CHAPTER 6:

AFTERMATH

Momonga placed a hand to his forehead. "Ugh, this is bad. To think that the Theocracy have a World Item as potent as Downfall of Castle and Country. I hadn't actually heard specifics, just rumours about a mind-controlling World Item, but still…"

Harry nodded. They were convening in the office of the Tomb of Nazarick soon afterwards. Even Albedo was invited. "That's concerning enough, but that defector, Clementine, is also concerning," he said.

Antilene nodded. "Yeah. She's about equivalent to Stronoff in terms of strength, especially with her Martial Arts. She must've left the Theocracy soon after we did, but I always knew she was a loose cannon. She loved slaying Adventurers, taking their name-tags and adding them to her outfit as trophies and armour. She's crazy, and not in a good way. Hell, there's rumours she was a secret member of Zurranon, the circle of necromancers. The problem is what she stole. The Crown of Wisdom is a potent artifact, allowing for high-tier magic to be cast using the wearer as a conduit, but if you remove it instead of destroying it, things get messy. Literally messy."

"How messy are we talking? Do their brains explode or something?" Leinas asked.

"No. They just go crazy, losing control over their bodies and soiling themselves…killing them in that state is a kindness," Antilene said, wrinkling her nose. "The Black Scripture is often sent to do so. Hell, I've done it a few times myself. I make it quick for them. Hey, speaking of messy, Harry, I saw what happened to Nigun. 10 out of 10 for style, but honestly, the clean-up's a bitch. You know how big the splash radius is when you drop someone from that high up?"

"I taught you how to use wizarding magic, Antilene," Harry said. "Cleaning up afterwards should've been a doddle." He turned to the others. "Stronoff was fine with what we did?"

"He got some prisoners. Not enough to finger the nobles who collaborated with the Theocracy, but it'll be enough to make them nervous," Leinas remarked. "As it is, we were allowed to take that cripple, Belius, to send to the Emperor. I doubt the Bloody Emperor will be happy about the Theocracy trying to pin the blame on him, though they will deny it. The Empire and the Kingdom are still enemies, but the Theocracy is proving destabilising to both."

"Hmm…so, where to from here?" Momonga mused, before looking to Albedo. "Albedo, do you have anything to add?"

The Succubus bowed. "My apologies, but…I am not sure I can approach your brilliant insight, my lord."

Harry scoffed. "Bollocks. Albedo, Tabula gifted you with great intelligence. There's a difference between questioning and disobedience. Momonga asked for your opinion or any contribution. Well?"

Albedo seemed to consider this, before she finally nodded. "Very well. I find myself curious as to why we have helped those humans. I understand following the example of Lord Touch Me, as I know that you both respected him as much as we do. But you have also gone out of your way to aid Stronoff and his men, and putting paid to the Sunlight Scripture."

Momonga shared a look with Harry, before the salaryman turned Overlord said, "Part of the reason was to leave a favourable impression with Stronoff. That could prove useful. In addition, it was a warning to the Slane Theocracy. With one of their much-vaunted Scriptures wiped out, they have been weakened. We also used the original name of Ainz Ooal Gown, Nine's Own Goal, as a means of camouflage against agents of the Platinum Dragon Lord."

"And Touch Me wasn't wrong. I know you guys don't like humans, but I do," Harry said. "But the Sunlight Scripture were the worst kind of humans, stupid, xenophobic, and self-righteous. I've dealt with too much of that in my life. Actually, Albedo…I'd like to show you something later."

"What is it, my love?"

"…My life. My memories, to be precise," Harry said, before looking to Momonga. "I know I told you my life story before, but I can show you the highlights. I told you about the Pensieve I have back home. I can simply bring it over." He returned his attention to Albedo. "Albedo…I get that you don't like humans, but you were programmed that way. But…I like them, or at least those who haven't angered me. Same with other beings who aren't part of Nazarick. If you do love me, you'll have to tolerate them at least."

"I understand," Albedo said, with no hesitation. "I already understand that you are friends with some of them already. It seems I have much to learn about my love. For our sake, I will consider it."

"Yay, I potentially have a Succubus stepmother. The sad thing is, you'd probably be better at it than my own mother." As Albedo looked to Antilene with conflicting emotions on her face, the half-Elf shrugged. "Look, my birth mother…I loved her, and I think she did love me to some degree…but she could only see me as my father's child most of the time, a child by rape. She trained me harshly. I'm grateful to her for making me strong, hell, for even giving birth to me in the first place. But…I have mixed feelings about her these days. Probably because I've known love, a proper love. Harry treated me as his child, and yet, unlike those idiots in the Theocracy, he doesn't treat me as a child…well, not all the time, anyway. But…he told me one thing, Albedo, something that struck me as weird at the time, and yet, I've accepted it."

"Which is what?" Albedo asked, frowning.

"The strong don't exist to dominate the weak. In fact, even the strong were originally weak. True, most don't have the potential to become that much stronger, or else waste that potential. The strong exist to protect the weak, and help them grow strong. In a way, that was what the Theocracy originally intended, before it succumbed to its own corruption."

Harry nodded, though he knew the main reason he won over Antilene with that argument was so that she could have a lover one day, one who was stronger than her. True, it was unlikely to be someone from this world, and would probably be a Player or NPC, once she was grown enough so that she wasn't a kid in looks, but she got that. Of course, over time, she accepted the more altruistic elements of that, and he hoped Albedo would too.

Certainly, Albedo seemed to be mulling it over, before a smile touched her lips. Not her serene and demure, if mildly unsettling, smile she had as a default, but something that was genuine and thoughtful. He had only seen it maybe once or twice, and even then, only briefly, when he spoke to her earlier after first arriving here. "I see. Forgive me for not considering such a viewpoint. It's a somewhat novel one to us."

Momonga chose to chime in. "Albedo, there exists the potential for growth in all of us, even the Supreme Beings, even you and your fellow Floor Guardians, even I. Perfection is an ideal to strive for, not a reality. Physical and magical strength are not all that need nurturing, but also of your minds, learning of new perspectives and information. Stagnation and an inability to improve can prove to be the death-knell even of the strong. And one thing that will stand us in good stead in this new world is gaining new allies. Even if their value is only for information, it is good enough. We should not make new enemies carelessly either, especially as our end goal is to take down the Platinum Dragon Lord. And we will not take him on without being absolutely certain we are ready. He has been dealing with other Supreme Beings and their creations for the past six centuries, he is NOT to be underestimated. We do not need to take on the entire world as well."

"I understand. You wish to make an alliance against this…creature who dared to seal away my love," Albedo said.

"Even if they are not actively allied with us, we want the world to look on us favourably when we do so," Momonga said. "We will have them cheer us as liberating heroes, not as conquering, destroying monsters."

Harry was hoping that Momonga wouldn't say anything stupid. But the former salaryman had shown why he was a damned good mediator and leader for Ainz Ooal Gown with those words, and Harry watched as an epiphany came over Albedo, given her expression. He hoped it had done the trick. They had an army of NPCs who would be willing to conquer the whole damn world in their name if they weren't careful. Harry got the feeling they would be more or less loyal, no matter what, but they could still have their own ideas of what their masters intended, from the experience he had with the Thirteen Heroes and the NPCs they fought.

"I understand now," Albedo said softly after gathering herself. "Forgive me for not being able to comprehend these notions."

"That's because you've known nothing else," Harry said gently, hoping that Albedo had, indeed, understood, and that she hadn't reached some other conclusion. "I'd bring you back to our mansion in Arwintar to show you my memories now, Albedo, but Nazarick's going to be busy for the next little while, and I know your admin skills are needed for poor Momonga to stay sane. Hell, I may have to bring the Pensieve back here."

"We'll try and make time," Momonga said. "Albedo, would you mind leaving the office for now? I have a few things to discuss in private with Harry."

Albedo bowed. "But of course, Lord Momonga."

After she left, Momonga sagged in his chair. "…You took a hell of a risk, Harry. The Guardians view us as perfect beings, so showing any fault is…"

"Risky, yes, but it can endear them to us too. I think the fact we are their creators should help overcome any qualms."

"True, but you also intend to show her your memories. Do those include those of you being human?"

"Yes." Harry sighed. "Momonga, hear me out. If they knew about your life as a salaryman, they'd be angry towards those who basically enslaved you. The only one I'd be worried about revealing your past as a human to would be Demiurge, and I think he'd shut up if he learned what Ulbert went through. I think they can certainly rationalise you away, given that a Lich of some kind, logically, must've been human once anyway, and you merely assumed your proper form. I've had plenty of time to think about it, and the NPCs may look up to us as gods and as parents in a way. You don't need to be a perfect god or parent, just be a kind and understanding one."

"…But is telling her wise?"

"Probably not. But…you rewrote her background so that she loves me. If she still has that in spite of me being formerly human, then I can work with that."

"And if not?"

"…We'll burn that bridge when we come to it…"

"It seems that you enjoy stirring up the hornets' nest, Harry Potter. I have only just come back from a rather lengthy discussion with the ambassador from the Slane Theocracy."

Harry rolled his eyes. When he, Antilene and Leinas arrived back at the mansion in Arwintar, he found that no less august a personage than the Bloody Emperor, Jircniv Rune Farlord El-Nix, waiting for him, accompanied by Baziwood Peshmei, his most trusted Imperial Knight. Harry had promptly made tea for the Emperor. It seemed farcical from either side, the Emperor accepting tea from an obscure mage, or Jircniv being relaxed in the company of a man who could kill him with contemptuous ease.

But the truth was, in the years since Harry came to Arwintar, the two had developed an unlikely and initially uneasy, and yet strangely strong friendship. Jircniv had far more political power than Harry would ever want, and Harry had far more magical power than Jircniv could ever attain. Harry, for all his wariness of the man's epithet, actually grew to like and trust Jircniv, as when you got past the man's machinations and ruthlessness, he was pragmatic, practical, and meritocratic. Jircniv came to like Harry because he was honest with his opinions and offered an alternate viewpoint on how the so-called Six Gods and other beings came to this world.

Harry had sent Belius to Jircniv earlier with a note. He knew this would be a political clusterfuck, and he trusted Jircniv to handle it. "What did he say?"

"Of course, he officially denied all knowledge, and he certainly didn't actually know of what happened. Plausible deniability, I am sure. Unofficially? He was actually horrified and disturbed, though he wasn't surprised that this happened. The ambassador is the kind of man I like, a pragmatist and practical, someone who wants peace, not someone upsetting the apple-cart," Jircniv said, running a hand through his golden locks, cut short, before looking at him with tired, amethyst eyes. "Still, I have to wonder what actually happened. You said the Sunlight Scripture was trying to draw out Stronoff by attacking villages with knights dressed in our livery, aided and abetted by those idiots who hate him in Re-Estize. You said you had help, but you would explain later."

Harry sighed. "It's a long story. The short version? Momonga has finally arrived, along with the Tomb of Nazarick. It currently resides in the Forest of Tob, near Carne Village."

Jircniv's eyes widened. "Momonga? You mean your old friend, the one who was playing as…an Overlord, some kind of massively powerful Lich? And the Tomb of Nazarick?"

Harry nodded solemnly. After a moment, Jircniv took another sip from his cup of tea. "I'd want a strong alcoholic drink, but I need my head clear to think on this matter. I assume you have brought up our relationship?"

"Yes. I had to reveal myself to Stronoff too. I was hoping to try and clear the Empire's name for this incident at least, so I had to bring Keno into it to vouch for me."

"That should work. Keno, or rather, Evileye's word probably carries a lot of weight in Re-Estize, at least amongst the sensible, and Stronoff, despite his damnable honour preventing him from leaving a sinking ship, would at least consider her vouching for you good enough," Jircniv mused. "Still, this may end up somewhat messy. Is Momonga willing to ally with the Empire?"

"At least to the level of a non-aggression treaty, anyway," Harry said. "In truth, he'd be glad of any help you can provide against the Platinum Dragon Lord, the Theocracy, and Elf Country, even if it's only in terms of intelligence."

"Something to be thankful for," Jircniv said. "Even knowing your origins, it's still nerve-wracking considering beings of your strength arriving in this world. Still, I would like to meet him at the earliest opportunity, to discuss any alliance, no matter how informal. Even if I don't have him on-side during the next annual war, at least I can hope that he won't try to make me his vassal."

"Momonga's not like that," Harry said.

"But his NPCs?" Jircniv asked. "Gramps was around when you were fighting the Evil Gods, NPCs who had rampaged out of control, and he told me stories of what they did to the world. Can the pair of you control the NPCs of Nazarick?"

Antilene shrugged. "Harry and Momonga seemed to have it handled."

Leinas nodded. "I concur, Emperor. The NPCs, the ones I have met, while disdainful towards humans and others that they believe to be lesser beings, nonetheless follow the lead of Harry and Momonga, who are working to avoid any disasters. I'm not saying your fears are unfounded, only that it's looking good thus far."

"They're right. I can't make an absolute guarantee, but for the time being, the NPCs are eager to obey orders," Harry said.

"I hope you're right," Jircniv said. "I have spent a decade of rule ensuring that this empire is the greatest nation this world will ever know, and it's still a work in progress. I do not wish to have it destroyed by unruly, overpowered toys that have been brought to life, or at least preferably during my lifetime."

"…Just so you know, I'll make sure not to tell the NPCs you said that," Harry said. "That being said, Momonga could be what Fluder needs to solve your undead control problem, through teaching him the right spells or techniques. I've told him about your little project, and he's intrigued."

"Well, if he is willing to hold up his side of the bargain, I would honour any reasonable agreement we hammer out. Incidentally, before you dropped that crippled idiot off to me, I had finished persuading the relevant officials. Once you sign the right forms, which I will have sent to you as soon as is convenient, you will be legally adopting Arche, Ureirika and Kuderika Furt as your daughters. In a manner, you will be effectively buying them off their parents, but besides money being needed to expedite the process with certain officials, those idiots are greedy spendthrifts. Of course, then, you have to make sure that they don't try to get more money off you, hence the process we have been undertaking."

"If they press the issue regardless, I'll make them forget their toilet training," Harry said grimly. "Arche and her sisters deserve better. Anyway, I'm going to be Arche's guardian mostly on paper. Foresight is more her family than I am."

"It's still a noble thing you are doing," Baziwood Peshmei said, speaking up for the first time since Harry brought them tea. "But I am curious, why do you do this?"

"…Let's just say I know what it's like to grow up in a crappy, uncaring family, and leave it at that…"

CHAPTER 6 ANNOTATIONS:

The aftermath of Carne, Albedo getting an epiphany, and Jircniv showing his mettle. I wanted to show what Jircniv would be like if he knew exactly who and what Momonga was. On the one hand, he'd be terrified. On the other, he'd be reassured.

No numbered annotations this time.