Breeding Issues

by The Ruff Pusher

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

32. Chapter 32

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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The pregnant Albedo, Overseer of Nazarick, along with her peer Demiurge—master manipulator and overall manager of Nazarick's schemes, were currently at a certain room inside the Great Tomb. Within this room, there was quite the peculiar sight, at least to those who were aware of the Tomb's inner workings. For any outsider, having a literal crowd of people inside a room was not at all unusual for those who lived in the big cities.

Then again, these same outsiders would have also raised their brow to see so many dark-skinned individuals standing around in here. And not only that, the shape of the ears and their skinny bodies proclaimed their common heritages as that of the dark elf: the race to which Nazarick's own Aura and Mare belonged.

And here, therefore was the current situation: Demiurge and Albedo sat at their desks before a literal crowd of dark elves, who each stood like dolls awaiting some command. Demiurge's glittering eyes were narrowed behind his glasses, while Albedo's own sharp eyes flashed with concentration as the pair's gazes bored into the mass of dark elves. It was as if they were seeking something important in their forms, which was true in a way.

No two dark elves were similar. Each and every single one wore different clothes, sometimes from completely different styles. Some wore the trappings of their profession. There were some dark elves clad in full plate, several more in mail, and there were several who looked like they could be magic casters or priests in their long-flowing robes (not identical to each other). There were dark elves who looked natural in gear made for rangers and hunters. There were dark elves who looked completely average and nondescript, like one would expect from a typical villager with no clear profession.

Their features and shapes were also very different. There were faces that looked severe, faces that looked young and fresh, or old and wizened. There were dark elves who looked innocent and wide-eyed, or who had a constant smile on their face. There were dark elves who towered over their fellows, or who barely got to their neighbor's shoulders. There were all sorts of them, gathered here in this room.

And it was the current duty of Demiurge and Albedo to figure out which one was actually Ainz-sama in disguise.

They knew it was half a challenge and a game from their master, the pinnacle of cunning and wisdom. Presented before them were a full army of doppelgangers, each formed in an ordered formation like units in a battlefield. Among them was Ainz-sama and his creation Pandora's Actor. The whole lot used the dark elf twins as a reference to form their own conception of what a fully-grown dark elf would be, and from there further diverged into the forms that each doppelganger preferred.

In order to prevent Albedo's and Demiurge's latent level-sensing abilities from helping, Ainz and Pandora's Actor removed all their equipped items, except for one that was made to completely nullify their levels. Ainz-sama had described them as "training tools", but to them it was a bizarre form of punishment, as what sort of right-minded creature would willingly weaken itself to gain any sort of advantage? Still, for this exercise, it did work to dull their senses, preventing them from immediately singling out Ainz-sama among the crowd just from impression alone. Among the other doppelgangers, Ainz-sama and their fellow Floor Guardian stood out, having this sort of "presence" that they couldn't really define, like a candle shining brightly in a room. And apparently, with their levels were reduced, then such a powerful presence dimmed to an almost imperceptible state.

Ainz-sama had explained that the exercise had not really started as an experiment for the two of them. He had been gathering doppelgangers to help him find the "best" disguise that he would use during his excursion into the Elf Country, where he hoped to find traces of actual dark elves. As such, according to him, it would be good to get a good frame of reference, one that he could present for all the rest of the world as one of his alternate forms. First there was Ainz Ooal Gown the lich, Momon the Dark Hero, and now this yet to be named dark elf.

Then he had summoned the two of them, and presented this challenge to them. Would they actually be able to find out which dark elf was actually the real Ainz-sama before time ran out? The two of them could already foresee that this challenge was not something that could be taken lightly, nor solved easily. However, declining the Master's challenge was definitely the worst outcome, so they could do naught but readily accept the terms. The other doppelgangers seemed amused, and readily acceded to their superior's challenge, seeing it as a worthwhile endeavor, a game.

Demiurge found it a difficult task, as the Master did not really have any obvious tics that could be found across his transformations. His lich form obviously could not be read except for the telltale majesty of his movements—which was moot for these dark elves were not moving at all. And his human form was similar in shape to the humanoid dark elves, which was another impossibility.

His only hope was to test each of them through a conversation, as he believed he had some grasp of his Master's form and tone of speech to be able to sift through words coming from a mere subordinate, to one coming from a Supreme Being. Even Pandora's Actor had his eccentricities that were very obvious to him, and could have been gleaned handily by Demiurge.

But using only visual data? It was almost impossible. No dark elf here in this room was any more or less "perfect" than his peers. They all had their little flaws, those slight differences that prevented them from looking completely alike. None of them dressed far more or less elegantly, or with pomp, or something that would make one stand out amongst his fellows. And even their demeanors were the same: Ainz-sama and Pandora's Actor seemed to have blended well into the crowd, displaying none of the mannerisms of one who stood above the rest in station.

No, it was impossible, Demiurge decided. It was not in his nature to just admit defeat, but it was reasonable in an impossible situation like this. No doubt the Master would dispense some wisdom upon them all, as was his custom.

He glanced to the side, to where a heavily pregnant Albedo was frowning in her own turn, gritting her teeth as she stared at the crowd. He wondered what the Overseer was thinking, if she too found the task nigh impossible.

For Albedo this was a far more serious undertaking than she'd ever done yet. The challenge exerted far more pressure on her than Demiurge was feeling. For this was a fight to prove her bond to her love, showing beyond all doubt that she had the unimpeachable right to be First among all! Where Demiurge's failure would only mean a small lesson from the Master, she envisioned her own failure as something that would crush her heart entirely.

She had to find him. She needed it. She would use every ounce of her observational skills, her genius, her brilliance, to seek the one clue that would make her win.

And yet, she was failing.

It was hard. Very, very hard.

She had thought to use her existing bond to the Master, that her unquestioned love and devotion would suffice to form a bridge between her soul and his. But none of that seemed to be present in guiding her to success. None of that seemed to matter now. She gritted her teeth, almost snarling as she seethed silently. It was maddening to think that she could be deceived so easily, that her senses could simply be blinded by outward appearances. Was she really such a shallow woman as that?

She glanced at Demiurge, whose demeanor was not one of desperation, like hers. She could well understand. Nothing was at stake for him in this task; this was but another test of the all-powerful Master, and it did not matter to him if he won or lost. It would be a learning experience regardless, where he could also admire the depth of the Master's cunning in all its glory. He would not be as compelled to see this puzzle through to the end, not like her.

But Albedo knew, grudgingly, that she would need his intellect for this. She needed to nudge him to assist her, without outright letting him know that she was literally floundering around for the correct solution to her plight. For she still had her pride, and she did not wish to let the devil know that she had failed in even such a simple task as this.

"Demiurge," she said, glancing at him from the corner of her eye. "I am in something of a quandary."

"I see." Demiurge's expression did not shift, and neither did hers.

She continued, "… I have narrowed it down to a few candidates. However, beyond that, it seems to be far more difficult to distinguish the correct one. What about you? Do your eyes see better than mine? Have you also been able to narrow it down to a few?" It was always good to scatter bits of flattery, even before those who could see right through such empty fawning.

"I am, alas, at a loss myself, my dear Albedo," Demiurge replied, his smile still etched on his face. "The Master has chosen this test well. If it were a matter of life and death, then I must apologize in advance to the Master and admit that I would have failed, miserably."

"I see," she said, as if pitying him, while inside her anger rose a few more steps. "What a shame."

"But if you say that you've found a few, then would it not be good to share? Perhaps we can pool our resources and reach a successful solution, together."

Albedo tried not to scowl at that. She knew he was also probing, and she had to back off or invite suspicion. "Well, as I said, I am still unsure. I do not wish to burden you with knowledge that in the end might turn out false."

Demiurge hummed. "Very well."

They both returned to their respective observations. Albedo thought that the brief conversation would refresh her perceptions somewhat, but she was still not seeing anything new.

Then, after a while, Demiurge sucked in a breath through his teeth. "If only… If only we were allowed to communicate with them."

"…Ah." She grasped his meaning immediately. She knew how a person could still be readily identified by the manner of his speech, by discerning the subtleties of communication. It was difficult, though, and relied on memory most of all. At the very least, it was another way to acquire information that would help succeed in this test. But she didn't know if it was explicitly allowed. "…Maybe that is why the Master did not deign to speak. So, bereft of that crutch, what then is the next best alternative?"

"As it stands, I do not see any other alternative." Demiurge shook his head. He sighed and stood up from the desk. Clasping his hands behind him, he walked up to the gathered assembly of dark elves, scanning them with his eyes from left to right.

Albedo cursed under her breath. She knew Demiurge was a canny creature, who could easily veil his ignorance or weakness behind a necessary façade to throw off enemy and ally alike. He would not readily, or at least loudly, admit defeat. This, however, was as close to an outright admission of his failure as anything. She could sense that he had no actual solution at the moment. Demiurge would not have resisted the chance to gloat of performing a great success.

"My lord, would it be permissible to have a conversation with all of you?" Demiurge asked.

The dark elves seemed to hesitate as one, and shared an uneasy glance with each other. It was a little disconcerting to see, but Albedo was more focused on the fact that Demiurge had actually been using his cunning. Whether or not Ainz-sama would accede to his request, just causing this little shift would be enough to give them more clues, more data to process. Albedo was even now casting her eyes all around, trying to discern if any of the dark elves were looking towards a particular dark elf in particular, as of minions seeking the aid of their superiors.

Unfortunately, her and Demiurge's hopes were neatly dashed, in one fell—and thunderous—swoop.

The entire host of dark elves started to speak, one after another, in a great clashing cacophony that momentarily overwhelmed her hearing. This was the effect of a whole room's worth of dark elves speaking at once, their voices literally bouncing off the walls and merging with each other to become a literal mass of noise that instantly filled the room like a noisome peal of thunder. Albedo could not hide her wince, and neither could Demiurge stop himself from recoiling, their ears unused to such a massive influx of sound.

After that, as if following some sort of unseen or unheard signal, the dark elves stopped, blinking. Then one of them said, "You have our deepest apologies." Albedo looked at the speaker and stared hard. The speaker was a dark elf who was garbed in clothes that made him look like a magic caster. For a brief moment she wondered if the Master would be as obvious as this, but she knew she could not just accuse this one immediately.

Then another said, "If you wish to speak with us, then you may do so one at a time." She looked at the other one and stared at them too.

"We do not dare to hurt Ainz-sama's lover," said another one, to whom Albedo also focused her scrutiny. But she could discern nothing from either of them.

And then there was silence.

Her brain allowed her to memorize all three who had recently come to her attention, but though she tried to penetrate their mysteries, she still could not find a clue that any one of the trio might possibly be Ainz.

"Ah, I see now. If we were to take our time interrogating each and every one of you, it will take us a long time. And it is the sort of time that we cannot afford," Demiurge said, stroking his chin. The he made a flourishing bow, and spoke loud and clear, "Therefore, with your permission my lord, I wish to concede defeat in this challenge. I shall endeavor to do my best next time."

It was a handsome acknowledgement of his defeat, but it was still him essentially giving up. Albedo wanted to mock the devil for his failure, but her focus was still on the dark elves.

"And what of you, my dear Albedo?" Demiurge said, his glasses glinting with light. "Do you still wish to continue the challenge?"

Part of her wondered if this was some sort of trick that Demiurge and Ainz-sama had played on her. But she knew on an intellectual level that Ainz-sama was not one to make such cruel tricks, especially towards those he had already named his lovers. He was stern when it came to it, but he was never needlessly cruel. He reserved his malice almost exclusively for his enemies.

Feeling a great surge of defeat in her heart, Albedo suppressed a sob in her throat and looked straight forward with calm, if resigned determination. "I do not, Ainz-sama. If it were any other time, I would be glad to spend hours with it, as Demiurge said. But I find myself wishing to rest for a bit. I am sorry."

"Alright then, that should be fine," came Ainz-sama's voice.

There was a faint, but firm clapping from an isolated corner of the room, made by a dark elf who looked like a vagabond of some type, clad in a thick traveling cloak made of a type of animal fur.

At that, all the other dark elves in the room turned and bowed towards him, saying in unison, "As you wish, Ainz-sama!"

Albedo blinked. Her heart sank. She could not believe what she was seeing, nor what she was hearing. Beside her, Demiurge made a whistling sound. Neither of them had expected this solution. Neither of them had personally even remembered if this one had been a dark elf they had scrutinized. It was as if they had truly missed the master within the crowd, unable to single him out from the rest of the rabble.

"Please return to your duties for now, but do remember to keep those transformations in mind. I shall perhaps be needing them in some way, and it is always good to have a reference on hand," the dark elf was saying.

Then, one by one, the other transformed doppelgangers left through the chamber's exit, marching in swift, but ordered formations like a troop of dark elves preparing for battle, until only two were left: the dark elf from earlier, and another dark elf wearing leather armor. These two approached the Floor Guardians as the last of the dark elves left in the room.

The first dark elf nodded towards the other, and the two of them removed a ring from their finger. Immediately, Albedo could feel a palpable aura of menace emanate from the first elf, akin to a dragon emerging from a seemingly innocuous cave mouth. It was an aura of power that surrounded the Supreme Being, one that made both Albedo and Demiurge shiver to experience, as if the Master had only appeared in front of them for the first time.

"Well then," the dark elf said, smiling at the two of them. "That was an interesting exercise, eh? Let's continue our talk from before inside the office. Pandora's Actor, well done. I expect a full report on what we discussed earlier. You may also return."

The other dark elf made an exaggerated bow, seeming much more like an actor playacting in the theater-which was strange considering it was attired in gear meant for warriors. It left a strange incongruous impression, though none of those present remarked upon it as the other doppelganger bid its leave.

"As you wish, lord Creator. Thank you for indulging me."

---

Ainz examined himself before the mirror. The figure staring back at him was the image of what he hoped an actual dark elf would look like in this world. Unfortunately, he didn't have a frame of reference for what they actually looked like in this world, and therefore could only rely on Aura and Mare as a point of reference to use in his transformation.

He had interrogated the elves who had been captured during the worker's assault on Nazarick, who had become the dark elves' self-appointed attendants. They had admitted to him that neither had ever seen a dark elf in person, but that they definitely existed, from hearsay. From that, he was able to assume that they should just be adult versions of Aura and Mare, crossed with these "normal" elves.

The elves had also admitted that they had indeed reached adulthood among their kind, so unless the "darker" elves had diverged from them significantly, then the rules for maturation would also remain the same. Unfortunately, the elves had not been any help in confirming if Aura and Mare were really good examples of dark elf children, even if they did accept them as genuine "fellow elves". For all he knew, actual dark elves grew to be as stout as dwarves or something.

He also took a little inspiration from Zesshi Zetsumei, though of course without really letting her know. He knew she was only half-descended from an elf, but it was interesting to see how one who possessed elf blood grew.

After taking those points of data, Ainz had then commenced with forming a proper dark elf disguise for himself. It had been a very interesting test of his doppelganger abilities, something which he had no reference for in the past. It was like asking his old human self how one could whistle—without hearing someone else doing it. It was a lot of trial and error, of watching his own body shift and change into various forms, most of the time becoming failures or the like.

Even just settling on a base form had taken the work of a few hours. It was essentially an aged-up version of Mare's head placed on a leaner human body. That first iteration felt a little bit artificial, even for a doppelganger such as himself. He wasn't sure if dark elves bulked up or not, or if they ended up becoming too fat or too thin like humans. It was important to pay attention to such minor details as the nature of their skin or their hair, the underlying systems of their muscles or skeletons, or even how they saw through their eyes or listened with their ears. The disguise had to be foolproof when it came to dealing with reality, or his pride would take a hit.

It would be too easy to get a detail wrong, and on this future vacation that he was about to undertake, he wasn't about to go into things half-cocked. Getting the very best dark elf transformation was a vital part of his overall plan, and he was determined to reach such a state that he would be almost indistinguishable from a normal dark elf.

There were several spells in his repertoire that could literally tear apart a creature's essence and allow him to "puppet" it like a costume for a time. There were also lesser spells that allowed one to "wear" a disguise, but these were flimsy and easily broken. In these two cases, magic was involved, and one could therefore consider it a flawless recreation above what a doppelganger could accomplish. Therefore, it would work as a great backup if things fell apart. But he didn't want to rely on it at all on this journey. It was like admitting that he couldn't accomplish his objective with the tools he already had on hand. It would seem overall wasteful.

His attempts to find the most suitable dark elf disguise had been what led to the present "test" which he had given to Demiurge and Albedo. Yet the actual proposal of a test hadn't been his, but Pandora's Actor's.

He had consulted his own creation for ideas and tips regarding his dark elf disguise. It was a task the other one took to with some glee, and they had spent a merry time trying to think of the right disguise for this "dark elf Ainz". After all, he already had the faces of a powerful sorcerer and a great warrior. For various reasons, including that of security, this dark elf version would also have to be very much distinct, one that both he and Pandora's Actor would need to fall back to in the future should a plan require it.

Eventually, it had been the NPC who had proposed that it was too inefficient to bounce off ideas from each other. It would take literal days of "dressing up" and trying new transformations before Ainz might find the one dark elf he needed.

"So what are you thinking?" Ainz had asked.

"Ah, my lord, we happen to have a great collection of our fellows right in this place," Pandora's Actor had replied. "What say we gather all of them, and seek their aid in your endeavor?"

It seemed like a sensible idea, and so much of the doppelgangers who were on standby were called to Nazarick. Those with important duties were exempted, as was Narberal—though even if she wasn't pregnant, Ainz still doubted if she would actually be of any help, considering her stats.

And with that, Ainz found himself surrounded by a literal army of dark elves, as each doppelganger asserted their own vision of what a dark elf might look like. He and Pandora's Actor wandered in their midst, soaking in details and new ideas that actually looked sensible.

It was then that Demiurge and Albedo had come to consult about something. When he saw that they didn't know which of the transformed dark elves to address, he immediately struck upon the idea to give them a little test.

All things considered; it had been interesting to see how he had been able to fool them completely. Thus, he took it as an omen of sorts that the dark elf he had used during that test would be the definitive one to use.

Presently, he turned back from the mirror to address Demiurge and Albedo, who had been waiting patiently on their seats inside the office. He had sent Pandora's Actor away, to return to his other duties, leaving behind the smartest minds he knew in all of Nazarick.

"What do you think?" he said, speaking as a dark elf. He spread his arms wide and allowed them to look upon his form. "Do I make a convincing enough dark elf?" Even his voice was well-chosen—carefully modulated to sound the upper side of youthful. If anyone wondered, he would just claim that he was a prodigy of sorts.

"The façade is well-made, my lord," Demiurge said. "Even were one to be aware of your true nature, they would not know that this particular dark elf is Ainz Ooal Gown, nor Momon the Dark Hero."

"That's very good to hear," Ainz said, glancing absently at his palms. He glanced at Albedo, who flushed and looked down.

"It is… Yes, it is certainly a convincing creation, my lord. You truly look like what you claim to be." He noticed that Albedo didn't seem as filled with energy as she usually was, but perhaps it had something to do with her pregnancy. He turned back to Demiurge.

"My apologies, Demiurge. I imposed on you unreasonably by giving you the test, not when you had something important to report."

"Oh, my lord, please do think nothing of it. But since we have come to it, then please allow me to deliver it," Demiurge said. "It's a preliminary report on the results of the Peace Summit which you had convened in your infinite wisdom. Of course, I am well aware that we must not be bogged down in so much minutiae, which is why I shall not speak of everything. Instead, there are some key events that have occurred which might seem pertinent to your exalted wisdom. If you wish to know more, then everything else is laid out in the report in more detail."

"Alright, alright, keep going then," Ainz said, waving. The prospect of having to read through stacks of paper did not fill him with joy. Especially when ignoring it would just end up making him miss something important; some minor detail his subordinates would expect him to know.

Demiurge then started to speak about the status of the various nations that had been born from the shattered Re-Estize Kingdom. He mentioned how the network that Nazarick had so carefully cultivated through their pawns in the Eight Fingers had been seamlessly adapted into these myriad nations, from the smallest petty kingship to the greater dukedoms. Any nation, large and small, would have Nazarick's eyes on it, to ensure that nothing was missed.

Naturally, the larger number of potential nations needing to be watched meant the required workforce was at the least tripled, but Demiurge assured him they could make do with using the Eight Fingers. There were also several worker groups who would become the seeds that would germinate into new criminal organizations on their own right, who would be funded and supported by Nazarick. They would not only serve as spies, they would be puppets that could be used and discarded as they saw fit.

They were also still on watch for any overt moves from the other nations, even the Holy Kingdom. As a dragon-lord had revealed its hand during that last war, it was expected that anything the Sorcerous Kingdom did would be scrutinized. Therefore, it was prudent to watch them in turn, to ensure that they would not be surprised by any sudden movements. Their plans in the Holy Kingdom were to be accelerated, to ensure the whole country's nominal loyalty to Nazarick, even if they would not be explicitly named as allies.

Ainz couldn't really say anything wrong about Demiurge's proposals. As usual, he was completely out of his depth when it came to such forward-thinking decisions, no matter what his subordinates thought. Therefore, he commanded him to continue as always, and to forward anything interesting to him should it come up. They were, after all, still anticipating the next move from the Platinum Dragon-Lord or his fellows, who were definitely expected to be antagonistic to their cause.

"Well then, I shall be counting on you, Demiurge, as usual. Your services to Nazarick are ever appreciated," Ainz said, in conclusion.

"I am always happy to serve, my lord," Demiurge said, bowing. He turned around, but before he left, he glanced at Albedo, and said, "Good day, Albedo." Then he left the office.

Ainz turned to glance at himself in the mirror once more, and tried out some idle expressions on his face. He smiled, he frowned, he looked afraid, he looked wrathful. Then he turned back to Albedo and said, "Well now, Albedo, I shall need to prepare for the trip. Will you be following me or will you stay here?"

"I-I will follow you, my lord!" Albedo all but cried, standing up quickly.

"Careful there," he chided. "You might be only weeks away from birth, remember?"

"Y-Yes," Albedo said, stammering. "M-my apologies…"

He stared at her for a few seconds, wondering if something was wrong with the Overseer. Then he beckoned, "Come along then, Albedo. I have things to prepare before we depart."

They walked the halls in silence for a few moments before Albedo began to speak. "My lord… may I inquire something?"

"Go ahead," Ainz said.

"Is it really… wise for you to go on this journey? This… vacation?" Albedo paused, before continuing. "It is not that I doubt your wisdom, of course. But the most recent report from our networks—and of course the doppelgangers assets we have embedded in their high command—suggest that the war between the Elf Country and the Theocracy has reached a critical point. According to my and Demiurge's analysis, the elves are on the brink of collapse, and it is perhaps only the charisma of this Elf King that keeps the Theocracy at bay. But there are already multiple planned offensives according to our sources, which means that barring a powerful countermeasure, even the King cannot forestall the demise of his nation. At best, he can destroy his attackers and flee, and at worst he takes a lot of them down with him. But it is no question that his country will fall. Perhaps only the intervention of a third party can save them—assuming they do not wish to anger us of course."

It was a fact of the land now that the Sorcerous Kingdom was a real contender in its geopolitical situation, and not just some upstart that Jircniv's nation had propped up or some other. He had heard Demiurge say that were it not for them, things might have ended up different regarding the Theocracy-Elf war, through many possibilities. The Dragon-Lord they had fought, for example, might have thought to intervene at last on that front, even when it had clearly not done so already since that long war had begun.

"The matter of the war is clear to me, Albedo, but I do still thank you for that," Ainz said. "Still, regardless of the situation there, we really are only looking for a dark elf village. We probably won't go anywhere near where the war is. And so, we won't be making any contact with the forces of the Theocracy. I especially don't want to meet them carelessly, considering the company I'll be bringing with me."

Zesshi Zetsumei would also be coming along on his little trip with the twins, as part of his promise to her before. It would be a problem if the Theocracy somehow spotted her with him, as they would wonder at it when the doppelganger was also present. So Ainz would not be taking any unnecessary risks such as going near the warzones.

"That woman…" Albedo said, before grumbling something under her breath. He could have chosen to sharpen his hearing to hear that, but he knew it would just be Albedo complaining about her fellow mother. "My lord, is it really good for Zesshi to be accompanying you so soon? Has she not just given birth? I would have thought she would need rest from her extensive labors. And doesn't she also need to stay to care for her children; which is no small task, is it not? Instead, she's to leave them here in Nazarick, while she accompanies you. One begins to wonder if her motherly devotion is actually true or not."

"As for the primary reason," Ainz said. "It is because Zesshi has some ties to this place we are going to. It is sort of a private promise, I am afraid. Do be assured that I have not made this decision to bring her along lightly. Especially with all those… considerations you have raised."

"My lord, I only make these observations because it is my duty to advise; I am very much concerned for your wellbeing."

"And I am thankful for that, Albedo. Your insight is… I mean, it's always been very valuable to me." He gave her a smile. It was then that they arrived at the destination, where the dark elf twins were already waiting.

"Ohhhh, Ainz-sama, that's a good look for you!" Aura all but cried as the twins practically ran towards him. "Is that the disguise you'll be using?"

"Yes, does it look strange?" He crossed his arms and tried to look stern, as per the plan. He would be the patriarch to the twins, their guardian while Zesshi his companion. This was the image he wished to project to any dark elves they would meet.

Mare shook his head silently. "No, no," Aura cried. "It looks perfect. Why, if I didn't know who Ainz-sama really is, then I would certainly never believe he's more than just this dark elf!"

Ainz smiled at their reactions. "Good. It means all my hard work paid off." He looked up and then turned his head from left to right. "Umm, is Zesshi around? Has she already arrived?"

"She's here… I mean, she was, but she excused herself because she 'forgot something'," Aura said, miming the quotation marks.

"Ah, perhaps she is giving the final instructions to the healers," Ainz said. There had been some discussion on what exactly to delegate to the healers regarding their triplets. The main thing was that they should really be kept in the maternity hall, protected by the healers, but the other mothers had insisted on caring for them in their own ways as well, which presented a bit of a conflict. Thankfully, Zesshi was willing to mediate, especially when it came to her own babies.

Zesshi had been the one to decide that the babies wouldn't be coming on their trip. Perhaps it was due to her motherly instincts or just plain good sense, but she eventually agreed with Ainz that everything outside Nazarick was dangerous, no matter how many preparations could be made. There was just no way to accurately predict what could happen. The triplets were still too young and vulnerable, and it was uncertain what would happen should the world learn of their existence. The minions of Nazarick could be trusted to hold their tongues, even unto death, but what of the many other unknown enemies out there who might be watching?

He had prepared all these arguments should a final discussion be had between them. He had known Zesshi wanted this trip to the Elf Country to be some sort of private family outing. And so, Ainz was secretly relieved to hear Zesshi's final decision.

In exchange he had then promised an actual family outing for them later on, but somewhere far and safe, just like the places they had gone to during their "honeymoon".

So the question then remained of what to do with the children. It seemed a hassle to keep casting Gates to send Zesshi back. While expedient, he didn't know if casting such great magic repeatedly would eventually catch the attention of those like the Dragon-Lords, leading them to suspect that he was in this or that location. There were no such qualms for the routine usage of Gates in E-Rantel or other places, as those were already deemed hostile territory where the vigilance of Nazarick needed to contend with possible enemies; where Ainz wanted enemies to show their hands.

"How dare that woman," Albedo presently said, crossing her arms below her generous breast. "Does she really think she can get away with keeping the Master waiting like this?"

The twins said nothing to that, glancing at him furtively for his reaction.

"I think I know where she went," Ainz said. "Albedo, did Zesshi leave behind enough milk for the healers? I don't recall if it was in the report. Perhaps that is what she is attending to know."

"She's left enough in the vials for the healers," Albedo said, a little grumpily. "She also left some for the others to use." By "others" she meant the other mothers. "But I do not see why she needs to do it at all. My lord, you know full well we can provide such sustenance ourselves!" As if for emphasis, Albedo presented one of her boobs, jiggling it in such a way that made Ainz step forward to block its view from the innocent twins. "I mean, little Suzuki fed from here just a while ago. There wasn't anything bad."

That made Ainz pause, his thoughts freezing. What was the actual wisdom for letting the baby feed from other mothers? Would it mean that the children would not be able to bond with Zesshi that much, and that it would "latch on" to the others who fed it? The healers had only said that children needed to be fed directly, and that feeding from the vials was only for emergencies, especially if it looked like the child preferred its mother's milk.

There were so many unknowns about childbirth and child-rearing, which was difficult to test. Perhaps that would be his next project, to scour the world for knowledge on how that aspect of life worked. It might actually end up being important, especially considering the brood that was about to be born in a few months' time.

For now, at least he was assured that Zesshi had been feeding them pretty religiously since she had given birth, and that the others had only been feeding them sporadically, something for which Zesshi had allowed in a gracious manner. If there was to be an interruption, it might happen on this trip. That would be something to note for later.

"Ah, I am sorry for the delay, my love!" came a voice that broke him from his thoughts. There stood Zesshi, who was trotting towards them while waving her hand.

"I suppose tardiness is something that can be expected of those like you," Albedo said loudly, her expression twisted into something like contempt.

"And a good day to you to as well, Albedo," Zesshi said brightly, flashing her fellow mother a grin. "It's good to see you looking very much healthy."

Ainz didn't quite catch their exchange, as his gaze was more focused on what Zesshi was wearing. For the longest time she had been wearing clothes that were fit for motherhood, such as loose robes or dresses. Now she was wearing something that looked like Narberal's cloak, in her guise as the Dark Hero's assistant. It covered her body well, even managing to hide the fact of her large breasts. Aside from that, she was also wearing a hat on her head, which reminded him of "cowboy" hats. It was clear that this one was from Yggdrassil, a new acquisition from the vaults of the treasury. He recalled that this one had been acquired during some sort of seasonal event, though the exact details escaped him now.

Overall, Zesshi looked very different from when she had been a servant of the Theocracy. And that was perhaps the point: that on this trip she should not be recognized should the worst pass and someone from her old life ended up seeing her. Though such an event would necessarily be the "worst" case scenario, considering that he would never want to meet any of the Theocracy forces, as he'd already explained to Albedo.

Then he stirred from his thoughts, aware that things had fallen silent. He looked around and saw that all of them were staring up at him in silence, apparently for the last minute or so.

"Is something troubling you, my lord?" Albedo asked.

He cleared his throat and nodded at Zesshi. "Nothing. I was just… Zesshi just looked cute."

Zesshi smiled and blushed. She curtsied and said, "My thanks, my lord." Off to the side, Albedo groaned and shook her head.

Eager to head off a possible clash, he said, "Well then Zesshi, are you sure you're well-prepared? You didn't forget anything more?"

"None, my lord. I am prepared now," Zesshi said. "Apologies for being late again."

"Please, think nothing of it, really," Ainz said, waving a little impatiently. "On that note, which weapon did you settle on? As I said, I am not certain if we have enough scythes…" He recalled they had plenty of scythes, which were Zesshi's preferred blade, but only a select few were actually strong enough to be considered "high-spec".

"Oh, I didn't choose any of them. I settled on this." She produced a blade—which was longer than she was tall and looked like an oversized katana with a thin edge. Upon seeing it, Ainz couldn't help but make a sound of surprise. Even Albedo gasped, exclaiming, "But that's-!"

It was the Takemikazuchi Mk8, one of the weapons he had born with him during the battle against Shalltear. It had been one of his guild-mate's prototypes, forged in a possible battle against Touch Me.

"So you really chose that, huh?" Ainz mused, his eyes on the blade.

"Yes, Pandora's Actor also helped me with choosing it." She tossed the blade from one hand to the next, and she was able to catch it easily in both. "Truth be told, I wanted to bring everything with me. But, since this was just a casual trip, well…"

"Frankly, I would have expected you to go with something flashier. Or stronger." While it had been forged by his friends, there were better crafters than Take-san in Ainz Ooal Gown. In particular, Amanomahitotsu-san was their resident blacksmith, and had made many masterpieces that currently resided in the Treasury. One was even a sort of "talking blade", though it was a pain to use.

"My love, do not worry, it has its strengths," Zesshi said, eyeing her reflection on the pristine edge of the sword. "I have looked into its heart, and seen the earnestness in its design. And I can assure you that should it ever come to a fight, I will be able to wield a sword like this just as good as my scythe."

Ainz was aware that Zesshi had a peculiar talent, one that was perhaps unique to this world's inhabitants. She could read the innate histories, the strengths, the weaknesses, and any other assorted information in an object she grasped. It was sort of like she had a more advanced spell constantly active in her mind, allowing her to see an item's data as if she was in Yggdrasil.

Other than that, she could also draw out an item's power, should it have any. Ainz was looking forward to how she could coax out the blade's abilities, especially the trump card. Would she be able to manage it, or would it end up overwhelming her?

Perhaps this talent was something passed down to their children, but it was too early to tell. It would be quite interesting to see.

He glanced at Albedo, who was now visibly glaring at Zesshi handling the blade. No doubt she was seething at a so-called outsider using what was rightfully the weapon of a Supreme Being like him. But since he had given her permission, there was nothing for her to do.

"And did you leave your scythe behind?" Ainz next said.

Zesshi shook her head. She sheathed the great katana and produced the scythe in her hand. "I'll still bring it with me, just in case we do end up meeting someone who'll recognize me." She put the weapon away. "From what I hear of what the Theocracy's planning, it is only a matter of time before 'I' will be sent out. It never hurts to be prepared."

"Very sensible," Ainz said, nodding along. "Though again, I do not wish for that to happen. We shall leave the Theocracy to their own devices, for now."

He turned to the twins and said, "Are the two of you ready? Is there anything else you also need to do?"

They each shook their heads. "I'm all set here, Ainz-sama!" Aura said.

"Me as well," Mare said quietly.

Nodding to himself, Ainz said, "Very good, very good." He next turned to Albedo, who still looked like she had swallowed a very sour lemon. "Albedo, I leave things in your hands. But, don't take this as a license to overwork yourself. Remember what I said."

"… Yes, Ainz-sama." He drew the Overseer to him and kissed her. She kissed back fervently, her hands digging into his arms with a strong urgency. Then she relaxed and stepped back, her expression lidded as Ainz bent down to kiss her belly.

"Take care little one," he murmured, patting a hand fondly on the smooth skin. Then he rose, and nodded again to Albedo, before he turned around. The twins and Zesshi gathered close when he gestured at them.

"Well then everyone, let's go," Ainz declared. The twins cheered, and Zesshi nodded excitedly.

He cast the spell that would take them to the Great Forest of Tob. It was on a location far from the Theocracy front-lines, a spot which Aura had scouted herself before. It was an outpost of sorts, but there were no Nazarick soldiers deployed, just several spells cast by Mare to detect invaders and such. It was only ever intended to be an excellent starting point to begin this little excursion of theirs.

With a snap of his finger, the four of them disappeared in a great flash of light.

---

The United Principality of Liberaon was a new state, reborn from the ashes of the Re-Estize Kingdom. Surrounded by its fellow new nations to the west, who may or may not be hostile; and the Sorcerous Kingdom and its vassals to the east, it seemed like it was stuck in a difficult position. It would make living in such a place very harrowing, which would have meant only the brave or the desperate would ever seek to make their lives here.

Contrary to expectations however, there were plenty of people who came to the country and declare themselves its citizens. Most came by way of neighboring E-Rantel, after they had heard the extraordinary opportunity that was awaiting them.

Such opportunities had been promised by the nation's new leaders, the Great Council made up of the nobles who had once owned these lands by the remit of the Re-Estize Kingdom. Now they laid claim to these very same lands on their own right. During the negotiations at Ainz Ooal Gown's "Peace Summit", they had decided to band together, citing historical friendships and geographical closeness to forge a new nation for themselves.

There had been enough good will between these allied nobles that they had not felt a need to strike off on their own to declare themselves sovereigns of their respective lands, like most others of their former peers—who had become petty lords of miniscule kingdoms. Or they thought, perhaps rightfully, that banding together to present a greater front was better in the long run than being swallowed up eventually in grim detail.

Once their nation had been proclaimed at the new capital city of Libera, they had to stop and take stock of what they actually possessed. Between themselves they may have possessed a sizable portion of land, but so many of the peasants under their domain had fled when the war with Ainz Ooal Gown had been declared. At the time, they could not reasonably muster a force to punish these disloyal servants. Each of the Council houses now only had enough people in their retinue to support their own small pieces of land. Many of the villages under each of their domains stood empty. The farms and forests from which they drew their income had too few workers—or even none at all.

Their one big advantage was a veritable coup that seemed as if it had been dropped from on high by the gods. Hours before their proclamation of the new nation, none other than the Princess Renner herself contacted their alliance, and offered a proposal. She would leverage the last of her resources as an aid to help prop up their fledgling nation.

She would also offer her legitimacy as a descendant of the true royal Re-Estize line, as a counterpart to her brother. Unlike Zanac, she had never signed a document that abdicated her claim to the great throne. With her becoming their Duchess, there would be a chance to merge their houses with that of the Ramposa line, which might figure in a true restoration some years down the line. The only wrinkle was that Renner had admitted that she was already married, and that divorce was not an option. But she promised that she would only be a figurehead leader of the Principality, leaving all manner of governance and law to the Council, while also allowing for her descendants to be promised to the council's descendants.

They were soon able to take advantage of Princess Renner's apparently brilliant mind. It was her suggestion that the nobles issue a large-scale bounty to all in the land. They would offer promises of land to own and opportunities aplenty, if only they would swear to themselves to any of the nobles on the the new nation, a system would be founded where these peasants would be allowed to own their small parcels of land, which had first raised eyebrows. But the Duchess' scheme would call for exorbitant taxes to be levied from the peasantry, which would replace the traditional feudal oath of service. This increased revenue would funnel towards raising and hiring a professional army for the Principality, something much more reliable than mercenaries or using these same peasants as an ineffective mob. And if a peasant could not pay for their land, then it would be confiscated, ready to be offered to another who would take their place.

Though the Council nobles were skeptical, they saw no reason not to implement it, as there was nothing for them to lose. If it ended up being troublesome for them later on it would just be easy to have it repealed on their authority, which they retained in the agreement. And if it worked, then it was all to the good.

It did not take long after the bounty was declared for results to start trickling in. Caravans of displaced peasants came streaming in through the roads leading to E-Rantel and Arwintar, heading straight towards their towns instead of moving on to the other successor kingdoms in order to get an authorization for land. It seemed that many of them were intrigued by the prospect of directly owning land themselves. Despite the danger of planting roots so close to the Sorcerous Kingdom, it appeared the peasants were willing to grab for even the slightest hint of prosperity for themselves.

And so, not even months after the nation's founding, the founding houses of Liberaon were able to see that "Duchess" Renner's initiative had borne some fruit, with peasants now working hard on their small farms in preparation for the first rounds of payment. It was expected that these would not really be fruitful until at least another year, which was why Renner's offering of food supplies was useful for weathering the deficit.

With the first hurdles cleared, the Council met once more at the capital of Liberaon, to discuss the other matters that still needed to be attended.

They met at an old mansion which was intended to be renovated and transformed into the "Ducal Palace", where the affairs of state would be decided. The heads of each house were present in the meeting, as was Duchess Renner, who despite being a figurehead had already been of great help to them all. There was concern that she would continue to give out unsolicited advice, but at the very least they would hear her out.

"As expected, we do need the help of some merchants to bolster our finances," one noble presently said.

"Why is that?" asked another noble, while sipping delicately from a tumbler of water. Wine had been served, but this one seemed to prefer sobriety.

"Without them, the peasants have no quick way to sell what they have. After all, our own people would be burdened if every peasant had to pay for their land with livestock or produce directly to us," the noble replied. "We'd be utterly swamped! We'd need to pay more to have it all organized."

Another noble spoke. "And there is also the concern that the rates of payment are… as yet, unclear. The contract made such stipulations on what exactly they can offer as payment, but a farmer's sick and old cattle is not exactly equal to another farmer's healthy cut."

"We would need to pay more to hire people to watch for fraud," another noble interjected. There was a wagging of heads at that, as the nobles were unwilling to be burdened with even more expenses.

"Thus, the need for merchants," said the first noble. "They will buy the things the peasants offer in exchange for coin, and will also sell them what they need in return. At the most basic level they'll take care of appraising anything those peasants offer. An unworthy farmer trying to make a trick won't get a penny from the scrupulous bargainer. Peasants might also prefer an actual coin rather than going to us—we would have nothing to give back to them. After all, it is not as if we promised to butcher up a calf and give them back the entrails. But in selling, say, a whole cow for this amount to a merchant, then giving the majority of the earning to us, they might just have enough leftover that they could use it for themselves. I am no peasant, but it seems to me an enticing prospect."

"They will pay us exactly what they owe in coin," said another. "And the convenience on both ends will ensure that our newborn bureaucracy isn't strained."

Another noble, whose expression made it look like he was perpetually worried, spoke. "And where might we even get such merchants? It seems to me that the whole lot of them prefer to find business elsewhere. Especially out west, where these very same merchants have chosen to declare themselves Kings."

"I might still have my old contacts," replied another noble. "I will call upon them." There were a few murmurs and nods from the others to do the same.

"It may also be possible to call on certain expatriates," the first noble pointed out. "Not all merchants who deserted the old Kingdom sold off all their assets completely. There were those who yet hedged their bets, and continue to have significant claims to property, both here in our territory and in other places. Though we can't really do anything about those in the other nations, we can instead decide to continue honoring such claims to ownership from the old regime unto our new nation."

"You suggest giving them land?" asked a noble shrewdly. "When we have already sacrificed much?"

"By allowing it, we will make them indebted to us. But in return, we also would sign a new contract with them. Something sturdy, something that will maintain our advantages, so that we don't suddenly have a Kingdom of Merchants in the east." As opposed to the new kingdom of merchants in the west. "This will ensure they keep their loyalties to us. They will be grateful that we made the show of honoring past agreements, further binding them to us. And of course, if they see the prosperity of our nation, they will be even more motivated to maintain that, just so they can continue reaping the profits."

"The honorable lord has also raised an excellent point," said another noble, tapping the table. "One must also remember those great merchant companies and alliances who owned multiple enterprises in the old regime, and even now still have a semblance of power and wealth outside the Kingdom. We can extend them the privilege of continuing such arrangements with their assets in our territories, in exchange for favorable terms."

"Yes… by presenting to them our stability and security, we can make a case for propping up our economies. Perhaps we may not see the effects today, or next year. But our children shall inherit a fruitful, peaceful land."

"Hah. Very poetic of you, sir. Yet I can honestly say that the proposal, overall, seems very wise," a noble determined, upon which many agreed with nods.

"Would you agree, then, Princess?"

All the nobles' attention turned towards the other remaining occupant in the room—the former Princess of the Re-Estize Kingdom, and sole remaining legitimate claimant to the Ramposa royal line, their Duchess Renner. While she was bestowed the title of Duchess, they had yet to formally proclaim her, as they awaited "favorable conditions" for a grand ceremony to elevate themselves to a certain exalted position from where they could invest the title on her.

There was an unspoken agreement among the nobles that they would never allow her to take the reins of government, as it would violate the spirit of their agreement. But they would allow her to sit in on meetings like these, as she had already revealed her brilliant, if naïve intellect in such manners of state. So long as her proposed peasant initiative did not bring any problems, then she would be indulged in the same manner as a kind and wise elder.

The Duchess' voice was melodious when she spoke, like a pleasant summer breeze. "On the whole, I find the proposals to be well-made. I see no flaws in it."

"Ah, that is good to hear," said the first noble. "It is gratifying to know that we are of one mind in such a manner. In this we show unity in driving the reins of our infant nation."

"Duchess, is it fine if we continue?" another noble asked. "You may excuse yourself if you wish."

She inclined her head towards him. "Please do so. Is it not important to address the matters of state, such that we can guide our fledgling nation forward unto the unknown future with heads held high? I once sat in on the War Room, where the fate of Re-Estize was once decided. Please, allow me to do the same."

"I see nothing wrong with it," a noble said. His fellows nodded in agreement.

"Well then, let us move on to the next agenda." There was a shuffling of parchment. "Let us turn to the matters of our compact with the Re-Estizen Southern Republic."

One noble adjusted the spectacles on his nose. He narrowed his eyes as he peered at the sheet on the table before him. He stabbed a knobby finger at the surface, and began to speak, "This is a proposal for a new treaty to be formalized between our two nascent nations. They have given us several terms on offer, and it is up to us to present reasonable terms of our own. Should both sides accept, then we may be able to sign a treaty between our nations—as sure a path to peace as any."

"But they are strange up-jumped peasants, or bandits perhaps, who've captured several fortresses and started calling themselves a nation," another noble remarked. "Do we really wish to treat with those of their kind? They even ousted our former peers from their rightful lands."

The nobles of Liberaon were very leery of those nations who were founded by opportunistic peasants rather than the rightful nobles who had laid claim to those lands since time immemorial. The "Kingdom of Merchants" was one such nation, but there was another, a nation proclaiming itself a "republic" that earned their distaste. A heretofore unknown group had outright laid claim to all the western fortresses that had fallen during the last war, fortresses that had once faithfully kept a watch over the Holy Kingdom, and the beasts from the Abelion Hills.

It was an open secret that Roble had ties to this new "republic", using them as a valuable shield against the rest of the nations that had been born from Re-Estize's fall. The Holy King did not seem to care that there was a nation formed from those who could not lay claim to nobility through their blood; who might even set a dangerous precedent for all the other peasants in the land. It was more likely that these peasant founders were actually soldiers or citizens exported from Roble itself, spoils of war turned into a gift of convenience towards a new vassal.

"And do we really need to be treating with them at this point?" asked another noble. "They are far away from us, when one considers the map. Many nations now stand between our territory and theirs. If there is to be an agreement of trade, for example, then it will not be such a straightforward thing. Unless we are able to transport things on air." There was a chuckle at that. There was an unspoken tension behind it, as everyone in the council except the Duchess were well-aware of the implications behind the other nation's proposal.

It had certainly been a surprise when that new nation had reached out to them specifically, sending a letter proposing a treaty of friendship and cooperation. While much of the content were mere platitudes and much twaddle, the council of nobles had picked up the subtle hints that the other side was seeking to form a military alliance. It was the sort of situation that one did not walk into brazenly without prior thought; and as leaders of a new nation, they now had a responsibility for their houses' continued survival.

And the Council, of course, would only move on a concerted, unanimous front. It was an informal agreement that going forward, such decisions regarding the country would need to be unanimous, or it would risk undermining the very foundation upon which the nation was formed.

A noble cleared his throat. "Perhaps we need not look deeper beneath the surface on this matter. They might have just wished to extend a hand of friendship; while expecting us to clasp it in a show of solidarity. They're probably feeling threatened by all the other powers around them and are being cautious. It never hurts to be able to call someone a friend, even if they end up being enemies down the line."

"So then, what will be 'our' decision regarding the Re-Estizen Southern Republic?"

---

Her wings stirred. It was strange to treat such appendages as part of her, but that was her new reality ever since the successful transformation.

Albedo had informed Renner that she had been a "natural" in the transformation, as if this had been her true form all along, instead of a human. A part of her was flattered by it, even if another part of her remained rightly skeptical.

In any case, her transformation had been just one of many boons she had received for betraying her country, her father, her brother and her humanity. She had also been given the privilege of being the public ruler of the new country over which her benefactors in the Sorcerous Kingdom would exert its influence. As the Duchess of the United Principality of Liberaon, she would become the public face of a new regime that would rise from the corpse of her father's kingdom.

It was a reward for her, as someone who had become their loyal servant. It was also a way for Albedo to grant her wish, to be able to rule over something together with her beloved. It did not matter that she was not ruling over the entire Kingdom; for her, just getting to be with Climb was already enough.

But she knew this was also a test. Albedo wanted her to prove herself in her service to them by becoming this "Guardian", a title purportedly bestowed upon those who bore great responsibility in the Sorcerous Kingdom—as well as great power. If she could prove herself an able ruler of this realm that had been gifted to her, then she would also prove herself worthy of ascending to the same heights as them.

For now, the United Principality of Liberaon would be her testing ground, where she could show her worth to her new, inhuman masters.

Though much of the world would suspect, Liberaon was as much a vassal of the Sorcerous Kingdom as the Baharuth Empire. Half of the nobles on this Council were creatures of Nazarick, their fellow nobles never realizing this fact. Through their numbers, they were able to exert their influence on the others to assist her as needed. Still, the fact that they only deigned to subvert half and not all meant that it was part of the test. While the conditions were made such that the noblemen would not reject her entirely, she could still not rule the country completely and could only act by couching her commands as "suggestions".

She did not exactly know who on the council were of Nazarick, which meant that she had to work to bring them to her side all the same. It was not exactly an impossible task, but it was difficult. After all, she could not reveal herself as an inhuman creature just yet. If she did, then the humans would be horrified, and that would force Nazarick to just slaughter them. And that would only brand her as a failure, especially to Albedo's eyes. Though she had no affection for the woman, a part of her seemed to want to prove herself, as if she was annoyed by something she couldn't see in her expression whenever they spoke. It was like imagining the other woman laughing at her behind her porcelain mask, and Renner could just not prove it.

Renner was already beginning her first steps onto manipulating the other nobles, though only those from Nazarick would pick up on it. After all, Albedo did not specify that her pet nation would look exactly the same as it was at the start...

She glanced towards the metal timepiece on the wall. It was almost time. Much as she would have liked to continue listening in and gathering information, there were still other things she wanted to do.

She made a show of suppressing a yawn, then a second later, she placed her hand over her mouth and faked stifling one. "Hawk-eyed" nobles caught this immediately, and they raised their hand to stop an ongoing conversation.

"My lords, it is clear that we have already achieved much on this day. Perhaps we can adjourn and continue this another time? Some of us may need the rest."

The others took a moment to take that in, before they nodded and murmured agreement. "We shall table this discussion for later, then."

"A good day to you all!" There was a bustling of sound as chairs were pushed backwards and papers were scooped up and piled together.

"If I may be so bold, Duchess Renner," said one noble. "We wish to thank you for your presence here with us, and also for your forbearance. We know it must be hard to pay attention to such droll things."

"I do not mind," she said, curtsying. "I believe it is always important to pay attention to things that will be helping a lot of people."

"Ahh~! Truly you are a compassionate lady, Duchess!" a noble exclaimed.

"May we see you again, on the next meeting," another said politely.

"I can assure you, my lords, that I shall be there." She shifted her wings and watched them all leave, until she was the only one left inside the room. Then, she stood up and yawned, a little more sincerely now, her wings stretching wide as if she was about to take flight. An amulet she wore hid her wings from the human nobles on the Council, as it was necessary to keep up the appearance that she was still a human, even if she was already far from the fact.

Then she walked to a side room, behind a little door that was often overlooked by the humans who entered this place. No one had ever inquired about it, which served her purposes well. For it led to a private area that no one outside of Nazarick should enter.

The chamber inside was small, and looked more like a falconer's roost than an actual room. It had none of the smell associated with the home of such animals, though, and led to a small outcropping that loomed out over the mansion and the small town just below. Despite being on the third floor, it was a long way down to the ground, as far below the perch was a small chasm of sorts gouged deep in the earth, like the buttressed fold between two wrinkles.

She looked down upon the town, at the construction that was busily happening on the far outskirts. The capital of Liberaon was meant to be more than just a small town. The nobles had thought they had secured a miracle when several "companies" from E-Rantel offered to take on the task of construction at a massively discounted price. Of course, the nobles were much too grateful for the favor—and not at all inclined to personally oversee the construction itself—to take a deeper look at who exactly was working down below, building up structures and streets far swifter than any normal man was capable of. They did not know that was another favor done for her by Nazarick, though she could see how it was an investment into a place that would endure even if she failed and outlived her usefulness.

Smirking, she turned to walk towards the edge of the platform. She raised her eyes to the sky, spread her arms wide, and stretched her wings as far apart as she could manage. Then she took the step over the ledge, fell a few feet through the air, before her wings pumped and she felt herself push against the wind, allowing her to glide downward in a smooth, controlled descent.

The joy she felt from flying wasn't entirely unexpected. Logic dictated that exposure to new experiences was always a good stimulus to please the senses and at the very least interest the mind. But she hadn't expected to still continue feeling the thrill of flying many feet above the air, entirely free from the vermin who could only crawl on the earth below; even after she'd already flown many times. Each new opportunity to fly seemed like she was flying for the first time again and again.

Not that flying itself was something so intriguing that it would distract her too much. She would not mind at all if someone clipped her wings, and was thus free from any sort of unfortunate attachment to the act of flying itself. But she did allow herself to dream. She dreamed of the time when Climb could finally join her as a being just like her. She dreamed of the two of them flying high in the sky, spending their entire time just basking in the heavens. It was a pleasant thought to keep returning to, time and again.

There were also some other changes to her body other than the addition of functional wings. She had also gained incredible strength, to the point that she could carry a large boulder and throw it a considerable distance, or else crush that same boulder between her hands.

She was also able to move faster than normal, even on her own two feet. She didn't exactly know the mechanisms that allowed this, but it was as if she could move as fast as a horse using only her feet. And those same legs could make her leap a considerable distance, like a grasshopper. If she wanted to, she could just jump up and take flight from the ground, without needing to glide down from a higher point.

According to Albedo, she was also resistant to a number of harmful effects—both magical and non-magical. Poison for example, was something that would no longer affect her, no matter where the poison came from. It meant she no longer feared the assassin's tincture in her food. Though it was not as if she needed to eat anymore. Her new body allowed her to continue functioning without eating much; it was honestly something miraculous to experience. Food was no longer a necessity, but a luxury. Fortunately, her tastes had not been affected, which meant she could continue to cook delicious meals for her love, and could also feign humanity during a feast. At the earlier meeting, for example, she had been able to show off her sophistication by imbibing the proffered wine, and it did not affect her mental faculties in any concrete way.

After the first test of her body's capabilities, she didn't demonstrate this newfound strength so much, as she was no warrior. It would just be a trump card when it was needed, only to be used when the opportunity called for it. The test that the Sorcerous Kingdom had laid upon her, after all, was not something that could be solved by brute strength. Or if she tried, she knew Albedo would be sorely disappointed in her. Perhaps the one thing she continued to flex was her ability to fly, as if she was a bird that had only recently awoken to the impulse.

Presently, she spent a long while flying in the sky, until she decided she had enough. Then she folded her wings and went back to the mansion on the hill. She went down the floors this time, towards the secret basement that had been hollowed out by her benefactors long before. In there, she found a lich, who looked at home in his chambers surrounded by several tomes and scrolls. The nobles from earlier would have been terrified that such an undead was now making his home in this place.

"Ah, my lady," the lich said, his raspy voice sounding like noisome shrieks in her ears. As a human, it would have made her uncomfortable. Now, it was just a fact of life, like suddenly meeting a man with an ugly boil on his face. "Have you come to request a Gate?"

"Please do," she said, curtsying. "I wish to return to Nazarick, to my love's side." Though she knew this creature had been tasked to serve her, that did not mean she could treat it as a mere peasant. In fact, she couldn't even be sure if she could overpower it, even with her new body.

The lich nodded and pointed towards the Gate that was now opening on the far wall. "Well, go on then. Once you're through, please speak to any maid waiting there for transport to the Sixth Floor. Good day." It was the same message told to her on the many times she'd used the Gate to go home, and at this point it seemed futile to keep repeating it. But she didn't mind, as she focused her thoughts on other things.

She stepped through the magical Gate, and a moment later, she had left the mansion and was inside another place entirely. This was the true home of the Sorcerous Kingdom, a place of awful power and mystery. She suspected that its architects had been divine creatures, as she knew much of its inner architecture defied the known standards of mortal creation. For instance, one could not just "move" from one place to another like one ascending some stairs. One needed the assistance of maids who would helpfully use teleportation magic to take her from one place to another.

As far as she knew, there were at least two worlds: one world was the inside of the grand palace to which she always arrived whenever she used a Gate. Another was the large outdoor area to which she returned, for that was where Climb rested. She strongly suspected these were small lands stitched together by divine artifice, and that there were more worlds out there that she was not yet allowed to see by her new masters.

In any case, such curiosity could be sated later. Her thoughts were now focused on something a lot more important. More mundane, too, perhaps, to others. But it was the most important thing in the world to her.

There was a maid waiting there in the arrival chamber when she stepped through the Gate. As the Gate closed behind her, she approached the maid, whose hair was as rich blonde as her.

"Hello," she bid in greeting. "May I please be transported to the Sixth Floor?"

The maid turned around and blinked at her. "Ah, of course. Please wait a little while; there is a slight delay because of a greater matter. Help yourself to a seat; we shall be able to entertain you soon."

She was able to hide her displeasure masterfully enough; it was child's play. She curtsied and went to the proffered seat, while the blonde maid scurried off somewhere. Somehow, being made to wait seemed like an insult of sorts, but she could not find it in herself to care much for it. She only cared that she was being made to wait even one second for her return.

It was very telling that today there was a delay; in the other times she'd come home like this, she had been allowed to leave immediately. She could only surmise that there was something significant happening on this very day, a monumental thing that caused the whole place to shift like a rock suddenly impeding the flow of a spring. Perhaps it would take a little more time to remove the impediment.

After she waited in patience for a few moments, there came a bustling of noises from nearby. She looked up and watched as two beautiful women came strolling into the chamber from the far entrance. One was another blonde, her hair looking like a group of snakes coiled in an upright spiral. The other was a brunette, hair tied up in a ponytail, with skin pale as moonlight.

Of course, it didn't need to be mentioned that both women were also heavily pregnant. She could see the telltale bumps beneath their dresses, and she could also even detect a large difference between their sizes. So, most likely conceived at different times. Renner wondered if she might look as comical looking when it came time to bear her child.

The blonde was also carrying a small bundle in her arms. It only took a moment's observation for Renner to see that it was indeed a sleeping baby the blonde was carrying.

The pair of women were conversing together in low whispers, and didn't seem to have noticed her presence. Or if they did, then they were ignoring her to focus on their conversation. Despite their whispering, Renner was still able to pick up on what the two were saying.

"… don't like the way you're holding on to him. It's too loose! Give him here."

"Enough, sister. I'm doing perfectly fine, thank you very much. I do not require your aid in this."

"Tch."

"I know you wanted to be the one to hold Zenmoshi, but it's my turn now. So hands off and leave me to it. If you have a problem with it, you can take it up with Ainz-sama."

"Convenient, then, that he's not here."

"No, he's just about to go to the Elf Country, with the others. And that is why it is important that we must be taking extra-special care of the children. It is a most sacred task, now."

Their conversation drifted off when they neared, and their eyes caught Renner's. She rose and curtsied towards them, according them the same respect as she would Albedo. "I bid you greetings," she said.

They both inclined their heads in turn, their expressions betraying nothing of their intentions. "Ah, it's you," said the brunette. "Finished with your duties in the country? Are you certain that your tasks are not needed there anymore?"

"Aye," she said. "Everything is well in hand, for today. I beg leave to be allowed to return to my home, even for just a while."

The blonde made a humming sound. "So long as you know your duty. Obviously, you don't need to be reminded of the price of negligence."

"No, of course not," she said demurely.

The blonde shrugged, and turned away from Renner, as if she was no longer interested in speaking. "Oh, would you look at that." She saw that the bundle in her arms was now squirming, and there were small cries coming from within. "He's woken up."

The two women were now staring at the bundle with faces full of wonder. In fact, the brunette looked close to smiling.

"He is hungry perhaps," said the brunette. "Allow me—"

"And once again, Nabe, leave this to me! It's my turn to feed him," the blonde hissed.

"You can't seriously be thinking of offering your own milk."

"No, of course not. But we need to be going back to get the milk he does need."

The blonde hurried off and the other followed suit, as the duo went towards where the maid had left. Renner immediately deduced that they might be the reason why she was being delayed, however slightly.

Renner sat back down and sighed.

Despite not knowing their names, it was easy to assume that those women were important figures in here. She was extrapolating from Albedo, who had also been pregnant for as long as she knew her. Therefore, it stood to reason that the baby in the woman's hands was also important in some way.

She also pondered on what the two had unwittingly let her know during their conversation. It seemed Ainz Ooal Gown, the Sorcerer-King, had now left for the Elf Country. Was there some sort of scheme brewing on that part? The last she had heard of it: the elves were being attacked by the Slaine Theocracy. Could the Sorcerous Kingdom now be attempting to subvert the Theocracy and the Elf Country?

The maid returned. "Please come with me. The transportation is ready."

"Thank you very much."

Whatever schemes the Sorcerer-King had, for the moment she would put her speculations aside. It was time to return "home": home to where her love waited.

After arriving in the familiar environs of the Sixth Floor, she was able to once more take a running leap and fly through the air. This place seemed a reflection of her home: with green plains stretching out as far as the eye could see, their vastness broken up by a swathe of thick forests, rows of green hills, flowing rivers big and small, and a centrally located lake with vast depths. It was her Re-Estize, though unblemished by foolish Man and his arrogant civilization, so in a way she was "coming home".

Her flight took her towards her home, a small shack beside a flowing spring, at the very depths of the forest. She knew there were other creatures here, some who were a lot stronger and more dangerous than her. But she also knew that the Sorcerer-King's peace was enforced here. So long as you yourself were not marked by the Master as an enemy, not even the most hostile and bloodthirsty would ever attempt to harm you.

Thanks to the bond she shared with her new husband, she was able to see Climb easily even through the dense boughs of the forest's trees. He was also conveniently close to their home, and was apparently speaking to one of the lizardmen. The lizardmen tribes were one of those who had been allowed to live in this place, for some reason she had yet to discover. But they were friendly enough so she saw them as no threat. But seeing one speaking to Climb before she could soured her mood, which she sought to remedy by flying forward as swiftly as her wings could manage.

She yelled out his name, sure that the wind would carry her voice to her beloved even in this place. That seemed to do the trick, as Climb stirred and looked up at the sky, his questioning face turning quickly into a smile. He turned for a moment to speak with the lizardman, who nodded and left, before he looked back at her approach.

Their initial contact was a brief and fierce hug that almost rocked the man off his feet. Luckily, Renner was able to control herself at the last second. But it was fair to say that her hug was as close to bone-crushing as she could do with her brand-new body.

"Ooof… haaah… welcome home, Princess!" Climb all but wheezed.

"Hello again, my dear!" she gushed, giving him one last squeeze before she drew back. She looked him up and down, appraising his present appearance. Because of his weakened state, he was not up to wearing armor just yet, and had to settle for a set of small clothes she had gathered for him. He was also rather weak-limbed at the moment, and had to walk around while using a long, wooden cane as a crutch. It was already a whole lot better than his initial condition, when he couldn't even get up from the bed.

"But what are you doing out this early? You could have just waited for my return as always," she remarked chidingly. She hooked her arm around his, looped her tail around his waist and made him lean upon her. "Come, come, allow me to guide you back, you mustn't strain yourself so much."

Climb chuckled weakly. "Haha, it's not like I was really trying hard. I'm getting back my old self, bit by bit. Soon enough I can return to being strong enough to protect you, Princess."

It was a good thing he could not peer into her mind, and see the streak of irritation that coursed through her. Instead, she continued to speak in a tone gushing with love, "Hush now, come, let's have you back on the bed soon as possible, shall we? I'll cook up a nice meal for us, brew up some of that beer you like, and we'll sit down and talk of the day."

Together they walked back towards their house, which was a humble-looking shack with stone walls and thatch roofs, and even a chimney. It was the sort of house she had wanted to live in together with Climb, and she didn't care if it looked like a normal peasant's hovel. Far better than a large palace, in her opinion. It was not just for reasons of humility or that she preferred to wallow in relative poverty. The house was also small enough that she could have Climb all to herself.

She had requested Albedo to allow a contingent of mortal slaves to build it for her. But Albedo had been mortified, as if she had said something taboo. Later, a creature had appeared before Renner, asking her how exactly she wanted the house to look like. A day after the strange creature took her thoughts, Albedo returned to present the house to her, which exceeded all her expectations.

"That sounds nice!" Climb presently said, as the two of them crossed the threshold of the door. "But maybe I can help you with some of the chores?"

"Oh, now that won't do, my love. What sort of wife would I be if I wasn't able to take care of her husband? No, no, no, you just lie there on the bed and wait patiently," she said.

"But doesn't that just leave me useless?" Climb complained, as she led him to sit back on his bed. "I really want to help."

She smiled and kissed his forehead. The way he sounded so eager about it all was so sweet, and made her heart feel warm and fuzzy. "If you rest and focus on your recovery, then surely you will be able to help me sooner than later. Won't that be nice?"

"I… guess?" Climb said, cocking his head.

"And so you understand why you must rest," she said, pushing him gently—and firmly—back so he was lying down. She fussed over his bedsheets, pulling up the cover over his body and fluffing his pillow. "Now I shan't be long. We shall be having supper quickly enough, and we can have a little time for ourselves."

"I feel so ashamed…" Climb said, a little despondently. "But I guess I can leave it to you for now, Princess. But only for now, and I mean it. You say a wife must take good care of her husband. Well, I also say a man has to step up and take charge for the one he loves."

"Yes, my love," she said softly, patting his head. He looked so cute trying to act tough and strong. It was one of the things she liked about the young man. "You'll have that opportunity soon enough."

She turned away to begin with the chores. Spending everyday inside this house with Climb, her little lovely pet, playing house as simple peasants did, was a pleasure. Especially since Climb was entirely at her mercy, allowing her to play with him as she pleased. And her little pet was so utterly devoted to her in return, almost child-like in his protestations that she couldn't not tease and coddle him.

It won't be long now, she thought. It would just be a bit longer and she would be able to petition for Climb's resurrection as an inhuman existence equal to hers. Then they would truly stand as one, as husband and wife, Duke and Duchess ruling together—and hopefully, forever.

Such a fairytale romance was rarely supposed to come true—and that was why she had Albedo and the Sorcerous Kingdom to thank for it. Despite all her reservations about surrendering herself to another, she was grateful for their aid in turning her into what she rightfully should be.

Perhaps she should attempt to visit her benefactor some time to personally express her thanks once again. And perhaps she could pay her well wishes on her impending birth as well.

---

Even in spite of his higher status among Nazarick's denizens, Sebas Tian was still routinely tasked with such mundane things as the acquisition of various items and supplies that Demiurge or Albedo would seek, on behalf of the Master. This was not to say that those two had some form of authority over him—which in a way they did, having been bestowed the necessary powers by Ainz-sama himself. It was just that only Sebas could be trusted to do this particular job well, of being the public face of Nazarick.

There was also another, more secret reason. Sebas Tian also had the hallowed mission of being the "bait" that would draw in the Master's enemies. The rest of the Guardians had their new and important duties now, and thus should not ever be risked. He alone had the great strength to fend off possible attackers, while also having the initiative to know when to escape and inform the Master while still having the necessary power and speed to do so. What had happened to Shalltear Bloodfallen must never happen again. Perhaps the only thing that would be a real risk to him were creatures on the level of the Floor Guardians themselves, or even that of Ainz-sama, but Sebas was still resolved to do his duties, and do them well.

Sebas counted out the gold pieces that were commensurate to the things he had bought, and handed them over to the merchant, who finalized the exchange of goods with a wide, toothy smile and a flourish of his hands, which glittered from the many rings worn on his fingers.

"My lord, I thank you for the patronage."

"Good day to you," Sebas said with a nod. He carefully stuffed the objects inside the linen bag and wrapped the drawstring on the opening tightly, before he turned to leave.

And all things considered, Sebas did not have a reason to resent this sort of assignment. Aside from it allowing him to fulfill the Master's orders, it was also true to his nature as a creature who valued peace. It also allowed him to watch over Tuare, whom he knew was carrying his child.

"Oi, are we gonna go now or what? Or are you gonna be visiting some more stalls?"

… Along with these others who had just appeared at his side as well.

Sebas grunted, then expertly schooled his expression to ensure no emotion would appear on his face. He turned to face Zero, who had accompanied him on this errand outside of Nazarick. The person who had once been a famed criminal of the Eight Fingers had gone through a bunch of unlikely events, eventually becoming one of Sebas' "women". Though he felt rather unsure about it, he still felt a sense of responsibility for them, just like with Tuare, and therefore had an unspoken obligation to ensure their safety no matter what.

"There is one more place I need to go to," Sebas told Zero quietly. "But may I ask if there is something bothering you? Why the need for haste?"

Zero shrugged. "I'm just hungry, is all. Haven't eaten since we got out of that place. And all these people, staring…!" She snarled and stared accusingly at other people nearby. "All these annoying eyes staring… It's a very uncomfortable thing."

Sebas paused and gave her a once-over. Despite her massive breasts, the changed woman still insisted on wearing male attire, such as a pair of thick trousers; and an odd type of shirt that was sleeveless and loose. The shirt's form was such that it also allowed any person looking at Zero to get a glimpse of those aforementioned breasts swinging freely and without a care.

Apparently, this was the usual attire for brawler-types like her, who needed the freedom of movement to attack. The breasts usually got in the way, as it did whenever he sparred with her, which she usually remedied by putting thick bindings over her chest. But ever since the announcement of her pregnancy, the healers had forbidden her from binding those chests ever again. As a compromise, Sebas had obtained permission from Ainz-sama for her permanent use of a "divine implement" from the Treasury, something called a "sports bra" that the Supreme Beings had apparently created in the past.

And yet Zero was not wearing that divine item right now, and that was the reason for why people were staring at her. One could clearly see her underboob—or even more of her breasts from another angle.

"Perhaps you should have tried wearing something a little more… conservative," Sebas rumbled. "You should know by now how your manner of dress draws attention, especially from someone like you."

Zero snorted. "And like I said, that's not really my style. I feel way more comfortable using this if ever I get in a fight."

"You didn't even wear the divine implement," Sebas pointed out. "Should it really come to a fight, won't those get in the way?

Zero chuckled. "I've got you to protect me, 'lover'. Or are you saying you don't have the ability to protect a helpless damsel like myself?" she said in a mocking voice.

Sebas Tian sighed, and shouldered the bag over his shoulder. "Let's keep moving." Then he and Zero strode through the crowds, heading for their next destination.

They made for an odd couple wading through the crowd, which moved to let them past. Not only did Zero cut an intimidating, if attractive figure in her present attire; but Sebas' formidable presence made him seem like he was on fire for ordinary folk, causing them to shy away from him out of instinct. He usually didn't like that, but in present company it was best that no one was brave or stupid enough to approach, just so there wouldn't need to be any sort of confrontation.

"Why did you wish to accompany me then?" Sebas asked next. "Surely it was not just to be gawked at by the city folk."

"It just feels… good to be out of the house every now and then," Zero replied, stretching and swinging her arms idly. "It's a good, easy life back inside there, but it also gets kinda boring." She winced, glancing at him briefly before blushing, as if a thought had occurred to her, though she said nothing more about it.

"We aren't going to be fighting," Sebas pointed out, his eyes fixated on his next destination. "So if you were thinking to stretch out your muscles… You will be disappointed."

"Heck, I don't mind that at all. Just being able to walk out here is enough for me," Zero said. She frowned and flashed a glare at someone in the crowd before he snorted. "At the end of the day, I don't really mind all the damned stares." She flexed her arms. "It's pretty damned good after all… and not something the whole lot of them can ever have. Hah! And it ain't something they'll ever experience for themselves!"

After a pause, she continued, in a voice that was like a whisper, "And they can stare all they want, but they won't ever know the simple truth that this body belongs only to one man and one man alone."

Sebas raised an eyebrow and looked at Zero, who averted her eyes. He grunted. "Well, I certainly didn't expect you to say that of all things. And out here too. Were you afraid of expressing such words in front of Tuare and the others?"

Zero pouted, and crossed her arms under her breasts, which had the effect of nearly exposing her nipples for all the world to see. "Hmph. Well, it's the truth anyhow. And you're far from the worst person I know, who deserves to be punched to death. I… I hope you know that."

Sebas could sense the woman's frustration, at the inner turmoil she was experiencing. She still seemed to doubt herself and her new role by his side.

And that was the reason for Seas suddenly stopping, right there in the middle of the crowd and turning to her. Zero looked up at him with raised brow, clearly confused about why he had stopped, before he suddenly grabbed her shoulder and pulled her towards him. Then he cupped her chin and kissed her with all his strength. For a second she froze, before she leaned in towards the kiss, her body relaxing in his arms.

He could hear the jeers, the whoops and the whispering in the crowd surrounding them, reacting to the sight of them kissing right in their midst. But he ignored them, as all Floor Guardians did when surrounded by lower beings.

When he pulled away, he could see Zero's face was full-on red now, her eyes moist as if she was about to cry. For a long moment she looked down, and said nothing, before she muttered, "Now, shit, you made me want to go home now instead of staying out here. That's pretty unfair of you."

Sebas only chuckled, and offered up his hand for her to take. Together, hand in hand, the two of them walked through the incredulous crowd, oblivious to everything around them.

Some-time later, they emerged through the Gate back to Nazarick, their hands still held together. Sebas made sure to bid a greeting to the lich on duty, but his feet were just as fast as Zero's as they made their way out of those chambers and out into the hall. As one, the pair hurried back towards their quarters, with only one thing burning in their minds. Sebas didn't even think of reporting in for his errand just yet; in his mind, he was still on that errand. If anyone asked, he was still "performing his duties".

They were more than halfway there when they were suddenly stopped by a female voice, who called out in a challenging voice. "Finally you got back! Took you long enough. You really know when to keep a man waiting… Zero."

Sebas immediately stopped, forcing Zero to do the same. She glared towards the far wall, where a woman leaned against it, her arms crossed and her expression cocksure.

Zero sighed and rolled her eyes. Here was the famed mercenary and once-rival to Gazef Stronoff, the lean and dangerous Brain Unglaus. A man that they had once fought in the last stages of the Re-Estize War, his capture by Sebas had also unwittingly given him the same fate as herself. Ainz Ooal Gown had somehow, for his own unfathomable reasons, turned the mercenary into a woman as well.

At first, Zero had been ecstatic upon learning that there was another person who was experiencing the same thing as her. It was such rich, poetic justice, especially when it involved one of the few people she knew who had been a nuisance in her past life. She would have preferred outright slaying Brain, but turning him into a woman was perhaps the next best thing, a suitable insult and epilogue to the man who thought too largely of himself.

What she didn't quite expect was for Brain to take it all in stride, as if the sudden change in lifestyle was not at all distressing for him. According to Brain, she still retained the knowledge and the skills that defined her swordsmanship. "It's hard adjusting, but it's not like I've become a completely different person," she had said.

"What are you talking about? It's exactly like you've been turned into a completely different person!"

Then the fool started trying to instigate duels with her, taking up most of her time whenever Sebas wasn't around. She didn't know why the other woman was now fixated on her, as if she had something to prove. So far, she hadn't once accepted a duel, but that didn't seem to stop the newly transformed swordswoman from trying.

"Well, you're a woman now, so you better be used to waiting, Unglaus," she presently retorted, scowling at the easygoing swordswoman. "And besides, I keep telling you that I'm not cleared for duels or any of the sort now. Ever since my…" she faltered over the words, the reality still not apparent even to her own ears, "… Pregnancy's been confirmed, I'm no longer allowed to moving around so much. I'm not even supposed to be fighting anymore."

"Really?" Brain said, raising a brow. He looked down, rather pointedly, at their hands, which were still joined together. "But you went out with sir Sebas. Does that not mean you were 'out' on a mission?"

She was about to retort something else before Sebas smoothly cut in. "She was not accompanying me for any sort of mission. She was simply… a companion."

"Oh, a companion huh?" Brain drawled. She looked down at their hands again, then raised a brow at Zero. "Riiiight. I see now." Then she smirked, and raised her hands upward in mock surrender. "Well, sorry about that. Don't mind me interrupting you on the way to another rendezvous. You are a 'busy' woman now, after all, Zero."

"Tch!" Zero, already impatient from before and no longer finding any amusement in seeing the other woman's face forcefully tugged on Sebas' hand and started running again; opting to ignore the swordswoman as she should have already done before. Thankfully, Sebas didn't seem to protest, and so the two of them hurtled towards their room once more. Though Zero could definitely feel Brain's eyes on their backs.

"Sir Sebas, once you're done with her, I've got a report to give," Brain called out. "It's regarding the matter from the other day."

Sebas paused as the two of them were now at the door, Zero having already shot herself through the threshold. For a moment, Sebas did not move despite Zero tugging him inside. Sebas nodded towards Brain and said, "Very well," with a perfectly straight face.

Then he went inside and slammed the door behind him.

Brain chuckled, shaking her head, and walked away.

---

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

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