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Chapter Text

            Rimuru had been running around constantly as of late. He had risen to Demon Lord a few months back, and things were slowly stabilizing. He had recently gotten a lead on Milim and Souei hadn’t reported Clayman doing anything extreme as of late (he had tried to start something with another Eastern Kingdom, but Diablo scared them to steer clear of the Lord – Rimuru had heard that Clayman had not been pleased). He hadn’t let his guard down, however. Just when things seemed quiet, it always seemed to get spiced up immediately.

            Rimuru rolled from his bed with a light yawn. Vesta had made some improvements to the sleep medication so that it wouldn’t completely knock Rimuru out and induce weird dreaming, but it would make him feel more restful after a nap. Veldora had been on Rimuru’s case as of late, and this was the compromise – one night completely off the clock. Vesta had given the pills to Veldora, who made Rimuru take one, insisting that they worked fine (as he’d tried them himself).

            His older brother was a pain sometimes.

            Then again, he was a True Dragon, so he did have enough power should something go wrong to AT LEAST hold off the chaos until Rimuru arrived. Heck, if Rimuru didn’t know all of Veldora’s weaknesses (i.e. offering him new manga and snacks, threatening spoilers, etc.), there was a chance that not even Rimuru could take the dragon on at full strength. Therefore, after lots of petty arguing and a few of his friends and family insisting that he take a break, he relented and retreated to his abode.

            Now that he was awake, however, he did feel better. While he could not feel true pain, there had been a discomfort in his human shoulders that had worked itself out overnight. He felt himself craving something – maybe sweet or salty, he wasn’t sure – and maybe a quick ride around town with Ranga to check on things? While Rimuru was fast, Ranga still outpaced him by a hair, not including teleportation. Plus, the wolf was one of his easiest subordinates to appease.

            Rimuru yawned and stretched from his bed. Looking at a nearby window, the sun was just beginning to peak over the privacy fence around his home. It had to be maybe eight or nine in the morning by his internal clock, though he was sure that Raphael could give him a more exact time.

            As the young Demon Slime began to sit up, his hand hit something… squishy.

            Rimuru shifted over, looking at what he’d accidentally grabbed. There, just tucked under the blanket, was… a slime?

            “Huh, what are you doing here?” Rimuru asked as he scooped up the little slime into his lap. The Slime seemed to stir from its rest and cuddle into the larger, humanoid slime. With his [Magic Sense], he could see that the little slime was absorbing the barest hints of magicules that resonated off of him.

            The little slime stopped absorbing magicules to look up at the larger slime. It bore no eyes, but it seemed to sense Rimuru through the magicules it ate. After a moment, it fell flatter, seemingly falling asleep.

            “Hm… Not getting much from them.” Rimuru noted. “Raphael? Suggestions?”

            “Notice, Slime Identified.” The Great Wisdom King stated to her host. “Analysis suggests that this is an underdeveloped slime, which you might better understand as a baby slime. Typically, slimes of this age are newly parted from their parents but require constant contact with their colonies for magicule deposit. Their system is too new to identify and drain magicules from the environment, so they draw from adult slimes.”

            “Huh, ok, that makes sense.” Rimuru nodded before freezing. “Wait, are you saying this is MY kid???”

            Raphael seemed to laugh at his panic. “Scanning now.”

            Rimuru’s panic grew. “Raphael? Raphael! Please help! I can’t be a dad!”

            Rimuru felt like the Wisdom King was taking eons, but it was only a few extra moments that Raphael drew it out, enjoying her host’s slight panic. Made him listen to her sometimes. “Scan complete. While the baby slime does contain copious amounts of your magicules, this is likely due to it sleeping next to you over the night and being rather starved. It’s core magical signature bears no resemblance to yours.”

            Core magical signatures. Right. That was linked to soul energy. Rimuru had asked about that once. He’d noticed with his magic sense a certain similarity present between Benimaru and Shuna – their energies were, of course, different when it came to magic and auras, which were related to their individual magical potentials and personalities, but he’d seen an… it was hard to describe to someone who could not sense it, but it was like a swirl or hue in the mixes that made up their auras. A small splash of color. Both shared the smallest splashes of color that seemed to rest in the background of each’s main soul energy.

            Raphael explained that Core Magical Signatures were linked closely to souls and personalities, but, when a soul first formed, there wasn’t enough life experience to sustain the spark. In birth, a parent or parents would give a little of themselves to make the initial soul, and it would grow into a person once it began to obtain experience and grow. Once he’d understood, he sought Rigurd and Rigur. Sure enough, while Rigur seemed to have largely his own soul energy, there was tiny hints of two other sources – no doubt one from his mother, but the second he’d instantly matched to Rigurd.

            Every magical being in the world, with the tiniest of magicule content, had a Magical Core Signature. It wasn’t soul, per say, but a representation of the soul that a select few individuals could fully sense and understand. It was magic shaping over the soul, like a protective layer. It could tell a lot about who someone was. It was a very personal thing, and Rimuru, in rising to a Demon Lord, was able to perceive it with his own senses.

            Once he could see that this little Slime was in no way his child, he sighed in relief. “Oh thank the Dragons. If Vesta’s sleep pill induced spontaneous Slime Birth, I think I’d need to cut that man off from science.” Rimuru adjusted the little slime in his grip. The slime was a darker blue then Rimuru was naturally, and they seemed to have almost soft grey splashes across their exterior. They didn’t resemble the slimes native to this area. “Raphael, any idea where this guy came from?”

            “The pattern on this slime is more prevalent in the southern hemisphere, but more data is needed to propose a full understanding of how this slime came here.” Raphael seemed to pause. “Due to your sleep medication, I was unable to monitor the area while you rested. Only when the slime made contact with you did I immediately sense its presence, but it was not at the level to wake you. Data from your nap suggests that rousing your senses requires a firm physical action, such as a shake or slap, to rouse you before the medication completes processing through system. Once roused, [Cancel Abnormal Condition] can instantly awaken the mind and body.

            “Due to the low magical signature of the slime at time of contact, it did not reach the threshold to rouse you.”

            Rimuru stuck out his tongue, not liking the idea of being slapped awake or shaken. Still, he didn’t think anyone around here would do so maliciously, and, if it did come down to slapping him awake, it probably WAS life or death. Everyone in the village loved him so much (to a point that sometimes he wondered if he was worthy – which he was, as he gave back so much love in return).

            The little slime seemed to come back to life as Rimuru pondered these new facts. It had no mouth, eyes, or ears, so it was oblivious to the world around. Somehow, though, as Rimuru focused on the little trail of magicules that the Baby Slime was absorbing, he could feel a connection.

            I wonder… He thought as he reached out to the little slime through their frail connection with [Thought Communication].

            The baby slime latched onto the connection – most likely as it was formed by the same magicules that it was feeding on – and Rimuru felt a sense of… wonderment. The slime was brand new – so new – to the world. He could sense the faintest of feelings, a tearing and departure, a fall, a pain, before following a trail to a source. He could feel the slime’s instant trust in him, its hunger and thirst, and its interest in the world in a way Rimuru understood. It was a unique way the slimes processed the world around them. Because they couldn’t see or hear, everything had to be done through magic and touch.

            “Notice. Transfer of skill copy. Slime has acquired [Thought Communication].” Raphael informed Rimuru.

            Rimuru’s attention snapped away from the baby, but the baby used the same connection as before to re-link to Rimuru. It was no way as strong as the Demon Slime’s link, but it demonstrated that already the Baby Slime had acquired the Skill.

            “Huh. I didn’t know regular slimes could acquire Skills.” Rimuru muttered to the little guy. The slime wasn’t transmitting thoughts, per say, but feelings. The little slime seemed to be confused, tired, and a little hungry.

            “Slimes, due to their nature, usually do not have enough magic potential to acquire Skills; however, this case is unique as you, as a massively powerful Demon Slime, is amplifying its power by merely being in its presence. Even so, the slime does not have the capacity, under normal circumstances, to transmit true thought. It seems to be transmitting emotions alone.” Raphael explained. The little ball that represented Raphael in Rimuru’s mind’s eye seemed to poke the little slime. “It has not evolved, however. More data is required.”

            “Hmmm…” Rimuru looked around his room, trying to spot any details for Raphael. As far as the two could see, the room seemed the same as the night before. While the door had been closed, there was a window that had been opened, which both concluded that had to be how the slime got in. “I guess I can’t leave it here?”

            “You could.” Raphael began. “Though being more than ten meters away from the slime, this would likely choke its feeding, and the slime would die in…”  

            “Yeah, no need to finish.” Rimuru cut off as he stood, the little slime sliding onto the messy blankets as the humanoid stretched. “They’re one of mine, so I gotta watch out for them until we can find a colony for them to be given to. We can track something later once I get through today’s duties.” Rimuru began to shift through his various clothing items before pausing, looking at the slime that had rolled over, lazily radiating happiness as it absorbed his radiant magicules (the amount wasn’t even worth quantifying in comparison to Rimuru’s whole – heck, several thousand colonies could be munching on the random magicules he emitted, and it wouldn’t even meet what it took to name a few lower-tier monsters).

            After a moment, Rimuru turned his mind’s eye to the Wisdom Good, who, in the form of the ball following Rimuru, seemed to observe the little slime. “Hey, Raphael?

            “Do you know how to make a baby sling?”

            “Good morning, Master!” Ranga excitedly greeted as Rimuru came out of his home to the wider town. “You said yesterday that you wanted a…” Ranga paused, sniffing the air. He turned his head, noticing that the Demon Slime, in his human form, had on a very normal outfit – white pants, blue sleeveless shirt, some jewelry and shoes, with his hair tied back in a loose braid – but there was a strange pale blue sling crisscrossing his chest, which he had one hand on. “Master, that is a strange smell coming from that wrap. Are you injured?”

            Rimuru giggled and pulled the fabric to the side. The little slime baby peaked out. “I found this little intruder in my home this morning. It’s a baby slime that wandered in. We’ll keep a look out for a colony to return it to soon enough.”

            Ranga’s tail swung wildly. “Master, are you with child?”

            “No, no.” Rimuru clarified, hoping that no one heard. “Like I said, it wandered in. Besides, as a fellow slime, I couldn’t leave it alone!”

            Ranga sniffed again, closer now. Rimuru could see that the wolf’s fur skimmed over the top of the slime, which then sent off waves of confusion, curiosity, and fear.

            The last concerned Rimuru until he remembered that slimes couldn’t really see things. He himself had gotten [Magic Sense] quite soon after entering this world, so he had only been truly blind for a matter of hours. Slimes mainly interacted with the world through shared experiences within colonies – imprints of events that passed from parent to child – and from physical interaction.

            Rimuru rubbed the little slime as Ranga backed off. If only you could see the outside world. Rimuru thought as he tried to use their magical communication to express calm emotions.

            Then, the little bluish slime seemed to flash with a pale purple, and Rimuru swore little eye slashes, much like what he had in his slime form, appeared on the surface of this slime.

            The slime seemed then to shift around, frantic, but there was a blast of awe. Rimuru had to hold the little baby as it nearly bounced right out of the wrap. What… what?

            “Notice.” Raphael noted, seeming a little awed herself. “The infant slime has received a copy of [Magic Sense] from you.”

            Again??? Rimuru thought. Raphael, can you help this… not keep happening? I have some pretty crazy skills, including you.

            “Affirmative. Adjusting aura. Slime infant should no longer be able to copy your skills without your action.” The wisdom god noted. Rimuru felt his Aura twist around him. These days it was near impossible to suppress it all without his mask, so he usually had some just hanging off of him. Never enough to make people fear him, but enough that people knew that he was intelligent and magical. The infant slime seemed to twist to look at him, forming a small question mark above their head.

            “Notice. They learned that from you.” Raphael seemed to tease.

            The Demon Slime knew he occasionally did that. Admittedly, it was adorable.

            Turning back to his Wolf, Rimuru smiled. “I’ll be babysitting this little dude for a bit, so maybe we can take a slow ride around town before heading to city hall? Does that work?” Rimuru said as he leapt up onto Ranga’s back, careful to secure himself and the child, who had settled some. It seemed that getting the magical sense had utterly drained them of their miniscule magic reserves, and it had gone back to sleeping and absorbing energy from Rimuru in the background.

            “As you wish, master! However, is it common Slime Culture to sit on your youth?” Ranga asked, entering a very light jog as they began to loop the city.

            Rimuru felt his head loll, a sigh breaching his mouth. Oh boy, he already knew today was going to be one of those days.

            “Great Rimuru! You had a child???” Rigurd gasped, which had every head within a half a kilometer radius turning heads (or that’s what it felt like).

            Rimuru leaned back at the accusation from the sheer power. “No! No. I found this little guy this morning. I’m babysitting… wait, you know what babysitting is, right?”

            Rigur, bless him, leaned around his father to examine the little slime in Rimuru’s arms. “Of course. You are watching over the child in lieu of the parent, correct?”

            Rimuru sighed, glad that he didn’t have to explain. He failed to notice Shion and Diablo in the background taking note of Rigur’s words. “Yes.” Rimuru nodded. “That’s exactly what I’m doing. Once I find a slime colony, I plan to give them over.”

            “I was going to question the coloring. I’ve never seen a slime of this design.” Rigur nodded.

            “I think they’re from a colony of the southern continent.” Rimuru explained as he held up the little slime. They had woken up at the end of Ranga’s ride and had gone back to looking around with its [Magic Sense]. “I’m still trying to figure out how they wound up here.”

            Rigur looked up. “Is it possible a bird may have carried them? There are some migratory birds this time of year that can travel such distances, or so I’ve been told by some of our political associates.”

            “That… maybe?” Rimuru held up the little slime to his face. From what Raphael said, it seemed that the little guy was too young to make such a distance.

            Then again, between Raphael and Rimuru, an almost cartoon image played out. He imagined a large bird with a kangaroo-like pocket picking up a slime from the south and carrying it in the pouch. The southern slime had a small lump clip off of it midflight, forming the baby slime. As the bird flew, the little slime fell out of the bird’s pocket over their town, bouncing around before they flew through the window and landed in Rimuru’s home.

            That… seems a bit insane. Rimuru thought. Then again, he was a reincarnated thirty-seven-year-old man who had come to this world and rose to the title of Demon Slime in the span of roughly two years.

            “Notice. While improbably, there is one species of bird that migrates this time of year and tends not to land until reaching its destination. It can subsist on slimes.” Raphael explained. “It does not live on this continent, and simply flies over on its way to its summer home to the north.”

            Well that was a slight comfort. Rimuru doubted that a bird like that could even take him, but he really got freaked out with the idea of anyone – birds, monsters, people – eating slimes. Still, with that in mind, this little slime’s parent was likely long gone.

            Rimuru nodded to Rigur. “A viable theory. For now, though, the slime baby will be with me in most cases.”

            Shion leapt into action. “Great Rimuru! I can take care of the child as your secretary.” She said, sweeping the child out of Rimuru’s hands. Rimuru was too used to Shion’s chaos and reacted too slowly.

            However, the baby wasn’t having this. Realizing that they were removed from Rimuru, the slime child, through their [Thought Communication] skill, began to wail.

            Rimuru didn’t even know slimes could wail, but this one kept surprising him.

            The baby’s cry seemed to hit everyone as Shion panicked, the Kijin flailing about as Rigur went to cover his ears. Rigurd stayed sturdy, but he did wince. Diablo just looked so confused, like he didn’t know if to relish in the fear of another or panic because it was his Master’s kind.

            In the end, Rimuru ran over and scooped up the little slime from Shion. Instantly, they calmed down. “OOoooohhhh-kay, it seems like they don’t like being held by other people.” Rimuru muttered as he held up the little slime to him. “Did Shion scare you?”

            The baby responded by cuddling closer.

            “AH! Great Rimuru, I am SO SORRY!” Shion begged, looking incredibly distraught.

            “It’s ok.” Rimuru soothed. “Babies are kind of unpredictable like that.”

            Rigurd nodded. “Yes, your young one seems to be much like my Rigur.” He pat his son on the head, causing he younger Hobgoblin to fold slightly under his father’s strong pat. “As a babe, he cried whenever he could not see his mother! Why, his brother plotted to lock him in a closet once to get peace!”

            “Father!” Rigur complained.

            Rigurd laughed at his son. Diablo used this moment to swoop in. “Great Rimuru, while I do not have experience with children as the mortals do, I offer my services to the young master while they are here.” The demon smiled.

            He leaned so close that his long bangs tickled the small slime. The small slime, in turn, grasped it and tried to eat it.

            Diablo looked at the slime with confusion and a curious smile. “Ah, already trying to eat the powerful, much like your elder.”

            Rimuru laughed uncomfortably as he untangled the Demon’s hair from the baby slime. “Well, maybe we can see if there is, like, some toys around for babies?” In truth, in his human life, he’d not done too much babysitting himself, but he had seen lots of examples. Besides, a baby slime was likely to be very different than a baby human. “Maybe a crib… wait, no, slimes can slip through bars easily. Maybe a baby pool?”

            “A pool?”

            “Hmmm… yes, but, smaller. It’s like a large bowl, usually made with plastic, that has walls only a quarter or half meter in height. Maybe a meter or meter and a half across.” Rimuru tried to describe. “They normally hold water, for little children to play in, but we can set up one as a baby pen for the little one.”

            Diablo absorbed this. Everyone began to discuss what they could contribute to keeping the small child content. Shion suggested food, but Rimuru was able to easily point out that slimes didn’t eat anyway. The baby slime in Rimuru’s arms seemed to just look around at the large not-slimes that circled the larger slime. Rigurd, having been a father in the ‘mortal’ sense, as Diablo put it, was able to come up with a foldable child pen for the little slime, replacing the bars with solid walls. Shion offered to go get some blankets to pad out the pen. Diablo and Rigur teamed up to get the child some toys – Rigur to pick them out, and Diablo to rush them back. It wasn’t even an hour before the little playpen was set up in the main discussion room, covered in soft cloth and age-suitable toys for the child.

            Unfortunately, because his subordinates were ever the gossips, word had traveled fast that Rimuru was watching over a baby slime.

            Shuna cooed as she looked over the short wall into the playpen. The walls were only about thirty centimeters tall around, so everyone could easily see in, but the baby slime, who was only about twelve centimeters tall, wouldn’t be able to get out easily. Shuna was shaking a small doll toy before the baby slime, which looked at it and emanated confusion and intrigue through its [Thought Communication].

            “Great Rimuru, the child is quite adorable.” The pink-haired Kijin smiled, not taking her eyes off of the baby. Rimuru, at his desk, smiled at the note.

            “For some reason, smaller versions of the adults always are.” He giggled in return. Looking over, he saw the little baby form a doll-like shape from its slime. Shuna cooed even more.

            Vesta had also come over, adjusting his glasses as he took notes on the slime. “I’ve never seen a slime so small. Most of the time, the slimes I’ve seen are usually your size or larger.”

            “I think it’s just hard to tease the smaller ones out of the colonies.” Rimuru shrugged. “Babies need a lot of help.”

            “Of course, of course.” Vesta kept taking notes. He gently poked the baby, which caused the child to roll back with a flop, losing the doll shape it had formed.

            “Don’t think about any experiments, Vesta.” Shuna warned, eyes alight with fire.

            Vesta, the ever smart man, backed up, hands raised in surrender. “Of course not! I’m just making some curious observations, is all. I would never harm one of the Great Rimuru’s children.”

            “Not my kid. Just babysitting.” Rimuru sighed.

            “Yes. That, too.” The scientist added.

            Shuna puffed her cheeks before turning back to the baby. It was now trying to roll itself up in one of the blankets she had made and brought over.        “Because if you hurt the child, I will hurt you.” She stood, patting her skirt as she did so. “Unfortunately, I must return to my duties, but I will be back to see the child later.” She nodded.

            “I, too, should probably return to my work.” Vesta added. “Also, I’ll take readings of the weather. We should see a few colonies of slimes come through in a few weeks, but otherwise we can find an area of our continent with a colony sooner. The south east tends to get fairly warm this time of year.”

            Rimuru smiled. “I’ll get to it when I get to it. For now, it seems like the baby is fine here.”

            As Rimuru said this, he felt something pull on his mind. A small coo or cry. He looked over to see the baby rolled in a ball of blankets, seemingly stuck. Chuckling to himself, he stood and walked over, helping the child untangle from the predicament. While they seemed fine with touching from others, if anyone but Rimuru tried to pick the child up (as he had to do now to untangle it), the baby would cry. Once Rimuru had the blanket situation under control, he gently tucked the baby in with the same blanket (it was a tad chilly for normal slimes), and the baby curled up and nodded off.

            When Rimuru looked up, both Shuna and Vesta were smiling softly.

            “While you may not be this child’s parent,” Vesta began, “I do believe you would make a fine parent.”

            Shuna nodded in agreement. “While you are quite powerful, we all know of your immense kindness.”

            The Demon Slime, arguably one of the most powerful beings in all of Tempest, glowed a soft red at the complements. The two made their way out as Rimuru finished putting a soft toy and a pillow under the slime baby.

            He’d never been a parent in his life, but he understood why some people really enjoyed kids.

            For now, though, he was in too high tension of a situation to have any. Besides, his family had a little bit of everything. With that, he got back to work, the slime baby snoozing away.

Chapter Text

            The Demon Slime thought this would be a short process, but it became habit. It had been a month and a half since that faithful morning. Every morning since, he’d strap the little slime to his body – whether that was holding, using the baby sling, in a basket, or even just having the little guy ride in his hood. From there, he’d go around Tempest and take care of whatever the country needed for the day. Some days he was in his office, the baby playing in the corner and enjoying everyone who came in. Shion had learned not to pick up the child, but she still played with the toys (she’d tried to give the baby a wooden sword, which ended how anyone giving a baby a sword would – waving around and bonking itself in the head; thankfully, the slime was squishy and did not take much damage from this, though they did cry until Rimuru calmed them). Diablo would frequently bring ‘offerings’ for the ‘young master’ i.e. anything he thought suited the child (the demon had the right energy, but Rimuru confiscated anything magical, sharp, and/or dangerous to a baby; Diablo still didn’t fully understand how babies worked).

            Rigurd was upgraded from “Goblin Lord” to “Best Dad.” This wasn’t a real title, but Rimuru felt that it should be. Rigurd had all sorts of good tips for caring for babies and, eventually, the baby trusted Rigurd enough to let the Hobgoblin hold them (to say that everyone else was jealous was an understatement). Rigur liked treating the baby slime like a baby brother, often just popping in to play with the baby.

            Eventually it felt like everyone in Tempest just HAD to see and interact with the baby. When Rimuru went to check on Gobta, Gobzo, the Riders, and Hakurou when training, Gobta instantly rallied his Goblin Riders to see the baby. Hakurou kept a quiet exterior when around the others, but Rimuru caught the Kijin smiling and waving a finger at the baby slime as a way of play. The ninjas also took a break from training to see the baby when Rimuru went to see what Souei had collected on Clayman. For some reason, Rimuru got the feeling that Souei should not be allowed to babysit… ever…

            Then again, Souei did have a kitten…

            (Maybe Rimuru shouldn’t compare a child to a kitten.)

            Kurobe, Kaijin, and the Dwarf Brothers had toys at the ready for when Rimuru came over with some plans for expansion. Apparently, they had all agreed to make something personal for the child; however, they ended up going overboard. They made a LOT of toys. It was a good thing that Rimuru had the ability to swallow everything. He now had a full playset and then some for the baby to enjoy, but Rimuru ended up handing most of it over to Geld to put into a play space for the city’s children. The baby slime didn’t understand many of the toys, but they did enjoy a small slide, some random bowls and cups, and some of the softer toys, which Rimuru kept. Geld smiled at the baby slime and pat it gently, which the baby emitted great pleasure at. While Geld was still on the ‘no hold’ list, Rimuru would bet good money that Geld was high on the list to be moved to the ‘will let hold’ list. Heck, even Gabiru and the other Dragonewts wanted to perform a song and dance for the baby (which the child and all others in town under the age of three seemed to enjoy, though Rimuru and many of the adults didn’t get it).

            Veldora was the most doting caregiver of them all, often hanging around and reading aloud from the various manga that he had, showing off the pages (Rimuru made sure it was only the kid-safe ones, like ‘A Gentleman and His Cat’). The slime baby didn’t seem to really understand what was going on, but they adored Veldora in general. For some reason, the baby was fascinated by the dragon. Whenever Veldora nodded off or napped, or if he pretended to sleep, the baby would start climbing all over the True Dragon. The baby would roll off if Veldora was awake, and the baby wouldn’t let the True Dragon to hold them, but they still adored the dragon.

            Heck, even Treyni had come over to Rimuru’s home to plant some very pretty plants that the local slimes enjoyed digging in. The baby, when in the garden, loved to play in them.

            The baby had wiggled their way into the hearts of everyone in Tempest. It seemed like most everyone would swear further allegiance to this baby.

            Of all the citizens of Tempest, though, Rimuru had the baby slime the closest to his heart. Every day the Demon Slime would watch over the baby exploring the world, never letting it leave his sight for more than a few moments (and certainly never leaving his [Magic Sense] range). Rimuru loved watching the little slime grow, learning to be comfortable and confident around other monsters and people. The baby had their favorite toys, favorite places, and seeing anything or anyone new brought the slime new joy. While Rimuru himself brought great joy to his people, the simple slime brought even more joy to them and him.

            That morning, Rimuru was at Veldora’s home, having wanted to re-read some of his old favorite manga. Veldora, mostly in human form but sporting a tail and horns, was curled in a thick blanket, like a burrito, and encircled Rimuru with his large body and thick dragon tail that stuck out from the bottom. In the small space between Veldora’s tail and Rimuru’s body, the baby slime had fallen sideways in deep sleep, a little bubble growing and shrinking on their surface like they were breathing, in tune with Veldora’s breath.

            As Rimuru finished the issue in his hands, contemplating if he should dig out the next copy of ‘The Ways of the House-dad,’ the little bubble on the surface of the baby slime popped, waking the little slime from their sleep. The slime bounced out – not as high as Rimuru could go, but a healthy bounce for a baby, showing how they’d recovered greatly from their original state. It was still too early to be considered true morning, but the baby didn’t seem to mind. Neither did Rimuru, for that matter.

            The baby bounced around the little home before they crashed into a pile of soft toys – balls filled with soft sand, dolls made of fabric, blankets, and pillows – and remained unmoving for a few moments. Rimuru watched until the little baby popped back up, holding in little nubby hands a particular doll. This one Shuna had made a few days prior and gifted it to the child along with several others. She’d made little doll versions of some of the town residents to share with the baby. While they weren’t incredibly detailed, it was clear enough who each was supposed to be. The baby, though, preferred two, one of which they were holding now.

            It was a smaller version of Rimuru’s slime form. The baby sent a wave of want, which Rimuru smiled at. Since the baby could easily pick out Rimuru in any form, thanks to their ability to share magicules, they were never afraid of Rimuru’s [Mimicry] forms; however, some times the baby preferred one form over the other for whatever reason. Rimuru set the manga he had been holding to the side, stretching his arms before creating a clone to wait in his spot (Veldora would otherwise wake if he felt that his little brother had left). Once free of the Dragon’s cuddle, Rimuru released his human form to appear as a normal slime. Compared to Rimuru, the baby was still only half as tall and far smaller in width, but they excitedly bounced over, squishing up to Rimuru until the elder slime let the younger dig under his body. Like a mother hen sitting on an egg, Rimuru let the baby cuddle under him.

            For some reason, this made Rimuru more content then anything had in a long while.

            “You are quite something, huh?” The elder slime muttered to the younger, who looked up with their little eye slashes. The small creases carried bits of purple, like distant thunder cutting through a darkened sky.

            The baby seemed to poke through their mind connection. Rimuru’s waves of content seeped through, and the baby sent back giggles of happiness. The baby radiated warmth and comfort and awe and peace. It was enough to make the most hardened creatures pause and coo.

            “Did I ever tell you where I came from?” Rimuru asked, shifting the baby so that it was now tucked in his nubby arms like a hug. “Not many people know this. Veldora does, so if he’s faking it, it’s fine.” He looked over to the Dragon at this. Veldora was very good at pretending to be asleep, but Rimuru was 95% sure the dragon was relatively dead to the world at the moment.

            The baby formed a question mark.

            “Yeah, you know that I’m a slime. Well, a Demon Slime.” Rimuru said softly. “But I was once human. I lived in another world called Earth. There wasn’t really magic there – not like here. Earth was chock full of humans, but we didn’t have magical monsters like, well, slimes.

            “I was a man reaching midlife. I didn’t have a girlfriend or boyfriend or anything. I worked a normal amount for a man my age – sometimes a little more – and I made a decent life for myself. I didn’t have any family left around. I had some friends, but I wasn’t very close to anyone.” Rimuru sighed, looking to Veldora.

            The baby seemed to sense the sadness and pushed back with its own little hug. Rimuru smiled. “Something happened.” He said vaguely, not wanting to scare the child. Slimes had natural resistance to blunt objects, but knives and spears were fair game. The baby, with so little health, knew this intrinsically and always got nervous when presented with sharp objects. The elder slime didn’t want to tell the baby that’s how he died. “And I ended up here, my soul in a slime body with a few cool Skills.

            “Probably a good thing I was already an adult slime and not in a colony. I’d have probably wound up naming everyone and sharing all my skills. They weren’t super powerful back then, but can you imagine a hundred slimes with [Predator]? It’d be a disaster.” Rimuru chuckled. “Heck, I didn’t even know how it worked half the time if not for Raphael – then just Great Sage.”

            Raphael seemed to huff in pride at the back of his mind, proud of what she’d become and knowing how much Rimuru appreciated her.

            “I was… really lonely back then. I mean, I had people around me, almost constantly, but no one really close. Here, it was the exact opposite. Veldora, the drama queen, was all high and mighty but really just wanted a friend. I had a village loving me at nearly first sight. I never thought that just defusing the situation with the wolves would have led to all the chaos here. I… I did fall in love for a little while.” Oh, he missed Shizue. She would have adored the little slime, much like she did her students. “And then she went, too, but she entrusted me with a wish, and I wanted to keep it.

            “From there, it seemed like I kept making friends and family left and right. Sure, some things started off a little rough, but everyone, once given the chance, showed such kindness.” Rimuru reminisced of all the interactions he’d had. “I don’t feel like I deserve it all sometimes.”

            Rimuru paused, feeling a small ‘bap’ to his face. He looked to see the little slime holding their nub of a hand there, looking very serious. Rimuru suddenly got hit with their connection – it was just a bombardment of love and hope and joy and awe. Distantly, he thought he even heard an ‘I love you.’

            That may have just been his mind filling in the dots, but he nonetheless pulled the slime closer, smiling and feeling like, should he have been in his human form, he’d be crying. “Gosh, I love you too, little buddy. I have so many people here, but it’s just… different, having you here. You are so young and already breaking all the rules, like I do. You may not be awakened, but you’re a bolt of energy in the storm, something that lights up everything.” He poked the baby, causing it to send laughter through their connection. “Full of goodness in this squishy body.”

            They played around, two balls of slime bouncing and rolling around. Rimuru took a few of the toys that shared forms with his friends and family and acted out scenes that he’d been through, like the time Benimaru tried to get him to eat Shion’s food after becoming a Demon Lord, or the time he’d trained his old students with Ranga being in the background. The baby cooed, giggled, and clapped with the funny voices Rimuru made (he could have mimicked them properly, but there was no fun in that).

            Eventually, Veldora woke up and joined in the shenanigans. He played peek-a-boo, causing the little baby slime to laugh, as Rimuru dipped into the kitchen to get something to eat. As Rimuru rummaged around in his brother’s pantries and cold box (magic was awesome), he found that one box of tea that Veldora kept specifically for him, some milk, some fried doughnuts sprinkled in powdered sugar, and a few eggs. Rimuru hadn’t been much of a chef in any life, but he’d learned how to make some basics. After digging out a few spices, he began to scramble the eggs on the magical stove top and warm water for tea.

            Veldora leaned in, nose in the air at the smell of food. He was honestly like a dog sometimes. The baby slime bounced in once realizing that the Dragon had run off to the kitchen. Rimuru saw the baby near him, looking up and sending a feeling of waiting. Rimuru looked where the baby was staring and, after a long moment, realized what was up. He had been wearing a normal shirt, but that meant that there was no hood. Rimuru shifted to now be wearing something akin to a hoodie from his world.

            The baby squealed in delight, shaking their whole body, before making a grand leap of nearly one hundred and fifty centimeters to land in the hood of Rimuru’s jacket. The Demon Slime couldn’t help it as he saw the baby peak back out. He laughed at the child’s antics.

            “They have you quite wrapped around their finger, as the saying goes, don’t they?” Veldora also laughed before making his way to the pantry. He began to grab cookies.

            “Oi, you should eat real food in the morning.” He pointed at the eggs as he divided them into two plates. “And I already found the doughnuts.”

            Veldora grinned without any embarrassment, but he did put the cookies away. He bounced over to the table, grabbing some silverware and napkins as he went. Rimuru came over with several things – the pot of hot water, the box of tea, mugs, two plates of eggs, one plate of warmed doughnuts, and a large dish of water with some warming charms on it, one that he would set the baby in to help it stay hydrated (and make Rimuru feel less bad about eating in front of the kid, even though he knew that the baby was not hungry for food nor could even taste it).

            Raphael, of course, helped guide Rimuru to balance and not drop a thing. Once he’d gotten everything squared away, setting the baby in the large bowl of water (which they sunk into and emitted waves of content), he sat himself down to make a cup of tea.

            Veldora had already stolen half the doughnuts as he looked over at his little brother. “You know,” he began, mouth lined in powdered sugar, “you are quite connected to the baby.”

            “Hm…” Rimuru hummed as he sipped his tea, smiling. After letting off a content sigh from the tea, he looked over to the baby slime. “Didn’t you just say that five minutes ago?”

            “Well… it’s still true!” Veldora defended. Rimuru smirked as he took a bite of the eggs. They weren’t bad, but he reached for the ketchup on the table to add some to the scramble. The baby seemed to watch, forming a question mark and a bottle-like shape on his head.

            The baby reached over the rim of the bowl towards the eggs.

            “Hm? You want some?” Rimuru sighed. “You can’t eat. It doesn’t taste like anything.”

            The baby whined, waving their nubby arms around.

            “Oh, I’m sorry, little one.”  Rimuru scooped up the baby and held they towards his chest. “You can’t eat them. It won’t taste like anything, and I’m pretty sure you can’t gulp anything.”

            The baby continued to whine.

            “How about I promise to let you try some when you get older? Come on, I can’t let you eat anything that would make you sick…” Rimuru tried to send hope and calmness down their [Thought Communication] connection.

            The baby was still fussy, and it took a little bit to calm them down. Once calmed, the baby curled back into Rimuru’s hood, munching on magicules.

            Veldora smiled this whole time, watching as Rimuru eventually got himself pulled back into his chair and onto the table. Rimuru reheated his eggs slightly before eating again. “So, what are you up to today? I may have to bounce over to Farmus for a little bit. Yoam is still doing his hero thing and trying to become King, so I want to check how he is on that front.”

            Veldora got a sneaky look on his face. “Oh, Farmus? You know that this time of year they get a good number of slimes. Maybe the baby can finally rejoin a colony?”

            Rimuru froze mid-bite.

            “Eh… ah… yeah! But I’d rather they be close. You know, Jura has lots of safe colonies.” Rimuru nodded.

            “Oh? But the forest is rather dangerous for small creatures in general.” Veldora looked off to the side, seemingly in concern. “While Slimes are generally benign, there are still monsters that would devour them should they get in their way, or adventurers that use them for target practice…”

            There was a shattering followed by a crash. Veldora jumped as Rimuru looked down, the now-destroyed cup in his hands. He’d crushed it without realizing, causing hot tea to splatter over him and the table. Shards of clay were on his shirt, in his lap, and on the floor.

            The baby leaned over his shoulder, beginning to cry. The baby sent worry out, pushing themselves into Rimuru’s shoulder as they tried to get over the shoulder.

            Rimuru shook himself, carefully nulling the heat in his hands as he reached for the child. “Oh! Sorry, honey! I didn’t mean to scare you? Can you sit on the table? Veldora, can you hold… not, like, hold, but like keep a hand on the baby? I need to clean this up.”

            Veldora nodded, looking concerned as he accepted the child. Rimuru set the child on the table closer to Veldora, who used his hands to gently kneed the baby and send calming tones through [Thought Communication] to calm the worried baby. Rimuru quickly absorbed the liquid and shards on him, reforming into his slime form to absorb up the rest of the shards and liquid. Once done, he spit out a new cup and reformed into his human form, but he was now wearing the baby sling on his chest. Rimuru didn’t even seem to notice as he sat back down, picked up the baby, and plopped them down in his lap.

            Veldora took the hot water pot and the tea, beginning to pour some hot water into Rimuru’s new cup. “So… you have plans for when you return the child to the wild?”

            Rimuru bit his lip, glancing away.

            Veldora hummed. “Orrrrr…. We could just keep the child.”

            “What?” Rimuru jumped. The baby popped an exclamation point at Rimuru’s movement. “I can’t. I have… just, so much going on. I mean, we may have war on the horizon with the Demon Lords, I still have to make sure that everyone is protected, the…”

            Veldora waved a hand. “You do realize that everyone here is working to do all that? Also you have the amazing, stupendous, beautiful and powerful True Dragon, Veldora Tempest, who will protect this forest to the death! MU HAHAHAHA!” Veldora puffed at his title.

            Rimuru looked down at the baby, a sad look on his face. “I still can’t leave the child alone. They’d die if I was gone too long, and there are still things too dangerous to bring a baby into.”

            Veldora leaned forward, head on his folded hands. “There is always naming them.”

            Rimuru hummed.

            “If they underwent an evolution, it would likely help them become more independent.”

            Rimuru hummed again, now tucking the baby into his sling. “I should get going. I can’t wait up too much of the day.” Rimuru didn’t leave Veldora time to respond as he teleported away.

            Veldora sighed at his brother and the mess that he had left. Finishing his own food, he disposed of the scraps and set the dishes in the wash bin, not feeling like cleaning them now. He looked out the window to Rimuru City, thinking of the little slime that had become sworn family to their family, whether Rimuru knew it or not.

            Veldora knew that Rimuru would eventually listen to his heart. He was too kind sometimes, but that kindness oft led them to a brighter future.

            With that, Veldora set out for his next new snack food.

            Rimuru sat on the hill that overlooked Rimuru City and Tempest beyond. He often came up here whenever he needed a moment. He had brought Shizue up here so long ago to share his memories of Tokyo and it became a spot for him. It had been one of those moments where he felt so much less alone in this world of magic and monsters, to have someone like him who knew a life without it before being pulled into it.

            He missed her often. He carried her features with him, her gift of a human form, and he hoped that she lived her dreams in the afterlife. He would do whatever he could for her.

            He had never felt truly alone in this world, but there were moments of emptiness, where he reached out to someone else. Someone who understood. He hadn’t even gotten to know her for long, but he felt like she would have slotted into that role so easily.

            Now, he sat on that hill with his thoughts… and the baby.

            The baby snoring in his lap, exhausted from being adorable and ‘helping’ with his daily tasks. The baby hadn’t done much to contribute – not that he really expected the child to – but just having the kid there was sometimes a blessing. While everyone appreciated Rimuru, a baby showing up seemed to just amplify the natural excitement. For Rimuru, the baby just seemed to sense his stress and would come over and cuddle when Rimuru needed it the most.

            Rimuru tried to set the baby down on the grass. There was a slime colony coming this way – he could sense it now – and he was sure that the baby would be fine until they arrived. It was sunset and, within an hour of the moon rising, the slimes would enter this area.

            He set the snoring baby down. He stood, trying to step back.

            He couldn’t.

            He stood there far too long, and the baby woke up.

            The baby seemed to look around before locating Rimuru. Taking a few lazy bounces, it came up to Rimuru, reaching up to be picked up.

            “I can’t.” Rimuru said, more trying to convince himself then anything. He took a step back, and the baby formed a question mark. “I can’t keep you. I’m too dangerous. There is so much going on. I…I can’t…

            “You’re better with your people, not me.”

            The baby stood there, having that same question mark, before the question mark fell away. Rimuru thought that the slime slowly began to get it.

            Then the slime wiggled, leaping as high as it could. Rimuru blinked, gasping, but it was too late. The baby slime slammed into his face, and it held firm.

            Rimuru waved his hands around, trying to get the baby off without hurting it. It was a good thing that Rimuru didn’t really need to breathe, because he couldn’t right now. There was baby slime everywhere on his head.

            Finally, Rimuru wiggled his fingers under the baby, wiggling gently until he got it off mostly. The baby was fiercely clinging to a clump of his long hair.

            There was a little frustrated X on the baby’s forehead. They had a firm grip on the hair, refusing to let go.

            Down the [Thought Communication] link, Rimuru heard something crazy.

            “No!” The baby exclaimed, their small, almost whisper of a voice loud in Rimuru’s mind. “Stay.”

            “Wha… what?” Rimuru stuttered.

            Rimuru stared as the baby began to share grainy images of what looked like the city. It bounced around in Rimuru’s arms, radiating happiness as they went around. The image shifted to now be in the legislature building, laughing as Shion and Shuna fought/played with dolls as a way to engage the baby. It shifted again to Benimaru making little flashes of fire in many colors, causing the baby to coo. Another scene – the Dragonnewts dancing, the baby snuggled between two other young children as Rimuru looked on not too far away, a bemused look on his face. The scene swapped again to watching the ninjas throw their kunai as target practice and the kitten sitting next to the slime and letting the baby bounce all around it as Souei and Rimuru caught up on news. The baby projected memory after memory of what they had experienced in Tempest, and nothing was without Rimuru. Every few minutes, the baby would look back to Rimuru, up to Rimuru, around to Rimuru, and they would express joy and safety. The baby was constantly awed by the people and places that they had seen, and, as the memories faded, Rimuru felt nothing but sadness, loneliness at the idea of separating.

            Whether that was his or the baby’s alone was a question that Rimuru couldn’t answer.

            Rimuru felt his grip tighten. In turn, the baby grabbed the hair and pushed into his chest.

            “Stay.” The baby sent again, this time like they were begging.

            It broke Rimuru’s heart.

            He couldn’t let the baby go.

            But they won’t be safe. Rimuru thought. They won’t be safe on their own without me, or with me.

            Raphael chose that moment to pipe up.

            “There may be a solution.” She said thoughtfully.

            Rimuru’s head shot up, listening. He felt tears rolling down his eyes as he listened to her explanation. Finally, he looked at the baby, eyes bright with joy and wet with tears. The baby made nubby hands to try to wipe them away.

            “It’s ok. These are good tears.” He said. As he did so, he held his hand out, a small slime droplet there, imbued with dense magicules. “Can you hold this for me? It’s very important.”

            The baby looked for a long time before wiggling like they were nodding, grabbing the little ball and holding it close to them. What they didn’t know was that the slime droplet had been imbued with Skill Copies.

            “Alright, well, if you’re going to stay, how about a name?” Rimuru tapped his head to the child. “Can’t have you the only one here without one.”

            Rimuru thought for a moment. He flashed through the many names, but he wanted something that was representative of his old culture but also echoed with what had come since then. He looked up, the sky like a painting of reds and blues, purples and blacks, with specks of starlight splattered over the distant horizon. A bird flew overhead, reminding Rimuru of their theory on how the slime had come to be there.

            Rimuru smiled. “Natsume.” He said, looking down. “Natsume Tempest, do you like that?”

            The little slime began to glow, the small bubble of Rimuru’s own magic and skill entering through as the baby – Natsume – had been holding it. Rimuru watched as the child’s form spun, the dark blues and light greys and splashes of purple mimicking the setting sun, a new morning, a stormy night, the sky from which they had been born from.

            Rimuru could feel as Natsume, with their naming, evolved from a Slime to an Awakened Slime.

            Rimuru watched as Natsume became like him at the time of his birth into this world.

            They would not be all-powerful, but they would have plenty protections and abilities. He’d limited some of his own copied traits, but they had the potential to evolve further, to become greater, in their own time. Rimuru wanted his child to grow but also be safe.

            But there was one ability he had made sure to give to the child, to give them the ability to experience the world as he did.

            The baby’s form slowed, now showing the bright ball of slime displaying grand swaths of dark blue, streaks of grey, sparks of purple and white. The baby looked up, eyes forming on their surface as if seeing the world for the first time once again. Like they had found new clarity.

            “W-wh-what-t ha-happ-ppen-ed?” They sent in scattered bits. They began to pull grander thoughts, learn more from their experience. They looked in awe at Rimuru.

            “I gave you a name.” He smiled softly, hugging the baby to his chest. “I want you to stay, honey. That name means that you can be here with me.”

            The baby began to cry, happiness radiating through them. As they tried to reach out, to encircle Rimuru, little chubby arms formed, legs reached out, and a tiny (and naked) human child was in Rimuru’s arms. The child, by human standards, was barely a year or two old, but their dark blue locks showed just who they were related to. Their facial features, while containing more fat, clearly mimicked the elder slime, and, when the child opened their eyes, purple irises looked up.

            Rimuru pulled the child close, but, upon realizing the dressing situation, made some clothes and quickly dressed the baby, explaining that humanoid monsters tended to dress properly, which they were now. The baby just tried to babble back words using their mouth, but all that came out were scrambled sounds and random spit. Their thought communication was still rather disjointed, only with single word phrases making it through properly.

            That’s ok. Rimuru thought as he scanned the child, using [Analysis]. All the proper skills – things like [Cancel Temperature], [Cancel Abnormal Condition], and his edited copy of [Mimicry] (he’d only added a copy of his human form to that ball so that the baby could try food and be able to travel without constant need to feed on his Magicules) were all in shape. Rimuru had given the child enough magic to stabilize them, activating their innate ability to feed off magicules in the air, and also protect themselves if need be. He refused to try to make a mini Demon Lord, but he wanted his kid to be safe if he wasn’t there.

            His kid. Yeah.

            That felt nice.

            Once he’d finished his spiel and had Natsume all wrapped up, he picked up the baby into his arms, smiling. “Want to go show off your new form to all of our friends and family? You look all ready to go.”

            “YES! GO!” Natsume radiated, though their mouth only had a tongue come out and air, causing them to make a fart-like noise. Rimuru laughed, sprouting his dragon wings to fly them to town. Natsume instantly tried to mimic them, but they only formed some gelatinous-like wings that would not fly. Rimuru wasn’t crazy to give them ultra-powerful Skills, but he was still proud as the natural slime mimicry came in, his little kid showing off their work to the world.

            When Rimuru showed the baby to his first friend – well, two, as he ran into Shion and Diablo debating proper ways to deal with Rimuru nay-sayers (well, less of a debate and rather plans to do if anyone was rude to Rimuru, which was sweet until you realized how terrifying they were) – and lost their minds at the sight of the child. Shion’s excitement was heard for kilometers – which, of course, attracted many others. Diablo already was offering his latest gift to the child, this one Rimuru allowed as it was a little plastic chew-ring that had some cooling runes on it. The baby seemed not to fully articulate teeth yet, so the chew toy instantly went in their mouth.

            When Rigurd came over, he accepted the baby waving their arms to be held by the large Hobgoblin, and the leader of Rimuru City announced that they were having a feast the following day to celebrate their newest resident, the adopted child of the Great Rumuru, Natsume Tempest. Natsume made noises to express their agreement – or maybe their confusion – and people cheered.

            Rimuru laughed, especially when Veldora came crashing through to see “his newest nibling” with the utmost excitement. Natsume, slowly learning how legs worked, began to toddle after their ‘uncle’ and showing him their little not-wings, which caused the True Dragon to cry tears of joy at. Soon enough, the Dragonewts had their encore performance of the song they’d made up – some sort of ‘Baby Sea Dragon’ song and dance that still confused the adult, and Natsume got Rimuru to put them down. After a hesitant beat, they let go of Rimuru entirely and toddled over to the crowd of children forming. The child settled down between two others of their rough age group and began to clap to the song. Natsume’s face was bright.

            Rimuru had never been happier to adopt a baby slime.