to myself, yeah .ᐟ

「 ✦ Iu | Present ✦ 」

After he finished telling me everything, I just sat there for a long moment, processing it all.

"That's some deep shit," I said, leaning back in my chair.

"I know, right?" Rimuru replied, his voice carrying a weary kind of agreement.

I studied his face as he continued to stroke Daisy's fur. For someone who'd just painted himself as a cold-blooded executioner, he sure looked troubled. Which was weird. Rimuru was the type who usually went to great lengths to maintain his image as someone likable and benevolent—the kind of person who'd twist the narrative, bend over backwards to help others, and never let anyone see him as anything less than a good guy.

Even though he's been screwing it up spectacularly lately—time and time again.

And right now, he looked like someone who'd done something necessary and hated himself for it.

"The way you tell it," I said carefully, "you sound like a complete asshole."

He let out a short laugh. "Because I was. Am. Whatever."

"But you're bothered by it."

"Shouldn't I be?" His fingers stilled in Daisy's fur. "Kid was seventeen, Iu. Seventeen and completely broken."

"Sounds like he was already nothing. Or worse than nothing."

"Yeah, maybe." He was quiet for a long moment. "But that's not the point. The point is... the point is that it would've been pointless, okay? See, even if Aiko had somehow managed to 'save' him—what then? The Empire wants to experiment on him. The Church and the Heiligh Kingdom wants him dead. The demons wants to exploit whatever's left of him."

His voice grew quieter as he relaxed on the couch. "No matter what choice I made, the kid was only going to suffer. The only question was how much and for how long."

"So you chose the quick option."

"Sort of," he agreed. "At least this way, it was over fast. But that doesn't make it feel any less shitty."

I was quiet for a moment, processing everything he'd told me. "That teacher... Aiko Hatayama. Do you think she'll be okay?"

"Probably? Eventually? She's just... idealistic to a fault." Rimuru's expression grew thoughtful. "More often than not, the kindest thing you can do is let someone face reality, even when it hurts."

"You had to make that choice before?"

"To myself, yeah." He looked down at Daisy, who was purring contentedly in his arms. "The way I see it, the hardest person to save is yourself, and the best you can do is stop trying to be someone you're not and just... accept what you are."

"And what are you?"

He was quiet for so long I thought he wasn't going to answer.

"Not who I started as. Not quite. I stopped asking that question a long time ago."

That was so perfectly Rimuru that I almost smiled despite the heaviness of the conversation.

"Anyway," he said, his voice returning to something more normal, "that's why I look like I've been through hell. Because I have been."

"Well, you're home now," I said simply.

He smiled at that—a real smile, not the fake ones he usually wore around other people. "Yeah. I am."

Daisy stretched in his arms, nuzzling against his chest like she could sense his mood. The simple gesture seemed to bring him back to the present, and some of the tension left his shoulders.

"She missed you," I said, nodding toward the cat.

"I missed her too." His voice went soft again, the way it always did when he talked about Daisy.

It was always like that with Daisy.

It had always been Daisy.

"More than I probably should have."

"There ain't no such thing as missing someone too much," I told him. "Especially not someone who loves you unconditionally."

He looked at me then. "Is that so?"

"I know so," I said carefully, "Daisy sees you exactly as you are and loves you anyway. Which is more than most people can say about anyone in their lives."

"How about you?" He asked me with a flirtatious smile. "Did you miss me?"

"Fuck no."

The silence that followed was comfortable, peaceful even (pardon the slur). Just the three of us in a hotel suite, sharing a quiet moment. It was nice, in a way that simple moments rarely were.

"So," I said eventually, "what now? Back to the mercenary life?"

"Probably." He shrugged. "It's what I'm good at."

"And it's what gets you money."

"That too."

"Well," I said, standing up and smoothing down my clothes, "you look like you could use a proper meal."

Rimuru raised an eyebrow. "Are you offering to cook for me? You?"

"Don't sound so surprised. I have many hidden talents."

"I'm sure you do." He started to get up. "But you don't have to—"

"Shut up and let me cook." I cut him off with a look.

He paused, then nodded slowly. "Yeah. Okay. That... that sounds good."

··—–—⚜—–—···

「 ✦ Rimuru Tempest ✦ 」

The morning light was streaming through the curtains when I finally dragged myself out of bed.

My body felt like I'd been hit by a truck, then run over by the same truck, then maybe trampled by a herd of particularly vindictive elephants for good measure (though I knew it was all just my imagination).

The events of the past few days were finally catching up to me, and all I wanted was to maintain some semblance of normalcy.

I shuffled out of my bedroom, already mentally planning my morning routine—coffee first, then maybe some toast, definitely more coffee—when I stopped dead in my tracks.

There, sitting primly in one of the living room's plush armchairs, was the hot woman from Ted's Last Call. The one who'd given me those weird vibes, like she wasn't entirely human.

She was dressed impeccably despite the early hour, her long black hair cascading over her shoulders and her golden eyes focused intently on me. Iu was lounging on the sofa nearby, a glass of what looked suspiciously like wine in her hand despite it being barely past sunrise.

"You're still here?" I asked, blinking at her in confusion.

"Indeed," she replied with that formal tone of hers. "I have been waiting for you to awaken. My name is Tio Klarus."

I rubbed my eyes and shuffled toward the kitchen area. "Right. Okay. That's... not creepy at all."

"She's been here since dawn," Iu added helpfully, taking a sip of her wine. "Just sitting there. Waiting."

"Like I said, not creepy." I pulled out the coffee maker and started going through the motions. "So what exactly are you waiting for?"

Tio straightened in her chair, and I could practically feel the intensity radiating from her. "Lord Rimuru, I wish to serve you."

I paused in the middle of pulling bread out of the bag. "Come again?"

"I said I wish to serve you," she repeated, her voice steady and determined.

Iu nearly choked on her wine. "Are you fucking serious right now?"

I turned to face Tio properly, a slice of bread still in my hand. "Look, I appreciate the... gesture? But I'm really not looking for—"

"You're going to regret following him around," Iu interrupted, giving Tio a pointed look. "Trust me on that. This bastard attracts trouble like honey attracts flies, and he's got the emotional intelligence of a brick wall."

"Hey!"

"I am prepared for any hardships that may come," Tio replied without hesitation, and there was something almost breathless about her tone. "In fact, I rather... welcome the challenge. The more difficult, the better."

There was something in the way she said that last part that made me pause and almost say hold up. A slight flush to her cheeks, a barely perceptible shift in her posture, like she was getting off on the idea of suffering. What the hell?

I shook my head and turned back to the stove, dropping the bread into the pan. "I don't need subordinates. I work alone."

"I would give you anything," Tio pressed on, her voice taking on an almost sultry tone. "My strength, my knowledge, my very soul if you require it. My body and—"

I glanced back at her mid-sentence and immediately regretted it. The way she was sitting, leaning forward slightly with that flushed, eager expression, drew my attention straight to her chest. Her dress had a plunging neckline that left very little to the imagination, and the way she was positioned gave me a perfect view of her generous cleavage.

Shit. Don't look. I'm a gentleman. I don't ogle women like some horny teenager.

I quickly turned back to the toast. "That's really not necessary."

"But I insist. I would do anything to prove my devotion. Anything at all—"

"Toast is ready," I announced loudly, flipping the bread onto a plate and spreading strawberry jam with perhaps more force than necessary. The way she kept emphasizing certain words was seriously starting to creep me out.

"Would either of you like some?"

"I'm good," Iu said, raising her wine glass with an amused smirk.

"It's seven in the morning," I pointed out.

"Your point?"

I decided not to pursue that line of conversation and instead settled onto the sofa with my coffee and toast. Tio was still watching me with that intense golden stare.

"Alright," I said, taking a crunchy bite of toast. "If you're so determined to stick around, tell me about yourself. Your history, your situation."

Tio's expression became more serious, though there was still something almost eager about it. "Where shall I begin?"

"The beginning usually works."

And so she told us her story. The fall of the dragon kingdom of Astlan, the assault by the gods, the loss of her family and her people. As she spoke, it became clear that she wasn't just some weird woman with boundary issues—she was something else entirely.

"Wait, hold the hell up," Iu interrupted, nearly dropping her wine glass. "Did you just say dragonmen? As in, the dragonmen? The legendary race that's been extinct for centuries?"

Looking back on it now, it was a good thing I told Iu about the truth of this world's gods—their sickening disregard for all life and all that. She would've been far more surprised if she only found out now.

"Indeed," Tio replied calmly. "I am Princess Tio Klarus, last surviving member of the Klarus dynasty."

Iu stared at her like she'd just claimed to be the tooth fairy. "That's impossible. Dragonmen are myths. Legends. They don't exist."

"I assure you, we are quite real." Tio's voice carried centuries of pain. "And now I am just one of what remains."

I wasn't as shocked as Iu—I'd suspected she wasn't entirely human from the moment I met her. But a dragonman? That ought to be something else entirely.

Tio continued her story, recounting watching her homeland burn, her mother's crucifixion, her father's final sacrifice. Her voice remained steady throughout, but I could see the pain in her eyes as she described losing everything she'd ever cared about.

By the time she finished, Iu was trying very hard to look unaffected, though I caught her quickly wiping at her eyes when she thought no one was looking. As for me... well, it was sad. Tragic, even. Like watching a particularly well-made drama movie. I felt sympathy, the way you do when you hear about someone else's misfortune, but it wasn't my tragedy to carry.

"That's rough," I said, finishing the last of my toast. "But it doesn't change anything. I'm still not looking for anyone to serve under me."

"Please," Tio said, and there was that strange undercurrent in her voice again, like she was getting turned on by my rejection. "I need this. I need to be useful again, to serve someone worthy of my devotion. To be... disciplined when I fail."

"Okay, stop." I held up a hand. "Just... stop with whatever kinky shit you're doing right now."

"I beg your pardon?" But her flushed cheeks and the way she was practically squirming in her seat told a different story.

"That thing. With the... the way you're talking! Like you want me to punish you or something. It's creeping me out."

Tio's flush deepened, but instead of looking embarrassed, she looked almost... pleased? "I assure you, I have no idea what you mean. Though if you did wish to punish me for my presumption—"

"Right." I stood up abruptly. "Look, the answer is no. Find someone else to follow around and fulfill your weird masochistic fantasies with."

But then Tio's expression changed. The flush faded, replaced by something deadly serious. She stood as well, her golden eyes boring into mine with an intensity that made even me pause.

"One chance," she said quietly, all traces of that disturbing breathiness gone from her voice. "Give me one chance to prove my worth to you. That is all I ask."

The sudden change in her demeanor caught me off guard. This wasn't the possibly masochistic dragonwoman from a moment ago. This was someone who had lost everything and was asking for the smallest sliver of hope to hold onto.

I opened my mouth to refuse again, then closed it. Then opened it. Then closed it again.

This was becoming a pain in the ass to think about.

"Agh!" I ran both hands through my hair, tugging at the strands in frustration. "Fine! Whatever! You can stick around! But don't expect me to coddle you or hold your hand or any of that crap!"

Tio's face lit up like I'd just told her she'd won the lottery. "Thank you, Lord Rimuru! I swear you will not regret—"

"Yeah, yeah, we'll see about that." I slumped back onto the sofa, suddenly feeling exhausted again. "Just... try not to make me regret this immediately, okay?"

I glanced over at Iu, expecting some kind of comment or at least a knowing look. Instead, she was just staring at me with an expression I couldn't quite read, slowly raising her wine glass to her lips.

She took a long, deliberate sip, then set the glass down without saying a word.

Somehow, that was more unnerving than anything Tio had said all morning. So much for wanting some semblance of normalcy.

··—–—⚜—–—···

「 ✦ A Dragon's Lament — Tio Klarus ✦ 」

Long ago, in a land where dragons soared through peaceful skies, there lived a kingdom unlike any other. The dragonmen of the Dragon Kingdom of Astlan had built a beautiful realm where all races lived together in harmony—elves and humans, dwarves and spirits, all working side by side under the protection of the noble dragon kings.

Princess Tio stood on her observation platform, her long black hair flowing in the warm breeze. At only ten years old, she had golden eyes that sparkled with wisdom beyond her years. Below her, flames painted the sky red as her beloved city burned. A massive magic circle hung overhead like a terrible storm cloud.

"This can't be happening," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the sounds of battle.

Her faithful attendant Venri urged her to flee to safety, but Tio shook her head. "I am a princess of Klarus," she said firmly. "My father and my people are fighting down there. How can I run away?"

Though she longed to help, Tio knew she was too young and inexperienced. She bit her lip so hard it bled, frustrated by her own powerlessness as her homeland was destroyed and her people were hunted.

Then, through the smoke and chaos, came the one person she most feared to see—her father, King Kharga Klarus. The mighty black dragon king landed before her, his great scaled wings folded, but Tio gasped to see him wounded and bleeding.

"Father!" she cried, running to embrace him despite the blood that stained his clothes.

Kharga knelt before his daughter, his voice heavy with sorrow. "Tio, we have lost this war. I'm sorry I couldn't leave you a peaceful kingdom to inherit."

"No!" Tio protested. "The dragonmen are the guardians of this world! We've always protected everyone!"

Her father's eyes filled with pain. "The world has changed, my daughter. They call us monsters now, heretics who have turned against the gods. In just a few years, everyone we protected has come to fear and hate us."

Tio couldn't understand how this had happened. The dragonmen had always been noble, disciplined, and kind. They had created a paradise where all races were welcome, where people helped each other regardless of their differences. How had their protectors become their enemies?

A thunderous explosion shook the platform. When the smoke cleared, Tio saw wooden pillars rising from the ruins—and upon them, the crucified bodies of her fallen people. Among them, she recognized her beloved mother, Orna, with her gentle smile now gone forever.

Rage began to build in Tio's heart, her mana swirling dark and dangerous around her small form. But her father embraced her again and began to recite the ancient dragonmen vow:

"We know not our purpose for being. Is this body beast, or human? Our eyes exist to pierce through falsehoods and see the truth. Our claws exist to tear down walls and destroy malice. Our fangs exist to bite through weakness, anger, and hate."

Together, father and daughter spoke the sacred words that had guided their people for generations.

"For when we forget our compassion, we are no more than beasts. But so long as we wield the sword of reason—we are dragonmen!"

The ritual calmed Tio's fury, reminding her of who she truly was. Dragonmen were strong, kind, and above all, noble. Even in their darkest hour, they would not abandon their principles.

"Listen carefully," Kharga said, his voice gentle but urgent. "Our true enemies are not the people attacking us—they are the gods who twisted this world against us. Someone will come one day who can defeat them, but until then..."

He revealed a secret that brought both hope and heartbreak. Some dragonmen would survive in a hidden village, including Tio's grandfather who had faked his death years ago. But Kharga himself could not go—as king, his death was needed to end the war and protect the survivors.

"You are the pride of the Klarus line," he told his daughter one final time. "You have inherited my black scales, your mother's wings, and your grandfather's fire breath. Live strong, my daughter."

As Venri led Tio away through the secret path, she looked back to see her father transform into his magnificent dragon form. The great black dragon soared into battle one last time, his roar echoing through the heavens—not in anger, but as a proud declaration that the noble spirit of the dragonmen would never be destroyed.

Even as their kingdom fell, the dragonmen fought only to protect the innocent, refusing to give in to hatred. Their physical realm might perish, but their legacy of compassion and strength would live on in the hearts of those who survived.

And so Princess Tio began her journey into exile, carrying with her the hopes of her people and the promise that one day, when the time was right, the dragonmen would return to bring peace to the world once more.

The End