Suddenly someone came into the room without any warning and everyone went on alert due to the energy levels coming off of this individual.
Benimaru leaped forward and held a sword to their neck, " State your name and purpose trespasser."
The man answered calmly and without surprise for the sudden aggression, " I've come on the command of lord Pneuma to discuss a promotional agreement with the individual Rimuru Tempest."
"Huh!" Benimaru sheathed his sword and everyone turned their eyes to me who was currently playing on my laptop.
I looked up and turned my head to the doorway and skipped over, "oh Hello, everyone, allow me to introduce to you, Gehrman."
Rugard immediately recognized that name, "Wait Gehrman, as in the leader of the multinational research company Andromeda and Pneuma's personal executioner."
"Yep, that very one." I replied sweetly.
"Well then, what kinda promotional agreement did you guys have in mind?" Rimuru, despite feeling stagnant from the sudden flow of energy coming from this guy, asked for diplomacy.
"Lord Pneuma asked me to come here to help sell your potions… very vaguely that is." Gehrman glared at me when saying that last part.
I just smiled and took my leave, " I'm gonna go cause clearly I'm not welcome, you should have this, right Gehrman?"
"Yeah, don't worry about me Milord." I took my leave with Milim and Gehrman took his seat across from Rimuru.
The discussion was surprisingly smooth, Rimuru was astounded by the man's incredible negotiating skills aswell as leniency with the price that he gave.
It didn't take long before the discussion ended and Gehrman got up to leave, " Wait!" Rimuru shouted from across the table.
" Is there something else that you wanted to discuss with me? Was the deal not satisfactory?"
" No it's not that, I have a personal request from you. Can you tell me more about Simon?"
" You want to know more about him, well why won't you ask him yourself?" Gehrman was confused by this but then it clicked, "Unless, he's been treating you like a friend while simultaneously acting distant with you? Is that what has been going on with him?"
Rimuru was stunned, Gehrman had nailed it on the head, now he knew that there was a specific reason for his attitude towards them.
Gehrman put his hand up to prevent Rimuru from speaking further, "I apologize but it's not my right to speak more about this but I can say this. If his keeping you at armslength then it means that he cares about you… and doesn't want to be affected by his affliction."
'Affliction!? He's sick?!' As Gehrman left, Rimuru's brain went into overdrive due to the sudden information.
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Rimuru went to find me and Milim and found us shooting airborne watermelons with rocket launchers.
"Oh hi Rimuru, what is it that you want from us?" I cleaned myself up of exploded watermelon bits and addressed the approaching slime.
Rimuru transformed into his human form. Although he was more accustomed to his slime form, he always had a sudden instinct to accompany Simon in his human form.
" Simon can I talk to you about something?" Rimuru sounded almost upset.
" Hey Milim, why don't you let us talk for a while?" I said to Milim who immediately pouted.
"Fine then you owe me so much food later on." Milim, despite being unhappy about being excluded in this moment, excused herself due to sensing the heavy atmosphere.
Milim walked away and me and Rimuru were left and alone… and in silence.
Rimuru stammered but I shot straight, " Gehrman told you about my sickness, didn't he?"
"Well I… uh… um." Rimuru couldn't form a thought and acted as if he had been caught red-handed.
I began walking closer to Rimuru in which he began panicking and tripping over his own foot until I was directly Infront of him. He closed his eyes and magic sense and prepared for whatever punishment would come to him.
He waited a long time for some for of divine judgement but then felt a hand patting his head. He opened his eyes and looked up, from above he saw the blank face of a man, there was no discernible emotion on any part of his face… except for his eyes.
They always say that the eyes are the windows to the soul and what he could feel from this man's eyes was blackness… and no, it wasn't because of the colour of his eyes.
What he could felt was an seething rage that couldn't be contained but could be controlled, like all consuming lake, it appeared calm on the surface but step one foot in and it will devour you whole and nothing remains.
That blackness was something that Rimuru couldn't understand, "Rimuru, if you're afraid then I'll tell you these no need to be. I'm mad yes but you're my friend and I'd never hurt you… intentionally." The monotone voice scared Rimuru evens more.
"Simon, I didn't think he would tell me that?" Rimuru stammered and panicked so much that he lied.
"Rimuru, I can hear everything that is happening in Tempest, there's no need to lie to me. Let me ask a question… why do you not trust me?"
Rimuru felt himself lose his charismatic touch but pressed on anyway, "It's not about trust, I find you interesting and overwhelming. There is something extremely appalling to me about you and frankly I do find you to be an extremely good friend."
I stood there in silence and then took my hand off of his head as he, " Well now Rimuru, I never knew you were so gay." I teased playfully.
" HEY! I AM NOT GAY! But that was from the bottom of my heart, you can keep your secrets but even if it's something I can't help you with, I want you to tell me, ok."
" No problem little slime, I shall never forsake you. Now live long and prosper." I chuckled at the slimes enthusiasm as I split my fingers apart and showed it to him.
Rimuru chuckled with me but despite the light atmosphere, he could still sense the murky black in my eyes.
" Just talk to me whenever you need me, I will always be there for you Simon."
" Likewise Rimuru."