Hello Scrolls and Nazarins, Mr.Bones bringing another chapter of my fanfic The One Who CameBack.
We're entering the final stretch of my story, the time has come to begin the explanations and revelations, some have probably already been discovered, but I still hope to surprise you.
Ainz obtains the final report from the searches and makes his own discoveries.
With you
The One Who Came Back
Chapter 37: The Tomb
The Great Tomb of Nazarick was on high alert. After the recent events, Ainz decided to summon all the Floor Guardians again to receive the final report from Sebas and the Pleiades.
"All Floor Guardians, Sebas Tian, and the Pleiades present, Ainz-sama," announced Albedo as she knelt down, just like everyone else.
"Rise, my servants. I apologize for gathering you again so soon," replied Ainz.
"Please, Ainz-sama, we exist to serve your will!" exclaimed Demiurge ecstatically.
"I believe in that, Demiurge. That's why I trust your, Albedo's, and Pandora's Actor's abilities to analyze the information we received and confirm my suspicions. Since the others are not fully aware of all the reports, I would like a summary from each of the Pleiades and Sebas, so everyone can be informed," Ainz thought to himself, "And so that I can understand some of those reports a bit better."
"Please pay attention, everyone! Solution Epsilon, you may begin your report."
Solution stepped forward and began recounting her findings, the change of name, the places the traveler visited until his encounter with the half-elf in the sewers. Everyone seemed indignant that the Godkin was spared after attacking a member of Nazarick.
"Well done, Solution. You did what was necessary and performed admirably. As for the request you mentioned earlier, we will discuss it privately. Sebas Tian, even though you have already given part of your report, I would like you to do it again for everyone now."
Sebas recounted the days in the Draconic Kingdom, the traveler's new name, and the currency, how he was led to the brothel,… "That seems to be a recurring theme with Sebas, he always ends up in a brothel! Did he bring more people rescued?" …and how he saved several children who were sent to the orphanage, "There, he brought them," Ainz thought.
Then Sebas described how he had to defeat an Adamantite adventurer and how Queen Draudillon seemed interested in the traveler.
In this part, Tuare seemed uncomfortable, as if she expected her master to say something, but Ainz didn't know what she was thinking, so he ignored it.
"'He took down a pedophile ring, and the Queen wants to marry Sebas? Who could have imagined!?' Very well observed, Sebas. You noticed that the Traveler seems to leave traces in case he's being followed. We will follow your recommendation and send a reinforcement force to the Draconic Kingdom. Cocytus! Are the lizardman forces ready?"
"Yes, my Lord."
"Excellent. Once we are done here, I will send you with the Lizardman army to the Draconic Kingdom. When you head towards the enemy lines, you will receive undead reinforcements, which will leave only the beastmen terrified."
"Now, Entoma, continue with your report."
The young maid began recounting her two months in Arwintar, her adventures, and her book. What surprised everyone the most was her dating with the vampire.
Shalltear was intrigued, and her sisters even lost their composure while listening to her story. Their enthusiasm was at its peak until Yuri Alpha had to reprimand them.
Ainz tried to feign ignorance and initially didn't intend to mention his encounter with Lord Barintacha the day before, but he would need to talk to him again in the future about that feather.
"CZ2128 Delta, how were your days in the Noble Kingdom?"
"Well, Ainz-sama, I arrived at 1800 hours on the day..." CZ then gave a rather comprehensive military-style report, highlighting the essential points.
"So, in a single night, we discovered a new group of enemies and thwarted their feeble attempt to jeopardize my ten-thousand-year plan. Demiurge, gather information about this group; they seem to have more resources than Zuranon," ordered Ainz.
"As expected of Ainz-sama! I will turn every stone until I find them, my Lord."
"Yuri Alpha, tell us about yesterday."
Yuri then began her report. It seemed like she had a day off rather than tailing a suspect. Solution was interested in the book she acquired, while Narberal appeared embarrassed by the story.
"Lupusregina, please tell us about tonight."
Lupus was hesitant to start, but she saw Aura giving her a thumbs-up as encouragement, so she began her account. She described how she followed the Traveler through the forest, the peculiarities of his person, and how he hit her with some unknown magic. She recounted her misadventures until her return to the Great Tomb. She expected to be reprimanded by her master for failing.
"Good job, Lupusregina."
"What?"
"You did a great job. You provided us with a closer analysis of this traveler, and we learned first-hand how his magic works. It's still something unknown, but we now know that he can affect someone with your level. Moreover, we learned how to dispel one of his spells. I am proud of you."
Lupusregina kept herself composed, but she was ecstatic inside. And everyone seemed to want to congratulate her.
"Now, I would like you all to give me your analysis by combining all this information."
It was obvious that this part fell to the three smartest beings in Nazarick. Most of the report was outside Shalltear's area of understanding, there was no martial information for Cocytus to have an opinion, nothing appeared to be within the expertise of Aura or Mare, and Sebas' perspective on the traveler's possible character would be mere speculation.
Albedo, Demiurge, and Pandora's Actor just looked at each other and began to narrate what they had discovered, each one interrupting and complementing the other in a synchronism that resembled a ballet of words. And then they finished.
"Fufufufu! Very well, as expected of my Guardians. Much has been discovered, and your analysis aligns with what I already had in mind."
"Thank you for praising us, Ainz-sama, but the question of whether he is a descendant of a player or not still persists", pointed out Demiurge.
"I already know what we are dealing with; it seems that the biggest clue went unnoticed by all."
This immediately had an effect, making everyone prostrate in submission and admit their ignorance.
"WE APOLOGIZE, AINZ-SAMA!"
"'Ugh! That's not what I wanted!', Rise, all of you. You are forgiven. I myself only realized it after some time, but I need someone's help to confirm it", Ainz put two fingers to his forehead.
In less than a minute, someone knocked on the door of the Throne Room. A maid opened it and announced:
"The Chief of the Great Library of Ashurbanipal, Titus Annaeus Secundus, is here to see you, Ainz-sama."
"Let him in, Cixous. I called him."
Titus, the librarian entered, swaying until he prostrated himself at the foot of the staircase leading to the throne.
"Here I am, as ordered, Ainz-sama."
"Thank you, Titus. I need your knowledge."
"I live to serve you, Supreme Being."
"Alright, do you have access to the entire catalog and information in the library?"
"Yes, Ainz-sama, all the information stored by the Supreme Beings in the Great Library is available, except for the personal sections of the Supreme Beings."
"Personal sections, you mean restricted areas?"
"Yes, Ainz-sama, some of them can only be accessed with prior authorization from their creators, like the one Lord Peroroncino left open for everyone."
"'Ah, Peroroncino, you probably only left porn there..., Ainz thought humorously, recalling his friend, then came the panic.
'YOUPROBABLYONLYLEFTPORN!!!'
Ainz looks at Shalltear, she smiles at him. He looks at Albedo, who furrows her eyebrows. Albedo looks at Shalltear, who winks at her. Albedo raises her eyebrows, looks at Ainz, who looks at her, and then at Shalltear, who nods affirmatively. Then Ainz drops his jaw. 'I have to close that section before anyone else goes there!', his suppressor glows.
" Ahem, right, back to the topic, Titus, if I give you a list, would you be able to access the files and perform searches and correlations?"
"Yes, Ainz-sama."
"Alright, search for Lovecraft, TW, Sam Jorge, Takuya Yamashiro, Connor, Ichabod Crane, John Talbot, and Telcontar."
"Please wait a few moments, Ainz-sama."
A screen appeared in front of Titus's face, and a series of lists began to form.
"Ainz-sama, forgive our ignorance, but the names... they all seem fake, besides being foreign, they don't seem important". Demiurge pointed out.
"Names are always important, Demiurge. Some of them seemed familiar to me, but what was most important was who they were connected to."
"Ready, Ainz-sama, the entire library has been checked."
"Great, then let's start with the first one, Lovecraft."
"There are several references to names and characters with the name Lovecraft, the main one being that of a creator of creatures and Gods, known as the Old Ones, his name is H.P. Lovecraft."
"I remember him, he was famous even in my time."
"He. Is. A. Creator. Of. Gods?"
"No, Cocytus, Lovecraft had already died long ago, but his legacy remained. One of those gods is Shub-Niggurath, those little goats I summoned in Katze."
Everyone seemed to hold their breath; the creatures summoned by their master were creations of an Ancient and unknown Being.
"Additionally, he created other creatures, like the Shoggoths, they are like flesh slimes." Immediately, everyone looked at Solution; the creature she personified exactly matched that description.
"Next one, Titus."
"Yes, Ainz-sama, the name TW is too generic; besides meaning tower in an ancient code, nothing else is relevant. As for the name Sam Jorge, it directly refers to an ancient saint."
"Another divine being", Demiurge spoke.
"Not just that, from what I've noticed, Ainz-sama is looking for certain correlations. Sam Jorge was famous for fighting against a Dragon."
All eyes turned to Sebas. It couldn't be a coincidence.
"Fufufufu! It seems everyone has noticed already; our "traveler" was using names that allude to his pursuers. Continue, Titus, you don't need to pause anymore."
"As you command, Supreme One. Takuya Yamashiro, a generic given name, but the correlation specifications point to the identity of an adventurer with spider-like abilities and who possessed a giant golem. The name Connor, in the same way, must refer to John Connor, a mythological hero who fought against a machine revolution."
Only CZ's "Wuah!" was heard.
"Ichabod Crane, a human who had a battle against someone called "The Headless Horseman," I believe it refers to a Dullahan, Lady Yuri. And John Talbot faced and became a Werewolf", the two Pleiades looked at each other.
"He knew we would search for him and exactly who would do it, how could he know that, Mein Vather?
"Only if he could see the future, Pandora."
Everyone seemed disconcerted; how do you confront someone who can see the future?
"B-But Telcontar, who is Telcontar, Lord Titus?", Mare asked.
"Ah, young Lord Mare, Telcontar seems to be connected to an epic character with several names, like Strider, Elessar, or Aragorn, but I think the other relation is that he has a mission, a quest."
"W-What does he seek?"
"His home", Ainz said in a somber tone, "he seeks his home."