Breeding Issues

by The Ruff Pusher

Momon the Dark Hero encounters Zesshi Zetsumei. mature content/smut

15. Chapter 15

Note: This story is a work of fiction. It has many content of adult nature. If you do not want to read such content, please close your browser window or press the convenient back button.

This story uses the same setting as my other story "Momon, Big Black Changeling". Essentially, Ainz Ooal Gown is the same type of creature as in that story, although this and that story happen in different worlds.

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As a seasoned adventurer with many years of experience under her belt, Gagaran was attuned closely with her surroundings. It was necessary for survival that an adventurer pay attention to everything that was going on—even when in the midst of the sheer chaos of a brawl, or a tense negotiation with a troublesome client. Just a mere moment's lapse in inaction could lead to an unwelcome dagger in the side, or some stupid idiot nurturing a grudge that could screw you over years down the line. Over the years, Gagaran had earned the many trophies on her marked skin, but she could confidently say that none of them had ever been made from sheer stupidity.

That was the reason why, on the very moment she woke from a brief nap, her mind instantly clued her in that something was wrong. Something ingrained in her senses ignited the instincts buried in her body. She rose with eyes narrowed, all tiredness dispelled from her body. She grabbed the dagger at her side and pulled it close, ready to stab at anything that even remotely looked threatening.

Nothing. No shadows stirred; no figure emerged from the corner in a threatening position. She sniffed the air. Nothing was burning, nothing smelled like blood or iron or oil. Nothing smelled strange in the air, as of an assassin's incense, or the mysterious powders of some devious magic caster. Nothing looked amiss, and everything was still. Silent. It was just as it had been when she'd slept.

She sighed to herself, but did not relax. There was still something in the air, and her instincts were telling her that something was really off. Something had woken her up, and she trusted in her instincts enough that she would never ignore its warnings. It was better to laugh at a false alarm than to grit one's teeth at a situation gone out of control.

She wiped off the last vestiges of tiredness in her body by shaking herself, and stretching her limbs. It was always good to use any opportunity to prepare oneself, and to exploit any moment of advantage that the enemy would give. Not that she was certain there even was an enemy here.

Then, after another moment, she stilled. An unnatural sound had reached her ears. They were muffled, as if they were coming from far away. It could be something that was coming from outside this inn, but one could never be sure. So thinking, she stalked out of the room, and down to the corridor.

She glanced towards the room where Lakyus was sleeping. Both Tia and Tina were still there, sleeping on chairs near the entrance. The Leader herself was lying on the bed inside, still dozing her hurts away thanks to Evileye's concoction. She looked back at the twins and snorted. Despite proclaiming that they would never accept the offer to sleep, the two of them had gone and done it anyway. Normally, this situation would warrant that one of them would stay up to act as watch. But the strange elf Mare had promised that they would keep watch, and so the rest of Blue Rose was given the invitation to rest.

Gagaran had taken the offering of a rest on a soft, downy bed, but the twins had been stubborn that someone should at least be close by to watch over Lakyus. While Gagaran certainly saw the logic in it, she wasn't really sure that both of them were needed. But sometimes they were as stubborn as mules when it came to stupid shit, and so she allowed them their little display.

But the two of them had ended up sleeping anyway.

After confirming that the rest of her team was safe, she went back to investigating the strange noise. She shuffled down the corridor towards where she thought it was, trying her best to be as sneaky as she could. The sounds seemed to be coming from one of the storage rooms there. A thin film of dust covered patches of the floor and ceiling. All her muscles braced for the imminent strike—without her armor all she had were her physical reactions to defend against a threat.

As she got close, she was able to hear bits and pieces of sounds. Sounds that were distinctly human. There were some noises0 that sounded like they were coming from a girl. It seemed to be moaning, as if it was gripped in some sort of pain. By process of elimination, there was a very clear possibility that the voice belonged to Evileye. That made her hasten her steps.

Then another voice came, belonging to someone entirely different. It was clearly male from the sounds of it, though the identity of its owner was obscured by how muffled it sounded. She was closer now, so she was able to make out a few distinct words.

"… Should be… Not that I'm… Time…"

The voice didn't sound like Mare, who was the only other occupant of the inn. And come to think of it… She looked back over her shoulder. She didn't seem to sense their presence here. Or anywhere. That was another concern, but she didn't have time to focus on that now. What matter now was the question: if Mare wasn't here then, who was this?

She stepped closer to the door. The door was slightly ajar. A flash of light from within made her flatten herself quickly against the wall. For a few seconds she just stared at the door, as if expecting it would open. Half her instincts were screaming at her to bolt, and the other half wanted to stay and confront it. Yet nothing at all happened, though the sounds kept continuing.

"Mmmmmpphhh… Hrmmm…."

"Really shouldn't… Guhhh…. Shit…!"

She walked sideways, her back still pressed to the wall. With narrowed eyes, she considered the open gap. Then she looked down at the dagger on her side, and held it up. She flicked it over her forearm repeatedly, as if she was polishing a piece of furniture. Then she held the blade to her eyes, and saw her own face reflected on it. Grunting in satisfaction, she lowered her hand and slowly eased the blade through the crack in the door.

She didn't expect to see what was really happening on the other side.

There was none other than the hero Momon, situated against some sort of seat, like a box or table. And then, right there between his spread legs, was a familiar head with familiar blonde hair. It took Gagaran a second to comprehend that this scene was really happening; that right over there her friend had somehow pushed her face right against Momon's crotch. Not even the most innocent-sounding excuses could explain this scene as anything but the obvious.

And then, seemingly right on time to confirm her suspicions, that exact same head pulled back—thereby making an implication full reality. For there indeed was her friend's face, young and sprightly, her eyes closed: and what was more, her lips were firmly locked around Momon's cock.

Gagaran's eyes widened, as she desperately tried to stifle the impulse to make some sort of cat-call or whistle upon seeing that guy's package. She had seen her fair share of penises during states both sober and otherwise, but never had she seen one that looked so damned impressive. Momon really seemed to be some sort of super-human with the way his cock looked—long and girthy with just the right hint of curve to really slam it home. And she wondered then, if Evileye had gotten fucked right out of her mind by that thing.

Well, she was certainly giving it such lavish attention. It was almost hard to believe that the stoic, foul-mouthed woman she had known was now fondling some man's cock while her mouth made wet, lewd sounds that filled the room. She was really working hard on his cock: moving her hands all around, stroking it, then planting kisses up and down, then all around the length. She could see hints of her tongue flicking out to lick and lather her spit all over her cock, making it glisten.

Then she swallowed that cock. Gagaran was surprised she was able to take it in with how small her mouth was. However she'd done it, the fact could not be denied, and she moved her head forward slowly. Gagaran could well imagine her cute little mouth getting spread apart by that cock, being forced to widen up to accommodate him.

"Oh, there it is," she muttered to herself when the choking sounds happened. She'd never imagine hearing those kinds of noises from Evileye of all people, but there it was: her friend choking and gagging on cock meat.

"Oh, you're so good, so good.." she heard Momon say. Damn, that girl must've been hiding a whole bunch of filth in her head to have gotten to such a state like this. And judging from the silent moans coming from Momon, she was as much of an experienced cocksucker as she was, maybe even the best in Blue Rose (barring the leader of course).

It seemed to be enough to make Momon start really pushing his hips forward and back, like he was fucking her face, causing her to make loud, muffled, choking noises with her throat. Those sounded so much like sounds of distress that she was tempted to intervene, yet Gagaran was no young virgin misunderstanding shit. She would never get between a couple and their private kinks, and neither would she do it to a friend. In any case, this seemed to be something in which both parties were experienced, as evidenced by the way Momon was biting his lips, and of the loud, slurping sounds that were coming from Evileye. She could see that Momon wasn't even moving that hard, so they must already know their limits. Yeah, there was nothing to worry about. In all honesty she would have done the best thing and left the two lovebirds to themselves.

But this was her friend, and it was the first time, so she stayed.

She could see Evileye's spit come out in sloppy globules. She could well imagine those little muscles on her neck straining to bear the brunt of Momon's assault. She could imagine him poking his cock tip repeatedly in her throat. And then she heard Evileye moan like an utter bitch in heat. She seemed to actually like it! Gagaran almost burst out a laugh, at seeing the bizarre juxtaposition between the woman she knew as a comrade and this whore-like creature in the room, on her knees, her blonde hair matted with sweat.

Eventually, all that action culminated in Momon's climax, judging by the way he was crying out, "Cumming, cumming!" She was yet again surprised to see her friend start absolutely ramming that cock in like a champ, as shown by the way she was moving her head forward and back, like she was bashing her head against a wall. The choking noises intensified, until the very peak.

This was the moment of truth. Was it going to be a swallow or a facial? It turned out to be the latter, as Momon pulled out. A moment later, a fascinated Gagaran watched his cock start literally blasting poor Evileye's face with ropes of white cum. And unless she was missing her guess, Evileye just sat there, soaking it all in like a flower getting nourishment, possibly even with her mouth open to catch it. She'd only seen someone do that once, and it wasn't any old whore, but some debauched noblewoman. No whores did that unless they were paid well. Truly, her friend was into some kinky shit.

At this point, Gagaran thought that she should be making her exit from this impromptu voyeurism. But some impulse made her stay. Would they be moving on? She listened closely.

She heard Momon sigh, watching Evileye do her best at cleaning up.

"I feel like I should be thanking you for going this far for me…" he said. Evileye said something that couldn't be heard, considering she was still working through a mouthful of cum. But apparently Momon seemed to understand, as he chuckled.

"Well, as much as I want to, I have it on good authority that doing it now would be a little skechy." Momon paused. Evileye seemed to have said something. "Well, considering the fact that your friend's kind of watching us at the moment. Wouldn't that be a little awkward?"

Gagaran let the words sink in her head for a good long second before she immediately stumbled backward, withdrawing the dagger and putting it clumsily at her side. At the same time, there came a loud clattering noise from within, as if there was a bull causing havoc inside that small room. Her mind still reeling from all the things she had seen in her little impromptu voyeurism, Gagaran didn't even have any thoughts about fleeing or doing anything at all. She just stood there, and after a while her mind caught up. She was about to turn and flee when the door banged open, and Evileye stood there, her face shining with sweat, her golden hair looking all moist and messy. Her cheeks were burning the same shade of red as her eyes, before the latter widened when she recognized her.

"Wha—Gagaran?"

"Um… hi," Gagaran said, struggling to keep a straight face.

Gagaran saw that Momon was looming behind her. Thankfully, his trousers were already on and he had already covered up. There was an awkward look about him. When Gagaran looked back at Evileye, she spotted the stray strand of cum that was somehow still clinging from her left cheek.

It was the sight of that which made a laugh burst out from Gagaran's gut, like a gust of wind. The burst was quickly followed by a full-blown, gutbusting laugh, as she doubled over on the ground, her whooping, heckling laughter bouncing off the walls and reverberating throughout the whole building.

There came another set of noises from behind her—loud footsteps and the noisome clatter of steel. Predictably, the twins came charging in, their steel bared as if they were expecting an attack. Their gazes swept about like predators on the hunt. Then they looked at Gagaran.

Gagaran turned to face them, and then immediately noticed the trace of drool that hung from Tia's lips. That only made her laugh more.

"False alarm," Tia said, frowning, as she put away the daggers.

"Just another idiot's voice," Tina said in agreement.

"We thought you were dying," Tia observed.

"Hoohooo… Gyahahaha… Oh… Sorry… Sorry… It's just…" she wheezed, and gestured towards Evileye. The two of them tilted their heads in confusion, rightfully wondering what she meant. Then, Evileye appeared at Gagaran's side, who glared at her. Momon followed after, wearing a bemused expression on his face.

"Never you mind, Gagaran. That's enough out of you," Evileye said, her voice laced with warning. Still, despite the ominous-sounding timbre of her voice, Gagaran could never quite forget the desperate look on her friend's face as she'd swallowed whole inches of Momon's cock. For better or for worse, her impression of her friend had changed utterly.

"Momon, you're here," Tia said. The two of them bowed respectfully. "We thank you for allowing our friend to come visit. We of Blue Rose are in your debt."

Momon inclined his head in response. "How could I not allow my dear Evileye, especially when her friend was involved? I know how close you two are." Evileye made some sort of sound, but did not speak.

"Hold on, where's that elf? Mare?" Tina said, looking around. "I don't sense them anywhere. Did they—"

"I sent him away," Momon announced, his voice gentle but firm. The tone in his voice finally made Gagaran settle down, and she experienced a bout of coughing as she tried to rein in her breathing.

"That'll teach you to laugh like some braindead donkey," Evileye muttered.

"Are you alright?" Momon asked.

"Mmmnn… I'm fine," Gagaran said, stepping away to give the couple a little space. "…But going back to what you said… You ordered that Mare away?"

"Yes." Momon nodded and crossed his arms over his chest. "There has been an incident, and I had need of him elsewhere."

"Incident?" Tia said, blinking.

"What incident?" Gagaran asked.

Momon hesitated, looking from them to Evileye, then back. "I've received word that the Re-Estize Kingdom has declared war once more on the Sorcerous Kingdom. Apparently, they sent an invasion force in the direction of E-Rantel, ostensibly to capture it. I have no more details than that."

The mood in the room, which had once been relatively peaceable, cooled like a sudden winter chill had wafted through. Gagaran glanced at the twins, who looked just as shocked as she did. "Come again?" she asked. "Is that true?"

Before Momon could answer, Evileye had spoken. "You would doubt sir Momon's word on something like this? He's never one to joke."

"Are you serious…?" Tia muttered. An ill feeling fell on Blue Rose. For Gagaran, the mirth she had felt upon seeing Evileye had evaporated like water on a hot day.

"Geez, what the hell happened? What the hell's going on?" The situation did not at all fit their assumptions about the Kingdom. It was as if some malevolent, self-destructive force had seized control of the minds guiding the nation, and had driven it headlong like a runaway chariot into a dread abyss. On one hand it was still dealing with a war against the Holy Kingdom, a war that was sure to be taxing it significantly.

And now, apparently, they had declared war once more on the Sorcerous Kingdom, willfully breaking the truce that had been established since the Disaster at Katze. The act was entirely unconscionable for normal relations between human kingdoms. That they would try it on no less an entity than the Sorcerous Kingdom of all things was tantamount to suicide. And with the way things looked, then Re-Estize would also once more have to contend with the Baharuth Empire, its former rival, should Ainz Ooal Gown call forth its vassal.

She furiously searched her mind, but was unable to find a solution for herself. But she did feel sorry for Lakyus, who among them felt the most connected to the land of her birth. She had already been cross with them for failing to prevent the outbreak of hostilities with Roble. So how would she feel with them abandoning all reason to break a truce and declare war on a country that had already beaten them handily before?

"The situation is too fluid and dangerous at the moment," Momon was saying. "That's why I came myself to collect Evileye. I need to take her to a safe place. You will forgive me for cutting your reunion short."

"Well, there's no helping that," Gagaran said. "She is carrying your child after all." Evileye flushed at that, though Momon's expression did not break, as he merely nodded to that.

"Then, please excuse us," Momon said. He had just placed his hand on Evileye's back when she stirred.

"Momon-sama," she said. "Would you mind it if we brought them with us?"

Momon blinked, before looking down at her in surprise. "Huh? What are you talking about? You want to bring them… there?"

Evileye matched eyes with him. "Not that far," she said. "To the house. Our house."

Sensing that instigating a row was not in anyone's interests, Gagaran said, "Hey, whoa, no need for that, squirt! We can take care of ourselves just fine. You can go on with him."

"No," Evileye said, her voice filled with conviction. "Lakyus is still hurt. You won't be able to find any better help than me. You can't do that here, so you need to go with us to our place."

"Your place?" Tia repeated.

"Your love nest or something?" Tina said.

Evileye choked. Momon barked out a laugh. "No, no, I think what she means is our safehouse, which I had purchased long ago. It is one of many properties I purchased beforehand here in E-Rantel. I have applied protections on it that make it impervious to most attack. Indeed, it is like its own castle in a sense, though its protections are far more subtle than a moat."

"Um…" Gagaran glanced at the twins, who tilted their head at her. They were also usure as what to say to that. Should they accept? They had to ensure Leader's safety, that was true. But wasn't this situation awkward as hell?

"Come on," Evileye said, a little impatiently. "Let's go already. Time's burning. Momon-sama's already agreed."

"Has he?" Gagaran drawled.

Everyone's eyes focused on Momon, who shifted his body. "… Yes, that's true. We can certainly spare the room at the house."

"There, see?" Evileye said.

Gagaran exhaled long, and loud. As de facto leader in Lakyus' absence, it was her responsibility to see to the group's interests. "Alright. Alright! We'll take the offer, with our most profuse thanks. I hope you've got some good beer in stock there, fella, or I'd be mighty disappointed." She held out a hand, which Momon shook.

"Oh, we can certainly provide that," Momon said.

Evileye smirked. "I knew you'd see sense."

"But let me be clear," Gagaran said, a smile slowly dawning on her face. "No one wants to be a voyeur, not even me, so could you please find the proper place to do your… business next time? It would be much appreciated."

"Bwuh!" Predictably, Evileye's face took on the shade of red once again as Gagaran sniggered to herself. The twins looked on, confused on what she was talking about.

Shaking his head good-naturedly, Momon said, "Well, with that said, we should start moving now. As you know, the situation is ever-changing. I intend to make sure Evileye's safe first. Once you've prepared Lakyus, we must make haste."

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In just a short span of time the news of the Re-Estize Kingdom's invasion had stirred the inhabitants of E-Rantel into activity. When dawn came, there was not a soul in the city who was not aware of the news.

Reactions among the living inhabitants were mixed. The demihuman inhabitants, including the dwarves who had been granted a district all on their own by the Sorcerer-King, did not feel at all threatened by the news. They even treated it as some sort of jest, laughing uproariously in their cups, or over a hot breakfast. None of them treated it as anything more serious than a dispute over prices, the latter of which seemed a lot more relevant to the merchants who were presently spreading the news. The supremacy of the Sorcerer-King was something they never forgot, so unless there was further news that the Re-Estize Kingdom had somehow allied itself with the dragon-lords or some rot, then they had no reason to fear.

The humans living in E-Rantel had mixed reactions. Those who were visitors there on business, or those who were citizens of the Baharuth Empire, felt a sliver of unease, but not for themselves. They were mostly concerned with the disruption of trade that the conflict would cause, along with the expected aftershocks of chaos that was certain to result from an obvious Re-Estize defeat.

They were already treating the Re-Estize as something that was destined to lose, and speculation now was more given to how the Sorcerer-Kingdom treat them in the aftermath. Would they be harsh and take even more cities under their control? Or would they simply just vassalize the whole thing, just like they did with the Baharuth Empire?

Any of those outcomes would lead to their own consequences, from land being partitioned by the victors, to entire populations being forced to move wholesale from place to place. The cannier among them were eager to know Ainz Ooal Gown's mind. Some wanted to buy out new pieces of land if they would become available. And a huge influx of people displaced from their homes could mean plenty of opportunities to make a profit off of them, through whatever means at their disposal.

Lastly, there was the group of humans who had been citizens of the Re-Estize Kingdom and had chosen to stay in E-Rantel when it had been acquired by the Sorcerer-King. Their group alone felt the most anxious about the whole situation. There were even some whispers that this was an opportunity for those who loved humanity to strike back at the monstrous enemy and lead an insurrection to recapture E-Rantel and purge it of its demihuman inhabitants, before petitioning the Kingdom for protection. None took this seriously, for various reasons. Chief of these was the fact that life was generally better under the aegis of the Sorcerer-King. They no longer had to pay exorbitant tribute to the local duke, and merely had to pay a tithe of income if they worked any businesses. No one was being persecuted, and they led safer lives; even if they had to share their city with its newer inhabitants, like the demihumans.

All these discussions convulsed the city of E-Rantel, making it seem like some creature that had awoken in the middle of the night. Walking through its midst, Sebas Tian paid little heed to the many words buzzing around them, and as such went completely unnoticed by the nervous throng. The same went for those accompanying him: the maid of Nazarick Tuare, and the agent of the Eight Fingers, Edstrom.

The latter munched on an apple absently, a little morsel she had nicked from an inattentive merchant as she'd argued with her fellows. She was pretty certain that Sebas had caught her in the act, from the almost subtle way he had cocked his head. She'd been ready to be chastised, to have to give the apple back with a full apology. But somehow, he had foregone all that, and had instead pressed on to whatever destination lay in store. So she had shrugged, and a moment later she'd bit into the apple to sate her appetite.

She wondered what her superiors were doing at this very moment. It was clear that the Eight Fingers had found some way to profit from the situation, as they would never have allowed such an idiotic thing as truce-breaking and another declaration of war without exerting their hand. Clearly they stood to gain from it, and was thus content to lead the dumb mule that was the Re-Estize Kingdom down to the sacrificial table, ready to be gutted and slaughtered. She gave a thought as to her role in all this, as things would certainly become a lot more interesting moving forward.

The trio walked through several districts, crossing many active crowds, all their voices raised, all talking in their own mindless buzzing noises, as they moved past like phantoms. When they reached one of the secret safehouses, Edstrom was just about to head for the entrance when she noticed that Sebas had completely ignored it and was instead moving on.

"H-hey, um, sir Sebas, aren't we… Are we not going to head to the safehouse?"

Sebas's head never moved its position when he replied, "No, there is another place, that one might even consider 'safer'. You… are to be taken there."

Tuare made a gasping sort of sound, and glanced back at her with shock. "Sebas, is that true?" she asked. Edstrom sensed that there was something the both of them knew that she didn't know. It was easy enough to sense that they were keeping some sort of secret between themselves, and that they were reluctant to share it with her.

"… Yes," Sebas said, answering Tuare. "I have already been informed." He paused, then addressed Edstrom directly. "You have to come with us for now. I cannot really explain it, not out here. You shall have to trust me."

"Alright," she said, with a cluck of her tongue. "Whatever you say, my lord."

Sebas said nothing more, but Edstrom did not miss the look that Tuare sent her. If eyes could be made to shoot out fire she would have definitely been scorched in that moment.

They arrived at one of the residential areas. Even here there were already people up and about, speaking about the recent events. It was quite accurate to say that the Re-Estize Kingdom had kicked a hornet's nest when it invaded the Sorcerer-King's sovereign territory like that. But the retribution that Edstrom imagined was coming would not merely just be a whole bunch of insects attacking. It was perhaps more akin to a giant—possessing a head wreathed in stormclouds, with a stride that could cross entire mountains—stepping on a measly ant.

Sebas led them to one particular house, which was situated between two occupied buildings. The other inhabitants didn't pay them any mind as they entered. Sebas produced a key without her realizing it, and with it turned the lock to open the door. He turned and ushered them in with a curt nod. Then, when they were inside, he shut the door.

Edstrom almost jumped when a voice came from within. "Sebas-sama, is that you?" She had not sensed its coming at all.

"Decrement!" Tuare cried.

Someone emerged from within the parlor. It was a beautiful woman with pale skin and golden hair, wearing some sort of maid uniform. It curtsied towards them.

"I greet you as well, Tuare." The maid's gaze passed over Edstrom for a moment, before they swiveled to concentrate on Sebas.

"It has been readied, sir."

"Very good," Sebas said with rumbling voice. "Please lead the way, Decrement."

"By your command."

The maid led them past the parlor, and into what looked to be the pantry. She took a quick look around before entering. Her senses had picked up that something was off about the place, as if there were eyes watching her from all around. But she couldn't locate them at all, as if they were some species of invisible undead that were mostly content to watch. She followed quickly behind Sebas, determined not to be left alone.

There was a trapdoor inside the room, which had already been opened upward to reveal a basement of sorts. There was a ladder leading down into the darkness. Edstrom followed Tuare down the ladder, uneasy about the darkness. But at least she felt safe in the knowledge that both Sebas and Tuare were there.

The floor downstairs was not as bad as she'd assumed. It smelled relatively normal, with none of the dank atmosphere of any underground chambers she'd been in before. There was a wide-open space at the very center of the room where nothing had been placed. The single source of light came from a set of candles on a table at the far end of the room.

Sebas and the maid stepped forward to the center. After nodding at the maid, there came a loud noise, which to Edstrom was like the creaking of some unknown metal. Then, reality seemed to bend in the center of the room, as it parted like some curtain. Beyond the opening, like an open door, lay another place, something which was very familiar to Edstrom.

It looked like the place she had been dragged to, before she had been saved by Sebas.

"Come along then." Sebas' command stirred her from thought.

"You want… you want me to come along?" she asked.

"Yes," Sebas said, in a tone that suggested there was no finality. "Come, time is short."

Tuare had already entered through the portal. After another, hesitant look at Sebas, she walked through the portal with her eyes closed. She hoped that she wasn't being led to her doom or any other evil end.

Sebas stepped through behind her. The portal shimmered, then disappeared like a desert mirage. Edstrom exhaled loudly, before turning her attention to her surroundings. It was a sumptuous room, whose inhabitants were surely that of royalty—or at least a very rich merchant. There was a constant, pulsing source of light that surely did not come from any torch, but from a magical source. She almost stumbled over the carpet that looked so clean it almost dazzled her eyes.

So this must be their home. The headquarters of the mysterious force that now commanded the Eight Fingers like a puppet dancing on its strings. She had heard her superior, Hilma, describe it in great detail from the many times she had managed to eavesdrop on the woman, usually when she was talking to some big-shot from another branch. It seemed she was intimately familiar with this place, unlike her. While she had only seen the inside of a dungeon, Hilma had been taken from place to place, and had seen such wondrous things that boggled the mind. That must've been some great honor they had extended to the bosses, when the minions like her were sent to be tortured in some dark room.

Edstrom was certain that what she was currently seeing at the moment was hardly indicative of all they had here. From her perspective, it was like she was only seeing the tip of someone's finger. There was more to see.

But she wasn't at all that eager to find out more. She shuddered, recalling the feel of many clammy fingers on her skin—prodding and poking.

Sebas led them forward, and she followed along without needing to prompt them. She noticed that the maid wasn't there—which probably meant she was staying behind back at E-Rantel. Edstrom idly wondered where this place might be, and of how such a place had been created, far outside everyone's notice.

Eventually, their steps led to a certain wide space—which looked to be an intersection of various halls that led to places she did not know. Sebas paused here, his face turned to the right, towards one of the corridors. Edstrom fidgeted as she stood, wondering what was going on, when she heard footsteps coming from that direction.

Another maid emerged into view—with pale skin, beautiful features, and blonde hair, much like its fellow. But from a first look, she could see that this was not the same maid that had met them before.

"Ah, greetings, sir!" the maid said. The voice was completely different as well. "Welcome back!"

"I thank you," Sebas said.

From behind the maid came more figures—and this time Edstrom was struck by the sheer beauty of the blonde who emerged next. This one had her hair styled into some sort of spiral shape. She had cold, almost dead-looking eyes. She wondered if it was not some sort of doll, masterly crafted perhaps as its enormous beauty was on par with that of Princess Renner herself. Then, she noted the belly it was sporting—looking noticeably pregnant, and that dispelled the notion in her head.

This newcomer glanced in their direction—and Edstrom caught its eyes narrow when it glanced past Sebas at them. Then, it turned its face away, as if it had no desire to look upon them any further.

Before she could process that, another woman emerged from behind. This was another blonde, though Edstrom felt as if a bell was ringing in her mind. The sly, almost feline-like face that presented itself to her sight was so distinct that her mind was sure she had seen this one before.

A second later, her eyes widened. This was the infamous hunter of adventurers: Clementine. She had last seen the woman at the Re-Estize Capital, so long ago. She had been tasked with surveillance over one of the higher-ups, who had met with an independent band of criminals operating outside the Kingdom. Clementine had accompanied them—and Edstrom had been tasked to keep a close watch on the woman, who had garnered an unstable, infamous reputation that could potentially sour business.

In a way, Clementine had already indirectly disrupted plenty of businesses because of her bloodthirsty nature, which manifested itself in various, unpredictable ways. There were many creatures as mercurial and savage, some even literal demihumans, but Clementine had been a special breed unto herself. There was constant talk among the rank-and-file that something should be done about her, to the point of outright assassination. The fact that it had not happened yet pointed to some sort of preternatural skill, but Edstrom hadn't been convinced. It was perhaps better to assume that the higher-ups had not seen the need to silence Clementine permanently. The chaos she reaped could be used to hide their involvement.

Back then, she could swear that the woman had also seen her, perched on the rooftop, when the meeting had started. Still, Edstrom had not been unnerved, as she had not been trying to hide. There had been other agents tasked for that. She had been the dagger, ready to flash on the first moment of treachery on behalf of the Eight Fingers.

Presently, the woman looked hugely pregnant, almost waddling along in a manner that invited laughter. And yet, Edstrom did not laugh. That she was here spoke to a story that she did not wish to learn.

Clementine had spotted her, and she returned her stare with equal coolness. She hoped to intimidate the other woman, to show that despite her presence here, she would not be cowed by someone she thought to be a peer.

For some reason, Sebas had noticed the silent exchange, and had immediately turned to her. He blocked her view of the other woman, by standing directly in front of her. "Do not," he said, his voice low and rumbling. "She is favored by the Master. I must stress that you do not involve yourself with her, for your sake. I pray that you will not be foolish."

Sebas looked so serious as he stared down at her that Edstrom swallowed as she nodded. Sighing, Sebas turned around, just as Clementine had approached.

"Oh, now I do remember you," Clementine drawled, in an almost insidious manner. "You're that little birdie from long ago. My, how time does fly~" The blonde assassin chuckled.

Edstrom wanted to retort, but she stilled her tongue. When even the proud Sebas turned grave, she could but comply, knowing the consequences would be dire.

When it was apparent that she would not take the bait, Clementine snorted and turned around, dismissing them just as the blonde beside her had. That left her to turn her attention back to the maid, who was now speaking to Tuare.

"Tuare, Lady Calca and Kelart have been asking after you. They hope to receive you at their chambers—at the soonest opportunity."

"Oh!" Tuare slapped her hands together. "I'd almost forgotten! Oh no, Sebas, I forgot I did have something to ask them!"

"It's alright," Sebas said, with soothing voice. "I'm sure they'll understand. I was the one who was selfish enough to bring you with me outside." He paused. "But perhaps it would be better for you to meet them now." He turned back to the maid. "Would that be alright, you think, Increment?"

The maid shrugged. "I think so. I was just told to relay a message, same as the other girls. Their chambers are just on this floor, so it'll be a quick trip."

Sebas sighed. "Perhaps I should accompany lady Tuare. I would like to express my apologies in person—"

"That won't do, sir," Increment said, interrupting. "Ainz-sama has requested your presence at the Throne Room. Right this moment."

That made Sebas freeze, his face momentarily expressing shock. Then he settled down and nodded. "Very well. I shall be there." He sighed and looked back down at Tuare. "Well, I must apologize for not being able to accompany you. Please do extend my fervent apologies to my ladies in my stead."

"Don't worry! I'm sure they'll understand!" Tuare said brightly.

Sebas chuckled, then turned to Edstrom. "I'd like you to accompany Tuare. Just follow behind her; she knows the way."

"Huh? M-me?" Edstrom stammered. "B-But are you sure… It will be fine?" She cleared her throat. "But I thought my orders were to… Were to never leave your side, unless I'm at the city… and you brought me here…"

"That's right. I do apologize. I wanted to present you first, but apparently there is something of far graver importance to attend to." Sebas glanced at Tuare, who nodded. "As such, for now, you just need to follow Tuare. Consider this… a test, for your promotion of sorts. I'm sure the reports of your success would be looked with favor."

For a moment, Edstrom was left speechless. Then she bowed. She found it hard to recover her voice. "I—thank you, sir. I won't fail!"

"I shall be counting on you." Sebas glanced at Tuare, before looking away. Tuare curtsied, even to the maid, and went away. Edstrom hurried along, and after one last glance backward at Sebas, grit her teeth and followed the maid.

---

Once he had sensed them travel a certain distance, Sebas allowed himself to relax. It had been a huge gamble, to bring Edstrom here, but as he had already "rolled the dice", so to speak, he could but deal with the fate that was given to him as best he could.

He cleared his throat and said, "Might I ask where I could find Lord Ainz?"

"He's in the Throne Room," Solution said. She had turned back around, and looked up at Sebas with a smug look on her expressionless face. "Sebas, He has called for a grand meeting. That is why you have been summoned as well."

"I… see…" Now that made things awkward. He had brought Edstrom along because he had expected to meet with Ainz directly to take his orders. It had just been something convenient to do, as he had expected to return back to E-Rantel immediately. Now he would have to report her presence here to his Master, and would also have to explain his reasoning. As he did not completely know Ainz's mind, he could not be sure what his reaction would be.

There had not been a gathering of Nazarick since the declaration of war against the Re-Estize Kingdom. Now the Master was calling for all of Nazarick one more time—and this time on the exact occasion when the Re-Estize Kingdom had broken the peace. It meant that this was something quite significant to the future of Nazarick. Or, as Demiurge had put it, "another step in the Grand Plan".

"So does that mean… Everyone will be coming?" He glanced towards Clementine, who was here for some reason. Clementine noticed his attention and smiled. It did not endear her to Sebas, who was instantly reminded of a smaller Shalltear, if that was even possible.

"I was given special dispensation, as one who has been sworn to Ainz," she explained. "In fact all the mothers were also invited. But it is their choice to come." Sebas wondered if she was implying that she was more devoted to Ainz than the rest of them. He noted that Solution hadn't made a reaction, though with her it was always hard to say what she really thought beside her fake exterior. He suspected only the Master really knew.

In any case, Sebas, like any other good NPC, kept a healthy amount of skepticism in those who were outside Nazarick. It was a near impossibility now for Ainz to order him to kill Tuare again; but if he ever did, then there would be no hesitation in his bones to follow through. This same skepticism extended to those the Master had brought from outside, whether or not they were bearing his children or not. None would be spared, whether it was sweet, frightful Neia or the zealous Zesshi.

He bowed. "Well then, shall I accompany you ladies to the Throne Room? It appears we are all headed for the same destination."

"To be at our Master's side," Solution suddenly said. "When he calls for us."

Clementine blinked, before nodding jerkily. "Yeah. What she said."

---

The body flopped on the chair, its limbs twitching rapidly like that of a bug that had just been recently squashed. The light in its beady eyes slowly began to dim as the blood leaked in great rivulets from the huge gash in its throat.

Demiurge watched it die with an impassive look on his face. He raised his hand to the side, and one of his impish assistants swaggered forward to wipe the cretin's blood from his fingers. When it was done, Demiurge flexed his bare hand, examining it minutely for any other stains, before accepting the proffered glove from the other imp in the room. He slipped the leather glove back on with meticulous care, as the object had been a precious gift from his Creator. He would never willingly sully it.

When he was done, he flexed his hand and looked back down at the corpse. The last vestiges of life had disappeared from it, leaving it just a husk of meat rapidly cooling. Decay would set in soon.

"Get rid of the trash," Demiurge said coolly. He turned expertly on his heel and stepped out of the room.

"Welcome back, my lord," said one of the demons waiting outside. It was one of his lieutenants—not one that his Creators tasked with serving him directly, for he had shifted the hierarchy around so that all of them now reported to him in some way. While he was sure his own direct subordinates could be trusted to manage their own tasks adequately enough, sometimes there was a need for him to step in and correct things that had gotten crooked. Far better to squash an egg in the nest before it could hatch and birth something troublesome.

"The fool was not aware of our involvement, so all is well. Luckily, we have caught him before he was able to report to any of his compatriots," Demiurge announced. "However, there must not be a repeat of this situation. None. You will see to it that all future communications with these mortal organizations be vetted by not just your immediate superior, but by me directly. Especially when it concerns launching an operation that could impact Nazarick." He raised his hand to forestall the protest he'd seen coming. For some reason this particular demon had been fashioned to be some hot-headed, reckless fool—a good one in a fight but a terrible schemer. And he had more need of schemers than brutes at the moment. "Any operation, no matter how minor it seems, will always have drastic consequences on Nazarick. Consider the case of Shalltear Bloodfallen, one of our greatest, laid low by mortal hands because she directly disobeyed orders. You will think on this lesson, and the example she has set, once you return to your duties. You may go."

"You have my sincerest thanks, oh duplicitous one," hissed the demon. After bowing deeply, it fled as if the hounds of hell were nipping at its heels, taking its own subordinates with it.

Demiurge sighed, and adjusted the rims of his glasses. Matters in Nazarick had gotten a whole lot more complicated since the Master had announced his intention to spread his wings into the world, and build a "family" that would spread over every surface. It was the ultimate glory that Nazarick would achieve, and he felt honored to be a part of it. He did not begrudge the work, not even when Albedo's share of duties had been placed on his shoulders.

But there were times when he felt oddly constrained by his limits. He could not be there to oversee things every step of the way. So he had to delegate. But this in itself was another sort of trap—though they were all made in Nazarick, it was the Creator's whim that not all were blessed with the exact same competence that he (and few others in the Tomb) possessed. He therefore had to make do with inferior subordinates, each of whom had some flaw in its power, its wits, or its cunning.

Still, a part of him rejoiced in the challenge that his current duties presented. There was no better way to prove his devotion to the Forty-One than by accepting what Ainz-sama had ordered and exceeding all expectations. The Master often spoke of a reward for such acts, but any true child of Nazarick knew that the service in itself was its own reward.

He presently arrived at one of the Tomb's travelling ports, where there was a direct Gate that would lead to another area that Nazarick had infiltrated. Currently, his main duties involved the orchestration of the many schemes that were brewing inside the Re-Estize and the Roble Holy Kingdoms. He likened it to something boiling silently in a pot, as schemes and plots mixed and churned inside in a pleasing slurry. It was not wrong to say that Nazarick had advanced its roots to many different places. And like strings borne on puppet's backs, it was his duty to move and shift them all in a great dance, all to serve the Master's ultimate goal.

Yet just as he was about to leave, a maid came running in from behind. She almost dropped to her knees, her breaths coming out in long, gasping wheezes.

"What is it?" he asked, turning his head.

"Apologies… *gasp*… my lord… *gasp*… There has… been…"

"Take a moment to compose yourself," he commanded. "And tell me straight."

The homunculi dutifully straightened, and took several deep breaths. Her pale face was tinged a bright red, indicative of the strenuous effort she had made to run. He did not have the current schedules on hand, but he was pretty sure this one was not currently assigned here. That meant she had traveled far to bring this news to him.

"Demiurge-sama," the maid managed to say. "Have you… not heard the news?"

"What news?"

"We've been invaded…" the maid said. "We… that is, the Sorcerous Kingdom, has been invaded by the Re-Estize Kingdom. It is to be war."

For a moment, he just stood there in shocked silence. Then a great chilly deluge spread through his body, so full and overwhelming that he exhaled a mighty breath into the ceiling. He chuckled, his mind and spirit united in praising the Ultimate One, He whose Hand was Ever-Reaching, Insatiable.

Yet again the Master had contrived to bring his foes directly to him, allowing them to serve themselves on a silver platter for his amusement. It went far beyond the expectations of what a conqueror should do in subjugating his inferiors. What others might achieve through great force of arms, Ainz would achieve through the insidious manipulation of the very people that were arrayed against him.

The initial plans to subvert the Re-Estize Kingdom had hinged on several factors. A major one was the war instigated against the Holy Kingdom. But it would be lying to claim that it had been Nazarick's hand that had pushed them there. Theirs had been a more subtle influence, a little nudge here and there. They had laid the kindling, and had provided the means to start the spark.

But the blame for pushing the war to begin lay on the feet of the poor, unfortunate humans who led it. They could not help their mortal foolishness from taking control over their minds, pushing them to excesses of madness if but given just the slightest of reasons. Still, Demiurge had congratulated himself when news of the outbreak of war had come, as it meant the progression of many plans.

It had then been fully expected that Nazarick would intervene in the conflict in one way or another. It would have depended on how things went in the war. For example, a crushing Roble victory meant that Nazarick would be displaying themselves as pragmatic neighbors who did not wish to have chaos reign just across its borders. They could then lean on their influence inside the Holy Kingdom to influence the state of the peace deal. They would then provide relief and aid to the beleaguered Kingdom, tightening its loyalty to it, perhaps even negotiating an outright treaty of vassalage.

There were many other plausible outcomes, but Demiurge himself favored the one that had actually occurred. The two mortal kingdoms grinding themselves against each other, wasting their lives in fruitless battles, leaving them vulnerable and open for Nazarick's uses. According to his internal projections, the war was supposed to continue until the Re-Estize Kingdom managed a complete rout of Roble's armies, which would force the latter to completely mobilize its troops to defend against the impending invasion, which the Re-Estize mortals would be glad to pursue, in order to "avenge" their perceived weakness at the start. They would end in a perilous stalemate, when both countries would be on the verge of revolt from the long war, necessitating Nazarick's intervention. Both nations would be weakened, ripe for the taking. Roble, in particular, would be purged of those who had kept urging for war, which were coincidentally made up of the southern faction of nobles opposing the Holy King's policies.

And yet now it seemed Ainz-sama had played his own secret card, which Demiurge hadn't even known was in play. Somehow, it had seemed far better for the Re-Estize Kingdom to assault them, triggering a war against not just them but their vassals as well. They would also be seen as truce-breakers, calling into question their integrity among the eyes of the other nations.

Demiurge could only see the one reason why Ainz-sama had made this happen. He intended to completely crush the Re-Estize Kingdom, burning it all away until nothing was left. Perhaps he wished to clear away the human filth and leave open a space where true, loyal servants could take root.

And the best part was that he would be entirely justified. He was not the aggressor in this case, and so the other nations would not see it as needless aggression by the Sorcerer-Kingdom, but a necessary retaliation against greedy, unreasonable people.

"I see… I see… As expected of my lord Ainz… To behold His genius is a blessing I shall not trade for anything in the world." He shook his head. It took effort to clear his head enough to raise it from the worshipful trance towards the Master. Ainz wanted results, and one did not get them by only singing his praises.

He looked back down at the maid. "Was that all?"

"No, there has also been a summons for you to join the others gathering at the Throne Room. It seems there will be another grand announcement there."

"A meeting?" He quirked a brow. "How strange. Why was I not informed through Message?" Perhaps it was but a flaw in the communications. An unacceptable flaw, but relatively minor, given the circumstances. "Never mind, I will be there. Thank you for bringing this to my attention."

And so, he reversed course, walking proudly through the corridor on his way to the Throne Room.

He did not meet anyone going there, which meant that the meeting was only intended for those in the higher ranks. He noted the presence of those who were already there, such as the dark elf twins, and Sebas Tian. Then there were the Pleiades maids, all of them complete, with some of their number looking heavily pregnant. Another pregnant one was Shalltear Bloodfallen, who was looking smug and plump in her violet dress.

He also noted the appearance of another mother who was nonetheless an outsider to Nazarick. It was one of the humans, Clementine. He did not question her appearance here, because it was clear enough for someone who could read between the lines and make the appropriate conclusions. But he did take note of it.

Albedo was absent, and so was the mortal half-elf Zesshi Zetsumei. It was always interesting to watch the interactions between the Overseer and the self-professed "First" of Ainz-sama, but now both were noticeably absent. He knew Albedo no longer had any significant duties that would prevent her from coming here, but Zesshi was another matter, as she had no duties at all. If Clementine was here, then it was a given that all the mothers had been invited.

But he was confident that the answer would be revealed in time.

He strolled up to Shalltear.

"Greetings," he said, making a small bow. Shalltear curtsied in a ladylike manner, as was her wont.

"My dear Demiurge, it is good to see that at least one is here who is worthy." The way she drew out her voice, so laced with acid, made it clear what her current emotions were. And she did not even temper the volume of her voice, so it was certain that everyone could hear what she was saying. Whether or not others could understand her like he did was another thing.

Demiurge clucked his tongue. He parsed his next statement in his mind before replying, in a much lower voice. "I admit it is a rather curious thing. I wonder what the Master must be thinking." He of course was referring to several things at once. He was unsure if Shalltear would get at his meaning; but even if she did, he was also sure she would not care and would nonetheless continue as if she did not.

He was proven right when she continued to speak to him with a loud, obnoxious voice. "We do not need to know what the Master thinks of this. It is far more apparent that certain creatures have difficulty in understanding their places in the world. Like mere beasts they roam the endless wilderness, blissfully unaware of the inner workings of the minds so far advanced than theirs."

Shalltear was certainly not even trying to hide. It would not take even the most modest of intellects to pierce through her attempt at being obtuse. Still, he largely did not care about what Clementine thought. She was nothing. Far better to gauge Shalltear's temperament, considering she was a significant factor in the Master's plan.

"I only heard the news. Has this mortal nation truly been so foolish as to invade?"

"We bore witness to it ourselves in the Hall," Shalltear said, with a dismissive sniff. "Reckless, mindless creatures, Demiurge—exactly the sort I just described. It remains to be seen how exactly Ainz-sama will see to their slaughter."

He did not think the Master would go that far. If he understood his recent actions correctly, then Ainz-sama was casting his net far, searching for worthy mothers to add to his collection. He would surely not countenance widespread, uncontrolled destruction, for it would lessen the chances of finding suitable mates.

"Whatever the situation may end up being, I shall be certain to provide what service I can," Demiurge said neutrally.

"And I, as well," Shalltear said haughtily.

"Of course," he said with raised brows. "Yours is an important role after all. Ah, certainly the most important one."

Shalltear's eyes flashed. "Are you mocking us, Demiurge? I do not appreciate such words being spoken, especially about ourselves."

"Oh, do accept my pardons. I would never say something like that," Demiurge replied smoothly, with another bow. "But is it not true that your role as Mother is what Ainz-sama values most?"

"O-oh, of course, we understand." Shalltear coughed. "Nonetheless, there are still other things we can do to help."

Demiurge rather doubted that, but he did not wish to rouse the vampire's anger any more than necessary. He had heard it from the Healers that a mother's emotions waxed and waned like the moon, and that upsetting it would be… problematic, especially for the children.

He let the conversation drop, and stood in relative silence, waiting for the Master of All to make his entrance.

---

Had I made a mistake?

Have I done something wrong?

Such questions kept on circulating around Ainz's mind, leaving it a confused, floundering tangle of emotions.

He was thankful for the presence of his new lovers, who were there to provide support—not just through carnal ways, but through other means as well. It felt refreshing to return from thinking deeply on his plans to a warm smile and a hug. Even something as simple as that was already like a soothing balm for his soul.

He now utterly believed Peroroncino and his claims: should one utterly devote oneself to their waifu, then they would be rewarded beyond measure, their spirits quenched from all suffering.

Such events as Keeno's recent act, though laced with a bit of a controversy in the form of her friend, had helped ease his stress. In the aftermath of pouring a full load of his cum inside her mouth, he was left with an almost sage-like clarity of focus.

The current situation involving the Re-Estize Kingdom had been a surprise, but it reminded him that Albedo and Demiurge had all been doing their best to plan things out to the utmost. He had no doubt that they had contrived a means to give the Re-Estize Kingdom some form of casus belli that placed them on this course. They might have an agent inside their upper ranks, or perhaps they had even infiltrated the common soldier rank-and-file. Whichever way it was done, it was a masterful stroke, and he was currently thinking of ways that he could reward them.

He felt a little pity for the Kingdom, for being forced to this point. But he had listened to the arguments, and he agreed that forcibly leading them to the point where they agreed to bend the knee was vital if he was to create a shield that would protect Nazarick, his mothers, and ultimately his many children. If it was for their sake, then he would use however many nations as he could, no matter the cost.

Upon learning of the invasion, Ainz had instantly summoned Cocytus to deal with it. He had tasked the Floor Guardian with leading the punitive force that would crush the invasion. It was also another chance for Cocytus to learn about being the general of his armies, something which Ainz really didn't know about. And then, afterwards, he would learn from Cocytus himself, taking in the knowledge he had developed to become a better ruler.

As an after-thought, he had then summoned his personal creation, Pandora's Actor, the one NPC in the world he had created to be his mirror image. He had admittedly gone a bit too far in places, which was why he was usually kept out of sight (and out of mind). He was determined that this would also be another learning experience for the lesser doppelganger.

Ainz had seen that Pandora's Actor the active NPC demonstrated a certain aptitude for leadership as Cocytus or Demiurge. If he was to expand Nazarick's influence, it would also be needing competent leaders for his armies, so that Cocytus wouldn't be the only one to bear all the burden. For this reason, he had tasked Pandora's Actor with learning all he could about leading while under Cocytus's command. He was also going to separately ask Cocytus about his performance, as a sort of evaluation.

With all the pieces set, it had then taken Narberal to remind him that one of his mothers was currently outside Nazarick's protection—and too close to the front line to his liking. Though he had given Keeno permission, that did not extend to extraordinary situations. And so he had gone to E-Rantel himself, relieving Mare of his duty along the way.

And that was when the horny Keeno had jumped him.

He could not fault her libido, but he almost regretted succumbing to her pleasant mouth. It had been an immensely capital mistake to not secure the surroundings before indulging himself in Keeno. It was a mistake that reminded him that he should never take things for granted, even when everything seemed fine. If he had transformed at all while being watched then the consequences would have been dire.

As it was, he had no need to perform a mind-wipe on the one named Gagaran, and simply let the episode remain as something of an amusing anecdote. Keeno also acted rather cute about being caught with dirt on her face (so to speak) so he was also content to observe silently from the sides.

Presently, he was just about done settling things with Blue Rose by helping with the transfer to one of their safehouses. Just as he had promised them, it really was one of the most well-defended areas outside of Nazarick. It was located in a heavily guarded portion of the city. It was the only one that was explicitly protected through means native to Nazarick itself, which made it like an unofficial extension of the Tomb. Elite guardians, invisible to the naked eye, watched over it every hour of every day with unseen eyes.

The structure itself had been fortified secretly with the aid of the dwarves, who had helped preserve it from undermining. In the unlikeliest event of the city failing, any loyal to Nazarick (who in this situation would have already been told to gather at this safehouse) had the time to travel to the underground shelter, a location to which Ainz could open a Gate easily.

From the outside, the house looked fairly unremarkable, especially when set along the other houses in its district. It was located in the oldest part of the city, built when it had still been a small, sleeping hamlet on the outskirts of the Re-Estize Kingdom.

"Thanks once again for the help, Momon," Gagaran said, bowing deeply. They had just finished putting Lakyus in one of the bed upstairs. She looked down at Keeno, who was standing right beside him. "And you, don't tire Momon too much, you hear? I know you're eager and all, but there's something as too much activity for a pregnant old bat like you."

Keeno made a hissing sound, while Ainz just chuckled. "Well then, we shall take our leave."

"Alright. Take care of Evileye now."

"I always do."

He and Evileye took their leave, and they went back to one of the inns. The whole city seemed to be thrumming with some sort of invisible energy, as if it was anticipating some sort of grand festival to be celebrated. Though he was currently in his Momon disguise, he was largely left unnoticed, as the inhabitants seemed too preoccupied with other things. Once they were inside the privacy of the room, he quickly formed a Gate and went through, depositing himself and his important charge safely in distant Nazarick.

Surprisingly, Albedo and Zesshi were already waiting there. "Welcome back, Ainz-sama," they said, almost in unison.

He looked silently from one face to the other, trying to discern some meaning. But they merely looked back, waiting for him to respond.

"Ahhhh, yeah I'm back," he said awkwardly. "Albedo, has the summoning been confirmed…?"

"They have already gathered at the Throne Room, my lord. They await your divine presence."

"Allow me to escort you there, my lord," Zesshi said.

"That's really—" Albedo started.

"Very well," he said, cutting in before another argument could start. "Let's get to it. Time is precious."

"…As you say so, my lord."

He turned back to Keeno, who had been his object from the very start. "Keeno, would you like to join me? You're invited to witness me in the Throne Room."

Keeno looked up at him with the most innocent look on her face. After a beat, she shook her head. "I would love to, really, but I am just so tired. I'm feeling like my body needs all the rest it can get."

"Yes, understandable," he said quickly. "Please take all the rest you need." He called over one of the maids, who promptly started escorting Keeno back to wherever she wanted to go.

A moment later, he stood before both Albedo and Zesshi, while flexing his hands at his side. "You may go on ahead to the Throne Room," he said to them both. "I still have a few things to prepare. In private."

The two of them curtsied without asking any more, to which he was glad. He had no stomach for their bickering at the moment.

Once he was left alone, he started equipping all the best-looking armor he had on hand, the ones he typically used not as Momonga the Player, nor Momon the Dark Hero, nor even Ainz Ooal Gown, dreaded Sorcerer-King. On this moment he was to become simply Ainz, leader of Nazarick, and he was going to be garbed for the occasion. Long, flowing over-cloak, his left arm bearing a gauntlet tipped with cruel-looking claws, on his right a leather glove, with which he carried the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown. His hood was drawn up, and he wore an ornate, decorative mask—to affirm his identity as a master of disguise.

Thus prepared, he stood in the middle of the room, and took several deep breaths. He stamped the butt of the staff down on the floor several times, to test the sounds it made on the carpet. Then he made several sweeping motions with his free hand. He repeated the motion again and again, each time modifying the way it arced, or how high his hand would reach, or how far forward it would stretch.

Next, he summoned a minor imp, a mindless thing that he commanded to talk and talk and do nothing else without cease. Then he started to talk, declaiming a letter he had memorized from the heart as he strained to make his voice heard above the noisome chittering.

Afterwards, he felt satisfied, and dismissed the familiar from the room. He checked himself one more time, before activating Message.

"Albedo? It's me. I'm coming."

He waited for a few seconds, counting them down in his head, before he snapped his fingers. A moment later, he had teleported from the room directly onto the Throne Room. He blinked, and saw that they had all been prepared for him.

Albedo stood to his left, and was bowing as deeply as she could with her current condition. She was one who was more than willing to risk her babe with something as fruitless as a bow, which necessitated an order to the contrary.

To his right now stood Zesshi, who occupied the same level of elevation as Albedo. He was pretty sure that was deliberate on her part. He only hoped nothing worse would come out of it.

In front of him were arrayed all the ones he had invited to this announcement: which, upon reflection, wasn't that many at all. There were the Floor Guardians like Demiurge and the twins, and of course Shalltear was bound to be there. Then there were the Pleiades, complete in number. They were all bowing as deeply as they could, except for the pregnant ones, who had also been mandated to restrain themselves.

And then there was Clementine, looking conspicuous to the side, her head incline in a slight bow. He was rather surprised that she was the only other mother, aside from Zesshi, who had come. He had wanted Neia, Calca, and Kelart to be there. Of course, just like Keeno, it was completely possible that they were currently feeling under the weather, which would be bad.

All in all, it was not as grand an audience as one could expect. Though he treated this with the same gravity as he had projected many times before.

"Oh Guardians of Nazarick, I have come bearing grave news," he said first, his voice carrying out loud in the room. "For our enemies once more raise their hands against us, in defiance of our good intentions. For though we extended many a hand of friendship, of solidarity and peace—there are ever many of those too stubborn and short-sighted to see the rightful paths laid before them. And so, once more their follies lead them to our doorstep. Towards us." He paused for a bit, to gather his thoughts. "The Re-Estize Kingdom has invaded our lands, violated the borders set by treaty not too long ago. And thus I have commanded loyal Cocytus and Pandora's Actor to intercept them, and I know they shall grant us victory."

Then he raised his hand, palm upward. "But of course, we have already anticipated this would happen. This has been planned by Nazarick for a while. We have sown the seeds long ago, and only now they have borne fruit. And for this, I give my personal thanks to Albedo and to Demiurge, for spearheading our plans." He didn't really know what the plans had been, but he was sure they had done their part splendidly.

"We were only acting under the auspices of your vision, my lord," Albedo said, with a curtsy.

"She is right, my lord," Demiurge said, his head still bowed. "For it can never be denied that your grand influence has helped decide their fates."

He rubbed the space on his mask that was his chin. "Perhaps I was able to lay down the foundation, but it cannot be denied that it was your efforts that turned it all into reality. And for that, you must be applauded."

Yet despite that Demiurge remained strangely obstinate. "Oh no, my lord, I must insist that nothing would have been possible without you overseeing us directly."

"Ah, well, certainly I was an inspiration."

"Oh, you were more than that, my lord," Demiurge said, making a soft chuckle. Ainz felt as if he was implying something, but he didn't want to just ask what he meant.

Ainz cleared his throat. "In any case, we can all agree that we have united to ensure that the goals of Nazarick are fulfilled to the last," he said. "From this point on, the whole Tomb of Nazarick is to be placed in a state of alertness. Though this war is far from the borders of our own home, it is still prudent for us to be wary of invasion.

"To that end, I must rely on you once more, Demiurge. We shall need to draft a plan, effective immediately, that will detail the steps we will need to ensure that our victory is as complete as possible, with minimal chaos and destruction. Not that it will not benefit us, of course, but I would prefer a sturdy wall than one prone to destruction."

"That would be contingent on what results Cocytus can give us, my lord," Demiurge said.

"Ah, then we can certainly wait for it."

"My pardons, Ainz-sama," Zesshi then said. The gazes of everyone in the room instantly swiveled towards the half-elf. She had put on a pensive expression. "From what I have observed at the Mother's Hall, we were able to intercept their armies already. And that was some hours ago now, by my reckoning. Does this not mean that the battle is already over?"

"… Well, I was just getting to that, actually. Thank you for reminding me Zesshi." Truthfully, he hadn't been thinking about it, but he supposed she did make some sense. By now, they really should have completed their mission. It would also allow him to hear Cocytus' report right that instant.

He opened up another Mirror of Remote Viewing, and displayed it for all in the Room to see. "Behold," he announced. "The ruin of our enemies."

The Mirror showed the view of devastation under the light of the dawning sun. Many bodies lay dead on the field, lying beside their comrades and the horses that bore them hither. Ainz could almost smell the stench of blood that hung over the battlefield, the rugged, necessary musk of a battlefield at rest.

Presently, the view zoomed into a certain area, where a distinct figure stood. There was Cocytus, looking completely unharmed, bearing one of his swords on his hand. As the view from the Remote passed over him, Ainz activated the Message and spoke to him from beyond the far distance of many miles.

---

The audacious leader of the army who had challenged Cocytus directly in the middle of battle had been broken quite easily. A little sweep of his sword had knocked him off his mount. He hadn't aimed to kill, not yet, but at the moment he had thought that he may as well have. His companions had crowded around him, all on their own mounts, and it would have been easy for the man to have been trampled by friendly hooves.

Seeing him fall, his subordinates pressed against him harder, bellowing the battle-cries of those who knew they were to die soon. He applauded their bravery, though inwardly a part of him lamented that these were no real challenges to his might. As a farmer culling weeds, his many blades swept across them, severing them to the roots. So ended the last of the brave who had risked their lives to challenge him.

For a brief moment, he considered the greater battlefield, to take stock of the situation. It would have been easy for some other force to have set upon them without their knowing—perhaps reinforcements of a sense.

Yet all he saw was his small army "cleaning up", so to speak. Pandora's Actor had done a remarkable job playing the part of the captain, leading his forces to pursue the broken army. He wasn't sure if some of the enemy had successfully fled across the border, which meant that some had indeed escaped. But orders were orders, and he was not to pursue himself. Instead, the Spirit Riders would do the task of cleaning up over the border for a full day.

His attention returned to his own surroundings, when he sensed the steady pulse of one who was still intent on defying him. The killing intent all but surged as a figure emerged from the mess of blood and offal that lay on the field.

Cocytus' keen sense found him immediately. It was the leader. The short man yelled something out loud, and without any regard for the blood caking his armor, he stumbled forward, with sword raised high in defiance.

He'd been impressed that the man had actually made it. And yet Cocytus had sensed that this one's actions were not as a man in full control of his senses, but of a berserker that had nothing to lose. There was nothing fulfilling about dueling something like that; it was just like putting down a wild dog.

So when he had raised his sword to strike with half a heart, he had thought to end it all with one sweep.

But then his blade smashed against the enemy's. It made a clear, ringing sound that echoed in the field. Despite the sheer explosion that occurred, the man was the only one who got knocked off his feet by the force of the clash. And yet Cocytus could only stare, surprised by the turn of events. He had thought that nothing in this army could ever bear a blade that could match the ones forged personally by Warrior Takemikazuchi, his master. And yet, just now, clearly something had.

For a moment, he hesitated. Then he dug deep into the mandates that his Master had instilled in him. One of those had been in the encountering of unknown phenomenon. When faced with such a thing, the first thing to do was to contain it, if possible, then present it to Ainz-sama. If it was well beyond your power, then retreat as soon as possible, and leave it to Ainz-sama. He looked down at the man, who had risen back to his feet, all while struggling not to slip amidst all the blood.

"My. Apologies," he said. "You. Will. Not. Die. Today."

For a brief, timeless instant, the man charged, screaming at him in its personal warcry. Then Cocytus struck with the swiftness of a scorpion's tail, and broke him.

The man's screaming did not distract Cocytus from suddenly feeling as if a great and terrible presence was watching him unseen. And yet it did not feel hostile.

That could only mean one thing.

He opened his mind and awaited his Master's words, which came as he predicted, through Message.

"Cocytus, this is Ainz Ooal Gown. The Eyes of Nazarick are upon you at this very moment, watching from above. Give me your preliminary report on the situation."

Cocytus stirred, then placed one of his clenched fists to his midsection in a form of salute. "Acknowledged. My Lord."

He looked down, at the squirming, maimed body lying at his feet.

---

"My. Lord. I. Am. Pleased. To. Report. That. The. Invading. Army. Has. Been. Crushed."

"Excellent, Cocytus. It appears I have chosen well in delegating this task to you," Ainz said. "You may continue the report."

"I. Have. Followed. Your. Dictates. Those. Who. Survived. The. First. Blow. Have. Been. Captured. They. Await. Your. Pleasure."

"Demiurge, I leave it to you to extract whatever information we can find from these prisoners," Ainz said. Then he paused. "Although, I did hear you have delegated the task, yes?"

"Indeed, my lord," Demiurge said. "Some of my subordinates have taken over that task in my stead. You can be assured that they will do the very best they can manage. It will be just as if I was there personally."

"That is also commendable," Ainz said, feeling vindicated that his "workers" were now able to think independently enough to delegate properly.

Once again he wondered if Demiurge could be safely given dominion as a disguised "Ainz", to further separate himself from the persona of the Sorcerer-King. The one thing holding him back was the performance of his own creation, Pandora's Actor, who seemed much more "naturally" suited to the task, as a doppelganger. In his brief forays as the Dark Hero Momon, he had shown an aptitude for mimicking his actions as the "hero" completely, which was itself commendable. And with Pandora's Actor using his own skills, he would not need to cast a whole array of spells around Demiurge.

He would have to arrange some sort of test for Pandora's Actor, to discover if he had a brilliant mind on the same level as Demiurge or Albedo.

"In this case we would usually allow Albedo to take over the analysis of the information we gather," Ainz mused out loud. "But in this case…"

"You may leave it to me, my lord," Demiurge said readily. "It is understandable, of course, given Albedo's… unique circumstances."

Ainz saw movement from the corner of his eyes, and when he turned his head, he saw Albedo's face still stoic and unreadable as ever. Was that just his imagination?

"As ever, Ainz-sama, I am but your humble servant," Albedo said.

"Now, Cocytus, where is Pandora's Actor?" he asked next. He wanted to adjust the view of the Mirror, but was content to let it be, to preserve the feeling of authority, as if he was only looking at Cocytus alone.

"He…" Cocytus looked around himself, as if he was also unsure. "He. Is. Coming. He. Has. Worked. Admirably. To. Lead. In. My. Stead. While. I. Faced. A. Challenge."

"Oh?" Ainz's attention was piqued. "Do tell, Cocytus. What was this challenge?"

And so Cocytus related the circumstances to all who were listening in Nazarick, of the enemy leader who had treated with him during the parlay, and who had then decided to make battle with Cocytus.

Then he spoke about the blade which had clashed with Cocytus' own, and that intrigued Ainz greatly.

"Is the blade still there, Cocytus."

"Affirmative. Shall. I. Collect. It?"

"Have it brought here as soon as able." He had been so caught up in his plans that he had almost forgotten about the mysteries that were still ever-present in this world. It stoked a part of him that yet had been sleeping for a while.

In the next moment, a silver-armored warrior figure appeared next to Cocytus. For a moment, Ainz just stared, his mind wondering why on earth was a smaller version of Touch Me standing right there next to Cocytus. Then, his mind caught up, and he cast another Message.

"Pandora's Actor, the eyes of Nazarick are upon you. How does your mission fare?"

The figure displayed on the Mirror bowed deep. "My lord Ainz, I have completed the objectives in what I hope to be an adequate manner. The enemy army has been subdued."

"Good work, Pandora's Actor. You are to be commended as well." He would have to talk to Cocytus later to get the real details in private.

"Ainz-sama," Cocytus said next. "What. Are. We. To. Do. With. The. Leader?"

Ainz blinked behind his mask. Now that was awkward. He would have thought that the leader had already died in the fighting, which would have solved the problem of having to decide his fate.

"What do you think, you two?" Ainz asked. "What should we do with him?"

"Well, as I see him, he's in quite a useless state. He's lost both hands, and he's bleeding pretty bad. It might be better to put him out of his misery, that is, with your permission."

"Hm…" Ainz stroked his mask. "What about you, Cocytus?"

"I… It. Is. My. Opinion. That. He. Will. Be. Of. Better. Use. Alive. To. Give. Us. Information."

"Could also be a good hostage, Ainz-sama," Pandora's Actor said.

"You agree with him, Pandora's Actor?" Ainz asked.

"I have stated, my glorious creator, that I leave the decision entirely up to you. You are most Prescient of All Creation, and it is to your Wisdom that I bow."

"Indeed. Ainz-sama. If. You. Command. It. It. Shall. Be."

He wanted to slap his forehead. Whether deliberately or not, they had just pushed the responsibility back to him. Now he had effectively returned back to square one.

"Right!" he said, snapping his fingers. "Bring him in, then. Treat him honorably, as a prisoner of war."

"Understood," they said in unison.

Ainz fought the urge to sigh. He hoped he wasn't making the wrong decision.

---

The absolute pain had faded into a dull, repetitive sensation that continued hammering at his mind. He wasn't exactly sure what was happening: whether or not he laid at the threshold of death itself, or if he was already dead, his soul trapped in a nightmarish afterlife. His mind hovered between phantasms of lives he had not lived, to lives he had hoped to live. Entire lives playing out in his fevered mind, each ending before he could blink once.

They had been completely outmatched, from the start. It was fruitless to think about the battle, to think on how he could have commanded it better. Whether they stood and fought or ran like mindless prey they could never have hoped to defy the Sorcerer-King and triumph, all by themselves. It had been a feeble hope to assume otherwise.

It would have been better, perhaps, to have thought of some other stratagem than this. One that did not need to involve poking what they thought to be a sleeping giant, only to discover that it was wide awake.

And so, Prince Zanac laid back against the moist ground. Without hands, he could not protest their taking away the relic sword. Without hands, he could not resist as they bore him away.

The last thoughts in his mind before it fell into darkness were fixated upon his Kingdom, which he had failed utterly.

---

Chapter commissioned by UltraSpink of Da USA, thank you. A reminder that the story is commissioned.

If you'd like a story commissioned, feel free to contact me here, or on archiveofourown under "RHoldhous".