-Afternoon. Forest.

Nefiru's POV-

With Shaila sitting on the crossed forearms on my chest, our conversation takes place under cover of my wings shielding us from the heavy rain making its way through the foliage of the tree that my back is leaning on as the wind from behind sways us both slightly. The little girl provides illumination in the dark place and warms her own body from the mildly cold winter rain while I'm in charge of keeping us from getting soaking wet with my magic.

"Do you mean much older than the obvious 9 years over you? And are you calling me beast because brother told you about the pets I killed?" Shaila inquired puzzled at my declaration as the light around us dimmed.

"Oh? So the little girl know that Lester and this baby Dragon had a secret talk huh?" I replied haughtily exhaling on her head.

"Un..." She nodded holding her hair being blown by my breath. "I heard your wail of grief from inside the house back then, when you went behind my back and had brother tell you instead, but I know you didn't want to see me sad while I didn't want you to treat me differently after knowing either. Besides, I figured you would want to talk about our secrets eventually, and it's better than I thought if you decided to spill everything, but I just... didn't expect it to be in the middle of a winter storm!!" Shaila declared before pushing my snout away complaining.

"Haha, the white devil was dying to tell me huh? Sorry, I've been a foolish Dragon hiding things from you, but I was scared you would reject me for being a former human, and I needed to make sure you could keep secrets well, because some are really disturbing. In any case, this rainy day suits this conversation for many reasons, and you look quite comfortable despite a storm raging all around us." I inform watching the illumination increase.

Hmm, that looks divine... I admired the exposed skin on Shaila radiating light as she uses magic for warmth while maintaining five shiny balls of light float around us.

"Ah! You were afraid I would see you as a human and not like you because of what the bandits did to me?" She inquires staring back at me knowing she will get her answer.

"Yeah... I had Lester tell me a short version of what happened to you and your family." I nodded bringing my snout to her right side.

"Fufu... That's a needless concern." Shaila softly chuckled waving a hand denying. "I don't see you as a person and neither you feel like being one again at Divine Rank, but even if you were, I think we would still get along. Also, if I remember right, you were wild animals first then a human hybrid and now a magical beast, which sounds to me like you followed your instincts going back to being an animal again." She mentioned my different past lives while lifting the scales on my forearm forcefully.

"My, my... I'm defeated. Even I hadn't thought of it like that..." I admitted praising the little girl before closing my left eye.

Going back to being an animal... indeed, it looks like my evolution backtracked there a little. I affirm wondering if it's really so.

"Hehe... " The white haired girl giggled forcing my eye open. "So... that world didn't have Dragons huh?" She asks confirmation from our previous conversations.

"Right, but even if there were Dragons, it would be hard to live in peace. Humans in general arrogantly think they are the pinnacle of existence because Nature provided a convenient form to achieve many things, and won't accept any other animal unless it follows human laws and principles, but Being Human is not the best nor the only way to live." I described my opinion from a new perspective. "Speaking of animals, Lester also told me about the eight Pets that preceded me which by the way, doesn't convince me they died lovingly, so... spill the dirty little secret!" I declared narrowing my eyes with thin vertical pupils pressuring her.

I had pets in the previous life, and I did kill one with a hug, but I was cautious after that, though I ate the pets I tried to make in this world. I think of previous companions.

"Ugh, as I thought, you realized what actually happened to the pets." Shaila grimaced averting her gaze. "Everyone else in my family thinks they died because of my clumsiness or that it wasn't the right pet to love, and just ignored the behavior of the cute Shaila, but I was taking my anger on them." She revealed lowering her head in shame. "I... beat them all to death since they couldn't resist with collars on, but the weaker ones died too quickly, then I pretended being saddened to get a replacement." The girl confessed with a wry smile.

"Aha! You sly girl... that's adorable! You were making others feel your pain huh?" I smirked cheering Shaila as she leans on my chest with both legs over my crossed forearms.

"Uh-huh...kind of.... Although Nefi hardly sees anything wrong with what I do, there are bad rumors about me even among our guards, and they never say anything good behind my back while showing fake pity on my face which is why I just ignore everyone." The white haired girl in blue pants and pink shirt gloomily explains.

"Bah! Who cares about rumors! Stop being so bound by the values of Human society... they are of no use to you anymore." I lectured her narrowing my eye upset. "Still, it would have been easier to beat small animals back then, so what made you decide on a dragon?" I inquired out of curiosity.

Well, she's fragile compared to a dragon, but stronger than an average human. I recall the little girl lifting her sister who looked out of place with her thin body.

"Ah, that... Umm..." She pondered putting a finger on her lips. "It was getting difficult to convince Brother to buy more pet because of money reserves were running low, so I wanted a pet that could last. Then, sister mentioned the same baby Dragon that scared her in the forest was captured and would be auctioned after being tamed. I couldn't miss such rare opportunity since a Dragon in this town would sell cheaply, so I threw a tantrum closing in my room without eating until Brother bought you." She admitted looking into my eye next to her.

"Well, I noticed something was wrong when a little girl wanted a pet dragon and tried to give me those weird names that no one considered wrong, so I asked Lester about your story. However, even if you had the strength of a typical human adult, one does not simply hug magical beasts to death, and more than once by accident considering you are the opposite of a musclehead." I affirmed blinking my eyes as she started scratching the tiny scales around my left eye with her right hand. "In any case, I'm not sure how you were planning to hurt a Dragon when your hugs don't feel that deadly, or I would have perished by now." I taunt her while trying to match my breathing, so the scratching doesn't stop.

I don't think a whip would hurt either, but now she has the tools like making lasers inside the body which would make one heck of a surgeon. I analyze the troubled girl.

"Uh... I believed I would find a way, after getting the overgrown lizard." Shaila shrugged her shoulders while continues indulging me with the sensations. "Or so I thought, but when the gates opened, and a gray dragon barely taller than brother was writhing in pain, a strange feeling washed over me, then rushed to embrace the scaly head which surprised you for not seeing me coming. Yet you lowered me to the ground without being told, and while my brother didn't notice a tamed pet shouldn't behave like that, I did... considering my treatment on them." The silver haired girl smiled wryly.

"Yep, hee-hee... I pretended to be a good lizard since the collar had no effect on me, and was just annoying high-frequency Mana waves, but I was curious what was at the castle of the evil Noble." I affirmed mischievously.

"...I could see it in your eyes how excited you were to see me despite being our first meeting, and after sniffing me thoroughly, the gray dragon appeared to like me, then I realized that you could help me get away from the estate. Though it was just ticklish being recognized by a beast at first, it turned into embarrassment after realizing your intelligence, and I had to force myself to change because... you changed my dull life." She narrated glaring intently at me with a smile on her thin lips.

"Haha... But in the end, you got used to the notion of having your scent known which I had to ignore since it's all over my body now. Though thinking back on that day, you also caught me off-guard behaving like a fearless beast trying to devour this little dragon me..." I teased her grinning while showing my fangs.

"Ugh! That's a misunderstanding, I did not attack you like a beast!" The little girl complained while blushing for a moment then averted her gaze. "A-anyway, it's still uncomfortable knowing you can smell everything on my body, but I guess you also have to endure anything disgusting huh?" She stuttered before affirming while looking tired of rubbing my scales. "Anyhow, I wondered why a beast would give me such a pleasant feeling, then searched your gray body everywhere trying to understand why I couldn't even think of harming you, and even asked Brother if he could feel anything different about you. However, the origin of the mysterious feeling eluded me, then I thought that maybe it was because you were a girl as well, but it was not the case either, so I gave up and sat on your head realizing the collar wasn't necessary." Shaila narrated her point of view during our meeting.

"I see, so you had that feeling too huh? Though it was mostly nostalgia in my case..." I disclosed the past feelings of our encounter.

"Nostalgia? I ignored that feeling, but why is that? What are we to each other? It's not simply because you were a former human and I a broken girl, isn't it?" She continues to scratch interrogating.

"Indeed, it's not simple, but you are my broken girl, MINE! And I do have your Father's permission to do anything with you, though he added some conditions. But hey, in the end, I did take you away from the estate." I declared enveloping her with my magic.

"Father did? He acknowledged you then... good." She briefly stops stroking lifting an eyebrow before resuming her previous action. "Hmm... This is the first time I've been so far outside in a year... a little freedom at least." Shaila commented with a distant gaze.

"Well, we did talk for like the whole day, and He helped me clear doubts on things that I can tell you with more certainty now," I informed the results of our lengthy conversation. "Anyway, before we start, I want you to keep in mind that many things are still assumptions that merely explain some events surrounding my birth in the volcano. However, as more clues appear, I'll be able to solve mysteries with more confidence, and with enough Rank, I should be able to reveal everything." I explain my lack of conviction in my deductions.

"I see... But how often have you been wrong in your assumptions?" She inquires for assurance.

"Well so far, only a few things were actually wrong while the majority was slightly different," I affirmed watching her nod. "In any event, you mustn't mention anything unless it's necessary because we don't know who could be listening in our conversation and some of these secrets are very dangerous just knowing them." I sternly warn Shaila.

"Okay~ I understand." The little girl nodded before changing position to lean on my left forearm with feet crossed paying attention. "Brother warned me about knowing your secrets too." She affirmed while I inclined my head gazing enviously at her comfortable spot.

"How do you think I know about my past lives?" I ask her opinion.

"Uh... I assumed you remembered...?" She answers unsure.

"Wrong. After I fainted at work, I met this being-- yes I was poor..." I stopped, watching her expression of contempt. "Hmph! You spoiled rich brat, try living like a commoner sometime and do some work." I grumbled, making her smile.

"Hehe... I can work entertaining nobles in parties now!" She giggled ridiculing the misconceptions around Light affinity. "This being was really powerful, right? There are legends of Deities being capable of leaving this realm too, but was he one?" The little girl being carried like a tiny baby in my forearms inquired.

"He called himself Guardian 355GSE999472621, and I think his true body is a white Snake with Light affinity beyond Deity Rank judging by the things he showed, but he appeared as a humanoid during our conversation among the stars. According to Guardian who's job is to protect mortal souls like mine from being destroyed or eaten, we both are Fragments of a Celestial being existing beyond infinity who created us for a purpose, and my memories are collected in exchange for a wish because of this. Though things were different with two options available, I was taken someplace where my future body also known as Cosmic Dragon slumbers, then many things about reality and my past lives were revealed before I found a way to preserve my last lifetime somehow." I revealed my origins.

"This... suddenly, I feel insignificant..." She exclaimed losing energy and becoming depressed.

"Tell me about it... My future body was so huge that my hairs were probably as thick as this world. And can you believe that I couldn't touch myself because we would both disappear?" I reveal as she pays attention without blinking.

"Umm, you are talking about it so casually, but it's giving me a headache imagining you saw your future self or that you are a piece of some incomprehensible thing, and that you know some Light Snake Deity... Ugh, now I'm afraid to ask how we are related... it's going to be some weird thing isn't it?" She asserted in derision.

"Nah, you are going to love it. Do you remember the wolf life I had?" I inquired and continued after she nodded. "I met a she-wolf that traveled with me until she became my mate, then we settled down and formed a pack of wolves. Apparently, she was an amazing Wolf that gave birth to all my pups for the ten years of our life, and thanks to her I became the Alpha, but sadly I can only remember a few images of her." I explain with eyes half open. "Meeting someone from past lives has a chance of a zero, a dot and several hundred more zeros behind it before a one appears, but that's without Guardian added to the equation since he selected this world for me after empathizing not being able to find me that wolf mate back then," I explain the event's rarity. "Again, I'm not completely sure of this, but I believe to have found the reincarnations of that wolf mate and a terrible girlfriend from my past life already, though neither of them remembers anything about me because of the natural rebirth process," I announced my findings.

"You found them? Ah! The golden wolf in the forest that you let go alive... Poor Nefi... your wolf mate is a male now while the other one seems to be a wrong woman? Wait, how many girls did you have relationships with?" Shaila interviews with a smirk.

Oh? Mocking me eh? You are going to regret that. I decided to get back at the girl. Hmm... I think I should explain the dream and other things to her first before revealing who's the real wolf mate. I realize there is much to convey still.

"Har-har... very funny, but for your information, I had over a dozen relationships... Though, they all ended terribly, since I had to force myself to act in a way they would like me because those romantic instincts didn't come to me naturally, and was even difficult expressing love which made people call me 'animal.' However, I managed to fall in love quite deeply for a woman who accepted my weird nature, but who would have thought she accepted everyone behind my back as well? And that's how that bitch ruined love for me." I described the story of my previous life.

"Haha, animal..." Shaila laughed mocking. "I'd say it suits you-- Wait... you always call Sister a 'bitch,' and you told me under the tree once after staring at her breasts that she looked like someone else... It's sister, isn't it?" She probes with eyes wide open after realizing.

"Indeed, your sister Liana is identical to that bitch Nalia from my previous life, and as you can see, the name is almost the same backward too which was the clue that unraveled the whole thing," I affirm the root of my assumptions being someone undesirable for me to remember.

"By the Divine... Nefi and sister Liana were a couple... that explains a lot..." Shaila affirms then looks straight up where my wings converge while thinking.

"I just told you secrets that Deities would kill to know and you are more surprised by a failed relatinship with your Sister." I interjected while grimacing from being associated with the incompatible woman.

"Mu!" Shaila sulked with her arms crossed as the lights around turned red. "I'm jealous of my sister okay? She was always... gifted, and her body is perfect, but now you tell me the last person you gave your affection was to her, so how could I not be angry?" She angrily turned over on my forearm to watch the rain fall on the lower part of my body through the gap between my wings.

I see... she thinks our relationship is not special anymore because I loved her sister in a past life, and she's always losing as a girl. Well, I actually haven't told her that she means more than just my fail-safe in case of sudden death, and not just giving her a hard time for nothing, so I'm going to pledge with the most sacred thing. I resolved to show how much Shaila means to me.

"...Shaila." I call out to her solemnly.

"Hmm?" She responded with her mouth closed.

"It's not possible right now, but maybe it is at Divine Rank or Demigod with the right conditions, and I have some ideas how to make it work which will require high rank," I inform the white haired girl lying on the left side of her body with the right hand and feet dangling down.

Well, it should work if we both are at Divine rank because souls are fully materialized, but I also need to know what exactly happens when a soul is devoured, or if it's possible to defend against it, and who better to do those experiments than my wolfie here. I affirmed the importance of such future plan.

"What is it?" She turns her head to face me.

"I want you to eat a piece of my Soul." I offered her part of my existence.

"..." Shaila froze staring into my eyes with her mouth agape while losing control of her magic.

Hmm... I think her brain finally crashed. Well, it's no wonder since a soul is the essence of our existence and the most precious thing there is. I stared at the girl in the dark that will need a moment to reboot.