Izuku: The Slime {Under reconstruction}

Chapter 14

While Ultima was flying back to town, she suddenly encountered someone mid-air.

Ultima: "Oh, great... why are you here?"

The person she met merely giggled.

"Oh? Despite knowing who I am, you still have the gall to talk to me that way?"

Ultima: "I don't care who you are, or how much stronger you are compared to me. If you want to harm my Master's town any more than it's already been, I won't be afraid to lay down my life to fight you."

The person laughed.

"So you're that devoted to this job? Oh, who am I kidding... it's only natural for a Demon to have that much loyalty."

Ultima glared at her.

"Make no mistake, I'm not mocking you by any means. I'm simply admiring how much loyalty one Demon can have for someone they just met."

Ultima: "Tsk! Whatever... You didn't answer my question... Why are you here?"

"Did you forget already? I did say I want to show Rimuru my gratitude... Saving him was not enough to show him. I want to help with whatever he's doing."

Ultima: "... How do you know about what he's planning?"

"I don't know what he's planning. But I do know he's gonna strike back against this army. I'm just here for reasons that I'll share once you take me to him."

Ultima decided to take the person to Rimuru, although she didn't want to.

MEANWHILE...

Rimuru told his executives about a meeting he was gonna hold, and placed down a barrier of his own, just for an extra measure to keep the souls in the area.

Before that, he went to where Myuran was and interrogated her of who she really was and why she put the barrier up.

She explained everything.

She was a subordinate of the Demon Lord Clayman, and all the things she's done to antagonize Rimuru was something she never wanted to do.

Rimuru: "Hm... Do you happen to still be giving him reports at the moment?"

Myuran: "No, I have no means of contacting him in any way. I am a Wizard, and with an Anti-Magic barrier around, I am no more than an ordinary human."

Rimuru: "You're the one who cast it the Anti-Magic barrier, right? Were you planning to get yoursel out of here?"

She shook her head.

Rimuru: "So you were abandoned?"

Myuran: "Yes, but I wouldn't say it's the first time Clayman's done this. He's called the Marionette Master for a reason... He sees all his subordinates as nothing more than disposable pawns, and has us suit his needs. If we can no longer be of any use to him, he disposes of us."

Rimuru: "In that case, why'd you decide to follow him?"

Myuran: "The first time I met him, I was naive and wished to survive. He offered to give me endless time and a young body that will never age, but in return, he wanted me to swear loyalty to him. The mere fact that I was a woman living all alone in the woods means I was an easy target to manipulate... The secret art he used on me was called 'Marionette Heart', which turns a Human into a Majin by using a replacement heart. Since that fateful day, Clayman has had my real heart in his grasp. He did keep his end of the promise, but my freedom is the price I had to pay."