Bofuri (The Strongest Shield Of Tensura)-Chapter 91 - Ninety One

"Alright then, I guess that's settled. Shall we put it in writing?" Kaede asked with a smile, producing a few sheets of parchment.

"I don't see why not," Rimuru replied, summoning a pen into his hand. He quickly began writing. "Tempest agrees to the construction of roads in the eastern part of the Great Forest of Jura. We'll handle everything, from manpower to the necessary resources."

Kaede nodded approvingly. "In exchange, Maple Tree will provide a steady supply of our mineral resources for one year."

"Tempest also retains ownership of these roads and reserves the right to collect tolls for two years," Rimuru added, glancing up at her.

Kaede's eyes widened. "Two years? That's a bit much," she said, pouting slightly.

Rimuru sighed, unable to resist the effect of her pleading expression. "Fine, one year and six months," he conceded.

Kaede beamed. "Yay! A toast to that." She raised her glass with a cheerful grin, clinking it against Rimuru's in celebration.

Gazel rolled his eyes as he took a sip from his cup, savoring the rich taste of Tempest's finest alcohol.

Meanwhile, Kaede's thoughts were elsewhere. She had recently noticed the roads Rimuru was constructing, ones that connected the nation of Tempest with the Dwarven Kingdom of Dwargon. That realization brought another issue to light: Maple Tree lacked proper roads leading out of its territory.

While her nation was more than capable of being self-sufficient, Kaede knew that complete isolation wasn't an option. Alliances were still necessary. After all, Gazel himself had used his influence to recognize Maple Tree as a legitimate nation.

Some matters couldn't be resolved with power alone. At least, that's what Demon Lord Frey had told her... among other things.

---

_Flash Back_

Frey sat across from Kaede in the garden, her expression calm yet serious. The scent of blooming flowers filled the air, mingling with the faint aroma of fresh fruit.

"With the power you possess, nothing is stopping you from proclaiming yourself a Demon Lord," Frey said, taking a measured sip of tea.

Kaede raised an eyebrow. "Proclaiming myself?"

Frey nodded. "Yes. If I, a Demon Lord, were to acknowledge your claim during the next Walpurgis, you could easily join our ranks."

Kaede frowned, leaning back in her chair. "I'm not sure I want to call myself a Demon Lord. I mean, I know you're not all bad or anything, but still... It just doesn't feel like me."

Frey's gaze hardened. "Kaede, do you understand what surrounds you? Your nation is an empire of monsters. And if my sources *Nemu* are correct, your military is composed of beings powerful enough to decimate an entire kingdom in a single night."

She set down her cup with a quiet clink against the saucer. "You are the ruler of these monsters. You've exchanged blows with Milim Nava, the Destroyer. Once the outside world learns the full extent of your power, you will be labeled a threat to humanity."

Kaede didn't flinch, but her expression darkened.

"Pieces are already moving across the board, and you aren't even aware of them," Frey continued. "For all your strength, a single oversight could cost you everything you've built."

Kaede remained undeterred. "And how exactly does calling myself a Demon Lord help with that? Even Guy wants me to take up the title. What's the big deal?"

Frey's eyes widened slightly before a small smile crossed her lips. "So you've met Demon Lord Guy Crimson. That makes my offer even more relevant. With two demon lords, recognising you, you are a demon lord."

She set her chin on her clasped hands. "There are currently ten Great Demon Lords in this world. The title alone is enough to deter foolish human ambitions. Very few would dare challenge one of us."

Kaede's fingers tapped idly against the table.

"The next Walpurgis will almost certainly involve a discussion about you and your nation," Frey added. "Wouldn't you rather be present when decisions about your fate are being made?"

Kaede's gaze sharpened. "Is that a threat, Demon Lord Frey?"

"Not at all," Frey said smoothly, reaching for an apple from a silver tray. Sera, stood silently beside Kaede. Taking a slow bite, she savored the fruit before continuing. "Your nation has grown at an unprecedented rate. It's only a matter of time before it becomes a central hub for various endeavors. I want our nations to remain on good terms, which is why I'm telling you this."

Kaede rested her chin on her fist, deep in thought. "What's really going on, Frey?"

Frey simply shrugged. "Like I said, pieces are moving. Certain... People are getting restless, and you, whether you realize it or not, are gonna get caught at the center of it all."

Kaede sighed. "And what exactly are you planning?"

Frey's lips curled into a knowing smile. "Would you like to find out?"

_Flash Back Over_

---

"Will you two stop acting like children? That is not how rulers of powerful nations should behave," Gazel sighed as Rimuru and Kaede clinked their glasses together in a cheerful toast.

Kaede, unfazed, extended her glass toward him, her eyebrows raised in expectation.

Gazel's eye twitched.

Rimuru, grinning, raised his glass in Gazel's direction as well, shaking it slightly. "C'mon, bro, don't leave us hanging."

Behind him, Shion giggled.

Gazel felt a vein pulse in his forehead. From behind, he heard a barely suppressed chuckle. He didn't need to turn around to know that it came from one of his own subordinates. It seemed the leader of the Pegasus Knights would need some discipline later.

Clank!

With a resigned sigh, Gazel finally lifted his own glass, joining in on the toast.

Kaede smirked. "Now that that's settled, let's move on to the other reason for my visit. You'll see, Gazel, the toast was worth it."

Gazel arched an eyebrow. "Oh? And what exactly could that be?"

Kaede's smirk widened as she reached into her coat and produced another piece of paper. "I'd like for the three of our nations to collaborate on reverse-engineering..." She placed the document on the table. "This."

The paper unfurled to reveal a detailed blueprint.

Rimuru leaned over to get a better look. His brow lifted. "A train?"

Gazel immediately picked up the blueprints, his sharp eyes scanning over the intricate design. "This is..."

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"A MagiTrain, to be specific," Kaede clarified, lacing her fingers together. "This should revolutionize transportation, making travel far more efficient."

Gazel remained quiet for a moment, studying the schematics. Finally, he spoke. "The concept is not foreign to me. We've attempted similar constructions in Dwargon, but with little to no success. Where did you acquire this blueprint?"

Kaede nodded. "It's simple, really. My Ultimate Skill allows me to create any form of machinery I desire, regardless of complexity or design."

Gazel's eyes widened slightly. 'Did she say Ultimate Skill?'

"If you can already create it, then why come to us?" he asked, his expression unreadable.

Kaede leaned back, resting her hands behind her head. "Just because I can create it doesn't mean I should start mass-producing things on my own. If I did, I'd be the only one capable of maintaining them. But if I manufacture a prototype and we work together to reverse-engineer it, then with the combined efforts of Dwargon's, Tempest's, and Maple Tree's science divisions, it shouldn't be impossible to replicate and sustain."

Rimuru whistled. "Damn, that's incredible, Kaede-san. How'd you even come up with the idea to build a train?"

Kaede grinned. "Well, as you know, I have six vassal states pretty far from Maple Tree. We've been transferring resources between them and the capital, but the process is slow. A train makes logistics much easier. Since the railway would have to pass through Jura, that naturally involves Tempest. And as for Dwargon... well, it's currently the most technologically advanced nation in the world, so it was an obvious choice."

"Currently?" Gazel repeated, raising an eyebrow.

Kaede simply smirked. "I know what I said."

Gazel let out a short chuckle. "You have guts, I'll give you that. But I won't deny that Dwargon's engineers would be very interested in this collaboration. If we can perfect this MagiTrain, it could set the foundation for a new era of travel and trade."

Kaede nodded. "That's the idea. If we get this running, we can establish major trade routes between our nations. With Tempest and Dwargon handling construction and infrastructure, and Maple Tree providing the core components, it should be feasible."

Rimuru folded his arms, his expression thoughtful. "I like it. And once we get the trains running, we could expand beyond just our nations. Imagine an entire continent linked by these railways. It could unify economies, strengthen alliances, and make long-distance travel something common rather than an ordeal."

Kaede's smirk vanished and a slight frown grew. "I'm not sure that's necessary. We could focus on the nations surrounding us for now, a small coalition you could say. I could get Frey to invest in this and you could get Demon Lord Carrion to assist as well. We don't need to involve any human nations just yet." She murmured the last part.

Gazel placed the blueprints down, his sharp gaze meeting Kaede's. "Then it's settled. Dwargon will commit its engineers and metalworking expertise. However, I expect a thorough demonstration of this 'prototype' of yours before we invest our resources."

Kaede stretched her arms with a confident grin. "Of course. Give me a week. I'll have the prototype ready for a test run."

Rimuru's eyes widened. "A week? That's fast."

Kaede shrugged. "I work fast. Besides, the world is going through changes. And from what I've seen... things are shifting fast. We'll have to move just as fast if not faster."