Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken Chapter 31

Emergency Meeting

Now, after the moron had left, this is what we did.

Just in time.

From the Hobgoblins: Rigurdo, Rigur, Rugurdo, Regurdo, Rogurdo, and Ririna.

Benimaru, Hakurou, Shion, and Souei representing the Oni.

All together, 12 “people”. The current core members. Kaijin also speaking on behalf the Construction and Manufacturing departments.

Department of Governance has Rigurdo at the top, and three chiefs making up the judicial, legislative, and executive branches.

But that’s a problem for the future.

Department of Intelligence by Souei.
Department of Defense by Rigur.

At present, we have only six departments active in our city.

Currently, everyone is living with little worry about food.

If I think about it, Rigur is handling things well. He’s one of those unsung heroes, isn’t he.

So it’s an appointment in name only. It was something that I had to do.

With short harvest cycles, and high nutritional value, it will improve our food supply.

The construction and manufacturing departments are completely left to Kaijin.

Seems like Kaijin has been completely separated from his field of expertise. However, he had entrusted it all to Kurobee.

He probably wants to come back soon.

For now, let’s wait and see.

He’s strange.

He can make clones appear from any direction.

And even if I say their abilities decrease, that’s only about their vigor (HP) and magical energy (MP)–it becomes 1/10th of original. Their movement abilities and attack power are completely unchanged.

Actually, all the Oni are strange.

Shuna had specialized in my Analysis Ability, and awakened to the unique skill [Analytic].

Kurobee had awakened to the unique skill [Researcher]. This skill also bears great semblance to my own.

Hakurou has had his perception ability accelerated by a a thousand times. So I basically can’t see him losing in a battle.

Moreover, she also awakened to a special skill [Battle Craze] that she should absolutely never use.

I think I’ll need to come up with some countermeasures.
Anyhow, they seem to have inherited my skills and completed their evolution.

Now then, let’s start the conference.

「First, let’s hear the report.」

Upon my order, Souei began conveying the state of affairs.

He sent out six clones to gather intel

1. Goblin Villages

3. State of the Orc army

He seems to have sent two clones to each location.

First, the Goblin villages have decided to join the Lizardmen’s raid leader Gabil as his warriors.

To have decided to serve that moron, what weird tastes they have. Those that decided against joining him, have ran away in various direction.

As long as goblins establish their communities in the forest, the humans would stay away, but if you invade their territory, they would surely bare their fangs.

When they do, the goblins could only continue living in hiding. Their future looks grim.

Somehow, the goblins he had gathered numbered 7,000 warriors.

As we had gathered, they once appealed to the orcs, but were rejected. At least they can use their head a bit.

But we won’t be doing anything about that.

And besides, we are not an NPO.

If we allow the orcs to invade this far, the forest ecosystem would probably collapse>
Which is why we must stop them at the marshes.

Now about the marshes.

Living off the lake’s fish, they have an abundance of food.

But are the orcs an enemy that they should so fear?

So let’s hear about the orcs.
The orc army, numbering 200,000.

「Huh? 200,000?!!!」

I thoughtlessly let out my voice.
The orcs who attacked the ogres numbered only ten thousand…

「So the ones who attacked our village was but a single division?」
「Right. After investigating, that much became clear. Their army consists of 200,000 warriors! Coming from the south, they took a relatively wide route and are aiming for the marshes.」

Hmm. I don’t really know the geography yet.

「Souei, do you have a map or something?」

「Eh?」
「「「・・・???」」」

What did he say?

Kaijin had known. He knew of them, but none in circulation.

Hakurou’s grandfather had drawn the map of the village’s surrounding on a block of wood.

Anyways, holding a wood block, we’ll carve the map of our city’s vicinity.

This way, using all our knowledge, we created a half-way decent map.

And here we took a short break.
I don’t need it, but the goblins probably do.

Shuna brought in a tray of food.

I changed into my child form.

…, as long as it’s not made by Shion, that is.

A feast was laid before me.

The appearance is normal, but what about the inside? Clearly lacking spices, seems like a bunch of ingredients were stir-fried together…

Gulp. Somehow, I’m getting very nervous.

「Let’s eat!」

Until I had said it, nobody moved.

It’s fine. Shion did not make this!

With those thought, I reached for the food. But not with chopsticks, since we only had spoons.
Bringing some soup to my mouth, I take a sip… it was delicious.

「Delicious!!!」

The moment I said so, everyone moved.

And I also have a resistance to most poisons…

Chances are, Shuna had pulled some strings ahead of time…

Grabbing my plate, she insisted to feed me.

Though I’m an adult, I’m a child at heart. Appearance that of a little girl. Even if I let her feed me, there shouldn’t be any problems.

Tears seem to have started to form in Shion’s eyes, but her expression quickly turned to that of surprise after she had tasted the dish.

You’d never consider putting strange things into people food!

But was Benimaru a test subject for the many dishes before this? That I could not have known about.

That isn’t a waste of ability, that’s the proper way to use it.
It’s been a long time since I last enjoyed a meal this much.

With the end of the meal comes the end of our break.

But now we need to get down to business.

「The object that clearly explains the nearby geography is called a map. Looking at this map, let’s continue the report.」

Having said so, everyone crowded around the map.

Souei marked the orcs army with a wooden chip.

But there’s nothing we can do about that, we need to continue the discussion.

There are three routes leading to the center of the Jura forest that the orcs could use.

But this is not a straight path, as the river runs east along the way.

However, there is no route that could support a large army from the orcs’ current position.

However, the forest will hamper their attempts to move beyond the river.

The western route had the Ogre’s village, but its fate is common knowledge now.

And, after eliminating the ogres, they opened the invasion route to the marshes and were now planning their formation.

「However, with 200,000 soldiers, how are they keeping them fed? What are they doing about food?」

To my question,

「I looked into it. A group of common foot soldiers escorts caravans of food. However, there is clearly not enough…」

With some hesitation, he quickly added

「This is but my opinion, but I think they’ve had deaths from starvation and resorted to cannibalism of the dead…」

What an unpleasant thing he had said.
Uee… were orcs such a race?

「No matter how omni…」
「They do indeed eat anything, but isn’t this much expected?」

To that question,

「No, I am not certain about this. However, there are no bodies after they leave. And our village has also been wiped clean, without anything remaining.
There is a skill that comes to mind, but…」

Having realized the truth, Souei said.

「Could it be… Orc Lord?」

Without waiting for Souei’s response, Benimaru concluded.

「Exactly. This is not certain, but there’s a good chance the Orc Lord had appeared.

Probably that thing that had attacked our village.」

To summarize the conversation, the Orc Lord is a unique monster that hold powerful ruling abilities over the orcs.

And he seems to possess the unique skill [Starving Ones].

In the first place, not enough time had passed since the last one…

In any case, the orc lord is a troubling existence.

But I will not complain.
While keeping the existence of the orc lord in mind, we continue the conference.

Arranging wooden pieces on the map in place of pawns, we mark the Lizardmen army of 10.000.

Having done so, we clearly see what is abnormal about the orc army…
But more importantly.

「This way, that stupid lizard’s headquarters would fall from a single attack, wouldn’t it?」

Right. The lizardmen’s envoy called Gabil.

That is how wonderfully the goblins are positioned.

It could be just suspicion born out of the strange place he had halted his troops.
However,

「Hmm. So that’s how it is.」

Hakurou nodded. A strange fire burned in his eyes.

I am thinking too much, aren’t I.

「I’m just thinking too much. Sorry, I’m an amateur after all.」

I had planned to continue the discussion after those words, but…

「No, what you said is likely. I can think of no other reason to assume that position.」
「That guy is an idiot after all. He’s probably intending to replace the current head.」

Such was the opinion from both members of the Department of War.
I mean, I know he’s an idiot… but was he that much of an idiot?

「However, in this case, stopping that guy is probably the best idea.」

That was the conclusion we had reached.
Now then, how should we stop Gabil?

「I would want to establish a proper alliance with the Lizardmen. We are few in numbers. However, I feel we shouldn’t abandon them.」

Hakurou so added, and everyone accepted.
I also agreed.

「But, forming an alliance is good and all, but we’re far too outnumbered here. Won’t we just be used in the end?」

I tried expressing my worries.
The Oni exchanged glances.

「Rimuru-sama, calm your fears! Each one of us is capable of decimating ten thousand foes, this much is of no concern!」

Hakurou answered as their representative.
“They read too much manga… no way they can take on ten thousand each!” Is what I thought, but

「Rimuru-sama, I plan to go an negotiate. To have a discussion directly with the Lizardmen’s head.
Would you permit me?」

Souei had so asked, and waited for my response.

Using the map, we had made some predictions. That allowed us some temporary mental respite.
I decided to send out Souei.

「Alright! In that case, I order you to talk with the Lizardmen’s Head. Demand equal treatment!」

With those words, I sent out Souei.

「Ay! I live to serve!」

With that response, he immediately disappeared into the shadows.
He’s quick on his feet. Seems to have left already.

「The rest, with these things in mind, continue preparations!」

Those words ended the conference.

If we can form an alliance that would be great, and if we can’t, we’ll cross that bridge then.
There’s no use thinking about those things. Rather, we must do what can now be done.

And thus we continued our preparations while waiting for the next piece to move on the board.

Thinking about the future made me fall slightly into melancholy.

Chapter end