5 hours earlier...

Zesshi Zetsumei POV:

Mm. It's not a dream. That's what I have to tell myself every time I wake up in this ungodly comfortable bed. In my ungodly beautiful room, with ungodly beautiful maids bustling around outside of it.

"Yet another day in this place…"

Throwing the covers off myself, I lie there in the nude for a couple of moments, before lazily crawling out of my bed.

'As usual, the scratches from yesterday are gone…'

The scratches and crevices I left in the wall with my scythe are completely repaired, leaving no trace they were ever there to begin with. How unnatural. Everything here is beyond the norm, completely over the top. I mean, who puts maids in a tomb? Even more, six of those maids could take me on, and kill me! And the real wonders are the guardians and their leader, Ainz Ooal Gown. No matter how many martial arts I activate, how many spells I cast, how much blood I shed, I wouldn't be able to land a single scratch on them. It's almost unfair… the question I've been pondering recently is how the hell this place stayed unnoticed for this long, and why they stayed unnoticed for this long. What changed in the world?

Of course, thinking isn't my strong suit.

I notice the time and realize breakfast is about to be served soon. I guess Cocytus really tired me out yesterday. I stroll over to the dresser, and pick up one of the various skin-colored make-up pallets strewn about it. Looking into the mirror, I start to cover up the dark bags underneath my eyes, as well as a couple of wrinkles that have started to form. One of the few lessons Mom taught me was how to put make-up on, as well as how to wear a dress, and do my hair. She said that I must be able to impress a man at all times, in case an unexpected cute boy shows up.

But, I think she knew I would have never been let out of the Cardinal's sight.

Also, my hair rarely frizzles or gets in knots, so I rarely have to brush it. Maybe I should grow my hair out? Does Pandora like long-haired girls? It would let me style my hair in different ways… to change for… various… outfits…

Not even the make-up hides the bright pink blush that lights up on my face, and the corners of my mouth turn into a twisted smile at the thought of Pandora. Probably the only reason I can stay sane in this place is because of him. Of course, he's still unimaginably strong, and he has no face, but at least he isn't a bug. Or an undead. Or a demon. Or some other type of twisted monster that can only be found in the darkest recesses of the world.

I put on my clothes and armor, and pick up my scythe from the corner of my room, twirling it around my body. My skill with it has improved a little bit more since I've come here, yet another thing I found impossible.

"Hurgh… UH!"

I swing it over my head and let it fall, pouring only a tiny bit of my strength into the slice. The wall I was aiming at gets split open, the wood paneling splintering into millions of tiny pieces. I can't take my anger out on anything else, so the walls of my room fall victim to my outbursts. Besides, it's not like they'll stay like that for long.

Trudging over to my door, I open it to the familiar sight of maids speed-walking down the hallway. It's nine forty five Nazarick time, which means it's time for breakfast. Joining the stampede of maids, I start my way down towards the cafeteria.

"Thanks."

"Mmph."

I take my tray out of the mushroom-headed heteromorph's hands, no, tentacles, and leave towards my table in the corner. As I walk down the aisle, the dirty looks I get from the maids don't go unnoticed.

At first, I thought it was because I was a half-elf. Maybe they saw me as impure, or dirty because I'm half-human. But, that wouldn't make sense, because aren't they human as well? So, I asked Cocytus about it. He said it's because I technically invaded Nazarick, even if I was set up. The maids have bad memories of the first invasion of Nazarick, when the invaders breached up to the Eighth floor. The thought of their friends and possibly them dying makes them scared. The fact that people who can beat the Guardians exist is news to me. Also, wouldn't I have heard about this? People who are that strong wouldn't go unnoticed. Maybe it was at the time of the Dragon Lords? The Dragon Lords teaming up might be able to beat them… but only if they teamed up. Then, the reason they surfaced now is that they just recovered from the invasion? But if the Dragons were stopped on the Eighth floor… something the Guardians couldn't even stop… What lives on the Eighth floor?

I plop myself down on the bench, and stare at my food. The most delicious meals I've ever had are served in a cafeteria. Cafeteria food. Food that is so delicious, not even a king would be fit to eat it. Is cafeteria food. If this is cafeteria food, then what is a normal dinner like? What would Ainz be fed?

My thoughts are interrupted by a barely noticeable presence behind me, barely noticeable, but there. I was trained quite a bit in the detection of invisible people, and even have a few spells that would detect someone. I turn around, look up at where the presence's face would be, and stare.

After a few seconds, the presence speaks.

"Ah~ you could detect me su~! That's surprising, you're stronger than I gave you credit for su~!"

Starting at the head, the invisibility starts to dispel, falling like a waterfall. First, a black and white cap with animal ears on top of it, then a tan face with yellow eyes, wearing a mischievous smile. A black and white maid outfit that splits at the legs, and an oversized crosier stuck on her back appears in front of Zesshi.

Lupusregina Beta. One of the few things that the Theocracy found out about the Sorcerer King was a list of his most capable servants, and Lupusregina Beta was definitely close to the top of that list. The few times that they were given a chance to spy on Carne Village, this lady definitely didn't go unnoticed. Thousand Mile Astrologer identified that she was a werewolf and that her power was comparable, if not greater than the most capable fighters the Theocracy had.

There were some plans drawn up to capture her, but all were scrapped after the appearance and stationing of the Goblin Army at the village.

The werewolf maid swings her leg into the table, and sits down right next to me.

"So, how are ya' adjusting to Nazarick su~? Obviously ya' haven't made any friends su~..."

Her eyes wander around the cafeteria, noticing the looks of surprise and anger the other maids are giving us.

"... It's fine. I guess. A little too over the top for my tastes, but fine. I don't want any of them as my friends, and they don't want me as theirs either. There's no point in going out of my way for something we'll both not want."

"Eh… then who do ya' talk with su~? I heard they brought in another person from outside, maybe you could make friends with him su~?"

"Cocytus. And… the elf girl I met her once."

"...THAT'S IT SU~?!"

"If you're going to yell, do it out of my ear, please. And yes, that's all. Well, I suppose I asked Titus for a book once…"

"T-Then how do you pass time su~?!"

"Sleeping. And training. Some reading in-between."

Her face turns into one of pity, and she looks at me like I'm some sort of sad existence.

"Zesshi… how about ya' come to the Pleiades recreation room once you're done with training today? We need to get ya' properly integrated into Nazarick su~."

"Aren't I already?"

"No no su~, you need to be able to relax y'know? Do ya' even know where the bathhouses are?"

"I can use the one in my room."

"Y'see, that's what I'm talkin' about su~! You aren't relaxing enough su~! It looks bad for ya' complexion su~! Although ya' did a good make-up job on ya' wrinkles, it's still clear you're worn out su~."

"And you're worried about me now, why?"

"Ainz-sama asked me to make sure you're getting used to Nazarick properly su~. And he gave me whatever permission I needed to get you used to it, if not su~..."

"I'm doing just fine." I say, with a slight break in my voice. Her yellow irises narrow at me, and she stares for a few seconds. I stare back with what I hope to be an equal conviction.

"Well, if ya' won't come, I won't force you to su~. Although, I imagine you'll find your way there anyways su~!"

She stands up, and wriggles her fingers goodbye at me, with an even bigger grin on her face than the one she arrived with. Then, she jogs off towards a group of maids, completely leaving me behind.

"What the hell does that mean? I'll find my way there anyway?"

I cast her words out of my mind, and begin to eat.

A/N

Still trying to find a chapter style that fits. I'll probably bounce back and forth between styles or something, i dunno.

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