No time To Relax

Leaning back in my chair, I exhaled a long, slow sigh, letting the weight of everything settle in my mind. The world was shifting. Shadows were moving, unseen hands pulling strings, orchestrating conflicts from behind the veil. Feldway, the Holy Church, the Eastern Empire, and now the unknown individuals after Chloe's body—so many pieces were already in motion.

Across from me, my lovers watched with knowing expressions, sensing the storm of thoughts running through my head.

Velzard, ever the composed one, traced delicate circles on my shoulders, her fingers cool yet firm, like frost brushing against steel. "You seem deep in thought," she murmured, her ice-blue eyes gleaming with curiosity.

Testarossa smirked, lazily running a hand along my leg, her crimson eyes glinting with amusement. "Considering all that's happening, I'd say we won't have a moment of peace anytime soon."

Ultima, curled up beside me, rested her chin on my thigh, her violet eyes filled with eager excitement. "Hehe, sounds fun. Chaos always makes things more interesting."

Carrera chuckled, her hands gently caressing my head as she leaned over me. "I was hoping for a bit more time to relax, but I suppose we should expect trouble wherever we go."

I let out a small laugh, the tension easing just a little as I looked at them. "Seems like we won't get bored anytime soon," I said, my tone both weary and amused.

With so many factions plotting, so many schemes unfolding, and so many powerful players moving across the board, one thing was clear—this was just the beginning.

A storm was brewing, and soon, the entire world would feel its impact.

Days passed, and the world continued to shift. Rimuru was now officially recognized as a Demon Lord, and Tempest had erupted into celebration. A grand festival was held, with music, food, and joyous laughter filling the air. The people of Tempest reveled in their newfound strength, their faith in Rimuru solidified after their overwhelming victory against Clayman.

But peace never lasted long.

One day, amid the lively atmosphere of Tempest, Souei suddenly appeared before Rimuru, kneeling in complete silence. The room, once filled with the casual chatter of Rimuru's closest subordinates, went still.

"Hinata Sakaguchi and a unit of Holy Knights are approaching Tempest."

The words hung in the air like a storm cloud.

Rimuru leaned back in his seat, his expression unreadable. Then, after a moment, he let out a small, amused chuckle. "Oh? So it's time, huh?"

Benimaru folded his arms, his expression sharp. "Looks like we'll have to greet them properly."

Shion cracked her knuckles, her golden eyes burning with excitement. "I say we crush them the moment they step too close."

"Patience, Shion." Hakuro, ever the calm strategist, gave a small smile. "This will require a more delicate approach."

Rimuru waved a hand, silencing their murmurs. He wasted no time giving orders.

"Benimaru, you'll take command of the main force. Don't engage unless absolutely necessary. I want them to see our strength first."

"Understood," Benimaru said, already formulating strategies.

"Hakuro, you'll oversee our countermeasures in case they try anything unexpected."

"As you wish."

"Souei," Rimuru continued, turning to his shadow, "I want you and your men to keep an eye on their movements. If anything seems off, let me know immediately."

Souei gave a slight nod. "Consider it done."

"Shion and Geld, you'll be on the front lines. No attacking unless I give the order, but I want them to feel your presence."

Geld grinned, flexing his massive arms. "They won't dare act recklessly."

"Ranga," Rimuru called next. The great wolf, resting beside him, lifted his head. "I want you nearby in case things go south."

"As you command, Master."

"Gabil, Gobta," Rimuru finished, looking at the lizardman and goblin warrior. "I want you two leading the other forces stationed in Tempest. Keep the civilians away from the conflict."

Gobta gulped but nodded quickly. "Y-yeah! We got this!"

Rimuru then stood, stretching slightly. "Alright then, let's give them a proper welcome."

Meanwhile, in My Domain…

I leaned back in my chair, watching the projection before me—a live image of Tempest preparing for war.

Velzard was resting her head on my shoulder, her fingers lazily tracing patterns along my arm. "So, Rimuru's finally stepping up, huh?"

Testarossa smirked as she sipped from a glass of wine. "He's learning. Watching him make these decisions is rather amusing."

Ultima giggled, sitting cross-legged beside me. "I still think it'd be fun if we dropped in and gave the Holy Knights a little scare."

Carrera, lazily running her fingers through my hair, let out a small sigh. "But wouldn't that ruin all the excitement? Let's just enjoy the show."

I chuckled, keeping my eyes on the projection. Many would wonder why I let these events unfold instead of taking direct action.

The truth?

Rimuru needs to handle these things on his own. If I kept stepping in and crushing every threat before him, he'd never grow. Strength wasn't just about raw power—it was about learning, adapting, and overcoming adversity.

Besides… if I erased every threat before it even began, wouldn't that make the world unbearably boring?

I barely engaged in fights anymore because, honestly, there wasn't a single being in the Cardinal World who could match me.

If I stepped onto the battlefield, the fight would be over before it even began.

So instead, I watched. I observed. I let the pieces move across the board.

Because the world was far more entertaining when events were left to unfold.