24/06/2018

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The Cardinal of Sin
Chapter 2 Preparation for War Part 4

-cos-

Fifth Floor, Great Tomb of Nazarick, Prisoner Area

Nurasyl Zorlawsi still remembered the day the law enforcement strongmen of the Theocracy had appeared at his home. He'd known then that the jig was up but he'd been pissed. They had come to his home. That wasn't right. They could have picked him up anywhere. He hadn't cared about his bitch of a wife knowing. It was her fault anyway. After their second child was born she'd refused sex. He'd forced her once or twice but all she'd done was lie there. It was boring! She could have shown some spirit. So he'd turned his attention outwards.

He couldn't afford a slave and while he could have probably scraped the money together to visit Flower Street, the thought repulsed him. Sure the women would have been willing but every other dick had dipped them. So he'd found another source. He was always careful to pick girls who'd just come in from the country. They had no contacts and if no one heard from them again, then there was always a doubt as to whether they'd made it to the city. Even in the Theocracy there were bandits, and demihumans.

Nurasyl didn't know what he'd done carelessly, but when the law enforcement strongmen of the Theocracy appeared, he knew he'd been caught. He would have bragged to his wife, but his kids were there. And while his wife deserved to know, they didn't, so he'd gone with them quietly.

He'd expected the noose. The Theocracy was not that kind. Or rather, it was then that he learned the Theocracy's Church had its darkside the same way everything else did. It wasn't that the work wasn't pleasurable, watching what the Cardinals called dissenters squirm beneath him was quite fun but the periodic reports they insisted on giving him were the worst. They told him how his wife had remarried. The traitorous bitch! They told him how she was pregnant again. They told him how his son had found a reasonable job, and how his daughter, Chouko, was currently being courted by several young men, none of whom were suitable for her. All they did really was torment him. Which he suspected was the point. If he'd have been there, those young morons would have run for the hills if they knew what was good for them.

It was hell.

At least, that's what Nurasyl had thought then. He knew differently now. He knew what hell was now.

Hell wasn't some perpetually burning field. It was ice cold. It was filled with creatures that weren't human. All of them radiated a sense of controlled menace. All of them stared at him with eyes that reflected hatred. At least those of them who had eyes did. He wasn't sure what some of them had. It didn't change their power. They all said how much they wanted to hurt him and the others.

Yet, not one of them touched him. None of the creatures made so much as a move towards any of them, despite the fact that Zorlawsi could feel their desire. It had taken him a while to understand why. He hadn't liked the reason he came up with.

They weren't touching him or the others because the creatures had been told not to. He'd heard some of them whispering at times, about their Master and he couldn't help but wonder what type of monster that being was to be able to control such others. He didn't really want to find out but he had a feeling, as the days went on, that he was going to find out.

And there was nothing he could do about that but wait.

-cos-

Sixth Floor, Great Tomb of Nazarick, Gigantic Tree, Aura's Residence

"Aura."

The Dark Elf smiled at the voice. It was soft and melodious. It was familiar.

"Aura."

She smiled again. It was a voice she couldn't be unhappy about hearing. "Hmm?" She questioned sleepily. It was so hard to wake up sometimes.

"Sleepy head!" the voice teased with a chuckle. "You are exactly as I thought you'd be."

That statement caused a flush of excitement to jolt Aura. She opened her eyes and looked around. There was sunlight streaming in the window. It wasn't really sun, not on the Sixth Floor of the Great Tomb of Nazarick but it was enough like it that Aura didn't mind. Instead she looked around her bedroom.

There. Her eyes widened and all vestiges of sleep left her. In a patch of sun was someone Aura would never ever mistake. The Supreme Being Lady Bukubukuchagama!

"My Lady!" Aura scrambled out from the blankets. In her panic, they tangled and Aura fell with a complete lack of coordination.

The pink slime laughed.

Aura gasped. The laugh was not at her. Even if it was, she wouldn't mind but the Dark Elf could tell that Lady Bukubukuchagama simply found the situation funny. It was! Aura knew she had been designed with a high agility factor yet before her creator she was fumbling around. She laughed even as she knelt before the slime.

"You don't need to do that," Bukubukuchagama said softly.

Aura shook her head. Of course she needed to do that. This was her creator! How could she not show respect? If anything she should be on her belly and … Aura froze.

"Aura?" the pink slime sounded concerned.

The Dark Elf shook her head. How could she say she had been so weak?

"Aura, what is it?" Lady Bukubukechagama pressed.

Aura shook her head again, this time feeling tears forming in her eyes. She was usually so much more controlled. What was it about being before the Supreme Being that made her so- It wasn't weakness but why was she so open with her emotion?

"I failed you, and Lord-" Aura hesitated for a moment. Lord Momonga had instructed them to call him Ainz Ooal Gown so as to spread the name of the greatest group of Supreme Beings but to Lady Bukubukuchagama he had not been named that. "Lord Momonga," she said softly.

Even though Lady Bukubukuchagama was a slime, Aura could tell that she had stiffened somehow at the words. "You cannot fail me," she said.

Why were the Supreme Beings so nice? Lord Ainz had said much the same. They were too understanding. She had failed. Her job was to serve them and she couldn't even do that properly.

"I have failed you," Aura repeated.

Lady Bukubukuchagama moved closer, and Aura could feel the slime moving around her. It was comforting with the way it supported her. "You cannot fail me," the Supreme Being repeated. "You have been serving Lord Momonga and he is pleased, yes? How is that failure?"

For a moment, Aura wanted to tell Lady Bukubukuchagama everything but how could she? Then her creator would know how weak she was… But she had asked and Aura had to obey. What did she do? Tears leaked from her eyes.

"There, there," Lady Bukubukuchagama moved closer. "Don't cry," she soothed.

She couldn't even obey that. The tears kept streaming down her cheeks. Aura saw a flicker of distress from her creator. The soft pink glow that emanated from her darkened. "Tell me?" The slime moved, scooping her up and Aura felt warm as her creator engulfed her. It wasn't sticky but was instead comforting. The Dark Elf held back her grief only because she knew that it would displease her creator.

"I can't."

"Tell me," Lady Bukubukuchagama's voice was patient. It made Aura feel worse. She was so weak. "It will make you feel better."

Aura wasn't sure what to say to that. Maybe it would. Maybe it wouldn't. But this was her creator, she had a duty. She nodded, feeling her muscles stiffen with the motion. Lady Bukubukuchagama felt it as well and the slime pressed tighter to her. It wasn't confining. Aura knew she could move at any time but it felt nice.

She took a deep breath. It was Lady Bukubukuchagama she had to answer, no matter how much she didn't want to. But how to explain the changes that had happened? No, she didn't need to. Her creator was a Supreme Being, she would know already.

"I was running a message for Lord Momonga," Aura began explaining. "Something knocked me and Wanglong out of the sky."

"A [Frysta Javelin]," Lady Bukubukuchagama murmured.

"Yes," Aura nodded. That's what Lord Momonga had called it. "There were these humans. They put some sort of device on me," she continued. "I tried to fight them. I killed some but there were too many."

Somehow, this time when Lady Bukubukuchagama darkened, Aura felt it was with the same anger she had felt in Lord Momonga. It made her feel ashamed and she wondered what her creator would feel like when she got to the bad bit. Lord Momonga's anger had been almost incandescent before it had dulled to nothing. But he was like that. Aura knew that. The Supreme Being who had stayed with them until the end felt emotions but did not let them rule him. She knew he was still angry even if he couldn't show it. Lady Bukubukuchagama- What would she feel?

"They wanted to know about Nazarick," Aura told her creator. "I told them nothing," she proclaimed.

Around her the slime's grip tightened. It was slightly uncomfortable but Aura didn't care. It was simply her creator's way of showing her care. "Like the Minoshirokin Incident," Lady Bukubukuchagama muttered.

Aura didn't know what that was but from the darkening of her creator's colour the Supreme Being was remembering something that had happened in the past. It must have been during their time in Yggdrasil. "You were very brave."

She trembled. Lady Bukubukuchagama didn't know everything. "They asked so many questions," she emphasised. "But I told them nothing."

While her creator did not have eyes, Aura got the impression she was being examined and there was a question in that gaze. Why was she here? If she told them nothing, why was she not at Lord Momonga's side planning retribution? Aura shivered. She couldn't say that. She couldn't explain more but Lady Bukubukuchagama deserved the truth. Her creator had to know.

"I'm sorry," Aura cried. "I'm so sorry."

"There is nothing to be sorry for," the Supreme Being said as if she knew what Aura was trying to tell her. But she couldn't. Lady Bukubukuchagama was intelligent but she couldn't know this.

"No, I failed you," Aura told her. She could not allow her creator to have misconceptions.

"You could not fail me," came the assurance again.

"They raped me!" Aura spat the words out quickly.

This time the grip from the slime was constricting. Aura didn't fight it. The tightness was comforting this time. It wasn't like the men who held her down. They had only gripped her arms and legs. They had hit her. This was all over. The Lady Bukubukuchagama enveloped her but there was a sense that she was being rubbed soothingly despite the tightness of the grip.

"They did what?" Every word was hissed and Aura could feel the hatred lacing her creator's tone. It was the same as Lord Momonga's had been. There was not the slightest trace of doubt or accusation there. There was nothing directed towards her but the genuine anger on her behalf and the thought of pain that should be inflicted. Lady Bukubukuchagama, like Lord Momonga just wanted her to heal. She could feel that clearly through the way the pink slime supported her.

Aura felt Lady Bukubukuchagama shift her attention slightly, looking towards the door. She looked over there herself. Mare was standing there, tentatively peering around it.

"Have they been captured?" the Supreme Being demanded the information from Mare.

Aura watched her brother flinch. She felt a flash of anger. It was normal. Mare was always like that, but with the Supreme Beings, Mare should be far more confident. "Mare!" she growled.

Mare flinched again at the words but moved into the room.

"Not all of them, Lady Bukubukuchagama," Mare replied going to one knee.

A tendril rose from the slime, waving slightly. The meaning was clear. Mare did not have to do that. The Supreme Beings were so… Did they not understand that to the citizens of Nazarick they were their creators? They were beyond the mere concept of god. Kneeling was all the NPCs could do to display their respect and so they would. That, and they would serve until the last breath in their bodies. There was no higher honour.

"Not all of them?" Lady Bukubukuchagama was not pleased. "What is Momonga doing!?" she growled.

"Lord Momonga is making plans to invade," Aura told her creator. An odd feeling took her. She didn't want Lady Bukubukuchagama saying anything bad towards Lord Momonga because he had stayed with them until they were allowed to gain true life but at the same time… this was her creator. She wasn't sure what she should feel. Lying within her creator, Aura could almost forget everything that had happened. She felt like she could sleep peacefully.

"Not to capture?" Lady Bukubukuchagama asked.

Mare looked uncomfortable. "We aren't sure of their identities," he whispered.

"Mare!" Aura snapped. It was reflex. Mare should be more confident.

Their creator laughed. She seemed amused, and the tentacle gestured towards Mare. He got up and walked forward. With the movement Aura felt Lady Bukubukuchagama focus once more and she felt a pang that the amusement was suppressed. Her creator should only have things that pleased her. "Why?" she asked.

Mare looked to the ground. Aura saw the way he gulped and his knuckles tightened on his staff. He glanced at her and Aura could see the apology in his eyes. She felt cold with that look because she knew what it meant. "We need Aura to give us the identities," Mare said.

She shook her head. She couldn't do that. Not with Lady Bukubukuchagama here. How could she let her creator know of her weakness? It was bad enough that she had told her! She couldn't do more.

"Aura?" The Supreme Being's voice was still soft, it wasn't demanding. There was a question there.

"No," the Dark Elf whispered. "Please, Mistress, no!"

Lady Bukubukuchagama seemed distressed by her begging. "Aura," she soothed.

It made her feel even worse. Her creator shouldn't be distressed. Her creator did not deserve that and she had failed as a creation if she was the cause of it.

"No, I've failed."

"You have not failed," Lady Bukubukuchagama retorted immediately. "You can tell me though," she soothed. "You can always tell me because I love you."

That made Aura freeze. Love..? Her creator loved her? All of Nazarick's NPC's hoped it was so but to have it confirmed. And she had been so weak. She didn't deserve that love. Aura shook her head, struggling slightly to free herself from Lady Bukubukuchagama's grasp.

"Shhh! Shh!" The slime comforted her again. Why was the Supreme Being so nice? Why couldn't they understand, she had failed? "You can tell me," her creator said. "And they will never touch you again!"

Aura didn't doubt that. If Lady Bukubukuchagama could reach out through time and space, Aura felt that the men would already be screaming. "I don't want you to know how weak I am," she objected.

"Aura Bella Fiora!" Her creator's voice was strong. The phrase told her that she'd better listen. Even Mare stiffened at the words. "You are not weak, and you are incapable of disappointing me. But you have been hurt! And I will not stand for that. In order to show those miserable degenerates my displeasure, I have to know who they are. You can have what is left but they will never be touching another female again."

She stiffened with the words, almost bursting into tears at the strength of the emotion she could feel coming from Lady Bukubukuchagama. Her creator was angry but not at her. There was a desire for vengeance and it would be fulfilled. And if it was for Lady Bukubukuchagama maybe she could remember. "All right," she whispered.

"Good," her creator purred and the expression reverberated into her slime form. The massage felt good against Aura's skin. "Mare?" Lady Bukubukuchagama instructed and Aura saw her brother pull out the mirror he had hauled in for that purpose earlier.

She took a deep breath, steeling herself against the memories she didn't want to recall but for Lady Bukubukuchagama, she would. It had hurt so much. Not physically. They weren't strong enough for that, not even with the restraints she'd been wearing. But, it had hurt. Especially when that other elf just watched. That had made her feel sick.

Aura closed her eyes and felt Mare's magic wash over her. In the link to her brother she could feel his concern. He was sick with worry. She felt a stab of guilt over that. He wasn't meant to worry over her.

"That's good," Lady Bukubukuchagama murmured. "Just relax. Your brother wants to help you," the Supreme Being said. Aura felt a frown form at that. "Little brothers should obey their big sisters," her creator said, "but big sisters need to help their little brothers," she added. Of course she would help Mare! She loved Mare but Mare was so concerned. Aura shook her head. Another thing she had failed out.

"You have not failed!" This time it was Mare saying that. The usual shyness in his voice lost in his sincerity.

"Shh, shh," Lady Bukubukuchagama whispered. "Just remember slowly, we'll take care of the rest," she assured Aura.

The Dark Elf nodded slowly. She didn't want to remember but this was for her creator. "I don't remember those who captured me," she said. That was the easiest way to begin. "They called themselves the Windflower Scripture."

If Aura had of been looking, the mirror flashed a myriad of faces. There were so many of them and Mare held back his voice from a cry of dismay when he realised they weren't going to be able to capture so many images. But that didn't matter. This was a group. They could capture that group.

"I don't know where they took me," Aura continued. "It was dark and I felt so weak."

"That was the [Constraint of Umbra]," Lady Bukubukuchagama assured her.

"They hit me. They tried other things. They asked questions."

On the mirror a new face appeared. Mare looked at it, his eyes burning. This was the man who had questioned Aura. He was well dressed, clean shaven and well fed if the slight paunch was anything to go by. His robes were clean and well made. This was probably one of the Cardinals. Mare hadn't had much opportunity to learn about their target but he knew that much. He watched as Lady Bukubukuchagama's tentacles rose up, and manipulated the camera to capture the image of the man.

"He came everyday," Aura explained. That was probably why the image of him was so clear. She had seen him a lot, she had time to recall the details. "And there was always another one there."

The mirror went fuzzy before a new image appeared. Mare felt his eyes widen. That was an elf! She had heterochromatic eyes like them but they were silver and black and the colour split was not just in their eyes, but seemed to define their entire being. "She called me weak!"

Aura felt a surge of hatred from both Lady Bukubukuchagama and her brother. In another time and place it might have made her feel comforted but she knew what she had to say next, so any feeling was lost in that gathering dread. She felt sick. It was a good thing she hadn't eaten much because she felt like she had to throw up. She swallowed hard, pushing the feeling down. "They said it was because I hadn't told them anything that they brought in the others," Aura whispered.

"It was because they are sicko's," Lady Bukubukuchagama murmured fiercely.

Aura didn't laugh. She couldn't. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying not to remember but now that she had begun, she couldn't stop. "The first ones thought I was weak. I showed them." She remembered that. They'd hit her. She'd felt nothing. Then one of them had come close. She'd kicked him. Her foot hadn't just impacted him but had gone through and there'd been the stench of blood in the cell. The others had been surprised. They'd fled.

The elf had returned then. She'd hit her. That had hurt but not enough to make her forget or obey. They'd forced further chains on to her then. She struggled but combined, they were stronger than her. "They tried to…" Aura's hands went to her mouth as she remembered.

They'd tried to push their things into there. She hadn't let them.

Lady Bukubukuchagama gripped her tighter, it was a comfort. Even Mare's expression turned murderous. It was not like her brother. The image stabilised. For a few moments there, they had seen everything as Aura had. He glared at the new image. That man… That dog wasn't going to be a man by the time he was through. Mare knew he wasn't as vicious as some of the other members of Nazarick. That was going to change. For Aura.

"But I couldn't stop them!" Aura cried. Mare felt sick. How much worse must it be for Aura? "There were too many of them."

"Shh, shh," Lady Bukubukuchagama soothed. "I know this is hard," she murmured. "And you are doing so well. Just a little more. I need you to remember just a little more."

Mare watched as the image stabilised again. He didn't recognise the face, therefore it wasn't one of those they had captured. That didn't matter. Nazarick would capture them all and these animals had lost their right to live. They were worse than… he had no comparison. An animal would attack if it was hungry or afraid. It did not do so in malice. It was something he could comprehend. This was… To call them animals was to insult animals but Mare had no other word.

Aura began squirming within Lady Bukubukuchagama's grip. "They were on me!" she cried. "They were in me!" she gasped.

There was a stream of images on the mirror. Lady Bukubukuchagama didn't hesitate, making sure the camera captured each one. The feeling from the slime became grim. It mirrored the feeling Lord Momonga gave out. Mare was reminded of the words Lord Ainz had used in the declaration of war. No quarter asked, and no quarter shown. This new world was going to find out what it meant when Ainz Ooal Gown made that declaration.

But… The Dark Elf stared at the mirror as his sister burrowed further into Lady Bukubukuchagama's comforting presence. There were so many faces. No wonder Aura didn't want to remember. He felt sick because he'd asked her to but he felt sick because he remembered what Neuronist Painkill had said. Aura had to remember if she was to recover. She had to go through this? Again and again… Would it ever end?

"Is that all of them?" Lady Bukubukuchagama asked finally once the clicking noise from the camera stopped. It was a gentle question.

Aura was shivering. Mare could see the way her eyes were squeezed shut. She didn't want to open them, even in the presence of her creator. "Yes," she whispered but it was a trembling noise.

"Are you sure?"

Mare was surprised that Lady Bukubukuchagama could ask that.

Aura seemed surprised as well. She shivered some more and the motion made the slime seem to shake. In another circumstance it might have been funny. "Yes," Aura mouthed the word.

"Good," the Supreme Being said. "Now I know who needs to be rounded up. I'll make sure Momonga knows exactly how important it is to get all of them." There was a cold note in her voice that left no doubt as to what she expected would happen then. No doubt Lord Momonga would be more than happy to comply.

The slime shifted slightly, supporting Aura. "You have been so brave," Lady Bukubukuchagama whispered. "So, so brave. I am so proud of you."

Aura said nothing. Her eyes were red rimmed and she was trembling. "You sleep now," the Supreme Being said. There was no spell or power in her voice, it was just deep concern that Aura responded to. Her eyes grew heavy and she nodded slowly before settling herself more comfortably and Mare could feel when his sister fell asleep.

Lady Bukubukuchagama shifted, oozing over to the bed and pushing herself up on to it. The blankets turned back and Aura was placed gently there. She murmured in her sleep when their creator drew back. The blankets moved to cover her. Aura had a soft restful expression on her face. Mare was pleased to see it as the Supreme Being drew back and slipped out of the door.

Mare took a deep breath. This was the bit he didn't like. He waved his staff at the mirror. It vanished. Aura didn't need that reminder. Then he whistled softly. Fenrir bounded through the door and didn't need to be told to settle on bed around Aura. Mare then sat in the seat beside the bed. He reached out and gently took Aura's hand.

Just in time. She stirred. Since she'd been brought back Mare had become familiar with all of Aura's stages of sleep. He stroked her hand.

"Hmm," Aura murmured sleepily as her eyes opened. She looked over to her brother. "I had the nicest dream," she said.

"Did you?" he asked. It was always nice when she didn't wake up remembering.

Aura pulled her hand away to push her hair back and to pat Fenny. The huge wolf licked at her and she giggled. It was almost as if she was normal.

Mare liked that thought but knew that it was just an illusion.

"It was so nice but… no!" Aura whispered at the end.

The Dark Elf knew what it meant. It meant she had remembered. "Aura," Mare breathed, almost begging.

"Please go away," she replied.

He sighed heavily but got up from the chair. "If you need anything," Mare said.

"Just go," Aura was on the verge of crying.

Mare sighed. "I'll be back later." That was all he could say. It's what he'd said every other time.

-cos-

Ninth Floor, Great Tomb of Nazarick, Ainz's Office

Ainz looked up when Mare was shown into his study. The young Dark Elf had aged in the last few days. He didn't look like he was sleeping or eating right. The crisp dress Bukubukuchagama had dressed him in looked rumpled. It wasn't of course. Mare wouldn't allow himself to come before him like that but it was the feeling.

He was a bit surprised when Pandora's Actor followed.

"Mare, Pandora," he greeted them.

The two NPC's knelt. Ainz sighed. He realised Pandora was kneeling because while Ainz had told his NPC he could be more casual, the Doppelganger never did so in front of the other NPCs.

"Rise," he instructed. "I think for the moment, we should dispense with that," Ainz added, looking at them both seriously. He didn't let either reply. "Have you got them?" The question was directed towards Mare.

He was surprised when the Dark Elf looked uncomfortable but then he realised what it would mean. Ainz allowed himself to take a sharp intake of breath. "I am-"

"No," Pandora interrupted, interpreting what he was about to say. "We have them." The Doppelganger help up a sheaf of papers. His long fingers were almost completely wrapped around the images. Mare moved forward, and placed the camera on his desk.

"We?" Ainz questioned.

"I am sorry, my Lord," Pandora said, lowering his head. "We had to-"

While Ainz might not be the most intelligent of the guild members of Ainz Ooal Gown he was intelligent enough. He realised what they had done. "You appeared as Bukubukuchagama," he stated.

"Yes, my Lord."

Ainz sighed again. "She will take it badly," he said. Over the past few days, while thinking about how best to assault the Theocracy he had taken several books from the library. They were not the easiest reading but they were things he had to know. It was easier when he read them alone. Then he could pretend it was an academic interest. The books, and other information told him that Aura would not like the deception. As difficult as it was for everyone, she had to recover in her own time. They could not rush it.

"We made it seem to be a dream," Mare said tentatively.

"Umhu," Ainz mused. "I suppose that will help," he agreed slowly. Something had to give with Aura he just didn't know what.

Mare looked to the ground, as Ainz reached out to take the papers from Pandora. He flicked through the images. They were all just men. Some were brutish but others appeared more… well, he wasn't sure what he'd been expecting from men who would rape a child elf.

An unseen frown appeared on his features when he finished looking at them. There were two that didn't fit. One was an elfish face and the other was older.

"These two?" he asked, holding up the images. He didn't know how much Aura had told them but now was the time to find out.

"We are not sure, my Lord. Aura indicated that the elf," Pandora said, gesturing towards the image, "called her weak."

Ainz looked at the image. The woman had one silver eye and one black. The colour was almost the same as her hair. He didn't like it. Unlike Aura and Mare's eyes, the woman looked smug. She was too… He wasn't sure what it was exactly. She seemed pompous, and he didn't like it.

"And this one?" He prompted, putting down the woman's image.

"That one asked the questions," Mare answered this time.

Ainz looked at the image. "This is the important one," he said. "Of course, Aura may have them all but this is the one who knows what is going on," he concluded.

"I will take the images to Demiurge."

"Of course, my Lord," Pandora sounded calm but Ainz noticed that Mare was trembling.

"Mare?" He asked gently. He had gotten better at controlling his anger in the last few days. He was still angry about what had happened to Aura, but with the declaration of war, he was funneling the emotion into those plans. The Theocracy would be obliterated, very soon. That was a comfort.

"It's Aura, my Lord," the young dark elf told him.

"She may have any of the Theocracy," Ainz assured him. "I will not tolerate their actions."

Mare shook his head, his ears seeming to droop even more than usual. "It's not that, my Lord. It's Aura," he said softly, swallowing hard. "She is not getting better," he finished in a rush.

Ainz nodded but looked towards Pandora. The doppelganger nodded. It was difficult to tell with his face but he looked sad. "She must recover in her own time," Ainz repeated one of the lines he had read in the book. It was similar to what Neuronist Painkill had also told him.

"But when will that be?" Mare cried before gasping, as if realising who he was speaking too.

"Mare," Ainz said gently, "we must be patient. I know it is difficult but we must support Aura and when she is ready, she will begin to heal. I will support whatever decision she makes about the Theocracy. I have considered other options," Ainz continued. "And if I could use [Make a Wish] I would be chanting the spell already."

"My Lord!" Mare felt his eyes widen as he looked up, staring at his Master.

[Make a Wish] was super tier magic that converted the caster's experience into power. That the Supreme Being was willing to go that far was too much for them.

"I have not used it because there is no wish that would cure Aura," Ainz explained. There was a tiny possibility in this new world new wishes would be available but he was not sure. He had researched every wish available in Yggdrasil and none of them were suitable.

Mare felt his heart clench. Their Lord was so understanding. It was more than he could ever have expected.

"Though, Mare, you aren't stuttering?" Ainz noted.

The Dark Elf recognised an attempt to change the topic but he couldn't appreciate it. At the moment, all topics lead towards Aura. "I can't, my Lord. Aura needs me to be strong."

The Supreme Being nodded. "It will not be a short path to recovery," he said, "but you are doing the right thing," he assured the Dark Elf. "You both did," he said.

The two NPCs nodded and Ainz dismissed them.

This was not easy on any of them.

-cos-

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