Nekra is currently up in the stands, watching the sham trial as it unfolds.

"I will now state the verdict. The principal offender, Kaijin, is sentenced to 20 years of forced labor in the min-" However, the judge is cut off, and suddenly passes out. All of the guards in the room ready their spears.

"I was going to say 'wait a minute,' but it seems someone seems to have stepped in for me... Anyway, it's been awhile, Kaijin. Have you been well?" King Gazel asks.

Suddenly, everyone being judged drops to one knee.

"Yes, your majesty. I am relieved to find you in good health, as well," Kaijin answers.

"Kaijin, have you any interest in returning to my ranks?" Gazel asks.

There is a long awkward silence.

"Forgive me, your majesty, but I have already found my master. My sworn oath is my greatest treasure. I shall never part with this, even if it is under your order, your majesty," Kaijin says, glancing at Rimuru.

"Insolence!" A guard shouts before he, too, suddenly passes out.

"I see," Gazel says.

"I shall pass judgment. Kaijin and his companions are to be exiled. That concludes my verdict. Out of my sight at once," Gazel says as the group leaves the room. He seems a little sad.

"Now then, Vesta, is there anything you wish to say?" Gazel says.

"Y-your majesty... I... w-well..." Vesta stammers.

"It's unfortunate. I have lost a loyal retainer," Gazel says.

"How can you say such a thing, Kaijin? That man did not swear loyalty to you," Vesta says.

"Vesta..." Gazel says, glancing at a pillar.

"Teacher, you can come out now," Gazel says.

"Are you sure, nya? That was mildly infuriating, you know, nya. Your minister almost made an enemy even your country couldn't afford to make, nya," Nekra says, appearing.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

"Do you understand now, Vesta? The retainer I lost was you," Gazel says.

"To think that small boy I taught so many years ago would become king, nya," Nekra says with Yuki and Safi standing behind her.

"Vesta... do you even understand the mistake you have made... if my teacher here says that, based on what she knows, then it's probably even more than me," Gazel says.

"Wait... you were..." Vesta says, recognizing Nekra from the dungeon and the bar.

"Gazel, you made the best possible choice. Once that slime forms a country, you could ally with it and get Kaijin and the three brothers' skills once again. Not to mention that country is going to be a technological powerhouse, nya," Nekra says.

"Ah, right... Teacher's skill. That slime must be destined for great things," Gazel says.

Nekra nods.

"You have no idea, nya," Nekra says as Vesta is escorted out.

"Wait, nya, explain the potion to him, nya," Nekra says.

"Oh? He plays an important role still? I guess my high hopes weren't too far off then," Gazel says as he pulls out a bottle.

"Vesta, do you know what this is in the bottle?" Gazel asks.

"It's a recovery potion, your majesty," Vesta says.

"No, it is a full potion, a draught of complete recovery, made from hipokute herbs," Gazel says.

"That isn't possible even with all of our technology. At most we could maybe get lucky and get a 98% recovery. How is this possible?" Vesta asks.

"We got it from that slime. Your actions have severely damaged our relationship with that slime... if it wasn't for my teacher here, I wouldn't even know it was salvageable for probably a long while," Gazel says.

"So tell me, Vesta, is there anything you wish to say?" Gazel says.

"I have nothing to say, your majesty," Vesta says as he slumps down, crying.

================

After the room is cleared out.

"So, teacher... any advice?" Gazel asks Nekra.

"I still can't believe you became king," Yuki says.

"Well, I didn't expect to run into you two after the ogre dropped me off in front of the dungeon, telling me to get stronger after training me in the way of the sword," Gazel says with a slight laugh.

"Anyway, if you wanted advice, you are going to need to wait until after that slime kills the orc lord invading the forest soon, nya," Nekra says.

Gazel flinches. "An orc lord," he says.

"Yeah, nya, it's gathering its forces now. A demon lord got bored and wanted to make another demon lord, so it created a disaster orc lord, and well, I forget, nya," Nekra says with a head tilt.

"So after that?" Gazel asks.

"Nya, it is after that, that his goblin village becomes the capital of the Jura forest alliance, which is officiated by dryads," Nekra says.

Gazel just nods, knowing that whenever teacher talks, he gets a headache.

"Who's the other girl?" Gazel asks to distract her.

"Hi! I'm Safi! Momma's daughter," Safi says as she gets a head pat from Nekra, and Yuki smiles brilliantly.

"Congratulations, you two," Gazel says.

"She's not our biological daughter... wait, technically she is," Yuki says, going deep into thought.

"So what's with that dragon doll you're holding?" Gazel asks.

"Ah, this is my main body. I have to keep it close to maintain a human form," Safi says as the dragon waves one of its paws.

Gazel just feels the headache get even stronger.

"Are you a real dragon? If you don't mind me asking," Gazel says.

"Yes and no, I'm a fully magically mechanical dragon," Safi says.

Gazel looks at his teacher.

"What wouldn't I give to have you as one of my scientists," Gazel says, looking at Nekra.

"I plan on working with the slime in the future, nya. With your alliance, you should share technology, nya," Nekra says.

"Really! Maybe I can finally have a, what was it called, a Silhouette Knight," Gazel says.

He may have seen some anime.