Snowbound Flames

Chapter 26: The Audience Ceremony

Tempest was bustling with energy as the Founder's Festival approached, the castle halls filled with dignitaries eager to secure an audience with the Demon Lord Rimuru Tempest. The throne room was grandly decorated for the occasion, yet the atmosphere was anything but calm. Rimuru sat on her ornate throne, her usual carefree demeanor tinged with a hint of exhaustion. Beside her stood Guy Crimson, his imposing presence drawing curious glances from the assembly.

The first to present themselves were Mezus and Gozus, two notorious rivals who wasted no time in vying for Rimuru's favor.

"Rimuru-sama!" Mezus began, bowing deeply. "It is only natural that a warrior of my caliber would align with Tempest. My strength is unmatched!"

"Unmatched in foolishness, perhaps," Gozus retorted, crossing his arms. "Rimuru-sama, it is honor and discipline that matter most, and I possess both in abundance."

Rimuru pinched the bridge of her nose, suppressing a sigh. "Alright, you two. This isn't a battlefield—make your points one at a time."

Despite her attempts to mediate, their argument continued, much to the amusement of the gathered dignitaries. Guy leaned slightly toward Rimuru, his lips quirking into a smirk.

"You attract quite the characters," he murmured.

"You don't know the half of it," Rimuru muttered back.

After the rivals were finally sent on their way, other visitors followed, presenting gifts and pledging alliances. Throughout the proceedings, Guy remained a steady presence, his sharp gaze analyzing every interaction.

A Meeting with King Gazel

Later in the afternoon, Rimuru and Guy met with King Gazel Dwargo of the Armed Nation of Dwargon. The dwarf king greeted them warmly, his hearty laugh filling the chamber as he clasped arms with Rimuru.

"Rimuru," Gazel said, taking a seat at the council table, "this Founder's Festival of yours is shaping up to be quite the event. I commend your vision."

"Thanks, Gazel," Rimuru replied, settling into her own chair. "It's been a lot of work, but I think it'll pay off."

The discussion soon turned to more pressing matters—the surprising shift in the Western Holy Church's stance toward Tempest.

"The Church has always looked down on dwarves," Gazel remarked, his tone thoughtful. "To them, we were no better than monsters. Now they're suddenly willing to cooperate? That's a significant change. You did something didn't you?"

Rimuru sheepishly nodded. "The three-way alliance between Tempest, Dwargon, and Lubelius seems to have forced their hand. They can't risk alienating all of us."

"You formed and alliance without consulting me first?!," Gazel asked. "Alright, there's not much I can do since it's already been done anyway. But be cautious. Their goodwill may not last."

As the conversation wound down, Gazel leaned back in his chair, a sly smile on his face. "By the way, Rimuru, what's the story with you and Guy? You two seem... close."

Rimuru blinked, caught off guard. "What? It's not like that! We're just... allies. Close allies."

Guy tilted his head, his crimson eyes glinting with amusement. "Close allies, huh?"

Gazel chuckled. "If you say so. But you might want to figure it out before the rumors spread further."

The dwarf king's words lingered in Rimuru's mind as they moved to their next meeting. Was it really just friendship?

The next meeting was with King Blumund and his wife, who had arrived earlier that day. After exchanging pleasantries, the conversation shifted to the festival.

"Your efforts are impressive, Rimuru-sama," Blumund's wife said with a smile. "The festival is sure to strengthen relations between Tempest and its allies."

"That's the goal," Rimuru replied, glancing at Guy, who stood silently beside her.

Blumund's wife's gaze followed Rimuru's. "By the way, who is this?"

"Guy Crimson," Rimuru introduced. "He's... helping with the festival preparations."

"Helping, huh?" Blumund's wife said, her tone teasing.

Guy's lips twitched into a faint smirk. "You could say that."

The next audience was with Youm, the newly crowned King of Farmenace, formerly Falmuth, accompanied by his wife, Myulan. Edgar and Grucias followed closely, the latter glaring daggers at Youm.

"Rimuru!" Youm greeted, his voice booming. "It's good to see you again!"

"Good to see you too, Youm," Rimuru replied. "How's the new kingdom treating you?"

As they discussed Farmenace's progress, the conversation veered into chaos when Grucias and Youm began bickering over Myulan.

"She's my wife now," Youm said, his tone defensive.

"And I'm her loyal protector," Grucias countered. "You'll have to deal with that."

Edgar sighed, stepping between them. "Can't we focus on the meeting?"

Guy, watching with a bemused expression, leaned toward Rimuru. "This is better than any play I've seen."

Rimuru chuckled. "They're always like this."

The discussion turned to reparations for the war, and Rimuru made a surprising announcement.

"I've decided to cancel the war's reparations entirely," she said.

Edgar's eyes widened, tears welling up as he bowed deeply. "Rimuru-sama... thank you."

As the meeting wrapped up, Youm smirked. "By the way, Rimuru, what do you think about Guy? You two seem awfully close."

Rimuru groaned. "Why does everyone keep asking that? We're just friends!"

Grucias crossed his arms. "Really? You sure spend a lot of time together for 'just friends.'"

The final meetings of the day began with Yuuki Kagurazaka. Guy's skeptical gaze lingered on Yuuki as they entered the chamber.

"I wasn't expecting an invitation," Yuuki said, his casual tone masking his curiosity.

"Well, I thought you might enjoy it," Rimuru replied. "The Founder's Festival is open to everyone. Want to come?"

Yuuki nodded. "Sure, why not?"

They then discussed Shizu's former students, now under Rimuru's care. Yuuki praised their progress, and Rimuru decided to invite them and their teacher, Miss Tiss, to the festival as a reward.

When the students arrived, their excitement was palpable. Chloe, noticing Guy, tilted her head. "Who's that?"

"Guy Crimson," Rimuru introduced.

"Are you Rimuru-sensei's boyfriend?"

Rimuru nearly choked. "What?! No, no, no! He's just a friend!"

Guy smirked but said nothing, his silence only adding to Rimuru's flustered state.

As the day came to a close, Rimuru handed each student a pendant containing 100 silver coins.

"Use this to enjoy the festival," she explained. "But if you run out, it's back to your room to do homework. Think of it as a game."

The students cheered, their excitement contagious as they hurried off to prepare.

Left alone with Guy once more, Rimuru returned to her desk, her thoughts racing. Was it really just friendship? Or was there something more?

The question remained unanswered as the day ended, leaving Rimuru with more work—and more questions—than she'd started with.