Sailing the vast Expanse

They were so cool!

(He'd once debated getting a chocobo, but couldn't get over the idea of living with the smell all day)

Not that Soul was a saint regarding not neglecting their loved ones, but dammit, they'd hope they were better at paying attention now.

"If spending time on mere hobbies is doing nothing, I strongly hope you don't ever find out the horrors of losing yourself."

"...You bastard." Though he knew Soul would hardly take it as an insult. Soul likely hadn't given remotely that much of a fuck in hundreds of years. Literally, in this case, since Soul seemed to have the reoccurring problem of living through loops in time.

They were so cool!

(He'd once debated getting a chocobo, but couldn't get over the idea of living with the smell all day)

---

"...'Do', not much, I would imagine. Mostly I was just curious what kind of perfectly ordinary slime would make my several thousand year old spirit friend cower in terror when we've fought significantly more ominous things before, than, ah... no offence, but, a pile of blue goop."

Every inch of him wanted to know what Rimuru was, why he lit up so brightly red when physically, he really did just look like a typical rpg-game slime.

Akira spares a moment to look at him with Third Eye (wondering if Rimuru will notice the brief change from grey eyes to yellow) and is not remotely shocked, given Shinigami's reaction, to see Third Eye paint the 'normal slime' with so much red he'd put a tomato to shame.

"...Otaku?" Yet another word he didn't recognize. Probably another one without a direct translation. Perhaps it was related to the 'shut in' thing he's mentioned before.

Why anyone would outright admit to being a recluse--or anything similar--he wasn't quite sure. "Mm...If he wasn't planning on ending up where he'd met Lady Emilia...That makes sense, I suppose."

...He was glad that he still did. Despite what happened the day they met.

"That one's real hard to translate, sorry." Akira said, giving Julius an apologetic look (and trying not to start giggling again). "Culture-specific term for somebody that really enjoys certain types of fiction, back home. Wouldn't mean much out here, unless you wanna get weird looks from everyone around you." Then, because he couldn't help but want to be a shit-stirrer in ways that likely wouldn't damage much but Natsuki's pride, he added-

"...If he is from the same place as me though, real good way to get his attention instantly~ Can't say it'd be a positive reaction, though. Depends on how he feels about home, I guess." ...If he didn't come here willingly... Akira's expression fell a bit as he considered it more.

If Natsuki was even a little like Nanami...

"...Actually... might not be wise to use that until you know how he feels about home. Hard to find, that place. Even if you're from there. Might think he has no chance of going back, so using terms he hasn't used himself might get his hopes up." And Akira, knowing damn well how that kind of heartbreak felt, would not be able to help in the way he'd want.

Anyway! Topic change! At least for a moment.