Banished from the herd, I was actually a member of a very rare species. ~With the unique skills that only I can use, I can grow and evolve quickly. I will become an unrivaled monster~ - Episode 165: Informal Meeting

Episode 165: Informal Meeting

(Note: Special for this chapter the MC’s dialogue is written in ‘…..’. Telepathic communication will be written in /…./.)

The guards at the grand, ornate castle gates and the officials who seemed to work at the castle all kept their heads bowed in complete submission. No one reacted to the bandaged stranger walking behind the emperor and his entourage. It was as if they couldn’t even see me. 

Despite how out of place I looked in the lavish surroundings of the castle, no one raised any questions. No one reprimanded or scolded me. It was strange, almost unnerving. But, if it was because of their trust in the emperor, then I had no choice but to accept it.

“Stand there. Do not concern yourself with etiquette; you’re a commoner. Simply respond to my words,” 

The voice instructed as we entered a large chamber with a grand throne at the far end.

I stopped as ordered, while the palanquin bearers continued forward. The throne sat atop a raised staircase, and the palanquin halted at its base. The “Demon King” stood up, stepping off the palanquin and into the air as if walking on an invisible bridge, tapping the ground with his scepter as he proceeded toward the throne.

With refined, stern movements, he sat down and began to speak.

“Your efforts in defeating the Sovereign Beast are commendable. Now, tell me, what is your name?”

‘I am called Kouya. Due to certain circumstances, I cannot speak, so please forgive my rudeness in responding via a communication [Skill].’

I recited the formal response I had been practicing, which the Sage had taught me. I wanted to tell him about the Karkinos situation as soon as possible, but the Sage had warned me not to cause unnecessary panic by bringing up the end of the world right off the bat.

Similarly, the fact that I was actually a Slime was something I was supposed to keep hidden until I earned their trust.

If the Demon King had gotten angry, it would have been game over, but…

“I see.”

As expected, the Demon King didn’t seem bothered by such minor details. The soldiers lined up in two rows halfway up the throne’s steps—those who had been guarding the palanquin—didn’t show any signs of anger either.

The audience continued smoothly, and the Demon King eventually asked me what reward I desired.

Relieved that things were going according to plan, I made my request.

‘First, may I call my companions? This is an important matter, and both of them are incredibly skilled. They can be here in under ten seconds.’

“Under ten seconds, you say? Very well, I am intrigued. Call them.”

‘Understood.’— /You two can come now./

I sent a mental message to the Sage and Paula. There was no verbal reply, but I felt the nearby| Mana| stir. They had marked my clothing beforehand.

/[Area Hole]./

A hole opened beside me, and the two of them stepped through. I heard the soldiers gasp at the sudden development.

“It is an honor to meet you, Emperor Nova. I am grateful for the opportunity to appear before you. My name is Ratia, and I govern a certain city in the West. Please remember my name.”

With an elegant bow, the Sage—who everyone called Sage but whose real name was apparently Ratia—introduced herself.

“Was that magic just now?”

“No, the technique was Paula’s [Skill]. She can connect distant places.”

“Y-Yes, that is correct,” 

Paula stammered nervously, her voice tense.

In front of the greatest sorcerer alive, even Paula was understandably nervous. And neither she nor I were particularly good at formal language.

The plan had always been for the Sage to handle the conversation if we ever had to meet the Demon King. The Sage had thoroughly researched the Empire’s culture and etiquette. Despite the isolated environment of her underground kingdom, her thousand years of rule as the highest authority had made her a master of such matters. She dealt with the Demon King with complete composure.

“An artifact, you say? I have never heard of such a thing, not even as a rumor.”

“That is understandable. Artifacts are the unique specialty of our city, created by a singular genius. It will be some time before their fame reaches the capital.”

With this skillful introduction, the Sage piqued the Demon King’s interest, subtly steering the conversation towards artifacts. She made it so the Demon King herself would ask questions about them. She had also deliberately left out any mention of the underground kingdom or the ancient technologies from a thousand years ago, as that would complicate things unnecessarily.

“By using artifacts like this, one can even gain information about distant lands. However, there is one matter I wish to report to Your Majesty.”

“Oh?”

“Recently, one of the Beast King from the Eastern Great Magical Wilderness was slain. Judging by the geography and the wavelength of the [Dominion], it is certain that the one who defeated it is a new species of magical beast threatening the Empire—a Chaos Beast. And that monster is now moving toward this continent.”

“A Chaos Beast? While there have been reports of them in the East, I have heard nothing of their origin being a magical beast. How can you be so certain, given that you live in the West?”

“Because I have personally investigated the site.”

The Sage glanced briefly in Paula’s direction.

“The investigation team that ventured to the site confirmed the presence of a colossal beast covering the horizon. This plant-type monster scattered seeds from its body, which would attach to other beasts and cause them to go berserk. Based on these characteristics, we have determined that this great beast, named Karkinos, is the king of the Chaos Beast.”

The Sage, it seemed, chose not to mention the rather unbelievable detail about communing with a god. It was understandable, given how suspicious it would sound. Plus, a dangerous figure, the leader of the Demon Cult, had just been captured. It made it an even more sensitive topic.

Upon hearing the Sage’s words, the Demon King narrowed his eyes in suspicion and posed a question.

“If one possesses teleportation magic, it would not be difficult to reach the Great Magical Wilderness. But how exactly was this investigation conducted? Even noble lords leading a large party could not remain long in that land of death, overrun with Sovereign Beasts and Calamity Beasts.”

“It is thanks to Katsu here. He protected Paula and brought back valuable information.”

“It seems he has the strength to defeat Sovereign Beasts. But does he really have that much power?”

“Yes. After all, he is one of the Beast Kings.”

The Sage revealed this nonchalantly. After a brief silence, the Demon King asked in return:

“A Beast King, you say?”

“Indeed, he is the Beast King of the Slimes. During the investigation, he even fought Karkinos, though he was unable to defeat it. That is why we have come to seek Your Majesty’s assistance.”

The Sage smoothly shifted the conversation to the main point, casually mentioning my true identity as a Slime. But such a revelation wouldn’t simply pass unnoticed, as the Demon King immediately asked again.

“Katsu, are you truly a Slime?”

‘That’s right.’

I removed the bandages. And along with that, I released my [Mimicry]. My glowing, amber-colored body was now fully exposed.

This was the tense moment. Whether or not we could cooperate with the Demon King hung in the balance… but what would happen now?

“I see. A monster capable of speech, just like the fairy tales. I never imagined such a being truly existed.”

Contrary to our tension, the Demon King responded with a rather indifferent tone, continuing with his usual air of detachment.

“Yes, he is a rare and exceptional existence, unlike any other. As a Beast King, he possesses immense combat strength. However, even with all his power, he could not stop Karkinos. To save the people of the Empire, please, we humbly ask for your cooperation in defeating Karkinos.”

“Very well. If that is your request, I shall comply. With teleportation, we can be there in no time. As it happens, my official duties have just ended, so let us depart now.”

“Please wait, Your Majesty. We are not yet fully prepared. We request a half-day delay before proceeding…”

“There is no need. I shall go alone to defeat this Karkinos creature.”

The Demon King spoke with an air of finality, not leaving any room for objections.

“Please reconsider. Karkinos is a monster that even surpasses Beasts Kings—”

“—Are you suggesting that this Demon King would be defeated?”

If words could bear weight, then this one sentence would be heavier than gold. The gravity of his statement was palpable, filled with a dominating presence.

“I did not mean to imply that. However, as a matter of fact, even Katsu could not defeat it. There is always the possibility that—”

“The very notion that a mere being on the same level as a Beast King could stand equal to me is utterly absurd.”

The Demon King rejected the Sage’s words outright, leaving no room for further discussion. Although she maintained her poker face, I couldn’t help but think the Sage might be panicking inside.

“I care not for whatever schemes you might be plotting. Nor do I care for the true nature, intentions, or origins of that so-called Beast King. But if Karkinos does indeed exist, then I will eliminate it—for the sake of my Empire.”

“You misunderstand, Your Majesty. Our only concern is for your safety—”

“I have already said such concerns are unnecessary. However… if you insist so fervently, then witness with your own eyes and engrave into your very bones the might of the pinnacle of magic. Prepare yourself, Katsu.”

‘(Whoa?!)’

With those words, the floor beneath my feet suddenly shot up toward the ceiling with tremendous force.