Attendance… plz…)
….
Technically, the worm pit was corporal punishment. But fundamentally? It was solitary confinement weaponized with fear and disgust.
In that sense, the magical world was surprisingly progressive compared to the secular world's love for a good spanking. They understood that for a child, psychological pressure was far more effective, and terrifying, than physical pain.
Especially for a hyperactive ball of energy like Erol. For her, stillness was hell. A physical beating would just be a "healed scar, forgotten pain" situation. But the dark? Silence? That would stick.
"Solitary it is, then." Rimuru smirked.
Conveniently, he had access to a location that was absolutely safe and absolutely inescapable.
His Stomach. The dimensional void.
"But…" May looked at the fearless little gremlin clinging to Rimuru's chest and hesitated. "Erol isn't exactly afraid of solitary confinement."
"Is that so?" Rimuru stroked his chin, his smile widening into something slightly predatory.
Lock an adult in a pitch-black room with zero sensory input for twenty-four hours, and they come out with a lifelong phobia of small spaces. Mages might have meditation techniques to cope, but a child? A child shouldn't be immune to the void.
"If your definition of 'solitary confinement' is locking her in a room filled with toys, snacks, and maybe even a maid to chat with… then yeah, I wouldn't be afraid either."
"Speaking of which, how's Aoko doing?"
Having decided the brat's fate, Rimuru placed a hand on Erol's head, ruffling her silver hair while he looked over at the other disaster zone.
Aoko was currently engaged in a fierce debate with the Dean and Lorelei. Or rather, she was flailing against a brick wall. Lorelei wasn't listening. She had simply produced a stack of paperwork and was demanding a signature.
"What's that?" Rimuru asked. He hoisted Erol up into his arms. The little girl purred, enjoying the head pats, completely oblivious to the psychological horror awaited her.
"A Non-Entry Treaty," May said with a pained smile. "It's a curse-bound contract. If she enters the territory after signing, she suffers immediate magical backlash."
"A curse? That's Witchcraft territory."
"Specifically, a specialty of the Witch lineages." May nodded. "Didn't you see something similar seven years ago? Aozaki Touko's frog curse?"
"I doubt that'll stick to Aoko," Rimuru muttered. "Between her roommate Alice Kuonji and her own status as a Magician, her resistance is too high. A curse like that is basically a sticky note saying 'Please Keep Out.'"
"True. But it's about the gesture," May agreed. "Just like the Great Explosion last time. In the end, it was swept under the rug, but paperwork had to be filed."
While they whispered, Aoko was fighting a losing battle against the establishment.
"Can I not sign this? I am a Magician of the Aozaki line, I have rights…"
"The Human Rocket Launcher," Lorelei said, her voice flat.
"…" Aoko took a deep breath, forcing herself to remain calm. "I am the Blue Girl, recognized by the Association…"
"The Human Rocket."
"Can you stop using that nickname?!! I can fix this place with Magic, okay?! I'll rewind it!" Aoko snapped, her hair practically bristling with static.
"Magic…" Lorelei actually paused to consider it. Then she shook her head. "Better not. Your Magic… have you forgotten how the explosion happened in the first place?"
"…"
Right. The explosion happened because she used Magic to mess with Rimuru's timeline. Aoko went silent. She grabbed her hair in frustration, defeated by her own competence at destruction.
A few minutes later, a soul-dead Aoko trudged over, having signed away her visitation rights.
"Hey! Rimuru!" She stormed up to him, face crumpled in grievance. "You couldn't say a single word for me? Huh?!"
"Say what? 'Have a safe trip'?" Rimuru laughed. "If memory serves, you just made history. You're the first Color-rank magus to be banned from the premises without receiving a Sealing Designation. A Magician, no less."
"Tsk, tsk. The Great Blue, barred from entry."
Damn it… look at that ugly, smug face.
Aoko pouted, her lips jutting out. She raised a fist and brought it down on Rimuru's head, not with magic, just pure annoyance.
"Ugh. The only thing about you that satisfies me is your height, OWWW! IT HURTS! LET GO!"
"You mention my height one more time, and I'm taking the hand off! Ptoo!"
Rimuru spat out the hand he had just savagely bitten. Since his arms were full of May's spoiled brat, his mouth was the only weapon he had left.
May watched them bicker like an old married couple (or perhaps sworn enemies), amused. But the comedy hour was cut short.
The Dean, Lord Gaiusling, and Lorelei had finished assessing the structural damage to the hunting grounds. They approached the group.
"Lord Archelot."
"Thank you for your hard work, Lord Barthomeloi."
May's expression shifted instantly. The doting auntie vanished, replaced by the Lord of the Archelot family. She straightened her back, nodding respectfully. "Dean. Lord Gaiusling."
"Among the destroyed assets were several Hyrneth griffon hatchlings intended for the incoming freshman class, as well as the stock of Angora rabbits," Lorelei listed calmly, looking at a clipboard. "These will need to be replaced immediately."
"Ah, understood."
May didn't hesitate. She turned to Lord Gaiusling with a practiced, business-like nod. "Uncle, have your people draw up an itemized list of the damages. Send it to my office, and I'll handle the reimbursement."
"As for Professor Tempest…" Lorelei let out a small, tired sigh, adjusting her glasses. "You are responsible for the cleanup. Several specimens escaped the bounded field during the breach. Retrieve them."
"Understood," Rimuru nodded. "I assume we didn't cause a massive panic?"
"It is manageable." Lord Gaiusling looked at the small demon lord in Rimuru's arms, then shot a pained glance at Aoko. "Fortunately, the destruction was limited to the outer perimeter of the Mystery layer. You didn't breach the deep woods. If you had gone any further, you would have hit the Griffin nesting grounds."
"Griffins?!"
Rimuru blinked, genuinely floored. "Wait, there are actually Griffins on the surface side of the world?"
….
+10 chapters on my p@tr3on: Kazuma_trash
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