CHAPTER XV: HARMONY

I open my eyes to a wondrous landscape, my body rising from a knee to stand among a field of flowers. Butterflies and wildlife roam around under a bright blue sky without care but before I can bathe in the pleasant atmosphere, Shalltear shouts while turning away, "Great! Just great! What did you do this time!?"

"I don't know..." I say with embarrassment, Shalltear groaning aloud and swatting at some of the butterflies flying too close to her. I go back to viewing the landscape and start to note the abnormalities I can see. The field of flowers didn't seem to end, the landscape stretching from horizon to horizon. I start to wonder how big the field is and start walking in a random direction but Shalltear snaps at me to stay close. I do as instructed and she grabs my shoulders, pushing me to my knees so I'm forced to look up at her. Her face snarls at me as she states, "This is what I get for trusting you! Why can nothing be simple when it comes to you!? No, no, it has to be a subtle plot under a subtle plot with even-"

She stops in her rant and lets go of me suddenly, her face switching to surprise as she looks at something behind me. I try to turn my head but tense my body when something picks me up off the ground with tremendous strength, massive arms hugging me too tightly and causing my bones to strain. Raucous laughter follows as a familiar voice states to me, "I would never imagine this outcome in a million years!"

"Father!?" I gasp as I force his grip open slightly to turn my body around, the surprise clear on my face at seeing his skull helm staring back at me. How he appeared out of nowhere without either of us detecting them is unknown but I quickly blurt to him, "But...you're dead! We saw your spirit dissipate! Did I just kill us both!? Where are we-"

"Slow down, Beric! Nothing as devious at that!" he replies with a laugh, his embrace increasing in pressure. Thankfully, his embrace is short and relents quickly, his arms opening so that I can land on my feet. A massive gauntlet lands on my left shoulder as I shake once from the uncomfortable strain, my body feeling as if every bone is out of place slightly. I wait for him to reply to my questions but Shalltear appears on my right suddenly, angling my head towards her as she snaps at me, "Warrior Takemikazuchi is your father!? When did you plan to share this with me!?"

"I just woke up a day or so ago! I just learned myself!" I snap back as I turn to her, my father's hand leaving my shoulder as I glare at Shalltear in growing ire. She does the same to me but my father laughs and moves to a knee, his hands landing on each of our shoulders in a comforting way. We both direct our ire at this new target in unison but quickly lose the feeling, Takemikazuchi nodding his skull helm to himself and looking between us before saying, "You two remind me so much of Izy and me. She always had a temper and in the brief time I've become reacquainted with her, she hasn't changed. Let me give you some advice, Beric."

He leans his helm closer to me and lowers his voice slightly but not enough for Shalltear to miss what he's saying. "She will always be right, no matter what you think. I made the mistake of thinking I could be right but it isn't true. Don't make my mistake and ruin what you two can build together."

"What's going on here, Warrior Takemikazuchi? Why are we here? Where is here?" Shalltear asks with reverence, my father laughing as he removes his hands and rises to his feet. He moves his hands further upwards to remove his helm, the helmet coming away from his armour with the sound of escaping air. He places the helm under his right arm as he looks between us, his brown hair flowing off his head and out of his armour as if compressed in a tight space for too long. He has to use his other gauntleted hand to move the hair out of the way, revealing a face lined with terrible battle scars. His right eye is missing, replaced with a crimson orb of light that stares at us with an unblinking ferocity that his face didn't match. There's no mistaking the resemblance but compared to prior encounters, his face only looks partially like mine. He gazes back at me and states, "Don't act so surprised, Beric. You take after your mother's looks more than mine. That's a good thing."

He gestures gently towards the horizon and starts walking in that direction, Shalltear and I following behind his tread. For someone so large, he doesn't disturb the flowers around us with his footsteps and as if summoned from the landscape itself, his path leads us to an old-style shrine on the horizon. I look at the place in wonder as we pass through a symbolic crimson archway, our footsteps becoming surprisingly loud once we transition from earth to cobblestone pathways. My father continues forwards to the main temple, his footfalls slowly taking him up a set of wooden steps with us close behind. He says behind him as he climbs, "I was summoned here by the sword as was someone else. It is traditional for the parents of the soon-to-be-wed to meet, is it not? After all, you did use the sword I created for that purpose?"

I miss a step as what he says sinks in, Shalltear passing me slightly and smiling knowingly as she proceeds. I don't let the moment distract me too much and hurry to catch up, Takemikazuchi leading the way into the interior of the shrine. I stop at the door, surprised beyond belief to see Lord Ainz sitting at the table so casually. They aren't wearing their usual robes, their body swathed in a full black Haorihakama that covered most of their body save their hands, feet, and head. Lord Ainz rises from where they're sitting and crosses the wooden flooring, my father laughing as they reach each other and grab each other's right wrist in a warriors handshake. I'm shocked that, for the first time I've known them, Lord Ainz is the slightly shorter one.

"Momongo! You're the one acting as Shalltears parental figure now?" Takemikazuchi states in good humour, Lord Ainz laughing as he replies, "We both know that Peroroncino wouldn't take this occasion seriously even if you paid him to."

They share a brief laugh but the laugh quickly devolves into a serious discussion. My father asks Lord Ainz with concern, "How have you been holding up?...we left you with so much responsibility and now...now this...this New World and-"

"I've been trying to keep what we built alive if that's what you mean. It hasn't been easy, more because of the children you all left me to care for," he replies with slight humour, my father nodding thoughtfully as he glances back at us. Neither Shalltear nor I have entered the room and both supreme beings beckon for us to take a seat. We walk slowly into the room and take our seats on one side of the table as the two supreme beings take their seats across from us. Both of them look and act far too relaxed for the situation at hand and although I'm nervous, I try to emulate their example. Lord Ainz reaches into one of their sleeves and slowly pulls out a large glass bottle containing a clear liquid. Their skull nods once to the bottle as they place it on the table but Takemikazuchi seems transfixed by the item.

"Kuusu! Ten years old! Where have you been hiding this!?" my father exclaims in disbelief as Lord Ainz produces simple porcelain cups from their sleeves and starts pouring the liquid into the four cups he places. Lord Ainz explains as we take our drinks carefully, "On my person. I bought a bottle when I first started existing in Yggdrasil and I was always waiting for the right occasion to drink it. It never arrived...until now."

Lord Ainz holds his cup near the centre of the table as they call a toast, all of us gently tapping our cups together as Lord Ainz uses their magic to place a small amount of ice into each cup. I nod as I drink the contents of the cup slowly, coughing lightly from how strong the drink is. The flavour is mellow but the richness is far too high, the beverage almost like drinking a thick syrup. My father coughs lightly as well, almost spilling the drink out of his mouth back into the cup. Shalltear doesn't seem affected at all and finishes her helping smoothly along with Lord Ainz, both of them sharing a laugh at our expense before Shalltear tells me, "You lightweight. It isn't that strong."

"Speak for yourself," I groan as I try to finish the drink, my body forcing itself not to cough or expel the drink onto anything. I gag as I set the cup down too hard on the table, another cough escaping me before I can stop myself. My father doesn't finish his drink at all, his cup placed back on the table as he states groggily to Lord Ainz, "That is...not what I expected. Remind me not to do that again."

"Noted but onto business," Lord Ainz states with mirth, Takemikazuchi coughing once to clear his throat before crossing his arms and focusing on the task at hand. Lord Ainz sets his hands on the table as he focuses on me with his gaze, his eyes glowing bright red as he states, "I must be certain of your intent so I will ask you directly. Are you aware of what your father intended and what you've just set in motion?"

I inhale and exhale nervously from all the attention, my reply as calm as I can manage given the situation. "I am...the sword links the minds of the two who use it so an understanding can be reached before proceeding further...that way, a strong base is made before...before committing-"

"Marriage. You mean marriage," Shalltear interrupts, my head nodding once to confirm what she said. Lord Ainz doesn't seem convinced, their posture still rigid and their eyes judging me harshly. He states pointedly, "I find your intentions hard to believe. Of all the beings that would seek Shalltear's hand in anything, you are the last person I would expect. Did you forget half of the wrongs she has done to you while you slept?"

"I haven't forgotten, Lord Ainz, but I am choosing to overlook them," I reply with a tint of ire, Lord Ainz nodding once but their posture remaining rigid and firm. He doesn't relent in his doubts and states in a serious tone soon after, "And what of your other choices? Aura and Mare? Roeray and Doris? You would choose Shalltear over all of them?"

"Aura and Mare don't healthily love me. They love too possessively and what they want for me is not what I need," I reply calmly, Shalltear scoffing audibly at my reply. I turn my head to see her expression, the smile on her face not at all mirroring her displeasure. She comments with the same smile, "After all they've done for you, you say that? I am very disappointed."

"We both know its true. Denying it won't change the reality," I state calmly, Shalltear trying to become angry but grudgingly nodding her head. Lord Ainz gets my attention by tapping the table with their skeletal fingers, their other hand beckoning for me to continue answering his questions. I take long moments to think about what to say but find the answers easily, my mind still saddened by what happened recently. In a hollow tone, I say to those around me, "Isnadra was buried inside Roeray's subconscious and sprung out when Shalltear tortured her. She killed Doris and absorbed her essence, using her to find and strike at me to complete herself-"

"Doris sacrificed what little essence she had left to bring you back to life. You would've remained asleep forever if not for her and you blame yourself for this," Lord Ainz finishes for me, my head hanging low from his accusing tone. Lord Ainz doesn't relent in his accusations, their voice stern as they state to me, "All I see is no reason for me to allow this union. At best, you're trying to fill a void with someone else without considering their needs. At worst, you are going down your list of choices and choosing Shalltear because you're out of options. I cannot approve of either extreme or anything in between-"

"He sees something beautiful that no one seems to see. Despite the rough exteriors and harsh words they share, all they want is the feeling that someone cares for them no matter what they are," my father interjects, my shoulders slumping as he exposes my inner doubts. The room goes quiet as the words settle into everyone's thoughts, even Lord Ainz losing some of his sternness by relaxing his posture. Among the silence, I can make out sniffling from next to me and I look to my right to see Shalltear trying her best to hold back tears. Light tears run down her face, each hand clenching into a fist in her lap and when I reach out to her instinctively, my right-hand rests on her shoulder without opposition. Lord Ainz sighs and states in a sombre tone, "I am sorry, Shalltear...I had to make the choice I did because-"

My father slams his armoured hand on the table, cracking the wood in a thunderous outburst. He snaps his head to Lord Ainz in growing fury as he shouts, "This isn't about you, Momongo! It's about them and their future! I've read the changelogs and I know what you did to Albedo! The least you can do is to give them the chance!"

Shalltear loses her composure and starts crying, her hands moving to her face in an attempt to hide her breakdown. She tries to remove my right hand on her shoulder but when I don't budge, her body turns to me and reaches forwards. I hold her head and upper back as she cries in my arms, my tears falling in sympathetic pain. My father directs his next furious comments at me, saying in a determined bark, "You listen to me, Beric. You pursue this and you don't back down for any reason. Damn the consequences. You may doubt yourself and your actions but if you back out of this, you'll regret it for the rest of your life. There are few second chances with love or happiness. Take this chance."

I nod a few times, my emotions too unstable to put anything into words. Long moments pass before Shalltear calms down, her breathing coming in sad huffs as Lord Ainz grunts to themself. They state to my father in a mocking tone, "Are you the best being to give such advice? If I recall, you never cared about what Izy wanted."

There's a deep growl followed by my father surging upwards, his hands grabbing Lord Ainz by the shoulders and hoisting him off his feet. Both Shalltear and I are transfixed by the sight of Lord Ainz being shaken so violently, Takemikazuchi growing in fury as he shouts at him, "I was wrong, all right!? Is that what you want to hear!? That the one person I wanted to impress, the one person I should have valued above everything was someone I said no to!? Someone I pushed away!? Is that what this is about!?"

"As you said. This isn't about us," Lord Ainz states calmly, my father exhaling angrily as he lets go of Lord Ainz. The latter drops to their seat awkwardly, his body leaning slightly over the table from a harsh landing before he rights himself. Takemikazuchi sits down rapidly with a thud, crossing his arms and breathing hard to try and reign in their rage. Lord Ainz gazes back at us as he states neutrally, "We can discuss this for eternity but as we all agree, this is ultimately their choice. Takemikazuchi and I want what's best for you two...but we can only understand so much of the situation without falling into personal biases."

"This is stupid..." Shalltear whispers, her right hand leaving my shoulders as she leans back and angles my chin upwards slightly. The same hand moves my eyelids down, my brow raising slightly from her strange change in behaviour. I jump slightly from her lips meeting mine, my eyes trying to open but her right hand moving my eyelids again. Her lips are cold and feel like they aren't entirely there but I have enough sense to accept the moment and try to return her gesture equally. I don't need much convincing but have to force myself from taking things too far, my body revving up subconsciously in a way that made me uncomfortable. To control my reactions, I let her choose the pacing and only return what she gives, my hands remaining on her back only and my muscles locking to prevent unwanted reactions.

She breaks away silently, my eyes allowed to open and view her simple smile. The smile remains on her face even as an edge of harshness enters her voice, her eyes fixed firmly on me as she says defiantly, "I respect the wishes of our creators but I don't care if they disapprove. I didn't accept Beric's offer just to back down so I'm taking this as far as I can because...because your father is right...I just..."

Shalltear can't finish the words but there's no need for her to finish. I smile for her but only incite her embarrassment, her left hand shoving my face lightly as she blurts, "Don't mock my embarrassment with that smile of yours. Don't forget that I'm not above harming you so don't push your luck."

"Of course...milady..." I reply calmly but she shoves my face again, clearly embarrassed by my casual use of phrasing. My smile fades as I quickly remember where we are, my head turning to the left to meet the gaze of Lord Ainz and Takemikazuchi. They both gaze back at me but nod their heads in unison, my father slowly rising to his feet and turning away from the group as he states, "I don't think we have anything to worry about, Momongo. Do you?"

Lord Ainz rises and turns the opposite direction, their skeletal left hand on their right shoulder as they stretch the joint. He glides away and gives us a simple chuckle before intoning in reply, "No, Takemikazuchi. No reason to worry at all."

"Wait how do we-" is as much as I can say before the world around us collapses into itself.