AN: "Cookies" → Speech / spoken air quotes
"Cookies" → Thoughts
"Cookies" → Spells / Martial Arts
"Cookies" → Message spell speech
"Cookies" → Language unknown to character POV / known only to reader
I don't own Overlord
Have fun, enjoy and please review
Chapter 55
→ Arwintar Nazarick-mansion / Arachama ←
The stirring, stretching and yawning of the twins slowly ground Arachamas dream into dust and the mother in the room groaned silently at the lost sleep. But the cuddling did help to ease her out of the bed and later she carried them to breakfast. Enti still glared at them from time to time, but it was harmless for the most part. Though the twins shuddered shortly before breakfast was finished.
"I have to go today. Monga is occupied and decided to have me look after the tomb." she announced when the twin drank their hot milk.
"Can I help you, mom?" Enti inquired, lifting her cup of tea.
"It would be appreciated if you could look after your sisters." Arachama smiled and gave Enti a hug. The strange black-pink aura emitting from Enti and the shocked faces of the twins certainly were strange.
"But that is not my thing to know. But why is Enti already looking at the maid costumes?" she thought as Enti managed to sneak from her hug.
After breakfast, and the goodbye hugs were finished Arachama got to Mongas office. Her first reaction was pure horror. Stacks of paper stretched to the ceiling. The tables were massive, and there were two of them. The air ventilation was non-existent.
"How am I supposed to not fall asleep here?" she thought and decided that there needed to be some changes.
"Albedo? Where are you? Where could the love-crazed maniac be?" she whispered to herself and walked through the entire floor.
"Please don't tell me…" she sighed as she made her way to Mongas bedroom.
Carefully, not waking any demons, she pushed the handles down and the doors inwards. She expected many things. Shalltear, Albedo and Nabe sleeping in the same room. A nice talk between them. Since she knew two of them were perverted, maybe a bit more of the sporty variant. But the army of body pillows showcasing her best friend wasn't on the list of expectations. These pillows were like a flood, covering the office immediately and she was swept a few meters back.
"Why are some of them sticky? Better not think about that. Don't think, Arachama." she shuddered and slowly, but surely, crept her way back to the doors.
Once she was back at the doors she looked inside. Albedo was laying there, cuddling with one of the pillows. Shalltear copied the succubus and Arachama stared at them for a few seconds before coughing.
"Ladies. I can smell the pheromones here. But please, let's work for now." she threw into the room.
This seemed to do the trick as the two guardians immediately shot into a bowing position, apologizing over and over again profusely,
"Ladies, Ladies. Calm down, please." She tried to calm them and it only made it worse.
"How can Monga get a calm climate in his office?" she asked herself and shook her head.
"Albedo, I want to change the office for now. I already have a picture in mind. Do you know a place where we can store Mongas stuff?" she inquired.
"Of course, Lady Arachama." Albedo sniffed and Shalltear followed Albedo on her behest.
"Then you will bring them there while I get my own inventory." she smiled as she teleported to her own small paradies in Nazarick.
She searched for the desks, carpets, tapestry and more she wanted and threw all of it into her inventory. It took her some time, but once it was finished she went back to Mongas office. Albedo, who was suppressing her tears, waited for her. Arachama meanwhile took her own stuff out of the inventory and started to give the office her own touch. Though it took some time.
In the end the tapestry was in a web-pattern and had red and green coloring. The carpets were thick and comfy. The heavy desks were gone and instead a big round table with a movable part in the center had replaced the fortresses of desks. Some plants, which she had gotten from a small lottery online, were filling the corners in the office and giving her some kind of fresh air. The final thing that she placed inside were two of her knitted couches.
Arachama dusted her hands off when she was finished. Albedo meanwhile, having calmed down from the first shock, nodded along as she placed the stacks into the new table.
"Now I better start. I hope Mongas stuff is securely stored?" she sighed as she took a seat.
"It is Lady Arachama." Albedo responded.
"Now I need to do the most-evil-overlordly-overlord-thing. And paperwork." she thought as she took the first document.
"Application for windows? Why do I need to do that?" she thought as she looked at Albedo.
"Ehh. I distinctly remember that we have multiple levels of bureaucracy. Am I wrong?" she inquired.
"Yes we have, Lady Arachama." Albedo answered.
"Then why do I have to decide if a farmer is allowed to have a new window?" she asked.
"Because only the supreme beings do know their plan to the level required." Albedo responded and smiled at her.
"Just like the twins when they wait for the maids to bring sweets." she thought and cringed inside.
"You know that Monga and I trust that these lower levels in the system can deal with documents such as these?" she pointed towards the document she was working on.
"But then there could be mistakes. What if this window in this example, would hinder the grand scheme of my love?" Albedo asked, tears in her eyes.
"How to bullsh*it my way through this one." Arachama asked herself.
"What makes you think that Monga doesn't foresee the decisions of these bureaucrats? He is wise and knows everything, doesn't he?" she inquired and shuddered.
Albedo, having a short circuit for a moment, looked at her baffled.
"You are correct, Lady Arachama." Albedo responded.
"You see. Now let me sort through those documents, so that we have more examples that could be dealt with earlier in the chain of command." she smiled as she placed the application on a separate stack and took a new one.
"Information on numbers of spiders in E-Rantel" she read and cringed again.
"This will be a big stack of examples. Maybe I should get the twins here." she thought.
After a few more documents, and finding "The Application does much work for no work", she decided to get the twins.
"Might as well rehabilitate them or Enti might get funny ideas." Arachama decided.
"I will get two of my children. Though it would be great if we have someone in the future to sort something like that." she sighed.
"What would the requirements be, Lady Arachama?" Albedo inquired.
"Someone reliable, smart and someone we have in our pockets. Preferably someone who should be in a position, where they would harm themselves if they screw up." Arachama sighed and rubbed her eyes.
"I think I understand your plan. I will start preparations right away. But wouldn't that interfere with Re-Estize?" Albedo threw in.
"Why should it? We have that under control." Arachama inquired, feeling like she missed something.
"So that was why? I understand. Demiurge will most certainly enjoy this one." Albedo smiled.
"Uhum, ok? I will get the twins." Arachama responded with a blank face.
"Enti, could I get the twins?" she asked over "Message".
"Of course, mother." Enti replied.
"Good, because I think I have the right thing to keep honest about their secret stash." she smiled.
"I knew they had one." Enti responded.
"Technically a few more, but I will let them have it. It was laundered through and through with great care." she thought to herself.
"Indeed. Now I will deal with it and you can stop glaring at them. I almost fear that you will eat them at some point. Can't have that, can we?" she inquired.
"I would never… Ok maybe? But only with permission." her oldest answered.
"Don't panic. We cuddle later. But no eating siblings. But I will cast "Gate" now and you send them over." she ordered, completely ignoring Entis answer.
As she said, she opened the portal and soon the twins came over. They jumped onto her faster than expected and thus she almost fell over.
"Be careful. The egg is just there." she giggled as she regained her balance.
"Yes, mom."
"Of course, mother." they laughed as they tried to tickle her.
"I have something for you. I want to play a game. If you win I have a small stash of gummy-millipede." she smiled as the twins took the bait.
Eyes full of stars looked at her as she gave them a cuddle.
"You see this stack of papers? Some of them can be solved locally. Something like those few in this one. If you manage to get them all out of that big one then you win. If I and dear Albedo here find one similar to those sorted out we win." she smiled.
"What if we lose?" Ure, inquired.
"I will see then. Maybe Enti gets the gummy-millipede. But I would surely have less time to cuddle with any of my daughters." Arachama sighed and the twins shot up towards the stacks of paperwork.
While the twins showed how fast they could work through the paper, Albedo got closer to her.
"Lady Arachama? Is that why you?" she started.
"No. I haven't helped them because I saw their skill with documents, money or magic. It was something else." she declined.
"Which none of Nazarick will ever know for sure." she finished in her head.
"I see. I have just one more question. Is motherhood usually like this?" Albedo inquired.
"Not really. It is more like herding cats. But it fills me with joy. The happy faces. The sparkling in their eyes. The time I cuddle with them. It is the whole that makes it enjoyable." Arachama smiled.
"I can't wait for Lord Ainz…" Albedo replied and petted her stomach.
"Soon enough. I am sure we can squeeze it right in after he comes back."
"Even if I have to be more… eloquent with my 'arguments'. I never heard someone disagree with me when I blew up their bases." she thought.
"I hope." Albedo sighed.
Arachama would speak with Albedo until the papers were sorted.
→ Arwintar Imperial-palace / Arachne ←
After the stress her Jircniv felt yesterday, Arachne managed to bring him to relax for a bit afterwards. They cuddled and even played a few matches of chess, which was quite an accomplishment in regards to the situation. Though he wasn't ready to talk about his 'experience' the day before. As far as Arachne was concerned, he managed to face the most dangerous being, her overeager old-mother. That alone brought him to an even better light than before.
"It must have taken a lot out of him." She is reminiscing about the last evening and asking Tuare to help her out of her bed into the wheelchair.
"Good morning, Lady Arachama Tuare greeted her as she pushed the chair over.
"Good morning. Did you prepare the things I ask for?" Arachne asked.
"I did. The other servants know of the orders for breakfast. It will be ready for the emperor in roughly an hour." Tuare reported.
"Is my future husband doing well? Or is he still ripping his own hair out?" She inquired about the mental health of Jircniv.
"He is still sleeping. From the others I learned that he stayed up late. I guess it is official now? Should I start calling him 'Sir' or should I stay with 'my Emperor'?" Tuare smirked and arachne giggled.
"So he will be exhausted when he finally awakes. That is good to know." she smiled as she thought about a potential cuddling the emperor had coming.
"Probably. But shouldn't you be concerned as well, Lady Arachama? This evening is the grand ball where he will propose." Tuare inquired.
"You are right. Did the dress arrive? I want to be as presentable as possible." Arachne replied.
"It arrived just this morning. Foire was quite ecstatic to bring it over." Tuare reported.
"That is good." Arachne smiled as she was pushed onto the balcony of the palace.
A long table was prepared with a buffet while a smaller one had a couch. Tuare pushed her towards the couch and helped her into the couch. Just as she was finished Jircniv stumbled onto the balcony and smiled at her.
"Good morning, dear." he pecked her.
"Good morning, my emperor." she teased.
"You know you can call me JIrcniv." he mockingly pouted.
"I know, but only after that day." she smiled as she pecked him.
"Then we better hope the week is over soon." he snickered and she leaned into his side as he sat down.
"Today is the ball, dear." he grinned, slightly aloof.
"I know. But you will only see the dress this evening. No sneak peaks." she teased with a smile.
"And here I thought I could get something before the others," he laughed.
"But you will have me for all eternity. Even when I annoy you in old age." she smirked and both giggled.
Soon the servants prepared food for them on plates and brought it to them. Tuare brought Arachne bacon and eggs. Jircniv received some toast and cheese.
"I hope everything else went well yesterday?" Arachne inquired, interested in her future realms situations.
"It went well enough. Trade deals with the southern dwarfs and Roble. I really can't stand this queen. She has potential but doesnt use it. The high-king on the other hand was interesting. More prideful than any of us, but willing to share some of his people's knowledge. I hope that knowledge will pay off, because it will be expensive." Jircniv explained to her as she leaned into him.
"I think nothing will scare you anymore after yesterday. Though I have to apologize for my old-mothers ,ehem, tendencies." Arachne tried.
"No problem. The reward was well worth the risk." he laughed and hugged Arachne.
"I hope so." she mockingly pouted and soon both were giggling.
The breakfast was going on without any more politics. But once the servants were occupied with cleaning the tables Jircniv put some documents on the table and explained that the situation with the wyvern tribes was calming down.
"So the idea to get the future generations of wyvern has paid off. Might as well continue to raid them for a few years. That way they will either submit officially or be incapable of doing damage to our trade." she mused as he kissed her neck.
"Indeed. But the best part is that we also got new mounts for some special cavalry. Never know when you can use specialists." he replied, stroking her hair.
"I like that. Could really get used to you stroking my hair." she purred as she slowly placed her head into his lap.
"You will get plenty in the future. But first we need to get things going." he replied as he waved Tuare over.
"Please prepare my love here for the ball. It will start in roughly four hours and we have some important guests." Jircniv ordered.
"Oh, no no no no. Want more headscratchers." she thought as Tuare helped her into the wheelchair.
"As you wish, my Emperor." Tuare answered and pushed her away from her imperial petting-machine.
→ Skavenhaven / Bubonica ←
Green smoke wobbled on the ground beneath her feet. At every step it swirled around her and with every word the fog engulfed anything she spoke to. It filled her with sadistic glee to know that most wouldn't survive her experience. And she needed it today.
"Why can't I attack-kill him now-now." she thought in a fit of rage as she continued to torture one of her underlings.
Cries of pain echoed through the halls as she continued on and on about her misfortune.
"It must be a scheme-plan to punish-depose me-me." she hissed as she continued on, holding the breath of a minion.
"But I will-will triumph-win. Will prove-show my worth." she smirked as she saw the life extinguish amongst pustules and boils.
"But what to do-do." she asked herself.
After a short while she thought she had a plan and walked over to Zip-Zaps laboratory. The rat was experimenting and planning at two machines. One was certainly something she would want to see in action while the other was known to her.
"What do you do-do?" she inquired, or ordered, the skaven.
"I had a plan-idea for weapons. Globes with gas-wind can go wrong-fail too easily. Why not shoot-shoot the globe to enemy-kills?" he explained.
"Where is-is the string?" she asked, looking around the contraption.
"Beard-things found strange-unique powder. It explodes-booms and throws-shoots things through air-wind." Zip-Zap proudly boasted.
This got her rattled as she sneaked slowly but surely to him.
"So minions can-can get globes further-farther?" she made sure.
"Yes-yes." he nodded before he fell into an evil laughter that promised a nice afternoon.
"I want weapon-teams ready before an assault-attack on clan Critz." she ordered and he nodded.
The rest of the afternoon was certainly more enjoyable than the morning, at least for her.
→ Nazarick 'Arachamas'-office / Arachama ←
As everything was sorted, and the twins cuddled, Arachama began to work through essential paperwork, once the twins were asleep. This time she enjoyed it a bit more and finished it quickly. Albedo meanwhile helped her by providing necessary numbers, which helped to balance the budget a bit.
"But the 'Happy Farm' costs a lot. Why do we need a spa-resort?" she asked herself.
"Demiurge uses the happy farm to produce materials for scrolls." Albedo mused as she placed a necessary book on the table and it was then slides over to her,
"Hmm. The leather output is quite large. We even have more leather than we need in the next year. But if we. Albedo, could you give me the book for the treasury?" she inquired and Albedo brought it over.
"Yes. We will place a small amount of the leather to be sold. Yuri and the twins should manage that just fine. By the way, could I speak with Demiurge? There are a few expenses I am curious about." she threw in.
Albedo nodded, a much more serious face which was now a mixture of anger and curiosity. Not even five minutes later a knock came from the door.
"Come in." she responded and Demiurge walked in and bowed before her.
"Why do they need to bow?" she sighed in her mind.
"You asked for me, Lady Arachama." Demiurge greeted her.
"I did indeed. You are in no trouble, so seat yourself." she smiled and he did as asked.
"I looked over the expenses to make them as small as possible, when I looked into your operation with your farm. That is when some numbers were absurdly high. For example the one here. What do you mean with 'Military Operation Abelion Storm'?" she began.
"Due to hostile activity Lord Aiz, in his immeasurable wisdom, wanted to lure the enemy out of hiding. We are now using Jaldabaoth notoriety to gather information, resources and favor with Roble. Sadly the hostile force hasn't shown itself yet." Demiurge explained.
"Ok. But isn't it expensive?" she inquired as she pointed to the price of it all.
"If you wish I could cut at a corner or two. Sadly most of it goes into the upkeep of this force, mainly the equipment." he responded.
"That would be nice. What is this 'wellfare' that is listed here?." Arachama pointed out.
"I don't know why we need a second spa-resort in some distant land." she sighed inwardly.
"It is used to keep the sheep as healthy as possible. I discovered that the sheep can get ill if some of the environmental influences aren't good enough." Demiurge pointed out.
"So nice of him to care for his sheep. If only he could take such care of humans." Arachama mused as she pointed to the output in leather.
"I would like to know if it would be possible to divert some of the leather to the treasury and to Yuri for her operations. Thus we can stock the leather for emergencies and we can sell some for a small profit." she asked him.
"I see your plan. Of course we can." Demiurge grinned and Arachama almost wetted herself.
"Please no more dangerous problems down the line." she prayed to whatever would listen, sadly none answered.
"I heard that you got a new subordinate. Did he help you to progress with your farm?" she inquired.
"Yes. He is quite insightful. Maybe a bit overeager, but I can't blame him. He currently serves Nazarick at the moment, what greater honor could he receive?" Demiurge nonchalantly told her.
"Terrifying how he can say that without flinching." Arachama nodded.
"Then I will not hold you back. I hope you treat the sheep according to your standards." she sighed.
"As you wish, Lady Arachama. I think I can cut the costs to two thirds if all goes well." he smiled and bowed again.
"That would be great. Have fun with your happy farm." she smiled at him and he nodded and left.
"He sure loves his sheep, if he spends so much money on them." she grinned as she opened another folder.
"So this is the cost for E-Rantel?" she asked as she saw the true costs.
"Yes, Lady Arachama." Albedo confirmed.
"We got it for peanuts. It even brings us profit. I think I can spoil little Zesshi for this one." she mused and Albedo relaxed.
"She did indeed and all in your name, Lady Arachama." Albedo responded.
"I still don't like that my children go to war. But she did bring us this city. Maybe I should introduce her to…" she smiled as she confirmed her plan in her head.
Just in that moment two stomachs grumble and the heads of the twins slowly nudged up and down.
"Could you bring something to eat, Albedo? For the four of us?" Arachama giggled and Albedo left.
"So you're finally awake?" Arachama asked as she tickled the children.
"Yes, mom." Both giggled in unison.
"So adorable." she thought as she laughed.
The cuddling afterwards brought her mind of Zesshis 'spoils of war'.
→ Jaldabaoth horde / Demiurge ←
A slightly shaken Demiurge smiled as he collected his minions. The plans needed to proceed with increased speed. The army would get smaller rations to decrease the upkeep, especially if it was to be butchered anyway. The health care of his farm would be cut, especially if he would get new sheep soon enough.
"Are you sure the clanrats are irrelevant for your clan?" Demiurge made sure.
"Yes-yes. Only artillery, plague priests and the bell are-are important." Throat nodded, as he licked his teeth.
"Good to know. We will cut the rations and then the army will help my Lord and Lady in their grand scheme." Demiurge smiled and placed a card on the table.
"Lord Ainz is on his way to 'help' Roble. This means Lady Arachama is currently the ruling Nazarick. She wants to decrease the costs for Nazarick. This means that some have to fast for a bit. Don't panic, there are still clanrats on the menu." he told his minions, who nodded.
"Now we need to plan the next attack. It is to last long enough for our Lord to arrive, but drastic enough to make them extremely desperate." Demiurge sighed as he took out chess figurines.
"With the summoned demons we will attack the outer walls. Once there is a breach the demi-humans will break in. But leave the inner ring intact. Once they retreat we will bombard them with the catapults. I also talked with Throat about an idea and it will be done. After a month we will breach the second ring and let most survivors retreat into the palace. The plan can change, depending on Lord Ainzs orders or behavior. Understood?" he explained.
An affirming chorus came back and Demiurge nodded.
"Good. Then we'll begin tomorrow." Demiurge grinned.
→ Remedios ←
The trip, for her at least, was a nightmare. First she had to keep her calm in front of a beast that she knew. Yes, it hid its face, but the clothing, posture and voice were the same as in her visions. And despite some saying otherwise, especially the ones who she had once tried to tell of her visions, she could still count two and two together.
"This bas*ard is the biggest threat to humanity. And I am to guard it and treat it like a guest of honor. Worse, queen Calca is flirting with the filthy undead." Remedios hissed in her mind.
Even her sister and squire were more positive to the undead in disguise than her. She had expected it from the squire, but her sister's distrust, even if Remedios knew that it was due to her 'talent', was still a sore point.
They traveled for a few hours with the coach and then rested in an inn. Remedios would occasionally keep watch and observe the undead.
"Maybe I can learn something about this thing and use it against it." she had decided an hour ago.
It was then that the door to its room was open and the undead was walking outside.
"Ahh, how can I help you, paladin?" it asked in a deep voice.
Remedios thought she saw red points flare up behind the mask, but that could have been an illusion.
"I am only here to guard you and thought I might as well learn to know you." she smiled and the undead shifted slightly.
"Yeah, you know I will destroy your filthy existence, undead." Remedios inwardly smirked.
"We can talk if you wish. But I prefer some meetings to be less spontaneous." the undead replied.
"Of course you do. You fear I could expose your secret." Remedios shot in her mind.
"If you wish, your majesty. But may I ask, how are you going to deal with the beasts?" she asked.
"They would be great underlings for you. Why waste such potential?" she thought.
"Simple, actually. I will use magic." her fiend answered and Remedios glared at him.
"I understand, so you are a caster." Remedios nodded.
"Yeah, I am known as the 'Sorcerer King' after all." the undead responded.
Remedios looked at him and sighed.
"That is true. Can you tell me what tier you can cast?" she inquired, hoping to find something or someone who could work with that kind of information.
"I can cast up to tier nine…" he replied, confusion in its voice.
"I can't stand this undeads mockery much longer." she thought.
"Then I shall hope to witness such might." Remedios replied before leaving the room. She was sure that this undead recognised her as its true opponent.
"I only need to find the knight in shining armor. That one could train me to defeat the apocalypse incarnate." she planned.
→ Ainz Ooal Gown ←
After meeting the paladin from the queen, Lord Ainz walked up and down his office. He was sure that she suspected him to be an undead, otherwise her culture would dictate her to be nice to him.
"But she seemingly didn't tell the queen about my secret. Otherwise they would stay away from me." he recounted as he locked his door.
"That leaves only her, for now. Maybe I should ask Arachama for surveillance on the knight. Wait, didn't Arachne already speak with this knight's squire. That might be an angle." he sighed as he glared at a bottle of wine.
"Can't get drunk in this form, but might as well relax." he decided as he opened it.
It was then that Ainz decided that coming to Roble would be a tedious affair.
→ Arwintar Imperial-palace / Jircniv ←
The whole day was an experience of its own. Before today he laughed at the tales of his own father asking the wife of his to marry him. Now Jircniv understood the emotions behind his father. He ran up and down the halls, holding himself back from getting a look at his future wife's dress. He even thought for a reason to get into her room, but thought better of it.
He thus decided to talk with some of his generals. But he couldn't follow them in thought, as he was too occupied and excited.
"So that is the reason we have a ball today?" the voice of Plumbus asked, a knowing smile on the general's face.
"What do you mean?" Jircniv replied.
"My Emperor, you're not the first to ask a maiden to marry him and you will not be the last. As for advice, I suggest calming down and enjoying the last ball you start as a bachelor. But who, if my old self is allowed, is the lucky maiden?" Plumbus threw in.
"Baroness Arachama Athropae Arachne, the younger." Jircniv heard Nimble whisper into the ears of Plumbus.
"I see. Smart lass for sure." Plumbus nodded along.
"Indeed. Nimble, I heard that Tuare needs help with the reserve-wheelchair of the baroness. Maybe you should help her." Jircniv ordered and Nimble shot off.
Plumbus snickered a bit before he caught himself.
"I only have one other question, my emperor. Leinas was part of the task force. Did she survive the battle?" he inquired.
"I received news that her corpse was found by the forces of Nazarick." Jircniv responded and saw the lights in Plumbus' eyes lose its glamor.
"I see. If you excuse me, a dear friend of mine needs mourning. Good luck with your proposal." Plumbus said goodbye and bowed.
"I understand that she was close to you, so you have my condolences." Jircniv replied
"Is her grave marked?" he inquired.
"It is. Ask Nimble to lead you." Jircniv answered.
With that the general left and Jircniv decided to get a small glass of sparkling wine.
It was not long after he got his glass that the name of his future wife was announced. Due to her circumstances she wasn't on the top of the stairs, as was tradition in Baharut and Re-Estize, but at the entrance to the garden. Tuare was pushing her, wearing a more fanciful maid outfit with glimmering trimmings.
Arachama herself was wearing a baby blue dress with a white sun hat. A white fan was covering parts of her face, but he felt her eyes searching the clouds for a short moment before connecting to his own.
The clouds parted ways as the maid pushed the baroness closer and closer to him. He meanwhile got a glass for her and a new one for himself. While going to get them he checked for the ring, which he found after a short panic attack.
After he got the drinks he surprised her and gave her the glass.
"I hope you understand that I can not dance well?" she asked, a red blush on her face.
"That wouldn't be a problem, dear." he replied as he took over and the maid retreated.
He pushed her slowly and relaxed to the balcony. Once there Nimble returned and blocked the entrance to it.
"Are y-you sure you want to d-do it this way?" Arachne stuttered her way through the question.
"It isn't a question of if, but why, sweetheart." he responded, feeling his limbs get heavier and heavier every second.
"Indeed. I wish we could do it under this nice sky. It would be romantic. Sadly politics is destructive in such a manner." Arachne replied, a sigh escaping her lips.
"I have an idea." he pecked her cheek.
He walked in front of her and went on one knee, getting the ring out of his pocket.
"Arachama Athropae Arachne, will you do me the honor of being my wife?" Jircniv asked.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she practically jumped out of the wheelchair and into his arms.
"Yes… Thank you, thank you, thank you." she nearly smothered him with her kisses as he was thrown back onto the ground.
After she calmed herself down they stayed like they were for a few moments, before he turned her around and both could look at the stars.
"It truly is more beautiful with the stars." he thought as he felt a peck on his cheek.
After another few minutes he heard a cough and turned towards Nimble. A short glare and Nimble opened his mouth.
"It is nearly time, My Emperor, and Arachamas maid is here to help her in the chair." he pointed towards Arachamas maid Tuare.
"Of course." Jircniv sighed.
"Politics truly destroys." he agreed with her.
"Thank you, fiancee." she whispered and gave him a peck.
"Nothing to thank me for." he responded and gave her a kiss.
Tuare and JIrcniv placed her back in the wheelchair and both were dusted off. Afterwards Jircniv went back inside for a few moments, knowing his, if still unofficially, fiancee was preparing herself.
Nimble followed him around for this amount of time and both drank a bit of sparkling water. The guests seemed to move around him, keeping their distance.
"Seems that your relationship isn't as discrete as you thought." Nimble commented.
"So it seems." Jircniv replied, a blush spreading over his cheek.
Not long after that Nimble gave a sign to the musicians and they stopped. The dancing stopped and an opening formed in the crowd. Two entrances formed, one for him and one for his future wife. He slowly walked to the center and waited for her. She was pushed forwards towards him. Once she was in front of him, red as a tomato, he went to one knee. The feeling from before was slipping away and he relaxed. He had already done this.
"Dear Arachama Athropae Arachne, would you do me the honor of being my empress?" he asked, red filling his cheeks completely.
"I love you, my emperor. Of course I will be your wife." she answered, tears flowing down her cheek.
He placed the ring on her finger and then both kissed for what felt like an eternity. He didn't realize that the music had started anew. The stares from the crowd went over him. The males smiling, the mothers nearly fawning over the new empress. The maidens of the empire glaring at the lucky foreigner.
Sadly Jircniv couldn't kiss his future empress for eternity and they parted.
"Normally we would dance. But…" he began.
"Why not carry my bridal? It would be the closest to traditional." she proposed.
"But…" he tried again.
"I want you to see how much I trust you." she pleaded and he couldn't withstand her eyes.
"If you wish," he said as he carried her bridal style.
While Tuare brought the wheelchair away, he swung slightly back and forth with her in his arms. Even if his arms were getting heavier and heavier over time, he didn't stop.
At last he had to carry her, as his arms were getting too heavy. Tuare brought the wheelchair and Nimble brought a normal chair. He placed her carefully inside her wheelchair and gave her a peck. Then he sat down.
"Truly a fantastic evening." she beamed at him.
"Indeed, my empress." he pecked her.
The rest of the evening was much calmer and more relaxed, as both of them cuddled and envisioned the perfect future for them both.
→ Arwintar Nazarick-mansion / Arachama ←
It had been a long day for the mother, but finally she was free. Exhausted, and carrying the twins and the egg in a basket, she tumbled into her mansion. Enti, who was on sight, immediately sprinted to the situation and took the egg from her. The twins meanwhile supported her in her own living room.
"So much paperwork. So much pointless paperwork." she thought.
It was then that Zesshi came in together with Arche. They slowly and calmly walked over to her and now the group was cuddling. This, though it was slowly, recharged her social batteries.
"That is how I can relax." she muttered as she managed to engulf Zesshi in a hug, said girl squeaked for a second.
"I got you something, Zessh." she mumbled.
"Heh?" Zesshi replied, confused.
"I will give it to you tomorrow. Now let me rest an…" Arachama said, before she fell asleep.
AN: I thank you for reading and hope you enjoyed it. If you did feel free to comment/review. Till next time.
I also hope the festival part wasn't too terrible, since I barely read anything in regards to romance…