(No difference in the T or M version of this chapter)
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE: Flip of the coin
It had been a few days since the "workers invasion" and Aura was looking for her little brother Mare. they had a message to deliver to some guy named Jircniv, in the capital of the empire. They still had some time before they had to leave but she wanted to get Mare prepared as sometimes he could take forever to get ready.
"Mare? Where is he?" She checked their tree house but he wasn't there, nor was he under his favorite tree reading. Aura was walking on the ninth floor now looking for him when Solution Epsilon passed her.
"Hey, Solution, you have seen Mare anywhere?" She asked. Solution though for a second then nodded.
"I believe I last saw Master Mare with Mistress Zesshi going to her room." Aura rolled her eyes... she never got any time to spend with Mare lately, he was always spending his free time with Zesshi. Aura walked to Zesshis room and knocked... and what she heard was Mare say "Come in". So Aura opened the door and walked in... and her eyes went wide, because what Mare had actually called out was...
"CUMMING!" And Aura saw something... Mare was on his back, naked as Zesshi had him mounted, also naked. She was moving her hips up and down on Mare's penis. Aura had never seen her bothers member like this! Aura went red with embarrassment when she realized what she had just walked in on as she saw her bothers semen pour out of Zesshi's vagina as they both cried out in orgasm. She had walked in at the worst possible moment!... Luckily her natural stealth abilities made it so neither even noticed her in the room. Aura turned around and quickly shut the door behind her. She was bright red and didn't know what to do...
"Even Mare is doing lewd things!" Aura sighed as she thought about Lord Momonga again. During 'that time'... She figured she had some time to kill while Mare was "busy" and decided to spend some time alone.
Meanwhile, Momonga sat in his chair thinking. His three wives all looked at him in worry, the two former maids looked to Albedo the first to say something.
"M...My Love, was there a problem, with what I did?" She asked with worry... failing him would be the one thing she could never forgive herself of. He wove his hand in a manner to say "quite, I'm thinking" she immediately stepped back. Finally, he spoke.
"Where is Jin?" he silently asked.
"His whereabouts are unknown... he asked if there was anything needing to do, I said told Lord Peroroncino we took the final worker group captive for questioning and said we no longer needed him or Shalltear as I assume that's where he was going with it..."
"I see... do me a favor keep Peroroncino away from Foresight, for now, I don't think he'd want to "interrogate" the women but if he does please make up a reason that they can't be seen," Albedo nodded. Lying to Peroroncino would be a problem normally, but as it was a direct order from her love, she figured it would be fine.
"If you don't mind me asking My Love... what will their fates be?" Momonga scratched his chin.
"That is why I want Peroroncino kept away from them for now... I simply don't know, and I'm sure he'd demand they be set free or something stupid like that." Albedo nodded. It was true, in matters of "the heart" Peroroncino had a chance to be... unreasonable.
"The girl Ninya, she will be let go to live with Tuare and Seba... if she wishes. As for the rest, I am undecided... um, would you three have any suggestions?" He looked to his wives. Albedo was the first to speak.
"The one known as Hekkeran, he dared lie to you and is indeed vermin like you said... I would show that one no mercy. His lover, the half elf... she was extremely flat chested I noticed... maybe give her as a slave to Lord Peroroncino? He did perform... satisfactorily with his group of The Blue Roses. The girl Arche... I don't care for that one... dash her to the rocks and forget about her. The cleric could provide good experimenting material." Albedo said then taking a step back as Yuri took her place.
"Arche should be left to live... as well, I would suggest rescuing her two sisters. This could endear her to us and make her captivity much more bearable for her. The Clerics goals were Noble and just even if his means were not... I would suggest showing him how much we mean to help "the common man"... he may want to join us in earnest. The half-elf woman... is remarkably average and not much use to us I'm afraid... I would give her and her lover, the liar, a painless death and bury them together... or raise them as undead and let them walk eternally hand in hand... that sounds romantic!" Yuri smiled, ever since being married she fancied romanticism. Narberal then took a step forward, she had put a lot of thought in their fates.
"Crush them like the bugs they are... but make "the liars" crushing...slower than the rest." Narberal, however, remained the same.
Momonga nodded at their suggestions. However, ending the lives of party members of Ninya... did not sit well with him. He was partly to blame for her last group getting killed by Clementine. Having her lose another group... he did not like it. Even "the liar", Hekkeran... he had taken care of Ninya and treated her well, even if he was a thief... he was not a bad person. Momonga did not want to kill him, but he didn't want to just give him a pass either... he'd have to earn his mercy... through trail. they would hold a trial, where Hekkeran would plead his case to the court of Nazarick...And it would be a fair trial of course.
The half-elf... she seemed crass and probably fell into the grey area of whether or not she was worth sparing... but he saw no reason to kill now... but he also saw no reason to spare her either... her fate would be a tough one, she could join Hekkeran on trial, but hers would be held separate and would be... different than Hekkerans.
He rather liked the idea of rescuing the two little girls for Arche... he would have Sebas take care of that, as well as pay her father and mother a visit, those two could atone for their daughters "crimes". He assumed he could provide a good home for those three, even if they would be captives here. But who to give the three to? Yuri might enjoy them, she did enjoy the fantasy of motherhood... he'd bring that up with her in private.
Then there was the cleric... certainly, his goal was noble... and he'd had his fill of experiments with 'faith casters' with Nigun... that poor fellow could do little more than babble now, he'd been messing with his memories for so long... so he was inclined to give the cleric a pass as well, yet there was not much use for him... ah! he would assign him to the growing village they had established with Cocytuses work! Being a resident healer to a peaceful village should make him happy... and he could be kept on a short leash there as well. He would give Roberdyke to Cocytus then.
So all he needed now was to find a "use" for the lovers... should they be found "innocent". Certainly, Imina would fit Jins type, but giving Jin more distraction seemed like a bad idea... he'd already decided to give the three Elf slaves captured by Clementine to Mare and Aura... so then who should get these two? Albedo and Demiurge were the only ones not currently awarded any slaves. He could split them up... maybe keeping Hekkeran from Imina would be a good punishment? He guessed they could be put to work together on Demiurges farm if nothing else... assuming they made it that far.
"Okay... I have decided on all their fates, potentially. Yuri, I will talk to you in private about something." They nodded with smiles. He sent a [MESSAGE] to Sebas.
"Sebas, as you know we have Tuare's younger sister, I plan on releasing this girl into your care, if that is okay with you?"
"My Lord, it is an honor to be thought of, Tuare will be overjoyed, what have I done to deserve this reward?" Momonga laughed, only Sebas would consider a burden as a reward.
"Just consider it a perk for your continued service and loyalty. Furthermore, I have a mission for you, you may allocate whoever you need, but I don't suspect it will prove hard."
"Of course My Lord, what is it you wish me to do?"
"There is a family, a former noble household in the Baharuth Empire. The one called Arche will know where it is, inform her that you intend to rescue her two sisters from that household and deliver them to her. As for the parents... show them how we treat ones that value wealth over their own kid's lives."
"Yes, My Lord!" and the spell was ended.
Sebas stood before the frightened blonde girl. She'd been stripped of all her magical gear and given a normal robe.
"My h...house? Why?"
"The one you did battle with, Lord Momonga wishes to free your sister and release them into your care, though I'm afraid none of you will be free to leave Nazarick ever again, I promise you will want for nothing. Our Lord, while terrifying... also knows mercy beyond belief, and he's chosen to bestow that mercy to you and your sisters... please consider how lucky you are." Arche just looked up at him, she was seeing if he was lying, but she seemed to find comfort int he old mans smile.
"And my dad? My parents? What will happen to them, he will charge a large price for them... I would think at least."
"Your parents, unfortunately, have inherited your punishment for breaking into Nazazrick... and will be executed after your sisters are safe." Arche's eye went wide for a second then went calm again.
"I see... mother as well? Well... that's fine, so long as they are safe... um, please thank Mo...Lord Momonga for me..." Sebas was more than delighted with that answer.
"As you wish young one... next time you see me I will have both your sisters in tow, now... where did you used to live?"
After receiving instruction as to where to go and calling for Shizu to join him Sebas knocked on Shalltears door. She opened.
"Sebas? What do you want?" She asked slightly annoyed. In the back, he saw a bound and gagged Clementine strapped to a bed with a red bare ass.
"Sorry to disturb you, but Lord Momonga has asked that you [GATE] me to this residence," Sebas asked to the topless Shalltear. She looked at the coordinates and nodded.
"I know a place close to there... I'll get you close enough to it." She said casting [GATE]. Sebas bowed as thanks and walked through, followed by C9 Delta. They were in an alleyway of the Empire and easily found the address.
"Hello?" A blonde long haired woman asked suspiciously at the two.
"Hello Madam, My name is Sebas Tian, this is my associate Shizu."
"If this is about the loan... my husband is the one who..." But Sebas put his hand up to stop her.
"I assure you this has nothing to do with your husband's terrible use of gold... is he in?" She looked even more suspiciously at them. But the butler's manners and dress made her think these were not the brutish types that would resort to violence.
"Yes... but he is currently..." She said as soon as she did Sebas forced his way in followed by Shizu.
"W...What is the meaning of this!"
"The daughters should be upstairs. Shalltear will be ready to receive you and them." Sebas said to Shizu who only nodded and walked upstairs. She came to a room that had the names she was looking for and knocked. Two adorable cute girls opened the door.
"H...hello? Are you the new maid?" One of the girls asked. Very Cute... Shizu thought.
"She looks nice! I like her clothes!" The other girls said clapping. Shizu nodded. She had decided... these two were officially "cute".
"Here..." she said putting a 1yen sticker on each of there foreheads. They giggled and pointed to each other's heads laughing.
"I am here to take you to see your sister Arche..."
"Sister? I wanna see her!"
"Yay! Sister finally came for us like she said she would!" the other one squealed.
"Okay Shalltear, please [GATE] us back." Shizu said casting [MESSAGE]. The request was granted and Shizu led the girls to Nazaricks and her sister.
"Dear? This man wants to talk to you about our Daughters." The wife said leading Sebas to her husband. She went to leave but he stopped her politely.
"I would ask that you stay Madam, as this concerns you as well." She looked at her husband concerned but she smiled and shook his head.
"I wasn't expecting you so early, my daughters are upstairs, but I've yet to receive the agreed upon gold for their sale so..." Sebas hid the scowl her felt... this man was the worst.
"I see... and what was the agreed amount price again?" Sebas asked taking out a pouch filled with gold and platinum. The mans face lit up when he saw the money.
"Well, um as you know we agreed on 40 gold per girl, so..." the man said rubbing his hands together in a greedy manner, his smile sickened Sebas.
"I see... 40 gold then? Deal." he said walking over to the man. The man held out his hand expecting payment to be delivered to his palm, however... Sebas grabbed the mans jaw on both sides forcing him to keep his mouth open as he let out a terrified scream.
"40 gold, as agreed upon," Sebas said coldly as he shoved a handful of gold coins into he mans open mouth.
"Gurrah hukkhahf" the man gurgled out as Sebas rammed the coins furth and further down his throat and mouth. The coins shred the insides of the mans throat and intestine as Sebas forced coin after coin down in him. He held him with one hand as he slowly force fed the man the 40 gold coins he was owed. The wife screamed and tried to run for the door but a creature leaped from Saba's shadow and hamstrung the back of her heels with a slash, severing her tendons. She screamed and fell tot he floor crying out for help.
"And... 40!" there We go Mr. Furt... oh but you said 40 EACH, if am I not mistaken? Well, then it seems I owe you another 40 gold." Sebas calmy said reaching for his pouch again. Mr. Furt screamed and shook his head and he retched over and over, blood spilling from his mouth as the coins had shredded his esophagus and stomach. All he could do was make the vulgar sound of puking as blood poured out. Sebas then looked at the wife who's eye's went wide with fear.
"It seems your husband is unable to take payment... so I will transfer he rest of these funds to you, madam..." Sebas said calmly as he walked over to the woman who was screaming and crawling away. He kicked her gently to her back and squatted over her, holding her mouth open as he had done with her husband. he then fed her the 40 gold coins til she was also in a state of choking and convulsing... he sat until the two of them had drowned on their own vomit and blood in the most horrible fashion. Sebas was about to leave when he noticed a rather fine lamp sitting on the table.
"Hmm, this is rather nice, and I believe this completes our transaction," He nodded and took it with him as he asked for Shalltear to [GATE] him home. As he walked out of the house he saw a Large dragon fly overhead, he recognized it as Mare's Dragon and it was headed toward the Empires Castle where the Emperor would receive a rather prudent message from Lord Momonga.
"Ureirika! Kuuderika!" Arche cried in happiness as her two sisters ran to her arms. Shizu looked on with no emotion as the three sisters held each other laughing. Arche looked up Shizu...
"Thank you! And please thank Lord Momonga for me as well!" Arche said hugging her sisters tightly. They were already in the house the three would be staying at, it had three rooms and was furnished with everything they would need to be healthy and happy.
"No problem, also there is a village that you three will be welcomed at if you wish to spend time with others." Arche nodded, tears in her eyes.
"Your sisters are cute... i would like to spend time with them as well..." Shizu said looking at the girls who nodded that they agreed.
"Yes! Shizu is nice!"
"She is funny!"
"Haha, okay then, sure uh, Shizu... you are welcomed here whenever you want," Arche said smiling. Shizu gave her a thumbs up and left, leaving Arche to tell her sisters whatever she would need to tell them about their new home.
In the skies above the Baharuth Empire...Aura sat next to Mare on the back of his Dragon. She didn't know if she should bring up what she'd seen him and Zesshi doing, but it seemed like it didn't matter so she said nothing. In fact, she found it hard to say anything to her brother. He was always shy and quiet, but as of late all he did was talk about his new wife... she was happy that they got along... but she never got to spend free time with him anymore.
"Okay, that's the place!" Mare said pointing to the castle.
"Alright Mare, just circle a few times before landing, let's announce ourselves first." Mare nodded as they flew around the castle a few times then landing in a courtyard. After Aura decided enough eyes were on them she delivered her message.
"Can everyone hear me? HELLO!" Aura called out. Some people ran, others stood and gawked at the huge dragon.
"I am the servant of the great Lord Momonga! Aura Bella Fiora!"
"The ruler of this empire has sent rude people to the home of Lord Momonga, The great Tomb of Nazarick!"
"You disrupted the peace Lord Momonga so cherishes and put him in a bad mood... As such he demands The Emperor come and apologize personally! Um, I've been told that if you do not agree, to kill everyone here!" Aura announced. she looked around but nobody came forth.
"Okay, Mare!" On her command, Mare lifted up his staff and brought it down casting [CRACKED EARTH]. the spell consumed the lives of the men as a huge fissure opened up and all the soldiers and people standing around them fell to their deaths. Then as easily as it opened up the ground closed, soon it was if nothing had happened, save for the missing soldiers and people.
"OKAY! We've killed them all! Now... who will come and take responsibility for breaking the peace of Lord Momonga?"
"Emperor! Please step forward or we will have to hurt more people!" aura called out. A males voice called out from above her.
"I am Emperor, Jircniv Rune Farlord El Nix. I wish to talk!" the blonde man announced.
"Ah, there you are!" Aura said pointing ay him and smiling.
"I thought he'd run away!" Mare said in surprise. The emperor leaned over and called to them.
"But first... as um, honored guest... allow me to extend to you common courtesy!" He clapped his hands and soon some servants came with a glass of some kind of juice and some kind of pastries. She tried them but was largely unimpressed. And set them down.
"Well um, that's fine... but how long till you come to apologize to our merciful Lord?" She asked.
"How... much time am I allowed to take?" he asked, she hadn't been given a number so decided on a just a roundabout answer.
"Um, hard to say... Lord Momonga might get angry if take too long..."
"Then tell your Lord I will come to meet him in five days, a weeks time." That number seemed reasonable and she nodded.
"Okay then, I will tell him a week... um, did you want us to help you get the bodies of the soldiers Mare just killed?" Aura smirked, trying to provoke the Emperor, but his answer disappointed her.
"Actually yes, um, you seemed to have buried some of our national treasures..." Aura shook her head in annoyance that her taunt failed. And looked at Mare.
"O...okay!" mare cast another earth spell making an opening to where the bodies should be, more or less. Mare jumped up on his dragon followed by Aura.
"Okay then, five days... don't be late Mister Jircniv!" Aura called out waving as the Dragon took off and flew them back to Nazarick. Momonga would be pleased that the message was delivered so well! She looked at Mare, still wondering if what she could say to him but he just seemed concentrated on flying. Aura just looked down at the world below her.
"Hey Mare, um do you wanna go swimming in the river after this?" She asked but Mare looked at her and nodded.
"Sure! I've really missed not being around you Aura!" he giggled at the wind blew his hair back. Aura smiled, she was glad.
"Okay, let's go deliver the good news then meet up at the usual place!" Aura said smiling, Mare nodded back to her then looked forward again.
INTERMISSION
In a dimly lit room, several men gathered around a table discussing the survival of their nation. Their robes are similar in design but vary in color. They are the Heads of The Slane Theocracy. When every head of every order is gathered in person like this, it means one thing... complete emergency.
"So... every single force sent to The Elf Kingdom is gone? As in..."
"Destroyed... not a single man has survived... and our best efforts to scry on what is approaching... fail."
"It's the Elf King... has to be, but we were told he would not personally enter the war!"
"Well we were either lied to or something changed!"
"You're an idiot if you don't know what's changed... Zesshi, or rather, the loss of her."
"But..."
"There can't be another reason right? he either is the one that took her... or he knows we no longer have her, and as such..."
"Then the Black Scripture... or rather what's left. We should send them to..."
"...to their deaths? You moron! The Elf King would just kill them and take the last of our nation's treasures... no, they will remain here guarding The Holy City as we planned... taking them away from the capital would be a fools move."
"And just where do you think the Elf King plans on ending his attack? Hmm? The direction of our mission forces indicates he's coming straight here..."
"If he's decided he's "had enough of our shit"... without Zesshi or the Platinum Dragon Lord to stop him... what can we do but surrender?"
"Surrender? To a filthy Elf?... You've got to be kidding me!"
"We'll be lucky if we even get a ch... hey what's that?" The head of one of the scriptures was saying when the building they were in started to tremble. The building is shaking... we have to get out... but then the far off cried all over the city started to be heard. One man ran to some windows and flung them open.
The Holy City, the Capital of The Slane Theocracy was awash with panic. Fires burned all over the streets and the people ran from invisible attackers.
"What?" One man asked then his head fell off his body, yet nothing was there to remove it. The second it took for the shock to wear off they were already under attack as they flew through the air in bloody pieces. Whatever was killing them, the last remaining member of the High Council, could not see. He jumped from the window out of panic and fell some 30 stories to his death.
The rest of the city was torn to shreds just as easily and mysteriously. People ran from what they could not see, just to die in screaming pain. Perhaps because they all were under attack not a single person getting killed took time to notice that noon sky was an unusual shade of pink today.
"Your Majesty... the whole city is..." An elf asked in wide-eyed shock. before stood his king, a King until recently gave not a single shit about his kingdom or it's people, yet... almost on a whim, he got up and single-handedly drove back every single invade in just the span of a week. The soldier who the King had asked to follow him stood in awe as there was just a giant crater where The Holy City once was. His king held up an Amulet smiling at the circular pink stone that dangled from it... there was something inside of it but The soldier could not make it out.
"Yes... the whole city is mine... literally." He chuckled as he looked at the amulet and put it back around his neck.
"So then... the Slane Theocracy is..."
"Is no longer a thing... all territories under their control are now ours..." he chuckled.
"So then... what's next?" His King ignored him but still answered... a rare skill.
"We move West... I'll put those Dark Elves that ran to the caves from Tob Forest there to heel... unless they welcome me with their strongest women served up on a platter for me... I may just rule over them and not conquer them if that's the case... either way we'll keep pushing making a small detour as I wipe out the Dark Dwarves... for fun." he chuckled at the thought of how much fun he was going to have, and how nobody could stop him.
"Won't that put us into conflict with The Holy Kingdom?" the soldier asked worried, this was no longer a nation of weak humans... they had purged the land of every last Demihuman and were expanding at an alarming rate.
"Yes... Yes, I imagine it will!" he laughed. The soldier had been following The Elf King for some time now and had always been afraid to ask... but maybe as his king was riding high on the victory he'd be safe to ask.
"Y...Your Majesty, um, if I may be so bold to ask... just why did you decide to help us?" The King laughed again.
"Wow, took you this long to nerve the courage to ask me huh?" The soldier just nodded and swallowed.
"Boredom... but more than that, when something like this...LITERALLY falls into your lap... you don't ignore fate calling you to action," he said gesturing to the necklace he wore on his chest.
"But ultimately... I think this will probably get the attention of whoever took my daughter from the slane Theocracy..."
"The caster out men saw culling the Demihumans at the wall?"
"Yes, he interests me... but what really interests me is that Dark Elf girl that knocked the Dragon Lord out of the air and swallowed him up... that is magic on a level only I should be able to use... so I would very much like to get my hands on this Dark Elf Druid girl. And I think her and Zesshi are being held by the same man, that caster."
"I see... then you plan to fight this "Momonga?" He asked looking worried.
"Eventually I'm sure we will come to blows... so I suppose the answer is yes, but that shouldn't be for a while now... let's get going to meet these Dark Elves... maybe I'll meet this druid that was reported upon there. The soldier now knew why they were making the "detour" to the Dark Elves, he wanted to rape that dark elf girl.
"Very Well My Lord, I shall relay your instructions to the men at once."
"Yes, fine... oh and have that female Paladin we caught sent to me again... I do so like the way she struggles." he laughed wickedly. they had picked her up while she was out on "pilgrimage" to atone for some shame she brought on herself... but she was kind of strong, as humans went, so he'd been curious to see if a child from her would be of any use to him.
"Yes My Lord, um... she will be ready for you by the time you get to your tent." He nodded in satisfaction and turned to go rape the human Paladin while he waited for his army to catch up to his forward operating unit.