'I got her.'
Brain was certain of that—and couldn't help but widen his eyes.
The slash that cut through the air had all of his strength behind it. If she had managed to dodge, then he would have been forced to admit that an opponent stronger than even his wildest imagination had finally appeared before him.
But what lies before him was beyond even that.
A slash near the speed of light. The vampire named Shalltear had caught it with her fingers. And with a delicate motion like holding the wings of a butterfly, no less.
The air around him seemed to freeze.
Brain exhaled a large breath.
"… I-Impossible."
His voice carried barely a whisper.
Brain forcefully held back his body that was threatening to tremble uncontrollably. He couldn't believe the sight in front of him. But without a doubt, resting on his outstretched blade were two fingers, both white as pearls— her thumb and index finger.
Not only that, her wrist was bent at a 90 degrees angle while holding the flat side of the blade, instead of the sharp edge. Rather than stopping it head-on, she had caught up to the katana's speed— caught up to his 「God Slash」 from behind.
Although it looked as if she was holding it lightly, no matter how hard Brain pushed and pulled against her, the katana didn't budge. It felt as if the sword was chained to boulder hundreds of times his size.
Suddenly, the power exerted on the katana rose, almost causing Brain to lose his balance.
"Hmph. Cocytus has a few Swords too, but it seems they're not even worth being wary about when there's this much of a difference between the wielders. Not that the quality of the one in your hand deserves any praise."
Shalltear peered at the blade while drawing it closer to her face. She might have never paid that much attention to the likeness of arms like the guardian of the sixth floor, but she had interacted with Cranium-sama enough to know that it serves as a symbol of pride for its wielder.
"What a waste, and here I thought I might be able to bring some souvenir for the young master."
Brain, who had no idea what she was talking about, felt the inside of his head turn white. It was the despair of having his entire way of life denied in front of him.
But it was thanks to his defeat in the past that he could stay standing. Similar to how a broken bone grows stronger after it's mended; his experience with defeat was what kept him strong.
It was impossible, but he had no choice but to admit it.
She had easily caught his light-speed slash.
Brain looked pale. Shalltear was surprised to see him this way and frowned. She then sighed in disappointment.
"Do you understand now? I'm not an opponent you can beat without using martial arts. If you finally get it, shouldn't you start getting serious?"
Hearing such cruel words, Brain unintentionally let a single word slip from his mouth.
"Monster…"
Shalltear pouted and puffed her cheeks. The sheer adorableness almost enough to make Brain eat his own words.
"How rude! You really don't know how to treat a lady, don't you!? Though I suppose you are correct. I am indeed a cruel, composed, merciless – and adorable monster."
She released her grip on the blade and jumped back to her original position. It was probably accurate to a millimeter.
"Now then I'm going to give you one more chance. To be honest, you failed to meet the mark by quite a margin. And since you're most likely the strongest one around or a part of the upper echelon here, the rest probably isn't worth my time."
She had come to such a conclusion after gauging Brain's strength. It was somewhere between level 30-35, considerably below her target. If anyone here was on par with him or is slightly above him, then they'd still worthless rabble whose only worth is to be turned into an undead. At least that way they won't have to worry about food and the likes.
"Martial arts skill probably boosts your strength by five to ten levels, right? So if you give it your all you can maybe reach level 40 or 45. It's not much, but I'll consider capturing your if you manage to get to the latter level."
Brain couldn't understand what those numbers mean. Only the underlying tone of arrogance that has been ever-present in her every word.
"Are you ready now?"
Shalltear said with a playful smile. Hearing the same question as before, Brain flared up in anger. Just how much could she look down on someone?
On the other hand, Brain shuddered as he realized that his opponent was strong enough to make a mockery of him, a human who had reached the highest pinnacle of strength.
'—Should I make a run for it?'
Brain always considered survival to be his number one priority. If it seemed like he couldn't win, the best plan was to retreat and live to fight another day. Even now, he believed that he still had room to grow stronger. That's why as long as he survived, the only thing he had to do was emerge as the winner in the end.
But even if he retreated now, the fundamental difference between their physical abilities was insurmountable.
Careful not to make his plan obvious, Brain focused his attention on his new target. The enemy's legs; the plan was to cripple her mobility and flee with everything he had. The idea was to attack where her defenses were weakest, the area where her hands had trouble reaching.
Having decided his next attack, Brain trained his eyes on Shalltear's neck and returned his katana to its sheath. Once launched, he could accurately hit his 「God Slash」 even with his eyes closed. Then the obvious plan would be to deceive the enemy with his eyes.
"—I'm going to crush you."
"Oh my, how scary~ Then do please give it your best shot."
Once again, Shalltear stepped forward with light steps.
The first time, Brain had eagerly waited for her to enter his 「Field」. But this time was different. If possible, he didn't want her anywhere near him.
How his heart had weakened. Realizing this, Brain furiously tried to reignite his spirit, to no avail. It was like the fire that burned inside him had run out of fuel. Left in such a state, he waited for Shalltear to enter while observing with his 「Field」.
Three steps, two steps, one step— she entered his range.
While staring at his opponent's neck, Shalltear's face entered his vision. He only had one real target, her right ankle in mid-motion.
He slightly dropped his katana, still in its sheath, all in an attempt to accelerate himself even a tiny bit faster.
After breaking his concentration, he confirmed that the speed of this slash would be even faster than the previous one. If he himself were on the receiving end, he would not be able to defend against it.
'This could work!'
Just barely visible beneath the edges of her skirt, as he was about to blow away the thin ankle that suited the girl so well—the katana slipped out from his hand.
Having regained his senses, Brain had no idea what had happened just then. The Field that blessed him with absolute awareness finally caught up and revealed the katana that rolled onto the ground, with the girl's heel pushing it into the dirt.
Impossible, but it was reality.
The reason the katana had slipped from Brain's grip was due to the high heels' force that was transmitted through the blade.
There was just one reason why he didn't want to believe.
Even with his concentration raised to the utmost limit, even within the Field that he was so proud of, Brain could not perceive the moment when she blocked the attack.
From a distance close enough to touch by simply reaching out a hand, Shalltear looked down at him with an icy gaze. Brain felt an incredible pressure that threatened to crush him into the earth.
He was panting now. Sweat flowed profusely down his body, he felt an urge to vomit. His mind grew dizzy as his vision twisted and turned.
He had been in plenty of situations where he was pushed to his limit, they were commonplace. However, compared to now, they seemed fake— like memories of a children's playground.
The high heels released the blade, and Shalltear wordlessly jumped back.
"-was that all then?"
"!"
The third time hearing that voice, more than anything, he felt absolute despair. Expecting her next words to be the usual "I'm going to trample you now", what flowed into Brain's ears next was something different.
"Is it possible… you can't use any martial arts?"
Hearing her sympathetic voice filled with pity, Brain inhaled sharply.
He was at a loss for words. No, what could he possibly say in response?
'That was it just now but you defeated it easily.'
Could he sound any more like a clown?
While biting down on his lips, Brain picked up his blade off the ground.
"…Were you not that strong, after all? Well, I did gauge you to be a level 35 which isn't that much, but I was hoping that martial arts would be able to at least raise your power. Not that it matters since I'll barely able to tell the difference anyway. Still, I have a job to do you know."
His unrelenting effort.
His fight with Gazef was when he was confident in his own talent. The man who did not put in the effort lost to the man who did. Because of that, the failure engraved into his heart was channeled into a motivating force.
That renewed earnestness he poured into his training was what defined his existence. Everything he was, this monster before him made a mockery of it.
'I must seem pathetic. I, after all the monsters that I've killed, the arrogant fools who underestimated me just because they believed themselves to be stronger—'
While harboring such thoughts, Brain forcibly suppressed his self-deprecation. Instead—
"—AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"
With a scream, he charges at Shalltear with his sword raised high. Towards her, who had been looking at him with a peculiar expression — he swings down his katana with the weight of his entire body.
A slash with the power of all of his muscles would have easily cleaved a human in two, even with the protection of a helmet. Against such a powerful attack, Shalltear stares at him with no intention to move.
This time for sure, he had her; such thoughts flashed through his head. But his thoughts were soon replaced by the surreal scene that occurred just before.
'It'll be impossible for her to catch this so easily—'
Immediately after, his worst fears were realized.
A loud noise rang out, and once again, Brain was confronted with an impossible scene.
Shalltear's left pinky moved at an unbelievable speed – about two centimetres long, her fingernail had repelled his slash. What's more, her hand looked as if it wasn't even strained. Her fist was not fully clenched, and her pinky was gently bent against the blade.
With a playful motion, she had stopped Brain's attack at full power. The very same attack that cuts through armors, shattered swords and destroyed shields.
His spirit was tattered, threatened to shatter at a moment's notice. It took everything he had to keep himself together. His hand still shaking from the impact, he channels strength into his grip, raises his katana, and brings it down once more. And once more, it is casually blocked by Shalltear.
"Oh? Did you grow stronger by a bit? Somewhere between levels 36 and 40 maybe? I wasn't paying attention so can you please do it again? You're so close to meeting the requirement as well."
A request mixed with genuine curiosity launched at this moment on purpose. She was still focusing on him, but with all traces of her regarding Brain as an opponent has vanished, it was clear that she was endeavoring on determining his 'level'. Paying almost no attention to the 'fight'
Even so,
Even so— Brain's katana was still deflected. By a left pinky
"UUWWAAAAHHHHHHHH!"
A battle cry exploded from his throat. No, that wasn't a battle cry, it was a wail.
Lateral slash— deflected.
Upper left diagonal slash— deflected.
Vertical slash— deflected.
Upper right diagonal slash— deflected.
Rising slash— deflected.
Reverse slash— deflected.
Every attack from every direction on every part of the body, all deflected.
It was as if the katana was being drawn to her nail. And it was At that moment, Brain finally understood.
An existence that stood in a place reserved only for those possessing true, absolute strength. It was a place that no amount of god-given talent or hard work could ever hope to approach, let alone fight.
"So you're only a level 35 in the end. I was probably mistaken about you being a level 40." Shalltear stated before sighing. "I guess it's just my luck. I was hoping to find someone who can use martial arts in one go. Of course, reality will never be so accommodating."
Hearing her words, he stopped his hands that were swinging the katana.
Could one cut a mountain with a sword? Something like that was impossible. Any child would know something so obvious. Then, could one win against Shalltear? Any warrior who fought her would know the answer.
Absolutely impossible.
A human could never beat an existence possessing power beyond human imagination. If, for example, someone could fight her head-on, it would be a being that surpassed humans.
Unfortunately, Brain was just a warrior considered to be one of the strongest only among humans. Yes. No matter how much effort one put in, being born a human meant that all of it only amounted to an infant swinging a stick.
"…I… all that effort…."
"Hm? Effort you say? I suppose it's noteworthy that you managed to get this far? Not that I know since I was created strong, so words such as that are rather foreign to me?"
Normally she would have curbed Brain's fighting spirit further by ridiculing him, but right now, Shalltear was on guard, though curious would be a better description, on whatever possible final ace in the hole her opponent has.
Of course, that caution comes none other than the words of her master. That is to be careful in every sense and not to underestimate her enemy.
Brain couldn't help but laugh at those words. All of his work had been useless. To think he had been so confident, so sure that he was a prodigy. His limbs felt heavy as if they were tied down by shackles.
"...? Ahahahaha, why are you crying? Did something sad happen?"
He knew Shalltear was saying something to him, but he couldn't hear her. It was like she was speaking from a place very far away.
The calluses on his hands formed from blisters on top of blisters, the countless practice swings with the steel rod, they were all meaningless. The endless running while wearing heavy armor, the bare-handed fights against monsters that he narrowly won, all meaningless.
The life he had led until now, everything was for naught.
In front of true strength, Brain was no different from the weaklings he had looked down on until now.
"I was a fool…."
"Hm~. So that was everything then? You don't have anymore ace in the hole or martial arts to use?"
Seeing such a helpless sight, Shalltear can't help but let her sadistic tendency surface.
Slowly but surely her mind began to warp. It was the worst scenario where Shalltear's success began to chip away her vigilance. Furthermore, her logic which carries a certain weight only fans the flame further.
"….Are you satisfied now? Will it be alright if I end this?"
Shalltear smiled mischievously and approached him with her pinky raised.
Seeing this, Brain let out a cry. It wasn't the battle cry of a warrior that he showed before, but the sobbing of a child.
Brain ran.
With his back turned.
He knew the difference in their abilities, it was engraved in him. Shalltear would be able to catch him in an instant.
However, none of that was in his mind. No, he didn't even have the time to worry about such things. He simply, with his face stained in tears, bared his defenseless back and ran inside as fast as his legs could carry him.
"Ah~" Shalltear lazily sighed. In the end, the quick and smooth sailing she had hoped for was never meant to be.
'It was foolish of me. To hope that redemption will simply fall onto my lap.'
Shalltear Bloodfallen. She believes herself to be The Great Tomb of Nazarick strongest floor guardian. In charge of three floors at once, she is their guild's first line of defense. And ever since they have arrived here, in this new world, her role and strength have become even more important.
Yet, the first thing she had done was instead to try and harm their leader's blood.
It was folly coming from her heightened sense of security as well as the past trauma of invasion. All things considered, it was a natural response for a time like that. And knowing so, neither her master nor the brother whom she assaulted held any contempt for her action.
Yes, the only one who still harbors guilt and contempt for that 'sin' is none other than Shalltear herself.
On the surface, she has long since overcome her despair, but even now she still harbors the weight and grand fear of failure. One that couldn't be so easily wiped clean with the forgiveness coming from the outside.
That is why this 'first official job' holds so much weight for her. To Shalltear, the difference between an act she carried out of her own will and realizing the wish and command of her esteemed creator was that of heaven and earth.
As such for the current her, the scent of success was absolutely intoxicating.
'Don't let this get to you! This is only the first time! I'm sure that I'll be able to capture lots of martial artists after three or four more raids! Maybe two if I'm lucky!'
All things were progressing smoothly. It can't be helped that she has yet to find her designated quarry, they were quite the rare specimen after all. Even her lords said so themselves.
There's nothing left for her to do but to wrap things up quickly here.
Or...
'It'll be alright anyway, right? Since this batch doesn't seem to have anyone that can use martial arts.'
Everyone here was weak, extremely so. It won't matter whether she exterminate them hurriedly or leisurely. The final difference would only come down to that of mere seconds.
'SO IT DOESN'T MATTER RIGHT!?'
The drawback of her Blood Frenzy passive. While she had sworn to keep it under control and even take precautions by casting [blood pool] to prevent its activation, there was one thing that she couldn't have foreseen no matter what.
That is the change regarding the in-game skills.
Flavor text enhancing the effects of weapons and magic to an unreasonable degree. Evolution of items previously considered useless. A new aftereffect of skills and attack which remains largely unknown. All of this has been confirmed by the group of players of Ainz Ooal Gown except for one.
Here, the term passive had exceeded its previous identification. In YGGDRASIL, passive skills would only activate if specific conditions are made and nothing else. Thus they can be overcome through several precautions.
However, here in the new world, it was different.
A part of oneself that cannot be removed no matter what. Even the slightest nudge will be enough to push for its activation. Shalltear herself had yet to notice it, but the blood pool which was supposed to take the shape of a heart had long since lost its cohesion. Trembling as if it was a water container that will break at any moment.
A single moment where her self-supervision lessened just for a second, resulting in a single drip that just happens to hit the very edge of her fingernail.
'IT'LL BE ALRIGHT IF I CUT LOOSE A BIT AND HAVE FUN RIGHT!?'
"Yes… After all, he worked so hard to give me this game of 'tag'."
Truth be told this was unavoidable, and in a certain sense, it will be for the best for it to happen right at the initial point. Meaning that it can be remedied and would hold little damage to many long-term missions.
The players too would hold themselves accountable for failing to notice such a thing, and while it will inadvertently translate to yet another failure for Shalltear, she will finally be able to truly learn from her mistake
However, there was yet another coincidence that neither players nor their NPC could ever foresee.
And here, it is what will lead to the most disastrous development the players will encounter and face yet.
"I guess I should enjoy myself. Ahahahaha."
XxX
Voidwalker77 presents
Staying Behind
Chapter XI: Moments From Disasters
XxX
A few hundred meters away, there was a large clearing in the direction of the forest. The goblins felled the trees there to construct the palisade, but the opening looked like the maw of a giant monster.
Momonga's group did their final check here. The young man who made the job request was the first to speak up:
"We will be entering the forest now, I will be relying on everyone to act as escorts. The territory of the Virtuous King of the Forest isn't far from here, if everything goes well the chance of encountering other monsters is rather low.
The only problem is that the place where we encountered the ogres yesterday is also inside the Virtuous King of Forest's area of influence, so something might be happening in the forest. This is a somewhat trivial matter, but I hope everybody will keep their guard up."
Nfirea's gaze stopped on 'Ainz's' face momentarily. The members of the 'Sword of Darkness' also looked at him.
"With Momon-san here, it shouldn't be a problem."
"If the Virtuous King of the Forest shows up, we will keep it busy. Please escape in the meanwhile."
Momonga's confident words made everyone swoon. After the battle with the Ogres yesterday, he became the center of attention.
He felt uncomfortable with everyone praising him. His embarrassment was the result of not having been praised much in his past life. Envying Narberal who accepted all this proudly as well as Fuitchi who was used to such treatment.
"If there's a need to run, could I trouble you all to clear the area? The stronger the Virtuous King of the Forest is, the more power I need to use and I don't want everyone getting caught in the crossfire."
"Understood. We will protect Nfirea-san and escape out of the forest. Please don't push yourself too much either, Momon-san."
"Thank you. I will run if I think it is too dangerous."
Those last words prompted a snort from Fuitchi.
"Come on now nii-san, now you're just underselling your capability. All things considered, we should really hope that you won't end up killing this 'virtuous king of the forest'."
It was a boast in every sense, one that usually would come only from those who overestimated their ability. And yet, for the veteran team that is the sword of darkness, they're still having trouble determining whether or not was that the case after seeing firsthand just what Momonga was capable of.
"Erm... Momon-san, regarding that."
Nfirea who was hesitant about speaking up finally made up his mind.
"Could you spare the Virtuous King of the Forest and just chase him away?"
"... Why?"
"Well... Because of the influence of the Virtuous King of the Forest, Carne village can avoid the attacks of monsters. If you defeat the Virtuous King of the Forest..."
"I see..."
"This is rather tough. Momon-san might be very strong, but the opponent is a legendary monster. If he doesn't use his full power, Momon-san might not be able to protect himself. How could he spare the effort—"
"I understand."
"Huh?!"
Lukeluther yelled in surprise. The other members of the Sword of Darkness didn't speak up, but they still had a surprised expression on their faces.
"It might be difficult, but I will do my best to hold back and endeavor to drive it away. It should be possible if Fu can focus on supporting me exclusively."
"If worst comes to worst I could probably drive it away with terrible sound. Playing a sour note or two should be enough since animals usually have a strong sense of hearing."
"Hm. I haven't considered using your music like that."
"Just don't let it become a habit. As a musician, I still have my pride you know."
Listening to their lax exchange that can be traced back to their confidence, the group of adventurers felt shivers running down their spines.
"Even though the opponent... is the legendary monster that lived for centuries..."
"This is the attitude of powerful men..."
"Considering Momon-san's personality, he shouldn't be boasting… Then again, we haven't see what Fu-san is capable of, so... "
"I heard that a full-fledged bard can increase his party's strength by two or three folds. If so then I might be possible after all."
Unlike the members of the Sword of Darkness, Nfirea had a rough idea of Momonga's strength and was showing a relieved expression. Momonga smiled in his heart as he watched this young man.
The young man hoped that no monsters would attack Carne village. If Momonga replaced the Virtuous King of the Forest with another monster to maintain the sphere of influence, he could still grant the young man's wish. So even if he killed the Virtuous King of the Forest, Momonga could resolve the issue by sending an underling from Nazarick to take over.
"Alright! Let's make haste, the herb I want to harvest looks like this. Please inform me if anyone finds these."
Nfirea took out a dried plant from the pouch on his waist.
"Oh, it's Arnica grass!"
To Momonga, this plant was no different from the weed growing nearby, but the druid Dyne could tell the difference and identify it by name.
Reacting to this name, Lukeluther and Ninya nodded in agreement. They probably had some knowledge about plants and found the name familiar. As he was hesitating if he should pretend to know about it, everyone was looking at him.
Just like always, Fuitchi took the full burnt for him.
"Hm, it doesn't look any different from a regular weeds for me. I'm simply clueless when it comes to this stuff. Although Nii-san and Nabe probably wouldn't have any problem."
Rather than berating him as he expects they would, the sword of Darkness members instead chuckled.
"No, it's alright Fu-san. All of us were pretty clueless back then too." Ninya happily comforted, followed by Peter.
"That's right. If it weren't for Dyne, we probably would have been an Iron-rank team lot longer."
"And even with me, Lukeluther still get them wrong didn't he?" The druid himself added causing their ranger to scream.
"Oi, Dyne. Don't remind them! I'll totally look uncool in front of Nabe-chan!"
The team, minus Lukeluther, jovially laughed. Meanwhile, Momonga breathed a sigh of relief.
'I expect this line of work to be quite merciless, but I'm glad that they're so accommodating for newbies.'
Or maybe it was only this team in particular. No matter which it is, Momonga counted himself lucky.
After seemingly finished their round of laughter, Ninya resumed:
"This is the herb that is normally used in the process of making healing potions."
"And it grows near the adventurers guild!"
"Oh, is that so. Then the mystery of why we made the trip to the forest to harvest the herb is solved— I heard that wild herbs are more potent than farmed ones?"
"That's correct. All the potions from my place use natural herbs, that is a selling point to be proud of! But the potency only increases by about 10 percent."
"For people with their life on the line, these 10 percents are very important. Selling better potions for the same retail price as others... As expected of the famous Bareare pharmacy."
Listening to the members of the Sword of Darkness discussing potions with Nfirea, Momonga fell into deep thought.
YGGDRASIL's potion was made using skills that were available to specific job classes and enchanting ingredients with spells. Momonga knew about this, but he heard it was created from a specific material and alchemic liquid. He had never heard about using herbs...
This meant that potion creation in this world was different from YGGDRASIL. When Nfirea said 'it couldn't be made through normal means', this was probably the reason.
Momonga believed that if he could harness skills techniques related to the potions of this world, it would strengthen Nazarick. That part was as good as done since Nfirea had agreed to work with him, all that's left was further optimization.
As he was deep in thought, the topic once again returned to the job at hand and Momonga listened carefully.
"There is a large, open clearing in the forest; I plan to set that area as our target. I already told Lukeluther-san about that place, so please lead the way."
After hearing Lukeluther reply 'Leave it to me', Nfirea returned his gaze to everyone.
"Let's start the harvesting—"
"—I'd like to make a suggestion."
"Please enlighten us, Momon-san."
"Since it turns out Narberal can use a spell similar to the「Alarm」spell used back in the camp, could we split up temporarily after reaching the destination?"
Everyone including Nfirea frowned. They felt uneasy about the strongest combatant leaving in the middle of the most dangerous area. Nfirea composed himself and replied:
"That's fine, but please don't take too long."
"Of course. To avoid getting lost in the forest, I will leave a trail of rope. Just pull it if anything happens."
"Screaming will also work. My ears are quite sharp you see."
Fuitchi's addition seems to be enough to convince the sword of darkness, and the delivery came at the right time to cut Lukeluther from saying something idiotic also.
'I wanted to ask whether or not there is magic that could locate certain objects like the 6th tier spell in YGGDRASIL. But then again, the standard of magic in this world is pretty low so it'd be useless either way?'
Leaving this question aside, Momonga gestured at Naberal and Fuitchi with his chin, signaling them to get ready. Naberal received the order and watched the Sword of Darkness members closely, whereas Fuitchi simply acknowledged it with a nod and nothing else.
"Momon-san, Fu-san, and Nabel-san are leaving for a moment; they will start harvesting when they return."
Since the client decided this, no one protested. All the members of the Sword of Darkness agreed and nodded. After concluding the final check, Nfirea gave the cue to set off in a loud voice.
The ground where the trees were cut down by the villagers had dried up. The woodland was easy to traverse, but the scenery in front of them gradually changed into a green maze.
The forest didn't have any landmarks, to the point where one was unable to tell which direction they were heading. It created a feeling of helpless anxiety, an uneasiness that stemmed from having nothing to rely on. The trees covering the sky reinforced that effect and normal people would be afraid. But due to the mental strength typical of a heteromorph, Momonga wouldn't feel any fear apart from his lingering human emotions.
Neither Fuitchi nor Naberal seems to even care about the scenery, but Momonga was calmly watching the grandiose scene of nature in awe.
In YGGDRASIL, Forests and other natural zones were nothing but the game world's background — this kind of thought appeared in his heart. Momonga, who was proud of the Great Tomb of Nazarick's design felt conflicted; he didn't realize that a natural forest could be so amazing.
'I should take a time off and go around with Kyoko in a place like this. And I finally understand why Blue Planet-san likes nature so much…'
As he watched his surroundings for signs of monsters, he noted that it was really quiet. Apart from the cawing of far-away birds, Momonga couldn't sense any living creatures. Fuitchi probably has better luck in the former department, but he doubts that his elder brother in law cares about anything non-musical.
'Unless the animal's natural voice happens to be enchanting.' Then it'll be a different matter.
He could see the back of the ranger Lukeluther, who used all his senses as he cautiously advanced. Lukeluther seemed to think there weren't any living beings hiding out there.
'Actually, someone is hiding behind us. Though I doubt anyone besides Fu-nii would notice.'
Unaware of the person approaching them unnoticed from the back The group—except for Momonga's team—were quietly moving in the sunlight while feeling extremely tense. The forest was surprisingly cool, but due to the uneven ground and the psychological pressure, the group was sweating buckets.
They finally reached an open space with a width of fifty meters.
"This will be our base. Let's pick the plants with here as the center."
Upon hearing Nfirea's words and seeing him put down his bags, everyone else followed suit but didn't let down their guard, prepared for any emergency as they watched their surroundings.
This was no longer the world of men.
"Let's move as we planned."
After acknowledging Nfirea, Momonga tied a rope on a nearby tree and entered the forest as he left the trail of rope behind him. The rope was thin and strong, it wouldn't break easily because of friction against the ground. Momonga and Nabel did their best to move in a straight line into the forest whereas Fuitchi followed them rather laxly.
Normally, it was impossible to move in a straight line through the forest as your path would be blocked by trees. But with the rope as a guide, the three who were inexperienced in forest navigation were able to advance in a straight line.
Their backs were covered by trees, so there was no danger of being spied on. Someone who could detect anyone who was following them was nearby, so there was no need to worry, especially with Fuitchi's hearing serving as further collateral.
"This place should do."
"Yep, I still can hear those bunch, and besides wild animals, we're in the clear here."
"Then, about the plan to raise my fame."
"...May I ask what your plans are? Find plenty of the herbs they are after?"
"It should be clear from our conversation earlier, Naberal. Nii-san is intending to fight the virtuous king of the forest."
Fuitchi casually explains to the baffled Narberal, who quickly shrinks from her callowness. Momonga sighed, while his elder brother bluntness has its merits when dealing with the NPCs, he wishes that Fuitchi could just be a tad more sensitive.
"There's no need to feel bad Naberal, just pay more attention to what we say next time."
That simple encouragement lifted the doppelganger out of her dejection, Momonga then continued:
"Anyway, our goal is to display our strength clearly and simply."
"...Didn't we showed them plenty during the fight against the ogres?" Naberal asked again.
"You are right, but monsters like goblins and ogres aren't enough. If they tell about my exploits back in the city, saying that I defeated the Virtuous King of the Forest is on a whole different level than cleaving an ogre in half in terms of fame. That's why we need to put on a good performance."
"I see! As expected of Momonga-sama! A flawless plan! But how would we find that Virtuous King of the Forest?"
This time, it was Fuitchi who answered.
"That's why she's here, isn't she?"
"Yes—! That's why I'm here."
The sudden sound made Narberal turn and look with sharp eyes. She extended her right hand and prepared to fire her spell at the target, but after recognizing the owner of the voice, she regained her composed expression:
"Aura-sama! Please don't scare me like that."
"Sorry, or not? I mean, Fuitchi-sama noticed me, didn't he? Isn't it Naberal's own fault for being unable to notice me?"
Appearing from behind the trees was a smiling dark elf girl. One of the sixth-floor twin guardians of the Grand Tomb of Nazarick, Aura Bella Fiora. And she's as frank and as straightforward as the arrow she fires.
Aura was a beast tamer cum ranger, tracking in the forest was a piece of cake for her. Lukeluther might be a ranger as well, but the difference in their skills was too vast for him to detect Aura.
"Of course it's only natural. A mere maid like me could never hope to match the Supreme Beings."
Rather than feeling downcast like last time, the comparison which by all means was self-admonishing seems to boost her mood. And even Aura nodded as if it was the logically correct answer.
"About your appearance here, Aura." Momonga started.
"Ah! Yes!" The small ranger quickly straightened herself up, her earlier trace of mischief disappearing.
"I was summoned here to find the monster known as the Virtuous King of the Forest and make it attack Ainz-sama."
"That's right, according to the intelligence I got, the Virtuous King of the Forest has white fur, a snake-like tail, and is a four-legged beast... Does this ring any bells? And by the way, we're alone here so feel free to address me by my real name."
That last order caused a semblance of a smile to form on her lips, and Aura then nodded.
"Yes, no problem. It's probably that fellow. If that's the case, want me to tame it directly?"
"...That's a plan too, but there is no need."
If it was the tamer Aura, would be able to tame the Virtuous King of the Forest easily. But it would be bad if others found out it was just a show. Removing all these issues from the very beginning would be the best way.
"Wouldn't that be a good course of action though? No matter how credible those guys are there will still be those who doubt us if we don't bring back concrete proof. And didn't you promise that pharmacy kid not to kill it Nii-san?" Fuitchi added.
"That's true, but I'm still worried that they might catch on with our plan if we tame it beforehand."
Bringing down and domesticating the beast certainly will bring them all manner of reward long and short-term, but the last question of how still lingers.
"If I may add, Momonga-sama, Fuitchi-sama. Couldn't the two of you tame it on your own?"
As if struck by lightning, Naberal's simple suggestion caused Momonga to nod.
"...It's possible. In the game, I don't have the skill needed, but here I might be able to intimidate it into submission."
Such an action would typically warrants a particular specialization in-game. But as they have said to themselves a hundred of times, this wasn't a game anymore. Granted, should the animal be intelligent enough, Momonga should be able to threaten it into submission.
"And even if you can't, I still have my music. That should be more than enough right, Nii-san? Nee-san would probably like it if you bring her home a new pet. It should lessen her anger on you somewhat."
Momonga had almost forgotten about that. And all of the sudden, this option might be the only choice that will save him from being mauled by Kyoko.
'YOU LEFT ME BEHIND WITH PAPERWORK WHILE PLAYING ADVENTURER AND DIDN'T EVEN BRING ME BACK A GIFT! THAT'S IT, YOU'RE A DEAD MAN! MORE THAN YOU'RE ALREADY ARE!'
That imaginary scenario which is too vivid for his liking cemented their next plan, and with renewed vigor plus hidden desperation, Momonga turned to Aura.
"With that settled, how is the other task I ordered you to do going? Aura?"
"Yes!" Aura knelt immediately to pay her respect to her master. It doesn't feel like Aura's style, but Momonga accommodated her actions and listened with the attitude of a master.
"Momonga-sama ordered me to 'explore and understand the forest and find any living beings willing to join Nazarick, and set up a warehouse to store resources'. Everything is proceeding smoothly."
"I see," Momonga replied curtly.
Before heading to Re-Lantier, he issued different orders to each of the guardians. Aura and Mare were dispatched to the forest to ensure the safety of Nazarick and collect intelligence.
As for the warehouse, terming it as an emergency shelter would be more adequate. Aura was ordered to set such a place up so that in the event of an emergency preventing a return to Nazarick, it could serve as a hiding place. Also, having another base would help in preventing Nazarick from being exposed.
And of course, it serves as a warehouse to keep all sorts of materials.
Tasking her to find creatures willing to work for Nazarick was to confirm the possibility of power leveling, and what the ways of leveling up in this world were.
Because they were tasked with various missions, powerful beings like Aura, Mare, and their underlings came to the forest to establish a base, upsetting the power balance in the forest. This forced monsters such as ogres to enter the Virtuous King of Forest's territory to escape the forest.
"But the construction of the warehouse will take a very long time."
"That is unavoidable. It hadn't been long since I issued the order."
Even though they brought golems and undead helpers that could work without rest, it was still a huge amount of work to be done.
"You can take your time, but do it right. And beef up the defenses so it won't fall easily when attacked."
"Yes! By your command!"
"Excellent. Well then, I leave the task regarding the Virtuous King of the Forest to you."
"Yes!" Aura replied energetically and stood up. Momonga and Fuitchi took this as a signal and after a short encouragement as well as parting message turned around and walked away. Naberal gave her one last bow before leaving her behind and follow their masters.
XxX
Once they were out of sight, a giant black wolf with bright fur seemed to be waiting for this moment and sauntered out of the trees. Its crimson eyes seemed to be burning and were full of intelligence, proving that it wasn't a simple beast.
That wasn't all. On top of the other trees, a 6 legged monster that seemed to be a cross of chameleon and iguana was changing its skin color rapidly. It was as large as the wolf.
"Fenny, Crackerlacile, what's wrong? Were you guys worried about me?"
The giant wolf named Fenny whined and butted Aura with its head. Crackerlacile stuck out its tongue and patted Aura's head.
"Hey, we still have the work Momonga-sama ordered us to carry out."
Among the guardians, Aura was second-worst in strength, even some area guardians were stronger than her. But that was in terms of single combat power.
Aura's strength wasn't single combat, but group fights. Among the hundreds of monsters tamed by Aura, the strongest was level 80. With the special support skills of Aura, it was equivalent to level 90. With her monsters, Aura's fighting prowess could overwhelm the single combat power of the other guardians.
Among Aura's tamed beasts, these two were Aura's favorite high-level monsters—the holy beast Fenrir, Fenny, and the similarly powerful Itzamna, Crackerlacile. Fenny and Crackerlacile stopped playing around after hearing Aura's words.
"I haven't seen you two being lively like this in a while! Those three really make it hard for all of you don't they?"
The odd sounds coming from Crackerlacile and the squeal from Fenny might have contrasted each other greatly, but Aura knows that both translate to happiness from being able to roam free even in a limited space.
Even more so because they had lost such privilege in their home, the sixth floor of the great tomb of Nazarick.
This is because a new person who just like Aura, a beast tamer, had joined the guild. And after properly integrating herself, the sixth floor had since been used as a place to station her lineup of partners.
Long story short the new occupant doesn't get along with the old resident. And since the newcomers were stronger, they have no choice but to steer away obediently as per the order of nature. Though Aura has more than enough influence to tell Momonga and Kyoko about the unfair treatment, she chooses not to.
That is because the beast acting as the bane to her pack belongs to their creator's firstborn.
"Sorry but there's nothing I can do. That [Bird of Plague] and [Cait Sith] belongs to Minerva-sama."
Aura loves and cares for her beasts as a leader of a group would. She would push them and protect them accordingly to get them stronger. And normally, she would be the first to step in with this kind of injustice. But in this case, at least in her understanding, Aura's hands were tied.
"Anyway, let's go!"
Saying so she broke into a run with the two beasts following her. After running for about 30 minutes, Aura reached her destination. A cold smile that didn't match her young age crept onto her lips. It felt innocent and cruel at the same time.
"I wanted to claim this for myself, but since this is Momonga-sama's order, it couldn't be helped. Maybe they'll lend it to me once Momonga-sama grew bored of it?"
Aura didn't seem to be talking to her pet. She was mumbling as if she was talking about some accessories.
She knew about the Virtuous King of the Forest's nest because Aura wanted to tame it before. The Virtuous King of the Forest was weak when compared to Aura's monsters, so it wasn't worth much. But it was an unknown monster to Aura, so it spurred her collector's spirit. It was a pity to not add it to her collection, but she had no complaints if it was for the supreme master she was willing to offer everything to.
"Okay."
Aura changed the composition of the air in her lungs. The unnatural air composition was breathed out of her slightly opened, pink lips. It was a breathing technique to control emotions.
It radiates around herself normally and had a short-range, so it was a special passive ability. But if Aura desired it, it could be combined with her ranged attack and hit a single target 2km away. Even if it was in such a dense forest.
But there was no need to do so this time. She aimed to erase her presence and approach the target undetected. Wild animals aside, even monsters that had better senses couldn't notice Aura's approach.
Aura boldly walked to the side of the Virtuous King of the Forest with her presence erased and took a light breath. Her breath was composed of elements that incited fear, suddenly awakening the Virtuous King of the Forest that was in deep slumber.
All the fur on the Virtuous King of the Forest stood on end and it ran off in a panic. A frightened four-legged beast was surprisingly fast. But Aura, who was chasing it, was faster.
With breaths from time to time to guide the Virtuous King of the Forest to the two waiting supreme beings, Aura was chasing it just like 'death'.
"If all goes wrong, Hopefully, I can ask Momonga-sama for its fur or something!"
XxX
The forest turned noisy.
Perking up his ears, Lukeluther was wary because of the change in the air of the forest and observed the surroundings with a serious face. Of course, he was in truth the second to notice the change, but he nonetheless spoke first.
"Something is coming."
Hearing this, the members of the 'Sword of Darkness' who were picking herbs drew their weapons and prepared for battle. Momonga also held his giant sword tightly.
"Is it the Virtuous King of the Forest?"
No one answered Nfirea, who put the herbs into his pack. Everyone looked into the depth of the forest in silence.
"This is bad."
The carefree Lukeluther shouted in a stern voice:
"Something big is heading this way. I don't know why it is moving in a meandering path, but judging from the sound of it trampling the grass, it should be here soon. But... It's uncertain whether this is the Virtuous King of the Forest or not."
"Retreat, it's dangerous to stay here even if it's not the Virtuous King of the Forest. We are in its territory, so even if it's not the Virtuous King of the Forest, the chances of it attacking us are high."
Peter said as he looked towards Momoga:
"Momon-san, could you act as the rear guard?"
"No problem, leave it to me... I will take care of the rest."
To add emphasis Fuitchi unslung his mandolin and plucked its strings. The simple act enough to sent everyone, except Momonga, into a momentary daze. It barely lasted a second, but any adventurers worth their salt would know that something was wrong due to the current circumstances.
Once recovered, the members of the 'Sword of Darkness' offered words of encouragement as they retreated out of the forest with Nfirea in toll.
"Momon-san, please don't push yourself too hard."
Nfirea's voice had absolute confidence in Momonga, his eyes covered under his bangs were full of adoration. Reciprocating the feeling he nodded and urged them to leave faster.
After seeing the group disappear at the other side of the forest, Momonga momentarily feared that he couldn't navigate out of the forest by himself. But he immediately remembered that he could let Aura guide him.
"If I hadn't known any better, I'd say that you've taken a shine to the pharmacy kid, Nii-san."
"You could tell? Well, he's in the same position as I was once before. So I can't help but root for him."
"Is that so? Best of luck to him then. Here it comes." So Fuithci stated before chinning at a particular direction
With that warning, Momonga stiffen.
In the direction Fuitchi had pointed at was a large shadow some distance behind the forest. Momonga couldn't see it because it was hidden behind the forest. The sunlight didn't reach it, so he couldn't confirm if its body was silvery white.
"So the guest is finally here."
'Or maybe I am the guest'
Momonga thought about random things as he stood in front of Narberal and Fuitchi. He couldn't convert its power to levels, so he wasn't sure of the Virtuous King of the Forest's power. So Momonga naturally stood before the Magic Caster Narberal and the supporter Fuitchi, both of which weren't proficient in melee combat, to protect them.
"From the upper left!" Fuitchi stated an octave higher than he usually spoke.
Following the command, Momonga aptly caught the incoming attack and used his giant sword to shield himself, angling his sword particularly to lessen the impact. The sound of metal clashing reverberated, but thanks to the assists the strain placed on his arms significantly lessened.
Something heavy hit his giant sword at a very high speed. He could see a long tail with scales like a snake sliding back behind the trees.
'The tail attacked like a whip. Judging from the sound and sensation of the impact, that tail is as tough as steel... Its range of more than 20m is troubling, but how does it live its normal life with such a tail?'
Momonga lacked the special skills of a vanguard and couldn't think of any way to deal with it. The best he could do was melee combat. And while victory is practically assured with Fuitchi's backing, he's still unsure whether or not will they be able to come out unscathed.
Momonga sighed. He didn't have lungs, so he was just going through the motion. He lowered his shoulders and adopted a stance. Seeing that he was prepared to fight, a deep and calm voice came from the forest:
"To perceive and completely block the first attack of this king, impressive that it was...It may be… the first time this one has met such opponents"
"That it was..."
Momonga's illusionary face stiffens, then he remembered that these words were translated. That was how it sounded according to his judgment.
"Those are some particularly old-timey dialect." Fuitchi further commented.
"Well, invader of my territory, if you flee now, I'll refrain from pursuing you out of respect for your stalwart combination… But it's your choice, that it is."
"... What a foolish question. Of course I will defeat you and reap the rewards... Anyway, are you hiding because you lack confidence in your appearance, or are you shy by nature?"
"... Well you got quite the mouth on you, that you have, intruder! Behold this king's majestic figure and tremble in fear!"
The Virtuous King of the Forest emerged from the forest slowly, showing itself to all three of them. After seeing it, Momonga's illusionary face stared with eyes wide open. And even Fuitchi couldn't help but to rapidly blink as if to make sure that his sights aren't fooling him.
"Hahaha, this king could feel the terror and shock from beneath thy helmet and on your faces."
"Well, half of that is true. I am indeed shocked beyond words." Fuitchi ironically commented, further fueling the king's pride. Obviously, the virtuous king mistranslates its true meaning
The monster's face wrinkled in a smile and its long tail coiled up. Strange markings that resemble words appeared on its silvery-white body. It was about the size of a horse but was very short, a stout body that developed horizontally.
The Virtuous King of the Forest closed the distance slowly.
"What is this feeling..."
Emotions that were hard to describe washed over Momonga. After becoming an undead, every strong emotion would be suppressed. This must only be a minor emotion since it wasn't suppressed. Even so, including the time when YGGDRASIL was a game, he had never felt this way after seeing a monster.
"...I want to ask one thing, what is your race known as?"
"I am what you all call the Wise king of the Forest. I have no other name, no, I do not."
What Momonga voiced was a question he never thought would have to state out loud. Not even after experiencing being thrown into the game he loved, turned into an undead, and being forced to lead his family in the name of survival.
Yet, he asked anyway. He simply has to.
"Could your race's name be... Djungarian hamsters?"
XxX
"And both of you are completely sure about this? This kind of thing doesn't bode well with reconsideration and the likes after all."
"Hey now, don't be like that Nee-san. Second-guessing our goodwill like this won't do you any good, then again, It's more of a selfish move on my part. I can feel the burden lifting off my shoulders already."
"Indeed. An analogy from someone in my position would be: 'It's easier to fight when you have a focus'. In other words, this carries also benefits for us."
In that exact order, those words were said by Minerva, Laufeyson, and finally, Cranium.
"Very well. Then as of this moment, I, Minerva Ooal Gown will be the sole successor to our esteemed parent's throne. And the both of you have hereby agreed to not hinder my succession in any way and even endorse and support me."
"I hereby promise." Cranium confirmed, followed suit by Laufeyson with a 'ditto'.
"Good. Thank you, both of you. This means we have finally removed a future obstacle."
While all three of them would rather not admit it, the fact remains that they are Nazarick's royalties. And while the matter of 'heir to the throne' was something none of them are eager to talk about, it is undeniably only a matter of time before they will be forced to tackle it.
This concern of theirs might be akin to that of worrying over the distant future, but it could also be seen as preventing a ticking time bomb from ever being primed. And considering all that has happened so far, describing it as the latter isn't that far off.
Nonetheless, it has been completely resolved now.
"As inappropriate it is to settle such matter here."
For royalties to discuss such a serious matter, then the place where it is done must be up to the task as well.
Perhaps a library that stored knowledge guiding them into such culmination. Or a war room that allowed them a glimpse of the worst-case scenario. Though, taking the word of the eldest, it's possible that they were located in an unconventional spot for such a discussion. The open in front of the tomb which will one day become theirs maybe?
It certainly holds a significant symbolism. Even if it does tend to come as unconventional in a case such as this.
All of the above were nowhere near as bizarre as the truth.
"Inappropriate you say. I know that you are referring to just how important this matter is, so such a judgment is only natural. With that said, it still stings a little."
"As for me, I'm just glad that you'd provide us with the needed space, Cranium."
The personal room of the youngest child, that was the place they have settled the sensitive, live-changing even, matter.
"I'm sorry if I offend you in any way, Otouto. It's just that I don't expect our talk to take a turn into such a domain… I suppose that part is my fault."
"No-no, Nee-san. It's just an unimportant personal matter and nothing more. It's not something that you should concern yourself about."
"The fact that she did means she feels it's an important matter Cranium," Laufeyson interjected. "On that note, I think that that's the way to go. It'd be bad for us to make it this far only to stop now."
"Yes, that is a good point Laufeyson. I'd hate for our relations to consist of nothing more than the fact that we are 'siblings'."
It might look like a tamer topic compared to the earlier burden of lordship, but in their case, this has the possibility of turning into yet another problem further down the road.
In fact, mending the rift that has become more apparent between them was the reason why they are gathered here initially.
'It's just that it's so awkward that we somehow got derailed into resolving the succession problem rather than going about casually. Not that such an outcome is bad, all things considered.' Laufesyon recounted as he sipped his tea.
Cranium is currently in his human form while Minerva is taking her smaller child form. They probably did so to lessen the weight of the mood, but other than that, the two seem to be clueless about what to do after that.
It was completely ironic how the fidgeting Minerva acts and looks completely like her age, even if her mental lifetime should have exceeded her siblings a dozen times over. Meanwhile, Cranium's eyes dart around his own space, sitting on one of the chairs with a posture too rigid and stiff for any human.
A second ago all three of them were passionately discussing the topic of Nazarick and the far future. But with that done and over it was as if they know nothing to converse about.
Laufeyson wasn't one to toot his own horn, but he's certainly doing marginally better than his two beloved siblings.
He'll have to thank their mother and their one missing sibling. Speaking of which, he should ask the two to include him in their future meetups. Yes, making this gathering of theirs more frequent is one of his current agendas.
But first, he'll have to get the ball rolling.
"If I may shatter this uncomfortable silence why don't we just talk about what each of us has been up to?"
"Yes!" Cranium and Minerva yelped in unison. As if waiting for those exact words.
"You should go first Nee-san."
"No, Otouto. By all means, you should go first."
"I really shouldn't. It's mandatory to let the elder go first."
"That might be the norm, but I insist. I want to listen to your recount."
"Well, the same goes for me as well…"
It was a back and forth that is again, awkward. But, it was a different, more pleasant one when put beside the previous fiddly silence.
"If both of you are kind enough to give away the first speech, maybe I can go forth? That would suffice as a middle road, wouldn't it?"
Two heads snapped towards him in the blink of an eye. And Laufeyson found himself met by two sets of eyes conveying surprise, and more importantly, gratitude.
"...So may I?"
"Of course, Nii-san" "By all means, please." Cranium and Minerva urged him respectively.
"Right. So as I have stated, I've been shadowing our uncle for some time now as a part of my education. Do take what I say with a grain of salt, but I think I've managed to pick a thing or two."
His younger brother and older sister listened to his recount too seriously in his opinion. But by the end of it, Laufeyson's recount of his experience seems to do the trick in getting them to open up.
"I see. To think that such an important job has eluded my notice for so long… I feel ashamed."
"And it certainly shed light on father's decision on masquerading as an adventurer."
"In my opinion, I think that Nazarick is rather lacking in people capable of such a task. No offense Cranium."
"None taken. How our talk went earlier shows just how much I am lacking when it comes to the war of words."
"That makes for both of us then. Social interaction… It really is dreadful." So was Minerva's take on the matter.
Laufeyson chuckled at their words. It most definitely sounds terrible, but it's assuring to know that they're as vulnerable as he is in some aspects and even more in others.
"Well, that's enough about me. How did your training with Cocytus go Cranium?"
"Oh that. I'm afraid not much happened. And by the end of it all, I'm still nowhere near his level."
Cranium's spec was a mere level 85 after all. Compared to the likes of a fully min-maxed NPC like the sixth-floor guardian, that assessment wasn't that far off.
"Not to grind the face of the poor, but, can you elaborate on the gap between you and Cocytus? Frankly speaking, all of us are on the same boat after all, so there shouldn't be any harm in comparing notes. Between me and Mother, and Laufeyson with Uncle."
Minerva encouraged to which the middle child quickly nodded.
"I suppose… But again, my training isn't all that interesting."
"As someone who is sorely lacking in the combat department, I find that hard to believe."
"Indeed. I would like you to not spare any detail."
"...Very well. Simply put I've done nothing but the basics…"
After that, Cranium then went on and recounted his experience just like Laufeyson did. Ending also with his sibling having a newfound respect for the many warriors dedicating their beings to the art and brandishing their existence against the enemy of Nazarick.
"It certainly is something one must devote their entire lives to…" Minerva muttered.
"And yet, the path of martial arts might as well be endless. It really is a dilemma. Numerically speaking. No offense, Nii-san"
"None taken. It is clear that paradox such as this is much more present in the real world than we thought." Cranium sagely voiced. "Speaking of which, Nee-san. I heard that you're planning to open a school."
"Indeed I am. Though, I didn't recall having informing anyone besides mother and father." For good reason considering the behavior of the floor guardians. "Did either of them told you, perhaps?"
"...Yeah they did…"
Laufeyson was the first to notice 'it'
"What's with the pause? That's unlike you?"
"...No it's nothing…Really..."
"...It sure does sound like something." Minerva further prodded feeling slightly worried.
"...It was neither father nor mother who told me of your endeavor..." Cranium revealed almost voicelessly. Something unfitting of him.
Minerva and Laufeyson exchanged worried glances. Then, the latter goes:
"Then who is it? Perhaps you're uncomfortable because your source obtains the news through a... specific channel?"
The middle child had concluded that it was Albedo who had revealed the setup to Cranium. As for how she obtained such Intel...
What naturally surfaces is none other than the guardian overseer, cackling madly as she used multiple high-level scrolls, skills, maybe even manpower to unknowingly monitor Minerva's activity in Carne Village.
There's a word his uncle would use if Laufeyson isn't mistaken. Stalking, so Torihiki informed him while shivering against all odds.
Cranium quickly caught on and assured his brother that his circumstances weren't a case of exactly that. Surprisingly.
"No, Albedo wasn't the one either. So you can rest easy."
"Wait, what does Albedo have anything to do with this-?" Minerva cluelessly asked only to be cut off by her younger sibling.
"Then who told you? And why are you so secretive about it?"
"..."
The silence was a dead giveaway that Cranium isn't going to cooperate. It wasn't out of malice that much both of them can tell, but something about this whole thing seems to bother the scion most oddly.
'He confirmed that he did hear it from someone, meaning that he hadn't personally looked into my doings.'
All that's left then is to deduce who his source was. Made significantly easier thanks to the already revealed bits.
Momonga, Kyoko, and Albedo were all out as per Cranium's words. Though Minerva is still curious about why the latter-most even made it into the list. And she was sure that her request for privacy made the information privy.
That leaves only those who witness her project and involvement first hand.
"...Yuri, was she the one who told you?"
Frankly speaking, Lupusregina would be the more obvious suspect for this kind of leak. And there's a chance it was any of the other maids who pass the information secondhand after hearing it from her.
Minerva didn't really get it either, but she guesses her chaperone to be the culprit exactly because Cranium was the one involved.
(Crash!) (Shatter!) (Clatter!)
The sound of wood breaking came from the destruction of a chair, the tumbling of a table, the shattering of fine china, and the clattering silverware.
"...What are you doing?" Minerva asked out loud. Only to receive silence in return.
She was half expecting that much, but it was impossible for the inquiry to not come out of her mouth.
After all, how else was she supposed to react to her youngest brother abruptly transforming into his original avatar? That of an intimidating violet suit of armor seemingly empowered plus occupied by a vile undead.
The abrupt change in mass is what lead to the mess of spilled tea and broken chairs.
"This might be your room, but that doesn't make it any better you know."
Minerva chided, to which, like a statue, the scion simply stood still without a word.
"...Did you... did you switch forms just so your racial passive can kick-in?"
Laufeyson deeper insight strike true as his brother flinch. Or in this case, summoned his double-bladed spear and great shield at the cost of his adobe once again. He recalls their mother doing the same from time to time. As she would put it: 'Having something familiar to grip on is mildly comforting when you're distressed'.
Maybe it was a thing between all warriors? He'll have to ask her later.
"I still don't see why you would go so far? It's not like I intend to punish her or anything."
A light scolding perhaps, but it wasn't enough to warrant retribution. To be honest, Minerva was more curious about why Yuri would open up in the first place.
The pair of bewildered stares boring into her indicates that Laufeyson had already figured it out and that it is indeed the reason behind Cranium's odd behavior for the past few minutes.
Coughing twice, Laufeyson finally spoke:
"Simply put nee-san, Cranium here is worried about the implication rather than the leak itself."
A second, then two. That was how long it took before the dots finally connected within the heiress' thoughts.
Oh. Oooooh.
Yuri Alpha. Currently serving as the interim leader of the Pleiades, the NPC created by Yamaiko is, practically speaking, the current figurehead of the entire maid division of Nazarick. She was the reliable big sister of those who serves Nazarick through menial duty, a diligent idol looked up to by everyone so to speak.
"And you felt uncomfortable by the possible rumor if this exchange were to be widely? The romantic ones especially?"
The blunt way she put it send Cranium to a fit of silence once more. No, she can see how the arms in her younger brother's arms rattle violently.
"Nee-san, can you please not be too upfront? For us young men this issue is… rather prickly…"
Laufeyson informed her to which she only sighed. Minerva was utter crap when it comes to a matter like this. So she was probably in the wrong anyway.
"Alright. Sorry for being insensitive Cranium. But can you please stop causing further mess? Wait no… It's probably better for you to take your time to steady your nerves, so don't rush alright?"
"...Thank you…"
It took three full minutes before Cranium finally switched back. Another full minute to clean and tidy everything up. And yet another full lap for the clock-hand before they found themselves exactly where they begin
In total, it was five minutes wasted. Five full minutes of sheer nonsensical from three people on whom shoulders the future of Nazarick rest.
It was shameful and unbecoming, to say the least.
"Kuku…"
Laufeyson was the first to chuckle.
"Fu… Fuha…"
Minerva on the other hand goes straight into a fit of low laughter.
"...Guh…Heh"
For Cranium, it began as a sigh of self-depreciation. But he too soon found his fuse of humor lit.
Before they know it, the room was filled with three waves of laughter echoing in disharmony. One that honestly reflects all of their feelings.
None of them really get it, but they're laughing out loud to their hearts' content. For once, in front of one another, they were completely honest. Once the odd session died out a satisfied smile can be seen on all three of them.
"Not to ruin the mood but… What just happened?" Laufeyson asked out loud.
"Always the diligent one aren't you? Well in my limited wisdom, I believe we were laughing at Cranium reaching puberty. To some extent."
"...I thought you already promised not to poke fun into that particular ground, nee-san…"
"Dear brother, wasn't it you yourself who made it far too easy for me to do so? Mayhaps I should recommend mental training for your next session of self-improvement? That aspect is also important for warriors does it not?"
"...Uwah…You really don't hold back don't you Nee-san…"
"Hmph, I can say the same to you, it's as if your vocabulary suddenly leveled down."
"Means my guard is down. My bad."
"I think it suits you, Laufeyson-nii."
Their following conversation went smoother than ever after that. And all three no longer felt any shy nor they exhibit any restraint in sharing their thoughts and criticizing the other respectively.
If any outsider were to find the secret scene, they would surely akin it to a gathering of close siblings.
"Back to the matter at hand, I won't punish Yuri. Though, I'll probably ask her how the hell did she end up chatting with you."
"...Please go easy on her."
"Relax~ relax~. I'm not going to interrogate her or anything." So Minerva assured. "But why don't you tell me instead? I don't want to come off as a superior who pry too much out of her coworker."
Yuri probably sees her more as a master, as does everyone else, which is another source of stress she intends to share in the future. So the last thing she wants is to further the gap by prodding too much.
"...Maybe next time… To be honest, there's a lot of things that I want to figure out first."
Minerva turned to Laufeyson as if asking: 'Is this another one of your boys' thing?'. Her answer was that of a brotherly nod. Thus, she decided to leave it all at that.
Again, she was absolute shit in that regard and neither does she want to get tangled up in that mess. Most importantly, she doesn't want to put too much pressure on her brother.
At least for now.
"Ah, yes speaking of which. I'd like to propose Pandora's inclusion in our next gathering. Same time next week I assume?"
Laufeyson's suggestion what met by a synced pair of nods.
"Definitely. I'll have some pent up steam to share at that point. The more the merrier."
For Minerva, this activity has just become an important outlet for herself. A chance to put everything on hold, maybe even forget it for a while. Don't get her wrong, she loves what she's doing. But a healthy break is necessary. Crucial even.
"This might sound childish but what about adding small games and such? It'll definitely make things even more enjoyable."
"Sounds good to me. As long as we steer away from certain games that destroy bonds."
"Oh? Does such a thing exist? I'm intrigued."
The suggestion came from Cranium, and the responses, in that order, Laufeyson and Minerva.
It was clear that this won't be the last time the three of them gather. That's for sure.
"Is that all for this time then? Nothing else? I honestly felt that it's a little incomplete." Minerva declared without care.
"Well, this is the trial run so to say, so it's only natural for it to be lackluster in one way." Laufeyson too shares the sentiment. And in his mind, he had already mapped out several ideas to improve upon this secret rendezvous of theirs.
"Maybe it's how we end it that feels lacking? Why don't we try to do something celebratory? That'll pick things up won't it?" So the scion's suggestion started the last inning of their meeting.
"OH~ That's a good idea!" Laufeyson agreed "But what should we do?"
"It should be something we can do each time. And maybe something that can be done quickly as to not drag things for too long?" The eldest added, properly confirming the final hurdle.
They were torn between their desire to go out with a bang while maintaining practicality also. With vigor, all three of them racked their brains.
"...How about a toast?"
"Of drinks? Yes… it is rather compact, but I don't recommend anything with alcohol."
"Not that any of us are of age. But I agree, a toast of our favorite beverage each. How does that sound."
At that point, it didn't matter who found the answer in one go. The important thing is that they have found the final piece of the puzzle. Suited to their liking even.
"Here goes then." Minerva cheerfully pulled a glass out of her inventory. And her siblings followed suit with their own devices.
Once finished they all gathered around in a semi-triangle and raised their respective container. The three beverage vessel clinked gently against one another. All different in form and filling.
In Minerva's hand was a simple glass filled with an equally unimpressive content of normal milk. Holding no status effect whatsoever.
Between Laufeyson's fingers was the handle of his cup, now refilled with lukewarm tea. Just like her, it was nothing than a beverage of his choice. Lacking in the enchantment department.
Unlike the other two Cranium's tumbler hides what's within it. The aptly colored violet flask overshadowing the two in size and impression respectively.
"To our secret gathering of siblings." Minerva started.
"Indeed, to cloak and dagger for my future," Laufeyson added his personal twist, flinching the two only for him to drink his tea with his eyes closed.
"Hey what was that!? I want to do it too-!"
"Then? Spear and shield for mine? I guess?" Cranium added unsurely before quickly gulping down the mystery content only he knows of.
"Ah! Cranium, not you too! Dang, it!" Minerva shrieked in an unladylike display. "WHATEVER! TO CROWN AND CLOAK!" She practically shouted before downing her entire glass rather aggressively.
It was a miracle how she didn't choke, and that they all finished at the same time.
"Did you have to copy my part nee-san? Cloak and all?" The middle child jabbed to which his sister only scoffed.
"Shut it! I would have come up with something better if you told me about that individual pledge!" None of them now when she did it, but at that point, her glass had been already refilled with milk.
"Guess I'm pretty good on my feet then. Good to know." The youngest commented offhandedly, sipping on his second glass as well.
"By the way what are you drinking Cranium?" There's no way Laufeyson will be leaving that question unanswered. There's was no time to be subtle.
"Energy drink. It restores your HP and MP, though, it'll decrease your stamina if you use it too much. Ironically."
"Always practical aren't you?"
"CROWN AND ROBE! THAT'S WHAT I SHOULD HAVE GONE WITH!" Minerva proudly roared. Slamming yet another glass in the blink of an eye.
"Sounds a tad too Kingly for me really, perhaps trade robe with scepter?" Laufeyson cheekily suggested.
"Or a sword. Maybe do away with the crown even? Sword and Scepter have quite the ring to it wouldn't you say?"
"Oh. That would symbolize wisdom and military strength. Good one Nii-san." To the praise, Cranium smiled and raised his glass.
"Shut it you two and let me have this!"
They spent quite sometime before finally parting away for real. Tidying themselves separately and taking different directions. Paranoid certainly, but the secrecy is what made the whole thing exciting and enjoyable.
Before they knew it, their thoughts too are quickly replaced by their private endeavors. Any traces of pleasantness erased as if never there. And yet, all three were more than impatient for the next occasion of their assembly. With bliss, they all returned to their respective world.
Which unknown to them will soon be smashed into one by an upcoming crisis. But that's a matter of tomorrow and not today.
XxX
Fuck college hit me like a truck.
My plan was to have the rest of September off, write this chapter in October and post it right at the beginning of November.
And we all know how that turn out.
Anyway, I'll try to keep the updates monthly from now on. And with this COVID semester almost coming to a close, I hope I can finish volume two before next year.
That's all for now. voidwalker77, signing out.
As always, CIAO!