The Summit 1

In a fog shrouded castle deep in the Puppet Nation of Jistav, Demon Lord Clayman was furious. With a billowing scream, he threw the wooden table against the wall, shattering it to splinters 'Shit!' he screamed again as he ran a hand through his now disheveled hair 'How could this happen?! An entire army, wiped out by one majin? Preposterous!' He had been waiting with anticipation the news that their thorn, the new nation of Tempest, had been subjugated by his partner's puppet army from Falmuth. However, what he got was far from pleasant; the entire army was annihilated; how, he wasn't sure. The spy he had sent to monitor the army was killed before they could convey that particular information. Now, his carefully laid plans were in a shamble... it was even worse because, as he had found out from Frey (who found out from Milim), that simply having the Destroyer kill everyone in Eurazania wasn't going to make him ascend to Demon Lord, as the souls of the people would simply be absorbed by her and not him. And so he had to improvise and made Milim gave an ultimatum to Carrion; that way, only he would die and his own army could then swoop in and kill all the refugees. That, at least, he was happy was going according to plan. Now he was just waiting for news from Frey and Milim...

-'Am I interrupting?' he heard Frey say from behind him. He turned to look at her, angry at her amused expression

-'Watch your mouth, Frey'... he said in a low voice 'Remember who controls the lives of your people right now.' he said. The harpy did not betray any expression. She simply stared.

-'Understood.' she finally said 'In any case, you need not be angry right now. Everything worked out on our part...right, Milim.' she said as a smaller figure walked in from behind her. Milm, wearing her blank expression from his mind control pendant, had a large black cape draped over her; combined with her hair being loose, she had quite the different look to her than normal. She looked properly menacing. Of course, Clayman always knew she was menacing. Frey continued 'Carrion in dead. The people of Eurazania are defenseless, as you wanted.'

Clayman had to allow a sadistic grin at that. Running a hand to smooth out his hair, he walked over to Milim and brought her face up to look at him. 'Well done, Milim.' he said as he looked into her blank eyes 'Having you on my side makes things so much easier.' he said as he stepped away. 'You could use a bath though. You smell of those filthy animals...' he turned to Frey 'why don't you take her away for now. Frey? Take care of her. I have an army to prepare...' he walked away, leaving Frey to grab Milim's shoulders and start leading her away. 'Oh, but first...' he called as they were walking away 'I will be calling a Walpurgis soon.' Frey looked back with a look of concern 'Make sure you and Milim back my claim, okay? And don't forget to have Milim write that letter for her people in the City of the Forgotten Dragon; my army will need their cooperation'

After a few moments, Frey simply nodded and closed the door.

As the two left, he looked out the large window to the darkness outside. He could hardly suppress his excitement; soon, he would have all the souls he would need to ascend as a True Demon Lord. Once he did that, that bastard Leon would pay, and his master would finally be avenged. Everything looked like it would work out for him.

Some time later, in the Kingdom of Fulbrosia

-'Ugh, I hope Clayman's stench washes out...' Milim said as she stretched in the bubbly bath. After leaving Clayman's castle, she and Frey made it to Jia, the Fulbrosian capital, where Frey's servants prepared a bath for her.

-'Well, you really did need a bath...' Frey said from where she was sitting nearby, looking at her somewhat amused 'I don't imagine being covered in all that sooth from when you blew Eurazania away was hygienic...'

-'Yeah, yeah...' Milim said 'Had to do it. Carrion would have kept trying to fight if I didn't show him how hopeless it was.' she explained as she rubbed her hair 'Speaking off...'

-'He should be fine.' Frey told her 'The poison should run it's course in a day or two. He won't be happy, though...'

-'Ah, whatever.' Milim said, dismissively 'He's alive, his people are alive...what more could he want? He's lucky Clayman fell for our little trick, otherwise...' she adopted a more serious look 'I really might have had to do it.' It was, in fact, Milim's idea to trick Clayman into believing he could not use Milim to harvest the souls he needed. As a True Demon Lord herself, she knew that, even if she was faking it, killing enough people for Clayman would allow him to ascend. She wasn't about to let that happen, so she had Frey lie. Fortunately, it didn't seem like Clayman knew quite enough about the Harvest Festival and believed it.

-'...I see.' Frey said after a few seconds. She understood what Milim had meant; if she had to chose between her and Carrior, Milim would have chosen to save Frey. She wasn't quite sure what to make of that; no one had ever been quite so...she didn't quite knew what word to use. Affectionate, perhaps. It was especially jarring because Milim would clearly prefer to fly over to her beloved Rimuru and make sure he was well, but didn't; instead, she was gritting her own feelings away and keeping the promise she had made to Frey. Frey herself did not knew if she could do the same.

-'You know, this is nice and all, but I still prefer the baths in Tempest!' Milim said cheerfully. 'He he, when this is over, I'm dragging you over there for a dip, got it?' she said with a mischievous smile.

-'Speaking of Tempest...' Frey said 'I heard some interesting news from there. It seems you were right and Rimuru did ascend to Demon Lord...' she informed the girl, studying her as she furrowed her brown as she once again looked serious

-'Of course.' Milim said with no hint of the childish side she normally had; she was deadly serious 'I heard the Voice of the World say it. So it must be true.' abruptly, she stood up and got out of the bathtub. Grabbing a towel, she continued 'I knew he had the potential, but still...' she said as she began drying her hair 'the fact that he actually went through with it...it kinda scares me a little.' she finished and looked at Frey, a sad glint in her eyes.

-'What do you mean?' Frey asked concerned. Milim looked her in the eyes and grimaced

-'It happened before. Someone ascending to True Demon Lord...and losing themselves.' sensing Frey's confusion, she continued 'They changed. They were...no longer the same. Their personalities, I mean. I had to put down a couple of people like that, before they would...' she looked away, staring at some distant memory 'go too far.'

-'And you're afraid the same will happen to Rimuru?' Frey said as she understood. Milim nodded.

-'Yes. I still believe in him, but...' she sounded like she wanted to cry, but held back 'No, I shouldn't think like that, should I?' she looked at Frey and smiled, back to her usual cheerful self 'Yeah, everything's gonna be just fine! He he, I wonder how strong he's gotten? I can't wait to see!'

Frey looked on at Milim as she went into another rant of childish topics. She made a decision that day, at that moment, that would change the course of her kingdom's history. She had been carefully considering that issue for some time, but now she was sure it was the right call...

-'Hey, Freeeey?' Milim's voice brought her out of her thoughts 'I said that it's ready.' Frey looked at her confused 'My analysis; you know, of Clayman's spell? I can break it. Right now if you want.' she said with a wide grin. Frey had to consider her words for a few seconds

-'Hm, no, not right now.' she said. It was Milim's turn to look confuse 'I would like to wait until the Walpurgis, if that's okay with you?'

-'Erm, sure...' the dragonoid said, a bit unsure 'It's your call, but why?'

-'Simple...' Frey began as she too stood up 'I want to see Clayman fall and suffer right in front of all the other Demon Lords.' she said with venom in her voice 'Only then will he be appropriately punished, don't you think?'

-'Your call, like I said.' Milim said as she walked over to a chair 'Long as I get to kill him myself, it's good.'

-'Alright then.' Frey said as she moved to where Milim was. She pulled a roll of paper and a quill out of her storage space 'Now, how about you write that letter Clayman wanted?' with a sigh, Milim took the two items and placed them on another chair. Frey dictated to her something appropriate, and when the smaller girl was finished she picked it up.

-'...' she looked at Milim with a blank expression 'You need to work on your handwriting...' she told her bluntly. Milim shapelessly tried to dismiss it, but Frey did not want to hear it. And so, Milim spent the next few hours trying to please Frey by working on her handwriting. It was a mixed success.

-'So let me get this straight...' Fuze said as he rubbed his temples 'YOU were behind Veldora's disappearance this entire time?' Rimuru tried to keep up a happy-go-lucky smile

-'That's how it is...' he said with a little to much cheerfulness. The three others in the room looked at each other in concern. They were Fuse, guildmaster of the Blumund Free Guild, Gazel Dwargo, King of Dwargon and Elalude Grimwald, Archduke of Thalion. After casually blabbering out that Veldora was around, the three foreign allies of Tempest dragged Rimuru to a more private room to discuss the repercussions of what that meant. While his people were busy preparing a meeting place for their impromptu summit, he explained to them his circumstances: his death, reincarnation, meeting Veldora and befriending him, and up to the events that allowed him to bust the dragon out of his prison. Now, he had quite a bit on his plate to deal with.

-'The emergence of a new Demon Lord was already troubling...' Elalude said 'But now the Storm Dragon's revival...'

-'This won't go down well, Rimuru...' Gazel added 'Especially with the Western Church. They are especially hostile to the Storm Dragon. They will notice immediately. This will put you- and by extension us, your allies- in quite the predicament...'

-'...so it would seem.' Rimuru said as he though over the King's words. Truth was, he had always been an amateur at this political stuff. When he released Veldora, he didn't consider the long term effects it may have; the more imminent threat posed by the Western Church was a much more bigger issue to him at the time, and now he realized his actions may drag even his allies into his problems 'Say, Gazel...' he said looking up at the dwarf 'if we do become enemies of the Church, would you still side with us?'

-'What are you asking now, Rimuru?' the king asked slightly exasperated 'We already knew the Church sent people with Falmuth when we came to assist. Besides which, we owe the Church no favors whatsoever.' he said firmly

-'That's a relief. I feel much more reassured if the senior disciple says that!' Rimuru said with a genuine smile.