Archive of Our Own

Guy Crimson is the oldest of the Demon Lords. He had been created, unknowingly, in mirror opposition to the Angels of Origin, and has such seen most of what this world had to offer. He has experienced much of that, actually.

And still, some things catch him off guard, and that usually comes with the appearance of one troublesome slime.

Now, to be fair, this time could arguably be considered Guy's own fault. If he didn't want to deal with the usual chaos that revolves around Rimuru Tempest, then he probably shouldn't have strolled into the Jura-Tempest Federation's capital city like he owned the place.

But no. The fault lay entirely at Rimuru's feet for this one. After all, what kind of prick reincarnates and doesn't tell anyone about it? Raphael, apparently, as Guy only now realized three minutes ago.

He had been leaching enjoying some of the desserts prepared by Rimuru's subordinates as the slime in question glared at him with the entirety of his five-foot nothing frame. Guy grinned (Really, he didn't understand why Rimuru was still so antsy with him. Didn't the whole deal with Ivarage and Veldanava prove that Guy knew when to let Rimuru be?) and took a pointedly slow slip of whatever tea concoction Diablo was subjugating him to.

Over the rim, Rimuru rolled his eyes.

And then it had hit Guy with the full force of a few hundred years spent grieving:

"It would be easier to manage the world if the Demon Lords were working together, wouldn't it?" Raphael points out one day, idly brushing strands of silvery-blue hair out of their face. It doesn't accomplish much, what with the snow and wind, and Guy makes a mental note to send Mizeri out for more hairties—hopefully ones Velzard won't swipe.

Velzard herself is standing only a few feet away, eyes glowing gold as she sweeps the world whole. This had become a tradition of theirs since Veldanava passed and left the task of keeping existence stable behind. Raphael goes out and gathers information personally, Velzard gazes upon the world with more efficiency but less depth, and Guy makes plans. It is… not ideal, but it has been making due.

What Raphael is proposing— "And how would that go, angel?" Guy asks, raising an eyebrow. "Do you expect me to invite the likes of Dagruel and Luminus to dinner on weekends?"

"Yes," they answer, shooting Guy an exasperated look, though whether it's in regards to the first or second comment is up for debate. "It'd be way easier than…" Raphael waves their hand to Guy, then Velzard, then the room at whole. "This. At any rate, wouldn't it be ideal to have one large threat for humanity to fear and/or unite against rather than a bunch of tinnier ones?"

"They have a point," Velzard pitches in, turning back to the two of them with icy eyes. She clasps her hands behind her back and adds, "Besides, Rudra has his army of Heroes, doesn't he? And most of them have Unique or Ultimate Skills. This just evens the playing field a little."

Guy knows a losing battle when he sees one. Still, he wouldn't be a demon if he didn't at least try. "Yeah? Well then, care to tell me how we're going to decide who's allowed in? Ramiris isn't a True Demon Lord, but if we didn't invite her, we'll be sentenced to that Labyrinth of hers for the next century. But if we let her in, then the bar drops from True Demon Lord to anybody the humans deem a Demon Lord, which includes that upstart elf Kazalim. And let us not forget—"

Raphael and Velzard trade looks. They stopped paying attention to him less than a sentence in, if Guy has to guess, and are already plotting. Honestly, with Velzard acting in Veldanava's place and Raphael being older than this entire universe, you'd think they'd be a bit more sensible. As it is, they're not, and Guy needs to quickly decide if he wants to give in now or clean up a mess later.

The decision is a relatively easy one.

"Fine, fine!" Guy shouts, throwing his hands into the air. "Send out Demon Lord Rings to whoever! We can have dinner parties separate from the usual ones, if we must. But I'd rather not have any angels in my home."

This time, it's Raphael who raises an eyebrow. Guy scoffs.

"What happened to you aren't an angel?" he snips.

"…I'll go send Dino an invite then—"

"Do not!"

When the memory ends, Guy almost doesn't realize that he's back in the present, as it isn't like the being of blue and gold before him changes that much. He shakes himself with a blink and tips back the cup like a shot. The pink-haired oni dutifully refills it.

…There aren't any differences, are there? The hair is the same length, the eyes are just as gold, the face is just as sharp, and as they've all seen, even the strength is the same, if not greater. In any case, looking back on it, how many people had a Skill that could swallow True Dragons and Drago Novas and entire hurricanes whole?

Only one that Guy knows. But it is one who died with no signs of return; who as far as everyone understood, was incapable of reincarnating due to not being one of Veldenava's creations.

Rimuru, for his part, remains ignorant of all this. His arms are crossed over his chest and his head is tipped back against the back of the couch, letting his sight settle on the ceiling. All things considered, Rimuru seems remarkably at ease with Guy's presence now that he's not actually focusing on him.

Something that likely wouldn't happen just from the last few years. Something that—

«Raine, Mizeri,» Guy beckons through Thought Communication. They both answer instantly and dutifully. Guy continues, «You remember Raphael?»

Raine takes a deep breath in. Mizeri cuts her off for the sake of everyone's patience. «Of course. It would be… improper to forget someone so close to Lord Guy.» Mizeri answers, about as close to saying "Yeah, I remember them. You were obsessed for millennia" as she gets.

Guy's left eye twitches. He reaches for the new tea. «Right. Well, they've reincarnated. As a certain slime.»

«…Nu-uh,» Raine says, helpfully.

«I was under the impression that they… couldn't?» Mizeri tacks on.

«We all were. But even if we count the appearance as a coincidence, Rimuru has Azathoth and managed to get the Storm Dragon Veldora on his side within a week of his reincarnation.»

«Which could be explained by Veldora realizing it was Raphael reborn.»

«Right.» At least, that's what Guy assumes. The only flaw in that plan would be that if Veldora knows, then surely Velzard and Velgrynd would know too, and neither of them have mentioned anything. Well, Rimuru hasn't mentioned anything either, so maybe—

Could it be? Maybe none of them realize. Not Rimuru, not Veldora, not anyone. No one has finished piecing together the messy puzzle Veldanava and Raphael left behind when two keystones crumbled. Except Guy, now, possibly, three years later than he should have, after promising Raphael he'd wait for them.

Guy sighs, setting the teacup back down a little rougher than expected. Rimuru's eyes land on Guy, a rapidly shifting ombré of colors, but otherwise doesn't move. Guy says, both for Rimuru's benefit and as an addition for Raine and Mizeri, "I'm prideful, but even I can admit when I'm being an idiot."

«You can?» Raine asks.

"You can?" Rimuru unknowingly echoes, though equally as surprised.

…They are both so lucky Guy likes having them around.

"Of course I can!" Guy snaps anyway. "Who do you think I am; Noir?"

"Diablo will admit he's wrong whenever so long as it means I'm right."

Guy didn't need to know that. "Look," he says, trying to channel as much patience as he can. If Rimuru is Raphael, then Guy doesn't want to spend their reunion (It can't be called that, can it? The reunion would be Walpurgus, with all that that entails) catching up on hundreds of years of missed teasing. He can do that later. For now— "Rimuru," Guy tries again. "What do you know about reincarnation?"

"Eh?" Eyes snapping back to pure gold, Rimuru looks at Guy like he's grown a second head. He leans forward then, hands braced against the table, and squints. After everything Guy's seen him do, he wouldn't be surprised if Rimuru is trying to see if Guy got possessed. Still, apparently coming to a conclusion, Rimuru slowly answered, "Less than most people, if I had to guess. Less than you, definitely. The most I know is that my reincarnation to this world with all my memories intact was a very rare occurrence."

And Guy— Guy doesn't believe any of that for a second, mostly because Rimuru is suddenly refusing to make eye contact like he is wont to do when avoiding something.

And like Raphael used to do, mid-sentence, as if they could hear words no one else could.

«Is is possible…» Guy begins, «for Raphael to have become a Manas?»

«Like Michael?» Mizeri clarifies.

«Something of a sort.»

«Ah! But!!» Raine yelps, far too loud for a telepathic conversation. «Manas are information lifeforms, right? And they evolve from Skills? That would mean Raphael had to have been a Skill!»

«Yes…» Mizeri mutters at a much more reasonable volume. Her tone is one of realization, and her words pick up speed as she goes on, «As is, Knowledge King Raphael. And considering Raphael's species didn't line up with anything Veldanava created, for all we know, they were the living embodiment of the Angelic Skill.»

Guy hums, low and thoughtful. That's closer, he thinks, but still not right. Knowledge King Raphael had belonged to Lucia, after all, only to disappear after her death with no sign of being reintroduced to the populace. Besides, how would one go about killing a Skill?

No, if Guy had to guess, Raphael didn't become a Skill until after they died. Rimuru couldn't have had an Angelic Skill anyway—he was immune to Michael's Ultimate Dominion. But there was clearly something there that allowed him to face down True Dragons with ease and have Primordials kneeling at his feet. Something with the same crimson eyes that even now haunted Guy.

Keeping a careful eye on Rimuru, who's brows were furrowed and lips thinned, though who made no sign of acting first, Guy explained as much to his subordinates, and then added, «Meaning that since Raphael couldn't reincarnate—not being from this world or any other made by Veldanava—they were recycled into a Skill, that was then given a host in Rimuru, and evolved into a Manas.»

Mizeri sends her agreement. Raine, of course, does not.

«Not to argue, Lord Guy,» she says, proceeding to do just that, «but that's stupid, and also probably impossible without Veldanava's influence. Isn't it more likely that Raphael's magicules just floated around for a bit before re-coalescing into a slime, and it drew in an Otherworlder's soul to play the part of an ego?»

That-

Hm.

«…I hate it when you make a good point.» Guy heaves a sigh, and then heaves himself to his feet. Rimuru, too, straightens and follows.

Here and now, no matter how it was done, Guy is faced with the fact that Rimuru is the remains of Raphael. Whether it be a part of their ego is guiding him, or their soul and his combined, or a truly impossible reincarnation, the friend Guy thought was lost and dead has returned.

"I'll be back later, so remember to keep some snacks saved for me!" Raphael had said once, so long ago, before vanishing into Spatial Movement, and then seemingly from existence.

Well, angel. I haven't forgotten, even if you have. Guy grins, parasitic heart racing with excitement, and there is no hesitation as he reaches out and roughly drags Rimuru into a hug.

For his part, Rimuru squeaks and writhes in the embrace, like one of those little beasts Milim insists on trying to keep. He'd probably be hissing, too, if either slime or human vocal cords could make that noise. As is, none of it is very effective.

"Don't you ever do that shit again," Guy adds, which is definitely not a threat, but most assuredly a promise. And yeah, that might be toeing the line of possessive, but so what? Veldanava and Lucia and Rudra and Raphael died, and the Masayuki kid is scared to death of Guy; he is not letting this chance fly by him.

Rimuru tries to gasp out a question. Guy pulls back, pats him on the head, and glides away.

He has an Ice Queen to inform, and a whole lot of revelations to unpack.

It's not often that Guy approaches Velzard first. More often than not, they simply settle for Thought Communication, or relaying messages through Raine and Mizeri. Occasionally, Velzard will reach out first, but that's only when she hears a particularly fascinating piece of news.

Sufficed to say, it is thoroughly unexpected and honestly a little jarring for Velzard to be interrupted by Guy throwing open the doors with the terse words, "We need to talk."

…What an odd thing to say. As far as Velzard is aware, nothing of note has come up—which she should know, considering she was just using her Dragon Eyes to check over their own domain—and having finally solved their millennia long communication problems (Ramiris' words), Velzard and Guy had been comfortably coexisting for a while now. There shouldn't be any problems.

Well, consider Velzard's curiosity piqued, because clearly that's changed. She disengages fully from her all-seeing sight and turns to properly face Guy. "About?" she asks. "Us, or Milim and Ramiris?"

"Neither," Guy answers, which is as relieving as it is confusing. What else do either of them care about for Guy to sound so seri— "Raphael has reincarnated."

Ice shoots across the floors.

Guy continues, "Or, something of the sort. Raine thinks it might have just been their magicules re-coalescing and that there is nothing left of their soul, but I damn well know Raphael, and I know it's them somehow."

The ice does not recede. If anything, it grows, climbing up the walls and reaching for the high ceilings. Velzard hardly registers she's moving before she's grasping at Guy's forearms, something almost desperate in her tone as she demands, "Are you sure? Guy, are you positive it is them?"

They had been so sure—they all had been so sure—that when Raphael's soul disappeared with their death, they were following the same route Veldanava had: an eternal demise. But then again, Veldanava had come back, hadn't be? After being hidden away so long by the Original Angels, he had returned, albeit changed. So, could Guy be right? Could Raphael actually be…?

Guy nods once, sure and unwavering. He reaches up to lay a hand over one of Velzard's and says, meeting her eyes, "It's Rimuru."

…What?

"Rimuru. As in, Rimuru Tempest? That slime king? The little one who ate Ivarage?" Velzard echoes, just to make sure her hearing didn't mysteriously give out midway through the conversation. Guy nods again. Velzard sucks in a deep breath.

Her first thought is: Veldora knew. He's never been so calm for anybody who isn't Raphael, and he's been so docile with that slime. That selfish child knew and didn't tell Velzard, and probably not even Velgrynd! When she sees him again…

Her second thought, a beat behind the first: Oh. That explains the sense of peace that came from Rimuru devouring her, and the giddiness from when her and her siblings became one with his sword. Some part of her had known, just as Veldora had, that Rimuru and their lost sibling were one.

Velzard lets go of Guy, only to stumble back into her seat. She drops her head into her hands and stares through her fingers at the frozen carpet. What other signs had she so blatantly missed? If Rimuru is Raphael reincarnated, somehow, someway, then there had to have been signs. Instances of deja vu. Carried over habits, or mannerisms, or…

Oh. Now she remembers. Back when Velzard had been young—too young, for dragon standards; barely grown into her wings and with no control over her ice—, back when Veldanava hadn't yet begun piecing together other species or even the angels, back when Raphael still lived—

Raphael had a habit of looking over their shoulder a lot, Velzard thinks, eyes straying from where she should've been practicing her Arts and towards the person in question. Raphael had the bugs of the realm dancing around them, as usual, and seemed to be talking to them, as usual. They did that a lot, too, Velzard knows. The thinking aloud thing.

But then Raphael's eyes light up and they spin around, mouth open like they're going to call to someone, but the only other person there is Velzard; Veldanava had wandered off some hours ago, mumbling about other dimensions. Velzard watches as Raphael comes to terms with this fact again and all but wilts, wings drooping and expression falling. A hand is raised to settle against their chest, against their heart, and then Velzard feels the familiar tingling of magic—something Veldanava and Raphael both reassured she would grow so used to she could tune it out like second nature, but is currently something her heightened senses pick up on far too easily.

Still, it's not a magic Velzard can identify. That in itself isn't all that odd, what with more and more Skills being created ever day, and more and more elements coalescing to make worlds, and more and more creations popping into existence. So why does she feel like she should know whatever this is?

It doesn't matter much either way. Whatever Raphael was trying to do failed, and their hand falls again. A bug—a ladybug, Raphael had called it, loud and excited as they tumbled over to show Velzard—bumbles on over and settles against Raphael's cheek.

Raphael barely blinks.

Velzard stands.

"Raphael?" She asks, pulling on their shirt. Velzard had yet to see Raphael in any colors other than black and white—they said the colors were in memory of someone very dear to them, and Veldanava had made the face that Velzard had learned to mean How about we stop talking now? "Who're you looking for?"

"Oh, sh- Velzard! I'm way too old for you to be sneaking up on me like that," Raphael spun back around with a hiss. Despite their baffling words, they settle a hand atop Velzard's head and give a wan smile. "And no one, kiddo. Just thinking."

"…To the bugs?"

"To the bugs…? Oh! Yes! The bugs, yes!" Raphael is quick to nod.

Velzard squints.

Raphael sighs. "You know what? You'll understand when you're older. Much, much older. For now, how about we go find Veldanava and bully him into making us something to eat?"

"We don't need to eat."

"If I had a nickel for every time I've had this conversation…"

Back then, ages ago now, Velzard hadn't understood much of anything that Raphael said. Now though, if Guy is right…

Rimuru does the same thing—looking over his shoulder, eyes bright and words on the tip of his tongue. But unlike Raphael, Rimuru always had people to answer him. The purple secretary and blue oni, Noir-now-Diablo, the star wolf, and so many others. People who were tied to Rimuru's soul, which would explain why Raphael had reached for their heart. They had been trying to get whatever soul bonds they had prior to arriving in the Star Palace to react.

The talking to the air thing, too. Everyone who's spent time around Rimuru has picked up on his habit of looking over their heads and muttering to himself, or to make odd facial expression and respond to words no one else can hear. The Voice of the World, or whatever fragment of it that Rimuru apparently carries, if Velzard had to guess from her brief stint inside Rimuru.

…Actually, even the black and white thing made sense, didn't it? Rimuru had been wearing black and white since he evolved into a True Dragon so many years ago now, which while that itself wasn't a particularly strong similarity, what was were the Heroes Rimuru seemed to attract, all wearing black and white. People dear to him. But for that to tie back into Raphael, then was it not reincarnation, but—

No. Surely not. Rimuru was capable of many things that Velzard had considered impossible, she could admit to that. But a timeloop, or even such drastic time travel… Time magic was an exceedingly rare Skill, and why would he have done so anyway? Raphael had been miserable, Velzard can realize only now. Raphael would not willingly trap themself in such a terrible fate.

No, not a timeloop. Perhaps, instead, the affinity for black and white was merely Rimuru reaching out for people his soul unconsciously thought he recognized.

…Rimuru really was Raphael, wasn't he? And if he wasn't, this must be some sick twist of fate, or a painful coincidence.

"Does he know?" Velzard asks into her hands. "Did he seek us out intentionally, and didn't want to, what, bring up bad memories?"

She hears Guy shake his head, his hair brushing the back of his top. "Doesn't seem like it. Raphael was a pain to deal with some days, but they weren't cruel. If they were back, then they would've told someone."

"Who's to say they hadn't told Veldora, and that idiot is simply covering it up?"

"Velzard. That's possible the dumbest thing you've ever said; or somewhere up there, at least," Guy says with a scoff. "When has Veldora ever been good at keeping secrets? And anyway, Ramiris, Dino, and Milim all live in Tempest. If Rimuru knew he was Raphael, then one of those three would've ended up know… dammit."

Velzard lifts her head, finally, to shoot Guy a confused look. He just shakes his head.

"Dino probably knew," he answers the unspoken question, sneering. "The angels can all sense each other, right? Whether Raphael really was an angel or not, Dino would've been able to clock them almost instantly."

"Walpurgis?"

"Dino slept through most of that. No, if I had to guess, it was when I told Dino to go be a good little spy…"

"And he took that opportunity to monopolize Raphael's time. That explains why he was so eager to stay…" What a selfish angel. Velzard has half a mind to go hunt him down, truly, and demand to know what Dino had been thinking keeping this vital information from the rest of them.

But then again, she can understand the usefulness of keeping it hidden. If Michael or Feldway had learned of Raphael's revival, Raphael would have been swept up and away before anyone else could even blink. If Velzard or Guy had known, it likely would've ended up with a similar result, only in their own favor. If Ramiris or Milim had figured it out… well, there would certainly be quite a bit of chaos. Neither of them had taken Raphael's sudden disappearing act very well.

Wait—

Velzard shoots to her feet so suddenly that Guy honestly jumps. It would be a point of teasing, maybe even gossip with Raine and Mizeri, if Velzard could focus on it. As is, her only thought—

"Velgrynd," Velzard offers in explanation, already moving to throw the nearest window open. "Velgrynd doesn't know; and someone needs to tell her before she burns a hole in the sky when she figures it out."

"Yeah, sure, not like I've been freaking out about this for the last hour or anything," she distantly hears Guy mutter, but by the time it reaches her ears, Velzard is already out the window and soaring through the blizzard.

It seems it's time for a family reunion.

Velgrynd had been having a wonderful afternoon: Masayuki was finally getting more comfortable with her and had agreed to have a picnic of sorts with her. For all she did adore the fumbling and endearing mess that this incarnation was, it was nice to see a semblance of Rudra's usual level-headedness shine through again. And the weather had been nice to boot! Velgrynd could hardly care what the food was; she was already perfectly content.

Had and was being the key words there, because she is tragically having far less fun all of the sudden.

Velzard, who had descended in a flurry of snowflakes and bitter chill, hardly seems to care.

"Sister," Velgrynd greets with all the warmth of an ice cube, shuffling in front of Masayuki and hiding him from view. She knows quite well that her husband is a formidable foe on the battlefield, even in this awkward version of him, but she's not risking whatever has gotten Velzard is such a mood.

As if to back up Velgrynd's decision, Velzard's words are uncharacteristically rushed, all but stumbling over each other as they ring out, "Velgrynd. You remember Raphael, don't you?"

…Huh?

Mark that down for things Velgrynd hadn't expected Velzard to mention. The two of them—and Veldora, of course—had come to an unspoken agreement to not mention Raphael, not with all the negative emotions that brought about. Of course, sometimes Rudra, and even Michael, would chuckle at the sight of squabbling initiates and mumble about how they suddenly felt like Raphael: herding a bunch of cats who wanted power. But that's a different beast, a wyrn atop the stony mountains of Dwargon.

This—whatever made Velzard spring that loaded question—is like staring into the eyes of an insectoid.

"Obviously," Velgrynd replies after a long pause. "How could you ask me that? I'm not..." Well, she would like to say she hasn't forgotten the sound of Raphael's voice, or the shade of their hair, or the pitch of their laugh, but all of those would be lies, wouldn't they?

Raphael, perhaps because of Velgrynd falling under Michael's control, perhaps because of how they hid themself from the world, had been slipping from Velgrynd's memories for a long time. Something that should not have been happening, considering she's a True Dragon and all.

But…

But she can still remember the nights Raphael would brush through Velgrynd's hair, and how safe she felt in their arms, and the bright gold of their eyes.

"…I'm not the best at letting go," Velgrynd settles on, because that's the truth everyone already knows. Velgrynd, the Scorch Dragon, the embodiment of acceleration and passion, was known to hold grudges and obsess over those she loves. For all she may be losing what remains of Raphael, she's not ready to bury them just yet.

Velzard nods, apparently satisfied with that answer. She goes on, "Do you remember when they would behave… strangely? When they'd do something that made no sense to us?"

"Obviously," Velgrynd repeats, and there's no hesitation in this answer. Raphael was by no means the black sheep of the family, but they were confusing at the best of times.

In fact, she can still remember the day she introduced Raphael to Rudra—

"Good," Velzard says. "Now, as your elder sister, I am going to say something, and I need you to not freak out."

"…Okay."

"Raphael is your boytoy's bestie."

"You have other boytoys?" Is the immediate response from Masayuki. And then he blinks, and for a second his eyes are red, and then his cheeks go red. "Oh. Right. I'm the boytoy. Wait, who's my bestie? Rimuru?"

"Sweet brother," Velgrynd whispers, and really, that's the only thing she can think to say. Raphael is Rimuru? That's… that's impossible. Raphael hadn't ever admitted to being unable to reincarnate, but—

"By the way, Raphael," Rudra calls, youthful confidence foolishly keeping him from having any healthy amount of fear of Raphael, even now. Rudra drops against the grass, hands behind his head, and continues, "Are you a spiritual lifeform too, like Guy and Gryn? Or is this more of a one-shot and you're done, like a human, just with the immortality?"

Raphael doesn't turn from where they're keeping watch over Veldora, who's flying loops in the sky. They still answer, chipper, "Wouldn't you like to know, weather boy?"

"…I would?"

"Weather boy?" Velgrynd echoes.

"Don't worry about it," Raphael shakes their head, and only then turns back to the rest of them. "And honestly? I don't know."

"How do you not know?" Guy scoffs, before promptly dropping a bucket of water on Rudra. Rudra bolts upright with a splutter, while Velgrynd simply watches it happen. Rudra should've seen that coming when he asked for some water, really. He gets to deal with the fallout.

Raphael seems equally as concerned as Velgrynd, meaning they just shrug with a vague noise. "It's… complicated. Really, don't worry about it! None of you are gonna be what makes me kick the bucket anyways."

Another odd phrase. The third of the day now, actually, as earlier Raphael had pulled their hair into a braid and whispered, "I'd make for a great dead wife flashback montage." Either Raphael was in a good mood today, or Velgrynd needed to go track down an angel quick, and it wasn't clear which one it was.

But that answer… "It's complicated." How? What could possibly be complicated about the question? Raphael would either revive or stay dead, as simple as that. It wasn't like there was a secret third answer. Which left—

"You're deflecting," Velgrynd says, mostly for the boys' benefit. They haven't known Raphael for nearly as long as Velgrynd has, and thus have no idea what it sounds and looks like when Raphael is dancing around something.

Admittedly, Velgrynd herself has a hard time with that sometimes. Raphael had the remarkable ability to speak circles around people, to the point where Velgrynd was half convinced they had a manipulation based Skill.

And yet, despite Velgrynd calling them out, and despite Rudra and Guy's full attentions snapping to them, Raphael just shook their head again. "Don't worry about it," they said again, softer this time. "I fell into this world, remember? So it really is just complicated. There's no hidden message there; promise."

"Oh… so is that a yes to the spiritual lifeform thing or-"

"Guy, aren't you supposed to be beating him up?"

"Wha-hey!! No! Guy, no!! I'm not read—!"

No, Raphael never outright admitted to being unable to be reborn in this world, but it had been heavily implied. Veldanava had no sway over their soul, must've been what they had been trying to convey. There was no way Raphael was Rimuru Tempest of all people.

As if she could tell exactly where Velgrynd's thoughts were heading (and honestly, she probably could), Velzard shook her head with a harsh sigh. "Can't you see it, Velgrynd? Rimuru has too many of Raphael's habits to be a coincidence. Rimuru had Skills that we've only seen Raphael use. Raphael went missing, and the Voice of the World appeared, and then Rimuru appeared with a piece of the Words of the World guiding him. If Rimuru isn't Raphael reborn, then somehow Raphael is his guardian angel."

"…No, that's not right. Neither of those," Masayuki whispers. Both Velgrynd and Velzard startle, whipping to him. Whether it be because of the audacity of arguing, or the surprise at his sudden interference, or the general tone of his voice, both of them were silent as Masayuki glared at the ground as if it was the sole cause of all his strife. "Rimuru isn't Raphael. Raphael is Rimuru."

Velzard scoffed. "What's the difference, Hero? Isn't that just the same thing?"

Masayuki shook his head, gaze never lifting. Velgrynd shuffled over on her knees to wrap her arms over his shoulders and draw him into a loose hug. Rudra did always hate when she held him too tight, and Masayuki is carrying much of Rudra's sorrowful posture as he continues to argue, "No, it's not. Because while Rimuru has a lot of Raphael's habits, it's Raphael who has Rimuru's habits, because Rimuru came first. That's why… I think that's why Raphael hated me at first."

…Right, Velgrynd had been thinking about that earlier, hadn't she? The day she introduced Rudra to Raphael. Velgrynd had been so excited at first—Rudra, the human who had quickly won her immortal heart, and Raphael, another sibling in all but blood. Two of very few important people in Velgrynd's life finally meeting!

In theory, it should've gone well. Rudra was the heir to a kingdom, and had the political training to know how to carefully not step on toes. Raphael, while lacking tact a lot of the time, was easy going and pretty easy to get along with.

In practice, however…

It had been brief, the anger. The rage. It had been gone swiftly, but Velgrynd knows she didn't miss the way Raphael's eyes had turned into an ombré of shifting colors, and their aura had stirred, and their fangs were bared. She knows, because Rudra had stepped back in understandable surprise.

Of course, Raphael had covered it up quickly, and the two got along quickly after that, but… But Velgrynd kept a careful eye out, and even decades down the line, there were times when Raphael looked ready to lash out at Rudra for stepping behind them or waving to Veldora.

It was the oddest thing.

If Masayuki is right, though… if Raphael had somehow inherited Rimuru's memories…

"The war between Tempest and the Empire," Velgrynd speaks aloud as the realization hits her. "And then, with Veldora… Raphael knew you'd be a threat, and wanted to take care of you…"

"Probably," Masayuki nods. "But they didn't, because they also would have known Masayuki. Me. They would know Rudra wasn't all bad back then, and wouldn't stay a threat."

Velzard, who in hindsight had been quiet for a beat too long, quickly shot back, "That can't be right. Let's say you're right and Raphael is Rimuru, somehow in the past. They were miserable! They loved us all, but they weren't happy! And Rimuru has the ability to traverse time, true, but that'd been shown to be only to places that he has a strong connection to. There would be no way he could get so many eons into the past, to the point where only Veldanava existed, and even if he did, he would've immediately come back here."

Masayuki—no. It's most definitely Rudra now, or the Hero consciousness that hasn't fully merged with Masayuki yet. Whoever it is, he thins his lips and furrows his brows. "I'm not saying Rimuru traveled through time, but his memories did."

"…Right. That Hero—Chronoa, right? She has the ability to send her memory to her past self," Velgrynd whispers. Chronoa, who has the ability to transfer memories through time, and is close to Rimuru. Rimuru, who either possesses the ability to alter Skills unnaturally or has another entity within him who can. And Raphael, who moved and acted and spoke in a way that was once so strange, but that had become almost familiar to Velgrynd these days.

Velzard sits down a bit too suddenly.

Velgrynd can relate.

So then, when Raphael had said it was complicated, and that they didn't know what would happen upon their death, they really didn't know. Their memories weren't their own. Has Velgrynd ever really known Raphael? Or had the entire time she had known them, were they carrying on thinking they were someone else?

Masayuki-maybe doesn't stop there, however. There's a bit of a laugh in his next words, though, as he looks to the sky to say, "You know, I played a game kinda like that once. Two friends were running away: a puppy and a bird. At what they thought would be the end of their journey, the puppy died protecting the bird. The bird then became a living legacy of sorts, to the point where their own memories changed to erase their friend, putting themself in the puppy's place. The bird forgot almost everything about themself to carry on as their fallen friend."

Velgrynd… doesn't like that sound of that, nor does she like what it's implying. Judging by her sour expression, Velzard is of similar opinions, and she's who asks, "Do they ever… become themself again? Does the bird ever realize?"

"Mhm. With the help of their friends—a real colorful group, fittingly—the bird remembers who they were, the promises they had made, and what they still had yet to do. And they remembered, properly, the puppy who had died for them to live. There's more to the story, of course, and depending on who you ask it's a tragedy and a comedy and a love story and— Uh. My point being, Raphael probably inherited Rimuru's memories, but that doesn't mean Raphael was gone. They were just… confused. I think."

Silence reigns for a long moment after that. The heartbeats that follow are filled with a mixture of grief and hope. It's a horrible combination. Still, still Velgrynd clings to it.

And then Velzard heaves a heavy sigh, "Well, that definitely explains why Raphael's favorite was Veldora. That slime's memories were in full control on that front."

Veldora.

"Veldora!" Velgrynd yelps, shooting to her feet. Masayuki yelps too, but for far different reasons: having been leaning against Velgrynd, he tumbled at her sudden ascent. Velgrynd, perhaps for the first time ever, only spares enough time to press a kiss to his forehead before she's shooting off with a yelled, "I need to know if he knows, and yell at him if he does!"

«He definitely doesn't,» Velzard shoots through Thought Communication.

Velgrynd snaps right back, «Veldora has matured more in the last few years than he has in centuries. If anyone knew and kept it a secret for this long, it would be him.»

Of that, she is certain.

Cats, as Veldora had learned over his long life, were not like dragons and demons. They did not constantly fight to be superior, to flaunt their strength and overwhelming might, at least not usually. In fact, cats could often be seen with their stomach exposed, blinking slowly and making very little movements as a submissive display, showing other parties that they meant no harm.

Veldora—currently upside down on his couch, frozen still, and blinking slow—was not a cat, as is, and his actions were not inviting ones. Actually, it could arguably be said that they were made out of fear in the face of one of his family members.

No, not Rimuru, here to lament about overeager subordinates and taxing responsibilities.

No, not Milim either, bouncing off the walls in her excitement to teach Gaia to harness its elemental capabilities.

And it certainly wasn't Veldanava, somehow back for a third time, standing with subdued amusement as he listens to Veldora's ramblings.

It is instead Velgrynd, flames licking at her hands and eyes bright with fury. Veldora is, like, 89% sure he's done nothing to warrant such a reaction, and has half a mind to yank on the soul corridor until Rimuru comes to rescue him from… whatever this is.

"Brother," Velgrynd says coldly, and it's only then that Veldora's freeze instinct changes to flee. He's upright and scrambling over the couch before Velgrynd can take her first step closer. "It is cruel to keep your sisters waiting, you know."

…Mhm. Yeah.

Veldora has no idea what she's on about.

"Sister," Veldora tries, tentatively peeking his eyes over the back of the couch. He's not afraid, technically, because he was once revered as the god of these woods, even if nowadays it's denizens wave to him on the street and ask if he wants to come with them to lunch. He is a little worried, though. "Did I… miss something?"

"I hope so, or I'll be forced to punish you once again," and then Velgrynd sighs, that sigh she's been sighing since she realized that Veldora really, really doesn't want to associate with her at all anymore. The sigh that means she doesn't want to estrange Veldora anymore, but she genuinely believes he won't realize his mistakes otherwise.

Did Veldora miss a family dinner or something? He wouldn't have gone anyway, probably hunkered down in Ramiris' Labyrinth rather than Rimuru's office, but wouldn't Milim have mentioned something? Well, if she was invited, Veldora supposed. Veldora knows his sisters are aware of Milim's existence, but he's not completely positive that they've ever had a proper conversation with the girl. Talks weren't exactly a thing True Dragons excelled at.

Hm, so probably not a dinner Veldora missed the memo on. What else could Veldora have possibly "kept his sisters waiting" about? He's knows neither of them are getting married, and he knows Veldanava isn't back, and… no, that's about all the situations Veldora could think of.

His dumbfounded blinks must've given away the fact he had no idea what Velgrynd was getting at. Her face twists, and then she's stalking forward, leaning over the couch with her hands braced on the back, allowing her to glare at a shrinking Veldora.

"Rimuru," she begins, slowly, with fake patience, "and Raphael. You knew, didn't you?"

"Eh? Yes? Raphael raised us and, sister, this is Rimuru's office. It would be weird if I didn't know them."

"No, Veldora, I mean— you remember the stories Raphael would tell us, don't you? Of a vast nation hidden deep in the forest, and of a union of monsters?"

…Did he? That was hard to say for sure. Veldora remembered Raphael as well as he did any of his other childhood memories, which is to say: vaguely. He couldn't tell you what they looked or sounded like, he couldn't tell you if they liked sweet or savory things, he couldn't tell you how they acted. But that wasn't all that odd, at least to him. He didn't know Velgrynd's favorite color, or Velzard's favorite book. He wouldn't be able to say with much confident whether Veldanava's eyes were gold or blue if he hadn't seen him recently. Quite honestly, Veldora didn't remember much of his youth at all.

But!

But Veldora does know Raphael had been particularly fond of the Great Jura Forest, back when it was once just the Jura Forest, and even before that, when it was apparently just a cluster of magicules forming weeds. He knows Raphael cared for him. He knows they loved to tell him stories of a war between orcs and ogres, of lizardmen who grew wings, of a Hero chosen by the flames.

So—

"Yes?" Veldora answers, even though it kinda comes out as a question. Velgrynd steeples her fingers against her lips and breathes out through her nose. Veldora thinks he might see a little smoke.

"You really haven't realized…" she whispers, with a hint of wonder, for whatever reason. Her golden eyes slide back open, and the fury has been put out, replaced with… well, Veldora doesn't really know. They're sparkling with something though. "Veldora. I had hoped you had the answers but- Raphael and Rimuru are one in the same."

Veldora blinks quickly. He shoots back to his feet (whatever previous apprehension he had instantly vanishing) and squints at his sister in overwhelming confusion. "What? No they're not! Rimuru's only, like, four!"

"Well at least that removes the possibility that Raphael had a child and then died, like brother," Velgrynd muttered under her breath, just loud enough for a dragon's hearing to catch up on. She shakes her head then. "And yes, they are. Raphael told stories we're living in right now, of slimes befriending star wolves and of the unification of the entire world against one common threat—"

"Predict Future Intent exists. Maybe Raphael had a similar Skill that allowed them to see into the distant future?"

"—and they share the same Skills Rimuru has—"

"Skills get recycled after death; everyone knows this."

"—and they share the same mannerisms—"

"Benimaru and Milim make the exact same facial expression every other week and they aren't related at all."

"—and, perhaps most importantly, Rimuru carries a piece of Raphael. The Voice of the World speaks to him directly."

"No? That's—" a secret. Ciel is a carefully guarded secret. Velgrynd knows of Ciel, sure, but she doesn't actually know that she's a Manas, which Veldora can't explicitly say. Oh, but—

Now that Velgrynd brought it up… Veldora never really questioned the fact that Rimuru talked to his Skills, nor did he ever question the once thought apparition of Rimuru's will. Ciel, long past Great Sage, still uses the same voice the Words of the World uses though, something that other Skills and even other Manas didn't. So even though it wasn't actually the Voice of the World favoring Rimuru…

Ah. Veldora remembers now. Back then—

Every year, always around the same time, Raphael hides away in a nook or cranny—ones that Veldora's siblings are always surprised to find exist—and refuses to come out. The newest additions to their family, the Angels of Origin, are supposed to keep that from happening.

Well, they failed, and Veldora has a question for Raphael, so now he's on a look out through the rafters of the Star Palace.

Luckily, in either what's a miracle or a remarkable stroke of luck, Veldora hunts down Raphael rather quickly. They have somehow wiggled their way between a bookshelf, a loveseat, and the wall. It's probably one of the least comfortable positions Veldora has ever seen anyone lay, but Raphael doesn't seem to mind, given their bland stare up at Veldora peeking over the chair.

Their bland, red-eyed stare.

A little unsure what he's meant to do in this situation, Veldora chirps. Bolts of lightning dance across his scales.

Raphael nods in greeting.

Hm. Welp!

Veldora scrambles the rest of the way over the chair, which is a little difficult with tiny limbs and too big wings, but feasible. He then promptly throws himself off the chair and into Raphael's arms.

He was right: it's not a comfy position.

Even so, Raphael makes no moves to remedy this, and in fact chooses to draw Veldora closer to their chest, making the already cramped place even more stifling. Despite that, Veldora doesn't struggle much against this; Raphael's hugs are always nice, after all.

The two of them are quick to settle into companionable silence after that, which isn't why Veldora is here, and yet something funny in his chest tells him that Raphael doesn't need him to be bombarding them with questions right now, so he allows it with all the grace a toddler dragon has.

That is to say, not very much.

He squirms and writhes and flounders in Raphael's hold, trying to find something exciting as he waits for Raphael's eyes to turn back to gold. Raphael lets it all happen with exceeding patience for a few minutes before asking, voice a little weird, "Veldora. Do you have need of us?"

…Us? Is there someone else here?

Oh! Maybe the angels! Veldora nods, pleased with himself for figuring out that brief mystery. So the angels were helping, albeit by… hiding in the corner with Raphael?

Who was Veldora to judge! He was here too!!

He struggles, briefly, with getting Thought Communication to function they way he wanted it to, and then patiently sits and waits for Raphael to connect on their half. They do, with an unmistakable sense of fond exasperation, and Veldora bombards them with, "OTHER BODY PLEASE."

Raphael winces, face twisting up and wings trying (read: failing) to snap open. There's a long pause, in which Raphael seems to be gathering themself before they reply in turn, "Volume, please. You don't need to yell if I'm right here, nor do you need to do it through Thought Communication."

"SORRY."

"…Right." They close their eyes and shake their head, even though when they open them again, Raphael's eyes are still that bloody red. "As for your request, what makes you think I can simply give you the ability to change forms?"

Veldora blinks at the stupid question. "SECOND SISTER SAID YOU CAN."

Another odd expression. "Ah. I see… Regardless, there's a difference between altering Skills—that which I can do—and altering yourself. If you want to change into a humanoid form like us and your siblings, then you have to work for it."

Which, obviously, Veldora takes as well as he did to being willingly confined.

Not well at all!

That's right. Raphael could manipulate Skills too, couldn't they? And while that's just as much of a coincidence as everything else Velgrynd listed…

Those days, every year, where Raphael would seclude themselves away from all life. They lined up perfectly with the anniversary of Rimuru coming to this world, didn't they? The anniversary of Satoru Mikami's death.

That, Veldora admitted, was a bit too much to be a coincidence. Meaning—

"Rimuru really is Raphael," he says, and then promptly drops back to the ground. All of it together—the similar Skills and mannerisms and abilities, the aligned important dates, the love for the Great Forest of Jura, the stories Raphael would tell that Veldora has been living since meeting Rimuru, the fact Veldora immediately took to calling Rimuru his brother because it felt so right—pointed to the glaring conclusion he could not ignore.

Velgrynd is saying something, something along the lines of "Raphael had been mistaken as a god a few times, and the Voice of the World has been called a goddess; isn't that fitting?" and "It's still up in the air on whether it's time travel, reincarnation, or memory duplication, you see." But Veldora isn't really paying her much attention as he drowns in his thoughts.

As everything he thought he knew crumbles around him.

As something deep within him roars to life.

He is out the door before he realizes it, leaving Velgrynd bewildered and behind.

Depending on your standard for "weird", Veldora is far from the weirdest member of Milim's family.

Er- actually, it kinda depends on the day, if you ask Milim. Some days it for sure is Veldora, but other days it's Rimuru, or Carrion, or Opera, or Gaia even! But Veldora isn't usually the weirdest.

Today is the exception! Because no matter how she looks at it, Milim just can't understand what's up with Veldora today. Normally, he'd be sprawled out somewhere within Rimuru's line of sight, reading away at his sacred texts, and if not that, then he'd be hanging out with Milim and Ramiris in the Labyrinth, scaring challengers and doing fun science experiments. But he's not doing either of those right now, choosing to rather frown down at the tree and grave that overlook Tempest.

…Milim never has figured out who that grave belongs to, but she knows Rimuru visits it a lot. Diablo and that elven princess and her bodyguards too. She didn't expect Veldora to also have an interest.

She peeks out behind him to glance at the grave properly. It's written in the same language that's all around Tempest—the one Milim can't actually read, though she's getting a little better at recognizing some of the letters. The language that the Otherworlders, or a lot of them anyway, can read. So, that grave belongs to an Otherworlder then?

"Rimuru comes up here to talk to her often," Veldora answers Milim's unspoken question, voice oddly distracted. "I was hoping she'd have answers."

"Answers? Answers about what?" Milim echoes with her own matching frown.

"About Rimuru being an incarnation of Raphael."

…Raphael? That name sounds familiar, doesn't it? Where has Milim heard that before?

"Milim! You need to stop this! Dammit— Ramiris, Raphael, a little help over here!!"

Hm, well, she guess it doesn't really matter. Milim's a bit more caught up on— "I thought Rimuru's name was Satoru before he reincarnated here?"

Veldora bobs his head quickly, pauses, and then shakes his head even faster. His face sours even further. "It was, and I have a direct soul corridor to Rimuru, so I'd know if he's reincarnated more before this. Wouldn't I? I don't know anymore, and my brother might be my dead sibling, or maybe it's the other way around, and I don't think Rimuru knows, but Raphael did—"

"No matter how much you hope, Milim, not everyone can stay by your side forever. But don't lose hope, okay? Souls are the lifeblood of existence, and they'll cycle back to you before you know it!'

"—so maybe it's not reincarnation, but whatever happened when Rimuru got thrown to the End of Time and Space by Feldway, because he's been acting off since then, but I had assumed that was because it was a very stressful time for us all and—" Veldora takes a deep breath. "And I thought if anyone would know, it'd be Shizue, but I don't think I'm very good at talking to ghosts."

Milim nods, as if any of that made sense to her. The basic premise seems to be that Rimuru did something out of the ordinary again and it's freaking Veldora out, but that doesn't make sense because if anyone is desensitized to Rimuru's Rimuru-ness then it's Veldora. Still, there's a part of her that's tingling now too—

"Hey, Milim! Raphael's going crazy again—"

"Crazy?! You asked for a story and I'm telling a story; what's crazy about that?"

"I don't know, Raphael. What's a goldfish?"

"I told you! It's a fish that's orange and tiny—"

"Are you just making things up?!"

"Is there not a single goldfish in this world?!"

—like when she remembers that Frey asked her to do something, and Frey's on her way back after Milim most definitely did not do that thing.

…Did Frey tell her to do something that Milim already forgot?

No way! Frey and Shuna are having tea, last Milim saw! If Milim needed to do something, Frey wouldn't be enjoying herself like that! So, if that's not it, then what is…?

Before Milim can figure it out fully, Veldora reaches up to scratch at his scalp and adds a final, "I suppose it doesn't really matter either way. Raphael and Rimuru would both tell me to stop overthinking things, and Rimuru is already family, so him being the reincarnation of another member of the family wouldn't change much. I still wish I could figure out why Rimuru's soul doesn't feel like Raphael's."

It hits Milim, suddenly, with all the force of the magitech train.

It's far past Milim's bedtime, if her baby dragon's sleeping form is any judge of when bedtime is, but she stays wide awake, staring at the twinkling stars with open awe. Raphael—one of her friends who she knows she's not supposed to know is watching her, like that other winged man and the dryads and vampires—cards a hand through her lengthening hair idly as they point to stars, declaring them all kinds of strange names: the big dipper and and small dipper (Milim isn't entirely sure what a dipper is, or why there's two of them); Orion's belt— well no, it's more of a chain now, or maybe a scarf, and actually that might not be Orion (Milim doesn't know who Orion was); Libra, and over there is Cancer (Milim is pretty sure Raphael is just saying sounds at this point.)

It's… nice. Milim can't remember when's the last she felt this at peace. Hanging out with her baby dragon is great of course, and so is playing tag with the few kids in the area, but it's not often she has company during the night, one that talks to her about the world outside Milim's bubble of green fields and small cottages. It's not often her meant-to-be invisible guardians reach out to her with soft words and gentle hands. It's not often time seems to condense, leaving Milim squarely in the moment instead of infinitely youthful and long lasting.

"And that one's Perseus, named after an old hero," Raphael is saying, though without the usual stress people put on the word Hero. They pause, and then hum, "Eh, probably. We're a bit further west than I'm used to. Your father would probably know."

And that's another thing! Milim hasn't heard anyone talk about her parents before, except Raphael! Her guardians aren't supposed to talk to her at all apparently, the other children never knew Milim's parents, and her pet doesn't exactly talk. But Raphael is different. They'll brush through her hair and comment on how it's so much like her mother's. They'll tell her how her parents met as a bedtime story. And now here they are, telling her about her father and stars.

Milim doesn't particularly care about her parents all that much, but she can't deny the curiosity that pulls at her. So she rolls a little closer to Raphael, grass sticking to her skin and staining her dress, and listens as they keep talking.

"…Hey, did I ever tell you the story of the Star Festival?" They don't wait for an answer. "Once, a long, long time ago, the daughter of the Star King, a beautiful young princess, wove fabrics into clothing the likes of which none had ever seen. It seemed like magic, and her father loved it so much, that the princess dedicated herself to her craft. But still, it saddened her that all of her work kept her from meeting anyone—friends, possible lovers, and simple acquaintances that made her laugh.

"The Star King, taking note of this, arranged for her to meet with a boy from across the river, a shepherd. The shepherd and princess fell in love, almost instantly, and were soon wed. It should've been a time of celebration and joy. As it was…

"The princess, filled with a new purpose outside of pleasing her father, stopped weaving, and the shepherd, distracted with his stunning wife, allowed his herd to stray and fumble around the Heavens they all called home. And the Star King grew enraged.

"He ripped the two lovers apart, flooding the river the two had met on, and exiled the shepherd back to his side, effectively forbidding the two from meeting. And his daughter, who he did love despite his harsh decree, cried. She cried, misery so deep that even without her husband, she could not bring herself to weave. The Star King, crushed to see this, relented on one condition. The princess and shepherd could meet once a year, for a full day, so long as the princess began weaving again. The princess took this opportunity with great relief.

"Even so, when the day came, she and her husband could not find a way to cross the river, and they both were filled with an agony so great, the animals of the world rose to the heavens to make them a bridge so they can meet.

"Now, every year, their constellations reach out for each other on their designated day, longing to be again in each other's arms. And the people, blessed to see this divine reunion, would celebrate on the earth, and raise lights to the Heavens as offerings and to support the bridge. Such is the tale of the Star Festival; of the stars Vega and Altair."

Raphael looks back down, into Milim's wide eyes, and grins a particularly mischievous grin. They poke at her nose and cheekily whisper, "So, morale of the story? Don't go getting too obsessed with anyone, or your father is going to wipe us all away in a flood, m'kay?"

Milim bolts upright with a strangled gasp and shakes her head so fast her hair whips around to bite her cheeks. "I don't wanna drown everybody! Then who'll be my friends!?"

Raphael snorts, and then flips back against the grass. Milim crawls closer and stares down at them, pouting until they easily reply, "Oh, come on; what's with that face? I already told you one story tonight… Look, Milim, no matter how much you hope, not everyone can stay by your side forever. But don't lose hope, okay? Souls are the lifeblood of existence, and they'll cycle back to you before you know it!" They wink. "So even if your dad comes back and tries to drown us all, your friends will be by your side, always and forever."

Milim frowns more than she pouts now. So, even if her friends disappear, they'll come back to her, right? If that's the case… Milim nods, sharp. "Promise?" She asks.

Raphael raises a pinkie for Milim to loop her own against. "Promise," they say.

"…Souls loop back around," Milim answers, leaning against Veldora's arm and dropping her head on him. "But my dad took them away first, so the… the world needs everyone to bridge them back to us, before Raphael can really come back."

The speed that Veldora turns toward her is almost impressive, if Milim hadn't known it was possible to move in suspended time. His mouth is hanging open and his eyes are comically wide. Milim can hear the crackle of lightning. Neither of them say anything for a while, apparently too caught up on what this means.

Or—what Milim is pretty sure this is what it all means. Veldora is right, after all: Raphael knew too much about the future for it to be a coincidence. Milim isn't sure if that old legend is an actual fairytale from some other world or universe, but on the pretty high chance that it was actually based on the future—the present now—then…

Milim got too attached. First to Raphael and Gaia and Ramiris and Guy, and two of them were taken away from her.

Then Milim lost herself, and after her tears had long dried, she was given the chance to see Gaia and Raphael again, at a price. A handle on her strength for a Raphael not whole. Restraint for Gaia.

But then Milim got too attached again. To Rimuru, fittingly, and this time her father came down personally to wipe it all away.

And yet… and yet, Milim hadn't cried when Rimuru had been lost, had she? And by the time Milim had regained her senses, fully and once more in control, the whole battle has been handled with almost no loss of life. There had been no need to grieve.

Thus, no bridge of animal and man to unite her with those she missed.

"Brother is… keeping Raphael from us?" Veldora echoed, something twisting his expression. Milim shrugs, then nods, because it's the only thing that makes sense, isn't it?

Veldora, horrifically, begins to shake with cries.

Milim, horrifically-er, joins him.

Ramiris nearly doesn't notice it at first.

In her defense! She's been busy! Super busy, in fact! The Labyrinth may not be scheduled for any updates, and the magitech train is operating perfectly, but Ramiris does actually have other things to be doing!

Like, her and Gabiru are trying to figure out what other kinds of plants can mutate, like the hipokute herbs! Well… that's mostly Ramiris' dryads, but she is supervising! Weeds become magicule infused to become potions. Trees become dryas wood become dryads. But what else? Flowers? Berry bushes? Could they create new spirits and species by pumping flora full of highly concentrated magic?

And! And and and! Ramiris and Luminous' vampires have been conspiring with the dwarves on how to use sprit magic to power more things like they do the trains! A way to fly, like the Empire's blimps, is high on the list! Teleportation pads without relying on Rimuru, too! And let's not forget more of those phone things that Rimuru forked over to Elmesia and Myurmiles before he did Ramiris herself!

There's even Ramiris' personal experiments: the golems. Sure, the elemental colossus isn't a dungeon boss anymore, and Beretta is doing fine in his body, but there's so much more Ramiris could do! What if she could find a way to combine a metal more resistant to angelic magic with a spiritual core, negating that typing weakness? Or if she did the reverse—making a "glass cannon" against demons? What if she could fuse the metal directly to the spiritual core, somehow finding a way to enable a regeneration akin to a normal spiritual lifeform? What if she—

Point being! Beretta is who mentions it, tone as bland as always, "Lady Ramiris, do you know a Raphael?"

"Eh?" Ramiris blinks, swinging her attention away from the cores on the table and straight toward her assistant. "Raphael? Yeah, I know a Raphael, but they haven't been seen for years." Centuries, actually. Many, many too quiet centuries where everyone seemed too scared to say Raphael's name. Where Ramiris forgot more and more of them with every one of her reincarnations. Where the Voice of the World echoed an echo. "Why? What's up?"

Beretta tips his head to the side, pointing down the hall. "Lord Veldora and Lady Milim are hunkered in a circle trying to make plans to, quote, get Raphael back from the other side of the river."

…What?

"What? Wait—the river? Is Raphael in the Empire? I knew they went there for Lucia, but they didn't seem to actually like it all that much…" Also, the idea that Raphael's been hanging around and hasn't bothered to reach out... Actually, get? Is Raphael stuck in the Empire? But no, Velgrynd would've said something. And if she didn't, then Masayuki probably would have, even if he couldn't remember the significance of Raphael.

"No." Beretta doesn't blink, because he doesn't have eyelids, but Ramiris gets the impression he's blinking at her in the way Veldora does when he doesn't understand something. Have the two of them really been spending that much time together? Hm, worrying. "The river in the Heavens."

"…Are you death metaphor-ing at me? I'm not a complete child you know!"

"I am aware."

—?

Oh! This was Beretta's way of telling Ramiris that he's staying out of whatever this is. She kinda understands that. She's a gossip by nature—all spirits are, and the dryads are no different—but sometimes the dead is brought up, and then there are emotions that Ramiris doesn't want to poke at. Beretta is a wise demon to stay out of this.

He definitely did not get that from Diablo.

Decision made, Ramiris shouts a quick thanks and darts off, flying through her Labyrinth with second-nature ease. She built this whole place, it is an extension of her. Really, it's not any challenging feat to find and hunt down wherever her master and Milim are scheming.

…Is Raphael really out there somewhere? All of her memories of them are so fuzzy, so distant that all that's really there is their name. She knows they were friends, once, though; she loved them as she does Guy and Beretta and Rimuru and so many others now. If they really are within reach—

Where have they been?

Why did they leave?

What can Ramiris do to make sure something like this never happens again?

She flutters to a stop on the bridge of Veldora's floor. Sure enough, as Beretta had said, Veldora and Milim are crouched in what would be a circle had there been more than two people present. Around them are crayons and papers and sacred texts and even a crystal ball, flickering the way one does when the other side isn't connected yet. Milim and Veldora are whispering conspiratorially, but both startle as Ramiris flies in.

"Hey!" She shrieks. "What's all this about Raphael being alive?!"

Ramiris hopes, belatedly, that Beretta did not mishear Raphael's name. She wishes, belatedly, she did not immediately jump to the conclusion that it was her Raphael.

Somehow, it's of no matter. Veldora's eyes are red-rimmed and Milim is sniffling aggressively, and they both say in sync, "Rimuru is Raphael!"

That gets Ramiris to freeze, like quite possibly nothing else has. Ever. Ever-ever.

"What do you mean…" Ramiris whispers, mind going a thousand miles a minute as she tries to compare Rimuru—bouncy, energetic, always surrounded by a friend or six—with her fading memories of Raphael—distant and quiet, "Rimuru is Raphael?"

Veldora takes over, words falling out of him in a rush, "My sister—Velgrynd, which means Velzard probably knows, and also Guy and Masayuki—came and said Raphael must've had Rimuru's memories, because Raphael didn't like Rudra and knew too much about the future. But I thought that that didn't make any sense, because that could be explained by some kind of future sight, rather than a memory transfer, yeah? But then I remembered Raphael would always hide away on a certain day, and that day lines up with the day Rimuru ended up in this world, and that's way too big of a coincidence. So I went to Shizue and ran into Milim—"

"—And I said maybe Veldanava is pulling Raphael's strings, because Raphael once told me a story of a Star King and a princess and of her loved ones being kept from her. So, I thought, maybe Veldanava took Raphael away because we all got too attached to them, and then tried to give them back to us, but only a piece, but because we all took immediate advantage of that again, he wanted to take them back, but he didn't—" Milim adds in just as much of a hurry.

"—so maybe there's still a way to get Raphael back all the way!" They finish, again in sync.

…Ramiris forgets, sometimes, how young they both are. How young almost everyone in this world is, at least compared to her. She had been created as one of the gods who watched over this world alongside the Divine Ancestor, eons ago. She was already at her maturity by the time Veldora learned to communicate with words. She had helped watch over Milim for the longest time, one of her watchers as she grew into herself.

Of course, Ramiris does not remember much about the Beginning of Time and Space, admittedly. To be fair, she was not designed to, but she knows enough. Arguably, she knows more about Raphael than Milim and Veldora do.

Most important of which…

Space. Time. Earth. Water. Wind. Fire. Light. Darkness.

The elemental spirits of which all of creation is shaped around flow to Ramiris' will. It would be redundant to call it magic, because that's exactly what it is, but the way they all answer her call is nothing short of divine.

Under normal circumstances, that is.

Today, however, the spirits revolt and tremble beneath her hands, refusing to go this way or that. Ramiris is the Queen of Spirits, and they should heed her call without question. Why do they suddenly challenge her so?

As if they can sense the tension building in Ramiris, the spirits make a valiant attempt to bolt. A barrier slams them into place, and they bounce away wildly. Ramiris is quick to smother a laugh beneath her hand.

"They seem testy today," a new voice rings out. Ramiris turns, catching sight of an entity with blue hair and golden eyes. For but a brief moment, she wonders if it's one of Lady Velgrynd's body doubles, and yet she knows that is wrong. This entity is not wholly feminine, and the blue is the wrong shade. If Ramiris had to guess—

She bows, braid falling over her shoulder and ghosting the floor. "Lord Raphael," Ramiris greets. "It's an honor."

There is an… awkwardly long pause that follows. Ramiris blinks at the floor, then risks a glance up to find Raphael staring into the middle distance, something stressed lining their face. Ramiris frowns and goes to ask what she had done wrong, but Raphael beats her to it.

"Just Raphael is fine," they say, as if that could've possibly been the issue they took with Ramiris' greeting. She's relatively new, but not that new. How strange. Even stranger, the way the Time spirit, also taking note of Raphael and their odd mood, flings itself into Raphael's collar. Raphael barely blinks, scooping the Time spirit up before it can collide and proceeding to gesture with it in their hand. "Anyway, Ramiris. You're working on the World Tree, yeah?"

Ramiris hesitates, then nods. "I am supposed to be, correct. As it is…" she trails off with a pointed glance to the misbehaving sprits, sans Time who seems quite content being waved around. Raphael hums in understanding.

"Well, Veldanava is here too, working on some sea serpent, I think. Something about none of the True Dragons having an affinity for water magic? Doesn't matter." Raphael shakes their head. "But with him so close by, it makes sense the spirits are acting out."

"…Does it?" This is certainly the first Ramiris has heard of anything remotely like that. In fact, should it not be the other way around? Proximity to the Creator allowing for more enhanced magic?

Raphael nods and this time allows Time to curl closer to them. "Of course. …Think of it like this: Veldanava's existed since before all of the spirits and Skills existed, right? He uses Stardust, something no one else is capable of. Him being nearby when someone tries to use a Skill or one of the elemental spirits or even some Arts—all that Stardust messes with it."

"Then… shouldn't others with Stardust also interfere with the process?" Ramiris asks. It would be reasonable, she thinks, if those created after Veldanava willed the elemental spirits into existence couldn't use Stardust, but as Ramiris understands it, Raphael is of a similar age to Veldanava. At least, that's what Valentine had been saying. And besides that, was there a difference between Primitive Magic and Stardust? They are nearly indistinguishable to most, including the ability to act outside of the spirits, so should Ramiris herself not be able to interact with the spirits she is to rule?

But Raphael just shakes her head. "No one else can use Stardust though. Unless Veldanava has a kid he can pass his powers into, but even then, they'll only be able to channel Stardust. They will not be in complete control of it." A shrug. "As it is, no one else right now has Stardust, so we really just have to worry about Veldanava messing with us. Unintentionally, I hope. For now, I'll go bully Veldanava into doing something else so you can work. See ya, Ramiris!"

And as quickly as they came, Raphael took off, leaving Time behind.

Time seemed to almost pout.

Ramiris… was confused.

It was one of the few clear memories Ramiris has left of Raphael: their first proper meeting. Long before Walpurgis, before Milim's rampage, before Lucia and Veldanava met and fell in love. Ramiris never claimed to have been the person who knew Raphael best—that would surely go to Veldanava himself, if anyone—but, if Veldora and Milim are right and Raphael had indeed reincarnated…

Veldanava has no say in it.

Raphael, for as often as everyone assumed otherwise, was younger than Veldanava. The elves, the demons, even the angels—they had it wrong; Raphael was not older or even of the same age. Raphael could not wield Stardust, was born after the spirits had been forged, and perhaps the most damning piece of evidence for that was the fact that Time adored Raphael in a way it did no one else.

No, Veldanava could not control whether Raphael lived or died. He may have been pulling strings in the not-death of his, and he may very well have something to do with the way the Voice of the World was a ghost of Raphael, but he was not holding them hostage from the rest of them.

That was Time's doing.

Thoughts still swirling like one of Veldora's storms, Ramiris begins to lay out the pieces, "Veldanava would almost always unintentionally mess with Skills, remember? Spirits, Skills, Arts… It's the nature of Stardust. That's why your special attacks are so deadly, Milim; they ignore the structure of the entire universe."

Veldora and Milim share a look. Fittingly, it's the same look they get when Ramiris starts going on and on about scientific theory and hypothesis. Honestly, Ramiris feels like she's rambling about the cellular integrity of a dryas tree right about now, so yeah, it's fitting.

Milim turns back to Ramiris and nods, ever-so-slowly in the way she does when she has no idea what somebody's talking about. That's alright; Ramiris wasn't about to slow her roll anytime soon.

"And the Greater Time Spirit was always very fond of Raphael, which never did make much sense. Time spirits don't normally choose people. Like, even Chloe didn't actually get a Time spirit, but her future self who could wield Time. But the Greater Time Spirit, the first Time spirit, would never leave Raphael's side if given the choice."

"But does that mean anything?" Veldora tips his head like a confused puppy. Or one of the Class S kids. Sometimes Ramiris wonders if Veldora is babysitting the kids, or if the kids are babysitting Veldora. "Raphael had most of the known universe wrapped around their finger. A Time spirit isn't necessarily that out there."

"True, true," Ramiris nods. "But!" Pause for dramatic effect. "Raphael is younger than Veldanava. They couldn't use Stardust, like him and Milim. Raphael never even used Primitive Magic, which isn't all that weird, because the Original Angels couldn't either, and neither can you True Dragons. But the Stardust thing! If Raphael was really as old as Veldanava—existing before elemental spirits—then they should've had access to Stardust."

Both startled; hook, line, and sinker. Go time!

Ramiris flew up and began flying in circles, energy in abundance as it all came out like a river, "So, here's what I'm thinking: you're right, that Rimuru and Raphael have too many similarities to be a coincidence. But it's not reincarnation or a memory transfer the way you two, and apparently half the ruling population of this world, are thinking. I think, when we lost Rimuru for that blip after he went to confront Milim and Feldway, he was sent backwards into time, rather than forwards like Feldway had been bragging about, because the Greater Time spirit already knew who Rimuru was and was trying to help. I think Rimuru ran into Veldanava, which thoroughly messed with most of his Skills, mainly his Space-Time Warp. I think Rimuru, realizing he was stuck in that bygone era, took on a new name, and maybe even a different appearance to confuse anyone who looked too closely. I think the past version of Time loved Raphael so much because it could sense that Rimuru was so muddled with its magic.

"I think when Raphael disappeared, they had died, from a combination of being separated for his soul bonds so long, and being unable to draw power from those soul bonds, and because their Skills were so intertwined with their souls that an eternity with them was too much of a drain. I think—" she stopped circling, simply hovering in the air as she took a deep breath. When Ramiris looked down, Milim and Veldora seemed rooted in place, attention zeroed in on her. Ramiris continued, no less sure, but softer, "I think Raphael and Rimuru were never different people. They weren't a memory transfer or a reincarnation or anything like that. They're the same person, like a spiritual lifeform building back up, but they don't feel the same because Rimuru's soul wasn't strong enough, not at first. But when he came back home to us here, during the final battle, his soul was finally strong enough to hold Raphael's power again. He might not have the memories yet—or maybe some, but not all—but he and them are one in the same."

Ramiris watches as slowly dawning realization overcomes Veldora and Milim, and she feels a burst of pride. And then the implications of her words hit her, real now that she's spoken then aloud, and a unyielding urge overcomes her now too.

"With that that!" Ramiris shouts, one hand on her hip and the other pointing towards the entrance of this floor. "Let's go find Rimuru!"

Milim's out the door before Ramiris finishes her sentences. Thankfully, Veldora has half the mind to grab Ramiris before he follows suit. And onward to find their slime they go.

…Ramiris will have to reward Beretta later, for his timely intervention. For now, she has a call to make.

There is something downright unsettling in the air today.

Eh… actually, it's been like that since yesterday, when Guy Crimson of all people hugged Rimuru. Scariest moment of Rimuru's life, if he had to guess, especially considering he's felt like he's being hunted for sport since. And what was that even for? What was the threat for? Rimuru hasn't even named anymore Primordials! Mostly because there aren't anymore Primordials, but—!

«Incoming,» Ciel chirps, just in time for Milim to kick down the door.

Shuna's going to be disappointed.

Rimuru sighs, already halfway out of his seat and with a warning on his tongue, when Veldora and Ramiris fall in after Milim. That itself isn't that odd, and is actually pretty typical, but what is is that they're followed by Velgrynd and Masayuki.

And then Velzard.

And then Guy again.

I knew it! Rimuru shouts internally. I knew something was up! It's always something!

«There are no violent intentions present.»

That doesn't mean anything!!

Despite the mounting internal panic, Rimuru forces a mask of outward calm. He had gotten better at doing that after the Falmouth incident, but these days it's less him forcing himself to have a poker face and more of a steel wall falling down in front of his expression. It's with this steel wall's help that Rimuru isn't sweating bullets like Masayuki is when the Otherworlder is pushed to the front of the group.

Ciel keeps her eyes on the rest of the group while Rimuru's track Masayuki. Rimuru raises an eyebrow as Masayuki leans into his space, asking, "Playing unwilling spokesman, are you?"

"I have no idea what's going on, man," Masayuki offers in turn, eyes the bright blue that means this is actually Masayuki and not Rudra, or one of the other past Heroes. "But, uh, yeah. I'm here to broach the subject so you don't… freak out?"

Rimuru blinks slowly, gaze sliding towards the others. Guy's about as much of a stone wall as usual, while Velzard is steadily turning the floor of Rimuru's office into ice. Velgrynd has her hands clasped in front of her like a prayer. Ramiris looks ready to burst out of her skin, while Milim and Veldora—who've obviously been crying—are trembling like a small dogs.

Huh.

Rimuru looks back to Masayuki. "So I don't freak out?" He echoes, Ciel already running through possible outcomes. Rimuru's first thought it that someone died, but his bonds are all still intact so…

«Likely reasonings, based on the possibility of your panic and the need to have the pillars of the world gathered,» Ciel reports. «A fragment of Ivarage escaped Azathoth and has revived; a sixth-technically-seventh True Dragon has awakened; aliens; the merging of the Cardinal World and Earth; Masayuki accidentally used Armageddon—»

"Yeah, see…" Masayuki reaches one hand up to scratch at the back of his head. Rimuru has half a mind to go take Masayuki to one of the side rooms before he folds under the pressure of whatever's going on, when Masayuki fumbles out, "Does the name Raphael mean anything to you?"

Rimuru immediately shoots a glare to Veldora, who has the decency to lean away, even while everyone else leans closer. If Veldora is blabbering about Ciel, and about Rimuru previously possessing Wisdom King Raphael and pieces of Lucia's soul—

"The person, not the Skill," Guy amends, as if he can read Rimuru's thoughts.

…We're sure he can't do that, right?

«100%»

Cool, cool. Then, do we know a Raphael?

«Checking now.»

Rimuru stays silent, letting the tension hang as he carefully but pointedly looks to everyone in the room as Ciel works at her usual fast pace. Whoever this Raphael person is must've meant a lot to these guys, but that does make it interesting that no one's mentioned them before. Even if Milim and Ramiris and Veldora didn't usually have loose lips, then shouldn't Raphael's name have come up during the final battle? It felt like everybody Rimuru had ever known in this world had showed up back then! Even people Rimuru don't know existed, who apparently had died centuries ago had showed up!

Raphael, Raphael, Raphael… What's this all about?

«Oh,» Ciel says, a little awed, and before Rimuru can even ask what's up, she tugs—

“Raphael…” a man says, all dark hair and sparkling eyes and draconic horns. Veldanava; younger, kinder, more childlike. The specks of white in his hair suddenly brightened, beginning to resemble the stars he commanded. Veldanava grinned. “Raphael! You who brings me knowledge of this existence, please tell me more—"

“Got you, angel,” a voice with a teasing lit suddenly said. Red hair and black jewelry and a sharp grin: Guy Crimson holds them close, demeaning nickname spoken with so much affection they almost don't shove him away. But only almost—

Lucia—because it had to be Lucia, with her platinum pink hair, and soft cheeks, and pale skin—laughed, a bell-like sound that made it easy to see why Veldanava fell in love with her. She reached out to brush their hair back behind their ear and out of the way of an infant's terrifyingly strong grip. Milim's strong grip, brand new and yet as intense as always. Lucia says, a touch exasperated, “You are one of the few Veldanava trusts with his life and my own, Raphael. If it were not for my brother, you'd have been the third to hold her—”

"They killed Lord Veldanava," Dino whispers over the roar of flames. He flies in his true form, wings stained black, and blood speckled across his cheek. Far, far below, a kingdom crashes to ruins over the sin of one—

"Raphael!" Milim shouts, dashing closer with her pet hot on her heels. They both start bouncing in place as Raphael slows to a stop, too much energy in too small packages. "You gotta tell us another story! But with my friends present, okay?! They don't believe you actually exist—"

"Going to sleep already?" Ramiris asks, a hand carding through Raphael's hair while her other attempts to unwrap a candy. "What're Milim and Guy going to say when they see their angel of bedtime stories checked out?" Raphael has half a mind to play into her dramatics, to gasp in fake offense at being called an angel yet again, but sleep encroaches on them too quickly—

Rimuru slams back into his own body—his current body—to find himself hunched over his desk, head about ready to split into two. He faintly repeats Ciel's earlier words, "Oh."

"Yeah, oh. No wonder Gryn was convinced you'd freak out," Masayuki squeaks, audibly on the verge of panic as he hovers at Rimuru's shoulder. Rimuru hears someone else move, and Ciel confirms it's Veldora right before the dragon in question pulls Rimuru into the tightest hug of his life.

…Second one in two days. At least he knows why now. And it certainly explains Guy's earlier threat. And why the rest of the room swarms to join in on the hug, even if a still confused Masayuki is dragged into it.

It leaves Rimuru spluttering a laugh anyways, wheezing out as Milim does her best to squeeze Rimuru's nonexistent ribs out of him, "Hold on, hold on! I haven't even said I know Raphael yet or anything!"

"Do you think we're stupid?" Velzard asks, clearly rhetorically, but Rimuru opens his mouth to respond anyway. Ramiris slaps a tiny hand over his mouth. Fair enough.

Although…

Ciel, Rimuru asks. Whatever you did to… unlock the control mechanism on our memories—

«It was like a big red button.»

—why didn't it unlock all the memories? There's definitely stuff missing, isn't there? Or were we dissociating heavily for most of the time?

«Arguably, we are dissociating now,» Ciel points out, and Rimuru leaves the conversation long enough to swat at Guy, who had taken to yanking on his hair to get Rimuru to zone back in. Ciel continues, «As for your question, I believe it has something to do with the Voice of the World.»

The Voic— Oh! Right! Veldanava took a piece of us, didn't he? And since the world didn't end—

«We are currently missing a piece of soul still, yes.»

Great. Love that for us. Sooooo, how do we get it back?

«No clue.»

Thought so.

Rimuru breathes a sigh out his nose and zones back into the impromptu cuddle pile, completely this time.

Someone's definitely crying on him, though it's not clear whether it's Veldora or Velgrynd.

Milim hasn't lessened her grip in the slightest.

Guy's hand has moved from Rimuru's hair to his shirt, gripping tight enough that it's a miracle the fabric hasn't ripped yet, and it's a sign Rimuru isn't leaving this pile without a explanation or six.

Ramiris has settled against the top of Rimuru's head, a slight but reassuring weight that almost promises to leave him picking pixie dust off him for the next three weeks.

Even Masayuki, eyes wide and lost like a distressed little kid, remains a part of the hug.

And just outside, Tempest flourishes, Rimuru's friends and people and allies going about their day, safe and alive and within reach.

He and Ciel may apparently be missing a part of themselves, and they may about to be dragged into several complicated conversations, and Rimuru is willing to bet they're going to have a repeat of the "Shove Rimuru Into The Labyrinth And Nuke Everybody Else" incident, but—

But nonetheless, Rimuru turns slightly to tuck himself into the crook of Veldora's neck, and maybe to himself, maybe to the group at large, whispers, "It's good to be home."