The massacre of Falmuth was not a battle; it was a harvest. While Rimuru plunged into his "Evolutionary Sleep" to ascend to the throne of a True Demon Lord, the battlefield became Diablo's stage. The newly summoned Primordial Demon delighted in the despair of the survivors. For Diablo, those who dared to touch what was precious to his master did not deserve a quick death, but an eternity of psychological terror and submission.
In Avalon, Sirzechs followed every movement through the Eye of the Void. Beside him, Ulquiorra observed Diablo's efficiency with clinical indifference.
— That demon... he does not merely seek victory; he seeks the decomposition of the enemy's spirit — Ulquiorra commented, adjusting his white gloves. — It is an excessive approach, yet effective in ensuring the seed of rebellion is eradicated.
Sirzechs nodded, sensing the shift in Jura's very atmosphere. The birth of a True Demon Lord altered reality itself.
— Rimuru has crossed the line, Ulquiorra. Now, Falmuth is no longer a kingdom; it is a territory in search of a new purpose. And we shall give it that purpose through Youm.
While Diablo tortured King Edmaris and the counselor Reyheim, turning them into living examples of the futility of defying monsters, Sirzechs' plan for political succession swung into motion. Grayfia had already prepared the terms. Youm, the mercenary leader who had learned to respect Avalon's order and Tempest's benevolence, was summoned.
Diablo, with a sinister smile, presented Youm to the remnants of the Falmuth army as their "Savior." The punishment of Falmuth was twofold: the absolute fear injected by Diablo and the humiliation of being ruled by a man the nobility had once despised. Under the gelid tutelage of Ulquiorra, who was sent by Sirzechs to "assist" in the administrative transition, Youm began his ascent.
— You are not a king by lineage, Youm — Ulquiorra said, his voice echoing in the ruined hall of Falmuth while Diablo watched from the shadows. — You are a king by the necessity of Avalon and Tempest. Your function is to ensure that the trade routes are never interrupted again. Any deviation in conduct will be handled not by human laws, but by my jurisdiction.
Youm's rise to the throne of a new kingdom, which would come to be known as Farmenas, was Sirzechs and Rimuru's final blow to the Holy Church. Falmuth, the religion's economic right hand, had been cannibalized. Its riches and lands were now being mapped by Marshal Dietrich for the expansion of the marble rails.
In Avalon, the people felt a mix of dread and pride. Rimuru's awakening and the punishment of Falmuth proved that the Alabaster Alliance was not just a commercial utopia, but an empire that protected its own with divine fury. Benedict, in his bakery, remarked to a customer as he wrapped bread:
— The world is changing, my friend. We used to fear the night. Now, the night is what protects us from the greed of men.
The awakening of Rimuru as a True Demon Lord sent a spiritual shockwave through the entirety of the Jura Forest, but in Avalon, the event was felt as a change in the tide—a transition from the fragility of peace to the solidity of absolute power. However, Sirzechs knew that the fear generated by the Falmuth massacre and Rimuru's rise needed to be balanced to prevent a civil revolt in the newly conquered lands of Farmenas.
— Terror builds walls, Grayfia, but utility builds bridges — Sirzechs commented, observing the map where Youm's troops struggled to maintain order amidst the ruins. — Send the artisans. We shall show Farmenas that the shadow of Avalon brings comfort, not just death.
The reconstruction of Farmenas became the Duchy's greatest strategic and humanitarian project. Under Sirzechs' orders, the people of Avalon were mobilized. It was not soldiers who marched along the destroyed roads, but supply caravans and specialists.
Benedict organized "Nutrition Convoys." Hundreds of bakers and cooks from Avalon established community kitchens in the squares of Farmenas, distributing the famous runic wheat bread that never seemed to run out. The aroma of Benedict's fresh bread began to replace the scent of battle smoke, softening the hearts of a hungry population that, until then, had seen monsters only as devourers.
Dietrich, the Marshal, sent brigades of High-Orcs and engineers to rebuild the basic infrastructure. In record time, the potholed roads were leveled with Avalon's smooth marble, and wells of purified water—blessed by Harribel's influence—were opened in villages that had previously suffered from drought and contamination.
For the people of Farmenas, the sight was disconcerting yet undeniable: the "monsters" of Avalon were rebuilding their homes with more efficiency than their former nobles ever had. Rejection began to give way to pragmatic gratitude.
Meanwhile, Youm walked the streets alongside Ulquiorra, who served as a constant administrative shadow. Ulquiorra's presence ensured that no remaining noble attempted to embezzle the reconstruction resources.
— See, Youm — Ulquiorra said, pointing to a human child receiving a sweet from one of Benedict's subordinates. — The human heart is simple. They will accept any lord, as long as the void in their stomachs is filled and the uncertainty of tomorrow is removed.
Rimuru, now awake and overflowing with an aura of calm majesty, visited the reconstruction sector accompanied by Sirzechs. He saw his own subjects working side-by-side with the citizens of Avalon.
— You've turned a war zone into a construction site, Sirzechs — Rimuru admitted, observing the progress. — I was ready to be just the monster who would punish them, but you are giving them a reason to want to be a part of us.
— Punishment is only half of governance, my friend — Sirzechs replied. — The other half is making them dependent on our excellence. Farmenas is no longer an enemy kingdom; it is the first province of our New Order.
With Avalon's help, Youm was crowned not as a usurper, but as the "King of Reconstruction." The Alabaster mark was now engraved into the foundations of Farmenas, and the Holy Church watched, powerless, as its influence was buried under tons of marble and the calculated benevolence of the Demon Lords.