Note: This story is a work of fiction. It has many content of adult nature. If you do not want to read such content, please close your browser window or press the convenient back button.
This story uses the same setting as my other story "Momon, Big Black Changeling". Essentially, Ainz Ooal Gown is the same type of creature as in that story, although this and that story happen in different worlds.
It had been a long year. So much had happened in that amount of time that it all seemed like a massive blur. Of course, if the Master had asked him to pinpoint an exact detail or so, Demiurge would be proud to say that he could, with judicious ease.
He marveled in watching his Master's plans unfold, like a shadowy web stretching out over the lands surrounding Nazarick, encircling and trapping the hapless creatures beneath its shade, though they would never realize it, until the end. And he felt a tiny bit of pleasure in being able to contribute, however slightly, to that grand design, to be a useful servant of the Supreme Being.
Part and parcel of his many duties was to oversee the relaying of orders from Lord Ainz down to the many agents of Nazarick. Should certain lifeforms in the nearby Kingdom find themselves on the short end of his Master's patience, for example, the order would be sent down from Albedo, she who would always be at Ainz's side and was therefore defacto second in command—down to him, from where he could assign it to anyone who would be suitable to the task.
As far as he knew, this was the hierarchy established by the restructuring of Nazarick's aims: Albedo commanding from the top, then down to each of the Floor Guardians to disseminate. And Demiurge was to be the nexus, the center who would judge and decide the flow of the orders. If the matter required the attention of any of the Floor Guardians, it was only a matter of consulting them. In this endeavor, they were considered equals, with Demiurge only being able to "recommend" that a subordinate do this or that.
It worked rather smoothly in principle, and he had no complaints. However, there were the rare times when Demiurge needed to pass on an order that would be rather… poorly received by the Guardian in question. For example, there was the matter of Shalltear a few months back, when she had been ordered to cease her adventurer capturing operations, due to the complaints lodged by the liches in the Library of the massive amounts of material they had to sift through thanks to the heightened output of Demiurge's own farm—which was itself a result of Shalltear's enthusiasm. Lord Ainz had commanded a stop to it when he'd heard, and Albedo had predictably prevented any sort of private audience with Shalltear and asking Demiurge to pass on the orders to the vampire himself.
It was a chore to handle and soothe the delicate personality of one who was arguably the strongest in all of Nazarick, but he managed it. His desire for a well-oiled machine that ran without protest was distant and ephemeral in the face of such rancor, but he supposed their individuality was something the Supreme Beings had decided upon their creation so long ago. Thus it was a fact that should never be questioned, no matter how aggravating it might seem.
The present problem then, was something directly related to Shalltear Bloodfallen yet again.
It seemed that there was a certain personage in the Re-Estize Kingdom that was sorely missed by the humans there. Her name was Lily-Anne Gen Mitta Banry, and a bounty had long been placed for any news of her whereabouts, including confirmation of her death or what not. Eventually, the Master, in his guise as master adventurer "Momon" of the group Eclipse Nebula, had been given the same task.
Nazarick was therefore ordered to assist in the search, and Demiurge had sent out the first few feelers to investigate the human. The trail had led almost immediately to a village that had recently been ravaged by "an unknown blood-sucking monster", which quickly led him to the conclusion he'd sought.
Then, he himself went over to Shalltear's little sordid domain, where she kept all her "pets" and "toys". He was quickly able to pinpoint the human they had been searching for all this time, where she had been languishing under Shalltear's influence for months now.
The Master was quickly appraised of the situation. Lord Ainz had seemed taken aback that such a thing had occurred—apparently, outside of this search, this Lady Banry had also been someone who would have greatly aided Solution Epsilon's efforts. He did not seem greatly displeased by Shalltear's interference, but he had nonetheless ordered the woman's immediate recall, along with tasking Demiurge with making sure Shalltear and Momon would never be associated with each other in the human's mind.
Of course, it was impossible that the Master had not known. Demiurge quickly was able to grasp his Master's dark heart, and deduced that not only had Lord Ainz already known all along that the human had been in Nazarick, he had also gone so far as to ignore that fact and let it be, simply because it would lead to this exact situation. He struggled vainly to discern the depths of his Master's dark wisdom, but only found himself wanting every time.
He had then passed the orders over to Shalltear, who had erupted in outrage to find that Albedo had once again pulled one over her. At the same time, she bewailed her failure in Lord Ainz's eyes, and Demiurge left her as an inconsolable mess in her lair, leaving behind the exhortation to have Banry suitably prepared to be released back to the world.
As if summoned on cue, the door to his office opened, and Shalltear entered, with the human in tow. The latter shivered in the long, matted rags that the vampire had deigned to give her. Demiurge cast a critical eye on the human, then gestured silently to Shalltear, who puffed up her cheek in annoyance.
"There!" she said, whipping off the rags, to the human's surprise.
The human was nearly naked underneath. Demiurge quickly appraised Banry's condition, and found no tell-tale marks that would merit an investigation later on by the human authorities.
"It's merely a precaution," Demiurge said, gesturing dismissively. As Shalltear threw the filthy rags back over the human's body, he continued, "How was the potency of the healing scrolls I sent over? The Master would be interested in the data."
"How dare you. I didn't lay a hand on this one. I don't lay a hand on my toys. I know full well how delicate they can be. As such, I did not need your scrolls, though they will be useful, I grant you, and are much appreciated."
Demiurge grunted. It wasn't as if he really cared for the human's condition himself—he only wanted to be sure that Shalltear's depravity had not created a link that would lead the humans to glorious Nazarick. In fact, he was also slightly disappointed that the human had not been damaged. The new batch of healing scrolls therefore had not been tested yet—the liches had said it was some sort of new prototype that would have surely pleased the Master. Demiurge would have preferred to gather data as early as possible.
He snapped his fingers. At that, several shadow demons burst out from their hiding places, and then each flanked Banry. The human squeaked and began whimpering. This prompted Shalltear to shout, "Shut up!" while snapping her own fingers, whereupon the trembling human, looking very much like a creature ensnared in a cruel trap, fell silent—though one could have easily seen the fear still present in her eyes. The shadow demons took her to his antechamber, where she'd wait while he finished his discussion with Shalltear.
"I am pleased you were so cooperative, Shalltear," Demiurge said. "I am sure the Master will be grateful."
"I am ever his faithful servant," Shalltear said. "I shall not have my resolve doubted by anyone, not even you."
"That was never my intention, surely," Demiurge replied smoothly. He turned his head pointedly, and retrieved a map from the table behind him. "On to business, then."
A while ago, Shalltear had proposed to the Master the creation of some sort of "adventurer's tavern", which would employ the denizens of Nazarick in observing the wave of adventurers that would come as patrons. Shalltear's charm would ensure that the customers would be suitably enthralled by the many pleasurable experiences that they would become repeat customers, while also spreading the word far and wide, meaning that even more adventurers would come to have a taste, lured by word-of-mouth.
Any "potentials" that fit the Master's criteria were then identified and tracked once they left the tavern, only abducting them once they were many miles away. In this way, Shalltear did not need to expose herself as a threat against whom humanity would pit adventurers—as naturally that would involve Lord Ainz himself, and they all knew His displeasure if that were to happen.
Of course, the tavern was also undeniably a source of revenue, which would boost Nazarick's coffers. Lord Ainz had stressed the importance of keeping Nazarick's own gold reserves from being used, and thus Shalltear's proposed operation would be an excellent way to infuse Nazarick's grand campaign with resources fresh from this world.
"You will be pleased to know that Lord Ainz has finally been able to reach a compact with several suppliers," Demiurge said. He was talking about the materials that would be needed to construct the tavern, as well as the workers who would be employed in building it. While it would have been better for Nazarick to have built the structure itself, Lord Ainz deemed it prudent to make a show of having it be built normally. And after all, it wasn't as if they couldn't add a few more secret things to the place after everything was done. "We can reasonably expect the construction to be completed… in three months or earlier."
The inn was to be located close to the Katze Plains. Lord Ainz had said that it was an unusual choice of location, considering it was "neutral" territory situated between the Kingdom and the Baharuth Empire to the east. There was also the fact that the many battles had given rise to powerful undead that roamed the plains. However, Lord Ainz was gifted with foresight and great imagination, as the place would be perfect for attracting adventurers who prided themselves on their achievements. While Nazarick would take care of the strongest undead, the place wouldn't be completely swept. The hostile environs would therefore make for an excellent "gauntlet" through which the adventurers would test themselves, before then reaching the relative safety of the inn. The slight harrowing would give weight to their relaxation within the inn itself, causing them to view their experiences in a greater light.
The Katze Plains were also outside the jurisdiction of the other nations. This meant that their operations would not be controlled by any other force than Nazarick's, and that they would not need to follow any other law than Lord Ainz's word.
"I trust I do not need to remind you of the need to be subtle?" Demiurge asked.
Shalltear puffed out her chest. "I am not some fool to be coddled. I will follow the Master's orders—far better than any other."
"The Master expects the best." This would be Shalltear's first time donning a "human" persona, who would masquerade as the mysterious owner of the soon-to-be constructed inn. This was her test, in a sense. She would have to be present for the human workers to see, and for any others curious about the new structure. She would have to behave appropriately, as the Master commanded. As this was also part of Lord Ainz's grand plan, failure would mean more than just a slap on the wrist. Even Demiurge would be greatly angered if she ended up failing in some way.
After finishing up a few more details as to her human disguise, Shalltear went on her way, and Demiurge summoned the shadow demons back to the office, bringing Bannry back with them. The little creature still looked as terrified as before, though it seemed rather relieved to see that Shalltear wasn't present.
"Good news, human," Demiurge said. "You are to be freed from this place. You are to be praised for your good luck; few are able to leave the Mistress' lair alive and intact." He paused, waiting for the human's response. When all she amounted to was a long stare and her mewling under her breath, Demiurge grew annoyed and snapped his fingers. "I give you leave to answer. Obey."
Her voice came out in small, fearful squeaks. It was hoarse, like it had been used too much. "Y-yes, I unders—stand…"
"Very good. Here is how it shall go: very soon you shall be sent out, and we are reasonably sure you will be rescued in due time. We are confident that you will be accepted back into the Kingdom's hierarchy—from there you shall become our eyes in the Kingdom. Our human spy. Do you understand?"
She nodded fearfully.
"If you are unable to return to your duties—or if you perform in any way contrary to our expectations of you, know that we are always watching, and that the Mistress would be glad to have her little toy back."
Banry's eyes widened. "N-no… please… anything but that…"
"I am glad you understand," Demiurge said. "From now on you are our loyal dog, beholden only to us. You do not seek us, for we are always there. When we want to contact you, you'll know it is us. Now, Sleep." The human collapsed to the ground. Following some hidden signal, the shadow demons emerged once more and took custody of her unconscious body. "Take her to Carne Village, to Lupusregina Beta," Demiurge commanded. "She'll take care of the rest."
Over time, the golem everyone named "Number One" had become Brain Unglaus' single, most important friend in this hellhole. The fact that it didn't speak, nor less move, while it stood guard over the entrance to Cell Number One (from where it probably derived its name) did not hamper the fact that in this place, Brain had no allies, no friends, and no one whom he could utterly trust—other than an inanimate golem.
Since his arrival in this strange coliseum, which seemed wholly separated from the outside world, Brain had taken to observing as much of his surroundings as he could. His goal was escape, of course, and for the first few weeks since his arrival his mind had been utterly consumed by that possibility. His mind only guttered out when he realized that escape was a flight of fancy: rescue an impossibility.
This place was unlike any other arena he knew. The "coliseum" was far less hospitable to would-be gladiators. The audience was also nonexistent, to watch over the fates of those below. In their place were a number of inhuman creatures, each as terrible as the last, who seemed to function as their jailers, if not overseers. They observed every fight, every death, and every victory, and announced the start and end of their enforced fighting.
Ranked below these were the guards and soldiers that were responsible for opening the gates and herding them out when it came time to fight. These were more recognizable: ogres, rat-creatures, and other humanoid denizens that were able to speak to them in harsh, albeit understandable speech. It was their hands that held the whip that spurred them on to act. They were no less dangerous in a fight themselves: ambitious people who sought to challenge them were struck down swiftly and without mercy.
"631!" came the shout from outside. Brain stilled, his heart starting to pump to overdrive upon hearing his familiar number being called. He put aside the polishing stone and stood, sword bared, then walked out of the slave quarters towards the arena entrance.
To each person was assigned a number, stamped onto their skin like the branding of cows. When the overseers called their number, they were only given one chance to head out to the arena with their weapons before the guards were ordered to head down and personally drag them out—resistance at this point was swiftly met with death.
Now it was strange, as no other number had been called after him. Brain quickly reached the conclusion: he wasn't to fight other humans today, but a creature. As if to confirm his suspicion the monstrous sounds of several trolls trundling up from their side of the arena filled the silence of the space, and caused Brain's mind to sharpen as it narrowed down his list of options. Unlike the average gladiator, Brain had taught himself never to freeze up, even with the prospect of two trolls bearing down on him.
The humans who were dragged here to this hellhole and forced to fight also fell into two camps. First were the wide-eyed newbies, those who had been freshly abducted and placed here in this godsforsaken arena. The second group were the veterans—baggy-eyed souls with pock-marked, scarred bodies who thought of nothing but survival until the next day.
From the start, the first group learned not to rely overmuch on the veterans, as nearly none of the latter would attempt to show them the ropes of this place. To show compassion was to display weakness, which would mean a bloody failure out there on the fighting arena. The newbies learned first-hand the enormous task that was needed to stay alive, or they would quite literally die trying. They would learn the value of trust—that is, to not place it in anyone's hands. Lending one's polishing stone to another, for example, would only mean one's own weapon would be lesser for it, leading to a broken weapon out there, and a swift death to follow. Here in the pits, it was quite literally every human for itself, with Brain only being able to stay on the up and up thanks to his latent skill with the blade.
When the order to attack began, Brain lost no time in launching his body forward to meet the trolls head on. He activated the martial arts that granted his body a boost to speed, strength, and instinct, allowing him to vault over the closest troll's head and lop it clean off with a sword enchanted with cauterizing flame. Landing quickly on his feet, his sword lashed out, severing the tendons on the next troll's ankles, causing it to fall to its knees, whereupon Brain somersaulted up and pierced his blade straight through the back of the troll's skull, causing a font of blood to paint the ground. He kicked himself from the corpse. He flicked his wrist, freeing his blade of blood, confirmed his kill, before walking back to the way he'd come, another victory under his belt.
His notoriety of an unbroken winstreak did mean he was completely isolated from the rest of them, which also meant that anger and resentment would be placed solely at his feet. His bloodstained record surely meant the total obeisance to this cruel regime they labored under, which then meant to their eyes that he was a collaborator in the overseer's cruelty. As a result, Brain constantly had to sleep with one eye open, and only turned his back to another person when he had his sword bared in his hand.
The many months of being trapped here had given Brain an inkling that nearly all of the people sent down here to fight in the coliseum were adventurers of some sort. There was a smattering of magic casters, though these were usually the weaker sort, easily crushed and overwhelmed out in the arena. There were also those of the criminal element: cutthroats and bandits, highwaymen and thieves.
Such was the life here. Brain couldn't believe that he'd had a goal once upon a time. His rivalry with Gazef Stronoff seemed now like a distant dream. In fact, his onetime rival was wholly irrelevant now. Brain's world had been literally upended now that he had discovered the existence of beings far beyond the scope of mere humans. If he'd still had a funny bone left in his body, he would have laughed at the absurdity of having a reality where these beings were allowed to exist.
"Wait, Brain Unglaus," came a voice that made him freeze in his tracks. No, it wasn't the fact that someone had called him by his true name that made him stop. It was the fact that it was that particular voice that had unnerved him. He looked up and saw that it was indeed the dark elf from before that was calling to him. Though looking quite young, it seemed everyone of their captors paid deference to this one, making its presence all the more unnerving. "Your presence is needed," the voice continued. "Come with me."
Brain followed, though not completely without trepidation. He had almost run afoul of this elf, and its fellow elf which he surmised must be its twin perhaps, not long after he'd gotten here. He had followed along with a group of humans who'd decided to band together to escape. Brain had evaluated them, and had seen that they were altogether decent enough in strength. They had mounted an assault against the guards, even overcoming them. It was fortunate that Brain had felt a slight strain on his ankles and had paused to check them before he was able to walk around the corner—where the group met an unsightly end. The two dark elf twins had stood there, their eyes looking much innocent, yet hiding no real warmth. A great wave of earth had risen up to swallow the escapees mercilessly, and it was all Brain could do to scramble back towards the cages as fast as he could.
These twins who hid an inhuman power behind child-like faces were the most terrifying things he'd ever seen. For so long did the other humans wonder why he, who had so far remained effortlessly at the number one rank, had never once attempted to lead them to escape with his skills. Well, that was the answer, though they'd never hear it from him.
Today the other twin wasn't here. But that didn't make Brain feel any safe being in close proximity with even one of the pair. The twin took him through a confusing set of hallways, which was a stark contrast to the coliseum that he almost found it disconcerting. This place looked like it belonged to a nobleman's mansion.
"I have brought him, my lord," the twin announced, once they'd reached a set of double doors.
"Enter," came a deep, ominous voice from beyond. The doors opened of their own volition, revealing some sort of office within, and standing there was an ominous figure. It seemed much like a small cloud of darkness, shrouded in robes of midnight black. Brain could not see its face—not only was it obscured by its hood, there was also a black, obscuring haze about it.
The dark elf stepped to the side and looked at him expectantly. Brain steeled his nerves and took a step forward, trying to make sure to show no fear, to give away anything that these creatures would seize to their advantage.
The door closed behind him, leaving Brain alone inside the room with the mysterious robed figure. He became keenly aware that he still had his weapon on him, and that it would be child's play to begin an attack here. The first signs of madness, he thought to himself. There was no way someone to whom that dark elf saluted would be anything less than powerful.
"I have been observing you for some time now, Brain Unglaus," the figure intoned, in a deep voice that seemed to echo from the depths of some tomb. "Your skills in the arena are exemplary. Truly it would not be a lie to claim that you are the greatest human to have ever fought on the coliseum."
"Thank you," was all Brain could say. If he was the yardstick of the "greatest", then what did that make the rest of humanity to this one, or that elf? Or the one who had led those vampires?
"Your progress has been exemplary," the figure continued. "So much so that it has given me the idea to pluck you from those pits and formally present you with an offer I am sure you will like." The figure raised a gloved hand towards him, palm up. "Join me, Brain Unglaus. Join me, and you shall attain even greater heights of power. I shall bestow upon you gifts that will enhance your native talents. You have only but to sign up with this… company of mine, and you shall be richly rewarded."
Brain felt his breath stop, as surprised as he was by the sudden offer, he was also starkly reminded of the many stories he'd heard on his elder's knee—especially of the demon in the crossroads. The Demon enticed the traveler with some boon: power, a woman, riches, and in exchange he but requested one simple thing, the traveler's immortal soul. The stories usually ended with the traveler finding some magic bauble granted by his desperate plea to the gods, whereby the demon was banished, and his soul forever saved.
His hair stood on end as he contemplated that this was the exact same thing happening to him. Now he was the traveler.
"Uhm… that is to say…" Brain swallowed loudly. "I think I… Could I think about it some more…?"
"Hoh… You seem reluctant to consider my offer?" The entity seemed genuinely hurt. His arm drooped to the side. "Hum, did I make a mistake somewhere…?"
In that instant, Brain felt as if the room were closing down around him, as he was pierced by what felt like invisible spears of cold ice all throughout his body. His throat felt choked up, all his hair standing on end like a frazzled cat, as he could almost taste the spine-shuddering sensation of being crushed underfoot by an unknown force. The dark corners of the room grew like a tidal wave, looming above him with bone-chilling intensity. He felt like his tongue was glued to his jaw. He knew he'd made the wrong choice somehow, and now his body—no, his soul, was about to be made forfeit.
"N-no, what I mean is—ack!"
"Hm?"
"I accept! I accept!"
After a short silence, there came a sound, like a torrent of stones tumbling down a mountainside. "Fufufu, I see! I see! That is good! Then, welcome, Brain Unglaus! You shall be of great use to us!"
At that, the terrible feelings that had been assailing him disappeared, leaving only a bleak emptiness interrupted only by the rampant thudding of his beating heart. He couldn't see nor feel anything different, but he knew that his soul was now doomed. He didn't believe much in the gods, and they sure as hell wouldn't listen to his requests now that he was in real deep shit.
Ah well. At least it was better than the "alternative". There were rumors about what happened to those fellows who got injured in some way back in the coliseum. They were said to be taken away to be "healed". But in Brain's experience, they'd never once returned, which meant that something had happened to those poor folks. Each imagined possibility that the prisoners shared among themselves was worse than the last.
Surely the idea that somewhere here there was a place where people were processed live to become food-like livestock, in a farm-was quite farfetched right? They could only hope so.
"Here. Follow the servant. Await me there. I shall be arriving soon."
From out of the corner emerged some sort of armored knight, yet Brain knew there was more to it under the surface. It exhibited a quiet menace, despite its silence and its stiff, almost puppet-like movements as it carried a lantern and opened the doors to the outside. Bewildered, but unwilling to insult the entity, Brain turned to follow the servant.
After walking through a few more corridors, they arrived a strange chamber, which seemed almost like a nobleman's bedroom. Comfy, ornate furniture filled the area, and there was even a maid waiting there at the center of the room. The silent servant ushered him inside, before closing the doors behind him. Brain quickly looked around, trying to see if there was any way to escape.
"So you are the one?" came the voice of the maid. Brain turned and regarded the other occupant in this room with a wary, discerning eye. Upon second inspection, the maid seemed quite different than he remembered maids being. For one, it was wearing some sort of eyepatch, and a green scarf as wrapped around its neck. The one other strange thing about this one was that its eyes never blinked, once, like a porcelain doll.
"Wh-ho are you…?"
"You can call me Shizu," said the maid. "But I would like you to call me Shizu-nee, in the future."
"Shizu… nee…?"
"That is correct. Lord Ainz has promised me, after all, that I shall become your elder sister."
As Brain cocked his head in confusion, the door opened behind him once more, revealing the form of the entity from before. "Apologies for the delay," it said, addressing Brain. "Now I believe it is time for the experiment to begin."
"Pardon? Ex-experiment?"
The figure shifted its hood, as if to glance askance at him. "Why yes. This is the form of the power I shall be giving you." It held out a hand, upon which sat a small, black box.
That was the last thing Brain remembered, as a human being.
It took a lot of time, but Ainz was pleased to see the results that came about. He beheld his creation with a proud eye, as if he had been its sole architect, his magnum opus.
Of course, such a thing was only possible because his use of in-game items from Yggdrasil, which were then able to be used in this world.
"Here, Shizu. It is complete," he proclaimed to the cyborg maid. All this time she had waited patiently, enduring days of watching him labor while he puzzled out the slow, but steady transformation. All the while, a little voice in his head kept telling him that this would never work. But the "game code" that had underpinned everything seemed stable for the most part, translating to a powerful magical process that flawlessly executed Ainz's desire.
And so, here they were, creator and created. Well, it was probably better to claim that this one was "recreated".
"So he is to be my brother?" asked Shizu in the same deadpan voice. For some reason, though, Ainz could tell there was a burst of excitement within her that was just aching to be released.
He turned to his newest creation, then made a flourishing motion with his hands. "Yes. Meet B-4A1N. Your new sibling."
"I shall give him a nickname, like mine."
Dressed in clothes that she thought were too expensive for the likes of her, the magic caster Ninya re-entered the city of E-Rantel with the same apprehension as she did her master's lessons. Though that terrible night seemed so long ago now, the memories were yet fresh, and a deep feeling in her gut threatened to overwhelm her senses. Yet she struggled onward, even on shaky legs, and fought to keep her head up high.
The marching orders had come, scarce a week ago. She was summoned to the city, and formally accepted as part of Lord Momon's band, Eclipse Nebula. Once more she felt too much like a rat lurking under the king's bed: a filthy thing scurrying amid the splendor of beings far greater than her. What was she but a third-rate human against the likes of Lord Momon, Amelia the Brave, and the strongest caster she'd ever known, Nabe?
The building she was walking towards brought her even greater shame and self-recrimination. This was the Shining Pavilion, the greatest resting spot in the city fit only for the richest people, or the most high-ranking adventurers. The latter were given discounts depending on their rank; adamantites were practically considered much the same as royalty.
As she walked up to the front desk, she could feel herself bow under the lady concierge's scrutiny. She could but imagine the scorn hidden behind her eyes, and feared to be outed as an unworthy human.
"Name and rank?"
"N-Ninya," she almost bit her tongue. "E-Eclipse Nebula."
The concierge's eyes widened in shock, and Ninya could feel her eyes appraise her for the second, third, fourth time. She was pleased to see there were other people as shocked as she was, even if it did affirm her inner thoughts.
"Ma'am, you will be pleased to know that you are expected at the grand pavilion. That is to say, they are in the dining hall right behind you, and are at the second floor, on the balcony." The woman bowed, as if she were royalty. "Welcome to the Shining Pavillion."
She swallowed her thanks—truthfully she'd found herself tongue-tied as she walked where she was indicated. Beyond, the few patrons who were there judged her with their gazes, though she could feel their incredulity when she ascended the stairs. Up here on the second floor, there was no one filling the seats, but she could hear the chatter of people from beyond, and recognized the deep rumble of Sir Momon's voice.
Peeking around the open doors, she was able to spot Lord Momon and Lady Amelia standing there, looking out over the balcony. She was immediately struck by their regal forms, emphasized by the rich, sumptuous clothing they wore, which was very reminiscent of royalty. Indeed, their whole bearing made them seem like king and queen, projecting an aura of true nobility that caused lesser men to bow in awe of their supreme majesty.
"It's good to see you're here," said a familiar voice in her ear. Ninya made an "eep" sound, jumping in her boots, and turned to find her master, the Beautiful Princess Nabe, standing there with her deadpan façade. It bewildered her how she'd always managed to sneak up on her like that.
"M-Master!"
"Don't shout," Nabe said. "You'll interrupt their moment."
"Their m-moment? Why?"
Nabe cocked her head. "Lord Momon is to be married soon, don't you know? He is playing his part as 'groom', whatever that means."
"O-oh really? I mean… wow! Lord Momon and Lady Amelia are marrying?"
"Fool!" Nabe slapped the back of her head. "It is Lord Momon and Lakyus of Blue Rose who are to be married."
"Ehhh? Blue Rose?" Thinking quickly, she recalled that Blue Rose was one of the Kingdom's adamantatite level groups. For them to be married like that… it seemed rather romantic.
But then, what of Amelia? Or more importantly, what of her master? She could easily tell, as a woman sees another, that her master was utterly devoted to Lord Momon, to the point where she could easily claim it as love. What did that mean for Nabe's heart, that Lord Momon was marrying another?
Although, looking at her now, her face didn't betray anything as usual. Nabe was a master of the stony face, though Ninya was almost certain that beneath the surface churned a maelstrom of emotions. But of course, it would be foolish of her to bring up the subject, so instead she turned her full attention to other things.
"We are here to listen to Lord Momon on the details of your assignment. These are your teammates," Nabe said. She turned, and Ninya was able to see that there actually were several figures already standing behind her master. She could almost kick herself at being so clueless with her surroundings—it was like confronting that ghoulish woman who'd killed her friends all over again!
First there was a woman clad in jet black armor. Her long wavy hair was as dark as her armor, and framed a cold face whose expression was almost a mirror of her master's. Nonetheless, the woman locked eyes with her, and nodded.
"This one's name is Dee. I am honored to be able to fight by your side."
Ninya swallowed. "Um… thank you?" But before she could fully give her thanks, the woman had swept past her curtly, as if she had nothing else to say to her.
Next, a man came up, wearing armor made mostly of leather. His face was utterly stoic, as if emotions were an unknown thing to him. Sheathed on his back were several swords.
"I am unit bee-four-ey-one-enn. You may call me B-4, for short," the man intoned dully, as if he were reading from a script.
"B… for…?"
"Yes."
Ninya frowned, as a thought came to her. The man's face was very familiar, as if she had seen it before. Then she realized it. "Wait, are you not…?" He wore the same face as the man imprinted on sketches in the adventurer's guild. He was a "notorious" man, a person not really belonging to the ranks of those wanted for criminal acts, but low-ranking adventurers like the Swords of Darkness were cautioned to be on the lookout for him. He was said to issue duel challenges to the unwary, all to hone his swordsmanship, and all low ranks were discouraged from taking him up on the challenge, lest they risk their lives.
"Brain Unglaus…" she whispered in wonder.
The man didn't respond to her whisper; neither did the others present. Ninya swallowed her tongue.
"This one is the sister of someone you know," Nabe said. She jerked her arm behind her, whereupon Ninya saw Cynthia, who waved.
"Yo."
"C-Cynthia!" she yelped, her muscles feeling the phantom strain of being pushed to the limits by this woman. "G-good to meet you! Um… is he your brother?"
"Little brother," the taciturn woman repeated. "He is coming with you."
"Lord Momon." The sudden address made Nabe freeze and stand at attention. Ninya was quick to follow suit, making herself look as inconspicuous as possible.
The aforementioned lord came walking through the open doors from the balcony, his eyes sweeping over the assembled people. She felt his eyes settle on her for a fraction of a second, before he completed the sweep. He nodded in approval.
Lady Amelia walked serenely to the side, her face calm and smiling. Her eyes regarded the assembly in her own way, before she turned her gaze back towards Lord Momon. From the way they looked, it was really apparent that Amelia was similar to her master in having a great attraction to Momon. What then, were they feeling in light of his impending marriage to that Lakyus?
Momon cleared his throat, and spoke while stroking his chin. "I see we are all gathered. Good. As I've intimated to each of you before, you are all tasked with a mission to 'infiltrate' the Baharuth Empire, most particularly the capital of Arwintar. Publicly you are a branch of Eclipse Nebula, tasked with being my representatives and monitoring the situation with regards to any rare or dangerous monsters that I will tackle."
Ninya felt Momon's gaze turn towards her, making her flinch. "For you, Ninya, this will be a probationary period where we shall test your general capabilities as an adventurer. You have exceeded my expectations under Nabe's tutelage in the magical arts, but now I shall see if you are ready for the work that we, as adventurers, must be prepared to do. Do you understand?"
"Y-yes!" she nodded frantically. "I-I will do my best!"
There was a brief pause, as Momon stared at her for a bit longer. Then he shook his head. "You may even chance to learn some new things. Think of this as… 'homework', if you will. Arwintar is said to be a trove of knowledge, with its many useful libraries…"
The briefing went on for a bit more, with Momon assigning to each of them a particular task they had to do aside from their overarching orders. For Ninya, it was to keep an eye on the infamous Arena, and make a report on its inner workings.
"Remember that you represent Eclipse Nebula, now. I stake my pride on your achievements. I trust I will not expect disappointment from any of you," Momon concluded.
"No, sir!"
As the others went downstairs to head to their rooms in the inn, Nabe stopped her and dragged her aside.
"What milord said back there…" her teacher said, her face dead serious. "You must heed it. Think of this as your next phase in training. I will expect you to learn at least one Fourth-tier spell upon your return from the assignment, using whatever means are available to you."
"Fourth?" Ninya cried disbelievingly.
"Watch yourself out there, as well. Ignorant rats may become jealous that you bear the name of Eclipse Nebula and act against you. You are part of us, but you are still weak. So, stay out of trouble and do not let our name make you lose sight of your senses. Is that clear?"
"Of course." Ninya didn't like being called the "weak" part of the group, but at least she accepted it was true.
"Remember your exercises," Nabe continued.
"Er… alright?"
"Also—"
"Nabe?"
"Lord Momon!" Nabe cried in surprise.
"I think it's time to let Ninya prepare for tomorrow's travel, don't you agree?" There was something like humor in the master's voice.
"Uhhh, yes, of course!" Master looked flustered. "Ninya, off you go."
She decided to surprise her master with a farewell hug.
"Urp! Let go of me, what are you..?"
Lord Momon surprised them all further when he laughed.
"Really, that child…" Nabe said, adjusting her clothes as the trio watched Ninya disappear downstairs. The impromptu hugging had seemed to add a few degrees of flushing to Nabe's pristine face, which was interesting.
"How do you feel, Nabe?" Ainz asked in curiosity.
"A little sad, but a little happy," she said, cocking her head in confusion. "Though I don't really understand it, my lord."
"That is pride," Ainz stated. Inwardly Ainz was beyond giddy. This was confirmation that Nabe's strange fixation on the human was actually producing results that he liked. Nabe fussed and worried about her charge, like a mother doting on its child before its first day in school. That was endearing, but also reminded him of the attitudes back home, of acknowledging good work, no matter how dire the situation might seem.
"Pride?" Nabe said, frowning thoughtfully.
"Fumu. Remember this day, well, Nabe. It is always the greatest gift for a superior to see one's subordinates do their job well." As Ainz himself hoped for his direct subordinates, in the near future, so he could just leave his position as "Ainz" behind.
"I see…" Nabe said, looking back down to the second floor. "Do not worry, my lord. She will be of use to Nazarick soon. I'll make sure of it!"
Ainz chuckled to himself. In a way he also participated in this little scene—he felt proud that Nabe was now acting more… human. Like a subordinate that was new to the job and had just been accepted by the managers on that exact day.
"Now then," Ainz turned to Albedo, who sensed his intent. She nodded, seriously, and the two of them bid goodbye to still pensive Nabe as they went down towards the stables in the rear end. There was parked the carriage that would take them all the way to the capital city, and from there to a formal audience with Princess Reiner.
It would have been faster to teleport there, over to Solution Epsilon's manse, as it would definitely save time. But Albedo had advised him that this would be a way to announce to all the hidden observers, whoever they may be, that when Eclipse Nebula did something, they did so with much style and eminence. After all, Ainz deserved nothing less, as he was not just the celebrated adventurer, but the monarch of his own secret kingdom.
Inside the carriage, Yuri Alpha was there waiting. She was now disguised in her human form as well. To his understanding, out of the Pleiades who had been given tasks outside of Nazarick, Yuri was the only one who seemed to act the most "normal" or "human" of them all. She was characteristically cold as her usual self, but she was less volatile as her sisters.
Ainz wondered if things would have been different had he definitely settled on Yuri instead of Narberal on that fateful first trip. Yuri was no less a beauty than her fellow Pleiades, so he would have still been seduced. But would she have even initiated it, or would her nature have prevented her from propositioning him, as Nabe had done?
A part of him was glad that Nabe had taken that first step. It had led to a world of endless possibilities for Ainz. It had also granted him love and companionship, something he had never had in his old world.
A very great example was this very moment. Ainz's face was a mix of different species. The most prominent part were certain vine-like protrusions that he used like tentacles.
These he used to bind Yuri Alpha's disembodied head against him, while their mouths were locked together in a heated kiss. On the other side of the carriage, Albedo pleasured the rest of Yuri's body, treating it like some animated doll while blasting her pussy full stop. It was discovered that Yuri still felt pleasure even in this way, such that Ainz's kissing lead to her body's arousal while Albedo's attacks caused her to moan even louder into his mouth.
"Mmmpphh… Ohhh…" Unable to speak, she could only smear her saliva around his probing tongue, her cheeks red with desire, her glasses askew and fogged up. Ainz tasted her like some sort of sweet delicacy, using his accumulated techniques to ensure his dominance over the maid's tongue.
Then, her head shivered, her mouth suddenly spewing a lot of fresh spit.
"She's cumming," Albedo announced, just as a loud, agonizing shout erupted from the back of Yuri's throat. Both of them continued their assault, pulverizing the maid's dignity until she climaxed again and again.
"Lord Ainz, may I ask what you are writing?"
After a long period of aftercare and cleaning up, Ainz was now sitting sedately, a small notebook balanced on his knee. Outside, the afternoon was steadily burning away, as their carriage neared the capital city.
Ainz glanced at Yuri, who had asked that question. "It's… a little complicated to explain." He looked at Albedo, who nodded in understanding.
"It is not something that is of great concern," Albedo said in her most neutral tone.
"Yes. I understand." As if sensing she'd somehow overstepped her bounds, Yuri bowed and said nothing more.
Ainz suppressed a sigh. Albedo was the only one whom he'd told the truth to, and now he wasn't even sure if she really took the news seriously. But she at least knew the meaning of the notebook he held in his hands—in it he was recording the scenes, impressions, memories he'd had of the old world. In his time as the master shapeshifter and illusionist Ainz Ooal Gown, he had almost lost sight of his old identity as Suzuki Satoru. And though his life was a million times better than it was in that drab world, he still wished to keep a record of it in here, so that there would always be a reminder.
Perhaps the last trace of Suzuki Satoru would be erased in a few more months, or days even. He could already feel himself slipping deeper and deeper into this fantasy. In time, he would become fully immersed in the role of Ainz Ooal Gown, leader of Nazarick, and there could be no turning back. Therefore, this was one way for him to preserve that old self, before all was truly lost.
"We've arrived at the city," Albedo observed loudly. Ainz looked up from his work, and saw the city walls from beyond the carriage windows. He closed his notebook and placed it inside his inventory. Mentally, he prepared for the meetings to come.
Edit: As per request, parts of chapter have been cut and moved to next. Please be informed.
Yet another chapter commissioned by anonymous, thank you. A reminder that the story is commissioned.
If you'd like a story commissioned, feel free to contact me here, or on AO3 under "RHoldhous".