Breeding Issues

by The Ruff Pusher

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

26. Chapter 26

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.

This story uses the same setting as my other story "Momon, Big Black Changeling". Essentially, Ainz Ooal Gown is the same type of creature as in that story, although this and that story happen in different worlds.

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When the healers went to him afterwards, he was surprised to be informed that a full hour had passed since the birth. To Ainz, he had only been spending mere moments, just small moments spent gazing with wonder and joy at his wonderful baby boys. Beautiful, great, awe-inspiring, breathtaking. No description would ever give them justice in his mind. To him, the three would always exist in his memory, to be perfectly recalled over and over and over.

They were all quietly sleeping and swaddled in luxurious-looking blankets—which had been sourced from items inside the Treasury no less. Precious items from Yggdrasil, entirely irreplaceable, unable to be remade, torn and resewn by the crafters of Nazarick for his children's benefit. And they certainly deserved nothing less than that.

He had been watching them sleep after Zesshi herself had begged permission to rest. And while she slept, he eagerly took on the duty of watching over the babes as a father must, his eyes alert and observant, even while he was drowning in the cuteness of his babies.

"Ainz-sama, we have completed the post-birth clean-up," the healer informed him. "Perhaps it is time to transfer Zesshi-sama and the babies to the recovery chambers?"

Ainz nodded, his mind still a haze. "Yes. Very well."

The healer spread its arms. "If you like, you may carry the babies yourself, Ainz-sama. Certainly, they will be much safer in your arms than in ours."

Ainz looked down, and snorted. "True enough."

Gently, he scooped up the three infants, his hands having already transformed into something a little more appropriate. Strength to lift, soft enough to cushion them, and an ironclad grip to ensure they would never fall, even should an earthquake come.

They were so warm and precious in his hands. He was amazed that they were so light, despite their very clear importance to him, and to all of Nazarick. For their value he expected them to weigh as much as a large statue. He cradled the babes close to his chest, while he oversaw the healers drag Zesshi's bed out of the room. The recovery chambers were just adjacent to the healer's chambers, and had never been used until this moment. They had been prepared for a very long time, and was always intended to be where Ainz wanted the mothers and their children to stay while recovering from their births. It now hosted a new batch of guardians and servitors, recently activated by long-established protocol by the healers. The chambers themselves were connected to a secret Gate to be used on emergencies, staffed by a lich who had also now been summoned to his permanent post—at least, while the chambers were in use.

Once they reached the apportioned chamber, the healers quietly levitated Zesshi's body over to the large, luxurious bed that had already been prepared within, even as the other healers bustled to make sure everything was set. Lamps were activated, supplies were transferred and stocked onto the shelves, and every nook and cranny was inspected for any speck of dirt—not that they would find any, considering the maids cleaned these chambers as part of their duties now.

There were also specially crafted cribs prepared for the children. Two more were carried in to add to the one that was already present, considering Zesshi had triplets. The cribs had been made by the crafters within Nazarick, using knowledge gleaned from actual carpenters and other associated craftsmen. The best materials were sourced from all around the globe, and then enchanted by Ainz himself and a cadre of the library liches. They were as small fortresses unto themselves, able to withstand an army of assassins, though Ainz would have considered it a massive failure if even one assassin made it here.

He placed the newborns inside their cribs, laying them down on the cushioned surface as gently as he could. Ainz couldn't resist running a finger over their foreheads before leaning back with a smile on his face.

After a while, everything was settled. One of the healers approached again and said, "Milord, the final preparations have been completed. As such, we shall retreat now to give you a little more privacy, though several of us shall be waiting on standby as needed, both here, and back in the healing chambers."

"Very well," he whispered, careful not to wake any of the sleeping ones. "Carry on, as you like."

"Thank you, Ainz-sama." They all bowed deeply, before departing. He could sense the presence of several healers taking up position just outside, here to monitor Zesshi and the babes and to interfere as needed. He thought they might be a little intrusive, but it was a necessity he had himself imposed. Perhaps, if he had been some sort of healer in Yggdrasil, this would not have been necessary. Then again, he was not sure how powerful he could have been, if he were different.

Filing those thoughts away, he returned to staring wide-eyed at his babies, whose eyes were still closed, their breaths coming out in cute, whine-like puffs that he could only barely hear through his transformation. Their beds were all close together, right next to Zesshi's bed. He thought of scooping them up again in his arms and carrying them around in joy, but knew that he would just be a damned nuisance. Even dancing around like a madman seemed bad, as he might just wake the babies accidentally in his excitement. He had to settle for just staring at them, watching them breathe, sleep, and dream their little dreams.

He would destroy everything for these babes. He would conquer the world, or he would watch it burn down. He would transform into whatever he needed to be, for their sake. Hero. Monster. God.

He could honestly say that the time he spent from then on would become some of the best he would ever experience in this new life. And arguably, it would also ring true if one also considered his life back in the old, forgotten world. Nothing he had experienced there was worth remembering.

He and Zesshi learned to be parents during this time, or at least made a good attempt of it. The healers helped them as much as they were able. For the first few hours as Zesshi tried to sleep off her exhaustion, Ainz's duty was to watch over the babes in their cribs. Each of the triplets didn't spend a long time awake—and when they did, a significant amount of time was spent wailing for their needs. For the rest of the time, they slept peacefully, and it was their duty to merely watch and marvel over them. It was a duty Ainz took with gusto, foregoing even sleep as his transformations could allow.

Of course, they all needed to take care of the infant's needs as well. And even then it was still a big learning experience. Feeding was obviously left to Zesshi, as the healers had advised that breastmilk was needed to better feed the children rather than brewing up something as a substitute. It had something to do with the mother's essence being crucial to nurturing the children's growing bodies, which therefore necessitated their drinking directly from Zesshi's breasts. He had concerns that the triplets would be too much for only two breasts she possessed. But the healers had examined her, and had declared that their sizes and shapes seemed to indicate she would be producing enough.

"Do not worry, my love," Zesshi had said with a wink. "My flawless body will suffer no weakness. And even on this point, it has been well-prepared." Then she added, in a lower voice. "I think I am even well-stocked to the point that I could even provide for a fourth baby."

(He took her up on that boast, when time permitted—though of course they did not outright have sex afterward, as the healers recommended)

And then when the babies cried for them to take care of their other needs, Ainz and Zesshi were there as well to learn. At first, he had dreaded having to change his sons' diapers, yet after knowing in his heart that these children were his flesh and blood, he no longer had any qualms about wiping their behinds—especially after the first time. He was quickly able to tie up their diapers after every occasion, performing this particular potty duty in a swift manner that exemplified his status as Ainz Ooal Gown. And, in a way, it was endearing to be able to bring them comfort by taking care of their basic needs in this way, as if it was affirming his ability to take responsibility for his own children.

And if anyone had dared try to insinuate that the great Ainz Ooal Gown had been forced to lower himself to such a level where he was cleaning up shit, he was not afraid to immediately teleport them to the domains of the Worst. While, of course, laughing at the ridiculousness of the insult.

The rest of their time together was spent merely cuddling on the bed, wrapped in each other's arms as they jointly watched over their sleeping sons.

"Look at them, Ainz-sama. Don't they look absolutely precious?"

"They're perfect," he replied, his head resting on her shoulder. The close level of intimacy between their two bodies felt nice; a pleasure very much different from actual sex. He hadn't realized just hugging somebody's body close, someone one cherished, was its own indescribable pleasure.

"I cannot wait to bring them out to the world," Zesshi gushed.

"Bring them out?" he inquired, raising a brow. It was a huge security risk, to have Zesshi be seen with babies. Never mind that these were Ainz Ooal Gown's true children, Zesshi's reputation alone made them a large target.

"Well, not to where normal people can see them," Zesshi said, assuring him. "But that beach we went to, maybe? Or the mountains?"

His expression cleared, and he nodded. "I do admit, it has its charms." He looked back down at the babies. "But perhaps later, when they can actually appreciate it."

"… You have a point, Ainz-sama."

They would talk of other things, mundane things, before Zesshi would fall asleep, her body still worn out from the birth. That left Ainz to continue the solitary watch, ever ready for the moment they cried once more for the attention of their parents.

Ainz did not allow himself to sleep during that time. These moments were very much precious. He was well aware that in the future he would not be able to spend his time like this with his sons. Inevitably, their care would be given to Zesshi and the healers. Ainz would not be there to clean up their butts or watch them feed all the time. There would obviously be other children as well, other babies to draw his attention. Undoubtedly, he would feel the same with them as he did with these Firstborn.

And of course, he needed to continue to be Ainz Ooal Gown. He would need to lead Nazarick into greater heights, that he might leave a worthy legacy for his children.

A certain amount of time later, Ainz was seated on his chair, his gaze still locked onto his sleeping babies.

Then, a healer entered, and motioned to Ainz. He rose and paddled over to them, on feet that would not disturb Zesshi's sleep or that of the triplets.

"My pardons, Ainz-sama, but there is a situation…" the healer said in a whisper.

He goggled at the healer. "What?"

The healer made a gesture of hopelessness. "The other mothers… They are just outside, and request to come in."

"Hm…" Ainz scratched his head. Not long after the birth, he had briefly gone outside while the healers prepared the babies for transport; to inform the other Mothers that the birth had been successful, and that the Firstborn had emerged. Needless to say, they were amazed, and had immediately insisted on seeing the babes. But he had forestalled them, telling them that things would not be as simple as that. Zesshi needed her rest, and the babies also did not need the fuss and the attention of several others, for now.

"Later, when everything has been settled, you may be allowed to come see them," he had told them. Each of them looked gravely disappointed, as if he had refused their petitions for sex or something. But he had been deadset with his decision.

"Return to your chambers, or to the Mother's Hall. I do not want any of you to be staying out here, where it's uncomfortable." He gestured to the seats that had been placed here. "Yes, even with these chairs here. You are all mothers, remember. What Zesshi has accomplished, she has done because she had been following the healer's directives all throughout her pregnancy. I know you too wish for the best for your own children. And that is why I trust that you will do your part." Then he smiled.

"When your time comes, then it will be your turn to be sequestered from the others here, along with our children. This is your right as the Mothers of my children. So it is not right for any of you to feel slighted."

Thankfully, they had all been appropriately compliant of his command, and had dispersed accordingly. According to the daily reports delivered from the guards outside, none of them had returned to loiter, though several did pass through, as if they could catch him walking out of the rooms or some such. But they were obedient, at least until this very moment. Now they had put forward the request to come in, and he needed to see if he should dissuade them once more.

While on the surface he could see no problem with it, he was rather reluctant to let them into the bubble of privacy that was wrapped over Zesshi and the babes. Then again, this would be a way to give the prospective mothers perspective, to prepare them for when their turn came. Only a few of them had ever seen babies before, he thought, and perhaps not even in a positive light. He mulled it over for some moments, before he nodded.

"Very well. I shall speak with them outside first." He walked out of Zesshi's room, straight out towards the corridor. He walked over to the other side, where the entrance to the healers' chambers were located. Soon enough, he saw them clustered as a group, just as before. When they turned to see him approach, he saw their eyes looking almost excited, and universally curious. They all approached him, shouting greetings and pleas like they were themselves a bunch of children.

"Now listen here," he said in a whisper. "Notice how I'm talking. None of you are to even think of exceeding my tone and level of voice, or there will be repercussions. Am I clear?"

They all nodded.

"I expect you to be on your best behaviors," he said, turning around to lead them back towards the recovery chambers. "I won't hesitate to eject anyone of you, especially if Zesshi wants it. Be mindful."

When he came back in, escorted by a literal troupe of mothers, he was momentarily surprised to see Zesshi's eyes stare at him from across the chamber. Quickly, he dashed to her side, almost forgetting the mothers trailing behind him.

"What's wrong?" he asked, grasping her hand.

"No, nothing," Zesshi said, her voice still a little hoarse. "I have merely awakened, my love." Her eyes went to the babes, still sleeping in their beds, before they flicked towards her visitors briefly. Her brows furrowed slightly in thought. Then she blinked up at him. "I take it they have some business…?"

"Perhaps, though I have no idea what."

She sighed, then returned her gaze towards the triplets, somehow doing the same as the other mothers. Ainz took a moment to observe the latter group, who had quickly approached the cribs—their eyes clearly on the babies and not on Zesshi.

Nearly every one of them gazed with eyes of wonder, an expression he knew had been on his face. Even Albedo and Shalltear looked fascinated, gazing down at the babies as if they were beautiful treasures that just happened to cross their paths. And he had never known any of them to be avaricious, at least when it did not involve Ainz himself.

Frankly, he'd have been worried if Shalltear had started to look at them like they were a slab of meat; whatever had happened she was still herself, despite the privilege her Creator Peroroncino had bestowed on her. But so far, he only detected a child-like curiosity on her face, just as in all their faces, which was enough for him to allow them to stay, at least for a little while.

"I see you have come," Zesshi said wanly, though her voice had become as strong as it had been before.

Some of them blinked, glancing at her briefly, before returning their attention to the babies. It was as if their eyes were magnetically drawn to them, as if they could not help but look at them out of every other object in the room. Zesshi seemed to take it in stride, and lay back on her cushions with a slight grin on her face, as if she was amused.

"Ainz-sama," she said, "Could you bring them to me again?"

"As you wish," he said, immediately walking over to the cribs to pick the babies up. The other mothers' eyes were fixated on the children, following them even as he laid them on the bed near Zesshi. Zesshi gathered them close until they were clustered on her lap, three little pods of fluffy newborns dozing peacefully against their mother's body.

For a little while more, the other mothers just continued to stare. Even Ainz joined in, continuing what he had been doing earlier by staring down at his babes, content in the mere fact of them existing at all.

It was Narberal who first broke the silence.

"So, Ainz-sama… What are their names? What may we call the Firstborn?"

Ainz blinked, looking from her, to the babes, then to Zesshi. Well, this was a rather awkward question. It felt rather intimate, as if it was a secret that should only be privy to the two lovers. But that was not entirely true. One way or another, their names would spread out to the world. One day, their names would be their pride, loudly proclaimed and acclaimed—well, assuming all went well. And he would see that it would.

"Perhaps…" Ainz said, hesitantly. "That is something that Zesshi will answer?" He raised an eye at her. She merely raised an eyebrow in response. "Uhhh… well, never mind that."

He pointed to one of them, the one on Zesshi's left. "So… That one is named Satoshi."

"Satoshi…"

"Satoshi-sama…"

The other Mothers murmured, nodding among themselves.

"And this one is Zenmoshi," Zesshi said, indicating the one she was holding with her right arm. Then she looked down at the baby lying directly on the center, the one Ainz recognized had been the last who had been fed by Zesshi. "And this one, the firstborn of the Firstborn, is Suzuki."

Ainz sighed to himself silently. The name had been rather awkward to bring up, especially since to him it was a part of his life that was already long buried and forgotten. Still, Zesshi had insisted on it, on attaching the name as if it was some sort of holy word of blessing or destiny upon their firstborn. And the firstborn of the Firstborn had ended up being this baby. As a "Suzuki" looking down at Suzuki, it definitely felt supremely awkward—though to be fair he had met many Suzukis in his past life.

"So it's Suzuki, then Zenmoshi, then Satoshi, is it?" Lupusregina chimed in cheerfully, pointing at the three babies in turn. She rubbed her hands and uttered a squeal-like sound. "How cuuute! They're so cuuuuute, su~! I just wanna rub and smosh their cheeks~ Uwaaaah…! I can't take it…!"

"They are indeed… surprisingly…" Shalltear said. "…Charming little things," she said, as if she was being forced to read out something shameful. She crossed her arms over her belly and closed her eyes.

"You think so too?" Keeno remarked, looking skeptical. "That's mighty… unusual."

"… And why must it be? Little mortal?", she said, her mouth twisting.

Keeno shrugged, but said nothing more. It was clear she had not really intended on riling up the other vampire.

Indeed, it was very strange for Shalltear to be putting out compliments, and they weren't even laced with something malicious, as she was wont to do.

Then Zesshi said, flashing a toothy grin, "I thank you very much for the compliment, Shalltear. You are only too kind."

Shalltear opened her eyes, staring into Zesshi's for a long moment. Then he felt her glance towards him briefly, before she scoffed and turned away.

"O-of course they are cute!" Narberal then said next. "It is only to be expected, for they are Ainz-sama's children! Who would dare doubt the fruits of his seed! No doubt mine own children will be even cuter! Much cuter! Much stronger!"

"As will mine," Albedo said, with a touch of ice in her voice, though she did keep looking at the babes.

It was rather surprising to hear all this praise from those mothers of Nazarick, considering the typical behavior they usually exhibited towards the ones he brought from outside, especially Zesshi. He had been prepared to reprimand them if they ever insulted his babies, even indirectly. But perhaps motherhood would be able to change that, turn things mellow.

Still, he couldn't help but wonder. Was this because they were still very much NPCs, and they considered the newborns to be an extension of himself? It reminded him of the enormous amounts of respect they accorded to Pandora's Actor, who was also Ainz's "son". And in a way, he did create these babies with the help of Zesshi.

"I can only hope that my children will also inherit Ainz-sama's eyes," Albedo next said, her voice sounding dreamy.

"Eyes?" Ainz repeated, puzzled. Then he looked down and saw, with surprise, that Satoshi's eyes were open. The baby seemed to be staring up at all of them, though he was unsure if Satoshi was really seeing them at all, or was merely seeing shapes and colors. As he had seen before, his left eye was silver's like Zesshi's. But on the right, instead of Zesshi's black, he had inherited the brilliant red of Ainz's—his base form as the doppelganger. He had been rather fascinated by the inheritance.

"It is the same with the rest of them," Zesshi said, gesturing to the others, who were still asleep unlike their brother. "Which fits, because they are all identical. A very rare wonder…" She smiled fondly and placed her face close to the babes. Satoshi squirmed, blinking. "I really had wanted them to take after Ainz-sama, and I am glad to see my wishes came true. Well, in a way."

Ainz smiled at the sheer joy in her voice, and bent down to kiss her cheek. "And I am sure they will grow up to be fine young men, shining to resemble their mother's brilliance.

Zesshi giggled. "I really do hope so, Ainz-sama."

Ainz took a breath, then turned towards Albedo, who was right next to him. He placed his hands absentmindedly on her belly. She almost flinched in reaction, and made a strange sound in her throat. "And that goes for every other of my children as well." He looked at all their bellies, all in their varying states and sizes, and grinned. "While it would be nice for them to inherit something of me, I won't expect it. For I have confidence that they'll turn out just fine, with how beautiful their mothers are. And I shall love them all the same."

He glanced up at their faces, and saw that all of them had blushed mightily at his words. Albedo's was like a harsh tomato's, her face practically turned red. All the way down the line they looked at him like this: Keeno looking lovestruck, with a crooked smile on her face, Clementine looking perplexed and sweaty, Lupusregina looking like she was wagging a tail and breathing very hard, Shalltear was positively drooling, and Narberal's face melting like red-stained wax. Only Zesshi was exempt, as she lay serenely holding the triplets close; it was possible she hadn't heard.

"Ainz-sama!" Shalltear suddenly said. "I-if it is possible for us to ask…" she swallowed, stuttering, twirling her hair in her silver hair. Then she pressed her hands together beneath her boobs. "A-Are you going to be returning to the front now? Will you be leaving us after this?"

"Yeah…" Clementine also said, her voice low and whispering, as if she'd completely forgotten how to speak. She cleared her throat, and continued in a louder voice. "I—I mean, the stupid Kingdom's finished, right? Surely, you don't need to…"

Everyone else nodded silently, as if they were all curious about the same thing. He could even sense Zesshi's eyes on him from the bed, apparently unable to mask her own curiosity.

"Alright, you lot, calm down," he said, sighing. The situation with the war was a little more complicated than that, as Albedo would know full well. But she wasn't speaking up with the way she was acting so that left Ainz having to take up the slack.

"Well, it's too tedious to go into too much details, but here goes," Ainz said.

As Ueda herself had implied with her message a few days past, Cocytus had neatly followed the protocol set and had already advanced the majority of their armies closer to the capital. It had already completed the encirclement of the entire Re-Estize Kingdom, completely cutting off the last uncaptured bastion, the Capital City itself, from any possible salvation or aid; while also preventing any from escaping. (except those Ainz allowed to escape, such as in the case of the Theocracy's troops)

While this consolidation occurred, Cocytus would take a step back and begin the inspection of the ongoing occupations of the territory that had already been captured, to ensure there had been no unforeseen faults or problems. He would not be looking for spies, per se, but his traveling presence was meant to draw out unknown watchers, such as that dragon that had attacked Pandora's Actor. The main army was therefore to wait on standby until the Holy Kingdom completed its own objective in defeating the last Kingdom army still on the field.

Said objective had already been accomplished, last he'd heard, but it would take a little more time for their allies to arrive at the Capital City. Cocytus was strictly prohibited from seeking out or accepting any sort of battle unless the Holy Kingdom had already arrived. It was emphasized that the victory be one won jointly by allies, rather than something the Sorcerous Kingdom accomplished by itself. Their allies would not be able to wash their hands easily off the act, and it would serve to reaffirm their relationship as allies—something Demiurge was keen on exploiting, for some future plan.

Once the siege began, King Zanac would then be secretly extracted from E-Rantel and transported by Gate towards the city, ready to be sprung on the occupied populace once the siege was completed. Tentatively, Zanac would be placed under the care of the Holy Kingdom, both as a sign of trust and to ensure that they would not be accused of controlling the king in any way.

As soon as the Capital City capitulated, one way or another, Zanac would then formally announce his assumption to the throne of the Re-Estize Kingdom, and would then be duly coronated in a ceremony attended by the Holy Kingdom and representatives from Jircniv's empire. For the moment, that would add some more legitimacy to his claim of rule over the Re-Estize Kingdom. And then, once that was done, peace negotiations would thenceforth begin with this new King, ostensibly to determine such things as reparations and the transfer of territories. The issue with those lands that had somehow sworn fealty to the invaders—to them—would also need addressing, one way or another.

Secretly Ainz hoped that the Platinum Dragon-Lord would accede to Pandora's Actor's request, and actually help arbitrate these peace negotiations. And of course, there was another nation invited to the proceedings.

He didn't mention this to the mothers, but he did say that the Slaine Theocracy was also invited to take part in the negotiations, though merely as an observer.

Apparently, this last bit surprised Zesshi and Clementine, the latter of whom actually whistled as he was speaking.

"Coulda never expected those fat fogeys to actually accept anything from you," Clementine said. "I thought they'd rather die than letting some undead dictate commands to them."

"But it is logical," Zesshi said serenely, her hands absently stroking the tufts of hair on the babies' heads. "They will wish to be present at the very least. It is a significant shift in the balance of power in the land. Who knows whether the Re-Estize Kingdom will even remain intact, after all this. Maybe they will even try to entice any of the breakaway states into their ways of thinking."

"Those are good ideas," Ainz remarked, not really sure if he should be qualified to praise her for thinking something smart. "So, as I have said, this will not yet happen until I've received word that the Holy Kingdom has arrived and is willing to start besieging the capital. Once that starts, I want to be there to supervise." He rubbed his chin, and grinned. "So, technically, that leaves about a couple of days free for me to use."

"Now that is good news, Ainz-sama!" Albedo exclaimed, finally stirring somehow from her funk. The others seemed to echo her sentiments, all smiling and blushing as they nodded along. Apparently, they were more interested in him being able to stay longer than with anything to do with the war. Which, to him, was good overall. Nothing soured the mood more than having to contemplate the distasteful business of killing a whole bunch of people; especially the more boring affair of managing entire peoples and nations.

It was then that Narberal Gamma spoke, once more intruding into Ainz's inner thoughts. "Ainz-sama, if it is not too forward for me to ask: May I carry one of the Firstborn?"

The room abruptly fell into silence. The other mothers looked with shock at Narberal, who only kept on staring up at him, non-plussed by all the attention.

By far the mother with the greatest reaction was Zesshi, who was now looking at the Pleiades with narrowed eyes.

"Um… well," Ainz hedged. "That would probably depend… On what Zesshi decides to allow. If not then—"

"It's fine."

Ainz blinked, then looked at Zesshi, surprised. "Wha-?" he could only say.

"It's fine, Ainz-sama," she said, waving her hand dismissively. She looked up at Narberal with a small smile on her face. "I am not ungracious."

She carefully picked up Zenmoshi and held it up for Narberal to take. Ainz hastily stumbled forward, watching the exchange carefully, while issuing faint instructions of his own.

"Careful there… careful, careful, don't hold him too tight, too tight…" He put his hands right below Zenmoshi, ready to catch him and scoop him up if Nabe's grip failed for any reason. He continued to do so even when Nabe had already brought the baby closer to her chest, cradling him in her arms.

The others naturally crowded around the maid, as if they too wanted to see the baby from up close. Nabe stood frozen, like a statue, staring down wide-eyed at the baby.

"You don't have to stand still like that," Zesshi said, chuckling in amusement. "Andjust a little advice: it's best for you to keep moving, to rock the child-like so. They're said to love that."

While that was definitely sound advice he had used himself, Ainz didn't think Narberal rocking the child back and forth for the first time was going to be a good idea; and was about to say something when Nabe started to move. At first, it was a bit hesitant, then she rocked back and forth on her heels, while moving her arms left and right in tiny sweeps. Because of this motion, the sleeping child made a gurgling sound with his lips. Then he giggled.

Narberal smiled at that, and it was an expression neatly mirrored by everyone else. It was an expression of sheer joy, as if their faces were lightbulbs that had only just been activated. He was conscious that he'd also smiled; well, he couldn't help it, that was actually so much adorable. The other mothers started cooing, then turned towards Zesshi.

"May I please carry another?" asked Keeno excitedly.

"No, pick me! I wanna try! I wanna try!" Lupusregina crowed.

"It is still my turn, Shalltear-sama, do not—" Nabe said.

Zesshi looked frankly perplexed by the attention.

"Alright, do not start pestering Zesshi," Ainz warned, stepping forward to assert order upon everyone. "And Shalltear, stop doing that! I know you're all excited, but please try to rein it in. Zesshi has just given birth, and she needs the rest. And I—"

A Message rang in his mind. "One second," he said, a little annoyed, stepping backward and turning around to receive it. "This is Ainz."

For a moment, all was still. Then he nodded, after receiving the Message. "Very well. I see. I'll be there." He sucked in a breath, then turned back around. Narberal had given Zenmoshi back to Zesshi, and had joined the others in watching him closely.

"…As I was saying, Zesshi needs her rest for now. And I also need to be somewhere," he turned to Zesshi and bowed. "Please rest, my dear, while I go attend to something. I promise I shall be here when you wake up. If you need anything, the healers will be here to assist. And please, do NOT hesitate to call me if there are any problems."

Zesshi looked a little forlorn. She nodded and said, "Well, alright, I could still use some sleep. But where, may I ask, are you going, my love?"

"Just a little problem to solve," he said, scratching his head. He leaned down and kissed her full on the mouth. He whispered something in her ear. Zesshi's expression cleared and she nodded.

"Ah yes, go ahead with that," she said. "Better to do it now while there's still time, I say."

Then he turned to the others and made shooing motions. "And that goes the same for you lot. Go on. Back to the Mother's Hall, or your chambers. You also need your rest. You can visit and play with the babies later. I don't need to remind you what your healers commanded…" He ushered the other mothers out, despite their quiet protests. He gave each of them a kiss before letting them go, which served to mollify their protests a little bit.

Then he turned back to Zesshi on the bed. A healer had come in to help put the babies back in their cribs. He smiled at the sight and waved at her. Zesshi waved back. He exhaled, still feeling like he could fly in the air without a spell. Buoyed by such feelings, he reluctantly departed that place.

---

A storm of noise rumbled through the city. The once glorious capital of the Re-Estize Kingdom, that had once been home to thousands of souls, whose leaders had governed over a great and vast Kingdom of millions more, had now fallen into a desolate ruin.

The criminals of the Eight Fingers, who had occupied much of the city and who had ruled as the de facto authority for months, had seemingly let loose the collars from their minions. The bosses had seemingly allowed them to run rampant all over the city, burning and looting what they hadn't already stolen for themselves in a massive orgy of destruction that left entire districts desolate and ashen-black. It was a frenzy of madness that none of them could explain—for was it not better for the criminals to actually live in their ill-begotten homes rather than burn it all down? Alas, one could never guess the minds of these maddened malcontents.

The disorganized rabble of criminals had then banded together to strike at the palatial district, where the homes of the nobility were located. That had immediately started a siege, as the men-at-arms that had been gathered there by the attending nobles had likewise swarmed together into literal armies to hold off the invading criminals. They established barricades and deliberately destroyed many of the entrances leading into the district. Not to be deterred, brazen bands of criminals scaled the outer wall to skirmish with the royal garrison at the ramparts day after day. Crude siege engines were brought out—massive logs of wood levitated through basic magic to smash through barricades, or small catapults launching burning barrels and pieces of cutlery.

And that was not to mention the news of the other incoming siege, the news of which had been born to the nobility long before. The vast armies of the Sorcerous Kingdom had been spotted, large enough in number that everywhere one looked from out of the city, one could see the enemy arrayed and approaching with ponderous ease, the thick cloud of dust announcing their appearance on the distant horizon.

Then news had come that Pespea had been beaten, encircled and captured by Remedios and her Paladins at a decisive battle that had finished off the last of the Re-Estize forces. Pespea had been forced to contact them by Message, to inform them that he had officially given his surrender, and to exhort his comrades inside the Capital to submit to their forces peacefully. The last of the noble's hopes, that their remaining standing army could somehow eke out some sort of victory, were completely dashed to the ground. Naturally, they rebuked Pespea as they had done with Zanac, but that was the only thing they could manage to do. There was nothing else that could be done, no miracle they could summon. They were as an island in the middle of the sea, helpless and exposed as the tempest arrived, bringing the waters to bear on them.

Needless to say, panic descended on the nobility, turning grim-faced bravado into gibbering incoherence. Their previous nonchalance towards the war was not helped by the news that there would be no longer any balls or parties. The food to supply these was no longer available, owing to the fact that their suppliers were now the very ones besieging them in the first place.

This perplexing state of affairs led to the desperate nobles trying to seek a way out, even as their personal retinues fought hard outside, repelling attack after attack.

Soon enough, the question of financing these troops was brought up. The nobles had relied on supplying their fees from their own personal estates. Even those who lent out this gold for favors could no longer acquire said gold, as their estates had already been captured by the enemy. And these soldiers could not feed themselves on written promises, nor from speeches exhorting their loyalties. Promises were nothing, not when their enemy was the one who had made the Katze Plains such a place of infamy. And most of them were commoners who already viewed the nobility less than favorably, even if they consented to bleeding for them. Knowing that their lives had become the last bulwark before the approaching storm made them question if it was all really worth it.

Unfortunately, this led to the expected conclusion of entire groups deserting overnight, most joining the Eight Fingers as ad hoc mercenary groups. Others simply disappeared, perhaps going underground to weather the storm, or trying to seek out an escape through the invading siege lines.

This blew large holes in the defense, and as such the palatial district was breached. Much like below, the nobles' mansions and estates soon burned, as the looters marched forward in a frenzied tide. The very last holdouts barricaded themselves inside the royal palace, guarded by the few loyal bands of retainers and the royal guards themselves. The frightened nobles and their families within prayed for a miracle. And thus, the stage was set for a final siege within the Capital City—when even the Sorcerous Kingdom nor their allies had not committed to a siege themselves.

The inside of the palace itself had become a battlefield unto itself. The tenuous union that had been formed to repudiate King Zanac had fractured from the stress. Disagreements became arguments, and arguments turned into outright hostility.

The final shattering of unity had begun with the concerns of food. Realizing that they would no longer be receiving supplies from their usual sources, the nobles who were in charge of the "lower levels", who acted as menials and servants to the greater-ranked houses, quickly sought to prevent any others from entering and seizing the food stores. They set up barricades and announced themselves "neutral arbiters" in charge of distributing the remaining food to those left inside the Palace.

Unamused by their impudence and seeing only rebellion hiding behind the veneer of altruism, several nobles with loyal men-at-arms sent in their men, putting these lesser nobles to heel. When the would-be rebellion was crushed, however, the further question of how to distribute the food was raised. Other nobles volunteered to take up the mantle that the lesser nobles had wanted to use, only for others to refuse or object for some reason or other. Even those with greater authority could not quell the disagreements that erupted, which inevitably led to a clash when one group of nobles ordered their men to drive out the others from the store, forcing the others to retaliate.

In the immediate aftermath the food was looted indiscriminately, small parcels and pieces claimed by many nobles who scurried away as soon as the fighting ended. Without lower rankers to order around, each looter was forced to drag the food out by themselves, at risk of being waylaid by another enterprising noble. Those who were lucky to carry away a sizable amount became focal points for newer, smaller groups gathered around a source of food. And each now looked to seizing food from the others, no matter the cost.

It was then that factions from before the unification reformed, with the younger "upstarts" clashing against the older-ranked nobles. Rank no longer had meaning when they had no form of law nor less bodyguards to call upon. Duels for food were honored at first, before it quickly fell out of fashion. The factions converged into ruthless bands that tore at each other with improvised weapons, and even their own bare fists. Such was the brutality that now dwelled within the center of authority of the land, scions of houses great and small reduced to bare-naked aggression.

When they were not actively fighting each other, each group huddled in their own corners of the palace in fear, looking out through the slits of the barricaded windows at the smoking city outside, desperate for signs of relief. Despite being reduced to such a state, they all still feared the collapse of the palace defenses, which would allow the ruffians outside to breach the palace proper, possibly slaughtering them all without paying heed to factions or loyalties.

That was why, despite their factional differences, a group of nobles still took it upon themselves to manage the defenses of the palace itself. They manned the barricades themselves with borrowed iron and whatever armor they could scavenge. Without any men to personally command, they had to rely on themselves—grim veterans of past campaigns exerting their bodies bravely and selflessly. Each faction contributed a member of their own to serve, not trusting the others to do the duties required of them.

It was within this chaotic wasteland that a maid presently walked the ruined corridors, looking around with wonder as if she was looking for something. The maid was beautiful, looking quite like a scion of some house with high pedigree. All who would have looked upon her would have marveled at her remarkable beauty, which was very distinct, akin to that of the Princess, Renner. Alas, none seemed to notice her presence, ignoring her as if she was only a part of the furniture.

This maid cast her gaze about repeatedly, though she did not pay close attention to the senseless devastation she was wading through, nor the rampant yells and cries and crashing noises that echoed behind her, nor less the scores of guards and nobles marching about, setting up barricades and nailing one last piece of wood on a door or window.

"Late… late… late…" she muttered worriedly under her breath. She tapped her hand against her uniform. "Ohhh… why did they give me this wretched assignment so late? And on such short notice too. Now I've got to hurry and run like some menial servant. Ugh…"

She stopped in her tracks and peered at a door close to her, her eyes squinting at a sign above. After a while, she shook her head.

"Nope, not the right place," she muttered, then walked away. "Ohhh… why were the instructions so vague?" she whined to herself.

Something impacted the building from outside, causing the walls and the ceiling to tremble. There were several screams that echoed through the halls, each joining others to form a haunting cacophony that chilled the blood. The maid did not stop, neither to wonder at the impact nor at the screams that filled the room like the lamentations of spirits in the afterlife.

Small pieces of masonry fell from above, and again the maid did not seem to mind and continued to seek her destination.

Her walking pace increased to a slight jog. "Late, late, late," she muttered.

When she rounded the corner, she bumped into something soft and fleshy. "Urgh!" She didn't fall, exactly, but she did stumble backward, her body tensing as if she was ready to fight.

"Oh, my apologies, young miss," the one who'd bumped into her said. He held out a hand. She didn't take it, and merely stared at the man before her suspiciously. It was an old man, who despite his age didn't look overly wizened and stooped.

Then her eyes widened, as she stood by herself and bowed deeply: "O-oh-oh my, it's you, th-the-the King! Your Majesty! My earnest apologies!"

"Hohoho, that's quite alright! It's not every day I bump into someone just like that," the King replied, waving off her bows.

"B-but, that would be—"

"Never mind that, my dear. But please do accept my earnest apologies…" He paused and smiled. "And there's another thing. I am not a King anymore, not for weeks now."

"U-understood, sir!" the maid muttered, bowing once more.

The former King Ramposa III rubbed his chin as he contemplated the maid. "Are you perhaps… one of the newly assigned maids?"

"Y-yes, Your Majesty!" she cried. "At your service! I have just been called upon to attend to the Princess Renner, ever since her last retainers begged permission to leave her service."

"Strange to see maids still being assigned at a time like this, almost as if nothing's changed," the former King mused. "I would have thought that every one of the staff will have left by now. But it seems I was mistaken with my assumption."

The servants of the Palace were all traditionally minor nobility, a tradition that dated back centuries. It was a method for even those houses with small recognition among the Peerage to still be able to contribute in some way, by sending their extra scions to serve at the Palace. It was still an honor to work in the Palace even as the lowest servant, for the Palace had the reputation of never having suffered a commoner's foot—unless they were soldiers sworn or enemies brought to heel.

Naturally, the recent troubles saw these minor nobles caught in the factional squabbling that had led to King Zanac's repudiation. Some thought to take advantage of the chaos, but when the attempted rebellion by the food servants was squashed, all hope of that failed. Seeing that, the rest of the servants abandoned their responsibilities, which left entire sections of the Palace unattended. The nascent chaos that surrounded them had neatly driven the rest of them from their duties, and yet perhaps there were exceptions still. Like this maid.

"So you're looking for the Princess is that it? Were you not even told of the fact of her location?"

"Yes, my lord, that is true. I was only told to find her, but she was not where she is normally found." She wrung her hands in consternation.

The former King nodded. "That is understandable. The Princess has long been moved to a deeper portion of the Palace, for her safety. Not that it is any more impregnable than this castle itself, but…" He paused. "Whichever the case, I applaud you for your loyalty, my good woman. I cannot guarantee that you will receive any rewards or accolades for your service. But as her father, I should like to express my gratitude for your earnestness."

"Think nothing of it, my lord," she said, curtsying. "I only do my part for the Kingdom, and for the Princess."

"If only more nobles like you thought the same," he said, sighing. "Come then. Allow me to accompany you to her new location. It's down the corridor behind me, and somewhere deeper. I can take you there."

"Oh, no, I just couldn't, Your Majesty!" she said, shaking her head. "I couldn't very well impose, and plus I can run faster by myself—"

"Well, you are not going to be imposing," he remarked, shrugging. "And it is not as if I have got anything better to do."

The maid seemed to think on that for a second, before nodding jerkily. "As you wish, my lord. I shall be grateful for the aid. I'll follow your lead, then."

He chuckled good-naturedly. "No, no, it should be I who need express my thanks. Good help is hard to find, as you can plainly see. Good, loyal help is harder still. I hope you will serve my daughter well, more than those others have, at least." He turned around and walked further down the corridor, the maid trailing at his heels.

The sight of the Royal Palace in absolute ruins was something the King had never thought he'd see in his lifetime. It had been constructed far before his time, when his predecessor had sought to glorify his line for all time to come. Successive monarchs had added to the Palace in stages: more wings, more floors, more ostentatious decorations and trophies of victories, more places for servants to fill. It had been the expectation that each new King would add his own flair to the Palace, his own distinctive flavor, all to ensure the continuation of this austere legacy.

In less than a week, all had fallen to ruin. Bannisters and statues and ceremonial arms and armor that had once stood proud and stately were overthrown, their metal pilfered and melted down into a bastard recreation of coins, or as fodder for creating crude weapons and armor. Paintings and other works of art disappeared overnight, no doubt stolen by enterprising nobles who had become simple thieves, hoping to weather the current storm and survive with their ill-gotten gains. The great rooms where matters of state had been decided, where the fates of countless people had been forged, were now left as gloomy and forlorn as mausoleums, all traces of vibrancy and splendor expunged completely.

He had wept to see it. To see all that he and his forebears had worked for crumble and decay—and not even in a glorious way.

And even worse than that, it had all occurred when he was no longer King—and yet he was still here to witness it all firsthand.

He had been outraged to hear news that the nobles had all banded together to reject his son Zanac's succession. Damn the circumstances—he was their rightful liege! Even his shameful capture by the Sorcerer-King was not cause to reject him, to just abandon all their oaths and set themselves above the royal line!

He had attempted to fix it behind the scenes, contacting the few supporters he still had among the nobles. According to the customs of the Re-Estize Kingdom, the King could not rescind an abdication, as that was never done lightly.

But it was not binding law. He wished to spin his abdication as a plot by enemies—perhaps the Sorcerer-King and his lackeys—just so he could save his one remaining son. This revelation would circulate among the nobles, giving them the idea that their King had not truly "abandoned" them as they had assumed. If he judged the time right, he would make a grand speech, formally reclaiming the Throne, while pointing out that there was no law governing a King's abdication. He would proclaim that he was free of the chains of blackmail, and once more lead the Re-Estize Kingdom as he had merely a month before.

And yet, at this point in time he had already lost the battle even before it had begun. The nobles he thought he could rely on for support were no longer there. A few had fled the Palace as soon as the coup was announced. Some had disappeared, and these were the outspoken ones who would have challenged the conspirators directly. He had no illusions as to their fates. And there was Marquis Raeven, who should have been his most influential supporter. But he too had returned to his estates without even sending him word. He was at least thankful that the man had no turned on him, as that would have been a bigger blow to his dignity. Yet it was still a harsh pill to swallow—that in just a short amount of time he had lost his son, his throne, his whole Kingdom, and then his allies, leaving him well and truly alone.

"It is no use, my lord," said a certain baron, someone who had publicly joined the conspirators, all to save his own family. He had been lukewarm to the former King's idea, as expected. "The opportunity has long passed. Nothing less than your son freeing himself and leading a campaign to defeat the Sorcerer-King, and then perhaps recapturing E-Rantel, would change things to what you desire."

"And you believe that Pespea will be your salvation? The man has lost more battles in this campaign than he has ever won!"

The man spread his fingers. "But such are our circumstances my lord. The Marshal represents our best remaining hope, so you will forgive me if I do not join in disparaging him. But I can understand your frustration. Perhaps, when he has won a decisive battle, then we can talk again, and see if there are others who do not see the current circumstances ideal." The man shook his head, his final refusal. "I am sorry I cannot help Your Majesty anymore than this. I will not speak of this to anyone, of course."

Naturally, the conspirators had the audacity to contact him publicly, speaking their apologies behind a veneer of humility and self-loathing.

"Your Majesty," they proclaimed. A party of them had come to him in private, perhaps to gloat, that such a storied royal line should fall so low, so quickly. "It has only ever been our most earnest wish to do right by the Kingdom. By the people."

"By instigating chaos at this crucial juncture?" he had spat. "And in doing so you have only doomed us all."

"It is unfortunate that this has come to pass," they replied. "Rest assured that when we have attained peace, when we have won, we shall return to the notion of ransoming the Prince."

"Are you listening to yourselves? You only think of the triumph you have gained over me, over Zanac, over my line, like short-sighted fools! But you do not see that you have dragged my people ever closer to the abyss. Peace could have yet been ours, were it not for your pride!"

They were not apologetic at all. "My lord, the time was ripe for our Kingdom to seek a new future. A new and glorious path through which we may attain even greater heights than before. In time, we hope that even you will see our collective wisdom."

Through it all, they never once tried to apologize for their shameful behavior. They did not even hint at restoring him. All they talked about was of their "divine purpose", of the Sorcerer-King losing to a coalition of nations seeking to purge the undead, with the new ruler of the Re-Estize at its head.

"My lord, we did not come here to argue," they said, with patronizing smiles. "Merely to request that… as part of our ongoing efforts to achieve peace and stability, you would endorse the marriage of Princess Renner to our representative. It would surely be a sign of the restoration of order, of forging a bridge between the old and the new."

"You would repudiate my suggestions, and then dare to request a favor of me?" he said. "Clearly this war has addled your brains. As nobles who are expected to rule over many you must always remember that when you seek to ask a favor, you will also need to render a favor in return."

"My lord, surely you can see that this is selfish in the extreme…"

After much brainless cajoling on their part, he'd finally had enough. He had told them, in very polite terms, where to stick their damnable request, and then withdrew deeper into the Palace, which were technically the property of the current King's. Fortunately, no one challenged him with the fact that he was effectively homeless, but perhaps they had chosen to ignore him instead until whatever stooge they chose as King had been coronated.

That they had even managed to co-opt his sweet moonlight, Renner, had been the last straw. He had not been able to contact her at all, particularly after he had heard that she had joined the conspirators publicly. He knew she was not one to make such decisions lightly, not even as a joke. The most likely explanation, therefore, was that she had been coerced. And he had not even realized! Whatever else they would claim, it was true that he was a failure of a father.

Yes, he had sheltered her, a bit too much perhaps. He had wanted to preserve even just a little bit of the memory of her mother. As such he had wanted her to remain as sweet and innocent as she was in her childhood, by keeping her well away from any courtly interaction. Not even Marquis Raeven had been allowed to pay a visit to her, even if the man was someone to be trusted. In time, she would have married someone decent, a kind and loyal noble who would treat her as she deserved—the greatest treasure left in the world. Only then, he thought, would he have died happy and satisfied.

By ensuring her continued innocence as regards her role as a noble, he had unwittingly turned her into a helpless lamb, easily swayed and guided by malicious unknowns without knowing any better. And even if she had some inkling thanks to common sense, he had not been able to teach her how to manage the nobles' intrigue as he had with her brothers. Thus she had been left clueless and rudderless, having joined no faction prior to protect her nor less gathered allies for herself that would rally to her in times of need. She was therefore easy prey for the treacherous nobles to exploit, perhaps giving her some false story that he was not allowed to contradict. And even if she knew them to be false, she could still have done nothing against their scheming.

If there was one thing which he could thank the Sorcerer-King for, it was to undo his disloyal nobles' ambitions so thoroughly. As events outside deteriorated, he found a way to surreptitiously contact his daughter, and from there spirit her to safety within the palace. Since then he had quickly made arrangements through his last remaining subordinates—common soldiers who had sworn their loyalty to him as Gazef Stronoff had done—to plan Renner's flight from the capital.

This daring plan even included a letter to be given to the commanders of the Sorcerer-King on the field, which contained his official submission to that lord and a plea to safeguard his daughter. Far better to live as a hostage permanently than to die ingloriously. And besides, his former subjects in E-Rantel had not been slaughtered, as far as he'd heard; and had instead continued to live their lives under the undead king's rule. Perhaps Zanac and Renner could live anew, in case the Kingdom's destruction was all but certain. They would be less than nothing. But at least they would be able to live.

Yet he did wish that their comeuppance had not been bought so dearly. The nobles had torn his Palace apart in their frenzy. Though the Palace was technically Zanac's property now, the nebulous situation meant that technically it was also his property still. And it stoked in him a quiet rage that never faded, though it was rather detrimental to his physique. If he had but a small army of loyal men, he would have done something drastic, something true to his younger, hot-blooded self.

Yet just like his Palace he had been much diminished.

He and the frazzled maid walked through many a room, each reminding him of his dynasty's humiliating fall. Where once furniture stood proud, proof of the myriad skills of Re-Estize craftsmen long dead, only dust and rubble and debris remained, scattered carelessly all over like broken twigs. Broken marble faces stared accusingly at him as he passed, conveying blank condemnation upon him for his monumental failure.

Where once chambers were lit by magical lamps that burned and gave light for long periods of time, proof of his dynasty's magnanimous wealth, now there was only darkness and gloom, shattered glass and broken enchantments. Hearths that once burned constantly for the sake of those within were now nothing but blackened ash, unable to summon even the smallest spark or cinder.

Where once suits of armor once stood, and weapons once hung, banners and portraits of loyal subjects and famous warriors all collected over the Re-Estize Kingdom's life, now there was nothing left but a gaping emptiness; of a feeling of certainty that there should be something there, and yet they were not. Here and there had stood an animal long extinct, or a flower grown in a Kingdom that was no longer, or a gauntlet forged by a House lost to history. They were all simply gone.

And where there were once people going around, living their lives in this Palace by serving him in some capacity or another, there only remained mindless beasts and terrified sheep, all seeking an escape from the sword that was steadily coming down upon their heads. Though a King was never sure of the loyalty of his nobles, there was at least the comfort that as long as the King and the Palace endured, so too would the Kingdom.

And finally, where once the King stood proud, now there was nothing. And thus, he would bid it goodbye.

After a while, the strange pair arrived at a secluded area of the Palace. It was notably close to the Royal faction's headquarters, which had counted Prince Zanac as one of their members. He knew that his son had made grand plans, and had been well on his way to becoming his own sort of monarch. Privately, he had thought that his son would be overwhelmed by all the responsibility, but wished him luck all the same. To the former King, such a fact seemed a long time ago, now, as if it belonged to a different age.

They walked through several emptied rooms, their furniture and upholstery covered in a fine layer of dust. In here, there had been no signs of looting, nor had the windows been barricaded. It was as if the nobles outside had decided this was not somewhere easily defensible; or had entirely neglected this particular location. He could still see the black smoke outside, proof of the Capital City's ruin.

They stopped before a certain door. Unlike the parts of the Palace that they had passed, this place looked relatively more pristine. "Here we are," the former King said, tapping the door with his hand.

"Thank you, thank you, my lord!" the maid said, gushing. She kept on bowing repeatedly. "You have no idea how much this helps!"

The former King smiled at the maid's antics. "No need to thank me, as I said. Continue to serve my daughter as you have been tasked to do, and I will consider it more than enough of thanks." The maid might need to be brought along as part of the party, if only so his daughter's needs would be met.

"As you say, my lord."

The door opened, and within was a small parlor, which again looked cleaner and more organized than the rest of the chaos. The maid slipped inside, scurrying as fast as her legs could manage. After a bit of hesitation, the former King followed her, commanded by an inner impulse to see his daughter again, despite the fact that he had already spoken to her a few hours past.

Within the room was Princess Renner, who was sitting in front of her vanity, where a mirror sat reflecting her own beautiful visage. She hummed as she absently brushed her long hair. She looked like the very image of a sheltered Princess, which she was in reality. The former King smiled wistfully at the sight, even as his heart was seized by immense sorrow. For she was proof that his legacy had not been for naught, that he had left his mark on this world. And yet she was also proof of his spectacular failure, that he would be forever remembered as the last of his line.

"Ah, so it's you! Welcome! And hello to you too as well, father!" Renner cried. "I never expected to see you both in here. Come in, come in!" She stood from her seat and rapidly shook the maid's hands, before she turned to hug him. He returned her excited embrace warmly.

When she drew back, she pranced back to the side of her bed, almost like an overexcited pixie. "I was waiting so long~! I can't contain my excitement any longer. I could almost bounce right off the walls—but thankfully, I managed to contain myself to just reading a few books, among other things." She chuckled to herself. She glanced over at the maid. "By the by, had you gotten lost somehow?"

"Yes, my lady," the maid said, her voice sounding quite crisp and professional now.

"I shall be taking my leave then," the former King said, bidding goodbye to his daughter. While he would have liked to linger here, he still had other matters to attend. It was merely enough for him to see her again, even briefly. He nodded to the maid. "It was a pleasure meeting you."

The maid said nothing. "Are you leaving already, father? Oh, but it's just so soon~" Renner said, her cheeks puffed out. "Won't you see me out to the end?"

"I shall see you later," he said, assuring her. "Gods willing, our evacuation plan sees no trouble."

"But you're not the King anymore! You don't have to do all that tedious work," Renner said in a whining voice.

"My sunshine, though I foreswore my oaths to my Kingdom, I have not yet abandoned my duty to it. It is something I must do. I apologize. But this is also something that I do for your benefit."

A pensive look came over Renner's face. "Why go through all the trouble, father? You're not even the King anymore."

He sucked in a deep breath. "I—"

"Enough of this," came the maid's voice. "There is no time, Princess."

The former King raised a brow, surprised at the maid's sudden change in tone. It was no longer the young, frazzled tone of a noble maid. Something gravely had settled into its voice, something that echoed without reason.

"True enough," Renner said, her face utterly devoid of the emotion that had once been there a mere second ago. She sighed and turned around. "It is time."

The King blinked rapidly, turning towards the maid. The wheels in his head spun, but he could yet find no answer. "Wha—" It was then that immense pain surged through his gut. A moment later he looked down and saw something like a huge tree trunk thrusting into his abdomen. The trunk was connected to the maid's arm—as if its hand had transformed into this thing. He looked up towards Renner in panic. His mind had already concluded that this was some sort of plot, and he wanted to warn her about it before it was too late.

He was surprised to see her face, which looked blank and utterly unfazed as she beheld him.

Then the pain exploded, making him cough. His vision swam as he felt the whole world give way before his feet. He coughed and wheezed, spitting out liquid the taste of copper, his limbs writhing as pain racked his body. As he fought to summon the iron will that had seen him through many a battle despite a glut of wounds, his hearing picked out voices that continued to speak. His eyes were locked on his daughter's face, which still looked supremely unconcerned as she stared down at him—as if he was nothing more than a curiosity that had been formally presented to her.

The long, thick tendril, which ended in a spike, shrank backward as of a plant growing in reverse, before it shifted into a simple hand. The maid sniffed and put her hand away as she turned to address his daughter. "We must go," she said. Her voice sounded like they were coming from the far side of a tunnel. "The siege is about to begin. We have been commanded to retrieve you."

"Ah, one second, what of Climb?"

The maid nodded. "As per your request, he has already been extracted to a safe place in the army. I will take you there personally, right after this."

Renner clasped her hands together, her face blooming into joy—even as he continued to bleed on the floor before her. "Oh, that's wonderful! With Climb safe, I can finally bid farewell to this wretched place." She shook her head. "Please do lead the way, then. I wish to begin spending the rest of my life together with my beloved."

"Mmm…" The maid said nothing to that, but she did nod.

"Oh, but I must also thank the Lady Albedo first, for the opportunity," Renner continued, her finger on her cheek and her eyes turned towards the ceiling. "And also, we're to share some notes, of course. She did promise."

The maid cleared her throat. "If such is the case, then I am sure Lady Albedo has already prepared to meet you, though I have not been privy to that part of the plan."

"Very well. Since I have nothing else to bring, I suppose you can take me away as I am."

"My… sunshine…" he breathed, his hands grasping fistfuls of carpet. There was only one burning question in his mind, and he regretted the fact that the pain could not allow him to think or speak much more than what he could. There was also the distressing feeling of cold pressing down on him, as if there was water beneath the floor, and he was sinking into it slowly.

Renner's expression shifted, as she turned to look down at him. "You're still alive. No wonder you were a terror in your youth. 'Tis a shame you were surrounded by fools. Well, I wash my hands of their filth. And, perhaps a little regrettably, of you, father."

"Why…" he mouthed, wanting her to hear it, but unsure if she did. But judging from the way she cocked her head, it appeared to be the case.

"Why?" She grinned, wide, and the expression chilled the former King to the bone, as if he was staring up at a demon grinning at him from the abyss. "Well, why not? None of you ever really understood me. Not my peers, my servants, my siblings—not even you, father dearest. Well, to that I say, good riddance. I must thank you and your little sand kingdom for the part it played in my plan…" She shrugged. "I suppose it is only fair to inform you that I intend to spend the rest of my life wisely and lovingly with Climb. So you may go to your death happy that siring me was not a complete waste. May you look after us fondly in whatever afterlife there is." She twirled her hair idly for a moment, as if she was lost in thought. Then her attention turned back to him.

"Goodbye, my dear, sweet father." She lifted her foot, with its high heel looking like it was sharpened like the tip of a dirk. Though perhaps that was only a trick of the light…

That was his last thought before she slammed her foot down, sparking one final, agonizing pain before the cold darkness took him.

---

Even after he'd long left the recovery chambers, Ainz still felt like he was floating on a cloud. It was as if he could still feel his babies in his hands, so small and vulnerable, three children he was going to protect even if it killed him. The sheer joy that these wonderful children had been born of his union with Zesshi—had been born from him, still made him shake his head in disbelief.

It was only when he neared the door to his destination that he stopped. Trepidation once more asserted itself in his mind. He blinked at the door's surface silently, as if he was loathe to leave the cloud of heaven where he had been perched. Then he shook his head and steeled himself for what was to come. As Zesshi said, he'd just need to get this over with. The sooner, the better. He knocked once, then opened the door.

The first thing he saw were two massive pairs of knockers, staring right at him from a few feet away, nipples shaped like irises on a pair of comical eyes. He blinked, then heard a shriek as the boob-eyes withdrew, as Ueda hastily turned around to hide her twins from view.

"A-Ainz-sama!"

He blinked and did a second-take. He knew that logically it was Ueda who should be here, and that it was Ueda whom he had come here to meet. But he had not expected her to be looking rather different on that very moment.

It took him another second to realize that she was wearing something unusual—and another second more to recognize it. It was one of those "divine gifts" that was passed around in Nazarick, primarily by the mothers. In reality, it was an item from the Treasury, shaped into some sort of clothing derived from the world he had left behind. It was meant to look attractive on the one who was wearing it—in that it was attractive to Ainz. And if Ainz's eyes could be drawn by such outfits, then it was truly something divine. The mothers coveted the use of such objects, most of which he had decreed would be used by everyone. (because playing favorites would be very troublesome)

But on this occasion, this particular "divine object" actually looked out of place on the woman standing before him. It was some sort of buttoned-up shirt, something that he thought butlers like Sebas Tian would be wearing. A woman wearing it had a different sort of charm.

"Gods damned… thing's… too… damned… tight… argh!"

And apparently, the shirt did not seem to fit Ueda's form. Rather understandable now that he had the whole picture. One would find it hard to force those twin jugs into a tight space, which was exactly what the woman was doing. Seeing her try to stuff those babies by buttoning it all up—and failing—was amusing.

But still, this was not why he was here.

He sighed, and scratched the back his head. "Ueda. If you do any more than that, you'll break the buttons on the thing. And then you'll have to answer to Pandora's Actor about destroying something like that."

The woman froze, then turned her head to him. "Ehhh… really?"

"Where… I mean, how did you even get this?" He crossed the room to seat himself on the bed. He looked her up and down. While the trousers she was wearing fit perfectly over her curvaceous frame, it was clear that it too had been a very tight thing. The fabric stuck too much to her body, which incidentally made her look a little sexier than anticipated. Or perhaps that was her goal, so that was to be congratulated perhaps.

"It is…" She hesitated, then sighed, her body slumping forward. In doing so, her globes jiggled downward, hanging like two overripe fruits, barely hidden by the opened shirt as it hung loose over them. "Zesshi Zetsumei gave these to me."

"Ah." So that was why she had been understanding back there when he had mentioned Ueda's name. The two had been cooperating somehow.

"I-In any case, it is very much a pleasure to have you here, Ainz-sama!" she all but shouted, with a slight stammer. "A-and so quickly as well!"

He raised a brow. "You did call me."

"Oh, but—but I was not expecting you to arrive so soon! Haaah…" She looked down ruefully at herself. "I didn't even have enough time to… well, do a lot of things."

"Well, it's not as if I don't appreciate it," Ainz said, his expression amused, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. She blinked at him, then followed his gaze down to her body.

Then she slapped her hands together. "Oh that's right! This is so much easier than putting this stupid outfit together." She quickly drew both sides of the shirt back, fully exposing her massive globes for him to see. Ainz had to blink several times to process that he was really seeing this. What on earth was she even doing?

She thrust her chest out at him and made an awkward sort of pose with her body. It was like some sort of robot failing midway in its movement, and then getting stuck in a pose that didn't seem natural. "Have I got you interested?" she said with a lower one of voice, almost whispering, her expression twisted into a strange sort of smile.

"… In more ways than one," Ainz said, struggling to keep himself from laughing. It wasn't hard, considering he could just will his body not to transform, but the temptation to just let it all loose was there.

"I'm glad," she replied, utterly oblivious to what he was really thinking. Ueda sashayed forward, making her hips sway with each step. He had to admit that the walk looked very good, almost sexy even. As such, he could only surmise that Zesshi had somehow taught that to her.

Ueda stood before him. She stretched her legs out before straddling one of his thighs. Then, as she sat there, she pressed herself forward onto his chest, making her breasts squish against him. He had to admit, the sensation of those twins against him felt pretty damned good, unique even. But it wasn't anything he hadn't experienced already. He continued to watch her, bemused by her actions.

"Now," she said. "Here… is… where the fun… can finally begin," she said. Her hands started to move all over her chest, rubbing and patting over the fabric.

"You smell nice," he remarked, as she continued her earnest efforts of pawing at his body like a cat. "I assume you prepared for this well in advance?" He cupped her chin, which had the effect of making her stop.

"Um… Yes!" she yelped, her face blushing to a complete red. "Um…" She thought for a bit. "A-Anything for you, my lord Ainz!"

"I'm… glad to hear that?"

She blinked and stared at him. He stared back. For several long moments they just continued to stare at each other in complete silence.

"So…" he began. At the same time, she yelled, "Ainz-sama!"

"O-Oh, okay," he amended.

"Y-Yes!" she all but yelled in his face. "Please forgive me for interrupting you! Pray, do speak!"

"No, no, you start," he said. "What did you want to say?" Damn, now everything had become completely awkward.

"Ehhh… ummm…" He could see her swallow, her eyes darting back and forth anxiously.

"Go ahead, you can speak freely to me."

"W-Well, Ainz-sama, it's just that…" she paused. And then there were a few more seconds of silence.

"…Yes?"

"Well…" She cocked her head. "So, what happens next? Haven't I already seduced you? Isn't this enough? Are we to be making babies now?"

For a moment, Ainz just stared. Then he exhaled, while wearing a wide, goofy smile. He couldn't really say he hadn't expected this, but in a way, he did. He had an inkling that this was really about her getting him to fuck her—but the way she acted made him think otherwise.

This was an honest-to-goodness seduction attempt.

"Ahhh…" he said, his eyes crinkled as he suppressed booming laughter. "I see…"

"Ainz-sama?" She looked at him. "Did… Did it work…?"

He only just now remembered that Ueda was supposed to be the punishment for the Captain they had captured. He had not expected the changed woman to have instantly turned around to try and seduce him, going so far as to proclaim she "wanted his babies" for all of Nazarick to hear. But he yet remembered that before this, Ueda had lived all her life as a man, and therefore only knew what a man would regarding things like these.

"Well, let me just say that I am certainly pleased by what you've done. As to the other thing…" He looked down and shrugged.

For a moment, she just stared, wide-eyed. Then her steady expression crumbled.

"Oh, I knew it!" she cried, pulling herself up and walking a few steps away. "I knew it was going too well…! And here I thought I was successful!"

"…It was a good attempt," he offered. She had started pacing in front of him. As she did so, she did not even mind the way her boobs were still exposed for him to see. It was as if she still had the mannerisms of a man, despite getting genderbent.

"Forgive me, Ainz-sama," she said, sighing. "I am… very unused to acting as a whore. I know… in a way I know how they work. I've seen them do it. And Zesshi… She taught me a little. But…" She gestured towards herself. "As you can see, watching how things work and really acting it out are two different things entirely."

"Well, you still did try. And I can appreciate that." Not that he thought acting perfectly as a whore would have helped. Even Ainz was not one to accept the advances from someone like that at face value. In fact, he would even assume that there was some sort of deception on the wings, for an unknown woman to be propositioning him out of the blue.

For a beat, he hesitated, then he patted the bed next to him. "Come, sit. Let us converse for a bit."

She dutifully obeyed him and sat on the bed next to him, her eyes awkwardly looking away.

"Well now," he began, scratching his chin. "Perhaps before we go on to fulfilling your request, we can have you relax for a bit. And let's start by talking, shall we?" It was a little awkward to go directly into the sex, never mind the foreplay, and before that the flirting. And just before the flirting he'd like to think he knew even just a little bit about the woman he was about to bang, even when they were so eager at throwing themselves at him. Because he hadn't really conversed with Ueda before, and that was perhaps the only reason why he hadn't just jumped her immediately after she'd shoved her naked boobs right in his face.

She nodded reluctantly. "It shall be as you say, my lord."

He sighed and then leaned back, casting his mind out for a suitable topic that wouldn't just turn awkward.

"Well, why don't we start with… why exactly are you going so far for me? I have never seen a woman who immediately throws herself at me—at least not until I've also deliberately given her a reason. And with your… unique circumstances, it is even more perplexing."

Immediately, she thrust her face in front of his, almost making him flinch. Her eyes were wide, her face glowing with excitement. "But my lord, you are a God! What woman would not throw themselves at you, if they knew that fact?"

He didn't move to dissuade her impression of him as a "God", though he didn't like it one bit. But having to argue the opposite with Ueda was not something he wished to do. He just wasn't exactly in the mood. "… I don't think every woman thinks like you," he said. Though he might proclaim himself—and prove himself—a god to all the land, he knew he would not be getting all of them throwing their bodies at him like Ueda. Not according to his experience at least. Some might just refuse out of principle.

She looked down at the floor. "Granted, perhaps my viewpoint is only valid for those who believe in the Gods as wholeheartedly as I do."

"Because you were raised in the Theocracy, I take it?" he wondered.

She shook her head. "It's not just because of that. Well, I will admit that I am a firm believer in the Six Gods. Yes, it was because I was born and raised in the Theocracy. Yes, I was taught, from a very young age, in the vision of the Cardinals and those who came before them, of the Sacred Texts that showed how we of humanity may carry out the Will of the Six. So, if Zesshi would accuse me of being the perfect little hound for the Scriptures, then she would be right."

She clenched her hands. "But that's not all there is to it. In my studies growing up, I dived deep into the libraries, gathering more knowledge than was required of me. I read the Texts that spoke the most of the Six Gods, of the 'fact' behind the stories that had been woven about them since then. The stories of their normal lives, or at least, as normal as they could have been. And they were just like you, my lord. Devoted to saving humanity in their own way, yes. But they were not distant things, such as the gods that others worship. They existed on this world once, and we have exalted them as is rightful. But it can never be denied that they had come down here, that they had made real, tangible effects on the world. And that was why I admired them most."

She turned to look at him directly. Her face glimmered with tears. "It had been my dream to see a God in the flesh, though I knew I would live my whole life without achieving such a feat. That I have been granted this privilege despite the impossibility of everything fills my heart with a joy I cannot describe to you. Meeting you has been a life-changing experience my lord. And while, yes, I do wish to bear your children—as is right—let it be said that I also do so out of genuine admiration. It is not just a tool for power, and I will deny that I would use my wiles to seduce you for some goal. I hope you understand: mine is the devotion of the truly faithful, of giving myself fully to a real God. For your presence here truly illuminates my path."

Ainz took a moment to process what she said in silence. So far, she still sounded like a certifiable religious nutcase, but at the very least it sounded that she was only being a nutcase for him.

"I think I get what you're about," Ainz said. "I think. You must really be very devoted to the Slaine Theocracy then."

She blinked rapidly, before clutching his arm. She shook her head vehemently. "Yes… Well, wait, no! Not that… Not that I am actively betraying them or anything like that. No, no, what I mean to say is…" She bit her lip. "I am loyal to the teachings espoused by the Six. To the vision that they represented. For it is a wonderful thing, especially when it was influenced by Gods that really walked the land."

She closed her eyes and took a breath.

"But Ainz-sama, you are a true God, in the flesh. You are a God that now walks the land. I am not saying that my faith has been shaken, or that I have changed. I have never changed. My dream of meeting a God in the flesh has been fulfilled, true. But my dream extended beyond that. It was also my dream to serve them, no matter what. And to bear your child is but one of many services I shall render for your sake."

"Then what does this mean for your beloved home?" Ainz said. He did not wish to bring this up so candidly, but he felt that it needed to be said. "I am not a foe to your Theocracy, but that does not mean I will also be a friend. Circumstances in the future may change. Will you side with them?"

"That is…" She looked conflicted. "No, I cannot stay with them anymore. That is the truth. And there is another truth that I am already reconciled to." She smiled wryly. "Before anything else I am already in this state." She gestured to herself. Then she took a deep breath. "I did not betray them. But I know I will not be able to return to them anymore. From now on, I serve you now. I shall be your woman, if you will have me."

"If you were given a choice, which would you choose?" he asked shrewdly. It seemed cruel, but he could not be soft-hearted now. Not when the security of his children, of his lovers were at stake.

She bit her lip. "I would… I would choose you, my lord."

"Hmmm…" Ainz said. "I see…"

"But Ainz-sama, if you were concerned about needing to be enemies with the Theocracy, then have no fear!" she suddenly said. "If you were to announce yourself properly, show yourself off as the God that you really are, then the Theocracy would not just be your ally. They will gladly become vassals, Ainz-sama. Surely it is something to be considered?"

Ainz shrugged. "Yes, it's something to be considered. But not now. Please understand."

"Yes…"

He wasn't all that convinced it was a good idea.

In the first place, he didn't want to trust the secrets of Nazarick, and especially his true nature, to any group of natives in this world that he hadn't examined, analyzed and vetted beforehand. Even Jircniv, a human he knew he could trust with managing his own Empire for Nazarick, was not privy to this information. It would take too long to examine his subordinates, and their own further subordinates, for any possible leak to an unknown power. For the most part, Nazarick remained in the shadows, behind the façade of the Sorcerous Kingdom that he had built.

And Ainz preferred that it should stay that way. There was already far too much of a chance of information leaking thanks to all the Nazarick minions on the field. The most important ones, like Cocytus, were given several contingencies to ensure that he would never be able to leak anything at all, not even the barest hints. But even the smaller ones, the lesser minions, would have information to give, even unwillingly. Clues could be gleaned from a corpse.

He was under no illusions that there were better minds out there than him, who would be able to act against him with even scraps of knowledge about him or Nazarick. It was better that those who could become opposed to Ainz Ooal Gown were denied the means to forge their own weapons against them, long before they would ever start becoming a threat.

So no, not even the chance of suborning a major nation like this would be enough for him to give up the game and reveal his "godly" nature, as Ueda thought. In time, perhaps after the present war was wrapped up, he could turn his attention back to the Theocracy, and the elves they were fighting.

But even then, there was no guarantee he would save them or favor them if it did not fit their plans; not even if Zesshi or Ueda wished it. Zesshi was easier to predict, as she had made her displeasure with her former home clear. But perhaps Ueda would still have lingering loyalties—something to be watched for in the future in that case. A thorough dismantling, or a purge, of the Theocracy was still entirely possible.

"That being said…" He placed his hand on her head. "It's something I will keep in mind for the future." He echoed his inner thoughts, though Ueda would not know about that exactly, and only think he was continuing his earlier words.

She preened under his hand, her cheeks flushing red with delight.

"Well, now that I know your motivations a little better, I'm no longer hesitant to do this." He quickly lifted her up, to place her straddling on his lap once more.

"A-Ainz-sama?"

He smiled at her. Then he pressed his lips to hers. It was a simple kiss, nothing too saucy with the tongue just yet. When he withdrew, he felt her hot, ragged breath on his face. "If you feel hesitant for any reason," he whispered. "Just say so."

"No, Ainz-sama…" she replied. "I… I want it. I want you!"

"Then I hope you are prepared for this."

"Yes, take me… make me a woman…" she paused and cleared her throat. "…Make me your woman, Ainz-sama."

He raised a brow but said nothing to that. She knew it had taken courage for her to say that, and he knew just a bit more about women than he had at the start. And instinct therefore told him that he couldn't just undermine an earnest maiden's heart when it was presented to him so wholeheartedly.

"If there is anything you don't want, or if you're unsure at any point, just stop me. And I will."

She nodded shakily. "I—I will."

He kissed her again. They continued to kiss for a few moments more. As they were doing so, he pushed his fingertips onto her pants, and felt around there. He felt moistness over the fabric, and was surprised that she was already wet.

"You're aroused," he said, pushing at her pubis delicately, even as she squirmed.

"I—I don't know what that- Is it bad?" she said. He could feel her shivering, like she was cold.

"This is normal," he said, chuckling. "It's just surprising."

"Why, what does that—oh?" Her body froze as he eased his fingers underneath the fabric of her pants. She was somehow wearing no undergarments, which meant that he was now touching her bare crotch directly. "Oh, Ainz-sama," she said pleadingly. "Ohhh… hooohhhh…" It told a lot that she was responding so much to something like this. This was probably the first time that anyone other than herself had ever touched her down there. And knowing that made Ainz all the more excited, as he played with her inexperienced slit, slowly urging her clit to rise.

He lifted the brunette onto the bed, cradling her princess-style. As she gripped tight onto his body, he leveraged his prior experience on her. He grasped her pillowy mounds, using one hand to tease and flick one protruding nipple while he suckled determinedly on the other. His other hand pressed against her moist entrance, inserting one finger, then another, then even more, just past the entrance. He dug around inside her tight cunt, feeling its walls close and clench around his fingers like it was its own mouth, while he patiently observed her reactions.

"Ohhh… gods…! Oh gods…! Yes! There….! Yes…! There…!"

He pressed hard on the places that evoked the best and largest response, where her cunt squirted out more of her love juices; where she hissed and moaned from the sheer pleasure. She shuddered continuously, her expression shifting constantly from uncertainty to bliss, trapped in the novel sensations he was giving her. Ainz was determined to make her orgasm again and again, pushing her virginal body to the height of its sensitivity and arousal.

"Hiii…! Hoooo…! Ainz-sama…! Ainz-sama! It's… so… good…!" she wailed. He could feel her body trembling, as all the new sensations crashed into her one by one, all of it pushed along by himself. Her voice continued to beg him, pleading for him to continue, yet colored with the fear of a beginner who feared to take the complete plunge. This buxom brunette, her body literally dripping sexual potential, with the great, exquisite breasts and the bombshell body, trembled anxiously in his arms, absolutely reliant on him and his guidance.

She gasped once, sucking in a long breath; then screamed loud in full-blown exhale, her voice echoing against the walls. "Ahhhh… haaaahhhh… Cumming…! Cumming…!"

When she came, he adjusted her position to lay his face against her entrance, his head sandwiched by her thighs. Her whole body shuddered from the full force of her orgasm. As hot liquid sprayed from her folds onto his face, he pressed his lips there, all to lap up all he could manage with his tongue. Her thighs instantly clamped around him, boxing his head between them, though he did not mind. He sucked and drank of her juices, feeling as if he'd breached some rare batch of liquor that had never yet been tasted before. He slid his tongue rapidly between and around her folds, parting them and thrusting it deep into her small hole, all to capture the errant fluids pouring from the crack between her thighs. He placed several fingers in, pressing down all around her vulva and teasing out smaller shocks of pleasure from her.

When she fell back down from the peak, she was laid back on the ground, the aftershocks of her orgasms still pulsing repeatedly through her body. She shook and trembled, her limbs flailing about like a fish stranded on land. As he watched her, he smacked and licked his lips, savoring the novel taste of her pussy, to remember this moment for the days to come.

"Ainz-sama," she said weakly, her every breath causing her thick mounds to rise and fall in mighty waves. "That was… so out of this world…. I didn't even know it was possible to… Possible to feel so relaxed. So happy…! So giddy…!"

"… And there's still more to come."

He moved around, mounting her body from above. He pressed his lips to hers, adding the taste of her mouth to the juices still present on his tongue. This time, she responded eagerly to his kiss, pushing back with her tongue hesitantly, and then a little bolder. They spent a few more moments with their bodies just pressed together, just kissing and licking even as his cock twitched and hardened against her clit.

He felt her smaller hand reach down between them to touch the searing, stiff enormity of his cock. "I want it," she said. "I need it, Ainz-sama. Please give it to me…" Her filthy words were a lot more sincere now, no trace of hesitation or fakeness in them. It did not sound as if she was imitating anybody, or acting things out from advice. Here was a virgin bitch in genuine heat, ready to be bred for the first time. He teased her entrance with the tip of his cock, swirling it against her shuddering labia and making her squirm with pleasure, making sure to coat his cock with her lewd moisture.

Then he adjusted himself above her, getting into position for her first penetration. As he stared into her eyes, he pressed his cocktip against her small opening, ready to plunge inward and give her a brand-new experience to remember forever.

"I hope you're ready," he whispered, rocking his hips minutely to wiggle his tip against her erect clit. It was always in this moment directly before he would take a woman's virginity that he paused to drink in the significance of plundering a maiden's innocence. For there would be no other moment like this. They might have much more memorable, more enjoyable sex in the future. Even watching childbirth was something infinitely more satisfying. Yet he would never forget his first time with Zesshi in that temple.

And he would never forget Ueda's first time.

"Yes…!" she cried. She reached out to grasp his empty hand, holding it steady as she bit her lip. She took a deep breath, as if she was bracing for impact, her large twin mounds twitching and rocking in tune with her breath. "Please do it! Take me, Ainz-sama…!"

"Here we go," he announced, pushing his hips forward so the first few inches entered her hole. She felt so hot and tight, her hole weeping vigorously over his cock. Then, after a while, he withdrew out, then pushed his cock back in, moving in small strokes both to tease her arousal and to ease her hole for him.

She started to squirm, moaning as he increased the pace of this small stimulation. He coaxed even more of her juices from that hole. He kissed her breasts, rubbing and tweaking her nipples to spread her pleasure all throughout her body.

Then he went deeper. Deeper and deeper, his strokes lengthening each time, though never losing the speed and control which he masterfully maintained even as the moments passed. There was also patience there, too, a methodical way to ease himself inside her so nothing was too abrupt or strange. The "experience" he'd racked up while making love to the Mothers continued to accumulate, and it paid off in times like these.

And then, after he was inches deep inside, he encountered a barrier. There was the hymen, proof of her innocence, unmarred by any aside from him at that moment. The great sense of superiority almost made him disregard everything to just continue onward, but he yet retained his mind, and refused to be tempted.

"Ready?" he asked again. It would have been maddening to have reached this point only for her to get cold feet, but he had no choice if she didn't want it after all. But then she reassured him.

"I am," she said, her fingers clutching his tight as if she was determined to crush it.

"Remember to breathe," he cautioned her. He, too, braced himself, his hips paused on the brink of that fateful moment.

Then he made one final push, bursting mercilessly through her virginity and sheathing himself completely to the hilt inside her hole.

"Ohhhh…!" she shouted, her body jolting from the shock. As the pain rushed through her, Ainz made sure to wrap his body around hers, offering himself up as a convenient source of strength for her to lean on—or to ravage as she writhed in pain. She squirmed for a bit, gasping through clenched teeth, before she all but bit his shoulder, her nails digging deep into the skin of his back. He could taste the tears streaming down her cheeks, even as he weathered the powerful sensations of her tight, once-virginal hole clamping tight on his cock like an ironclad vice.

He wouldn't lie to himself. It felt good to claim her virginity. It gave him a feeling of superiority, even if it wasn't something he would pursue exclusively. He was more on impregnating a willing woman. Still, popping Ueda's cherry was good, and it would be something he would remember for years to come—as another triumphant notch on his bedpost.

They lay there like that for a few more moments, his body wrapped around hers, as she fought to steady her breaths. Then her breathing eased up, and she kissed him, a little forcefully, but he let her do what she wanted. When she broke away, he laid kisses down on her breasts, to comfort her, all while his cock was sheathed inside her, allowing her pussy the time and the means to slowly adjust to his size and length.

She exhaled a long, loud sigh. He could feel her body relaxing a bit, though the tension was still there—the necessary tension of a person having sex. But he could tell that the pain was fading.

"I'm sorry, Ainz-sama," she said. "Never have I felt such…"

"It's okay," he said, kissing her neck and making her purr unexpectedly, perhaps tickled by the action. "It's a normal thing."

"I see…" she said breathily. "It's normal…" She took several deeper breaths. "It feels… odd inside." She patted her belly, over the place where his cock was now completely buried in a thousand writhing folds. "Is this you…? I can even feel it here. It's so, so big, Ainz-sama… So grand…"

"I hope I'm not too heavy," he said. He was trying hard to control it, but gravity was pinning the full weight of his body down on her.

"No, the weight is fine. You are fine," she whispered, hugging him close as if she was afraid of losing him. Then she started tracing her fingers on his skin. "It feels… nice under you. I feel… safe." They kissed again, briefly and softly, as if affirming that moment.

He swirled his tongue delicately around her areola. "You did great so far," he said. "But it's not over yet."

"Of course," she said, her fingers returning to grip his shoulders. For all that Ueda was a virgin, Ainz was sure she knew what was about to come next. And so he felt her brace her body, awaiting his imminent assault.

"Here we go," he said, adjusting himself slightly to prepare his penetration.

He started slow. He withdrew slowly, and felt the agonizing pleasure of her folds as his cock passed through them, rubbing and caressing him. Her breath hitched, her nails once more digging into skin as the feeling of his cock parting her insides faded.

"Ah… This is… Ah… Hoooh… Whew… It's…"

Then, just as slowly, before he was even halfway out, he pushed back in. Inches of her hole that had been liberated was once more entered, his cock spearing through to reach her womb. She exhaled, small and short, as if she was venting a little bit of tension. Then that tension returned when he withdrew again, as she once more braced for his return.

He glanced at her questioningly.

"Ah… Haah… It's… Fine…"

He nodded, and continued.

On and on, back and forth it went. In time, she was able to adjust to the sensation, her body no longer surprised by every new thing.

Though he in turn was surprised on his latest withdrawal. He felt her body shudder, her limbs visibly shaking as she put her hands over her face. He could hear a sound like a squeal coming from her.

"You came," he said, stating it as a matter of fact. Even her body could not lie, as her insides once more clenched around him tight, as if it was congratulating his loving with a proper orgasm.

"Uuuuhhh…" she could only say. He could see the deep flushed red of her skin behind her fingers. Ainz felt pleased at this reaction, though he nonetheless continued. He was getting into his groove now, and nothing short of a refusal from her would stop him.

When she put her hands away, some more thrusts later, he could see her face was pinched, that she was biting her lips, as if she was trying to hold herself back—and failing at that. Then she was starting to gasp and moan, first softly and slowly, then increasing in volume and even more rapidly; well in tune with his own increasing pace. Her body had gotten used to his size. Because of that, she was no longer tensed up in anticipation, but instead fully giving into the sensations that were now pulsing throughout her whole body. She was no longer afraid of the incoming pleasure; perhaps she even welcomed it wholeheartedly.

"Oh… hiiih… hoooh…" she said, her eyes unfocused, drool visibly leaking from her lips.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"I… haaah… I dunno…" she said, in between pants, her voice slurred. After one particular thrust, a short gasp, almost a scream, came out her mouth.

"So here?" he mused, angling himself so his cock could hit that particular spot inside her. That seemed to spark something in her in response; her grip on his body tightening, to the point her legs, once splayed apart, closed around his back like a trap.

"Gods…! Huuuh… Gods… yes… Yes! That spot… Ouuuhhh… Hiiih… Ohhh, Ainz-sama, yes! That spot, yes! Yes!"

He was back to his regular rhythm now, the one he used routinely on his Mothers. (Well, technically she was going to be a Mother now, as well, joining their ranks to bear his seed.) He was now giving himself to his own body's pleasure, closing his eyes as the roiling, clenching sensation of her pussy around his cock guided him down to the abyss of pleasure. He found her flailing hands and gripped them tight with his own, pinning them to the bed as he rode her in full. He transformed and grew another pair of arms to reach down and grip her buttocks, to stabilize and facilitate his thrusting. And finally, he pushed his face in between her massive tits, which swayed and jiggled in irregular patterns with every push and pull of their bodies.

Just as with the other virgins he had deflowered, Ueda's awakened sexual instincts, something inborn and natural to all women, came to the fore. She purred in between screams. Her tight pussy moved with more purpose, as if it now knew what to do about the member lodged within it. And her hips started gyrating, offering him better, newer angles through which he was able to stretch her pussy walls. She was no longer restraining herself, fearful of the unknown. Her movements were very much uneven, telltale signs of a lack of experience, but the eagerness more than made up for it. The virginal frenzy had come over her, enthusiastic and insatiable.

Their bodies moved together, their rhythms slowly approaching synchronicity. He cupped and played with her delightfully oversized breasts, fascinated by the way they moved in response to his motions. He imagined those nipples dripping with milk. His cock was moving faster inside her now, every thrust pushing into the threshold of her womb every time; helped by both her generous discharge and the fact that her holes had now adjusted to him. He was smoothly gliding in and out that his balls were practically slapping against her posterior every second.

"I… I… had no idea… would feel… good…" she mumbled in her lust-filled haze, her words almost incoherent. "Ainz-shama… mmmmpphhh…"

He gave her no time to even think of saying any more words by sealing her lips with a kiss. All he wanted her to utter were the high-pitched sounds of a woman being bred.

"Uhhmmmnngggh… Hnnngggh… Hnnggghhh…"

Her whole body squirmed in his arms as their hips rapidly moved together, having now reached the very apex of their lovemaking. Her love juices flowed abundantly, permanently staining the sheets below them. They were now completely immersed in each other's bodies. He could tell that even now she was learning more and more about how to use her body. She seemed to be consciously tightening and loosening her pussy in intervals, regulating her grip on his cock so as to maximize the pleasure. Every impact their crotches made together made a loud, obnoxious sound that proclaimed their mating for all to hear.

*SMACK* *SMACK* *SMACK*

His movements had become so rapid that he was literally now bouncing off her body, causing the bed to creak and shake from the full force of his thrusts. And just like with Zesshi, her body could take it. She had inherited some of a Player's blood, making her body a little more durable than her fellows. That meant that unlike Neia for example, he could afford to move a little harder than usual on just the first time.

She was openly sobbing now, her cries and moans noticeably hoarse as they rode each other to the approaching peak.

"Haaaah…. Ainz… shama…"

As he plundered her body freely and shamelessly, he gave full rein to his feelings and kissed her, frantically and passionately. For a moment she clung to him with her hands, as if she knew what was about to come, making the fear return for just a second.

"Shhhh… Just relax… Just give yourself to it… Go on… go on…"

"Ungggghhhhh…"

As he urged, she did relax, allowing herself to be whisked away, like him, into the distant maelstrom, that was dragging them both into its depths.

"I'm cumming…" he whispered to her, moments before all turned white.

His balls slapped against her cunt one last time, his cock diving deep to lay its head right near her womb. As he did so, her pussy walls closed around his length, locking it in place so he couldn't even move.

Ainz could feel the pleasure surging through his nerves, before the energy started to concentrate within his crotch. The dam that kept it all in burst, and all that accumulated pressure sent him careening over the edge. His cock throbbed, sending shocks of pleasure directly to his brain, as a flood of semen flowed out, spattering her womb instantly with ropes of his cum. As he came, her body shivered in his arms as her orgasm exploded, showering his crotch in a fresh batch of his juices. She practically screamed, howling in pleasure as pulse after pulse of his cum streamed into the very depths of her pussy, coupled with the fact that the latter was trying its best to milk it as much as possible.

The sensation of losing his soul inside her hungry hole was as intoxicating as it ever was. So, too, was the heady feeling of freshly impregnating another woman, by painting her walls with his cock first before literally everyone else. The feeling of domination was so addicting, his brain literally congratulating him by showering him in pleasure unabating. He felt as if it was destined all along for him to fertilize Ueda's womb, and he was reminded of that desire every time he felt another fresh wad of cum shoot through his cock, to add to the flood now swirling inside her womb.

For a long moment they lay there, spooning, even as their orgasms faded, giving way to the wholesome afterglow. When he looked at her face much later, he could see the abject wonder there, her eyes on the ceiling, as if her mind and soul had wandered towards unknown horizons.

"Ainz-sama…"

"Hm?" He slowly licked her sweat-ridden breasts, tasting of salt. He was still inside her, his cock sheathed in a soup of his cum and her juices, now marinating inside her belly.

"That was… wonderful…"

He grinned. "I'm glad it was."

"So does this mean…" She shifted to look at him directly. "Does this mean I am pregnant?"

---

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".