Edster: Hey there everyone! Thank you for bearing with the lengthy absence, it is good to be back! My time away was the best, topped off by my brother's wedding which was the best part of the whole trip! (And I'm not saying that because I have to, I mean it!)
daniel: Another day, another chapter done. Had plenty of fun with this one! Hope it made the extra wait worth it! Season 3 is such a great one and we're going to do it justice.
Also want to dedicate this chapter to the late Akira Toriyama. The GOAT changed the lives of SO many people for the better with his work, vision and passion. I saw the first episode of OG Dragon Ball when I was 9 on TV and have been a proud otaku since.
Solo Leveling continues to be God Tier, this anime will be among the Greats I tell you, people!
Edster: I echo my co-author's sentiments completely, especially when it comes to dedicating this chapter to the late, great and sorely missed Akira Toriyama. Though I never got into Dragon Ball myself, no one can deny how much of an impact it has had on the anime industry and our world as a whole, and it was all down to the work, vision and passion of one man who was taken from us far too soon. The anime and manga industry has lost a good one, and I hope he rests in peace. May his legacy live forever.
And yes, Solo Leveling continues to be among the GOATs of the modern anime era. I have loved every episode and will be sad to see it come to an end next week! Let's hope for a season 2 announcement soon. But there'll still be plenty of good anime to come beforehand, especially this upcoming season with some of the best Isekai making their returns!
Enough rambling, let's get into chapter 25 and some welcome time off for our trio! 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 25 – A Time for Leisure
There was a celebratory air permeating through the hollowed halls of the Great Tomb of Nazarick after the recent events in the capital of Re-Estize. Even though every one of the tomb's denizens, from the Guardian Overseer herself to the lowliest of the Homunculus maids and butlers, had total and absolute faith in the will and designs of their Supreme Beings…it was one thing to praise and exult them, but another entirely to see not only their plans executed to absolute perfection, but for the rewards and benefits from such plans to exceed anything both they and their masters could have ever anticipated, which is why in the wake of such a resounding success everyone had a spring in their step as they went about their duties. If this was what it was like after such success in their endeavours, then one could only imagine what it would be like when it came time to bask in the glory of their masters ascending to their (in their mind) rightful places at the very top of the hierarchy of this New World. To see that day come to fruition, they would give 110…no, 200% of their efforts in order to play even the smallest part in that glorious future to come.
And they would have all been delighted to know that their three masters were in just as positive a mood as they were. Even if, deep down, they were secretly embarrassed for all the credit they were receiving even though the plan and execution had all been down to Demiurge's genius and meticulous planning as well as everyone playing their parts to perfection, they couldn't help but be optimistic for what the Demonic Disturbance and Operation Gehenna had set up for them in regards to their future plans for Re-Estize. Not only had Momon and Alfred's adventurer reputations reached the absolute zenith of popularity, but they had also been unexpectedly knighted by the King himself which, while not something they had planned for, could no doubt be exploited given the opportune moment. On top of this one of their targets for subjugation, while they may have believed themselves victorious due to vanquishing the demon, had actually been weakened as a result due to their loss of critical supplies and the ever-growing tensions now rising between not only the two warring factions of nobles but also between the nobility as a whole and the citizens who were growing ever more discontent with their inaction and greed. And then there was their new… 'business partner' within the confines of the royal palace itself who had agreed to help undermine the kingdom in secret in exchange for certain promises and a role in the future of not only the Kingdom but Nazarick itself, and given their talents, contacts and nature that was something they had, via Demiurge, agreed to.
In the wake of such success, Ainz, Henry and Fengxian decided to not only summon all of their highest-ranking servants deployed fair and wide (except for Shinozaki given the nature of her mission) back to Nazarick to celebrate, but also to give them some well-deserved praise and time off for all of the efforts during not only the Demonic Disturbance but also for the whole time since the three of them had arrived in the New World. This included the likes of Cocytus and several of the former chieftains of the Lizardmen tribes who now joined everyone else gathered in the Throne Room of Nazarick to listen to what their masters had to say. All of the Floor Guardians were present, along with Sebas and several of the higher-ranked Homunculus maids including their latest recruit Tuare, every member of the Pleaides bar Aureole Omega, all of Demiurge's Evil Lords, several of Aura's pets including the two zombie dragons Henry had brought to heel, Hamsuke, Jemima and Ninya, the last of whom was in particularly good spirits now that her sister was now living among them once more. They were all currently knelt with their heads bowed before their Supreme Ones who looked down upon them from on high. As befitting his station as everyone's master, Ainz sat highest upon his throne, with Henry standing one step down from his adopted father/best friend on his right-hand side and Fengxian a few steps down on the Overlord's left.
"Everyone! Raise your heads!" The skeletal Overlord commanded, causing all those present before them to raise their heads, their eyes and expressions expectant as they prepared themselves to listen to their ruler's divine will. "You all fulfilled your roles splendidly during our operations in the kingdom of Re-Estize. Without each of your individual and collective efforts, our success would not have been possible, so you should all be proud of what you have accomplished."
"Your praise is wasted on us, Father," Albedo intoned reverently from her place at the front of the crowd. "We all merely move in accordance with your divine wills and do only as we are expected to. If any of us had given any less in your service, we would only have brought shame on your glorious names and Nazarick itself."
"I agree with the words of our Guardian Overseer and chief consort to our esteemed Crown Prince," Demiurge spoke up next. "Though it was by my plans and your trust in my coordination of that night that we were successful, my efforts would have been paltry if not for your blessing and guidance, and I hope to receive more of your divine oversight in whichever of my plans you deem worthy to consider next for Nazarick's future."
"You are far too modest, Demiurge," Fengxian told him. "It was an ingenious and well-crafted plan that took into account all factors from both within and without and played to all of our strengths, thus allowing us to play our parts and achieve everything we hoped for and more. We hope you continue to display such meticulous planning and dedication in all of our future efforts." Demiurge could only lower his head in response, so humbled was he by his Grand Marshal's praise.
"While you all played your parts to perfection, there are some among you who deserve special recognition for your efforts, both during the operation and setting the stage beforehand," Henry said next before fixing his gaze on two of his most treasured among the residents of Nazarick. "Sebas. Solution Epsilon. Step forward."
Moving quickly to obey their liege-lord and beloved respectively, the addressed pair got to their feet and stepped forward until they came right below the steps leading up to Ainz's throne before proceeding to kneel and lower their heads respectfully once more. Henry looked down upon them proudly before speaking again. "The information you gathered not only proved invaluable to our efforts during the operation, but I'm sure will continue to bear fruit going forward. Thus we have decided to honour your diligent efforts with rewards, starting with you, Sebas."
"My Lord Crown Prince," Sebas spoke, raising his head.
"You asked us to spare Tuare's life and have her live among us, a request which was not at difficult for us to grant," Henry continued. "We did such to not only honour your prior service, but also out of respect for the much-loved Lord Touch Me, our former friend and your creator, and young Ninya. As such we feel it is fitting to grant you something more to recognise your efforts in our endeavours. Speak, and it shall be granted."
"You honour me, my Lord Crown Prince, and I shall hereafter give every part of myself to not only repay your trust in me but also to honour the memory of my noble creator," Sebas answered, lowering his head in awe and gratitude. "As for my wish, I only ask for clothes and other daily necessities for Tuare so that she may be able to live comfortably among us."
The three Supreme Beings looked between themselves, conversing silently, before nodding. "Granted. I shall provide you with the necessary gold," was all Ainz said.
"Perhaps she can accompany you when you go shopping…make a date out of it," Henry added teasingly, remembering how he had seen Sebas blush after Tuare had 'thanked' him, and chuckling upon seeing both Sebas and Tuare stammer in embarrassment at his words, his reaction shared by Ninya and several of the maids whom Tuare had already developed a rapport with. Henry's gaze then landed on his beloved secondary consort. "My darling slime…is there anything else that you would desire as well."
As Solution raised her head to gaze upon her beloved, she had to hold herself back from speaking aloud her deepest desire. As much as she wished to be granted the honour of bearing her beloved Crown Prince's heirs, she knew it would not be possible until it was confirmed beyond a shadow of a doubt that Lady Albedo was with child herself, causing her to revise her words. "My beloved Constantine, allowing me to serve you personally by sharing your bed and being part of your glorious harem is all I could have ever wished for. There is nothing else I desire that could compare to what I already have," she answered honestly and unashamedly.
"Your devotion to my son, alongside the rest of his harem, and your selflessness in not asking for a reward you rightfully deserve is pleasing to us. I hope you continue to show such in your future service to our cause," Ainz told her graciously before moving his gaze to Solution's 'little' sister. "Entoma…you suffered grievous wounds in our service, and we are all delighted to see that you have physically recovered. But what about the damage to your vocal cords? Have you been able to recover your voice?"
"I have not, my lord…to my great shame," Entoma admitted, her low growl a sad contrast to the chirp she used to possess. "Do you and the other Supreme Ones find me repulsive now?"
"No no no, not at all," Ainz hastened to reassure her. "Your efforts and your well-being are all that matter to us, and they have earned you a reward as well. Is there anything you'd desire from us?"
"In that case, my lords…I want the voice of that insipid magic-caster who stole mine," she answered with pure loathing. "I know she and the other members of your group might have some use for you yet, but if the day comes when they are to be disposed of…I beg of you the honour to take her life personally."
Henry and Ainz shared an uneasy look at her request. There was still more they wanted to know about that particular magic caster, even if the latter had found her hero worship and sudden crush on his Momon persona to be annoying at best and highly exasperating at worst. Alongside that, she and the rest of Blue Rose might still have some use for them in the future depending on how their plans of Re-Estize developed, with Henry in particular wanting to keep an eye on their leader as a potential addition to his harem. "She and the others remain enigmas to us, but should the time come when we have to deal with them permanently, I will call for you."
"You have my gratitude, my lords…from the depths of my heart," Entoma said, prostrating herself.
"Now then…where is young Jemima at? Ah, I see you over there in the back. Come here, young one." The once-timid Seventh Seat of the Black Scripture rose to her feet and took a few steps closer before falling to a knee again. "About that matter I asked you to look into and prepare for…how is it progressing?"
"I have completed my research, my lord, and have come up with several concepts and ideas that I can present to you whenever you wish to hear them," the bespectacled secretary answered with a pleased smile, so happy was she that her ideas, rather than being ignored and scorned, were being asked for and considered
"Very good. I shall talk to you privately when I have a moment. Now then, given our recent success, I believe some time for personal enjoyment and relaxation for all of you is warranted." Everyone looked up at their lord, wondering what he had in mind by these words, as Henry and Fengxian shared a look of expectation and approval. "Aside from those whose daily work is necessary for both our operations on the surface and the day-to-day running of Nazarick, I would like for the rest of you to have a few days off from your work. Take some time to partake in activities that hold your interest, or simply take the time to relax. You all deserve it for all of your hard work since our arrival here." A few excited murmurings and whispers could be heard as it dawned on those assembled what this meant. "Enjoy the time for yourselves, and should you need anything in the meantime either contact one of us or the Floor Guardians. Dismissed."
"My lord!" Everyone present exclaimed, bowing or prostrating themselves as appropriate before beginning to file out of the throne room, and as they left the three Supreme Beings exchanged glances of approval and relief at their suggestion being so readily accepted. As much as they appreciated the relentless zeal and pride that their subordinates took in their service to them, they knew better than anyone, having never gotten the chance for it in their old world, the importance of rest, recuperation and leisure time. Granting everyone some well-deserved time off served not only as a token of gratitude for their service, but it would also maintain their well-being and efficiency, allowing them to remain in optimal condition for their future tasks, strengthen their loyalty and trust through this demonstration of care and consideration for their welfare. It would also promote personal growth by allowing each one of their subordinates the chance to explore their passions and develop their skills in ways other than their service, thus contributing to the supportive and nurturing environment that they wished to spread throughout Nazarick which would then serve as the basis for the type of kingdom/empire they would rule over in future where talent, loyalty, dedication and well-being would be valued and prioritized.
~TNT~
The following bonus scenes were created entirely by either my co-author daniel or myself and were then edited by yours truly:
Henry wants a new mom…or two! (created by daniel)
"My lord and most esteemed Father. My beloved Crown Prince. And Grand Marshal Fengxian." All eyes turned to look at Albedo who, along with Solution, Lupusregina and Narberal, had once more fallen to a knee before the three of them as the Guardian Overseer spoke her request after the majority of those assembled had already departed. "I offer my deepest apologies for this interruption, but there is a matter we would like to bring up, should you all allow it."
At this point, it was only Ainz, Henry, Fengxian, all of the Guardians and the Pleaides, Sebas, Ninya, Jemima and some of the Homunculus maids who were still in the throne room, and all of them, apart from Henry's harem and the lesser maids, seemed both confused and curious at Albedo's statement. This was especially true of the three Supreme Beings, but they did a good job of hiding it. Shifting slightly at Albedo's insistence on still calling him Father, Ainz turned to look at his adopted son, hoping to decipher something, but the Heir of Nazarick just shrugged since he was just as clueless as Ainz was.
"You are given leave to speak, Albedo," The Overlord spoke with as much authority as he could muster under such uncertainty.
"Thank you, Father. We promise what we have to say will be worth all of your precious time," Albedo gushed before signalling to the Homunculus maids who proceeded to disappear into one of the throne room's side areas, returning a few moments later with several large boxes between them.
"Several of the Homunculus maids have selflessly taken the extra burden on top of their existing work to help us with this," Solution complimented them as the maids placed the boxes on the throne room floor.
"There is no need to thank us, Lady Solution," Cixious answered as she, Fith, Foth and Etoile all curtsied elegantly before their assembled superiors. "We were ecstatic to be part of such a caring endeavour!"
As with anything involving his friend's harem, Fengxian had an inkling where this was going. And as much as these endeavours made him either roll his eyes or desire to be anywhere else but here, he decided it was best to get it over with now so that he could then forget about it just as quickly. "Feel free to proceed whenever you are ready."
"At once Grand Marshal!" Foire exclaimed as, with everyone watching in anticipation, they proceeded to crack open the boxes and lift out some of what was contained within. All those present, again aside from the ladies of Henry's harem and the maids, were utterly stunned as the four maids proudly held aloft full-body baby onesies from within and were temporarily stunned into silence.
"U-um…what are those?" Mare asked timidly after the moment of silence had dragged out for more than a few seconds.
"Clothes for Nazarick's heirs of course!" Lupusregina squealed excitedly.
"Oh wow! They are so cute!" Aura, Ninya and Jemima simultaneously gushed.
"Thank you, Lady Aura, Miss Ninya and Miss Jemima," Narberal said with a smile. "Lady Albedo, myself and my fellow sisters made them ourselves, with the help of several of the maids of course."
"With all the nights our darling Constantine spends with us giving us the most sublime of pleasures, we needed to make certain that there will be enough clothes for our future children!" Solution added, clutching her cheeks at the ecstatic thought of bearing her love's offspring and seeing them clad in these adorable clothes.
"As of this moment, we have made all of the clothes we need up until the age of 5, for both boys and girls!" Albedo exclaimed with pride to a round of applause from everyone except for the three Supreme Beings who were all still at an utter loss for words for various reasons. Ainz was still trying to come to terms with just what exactly was going on and what this meant, Henry was beyond happy at the love and dedication his future wives were showing and Fengxian both looked and felt utterly exasperated with this whole affair.
"Such diligence, as befitting of the consorts of our glorious Crown Prince!" Demiurge praised them, his expression a mix of awe and delight. "We should have expected nothing less from those Lord Henry has chosen to cement Nazarick's glorious legacy!"
"We could afford to do no less," Solution answered with pride even as she and the other ladies blushed at Demiurge's praise. "For our beloved and the Great Tomb's glorious future, we four will always go above and beyond.
"That's right! And our babies will look so cute in these!" Lupusregina squealed as she proudly held one of the suits aloft. "Perhaps I should show some of these to Enri and Nfirea…it might get them to hurry up and start bonking already! By the Supreme Ones…it's getting tiring watching those two deny the obvious attraction they have for one another!"
As the other Guardians and Pleaides were making a fuss over the baby clothes, Shalltear couldn't help but admire them from where she was standing. The clothes looked so fluffy, innocent and hopeful, and it really made the vampire ponder, something she'd been doing a lot of ever since her masters had started encouraging her to rely on her mind as well as her overwhelming strength to solve her problems. As she continued to admire the clothes and the excited looks on Henry, Albedo, Solution, Narberal and Lupusregina's faces, she suddenly felt a pang of jealousy and longing well up within her. If future babies made them this happy, then perhaps…
"I wonder if I would feel the same if my beloved Lord Ainz was to get me with child…" she thought to herself. "Given how powerful he and I are, they would not only be strong but beautiful as well, as befitting a child of the Lord of Nazarick himself…" She suddenly became acutely aware of all the hubbub around her ceasing. As she looked up from her daydreaming, she noticed that everyone was looking at her with utter incredulity. Her eyes widened as she realised what had just happened, and all her excitement and eagerness instantly faded away as she now found herself wishing the ground would swallow her whole. "I…I just said that out loud, didn't I?"
"You sure did!" Aura teased.
"HOW DARE YOU, LAMPREY!" Albedo roared as she and the other members of Henry's harem levelled the now-trembling vampire with hateful glares. "ARE YOU INSINUATING ROBBING MY BELOVED CONSTANTINE OF HIS BIRTHRIGHT?!"
"N-no, never!" Shalltear denied as she scrambled for the right words. Such a statement could be considered high treason, and she didn't want to disappoint her beloved and the other Supreme Ones again. "I would never dream of robbing Lord Augustus of what is rightfully his!"
"Then why do you wish for Father's child?" Solution asked with narrowed eyes. From his seat on the throne, Ainz also looked as though he wanted the throne room floor to open up below him. Henry was doing his best to suppress the amusement he currently felt, while Fengxian put an armoured hand to the face of his helm in a motion that suggested that he was so done with what was currently happening.
"I-It's just that Lord Ainz must need a way to relieve stress just as Crown Prince Augustus does with all of you!" Shalltear quickly justified. "And seeing you all so excited…it just got me in the same sort of mood, that's all!"
"I wouldn't mind actually." All eyes turned and widened at Henry's unexpected declaration as he descended the steps leading up to the throne and walked towards a now-confused Shalltear.
(What in the name of Kami are you doing, Ise?!) Ainz's voice screamed into the Dragonoid's mind as, to everyone's astonishment, Henry suddenly took a knee so that he could look a visibly flustered Shalltear in the eye.
"Do you truly love Father that much?" He asked her quietly. Despite the softness of his tone, it could be clearly heard in the stunned silence around them.
"I-I do!" Shalltear answered with newfound conviction. "And if I were to bear my beloved's children, I swear now that they would never replace you in the succession. They would be loyal and dutiful attendants and friends of your children!" The vampire's words caused Albedo and the others to sigh in relief.
"That's all I needed to hear," Henry told her with a smile. "I trust you Shalltear, and I know your words to be true." "This next bit's gonna set everyone's tongue wagging…this oughta be good!" "And should it happen…would I be allowed to call you Mommy?"
*THUD* Shalltear's response to his words was to faint on the spot out of pure happiness while the rest of the Guardians, maids, his harem and everyone else present were awed and marvelled at their Crown Prince's show of empathy…all except two. Ainz's emotional suppression was currently working itself to the bone to repress the skeletal Overlord's sheer embarrassment and near-blushing while Fengxian, having reached the limit of what he could take, teleported away to the Fifth Floor to clear his mind of what had just happened.
"Just when I thought I had seen everything, our Crown Prince always finds a way to exceed our expectations," Demiurge muttered to himself while everyone else was struggling to recover from Henry's calling Shalltear 'mommy'. "To see Shalltear of all people as a mother figure…I must admit that I did not see it coming. Given how Lord Henry's harem already views her in such a role, I had expected Miss Yuri to be the one he might look up to as a potential mother figure…"
The Seventh Floor Guardian's theory, which was clearly intended to be heard only by himself, was picked up by everyone, resulting in a round of giggles and laughter as Yuri Alpha blushed red with embarrassment. Demiurge's words jolted Shalltear back to consciousness, and the vampire fixed Yuri with a jealous glare, while Solution, Narberal, and Lupusregina all looked at their elder sister teasingly and expectantly. Henry wasn't sure whether to laugh or be embarrassed, and if it hadn't been for his emotional suppression working overtime, Ainz was certain he would have collapsed and died from embarrassment a long time ago.
"I think I'm going to die!" The Overlord wailed in his mind as his adopted son/best friend cleared his throat, catching everyone's attention once again.
"Calm down everyone, there's no need for you all to get so worked up." As he spoke, he walked up to Yuri and gave her a warm hug, the sort you'd expect a child to give their mother. "Demiurge does speak the truth though…your kindness and understanding always put me at ease in a way only a mother would."
Yuri blushed furiously from both the hug and her Crown Prince's kind words. "It is the highest honour to be perceived as such by you, Lord Constantine. I'll try my best to meet your expectations."
Henry smiled at her before walking back over to Shalltear and giving her head a reassuring pat. "It's okay, 'Mommy'," he teased, causing Shalltear's fury to fade instantly. If Ainz had possessed a heart, it surely would have suffered a heart attack by now. "White it is true that I've seen Yuri as such for longer, I have no doubt you will also fit the role perfectly as my Father's future lover and companion.
Unable to contain her excitement and joy, Shalltear leapt up and grabbed Henry's cheeks before wrapping him in a hug of her own. "Oh my baby boy, I love you so much!"
"FOR THE LOVE OF ALL KAMI, ISE! PLEASE STOP!" Ainz screeched internally, his suppressor not cutting it right now.
Unfortunately for the panicking Overlord, Henry had one last thing to add that would send almost everyone into a euphoric mood. "And I'm sure you two will make the best grandmothers ever!"
"WE WILL, OUR BOY!" Both Shalltear and Yuri exclaimed, all animosity evaporated in favour of the sacred duty to be the best grandmothers they could be while everyone around them either smiled or cheered…all except one.
"SOMEONE! KILL ME NOW!" Ainz begged, his mind a sea of embarrassment.
~TNT~
Tracksuits can change the world! (created by daniel)
"AH!" Henry sighed happily as he stretched his arms. "This brings back a lot of memories!"
"I must admit…this sort of nostalgia is warming my heart a little," Fengxian conceded.
"Remind me how you convinced me to go along with this again, Henry?" Ainz questioned, having had second thoughts about his best friend/adopted son's latest endeavour from the start…and not without reason. Given that the Triumvirate had given both themselves and the rest of Nazarick a couple of days off both to celebrate and recuperate, Nazarick's heir had decided they should mark this respite properly by unveiling something that he had requested a group of the Homunculus maids to make for such an occasion.
And that something…turned out to be tracksuit attires for all three of them. Henry's outfit was influenced by one of his favourite anime/manga/light novel protagonists. It consisted of deep-grey tracksuit bottoms with an orange stripe down the side, black sneakers with vibrant orange laces and soles, and a black t-shirt. To complement it, he wore over it a zipped-up white tracksuit jacket with a stand-up collar, deep-grey sleeves with an orange line running down their sides, orange cuffs, and deep grey shoulders. On the left breast of the jacket was a black brand symbol that was reminiscent of the letter 'N'.
Fengxian's was more simplistic as it consisted of sky-blue tracksuit bottoms with a white stripe down the side, white sneakers all over, and a white t-shirt. Over it, he wore a zipped-up sky-blue tracksuit jacket which had white stripes from shoulder to wrist.
Ainz's had to be the most bizarre since it was not every day that you saw a skeleton wearing a tracksuit of all things, yet there he was. His own consisted of purple tracksuit bottoms with a red stripe down the side, purple sneakers with black laces and soles and a black t-shirt. To compliment it, he wore a zipped-up purple tracksuit jacket with a stand-up collar and black sleeves.
"Come on, Ainz…don't come here and tell me you don't miss the feeling of a fresh and comfy tracksuit," Henry said with a slightly raised eyebrow.
Having taken a few steps to get used to it, a more comfortable Ainz conceded the point. "I have to admit…the charm on it is quite easily felt."
"I will admit though, my Crown Prince…I didn't think I'd ever see clothes like this again, not in this world of all places," Fengxian admitted.
"Are you kidding, Fengxian?" Henry shook his head while smiling at his friends. "Do you have any idea how many times I threw a tracksuit on after work back in our old world for a gaming session, anime binge, manga/light novel reading frenzy, just to laze around in or when I was too lazy to bother matching up clothes? No way was I ever gonna let that comfort go, hence why I got them made here. I'm just lucky that-" Whatever Henry was about to say was interrupted as the door to their meeting room was suddenly pushed open, revealing Henry's harem and Demiurge on the other side.
"Sorry to interrupt, my lords, but we-" Demiurge's apology was cut off when he caught a glimpse of what the three were wearing.
"Darling…what is that you and the other Supreme Beings are wearing?" Albedo asked with a curious tilt of her head that Henry found absolutely adorable.
"My time to shine…" He preened himself before answering his primary consort. "This, my dear girls and Demiurge, is a miracle piece of recreational clothing known as a 'tracksuit'."
"Track…suit?" A confused Lupusregina voiced.
"Precisely, my darling wolfie," Henry told her. "This article of clothing is ideal when you have time to spare and just want to relax. It can also serve you just as well when you wish to do any physical activity." Both Fengxian and Ainz nodded in agreement.
"An ingenious creation, as to be expected of our glorious Crown Prince!" Demiurge found himself gushing as he appraised each of their uniforms. "Only his magnificent mind could come up with something so simple yet brilliant!" Having finished his quick scan of the tracksuits, he bowed once before turning for the door. "If I may request your leave, my lords…I must request for the maids to make more of these fascinating tracksuits for the benefit of everyone in Nazarick!" Before either of the three could say anything, he'd already gone.
Henry's harem, meanwhile, were swarming all over their beloved. "I expected nothing less from you, my beloved Lord Constantine!" Solution gushed as she pressed herself up against Henry, enjoying the way the tracksuit rubbed against her skin.
"You look so handsome in that!" Lupusregina gushed, forcing herself to repress the desire welling within her to pounce on her beloved and rip away his clothing.
"I have to admit it suits you well," Narberal complimented while trying her best not to swoon.
"You always come up with the best ideas darling!" Albedo cooed as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed a chaste kiss to his blushing cheeks. Henry smiled at all the attention he and his attire were receiving while Ainz's emotion suppressor was working to not have him fall to the floor at the silliness of the situation. As for Fengxian, he merely sighed and rolled his eyes at the antics of his friend and his women even as an idea suddenly sprung to his head.
"Only in this world could tracksuits be considered a game-changing invention." They thought to themselves simultaneously.
~TNT~
Gym time! (created by me)
The normally unflappable and in-control Ainz Ooal Gown was slightly concerned.
It had been two days now since he and his two friends had mandated that they, the Guardians, the Pleaides and the majority of Nazarick's staff take some time off to relax and engage in either some leisure time or personal interest so it was to be expected that his fellow Supreme Beings might be off doing their own thing, but them not replying to his Message communications was very unlike them. With Ise, it could be excused by him having some 'alone time' with his harem and not wanting anyone to intrude on that, but even Ki wasn't responding which was very unusual, even with his increasingly anti-social attitude. Something odd was afoot, and Ainz was determined to get to the bottom of it.
The Overlord of Nazarick was currently wondering through the Ninth Floor, wondering if his friends were either abed or relaxing in their personal quarters, when he almost ran headfirst into Demiurge who had been coming towards him from the opposite direction with purpose in his stride.
"My lord! I was just looking for you!" Demiurge exclaimed as he fell into his usual kneel before his master. "If I may be so bold to humbly request a moment of your time, I would ask that you would accompany me for a moment.
"Now isn't the best time, Demiurge," Ainz tried to wave off as he bid the Guardian to rise. "Neither the Crown Prince nor the Grand Marshal are responding to my summons and I am…concerned for their well-being…"
"How kind and magnanimous of a ruler you are to be worrying for the health of your subordinates!" Demiurge gushed. "But fear not, my lord, for I can assure you that they are both in the best of health. In fact, it is by their request that I have come to escort you to their current location."
Demiurge's words may have eased Ainz's worries, but in the process had aroused his suspicions. Just what were the pair up to? "Very well, Demiurge. You may lead on."
"Splendid!" Demiurge clapped his hands before gesturing away from himself. "If you would please, my lord, let us teleport up to the fifth floor where they are both waiting for you.
If Ainz's face could've pulled it off he'd either be frowning or narrowing his eyes in suspicion, but since he was unable to do either he merely sighed and nodded as he and Demiurge teleported to the fifth floor using their Rings of Ainz Ooal Gown. Once they arrived among its icy drifts and snow-capped peaks, Demiurge escorted Ainz across the plains and hills towards the Warrior's Abode, Fengxian's personal accommodations on this floor. Thankfully for the Overlord and the Guardian, Fengxian had turned off the floor's weather controls for today meaning that they did not have to contend with any cold winds or storms on their way. As they drew closer to the entryway of Ki's abode, Ainz suddenly picked up the sounds of clanging and weapons clanging coming from within. Curious now as to what was going on, Ainz allowed Demiurge to lead him through the hallways towards the large gym area in the back that Fengxian had set up long ago and which he maintained along with Shinozaki. However, at this moment in time, it was Lumière, another of the Homunculus maids, who was helping the Grand Marshal out while Shinozaki was currently out on deployment.
As they drew closer, the clanging and clashing sounds got even louder which was enough to give Ainz an inkling of what might be going on, and as he and Demiurge entered the gym area his suspicions were confirmed.
At first glance, it would appear that nearly all of Nazarick's senior personnel including the Guardians and Pleaides were present, although as he looked around Ainz couldn't help but notice that Aura seemed to be the only one not among them. The Overlord then looked first for his fellow Supreme Beings and immediately spotted Fengxian, clad in the tracksuit Henry had arranged for him, right in the centre of the room doing push-ups, albeit with both Mare and CZ perched on his back with the shy Dark Elf giggling happily every time Fengxian moved up and down whilst CZ was as expressionless as ever. Not far from Fengxian, Henry, clad only in his tracksuit bottoms, was currently doing sit-ups, again with a twist as Albedo was sat directly opposite him rewarding her beloved with a kiss every time he did a successful sit-up. As for the rest of Henry's harem, they were almost stripped right down and currently doing stretching exercises in Henry's immediate vicinity giving him plenty of eyefuls towards their naked skin (which Ainz was certain was a deliberate ploy on Henry's part). As for everyone else, Cocytus and several of the lizardmen were lifting weights over in another corner, with Entoma acting as their spotter and occasionally adding more weights on should anyone request it. Then there was Shalltear, who was off in a separate area with some of her vampire brides and some more lizardmen testing their weapon skills against each other as well as several practise dummies. And finally, waiting dutifully off to one side with plenty of water, towels and snacks were Sebas, Yuri Alpha, Pestonya, Tuare and Ninya, with Jemima and one or two of the lesser Homunculus maids also standing not far from them making constant notes on sheaves of parchment resting on clipboards.
For a brief moment, Ainz was stunned into silence at what he'd just walked into. "Um…Demiurge…do you have an explanation for what I'm seeing right now?" He finally asked.
"My lord, surely you-ah, I see now…" Demiurge then offered a small bow of apology. "I'm sorry to have kept this from you, my lord, but the Crown Prince swore me to secrecy, insisting that this be a surprise for you to see for your own eyes. To my understanding, this was both his and the Grand Marshal's idea for a way to have everyone here 'keep in shape' after our recent victories."
"No need to apologise Demiurge, I understand," Ainz dismissed with a wave. He had to give his friends credit…it was an ingenious idea and also something he'd have never considered himself, simply because he didn't need to take part in such activities himself. As he continued considering all of the benefits of what he was seeing before his eyes, everyone noticed Ainz and Demiurge's arrival and gave a loud cheer before resuming their exercises. All except Henry who, along with Albedo, had got to his feet and was currently making his way to where Ainz and Demiurge were standing.
"Father…we're so glad you could join us!" His adopted son exclaimed once he and Albedo had greeted him as respectfully as always. "I would ask if you wanted to join in, but I know you don't need it with all that magic power you're holding onto." He then turned to address the Guardian standing at Ainz's side. "And thank you for keeping the surprise, Demiurge. I'm sorry I had to ask you to deceive my Father, but it was necessary to pull this off."
"I am always happy to serve the Supreme Beings in whatever capacity they require," Demiurge replied with a small incline of his head. "And please, my Crown Prince, your apology isn't necessary."
"Demiurge tells me this was both yours and the Grand Marshal's idea?" Ainz asked.
"It was, but most of the credit for all of this should go to our fellow Supreme Being," Henry replied, waving his hand towards Fengxian who was still in the midst of his push-ups. "He figured it would be a good idea to keep everyone in shape. That and, in his own words, 'all this equipment needed to be put to use sometime'. He asked for my help in getting everyone else on board and if I wanted to join in myself, to which I responded with a 'yes' since I agreed with his sentiments in keeping everyone in good shape and health. Oh, and if you are wondering where Aura is, she's currently out on the obstacle courses trying to improve her best time on each one...good luck to anyone trying to drag her off of those!"
"I see…well done, both of you," Ainz praised.
"Indeed…another ingenious idea, as to be expected of our glorious Supreme Beings!" Demiurge added.
~TNT~
The extravagant dining hall on Nazarick's 9th floor was filled with excited chatter as many of Nazarick's Homunculus maids were either partaking of or getting served their morning meal courtesy of Shihoutu Tokitu's always sublime cooking. This excitement had only gotten even more fever-pitched once the diners saw what was being offered on the rotation, a dish that had come from the ingenious mind of their glorious Crown Prince based on typical breakfast items that had been commonplace in their world before it had devolved into the cesspool they had left behind and adapted using ingredients from this new world. It was a variation of a traditional Japanese breakfast dish consisting of fresh fish straight from the Lizardmen's fisheries, grilled and served with various homemade sauces, a hearty bowl of miso soup, steamed rice and cooked vegetables along with slices of bread with accompanying spreads and various drinks including coffee, tea and fruit juices.
Lumière and Foire were two of the maids currently partaking of this fare, and as they were talking excitedly among themselves about what the future held for Nazarick they were interrupted by the enthusiastic slamming of a full tray in front of them. Looking up, they saw a beaming Cixous taking a seat opposite them.
"Wow, someone's enthusiastic today! You've really loaded up on food over there!" Foire commented as their fellow maid pulled their tray closer before attacking the food with gusto.
"I need as much energy and healthy goodness as I can possibly stomach, for I'll be serving Lord Ainz personally today!" Cixous exclaimed delightedly as she managed a pause between bites. "And I need to be ready at a moment's notice for when he calls!"
"It's good to see you so thrilled…serving our Supreme Beings personally is the highest honour we could attain," Lumière said with a warm smile. "Once I am done here, I'll be returning to Lord Fengxian's abode to resume my duties in Miss Shinozaki's absence. I expect I'll be quite busy today, given that he, the Crown Prince, the Guardians and the Pleaides are using his home gym this morning."
"Ah, that's why I was told to wait for the summons instead of heading directly to Lord Ainz's quarters…he must be up there with the others," Cixous realised while sipping a mouthful of coffee.
"Even though I've been given the day off, I can't help but be slightly envious of you both," Foire sighed as she continued to watch Cixous eat. "To be in the presence of our glorious masters for an entire day…I'd happily trade my leisure time for the chance."
"I'm sure you'll get the chance again soon, but do try to remember how our lords stressed the importance of these days for us," Lumière chided softly. "It is vital that we make the most of our relaxation time to recharge our energy levels, thus allowing us to provide our masters and the Guardians with the efficient and top-class service they so rightfully deserve. Besides, I heard that you, Fith, Foth and Etoile have recently been helping out Lord Constantine with a special project of his which required you to spend time in his presence, so I don't see why you should be envious right now…"
"I know, but still…if only I could…" Whatever Foire was about to say was cut off as the doors to the dining hall opened, revealing the tanned, toned and slightly sweating body of Lupusregina Beta clad in nothing but a tight black tank top that amplified her already sizable cleavage and a pair of black gym leggings. Even as most eyes turned to her, she walked up to the serving counter, took a couple of plates from Sous-chef along with a large cup of water and then proceeded to sit down next to Foire without any hint of embarrassment or shame.
"Good morning, Miss Beta!" All three maids chorused with a polite bow of their heads, as was befitting to one of the consorts of the Crown Prince.
"Hey everyone!" The wolf maid waved with an amused grin and chuckle as she took her seat, which was the signal for the rest to resume what they were doing after watching her entrance. "Wow, the shock and surprise on all your faces was priceless! I might have to start parading around the village semi-naked more often! Goodness knows I could use the amusement…"
"If we may ask, Miss Beta…why are you dressed like that?" Cixous asked, she and the others getting a slightly envious eyeful of the Pleaides' jiggling bosom,
"The Grand Marshal and my darling Constantine invited us up to the fifth floor for a workout session in Lord Fengxian's abode," Lupusregina explained as she greedily gulped down the glass of water. "Their instructions were to wear as few clothes as possible and ones that wouldn't restrict our movement, hence why I'm dressed like this. And even though it was just for an hour or two…wow, I already feel much better and more in shape than I have recently!"
"It was that good?" Foire asked as the conversations around them died. Everyone was now listening eagerly to what Lupusregina had to say.
"Yup! Lord Fengxian showed us how to use all of the equipment, and then we got straight into it!" Lupusregina gushed. "We were lifting weights, doing stretches, running, jumping…we did so much the time flew!" Her expression and gaze then went vacant and dreamy. "And of course, there was the added benefit of seeing my beloved practically naked and covered in sweat himself…" She shuddered with delight as she recalled the sight of her darling Constantine's glistening abs and powerful muscles and how it had taken all of her self-control to not give a repeat performance of one of their previous orgies right in the middle of Lord Fengxian's gym.
She must have noticed that the other maids were either wearing similar expressions or seemed to be hungering for more details which twigged a spark of jealousy within her, even if she was confident that her darling would not go near another woman aside from her and the rest of the harem. "Speaking of….the Supreme Beings are ready to be attended now that they are finished," she stated quickly and firmly as she turned to look at Cixous and Lumière especially. "You two are to finish your meals and then report to Lord Ainz and Lord Fengxian immediately!"
"Understood, Miss Beta! As they desire!" Both maids exclaimed as the rest of them, sensing that the conversation was over, returned to their meals. Once Cixous and Lumière had finished their food, they quickly gathered their finished crockery and cutlery and took them over to be cleaned before dashing out of the hall, leaving Lupusregina sitting with a still-grinning Foire.
"You must be enjoying the current time you're spending with the Crown Prince," she commented knowingly, a grin forming as she saw the red-haired Pleaides maid blush. "How long do you have before you need to go back to that human village?"
"Just a few more days…during which I intend to spend as much time with my beloved as possible," was all she replied, not wanting to let slip any teasing material out of fear it would spread like gossip among the rest of the maids. "I'm not looking forward to going back…it gets so boring having to babysit and watch over humans, and there's hardly anything to do there that's any fun…"
"But I'm sure it must be fascinating getting to observe how the human villagers behave…" Foire tried to reason, but before Lupusregina could reply they were interrupted by another loud commotion coming from the doors to the hall.
"Unhand me! Unhand me this instant! I have important cleaning to do!" Everyone in the hall once again stopped what they were doing as they turned to look at the rather comical sight of Éclair Éklair Éklare squealing and struggling in the iron grip of CZ Delta as she walked in, her usual emotionless expression in place as, accompanied by a round of cheering at her presence, she made her way over to where Lupusregina and Cixous were sitting.
"I was wondering where you'd gotten to, little sis!" Lupusregina beamed as she made space for the automaton maid. "What happened to you? And why'd you bring the assistant butler?"
"My insides are about to be squeezed into paste! Please let me go!" Éclair continued to squeal, but CZ's grip was as unrelenting as her empty stare as she took her seat.
"You ran off without saying where you were going…we were supposed to eat together," CZ told her dully, eyeing the werewolf's food as Éclair eventually passed out from a combination of pain, exhaustion and lack of air. "I went looking for you, then I found this creature. It looked so small and adorable, so I decided to bring it here with me."
"Well you know…all that exercising got me really hungry…I guess I just forgot I was supposed to wait…" Lupusregina hemmed desperately, a reaction that didn't seem to amuse her younger sister as Foire stifled a chuckle at their antics. Even hard workers such as they were allowed their moments of amusement whenever they came around!
~TNT~
After finishing their time in the Grand Marshal's gym, and with the words of their Crown Prince encouraging them to explore other methods of leisure ringing in her ears, Albedo brought up the idea of her and the rest of Henry's girls going to the Sixth Floor to both enjoy the surroundings and discuss things only those of the female persuasion should hear. But when Lupusregina, Narberal and Solution all declined, saying they had other stuff they wanted to do, Albedo was left asking both Aura and Shalltear instead if they wanted to join her there. Neither was particularly enthused at first, but when Albedo brought up that she had a powerful beast summon she wanted their opinion on, Aura was much more enthusiastic about the invitation. As for Shalltear, she was being gently encouraged by the Supreme Beings to get along with and spend more time with her comrades so this was a perfect excuse for her to put that into practice.
"Come to me, my cavalry beast!" Albedo, fully resplendent in her pitch-black armour, called out once she and the others had assembled near the edge of the floor's lake. In response to her call, an aqua-coloured summoning circle appeared on the grass in front of her and disgorged a large black war horse with silver devil-like horns protruding from its skull, complete with a saddle and reins.
"Woah, that's way more fancy than a regular Bicorn!" Aura exclaimed once the beast had been fully summoned. "Look at its horns, and its massive muscles as well! They're so taut!"
"Indeed so!" Albedo gushed, internally pleased with the success of her summon. "A creature truly worthy of the title War Bicorn Lord!" She then moved to take hold of the creature's reins. "Although technically, any level 100 bicorn would look like this."
"I see…" Aura loved learning more about any creature she had encountered, and this bicorn looked to be the apex of what an equine monster should be. "But what name were you thinking of calling it? I doubt you'd go with just 'Bicorn'."
"Does he need one?" Albedo asked.
"Well, it's up to you since he's your pet. I just think having a name would give him some individuality, that's all!" Aura explained.
"He's more of a weapon than a pet, and I'm not quite sure I'm summoning the same Bicorn every time…however, it is something to consider…" Albedo mused as she gave the beast's hair a stroke, causing it to whine in approval.
"If you're struggling, maybe you could ask Kyouhukou? I heard he's very good at putting names to his summons, even if they are only cockroaches," Shalltear suggested, her words hanging in the air for barely a second or two before all three shuddered with disgust. Even with their negative karma levels, they were all still proper ladies and thus just the thought of Kyouhukou and his bugs was enough to gross them all out.
"He and his family can never behave…they skittle all up in your clothes and it's just the worst!" Aura said with another shudder. "I remember one time they got under Miss Jemima's attire while she was working…the poor girl was scarred for days afterwards! I get the feeling she really doesn't like bugs at all."
"Speaking of the girl…how do you two feel about her?" Shalltear asked curiously. "I must admit I've very rarely spent time with her outside of our official work, and from what I've heard she avoids going to the lower floors unless specifically ordered to." Now that there was just the inkling of possibility that Shalltear could end up with a place at her beloved Lord Ainz's side, she wanted to start getting into the mindset of a potential ruler's consort and understand all she could about her work colleagues and subordinates as possible.
"Demiurge and I interact with her a lot due to our business on the Ninth Floor, and I must say that for a human she has impressed me a great deal," Albedo answered. "She works hard and diligently and has offered no complaints regarding her duties or working conditions. From what my beloved tells me, Lord Ainz is very grateful to have her around as it relieves some of his workload and causes him less stress."
"She's still a bit shy, but has warmed up to quite a few of us already!" Aura added. "Lord Fengxian did a great job bringing her back to Nazarick since she's been a great help to everyone from what I've heard!"
"I see…" While they had been talking Shalltear had noted their views down in the little notepad she carried with her everywhere which already contained all of the things she had been learning from Lord Ainz, Crown Prince Augustus and Grand Marshal Fengxian in the past few weeks. "But getting back to the bicorn…maybe the Crown Prince might have some suggestions for what to call it?"
"Hmm…I suppose a dignified name befitting of my beloved and the other Supreme Beings would work, or something that embodies my passion and dedication to their goals…" Albedo mused as she looked back at the bicorn. "How about 'Top of the World'?"
"The Supreme Beings really are top of the world but are you sure it is appropriate to ride on them?" Shalltear asked with a knowing blush and glance which caused Albedo to smirk, knowing what she was implying. She'd certainly experienced being on 'top of the world' many times with her beloved already and knew that Shalltear desired the same with Lord Ainz.
"Let's forget the name for now," Aura said quickly, having instinctively picked up where this conversation was going and wanting to steer away from such topics. "Why don't you take it for a quick test ride?"
"That sounds like a fine idea," Albedo answered as she clambered on top of it. After taking a few seconds to settle herself comfortably and allowing the bicorn to get used to her weight, she clicked her tongue, causing the armoured steed to set off in a quick trot around the lake's edge. As the two other Guardians watched her progress, Shalltear fished out Peroroncino's Encyclopaedia, a gift she'd received from both her beloved and Crown Prince Augustus, and started flicking through it, much to Aura's curiosity.
"What's that you got there, Shalltear?" She asked.
"An Encyclopaedia written by my beloved creator himself, given to me by our gracious Supreme Beings," the vampire answered without looking up as she continued to flick through the pages. "I'm just wanting to find out more about the bicorn, that's all."
"Just like my watch then," Aura smiled as she looked upon the piece of curved metal adorning her wrist. It worked like a standard watch and was programmed with the voice of Aura's creator to act as an alarm. "This belonged to Lady Bukubukuchagama…Lord Ainz gave it to me to thank me for all my hard work."
"I see…his and the Crown Prince's reasons were similar…they said I'd learnt much and worked hard to make up for my actions, and gave me the book as a reward," Shalltear commented as she reached the page she'd been looking for. "Ah, here it is… 'Bicorn'!"
"What does it say?" Aura asked, peeking over the vampire's shoulder.
"It says here that bicorns are a symbol of impurity," Shalltear read off. "In terms of who is capable of riding them, they are the opposite of unicorns. While unicorns can only be ridden by pure maidens, bicorns can only be ridden by impure ones…" She trailed off as both she and Aura glanced over to their left to see that Albedo was now in a fall gallop and approaching them at high speed. "Well, I guess we know now her sex life is fine if she can ride it without any problems.
"Yeah, let's not get into that…" Aura agreed as the pair watched Albedo approach them. "How was the ride?"
"Amazing! It only took me a few seconds but then we were really able to get some speed!" Albedo gushed as she dismounted, only to tilt her head curiously at Shalltear's book. "What do you have there, Shalltear?"
"Lord Peroroncino's encyclopaedia…I was educating myself and the half-pint on bicorns while you were having fun," she replied, a teasing smile breaking out on her face. "You have one more thing to thank the Crown Prince for…if it wasn't for him, you wouldn't be able to ride it since, according to this, bicorns can only be ridden by impure maidens…which means…"
"Really?" Albedo's eyes almost bugged out in happiness. "My Crown Prince's generosity knows no bounds! I shall have to thank him right away!" Only pausing to dismiss the bicorn, she quickly activated her Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown and teleported to wherever he was right now, leaving behind a bemused Aura and an amused Shalltear.
"Wow, I've never seen her so happy. I'm glad Lord Trajan is having such a positive influence on her in more ways than one. Wish I could ride the Bicorn myself though…" Aura commented wistfully before looking at Shalltear teasingly. "What about you, Fake-Tits? Can you ride it yet, or have you yet to be ridden yourself?"
Whereas before she would have risen to the dark elf's teasing, Shalltear was able to simply smile back instead. "I could…after all, I'm sure same-sex couplings fulfil the requirements!" She couldn't help but laugh at the look of disbelief on Aura's face. "Oh come on half-pint, besides our Supreme Beings it's impossible to find a good man! And since the Grand Marshal is not interested in romance and our Crown Prince is happily taken, all I can do is amuse myself until my beloved is ready to share his bed with me!"
"Right now I know all I should do is smile and agree, but what you are saying right now is absolutely twisted…" Aura wasn't sure whether to be amused or disgusted. "Can we please get off this topic and find something else to do or talk about? The Supreme Beings did mandate for us to enjoy our time off, remember?" Right now, the female elf would take anything that would not involve talking about anyone's sex life.
~TNT~
Having suitably worn himself out from his workout in Ki's gym, Henry was now relaxing in his chambers by doing the one thing he enjoyed most aside from fighting and making love to his girls: reading. Thankfully Ashurbanipal was filled with many historical books detailing the more exciting parts of his old world's history, so it had been very simple for him to have Titus bring a whole lot of them to his quarters to occupy himself during his downtime. He was currently reading a book on Napoleon's glory days, specifically his masterpiece: The Battle of Austerlitz against the Third Coalition, the battle that ended the Holy Roman Empire which had at that time been around for more than a thousand years. Such was the impact Napoleon had had on the world, no wonder he was considered among the greatest of generals. He'd just flicked to another page when the door to his quarters suddenly burst open, revealing a very excited Albedo still clad in her armour.
"Thank you, my darling Henry!" She exclaimed, jumping onto Henry and sending the book he'd been reading flying as she proceeded to cuddle him lovingly.
"Lovely to see you too, my dear," Henry replied, quickly getting over his bewilderment as he started stroking her hair. "What's gotten you in such a happy mood?"
"I tried out my new Bicorn summon today, and I was only able to ride it thanks to you!" She gushed as she pressed herself into his chest. "Aura and Shalltear explained how bicorns could only be ridden by impure maidens which wouldn't have happened if you didn't take my virginity! So, thank you!" She punctuated her excited rambling with a loving kiss on Henry's lips.
"I'm glad it worked out for you," Henry told her genuinely as he began to feel something between his legs rising. It would seem just the talk of taking Albedo's virginity had gotten him in the mood for something other than reading. "But I'd much prefer you rode me instead…if you catch my drift…"
He didn't need to say anymore as, within the space of a minute, all of Albedo's armour and Henry's clothing were strewn all over the floor as the pair engaged in another lust-filled encounter.
~TNT~
Unlike the more academic-leaning Ainz or the passionate Henry, Fengxian chose to spend his time off by inspecting how the warriors whose training he was overseeing were getting on. After initially instructing his new recruits, which included all the Lizardmen chieftains bar Zaryusu, their entourage and the mammoth hamster Hamsuke, on how to go about basic daily training regimens and combat drills as well as reading up on several of the military texts he'd transcribed before coming to the New World, Fengxian had left them to it while he was tied up in the operation in Re-Estize and its aftermath. Now that things had calmed down again, Fengxian felt it was about time to check in and see how they were doing.
Having obtained permission from Ainz and Henry as well as the dark elf twins who oversaw that floor, Fengxian had set up the arena as a medieval-style training ground and encampment, furnished with smaller arenas, training dummies, weapon racks and the like. As he approached after the ice bath he'd taken to recover from this morning's gym session, Fengxian noted with approval that the Lizardmen had already beaten him there and were already engaging in separate drills. On one side in one of the smaller arenas, he saw Shasuryu and Zenberu taking part in a friendly yet intense sparring session as each sought to show off the results of their tutelage under the Grand Marshal's guidance. Over by the training dummies was Hamsuke, the bumbling yet eager giant rodent lashing out at them with quick and precise strikes of his tail.
Initially, Fengxian hadn't been looking forward to training the giant furball, deeming his clumsy nature and bumbling manner of speech both an annoyance and highly unbefitting of a warrior. And it had proven to be the case during their first few sessions where Hamsuke was entirely too predictable and reliant on his massive size to try and beat down his opponents. However, never one to shirk from a challenge, Fengxian had slowly yet patiently gotten Hamsuke to use his head more often than his brawn, encouraging him to use all the weapons in his arsenal along with his speed to mix up the style of his attacks. And it seemed to be paying off as, while Fengxian was watching, Hamsuke suddenly stopped his tail swipes and instead sped straight at the training dummy before assaulting it with rapid swipes of his claws. After doing that for a small while, he then suddenly sprang up into the air before launching himself at the dummy head first in a powerful headbutt, the force of which shattered the dummy into splinters and drew a round of applause from all those watching.
"If he keeps going at this rate, he'll be on par with the likes of Zenberu and Shasuryu in no time…" Fengxian thought to himself with approval before looking around for the other two Lizardmen chieftains. He finally spotted Kyuku in one of the raised viewing areas leafing through one of Fengxian's military texts, his keen eyes riveted to the manuscripts, and then shortly afterwards he espied Sukyu experimenting with various ranged weapons. Though he was handy with a sling, Fengxian had encouraged him to expand his arsenal to make him into a more formidable ranged warrior.
"It looks like they have the physical aspects of combat down pat…soon I'll start putting them through their paces on what they've learnt so far regarding leadership and tactics." Fengxian decided. With the chieftains acting as generals of the elite fighting force they were bringing to bear, another piece of the puzzle for his, Suzi's and Ise's dream of sitting astride this world was falling into place…
~TNT~
After the exertions everyone had been through earlier that day, Ainz decided to give all of his principal subordinates both the chance to unwind from that as well as enjoy their time off further by inviting them all to use Nazarick's spa for its intended purpose. After having Cixous and several of the other Homunculus maids pass around directives to his fellow Supreme Beings, Guardians and the Pleaides inviting them up to the Ninth Floor, Ainz headed there himself and, after divesting himself of his robes, stepped into the separate slime bath and allowed himself to relax as the substance did a wonder for his bones.
"Why did I wait until now to do this? This is heavenly!" He sighed to himself as he sunk further into its liquid depths until all that was left above the surface was his head. "I should do this more often to relieve myself of the stresses that come with running and delegating an organization like this…" Before he could muse further, he found himself joined by the massive form of Fengxian who, with a mere nod, quickly joined his Overlord in the slime bath. After a few minutes they were joined by Henry who, after overhearing the sounds and laughter of the opposite sex on the opposite side of the wall which separated their bathing areas, immediately headed over to try and get a peep of their naked bodies only for, in a burst of movement so fast that neither Ainz or Henry could follow it, Fengxian chucked his fellow Supreme Being over his shoulder before throwing him into the slime bath, the resulting impact of which caused the slime in the bath to spray everywhere.
"Could you not, for just once in your life, not act like the pervert you are and just have some decency? Kami knows you get more than enough of a fill of breasts and naked girls every night…" Fengxian sighed exasperatedly, with Ainz watching all of this with barely concealed humour as Henry's head reappeared above the surface of the bath.
"Can't help being an admirer of the female form, but just for you guys I suppose I can give it a rest…at least for now," Henry conceded with a smirk as he propped himself up against the side of the bath. "But you two are going to help explain this to Solution…last thing I need is for her to get jealous that I bathed in slime that wasn't part of her body…"
"Just…stop right there…neither Ki nor I need to hear any more sordid details about whatever kinky stuff you and your women get up to," Ainz interrupted him as Fengxian slid back into the bath.
"Fine fine…but then you'd better consider investing in earplugs or a noise-cancelling spell because I'm going to get real loud tonight to compensate for what you're making me miss out on right now," Henry warned playfully.
"Thanks for the warning…I'm going to sleep on the Fifth Floor instead," Fengxian said dryly as Ainz let out another sigh.
"Could we all just…please do what this spa was intended for and just relax? Given how we might be busy again any day now, I would like for us just to relax and enjoy ourselves, just the three of us, until the others arrive…" Neither Henry nor Fengxian had a problem with that as the three drifted into a content silence, each thinking their own thoughts about everything that happened to them in this world so far and what awaited them in the future. Eventually, they were joined by the other male Guardians who also stripped down and allowed themselves to relax after being reassured by the Supreme Beings that it was what they had intended by Ainz's missive. But just as they were about to get up and start scrubbing themselves off, all six of them suddenly overheard the sounds of pushing and shoving coming from the opposite side of the wall.
"Seriously, you lot? Don't you get enough of an eyeful of Lord Trajan's body every night that you're now resorting to peeping on him while he's in the bath?" Came the sound of Aura's exasperated voice.
"Stop complaining Aura and help us look…I know there's a peephole around here somewhere…" Solution's voice replied.
"I've been denied the sight of my darling Constantine's glorious form for many days now while watching over those humans…I need to make up for lost time!" Lupusregina's voice insisted.
"I don't even know why I'm bothering trying to talk the four of you out of it, but I'm surprised at you Shalltear. I thought you were trying to act and conduct yourself more properly, and yet here you are joining in?" From what Aura was saying, it sounded as though it wasn't just Henry's ladies trying to get a peep.
"And miss out on the chance of seeing my beloved's glorious naked form? Don't be absurd half-pint! Who knows when I'll ever get such an opportunity again!" Shalltear could be heard exclaiming.
"She is right you know Aura," Albedo's voice floated through. "It's very rare that all of the Supreme Ones are revealed in all of their glory at the same time. As the diligent servants we are, it is vitally important that we personally see that they are sound in body as well as their minds…"
As one, everyone present turned to look at Henry as though silently blaming him for how unashamed and depraved their female counterparts were. "You're a really bad influence on all of them, you know that right?" Fengxian asked rhetorically.
"Do you really need to ask, Grand Marshal? No matter how regal and majestic he portrays himself as, deep down we both know this sort of tawdriness is well in line with his real personality…which makes it unsurprising he has passed those traits on to his harem and by extent the rest of Nazarick's female population…" Ainz sighed.
"Damn right, and I wouldn't want to be any other way!" The Crown Prince exclaimed proudly to both the exasperation of his fellow Supreme Beings and the amusement of the male Guardians. Even when they were supposed to be enjoying a day of relaxation, things were proving to be just as eventful as they were on any other day in the Great Tomb of Nazarick.
daniel: Hope you guys enjoyed this as much as we did! Can't wait to keep going! And we're getting more visuals for the Overlord Movie on the Holy Kingdom! Can't wait, especially because it will be of such help for us when we do reach that point!
Edster: A little different from our usual offerings, but I hope you enjoyed what we put out in our return. A lot of those created scenes were a blast to write and adapt and I have to give my co-author credit for quite a few of them. It also warranted some changes to the original scenes, especially with the Bicorn since Albedo would be able to ride it thanks to Henry!
Thank you once again for bearing with us during our absence. I assure you we'll be back into the swing of things with a fortnightly chapter release as per our usual schedule, and next time out we'll be checking in with Carne Village to see how Enri and the rest of the people are getting on. Until then, thank you all again so much for the love and support you have shown us and this story, we both really appreciate it, and we will see you all next time for chapter 26 of the Nazarick Triumvirate!