CHAPTER 14:
CONSUMMATION
"I am honestly astonished at the wide variety of paraphernalia Shalltear has for sexual activity," Albedo said, wrinkling her nose. "I may be a Succubus, and I enjoy all manner of acts, but…at least a third of these, I have no idea what they entail."
"Probably because Tabula, though he wanted you to be a Succubus, wanted you a bit more…straightforward with your desires," Harry said, even as he placed the last item back into the trunk sitting in the Treasury, cleaning his hands with a spell afterwards. Shalltear had kept an itemised list of what they had confiscated from her two weeks ago, and they wanted to make sure, along with Pandora's Actor, that everything as accounted for before they returned the items to her.
"Mein Vater created me to be as intelligent as possible," Pandora's Actor remarked, the Doppelganger in his default form of a mostly-featureless humanoid, save for three holes where the eyes and mouth would be. He was dressed in the Neo-Nazi uniform, albeit shorn of any swastikas or similar regalia and emblems. Despite that and his occasional Germanic utterance, Harry's fears were unfounded. He was easily one of the more moral NPCs of Nazarick, if more than a little flamboyant. "But even I am not sure how these would be used. I mean, even for a Floor Guardian, I am not sure whether a couple of those are anatomically possible to use, let alone sanitary."
"Probably not remotely sanitary, or sane for that matter. Remember that Peroroncino basically copied and pasted a list of fetishes and paraphilias into Shalltear's backstory when he created her," Harry mused. "That bird-brained pervert…I had to keep the peace between him and BubblingTeapot way too often, but honestly, while she had her perverted moments, Peroroncino was worse."
"Still, I must admit, it was a good punishment," Albedo said. "Shalltear is somewhat oversexed, to say the least, and while that may sound hypocritical coming from a Succubus, I have at least a touch more restraint than she does, and standards."
Harry looked at her flatly, but he could concede that much. For all that Albedo had been clingy, she had also been trying to keep a comfortable distance, albeit with an effort. Honestly, she looked like she wanted nothing more than to ravish him, and taking her on dates in Arwintar and E-Rantel only did so much.
And of course, dealing with the aftermath of Shalltear's bungles had been complicated. They had to sacrifice one of the vampiric NPCs under Shalltear to act as a decoy for Shalltear, for 'Momon' to defeat and claim credit. Unfortunately, by the time Harry thought of reviving Shalltear's victims, it was too late, as reviving them would only serve to bring about suspicion. At least Ninya's resurrection could be covered up as her escaping death from Clementine. Momonga and Harry had tracked down Brita, to try and help her after her comrades died, only to find the redhead had left Adventuring for good. Instead, she was joining Carne Village as a protector. Meanwhile, Brain Unglaus, having managed to overcome his earlier trauma at Shalltear's hands, was working with the Floor Guardians and Momonga to teach them about Martial Arts skills. He got along best with Cocytus, though given the insectoid's warrior mentality, that was hardly surprising.
Nfirea and his grandmother Lizzy Baleare had emigrated to Carne, so that Momonga and Harry could guide him in replicating the purer potions native to Yggdrasil. It helped that he was sweet on the eldest of the girls Harry had rescued, Enri. The girl's persistence and pluck were admirable, and they had Lupusregina Beta watching over Carne.
Ninya had been revived. However, she had been traumatised by the experience of being tortured and murdered by Clementine, only partly relieved by some of the knowledge of Clementine's fate. She revealed her true name to be Celicia, 'Celi' for short, and that she was seeking her enslaved sister Tuare. She was currently living with the Baleares, helping them with their potion-making for now, though Harry and Albedo paid her regular visits to ensure she was all right.
Meanwhile, Demiurge's twisted experiments on Clementine had borne fruit. The twisted Demon had severed limbs, fed them to Clementine, and healed her, learning that the limbs regenerated without sacrificing any nutrition from the original limbs fed to the victim. This would certainly help in feeding any test subjects here, as well as in helping with another of Demiurge's experiments. He began to flay Clementine and heal her, using Clementine's skin as a surprisingly potent medium for magic scrolls. Harry was disturbed, but honestly, Clementine was wholly deserving of such a thing. What he had seen in her mind was equally disturbing.
But even so, Harry and Albedo took their time to meet and socialise. Of course, Harry tried to do that with the other NPCs, especially Aura and Mare, and the remaining Pleiades. But Momonga's alterations of Albedo's settings meant that Harry needed to invest time with the dark-haired Succubus.
But it wasn't all bad, not at all. In many regards, Albedo was a highly-desirable woman. She was not only devastatingly beautiful, but she was intelligent and inquisitive. And Harry's gamble of showing her his memories of his life had instilled a twisted sense of empathy in her, or at least a perspective on humans she needed. In fact, she seemed to care for others more, mostly her fellow Floor Guardians and other servants of Nazarick, and she had spent more time with her sisters Rubedo and Nigredo.
And the humans Harry cared about, she made an effort to reach out to, and she certainly doted on Arche and her sisters in a way that didn't really feel artificial. Harry felt that, aside from trying to indulge him, she was genuinely trying to feel what it was like to be a mother. Antilene was too old to be mothered much, but despite Arche being older in appearance than the half-Elf, she needed a maternal figure in her life.
Of course, Albedo was actually trying to become more intimate as well. She was testing the waters, Harry felt, trying to gauge when the right time to take things to the next level were. They kissed, they embraced, hell, the last time, hands had wandered to their mutual delight. But Harry wasn't sure he was ready yet, especially given Albedo's nature.
His thoughts were interrupted by Pandora's Actor, who said, "That is everything, Lord Enzo and Lady Albedo. Incidentally, I have been looking into the properties of that World Item you brought me. Wunderbar! Though it would have been frightening if that World Item had ensnared Lady Shalltear."
"Then it's a good thing she swallowed her pride and contacted Lord Enzo. It may have been an undue use of his time, but in the end, it saved a bad situation from getting worse," Albedo said, before adding, solemnly, "…And it would have been…problematic for the Supreme Beings to resolve. They may have had to kill her, and then revive her. Leaving aside the fact that Shalltear is a powerful opponent, the emotional toll…"
"Ja," Pandora's Actor said quietly. "It would not have been pleasant. Still, it seems exciting times are ahead for Nazarick. Lord Sebas and Lady Solution are our eyes in the heart of Re-Estize, while we are reaching out to the Lizardmen tribes for trade."
"Yeah. I'm hoping for Momonga to put out feelers to the Holy Roble Kingdom too," Harry said. "Jircniv told me the Queen there is a bit of an idealistic idiot, but they're often under attack from belligerent Demihumans, and saving them could secure more allies against the Slane Theocracy and the Platinum Dragon Lord. I'm also hoping Sebas can help Ninya…I mean, Celicia, find her sister."
"Unfortunately for her, there is only so much we can do to find a single girl," Albedo said. "Finding Tuare, who is potentially in one of the many brothels the Eight Fingers have, is like looking for a needle in a haystack, Lord Enzo."
"I know, but…with her old team dead and unable to be revived…even with help from Foresight and the Blue Roses, she's clinging onto the hope that Tuare can be rescued," Harry said grimly. "I could go to the major cities and use Point Me, but that only has a limited range, and Re-Estize City is massive. I'd rather wait until Sebas and Solution gather enough intel to start a more intensive and comprehensive search." His face fell. "Assuming the poor girl isn't dead already. The horror stories I heard from the Blue Roses about some of those brothels…they could give Neuronist and Demiurge ideas…"
After delivering the sex toys, fetish costumes and other belongings back to an ecstatic Shalltear, Harry and Albedo had decided to go on a walk through the forest near Nazarick. Momonga, ever the paranoid and prepared, was creating a decoy 'Tomb' elsewhere in the Forest of Tob, with Aura supervising the creation of it. The decoy could also function as a forward base on certain operations.
Harry got the feeling that Albedo was trying to broach a topic with him, but wasn't quite sure how to. Wordlessly, he placed a hand on her shoulder. As she looked to him, he asked, "What's the matter, Albedo?"
"…I have many concerns, Harry," she admitted. "It comes with being the Overseer of the Guardians, and the key administration role I play for you and Lord Momonga…no, Satoru…he insisted I call him that in private. True, thanks to your prior arrival on this world, we are far better prepared than we would otherwise have been…and I feel…more complete, if that makes sense, with knowing what you told me. And yet, I know there is more that I can do to serve you both. Yes, I understand that you treat us all well, even as peers rather than servants, but that is the reality of the situation in the end, and many of my thought processes are turned to how I can better serve the cause of Nazarick."
"Albedo…if there's something more specific bothering you, then just say it."
Albedo looked away, and Harry realised she was embarrassed. An adorable blush was touching her cheeks, though her mouth wasn't in its usual serene if somewhat unnerving smile. Instead, she looked embarrassed, and while she was always beautiful, that expression made her look cute. After a while, she said, "I…this is hard for me to say. I know you wish to…well, try and grow into our relationship, to reciprocate the love I feel so ardently for you, but…I do have a request, as selfish as it is, but I believe it will not only benefit me, but you, and all of Nazarick."
Harry blinked. "Umm…okay? What is that request?"
Albedo seemed to gather her courage, before saying, "I want you to take my virginity as soon as possible."
Harry blinked again. And again. He then settled for staring at her incredulously. Eventually, his brain rebooted, and he tried to speak. It took a moment for a remotely coherent sentence to come out. "…You what?"
Albedo turned away from him. "…Please, allow me to explain before you reject the idea out of hand. I know you wish to take things slowly with our relationship, but as we become more exposed to this new world, it behoves each and every one of us to have full access to our abilities."
"…Albedo, I need to ask, which of your abilities requires me to take your virginity?" Harry asked.
"I have the ability to summon a Bicorn, a demonic steed, for use in battle. While I am fast on the ground, and in the air, that consumes my own stamina. Summoning a Bicorn would allow me to conserve stamina and move quickly in and out of a battlefield. However, a Bicorn is the polar opposite of a Unicorn. In Yggdrasil's lore, a Unicorn, being a symbol of purity, can only be approached by virgins of pure heart. But a Bicorn requires that the rider be an impure maiden. I performed an experiment with Aura's help, and the Bicorn refuses to heed my orders. You may confirm with Aura if need be. As much as I desire to consummate our relationship, I do not intend to have it based on a lie. You told me the truth about you, about Satoru, about we, the Floor Guardians, and the other denizens of Nazarick. That, then, is the honest truth."
Harry had to admit, he was touched by Albedo's vehemence in remaining truthful to him. True, her request was a bizarre one, and he wasn't sure he was ready yet. While he had known Albedo for years, technically, they'd only had a relationship for just under a month, and the busy work they both had had hampered the relationship Albedo desired.
In addition, he had to admit to being wary of getting into any physical relationships since what happened with Ginny. A bit of a crush on BubblingTeapot and Yamaiko were the closest he had, and Yggdrasil didn't allow for any kind of cybersex for various legal reasons. It wasn't like he could return to his actual body for any dates in reality either.
Even when he was part of the Thirteen Heroes, he was wary. Part of it was the realisation that Albedo, with her settings changed, would inevitably want to be in a relationship with Harry once she arrived. And then, there weren't that many amongst the Thirteen Heroes that appealed to him. It was a melting pot of volatile personalities, and they were trying to save the world. The only one who appealed to him, at least in terms of personality, was Keno, and any thought of being with her was dashed by her perpetually child-like body, which was completely unappealing. Of course, Harry and Keno thought it better to remain platonic friends anyway.
Rigrit was physically attractive at the time, true, but there was always the sense that she was attracted to him not for affection's sake, but because he was powerful and a looker. In addition, she had the gall to come onto him after a few of their comrades died, claiming she wished to comfort him. He'd lashed out in anger and grief, and in doing so, sealed his fate.
In truth, in some ways, Albedo wasn't so different. And yet, when he revealed his darkest secret to her, that he had been human along with the Supreme Beings, his gamble worked out. She accepted this, and was even beginning to grow.
He wanted to give her a chance. True, he had kept other women in his life at arm's length, but Antilene looked like a young teenager anyway, and Leinas…for all her gratitude to Harry, he didn't want to sully their friendship by having her be his bedwarmer, and she appreciated that. It gave her an opportunity to find someone who could accept her in spite of her past and her removed curse. Imina was very much Hekkeran's lover, and he didn't want to get in the way of that.
But would this be too much, too soon?
Then again, he thought about it in pragmatic terms too. It meant widening Albedo's versatility. They needed the Floor Guardians and the Pleiades able to work to their full potential. Albedo's Bicorn could be an asset under the right circumstances.
But he didn't want to simply tell her to come to his bed. Instead, he said, "Well, let's make a date of it, then. You enjoyed the food at that Golden Pavilion Inn that Sebas and Solution stayed at prior to heading to the capital. Let's go there, shall we?"
Albedo's golden eyes lit up with joy, her wings flapping in ecstasy. "It's a date!" she cheered.
And indeed, it was. Albedo once complained to Harry of Tabula not giving her much variety in her dresses. He had taken her on a prior date to Arwintar to buy dresses that could be suitably modified to accommodate her wings. Honestly, she got very excited on that particular trip.
Instead of her usual white dress with the gold necklace shaped like a cobweb, this one was mostly dark silver. It was beautifully embroidered, and that it caught Albedo's eye, despite being created by humans, said a lot about how good it looked(1). Indeed, Harry thought that Albedo looked even more regal in that dress than she did in her normal clothes, and had voiced that, much to her delight.
They ate and drank, with Albedo comparing the food and drink favourably to Sous-Chef's own efforts, and resolved to find out the secrets of the Golden Pavilion Inn's cooking, as well as to find how to obtain the recipes. But soon, the time had come. And Harry knew that, for Albedo, it couldn't come soon enough.
He'd sent a Message to Arche, Antilene, and Leinas. He intended to spend the night in his room at Nazarick, for Albedo's sake (he'd given it to her as her own bedroom when he learned Tabula hadn't given her a bedroom of her own), and after ensuring there was nothing urgent that needed to be done, he and Albedo returned to the Tomb of Nazarick, and to Harry's own luxurious rooms there. But as they entered, Harry took a pair of potions from his inventory, handing one to Albedo, and drinking the contents of the other himself. "What is this, Harry?"
"A mixture of a number of different potions from the wizarding world. The first is a contraceptive potion, and one that I've confirmed works on us, thanks to an analysis spell after I tested a dose. I know you want to have children of our own, one day, but I want to wait until the Platinum Dragon Lord is dealt with before we start a family in earnest…our adopted children aside, obviously. But the other potions in the mix are rather more interesting for us both. One's a stamina potion, and the other…a rather potent aphrodisiac."
After it sunk in, Albedo grinned, and knocked back the bottle in a single gulp. "How long until they take effect, Harry?"
"Not too long. A minute at most."
"Then…I had best divest myself of this dress. I worry that either of us may tear it in our lust," she said, hurriedly stripping. Harry gently helped her, before removing his own clothes. "…Harry?" she asked plaintively after they were done.
"Yes, Albedo?" he asked, trying not to be distracted by her gloriously naked body, even as his blood rushed south, spurred by the aphrodisiac. Seriously, everything about her was magnificent, from that beautiful face, to those white horns on her head, her raven black hair and wings, those golden eyes, those generous breasts…she was a smorgasbord of sensuality that he was going to sample very shortly. But he wanted to listen to what she had to say first.
"…Thank you, for everything that you have given me, and everything you will give me," she said.
In hindsight, before the lustful haze descended over them both, and their faculties were obscured with carnal pleasure, those were fitting words to end the night on. Simple words, yes, and yet, Harry knew that they had been spoken with an equally simple sincerity. And it was with that that some of the remaining scars on his heart and soul began to heal…
CHAPTER 14 ANNOTATIONS:
And we'll leave it at that, partly because of the guidelines on this site, but also because I'm shit at writing lemons. And yes, the contraceptive potion worked.
Albedo is in love with Harry, but it's not quite the same in reverse. That being said, Harry needs someone who understands him, who wants to help him. And Albedo, partly thanks to being an utterly loyal NPC and partly because she actually understands and empathises with him now, will help him heal. He'll come to truly love her in time, partly because she is changing for the better. Less that she is evil and more about how she channels her evil, to say nothing of her showing flashes of empathy.
Review-answering time! Regarding Antilene meeting a tortured Clementine, I haven't written such a scene. However, they did have a brief reunion.
Planar-Walking-Entertainment: He won't learn for some time, but he will suspect that something is going on. Of course, once he does learn, he'll be pissed…but he won't rush out to confront Harry straight away. The PDL isn't an idiot.
Have a Little Feith: Ninya/Celicia won't be adopted, but she'll become part of the group working around Carne.
AnimeGoji91: I think it has not-dissimilar dark senses of humour, but Disgaea is somewhat different to Overlord. Well, the novels/anime of that name is, anyway. There is actually a wholly unrelated game series of the same name, written by Rhianna Pratchett, the daughter of Discworld author the late, great Terry Pratchett. In many ways, it's like the Overlord novels/anime, but in other regards, it's actually closer to Disgaea, in that it's a strategy game of sorts where you command a lot of minions…sort of Disgaea meets Pikmin.
Mugen-Muse: You raise some good points, and you're right, Brita's team may not have survived if Brain decided to attack them, assuming Shalltear didn't get involved.
1. This is a New World analogue of her dress she wears as the Sorcerer Kingdom's emissary to Re-Estize in the fourth season.