Flash back to a Few Months before Rimuru's Demon Lord evolution.
In an ethereal space, devoid of any furniture, matter or object. Just a blank space with only one Crystal ball in the centre, standing near it were two individuals one standing a little behind the other.
"He certainly is an interesting guy isn't he?" Bael said as the crystal ball showed what was essentially a future scene of Rimuru's journey till Demon Lord-hood.
"I am not sure if you should call him one when You yourself are much more intriguing than him..Bael Sama..." An amused voice spoke.
"Well, it's your opinion, Diablo." Bael said without turning towards the voice.
*Tap* *tap*
Without there even being a visible floor, the sounds of footsteps echoed in the space.
"I must say though, I am surprised that he is the Reincarnation of the God of this world." Diablo said as he walked away, stoping near a chair that materialized itself.
"Fate is an interesting concept, have you ever considered it? Sometimes it appears before us when we least expect it. While we may try to avoid it, we may very well be very much closer to it." Bael spoke.
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"Do you mean to say that Fate is inevitable?"
"How would I know?" Bael knowingly smiled. "The only way To escape it might be to gain power. Strength so strong that Fate itself will be scared to tie it's threads to you."
"..." Without any further explanations, Diablo understood what Bael meant to say.
He had glimpsed at that slime, and with the help of Bael, he now knew who this seemingly ordinary slime really was. Someone who's fate was Tied to this world.
For him, strength didn't really matter much, but he also understands the importance of it. Without Strength, you are a victim to the plays of the strong. He on the other hand was one of the top strongest people in the world, he didn't need to worry about such trivial things.
This slime though....he felt that if he sticked around with it, he could get to see things far more entertaining and interesting than whatever his previous 20 thousand years had offered. Maybe even the "truth" of this world would reveal itself?
But this Bael is also quite interesting.....Ahh! Why is it so that I am lucky and unlucky at the same time?! Two extremely unique beings just spawns out of nowhere and I can't choose which one to follow?!
"I see that you are struggling a bit?" Bael smiled.
"Well, you have already named me and now I am in your service. I know this is not very loyal like for a servant but, I want to serve Rimuru. I want to explore the "truth" more, and I am not sure..." Bael interrupted Diablo's explanation as he spoke.
"You are free to choose any one as your Master. But, your Ultimate Master will be me, do you understand?"
"Ofcourse My Master." Diablo bowed a perfect 90°angle as he grinned widely.
"If I had to choose between you and him, I would certainly choose You, my Lord."
"That won't be necessary, but I appreciate your loyalty." Bael voice echoed in the space as the master and servant duo continued talking about the plans they had formed.
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"Khufufu, Greetings, Overlord of All Dragon Kind, Emperor Bael Draconio Armenon." Diablo bowed at Bael as he introduced Bael to the ones who were still unaware of his identity.
"Now, That's how you Welcome your Guests properly. Honestly, you guys should learn some manners form this guy." Bael smiled as he abruptly stood up, earning a jolt from Veldora.
'Looks like me and Velzard Kicking his ass a few times together gave him a PTSD of me too.' Bael thought as a cold sweat formed on his head seeing Veldora so tame.
"Why are you here, Emperor.." Gazef agitatedly spoke, a slight flame of anger burning in his eyes.
"Ahh, You must be The son of Gral Dwargo right?" Bael said as he approached Gazef, inspecting him intensely with his hands on his chin.
"Yes..you haven't explained your presence here...Demon Lord Bael." Gazef said, now with anger starting to form inside him, as he spat the Bael's title venomously.
"What? Can't you see? My Brother Veldora had revived, why won't I come and check in on him? And also the one responsible for it? Besides, Ramiris asked me to come here. She had something "urgent" to say."
Bael said as he turned towards the still passed out Fairy Queen.
"Lord Bael, you said something about our plan being not convincing enough, could you please elaborate?" Ellis Grimwald, noticing his colleague about to blow up with his father's killer right infront of him, tried to shift the topic. Which luckily enough worked.
"Well, what would you do if news came about the army of Falmuth being destroyed by Veldora and a slime becoming Demon Lord?" Bael asked.
"You would obviously investigate it. While commoners are unable to do such tasks and takes news in their face value. The nobles and powerful figures wouldn't believe it, and try to investigate the authenticity of the news. And when they try hard, they will find that the time of Veldora's revival and the Army's destruction is off, by a large margin."
"They may suspect something off about it and may do things that wouldn't be beneficial for what Rimuru has planned for. That is to make himself an approachable person whom the outsiders could trust." Bael explained.
"Then what do you suggest? Dragon Lord?"
Gazef asked. Now able to calm down with much effort and help from Ellis.
"Well, why not let me handle it?" Bael spoke as he spread his hands, as if proposing a grand offer.
"The area where Falmuth was destroyed is quite close to The border of my Empire. Using that as a Basis, I can justify their destruction as a retaliation of them not explaining why they were marching so close to our borders. The revival of Veldora can be explained by me releasing his seal afterall, I was the one to help seal him. Then, you somehow were in the wrong place in the right time, to gather those free souls and evolve into a Demon Lord, and is now working as my subordinate." Bael explained his plan.
"That's more convincing than what we- wait, Why would I be your subordinate!?" Rimuru exclaimed as he realised the small comment made in last.
"That's because, the world Knows me as someone who will take in whomever is interesting, you are genuinely quite interesting to me, so that's that. " Bael smiled innocently but except for the people of Tempest the Emmisaries of various nations present here had a chill run down their spine hearing his claim.
They had a minor flashback to all those death, blood and destruction that this guy had caused.
'He hasn't changed a bit..' was the thought that ran through Ellis's mind whonhad witnessed His might first hand 300 years ago.
"I-I see.." Rimuru spoke.
"Now wait a minute, why would Rimuru Sama be under you? Who are you to claim him as your subordinate." Shion called out as she held her Hercules' Edge out.
'Calm down woman!! You don't understand who you are dealing with!!' Seeing Shion's act, Ellis couldn't help but scream in his mind as He coughed to get everyone's attention.
"Rimuru please tell your secretary to refrain from using violence her."
"Y-yes. Oi! Shion!! Stop with your act, we'll deal with this latter, we have another matter at hand that needs dealing."
"Haii..." Shion disheartenedly dragged her Sword on the ground as she retreated behind Rimuru.
"Hey, Ramiris, I know you are awake. Tell me what do you mean by Tempest will be destroyed?" Rimuru turned to the fly who was now wide awake for a while now but was still pretending to be passed out.
"Ahh! You caught me! Anyways, Tempest will be destroyed!! Clayman has called for a Walpurgis with Milim and Frey backing him up!! " Ramiris buzzed around in a frenzy, who swiftly got caught by her wings by Rimuru as he asked her to properly explain what this Walpurgis is.
"Long ago..."
★★★★★