Seeing this, Yuri Phis felt conflicted. After cursing Emiya Kiritsugu and the Lords who had deliberately sat back to watch the show, she could only nod in agreement, helplessly.
After this incident, unless Rimuru went out of his way to get himself killed, no Lord would dare target his personal safety again—at least, not for the time being. Otherwise, they'd be slapping the Three Great Nobles in the face!
Rimuru felt a good deal more at ease now that his safety was assured. This guarantee couldn't absolutely protect him within the Clock Tower, but at least until he threatened the standing of the other Lords, no one would risk being punished by the Three Great Nobles by going to any lengths to eliminate him just because he might become a problem.
As for becoming a Lord, Rimuru had no ambition to climb to that position anytime soon. The issue wasn't his strength; rather, Rimuru knew enough about this world to know that a mere Lord's seat wasn't worth his attention. The Twelve Lords could certainly offer him a lot of help, but as someone with the Achelotte Family backing him, he could put it bluntly:
If he was willing to live off someone else or marry into their family, he could become one of the Twelve Lords in no time!
So, after settling his safety concerns, he had two things to do: find out why Emiya Kiritsugu had tried to assassinate him, and keep a close eye on Fuyuki City. At the same time, he needed to thoroughly study his current abilities and establish a complete system for developing his strength...
The meeting had moved on to the next agenda item, but the discussion that followed clearly wasn't something he could continue taking part in. For the rest of the meeting, amid all the hubbub, Rimuru could only listen quietly and think.
Perhaps because the matter involving Rimuru had brought the meeting's tensions to a head ahead of schedule, the Lords became much more active in the discussions that followed. Usually, as soon as an issue was brought up, one or two Lords would offer a solution and settle it. At the same time, however, the arguments grew increasingly heated.
The fiercest disputes weren't over difficult miscellaneous matters or issues they could pass back and forth to avoid responsibility. They were about the distribution of funding for the coming year. The debate got so intense that even the old fox, who usually seemed not to care about anything, and the ever-gloomy Yuri Phis began to argue their cases fiercely—and even got into a shouting match.
Liddell, though supposedly an ally, didn't go easy on the head of the Gaiusling Family, who had once held her as a baby. She said Chimera's funding had gone far over budget last year, hurting the Department of Botany's share of certain magical ingredients.
Rimuru clicked his tongue at this, but it also made him fully understand the supreme rule of the Lords' meeting: talking about feelings only cost you money.
Still, compared to the most direct and tangible matters of money, materials, and student allocation, the meeting—which had lasted nearly three hours—very considerately left the Lords some time at the end to speak freely and work out their conflicts and potential collaborations.
This was when the Lords exchanged favors.
Most of them used soundproofing Magecraft when talking. Only a handful didn't bother encrypting their conversations. Ignoring Liddell's displeased expression, Rimuru pricked up his ears and listened for a while. He could more or less tell they were planning to travel together to some dangerous area to hunt for materials, but he couldn't make out the details. In any case, he wasn't particularly interested.
It was worth noting that Kayneth took the initiative to approach Rimuru and strike up a conversation.
The nobles' conversations usually revolved around the same few topics, but when professors spoke to one another, academic matters were added to the mix.
Rimuru didn't remember much about Kayneth, who was little more than a background character in the story. Still, he had to admit that in terms of etiquette and academic knowledge, Kayneth's offhand remarks were sometimes a little more rigorous and eloquent than the things Rimuru came up with after thinking them over for several seconds.
Besides, Rimuru hadn't been in this world for long. The fragments of memory in his mind meant his future as a professor wouldn't be difficult, but he always strove to do his best in everything. The pride that came from growing up in an elite family also made him subconsciously unwilling to mislead his students—
If he was going to be a teacher, even if only temporarily, then he would do his best to become the best teacher he could. This unconscious thought kept him talking with Kayneth a little longer than he'd intended. They could even be said to have gotten along famously.
But this led to a problem. Liddell had wanted to chat with Rimuru while they had the chance, but to her astonishment—
A super-duper beautiful girl like her had been left alone while the two of them ignored her?!!
How dare they?! Which one of us is the Lord here, you or me?!
After the meeting ended, Liddell walked out of the building with puffed-out cheeks, fuming. She didn't want to say a word to the blue-haired dumpling trailing behind her, who had belatedly realized his mistake and was trying his hardest to placate her.
In a bad mood, Liddell no longer felt like going back to the lecture hall. Since she'd already arranged for someone else to cover her afternoon class, she simply headed to the parking lot and got into the car—
Rimuru eagerly climbed into the passenger seat.
"??" Liddell blinked, half annoyed and half amused. "Don't you have to go to the Director's office later?"
"I think I should keep you company for now." Rimuru shrugged and turned to her, blinking. "Wouldn't want a certain young lady to get so mad she couldn't eat dinner."
"I'm not mad." Liddell tossed her ponytail with a haughty little flourish, then said awkwardly, "Get out."
"No!" Rimuru hurriedly shook his head. "The Director isn't as important as you."
"Tsk. You wouldn't have said that before."
Liddell turned around strangely and placed her hands on Rimuru's small shoulders. After studying his eyes for a moment, she suddenly said, "You've changed a lot, Rimuru..."
At that, Rimuru's heart skipped a beat. Had he been acting too differently?
"But maybe this is what you were always meant to be like." As they gazed at each other, a faint blush gradually crept across Liddell's face. She let go of Rimuru and leaned back, turning her head aside to hide it. "After all, the you I remember always had a talent for this sort of thing."
"You don't like it?" Rimuru asked, puzzled.
"No, I like it." Liddell stretched, showing off a hint of her alluring figure before leaning over the steering wheel. She turned her face away and mumbled, "I'm just happier that you've come out of the shadows."
"Don't worry. I'm not mad." She gave him a sweet smile. "I may dislike Yuri Phis and El-Melloi, but they really aren't our enemies."
"As aristocratic traditionalists, they can help you when you need it... At the very least, if you get along with Kayneth, you'll have a better chance of becoming a Lord, won't you?"
Rimuru was slightly taken aback. He opened his mouth to say something, but then felt a shove against his shoulder. Liddell had started trying to get rid of him again. "So hurry up and get out! The Director may not interfere with anything, but that's precisely why, when he gives an order, it's sure to be carried out!"
"I've been a Lord for ages, and I've only been summoned once. Don't let me make you miss something important!"
At that, Rimuru sighed and swallowed the words he'd been about to say, replacing them with, "Thank you..."
A little while later, after being kicked out of the car, Rimuru watched as it disappeared into the distance and gave a wry smile.
He truly had no interest in becoming a Lord. He'd spoken with Kayneth to learn some academic techniques. Their philosophies were very different, but setting aside Kayneth's aristocratic ideals, there was no doubt he was an outstanding scholar.
Of course, what troubled him most was...
"Beautiful girls really are hard to repay..." Rimuru shook his head helplessly and murmured, "Too bad I can't offer you a future..."
After saying that, he looked at his short arms and legs and suddenly burst out laughing.
Well, hopefully this is just my usual mistake. Maybe she only sees me as a friend and confidante.
Thirty-seven hours had passed since he'd arrived in this world, and this was the first time Rimuru had walked alone along the quiet street. It was fairly empty at the moment, with barely any students in sight, and he enjoyed the peaceful stroll.
"So, where exactly is the Director's office?!"
At last, the little dumpling discovered the fatal flaw of this body.
A terrible sense of direction...
He searched through all the memories in his mind but couldn't find a single thing about the roads or a map. He even knew the name and room number of the hotel where he'd first stayed, but he had no idea where it was...
Not a clue!!
With no other choice, he prayed to the Great Sage again. "I hope the Lords who just left the meeting won't mind if I do another large-scale scan..."
Magic Perception!
In an instant, an invisible wave spread out from Rimuru. Hidden barriers and students and lecturers of every kind became clearly visible to his senses. Under the Great Sage's careful simulation, buildings gradually appeared on the inside of Rimuru's retina.
It worked! A 3D map projected onto his retina!
Rimuru focused his mind and added a main quest beside the map: Find the Director!
Then he had the Great Sage provide him with directions!
One arrow after another appeared on his retina. Rimuru nodded in satisfaction.
Now that was the right way to do it! Perfect. Once I get back, I'll set up a system notification voice, and then I'll have a system too!
Sigh, the joys of being a transmigrator were often this simple and unpretentious.
After successfully fooling himself and playing around with his customized system for a while, Rimuru didn't forget why he was there. Following the Great Sage's directions, he successfully found the legendary Director's office.
It was in the deepest part of the large lecture hall in the academic district managed by the Director, where materials under Sealing Designation were stored. Along the way, the walls of the corridor were lined with accounts of the accomplishments of various Lords and lecturers, as well as a few display cases.
The door opened automatically as he approached, but the Director's office itself wasn't very large. It was even smaller than Liddell's lounge.
Two green curtains covered the room's only window, leaving just a narrow gap for a ray of sunlight to stream through. Beneath it, a living orchid lazily swayed its roots, and Rimuru stared at it curiously for quite some time.
Beside the window, a red wooden office chair with golden trim sat empty behind the desk, taking up nearly a third of the entire room.
It was called a desk, but apart from a Magecraft printer and a few scattered quill pens, it was covered with all sorts of rare materials and exhibits. In addition to the door and window, the cabinets along the other two walls were almost entirely filled with specimens preserved in formaldehyde: severed hands and feet, as well as bizarre Phantasmal Species.
All in all, it felt far more like a laboratory than an office.
The remaining floor space was covered by a carpet. Two luxurious sofas with red cushions shimmered with dark golden light, and a small table between them held a cup of coffee that had gone cold.
"I thought you'd come a little sooner."
The Director's voice was very deep, yet somehow strangely hollow. It made Rimuru think of the rumors he'd heard: based on what he'd seen so far, the Director really did fit the description of a ghost—or perhaps an Evil Spirit.
He seemed somewhat thin and stooped, but overall, he appeared to be in fairly good spirits. His face was impossible to make out in the deep shadows. Like the familiars wreathed in black mist at the meeting, his entire body was shrouded in darkness.
"Sorry for the trouble."
Suppressing his curiosity and the urge to stare, which would have been somewhat rude, Rimuru lowered his eyes and sat across from the Director. He said awkwardly, "I got lost on the way..."
According to rumor, the Clock Tower's Director was an old monster who had lived for thousands of years. He hadn't appeared in person for nearly a millennium. Apart from maintaining the operation of Spirit Tomb Albion, he only occasionally summoned the Lords to offer them a bit of advice.
Some people guessed that the Director was a ghost, while others believed he was a Magician who had mastered the First Magic. But the moment Rimuru stepped into the office, he felt a chill run down his spine and a tremendous sense of oppression!
It was an oppression that came from his very blood—a force that demanded unquestioning submission, awe, and fear...
"Do I have some kind of blood relation to the Director?"
For an instant, Rimuru was stunned, but he quickly calmed down and thought it through. "Obviously, I don't."
Then where was this feeling coming from?
Rimuru turned to look at the specimens on the wall and suddenly understood. His life form wasn't actually human. He was a monster among the Phantasmal Species—a Slime!
If... if this pressure wasn't left behind by some specimen, then Rimuru could be almost certain that the mysterious Director before him had some kind of Phantasmal Species bloodline.
And a high-ranking one at that!
"Now that I think about it, it's not surprising."
Rimuru thoughtfully glanced at the floor and mused, "Spirit Tomb Albion is connected to the Reverse Side of the World, which has already been fully relocated—the world of Phantasmal Species and fairies... So it makes sense that the Director, as the pinnacle of Magecraft practitioners, would serve as a gatekeeper and stand at the boundary between the two."
That raised the question...
Thinking of this, Rimuru was puzzled all over again. He'd assumed the Director had summoned him simply to conduct a routine inquiry about his attempted assassination. But considering the Director's position, and the fact that he had appeared in person fewer than a dozen times in a thousand years...
Maybe Rimuru had oversimplified things?
And if the Director really was connected to the Phantasmal Species... while he himself just happened to be a Slime...
"So, why did the Director summon me?"
Rimuru drew in a sharp breath, suddenly feeling nervous.
Chapter 014: All of Lordaeron is Cheering...
That night, Rimuru sat dazed on the balcony of his room, gazing up at the stars while continuously kneading a blue ball.
He'd been in a daze all afternoon. He didn't even know how he'd gotten out of the Director's office—or how he'd made it home... Oh, actually, he did know that part.
Liddell had thoughtfully driven over to pick him up around five that afternoon.
On the way home, Rimuru had asked Liddell a very personal question: what had happened when the Director summoned her?
Liddell had inherited the title of Witch of Coal and the family crest three years ago. Before then, she'd lived with her father, and as a child, she'd been childhood friends with Kuonji and Rimuru.
Liddell, who should have died in the eighties, had survived and inherited the title of Witch of Coal and the crest. Under the tutelage of the first Achelotte, she'd inherited the position of Lord after just four years, without encountering any real obstacles.
Faced with this somewhat personal question, Liddell thought for a moment without hesitation. "If you're asking me now, I honestly can't quite remember. But I vaguely recall that the Director was pretty nice to me. I was still really nervous, though, haha!"
"Maybe it was about maintaining balance," Liddell continued after turning a corner. "There aren't many young Lords. Most Lords can keep going indefinitely, unless they reach the end of their lifespan. Their energy doesn't diminish with age, thanks to the conversion of their magical energy."
"As a result, they can keep serving forever and ever. Like my teacher, for instance."
Rimuru nodded slightly. Liddell's teacher was the first Witch of Coal, who had led the Achelotte Family to prominence during the Industrial Revolution. Yet even as an elderly woman from several centuries ago, she had held on to the Department of Botany and the position of Lord until Liddell took over. She'd never once been replaced.
Several hundred years!
Each Lord held power for hundreds of years. By Rimuru's standards, that was an unimaginably long time.
"So the Director wants you to bring down the average age of the Lords?"
"I'm not sure. But not every Lord can keep up with the times like Lord Inorai, who's hundreds of years old and still interested in modern technology, right? Anyway, I think that must be part of the reason—"
She paused, then added, "There was another reason he told me about directly."
"The Director wants me to ease the century-old feud between the Achelotte and Yuri Phis families."
"Uh..." Rimuru was speechless. "But why do I feel like your feud with Yuri Phis has only gotten worse?"
"Hmph. It's normal for young people to disagree with old fossils." Liddell wrinkled her nose haughtily and huffed. "Besides, that old fossil's personality makes him so hard to like."
"Speaking of that, why did you suddenly ask? Did the Director say something to you today?"
"Not really." Rimuru looked away from Liddell's gaze and out the window. "The Director was really nice to me today. I just have a feeling he did something unnecessary..."
"Something unnecessary?"
"Yeah. Like... telling you to help me out more or something."
"Huh? Pfft, you're imagining things. The Director did mention you back then, but I can confirm that he definitely didn't tell me to look after you or anything."
"Yeah, I guess I was being conceited."
Before you continue