[Chapter 3: Secrets And Seals]
"Are you sure you want to do this? I presume I can forcefully break the barrier should the worst come to worst, but there always exists a chance that you'll be stuck there until you beat the trials." Ainz said as Emilia looked up at him.
"I will get through them, Ainz. Trust me." she said, her eyes blazing with determination.
"Fine. Know that I believe in you, Emilia. [Greater Teleportation]."
The two found themselves in the cave where Ainz guessed the trials were supposed to begin, and Emilia immediately went limp.
Ainz caught her before she could impact the floor, using [Create Greater Item] to make a mattress for her. "I suppose that makes sense. It is the Castle of Dreams, so I presume she has to be asleep. In that case Echidna must be…"
He opened up a [Gate] leading to the realm he normally would not be able to breach, finding the same and by now familiar green landscape.
"Ainz? I was just getting the trials ready for that stupid ha-"
"Echidna." Ainz interrupted her and walked up to the Witch until he loomed over her, akin to the blade of a guillotine above a noble, "You will be kind to her, yes?"
"As if. Why would I-" the arrogant Witch began, but her confidence evaporated the second a black flame touched a part of her sleeve.
She jumped back, trying to get rid of it as it ate away at a part of her dress. Instead of reappearing as it typically would in her realm, the sleeve simply remained ruined.
Both curiosity and fear swirled in her eyes as she looked at Ainz, barely stopping herself from exclaiming a thousand ancient curses at the source of her pain.
"As easily as I can bring you back, I can also ensure the opposite result." the Overlord calmly said, the remaining flames in his hand fading away, "This is not the time for you to play your games and live up to the moniker of a Witch, understand?"
"I-I see. Would you like to observe the trials then? And perhaps tell me of that flame? Dare I say, it hurt like hell."
"You can begin them without me. First there is something I would like to see in the village." Ainz answered, a weird glow overtaking him for but a second.
"Being marked as an Apostle of Greed will help in whatever it is you are investigating, since chances are it is my handiwork." Echidna said as Ainz opened up a portal.
"I'll see you in just a moment." the undead mage said, stepping through the portal and leaving behind the immaterial realm.
The second the Overlord returned to the material world, he sighed. "God, why does she have to be the judge?"
Out of all the Witches he had met, with perhaps the exception of Envy, Echidna was probably the worst match. Cold, calculating, and so curious that she would undoubtedly try to push Emilia's limits to the brink and past it.
"Hopefully that threat will keep her in check…"
This was not the time for Emilia to be psychologically tortured, not that such a time existed, and so Ainz hoped his ominous figure intimidated the Witch enough. Then again, common sense seemed to be alien to all of the Witches he had met, with the odd exception of Satella.
At least he knew his act of a scary Overlord was pretty good, at least judging by the initial reaction. However, now he would have no need of an intimidating aura.
As he exited the cave, he mumbled to himself, "What did Otto want me to look into? The status of this village? It's pretty far to be used as a trade hub, but I guess he knows better."
The second he stepped out of the ruined temple, he was met with a familiar sight, one so familiar that it was in fact confusing.
What he saw before him was the young half-elf he briefly interacted with beforehand, except this time there were two identical versions of her on each side.
Ainz attempted to rub his eyes, instead having his fingers go straight into his skull. 'Oh, yea, I almost forgot about my lack of eyes…' he thought to himself, gracelessly attempting to recover from the awkward action.
"I am immune to nearly all illusion spells, and yet there are three of you. Would you be so kind as to explain?" Ainz asked, walking up to the girls.
Without so much as flinching at seeing Ainz's intimidating appearance, the one in the middle said, "Of course, Apostle of Greed. I am Arma, and these are Bilma and Delma. We are copies of Ryuzu Meyer, made by the Witch of Greed to guard this place.
'Okay, I appreciate the exposition. I guess this is due to that Apostle of Greed thing Echidna mentioned.' Ainz thought to himself, overlooking the three half-elves, 'Clones, huh. Could be useful, especially if I could use their bodies for summoning undead afterwards. I'll have to remember that for after I resurrect Echidna, though if they are based on what appears to be a child… Never mind.'
"I see, and why is it that you have come to greet me? Aside from me becoming an Apostle of Greed that is."
"We believe there is someone trying to free the Sanctuary that came with you, someone who is trying to complete the trials." the one who introduced herself as Alma said.
"You aren't wrong, but that has little to do with me. I only brought Emilia here for her own sake. You've nothing to thank me for." Ainz answered.
"Nevertheless, we would like to offer our thanks to both you and her when she succeeds." the clone replied.
'At least they believe in her.'
"I see no harm in it, and I appreciate your thanks, as undeserved as they are. If you'll excuse me, I-"
Something lightly tapped against Ainz, prompting him to turn to the side and find the partially demihuman boy he had previously met. If memory served, the young man was named Garfiel.
'Now that I think about it, his colour scheme is a bit off but not too far from that one comic. Hmm, whoever made this world must have had some sort of knowledge about Earth.'
Sadly, deliberations about the creator of this world would have to wait, as the boy was rushing towards him with his fists raised.
"I probably should have put my mask on… I'm getting careless." Ainz mumbled to himself, "Come on, young man. I mean you no harm. After all, we've met before."
"Shut it, monster!" Garfiel yelled, reaching Ainz and throwing a punch aimed directly at the Overlord's skull.
The undead mage didn't bother dodging it, letting his passive do the work and stop the blow before it could ever reach him.
"It's really quite impolite to welcome a returning visitor like this. We parted on good terms, didn't we?" Ainz asked, lazily smacking Garfiel's hand away.
"I told you to shut up! You won't hurt anyone 'ere, you 'ear me?!" the boy called out, his assault relentless and his force impressive.
"Truly, I am glad to see that you take your role as the defender of this place so seriously, but my intentions for this place are not harmful at all. In fact, my companion is trying to free this place."
Garfiel's attacks stopped for a brief moment, his eyes widening.
'Finally I got through to him. What's with all the young people in this world and being terribly stubborn? Actually, maybe that's just how teenagers are?'
Just as Ainz thought progress was made, the boy's attacks resumed with twice the fury behind them. His nails became claws and the very earth's power seemed to seep into him, though it still wasn't enough to break the barrier between him and Ainz.
'Okaaay, that seemed to strike a nerve. I'm no therapist, but I'm guessing he isn't a fan of the outside world. Well, not like I'll let him stop Emilia.'
Garfiel jumped back, finally understanding that his attacks were less than useless, and his entire body started to shift. Fur covered it and he grew into a being that could only be described as a tiger beastman. It would be a terrifying sight, if not for the fact that it was Ainz who he was facing.
'Wasn't that cat described as fat? Why is he so muscular now? Whoever made this really just took half of the puzzle.'
Ainz glanced to his side and spotted an odd twinkle in the eyes of the half-elven clones. For whatever odd reason, they hadn't interfered, perhaps because he hadn't ordered them to, but they looked on with worry. That worry was not aimed at Ainz, but rather Garfiel.
'Do they really think I'll butcher this boy? Well, maybe in a different world I would have, but he poses no threat to me.'
The massive claws of his adversary impacted Ainz once more, glancing off and not reaching the Overlord.
"Let me ask you this, Garfiel, why do you not want the barrier lifted? Wouldn't you like to be free?" he asked, ignoring the blows.
What he received as an answer was another slash and a series of angry grunts.
"This is going nowhere… [Paralysis]."
The massive beast stopped mid swing, falling to the ground, now more akin to a wooden doll than anything else.
Ainz walked up to the fallen Garfiel, looking down at the beast. "Your efforts to harm me will not result in anything more than chipped nails for you. Still, I understand how it is to want to protect your home, thus I forgive your transgression. We can talk this out in a civilised manner."
He waited for a minute, making sure that the words actually sunk into the beastman's brain, only then lifting the spell.
Slowly, the boy returned to his original form, taking a few steps away from Ainz as soon as he could.
"Monster." he spat.
"I've been called worse." Ainz answered, shrugging, "Now tell me, why is it that you are so insistent on keeping the barrier up?"
Garfield crossed his arms and glared at the undead, "Why the 'ell would I tell you?"
'This is still not going anywhere… Well, they say not to poke the sleeping tiger, but this one is awake, so I might as well. Hmm, what could have caused such an attitude?'
Family was always a good guess… Perhaps a childhood friend abandoned him and left? Ooh, maybe it was something to do with the trials! Echidna surely knew how to push the buttons of anyone and everyone that engaged with her.
"Are you simply afraid of the trials? There's no need to worry about those. My companion will surely complete them."
Garfiel scoffed, "As if. Nobody can complete 'em."
"And how would you know? Have you tried your hand at them?" the Overlord pressed, finding an avenue that may just lead him somewhere.
"I… Uh-"
"You speak of defending this place, yet you can't even face your past? How about you prove that you are strong, prove that you can defend this place even when it is free. What is a warrior that can't even face himself?" Ainz asked, following a golden rule once taught to him by Yamiko:
'When in doubt, appeal to a teenager's ego.'
As expected of the advice given by a former teacher, it seemed to work, and sparks of determination became a roaring flame in the eyes of Garfiel.
"You know what, monster? I will! I'll show you! But I'm still not letting you lift the barrier! I'm only doin' it to show you that I'm stronger than you!" Garfiel said, marching past Ainz and towards the temple.
"Well… That was… easier than expected." Ainz mumbled to himself, "And I guess it's about time for me to watch Emilia's trials. Hmm, I wonder if I'll get to see Garfiel's as well."
He conjured up a [Gate] stepping through it, hoping to find that Echidna's little game had not gone too far.
ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ
"Welcome back, Ainz." came the pleasant voice of the Witch of Greed, "On one side we have Emilia's trials, and on the other we have that boy who just entered. Which one would you like to see first?"
"Emilia's." Ainz immediately answered. The boy could wait, and his trials most likely wouldn't ever affect the Overlord. However, for some strange reason, fate seemed to have weaved an intricate story with Emilia at its centre. If there was a better way to look into the past and find out anything that could be useful, he didn't know one.
"As you wish." Echidna said, the environment around them shifting, "I took the liberty of already dealing with her trials of the future and present, as unorthodox as it is. Frankly, I expected her to have more trouble with those…"
"You shouldn't underestimate her." Ainz muttered, looking on as a forest manifested before him, alongside a fully grown Emilia and what appeared to be a child version of the half-elf. "I presume she can't see us?"
"Not unless you want me to make it possible, though I believe it's best for her to face this alone." Ainz glanced at the Witch, who merely shrugged, "It's her past to face, not yours. If you wish for a trial of your own, I'd be happy to grant it, if such a thing even is possible for one like you."
"Point taken."
Deciding not to argue any further with Echidna, Ainz instead focused on his surroundings. It seemed like a very cosy room carved out in what seemed to be a tree.
"It's not as spacious as the one on the sixth floor, but I suppose it isn't bad either…" he muttered to himself.
"Sixth floor?" Echidna asked, sending a puzzled look Ainz's way.
"Of Nazarick, my old home. We had a place very similar to this back in the day, made by a good friend of mine. It was much more spacious though." Ainz answered, watching as both the child Emilia and her older version exited the room.
He followed behind them, finding that they were indeed in a luscious forest. There seemed to be a few paths through the thicket, where elves went about their day.
"Elves… I presume this is the Elior Forest I heard about?"
"You presume correctly, though this place is now frozen over thanks to your little candidate. Just watch."
Both Emilia's seemed to follow a spirit, leading them away on what could be considered an adventure by a child. Down small drops, next to a stream, until the young Emilia slipped on a root and fell onto a main road.
As Ainz caught up, he heard the older Emilia's trembling voice, "G-Geuse?" she tentatively asked, as if unsure of her own words.
In front of the young half-elf, with tears streaming down his face, was a man with a stunning resemblance to the recently deceased Archbishop of Sloth.
'I suppose being an archbishop has its perks, longevity among them.'
Once more, it seemed that the Witch Cult was connected to Emilia in more ways than just worship of a figure that resembled her.
Ainz sighed, "Let me guess, he becomes her quasi-father figure?"
"You are once again correct. How did you know?"
"I've seen this type of trope before."
"Fair enough." Echidna said as another figure entered the scene, an elf that bore quite a bit of resemblance to Emilia herself; white hair and amethyst eyes seemed to hint at a genetic link between the two, but he could only speculate.
"She's not her actual mother. Her mother was human." interjected Echidna, "And by the Gods she could be annoying."
"You knew her?"
"Of course. Who do you think made Puck for Emilia in the first place?"
"I didn't expect you to have such compassion for her."
Echidna scoffed, "I was only repaying an old debt. Once a deal is made, I keep my word."
Time slowly passed, and Ainz silently observed as Emilia gazed at the sight with obvious nostalgia and melancholy.
'Killing her father figure… Simply great, Ainz. I've outdone myself this time… Then again, how could I have known?!'
Fate really seemed to be even more of a bitch than karma.
Emilia stood strong despite that, pushing on and reliving the memories that had been locked away.
Apparently Petelguese was the leader of the moderate wing of the Witch Cult, if such a thing could even exist, and brought supplies to the elves of the Elior Forest, having some mysterious connection to both Fortuna, the surrogate mother of Emilia, and Emilia herself.
These were the happy memories, and even Ainz could manage an ethereal smirk when the archbishop awkwardly flirted with Fortuna.
'What happened to him to make him go so crazy? I'm guessing I'll find out here, but still… He seems like a nice guy, even if he's a nice guy in a weird cult.'
Eventually, however, the good times had to end, and when Fortuna, Petelguese, and Emilia were walking, two figures appeared in front of them.
"I have a notice that will be important in but a moment." Echidna said, "I will try to recreate what Emilia doesn't see to the best of my abilities, but in the end it is only speculation, so keep that in mind."
Ainz nodded and looked at the two figures. One was an average man dressed in white and with hair of the same colour. Immediately, Ainz felt an instinctive dislike for him, most likely stemming from the 'holier-than-thou' expression on his face.
Next to him stood a pale child with white hair and only a loose nightgown-like dress over her. She had a calm, eerie expression, one which immediately alarmed Ainz.
"That is Pandora, the Witch of Vainglory. As you'll see, dealing with her can be… tricky." Echidna said, "And the other is Regulus Corneas, the one who represents my very own sin."
"Greed… Let us see what they can do then."
Echidna nodded and the scene before them began to unfold, with Petelguese stepping in front of Emilia and Fortuna. "Run." he simply said, Fortuna grabbing her adopted daughter by the hand and listening to the young archbishop.
"Hey, hey! Who do you think is letting you get away?! You know, I'm not actually very greedy, I'm quite generous in fact. If you would have just asked me, I would have maybe let you go. I would have thought about it actually, probably let you make your case, but noooo, you just had to run away. Great! You're infringing on my rights, you know? It's my right to have you hear me out after I came all the way here!" Regulus began, waving his hand and sending a massive shockwave in front of him.
Thankfully, Emilia and Fortuna dodged in the nick of time, prompting an even larger frown to appear on Regulus' face. "You know, that one was quite pretty as well. She could be my next wife, and it is my right to have her as my wife. Hypothetically, she could reject me, but she would never. In fact, sh-"
"That's enough, Regulus." Pandora calmly stated, "We can catch up with them still. You will lead us to them, of course." The Witch looked at Petelguese the way one may at a stray dog, her gaze distant and cold.
"Never!" the young archbishop answered, taking a small box out of his coat. "Forgive me." he briefly muttered before ingesting the contents of it.
The second the Witch Factor entered his body, he howled in pain, his body contorting and barely withstanding the pain.
'Hmm, I presume he wasn't compatible with it, the same way Satella wasn't with hers… It would at least explain the complete insanity.' Ainz thought to himself, glancing from time to time to see how Emilia was holding up. To his pleasant surprise, not even a single tear manifested in her eyes, a stalwart expression on her face instead.
"From here I am speculating, but you can take their displays of power as accurate." Echidna said as several hands appeared from behind Petelguese, launching themselves at Regulus.
One grabbed his head, twisting it 180 degrees, yet the man's neck only rearranged itself without a care in the world.
'Total immunity? No… There must be some sort of trick to it.'
"Echidna, what is Regulus' authority? It was yours in the past, right?"
The Witch of Greed shook her head, "Not in the same form of his, unfortunately. I truly have no idea."
"I see…" Ainz muttered, returning to his speculation as the two duked it out.
'Regulus can send out shockwaves that deal damage and seems to be immune to any physical harm.' he noted, 'He doesn't seem too troublesome then. Even if he is immune to physical harm, instant death should still work.'
Physical immunity meant little to Ainz. As long as the man wasn't undead or a golem, he would die to his magic. In the worst case, if he was immune to even that, there were several cards the Overlord could put into play that would secure his victory.
The skirmish waged on as Regulus' power ripped the environment to shreds, until Pandora said from the side lines, "Alright, that is enough."
"But Lady Pandora-" began Regulus, only to be cut off.
"Regulus was at home pleasing his wives." Pandora said, causing Regulus to disappear from view.
'Forced teleportation? No…' Ainz thought to himself, looking around. The ground Regulus had torn apart, even the damage he had inflicted upon Petelguese was gone. 'Time manipulation. Advanced but nothing that should overcome my resistances.' the undead mage concluded.
"Well then, I will be on my way to visit young Emilia before the Black Serpent gets to her." Pandora said, disappearing from view as Petelguese gave chase.
Echidna snapped her fingers, bringing Ainz and herself next to Emilia, who was currently in a field that was being circled by a pool of poison.
Ainz quickly glanced at the Witch of Greed who merely shook her head, "I'm sure you can see through the illusion of the Black Serpent, but I couldn't. Even I can't replicate what I don't know."
"Fair enough."
Ainz looked towards the centre of the clearing, which up until this point he had neglected. Standing there, alone and isolated, was a double door made out of dark wood, which shimmered in a way closer to obsidian than the actual material it seemed to be made of.
"Even I don't know what's behind there." Echidna said, "But whatever it is, I doubt it'd be a wise choice to let it fall into Pandora's hands."
"On that we agree." Ainz answered, the gears in his head spinning at an unprecedented pace.
If Pandora had the power to manipulate time, or shift reality, or whatever it is that she did, and even with all of that ability, she still couldn't open this door. Judging by the fact that she was slowly nudging Emilia in its direction, it was the silver half-elf that held the mysterious key.
'What in the world could be behind there? The Witch of Envy? No… She's imprisoned somewhere else, or this place would actually be guarded properly. A weapon? But then why would Emilia hold the key? Something is wrong here, very wrong.'
Whatever was behind that door, chances were that it was quite literally worldchanging. For all Ainz knew, it could be something beyond even the most broken of World Items that the devs had created.
Protecting Emilia was already one of his objectives, but it seemed that guarding this place would have to be added to the list. Let sleeping dogs lie and all that.
'Still, I don't think Emilia was too well-protected before now, so why hasn't Pandora reappeared? Has she learned what's behind that door?'
Anxiety, something that should be alien to the undead, slowly welled up in Ainz's heart. The unknown always hid the greatest dangers; he, as a YGGDRASIL player, knew that better than nearly anyone else.
'I doubt anything below an Elemental Skull could deal with Pandora, but I don't have the corpses for that… In the worst case I'll have to deal with it myself, if the Death Assassins prove insufficient.'
He looked at the young Emilia, a key materialising in her hand as Pandora nudged her towards the sealed door.
"If you open it, everything will be alright." the Witch of Vainglory whispered.
Emilia appeared to hesitate for a brief moment, until Petelguese and Fortuna exited the little bit of treeline that the Black Serpent had left alone, most likely on Pandora's order.
Yet before Ainz nor the adult Emilia could fully take in the new circumstances, a hand of the Authority of Sloth pierced Fortuna's chest.
Young Emilia called out to her adoptive mother, while her older counterpart silently fell to her knees.
Ainz instinctively reached out to comfort the girl but stopped himself before he could break the illusion provided by Echidna.
'She's strong enough.' he reminded himself, adopting a neutral stance once more. The most he could do for now was be confident in the future queen's strength of will.
"Do you not trust her abili-" Echidna began, her hand suddenly being consumed by black flame.
"Not the time for this, Witch." the Overlord reminded her, the Witch's taunting replaced by a brief, agonising scream as part of her soul burnt away; Ainz cancelling the spell not a second later before the spell dealt too much lasting damage.
Without missing a beat, he returned his focus back to the scene in front of them just in time to see Pandora snapped her fingers, dispelling the illusion Petelguese had been under, snapping his mind as well.
He began muttering and gibbering like the madman Ainz had slain.
"My love… I did it for love."
"Yes, yes you did. And love is the most important, right? You need to embrace her love." Pandora whispered in his ear, causing only further madness to swirl in the archbishop's eyes.
After a few seconds, seemingly satisfied with the results, she snapped her fingers and Petelguese disappeared.
"Now then…" Pandora stated, slowly walking up to Emilia, "Could you please open that door?"
As an answer to her question, Pandora received an icicle through the skull. Again and again, her body was mangled by icy magics that no child should have been capable of.
Her body was frozen still as a statue, her insights splattered across the now-snow covered landscape, and yet the Witch reappeared each time, the same serene expression on her face.
'Automatic resurrection? Thank fuck I have a counter for that, or fighting her would be a pain in the ass.' Ainz thought to himself, thanking his lucky stars that his build could deal with even such a thing.
After a minute of this song and dance, the entire area seemed to be covered in snow, blood, and the discarded corpses of Pandora.
"Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die!" the childish Emilia repeatedly called out, the very icy magic she used slowly freezing her own body.
Pandora nonchalantly walked up to the girl, saying, "Unfortunately for you, I will not die, and we will meet again, as sure as the glacial period ends and the snow melts. However, it would make me sad if you still hated me, so forget me, okay?"
'Memory manipulation. Troublesome, but not uncounterable…' Ainz calmly thought to himself as young Emilia's eyes shot open and the effect took place.
With those parting words, Pandora walked away, disappearing into the sea of trees that surrounded the area as Emilia was entirely frozen over.
'Impressive cryomancy. It's almost as if someone used [Creation].' the Overlord commented to himself, looking at the frozen landscape, 'It's a shame about the drawback. Perhaps with more time she will be able to perform such feats without freezing herself.'
The young Emilia appeared to be frozen in a crystal, and Ainz was truly curious as to how she got out of there. His best guess was that it was Puck's doing, but at this point it really could have been anything.
"What now?" he asked Echidna, "Are the trials over? You did do the other two while I was gone, right?"
"Indeed, I did. Now all that's left is for me to assess whether she has truly moved on." Echidna said, pointing to the still kneeling grown up Emilia, "But judging by that, her chances are slim."
"Do not underestimate her resolve."
"I won't, but only if you let me do my job."
"Within limits."
"Of course." Echidna answered, making her way over to the half-elf. It seemed that Emilia could now feel the Witch's presence, turning around to face her.
Echidna's eyes widened for but a moment. Yes, sadness did taint her fair visage, but more so than that, the Witch of Greed saw anger. To her limited knowledge of the half-elf, she was never one prone to such things.
"What's with the scary face?" Echidna asked, "Not ready to move on yet?"
Her taunt appeared to fall on deaf ears as Emilia wiped the remaining tears away, "Get me out of here. The trial is over, right?"
'I have a bad feeling about this…' Ainz thought to himself, watching his liege's cold reaction. On one hand it was understandable, given that she just saw everything she used to love be destroyed in front of her, but perhaps she picked up one too many habits from him as well.
The Witch of Greed sighed, seeing that there would be no enjoyment to gather from this song and dance, said, "Fine. You pass. I'd best not see you again so soon." Not a second later, Emilia form disappeared from there.
"Care to watch that boy's trial as well?" she asked, turning back to the Overlord, finding that he was already gone. "How rude…" she mumbled, "Well, I suppose I should get started."
ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ
Emilia didn't bother standing up, only inching towards the wall and putting her back against it. The second she returned to her body, tears began to stream down her face.
As important as acting strong in front of the Witch of Greed was, she wasn't like Ainz. There were circumstances where she would falter, times where her mask would crack, and times where memories cut deeper than any blade.
"Geuse, Fortuna…" she quietly sobbed, pulling knees up to her chest and putting her head against them, as if to hide from the world.
Yet before misery could fully take over her heart, a familiar, skeletal hand gently touched her shoulder.
She responded by stretching her arms out, receiving the hug she so desperately needed.
"It'll be alright, Emilia. We'll get back at them, alright? Just… let me do the dirty work." Ainz said, moving away from the girl after a second lest his thoughts of violence accidentally unleash one of his destructive passives.
"Mhm." Emilia answered, "But… Please let me unfreeze the forest myself. I know you could do it, and-"
Ainz raised his hand, interrupting the girl that was now looking up at him, "I understand. It is your responsibility, and certainly not something I would take away from you. For now, go tell the people that they are free. The barrier should be lifted by now. I have one more thing to deal with when it comes to Echidna."
"Does it have something to do with him?" Emilia asked, pointing to the body of Garfiel that was around the entrance to the circular chamber.
Ainz sighed, seeing that the boy's bravado barely carried him even here, "It does… Now go. I'll be with you in a moment."
Emilia nodded, walking out of the dimly lit chamber and towards the light of day.
The Overlord meanwhile opened another [Gate] to the Castle of Dreams. This time it wasn't a sense of duty or friendship that propelled him to view the trial. No, it was simple curiosity. As much disgust as he felt watching Emilia's past, he still managed to keep a level head.
This boy meanwhile was far from Emilia on Ainz's personal list of favourite characters, being merely a nuisance. There were two things that could possibly result from this trial; it would either entertain the undead mage, or he could possibly glean some information on the past from it.
It could also be neither or both, but that was now in fate's cruel hands.
ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ
"Just in time. We're just getting to the meat of it all." Echidna said, "Though I won't bother with anything more than his past, since the barrier is already lifted."
"That's fine. After all, I am only here out of idle curiosity. I'm sure you can sympathise with that."
"Naturally. A fair maiden such as myself would know of indulging herself in such pleasures. Alas, this one isn't quite as fresh to me." the Witch answered, her face twisting in boredom.
Ainz looked at the scene ahead of him. It appeared to be the Sanctuary, or at least some area near it.
A carriage rode down an old path, in the front of it being a blond human woman who appeared to be perhaps in her late twenties.
Garfiel stared at her with his eyes wide open, as if afraid she could disappear at any moment.
And then it happened.
The rocks trembled and a landslide wrecked the carriage, leaving what Ainz guessed to be Garfiel's mother as nothing more than a pool of blood and guts smeared across the trail.
As the boy shouted in anger and uttered curses that sounded archaic even to Ainz's limited knowledge, a twinge of pity struck the Overlord's nonexistent heart.
He knew how it was to lose one's mother; after all, he had been orphaned in his teens as well.
However, something was still wrong. 'This isn't adding up, He didn't see this as a child, did he?'
"Echidna, how come he remembers this? You are reconstructing this from his memory, yes?"
"I am only making him see what he believes happened." the Witch answered.
"So you are tormenting him with something that maybe didn't even happen…"
"That's one way to put it." Echidna answered, "I have to live up to my title at least sometimes."
Ainz sighed, deciding to intervene. Torment for torment's sake was nothing but distasteful. "Let me deal with the aftermath of your actions." he said, stepping forward.
"Why the 'ell are you here, monster?!" yelled Garfiel, not turning around to face the being which goaded him into this in the first place. The lack of a stench, as if there was nothing but a void, already told him who this was, and it certainly didn't make things any better.
"I knew not to come back 'ere! I knew I'd 'ave to see it again!" he called out, hitting the ground with all the force his human form could muster.
"Is that all you are going to do? Sit here and lament something that you only believe to have happened?" Ainz asked.
"Shut up!"
"No, I don't think I will. Instead, tell me why you are so certain of your mother's demise? Did you see her body with your own eyes? How can you be so sure? Unfortunately for you, you are far from omniscient."
Garfiel glanced over his shoulder at the figure of death, not making the effort to engage in another brawl, "Then why didn't she come back?! You got some clever answer to that, asshole!?"
'Hmm, beastmen aren't exactly looked favourably upon, but they are still fine in Lugnica… This'll hurt, but it's the best I can do.'
"Have you considered that she simply didn't plan to return? I've seen how people abandon their own; who's to say she was any different? Perhaps dragging around a hybrid like you was too much for her?"
"No!" Garfiel yelled, "She… She wouldn't!"
Ainz walked forward until he was right next to the boy, looking down at him and with his flaming eyes tearing their way to his very soul. "Face reality, Garfiel. Your mother left you, and she never planned on coming back.
The beastman opened his mouth for a second, yet no words left his throat.
"However, that isn't exactly a reason for despair." Ainz said, crouching down to be on the same level as the boy, "She's been gone for how long? A year? Two? Five? A decade, even? Yet you've turned out fine. Why cling on to a woman who left you when you have everyone in Sanctuary?"
"Sh-"
"Yes, she's your mother, but is she the one to raise you? Just like you have protected those in Sanctuary, who protected you? Certainly not her." Ainz said standing back up, "Don't you think it's about time for both you and those in this place to forge your own destinies? You've protected them for long enough, and stagnation leads to nothing but death. If your mother left you to rot here, you must show her that you still live."
He extended his skeletal hand to Garfiel, only for the boy to slap it aside and stand up on his own. "I don't need your help!" Garfiel dismissively said, wiping away what remained of his tears, "But, you know… Maybe you're onto somethin'."
'That's the spirit.' Ainz thought to himself, his smile remaining only known to him thanks to his physiology.
"Say, you seem pretty important. Mind if I tag along?"
"Looking to forge a legend of your own? Fine then. Dare I say your level of strength is more than suitable. Once you get out of here, find me outside." Ainz answered, turning to what Garfiel saw as nothing more than thin air, "Echidna, if you'd please."
In an instant, Garfiel disappeared from sight, leaving the Witch and Overlord alone once more.
"I never took you for one with such a large heart." she said, remaking the landscape to her preferred green plains.
"It was simply the most efficient way to remove an obstacle." Ainz said, "My mana is worth more than my words."
Three birds, one stone. Efficiency was the name of the game in YGGDRASIL, and he certainly took that lesson to heart. Not only would Garfiel not stand in his way, now he had yet another powerful ally. Despite the boy being just a teenager, his strength would have a chance at putting even a Death Knight on the defensive.
Lastly, and maybe this was simply from overexposure to Emilia's kind heart, letting the boy wallow in misery and uncertainty just didn't seem right. Sure, perhaps he lied to the boy, but at least for now he had a purpose.
If his mother was indeed alive and some extraordinary set of circumstances absolved her of guilt, then so be it, but Ainz was pretty confident in his theory.
"Of course, I should have expected as much." Echidna mumbled, "In that case, I suppose this is goodbye for now?"
"Yes. I have some urgent business to attend to, after all. Goodbye, Echidna." Ainz said, teleporting away immediately, foregoing even the theatrical value of a [Gate].
The second he appeared next to Emilia, he felt a knife be aimed at the back of his head. So quickly that even he struggled to perceive it, the knife was put away and Aeternia appeared in front of him.
"Forgive me, master." the Eternal Death said, kneeling before her creator.
"It's fine. I'm glad you are at least diligent concerning your duty." Ainz answered, dismissing the actions of Emilia's guard.
He looked over at the half-elf next to him, who nervously scratched the back of her head, "Sorry about her…" Emilia quietly said.
"She is only doing her job, so there's no need for you to apologise." the Overlord echoing his point once more, "By the way, did you see that boy with the blonde hair anywhere? He is to join our little group."
"Oh, he's right there." The half-elf pointed to an area just next to the treeline, where the boy was talking with one of the clones. He was too far away to hear precisely what was discussed, but his best guess was that he was simply saying goodbye.
After a brief moment, the boy walked towards the duo, saying, "What's the plan, boss? How do we get my name out there?" he asked, eager as can be.
"First let us settle the matter of your combat ability. You prefer unarmed combat, correct?" Ainz asked, beginning to rummage from his inventory.
"Obviously! What's good a martial king without his art at the Wooden Pass?!" Garfiel answered.
"I'll take whatever that means as a yes." the Overlord muttered, taking out several items, "In that case I believe I have just the thing for you. You wanted to be a protector, correct? I had a friend who fought with dual shields. These aren't hers, but they should serve you well nonetheless."
The pair of shields he handed over to Garfiel were an odd contraption. On one hand, they were shields the size that could be strapped to his forearms and be used as such, on the other, they also had razor sharp edges that could act as stats were subpar by YGGDRASIL standards, but judging by Garfiel's wide smile, he was happy enough with them.
After tossing a few more basic, stat-boosting trinkets and curios at the boy, Ainz motioned towards Emilia and said, "This is Emilia, the one we are supporting to win the throne. If she wins, I'm sure your name will be etched into history alongside hers."
Emilia extended her hand to Garfiel, "Nice to meet you!"
Reluctantly, the boy shook her hand, "I'm not used to dealin' with royalty." he mumbled, "But whatever. When are we gonna go kill something big?"
"Oh… We, uh, just got done killing the White Whale yesterday." Emilia said, nervously chuckling.
"What?! And you couldn't 'ave come 'ere earlier!? You skeletal bastard!" Garfiel yelled, quickly turning to face Ainz.
"Calm down, there still exists larger prey to hunt. To my knowledge, we are yet to deal with two legendary demon beasts, at least two witches, and possibly several archbishops from the Witch Cult. You'll have your glorious fights."
"I better! Or else I'll end up like Rein at the edge!"
"You will, you will." Ainz repeated, trying to calm down the troublesome teen, "Now then, I believe it is time for us to return to the mansion. As for Sanctuary, I believe Otto has some plans."
ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ
"Why are we here, in fact?" Beatrice asked as Ainz teleported them to the vista that was displayed on the mirror.
"There is something in this forest that interests me, and should interest you as well." Ainz answered, unbothered by the snow that now surrounded him.
'That and I don't want Otto to ask me any more questions on how to turn Sanctuary into the next big tradehub! I'm just a salaryman for fuck's sake!'
"Follow me. It should be somewhere up ahead." Ainz said, prompting the petite spirit to follow him through the cold and magic forest.
Elves frozen in ice, akin to statues, dotted the landscape. In all honesty, it was slightly unnerving, adding to the ominous and beautiful land.
After only a minute or so, Ainz stepped onto the clearing which held the seal. His eyes pierced through the illusion, letting him see the odd door in all its glory.
"There it is…" he muttered, only for Beatrice to look at him, perplexed.
"There what is, in fact?" she asked.
"Oh, I forgot you probably can't see it. [True Sight]." Ainz said, pointing first at the spirit and then at the door, "Now you should be able to see it right in the centre of this clearing.
Beatrice strained her eyes for a moment before saying, "That does look ominous, in fact. You want to open it, I suppose?"
Ainz shook his head as he walked forward, "Maybe I could, or rather definitely, but first of all I don't know what exactly I would need to use, and second, I've no clue what is behind it. It's best to avoid such doors in my experience."
"This is not the first time, I suppose?"
"Back where I come from, trapped doors were something of a tradition. I once even got attacked by a mimic pretending to be one. I hope that's not the case here, but it could be even worse if we try to open it."
Once he found himself in front of the door, he examined it further. It was an ornate, mysterious door, nothing more. It didn't jump out at him and try to rip him to shreds, set off enough explosives to level Asgard, nor did it teleport him into the belly of a massive beast.
"It looks odd, I suppose, but nothing more." Beatrice commented, "Why would the Witch of Vainglory be interested in this, in fact?"
"I don't know, which only makes it worse. [Gate]."
Out of the portal poured out the undead that previously staffed Roswaal's mansion. For now he had only a few corpses, and it was best to secure this area. Even if they couldn't deal with Pandora herself, they would at least alert him to her presence.
As the last of the undead exited, he found that one of the wraiths had a maid uniform on itself. Before he could close the portal, the culprit revealed themselves, with Ram pointing her wand at Ainz.
"Why are you taking away my housestaff?" she asked, appearing to be fully ready to unleash her wind magic against him.
"Your 'staff' will now guard this place." Ainz said, slowly pushing the maid's wand away from his face.
"Guard what? There's nothing here!" Ram said, making sure her weapon stayed firmly on target. The Overlord silently cast [True Sight] on her, her eyes widening as the door became visible. "Oh, that."
"I assure you that this will not be a waste of your staff. If you wish to have more of them, simply bring me more corpses, demon beast or… other."
"Hmph, fine." Ram said, turning back through the [Gate] without actually asking what this whole scenario was about.
"Does she not see this door must be a matter of great importance, in fact?" Beatrice asked, genuinely astounded by the behaviour of the maid.
"Frankly, I've come to expect nothing less of her." Ainz said as the portal closed, "Anyway, I'm guessing you also have absolutely no idea about this door?"
"I could guess, I suppose."
The spirit walked up to the door, running her hand along it. In all her time spent in the Forbidden Library, she hadn't heard of anything like this. Still, she scoured her memory for something.
"This could be the entrance to Od Laguna, I suppose."
"As in the thing that deals with souls? Maybe, but why would Pandora want access to it?" Ainz asked, glaring at the keyhole. The temptation to open the door was very, very real, but he had to resist his loot goblin instincts.
"To manipulate souls, I suppose? It could be anything, in fact."
"All the more reason to make sure this thing remains sealed shut."
The undead dispersed around the area, establishing some sort of defensive perimeter. For now all he could do was hope that Pandora didn't find a way to open this, lest his time in this world be cut short by whatever lurked beyond that threshold.
ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ
Miklotov quietly sat at the table. He knew who was about to come, and why they would do so. The Draconic Tablet already informed him of the little… undertaking that a certain member of the Royal Selection had engaged in.
At this point the feeling of surprise was replaced by resignation. In all honesty, this one would most surely win, and the kingdom would probably be better off for it simply because of one person associated with her. If he remained and kept up his rate of impressive feats, the Witch Cult and all other threats would be annihilated within the first year.
Right as his thought went to the possible future of Lugnica, a portal opened on the other side of the table.
"Welcome, Sir Gown." he said, "The Draconic Tablet already informed me of your feat, so please, take a seat."
"Has it? How convenient. The body of the archbishop happened to be destroyed in combat, thus I only have these as proof of the kill." the Overlord said, putting a robe and large gospel on the table.
"Your list of titles grows larger by the day it seems. Is there anything else you'd like to share, or are you off to hunt once more?"
"I have some quarry on my list, indeed, but there is one more thing."
"Please, do tell."
"Emilia has liberated the people in the Sanctuary in Roswaal's domain. I trust that the value of this achievement will not go unnoticed?"
Miklotov sighed, "Of course not, but please have mercy on my old heart. Bringing such news to me in such rapid succession weighs down my ageing bones."
Ainz chuckled, "I know the feeling well, Sir Miklotov. However, if you ever wish for the strength of youth… Who knows? I've dabbled in chronomancy before, and I've known a few Gods who'd grant such rewards."
"You speak of turning back time for me and me alone? Something like that sounds outrageous even by your standards, Sir Gown."
"I'd like to think that I am known for ludicrous feats by now. Besides, I doubt I'm the only one who plays with the hands of time in this world; I only happen to not be malevolent, unlike them."
"Unless you've found horrors that remain unknown even to someone of my station, I presume you mean other members of the Witch Cult?"
"You are correct, Sir Miklotov."
"Should any of them appear, I also presume you will help us deal with them?"
Ainz shrugged, "Only a fool would pass up an opportunity to look like a hero, and only a monster would let them run rampant. Given that I am neither, you can count on my help."
"That does ease my worries, thank you. And, if I may ask, what is your next move? Does the hunt continue?"
"The hunt is never over until the Witch Cult is eradicated, but my lady needs rest, and now there is the matter of the Sanctuary to deal with. You'll forgive me if I don't drag another legendary demon beast into the courtyard tomorrow."
"Of course. Good luck in your endeavours, and I look forward to your further accomplishments." Miklotov said, bowing lightly.
"A pleasure as always, Sir Miklotov." Ainz answered, teleporting away.
ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ
Crusch entered the tavern. As expected of the legendary Anastasia Hoshin, the entire place was rented out exclusively for them. Dealing with the merchant was tough, but at this point Crusch was more intrigued than cautious.
'If there is someone who can get that pyroxene crystal, it's her.' she thought to herself, walking up to the lone girl who sat at a table in the centre of the room.
"A pleasure to see you, Anastasia." the Duchess said, having a glass of fine wine immediately being put in front of her.
"I'll cut right to the chase." the merchant said, "You owe me. If Julius didn't step in for Felix during that duel, your knight would've probably died."
"I knew this wasn't just going to be a social call." Crusch mumbled, taking a sip of the wine, "What do you want then?"
"You've spent a bit of time around Ainz, right? Tell me, what does he want? What's his deal?"
"So you want to buy yourself into his good graces?"
"Seems like he did the same thing with you." Anastasia answered, pointing at Crusch's fancy golden sword.
Crusch shook her head, "I'd like to think this was a symbol of our alliance, but I see your point. I do have some information that may interest you, however, I'd like to add a condition of my own."
"Name it."
"We present what he wants as a… joint effort. Let this be a mutually beneficial deal. I may be indebted, but I can't help but feel that without this condition I would be overcompensating you and Julius."
A moment of silence passed as gears spun in Anastasia's head, calculating the ups and downs of such an arrangement. "Fine." she said after a moment, "So what is it that he wants?"
"He's looking for a pyroxene crystal, one of superb quality at that." Crusch answered, "I don't know why he is looking for one, but I know he is."
Anastasia's eyes widened and a grin blossomed on her face, "You wouldn't believe what I've got moving through my warehouses in Priestella!"
"All the way in the Water Gate City? That's quite a way to travel, isn't it?"
"Maybe, but it is basically my city. If we want to make an impression on him, more so than you have done already, inviting him there is most definitely the right move. What do you say?"
"I say you should refill my glass."
ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ
Ainz walked through the prison, following the royal knight who reluctantly escorted him.
"You can choose any of these prisoners. I will return in ten minutes to escort you back out." the young man said, quickly removing himself from the presence of the ominous figure.
The Overlord looked at the prisoners with curiosity. Each of them was built and had many scars, like the stereotypical tough criminal, but it didn't really matter which one he chose, thus he turned to the closest one and teleported into his cell.
"Fuckin' monster!" the man immediately called out, trying to attack Ainz.
"[Paralysis]."
Instantly, the man dropped to the floor.
"I like to work in silence, so cooperate and I won't make this excruciating."
He was here for a very simple but important experiment: did resurrection in fact bring people back to optimal condition? Of course, he wouldn't use [True Resurrection] on some random criminal the way he would on Ram if a sufficient healing spell or item was in fact not enough, but the principle should be the same.
"Now then, how should I do this?" he asked himself, crouching down and summoning an obsidian sword into his hand. "Hmm, I suppose simply cutting off an arm should be equivalent to a horn."
The other prisoners quietly watched as Ainz cut off the man's limb, blood staining the cold, stone floor. This wasn't the brutality they so often engaged in, merely apathy and curiosity.
Ainz tossed the arm off to the side, letting his sword rest directly in the man's head. With his patient now surely dead and having put on the appropriate ring beforehand, he took out a wand charged with [Resurrection].
Sure, even using a 5th Tier spell could be considered a waste, but it was better to test it now than to accidentally butcher an ally. He touched the corpse with the wand, and the arm that was on the other side of the room seemed to disappear, reforming itself in the appropriate place.
Breath returned to the man's lungs and exclamations of both shock and awe reverberated through the dungeon.
"So it does indeed work this way. Splendid." Ainz said, grabbing the newly paralysed man by the neck and snapping it before he could express any joy at being brought back from the brink.
"I'm sure Ram will appreciate having another assistant."
ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ
Ainz awaited the pink-haired maid's arrival in the courtyard, a freshly made wraith by his side. Thankfully, the knight didn't ask where the body went and how Ainz got into the cell, so all was well in the world.
After a minute or so of waiting, Ram appeared out in the garden and made her way over to him. "Is this my replacement for the several others you stole?"
"Consider it the first of many." Ainz said as the wraith floated over to her, "But I called you here for a different reason; do you want to have your horn back?"
Ram crossed her arms, "Yes, but I hope you at least make it quick if it comes down to that."
"Of course. However, you do remember that you are not to kill Roswaal until the selection is done. Can I trust you to do that?" Ainz asked, taking out a ring from his inventory.
"Who do you think I am? I won't just kill him on a whim." the maid answered.
'Remember Ainz, she's supposedly strong enough to deal with the Divine Dragon once she gets this power back, so it's worth it.'
"First try this ring. It contains a spell that should heal your wound." The Overlord handed over a small, green ring imbued with [Heal]. If this didn't work, the resurrection trick would be the only viable option.
Ram put the ring on and was immediately engulfed by a green light.
A few silent seconds passed as Ainz looked at her forehead.
"Did it work?" he eventually asked, only for the maid to hand back the ring and shake her head.
"No… Just make it quick."
"Are you sure? Your resolve is more than commendable, but you can still back out, you know?"
"We've made a deal, haven't we? Do it." she said, looking up at her would be killer.
"In that case, be sure to tell me of the other side. [Death]."
Before Ram's body could hit the ground, Ainz caught her with one hand, taking out a wand of [True Resurrection] with the other. He gently laid her down on the soft grass and activated the spell within the wand, though the pain of using a spell of this calibre still stung somewhere deep in his collector's soul.
Ram jolted awake nigh instantly, her hand going to her forehead where a red horn now appeared.
"It worked…" she mumbled, jumping to her feet and summoning a blade of wind that sliced through the garden, "Fura!"
"Of course it worked." Ainz said as he put the wand away, silently thanking his lucky stars that things did in fact work, "And I trust that I will be able to count on your martial prowess when the time comes."
"Hmph, I'd help you because of Rem anyway, but you have my thanks. If you do ever want the Divine Dragon to die, then feel free to ask."
Ainz chuckled, "Confident, aren't we? You've hardly shown off. Go on, hit me with a spell."
Without asking whether he was sure, Ram called out, "Al Fura!"
To Ainz's surprise, the invisible torrent of wind did in fact manage to overcome his magic resistance passive, but given that the spell took the form of blades of wind and that his magic resistance was still ridiculously high even after his passive was overcome, the damage from the spell amounted to only a scratch.
"Impressive." Ainz said, "You're the first person in this world that manage to harm me."
A grin filled to the brim with smugness appeared on Ram's face as she said, "There's a reason Roswaal needed me to go after the dragon, rather than doing so himself. Still, you look unharmed to me."
Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for the land around Ainz which looked as if a tornado had come through, though in a sense that was the case.
The commotion also attracted a new visitor in the form of Garfiel, who appeared from within the depths of the mansion, yelling, "Hey! What the 'ell 's goin' on our 'ere?! Fighting without me?!"
"You aren't worth testing my magic on, Garf! Go away before you get hurt!" Ram said.
"Hey, what's that s'posed to mean!? I'm way tougher than you!" the boy answered, "Try me!"
Ram glanced at Ainz, who promptly took out a potion and said, "Just make sure you don't kill him."
Edited by Korak324
Pa tr e on DOT com / EdgyTheWriter
(AN: Sorry this took so long, but I am terribly busy nowadays, and also this chapter was a pain to write. It may feel a little rushed, and that is due to the fact that while I wanted to provide the appropriate backstories, I also didn't want to bore those familiar with Re:Zero. If you want to get the full trials, you'll sadly have to read the novels. Oh, also I think I mentioned this in the recent [Supreme Fear] chapter, but I am no longer a co-author with Aterro. This changes nothing, so don't worry about it. As always, more to come and I hope you've enjoyed the story so far!)
Reviews:
Petelguese vs Betelguese: Turns out I have dementia and it is spelled Petelguese and according to the author of ReZero that is a major plot point, so it should in fact have been spelled as such from the beginning. Oopsie. I'll fix it at some point.
Ram and Stockholm Syndrom: Please, have some basic reading comprehension and at the very least read my answer to such ignorant reviews previously. The reason Ram appears to love Roswaal in canon is because Rem and the memory of her is deleted from anyone but Subaru. This changes their supposed history to where Roswaal does not in fact threaten Rem, since Rem doesn't exist for Ram. The only world where Ram loves Roswaal is a world without Rem, and guess what? Rem is still in this world, and thus Ram loathes Roswaal. This is even on the godforsaken wiki, it's not that hard to understand.