The Talk

"Why did you take so long, Brother?"

.

.

.

…What?

My mind seemed to freeze for a few seconds, taking in what Veldora had said in disbelief. I blinked, once, twice, thrice, as my mind began to process the information that had just blown me away. 

This guy, Nova, is Veldora's brother. The True Dragons regard each other as siblings and there are only 4 of them. There is also only one male True Dragon other than Veldora. That was Veldanava, so this guy, Nova, is.... 

Shit.

I looked at Nova, no, Veldanava apprehensively. I now could certainly see the similarities between Nova and Veldanava. Looking at them, I wanted to interject but decided against it. Punching this guy comes after their 'reunion'. 

"Long?", Veldanava said startled, before his ever-smiling lips quickly curled down into a frown, "How long? Tell me, Veldora. How long did my reincarnation take?" 

To be truly honest, seeing that face one way or another sent an arcane chill down my spine, making me have second thoughts about my decision to punch him in the face.

Veldora averted his eyes, looking at the floor, "Two"

"Decades?", Veldanava asked, but Veldora responded by shaking his head. Veldanava's eyes furrowed. 

"Centuries?" Veldanava's tone now became evident with concern, but he still received a no from Veldora. 

"It's been 2000 years since you died", Veldora said, downcast. I looked at Veldanava, whose eyes seemed to widen as he jolted in shock. 

I thought that he didn't return for whatever selfish reason, but seeing him like this... It kinda makes me a bit sad for him. It seems like he couldn't reincarnate before, not that he did not want to. He reincarnated 2000 years later, and his daughter should not even remember his face, seeing as how he died when she was just a baby. I hope she is happy. 

As my thoughts continued, Milim's face kept popping up in my head, which I brushed off repeatedly. This did 'not' concern her after all. So why did she keep popping up whenever I thought about Veldanava's daughter? Meh, maybe I am missing her, this situation is really tense after all, her nature would be refreshing.

Veldanava looked... upset. That seemed a bit too underwhelming of a reaction, but seeing his facial expressions which were always like a sculpture with a smile carved on it, this one made it almost certain that Veldanava was actually really distraught.

Veldanava gave out a deep sigh before opening his mouth, "I... I see" 

Veldora also seemed to share a similar look, one I had never seen or expected to see on him. 

"So what happened while I was…gone?"

Should I leave? They seem to be having some important personal talk. And I'd rather not get involved in family matters.

"Alright, I'll excuse myself" 

"Stop"

I was stopped from leaving by a low voice, one that seemingly came from Veldanava. I turned, only to see him looking at me with a downcast mien. 

"I… may need your help in this"

His voice cracked a bit, and I could not bring myself to deny his request, so I slowly sat down on the sofa again, while waiting for Veldora to explain whatever he was going to.

"Here…" 

Huh?... What? —Veldora just extended his arm to Veldanava who… nodded? 

Wasn't he going to tell him what had happened? What the hell is going on?

«Answer: Insufficient Data to analyze»

Seeing even 『Raphael』 didn't seem to be able to tell what was going on, I was tempted to just ask Veldora, but seeing the atmosphere, decided against it.

Just as Veldanava's hand touched Veldora's, there was a luminous flash where their hands met, which disappeared as soon as it came. 

Just as it did, Veldanava's frown deepened, which made me abnormally anxious for some reason, as if something was resonating deep in me. I readjusted myself on the sofa, in an effort to pry away this tinging sense of discomfort, though all my efforts ended in vain.

Did whatever they did show Veldanava what had happened while he was gone? I didn't know he had that kind of skill.

Veldanava took a deep breath before letting it out with his eyes closed. His head turned towards me, my anxiety shooting through the roof. If I were still a human, I would be certainly sweating buckets. His now sharp eyes, coupled with his frown made him look threatening.

"I… would like to ask a question, if you do not mind"

His voice was dejected, miserable even. My head just nodded instinctively, something I registered after the action had already ended.

"I go by the name Veldanava, and am the First of the True Dragons", he began, "but for now, just consider me a regular human if you would. One that has failed his child… and his family"

I gave a side glance to Veldora, whose eyes widened at Veldanava's statement. It seems even he didn't expect Veldanava to act this way.

"2000 years ago, I got married and had a child. It unpredictably sapped away most of my remaining powers, which made my successive reincarnation weak enough to be almost indistinguishable from that of a regular human. Due to that bizarre deteriorating, I knew my reincarnation would take years" 

I was shocked at his words, which seemed to be filled to brim with nothing but remorse, and regret. The underlying blame that I still had for him died out. I now understood that he did not abandon anyone, and I could damn well tell that this guy was not lying.

"So, as assurance that my daughter would not be left alone, in case I died since I was then bound to a human lifespan, I created a sort of double body, a pet that could stay with her, and potentially serve as a vessel for reincarnation had my condition became undeviating" 

At this mention, Veldora averted his eyes from his brother, looking even more downcast than he did before. Is he feeling guilty?

I could not ponder on the matter further as Veldanava continued his tale.

"However, a human army attacked me, my wife, and my child. My body had withered to the point where I could not even the slightest bit of magic. I could only watch as my wife protected the both of us"

That seems like an opening of a sob story—is what I wanted to say but kept quiet.

"However, my wife slowly began losing as she was overwhelmed by the tremendous difference in number. 

In the end, as a last resort, I converted all the remaining power I could muster, I gave it to my daughter and the dragon that would accompany her whilst I would be gone, however, that increased my reincarnation period exponentially.

As my wife, Lucia was about to be struck, I shielded both of them with my decaying body, hoping I would meet them again in my next reincarnation, whenever it may be. 

However, instead of taking a year, or a decade even, it took me 2000 years to reincarnate… only to find the ones I considered my family to have fallen apart, even failing to protect my wife"

I was unsure of how I could help him. I mean, just what experience could I have on something like this? But… he was Veldora's brother, so I decided to help him.

"I do not know how to go about this but… Do you believe that I can be with Milim, again? My daughter does not even remember the face of her failure of a father who died just shortly after her birth"

"Huh?", I blinked repeatedly as I once again suffered from a huge info drop.

"HAAAAAH?" 

I almost screamed. This guy was Milim's Father?! That somehow made sense, their Auras did feel similar. Not to mention she appears so childish, that was because this guy accidentally went to milk.

Hold on, then why didn't any one of the other True Dragons take her in? She's their family, right? Wait, is that why Veldora seemed guilty when Veldanava talked about his daughter?

"Lord Rimuru!"

Huh? The hell?

Diablo just… popped up before me, seemingly on guard to protect me. Did he come because he heard my scream? Or was he staking us?

However, before I could reply, his eyes widened as they fell on Veldanava's slouching figure, mouth agape. I could easily tell what was going to happen, as I let out a sigh.

This was going to be a long night.

-----------------------------------

Sitting in the same place he was before, Veldanava sat with his eyes closed, as if he was contemplating what I had suggested to him.

After he asked me what to do after his… well, sob story and Diablo popping out of nowhere, I gave him what I thought was the best solution, which I admit was not that bright. Diablo also was about to attack Veldanava, he sensed his power I guess, but stopped after I asked him to, though he started praising me like crazy for some reason.

My suggestion was basically… 'figure it out on your own'. I could not figure anything out that I knew Veldanava had not thought of. And as Raphael said: 'The best course of action would be to slowly make Milim understand so she would not be emotionally overwhelmed by the news'.

Hearing that, Veldanava and Veldora, closed their eyes and leaned back on the sofa. While Diablo just watched, his eyes for the most part lingered on Veldanava.

So, after waiting for several minutes, I decided to ask some questions that were bugging me for quite some time.

"Hey Veldanava"

"Hmm?", He hummed as his opened eyes gazed at me. 

 "How did you know what happened after you died? Didn't you just reincarnate? Did it have to do something with that light when you touched Veldora's finger?" I asked, only to later realize that the last part sounded wrong, though it seems they did not notice.

"Veldora has a skill that allows him to tap into the World's memories, I borrowed it for a bit, even if I did only see what seemed relevant"

Hah? 

"You borrowed his... skill? I asked, utterly flabbergasted. 

Borrow a skill with physical contact? That's a really overpowered skill—However, before I could do or ask anything, Veldanava looked at me in a way I knew my privacy was getting thrown out of the window.

"I presume you are misunderstanding. I was simply borrowing the skill from Veldora with his permission, I cannot steal skills by physical contact" 

Alright, that confirms it, this guy is a psychic. Next, he's gonna say, 'No, I am not a mind reader' —I thought, trying my best to imitate Veldanava's high-pitched voice. 

"And no, I am not capable of reading minds" 

Called it.

"I have one more request of you, one I think you would like to help me with"

Hmm? I signaled him to continue with a nod. 

"Could you hand Clayman over to me?" 

Veldanava's face darkened, as the words left his mouth. His voice may seem neutral but the baleful vibe I was getting from him now was completely different to his prior calm and peaceful Aura. I could've sworn that even Diablo had twitched a bit at this.

However, that request, just as Veldanava said, was something I was more than happy to help with.

Raphael.

«Yes, Individual Clayman's soul has been prepared to be expelled into a body double while binding his astral body to the former»

Hearing Raphael's words, a wicked grin adorned my face.

"Of course", I said as a material body formed before me, taking the form of the bastard who had hit Milim, "Here you go. Diablo, Take him to the inn"

"At once, Lord Rimuru"

Diablo bowed. Veldanava stood up, then gave me a nod before following Diablo out of the door. Not before absorbing Clayman into what seemed like a black hole.

Just as the First True Dragon left through the door, I gave a deep, I mean really deep sigh.

"That Clayman guy messed up big time"

I looked over to Veldora, who seemed to be still nervous for some reason. But…

"Yeah, I guess he did"

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The Moonlight glimmered over the Rimuru City, as the serene capital of the Jura Tempest Federation remained largely peaceful. 

However, not many of them were awake. A certain True Dragon sat on the bed in the room assigned to him, located in the inn of the City.

He lifted his arm, and a small portal manifested before him. 

THUD.

A white-haired man fell face-first on the floor, breathing heavily as he frantically shook his arms over his body as if trying to get something off of him.

"You are not dead Clayman"

The man, Veldanava, said in a low, deceivingly calm voice. 

Hearing this, the Demon Lord, no, Former Demon Lord Clayman stood up and prepared to attack the black-haired male… only to fall face first again by some gravity-like invisible force, almost crushed thoroughly by the pressure.

"What do you think you are going, you lowly human"

Clayman raged, seemingly unable to notice the two horns that protruded out of Veldanava's head, who did not even seem to have heard what the Marionette Master prattled.

"But you hit my 'daughter'… Never before was I this displeased by one of my creations"

'Huh?' —Clayman was bamboozled. What did he mean by his creations? What did he mean by hitting his daughter?

Clayman's eyes snapped wider, as the memories of when Milim had worn the necklace and his action at the arrival at Walpurgis traced their way back into his mind.

His daughter? Milim's Father…

Clayman's bravado was smashed to smithereens, as he finally realized who and what was before him.

Oh… Oh no