Ainz sat behind his desk, interlacing his bony, marble white fingers as he awaited the latest report. To his right stood the radiant beauty of the Guardian Overseer Albedo, and kneeling in front of them was Pandora's Actor. The Overlord had just revived Shalltear moments ago, and had wanted to take a small break from what had been a rather exhausting day. Yet before he could do that, he wanted to hear how his experiment in E-Rantel had gone.
"Rise, Pandora's Actor. You can begin by telling me how the undead performed." Ainz commanded in a regal tone.
"As you wish, Ainz-sama.~ I believe the undead performed rather admirably for low-leveled creations. They managed to hold their own decently against their adversaries.~" Pandora's Actor informed in a happy tone.
"What happened to those that the undead faced?"
"They suffered a few casualties and some injured. However, most of these came from the Vampire Brides. And I believe the undead would have performed better, if it had not been for the six strangers that were with the Espada.~"
"The Espada brought other people with them?" Ainz asked in a tone that hinted curiosity.
"Ya, mein creator.~ Each Espada duo had someone else with them. I believe that two of these six were there to replace the two missing Espada."
Ignoring the slight use of German that made him inwardly cringe, Ainz pondered on these words for a moment. From his information, he had understood that there were ten Espada. They worked as pairs, however there was one duo who was accompanied by a third person, and another that was comprised of one Espada, and a man in full-plate armor, whom did not possess a ring himself. He had also learned their names and ranks, along with hearing rumors that the lower numbers, one through four, could be given an Adamantite rank and the rest Orichalcum.
Having heard of this, and knowing of the feats the duo that made up of the third ranked Espada Leinas, and the unranked Nazz accomplished in the cemetery, he wanted to better test the Espada as a whole. That was why, upon hearing that the Espada would aid in E-Rantel's defense, he had gathered a group of Vampire Brides, and horde of undead to attack the city, under the guise of an attack from the minions of the vampire that Momon was facing.
The presence of more than the individuals he had been informed of did not surprise him that much. In his mind, Ainz understood the need to have more people within their organization. After all, having only 12 people was more than likely not enough for all the assignments they were given.
Still, the fact he had heard nothing about extra individuals was a bit troublesome, yet even this seemed justified in his mind. Especially when he understood that the Espada Mercenary Company did not have the best of relationships with those around it. Until recently, this was true when it came to E-Rantel's Adventurer's Guild. These individuals were most likely weaker than the rest, and only used when the situation called for it. Meaning that his experiments might have forced Amelia to show her hand in a sense.
"What did you think of these individuals?" Ainz asked.
"Weaker than the Espada. However, some of them might be closer to their level than others.~"
"Umu... I see. Good. Now, tell me about the Espada themselves."
"Ya. The 10th-Espada Alvis, showed commendable skills as an Assassin, showing enough speed and skill with blades to deal with the superior, yet less competent abilities of the Vampire Brides. This allowed him, even if he is the weakest of the Espada and weaker than a Bride, the ability to hold his own against them and aid his partner in their fight. Having taken out two of them together.~"
Ainz cupped his chin with his bony left hand as he listened intently, very eager to learn more and commit it to memory. He found the speedy yet weak assassin build to be interesting, and saw it occasionally during his YGGDRASIL days.
"Then, comes the 8th-Espada, Cayo, Alvis partner. He used a shield and large bardiche, showing commendable prowess with his equipment. This allowed him for the most part block to the vampires' attacks. He showed greater strength than Alvis, being him that finished off the two Brides they defeated.~"
'Eeeh... Sounds like a Tank/Damage-Dealer type. Paired with an assassin class? Strange, but not a bad combo...' Ainz idly thought as Pandora's Actor continued.
"Next is the 7th-Espada, Jillur. He also seemed to be an Assassin, but also showed great prowess in hand-to-hand combat. Even managing to break part of one of the Bride's arms. Which I believe shows greater strength than most assassins. He also lacked any visible weapon, using for the most part his hands or whatever he could acquire.~"
'Eh? That's strange. He sounds more like a [Monk] class than an assassin...' Ainz thought as he tapped his chin.
"The 6th-Espada Inon, is a hand-to-hand fighter by nature. He showed great ability when it came to using his body has a weapon. He showed the ability to use ice based attacks when necessary, being able to add them to his other attacks. It is worthy to note that he showed great care for his partner and seems to be easily influenced by her.~"
'Huh? Ice? A human using elemental attacks? Must be the effect of a magic item to buff his attacks. With a Brawler/Monk type that could be troublesome for a normal foe...'
"His partner, the 5th-Espada, Carmyn is a magic caster with druid capabilities. She seems to rely a lot on Inon to protect her from any enemy that comes too close to her. Even opting to sit on his shoulder during their fight and after it. Both she and Inon worked together to defeat their four enemies."
'A druid type magic caster? Then she should be able to heal her partner's wounds as he acts as the shield and front-liner. Aaaah.~ How nostalgic... Hm. Those two kind of sound like siblings with the way Pandora's Actor describes them...'
"The 3rd-Espada, Leinas, a warrior skilled in the use of a spear. She also showed the ability to use explosion based [Martial Arts]. And she seemed to show great care when it came to those around her, only being able to properly fight back after making sure those around her were safe. I believe the fact she didn't go all out from the beginning led to her needing some assistance from her partner do deal with her opponents."
'Ooooh!~ A [Martial Art] that creates explosions? That could be very useful. She sounds a lot nicer than I thought she was from our first meeting. And she was fairly pretty too...'
"Annika, the 2nd-Espada, is a magic caster, with the ability to use divine-type magic. She also seems to be the healer of the group. Which can explain why she showed great care for all of those around her, even going so far as to heal the injured after she was mostly spent by her battle."
'Oh? She sounds like a really nice person. From the description, she might be a priestess type...'
"Finally, we have Nazz. A warrior type that he wears wolf shaped armor and uses a broadsword. Outside of the probable use of [Martial Arts], considerable strength and speed, he brings nothing else of note to the table. Outside of the fact he was powerful enough to handle two Brides on his own.~"
'Eh? Really? That's it? Can't you give me more to work from?! Ah! No matter. From what he's saying he sounds a little bit like Gazef Stronoff. That could explain why he's paired with an Espada despite not having a ring...' Ainz mused as he interlaced his fingers and addressed his Doppelgänger NPC creation.
"I see… Good work, Pandora's Actor."
"Thank you, Ainz-sama.~"
"It seems that they are a powerful force in their own right. And very troublesome. Especially when we don't have information on all of them, and they are not limited by ranks like the guild…" Ainz pointed out, going back into deep thought.
"Then, in that case, should we eliminate them, Ainz-sama? If they are that troublesome, and noteworthy by this world's standards, could they not pose a threat to the plan of raising Momon's image?" Albedo asked in cold tones.
"Umu... A valid concern, Albedo." Ainz regally replied.
"Thank you, Ainz-sama.~"
"However, I believe killing them would be a waste. The fact they are at the levels that they are, and are not limited by ranks, gives them a mobility Narberal and I do not have as adventurers. Meaning, they can do things that we can't. So, I believe that we should make use of them, in the situations where we cannot afford to send our own people out on assignments, for one reason or another." Ainz said in a confident tone.
"B-Begging your pardon Ainz-sama, but in that case, wouldn't we need to give them the assignments and pay them for it?" Albedo hesitantly questioned with a frown.
She was visibly not pleased with the idea of paying such creatures for tasks given by her beloved, and master of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, Ainz Ooal Gown. In her mind, and in the minds of the other NPCs, service to the Supreme Beings was a matter of course, and these lower lifeforms should be grateful in being allowed to serve them. The calm voice of Ainz then pulled her away from her discontent as she refocused on her master.
"It is a small price to pay, taking into account what they could do for us. I see it as no different than summoning mercenary NPCs, when you think about it like that. In their case, it would be cheaper, they can blend with this world's natives much more easily, are more knowledgeable of the world itself, are experienced and skilled professionals, and would attract less attention, as those totally unaffiliated with Nazarick. Since the wielder of the [World Class Item] is still at large, it also allows us to accomplish much more with less risk."
"A-As expected of Ainz-sama!~ To see so much to be gained in a single move. I, Albedo, apologize for my shortsightedness!" The Guardian Overseer quickly remarked, while taking an apologetic bow, as her wings quivered with reverence and excitement at her love's unmatched intellect.
Ainz resisted the urge to facepalm at Albedo's praise, a feeling of awkward discomfort creeping up his spine as she gazed at him with eyes glazed over in lust and want. Forcing himself to ignore it, he cleared his nonexistent throat as he moved things along.
"Ahem! Think nothing of it, Albedo. You brought up a good point. And you, Pandora's Actor, did great work in bringing me this information."
"Thank you, Ainz-sama.~"
The Espada, Elsa, Amelia, and Aizen sat around the meeting table in the manor in E-Rantel. Jaecar looked particularly spent as he leaned back on his chair, still recomposing himself from the mission he had gone through. Elsa was by his side like always, asking him how he felt, while the rest of the Espada exchanged small talk.
"I ask you all to remain silent as we begin this meeting." Aizen said, causing everyone to comply and go silent.
"We will begin with your thoughts on what happened in E-Rantel during the battle." He then calmly added.
"Argh! It was a pain. I'm too old to be playing around with weak vampires." Carmyn informed in an annoyed tone.
"Heh. I'd have to agree." Cayo remarked with a grin.
"Shocking." Carmyn mumbled while rolling her eyes.
"Alvis could have taken them all out and the undead on his own. Probably with both hands tied behind his back." Cayo casually added.
"I-I'm not that skilled." The younger Espada pointed out.
"You have the power for it. Still, I would not recommend going into any fight with your hands tied behind your back. If you can avoid it that is." Yoruichi pointed out, resting on top of the table in front of him in her cat form. If Alvis didn't know better, he could swear that she was smiling at him.
"Well… I believe we played our part perfectly.~" Annika remarked, subtly trying to get the conversation back on topic.
"Agreed. If the scratches and damage we took mean anything, is that we went through a less than certain battle." The Dragon Lord Naz'da'gar remarked.
"I'd have to agree with Carmyn. This was a pain…" Leinas began to say, when Jillur spoke over her.
"Necessary pain." He stoically informed, causing her to role her eyes at him.
"I know that. We all do. Still, they were too weak for us to have spent that much time on them. But I understand why we did it. That said, I think we succeeded in what we set out to do." Leinas coolly said with a proud smirk.
"They also made it very easy for us, and way too obvious. You know, with trying to attack us in pairs and all." Cayo pointed out with a tinge of disappointment in his voice.
"With that in mind, I think it's safe to assume that the undead were there just to distract the rest of the people around us.~" Annika added in amusement.
"Indeed. That is the line of thought we will be adopting for the time being. That those vampires and undead were sent there to test the Espada. That is why they wanted to have very specific two-on-one fights." Aizen informed.
"We support this also on the fact that the fight Jaecar witnessed, began and ended at nearly the same time the attack on E-Rantel did." Amelia added with a serious edge in her voice.
"Jaecar witnessed the battle between the Undead Overlord we have identified as 'Ainz', against the powerful vampire we know as 'Shalltear Bloodfallen'." Aizen said, pausing briefly before continuing.
"While he watched, along with Ainz and Shalltear, he saw two dark elves watching over the area, a boy and a girl. And even with the precautions we took, Jaecar had to go through great lengths to ensure that the girl did not pick up on him. Correct, Jaecar?"
"Y-Yes." Jaecar replied.
"Along with those two, Elsa and Rylen also noted other creatures in the area. However, they could not get close enough to learn anything about them. We are assuming that them being there was not a coincidence." Aizen sternly said.
"Now for the two fighters. Both of them showed magical capabilities far beyond what this world offers. Doing so with the same naturality and ease magic casters use low tier magic..." At that point he was interrupted by Annika and Carmyn.
"What about us?" Both eagerly asked.
"You are above average and able to perform some magic at the same level as them. But for example, Ainz showed himself able to perform magic at a completely new level from anything you two are currently able to do."
"Even if we transform~?" Annika asked with a curious head-tilt.
"Probably." Aizen replied, before continuing.
"The vampire Shalltear, like I mentioned was able to use high-tier magic. Along with this she summoned several beings during the battle, including a duplicate of herself, which appeared to be equal in physical strength to herself. More importantly, she managed to bring herself back to life after this 'Ainz' used an attack that killed everything around them. She possesses greater physical strength and speed than him, however like she did in the confrontation I had with her, she failed to fully utilize them."
"You've mentioned it in the past, and even now, you paint this 'Shalltear' as someone who lacks any proper combat experience." Rylen remarked as he stroked his beard.
"Correct. I believe that is the case, or she is far too arrogant to take any opponent seriously. Either way, this presents a major weakness that can, and should, be exploited if any of you cross paths with her again." The Shinigami calmly informed.
"You are telling us that one that one of the biggest threats to our operation, is nothing but an amateur with more power than she knows what to do with?" Naz'da'gar growled as he spoke in a sardonic tone.
"Indeed. Well, she was since she lost the battle and was killed."
"She might come back." Amelia thoughtfully suggested.
"Depending on the state of the body it might be possible.~" Annika remarked.
"It was destroyed." Jaecar informed.
"In that case… I'm not sure…" She mumbled.
"It could be possible, after all we do not know enough about their abilities to say otherwise." Aizen said.
"Then, if she was killed, are we to assume that this Ainz is stronger?" The Cero Espada asked incredulously.
"No. I believe that if she had the experience that she is lacking, and a smaller ego, she could have won the fight in its early stages." Aizen confidently replied before continuing.
"To begin with, Ainz was wearing different equipment than he did in the cemetery when he killed Clementine. It was much simpler looking, lower-leveled, without rings or any other visible items or equipment. He took advantage of Shalltear's inability to react to his presence to cast several enhancement spells on himself, and equipped a bracelet and several small wooden sticks. Which he later used to summon different types of high-level equipment and weapons, even thought he is a magic caster. He showed himself able to prepare for the battle ahead. During said battle he managed to direct it along a certain, vague, line. He is a capable person when it comes to strategy and tactics and showed that he, unlike her, has experience in combat." Aizen said as he paused for a moment to allowed the information to sink in.
"Something else that is very important in this, is that from the way they interacted, they knew each other. Well, enough for Ainz to do things in a very specific way, that showed he was familiar with her and her abilities. Shalltear too, also showed signs of knowing him, but appeared to not fully know what he could do."
"Could that explain why he wasn't wearing high-level gear? That he knew her enough to be that confident?" Cayo suggested.
"No. The battle wasn't easy for him either." Jaecar replied.
"From what has been said here. I would believe he wanted to prove something with this." Amelia said.
"That is most likely. Going with the assumption he is one of these 'Supreme Beings', he might have wanted to personality rectify whatever was going on with her." Aizen added.
"Meaning, he was not connected with her being there.~" Annika thoughtfully remarked.
"Then… Something else happened there? Something unrelated to them or us?" Naz'da'gar suggested.
"An interesting thought, but for the time being, it is just that, a thought." Aizen replied.
"Either way, if she was there because of someone else, what could have been done to an undead of that level to leave her like that?" Carmyn asked, wanting to further the conversation along.
"It most likely was some kind of mind altering affect. But on an undead of that power, I don't know what could possibly do that…" Annika said, falling into deep thought.
"The way she seemed to be acting could suggest some form of mind control. It is not natural for a being to only attack when provoked or when one gets close enough. At least not in the way she seems to do." Jillur pointed out.
"I did consider the same when I confronted her. However, given how limited she seemed, I believe it could be a failed attempt at mind control." Aizen added.
"Any other questions?" Amelia asked, with no one saying a word in reply.
"Very well. A report will be made and delivered to all of you, so you can have an actual, step-by-step description of what happened." She added.
"Until then, you are all dismissed." Aizen announced.
Having finished the meeting, Aizen and Amelia made their way back into the office, with Amelia taking the lead, so she could be the one to take the seat behind the desk. Letting out a somewhat superior laugh when she took her seat, and Aizen was left to sit in front of her.
"To think that these were supposed to be the Espada's days off..." Amelia remarked, leaning back on her chair.
"But they turned out to be very profitable. Not only are we receiving some unexpected payments, but we also did enough to affect how others see us, and enhance our popularity." She added.
"And yet to seem somewhat dissatisfied." Aizen pointed out with a small smirk.
"Well, if you must know, I would have loved to have seen some of these fights in person." Amelia informed, with a slight whimsical sigh.
"I'm certain you would have. But, I'm also certain you understand that your well-being is very important for the Espada. We cannot risk it." Aizen said matter-of-factly.
"I know. Still, I miss the excitement from the times we spent gathering the Espada and traveling." Amelia said, in a somewhat nostalgic tone.
"I am certain that sooner or later you will get to do something like that once again."
"Hmph. Preferably sooner. Now, I take it that for the time being we will do nothing about Ainz?" Amelia asked, changing the topic of the conversation.
"Exactly. Even if we have a decent amount of information, it is still not enough to give us an accurate idea of who he is, and what he wants."
"Thought as much." Amelia said with a sigh.
"Then, we will continue to keep track of 'Momon' and 'Nabe'. I'll get the information related to our latest accomplishments to our contacts, and make sure they spread it as far as they can. The cemetery incident and the attack on E-Rantel, will do wonders for our reputation and our popularity." She informed with a confident grin.
Several days had passed since then, and the now adamantite ranked "Darkness" were making their way through E-Rantel. They had gone to the guild, but having been met with no quests befitting of someone of their rank, they were now making their way to the manor used as the Espada's main base. The duo stopped in front of the door, with Momon knocking at the door, while Nabe stood slightly behind him to his left.
It didn't take long for the door to open and for them to be greeted by a maid, one who had particular large braid in the front of her body. The woman had a very kind and welcoming expression, yet her eyes showed great and careful scrutiny as they scanned the two people before her. Both Momon and Nabe looked as her blue eyes went to their plate, something that would, under most circumstances clear the way for them, and seemingly dismiss it as she finally spoke.
"Welcome. Momon and Nabe of Darkness, how might I, Unohana, be of service?" She asked, taking a small bow.
"G-Greetings. We would like to speak with Leinas and Nazz, of the Espada." Momon informed, being slightly taken aback by her before recomposing himself.
"My apologies. But at this time, they are gone on an assignment."
"I see... Do you know when they will come back?" Momon asked.
"I do not know. And I am not in liberty to say anything about their assignment." Unohana replied.
"Unohana…" Came a familiar female voice from inside the manor.
The maid quickly turned around, coming face to face with Amelia who had just walked to the building's entrance. Amelia had stopped when she noticed the two individuals at the door.
"Lady Amelia. Is there anything you need?" Unohana asked.
"We are short on tea in the office. Could you go get some?"
"Of course." The maid took a small bow and left.
"What brings the two of you there?" Amelia asked, placing herself in front of them.
"We were here to speak with Leinas and Nazz."
"I see… Would you mind speaking with me then? As their superior, I should be able to answer whatever you wanted to ask them." Amelia suggested.
"If that is not an issue. We would appreciate it." Momon replied.
"Follow me then."
Momon and Nabe, found themselves being taken to the second floor of the manor, more specifically to a medium sized office. When they arrived, Unohana was exiting it after having left the newly made tea. Inside, sitting to the right of the desk, looking over a massive pile of papers was Aizen, with the look of someone who was being worked like a slave. An expression Ainz found familiar from before his transfer to this world. Upon seeing the two guests Aizen quickly fixed his glasses and went to greet them, but Amelia was quick to intercept his actions.
"There's no need for that. Please continue with your work." She said with a somewhat commanding tone.
"A-As you wish." Aizen replied, with a tired sigh.
'Eeeh... I feel sorry for him...' Ainz ruefully thought to himself.
"Please, take a seat. I feel like we have much to talk about." Amelia said, taking her seat behind the desk.
"Thank you." Momon said, taking one of the two seats in front of her, with Nabe taking the other.
"First, I think congratulations are in order. I've never heard of adventurers reaching the adamantite rank so quickly." Amelia remarked, leaning back on her seat.
"We appreciate it. But, there wasn't much to it. We had the abilities to make it happen, so getting to that rank was just matter of time." Momon humbly remarked.
"Exactly. When you were offered a chance to join us, that was because of this potential you have. Potential you are still wasting as an adventurer, even if you are adamantite ranked. Think about it, Momon, what you could do with the freedom you could have as a member of the Espada."
"I will admit I have thought about it before, and I see the advantages it would give me. However, like I said before, I have made a commitment with the Adventurer's Guild, and I am not one to go back on my commitments."
"Oh? What a shame…" Amelia sighed, momentarily looking at Aizen.
"In that case, what was it that you wished to discuss with Leinas and Nazz?" She asked.
"Well, they were the first duo that we met, and were also the ones sent to help with the undead in the cemetery. I was told that during the incident both of them took out two very powerful undead. An act just below myself and Nabe defeating those responsible for the incident itself. I wished to discuss these things with them. There's also the fact I can't help but find them somewhat similar to us." Momon replied, ending with an awkward laugh.
Amelia looked at them and understood what he meant. Both duos were made up of tall, powerful men in armor and a shorter female. It was an amusing thought to be sure. Yet, a strange thing for Momon to say, taking into account the image she had of him.
"I-Indeed, those two undead were very troublesome. It could have ended very badly for us." Aizen remarked in a low tone to the side.
"Is that so?" Momon asked, looking at the spectacled man.
"Yes. From what they say in their reports, they had to depend on their agility and experience to manage to defeat them. Had it not been for that, who knows what could have happened."
"Don't be so pessimistic, Aizen. Have more faith in the people we pick up." Amelia said, sounding displeased with what he had said.
"I know that. But, you have to admit that these two incidents, with powerful undead, happened very close together. Not only that, but very close to E-Rantel. It could put the business at risk." Aizen argued back, causing Momon to chuckle slightly.
"Is something the matter?" Amelia asked, raising an eyebrow at him.
"No. I apologize. It's that I was under the impression you two were surrounded by several strong individuals. Including some who could be ranked as top tier adventurers. Surely they could have handled what happened in these past days, if they all worked together."
"Well, I am not so certain about that. As things are, we rarely have everyone in the same place, to make what you just suggested possible. And, in the case of that vampire you killed, we don't have legendary crystals with 8th-tier magic that we can use. Because, from what I understood, had it not been for that crystal, you wouldn't be here right now, correct?" Amelia argued back.
"You…" Nabe prepared herself to growl something at Amelia, but Momon quickly spoke up.
"That's enough, Nabe."
"M-My apologies, Momon-san."
"You too Amelia. There's no reason to get angry." Aizen pointed out, looking at Amelia.
"I didn't say anything." She growled.
"B-But you looked like it." Aizen pointed out, to which she frowned.
"F-Fine. But in my defense, so did she." Amelia said, looking at Nabe.
"I…" Nabe went to speak, but the woman decided to push the subject.
"You don't like us don't you, Nabe?"
"She…" Momon tried to speak, but Amelia continued.
"From what I heard, you don't seem to like anyone, period. Outside of Momon that is."
"How is that important?" Momon growled, seemingly loosing a hold of his cool persona for a moment.
"She looks down on people, doesn't she? So much so, that it gives her this… dangerous aura. It makes one wonder what she would do, if left unchecked." Amelia replied, in a calm tone.
"Amelia, please stop." Aizen pleaded, once again fixing his glasses.
"Tell me, Nabe, do you enjoy seeing insects die?"
"That's enough!" Momon announced, hitting his hand on the table.
"Agreed. You went too far." Aizen added.
"I think we should be leaving." Momon informed, getting up from his seat along with Nabe.
"I-I will take you to the entrance. Please follow me." Aizen announced.
The trio left Amelia alone in her office and soon found themselves outside of the manor, Nabe had yet to say anything, choosing to look away from both Momon and Aizen, who was trying to speak with the "Dark Hero".
"I hope this didn't cause too big of an offense. You see, Amelia is of noble blood and did not learn how to filter her opinions, please forgive her." Aizen said, sounding as apologetic as possible.
"Is she always like this?" Momon asked, his arms crossed.
"Not always. But like I said, sometimes she can't help but to voice her opinions. I ask you to please forgive this and remember that her way of being does not reflect how the Espada do things."
"Is that so? Still this situation is troubling. It makes me wonder what would have been of us if we had taken your offer…" Momon began, just for Aizen to quickly speak over him.
"I-I ask you not to think too much into this. And to please do not mention this to anyone. As a token of our appreciation, the Espada can offer you their services if needed."
"Without pay?" Momon ask in curiosity.
"Of course. Think of it as a favor, and as an apology." Aizen said with a bow.
"Hm. Very well. Nabe, we're leaving." Momon announced, turning to leave.
"Just one more thing." Aizen spoke up, getting the adventurer's attention once again.
"Even if Amelia has this issue, rarely is she wrong about these things. I don't mean to offend or to insinuate anything, but perhaps you should look into what she said."
Momon said nothing, instead nodding and then simply continuing to walk away, stopping only when both he and Nabe were a good distance away from the manor or anybody else for that matter.
"Momon-san, I apologize for…" Nabe began to speak, but Momon raised his hand to silence her.
"No need. As much as it pains me to admit, that woman was correct. I have already told you this before, Nabe, that you must put aside whatever your views on these people are and do your best to work along with them. It is true that her throwing out accusations like that is not a smart move. However, they are not unfounded. Do you understand what this could do to our reputation?" Momon sternly said, with a hint of aggravation.
"Yes. I'll make sure it never happens again." Nabe replied with a slight head bow.
"Well, make sure it never happens again. The last thing we need is for someone else to pick up on this." Momon sternly said as he motioned for them to move on.
Aizen walked back into the office, with Amelia leaning back on her seat, with a large grin on her face.
"Well?"
"He agreed to using our help whenever he needs it. But I'm certain he would've agreed if we offered help ourselves." Aizen replied with a cunning smile.
"For an undead, he seemed to be scared enough." She chuckled.
"Indeed. I find him to be quite the fascinating creature. It should also give us something to influence his Momon persona if needed." Aizen in amusement.
"Heh. I'm looking forward to it..."