And, Chapter 8.
Not gonna lie the support for this fic is far beyond what I initially believed possible, especially since at it's core is an idea a younger and dumber version of me came up with some years ago.
So thanks for that.
I decided that unlike my other work I posted on FF I will not keep the backstory on my main OC hidden and shrouded in mystery for too long, so at the pace I'm going with now I guess by the time we reach Chapter 13-14 I'll have revealed most of Eidolon's past and go deeper into who he is past his nonchalant personality.
The two Homunculus Maids I named in a previous Chapter also make another appearance, and after reading the Overlord spin-off manga "The Undead Oh!" again I decided on who they are.
In Chapter 28 where Shizu is the Head Maid for the day, the two maids holding down Eclair after his first attempt at acting like an intruder. Louise is the long haired one, Celine is the short-haired one.
That's what I decided on, anyway.
Dunno how much anyone would care about this trivial info but seeing how they will be making a lot more appearances in the future I decided to drop this here.
That's about it for this AN.
Lastly from me would only be one of the most asked questions in the Overlord fandom:
Which Pleiades and why?
Leave your opinion and know I never ask things without some reason behind them.
PS: Solution for me -_- (judge me)
Girl is weird but also hella intelligent, focused on her duty and highly competent. A close second would be Lupus because she's like that breath of fresh air you need every now and then.
Kay bye, see you down below.
XXX
"...Uhhh. I don't remember asking for room service?"
The sarcastic question had not been asked immediately, of course. In truth he had woken up roughly fifteen seconds ago, time in which he opened his eyes and just blankly stared at the happenings around the room.
Waking up and noticing spectral figures numbering in the dozens spread throughout his large room had not been among the situations Eidolon prepared for.
Nothing of what was going on recently was, in all honesty.
He had no doubt that had he been the real him from a day ago he would have soiled his pants at the sight. Strangely enough, however, he found himself feeling calm and composed despite the supernatural beings surrounding him.
They were humanoid in shape, at least those who possessed what looked like a head, a torso, arms but with the lower body not unlike a long robe. He could see no facial traits or anything of the sort.
All of them appeared to be made up of dark-blue flames, however Eidolon could not feel them giving off any sort of heat. Their bodies simply moved like flames, their outline waning and waxing in response.
Besides the humanoids were also dark-blue balls of likewise flame-like shape floating around the room.
Despite the lack of eyes on the spectral manifestations Eidolon could however 'feel' that their attention was directed at him, and him alone.
He could sense no hostility however and so he slowly got up from the bed all the while eyeing the unexpected intruders. Taking a step forward, the apparitions moved back slightly to make room for him.
'Talk about awkward...Geez, what the hell is going on here? Well, actually, isn't trying to make heads and tails of this while being a certified moron the stupid thing to do? Ok, I'll just not think about it. Yeah, that sounds good.'
Eidolon walked forward slowly through the knee-deep miasma that covered the floor of the room, approaching the closest apparition to him and stopping in front of it. It's faceless head looked up at Eidolon's face but otherwise it remained motionless.
What happened next, Eidolon could not put it into words as he lacked previous experiences of similar origin to draw a comparison.
If he were to try however, he would say the apparition before him 'opened' up to him, as if ceding sovereignty of itself over to Eidolon.
Memories flooded his mind yet persisted for only as long as the blink of an eye.
A past of growing up on a farm surrounded by fresh air and delicious food grown by the apparition itself.
The flame of willpower burning strong within it as it aged.
'I love this country.'
The smell of cold iron imprinted strongly in it's mind, flashes of a held sword swung over and over again popping up in his mind.
Overwhelming fear and pride swelling up in it's chest.
'The war has started.'
Devastating fear and despair followed next, the smell of blood and gore assaulting it's nose.
'Oh God, Oh God, Oh God…'
Ropes and chains confined it's freedom, being pulled against it's will at the whims of others.
Terror spiked within it as the memory of razor-sharp teeth overwhelmed it's mind, biting into it's former corporeal body as it begged and screamed for the pain to stop.
Then nothing.
Simply nothing.
'...Huh. Was that this dude's memories? Shit, talk about bad luck. He's kinda ghost-y so I guess it's a soul? I guess all of them are. Razor-sharp teeth, huh? I guess he must have been one of the soldiers fighting the Beastmen in this country and he died by getting eaten alive? Then again, why did I just saw it's memories? Better yet, why are all those guys here in my room? Is privacy not a thing in this game-world?'
Eidolon brought a hand to his chin and in doing so, realized something else as he directed his eyes downwards.
The miasma covering the floor of the room, it was coming out of him.
'...Well. This doesn't look healthy. I wonder if this world has healthcare unlike the real world? I'm not really feeling any different, though. But still. Urgh…'
Mere moments later Eidolon picked on the indistinguishable sound of a [Gate] opening up just outside his room, teleportation Magic being unable to target the individual rooms within the 9th Floor.
A couple of quick steps followed, then loud bangs at his door. "My Lord? My Lord?!" Demiurge's voice called out to him and before he could as much as open his mouth to respond, the door shattered into pieces and the Archdevil dashed inside, both his hands engulfed in flames while the demonic wings on his back spread to each of his side.
Not more than a step behind him were Cocytus and Sebas, the large insectoid already with weapons in two of his four arms and the Head Butler looking ready for battle, as well.
"Ah…" Eidolon looked at the pieces of the now shattered door spread across the floor for a single moment, then remembered the room that was his secret now in plain view of the Guardians before making his hasty way towards the Archdevil.
"Eidolon-sama, are you uninjured-?!"
"You pointy-eared Four-Eyes!" The man half-yelled, half-whispered as he reached out and grabbed Demiurge by both ears before proceeding to lift him up to his own eye level, walking backwards and using the Archdevil's body to push Sebas and Cocytus out of his room and back into the hallway, as well. "Don't you know you're supposed to wait for a reply before barging inside a person's room?! And what the hell do you think you're doing, actually barging in like that?! I'll cut your fricking ears off and stab you in the eyes with them, you cunt!"
Suffice to say the Guardians learned a valuable lesson that day: Eidolon did not like his privacy to be questioned.
"While I apologize for destroying Eidolon-sama's door…" Demiurge voiced as he tried his best to maintain a neutral expression despite the fact he was held above the floor by his ears alone. "My Lord's safety comes first."
"...Hmm. Well, never ever do that again or else." Allowing the Archdevil's feet to touch the ground again Eidolon unhanded him and moved backwards to stand in the door frame, obscuring the view into the room itself with his own large frame.
Luckily enough the countless apparitions were not transparent and they numbered in the dozens within his room, not to mention the knee-deep miasma that covered the floor. Eidolon doubted the three NPCs had time to see his countless plushies inside.
"We apologize again for barging in like that, my Lord. However we have just received a report by Sebas that unexpected apparitions manifested all throughout the 9th Floor and we feared for your safety."
'Wait, throughout the 9th Floor?' Upon hearing the statement Eidolon looked to his left and right, down the hallway on each side and indeed, he noticed the same things that occupied his room spread throughout the hallway as well. 'Well shit.'
"You seem to be unfazed by them, my Lord. Might I ask if you are familiar with the apparitions?" He took a moment before replying to Demiurge's question. After all, he was unsure of what to say.
'I mean, I have no clue why they are here. No wait, the lore so far became reality, right? So if I use that as the basis...Hmmm…'
"Those are souls, and they probably appeared here because of me." His words seemed to confuse the three NPCs before him, so he decided to explain further despite not possessing all the information, either. "I mean, I have the rare racial class of Abyssal Warden, so I guess they are drawn to me like moths to a flame?"
'I went balls deep when deciding on the lore for my race after winning that Event all those years back, so using that as the reason for all of this...Those are all lost souls unable to pass on and become part of the Cycle again. And they probably need me to guide them, huh…? I call bullshit! Why do I have to deal with something of this scale just because of some edgy ideas and concepts I had almost ten years ago? And what the hell is with this miasma? I don't remember any of my Skills having an animation effect like this!'
Slightly pissed off at the revelations thrown his way one after another, Eidolon closed his eyes and focused. Strangely enough he could sense where every single soul on the 9th Floor was located, and he 'knew' he could reach out to them.
'...Every single one of you…'
"Fuck off. Now."
And that was all which was required.
A single moment later the souls in his room, the hallway and all throughout the 9th Floor disappeared into thin air, as did the miasma.
'...Huh, neat.Then again this is rather worrying. Did this happen just because I dozed off for a short while? Urgh…'
"As. Expected. Of. Eidolon. Sama. No. One. Can. Withstand. Your. Will." Cocytus stated as a wheeze of cold breath escaped his mouth, in awe as to how three simple words could make the apparitions disappear instantly.
"That's scary in it's own right...Haaa...Anyway. You three, have those souls attacked anyone on this Floor?"
"No, my Lord." The Head Butler stated. "Their sudden appearance frightened the regular maids and male servants but I have received no reports of open hostility."
"Good, good. That would have made me feel bad. Haaa...This is such a pain in my butt. I have to be careful when I go to sleep…"
Lost in thought as he was Eidolon failed to notice Demiurge's glasses shining brighter than ever before.
Not only had he learned of his Master's race, but now he also knew for certain that Eidolon required sleep. This priceless information would help him greatly.
After all, the more they knew about their otherwise mysterious last Master the better they could adapt in order to serve him and his needs with the greatest efficiency. Turning his head slightly to the right he locked eyes with Sebas, who gave a small nod in return.
He too had followed a similar line of thought and came to the same conclusion.
"Ok, listen up you all." Eidolon's voice immediately drew their attention to him. "First of all, walk over there." Their Master instructed them and they followed the order without question, moving to the side of the now door-less room of Eidolon, the man himself trying his best to keep them from seeing what was inside. "I'm going to be honest about it: I did not actively try to summon all those souls to me."
The worry was visible on Sebas and Demiurge's faces, with Cocytus probably being just as worried as them. His face, however, betrayed no emotions as always. "It seems that our transportation to this land changed some of my abilities. For example, my Skills have also changed as far as their daily uses and effects are concerned, as I found out during my scouting of the human fort."
This information worried the NPCs greatly.
Their Master had gone out there all the while not possessing solid knowledge on his own abilities and Skills. Had he met an opponent worthy of being called as such, and their Master's Skills had failed him in his time of need…
The mere thought sent a shiver down their spines.
"So with that said, this incident could be seen as a slip on my part. Sorry. Please inform everyone that there is no threat present within Nazarick."
"We shall do so at once, my Lord."
"Mhm. Next up, Demiurge." The Archdevil's back straightened as he took a step forward, ready to receive his orders. "Though I learned of my abilities not working the same anymore a while ago, I didn't think keeping quiet about it would result in something like this. Again, sorry. That was also a mistake on my part."
"How could Eidolon-sama ever be wrong? Someone like me could never hope to understand the profound meaning behind your actions, my Lord."
"Now hold your four-eyes for just a moment." Eidolon voiced as he raised a palm at the Archdevil. "The hell do you think I am, Einstein? There isn't anything profound about my silence. I didn't say anything about it because of my pride. Probably. Or rather, because it's a pain in my ass."
Demiurge kept quiet as his mind raced to try and understand what Eidolon was saying.
Keeping quiet about something of this magnitude was a very foolish thing to do, the Archdevil knew as much, and the Supreme Beings were not capable of any foolish actions. Because of this he surmised that Eidolon had kept quiet about it because of some reason a mind as simple as his could never hope to comprehend.
And yet Eidolon told him there was no such reason behind his silence.
Confusion would be too light a word to describe what Demiurge was feeling at the moment.
"Anyway, this ain't a laughing matter anymore and so I was thinking, Demiurge. How about we run some tests?"
"Tests, my Lord?"
"Yeah. We cannot rule out that I'm not the only one whose Skills and abilities have changed, can we? So I was thinking, maybe using the vast area that is the Arena on the 6th Floor, we could have everyone with battle capabilities try out their Spells and Skillset to figure out if everything is working as it should be. Do you think that sort of thing is possible, Demiurge?"
"Of course, my Lord! I shall make preparations post-haste."
"Mhm, good. Thank you. Then again, we shouldn't have everyone use their trump cards at the same time. If something happens while we are all in cooldown mode it would be rather embarrassing, no? Maybe creating a list based on the importance of an NPCs abilities would help? Knowing that strong individuals like Shalltear and Mare are at full strength would help to ease our minds, right?"
"Understood, Eidolon-sama! I shall create a list based on a servant's capabilities and how useful they are to the defense of Nazarick while at the same time making sure there are rest periods in-between the tests so as to not compromise Nazarick's defenses."
"Please do. I know it's going to be time-consuming, so I'm sorry to all of you in advance."
"What. Are. You. Saying. My. Lord? To. See. Your. Will. Done. Is. Our. Greatest. Joy." The insectoid Guardian voiced his thoughts, thoughts that brought Eidolon no small amount of discomfort.
"...Yeah, we'll need to address that too, at some point in time."
'All things aside, though, this little spook-fest is bad news. If things can go out of control enough for me to draw souls to me without actually wanting to, then what else is possible? This time they didn't attack anyone so there's that saving grace, but if next time it's going to be those ugly fuckers I fought a while back...I doubt the Guardians would have difficulty with them, but this Floor is full of non-combatants, for example. Shit sticks, this is getting more complicated by the hour…'
A sigh escaped his lips as he ran a hand through his hair, annoyed at the turn of events and their complexity. It wasn't long before he realized something, however.
'That dude I saw the memories of, he was a soldier of this country fighting the Beastmen, right? If what those guys at the fort said is true then people are dying en masse to the south where the fighting is going on. Was it the souls of those poor sods who came to me? If so, I need to check that conflict out as soon as possible. Things like what the situation is like and the overall stand of both factions. Then again, the most I know of wars and conflicts is from RTS games. Would that knowledge even apply here…?'
He crossed his arms and turned his head to face Demiurge, the Archdevil aware that his Master's focus was now solely on him.
'This Four-Eyes has the biggest brain in Nazarick, going by the background Ulbert wrote for him. His opinion would probably be the most valuable one on that matter. Then again, it's this very intelligence that make him too important to risk anything happening to him. In that case…'
"Cocytus."
"Yes. Eidolon. Sama?"
"I'm gonna have you accompany me outside Nazarick, if that's alright with you."
Forget him being alright with it, the insectoid Guardian was ecstatic to hear those words if his loud gasp and the wheeze of cold air that followed were anything to go by.
'Ah yes, I should probably contact those two maids and have them guard my room until the system repairs the broken door, as well.'
XXX
'Hurry up...I'm hungry too, you know…?'
The maid thought to herself as she stood in line with a tray in her hands. The only problem was, the tray was as of yet empty, her stomach growling at the thought of having to wait until she could finally eat.
Six more maids stood in front of her, so it would be another two minutes at the very least. Three could grab food from the counter at one time, but it was no secret that the Homunculus Maids had the racial penalty of Increased Food Consumption. Each of them could eat as much as one and a half or two full grown men.
For one meal, that is.
With that in mind by the time the six in front of her would be done with grabbing food it would need to be refilled and she would be required to wait some more.
'Haaa...I can't blame this on them. I can only blame myself for taking too long to clean my designated area. Those ghost kind of scared the life out of me, though. But even so! For Eidolon-sama who stayed behind with us, I need to do better!'
"...After I eat, of course."
Her familiarity with her environment was indeed spot-on and she had to wait for two more minutes before she got her turn at the counter, where she grabbed a large plate of Egg-Fried Rice with Honey Chili Garlic Shrimp and a side-dish consisting of meat-filled Gyoza, as well as a Hot and Sour Soup to go with them.
Once she was set up for a filling meal the maid walked over to a table where fellow maids created by the Supreme Being Whitebrim were sitting at and took a seat besides them.
Her stomach was already going crazy with rumbling by this point so without further ado she grabbed her spoon. "Thank you for the-!"
"[Louise.]"
"Foodolon-sama!"
It was not false to say the maid had almost gotten a heart attack when her Master's voice popped up inside her mind, Louise standing up so fast she made the table in front of her tilt over to the opposite side just enough for her tray of food as well as those of the maids sitting on her side of the table to flip over.
Her shout had obviously garnered the attention of every single Homunculus Maid within the Staff Canteen as well as that of the Head-Chef behind the counter and her two assistants.
"[...Weird nickname but ok, I'll take it. Sorry in case I spooked you out. May I speak to you right now?]"
The question left her speechless for a full, long second.
The man who contacted her was none other than the last ruler of Nazarick, the kindest of the Forty-One for staying behind with unworthy servants like herself while the others left. It should have been obvious that he should be well within his right to do as he pleased without the need to ask.
Yet here he was, asking if he could speak to someone of little importance as herself.
"[...Foodolon to Louise? Hey? Crap, is this [Message]-thingy bugged or something…?]"
Hearing his voice once more shook the maid out of her silence and she straightened her back once more despite her Master not even being physically before her. "Y-Yes, my Lord! I hear and obey!"
"[Urgh...Anyway, I kind of need you and Celine. Are you available right now?]"
Though her stomach still growled as she had not yet managed to take a single bite of her food, Louise nodded vigorously at the image of Eidolon she projected before her eyes if only to help her act as a servant was supposed to act in the presence of their Master. "We are always available for you, my Lord!"
"[Urgh, wording much…? Then, can you and Celine come over to my room? You see, an incident happened and my door is now in pieces, so anyone walking by can peek inside. I need you and Celine to stand guard and make sure no one, no one, sees what is in there. Can I count on you?]"
"O-Of course, Eidolon-sama! We will see your order done!"
"[Thanks, you're the best. I'll be waiting then.]" And with that she felt the connection of the [Message] fading away, her Master no longer present within her mind.
Relaxing for a mere moment and releasing a breath she did not realize she was holding in, Louise heard Eidolon's last words echo in her mind and felt her face warming up as she moved her hands to cover it.
'I-I-I-I'm the best?!'
She took solace in the praise she had been given for one second too long however, and it was only the silent stares of the other maids that shook her out of her thoughts. Realizing she was wasting her Master's precious time Louise slammed her palms on the table and looked across the room, to where Celine was sitting. "Celine! Eidolon-sama has need of us in his room!"
Her fellow maid immediately realized what she was getting at and immediately stood up as well. "Let's go!"
"Yes!"
And so the two maids rushed out of the Canteen faster than Level 1 NPCs like them should have able to run.
Having been tasked with cleaning their last Master's room by said Master himself was an honour they would go through hell and back to fulfil, the trust he had showed them greater than mere maids like themselves were worthy of.
Of course, the two would be lying if they said there wasn't a personal reason for their rush, as well.
That room screamed 'adorable' more than anything else they could hope to find within even Nazarick itself. The both of them had been so overwhelmed by the cuteness when they first entered the room they had to look down at the floor while going around their duties, otherwise they would have simply stopped to stare at the design before them.
Indeed, that room was the very definition of 'The Domain of God' for the two Homunculus Maids, and they alone had been tasked with it's cleaning and safeguarding.
The pride and joy of such an honour being bestowed upon them could not be put into words.
XXX
"Well...talk about overkill…Say, Cocytus. What's your opinion on the sight before your eyes?"
The insectoid did not answer immediately, not wishing to disappoint his Master with a half-hearted reply. With that as his justification for wasting a couple of his Master's precious seconds Cocytus used the high altitude granted to him by [Mass Fly] to scan the city below him.
"...The. Weak. Being. Subjected. To. The. Will. Of. The. Strong. All. The. While. The. Strong. Revel. In. Their. Most. Savage. Desires. Truly. I. Pity. Those. Not. Of. Nazarick."
Eidolon gave a slow, deep nod in response, and though Cocytus could not see his Master's face thanks to the mask he wore he guessed his answer had not been displeasing to him.
"Then, Solution. What do you think?"
In contrast to the insectoid Guardian the blonde beauty responded immediately. "I believe their lack of table manners to be disgusting. Such messy eaters, the lot of them."
"Hmmm…"
A couple of hours had passed since Eidolon left Nazarick accompanied by Cocytus and Solution, the two NPCs chosen because of their knowledge of military-related matters and ability to use Scrolls, respectively.
Though Eidolon did not know how much knowledge on war Cocytus had exactly, his background had been written with the image of a 'Warrior' in mind, so with that in mind Eidolon decided the Floor Guardian to have a more accurate opinion on the conflict between the humans and Beastmen to the south of the Dragon Kingdom.
As for Solution, unaware as of now if all their Skills had been changed by their transportation into the strange, new world he decided to have her tag along, as her thief classes allowed her to bypass the job restrictions needed to use Scrolls, Scrolls which he already had tasked Mare with using prior to their departure.
Of course, they all moved under the effect of [Abyssal Cloak], the Skill which by now should have reached the end of it's daily uses.
By means of flight they had required only a little more than five hours to reach the part of the country from which the Beastmen invasion started and they stopped just above a conquered city where Eidolon realized the words of that old soldier back at the fort had not been exaggerated.
Those Beastmen really were holding banquets across the captured city where they feasted on the bodies of the captured humans on the streets.
"May. I. Inquire. About. Eidolon. Sama's. Own. Opinion. My. Lord?"
"Hm? I guess..."
He stared at the city below him, a city which had been literally painted red by blood and gore of the slaughtered humans. Screams of pain and suffering reached his ears despite his high altitude and his enhanced eyesight allowed him to see the savage eating of humans down below with perfect clarity.
His occupation back in the real world had been anything but ordinary but such senseless suffering was nonetheless far beyond his comprehension.
And still, it was concerning.
Though his personality was and had always been one where he could joke even in the most dire of situations, Eidolon would not call himself brave at all. He knew for sure that such a sight would have made 'him' from a day ago thrown up in disgust and fear.
But he felt no need for any such thing.
Instead, he was calm beyond belief, untroubled by the savagery he was witnessing. More so, he was slightly...disappointed?
He felt like there must have been a quota and his instincts told him this theoretical quota had yet to be achieved. He opened his mouth to reply but did not feel like the words that came out next were completely his own.
"...I guess they can die a little more."
XXX
Obviously enough, you are going to feel the passive effects of your chosen Race influencing you sooner or later, as we have already seen with Ainz.
I was slightly worried about moving the plot so quickly to the Beastmen invasion but then I remembered that teleportation and flight were a very real thing in Overlord so my boi already reaching the other side of the country in mere hours is not baseless.
Not to mention they are under the effects of [Abyssal Cloak] aka pretty much the best Stealth Skill you can have so it's not like they have to get involved.
That's about it, as always leave your thoughts (Dew it like you mean it) and see you next time.
Kay bye.