Otto's face was clouded as he looked at Rimuru, forcing a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"Mister Rimuru," he said, voice dripping with sarcasm, "Would you mind explaining what exactly just happened?"
Rimuru blinked innocently, putting on his most sincere puppy-dog eyes.
"Um… actually, I don't really know what's going on either!" he replied with exaggerated honesty.
"You think I'll buy that?" Otto shot back coldly, completely immune to his act. If he really didn't know what was going on, then he'd dye his hair green on the spot.
"Heh heh…" Rimuru scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "I mean, you did get to see Miss Kallen again, right? Isn't that… nice for everyone?"
Otto's eye twitched.
Nice for everyone?! I just got cucked by a woman! If it weren't for my unshakable mental fortitude, I'd probably be dead from sheer emotional trauma!
Rimuru caught the murderous look Otto was giving him and paused. Then she executed a full 720-degree Armstrong-style spin... and bolted.
Something told him that if he stuck around, his personal safety might no longer be guaranteed.
Otto stood alone in the wind, his hair rustling as he glared at the sight of Yae Sakura lovingly feeding Kallen in the distance. Fury bubbled in his chest. He pulled out the lunchbox he had carefully prepared and marched over.
"Kallen! Come try this mackerel I specially grilled just for you! It's absolutely delicious!"
And so it was that the once dignified, suave Archbishop of Schicksal became... a full-blown simp. What a sorry state the world had come to.
Three days passed in a flash.
Inside the Schicksal training grounds, Bronya, Kiana, and Mei were currently engaged in a heated training session—against Rimuru.
"Imaginary Impact!" Kiana summoned a pocket of imaginary space, slamming Rimuru to the ground with crushing force.
"Now!" Mei seized the opening, transforming into lightning itself and reappearing at Rimuru's side in an instant. Her blade danced like a storm, slashing so fast it looked like eight strikes at once. Thunder surged with each swing, exploding on impact. Then, not lingering for even a second, Mei flipped backward through a spatial gate and rejoined Kiana.
Their teamwork was seamless. Perfect.
But, unfortunately for them… their opponent was Rimuru.
The smoke cleared—and there he stood, not a scratch on him, not even a wrinkle in his clothes.
"Tch. We can't even leave a dent…" Kiana muttered bitterly. It had been like this the entire morning—either their attacks missed, or they connected but had zero effect. It was an utterly one-sided fight.
"Well, it is Rimuru," Mei said, undaunted. After days of training, her control over her power had improved greatly. "Our coordination is getting better and better though. You did great, Kiana." She smiled warmly.
"Mei~!" Kiana grinned like a lovestruck fool, even drooling a little.
"Hey! We're still fighting here! Could you not flirt in the middle of battle?" Rimuru groaned, pressing his palm to her forehead. he had long known Kiana was harboring… certain feelings for Mei, but seeing it in person was a different kind of pain.
Why do all the good cabbages get stolen by pigs?
"Hmph!" Annoyed at being interrupted, Kiana launched hundreds of subspace spears that tore through the void toward Rimuru.
"Geez, someone's petty." Rimuru sighed, his hand lighting up with golden fire. With a single push, he summoned nine blazing dragons that incinerated the spears into nothingness.
Mei charged again, slicing through the flames with her katana, striking at Rimuru.
But Rimuru unsheathed a blade he hadn't used in ages—Thousand Mirage—and blocked her strike with ease.
Though his body was small, Rimuru's strength was immense. With a casual flick of the wrist, he sent Mei flying.
On a high platform nearby, Himeko observed the scene below, a faint smile playing on her lips.
"They're really giving it their all. This life… it's not bad at all."
"They certainly are full of energy," Kallen said, walking up arm-in-arm with Yae Sakura.
"Oh? Where's Archbishop Otto?" Himeko asked curiously.
"Otto?" Kallen sighed. "His cooking didn't really suit my taste, so now he's holed up in the kitchen trying to come up with new recipes."
"Well... I don't even know what to say to that." Himeko felt like Otto had undergone a complete transformation since Kallen's return. The once cool, confident man had turned into a full-time simp. It was honestly kind of tragic.
"Otto is still a man worthy of respect," Yae Sakura chimed in with a smile, "Even if Kallen's heart belongs to me."
You really are a demon, huh? Himeko thought, feeling a chill at the sight of Sakura's innocent grin. This woman's terrifying.
Back in the training arena, the battle had finally concluded.
Kiana was bound in chains, Mei lay exhausted on the ground, and even Bronya had collapsed. Despite their seamless teamwork, they just couldn't stand up to Rimuru.
"Not bad at all," Rimuru praised, looking over the three of them. "Kiana's gotten very good at using Herrscher of the Void's powers, Mei's swordsmanship is excellent, and Bronya's support was spot-on."
"Still couldn't beat you though," Kiana grumbled, pouting. After all that, they hadn't even made Rimuru break a sweat.
"Hey, don't blame me for being strong." Rimuru shrugged.
"Kiana's really amazing," Mei said, patting her on the head. Kiana let out a blissful sigh, smiling like an idiot.
"Bronya wants headpats too," Bronya deadpanned, leaning in.
"Alright, alright, Bronya did great too!" Mei laughed, ruffling her hair gently. Her warmth seemed endless.
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