Neia was currently showing her parents around the mansion, trailed by Emma.

She'd already introduced them to most of the servants and paladins, showed them the kitchen, showed them the paintings of her beloved... It's been about an hour since the tour started, and it was now almost over.

She opened another door to explain what was behind it, as she did many times already…

"... And this is my bedroom. This is where we arrived yesterday… It's where me and darling had most of our dates, especially back when we had to keep our relationship a secret."

To Neia, it was a very special room. Just being there filled her with some amount of comfort and peace, the same way being near Ainz did. Not to the same extent, of course. Not even close.

It also evoked some nostalgia, making her remember all the time they spent there together.

Being here with her parents made her think about her past. About everything up until this point. About...

"Ah, that's right!"

She turned to them as she exclaimed.

"I forgot to mention him, but I do hope you will be able to meet our son soon!"

She was so happy thinking about her relationship with Pandora's Actor that she completely failed to notice her parents' expressions, which were combinations of shock and horror.

"Well, he's my step-son, but he sees me as his true mother, so that's what I call him."

She once again didn't notice their new reactions, now sighs relief.

"So… I think that's everything on the inside… Let's go see the outside!"

...

She breathed in deeply before opening the front door, and leading her parents through.

Immediately, they both froze up, as she expected.

"These undead are called Death Knights. Common guards all throughout his Kingdom. They don't really speak or anything like that, but I think they make for good company, right Laeryn?"

Laeryn, the paladin who was her head bodyguard, nodded as he spoke.

"Of course! You get used to them quickly, especially knowing they're His Majesty's minions."

Seeing both her and a paladin speak about the Death Knight in such a manner made her parents ease up a bit, like she planned. They'd still probably take a while to really get used to the undead, but this was a start. After being around the Death Knights a bunch, it would probably be another step towards them accepting Ainz.

Besides this, there was really only one other thing here...

"... Dad, do you want to see the archery range?"

Pabel seemed to perk up instantly as he heard this.

"Oh? You have your own range?"

"Of course! I try to practise at least once every two days, though I must admit I do get a bit lazy and skip going there sometimes..."

She laughed nervously as she admitted that.

...

Neia inhaled deeply, and then released her arrow.

"Hmm... that looked good. Let's go see."

Surprisingly, her father now seemed quite relaxed, and was even taking the initiative, currently being the first to walk to the target without any concern for whether the rest were following him.

Neia looked to Sofia, Emma, and a paladin, gesturing for them all to catch up.

...

Now that they were close enough, everyone could see that Neia hit the centre of the target, and even happened to split her father's own arrow at a distance of 120 metres.

And so, she let herself celebrate a bit with a giggle.

"Yes!"

She looked at her father, who was already glowing with joy and pride.

"Ah, to think you took after me when it comes to archery..."

Neia herself was also overjoyed. That was quite a difficult shot, and she just barely made it despite being so nervous...

"Of course! Ah, you should see this. Eliana?"

She looked to the paladin, who was holding something wrapped up in a cloth.

The woman stepped closer and Neia took the object, unwrapping it at the same time.

"Is that..."

"That's the Ultimate Shooting Star Super! The bow my darling gave me in order to protect him! Even Jaldabaoth was scared of this thing!"

"May I?"

"Of course! That's why I brought it!"

...

Pabel shot arrow after arrow, amazed by the bow's power.

When he looked at the smiling Neia, he thought that maybe he was just being paranoid before...

This really was his little girl, wasn't it?

Well, maybe she was all grown up now, but the idea that she was being mind-controlled by her husband seemed less and less plausible with time.

…But perhaps he shouldn't let himself rest like that. If there was even the slightest chance of something like that happening, he needed to remain vigilant.

He then looked at his wife, realising she might feel a little excluded.

To his surprise, she seemed happy, as well.

And so, he smiled.

... ... ...

Walking the streets of the capital, everything seemed normal, despite the occasional undead.

Sofia was used to walking around with a group of her fellow paladins, but this time they were there as her guards, and not her equals.

Well, their primary task was making sure the road ahead was clear, as large crowds gathered around her daughter...

"It's Her Holiness!"

"Sorcerer Queen, we love you!"

"Your Holiness!"

"It's her! By the Sorcerer King, it's her!"

Her daughter smiled and waved to the people, all without stopping their conversation at all.

"... that street right there has a lot of shops and such, and they apparently sell some very good street food. I've never had any, though. Do you want to see if any of them are open at this time of year?"

She looked to her husband, who nodded. She was also quite curious, and so it was decided.

"All right, sweetheart. Let's go."

...

"Your Holiness, thank you so much for visiting my shop!"

"You should be thanking my parents. It's them that found your display appealing."

"Your parents?!"

"Yes, the announcement is being prepared, but my darling has arranged for their resurrection."

Sofia flinched a bit at Neia calling that undead her darling again.

Still, her daughter seemed like a true master at speaking, her tone always kind and gentle, yet demanding attention. She then stepped aside to let them see the shopkeeper and his wares.

"Lady and Lord Baraja, it is an honour to meet you, as well!"

Sofia didn't feel important at all. It was her daughter who seemed to have done amazing things. And so, she spoke to correct the middle-aged man.

"Please, that's not necessary. Our daughter is the one who deserves your praises."

Seeing that the shopkeeper was about to say something else, probably to disagree, she quickly continued.

"May I have a piece of that over there?"

She pointed to a pie which seemed to contain a large variety of different berries and pieces of fruit. Its price tag was also quite high…

Her husband stepped closer, putting a hand to his chin.

"Ah, I will also have a slice."

"Right away!"

As the pair waited for the shopkeeper to prepare the food for them, Neia beckoned over the paladin who was already opening a large pouch of money. The seller noticed this, and spoke in an uneasy tone.

"Your Holiness, there's no need to pay at all! It is an honour serving you!"

"Nonsense. I insist, even if you do not find it necessary, it is simply common decency to pay the agreed upon price. The difference in status between us means nothing."

Sofia felt like her daughter had a different air about her for just a moment, as she said words that she vaguely recognised... from who did she get them?

Still, she felt proud that Neia said that. It would be bad if she was someone who saw herself as being above others.

...

Eating the delicious pie as she walked, Sofia saw that her daughter was getting a bit uneasy, since she stopped waving to the people and went silent.

Pabel noticed this too, and spoke up.

"Neia? Is something wrong?"

"Well... we're almost there, but... it's honestly a little embarrassing..."

The pair looked at each other, unsure of what their daughter could mean.

A minute or so later, they rounded a corner and saw it.

In the middle of the square, there was a massive statue of the Sorcerer King.

Both her and Pabel were instantly impressed, but their daughter looked away and covered her mouth.

"I really wish it could've been bigger... the ones in E-Rantel are so much nicer..."

Looking around, Sofia could see that the people who were admiring or praying to the statue stopped to rush over to Neia.

"Uhm, let's just leave for now, okay?..."

... ... ...

After a rather exhausting but pleasant tour of the former capital, they had all finally arrived back at the mansion.

"Please rest for now. Dinner will be ready soon, but I have to do a few things first."

"Of course, sweetheart."

Her daughter left the room with a smile, meaning Sofia was now left alone with her husband.

They both laid down on the large and very comfortable bed, each sighing from fatigue.

She looked at Pabel, and noticed he seemed to be in deep thought. She decided to break the silence.

"Dear?"

"Ah, it's just that... in the morning, you remember when Neia told us about the Sorcerer King's son?"

"Of course. Though she called him their son..."

In response to Sofia's somewhat disgusted tone, Pabel only smiled bitterly before continuing.

"I was thinking... Why does an undead have a son?"

Sofia hadn't really thought about it in detail, but it seemed he was getting at something.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm still very worried of course, but... the way he acted when we met, the fact that he has a son… What if… what if he was human once?"

Sofia widened her eyes, but remained silent, and so Pabel continued.

"So... what do you think? If we considered the possibility, it wouldn't be that strange to think Neia fell in love with him, and that he really is a kind ruler..."

She wasn't sure what to believe yet, but...

Whatever. She was too tired to think about some undead now.

She just wanted to rest before having another nice meal with her daughter.

... ... ...

"... Are you sure you're ready?"

Neia inhaled deeply one more time before nodding to her beloved.

"Alright. Let's go, then."

After being teleported, Neia saw three people kneeling in front of her.

It was Enri, her husband Nfirea, and her little sister Nemu.

"Your Majesty! Welcome to our home!"

"Greetings. I am just here to deliver Neia. I hope all is well?"

"Yes!"

He nodded slowly, and then turned to her.

"Neia? Will you want a goodbye hug?"

"A kiss, please."

"Naturally."

And with that, they performed the kissing routine, giving her a bit more courage than before.

"Goodbye then."

"Goodbye, darling."

Then, he was gone.

Neia turned around and saw that the family was still kneeling with their heads lowered, for some reason.

"Uhm... hello? Enri?"

"Your Holiness?"

"W-wait, Enri! We talked about this before! Ugh... come on, get up everyone..."

When they did, she pulled off her visor.

"Nfirea, what the hell? Why are you letting her talk to me like that?"

"W-w-what? W-what the hell are you bringing me into this for?"

"Yeah, I can tell she's the one pushing you two to treat me like that... and you couldn't stand up to her? I thought you understood."

Enri was fidgeting around nervously.

"W-well... it only seems proper, since you're Lord Gown's wife, right?"

"I meant what I said at the wedding. Just treat me as you did before. I'm just Neia, and we're friends… equals."

She sighed before continuing.

"Well, let's put that behind us... I'm glad to see all of you again."

This earned a smile from each one of the three.

"Still, I need to talk to Enri. In private."

Both her husband and little sister nodded, at which point they left the room together, leaving the two women alone.

"... I assume we'll be heading to the living room again?"

"Yes. Follow me."

Enri led her through just two doors, and then they were at their destination. Neia found that despite what the talk was going to be about, she could somewhat relax in her friend's cosy home, which she last visited months ago.

"... anything to drink?"

"No thank you."

Neia sat down on a comfy chair, with Enri following suit only after she was fully seated.

"... So, is your family well?"

"Yes. Very much so. Nfi is still working on his potions, and Nemu continues to be more and more interested in your church. Everything is still just great."

Neia nodded along.

But then, there was only silence.

She inhaled to gather her courage, and spoke uneasily.

"... I suppose I shouldn't beat around the bush, huh? What you were told... yeah, it's true... My parents are back. They were resurrected a few days ago."

Enri seemed to have no reaction.

"... Look, I... I just wanted to know. Do you think we can be friends after this?"

"W-what?"

And now, she was suddenly baffled, as if Neia said some completely incomprehensible thing.

"It's fine if you don't... I know it must be hard, watching Ainz give me something we both wanted so much... I'm sorry it had to be like this, and I won't blame you if you can't look at me the same..."

"What? W-what do you mean, Neia?!"

"... Huh? What do you mean, what do I mean?"

"I would never throw away our friendship because of something like that! The resurrection of your parents was an incredible gift from Lord Gown to his dear wife! It would be horrible of me to be as rude as to think I had any right to such a thing!"

Neia's eyes widened to their fullest extent.

"B-but... you're not jealous at all? Bitter? I received something we both wanted for so long... are you sure?"

"Of course, Neia. I wouldn't be so petty. It would be incredibly disrespectful to you after everything you've done to earn this. I hold you in very high regard, and am proud to call you my friend! This changes nothing. I have no feelings on the matter except happiness that you received such a wonderful gift!"

Neia felt a wave of relief wash over her, and she leaned back into the chair.

"... Ahh... I'm so happy to hear that, Enri... I really am..."

"You shouldn't have worried at all!"

"I... I suppose I was just scared to lose someone again... I never want to feel like I did when Jaldabaoth attacked... I lost everyone back then... sorry, I guess I was just letting old scars get the better of me."

Enri got up and stepped closer, extending her arms.

Neia instantly sprung up to hug her once she recognised her friend's intention.

"... Don't worry. You won't lose me anytime soon."

"Thank you, Enri..."

... ... ...

An anxious Ainz had just received a [Message] from Neia, telling him that the meeting was done.

She didn't sound unhappy at all, which made him feel a good deal of relief. And so, he prepared to teleport over.

When he did, he saw the four people, three of which were kneeling.

"Darling."

"Hello, Neia. Did everything go well?"

"Yes! It seems I worried myself for nothing..."

"Ah, that's good. So, time to go?"

"Yes."

She turned to her friends.

"Thank you for the hospitality. I hope we meet again soon!"

After that, she moved to hold his hand, and he said his own goodbyes.

"Until the next, Enri, Nfirea, Nemu..."

He then teleported them both away, straight to Neia's bedroom.

After she looked around and adjusted to being somewhere new, she hugged him, a gesture he returned.

"Thank you, darling. It went so well!... Will you be going now?"

"Unfortunately. But maybe a goodbye kiss could help?"

"Yes, please!"

...

After saying goodbye to Neia, he teleported away once again.

But he didn't arrive at Nazarick.

Instead, he returned to Enri's home.

Finding himself back in that same room where they welcomed him just moments ago, he went to find Enri.

He opened a door, and saw that he interrupted her reading of a book. When she saw him move through, she scrambled to kneel.

"L-Lord Gown! What brings you back so early?!"

"It's nothing, really. I just wanted to talk to you. In private. Please accept my apologies for coming unannounced."

"O-of course! Please, we're alone now."

"Yes, thank you… In that case…"

He stepped closer, not wasting any time.

"[Domintate]."

Instantly, the kneeling Enri changed her stance, now fully at his mercy.

"Tell me, is your relationship with Neia going to continue unhindered?"

"Yes."

"Do you feel any bitterness or jealousy about the resurrection of her parents?"

"A bit."

"Will that affect how you see her at all?"

"I doubt it."

"Hmm... can you be sure these feelings won't fester into something over time?"

"I believe they almost certainly won't."

"Good, good..."

If the mind-controlled Enri answered differently just now, he might resurrect her parents as well, to preserve her friendship with Neia. But since such a thing wasn't necessary, he did not intend to waste any resources.

He might have to check like this again in a year or so, to make sure there were no changes.

But now, he released the spell, and prepared to use [Control Amnesia] to erase her memory of this little encounter.

… … …

It was the middle of the night.

Neia had requested a date, even though she had her hands full with her parents during the day.

But it seemed she had quite a bit of energy left…

She was currently kneeling over the sitting Ainz, pressed up against him and showering him with passionate, loving kisses while stroking his head and chest.

At the same time, one of his hands was holding her hip, and the other was playing with her hair.

This was just meant to be a nice welcoming kiss, but… it seems something took hold of Neia in the heat of the moment.

Judging from her quiet moans and laboured breathing, that something was lust.

Ainz himself was… well, he had no idea what the hell he was doing right now.

He expected himself to gently push her away, and explain that he was uncomfortable with something like this, but…

He didn't.

Well, for now, he'd let her have her fun. It was just kissing, after all, and that was something he already allowed for a long time now. As long as she didn't try anything more, he was fine with indulging her for a bit.

He was also just happy that she was enjoying herself… At least he thought the emotion he currently felt was happiness. It was pleasant either way, whatever it was.