Having finalized his plans to visit the Kingdom of Englassia the previous night, Rimuru decided to spend the day taking care of some unfinished business. With that in mind, he departed from Tempest and headed toward his first destination.
******
Vessel state of Tempest, Kingdom of Raja
Inside the royal palace of the Kingdom of Raja, Queen Towa personally served tea to her honored guest. Despite her status as a queen, she had no qualms about performing such a simple task herself. After all, in her eyes, the person sitting before her was far more important than any pride or ego she might possess as a ruler. So, after carefully placing a cup before Rimuru, she returned to her seat and continued her report, explaining the kingdom's recent developments and providing an overview of its current state.
Rimuru listened to her words as he took a sip of the freshly brewed tea before setting his cup down and giving her an approving smile. "Excellent work, Towa. I have to say, I'm quite impressed by how diligently you've been handling your responsibilities."
"You're overestimating my abilities, Rimuru-sama. What I've accomplished is nothing compared to everything you have to deal with in Tempest," Towa replied, shaking her head as she looked somewhat embarrassed by his praise. "Besides, I can't take all the credit for our progress. Scream has been a tremendous help to me."
As she spoke, Towa turned toward the purple-haired woman standing quietly beside the entrance, who immediately lowered her head respectfully when Rimuru's gaze settled on her.
This was Scream, a Greater Daemon belonging to Ultima's lineage who had been assigned to assist with the administration of Tempest's vassal states. Serving as the queen's personal bodyguard and secretary, she helped manage the kingdom's affairs and ensured that the various projects under Towa's supervision progressed according to plan. More importantly, she was also responsible for keeping a close eye on the kingdom's internal affairs, rooting out any unsavory elements within Raja before they had a chance to take root.
"Good work, Scream," Rimuru said, giving her a small nod of acknowledgment. "I'm glad to see you've been supporting Towa so well. Keep up the good work."
"Thank you for your praise, Rimuru-sama," Scream replied, bowing her head a little deeper. "I shall continue to fulfill my duties to the best of my abilities."
Rimuru nodded at her response before turning his attention back to Towa. "As for you, don't sell yourself short. Having capable people around you certainly helps, but you're the one responsible for making the final decisions," he said reassuringly. He then paused before adding with a smirk, "But enough about that. Don't you think there's someone else you should be paying a little more attention to?"
Hearing his words, Towa blinked before following Rimuru's gaze toward Aurelia Spellweaver, who had been listening to their conversation with barely contained excitement, her eyes sparkling with anticipation and a wide smile spread across her face. The moment she realized that Towa's attention had finally shifted to her, she immediately straightened in her seat.
"Welcome back, Aurelia!" Towa greeted her warmly. "It's been quite some time since you left for Tempest. Tell me, how did you enjoy your stay there?"
"I loved it!" Aurelia exclaimed, practically bouncing in her seat. "Tempest is amazing, Your Majesty! There are so many incredible things to see, and the people there know all sorts of magic I've never even heard of before! It was incredible!" she said while Towa couldn't help smiling at the girl's enthusiasm.
"And that's not all!" Aurelia continued excitedly. "I also learned how to improve my magic control! My spells are much more efficient now, and I can maintain them for longer without exhausting myself. And Shuna-sama is amazing, too! She taught me some really cool advanced spells that I didn't even know could exist, and she told me that if I keep practicing, I'll be able to learn even more!"
"Well, it certainly sounds as though you've made the most of your time there," Towa remarked, looking genuinely pleased. After all, the Spellweaver family's situation had been a rather controversial topic in Raja ever since that fateful day. So, the stronger Aurelia became, the easier it would be for Towa to justify the trust she continued to place in that family.
"She's not exaggerating," Rimuru confirmed with an approving nod. "Aurelia has made some impressive progress during her stay in Tempest. In fact, Shuna mentioned that her magical aptitude was already quite good when she first arrived, and after spending some time under her tutelage, I'd say Aurelia has developed enough to serve as Raja's court magician."
"Really?" Towa asked, her face lighting up. "That's wonderful news, Aurelia! If Rimuru-sama believes you're ready, then I have no doubt you'll become a valuable asset to both me and Raja."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Aurelia replied excitedly.
However, just as she was about to bask in the praise a little longer, Rimuru's expression abruptly turned impassive. "Of course, before you can officially take up the position, there's one final test you'll have to pass," he stated.
"...Huh?" Aurelia froze at his words before turning toward Rimuru. "Wait a minute! What final test?" she asked nervously, caught completely off guard by this sudden revelation.
"I said you were ready to serve as Raja's court magician, but I never said you could skip the final evaluation," Rimuru replied calmly, resting his head against his fist.
Aurelia fell silent at his response, and even though she had plenty of arguments she wanted to make, she eventually accepted her position and realized that she had no choice but to face whatever awaited her. "Fine! I'll do it!" she declared, pumping her fist enthusiastically. "Whatever test you've prepared for me, I'll pass it! I've worked too hard to come this far, and I'm not going to let a final examination stop me now!"
"That's the spirit. Keep up that enthusiasm. You're going to need it," Rimuru remarked before turning toward Towa. The queen immediately understood what he meant, rose from her seat, and gestured for them to follow her. A few moments later, they arrived at the underground dungeon and made their way through the rows of prison cells until they reached a secluded section at the far end, where they stopped in front of an unassuming wall.
And then, just as Aurelia began to wonder why they had brought her here, Towa placed her hand against the wall. The next moment, the dungeon began to rumble as the wall slowly split open. Any other day, Aurelia would undoubtedly have found the hidden mechanism fascinating, but the moment she saw what lay on the other side, she froze in place, completely shell-shocked.
After all, right before her eyes, there was a man suspended in midair, silently writhing in agony as purple spots constantly spread across his body, only to be forced back as a green glow enveloped him. The moment the green light faded, however, the purple spots began spreading again, continuing their relentless struggle for control over his body.
A chill settled in Aurelia's heart as she stared at the horrifying sight and subconsciously whispered, "...Brother."
******
How long had it been? Lucius Spellweaver tried to figure it out, but before he could finish the thought, the familiar sensation of agonizing pain suddenly assaulted his body, and an unbearable wave of torment coursed through every nerve, threatening to tear his consciousness apart. Yet, just before he could succumb to the pain and lose himself in the blessed darkness of unconsciousness, a soothing green glow enveloped his body, rapidly healing the damage and restoring him to his previous condition. Unfortunately, the relief never lasted long. Within moments, the healing subsided, and the purple spots began spreading across his skin once more, bringing with them another wave of excruciating pain. This cycle repeated itself over and over again, leaving him without even a moment's respite from the seemingly endless torment.
Every time the pain wracked his body, Lucius regretted ever attempting to usurp the throne and cursed his own foolishness for underestimating that monster-loving queen and her monstrous allies, wishing he had never allowed his ambition to cloud his judgment. However, whenever the healing took effect and the pain temporarily subsided, he would seethe with uncontrollable rage and hatred, cursing that incompetent, monster-loving queen and the rabbit bitch who had ruined his plans, swearing to himself that if he ever got the chance, he would gladly strangle them both with his bare hands.
Unfortunately for him, his fantasies of revenge never lasted long, and before he could string together another string of curses, a fresh wave of nerve-wracking pain assailed his body, leaving his mind numb for a brief moment before the healing restored him once again. And so the miserable cycle of pain and relief continued, trapping him between agony and hatred with no end in sight.
However, just as Lucius was about to unleash another string of curses, he felt the ground rumble around him, though he paid little attention to the disturbance. After all, he barely had enough physical or mental strength left to care about anything beyond his own suffering and the struggle to maintain his sanity amidst the relentless waves of pain, let alone whatever was happening around him.
But then, he heard a faint, familiar voice calling out to him. "...Brother." The sound stirred something deep within Lucius, compelling him to summon the last remnants of his strength and force his heavy eyelids open. As his vision slowly came into focus, he saw his younger sister standing before him, staring at him with a stunned and horrified expression on her face.
The siblings stared at each other in silence for a long moment before Rimuru finally broke the silence. "Well, I suppose I should say it's good to see you alive, Lucius, but I'd be lying if I claimed I was particularly pleased about it."
His casual remark shattered the brief silence, prompting Lucius to glare at him with undisguised hatred. "You..." he began, but before he could voice the resentment burning inside him, a sudden ache seized his lungs and throat as he doubled over in a fit of coughing, spilling blood from his mouth as he gritted his teeth against the pain.
Meanwhile, Aurelia shifted her attention away from her brother and slowly turned toward Rimuru while her expression cycled from shock to confusion as she tried to make sense of the situation, before she finally asked, "Rimuru-sama, what is going on here? Why is my brother here? And what happened to him?" in a slightly trembling voice.
"That's a rather long story, Aurelia, and you already know most of it, so consider this his punishment for what he tried to do to your queen and my wife," Rimuru explained calmly. "As for why he's here, well, that brings us to the final trial I mentioned earlier," he said before snapping his fingers, and the next moment, the scenery around them changed, and they found themselves inside a massive coliseum.
Aurelia stood on the arena floor, staring in astonishment at the enormous stadium stretching out around her. On the opposite side of the field, Lucius lay sprawled on the ground, looking around like a frightened little animal as his mind struggled to determine whether what he was seeing was real or merely a hallucination.
High above the arena, two magnificent thrones had appeared in the highest section of the stadium, with Rimuru and Towa seated side by side while Scream served them refreshments, acting as the maid for the occasion. Then, getting to his feet, Rimuru glanced down at the two individuals standing on the arena floor before speaking. "Now, Aurelia, to pass your final trial and officially qualify as Raja's court magician, you'll have to carry out your brother's punishment for his crimes and put him down."
Aurelia's eyes widened as she stared up at Rimuru, momentarily unable to comprehend what she had just heard. For several seconds, she remained frozen in place, her mouth slightly agape as she struggled to find the words to respond. When Rimuru had first mentioned a final trial, she had expected him to assign her a difficult task, but never, not even in her wildest dreams, had she imagined that he would ask her to pass judgment on her own brother and carry out his punishment, especially when she had only just learned that Lucius had been held prisoner beneath the castle all this time.
"Rimuru-sama..." Aurelia finally managed to gather her thoughts and speak in a trembling voice. However, before she could plead with him to reconsider, Rimuru continued speaking. "Of course, there's still a way for you to avoid such a predicament. Though whether you have to go through with it or not depends entirely on your brother," he explained before casually snapping his fingers, causing a dagger and a staff to materialize on the ground in front of Lucius.
Lucius stared at the two weapons in confusion before slowly raising his head to look at Rimuru, with burning hatred and uncertainty in his eyes. After all, having endured more than half a year of torment, he had learned to be wary of anything this bastard monster said or did. "What the hell are you planning now?" he demanded in a hoarse, feeble voice. "Have you finally decided to stop playing games and kill me yourself?"
"Why would I do that when I've already given you the opportunity to decide your own fate?" Rimuru replied, looking at him as though he were an idiot, before continuing, "You have two choices now, Lucius. The first is to pick up that dagger and take your own life, thereby atoning for your crimes and sparing your sister the pain of having to kill her own brother."
At those words, Lucius's face paled, and just as he was about to argue, Rimuru continued, "Alternatively, you can pick up that staff and fight Aurelia. If you manage to defeat her, I'll pardon you for your crimes and allow you to leave Raja as a free man, free to live whatever kind of life you choose. So now the choice is yours."
For a moment, the entire coliseum fell silent as Lucius stared at Rimuru, seemingly unable to believe what he was hearing. After everything he had done, after attempting to seize the throne and endangering the lives of those women, he was being offered a chance to walk away without facing any further punishment? It sounded absurd, almost laughable. And yet, after enduring so much suffering and pain for nearly half a year, he desperately wanted to believe that the offer was genuine.
However, just as Lucius was about to make his decision, a trembling, pained voice suddenly called out to him. "Brother... please, just pick up the dagger and put an end to this painful farce. Please, I don't want this to go on any longer," Aurelia pleaded with already swollen, tear-filled eyes and trembling hands as she looked at the man who had once been an idol she looked up to her whole life. "Just... just end it here. Please."
Hearing her words, Lucius abruptly snapped his head up and stared at his sister with wide eyes, as though he couldn't believe what he had just heard. However, the shock quickly gave way to burning fury as he roared, "You... YOU BITCH! How dare you ask me to do something like that?! How the hell can you stand there and tell me to kill myself while siding with that monster?! I'm your brother, Aurelia! Your own flesh and blood! And this is how you repay me?!"
Aurelia flinched at his outburst, but the momentary fear soon gave way to her own anger. "How dare I?!" Her voice cracked as she shouted back at him, while tears streamed down her cheeks. "How dare YOU?! How dare you blame me for the mess you've made when you're the one who ruined everything?! Do you have any idea what you've done to our family?!" she screamed, clenching her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms. "Everything our family spent years building, all the respect and goodwill we earned through hard work and loyalty, you've thrown it all away! You've dragged the Spellweaver name through the mud, and for what?! So you could satisfy your own selfish ambitions?!"
"And what the hell would an ambitionless twat like you know about any of that?!" Lucius spat as his expression twisted with contempt, and rather than showing even a shred of remorse, he let out a scornful laugh as he continued, "You've spent your entire life content with being a nobody, so don't you dare lecture me about what it means to build a family's reputation when you've never had the guts to accomplish anything worthwhile yourself!"
"And don't even get me started on our pathetic parents!" he continued, sneering arrogantly at her. "Those spineless fools were perfectly content to keep serving that useless queen until the day they died! They had no ambition, no vision, and no desire to see our family rise beyond the scraps she was willing to throw our way. Someone had to do something, and I was the only one with enough courage to take matters into my own hands!" His voice rose with every word, and his conviction only grew stronger as he sank deeper into his own delusions. "I did nothing wrong by trying to replace her! I would have succeeded, too, if she hadn't colluded with those filthy monsters and ruined everything!"
As his outburst came to an end, Aurelia fell silent for a long moment, simply standing there and staring at her brother as tears continued to stream down her cheeks. Deep inside, she had desperately hoped that seeing her again, pleading to him, might have forced him to reflect on his actions, that perhaps the suffering he had endured would finally make him realize just how much damage he had caused. Yet, as she listened to him now, she understood how foolish she had been to expect any such thing. Even after everything that had happened, her brother still refused to acknowledge his own mistakes and continued to see himself as the victim.
For a moment, Aurelia's thoughts drifted back to the brother she had once adored, the young man who had always looked out for her, comforted her whenever she was frightened, and encouraged her whenever she doubted herself. She had spent so long clinging to those memories that she had almost convinced herself that the brother she remembered was still somewhere inside the man standing before her. But now, as she looked at his hateful expression and listened to the venom pouring from his mouth, she could no longer bring herself to ignore the truth.
So, gathering all the courage she could muster, Aurelia slowly lifted her head despite her swollen, reddened eyes and trembling body, and looked at the shadow of the brother she had once known. "I... I don't know what happened to you, Brother, and I don't know when the kind and reliable person I looked up to disappeared, or when you became someone who could do such terrible things without feeling even a shred of remorse." She paused, drawing a shaky breath as she wiped the tears from her cheeks. "But I do know one thing. Whatever happens next, I won't allow you to tarnish our family's name or the memory of the brother I once knew any further!"
For several seconds, Lucius stared at her in silence before a crazed smile slowly spread across his face. "So the little idiot has finally grown a backbone, huh? Well, isn't that touching?" he sneered, bending down to pick up the staff lying before him. "Honestly, I've had more than enough of listening to a filth-loving idiot like you preach about family and honor. So, if you want to throw your life away defending that monster-loving queen, then be my guest. I'll gladly put you in your place before taking back the freedom that bastard stole from me!" He raised his staff toward Aurelia as magical energy swirled around his body. "Come on, then, little sister! Show me what you've got!"
Some time later...
Standing on opposite sides of the ruined arena, Aurelia and Lucius stared at each other, both bearing visible signs of battle, with their clothes torn in places, bodies covered in bruises and scratches, and their breathing having grown noticeably heavier after the relentless exchange of spells, with both of their minds currently filled with distinct thoughts about each other.
In Aurelia's mind, despite the circumstances surrounding their fight, she couldn't help but admire the boy standing before her. When it came to magic, Lucius was simply brilliant, matching her power and precision with ease and often countering her spells or overpowering them outright. And he was doing all this after spending almost half a year in prison. Granted, his body had been healed when they were transported here, but Aurelia had no doubt that the psychological toll of such prolonged suffering couldn't simply disappear so easily. So watching him fight, she finally understood why he had qualified for the position of Raja's court magician at such a young age.
Lucius, on the other hand, was both shocked and furious, barely able to comprehend what he was witnessing. The pathetic little girl he remembered, who couldn't even cast a spell properly, was now matching him spell for spell. And that was simply unacceptable to him. There was no fucking way someone could improve this much in such a short time! He couldn't fathom how a supposedly talentless girl like her could suddenly compete with a genius like him. The more he thought about it, the angrier and more irritated he became, and his desire to put her in her place only grew stronger.
As Lucius continued seething over the humiliating realization that his younger sister had somehow managed to catch up to him, he suddenly felt a familiar power coursing through his body, and the moment he recognized it, his angry expression turned into something sinister. 'Well, well, well. It seems that bastard was either too stupid or too overconfident in my pathetic little sister to take away this extraordinary power I acquired back then,' he thought to himself as a cold, cruel smile appeared on his face. 'I suppose I should thank him for his stupidity. After all, I couldn't have asked for a better opportunity to reclaim my freedom.'
Setting that thought aside for the moment, Lucius returned his attention to the girl standing opposite him, and a mocking smile spread across his face. "Well, well, look at you, little sister. I must admit, you've improved quite a bit. I suppose you weren't just twiddling your thumbs while I was away," he remarked, causing Aurelia to frown but remain silent, refusing to let his provocations distract her. Lucius, however, had no intention of stopping there. "Unfortunately, all that effort won't amount to much in the end. You see, there's still a rather significant difference between us, and I think it's about time I reminded you of that..."
The moment he finished speaking, sinister purple energy began crackling around his body, spreading across his limbs like a network of glowing veins. Before Aurelia could fully comprehend what was happening, his body began to swell and distort, and within moments, a towering monstrosity stood where Lucius had once been. His muscles expanded grotesquely, while his limbs grew longer and thicker, transforming into enormous claws capable of tearing through solid stone. Sharp teeth emerged from his widening jaws, and his face twisted into a hideous, monstrous visage that bore little resemblance to the man he had once been.
Then he lowered his head toward Aurelia, the creature spoke in a deep, rumbling voice. "What a shame, little sister. After all the effort you put into becoming stronger, this arena is still going to be your graveyard!" With that, he threw himself forward, charging straight at Aurelia with undisguised bloodlust burning in his eyes.
On the opposite side of the arena, Aurelia stared at the grotesque creature rushing toward her. Yet, rather than feeling shocked or afraid, she was overcome by a profound sense of sadness as she looked at the monster her brother had become. 'So this is what you've become, Brother? Is this really what the monster you've turned into looks like?' she thought sorrowfully, tightening her grip on her staff.
Taking a deep breath, Aurelia calmed her racing heart and recalled a conversation she had shared with Shuna a few months earlier about a certain type of magic and a particular spell.
"Holy Magic works through the power of faith, turning strong thoughts and feelings into power. However, before you can use it, you need to establish a strong pact with a godly figure..."
*'The power of faith... thoughts and feelings... a pact with a god...' * Aurelia repeated those words in her mind before a sense of determination washed over her. 'I understand now, Shuna-sama. I, too, shall put my faith in Rimuru-sama,' she declared inwardly, opening her eyes and briefly glancing toward the highest section of the stands before turning her attention back to her monstrous brother, who was rapidly closing in on her.
The next moment, she tapped her staff against the ground, causing a patch of grass knot to sprout directly in the path of the charging beast, and before Lucius could even react, his foot caught on it, sending his massive body tumbling to the ground with a deafening crash that shook the entire arena.
While lying on the ground, the monstrous Lucius let out an angry growl. "Augrrrrr! Damn it!" He then glared at Aurelia. "Cheap tricks! But that won't save you!" he spat contemptuously. However, his expression soon shifted to confusion when his sister suddenly dropped her staff and clasped her hands together. "Hehehe! Praying for mercy now?! How foolish! Do you really think that'll..." His mocking words were abruptly cut short when Aurelia began chanting.
"I lift this prayer up to God!"
The next moment, Lucius's eyes widened in alarm as a massive magical hexagon materialized beneath him.
"I beg thee, heed my wish!"
"No! Stop!!" Lucius roared, finally realizing what spell his sister was casting as more layers of magical hexagons began forming above his head, and particles of holy magic gathered around him, creating a barrier that prevented his escape.
"Put an end to all!"
Holy magic gathered around Aurelia's clasped hands before a magical circle adorned with complex, intricate patterns appeared in front of her. It began spinning rapidly, and as its radiance grew brighter, she finally uttered the spell's final words...
"Disintegration!"
The moment she spoke, a towering pillar of light erupted from the magical hexagon beneath Lucius, completely engulfing his monstrous body while his desperate voice echoed throughout the arena, "Aurelia! Stop this now! Please! I'm your brother! Stopppp!" As his final words faded into the distance, the light emanating from the pillar intensified before finally subsiding, and a deathly silence fell over the arena, revealing nothing but empty space where the monstrosity known as Lucius had once stood.
Finally, Aurelia let out a weary breath and stared at the empty space before her as a solitary tear trickled down her cheek as she whispered, "Goodbye, Brother," before her body finally gave in to exhaustion and she collapsed onto the ground, losing consciousness.
******
As Aurelia lost consciousness, Towa immediately appeared on the arena floor and hurried over to the unconscious girl. Kneeling beside her, she carefully examined her condition before letting out a sigh of relief upon confirming that Aurelia hadn't suffered any serious injuries. The girl had simply exhausted herself by expending nearly all her magical energy to cast that terrifyingly powerful spell. "Honestly, what an incredible spell..." she murmured, glancing toward the empty space where Lucius had stood moments earlier, and even now, she could hardly believe what she had just witnessed.
After making sure Aurelia wasn't in any danger, Towa looked up and noticed Rimuru standing a short distance away with his usual relaxed expression. "Was all of this really necessary, Rimuru-sama?" she asked, a hint of concern creeping into her voice. "I understand that you wanted to evaluate Aurelia's abilities, but putting her through something like this, especially forcing her to fight her own brother, seems rather cruel."
"It was cruel, I won't deny that," Rimuru replied, briefly glancing at the unconscious girl. "But it had to be done this way because this wasn't simply a test of her magical abilities. I wanted to evaluate her mental fortitude as well," he explained as confusion flashed across the young queen's face, prompting him to continue.
"When you first proposed making her the next court magician of Raja, I already had a rough idea of how strong Aurelia would need to become to reasonably take on the position. For that, I used Lucius as a benchmark. After all, he was once considered a magical prodigy and had qualified for the position at a remarkably young age. If Aurelia wanted to take his place, she needed to reach at least the same level of proficiency." He glanced toward the ruined arena before continuing, "As you just witnessed, she passed with flying colours."
Towa nodded slowly, understanding the first part of his explanation. However, Rimuru wasn't finished. "That said, her magical abilities weren't the only thing I wanted to evaluate with this little examination. I also wanted to see how she would react when confronted with her brother's fate."
"Her brother's fate..." Towa's expression changed slightly, repeating those words as the meaning behind his words began to dawn on her. "But I trust Aurelia, Rimuru-sama. I know her well enough to be certain that she would never betray the trust I've placed in her."
"And that's a good thing. You should be able to trust the people serving you," Rimuru said, acknowledging her confidence. "However, have you forgotten that you once placed that same trust in Lucius and the people who sided with him? You believed they were loyal to you and had your kingdom's best interests at heart. And tell me, how did that turn out?"
Towa fell silent at his words, lowering her gaze as her expression grew complicated. The memory of Lucius's betrayal had resurfaced, and it wasn't something she, or anyone in her position, could easily forget. After all, having someone she once trusted attempt to seize her throne was hardly the sort of incident one could simply put behind them.
"Don't misunderstand me. I like Aurelia, and I certainly don't think she's a bad person. Otherwise, I wouldn't have allowed her to spend all those months in Tempest, let alone entrusted her education to Shuna. She's a kind-hearted girl with a good head on her shoulders, and I have no doubt that she genuinely wants to serve you and protect Raja," Rimuru began, noticing that Towa was getting lost in her thoughts. "But family is different. No matter how reasonable someone might be under ordinary circumstances, their judgment can become clouded when the people they care about are involved. Sometimes, even the most sensible individuals end up making terrible decisions simply because they cannot bring themselves to abandon someone they love."
"Lucius's crimes were hardly a secret among the people of Raja," Rimuru continued, turning his gaze toward the unconscious girl. "Aurelia knew what he had done, just like everyone else. She must have understood that his actions were unforgivable and that he would have to face the consequences. Given the circumstances, she probably assumed that he had already been executed and, with enough time, she would have gradually come to terms with that reality and learned to live without him. But I wanted to know how she would react upon discovering that her brother was still alive and being subjected to such torment."
He then turned back toward Towa and continued, "She might have agreed to his punishment when speaking to us, but once she was alone with her own thoughts, would she truly have been at peace with that decision? Would she accept that he deserved his punishment and put her responsibilities ahead of her personal feelings? Or would the chance to reclaim the brother she once admired, knowing that he was still alive, prove too tempting? Would she turn against you and demand his release simply because he was family?"
"So, instead, you wanted her to confront him herself," Towa said, finally beginning to understand what Rimuru had been trying to accomplish. "You wanted her to see what Lucius had become with her own eyes and realize that the brother she remembered was no longer someone she could save simply by reaching out to him."
"Exactly. If she had never confronted that reality, she might have continued wondering whether she could have saved him," Rimuru replied with a nod and a smile. "But now, at least, she knows the truth, that the brother she loved with all her heart chose his own greed and hatred over everything that truly mattered. And now she can finally let go of that burden and move forward without feeling responsible for the choices Lucius made."
"I understand," Towa said gently. "You wanted to make sure she wouldn't have to carry the burden of her brother's crimes for the rest of her life."
"More or less," Rimuru replied with a shrug. "And now that she's passed the examination, I think it's safe to say that Raja has found itself a very capable court magician."
"Indeed." Towa smiled faintly as she looked at Aurelia. "I have no doubt she'll make an excellent one."
"Good. Just make sure you don't overwork her as soon as she wakes up," Rimuru remarked with a chuckle. "She's earned herself some rest, along with this." As he spoke, a golden book materialized in his hand. It was beautifully crafted, with intricate designs adorning its cover and a four-leaf clover engraved in the center.
"Rimuru-sama, is this...?" Towa murmured, gazing at the book with awe and fascination.
"This is a grimoire. A four-leaf clover grimoire, to be precise," Rimuru explained as the newly formed book began hovering in front of him before gliding toward the unconscious Aurelia and merging into her body. "It should give her a little boost in both power and luck. By the way, she'll know what to do with it once she wakes up, so don't worry."
"Thank you, Rimuru-sama," Towa said gratefully, expressing her thanks on behalf of both herself and her future court magician.
"It's nothing. After all, I feel a little bad about putting her through all that myself," Rimuru replied before snapping his fingers and transporting them all back to the underground dungeon. He then glanced at the demoness who had been quietly standing behind them and said, "Scream, take Aurelia back so she can rest. Meanwhile, Towa and I can enjoy a nice lunch. What do you say?" he asked, turning toward the young queen.
"It would be my pleasure," Towa replied as they began walking, leaving Lucius's chapter behind once and for all.
To be continued...