Breeding Issues

by The Ruff Pusher

Momon the Dark Hero encounters Zesshi Zetsumei. mature content/smut

25. Chapter 25

Note: This story is a work of fiction. It has many content of adult nature. If you do not want to read such content, please close your browser window or press the convenient back button.

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Ainz was already running.

In his mind's eye, he could see everything in slow motion, events moving so slow—or perhaps he was moving too fast for them. It was something unique that only this body of his had been able to give him.

When he had been but a simple human, such events of emergency had been fraught and fast-paced, when he let his body work almost on auto-pilot to overcome whatever it was that had started the panic in the first place. Such events included the like of being almost run over by a cleaner car while he was stuck trying to get his keycard from the trash. Or when he found out that he had forgotten to submit a report, and he had to run all the way from the ground floor to the very top while dodging the lunchtime crowd milling in his way. Or when he had tripped up in the diner, and he watched his beloved ramen set dish flying through the air, the bowl upending salty soup and thick broth and noodles and condiments to land on some poor fellow. In the aftermath, he could not remember everything of what he did. There were only flashes of memories instead, half-remembered impressions and images that were shrouded in the fog of forgetfulness.

Now that he was in this body of a grand doppelganger, he found that he could see things a lot more clearly. Perhaps it was a quirk of the different biology, of a mind that was built to be far different than any mere human brain. And when he needed to recall things, he would always see it in his memories as plainly as if he had still been there. It was as if he could access a trove of videos in his mind, ready to be replayed in full detail as the scenes were faithfully recreated.

That was how he had been able to preserve all the records of his copulations with the various mothers he had gathered to himself. He could recall everything clearly in his mind's eye, from the very start when Zesshi Zetsumei had encountered him at that vault, down the many glorious months to this most recent orgy, when he had just finished relieving himself in between the pregnant bellies of Lupusregina Beta and Clementine. Every sensation, every action, every wanton expression, every lovely sound—all of it could be viewed in complete detail if he just put his mind to it. If there was ever a time that he would somehow lose access to his mothers, then it would be easy for Ainz to just close his eyes and remember. From the dark corners of his mind he could easily summon the images that would serve as his "side dish" if he ever needed it.

And it was not just the sex, of course. Even the battles he had waged could be recalled with excellent clarity, for him to examine in detail. He could well remember his first, tentative fight against the fire elemental, when Nazarick had first arrived in this world. He could recall fighting the Slaine Theocracy, thoroughly trashing them and saving Carne Village. He could recall fighting as a low-ranked adventurer, then defeating great beasts as Momon the Dark Hero. He remembered the thrill of fighting the Arena Lord at Arwintar, matching the ogre's strength with his own. Most recently he could recall his little skirmish with the Power Armor, and the mysterious dragon lord.

Presently, he knew that he would be remembering this moment just as well, for his remarkable otherworldly body was working overtime to ensure that he could see hi surroundings in the sharpest details.

Everything moved in slow motion. Since the moment Zesshi announced that her waters had broken, Ainz had immediately started to act, his body moving quite a bit faster than even his conscious mind could comprehend. No doubt, in the future he could see himself darting immediately towards Zesshi, as his body subconsciously shifted and transformed, assuming the shape of what he needed most now, even if he didn't really know what exactly he'd done.

Swiftness.

Strength.

Endurance.

Senses sharpened.

And a hint of caution.

He was an amalgamation of forms and shapes, and he needed to assume the absolute best combination of all.

In less than a second, he was already there by Zesshi's side, his legs having made a controlled leap that landed him precisely where he needed to be without overshooting completely. In the next moment, he had already equipped his normal wear, and his transformation had completely removed all traces of the previous orgy, as if he had taken a bath. After that he procured a blanket, and swiftly cast a cleansing spell on Zesshi's body, which also removed all traces of sex. It would not do to bring the remnants of their previous sex to the birthing rooms; to his subconscious mind it did not seem appropriate at all. Then he threw the blanket around her, to hide her shame, as there was no more time to put on her clothes.

Then his arms scooped her up in them, strong yet firm, sturdy yet gentle. It was the quiet strength needed to hurl boulders with only one hand, paired with the soft, flabby cushiony arms that would ensure Zesshi would remain comfortable in his grasp. Smaller, slime-like pseudopods attached themselves to her body, unable to be dislodged even in the fiercest storms, made to steady her in the movement that would be needed next.

Ainz therefore lifted Zesshi with barely any difficulty, as if she was made of feathers, while Zesshi would feel as if she was just lying down on a soft bed. She made a soft yelp at being so suddenly lifted, though she felt no discomfort and really relaxed into his arms. And lastly, nothing and no one would be able to induce Ainz to drop her or lose his grip, even as his body started to move with lightning speed.

His body continued its mutation, his different parts transforming once more into shapes possessing functions that were most needed on that moment. He would need to run fast, while being able to keep his balance, all while he kept his grip on Zesshi without jeopardizing either her or her babies. His legs would need to reach a speed that would enable him to run to the healer's chambers as fast as he could.

Ainz would remember every step in his dash out of the orgy chamber, leaving his other mothers in the dust. In mere moments in real time, he had arrived outside the chamber, and was already turning towards the direction of the healers. His legs started pumping, almost leaping into the air and propelling his body and Zesshi forward with a quick, careful burst. He felt his mind boil as his body continued to adjust and transform subconsciously, reacting to every minute detail, absorbing all the data into his mind he could not process himself, and changing his forms accordingly.

He was so hyper-focused on reaching his destination that he initially didn't hear Zesshi's words.

"Ainz-sama… Ainz-sama? Ainz-sama!"

"Eh, what?" he said, his focus interrupted, his alert, hawk-like eyes turned towards the woman in his arms.

It was ironic that he hadn't heard her, as his ears had also been transformed to be able to hear incoming threats, as if his body had expected enemies to be present in the tomb on that very instant. From the minute sounds of invisible creatures to the heartbeat of an enemy in the distance, his senses would catch all, even if currently he was picking up the signs of Nazarick's own servants. Now he tuned those hyper-enhanced senses back towards Zesshi, who goggled at him, as if she didn't know how to react to what he was doing.

"… My lord," she said, breathily. She turned her head to glance at a spot beyond him. She looked like she was trying not to laugh. "We just passed the healers' chambers. It's back there…"

He blinked. Within the next second, his feet had stopped and turned his body around—back in the direction where he was supposed to be going.

It seemed that in his haste to go seek something to help Zesshi, he had completely forgotten the simple fact that the orgy room was located on the same floor as the Mother's Hall, which was just a few rooms away.

And right next to the Hall, were the healers' chambers.

He wanted to smack himself up the head.

He had even been the one to command that such would be the arrangements, considering that the Mother's Hall was the place where the mothers were expected to stay. Thus, it was only logical that the healers' chambers were located just nearby.

He didn't know why he'd entirely forgotten about that very simple fact.

"Right, right," he said, feeling embarrassed. He exhaled, then corrected his course without calling more attention to his mistake.

In spite of his mistake, he still didn't relent with his speed, and thus with a clearer destination in hand, he rushed for the chambers as he'd intended. In his mind, it seemed like he had been running a full marathon of many miles, but in reality, he ran for a few feet of distance and then entered through the doors in no time at all.

"Whoa!"

"Uwahhh!"

"Ainz-sama?"

In his hurry, he almost bowled over the guards he had posted who were on duty outside the doors 24/7, as well as a healer who just happened to be standing in the way of his approach. Fortunately, these all dove away in time, right as he braked his feet just inside the threshold of the healers' chambers.

He looked around frantically, and found an empty bed just beyond the first chamber. "Emergency!" he hollered. "Emergency! Come! Now! Zesshi requires aid! Her water… Her water is…!"

At his bellowed command, which seemed to reverberate throughout the whole tomb, there came a clattering bustle in response. He heard many feet shuffling towards his location in mere seconds, summoned by secret protocols as was needed. The door he'd just passed became inundated with the forms of many other healers, who quickly filled the entry chamber to almost full.

"Oh, right, we're all crowding here," he said, staring at their number. Though it was gratifying to see so many of Nazarick's minions who had been converted to working as healers. Yet at this point, they were very much overkill. Not all of them could attend to just Zesshi alone.

As such, the healers began organizing amongst themselves, the others filtering towards other rooms. They weren't quite dismissing themselves from working, but were wise enough to understand that more wasn't always better. They would remain on stand-by, just in case something was needed in an emergency; and for now, the five healers who'd been assigned to Zesshi would be the ones working who would be attending to her first.

"Curious," one of them now said, as they examined Zesshi's body. "Very curious indeed."

"Quite," said another one, in a tone of agreement.

"I see what you mean," said another, her body stooping low as she peered at Zesshi's body.

"The signs are unmistakable."

"Yes…"

"What is it?" he asked, looking between them in confusion. He disliked not knowing anything about a situation, and being forced to merely watch. It made him feel quite powerless. "What are you talking about?"

"Ah, my apologies, Ainz-sama," said the first healer. It turned and curtsied gracefully. "I was just remarking out loud that this seemed to have come rather earlier than expected. If you will recall, our prediction was that she would be due tomorrow. But do not worry yourself. It is just a trifle. It is wisdom to know that such things have happened. The body is a mysterious thing, after all. In this case, it cannot be predicted with any real certainty."

"I… see…" Despite his words, he couldn't help but feel a little jumpy. He felt rather odd—in one moment he had been enjoying his much-needed leisure time with his lovers. Then in the next moment, extreme adrenaline had flooded through him, lasting for a short while. Then it was followed by this tense, fearful anticipation that was presently afflicting him, his pent-up adrenaline still working in overdrive, still looking for an enemy despite there being nothing at all.

In his current state, he felt like he could do nothing at all to help, not even to cast some spell or to bring in some other minion. He already had the healers here doing their best, and unless he wanted to use some sort of fortune spell (highly discouraged by the healers, to the point of point-blank refusal) he was left just twiddling his thumbs and trapped in a mire of worry. All of Nazarick moved at his fingertips, but in this case all of that power mattered not a whit.

"Ainz-sama…" Zesshi's voice stirred him from his stormy thoughts. She had reached out with her hand, which he took. With it, she pulled, drawing him close to the bed-side, right next to her head. Then she held out her hands, like she was asking him to carry her up again. Confused, Ainz bent forward, only for Zesshi to suddenly seize him around the neck in an embrace.

"Ummm…"

She continued to squeeze with her arms. "I see the lines in your eyes, my dear," she said, in a hushed voice. "But do not worry. This is still the start. I'm just going into labor. It's going to be a hard, painful thing, but also the most natural thing in the world. And though I myself know the difficulty of what's to come, it is outweighed by the fact that I can finally hold our babies in my hands. Actually hold them, hold their tiny forms, so precious and adorable in our arms…"

"Ainz-sama," said a healer beside him, gently interrupting their little moment. "While I understand this is a tense moment, may we please beg leave to do our duties?"

Ainz's head jerked up, and he withdrew from Zesshi's arms reluctantly. He stepped away, giving space for the healer to place her own arms all over Zesshi's upper body to examine her.

After a while, one of the healers said, "You are certainly starting, my dear, of that there is no doubt. However, you are still in the very first phase, we reckon. The entrance is only just preparing itself, so you may need to be patient a little bit more."

"Waiting some more?" Zesshi asked.

"How long?" Ainz asked. He had assumed that this was already the point they were all waiting for. But if that was not the case—

The healers glanced at each other. "Not less than an hour," one healer said, towards her colleague.

"No, no, not for this," they said in agreement. "Perhaps… two hours."

"Two hours," the others repeated, bobbing their heads.

"Two hours?" Zesshi and Ainz said together.

"And it's only just the first phase?" Ainz continued.

"Yes, my lord. These things are a process altogether. As we said, it is not a certainty. We may only predict that such a thing is bound to happen, but we cannot name the exact time it will happen. We apologize for being unable to do anymore than this"

Ainz started to pace, his thoughts almost blundering right into actual panic. He didn't know even just this was going to be long. Did that mean that subsequent steps would also take long? And that collectively they would be an inordinately long time? How would Zesshi cope? Would she be alright? Would Ainz need to find some spell to—

"Ainz-sama," came her voice again, dragging him back from his thoughts like a hook firmly snagging a fish from the whirlpool.

"Hm?" He turned back to her. His mind was whirling with dark, unworthy thoughts, which he desperately tried to banish to the side time and again.

"Your pacing there's not going to work. In fact, it might just get a little annoying," she said seriously, in a tone that was slightly scolding. Then she smiled. "It will be fine. As they said, this is just normal for childbirth. Especially the first one, right?"

"The lady is wise," said a healer, who had overheard, as she was bustling with some tools on a table.

"There, you see?" Zesshi said, shrugging.

Ainz took a deep breath, and nodded his head. "Fine. I will stop. But you will forgive me if I continue to… worry. But I will refrain from troubling you as I do so." He didn't want to stress her out anymore by being so stressed out himself. In a way, the thought felt instinctual, as if his brain had been hard-wired on the most basic things to help his mate during her childbirth. And that little instinct told him to just leave it to the healers and Zesshi, that if he did not have the experience with such things then he should duck his head and stay the fuck out of the way.

"That's a good boy," Zesshi said, approvingly. He leaned down and planted a kiss on her cheek, making her chuckle and blush deep red.

He clucked his tongue. "Very well." He turned to the healers. "Do your best to assist her. If there is anything that needs to be done, then do not hesitate to inform me."

"It shall be done, my liege," they said in unison.

"I'd like to step out for a bit, Zesshi," he said, bowing slightly. "I need time to… compose myself." More like scream at something, then lash out with however many spells he wanted, then bash something with a weapon. The energy he yet retained threatened to spill out into a vortex of violence that he could no longer control.

"May I come with?"

"Wha— well, shouldn't you be staying here? You know, for the—" He glanced at the healers, who said nothing. "I really think you should be staying here, Zesshi. You need to gather your strength." Plus, there was nothing more stress-inducing for a mother about to give birth, he thought, than seeing the father smashing rocks somewhere.

"Alright," she said, her cheeks puffing out in something of a pout. "But don't be long! You did promise me you would be here."

"And I fully intend to keep to that promise," Ainz said solemnly, his hand on his breast.

She smiled, then nodded. "Then go, my dear. Clear your head. And return to me, as you did promise"

He placed a hand on the top of her belly and gave it a few caresses. Then he kissed her hand, squeezing it tight, before backing away. He never broke eye contact with her as his feet took him backwards towards the door, and it was only cut off when the door closed.

Ainz stood in front of that same door, the guards flanking him, each staring expectantly at him as if he was going to be giving orders to each of them.

Then he turned around abruptly and used magic to teleport somewhere else.

He arrived at Demiurge's Floor, a place of hellfire and lava, The devil's subordinates and the other inhabitants had been mostly cleared out due to attending other duties outside Nazarick. Even Guren had been commissioned to do something on another floor, which meant that the place truly seemed deserted. He broadcasted a total directive to all remaining NPCs to clear out of his way, or risk his displeasure. When he was certain that he was relatively alone, he went to the deepest, most inhospitable part of the domain, where even the invaders of the past had bypassed, just from the sheer heat of the environs. Here he could be free to act as he wished, protected in a layer of dragon-flesh that immured him to the heat.

And then, he went all out.

Spells flew out like a crashing waterfall from his fingertips, slamming into the surroundings with the fury of a powerful god. Ice and water hissed, fire ignited, and lightning coruscated along the path of molten rock and magma. At a snap he could summon a destructive elemental deluge to drown his enemies, yet that availed him nothing for what was about to happen to Zesshi.

He conjured his weapons and started flailing around, splitting rocks and causing fresh grooves on the earth. He imagined a host of enemies marching before him, their shadowy forms bereft of anything to mark them as meaningful. They were just obstacles in his path, and he cut through them with the same determination of defeating the difficulties Zesshi faced, and yet he knew his efforts were just as transient and intangible as the enemies he had conjured in his head.

He unleashed all his pent-up energy to do what he did best, hoping to calm himself. But it all seemed never-ending. More and more came to fill the gap. Like the magma that continued to pool everywhere, his turbulent thoughts never seemed to stop bubbling into the surface.

He was tormented by little demons of worry that bit at his mind, leaving nightmarish images within the wounds. The most outlandish, terrifying scenarios began to bloom like weeds, and the more he plucked out and banished from, the more the images seemed to spring back uninvited, blooming and appearing just as fast as he dismissed them.

He could see it in his mind's eye: the simplest and most terrifying of outcomes. The birth does not go as planned. As expected, even a person descended from players is still subject to the whims of mother nature. And three babies at the start was already pushing it. With great difficulty, Zesshi struggles to bear the weight of childbirth, but it is too much, and because of some other unforeseen factors, the babies too do not survive.

"No!" He swung his sword to bisect that image, causing a loud boom as the disturbed air was discharged at great speed. And yet, though the image did fade like smoke, another rose to replace it, sinister and beguiling.

No, no, the babies would survive, they must! But perhaps Zesshi would not make it. The healers are overwhelmed, for it is their first. And Zesshi, too, cannot endure it. But at least the babies are born safe. It would be… distressing for him to lose Zesshi. But at least, not everything would be lost. They do not have their mother, but at least he would vow to raise them as best as he could, to honor their lovely, courageous mother.

Impossible! He raged, bisecting a large boulder, once a centerpiece in Demiurge's lair, now cut in twain as neatly as if he had cut a piece of cake. He rained destruction on so many smaller shards of rock, and yet the image refused to die.

Zesshi is strong, he thought. She has the blood of the Players on her side. She would endure, and through willpower and strength, emerge as the greatest of mothers. If she could not survive even that, then it was not her fault, nor any of the healers'. No, it would be because it was his children, and to be progeny to one such as him would be like birthing the very sun. The mixture of Players' blood would birth something greater than their parents could ever anticipate. Their sheer presence as children of an anomaly would burn their way out of their mother's womb.

No, my children are not some abominations! His fingers curled, and blasts of fire, ice, lightning and congealed darkness lash out like serpents, slamming into the surrounding environment. He thought to expel his unworthy thoughts thusly, as if he were merely purging his insides with a special medicine.

No, no, such a thing was not possible, he decided. They would have already known something was wrong. They had looked into not just Zesshi, but all the rest of the mothers as well. Everything had seemed fine and normal. Much collected lore about childbirth and motherhood had been stolen over the months, assembled and absorbed by all the healers who had been tasked to this duty.

But perhaps the flaw was not caused by anything so complicated. In fact, it was just simple. Though he had made grandiose plans, had covered up every eventuality, had made so many preparations and contingencies that he scarce could enumerate them all, there was still that small chance. That absolutely miniscule chance, that despite all his best-laid schemes, some small, insignificant factor would cause everything to come crashing down in a great heap.

The dragon lord might return, with a host of other dragons, to besiege his kingdom. Jircniv, or any other subordinate might rebel. A Player might surface, and would challenge him to a duel, possessing power that equaled him.

Or perhaps he might even wake from the wonderful dream, and find himself once more Suzuki Satoru, a pathetic wretch of a man who had fantasized about things he was not meant to reach.

"No!" he shouted into the bleak emptiness. "I refuse!" He had planned for this whole thing all along. He would trust in his plans. And more than that, he trusted in his subordinates, and in his wife. He'd be damned if he would falter now, right when he was at the finish line! Everything would be fine! He would not fail at this crucial juncture.

Thus thinking, he turned on his heel and disappeared, returning once more to the Mother's Hall, back to Zesshi.

---

As soon as he materialized, he saw that a small crowd had formed outside the healers' chambers. Immediately, he did a double-take, because what had once been an empty corridor was now filled with all the pregnant women who had somehow gathered here. They were those who had been with him on the orgy, such as Albedo, Shalltear, Clementine and the rest. They were all dressed, and didn't look at all like they had spent a few hours of pleasure with him just recently. And there was Keeno as well, who had declined to join in the orgy, but was now here, perhaps drawn to the news that Zesshi was about to give birth.

Despite knowing that this was the likeliest reason for their appearance here, Ainz nonetheless smiled and approached them, greeting, "And what are you all doing here?"

"Ainz-sama," they said in chorus, turning to look at him. The expressions on their faces were varied, from stoic to wide-eyed. Even Clementine was not smiling as was her wont, and seemed pensive as she looked towards him.

"Ainz-sama," Albedo said, now wearing a pair of mother's bathrobes which nonetheless failed to adequately cover up her luscious breasts, nor the swollen belly peeking out beneath them. The effect was quite tempting, but for now Ainz didn't feel the same pull as before. "We heard the news. Is it true…?"

"You might as well hear it from me," Ainz said, nodding. "Yes, Zesshi's labor has begun." At that, they all looked surprised, some even gasping. There was something curiously endearing about their expressions, as if they were but innocent women who had just received surprising news.

Still, as he took a second look out at all of them, he quickly realized something important.

"Hey," he almost barked impatiently. A few of his previous dark thoughts resurfaced, only for his mind to bat them away ruthlessly. "Did you not forget that you're all also pregnant? If you're just going to be staying here, then get some chairs and be seated! Do you not remember what the healers commanded you to do? You'll strain your bodies just standing there."

He snapped his fingers at the nearby guards, one of whom ran into the Mother's Hall to signal the servants there.

"Ehhh… It's not really like that. It's not like I'm interested in…" Clementine trailed off, glancing at him before looking away. "Well, whatever."

"Ainz-sama," Albedo said. "You do not need to gather seats for us. Perhaps we can use the chairs that are already inside there?" Her gaze indicated the inside of the chambers, where there were indeed many chairs intended to be used by his mothers. The others nodded, seemingly hopeful, and waited on Ainz to give the go ahead. But then he remembered that all the healers had been gathered there, all for the sake of Zesshi, and so it would not do for the others to be gathered there as well. Plus, he was pretty sure it might be even more stressful for all the mothers involved if they were in direct proximity to one giving birth, experiencing the difficulties of childbirth secondhand. And that was not to mention Zesshi's own reaction to their presence; she might not desire to so exposed to everyone else, and to prefer privacy.

"No, no, it's better if you stay here outside," Ainz asked, wincing at their disappointed looks. Perhaps they really were looking forward to witnessing the spectacle themselves. But there were just too many unknown factors, and in order to suppress the images floating up in his mind like so many assorted flotsam and jetsam in a polluted lake, he had to be decisive. "And as such, you will remain seated if you wish to remain. Otherwise, I give you leave to return to some other place, where you must also rest. Is that understood?"

There was a chorus of murmurs to the affirmative. Soon after that, the servants came running in from the Mother's Hall, carrying all the required chairs to set it up outside the chambers. None of the mothers had left for the moment, and had instead dutifully taken their seats as Ainz had mandated. It seemed they were all determined to be staying there, at least for the foreseeable future. It was very curious, and he hoped it was because they were really concerned for Zesshi, and not for any other unknown reason.

It was Keeno who spoke next. "Ainz-sama, did the healers say anything about how long it would take?"

"The labor? I am told it will take up to two hours. As ever, they are unsure, but I shall be trusting in their judgment, as we always have," Ainz replied. As we must, he thought, but did not say that out loud.

"'Tis a very strange thing…" Lupusregina suddenly said, her face scrunched up in thought. Everyone's eyes turned towards her. "I had thought she would need at least another day yet. But this…"

Clementine snorted. "Well, whaddya know? You got it wrong after all. And after all the loud boasting you made that you were correct. Pffft…!"

Lupus' expression faltered, and she glared ruefully at the blonde. "Ahhh, not now, su~"

Clementine sneered. "What? Can't admit that your guesses were really just that? Guesses?"

Lupus began to gesture emphatically. "I was pretty close, su~"

Next, Shalltear seemed like she wanted to say something, but there came a commotion from within the Mother's Hall. It was a clatter, as if several things had fallen to the ground. Alerted to it, Ainz immediately concentrated and contacted one of the guards who were posted just outside it.

"Affirmative, Ainz-sama," they said. They both turned around to look inside the Mother's Hall, something that Ainz and the others were able to see, as the Mother's Hall was just a short walk across the hall in the distance.

Not a moment later, the guard replied, "Ainz-sama, it is the one named Ueda. It seems she is looking for you. Shall I turn her away?"

At that, Ainz couldn't help but sigh. He wanted to rub his head, to alleviate the small twinge of a headache building there. After a while, he said, "No, let her pass and come here. I'll be talking with her." He was already moving forward, feeling a bit wearier than usual at the anticipation of having to talk with this troublesome fellow.

"Ainz-sama!" there came an exclamation from in front of him, filled with joy. "There you are!"

The woman came fast approaching with the expression of an eager puppy. Unfortunately, thanks to her appearance, it was hard to not ignore her coming. She had long black hair, glossy and sleek, with bronzed skin and gleaming red pupils. And of course, most of all, there was the reason why he could not really ignore her arrival: she had big knockers, almost as large as Zesshi's at the height of her pregnancy. When she was walking fast or running, they wobbled and jiggled in mesmerizing ways that always managed to draw his eyes, before he had to snap his attention elsewhere.

In a way, she reminded him of a taller, more buxom Shalltear (even in her adult form), with black hair.

She was Ueda, the one who had once been the Captain of the Black Scripture, who had been captured not too long ago after he was caught using divination magics on Zesshi's doppelganger. As part of his experiments, Ainz had used a scroll to turn him into a woman, and had fully expected the new her to be filled with despair, as a way to punish those who would dare try to hurt his lovers. Needless to say, she was also a Godkin, though seemingly not to the same degree as Zesshi was. It was therefore a good test all around, but the results had been very surprising.

The woman had started approaching him then and there. She had started by offering herself up as a new servant to him, ready to swear her complete fealty despite having been their prisoner. In a way it reminded him of that other one he had genderbent, of how they had suddenly wanted to serve Nazarick after the change had been affected.

It was not only that, but the newly transformed Captain had also started coming on to him, trying to use her new, sexy body as a way to attract him. He had to admit that it was working to an extent, as her body wasn't exactly easy to ignore. However, with all the work he had to do, he was thankfully excused from having to consider her for long, as he had to go out and manage a war while also keeping a close eye on all his mothers.

"Ueda". He had given her the name Ueda after she had begged him for it, thinking to humiliate her further. Unfortunately, she seemed to have taken to her new name with gusto, leaving Ainz just a bit perplexed.

Lately, Ueda had become very persistent. She had started pestering her minions, trying to get through them to contact him, to the point that he was sure that they would start to be annoyed by it all. In order to prevent something stupid from happening, while also making sure his minions were all focusing on their jobs, he agreed to meet Ueda. Then, he sternly commanded her with a task to do, a task where she would serve close to the front lines while supervised by Cocytus. That way, she would stay out of his way completely, while at the same time he hoped she would be turned off from him, and perhaps it would become a more permanent affair.

Unfortunately, he seemed to have underestimated her resolve, or her zeal, or whatever emotion it was that had made her come here, to this floor, to come before him now. He had half a mind to dismiss her outright, but a small voice in his head told him that it would be boorish to just dismiss a lady with a body like that, even if it had once been an enemy.

To put it in another way, with a beauty like this in front of him, why would he ever toss it aside just so another man could get to her first? This was Ainz's work, after all, and he had made it possible!

Stopping just in front of him, Ueda snapped her fingers to her head into the pastiche of a salute and exclaimed, "Reporting in to report on my successful assignment, Ainz-sama!"

"…Good," he said, his arms crossed. His eyes appraised her figure, and tried not to dwell too much on how her clothes seemed to hug her curves so tightly. "But have you reported this to Cocytus? I thought I already made it clear, that all new reports must go to him directly." Or at least, if she insisted on giving him the news directly, she should just have sent a message or something, so she didn't have to talk to him at all.

Ueda cocked her head, her eyebrows raised as if he had said something puzzling. "But Ainz-sama, you told me explicitly that you would require me to make a personal report once I was done with my important duty!"

Oh right, damn it! He wanted to slap his forehead. Of course, he remembered now that he had actually said that. In a way, despite the throwaway nature, the mission had been somewhat important; and he had urged her on no uncertain terms, that should she discover something, he was to be informed on the double.

Since it involved the Slaine Theocracy, he had also intended it to be some sort of test. Would this newly reborn Ueda really start working against her former country so quickly, or would she still retain some trace of loyalty?

"Ah, right," he said grudgingly. He blinked at her, who was again waiting on him expectantly like some puppy. "I did say that, but circumstances have regrettably changed." He was curious, but Zesshi was still waiting. He mustered his authoritative voice, the voice of the boss that would brook no argument. "Currently, I am a bit busy. I shall have to hear your full debriefing at a later date." He raised his hand. "Just tell me in the most basic terms what you discovered, and I will hear the rest of the detailed report later."

Apparently, something he'd done was surprising to Ueda, as she stared at him for a full long moment like he was a piece of delectable jam. Then she stirred and nodded.

"As you have ordered, I was able to perform the tasks you assigned me, to a proper conclusion. The occupation army have already begun to loop their way around the Capital City. Your forces have been unable to detect any sign of an escaped force."

So far so good. That was the absolute minimum he had tasked the former Scripture member to do, just to get her out of his hair.

"And then I observed some very surprising things, but it would take too long to discuss, as you have said. Therefore, I shall wait until the full debriefing, my lord."

"Surprising?" He raised his brow. The word was always going to be trouble to him. "Tell me about what you found."

"But Ainz-sama, I thought you just said—"

"I know what I said," he stopped her, testily. "What did you find?" he repeated.

She nodded and clasped her hands behind her back, and took a deep breath. In doing so, her boobs jiggled, however slightly, causing Ainz to look for a second before he looked away. Stop getting distracted! He scolded his mind.

"As I mentioned before, my lord, when you assigned me this task, there was a very real possibility that the Slaine Theocracy would use this war for its own purposes. It is tradition that we must ever look for as many advantages for humanity as we can find. To the Theocracy, such an invasion by the 'Sorcerer-King' would have meant that scores of talent might have been lost, perhaps dying in droves or scattered away to the corners of the globe. Thus it was obvious that because of the Theocracy's interest in acquiring strength, as you are well aware, they would make an attempt to recruit even more aggressively."

"You told me as much," Ainz said, nodding. "But you pointed out that such a thing would be difficult now under the circumstances." The circumstances being the ongoing war with the kingdom of elves, which meant that resources were being strangled accordingly. Add to that Zesshi's current rash of "disobedience" (as the doppelganger was ordered to do), and some of the information he had heard himself as Momon, then the picture was clear—they could not afford to be distracted by anything.

"Well, my assessment was a little off, though I did mention that there was the slight chance they would still try to do it," Ueda said, with a shrug.

Ainz raised a brow. He recalled that Ueda had mentioned that due to the ongoing war with the elves, it was highly unlikely that they would attempt it. "So you were able to find something?"

"Yes, my lord," Ueda replied. "Using my skills, I was able to scry the presence of a caravan of Black Scripture operatives leaving the Capital City. This was during the night, but I was still able to track them using my magics."

"You are sure it was them?"

"They hid it well, but they would never be able to hide the insignia I also bore once. Accompanying them were a few other individuals, who were clearly not of the Scripture. Judging from their equipment, I concluded that these were adventurers that they had recruited from the Capital City. As to the rank they bore, or what sort of experience they actually had, I cannot honestly say. It is difficult to appraise equipment at a distance."

"Were you sure you did not give yourself away?" Ainz asked. That had been, after all, how she had been discovered and captured.

If she recalled her previous humiliation, she did not let it show on her face. She bowed with a wry smile. "I fully adhered to your command honored lord. I ensured that my divination was undiscovered, and I continued to track their progress and continue observing them as they went through the southern roads. As per your instructions, I informed Lord Cocytus, who approved of the intelligence. Summarily, his legions parted their formation, allowing them to slip out past the iron cordon. They fully believe they escaped the trap, and not that they were merely allowed to, on your roders."

So far so good, he mused. He could not be openly antagonizing the Slaine Theocracy yet, not when he could still plumb their secrets as Momon (and Zesshi, tangentially). "Would you say then, Ueda, that you are confident in your assessment of their purpose?"

Her face took on an expression of supreme confidence, almost smug. "I should think so. I have even named the members of the Scripture I was able to see; they are all in my written report, my lord."

"Well, we can get back to that later… So if what you saw was true, then why are there so few adventurers?" he asked. It was strange that the Theocracy's effort to invite new, fresh blood under their banner hadn't resulted in many more who had accepted the offer. Particularly since as an adventurer, the current situation made their prospects very unstable and unpredictable. They might just find themselves out of a job at the least—and at worst they might get themselves killed in the crossfire between opposing armies. Were Ainz in that very same situation, he knew he would have sought some way to escape, and accepting the Theocracy's offer seemed like a good path.

"Indeed, my lord, I can see your illuminated reasoning. No doubt at this point, there would have been a great bounty of souls who would seek to find a better life and so follow the Theocracy to safety. However, there are many explanations for this." Ueda tapped her cheek. "There is the first and most apparent reason: there were not many adventurers who were left inside the Capital at all. It seems they have already met some gruesome end beforehand, or if not, then it was more likely that they had already long fled once news of your entry into the war had been confirmed. After all, no one's left to pay for killing monsters or exploring some underground ruins and the like. Though it is a bitter pill to swallow for anyone, it is far better to find employment in some other Guild."

"Your reasoning is sound," Ainz mused. Escaping beforehand was definitely something he would have also considered doing himself. It was an outcome he would have seen coming a mile away, especially if it concerned "beings of unimaginable power". He would have already hightailed it towards the horizon unto the next city. And perhaps even beyond that, if he could sense that he was still not far enough from trouble."But I had assumed they would attempt to find some way to aid their homes. I had assumed there would be some form of 'heroism'."

Ueda barked out a laugh. "Amusing, my lord. While there are those who would count themselves virtuous and selfless, even more are motivated by nothing loftier than the clinking of gold coins." She laughed again, as if she was amused by the banality of it all.

"Indeed," Ainz muttered in a low voice. In a way that also described him, but he wasn't going to tell her that. "There is one other possibility that occurs to me. Perhaps your former comrades have managed to complete their work in the other towns and cities of the Kingdom."

"That might be true, my lord," Ueda said in agreement. "Alas, I can only account for what I have seen personally during that particular battle. Though it must be mentioned, my lord, that I saw the faces on my former comrades while I was observing them, and they didn't seem too pleased. The reasons might be something simple and inconsequential; or it could be the fact that their mission has not been as successful as they wanted. Perhaps that meagre haul from the capital was all they would be getting."

"In that case, Ueda, I should like to congratulate you," Ainz said, smiling. "It appears that you, at least, have completed your mission., and have followed my instructions. You did well." It was always important to give praise to employees who manage something good, to foster a better working environment.

Ueda drew herself up and seemed to be visibly enjoying his praise. "Why, as I have said, my lord Ainz, it was all an honor and a pleasure! I hope that I have demonstrated my usefulness, as well as my devotion to your cause."

"That you did," Ainz said, trying not to roll his eyes.

"Then may I please ask a boon, then, as a reward?"

"If it is within my power, then it shall be granted," Ainz said automatically, though he was dreading the actual question itself. After all, he knew full well what the question would be, considering the fact that she had already asked the question several times before .

Ueda fluttered her eyelids rapidly, and took on a coquettish look pushing her boobs outward while she crossed her fingers behind her back. "Ainz-sama, may I please be awarded the privilege of bearing your children?"

He almost slapped his forehead then and there. Just as he'd expected, the woman had repeated the question she had posed to him several times already.

The content of the question itself wasn't that much of an issue to him. He welcomed the addition of a new mother and lover, so long as they possessed some beauty; that along with a certain quality that attracted or intrigued him. Clementine was one such example, as ordinarily he would not have thought much about taking the murderess for himself. But the very thought of chaining and muzzling such a bloodthirsty woman had its own appeal, particularly when it had been she who had approached him with her legs spread brazenly in welcome.

Yet when it came to Ueda, Ainz could not quite bring himself to agree just so easily. True, she was an attractive woman physically: with her long dark hair, lustrous and smooth like Albedo's, her gleaming ruby-red pupils, and of course her massive breasts, which had surprised even Zesshi. He wondered about that latter feature, as one would have never expected that to happen after he had used the transformative magic.

In a way, it was almost as if someone had melted together Zesshi, Albedo and Shalltear (adult), forming a woman who was an amalgamation of the three condensed into an overly eager package. She was beautiful and sexy enough for him, and in any other circumstance he would never say no.

Idly, he wondered if her large breasts had anything to do with her heritage as one of the Godkins. It was something Zesshi had as well. Was that a common trait among their kind? The red eyes were also something she shared with Clementine, who had also been part of the Theocracy. Though the blonde never claimed to be a Godkin herself, it was still also possible that she had traces of blood flowing in her veins. Further from that, he wondered if Keeno also had some traces of Godkin, considering her own unique features.

He shook his head mentally. There was no reason for him to dwell further on these speculations. He still had a birth to attend to, and before he could return to Zesshi he had to deal with Ueda.

The next moment, he noticed that his hand had actually been placed on top of Ueda's head. Below it, he could see the woman's face had turned a shade of tomato red—and was that steam coming from her ears?

"A-Ainz-shama…" she breathed, her voice unsteady. He could feel her body trembling, and could almost sense the heat she was steadily emanating.

Instead of flinching and drawing away, muttering apologies, Ainz instead smiled. Then he dragged his palms down, to cup them over her cheek, allowing him to feel the growing warmth of her face directly.

Ueda made a yelping sound, and the trembling in her body seemed to redouble. She was like a plant being shaken within a roaring tempest, and he wondered if she would end up fainting from this.

"Hihihiiiii… Ainz-sama… Ainz-sama…" she repeated again and again, almost like a broken record.

He snorted. "As to what you wanted," he began, while his hand stroked her cheek in small, circular motions, "I shall speak to you about it later. Perhaps a day, maybe more. Today I am occupied with something important. But I promise you that we will talk."

Her blissful expression wilted as he expected. Her cheeks puffed out in a sort of pout, as she crossed her arms underneath her breasts, pushing those hanging bags of flesh upward. "But—really? But that's not fair Ainz-sama! I did what I was commanded, and I have accomplished it faithfully… I wanted… oh hmmmphhhh…!"

He silenced her with a kiss.

It was not the most elegant of solutions, but it was one surefire way of getting any of his lovers to shut up. He was pleased to see it work on Ueda—though he still felt rather unsure about including her in his plans.

The kiss turned more intimate, more passionate, his tongue thrusting into hers, probing and tasting. Having kissed more than a thousand times by his count already, Ainz could conclude that Ueda seemed inexperienced with such things, and only responded to what his tongue did with small, tentative motions. Still, she did not seem to lack for enthusiasm, and therefore kissed back very eagerly once the initial shock had passed.

For a while he savored the taste of her mouth, before he recalled himself and the current state of affairs. Besides, now he could no longer trust himself to not fall deep into the temptation—to just take this buxom beauty in his arms and take a few hours to purge his stress and fear in her arms, to take through pleasure what anxiety had robbed him. And yet he knew that was not fair, not to Zesshi who awaited him and whom he'd given a strong promise on his pride as a father and lover. And it was certainly not fair to Ueda, who like all his lovers deserved his full attention during their first times.

He pulled away, rather reluctantly.

"Later," he said, taking a step back. Ueda looked shell-shocked, her face flushed, her mouth open and drooling, her eyes seemingly lost in somewhere only she could see. She seemed to be trapped in some sort of trance or funk, her mouth opening and closing like a fish, as she repeatedly uttered the words, "A Player's Kiss… A Player's Kiss…" under her breath.

"Give me a day, at least," Ainz said. At least a day, to attend to Zesshi, and to his newborn children. Perhaps his mood would change, and he would decide something else later. But that was why he didn't want to be distracted by anything else. He wanted this first experience, this first childbirth, with Zesshi, to have his full, undivided attention.

"And do not fear," he added. "You may take this kiss as a portent of what will happen on that later date. So at the very least, be satisfied—that I will grant your wish, Ueda. Sooner or later. Just be patient."

Ueda didn't look like she had heard him, for she yet remained staring into space with lidded eyes, her mind seemingly having disappeared off to somewhere.

Seeing that he could do nothing else here, he turned on his heel, and walked back to the entrance. Along the way, his eyes beheld his other lovers, who had been watching the distant exchange closely. They all rose from their seats, as if to swarm him, but he held up his hand, palms forward, to forestall them.

"Do take care of yourselves," he said. "And please recall the healers' words. I shall see you again later."

And then he entered the healers' chambers, giving them no chance to say anything to him. As he turned to close the door, he spotted Ueda's figure in the distance, her large-breasted, curvaceous form still standing there, looking so delicious and sexy in her form-fitting clothes.

Whatever the case, this might get interesting, he thought, as the door shut behind him.

---

The silence left in the wake of the Master's departure was long.

Ueda just stood there, her mind literally on another plane of existence as the sensation of Ainz's lips on hers continued to linger. As such, she wasn't able to notice the gazes thrown her way by the Mothers who were seated outside the healer's chambers.

About half were downright hostile, almost murderous, coming from the likes of the Overseer and Shalltear Bloodfallen. If looks could impale, then the woman would be utterly unrecognizable—being filleted into so many bloody ribbons before one could say "surprise". For each one of them, they were rightfully displeased that there was yet another outsider whom Ainz was about to add to his collection, which meant that it was another competitor to watch. It was bad enough that Ainz-sama's attention as already divided among the present mothers, but now there was to be more.

Keeno's gaze was cold, yet it was not overtly hostile. Though there was still something predatory in the way she assessed Ueda, as if she were studying some powerful mark that she'd been tasked by the Adventurer's Guild to kill. She knew, logically, that this was what Ainz deserved, and that there was little to be done about a woman seeing the truth as she had. But she still couldn't help but feel wary about this one in particular, as she had heard Zesshi talk about her origins. And knowing what she did of the Theocracy from her past dealings with them, she wondered if this was a presage to something worse.

And then there was Clementine, who was now approaching the other woman, waddling in her own, desultory way. A faint moue of amusement was writ plain on her face as she regarded the daydreaming woman. It was clear to anyone who might be observing that mischief was in the air.

"Yo, we meet again, leader," she called out in greeting, waving her hand insolently over the other woman's face, as if she was wiping invisible dirt.

For a moment, Ueda's eyes flickered. Then her gaze focused, and ultimately sharpened when she saw who it was had spoken to her. She took a few seconds looking the blonde's body up and down. Her look of scorn slowly turned into something like recognition. "Is that…" Her eyes narrowed. "Is that really you, Clementine?"

"In the flesh," the blonde drawled, making a mock curtsy. "Fancy meeting you here, dear leader. And in that guise no less..." Her smile widened, as if she was a predator that had sighted particularly delectable prey.

Ueda looked down, her eyes narrowing at the swollen state of the other woman's belly. Where before it had been lean with slightly marked abdominal muscles, now it had completely softened and had swelled with what was obviously a child within. That alone out of everything marked the complete change of Clementine from the skilled murderess into a waddling, glowing mother, which led to the incongruity in Ueda's mind.

"So… this is where you've gone. And in this state…" She pursed her lips in displeasure, as if she had just discovered that she'd stepped on animal manure. "You've certainly changed."

"And you've changed as well," Clementine said, trying to suppress a snort. "So… so much…! I wonder… was this by choice? Did you really throw your manhood away?" The notion of someone gender bending was fascinating, and amusing to Clementine. In a way, she'd had some thoughts in the past about tormenting certain proud adventurers by changing them, then selling them off into sex slavery or something equally as depraved.

"I took on this form by choice, never you mind," she replied with no small amount of venom in her voice. "But tell me this, then, traitor, how in all the world did you come to be here? Are you really one of Ainz-sama's?"

Clementine's eyes fluttered mockingly. "Why, of course. It fits me, no? To be the lover of what you people consider 'gods'… To be able to rise to such a vaunted state, a state that even the best and brightest of the Theocracy could only dream of reaching…! Ahhhh… I wonder if it galls you, that this honor has fallen first upon my dubious self?" She slid her palms down her pregnant belly in a salacious manner—though it was clearly not in an attempt to seduce, but rather to show off her pregnant body. "And yet, to me, it is nothing. Certainly I would not have stooped so low as to become… that." Clementine chuckled darkly.

Their current animosity might have seemed strange, for someone who did not know either of these women intimately. But even Ainz would not have known that once, in the distant path, Clementine used to work directly under Ueda, and there was a time when the latter was a genuine "senpai" to the former. As expected, their two personalities clashed and could never mesh well together in a team scenario, which was why Clementine never got promoted while the blonde continued to view the Captain as a stuck-up prig. Eventually, Clementine disappeared some time ago, and Ueda never cared much for this, except to issue the necessary marks to hunt for the traitor; though she had never once volunteered to hunt her down personally for the Theocracy's honor. To Ueda, Clementine was the scraggly runt that had no place in their ranks, and her disappearance was just good riddance.

So it was admittedly a big surprise to see Clementine here of all places, as if she had found her suddenly being an acolyte of any one of the Six Gods returned. It was very unpleasant for one of the faithful to see such a loathsome creature be rewarded so, and Clementine's insolent attitude did not help matters. It was akin to rewarding a demon with vestments divine-such sacrilege of all that was right and proper should not be born!

Ueda snarled. "How dare you! If the Cardinals had known of Ainz Ooal Gown's true existence, then they would have been first to suggest this! It is the greatest of honors for any person loyal to the Theocracy to be able to bear a God's child!"

"Oh, I'm sure it definitely is an honor for you, huh?" Clementine said, sniggering.

"I wonder if you should really be speaking so cavalierly?" Ueda said, her eyes flashing with something like anger. "You have been chosen by a God himself to bear his child. And yet still you remain as insolent and thuggish? You sound unworthy to be blessed with the seed of the Godkin!"

At that, Clementine only roared with laughter, loud enough that the attention of the other mothers briefly went her way. "This is rich! The newbie coming here to lecture me on propriety. Here's a news flash, 'my lady'… Around these parts, your worth to Ainz-sama is nothing if you cannot please him with your body. So I would start learning up on how to use your womanly wiles to secure your place, otherwise the most you'll be getting from the Master is a glance." She looked her up and down, while sneering. "Even though you already look like some breeding cow ready to be mounted, we all have much more experience to draw from. I suggest you learn to suck up to even me, old leader, or else you'll never get those Godkins you seem so sure of having."

She turned and waddled away, leaving the former Captain to seethe alone.

---

The door opened, and her love returned, striding through the opening not as the panicked father-to-be who had left just minutes ago, but as a man possessed of supreme confidence and renewed purpose. And yet, she could sense the tension still rife within him, hidden as it was by his nature as a shapeshifter. It gave her the impression of a warrior expecting to do battle at the drop of a hat, all his muscles coiled and ready to spring to action.

It was endearing to see that his eyes sought hers first above all. His intense gaze softened the moment they did.

"I've returned," he muttered. "I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry for leaving... I'm… Well, I'm sorry." His lips quirked up in a shadow of a smile. "Well, enough about me. That doesn't matter. How are you?"

"It proceeds as can be expected," Zesshi said. All the sensations of labor were new to her, which did not do favors for the anxiety and anticipation that was already present in her mind. "I estimate that… there's just over an hour left."

Ainz turned his attention to the nearby healer for confirmation. "It is as the lady Zesshi says," she said. "Some more time, and we can see how her body will be. With luck, there will be visible progress for us to estimate."

He nodded, then went towards her side to clasp her hand.

"I thought I heard raised voices outside. I didn't miss anything out there, did I?" she asked. In fact, if she had a mind to it, there were a dozen spells she could have used to eavesdrop, but in her current condition she did not have the mind to cast them yet. To her, the upcoming birth was everything, and everything else, therefore, no longer mattered.

He rolled his eyes. "Ah, it was only some arguments. Some minor, inconsequential things. Nothing too much to worry about." He paused. "Oh, and apparently Ueda sends her regards."

"Ueda, huh?" As she uttered the word, she struggled to restrain herself from snorting out loud. The very thought of contemplating the person in question would never fail to bring out her inner amusement.

Once, they had been fellow members of the Black Scripture. Yet after meeting Ainz, she had let her membership lapse-at least beneath the surface. She no longer called the Theocracy her home, though she knew that a doppelganger had been sent to give the impression that she was still present and active; all in order to deceive the theocracy.

Yet even if they were comrades in the same group, she did not exactly feel any camaraderie towards him. She had not felt a connection to any in the Theocracy in fact. She was well aware of her purpose as a tool and a symbol, mayhaps even as a trophy that the Theocracy paraded around to trumpet the supremacy of the Godkin caste. It had always been just nonsense to her, banal distractions from her endless quest to find her perfect mate.

She could scarcely remember him now, in particular the "him" that had been the Captain of the Black Scripture. After she had met Ainz-sama she had completely forgotten about any of her comrades, the Captain included. She could recall them and their powers, for whenever Ainz-sama asked. But her mind could not muster the need to even acknowledge that she had known any of them on an intimate level. If she could jettison memories with a spell, those of the Theocracy would be first to go, to make room for making new memories of her family with Ainz-sama.

So she had paid little heed to the Captain, even after he'd been captured by Nazarick. Yet by the next time she saw the Captain, she was surprised to find that he had turned into this peculiar creature named Ueda, she with the red eyes and the black hair. And, of course, the big fat honkers, which somehow managed to dwarf even hers-without even getting pregnant at all. Needless to say, it was not quite a surprising development, in Zesshi's opinion, for there was no other conclusion to be drawn from such a fervent member of the Slaine Theocracy to be suddenly of the opposite sex.

What other reason could there be than to "fulfill one's duty to humanity" and birth a new generation of Godkin to help dominate the world? That was, after all, the Theocracy's purpose for centuries.

She had never professed herself to be religious in any way. She knew the creeds, the prayers, the doctrines, and could recite them even now. In a way, she could still technically administer certain rites of the Six as herself, and even had authority over certain aspects of the Theocracy that she could use if Ainz-sama wanted it. But she never felt any true connection to it as the others did, to the belief of the Six Gods and all the promises of Humanity's True Destiny. As a half-blood, she was obviously half-interested in any of the drivel they spouted. She was even aware that there were many who spurned her for the gifts she had somehow "stolen" from the more deserving. For these she reserved her scorn—or even better, her indifference.

On an intellectual level, she was still able to recall the general overview of the Theocracy's teachings. She knew of the knowledge written down since the age of the Six, including knowledge considered forbidden to the normal citizens of the Theocracy. She knew of the many other things from the tomes of knowledge that the Theocracy had collected over the years, which included the lore about dragons, or the demigods perhaps.

Thus, she knew that the presence of Ainz-sama as a real and tangible figure in this world was akin to one of the Six Gods descending unto this world once more, as it had been prophesied in many a holy text. She recalled that they had been calling Ainz a representative of the Death God, Sursyana; but they had found it difficult, even sacrilegious, to put any sort of faith in an undead. Any attempts to find some communion with Ainz had been stalled or outright stopped, especially after the battle of the Katze Plains.

Yet she knew that if they discovered her lover's true nature: that of a shapeshifter who could change his form to however he wanted, then their opinion would definitely be changed. Instead of being the Death God's representative, he would instead actually be one of the other Gods returned, as one of the Six was said to be able to change his forms as it suited Him. It did not matter that "Ainz" would not be able to say the words that they expected: they would see his awesome power and convince themselves of the truth.

No doubt news of "His" return would be heralded by the Theocracy as a wondrous event, certainly one that would forevermore change history. They would instantly drop everything and offer their fealty to the Lord, confident in the promise that he would lead them all to a new age of empire and prosperity, to return to time when the lands had been almost united under a single-human-banner.

And obviously, it would not just end there.

Ever since the Gods had left this world, there had ever been a need to preserve the divine lineage through the many bloodlines that persisted in the centuries that had passed since then. The Theocracy had once been a nation where divinity was infused into nearly everyone's veins. But time had caused the blood to be steadily diluted and polluted: powers and legacies lost, only remembered in sacred texts and the collected records hidden deep inside the vaults. There were even some great bloodlines outright lost through attrition in the many wars since then: whole scores of families and clans wiped out from history. It was evident that immortality had not been one of the gifts the Six had bequeathed to them.

And of course, this was not including those few bloodlines that had forsaken the Theocracy, who had drifted to distant lands—perhaps lost forever. Or those who had utterly betrayed the ideals of the Six, who had willingly mixed their blood with the inhuman to create "abominations".

While the higher ups were still certain that all the present citizens of the Theocracy held a sliver of the divine legacy, only a few outstanding bloodlines remained that were clearly enhanced by it-the Godkins for example, whose might was all but certainly a clear echo of the divine ancestry. These last remaining bloodlines were therefore jealously guarded within the Theocracy, elevated to high ranks and only deployed upon occasions of greatest needs. Godkins like her were therefore encouraged to mate and propagate as much as possible, and indeed there were secret arrangements to ensure that even marriage was no obstacle to creating new heirs of the bloodline.

This was not to say that this was Zesshi's main reason for seeking a worthy mate. No, though remarkably similar, her reasons did not quite align with the Theocracy's, as they would have insisted that her triplets would have been offered unto the state, raised to become breeding stock for a new generation of Godkin. No, she had sought out a being like Ainz for the sheer pleasure of finding one who could be her equal, and whose offspring she would be honored to bear. And she would raise them herself together with her new lover. She would do it not to perpetuate some sordid ideal of the past, or to find some opportunity to take power through Ainz.

And to think, she had not even been seeking a God. It was only fortune that allowed her to meet and mate with Ainz Ooal Gown, a being who was also coincidentally a Player that the Theocracy had wanted above all else.

For true believers in the Theocracy, such as the one who was now named Ueda, they would certainly do everything in their power to entreat a God, just so they would be granted their favor in turn. Things like granting them overlordship of the nation, perhaps, or even access to the secret troves of the Six long kept hidden, were not too farfetched offerings they would make. For to the Theocracy, it was of utmost importance to secure as many heirs as possible.

What Ainz was presently doing: collecting as many mothers to himself in a leisurely manner, was but a smaller version of what the true believers in the Theocracy would attempt. No, it would not even need the command of the cardinals to be done.

It was guaranteed that a whole score of women in the Theocracy would literally line up to throw themselves on Ainz's cock if they knew of his existence. Fertility potions would be bought and shared. Husbands would eagerly divorce their wives, fathers would promise their daughters, and children would seek a place for their mothers, if she was still fertile and unmarried. It would be of utmost importance for every true believer in the Six to secure Godkin progeny, to "ensure humanity's primacy in the world". Ainz-sama would be pumping so many cunts in a day, for many, many days. And considering the power he wielded, it was also possible for him to multiply that work as well.

And it would perhaps not stop there.

Under the pretense of furthering "humanity's destiny", they would be the first to suggest to Ainz that conquest was actually a viable tool for expanding his realm. And if he agreed to their plans, then the unstoppable forces of Nazarick would engulf the entire known world, united under his banner, just as the Theocracy wanted. And then, all the subjugated peoples would therefore be forced to submit their women as well to Ainz, to ensure that the divine legacy would never be wasted again. The world might well belong to the divine children of Ainz, a literal playground for their use.

Such a radical viewpoint was one that certain Cardinals possessed, and it was only the relative impossibility of such an event that prevented the more orthodox members from castigating their fellows. (The orthodox viewpoint being that only a select view should be worthy of divine blood; the objection therefore was not to the conquest but to spreading of the Godkin to those deemed unfit)

Perhaps in a way, the captain's decision to have herself turned into Ueda made a certain point of sense. There were those like the captain who would be fanatical enough to turn themselves into the opposite sex just so they would also gain the privilege of birthing the spawn of Gods. If the people of the Theocracy knew that such an impossible spell was available, there would be no few number of men who would fall to their knees to be granted the same privilege as Ueda.

It was precisely for this reason that, for the first time since Zesshi had become Ainz-sama's lover, she found herself doubting if she would ever be able to get along with another new outsider. This was in sharp contrast from before, when she had been most eager to draw in new outsider mothers into her orbit; just to use them as more fodder in her little shadow war against Albedo the Overseer.

Ueda's intentions were completely transparent to her, and it was quite fortunate that she had been kept contained here, where she could not inform the rest of the Theocracy. So Zesshi felt something akin to suspicion: Ueda did not seem to have "pure" intentions for Ainz-sama like the rest of them-who had each approached Ainz for reasons that were almost reminiscent of love. And it was because of that bond with the Master that Zesshi felt a little defensive-she did not want her beloved to be pulled into the wretched games of her birthplace, as exemplified by the captain who had so eagerly put aside her manhood all because of his beliefs.

Fortunately, it seemed that the newly named Ueda had other things on mind than the Doctrine of the Six.

Just a few days ago, she had been approached by the same Ueda. She was escorted in by a whole complement of guards. Apparently she had quite literally begged them to have herself taken before Zesshi, agreeing even to be restrained. The extra protection had been something Ainz-sama had given her, so the guards' attitudes were understandable. It was still very amusing to see the former captain bound up in such a humiliating way.

"And what is the meaning of this?" Zesshi asked frostily. "I am quite busy, and if you just wanted to 'catch up', then I am not in the mood."

"My pardons Lady Zesshi," Ueda babbled. "But I would like to ask a boon of you."

She had been taken aback by her servile motions. No one in Nazarick had ever acted that way towards her. It inflamed her suspicion, but she indulged the woman her questions. After all, there was nothing she could do to her, even if Zesshi was so heavily pregnant that it took effort to do things.

"What sort of boon do you mean?" Zesshi asked. "If it is something to do with asking Ainz-sama anything, or if you wanted to ask another favor through me, then you're barking up the wrong tree, sad to say." She quirked a smile down at the kneeling Ueda. "The Master keeps his own counsel. And I am loathe to question His infinite wisdom."

"No, my lady," Ueda said, shaking her head. "I wish to ask something different. It is… difficult for me to ask, and I was not even sure if I could get answers at all. But since you are… were of the Theocracy, then I figured that you would at least be amenable to my request."

She held up a finger and glared down at her. "Just so you know, invoking the Theocracy won't get you in my good graces as well. I don't know what you were looking for, to appeal to our shared origins like that."

"Ah, my apologies!" Ueda said. "It won't happen again! But please, please hear me out."

The whole thing stank of manipulation. It was so transparent that it was downright insulting. But still, she had been curious about her intentions, so she then said, "Very well, make your request quickly. I've no time for groveling, not even from you." She wasn't a sadist by heart, which was true. And she had less patience for fools who could not take their destinies into their own hands.

"Please, Zesshi, I need to know…" Ueda had paused. "How to seduce Ainz Ooal Gown, as you have?"

She had laughed. Hard. The very thought of the former Captain coming to her for tips on how to leverage her body to attract and seduce her lover was very amusing indeed.

"I will think about it," she had said then. "For now I am too busy for anything."

"I am at your mercy, my lady."

She left it at a dismissal, for Ueda to return later. She would need to think carefully if she was to actively aid Ueda in this endeavor. It was too much like charity work, and she didn't do charity.

But perhaps it would be a way to acquire a loyal subordinate lover here in Nazarick. Much as she loathed it, she could draw on their shared origin, to bind Ueda closer to her than she could the other outsiders. Make her indebted to her and her alone, and in exchange she would gain a powerful piece, and addition one who was also fiercely loyal to the idea of Ainz being a supreme entity—a god. It would finally give her the opportunity to carve out a block within the hierarchy of Mothers, something she had yet to really gain among the present outsiders. (Clementine being the way she is, Neia being too weak, the Holy Kingdom duo too haughty and Keeno being too suspicious)

She stirred from her rumination as a thought occurred to her. "Ainz-sama, do you know why the captain-san was able to get breasts like those? It seems almost unfair don't you think? She's not even pregnant yet!" In a way, she wondered if the magic had done something unique by itself.

Ainz jolted to attention, his face twisted in puzzlement. "I'm… not really sure. Perhaps it was something unique to… the magic?"

They stared at each other for a few more seconds. Then Zesshi looked away and shrugged. "Perhaps so." Then she smiled. "Well, enough about that, my lord. If you've any other concerns to attend to, then please don't let me stand in your way." She wanted him to stay so much, but she felt the need to say it.

"What are you talking about?" he said, raising an eyebrow. "I did promise, didn't I? I shall be here, and nothing less than an invasion of Nazarick will draw me from your side."

"Oh?" she cocked her head. "You should not be tempting fate so, my lord. In doing so, the possibility, faint as it may seem, might actually occur." Well, she was confident that Ainz had foreseen all possibilities and had already made plans; but she could not help teasing him.

His confident expression flickered, before he snorted. "Well, you can be sure that even if that small chance did happen, that I've got good people already on the job." He leaned close and drew her close to him. "I must repeat it again: I will never break my promise. I will be here for you, and for the triplets."

"Ainz-sama..." she muttered, her tears coming unbidden to her eyes. He kissed her then, a salty mashing of lips that made her feel dizzy, almost drunk. She squeezed his hand as tight as she could, in a grip that could have crushed boulders. Yet as expected, he felt no discomfort whatsoever.

It reassured her that he would fulfill his promise: that he would always be there for her, like a great, powerful rock that would ever refuse to be bent by the elements. And so, all her concerns about Ueda and the Theocracy were unceremoniously dumped in a far corner of her mind. This moment was for them and them alone.

---

It took a little while after for the true "labor" to begin. All of a sudden, Zesshi started to cry out, her face twisting, gritting her teeth, her fingers clenched, her whole body seemingly bunching into itself; as if she was afflicted by intense pain that could not be relieved.

"Zesshi!" he shouted, gripping her hand tight—her own grip almost felt like it could crush his bones, had he not already transformed in time.

"Hurghhh… huuuu…!" she wailed.

"It is starting," the healers announced.

"Starting?" he repeated, gazing wildly towards them.

The healer close to them nodded. "The children are being primed to leave." One of them peered between Zesshi's spread legs. He was almost tempted to follow, but some innate instinct made him freeze, as if the opening he had seen many times before had become some sort of hallowed thing, not meant for his eyes.

"Yesss… the opening has been widened… I believe they are almost ready."

Another healer spread its many arms over Zesshi's belly, feeling the skin through its many palms. "I am afraid that the pain will return again, and yet again, so long as they are not yet out, my lady. My lord, it would be good to stay close and reassure the mistress."

"Most certainly," Ainz said, looking at Zesshi, whose eyes glimmered with tears. They didn't need to tell him to do that at all.

"Ainz-sama…" Zesshi said, her mouth twisted in sheer pain. He wondered what sort of pain could there be, such that the normally unflappable Zesshi could feel it so keenly. She, who had never once flinched nor shown weakness in their time together, was already being reduced to this on the birthing bed. It seemed that not even Player blood could mitigate the biological intricacies of childbirth, or so it appeared to Ainz.

"I'm here, Zesshi," he said. "Just do your best." He looked up at the healers. "Is there really nothing I can do?" He had a bunch of spells he thought might be able to help—perhaps one that could numb the pain perhaps?

"While that would be most kind of you, my lord, as we have already said, in situations like these it would be best to minimize the involvement of magics and other sources of influence," said one of the healers hastily. The other shook their heads emphatically. "While we cannot say what effects it might have ourselves, we must err on the path of caution, at least in this case, my lord." Left unsaid was the notion that if Ainz really willed it, then he was well within his rights to cast the spell.

However, it was this sort of fear about the possible consequences that stayed Ainz's hand from doing anything. This was uncharted territory for him. Without any sort of data to fall back on, he could not just go and perform his tests as he had done many a time before. When the stakes were as high as they were, Ainz preferred to demur than become a pioneer. He would not gamble all on a "what if".

He swallowed. "Understood." He looked at Zesshi again. "You heard that, my dear? I am essentially useless in here. I hope you can forgive me. Allow me just to stay by your side, like this."

"My lord Ainz…" she whispered. "It is enough."

The moment of pain seemed to pass a few seconds later, with Zesshi's expression relaxing. But the healers again warned that this was just the calm before the storm.

"As we said, the pain will return soon. But it is good to relax than to be all tense about it in anticipation. Far better for the mind to recover from the pain, at least," the healers said. Then they addressed Ainz. "And perhaps, my lord, you can aid her in taking her mind off things."

And so, as the next hours passed, Ainz did as he was requested to help Zesshi through this trial.

They talked of simple things. Of stupid things. Of things so mundane, that Ainz marveled at how they had never talked in this manner before.

They talked of visiting the dwarves, and of possibly taking the triplets there, when they were older. Ainz would have the dwarves create three special items for their children, to commemorate their births, and to perhaps begin a legend about "The Three Rings or Trinkets" or thereabouts, one that would be passed down through history.

Zesshi talked of visiting the seaside again, to get a boat and go sailing into the blue horizon. They would take the triplets to distant, mysterious lands. Their family would go farther than any before. They might even plumb the depths of the oceans, as Ainz did for them that one time, finding strange new creatures and perhaps a secret city or two buried far beneath the waves. (And Ainz was reminded that a dragon lord was also said to lurk beneath a sea.)

Ainz wondered if he should reveal the existence of his children to the outside world. While it would be a way of showing that nothing was impossible for "Ainz Ooal Gown", the undead lord, it was also a way to paint a clear target on the triplets. And while he had anticipated that such a thing might occur, he still felt apprehensive at the prospect. Zesshi agreed with his sentiment, and noted that Nazarick was already the best place to raise a child, with all the grand magical structures located in it.

Still, perhaps it was time to look for "greener pastures" as it were. To build a hideout, or a mansion, some heavily-guarded domicile on a distant land, far beyond the horizon, where the troubles of the outside world had no sway. A paradise all for his own, his mothers, and all the children they would have. They would want for nothing, and if there was any emergency, it was only a Gate away. And perhaps, it would itself be the backup—should the unthinkable happen and Nazarick be lost, then there would be an enclave somewhere that was already prepared.

Perhaps deep within some forest? The dark elf twins would love that. Or somewhere underwater, as Zesshi said. He recalled Clementine, and their small talk a long time ago, when he had spoken of going to space. Perhaps, then, a home in the highest heavens?

He did not share those particular thoughts with Zesshi. He preferred it if it remained a secret that he would reveal to them later. Zesshi continued to speak about other things, such as the order the babes would come out, or the names that would be given to them. During the bouts of pain, she would curse and rage.

"I'd kill a horde of orcs and ogres over this!" she seethed. "But I promise you Ainz-sama, that I will see this through! See! This! Through!"

Certainly, they had never been able to share such moments as these. Ainz was always busy, whether with work or attending to his other lovers. And when they did manage to find the time together, then it was always to catch up by engaging in their carnal desires. While afterwards there was enough time to cuddle, or talk about serious things (such as the war), these periods were often too short. Ainz would need to move on, before long.

That was not to say that they didn't talk of more serious things. After a particularly grueling wave of pain that had Zesshi actually biting into his hand, they talked about Zesshi's father, and of the Kingdom he ruled.

"It would be something, will it not, for that man to meet his descendants?" Zesshi said, with a twisted sneer.

"That would certainly be a picture," Ainz said in agreement. "However, is it really needed? He is far beneath our notice." His contempt for the man who had sired Zesshi was enough for him to contemplate crushing the elven kingdom outright in order to visit the torments of "The Worst" on him here in Nazarick. But political expedience required the Slaine Theocracy to be occupied with the elves a little while longer.

"You're right," she replied after a few moments. "He is not worth my attention. He is less than nothing. And my children… my sons…" she hissed, and he almost thought another wave of pain had surged through her. "Our children shall outshine him… Outshine them all."

"Indeed," Ainz said. Soon enough another bout of pain afflicted Zesshi, and all talk of the elven kingdom ceased.

It seemed like eternity to Ainz, though he was sure that it had only been a couple of hours. Many moments were spent watching over Zesshi, assuring her, comforting her, as wave after wave of pain coursed through her body. That was all he could do—to stay by her side, the powerful Ainz Ooal Gown reduced to a mere man fretting at the bedside of his mate.

It would be a stark reminder to him that not all things could be solved by the might of his body in this world.

Eventually, the moment that they had all been waiting for came at last.

"It's here!" the healers exclaimed.

"They're coming!" another said.

"GUGHHHHHH…!" Zesshi's cry was strong enough to cause the very air to vibrate. Ainz's hands had become that of a slime's coating Zesshi's and allowing her to pull and savage at his hands without fear of injury. Apparently, this time the pain had reached a new apex, as she was tearing literal clumps of slime from his form, to scatter them all over the sheets.

"They're coming my dear!" the healers cried. "Keep up the breathing!"

"Keep on pushing!"

"Push!"

"Push!"

"HIYAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHH! AINZ-SAMA! AINZ-SAMA!"

"You can do it Zesshi," he whispered in her ear. "You can do it. You can do it."

On that very moment, Ainz's eyesight was tinged with darkness all around the edges, with Zesshi's face front and center before him, ringed by a halo of light. He could not look away from the sight of her torment. It was as if time had stopped completely, and all the noise and tumult had disappeared. For Ainz, it was as if all of existence had converged into that single, solitary moment, a moment that lasted for an eternity.

And then that eternity ended, heralded by a cry that seemed to break through all creation.

It was a baby's cry. He recognized it enough, from a half-remembered video a lifetime ago now, when he had just been simply Suzuki Satoru. Some bit about the wonders of procreation, of doing one's duty to the state by siring a child.

It had annoyed him, then, to be reminded that even the most basic act of rearing a child was not something he could reach with his own hands.

Yet here, now, such a keening, wailing sound was as beautiful music bursting through the walls of creation, to bless his ears. Dazed and confused, he could only look up to see that the healers were now cradling a small bundle in their hands.

"He has come!" he heard them shout, as if they were speaking from the other end of a long tunnel. "The Firstborn!"

"Ainz-sama…!" came Zesshi's weakened voice. He glanced at her and saw the joy writ plain on her face, of relief and contentment. Tears were streaming down her face, and if he had allowed it, perhaps he would have been crying as well. As it was, his only reaction was his throat swelling.

"It's not over yet!" cried the healers. "Brace yourself my lady!"

Zesshi's hold on his slime hand returned, as her body was once more seized with great pain. Her jaw clenched, her whole body trembling as she pushed and pushed.

And after another long moment, another cry could be heard—something similar to before, though to Ainz's ears, the voice may as well have belonged to another person. The second newborn's cries joined his brother's as he was born away by the healers.

"Very good! Very good!" they joyfully proclaimed.

"Just once more, my lady!"

"One more until the end!"

"Zesshi," he said. "Just one more. One more, my dear."

"Yessss…!" she said, flashing her teeth as she started to hiss through them. "I… will… not fail…! GAAAAAHHHHH…!" She pushed yet again, and again, and after another beat, another different cry came, to join the rest in a cacophony of wailing.

And yet Ainz was not disturbed or angered; the sounds were downright soothing to him.

This was it.

This was life.

This was the fruit of his union with Zesshi Zetsumei.

"Very good, my dear! Very good!" the healers exclaimed.

"Zesshi, you did well," he said, pressing his forehead against hers.

"I… haaah… hah… The babies?" she said, her voice weak and thready.

"They are here, my lord, my lady," said the healers. Three of them came, each bearing a bundle on their hands. They placed the children over Zesshi's breast, their faces so small, so scrunched up, their voices still lending their cries into the room.

"They're here!" Zesshi said, sobbing. She scooped all three into her arms, and she kissed each of their heads as tears flowed freely down her cheeks. "At last! At last! I can hold you, my dears! Oh my lovely dears!" She looked up, a bright smile on her tired, sleepy face. "Ainz-sama! They're here!"

For once, Ainz could not muster a response. His gaze was only on the small bundled children lying there on their mother's chest.

They all look perfectly normal. Not monstrous, as he had feared. They had elongated ears, to reflect their mother's elvish legacy. The tufts of hair on their heads were odd, split down the middle in color between silver and black, just like Zesshi.

"My sons," he said breathlessly. He could almost not breathe. Ainz felt as if his body were lighter than air. It was as if he could but float if he felt like it. All the terrifying images, all the worries gnawing at his mind, the fear that paralyzed his entire being—all of it evaporated into nothing on that very moment.

"My sons!" he shouted, and his form was as nothing he knew. Like an amalgamation of everything he could ever be, his definite form collapsed into a pool of inconceivability, as he drew Zesshi and the triplets into the biggest hug he could manage. Here were his sons, finally in the flesh, and the world seemed all the brighter for it.

Zesshi was sobbing, a river of tears flowing down her face, unstoppable. He joined her in his own way, wriggling and shivering like a slime demon, all while their sons quailed in the gulf between. It was the best moment Ainz had ever felt to this day, and it seemed to last for an eternity.

Soon enough, though, the healers were quick to remind mother and father that the children needed to nurse. "'Tis important for the babes to drink their fill from the mother's teats, to know the warmth of her skin, to breathe in her scent, and to remember her taste forevermore." And thus, Ainz withdrew, still a wobbling mess, to leave Zesshi to start nursing two of the three. The healers helped to support them, leaving Zesshi free to soothe the third, to attempt to calm him for being left out entirely.

The sight of their nursing seemed so simple. And yet Ainz could not turn his eyes away. It was such a fascinating thing to witness: his babes suckling freely from their mother's heavy milkbags. Zesshi's size seemed reasonable to him now—no doubt it was better for the mother to provide all the milk her infants needed. The engorged breasts that had puzzled him for the past months made an awful lot of sense.

After they had their fill, the healers placed the two away, to sleep atop Zesshi's belly. Then, the third one finally got his turn. It felt a little unfair, and Ainz felt a little irrationally defensive of the poor guy, though a voice in his head told him he was also equally being unfair to his siblings—they'd done nothing wrong. He chuckled to himself; these were such useless, mundane thoughts he was having, and yet it didn't make him angry. These were all quite pleasant thoughts to be having.

Still, with the healers gone he could finally lay his hands on his boys' heads. They all felt so small against his hands, their skin warm and moist from the recent childbirth. The other two were now sleeping peacefully, their needs fulfilled for the moment. And the third one was already well on his way.

"Look at them, Ainz-sama," she whispered. "Our precious little boys…"

"Indeed," he replied in his own whisper. "Our greatest treasures, born at last." He clenched his other fist. "And on my life, they shall have the best life they deserve."

"The sons of Ainz Ooal Gown…" Zesshi said. "Oh, I know they shall be great."

"They are also yours, my love, so there is no doubt on that score," Ainz said. "And I promise you that they and you will want for nothing."

"I know, Ainz-sama," Zesshi said. And there, as the third child joined his siblings in rest, their parents shared another deep kiss, to affirm the bond that had been solidified in the birth of the three First Born.

---

Chapter commissioned by UltraSpink of Da USA, thank you. A reminder that the story is commissioned.

If you'd like a story commissioned, feel free to contact me here, or on archiveofourown under "RHoldhous".