Ramiris landed in the middle of the circle and took a long, deep breath, shivering with nervousness. Momonga, Buku, Milim, and Veldora stood equally distant from one another, with Ramiris at the edge of the circle. A fresh pile of chocolate chip cookies paired with a mug of hot chocolate waited on the table. A side option of brandy was on standby, given that in a few moments she would be an adult and might prefer a less child-friendly option to deal with the aftereffects.
"Are you ready?" Momonga inquired.
"As ready as I can be. I hope it'll last at least a few years," She replied, nodding.
Momonga motioned for everyone present to be prepared, and began the ritual. With the experience of the previous aging ritual and a far more enhanced Omniscience, he now had a better grasp on how to control the process and keep it stable. Starting slowly, he poured energy into the former Elemental Queen and at the same time, turned his attention to the world system itself, trying to identify what was causing the rebirth cycle that had been a nuisance to her for so long.
Ramiris once again began to grow in stature, but this time her features started to mature as well. Her figure is now more feminine, and her face started to lose its childlike features, becoming that of a young woman instead of a budding teenager.
"Just as horrible as the last time," She groaned a few moments later, clutching her head.
"Don't worry, I am keeping the process stable," Momonga assured her.
"I know, Boss. Keep going. Still sucks going through it though!"
Soon enough, she reached Milim's height and exceeded it just as fast, growing full centimeters by the second. Her wingspan rapidly expanded, growing proportionally longer and glowing with far more power than before.
Momonga continued to fuel more energy into the ritual and regulated its amount as Milim alone provided more than was needed, the rest were there for stability in case things went wrong or more power than predicted was needed. Ramiris was slowly and surely growing into a powerhouse at this point, easily surpassing Kagali's power level.
'Somehow, I have started to treat Kagali as the measuring unit for power. Come to think of it, Clayman was the base level to be considered a Demon Lord, so it fits.' Momonga mused.
Ramiris was inching closer and closer to a full floor guardian level, her entire existence becoming more akin to the level of an ultimate skill.
'She wasn't lying when she said she was powerful as an adult. Who would have known? Where is it? I know you didn't make it with editing in mind, but some pointers would've helped.' Momonga cursed the creator God as he tried to locate what caused Ramiris' rebirth with the help of Omniscience chugging away at full force.
With Ramiris being close to her peak, time was running out. If he overdid the ritual, she would be reborn instantly as a small child, akin to their first encounter.
'Where is it? Wait, what's this? She's a foreign entity as well?' Momonga finally found the cause. Ramiris, as a lesser Goddess, had entered a covenant with Veldanava and accepted the role of the elemental queen at the moment of this world's birth at the cost of losing her old self, and this covenant had glitched out the moment she came into contact with Milim's uncontrollable energies that were akin to raw creation without any form given to them.
It was an error in the system itself that caused the constant rebirth cycle, a singular programming error that was part of the system's processes to handle divine energies. While he couldn't get any information on what Ramiris was before or for what reason she agreed to her role, the Voice of the World held nothing about it. Momonga could still fix the glitch since all it did was re-enter the covenant and lock her memories away. Unsure whether he should tell her that she existed before the universe, he decided not to bring it up right now and instead finish up with her aging ritual.
At this point, she had reached Buku's height and stopped growing, just before reaching the critical point.
"It's done. I fixed the glitch as well," Momonga stated absentmindedly while retreating from the system core.
Ramiris stood silent, staring at Momonga, her eyes bulging out as her body shook.
"Ramiris?" He grew worried at the fallen elemental queen's reaction.
"Do you have any idea what you are DOING!?" She shrieked, her voice coarse and full of terror.
"What do you mean?" Momonga inquired, not expecting such a reaction from Ramiris.
"Ramiris, what's gotten into you?" Milim got between him and her, becoming worried about her, now adult, friend.
"Momonga, please. Tell me. What did you change?" Ramiris stared past Milim, her expression growing more haunted.
Momonga grew increasingly confused. 'Does she mean the system?'
"Tell me what you changed in the world system. Do you understand what you changed?" She suddenly let out a hysterical cry. "Tell me now!"
"I am fairly sure I do. The knowledge of how to change things was given to me by a Creator God Ra." Momonga hastily replied, shocked at her increasingly frantic behavior.
She continued to stare while shaking. "I…it could have gone…" She grabbed her mouth with her hand, hyperventilating. "You could have collapsed the world." Tears appeared in her eyes.
"Ramiris!" Milim seized her shoulders and violently shook her friend. "Snap out of it! You're scaring everyone."
"Millim… you don't understand. I remember. I remember what I lost during my fall from grace. The system-" she grasped Milim's shoulders as a response. "No one is supposed to touch the world system. Any wrong change might collapse this entire reality!"
"Ramiris. Can you explain?" Momonga questioned in a tone that demanded attention.
She looked up while trembling. "Even if you knew what to do, only Lord Veldanava could change things on such a fundamental level… who the hell is Ra!? Did you just call him Creator God?"
"Ra is of the same level as Veldanava, and a Creator God. I didn't understand everything that he explained about how they operate, but supposedly there are many of them and Veldanava hasn't finished this world in some manner. I am fairly sure I understand how the system works and how to change just enough to not break it," Momonga assured her.
"More than one… Momonga, please don't touch it. One mistake and you could collapse everything. I don't know who this Ra is or why he did so, but it is beyond dangerous to change such things. Veldanava entrusted me to look after the world's stability and monitor the system for inconsistencies, hence my role as the Arbiter - I was the one who made the final judgment regarding anything involving skills or the laws of the world. Something I forgot with my fall," Ramiris spoke, still agitated.
"I created a new type of evolution path for myself based on true dragons and made sure only I would ever have it, and I have fixed the glitch that made you reborn the month you reach adulthood. That's all I changed. I could have used this warning earlier and relied on your expertise to ensure I do not break anything by accident," Momonga explained, sighing.
"Glitch? That event caused a glitch!? The system hasn't been working properly since then!?" She gasped.
"Sort of. It makes you enter a covenant with the system again and again because Milim's energies are similar to pure creation. But it should not happen again after the changes I made."
Ramiris straightened out, flipped around, and marched towards the single table, grabbing both the hot chocolate and the brandy. Periodically taking large swigs of both, she gave Momonga the thousand-yard stare.
"Can someone explain what just happened?" Buku spoke up as Veldora shrugged at her question, Milim refusing to speak either for some reason still looking concerned for her friend.
"Momonga did a direct world system change!" Ramiris screamed, taking another gulp of alcohol. "If he had made a single mistake, none of us would still exist in physical form. None! The world would implode upon itself in an instant, killing everyone! But what do I know? I was just left behind to guard the damn thing! And now… and now… What's even the use of me if one glitch made me forget half of my duty…"
"But everything is fine, right?" Buku cautiously asked a follow-up question, leaning forward.
"Probably. I don't know. The system is stable for now. I have no idea why Milim and I meeting caused a glitch or what is going on with it in general!"
"Because my birth father is a piece of shit that created me to escape his duties!" Milim growled. "And I am the remnants of his escapade, to hold what remained of his abilities, for he didn't care for anything besides himself and his wife - my mother!"
"I'm sorry, what?" Ramiris slowly turned, grasping the two containers of beverages even tighter. She had been present during Milim's memory recall, but her reaction was so volatile that she didn't hear a thing and, after that, didn't ask questions out of respect for her friend's privacy. Milim's early life had been very traumatic, and it needed to be addressed with care and understanding, not curious snooping around, something she knew very well about after maturing.
"Momonga helped me remember. My asshole parents gave birth to me so they could escape together and leave the world as is. I'm sure Veldanava swindled you into looking after the mess he made, shackling you to his system." Milim spoke, pure hatred dripping from each and every word.
Ramiris opened her mouth and closed it without uttering a sound. Her face went through an entire spectrum of emotions, and she helplessly slumped down against a table leg, her legs spread in a rather unladylike manner, choosing instead to drink the supplied brandy like water.
"I think you both just broke her," Buku remarked.
"It's not my fault she didn't know. At least she isn't tearing down everything like I did." Milim mumbled, glancing down at the fairy.
"Ramiris, are you ok?" Buku asked, concerned.
"No, I am very, very far away from everything resembling OK," she uttered, consuming the last of the alcohol. "I can't… just… How can you all be so calm about this? The Creator God intentionally messed up the world and left! That makes no sense. And it turns out there is more than one Creator God!" She took a sharp, wheezing inhale before continuing, "And something is broken… and I'm supposed to look after all this, but I don't even understand… I don't know if I failed or Veldanava didn't care enough to give me all the knowledge I need." Ramiris started to sob as she spoke, her body shuddering as she dropped her bottle.
Milim slowly approached and sat down next to Ramiris, patting the now-adult despondent Demon Lord's shoulder. "I know how you feel. It will be fine. We will figure this out together," She whispered.
"What's even the point if it's all left like this?" Ramiris asked no one in particular with a sob.
"The point is that we have people to protect, and I for one, will do everything to protect both Nazarick and Tempest. Ra gave me enough knowledge to get me where I am and I will stop at nothing to ensure those I care for are safe," Momonga declared. "If you are with me, then let's prepare to face the other Demon Lords and then worry about how to keep this world from collapsing. If it even is unstable in the first place. As far as I could see, everything works fine, even if not the way it was designed."
Ramiris gazed up at the overlord's two burning flames staring back at her, detecting the truth behind those words. Momonga didn't carelessly make himself evolve or make her cycle of rebirth stop out of selfish ambition. His actions were solely to protect those he cared for from harm, nothing else.
She tried to remember her earliest moments, but everything was so cloudy, even her adult form. The universe didn't have a form yet. She and a few others stood with the Creator God Veldanava, as the physical realm took shape and was pulled away from the darkness of the void, the void she now understood a bit more of. She remembered the task given to her by Veldanava: make sure the world is stable and doesn't collapse upon itself.
Somewhere along the way, everything went astray when Milim was born and Veldanava died, leaving behind few who were left aware of how the world had formed.
'He created her to escape. But why?' All this time she had revered the eldest of the true dragons, but now according to Milim he had just abandoned his duty for some selfish reason and left his faithful servants in charge without any oversight or direction—and no method to call him back if things went wrong.
'If there are other Creator Gods and one of them gave Momonga the knowledge to do all this… it cannot be an accident. He had taken good care of Milim. He had not broken his word towards me. Maybe it's a sign I should put my trust in him. He will need my aid if we are to move forward and keep the world stable.' Ramiris picked up, then put down the empty mug she was still holding. Since she forgot to lessen her resistance from the shock there was no effect on her mind from consuming the entire bottle.
"You're right, Lord Momonga. There is no time for me to mope around. We have a Walpurgis to prepare for." She responded with newfound resolution, pushing herself up. "With that said, I want to make sure you will continue following my advice. No matter what politics, we cannot afford to let reality collapse upon itself. For now, please avoid making more changes to the world's laws unless it's absolutely necessary."
"I won't change anything for now and will continue to rely on your advice." Momonga nodded.
"So, you're staying like this?" Milim asked.
"It seems so. I will miss our childish squabbles." Ramiris offered with a smile.
"I'm sure we can have adult ones from now on. Don't worry, I'll catch up soon enough!" Milim declared brashly.
"I guess all of us will have to work together to pick up the reins Veldanava carelessly discarded," Ramiris sighed. "There are so many unanswered questions. Since all bets are off, I need to tell you one more thing right now." She addressed the overlord.
"Guy and Rudra, The Emperor of the Eastern Empire are playing a game for world dominance to ensure its stability, to keep the world's strongest from wreaking untold havoc upon the world. Guy's side is the demon lords, even if they don't know it, and Rudra has his empire with everything within. Both of Lord Veldora's sisters had taken sides with their husbands and were forbidden to interfere directly. I'm not sure how it will all play out, but, Chief, if we are to keep this world stable, you will have to play by their rules to some degree."
"So, that's why Velgrynd said things were complicated regarding Milim, according to this game she wouldn't be permitted to interact with her?" Buku asked.
"Yes, she is not permitted to interact with Demon Lords directly, and trying to convince them to change affiliations is even more against the rules," Ramiris affirmed her suspicion.
"So, one auntie hates me and the other can't even drop by to say hi because of some stupid game. Well, at least I have you and uncle," Milim remarked quietly.
"What does this game mean for Tempest?" Momonga inquired.
"I'm not sure, but Guy might try to rope you in, especially since Milim and I have taken your side." Ramiris crossed her arms. "This has to end. Chief, with all you have now it was more than enough to scare him into backing off. We need a new plan to keep the world stable and if possible, fix it for good."
"In that case, we will have to make sure he knows what he is dealing with. There are enough artifacts in the high-security storage vaults to ensure no cheap tricks can be used against us and everyone attending Walpurgis will get what they need!" Momonga declared.
How things would go from now on, she couldn't even begin to guess, yet somehow, she would have to follow along even if her entire worldview was crushed into tiny pieces in the process. Change was coming to the world, and it had already started.
Editing by aidan_lo.
Proofreading by aidan_lo, Sluethen, clagan, Cay, CakeEight, IAMTHEPLOKOKIOPO, Malguis, NuggetLover, FantasyTroll, Nervy, Working_Stiff and Stac.
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