I've been sort of curious for awhile if Shizu was in fact Lucia's reincarnation or not.
Lucia possessed Wisdom King Raphael and this has caused many to assume that Rimuru has some connection to her because he obtained the same skill. But I'm wondering if the reason he obtained Raphael was because of Shizu's Deviant skill that fused with Great Sage to form Wisdom King Raphael. In short, it was Shizu who caused Raphael to appear in Rimuru, not Rimuru. To me, that would solve the whole is Rimuru is Valdanava or Lucia confusion. As it could mean Shizu was Lucia, and Rimuru is Valdanava, and what the Dark Elf said was true and they are actually soulmates. The Great Sage yearned for development and the Deviant skill fusion gave it, but could it be that Shizu's consciousness somehow mixed with the Great Sage, hence why it specifically became Wisdom King Raphael specifically, since Shizu in this scenario is Lucia? Could it be that is why the "ego" of Wisdom King became "Ciel" and referenced "herself" as Rimuru's "Legal Wife"?
Just curious what other's perspectives on this would be.