Night. A grand banquet was being held in the goblin village within the Jura Forest. The Hobgoblins, Star Wolves, Dwarves, and Ogres, four completely different monster races, were now harmoniously gathered around the bonfire, eating food and drinking beer amidst cheerful laughter.
At this moment, a group of Hobgoblins in front of the bonfire were nervously watching Rimuru, who had silver-blue hair and was holding a skewer of grilled meat. When they saw Rimuru take a bite and reveal a blissful smile, the previously tense Hobgoblins breathed a sigh of relief and cheered.
"So delicious, so blissful!"
Rimuru's eyes sparkled as he looked at the grilled meat in his hand, completely oblivious to the cheering Hobgoblins. Since being reincarnated into this world, it was the first time he had truly tasted food. This familiar and wonderful flavor almost moved Rimuru to tears.
You see, as a slime, he had no sense of taste. But he didn't expect that the human body he transformed into using the [Mimicry] skill would even have a sense of taste.
"Right, and there are them."
After finishing the grilled meat in front of him, Rimuru licked the grease remaining on his fingers and stood up, walking towards the edge of the banquet. There, the Ogres who had attacked Gobta and the others earlier today were talking to Rigurd and the others.
"But Demon Lord, why do you do this?"
"I don't know. All I know is that out of our original three hundred brethren, only six of us are left."
"I see, no wonder you're unwilling to accept this."
Rimuru, who had just arrived, overheard what the red-haired Ogre was saying. He roughly understood why they had attacked Gobta's team today. After all, according to the Ogre, an army of Pig-Heads wearing human armor, led by a Greater Demon, had slaughtered the entire Ogre village.
In the end, only six of them survived. And coincidentally, the memento left behind by Miss Shizu, that mask, looked similar to the one worn by the Greater Demon.
"Have you had enough meat, Lord Rimuru?"
The red-haired Ogre turned his head and looked at Rimuru, who was leaning against a tree with his hands behind his back. He now understood that Rimuru was not the guy who attacked his brethren.
"Just resting. But your sister is amazing!"
Rimuru glanced at the red-haired Ogre, smiled slightly, and looked ahead as he spoke.
"Huh?"
Faced with Rimuru's sudden words, the red-haired Ogre was stunned at first, and the way he looked at Rimuru became strange. But the next moment, he realized that the expression on Rimuru's face seemed different from what he thought, so he turned his head and looked forward following Rimuru's gaze.
"She's familiar with herbs and spices, and she can get along with the goblins so quickly."
"After all, she's a flower that grew up in a greenhouse. Being relied upon makes her happy, right?"
Listening to the words coming from his ear, the red-haired Ogre couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Then, he looked at his sister, who was surrounded by many goblin beauties. He saw a faint smile on her face as she kept talking to the goblin beauties beside her.
"So, what are you planning to do from now on?"
At this time, Rimuru suddenly turned his head and asked the red-haired Ogre. According to what Rimuru knew, the homes of these Ogres had been destroyed, and they were currently searching for their enemies without a clue.
"What do you mean by 'what to do'?"
"Your future plans. Whether you want to rebuild or relocate, your companions' fate is in your hands, right?"
"Who knows? I just want to gather strength and avenge my brethren!"
The red-haired Ogre shook his head in the face of Rimuru's question. All he could think about now was killing those Pig-Heads and that Greater Demon to avenge his brethren. He had to have strength to achieve this goal, as for what would happen after, he hadn't thought about it at all.
"Is there anyone you can rely on?"
"......"
Rimuru looked at the red-haired Ogre and asked out of curiosity, but the red-haired Ogre was stunned. Then, he raised his wine glass and drank. Seeing this, Rimuru understood that this guy had no plans at all.
"I have a suggestion. Would you like to become my subordinates?"
"Subordinates?"
After hearing Rimuru's words, the red-haired Ogre put down his wine glass, turned his head, and looked at him in confusion, not understanding what Rimuru meant. The other two Ogres beside him also looked over.
"Yes, subordinates. But the only reward I can offer is the guarantee of food, clothing, and shelter. It would be more convenient to have a base, right?"
Rimuru nodded, sat down, leaned against the tree trunk, and looked at the many Hobgoblins dancing around the bonfire in the distance, as well as that purple-haired Ogre girl. Out of sympathy for these Ogres who had lost their homes and brethren, Rimuru wanted to help them, and...
"But if we do that, this city will be dragged into our revenge."
"This isn't just for you. Thousands of armed Pig-Heads have attacked you, right? And there's a Demon Lord directing things from behind the scenes."
"The Pig-Heads might be planning to seize control of this Jura Forest."
"Yes, that's right. So this city isn't necessarily safe either. That's why the more combat power we have, the better. Conversely, we'll help you when you encounter battles. I'll never abandon my companions!"
Saying this, Rimuru raised his head and glanced at Rigurd, who had just spoken. Then, he turned his head and looked north of the Jura Forest. Now, it wasn't just those Pig-Heads, but also that existence he had sensed before. That twisted, chaotic aura made Rimuru feel uneasy, so the more combat power they gathered, the better.
"I see. Please allow me to think about it carefully."
The red-haired Ogre looked at Rimuru's serious face, nodded to show that he understood, and then lowered his head to think.
"Okay, then think about it carefully. I'm going to get some more... Who!?"
After receiving the red-haired Ogre's reply, Rimuru smiled slightly and stood up, planning to get some more grilled meat when suddenly, a burst of footsteps came from the dark forest behind him. Rimuru subconsciously turned his head and looked over there.
Beside him, Rigurd and the others also looked over there after hearing Rimuru's voice, their expressions full of vigilance, subconsciously expecting it to be those Pig-Heads coming to hunt down these Ogres.
"Huh! Humans, and a little girl at that?"
The next moment, a little girl with golden hair, a delicate and cute face, and wearing a white dress, like a porcelain doll, walked out of the dark forest. In her hands, she held a slime the size of a fist.
Seeing this scene, both Rimuru and the vigilant Rigurd and the others were stunned. You know, this is the Jura Forest, the home of monsters. How could there be a human little girl here, and at night?
"Um, little girl, are you lost?"
A few seconds later, Rimuru hesitated, stepped forward, looked at her with a gentle smile, and asked softly, afraid of accidentally scaring the golden-haired little girl in front of him to tears.
"Lord Rimuru!"
Behind him, Rigurd and Kaijin looked at Rimuru approaching the human little girl and hurriedly reminded him. After all, it was strange for a human little girl to appear alone in the Jura Forest at night.
"It's okay, it's okay!"
Rimuru turned his head and waved his hand at Rigurd and Kaijin to indicate that it was okay, but out of caution, he still asked [Great Sage] to check the golden-haired little girl in front of him. After all, he wasn't an idiot, and he could guess that the human little girl in front of him was strange.
"Detected a powerful Greater Demon magicule reaction. Please be careful!"
"Okay!"
The moment he heard [Great Sage]'s voice, Rimuru subconsciously stared at the little girl in front of him and carefully examined her. On the opposite side, the golden-haired little girl was also staring at him with her big eyes, full of curiosity.
"Um, little girl, is there anything you need?"
"Can I join you?"
Loryna raised her head, looked at Rimuru in front of her, and pouted her little mouth as she asked. Before, after leaving the Nest of All, Loryna released [Magic Perception] and moved in the direction of the strongest magicule reaction. It wasn't until just now that Loryna arrived here, and then quietly observed for a few minutes.
After confirming with Lu Minghao that this was the monster force he was talking about, she walked out. As for the other monsters she encountered along the way, they all became Loryna's dinner.
"Joi.... Join us?"
Rimuru was stunned after hearing the words of the golden-haired little girl in front of him, and subconsciously looked at her and asked again, completely not understanding why the little girl in front of him suddenly wanted to join them. According to [Great Sage]'s words, she possessed the strength of a Greater Demon.
"Yes, join you!"
Loryna didn't care what Rimuru thought, she just nodded her little head and said it again while looking at him. Since the master asked her to join this monster force and observe the slime in front of her, then she would join.
"Is it not allowed?"
The next moment, looking at Rimuru, who had no reaction, Sally tilted her little head, and a pitiful look appeared on her cute face. Her big eyes blinked and blinked as she looked at Rimuru, asking again with the cutest voice.
"!!!!! So... So cute!"
Faced with Loryna's cuteness attack, Rimuru only felt like something had hit his heart, and he (the slime) was almost melted by the cuteness.
"Um, Lord Rimuru, why don't we just agree?"
"Um um!"
At this time, Kaijin's voice came from behind him, and beside him, Gobta, the little brother, was nodding non-stop, his eyes fixed on Loryna, looking like he had been charmed by the cuteness.
"Cough cough! Um, little girl, why do you want to join us?"
Rimuru turned his head and glanced at Kaijin and Gobta, sighed, and looked at Loryna and began to ask, but in fact, he had almost agreed to this matter in his heart, after all, who could resist such a cute loli selling cuteness!
"..... Loryna wants friends, is it not allowed?"
On the opposite side, Loryna lowered her head for a few seconds after facing Rimuru's question, and then said softly. On the opposite side, Rimuru and the others showed a smile when they saw such Loryna, but in a place they couldn't see, Loryna's tender face also had a smile, but that smile was full of weirdness.
