“Not at all! I think everyone will be really happy!”
Marsha smiled happily.
And while we were doing that, the students woke up one by one and came out.
Even the instructors who were in critical condition came out and thought it was weird that their wounds had healed but they all understood once they saw me.
I will applaud them that they didn’t say anything unnecessary.
“It will be done soon. Could you prepare the bath in the meantime?”
As I asked that of Marsha, she replied ‘got it!’ and happily nodded before going off to the for-bath-use tent.
It seemed like she was in shock because of the events last night but now that she saw good food and has something she can do, she had regained some willpower.
At times like this, it is good to do something to change gears.
First, we have food.
And then, we get in the tub to wash away all the dirt from the battle.
There are probably those who were bathed in the others’ blood too so it would be good for them to be clean.
And after that–
As Marsha left, William came up to me seeing I was alone.
“Is now a good time, Rimuru-sama?”
He came to speak as the representative.
I nodded and decided to plan on what to do from now on.
“Are all the wounded healed?”
“Yes. With the help of the healing potions you gave us, everyone has healed.”
“That’s good. I think you understand but—”
“Of course, I told them these are healing potions Pyuri the health doctor prepared.”
“Yeah, that’s good.”
“–However, how exactly are we, still alive?”
“That’s because Moss was there.”
To introduce him to sage William, I called out Moss.
[It is very nice to meet you. I am Testarossa-sama’s aide, who is of the equal rank and is a coworker to Diablo, who is Rimuru-sama’s trusted retainer. I am called Moss. Pleased to make your acquaintance–]
The small Moss showed hypocritical courtesy as he introduced himself to William.
But William didn’t take any offense from that, rather he said,
“A-ah, yes, same here. I thank you for saving us.”
Although Moss is being used as a handyman, his position in Tempest is indeed high. I guess he would be a god-like existence even to the academy’s elders.
Besides, even though Moss looks like this, even arch demons don’t match up to him.
It isn’t weird for the sage William’s expression to stiffen seeing a being who can destroy large countries with ease.
“Then, will this ‘Human Liberation Alliance’ thing be taken care of by Moss-sama?”
William asked me, pulling himself together.
.
He’s probably worried about the instructors and students who affiliate with Human Liberation Alliance.
“No, I won’t do that.”
“Why is that? I had completely assumed that anyone who opposed you would be annihilated…”
It’s vexing seeing how my image is being passed on like this.
I mean, sure, I would annihilate people who are clearly enemies but I won’t go killing everyone like a barbarian just because their position is in opposition to mine…
“Now listen here, ‘enemy’ can mean many different things, alright? I would have crushed them if they were destroying towns or killing people but the Human Liberation Alliance is different, right? I will just fight them in their own ring and have defeat etch into their mind and body so that they never think of opposing me again.”
Right.
In the first place, it is hard to charge anyone this time.
What the Human Liberation Alliance did was persuading the students and instructors to agree to their thinking—which is to free themselves of me, the demon lord’s rule.
Even if money is involved in this, it would be hard to judge it as a crime.
It is clear that they are opposing me but they are innocent in terms of law.
That is the tough part.
It is true that I hold absolute authority but even then I wouldn’t around tampering with the laws freely.
I can suggest a certain law in the parliament but a majority vote can only bring it to shape. Well, even then, most of my laws would pass but I never really presented a law to begin with.
I had decided to not touch politics since the time I started leading the Goblins.
All I had to do was watch over the management after fixing a set of rules.
I could easily reject an absurd law suggestion by a lower legislature house and even if they do pass, I could reject them later. Even I need to go through the proper procedures to set a new law.
I don’t have any plans on trying to do anything absurd like ‘to death with him!’ and even if I did, it wouldn’t pass.
This time around as well, I am upholding such values.
Even the actions taken in this island—I can condemn them in terms of humanity but there are no concise law.
They had been hiding their identity until the instructors or students who could pose a problem were defeated.
But to say that is a crime is difficult.
There’s no doubt that they left the others to die but it can’t be said to be a crime just because they didn’t save them.
They probably plan on leaving the students or teachers who won’t cooperate in the island and have the monsters deal with them—but that can’t be charged as a crime as of yet.
After all, they can’t be charged unless they directly had a hand in it.
They haven’t committed any clear crimes at present and the actions which they are assumed to take when leaving the island are just assumptions.
It’s a pain but since I don’t have any charges I can file against them, I can’t do anything yet.
“If so, what do you plan on doing?”
“It’s simple, William-kun. The students who are angry at Magnus for the betrayal will try to take revenge. That too by a legal and formal way—by a duel.”
“–Don’t tell me, Julius and Karma? However, with the skill difference between them…”
“There shouldn’t be a problem. We still have 3 days. Once they are done eating, I plan on going full spartan coaching on them.”
“O-oh… I don’t know what to say…”
“I will have you cooperate as well. And then we will win and return triumphantly. They probably plan on leaving anyone who don’t align with their ideals in this island. However, if we are able to escape this island with everyone alive, we will win. Right?”