The air inside the restaurant thrummed with voices, laughter, and the steady clatter of plates and cutlery. Every chair was filled, every table served its purpose to hold the drinks and food still. At the bar table, Kushina leaned forward, laughing easily at something Rimuru had just said, her fiery hair bright under the runic lamp. Beside her, Claire's expression was cool and unimpressed, the sharp and oaky liquid she always ordered swirling inside the glass in her hand. Though, the faint twitch at her lips told everything needed to be told.
Just behind them, Rimuru's subordinates—Benimaru, Shuna, and Shion—sat. They were lost in their own conversation but still watchful, ready to react for their lord if it's needed. Their peers from Tempest were also in the restaurant, scattered around the communal table of twelve and many other tables for four.
The smell of sizzling meats and seared vegetables filled the room, rich and sweet, while the soup cauldrons and baskets of bread sat perfectly still in a subtle shimmer of frozen time, heat and aroma locked in place until Ludwig allowed them to move again. Together with Zhark, they moved through the kitchen with practiced ease, every motion precise: a flash of steel, the hiss of oil, the steady rhythm of plates set down ready to be delivered.
On the corner, a familiar red-haired who hadn't visited the restaurant for some time sat as always with Hong and On, the cats perched comfortably as if they owned the place, tails flicking lazily. On another table, their youngest siblings hovered, the little dragon was telling anyone about its name, whether they wanted it or not.
Ludwig took his time to glance over the restaurant with his eyes as he finished the latest batch of orders. It was beautiful. People leaving their worries and complicated thoughts behind, finding respite on the food and drinks he served. It was even more beautiful because those people shouldn't have even met. Chakra, mana, and magicules. All different types of power, yet inside this restaurant, they coexisted perfectly in harmony.
"Why are you standing there with a stupid smile on your face?" Rimuru's voice entered his ears, tone higher than it should.
Ludwig's field of vision shifted, now a smirking face of Rimuru was reflected in his eyes. "Just looking at the restaurant. Business is good, you know?"
"For you, yes." Rimuru shot. "For my city, not very much. They spending their money here meant less gold in Tempest, less money for other people who sell their wares outside."
Ludwig's mouth twitched. "Don't act like you think about it yourself. Claire probably told you about that."
"Hey! She's not the only smart guy in the room, okay?"
"The other one should be me and that Great Sage of yours then."
"HEY!"
Claire burst laughing at that moment, definitely finding pleasure in Ludwig knocking Rimuru from his high horse.
But in the middle of Claire's laugh and Rimuru trying to shut her and Ludwig up, Kushina's voice cut through. "Why is spending here bad for your city, Rimuru? Look at them, they are happy, aren't they?"
Rimuru swirled his lemonade like it was a precious wine, then his face took a darker shade. "They are happy. And I'm happy for them. But, every gold coin spent here… doesn't come back. It doesn't circulate in Tempest's economy."
Kushina blinked. "Doesn't circulate?"
At that moment, Claire stepped in. Her tone was soft and dripping with kindness, like a mother teaching something important to their kids. "He means this: In Tempest, when someone buys food at a tavern, that coin goes to the tavern owner. The owner then pays farmers, smiths, staff—money keeps moving, fueling growth. But here..." she tapped the polished wood of Ludwig's counter "Every coin either disappears into the restaurant's system or to the world where Ludwig buy his ingredient from, not to suppliers in Tempest. No wages come back into the city. They are just… gone."
Kushina tilted her head, thoughtful. "So… it's like the Hokage keep giving mission rewards without taking a portion of it for the village?"
Claire smirked faintly. "Precisely. Ludwig's place is… good, but economically it's a sinkhole."
Rimuru nodded. "Which means, I have to put plans in place if I don't want Tempest to collapse right after its founding. And to arrive on that plan, I have so many meetings to attend! I blamed it on that silver haired bastard!" He said so while flailing his arms and smacking the glass he had in his hand to the table.
"Hey now." Ludwig chuckled. "You guys wound me. A gold sink? A villain draining the lifeblood of your precious city? I thought I was just feeding hungry souls."
Kushina snorted. "More like selling than merely feeding."
Ludwig leaned towards the separator, a grin plastering his face. "I admit that. But I didn't just take that gold and hoard it like a dragon you know." He chuckled at his own joke, then his tone softened. "Moreover, that's why I kept giving Shuna the condiments I bought. I wanted Tempest to make it so I can buy it from you guys."
Of course, Ludwig had another reason. But the time's not ripe yet for him to tell Rimuru about it.
"That's the reason why you did that?" Rimuru's head shot up, his eyes glinted with surprise.
"Of course. You told Shuna that you wanted some of my food ready in Tempest back then, aren't you? So I thought, why not also give her some condiments to research. Maybe, I can buy it cheaper once it's done." Ludwig shrugged. "You have manpower, the Great Sage, and your city backing you. I thought it wouldn't take long. So why haven't it finished?"
"I…" Rimuru's pupil shook.
"Did you take all that condiments for yourself?"
"NO! Of course not!" Rimuru jumped up and waved his hands around. "I… I just haven't got the time."
"Time?" Claire scoffed. "You are one customer that was always here. You have plenty of time."
"You also have the Great Sage." Ludwig added. "Don't tell me it can't see what ingredients are needed for each condiment and how to make it."
Rimuru's mouth hung open, teeth and tongue clear for anybody to see. With each second passed, more and more creases could be seen appearing on his forehead. "S-sorry."
"So the Great Sage has spoken?" Claire asked.
"Yeah."
"And?"
"It should be easy. The hardest part will be cultivating the ingredients and the fermentation process." Rimuru explained, voice devoid of his usual fervor.
"I just don't understand how you forget utilizing such a good skill!" Claire huffed. "If it's me, I'll ask every minute. It would spare me from so many headaches."
"Do you want to have one?" Rimuru asked at that moment. "It wouldn't be as good as the Great Sage, but it will still help you a lot."
"That's possible?" Claire's eyes widened.
"Yeah. Though, I have to give you a name first." Rimuru said in a calm tone.
"You'll evolve me? Like what you did to others?"
"Yeah. The Great Sage said, the chance of you getting the skill by simply hearing the Voice of The World is small. But by me naming you, you should get the watered-down version of the Great Sage skill."
"What are you waiting for, then? Name me now." Claire's voice went high, his anticipation was palpable in her words.
"The Great Sage said you have to free your time first. I supported its decision. If I name you, you will be out of commission for some time. Moreover, I can't do it here. You should come to my world first."
"Huh? But the monster you named didn't faint, didn't they?" Claired asked.
"It's because they were not powerful by the time I named them. But you are quite strong already. So you will definitely pass out."
"I see." Claire deflated. "Seems like we have to push the appointments to another time. I have so many important meetings this week."
"We are going to Rimuru's world in a few weeks? Let's goooooo!" Kushina beamed. "You will name me too right, Rimuru?"
"Of cours–" Rimuru's came out with a proud and beaming voice. But then, his confidence was cut midway. From his everchanging face, it seemed like the Great Sage was telling him something.
"Sorry Kushina. I can't name you."
"Eh? Whyyyyyyy?"
"The Great Sage said you are too powerful. Even more powerful than Ludwig." Rimuru said seriously. But in Ludwig's eyes, he knew that the slime was acting. But then he quickly added, probably because Kushina looked more and more crestfallen each passing second. "I can't name Ludwig either. I don't have enough power for now."
"For now?" Claire asked.
"Yeah. I have to evolve myself first before I will be able to name Kushina and Ludwig said the Great Sage."
Kushina's face brightened at Rimuru's words. "Really? So I just need to wait, right?"
"Y-yeah." Rimuru stuttered, then Kushina hugged him hard.
"I'll wait then! But I want to visit too when Claire goes there."
"Of course." Rimuru chuckled.
* * *
The air inside the restaurant was still. No laughter, no steady steam of clattering of the plates clatter, and no idle chatter anymore. The sky outside the window was dark, darker than before. It's already time for most people to call it a day. Amidst that, two customers still sat on the bar table. They were the administrator of Ravenhall and the leader of Jura Forest Alliance.
The dining area only had three people, an unprecedented number since the first opening of the restaurant. The three employees who worked today were already ushered to the second floor. They had been working a lot throughout the day, so rest was important for them.
Beneath that silence, Claire opened her mouth. "You said Kushina was too strong earlier, right? Did it have to do with the malice she shot out a few days ago?"
"Yeah." Rimuru nodded solemnly.
"Are you ready to tell me more about her, then?" Claire said with a pointed tone.
Rimuru looked at Ludwig at that moment, eyes begging for help. But he just shrugged, telling the slime to do the heavy lifting.
With a sigh, Rimuru opened his mouth again. "Kushina is a container of a tailed beast—a beast that could flatten one of the ninja villages in one attack—called the Nine Tails."
Claire's brows raised, but she just sat still, waiting.
"The power level of those beats are separated by their numbers of tails. However… The Nine Tails is special. It was the favourite child of the creator, it was stronger than all tailed beats combined."
Claire hummed. "I see. Now it makes sense why that old man called the Hokage is so protective of her."
"More like possessive than protective." Rimuru scoffed. "That old man is no good. Even though he's called the God of Shinobi, he rarely went to the frontline. How could someone be called a God if they just sat in their office?"
"God of paperworks should be called so because they sat in their office." Ludwig shrugged.
"Shut up." Rimuru shot. "You just shrugged your shoulders earlier but now you are chirping?"
"Anyway…" Ludwig pointed at Claire.
"Is her identity as the container the reason why you couldn't name her now?"
Rimuru's tone grew softer, his eyes moved from Ludwig to Claire. "That's only one of the reasons. You see, Konoha had a custom. Kushina's predecessor was the wife of the First Hokage of Konoha, the true God of Shinobi. She is a Uzumaki, a clan blessed by an outstanding lifeforce. Kushina is also one of them.
"The Uzumakis were already considered as a different breed in Ninja World, they were head above the others. The Great Sage said naming a Uzumaki would be hard enough, so when that Uzumaki was a container for the strongest tailed beast, it became impossible for the current me."
"Is that so?" Claire hummed. "What about Ludwig then?"
"Well…" Rimuru scratched his chin. "He's human alright. But, even without a tailed beast inside him, I still can't name him because I don't have enough magicules."
"What does that mean?" Claire protested.
"Who knows?" Rimuru shrugged. "The Great Sage just said the current me can't name him because he's way above my paygrade."