Breeding Issues

by The Ruff Pusher

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

38. Chapter 38

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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She had never felt this nervous about a bedding, not even during her own marriage, in what might have been a lifetime ago.

He had been a high-ranking soldier of the Theocracy, and she had been an elite guard assigned to the Cardinals' protection. It had been a political marriage, meant to secure both of their bloodlines from extinction. She had been encouraged to retire from active duty to give birth to many children and extend the Gods' blessings for at least another generation, even when her zeal had called her otherwise. But there was devotion to the gods, and her unassailable duty to the Theocracy itself. Thus she assented to the match, and the marriage, with little protest from her part.

Despite that, she had felt just a little resentful for the onerous duty that had been given to her. She had therefore approached her marriage bed without the trepidation of a blushing bride, but the dignity akin to preparing herself for a pilgrimage or a test of faith. Their coupling had been entirely transactional, meant only to ensure the quickening of her womb; with neither seeking intimacy or pleasure from the act. Her husband had been of like mind as her, his zeal oriented towards fighting the enemies of their faith, and had spent most of their married years out on a battlefield or fortress.

The gods had blessed their union with several children, but it was clear after their last that their marriage could not be deemed fruitful. Whether it was through a quirk of their bodies, the will of the gods or some nefarious, unknown reason, she had not been able to offer the Theocracy the brood of children that it desperately needed.

And worst of all: she had not been able to produce a Godkin.

She had then pinned her hopes on her children, teaching them as was proper for heirs of the Theocracy and finding them suitable matches to hopefully succeed where she had failed spectacularly. She had watched them grow, succeed, stumble, triumph, fail and ultimately become suitable members of the Theocracy with pride in her heart. Yes, she had even loved them as a mother, caring for them when they fell ill and elevating them as much as she could in her position.

Time would pass, and she would leave that stage of her life behind. Her children would grow into their responsibilities, themselves becoming occupied with dynastic matters of their own. Berenice would see her grandchildren, in contrast to her own experience, having never known her own grandparents. Her husband would die then, of an illness, and she with her family would grieve for him deeply. Yet still, she would leave that part of her life behind her, moving on and devoting her soul even more in service to the gods.

Now she had become a Cardinal, a duty she had been honored to accept. Her grandchildren were making families of their own, and she had even seen their children born. The prime of her life was behind her: but at least she was secure in the knowledge that she would be able to serve the Gods to the best of her ability; while also working to preserve continuation of her line, and the greater survival of the Theocracy.

Perhaps the only big regret she ever had was the fact that neither her children, nor their children, nor even their further children, had shown themselves to be Godkin. But this was not something she could blame the gods for, for she knew they governed the strands of fate itself. If such was her place as decreed by them, then she would not decry it.

Still, it was that particular fact, which she shared with plenty of other bloodlines in the Theocracy, that had pushed her towards the plan of the Godkin resurgence, when Sursyana had revealed Himself to them once more. Here was the deliverance that she and so many others before her had prayed for with all their hearts. She had felt fortunate that this great occurrence had happened during her tenure as Cardinal, and she was therefore very eager for Lord Ainz to commence.

She had even been prepared to put pressure on her grandchildren, who were still of prime child-bearing age, to divorce their husbands and offer themselves up; while also promising their present children to Ainz-sama for when they grew up in the future. There was perhaps a touch of nepotism to this, but she would have been prepared to accept that Ainz was free to choose anyone else if he fancied, so long as he just started already.

She just never expected his first choice to be her.

Such was the source of her current anxiety. It was hard to imagine that any man with his blood up could find her worn-out body to even be remotely attractive. She had heard of certain perverts in the other nations, who held debased preferences that were proscribed by the teachings. Those were sure paths to eternal damnation, in her opinion.

Surely the god Sursyana was not that type of pervert? She couldn't help but shudder at the sliver of blasphemy she had allowed into her heart. Her God was right there, in front of her, after all; surely he would have been able to hear her unworthy thoughts. Then again, she could not really judge him as if he was a mere man. Perhaps the taste of gods went beyond the physical. In that case, she only hoped she could manage with her body. Despite the fact that she would have been ready to help face down a threat that approached the level of the demon kings, her body was frail and old, and might not really be able to "keep up" with the energy of a god transmuted into what looked to be the body of a young man.

She clasped her hands on her lap nervously. She watched Ainz-sama pace on the floor in front of her, having said nothing ever since he had taken her by hand to this private room. It had been an hour since that momentous meeting back in the Council chambers, yet the feeling of doubt and fear never really removed themselves from her mind. Being made to wait for this long of a time was hard on her heart. She was really only able to place her hopes on the god before her.

Berenice idly wondered what Ainz-sama was doing. After he had led her to the bed, she had expected him to begin mounting her at once, and had even steeled her heart on their way here. But after letting her sit, he had then started to pace. Then he had produced an item in his hand, some sort of divine artifact whose function she could not really discern. On one hand, she wanted him to stop and begin acting on his intentions towards her already; but on the other, she feared him ultimately having second thoughts and rejecting her, for many valid reasons, leaving her jilted like a bride scorned at the altar.

And suddenly, Ainz's movements stopped. She blinked at the abruptness of the motion. Then he stepped towards her, his eyes staring intently at her. She braced herself, wondering if this was about the time to start. She was certainly ready to bare it all, to once more allow a male to fulfill his ordained duty by laying with her body, that she might bear worthy children.

But for some reason, Ainz-sama was holding out the object in his hand towards her. Her eyes focused on it without thinking, making her discern its features as it was placed near her face. There was something vaguely familiar about the symbol on the object, as if she had seen it before.

Yet before she could inquire his reasons, or about what the object was, there came a bright light from within the object itself, blinding her momentarily. She was forced to squint, but only for a while, before she blinked away the whiteness, and vision returned.

She saw Ainz put the object away.

"Um… My lord Ainz," she asked. "What did… What was…?" She trailed off her question, when she saw the expression on her god's face. He was staring at her with something like surprise. She turned her head instinctively, as if there was someone behind her. But there was nothing. "...that…?"

Ainz cleared his throat. "Ah… Do you feel different, Cardinal?"

She cocked her head. Logically this had something to do with the object, and the srange light it exuded. "Different? I…" She clenched her fists. She did feel something strange about her body. It was like she had been given one of those warrior stimulants that were routinely issued to their warriors, to enhance their fighting abilities and ward off fatigue. "I certainly feel… a lot lighter, my lord. Is it because of what that artifact did?"

"Hum… Well that is only expected. But it is surprising, still."

"Surprising?" She cocked her head.

"Before anything else, here," he produced another object in his hand. She thought it was the same artifact, but it was actually just a small hand mirror, with a piece of reflective glass on one side. "Have a look for yourself."

"What is it… exactly… huh…?" She slapped a hand to her cheek. "Huh?!"

In that moment, she felt faint, as if her heart had indeed given up entirely. And because of it, her mind was now producing a hallucination for her addled mind. She might be dying now, seeing a strange vision that mere words could not express.

For how else could she explain what was reflected on that mirror's surface? It was not the wrinkled face and the dour expression that she had been accustomed to seeing. It was instead the face of a younger matriarch, some entire decades in the past, as if her God had shown her a glimpse into that distant past. A time when she had been steadily rising in the Theocracy's upper ranks, when she had been administering her children as they were growing into adulthood.

Gone were the venerable wrinkles which she had been proud to wear, which had crept all over her body once her youth had dried out. Now there were only a few wrinkles, here and there, but the rest had been smoothed out. Her skin was no longer pale and faded and blotched, but healthy and polished, with a rosy flush. Her dulled silver hair was now a lustrous brunette stylishly dyed with a few white streaks. Her lips were no longer a thin grimace, but fuller and more defined, like a fresh apple slice.

She leaned close the mirror, gaping all the while. She grabbed her cheeks, and pinched. Her equally wide-eyed reflection mimicked her, and continued to follow along as she pinched her chin, her neck, and then looked down to examine the rest of her body. Her arms, once thinned from lack of exertion, were once more stuffed with lean muscle and a bit of fat; her legs were no longer stick-like, but were full and thick and ample. Most of all, there was now a considerable weight on her chest, as the two lumps on it, which had lost most of its essence over the man years due to lack of use, were now thick and full, as if they were brimming with milk.

Whatever had happened, she was no longer the woman with the small frail body, which she would have pridefully declared as adequate a minute ago; and was now instead a woman just past her prime, a spinster if she had not been fruitful, and a matriarch otherwise. She was not quite young and sprite-like, as she had been in her maiden years, but it was still a very marked difference. And it was no magical glamour nor flimsy disguise. She did not feel as if she was weighed down by layers of beautifying conceit.

She wondered if this image would fade or was about to fade, as if it was just a glimpse granted to her by the mercy of Sursyana. And so she had to ask, with trembling voice, "How… How is this possible, my lord…? Is this… Am I really…?"

"You know, honestly speaking, I didn't know what to expect. But I did expect my answer to be vindicated, and so it has." Ainz glanced at the object in his hand, and nodded approvingly to himself, as if he was a man who had come to a definite conclusion to an answer wholly in his head. "I was sure that it was not going to transform you into a man, as I still had my doubts. I am happy that part of me was proven right."

"P-pardon, my lord?" she asked anxiously.

He sighed. "The magic I used on you is the same that I used on Ueda. I had… anticipated that it would serve to transform you into a man, much as he has transformed into a woman. However, I had my doubts…" He rubbed his chin, appraising her body from head to toe. She felt self-conscious, as if she had been made naked by his gaze, even when she was still completely clothed. "And my other thought was instead proven correct. It was never my attention to change your gender. I commanded that you remain as you were, and that is what happened. But rather than fail completely, it instead reverted you to a younger state." He paced the room. "A state pretty much in the prime of your past, wouldn't you say?"

"I, I suppose, Master…"

"Excellent!" Ainz said with a few claps. "It is easy to conclude then that the object's most primary function, in stringent terms, is to follow the caster's intention. In you it managed to return you to the prime of your life. In Ueda it changed him into a woman."

Now she could at least grasp the meaning of the words he had been saying. His great magic that had been used to change Ueda from man to woman had not been intended that way in the first place. Instead it changed one into a form ideal to the caster—in this case, Ainz-sama. Ainz-sama willed the magic that Ueda be more desirable to him, and that was why he became a woman.

So what about her? It seemed that Ainz-sama desired to have her in this ideal state, thereby circumventing the issues of her age altogether. He had yet again accomplished the impossible: from turning man to woman, he had reversed time itself and brought her back to her previous state.

Unbidden tears came into her eyes. She couldn't help it; she had just witnessed a divine miracle that she had only ever read about in scripture. And not only that, it had happened to her! It was literally the hand of her god touching her soul and blessing it.

"Oi, are you okay?" Ainz asked. She felt his body against hers, his chest right beside her face. Without even thinking about it, she pushed her head against it, her sniffling turning into full-blown sobbing as all her emotions went berserk. Her god felt so warm and… alive right next to her, giving off the illusion that he was but a mere human, with flesh and blood and filled with the warmth of life. And yet, he had already shown the proof that he was her god. That he was capable of grand signs and miracles, as the Scriptures had clearly stated.

"Hey, calm down, please," Ainz was saying. She felt his hand, kind and careful, rubbing her back.

"My lord, thank you… thank you…!" she said between her sobs. "You are… truly kind… A kind god… and a wise god…"

"Eh, well…"

She couldn't stop the creeping sense of doubt from clouding her mind. She felt as a simple ear of grain in the granary, one among so many millions stored. By chance or divine unfathomable will, it was her who was chosen. Was she really worth all this? How could she even begin to reciprocate this favor of such divine magnitude?

After what seemed to be an eternity of pouring out her tears from her soul, she felt herself subside, comforted by his raw presence just close to her. She knew it was just the avatar he had chosen for himself, but to have the god's physical form feel so real to her touch, all her senses being allowed to affirm his existence for herself was an awe-inspiring experience in of itself. And she drew comfort from that, and felt her fears melt away, to be replaced by warm, steadfast devotion.

"… It is good to see you've calmed down," she heard him say.

"My… my apologies, my lord." Abruptly she recalled that she had discharged her tears and snot and other unpleasant fluids right onto her god's clothes. It was an act so shameless and undignified, and totally unworthy of one who bore the rank of Cardinal. She could feel a second round of tears welling up, but she was determined not to embarrass herself even more in front of her god.

"There is one thing I am curious about," he said. There was a short bout of silence, which made her cock her head, puzzled. "Um… how do I say this… Were you actually so… 'blessed' all the way back when this was your age?"

"Blessed?" She repeated, with doubt. "I have… certainly been blessed by many things that you and the other Gods had deigned to bestow upon your humble servant, lord…"

"Er, no. …Well certainly if that's what you think about it... But I'm not talking about that…" he gestured with his hand, indicating a place on her buttocks.

On her rather thick and enlarged buttocks.

"By the gods!" she cried, pushing herself away and standing. She turned around, trying to see what had happened to her asscheeks a bit clearer. She didn't know why she'd failed to notice before, but here was something she definitely had not expected! Where had these… engorged pair come from? Each one seemed to be even bigger than her head somehow! She certainly had never possessed something as outrageous as these two decades before! It would have been a hindrance to her duties!

And her hips! She looked down and laid a hand on each, feeling them out. Her hips had also widened to match, looking large enough to support those bags. In fact, the more she looked, the more she realized that the lower part of her body was now a lot curvier than she remembered.

After she ran her hands over those thick, hanging cheeks, she lifted one of them up, then let them fall. The way they jiggled after that made her flush in embarrassment. Then she realized that beneath her robes, which had obviously become a lot small for her bigger, younger body, these enlarged buttocks of hers had actually torn the fabric of her trousers! She only belatedly realized that she was showing that off to her god behind her, before she turned around.

Berenice looked at Ainz in panic, even as he idly stroked his chin. She blushed and stammered out an apology, "My, my, my lord, apologies for showing you such a state… I, I will certainly attempt to rectify it as soon as…" She took a breath, and frowned to herself. What was even happening? Here she was, having been blessed by the god and even witnessed a miracle for herself, and all she gave him in return was undignified stuttering and an undignified, threadbare appearance! How could she claim to be a Cardinal representing Their will after this? She felt her vision blur, as once more the tears came to gather.

Then she felt Ainz-sama stand up and draw her back into his embrace again. "Oi, oi, what's wrong? You can tell me, I won't bite. I promise…"

Her shoulders hitched as she struggled in vain to rein in her emotions. She was hiccuping repeatedly, her voice coming out in hoarse rasps. "My, my, my apologies, lord… god… I only… I am only… I do not think I am… wo-worthy…"

"Hmmm…" For a moment, the god didn't say anything. Then he said, "Is that really the case? Ever since I brought you here from that room with all your fellow Cardinals and the rest of them, you've been acting strange. It does make one wonder…"

She stiffened, as a thrill of fear surged through her. She tried to will the waterworks to cease, as she vainly wiped at her face. Perhaps Ainz-sama had been insulted by her seeming reaction to his decision; where she had greeted him with her tears instead of offering up her body to him. "My… my sincerest apologies, my lord… I… I don't know… What came—"

"Please, please," Ainz-sama said. "Enough of that. I just want to know what's wrong. Why are you upset?"

Through blurred eyes, she looked at him, and his inquiring expression. She sniffled, trying not to let fresh tears flow down her cheeks. "I'm just… conflicted, my lord. Of all the people in the Theocracy that you could have chosen… Why me…?"

"It is difficult for me to explain in a way that you would understand," Ainz said. He muttered to himself, before shaking his head. "But be satisfied that I have chosen you. Or is that not enough? Do you still doubt?"

"Of course not!" she said hastily. More than the apprehension of being found wanting by the god was the fear of being ultimately rejected by his favor. That would have been a great blow to her self-esteem, far greater than if she had never been chosen at all. The god had gone through all the trouble of taking her away, and then transforming her into a form pleasing to him. If she somehow spoiled her impression of him, enough so he would ultimately decide that she wasn't worth the trouble, then she didn't know what she would do. "My lord, I have full faith in your decision. I am immensely grateful for this opportunity to serve you."

"Mmmm… That's good."

She had calmed down, a little. When her mind thought of it in terms of pride—the pride in knowing that of all people it was she who had been chosen first—it made it easier for her to remain calm in front of Ainz-sama.

That was how she was able to say next, "My lord, I should like to say that it has been a long time since I have been with any man."

He blinked. "I… can imagine…"

She smiled in a self-deprecating manner. "I no longer really remember the myriad ways of seducing a man. And a god as great as you… Well, I can only apologize beforehand for any flaws you might see."

He grunted. "That doesn't really matter for now," he said. He squeezed her tighter in his embrace. "In fact, from this moment, please treat me as just a normal man."

She stared at him for a long moment in surprise, astounded by the words he spoke. She knew he was just speaking for her sake, for her not to fear him for being a god. He was trying very hard to appease her. She broke out into a fit of giggling. "You are… Very well, my lord. I would not dare to contradict your humility."

"Well, for this to work, you must cast aside your original thoughts about me. You must not treat me as a god who stands above you. Here and now, as we couple, always just remember: I am a man, you are a woman, and together we shall make a miracle."

Her heart stilled. Deep within her mind, it was as if a memory had drifted upward from the very depths, cast back into the light in full glory. For those words he had just uttered were from Scripture, and one that was not usually quoted in the sermons of today. It was attributed, most appropriately, to Sursyana, though the subject of His words had been about a story describing the founding of a village, and of the proud princess who had been humbled by the lesson she had received. (The princess was said to have become one of the first Cardinals, though it was very much disputed)

Shudders wracked her frame, as she felt the weight of this momentous occasion once more bear down on her. Once more Ainz-sama had confirmed that he was indeed Sursyana returned, reminding her of her faith and of her sacred duty now that she had been chosen. She had been chosen among the multitudes of the faithful in the Theocracy, to be the one to bear his child. If she wept yet again, it would be tears of true joy.

Ainz-sama took her hand. He said, "Are you ready?"

She nodded eagerly, not wanting to squander this moment. "Yes!"

"If you are uncertain, if you feel as if it is too fast—"

"No! My lord, I am ready!"

Ainz-sama sighed. "I shall not take it against you, if you decline now. And I shall not reverse your transformation if that is the case. You have earned it for… your faith, yes. For your faith."

"Be that as it may, my lord," Berenice said, laying her other arm on top of his and gripping him hard, as if she feared he would disappear in a puff of smoke. "I shall serve. For I now belong to you, and you alone. My body was and shall always be yours to do with as you please."

He looked into her eyes for a long time. She didn't dare look away, for fear that this was yet another trial for her to endure. She would not falter, not at this junction!

Eventually, Ainz-sama sighed and nodded. "Then close your eyes, and tell me if you feel something." She did as she was told, and then she felt as if something magical had once more engulfed her.

A moment later, he bid her open her eyes, and she did. She blinked, and looked around, instantly recognizing that they were no longer in the room where he had taken her.

Her gaze quickly took stock of her new surroundings. There was a bed right next to her, which meant this was a bedroom. But what immediately struck her was the sheer opulence of the furniture within the room. It was as if it belonged to a high-class noble from the Kingdom. The moment she thought that, she immediately felt like it was wrong. The way the objects here looked seemed far more… "grand" than what a mere noble, or a very wealthy merchant, could accomplish. She next wondered if this was some sort of illusion. If it was, it was something completely potent, that to her it was indistinguishable from reality.

The only other conclusion she could gather was one that was the most reasonable, as this was the work of one of the gods. In the Scriptures detailing the past, much had been said of the gods leading the very first faithful to unknown places, places which they would never be able to visit again. Usually they were in the context of salvation and deliverance: of the faithful being spirited away from certain death and danger by the gods, before leading them back to the mundane world.

Much debate had been made as to their real nature. Some were content to call these divine visions, of the faithful being given an illusion while the gods cast a spell to whisk them to safety. Other commentators were adamant that these were literal visitations into the divine realm, of the gods having allowed them a brief visit into the threshold of their most sacred domain, before ushering them back through another door to reality. Berenice determined that what she was experiencing was the latter sort: that this was actually the manifestation of the divine writ, much like in the scriptures, which then gave her a little bit of a thrill. It was like she was living through the Scriptures, through her own eyes!

Her excitement was interrupted by a throat clearing. She whirled, and saw Ainz-sama looking at her with interest. "Should… we not be getting ready…?"

She blushed deep scarlet, and felt the blood rushing to her head. She exhaled a breath and nodded shakily. "Of… of course, my lord." That the god had actually manifested a bed here spoke to no other purpose of this divine visit.

She took a deep, determined breath, then sashayed over to the bed as best as she was able. She had long been out of practice, and even back then she had only ever heard of the wanton movements of whores from conversation. She hoped she wasn't embarrassing herself.

She put her hands on the bed, and thrust out her buttocks behind her. It didn't take much movement from her hips for them to start wiggling. She looked over her shoulder at him. "I… am ready for you, my lord god…" she said, making her voice as low and husky as she was able. She prayed to the god and the other gods that this was adequate, that she hadn't just made a fool of herself.

Then Ainz chuckled, and started undressing. She blinked, and despite herself couldn't stop from staring. As more and more of his body was unveiled, she was struck by how handsome and attractive his body looked. Of course, this was just his mortal avatar, which was not free from imperfection, but to her eyes this was a prime specimen of a powerful male, with strong, defined muscles, broad shoulders, legs firm like tree trunks, and exuding an undeniable aura of masculinity.

Whatever her private thoughts of their marriage, Berenice had been devoted to her husband, and would never have suffered attempts at seduction. But, as she stared at her god's mortal body, she wondered if she would have succumbed had this body come to her; even if there was not a god behind it. There was just something to how it looked, and how it moved, that made her heart quiver—not from fear, but of anticipation. It was like she was beholding a large predator, whose entire fearsome form had been condensed into that of a man. Or, to follow the teachings of the very god before her, here was a man who best personified what it meant to be the man, an exemplary that elevated itself beyond the paltry examples of its fellows.

She found herself hastening to pull off her clothes, as if merely seeing the returned god's mortal flesh unveiled before her compelled her mind to mimic it as quickly as possible. Yet here she found another source of her embarrassment.

"Damn!" she cursed under her breath. She had entirely forgotten that she was still wearing her Cardinal's vestments. These were sacred clothing that had multiple parts to it, most of which were impossible to remove by herself. It required at least two servants to put it on and take it off. She was sorely tempted to just tear the fabric, despite how blasphemous that sounded. Her trousers, had already been ripped, after all, so what even more?

Some of her futile attempts to dislodge her clothing had caught Ainz-sama's attention, which made him ask, "Are you alright?"

With reddened face and tear-filled eyes, she turned to him. "I… My apologies my lord… These clothes…" She wondered what her god might be thinking of her now, to behold a woman who seemed to exude trouble nearly every second. First there was the crying, now this—well, this definitely made her want to cry again!

"Allow me to help," he offered, approaching her.

She exhaled a sigh, and then nodded jerkily. "Thank you, if you would be so kind… my lord god… I apologize for the trouble…"

"Not at all," Ainz-sama said promptly. Her breath hitched to feel him behind her, touching the clasps and ties on her clothes to unlatch and untie. "Here… And is it… here…?"

At this point, rather than being awkward and embarrassing, having her god so close to her and undressing her slowly was actually getting a little… titillating. As layer after layer of her vestments were stripped away and then set aside, Berenice started feeling incredibly self-conscious of herself, even despite practically begging him to do it just moments before.

"There, it's done."

They stood there, naked as the day they were born—or in Ainz-sama's case as naked as he had made his body. She averted her eyes, and sensed her god's gaze lingering on her bared form. She might have been more embarrassed had it been her older, wrinkled form, but she felt a little confident in herself since he had returned a bit of her youth.

"Is it… to your liking, my lord," she asked, in a near-whisper.

"You're nervous again," he observed. He tapped her shoulder and ushered her to sit on the bed with him.

"Yes…" she cleared her throat. "Yes, of course I am. It is not everyday that a… that an old woman such as myself returns to her youth. And more than that, to be single-handedly chosen to couple with my god… My lord, again I must be grateful for your favor."

Ainz chuckled, though his hand never left her shoulder. They sat there naked on the bed, some of their skin practically touching the other now.

Then he started caressing her skin slowly, making her clench her muscles just a bit, her breath hitching up as she braced for what was to come.

"Cardinal? You're tensing."

"Um, oh—oh…!" Why was she so nervous? It was like she had returned to being just a maid. Even when she had come to her own marriage bed, all those years ago, she hadn't acted this way.

She decided to confess those feelings to her god, and hoped he would understand. "Long ago, I was married to my husband, and I could still recall when we first lay with each other, on the marital bed. It was…" She hesitated. "… Adequate, I should say. He did his part… and I did mine. And that was all to be expected of each of us."

"… Did you love your husband?"

She laced her fingers together, and recalled the face of he who had occupied half of her years in life. She wondered if he would have been eager to offer her, his wife, to the god? He had been a most zealous man, whose adherence to the creed had been exalted.

Had she loved him? In most of their marriage, she could not have given a proper answer to that question. She would have said so, even to his face; and would have offered solemn praise to the god beside her for granting her a worthwhile husband. But she had not really loved him then.

But in the years since he'd gone? Years of perspective, as her hair had gone gray to the roots, had sweetened her memories of that man. She may never have truly loved the man as other wives might claim with their own husbands, but she did not regret him, or their union, or their children.

And that was why she was able to tell her god, here and now, the truth, "… I did, my lord god. Yet you took him into your halls, as was ever appointed, and I have long made my peace with it. But as your teachings state: his lot is now in my past, and in the past he shall remain my beloved." She dared to look up at him, to look into his eyes. "And as I look upon tomorrow, I see that I have been granted a sight most miraculous. His husband was in my past, and now you are my future. For that, I am grateful, my lord. Therefore, I shall leave myself entirely to your care."

She made the sign of the gods. After a while, she breathed out a soft sigh. "To be honest, my lord god, never in my dreams have I ever expected that I would be able to couple again in my age. And with a god like you, too."

Ainz-sama chuckled to himself. She looked at him, wondering if he was laughing at her. Then he said, "Well, let me be honest in turn. For myself, I never expected to have… children, shall we say. That was not in my plan. Not until I was seduced, at least."

That surprised her. So the god had returned to the world with no intention of procreating? Then again, she did feel a little bit of gratitude to whoever it was that had seduced the god. Perhaps he had decided, in his infinite wisdom, to never again sully himself with mortal creatures. That a singular woman had been able to convince him otherwise was a laudable feat. Whether or not she was someone from the Theocracy didn't matter: Berenice would see her be hailed as a saint.

"I'm glad you're not feeling as tense anymore," Ainz said, lifting up her chin. She blushed heavily at his touch, and at the way his eyes seemed to smolder from the light reflected. "You should try to relax a bit more. Recall that I asked you to treat me as a normal man."

"I… I will try, my lord," she said. She took a deep breath. "I am ready."

---

At that, Ainz snapped his fingers and unleashed the spell he'd had prepared to use for this occasion. Strange symbols appeared all around the bed, surrounding them in a strange array whose exact nature Ainz did not know. But he knew their function as he recalled them from the game: an area to grant those within them a bonus to experience gain.

"My lord…?" she asked anxiously, looking at the bright symbols. "What is… Hyaah…!"

Her words were stopped by Ainz pushing her down onto the bed, his lips firmly mashing over hers. She was stiff at first, surprised by his boldness. But she eventually relaxed into the kiss, allowing him to do as he pleased as he thrust his tongue into her mouth.

For many long moments they just lay there entwined, with Ainz tenderly exploring every inch of her as sensations she had long thought dormant started to rise from within her. It was like embers were being slowly stoked out from a bed of ash; and the sparks were already there, beyond expectation. For Berenice, it felt good; yet she did not feel confident in herself, and thus did she surrender herself to the god, trusting in his ministrations. She allowed him to do as he pleased, and Ainz did.

For Ainz, this experience was to be a first, in a way. Never before had he had a woman with such bounteous assets, and he was not about to forego a chance to explore and experiment at his leisure. When he could, he bid her lay prone, lying on her side, leaning back against him, while he distracted her with more kissing. He placed his hands on her thick cheeks, marveling at how he could hardly grab more than a third of them, not unless he revealed his shape-shifting to her with an ill-advised morph. Still, he was more than tempted, and contented himself with just rubbing and squeezing her butt, admiring their thickness, their elasticity, and of how they jiggled. There was something to their appearance that roused something within him: like he wanted so desperately to breed and impregnate whoever these belonged to. Was it because he was a mixture of transformations and his wires were getting crossed? Or was there something deeper to seeing such a thick, rounded ass?

Then he readied his cock and pressed it against her warm flesh. He slapped it against her ass, causing her to moan into his mouth; before he rested the tip between those fat cheeks. He started to slide it through the gap between those mounds, back and forth, forward and back, his hands gripping both fundaments and squeezing it around his length. She wiggled her lower body, causing the two to ripple alluringly to Ainz.

He started to move faster, gripping her hips for control as he really got into fucking this pleasurable cleavage between those firm, juicy cheeks. He was practically using just her voluminous ass for his own pleasure, a bit selfish but he didn't much care. Bits of precum were smeared all along her back as he continued to enjoy the tight, slippery narrowness between her cheeks. His movements started to increase, his thighs now practically slamming into her ass, causing a steady rhythm of wet, fleshy sounds to echo in the room.

He couldn't but give in to the temptation of actually slapping her ass, spanking her like she had done something wrong. She squealed at that, and her body jerked in surprise, but she did not protest, and continued allowing him to do as he pleased. He slapped her again, on the other side, then again and again, until he was leaving light prints on her reddened skin.

"Good," he muttered under his breath, as he continued to drive his cock into that crevasse. It just felt so novel to have his way with her butt, and he wanted to believe he was experiencing something that was only for him alone, as his movements started to increase. Seeing her asscheeks jiggling and wobbling in his arms with every thrust awakened something within Ainz. It as like he was violating something sacred and grand.

Eventually, he succumbed to his lust, and slipped his cock right inside her pussy. He was able to enter her so easily thanks to the copious amount of fluids she was generating, as she had been aroused by the way she had been so wildly manhandled by her god. When he actually got to entering her pussy, long-buried memories came to her, but this time renewed with something glorious she had never experienced before.

It went without saying, but Ainz was big. She could feel him rampaging through her warm, fleshy insides like a bull into a narrow alley, but many times more pleasurable for her. It felt like she was yet again a virgin, her hole tight and seldom used, despite having birthed many children in her time.

He continued his frantic rhythm as he started to fuck her in earnest. She still felt tight around him while also feeling soft: the perfect combination designed to milk out whatever the male could offer it. Her vagina whole-heartedly swallowed his entire length, chewing and squeezing around it as began pounding into her with more gusto. Then he realized that he had actually underestimated her depths: while he was as large as was reasonable, the sheer size of her buttocks made it so he couldn't reach in as far as he could. Seeing no other way, he surreptitiously extended his length, and hoped she would not notice.

Between the wet, meaty slaps, the sound of her moaning was like music to his ears; and to her it was something utterly foreign. She could never remember if she'd made the same noises when she'd made love to her husband. To her, in a way it was unpleasant, for she sounded like some sort of animal. But as the resulting pleasure started to surge within her, such considerations fell to the side, especially when Ainz stated to fuck her in earnest.

They moved together, blending their rhythm as one. He thrust back and forth, pumping his manhood inside; while she moved her hips, slamming those fat, juicy cheeks against his thighs. She began to moan more loudly, more insistent, as his well-honed instincts took over, that which had brought pleasure to many women already. And she, having slowly awakened back to the pleasurable rigors of wild, raunchy sex, could not deny that all of this was entirely new to her, that she was experiencing something that had made a virgin of even an old woman like her.

It was no wonder that she came quickly and easily, way before him. Her body shuddered and convulsed on the bed, an entirely new sensation that left her gasping and wheezing, uttering small squeals.

"Ooohhhh…. Hooooh… Hooo… Ughhhh… Godssss… So good… so goooooood…!"

He was pleased to see her reaction, and endeavored to savor even more of it. And all while he also enjoyed the sight of her big ass wobbling with his every stroke beneath her, as if he had conquered something both primal and pleasurable.

When he came later, it was on the heels of yet another one of her climaxes. He sighed as he felt himself pump out his seed inside. With those sizable cheeks gripped in his hands, it was like he was ejaculating blind into a body that excited almost every masculine bone in his body. It felt pretty damned good to breed this Cardinal who had inexplicably grown a fine, big ass. He bent down, kissed her over her shoulder, and allowed her to calm down.

Then, with his cock still buried deep inside her, he began to fuck her again. He kept her pinned beneath him as his hips went wild, causing relentless ripples from him impacting those tight cheeks. She wanted an heir so badly? Well she would have it all!

Unfortunately, her stamina seemed lacking, or perhaps she had not really adjusted to her body just yet. After a few hours, she had collapsed onto the bed in a full faint. At first he thought she was just in a post-orgasmic funk, but then he realized that she was really out cold.

Thankfully, he was already satisfied, despite the fact that he could have still gone on further. But he would not be the one to push. He pushed away from her body, extracting his cock from inside her snatch with a loud pop! He smeared the fluids coating his cock against her asscheeks, marking both with his cock as he would with a pen.

As he lay beside her, he caressed her belly. He wondered if this was enough to satisfy her desire for a powerful child.

---

He still felt awake and active, as if he had drunk an entire can of hot coffee. That wasn't to say that the sex had not been satisfying, no. But he had expected the Cardinal to at least be able to endure sex with him for a little while longer.

Not that he could entirely blame her. She was still considered old, with only a small chunk of her age shaved off by the spell. She could well be the oldest person he had fucked, were he to discard the NPCs' unique situations. And that distinction lent a distinct flavor to their lovemaking. She was not as experienced as some of the others, but there was a mature quality to her that nonetheless made things just a bit spicier.

He observed the runes he had planted all around the bed, just before their coupling. If they had still been on Yggdrasil, such a huge amount would have sufficed to catapult a complete newbie (level 1) ten levels. If he was correct, and he hoped he was, their mating would produce the intended result just from the experience glut. Certainly something to look forward to.

After he was ready, he delicately scooped up her smaller frame. He had taken her to Nazarick so they would have complete privacy, especially if there were any of her comrades in the Theocracy who would be too curious for their own good. But she also couldn't stay here, considering the massive headache that would ensure if she ever managed to walk out of the door—or if she managed to meet someone from Nazarick. That was a matter he was still trying to figure out.

For a long second, he stared towards the door leading out to the Tomb. There was a longing in him to go out there, to find his children and behold their faces once more. But he was resolved to finish things to a sufficient degree before he could indulge himself. All work must be resolved before pleasure reigned. He sighed and turned away, and prepared the teleportation spell.

The place where he'd initially brought her was one of the rooms in the secluded temple that had been granted to him by the Theocracy, where Zesshi and Ueda were also staying. They had not been present when he'd brought Berenice, perhaps out on some business. Now when he stepped through the portal, he could sense their presence.

For a while he considered the person he was carrying in his arms. They would learn about his arrangement with the Cardinal sooner or later, so he saw no reason to be shy with displaying her to the two of them. Then he nodded to himself and walked towards the room with the others.

He heard their voices speaking loudly through the door. At first he thought it was an argument, what with their voices being raised. Then, after a beat, his enhanced hearing was able to pick out the cleared details of their words.

"Ack—will you stop getting on my case?" said Ueda's voice. "I really have no idea why my breasts got so big! Have you never asked Ainz-sama about this?"

"I have," came Zesshi's voice in reply. "And he told me in his mysterious way, that he 'did not know'."

"So why ask me?" came the reply.

When he entered the room, the first thing he saw was Ueda seated on a chair, with Zesshi behind her. Their side profile was to him, and their eyes were turned towards the large mirror set against the wall. Zesshi was doing something with Ueda's hair, probably brushing or setting it with the large comb she was toting in one hand. In the other hand she was hefting the ends of her hair into the shape of a ponytail.

Their faces instantly swiveled towards him when he entered, each brightening with joy.

"Ainz-sama!"

"Ainz-sama!"

Their joyful expressions faces instantly froze when they saw who else had come with him. Ainz in the meantime calmly strode through the doorway, shut it behind himself, then walked towards the bed. He felt rather like a dog that had smugly stolen some priceless treasure for himself, and was now burying it in a place no one would know.

He carefully laid the Cardinal down on the surface of the bed, taking care not to wake her. He drew the covers over her naked body, and then watched her doze for a while, to check if she had been awoken. Then he turned back towards the other two women, who were alternating staring at him and at the woman.

"Ainz-sama, who is…?" Zesshi asked, her brows furrowed in confusion as she looked at the woman.

"There's something familiar about the face though…" Ueda said, blinking rapidly. Her eyes narrowed. "Wait, is that…?"

"And why did she have a large posterior?" Zesshi's face was twisted into a moue of displeasure, no doubt in relation to their earlier conversation about Ueda's bigger rack.

"You noticed that, too, huh?"

"And she looked rather… old."

Ueda gasped. "Wait… old! That can't mean..."

The two women glanced at each other, then at Ainz. He said nothing, waiting for them to speak.

"Ainz-sama, it couldn't possibly be…" Ueda began. "I just saw her this morning, and…"

"Well, better to hear it straight from your mouth, my love," Zesshi said, addressing Ainz with a grin. "So is it true then? Did you do your magic with the Cardinal Berenice herself?"

He huffed out a chuckle. Then he nodded. "Right."

"How'd this happen?" Ueda asked, her voice incredulous. "I mean she looks, she looks like…" She hesitated, as if she didn't know the right words to use.

"She looks younger," Zesshi finished. "It should therefore be obvious that this is Ainz-sama's handiwork. But there still remains a question, my love. How did this happen? Have you heard Berenice saying she wanted a drop of youth back and to possibly become Ainz-sama's bride like us?"

Ueda sighed. "The Cardinal, blessed be her name, has always been a pious sort. Since Ainz-sama has revealed himself to her as the true god Sursyana, it wouldn't take more than token convincing to agree to an arrangement."

"Or she was the one to propose it," Zesshi said slyly, glancing at Ainz-sama. "Do I have that right?"

Ainz then sighed. "You're both right, in a way. She was the one who proposed that I should take in lovers from all over the Theocracy to give them children. Godkin," he nodded towards Zesshi. "It was she who was most insistent about it. Now, I never did quite agree to what they said, so on a provisional basis I took the Cardinal to be the 'first'. Ueda was right in that she agreed after some hesitation—and after I worked my magic on her she had no protests whatsoever."

"It must have been quite a shock," Ueda observed, staring at Berenice's sleeping face. "I have said many times that I do not comprehend the depths of your power, my lord, but even here I am speechless. To take away the whims of time and age… This is power."

"And not something I want to do all the time," Ainz said. "This was only a brief privilege for the Cardinal." He refrained from elaborating that he felt it an appropriate punishment for the one who was pressing for her big impregnation plan to be the one to shoulder it first.

"Does said privilege extend to granting them extraordinary… assets, my lord?" Zesshi asked. He blinked, confused at the slight anger he could detect in her voice. It was like she was displeased.

Ueda chuckled. "If she isn't the one with the biggest ass currently among the wives then I'll eat my words gladly." She tapped her chin. "Though perhaps this is just something natural to her…?"

"No it's not," Zesshi said. "I knew her when she was younger. Her form was simpler, her ass even more so."

"It is indeed a feature of the magic I used, Zesshi, have no fear," he said. "And like before, I really do not know how it happened."

"Hmmm~" The half-elf looked skeptical, before her expression collapsed into a chuckle. "So, since you've done the deed with her my lord, it is certain that she will be pregnant. Dare I hope she breaks Ueda's record?"

"That is precisely what I wish to know," he said. "If she does take to multiple children, then that is knowledge that shall be very useful. I will wait and see." He looked at the Cardinal again, and wondered if he might need to breed her a couple more times to make sure she got pregnant.

Zesshi walked towards him, hips swaying, drawing him into a brief, but deep kiss. "And I hope I can contribute in my own way to your knowledge, my lord. For the future," she said in a whisper.

Ueda rolled her eyes, scoffing. "Greedy," she said, under her breath.

"Ueda-san," Zesshi said, with bright smile. "Care to tell me your thoughts just now?" Ueda just grumbled, and seemed to be winding up into an argument.

"Enough for now," Ainz said, his voice cutting in before it could really get hot. "There is business to be done. I shall waste no more time."

"Of course," they both said, bowing to him.

He nodded to Zesshi. "First, you have to get ready."

She cocked her head. "Ready, my love?"

He waved his hand. "You shall be the first to go to Nazarick."

At that, a smile bloomed on her face. "Really, my love?"

"We would have all left now, but I still have some conversations to make with the authorities here. In the meantime, I do not see any reason for you to remain here any longer than necessary." He smiled at her eager expression. "I hope you'll be pleased."

"Yes, of course, I miss…" she stopped, then glanced at Berenice. "… I mean, I will be glad to return home, of course, Ainz-sama." He could see the light dancing in her eyes, and knew that she was very much excited to go home and see their children again.

"What of myself, my lord? Should I be returning home?" Ueda asked.

"No, there are still some matters for you here. We shall return together," Ainz said.

"Very well." Ueda didn't look displeased at that. Perhaps she was satisfied that she would be with him.

"Our departure, unlike Zesshi's, will be a little public," he explained. "Considering your reveal, giving them a little show seems reasonable enough."

He contacted Nazarick and made the arrangement for Zesshi. After, he turned back to them. "I have to go and speak to the Cardinals again." He clucked his tongue, then gestured towards the lone Cardinal on the bed. "Won't you keep watch over here while I'm away? Feel free to inform her of my whereabouts if she asks. And if she ends up talking to you, you are permitted to converse with her on some topics—within reason." He glanced meaningfully at Ueda, who blanched.

"Zesshi, transportation will be ready for you within an hour. Be ready for it."

"As you wish, my love."

He left the room, and made his way through a side door out of the empty temple. He glanced towards the crowd that was still gathered outside its front doors and sighed. He started walking down the street, not wanting to be seen. As he walked through the city, he began gathering his thoughts before the impending meeting with the Cardinals.

Yet right outside the door leading to the appointed building, he spotted a curious individual. It was the blond man who had named himself the brother of Clementine, who had been present in the previous meeting with the Cardinals. He was pacing back and forth in front of the entrance. Ainz had a bad feeling about him, and just before he could decide to disappear somewhere, the man spotted him.

Instantly, the man came running, and bowed deeply. "My lord Sursyana, welcome again!"

"Er, yes, greetings," he said awkwardly. "I wish to speak to the Cardinals again. I assume they are inside."

"Yes, they are," the man said. Before he could thank him and move on, however, the man continued. "If it is not any trouble, my lord, could I speak to you about an important matter? I would be very much indebted for just a sliver of your time."

Ainz repressed an urge to sigh. Hadn't he already said such similar things to him before already? "Very well… Quaisse, was it?"

"Yes, my lord. Quaisse Hazia Quinta." He made some sort of salute with his hands. "And I shall not take long. I wish to speak about my sister, Clementine."

Ainz fought the urge to groan. Yet another problem for him to navigate, like a rock suddenly being pushed on the path before him. Talking about Clementine and her situation was the last thing on his mind right now. And with that woman being so reticent about her past, he was practically blind to what Quaisse would possibly be asking about.

He desperately wished he could just wipe his memory, sidestep him and continue onward. Still, that might be a bit too tricky at this juncture.

"Very well," he said curtly. "You may speak."

---

It had been a hard-fought battle (in her opinion) but Lupusregina Beta had finally secured a victory. The cute face of the Firstborn—well one of them, Satoshi—burbled at her happily as she lifted him up in the air. The strange tingly feeling that she felt deep within her gut whenever she looked at one of the triplets surged high whenever she actually got to hold them, which was a rare thing. She didn't really know why that was. Was it how cute they looked, or how they smelled, or the way their tiny voices sounded pleasant in her ear? It made her want to squeeze them tight, tight, tight and never let go.

The joy was enough to make her forget about all her pregnant sisters who were sitting around her, staring at her with various degrees of sour grapes. Narberal looked downright murderous. Solution was blank and serene, but knowing her sister that was usually a bad sign. Yuri-nee was the only one who was able to mask her disappointment behind a professional mien, though she could still sense her keen jealousy.

"Look, Satoshi-sama! Say hi to the losers! Hiii~ Hii~" Lupus sang, hoisting the child up in the air and tilting him so he could look at the other women.

"Lupusregina, you should not be so—" Narberal was about to begin, then faltered when she caught sight of Satoshi's gaze. After a long moment of staring, the baby giggled, his voice loud and clear, which turned everybody's glum face into a reverse (and made her heart skip several beats). Lupus congratulated him by landing kisses on his neck, which made the baby squeal even louder in delight.

"Ugh, never mind," Narberal said, turning her furious gaze away with a blush on her face.

"Hehehehe, we won, Satoshi-chan! Con~grat~ulations~" Lupus whispered conspiratorially, but loud enough to be heard. She didn't know if the baby would understand, but he nonetheless smiled at her.

"Leaving aside Lupusregina for now," Solution said. "I would like to know if any of you can substantiate the claim that I have just heard before coming here." "Here" meant the mother's hall in which they all were made to reside, with no exceptions, be they Pleiades or unworthy outsider. "I have heard from some of the gossiping homonculi, but they were unable to tell me if it was really true."

"Ah~ I also heard about that~ Who knowssu~" Lupusregina replied in a singsong voice, distracted by Satoshi pulling poking her engorged belly with curiosity.

"What on earth are you two talking about?" Narberal asked irately. She looked from her to Solution. "Enough speaking in riddles."

"Looks like someone's a little fussed~" Lupusregina said, twisting her face into something that would amuse the Firstborn in her lap. "Someone should learn to gossip a bit more~"

"Argh, enough of your teasing," Narberal said, waving a hand dismissively.

"If you must know, dear sister," Yuri-nee said next, "They are referring to the rumors that Ainz-sama had somehow returned to Nazarick."

"Ainz-sama has?" Narberal repeated, sounding downright shocked. She snickered to herself at her expression, though it was the same one on hers when she found out about it herself.

Yuri-nee adjusted her glasses perfunctorily. "Again, it is a rumor. The homonculi maids, well, one of them, heard it mentioned from the liches that they had sensed two Gates open without their approval. Naturally, no one, not even Shalltear herself, would dare open even a single Gate without explicit permission. But there is one who has the authority, and the power, to do it himself. Though it could also be likely some emergency Gate that Ainz-sama opened, these things have happened before." Such as in the case of the one named Neia being sent to Nazarick the first time.

"So he really is back?" Narberal said. All of them could see the faint note of hope in her voice.

"Again, it is just a guess," Yuri-nee said. "Since none of the maids have reported Ainz-sama's appearance anywhere, it is hard to substantiate the truth. He might be in hiding in one of the rooms, in which case it is none of our business in prying into his affairs. Or it might be like previous cases, and he only opened the Gate without going through himself. All we can do is speculate."

Narberal's excitement had faded while she'd been listening to her sister's explanation. Going from the certainty of Ainz-sama's return to speculation was enough to rob anyone of their enthusiasm. That was why Lupus was tending to Satoshi, who was doing very well in cheering her up.

"That… was not the rumor I have heard just now, sister," Solution said.

Yuri blinked at her. "Oh?"

"Indeed. The 'latest' rumor to come is that Zesshi Zetsumei has returned." At that, Lupus' ears twitched, her carefree expression freezing.

"Ahhh, is that true, Solution?" Lupus asked, trying to keep the levity in her voice.

"Another rumor," Narberal said dismissively. Good job, Nabe! She said in her heart.

Solution shrugged. "It is perhaps just another rumor. Make of it what you will."

Her mood now fouled, Lupus tried to find comfort in Satoshi's antics. Narberal stood and started pacing. "Well, I can only hope it is just another rumor. Or that Ainz-sama indeed has returned, that would be a better outcome."

"Why are you so agitated, sister?" Solution asked.

"Do not mock me!" Narberal shouted. She must have realized that she had yelled really loud, as she instantly clamped a hand over her lips.

"Nabe!" Yuri-nee hissed. Everyone's eyes turned to Satoshi, who had stared with shock at the direction of the noise.

All of them in the room could see, in slow motion, the shocked expression on the baby's face morph slowly into doubt, then fear, then grief. A bawl shattered the stillness of the air, louder than even Narberal's shout.

Instantly, all her sisters came rushing at him, with words of soothing and encouragement. The Firstborn was instantly patted and caressed, all in an attempt to comfort him. It was as if everyone was compelled to do so, even Lupus herself, as if hearing the baby's screeching cry was not just a pain for her ears, but also a constant dagger being jabbed straight into her heart.

"Satoshi, there you are! And what by Ainz-sama's name are you all doing to my son?" The sudden voice that invaded the sanctum of the mother's hall was loud enough for the Pleiades gathered there to literally jump. They all turned, as one, towards the source of the admonition: Zesshi Zetsumei, mother of the Firstborn, in the flesh.

She was not alone. She carried her other children with her, the other two of the Firstborn trio, cradling them with a special contrivance that allowed them to be carried without using her hands. One of them, Zenmoshi was fast asleep, while the other, Suzuki, was staring out at them.

Though she was a puny outsider, her formidable reputation, as well as her significance as a close companion to Ainz-sama and the mother of the Firstborn, gave her an aura that was equal to any of the Floor Guardians. Not only that, she was way out of their league in terms of power. They would have needed the full panoply of the Pleiades, or at least Sebas Tian backing them up, to beat her in a fight if it came to it. One of them was just as weak as a homonculi when it came to Zesshi Zetsumei. And so it was that her glare towards the Pleiades was sufficient to cow them, though they gritted their teeth begrudgingly.

"So she really is here…" someone whispered.

"I ask again, what are you doing with my son?" Zesshi demanded. They all then realized that in their shock, they had nearly forgotten that Satoshi was still wailing in Lupusregina's hands. They all looked at each other in desperation, as if they all were waiting for one of them to speak up and respond.

None of them were able to stop Zesshi from marching right at them. She scooped up her son, and cradled him in her arms. She fixed them all with a baleful glare. They had all only ever seen such wroth as this, as when Albedo was in her rare moods of explosive anger. That this was coming from an outsider and not the Overseer was very disturbing.

"Well, who was it?" Zesshi demanded. "Whatever did you do to upset Satoshi?"

Despite the immense pressure, both Solution and Narberal remained defiant, staring back with gritted teeth at the half-elf with displeasure writ on their faces. There came a troublesome standoff, as sparks started to fly, and tempers were about to explode. Lupsuregina wanted to tell them off, to scold them as the healers and Ainz-sama once did to her, telling her that too much high emotion would be damaging to their babes.

Eventually, it was dear Satoshi himself who managed to help break the stalemate. Perhaps he had seen his brothers, or the swinging knockers that were just close to his face. His crying faded and he started pawing at them incessantly, which drew Zesshi's attention. Zesshi immediately started unfastening the front of her dress to expose her nipples, humming a nameless tune to him as she turned to walk away. At that, Lupusregina surmised that the babe might have just been hungry, something she would have discovered herself had it not been for all that panic earlier. Carrying her three children with her, the half-elf left the mother's hall.

For a long time, there was silence in the hall. The maids managed to return to their seats, their heads cooling off from the earlier excitement.

"Who does that blasted mortal think she is?" Narberal said, hissing. Solution said nothing, though her eyes seemed cold. Yuri-nee just sat back and sighed to herself.

Then Lupusregina gasped. "Since that one's back, is it not possible that Ainz-sama is as well? We completely forgot to ask!" She immediately hastened to leave, following in the direction where the half-elf had left. Narberal and Solution glanced at each other, before they too followed after her. She didn't wait to see if Yuri-nee was also following.

They didn't take long to seek out their target. Unfortunately, Lupus' eager desire to make queries was quenched by the scene that they all stumbled into. It was like running smack into a wall. Here was a situation almost identical to the one that had just concluded—but with the stakes so drastically heightened.

Shalltear Bloodfallen was standing before Zesshi Zetsumei. The vampire lady had an expression that was as far from congenial as could be, which was met in uncompromising fashion with a smile from Zesshi Zetsumei, as if the vampire's anger was nothing at all.

If they had arrived just a few seconds earlier, they would have seen the start of this situation.

Zesshi had just left, and was busy singing softly to her dear Satoshi, who was busy drinking loudly and contentedly from her teat. Then, right as Lupus and the others had started running from their seats, Shalltear arrived from the teleportation chambers—her destination very clear and obvious.

Presently, the vampire waddled forward, uncaring of the frosty reception emanating from Zesshi. She spoke in a voice that was low enough to not startle the babies, though the Pleiades could hear it clear enough.

"So you're here now, are you? When did you arrive? And why did you not formally announce your arrival through the transportation network?" Shalltear asked, sounding like a snake hissing.

"I'm here now, am I not~" Zesshi responded in a singsong voice, pointedly not looking at Shalltear and keeping her focus on her babes. Were it any other creature, the disrespect towards a Floor Guardian would have warranted a punishment so severe that it beggared belief. But as they all knew by then, the half-elf was a special sort, and was not one that could be antagonized with impunity.

"Why of all the—" Shalltear sucked in a breath. She looked like she was about ready to smite the half-elf, but held herself back through sheer force of will.

Zesshi seemed to know about her restraint, yet she was not hesitant in using it in full force. She smiled at the vampire's rancor, as if it was the most amusing thing in the world to her. Were her children not the blood of their lord the Supreme Being, things would be very different.

At the moment though, Lupusregina cared nothing for the sort of posturing that those two loved so much. She stepped forward, to the amazement of her sisters, for it was as if she was putting a snout into the fire for no reason whatsoever. But the burning question within her demanded to be asked.

"Um… Zesshi-sama, would this mean that Ainz-sama is about to return as well?" she asked.

At that, even Shalltear stopped the outright hostility, her glare cooling for just a fraction, as she and the rest of them stared at Zesshi, waiting for her reply. For a long moment of silence, she didn't reply; though the others similarly didn't speak.

Then, when Lupus got impatient enough to the point of asking again, Zesshi suddenly turned about and walked towards her, her gaze still looking down fondly at her nursing child. To her surprise, she started to touch and fondle her belly, something she had not done since that orgy a while ago.

"I can tell you that Ainz-sama is still in the Slaine Theocracy, seeing to his affairs there for just a bit longer. He did not inform me when exactly he expected to be done. But I can assure you…." she sighed, and looked around briefly. "Well, all of you, that he wishes to return as soon as possible. He was… excited to see his children once more, and he vowed that 'no petty mortal whim shall bar me from my desire any longer'!-or something to that effect."

At that, the rest of them started to converse among themselves, their voices making a buzz. Lupus was surprised to see that her sister was also there, having actually left to see to the fuss outside.

Then, right as Lupus was about to say something else, who else but Albedo would come running in next, waddling heavily. Catching sight of Zesshi, she strode carefully but hurriedly towards her, demanding, "Is it true, mortal? Is Ainz-sama really coming back?"

"So you heard." Zesshi smiled. "Or were you out there listening?"

"Answer me, you wretch."

Then, it was as if a flood had been triggered. More and more of the mothers came running in, some of them the outsiders they loathed.

"Oh Zesshi, there you are—"

"Ah, Zesshi, we had heard that—"

"Goodness there's a lot of you. Zesshi—"

Frankly, as the din started to surge, Lupus wondered why the triplets looked so serene, despite all the noisome buzzing around them. But perhaps that was just how babies were, when they were wrapped in the familiar warmth of their own mothers. She wondered if her own would be as devoted and steady—or perhaps they would surprise her? She felt a twinge in her gut, which at first made her think it was butterflies.

Then more and more. It became something of a dull pain, which caused Lupus to turn around and rub her belly on the spot where Zesshi had touched.

She and Clementine had been having the same troubles lately. "False signs", the healers had declared when they had consulted them.

This time though? Something in her bones told her this seemed very different. And at that, Lupusregina couldn't help hide the grin that crossed her face.

"Sisters?" Right into the middle of the mother's discussion came a voice rarely heard in the mother's hall: their sister Shizu. As the others were too busy with the brewing arguments, that left only Lupus to turn to her.

"'Sup, Shizu~"

The expressionless maid took one look at the hubbub, and without blinking turned to her. "Would you happen to know the reason why sister has been sent up? This has not happened before."

Lupus blinked. She glanced towards the crowd, made sure to count the other Pleiades there, then back to Shizu. "Sister… ya mean Entoma?"

"Entoma was with me," Shizu replied. For some reason, despite her flat tone, Lupus almost felt like she was being chided for being stupid. "I am talking about her."

---

Ainz felt flush and energetic as he paced in front of the large, ornate table. It rather felt like was about to go on holiday, and he only had to do one more presentation for his boss before he could be free.

Though in this case, he was effectively the "boss". Yet his hands were currently just as tied as they had been in the past. For him it was perhaps a fact inescapable that he would always need to work: whether as an underling to fulfill a quota or as a boss ensuring said quotas were met.

Nonetheless, the thought of being able to see his children once more was an excellent motivation that had him (almost) literally skipping a step. He wondered if would have ever felt such rampant euphoria before, when holidays usually meant an exciting dive into Yggdrasil that would usually last for days. He yearned to properly sit down and hold his children in his arms once more, to feel their skin, to smell them, to watch them sleep or look around the world in wonder.

"Just one more," he muttered to himself. He stopped pacing and sat on the chair at the head of the table. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for the task to come. He laced his hands in front of him.

Then he announced, with a voice modulated from various creatures with particularly resonant throats, "You may enter."

In front of the table were a massive set of doors. Apparently, this room was a secret to many in the Slaine Theocracy, having only been used by the Cardinals discussing matters of state, where decisions that had shaped history had been made. So it was rather appropriate, in his opinion, for the impending discussion.

The Six Cardinals—well, Five now, at the moment—entered through the doors, their heads bowed. They made for the opposite end of the table, standing before each chair with utmost pomp and ceremony. Then the guards, including that troublesome Quaisse from before, came tromping in, standing proud and stiff as they formed themselves against the walls, their expressions stoic as they tried to emulate statues. The doors were sealed shut behind them with a resounding boom.

As one, the Cardinals made some sort of gesture in complete unison, almost like a choreographed display. "We greet you, oh sovereign god who presides over Death. Sursyana in the past, Ainz Ooal Gown in the present—and our lord and master for ever."

Then each one made a sort of gesture, before announcing themselves and their titles to him. Only then did they seat themselves. The ritual was repeated by each one until the last, and only until then did Ainz sense that the meeting was really about to start.

One of them, Maximilian, spoke, "My lord, before we start the discussion, would it be fine to ask where our fellow Cardinal has gone? Berenice's presence is deeply missed."

Ainz cocked his head at them. "Were you not present on our previous meeting? I took her for a mate, and therefore I have mated with her." All their eyes widened in shock, and they looked at each other with wonder. "And since then I made sure that her desire has been… fulfilled. Understandably, thanks to our… exertions, she cannot attend this meeting." He left it to their imagination as to what form these exertions took, and of how they could have prevented one of their most pious number from attending.

The one named Raymond cleared his throat. "Well, that is all understandable of course, and we would be remiss in questioning you my lord."

"We are, of course, only concerned about—" Dominic began, then faltered, as if he couldn't find the words. "Well, of course, since she's… Well, she is the best of us, of course, and…"

"What my esteemed fellow means to say, my lord," Yvon cut in, "Is that we are confident that she is… well, that she is healthy."

"—And we certainly look forward to her children," Maximilian interjected, nodding sagely to himself.

For a moment he was confused by their behavior. Then, having realized, he almost laughed. They were perhaps thinking of her in her older self, and were perhaps concerned for her age. While her absence did demonstrate that said age had made their coupling taxing, her fellow Cardinals were not aware that the assumptions in their mind were way off.

"She was… most vigorous in her efforts, I can assure you all. And she is therefore entitled to her rest. I'm sure she'll tell you all about every singe detail in due time," Ainz said. He wondered why most of them had paled, their lips thinned and their expressions looking ill. Should they not be happy for their colleague? "Anyway, let's start." He was very impatient to be quit of this place for the time being and returning to the comfortable sanctum in Nazarick.

"Yes, of course my lord!" Raymond all but shouted. He cleared his threat and shuffled the parchment on his desk. "So, our last and most outstanding item for discussion is…"

The issue he had been putting off for later, and which he had hoped they would forget or leave aside, was the fact of the Slaine Theocracy's potential annexation into the Sorcerous Kingdom.

Their reasoning had been simple. Since Ainz was effectively their god returned, there was no reason for the Theocracy to remain separate from the country he had founded for himself. At the start, he had given such vague reasons as to why he had not immediately ordered the Cardinals to proclaim their formal annexation. Now, unless he could give them something concrete, or somehow change their minds altogether, they were never going to stop pestering him about this particular point.

All of them had been unanimous in begging him to "reform the old nation", or whatever they called it: that great kingdom so many centuries ago which had withered away, leaving the Theocracy as their only extant legacy.

According to them, there was no particular reason for Ainz-sama to refuse. Once the Cardinals formally announced his return to them, all the faithful in the Theocracy would instantly accept him as their true master, no matter what form he had taken. Even his reputation as the ruler of the Sorcerous Kingdom would not matter if they all knew the truth as had been already revealed to the Cardinals. Far be it for they, mere mortals to question the will of the god who had returned to them; and had proven himself as Sursyana many times already through various signs.

These reasons they outlined in their latest statement to him on this very moment, which Raymond read out. "… In conclusion, my lord, with your permission, we shall begin the process of aligning ourselves with the Sorcerous Kingdom as of this moment. Ambassadors shall be ordained and sent. The people shall be informed in a grand ceremony as soon as possible. And when everything is ready, we shall begin the great reconquest of these lands, that the Six Gods' names be once more acclaimed in all four corners!"

He did a great effort in masking his feelings—in not letting them catch on to the annoyance that had been about to creep over his expression. For him, there was only one big reason in keeping them out of the Sorcerous Kingdom's surroundings: they must never be able to discover Nazarick's existence, and through them the actual truth that he was not actually their returned god Sursyana. He was confident that his subordinates in Nazarick which were spread throughout the Kingdom would never betray the secret willingly—but who could know what the future brought? Certainly not him, for he was no god to foresee it.

So now he had to think of something suitably convincing to get them to back off—at least until a better arrangement could be made. In the meantime, he had to put his foot down here, as he had done on their other extreme requests. He knew he could afford to push a little bit more, as he had acceded to Berenice's request. Surely they would give him a little leeway.

He began with a deft acknowledgment of their reasoning, to lull them into a false sense of security. "You are certainly correct in ascertaining that the will of the gods are not for mortals to comprehend. Thus, you accept that you understand exactly why it is that I did not return to the Theocracy as you had expected, and instead set up a new nation. So tell me, what makes you think one had always been intended to be the master of the other? Or that I would ever accept that they would ever be united into one? Perhaps my purpose had been to create a new nation that was meant to be separate from you all along."

The Cardinals all looked uneasily at each other. "And is… that your purpose, my lord?" asked the one named Dominic.

He offered them a noncommittal chuckle in response. "I have long observed that it has ever been a failing for the mortal perspective in always needing to look for the whys, the whats, or the hows; never mind that some truths are better left unknown for them. They delude themselves into thinking that they have long grown from being simple children—a time when a simple word from their forbears merited swift, unequivocal obedience from them." He took a pause to grimace, his eyes distant, trying to make sure he had memorized the passage from that book correctly. "It is actually not that far from the truth, from my perspective. You are all forever children, needing to be coddled. The only difference is you cry and you complain again and again, hoping the answer will change." He recalled his own triplets, which further spurred his desire to see them again.

He saw the uneasiness that stole over their expressions. Good. They supposedly admired and worshiped him; let them now start to fear him, and remind them that the "god" in their Scriptures would not necessarily be their god in truth.

"Since you still insist on hearing the various reasons from me on why accepting your proposal isn't ideal, then allow me to enlighten you on various points."

He slammed a finger pointedly on the table surface, making sure to exert enough force so it would make a noticeable sound. "First, we created the Theocracy according to certain principles. A religion formed around us, where those who held the most faith were meant to hold the greater powers. And you, my Cardinals are considered the greatest of the faithful. It is by your great piety, that you demonstrated over your many years, that allowed you to ascend to lead the Slaine Theocracy. This is all well and good, yes, and this is what was expected of you."

Then he made a point of lifting up his finger, then carrying it a few inches to the side, to another point on the table, whereupon he once again stabbed downward with considerable force. "Then, I created the Sorcerous Kingdom, again according to certain principles. Needless to say, these principles were completely different from the Theocracy's. It is based on a rigid hierarchy, where the rules and laws are enforced not because of some king's word, or the will of the people, but because I simply wish it to be so. However, because there are also so many of the non-human species living under the rule of this Kingdom, it became necessary to appoint separate overseers and representatives from each group, to ensure that order—my order was maintained. So, if I were to discount myself as the one ruler who arbitrates everything in the Kingdom, its rule is therefore given, technically, to a large council made up of the various cultures and groups and tribes I have subjugated. They all follow when I give them the word, yes, for such was the price I demanded for allowing them into my rule. But each group rules themselves, and in this hypothetical council they would all be clamoring to have their own way, to maybe become the overall ruler. And perhaps they would, if it came to it, if I did withdraw my influence and my rule from them, turning the Kingdom into something like the Theocracy. But I'm straying from the point."

He put his hands over another, palm against the back. "It would be easy to have the Kingdom absorb the Theocracy through subjugation. Such is what I did with the Baharuth Empire, after all, and the various cities and towns I annexed during the Re-Estize Kingdom's fall. You would have a seat on this council, as with all the rest. Should be simple right?" He let his silence linger for a long moment, daring them to interrupt him. He was happy that none did, which allowed him to follow up ruthlessly.

"No. It is not that simple. The Theocracy isn't the Empire. It cannot just be subjugated. If there is to be an annexation, it must be made properly." He laced his fingers together, until he was making a ball with both his hands. "A proper absorption. Integration." At that, he saw some of them smile and grin, looking at each other as if they had understood something funny. He allowed them this, and continued.

"You must understand that doing all that now would frankly be overwhelming for both. The Sorcerous Kingdom is still a young power. It would be a complete nightmare if it needed to integrate the Theocracy now. There's so many chances of things going wrong, even if it might all seem simple to you. Yes? You had something to say?"

It was Raymond. "My lord, when we made our appeal, we did not mean to imply that it would be an easy process. Certainly we are well aware of how hard an integration might take. The burden on the bureaucracy alone would be… immense. On the civilian side, and the military side as well… Not to mention all the rigmarole of assigning people to new tasks, which would be another administrative tangle to unsnarl…"

"So you have already mentioned some of what I have already thought," he interrupted. "Yet still you would insist?"

"My lord, if I may be allowed to speak plain: if it is for the prospect of being ruled once more by our sacred gods, then we will scale any mountain, cross any number of seas—yes, even attempt to fly though we have no wings. We accept that the tasks before us may seem difficult to overcome, but you have taught us that humans must ever strive to be greater than themselves."

"I am… glad to see that you've taken to my… myself and my colleagues… their—our teachings," Ainz said slowly. "But that once more leads to another difficulty. I mentioned that the Sorcerous Kingdom has within it various groups and tribes it has integrated—and as I mentioned before, some of them are non-human. Do you really think the people would stand for that?"

He felt satisfied to see them falter, to see them glance towards each other uneasily. After that long silence, the one named Yvon said, haltingly, "Well, of course we would need to make sure that the faithful understand… And of course to assure them that these tribes are occupy a lesser position…"

He was quick and eager to seize upon that opening that they had given him. "And as I have said, under the Sorcerous Kingdom, these are the new rules. All races are to be considered equal. It is not a decree I will retract. And no," he raised his hand, as they had been about to speak. "I will not give my reasons for doing so. You can ponder what my intentions are… in your own time."

A long silence followed, as the Cardinals suddenly seemed to have been robbed of the ability of speech. One of them, Maximilian, looked like Ainz had killed his pet. Eventually, it was Raymond who was able to clear his throat and speak, "My lord, it… there may be many difficulties, but we are confident that the faithful would endure… That if such divine revelation had come from your lips then they would certainly accept…"

Ainz chuckled. They were certainly very persistent. Still, he thought that he'd made his point very clearly, so he just needed to deliver the second, and perhaps most decisive blow. "If the people of the Theocracy have it in them to accept it, then I shall heartily praise them. Yet that alone will not suffice to make me concede on the matter of the Slaine Theocracy's annexation."

At that, he leaned forward over the table, to address them in a more serious tone, which he was sure would impress upon them his stern demeanor. His bosses had used it on him many times in his past.

"If the Kingdom were to so publicly annex the Theocracy, particularly so soon after the vassalage of the Baharuth Empire, the other nations would be rightfully alarmed. They are already tense about the fall of the Re-Estize Kingdom, even when I was only involved because my territory was violated. I am informed that the Council State is one such nation that would immediately attempt to declare war, fearing the rise of a hegemonic state so close to their borders. That is not to mention the attitudes of other nations further from them. What of the Holy Kingdom? The Sorcerous Kingdom has aided them, but they might see your annexation as a step too far.

"I have every confidence that a war with even half the continent would be an easy task to overcome. But—and this is very important—I would certainly prefer the maintenance of even a tenuous peace over the devastation of total war. I did not think our teachings bade you to be bloodthirsty even over the detriment of your people, or am I wrong?" He stared at them, as if waiting for someone to correct him.

"And that is not to mention the meddling of the Dragon-Lords." They all stirred at that. "It is obvious that you know of them. I do.. or rather I did." He didn't know if the Players back then, who had become their Gods, had been in contact with dragons. If so, had it been a friendly relationship? Or had they become enemies? His query of Zesshi and the rest who came from the Theocracy revealed that knowledge of the Dragon-Lords were sparse, or at least a closely guarded secret.

Something that the Cardinals might know more.

Yvon stroked his chin as he spoke. "It is known that the Dragon-Lords have often interfered with humanity's history. They have the great power to tug at entire nations, and perhaps those cities thought lost to time had been devoured by their avarice. The foul Greed Kings discovered the full extent of their power, uniting the dragonic race against them. Yet their goals remain unfathomable. No Cardinal has ever had a chance to converse with one, only receiving messengers and missives."

"You can't know that," Maximilian pointed out to his colleague. "Perhaps there was communication, which had to be burned for the sake of posterity."

"It will be pointless to speculate," the Cardinal named Zindin with a sigh. "Such as it is, there is no recorded instance of such a meeting, and we are the guardians of the secret histories."

"It just so happens that one of them chanced to meet with me," Ainz then continued. They looked at him, surprised. "The meeting was not as I expected. And it left me wary of their intentions."

"My lord is this true?"

"Their intentions have always been suspect!"

"Did they dare wish harm upon a god!?"

He raised his hand for silence. "I did say that we only met." It had been more than that, but better not prolong the meeting longer with explanations. "Still, that is why I do not wish to provoke the other nations needlessly. In tipping their hand, they have made known their intentions to me. To us."

Raymond was the first to respond, with a sigh. "In this, perhaps, I must agree with Sursyana. The Greed Kings were the ones to lay our predecessors' great nation low, for they were demonic gods themselves and even the strongest of the Godkin could not stand against them. But the dragons then united to lay them to waste. It is best to approach these matters with caution. Let us leave this to His wisdom."

"I agree," said Zindin. "The lore of our nation is very clear when it comes to those powerful creatures."

Maximilian shook his head. "My heart burns with the desire to see our great nation once more under the proud aegis of the gods. Even one god. But yours is the divine judgment. And I shall not break the faith."

Yvon said, "You'll not have complaints from me. Dragons are dangerous things. Treacherous things. Let us try not to stir them from their nests, at least until our lord's schemes bear fruit."

Dominic was the last to respond, and the one who looked the most reluctant. "It seems I am to be overridden on this council. Even you, Maximilian. And so my plea is beaten at a majority, and were Berenice in agreement with me it would not change the outcome. Very well. My lord, you wish to postpone the moment of our glorious union and return to your aegis, but as Maximilian said I will not break the faith and trust in your glorious judgment. Let it be so."

He looked around at them, then nodded as if to himself. "Now mind, ultimately I am not opposed to your proposal of annexation. But that is such a big and ugly word, don't you think? Not something to be spoken out loud for others to misinterpret. It might have worked with the Baharuth Empire, but with you things have changed.

"That is why, instead, beginning this moment we shall begin the gradual unification of both nations. This process is intended to last for close to a century perhaps. Or two. The two nations will find out how to slowly pave the way for their uniting, without unduly burdening each nation's respective group and bureaucracies, and also the military hierarchies. A vision shall then be constructed, as to how exactly this new, united nation shall look, melding both the ideas from the past and the present." Finally, he spread his hands over the table, as if in acceptance of them. "I will not say that the task shall be simple. But it shall be a more peaceful path to the wonderful future that lies before us!"

They all stood up and cheered. Apparently the knowledge that they would still be uniting, even at a date much later than they had expected, was enough to get them cheering and howling.

"This shall all need to be secret from the world," Ainz continued. "We cannot even hint at a possible alliance between the Sorcerous Kingdom and the Slaine Theocracy. Most of the work therefore must be made beneath the surface, in the shadows. It might be sufficient for the Theocracy's aims to be more aligned with the Kingdom's, but the impression given must be that they are all still separate. Only we shall know the truth, and of the awful face our enemies shall make when the unification is finally known throughout the world!"

There were more cheers, more praise given to him, which he had to soak up with his usual magnanimity.

"Representatives from each nation shall therefore be sent to each, as secret ambassadors and also as liaisons for the unification process. To that end, here is my servant, who shall formally be the Sorcerous Kingdom's representative to the Slaine Theocracy. You may call her as… Omega."

And with a gesture he removed the illusion he had cast over the NPC he had brought from Nazarick: leader and youngest of the Pleiades, Guardian of the Cherry Blossom Sanctuary, Aureole Omega.

She looked utterly human, with no distinguishable irregularities in her appearance, with black hair, beautiful features, and wearing traditional miko priestess garments. Her sudden appearance behind the veil of illusion he had cast beforehand over her person had the effect Ainz was looking for. The guards were instantly on guard as the Cardinals looked on in thunderous surprise.

"Greetings to you all, people of the Slaine Theocracy," Aureole said, bowing to them perfunctorily. She spoke in a clear, resonant voice, her tone formal and reserved. "My name is Omega, a humble servant of the Wise God Ainz Ooal Gown-sama. May we work together in blessed harmony under His excellent guidance."

"Ooooh…!" With the moment of surprise over, they all looked at her in various degrees of wonder, like they had just seen a rainbow burst out before their eyes.

"She wears the divine vestments!" Zindin exclaimed.

"The pictures do not do enough justice to the real thing!" said Maximilian, rubbing his eyes.

Ainz tried not to let his smile slip. Unbeknownst to them, he had acquired a vital piece of information just this moment: that the Gods were indeed Players, and that they, or at least one of them had worn attire similar to what Aureole wore. It was a traditional Japanese costume, emulating that worn by women from a sect existing some hundreds of years ago. It was of course very popular in Yggdrasil, such that even his own guildmates had unanimously decided they should at least have an NPC wearing one, for tradition's sake. That NPC had become Nazarick's sole human among all the rest, though her rank as the leader of the Pleiades and her innate immortality lent her a unique status among the rest.

And because they had let slip that the knowledge of the attire had been passed down to this day, then it would be reasonable for actual pieces of the former Player's gear to be present and hidden in their vaults, wherever they were. Miko attire was also not cheap like certain outfits: at the least they possessed mid-range data that would be nonetheless useful in some way: and perhaps they might even be powerful items like what he was wearing. He was looking forward to add them to his collection.

It was a gamble to bring here, nor less to assign her to this task of being the liaison to the Slaine Theocracy. But since she was one of the few powerful enough to cast Gate without any aid, she was best suited to doing the clandestine work in the shadows that Ainz intended. The task would also not impede her primary duty of watching over the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown.

And his gamble had worked. Not only had he solidified his assumptions about the Theocracy's past, he had also been able to secure their loyalty and faith by showing them something that only a god (Player) would have. Aureole Omega would become his so-called divine herald, lending some legitimacy to their arrangement. Her human nature would be more favorable to the Theocracy than if he had sent for any of the other Pleiades.

Aureole had also been requesting him—humbly—for some tasks outside Nazarick for some time now. This was perhaps a stroke of luck that he had a place for her to fulfill.

"Omega shall fulfill the purpose of bridging the two realms together," Ainz continued. "You may consider her as my messenger: treat anything she says as if it really came from me. Now then, I shall leave you all—"

His words were interrupted by a knock on the door. Initially surprised by the sheer audacity of the interruption, he allowed one of the guards to consult with whoever was on the other side of the door. After a moment, he turned towards them. "My lords, great Sursyana, great apologies for the interruption, but it seems that Cardinal Berenice seeks to join this meeting."

The other Cardinals glanced at him. After he gestured for them to continue, he sat back and sighed as the guard bowed and opened the door.

It was indeed Cardinal Berenice who strode into the room, but at the same time it was not. The guards around the room stirred, their armor clattering. The Cardinals took one look, then did another, their eyes widening as they realized what they were seeing.

"Wha-?"

"Is that…?"

"No it can't be…!"

Ainz, too, was surprised, but more from why she had decided to come here rather than from her changed appearance. She was exactly as he had left her: a buxom, middle-aged woman with an enlarged ass and wider hips. She was wearing her ceremonial garments once more, similar to the others, but they were completely form-fitting for her changed frame. For a while, he was able to admire her considerably enhanced assets as she sashayed around the room.

Berenice met his eyes, and she smiled, rather wickedly. She motioned towards one of the guards and said, "Move that chair for me please." The guard did as told, and brought over the empty chair from the other side of the table—towards the spot just next to Ainz.

She sat down on it and beamed at her colleagues, who stared right back at her with utterly gobsmacked expressions on their faces. Ainz glanced down and marveled at the fact that the sheer size of her ass more than overwhelmed the small space on the seat.

For a long moment, there was just silence as the two groups stared at each other over the table. Even Ainz found it difficult to speak, as he was completely bemused by the entire situation that had just so abruptly occurred. Aureole beside him was following his lead, smiling serenely, while Berenice looked as smug as a well-fed cat.

Eventually, the impasse was broken by this intruder herself, as she greeted her colleagues, "My sincerest apologies for being late. I had been… indisposed ever since my prior meeting with the god Sursyana. I shall be sure to render the needed penance later."

For a while there was nothing—and then a storm of noise seemed to erupt. Shouted exclamations and questions came hurtling from the Cardinals on the other side, most of them addressed to Berenice.

"Is that really you!?"

"Berenice…! That appearance…!"

"You've… grown…"

For a while all that could be heard was unintelligible noise, before Ainz raised a hand, asserting silence once more.

"I am certain you are all curious. So allow me to confirm that yes, this is indeed Berenice—yes, Berenice as I intended her to be."

She delicately folded her hands over the table. "It is as the Great One said. I left you all as my former self, the woman bowed and wrinkled by age. But he, in his infinite wisdom and mercy, bestowed upon me a blessing beyond compare. And so I appear before you once again, blessed with this form."

"But why… on earth…?" someone asked.

"Oh really now, do you really need to ask that question? How was he to answer my plea to him as I was? Of course he endeavored to make me… presentable. He has reversed the vagaries of time itself and returned a sliver of my youth to me; and I dare I hope a measure of some fertility." At that, a blush covered her face. "Though of course, the exact details escape me at the moment. It was all rather… heavenly."

He thought she was referring to their time together. At that, there came another bout of noise, but this time directed at him.

"As expected of Sursyana," they said.

"All glory to the god returned!"

"Praise be to the divine miracle!"

Before he could once more summon silence with his hand, however, Aureole spoke up next. "You will have no worries, Cardinal Berenice. I see the truth with my eyes. You are pregnant, indeed. New life has blossomed within you." She turned to Ainz. "Congratulations, Ainz-sama!"

"Eh?" Berenice looked shocked, staring at Aureole. "Is that…"

"This is Omega, my servant," Ainz said, a little belatedly.

"Is that true, servant of the god?" Berenice whispered.

"Yes! You can bet my eyes!" Ainz-sama didn't know she'd had that power—yet another thing he hadn't anticipated.

But his thoughts were completely overshadowed by the third wave of noise that engulfed the room, as another miracle was praised.

"A true Godkin, at long last!"

"Cardinal Berenice, blessed be your name!"

"And exalted shall be the fruit of your womb!"

Ainz could only sigh. He was so close to returning home, yet with this sudden news he wasn't sure anymore.

---

Story 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.

If you like my stories but don't wish to commission something big, you can drop a few at peypal dot me/RHoldhous (please change the second letter on peypal to a). Any help is appreciated!