The blackness surrounded her in an instant. The warmth of the cabin faded away as she stepped onto a hard tiled floor. The new world surrounding her was so bright, she instinctively closed her eyes as she pulled the other half of her body through the [Gate]. Vesi wanted a moment to adjust. Even without seeing the world already felt so different. The smallest part of her still wanted to believe that none of this was true, that she would open her eyes and find herself in some horrible dungeon; but that thought could only last as long as she kept them closed. Something in her insisted she keep hiding from whatever truth was here. The coward in her. Vesi would have lived in her uncertainty for an eternity if not for the gasp and the sound of something falling coming from right in front of her.
Begrudgingly, Vesi finally opened her eyes. The first thing she noticed was how immaculate everything seemed to be. Spotless walls, lined with golden pillars, leading up to glowing chandeliers, all of it polished to perfection. Then her vision lands on the small woman with a bucket at her feet. A petite blonde in a blue maid's dress staring up at her in utter shock. Though it does not seem to be the usual fear a human has when one sees her. The maid's eyes are wide and her entire body is shaking, but she also wears a smile that's widening with every breath. The woman almost seems elated. So full of joy that she cannot contain it within her small frame. Yet so far, she's only stared at Vesi.

"Are you... alright?" Vesi was almost scared to ask but she had to say something.

The simple question made the girl scream. Vesi jumped at the sharp sound, but quickly realized the maid wasn't terrified as she had assumed. It was more like a fangirl's scream when her favorite idol appeared on stage. Confused, she turned to Demiurge, the only one who had been able to explain things so far, but before she could ask anything, the sound of running feet stole her attention. The maid was quickly closing the distance. She finally stopped an arm's length away and bowed at the waist.

"Welcome home, Lady Vesi!"

Home. Was that truly where she was? Could this beautiful place really accept her as one of its residents? And, Lady Vesi. This maid knew her name and called her a 'lady,' just as Demiurge had. She wanted to ask questions—perhaps this woman would answer differently from Demiurge and finally reveal the lie.
A soft "Lady Vesi?" came from around the corner. Turning toward the sound, she saw dozens more maids not-so-subtly peeking around the wall. The moment they had her attention, they sprinted forward as one, a mass of servants surrounding her completely. Each of them shouted questions once they were close. Vesi could not hope to answer them all, but seeing so many people excited by her mere presence—it was such a stark contrast to the life she had lived for hundreds of years. The heavy feeling of tears returned, aching to flow. She fought them off until the first maid broke through the rapidly forming crowd. The girl hadn't bothered concealing her emotions; two lines of tears proudly stained her face as she looked up at Vesi."It's such an honor to have you home, my Lady."

[Philian Apolesai]

Albedo moved silently through the dense forest, her dark armor greedily absorbing all sunlight that fell through the trees, turning her into nothing more than a moving shadow, advancing ever faster toward her goal. Nigredo had thought she was clever, but it was obvious she was lying. Ignoring her sister's direction had quickly brought Albedo closer to her true target, and she could feel it: the aura of a Supreme Being, the unmistakable stench hanging in the air. Vesi. The woman whose mysterious disappearance had carved one of the deepest gouges into her love's heart.
Albedo thought back to the days, the months, right after Vesi's abandonment. Every day, like clockwork, her merciful Lord Momonga would go to their usual meeting spot outside the throne room and wait for her to reappear. But she never returned. She had abandoned them, and now she expected to be welcomed back with open arms. The worst part was that Albedo knew they would. All of Nazarick would be falling over itself in an effort to please the one who had cast them aside. Only now that they were in this mysterious world and needed help did she come crawling back. No one else had the courage to do it, so Albedo would do it for them—remove this leech from the world before it even had the opportunity to bite.

Finally, she was upon it. Vesi's aura was strongest here. Her soldiers fanned out, completely encircling the area, while Rubedo watched the skies. Their great lady was trapped now, and nothing would save her from Albedo's wrath.

Breaking through the tree line, ready for battle, she was instead met with a massive lake. Its glasslike surface had gone undisturbed for quite some time. Despite that, it was clear that Vesi had hidden herself beneath the water. After all, she was an aquatic beast, born of the depths. Of course she would think the water would keep her safe. _How typical_ Albedo thought. Choosing such an obvious hiding spot. Vesi always considered herself clever, but she hadn't even bothered concealing her aura—the most obvious thing to hide. It was almost pathetic.
Albedo's lips curled into a sneer as she approached the water's edge. Before she could order her soldiers to dive in and drag that traitor out, a demon emerged from behind a nearby rock. The sight of him sent a fresh wave of anger through her. It was Pride, one of Demiurge's personal guards. He strolled over to her, in no rush to greet his superior. As he neared, she could see that he was cradling one of Vesi's weapons in his arms like a child. Albedo had thought the aura was weak because Vesi hadn't managed to hide it fully, but that could not be the case. It was faint because there was not much here at all—only a sword.
Pride's smile grew wider as he drew closer, his demeanor infuriatingly smug. Even as he bowed, his posture screamed superiority, his cordialness only a thinly veiled mockery of her. He thought he had already won. In a way, he was correct. Vesi was certainly no longer here, but that did not mean Albedo would give up as this demon thought she would.

"Ah, the lovely Overseer Albedo. An honor to be in your presence." His voice dripped with insincere respect. He dramatically bowed once more, making an effort to wave the kopesh around in front of her as he did. "Is there anything this humble servant might assist you with?"

Albedo could barely restrain herself. Pride was always insufferable; usually, she could blame it on his nature. But now, his unfiltered arrogance was unbearable. If he was going to act like this, there was no need for her usual diplomacy.

"You know where she is?" She voiced it as a question, but her tone was sharp. She was demanding an answer, and Pride looked far too happy to provide it.
Pride's grin widened even further, his wings flexing in a display of scarcely contained amusement. Had she been anyone else, he likely would have laughed in her face, but even this fool knew better than to provoke Albedo beyond a certain point. Still, he could not help but revel in this moment.

"Why, of course, I do, my Overseer," he said, his voice sickeningly sweet as he lingered on every word, savoring every second she was at his mercy for information. "Lord Demiurge has already located Lady Vesi. She is already home in Nazarick."

Albedo froze. Home. The word echoed in her mind, a bitter, venomous thing to her thoughts. Vesi—the one who had stabbed them in the back, who had abandoned them—was now invited back to the wondrous Nazarick with open arms. Calling it home as if she belonged there. Albedo knew the others would do this, but to be presented with it so blatantly twisted her heart with fury. Thankfully, her helmet was still on; her usual serene facade had shattered the moment the demon uttered that word. Hidden beneath the cold metal, her face contorted into one of pure rage, her eyes blazing as Pride continued to blather on about the "miracle" of Vesi's return and how happy he was to have her back.

Albedo forced herself to regain control. "You should have reported this sooner," she chided, her voice dangerously low. "And you—you truly have nothing better to do than laze about this clearing?"

Pride's smile didn't even falter. He bowed once more, fanning his wings out with an exaggerated grace.

"You're completely right, my Overseer. Now that I have fulfilled my purpose here, I shall return to the farm." His tone was infuriatingly calm in the face of her anger.

With that, he turned and flew off, leaving Albedo seething in his wake. Her mind churned with one all-consuming thought—_she'd hesitated._ She thought she'd moved quickly in gathering everyone, but it was apparent that those few short stops had added up. And now, she had failed. That wretch was back in Nazarick, enjoying comforts a betrayer should not have the joy of experiencing because the rest of her people were too cowardly to hold on to the sins committed against them. A heavy sigh passed her lips as she threw down her halberd. The chance for a quick and painless battle was gone, but that did not mean her war was over.

Vesi would not feel happiness for long. Not while Albedo still drew breath.

[Philian Apolesai]

Vesi walked beside him, her steps soft and hesitant, but his heart swelled with pride as he considered the enormity of what he had accomplished. A Supreme Being, their Lady Vesi, had been brought back to them safe and sound; and he was the one who made it possible. A feat no other Guardian could claim—not even Albedo with all her scheming.

Ah, Albedo. She would surely be consumed with rage once she realized she was too late. Not even someone as cunning as her would dare try to harm Vesi now that she was back. Every servant in Nazarick had seen her, and soon their lords would be reunited. There would be no lie she could spin that could justify anything happening to Vesi now. He almost looked forward to seeing the poorly disguised anger on Albedo's face when she returned a failure. How it would morph when she saw their lady back in Nazarick. Would she be able to hide it well? That witch was nothing if not composed—but he already knew that frustration would be simmering just beneath the surface. Maybe she would try to take her anger out on him. What a foolish endeavor that would be. Demiurge raised a hand to cover his ever-widening smile. While Albedo had plotted and schemed, he had acted, and the results spoke for themselves.

Even while he reveled in his victory, Demiurge's eyes stayed focused on Vesi. He watched as she interacted with the maids that still surrounded them. The awe in their gazes as she spoke, and the subtle way Vesi shrank away at every shout, almost as if she were trying to become smaller, to be less imposing—maybe she was even trying to hide. She was overwhelmed, that much was clear, but there had to be something else leading to this behavior. Demiurge felt a pang of concern for her. Their return had been sudden, and its emotional toll was becoming quite evident. Yet she still carried herself with the grace and beauty befitting a Supreme Being. Even if she remained composed here, enough was enough.

As Demiurge gently urged her on through the crowd of servants, he made a mental note to shield her from unnecessary interactions for the time being. His lady was exhausted, and while he was eager to reunite her with Lord Ainz, it was clear things were becoming too much. This was a delicate situation that required a careful touch—something he prided himself on possessing. Protecting Vesi was now his highest priority, and he would ensure her reintroduction to Nazarick would be as smooth as possible.

They neared the entrance to Ainz's office. His lady had not spoken much since they arrived, but she seemed ready, so Demiurge took a moment to gather his thoughts. He needed to present everything perfectly, both to frame his actions in the best possible light and to keep things brief so his lady could rest as soon as possible. He glanced back at Vesi. The weariness was clear in her eyes, but every time he looked at her, he was filled with joy. She was here, safe, and happy, all because of him. He straightened his posture, his tail swaying behind him as the anticipation built. Soon, he would stand before Lord Ainz, Vesi by his side, and deliver the greatest report of his life.

He could already imagine his lord's reaction—the happiness in his voice, the approval in his gaze, the subtle nod he might give Demiurge. He would, of course, remain humble; but inside, he would know that he had once again proven his worth. Not just to Nazarick, but to Vesi. She would see that he was trustworthy, a guide, someone she could rely on in this infinite world he'd brought her back to.

[Philian Apolesai]

Back in the darkness of Nazarick. He was home sooner than intended, but its comfort was always welcome; especially now as anticipation ate away at his heart. Demiurge had requested to meet him right away, but he was not here. Had he been injured? Laying the foundations of some intricate plot? His mind buzzed with potential explanations, each idea worse than the one before. The devil had never left him waiting before and any possible reason for it couldn't be positive. The sharp snap of his journal closing startled the maid attending to him, but Ainz barely registered her reaction. He'd been doing his best to look busy. A supreme being shouldn't be waiting for anyone after all, but he couldn't be bothered with the act anymore. Instead. he rose from his seat to pace around his room. His nonexistent stomach twisted in knots. The suspense was becoming unbearable. He knew he couldn't outmaneuver Demiurge in a battle of wits, and the more he tried to rationalize the demon's lateness, the more he feared it would come to that.

Perhaps he was going too far ahead. The best thing to do now was wait for Demiurge to arrive and move from there.

Finally, the moment came. Ainz felt Demiurge enter his office. He was standing just at the entrance. But then, there was someone else that joined him, pushing Ainz's fear to its peak before it was suddenly washed away. The residual anxiousness hadn't faded, but it was enough to help him think logically. There was no point in still worrying when the answer to all his questions was just outside. Bracing for the worst, Ainz stepped out of his bedroom and made his way to the office.

The sight that greeted him was completely unexpected. For a moment, Ainz could only stare. He had prepared himself for so many possibilities, but this…this was beyond anything he had imagined.

"Vesi..?"

[Philian Apolesai]