Hello there everyone, and welcome back to Chapter 4 of the Nazarick Triumvirate! Once again I hope you have all been enjoying what we've given you so far, and on behalf of myself and daniel, we want to thank you once more for all the support and love you've been showing this story. We are having an absolute blast writing it and it means the world to us that you all seem to be liking it as well!
That being said though, there is one review in particular I'd like to address publicly, just so I can clear a few things up for the rest of you reading in case some of you had the same concerns. Before I address these points, I would like to thank Helios-Rufus for respectfully bringing them up. Even though I may disagree with your points, I appreciate you conveying them without resorting to insults and mindless disparaging of us/the story as I have often seen in reviews of other fan stories.
As to your first point…I do see where you are coming from, but I personally feel it is a key premise of a story to introduce all the main characters in detail. If you were getting into a new book or novel and didn't properly introduce the characters, especially the ones who are going to be playing a major part in the story...then what's the point of them being such a major character without some detail in their introduction, appearance, personality, etc? It doesn't matter one bit to me whether we are familiar with the source material or not...key characters need to be introduced properly and that's what I have done and will continue to do in all my stories. If it helps, not every character will have such a detailed introduction, only the key ones such as Ainz, our characters, the Guardians and the Pleiades and then maybe one or two others like Gazef and Renner for example.
To your second point: Henry having too many names. If you have a continuing problem with that, take it up with my co-author. It's his character, that's how he wanted it and I won't even consider changing it for anything. End of.
(daniel: Plus it has to do with the lore of the story, the more names you have, the more important you are in the new world, while this was unintentional on Henry's part it will surely impact the New Worlders' perspective of him when he reveals his full name)
And for your last point regarding the World Champion class having too many levels…that I will admit is on us. That's our mess-up, but we both believe it's too late to change it now so we'll leave it as is. If it becomes an issue for us later on, we will alter it as needed. (Changed 21/04/24)
(daniel: Hey everyone! Another day, another chapter of this story! I'm telling you people that the process gets better each time we put the words on the screen! And Yep! Today we'll get our first glimpse at what the trio are capable of compared to the New World and the Intro of the one and only Warrior Captain!))
With all that out of the way, here is Chapter 4 of the Nazarick Triumvirate! As always, the usual disclaimer that neither I nor daniel own Overlord or any of its characters, locations, events or anything else related to the anime, manga or Light Novels. The only things we own are our OCs, Henry and Fengxian. ENJOY!
Chapter 4 – Carne-age
"Kami…what a dream that was…" Henry thought to himself as he slowly returned to the waking world, albeit a bit confused as to why there was a sudden weight on his chest. "I mean…YGGDRASIL becoming real, the Guardians all becoming sentient and pledging themselves to myself, Suzi and Ki…and then there was Albedo being totally in love with me and…wait a minute…" He brushed his long golden locks out of his eyes as he slowly sat up…hold up, long, golden locks? What the hell had happened to his hair when he'd been asleep?
That's when he looked down towards the weight on his chest and noticed, at first with shock and then with delight, Albedo's head resting on his slowly rising and falling chest, a look of absolute bliss on her sleeping face as she cuddled herself deep into his muscled chest…wait, muscled? As he inspected closer, he saw the perfectly defined abs he'd given his character…. That's when it all started returning to him.
It hadn't been a dream…this was now real life. He was in the body of his character, and Nazarick and the Guardians were now real. He had his friends alongside him, and most importantly, he had the girl of his dreams in his arms having shared their first night of pleasure the night before. He couldn't help but smile as memories of what they'd done together returned to him. He'd never forget how loudly and passionately she'd called out his name and begged him to go even harder with every thrust of his body. Even when he'd asked if she wanted to take it easy and not go all the way their first time, she'd looked back at him with a lustful expression that had clearly stated 'You'd better take me to bed right fucking now or we'll be doing it all over the floor', which turned out to be all the encouragement he'd needed to rip her clothes off and throw her down on the bed before getting on with it.
He found himself thanking the hormones, sexual drive and confidence of his character's body and persona to allow him to take the plunge and enjoy every moment of it. And since it was the first time for both of them, they were able to take all night to learn how each other's bodies worked and their pleasure points to ensure maximum sexual satisfaction from here on out. For example, he'd quickly discovered that massaging and bouncing her voluptuous breasts was often more than enough to send her over the edge, whilst at the same time she'd quickly taken advantage of the satisfied groans that came unbidden from his lips whenever her mouth or hands did their thing along his shaft.
"Oh my Kami…it actually happened…" he realised as he pushed himself up into a sitting position. "I'm no longer a virgin!" That too had been a choice that Albedo had ripped apart when he'd even dared to suggest he use some form of protection. In her own words: "To waste such precious seed would be treason of the highest order against Nazarick!" When confronted with that point of reasoning, only the most foolish of men would say no! "Guess I'd better ready myself for the inevitable…especially if we keep going for repeats. I may have to see if any of the others kept books on how to raise a kid…." he thought to himself as he stroked Albedo's hair fondly.
His careful ministrations seemed to do the trick as Albedo started to stir. As her eyes opened, she looked about with confusion for a split second before her eyes landed back on Henry's chiselled chest. She then smiled in realisation as her eyes travelled upward to meet his, and for a short while, they said nothing as they looked fondly into each other's eyes. "Good morning, my beloved Crown Prince…" she purred. "I hope my performance last night was to your satisfaction?"
"That and more, my dear," he growled huskily, leaning down and capturing her lips in another kiss that, even in her slightly drowsy state caused her entire body to shudder in pleasure. "Last night was the best night of my life, and it was all thanks to you." No hint of a lie there since back in the real world it was almost impossible to meet up with another girl, and the concept of dating, unless you'd already been married, had become an activity exclusive to those in the ruling conglomerates. "In fact…if it wasn't for Father requesting my presence this morning, I'd be highly tempted to carry on from where we left off last night…"
"I'm sure Lord Momonga wouldn't mind if I kept you for just a few more minutes…" she replied seductively as she leant in for another kiss, which was so breathtakingly sweet and exotic that Henry found himself agreeing with her, and so for the next couple of minutes they continued to kiss and cuddle, their naked bodies pressing up against one another as they slowly gave in again to the lust that had driven their actions the night before.
In fact, so lost were they in their ministrations that it took several loud knocks on Henry's door to break them apart. Needless to say, Albedo wasn't amused by the interruption. "Who dares disturb my private time with my beloved Crown Prince?!..." she found herself hissing. She was just about to give whoever disturbed them a piece of her mind when she was suddenly and pleasingly distracted by Henry's arms wrapping around her chest as he teased her breasts once again, causing her to instead sigh and moan in pleasure.
"As hot as it would be to see you upset, we don't want to scare whoever's there. Let me deal with it my dear," he said softly in her ear. She nodded weakly, her mind swimming with arousal as she heard him raise his voice. "Who is it?!"
"I-it's Foire, Lord Constantine!" An excited and high-pitched female voice squealed from the other side of the door. "Foire…Foire…oh yeah, one of the Homunculus Maids Whitebrim made!" He remembered as the maid carried on. "L-lord Momonga requested I bring Lady Solution, Lady Lupusregina and Lady Narberal to you once you woke up. They are currently waiting outside…shall I send them in, Lord Constantine?"
"Erm…" Henry looked down at himself and noticed that not only was he butt-naked, but that he still reeked of sex. "May want to freshen up first…damnit Suzi, you sneaky bastard!"He could almost hear his friend laughing in his head at his discomfort. "Give us a few minutes, Foire, and then send them in on my order."
"As you command, my lord!" Came the cheerful reply as he looked over at Albedo, who sighed wearily in response as she caught what he meant. A few minutes later, Henry was sitting at the end of his bed having freshened himself up along with putting on a pair of long, black silk pants, leaving his upper body exposed, with Albedo standing in attendance at his side in her usual attire which she'd managed to slip into in record time.
"Okay then Henry…you've already got one of the women of your dreams at your side…you can do this…" he thought determinedly to himself, which was further buoyed by Albedo catching his gaze and giving him an encouraging nod and smile. He took a deep breath before calling out once more. "Foire? Send the three ladies in!"
"Right away, my lord!" Foire energetically replied, and a moment later the door to Henry's room opened as the three other apples of Henry's eye all walked into the room and knelt at his feet.
And maybe it was from the effect of being in the New World but Henry swore that these three had never looked so stunning. He should know, he had made a hobby out of admiring them after all.
Solution was easily the most attractive of the Battle maids, with a perfect hourglass figure, luscious blonde locks and piercing blank dark blue eyes that most people would find off-putting but he always found to be one of her most attractive features. Then there was Lupusregina, who had an exotic air about her that always lit a spark in him. Her tanned skin was perfect and gave quite a nice contrast with her fiery locks along with her big golden eyes. And last but certainly not least was Narberal who was what one could call the Perfect Japanese woman with her pale complexion, dark hair and eyes. When looking at her he completely understood why that was the standard of beauty in their country.
"My lord Constantine…we come to you at Lord Momonga's request to assist you however you desire," Solution intoned respectfully, her sumptuous breasts jiggling in time with her motions.
"Just say the word, my lord, and it will be done!" Lupusregina added in a more cheery and carefree tone.
"We live to serve the Supreme Beings in whatever capacity they wish," Narberal finished, a faint blush present on her face. As much as she (and secretly the others) wanted to look up, they didn't dare to do so until commanded. Thankfully for them, their prayers were answered when the husky voice of Nazarick's heir proceeded to resonate in their ears.
"All of you…raise your heads." They instantly did as he commanded and were instantly enraptured by the sight before them. They were all very much aware that each of the Supreme Beings was perfect, but even by that standard the son of Lord Momonga was on a completely different level. It took every ounce of their professionalism as maids not to drool, shed their outfits and beg to be taken by him right then and there.
"Lord Constantine's glorious form…" Solution gushed, awed.
"If I were commanded to die, I would now do so without regret…" Lupusregina squealed to herself.
"Even my wildest imagination could not come close to replicating such magnificence…!" Narberal murmured.
"Are you aware of why you have been brought here?" Albedo then asked.
"Forgive us, Lady Albedo, but the machinations and plans of our Lord Momonga are beyond our comprehension to fathom," Solution apologized.
Albedo suppressed a small giggle at her words. It would seem their lord had anticipated Henry and the three maids' desires and had acted pre-emptively to see them fulfilled so that they could all give more attention to their other duties. "Lord Momonga's genius and foresight know no bounds…" "You have all been summoned here because my beloved has plans for you all."
"Just give the command, Lord Constantine, and we shall realize it to the best of our abilities!" Lupusregina declared passionately, a reaction which pleased Henry a great deal.
"It is my hope that you do that and more…" He added silently as he spoke up. "I am happy to hear that, Lupusregina," he addressed them. "As I'm sure you have been made aware of by now, I have taken Guardian Overseer Albedo here as my consort…" Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Albedo's entire body squirm with delight at his words and almost chuckled at the sight.
The three of them inclined their heads politely in Albedo's direction. "We did indeed receive news of it, and you have our most since congratulations on being bestowed the honour of continuing Lord Momonga's line, Overseer Albedo," Solution spoke politely as she and the others did their best to hide the fact that they also craved that honour.
"And the reason you are all here is because I have a confession to make…" Henry took a deep breath or two to compose himself. "Here goes…" He thought to himself before speaking up once more. "The truth is that all of your beauty and charms have captivated me for as long as Albedo's have, and now that we are in this new world and I can see them clearer than ever…I have come to a decision. I love you all dearly, and should it be your wish as well, I desire to claim the three of you as my own to form the first part of my Harem. Albedo has already been made aware of this desire of mine and given us her blessing. And should you accept I swear to always treasure, love and worship you with all of my being. Should you not, I shall respect your decision and hope it won't impact our relationship going forward." Having said his piece, he held his breath as he waited for the response.
"…" All three of the Pleaides' minds had gone completely blank at his words. They couldn't quite believe what they had just heard, and how could they? Lord Constantine, the gallant heir and Crown Prince of Nazarick, who already had Overseer Albedo at his side, was also claiming them as his own? Was this a trick? An illusion? It had to be because this was all too good to be true! They were aware of how he'd admired them, with how Lady Bukubukuchagama proclaimed it so often not to mention their own creators' teasing of Lord Constantine. But they assumed he was just admiring the work of his fellow Supreme Beings! And the words he'd spoken about them, his praises and admiration of their beauty made all three feel as though they were in heaven itself (somewhere Fengxian irritably coughed at the thought of heaven). If they were like those weakling humans, their hearts would probably have burst by now from how fast they were beating.
For it was uncommon knowledge, a secret that had been kept between the three creators and Momonga himself, that, knowing how head-over-heels he'd been with their creations, the three Supreme Beings had modified their settings just a little bit to have their creations be hopelessly in love with Henry as well, and boy was that secret now paying off.
Albedo, however, saw the ensuing silence and hesitation on their part a bit differently. "You three ungrateful insects dare spit on my love's generosity?! He has granted you the greatest of gifts, and you three have the temerity to make him wait for your response?!"
"Albedo! That's enough!" Henry reprimanded her sharply.
"Forgive me, my beloved Crown Prince!" She replied with a small bow. "But I cannot simply stand by as they dare reject the high honour you have bestowed upon them!"
"WE WOULDN'T! WE'D RATHER DIE!" All three maids yelled at the same time as they prostrated themselves in supplication, their foreheads pressed against the floor.
"Forgive us, Lord Constantine and Lady Albedo!" Solution pleaded. "We did not intend to offer any offence to your glorious person! We were simply stunned, that's all! I speak for all three of us when we say it would be the greatest honour to be part of your Harem!"
"Indeed, my Lord! We would cater to your every desire, and you'd have use of our bodies whenever and wherever you wished!" Lupusregina added.
"We would love you unconditionally, and give you as many heirs as you desire for the glorious future of Nazarick!" Narberal finished.
Henry's heart nearly burst from overwhelming happiness at the heartfelt confessions he was hearing! "Again, it may be too early to say but I am LOVING this world so far!" He got to his feet and held his hand out to them. "All of you, rise," he bid them. "Allow me to welcome you in a more appropriate manner."
The three of them did as he commanded, their gazes never leaving his as they waited for him to act. It didn't take long at all as, in the blink of an eye, Henry had moved in front of Solution and, crushing her in a warm embrace which she immediately reciprocated, captured her lips in a passionate display of affection.
"My greatest dream…has come true…" she thought to herself hazily. It took all of her self-control to maintain her form with all the pleasure that was coursing through her body, but she somehow managed it as Henry broke their kiss before moving over and repeating his actions with Lupusregina.
"Such a great honour…the happiest moment of my life…" the werewolf maid thought to herself, her body experiencing the purest of highs as her now eternal beloved was expressing how much he loved her. Her element may be that of fire, but right now she felt she was burning alive from the inside due to the sensation of Henry's touch. And just like Solution, it took all her composure not to let the beast within be free as Henry once more broke the embrace before doing the same again to Narberal.
"This is…heaven itself…" the normally stoic maid thought dreamily (again, Fengxian irritably coughed at the mention of heaven), her face now a complete visage of lovestruck delight as she allowed herself to feel the happiest she'd ever felt from Henry's kiss.
Once he'd finished greeting them appropriately, Henry motioned them all to join him on his bed. As he sat down upon it, he drew Solution onto his lap and buried her face in her soft locks. At the same time, he felt Lupusregina press into his left side and Narberal into his right whilst Albedo crawled up from behind and wrapped her arms around his neck as she pressed herself into his back. Having all four of the women of his dreams pressed into him was almost enough to send Henry into utter euphoria, but he managed to compose himself for the time being.
"Vanilla…" he noted dreamily as he inhaled Solution's scent. "HeroHero…Nishikienrai…Mekongawa…I'll keep the promises I made to you all. I'll make your creations the happiest women in the world…" "Now that you have all been properly welcomed into the Harem, there are just one or two small things I want you all to be aware of you. First of all, as is her right, Albedo will be my Chief Consort and the big sister of this harem. And as for you, my lovely slime…" Solution almost melted into a pile of goo at his praise. "You will be my secondary consort and the second-in-command of this Harem."
The blonde-haired maid struggled to find the words to articulate the sheer joy she was feeling from being this honour, so she instead expressed it by crashing her lips back into his, her tongue morphing into slime as it danced around the inside of his mouth which, judging by his satisfied groan, was a sensation he was eagerly enjoying. "I'll do everything in my power to prove myself worthy of such an honour, my darling lord Constantine," she managed to reply upon separation.
"I know you will…" Henry said with a smile as he reached behind him and, much to the displeasure of the ladies surrounding him, draped a silk vest over the top of his head. "And when night falls, I'll make sure to introduce you and the others to the world of love and pleasure I experience with Albedo last night…" This caused all three maids to shudder and squeal in delight, completely overwhelmed by their love and devotion towards the man.
"I cannot fault for you being overwhelmed…my darling has a way of words that just enraptures you so deeply…" Albedo commented as she laid a kiss on Henry's neck.
Henry chuckled at her words, and the maids' reactions, before adopting a slightly more serious expression. "Well now that this has all been confirmed, we should meet up with my father and…" Whatever he'd been about to say was cut off as Momonga's voice suddenly crashed into his head.
(Henry! Fengxian! I need you both in my office outside the Throne Room, NOW!) Even via the Message spell, his tone brooked no delay.
(Suzi? What's wrong?) Henry asked he grabbed his head with one hand, causing the members of his harem to make varying noises of concern.
(I'm using the Mirror of Remote Viewing to survey the area outside the Tomb when I discovered a…situation that I could use your counsel on) Momonga explained hurriedly. (It'd be best if you both saw this for yourselves)
(Say no more, I'm on my way) Fengxian answered shortly before cutting off his side of the communication.
(I was just about to bring Albedo and the three Pleiades maids to see you myself…and by the way, you are a sneaky bastard for pulling that!) Henry commented as he got to his feet, causing Solution to drop to the floor with an undignified squeak. (We were coming to inform you that I've added them to my Harem and were seeking your approval)
(So you've claimed them too? Good on you, Ise) Momonga nearly chuckled. (You can inform the Pleiades that I approve later. For now, just bring Albedo with you. We might need her help.)
(I'll be right there, Suzi) Henry said before shutting down his end of the Message spell.
"Are you alright, my beloved?" Albedo asked worriedly
"Do you need assistance? Are you in pain?" Lupusregina spoke with concern.
"Please tell us what we can do to help," Narberal pleaded.
"It's okay, my dear girls," he reassured them all. "I was just contacted by Father…there is a situation that has developed that he wishes for my and Fengxian's assistance with. Albedo, you'll be joining me."
"As you wish, Lord Henry," Albedo bowed, her expression serious once more.
"What do you wish us to do, Lord Constantine?" Solution asked. As with Albedo, the three of them were once again acting with professionalism given the situation.
"Return to your duties and await any further instructions from myself, Father or Lord Fengxian," he told them. "Once this situation has been sorted and when night falls, I will call for you. For now, I am needed elsewhere." Grabbing Albedo's hand, he used his Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown to teleport them both to the Tenth Floor.
~TNT~
The morning had started off so simply for Momonga.
After a night which he'd spent adjusting himself to his new body along with studying a few self-help books to help project the image of an in-control leader, he'd set himself up in his personal office, located off to the side of the Throne Room. With Sebas and Cixous, another of the 42 Homunculi maids, standing in attendance, he'd quickly gotten to work on inspecting the reports that the others and the Guardians had submitted in writing.
The first two had been from Aura and Henry, confirming that their supplies, monetary funds and the hoard of World Class Items were not only secure but in abundance for the time being. They would have enough supplies to last for a month or two but then they'd need to restock.
The third and more comprehensive one had been Demiurge's report of his and Albedo's plans for the Nazarick security system. In short, it was what had already been present, combined with Garnet's traps and one or two other devices and systems the two had put into place. He'd given his approval to it and had had one of the other maids deliver such news to Demiurge himself.
Then there was the rota from Sebas for the Pleiades and Homunculi maids. After a brief period of consultation, Momonga had given his approval for this also and sent it off to Pestonya to hang in the kitchens for them all to see.
Finally, there had been three brief notes from Shalltear, Mare and Fengxian, each reporting their undertaking or completion of the tasks they'd been assigned to. Shalltear had regular patrols going on the first three floors whilst Mare had reported that he'd managed to camouflage Nazarick completely from view. The last, and briefest message, was from Fengxian who told him that, aside from the undead who patrolled the majority of the floors, Nazarick HAD no standing army, a fact that had caused Momonga to facepalm in realisation. Since the majority of Nazarick's forces were undead, all they had to do was gather a bunch of corpses or body parts together and start raising their own force alongside the limited number he could create himself daily.
"I'll have to test out that field of magic too at some point…but it may be helpful to have willing allies to help fight for us in the future…" Momonga had thought to himself as he'd motioned for Sebas to bring him the Mirror of Remote Viewing, an artefact that would allow him a live view of the area outside the Tomb. If they were going to make allies, it would be prudent to know what sort of people lived in this new world and what sort of power they wielded.
And it was whilst viewing this mirror that Momonga had spotted a plume of rising smoke out of the corner of his vision and had used a combination of his magic and hands to zoom in the direction of the smoke, and what he had seen unnerved him: a small, medieval looking village with several houses on fire, along with what appeared to be many human villagers running around in panic whilst being chased by armoured knights.
The reason for his being so unnerved was not the sight itself…it was the fact that his mind seemed so…indifferent about it. If he had still been human, he would have been angry and spitting at seeing this, but instead, he found himself thinking that it would be best to stay in Nazarick and not interfere. What the heck was happening to him?! He knew what he was feeling, and what he was seeing, wasn't right at all…so why was he so calm?
It was only seeing a slight twitch of Sebas' body, and the less-than-pleased expression on the butler's face, that snapped Momonga out of his funk and had him call up Henry and Fengxian to get their opinion. "I think hearing it from them will be enough to make me want to do something…" he reasoned to himself. And so it was that only mere moments after he'd summoned them, Fengxian and Henry burst through the doors of his office, with Albedo trailing in her beloved's wake.
"Your summons sounded urgent, Father…we came as soon as we could," Henry said as the three walked over to him.
"What's the situation?" Fengxian asked bluntly. Not trusting himself to say anything that would give away what he was feeling internally, Momonga simply waved them around the Mirror of Remote Viewing to show them.
As he expected, it didn't take long for the images to provoke a reaction from his friends. Henry especially looked downright furious, his normally smiling expression replaced by one of pure and utter rage. It didn't matter to him what reason the soldiers may have had for doing this…anyone who attacks innocent people, especially those who can't fight back, was scum in his eyes. "Those…monsters! HOW DARE THEY?! I will NOT stand by and watch these people being slaughtered like this!" he roared, his head whipping around to face Momonga's. "Lord Momonga…Father…please tell me we're going to save these people! I cannot bear to allow this to continue!"
Fengxian was also disgusted by what he'd seen, but unlike Henry, he did not allow his emotions to show. Not only was what was playing out in front of them a massive affront to both his and the warrior's code of honour, but it also afforded them a perfect reason to make their first foray out into the new world and test their skills. "I also cannot allow these 'excuses' for knights to carry on with what they are doing," he added as he too turned round and bowed in front of Momonga. "You have only to give the order, my lord, and I will cut down every one of those scum in your name."
Just hearing these was enough for Momonga to overcome what his undead nature was trying to tell him. Not only were Henry and Fengxian both of one mind and passionate about this, but it also presented a golden opportunity for them: If they could save the village and its people, they would no doubt be grateful and would be willing to give them knowledge about this world in exchange. It was too good of a chance to let slip. "I agree with you both…let us show these fools the true power of Ainz Ooal Gown," he replied before turning to the butler at his side. "Sebas!"
"Yes, my lord?" The butler answered, instantly at attention.
"Inform Demiurge of what has happened, and have him raise the defences of Nazarick to their highest level!" He ordered. "As of this moment, everyone is to be on high alert until either I, Crown Prince Henry or Grand Marshal Fengxian declare otherwise."
"It shall be done, my lord," Sebas replied with a bow before leaving.
"Albedo, Henry. I want you both to suit up and meet us back here. Since we will be teleporting into a combat zone, you are to be on ready alert at all times. And make sure to wear your helms. For now, we will be concealing our identities until we have more information on who these people are."
"As you wish, Lord Momonga." "It shall be done, Father," came their swift replies as they both teleported away using their Rings of Ainz Ooal Gown. After a few minutes, they both returned, fully armed and combat-ready.
"Gate!" Momonga called out, causing a tear in space to appear before them. Donning his own mask that he'd retrieved from his inventory, Momonga quickly stepped through, closely followed by Henry, Fengxian and Albedo bringing up the rear
~TNT~
Enri Enmot knew she was about to die, so certain was she that no one would be coming to save her and her little sister who was currently clutching at her chest and crying in fear.
The day had started like every other. She had gotten up, eaten, played with Nemu a little and then gone off to do her chores. But barely had she started when she'd suddenly heard the sounds of screaming, accompanied by the smell of burning. When she'd investigated, all she found was the people of her village being slaughtered by a group of knights and their houses being set ablaze.
From there, she'd rushed home and begged her family to run, but just as they were about to leave a group of knights had shown up. Enri's father had shouted for her to take Nemu and run whilst he held them off. But even as she'd done as he bid, the screams of her parents being murdered would haunt her until her dying day.
As she ran towards the forest, pulling Nemu along with her, she tried not to think about her friends and the other people of her village being butchered. She tried her best to forget about how she'd been forced to watch and listen to her parents being cut down. And most of all, she was desperately trying not to think about what the pair of knights that were chasing them would do to her and Nemu if they caught up. Instead, she forced her mind to focus on one thing and one thing only: Run. Run as fast as possible, and keep Nemu safe.
Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be as she suddenly felt the cold steel of a sword slash down her back, ripping her dress and cutting into her flesh. The wound may not have been deep, but for a dainty frame such as hers it still hurt like hell and caused her, and Nemu, to crash to the ground. As she gathered Nemu to her, she was dimly aware of two things: the pain from the wound in her back, and the laughter of the approaching knights as they circled her and her sister whilst licking their chops.
"Sis…are we going to be okay?" Nemu whimpered fearfully.
"It'll be okay Nemu…I promise! Your big sister will always look after you!" Enri tried to reassure her. Even though she knew she was lying, she wasn't about to tell her little sister that they were on the verge of death.
"Well isn't this sweet?" One of the knights sneered as they circled the two girls with raised swords. "Alright girlies, let's get this over with. The more you struggle, the more painful it will be. So just accept your fate like the rest of your unworthy village!"
"Mama…Papa…Nemu…Nfirea…I'm so sorry!" Enri screamed to herself as she waited for the end. But when it didn't come, she dared to open her eyes and peek up at the soldiers. They were no longer looking at the sisters and were instead walking towards what appeared to be a spinning oval of utter blackness that had suddenly appeared before them. But just before they reached it, they were forced to step back as a small group of strangers emerged from it.
The one in front was clad in strange purple robes along with a hood that covered his face, and in what appeared to be gloved hands he was carrying an ornate golden staff. On his right side stood a figure clad in gold and black armour and a golden helm shaped like a dragon from which flowed long, golden locks, and on his back was a pair of sheathed, crossed swords. And on the robed figure's left stood the tallest individual Enri had ever seen who was clad in a full set of black armour along with a helm shaped like a wolf's head, the eye slits of which were emitting a piercing, red glow, and in whose right hand was the longest weapon she'd ever seen…a sort of bladed spear that was as long as the warrior stood tall. And standing behind all of them was a smaller figure, also in black armour and clutching a long battle-axe in their hands.
Before either man or girl could say anything, the robed figure was the first to make a move. He simply extended his hand forward, his undead gaze that was hidden by his mask focused on the knight who'd sneered at the fallen girls a moment before. "Grasp Heart" was all he said, his voice filled to the brim with power and omnipotence that the mask did nothing to disguise, and in the palm of his extended hand, for only his eyes to see, formed the visage of a human heart which he proceeded to squeeze until it burst like a tomato, blood dripping from his hand.
All the vile man could do in response was make a small gurgling noise as his heart exploded in his chest, his life instantly wiped out and his soul dragged into hell instead of the heaven the Cardinals who ruled his nation had promised.
(Hmm, good to know my spells work as they used to on the people of this new world) Momonga informed his friends, delighted that his fears had been misplaced whilst also slightly disturbed by how he felt completely nonplussed about taking a life. (If it hadn't, I would've left them to the two of you).
"Y-you…MONSTERS?!" The other soldier screamed after witnessing the fate of his comrade whilst struggling to comprehend the sheer magnitude of power currently in his midst.
(Ise…Ki…) Momonga continued in a worried tone, as though he hadn't heard the soldier's words (When I killed that man just now…I felt nothing. If this were the real world, I'd be throwing up right now!)
To not only their but also Momonga's shock, they quickly realised that they too hadn't felt anything on witnessing the soldier's gruesome death. (It seems we've physically and mentally stopped being human ever since we came to this world…) Fengxian concluded.
(It would appear so) Henry agreed. This was worrying and needed to be talked about, but that would have to wait for another time. For now, the Crown Prince's furious gaze, hidden beneath his golden dragon helm, had turned to the remaining knight who took a few steps back in fright. "You are fine chasing women and children, but when confronted by someone your own size you back down like a craven coward?!" He bellowed, the power of his voice causing the man to shake uncontrollably. With a high-pitched scream, the soldier dropped his shield and sword and started running for his life in the opposite direction. But he'd only taken a few steps before Henry was suddenly right on top of him, blade drawn.
*SLASH* A fountain of blood emerged from the now-dead man as Henry cleaved him at the waist with Justice, his soul joining his comrade's in hell. As both halves of the fallen soldiers crumbled to the ground, Henry couldn't help but feel shocked at how easy and natural that had felt, like cutting through tofu with a red-hot knife.
And it was just as Suzuki/Momonga had described. He'd felt nothing as he claimed his first life. "Good fucking riddance," he growled under his breath as he swung his blade to flick the blood off of it.
"Nicely done…if you hadn't got there first, I would've done the same," Fengxian spoke up before turning to face Momonga. "But the main bulk of the soldiers will still be in the village committing heinous acts. Permission to sally forth and engage?"
"Granted." Momonga's response was cold and direct as he now proceeded to extend his hand over the corpses of both knights. "Create Death Knight!" Black ooze appeared from his hand and completely covered both of their bodies before reforming them as a fully-fledged skeletal Death Knight. "Go into the village with Fengxian and follow his orders!" He commanded the construct, who growled dully in response.
"Thanks, who knows what's waiting for us up ahead," Fengxian replied with an approving nod, before hafting his weapon in one of his gigantic hands. "I'll try and save some for you, so don't wait too long to catch up!" He called, his words almost sounding cheery if they weren't tinged with feral eagerness and anticipation as he took off in the direction of the village, the Death Knight following behind.
"Good hunting!" Henry called before turning his attention to the two fallen girls who had watched all this transpire with fearful gazes. He was just about to ask them if they were alright when Albedo suddenly strode towards them, her axe raised.
"My lords…shall I dispose of these lower life forms for you?" She spoke coldly, her words and actions stunning both Momonga and Henry as both girls screamed in terror.
"No, Albedo! Stand down! That is an order!" Momonga rebuked her forcefully once he'd gotten over his shock. (Where the hell did that come from?!) He found himself asking Henry.
"These humans are not our enemy. The only ones who are to be disposed of are the ones in armour," Henry added, his expression (though hidden) and tone stern. (I'm not sure…if I had to quickly guess, I'd say she and the others probably view humans as lesser life forms. Something we'll have to address later) he replied as he approached the fallen girls. "It's alright, you're safe now," he told them in what he hoped was a reassuring tone as he knelt next to them. "Are either of you hurt?"
"Big sister is bleeding!" The younger of the girls cried, causing Henry to inspect the older girl. Just as her sister had claimed, she had a large slash wound down her back. It wasn't deep and bleeding too badly, but judging by her pained movements it was causing the girl some distress. Henry knew enough of basic medicine and human physiology to understand that such a wound could become infected if not treated properly.
"Here, take this," he told her as he reached into his inventory system and pulled out a healing potion. "If you drink it, the wound will heal right up." Instead of taking it, however, both girls shrunk back fearfully, an act which caused Henry to panic slightly before realisation kicked in. "That's right…we're strangers to them and don't look at all human. No wonder they seem wary to trust us."
Albedo, on the other hand, saw their hesitation in a different light. "You dare reject my beloved's generosity?!" She bellowed, causing both girls to hold onto each other tighter as the female demon prepared to strike at them again.
"I am SO talking to her about the way she sees humans when we're done here!" "ENOUGH, ALBEDO!" He snapped at her. "It's only natural for them to react like this given the situation they are currently in. Your reaction was uncalled for and completely out of line!"
"F-Forgive me, my lord…you are right of course," she apologised, all vestiges of annoyance instantly fading away before her beloved's righteous anger.
"I apologise for my comrade's lack of manners. I promise she meant no offence," Henry then said to the two girls. "You have my word, and that of my friend, that we are not here to hurt you. All I want to do is heal your wound before it gets worse. I know we're strangers but…I'm asking you to trust in my words." Henry knew he was grasping at straws with the two after Albedo's outburst, which was why he was doing his best to maintain a compassionate and concerned outward posture to reassure them.
Both Enri and Nemu were still slightly nervous after everything that happened to them so far today, but they were slowly feeling more comfortable with the reassuring presence of the seemingly-kind man in front of them. With a surge of bravery, Enri reached forward and took the potion from the armoured figure's hand before gulping it down in one go. And as she did, she and Nemu watched with amazement as the wound on her back faded away, leaving fully-healed skin behind.
"You did it! You cured big sister!" With a rush of bravery just like her sister had experienced, Nemu sprung forward and wrapped her little body around Henry's chest, hugging him fiercely. "Thank you so much, Mr Nice Man!" Henry couldn't help but chuckle warmly as he placed a gentle hand on her back and rubbed it warmly.
"It's no problem. I'm just glad that you and your sister are safe," he replied magnanimously. Since his attention was on Nemu, he hadn't noticed Albedo squirming with delight upon seeing how good he was with the small girl as her imagination cooked up images of Henry cuddling their future children in the same way.
"Nemu! That's enough!" Enri lightly scolded her sister as she pulled her away from Henry. Despite her seemingly-harsh words, she was smiling slightly as she addressed Henry. "Thank you so much for saving us…we owe you our lives!"
"We are glad to have been of assistance," Momonga then spoke up as he approached them. "However, as long as your village is still under attack, you'll be in great danger. We will deal with the situation, but until then I want you both to remain here. Worry not though…we're going to leave you with some protection." As Henry stepped away from the girls, Momonga raised his hand once more. "Anti-Life Cocoon. Wall of Protection from Arrows," he spoke, causing a purple barrier to surround the sisters as he then handed Enri a pair of small horns. "Take these as well. If for whatever reason you don't feel safe enough, blow on them and they will summon a squad of goblins to protect you."
(That's the Horn of the Goblin General! Are you sure about this, Suzi?) Henry asked as Enri gladly accepted the horns.
(They were minor drops from a side quest I did long ago. Never really had any use for them though so it's better in their hands) Momonga replied.
"Are we to go and meet up with Lord Fengxian now, my lords?" Albedo asked once Momonga was finished.
"We are indeed. I want both of you to have your weapons out just in case," Momonga instructed.
"I'm sure he'll be fine…in fact, I bet he's already dealt with the rest of the soldiers by now. If we don't hurry, he'll leave none for us to have for ourselves!" Henry pointed out. The three were just about to move out when Enri spoke up again.
"H-Hold on a moment, good sirs!" They all turned to see the older girl looking at them desperately. "Try and save the other villagers, please!"
Henry held his hand over his heart and gave a small bow. "You have my word. We'll save as many of them as we possibly can."
"Thank you so much!" She exclaimed with relief. "One last thing…what should I call you all?"
Henry was about to answer when Momonga suddenly clasped a hand on his shoulder. As he looked back, his friend gave the shoulder he was grasping a reassuring squeeze before addressing the girls. "My name is Ainz Ooal Gown," he told them before indicating Henry and Albedo. "And these are my travelling companions, Constantine and Albedo." His proclamation made, he then turned and started heading towards the village once more with Henry and Albedo rushing to catch up.
(What was that all about, Suzi?) Henry privately asked his friend.
(I'll explain later) his friend responded tersely. (For now, just call me Ainz and refer to yourself as Constantine)
Henry wasn't sure what to make of this, but choose not to respond as the three of them made their way towards the village. Judging the screams and the sound of blades rendering flesh coming from up ahead, it sounded as though their friend had already gotten started.
~TNT~
As Fengxian and the Death Knight approached the centre of the village, they were greeted by a scene of abject cruelty and unforgivable devastation.
Knights dressed in armour were currently setting as many of the residences on fire as they could, whilst at the same time rounding up most of the villagers for execution, with those daring to resist having their limbs broken and their faces bashed in as they tried to protect their loved ones. Some of the knights were even helping themselves to some of the riches and the wives and daughters of the male residents who were screaming and begging for their lives.
"This…this…is absolutely disgusting, and I refuse to let this carry on any longer!" Fengxian snarled to himself as he walked forward with purpose in his long strides. This scene of absolute depravity was not only completely indefensible but it also sparked a massive level of outrage in the armoured warrior. The actions of these knights were a massive insult to the warrior's sense of justice, and even the darker parts of his fallen soul were crying out for death and destruction to be delivered upon these bastards. "ENOUGH!" He found himself bellowing as he reached the very centre of the village. "WHAT THE FUCK IS THE MEANING OF ALL THIS SHIT?!"
His roar was loud enough to cause everyone, soldiers and villagers alike, to halt whatever they were doing and look over at the source of the voice, and what they would have beheld was a massive warrior in pitch-black armour and a helm resembling the head of a tiger walking towards them, accompanied by a massive, undead figure that obediently followed behind the warrior as he cast his gaze around at those responsible.
In response the leader of this particular squad of soldiers, a helmeted, blonde-haired man by the name of Belius Arkendgrad, swaggered over in Fengxian's direction, a slight hint of annoyance plastered over his normally smug face. "Who are you to order about the chosen of the Gods in this scared undertaking?!" he shouted in the massive warrior's face. "We are the knights of the Theocracy, mandated by the Cardinals to purge this village of the unclean who refuse to bow and accept the glorious teachings of our Six Great Gods, and as the captain of this unit I order you in their glorious names to assist us in this most righteous undertaking!"
If he hadn't already been disgusted and offended by the goings-on here, the human's words would have surely sent him spiralling in that direction. After all, Fengxian was very much aware of, and hated, the common anime trope of zealots using religion as an excuse to justify any wanton acts of cruelty, and those feelings were being amplified due to his Fallen Angel race. Any mentions of heaven and deities along with professions of righteousness and sainthood, which normally would've been mildly irritating to his human mind, would now serve to anger the towering warrior to the point of losing control, and it was only thanks to the hours he spent in meditation that allowed him to keep a lid on the boiling pot of his rage at this moment.
"Listen to me very closely little man, because I am only going to say this once," he growled, getting right in the arrogant soldier's face and allowing his rage to seep into his words which in turn caused a lot of the soldiers surrounding them to back away slightly in fear. "I HATE your so-called 'Gods', and I most definitely do not answer to whatever authority you and your gang decide to obey! There is only one ideal I ascribe to, and that ideal is why I am up in your face and telling you, if you have any brains in that helmet of yours, to tell your soldiers to STOP what they're doing, leave these people alone, AND GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE before I make what your soldiers are putting these civilians through look like a light tap on an exposed arsehole in comparison!"
If Belius had possessed even an iota of common sense, he'd have been scrabbling away on his hands and knees and doing what the goliath had suggested, but unfortunately for him and his men, he possessed neither common sense nor an inkling of self-preservation if his next words were anything to go by. "How dare you speak to me in such an uncouth manner! Do you not know who I am?!" He spat angrily, mistaking the armoured warrior for a dumb brute and mercenary. "I am chosen servant of the Theocracy, and you are nothing more than an upstart mercenary who sells his services to the highest bidder!" If he could've seen Fengxian's eye twitching furiously beneath his helm he would've shut up right there and then, but unfortunately, his next words sealed not only his fate but that of all the men he'd brought along with him. "If money's all you care about, I'll pay you double, nay triple, whatever it is you're being offered. All you have to do in return is either help us or turn around and leave. So go ahead and name your price, mercenary scum!"
Those accusations proved to be the last straw for the normally stoic and reserved Fengxian. "Here's my response to your 'generous' offer," he answered, and a split-second later his armoured fist impacted with Belius' face, disfiguring it and sending him sprawling to the floor as his men all let out gasps of shock and anger. But the colossus wasn't done yet as he strode forward and wrapped his hand around Belius' neck, lifting him high in the air as he continued speaking. "Oh, and just so you know, I'm not doing this for money or on behalf of any authority figure. My ideal is JUSTICE, and right now I am witnessing the clearest example of injustice I have ever seen in all my years: a group of armoured knights preying on defenceless villagers and helping themselves to their possessions whilst justifying it as a religious crusade! Such a blatant display of injustice and cruelty is worthy not just of death, but death in the most gruesome and horrific ways you could possibly imagine!"
He then proceeded to launch the wounded captain against the side of the nearest building, and as he crumpled to the floor Fengxian extended his hand. "Dark Binding!" He called in a voice devoid of emotion and empathy, and from his hand shot forth a series of shadowy tendrils that scooped Belius up and pinned him against the wall he'd just crashed against. With him now taken care of, Fengxian looked around at the rest of the soldiers who were beginning to surround him, as well as the archers who were loading arrows into their bows who were trying to take flanking positions. But rather than being concerned about the sheer numbers surrounding him, he found himself feeling completely at ease and in control. In fact, he was currently smacking his lips in anticipation of the slaughter that was to come.
"Death Knight!" He ordered the mindless construction who had simply stood at his side during his exchange with Belius. "As one of your Supreme Beings, I command you to do the following: Kill all of the armoured figures you come across, starting with the archers at the rear, but spare the villagers. Go!" With an unholy groan, the Death Knight moved away to carry out his instructions leaving Fengxian to deal with the main squad of soldiers who had now completely surrounded him. "Now then…I hope you sorry lot made out your wills before you came here, because I'm about to send your souls into OBLIVION!" With a swift motion belying his size he swept forward, and before the soldiers in front of him could react his halberd was already swinging in a vicious arc that instantly bisected four of them in a gruesome shower of blood and guts.
(Hmm, it's just as Suzi and Ise said…I normally would've felt sick seeing all this gore, but instead I'm not feeling a thing. If anything, I'm feeling…satisfaction) Fengxian noted as the mass of flesh and bones crumpled to the ground before him, causing the rest of the soldiers to scream in terror. But as they turned to flee, they found their way blocked by the towering form of the Death Knight, whose sword was already bloodied from cutting down a couple of the archers.
With the undead monstrosity before them, and the walking incarnation of fear at their backs, the remaining soldiers could do nothing but cower and scream in terror as death came for them. Throats were pierced, bellies were slit open and heads were removed from shoulders as Fengxian and the Death Knight made quick and effortless work of them.
In their final moments, they prayed to their Gods for salvation…only to be met with silence as their souls were flung from their corpses and cast into the eternal void of nothingness where they would suffer for all eternity.
~TNT~
Following the screams and howls of terror emanating from the centre of the village, Momonga, Henry and Albedo were greeted by a scene of absolute devastation upon arriving at their friend's location. Body parts were scattered everywhere, rivers of blood were flowing all over the place, and the knights who were currently still alive were cowering in terror and doing their best to crawl or run away from the certain death that was coming for them. But Fengxian and the Death Knight were quick, precise and merciless with their strikes, and given the cruelty and depravity they had already witnessed, all three were in agreement that these knights were getting exactly what they deserved.
"Such a magnificent display of death and destruction," Albedo marvelled. "As expected of Grand Marshal Fengxian and Lord Momonga's creation, these insects are only capable of hoping that their end is swift, all things considered."
(Damn…Ki really went all out on these pricks, didn't he Suzi?) Henry said to Momonga as they watched their friend continue to slash and stab his way through the soldiers that remained. Despite the horror before their eyes, they were both once more inure to it due to no longer being human. In fact, they found themselves approving of this macabre display.
(Indeed, and yet I find themselves feeling no mercy for his victims) Momonga commented as Fengxian used his halberd to impale three of them at once. As his friends watched, Fengxian simply dumped the impaled bodies on the ground and used his massive foot to push them off, the sound of his blade rending through their bodies a fitting accompaniment to the sea of blood that burst forth as a result. Shaking the blood off of the blade, he noticed his guild-mates and Albedo watching him and strode over to them, leaving the Death Knight to mop up the survivors.
"A truly marvellous display, Grand Marshal," Momonga commented out loud once the Nephilim was in hearing range. "Now, report on the situation."
"As you wish, my lord," Fengxian replied. Although it was hard to detect through his helm, both Henry and Momonga could feel the disdain rolling off their friend's body and words. "These soldiers turned out to be nothing more than a group of delusional religious zealots who were massacring these innocents in the name of their so-called gods, and their leader was nothing more than a jumped-up noble cunt who thought he could bribe his way out of the punishment he and his men so rightfully deserved. Needless to say, their souls are now residing in the darkest pits of hell as fitting payment for the injustices they have committed here today."
"Very well put and executed my friend," Henry praised, with Momonga nodding in agreement. Though his was the most compassionate of the three characters, the dragonoid's blood was boiling from hearing his friend's account of how these degenerates had justified their actions. As far as villains go, religious zealots and organisations were among the worst in his eyes, and he'd seen enough of them in all the anime and manga he'd consumed to know that any who followed these practices deserved no mercy whatsoever. "What did you do with their leader?"
Without saying a word, Fengxian indicated the side of the building where Belius was still ensconced by Fengxian's Dark Binding, blood streaming down his face as a result of Fengxian's punch and his eyes streaming tears of pure, unadulterated terror as he'd been forced to watch his men be cut down like cattle whilst he had been unable to do anything to stop it.
"Set him down. I'll deal with him as he deserves," Henry growled as he set off towards that direction, his fists clenched so hard that they were turning bone white underneath his armour. With a wave of his hand, Fengxian did as his friend had bid him as the zealous commander crumbled to the ground, his entire body shaking like a leaf from all the terror he had endured.
"Oh Gods, how could you have let this happen to me?!" He found himself shrieking aloud as all remnants of his previous arrogance and smarm had been eroded away from what he had just witnessed. Nothing throughout all his years of service, training and bribes could have prepared him for all that had just occurred. "WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN YOUR MOST DEVOTED OF SERVANTS TO THESE HEATHENS!" Instead of an answer from his precious gods, he was confronted by the sight of plated boots slowly entering his field of vision.
"OI! LOOK AT ME!" He heard a stern voice call out from above him, and as he lifted his head, he found his bowels loosening from beholding the livid visage of an imposing warrior in gold and black armour, his face hidden behind a golden helm shaped like a dragon's head and whose very presence was causing him to break out in a nervous sweat and this throat to suffocate a little. "So…this is meant to be the holy duty of knights, huh?! Terrorizing the innocent, slaughtering fathers and husbands, stealing from villagers and taking defenceless women from their homes?!" The figure demanded, his fury rising with every word he spoke.
Whatever traces of arrogance and composure Belius had left instantly shattered beyond repair as he prostrated himself at Henry's feet, his head flat to the floor as he could no longer bring himself to look upon the personification of fury itself. Between this man and the hulking goliath who had so easily torn his soldiers apart, Belius was willing to do or say anything to try and get out of this in one piece. "PLEASE, HAVE MERCY! I DON'T DESERVE TO DIE IN A PLACE LIKE THIS! I'LL GIVE YOU MONEY AND WHATEVER ELSE YOU WANT! JUST PLEASE, LET ME LIVE!"
The cowering wretch's words only served to further ignite the fire and fury swelling within the Crown Prince of Nazarick. As much as he advocated for lives to be spared, this scum no longer deserved to keep his. "YOU THINK THIS CAN BE SOLVED WITH MONEY?!" Henry roared, the pitch of his voice dropping to where it resembled the intimidating growl of a dragon. "Will money heal these people from the trauma you have inflicted upon them? Will it bring their loved ones back to life? Will it bring back the dignity you have ripped from them?!"
Seeing that nothing he had would be enough to stoke the wrath of this man, Belius attempted the only thing he could do in this situation, scrabbling to his feet and fleeing with his tail tucked between his legs. But even that proved futile as, in a burst of inhuman speed, Henry reappeared before him in a flash of flame.
"You aren't going anywhere, scum!" He seethed, kicking Belius to the ground once more. "Time to teach you what true fear feels like!" His voice then dropped another octave as he spoke the words that would bring about Belius's final torment. "Intimidation Level 1!"
In the blink of an eye, Belius no longer found himself amidst the ruins of the village. Instead, he found himself in the deepest pits of hell, his whole body being subjected to such heat that he could only scream loudly in pain as his mind begged for the release of death. And standing over him was a massive golden dragon whose flames were further fuelling the agony he was going through, enough to grant him agonising pain but low enough to keep him alive for as long as possible. Little did he know, however, that this was merely an illusion that Henry's technique had created in his fear-addled mind. In reality, he was still writhing on the floor at Henry's feet whilst screaming his lungs out as the spell extracted every ounce of fear from him.
After a short while, Henry decided it was time to end it, and so he picked the so-called knight up by the neck and held him aloft. Even though Belius was thrashing like mad to escape, there was no avoiding what was to come next. "Time to take out the trash. May your soul rot in the deepest pits of hell," he growled, and with those words, he threw the screaming man high into the air. Even though the fall alone could do the job of ending his life, that was too merciful for scum like him. What Henry had in mind was far more fitting.
Taking a split-second to compose himself, Henry inhaled deeply before aiming his mouth in the direction of the fallen knight. "FIRE DRAGON'S ROAR!" He bellowed, and out of his mouth came a stream of fire so bright that it made all those watching, except his friends and Albedo, cover their eyes and avert their faces. As for Belius, there was nothing he could do but scream as the fire approached him. As it made contact with his body, even the worst pits of hell could not compare to the heat of these flames as they burned him alive, with every millisecond more excruciating than the last until what was left of him eventually shrivelled away and dropped to the earth in a small pile of ash.
"Good fucking riddance," Henry thought to himself as he returned to Momonga, Fengxian and Albedo who had all burst into quiet applause at this display.
"That was such a cool display, darling!" Albedo gushed. If they weren't currently in the middle of a human village and wearing their helms, she would have been snogging him senseless.
"Indeed, that was an impressive display, Henry. Well done," Momonga added, causing a wave of pride to rush through the Dragonoid Prince.
"Exactly what that scum deserved. Couldn't have done it better myself," Fengxian said with satisfaction before looking at the scene of devastation around them. "What do we do now?"
"We help these people in whatever capacity they need," Henry replied as the adrenaline from what he had just done started to fade away slightly. "Once that's done, we can go about gathering some intel as a reward."
"A good idea, my son. Let's see to it at once," Momonga said with a nod of approval.
~TNT~
Acting on Henry's suggestion, the three Supreme Beings spent the next hour or so doing whatever they could to help the villagers recover. This was mostly done by supplying potions to heal the wounded, helping them rebuild and recovering the corpses of their friends and loved ones to allow them a proper burial once all was said and done, along with releasing Enri and Nemu from the barrier they'd been left in and reuniting them with the other villagers.
In order to make this easier and have the villagers be more at ease, Momonga and Fengxian deactivated one or two of their racial traits and stayed mostly in the background whilst Henry did his part in comforting those who were mourning and soothing the minds and souls of those who'd been assaulted or violated by the soldiers.
As for the corpses of the invaders, Fengxian and Albedo had quickly gathered them up and arranged for them to be recovered to Nazarick via Demiurge's Gate, with the demon noting that Jigsaw would no doubt find great use for whatever parts they could spare.
After the funeral, which Momonga, Henry and Fengxian had all attended as a mark of respect whilst leaving Albedo, whom they currently didn't trust around these humans, to keep watch from a safe distance, they had been invited into the village elder's residence where they were showered with thanks for their actions and promised any reward they wished, providing it was in their power to give. Sensing a golden opportunity to start acquiring information about this new world, Henry was just about to ask this of him when one of the villagers burst into the elder's house, an alarmed look on his face.
"Sirs!" He exclaimed, panting slightly. "There are more armoured men headed this way on horseback! What should we do?"
(Damnit! And just when we were about to get some intel! What should we do, Momonga?) Fengxian asked via Message.
(Looks like whatever we were hoping to achieve can wait. We'll see what these soldiers are about and deal with the situation accordingly) Momonga told him and Henry before addressing the elder. "Have everyone gather in the centre of the village whilst you and the four of us go and meet these approaching troops and find out whether they are allies or enemies." This met with the elder's approval and so a short while later the four of them, along with Albedo who'd taken up a guard position at their rear, were gathered at the outskirts of the village as a small platoon of mounted soldiers approached them at full pelt. As they drew closer, the elder's expression lightened as he appeared to recognise them.
"We are fortunate, good sirs! These men belong to the Kingdom!" He told the four strangers as the lead horseman approached them From first impressions he looked every inch the consummate warrior, clad in a solid suit of silver armour and possessing a stern face and short, trimmed brown hair along with light brown eyes that were piercing them as sharply as any sword plus an immaculate chin curtain beard to really complete the image.
"Hail to you, elder of Carne Village!" He spoke up as he dismounted. "And greetings to you, strangers! My name is Gazef Stronoff! May I enquire as to your identities?"
That's where we'll leave things for now! I had originally planned to get through the whole Carne Village arc in this chapter, but what I didn't count on was Henry's expansion of his harem taking up 3k words! Knowing my co-author as I do, I'm 100% sure he doesn't regret it in the slightest and I have no issue with it either!
(daniel: Yeah, really went all out on that scene! Love the Harem aspects of isekais!)
With that said, we'll get to our introductions with Gazef and the fight against the Sunlight Scripture next time out after I take another few days away from writing!
All that's left to say is, on behalf of myself and my co-author daniel, thank you all so much for reading and for all the love that's been shown to this story so far, and we'll see you all again in the next chapter of the Nazarick Triumvirate!