Chapter Text
The morning light slipped through the window before I had fully opened my eyes.
I remained lying in bed for a long while, staring at the ceiling without really paying attention to anything. My mind was strangely calm, though not in a good way. It was more as if I had temporarily exhausted my ability to worry.
For weeks, every morning had begun exactly the same way: I would open my eyes, remember everything that had happened, and a heavy feeling would settle over me before I had even gotten out of bed. Then I would remain motionless, wondering why I should bother starting another day when I had no real motivation to do so. Getting up or staying in bed seemed to produce exactly the same result.
But that morning was different.
The weight was still there, lodged somewhere between my chest and stomach like a stone I carried everywhere. It hadn't disappeared overnight, nor had it become any lighter. I could still vividly remember Nanahoshi's expression when she lost control. I could still hear her words whenever I spent too much time alone with my thoughts. And I still felt that unpleasant mixture of guilt and helplessness that had followed me ever since.
Because at the end of the day, no matter how many excuses or nuances I tried to find, reality was fairly simple.
I was the one who had made the mistake.
And I was the one who had to accept the consequences.
Maybe I had never intended to hurt her. Maybe I had never imagined my words would provoke that kind of reaction. But intentions didn't change results. It was a lesson I should have learned a long time ago.
Even so...
Something had changed.
Perhaps not inside me exactly, but in the direction I was looking.
For the first time in a long while, I had a concrete goal. A destination to move toward. Something to do besides standing still while the days passed one after another. It wasn't a magical solution to my problems, nor a way to escape them, but it was movement.
I slowly sat up and stretched my arms, letting out a long sigh.
It was strange. Really strange. Even I could tell the difference. I wasn't happy—thinking that would be a ridiculous exaggeration. There were still too many unresolved things.
After shifting into my human form and getting dressed, I headed downstairs to the inn's dining hall.
The place was already bustling with activity. Merchants hurried through breakfast before departing for their destinations, adventurers inspected their weapons and equipment while discussing possible jobs, and several travelers tried to wake themselves up with hot drinks and sleepy conversations.
The dining hall smelled of freshly baked bread, its warm crust still releasing steam. From the kitchen came the aroma of hot soup—vegetables and thick broth—and freshly brewed coffee left a bitter trace in the air. Everything blended together, making the place feel a little more alive.
For some reason, that ordinary scene felt charming this morning.
"Good morning, Rimuru."
I recognized the voice immediately and turned my head.
Roxy was sitting by a window and, of course, had already been awake for hours. Spread out in front of her were maps, neatly organized documents, and enough pages filled with notes to plan an entire military campaign.
I couldn't help but smile a little when I saw her. There was something comforting about finding her exactly as I expected.
Roxy was still Roxy.
"Don't tell me you've been awake since before sunrise..."
"Mm? What's wrong with that...?"
"That means yes."
Roxy blinked a couple of times.
"Yes..."
I sighed.
Just as I thought.
"For how long?"
"About four hours."
"..."
I took a seat across from her just as an employee set breakfast down on the table: freshly baked bread, eggs, something resembling bacon, and a hot drink.
I stared at the food for a few seconds.
It was strange how something so simple could seem so valuable after a rough stretch.
Wait...
Ever since becoming a slime, food had been nothing more than fuel. I'd never really cared about it.
I'm in my human form!
Maybe that's why.
I grabbed a piece of bread, and the moment I took a bite, my eyes widened.
It was warm, crispy on the outside, and perfect on the inside.
After everything that had happened recently, that simple sensation almost made me forget everything else.
"AAAAAH! TASTE BUDS! I LOVE YOU!"
Roxy blinked and looked at me as if I had suddenly lost my mind.
"What?"
"This is incredible!"
The scent of freshly baked bread filled the air, mixing with the steam rising from the cup in delicate spirals. The eggs had a soft, pleasant texture, and every bite tasted far better than it probably actually was.
Getting this excited over an ordinary breakfast was ridiculous, but I couldn't help it.
"AAAAAAAH!" I exclaimed, clutching my chest. "DELICIOUS!"
Several people turned to stare at me, but I couldn't have cared less.
After the past few weeks, this was practically a religious experience.
"Mm?"
"What is it?"
"You're smiling."
Roxy froze for a moment before looking away toward the window.
"Finish your meal already so we can talk."
My attention eventually drifted toward the mountain of documents occupying a good portion of the table.
There were maps, notes written in surprisingly neat handwriting, time calculations, city names, and enough annotations to organize a military expedition.
I picked up one of the sheets and examined it for a few seconds.
"What's all this?"
"The main route."
I raised an eyebrow.
"There are too many pages for this to be just a route."
"I also prepared alternative routes in case something goes wrong during the journey."
My eyes moved across several columns filled with observations. There were notes about the weather, warnings regarding specific regions, and even estimates of how much time we could save depending on the season.
I turned to the next page.
Then another.
And another.
The more I read, the more obvious it became just how much work she had poured into all of this.
"Roxy..."
"Mm?"
I looked up from the document.
"You're amazing."
She blinked.
Taking advantage of the moment, I picked up another sheet from the pile.
It contained a detailed list of inns, villages, and possible places to spend the night along the journey, complete with small notes scribbled in the margins.
"Decent food."
"Clean bathrooms."
"Avoid during peak season."
I had to suppress a laugh.
"No, seriously. What the hell is all this?"
"Places where we could rest."
"You researched all of this by yourself?"
"Well... I've spent years traveling as an adventurer."
The hesitant answer was enough.
I set the document down on the table and stared at her for a few seconds.
"Now I completely understand why Rudeus thinks you're a goddess."
The effect was immediate.
The tips of her ears turned slightly red, and her gaze dropped to the documents as if they had suddenly become the most fascinating things in the world.
"I just want the trip to go as smoothly as possible..."
The way she said it only made it harder to hold back my laughter.
After several hours of reviewing maps, trade routes, and listening to Roxy's explanations, I eventually leaned back in my chair while staring at the enormous distance separating us from the Migurd Village.
It was ridiculous.
I'd never stopped to think about just how absurdly far away Roxy's hometown actually was.
First, we'd have to leave Ranoa and cross a large portion of the Central Continent, following trade routes until we reached the Kingdom of Millis. That part sounded simple compared to everything that came afterward.
Millishion, the capital, would be our first major stop.
Then came the Great Forest.
Apparently, reaching the Demon Continent without passing through it was impossible.
After that, we'd need to secure passage on a ship along the northern coast and cross the sea to the Demon Continent. The oceans of this world seemed to have a deeply concerning obsession with giant monsters.
Finally, we'd arrive on Roxy's home continent and continue from there to the Migurd Village.
The conversation about supplies began in a surprisingly normal manner, which, in hindsight, should have been a clear warning that everything was about to derail in the most absurd way possible.
As we walked through one of Sharia's busy commercial streets, Roxy carefully reviewed a rather extensive list of supplies.
She had written down enough food for several weeks of travel, clothing suitable for different climates and regions, emergency equipment, basic medicine, and a reasonable amount reserved for unexpected expenses.
In short, it was flawless planning.
Logical.
Practical.
Completely sensible.
The only problem was that none of it could be acquired for free.
"We're going to need quite a bit of money," Roxy commented without taking her eyes off her notes.
"I have some savings—" Rudeus began.
"I'm not accepting your money."
Rudeus let out a long sigh of resignation.
While the two of them argued, I quietly thought things over.
The subject of money lingered in my mind for a few seconds before a forgotten idea suddenly surfaced from my memory.
"Ah."
"Mm?" Roxy looked up.
"I think I have money."
"You think?"
"Well... not exactly money. But I can probably sell some materials from the Teleportation Labyrinth."
Rudeus immediately brightened, far happier than he should have been at the prospect of helping.
"Perfect. I know a place that buys rare materials—"
That statement, though well-intentioned, would end up costing him several years of mental peace.
Rudeus decided that trying to sell such a massive quantity of materials to an ordinary merchant would be a terrible idea, so he took me directly to the Adventurers' Guild instead—the most suitable place to handle something of that scale.
The building was exactly what you'd expect from the guild of a major city: a large structure of stone and wood, with high ceilings and thick beams designed to withstand the constant flow of armed adventurers.
The first floor was dominated by a spacious common hall where the smells of ale, leather, metal, and freshly cooked food mingled together.
One wall was covered by an enormous request board packed with jobs organized by rank, while several long tables near the entrance were occupied by adventurers discussing strategies, dividing rewards, or simply resting between assignments.
At the far end stood a line of service counters where receptionists handled registrations, mission reports, and material appraisals.
The place overflowed with activity.
Adventurers came and went without pause. Entire parties gathered around tables to plan their next jobs. Mercenaries negotiated contracts, and receptionists dealt with an endless stream of requests.
All of it blended into the familiar noise of a guild operating at full capacity.
Rudeus approached the main counter and spoke with one of the receptionists.
"We'd like to sell some materials."
The woman responded with a professional smile.
"Of course. What kind of materials?"
"Well..."
Rudeus stepped aside, giving me room.
Partially transforming into my slime form, I opened (Storage).
The first thing to appear was a massive black scale, which I placed onto the counter with a heavy thud.
The receptionist blinked as she stared at it.
"That is..."
Before she could finish, I placed down a second scale.
Then a third.
And a fourth.
The nearby conversations gradually began to die down.
Several adventurers turned their heads at the sound of the impacts, while others approached out of curiosity.
The receptionist stared at the scales for several seconds, and her professional smile slowly vanished.
They were enormous—thick as armor plates and a deep black color that reflected bluish highlights beneath the guild's magical lamps.
Even someone with no knowledge of monsters could tell they belonged to an extraordinary creature.
"W-wait a moment..."
"Are those scales from...?"
"Oh, right. There's more."
I opened (Storage) again.
A fifth scale landed on the counter.
Then a sixth.
A seventh.
An eighth.
By that point, the counter had completely disappeared beneath a growing mountain of materials.
Silence began spreading throughout the guild as more and more people turned their attention toward us.
"What's going on?"
"Are those monster materials?"
"Those scales are huge..."
"Wait... don't tell me those are from a... dragon? A Hydra...?"
"No way..."
The receptionist swallowed nervously.
"M-Mr. Rudeus..."
"Don't look at me!" he replied, raising both hands. "I had no idea how much he'd stored away either!"
"How much is left?"
I paused to think for a few seconds.
Hmm...
(Great Sage), how many detached scales are left?
((Estimate: considering the preserved corpse in its entirety and the mana-induced regenerative capacity, current stock is approximately four hundred and seventy-two additional scales, eight complete claws, multiple organs, fangs, and one intact magic core.))
"...Um... a lot?"
The receptionist froze.
"A lot...? H-how much is a lot?"
"Well..."
I extended my hand again.
A massive claw appeared on the floor.
Then another.
And another.
Each impact sent a slight tremor through the guild's reinforced floorboards.
At that point, there wasn't a single person left who wasn't staring at us.
The adventurers had abandoned their conversations. The receptionists at the other counters had stopped working. Every eye in the building was fixed on the growing collection of materials.
The claws were as large as short swords and retained an unsettling metallic sheen. Even separated from the creature's body, they radiated a sense of danger that was impossible to ignore.
"Those are...?"
"Hydra claws..."
The silence that followed was absolute.
An older man who appeared to be one of the guild's appraisers pushed through the crowd and approached with a serious expression.
He picked up one of the scales and examined it carefully, running a hand across its surface before inspecting one of the claws.
After a few seconds, he became completely motionless.
"These scales..."
His voice sounded strangely strained.
"Where did you obtain them?"
"From a Hydra."
"A Hydra?"
"The Manatite Hydra."
Rudeus immediately stepped forward, waving his arms frantically.
"W-well, we, uh... um... It was in the Teleportation Labyrinth in Begaritt!"
The entire guild froze.
Somewhere in the back of the hall, someone dropped a mug.
CRASH.
The appraiser stared at me.
Then at Rudeus.
Then back at the mountain of materials as though he expected it to disappear on its own.
"The Manatite Hydra?"
The man covered part of his face with one hand while the receptionist looked seconds away from a nervous breakdown.
And honestly, it wasn't hard to understand why.
The Hydra was a creature whose existence was known even beyond the region itself—a legendary monster whose mere presence kept countless adventurers away. Materials harvested from such a beast were extraordinarily rare and worth astronomical amounts of money.
And we had just dumped a considerable portion of its corpse onto the guild's main counter.
I looked at the pile of materials.
Then at the crowd surrounding us.
Then back at the materials.
I suppose, from an outside perspective, it did look a little strange.
The appraiser suddenly snapped back to reality.
"Seal off the counter! If anyone touches these without authorization, execute them on the spot!"
Several employees moved immediately.
"Clear the area!"
"Nobody touch anything!"
"Call the Guild Master!"
The adventurers began whispering among themselves as the news spread throughout the hall.
Some tried to get closer to inspect the scales.
Others debated whether any of this was even possible.
More than a few seemed convinced they were witnessing a historic event.
The appraiser took a deep breath before addressing us again.
"Please, Rimuru-dono. Would you accompany us to a private room?"
They led us toward the second floor of the guild.
Or at least, they tried to.
Making progress turned out to be far more difficult than expected because practically every adventurer in the main hall seemed to have abandoned whatever they were doing in order to follow us.
The commotion caused by the Hydra materials was so great that the guild employees had to actively hold the crowd back.
"Return to your tables!"
"There's nothing to see!"
The voices overlapped as we pushed our way through the mass of people.
Only when the second-floor doors closed behind us did the noise become muffled, finally allowing us a moment of peace.
The private room they brought us to was spacious and elegant, likely reserved for important negotiations or meetings between high-ranking guild members.
A long wooden table occupied the center of the room, while the walls were lined with shelves packed with records, documents, and account books.
The appraiser who had accompanied us let out such a deep sigh that it sounded as though he had lost several years of his life in the process.
"Alright..."
He slowly sat down at the table.
However, the moment he settled into his seat, his eyes drifted back toward the Hydra scales.
He stared at them for several seconds before releasing another long sigh.
"Alright..."
Rudeus and I exchanged a glance.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
The answer came immediately.
"No, Rimuru-dono. I am not okay."
As he spoke, he rubbed his temples in obvious exhaustion.
"I've worked for the guild for thirty-two years, and I have never seen anything like this in my life."
Then he pointed toward the mountain of materials on the table.
"I have never seen someone walk through the front door and dump an S-Class Calamity onto my counter as if it were a routine delivery."
The man stared directly at me, as though expecting some kind of reasonable explanation.
Unfortunately, I wasn't entirely sure what the problem was either.
Before I could say anything, the door opened once more.
An elderly man with a gray beard entered alongside two guild employees.
His mere presence was enough to make the appraiser immediately stand up.
"Guild Master."
Ah.
So he really was someone important.
The old man calmly approached the table.
At first, he said nothing.
He simply examined the materials one by one—the scales, claws, fangs, and magic stones.
Only after inspecting them thoroughly did he raise his gaze toward us.
"Rimuru?"
Then his eyes shifted toward my companion.
"And... Rudeus Greyrat."
The old man nodded slowly.
"You are the ones who completed the Teleportation Labyrinth?"
"That's right."
The Guild Master closed his eyes and remained motionless for several seconds, as though organizing his thoughts—or mentally preparing himself for something.
Finally, he opened them again and slowly lowered himself into a chair.
"I see..."
Though judging by the expression on his face, he clearly understood absolutely nothing.
"Rimuru-dono... the Sharia Guild cannot buy all of this."
"Huh?"
"We couldn't afford even a quarter of it."
Now that actually worried me.
"Is it really that expensive?"
All three men looked at me as though I had just asked whether the sun was hot.
The Guild Master took a deep breath before answering.
"The eight scales you placed on the counter alone are worth more than several homes within this city."
...
"What?"
"The claws are even more valuable."
...
By the time we finally left the guild, the sun was already beginning to set, and the news seemed to have spread through half the city.
There were adventurers stationed outside the entrance, merchants lingering nearby, and even a few university students pretending they just happened to be there.
All of them were trying very hard to look like they weren't watching us while very obviously watching us.
I decided to ignore them.
It was much healthier for my mental well-being.
Rudeus walked beside me as we made our way down the main street, and for several minutes neither of us said a word.
A small leather pouch hung from my belt. Inside rested one hundred gold coins that produced a surprisingly pleasant metallic jingle whenever the bag moved.
In my hand, I held a thick rolled document sealed with several official emblems.
One belonged to the Adventurers' Guild.
Another to the Kingdom of Ranoa.
And a third to the Magic University.
According to the Guild Master, it was a promissory note.
According to Rudeus, it was enough money to buy a city.
According to me, it was just a piece of paper.
A piece of paper that happened to say:
2,840 Gold Coins.
I looked at the number again.
Then again.
Then a third time.
It still looked ridiculous.
"Rudeus..."
"Yeah...?"
"Is that... a lot?"
He pointed at the document.
"That's 2,840... gold coins..."
"I know..."
"No, I don't think you do."
I remained silent while Rudeus let out a resigned sigh.
"With that amount, you could buy several noble estates... a title... entire villages... or live comfortably for multiple human lifetimes."
I looked at the paper once more.
Then at the pouch containing one hundred gold coins.
And finally at the black S-Rank plate hanging from my waist.
The plate looked absurdly modest for something that had caused such chaos inside the guild.
I could still hear the Guild Master's words echoing through the room.
Direct promotion approved.
No additional requirements.
Official recognition for the subjugation of an S-Class Calamity.
I had simply nodded.
"I still think they exaggerated."
Rudeus stared at me for several seconds in complete silence, as though trying to decide whether to patiently explain things or simply give up entirely.
In the end, he chose a third option.
Slowly, he raised a hand.
"Rudeus?"
Bonk.
"OW!"
"Stop saying that."
"But it's true!"
Rudeus' expression became even more incredulous upon hearing me say that so naturally.
Without saying a single word, he raised his hand again.
Bonk.
"OW!"
I rubbed the top of my head where he'd struck me while Rudeus released a long, exhausted sigh.
"Sometimes I wonder if you truly understand how absurdly strong you are."
"Huh...?"
Rudeus stared at me.
I stared back, completely unable to understand what was wrong with my answer.
He continued staring for several more seconds, perhaps waiting for some sign of comprehension that never arrived.
"No. You definitely don't."
"What a terrible personality..."
The vein that appeared on his forehead was all the answer I needed.
Bonk.
"OW!"
Maybe 2,840 gold really is a lot...
It still surprises me how beautiful Rudeus' house is.
It wasn't some extravagant mansion.
Nor was it a noble residence designed to impress visitors.
It was something much harder to obtain.
It felt like a home.
The windows glowed with the warm light of sunset.
The small front garden was well maintained.
And from where I stood, I could faintly hear people moving around inside.
Conversations.
Footsteps.
Life.
And now he had all this.
A wife.
Sisters.
Friends.
A family.
A stable life.
I couldn't help but smile.
I was happy for him.
Truly.
Rudeus interrupted my thoughts.
He approached the entrance, opened the door, and held it open for me.
I remained standing where I was.
"Mm?" Rudeus turned his head. "Aren't you coming in?"
I scratched my cheek.
"I don't think that's a good idea..."
"Why?"
"Well..."
How was I supposed to explain it?
"It's a family dinner, right? And I'm not family. Besides, your sisters hate me."
"So?"
"..."
Rudeus stared at me for several seconds.
"Rimuru."
Before the discussion could continue, Sylphie poked her head out from inside.
Her hair had grown a little since the last time I'd paid attention to it.
The warm light from the house softly illuminated part of her face as she looked at us curiously.
"What are you two doing just standing there?"
"Rimuru doesn't want to come inside."
Rudeus threw me under the wagon without hesitation.
"Huh?"
Sylphie looked at me.
"Why?"
"I don't want to be a bother..."
She blinked a couple of times.
Then she let out a small laugh.
"Rimuru. You're more than welcome here."
Her answer came without the slightest hesitation.
No politeness.
No formalities.
Simply a fact.
"Besides, we've already prepared food for everyone."
"Sylphie..."
"And if you leave now, Lilia will probably get upset."
That was genuinely concerning.
"Aisha too... she seems to want to talk to you about something."
Ah.
Rudeus burst out laughing.
"See? You don't have an escape route anymore."
I sighed in resignation.
Looking at the house once more—the lights, the voices, the warmth spilling from inside—I felt something strange.
For a long time, I'd thought homes were places.
But maybe I was wrong.
Maybe homes were the people waiting for you when you opened the door.
"...Alright."
Sylphie smiled.
"Welcome home, Rimuru."