Despair And Hope 3

-'You guys came?' he asked astonished 'Thank you. But, please wait just a second...' and turned to continue what he started.

-'Wait! There is something I need to tell you!' Eren screamed 'I know the changes are low, but when I heard what happened, I knew I had to tell you.' she said 'There may be a way to save them!'

'Stop it...' he though as he heard her words 'Don't give me false hope...don't...Is there even such hope? For them?' he though as he looked over the rows of the dead, a realization hitting him. 'No, its for me...I am the one...who doesn't want to loose them!' and with that, a new determination took hold of his soul. Letting go of Gluttony, he let out a forced laugh 'HA HA HA! Resurrecting the dead?' he asked Eren as he turned to her fully, taking off his mask

-'Yes.' she said 'Its a fairy tale from my homeland. It may sound made up, but it is based on historical fact.'

-'Homeland?' he asked confused

At that, Eren had a look of hesitation and her companions one of worry. However, it was gone quickly, replaced by determination.

-'Yes. You see...' she said as she moved her hands up to her ears and cast a spell. Suddenly, her ears grew pointier

-'Eh?' he asked even more confuses 'You're...an elf?!' he nearly shouted

-'AH, ha ha...' she laughed, somewhat embarrassed. Both Kaval and Gido sighed 'Yes, as you can see...I'm an elf, originating from the Sorceress Dynasty of Thalion, the elven empire.' he remembered briefly passing through Thalion when he went to see Ramiris. 'The tale I wanted to share is a famous one that is told within the Dynasty's nobility. The story of a girl and a dragon...the Tale of the Dragon Princess.'

A long time ago, there were only four dragons, the incarnation of power itself. The oldest of these dragons was powerful beyond measure, roaming the land as he pleased. One day, he met a young human woman, and the two spent time together and eventually fell in love. After a while, the dragon took human form and the two married; not long after, they had a child, a girl that was said to have inherited her mother's beauty and her fathers great power. The dragon himself lost almost all his power to his own child and was now fully human. He crystallized what remained into a baby dragon that he gifted to the girl to be her guardian and friend. Then, both he and the human woman mysteriously vanished from the world, leaving their child behind.

With her dragon companion, the girl grew up in safety, unaware of the great power that resided within her; the two though their happy days would continue forever, but it was not to be so. One day, tragedy struck as a nearby large, magic-wielding kingdom learned of the Dragon Princess and her great power and sough to control her for themselves. They attacked her home, and in the process the baby dragon was killed.

The Princess wept and lamented over her only friend, but soon that grief turned to rage. Awakening to her true power, she laid the kingdom to waste, sparing nothing in her path as wrath was now all she knew. In the process, however, she had also awakened as a Demon Lord, only the second individual to do so, and now the world itself became a target of her fury.

However, the first of the Demon Lords, sensing her wrath, stepped in to stop her. Their battle lasted for seven days and seven nights, turning the entire western edge of the continent into a blasted wasteland, but even so the wrath of the Dragon Princess could not be quenched. Only the intervention of the Spirit Queen, who absorbed some of her runaway negative energy, managed to finally calm her mind and allow her to regain her sanity.

As she cried over the loss of her friend, the Demon lord and Spirit Queen looked on with great sadness; The Demon Lord, his heart deep and calm as the sea; the Spirit Queen, her embrace like the gentle breeze. Then, a miracle occurred: the baby dragon rose up from its death, brought back to life by the Princess' awakening as a Demon Lord. However, miracles do not always take a form that people want; the baby dragon, though it's body moved, it's soul had long since departed. It was now nothing but a mindless husk, transforming into the sinister Chaos Dragon. The Chaos Dragon, its power rivaling even the first Demon Lord, knew nothing but the fury its master was in when she awakened, and thus began to move to continue destroying everything; just like the Dragon Princess had before.

Watching her friend, the Dragon Princess was the only one who understood that her friend was no more, and the true extent of her own power. Thus by her own hand, the Princess sealed away her only friend's body, eyes full of kindness that made even the Demon Lord and Spirit Queen silent. This became the Dragon Princess' first great act as a Demon Lord.

Lives lost cannot be reclaimed; important thins do not lost forever, that is the rule of the world. All things must end one day, and people must stand on their own two feet, like the Dragon Princess when she overcame the loss of her friend and came to know her power.

Eren finished telling the story and looked at Rimuru to see what he had to say. Both her and her companions had to take a double take, though...

Listening to Eren talk, about the ascension of the Dragon Princess to Demon Lord, he began to realize exactly what Eren was proposing, but as he considered the idea something else came to mind 'Wait just a bit...'Dragon Princess? Daughter of a dragon, who became a Demon Lord?' as he though that, a somber realization hit his heart. 'Ah, I see..so that's your story, Milim?' he remembered some things she had said

'Why did I became a Demon lord? Maybe, something bad happened, and I was angry? Ah, I don't remember, okay?!'

'Aren't you...scared? Me to...I'm scared to...lose...'

'Some people might notice you...they'd take it away...'

As he though back to those things she said, he also remembered the sad expressions she would occasionally make, when she though he or anyone else weren't looking. He always hated those; he though being happy was much better suited for her. His already heavy heart could cope no longer. He felt a tear run down his cheek as he looked up at the night sky, ignoring the calls of concern of the three adventurers. 'Milim...what are you doing right now?' he though, again wanting to leave right then and there to find her...but he remembered the part of the story where the Princess steeled her heart to seal away the Chaos Dragon, the only friend she ever had. How would he be able to meet her again if he ran away from his own problems? And so, with a newfound determination, he wiped away his tear- feeling thankful that he could, indeed, still cry- and turned to Eren.

-'Never mind me...' he told her as she looked at him with concern 'But, basically what you're saying is that I became a Demon Lord, the dead people here might revive?' he looked at the dead, contemplating 'But there would be no meaning to it if they came back as mindless, soulless creatures...'

-'Yes, that's the problem.' Eren affirmed, but continued '...however, this city is surrounded by a powerful barrier. Which made me wonder: maybe their souls are still here?' she said. At that, Rimuru had a flash of realization; his intentions were immediately picked up by the Sage

Report: the souls of the dead normally disperse and vanish; however, under the two barriers, they may retain their shape. The probability is 3.14%

'3.14% probability? Pi?!' he though 'That isn't low! Greater than three percent? I will take it!' a wide grin made its way to his face 'If I become a Demon Lord...but...'

-'Eren...you realize you basically told me to become a Demon Lord, don't you?' he said with some concern

Eren smiled sheepishly 'Ah, yeah...see, the truth is my name is Eryune Grimwalt and...I hail from Thalion royalty...'

-'Say what?!' Rimuru shouted 'Are you kidding me?!' he looked over at the other two, about to ask

-'Heh, no...' Kaval said, sounding amused 'We're just her bodyguards. Letting her go adventuring on her own was to dangerous...'

-'Huh?' Eren (Eryune- Rimuru decided to just stick with Eren) looked over at Kaval, unamused 'You say that, but traveling with Kaval is more dangerous than anything...' she joked; Gido tried to suppress his laughter while Kaval went red

-'Hey, it's not my fault! I just...you know...its bad luck!' he tried to defend himself. Rimuru watched them bicker and had to smile a little; royalty or bodyguards or adventurers, they were still the same.

-'Anyways, Rimuru...' Eren said 'If you become a Demon Lord, my involvement will quickly be discovered...only a few people in Thalion know that story...' she said with some regret 'I'll probably be taken back home, but until then...'

-'You don't need to say anything more.' he interrupted her 'You three are always welcomed here.' he told them with a warm smile. The three smiled back. He turned back to look at Shion and the others 'I wonder...can I really become a Demon Lord?'

Affirmative: Individual Rimuru Tempest has already gained the Demon Lord Seed Great Sage reported casually

'What dose that mean?' Rimuru asked

Answer: the presence or absence of a Demon Lord Seed indicates if an individual meets the requirements to awaken as a True Demon Lord it said You gained the Seed when you devoured the Orc Lord; if you fulfill the additional conditions, you will evolve into a Demon Lord'

'Really? What are the conditions?'

Answer: based on the fairy tale, the seeds needs nutrition to bud; the nutrition, in this case, are sacrificed human souls, approximately ten thousand.

'Human souls? Meaning...I have to kill ten thousand people, and absorb their souls?' he asked; he also realized that the though did not revolt or disgust him as much- or at all- as it would have when he was human. Yes. However, as long as it is by your will, the task may be delegated to others Even hearing that, however, Rimuru decided that he would not allow it. It was his decisions- his decisions informed by his previous human life- that had led to the catastrophe before him; whatever else, he would settle it with his own hand; just like she did...

-'Sir..' Rimuru's thoughts were interrupted by a thought message from Soei 'I have a report...'

-'Go ahead, Soei...'

-'Sir, me and my people have identified the ones maintaining the barrier; there are four places, heavily guarded, with what appear to be large focusing crystals used to prop up the barrier. Also, I have met up with Lady Treyni: the combined armies of Falmuth and the Holy Church are marching into out territory. Approximately 20,000 of them...'

-...'He he, I see. Perfect.' Rimuru said after a brief pause 'Just the right amount, and then some...' he said with joy 'Soei, for now continue to monitor and report on the enemy camps. I will bring you up to speed a bit later.'

-'Understood.' the ogre said, then cut off the connection. As he did so, Rimuru looked up at the existing two barriers

-'Now, let's see... Great Sage?'

Report: analysis of the anti-magic field completed; it can now safely be dispelled. However, the secondary outer barrier will be exceedingly more difficult. Shall I dispel the anti-magic field? it asked 'No, not yet.' he said 'we still need it; if it's gone, their souls may vanish. In fact, we need some insurance...' He thought and began manifesting some energy in his hand. A while later, the ball of energy expanded in all directions, engulfing the city just like the barriers. All across the city, the presence of the new field brought panic in people, however, they were quickly calmed down by a though message by Rimuru

'Attention, this is Rimuru speaking.' he announced 'Do not be alarmed by the new barrier; it is my own doing. Every councilor and official, please met up in my office, right now.' as he finished transmitting, he turned back to Eren and her group.

-'You guys come with me. I'd like you to tell everyone the story too...but first, I have someone to deal with...'

Taking one good look at the dead, he moved away, resolved to see his plan through.