Chapter 139: Chapter One Hundred And Thirty Nine

Hinata Sakaguchi dismounted her horse smoothly, her boots landing softly against the paved road.

Behind her, her two companions did the same.

Litus of Water and Arnaud Bauman of Air were the only two members of the Ten Saints Hinata had permitted to accompany her.

That decision now felt entirely justified. The two Hobgoblins standing guard at Tempest’s entrance alone were enough proof of that.

For one thing, both of them were significantly stronger than any Hobgoblin Hinata had encountered throughout her years as a Holy Knight.

And she had encountered quite a few.

If she had to estimate, each guard possessed strength somewhere between B+ and A- rank.

An absurd level of power for goblins.

Thankfully, not every Hobgoblin she had seen along the paved roads leading toward Tempest appeared to be at that level.

Even so, the fact that ordinary gate guards possessed strength rivaling veteran knights was deeply unsettling.

Hinata’s gaze lingered briefly on the city walls ahead. ’Rimuru had even stronger subordinates beside him when we fought back then...’

Her expression darkened slightly. ’How powerful have they become now that he’s evolved into a Demon Lord?’

That question worried her far more than she liked admitting. And for good reason.

Not only had Rimuru now ascended into a true Demon Lord... But the last time Hinata had seen him, he had been consumed entirely by rage over Shuna’s death.

She still remembered it clearly. The overwhelming pressure. The fury in his eyes.

Then, only minutes later, she had sensed an enormous concentration of magicules erupt somewhere behind her position.

Shortly afterward, news reached the west.

The army Falmuth had gathered, nearly half a million soldiers strong, had been annihilated to the last man.

It was obvious how Rimuru had achieved his evolution after hearing that.

But that only raised an even more disturbing question. Had Rimuru Tempest personally slaughtered four hundred and fifty thousand people by himself? Or had his subordinates carried it out under his command?

Neither possibility was remotely reassuring.

Considering all of that, why was Hinata here?

To answer that question, one would need to go back a few weeks earlier. Two days after the conclusion of Walpurgis.

That was when an overwhelming pressure suddenly spread across the land, powerful enough to be sensed by every magic-born within hundreds of miles.

The Storm Dragon Veldora had returned.

Panic erupted almost immediately throughout the western nations.

There were countless theories.

Some claimed Veldora had awakened because of the massive slaughter Rimuru committed during his evolution into a Demon Lord.

Others believed Rimuru himself had somehow revived the legendary dragon.

There were even rumors claiming that Veldora, not Rimuru, had been the true force responsible for annihilating Falmuth’s army.

However, Hinata already knew that theory was false. After all, Luminous herself had personally confirmed the truth.

Rimuru Tempest had undeniably evolved into a True Demon Lord.

Even so, the resurrection of Veldora changed everything.

The Storm Dragon was not merely a powerful monster. He was a walking natural disaster.

A catastrophic existence whose mere presence had once shaped the political structure of entire nations.

And now he was allied with Rimuru Tempest. The amount of fear spreading throughout humanity afterward was almost impossible to describe.

Naturally, in response to the growing panic, Hinata had declared that she would personally travel to Tempest in order to determine Rimuru and Veldora’s intentions for herself.

Many considered the decision suicidal.

After all, Hinata herself, and by extension the Holy Church, had technically stood behind Falmuth’s attack against Tempest.

There were plenty who believed Rimuru held deep resentment toward the Western Holy Church and would simply kill her the moment she entered his territory.

But Hinata understood Rimuru better than most. He was an otherworlder, just like her, and there was nothing he wanted more than to coexist with the humans.

If his mind had changed concerning that she had no idea, but she held out hope.

Hinata’s sharp eyes immediately swept across the city beyond while Litus and Arnaud remained close behind her.

And for a brief moment... All three of them fell silent.

The city was far more developed than Hinata had expected.

Wide paved roads stretched throughout the massive settlement in carefully organized patterns. Stone buildings stood beside sturdy wooden structures reinforced with monster-crafted materials, while intricate magic lamps lined the streets despite it still being daytime.

Everything looked... clean.

There was no visible poverty.

No slums crowding the outer districts like most human nations inevitably developed over time.

Instead, the city felt structured.

Monsters moved openly throughout the streets alongside humans and demi-humans without visible hostility. Hobgoblins carried crates through the market district while lizardmen oversaw shipments near large warehouses.

Further ahead, dwarven blacksmiths argued over weapon designs while beastmen merchants attempted to negotiate prices nearby.

And perhaps most surprising of all... Humans were everywhere.

Merchants. Travelers. Adventurers.

Even nobles judging from the quality of some carriages moving through the city.

"...This is insane." Arnaud muttered quietly.

Litus frowned slightly while observing the surroundings carefully. "...There’s almost no visible military presence."

Hinata noticed that too immediately. Including the two Hobgoblins she saw at the gates, there were fewer guards around the junctions.

Tempest clearly possessed confidence in its own security. A confidence backed by overwhelming power.

As they continued deeper into the city, more details began standing out.

Water channels ran cleanly alongside several streets. Public bathhouses operated openly near the commercial district.

And unlike most western nations, there were no visible tensions between races.

No guards watching monsters with suspicion.

It was unnatural. ’Or perhaps...’ Hinata narrowed her eyes slightly. ’Maybe this was simply what happened when monsters became the majority instead.’

Eventually, the group passed through one of Tempest’s larger marketplaces.

The area was bustling with activity.

Stalls lined both sides of the road while merchants loudly advertised their goods. Exotic fruits from the Jura Forest sat beside dwarven alcohol shipments while monster-crafted fabrics, potions, weapons, and magical tools filled the district with noise and movement.

Hinata’s eyes shifted briefly toward several familiar banners. Blumund.

There were multiple traders from the Kingdom of Blumund actively conducting business throughout the market.

And judging from how naturally they interacted with the citizens, this clearly wasn’t a recent development.

"...Trade relations are already this established?" Litus murmured quietly.

Hinata didn’t respond immediately.

Because honestly... That was bad.

Very bad.

Military strength alone could unite nations temporarily through fear.

But economics? Trade? Infrastructure?

Tempest was embedding itself into the western economy far faster than most nations likely realized.

A nearby human merchant laughed loudly while speaking to a hobgoblin shopkeeper over prices. Neither side appeared remotely uncomfortable.

Hinata’s expression hardened slightly. If this continued for another decade, even less... Humanity’s perception of monsters itself might fundamentally change.

How would she move forward then? Luminous’ doctrines put them against all monsters. They needed the monsters to remain as enemies of humanity, but now it would be impossible, and the impact of luminism would deteriorate.

Eventually, one of the escorts leading them forward slowed slightly.

"This way please." the ogre attendant said politely.

Hinata nodded once before following.

The group gradually left the busy commercial district behind.

The streets became quieter as they moved further inward toward Tempest’s administrative sector.

Hinata’s eyes lifted slightly toward the massive white mansion standing ahead.

The building contrasted sharply against the rest of the city.

Elegant white stone walls rose several stories high while large windows reflected the morning sunlight. The surrounding gardens were immaculately maintained, filled with carefully arranged flowers and trimmed greenery.

It looked less like the residence of monsters...

And more like the estate of royalty.

"...So this is where a Demon Lord lives now." Arnaud muttered quietly.

"I don’t need to tell you both to be careful." Hinata told them. "Do not act recklessly, no matter what you see or hear. I’ll handle it."

Litus and Bauman nodded.

The receptionist guided them through several quiet hallways before eventually stopping in front of a large pair of polished wooden doors.

"This is the designated conference chamber." she said politely.

Hinata nodded once.

The receptionist bowed slightly before stepping away.

Silence settled briefly across the hallway.

Then Hinata placed one hand against the door and pushed it open.

The room beyond was spacious but surprisingly modest compared to the scale of the mansion itself.

It looked less like the audience chamber of a Demon Lord... And more like a government office.

Hinata’s eyes immediately locked onto the figures already present inside.

Rimuru Tempest sat calmly near the far end of the table dressed in surprisingly casual clothing rather than anything resembling royal attire.

Beside him stood two attendants.

The first was the pink-haired kijin woman Hinata recognized immediately.

Shuna.

Hinata’s expression tightened almost imperceptibly.

So her and Rimuru’s theories had been true. Rimuru could resurrect the dead.

That alone fundamentally shattered several long-standing beliefs regarding souls, resurrection, and holy law.

Even Luminous herself had once described true resurrection as nearly impossible.

The second figure was another lady with purple hair and large breasts in a purple suit.

However... That wasn’t what truly made Hinata stop walking.

It was the third figure sitting quietly beside the window.

A woman with a familiar face. Black hair. Gentle posture. Scars right under her eyes.

For a moment... Hinata’s thoughts completely stopped. Her breathing caught slightly.

"...Shizu...?" Hinata’s voice came out almost inaudibly.

The woman looked toward her slowly. Then smiled gently. And the moment Hinata saw that expression... Her composure shattered.

"...Sensei?"

Litus and Arnaud immediately stiffened behind her in confusion.

"Lady Hinata?" Arnaud asked carefully.

But Hinata barely heard him.

Because her eyes remained completely fixed on the woman standing near the window.

"...You’re back?" Hinata whispered.

Hinata simply stood frozen near the doorway while staring at the woman by the window as if afraid she might disappear if she blinked.

"...Sensei?" she whispered again.

Shizu slowly stepped away from the window. "It’s been a long time, Hinata."

That voice shattered whatever composure Hinata still had left.

For the first time since entering Tempest, genuine emotion appeared openly across her face.

Confusion.

Disbelief.

Hope.

Fear.

"...How?" Hinata asked quietly.

Her voice sounded small.

Almost fragile.

Rimuru watched silently from the side, his expression noticeably more careful now than earlier.

"I’ll explain everything." he said calmly. "But first..."

Hinata ignored him completely. Her eyes never left Shizu.

Litus and Arnaud exchanged deeply uneasy looks behind Hinata.

Neither of them understood what was happening anymore.

They had never seen Hinata like this before. Ever.

The woman standing before them now looked nothing like the cold, untouchable leader of the Holy Knights feared across the western nations.

She looked... lost.

"...Come here." Shizu said softly.

That finally broke Hinata completely. She crossed the distance between them almost instantly.

Then stopped abruptly only inches away, as if suddenly afraid to touch her.

Afraid she might vanish.

Shizu however simply raised her hand and gently rested it against Hinata’s cheek.

Hinata’s breath caught sharply. "...You’re real." she whispered.

Shizu smiled faintly. "As real as I can be."

There was sadness in Shizu’s eyes.

Hinata’s hands trembled slightly. Then suddenly she grabbed Shizu tightly.

The movement startled everyone in the room.

Including Shizu herself.

Hinata buried her face against her shoulder while holding onto her with enough force that it almost looked painful.

"...Please stay." Hinata whispered shakily.

Shizu froze briefly. Then slowly... carefully... she wrapped her arms around Hinata in return.

"I’m sorry." she murmured softly. "I... I can’t."

Hinata’s fingers tightened weakly against Shizu’s clothing. "...No." she whispered immediately.

The response came so quickly that it almost sounded childish.

Shizu’s expression softened further. "Hinata..."

"No." Hinata repeated again, lifting her head slightly now. There was genuine desperation in her eyes for the first time in years. "If Rimuru brought you back then there has to be a way to stabilize it. Spirits, spiritual anchors, holy magic, resurrection rituals, whatever it takes..."

"Hinata."

That single word stopped her. Shizu gently brushed a strand of hair away from Hinata’s face.

"I’m tired." she admitted softly.

The room went silent again.

"I’ve been tired for a very long time."

"I already died once." Shizu continued quietly. "And honestly... I made peace with that a long time ago."

"But..."

"This isn’t really life." Shizu smiled sadly. "It’s more like... being allowed one final moment."

Hinata looked away sharply. Because deep down, she already understood that. The sadness in Shizu’s eyes. The strange calmness surrounding her.

"...I hate this." Hinata admitted bitterly.

Shizu laughed softly under her breath. "I know."

For several moments, neither of them spoke again.

Then Shizu’s expression brightened slightly. "But before I go," she said gently, "I’d like to see the others again."

Hinata blinked.

"The children." Shizu smiled faintly. "Kenya. Chloe. Alice. Gale. Ryota."

Her eyes softened warmly. "I want to know how they’re doing."

Something painful twisted in Hinata’s chest hearing that.

"...They’d want to see you too." Hinata whispered.

Shizu nodded lightly. "And until then..." she looked back toward Hinata again, her smile becoming gentler. "Tell me everything."

Hinata stared at her silently. "...Everything?"

"Mhm." Shizu hummed softly. "What happened after I left. Your students. Your work. Your life."

A faint teasing look appeared in her eyes.

Quietly, the others began slipping out of the room one by one.

None of them wanted to interrupt this.

As the doors slowly closed behind them, Hinata finally sat down beside Shizu near the window.