The streets of Springvale were slightly less crowded now that afternoon was transitioning toward evening. The sun hung lower in the sky, casting longer shadows across the stone paved roads. Shop owners were beginning to think about closing for the day. Families were returning to their homes for dinner.
Cid navigated using the directions Rina had provided, heading east through increasingly residential areas. The buildings changed from commercial structures to actual houses, single family homes with small yards and gardens. Children played in the streets under the watchful eyes of parents. The atmosphere was peaceful, domestic, far removed from the competitive chaos of the guild hall.
As he walked, he felt the bonds with his familiars pulse gently. Both Regulus and Rimuru were aware that something was about to happen. That their summoner was preparing for action.
'We need to talk about this,' Cid thought, directing his attention inward toward those bonds. 'Before we reach the farm. Before the fight starts.'
He focused on the connection with Regulus first, pushing thoughts and images through the bond rather than speaking aloud. Communication through the bond was still new, still clumsy, but the Lion Emperor was intelligent enough to understand intent even when the specific thoughts were not perfectly clear.
'This will be our first fight as a team,' Cid projected through the bond, accompanying the thought with images of the three of them working together. 'Not just you fighting while I watch. All three of us are coordinating. Working together. That means we need rules.'
Through the bond, he felt Regulus's attention sharpen. The Lion Emperor was listening.
'The fight will happen on a farm. Close to houses. Close to people who might see.' Cid pushed images of the residential area, of witnesses, of the need for secrecy. 'We cannot risk revealing your true forms. Cannot let people see what you really are. Not yet. Not until we're strong enough that it doesn't matter who knows.'
He felt resistance immediately. Regulus's pride rebelled against the restriction. The Lion Emperor wanted to fight at full strength, wanted to demonstrate his true power, wanted to crush the enemies as they deserved to be crushed.
'You will have to fight in cub form,' Cid continued firmly, pushing the requirement through the bond despite feeling Regulus's displeasure. 'Both of you. Regulus as a cub. Rimuru as a tiny slime. That is non-negotiable. Those are the rules of this engagement.'
The resistance intensified. Through the bond, Cid felt the full weight of Regulus's objection. The Lion Emperor was not accustomed to accepting restrictions. Was not built to fight at a fraction of his capabilities when he could simply unleash his full power and obliterate any threat.
Regulus actually tried to roar.
The sound that came out of the tiny cub was more of a high pitched squeak than anything resembling the world shaking roar that was sealed within him. It was possibly the least threatening sound Cid had ever heard, and the indignity of it only seemed to make Regulus more frustrated.
The cub's tiny form tensed, lightning sparking more intensely across his golden white fur. He made another attempt at a fearsome roar, and another adorable squeak emerged. His small paws kneaded Cid's shoulder in clear agitation.
'He's having a tantrum,' Cid realized, fighting to keep his expression neutral despite the amusement bubbling up inside him. 'The mighty Lion Emperor is throwing a tantrum because I'm making him fight while looking cute.'
He shifted his attention to the bond with Rimuru, curious what the slime's reaction would be.
Through that simpler, more instinct driven connection, he felt immediate acceptance. Rimuru did not care about fighting in reduced form. Did not have concepts like pride or dignity. The slime was simply content to do whatever its summoner wanted. Fight small? Okay. Fight big? Also okay. Whatever made Cid happy.
'One simple minded familiar who just wants to please,' Cid thought. 'And one prideful familiar who thinks restrictions are beneath him. This is going to be interesting to manage.'
Regulus was still agitated, the cub practically vibrating with indignation on Cid's shoulder. The tiny squeaky roars continued at intervals, each one somehow managing to sound offended despite being objectively adorable.
An idea occurred to Cid. A way to reframe the situation that might appeal to Regulus's pride rather than fighting against it.
He focused on the bond again, this time taking a different approach.
'You say you are the Lion Emperor, right?' Cid projected the question with deliberate emphasis on the title. 'The Lion Emperor. One of the most powerful beings to ever exist. A creature of legend.'
Through the bond, he felt Regulus's attention sharpen even further. The agitation faded slightly, replaced by wary curiosity about where this line of reasoning was going.
'Then this much should be doable,' Cid continued, injecting challenge into the thought. 'Mere F rank monsters. Weeds. Plants. You should not need your full strength to deal with such weak threats. You are way past that level. Eliminating F rank enemies while in cub form should be trivial for the Lion Emperor.'
He accompanied the thoughts with images and feelings. The concept of overwhelming superiority. The idea that using full power against such weak enemies would actually be an insult to Regulus's capabilities. That a true Emperor could crush lesser beings with only a fraction of his might.
'Unless,' Cid added with deliberate provocation, 'you actually need your full power to handle F rank threats? Unless the Lion Emperor is not as strong as I thought?'
The reaction was immediate. Regulus's entire demeanor shifted. The agitation transformed into fierce determination. The cub sat up straighter on Cid's shoulder, his small form radiating offended pride.
Through the bond, Cid felt the Lion Emperor's response, wordless but crystal clear in its meaning. How dare his summoner suggest such a thing. How dare he imply that the Lion Emperor might struggle with enemies so far beneath him. F rank. F rank. Such insects were not even worth the effort of transforming. He would obliterate them in cub form and prove his superiority beyond any question.
The bait had been taken completely.
Cid had to suppress a laugh, keeping his expression carefully neutral. 'Both my familiars are simple minded. One is just happy to be included. The other has a massive ego that makes him easy to manipulate with the right framing. This is going to be useful knowledge going forward.'
Through the bond, he felt Regulus's determination solidify into resolve. The Lion Emperor would prove himself. Would demonstrate that even in diminished form, even fighting at a fraction of his power, he was still far superior to the pathetic plant monsters that dared to exist in his presence.
'Good,' Cid thought with satisfaction. 'That's exactly the attitude I need. Pride channeled into productivity.'
Rimuru wobbled happily on his other shoulder, blissfully unaware of the psychological manipulation that had just occurred, simply content that everyone seemed to be in agreement now about whatever they were about to do.
The residential area was giving way to more open space. Houses became more spread out. Small gardens expanded into larger plots. The stone paved roads transitioned to packed dirt paths. In the distance, Cid could see farmland stretching out, fields prepared for planting or already showing early crop growth.
He followed Rina's directions, looking for a house with a red painted door. It did not take long to spot it. The property was large, easily several acres, with a modest but well maintained two story house sitting at the front. The door was indeed painted a bright red, clearly visible even from a distance.
Behind the house, fields stretched out in neat rows. Cid could see various crops growing, though he did not have enough farming knowledge to identify specific plants. The land looked fertile and well cared for, exactly what you would expect from someone described as the primary food supplier for the town.
As Cid approached the house, he noticed an elderly man sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch. He had to be in his seventies at least, with weathered skin that spoke of decades working outdoors, gray hair thinning on top, and the kind of lean build that came from a lifetime of physical labor rather than any gym routine.
The man looked up as Cid walked up the path toward the house. His eyes, still sharp despite his age, took in Cid's appearance with the assessing gaze of someone used to evaluating people quickly.