Chapter 19 part 3: no more little stories left after that

Third POV:

-"...How did this happen?" Rimuru asked with difficulty, still drowsy of his first drunk session in ages.

When he awoke the next day, he found himself dressed as a maid. He saw many other clothes scattered in the room, certainly tested while he was out-cold. Before him, the culprits: Shuna, who's bringing new sets of clothes. Kumara, who's putting makeup on him. Lulu, who's thinking about what kind of socks and panties should go with that outfit. And Milim, who's looking on the side while eating sweets.

Rimuru didn't say anything for a while, wondering how it started. Soon he assembled the puzzle, as it could only be Mithra's doing. She used this opportunity to take her 'revenge' about her own dressing session in Hell. As for the girls, they didn't need to be told twice before using him as a doll.

Shuna made known her desire of testing clothes on him before, and Lulu would never let go of such an opportunity to tease him. As for Kumara, it was her occasion to take part and help the girls prank him. Still, Rimuru couldn't help but feel a little betrayed by her, as he hoped she would at least remain neutral. Remain Milim, who found it amusing and tagged along.

-'[Told you you'd regret it.]'

-'Please partner, do something.'

-'[Already on it. I'm recording it all, I won't let such sight get lost in time.]'

-'...You too?'

-"Ah, the sleeping beauty finally emerged." Lulu licked her lips to tease him, and Rimuru shivered instinctively. "For once I shall thank Mithra, this is the best gift she could give."

-"Hehe, you're hiding a real potential, Rimuru. You're such a cutie in this, we should do it more often." Kumara's opinion felt like a dagger planted in his ribs, he never imagined being called a 'cutie' by a girl.

-"I feel so refreshed, lady Mithra gave me such insightful ideas." Shuna prepares a swimsuit while humming. She's acting more like a jolly normal girl rather than her usual princess self.

-"It looks good on you bestie. Next time I should wear cute dresses to match with you." Milim's presence unfortunately acted like an insurance for the girls to prevent any escape from him.

-"Hum, girls. Could you stop it now I'm awake? It's really embarrassing."

-"What are you saying? How could you be embarrassed when you cross-dressed multiple times in your past life? Yeah, the gorilla told us, in case you try to flee." Lulu caressed his chin and bent toward him, forcing the poor slime to cower in his chair.

-"I-I wasn't alone, we were four, and only guys. You can't expect me to stay calm when I'm getting dressed by girls. Thankfully there's nothing to see if I decide not to."

-"...You just confessed something suggestive. Nevermind, I'll enjoy your shame another hour or two." Lulu laughed, showing him lingerie, while Shuna and Kumara blushed a lot when they understood what it meant. Milim ate another sweet, oblivious to what it meant.

Rimuru cursed his poor choice of words, and decided to stop resisting as no one would come to his rescue. It will be a long day.

In the garden outside the main building, Mithra and Shion are taking a rest. A table with drinks and a few appetizers before lunch, it's a French beloved aperitif time. They decided to wait here for the girls to finish with Rimuru.

It surprised everyone when Shion declined to participate. She preferred to stay with her boss, as she got excited about their daily small talks. Also, she wanted to make sure Mithra won't worsen Rimuru's day even more. As she now understands their logic, her boss would've tried to prepare another 'surprise' for him and it would cause a dangerous escalation with time.

Somehow, Shion became kinda dependable by staying at Mithra's side, to the Kijins surprise. Perhaps it's due to Mithra's personality, and her being the embodiment of overwhelming. While working as her right-hand, Shion saw firsthand the problems she could create. As they got similar ways of acting, she understood her own shortcomings and became useful at moderating Mithra's decisions.

-"Will he be able to stay calm around girls? He has no experience after all." Mithra said 'innocently', and yet everyone could see she's proud of her prank.

-"He never got a girlfriend? That's too bad, he's a good man."

-"'I found no interesting girls, and I'm too busy making sure everyone survives anyways.' That was his fucking reply. I'm sure he was just shy as hell, and that's a wonder he didn't faint around Lulu yet." Mithra sighed, she always found it pitiful that Rimuru got such flawed social skills with half of the population. "The rare fools who badmouthed us liked to say he served as a counterbalance for me. No gals for him, against 10 for me."

-"Wait, you got 10?" asked a surprised bush at her left. Mithra grabbed whatever is was, and draw out a terrified Gobta who realized he fucked-up. "I'm not slacking, I swear. Teacher gave us our day off and that's one of my spots."

-"You're lucky I don't care today." She released him, and sat again on the bench. " But yeah, I scored quite big. And if I get Gazel, it would make 8 guys for 3 girls."

-"You're into girls, too?" Shion's ears widened as she blushed, the conversation took an exciting turn for the young Kijin. She's squirming and shaking Mithra's arm, pressing her to continue. One could say it's also the starting effects of the three bottles they each drank in an hour span.

-"Kinda, but I found it less appealing in bed, that's why they were only three. I like the softness of a girl's skin, and boobs. But, it lacks something compared to men... Oh yeah, I know: dicks. Dicks allow more variety... You're okay Shion?"

The horned girl got so red it would put Benimaru's hair to shame. She's not used to such bold talk, and Mithra made it look so natural. On his side, Gobta is analyzing Mithra's opinion with the seriousness of an expert perv. Strong of his uncommon knowledge about sexy stuff, he thought of an hypothesis who would change her world.

-"Demons can change genders at will, right? So, what if you just do it 'locally', if you know what I mean?"

-"... Gobta, you're a genius. Why didn't I figure it out myself?"

Mithra suddenly teleported, leaving a grateful Gobta and a new species of horned tomato in the garden.

Two hours later, at lunch. Today, a few more executives were invited like Beni and Shuna. The usual participants are present, and even Ramiris came with Treyni for a change. Only Mithra went missing.

-"She's late, it will become cold. Souei, can you bring her please? She should be in her house." Rimuru showed his annoyance, it's not everyday so many people are around the table and the co-leader of the forest isn't here. "Lulu, don't go so hard on the alcohol, we barely started."

-"Oh, now we released you, you found how to talk back?" The vampire exhibited her canines with a smile, ready to start round two. Rimuru went silent before she decided to do it again.

Shuna felt refreshed, her serene aura made Benimaru uneasy, as he realized how Rimuru was mercilessly used for her tests. Kumara and Milim got closer. Shion's recovering from her drinking session earlier while Lulu already emptied several bottles and showed signs of being drunk. Ramiris took some time to admit it was real, the Queen of Nightmares never let herself go so much before, even in Walpurgis.

It all came to a halt, when Souei appeared again, his face whiter than a corpse. When he threatened to fall head first, Benimaru held him and made him sit. Worried, Rimuru asked him what's wrong.

-"...I saw a trunk. It was real, it was all real..." Souei blabbered, his gaze wandering like he lost his sanity. "L-lady Mithra is dangerous."

-"Hey, stop complaining idiot. Why did you have to spawn right in front of my bed?" The old hag showed up after Souei, ready to punch him. Her cheeks are red and her speech a little erratic, proving she's still drunk.

Rimuru made a mental note on not letting her with only Shion when they're taking aperitifs if they can't restrain themselves. On the other side of the table, Lulu starts to laugh as she's expecting a fun mess.

-"It was too much, I can't handle it. Someone bleaches my eyes." Souei curled up, shaking so much his chair was moving.

-"Don't tell me you got scared about the size, it was just above average. Unless you have a shameful secret about yours."

Most of the persons present turned toward her and began to decompose or blush, as they realized the subject of their talk. Lulu's struggling to not burst in another laugh, and hold her sides like they're hurting. Mithra continued as she doesn't give a fuck about the time and place.

"But man, now I understand why guys like to polish their rods. When you're finished, it's like you're one with the world."

Lulu heard too much and couldn't resist anymore. Now she's laughing so hard no sounds come out of her mouth. Instead she's clapping her hands like a retarded seal.

Most of the girls were hiding their faces behind their hands, too ashamed about this. Benimaru gave water to Souei before accompanying him to a bed, allowing the ego-crushed spy to rest.

-"...Good job. How will you clean this mess? If it continues, Lulu will be good for the coffin by laughing so much." Rimuru worried a little about the vampire who fell on the ground, barely moving. Spasms were the only indicator she's still conscious.

Mithra got a cheeky smile, ready to tease Rimuru further. "Well, you know the idiom: 'Woman laughing, half in-"

Mithra's words got cut-off by a ultra pissed Rimuru who punched her with all his might. She went flying in the pond, and the slime needed a few deep-breaths to recover his calm. She might be his family, sometimes he felt ashamed about her antics. Somehow it even amazes him, as she was originally quite a normal woman before their encounter with Oryos and a few others.

-"Oh I know that one: 'Woman laughing, half in your bed already*'... Why are you looking at me that way?" Shion asked when Rimuru's eyes got big like saucers. He sighed before taking another look at Lulu, who managed to stop. Now she's laying on her back, breathing fast and tears in her eyes.

*A.N: That's a French idiom, don't ask me what its origins are, for I don't know. Maybe you have something similar in your language, do comment if that's the case. I'm curious.

-"At least I got to witness this. She's really cute when smiling..."

He took a little too long to process what he did, saying something so full of meanings out loud. Rimuru felt the gazes of everyone, and ran away too fast for them to catch him. He hid in a pot in his blob form, and wouldn't get out until night. While he aimed to forget everything, [Great Sage] took pleasure in making him listen to his words, again and again.

Back at the garden, Lulu who heard it began to blush, not knowing why she got flustered by a guy's words. Thankfully she'll get spared the reactions of others, as Milim spoke.

-"Can someone explain to me this deal about 'trunks'? I'm lost."

-"Sorry Shuna, you're the only dependable person for this." Benimaru who returned, was quick to push the ordeal on his sister, and fled without waiting for an answer.

Everyone took the opportunity to disappear, now they got a scapegoat. Teaching a young oblivious overpowered dragon girl about the matters of sexy stuff is hard, even Lulu didn't want to take the risk. Mithra who managed to hear it, stayed deep in her pound, suddenly finding the sludge interesting.

The poor princess got the hardest trial of her life, and mentally wrote the name of those who betrayed her, now waiting for a way to get her revenge.

***

Not far from the Treant Settlement, a beetle started his training day. Zegion appreciates this peace. Yet, he can't dissipate this awful sensation who's followed him since they fled from the Insect's dimension.

He knows he's weak. They were lucky Rimuru and Mithra found them, and he wants to repay them. The path is long, but he won't let it discourage him. He must do it, for his dear sister. He must do it, to follow his ideal, and eventually surpass his idol.

"Give me strength, master Oryos."

Zegion almost never talks, unless it concerns Apito, the benevolence of his saviors, or the Insectar Hero. His usual reserved self dissipates when he listens to Rimuru's stories about Oryos. At those times he absorbs Rimuru's words like a sponge, stars illuminating his small red dots. When it happens, Apito can't help but laugh a little at her brother's excitement. No matter the species, boys will be boys when it comes to their idols.

After his training, Zegion got a ritual. Before doing it, he makes sure no one's here to see it. Not because it's dangerous or anything, but the beetle would be embarrassed if anyone, even Apito witnesses it.

'Nobody, good... This is a challenge to the hardships I may face.' Zegion rises on his posteriors legs and strikes a victory pose, the same one could see on a statue depicting Oryos, back in the Insect kingdom.

By posing like his idol, Zegion can feel the power given by their link. He may have never met Oryos, but it doesn't matter. His legacy will survive beyond space and time.

-"Is that a new training move, brother?"

Apito appeared behind him, followed by Milim who asked for honey. Rimuru isn't here, as Milim promised to behave. And the Dragonoid knows better than to break her promise to her bestie, especially at the risk of not having dinner if she does.

Zegion froze, unsure of what he should do. He can still evade the shame of being caught by acquiescing, but Milim won't give him the time.

-"A victory pose? Good idea, every great fighter should have one." Milim, who saw from afar what he was doing, used her [Ear] to listen to his monologue. The girl could work as a paparazzi with such powerful tools. She posed herself to play along Zegion. "It's been a while since I last did it, I cannot forget my basis as a Demon Lord. Behold my greatness."

-'...I've been caught. How will Apito react to her brother's foolishness?' The beetle would be a living fountain if he could sweat, and turned his head toward the bee.

Apito didn't transpire any reaction for a while. When she did, it was a characteristic buzz she usually made to say 'Okay'. Afterwards, she left to collect honey, letting Zegion stuck in place. The beetle, not knowing what she meant this time, took it as a fatal blow.

'...Should I dig a hole and bury myself for eternity?'

***

Today the Dwarven kingdom welcomes a Tempestian delegation, led by Rimuru. The Monster's country developed enough to open its borders and make its debuts on the world's stage.

Making their existence officially known isn't a problem as they got under control the flow of information. Nothing unwanted will come to their foes' ears. In fact, Rimuru and Mithra expect it will create a reaction in the greedy nobility of Falmuth.

Some time ago, a bunch of 'thugs' led by a promising human named Youm were commended to investigate the forest. This shows the interest Falmuth took about the forest, and their will to seize its resources sooner or later. It's a signal for Rimuru and Mithra, they now have a pretense to provoke their future evolution. But that's a topic for another time.

After an official presentation of the leader of the Monster's country to Dwargon's population, a feast was prepared. Rimuru was accompanied by Shuna as an helper, Kumara and Shion. Mithra rejoined them in the castle once the path was clear.

Outside the castle, Kaijin and the brothers took the opportunity to meet their family and some friends. Gobta tagged alongside the delegation without anyone knowing why. Rimuru brushed it off, saying 'as long as he won't do anything stupid'. Of course, our national pervy champion had a specific goal in mind.

Returning to the castle, the feast went well, aside from a drunk Shion who's competing with Mithra. Of course, it was one sided. Shuna got ashamed of her, while Kumara focused on her plate. Gazel learned her tastes and gave specific orders to his chiefs. He won't show it but he got a soft spot for her, seeing her like a little sister.

This made Mithra want to tease him, and she took the chair next to him. She poured him a glass of wine, and put her arm around his neck, before chugging her own glass. Seeing her flirting inconspicuously, Rimuru drowned a giggle in a glass of brandy. He gave a silent cheer to his senior, for now unaware of her shenanigans.

After a while, Rimuru left the castle and wandered in Dwargon's streets. He took the opportunity to learn about Dwarven culture by melting in the crowd. The change of ambiance felt like fresh air before returning in Tempest.

He then stumbled upon Gobta, Kaijin and the brothers. The group left a suspicious looking establishment called Butterflies of the Night. Rimuru understood what kind of place it is, their entranced faces gave it away. He listened to Gobta's rambling about needing such a wonderful shop in Tempest, when they heard a venomous voice behind them.

-"So, this is what you're doing when no one is looking?" Shuna, who was suspicious of Gobta's objectives, decided to look for him. Her smile couldn't hide her anger and her aura started to leak. "I suppose Great Rimuru just ran upon you, and it's not his style to visit such a suspicious store. But you guys, think about your position. You'll need a suitable punishment for giving our delegation a regrettable reputation. Maybe I can ask Shion to cook you something."

Dread molded the group's faces, as Shion can now switch between proper food and her old torture method if someone pisses her. Even Gobta began to see his life before his eyes, his instincts ignoring the fact he now got Poison Nullification. Until Rimuru, who thought Shuna needed to be reminded of not overstepping boundaries, stepped in.

-"You see Shuna, I find it to be of bad taste. You're lashing on the guys because you don't dare to say anything to the old hag, who's doing way more." He looked behind Shuna, seeing a newcomer who'll be helpful to give the princess a taste of her own medicine. "And it's so cruel of you to still think Shion's value resides in her old-fashioned food. What do you think, Shion? Should we give her a taste of your new skills?"

-"Oh my. It's true you're the only one who always avoided my food." Shion grabbed Shuna by the shoulders, an evil smile deforming her face and a vein popping in her forehead. "But don't worry, I'll make sure you notice the difference. I'll prepare a bunch of the previous version, as I think you forgot what it was, and you'll compare it to my new recipes. We have time, as it's only the middle of the night."

Shuna tried to break free but Shion's raw strength is insurmountable for her. As she was dragged to Hell, she could only cry of despair. Rimuru looked at her in the eyes, simply shrugging his shoulders. She brought it upon herself after all, and a little reprimand can't do her bad.

-"Guys, I did it because she went too far this time, but don't expect me to save you if this happens again."

The guys nodded in silence. They're grateful to Rimuru, but also praying for Shuna to survive this.

The next day, the delegation returned to Tempest. Most of them were satisfied by the results of this journey. Only a pink-haired Kijin wasn't in the mood, her head passing through the window of her carriage, searching for fresh air. She'll remember this night for a long time, and as Rimuru wanted, she'll be more careful to not cross the line in the future.

***

Once in Tempest, on a hill outside the city. Mithra, Rimuru, their dogs, Kumara and Shion were appreciating the scenery of a sunset in the forest. They felt it was one of the last times they could take it easy before their plans against Clayman were put to motion.

Mithra got more clingy than usual. She patted Lycaon stronger than usual. When he fled because she acted too invasive, she concentrated on Shion instead. The Kijin got embarrassed at having her hair stroked and shoulders massaged, but Mithra didn't care.

When Kumara turned to Rimuru and asked him why she's acting that way, he barely paid attention as it's not unusual for him.

-"She needs to occupy her hands. When she's like this, be prepared to find a scapegoat, or you'll be in for a run."

-"Is that why she's so tactile? Because she can't stay put?"

-"...Kinda. It became a habit over time. Just a random story like we have many others."

The lost world, 146 years before D-day

-"...I'm bored." Invidia had enough of waiting for Alestar to decipher some old language engraved in a rock tablet. She knows it's probably useful for them, but it's taking too long to her liking.

-"Make it twenty-one. Can't you change tune? You're the only one who's complaining." Alestar didn't look up as he focused on the tablet. He's trying to translate what seemed to be a forgotten kind of magic related to souls.

Their current journey included a few of their old crew-mates, now they got a better understanding of the far-away lands. A few settlements began to sprout here and there, as the level of their forces rose. 

Now Invidia got used to the thrill of danger and adventure, she finds those calm moments lacking in interest. As she's searching for something to do, she accidentally broke some old pottery which managed to resist the flow of time. This irritated Alestar, who doesn't want to lose anything potentially of importance.

-"Now what? Don't touch anything fragile, that's not your job. It's hard enough to work here, I don't need a walking stampede to create another mess."

-"Tch, got it, you stupid motherfucker." Invidia went to sit on a corner, and Alestar didn't raise the fact she did an auto-roast.

It became quieter for a few minutes, until he could hear his old lycanthrope right-hand whimpering. Confused, Alestar looked behind to see Invidia stroking his fur aggressively.

-"What? I'm not touching 'anything fragile', do I?" She continues to pet the poor beastmen, who became a living plushie.

-"...Do what you want." Alestar sighted and returned to his work, leaving his old right-hand in a perilous situation. The silence of the room vanished under the pleas of a terrified beastmen, reduced as a mere tool for the strongest human to occupy her hands.

No one could have imagined this event would become the starter of a compulsive habit that will last for centuries and multiple lives.