All of Neia's servants were currently gathered outside her mansion.
It was because very soon, Ainz would arrive to take the Baraja family and a group of paladins to E-Rantel, so that a tour could be given to the newly resurrected couple.
As usual, this made Neia quite anxious, as she felt that everything must always be perfect for her beloved's arrival, especially when he was doing them a great kindness by teleporting them.
"... Neia?"
She was taken back to the present by the voice of her father.
"Hm? Sorry, I was thinking."
Her mother then chimed in.
"Really? You look a bit anxious."
"Oh, not at all... well, maybe, but it's nothing you should be worried about. I'm just making sure everyone looks alright, that they're standing in a proper formation... all that. Darling will arrive any second now, after all."
"Is that why? Is this really the sort of thing he'd ever be mad about?"
"Ah, not at all. But it's only proper for a King as great as him."
"I see..."
She realised then that Pabel was probably on high alert for any bad behaviour shown by Ainz. If there were signs that he frequently got angry at her, then Pabel would have a duty as a father to protect his daughter from a potentially abusive husband. She did not actually mind this at all, since it was not rooted in distrust for the undead, and seemed to just be a normal fatherly instinct. After all, he'd been giving talks about what kinds of men to avoid ever since she started developing.
As she was thinking about the distant past, Ainz appeared.
The paladins and other servants knelt without hesitation, while she and her parents stood.
"Hello Neia, Mr. and Mrs. Baraja... I hope everything is well?"
Neia thought about last night, and about how she overstepped a bit with all her intense kissing. Nothing really happened in the hours since then, so she answered plainly.
"Yes, darling."
"In that case, shall we depart?"
"Yes."
He nodded, and used the portal spell.
Neia turned around, gesturing to her parents that they should follow her and Ainz closely.
...
They were taken just outside of E-Rantel's palace.
When the paladins finished stepping through the portal, he closed it and turned to her.
"You said you will act as the guide this time?"
"Yes, darling."
"I see. I will leave you to it, but you may request additional personnel at any time. Is that all?"
"May I get a kiss before we go?"
"Of course."
After a pleasant kissing routine, he looked into her eyes for a brief moment before once again disappearing.
... ...
They were only walking for a little bit, but he already felt quite strange. E-Rantel was a little like the new Hoburns, but the aspects which somewhat unnerved him then were now on full display. The Death Knights were everywhere, along with all other sorts of undead labourers. The demi-humans which he considered enemies his whole life were seen walking along casually, and often.
But despite everything, everyone just seemed to go about their days as if nothing was wrong at all. There were children playing and laughing in the streets, young couples holding hands...
He had to admit that the sight of both the undead and demi-humans still put him on edge. Though the paladins all said this was something one would get used to, so he wasn't too worried.
His wife, on the other hand, seemed to have a bit more trouble.
Pabel then noticed that this whole time they've been walking, the amount of demi-humans they encountered seemed to slowly be increasing.
"I think we're almost there!"
As usual, his daughter seemed quite excited when it came to things regarding her husband and his Kingdom.
She didn't tell them where they were heading, so he was quite curious.
…
After more walking, he got his answer. Turning a corner, the houses seemed to... change. In this district, they were varying in size, and even if they were normal-sized, they overall had different features.
"This is the demi-human district, with homes specifically made to accommodate different species... See that house? That one is made for dwarves… or, well, most short species, I believe."
He looked where she was pointing, and saw a house with seven floors, each of which was about half the expected height.
"... Well, we're not going to see exactly what living in them is like from just looking at them, but a quick walk through a street or two should give you an idea, right?"
…
Going deeper in, they ran into a group of playing children. One of them looked sort of like a sabre-tooth cat, one of them had rabbit ears, and one of them seemed to be human. When these children saw his daughter, they rushed over.
"Are you Lady Baraja?"
Neia pushed through the paladins, much to everyone's surprise, and spoke to the children in a sweet, kind tone.
"Yes, that's me."
Pabel thought this was a little odd, since she would normally only wave and smile at anyone admiring her, and generally just keep her distance.
"Are you the Queen?"
She chuckled warmly.
"I am married to the Sorcerer King, but he did not make me his Queen."
"But you're still really awesome!"
"Right, you're really cool, Lady Queen!"
… ...
As the day progressed, Pabel only continued to get the feeling that this was just a normal city.
Well, maybe not normal, but it felt like it was.
Either way, their daughter had just shown them two massive statues which stood outside the city's gates, talking about how much she wished she could get a few like them for Hoburns. But that had to be cut short, as it seemed the sun was soon going to set.
And so, they were now combining what Neia remembered with a lizardman guard's directions so that they could find a specific inn.
After Neia got recognised and praised a few more times, it seems they finally reached their destination.
Or at least that's what Pabel assumed, since his daughter suddenly stopped to stare at a building in silence.
"... Look... this is the inn where the delegation stayed... when I was just a squire..."
She said this with a tone which was a strange mix of nostalgia and something else, but he couldn't tell what.
"Hahhh... Captain Custodio was such a handful..."
The nostalgia seemed to disappear as she then spoke with a more tired tone, instead starting to look to the sky.
Pabel didn't really know Remedios Custodio at all, so he asked curiously.
"Neia, what was she like?"
When she turned to him, he couldn't see what her expression was exactly, due to her visor.
"We... didn't really see eye to eye. She was there to personally witness some of His Majesty's greatest feats, and he even directly saved her life, yet she cursed him for being an undead... she was an utter fool, blind to the obvious..."
Her words trailed off a bit, and she seemed to no longer be looking at him, with her head turned up again, but only ever so slightly.
"Also, she was a complete bitch. Seriously, what the hell was her problem?"
He was a bit surprised at his daughter's sudden unladylike behaviour, and it seemed his wife felt the same. Even the paladins looked at her with surprise.
But he understood that she probably returned to having the mindset of a soldier, even if it was just for a moment.
Still, it seemed she was going deeper and deeper into her own memories.
"Ah, I've barely seen Montagnés since he took her place... and only in a purely official capacity... Maybe I've got to thank him... I guess I'll write him a letter..."
After a few more moments, she seemed to return to the present.
"Oh, sorry about that... It all seems so long ago now. Life's felt completely different ever since I fell in love with darling... But it's getting late. Let's get back to the palace."
... ...
Like usual, Sofia and Pabel were left alone for a little while, just before dinner. Their daughter once again went off to deal with something.
After today, Sofia felt like she had a lot to think about. This strange city made her question many of the things she felt were obvious truths about the world.
"Honey?"
The voice of her husband tore her out of her thoughts.
"... What is it?"
"This city... it certainly doesn't look like a place controlled by some tyrant..."
This was a concern they both used to share. Although the former Holy Kingdom was now part of the Sorcerer Kingdom, it was possible that things were only good temporarily, and a place like E-Rantel, which was under Gown's control for far longer, would be a true reflection of how he ruled, and could thus be in a terrible state.
But it seems their fears regarding him were once again unwarranted.
It seemed more and more like their daughter's husband was exactly as she described him.
"So he really was human before, huh?"
It was the only explanation Sofia could come up with for why an undead was holding back its hatred for all life. Some of that old humanity must have remained.
"Yes, it seems very likely... although it's probably our fault that we don't know. We could have asked him all the way back then, but we refused to speak to him. That really was very rude of us, wasn't it?"
Sofia didn't really feel that way. She thought that if she had the opportunity to speak to him again, she would once again decline. Her contempt and disgust were too strong.
"Perhaps we should ask Neia, then?"
...
As she watched the maids put down the final plate of food, she turned to Ainz.
"Thank you, darling."
"There's no need. It's no issue at all, really."
At her request, her parents are not going to be served Nazarick food for the duration of the stay, just to be sure. This meant that they had to get food from some other place, making the process a bit more complicated.
"I'll go fetch them now."
"Of course. Wouldn't want their meals getting cold."
"... Uhm, maybe we could have another date later in the night?"
He chuckled.
"But you have to get at least a few hours of sleep, alright? This is going to be the second night in a row, after all."
...
As Pabel sat down to eat, he saw that the meal was not exactly what he might expect of a royal palace. Still, that only made sense considering its owner was undead, and thus probably didn't invest much in high-quality cooks, unless a big event was coming up. The palace wasn't very fancy or large in general, anyway.
As for their daughter, she wasn't eating anything this time either, simply sipping on some milk instead.
...
"... Yes, Shizu also drinks milk, but hers is somehow enhanced with other flavours."
"Really? Other flavours?"
"Yes. Much like one would put sugar in water to make it sweet, it seems there is a process to make milk that tastes a bit like strawberries, or many other things. It might be foreign utility magic, since this technique is known to both demons and Ainz."
They both nodded along to their daughter's explanation, and Pabel felt like this might be a good time for the question.
"... That reminds me, what about your husband's past?"
"His past?"
"I mean... how he came to be."
"Ah, I see..."
She looked a little nervous, which made him pay very close attention.
"... Well, darling didn't actually tell me... I asked him how he was born, if he was ever something before becoming undead, but he only said that it was a rather complicated and boring matter, so he didn't think it would make for good conversation. I didn't press it any further. It's not something I really think about much."
Pabel leaned back.
"Doesn't that already tell you a lot, though?"
His daughter seemed confused, and so he continued.
"Let's see... there's two ways undead come to be, right? Undead can appear naturally due to high amounts of death occurring in an area, or they can be creatures which were once alive..."
She seemed to understand instantly.
"Ah! If it was as simple as him appearing naturally, he wouldn't have said that!"
Pabel nodded.
"That does make me a bit curious... I suppose I can ask him on our next date... but that's enough about that. What was I talking about earlier?"
"Flavoured milk."
"Ah, right. Have you guys ever heard of 'chocolate'?"
...
After dinner, Neia continued talking to her parents for quite a while in the dining hall. She would probably continue to do so well into the night if she didn't have other plans.
Giving the excuse that she felt sleepiness overtaking her, she had a maid take her to her beloved, though he had to be contacted through [Message] first.
After that, they started another secret date. Though she was only really hiding it from her parents, it felt a bit like the old ones.
Either way, they were currently sitting and cuddling on a sofa.
"... what then?"
"I took them to the statues outside the city gates. Ah, I really wish Hoburns had at least one like that..."
"Uhm... you did?"
"W-wait, is that bad?"
"No, just... Well, hopefully they don't think I'm too egotistical..."
"I doubt it! Such statues are only fitting for someone like you!"
"Uhm... yes, of course... and what then?"
"I took them past the old inn... what was it called... uhm, the one where the delegation stayed all that time ago."
"Ah... hmm... I suppose I never asked you this, but when did you fall in love with me, exactly? Was it all the way back in the throne room?"
"No, it was back when we were travelling in the carriage. Though I didn't know that it was love back then."
"I see. Well, I'm glad things turned out like this..."
She chuckled.
"So am I... I just can't imagine a life without you."
After that, they remained in silence for some time, enjoying each other's company.
But then, she remembered that she had something to say.
"... Darling, may I ask a daring question?"
"Of course. No need to ask my permission."
"Well... I remember I asked you once before, and you didn't really answer, but my parents also recently wondered about the same thing... So, if you don't mind me asking, how did you come to be?... Were you always undead?"
\\\
The question immediately forced Ainz deep into his thoughts.
It seemed that saying something dismissive was the simple and safe thing to do, but...
Was there really any harm in telling the truth?
After all, if anyone in Nazarick somehow found out, he could simply say that everything he says to Neia is to trick her into being more loyal, since that's already his current story.
And there might be some downsides to not telling her. If her parents wanted to know, being dismissive might make them suspicious.
... But he also did not want to lie to Neia. It felt wrong.
And so, he would tell her the truth.
\\\
"... Neia, I was human once."
Her eyes widened, but only for a moment. Part of her expected this.
Though she could accept any explanation, this was the most likely one.
"But you must keep this a secret, my love."
She squeaked at being called "my love", which made him laugh.
This time, it wasn't just a chuckle, but full, honest, and warm laughter.
"... That was very cute."
She blushed and averted her gaze momentarily.
"Well, like I said, you should keep this a secret. Let's just say that it could potentially be exploited as a weakness by my enemies. I cannot explain how, of course."
Neia couldn't really imagine a scenario where knowledge like that was useful, but she believed everything he said, like always. And so, she confirmed with a nod.
"Ah, but didn't you say your parents were also curious?"
"Yes, but they'll surely understand if I tell them it is a secret."
"Well... they still don't trust me at all, do they?"
Neia looked away again, this time with guilt and shame.
"I'm sorry."
"Oh, don't worry. I'm sure they'll understand in time. But I suppose telling them could be a show of trust... yes, if you also tell them that they must keep it a secret, then it should be fine."
"Okay, I'll make sure they know they must never speak of it."
"Thank you... but maybe we should change the topic for now, hm? I spoke to Shizu, and she will visit right after you return from E-Rantel. Is that alright?"
"Yes, I believe that should be fine."
... ... ...
Early in the morning, the Baraja family was taken to a farm not far from E-Rantel.
After spending some time having fun talking in the comfy carriage, they felt it start to slow down. It seemed they were at their destination.
Pabel did not know what this was all about, exactly, but Neia seemed quite excited.
"... Look, we're here."
"Seems like it. Are you going to tell us now?"
"Sorry, dad. Just a few more minutes."
They then waited for a moment or two, only stepping out when a paladin opened the door for them.
Once he was outside, Pabel saw a man kneeling, and it seemed they were just outside some sort of small village.
"Your Holiness! I am Tevro Alten, village chief."
"Please rise, Sir Alten. And thank you for your hospitality."
The man spoke as he got up.
"There is no need to thank someone like me!... Do you wish to be led to the workers right away?"
"Yes, please."
...
As they walked, Pabel wondered about the meaning of all this. He would get his answer soon, but he really was quite curious, and so he couldn't stop wondering.
They then entered the village proper, and after walking past many kneeling people, they seemed to arrive at their destination.
It was a house which was under construction. The people working on it seemed to be...
"And here they are. Our worker skeletons. We've been putting them to good use, as you can see."
Neia then turned to him and Sofia.
"Dad, could you come over here?"
"Come over? Now I'm really curious..."
As he stepped close, the chief also took a few steps of his own, towards one of the undead workers.
"Hey, you with the hammer. Stop."
The skeleton obeyed instantly.
"Come here. You will now take orders from that man right here."
Pabel's expression changed for the briefest moments as he put the pieces together.
"Now, Lord Baraja, why don't you try commanding it around for a bit?"
He had no idea what to say, so he took a while to force something out.
"Uhm... skeleton, why don't you... turn around?"
The creature did as it was commanded. It was a strange, but fascinating experience, having a puppet like that.
"Uhm... can you do a handstand?"
He turned to the village chief after watching the skeleton do so.
"So they never tire, right? Could he stay like this forever?"
"Naturally."
"Huh... hey Sofia, come try this out."
"W-what? Me?"
"Yes, come on. At least try."
"Ugh... fine..."
...
After watching his wife reluctantly give the skeleton a few commands, Pabel turned to his daughter with a new question on his mind.
"By the way, Neia?"
"Yes, dad?"
"You didn't bring us out here just for this, right?"
"Oh, not at all. I just wanted you to see life outside the city, as well. Today, there's going to be a spring festival happening here in this village. I also wanted to attend a wedding I heard was going to take place, and proclaim the couple as husband and wife."
Pabel looked to Sofia, who nodded quickly, making the decision clear. They'd stay here and attend.
... ... ...
As Ainz watched Neia yawn again, he sighed.
"Are you sure you don't want to go to sleep yet?"
"But that would mean ending the date!"
"Don't you need energy to be a good guide for your parents tomorrow?"
"I... suppose that's true..."
"Hmmm... What if I let you fall asleep in my lap? Would that convince you?"
"Well... alright. But you have to give me a kiss first."
"Of course."
He moved his face closer.
She slowly moved hers toward him, and then finally kissed him on the teeth with closed eyes.
But just as Ainz thought the normal time for a kiss to last was about to end, Neia grabbed his head with both her hands, and continued pressing her lips against him.
It took quite some time before she pulled away. When she did so, there was a faint hint of lust in her eyes.
"... Neia?"
"Uhm, s-sorry, was that too much?"
"No... I think that was quite nice."
She blushed and smiled at the same time.
A sight that filled him with... joy? Something like that... it was pleasant, whatever it was.
Either way, he found that he was rather happy to spend time with her every night like this.
Quite happy indeed.
…
Hello, Lucy here. Just reminding you to give me your thoughts on the chapter, if you would be so kind!