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This story uses the same setting as my other story "Momon, Big Black Changeling". Essentially, Ainz Ooal Gown is the same type of creature as in that story, although this and that story happen in different worlds.
Ainz stood to the side, flanked by Narberal Gamma, and Nazarick's newest "guest", the repurposed Clementine. Before him, the adventurer Lakyus spoke animatedly with Nazarick's Overseer, Albedo.
"Yo! Big guy! Fancy meeting you here, huh?" asked the member of Blue Rose with a mannish face, the powerfully-built Gagaran. "What say you to a round tonight, huh? We'll have us our little rematch!"
"My apologies," he said quietly. "I shall not be able to stay in this city for long. By the afternoon, we need to travel eastwards. For a quest," Ainz added after a slight pause. It was not exactly a lie for once, as Ainz really had business back in Nazarick. He would still have lied, just to get out of associating with Gagaran for far longer than he wanted.
Gagaran blew out a raspberry. "Aww, that really sucks."
"I see you are here, Beautiful Princess," the diminutive one named Evileye said, in the meantime. "I have a few questions for you."
Nabe blinked. Her face shifted short of actively glaring at the other adventurer. "I've no desire to talk," she said bluntly.
"Nabe," he said, a little scoldingly. "My apologies," he said, turning to Evileye. "She has been in a foul mood since this morning. I have no idea why."
"Might be that it's that time of month," Gagaran mused. "Not that you'd recall, Evileye."
"What the hell's that supposed to mean?" To the side, the two other members, Tia and Tina, observed the proceedings with the same calm demeanor as "Yuki", the being formerly known as Clementine.
"My Lord," Albedo's voice alerted them to Lakyus and herself coming back, finally done with their chat. Ainz looked discreetly at the former, and saw a strange, flushed expression on her face, even as her eyes kept darting towards his Overseer. He smiled behind his helm, and felt a tingle of pleasure rise up his spine. Albedo's idea about Lakyus seemed all the more delicious now.
"Alright, everyone," Lakyus said, now addressing her own team-mates. "Sir Momon and Eclipse Nebula have their own objective over at the residential district. Based on our intelligence, it's a heinous place where they keep the people they kidnapped. Blue Rose is to focus here, on their drugs inside the warehouse. Clear?" The other members of Blue Rose gave their assent. Lakyus turned to Ainz. "Well then, I bid you good luck, Eclipse Nebula. And..." She hesitated, glancing towards Albedo. "Do take care, Amelia."
"Right back at you, m'dear," she said carelessly.
Ainz and the others left, ostensibly to do as they were supposed to be doing.
But instead of heading for the residential district as they were expected, they doubled back, going towards a high spot from where they could observe Blue Rose and their mission. Ainz cast a camouflage spell on the area around them, allowing them to watch the other adventurers without being detected.
What should have been a routine job for Blue Rose was about to turn decidedly pear-shaped. And they would have Ainz and Albedo to blame. Down below, Evileye seemed to have sensed it, as she began to signal to her team-mates who were just about to circle around to the back of the warehouse that something was going on inside.
"Give the signal," Ainz said. A group of shadowy presences appeared inside the warehouse that Blue Rose was about to burn. It was certain that Evileye would be able to sense them, though she would not be able to know exactly who they were.
The presences were shadowfiends, a great form of shadow demon from Nazarick that had shapeshifting skills similar to doppelgangers. Ainz had commanded them to take the forms of heavily-armed men and women, fierce and ready to fight Blue Rose, if they entered. Upon encountering them, Blue Rose would believe them to be thugs in the service of the Eight Fingers.
The test he'd devised was to see if Blue Rose could overcome at least one of the shadowfiends. The fiends were instructed to hold back, and were only explicitly forbidden to kill Lakyus. If Blue Rose managed to wound one of the fiends, then they were instructed to retreat, concluding the test. From there, Ainz would evaluate their power, relative to the fiends he'd commanded. If they were strong enough, then they would be worthy of attention (and might actually become useful to Nazarick). If not, then Albedo would have to decide on her intentions towards Lakyus.
Blue Rose went in, carrying out a battle plan they devised. Using a Scroll of Remote Viewing, Ainz and the others were able to see precisely how they acted. So far Blue Rose was being tactical: with Gagaran, Lakyus and Evileye bringing up the front, while the twins snuck in from the side to attempt a sneak attack. It played entirely to their strengths, which, if he recalled grudgingly, was precisely the standard procedure in Ainz Ooal Gown.
"Would you care for a wager, my lady?" Nabe asked, out of the blue.
"A wager? That sounds interesting. What will be the wager about?" Albedo replied. Down below, Blue Rose was in the thick of it, as the shadowfiends held the line. There were six "thugs" that Blue Rose could see, so it was a manageable number for them; but there were more fiends in truth, disguised as common objects-a failsafe in case things went wrong.
"On whether or not those insects manage to pass Lord Ainz's test."
"Oh my," Albedo's voice was sweet, like a honeyed trap. "Now that is a difficult proposition, Narberal Gamma. On balance, it seems quite unfair."
"How so?"
"Why, there is no chance of Blue Rose failing. One, or two may die, but they will win, in the end." As she spoke, Tia and Tina had begun their assault, although their attempts at a sneak attack failed utterly. Ainz wondered if the fiends should have been a bit less perceptive.
"Why, my lady, you've said something quite surprising. And scandalous! You think these insects can stand against Nazarick?" Ainz resisted the urge to stare at Narberal, and her outspoken manner. It seemed strange to see her speak this way, especially against Albedo.
"That is not what I am saying. Do get some sense into that empty head of yours," Albedo said, with a loud giggle. Her smile seemed strained. "But they will triumph here, especially in the stage we set up specifically for them."
Nabe frowned. Before she could reply, Albedo said further, "But why don't we wager on something else? How about: I bet that at only one of them will die, before they succeed."
"And I wager that all of them will die, and therefore they will not succeed," Nabe said, with a smile.
"I'll take you up on that," Albedo said, her voice sweet. "If I win, then of course I shall have you give up your scheduled visits with the lord for this whole week."
"Let's make it two weeks," Nabe said.
"Done," Albedo said, her good-natured smile widening.
Nabe looked like she wanted to say something else, before she turned and frowned at the scenes unfolding on the Remote Viewing screen.
It didn't take a while until the shadowfiends claimed their first bounty. One of the ninjas died, skewered on the edge of a blade. It was either Tia or Tina.
"There's one," Nabe said. She sounded smug. "Not even five minutes and they're dead. It won't take long before Lord Ainz can claim their corpses for himself."
"Oh my, what a shame for the poor girl," said Albedo. "But, if I do not miss my guess, it looks like they've succeeded, Lord Ainz. Look, the shadowfiends are retreating."
"What?" Nabe said, head whipping around to the screen.
"Really?" Ainz asked, feeling quite surprised. So they managed to scratch one of the fiends after all? The viewing screen displayed a victorious Blue Rose, even as they clustered around their fallen comrade. He hadn't seen whoever it was had landed the blow, as his eyes had focused on the fallen twin. He would have to ask the shadowfiends later. "I see... So it means they pass."
"And that surely means..." Albedo turned, her eyes fluttering, towards Nabe. "I win our little wager, Narberal Gamma. Two weeks it is." She used a finger to ease Ainz's chin to the side, before she leaned up to give him a huge, sloppy kiss, her tongue diving forward to drag his out. The wet sounds of their frantic fresh-kissing followed, even as Albedo's eyes stared triumphantly at Nabe. The latter's face seemed to roil and shift, like wet mud, before Nabe smoothed it over and turned away with a huff.
"Oh that's right," Albedo said further, licking her lips loudly. "Today was supposed to be your scheduled day, right, Narberal Gamma? What a shame. You went through all the trouble to prepare yourself for the Master. Now you've just wagered it all away." Nabe's body trembled, from some unknown emotion, her teeth grinding audibly.
"Yuki" raised a hand. "May I join this wager?-"
"Be silent or be dead," Albedo and Nabe said, at the same time. Ainz resisted the urge to slap his face with his hand. Well, he didn't have the heart to go between two competing women. He only hoped Nabe wouldn't be too put out-even if Ainz personally had been looking forward to fucking the maid again.
Maybe next time.
The Bannry family had been supporters of the Crown of Re-Estize since the time of the Greed Kings. Originally owning much of the land near the border with the Holy Kingdom, the family's domination in politics had diminished within two waves of misfortune: first, the partition of their great fiefdom to many lesser lords due to a calamitous decision to ally with the wrong side during a period of unrest; and second, just over fifty years ago, when more land had to be sold to pay off debts. Since then, the Bannry survived on a pittance, with only two villages to their name, and about fifty farms spread out over their tiny demesne.
The state of affairs had been insulting to a noble house which prided itself on its greatness. Lily-Anne's father, then, had made a decision that would shape their family's fortunes for years to come.
Now, Lily-Anne Gen Mitta Bannry, of thirty-one summers, and Lady of the Bannry Estates, held the reins of her family's affairs. Bound in secret by her father to many vows and pacts, she was empowered to lead the way forward. First, she had secured her family under the over-arching banner of Re-Estize's Noble Faction, opposing the Royal Faction. Then, she had ensured the continuation of her line, and birthed two children, a boy, and a girl, to a lesser nobleman, thereby continuing the Bannry name. It was unfortunate that her husband and father of her children had then died not long ago, leaving his family's considerable resources to be administered by his widow from then on.
Truly a shame.
Next, she secured a position in the Kingdom's Peerage Endowment Office. The irony was not lost on her: that she would now manage the system by which her family had been brought to ruin. It had been a hefty investment of money that had been sorely needed for other affairs, but Lily-Anne was determined to see her gamble through.
The Office was said to be lucrative in a certain sort of way. There were times when multiple nobles wished to purchase the land of an impoverished peer: Lily-Anne could have the final say in the matter, granting a piece of valuable land to this or that noble-for a price. The position also allowed her to take a keener look into the various noble families in the Kingdom: which was vital for her personal use, and also to the Faction she now served, who were pleased by the unique picture she gave them regarding the fortunes of the Kingdom's various nobility.
Her position was also not just restricted to the sale of noble lands within the Kingdom. Owing to the many financial difficulties the Kingdom faced over the years-with particular attention to the expensive yearly skirmishes with the Baharuth Empire-it had been permitted to sell unclaimed noble lands to people outside the Kingdom, for a much more inflated price, of course. This had led to a number of merchants from even their rival Empire to claim status as nobility within the kingdom in exchange for a staggering amount of coin.
And of course, people in Lily-Anne's rank had the final say in all matters. Commoners who sought the prestige for their own pride had to grease the wheels a little more.
"Is it truly necessary?"
Lily-Anne leaned back, a little annoyed by the question. She raised her elegant chin. Under the table, her hands clenched, unseen.
"It is a precaution, my good Lady. I have received petitions-too many to count-from villainous, malicious swindlers and thieves who thought to take advantage of the King's most illustrious Office for their own nefarious ends. Your origins will need to be investigated by our Office before we can even begin the negotiations for your title."
The woman she faced before her had strange features, reminding her of the southern peoples. Her blonde hair was done up in twin spirals, and she wore a low-cut dress that barely skirted over the edge of impropriety. Thankfully, the butler the woman had insisted on bringing into the office (violating protocol, but Lily-Anne had a magic scroll under her desk just in case) did not seem to be distracted by his mistress's body-only kept his bearded, elderly face straight forward, and standing perfectly still, almost like a tough, steel rod.
The woman had introduced herself as an exiled noblewoman from a faraway court. She was ready to pay however much it cost to regain a semblance of power in the Re-Estize Kingdom. As far as stories went, the claim was hardly novel. Many fakers tended to keep their stories just shy of the realm of fantastical. The issue, then, was her refusal to answer the question on the exact nature of her origins.
"My own kingdom has already fallen," the petitioner said, dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief her butler promptly provided, with a speed that impressed Lily-Anne. "And my pride is all I have left. Do you not understand, Lady Bannry? To be stripped of everything you once held pride in, to be reduced to a state most ignoble-why, it is all I can do to keep myself from throwing myself on my dagger! Oh, but won't you please accept?"
"Be that as it may..." Lily-Anne sighed to herself, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. It was difficult to balance the duties expected of her in this office (which was to definitively vet the sales of noble titles before the final transaction) and the enormous profits she would earn from impatient people like this woman. Even she balked at giving a piece of the Kingdom to some unknown outsider: for one, she shared the pride of the nobility who had helped shape the Kingdom; and second, any blunders would earn her the ire of her own faction, which could marshal all its resources to tear her down from her rightful perch. And she would not sully the Bannry name.
For the first time since the meeting began, the elderly-looking butler spoke in a quiet voice. Lily-Anne detected a note of authoritativeness on the butler's tone, but perhaps it was just her imagination. "My lady Vanessa, perhaps we should adjourn for a few moments or so, until you have recovered."
"I- Oh, yes-" Vanessa inclined her head to her in apology. "I shall be pleased to speak to you after five minutes outside. May we be given this honor?"
"Please." Time enough for Lily-Anne to rest and stretch her legs, and also for those two to discuss their options. She guessed that the butler probably held some form of paternal authority over the young self-proclaimed noble, or maybe he was even the ultimate mastermind. The two took their leave, and Lily-Anne's office assistant entered, bearing several refreshments on a tray. When the two had left the room entirely, the assistant procured a small letter and held it out to her. Her brows rose when she read the short, terse contents.
It was a piece of intelligence from one of her spies. The so-called Vanessa's petition had been unusual enough for her to commission a small investigation into her supposed background. She considered it prudent, particularly since the lady Vanessa had been most generous with her gold. So either the scam was of high value, or the woman was genuine, and she was looking at an individual with considerable capital, all ripe for the taking.
What intrigued Lily-Ann on the moment she read the note was the piece of intelligence claiming the lady Vanessa was related, somehow, to the Dark Hero Momon. It was only on the level of rumors-pieces of things overheard on this or that occasion-but it was one piece added to the overall picture of the mysterious lady.
One could hardly be a citizen of the Kingdom without having heard of the undead disturbance at Re-Estize, and of the role the adventurer group Eclipse Nebula played. And of course, the group had been the first adventurer group to have been promoted by the guild all the way to adamantite rank-not even a full month after being registered. Their strength was said to be on par with a genuine hero's, surpassing, it was rumored, the Warrior-Captain Gazef's.
There were some in her Faction who lamented the group's entry as adventurers, as the Dark Hero was precisely the sort of pawn they could have used to counter the Royal Faction's champion, Gazef.
Naturally, from out of Momon's reputation sprang so many tall tales and urban legends. He was said to have claimed to be from a kingdom of legends from far away, and was working to rebuild it; no, he was that kingdom's prince, exiled by a jealous brother for his prodigious skills; some even claimed he was a true Hero reborn, the sort that came every once in a millennium, and that the land should expect a great upheaval in the coming years.
To claim him as a relation was interesting, and Lily-Anne took it as something she could throw at the petitioner, and therefore gauge her reaction.
Minutes later, the lady and her butler returned, the former looking much more composed. "We apologize for inconveniencing you, my Lady Bannry. I have shown you my unsightly face," she said, as she took the proffered seat.
"It is no trouble. My butler has taken this chance to provide more tea. Please, help yourself."
After a few moments of conversing about Lily-Anne's responsibility in her Office and Vanessa's desire for a title-both of which were things they'd already talked about already-
"Do forgive me for mentioning it this late, my lady," Lily-Anne said. "But I seem to recall that I have heard rumors that you are the Dark Hero Momon's relation." She looked at Vanessa's face, watching intently for her reaction. "Is this true?"
The woman's face hardened, her expression closing up, her lips pursing. "It is a delicate matter, and one which I would hesitate to speak... to strangers."
"Oh, but we are not strangers, my lady," Lily-Anne said carefully. "At the least, I dare hope to remain in your service-not as a friend, but business partners perhaps."
Vanessa looked conflicted, as if she did not know how to respond to Lily-Anne. Then, after a moment's hesitation, she said, "The circumstances of our lands are something I shall take to my grave. But I can freely say this: he is indeed my brother, but our interests do not align-not in that sense. I do not seek a title to be able to spread our family's roots in this Kingdom using his skills: he and his cohort have their reasons for becoming an adventurer, entirely separate from my own will."
Lily-Anne took care not to raise an eyebrow. As far as she could tell, there seemed no tremor of falsehood in Vanessa's expression. "I see."
"Will my brother's status figure in my application for the title?" Vanessa asked, looking much perturbed.
"No, but you should know by now that the nobility of the Kingdom is forbidden from interfering with or using the Adventurer Guild's group for their own personal needs. The issue with your brother shall only come up-if and when you are raised to the nobility, of course-should you choose to have your brother advance your schemes on your behalf."
"Oh, but I would never!" Something like bitterness seeped into her words. "I had hoped not to summon that man's shadow, and yet here I see he has spread his brilliance into even this little corner of the Kingdom. It seems I cannot escape him, Sebas."
"My pardons, my lady, but I am sure Lord Momon did not intend that."
"No, of course he didn't," Vanessa said, her eyes fluttering, looking resigned. "Like always."
She had observed much from that small exchange. And while it may all just be an act being played by masterful charlatans, it was a start.
And so, she bid goodbye to Vanessa, promising her another meeting soon, during which she vowed on her family's honor to give the woman an answer regarding her petition. It would just be enough time to confirm the story.
Vanessa bowed her goodbye with the same, stoic grace she expected of herself. If this one were an impostor, Lily-Anne thought, then she seemed quite well-trained.
Later that same afternoon, Lily-Anne called upon her immediate superior in the hierarchy of the Noble Faction, the Esteemed Lord Chuven. Considered a mid-ranking noble, he was said to report directly to Marquise Blumrush, a member of the Kingdom's Great Six Nobles. She hoped to be able to reach that capacity one day, or even reign as one of the Great Six.
She reported Vanessa to Lord Chuven, as well as her supposed link to Momon, the Dark Hero.
"And is this information confirmed?" Lord Chuven asked, crossing his great meaty arms over his chest. Once a formidable warrior in his youth, years of inactivity administrating his lands had given the man a distinct potbelly.
"Yes, my lord. My contact in the Adventurer's Guild has attested to this. He has even asked Sir Momon directly." It was fortunate that the celebrated adamantatite adventurer had been in the capital at all. She had expected a day's delay, maybe more if the man and his group had gone out on a quest. Her contact had couched it in a sense that Vanessa had been some malcontent willing to bank on Momon's good name. But Momon had gruffly rebuffed the accusation.
"She is indeed my sister. I would ask you not to bother her with this knowledge, as we have made our separate ways." And that was all the tall, dark-armored knight had to say on the matter. With that, Vanessa's claims were given a boost in credibility: unless it were a plot by the Adventurer's Guild as a whole, the word of an adamantite-ranked member made Vanessa's story authentic, at least on that part. Re-Estize's local Guildmaster, Ainzach, was no fool, and would not have promoted someone directly to adamantite on just the basis of strength alone.
Lord Chuven's face was unreadable as he digested the news. "The consensus is still divided as to this newcomer," the man said quietly. "There are still many things unknown about him. And that is something that we do not need at the time." Then came a long moment of contemplation, with Lily-Anne just standing there before his desk, with Lord Chuven's brooding face staring off into the distance.
Then, the Lord Chuven took a quill and some paper and began to write. He said nothing, but Lily-Anne knew it was some sort of recommendation to his immediate superior, Marquis Blumrush.
"You may inform the Lady Vanessa that she shall make an excellent Countess in one of our many unclaimed lands. I have heard the northern lands have plenty to spare," Lord Chuven said.
"As you say, my lord," Lily-Anne said, bowing. The implication was clear: Vanessa would only be afforded a minor title, an overlordship of only a few parcels of land. For a little extra, she would be given one with farms, and for a little more, even a village or two. But the Noble Faction, who thoroughly controlled the office through her and other nobles, still did not trust her enough to elevate her to Lily-Anne's own level, let alone Lord Chuven's.
Lily-Anne bid her leave, her mind already running through all the profit she could make off of the desperate Lady Vanessa. She had been formally invited to become a Peer in principle: now all that was needed was the matter of the exact price.
The Lord Chuven, for his part, had not been penning the eminent Marquis Blumrush. The letter was intended for a messenger, who would carry it to a drop, from where an interpreter would reach its contents and forward the information to those who needed it: an agent who would report directly to his superiors in the Eight Fingers.
Lord Chuven was one of many in the Kingdom of Re-Estize who pledged their allegiance to this underworld group, whose roots coursed through the Kingdom's bloated underbelly, unchecked and protected by the nobility. They had their fingers in every rotten aspect of Re-Estize's proverbial pie and freely used the esteemed nobility as shields and cat's paws to further their greedy agendas.
The Eight Fingers did not always come to a consensus, being competitors in a highly fluid and lucrative environment. They had their respective specialties: drugs, slavery, gambling, smuggling, etc. When united action was needed, it was usually to stop a potential leak that would destabilize the situation, such as the Baharuth Empire somehow invading the Kingdom; or if all their businesses would be severely affected by certain events, such as in the case of the Princess Renner's push to ban slavery.
On that front, they had failed, with the slavery department taking a huge hit. But then, just months later, their profits returned-tenfold-owing to the larger premium of slaves within the outlawed environment. The demand was still there, higher even, and so the slavery department returned to prominence.
Currently, the sphere of drugs was in the midst of experiencing a sudden upheaval. First it had been the burning of their plantations. That was fine for them, an unfortunate loss; but there were many such places spread throughout the Kingdom, and with time, more would grow. But then the attackers had targeted their refinement facilities, their warehouses, even far-flung depots and drop-off zones, and that caught their attention even more. Over the years they had endured the random seizures by an overzealous noble or two. Most times they were even able to reclaim the product after the deed was done. But these new attackers did not care for glory: they burned the product, and smashed valuable equipment. All without taking a life. In this way their losses were known to the public as unfortunate accidents, and not deliberate arson.
It took a while, but eventually they were able to discover the culprits: the adventurer group Blue Rose. And that presented their own conundrum. Dealing with them covertly, as was their usual modus, had failed: the Six Arms, their elite group, had been soundly mauled, already having lost two members. It was difficult to call out Blue Rose as stooges of a noble-which many suspected to be the Princess Renner yet again-as their reputations preceded them. Their contacts "aboveground" could not even accuse the adamantite group of breaking the rules of the Guild, as they had no reliable witnesses whose words would bear weight.
Lord Chuvan's piece of information turned out to be relevant, in a certain way. They had learned that Blue Rose had been associating quite closely with the Adventurer Guild's newest star, Eclipse Nebula. Though caring nothing for the deeds of adventurers and their ilk, the recent events had made them a bit hyper-aware of Blue Rose and all that were related to them.
"Could Momon be bought?" The question was asked, and as usual there was little support for the idea. Entangling themselves with the Guild would bring out the nobility on their heads, which was bad for business. The Kingdom could not afford to have their Adventurer Charter revoked, and even the nobles in their pockets would not side with the Eight Fingers if it came to open conflict with the Guild.
The next possibility, "Could Momon be threatened using his confirmed sister", was also not seriously considered. Aside from the fact that this was an adamantite ranked hero, this still contended with the previous point: that such a way would inevitably pull the Adventurer's Guild into conflict with them. Momon was too public a persona to defy without consequence, and his character still a mystery for anyone to read. For now, the idea was shelved.
Finally, after much bickering on the issue, the Eight Fingers sent an emissary back to consult with Lord Chuven. The austere noble was also known to have a sensible head, and they hoped he would be able to present a good solution to their problems.
The Lord Chuven did, in fact, turn out to be quite illuminating.
"We cannot accuse Blue Rose of anything, unless we had proof to present before the Guild," he said. "Censuring a group, of adamantite-rank at that, would require more than rumor and hearsay. And I trust you cannot provide anything of that same type?"
The emissary shook his head in the negative.
"Then you must attack Blue Rose some other way. The twins Tia and Tina, along with Evileye, have no past that can be dredged up and exploited. And that Gagaran, despite her appearance and personality, is canny, and will never fall to any entrapment we devise. She will not care for blackmail, and unless you have the capability to hold the others hostage... well, if you had that sort of power you could've just made Blue Rose disappear."
"So that leaves-"
"Their leader, Lakyus."
"You think she is vulnerable?"
"She renounced her claim to her family's estate upon becoming an adventurer, but her father never disowned her, so she is still a member of nobility. If you can arrange to put pressure on the Aindra clan..."
"...Then she will be muzzled?"
A shrug. "That seems to be the only option available left. I do not think the Aindra lord will cave to threats, and outright threatening Lakyus herself will no doubt draw unwanted attention."
"What should be done then?"
The lord was lost in thought for a little while longer. "...A distraction." He glanced at the emissary. "A distraction, at first, just to stop Blue Rose from operating; but if things progress smoothly, then it may be turned to our advantage. It requires your group dipping into all those other nobles you've got in your pockets, to have them help."
"We shall certainly be able to accomplish that."
Lord Chuven inclined his head. "This, then, is the plan I propose."
Quiet moans and grunts filled the air, as two bodies pushed against each other, their skins glistening in the dim light. The naughty sounds of their lovemaking: of flesh slapping lewdly against flesh, accompanied their voices.
"Ohhh... haaah... yes... Lord Ainz... there... there..." Falling forward on the bed, propped up on her elbows and knees, the homonculus maid whined and pleaded into the pillowsheets as her master's long and girthy cock claimed her insides, pushing into her up to the hilt with every wet stroke. The maid was utterly naked, her white skin glowing in bright contrast to Ainz's darkened, tanned skin. His hands gripped the maid's hips, using it as he would a handle that helped drag her down on his throbbing manhood.
Ainz was presently garbed in the guise of an ogre-orc hybrid, thick-skinned and thick-muscled. His cock was an experiment of sorts: yet another hybrid of many species in his "memory" that was designed to wring out the highest amount of pleasure from both himself and his partner.
He paid half his attention on the woman sighing and gasping before him; the other half was spent listening to the report given personally by the combat maid Solution Epsilon, who kneeled near the entrance of the room. Behind him, sitting on the chair and examining papers using the language-translating glasses he'd lent her, was the disguised Albedo, as naked as he was. Her hair was unkempt, her skin still shining with much sweat. His drying seed lingered upon her slit as she worked and shuffled through papers, nonchalantly tuning out Solution's report and the sounds of lovemaking with admirable professionalism.
"... and that concludes my report, my lord." Solution sat back, her cold, expressionless eyes staring with an almost predatory hunger at the place where her lord's hips were joined with the maid's. Yet she said and did nothing else.
"Hnh. You are to be... requited... for your admirable handling of your role, Solution," Ainz said. Solution, in her guise as "Vanessa" had acquired a small estate in the Kingdom, and had been styled "Count" Vanessa, of Kubern (the name of the small territory she had been granted). So far so good: it would be a suitable foundation for any future plans. At the least, Nazarick had gained "territory" outside of its bounds, and that was good for Ainz.
"Albedo?" he asked.
"Yes... Well...hm... Good work, Solution Epsilon," the Overseer said, sighing, as she put aside the papers. "With you in place as very tempting prey dangled before them, it falls to you to ensure we catch worthwhile prey. Do your best for the Master's sake."
"...I shall," Solution said.
"And also-Hn!" Ainz grunted, feeling a renewed wave of squeezing motions around his dick as the homonculus maid once again dissolved into orgasm. Whatever he said was lost as he tried to endure the waves of pleasure that threatened to unseat him.
After a while, he regained his rhythm, and said, "...Also, do not forget to garb yourself against sudden attack. There have been many pointed questions regarding our relationship. Keep it vague if you cannot keep silent, and most of all do not reveal yourself as anything more than you are."
"I understand perfectly, my lord."
"Very good. Then, if there is nothing else, you may leave."
Solution hesitated, and looked like she were about to say something, her gaze smouldering with something that Ainz didn't catch. But the unexpected silence had drawn Albedo's attention, and her eyes narrowed as the combat maid collected herself, rose, and resumed her disguise as "Vanessa". She made one final bow, then left.
Right on cue, Ainz finished inside the maid with a loud groan, depositing his fresh jizz inside her womb. He lingered for a while, bathing in the sensations and running his hands all over the maid's sweaty back, before he pulled out of her with a loud pop.
"Th-thank you, Lord Ainz."
"... You have my gratitude as well," he said in return, his form now melting to become something else. While the maid stood and gathered her clothes, Ainz's form blurred, and became a normal human's. Still slightly panting, he turned to Albedo. "You said you had something to report as well?"
"It surely does not concern us, or Nazarick, my lord," Albedo responded in her throaty, gushing voice. "However, it does concern a pet that we are mutually concerned with."
Ainz cocked his head. "Lakyus?" That seemed the only answer, as Albedo had said she'd met Blue Rose earlier in the day, before meeting him here for their brief lovemaking.
Albedo giggled. "Indeed, you have limitless foresight, my lord."
"What has happened, then?"
She snorted. "Marriage. Her family is supposed to be pressuring her to marry."
Ainz scratched his head, genuinely confused. "But isn't she an adventurer?" Well, adventurers were allowed to marry, such was their prerogative. But from what he knew of Lakyus, she seemed to have shown herself to be far above the need to be married, even removing herself from inheriting her family's fortune and title. She could not imagine her being "pressured" to do much of anything.
"It is a curious case, and one whose circumstances are not unknown to us."
Really, Ainz wanted to ask, but found that he could not, for fear of seeming ignorant. He desperately searched his mind through the morass of lazy afternoons and evenings of endless fucking, but the only thing he was able to recall on hand was his plan for Clementine, now known as "Yuki"; and Solution's recent news regarding her noble title. "...Indeed," he said noncommittally.
"The spies we sent into the filthy underworld of this so-called Kingdom have indicated that the Eight Fingers are responsible for this," Albedo went on, mostly speaking to herself, for which Ainz was grateful. "Somehow they have set their lapdogs to pressure Lakyus' family to have her married. It is emotional blackmail, in a sense-the Aindra clan head has refused to yield to pressure, but there have been accusations of theft and fraud before their so-called king, and they are at risk of losing their whole patrimony if Lakyus will not marry."
"Does Blue Rose know about the connection?"
"They suspect the Eight Fingers for the scheme, but I did not tell them what we knew. Unless you commanded me to reveal what I knew to them?"
"That would be foolish."
Albedo smiled. "Naturally I prided myself on knowing your mind so intimately, my lord."
Ordinarily, Ainz would not have cared much for the politics; he'd had enough of it in his old world. But Lakyus had Albedo's favor, and even he could grudgingly admit to having a slight attraction for the fellow adventurer. However, he refused to do anything that would endanger Nazarick or anyone associated with it. Because he had no ideas on what to do, and further because he did not want to let Albedo know that he did not know, Ainz ended up brooding in silence, waiting for her to speak instead.
There came a knock on the door. "My lord Ainz," said one of the other maids he'd brought out here. "Yuki has returned, along with the shadow demon."
Ainz glanced at Albedo, who smiled crookedly. "Let them in," he ordered.
They'd done something to her. She was sure of it. Something black and horrible lurked within the memories she had repressed in her mind, which were then reinforced by sorcerous walls courtesy of that f-her master-and his coterie of monstrous minions. She was grateful to them for not fully destroying her personality, for leaving her as "Clementine", even if she was already this "Yuki" now.
Now she wore a mask on top of her mask, all different masks she was forced to wear, and none of it, she was sure, was completely "her". She was as a reanimated doll walking, like those undead the shitty necromancer conjured.
"You have summoned me, my lord," she said, her face trying its hardest not to stiffen as she beheld her new master sitting on the side of his bed, completely naked, with his equally naked mistress also lurking just near. She knelt on the carpet, and felt apprehensive all of a sudden.
"Rise, Yuki," the master rumbled. "How goes your first mission?"
She smiled. There was one thing that was easy for all her masks to reconcile: give her the order to kill and she'd do it gleefully. "None shall trouble the Master anymore. I made sure to make an example of their bodies."
"...Good. That is an acceptable outcome." He snapped his fingers. "Now, it is time for your next test. For this you shall need to be equipped accordingly. Strip."
A part of her trembled, recoiling, resisting. With a chill, she realized the intent-so she was going to get fucked now, huh? Nonetheless, she smiled happily, genuinely, as she stripped all the layers of her armor away, then almost tore off her under-clothes as if she were eager. A thick, pungent scent started wafting from her nethers, something the master and his consort were able to smell a few moments later. The Master's brows raised, while the mistress' face twisted, and gave her a look most venomous.
"Don't be so sure, little worm," Albedo said, with greeted teeth.
"Peace, Albedo," the Master said. "Shadow demon, have you brought the items, as requested?"
She shivered as a presence made itself known right behind her, like a cold breeze from an open window. An entity formed of pure darkness stretched out its black hand, and deposited something before the Master. Then, the entity disappeared, as if it never were; and she could not detect it at all, even knowing it was supposed to be there.
"Go on and wear this set of armor," the Master said, gesturing. "I would be a poor boss if I did not ensure my workers are not sufficiently protected for the job." What was her job? she wondered, as she did as she was told and put on the different pieces of armor. It was dyed in black, and made of a strange metallic material-harder than the leather she had worn, and yet lighter than even the daggers she was used to. It made for a strange feeling of a second skin over her own.
"Your boots are blessed by the panther-so you shall never fear falling from any height. Yes, you may even fly as high as a hawk might in the sky, and never have to fear the ground when you fall.
"Your armor will shield your body from petty blows, but it is not meant to take on an army. You may have already noticed, too, that it is light to carry. It is almost like you're wearing nothing at all.
"Your gloves can bear any heat (or lack thereof), and will ensure your strikes are true-well, relatively. It cannot increase what is not there to begin with, but I have no doubt you're skilled enough for it, yes?
"The belt around your waist will guard you from sorcerous spells up to a certain level. I am not exactly sure of the exact level, but feel free to test it out against a magic caster.
"The dagger attached to the belt is of mastercrafted design and is made of materials that you will not find easily... Suffice to say it can channel magic, too, if you were so inclined, but the most I can say of it is that, with sufficient skill, you could kill someone really... dead. With it.
"And finally, those trousers..." The master trailed off, rubbing his chin. "Well, they look rather good on you."
"Ainz-sama?" Albedo exclaimed, looking quite scandalized.
The Master cleared his throat. "You are tasked with infiltrating the Slaine Theocracy using only the armor you wear, your cunning and your wits, and my other servant, who shall always be by your side." At that, the entity from before materialized right beside him, before fading away from her senses once again.
"What shall I be doing in there, my lord? That place is easy enough to infiltrate."
An ominous air seemed to settle all around the master. His human eyes gleamed, as if hidden fires sparked within them. "You are to investigate the beings known as 'Players', and bring back whatever knowledge you have of them. The shadow demon will ensure that reports will reach me swiftly; it then falls to you to be my eyes and ears within that country. I need records, books, first-hand accounts-and if you find anyone who's supposed to be a Player, then-" her master leaned forward. "Do not be so foolish as to engage them by yourself. Report to me, and me alone. That is all that is expected of you."
She bowed deeply, her mind finding it had no objections to throw out. Everything was perfectly reasonable to her, even if she felt sick in her stomach; as if one particular mask out of all the masks buried inside her was frowning.
"She did not look well," Albedo observed. Now that "Yuki" had left, they were once again alone inside the room. Albedo had dropped her language-glasses and crawled back onto the bed with Ainz. The latter had transformed into another shade of human. "Are we quite sure we can trust her? Not just to act without betraying us, but also to actually perform her duties?"
"I am not confident in her survival, or success," Ainz said. "That is why I have tasked the shadow demon with the same orders as her." It also had a relatively high-level, as it had been "borrowed" from the eighth floor. Even the armor he had gifted the being formerly known as Clementine would not be enough to defeat it. On the off-chance she threw off the compulsions on her and betrayed Nazarick, then the demon was commanded to lead her to the fate that should originally have been hers.
Ainz could admit to feeling a little more apprehensive at the thought of "Players". They were an unknown entity in an already hostile world. He could not bear the thought of these Players doing harm to Nazarick. Thus, he had to know all about these Players, and hopefully strike first before they could even know he was there.
"Mm." Albedo sounded doubtful, but did not say anymore. She could not say any more, as her lips were now currently wrapped around the tip of Ainz's bulbous cock. Ainz threaded his fingers through his lover's silver hair, enjoying the feel of her mouth encasing him. For many long minutes he just sat there, his eyes meeting Albedo's as she worshipped his manhood.
Then, Albedo stopped, pulling her mouth out from his crotch with a small, wet smack. She laid her head against his thigh and licked her lips. "My lord?"
"Hm?"
"May I speak freely?"
"What is it?"
She hesitated, and toyed with his wobbling cock with her finger. "About the issue with Lakyus..."
"Yes?"
"Would it not be better for you to marry her, my lord?"
Ainz's eyes widened, as his cock jerked up, making even Albedo flinch in surprise. Then she giggled, even as Ainz stared at her.
"Albedo, that is..."
"It's certainly something to consider, is it not? She would be your wife among the humans. Of course, we of Nazarick all know the truth." She puffed up her chest, making her ample boobs jiggle. "She shall only be one, of... many."
After a long while he said, "Albedo... while I did give permission for you to play with her, marrying her is..."
"You object?" Albedo said with a pout, leaning down to give his cock a few, spiraling licks. As she did so, she made puppy-eyes up at him.
"I-" He thought about it; and seriously found no major objections. Well, except for- "But would she even agree to this?"
Albedo quirked a brow, evidently feeling pleased he was agreeing-even hesitantly. "Oh, my love, please be assured that she will agree to this. I guarantee it." And saying that, she swallowed him deep into her mouth, tightening her throat around his sensitive glans as if in thanks.
Ainz had no rebuttal to that-he lost thinking entirely as he leaned back in his bed for another naughty romp with Albedo. It would certainly feel more than gratifying to share moments like this with Lakyus, as if he and Albedo were sharing a cherished belonging among themselves.
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