Traveler from Type-Moon, Demon Lord Rimuru!

"I suspect you hated me just as much two years ago, even before you had this title?"

Suddenly, Rimuru's crisp voice rang out beside the three of them, causing Aozaki Aoko to freeze in place. Reacting instantly, she locked onto Rimuru, who was holding a white fluff-ball by the hand not far ahead, and with a "wah-yah-yah," she dropped her suitcase, raised her little fists, and launched a flurry of wild, flailing punches.

Rimuru, finding it both annoying and amusing, pressed a hand against her forehead, silently enduring the blows as if she were just venting.

Eler stared blankly at the young lady throwing punches like a madwoman, then looked just as blankly at her own teacher—

The ahoge on her head swayed, and after wrinkling her little face in thought for a moment, she finally figured out what to say. She raised her small hand excitedly and declared, "Well hit!"

"???" Rimuru paused, then immediately turned back and gave the clueless little one a flick to the forehead.

"Oowah!"

"Are you done yet?" After disciplining Eler for enjoying the chaos, Rimuru deliberately put on a pained, grimacing expression. Only then did Aoko satisfy herself by retracting her slender hand, humming proudly.

"Why are you here?" Liddell asked, looking a bit dazed. "Weren't you supposed to be at home taking care of Eler?!"

"Eler wanted to go out and play. I thought about it, and bringing her to see a legendary Witch and Magician would be a good form of training." Rimuru smiled. How could he not see through Liddell's little thoughts? She was clearly just afraid he would steal her best friend away, just like in their childhood.

What a naive little girl.

Rimuru had no idea that Liddell wasn't worried about him stealing Kuonji Alice away, but rather that Alice would steal him...

"Hello, big sisters! You're so pretty!"

"Eler...?"

Kuonji Alice stared at Rimuru, who was still around 1.45 meters tall, for a long moment. It wasn't until Rimuru led Eler right up to her that she seemed to snap out of it, her calm eyes sweeping toward the confused little girl—

"Is this your... student?"

Kuonji Alice withdrew her gaze and met Rimuru's golden eyes quietly.

"Ah, a student." Rimuru nodded. Kuonji's deep, melancholic eyes were like a pool of calm autumn water, yet Rimuru could see a flicker of profound joy within them.

To be honest, his memory fragments regarding Kuonji Alice had become quite blurred, but after the hazy memories of two lifetimes overlapped, they had etched an even deeper impression. He had expected to feel nervous when seeing Kuonji Alice.

But for some reason, now that they had met, there was only a sense of quiet peace—much like meeting an old friend he hadn't seen in a long time.

"Long time no see, Alice."

"Mm."

Alice nodded, lowered her eyelids, and continued walking forward. After their brief exchange, the group moved through the Clock Tower toward Liddell's Lord's Lounge.

While it could be called a harmonious group, in reality, it was just Aoko and Liddell walking side-by-side, frantically "attacking" Rimuru, while Rimuru followed along with Alice, offering a bitter smile.

Compared to the two in front, Rimuru and Alice were much quieter; neither of them even spoke a word.

However, Rimuru didn't feel awkward at all; instead, he felt a sense of ease and comfort.

He was used to it.

A thousand words upon a long-awaited reunion were not their style; only the silence and the unspoken harmony were the essence of how they interacted.

Rimuru had to watch his pace for the little one, so he couldn't walk too fast, but Alice's pace was surprisingly in sync with his own.

Even though the two in front had slowed down, they still had to stop from time to time to wait for the trio, but Kuonji Alice didn't need words, nor did she need to deliberately slow down; she simply matched Rimuru's rhythm silently.

This was a unique rapport that belonged only to the two of them.

Chapter 019, If I can help you, that reason is enough

Generally speaking, the base of operations for Lords within their respective Academic City is a magecraft workshop, and Liddell's was a hotel.

Following that logic, while other Lords' offices were either massive laboratories or academic centers, Liddell's office was perhaps a large, lazy, and soft princess-style bedroom.

And that was indeed the case. Although it wasn't as exaggerated as Rimuru had imagined, the girlish atmosphere filled with fan gifts and plushies after he used the Gate of Opening made Rimuru's teeth ache slightly.

Eler seemed very familiar with this place; she shook off Rimuru's hand, dashed toward a giant plush toy, and dove headfirst into it with a soft thud.

Although other Lords had sent familiars to keep a close watch on the situation, Liddell was the only one who had come in person to welcome them. After all... everyone knew full well the purpose of these two suddenly visiting London.

Perhaps because of the familiarity between them, Aozaki Aoko didn't feel the slightest bit reserved, collapsing onto the sofa with a look of intense dejection.

Just on the way here, through her conversations with Liddell and the others, she had started to piece things together ever since she heard that Rimuru had begun using his surname again and had become a professor.

Could it be that Alice had dragged her to London so forcefully... just to build momentum for her mortal enemy?!

As a best friend who had accompanied Alice for so many years, she had ultimately lost to that damn bastard Rimuru.

"It's hard to believe you're still willing to return to London under the name of Eris." Rimuru withdrew his gaze from Eler, chuckled, and said, "Liddell must have told you a lot of things she shouldn't have. Thank you."

If even someone as carefree as Aozaki Aoko could guess Alice's purpose, Rimuru would have truly lived in vain if he couldn't figure it out.

Kuonji's arrival might not have brought any new influence to the Clock Tower, but it had at least silently signaled that the Last Bird belonging to the Dream Fairy Lineage was still watching and standing behind him.

Oh, and a Magician as a bonus.

Thinking of this, Rimuru looked amusedly at the dejected Aozaki Aoko. In this way, he had actually established a firm foothold in the Clock Tower without even realizing it. Next, he would naturally focus his energy on improving his strength.

In reality, the plans laid out by his predecessor while in a state of memory-sealed dormancy had clearly exceeded Rimuru's current imagination, and it felt quite like a pleasant surprise.

How should one describe this feeling? It was like having college roommates who swore to reach the pinnacle of life together, only for you to fall into a long-term coma due to an accident.

And when you finally wake up, the other three have already become big shots in the military, political, and business sectors—and have turned back around to start helping you.

It was somewhat refreshing, yet also a bit of a headache.

Rimuru, however, felt neither embarrassed nor inferior, as he believed that with the Great Sage and his cheat abilities, he could eventually reach that same level. But...

The overly smooth progression still made Rimuru feel a hint of awkwardness, which was why he had previously speculated whether there was deliberate indulgence and arrangement from people like the Director or Inorai—

Facing Rimuru's thanks, Kuonji Alice merely gave him a reproachful look before shaking her head calmly and suddenly saying, "I heard... you were assassinated."

Her tone was as calm as stagnant water, yet it did nothing to prevent everyone from sensing a hint of killing intent and a bone-chilling coldness within that calm voice.

"Ah... that is indeed what happened."

Rimuru was slightly stunned, then glanced at Liddell: You really are willing to say anything, aren't you!

Liddell buried her head in her tea, while Aozaki Aoko suddenly became interested: "Eh? Who was it? Who was it? Do you need me to rewind the scene for you?"

"That won't be necessary; I already know who the killer is."

Rimuru felt Kuonji Alice's deep gaze fix upon his face the next moment, and a faint pressure washed over him: "Don't worry, I still have use for that person—speaking of which, Alice, if you really want to help me with something..."

"I actually do have some things I need your help with."

"Speak."

"Does the Kuonji Group have strong control in Japan?" Rimuru asked with interest. "Can you monitor another city while also monitoring Fuyuki City?"

"...It should be fine."

Kuonji Alice pondered for a moment and nodded slightly, but Liddell suddenly added, "Isn't it still quite difficult to monitor magi? Besides, relying on a large number of ordinary people means they wouldn't even notice if they were being suggested—"

"Well, I only need the general developments anyway."

Rimuru shook his head dismissively and said, "Then, do you know about Ryougi City?"

Upon hearing this, Aozaki Aoko and Liddell froze, while only Kuonji Alice nodded quietly and said, "Is it still a mainstream magus family?"

"Correct. To be precise, it's a demon-hunting family. As for magus lineages, there should only be the Fujou family, but I need accurate information on the Tohno and Ryougi families, especially regarding a child from the Ryougi family."

"Hey, don't you think your request is... a bit excessive?" Even Liddell couldn't listen to Rimuru's demands anymore, and even Aozaki Aoko asked in confusion: "Yeah, no matter how much influence the Kuonji family has, the impact of ordinary people on magi is absolutely limited. That means Alice would have to go and do these things herself for your sake."

"Why do you think Alice went to Fuyuki City in person? Wasn't it because she was afraid that ordinary people would be affected by mystery, causing inaccurate information? And now you're asking Alice to go to Ryougi City? That's the largest city in Japan outside of the capital!"

"Aoko, I didn't say I would agree." Kuonji Alice stopped Aoko's indignation with dissatisfaction, then turned her calm eyes toward Rimuru and said, "Helping you... is fine, but you have to tell me the reason."

As the last pure-blooded witch, Kuonji Alice had her own pride.

She could help Rimuru hunt down the culprit who assassinated him, and she could help Rimuru hold his ground against other prestigious families.

But honestly, Rimuru had never proactively asked her for these things. If it weren't for Liddell, she wouldn't even have known that Rimuru had emerged from his isolation and fully recovered the pride and ambition of the Tempest lineage.

No matter how indifferent her nature was, it would be impossible to say she wasn't annoyed, but this small bit of irritation seemed insignificant compared to their reunion and friendship.

Rimuru's proactive request was initially a little pleasing to Kuonji Alice, but for this request to be the same as the last one was just too much!

She was essentially the CEO of a major corporation; she had some capability, didn't she? Yet Rimuru kept asking her to do errands?!

Did she, Kuonji Alice—the Pure-Blooded Eris, the Last Bird, the Witch of Fairy Tales—have no face to save?!!

"Yeah, you wouldn't really treat Alice like a subordinate, would you?" Aoko speculated maliciously.

"Of course not." Facing Kuonji Alice's suddenly deep and dissatisfied gaze, Rimuru felt the pressure increase and smiled bitterly: "Actually, Alice, you've misunderstood my meaning."

"Whether it's Fuyuki City or Ryougi City, I don't need accurate information or to monitor every single move; I only need the nodes where major events and changes occur."

"Therefore, I don't mean for you to go and investigate yourselves, but rather just to have a large number of eyes and ears pay attention. I chose Alice simply because the Kuonji Group has vast branches and networks of informants across Japan."

"..." Kuonji Alice continued to stare at Rimuru, saying calmly: "Fuyuki City is the Holy Grail War."

"Yes."

"And Ryougi City?"

"The Mystic Eyes of Death Perception." Rimuru answered without any concealment or hesitation: "I won't hide it from you, Alice, Aoko, and Liddell."

"Mystic Eyes?" Kuonji Alice tilted her head, and a red light flashed through her right eye—it was her own Mystic Eyes, which possessed partial charm capabilities: "The power of Mystic Eyes isn't worth..."

"Rainbow-grade Mystic Eyes, Alice." With Rimuru's single sentence, the three of them were instantly silenced.

Rainbow-grade Mystic Eyes were second only to true magic, an existence that only gods could possess.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course..." Rimuru smiled. Revealing too much of the plot was a very foolish decision for a transmigrator, but Rimuru didn't care at all.

His sense of integration into this world had always been very low. In other words, he always felt like a player in a game, a mere bystander.

He knew very well that as long as he retained the memories of his past life, he would subconsciously interpret this world as an anime world and would never truly be able to integrate into it.

But he had another fragment of memory: the dozen or so years of life after his memories were sealed. These memories were what gave him a sense of connection when facing Liddell, Alice, and Aoko, and a feeling that this world was worth cherishing.

That was why he chose to trust these companions. Perhaps the fact that he was a transmigrator would remain buried in his heart forever, but as for other things, Rimuru felt there was no need to hide them, and even less need to be on guard—

Of course, accepting Liddell as his best friend didn't mean he had completely integrated into this world.

As the saying goes, this didn't stop him from still treating this world like a strategy game to be cleared, and after clearing it, finding a way back to his original world. At most... he had just elevated the status of Liddell, Alice, and the others, turning them into players he acknowledged.

As for everyone else or everything else—

They were all NPCs... or wild mobs.

Therefore, even the future Ryougi Shiki, in Rimuru's eyes, was nothing more than... an elite mob to strengthen himself.

"I am curious about the source of your information, Rimuru."

After a moment of hesitation, Liddell spoke up: "I had some doubts when you told me about the Holy Grail War and Akasha yesterday, but out of trust, I didn't want to ask. However, it's clear that..."

Mystic Eyes of the Rainbow Light level, and ones that would only appear in the future—this made it impossible for them to suppress their curiosity and inner anxiety.

But now, they were instead worried about whether Rimuru might be deceived or used by someone—

"In the past, I have often been able to see fragments and glimpses of the future." Rimuru looked at Aoko, which left the latter slightly stunned before she confirmed: "This is true; the Director has spoken to me about this matter."

As expected, Rimuru nodded as well. Given the level of familiarity between the Director and Aoko, how could she not have had Aoko observe his timeline? Looking at it this way, perhaps the reason the Director was so convinced that he was one of the variables of the future was because Aoko was unable to survey his timeline?

"The Director told me this ability is called Revelation." After receiving Aoko's confirmation, Rimuru continued: "Although my Revelation is somewhat different from the ones recorded in history, those scenes I see will indeed happen at certain times in the future—"

"So, are you certain that the events occurring in those scenes will be helpful to you?"

Kuonji Alice asked softly.

"Yes, at the very least, it allows me to set up contingencies and preparations." Rimuru chuckled: "You know me, Alice; I don't do things without being sure of the outcome."

"..."

Kuonji Alice watched Rimuru in silence, though it was impossible to tell what she was thinking.

Aozaki Aoko was puzzled for a long while before she finally realized: "You aren't thinking of seizing these Mystic Eyes, are you?"

Having said that, she looked at Rimuru with a complex expression: "...You really are... as despicable as ever."

"Hasn't it been like this since the moment you met me?" Facing Aozaki Aoko's disdain, Rimuru suddenly laughed in a relaxed manner. In the memory fragments, his kindness and Aoko's had always been in opposition; neither could convince the other.

But a difference in philosophy does not necessarily make one an enemy. At the very least, after the events of Mahoyo and the seven years that had passed since, no matter how much she tried to preserve her youthful identity and mindset, she had inevitably gained some measure of growth.

Especially since ninety-nine percent of the mages in this world were egoists; if she had maintained her mindset of helping everyone she saw, she would have worked herself to death long ago.

"Can the Mystic Eyes help you?" Hearing this, Kuonji Alice tilted her head, looking at Rimuru with a gaze seeking confirmation.

"Revelation tells me that they can."