(Rimuru POV)
"Okay, wow." I couldn't help but mutter to myself. I'd expected us to individually outclass the orcs, but this…? Maybe two hundred thousand wasn't that much…?
It'd all started on our way there. We'd been traveling for three days, and we were coming on the marshes, when I'd gotten a Thought Communication from Soei, whom I'd sent to scout ahead.
Apparently, he'd found a group engaged in battle. Specifically, he'd found a lizardman that he recognized as a close aide to the chief, all alone against around fifty orcs, including a high-level one. Apparently, the higher-tier orc had been playing with the lizardman to show off its power.
I told Soei to hold off and analyze the orcs' abilities until it looked like the orc was going in for the kill, since Soei assured me that none of them were a threat to him.
I figured that, if orcs were still alive by the time we got there, then we'd deal with them. Long story short, it was an easy mop-up operation. I'd told the kijin to back off and let the riders get some battle experience, two-on-one with the 50 small fry orcs, but that hadn't been necessary, apparently.
When we'd showed up, Soei had been in a seemingly high-powered battle with the 'high-tier' orc. But from my perspective, the orc was a letdown. It had a bit of strength, a bit of agility, maybe, but I could tell that the only reason that Soei was even fighting it at all, rather than just massacring it was because of my order to analyze its abilities. Maybe Gobta would struggle with it… or maybe not, fully decked out in Unique-grade armor with that crazy sword from Risa and an A-minus ranked Rango as his partner, but the kijin would easily destroy it.
While the riders massacred his subordinates and Soei kept him busy, I really didn't have anything to do but watch as Risa healed the lizardman with her Healing Art.
"S-sir Rimuru? Please… please save my father… and Gabil, my brother!" Immediately after being healed, the envoy got on one knee and bowed toward me, instantly identifying me.
"How did you!? I'll just eat you first!" Realizing the threat that a healer like Risa posed, the orc immediately came rushing toward her from behind with its scimitars, clearly trying to take her off-guard.
I'm pretty sure that I was the only one who noticed Soei sheathing his Unique Grade shortsword that Kurobe had made him with a shrug as the orc rushed toward Risa. I could practically hear his mind going 'Well, not my problem now.'
And I couldn't really blame him. Before the orc even got near Risa, Raya was there, jumping out of Risa's shadow. From the lizardman woman's perspective, it probably looked like there was an orc one second, then the orc just turned into a giant white wolf. From my perspective, though, I was able to tell that Raya'd literally incinerated the poor orc down to its bones in an instant. I kinda wanted to extract some information from that guy, but oh, well.
While Risa patted Raya's head, I got the situation from the lizardman woman.
Apparently, Risa's prediction had come true. Somehow, despite them being on guard against it, Gabil had managed to get his people through some back passages in order to stage a coup. The chief and his aides were being held deep in the lizardman caverns while that idiot fought the orcs in the marshes. Basically, he'd screwed himself over, along with the entire lizardman race, and the 4,000 or so goblins he'd gathered.
"The chief ordered me not to place an undue burden upon you, but… please, as the one who offered us this alliance, help us!"
Still, though. Gabil must've been hit on his head a lot as a baby, comparing him to his sister. Such a pity. But I couldn't let the lizardmen just die off because of his idiocy.
"So, basically, the chief sent you to keep me informed of things, since he knew he couldn't count on me to help with an internal dispute. After all, we're not allied yet, formally. But you're asking me for help anyways, out of desperation?" I summed up. It sounded mean to put it that way, but I wasn't really bound to help them, since I hadn't signed on the dotted line yet. I would, though. I just didn't like the idea of them coming to me the next time they had some stupid internal issue screw them over.
"Y-yes…" She seemed to wilt.
But Shion interjected there. "Don't worry! You have great potential, seeing Lord Rimuru's greatness at a glance! I am sure that my lord will save the lizardmen with a snap of his fingers, just as you hope! We're already dedicated to destroying the orc forces, besides!" I'd appointed her my Royal Guard… Why was she accepting work for me?! Oh, well.
"Soei. Send a replication to guide Risa. Let her save the lizardmen." I didn't even bother asking if she could do it. It was Risa, after all.
"So… you really.-?! Oh, thank you so much!" The lizardman was beside herself with gratitude.
"Just to be clear, I'm not sacrificing anyone for you guys. Risa, if you somehow-"
"Run away if there's danger. Got it." Risa immediately understood.
"I'd like to serve as your guide, if you'd not mind…?"
"Can you hold your breath for approximately three minutes?" Soei asked. The lizardman nodded happily.
"Just to be clear, this means that you're cementing our alliance on your father's behalf." I told the lizardman. I was starting to get impatient now. Her not having a name was a pain.