taste and nearly tearing up.

Rimuru watched her reaction with amusement, pleased to see such an exaggerated response to his cooking. Most of his usual diners had grown accustomed to the quality of his dishes, but Hinata was experiencing it for the first time.

"Rimuru, thank you. Seriously, this is more delicious than anything back home." Hinata smiled genuinely as she handed the plate back for more. Rimuru chuckled at her enthusiasm.

"Right, right. There's more to come, don't get too full yet."

"Saints don't get full or fat," Hinata retorted, glaring playfully as she took the plate.

"I didn't say anything about fat."

"Geez, Rimuru-san, that's not fair!" Chloe's voice rang out as she approached, a pout forming on her lips. "Why didn't you tell us you were going to the beach with Hinata?" She puffed her cheeks and put her hands on her hips, her expression a mix of mock irritation and genuine curiosity.

Rimuru turned to her with a bemused smile. "But I did tell you," he replied. Chloe had changed into a white bikini that accentuated her curves, making her blush under Rimuru's gaze. "You look nice."

"You didn't say where! I had to-eh, really? Hehehe~" Chloe's cheeks turned a deeper shade of red as she squirmed in place, almost forgetting her initial irritation. "Ah! Don't forget your training, Chloe. You aren't that easy to fool," she murmured to herself, trying to regain her composure as she sat beside Hinata.

"How was your talk with Luminas? Speaking of, where is she?" Rimuru asked, handing Chloe some food.

"She had to deal with a rampaging vampire," Chloe answered, taking a bite. "She said she'd join us in a few minutes. She seemed excited about finding a swimsuit."

Rimuru nodded, focused on cooking some meat and vegetables on the portable grill. "Then we'll stay here for the day. She needs a break too. Let's call it a mini-vacation."

A few minutes later, Luminas finally arrived, wearing a stylish red swimsuit with a skirt bottom. Her face was etched with frustration as she grumbled, "That damn psycho," and sat beside Rimuru, who was seated opposite Hinata and Chloe.

Rimuru handed her a plate of food, his eyes filled with concern. "What did he do this time?" he asked, feeding the silver-haired vampire.

Luminas accepted the bite, chewing thoughtfully before answering. "He made a vampire, not just any vampire-something that loves to bring ruin. It's not even sane!" Her irritation was palpable as she recounted the events. "He's already made so many vampires. Why did he have to create something that's uncontrollable?"

"What happened to the vampire?" Hinata asked, eating the freshly cooked takoyaki Rimuru handed her.

Luminas smirked, a hint of pride in her eyes. "I decided not to kill it. It was strong, at least compared to an average vampire. So, I split it into two using my skills. It made them obedient enough. Gunther should be teaching them how everything works to serve me now." She chuckled, recalling the confused reactions of the vampire as it faced a reflection of itself.

"It's a good thing you managed to suppress it before too much damage occurred," Chloe said with a small smile, understanding the importance of Luminas's actions. "What do you plan on having them do anyway?"

"For now, they're either leading the guards of the vampire settlement or helping with administrative work. They did a lot of damage, though. From what I saw, a whole city of humans was destroyed, and the bodies were all dried up," Luminas replied, shaking her head in exasperation. She motioned for Rimuru, who fed her another bite.

"Speaking of, you don't mind being the one to tell Velgrynd about us, right?" Rimuru remembered he hadn't mentioned his new relationship to the Scorch Dragon yet. Considering that Luminas and Velgrynd had already talked about it in the past, he figured it was best for Luminas to handle the conversation.

Hinata's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, you two are together? I thought you only had the Scorch Dragon?" Her gaze switched between the silver-haired demon and the vampire.

"Ah right, you don't know, Hinata." Chloe gave a light laugh, scratching her cheek. "It was mentioned earlier while we were eating breakfast. I think you were too focused on talking with Rimuru-san, though." Hinata frowned, feeling embarrassed for losing focus just because she wanted to eat some Japanese food.

"I planned to tell her myself anyway," Luminas said, wiping her mouth with a napkin after finishing her food. "But you'll be there with me when I tell her," she added, leaning on Rimuru's shoulder.

Time passed as the four beings enjoyed their day at the beach, playing in the water and relaxing under the sun. Occasionally, Rimuru and Luminas would disappear for half an hour, much to Hinata's dismay, who had a good idea why.

"Alright then, are you coming with me, Rimuru? I'm going to Twilight's facility to give him a good talking to," Luminas said with a smirk, cracking her knuckles together.

"...Sure, why not? Visiting sounds good to me," Rimuru replied without thinking much. He didn't have anything specific he wanted to ask Twilight, but the visit sounded intriguing.

Chloe and Hinata returned to Night Rose while Rimuru and Luminas traveled towards Twilight's facility.

"Oh, Rimuru-kun! And my Lumi-chan as well, how rare for the two of you to visit me here," Twilight greeted them with a smile as they entered his office. The facility was populated only by the pixies he created and the gnomes Jahil had given him.

Twilight's cheerful demeanor contrasted sharply with the frustration etched on Luminas's face. Rimuru glanced around, noting the intricate designs and contraptions filling the room.

"Twilight," Luminas began, her voice dripping with irritation. "We need to talk about your latest creation."

Twilight's smile faltered slightly as he looked between the two of them. "Oh dear, what has my little experiment done now?"

As Rimuru sat down on the sofa, Luminas remained standing, her piercing gaze fixed on Twilight. An emotionless young girl with silky blonde hair, her eyes covered by eyepatches and a hood hiding most of her head, placed a cup of tea on the table in front of Rimuru. "Oh, thank you," Rimuru said, acknowledging her. "I believe your name is Pippin, right? Jahil told me you were the youngest of Twilight's pupils-his creation."

The young girl nodded silently before leaving the room.

"Let's get straight to the point, Twilight," Luminas said, her voice cold and commanding. "Stop creating these absurd monstrosities of yours." Her aura flared as she spoke, the sheer intensity of it filling the room with a palpable tension. The amount of magicules in the air was lethal enough to kill most high-ranking beings in seconds. Of course, Rimuru remained unaffected, calmly observing Luminas as she vented her rage.

"Do you have any idea how many cities, kingdoms, even empires have fallen because of your creations? For what? A passing whim? A curiosity gone too far? Even some of the settlements my vampires use for food have been attacked!" Luminas' anger was like a storm, her words cutting through the air with precision.

"Now, now, Lumi-chan," Twilight responded, raising his hands in a placating gesture. "It's not really my fault. I can't help my desire to create beings of both beauty and horror. The damage they cause to the world are just... small accidents." He attempted an innocent smile, but to Rimuru and Luminas, it was nothing more than a conceited grin.

"Small accidents?" Luminas repeated, her voice rising. "You call the fall of half the world's civilizations small accidents?! If Guy wasn't holding back because of Veldanava, you would have been dead long ago because of your 'small accidents'!" Her frustration was evident as she grabbed her head in exasperation. She could vividly recall the abominations that slaughtered life unnecessarily, wasting potential food sources and disrupting the world's development. These were civilizations still in their infancy, not even worth Guy's direct involvement, yet Twilight's creations wiped them out before they had a chance to grow.

What was worse, Twilight seemed oblivious to the true extent of his actions. All he knew was that his test subjects either escaped or were released to see what would happen, relying on Guy to clean up the mess.

"Let's calm down, Lumi-chan..." Twilight said, his hands still raised in a gesture of surrender. "I understand. I'll try to be more responsible from now on." He sighed, while Rimuru, watching from the side, thought with a blank expression, 'You will 100% do it again. I'd bet everything on it.'

"As long as you take responsibility and acknowledge it," Luminas said, finally calming down after letting out her rage. The issue wasn't that the test subjects were particularly strong; they were more of an annoyance. What grated on Luminas was Twilight's repeated refusal to take responsibility for his actions.

"By the way, Lumi-chan... I know this isn't the right time to ask, but," Twilight began with a sheepish smile, "I'm assuming another one of my test subjects escaped? Can you tell me which one, how much damage it caused, how strong it was? Is it dead? And can you give me the corpse to study it some more?" He bombarded Luminas with questions.

"....." Luminas stared at Twilight, her patience wearing thin.

"....." Twilight stared back, seemingly oblivious to the gravity of his situation.

Rimuru sighed, sensing the build-up of magicules and spirit particles in the air.

"That's the last straw, I've had enough out of you!! Disintegration!" Luminas shouted, her voice echoing through the room.

Magic circles enveloped Twilight's body, the impending doom clear. Twilight looked from Luminas to Rimuru, who gave him a small gesture with a faint grin on his face. Seeing this, Twilight resigned himself to his fate, giving up on resisting the attack. "My daughter, you truly are my best creation!" he declared with twisted pride.

In an instant, the spell activated, and Twilight's form disintegrated, leaving nothing behind but a lingering sense of unease. The room fell silent, the oppressive aura dissipating as quickly as it had come.

Luminas took a deep breath, her anger slowly ebbing away. She turned to Rimuru, her eyes still glowing with residual magic. "I had to do it. He was never going to stop."

Rimuru nodded, understanding in his gaze. "I know. He was too dangerous to be left unchecked."

Luminas leaned against Rimuru, seeking comfort in his presence. "Thank you for being here."

"Always," Rimuru replied softly, wrapping an arm around her.

The tension broken, they took a moment to gather themselves. Twilight's creations and actions had taken a significant toll on Luminas' patience and sanity.

"What will we do about his lab?" Luminas asked, her voice steadier now.

Rimuru considered the question. "We'll need to secure it. Make sure none of his experiments are left unattended. We can't afford another incident."

A/N: And Twilight is dead!

I don't know if I'm rushing it but that's Luminas arc for the lover status. Chloe doing a little bit of voyeur, and Hinata being a food connoisseur like always.

I added some scene with Chloe how Rimuru's rejections, deaths, and other things really changed her, and gave her grief that for me was never really expanded on in the series. The confession is more of a habit with no real expectations and all she really wants is his safety.

So here is the next arc so you guys know that it is near the present timeline (though it will still be a long way.)

Chapter 72 - Star Dragon's Heart

Chapter 73 - North vs East

You could probably guess from the titles what the arc will be about.