CHAPTER 10:

ADVENTURING AND PARENTING 101

Momonga didn't know what to expect when he was meeting not only one of Harry's oldest friends in this world, but also a centuries-old vampire. True, Harry had described her, and he had seen her in Harry's memories, but meeting the reality was different, the day after Harry's visit and tour of Nazarick. Truth be told, he was grateful to be out of the office for now, even if Albedo was with him as they came to Harry's mansion in Arwintar. Keno had come across alone for now, leaving the other Blue Roses in Re-Estize.

Keno Fasris Invern was surprisingly unimpressive in terms of her appearance, dressed as she was in a ragged black dress, over which she wore a red hooded cloak. Her face was concealed by a white mask. Her petite figure was definitely that of a child's, maybe ten to twelve, definitely pre-teen. But her manner and demeanour screamed of power contained.

Introductions were made, before finally, Keno removed her mask. She was definitely a pretty girl, one who could have grown into a fine beauty when she was an adult, her features framed by golden hair. But her eyes were crimson, and a fang poked out of her mouth in a manner that was rather endearing. And her expression was solemn and adult.

"So, you are Momonga. I'll be honest, you're even more impressive in person than from Harry's memories," Keno said, her voice too weary and adult-sounding, despite being definitely a child's.

"And you are Keno Fasris Invern. You are too kind. I too saw you in action from his memories, specifically of his time with the Thirteen Heroes. A shame they never acknowledged your substantial contribution, even if there's a reason why."

"Aside from the fact that I'm a vampire? Yes. No doubt you already know I was infamous before then as 'Landfall' or 'Nation Breaker', causing the entire nation of Inveria, of which I was a princess of, to be decimated." She looked away. "Honestly, I prefer the obscurity. After the Thirteen Heroes' disbanding, and Harry disappearing, with the Platinum Dragon Lord and Rigrit claiming he fell into maddened despair and killed himself…I fell into a deep depression. So when I learned the truth, not long after Rigrit forced me to take her place in the Blue Roses…I was far from happy."

"I am grateful to you for your help. Not just for today, but for being there for Harry when I could not," Momonga said.

"I too am grateful," Albedo said, bowing. "You ensured my love was kept alive and sane after his experiences. I saw how much you meant to each other."

Keno shook her head. "No…if anything, I am grateful to Harry. After some initial…awkwardness, we became close, like siblings, in the Thirteen Heroes. He even explained the true nature of the Players and the NPCs that went rogue. I found it scarcely believable until he showed me his memories of Yggdrasil. Helping you with posing as an Adventurer is the least I can do, Momonga…"

Harry watched on as his old friend helped tutor Momonga in what it meant to be an Adventurer, Albedo looking on. Antilene was off doing some shopping, Leinas in tow. Eventually, Momonga nodded. "I see. And there's no way to…expedite my ascension through the ranks?"

"Unless you get caught up in an incident that shows you are ready to advance more quickly, yes," Keno said. "Of course, Workers don't really have the same ranking system, officially, anyway. But you have to do much of the donkey work of information gathering yourself. Adventurers are more prestigious, though, for what is basically mercenary work, albeit more regulated. I would suggest, in order to avoid drawing too much attention, using equipment that doesn't look too high-level. I know you'll need to conceal your body to avoid frightening others with your undead body, and at Level 100, your physical strength is probably on a par with a warrior of a far smaller level, so faking being a knight is possible."

"I can use 'Greater Create Item' to create a suit of armour and swords I can wield, even as a magic caster," Momonga said. "But the armour looks…conspicuous by default. Mostly unadorned, yes, but it still looks expensive. Leaving that aside, Harry told me that you often work with Princess Renner of Re-Estize."

"Through my boss, Lakyus. She's part of the nobility, and she was friends with Renner for years. I…have mixed feelings about her. It is true that Renner is working towards improving her kingdom, and has been pushing things uphill with many of the more influential nobles who despise changing the status quo. But something about Renner worries me, sets off my instincts. I'm not yet sure why."

"Hmm. A question for another time. But may I be so bold to ask you a personal question, Keno?"

"It depends on how personal it is," the centuries-old vampire asked.

"…How do you cope with your long life?" As Keno looked to him in shock, Momonga said, "As you know, I was once human before I became undead. I was little more than a salaryman, a lowly clerk by the standards of your world. Yggdrasil was my only escape. But now…I am a Lich, no, an Overlord. I will live, if not forever, then for centuries or even millennia. The denizens of Nazarick will live on, most if not all are long-lived or immortal beings, but I am new to this, so…how do you cope?"

"…With difficulty," Keno said quietly after a moment's hesitation. "That may sound like I'm joking, but believe me, I am serious. Imagine a girl, a prodigious caster and a princess, who wanted for nothing material, and yet, wished to learn forbidden magic, even at a young age. A single mistake changed the course of my life forever, saddled me with epithets I detested, left me trapped in the body of an undead child. Rigrit calls me a crybaby, but I didn't ask for this. I had to learn how to be self-sufficient. It wasn't until I joined the Thirteen Heroes that I found a place to belong…and even that didn't last long, thanks to the other two Players, not to mention the Platinum Dragon Lord's machinations. As much as I despise Rigrit for forcing me to join the Blue Roses, and for lying to me about Harry…I honestly think that she gave me a place to belong in the Blue Roses. But…sooner or later, I will have to leave them. Adventuring is a career with a high turnaround. And even if they accept me for what I am, sooner or later, the Blue Roses will fall, or be disbanded. And I won't have a place to belong to.'

By the end of it, Keno's crimson eyes were glistening with tears. Momonga stared at her, before he got off the lounge, and went over to her, before gently hugging the vampire. "…I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"Don't be. It's not your fault, Momonga. All I can say is, coping with immortality is not something you can truly prepare for," Keno said. "At least you'll have the inhabitants of Nazarick, including Albedo, to say nothing of Harry."

"Keno…Harry vouches for you. I cannot speak for the rest of the Blue Roses, but you will always have a place at the Tomb of Nazarick, should the worst happen, or the simple ravages of time sever your bonds."

"Indeed," Albedo said. "I have seen Lord Harry's memories, and you feature prominently as a good friend during his time in this world, and unlike Rigrit, you did not betray him. And from what I understand, the original purpose of Ainz Ooal Gown was to grant shelter to those who did not normally fit in the world, those who became the Supreme Beings." Albedo looked to Momonga and Harry. "If the Supreme Beings were here, they would have allowed her to join, I imagine."

"Yeah," Harry said, with Momonga nodding.

"Then I for one am satisfied." Her golden eyes then narrowed. "However, while I am sure you need no reminder, know that if you ever betrayed my love or Lord Momonga, we of Nazarick will endeavour to ensure that your demise is protracted and agonizing, and becomes the stuff of legends. You will beg for the release of death for a long time ere it comes. I am already considering many interesting ways to punish Rigrit for her actions, and should you betray him, I will practise with you."

"I'm sure. In fact, I've been mulling things over myself about Rigrit," Keno said grimly. "But I would never betray him willingly."

"Albedo, Keno's not going to betray us," Harry said firmly, though honestly, Albedo had been holding back with her threat. "Anyway, the upshot is, Momonga, you now have a good idea for how to act as an Adventurer, and the background needed. Oh, by the way, Keno, Foresight heard rumours that Brain Unglaus has joined a bandit group on the route from E-Rantel to the capital. You've heard anything about that?"

"Not much more than you have, though I have heard rumours. If so, it's a major fall from grace," Keno said. "I did hear that he was seeking to train and become strong enough to beat Gazef Stronoff after losing to him in that tournament, but to go so far as to join a bandit group while doing so…well, it's like I always admonish Climb, Renner's bodyguard. Seeking power at the expense of your humanity never ends well. True, Unglaus isn't doing so by becoming a literal monster, but the bandit groups along that road are notoriously vicious. Many of them even work for the Eight Fingers, giving them supplies of money and women for their brothels."

Harry nodded. "I've already suggested to Shalltear that she keep an eye out for him while she's on her mission with Sebas and Solution. We've got plenty of avenues for gathering intel on Martial Arts, but Unglaus, from what little I admittedly know of him, was a prodigy at using and even creating new ones."

"And another resource to help Nazarick would be good," Albedo concluded. "Still, going back to Re-Estize, what I have heard so far suggests that the kingdom is rotting away from within, due to the actions of selfish nobles, ones who wish to steal power from their rightful king. If we decided to take on the Eight Fingers, would that change the balance of power in Ramposa's favour?"

"Maybe. While it's not quite as clear-cut as my explanation may make it sound, there are, roughly speaking, two factions, the Nobility Faction and the Monarchy Faction. Not all of the Nobility Faction are bad by any means, some just want to have more power to do as they see fit. They're less against Ramposa and more about their own power. But many are scum, and many do have links to the Eight Fingers. Taking on the Eight Fingers and weakening them, if not destroying them, would strengthen Ramposa's position. However, it's worth noting that the Nobility Faction have a supporter in the oldest prince, Barbro. Barbro is a nasty, self-absorbed sort. Though why do you ask, Albedo?"

"If our lords' plan to cast down the Platinum Dragon Lord is to succeed, then being seen as heroes would help," Albedo said. "Taking down a criminal organisation would count as such a feat, and if it strengthens Ramposa's position…"

Harry nodded. "Ramposa's a bit clueless, but he's a decent guy, and he's not wholly oblivious to how treacherous his nobles are. It's part of the reason he hasn't simply abdicated."

"The problem is, he always tries to compromise, and in a way that tends to compromise him," Keno pointed out. "He's too accommodating to those corrupt fools, allowing them to erode his power base and authority. And he's still leaning towards making Barbro the heir, despite the fact that Zanac or Renner would be far better, because of expectations of primogeniture. That being said, strengthening his position is not at all a bad thing, especially if you're trying to bolster your reputation. Just be prepared for the Nobility Faction and Barbro to begin nosing around, especially if you take down the Eight Fingers."

"We'll take your words into consideration," Momonga said. "And Keno? Once more, you have my utmost gratitude for being Harry's friend when he was taken from us. As valuable an ally as you may be, greater still is your value as his friend, and thus, I hope, mine."

At this, Keno seemed to blush a little. "I, uhh…thank you, Momonga…"

Not long after Keno made her farewells and left, a messenger arrived from the Emperor, some papers with him. Harry received him at the door, before sending him on his way and going back to Momonga and Albedo. They noted his smile, and Albedo said, "Did you receive some pleasant tidings, my love?"

Harry nodded, holding up the papers. "In brief, you're going to be a mother many times over again. By adoption, anyway," he added hastily, as Albedo's demure smile widened into something lustful, her wings flapping excitedly. "As far as I am concerned, Antilene, Aura and Mare are our children already. But this scroll outlines an adoption contract whereby I am adopting Arche Eeb Rile Furt, along with her sisters Ureirika and Kuderika, in exchange for a not insignificant sum of money."

"So you're buying them from their parents?" Momonga asked. His tone held a little disapproval, but also curiosity. "Why bother to pay them?"

"The Furts are spendthrifts, as I have told you before. They need the money to cover their debts, or at least keep up their lifestyle. Adoption processes in Arwintar also often require an exchange of money, partly because it's often a richer family adopting from a poorer one, and the price was to show, at least in the eyes of the law here, that I can afford to adopt them," Harry pointed out. "However, the money is also a trap."

"A trap?" Albedo asked, looking intrigued.

"Yes. I know these idiots. They'll probably think that they can try to find a way to get more money from me, even after I've taken their children off their hands. But I also knew, as did Jircniv, that they wouldn't bother to look at the terms and conditions. It's part of the reason the adoption process took so long. I was setting up a trap, just in case. If they try to extort more money from me, or sic their creditors onto me, or try to attack Arche or her sisters, have them abducted and sold off so their parents could have their cake and eat it too…well, they'll be having a bad time."

"How bad?" Momonga asked.

"Bad. And all perfectly legal under the law of the Baharuth Empire, too," Harry said with a smirk. "In fact, if their offence is egregious enough, their sentence will be to be shipped off to an obscure prison. Jircniv has agreed that, if I wish, I can send them to Demiurge, though that's dependent on what I find in their minds through Legilimency, and honestly, I don't think Arche would forgive me unless they had done some really nasty things behind her back. At the very least, they'll end up in a palace dungeon at Jircniv's pleasure. The Furts represent the sort of noble both he and I despise. Arche and her sisters, however, deserve a better life."

"Then we shall give it to them," Albedo declared. "It should make good practise for when we have children of our own, of our blood, anyway. Still, what a wonderfully devious plan."

"Indeed," Momonga said. "Are Foresight aware of this plan?"

"Aware and happy to go along with it. I'm mostly worried about any blowback affecting them more than me. I'm at Level 100, there's not much in this world that worries me aside from the Platinum Dragon Lord and his fellow Dragon Lords and lackeys. But Foresight aren't anywhere near that powerful, and all it takes is for the Furts to use another Worker group to attack them, and things could go wrong," Harry said. "Especially if the Worker group is stronger, or ganks them."

"…Ganks them?" Albedo asked.

"Surprises them, ambushes them, uses dirty tactics," Harry explained, forgetting Albedo didn't know a lot of gaming slang. "It's unlikely the Furts will do that, true, but stupid people can be ridiculously unpredictable. Of course, there's the matter of how they'd pay for Workers or even footpads, given how much money they piss up the wall, almost literally given the expensive wines they buy."

"I'll have Demiurge lend us some Shadow Demons to keep an eye on the Furts, then," Albedo said decisively. "While he intended to use them more in Re-Estize, given your already established sources of information here in the Baharuth Empire, it would be prudent to keep an eye on the Furts in case they do something imbecilic to our allies."

"…Thanks, Albedo," Harry said.

Albedo bowed. "You value them, and if I am to be of service to you both, I should anticipate your needs, though you will have final say, naturally."

"It's still appreciated, Albedo. I know this does go against your nature somewhat, but…"

"But nothing. Besides, as you pointed out, Arche and her sisters will be our new children. A parent should be willing to protect them. Their parents are willing to discard them for coin." A twisted smile touched her lips. "I think it a worthy challenge to prove their moral superior."

Ah. Now that made quite a bit of sense. True, so did everything else, but Albedo viewing it as a challenge to be a better parent than the Furts put it into perspective. But it would at least help her become a somewhat better person, he hoped…

CHAPTER 10 ANNOTATIONS:

Well, if Albedo's a bad enough yandere for romance, why not parenthood? And we have Keno making friends too. I wanted to include elements of her backstory from the AU of Overlord, the officially-written one where Momonga ends up in the New World centuries earlier, and befriends Keno long before she became known as Evileye. Ugh, I wish that book was actually available in English. I'd love to read of the adventures of Satoru Suzuki and his adorable vampire daughteru.

Review-answering time! Nathair1: Glad you liked it. Harry would have liked to have gotten closer, but he held back, and BubblingTeapot (I hate writing out her Japanese name, so I'm using her Yen Press translation) was wary of suitors herself anyway. Given that she's a well-known voice actress, and successful enough to be prolific in various games, particularly H-Games, maybe she's wary of stalkers and the like, and that contributed to the distance, not just Harry's bad experiences with Ginnymort. However, they were good enough friends that, if they took the plunge, I think they could've made it work. Of all the Supreme Beings to make the transition with Momonga, I think BubblingTeapot would have been the best.

Tabula would be annoyed, but as long as Albedo was happy, he'd get over it. I like the take on Tabula done by Duke Cheburek for Lords of Ooal Gown, as this eccentric occultist artist and dispassionate researcher. He actually changes Albedo's settings himself as a gift to Momonga in that story, as he knows the transition is coming. As for Antilene's father, from what little I admittedly know of the character, he's basically Joffrey as a semi-successful king and a serial rapist.

And yes, karma is coming for the people on Harry's shitlist. Unfortunately, the Platinum Dragon Lord and Rigrit will have to be killed off quickly when they are confronted, to avoid them being able to fight back. But Decem Hougan? Let's just say Antilene's going to be playing with her food, a LOT, with help from Harry, Papa Bonez, Aura and Mare.

Yorae Rasante: I think it's because the Five Nights at Freddy's games leave you more or less impotent against the animatronics (I like playing some horror games because, unlike in movies, you can actually fight back, and when you have the bonus weapons in games like Resident Evil…hoo boy, it can be fun and cathartic), and also relies on severe jump scares that kill you instantly, instead of simply giving you impetus to flee or fight. It's also given me more nightmares than most other horror games just from watching those playthroughs (which are from Team Four Star, if you need to know, specifically the Renegade for Life, Krillin Plays and Nappa Plays videos), and yes, this includes the like of Resident Evil, Bloodborne, and Silent Hill. That being said, I find the actual lore fascinating, and have read a book on the games and their lore part-authored by Scott Cawthorn. What's more, I do intend to read his co-written novel series one day.

Sultan Asil Arslan-Hiatus: I can't rightly say. All I know is, Momonga is immune to World Items himself, as he has one on his person at all times. That red orb in his abdomen? It's a World Item.

No numbered annotations this time.