Rimuru and Iruma's Adventures in the Netherworld

Staying and Leaving

Punctuation Key:

"Spoken dialogue"

'Quoting'

*Action*

Emphasis

Internal thoughts/talking to Ciel

[[Ciel talking]]

{{Thought Communication}}

I also have a discord server for discussion, questions, suggestions, or whatever. https://discord.gg/SVkTU2CQ2s

Iruma POV

I lay on my bed, thinking about my future. What I decide to do will greatly affect my life, so I need to think this through. I'm still scared about getting eaten, but I have someone to protect me from that fate; Rimuru. But can I trust this person? Can I trust any of these demons? That's the question. I've started having doubts recently, and what's reality greatly affects my decision whether to leave or stay.

If I did return to the human world, how would my life be? I wouldn't remember anyone I've met here or any of the things I've accomplished and endured. I would go back to being a loner, an outcast, and a slave to my parents, at least until I'm an adult. The worry of being eaten would be gone, but that doesn't necessarily mean I'd be safe. I was put in a lot of dangerous situations throughout my life before being adopted by Sullivan, some of them potentially deadly. I didn't know when my next meal would be a lot of the time, the jobs I did were risky and difficult, and I was taken advantage of by anyone I knew. That's how my life was with my parents; a constant struggle.

So, how is the danger I face here any different? If I was constantly in danger before and now, there's no reason for me to go back, right? Even with the danger, there are a lot of good things that I never experienced before being adopted, so strictly weighing costs and benefits, staying here is better than leaving. But, with my growing doubts about my friends, is it worth it?

When you don't trust anyone, nobody can break your trust.

Betrayal is a possibility that doesn't exist when you aren't close to anyone, so would wiping my memories and returning be a better option? It's not like I would remember any of the nice things I experienced, so there won't be any regrets involved in that choice.

Yes, this decision rests on whether I can trust the people around me, so I need to think this through carefully.

The subjects of my worries are the demons I've been living and going to school with. I've had my doubts about them for a while now, so I need to consider their actions from an objective viewpoint. An emotionally charged decision isn't something I should make for something this serious, so I need to stay calm and rational.

Grandpa is overprotective and a little nosy, but has spoiled me and loved me in a way I never experienced with my parents. I still don't understand why he adopted me, but he hasn't given me any reason not to trust him.

Opera doesn't show his emotions much, but I can tell he wants me to be happy. He helped me prepare for that exam and has given me advice about the Netherworld on multiple occasions. He's the one who let me know that leaving the Netherworld is possible for high-ranked demons, opening the possibility of returning early on and giving me a goal to strive for.

Azz is too eager to please me, but it comes from a good place. He was scary at first, and he isn't exactly inviting and kind to other people outside our friend group, but he sticks by my side no matter what and is now a close friend who looks out for me. When he pledged his 'eternal allegiance', as he puts it, I was confused and worried that he was faking it, but he's never strayed from that attitude. I still don't know what he'd do if he found out what I was, but that shouldn't make me doubt him right now.