That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime volume 9 - Fuse and Taiki Kawakami

 On the verge of making new alliances due to defeating Charybdis, Rimuru certainly has his diplomatic work cut out for him this time.

As he opens up the possibility of a pact with the Demon Lord's Carrion country of Eurazania after the events of the previous volume.

To that end, he sends Benimaru and Rigur as heads of a delegation to the Beast Nation, while he receives a diplomatic party of his own, led by Albis, the "Golden Serpent".  One of the party's members, Suphia, is so rude to Rimuru though she gets challenged by Shion to a duel, while Youm takes on another lycantrophe.  Albis steps in before it gets out of hand, as the party was testing the natives of Tempest to see if they are worthy of forming a pact.

After a good meeting where the beasts are introduced to apple brandy, the first trade deals are being set up.  Rimuru himself travels to the nation of Dwargon to solidify and officialise the treaty with King Gazel, and a good night out drinking with the boys... unbeknowst to Shuna and Shion.  But after returning to Tempest, he decides he needs to go to the Kingdom of Engrassia, where he needs to find some children he always dreams about, due to Shizu's memories.

And now we wait for volume 10 to arrive, as slowly and surely I`m catching in this series.  Considering we are now around the start of the end of the first anime season, this also means that in a few volumes, new and unknown pastures will be explored, always a fun thing!