That Time I Got Reincarnated By Veldanava

After stopping the spirit that had taken over the elf girl, Henrik and Shizu decided to stay in the cavern and await Gazel. While waiting, Henrik was checking on the unconscious dwarfs and elf to make sure they'd live.

"I couldn't see her face?" Shizu muttered as she was still on her knees, upset at herself.

"What?" Henrik asked concerned.

"Chloe. The illusions that the spirit showed me, I could see vividly on what it planned to do to them. But Chloe's face, it was blurred out. I don't know why, but her face just wasn't on her head. I'm not sure why but seeing that, it made me angrier than just seeing them dead."

Henrik made a mental note of this, Chloe had a special place in the story as the hero who sealed Veldora. But also as the reason Leon became a demon lord and summoned Shizu. If it was any of the other kids, Henrik would think it's just the spirit trying to mess with Shizu, but this is Chloe.

Since Rimuru didn't exist, Henrik had often thought about certain things. It made sense that Veldora wasn't sealed, that Henrik could accept, but Shizu knows the hero. Her history is unchanged. All these errors in the world, and it all seemed to revolve around Chloe, and now Shizu was blocked from seeing her face.

Even with all that though, without knowing for certain, Henrik wasn't prepared to cause Shizu distress without a solution.

"Hey, I don't know why Chloe, but I'm sure it's just the spirit trying to hurt you. Don't take that too seriously."

"But it's not just that. Henrik. I can't remember her."

"What?" Henrik asked now truly worried.

"Chloe. I can't remember her. Her face, her voice. I know her, but it's like I've only heard about her. I know I taught her, I remember meeting her. But I can't remember HER. What's happening to me?"

"Go. I'll handle all this, you go to the academy and get her. Get all the kids. And while you're there, invite Yuuki. If something goes wrong, come straight to me."

"Why can't I remember her?"

Henrik then grabbed a hold of Shizu and made her look at him as he gently stroked her cheeks to comfort her.

"Hey, it's okay. I don't know why you can't remember her but you need to pull yourself together. I promise, if anything has happened to Chloe, I will personally rain down hell on whoever is responsible. I will keep you all safe. But to do that, I need to know exactly what is going on, so help me and go bring them to my city.

I'll give them a True Dragon as a security detail if I have too, but I will keep them safe. Hey, hey, look at me. Do I look like I break my word? You and your students will live in peace, Chloe included. Now go and get them."

After Henrik wiped away her tears, Shizu got herself up and flew away, not saying another word as she was filled with dread for her students.

"What is going on? Veldanava, what did I do by replacing Rimuru?

Chloe, this whole spirit situation, Gazel almost assassinated. Why couldn't I have lived in a world with Rimuru, I just had to go and remove him. Oh well, can't undo it now. I just need to go on with the plan. The best I can do now is bring peace.

Anyway, you guys are looking great," He said to the unconscious bodies of the dwarfs, "It seems that when analysed the spirit and gained its abilities, I gained the knowledge of all its magics as well. The curses it placed on all of you, well, I removed them. Luckily it seemed to have some type of remote off switch, well I can rescind the curses through magic, but I prefer to call it a remote off switch. Sounds cooler.

By the time we get back to the shop, Myrd's body should've returned to normal as will yours. I can already see the changes. Downside is the curse did drastically increase your physical abilities, so you'll have to pay a price for that.

A week or two of resting should do it, but you'll be sore for a while after that. Oh, here they are."

From the hole Shizu made as it was bigger, Gazel descended on his mount with a whole platoon of soldiers following behind him. He was adorned in full armour with his legend grade sword gripped tight as he was expecting a fight.

"YO GAZEL. Down here. Mind giving me a hand with these three?"

Gazel and his soldiers were immediately drawn to Henrik as they landed near him and looked around the cavern which was now beaten and destroyed from Shizu knocking the spirit around. Gazel, however, didn't care for the cavern and was instead staring at the makeshift alter.

"Everything okay?" Henrik asked him as he walked over to him.

"This alter, if you look closely enough, you'll see a small crest in the centre of it all. It's my grandfathers symbol. It looks terrible, like something wanted to insult his memory. I didn't even know this cavern existed, the mine is relatively new, so we have dug too far down.

Who made this?" Gazel asked as stoic as ever.

"No clue. But whoever did, they must know his symbol. Is it a common one among the dwarfs?"

"No. My father changed the royal crest, only I and a few old family friends know of it. Most have heard of my grandfather, see he was the first of us dwarfs, a few even consider him a God but none of them would know of this symbol. I'll have to look into this later. For now though, tell me, who is responsible for all this?"

"None of these three if that's what your thinking. It was a vengeful soul, someone who seemed to have it out for your family and the way dwarven society is to commoners. Shizu killed it," Henrik said not wanting Gazel to know the truth, "I apologise, I understand if you believe she was wrong to take away your chance to deliver justice. But these three here was in danger and she acted to protect them.

As her king, I take full responsibility for her actions. If you wish to impose some type of punishment against my nation, I won't try to stop you."

"I see," Gazel replied in a tone that made Henrik think Gazel would take him up on that offer before he let out a small smile, "I must thank Miss Shizu the next time I see her. Not only did she save my life potentially by stopping something that had it out for me, but she also kept three of my citizens safe. I owe her a great debt for that."

Henrik was surprised at Gazel's reaction, but he was never one to look a gift horse in the mouth.

"Yep yep. I think that's only right. Hey, before she left on a mission, she did mention something about you ordering those elves to make a tavern in my nation and paying them too. Just an idea of how you can repay Shizu. Yep Shizu, I don't even like the idea."

Gazel looked at Henrik with a serious face.

"Well I would. But I'd hate impose on your land when you don't like the idea. I guess I'll just have to offer her something else," Gazel chuckled as he walked over to the unconscious bodies.

"Men, take these three to the royal doctor and see to it they get whatever they need to recover."

"YES SIR." His soldiers shouted as they followed their orders.

"Hey Gazel, by any chance. Has the guild master of the Free Guild ever saved your life?"

"Mhhm, you mean that Yuuki kid? No, not that I recall. He has caused me problems though, now adventurers can just say they belong to Dwargon and they are. I've been thinking of stopping our agreements with them because too many adventurers are using us to stop them from paying for their crimes.

But before that, I've sent word to Guild Master Yuuki to see if he is willing to discuss it. Why'd you ask?"

"No reason. Just a question I had randomly."

'So the spirit said Yuuki saved him but he has no knowledge of it. Interesting. I wonder if he did it in secret. Yuuki isn't evil after all, he just wants a better world but thinks many will have to die to accomplish that. I can't say I completely disagree, but unlike him, I'm not willing to let innocents die and not try to stop it. But maybe there's some type of alliance I can work out with him. We'll see.'

"Henrik, tomorrow we'll discuss the future of our nations. But tonight you have proven, both you and Miss Shizu, that you have no intentions of harming Dwargon. For that reason, I will officially be sending out a message to all major Western nations, as well as the Eastern Empire, stating that The Armed Nation Of Dwargon seeing The Great Lazek Kingdom as a country.

Regardless of the negations tomorrow, you can rest comfortably tonight knowing we officially recognise you as a nation. I can't say I think a nation of monsters and humans is possible, but I hope you can prove me wrong."

Henrik could tell that Gazel was a much better man than his stoic stature would suggest, so he just smile and replied, "I will."

After that, Henrik accompanied Gazel back to the city and on his way, the people of Dwargon, now knowing who he was, recognised him as a hero and thanked him for saving them. Gazel even told the guards at the wall to let all the campers in as the threat of monsters was over and paid for the visitors two nights each in inns.

"Oh, Gazel, can you come with me a minute?" Henrik asked to which Gazel replied with a nod.

They soon arrived at Kaijin's shop. As Henrik opened the door, he could see Kaijin had come back and was holding Myrd in his hands in complete panic.

"Henrik," Kaijin plead, "Save him. Please."

"Shizu already did, he's just sleeping a little curse off. Long story. But he just needs rest." Kaijin then looked at Henrik before returning his gaze to Myrd. He then let go of Myrd and stood up yelling, "You lazy dimwit. You had me worried sick," He complained as he kicked Myrd's sleeping body a few time lightly. Henrik could barely contain his laugh.

"Oh that's right. Kaijin, you know Gazel, the king. Good friend of mine," Henrik said as he stood to one side and Gaze entered the store.

Kaijin simply gazed at Gazel and immediately got down on one knee and bowed his head to his king.

"Ahh, good to see you in good health still Kaijin. Have you been well?" Gazel asked.

"Very well your majesty. And yourself?"

"Very good thank you. Say, Kaijin, you were one of the blacksmiths who Vesta ordered to make us weapons yes?"

"I was sir."

"The deadline is tomorrow, are they done?"

Kaijin couldn't respond to this. He knew he hadn't completed the orders and had assumed Henrik hadn't since he hasn't yet checked the forge room. Henrik quickly butted in though.

"Ahh yes, see Gazel, I met Kaijin here a few hours back when I was walking back from the inn. He told me of this order. He said it was hard and they were stretched thin, but with the help of this sleeping man here and his brothers, he was about to finish the last one.

Are they in the forge room Kaijin? Since there's a few soldiers here, I'm sure they can carry what they need to take now."

Kaijin looked at Henrik in confusion but snapped out of it as he knew Gazel was watching.

"Oh yes of course, apologies, I've not gotten much sleep lately so I'm a little out of it. Please, right through here."

Kaijin then led Gazel and some soldiers to the next room, and they were greeted with one hundred magisteel swords. All of them with the exception of Gazel was shocked.

"Kaijin, your shipment was only for 40. Why not sleep if there was this many?"

"Well," Kaijin said nervously, "I kinda lost track when forging them. I was just having so much fun in the moment."

"Like always Kaijin, putting your work so much at the forefront. Very well, I will take 90. I'll pay you what we agreed upon for the first 40, then for the other 50, I'll pay the same plus a little extra."

"Of course sire," Kaijin replied with great enthusiasm. He shot Henrik a quick look to say thanks and Henrik just nodded with a kind smile in reply. Thanks to his unique skill [Tyrant], Gazel knew the truth by just looking at Kaijin, but he had his order and he did have a history with Kaijin. So the stoic king decided to keep that information to himself.

"Great," Henrik interrupted, "Time to celebrate. Kaijin's order is complete, the country is safe, and we just have to celebrate Kaijin's engagement."

Henrik threw his arm around Kaijin's neck as he dragged him along.

"Yeah let's celebrate. Wait a minute, what engagement?" Kaijin shouted confused.

"Well, if I have a say in it, and tonight goes well, then the engagement a few years from now. To the bar full of beautiful elves. Come on Gazel, you're buying." Henrik yelled back as he dragged Kaijin along.

After collecting the allocated number of swords, Gazel promised to have the money brought to Kaijin tomorrow and they all left the shop, leaving Myrd to sleep off the curse. Hopefully Henrik remembers to ask Gazel to have Myrd join his brothers in recovery.

And so, for the last few hours the moon had out, the three men partied and flirted with the elves. Or at least Henrik did. Kaijin acted responsible with Gazel around which allowed him to have a real conversation with one of the barmaids. And Gazel, well he mostly enjoyed a drink in peace while tavern patrons looked on their king in public.

"Drink for the house on me. Well, on Gazel. Well, on your taxes," Henrik cheered and received a bunch of applause and gratitude.

At some point in the night, a beautiful elf in a long red dress came up to him, and without saying a word, guided him to a private room.

---------------------------------------

Hi, Omni_God2000 here.

If you like the book, be sure to leave your power stones.

Next chapter is 'The alliance between Lazek and Dwargon.'

Thanks for reading and stay tuned.