HI3: I Don't Want to Be a Valkyrie

"Ah, Lady Theresa, you're back?"

As Theresa led her Ogre Tribe into the village, she was greeted by a goblin beauty carrying a wooden basin with a warm smile.

"Yes, Haruna! Do you know where Rimuru is?" Theresa asked, waving at the goblin woman before her—the same one who had roused her from sleep last time.

"Lord Rimuru? He's currently dining in his house within your heart," Haruna replied promptly upon hearing this.

Though it might have been mere imagination, ever since accidentally biting her that day, Theresa felt as though there was something peculiar about the way Haruna looked at her now.

However, Theresa didn't dwell on it much; after all, what could a goblin possibly think or feel anyway? It wasn't as if such thoughts were permissible for her kind.

"Hm, thank you! Let's continue inside!"

With that, Theresa continued leading her Ogre Tribe deeper into the village.

-

"Rimuru."

When Theresa found him, Rimuru was devouring skewers of grilled meat with frenzied gusto.

Having previously inhabited a slime body, he had been unable to taste any food. Now transformed into human form, he finally possessed a sense of taste—and what a delight it was to savor these flavors fully.

"Theresa, where have you been?" Rimuru asked after swallowing down an entire skewer in one gulp. His question was immediately followed by a sight that caught his attention: a massive horde of ogres standing behind Theresa.

"Oh...and who might they be?" Rimuru inquired curiously.

"They're members of the Ogre Tribe, local monsters native to this forest—high-ranking ones at that," Theresa explained. "Weren't you planning on establishing a Monster Kingdom? Their addition would surely provide a formidable boost to your cause."

Theresa stepped closer to Rimuru, taking a moment to recount her recent experiences—from the existence of Orc Diaster to the destruction of the Ogre Village by the Orc Tribe—all while introducing herself briefly along the way.

After grasping the full extent of their situation, Rimuru couldn't help but grow solemn.

Facing an orc tribe numbering over a hundred thousand, he realized that his combined forces—goblins and wolfs—totaled barely one hundred individuals. The disparity in numbers was overwhelming.

However, Rimuru was immensely pleased by the ogre tribe's decision to join them. He accepted them without hesitation.

Upon learning from Theresa about her so-called friend with infinite magical energy—a slime—the ogres found it hard to believe such a thing could exist.

-

Having accepted the Ogre Tribe into his fold, Rimuru set about bestowing names upon them—a task he had undertaken for even lowly goblins like those before.

However... just as Rimuru finished naming a few members of the elite clan—the young master, princess, Elder White, and several others—he found himself completely drained of magic essence. He collapsed on the spot.

Seeing Rimuru unconscious, Shion, who had recently evolved into a liking herself, swiftly picked him up. The once robust slime creature now resembled a deflated balloon.

"Rimuru has exhausted his magicules," Theresa reassured the concerned crowd with a calming voice. "But don't worry... he should awaken in a couple of days."

After all, unlike goblins and other minor magical beasts, the process of naming beings from the Ogre Tribe demanded far greater energy. Just a handful of namings were enough to deplete Rimuru's reserves entirely.

Fortunately, within Rimuru lay the Tempest Dragon, which harbored an infinite supply of magic essence. It wouldn't take long for him to recover fully.

"Really?" Benimaru, the red-haired young master of the Ogre Tribe, hesitated momentarily before responding uncertainly. "I've heard that any magic essence expended during naming is permanently lost..."

Benimaru had undergone quite a transformation himself; no longer did he resemble the burly, menacing figure with striking crimson hair. Now, he appeared more akin to a teenage boy around seventeen or eighteen years old. His body had shrunk considerably, and the horns atop his head had receded and diminished in size, giving him a much younger appearance overall.

As for the name "Benimaru"... it seemed somewhat inappropriate given its literal meaning—"Red Ball"—which didn't quite fit this newly transformed individual.

Rimuru's approach to naming was truly casual; "maru" in Japanese refers to something round or spherical.

Benimaru... Red Ball?

"Just trust me..." Theresa glanced at Benimaru without elaborating further.

"I believe you, Lady Theresa," he replied simply.

At that moment, Benimaru's younger sister—the princess of the Ogre Tribe—approached Theresa, her gaze filled with unwavering faith.

The Kijin princess had been dubbed "Shuna" by Rimuru. Compared to before, her horns had grown longer, her hair cascaded down more gracefully, and her overall beauty had significantly increased. Building upon her already adorable appearance, she now looked even more stunning. Her age seemed to have shifted as well—from a young child to a teenage girl—and surprisingly, she appeared much older than Theresa herself.

"Ah, thank you, Shuna." As Theresa observed the transformed Shuna, she felt a twinge of envy. Indeed, this new version perfectly matched Theresa's aesthetic preferences.

Beside them, Shion, still cradling Rimuru, also showed a remarkable improvement in looks—it was as if someone had activated a beautification filter or applied a lens effect.

This naming ability even came with built-in beautification features? How convenient! Theresa found herself tempted to ask Rimuru for a name change too. After all, since it could rename entities on par with primordial devils, surely renaming one mere human wouldn't be an issue, right?

All she'd need to do is have Rimuru bestow another name based on hers once again...

Ever since being named by Rimuru, would she grow taller and larger? Could she suddenly become as big as Kallen?

Theresa couldn't help but daydream about such possibilities.

(TL Note: Sry Teri, stay tiny forever) ( ｰ̀εｰ́ )

-

During Rimuru's absence due to his fainting spell, Theresa, as second-in-command, became the one with the most authority in the village. However, she had little interest in wielding such power; business continued as usual without her interference.

The two hundred members of the Ogre Tribe swiftly integrated into their new community. Whether it was thanks to Rimuru's aura of peace remained uncertain.

These high-ranking demonic creatures coexisted harmoniously with the goblins and wolves—a miracle that could only occur under Rimuru's influence.

"Lady Theresa, shall we go soak in the hot spring?" Shuna asked, approaching Theresa clad in a traditional Japanese bathrobe during twilight hours.

Theresa pondered for a moment before inadvertently finding herself drawn to gaze upon Shuna's delicate neck. A sudden hunger pangs washed over her.

Ever since transforming into a vampire, Theresa found herself inexplicably attracted to people's necks—especially those belonging to women who matched her aesthetic preferences. She attributed this urge to her physical transformation; once free from Luna Kindred's body, she hoped this habit would dissipate along with it.

"Sounds delightful!" Theresa replied warmly.

After all, if Shuna had extended the invitation, how could she possibly decline?

Rimuru, having been Japanese prior to his transmigration, naturally designed the village according to Japanese principles when constructing their new home. Hot springs were an integral part of Japanese culture, easily created through magic power alone—an amenity undoubtedly present within their settlement.