In The Flesh

A/N: Whoo I finally did it! Only two weeks after my last update, hallelujah!

Enjoy!


Chapter 17: The Price of Sovereignty

POV Ainz

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Knock knock.

"Jade, are you awake?" I whisper against the chamber door.

A few seconds pass; then I detect the faint sound of fabric shifting. A light flicks on, casting a slim beam of light through the bottom of the door.

"Suzuki, is that you..?" comes a groggy voice.

"Er, yes, I'm sorry to disturb you so late…" I apologize gingerly.

Creeeeeeeak.

Jade, barefooted and ostensibly wearing nothing but an ember-orange bathrobe, appears in the open doorway, squinting tiredly. I quickly avert my gaze to the floor in embarrassment:

"Ah, if it's a bad time, it can wait until morning…" I mutter before turning around to leave.

"No no, don't worry about it. I don't need much sleep anyway. What's up?" She inquires, reaching out and grabbing the sleeve of my garment to turn me back around.

"Ah, okay then... do you mind if we talk in your room?" I ask.

"Oh, yeah, sure. Come in then," she says, stepping to the side.

"Pardon me," I say while taking a trepidatious step inside.

Jade closes the door behind me before slinking over to her bed to sit on its end. Swinging her legs in an alternating, childlike rhythm, she pats the space next to her invitingly.

"V-very well..." I mutter, forcing an uncomfortable smile on my face before shuffling over to sit next to her.

"So what did you want to talk about?"

"Ah, I just had a few questions I needed to ask you that I neglected to pose earlier, regarding your stay in Nazarick…" I explain.

"Oh? Like what?"

"Just two simple questions, really," I say nonchalantly: "they are very important though, and concern your own well-being while you reside in Nazarick".

Jane's eyes widen at the mention of her safety, but I raise a hand before she can speak:

"Ah, but don't worry, You're perfectly safe here, of course: it's more a simple matter of ensuring a smooth integration… I'm only doing this on behalf of the guardian overseer, Albedo, you see. Perhaps you could not tell from your brief exchange with her, but, she is quite anal when Nazarick is concerned, and though I loathe to admit it, she and the other guardians harbour some skepticism for you… hmm?" I hum thoughtfully at the end, noticing Jade's peculiar face: "What is it?"

"No, no, it's nothing!" Jade assures, but a betraying smile of guilt blossoms on her face from being called out: "I just thought it was a bit funny talking to 'Ainz' again, and not Suzuki. You've really mastered the tone and speech patterns of an authoritative figure, haven't you?" She giggles.

"I don't understand..? How else would I act..?"

"Pfft-! Right right, of course, my apologies Your Majesty!" She offers in a blatantly patronizing tone.

Does she think this is funny? To address me, Ainz Ooal Gown, so casually? Or, worse still, does she mean to mock?

Indignant anger flashes, red-hot, through my mind:

"Enough! Your attitude is unacceptable towards me: show some respect or you will be executed! Understood?" I bellow angrily, feeling my anger manifest brilliantly in my eyes as burning-red embers.

For a moment, Jade visibly jumps and stiffens with fright, tight-lipped and sobered up.

There, that will teach her some manners and-

"Ahaha, you actually got me there for a second, Suzuki, that was really impressive! I didn't know you had such an imposing side. I can see how you've managed to flourish in the New World thus far! That thing with your eyes, the glowing red: was that a special effect you got from the gacha shop or something? It's really cool!" She commends excitedly.

A 'special effect'?! This girl-!

"You-!" I begin to reprimand, before quickly shutting my mouth. No, I cannot afford to do anything drastic… I should just ask her the questions and leave.

"Ahem, anyway, regarding those questions I wanted to ask you…" I begin again, trying my best to keep the bitterness out of my voice.

"Right, right! I understand. You do have an image as a Supreme Ruler to uphold in front of your guardians, after all. Ask away," she permits with a nod.

I take a deep breath to regain my composure.

"... Firstly, what are your long-term plans here in Nazarick?" I ask.

"Long-term..? Could you be more specific?"

"Hmm… I suppose I mean to ask, how long do you intend to stay in Nazarick? And…" I hesitate for a moment, biting my lower lip: "... do you intend to try and find a way back to Earth?"

"Ah!" Jade exclaims understandingly: "Funny you should mention that, actually!" She beams happily: "coincidentally, right before you came in, I was thinking about how I should go about proving to you how smart I am! And then it hit me: you told me earlier how you managed to create a spell that allowed you to regain your human form permanently, right? Well, if I spend some time in the library and study up on the nature of magic and technology in this world, I'm sure that, with my amazing brain, I'll be able to create a spell or device of some sort to transport us back to Earth!" She explains confidently.

-!

Regain..? Permanently..?

"Is… that so?" I stammer.

"Yeah! Jeez, Suzuki, I thought you'd get all excited at the prospect of returning to Earth," Jade accuses with a pout.

"Tch… so you really do intend to steal him away from us…" I mutter quietly, allowing my tongue to click in annoyance.

"Hmm? What did you say?"

-!

"Oh, ah, nothing! Ahem, er… regarding your plan to return to Earth… how long do you think that will take to prepare?"

"Hohhh? So you are excited after all? Can't wait to get back, eh, eh?" She presses, nudging me with her elbow playfully - no, rather - annoyingly. This girl is utterly insufferable!

"No!" I cry spontaneously, but no sooner had the word left my mouth then Jade recoiled in surprise and I realized my mistake.

"I mean-! Ah, 'no', I'm MORE than just excited to go back!" I offer lamely in an attempt to salvage my blunder.

"Aha, I knew it!" Jade cries triumphantly with a grin - a flash of teeth that seems to set my very soul ablaze with a fight or flight response, with a primary focus on the former option, of course.

Why would I ever want to leave Nazarick? And with someone who has such an irritatingly unenticing demeanour, no less... surely it would never happen.

"Anyway," Jade continues, oblivious to my scorn: "I have a few ideas, but nothing concrete. I honestly couldn't even give you an estimate on how long it could take. I'll know more tomorrow: once I begin my research, it should become quite clear rather quickly how difficult an endeavour this whole plan will be".

"Ah, but regardless, you likely won't be finished for at least a week, correct?"

"A week?!" Jade shrieks, leaping up from the bed in outrage:

"Bloody hell, Suzuki! I mean, I'm flattered, really, but no way! At the very least, something this complex will likely take months, maybe even years to accomplish!"

"I-is that so..? Well, that's a relie- I mean, hmm, that's a shame…"

"Wow… you sure know how to take the wind out of someone's sails and make them feel inadequate, Suzuki…" She groans indignantly; music to my ears.

The less wind in your sails, the sooner you'll stagnate and sink...

"Ahaha, sorry, sorry," I reply with a fruity chuckle, feeling it appropriate. Now then, where was I...

"Now, tell me, Jade: certainly you would agree that this New World is quite vast and could still harbour some unforeseen threats, even to us".

"Well, I find that hard to believe, given what I've seen so far, but if you say so, it must be true then…" Jade concedes halfheartedly: "why bring that up?"

"Well, given that your - er, our - plan to return to Earth will take quite a bit of time, I think it would be prudent to ensure proper protective measures are in place in order to react to and prevent any possible interferences".

"Um… yeah, that makes sense I guess. Wouldn't want something bad to happen to either of us in the meantime".

"Yes, of course… with that in mind, I'd like to know of any weaknesses you may have in order to compensate for them and play to your strengths, should the need arise" I explain.

Jade's brows furrow a bit - from skepticism or concentration, I cannot tell; just to be safe:

"Aha, again, just a simple procedure. Every new arrival in Nazarick has to answer these questions, or the overseer will throw a tantrum," I lie, scratching the back of my head.

Seemingly satisfied by my response, Jade shrugs her shoulders and hums thoughtfully.

"I guess my biggest weakness would be…" she trails off, casually tapping her chin with an index finger; "...that I can't be revived".

-!

"You… can't be revived? At all?" I ask, trying to keep my voice from quivering.

She shakes her head forlornly;

"No, not at all… not even by super tier magic, I reckon; though perhaps with a world item…"

"Unfortunately, Nazarick does not possess such an item…" I assure candidly: "but why? I've never heard of someone incapable of being revived…" I press.

"It's because of my racial class [Sovereign of Light]. Any [Sovereign]-type class is extremely rare, and labels the person who possesses it as a 'Supreme Being' to whom mortal means of resurrection cannot apply… at least that's what it says in the lore description, anyway"

"For such a debilitating effect, surely it must grant you some incredible benefits," I say, hoping to elicit further elaboration.

Jade lets out a hollow laugh:

"Oh yes, especially for a lone-wolf player like me; I never had anyone around to revive me even if I were to perish, so losing the ability to be resurrected was not a devastating sacrifice. It was sorely outweighed by the benefits, in any case: the [Sovereign of Light] class permanently boosted all my stats by 5 points, increases my mana regeneration by 300% as an innate passive, and grants me access to a temporary active ability - [Day of Reckoning] - which, for sixty seconds, boosts all my stats by an additional 25%, amplifies the damage of my holy spells by 100% and allows me to spam them with 0-cast time and a reduced cooldown. The effect cannot be dispelled by any means, either".

"That's… incredibly powerful…" I concede through gritted teeth.

"Yes, but there still remains a downside to it as well; during those 60 seconds, all previous buffs that were applied to me prior to the ability's activation are dispelled - which again, was not much of an issue since I never played with other people who could buff me. In terms of actual debilitations, I cannot heal through any means during the sixty seconds of [DoR]'s duration. And it takes a toll on my body, utterly crippling my speed and health regeneration for a short time after it runs out as well. It's definitely a double-edged sword in that sense; it's fantastic in 1v1's or when I'm in a pinch, but against a handful of high-level players or monsters it was not very useful because 60 seconds was often not enough to dispose of them all".

"I understand… yes, that makes sense. Everything comes with a cost befitting of its value, after all," I offer philosophically, sighing in relief on the inside.

There should be no problems then…

"So uh… anything else you wanted to talk about?" Jade asks hopefully.

I shake my head slowly, rising back to my feet and smoothing out the wrinkles that had formed in my robe:

"No, I think I'll retire to my chambers… I'm quite tired. But, we'll have plenty of time to talk tomorrow. Thanks for humouring my guardians' request," I offer with a smile.

"Ah, no problem. Yeah, I'm pretty tired too, I guess…" she confesses disappointedly.

"Goodnight then," I bid farewell with a wave of my hand before heading out the door.

"G-goodnight…"

Ker-chunk!

Once the heavy door closes behind me, I allow myself to shiver euphorically.

That went even better than expected. To think, she wouldn't be able to be revived! How fortunate! Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined a better, more detrimental weakness which so perfectly accommodates our needs!

My heart now overflowing with glee, I raise a hand high into the air:

"[Greater Teleportaaaaaaaaation!]" I chant triumphantly, blinking out of the dim hallway - unaware of the pair of anxious golden eyes that had been watching me from the other end of the hall.

POV Neia

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My eyes flutter open as a warm beam of sunlight tickles my eyelids.

Groggily, I gaze at the window, cursing that I had forgotten to draw the curtains last evening.

Wait a minute… the sun's position in the sky…

-!

The realization is more than enough jolt my sluggish brain awake, and I quickly try to roll out of bed.

But a strong arm wraps around me from behind, pulling me back by the waist.

"E-eltric!" I gasp in surprise.

"Just five more minutes…" he mutters groggily, nuzzling my neck.

I can't help but giggle as his coarse bristles tickle my skin.

"N-no, seriously-!" I try to protest, wriggling vainly to break free - but my laughter effectively undermines my efforts, and I feel him only squeeze tighter.

"Hey, I'm sure the Holy Kingdom will survive if the great Neia Baraja stays off-duty for another five minutes… I'm sure Lieutenant Perriarch is holding down the fort just fine," he assures in a tone suggesting his drifting back to sleep.

And for a moment, the warmth of his body is almost enough to coerce me back to sleep.

But no!

"No, Eltric, I really must get up now. The day I let someone else take charge is the day I-!"

"Is that so? That's funny, seeing as how quick you were to let me 'take charge' last night…" he whispers in a sultry tone, his breath sending a shiver down my spine.

Feeling my ears burn up, I can say nothing as I imagine the self-satisfied smile that is undoubtedly manifesting on my bedfellow's expression.

And so a few minutes pass - of Eltric's soft snoring, and my desperate struggle to stay awake.

Practically counting down the seconds, as soon as five minutes pass, I wriggle free of my imprisonment in one swift motion.

Eltric reaches out for me, but this time I'm too quick.

I spring up from the bed and flash him a pompous grin:

"Ha."

"I don't know why you look so triumphant, when I'm still very clearly the winner," he assures, and I feel at once his hungry gaze begin to ogle me from head-to-toe.

"Oh for God's sake what is wrong with you!" I cry out in embarrassment, wrenching the blanket off the bed to wrap around my own body.

Eltric yelps in surprise

"Damn it's drafty!" he shrieks indignantly, springing up from the bed while cupping his genitalia protectively. I avert my gaze to the side, burying the lower half of my face in the blanket to conceal my blush.

"Really, Neia? No need to act so timid, it's unlike you! Besides, after everything we did last night, I think you've irrevocably relinquished your innocence!" He accuses with a jeering grin, his head, no doubt, flooding with depraved recollection.

"Just get out already!" I wail frustratedly, trying to keep my own thoughts from straying. My heart feels as though it could explode at any moment.

"Aye-aye, captain!" Eltric finally concedes patronizingly, quickly pulling on his pants and shirt.

"J-just so you know, this won't change our dynamic or anything… I'm still in charge!" I cry petulantly as he darts for the door.

"Until the sun goes down again!" He calls out over his shoulder before disappearing from sight.

"Jeez…" I mutter hopelessly to myself, looking to the now vacant bed.

Despite my best efforts, my lips furl into a wistful smile, and I shake my head.

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"Captain!" A sudden voice cries out as I, still adjusting the last button of my dishevelled tunic, make my way down the flight of stairs leading up to the officer's barracks.

I look up to see Perriarch - looking rather skeptical, no doubt, over my uncouth appearance. I realize, horrified, that I hadn't even taken the time to wash my face or fix my hair.

"W-what is it, Lieutenant?" I demand, feeling my cheeks flush self-consciously.

"Er… right, well; it would seem we have a visitor who's looking for you," he declares, turning around to point towards the training grounds.

I squint my eyes.

-!

"Shizu-chan!" I cry out happily before sprinting down the flight of stairs, leaving a dumbfounded lieutenant behind.

"Shizu-chan!" I cry out a moment later, waving to the short battle-maid, who turns to face me.

"Ah, Neia-chan. You're looking especially cute-ugly this morning," She compliments(?) with a resolute nod, slinging her firearm back over her shoulder.

"It's so good to see you!" I cheer, taking hold of her hands: "what were you-" I begin, eyeing her gun, but stop myself short as I notice the smoking debris littering the target practice field - even the farthest targets, that I myself have some difficulty hitting consistently, have been completely obliterated.

"Is that your doing..?" I ask apprehensively.

CZ-delta cocks her head to the side in confusion before turning to follow my gaze.

"Ah, yes. A few of your men noticed the weapon I was carrying and wanted to see it in action… I hope you don't mind," she explains nonchalantly. I level a glare towards a distinctly guilty-looking group of five or so men off to the side, who look back at me furtively with sheepish expressions.

I sigh.

"No, it's no problem Shizu-chan, I'll get them to clean up and set it all back up in no time!" I finish tersely, raising my voice so the five men can easily hear me. They all flinch and begin to grumble like scolded children before begrudgingly shuffling out to the field.

I look back to CZ and smile again:

"So what brings you here today..?" I ask.

It surely couldn't be to deliver another gift from the sorcerer King, could it? If it is, this time I'll have to reject it no matter what. Nothing we've done could warrant such charity from the Supreme One. I'll just tell CZ to relay I did not feel right relying on the Sorcerer King's generosity once again and-

"Actually, I'm here to let you know that Ainz-sama will be arriving shortly," the maid explains bluntly.

-!

"A-Ainz-sama… is coming here?!" I cry out in shock, grasping CZ by the shoulders.

"Ouch, that was very loud Neia-chan…" she complains with an otherwise stoic expression, lifting both hands to cup her ears adorably.

Sure enough, my unnecessarily loud voice seems to have carried far, garnering the attention of nearly everyone on the training grounds. With a mix of surprise and confusion, they begin murmuring excitedly amongst themselves.

"Er, sorry CZ-chan… when exactly will Gown-sama be arriving?"

"Hmm…" the orange-haired girl hums;

"Any minute now, I suppose".

-!

"S-seriously?!"

She nods matter-of-factly.

I turn away from her and raise my voice as loud as possible:

"Oi, everyone! The Sorcerer King, Ainz-Ooal Gown-sama - saviour of the Holy Kingdom - will be arriving here any minute! Clean yourselves up, right and proper, and gather in front of the barracks ASAP! Spread the word!"

"Hai!" the men all cheer before rushing off in every direction.

"Hey!" I call to the five men from before, all of whom were also about to leave:

"Not you guys! Finish cleaning up. If there's so much as a single chip of debris on the field by the time the Sorcerer King gets her, you'll all be getting one of my boots up your ass!" I threaten.

"Neia-chan…" CZ whispers to me quietly, tugging on my sleeve.

"What is it?"

"I know you've told everyone to look their best for the Sorcerer King, and that's great and all, but… truthfully, you're the messiest-looking person I've seen today. And you smell…" she points out, pinching her nose for emphasis.

I pull open the collar of my own tunic and take a tentative sniff.

-!

"A-ah… you have a point," I mutter embarrassedly: "if you'll excuse me, then…" I stammer, feeling my cheeks flush for the upteenth time today. Bowing awkwardly, I turn and sprint back to my chambers.

POV Ainz

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"[Ainz-sama, we are ready for your arrival]" A quiet message rings out in my head.

I get up from my throne with a sigh.

"Very well. I shall arrive momentarily," I reply in a deep tone.

At Albedo's suggestion, I've decided to visit the Holy Kingdom and see how things are progressing. And it's as the guardian overseer said; my appearance would surely resonate with the people of the Roble kingdom - for what a kind and magnanimous Ruler I will seem, checking in on those I had helped weeks ago. It's sure to inspire more support and adoraton. Plus, though I'm reluctant to admit it, a part of me is a bit curious to see the development of this new religion CZ-delta has told me about… does that make me egotistical? The very concept of a religion, with me at its core, makes me a bit nervous in an ironically humiliating kind of way… well, best not to keep them waiting any longer.

I wish Jade could come with me, but she seems to still be sleeping right now - as it is rather early - and Albedo informed me she had agreed to have a duel with Cocytus and some of the other guardians later this afternoon. I was overjoyed at first to hear of such a development, but now I can't help feeling a bit melancholic.

"[Gate]" I chant, opening up a vortex.

Look at me, getting so attached to a sixteen-year-old girl… how silly. I'll be able to speak with her later tonight. It's good she's bonding with the guardians.

Having convinced myself all was well, I step through the portal.

I squint my eyes, struggling to adjust to the bright sunlight of my new environment - yet another struggle I didn't have to deal with when I was undead. Which reminds me; I think tomorrow I'll start looking into the undoing of this spell. Things have been hectic lately, but, if I don't figure something out soon, Demiurge will start wondering why I haven't started employing this 'race changing spell' for any of the purposes we had discussed. And I feel as though I should check on Fluder again… he's been holed up in the library - under strict supervision, of course - these past couple days. It'll be interesting to see if he's attained the level of a 7th-tier magic caster; he was quite close when he first came to Nazarick, asking to live here. Ah, the more I think, the more things I discover need to be done, and the more I regret deciding to spend an entire afternoon here!

-!

I've been too lost in thought! I quickly shake my head and look around.

"...Eh?" I stammer in surprise, noticing the large group of kneeling soldiers in front of me.

I shoot a quick look to CZ-delta, kneeling off to the side. She nods her head, conveying her endorsement of the circumstance

"Ainz-sama!" A cheerful voice cries out.

I look down.

"Gah!" I gasp in surprise, noticing Neia Baraja at my feet.

"Is something the matter, Ainz-sama?" She asks, narrowing her eyes in concern.

Shudder.

It's been a while since I've seen those eyes… I'll have to reacclimate myself to them again. They're as unnerving as ever...

"Er, nothing, Neia. Or should I say, Baraja-dono. I've heard of your promotion from CZ-delta: congratulations," I commend deeply.

The scary-eyed girl before me blushes profusely at my compliment, wobbling momentarily on her planted knee.

"Ainz-sama, please do not refer to me as -dono! But thank you, nonetheless! It was mostly thanks to you!"

"Me? And what did I do?"

"It was through your aid, the opportunity to act as your bodyguard during your last visit - and your loaning of this item to me-" she pauses, motioning proudly to the ivory bow on her back; "that I was to climb the ranks so quickly!"

"Is that so? Well, I hardly feel I deserve any credit; I merely helped open your commanding officers' eyes to the talent I knew was within you from the very beginning," I assure with a confident nod.

A quiet wave of admiration breaks out among the kneeling soldiers.

'So humble'

'So nice!'

All according to plan!

"A-ainz-sama…" Neia trails off bashfully.

Then suddenly, I hear a quiet voice from the front row whisper to the person next to him:

'Hey, is that really the Sorcerer King..? I thought he was undead..?'

'Might be some sort of illusion..?' The other suggests.

Ah, that's right, I guess I should-

"Hey!" Neia shouts, whirling her head around to glare daggers at the culprits; they recoil under the weight of her savage gaze;

"Show some respect! Of course this is the great Sorcerer eep-!"

I reach down and place a hand on the captain's head, and she startles under my touch.

She turns around to face me, with a very childlike expression of surprise… not endearing enough to temper the innate coldness of her eyes, though.

"Baraja-dono, it's quite alright. Their confusion is understandable; it's very likely some of your men have never seen me in person before, anyway" I muse thoughtfully before removing my hand and stepping forward.

"I am the Sorcerer King, Ainz-Ooal Gown; my current appearance is merely the result of a new spell I've recently manufactured," I announce to the crowd, divulging as little detail as possible.

A chorus of understanding 'ooh's' and 'ah's' ripple through the ranks.

'See? What did I tell you?' I hear one person say, lightly punching the soldier who had originally brought my identity into question in the shoulder.

Suddenly, something dawns on me.

"Ah, where are my manners? You may all rise," I bellow authoritatively.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

"Ainz-sama, what brings you to the Holy Kingdom today..?" Neia ventures, fidgeting anxiously in place.

I see her ostensible infatuation with me hasn't waned one bit since I was last here…

"Ah, well, I simply wanted to check in on you, and everyone else here. You see, I felt a bit guilty about leaving so soon after I had dealt with Jaldabaoth. I wish I could've stayed longer to help with the aftermath," I explain, offering a compassionate smile.

The crowd erupts;

"Ooooooooh!"

'So kind!'

'So thoughtful!'

'All hail the Sorcerer King!' A few particularly emotional individuals decree.

Yes, this is going perfectly!

"Ainz...sama…" Neia sobs, wiping at her tearful eyes. When she finally removes her arm to look up at me with her now moist, bloodshot eyes…

My left eye twitches fearfully and I hold back the urge to shiver. Her eyes are more potent than a level V [Fear], I swear!

"Er, Neia, I don't mean to insult you, but I do believe it's a bit unbecoming for a captain to weep in front of her soldiers over something like-" I whisper to her awkwardly, only to lose my voice as I notice over half the congregated soldiers are crying in a similar manner.

M-maybe I went a bit overboard and spoke a bit too altruistically…

Hmm?

Who is that guy over there, glaring daggers at me?!

"Er, Neia… Neia?" I address the ranger, stirring her back to reality.

"F-forgive me, Ainz-sama… I was simply overcome with joy!" she explains.

"I-I see… er, in any case; who is that man over there?" I ask, nodding my head towards the sour-looking individual.

"Who..? Ah!" Neia exclaims as she follows my gaze.

As soon as her eyes land on him, his expression softens and he flashes a wide grin our way.

"That's my second in command, Eltric Vellitch! Oi, Eltric, come over here!" She cheers, waving him over.

The man - looking quite chipper now - saunters over, his chest puffed out.

What's up with this guy?!

"It is an honour to meet you in person, Your Majesty. Neias gushes about you constantly," he reveals in a strangely complex voice: coy, measured, but with a distinct undertone of... bitterness? Envy?

casting that perception aside momentarily, I turn to regard the captain with a hint of amusement:

"Oh? Is that so? That makes me happy".

"E-eltric..." Neia protests weakly, fidgeting with the hem of her tunic.

"Anyway, jokes aside, it truly is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Your Highness; I'm Eltric Vellitch," the man finishes his introduction in a wholly pleasant tone, bowing his head courteously.

"Likewise. Neia was just telling me you were her second in command; and if she chose you, I'm sure you're a very capable man," I reason warmly.

"Yes, well, as I'm sure you know, the captain has very good eyes".

"Umu. that is why I made her my bodyguard the last time I was here".

By now, for some reason, the captain's face has turned bright red. Does she perhaps have a fever..?

"Neia, are you feeling ill?" I question.

"She's fine, Your Majesty," Eltric responds for her, with the resurfacing of that subtle yet biting inflection.

I arch an eyebrow. Did I say something wrong?

"Eltric!" Neia exclaims, swatting him in the chest with the back of her hand - a rather informal reprimand, I note.

"Forgive me, Your Highness. I did not mean any disrespect," he apologizes with a bow;

"Now if you'll excuse me…" he finishes curtly before turning around and walking away.

"E-Eltric!" Neia calls after him - but he continues on, offering only a backhand wave of acknowledgement before disappearing into the barracks.

Neia takes a step forward to go after him, visibly fuming, but I lay a hand on her shoulder;

"Do not worry Neia, I am not offended… though I must wonder if I said or did something out of line..?" I muse thoughtfully,

"N-no not at all Ainz-sama! Truly, I do not know what's come over him; I assure you he meant nothing by his tone!" she asserts adamantly.

"I see… in any case, I'm more than willing to overlook it. I'm sure he has his reasons".

"Truly, you are too kind Ainz-sama!"

I raise a hand.

"Now, Neia, if you're not too busy, I would enjoy it very much if you would assume the role of my bodyguard once again and show me around. I've heard there's a very flattering statue of me in a nearby town," I joke.

The captain's face brightens in an instant;

"Of course, I would be honoured! Though for the record, in regards to the statue, I personally don't think it does you justice…" she trails off before turning to face her men - who have been awkwardly watching our discussion unfold, standing at attention this whole time. I kind of feel bad for them…

she opens her mouth to address them, but then hesitates, pausing suddenly; she shoots a glance back at me;

"Would you like to do the honours, Ainz-sama?"

I shake my head in rejection of her offer:

"Nonsense; they are your men, not mine".

"Understood! In that case…" she turns back to the group with a broad grin;

"Dismissed! As you were; but remember, you are still in the presence of a true King!"

"Hai!"

After offering one last bow, they all disperse - though many of them continue to sneak glances my way over their shoulders.

A 'true' king, she says… does this mean she still holds me in higher regard than the ruler of her own kingdom?

"Now then!" Neia beams excitedly; "Ainz-sama, would you like to head into town now?"

"Yes, that would be wonderful. Let's be off," I say, beginning to walk down the forested path leading to the road that connects to the town of… what was it called again? Melly-something? Mellbitch? No, that can't be it…

"Wait, Your Majesty!" Neia suddenly cries in a panic, drawing me from my failed recollection.

"Hmm? What is it?" I ask, turning back to face her.

"I-I can't allow you to just walk all the way into town! Please, wait a moment and I'll go get a horse for y-"

"Don't worry, I'm rather in the mood for a leisurely walk. I could use a breath of fresh air, you see".

"Are you sure, Your Majesty..?" she trails off apprehensively, shooting a glance towards the stable in the distance.

I simply nod my head before continuing, conclusively, down the path. After a brief moment of dithering, the captain jogs up close behind me. I see CZ-Delta begin to walk towards us as well, but I quickly raise a hand and shake my head.

'One escort is enough'. She nods her head in reluctant obedience.

After a few steps, I notice, Neia trailing slightly behind me; I slow my pace, thinking the difference in our strides to be the cause, but she too slows down in response.

"Baraja-dono".

"Yes, Ainz-sama!"

"Why don't you walk by my side?"

"A-ah! It's just, I couldn't possibly…" she trails off uncertainly.

"-walk as though you were my equal? Nonsense. Come. I feel ridiculous leading the way into unfamiliar territory, anyway".

"R-right! V-very well then!" the hard-eyed girl stutters, scampering up to my side.

"..."

For a couple minutes, we walk in silence, as I admire the simplicity of nature, while Neia's eyes, bulging from her reddened face, remain ultimately glued to the loamy ground. Was she always like this around me?

"Baraja-dono, it seems something is troubling you,"

Her eyes widen momentarily;

"N-no, I'm fine, really!" She exclaims - a bit too loudly to be convincing.

I offer her some accusatory silence.

"W-well, it's just… I suppose I'm a bit worried that perhaps you'll be disappointed with my accomplishments thus far… that you won't find the statue to your liking and whatnot… or the church, well, it's rather humble, and surely not opulent enough to be a place worthy of hosting an assembled reverence for one such as yourself, and-!" She begins to ramble worriedly until I finally interject:

"...Neia, do you really consider me a person who would dwell on such pretentious trivialities?" I ask in a disappointed tone.

"F-forgive me, Ainz-sama! I - and everyone else - know how humble and kind a person you are! Please ignore my impudence!"

"Good, I'm glad you don't think so lowly of me. Now, don't be worried; I'm sure that your hard work has paid off, and I'm grateful for all that you've done for me. I am equally certain that anything you've cultivated couldn't possibly displease me," I assure with a nod.

"A-Ainz-sama… I am undeserving of such praise…" she trails off in a bashfully-giddy tone.

"I only give credit where credit is due, Baraja-dono".

A couple more minutes of silence. Soon, we come to a crossroad, and a sign that reads 'Mellevitch'. Ah! So that was the name of the town, I was on the right track… good, that would've been embarrassing if I had said it incorrectly to Neia, or anyone else for that matter.

"Ah, Ainz-sama, I almost forgot!" Neia suddenly exclaims, jumping in front of me and bowing until her torso lay parallel with the ground.

"Hmm?"

"I wanted to thank you in person, on behalf of all my men and the town of Mellevtich; thank you for your generous donation of runic equipment earlier this week. They allowed us to turn the tide during a fierce and sudden demon attack. Countless lives would've been lost had it not been for your charity! Oh, and I, of course, represented you to the best of my abilities with [Shooting Star Super]!" She cries, like a child bragging to a parent for acknowledgement.

It's kind of flattering I suppose, to have someone pine for your recognition; but a bit unsettling as well, mostly because of her eyes...

"I-is that so? Well, I'm very glad to hear you've already made good use of it all… think nothing of it," I say with a dismissive wave of my hand.

Ahhh I feel so guilty! After all, that whole demon attack was Demiurge's scheme, which I, of course, approved of in a panic... 'it was the perfect opportunity to showcase the equipment's worth and further embellish the Holy Kingdom's opinion of the Sorcerer King', or so Demiurge had said. It worked out, but... it was still a scummy thing to do, in hindsight.

"Ahem, well would you look at that; is that Mellevitch appearing on the horizon?" I say while pointing to an opening in the tree line, eager to change the topic.

Neia whirls around excitedly;

"Yes, that's it Ainz-sama! I'm sure everyone will be overcome with joy at your arrival! Once we get a bit closer, please allow me to go and let them know you're coming so we may prepare-"

"Neia, what did we just discuss? There is no need to make a fuss; I am not someone who demands a royal procession wherever I go".

"A-ah, right… my apologies, Ainz-sama…".

As we approach the town gate, the two guards on duty hail us - and Neia runs over to explain the situation.

As I wait for her to finish, I can't help but look up at the clear-blue sky, noticing how high the sun has risen. Jade must surely be awake by now… who knows, she may even be having fun with the other guardians by now.

I smile at the prospect, then notice Neia waving me towards the gate - the two guards have dropped to their knees.

I can't wait to get back to Nazarick and learn of Jade's bonding with all the NPC's.

I hope it goes well.


A/N: Next chapter is sure to be... exciting. I'm hoping to release it soon, because I'm anxious to write it, but I may have to redraft it multiple times so who knows. Stay tuned!