Chapter 112 - Transference

A/N: I already have a good idea of what the answers will be, but it won't change my mind — so here's this week's question:

What are your thoughts on Tempest and the subordinates in question?
To be honest, they won't play a significant role even in the revised version. Tempest itself is likely to be removed, though I may keep some of the characters around.

Keep in mind, this version of Rimuru won't care, so like in the draft, they won't be that relevant. And considering I am planning on adding Silver Demons, they will take the spots of subordinates.

....

Rimuru waved as Gazel left the next morning. His face looked far more refreshed than it had the day before when he had been in the room with the two monarchs, discussing their schemes right in front of him. His stress and headache had built with every word the two ancient rulers uttered.

"Rimu-ji," Elmesia hugged him from behind as Gazel disappeared from sight. "Can I ask you for a favor?" She tilted her head slightly, her beautiful expression a silent plea as she looked up at him.

Rimuru chuckled, breaking free from her grasp and ruffling her hair playfully. "Sure, sure. What does my niece want now?" he joked, and they began walking toward her Dragon Lord and the vehicle attached to it.

"Mother told me some time ago about the advanced technology yo—"

Rimuru quickly crossed his arms in an 'X' motion. "Nope, can't give you that," he said with a teasing tone, sticking his tongue out playfully. Elmesia puffed her cheeks in mock indignation.

She grabbed his shoulder and shook him gently. "Why~? Come on, just something fun! It doesn't have to be too futuristic."

"I can't. If I give you anything, I'm sure you'll develop it and advance it yourself," he said, wagging his finger as they continued walking. "And I bet your mother's in on it too, which only makes it more likely."

"I won't!" she protested, letting go of him and crossing her arms defiantly. "I swear, I and everyone in Sarion won't develop any new tech with whatever you give me!"

"Hmm..." Rimuru placed a hand on his chin, clearly thinking.

"Please!" she begged, giving him her best pleading expression, her eyes wide and full of innocence.

"Fine," Rimuru grinned mischievously. "But swear that no one, and I mean no one—not from Sarion, and not from outside Sarion—will develop or advance it."

Elmesia froze, her eyes widening slightly at the condition. She looked away, her face now a bit flushed.

"Tsk," she clicked her tongue, turning her head to avoid his gaze. Rimuru stared at her, a victorious gleam in his eyes.

Realizing she'd been caught, Elmesia pouted. "And here I thought I had you."

Rimuru smirked, crossing his arms confidently. "Who do you think you're plotting against?"

In the end, after a bit more bickering, Rimuru handed her some blueprints for old planes.

"Thank you, Rimu-ji!" Elmesia waved enthusiastically as she began climbing into her vehicle. "Let's play again sometime soon!" She entered the craft, and the Dragon Lord carrying it began flapping its wings, lifting off into the sky as it flew back to Sarion.

"Ahh... the sky will be filled with those in the future," Rimuru sighed, watching the sky for a moment before turning and heading back to his castle.

Days went by like normal then one afternoon, a knock echoed from the door of his office. Rimuru set his pen down and stared at the door, already knowing who was behind it. "You can come in."

The door slowly creaked open, and Shizu peeked in before entering, followed by a more energetic fairy who zipped around before landing on the table where Rimuru was working.

"Ramiris? Do you need something from me?" Rimuru asked, raising an eyebrow.

Shizu nodded. "Uhm, I was actually planning to return to Ingrassia, since that's where the children are. Lady Ramiris said she could help, so I came by to inform you of my departure."

"That's right," Ramiris puffed out her chest proudly, her tiny wings buzzing as she zipped around in circles. "Leave everything to this great Ramiris!" She seemed to glow with her usual overconfidence.

"Oh, is that so?" Rimuru leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms. "When will you be leaving, Shizu?"

"Tomorrow morning," she answered.

"I see," Rimuru nodded. "I'm coming with you."

"Huh?" Shizu let out a soft sound, her mind taking a moment to process Rimuru's words. "Rimuru-sama... coming to Ingrassia? I don't think that would be... uh..."

Shizu knew that the forest was being threatened by most of the western nations, aside from those bordering it. Having the Lord of the Forest head to Ingrassia—the heart and headquarters of the Western Council—was an unusual move.

"Don't worry too much," Rimuru grinned, waving her concerns aside. "I just want to make a quick detour. It's been a while since I visited Lubelious."

Shizu tilted her head in confusion. Lubelious was the Holy Empire, known for declaring monsters as their enemies. It was also home to the Holy Church and the Holy Knights, who regularly hunted monsters.

And, most importantly, one of her students was—

"You aren't planning to do anything bad, are you?" Shizu's tone was less of a question and more of a plea, her eyes wide with concern.

"No, there's just someone I'm planning to visit," Rimuru reassured her. He could see the worry in her expression, so he added with a smile, "Don't worry too much, Shizu. If I were planning to harm the humans, it'd be after they started invading."

His smirk only deepened as he said this.

"Uwah... that's a sinister look, Rimuru," Ramiris commented, poking his cheek with a tiny finger as she observed his expression.

That night, Rimuru was observing his capital city from the very top of the highest point of his castle. Sitting outside, he gazed down at the bustling city below, where luminescent lights from fires and other sources illuminated the night, giving the entire city a soft, glowing ambiance.

"So far, I guess this city is satisfactory," he mused, a small smile tugging at his lips.

Suddenly, a door appeared before him, floating in the air.

"So, is my other self finally desiring to discuss something with me?" Rimuru stood from where he had been sitting on the roof. "You could've just kept me connected, you know." He sighed, clearly a little irritated.

The door began to open slowly, and a short, blonde-haired angel stepped through first. Her wings fluttered lightly as she landed gracefully on the roof, a soft smile spreading across her face. "Hello, Master," she greeted warmly, her voice filled with gentle affection.

Rimuru raised an eyebrow, his expression skeptical as he glanced her way. "Hello... it's Ciel now, right?" he asked, a hint of uncertainty in his tone. He leaned back slightly, folding his arms. "A few things the other me kept updated, and your... recollection and renaming is one of them."

"Yes," Ciel replied, nodding with a soft, knowing smile. Her eyes glistened with a quiet confidence, as if pleased to see Rimuru adjusting to the changes.

Rimuru furrowed his brow, a faint frown tugging at his lips as he looked her over. "Can I ask what this is about?" His voice was tinged with confusion. "I don't quite understand why you're here, especially with the other me still embroiled in a war with Ouroboros—and from what I've heard, also with Zelanus."

Ciel's eyes turned serious as she nodded again, her smile slipping into a more somber expression. "Master believes that you need some help," she explained, her voice calm but firm. "The cryptids are becoming more aggressive, and Master fears that some may have managed to sneak in here."

Rimuru tilted his head slightly, raising an eyebrow. He shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, yeah, isn't that my role here?" His tone was casual, but there was an edge of frustration behind it. "The only reason I created a duplicate of myself and stayed in the Cardinal world was to protect it from Ouroboros—and now, Zelanus."

"Yes," Ciel agreed, her voice softening as she stepped closer. "But it seems Ivarage is making moves for some reason. Obera and Zalario confirmed this and informed us. It appears there are other beings as powerful as Zelanus hiding out there somewhere."

Rimuru clicked his tongue in frustration, the irritation clear in his expression. His gaze darkened slightly as he crossed his arms. "That's not good." He exhaled slowly, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "The me here isn't that strong. Even Guy might have a chance of beating me." He sighed, the weight of the situation settling on him. "If more cryptids like Zelanus appear... and with their 'children' involved... it would be disastrous."

Ciel's expression became more concerned, her brows furrowing as she watched him carefully. She stepped closer, her hands clasped in front of her. "But still," she continued, her tone laced with quiet urgency, "Master sent me here because we cannot afford to be complacent."

Rimuru chuckled lightly, the sound almost wistful as he straightened up. His gaze seemed to momentarily drift, as though recalling something from the past. "And so you were brought here... I assume you're a parallel?"

Ciel's smile shifted into something smug, a familiar gleam in her eyes that reminded him of when she was Great Sage. "I was actually a volunteer," she said with a playful tilt of her head. "The real support, however, are them."

With that, Ciel raised a small, ornate key in her hand. The door behind her creaked open again, and this time, two heads peeked curiously from behind the doorframe. One was blonde, the other a deep shade of purple. Their eyes darted nervously between Rimuru and Ciel.

Rimuru let out a light, amused laugh, his gaze softening as he noticed their shy demeanor. "You two can come out, you know," he teased, his tone lighthearted. He raised an eyebrow, the hint of a smile on his face. "Why are you guys acting like that?"

"I-I-It is nothing, My Lord," Carrera stammered, her voice shaky as she took a hesitant step forward. She was quickly followed by Ultima, who appeared just as nervous. The two demonesses shuffled forward, their eyes flicking nervously toward Rimuru but failing to meet his gaze. They were both trying—unsuccessfully—to hide the anxiety creeping across their faces.

Ciel, observing their behavior with an almost knowing look, tilted her head slightly. "It is because they were actually scolded by the other Master," she explained, her voice calm and steady as she stared at the two.

"Ah!" Carrera and Ultima exclaimed in unison, their eyes wide in realization, as if they hadn't expected Ciel to say it so bluntly.

Rimuru raised an eyebrow, turning his attention from the two nervous demonesses to Ciel, his expression one of mild curiosity. "Did they do something?" he asked, his tone still light, though there was a hint of amusement in his eyes.

Ciel's gaze shifted slightly, a flicker of seriousness crossing her face as she continued. "As far as I was informed, they were arguing during a decisive battle with Ouroboros' children. They even managed to kill Echidna, but due to their... confidence, Apophis managed to gain the upper hand. He dealt a heavy blow, and we lost another universe." She glanced at the two demonesses, who visibly cringed at the reminder.

Rimuru rolled his eyes, now understanding the situation. He sighed deeply, the weight of the story settling in. "Ah, so that's why they were brought here by my other self," he muttered to himself before turning his attention back to the two. "Basically, they were being punished and sent here to help instead of being left in that mess."

"Yes..." Carrera and Ultima both confirmed in unison, their voices soft and resigned. They exchanged a look, before turning back to Rimuru, their faces a mixture of guilt and pleading. "Please don't push us away, My Lord," Carrera added, her voice cracking slightly as she practically begged. "We can't handle two of those in one day..."

Ultima's eyes were filled with barely contained tears as she echoed her companion's plea. "Please, Rimuru-sama, don't leave us behind..."

Rimuru sighed, his expression softening as he waved a hand dismissively. "Fine, fine. I'll take you both," he said, sitting back down and gazing out over the scenery below, trying to calm himself. "You two will be coming with me on my trip."

"Really, My Lord?" Carrera exclaimed, her face lighting up with a radiant expression of joy. She was practically bouncing with excitement, her nerves forgotten in an instant.

Ultima, too, beamed with a childlike innocence, as if a heavy weight had been lifted from her shoulders. "Thank you very much, Rimuru-sama," she said, her voice full of gratitude, her eyes sparkling with relief.

Rimuru couldn't help but smile wryly at their reactions. They were celebrating as if they had just been granted a second chance, which, in a way, they had. He noticed Ciel walking toward him, her movements graceful as she approached. Without a word, she sat down on his lap, a playful glint in her eyes.

Rimuru blinked in surprise but quickly regained his composure. "Is something wrong, Ciel?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Hm?" Ciel turned her head slightly to look at him, her voice nonchalant as she leaned her back against his chest, settling comfortably in his lap. "Nothing, Master. I'm just acting as usual," she replied, her tone light but filled with a subtle hint of mischief.

Rimuru raised an eyebrow, a knowing smile tugging at his lips. "By 'normal,' you mean Lait's normal?" he teased, his voice warm with affection but tinged with curiosity.

Ciel smirked, her eyes sparkling with playful mischief. "I'm still her after all," she replied slyly, using her position and the closeness between them to her advantage. She tilted her head back slightly, leaning into him. "I just regained my memories."

Rimuru chuckled softly, already aware of her playful nature. He didn't mind, as it was harmless. Before he knew it, his hand had absentmindedly moved to pat her head, a gesture that felt surprisingly natural as they both watched the capital below.

Ciel's voice was soft, almost to herself, as she gazed out at the stars. "Must be nice to travel with Master..." she mused, her tone wistful. "I only occasionally interact with Master outside of serious situations, after all."

Rimuru laughed quietly, the sound light and amused. "Fine, fine," he said with a mock sigh, his hand still gently resting on Ciel's head. "You can come too."

The next day, as Shizu prepared to travel, she noticed three new figures in the castle. She paused, her brow furrowing slightly in curiosity. "Uhm, can I ask who they are, Rimuru-sama?" she asked, her voice polite but filled with uncertainty.

Rimuru turned to the trio walking with him, his expression casual but clearly at ease. "Ah, don't worry about them," he said, giving them all a reassuring nod. "This is Ciel, a seraph angel, and these two," he motioned to the other two, "are Carrera and Ultima, primordial demons. They'll be companions on this trip of ours."

"Eh."

A/N: We got Ciel and two of the demonesses back. It's funny how because I wanted to basically throw the multiverse plot away, I slowly but surely bring the cast to the world while removing the plot in the background happening off screen.

Like 'oh this multiverse enemy died' or 'due to x and y reason they will be in the cardinal world for z reason.' 

On a side note: I am experiencing heavy writers block writing the Empire arc lol. Luckily that is still a several chapters away.