Traveler Starting from Type-Moon, Demon Lord Rimuru! Chapter 50

In the distant Far East.

"Due to an armed disturbance caused by terrorists in the Cornwall region, the area has been completely blockaded by the government. Her Majesty has already issued a statement declaring that she will not yield to any extremists..."

"Click."

Tohsaka Tokiomi turned off the news on the television. He reached out to grab two newspapers, casually tossing aside the one featuring the armed disturbance, before turning his attention to the other—a newspaper from the Reverse Side of the World—and the letter tucked inside it.

He sighed softly, took a sip of the now-lukewarm coffee on the table, and after a quick, dismissive glance at the trivial matters on the back, he focused on the front page. The headlines and sub-sections detailed the Dead Apostle riots in Cornwall, the results of the Grand Resolution, and the fact that The Church had, for the first time in a century, appeared in the headlines as a collaborator.

"Looking at you, it's something from the Mage's Association, isn't it?"

A gentle voice drifted from behind him, and a pair of slender, warm hands rested softly on his shoulders, beginning to knead away his tension.

"Is Rin asleep?" Feeling that softness, Tohsaka Tokiomi set down the newspaper, placed one hand over the hands on his shoulders, and turned his head, a trace of tenderness finally flashing across his weary face.

"Yes. Aren't you going to look at it?" His wife gently picked up the letter he had tossed on the table. The gold-rimmed envelope and the complex, mysterious seal all highlighted that this letter came from a powerful figure, or rather, a large-scale organization.

"A letter from the Mage's Association. At a time like this, it can only be a summons for magi, right?" Hearing this, Tohsaka Tokiomi gave a helpless, wry smile. "The Dead Apostles in Europe seem to be gaining momentum. Strictly speaking, for the Far East that I manage... it could almost be considered half a piece of good news."

"Then what about you? Are you not going to the battlefield?"

"...I should have gone." At these words, Tohsaka Tokiomi froze for a moment, then shook his head gently. "Both as the head of the Tohsaka Family and as an administrator for the Mage's Association."

"But..." Tohsaka Tokiomi hesitated, looking at his wife's slightly rounded belly, and fell silent for a moment. "I will write a letter back to the Mage's Association, telling them that as the administrator of the Far East, I cannot leave here at will. However, I will provide partial financial aid, temporarily offering eighty percent of the Tohsaka Family's patent royalties to the Mage's Association. In this way, I can still uphold the honor of the family."

"If you need to go, then please do not worry about me." Hearing this, Aoi sat down beside Tokiomi and shook her head gently. "I understand the mission of a magus, so... as your wife, the only thing I can do is support you."

"...Aoi, go get some rest." Tohsaka Tokiomi smiled and picked up the envelope. "I'm not staying behind just for you. For some reason, I've been feeling uneasy lately. I have a feeling that... something is going to happen in Fuyuki City."

Just then, a ruby ring on Tohsaka Tokiomi's finger flashed slightly; someone had triggered the Tohsaka Family's magical alarm!

Seeing this, he snatched up his staff, gracefully shielding Aoi behind him like a fencer, only to see a blue robin outside the window, carrying a magnificent envelope and arriving fashionably late...

He recognized that familiar... it was the familiar of the "Witch" Eris, a companion of Aozaki Aoko, another city's administrator who had visited him a few months ago.

While this made Tohsaka Tokiomi breathe a sigh of relief, a wave of questions immediately swirled in his heart—the blue robin flew in from outside the window, handed the envelope to Tohsaka Tokiomi, and didn't forget to perform an elegant knight's salute before turning to leave.

"Wait a moment."

"Caw?"

"...May I ask, did Lady Eris not have you bring any message?"

"Caw? No, only that my master will visit Fuyuki City again soon. However, due to special circumstances, she may not be able to visit the Tohsaka Family in time, so she sends this letter as a formal notification..."

"Do you know... what the matter is?" Hearing this, Tohsaka Tokiomi looked at the envelope in his hand, his inner anxiety intensifying. This was not a private letter; like the one from the Mage's Association, it was filled with formal gold trim. Not only was it stamped with the magical seal of the Kuonji Family, but in addition to Eris's wax seal, there were two others: the emblem of the Mage's Association and a family crest he did not recognize!!

"It is all in the letter." Hearing Tohsaka Tokiomi's question, the robin shook its head hurriedly. "I am only responsible for delivering the mail. As for what the matter is, please read the letter yourself, my lord."

"...Very well." Seeing this, Tohsaka Tokiomi could not press further, so he bowed slightly. "Then, please convey my regards to Lady Eris."

"I will. Farewell, caw!"

The blue robin returned the way it came, while Tohsaka Tokiomi fell into deep thought while looking at the envelope in his hand. Seeing her husband in such a state, Tohsaka Aoi silently refrained from asking questions or disturbing him, instead turning and walking up the stairs, leaving him space to think alone.

For her, having been born into a family of magi, she understood very well everything Tohsaka Tokiomi bore and his hidden difficulties. Thus, understanding and loving him deeply, she knew the only thing she could do was to support him and not interfere.

Tohsaka Tokiomi sat back down. Since Lady Eris had addressed the letter to him by name, it seemed he could not refuse it no matter how much he hesitated. It would be better to see the contents before considering a countermeasure.

Calling Kuonji Alice "Eris" was not a unique affectation; it was a habit of the entire magical world to use the Western pronunciation when referring to this witch, as a sign of respect. The Japanese reading of Eris would be Alice.

However, Kuonji Alice herself detested this title, and would even show severe dissatisfaction when Rimuru called her Eris with a Western accent. Over the years, it had become an unspoken rule that those close to her called her Alice, while those maintaining respectful distance called her Eris.

As for the surname Kuonji, due to recent years of friction with the Kuonji Group, it seemed only the subordinates in the mundane world still referred to their young mistress by that name.

Ten minutes later, Tohsaka Tokiomi, having finished reading the entire letter, rubbed his forehead in exhaustion—the contents were limited, merely expressing apologies for being unable to visit in person while once again entering his jurisdiction without prior notice.

Even the reason for the visit was vague, stating only that it concerned the Matou Family, without fully explaining why.

But he could not refuse, because... inside, in addition to the opening apology and explanation, there was a document certified by the Mage's Association granting mandatory investigative authority. This meant that regardless of the reason for the other party's actions, they had at least obtained the approval of the Mage's Association in terms of procedure.

As a member of the Mage's Association, Tohsaka Tokiomi seemingly had no reason to refuse.

Furthermore, the contents of the letter resolved one of the questions in his heart: who the mysterious seal on the envelope belonged to.

"The Tempest Family... the Witch of Fairy Tales and... the Fairy Tale Lord?"

Tohsaka Tokiomi leaned back on the sofa, looking at the coffee in front of him, and pondered... This matter seemed to involve the Matou Family. Should he... notify them?

Just as everyone across the vast map of the world began to take action, Rimuru was comfortably opening his mouth, biting into a bright red grape handed to him by Liddell. He lay on a comfortable hospital bed, looking at the scenery sweeping past the window, feeling a bit sentimental.

As expected of Liddell, the wealthy woman who made her fortune in coal. Since the teleportation technology—the Spiritron Transfer facility—had not yet been completed, and given that London was not far from Cornwall, when Liddell learned that Kayneth intended to use high-speed transport to send Rimuru back to the country, she didn't hesitate to make a phone call, immediately designating the matter as the highest priority administrative directive for the military. With over a dozen fighter jets and specialized transport planes mobilized, even Kayneth couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in astonishment.

"The Achelotte Family really has their hands in the British military, doesn't it?!"

"Not 'hands in,' just a bit of a friendship." Hearing this, Liddell picked up another grape and stuffed it into Rimuru's mouth, raising an eyebrow. "The Achelotte Family probably covers about a third of the annual military budget. Roughly."

"By the way, why can't I go with you?" She puffed out her cheeks. Since the first kiss with Rimuru was forcefully interrupted by Eler, although the two hadn't done anything else out of line, it was clear that the "paper window" between them had been poked through. Liddell had increasingly begun to think of herself as Rimuru's lover, often doing things that were quite coquettish.

"...Well." Rimuru looked at the scenery outside the plane, speechless, and sighed. "You have to help me cover for things at the Clock Tower. After all, although I can leave behind a part of my body to prevent detection spells, it's still just a fake me."

"I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about the pest-extermination operation to clean up the mess afterward."

The two didn't care about Kayneth sitting nearby. After all, given their relationship, even if they cast a sound-insulation barrier, it wouldn't arouse Kayneth's suspicion. Although Kayneth felt that doing such things in such a state of physical collapse was unlikely, he didn't say anything out of respect.

"Uh... about that..." Rimuru blinked, unable to come up with a reason for a moment. "Didn't I think you'd be too busy on the battlefield to spare any time?"

Because he needed the permission and credentials of the Mage's Association, and although Rimuru could have submitted the materials and had them approved in a flash himself, the Department of Law's processing speed during wartime clearly didn't satisfy him. So, he had directly asked Liddell for a special favor. But since he had used that privilege, it naturally couldn't be hidden from Liddell, who was handling the paperwork... though he hadn't intended to hide it, he also hadn't expected...

"Hmm?" Liddell narrowed her eyes suspiciously, her delicate face leaning in close to Rimuru's, and she asked skeptically, "Are you sure you didn't do this just to spend time alone with Aoko Aozaki's acquaintance?"

"...I'm going there for official business, okay?" Rimuru said, caught between laughter and tears. "Why are you always so sensitive about her? Just because she and I have been fighting since we were kids..."

"Uh... fine." Liddell glanced around with dissatisfaction, then suddenly paused, realizing this seemed to be a... good opportunity?

Thinking of this, she suddenly stared at Rimuru's small face, meeting his golden eyes earnestly...

"Gulp... what are you... doing?" Rimuru looked at Liddell as she slowly leaned in, and seeing her face turn bright red in an instant, he suddenly realized something and asked blankly, "Do I need to... close my eyes?"

"Pfft!" Liddell burst into laughter at Rimuru's flustered appearance, then said fiercely, "Then hurry up and close them!"

Chapter 069, The First Secret Plot with Lord Kayneth (5000 words)

Upon hearing this, Rimuru actually blinked and obediently closed his eyes. While this made Liddell breathe a slight sigh of relief, the shyness in her heart and the heat on her face also faded just a little. She slowly leaned down, as if she could feel the faint warmth of Rimuru's breath.

Liddell slowly closed her own eyes, and the next moment, BOOM!

The entire plane shook violently. Liddell jerked her body up to look toward the next cabin, her anger erupting, when she felt a small hand brush against her face, gently turning her head back—

Mmph!!

A soft, warm sensation suddenly pressed against her. Liddell opened her eyes wide to see Rimuru, who was wearing a smile as he forcefully pressed his lips to hers. The latter pulled away from her lips as lightly as a dragonfly skimming the water, not forgetting to tap his nose against hers, and whispered, "I've been looking forward to this for a long time; how could I give up halfway?"

"You... you..." Liddell's face was flushed red. She stared blankly into Rimuru's eyes, then suddenly grabbed his head in dissatisfaction and said fiercely, "I should have been the one to make the move!!"

"Then you do it this time?" Rimuru tilted his head and licked his lips. "Your lipstick... tastes pretty good today."

Rimuru blinked, signaling that he wanted to go for another round, which made Liddell's face turn even redder! After she stammered and turned her head away awkwardly...

BOOM, the plane shook again, and the cabin door next to them began to hum as if being torn apart by a great force—this made Rimuru sigh. In such an environment, the shy Liddell clearly couldn't return to her previous state of mind.

Just then, with a bang, the cabin door finally shattered. A pitch-black shadow crawled out from the gap in an instant, and a silver blade slashed toward the two of them with a swish. A flash of annoyance at being interrupted while feeling shy crossed Liddell's eyes, and just as she was about to strike, Rimuru gently pulled her into his arms, stopping her while whispering, "Do you really have to make an entrance like that?"

The incoming blade stopped dead just one centimeter from Rimuru's neck. At this moment, Liddell finally saw the true face of the attacker: it was an exquisitely crafted automaton with eight bladed legs, resembling a spider—its entire body was covered in dense magic circuits, and the intricate reinforcement spells left Liddell with no doubt that this was a top-tier killing machine.

"Your perception is as terrifying as ever." At these words, a somewhat sinister head emerged from beneath the automaton. As it slowly assembled, it became increasingly rounded, eventually revealing itself to be the head of Aozaki Touko. "It's been seven years, Rimuru."

"So? Are you here to take revenge for falling into my hands seven years ago?" Rimuru narrowed his eyes. Liddell, her earlobes bright red, struggled out of his arms, walked to the half-shattered cabin door, and pressed a few buttons with a cold face. The door opened immediately, and Kayneth walked in with a dark expression.

"You didn't stop an automaton?!" Liddell was clearly somewhat dissatisfied.

"That is no ordinary automaton, Achelotte." Kayneth's expression wasn't great either, but he explained, "Besides, it damaged the plane's cabin. My Mystic Code needs to patch the hole."

He stepped aside, revealing the part of the plane repaired by Volumen Hydrargyrum... Since it was a military transport plane, the cabin was connected to the cockpit, except for the area where Rimuru was staying. In other words, if he left the damage unattended, the suction caused by the air pressure would be enough to pull the pilot out!

Kayneth might be a genius, but he didn't know how to fly a plane!

"Looks like I ruined your fun?" Seeing Rimuru, who remained unmoved and showed no fear of her attack, Aozaki Touko retracted her blades with a bored expression and slowly crawled to the side, sneering, "That looks pretty good... Let me say it again, I fell into the hands of that damn Witch, not into yours or my idiot sister's."

"We don't have time to listen to you reminisce, so why are you really here?" Liddell asked irritably from the side.

"I recall that Aozaki Touko should be on the battlefield right now... right?" Kayneth also added in an unfriendly tone, which left Rimuru somewhat stunned.

The two of them, who never got along, had actually reached a consensus at this very moment... Aozaki Touko, just how bad is your personality?

"Tch, since I've appeared here, it obviously means that body of mine was heroically sacrificed." Aozaki Touko replied without any surprise, then added, "Though that guy definitely didn't have an easy time of it either."

"Then couldn't you have waited for us in London?" Liddell interrupted impatiently. She was already getting a headache thinking about how to explain this to the military; money was a minor issue, but the real problem was covering up the mystery and explaining why the plane ended up like this.

"I can't set foot in London anymore, Head of the Achelotte family." Aozaki Touko shook her head. "The Champion Resolution has ended. Until the Sealing Designation is lifted, me stepping into London would just be asking for trouble."

"Alright, I won't waste any more words. Rimuru, I heard you were attacked by one of the Twenty-Seven Dead Apostle Ancestors, Primate Murder?" Aozaki Touko looked at Rimuru lying on the hospital bed and his weak appearance, then smiled gently. "I once understood a part of that opponent's abilities. It can induce the concept of death in a body that possesses the concept of a primate..."

"In other words, it kills the body's functions. The moment you are attacked by it, your body is already 'dead', Rimuru. No matter how high your magical energy is, it's nothing more than delaying the time of death."

"So?" Rimuru asked calmly upon hearing this.

"A dead body cannot be healed, not even at the Clock Tower, but I can provide you with a brand-new body..."

"It's a real shame you aren't a salesman." Rimuru chuckled. "Everyone knows how expensive Aozaki Touko's puppets are, not to mention we've had our grievances in the past?"

"The price is simple, Rimuru." To everyone's surprise, Aozaki Touko slowly shook her head. "If it weren't for the fact that the Mage's Association's usual style makes me distrust them, I could even give it to you for free."

"Oh? The style of the Mage's Association?" Rimuru suddenly laughed. "Let me guess, you didn't complete the mission of scouting for intelligence, so they don't intend to lift your seal?"

"At the very least, I scouted out the existence of the Twenty-Seven Dead Apostle Ancestors' Puppeteer for them, and even helped them solve that trouble, didn't I?" Aozaki Touko's puppet narrowed its eyes in dissatisfaction. "Those old fogies' reply was that they would open a relevant council application for me after the war, but the subtext was clearly that if it doesn't pass..."

"Even so, you should know that for someone like you, the Mage's Association's Sealing Designation is merely a name." Rimuru shook his head. "If you're expecting me to help you push the council to pass it, I think you've really overestimated me."

"Is that so? Judging by the scene I saw when I just walked in," Aozaki Touko looked at Liddell, implying something, "clearly, that's not the case."

These words caused Liddell's cold face to flush with warmth once again.

"Admittedly, most of the Sealing Designation Enforcers have chosen to turn a blind eye to my Sealing Designation, and I don't mind the title itself, but it clearly brings me a lot of trouble. For example, the restriction of not being able to enter the Clock Tower or even set foot in London. At our level, Rimuru, you should know how precious the knowledge we need is, and if I have to rely on stealing it every time, it's just too much of a headache for me."

"Heh, you really dare to say that, Aozaki Touko." Kayneth narrowed his eyes and said sarcastically, "Based on your act of stealing knowledge alone, you could be sentenced to a Sealing Designation all over again."

"Uh?" Aozaki Touko paused for a moment, then looked at Rimuru in surprise. "I thought he was your person?"

"I wish he were." Rimuru raised an eyebrow. "Clearly, you already have a firm opponent."

"Out of cooperation and friendship with Professor Rimuru, I will not use your long-standing habit of stealing knowledge from the Clock Tower as a reason to attack you." Kayneth said flatly. "But out of my own position, I'm afraid I cannot."

"What a headache." Aozaki Touko glanced out the window, seemingly realizing they were almost at their destination. She stopped caring about these things and said, "Let's not worry about that for now. Rimuru, are you sure you really don't need my help?"

"You don't need to worry about me installing any backdoors in your puppet. The reason I'm selling it to you, aside from the Sealing Designation, is mostly because I don't want you to die just like that." Aozaki Touko revealed a mischievous, wicked smile: "After all, if you, the 'Blue' of the Blue Twins, were to disappear, wouldn't my foolish, idiot sister become the only Blue left?"

Her implication was that she loathed her own incomplete, flawed "Red" color, and thus did not want Aozaki Aoko's title to become complete and surpass her.

But Rimuru heard the complex emotions in her voice when she mentioned her sister—a sentiment tinged with dissatisfaction, yet also carrying a hint of expectation.

In reality, Rimuru suddenly felt that the reason Aozaki Touko had gone to the trouble of chasing down a military transport plane to save him wasn't so much because of the title, but rather a simple repayment for the care he and Aoko Aozaki's acquaintance had shown Aozaki Aoko over those few years.

Or perhaps, it was help provided to the Aozaki Family.

"Tsk, what a complicated pair of sisters..."

"What?"

"Nothing." Thinking this, Rimuru stopped dwelling on it and spoke frankly: "However, the truth is, I didn't refuse your puppet because I don't trust you, but because I truly have no use for it... Well, I am a hybrid of a human and a Phantasmal Species. Although I hate to admit it, the bloodline of the Phantasmal Species within me is indeed increasing in proportion as I grow."

"In other words, while the attack from the Primate Murder left me severely injured, it couldn't take my life. Although a heavily wounded body will drag me down for a while, I imagine that no matter how refined a puppet is, it couldn't compare to a body like mine, which possesses such vast magic power and Magic Circuits, right?"

"A Phantasmal Species, huh?" Upon hearing this, Aozaki Touko thought of her friend, the Golden Wolf Beowulf, and immediately understood: "I see. Was I just being overly sentimental?"

Seeing this, Aozaki Touko knew the matter was settled. Her eight blade-like limbs quickly moved toward the Volumen Hydrargyrum as she self-deprecatingly remarked: "If it's a Phantasmal Species, my puppets indeed cannot compare at the moment. Since that's the case, there's no need to say anything more. But if you ever need a puppet, please remember to come find me at Garan no Do. Just don't forget to bring plenty of money; as you said, my puppets are worth a fortune."

"Of course. Regardless, I am very grateful for your concern." Rimuru chuckled lightly: "As a reward, I will do my best to help you get your Sealing Designation lifted..."

"Tsk, that's not a very wise business deal." Aozaki Touko looked back and chuckled as well, clearly not believing him; she took it as mere polite talk from Rimuru.

A so-called Sealing Designation is like an official warrant; to have it revoked requires far more than what money can measure. If one were to truly push for it, it would involve countless complex favors and interpersonal relationships.

For Aozaki Touko, even if this warrant posed no threat to her life, as she had said, the mere existence of it caused many inconveniences. She could not appear in public, could not step into restricted areas like the Clock Tower, could not rely on legal means to acquire the knowledge or materials she wanted, and even... many of her business dealings were unstable because she lacked legal channels.

She didn't care, but if she could remove this trouble, it would be a decent choice.

Rimuru shook his head without explaining. He simply watched as Aozaki Touko leaped from the plane through the passage opened by Kayneth's Volumen Hydrargyrum, disappearing behind the clouds like a discarded puppet, before turning to Kayneth and asking softly: "Lord Kayneth, you wouldn't actually oppose it, would you?"

"I don't even have the interest to participate in such meetings." Hearing this, Kayneth cast a faint, sidelong glance out the window and laughed dismissively: "Things like Sealing Designations—aside from that time with Emiya Kiritsugu where you were forced to attend—are things most Lords are usually too lazy to bother with."

"Indeed." Hearing this, Liddell nodded gently, sat back down at the head of Rimuru's bed, and picked up a grape: "Because Aozaki Touko's teacher and the Department of Law's Barthomeloi almost hold the power of decision in such matters. Unless a majority of the Lords oppose it, the outcome generally won't change."