There's no way she's real ... but she's acting so life like. Is this really one of the NPC's I left all those years ago.

While Suzuki Satoru was trying to piece together what was going on, Keno Fasris Invern was staring at the dullahan like she was a rare specimen or a living doll. Either way, her beauty truly could be described as such.

Earlier that week:

"Are we really going to see that ruined country? Are you that interested in meeting these strange creatures that destroyed three countries?"

"What do you mean that interested?" Satoru answered Keno's question with one of his own.

"You haven't eaten or slept in days and you spent every waking hour talking about this 'Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick' ... I'm worried about you." Keno pouted.

At this Satoru giggled. "You have a terrible sense of humour."

"So what now?"

"I already sent Mu-chan ahead to try and talk to them."

The logic of sending the seventh seat of the New Ainz Ooal Gown was that if there really was a nest of demons maybe a scary more grotesque looking monster would be better than sending in any humanoid creatures. They waited a while for Muki to return. When the seventh day passed and none of the scouts saw him, Satoru started to worry. He wasn't worried about Muki in particular, he was more worried about the existence of creatures that could defeat him and even more so if they weren't willing to talk.

Information about what had happened in the North East was scarce at best and unreliable at worst. Everyone just said it was a nest of powerful demons by the name of the 'Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.' The name of the leaders were unknown, what they looked like varied from account to account, so it was a gamble sending one person in, but Satoru did it anyway. And now not only had they not heard from him, but they had lost all contact. The other information gathering specialist of the New Ainz Ooal Gown also had nothing to share about his disappearance. When Platona went to out to look for Muki, he also never returned.

Satoru stopped sending anyone else. It was dusk when they finally attacked. Maids. Beautiful maids who looked more adept at battle than cleaning. Satoru only sensed their arrival thanks to his [Undead Blessing] skill which allowed him to sense other undead beings. He knew that the approaching undead was strong (by this worlds standards), and based on the speed of its arrival it had found what it was looking for. Fortunately for him, Satoru was an information seeker and was quite opportunistic. He immediately used [Undead Domination], was pleased it actually worked then took Keno and the Undead away from the place they were staying.

The maids had decided to surround them at regular intervals but not close enough to see each other even if they had Dark Vision. They were a good distance away from their previous lodgings when they watched it get bombarded with attacks. Whoever was caught in that wouldn't survive and if they did it would be an unpleasant life afterward.

After Satoru cast some anti-divination magic that he hadn't used in a while - the type that was useful against even players - he started asking his new 'servant' questions. Unlike the members of Corpus of the Abyss this one was really valuable, he didn't want to kill her unless absolutely necessary.

"Now, let's start with your name."

"Yuri Alpha, deputy leader of the Pleiades."

To anyone who knew nothing of Nazarick her position meant nothing, but to Satoru ...

No. It's can't be. But if it is? ... No, nonono! NPC's couldn't leave Nazarick, or answer like this. Maybe this is a different Nazarick?

"What is your leaders name?"

"The one who put me in charge of finding and capturing the spies was Demiurge-sama, but Albedo-sama is in charge of Nazarick for now."

"For now?" Satoru was curious at what this meant.

"Once we create a place for the Forty-One Supreme beings to return to, prove our worth to them and they return to lead us Albedo-sama will gladly step down."

Supreme Beings? Forty-One? Lead them? I don't understand? They're doing this for other people even stronger than them? Wait ... capturing? Not kill? The new members all have rings of Ainz Ooal Gown, if they're still alive and this is my Nazarick I'll need those back.

"What did you do with the spies you captured?" Satoru was trying to make sense of the web that he was increasingly getting entangled in.

"They were taken in for questioning."

There's no way all of them were needed.

Just then Satoru thought of something else.

"Does this ring look familiar to you?" he asked showing her a gold rimmed ring with the sigil of Ainz Ooal Gown encased in a maroon sphere on it. An undead under the [Undead Domination] spell could not lie to their master. Satoru never talked about Yggdrasil with the new members of the guild so they did not understand what it could actually do when in the right place, if there was a possibility that place actually existed getting those rings back was now his top priority. He had already decided that if push came to shove he'd prioritise his and Keno's safety.

"It is the symbol of the Forty-One Supreme Beings of Ainz Ooal Gown."

Eh? Forty-One? There's only seven ... wait ... no ... it can't be. If it is what I think it is, then I have to make sure.

"Who created you?"

"I was created by Yamaiko-sama of the ..."

"I get it, I get it. The Forty-One Supreme Beings."

So I wonder if they actually made it. If one them did then left who could it be? But if they are here ...

He hadn't really talked about those friends in just under two centuries and the only other one that did know about them was the vampire in the room.

Nazarick Tenth Floor: Throne Room

"Albedo-sama, we have brought the other three. It seems two of them were either more powerful than us or were anticipating us and don't care about their comrades as they managed to slip past us and capture Yuri-nee-sama." Lupusregina Beta gave her report in the throne room immediately upon their return.

Demiurge stood next to Albedo as they received the report while assessing the heteromorphic beings in their presence. Like the other two they had on their person the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown. It was this tiny little detail that let them keep the pitiful existences they called their lives. Of course when they tried to attack him they may or may not have lost a limb but he didn't make them wish they were dead, what kindness.

It wasn't because Demiurge didn't want them to suffer, but if these weak lower life forms were more useful to the Supreme Beings than all of Nazarick, Demiurge had to learn from them, what was it that made them so valuable? But even then all they learnt was that they received the rings from some skeletal mage name Suzuki Satoru.

If this skeletal mage really wants to talk like the others have claimed he clearly is smart. Because we showed hostilities he takes one of our own. If he is stronger than Yuri Alpha, he may be able to prevent her from taking her own life. Yuri Alpha is undead ... hoho Suzuki ... you chose your target intentionally didn't you? Very well, we should call a truce under the flag of an exchange. We lack information so abruptly attacking could easily turn bad for us.

"Demiurge?" Albedo looked at him curiously. He smiled a cruel devilish smile.

"You already know what I'm thinking, we can't win without information."

"Yes, but who should go?"

"I will. Assuming this so called Mage is proficient at more than just running away like we have been told, security is the most important thing, so I'll take Shalltear and Mare with me." Demiurge said weighing the pros and cons of each guardian.

"Do you really think this mage is that strong?"

"Albedo, the best answer I can give is I lack sufficient information and I think Momonga-sama once said 'Better safe than sorry.' No? Besides apparently he can cast eighth tier magic, it's the first time we have heard of anyone in this world who can do that. "

"Fine. I'll see if Nigredo can locate Yuri Alpha, if not I'll check in with Aureole Omega." Albedo gave in.

"I'll be making my preparations until then."

Albedo sighed as she reached the fifth floor. She had taken lead on this mission because she was heartbroken. She had seen it all, the Pleiades, Sebas and her had seen their last remaining master give his last command, take the staff of Ainz Ooal Gown and leave them. She didn't know how to feel about this. The last remaining master they all had – the one she loved – had decided they were inadequate, weren't worth it and left them. That was why she ordered Demiurge not to kill those other misbegotten creatures that tried to spy on the land they conquered to hand over to their master.

The plan was simple, create a place, an exciting place where humans were slaves and were killed for their master's pleasure and wait for them to return. She had an inkling feeling that her master was here, and when she saw those creature wearing the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown she dared to hope. But was that foolish of her? Who was this Suzuki Satoru? Why did he have the rings? The idea of an alias did cross her mind but she immediately rejected it because the names of the Supreme Beings were too glorious to hide, why would they even want to do that? Demiurge, she knew, however did keep that as a possibility, which was why he was grasping at straws right now.

She picked up a doll and was about to open the door to her sisters room when:

{Albedo-sama?} A sweet sounding voice echoed in her head through a message spell.

{Entoma?}

{I had just sent a message to Aureole to see if she can contact Yuri-nee-sama as ordered. She says Yuri-nee-sama already contacted her saying her 'Master' wished to talk to our leader.}

Haaaaah!

Albedo did not dare let such an unladylike sound escape her mouth. Now, however, she had to wonder? If it was pure coincidence that this mage took Yuri Alpha or if they had a plan in doing so. Very few people knew that the Pleiades could keep in contact through Aureole Omega, fewer in this world could control a Death Knight – never mind defeat one – so who was this person that could control a level 51 dullahan? Whoever they were, Albedo decided they needed to die for messing with the creations of the Supreme Beings.

{Did you let Demiurge know?}

{I have not informed Demiurge-sama yet.}

{Do it, tell him we'll have to rethink our strategy especially if this mage is smarter than we initially thought.}

{Understood.}

Yuri Alpha will be punished once we capture this mage, she brings shame on Nazarick by getting captured.

Satoru sat next to Keno and they continued to watch Yuri Alpha. Telling her to contact Aureole was something of an experiment and the more he got proved right the more he wanted to test other things but at the same time the more nervous he got. The NPC's were programmed to be loyal to Nazarick – him included – so going by that theory was there a player that gave Yuri her orders, but did it through Albedo?

It isn't a too far fetched an idea considering she is moving, talking and breathing ... speaking of which why is she breathing? She's undead right? Come to think of it does Keno breathe? I know she doesn't need to, but does she? Wait .. I'm letting my mind wander, focus Satoru, FOCUS! If I decided to release the [Undead Domination] would she attack me? Would she run? Would she recognise me as one of these so called '41 Supreme Beings'? No, that's stupid. Right now she's my only hostage so that's a bit of a gamble ... I'll wait it out.

And they waited for three days.