Day Seven of Reincarnation as Rimuru

A plan had been conceived, but how to carry it out was an entirely different matter.

After all, with Morax’s sharp mind, the reason he hadn’t thought of this solution before was precisely because the relationships among the Archons of Teyvat were generally strained.

So even though his people claimed that the Dust King was a gentle Archon, Morax never felt compelled to proactively seek friendship with him.

—Even though their subjects had long since begun trade with one another.

But the simple-minded Slime just couldn’t understand all of Morax’s reservations.

“Relationships can be maintained! If you don’t take the initiative to visit, how would you know if the other side dislikes you? And you’re so good-looking, maybe the Dust King would agree to be friends just out of respect for your face.”

The plain-speaking, appearance-obsessed Slime said earnestly.

Being complimented on his looks by Rimuru, Morax’s face hidden beneath his hood revealed a faint helplessness. “I think not everyone is like Rimuru…”

Not everyone is like Rimuru, without guile or ambition.

The nature of the Archons is to compete amongst themselves until only one remains victorious.

If making friends were as simple as appearances, then the few Archons around them, all handsome in their own right, would have long since shaken hands and called it a day.

Archons are not as easy to deal with as Rimuru claims.

“Hmm… what do you mean by that?!”

After a moment of silence, Rimuru caught the implication and indignantly poked out his antennae, glaring at him. “Are you secretly calling me stupid? You, with your thick eyebrows and handsome face, I gave you good advice, and you just twisted it into an insult!”

“Personal attack…? Hmm, quite an apt term,” Morax gently tapped his chin.

Thinking Rimuru was just joking around, Morax didn’t understand the internet slang at all. After pondering quietly for a while, he smiled lightly and imitated the Slime’s earlier words aimed at him.

“Besides, I’m just speaking the truth. How can this so-called personal attack be justified?”

“???”

Struck by his own boomerang words, Rimuru clutched his chest in dismay. “Morax, you’re going bad! This won’t do at all!”

Don’t learn everything!

If he keeps learning like this, what will I do if I can’t trick him anymore?

Rimuru began to worry about a bleak future.

“Hehe, I think this is quite good.”

Having scored a point in the verbal sparring with the cunning Slime, Morax let out a soft chuckle.

Since meeting Rimuru, the Archon of Earth found himself smiling more and more without realizing it.

Such a startling sight caused the Earth Archon’s followers, who hadn’t yet dispersed, to stiffen their faces, fearful of offending their deity with any inappropriate expression.

Morax soon noticed the increasingly uneasy expressions of his people. The smile on the Archon’s face faded, and when facing his subjects, he reverted to the cold yet just Earth Archon.

“You may leave. I have already made arrangements for this year’s grain distribution.”

“Yes, Lord!”

Those who received orders from their god quickly dispersed. Only after they felt they had moved far enough away did they let out long breaths and start chattering noisily.

The mine overseer Xue Yan looked dazed, still unable to believe that their Archon had smiled at a Slime.

“Just who is that Slime? To make Lord Morax smile like that…”

“I heard from the kids that Slime is a new friend of Lord Morax,” Ye Yang, who managed the gathering teams, had already learned Rimuru’s background.

“The Archon’s new friend?? Is that true?” Xue Yan looked even more stunned.

“This was directly admitted by Lord Morax himself. What else would you believe?” Ye Yang rolled his eyes at him.

“To think he’s become friends with the Archon… that Slime really is full of surprises!” Xue Yan rubbed his face and finally chose to face reality.

“Not just ‘Slime,’ that gentleman’s name is Rimuru. Don’t offend Lord Morax’s friend!” Ye Yang warned.

---

While the two were discussing the relationship between Morax and Rimuru, Jin Ping, who had been looking down quietly, suddenly spoke.

“Do you think Lord Rimuru will stay with Lord Morax forever?”

“???”

Jin Ping’s question stunned everyone present. Wearing identical shocked expressions, they all reached out to cover Jin Ping’s mouth.

“What nonsense are you talking about! The private matters of our Archon are not for us to speculate about!”

“Exactly!”

“Besides, even if the Archon wanted a companion, it couldn’t be a Slime. They’re different species.”

They all seemed to have jumped to some wild conclusions.

Terrified, they tried to silence Jin Ping, but the discussion inevitably turned to whether Morax and Rimuru could be together.

“To be honest, I don’t think Lord Morax would ever fall for anyone… He always wears a stern face and keeps distance from us.”

“But Lord Morax just smiled at Lord Rimuru a moment ago…”

And happily, at that.

“…”

At these words, the crowd fell silent. Only Jin Ping remained expressionless as he continued.

“I hope Lord Rimuru stays.”

“Ah?”

“Why?” Xue Yan asked, puzzled.

Jin Ping paused, then looked up at the sky.

“Because I don’t want Lord Morax to have nothing but his identity as our god.”

He wished that the god he revered and believed in had someone to accompany him, rather than constantly experiencing loss as he does now.

More than sixty years had passed since the founding of Mountain Radiance Fort. Most of the first generation of Earth Archon’s believers had grown old, some had long since passed away.

Jin Ping still vaguely remembered that four years ago, when the tribe elder closest to Lord Morax died, the Archon merely looked from afar without speaking. Since then, no one dared approach him; he stood alone like a proud mountain peak, lonely as snow.

People only knew the Archon was powerful, but who understood the silent sorrow of a god?

Human lifespans are short—so short they’re but a fleeting instant in Morax’s life.

Yet the human race can live long enough to cause their god unbearable pain.

To walk with a god is to endure wear and tear, but in the end, it is the long-lived Archon who suffers.

“Ah? What do you mean? Can’t you just explain plainly?”

No one understood Jin Ping’s thoughts. Seeing the puzzled faces of his colleagues, he sighed heavily.

Working with such physically capable but simple-minded fools was truly unfortunate.

“If you don’t understand, just forget I said anything.”

He wanted to leave these emotionally clueless colleagues behind, but as he turned, seemingly recalling something, he said once more, startling them.

“Besides, who says different species can’t be together? For example, I really like the Qilin Lord who sometimes comes to visit the Emperor.”

“!!!”

Oh no, had their colleague lost his mind?

Daring to covet the noble celestial beast that followed Lord Morax!

Leaving this landmine behind, Jin Ping departed, leaving his stunned colleagues staring at one another in silence.

…

This explosive discussion was completely unknown to the central figures — Morax and Rimuru — for they were busy consulting on how to approach the wounded Dust Archon.

“Huh? You want me to go find the Dust King?”

Rimuru suddenly straightened up, his linear eyes widening again. “Just me? Can’t you come with me?!”

“Of course you won’t go alone. I’ll have Jin Ping reorganize a caravan to accompany you.”

Morax calmly corrected him, then patiently explained, “As an Archon who should be her enemy, it would be very inappropriate for me to approach while she is injured. So Rimuru, you are the best candidate to go exchange the grain.”

“That’s just sophistry!”

Rimuru’s intermittent social anxiety flared up. “I don’t want to travel far. I just want to stay home!”

After all, having experienced death once and just reincarnated into this world, Rimuru the Slime depended heavily on his contract with Morax. Being sent alone to exchange grain made him uneasy.

Morax understood this was somewhat unkind, but to prevent their homeland from being ambushed by Osial, he had to remain behind to guard Tenko.

Looking at the Slime who immediately collapsed into a puddle on the ground, Morax didn’t hesitate. He tore off a scale from his own body.

“This is my scale.”

Morax placed the dark brown scale, faintly glowing with golden light, above the Slime’s head. “If you encounter danger, it will protect you on my behalf, and I will come to you in time. You will not be harmed.”

This was another promise from the Earth Archon to Rimuru.

“???”

“What are you doing?”

Feeling the warmth of the scale on his head, Rimuru instantly regained his round shape. Gripping the blood-stained base of the scale, he anxiously circled Morax.

“I told you, you’re a blockhead! No dragon would voluntarily pull off a perfectly good scale from its own body! Do you think you’re a rock and don’t feel pain?!”

Rimuru spun around several times but saw nothing unusual. He could only try rubbing up against Morax’s bare foot, silently appealing to his ultimate backup.

【Emergency! Master Raphael, please check! Morax tore off this scale and gave it to me. Did he accidentally make himself bald?!】

Rimuru did not want the majestic Earth Dragon to be missing a scale!

That would ruin all his future benefits!

Absolutely not!

Even if Morax himself did it.

【Please do not worry excessively. High-level elemental beings in Teyvat can absorb and convert elemental energy from the environment to heal. By the time you circled him, he should have already recovered.】

Rimuru had been completely startled by Morax’s sudden self-mutilation. Now, hearing Raphael’s explanation, his intelligence finally returned, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

Oh, right, forgot that this rockhead is actually quite strong.

His body relaxed, and he collapsed, resting his head on Morax’s foot. “As long as he’s not bald, that’s fine…”

“…Rimuru?”

The moment his feet were pressed by the Slime, Morax felt the faintly cool, smooth touch and gradually stiffened like a stone. He had never been so close to anyone before.

Hearing Morax call his name, Rimuru had no intention of moving. “What’s up?”

Morax hinted by moving his left foot slightly. “If you’re tired, I’ll take you to my residence to rest now.”

“Ah, no, I just wanted to lie here for a while first~”

Rimuru admired the beautiful scales of the Earth Dragon shining in the sunlight. After a few minutes, reluctantly, he swallowed the scale Morax had given him and instructed Master Raphael to isolate and preserve it.

Knowing Morax was subtly telling him to get off his foot, Rimuru’s rebellious spirit surged, and he refused.

He lazily shifted to a more comfortable position on Morax’s foot and sprawled out without shame.

“Let me lie on your foot for a bit. Consider it payment for making me go alone to exchange grain with the Dust King~” The Slime showed a mischievous grin.

Hmph, since you want to be a rockhead so badly, Morax, you just stand there like a stone ornament for a while!