"Storm Dragon Veldora, you're being sealed right now, aren't you?"
Arthur couldn't hold back any longer and asked directly.
Veldora's massive draconic form flinched slightly.
"Oh no… Are there smart ones among them? Damn it, I've been found out!"
Sure enough, the small slime that had earlier collapsed into a quivering puddle suddenly reformed into its plump, round self. It immediately consulted the ever-reliable voice in its mind.
"Great Sage: Commencing analysis... Analysis complete."
"Report: Statement confirmed. Veldora Tempest is under a [Unlimited Imprisonment] seal. Magicalules continue to leak but no immediate threat to the host has been detected."
"Whew, that scared me. I thought I was about to get eaten…"
Rimuru muttered, clearly shaken by his earlier panic—especially with Arthur right there watching.
"Haha, it's my first time seeing a real dragon, you know? Of course I'd be a bit stunned. By the way, Ice Spirit Bro, how come you know so much? Ever met a dragon before?"
"No," Arthur replied calmly. "I just used my unique perception ability to analyze his current state."
"Ohhh…"
Rimuru made a mental note: Next time something scary shows up, ask Great Sage first!
Arthur found the whole scene amusing.
Who would've thought that this adorable ball of jelly would one day become a fearsome Demon Lord ranked among the Octagram?
He couldn't resist teasing.
"Are you sure that was just shock? Because I saw someone puddle-fy himself in fear when Veldora spoke."
"T-that was because my magicules dipped all of a sudden! My form destabilized for a bit!" Rimuru stammered.
"Really?" Arthur smirked. "Didn't look like that to me."
"Y-you're wrong! It's just... that's how I always am!"
"Liar. Admit it~"
"I'm not lying!!"
Meanwhile, deep inside his magical prison, Veldora watched the back-and-forth with growing frustration.
"Oi! Quit chatting in front of me like I'm not even here! Say something to me! I haven't had anyone to talk to in over 300 years! Are you mocking me?!"
The booming voice broke their banter. Rimuru blinked, then finally remembered: Oh right, there was a huge dragon sealed in the cave with them.
"W-wait, three hundred years?! You're super strong, how did you even get sealed?!"
Rimuru, who had only been here a few days, couldn't fathom being locked up that long. A flicker of sympathy crossed his face—his naturally kind personality shining through.
Arthur said nothing. He already knew how things would unfold, and it was best not to interfere too much. He stood calmly beside Rimuru, observing.
Veldora snorted, his voice now tinged with subdued dignity.
"Yes. Just a little incident. I accidentally burned down a town... and then some Hero appeared."
"She defeated me using her Unique Skill [Absolute Severance], and sealed me away with [Unlimited Imprisonment]."
Rimuru's mouth fell open.
"Wow… That Hero must've been really powerful."
"Yes. She was. A genuine Summoned Hero under divine Protection. And now I've been here, talking to myself for centuries…"
Veldora's voice lowered with melancholic weight.
Then he perked up.
"But now, look at you two—fascinating beings! That Ice Spirit… no physical body, yet sentient. Almost like an Elemental, but distinctly male. Quite unusual."
"And you—little slime. A lower-class monster with actual self-awareness? Inconceivable!"
Rimuru quickly jumped in.
"Ah, well, actually… both of us kind of died in our original worlds. Somehow, we ended up here in new forms."
Arthur raised an eyebrow. He wasn't expecting Rimuru to be so open.
"…So you're both reincarnated souls."
Veldora seemed to ponder something. A subtle gleam lit his draconic eyes.
Arthur already suspected this. He also knew that in this world, there were not just reincarnators like him and Rimuru—but also Summoned Heroes, called forth and protected by the world's own will.
Like the one who sealed Veldora away.
As Veldora's gaze turned toward Arthur, his curiosity was piqued.
"Tell me more about yourselves," he rumbled.
"Especially you, Ice Spirit. You're not as simple as you seem."
"That's right, how could a spirit that handsome be male? What a shame..."
Crack, crack—
A sound like cracking knuckles echoed ominously from the side.
Even though the slime had spoken softly, someone clearly heard it.
"You pervert. Looks like the last beating wasn't enough."
"Ack—! Spirit Bro, I was wrong! I'm sorry!"
Watching the two bicker again, the Storm Dragon let out an exaggerated sigh. Wasn't the whole point of this meeting to talk with him? Had his presence as a majestic dragon become so easy to ignore?
"Hey! You two—stop flirting and pay attention to me!"
Only then did Arthur finally release the mischievous slime. Turning toward the massive dragon imprisoned within the magical barrier, he put on a serious expression.
"It's time to talk business, Storm Dragon. I know you've been sealed away for three hundred years. That kind of isolation would drive anyone mad. So, how about this..."
Arthur took a deep breath, then spoke his thoughts clearly.
"Let's all be friends—the three of us."
These words, which should have belonged to Rimuru in the original story, now came from Arthur instead. But truthfully, he had thought about this for a long time. Becoming a named monster was just the beginning. If he left it to the slime, who knew how long it would take for this moment to arrive?
Rimuru's eyes gleamed with excitement.
"That's a great idea! The three of us—Storm Dragon, Spirit Bro, and me—we'll be a team! Storm Dragon can be our boss, Spirit Bro will be second-in-command. It'll make future negotiations way easier."
Hearing this, the Storm Dragon—Veldora Tempest—frowned in discontent. He hadn't even agreed yet!
Hmph! These two were making decisions without even consulting him.
"Wait just a moment! You think you can just be friends with me, the mighty Veldora Tempest? That spirit might barely qualify, but you, a mere slime—"
"What?! You're looking down on slimes now? Forget it, Spirit Bro, let's go. Let the dragon rot in boredom for another century."
The slime pouted and turned, ready to storm off with Arthur in tow.
"Wait! I never said I refused! You fool—hmph—fine, I'll be your friend. You should be honored, so hurry up and thank me!"
Veldora finally relented. Of course, he had to maintain his usual pride and flair.
Arthur and Rimuru immediately burst into laughter.
"Haha!" ✘2
Both extended their hands, and lightly tapped them together.
And just like that, under the watchful eyes of each other, a new friendship was born.
"ROOAARR—!"
At that moment, Veldora let out a tremendous roar, as if releasing centuries of pent-up frustration and joy all at once.