The idea of taking over the world hadn't really occurred to him before, but now that it had, Momonga gave it serious consideration. 'Given the way the beastmen were demolishing the Draconic Kingdom, and I could demolish the beastmen nation with just one spell…' He pondered that as he walked the halls of Nazarick. The faint echo of his steps were matched by those of Lupusregina Beta at his back.

She walked with the quiet deference of a devoted servant, occasionally in the glass covering a priceless painting on the walls, he caught sight of her serene expression and posture. Her hands folded neatly in front of her waist, she moved with the gracefulness of a ghostly dancer.

'She too, would be killed in this world…' He acknowledged privately. The Pleiades were all, save for CZ, abominations in human eyes and would be shown no mercy. Yet at the same time, he also knew… 'Human attitudes are malleable, I can reshape those to whatever I like if I'm willing to take the time… I just need to show them-'

Then it hit him and Momonga stopped in his tracks. He turned his head to look over his shoulder, "Lupusregina," he said as she came to a halt behind him and raised her eyes to meet those of her master, "have the mirror of remote viewing brought to the dining hall."

"At once, Lord Momonga!" She said in her cheery way, she whirled around with a rustle of her skirts and scurried to obey his commands, he watched her withdraw with the hint of a smile on his face. 'It's so hard to picture her as the sadist that she was designed to be. But then, that's gap moe fanatics for you. It's a wonder they didn't make her into a child.' Momonga thought with a chuckle.

Albedo, for her part, he was fairly sure would be along shortly, no doubt checking for the hundredth time that everything was perfect. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he walked, "I wonder if I can get her to relax on that at least a little, it isn't good to worry so much about every little thing…"

Probably not.

That was his conclusion as he thought it over, from what Momonga saw, they were bound up in the personalities designed for them, if somewhat influenced by the personalities of their creators…

'But I can still treat them well… some mandatory holidays perhaps. Of course they wouldn't want a time away from service, they'd see it as a punishment. But maybe if…' Momonga's pondering in his mind slowly transitioned to quiet utterances as he sounded out his own thoughts to himself.

And this continued until he unthinkingly walked through the door to the conference room of the Forty-One uttering the phrase, "Everyone and everything needs time for themselves in order to grow…"

"That is very true, my lord, my friend." Enri said with a deep bow. "I'm seeing the same thing in my little sister, she's spending lots of time with CZ and just not having to work constantly in the fields has meant she's had time for so much more. She can read, write, she's learning to paint and do mathematics, and she's been reading every book Secundus holds out to her in the library."

Momonga snapped out of his reverie, Enri was dressed in clothing far beyond her station. Formal military attire, which is to say, fabric shirt and long pants, the black and gold patterns of Nazarick, with bits and pieces of burnished armor. Armor that could only have come from Cocytus's own quarters. A gift to him from his own creator.

Enri's blonde hair was bound into a braid that hung down her back, a far cry from her previous appearance, everything about her appeared stronger than before while she had a peasant hardiness about her previously, now she had the beauty of a young paladin, fresh faced and strong, untainted by the horrors of the battlefield.

The fact that she wore the pieces that she did, meant that Cocytus had really taken to her, and so despite the shock of seeing that equipment put to use… 'No, he would have wanted it used, and who better than Cocytus to decide something like that?' So he let it go.

She was close at hand to Fluder and the Bloody Emperor, who still looked down at the round table with some degree of disbelief, as if the idea of such a thing was foreign to them. They were clearly struggling for quite what to say, whether to greet him or jump straight to a pressing question, but they didn't get the chance before Neia rose to her feet.

"I couldn't agree more." Neia said from where she stood a few feet away. "It's only possible for anyone to accomplish anything by first having time to spend away from struggling to survive. Speaking of, thank you for your assistance, My Lord."

"Assistance?" Momonga asked, and Neia nodded.

"Someone 'spoke' with Remedios on my behalf, and in very short order she started treating me much, much better. It looks like I'll even be getting a chance to work at the palace of the Holy Queen soon." She chuckled a little, "Mother and father are beside themselves, I guess maybe they viewed me more favorably than I thought."

"That's marvelous." Momonga said with a warm and welcoming smile on his face, 'I have no idea what she's talking about… but that sounds like something Demiurge might be involved in… also it seems they got the idea that I intended another larger meal… oh well, I'll just run with it. It would be rude to disinvite them after they were 'invited' in the first place.' He thought and covered his surprise as best he could when he heard the 'gate' opening outside.

Gazef and Princess Renner were in quiet conversation continuing a talk that had clearly been going on for quite some time. "...I can only take the boy so far, even if he can't grow stronger, he can gain more experience, perhaps someone here can take him to the next level."

"I will ask Lord Momonga then, I do so want to see him reach the peak he belongs upon…" Renner's formal voice was unmistakable, but a moment later there came the voice of Brain Unglaus.

"The problem is, you teach him to fight 'clean'. I'll take him through some rounds in the arena here, a few dirty tricks can mean the difference between life and death in a fight."

"Come in." Momonga said before they could even knock.

No sooner than he said it and the trio filed in than the gate opened a second time and the Draconic Queen stepped through, dressed to impress in her finest dress of golden silk with clean white frills and the symbol of the dragon stitched in red over her chest.

She went straight past the others as if to get to him first, and in sight of them all, she didn't just bow to him, the Draconic Queen embraced him. "Thank you, brother, for the wonder you've bestowed on my country!"

There was something of a gasp that went up from those who witnessed it. Not because of a claim to some filial relationship, but because how she said it was in line with the use of a royal 'we'. The Queen of a nation had assumed his status as an equal to the highest ranks of nobility, and she'd done it in front of people of common standing with herself.

Having played enough fantasy games over the years, and read enough fantasy fictions, Momonga was only a second behind the others before he realized the political significance of her declaration.

What he didn't realize because he'd turned away from them, was the impact that this had on friend Jircniv. 'She beat me to the punch! That wily minx! That's what you get for playing it safe, Jircniv, you wanted to wait and gauge just how powerful he was by asking for some demonstration, or waiting until he'd demonstrated it himself… you should have listened to gramps, but no. Then there's that table, whoever heard of a 'round' table before?! How do you tell who is in charge without looking at the head?!' He relaxed his face a moment later as the others filed in and Momonga greeted them each one by one, his impulse to rise held back by Fluder's hand on his leg.

Only when the last had entered did the hand move away and the already seated pair stand, approach, and offer their extended hands in turn.

"Good to see you," Jircniv had intended to say, 'brother' but at the very last moment, in the span of an eyeblink, he went with something else, "my friend. I'm eager to see the wonders of your home when time permits."

"I'd thought I would call for you myself, I'm almost disappointed that I didn't get to." Momonga said as he clasped their hands one after the other.

"Oh, yes we had a visit by a charming young girl in a red and black dress, she said her name was Shalltear and she instructed us to message 'her' when we were ready as you were 'occupied with the details of the evening' to use her phrase." Jircniv explained.

'Definitely Albedo's doing.' Momonga thought, and brushed it aside, they were here and that was what mattered.

"Well, as long as you're here, dinner will taste that much better. Company is the ultimate flavor for any dish. Better a pauper's meal with a companion, than a feast in loneliness." Momonga said, and at that, even Renner could not help but nod with approval.

'How true… without my precious puppy, I would live in isolated misery with nothing left of myself…' She thought with a suppressed shiver at the life she almost had before finding him and his adoring eyes.

"Yes, but, if I may ask, the table?" Jircniv asked and gestured toward it, "Where is the head?"

"There is none." Momonga said, "This is the precious room of I and my lost friends, all who sit here are equals, even the one who leads, because all who sit are bonded by friendship and the trust of common goals."

"No… head?" Jircniv tried to recall something, anything that would fit this way of thinking, the strict hierarchy of command and authority that consumed his life was all defied by a simple furnishing in a fine hall by someone whose power alone could have made him superior.

And yet he spoke with no interest in taking the superior position?

'Momonga flips the whole board over and puts another in its place… how do you rebel against people who are not in charge…? I have to rethink everything I know…' Jircniv thought, and threw out all his noble manners.

"Forgive my impertinence," Fluder said, "but I was hoping that perhaps I could see more of your wonderful magic?"

"As a matter of fact," Momonga said as Lupusregina entered the room and set up the mirror on the far wall, "I was going to suggest exactly that. While we dine, you should be able to watch the fall of the beastmen kingdom. There is no sound, only sight, but that is for the best."

That had the table's full and rapt attention. Momonga stood in front of the mirror and began to adjust the view, first finding the Draconic kingdom, he then began to sweep his view with various hand gestures until he reached the place he wanted.

He then stepped aside, tapped the top of the mirror with one finger and said, "Projection, wide."

The table full of guests gasped, first as the projected wide image on the mirror expanded out and beyond it… then again as they saw what was there.