[Chapter 4: A Necromancer Among Witches]
The branches cracked under Ainz's weight as he made his way through the forest. Despite being all bones, his body was actually quite heavy. Alas, that didn't play much of a part in his current adventure. Roswaal, now apparently considering himself some sort of disciple or subordinate, told Ainz about the location of Sanctuary, where he would be able to talk with the Witch of Greed.
Apparently the place was surrounded by a barrier that kept demihumans in. Ainz, being a heteromorph, would have no problem going in and out, especially given that the barrier activated only for those who were of half-human and half-demihuman blood.
Another purpose of the barrier was to make people not allowed into it be lost in the forest instead. Of course, it was nothing that Ainz's prodigious magic resistance couldn't overcome.
He glanced at the map that he held in his hands once more, "Hmm, I should be coming into contact with the barrier somewhere around here." Flight was always an option, an overwhelmingly viable one at that, but the thrill of adventure wasn't lost along with Ainz's flesh.
I mean, he got to explore a real forest searching for a hidden village! A real forest! With trees, bushes, and birds! This was something he could have only dreamt of in his old world! Even the rich, living in their biodomes, didn't have such luxuries!
However, the point of every quest was to reach one's goal, and after a few more minutes of walking, a feeling like breaking the surface tension of water overcame him. "Huh, so that's how it feels. [Detect Magic]." Information about the barrier flooded his brain once more and he crossed his arms, almost impressed, "So it keeps the souls here. Curious. It appears to be something like Tier 5 or 6 as well."
This was probably the strongest spell he had seen in this New World, although Roswaal did tell Ainz about some of his much stronger capabilities. The noble's ability to use sixfold magic was very impressive, and would have been devastating should he be able to use something higher than the Tier 5 and 6 spells he appeared to have at his disposal.
Ainz was very tempted to kill him and use his [Dark Wisdom] passive to steal that ability, or perhaps use a Super Tier spell like [Wish Upon A Star] instead. But, for now, he decided to hold off on that.
As he walked further into Sanctuary, he had the feeling of being watched. It wasn't the malicious observation of a spy or an assassin, but more like the neutral one of a camera, mechanical and precise.
Deciding to ignore it, he eventually made it to a dirt path that he presumed would lead him towards the village itself. Following it, it indeed appeared to be the correct choice, letting him encounter someone who he guessed was a local.
A boy, most likely somewhere in his teens, with golden-blonde and a scar on his forehead stood in the centre of the path. His arms were crossed and he was staring at Ainz. Of course, the undead mage hadn't expected a warm welcome from such an isolated community, but this was better than nothing.
He wore a short, black vest and equally black pants. The most surprising part about the boy's appearance was his physique, which seemed to be made out of steel.
"Hello." Ainz said when he made it around 10 metres away from the boy, "I'm looking for a village called Sanctuary; could you perhaps lead me there? I could compensate you fairly."
The boy stared at him, his gaze decidedly unfriendly, " What are ya 'ere for? Ain't nobody come 'ere in ages." Judging by the boy's attitude, which was pretty defensive, it was a wise decision by Ainz to wear his mask in advance.
'Roswaal said that kings and queens used to come here for Echidna's advice. But this boy does seem young, so maybe that was before his time. Although I do expect he knows of the Witch.'
"I've come here to visit the Witch of Greed's grave. I'm somewhat of a scholar, sent by Roswaal L. Mathers, you see." Ainz said.
"Hmph! That clown sent ya? Well, if you wanna do the trials then I'm not gonna let ya! After all, I'm Garfiel Tinsel, the Shield of the Sanctuary!" announced the boy, flexing his muscles and revealing his fang-like teeth.
'Ah, as I thought, a half-demihuman.' Ainz thought to himself upon seeing the teeth. He then reached out and patted the head of the boy over whom he towered over, "A very admirable goal, to protect what is dear to you. I'm sure you will achieve it one day. Now then, will you lead me to the grave? I'm not here for any trials."
The boy who called himself Garfiel slapped away Ainz's hand, "Just follow the damn path, weirdo! But don't try any funny business!" he said, seemingly giving up on stopping Ainz.
"Thank you. I'll be on my way." Ainz said, leaving the boy behind him and moving down the path. After a few minutes he found himself in a small village that appeared to be of subpar maintenance, 'To be expected. Not like they can trade with anyone or use outside resources.'
His gaze turned to the massive, stone mausoleum that was on one side of the settlement. It looked very much like some of the entrances one could find in YGGDRASIL, except way less hidden and without a pack of unbalanced mobs in front of it.
The native people of the area gave him curious looks but didn't attempt to bother him. However, at the entrance, which was rather dilapidated and covered in moss and vines, stood a short, pink-haired girl. 'Another half-elf? Though I presume she is stuck here, like the others.'
She wore a long, black robe that covered her entire body, with the exception of part of her hands and half her face. In her hand she held a curious staff of some sort of black material with red accents and three blue crystals.
When he approached, she spoke, "Have you come to attempt the trials? Perhaps Young Ros has finally decided to do something?" For some reason, Ainz felt like was talking with a grandmother, although her appearance was of an age similar to that of Beatrice.
Ainz shook his head, "Unfortunately not. My name is Ainz Ooal Gown, and I seek a consultation with the Witch of Greed. Although, I am affiliated with Roswaal, if that is who you meant."
"Ah, so it is that which you seek. Very well, go on." Before Ainz could even ask the name of the girl, she walked away into the treeline. It felt awkward to call out after her, so instead he turned back towards the tomb and entered.
The stone corridor was full of damages undoubtedly caused by time, but it was only superficial. A cracked stone here, some moss, and so on. The structural integrity seemed to be still in check, more so than one would expect.
When he arrived at the circular chamber at the end of the area, he looked around. There was a locked, stone door, and that was it. Suddenly the name of the place he was seeking sunk in, "It's the Castle of Dreams… But I can't dream."
He sighed as his voice reverberated from wall to wall, "What the hell do I do now?" he asked himself. As he searched his inventory for something that could invoke a sleep-like state, he felt a presence trying to enter his mind, only to be kicked out and have the proverbial door slammed in its face.
Yet it was still there, lingering. "Hmm. Maybe this'll work." He reached for the presence in his mind, as if grasping at a piece of string in the dark, and cast the most advanced teleportation magic, "[Gate]."
A pitch-black gate, with purple lightning crackling off of it, appeared in front of him, and he took the plunge. There was no sensation as with the barrier; it was as simple as walking through a door.
His little experiment seemed to be successful and a new landscape stretched out before him. Should it have been made into a painting, the artist would have been criticised heavily for their lack of imagination. There was a hill and green plains that stretched out around it and seemed to be made entirely of grass.
What caught Ainz's attention was the white and purple parasol on the hill, alongside pure white table and chairs. Given that there were barely any clouds in the sky, Ainz understood the need for such a setup.
He made his way up the hill and was soon enough met face to face with the person he sought. Instantly, one thought came to mind, 'Why is everyone in this world a child, weird, or insanely attractive?!'
Sat there was a woman Ainz estimated to be in her late teens, or perhaps early 20s were she to age gracefully. She had long, white hair, and wore all black. The black dress with white accents left only her pale face and hands revealed. Whether she was a horrible witch or not, Ainz had to admit that it suited her.
Her black eyes blazed with a fire Ainz recognised immediately, curiosity and the insatiable hunger for it. In a sense, he was similar. But, whereas his goal was to survive and thrive thanks to it, he could foresee no such end goal in her machinations. This was meant to be the Witch of Greed after all.
"Please, take a seat, visitor." she said, motioning towards the chair in front of her. The simple arrangement had a certain charm to it, and the landscape was nice, if a bit barren. Alas, he didn't know what kind of magic was required to create such a place, perhaps this was the witch's limit?
Ainz bowed and sat down, saying, "I apologise for the unannounced visit, Miss Echidna, I presume? After hearing of you from Roswaal, I couldn't help but come meet you myself."
She poured him some tea from a porcelain kettle and said, "Ah, he's still on about me, is he? Well, it is always a pleasure to have a visitor. However, it seems you are rather… unique. Many have visited me over the years, but I can't say that anyone has had either your entrance or appearance. And… a few more things as well."
"I understand you are referring to the fact that your mind reading is blocked?" Ainz asked, to which she nodded, "You know, most would consider it rude to attempt to read their memories on the first meeting."
"I apologise, it was tactless of me. Alas, it's an ability I'm simply used to using. You will forgive an innocent maiden such as myself, will you not?. And speaking of being rude, wouldn't it be rude of you not to drink up?" she asked, leaning forward and propping her head up on her hands.
Ainz reached for his mask and said, "Unfortunately, I too have an excuse for my rudeness." He took it off, alongside his gloves, and revealed his true appearance.
Instead of the typical reaction, which would involve Echidna falling off her chair in panic, she instead leaned forward even more, "What manner of creature are you? I've heard of reanimated corpses, but those were mere puppets you are… you."
"It seems even the most knowledgeable of the Witches has some additional reading to do. All you need to know is that I am what most would consider Death. We haven't had the pleasure of being acquainted yet, no doubt thanks to all this." he said, motioning to the area around them.
"But I am not here for your soul. Should you cooperate with me however, I may be more inclined to share, both about myself and my goals." he said, utilising his RP and business experience to the fullest.
Thankfully, it seemed that Echidna was receptive to his appearance, but whether it was because she was ostracised because of being a witch and learned to look past appearance or simply because he was curious about his body, he didn't know.
"Oh? And what manner of cooperation would that entail?" she asked, still staring at him with her eyes wide open, as if she couldn't get enough of his appearance.
'Yep, she's definitely just curious about how this body works. I hope she doesn't ask; I've no clue how it works! It isn't even anatomically correct!'
"You see, I have made a deal with Roswaal. In exchange for his assistance, I promised to resurrect you once my goal is achieved. Since I presume you don't wish to stay here for all eternity, I would like to negotiate the terms of your resurrection with you as well."
"And what exactly does Death want from me? I am just an innocent, young maiden after all. Besides, I have not heard of anyone who could perform such a miracle. Then again, if anyone was going to be able to do so, it would be, Sir…?"
"Ainz Ooal Gown. Resurrection was nothing more than a party trick from where I hail. However, for me to bestow life upon you again, I need two things."
He held up on his bony fingers, adorned with a divine-tier ring, "One, you shall be my ally upon returning." he said, before putting up another, "You will grant me any information I ask of you, should you have it."
"I accept." she simply answered, extending her hand.
Ainz looked from her to her hand, and then back again, "That easily? I expected someone of your calibre to bargain." A witch known for her knowledge would surely attempt to negotiate further, or at least that was his guess. He had prepared for the entire night for this and it was all for nought!
"Why would I argue with someone like you, who seems to hold so much knowledge that has been beyond my grasp? Simply indulge my curiosity and my wisdom will be at your disposal."
The undead mage shrugged and shook her hand, saying, "Should you attempt to break our deal, I assure you that death's grip is not easily shaken." he bluffed, hoping that she would take the threat seriously.
Judging by her reaction however, it was unnecessary, "I would expect nothing less. Now then, may I ask you about that magic? I can't say I have ever seen someone appear here in such a manner."
'She is a bit… It's like I'm talking to an undead that only seeks information. Jeez. I was thinking she'd be some horrid psycho or misunderstood heroine, but she's about as empathetic as an undead and just really curious.'
"Fine." he said, thinking of a way to oblige her without divulging anything truly useful, "It's a form of teleportation magic that I have devised. And before you ask, no, all my magic is of a dead tradition. For instance, I don't believe anyone but me can do this, [Create Low Tier Undead]."
A simple skeleton materialised from the mana he used and Echidna practically jumped out of her chair, inspecting it. She poked and prodded at it, making Ainz almost feel pity for the mindless creature.
"Again, I've heard of simple body puppeteering, but this is much different. How… exciting." A subtle red flush appeared on her face as she licked her lips, looking from Ainz to the skeleton.
The mage had the good graces to ignore her unsightly behaviour and instead said, "A witch who does not know of necromancy can barely be called a witch. Back where I come from, our types were very close to one another."
"And where is it you come from?" she asked, walking up to him and leaning forward, her face on the same level as his own.
"Some call it the world of monsters and the dead, but I called it home. Now then, I believe I was the one that came here for information?" Ainz asked, which seemed to put a damper on the witch's enthusiasm.
She sat back down and assumed her proper demeanour once more, saying, "Then ask away, what is it you want to know?"
'Finally. This took a bit, but it's going pretty well so far.' he thought, before asking the first question, "Why create the Sanctuary? I doubt trapping demihuman half bloods had any major benefit."
"Well, except for myself, there were 8 other people classified similarly to me. I was being pursued by one known as Hector, the Warlock of Melancholy. In order to keep him out, I had to keep them in. If someone wants to dispel the barrier then they must face their memories in my trials." she answered.
'That tells me absolutely nothing. But facing one's own past and freeing the area may be a good thing for Emilia's popularity when that Royal Selection begins.' he thought, before the first part of the Witch's answer registered in his head, 'Warlock of Melancholy? So Tabula was right, there are technically 9 deadly sins.'
"Besides Hector, what happened to the other 7 witches?" he asked. Aside from the Divine Dragon, these witches seemed to be the biggest threats. If they would all be dead, or at least in the same state as Echidna, that would be quite a large source of stress gone.
"Well, 6 of them died and I took their souls here. I could let you talk to them if you wish. As for the Witch of Vainglory, Pandora, I've no clue." Echidna answered.
'The fact that I have to just tell her about some of my magic and resurrect her for all this info is so nice. And the bodies of those witches could probably make some decent undead.' he thought to himself. "I see, perhaps I'll talk to them later. I've heard of people called Sin Archbishops, who I presume are connected with them?"
Echidna scoffed, "You talk of the Witch Cult. They follow the Witch of Envy and do things at random. It's really quite difficult to decipher. Those archbishops you mentioned are the ones who inherited our Witch Factors, our powers."
'Ah, so they are the threat I have to watch out for. Still, to only have a few enemies like that doesn't seem quite right.'
"Is there anyone else I should look out for, should I ever decide to battle? The throne surely isn't something one can get without bloodshed." he said, his fingers tapping on the table in a rhythmic pattern.
"So you are going after that old lizard? I shouldn't be surprised, they're way past their expiration date anyway."
'How does everyone keep misinterpreting what I say!?' he thought to himself, before saying, "No, the dragon still has time. My goals are much more complex. And speaking of which, you wouldn't happen to know of magic that could bring someone from beyond the Great Waterfall?"
From what Ainz gathered of the geography and history of this world, the current structure of it was flat, rather than a sphere, and surrounded by endless waters. The Witch of Envy, who Ainz suspected was the one to summon him here, destroyed half of it around 400 years ago.
That certainly was concerning, but it had no impact on him. The important part was whether there was a way to bring someone over here from beyond that, effectively from a different world. Judging by the fact that he was here, there was a way, but he still needed a way to do so himself.
YGGDRASIL magic was overwhelmingly destructive, with some utility thrown in there, but it was raw magical power that one sought in the game. Ulbert using [Grand Catastrophe] could most likely put the Witch to shame and crack the very world in two, or any half-decent spell caster could use [Black Hole] or [Reality Slash] to fundamentally damage the world.
Yet there was no spell that had the capability to summon throughout worlds. Gate was the best it got, and even then Ainz knew it wasn't enough. Besides, there was also the problem of the World Item protecting Nazarick. Unless it recognized him as its owner, he doubted anything could bring it here.
However, where there was a sliver of hope, there was also a chance of success. If anyone would know of such magic, then it'd be the Witch of Greed.
"Beyond the Great Waterfall? I suppose Death itself would be otherworldly." she said before her casual smirk was replaced with a small frown, "Sadly, I don't know. The only person that I could think of that could do that is Satella, or the Witch of Envy. The question is whether you have a way to coerce her. I'm sure the Witch Cult won't take kindly to it. How many lives of those who stand in your way will you be willing to take?"
Ainz's red flames burnt brighter, almost filling his skull's eye sockets, "Those who will stand in my way are already dead. All that is left is for me to find them."
Suddenly, he felt something touch his back. He turned to see a ten year old girl with dark skin, wearing a white and blue dress, alongside a wreath of blue flowers. She had green hair and red eyes. However, despite her sweet appearance, her eyes stared at Ainz with hatred.
"You are an evildoer." the girl said, in her extremely sweet voice. Despite that, nothing happened. The girl stared at him and Ainz simply stared back, slightly bewildered by the scene.
He turned to Echidna and asked, "I presume this is another one of your kind? You certainly are a curious lot, albeit you could be taught some manners."
Echidna sighed, "Yes, it indeed is. This one is Typhon, the Witch of Pride. Manifesting without my permission is rather rude. It appears she's trying to use her authority. Unfortunately for her, I doubt Death feels much guilt over its actions."
Ainz turned back to the girl, at this point not surprised that another important person had the body of a child, and said, "I assure you, child, that I am not evil, despite my appearance."
To this statement Echidna only shook her head, "That won't work with her. Her authority allows her to sense people's sins."
'So it's an attack that works on people with low karma values? There must be some other condition to it though, since I'm still unharmed.'
Seeing that her authority in fact was subordinate to Ainz's presence, Typhon took a step back, "H-how? How do you not feel guilt for all your crimes?"
'So it's based on guilt? I guess that counts as a mental attack and is blocked, but I might as well go with it.' He took a step forward and a brilliant torrent of black flame appeared in his hands, "Guilt, child, is for the weak. If you do not wish to add to my list of heinous acts and have your soul obliterated, then I recommend you cease your foolishness."
'Sometimes I wonder, is Ulbert looking upon me and proud of the fact that they buy this chuuni trash in spades?' he thought to himself as the girl desperately tried to make some distance between them.
"D-Dona, what kind of monster is this?" Typhon asked, still backing away from Ainz. For someone who was considered a walking disaster, it was a meek reaction. To see the third strongest witch run away the moment he proved useless was… disappointing.
"Please do not speak of my benefactor like that. You are the one who tried to attack him first. Self-defence is a completely understandable reaction." Echidna answered, still not getting up from her chair.
As Ainz took another step towards the witch in order to really sell the intimidating Avatar of Death persona he had going on, a pitchblack hand with a purple aura appeared in front of him and attempted to grab him.
However, the newcomer severely underestimated Ainz's magical prowess, "[Greater Dispel]." he said, and the hand was blown to smithereens. He turned towards its source and spied a tall woman with long, magenta hair and a black dress, lying on the ground.
She seemed to sigh and more hands appeared, dozens of them launching themselves towards Ainz, "[Temporal Stasis]." Yet again the witch's attempt at attacking the necromancer failed, both herself and her hands being frozen in time.
"Echidna, would you mind if I erased this one from existence? She seems decidedly uncooperative." he asked, looking towards the witch. Her alluring looks would do nothing to spare her in the eyes of the Overlord. Her attack was curious, and certainly had the potential to harm Ainz, but it appeared to be dispellable; not to mention that anyone who couldn't resist instant death and time related spells wasn't worth his time.
The Witch of Greed however seemed to be very preoccupied with trying to analyse Ainz's spell. But, after a few seconds, she realised that a question was posed to her and said, "I don't think there's a need to do that just yet. After all, I'm sure there are plenty of interesting ways to use a soul that you could show me. Although I am curious as to whether you could destroy a soul without sending it back to Od Laguna…"
Ainz extinguished the [Hell Flames] from his hands and turned away from the witch stuck in time, "Od Laguna? What is that?" For some reason, Ainz had a feeling this was important, as if his looting instincts just flared up.
"Even I don't know much about it, but it's effectively the store of all the world's mana and souls. It's also the thing that grants Divine Protections, at least according to my research. Think of it as a law of the world. I would have presumed you would know of it, since you seem to be very well versed in the matter of souls."
"My use for souls doesn't align with that of Od Laguna. And I assure you that [Hell Flame] would erase any trace of a soul." he said, before turning his thoughts towards the information he just got.
'A law of the world? Hmm, interesting. My mana doesn't come from it, or at least I don't think so, so I doubt anyone's divine protection would do much… In the worst case, I have my World Item.'
"Are there any other witches that would like to introduce themselves? I presume the one I froze would be Sloth, so we are still missing gluttony, wrath and lust, are we not?" he asked.
As he anticipated the appearance of the three new witches, he walked up the one that was frozen in time. Judging by the slight shimmer of the hands that appeared from her back, they were meant to be invisible. Of course, as an Overlord, Ainz had a passive that made such abilities and illusions borderline useless.
He knelt in front of the Witch and said, "I will undo my magic and let you move. If you attack me again, I will make sure only one witch's soul remains intact. Understood?" Naturally, the witch couldn't answer.
"Wonderful." He waved his hand and cancelled the spell. In an instant, the hand's receded. Ainz sighed in relief internally. Should the witch have had time stop and instant death immunity, she might have even been a foe worth preparing for. Thankfully, she had neither, but she did seem to have enough common sense to stop attacking.
Deciding that she wouldn't make a good conversation partner, he instead turned back to Echidna. He could hear the footsteps of the Witch of Pride going towards the Witch of Sloth, probably in an attempt to gain some sort of protection from Ainz, but he was focused on the three figures that now appeared on the hill.
Alas, introductions had to wait as the witch behind him apparently did want to converse, despite his reluctance. "What are you? Sigh. That magic is not of this world. Sigh.'
He turned back to her and said, "I am Ainz Ooal Gown. You may call me Death, the Overlord of the Undead, Conqueror of the Great Tomb, Slayer of the Devourer of the Nine Worlds, or any combination of the aforementioned. And you are the Witch of Sloth, I presume?"
"Sekhmet. Sigh. Just know that I ensure this place remains balanced and equal. Sigh." she said, still not moving. Truly, she embodied her sin as much if not more than Echidna.
"What is a greater equaliser than death?" Ainz asked, turning back to the hill. He judged that that witch was probably the most dangerous, but she didn't seem inclined to attack unless he threatened the others. And even then, she lacked what was required to fight Ainz. His gaze landed back on top of the hill and he analysed the new arrivals.
First was a very modestly dressed girl with pink hair, covered in head to toe in a white coat and a green scarf. She was quite cute, but the shimmer that appeared over her informed Ainz that she was using an illusion. In addition to that, the probing feeling that was blocked by his passives meant that she was also trying to use some sort of psychic attack.
He ignored it for now and moved onto the next figure. 'Now she looks like a marketable anime character. I could swear on my life, or unlife I guess, that there was one that looked exactly like her.' he thought.
The girl had a tight, form-fitting, purple dress, which exposed her cleavage for purposes that some would call fanservice. She also had a white, sleeveless coat. Her messy ponytail of blonde hair added to her mix of cute and attractive.
Yet no amount of beauty would be able to draw Ainz's eyes from the next creature. In what appeared to be a walking coffin was a small girl with grey hair, for some reason tied up in bondage gear that would have made Tabula's in-game avatar blush. For some God forsaken reason, the clothing exposed most of her torso, only barely covering her chest.
'I swear, a random peasant could kill any of these! Why do people refuse to wear actual armour!? Although, I guess she does have that coffin.' Thankfully, the mental damage that was caused by the appearance of the girl was quickly remedied by his emotional stabiliser.
"Care to introduce me?" Ainz asked Echidna, to which she nodded. These witches seemed to already have a measure of fear in their eyes, at least for the first two, as the one in the coffin had a blindfold on.
"The first is Carmilla, the Witch of Lust. The one in the middle is Minerva, the Witch of Wrath. Finally, there is Daphne, the Witch of Gluttony and the one who actually created Demon Beasts."
'You're telling me that the one who actually dresses modestly is Lust and the one in that… thing is gluttony!? Should I ever meet God I am going to have to have a word with him.'
He bowed towards them, "A pleasure. I am Ainz Ooal Gown." Following his introduction, he turned towards Carmilla and said, "And I would appreciate it if you would stop using your ability. Illusions of that level are useless against me, and so is emotional manipulation."
The girl seemed to oblige and the shimmer disappeared from her figure. Ainz nodded, satisfied that he didn't have to resort to magic as with the Witch of Sloth that was still staring daggers into his back.
"D-did you not see anything? Do y-you not feel love?" Ainz stared at the girl curiously, tilting his head as he thought over what she said, but Carmilla's reaction quickly turned to fear, "P-please d-don't hurt me. I… I w-won't do it anymore. P-please!" She covered her face with her hands, tears already in her eyes.
"As long as you don't give me a reason to hurt you, I will not. Life may be needlessly cruel, but I try not to be. And no, I didn't see anything. Illusions cannot fool me, that is simply the nature of my being." he said, noticing that the one called Minerva moved slightly in front of Carmilla in order to shield her with her own body.
Alas, Ainz had no interest in talking to those two. The third piece of information, concerning the creation of demon beasts, was much more interesting.
However, judging by the drooling of the bound girl, he decided to ask Echidna concerning her creations, "Echidna, I mean no offence to Miss Daphne of course, but I'm guessing you would have some information on demon beasts? I heard that it was actually the Witch of Envy that created them."
Before Echidna could answer however, Minerva barged into the conversation, "Hey! Don't just ignore me like that!"
Ainz turned to her and said, "Miss Minerva, my business here is with Echidna. I only invited you to show yourself because of the behaviour of the earlier two. I would recommend you follow the example of the others and remain silent."
"I won't! How can you just threaten people like that?! Don't you understand how horrid conflict is?!" Minerva called out, voice filled with innocence. But this innocence was not seen as such by the Overlord, no, Ainz saw it as ignorance.
He turned to face her and said, "You know nothing of conflict, child. Where thousands or millions fall here, I remember billions dead, erased in flashes of light with a power so terrible that God shivered. And when those went by, the world was shrouded in eternal darkness and poisonous mist, the rest of us bound to a select few. You speak of understanding war, but you do not know that bloodshed is the only way to prevent such things."
Ainz himself hadn't seen the war that predated the creation of the Arcologies, but billions perished in the nuclear bombings and billions after. And when the time for peace came, it was replaced by slavery to massive corporations that ran the world. The fact that Minerva acted like peace was ever a stable option pissed him off to no end.
The undead mage returned his gaze to the Witch of greed, although Minerva seemed to want to say something more, but Echidna spoke first, "The myth of Satella, or rather the Witch of Envy, creating the demon beasts is simply a myth because people hate her more than Daphne. They are simple creatures, ones that were theoretically made to end world hunger."
"Hmm? End world hunger? Aren't they rather murderous for that?" Judging by what Ainz knew, hunting demon beasts was far from an easy way to gather food for villages. Hell, even just the demon beasts he had fought recently would have possibly killed Rem and Ram, who were rather adept at combat.
At the mention of hunger, Daphne's drooling only seemed to intensify. Ainz felt very thankful for her bindings, or he surely would have ended by using [Nuclear Blast] to knock the disturbing creature away from himself.
"You see, there exist three great demon beasts. The White Whale is the first, and is so large that should someone manage to slay then it'd be able to feed a village for years to come. The Great Rabbit multiplies infinitely as long as one exists, which is simple enough to figure out. The Black Serpent was meant to kill, so less people would need food."
"So a survival of the fittest idea? I see." Ainz said, finalising his strategies in his mind. He had already seen that demon beasts were hostile to him, but more importantly, these were well-known monsters.
'Raw damage for the serpent and the whale, and a nuclear blast for the rabbits? Those do seem like good sources of reputation as well…'
He turned to Daphne and said, "Thank you in advance for creating them. They will prove very beneficial when the time comes." Unless his estimates for how racist people were against Emilia, killing any of the three beasts would surely give them a much needed boost in the election.
The girl only tilted her head slightly, seemingly adhering to the principle of silence that Ainz set out for the other witches, 'How is she so old and yet so childish. They are all more than 400 years old, right? And here I am acting like an ancient being.'
"Well, I believe this has been a very productive consultation. I'll be on my way, unless there is something else?" he said, looking at Echidna. For now, this was plenty of information. There were still books in the Forbidden Library to fill him in, and besides, he could appear back here at any time.
"Why not take me along with you? You could store my soul in a pyroxene crystal, or use some other method if you'd like to." Echidna said. In theory, this was a tempting offer. Having a talking encyclopaedia available at any time would surely bring the Overlord many benefits.
However Ainz shook his head, "Unfortunately I will have to leave you here. The proximity to the body for long periods of time may impact resurrection." he lied. Besides the whole inability to eat, having just a skull for a face actually turned out to be very convenient.
'Having her nagging and asking about my magic constantly would be such a pain.'
"I see. In that ca-"
All the witches turned their heads towards the bottom of the hill. Stood there was a figure Ainz could have easily mistaken for Emilia, if not for the purple-black aura that surrounded her. Physically however, their features were nearly identical.
Echidna sighed, "At least it's Satella and not the Witch. Still, how rude to arrive uninvited. Even with all my preparations, she just barges in. Hmph! I should have expected nothing less."
Typhon greeted the Witch of Envy with a smile, the Witch of Sloth simply sighed, Carmilla shrank away, Daphne drooled even further, her face one of pure ecstasy, and Minerva clenched her fists.
Needless to say, the reaction was mixed, but they still abided by Ainz's order to remain silent. The choice between Death and the Witch of Envy was a tough one to make even for them, and there seemed to be no one volunteering to get caught in the crossfire.
Ainz looked to Echidna, "Satella rather than the Witch? Are they not the same person?" Last time he checked, the names were interchangeable and neither were spoken lightly.
The Witch of Greed shook her head, "No. You see, to get our authorities there is something we must consume called a Witch Factor. If we are not compatible with it, then problems may occur. One of those problems may be the creation of a split personality, such as in this case."
"I see." Ainz said, looking as the Witch made her way towards him. The veil of darkness that covered her face did little to obscure her face to Ainz and he thought, 'Hmm, it'll be hard to win the throne when Emilia looks exactly like her. Although I doubt that is just a coincidence.'
She finally made it to the top and lifted her veil. Ainz took the initiative, releasing some of his aura. Every witch besides Satella shivered as the cold embrace of death spread throughout the Castle of Dreams. "A pleasure to meet the one I presume to be behind my appearance. If I may ask, why choose me? Death is hardly what most people want to meet."
Satella pointed towards where his heart would be, making Ainz prepare to cast a variety of spells in response to any attack, but she simply said, "You are like me. Alone." Whatever Ainz expected as an answer, it wasn't this.
Something about that line struck a phantom nerve in Ainz's skull. He? Alone? Just like this Witch who had been sealed away for centuries? No… That simply wasn't comparable. Yes, his friends left but… But they had their reasons. He couldn't blame them. Besides, he still had Nazarick, right?
"I don't believe so. Death is everywhere, is it not? I accompany every living thing, and so in turn they accompany me." he said, hoping that his acting could fool the seventh witch as well. She was locked away for centuries, surely her personal skills must have been at least a bit rusty!
But instead of a look of awe or scorn, she looked at him with pity. Her smile was that of one who knew his pain, well and truly knew it, the way one does a childhood friend. "There is no need to lie." she said, her voice calm and serene, which only caused the winds of Ainz's soul to turn into a tempest.
More negative energy radiated off of Ainz as he answered, "I do not lie. Besides, the 41 of Ainz Ooal Gown are never alone, and we never know defeat." Not once had his guild had an unrecoverable setback! Who did this Witch think she was?! Facing off against the guild leader of one of the most infamous guilds YGGDRASIL had ever seen!
Once more, the only reaction his response drew was that of a small smile from the witch. Where one may have seen respect or fear, here it was only the kindred understanding of their suffering, "They left you. Like me."
The world shook when the Witch spoke, rumbling as the emotional suppressor desperately tried to keep the undead mage in check, but it was a futile effort. One can only try to suppress an endless tide for so long before they are overwhelmed.
More and more negative energy came off of the undead mage, radiating off of him like warmth from a fire. Where once was a brightly lit plain,now there was a dark abyss. It was as if Ainz absorbed all the light in this artificial world, the allconsuming grasp of death devouring it, 'This witch thinks she knows?! How!? And how dare she think so!?'
"You know nothing, you vile witch!" he said, the fires that served as his eyes blazing, "How dare you think you know of me and my friends?! I have never spoken with you, nor have I ever interacted with such filth! Do not speak of my friends and I as if you know us!"
But even in the face of death, an alien force dragged from beyond the Great Waterfall, the Witch didn't falter. In the midst of a storm of negative energy, the other witches taking cover with Sekhmet's authority, she didn't defend or lash out.
Perhaps it was because Ainz was holding back that she didn't have her form rot into a bloated mass and perish, or maybe it was because he knew she was right.
She reached out for his skull but when she was about to touch it, her hand fell clean off, the negative energy being far too much for her body. Yet it quickly regained its form from shadow, only to fall once more. The cycle repeated on and on, for what some may have felt like decades or more.
Yet again the Overlord and the Witch of Envy were separated by what seemed to be an impenetrable barrier, the barrier of Ainz's despair. The Witch lashed out at the world in the past, and now so did he. Luckily for the world however, this ungodly power was contained within the Castle of Dreams.
This time, however, the barrier wasn't as absolute as the Throne of Kings. Indeed, across this obstacle a few words could yet reach Ainz. As the land died and turned a horrid grey, as the sun was blotted out by the anger of the Overlord and dark clouds covered it, Satella spoke, "But you don't have to be."
The torrent of otherworldly power, so horrid that the very world would have cried out in anguish, stopped. The sun returned, the grass regrew, and the clouds retreated. It was as if Death had not swept through here but a few moments earlier.
Inside Ainz's eye sockets, the flames returned to their normal size, staring at Satella. "Elaborate." he commanded, his voice that of a born ruler, but the Witch recognized the quiver caused by the spark of hope she ignited in the Avatar of Death.
"I know your pain, and so do a select few. I can bring them here, and then you can kill me." she said, and Ainz stumbled backwards. His goal, the one he had set himself, could it already be in reach?
Would there be no heroic journey in which he faces insurmountable odds? Should the world not have united against Ainz's single minded pursuit? Was it really going to be so easy?
"Do you mean Nazarick?! You can truly bring them here?" he asked, to which she nodded. His emotional suppression finally caught up to him and he managed to maintain his calm, though hope and excitement burnt in his chest with a fury that would have put the sun to shame.
Then the second part of what the Witch had said reached his brain, "Wait, kill you? Why would I kill you after you do that? If you can do that then… then you can bring my friends here as well. Right?"
Satella shook her head, her cloak of darkness and silver hair briefly covering her face, "No. They have other connections, stronger ones to those they love. I'm sorry." There was genuine sadness and guilt in her voice, as if she blamed herself for her lack of ability. The hint of pity in it also didn't escape the Overlord.
Ainz clenched his fists, dark magic rising around them once more, but the storm calmed, replaced by a deathly calm breeze, "I see. I suppose there are no full miracles. Besides, I wouldn't want to drag Touch Me or anyone else away from their families." he said, recalling the pictures his guildmates had shown him.
Yet the joyous memory was quickly suppressed, replaced with pragmatism, but this time it was not so ruthless. Where once he may have created devious plans to capture the Witch and use her power for his own, now a much simpler idea bloomed in his mind.
He sighed heavily, the remnants of his suppressed emotions going with it, and said, "I will not kill you. If you manage to do what you say, then I will be in your debt. You've saved me from a miserable existence before, and you say you can do so again. My name would not be Ainz Ooal Gown if I didn't repay such kindness. Whether you like it or not, I will save you."
The Witch simply smiled at him, the exact same smile as Emilia.
"But how do I begin? What do I need to do to summon Nazarick and help you? My connection with it is as strong as it gets, is it not?" If this summoning was based on connections and the Witch was able to summon him because he lacked any connections to people in his life, then his connection to Nazarick would surely be plenty.
Satella nodded, "It is. But to summon what you love, you must first love yourself." He stood there, stunned by her cryptic words. Seeing this reaction, she proved to be as crafty as witches were supposed to be, planting a small kiss on Ainz's cheek. And with that, she disappeared.
Where once stood the greatest calamity this world had known, now there was nothing.
Ainz rubbed his cheek and stared into the freshly created void for a second, then he blinked, the fires in his eyes going out, and then they were lit once more, "What the hell does that mean!?" he yelled before a green aura engulfed him once more.
"I both hate and love this emotional suppression." he said softly, before turning around and seeing all the other witches cower on the other side of the plains. "Ah, I may have forgotten about them." Thankfully, they seemed to have enough common sense to move away from the torrent of death that was Ainz.
Satella's resistance to his aura was very impressive, though he wondered just what other kind of spells she could resist. Unfortunately for the other witches, they didn't have Satella's abilities and constitution, so they couldn't get front row seats to the show. Although, if one were to ask the shaking group if they would want them, only Echidna would say yes.
As he made their way towards them, he ruminated on what he was just told, "Love myself? Well, I don't hate myself, so I suppose that's a start. Still, she was so clear up until that point, so why did she have to hand me this riddle right at the end?!"
Still, the mystery at the heart of the Witch's words returned him to his days of YGGDRASIL. The quests there, especially the ones with the best rewards, tended to be both brutal and without any direction. Given that the reward for completing this was Nazarick, he knew it would be tough as nails, but he wouldn't have complained about a little more guidance.
"Is this what Coup De Grâce always talked about with "the mysteries of a woman"? I guess I should be thankful I'm immortal, this might take some time." he said, finally arriving at the place where the witches were hiding.
All of them, with the exception of Echidna, looked at him with fear in their eyes. Carmilla in fact looked like she cried during the incident. 'Well, making girls cry, even if she is a witch, certainly isn't the first step. Or at least I hope it isn't.'
The Witch of Greed, as expected, looked at him with fanatical eyes. Ainz could feel the barrage of questions incoming, probably alongside a few of the shadow hands of Sekhmet, so he took the initiative, "Echidna, the location of Satella's imprisonment wouldn't happen to be located in the Forbidden Library?"
Obligated by their recently forged pact, which in reality had no binding hold, she answered, "I'm sure it is. Most of my knowledge on magic and such topics is there after all."
'Ah, so the library saves me once again. Once I'm done with her I'll have to thank her.' he thought. If not for the library, he'd still probably be in the dark in this world.
Her mouth opened once more and Ainz practically saw the question manifest in this world. Unfortunately for the witch, Ainz's skills didn't lie only in combat, "In that case it has been a pleasure. I shall return once I am in need of your wisdom once more. [Gate]."
The magical portal opened and Ainz nearly sprinted through it. Behind him, as the magic was cancelled, he could have swore he heard an angry yell, followed by something being slammed into the ground.
"Well. That was… enlightening. [Gate]." he said, teleporting once more after quickly deciding that there was nothing left in Sanctuary that caught his eye. He would probably return here later, but for now the place held nothing of interest aside from the Witches, and he had sincerely had enough of those. They were an exhausting bunch.
It seemed that no time at all had passed since he left, although he guessed that that was simply the way a mental space such as the Castle of Dreams worked. Magic in this world was very curious, but sadly he had no gate, so he couldn't use it.
This time the gate opened in a spot he quickly found calling his favourite, a smaller, isolated gazebo on the edge of Roswaal's property. It was a quiet place, surrounded only by nature, and it was just what Ainz needed right now.
If not for his undead nature, he would have been tired to the point where just thinking would have been a chore. Alas, for now he could think about the situation, but a conversation may have proved to be a bit challenging.
Thankfully, this place was not often visited even by the maids, and thus Ainz could rest here without worry. "[Greater Create Item]." he said, pointing at the centre of the gazebo.
Yes, the structure was magnificently made, but the area to sit was still wooden. Nothing, and Ainz was quite sure of this assessment, could compare to throwing himself on top of a obsidian-black, velvet beanbag.
To see someone use magic so unique, so potentially life changing, to create a bean bag would have surely put several mages into a state of deep depression, but Ainz couldn't have cared less.
He fell onto it, face first, and sunk into it. All that was missing now was a can of cold beer taken straight from one of the dilapidated vending machines in his apartment block.
"Now that I think about it, I should have asked her if she could give me a human body." he mumbled, before coming to a much more reasonable conclusion, "Actually scratch that. I can't even start to ask how my classes would transfer over. I don't think beer is worth that headache."
After rotating himself to face the ceiling rather than have his skull stuck in the bean bag, he began his monologue. Venting to oneself out loud was a habit he had picked up in YGGDRASIL, when all his friends had already left. He shuddered at the thought that the NPCs that would be brought here would remember his embarrassing venting and RP.
"Love myself… What the hell does that mean?! It's not like I hate myself! I was always kinda… there. I went to work, I played YGGDRASIL and I slept. There's nothing to hate there, except maybe the work but that's not me!"
He sat silent for a second before he said the part that lingered on his mind, "But there's nothing to love either…"
"What does it mean to love?" Philosophers of the past would have nodded sagely at Ainz's words, beginning the discussion on a topic that seemingly had no definite answer.
"Man, I wish Tabula was here. He always knew about philosophical things like this. Maybe he'd tell me some occult ritual to do…"
Ainz sat up straight, an effect ruined by him sinking into the bean bag once more, "Maybe I should try to be like someone I idolised? I can't exactly love myself romantically, so maybe that's the way I should go?"
But the question remained, who should he try to be like?
Who did he truly look up to?
Who could Ainz say he truly wanted to be like?
There was only one answer to this question. Touch Me. For the entire guild, even for Ulbert, the stalwart paladin was the father figure. As much as some would hate to admit it, everyone looked up to him.
He was successful, kind, and a pillar of justice. Of course, Ainz could never be Touch Me. They were fundamentally different, especially now that Ainz was undead. But there was one thing Ainz could take from Touch Me.
The wish for a better world.
In his original world, he was just another slave to the system and, despite his better payed job as a police officer, Touch Me was as well. Here, however, Ainz had power, more power than most could dream of.
And with the anticipated arrival of his beloved guild base, one filled by heteromorphs that suffered unending discrimination in YGGDRASIL, he knew what he had to do.
From the reading concerning the history of Lugnica, Ainz knew there was a history of discrimination here, quite an extensive one at that. He could have said something like "I will create a better world!" and announce it to the world, but he found such behaviour way too cringe.
Instead he decided to focus on how to do it, and how to learn to love himself in the process. As the gears of his undead mind spun, he saw a silver half-elf on the horizon, walking towards him, and the first steps of his plan solidified in his mind.
But these were thoughts for another time and he discarded them for now. Maybe there was a much simpler solution to the riddle laid out by the Witch, one he could discover along the way. Alas, his mind for now was made.
Yet, there was no rush for him. He was immortal after all. Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to immerse himself in this world a bit more? Surely no one could replace his old friends, but making new ones didn't mean they would replace his old ones.
Nazarick was out there, somewhere, and it was only a matter of time until it was here. During this time, in his quest to fulfil the Witch's condition, a little companionship wouldn't hurt.
Such thoughts ran through his mind as Emilia ran towards him. He had to admit, the innocent young girl had begun to grow on him. Whether it was because of her resemblance to Touch Me and her noble goal, or whether it was simply due to her personality, he didn't know.
However, such things didn't matter. He didn't ever ruminate on why he liked his friends, he just did. Would it truly hurt to accept a similar philosophy here?
The sting from the fact that his friends wouldn't join him here still lingered, but their absence was something he had already come to terms with back in YGGDRASIL.
He was here and they weren't. That was the simple truth of the matter. There were other people here, however, people like Emilia.
When she ran up to him and was about to say something, Ainz spoke first, "Emilia, I'll make sure you win the throne."
The girl seemed to be stunned for a second, and would have been even more so if she heard what Ainz silently thought to himself, 'Not only because of Touch Me, but because of you as well.'
Emilia shook her head slightly and said, "Okay? That was kind of out of the blue." She then bent forward and looked at Ainz, her gaze stirn, "But you've got some explaining to do! You ran off God knows where and next thing I know Roswaal tells me you're meeting with a witch? I'm glad you're alright, but pleeease tell me next time!"
Ainz created another bean bag next to his own and motioned for her to sit, before chuckling and saying, "I'm sorry, Emilia. I'll be sure to do so next time, but you should know that no witch is a match for me."
"But what if the Witch of Envy showed up? I don't know exactly how strong you are, but no one could kill her!" she said, throwing her arms up in the air to emphasise her point.
"Well, I don't exactly know how a fight between the two of us would go, but I've had the pleasure of speaking to Satella, along with six other witches. Surprisingly, I believe I came out ahead there." Seeing Emilia's bewildered expression, he quickly elaborated, "Satella and the Witch of Envy are two separate entities, so don't worry."
Emilia's eyes looked as if they were about to fall out of her head, but she seemed to recover after a while, "I see. Who else did you meet?"
"I mostly talked with the Witch of Greed. She was cooperative, as were the other ones. But enough about them, they were about what you would expect. Once again, I'm sorry I made you worry." he said, reaching over and ruffling her hair with his hand.
She gave him a smile, one that dispelled the remnants of darkness from his talks with the witches, and she said, "A knight is supposed to not leave his liege's side, you know?"
Somehow, she could tell Ainz smiled at her remark, "And I won't make that mistake again, your highness…"
(AN from Edgy: The weekend came and I sat down and decided to write a bit, so here's the new chapter. Hand over the reviews. Do it. As always, more to come and I hope you've enjoyed the story so far!)
(AN from Aterro: Hello dear readers from near and far, I am once again overjoyed by your support and the lovely reviews you have posted. The feedback is appreciated and I look forward to reading more of them since there are many more chapters to come.)
Now, we shall answer some of these reviews.
Black Star EX
No we do not plan to write lemons, Edgy simply does not wish to write lemons and I do not find myself skilled enough to write them. Who knows, maybe I'll accept commissions in the far future, but we refuse to write anything that would sully a father daughter relationship Ainz and Emillia have. - Aterro.
Yea, I'm not a lemon writer. However, should someone decide to commission me, the situation may change. Alas, no such offers exist at the moment. - Edgy
distinctivelegion
The royal selection events will happen in V2 so look forward to it. - Aterro
Yep, V2 is on the horizon, so just a bit more and we'll be there. - Edgy
The Based Department
Roswaal was not nerfed, the spells he uses are portrayed as realistically as possible, also we do not see how anyone could dodge a Grasp Heart ? - Aterro