Chapter 181 - One Hundred And Eighty One
DID YOU KNOW? YOU CAN NOW READ THREE TO SIX ChapterS AHEAD. CHECK MY PROFILE FOR THE LINK.
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"That’s for you to figure out, Rimuru Tempest." Luminous gave a small shrug, the faintest smirk playing across her lips. There was an almost infuriating confidence in her expression, as though she had deliberately tossed the answer into his lap and had no intention of helping him retrieve it.
Rimuru stared at her with a completely deadpan expression.
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’Nah, it’s fine, Raphael. Although, this does mean we need to get better at concealing our information from now on.’ Rimuru’s eyes narrowed slightly as he glanced toward Luminous. ’Even at Walpurgis, everyone was ridiculously good at hiding their true strength.’
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Rimuru let the thought go and turned his attention back toward the conversation.
"You’re right, though." His expression softened as he looked directly at Luminous. "I do have a very deep and loving connection with the people here. They’re my family, after all. And because of that, I understand the pain Kaede is feeling. I know what it’s like to lose someone who matters to you."
His voice became quieter.
"And honestly, I know I was being a hypocrite when I called Kaede here and asked her to forgive Lubelius. Just a few months ago, I wasn’t ready to do the same thing when it came to Sally."
"Don’t get ahead of yourself, Rimuru. I haven’t forgiven anyone." Kaede’s interruption was immediate and firm.
Rimuru blinked. "What? You haven’t?"
Kaede shook her head. "Not really. I understand what you’re trying to do, and I’m willing to let the hostility between Maple Tree and Lubelius gradually die down. I’m even willing to work toward a future where our nations can coexist without constantly looking over their shoulders." Her expression hardened slightly. "But that’s a long way from forgiveness."
She folded her arms.
"It’s going to take a lot of time before I can forgive Hinata for what she did to Pito. And, honestly..." Kaede’s gaze lowered for a moment. "I’m not even sure I’ll ever be able to."
Luminous’s faint smile disappeared.
"Must we truly linger upon this forever?" she asked, her voice remaining calm, though a trace of impatience had begun to creep into it. "We have already acknowledged what happened, accepted responsibility where it belongs, and placed the means for reconciliation upon the table. If we continue circling the same wound, neither of our nations will ever have the opportunity to move beyond it."
"I don’t know, okay!?" Kaede suddenly snapped.
Her voice echoed through the office before she caught herself.
"I don’t want to start some senseless war and risk losing even more of my family." Her hands tightened against her arms, her frustration slowly giving way to something more vulnerable. "That’s the last thing I want."
She looked between Luminous and Rimuru. "But I want some kind of closure."
The room fell quiet.
"I lost Pito." Kaede’s voice softened. "And I’m supposed to just accept that loss because everyone wants peace?"
She shook her head.
"I can accept that Maple Tree and Lubelius can’t remain enemies forever. I can accept that we need to find a way forward. What I can’t do is pretend that what happened doesn’t matter just because it’s inconvenient for diplomacy."
Rimuru was silent for several seconds before finally releasing a small breath. "Alright." His expression eased slightly. "That can work."
Kaede looked toward him.
"If what you need is closure rather than revenge, then we can work with that." Rimuru leaned forward slightly. "So... what are you thinking, Kaede?"
Luminous leaned forward as well, resting her chin lightly against one hand. Her attention remained fixed upon Kaede, and for once, there was no teasing smile or playful amusement in her expression.
"Indeed." Her voice was quieter now. "If you believe there is something that must be done before you can place this matter behind you, then speak."
Her heterochromatic eyes remained steady.
"I have no intention of demanding forgiveness from you. Forgiveness is not something that can be negotiated like a treaty, nor is it something I have the right to demand." Luminous paused briefly. "But if there is a reasonable path by which we can acknowledge what was done and allow you to find peace with it, then I would hear your proposal."
Kaede fell silent. She stared down at her hands, considering the possibilities.
She didn’t want revenge. Not really.
Revenge would not bring Pito back. It wouldn’t erase the memories, nor would it heal the empty space her death had left behind.
But simply receiving an apology didn’t feel like enough either.
’What do you think, Artificia?’ Kaede asked internally. ’A logical opinion could be really handy right about now.’
’I’m not killing her. Rimuru and Luminous would never agree to that.’
Kaede fell silent for a moment, considering Artificia’s words. It wasn’t revenge she wanted, nor did she particularly care to punish Hinata simply for the sake of making her suffer. What she wanted was for Hinata to understand the consequences of her actions and, in some way, become part of the solution rather than remaining a symbol of everything that had gone wrong between their nations.
Kaede slowly exhaled. "Alright. I’ve made my decision."
Rimuru and Luminous both looked toward her.
"Give me Hinata Sakaguchi."
Luminous’s expression immediately changed. Her eyes narrowed as she stared at Kaede, clearly displeased by the request. "I was under the impression that we had already established that Hinata would remain unharmed."
Kaede shook her head. "We didn’t agree on anything. And I’m not asking for her so I can kill her."
Luminous’s expression remained guarded.
"I want her to come work for me," Kaede continued. "As a citizen of Maple Tree."
"What?" Luminous exclaimed, the composure she had maintained throughout the negotiations momentarily slipping. "What, precisely, are you talking about?"
Rimuru blinked as well.
Kaede shrugged. "Well, she wouldn’t technically become a citizen. She’d be there under a temporary arrangement, but she’d be treated like one while she’s in Maple Tree. She’d participate in our various services and work alongside our people."
Luminous stared at her.
Rimuru’s expression suddenly brightened with realization. "Wait... like community service?"
"Yeah. Exactly like that." Kaede smiled. "It gives her a way to repay the harm she’s caused while also spending time around monsters. She’d get to see how Maple Tree actually functions from the inside instead of judging it from the outside."
Her expression softened slightly. "Maybe it’ll give her a different perspective."
"But Hinata has no particular hatred toward monsters anymore," Rimuru pointed out. "She visits Tempest regularly these days. She’s already seen how monsters and humans can coexist."
"Quite apart from that," Luminous added, her fingers tapping lightly against the armrest, "Hinata’s presence in Lubelius is currently required. There are several matters demanding her attention, and, frankly, some of them are going to become rather tiresome to manage without her."
Kaede considered that for a moment before her expression brightened. "Then make it a foreign exchange program."
Luminous stared at her.
Kaede leaned back in her chair, looking increasingly pleased with her own idea. "That’s my offer, Luminous. I’ll accept everything you’ve placed on the table. The recognition, the railway agreement, the protection, all of it. We can sign the treaty right here and settle this matter between our nations."
She raised one finger. "But Hinata spends at least one year in my service."
Luminous’s eyes narrowed.
Kaede raised another finger. "And in return, I’ll give you something that should make losing her presence in Lubelius considerably easier."
Luminous remained silent.
"You’ll have Dryads loyal to you and born under your service."
Luminous’s expression changed. "Dryads?" she asked, her voice considerably quieter.
Kaede nodded. "My daughter Acer has the ability to bless nature, allowing Dryads to be born naturally from it. If she uses your magicules when performing the blessing, the Dryads that emerge will be attuned to you specifically."
She smiled faintly. "You understand what I mean, right?"
Luminous stared at her for several seconds. "And..." Her composure cracked slightly as her eyes widened. "That actually works?"
Kaede nodded. "As far as I know."
Luminous fell silent. She knew precisely what Dryads represented.
The Dryads serving the Queen of Spirits were not ordinary monsters. Each one possessed tremendous power, easily reaching the level of an A-rank monster. That placed them only a step below individuals such as Roy and Luis in terms of raw strength.
And now Kaede was offering her the possibility of creating an entire group of Dryads whose loyalty would belong specifically to Lubelius.
As long as their original trees remained protected, they would possess an extraordinary amount of utility. Scouts, warriors, guardians, mages, and perhaps even commanders capable of operating independently of the central government.
It was an absurdly valuable offer.
But Hinata...
Luminous’s eyes narrowed as she considered the other side of the bargain.
Hinata was one of the most important pieces currently positioned on Lubelius’s board. With the situation changing so rapidly, several pieces were already being moved into unfamiliar positions.
Removing Hinata from Lubelius for an entire year could create complications.
Then again...
Luminous looked toward Kaede.
The woman was smiling innocently, as though she hadn’t just placed an extraordinarily difficult decision directly in front of her.
’What a troublesome woman.’ Luminous’s gaze shifted briefly toward Rimuru before returning to Kaede. ’An extraordinarily troublesome request.’