Back in the kitchen...
"So you and Rimuru-sama..." Blanche said, staring at Testarossa, who was still looking down at the floor with an embarrassed expression on her face. She seemed unable to meet the eyes of the girl she considered her younger sister, nor could she come up with a suitable response to Blanche's question.
Meanwhile, Blanche watched Testarossa in silence for several moments before letting out a quiet sigh, an amused smile slowly forming on her face. To her, seeing Testarossa like this was almost surreal, especially when she remembered the fearsome and vicious demoness she had once known as Blanc. Compared to her back then, the woman sitting before her now seemed almost like an entirely different person from the infamous White Demoness of the East.
Blanc had once been a vicious, cruel, and prideful demoness to her very core. She carried herself with an overwhelming arrogance that made it clear she considered herself superior to almost everyone around her, to the point where even when she praised Blanche, she would inevitably follow it with some vicious remark, and whenever she showed concern for her well-being, she would quickly remind Blanche that she was only worried because Blanche was supposed to become her future vessel and nothing more.
Even back then, Blanche understood that it was Blanc's way of protecting her pride and maintaining the image of an untouchable and merciless Primordial Demoness. Despite the fact that her actions often betrayed the genuine affection she had developed for Blanche, she stubbornly refused to acknowledge it openly, always finding some excuse to justify her behavior.
Yet, looking at the Testarossa sitting in front of her now, Blanche could barely see any trace of Blanc's signature viciousness or cruelty. In fact, ever since Blanche had been revived, the woman who had taken care of her had been remarkably gentle and thoughtful, showing incredible patience as she looked after her, guided her, and protected her, all while treating her with a warmth that Blanche had never expected from someone with her reputation. The difference was so striking that Blanche sometimes found it difficult to believe that the woman standing before her was truly the same Blanc whose name had once been feared by countless people and nations alike.
Then, a gentle smile slowly formed on Blanche's lips as she realized that perhaps it wasn't so difficult to understand after all. No wonder the epitome of pride known as Blanc had eventually submitted herself to Rimuru. His overwhelming strength had certainly played a role, especially considering how much Blanc respected those who possessed power worthy of her acknowledgment. However, Blanche couldn't help but wonder if there had been something more than strength behind the transformation she had witnessed... perhaps it was love itself that had worked its magic.
After all, wasn't that what the fairy tales she used to read as a child had always talked about? Even the coldest and most prideful hearts could change when they encountered someone they truly loved, and people who once seemed incapable of showing affection could become completely different when they finally found someone precious enough to open their hearts to. Back then, Blanche had always thought those stories were nothing more than fantasies, but now, as she looked at the embarrassed Testarossa sitting before her, maybe that wasn't always the case after all.
Meanwhile, Testarossa, who had been struggling to find the courage to face Blanche, finally raised her head, only to notice the amused smile spreading across the younger girl's face. It didn't take long for Testarossa to realize that this little one was enjoying herself far too much at her expense, and honestly, what kind of older sister would simply tolerate being teased by her younger sister like this? A moment later, Testarossa also realized that she had already been caught in an embarrassing situation, so there was no real reason for her to continue acting so flustered, especially not in front of Blanche, who was clearly having the time of her life watching her squirm.
So, the next moment, Testarossa's demeanor immediately changed as she regained her usual composure and stepped toward Blanche before reaching out and grabbing the younger girl's ear and giving it a firm tug. "Why are you smiling like that?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at her.
"Ow, ow, ow! Testa!" Blanche immediately winced as she tried to pull away.
"And whatever is going on between Rimuru-sama and me is none of your concern," Testarossa continued sternly, completely ignoring Blanche's continued pleas. "More importantly, it is certainly not something a little girl like you needs to worry about."
A dissatisfied pout immediately appeared on Blanche's face as she finally managed to free her ear from Testarossa's grip. "I'm not a little girl!" she argued back while rubbing her ear and glaring at the older demoness before crossing her arms over her chest.
"Of course you are," Testarossa replied with a dismissive scoff before adding, "...kid," with a vindictive smile.
Blanche puffed out her cheeks in annoyance, but her irritation quickly disappeared when a mischievous smile returned to her face. "By the way, you should probably mind where you put those hands, because..." she said, making an exaggerated expression of disgust as she slowly started stepping backward, "...I'm not exactly sure where they've been before I interrupted you."
"Blanche!" Testarossa's face immediately turned bright red as she realized what the little girl was implying. "You little..."
Meanwhile, the younger girl burst into laughter at Testarossa's reaction, clearly delighted that she had managed to get under her skin. "What? I was just saying. But then again, I'm not wrong, am I?" she added before her playful smile disappeared almost instantly when she noticed Testarossa narrow her eyes and take a step toward her. 'Shit! Maybe I pushed a little too far...' she thought to herself, feeling a cold sweat run down her back.
"Get. Back. Here." Testarossa's cold, hard words echoed through the kitchen as Blanche shook her head in denial before quickly turning around and sprinting toward the doorway. "Blanche, come back here!" Testarossa shouted as she immediately gave chase.
"No way!" Blanche giggled as she tried to put as much distance between herself and the enraged Primordial Demoness as possible. However, before she could make her escape completely, she glanced back over her shoulder and threw one final mischievous remark at Testarossa. "And you should probably wash your mouth too! I saw you doing gross things with it!" she shouted before making an exaggerated expression of disgust and hurrying through the doorway.
Testarossa, who was right on her heels, froze for half a second as the flush on her face deepened considerably before her entire body began to shake with a mixture of embarrassment and rage. "You little brat!" Testarossa yelled furiously, causing Blanche to squeal and run even faster, with her laughter echoing through the house as Testarossa chased after her.
With Testarossa hot on her heels, Blanche burst into the living room and immediately began running circles around the dining table, where Aurora was quietly sitting in one of the nearby chairs, watching the chaotic scene unfold with a mixture of confusion and amusement.
Meanwhile, Milim, who had just finished her meal and was sitting comfortably at the table with a thoroughly satisfied expression while patting her slightly puffed-up stomach, watched Blanche race past her a couple of times before a grin spread across her face, and without even bothering to ask what was happening, she shouted cheerfully, "Wait for me!" before jumping out of her chair and immediately joining the chase, running around the table alongside the two white-haired girls.
After several more laps, Testarossa finally slowed down and stepped to the side, watching as the younger girl continued running around the table, lap after lap, apparently so focused on escaping that she hadn't even realized her pursuer had stopped, while Testarossa simply stood there with her arms crossed, watching in silence before eventually letting out an exasperated sigh.
But then a small smile appeared on her face as she watched Blanche, who looked so carefree and full of life now, laughing and running around without a single concern in the world. It was almost difficult to reconcile this lively child with the Blanche she remembered from the past, the girl who had once willingly given up her own life without hesitation. For a brief moment, Testarossa's smile faded as those memories resurfaced, bringing with them the circumstances surrounding Blanche's death, the helplessness she had felt, and the anger that had remained buried within her for so long.
But then Testarossa quietly shook her head and pushed those thoughts aside, knowing there was no point in dwelling on the past anymore. After all, she had already achieved her revenge, and continuing to think about what had happened would accomplish nothing except reigniting her fury toward people who didn't even exist anymore.
Putting those people from the past out of her mind, Testarossa's gaze returned to Blanche, who was still running around the table without realizing that she was no longer being chased, and couldn't help but smile faintly at the sight before deciding that she had let the girl run around long enough and was just about to step forward and stop Blanche when a small voice suddenly interrupted the entire scene.
"Um, how much longer will it be before I get some lunch too?" Aurora asked innocently, raising one hand while remaining seated at the table.
Blanche immediately stopped running upon hearing the question, but unfortunately for her, Milim hadn't been expecting her to come to such an abrupt halt and was unable to slow down in time, slamming directly into Blanche from behind, sending her stumbling forward while Milim nearly toppled over with her.
Meanwhile, Testarossa suddenly blinked as Aurora's question reminded her that she had originally gone into the kitchen to prepare lunch for the guests, before a certain Rimuru-named distraction had interrupted her with his devilish lips, which had left lingering phantom sensations of pleasure throughout her body.
Testarossa's cheeks immediately grew slightly warm as the memory resurfaced, but she quickly pushed those thoughts aside before they could distract her again as she turned towards Aurora and said, "I'm terribly sorry. I completely forgot that you hadn't eaten yet. I'll prepare something for you right away."
She then took a step toward the kitchen before suddenly stopping and looking back at the young white-haired girl sitting at the table, apparently realizing that something about the situation had escaped her notice. "But before that, can you tell me who exactly you are? You seemed rather close with Rimuru-sama," she asked, tilting her head curiously.
Aurora blinked in surprise at the question and was about to answer, but before she could, Milim suddenly jumped in and said, "Oh, her? That's Aurora, Rimuru's daughter!" she announced casually as she got up from the floor.
"Oh, that makes sense," Testarossa said as she once again took a step toward the kitchen, only to stop again, but this time she froze completely as Milim's words finally caught up with her as the scene shifted away from the house as though an invisible camera were slowly pulling back from the commotion, rising higher and higher into the sky until the cozy home below became smaller and smaller, before suddenly a loud and utterly shocked cry echoed from inside the house, "Whaaaaaat?!" startling the birds perched on the roof to take flight.
******
Later that evening...
In the courtyard of Rimuru's house, Velzard sat quietly on the porch with her legs crossed, her attention seemingly fixed on the badminton match taking place before her. Although calling it an ordinary game would have been a massive understatement, considering that Moana, Framea, Milim, and Aurora were trading the shuttlecock back and forth at speeds that would have been completely impossible for ordinary players to follow. Every time the shuttlecock was struck, the impact produced a sharp crack that echoed throughout the courtyard, followed by a small shockwave.
Velzard, however, found herself unable to appreciate the spectacle because her mind was still occupied with the argument she had with Rimuru earlier, while her golden eyes subconsciously followed Aurora, who had been at the center of their entire conversation. Eventually, she let out another sigh as she recalled her conversation with Rimuru.
Flashback...
On the hill overlooking Rimuru City, Rimuru stood quietly at the edge of the slope, his gaze fixed on the bustling city below as he took in the peaceful scene. After a moment, he turned around and focused his attention on Velzard, who stood several steps away, quietly observing him.
"You said you wanted to talk," Rimuru said calmly as he folded his arms behind his back. "And I'm assuming it's about my new daughter, Aurora."
"How perceptive of you," Velzard remarked sarcastically before her expression turned extremely serious as she narrowed her golden eyes at him and asked, "Have you gone mad? Why did you bring that thing here to the Cardinal World? Are you trying to destroy the world?"
As soon as Rimuru heard that, his good mood immediately vanished, and his expression hardened as he stared directly at Velzard. "Don't call Aurora a thing..." he said, his voice having lost its usual warmth. "...She has a beautiful name, and you will use it." Velzard's expression hardened in response, but Rimuru continued before she could interrupt. "And for your information, this is my nation, and I have taken Aurora as my daughter. So you have no right to tell me whom I can and cannot bring into my own home."
"Oh, please. This doesn't just concern the borders of your little nation, but the entire Cardinal World," Velzard argued as she folded her arms beneath her chest. "And as the sister of the being who created this world, I have every right to object if you're going to bring that Evil Drag-"
However, before Velzard could say anything more, the atmosphere suddenly changed, and an overwhelming aura descended upon her, causing her body to instinctively stiffen as an unbearable pressure washed over her, and a terrifying sense of existential dread suddenly crept into her heart.
Then, Velzard slowly lifted her gaze toward the source of the terrifying pressure and saw Rimuru staring directly at her with an icy gaze, making even the True Dragon like her recoil in fear with just the sheer intensity of his presence.
"Watch your words, Velzard, and remember that she's my daughter you're talking about," Rimuru said coldly as he tilted his head and continued in a frighteningly calm voice, "I don't give a single fuck about how you view Aurora, and I don't give a damn about how the rest of the world chooses to see her either. But keep in mind that she's part of my family now, and anyone who has a problem with that can come and take it up with me."
"And speaking of Veldanava... Your brother was an incompetent fool," he continued while Velzard's eyes widened slightly at the blunt statement, but Rimuru continued before she could respond. "Instead of trying to understand Ivaragé, he chose to lock her away... threw her into that empty realm and left her there, as though that solved the problem, like some kind of disease that needed to be contained."
"But I'm not him. I know how to handle her without putting the world at risk." Rimuru narrowed his eyes. "More importantly, Ivaragé isn't Ivaragé anymore," he continued. "She's Aurora now. She's my daughter, and that's all that matters to me. So if anyone even dares to lay a finger on her, they'll learn exactly what the metaphor of living hell on Earth actually means," he added without the slightest hint of humor in his voice, and by now, Velzard knew him well enough to understand that he meant every single word.
For several moments, neither of them spoke, and the only sound around them came from the distant city below. Eventually, Rimuru's expression softened slightly, and he said, "I'm willing to forget this conversation for the sake of the relationship we've built. But if you want to continue staying here, then you'll have to let go of your prejudice against Aurora and learn to get along with her. Otherwise, you won't be welcome to call this place home anymore," he said, and gave Velzard one final look before teleporting away, leaving her standing alone on the hill, still panting as cold sweat ran down her face.
Present...
'I might have messed up a bit here,' Velzard admitted to herself before a bitter, self-mocking smile appeared on her face as she wondered when she had become so pathetic that she could actually be threatened with being kicked out of a place in a world created by her own fucking brother. Of course, the thought was humiliating enough on its own, but the fact that Rimuru had managed to shut her up with his presence alone made her feel even more ashamed, leaving her to wonder if she even had the right to call herself an apex creature of the Cardinal World.
Just then, Velzard was pulled out of her self-mockery when she suddenly sensed someone's presence approaching. Turning her head to the side, she saw Shizu walking toward her, and when Shizu stopped beside the porch, she pointed toward the empty space next to Velzard and asked, "Is this seat taken?"
Velzard glanced at the spot before looking back at Shizu with a faintly annoyed expression. "You don't need to ask. Technically, everything here belongs to you anyway," she replied with a slight bite evident in her words.
In response, Shizu merely chuckled at her remark and said, "Well, you're not wrong," before taking the seat beside her.
For a quiet moment, neither woman said anything as they simply watched the girls' game unfold in front of them until, eventually, Shizu broke the silence and asked, "Are you upset because of your argument with Rimuru?"
The question immediately made Velzard widen her golden eyes and whip her head toward Shizu in surprise before she calmed down as the realization slowly dawned on her. "Oh, how sweet," she remarked sarcastically while clicking her tongue in irritation. "So Rimuru tells you everything, does he? I must admit, I'm quite envious," she added with an annoyed scoff.
Shizu, on the other hand, didn't seem offended by the remark. Instead, she simply chuckled and glanced at Velzard with an amused smile. "That's how real relationships work, you know," she replied before putting on an exaggeratedly thoughtful expression. "Ah, forgive me. I forgot," she added, sticking out her tongue playfully. "You probably wouldn't know much about that, considering the rather terrible relationship record of yours that Rimuru told me about," she said with a snarky smile, making it painfully obvious that she knew exactly what she was doing.
"Did he tell you about my relationship with Guy as well?" Velzard's eye twitched in irritation as she slowly turned toward Shizu, but the only response she received from the black-haired girl was a simple smile. Somehow, that silent confirmation irritated Velzard even more, which once again made Shizu chuckle when she saw the expression on Velzard's face. "What's so funny?" Velzard asked suspiciously as she narrowed her eyes at Shizu, "Is there something amusing about my face?"
"No, no, it's nothing like that," Shizu replied, waving her hand dismissively as she tried to suppress another laugh. "It's just that Rimuru once told me that whenever you become even slightly annoyed, you get this particular resting bitch face, and seeing your expression right now reminded me of it."
The moment those words left Shizu's mouth, another tick appeared on Velzard's forehead, and her expression became livid as she slowly clenched her fists. "What kind of nonsense has that bastard been spreading about me?" she asked through gritted teeth.
"Calm down," Shizu immediately assured her, raising both hands in a placating gesture. "He only mentioned it in passing, so don't get so worked up about it." She then gave Velzard an amused glance before steering the conversation back toward the subject they had been discussing. "Anyway, yes, he did tell me about what happened between you and Guy, including the circumstances surrounding your arrival in Tempest, and if you want my opinion, Guy really dropped the ball when it came to you," she added earnestly with an honest look in her eyes.
Velzard's eyes widened slightly at those words, and for a brief moment, the irritation in her expression disappeared. "You really mean that?" she asked as a strangely hopeful tone crept into her voice, almost as though she had been waiting all this time for someone to finally validate what she had been feeling.
"I do," Shizu nodded without hesitation, but then a thoughtful expression suddenly appeared on her face. "That said, from everything I've heard from Rimuru, you weren't exactly blameless either," she added, causing the hopeful expression on Velzard's face to stiffen. "You apparently had a habit of deliberately provoking Guy just to get a reaction out of him, and whenever things didn't go your way, you would throw a tantrum until you got what you wanted," she continued, placing a finger against her cheek. "Sounds pretty immature and childish to me, especially from someone as long-lived as you."
On the other hand, with every word Shizu spoke, Velzard felt as though another imaginary knife was being driven straight through her heart, and by the time Shizu finished speaking, Velzard was seriously beginning to wonder if it would be better for the earth to simply open up and swallow her whole, if only to preserve what little dignity she had left.
"But even with all of that," Shizu continued, seemingly oblivious to the psychological damage she was inflicting on the Frost Dragon beside her, "I still can't approve of Guy kicking you out of his place. That's not something a gentleman should do, regardless of how troublesome you might have been, and doesn't deserve a beautiful girl like you chasing and crying for his attention," she added before turning toward Velzard and giving her a warm smile.
"Okay, first of all, I have never cried for Guy's attention," Velzard insisted with an indignant expression, desperately trying to salvage what little pride she had left. However, when she saw the unconvinced look on Shizu's face, her expression slowly fell, and all she could do was let out a weary, resigned sigh. "Fine, believe whatever you want. But considering what you just said, I suppose I should let you know that your own husband threatened to kick me out of his nation as well," she said, attempting to get back at both Shizu and Rimuru.
"Oh, yeah, I'm perfectly aware of that," Shizu replied with a casual smile, seemingly unfazed by the reminder. However, before Velzard could come up with her next retort, a terrifying aura suddenly began radiating from the normally cheerful woman, causing every instinct in Velzard's body to scream in alarm. "In fact," Shizu continued in a surprisingly calm voice, though the pressure surrounding her was anything but calm, "if I had been there during your argument with Rimuru, I might have slapped the daylight out of you, knowing all the things you said about Aurora."
"By the way, I am well aware that you're stronger than me," Shizu continued, completely unfazed by the speechless Velzard, who had been caught completely off guard by the sudden transformation of this seemingly sweet and homely woman and could only stare at Shizu in disbelief. "I know that if we actually fought, I wouldn't stand much of a chance against you. But if you ever dare to call my daughter those disgusting names again, then you'll find out exactly what a mother's wrath looks like. And trust me, a parentless child like you doesn't even want to find that out," she concluded with such utter seriousness that even Velzard gulped in response.
Then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, the terrifying aura vanished, and Shizu's usual sunny smile returned as though nothing had happened, as she calmly rose from her seat and brushed off her clothes. "Anyway, I hope it never comes to that, because I'm sure you'll warm up to Aurora soon enough once you get to know her," she said cheerfully, as though she hadn't just threatened a True Dragon moments earlier. "Anyway, I still have a few things I need to take care of," she continued as she began walking away from the backyard. "So I'll see you later, Velzard. Bye," she called over her shoulder before continuing toward the house.
Velzard watched her disappear inside, remaining seated in stunned silence for several long seconds before finally releasing a long, exhausted sigh. "That vicious woman... Parentless child, she said..." she muttered to herself while rubbing her face with both hands. "What a terrifying pair of husband and wife," she added while shaking her head in disbelief, wondering how this place manages to become more and more terrifying with each passing day.
To be continued...