"..."
"It was probably the same with the White Winged Duke. Although he wouldn't look down on you, he probably still thought..."
"What's the difference between negotiating with you and talking to a brick wall?"
"Something like that."
"..." At that, Altrouge narrowed her eyes dangerously and ground her teeth in resentment. "He thinks I'm no threat to him?!"
"Perhaps he just thinks you're not interested in competing with him over this. To you, influence isn't particularly important or worth cultivating, so he doesn't need to offer you any real leverage or sincerity, because... you haven't pushed him that far." Rimuru leaned close to her ear and chuckled. "But I think the breakdown in your negotiations is only temporary. You should show him what you're capable of."
"For example, start a fire in his backyard and give him a warning."
"You might only be doing it to blow off steam, but in our eyes, it's also a signal: if you really want to make a move on Austria, you'll have to pay a price—or face the wrath of another Dead Apostle king."
"Then you need to give him a reason, too. Why? Why risk having the Church and the Magic Association come after you together? Why do you care so much about this matter? What are your position and motives?"
Rimuru spoke softly, like a creepy uncle coaxing a little girl with candy, gently leading her toward the answer.
Altrouge soon gave him her answer. "Cornwall? My protection of Cornwall showed my resolve... my resolve to protect other Dead Apostles?"
"You're starting to care about influence, Your Highness." Rimuru nodded with a smile. "Once you demonstrate the necessary power and determination, you'll earn the right to join the game. A player may not want to play chess with an opponent who isn't invested, but they won't turn down a challenge from anyone who takes the game seriously."
"But how do you know he understood what you meant, rather than simply being angry and ordering tighter control over Austria?!" Altrouge shot back.
"Does it really make a difference?" Rimuru shook his head. "We've made our move. Now we'll see if he responds. If he really is acting out of anger, that just proves the White Winged Duke isn't all that impressive and will be easier to deal with. And if he really is what I think he is, then working with a cunning old fox would be good news for both sides."
"..." The anger had faded from Altrouge's face. She looked into Rimuru's eyes for a long moment, then gave a soft laugh. "Tsk."
"You've said all this just to convince me to negotiate with the White Winged Duke again—and maybe even work with him."
"But as you said, perhaps my principles only amount to choosing between what I want and what I don't."
"So now I'm telling you that I hate that man. What are you going to do?"
Rimuru simply shook his head. "There's nothing I can do about that. I can only do my best to make the best choices and take the best course of action."
"But, Your Highness, have you ever wondered what the White Winged Duke ultimately wants?"
"He's hostile toward the True Ancestors, yet he values the Dead Apostles. To me, that's nothing more than an act of resistance."
"Vampirekind is already an excellent species in its own right, yet even so, they still can't stand on equal footing with humanity. Even the Dead Apostle Ancestors, who would completely overwhelm the Magic Association and the Holy Church if they united, can't stand against fallen organizations like the Wandering Sea and Yggdmillennia?"
"The White Winged Duke willingly became a Dead Apostle to study magecraft. He was one of the three oldest beings who helped free the Dead Apostles by fighting against the True Ancestors. Yet even so, even though he did it to pursue magecraft, he can never again earn the world's recognition. Why?"
"Why can't Dead Apostles have an open, legitimate place in society and enjoy the right to live in the night?"
"His ambition is to establish a nation of Dead Apostles and give them shelter. But for you, too, it would be an advantageous choice in every way. After all, you're the de facto leader of the Dead Apostles and the heir of Brunestud. You're the one who'll inherit the kingdom."
"..." Altrouge watched Rimuru speak at length, then lowered her gaze and gave a cold smile.
He seemed calm, and his reasoning made sense. But for some reason,
a nameless anger still flared inside Altrouge. She knew exactly why she was angry, so—
"Bang!" She smashed the table beside her with one punch. As Rimuru's words abruptly cut off, she curled her lips into a dangerous smile and stared into his eyes. "I admit, what you said makes sense. Or rather... you're very good at stirring people's hearts."
"But from beginning to end, you've been planning all this from the standpoint of the Dead Apostles—of me."
"Shouldn't your allegiance be to humanity?"
"I'm just doing my job, given my position." Rimuru remained perfectly calm in the face of Altrouge's challenge.
"You think I'll believe that?!" Altrouge took a deep breath as she stared at Rimuru's placid face, no longer able to keep the chill from her voice. In an instant, mana surged and burst forth. With a bang, the Black Knight and the white beast appeared in the doorway, stunned to see Rimuru once again unleash a mana aura comparable to a True Ancestor's, clashing with the Princess of the Black.
"I don't mind if you're dissatisfied with me or want to escape my grasp. I, Altrouge, wouldn't mind even if my subordinates schemed against me or you used me. I might even be happy, because that would mean I'd helped you."
Altrouge narrowed her eyes, her voice growing more dangerous. "But you shouldn't treat me like some clueless idiot princess and try to fool me with the same tricks you'd use on a child."
"I admit you're right about everything. But as you said, I'm not interested in any of this."
"So, Rimuru—the human mage Rimuru Tempest—if you want me to keep helping you, or to use me to achieve your goals, then don't fool me or lie to me."
"I want to hear your real reasons. Otherwise—"
"Otherwise?"
"Otherwise... I'll kill you!" A flash of crimson gleamed in Altrouge's eyes as she snapped, "And then... then..."
"Bring me back to life?" Rimuru smiled. He suddenly rose onto his toes and ruffled Altrouge's hair. As she stared at him in bewilderment, he sighed and said softly, "You won't kill me, Altrouge."
"You care too much about feelings."
"You're called a princess, and you act like one, not a queen. Even when faced with the sister you despise, you can't bring yourself to hurt her. When the White Winged Duke insulted you, all you did was complain. When a former subordinate begged you, you answered their plea. Aside from the cruelty you need to survive, what comes through most often is the kindness you show without thinking. For example, at Einzbern Castle, you told me the Church was coming and urged me to retreat. Wasn't that because you didn't want the remaining Dead Apostles to die there?"
"Because my perception is... pretty vast, in my opinion. Vast enough that, if I wanted to, I could cover all of Germany."
"And the opposite is true of you: most of the hostility in your actions comes from liking someone or being interested in them."
"You hunted me down because you wanted to make me your subordinate. You egged me on to deal with Merem Solomon because you wanted to taste his blood."
"Even the reason you're angry isn't that I've been using you all this time. It's that, after you treated me sincerely, I've used you and tried to keep things from you—"
"But I think this is perfectly normal. You forced me to become your subordinate, and in return, I gained the right to use you and your forces to achieve my goals. That's a fair deal."
"Still, I didn't make this decision unilaterally because I wanted to keep things from you. I thought it would benefit you, too, and that you had no reason to refuse."
"I thought you'd figure that out."
"I could figure it out, of course." Altrouge ground her teeth in resentment. "After all, that classic story where both your right and left hands are powerful ministers, and one of you ends up usurping the throne with the White Winged Duke, is so common, isn't it?!"
"But, Rimuru... reality isn't a story. In the end, everything comes down to strength—"
"I know. That's why I'm so loyal to you, Your Highness."
"You asked about my true motives and reasons. It's simple. You said it yourself, didn't you? My true identity is Rimuru, a human mage, not the White Knight."
"So naturally, my ultimate goal is humanity's sake."
"Altrouge, I could come up with any number of reasons to serve you. For example, you're not good at managing your forces, so it's convenient for me to get involved. Or you're powerful enough to protect me while I do whatever I want."
"But the most important reason is that you aren't hostile toward humanity."
"So you don't need to worry that I'll usurp your throne, and you don't need to agonize over whether you hate the White Winged Duke. After all... the White Winged Duke and I could never truly work together. On the contrary, once the threats from the Magic Association and the Holy Church are gone, and the Kingdom of Dead Apostles is on track—"
"He and I will inevitably part ways. One of us will kill the other."
"I'll use you to get rid of the White Winged Duke, bring the Dead Apostles completely under my control, and erase the threat they pose to humanity."
"I want to save humanity. That's my goal, Your Highness." Rimuru lowered his head and whispered into her ear, "After all, the best way to defeat an enemy isn't to destroy them, but to dismantle them from the inside. Right?"
As a businessman, Rimuru understood all too well... forcing a rival company into a desperate fight to the death was nowhere near as comfortable as buying it out, right?
"Still, since you want us to be honest with each other, I'm willing to explain. After all, I want to make a pact with you, too."
"A... pact?" Altrouge blinked.
"Yes, a pact." Rimuru moved away from her ear and looked toward the dawn breaking outside. "I said I wouldn't usurp the throne because, in the end, I'll leave. I don't belong to the Dead Apostles, or even to humanity. So I want you to agree to this pact."
"After I'm gone, you must not harm humanity. You must do everything in your power to protect it—"
"You're certainly confident..." Altrouge arched an eyebrow. "You actually think you can turn an existence whose original purpose was to wipe out humanity into humanity's bodyguard—?"
"If I have that goal, then I'll do everything I can to achieve it, Your Highness."
"That's interesting... but what if humanity attacks us instead?" Altrouge asked with amusement. "Peace goes both ways, Rimuru."
"That'll depend on how the other me does, won't it?" Rimuru turned back to her and smiled softly.
At that moment, Altrouge fell silent.
Did leaving this world mean returning to the Reverse Side of the World?
She knew Rimuru was a Phantasmal Species, and that it was almost inevitable he would eventually leave human society.
This guy... What an utterly terrifying ambition. No, saving humanity couldn't be called ambition anymore. In human terms, had this guy taken on a mission worthy of a saint?!
It was ridiculous. There wasn't a trace of a saint in the way he acted.
But... Altrouge gave Rimuru a complicated look, then changed the subject. "Let's talk about it after you've done it. If you can, I'd be willing to make that kind of pact with you—"
The White Knight was responsible for dismantling the enemy, while the mage focused on developing his own side. The idea of controlling both the light and the dark sounded cool, but they both understood how difficult it would be.
"For a world you don't care about."
"It's for the people I care about."
PS: This chapter was originally supposed to be a conversation that took place after Rimuru disobeyed the Princess of the Black's orders and allied with the White Winged Duke. But since it seemed a lot of readers weren't very interested in the Dead Apostles as a faction, I changed the outline and the story's direction a little.
Well, this also explains why the protagonist is willing to become one of the Princess of the Black's subordinates. One reason is that he couldn't bear to keep hurting Liddell. The other is that the Princess of the Black gave Rimuru another glimpse of a way the world could be changed.
Rimuru is a self-interested person, but he isn't the kind of selfish person who would disregard even his family for his own sake. If he were, there'd be no need for him to set out on a journey to find his way home, right? I'll read all your comments, haha. But honestly, since this account isn't verified, I can't reply... It's really frustrating.
I still hope you'll be patient and keep reading, and be a little understanding of a rookie like me, QAQ. Also, this is a crossover novel—a crossover novel! By the way, which world would you like to see next? I need to write the outline in advance, haha.
Let's Open a Bank in That Country!!
The blood-soaked air hung heavy, and the suffocating atmosphere left the Black Knight and the white beast silently watching the two, unsure what to do.
Compared with Altrouge's permissive attitude, the Black Knight, Sturt, had mixed feelings about Rimuru. On one hand, he felt that Rimuru's personality made it impossible for him to live under someone else's thumb. Altrouge's lenience would only be raising a tiger to invite disaster. Besides, Rimuru was sharp-edged, and his habit of clashing with the Princess of the Black made Sturt feel that he had a tendency to rise above his station and show disrespect.
But no matter how much he disliked him, he had to admit that ever since Rimuru took the White Knight's place, the Princess of the Black—who had been uninterested in everything and acted without any aim—had gained a clearer sense of direction. Compared with the Princess of the Black, Rimuru's actions seemed to be guided by one goal after another.
For the white beast, however, it was the opposite. As a Phantasmal Species driven by curiosity and instinct, it felt close to Rimuru because of his aura. But Rimuru often reminded it of its former master, too. Its attitude toward him was all over the place—part admiration and affection, part wariness and dislike.
Of course... what the white beast hated most was that he'd given it a name without asking.
Fou? What the hell was that supposed to mean?!
After their argument, the two fell silent. Seeing they weren't going to fight, the Black Knight, Sturt, silently turned to leave and resume his watch. When the white beast saw him going, it hurried to follow and escape the scene—only to hear a certain jerk call "Fou!" At the same time, a pair of gentle hands scooped it up and placed it in his arms.
"Fou, have you gotten fat again?" Rimuru lifted it to eye level. Seeing its four legs kicking in protest, he chuckled. "But you're even more comfortable to hold now."
"Fou! I told you, that damn name isn't mine... And I'm a dog, not a cat... You can't pet me, Fou..."
It said that, but as Rimuru's practiced massage went on, its resistance quickly faded and its voice grew quieter. It settled comfortably in his arms. "If I could beat you... you'd already be dead, Fou..."
As the Primate Murder, Fou was rumored to be Gaia's monster. But in truth, when it came to fighting nonhumans, it wasn't particularly strong. Of course, that was only in comparison to the Dead Apostle Ancestors and top-tier mages. Ordinary beings still couldn't defeat a natural monster like Fou.
"You... you bastard." Altrouge glared sulkily at Rimuru, who was already playing with Fou like a cat. She suddenly felt helpless. She was stronger than him in every way, and he depended on her for all his support...
Yet even so, she still felt as if he had her completely under his thumb.
If he hadn't fought back so desperately when she'd taken an interest in him and made him her subordinate, she'd have wondered if their first meeting had been part of his plan all along...
"When are you going to Germany to meet the White Winged Duke?"
"Hm? No rush." At the Princess of the Black's question, Rimuru smiled gently as if nothing had happened, speaking as warmly as ever. "Let's wait a little longer. After all, as the de facto leader, you don't need to be too eager, Your Highness. Just wait quietly for him to make the first move."
"..." Altrouge opened her mouth without a sound, then angrily tossed her head and said coldly, "You can go by yourself when the time comes. I'd only be a spectator anyway—"
"That won't do. Having you there changes everything—" Seeing that she was still sulking, Rimuru stood and handed her the white beast after smoothing its fur. "Come on. Just think of it as giving the other Dead Apostles a place of refuge—"
"Doesn't it feel awkward for a human to say something like that?"
"Actually, if I wanted to become a Dead Apostle, it'd be easy." Rimuru casually opened his hand, and the residual vampire aura of Brad slowly emanated from him. He explained indifferently, "I can absorb any constitution and move in whatever direction I choose—"
"Then why do you care so much about being human?!"
"You still don't understand, do you, Your Highness?" Rimuru shook his head and smiled brightly.
"My position has never been shaped by my identity or my responsibilities. It's only ever been shaped by the people I care about and myself."
"...Suit yourself." Altrouge looked at the dog in her arms. When it climbed out of Rimuru's arms, opened its bleary little eyes, and instinctively started looking for him again, she suddenly didn't find it so adorable anymore... Maybe she should stew it.
With a bang, she dropped the bewildered Fou onto the floor, stood up, and walked to the door. Then she turned around and asked, "If I hadn't agreed from the start, would you have had a backup plan?"
"Of course not." Rimuru hurriedly shook his head.
The white beast on the floor gave Rimuru a light glance, then leaped onto his head.
"..." Altrouge raised an eyebrow and left for her room without comment. Once only Rimuru and the beast remained, the white beast slowly climbed onto his shoulder. "Fou... you're lying."
"No, I really don't have a backup plan." Rimuru smiled without admitting anything.
What he didn't say was that he truly didn't have a backup plan because he didn't need one. Given the Princess of the Black's pride and personality, she wouldn't back down even when facing a united attack from the Magic Association and the Holy Church. And by then... under pressure from all sides,
when the White Winged Duke came to them of his own accord, Rimuru might lose some leverage, but the final outcome wouldn't change. The scattered Dead Apostles were never going to be a match for the Church and the Magic Association.
But, well... it was probably better not to tell her that... right?
Rimuru watched her retreating figure and suddenly smiled.
Before you continue