Chapter 18: The Conclusion of the Incident
As expected, hitting a minister is extremely dangerous.
"Bro... What did you do?"
These were the words of Kaido, who had brought the guards.
Indeed, he doesn't slack off every day, but today he didn't show up.
I had invited him to go drinking, but he refused, saying he had work to do!
However, if he finds out that a commotion broke out while he was away, it would be understandable for him to be flabbergasted.
Running away would be simple, but that would be a bad move (?hand)...
"Hmph! That fool disrespected my guest and benefactor, Rimuru-sama, so I just gave him a little lesson!!!"
He pointed at Vester, the minister who was being tended to by the four knights he had brought.
Vester, the minister, was still in shock and couldn't recover.
Even as blood dripped from his nose, he glared at us with a dazed expression.
Being hit, he must have been truly surprised. He seemed so shocked that he couldn't even feel the pain.
"Hey, hey......, giving a little lesson to a minister is not right, you know..."
Kaido muttered with a sigh.
"Anyway..., I will have you all detained for now!"
Kaido gave instructions to his subordinates.
However, he whispered to us,
"I won't let things go badly, so please behave!"
Of course, I have no intention of causing trouble!
I secretly moved to Mama's side and gave her five gold coins.
"Eh? !" Mama was surprised,
"This is also to make up for the trouble! I'll be back soon!"
This was a good shop. It would be no fun if I couldn't come back here because of this incident.
Thus, we were taken away, but... I forgot something.
That fool wasn't brought to the shop.
Due to his usual foolish actions, he was being punished with "Centipede Hell."
At first, I thought about just tying him up, but that would be too dangerous.
Therefore, I wrapped him up with 'Sticky Thread' and hung him in the room.
"Hey! This is too much! I want to be taken along too!!!"
He cried out in a pained voice, but if I treated him gently, he might crawl over.
"Fool! Your usual behavior is despicable! If you're angry, at least summon your partner (Lamanga) for help!!!"
I told him something impossible and left him there.
Since he's a goblin, even if he's a hobgoblin, it should be fine to deprive him of food and water for a week.
If he's detained for a long time, I'll come out and help him once.
Thinking that, I decided to forget about him.
He might be a little pitiful? But he's a reliable guy, so it's fine!
The five of us were taken to the palace.
To be precise, we weren't strictly detained. It felt more like voluntary cooperation. It was forced, but...
In the end, we spent two days in prison.
However, we were able to have decent meals and the room was well-kept.
Since the five of us were together, it felt more like a large room than a prison.
The treatment gave us a good impression.
"It's my fault for losing my temper... I'm sorry!"
However, no one here cared about that.
"Kaido-san, it's fine! It's no problem!"
"Yeah, yeah, it's not something you need to worry about, Uncle!"
It seemed the three of them felt the same.
"Anyway, when we're released, we'll follow Kaido-san!"
"Lord Rimuru, will we be a burden if we follow you?"
I couldn't understand what the last one said, but I got the feeling.
"Hmph! I'll take care of all of you! But, I'll work you hard, so be prepared!"
That's how we discussed what to do after our release.
One day passed, and it was the second night.
"By the way, that minister seemed to really dislike Kaido, didn't he? Is there a reason for that?"
I asked without any particular intention.
Kaido's face twisted, and he sighed before telling the story.
It turned out that Kaido was once one of the captains of the royal palace knights.
However, the royal palace knights were divided into seven units, and he was appointed to one of them.
The three units for covert operations, the three units for combat and support, and the most important, the king's personal guard.
Kaido was the captain of the covert operations unit.
His former subordinate was Vester.
"That guy is a viscount by birth, and it was said that he bought his position with money! I, being a commoner, was envied.
It must have been complicated. Receiving orders from a commoner must have been humiliating...
I didn't have the luxury to consider others' feelings. I was desperate to repay the king's expectations...
Then, that incident happened..."
He told the story of the incident that led to his departure from the military.
The incident with the mechanical soldiers.
At the time, the dwarf's covert operations unit was the lowest rated among the seven units, with no new technological innovations.
The Vester faction argued that the covert operations unit needed to be more glamorous, while the Kaido faction argued for steady research.
The two factions couldn't agree, and no conclusion was reached in the meetings.
In the midst of this, a joint development project with elven engineers, the "Mechanical Soldier Project," began.
Vester thought that by succeeding in this project, he could solidify the position of the covert operations unit.
Kaido pointed out Vester's impatience, but as a commoner, his advice was ignored.
As a result, due to Vester's hasty actions, the "Spirit Magic Core" went out of control, and the project failed.
The "Mechanical Soldier Project," which involved the best engineers at the time, came to an end like this!
In the end, Kaido took responsibility for the failure and left the military.
Vester blamed all his failures on Kaido and prepared false testimonies with the help of military officials.
Vester, he's like a villain from a story. In a way, he's easy to understand.
To summarize, as long as Kaido is in this country, he might return to the military and threaten Vester's position, right?
Such a coward, he deserves the death penalty, doesn't he? Well, the death penalty might be too harsh...
"Anyway, if I leave this country, that guy might become a little more normal."
He said that, and the story ended.
The three brothers also knew the truth about the incident and disliked Vester.
Hearing such a story, I would dislike him too...
I can't think that we'll be released without any trouble...
"It should be fine. Even though I retired, I received the rank of baron.
If a commoner hit a noble, they could be executed without a trial!"
He laughed, but I couldn't laugh.
If things get bad, I'll escape! I'll pretend to be a normal slime until people lose interest.
Then, the day of the trial arrived.
We were brought before the king.
Standing before him, his overwhelming presence is no joke.
The current king, Gazeh?Dwalgon
He is sitting deeply in his chair with his eyes closed.
A sturdy build typical of a dwarf, with muscles brimming with energy.
His characteristic, pebbly skin, and his black hair swept back.
My instincts, which hadn't warned me in a long time, sounded the alarm.
Two knights stand on either side.
They also feel strong, but they pale in comparison to the king.
I had thought of escaping, but...
My wavering will instantly awakened before the king.
This might be the first time I felt a sense of "danger" since coming to this world.
A man knelt before the king and confirmed something.
After receiving the king's permission, he stood up,
"The trial will now begin! Everyone, be silent!!!"
It took an hour for both sides to present their arguments.
As the parties involved, we were not allowed to speak here.
Only nobles of the rank of baron or higher could speak freely in this place.
Others had to wait for the king's permission to speak.
What would happen if we spoke?
The moment we spoke, we would be found guilty, and the charge of disrespect would be added, making it a thorough purchase!
It doesn't matter if it's a sin or not. That's the rule here.
We had to leave everything to our representative.
This representative, we had met several times over the past two days.
He was like a lawyer, I guess.
Is this representative reliable?
Unfortunately, my worries were well-founded...
"Thus, while Vester was enjoying a drink in the shop, several people entered and assaulted him!
This is an unforgivable act!!!"
"Yes! Not only did I hear it from Lord Kaido, but the shop also wrote a statement!
There is no doubt that it is consistent with what was just said!!!"
It was a betrayal I never expected from our representative.
Is this... getting serious?
Looking at Kaido, his face turned red and then blue.
No matter what, it's indefensible.
Moreover, lying to the representative is unforgivable.
If caught, it's a death sentence. It must take considerable resolve, or there must be some reason to lie...
This system, which doesn't allow suspicious people (in this case, the accused) to speak before the king, has been used in the worst way.
"O King! Please hear me! Punish these people!"
Vester, sensing the mood, pleaded to the king.
Moreover, he looked at us and smiled, showing his victory.
That guy... I should have hit him again...
The king remained motionless with his eyes closed.
Confirming this, someone beside him spoke on behalf of the king.
"Silence!!! I will now pronounce the judgment!
The main culprit, Kaido! He is sentenced to 20 years of forced labor in the mines.
The other accomplices! They are sentenced to 10 years of forced labor in the mines.
Thus, this trial is concluded..."
A heavy, deep, and quiet voice interrupted the closing words.
The king opened his eyes and looked at Kaido.
"It's been a while, Kaido! How have you been?"
"...Yes! It is fortunate to see that Your Majesty is well!"
After a sigh, Kaido answered.
It seems he is allowed to answer the king's questions.
"Alright. It's between me and you. Do you plan to return?"
Vester turned pale instantly.
Suddenly, the traitorous representative turned a sickly yellow.
"Though it is presumptuous, O King! I have already found my master!
This promise is my treasure. I cannot abandon this treasure, even if ordered by the king!!!"
At these words, the surroundings turned hostile.
The guards' hostility towards Kaido intensified.
Nevertheless, Kaido, without fear, stood tall and looked at the king.
Seeing his eyes, the king closed his eyes again.
Silence once again dominated the surroundings.
"I pronounce the judgment. Listen well and engrave it in your hearts!!!
Kaido and the others are exiled from the kingdom by the king's order!
From today, after the date changes, you are not allowed to remain in this country.
That is all. Dismissed from my presence..."
When the king opened his eyes, a loud sound echoed.
A pressure that made my body tremble.
Yet... to me, the king looked lonely.
Thus, the trial ended, and we returned to Kaido's shop.
What was supposed to be a casual drink turned into a big deal.
We need to pack quickly and leave!
By the way..., is Gobta safe?
It's only the third day...
With a slightly anxious heart, I opened the door to the room where he was being punished...
"Ah! You're here! Did you enjoy yourself? From now on, please take me along too!"
Gobta jumped up from the sofa, saying...
This guy... how did he escape from the spider's 'Sticky Thread'?
Looking closely... the pillow he was using was Lamanga.
Really? Did he succeed in summoning? ?
"Hey, hey, Gobta, did you succeed in summoning the wolf?"
"Ah! Yes! I thought, 'Come here!' and he came!"
There are no known cases of other hobgoblins succeeding...
Could it be that this guy's talent has all gone to his head...?
No way... that can't be. For Gobta, that's impossible.
It must be a coincidence.
At that moment, I saw a dwarf stiffen upon seeing Lamanga.
"What are you doing? Hurry up and get ready to leave?"
"Hey, hey, wait, wait! Why is there a black wolf here!!!"
"Right! If you don't run away quickly, that's a B-rank monster!!!"
They were extremely flustered.
Their reactions were amusing.
"It's fine, it's fine! It's no problem, it's just a dog! It's a wolf we keep at home!"
Trying to reassure them, the four of them were speechless.
Since we were in a hurry, there was nothing we could do this time.
I had the dwarves change into travel clothes and we all went outside.
Then, I alone swallowed everything we needed to take from the house.
There was still plenty of room.
However, I decided not to swallow the water, as it would be too noticeable and suspicious.
Thus, we prepared for our journey and headed to the agreed meeting place in the forest entrance, where Riru and the others were waiting.
The armed nation of Dwalgon.
A country we would be involved with many times in the future.
We left the country in a hurry, not knowing this yet.
Title: "The One Who Commands Monsters"
Slime Unique Skills: Dissolve, Absorb, Regeneration
Extra Skill: Water Manipulation
Acquired Skills: Black Snake [Heat Detection, Poison Breath], Spider [Paralyzing Bite, Sticky Thread, Steel Thread], Bat [Ultrasound], Lizard [Body Armor], Lamanga [Super Senses, Telepathy, Intimidation, Shadow Movement, Black Lightning]
Resistances: Heat Resistance EX, Physical Attack Resistance, Numbness Immunity, Electric Resistance, Paralysis Resistance
?????????????????????????????
The place was enveloped in silence.
It was hard to believe that a noisy conversation had just taken place...
After the five criminals left in a hurry, no one moved.
The one who broke the silence was,
"Well, Vester. Is there anything you want to say?"
"O, oh, O King! This is a misunderstanding! Something is wrong!"
Vester, the minister, cried out to the king in a pitiful manner.
The king, who dealt with him, maintained a cold, emotionless attitude.
"A misunderstanding, huh... I have lost a loyal servant."
"What are you saying! Such people, they don't even swear allegiance to the king, they're just... like a piece of meat..."
"Vester! You are the one who is misunderstanding. Kaido has been away from me for a long time...
The loyal servant I have lost is you."
Quietly, with no emotion in his voice.
If he didn't defend himself...! Vester's heart raced, and his mind spun.
He couldn't think of anything.
What did the king just say?
He lost... you! That means...
Vester thought about what to do. But nothing came to mind.
"Let me ask you again. Vester. Is there anything you want to say?"
Vester's mind was filled with fear.
The king asked. If he didn't answer! But nothing came to mind!!!
"I had high hopes for you. I waited for you. During the mechanical soldier incident, I waited for you to tell the truth.
Saying that, the king pointed to two objects.
They were brought by a close aide at some point.
Vester looked at them with empty eyes.
A solidified liquid in a rod shape, something he had never seen before.
"Do you recognize anything?"
He asked, observing closely.
The solidified liquid was unknown, but the longsword was familiar. It was the sword Kaido brought.
The king's aide explained.
It took Vester a while to understand.
Not a resurrection potion, but a complete extract of Hippocrates. It was a complete recovery potion.
Even with all the dwarf technology, 98% extraction was the limit.
98% could only achieve the effect of a high-level recovery potion. This was 99%!!!
Vester's face contorted in amazement. He wanted to know! The extraction method!!!
Moreover, valuable information was provided to Vester.
The magic steel used in it had already begun to be