"But before that... let's deal with the real you, shall we?" Rimuru said, and the very next moment, his consciousness materialized on a floating island, with Ciel immediately appearing beside him.
"What a scenic Inner World," Rimuru dryly remarked as he looked around the island, noticing several other floating pieces of land scattered around them and a deep shade of purple coloring the sky, with a large red moon hanging overhead, casting an eerie crimson glow over the entire landscape.
"Indeed. One could say it is quite unique," Ciel replied, a faint hint of amusement flickering in her eyes. "Though, according to your memories..." she paused for a moment before adding, "...the young Satoru would have been quite fascinated by an environment like this."
"Ugg~, don't remind me of that chuunibyou phase," Rimuru groaned, his face twisting with embarrassment as memories of Satoru's teenage years came rushing back. Back then, he had been hopelessly obsessed with anime, games, and manga, to the point that he had actually taken one of his replica Buster Swords from Final Fantasy to school and challenged one of his friends to a sword fight. Yeah... that particular incident had followed him for quite some time. "But that doesn't matter," he quickly added, straightening himself and putting on the most dignified, sagely expression he could manage. "It was Satoru who embarrassed himself in high school, not me."
"Master, are you and he not one and the same?" Ciel asked, a faint smile playing across her face.
"No, no, what are you talking about?" Rimuru shook his head. "I am me, and he is him. Satoru was a human who lived a great life, stayed single until the later years of his life, and nearly died protecting his friend, only to be saved through divine intervention and live out the rest of his days in peace and quiet."
"I, on the other hand, was reincarnated as a slime..." Rimuru turned toward the fourth wall and gave it a knowing wink before continuing, "...in this world, created a nation, became a Demon Lord, then an existence comparable to a True Dragon, and eventually a god. None of that is remotely comparable to the mundane life Satoru lived. More importantly, that guy couldn't even pull a single girl, while I have two wives now," he concluded his rant with a smug, self-satisfied nod, clearly pleased with his own logical argument.
"Oh, a self-burn. Those are rare," Ciel remarked dryly, rolling her eyes at his antics. "Well, whatever you say, Master. It is my job to believe you, after all. But before we continue, shall we deal with the reason we are here?" she added, turning her gaze toward the distant figure sitting upon an elevated stone throne, who had been silently observing their antics the entire time.
"Yeah, we should," Rimuru nodded in agreement as he offered his arm to Ciel, and the two vanished from the spot in an instant, reappearing directly before the stone throne. It was only then that they could properly see the figure seated upon it. It was a pitch-black entity with a distinctly feminine form, long white hair cascading down her body, and a pair of ethereal blue eyes that calmly fixed upon them.
After observing them for a moment, the woman finally said, "Rimuru Tempest..."
"That's me," Rimuru replied as he took a step forward. "And you must be 'It', the Ego of the world... well, half of it, I suppose, since the other half is with Veldvana at the moment."
"Indeed, I am one half of the consciousness born at the very beginning... or at least, that is what I believed." Suddenly, Ego rose from the throne and floated down until she was standing directly in front of Rimuru. "But I was wrong. Now that I am standing before you, I realize this world does not begin with me. It actually begins with you..." Her gaze shifted toward Ciel for a moment. "...isn't that right?"
"As expected, it didn't take you long to figure that out," Rimuru replied with a knowing smile. "Yes, I am the origin of this world. It was created in the image of the world Veldavana had made in my past timeline, before he lost his way and ultimately tried to destroy everything except for a select few."
"That's... hard to believe..." the Ego murmured, a distant look appearing in her ethereal eyes as she processed what she had just learned. After a moment, she turned her attention back toward Rimuru. "...but I believe you. Veldanava chose to indulge his curiosity and desire to create, and in doing so, he accepted the mortal disease of feelings and emotions, allowing himself to become integrated into the very cycle of the beginning and end he had brought into existence."
"That said, I am quite intrigued by you, Rimuru Tempest," the Ego continued as she clasped her hands behind her back and began circling him. "A being that surpasses the very creator of its own world. How fascinating."
"Indeed, that's my master for you," Ciel interjected as she stepped between them, narrowing her eyes at the Ego of the world. "It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Master is a far more perfect existence than you could ever hope to be, even back when you were whole."
"Oh, you certainly have quite a bite and personality for a Manas," the Ego replied, sounding more amused than offended by Ciel's aggressive remark. "As for what you just said, it might be true, or it might not. In this reality, however, those distinctions simply don't matter. With your master serving as the core of this world and you, his Manas, acting as its administrator, the comparison is already heavily rigged in your favor."
"Are you perhaps implying that it wasn't the case in Master's precious timeline?" Ciel asked, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "Do not forget that I made this world, and I could erase you from it just as easily."
"Yes, you could," the Ego replied calmly, as though she were merely stating an obvious fact. "However, your reaction just now proves that even a being such as yourself, with omniscient knowledge and absolute control over this world, is not immune to the mortal disease known as emotions. And that alone undermines your argument that either you or your master is a perfect existence."
"You truly are brave to antagonize me," Ciel said in a low, threatening voice, her red eyes glowing menacingly as she glared at the Ego of the World. However, before she could say or do anything, Rimuru placed a hand on her shoulder.
"That's enough, Ciel. We are not here to fight," Rimuru said as he gently pulled her behind him before turning his attention toward the Ego of the World. "And you, stop antagonizing her. Ciel is not just a Manas. She's her own person and my partner. So if you keep deliberately trying to get a reaction out of her, don't blame me if I end up doing something I'd rather not do."
"How delightful. You two seem quite fond of each other," the Ego said, maintaining the same aloof smile. "That said, I do apologize for my remarks. Though I am still curious. What makes this one so special compared to the others of her kind? For example, the one who is currently plotting a futile scheme to resurrect the body of my other self, and the one who continues to travel through time."
"Her being Ciel is what makes her special," Rimuru replied firmly without the slightest hesitation. Meanwhile, Ciel, standing quietly behind him, felt a warm sensation spread through her chest at his words. A small smile appeared on her face as she rested her head gently against his back. "So, now can we stop messing around and get to the point?"
"Very well," the Ego said, finally stepping back and giving them some space. "I, too, am curious as to why you approached the embodiment of destruction, Ivaragé, and then sought me out through her."
"Well, my intention in searching for you is simple. I want you to stop freeloading inside Ivaragé's consciousness and start controlling her destructive urges," Rimuru explained, folding his arms across his chest. "In fact, why weren't you doing that in the first place? Instead, you just left her to her own devices, allowing things to get so bad that she eventually lost her sanity from grief," he added, glaring at her with clear disapproval.
"Because I never felt the need to do so," the Ego replied, not looking bothered by Rimuru's glare in the slightest. "At the beginning, when I was divided into those two, I decided that I would not interfere with either of their choices because whatever happened to this world born from my separation did not matter to me. If it thrived, then good. If it didn't, and Ivaragé did manage to destroy it, then that was good as well. After all, no matter what happened, in the end, everything would have returned to me."
"As for why I didn't help Ivaragé when she began losing her sanity? It's simple, really... I do not care," the Ego said, her calm smile never leaving her face. "Now, before you start categorizing me into silly little boxes like 'evil' or 'bad,' you need to understand that, from where I stand, the conflict between my two selves is nothing more than child's play. Their conflict never concerned me, and neither did its outcome. So whatever state Ivaragé has currently found herself in has nothing to do with me. It is simply the consequence of the choices she made as an independent existence."
"Besides, now you, too, stand in the same place as I do, so you must understand, right?" the Ego continued, glancing toward him. "This world is far too fragile and insignificant for beings like us. Like any other phenomenon, its birth, its lifetime, and its eventual death would amount to nothing more than a fleeting moment from our perspective, like a breeze passing through and disappearing just as quickly," she added, tilting her head slightly. "So tell me, is it truly wrong for me not to bother caring about this inconsequential world and the actors within it when, in the end, from my perspective, all of it would amount to one and the same?"
Upon hearing her words, Rimuru fell silent for a moment, quietly pondering everything she had said. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he realized that, in essence, the Ego of the World wasn't wrong. After all, from the perspective of a being that had existed since the very dawn of existence, the Cardinal World and all its inhabitants must seem to her much like insects with incredibly short lifespans appeared to human eyes. They were born, lived for a brief moment, and vanished, barely leaving a mark on an existence that had endured for eternity.
Even the concepts of right and wrong held little meaning for her. There was no one capable of judging her, nor anyone who could enforce those mortal-made principles upon her when even the embodiments of creation and destruction would be utterly helpless against her. In fact, one could argue that allowing Veldanava to pursue his desire for creation without imposing her own will upon him was perhaps the greatest gift she could have given to existence itself.
But still, even after examining her argument through a practical and logical lens, something about it simply didn't sit right with Rimuru, even though he now stood in the same league as her... no, in fact, even above her. Despite possessing enough power to create or destroy entire worlds with nothing more than a thought, he couldn't simply look at the lives within them and dismiss them as insignificant, nor could he bring himself to view the world with the same detached indifference as the Ego of the World standing before him.
After all, unlike the Ego of the World, who had come into existence as a godlike entity with no attachments to the world around her, Rimuru had once lived, loved, cared for the people he cherished, and fought for the world he called home. And because of that, he simply couldn't understand the perspective of someone who was so completely detached from the world and everything that existed within it.
"Even so..." Rimuru finally said as he looked back at her once again, "...I still need you to do as I say." The moment the words left his mouth, an immense pressure descended upon the Ego of the World, filling the entire Inner World with his overwhelming presence. "You will rein in Ivaragé's destructive urges from within her consciousness while I make sure that, physically, she lives her best life under my care, without ever falling into insanity and despair again. Is that clear?"
"Very well. I shall do just that, if it is what you desire, Master," the Ego of the World replied as she bowed her head respectfully.
"Master?" Rimuru asked, raising an eyebrow at the unexpected title.
"Indeed. As I said before, this world originates from you, and as the Ego of the World, I am yours to serve," the Ego explained, a faint smile appearing on her face.
"Okay..." Rimuru said with a nod, wondering how the hell he had somehow managed to gain yet another monstrous subordinate without even trying this time. Hell, he was starting to think that collecting ridiculously powerful subordinates was as simple as collecting shells on the beach. "So, like, do you want to come outside and see the world?" he asked, feeling that since she had decided to serve him, the least he could do was show her that much courtesy.
"I appreciate the sentiment, Master, but I truly have no desire to do so," the Ego replied calmly. "Though I am not completely opposed to the idea. For now, I would prefer to observe it from within before making up my mind. I hope that's alright."
"Of course, I'm not going to force you or anything," Rimuru said with a shrug. "That said, since you've become my subordinate, there is a ritual I must perform," he added before reaching out and placing his hand gently on top of her head. "Since you have recognized me as your master, from this day onward, you shall be known as Cosima," Rimuru declared, and in the very next moment, brilliant light enveloped her entire body.
When the light finally faded, the pitch-black feminine entity was gone. In her place stood a beautiful brown-skinned woman with long, flowing hair that seemed to contain entire galaxies within its strands. Tiny stars shimmered throughout her hair, giving it the appearance of a living cosmos, while her ethereal blue eyes remained unchanged from before.
Surprised by Rimuru's sudden decision to name her, the Ego of the World, now known as Cosima, stood completely still, genuine shock visible in her eyes. "This..." she murmured as she examined her new body, slowly flexing her fingers and taking in the unfamiliar sensation of having a physical form before looking back up at Rimuru. "...thank you." The words came out almost instinctively as she expressed her gratitude, though she was still trying to understand the strange, unfamiliar, yet undeniably pleasant sensation blooming within her. It was something she had never experienced before, not once since the moment she had first gained consciousness at the dawn of existence.
"It's nothing," Rimuru replied, dismissively waving a hand. "Just a small gift for the newest member of our family," he said with a warm smile, while Cosima couldn't help but lower her head shyly, her cheeks taking on the faintest hint of color as yet another unfamiliar feeling quietly made its home within her. "Anyway, we should be going now, so make sure you carry out the task I assigned you and keep Ivaragé's destructive urges under control."
"Rest assured, my lord. I shall see to it," Cosima replied as she watched Rimuru and Ciel vanish from Ivaragé's Inner World. "How strange..." she muttered to herself, slowly turning toward her throne before taking her seat once more. Her fingers rested against the armrest as she stared into the empty space where they had disappeared. "...so this is what the mortal disease of emotions feels like..."
"Anyway, that can be figured out later at my leisure. For now, though, let's fulfill Master's order," she said before casually waving her hand. In the very next moment, the Inner World trembled as a massive crystal sphere materialized before her. It slowly rose into the sky, and as it did, it began drawing in the destructive chaotic energy that permeated the surrounding space.
Soon, layer after layer of destructive energy began gathering around the crystal sphere, forming a dense shell that continued to grow thicker with every passing moment. Before long, the once-gloomy purple sky had been transformed into a vast, star-filled black expanse, while the crystal sphere continued absorbing everything around it. Eventually, it became completely buried beneath the immense mass of destructive chaotic energy that now surrounded it.
"This should do," Cosima said as she calmly examined the enormous ball of pure destructive chaotic energy before raising her hand and swiping it upward. The massive sphere immediately shot toward the sky, soaring higher and higher until it eventually settled beside the existing red moon, taking its place as a second moon in the strange sky of the Inner World.
Satisfied with her work, Cosima nodded to herself before leaning back against her throne and closing her eyes. After all, one of her halves was now under the care of the True Creator of this world, and for the first time since her existence began, she found herself genuinely curious about what the future might bring.
******
After returning from Ivaragé's Inner World, Rimuru found himself standing in the same spot as before, with Ivaragé, now in the form of a little girl, passed out while still clinging tightly to his leg. However, unlike before, he immediately noticed that the destructive energy radiating from her had been reduced to a negligible level. It was so faint that anyone without the ability to sense magicules could easily mistake her for an ordinary human child.
'It seems Cosima has already done what I asked of her,' Rimuru thought to himself as he carefully analyzed the changes in Ivaragé with his own eyes. 'As expected of the Ego of the World. Her work is truly flawless and impressive.'
'I know you could have. I have absolutely no doubt about that,' Rimuru replied, carrying complete confidence in his voice. 'But it was my own curiosity that made me want to see and meet the consciousness of this world for myself. And guess what? Because of that curiosity, we've gained another powerful friend to add to our family. As far as I'm concerned, that's an absolute win.'
Ciel grumbled in his mind, clearly unwilling to let the matter go.
'Really?' Rimuru feigned surprise, unable to resist teasing her. 'I thought you two got along quite well,' he added with a hint of amusement creeping into his voice.
Just then, his conversation with his Manas was interrupted when Shizu approached him from behind. "Rimuru..." she said, sensing the dramatic change in the little girl who, only moments ago, had been trying to kill her in her dragon form. Her gaze lingered on Ivaragé for a moment before shifting toward Rimuru. "...you seem to have done something here."
"Come on now, don't say it like that. It makes me sound like a creep, you know," Rimuru said with a frown before gently picking Ivaragé up and cradling her in his arms and resting her head against his shoulder. "But yes, I did something that should allow us to bring her back home and let her live a normal life without her going around acting like a literal walking nuke."
"Well, that's good to hear," Shizu said with a relieved smile as she reached over and gently stroked the sleeping girl's head. "So... I suppose we're done here now."
"Yes, almost," Rimuru replied. "You see, I've only solved the problem of her being a walking natural disaster for now. There's still another problem we need to deal with, and that's her obsession with Veldvana."
"Oh yeah, I remember you telling me about that," Shizu said, tilting her head slightly while resting a finger against her chin. "Wasn't it something about her wanting to reunite with him and become whole again?"
"Yep, and we need to get rid of that obsession before we can safely bring her home," Rimuru said.
"And how are we going to do that?" Shizu asked, looking at him curiously.
"Don't worry about that..." Rimuru replied with a confident wink before looking down at the sleeping child nestled in his arms, "...I have an idea."
To be continued...
******
Illustrations:
Ego of the World:
Cosima: