The immediate aftermath of the Farmus Invasion was marked by an absolute silence.
Rimuru, now a newly ascended True Demon Lord, was resting, her power stabilized by Arthur.
The Kingdom of Farmus had been decapitated: its entire field army annihilated and its royal and noble leadership severely compromised.
Arthur advised Rimuru that the immediate priority must be securing the newly created power vacuum.
Letting the kingdom dissolve into civil war or allowing other hostile human states to seize the territory would create an immediate, greater threat to the Federation.
"We must install a favorable government in Farmus,"
Arthur stated, outlining his plan to Rimuru.
"Not for conquest, but for stability. We need a human buffer state that serves our interests and maintains trade."
Rimuru, adopting her new role with firm resolve, delegated the task.
Arthur oversaw the operation, providing strategic and magical support, while the highly capable Benimaru and the dependable Geld were dispatched at the head of a joint military and engineering force.
Benimaru's forces swiftly and silently moved into the stunned Farmus capital.
They didn't occupy it as conquerors, but as an overwhelming force restoring order. Arthur's presence, though unseen by most, radiated a palpable deterrence that kept the remaining nobles from mounting a disorganized resistance.
Arthur and Rimuru identified a young, reform-minded noble who had previously shown minor sympathies to monsters, or at least a practical desire for peace and trade.
This individual was installed as the new provisional ruler.
Their government was immediately tasked with denouncing the Church's influence and establishing open trade with the Jura Tempest Federation.
Geld nd the High Orcs, alongside Kaijin's engineers, focused on the immediate, practical necessities: repairing the damaged infrastructure of the Farmus kingdom, clearing the war-zones, and re-establishing supply lines.
This act of assistance to the former enemy, rather than plunder, confused and disarmed the fearful human populace.
The operation was a resounding success.
Tempest had demonstrated not only overwhelming military power but also superior governance and logistical ability.
Farmus, though nominally independent, became the Federation's first reliable buffer state and trade partner in the human world.
The common human populace, initially terrified of the monsters, saw that the new monster regime brought stability and aid—a stark contrast to the corrupt, war-mongering nobility they had served.
This began to chip away at the Church's propaganda.
The intense period of war and recovery cemented the unbreakable bond between Arthur and Rimuru.
Rimuru, having accepted the burden of being a True Demon Lord, relied on Arthur to guide her through the moral ambiguities of governing humans.
She needed his clarity and strategic mind to ensure her power was used for protection, not tyranny.
Arthur, having executed a tactical genocide to save her nation, now viewed Rimuru's safety as his absolute, paramount mission.
His commitment transcended simple guardianship; it was the commitment of one sovereign to another, bound by shared creation and existential power.
The Federation had gained a trade route and a stable border, but the political maneuvering would soon draw the attention of the ultimate power broker: the Demon Lords themselves.
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