He was entrusted with this secret mission by the Demon King Carion due to his highly esteemed stealth abilities.
He recalls that moment.
Carion said,
"Without the other party noticing, you must spy and, avoiding the eyes of other Beasts, invite the Oni to our camp!"
To the question of who the other Beasts were, Carion had a bitter expression and said,
"Kreeman and Mirim will each send a subordinate.
If this turns into a joint operation with those guys, I have a bad feeling, but please do it!"
He said this while averting his eyes.
"Wait! Lord Carion! Why are you looking away?
Could it be that the opponent is so dangerous?"
At this question, Carion was momentarily flustered, then changed his expression to a smile and said,
"Is that so! You don't know Mirim! Oh, is that so!
Good! Then it's fine. Don't go against the subordinate of Mirim, or anyone who claims to be one!
If you don't offend them, it's fine! Well, you should be okay!"
He said this.
Recalling that moment, he thinks about the suppressed doubt in his heart.
When it comes to Mirim, it must be about the Demon King Nava, a famous Demon King he also knows.
She is undoubtedly strong. In terms of power, she might be on par with Lord Carion, or even surpass him.
Her personality is hasty, arrogant, cruel, and reckless. She is a Demon King with no good reputation.
But why is he afraid of her subordinate?
Gurussis has only been a Beast for about 100 years, so he didn't know much about Mirim.
He only knew the rumors about her.
Eventually, upon reaching the meeting place, he immediately regrets it.
Muran, the Beast, feels like lamenting.
A joint operation with the subordinate of another Demon King. That alone is not a good feeling, but among all the Demon Kings, it's Mirim.
"That role, I think it's a bit heavy for me..."
When he asked this, the Demon King Kreeman said,
"Right now, you are the only one who can be used and discarded.
If I hadn't lost Gelmyth, I would have entrusted it to him...
What can I do? He's dead!"
He realizes that further objections are pointless.
The Demon King Kreeman.
His nickname is the Puppet Master. A user of puppetry techniques that can control subordinates and allies like puppets.
Since this matter has already been decided by the Demon King Kreeman,
Moreover, if he says he will use and discard, it means he has no energy to return.
There's nothing he can do. He accepts it with a feeling of resignation.
She knows about the Demon King Mirim.
This time, the Demon King Kreeman has given one order.
To gather information before the other Demon Kings and bring back something that can be used as a weakness!
That's all.
Because the Demon King Mirim is involved this time, he said it would be too much to ask for more.
She agrees with this.
The Demon King Mirim is not unintelligent. She is called cruel because of her hasty nature, but that's not the case.
Moreover, her intuition is unusually good, making it difficult to deceive her.
Therefore, it's better to think that hiding things from her is impossible.
Muran is not wary of the subordinate of the Demon King Mirim.
She is wary of the Demon King Mirim herself.
Because she knew, and the Demon King Kreeman knew she would be sent because of this.
Perhaps the Demon King Carion also knew.
The reason is,
"Ah, you're here? I'm Gurussis, a subordinate of the Demon King Carion!"
"Pleased to meet you, I'm Muran, a subordinate of the Demon King Kreeman!"
"It's Mirim!"
The Demon King Mirim has no subordinates.
That's the situation.
Thus, the three people gathered at the meeting place met.
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This time, the treaty between the Dwarf Kingdom and the Monster Country is a bilateral agreement.
The signing by the representatives of the countries means that it will take effect with just their signatures.
Is it really that simple for a national treaty to be established? Thinking it was too casual based on his knowledge from his previous life, he asked,
"Huh? No problem. We swear by the spirits of the gods, spirits, and ancestors, so I can't lie with my signature.
You're not human, right?
If there's a binding contract and you lie, the entity will be destroyed?"
He didn't understand the meaning of the words, but he understood with the additional explanation from the Great Sage.
Monsters cannot lie. This was a fundamental premise that was not in his knowledge.
It's impossible to convey a lie while recognizing it as a lie. However, this doesn't mean they can't deceive.
There are ways to not tell the whole truth or to convey only the facts to mislead.
But it's impossible to lie boldly in a written contract.
If it were a level where you could get away with it, it wouldn't be a problem, but if you make a big lie, the entity will be destroyed.
It seems to be a common rule among naturally occurring monsters.
Monsters born through reproduction are more relaxed, and some can lie without any problem.
Goblins, for example, can lie without any issue. Conversely, upper-level monsters and demons are known to be bound by contracts when summoned.
Demons cannot lie. Despite their cunning image, they are a pure race.
That's why, you can relax and let your guard down, only to have your soul taken away...
"For a monster, not knowing such basics? Rimuru, you're strange..."
"I was just born not long ago. I'm still studying!"
"Is that so... Well, it's fine. I recognize you as a country, so don't just disappear!
Your rule is connected to the stability of this forest. I'm counting on you!"
"I don't want to abandon the village we've built, so I'll do my best!"
Thus, their signatures were engraved, and the agreement officially took effect.
While he can't write all the characters yet, he can at least write his name. He has been learning from someone who can write when he has the time and is not busy.
As soon as he wrote his name, the contract paper glowed and split into two.
The contract paper, processed by spirit engineering, can be invalidated if both parties burn their copies simultaneously.
However, if one copy remains, it retains its effect, even if the other is burned or discarded. It regenerates to its original state.
He once burned one side in front of him to confirm that it was real.
The contract was established. This treaty only needs to be known by both countries. It's fine if one side is public, but the other is a secret.
There's no need to announce it to the world.
The Dwarf King seemed satisfied as he took one side and said,
"Here, take this!"
He then handed over a crystal the size of a fist.
When I received it,
"That's a communication crystal for contact. Installation is possible with Vester.
Use this for emergencies. Stay healthy!"
He said, then mounted a Pegasus.
Glancing at Vester, he said,
"Vester, work hard here!"
"O King! This time, I will meet your expectations!!!"
Nodding at his response,
"Then, goodbye!"
He said and flew away.
He suddenly appeared and hurriedly left.
He was a stormy man.
"Hey, Kaijin, is it okay for your country's king to be so free?"
"Well..., he has a track record of ruling for several hundred years, so it should be fine!
But when I was in the palace, he never acted so arbitrarily..."
"Whatever! I'm not one to talk either!"
That's right, I'm also planning to go to a human village soon.
There's no need to say something pointless and prevent myself from moving.
Finishing the conversation, we left the square.
The document proving the national treaty was stored in my stomach.
It can't be left in the village, which is not yet fully secured, as it could be stolen, which would be no laughing matter.
There's no way to experiment with whether it can regenerate if lost or damaged. I decided to keep it safe.
Thus, a treaty with the Dwarf Kingdom was established.
Now that the Dwarf King has left, let's think about the problem I put on hold yesterday! Just as I thought,
"Lord Rimuru, Duke Kaijin, I'm sorry! Can I work here?"
Vester bowed to us.
Upon hearing this, I realized I had fallen into a trap because of this man. I had almost forgotten.
"Let me make it clear, you have to follow my orders here?
As a monster, you are forbidden to look down on others! Got it?"
"Of course. I have reflected. It all started with my jealousy of Duke Kaijin...
I won't make the same mistake again!
I have no lies in my heart about dedicating myself to my beloved research!"
"For me, it's good to have an excellent researcher?
If anything happens, I'll take responsibility.
Young Lord Rimuru, please trust me and forgive this guy!"
Kaijin said to me.
On the contrary, it would be more of a hindrance to me, not you...
"No, if it's fine with Kaijin, I have no complaints.
Vester, I'll leave it to you!"
Thus, Vester became a companion.
Due to Vester joining, the plan to create the village's specialty product made significant progress.
??????????????????????????
It's the worst.
Gurussis suppresses a sigh in his heart, for the umpteenth time.
Thinking of the Demon King Carion's laughter, his anger rises.
He knew, that guy. No, in this case, it's bad that he didn't know.
It's the worst.
He can't believe that a Demon King is riding on his back, excited.
It's the worst.
The moment they met,
"What, kid. No matter how much you pretend to be a Demon King, it's disrespectful?
I won't tell Mirim, so tell me your true name!"
He shouldn't have said that.
The moment he said it, he was hit and lost consciousness.
Gurussis laments.
To begin with, he couldn't think of Mirim as a Demon King.
With her beautiful, lustrous blonde hair tied in twin tails, she looked like a small child.
It was impossible to believe that she was one of the strongest.
She had a cute face, but the moment he called her a kid, her expression changed dramatically.
Her round eyes narrowed sharply, and her plump lips formed a cruel smile.
He lost consciousness there.
After that, he was hit twice more and repeatedly fainted, leading to the current situation.
Muran, the other Beast, is maintaining an attitude that it's none of her business.
It's the worst.
Gurussis reflects. He shouldn't judge a Beast by their appearance, but why did he make such a basic mistake...
Muran must have known.
The expression she showed before he was hit. It was as if she was saying, "What an idiot!" in shock.
He would have thought the same. If she had known...
It's the worst.
At least, at least, if she had told him...
But, she said, "Don't go against anyone who claims to be a subordinate!"
She didn't think Mirim would use her real name, did she...
Is Mirim's honesty a bad thing? No, let's think about that later.
He felt it deeply. You shouldn't judge a Beast (person) by their appearance!
And now.
He has been transformed into a wolf and is running through the forest.
Thanks to his specialized recovery abilities, he can endure it somehow.
After being beaten to a pulp, he was ordered to do this. Of course, he has no intention of disobeying.
Muran is running alongside him.
For them, Beasts, this level of exertion doesn't cause fatigue.
Eventually, the three of them arrive at a village.
??????????????????????????
The development of the recovery potion is progressing smoothly.
I'm not sure if I can say we are developing a way to increase the quantity by reducing the effectiveness.
Can we make a high-grade recovery potion (60%) by diluting one recovery potion into ten, with 98% of the original effect?
When we experimented, diluting with water was impossible. It became a low-grade recovery potion (20%).
If it's high-quality, the recovery rate is "+10%".
However, Vester made an unexpected discovery.
He said he wanted to see the cultivation site of the Hippocleace and was guided to the Sealed Cave.
He hesitantly climbed onto the carriage for the first time but quickly got used to it.
Thus, he was guided into the cave. Gabiru was there to greet us and led everyone.
After checking the cultivation situation, he was looking at the lake...
"Lord Rimuru, the high concentration of magic in this lake makes it possible to cultivate Hippocleace.
Then, what if we dilute the recovery potion not with ordinary water but with the water from this lake?"
Indeed, it's worth experimenting!
Thus, a mid-grade recovery potion (40%) was completed.
Of course, it's high-quality. In reality, it's a 50% recovery potion.
Excellent. It was a great success.
We experimented with the limits of the dilution solution and were able to make 20 mid-grade recovery potions from one recovery potion.
Nodding with Kaijin, we did a high-five.
It's complete.
The first specialty product of the Monster Country "Tempest."
It was created like this.
Vester is happily chatting with the Gabiru while fondling the grass.
They seem to get along well.
"What, you're getting along. Vester, how about making a room here?"
I was joking, but
"Is that okay!? I also find the inside of this cave stable.
It has the atmosphere of a secret research facility!"
He said, his eyes sparkling.
"Do you know? B+ class centipedes come out here."
"Hmm. No problem.
Actually, I have cultivated my magical skills, so I can handle them!"
He shakes his head at Kaijin. Is he lying?
"If you don't regret it, I'll prepare a room for you?"
"No problem! Duke Gabiru is here too!"
Is that so, with Gabiru here, there's no risk of being attacked.
Convinced,
"Gabiru, is it okay if I leave Vester with you?"
"Please leave him to me! I will be here, and I will assign two subordinates to him!"
Gabiru has become more reliable.
The only concern is that he might eat him right away, but he has shown stability recently and seems to get along with Vester, so I'll leave him in his care.
Thus, Vester's laboratory was built inside the cave.
The Gabiru's subordinates, the dragonkin, dug a hole, and a surprisingly comfortable room was created.
This will be the laboratory. There won't be any living facilities, but it should be fine.
More importantly, Vester needs to think of a way to travel between the village and here.
While thinking about this,
"Lord Rimuru, is it okay to install a magic circle here?
It seems difficult to activate magic inside this room, but it's possible outside the door.
I want to install a magic circle in this square?"
Previously, he said he wanted to install a magic circle at the place where I defeated the black snake.
It seems to be some kind of "Transfer Magic Circle." It appears that drawing the same pattern at the entrance allows for movement.
His magical skills are not entirely a lie. Even Kaijin was surprised, as he didn't know about it.
To prevent monsters from appearing in the village, I granted permission.
Vester's residence in the village and the cave were connected by a magic circle. This solved the problem of commuting to work.
However, the transfer magic circle is convenient.
There's no need to mention what he learned on the spot.
Thanks to Gabiru learning it as well, travel between the village and the cave became smooth.
Vester is a surprisingly useful man.
He is full of energy, as he can now fully dedicate himself to his beloved research.
I gave him a few recovery potions and "Maou" to support his research.
When I introduced him to Kurone and Shuna, they started chatting about various things.
This guy has more talent for research than power.
Thinking of his face when he was bound by power, he looked unhappy.
Of course, he would be twisted.
Indeed, humans are happiest when doing what they love. As long as it doesn't cause trouble for others!
Thus, Vester naturally became a companion over time.
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He opens his eyes after finishing his meditation.
He is in a dimly lit room, one of the high-end accommodations within the Dwarf Kingdom.
It was an inn used under a pseudonym by the leader of the Dark Division.
He smiles. He had an interesting experience after a long time.
"Your Majesty, how is the matter you intended to do?"
A shadow was already standing beside him.
He knows without looking. It's the Dark Division.
His departure from the palace and arrival here must have caused a great commotion in the palace.
Most importantly, losing the protected person despite having over 100 guards is unacceptable.
Re-education is necessary, he thinks.
"No problem!"
He answered succinctly.
There shouldn't be any problem. The "Soul Transfer" he performed, though it had been a while, is a familiar technique for him.
He sends a thought to the leader of the Dark Division.
("You return to the palace and bring back the Pegasus! And blend into the darkness as usual!")
("Yes! Understood!")
The usual conversation.
His confidant, the leader of the Dark Division.
The same face, the same body. A synthetic human (clone) created using the essence of spirit engineering.
It's a secret known only to the king.
It can synchronize more completely than the "Soul Transfer" performed on others.
It's his trump card in case something happens to the king.