Breeding Issues

by The Ruff Pusher

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

36. Chapter 36

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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The Temple of the Rebirth was one of the oldest structures in the capital of the Slaine Theocracy. It had stood the test of time for as long as the nation had been alive. Many pilgrims and devotees flocked to its celebrated halls every day, becoming one of the Theocracy's more celebrated major temples. Its storied reputation flowed from its legend, which lent the Temple a venerable, inviolable air.

The story was that the Temple's stones had been transported from one of the Theocracy's last great castles. It therefore served as a reminder to the people of a period when the nation had once ruled over a vast empire's worth of land. In those times the Theocracy's reach had stretched as far as the Abelion Hills to the west, then north and east deep into Arwintar and the (now former) northern fiefdoms of Re-Estize. Even when the Six Gods had left, they enjoyed a time of prosperity that lasted for "several lifetimes" as the texts reckoned.

Then came the dark times, when the Eight Greed Kings devastated the world, and the Theocracy's hold on its territories had been shattered. Though the Godkins were powerful, too many died in their attempts to challenge the Kings. There were great tales of valiant heroes and selfless sacrifices, of countless lineages lost forever to the scourge of evil. But more pertinent to the Temple in question had been the tale of the Theocracy's last great citadel, located in a place whose name was remembered, yet its exact location had been lost to time. The many strongholds had been built with the help of the Six; had perhaps even been touched by their own hands, granting them a blessing undeniable. Many were the tears shed when these castles fell to the enemy, turning sacred stone to innumerable dust.

Upon sensing the doom approaching in the distance, the heroic Godkin who had guarded the very last castle, had then volunteered to hold back the enemy; while thousands worked to transport the castle's stones, piecemeal, to the capital. There were songs of him challenging a Greed King and dueling him to the death, while the faithful worked day and night to tear down ramparts wholesale and drag them over miles of land back to the capital.

In the end, there had not been enough time to take back the whole castle, but the Godkin's sacrifice had allowed many people to flee and survive, and for some that had been most important. Seeing all the stones that had been secured, the Cardinals of that time had commissioned a temple to be built from it all. It was completed, consecrated, and named the Temple of the Rebirth, and dedicated to the immortal Sursyana. It withstood the test of time, living when the Eight Greed Kings did not, and many more threats to the Theocracy rose and fell. The temple, symbol of rebirth, continued to stand, as did the Theocracy, and for that reason it was celebrated.

It was also for that very same reason that the Temple had been chosen as the site where Sursyana would be hosted. His sudden return to the Slaine Theocracy had overthrown many plans, and while a more fitting home was being prepared, they had given Ainz-sama the Temple of the Rebirth to live in as a temporary measure.

Ueda knew of the temple, and its reputation. She had visited there several times during her time as Captain of the Black Scripture. It was not a place she liked to visit, despite being a pious sort. She was never one who liked Sursyana, the god of death, despite revering all of the Six as any good child must. It was very ironic that she would be drawn to the god of death in spite of that.

She also knew that it had been Ainz who had chosen the temple, for whatever reason. His choice had delighted the Cardinals and the rest who knew of Sursyana's return. She did not really know if her master was aware of the temple's significance nor of its link to himself; it was very likely that he did, but whether or not this was supposed to be a plan of some sort she could not really say.

Currently, she was walking back towards the temple, back to the side of the god who had taken her as a lover. She had needed to leave it in the first place in order to speak with her fellows on the Scripture. She had expected it to be the necessary "debrief" of her actions since she had been taken by Ainz-sama, and the matter of her changing to become a woman. It had not been required of her, as she now occupied a privileged position, but she was perfunctory in that way, and wished to wash her hands completely of her role as captain. Then she found out that they had actually planned a celebratory party for her, complete with liquor she was forbidden to drink. They had toasted her "success" as she would who would bear a God's child.

Then, the more responsible blokes had taken her aside to tell her that though they did not expect to interrogate her on the matter; as per the protocol they were forced to follow, she was still to be set aside: "suspended" as Captain. They had then assured her most vehemently that they still considered her the Captain despite it all. They proclaimed that if Sursyana willed it, she could always come back to resume her previous role as if nothing had happened; though they did not insist on the implication that if it really happened, it was because Ainz-sama had set her aside—a disquieting thought for any woman who had been considered chosen.

In the aftermath of that party, she now felt a twinge of sadness at the thought that she was in a way abandoning her comrades just like that; even if her new role was more important than being the captain. She would probably not miss those times when she had not been Ueda, when she had been blind to the true god's return.. But she would still think of those times fondly.

Upon returning to the street where the Temple was located, she noticed that there was a crowd now scattered all over the thoroughfare. They were composed of the usual people of the faithful, as well as guards and other concerned citizens who had been drawn to the existence of a crowd. Their noises made such a din as of a marketplace, usually frowned upon in the presence of such a hallowed Temple, where worship and meditation were prized. She could bet that half of this crowd were busybodies who showed up to voice that exact same sentiment.

Ueda knew that no formal announcement had been made about Ainz-sama's return. The Cardinals all seemed to be weighing their options on how best to announce the news. It helped that Ainz-sama himself was also not pushing for it, allowing the Cardinals to decide on their own.

It would have been very hard for her to push through the enormous crowd all by herself, not without stepping on some toes or eliciting a few grumbles. But she was accompanied by men from the Scriptures, footsoldiers who were tasked to escort her back to Ainz-sama. They were the ones who started pushing aside the crowd with their armored hands, consequently drawing the people's attention by their actions.

As soon as they became aware of her, the crowd's noises dwindled into stark silence. Then there came whispered mutterings, sounding like snakes hissing in the brush. She knew what they were all thinking: she was the one who was the last to have left the Temple, accompanied by the Scripture. And now she was returning towards that same temple, while all these other people were yet refused access.

Who was she, they would wonder, to be afforded access when others cannot? When we cannot? They were puzzled by this strange sort of injustice as she was marched down the street, the soldiers parting the crowd ably with their forms. They even wondered who exactly she was, for she did not seem like someone who had lived in the city a while.

She wondered if they would all change their tunes, if they knew she was pregnant with a god's child. Her unwitting revelation to the Cardinals had been another secret to be guarded for the moment, as they grappled with the full weight of all that it implied. Yet for all that she felt proud before her former comrades, she knew Ainz-sama had not been very pleased with her revealing it. Thankfully, he hadn't chastised her or anything like that, only remarking, "...Must be careful about all these mood swings," to which she had no answer.

But Ainz's mood had not improved in the days that followed, which had worried Ueda at the start. She wondered if he was secretly displeased with her in some way. It took Zesshi Zetsumei, her fellow mother, to reassure her.

"You were very naughty, stealing a march on me," Zesshi had said, while smiling serenely. "And further, you made it very inconvenient for the Master."

"In what way?" she had asked, pleading for an answer.

"It is your mess, former Captain," Zesshi replied, shaking her head. "You're already a mother; you should be old enough to shoulder the consequences."

"But that's no answer!"

"Just be assured that the Master is not necessarily angry with you," Zesshi said. Yet it seemed like Zesshi was angry at her on his behalf. "But if you are discomfited by his mood, then perhaps the question you need to ask yourself is: what can I do to help?"

Left with such a challenge, Ueda could only grit her teeth and bear it. She recalled having to endure many compliments from her former comrades, who had all gushed about her exceptional privilege of bearing a new generation of Godkin. It got to the point that she was very much tired of hearing it; and understood why her Master had not wanted to reveal things so carelessly. But all of it had already happened, and as Zesshi said she had to bear with the consequences, and hopefully make something of it.

Finally, she arrived at the entrance, where guards had been sent to dissuade the faithful from entering. The murmuring behind her increased threefold as they nodded at her and allowed her entry, clearly at odds with what they had been doing thus far. Her escort did not follow her inside—the guards would not allow them to enter, as the Cardinals had ordered.

The doors closed behind her. Without the presence of the priests presiding over various rituals, or the faithful and the pilgrims delivering their customary supplications, an eerie sort of silence had fallen over the whole place as soon as the entrance was sealed. It was as if the insides of the temple had been sealed inside a bubble that did not permit any sort of sound from the outside to permeate.

In a way, that comparison had true. She knew Ainz-sama had erected a powerful spell over the entire temple, a complex piece of magic whose inner workings she had not been able to comprehend. She did know that it prevented people from entering the area within its confines without permission. The guards outside weren't even needed anymore, as any who would attempt to enter the Temple would soon find themselves struck with many a reason to stay out. Whether it was through suddenly developing a sudden onset of hunger, of being beset with alarming hallucinations, of needing to attend to one's bodily functions or even of forgetting their reasons for coming in the first place. "In more extreme cases," Ainz-sama had said, "The person is immediately teleported to a safe area some distance away."

Only she and Zesshi had been given permissions to enter through the overlaid magical barrier. Though the Cardinals had been told by the Master that he wanted privacy inside his new quarters, they were not aware that such a barrier existed; hence the posting of guards outside. She wondered if someone would be bold enough to try regardless of Ainz's stipulations; and hence learn the existence of the barrier. It might or might not lead to awkward questions being asked; a situation she was sure Ainz disliked. Perhaps something to bring up with the Master.

She slowly went her way to the quarters located at the back of the building. These were usually set aside for those who were tasked with managing the Temple. As such, these were the only place where living accommodations were located, and where Ainz-sama had chosen to stay. She knew he could go back to his fortress any time he wanted—but he had his own sense of honor that stopped him from leaving something unfinished. Or at least, that was her assumption.

"I have returned, Ainz—"

When she opened the door, announcing her return, she was surprised to be instantly beset by a barrage of sensations. First there was the smell of sex, fresh and pungent, which made her head spin. Then there was the sounds of the sex itself, of flesh slapping frantically against flesh, in a constant, never-ending pace.

Then she saw what waited her inside the room. The Master had Zesshi bent over, the latter's dress pulled up over her buttocks, while he smashed into her cunt again and again from behind.

She could not help but squeak out in surprise. She was not so much surprised that they were doing this here, in the middle of such hallowed ground; as she was with the fact that they were doing this at all. She had heard Ainz remark that he was no longer in the mood for sex in such a tense situation. Well, what happened to his reticence now? Here he was fucking Zesshi for who knew how long, and she had been out there all this time! It was unfair!

Her little sound alerted Ainz, who glanced to the side and locked eyes with her. "Hum. Welcome back." While he didn't stop moving his hips, he did slow down his pace noticeably.

This sudden decrease in his speed was not missed by Zesshi, who moaned and stretched, begging the Master to continue, to speed up. She bit her lip, swaying her hips, no doubt clenching her cunt tight around him, urging him on. Then she looked to the side, and her eyes widened in surprise to see Ueda standing there. She groaned in disappointment and propped up her chin on her elbow. Behind her, Ainz went to a complete stop, though his cock was still sheathed ready inside her.

"Well?" Ainz asked.

Ueda swallowed. "… Well… what, my lord?"

"How was your walk outside? Did you meet the Cardinals?" Ainz chuckled. "It is safe to assume they would want to talk to me again, and use you as their intermediate. Their messenger."

Ueda shook her head. "Oh, nothing of the sort happened, my lord. It wasn't like that. The Cardinals… I didn't go out to speak to them, nor did they seek me out. I just… I just had to go and talk with my former teammates. To… assure them about my condition, and to… well, to 'conclude' things. I've definitely closed the door to my life there."

"I see," Ainz said with a thoughtful hum. "And how did they think about your… pregnancy?"

"Oh, they were thankful, naturally," Ueda said. "Very grateful to you, my lord, for granting me this opportunity. It was… overall very happy. Very positive."

At that, Ainz nodded, his eyes deep in thought. "That's good. That is good." Then he nodded towards Zesshi. "Now then, I was in the middle of something—did you want to join in? Or would you prefer to—"

"Yes!" Ueda all but yelled. Then, in a lower voice, laced with contrition, she continued, "I mean, yes, my lord. I would like it very much. Since I was summoned here to be by your side, I've been feeling a little pent up."

"Well, you're not the only one." He beckoned her close. "Come on then, get yourself ready."

Zesshi chuckled and rolled her eyes, though she did move to the side, to clear up a little space on the bed for her. Ueda approached, stripping off her clothes as she gazed lovingly at her Master. She was left down to her undergarments, including the "divine artifact" that bound and held up her massive breasts.

Ainz watched her, admiring her body as he rocked on top of Zesshi. Then he hooked a finger around the front of the bra. A moment later, Ueda gasped when she felt the fabric disappear from her skin, as if it had completely vanished.

Then, without missing a beat, Ainz started fondling her breasts, cupping those massive jugs in his hands and marveling at their enormous size. She blushed deeper, recalling that Ainz-sama seemed to like her breasts. Therefore, she moved when he pulled his hands away, and placed herself behind him. She pushed her breasts against his sweaty back, and started to rub her nipples against his firm muscles. His coarse skin rubbed against her nipples, making her bite her lip from the faint pinpricks of pleasure that the brief contact caused.

"Alright then, if that's what you want." Ainz ordered her to sit on top of the bed. As she leaned against the headboard, he lay against her body, her boobs pressed up and practically smooshed into his back.

In the meantime, Ainz had raised Zesshi's body, while still impaled on his cock, and now allowed her to mount him as he laid against Ueda. Taking the hint, Zesshi started bouncing on top of his lap, smashing her pelvis against his crotch with such force that could shatter a boulder.

As he reciprocated, pounding upward into Zesshi's pussy, he and Ueda shared a long, lazy kiss, unbroken; neither of them pulling apart even to breathe, their tongues entangling together in a wild dance. She had grown used to kissing a man in her form, and making out with Ainz-sama no longer made her apprehensive. She lost herself in his manly form, and in the way his kissing just felt so damned good. It was like she was a novice at the training yard, being led along by a gruff, experienced veteran. She found herself drawn in, following along under his firm, sensual guidance.

Ainz came not long after, and she could smell his cum rising even when he was buried deep inside Zesshi. The half-elf had screamed, and there was no one to hear her sinful cry stain these hallowed halls. As he ejaculated, Ainz-sama never stopped making love to her mouth, leaving her spellbound even as the scent of sex made her mind swim.

When he finally pulled away, it coincided with Zesshi pushing his length out with a loud pop from inside her. Zesshi rolled on the bed, breathing heavily like a fish out of water.

Immediately, Ueda scrambled out, seizing the opportunity before her. She raced towards Ainz-sama's crotch, positioning herself in-between his legs. She marveled now at his impressive cock, still slick with leftover semen and the evidence of Zesshi's fluids. She scooped up a thick dollop of the combined fluids into her mouth, before she engulfed his cock with her large, pillowy breasts. She looked up at the Master, who stared back at her with an approving look on his face.

Smiling, she started moving her breasts up and down, rubbing his cock and determined to pleasure him with the one true asset that belonged to her. She was pleased to feel his cock twitch in appreciation.

Zesshi crawled up to lay at his side, still panting heavily from her exertion. Her pale, marble skin was flushed red, and slick with sweat, making her gleam. She exchanged a brief kiss with Ainz-sama, to which Ueda reacted by intensifying her efforts on Ainz-sama's cock.

Then she heard Zesshi say, "It always astounds me to see your boobs, Ueda," Zesshi said. "You're definitely the largest among all of us. How exactly did that happen? Do you still not know about it, my love?"

"Mmm…" Ainz-sama shook his head. "I've some theories, but I can't really work on them just yet."

"Ah well, it was just idle curiosity," Zesshi said. Ueda wondered if the half-elf was somehow jealous of her generous boobs. If so, she could smile to that, feeling as if she had gotten one over the first and "greatest" of them all.

She then squeaked when she felt a sudden rush of something very hot and sticky flopod the valley of her breasts. She looked down and saw that Ainz-sama had came. When she slid her breasts down, his head poked out from within, and shot a huge, steaming load on her face. Surprised, she squeaked again, but did manage to contain the next wave of hot spunk within her breasts. She allowed him to continue filling that space as she licked at the cum that had landed on her. It did not take long for her breasts to be practically swimming in his seed; he came hard and long and plenty, after all.

When all that was done, Zesshi helped her clean up the mess. Then he beckoned for Ueda and made her mount him, as Zesshi took her place at his side.

"Ainz-sama…" she sighed, enthralled, as he filled her pussy to the very base. They made love for a few more hours, until they collapsed, all sweaty, the very room filled with the scent of their bodies, staining the sanctified air of the temple with the filthy remnants of their mating. But neither Zesshi nor Ueda minded: the former was not pious by any means and the latter already saw Ainz as a god.

Why would she mind Sursyana sanctifying the temple anew with his manly presence?

---

Ainz thought that he could have gone on, but prior experience with fucking pregnant women made him relent. Though she wasn't showing just yet, Ueda needed to be handled with caution, according to the healers. Six babies would be a strain, no matter their parents, and he had seen firsthand how much it had affected Zesshi back when she had birthed the triplets.

He knew Ueda wouldn't mind if he set her aside so he could continue with Zesshi alone. But he himself felt bad at such a prospect, which was why he cut himself short for now, ending their delightful little tussle despite the fact that he was far from exhausted, and that he could still go on for a bit longer.

They now lay on the bed, Zesshi tucked under one arm, and Ueda under another. They lay their heads against his chest, as his hands patted and pinched their bodies idly. He marveled at their contrasting forms, despite both being two voluptuous women with sexy curves. Zesshi was a little firmer, more petite in a way; while Ueda's ass was like he was gripping a pillow. There was a certain plumpness about the latter, though he wouldn't call her chubby or fat by any means. Perhaps her body was preparing itself for managing six kids.

He broke the silence, after their sighs of contentment were fading away into soft, silent breaths that tickled his skin. "I may need to leave for a moment," he said.

"Leave? Where, my lord?" Ueda asked. On the other side, Zesshi looked on, though in her silence her eyes betrayed her eagerness.

"Not home," he said. He'd figured out a reason for why he'd cut their lovemaking short. "I shall need to visit one of the Cardinals." Which ones he did not know. He had sensed their curiosity about him, so strong and obvious; like a dog wagging its tail and doing tricks to gain his attention. They wanted him to demonstrate his power to them, to prove even further that he was their god in truth by revealing some "divine secret" that only a Player from Yggdrasil would know. He wondered at that, at being able to perceive such things in another person. Had he gained a little more experience as Ainz Ooal Gown? These humans were certainly acting a little too similarly to his people in Nazarick, so much so that it was very uncanny.

And so, going to sate their curiosity would be just the thing to do to excuse himself from the sex, even if he wanted it so badly.

The two women groaned, predictably, each wanting him to desist and continue. "I need to keep up appearances," he declared, over their protests. "You know this, of course, I do not need to say anymore."

"Yes, my lord," Zesshi said. Her expression was sour, as if she did not like the explanation no matter how logical it sounded.

"My lord, thank you for reminding me that I also needed to talk to one of the Cardinals," Ueda said.

"Oh? Who?" Ainz asked.

"Her Holiness Berenice," she replied. In Ainz's mind came the image of the only female who had taken up the seat of Cardinal. "Hum, do you know why?"

"No, I can't be sure of what's in Her Holiness' mind," Ueda said.

"I know," said Zesshi. When the two looked at her, she snorted. "Well it's obvious, isn't it? She wants to talk to you about your babies, ex-captain."

"My—" Ueda spluttered. "Well, why would Her Holiness specifically be the one to ask?"

Zesshi rolled her eyes. "Because you're both women. Regardless of who they are, the other Cardinals are men, and she is the only woman. It would not be… socially acceptable for any of the others to talk with you about such things that would concern the more… Well, shall we say, the more intimate aspects of your relationship with Ainz-sama."

"Intimate?" Ueda repeated, her voice sounding horrified. "Oh, surely I will not be talking about…" Her face twisted, as if she found the prospect of "women's gossip" unpleasant.

Zesshi chuckled. "Months into your pregnancy and you're still awkward as a woman," she remarked. "But you're going to have to do it. You placed yourself out there in the open—and here is one consequence to deal with."

"If what Zesshi says is true," Ainz said. "Then do take care with the talk. Reveal nothing too much about the true circumstances, Ueda. Please don't make things harder for me." His voice was laced with a little warning, a warning that Ueda was eager to follow, not wishing to displease her Master.

"Y-you have my assurances, Ainz-sama!" she cried, bowing her head. "I shall take especial care with my words!"

She seemed to be seized by some great panic as she literally jumped out of the bed, and started picking up the clothes she left scattered on the floor.

"Oi, oi, don't move around so much," he said in a scolding tone.

"Y-yes, my apologies!" Ueda said, freezing up, before continuing as she did before, only this time moving as if she was stuck in slow motion.

Ainz sighed deeply at her antics. He then rose himself from the bed, leaving Zesshi behind to stretch like a cat. He summoned the "divine garment" (bra) from his inventory and handed it silently to Ueda, who squeaked when she received it. Then he started putting on his own clothes, after refreshing himself with a simple cleaning spell that washed off the stink of sex and all the fluids that were still there.

"Do you wish to accompany me?" Ainz asked Zesshi, who continued to lie on the bed, while brazenly showing off her nakedness for all to see.

"I want to," Zesshi said airily. Then she scrunched her nose. "But that would mean having to talk to them. And I can't stomach speaking to them just yet. Perhaps another time, my dear."

"Very well," he said. He didn't mention how he also didn't like having to talk with these people, but that would mean Zesshi would force herself to come. And thinking on it, it was better not to risk another information leak.

Ueda frowned. "Zesshi, I know you've your disagreements with them, but you should try to keep appearances. You don't want to let on that you're not exactly the Zesshi they expected."

"Your concern is noted," Zesshi said with a pronounced yawn.

"And try not to do anything too suspicious here," Ueda continued. "There's a whole bunch of people outside wanting to get in. They're already confused about me—but the good news is that they don't know me. You, however, are known to them." No one had seen Zesshi enter the Temple, but that would not make things any less complicated if they discovered her coming out so suddenly.

"Well, it's not like they're knocking on the doors," Zesshi said, chuckling slightly. "And rest assured, if I do hear knocking, I'm ignoring it. I'll just stay right here, waiting for your return, Ainz-sama. Sleeping, resting, perhaps even dreaming of you." So saying, she arranged herself on the bed, lying comfortably on one of the pillows. Then she closed her eyes as if she was really going to sleep.

"Hmph." Ainz smirked, then leaned down to kiss her. Despite her closed eyes, she leaned in enthusiastically into this kiss, placing her tongue against her Master's.

"I shall be returning as soon as I can," Ainz said with a whisper. He looked up at Ueda, who had been watching them with a red, flushed face. "Do go on, then. Let's not go out together at least…"

For a moment, Ueda did not move. Then Ainz raised his arms, and she rushed forward into his embrace, meeting his lips with her own in a fast, frantic exchange of spit. Then she sighed, and turned around, leaving first as she was bid. Ainz noted Zesshi's snort of amusement, as if she'd been watching through lidded eyes; then left himself, leaving the Temple through his own devices.

With them gone, Zesshi lay there in silence, alone on the bed, her body still practically oozing and dripping with the fluids of their affair. She opened her eyes and sighed. Her previously peaceful expression turned into dissatisfaction.

She didn't want to say it, but she missed the presence of her triplets so bad. She wanted to feel them in her arms again, to pinch their cute cheeks, to hear their voices, to smell them, to feel their warm bodies against hers. It was the sort of overpowering instinct she could not ignore, and every moment that passed where she was not returning quickly to Nazarick was one of deep, searing agony to her heart.

"I'm definitely going on a 'vacation'," she said to herself. No more accompanying trips outside with Ainz-sama, unless the kids were with her.

She wanted this to be the last time she left her triplets behind. They needed their mother, damn it, and she would be there for them!

---

There were many sacred duties that the gods required of their anointed Cardinals, and paperwork was one of the most important of them all.

Berenice could definitely see the wisdom of it. The world did not stop turning even when the gods had walked the earth. Evil did not stop existing just because the Six had granted them bountiful blessings. And their hallowed country did not stop working even when one of their Gods had returned to their side.

The matter of Sursyana's return had been decisively verified during that meeting at the secret chamber, when all six Cardinals had borne witness to the miracle of Sursyana's return—in the guise of Ainz Ooal Gown. Already the chroniclers had been commissioned to scribe the events into record—a record that would not yet be revealed to the rest of the Theocracy.

This caution seemed uncharacteristic, especially for those who had been tasked with safeguarding and shepherding the souls of the faithful. It was deemed necessary to wait things out, to prepare the way, to lay the foundation for a smooth transition of the Theocracy. They wanted to head off any possibility of uncertainty, of full-blown chaos. For there would be many who would doubt; especially when they learned of their returned god's connection with the fearsome Ainz Ooal Gown.

Theirs was not to question the god, but even he had freely admitted to them that his previous actions were not something the faithful could easily reconcile. Being a god, he had not needed to give them an explanation, only that such things had passed because of his will, and that they were free to question him—not that any of the Cardinals wanted to, of course.

Fortunately—or unfortunately, deciding on whom one asked—there were still other important matters to undertake other than Sursyana's arrival. For example, there was the matter of the conquered Elf Kingdom territories, where certain matters still needed addressing. Many issues had been expected long before the campaign had even started, and indeed they had been addressed when news came of the victory. Such matters involved the debate of how the former Elf territories would be administered from then on, or of the logistics of returning their soldiers home without causing undue stress.

But they were mere mortals, and not gods like Sursyana, so they could not have possibly predicted that there were new problems that they had not predicted, for which they had been completely unprepared.

There was the matter of the priceless artifacts they had deployed in the numerous battles waged against the Elf King and his cohorts. Normally, after a battle involving these artifacts was fought, their users would be meticulous in recovering them in the aftermath. Even if the magical potency within these artifacts had been drained like juice from a fruit, being hallowed relics of the gods they still had intrinsic value, and could therefore not be so easily left behind.

Many of the lot had been recovered throughout the countless battles fought in the forest campaign. But even more had been marked as "currently lost", verging on "completely lost, irretrievable". Usually, these were tied to losing or lost battles—which officially never happened and were not revealed to the faithful. A retrieval team was usually sent over once the area had been re-secured or recaptured, and half the time the artifacts would be there. But for the other half, the relics were completely absent, and it was only reasonable that either the wildlife or the elf forces had taken them away. In the case of the former, there was little that could be done.

But the matter of the elves taking away the tools the Six had left behind was a bitter thing, which was also a factor in why they were so dogged in pursuing all the elves who had fled the capital's sack. A few artifacts had been retrieved from the city, but even after scouring every last inch of it, there were still a sizable amount that had never been retrieved.

Most tellingly, there was the matter of the vault which their prisoners claimed to have been the Elf King's personal collection. The Elf King was usually instrumental in their defeats, and so he might have been the one major culprit to have gathered the gods' artifacts. So they had hoped to take them back, along with claiming his other treasures for good measure. But they had been astounded to find that the vault was completely empty, as if nothing had ever been put there. It was as if the Elf King's belongings had vanished with his death, and that was very troubling for they who wished only to bring back the gods' rightful possessions.

The next major problem was indirectly related to the matter of the missing artifacts. The Slaine Theocracy relied on its own standing armies, composed of those from godkin lineages and the ardent faithful. The former class were usually given command as leaders of troops, or were recruited directly into the Scriptures. The latter group formed the regular rank-and-file: the many soldiers that formed the bulk of the Theocracy's armies. And though each and every one of these were vetted thoroughly for their loyalty and faith in the Six Gods; they were yet mortals and therefore expected compensation for their duties in service to the Theocracy. Their piety made them endure hardships where lesser men, mercenaries, even adventurers would balk. But without food and water to sate their needs, without coin to pay for shelter, for decency, for the means to pay tribute to the Gods, these men and women would not march—unless the Gods themselves descended to command their bodily forms in person. Many in the know were curious if Sursyana had the means to create such timeless bodies, but that was not yet a primary concern.

While all of Slaine's warriors were given proportional wages relative to their supposed responsibilities on paper, those of the godkins were given a little bit more than their counterparts. It was an "unofficial" bonus of sorts, and a public secret that had endured the many years. In general terms, any godkin who fought in a battlefield were expected to be granted a piece of anything acquired from the enemy through armed conquest. Simply, if the Theocracy defeated an army, its commanders were expected to plunder something of value, though the enemy could ransom it back in exchange for something else.

Such a policy was not strictly enforced, nor did the Cardinals of the past do anything to codify or formalize such arrangements (for fearing to anger the common footsoldiers). This led to situations where a victorious army would "graciously" keep from claiming anything from the enemy other than the surety of victory. Or it led to rampant abuse, where "victory", or "plunder", or "enemy" were vague things determined only by each commander. For example, a dishonest godkin could claim that a hamlet of people were enemies for serving a lord who was also an enemy, and that victory had been achieved by occupying said hamlet, and so they were free to loot said hamlet bare like a band of thugs. These incidents had led to friction and conflict with other human nations, and were a discomforting stain on the honor of Slaine.

The current issue came from the leaders of the war with the Elf Country. Since the war had ended, that was practically fulfilling the condition of "victory". But this time, the Cardinals had assured their leaders that the reward for accomplishing this feat would be necessarily grand: objects from the vault of the vaunted Elf King, his most prized belongings.

But the vault was found to be empty, leaving the promise of loot empty and unfulfilled. It was immediately seen as a problem, for the Cardinals had given their word; and to renege on it, even if it was not by choice, was out of the question. Thankfully, the euphoria of a hard-fought victory against a hated enemy, not to mention their survival from death, would stave off their questions for a time. Yet inevitably, these people would start asking after their rewards, and it was their responsibility to find a solution to this riddle, before things turned sour.

The Theocracy did not like to dwell on it, but there were times in its past when it was shaken to its core; with its cause being the very foundation of its power: the godkin. Unlike the whispers and rabble-rousing of heretics and revolutionaries, the treachery of a godkin was more overt: it might lead its own band of loyal troops to rebellion or defection, or attempt some great crime before fleeing with their lives.

Such was the case of a certain group of Scriptures during the Dark Times. It was a story the Cardinals were made to learn with intensity before they donned their holy garments. A Scripture, whose name had been struck from history, had decided to aid the Greed Kings, hoping to gain a sliver of their glory. They hoped to reap rewards from rising high in their black empires, all while the rest of humanity languished beneath their boots. But it was more known to the Cardinals that the reason for their betrayal had been much more mundane: the refusal to grant these proud godkin the opportunity to gather loot.

In those days, the blood yet ran strong, and therefore such a rebellion by their godkin would have shaken not only the faith of the people, but the very nation itself. Suddenly, those blessed with the blood of the Gods showed themselves to be as vain and flawed individuals, just like the rest; possessing powers and abilities that placed them firmly in the realm of heroes.

If there was another thing to be thankful to Sursyana for, it was his timely return at that exact moment. A few of the higher-ups, who had been present during his appearance like those of the Scriptures, had already been informed of his true identity. These godkin would not be a problem to placate, having already been guaranteed rapture from the knowledge of the god's return.

But those below them: those mid-ranking godkin who commanded the various middle ranks of the army, those would be a problem. A most obvious solution was to also reveal Sursyana's existence to them, thereby negating the whole issue entirely. But they were not yet ready to reveal the truth, not so soon. In the meantime, there had been a proposal from those same high-ranking godkin to gift them elf slaves as an alternative, for these were a quite highly priced commodity.

She put down the papers on the table and leaned back. She kneaded the bridge of her nose, savoring the relief from the massage, however brief. She sighed and looked out the nearest window, where her beloved city was bathed in the rays of the midday sun.

It was hard to stay focused on her work, despite her many incumbent responsibilities. Part of it was of course due to her mind being occupied by the matter of the returned God, Sursyana. Such a monumental event went beyond something as grave as the Theocracy's decline in the Dark Years, or the struggles during the age of the Demon Kings. It was truly earth-shattering in its implications, and many of them felt privileged to be present in such a historic event.

While others were concerned with how the faithful would be approached about the news, or of how to best leverage Sursyana's presence (considering his dual role as leader of another Kingdom), Berenice was more concerned with something the others might deem mundane. But to her, it was the most pressing thing to consider, and she was surprised how blind those other men could be.

The most important thing to be done at this juncture was to ensure that Sursyana was ready to leave behind as many Godkins as possible. The thinking was to acquire as many willing women as possible, who would be given to the god to sire offspring upon them. In doing so, they would ensure a fresh infusion of Godkin blood into the Theocracy, rejuvenating the strength that would grow from the next generation. In order to ensure the future of the Theocracy—no, of the entire world even—this step had to be undergone above all else.

And that was just the most basic plan. Thanks to the revelation brought by "Ueda", who was formerly the Captain of the Black Scripture, there was one other major thing now to consider.

It was the possibility that they did not need to restrict themselves to finding women of impeccable lineages.

It was a known fact to the Cardinals that not all of the sacred lineages had managed to produce worthy descendants in the present day. It was more evident when one considered the presence of a certain "power", the atavistic manifestation of the divine spark exemplified in one such as Zesshi Zetsumei. There were far too few people who qualified to reach the level of "hero" nowadays, and some could only manage to be as strong as a gold-level adventurer. It was especially problematic in those certain lineages that had not managed to produce a strong godkin in however many generations, going on so long that one would have assumed that the divine spark had been extinguished. In most cases, these lineages were even reduced to a single person every generation, limiting their ability to procreate.

Still, despite their may flaws, these lineages would continue to be honored by the Theocracy, if only because of their tenuous link to the exalted Gods.

With the basic plan, the new Godkin offspring born from Sursyana would have needed to intermarry with these weak lineages who could not be bred with Sursyana himself. For there were many among these whose last living descendants who were male; and would have had to wait for the new Godkin to grow in order to add fresh Godkin blood into their lineages.

But if instead these individuals could follow what had been done to Ueda, then there was no need to wait. They only needed to turn into women, and bear the responsibility of bringing forth Godkin themselves.

That solution was something Berenice had decided on her own. And as time passed, as she thought more and more of it, she became even more convinced that it was the right solution for the Theocracy.

Gods, to think Ueda was about to bear six children for Sursyana! Six was the most hallowed number of the Theocracy, and it was only fitting that their ex-captain would be blessed with that sacred number. It was a most fortuitous omen for the faithful, a sure sign that though only one had returned, their blessings would continue to fall on their Theocracy. And if all the other women presented to Sursyana would also bear six children for themselves, then it all but ensured the Theocracy's oncoming dominance in the land!

Those were the arguments she laid out during the meeting of the Cardinals. She had thought the others would see the wisdom of her words. And yet they each had their own ideas as well, turning the whole thing into a near-farce as plan dueled to the death in a six-way brawl that had yet to see a proper conclusion.

Fierce had been the debates that had raged in the hours since Ainz Ooal Gown's arrival, when the Cardinals met to decide on their next plan. Naturally, with such a volatile, contentious issue, each of the Cardinals had their own ideas on how best to proceed. No longer did they speak with a united voice, as they had been doing just a day before. In the face of such a monumental event, each of them now thought that their way would better serve the interests of the Theocracy's future—and no one other's. Even Berenice had not been immune from throwing herself into the fray, arguing fiercely for her own ideas.

---

"Now that one of the gods has returned to us, it is most fitting that we find ourselves at a point where he has already dominated a sizable chunk of the continent," Maximilian, Cardinal of Darkness had said. "Therefore, in the interests of maintaining our status as the defenders of humanity to the rest of the world, I move to petition Sursyana-sama to consolidate and reform the old Empire." He raised his hand. "The Empire's return may not happen in our lifetimes, but we can start the process, and this time ensure that it, and humanity, shall never fall."

"Bold, ambitious words, my fellow Cardinal," Berenice had said. "And certainly, that is a goal that any of us would support. But we have immediate concerns to address before we can go on empire-building."

"I agree," Dominic, the Cardinal of Water said.

Maximilian frowned. "You do not understand what I had meant by this golden opportunity. You all know the whispers from across the land of those who seek now to bring down the rule of the Sorcerer-King. Once, we might have rejoiced in that. But now that we know the truth, we know that all of this is leading to a point of confrontation the likes of which has not been seen in many centuries. Who knows what will happen to us, when the time of conflict arrives? We must build up humanity first, build an empire that shall endure." He slammed the table. "We must start the crusade to bring all into the fold of glorious humanity! The Grand Slaine Empire reborn and renewed, once more!"

"And yet again, I must agree with Berenice that it is not yet the time to start anything grand!" Dominic said. "You speak of Crusade, Maximilian, but all I hear is war, endless war! A war our nation is not yet ready to prosecute, nor one that Sursyana-sama is likely to support! Through the lens of his actions we have seen that he chooses not to destroy, for the most part, but to assimilate. Consider what he's done with the broken Re-Estize Kingdom."

"While I may not share our esteemed colleague's stance on a war of conquest… Well, at least, not yet," Raymond now said. "But I do believe the idea of reaching out to the rest of the world has some merit to it. I have seen those reports about forces moving against our god in secret, and it would be foolish to ignore these completely, not when we could aid him. But, on a more concrete matter, I believe we must help our lord secure the former Re-Estize territories, through diplomacy and agreements."

"Trade agreements, first, surely," Yvon then said, throwing his own hat onto the ring. "But chiefly we must try securing the prosperity of our nation by entreating our god to aid us with securing the economy. The nation is still reeling in the aftermath of that long, glorious campaign, and while we rejoice in our victory, we cannot claim it was won without cost. Our fields lie fallow, with soldiers conscripted to fight, or to man the outer garrisons. You all know that ours was not the most bountiful of lands, that we would never sell off our godkins or our relics for the unworthy to use. Thanks to the gods, we were able to survive on their blessings alone, but we've never boasted of having a grand surplus. Our trade with other nations has always been limited; and only in recent years have we found some success with elf slaves. But Suryana will no doubt have some miraculous way to infuse our ability to help the faithful prosper at a size it has never yet achieved, so I say let us start there. Let us petition Sursyana for blessings that would see us prosper even more."

"Looking inwardly is a good idea, Yvon," said Dominic. He glared at Raymond and Maximilian. "And that is what we must be doing. Our duties are to shepherd our people, first and foremost. I don't know why you lot are talking about gallivanting off to do things outside, when we've got our hands full here. The integration of the old Elf Country still needs to be managed. The soldiers need to be returned to their previous occupations, after receiving their rewards, of course. The decrees of rationing eased off, and the bans on pilgrimages rescinded. How can we hope to show Sursyana the fruit of centuries of stewardship over the nation the Six founded when it's in this sorry state? Hm?" He looked around, daring the others to contradict him.

It was not the others, but Zindin who spoke this time. "You are committed to your duties, and that is an admirable thing, my friend Dominic. But I need not remind my friends that we are standing in a most precipitous moment of history. Our god, a god, has returned and is now walking this earth. Not a single one of us here know how long this miracle will last. Before we think of purely temporal matters, should it not behoove us to instead gather blessings from Sursyana? This is an opportunity to learn even more knowledge, to acquire even greater artifacts. It is all well and good to help our people, whom we are sworn to serve. But we should not be wasting our opportunity to grow stronger, through one of the few means possible in this world—the potential of magical might and divine supremacy over all."

"Your sole focus on the esoteric is always to be respected, my friend, but we cannot just be begging Sursyana for that and more: does not the Six teach us to be more reliant on our own, mortal powers? And what would Sursyana think, that we have debased ourselves to become beggars?" said Raymond.

Zindin's eyes flashed. "How dare you? I did not imply we would be beggars!"

"If there are any blessings we need to be getting, my fellow Cardinals, then I can think of no other more important than the ones to secure our legacy," Berenice then said. She'd fixed her eye on each and everyone and said, "And with all this talk of preserving our legacy, there is also nothing else more pertinent to our immediate needs than that of our godkins' plight. The godkin must rise again."

"What do you mean?" asked Maximilian.

She scoffed. "Do you all not realize it? All of us in this room here are blessed to have been descended, through a line unbroken and uncorrupted, straight from the gods themselves! But we have been fortunate to be the only ones among many to boast of such a claim. Far, far too many of our brethren, whom we should rightfully call our brothers and sisters, are far too weak and diminished that no godkin has appeared in centuries!" She sighed and looked around. "But we can change all that. Now that we have Sursyana in our midst, the first thing we should ask him to do is to help give rise to a new, fresh generation of godkin. These divine offspring will be the ones to help us with any of the ambitions you got in your heads. Wisdom tells us that the greatness of any nation springs from the individual. I shall not dispute it—it shall be this new generation who shall help lead our nation to greatness."

There came a snigger from the direction of Dominic. "While your reasoning is sound, Berenice, I fear it is still as unrealistic as the others. That goal you see is so far into the future that we would all be dead before any of these 'new breed' live up to their stated potential."

"We will have built a foundation!"

"And we cannot build a foundation for them without first looking to our own house," Dominic replied.

"We need not fear the future, my friends, if we strike first!" Maximilian cried. "A preemptive strike will see us dominate. We shall gain enough wealth to make our people prosper. We shall not need to trifle with lesser nations, with short-sighted men who will only make trouble. And we shall have all the time in the world to pray for knowledge from Sursyana, and to birth a new litter of godkin!"

"You are far too hungry for blood, Maximilian!" Raymond thundered. "Have you not seen the rolls of the dead? All these proud soldiers who fell to bring justice to that damned elf! And you seek to add more to it?"

"Not to mention the cost of 'simply' waging war," Yvon added drily.

"I only ask that we safeguard knowledge for the future generations by speaking with our god," Zindon pointed out.

"While at the same time, letting the Master sire godkin who shall shake the foundations of this world, as you so crave, Maximilian!" Berenice said.

"We have all the tools we need," Maximilian cried. "What need have we to hesitate? The God shall lead us to victory!"

"My friends, why do we so easily abandon reason?" Dominic said. "Our primary responsibility is to the Theocracy at present. We should not charge blindly ahead unto avenues untamed, where wisdom cannot guide us. As I have said, let us look to ourselves first."

"I realize that the idea might sound absurd, but why not combine all of our ideas into one?" Yvon proposed.

There was a pause at that. Then everyone else shook their heads. "Impossible. The combined grand plan would be great and unwieldy. This is why everyone tried to focus on one thing, so at least it is feasible," said Raymond.

"And one can hardly fight in a crusade," said Dominic, glancing at Maximilian, before looking at her. "While the fighting women are focused on bearing children."

"So what's the problem with my idea combining with yours, Dominic?" she had asked. "Surely, if we wished to take it slow, then we can at least start offering our healthy lineages to Sursyana?"

"I suppose that is reasonable," Dominic said. "If you limit the number of women to a trickle. We still need the labor after all."

"You have elves!"

"True."

Yvon raised his hand. "We need to leverage those elves for trade, not use them ourselves."

"We cannot do anything with those elves!" Raymond said next. "Not anymore."

"And why not?" Maximilian asked, with raised brow.

"Do you not recall that Sursyana has hidden himself as Ainz Ooal Gown? And that Ainz Ooal Gown purports to be one who rules over a 'multitude' of races? I do not think we can go on ahead with slavery and subjugation that easily, if he does not deem it so."

There was an uncomfortable silence at that, as they were once again reminded of their returned god's other identity.

"Perhaps he does not really care for the elves," Maximilian said, breaking the silence.

"You may be as optimistic as you like," Zindon said. "But in the current discussion, let us cleave to the matters at hand; to these matters close to our hearts."

"It is clear we cannot use elves," Yvon said gloomily. "So perhaps Dominic's plan of using them for labor has some sense."

"We should leave the elves to carry on our work, so we can focus on birthing godkin," Berenice said. "Let them do the farming for us." But she knew before she had finished that it was something of a hot topic for her fellows.

"Leave the work to the elves? You must be joking, Berenice!" Dominic said. "I know I said I wanted to right our nation's course, but we should not be going that far! The Theocracy is a nation for and by humans! We only trade in slaves, we don't use them ourselves!"

"Not in great abundance anyway," Zindon muttered.

"What's next, we allow the elves to take up posts as warriors? Cardinals? Let them run the country instead?" Maximilian said.

"Clearly this line of thought is not leading us anywhere," said Yvon with a sigh. "My fellow Cardinals, we have each of us presented a clear vision of what we wish to do, now that Sursyana has returned to us. So let us do that, mindful of the legacy of many centuries of our forebears who have fought to keep our blessed traditions; while also being aware of the legacy we intend to now leave behind, for our descendants. Let us see if we can at least come to some accord, to take what is best from each proposal and forge it into something magnificent."

Despite the speech, none of them could come to some agreement by the end of the meeting. Everyone was too quick to point out the flaws in another's plan, of why greater importance should be kept for their own.

They adjourned without having made any reasonable progress, with a promise to meet again after attending to other duties first.

---

Her brooding thoughts and her concerns for the Theocracy's future were interrupted by a knock that came from outside. "Apologies, Holy One, but Captain—beg pardon—Ueda begs leave to enter and meet with you."

She blinked several times before nodding. "Of course, of course!" she shouted. "Bid her enter."

She thrust all the papers right in front of her to the side. It was impossible to completely strip away the perception that she was so busy with work, but at the least her table wouldn't look like a sty in front of an honored subordinate. A subordinate with such hallowed importance as this one, to boot.

The door presently opened, and the woman Ueda walked in smartly, almost to the point of a march. She obeyed the proper decorum of entering the office of a greater superior, just as herself, making sure to observe the proper distance and bow in an appropriate manner. Then she stamped her feet on the carpeted floor, and saluted her with a clipped voice. "Holy One, Captain… no, beg pardon. The woman Ueda is here reporting for duty!"

"… Stand down, Ueda," Berenice said. Was she of sound mind? Why on earth would she act as if she wasn't the more important person in the room? Ever since she had gained Sursyana's favor, she had risen far above even the Cardinals in importance. "Please, sit, sit. We mustn't let you strain your body that much. And you no longer need to salute me, you know. It's quite unneeded, and even more than that—it's inappropriate now."

"Inappropriate?" Ueda repeated, blinking in suprise. "Whatever do you mean, Cardinal? Have I lost my status as a citizen of the Slaine Theocracy?"

She shook her head, and smiled bemusedly. "My dear, as the one chosen directly by our returned God—and what's more, the mother of new Godkins, you are no longer just a mere citizen, a mere Captain, nor even a 'former Captain'. You outrank us all, dear, even us mere Cardinals. For you who stand at the side of a God, who may have perhaps earned his love as well, you shall be treated as royalty. No, even better than any royal who claims sovereignty over nations! For yours is a role that sits beside a god Himself. Do not worry about your rank of Captain… not when you've far more important duties now."

For some reason, Ueda still looked upset. "I… I see… I knew I had been given leave from the Scripture, like they said, but to actually have been kicked out…" She looked back at her. "Cardinal, have they chosen my replacement as Captain then? The rank of Captain is not something that can just be chosen at a whim, you must know that, Cardinal."

She cannot really fathom why the former Captain would really care so much about a rather insignificant posting. She had been elevated far beyond her former rank; did she not care for it by any chance? But she played along, unwilling to upset Sursyana's lover.

"Please do not give that thought any mind. To be sure, the Scripture shall not be needing to deploy for a foreseeable time, ever since our great victory over the vile Elf King," she said in a reassuring tone. "So any issues of replacement, or retirement, or any other consideration has been put on hold. So have no fear on that regard. In fact, consider yourself… a permanent member, but on semi-permanent leave." So this seemed to be another problem she needed to bring up with the others. Ueda had rightfully taken her place at the side of their returned God. That meant that her elevation needed to be formally acknowledged. And the outstanding issue of her former rank also needed to be addressed in such a manner that Ueda would not feel insulted—not only that, she needed to be satisfied with the result. As a woman seemingly devoted to her duties, she would no doubt accept nothing less than the reassurance that the turnover of rank was handled as smoothly as possible.

"… What did you wish to speak with me about, Holiness?" Ueda then asked next, after a long, pregnant pause.

She crossed her fingers in front of her. She sucked in a breath and stood from her seat. "Would you consent to accompanying me for a walk?" She gestured to the door. She blinked in surprise, then nodded silently in agreement.

"Stay here," she told the guards once she was outside the doors. "I would like a private conversation in the gardens with her."

"As you command, Holiness," they said, saluting. Ueda looked confused, but she followed along after her as she hobbled down the corridor.

Ueda looked intimidated as she looked around her surroundings. And why not? She was surrounded by rich tapestry of history. These walls were old when the world knew the Greed Kings. While the building might not have been built explicitly for the Cardinals' use, the alternative was that the Six created it for themselves or their favored ones, which merited even more praise for its provenance. It was as hallowed as a temple, in all honesty, even if it were not formally consecrated.

And in this hall in particular that they were walking through were various artifacts dating back to that legendary era. There were paintings of such subjects that remained a mystery, all through these centuries. There hung banners of foreign make, with strange symbols and sigils woven onto its surface, perhaps acquired from a fallen nation unremarked in the histories—or from the divine realm itself. There were decorative suits of armor that were known to be magical, and yet which no godkin had ever been able to use, much less analyze. And then there were the torches that did not burn yet glowed bright, though these were ubiquitous throughout the capital and not just here.

Many a Cardinal preceding her had walked through these halls. She had herself walked through this hall many times, even before she had donned the sacred robes. To walk in this place was as if she was walking with the gods themselves.

After allowing herself to take in the atmosphere of the whole place, Berenice worked up the nerve to ask, "So tell me, Captain. How does it feel, honestly, to be given a woman's body?" She studied the other woman's expression.

Ueda was silent for a few moments, looking as if she was treating the question with some seriousness. Then she said, "Honestly, there's a lot of things different about me, Holiness. So much that I'm discovering a whole bunch of new things everyday. But, it is not bad, at least."

"If I might be allowed to make an observation, Captain?" she inquired.

"… Yes, please go on, Holiness."

"In a way, you're acting quite the same as the Captain I knew, who was formally appointed by all of us to the Black Scripture. I can see you're still very much devoted to your duties. And your enormous piety and faith in the Six Gods is plain to see for everyone."

"I certainly hope so, Holy One," Ueda replied, looking perplexed.

"Yet in some ways you are also different." She paused, and gave the other woman's body a pointed appraisal from the top to bottom. "In a major way, of course, it need not be elaborated. But there's something else. There is a certain… softness about you now. I do not mean it to disparage you or anything of the sort. But it is very noticeable, as if the harsh lines that once defined you have been smoothed over. Polished to a fine, smooth finish."

"I…" Ueda shook her head. "I honestly don't know what to say, Holiness. Yes, in a very real way, I am different. I see things differently. I feel things, differently, certainly. But I also know that in some ways, I yet remain myself. Or close to myself as I can manage. I like to think I remain just the same person who was the Captain not long ago. Only now…" She placed a hand on her navel. "I bear a certain gift that I have been blessed to receive."

"And it is certainly a splendid gift, none can deny—let none deny it even," Berenice intoned. "But on that note, how does it feel, to bear the god's heirs? Do I hear true that there are six there inside you?"

Ueda smiled, and it was a smile of true warmth, she could see. It would have taken a very determined actor to fool her eyes, and she chose to interpret it in the simplest way and not assume that the other was attempting to deceive. Ueda really had changed, and her pregnancy in particular seemed to be the root of it.

"Yes," she was saying. "You can call me extraordinarily blessed. Six of them, just as there were six of the gods."

Berenice made the holy sign with her fingers, something Ueda repeated. "It would only make sense," Berenice said, "For there to be six children to herald the return of the gods. And though we do not know if the other five shall also return, the arrival of even one is more than enough for any of the faithful. And we shall be forever thankful that growing now within you are the new god-kin who shall usher our nation unto a brighter future. A golden age."

"One hopes," Ueda said, nodding seriously. "At this point though," she continued, "I'm still at the earliest stages, so the reality of having six of these babies is still far off. From what I can tell though, multiple births can be… er…" she stopped, eyes widening as if she realized something. Then she coughed lightly into her hand. "...Well, I think it's just self-evident that carrying many babies at once is actually hard."

Berenice grunted. She had once been a mother before, and was a grandmother besides; so she knew how difficult childbirth would be, especially for those new to it. Her own experience, as well as that of her daughters and other women's told enough. And she did not know how someone who was formerly male would also take to something that was ostensibly female in aspect, but she would pray for the best.

"Well then, know that we shall always be praying for you, and a successful birth," Berenice stated. "And though you have been taken by the master to be at his side, you are still considered a… a child of the Theocracy. You will always have a place here." Not that the god would ever abandon Ueda.

Ueda smiled at that, looking quite pleased at her words.

"That does remind me though," Berenice said next. Here was one opportunity to sate her curiosity. "'Ueda', my pardons, but how came you to that name? Was it bestowed upon you by Sursyana? Or did you choose it yourself?" It was a good-sounding name, one born by several famed godkin warriors in the Theocracy's past. But the clear adoption of the name spoke to some purpose, which intrigued her foremost.

"Ah, that. Well, to start with, I am very pleased to admit that it is a name that Ainz-sama has so generously gifted me," Ueda said, with another bright smile. "Although you can also say that I chose to have my name changed because of a very good reason. Might I indulge your Holiness with it?"

"If you've no objections, then I would pleased to hear of your experiences," Berenice said, gesturing at her to continue.

"Well, I thought that it was the will of the gods that allowed me to change into a woman; and even further than that, to become blessed with the children by the god returned Himself! Well, to me, Holiness, it seemed like a sign, a personal sign that I had been remade completely. Not just in a physical sense, but my heart and my soul as well. I had been turned by Ainz-sama from a loyal soldier of the Theocracy, Captain of the Black Scripture; into a woman loyally serving the god of death, who has revealed Himself to be Sursyana. I received a personal epiphany, one that I could not deny. And so I begged him, pleaded with my new master to grant me a new, more suitable name. And thus, I have been baptized anew: I am Ueda, lover of my beloved Sursyana." Her voice trembled with a great emotion, tears lingering unshed in her eyes, and her hands were clasped before her like a maiden sworn.

Berenice made another sign of the Six, convinced that she was beholding a true and literal divine epiphany, her heart swelling inside her from what was surely spiritual joy. The words seemed to have flowed from the mouth of the former Captain as if it had fallen straight from the divine realms. Like the many prophets of the past, whose sacred words were inscribed to teach and enlighten the faithful, Ueda's revelation would resonate down through the glorious age that surely awaited all of humanity.

And perhaps, as the prime witness, Berenice would be the one to write it down, her name crowned in honor right below that of the god's.

"Ah! My apologies for going on like that, Holiness! I got so carried away." She clapped a hand to her lips, and blushed.

"No, no, do not apologize for speaking the words of the Divine," Berenice said, half chiding Ueda. "For it is through the mouths of their Chosen that we are granted a glimpse of the Divine Truth."

"Um, of course, Holiness," she replied. "As you say."

"Indulge me in a little lecture," she said as they continued to walk through the sacred hall. "Think of it as me thinking out loud. Like if I was a guest at a lecture, expounding on the nature of a certain theological text. And just like a lecture, I would appreciate if you also shared your thoughts. You may interject any time."

Ueda chuckled weakly. "Well, I have nothing against it, Holiness. Please do go on."

"It goes back to your name, Ueda. Ueda, do you know that there are a few celebrated warriors who bear that name in the past? You may see them written on the lists of names of those who served the Theocracy faithfully, and to the best of their abilities."

"Now that you mention it, it is a bit familiar…" Ueda said. "I did not think of it at the time, but when Ainz-sama gave me that name, I did not think it too strange. Perhaps I saw their name somewhere, but never managed to recall." She blinked and shook her head. "But please do forgive me, Holy One. I did not memorize the names of all those who ended up on the rolls. So I wasn't aware that there were those who shared this name."

"Do you know that the name is considered special, because it has a meaning ascribed to it according to the Divine Codex?" Berenice asked. "That means the name is not one to be given lightly, not even when it is clearly sanctioned."

"I had no idea…"

"Do you know what it means?" Berenice asked.

"I asked Ainz-sama," Ueda said. "'Ueda'… it means, 'dutiful'."

Berenice felt as if her whole breath had been taken away, as stars bloomed in her mind. She exhaled loudly, then dabbed at the moisture on her eyes with her handkerchief. "There can be no doubt…" she muttered to herself. The very meaning that Ueda had learned was the one inscribed in the Divine Codex itself. There was really only one conclusion to be made from that revelation.

"Holiness?" Ueda had not been watching her, and so was confused.

Berenice shook her head. "...And so we come to it. Let us discount the fact that Sursyana had visited this capital beforehand, and took the time to study the names, for him to use later on. The possibility of that happening seems absurd, almost impossible yes?"

Ueda frowned, as if she could not really follow her train of thought. "I guess so."

"Well, you can understand the implication," Berenice said carefully. "… Don't you?"

Ueda had a faraway look on her face. "Yes, I think… so…?" She blinked. "It means that Ainz-sama is definitely Sursyana returned."

"That was the conclusion, yes," Berenice said, feeling pleased with herself. "For quite the longest time, it has been the privilege of the Theocracy to bear the legacy of the Six Gods. You and I both know about all the treasures they left behind, the many gifts, the blood of the god-kin, I could certainly go on… But allow me to focus on one thing in particular. The language. Names."

"I see, like the names of the divine lineages."

"Yes, that's one of them. And not just them. Many outsiders in the past have remarked about the strange names that were given to our people, or to our cities or the wondrous inventions we use in the name of the gods. We have ever told them that they are the legacy of the Six Gods, and we have always believed it to be true. Yet like fools they continued to doubt, telling us that there was a long period of time since the Six graced this world, and that we had lost much of our knowledge. Pah!" She gestured to Ueda. "Only now do we see that the truth has vindicated us. By Sursyana's guiding gaze we have been granted the path to the truth. And it is glorious."

Ueda nodded. She clutched her hands tight in prayer. "Once again I am humbled by the great honor that has been given to me by the Master."

They presently reached the garden, their intended destination from the start. It was a beautiful day outside, with a blue sky overhead sketched through with white strips of clouds, and then the brilliant sun above them all. All around them were a vast collection of budding plants and trees, each one carefully tended and maintained with love and dedication. For these were plants grown by a god herself, who had bestowed it upon their ancestors as a gift. Once, such gardens had been spread throughout their old empire. Alas, the greed and shortsightedness of men saw many gardens spoiled or destroyed without care, leaving only a few in the capital such as these. These plants were therefore all the more precious for it, and was therefore guarded as fiercely as any of those artifacts they had just passed.

Ueda looked around with wonder in her eyes. "I'd only glimpsed this from afar, and to see it so close… It's beautiful."

"One hopes that the god returns to bless us once more with beauty in this forsaken world," Berenice intoned. "And perhaps she will return to us indeed, as Sursyana has done."

"Where did they come from? These flowers here," Ueda pointed to a bright thing, almost like a splash of vivid blood blooming from the earth. "They're not like any of the flowers I've seen before."

"One of the Gods granted such beauty to us, in days long past," Berenice stated. "She seeded the world with tremendous beauty. Now it is all that remains, after treachery and foolishness brought about the Dark Times; of which you know well, from the histories."

"Seed…" she said absently, before falling into a thoughtful silence. Berenice watched her for a few moments, seeing her expression change from one to the next. Then she blushed, and shook her head. She jumped when she caught sight of Berenice staring at her. "M-my apologies, Holiness!"

Berenice was unfazed by her sudden loss of decorum. "Was there something on your mind?"

"N-no, not really," Ueda replied. "Just a flight of fancy. A little whimsy."

Berenice hummed, but did not press further. She looked out towards the garden again, and allowed herself to bask in the presence of such bountiful beauty, with her eyes closed.

"Um… Holiness," Ueda then asked, after a few more moments had passed.

She opened her eyes. "So you do have something to say."

"Well… kind of…" She bit her lip and looked away from her inquisitive gaze. She still had that ridiculous red blush on her cheeks. "It is rather awkward to say… my pardons Holy One."

She waited for her to continue with the patience possessed of a Cardinal of considerable age and requisite wisdom.

Then she looked at him straight in the eye and spoke, "Have you… or the other Cardinals… been speaking to Ainz-sama about having him 'spread his seed' throughout the entire Theocracy?"

She exhaled a sigh, letting her eyes flutter to hide her shock and surprise. Her question, along with her very presence here, seemed a coincidence to have occurred when she was thinking most deeply on it herself. It could be a coincidence, or the will of the Gods themselves.

"I see no reason to deny it," she said delicately, gauging the woman's reaction carefully. Though she had claimed that the ex-Captain seemed as dutiful as ever, there was also the very real chance—however small—that she would not look kindly on the act. She might have gotten certain ideas in her head, ideas that would be hard to suppress. "It is of vital interest to the continued prosperity of the Slaine Theocracy that this occur. Just as it would be a very important duty for every woman of the faithful to see it through."

She paused, waiting for the other woman to indicate her thoughts. Ueda's face did not betray anything. Then she shrugged.

"Oh I do certainly agree that it would be important for Ainz-sama to do just that," said Ueda. "Not just for the Theocracy, of course. It would also be important for himself, I feel. There would be no better sign of his legacy than a whole host of descendants that bear his blood."

"I am pleased to hear you say so," Berenice said cautiously.

"And do you know how you and the other Cardinals intend to ask him, Holiness?" Ueda asked next.

"Truthfully, no," she said, with a shake of her head. "And it is not just because there are other matters to take in hand. We have not even had a decisive agreement, nor less a cogent discussion between ourselves on this." It was a slight lie, but it was true that they had not gotten to a consensus. "But of chief concern is of how we can bring up the topic with Sursyana-sama, especially on a matter such as… this." She tried not to glance too pointedly at the woman's pregnant belly.

Then, she surprised her again by laughing. "Please do forgive me, Holiness. I sometimes forget that it is different for me now that I am bidden to stand at his side. It gives me something of a… perspective, a unique perspective that few others have. And I forget that this perspective can clash pretty heavily with others."

She tried not to look too alarmed. "What do you mean by saying that?"

"Well, to start, I know how Ainz-sama is like," she said. "And if there's one thing he does not, will not tolerate, it's trying to plot around him. He's far too wise for that; his far-ranging Sight already sees you coming, as is to be expected from a god."

"… I… I see…"

"Your petitions would be far better received if you were more forthright with it," said Ueda, speaking with even greater confidence. "I suppose this is why he had not been responding to your invitations before."

"That would make some sort of sense," Berenice mused, thinking back to that recent period where they had continually sent envoys and letters to the Sorcerous Kingdom, inviting Ainz to all sorts of meetings.

"If you do all that, he naturally thinks you're plotting something," said Ueda. "And since he already sees through it all, it makes him think worse of you. It makes him think you're nothing more than a dishonest schemer. He will respect an honest appeal more. I should know, well I mean…" She paused, blushing. "Well, I might have… some experience on that matter."

"But we would never plot against the Exalted One," Berenice said, half-protesting. "The—the very thought…!" Her shoulders slumped in resignation. "But I suppose this is what you meant. We were still planning for ways on how to approach him, without knowing that he would have already anticipated us." She furrowed her brows in thought. "This has been most illuminating, Ueda. Giving such knowledge to us is greatly appreciated."

Ueda bowed silently.

"And yet even with that suggestion, it is still unclear if he would actually give his approval or assent," Berenice pointed out, his eyes now glancing into the hedges in thought.

"Ah… well to that, I cannot really offer any insight," Ueda said. "It may well be that he rejects you." Berenice whirled to look back at her, eyes wide. "The first time, I should say."

"That—"

Ueda held up her hand. "Holiness, it took a great deal of time before Ainz-sama deigned to even approach me." This time, it was her turn to look away. "In his vast wisdom, he might deem your petition… unworthy of his time, sorry to say. But I know he will appreciate that you took the time to ask, and furthermore, that you were brave enough to attempt it. He may eventually agree: if not after the first time, then perhaps the second, or the third time."

"I see," Berenice couldn't help the disappointment from tinging her voice. "Well, it is Sursyana, so it cannot be helped if he does end up refusing. At the very least we will have tried."

"Indeed."

She let the silence linger for a moment longer before smiling. "In any case, it would be remiss of me not to express my gratitude—on behalf of the Theocracy—for the help you have just given us. As I have stated before, you shall always be a scion of the Theocracy." After acknowledging her bow, she continued, "Now then, would you happen to be busy after this?"

The woman's eyes flickered. "… Not… Not particularly, Holiness. Why do you ask?"

"I just had a thought. Your perspective might be important to inform the other Cardinals on making the right decision. So let us go and arrange a meeting with all of us."

"With all of the… Cardinals?" Ueda frowned. "Would they not be… busy?"

"Nonsense, they will always have time to spare when it comes to you, my dear," Berenice said, waving dismissively. "I'm sure the lot of them can spare a few precious minutes to hear you out."

Ueda looked unsure. "In that case, I have no objection, but Holy One, I don't think I can be as persuasive as you might think."

"Allow me to lead the way," Berenice said confidently. "Just answer the questions that may be posed as truthfully as you can."

But when they were about to leave, the silence between them was suddenly broken by a loud, insistent growling. It took a few moments for her to register where it was coming from.

"Oh my!"

"My deepest apologies!" cried Ueda, her face now flushed red like a tomato. Her belly had growled so loud it seemed like a beast unto itself. "I don't know what came over me."

She blinked at her. "Are you… hungry my dear?"

"I'm practically starving. But that's strange, because just not too long ago I ate a hearty breakfast with my comrades of the Scripture. I thought I was already full…" Ueda frowned, patting her belly.

She reached out to pat the other woman on the shoulder. She beamed. "You are currently feeding six glorious children inside your body. So your hunger is to be expected." She paused. "Let's postpone this meeting for later then."

"But your Holiness..!"

"No, no, no buts, my dear," Berenice said, raising a quelling hand. "Your task is perhaps the most important one currently for anyone within the Theocracy. And as simple as finding something to eat is, it should still not be neglected. Not just for the babies, but for yourself."

Ueda nodded seriously. "You're right. You're absolutely right, Holiness! Ainz-sama would not want me to neglect myself, nor the children!"

"Well said. Now go! Leave this old woman to reminisce. I shall send word about out future meeting later."

"Thank you for the time, Holiness," Ueda said, with a bow.

"As ever, I should be thanking you, my dear," she replied. "Good travel to you, and good eating."

Ueda chuckled weakly, then turned to walk away, leaving Berenice all alone in the gardens.

She sighed and looked around. Even if Ueda was not here to help give support to her case, she would not stop from meeting them now. And not just them: the heads of the various Scriptures and agencies of the Theocracy needed to know about the situation, so they could prepare. The information they had just gleaned from the former Captain was very important, all while leading a certain sort of legitimacy to Berenice's proposal. The other Cardinals could not dismiss her now.

Heirs needed to be made, posthaste, before something happened to make Sursyana disappear once more.

She wondered then, if there were any of the men from the stunted lineages who would volunteer to share the burden. The Captain had seemed enthusiastic about her change, but perhaps she was the only one who thought so.

---

Demiurge knew that the Master expected a high level of service when it came to Nazarick. In turn, Demiurge expected the exact same level from his underlings; and also expected them to hold those under them in turn and so on and on down the hierarchy unto the lowest of ranks. He also expected his fellow Guardians to exercise the same competence, though it was clear to him that doing so was very nearly a lost cause, considering much of what had happened before.

He took an infernal sort of pleasure in attending to his duties, even when the work was just overseeing the work that others performed. Whether it was watching his direct minions labor hard with torturing the unfortunates that Nazarick captured in their prisons, or in the tedious work of managing the various mortal vassals that now called Ainz-sama Master, Demiurge took his responsibility seriously.

Today, Demiurge was busy collating the reports that had just been gathered up for him. These reports came from all over Ainz Ooal Gown's vast domain. These were spies and operatives who did their duty, knowingly or unknowingly, for the glory of the Sorcerous Kingdom and the Great Tomb of Nazarick. The reports were each gathered into a bigger report, passed up the chain to the various departments to which each belonged. Then each was collected again, usually by well-placed and well-trained minions, organized and then pushed further upwards. On and on it ascended, until it reached the desk of the Floor Guardians themselves. In this case, they came to Demiurge and Albedo's, whose responsibility it was to prepare the reports for presentation to Ainz-sama himself.

Although the reports were prepared every day, it was not as if the intelligence were also gathered at the same rate. In some circumstances, the agents would only send information once in a week, or even only in a fortnight. And the lower ranks were also authorized to winnow away any information that did not merit any mention, such as if everything was "alright" or "going well" on a particular place of interest to Nazarick.

Today, Demiurge expected the usual report. Ainz-sama had yet to come home since the Elf King's capture, which meant that he was still occupied with his private affairs. If there had been anything outstanding to come out, the news would have already spread throughout Nazarick, such as in the case of their agents discovering the true nature of the threat posed by the Platinum Dragon-Lord. The fact that it was looking to be a normal day, just as the day before, lulled Demiurge to a false sense of security when he picked up the freshly prepared sheets of parchment, ready for him to read.

He did not expect to read the first piece of news that greeted him.

Immediately he stood, and marched out of his office. His destination was clear: the Chief Overseer's office, where dwelt Albedo, his counterpart in managing all of Nazarick on behalf of Ainz Ooal Gown.

Upon arriving there, he saw from a distance that the door was open and completely unguarded. "As I thought," he said aloud to himself. He clucked his tongue and made an about-face, shifting his destination to another place. If the Overseer was not at the office that was assigned to her, then there was only one other place that she could be.

When he reached Ainz-sama's office, he saw the guards positioned outside the door, as if Ainz-sama had returned. But since that was not true, there could only be one other reason why they were there.

"Albedo. So you were here," Demiurge said dryly, as soon as he stepped through the door.

"Demiurge, good greetings to you," the Overseer replied. She was at the very cusp of giving birth to Ainz-sama's child. She was seated behind a smaller desk to the side of the bigger one—that was usually reserved for Ainz-sama himself. She was surrounded by all sorts of parchment, almost looking like she was brooding on a nest made up of paperwork.

He wanted to sigh. Albedo wasn't supposed to be here. Because of the current state of her pregnancy, her activities as Overseer had been restricted by Ainz-sama so she would not strain herself. And Demiurge had agreed with his Master, and was eager to take her in hand should the situation arise. Then she had begged Ainz-sama to be given some small opportunity to serve, and so she had been granted leave to assist him from the comfort of her small office. That meant Albedo had a loophole through which she could disguise continuing to work as that "small opportunity".

And now, with Ainz-sama out on his expedition, Albedo was fully intent on flouting her restrictions, and had gone back to her normal duties. Here was the proof just sitting there behind the desk.

Demiurge had been duly authorized by Ainz-sama to encourage Albedo to take care of herself more; and to take on her share of the daily work. However, this authority only encompassed "encouragement" and not "enforcement". This meant he could not really use force to drag her away to her own office. Even if he tried, Albedo would most likely resist, and that would only serve to endanger the baby inside her. That effectively curtailed his authority: he did not have the wherewithal to convince Albedo using just words alone, and he could not marshal the Tomb (which was technically under his purview ever since Ainz had temporarily stripped Albedo's authority) for fear of doing anything to the child.

It was a lose-lose situation, and Albedo was fully aware of it and exploiting it in her usual ruthless way. And so it was that despite his intense dislike for the situation, he refrained from reprimanding Albedo and instead presented the parchment he had carried with him.

"Have you read the latest?" He did not see the copy of the document on her desk; which meant that it had yet to be disseminated properly.

"You have it in your hands, Demiurge. I thank you for taking the time to pass it to me," she said smugly. "May I read it then?"

"I suppose there is no harm. But do take care not to overreact," he said in the most ironic voice he could muster. He gave the sheet of parchment, where the one page in particular showed the report that had led Demiurge to seek her out.

Her eyes scanned over the document in a second. Surprise came over her expression—it was clear that she was just as shocked by what was written there as Demiurge had been.

She did recover her expression handily, and put the paper aside without showing any more expression. Then her smile widened. "It appears all is in order, Demiurge. The Master has achieved another great task, just as we expected He would. We can only be surprised, but it is only to be expected."

"Indeed, but this does raise questions."

"What else is there to wonder about?" Albedo said, with a shrug. "The Slaine Theocracy has formally extended a diplomatic hand towards us, when they had not done so before. This is a great victory, and all without needing to fight a single battle."

"And it is not only that," Demiurge added. "They have also all but intimated their intent to submit to Ainz Ooal Gown, to the Sorcerous Kingdom entirely."

Albedo's smile widened. "And so another falls into the palm of our Master's hand."

According to what the report had said, the Theocracy, who had hitherto refused all efforts to engage with Nazarick, was now literally on its knees, proclaiming Ainz-sama to be a master worthy of service—a self-evident fact, but it was not one that those humans had believed before. Demiurge had estimated that it would have taken something monumental to make them change their tune like this.

"But how can this be?" Demiurge said aloud. "The testimony from Zesshi Zetsumei herself, as well as our agents on the ground within the Theocracy itself, all paint it as a formidable fortress that is not easily subverted. They are a country of proud humans, fanatical in their beliefs, who would have bitterly resisted to the last. Even if we were to subvert their leaders, these Cardinals, unless we also took over the minds of the rest of the people, they were predicted to rise up and resist, rendering our efforts moot, and failing the condition that Ainz-sama set out for us. If the goal was to make exterminate them, then it would be very easy to crush them. But with Ainz-sama working to make friends with the other nations, conquering them would have needed a big war and an extensive post-war processing of those stubborn peoples. And yet now they bow to the Master…" He shuddered. He was well aware now of the depths of his Master's cruel and all-consuming cunning, but to be reminded so starkly even in this moment… "I wonder what he had done to make them bend."

Albedo grinned. "You never learn, don't you Demiurge? It is like you never stop doubting the Master."

"I don't doubt him!" he replied snappishly. "I never have. But for a mind as small as mine own, is it not right for me to try to comprehend the genius of Ainz-sama's craft? The thoroughness of his grand schemes, and the greatness of his intellect? Not even you had predicted this would happen."

"As you say," Albedo said with a shrug, allowing the accusation to pass without rising to it.

"How did he do it?" Demiurge said quietly, expressing the question that was on his mind, and was no doubt also on Albedo's mind. The two of them had been blindsided by this information. They had expected Ainz-sama to return from his expedition with news of the dark elves he had been searching for; only to one day get a report that he had somehow assimilated the Slaine Theocracy.

"Perhaps that Ueda is involved in his scheme," Albedo ventured. "I have heard from the maid speculate; though I do not know how exactly she fits."

"Ueda?" Demiurge said, repeating the name. It was as if a torch had been lit in his mind. "That fits… I suppose. A couple of days ago, Ainz-sama requested her presence… somewhere." He racked his mind, he recalled nothing of where exactly she was going—a complete oversight that had him panicking. If she had been part of Ainz-sama's plan all along, then more fool him for recognizing it in such an insignificant event. "He had her sent through a Gate."

Albedo's eyes widened. She leaned forward and slammed her hands on the surface of the table. "A Gate? Days ago? I know nothing of that. Why the hell wasn't I informed?"

Her glare could have frozen a mortal's blood, but Demiurge did not so much as flinch. He did feel troubled, as he had but dismissed the order as something routine. After all, Keeno had been given leave to routinely return to E-Rantel for some business, Sebas Tian's new pets were also given the privilege; and he therefore saw no difference with Ueda. He had deemed it a trifle. "My apologies. The order did not come through me; I only heard it after the fact." Which meant that the order had come from a higher authority—that is to say, Ainz-sama himself.

Albedo growled as she sat back. She crossed her fingers above her pregnant belly, her expression seething with pent-up anger. "What does it all mean? Does that woman really have something to do with it after all?" She looked at him. "That woman, Clementine, they were acquaintances were they not?"

He did not know why she was asking; she would have already known full well that was the case, just from all the time spent together in the Mother's Hall. "It seems so."

"Much as I loathe to entertain such an insect," Albedo said with a barely repressed snarl. "I shall need to extract some knowledge from her. It might be that she talked to Ueda before she left. Perhaps she would know what the Master intends."

He examined the cuffs of his coat. "Do keep me informed of what you uncover," he said. There was a small chance she would actually do so, or that she would hide some details even if she did. But appearances had to be kept, in their little mental dance. "I shall take my leave for now. My many duties remain unperformed, and I must attend to them." Including a very important one.

"Good day, Demiurge," Albedo said frostily. He bowed deeply and left, his smile never leaving his face.

Albedo did not seem like she was looking forward to talking with Clementine. He wished the both of them luck on that score: for that outsider was notorious for her remarkable shows of defiance to those who were far stronger than her—not to mention the lack of respect and obeisance for Ainz-sama as was supposed to be due. The Master was free to tolerate her as he wished, he was Ainz-sama after all. But that did not mean the rest of Nazarick would endear themselves to the woman, protected mother or no.

Demiurge, on the other hand, was rather looking forward to this meeting. He had been looking forward to it on this day, and it had only been the sudden surprising news that had caught him off-guard.

He arrived at one of the cells of the prison, where powerful prisoners of Nazarick were currently entombed. He had been acquainted with each and every one, and they knew him in return. It had been a distinct pleasure to work with them, to examine their strengths, their flaws, and of the many ways they could be put to use by the Master. Ueda and one of Sebas' pet had been his guests for a time, as well, though they had not been given the pleasure of a face-to-face with him. Here these prisoners would rot forever, unless the Master deigned to free them. They would be kept alive for as long as Ainz-sama wished it; even if they no longer desired it.

He moved to one cell in particular. This one contained a very interesting specimen, a prisoner Ainz-sama had captured and sent here.

He smiled to see the worn, grimy form of the former Elf King, Decem Hougan, wrapped in chains and huddled against the wall. When his shadow fell over his face, the elf cringed and backed up, as if fearing some oncoming blow. But that was strange; for the Master had forbidden him to be harmed, and so he had not.

Demiurge wondered at the master's intentions, for having Aura and Mare bring him back as a prisoner from the fallen Elf Country. Were it not for those orders, he would have already put him to work on any number of experiments. He was said to be a powerful being, with a bloodline that was nigh legendary. Naturally, Demiurge wished to know if such power could be passed down—and birth powerful monsters.

He did not know what Ainz-sama intended to do with the wretch, and what his ultimate fate would be. But he could afford to wait. He was a patient servant after all.

For now he would need to make a preliminary interrogation, as was customary for newly acquired prisoners. These were mundane things, not needing the finer touches from madame Neuronist or his own minions' brand of music-making. No, he was sure that was going to come later, when Ainz-sama was done.

"Decem Hougen," he said, causing the elf to flinch. "I am here to ask questions of you. Answer them and you will not be harmed. Lie to me, and you will wish that the Master had not spared you." He smiled, showing off his teeth. "Are we clear?"

"Hiii!" The elf nodded repeatedly.

"Excellent," he purred. He stepped forward, further into shadow. In the darkness, his eyes gleamed behind his glasses.

---

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", or message me on discord under RHoldhous#6771 or jonholdhous under the new rules.

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