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This story uses the same setting as my other story "Momon, Big Black Changeling". Essentially, Ainz Ooal Gown is the same type of creature as in that story, although this and that story happen in different worlds.
The final siege at the Re-Estize Grand Fortress was going to forever be remembered as a bloody battle in the annals of the Holy Kingdom. Though they ended up winning in the end without help from their shifty allies, the entire series of battles proved to the paladins and all the warriors of the Holy Kingdom that victory was never assured. The enemy they thought they had thoroughly outmatched many times in the campaign had stood their ground so valiantly that they drew admiration from many in their own ranks. It just went to show that even a battered, defanged and declawed wolf was still a danger in its own way; that the tenacity of man should never be underestimated.
From the start, Remedios had absolutely refused the aid offered by Grand Marshal Cocytus, who was the undead lord's flunkie. She knew they could not stop the Sorcerer-King from rampaging throughout the Re-Estize Kingdom in other places, which meant their victory in the war was inevitable. To accept their aid now was tantamount to being pulled under their control, even indirectly, and that should not stand.
In the time leading up to the fortress siege, her argument with her fellow commanders burned hot and fierce, with some decrying the fact that she was risking her soldiers' lives for even a day more just to assuage "foolish pride". Even the new King had not so subtly sent his messengers to try to appeal to her benevolent nature, implying that there was yet more work to be done rebuilding the country and that they should just leave it all to Ainz Ooal Gown.
Thankfully, there were also others, especially among the southern nobility, who saw how dangerous it was to simply accept aid without question from such a shady personage. With their aid, she was able to shout down the objections and begin plotting the defeat of the last Re-Estize bastion on the continent.
Obviously, they had sent messengers asking for the fortress commanders to surrender. This was especially after news came of the Grand Marshal Pespea's disappearance, which meant that the army had essentially been decapitated of its command. However, they proved more resilient than expected, and several commanders had stepped up, taking control of the fort defenders and refusing the call for surrender. It had puzzled their leadership, as they should have been aware of the Sorcerer-King's presence, and should have been rightly terrified to put up resistance at all. Remedios had yet to discover that this remaining army had been one of the most fanatical of the Re-Estize Kingdom, filled with nobles who were willing to sacrifice their very lives to honor their Kingdom, even in defeat.
When they arrived to surround the fortress, they discovered the enemy had entirely abandoned the field to retreat inside their holdfast. If they had still been fighting the Re-Estize Kingdom by themselves, they would have bypassed the fortress entirely by sending half their army forward to whatever destination they had in mind; while the other half devised ways to undermine the sheer walls, just as they had done in many other forts. But since it was no longer needed, they could ready themselves with committing their full force to break the fortress apart, as a sort of lasting lesson for the Re-Estize Kingdom, and a way to legitimize themselves despite Ainz Ooal Gown's presence.
Troops of sappers were promptly sent, escorted by paladins towards the base of the fortress. Unfortunately, they were anticipated, and their first few attempts were repelled by furious arrow-fire from within the fortress. Siege wagons were then sent, to cover the next set of sappers behind a reinforced roof of steel. Then the defenders launched their trap—using explosives or spells to collapse both sides of the "valley" at the foot of the main wall, crushing the Holy Kingdom's troops while also preventing further incursions into that part of the area. Even if their artillery ended up shattering the main gate, the army could not effectively march through the massive rocks that now littered the area, leaving them ripe to be picked off by arrow fire.
This perplexed Remedios and her fellows, as this not only ended up blocking the Holy Kingdom from proceeding, it also completely blocked off their escape. With the way the fortress was dug into the mountainside, the enemy's only recourse would be retreating into any tunnels they had built, which was only delaying the inevitable. When the fortress would be captured, the enemy could certainly withdraw into the tunnels, but Remedios was not looking to pursue them there. They would just collapse the tunnels and then send scouts to find prospective exits, if there were even any.
Once again, the issue was raised of ignoring this fortress and just leaving their allies to finish it all off. But Remedios would not be denied. The Fortress would be won by the Holy Kingdom, and the Holy Kingdom alone.
The siege towers were therefore deployed, immediately making for the few portions of wall that still jutted out free from obstruction. All total, they deployed twelve such towers, and ended up losing seven. Three were felled by catapults launching rocks from behind the walls. These ended up screening the rest of the towers which successfully reached their destination. Up there on the ramparts, a slaughter ensued, as they were not expecting the defenders using every trick in the book—from sorcery to burning oil to lining up the corpses as barricades—to deny their advance. Two more towers were wasted—now effectively blocking any further towers from entering. Hours had to be spent waiting for the towers to burn down.
Realizing that only she could effectively turn the tables now, she personally lead the next tower charge, while her best paladins lead in the other tower. Despite fierce resistance, Remedios was able to cut a large swathe through the defenders' ranks, clearing out the walls of corpses they had made by launching explosives to leave it all a gory mess.
Then she heard news that the other tower had faltered; the soldiers had routed, leaving her paladins surrounded. Cursing her luck, she had then used up large amounts of her power to descend the wall, cross the many meters to the other side, before climbing back up the now-burning tower belonging to her subordinates. There, she was able to stem the flow before they were all completely annihilated.
And then, of course, came news that the troops she had left behind on the other side had also faltered, and now her tower was burning. Knowing she could not afford to fall back now or have to endure another wait, Remedios rallied what few troops were available. Then, along with the rest of her paladins, she dove straight forward, using every inch of her righteous abilities to cut down her enemies as if they were wheat fresh for harvest.
By that time, the tower here had been reinforced, and fresh troops came climbing up from below to help them overwhelm the tide. It was a long, bloody affair, very nearly close to a massacre of the army garrisoned there, as neither they nor Remedios desired to fall back.
For a good long hour, even Remedios was forced to hang back at the gatehouse after she had captured it, enduring furious blasts from distant artillery as she tried to recoup her energies. Wave after wave of fanatical soldiers attempted to retake the gatehouse, each time resolutely beat back by the paladins who then became equally as tired as she was.
The stalemate was then broken when the gates below were finally shattered by the constant rain of fiery artillery they had been lobbing, allowing the rest of their army to charge through. Despite the opening, their approach was uneven, piecemeal even as they had to navigate the ruined rock-field outside the walls in small groups. Upon entering they were immediately met by the massive bulk of the enemy army that had been kept in reserve, and the two masses of men now clashed below, forcing Remedios to support them by leading the charge to silence the enemy artillery.
Still, with the gates open, it was then only a matter of time before the defenders were overwhelmed. Many long hours passed before Remedios cornered the enemy commander in a duel. After defeating him, the remnants of his army finally surrendered.
All told, the battle had been a very bloody affair, resulting in great casualties on both sides. But despite their victory, the fact that their side even had many casualties at all quickly became a point of contention among the commanders. Many voices were raised against her in the aftermath, condemning her "recklessness" that led to countless soldiers slaughtered for nothing.
But they could not stay long to argue the point nor to mourn their dead. Not a day later, orders came from the King to continue marching with all able-bodied soldiers that could still stand and follow orders, directing them to finally assist their allies with the siege of the Capital City. They left behind a token army to take care of the casualties and hold the fortress.
Being as she was still fit and ready, she was tasked to lead this advance troop, despite the many whispers behind her back. For though many whispered, she had led valiantly, and had been key in securing the fortress for the Holy Kingdom.
"My lord!" came the word from the advanced scout, stirring Remedios from her reminiscence.
"What is it?" she said, urging her horse forward. Behind her rode a quarter of the Holy Kingdom's remaining army. They had left behind much of their supply cohort, as the Sorcerer-King had promised them that it would be provided free of charge from his side. But to completely trust that undead was tantamount to foolishness, which was why she had still brought some of them with her, leaving the others at the fortress.
"It's the city, sir!" the scout said, gesturing wildly. "It's…"
"Well?" she demanded testily. "Speak up, man!"
The scout looked at her uneasily. "You probably need to see for yourself."
Remarkably, the capital city of the Re-Estize Kingdom appeared to be burning. The smoke rose so high and thick above the city like a dark, forbidding cloud. For several days they had watched the fires grow, spreading until it engulfed the entirety of the city. For days the light from the city was ever reflected in the soldiers' steel, casting a curious glow all over the camp that did nothing to help operational security. Then again, there seemed to be no point to keeping things secret now that Cocytus had gathered the entire army here for the final siege.
It seemed astonishing, and indeed impossible for the city to already be burning, because his army had yet to even take the place. Now granted, Nazarick could replicate the burning of the city handily enough by sending just a few agents inside to cause havoc. But he hadn't given orders for his troops to do that sort of action in the city. It wasn't in Ainz-sama's orders.
For Cocytus, who was the appointed supreme leader of this grand army summoned from the depths of Nazarick, the fact of the burning capital was a question for which none of his advisors and subordinates could provide an adequate answer. For surely there had been no other force that had beaten them to the city.
The city's garrison had been sighted preparing on the walls from as far back as a week ago, when the army had just arrived at the city's outskirts. Cocytus had then started entrenching his forces in the grand circle. They were all gathered in many camps that encircled the city, ordered to stand by as per the Master's will, and to wait until their allies caught up with them. The camps were all arranged in a wide circle all around the city, with enough hidden fortifications to make it seem as if there were gaps within the formation, ready to pounce upon the unaware.
And then, matters quickly changed inside the city. Before he could even blink, the city had changed into this hellscape before their eyes, causing the NPC to scratch his head, clearly befuddled by what he was seeing.
Were these humans really burning down their own house? He had to admit that there was some military merit to it, to deny the invaders a suitable redoubt and a place to rest. And of course, this was done to delay the inevitable as much as possible. Yet such a plan required that the defenders also manage to flee and relocate themselves, which of course was impossible now that Cocytus had closed the circle around the city. And that was not what had actually happened. They were burning the house, while they were still inside it. And when all was inevitably ash, there would be no one left to fight, not even to conquer. It would be just as if the forces of Nazarick were walking onto empty land, denied even the barest hint of a glorious final battle to round off everything.
To have spent all this time engineering this large campaign, only to cap it all off with this… farce of a final siege, was galling for a warrior like Cocytus. He had been looking forward to testing himself against the humans' last redoubt, to gather the "experience" his Master always espoused, about siege warfare. Despite the vast leagues of land Nazarick had captured, there had been no major sieges that they had undergone. He would not be able to get another chance to siege a city soon, not unless the Master ordered another campaign so quickly after this one concluded. And while he relished to extend his Master's reach unto the horizon, he had the sense that this was not something that was going to happen.
If he'd had known this would happen, he would have taken over fighting in the south over their Holy Kingdom allies! He had heard from their forces tasked with observing and supporting their allies from afar that there had been some brutal fighting involved, including what sounded like a glorious back-and-forth among the ramparts of the enemy's fortress. True, with Cocytus at the head it would have probably still been easy enough to overcome. But at least it would have been something for him to do, something for him to experience; instead of this disappointment of a siege—which might not even become an actual siege, by his estimates.
Perhaps he should have petitioned the Master to begin the siege without awaiting the Holy Kingdom's arrival. Perhaps then these humans would not have needed to burn their own city around them, and would have been inspired to fight to the last. It would have been a slaughter, and if any surrendered he would have been forced to give quarter. But at least it would have been something. He shook his head, grumbling to himself, his visage that of the warrior denied his honorable conflict.
"My lord," announced an adjutant behind him. "The tally has been completed. All the captains report no irregularities for the past day. Discipline has been met, and there is no trouble with the troops. That is all."
"Very. Good. Continue. Following. Previous. Directives. Do. Not. Step. Out. Of. Line." He waved the adjutant off, acknowledging the contents of the report in his mind as his thoughts drifted to other places.
At least there was something that had been definitively proven during this campaign: the forces of Nazarick could move and act according to the instructions of their superiors flawlessly and with few problems. That would be something to remember for future campaigns, especially if it involved an enemy that actually had the power to fight back. Ainz-sama had always stressed the importance of being prepared for such an eventuality at all times. Throughout the campaign he had been ever vigilant for the signs of any major resistance, though thus far it had not turned up anything truly significant.
At the very start of the campaign, Cocytus had felt humbled at the supreme honor Ainz-sama was bestowing upon him, when he had granted him the status of Supreme Commander of his grand army. This was no mere skirmishing force, but a gathering of many armies, each sourced from all over the Great Tomb. Therefore, those in the army were not just his minions taken from within his authority and territory as Floor Guardian, but minions from other Floors as well, from other Floor Guardians, and even those of Area Guardians who were only nominally under his control. Perhaps the only one whose reach was not represented was Victim, but then again, he was special among them all.
There were his own minions, of course, granted to him originally by the Supreme Beings. There were special undead soldiers encased in mail that gleamed and crinkled like ice sheets, elementals bearing wicked rime with every spell cast, cunning monsters who breathed entombing frost from their mouths before swallowing their prey whole, spiteful mobs of yuki-onna who drifted through the air wailing arias that chilled the soul, hulking giants with bodies cobbled from ice sheets impervious to heat and steel, and many more creatures who were his own command.
Then, of course, there were Shalltear's offerings, the many more undead she commanded in the first three floors of glorious Nazarick. Of course, there were entire legions of skeletal soldiers, who at this point could be considered veterans of the Master's campaigns, assuming they were not freshly raised from the Tomb's many crypts. There were zombies and ghouls and shrieking spirits of various strengths, surging forward in a disorganized, yet unrelenting medley of rotten flesh and brittle bones and disgusting ectoplasm. Behind them strode the more organized undead, of wight lords and death knights clad in gloomy, baroque armor, soul fires gleaming inside their empty eye sockets. Skeletal cavalrymen rode shoulder to shoulder with Soul Eaters and ghostly riders wielding horrific jagged sickles that cleaved spirit from flesh. There were the lesser skeletal mages, clutching grimy magical implements or dusty grimoires, led in a cabal by the lowest-ranked liches, who were in turn guided by the profane intelligences of the greater liches, who were second only in rank to the eminent casters of the library—they who were not present for they had been given the enormously important role of managing the army's Gate network. Whistling through the air, barely visible to even his own troops such that only Cocytus himself could see them clearly, flew banshees and spirit shriekers: lost souls coalescing together in an attempt at discipline, all drifting like an ill wind over the battlefield, who with a snap of his finger could float on over to the city in less than a minute to terrorize the defenders inside.
Lurking in the corners of the various camps were the various beasts that belonged to the domain of the dark elf twins, at least those whom Aura claimed would follow commands when it was needed. Cocytus doubted their efficacy in a campaign like this, feeling as if their particular skills were more suited to harassment or hit-and-run campaigns rather than this overarching conquest. Still, their ferocity could not be denied, as their bestial instincts meant that only those more powerful than them—or Aura herself—could make them break. Cocytus kept the beasts as a reserve, which was unfortunately their place for the entirety of the campaign so far. He felt bad for squandering such a good resource, but as Ainz had placed the army at his disposal, he could not well reject it like an ungrateful fool.
Thankfully, the great demons under Demiurge were far more cohesive with his intended strategy. Even the smallest and most insignificant of imps that were in this army could think independently when it came time to it, as their kind possessed a devilish intellect that their peers possessed. Boisterous overseers with protruding potbellies wielded whips of ash and flame to encourage the teeming ranks (as goading these loyal minions of Ainz who would do anything for him was rather moot). Tall, sneering demons sang loudly over the tumultuous din of the many ways their enemies were doomed to suffer before their death, their voices clear and inescapable. And then there were the great generals and masterminds who were expected to lead legions, whose sagacious minds conceived of various twisted stratagems that were greatly helpful to Cocytus, who were each also powerful combatants all on their own. And yet it was not as if Demiurge's demonic hordes were not just gifted in being conniving. His was the army, after all, that had so spectacularly devastated the Holy Kingdom without needing to draw out Nazarick's grand army. There were also hulking winged brutes who could crush a man's head as if it were but a grape. There were smaller agile creatures swinging oversized swords and barbed whips. There were demons with many arms that either carried massive bone-crushing mauls or made ready to fling scorching spellfire. Of course, there were the fire elementals with breaths of acrid brimstone and brimming with hate: those lesser cousins of the formidable Guren—who was not present at the moment as were all others who were deemed too "large" to be brought out for this campaign.
All in all, it was a great army composed of a murderous diversity of creatures, gathered and summoned from all over Nazarick to serve the Master's ultimate end. And with such a gathering of great hosts came the need for a little organization, to which Cocytus offered his honest, if fumbling expertise.
Ainz-sama was naturally the Overlord of all, and his was the ultimate command to whom even Cocytus subsumed all his authority. No matter the situation, even when such orders ran counter to whatever Cocytus had himself concocted, all orders were to be countermanded without question should the Master command it. Such was the prerogative of He who ruled over All.
Then under Cocytus' command were the various captains who each commanded an army of their own. There were none more qualified to fill such roles as the generals under Demiurge's command, who were all naturally suited to such important roles. There were then a few undead who had the capacity to command, such as a few of the higher-ranking vampire nobles. There were a few who came from his own domain, such as his most powerful lieutenants whom he could trust to not screw things up. Ainz-sama might have wondered if this was any sort of bias towards Demiurge's people, but if such a thing had happened he could have honestly replied that it was only the most logical thing to do, as Demiurge's minions had the skills that would be needed.
The captains' armies were then similarly split into several groups of varying sizes, each led by the lower-level lieutenants. Yet again these were chiefly demons from Demiurge's floor, who were exceptional at relaying orders from up top to delegate to those below. A few of the more conscious undead lords were also assigned to lead, who possessed a harsh cunning of their own despite lacking the cruel charisma of their fellows. Some of those undead were even his own minions, who belonged to a special army in his floor that were said to have been buried in an avalanche only to be given unlife by the Masters and given to his command.
Under each lieutenant were even smaller groups, each helmed by a commander who were the lowest ranking servants who could take orders and command their lesser brethren. In a typical battle (which had never once happened in this campaign) it would be the captain who would direct all his lieutenants in service of the grand strategy. These lieutenants would in turn personally lead bands of leaders to accomplish said objectives. During the campaign, however, all they could really manage to do were defeating smaller groups of humans, which were easily handled by a commander's group alone or with several of his fellow commanders. There had only been one medium-scale battle that had needed two lieutenants, which had been the largest extent of these humans' resistance in the countryside as they swept forward into the capital.
And then there were the irregulars, these captains who did not quite lead an army and yet had been made by the Supreme Beings to command a small group of powerful creatures, such as certain demons under Demiurge who were already arranged into a natural group beforehand. It was hard to gather them normally under a lieutenant, for their normal superior, Demiurge, held the same authority as Cocytus himself. Because of that they were powerful groups by themselves who could accomplish the same results as an army with greater numbers. Their place in the hierarchy meant they answered directly to him, but did not necessarily have the authority (nor perhaps the inclination) to take over command of a captain's army as needed. It was a significant weakness in the command structure Cocytus wanted to review with Ainz-sama for later.
Save for that notable hiccup in the hierarchy, the entire grand army that Ainz-sama had commanded were performing well above expectations. If there was really something to be faulted about their performances or their behaviors, it was that they had not really gone against worthy opposition, which blunted the evaluation of their skills.
But their adherence to the chain of command, their readiness to execute their given objectives, and their unquestioning dedication to their orders spoke well of their positive qualities. In particular, the occupation branch administered by a select few captains had managed to smoothly take control over the Kingdom's occupied lands without any complaint reaching him. He had anticipated having to send over human diplomats to defuse tensions or sort out misunderstandings. Ainz had recommended it to him, knowing that many in the army might become too overzealous with fulfilling their duties. But that branch had done their part so well that some villages had even ended up sending word to petition his Master for direct integration!
That was not something he could decide for himself, however, so he sent it over towards Demiurge to manage. If only more of these mortals woke up and acknowledged the glory and primacy of his Master, then their lives would be greatly enriched by paying homage to Ainz Ooal Gown. It pleased him, nonetheless, that there were such natives in this world who had gotten a glimpse of his glory, and had been wise enough to throw themselves at his ever-benevolent mercy.
"Lord Cocytus," came the voice of another adjutant, deeper now, belonging to a demon who served Demiurge. He turned to give the adjutant his full attention. "The scouts have confirmed that the Holy Kingdom armies have finally arrived and are due to meet our lines within hours. They request your input on how to proceed."
He shifted his position, his body making loud, tinkling noises. He had been standing still for too long that some of the ice on his outer armor had seemingly hardened. "I. Shall. Meet. Them. Personally. Prepare. The. Meeting. Ground."
"Very well, sir." The demon saluted, and flew off.
He flexed his arms, which had grown stiff from disuse. He needed to perform regular practice, for fear of his body completely freezing over. He tried to suppress the restless energy that was building up inside his cool ice body. Cocytus was very much eager to begin the siege and round off his first campaign decisively. It would not be a hard-fought victory, but it was a victory nonetheless. And he would offer it all up gladly to his Master, whose wisdom eclipsed all. He took a scroll from the table and activated the spell inscribed on it, which was a Message directly to Demiurge.
"Demiurge," he announced, when the spell managed to connect successfully. "It. Is. I."
The voice of his fellow Floor Guardian replied, as smooth as ever. "Ah, lord Cocytus. How goes the front?"
"It. Proceeds," he said bluntly. He looked out from his camp, where the thousands gathered from Nazarick lurked, awaiting his signal to begin. "The. Allies. Have. Come. And. So. The. Siege. Will. Begin. At. Last. Expect. Fall. Of. City. At. End. Of. Day."
"Such joyous news!" Demiurge crowed on the other end. "I extend my personal commendation, my good fellow. Obviously, the Master's word is his own, but to my view, you have executed his orders flawlessly. There can be no doubt that this campaign has been led by so expert a hand. Or hands, in this case."
"Your. Praise. Is. Noted." Though the glasses-wearing devil was correct, Ainz's praise would ring higher to his ears. But he would accept his fellows' praise regardless, just as he would offer to them.
"Now, my friend, you will forgive me for asking such a strange question. But how long will it take the Holy Kingdom to arrive, do you know?" Demiurge asked next.
He considered the news that the messenger had only recently passed on to him. "Only. An. Estimate. But. The. Humans. Are. Unreliable."
"Indeed, that is so. As might be expected from their kind, they might even get delayed until the end of the day. In that case, my friend, perhaps you could take this small window of opportunity to return to Nazarick?"
"What?" he asked incredulously. It was as if Demiurge had suddenly started spouting all sorts of nonsense. "Impossible. I. Have. Tasks. Yet. To. Fulfill. My. Duty. Is. To. See. This. Campaign. To. The. End."
"Quite understandable, my good fellow, but slipping back inside Nazarick for a few moments shouldn't be that much of a problem, do you not agree?"
Demiurge's wheedling was very perplexing. Was he hoping to replace him as the supreme commander or something? "No. It. Would. Be. Derelict. Of. My. Duty. To. The. Master."
"That is another commendable thing about you, my friend. In duty you are eternally unflinching in the face of anything. Ah, but if only several others held the same standards as you do on this very moment… Would that were the case, and there would be fewer problems to wrestle." The devil's voice sounded oddly wistful.
"Demiurge. Have. You. Need. Of. Me?" he asked, suspicious now of Demiurge's attempts to get him to return to Nazarick. He could only suspect that there was some form of mischief afoot, one which required him personally. Well, if that was really the case then he would not be drawn in, absolutely. He had little patience for such things already, as would normally happen with Albedo and Demiurge and all the rest of the schemers. And now it would cut into his duties.
"No, my friend. But listen, you must know that the Firstborn are already here." Demiurge paused, as if letting that piece of knowledge sink in for a few moments. "The triplets, born by way of Zesshi Zetsumei, have graced our presence at last with their glory. And now he has presented them, a little informally, to some of us. Curiously, you were not included, but perhaps it is because of your duties over there; when of course we cannot just bring the babes out. And rightly so! But since you now have a small opportunity to return to Nazarick for a small while and pay homage to the Firstborn, well…"
"That. Is. Excellent. News!" Cocytus exclaimed, his shout practically echoing into the air. He clenched his fist, and felt as if he could shatter the earth with a single punch with the way he was feeling on that moment. Truly, none had anticipated the arrival of the Firstborn more than he, and now that they were indeed here, he was more overjoyed than words could describe. No longer as frigid with his duties as he was previously, he said, "I. Shall. Indeed. Return. For. A. While."
It would have been no exaggeration to claim that out of all of Nazarick, he was the one who was most anxious about the Master gaining heirs of his own. Indeed, there might have been others who also harbored the same desire. It might have even be as fervent as his. But he would have fought for the honor of having the greatest wish for it, and would have gone through any lengths so that Ainz-sama would realize it.
That was the reason why he respected Zesshi Zetsumei. Though she might be an outsider, she was the Master's first. And presumably, whatever the circumstances might have been; or whatever reason Ainz-sama had chosen—she was the one the Master chose first to spread his seed. The fact that the Firstborn had now arrived from her womb was enough for him to pledge his gratitude to her, though she would never be treated as one who came from Nazarick.
"Then be welcome to it, my friend," Demiurge then said. "It is your singular right as a Guardian. I am sure the army will do without you for an hour at most."
"Thank. You. Demiurge. I. Shall. Arrange. Things. Now. And. Return. At. Once." He terminated the connection of the Message, then quickly ordered a few adjutants to his side.
He arranged standing orders for all the captains, to make it possible to begin the siege without his input; though he was expecting to return to the front as soon as possible. Then he called for one of the resident liches to Gate him back to Nazarick, while also leaving strict instructions so he could also return from the Tomb on the double.
Departing the battlefield camp, he emerged from the Gate onto familiar environs, surrounded by the ardent solemnity of the Supreme Beings' dark designs. The haven designed by the Supreme Beings never failed to inspire awe within him. Having been away for quite some time, he paused to drink it all in, before he started to move.
Cocytus was currently gripped by the fever of desperate excitement, as the mere thought of laying eyes on the Firstborn heirs of his Master filled him to bursting with so much anticipation.
Presently, he arrived at Ainz-sama's office, hoping to find him, or at least news of him. The guards present stiffened when he approached, saluting him with loud voices before one of them turned towards the door.
"My lord, it is Cocytus. He has come to pay homage to you and give a report," the guard said, announcing his presence.
"Ah, Cocytus? That's a surprise." came the muffled voice from inside. "But it's no trouble. Let him in."
The guard nodded towards him, and he rumbled his thanks as the double doors opened before him. He stepped forward, keeping his eyes to the ground, though his senses were able to "see" Ainz the moment he stepped foot inside the office.
The Master's back was turned towards him, and he seemed to be looking at something that Cocytus couldn't see. Cocytus immediately knelt on the floor before the desk. "I. Am. Returned. From. The. Front. Honored. Lord," he said. "Pleased. I. Am. To. Report. That. Since. Your. Departure. Our. Plans. Continue. Without. Deviation. Or complication. Our. Allies. Have. Arrived. And. Together. We. Can. Finally. Begin. The. Siege. I. Will. Then. Be. Honored. To. Present. You. With. The. Fruits. Of. The. Campaign. Today. Or. Perhaps. Tomorrow. If. Fortune. Is. Ill."
"Mmm…" Ainz said. "Most impressive Cocytus. You have done your best, I can tell." He said nothing for a while after, then said, "I freely admit that I had not expected the war to be ending quite so soon. But perhaps this was for the better, with the births happening and all. Then I won't be so distracted by them anymore."
Then Ainz turned, and Cocytus could finally see his master in full—and what he was carrying with both his hands. It was a small, unassuming bundle, almost like a loaf of bread. But it radiated such authority that for a moment Cocytus could feel his control over his emotions crumpling, as a great swell of joy surged through him.
"Uoh…!"
Thankfully, his Master was present, and it soothed him like a splash of water. "You have caught me at a good time," he said. "One of the Firstborn is with me, and I'd like you to meet him. Meet Zenmoshi, Cocytus. My son."
At the sound of his Master's voice, he was able to rein in his emotions, though he remained stuck as a kneeling statue for quite a while longer. Ainz cocked his head, confused, as Cocytus said and did nothing to what he said.
Finally he was able to say, "That. Is. The. Greatest. News. My. Lord. Congratulations."
Ainz chuckled. "I accept your compliments gladly." He was bobbing his arms, as if he was shaking the child. Cocytus wondered at that, at how he was obviously disturbing Zenmoshi, but he bowed to the Master's superior wisdom.
Then, as Cocytus watched, the little baby's eyes opened, heterochromatic eyes staring at him with undisguised curiosity. Then it opened its mouse and made a high-pitched noise.
"Hoooh. It appears Zenmoshi is most pleased as well to see you, Cocytus," Ainz said, smiling down at his son. He wiggled one of his fingers in front of Zenmoshi's face, who after a few seconds of staring grasped at it with his chubby little hand.
"Ahh… I. Am. Honored. Young. Master." He bowed, perhaps deeper than ever before.
"…Would you like to hold him, Cocytus?" Ainz then asked.
"My. Lord?" Was he imagining things?
"Perhaps this meeting is fateful, that I am here alone with Zenmoshi while the other two are currently out of my hands; and then you arrive. It is perhaps fate, then, that has brought this young one and you together on this day. If so, then let us not scorn the opportunity. Come, carry him for a while."
Now this time Cocytus really could not stop the volume in his voice when he shouted gleefully, "It. Shall. Be. My. Honor!"
Ueda had known that such a place in this "castle" existed, but this was to be the first time she was actually inside such a place. She constantly looked around in wonder at this "healer's chamber", where the walls radiated such an aura of stately dread, of undisputed majesty, as if they were an extension of its owner's body. No place in the Theocracy had ever inspired in her such trepidation and wonder at the same time, not even in the very halls where the Gods were sure to have once dwelled.
Perhaps this was because the God who owned these halls were still very much in this world—the same God that had given Ueda such an unforgettable night nearly a week ago. Ainz-sama was not just a stern-looking statue rising to hundreds of feet that towered over them all; he was an actual being whose sheer presence easily radiated the same amount of majesty despite his smaller size, whose entire being was immersed in a power even she could not rightly comprehend. Ainz-sama's countenance was not just emblazoned for posterity on icons, coins, paintings, on cameos and other objects of religious nature: if one requested it, they could see his face in the flesh, could see it move and change expression, and she could even trace every contour of it with her fingers. Ainz-sama's actions were not just recorded on the pages of tomes or sacred scrolls, reduced to the sequential ordering of symbols on the surface of parchment; no doubt history would record every action he took, but Ueda was here, living in this same history, and every one of his actions were not just lines on parchment, but actual things she witnessed, like when his strong arms held her tight to his powerful body and took her again and again on his bed.
She didn't know if it was really possible to love a God like that, but after having made love to Ainz more times than she could recall, she thought she was ready for that. She hadn't even known such womanly pleasures could exist in the world. Was it destiny, then, that saw to her timely transformation, right at a time when her paths crossed with this divine being?
Currently, she was inside these healer's chambers to confirm something in her body that was sure to have resulted from her time in Ainz's arms. She could recall, in vivid detail, all those dirty words she had whispered to him in the darkness of that chamber. And though in the light of day it made her blush to think of the filth she had spoken, when she was left alone, she would recall it all with a twinge of pride and a telltale twitch of her genitals.
And among those dirty words she had spoken to Ainz had been her urging him to breed her, to seed her womb; which the God had done, very liberally to be sure, and with much eagerness as was to be expected from a man who knew what he wanted. He had done it on such a scale that it was no question that she had been impregnated like a brood mare ridden by an experienced buck; though apparently here now were the healers of Nazarick to make certain that the seed had landed in fertile ground—and quickened into a child as she desired.
The healers she met inside this place didn't look at all like what healers should look like, in her experience. Instead of matronly humans with eager smiles and gentle hands, she was faced with different sorts of creatures with forms that would have terrified children. But she trusted that their monstrous figures concealed a gentler aspect, which immediately turned out to be true when several of them ushered her onto a comfortable chair-like device and had her lie down on it. Then, using magic, they placed their hands gently on her belly, all while asking smooth, crisp questions one after another. It therefore took but a moment for her to get over her initial impressions of their appearances, and allow herself to relax and answer their questions properly.
Presently, the healer withdrew its hands from her belly and nodded to herself.
"Well, good news, Ueda-sama," it said. "The final tests have been completed, and there can be no doubt now. As you, and Ainz-sama suspected, you are indeed pregnant. Be prepared to feel the first telltale signs of pregnancy in your body in the coming weeks, for which we shall of course give our earnest advice."
Another healer approached, nodding as it went. "It is still far too early to tell, of course. But one of the spells has hit on multiple signs of life, my dear, and judging by our previous work with all the rest of Her Ladyships, it is easy enough to guess that you will also be having multiple children, just as Zesshi-sama did."
"Congratulations," they both said.
"Yes… thanks," she said, her eyes distant and unfocused. There were a million thoughts coursing through her mind on that exact moment.
First, of course, was the giddy joy at being shown proof that she had been able to receive the seed of a God, and from there have the greatest honor and privilege of bearing his child. It was the fulfillment of a desire she'd had in her soul ever since she had been changed into a woman, to be afforded the privilege of birthing a great, powerful Godkin with the blood of a true God in their veins. To be called mother to beings with such potential awed her beyond anything she had ever felt before.
Next, of course, was trepidation. She was still quite aware of her reality as a man who but a few months earlier had never even thought she would bear the child of any other man, let alone a God. She'd barely had time to adjust being a female, after she'd decided that she did not wish to return to her previous self. Never mind just working out the kinks of the female body, she'd gone straight ahead to experiencing outright pregnancy! There was a joke somewhere that she couldn't rightly say, and perhaps it would be a part of her legacy to be remembered as the captain who was captured, forced to change gender only to then become a Mother belonging to Ainz Ooal Gown—all under a year. Now that'd be the song bards would love to sing.
And of course, after accepting that premise that she was now a woman, who was now currently pregnant with several Godkin, her mind latched on to the fact of "several". She now had to face the fact that she would not only be giving birth to one, but to at least two. She definitely felt a hint of fear, as she knew of multiple births from hearing and reading about it, and expected it would be a challenge of a pregnancy, not to mention a potentially dangerous (and fatal) birth. It was only the thought of Zesshi having already passed that hurdle, having become the proud bearer of a litter of the "Firstborn" of Ainz that made her steel her resolve. Surely if that woman could make it bearing those three, then she could also manage the same? Not three, but four, perhaps? A whole litter of Godkin! It would be the greatest test of her life: to pit her body against one of the oldest duties of a female body. She would need to be fighting fit, as if she was prepared to go to war.
She was so immersed in her thoughts that she didn't even remember the vague lecture she was given by the healers, and didn't even recall walking out of the chambers, to arrive at the Mother's Hall, which was right next to the healer's chambers. There she stood in the middle of splendor, of almost bacchanal decorations befitting the harems of the Bloody Emperor than of a gathering place for pregnant women, with cushions lying all around, with food presented in various trays all over the room; of the cloying scent of incense and other thick scents and oils that permeated the room, leaving her somewhat dizzy in all her senses.
It was a familiar voice that jolted her out of her musing, a saccharine voice that held within it the promise of treacherous venom. "So, it's true then? Judging by that wistful look on your eyes, the visit to the healers must have gotten you good news. So, congratulations on becoming a Mother, 'captain'."
She narrowed her eyes, and turned her attention towards the speaker. "Clementine."
The heavily pregnant blonde lay sprawled on a sort of bed of cushions, her swollen belly ill hidden by the very immodest clothes she wore, almost like undergarments even, as if she were some sort of harlot awaiting assignation at a brothel. She had no class, and was even unashamedly spreading her legs apart, her bit of clothing barely hiding the pink-lined crevice between her thighs. Her golden hair, once cut short, now lay in long, uneven tresses behind her like a waterfall, untended as if she did not care for how they grew or how long. "Makes for easy grabbing by Ainz," she had once confided in her, revealing the vulgarity without care.
Having to see Clementine here, to acknowledge her presence as a fellow Mother, was very much an intolerable thing. Unfortunately, a very particular détente was in place among the Mothers of Ainz, a peace that he vigorously enforced. Zesshi had drilled it into her that even she would be outmatched by at least two of the other Mothers present, and that she should refrain from being so overly antagonistic against her. Not only would this displease Ainz, who was known to make his displeasure plain even towards the Mothers, it would also be perceived as weakness by those of Nazarick who were said to hate the outsiders. And that, Zesshi had said, must not happen.
"Whatever your feelings might be towards her," she had said, "That's all in the past now. Keep it to yourself, and don't be so foolish as to get caught by Ainz-sama."
"Oh? Why the sour face, my dear? Have I said something to offend?" Clementine said, smiling insincerely.
"Forgive me," Ueda said stiffly, walking over to the other side of the room, as far away from possible from the other woman. She wasn't quite pregnant yet, but she did want to sit down after hearing such monumental news. "I was merely contemplating the future."
She took Zesshi's words to heart, but she could still not believe that she had to tolerate this blatant disgrace of a human being. She wondered how such a wise God as Ainz could have ever been interested in the blonde, who embodied one of the worst examples of humanity.
"And it has got you worried?" Clementine asked brazenly, uncaring of the distance, and letting her voice carry out in a loud voice that was not quite a shout. "Why? Are you carrying multiple…? Judging by the look on your face, that sounds like a yes. Another congratulations!" Clementine clapped her hands one more time.
"Please stop," Ueda said, glaring. Despite Zesshi's words, she still could not resist letting her emotions show.
Clementine raised her brow. "Why are you displeased? You should be happy you're carrying multiple. I myself have my cute little twins all ready to meet their daddy, while you'll be at that stage where you're still guessing how many there'll be. Think of how exciting it'll be..!"
"You say that, Clementine, but I'm not sure we're sharing the same type of enthusiasm. You will forgive me if I do not quite share your sentiments," she said coldly.
"Ah, don't be such a buzzkill. We're not in the Theocracy anymore, we can all afford to pull out the sticks from our asses." She wagged her brow suggestively. "I know one stick that'll fit your asshole just fine. But I'm sure you know."
"…Yes," she said through gritted teeth.
Clementine cackled, an unpleasant thing to hear. "Well there you go! But hey, if it suits you to be that much of a wet blanket, then I won't stop you. Still, I gotta thank you for confirming a little theory I've got ever since I got pregnant with these brats?"
"A theory?" Ueda questioned.
"With your case being confirmed, that's three for three now," Clementine said, smirking as if she knew some type of knowledge that Ueda didn't know. "Thrice, that any outsider who's been dragged here to Nazarick ended up with more than one kid in their belly." She held out her fingers, three of them pointed up. "Now, we can't really say that being an outsider guarantees you'll get multiple. If that was true, then that high and mighty Holy Queen and her fucktoy would have gotten multiple, but they've only got the one each. That bitch Keeno's also only got one, and she's the one closest in power to the both of you. So, it stands to reason, then, that it's only those from the Theocracy who manage to get multiple kids from one strong spurt of Ainz-sama's baby batter. And that's something interesting to note, don't you think?"
"… Perhaps." When Clementine put it that way, it did make one wonder. Perhaps it was because they had Player blood in their veins as well, which would guarantee that there were multiple births when mixed together with another Player's? But no, all the accounts—the official accounts in the holy texts anyway—stating that their gods had only issued one child at a time, and there were no mention of twins or triplets and the like. Multiple women were sired, obviously, for it was their right as gods, but as far as she knew there had been no accounts of multiple children per birth.
She thought about any other women from the Theocracy who would be falling to their knees for a chance to be impregnated by a literal God. Though she wasn't really sure if that situation was her just being too optimistic. Not everyone had the right and the capability of siring God seed (the other outsiders notwithstanding).
"Well, it's just a silly little thought of mine. Who knows? Maybe Zesshi's next go around on the Master's cock carousel will end up with just the one, and then that's my theory out the window. And even if that did end up being the case, then it's no skin off my back. I didn't put down money on it or anything like that. It's just a silly little observation, nothing more." Clementine cackled.
"So in the end, you have said nothing of substance despite spouting off all that," Ueda said with some asperity.
"I've got to be good with jawing off words, my dear Captain, it was part of the job," Clementine said, smiling thinly, her lips pressed together like the edge of a stiletto. "There's a mark in front of me, and he's armed to the gills and wary for danger. So it's always good to bury the hapless fool under a whole lot of words, making him all dizzy and confused about the beautiful girl talking with him. That's before I stick the sharp end of my life-ender between their ribs and carve them up something nice. Heh, makes me drool just thinking about it."
"Very inspiring," Ueda said, with a shake of her head. To glorify murder in such a foolish way was not her idea of what a Mother of Ainz-sama would be, but there it was.
"There's something to your pregnancy being multiples though," Clementine said. "One could say it's just a natural progression of what you've already got after changing into a woman, Captain."
"What?" She didn't know what Clementine was driving at here.
Clementine placed her hands under her own boobs and mimed pushing up a pair twice their current sizes. "Those big honkers of yours aren't just for show. They're for giving milk to a whole lot of brats, like a big cow. Gyahahahaha!" The blonde erupted in laughter, and slapped her thighs.
"Enough!" she said, rising to her feet. She ignored the way her breasts jiggled independently underneath her clothes, jostled by the sudden movement. Gods, but she was still rather perplexed about these things. "Perhaps it was a mistake to come here and listen to your foolishness. You will excuse me for leaving Clementine. Good day to you."
"Where are you off to? To find Ainz-sama?" Clementine drawled.
"To give him the good news," Ueda said, brushing invisible dust from the front of her clothes. Though it really was none of Clementine's business what she did. "I promised him I'd let him now. Again, a good day to you. Good luck with… thinking or whatever it is you do here. Alone." With a scathing glare as a parting gift, Ueda marched away, leaving the Mother's Hall behind. She was perhaps imagining it, but she thought she could hear her snickering even when she was already far away.
It occurred to her after a few moments of marching down the corridors that she'd never asked the healers about where Ainz might be—or if she did then she had blanked out if they had answered. And she wasn't going to go back and inquire from Clementine—not that she would be getting a straight answer from that one, no.
Ruminating on her options, she decided to turn her feet and head towards Zesshi's chambers, hoping to catch the other woman there. Perhaps she could also ask for some more advice about her current situation, or even see the babes again. Maybe she could even ask permission to hold one of them, and her cheeks warmed at the very thought.
She paused when she started to hear some odd sounds at a particular area. In these desolate halls, where one did not hear noise often, their presence was the exception rather than the rule. One's curiosity was therefore aroused when such noise was heard, and it was such an unusual noise at that.
The sounds seemed to be coming from a certain room, which she thought belonged to the butler of Nazarick, Sebas Tian, and his "bitches". She had raised a brow to hear Clementine remark upon that, when the other woman had given her an impromptu tour some days back. She had thought nothing of it until this very moment, when she realized that the noise could possibly be coming from this Sebas Tian, whom she had only seen from afar and whom she had never really interacted (not that she had really tried).
The noises seemed to be fading and growing loud at random intervals, as if the source was moving erratically inside the room. With curiosity thus tugging at the back of her mind, Ueda couldn't help but sigh to herself and creep towards the door leading to the room where the noises were originating. Then, using a simple divination spell, she cast a prism of light forward, a magical creation that connected to her mind, allowing her to see through that prism as if it was an eye. She pushed that magic through the crevice of the door, which allowed her to spy into rooms behind closed doors. The only exception were protective wards that blocked divination, but this room didn't seem to possess that.
The sight that initially greeted her from inside this room was some sort fight, and it was something that immediately sent her brain in a daze. Grunting, she had to pull back, temporarily suspending the spell. She had to close her eyes to allow her brain to adjust to what it had seen. A small headache seemed to be erupting from inside her skull. She took a deep breath, and then accessed her spell once again.
First, there was Sebas Tian, obviously, the butler she had seen before, dressed in his elegant colors. His expression was utterly still and stoic as he moved at a greater speed than what one might expect from someone of his age. Her eyes had initially found it difficult to track his movements, which were so lightning quick that it had made her eyes crossed.
On the other side of this spar there was a woman. It was a tall, burly woman with great muscles bulging all over her body, nearly half-naked, and who was also moving fast, fighting with all of her limbs as she moved at great speed. This one she recognized as "Zero", from when they had met several times inside Nazarick. According to Clementine, she was one of Sebas' bitches, a fact that the woman herself did not seem to reject when they had conversed.
There was one thing that was readily apparent when she looked at these two for more than a second: while this burly woman was indeed moving fast, it wasn't an impressive speed for a fighter of Ueda's caliber. This was proven by the fact that no matter how much she moved, Sebas moved quite a bit faster, anticipating blows ably with a nimble dodge or a quick deflecting tap of his gloves. The man seemed as slippery as an eel, and no blow never seemed to land on his body no matter how much Zero tried.
Watching the other woman, Ueda could clearly see that she wasn't some sort of remarkable human. She was quite middling, really. Zero seemed to be some sort of brawler or trained ascetic, who had trained her bare body to be able to deliver crushing blows without needing to use a weapon. The Theocracy had many in its ranks who followed such a discipline, and Ueda could plainly say that this woman was not anything special. Perhaps she was on the level of that weakling Clementine, if the fool was caught unawares.
Hypothetically, if she was facing this woman, then she would be an easy thing to fight. There were many things one could do to combat those who thought foregoing any sort of weaponry was an advantage. Indeed, she even had subordinates who could take on Zero without breaking much of a sweat, as her movements seemed rather wild and untrained, with little of the discipline that marked those who had been trained from birth to be loyal soldiers of the Theocracy. She fought like a brute, and she would be put down like a brute.
However, this Sebas on the other hand… he was far more difficult to judge. Just as it had been when she had reported to Grand Marshal Cocytus, the leader entrusted with the conquest of the Re-Estize Kingdom, her experienced gaze could not gain the muster of this individual. Cocytus had been some sort of living mountain to her, far greater than even the frost giants who dwelled in such places. Though he appeared as if he would move in slow and pondering motions, she could clearly tell that his capabilities were far beyond that. And then she watched Cocytus spar with his weapons, and then she was convinced: as an enemy he would be a threat that could destroy entire kingdoms by himself. Leading such a grand army meant that he would have been deemed an apocalyptic threat on his own. But he was subordinate to Ainz Ooal Gown, which served to amplify Ainz-sama's power even further.
That this Sebas also served Ainz further enhanced his prestige.
Sebas looked so much like an unassuming old butler that it was hard to believe that one's eyes were being deceived. And yet, the truth of the matter was right in front of her eyes, as the butler moved with motions so quick that Ueda's eyes were hard-pressed to even catch them. It sent chills down her spine to see evidence of what something stronger could be like, as her body seemed to recognize that facing combat with this thing with nothing less than Ainz at her side would be tantamount to suicide. She imagined him fighting Cocytus, and that would be perhaps like a clash of titans.
Eventually, the practice duel seemed to be winding down to a stop. It concluded with the dark-skinned lady leaping up with one final kick, only for Sebas to block it with nothing but his finger. Then, as if they were following some invisible signal, Zero jumped back, her mouth bared in a snarl. Then she relaxed her combat pose to something more neutral.
"Fuck!" she spat, her chest heaving mightily as she exhaled great gouts of air, her body apparently adjusting to the great exertion it had just endured. Sebas on the other hand, looked entirely unruffled, as if he hadn't been doing anything strenuous at all.
"Your movements were much improved, I say," he said. "And I can confirm that the power behind your blows have made a marked increase, without sacrificing the speed behind them. So think of it as an overall improvement in performance. It must be applauded."
"… Thanks," Zero said, in-between gasping breaths. "Not for nothing, it's good to hear that my efforts are gaining fruit. Not enough to even land a hit on ya, but I'm gaining some good progress that I couldn't replicate just from training by myself. In a way, it's time well spent and training well-earned." She chuckled, shaking her head and rotating her arms. "That's very odd though…"
"What?"
The woman shrugged. "That I'm getting some good improvements, I mean. I thought I'd reached the pinnacle of my abilities already, and I was just gaining some combat experience. But I can feel that my punches are a lot tougher now, and I'm sure I could crumple some knights' armor in no sweat now, without even needing to drink a potion or something like that. But I don't know why it's happening now."
Sebas seemed to be thinking on that. Then he nodded and said, "Well, it's no surprise."
"Hm? What do you mean?"
Sebas said nothing else to that. Ueda was also curious, but the man wasn't forthcoming with anything more. Instead, he gestured to her. "You look like you're having trouble there."
The other woman looked down at her own body. Ueda was also curious about what it was he was referring to, but her view from the door was blocked by a few pieces of furniture. But before she could adjust her spell, Zero had squawked and jerked backwards. Her hands were placed over her chest.
"Th-That's nothing! Don't mind that! It's just a normal bodily reaction, n-nothing more!"
Now that she had a second look, it occurred to Ueda that Zero seemed to be wearing something that looked like one of those divine garments. Such were the objects that Zesshi had lent Ueda, which was supposed to seduce Ainz-sama. Only this time it looked bulkier, somehow, as if it was meant to be used for more strenuous activity. And she then noted that the woman's nipples were clearly seen through the fabric—painfully erect—which seemed to be the reason for her distress. She wondered why such divine garments had been given to someone who was not meant for Ainz.=
"It's just the heat of the spar, nothing more!" the woman cried. A blush could be clearly seen on her rough-hewn face.
Sebas cleared her throat. "Are you sure you don't require my assistance again?" The question seemed to be implying something Ueda didn't know, as the other woman's blush deepened significantly, as if she had heard something downright scandalous.
Silence followed for a very long while, making Ueda shift uneasily, wondering what was going on.
Finally, Zero said, "Fine, let's do it… gods damn this stupid woman body!" before she pushed her fingers beneath the garment and pulled it upwards, stripping it off her sweaty body. Ueda's eyes widened to see the woman's orbs lolling out, instantly causing her to blush. Then her magical eyes went to see Sebas and see his reaction, only for her to make a slight squeak as the butler seemed to be expertly stripping off his clothes in turn, with a very calm and dignified manner.
Then suddenly, his eyes glanced towards Ueda, who immediately drew back from the door. Ueda blinked rapidly, her heart beating fast in her chest. Had she been spotted? Did she need to run? It was impossible that anyone would have sensed her divination! But perhaps Sebas was really that powerful? She wondered if she needed to run now, just to avoid having to answer questions or land in any sort of awkward situation.
Then, there came telltale rustling noises from beyond the door, and once more Ueda could not resist her curiosity. She had to see what was going on, and so once more she activated the spell.
In the brief moments when she had been panicking, the two had not wasted time and had quickly gone into position. When a man and a woman were alone inside a room, both stripped down to their birthday suits, and had then adjusted their bodies into a position so close to each other; there could be no other explanation for what they were about to do. The woman had taken up position against a wall, bent over, sticking out her buttocks towards the man. Sebas had also moved close, bumping his hips against her buttocks, and so it did not need the rest of Ueda's imagination to come to the correct conclusion, despite the fact that several pieces of furniture were blocking her direct view of the action. (not that she was at all curious to see the intimate connection of their anatomies so clearly, no)
"Not so rough this time, yeah?" the woman said, grunting. "And please make it quick. I just want it over with as soon as possible."
"Zero, I'm afraid that will be entirely up to you," Sebas said. He grunted in his turn as he rocked his body forward—and it was obvious to Ueda that he had pushed himself inside the woman's hole, if Zero's sharp hiss and the way she closed her eyes wasn't also an obvious indication.
Then the couple started really going at it. As she watched the couple embrace their passions as an impromptu voyeur, she wondered at Zero's words to her before. She had stated so emphatically that she wasn't Sebas' woman. Well, that seemed like complete horseshit, a blatant lie thanks to this unforgettable scene, where Ueda was even here to see it all in its glory. She was torn between wanting to call her out on it, to being thoroughly disinterested in what other women were doing—especially when they were not fellow lovers of Ainz Ooal Gown.
And Zero was openly moaning! That grizzled, no-nonsense woman with the stoic demeanor was panting and squealing like a bitch being bred! She was really getting into it, despite her earlier demeanor. For Ueda, it was a very stark reminder of what a woman in the throes of desperate heat sounded like, which called back to when she had been in that same position. She shuddered, wondering if it really was just part of being a woman to be so absorbed by sex.
"Don't get so loud," Sebas chided her.
"Hrmmmphhhh…!" Zero said, stifling her throaty moans behind a fist. Even a virgin would have seen the obvious signs of lust-drunk pleasure in her expression, undeniable proof of a woman who had succumbed to the pleasures of a cock.
Ueda shook her head, and closed her eyes. She wasn't a voyeur, and she had less interest on what other couples did in their own time behind closed doors (or partially opened in this case). And more than that, she needed to find Ainz-sama still. She couldn't forget that it was the main reason why she was even near a place like this. So thinking, she dispelled her magic and made to fall back, her curiosity spent.
She nearly screamed aloud when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
She quickly turned, her instincts rising the fore. Then she relaxed when she saw the familiar visage of Ainz Ooal Gown, looking down inquisitively at her. Her heart instantly soared at the sight of him, as if he was the sun suddenly appearing after a long, cold night.
"I say, Ueda," he said smoothly. "What are you doing here?"
"Ainz-sama…!" she breathed, unable to take her eyes from his handsome face. She could feel her insides all but swooning at his mere presence, and for that reason she couldn't answer his question immediately. It was as if her brain had been outrigh t scrambled and rendered unable to think. "I… aaah… I… aahhh…"
"Breathe, my dear," he said, patting her shoulder affectionately.
"Um…" She took a huge breath. Then she exhaled. "Whooohhhh…"
Then Ueda noticed that Ainz wasn't alone at all. Behind her was a woman—a Mother judging by her very pregnant frame. She recognized her as Neia, who stared at her with those peculiar, serious-looking eyes of hers. It was always so unnerving to look at the woman, as if she had some sort of bone to pick. Luckily, according to Clementine she was rather weak, so she didn't feel any cause for being threatened. Zesshi did insist, though, that even the weakest among the outsiders be given their due, as disunity would only be to their detriment. So she chose to just be indifferent to her existence until now.
Standing next to her was a man in a funny-looking suit, almost similar to that worn by Sebas, wearing a pair of spectacles and a wide, toothy grin. Behind his back was a long, sinuous tail, which ended in a point like an arrowhead. She recognized this one from the description to be Demiurge, one of those who answered directly to Ainz. Zesshi warned her to be wary of that one, and Clementine had nothing at all to say about him other than to keep away. When two others from the Theocracy told her to be cautious, she would err on the side of caution.
And right behind him was a familiar figure—the tall, dominating figure of the white-armored warrior with multiple arms, his mere presence radiating the austerity of a mountain peak. He was her previous boss at the battlefield—Cocytus.
She saw that Cocytus was carrying something in the crook of one of his arms. From a mere glance, she was able to see that it was one of Ainz-sama's children—whom she thought to be Zenmoshi. Or was it Satoshi? She couldn't really tell the triplets apart from just a glance.
"My apologies, Ainz-sama," she said, with a slight bow. She took a breath, to steady herself. "You just surprised me." She glanced towards the others, then back to him. "May I ask what you are doing here?"
Ainz raised his brow. "Well, actually, as it happens, I was looking for you. Admittedly, I have other destinations in mind, but you became part of my objectives. I had just been in to talk with Clementine, you see, and she mentioned to me that you had been looking for me. So, that dovetailed with my previous intentions, and now good fortune has placed us together to meet."
Ueda tried not to grimace. She had actually just missed Ainz-sama by mere minutes? If she had only waited for a few minutes more enduring that insufferable woman's words, she might have met him directly, instead of ending up here and somehow witnessing some couple fucking in a random room, as she now had.
"Yes, Ainz-sama," she said, nodding excitedly. "I was indeed looking for you."
"You know, it's rather funny," Ainz then said. "We had already arrived a few minutes earlier in this part of the corridor, back there," he thumbed over his shoulder. "I wanted to call out to you, but you looked like you were so focused on what you were doing." He glanced towards the slightly open door, and Ueda was forced to follow his gaze. Then he blinked, his expression changing, no doubt hearing very clearly the noises that were coming from within the room. If she could hear things muffled from a closed door, it was a fair bet he would also have detected it.
"Ummm… Ainz-sama…" she started, her cheeks coloring slightly, only for Ainz to sigh loudly.
"I suppose this is to be expected," he said aloud. "This is what can reasonably happen when you change someone from man to woman. I should really stop doing it…"
Then, unexpectedly, the door creaked open, as if it had been pushed by some strong wind, or some invisible creature. Ueda's eyes widened in panic as the door slowly revealed the sight that she had only been watching incognito—and which was now slowly being revealed to this impromptu audience outside the door.
Ainz uttered a soft curse. Neia squealed something and turned away. Demiurge rubbed his chin, saying "Ho…"; while Cocytus pivoted on his heels, swiftly hiding the baby from view.
As they watched for a few seconds, Sebas turned his head, his body still resolutely moving, his hips thrusting back and forth; despite the awareness of his Master becoming an unwitting witness to his mating. He nodded respectfully. "My lord."
"Eh.. wha—" Ueda could see Zero's head whip around, looking straight towards the door—straight at Ainz-sama and the rest of them. For a moment the surprise on her face looked downright comical and overblown, before she shrieked and moved, covering herself up and cursing up a storm of expletives that echoed throughout the room.
"Stop—gaah—stop, Sebas—damnit why are you still moving… haaah…! My ass, you're tearing my aaahhhh—"
Despite the literal audience he had unwittingly gathered, Sebas continued to move, while Zero continued to try to stifle her moans, all while awkwardly covering her flopping breasts.
Ainz cleared his throat, his expression stiff and frozen, as if he was trying to figure out the right words to say. As the awkward situation continued, Ueda realized something that made her want to slap her forehead on that very moment.
Forget these idiots getting caught rutting; in all this ruckus, she'd entirely forgotten to tell Ainz-sama the good news!
For those who lived in Nazarick, the sight of the procession marching down the hall was truly something remarkable. After all, one did not need to march in great numbers anywhere in Nazarick, unless the Tomb itself was already being invaded. Had Ainz been there to witness it, he would also have expressed the same thoughts, as the procession was composed of a peculiar sort.
At the very center of this strange marching formation was Shalltear Bloodfallen, looking very round and rotund in her advanced pregnancy. Despite her very pronounced belly, she was still able to walk with stately grace and dignity, maintaining a supreme, unruffled poise despite her engorged abdomen lurching about repeatedly with her every step.
Surrounding her were a host of her subordinates. These were the vampire brides who had always been her minions ever since the Supreme Beings had created them. As Shalltear's personal attendants, they were also responsible for fulfilling each and every one of her whims, no matter how mercurial or tyrannical they might seem. Often, she used them to sate her sexual hunger, by indulging in their bodies. She'd indulged in them less and less now that she had the opportunity to join the Master in his many glorious orgies, which suited a deviant like her just fine. Still, she had wanted to suggest that her vampire brides join in on the fun several times, though each time she had stopped herself from actually going through with it. Perhaps she rightfully feared Ainz-sama's firm rejection, which would then add on to his displeasure, which Shalltear already possessed in spades. Her hatred for Albedo and the outsiders had made her run her mouth a few times in his presence, and he was not tolerant of such excesses, unfortunately enough.
The sight of Shalltear marching down the corridor, surrounded by all her brides, would have been unusual by itself. But the strangeness was then compounded when an onlooker would have seen what each bride was currently carrying. Each vampire bride was carrying trays containing mountain loads of food, all still steaming fresh and hot from the kitchens; having been pilfered from that place before they were transported up towards the Mother's Hall. Each bride carried a tray on each hand, with some carrying smaller trays balanced precariously on their heads.
Even Shalltear herself carried a tray of food on one hand, though hers was not a mountainous pile as the vampire brides carried. With the way she was walking she was like a seasoned maid expertly carrying food for her master, while carrying on with a sense of placid dignity.
An onlooker would be forgiven in assuming that all this food had been intercepted from the kitchens as some sort of prank, some cruel, vindictive stroke to spite the outsiders in the Mother's Hall who had earned her eternal hatred. But even the malicious Shalltear was not so stupid as to arouse the ire of her lover, who was definitely inside Nazarick at this time; and who would definitely hear about such foolishness quickly from the maids at the kitchens.
Despite her essentially bullying them to hand over their newest creations to fill up her brides' trays, she had begged them not to say anything to Ainz-sama, and did not just threaten them to stop preparing food for the Mother's Hall. Despite all their scraping and bowing, the maids could not be ordered to do anything contrary to what Ainz-sama had personally ordered them, and Shalltear's threat would only have reached the Master—to her complete detriment.
Still, she had not explained to them the reason for her bizarre kitchen raid, nor for the massive amounts of food she had ordered her minions to carry back to her chambers. The brides did not have the capacity to question her decisions, and so her reasons remained her secret completely. It was a reason so embarrassing that she would have been greatly mortified if Ainz-sama discovered it.
Somehow, for some bizarre reason, her hunger had peaked, and she needed to sate it with normal food. Her blood hunger was still present, but it was not as strong as her newfound hunger for things. She was constantly puckish for the food, which was odd considering her physiology as a blood-sucking undead. Even blood no longer seemed to be enough for her, as if her baby had no use for it, instead wishing to imbibe real, actual food.
The hunger had grown so strong that she had gone from having a few of her brides go on covert raiding missions to swipe a few trays of food from the kitchens—to outright going there herself with as many of her minions she had available. It was a constant, gnawing hunger, one which was only sated for a short while. It was something she could only attribute to the babe growing in her belly, whose desire for what energy she could give it was nigh insatiable.
Well, she couldn't deny her child that, as what sort of mother would that make her? She wanted her child to be born strong and healthy, just like those spawned by Zesshi Zetsumei. After seeing them and their precious forms, her desire to see her child born safely only grew, and if she had to consume trays of food to see that done, she would readily do it.
This was exactly the reason why—despite the fact that Ainz-sama was currently present here in the Tomb, she could not stick to his side just like that fool Albedo. She had to keep this newfound hunger hidden, at least until her own birth. She was already skating on thin ice as it was, with the Master refusing to take her side when it came to justifying her place among the other Mothers who had not belonged to Nazarick. Those outsiders belonged on a lower tier, and yet fools like Zesshi Zetsumei were exalted above her! Indeed, there was no greater disgrace to her pride than being forced to stand on the same level as these insufferable weaklings, and only because the Master had deigned to bestow upon them his seed.
Perhaps the greatest and most egregious of insults was that of their newest addition to their ranks, that newly minted Mother. Oh, the healers had not confirmed her pregnancy yet, but when it came to Ainz-sama it was already a bygone thing. Whether it would take this week or the next, that outsider would become a Mother just like them, as sure as the sun rose and sank, for Ainz-sama's seed was quite potent.
The underserving Ueda had once been a man, a prisoner to whom Ainz-sama had bestowed his cruel justice. And yet she had not been forced into obsolescence, forgotten by all. No! She was not only elevated to become a Mother like them, she had also budded some blasted, overlarge boobs! While it was gratifying to have Zesshi be outstripped in this regard, it also meant that another outsider had taken over the distinction, which was yet another point against Nazarick, and against her! It was a dreadful insult that should not be born, and yet she could not act so openly, not with Ainz-sama strictly enforcing the peace.
Perhaps this frustration was also another reason why she was always so hungry?
Presently, Shalltear arrived back at her quarters, which had been converted to a facsimile of her original quarters on the First Floor as per her request. It was large enough to fit her and a host of her vampire brides, who were there in lieu of the homunculi maids to assist her with everything, from daily comforts to letting off some sexual steam. The brides currently aiding her by carrying off food were now busy laying it all on the central table, from where Shalltear would start to clear everything out to feed her insatiable hunger. She went to sit down at the chair appointed to her.
"Are the doors locked?" she asked, her face dead serious. The vampire brides nodded, making their idiot noises. "Then ensure that we are appropriately warned should the Master arrive. We trust you can accomplish even that simple task?"
The brides nodded fervently, before scurrying away, leaving Shalltear to begin sating her hunger with all the food she had brought back. With a pained look in her eyes, she started laying into the food without bothering to use any utensils nor practice proper table manners, instead using fingers to shove in amounts of food inside her mouth, all in service of her ravenous hunger. It was such a disgraceful sight, and one which she dared not show in front of Ainz, or she would be shamed forever. But she could not afford to eat at her usual pace—she needed to consume the food quickly.
Without an outlet for her anger but the food, her thoughts naturally returned to the outsiders, and the insults they had heaped upon her. It had not only been that Ueda who had been most egregious. That Zero, who was thankfully not part of Ainz-sama's circle, had also been chosen by Sebas to round out his own stable of women. That Sebas would choose another outsider was already an insult unto itself, but that the woman had also been a man before made it all the more galling! What did they have that she did not possess? Her strength far outstripped any of them here, and yet she was forced to play nice with them?
She clenched her fist, hard enough to snap some fried shellfish into many sharp splinters. Naturally, they did not even pierce her smooth, porcelain skin. Yet it had burst out its innards everywhere—including her own clothes. The vampire brides gasped, and started to bustle all around her with wipes and cloths, each struggling for the honor of cleaning their mistress.
"Stop it," she yelled, annoyed by their presence. "Stop!" she smashed her foot on floor, causing an almighty din, which also made the brides scatter, fearing their mistress's anger.
She breathed in and out, her anger seething inside her mind. She was about to reach out with greasy fingers and seize the nearest bride to torment, when there came a kick inside her belly.
She stopped, blinking, before her face smoothed out into a smile. She looked down and patted the spot where the kick had come from, imagining the small chubby legs of her child inside her womb, similar to those of Ainz's Firstborn. Now that she had seen the example of the children, she could but imagine the same features on her child, albeit better and more beautiful in her case than Zesshi's inferior, squealing spawn.
"Hush, little one," she whispered. "My apologies for disturbing your feast. You are right, mother should keep eating, and not bother with such trivial thoughts. They are unbecoming of my, of our stature." So declaring, she reached for a biscuit and continued to eat. She liked to imagine her child gurgling in laughter, just like Zesshi's brats, especially in Ainz's arms. And Shalltear would stand there by their side, practically glowing as they beheld the treasure they had created.
Yes, the time would come soon. She could not wait until this one was born, and she would show the world why she was the best in all of Nazarick. Her child would outshine them all, and Ainz would recognize that indeed she was the best of all the Mothers, and that she would stand at the top, as was right.
Idly, she wondered where Albedo currently was, and hoped that she wasn't in an orgy with the Master at the moment. She had her current hunger to deal with, but she hoped the others wouldn't steal a march on her and gain even more favor from Ainz while she was here incapacitated.
Perhaps she would go and pay a visit to Zesshi after this, to keep abreast of things. Zesshi was also still forbidden from joining orgies, so soon after her birth, and so would also be naturally curious about anything happening. Much as she disdained the half-human abomination, it was undeniable that she held the advantage as the one who birthed the Firstborn.
And perhaps she could even beg for a chance to carry one of the Firstborn while she was there. If there was one desire she had that hadn't been sated, it was to hold one of Ainz-sama's children in her arms.
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".