“What a man… it’s enough to make me wish for a crisis, like a demonic invasion or something, just to get to see Momon again.” Evileye said and let out a longing sigh before she slumped back in her chair in their booth at the adventurer’s guild of Re-Estize.
“Don’t even joke about that.” Lakyus shuddered, shut her eyes, and her quiet voice became grim as the grave. Her hand touched the hilt of her sword. “Demons are powerful and dangerous. Even now, this one claws at my mind, this dread being threatens always to consume me, to devour me, and to use me as his instrument to wreak havoc upon all the world… It’s only my own great power as a priestess of the god of water that keeps it bound.”
Inside her mind, she heard the foul sword speak, ‘Crazy bitch! For the last time, I do not want your mind! Who would want a chuunibyou body like yours? Eh?! No. No. No. No. No. No. Just swing me into soft living things to make soft dead things, and I’m happy. I’m only a ‘named’ demon sword, I’m not an actual demon… I’m really nice if you’d just get to know me!’
“Always he speaks to me, like a siren, calling me with sweet words to my doom…” Lakyus opened her eyes, “Please, never joke about that.”
‘I’m not talking to you for a month! Blasted chuunibyou girl!’ The sword screamed at her, and went quiet.
“There, I’ve suppressed it again.” Lakyus said in response to worried looks from her sisters in Blue Rose. “But really, don’t joke about demons.”
Evileye touched a hand to Lakyus’ palm, “I’m sorry, that was insensitive of me, I just picked the least likely thing, I forget how much you struggle for all our sakes. But… I just miss Momon a lot.”
“I wonder if Momon’s a cherry.” Gagaran said with a deep chuckle, “He might be able to put up a good fight either standing or lying down.” Her squared jaw framed a broad grin that didn’t give away whether she was joking or not, and she looked around with interest to see if there were any new boys to deflower.
“Probably not, muscle head.” Tia and Tina said together. “He’s traveling with Lupu.”
Evileye looked down at her untouched beer, and felt suddenly quite depressed. It was Lakyus’ turn to offer comfort.
“Hey now, I’ll bet you’ll see him again before you know it, it’s only been a few weeks.” The radiant blonde priestess said as encouragingly as she could.
Guilds dotted the cities and large towns of the Re-Estize Kingdom, but among them all, only two stood head and shoulders above the rest: E-Rantel and Re-Estize itself. This one was especially large, a rare two story building with a small walled training ground in the back, and welcomed upper ranked city guards as patrons as well as adventurers themselves.
As a result, you couldn’t see clearly to the swinging double doors at the entrance, especially on a busy day like this one, people dodged and weaved past one another to find their tables and make themselves comfortable at the increasingly rare seating.
Adamantite adventurers however, never lacked for seating. Particularly ‘good’ seating. Blue Rose, having based itself out of the capital, had a permanent booth of their own at which nobody sat without their express invitation. Well seated in the corner, it was an easy place from which to get the attention of one of the many servers who roved the bustling hall.
The noise of conversation was as thick as good beer, and it was accompanied by the music of clinking armor, the sound of falling coins, loud mouthed insults, and hearty jokes. The thick smell of alcohol engulfed the room, as did the smell of hot food that was being prepared or served at nearly every hour.
It was because of all that, however, that it was the towering Gagaran who, alone among Blue Rose, saw what she saw.
“Yeah, right.” Evileye grumbled with a morose, downward glance, “Threats large enough to draw in two adamantite teams are really, really rare. Which is good.” She added with haste, “But those are about the only times I can really expect to see him.”
Gagaran didn’t look down at her sister, she only asked “Evileye, if I could make it so you could see him today, would you buy my beer for the next month?”
Evileye looked up at her towering red armored sister, her own vampire eyes glowing just as red as Gagaran’s armor from behind her mask. “I would do it for a year, forget a month. A man like that doesn’t just come along every day and say ‘How do you do’, you know.”
“It’s a deal.” Gagaran said and stood up to wave, “Hey Sir Momon! Lupu! Over here! We have a booth, come join us!” The hammer wielding behemoth of a woman waved her hand wildly back and forth overhead, and grinned almost like a guilty schoolboy when she saw that Momon heard her voice and was making a beeline for where she was.
Gagaran sat back down and looked smug, “Beer for a year, you said it, Shorty.” She teased the magic caster, but before the little mage could protest, she saw that she was not being mocked.
‘Momon…’ Evileye’s heart almost started beating again at the sight of the onyx armored mountain of manhood and muscle. Her eyes fluttered behind her mask in a maidenly sort of way that felt quite at odds to her. She quickly spoke to cover her own embarrassment at ‘nothing at all’.
“S-Sir Momon, please, ah, come, sit here! It’s so good to see you again I really didn’t expect it and I’m so glad that it wasn’t as long as I thought it would be and…” Evileye cut herself off as the rambling tumbled out of her mouth, grateful for the mask for the first time in over a century, she slid over and patted a seat beside her.
“Lady Lupu, please, join us why won’t you?” Evileye added when the red-haired beauty’s radiant smile came into view after she stepped aside from behind the leader of Axel.
“Gee, thanks.” Lupu grinned and flopped herself down.
Ainz reached out his hand to Gagaran, “Thank you for drawing our attention to you, I’d begun to worry we might not have a place to sit down.”
She clasped his hand, “Our pleasure, Shorty here,” she patted Evileye’s head beneath the red hood of her cloak, “was just saying she was going to pick up my bar tab for the next year, so of course I had to invite you to join us to share in my good luck.”
“Lakyus, Tia, Tina, Evileye.” Ainz said and shook each of their hands in turn before he sat beside the little magic caster.
“That is impressive generosity, I don’t drink a great deal, but I’d be rude to refuse such an offer of the colleague who evaluated team Axel for our adamantite plates.” Ainz said and removed his helmet to place it beneath the table.
“No worries Momon, I’ll drink some for you!” Lupusregina grinned and thrust her hand up in the air and waved it wildly back and forth.
“Er- yes, of course. I was absolutely honored to evaluate you, and I’m happy to have a drink with you both.” Evileye added with haste and wished that she was unable to blush, even with her mask, she felt like the dark eyed hero could see through her.
A busty young server with a tray full of silver looking mugs approached, blonde with a brown vest that cut off to show her bare midriff and wearing a dress slit up to the thigh and with her hair swaying around her back, she was dressed for attention. Her sharp features and gentle brown eyes were eye catching to say the least.
“Two more beers for our friends here, would you, Sylvia?” Lakyus asked as the server began to lay out the drinks. The server looked down at the eager smiling Lupusregina and caught a glimpse of the adamantite plate that hung down just over her cleavage.
“I’ll rush it so you’re not kept waiting.” Sylvia said immediately, and withdrew from view as fast as her legs could carry her.
“So, what brings you to Re-Estize?” Lakyus asked, filling the quiet of Evileye’s now tongue tied state.
Ainz shrugged it off as a minor matter when she asked. “Visiting the King, we were invited to a feast, I’d planned on a visit eventually, but this just made it more important to come sooner. I had wanted to do a few more quests, but there simply hasn’t been much worth mentioning. Though I hear there is a basilisk causing trouble and I planned on going to kill it, but it could have made trouble for the guild if an adamantite adventurer snubbed an invitation from the royal family.”
‘What a noble person, putting the guild ahead of his own desires…’ Evileye thought. ‘Perhaps… perhaps I can trust him with my secret, or… is he so good that… would he kill me?’ She didn’t even consider that it would require effort on his part, having seen the way he fought, her pride compelled her to admit it, both of Axel’s members were well beyond her skill and strength, and her instincts screamed at her that there was much more to both than met the eye.
‘If I want a future with him, I can’t start it with a lie.’ Evileye told herself, but the temptation to keep her cover through it all did not vanish in the least. “Where are you staying?” Evileye asked, “I have a place of my own here-”
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The server interrupted and laid down two large mugs, one in front of Lupusregina, the other before Ainz, ‘At least I can drink, thank goodness that alcohol was a big part of salaryman life.’
“Thank you!” Momon and Lupu said together, though if his voice was noble, hers was wildly enthusiastic, she took up the mug with one sweeping gesture and began to drink it down.
Ainz took his own up and began to drink like the rest, pacing himself to them.
Lupu and Gagaran caught one another’s eyes when drinking at the same moment, and began an unspoken, informal contest between the two. “Keep em coming!” Gagaran and Lupu shouted at once, and the server dedicated to the table returned before the first mugs were slapped down to the table and the two locked eyes in earnest.
“Not bad, little red beast, not bad. But let a veteran show a virgin how it’s really done!” Gagaran’s taunt lit the competitive streak in the battlemaid, and they snatched up their mugs again and began to guzzle.
Within an hour, Gagaran and Lupu were taunting one another’s drunk faces and chatting like old friends, trading barbs, and growling at one another whenever their mugs went empty.
Lupu slapped both hands down on the table and leaned over it, glowering up at the towering Gagaran, “You may be a mountain, but I’ll climb up and show you who’s boss!”
“I prefer young virgin boys, but you’re so damn pretty I might make an exception for you, Lupu!” Gagaran laughed, and far from blushing, Lupu straightened up, snatched up her mug, and they began to rush to outpace one another in draining the contents. Little golden rivulets of beer went down their cheeks, and it dawned on Lakyus.
‘No wonder Momon and Lupu work together, it isn’t ‘just’ strength, she’s got a wild beastial energy to her that complements his reserved and cautious ways.’ Lakyus considered the seemingly mismatched pair and reevaluated her prior poor thoughts of the cleric, Lupu. ‘She’s not undisciplined, she’s passionate like… a shorter and prettier Gagaran.’
Evileye meanwhile, had begun trading words with Momon again, and made a second attempt at drawing him to her home.
“If you have nowhere to stay, Sir Momon, I have a place here in the city! You could stay with me until your business is concluded at least!” Evileye raised her voice, her mask hiding her blush from everyone but herself when she looked up at the swarthy chiseled features of the dark warrior.
“That wouldn’t put you out?” Ainz asked.
She rapidly shook her head and thrusting her hands out in front of her, she shook them back and forth as well, “No, no really! I would… I’d love to have you spend the night with me!”
Gasps stopped the entire booth dead and they one and all stared down at the mage.
“Wow! She’s horny.” Lupu hiccupped and slumped back in her chair, “Go for it, magic girl!” She added.
“And people say ‘I’ am forward, really.” Gagaran added.
“Horny.” Tia said.
“Very horny.” Tina added, and the twins faced one another and gave sharp nods before reaching for their mugs again.
“Evileye-” Ainz began.
It took a second for Evileye to realize just how she’d said it. “Ahhhhhhh! Ex-excuse me! Yes, I have to, ah, tomorrow, things, reasons, excuses, ah, pardon me, I’ll ah… Sir Momon, I’ll see you tomorrow!”
They watched as Evileye fled, dodging in between people like she was rushing through a battlefield avoiding her foes.
“I believe that would be my cue to leave.” Ainz said and stood up, he held a hand out to Lupusregina, who took it with a wicked, flushed grin. “I’ll see to my companion, I planned on staying here for tonight, if there are rooms available.” He added.
“If there aren’t, tell them you can have mine.” Lakyus said, “We have rooms here on permanent reserve, but we never use them.”
“Thank you, I’ll do that.” Ainz replied and bowed, he glanced over to Gagaran, the woman had slumped forward and fell face first to the table where she promptly began to snore. “You should probably take care of that one too.” He chuckled.
“Passionate followers, a blessing, a curse, a gift, aren’t they?” Lakyus gave an indulgent and sunny smile when she glanced up at the dark hero.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Ainz answered, and the stumbling Lupu pressed herself against him as they walked away.
It took Ainz only minutes to acquire a room, receive a key, and then ascend the stairs.
As soon as they were out of sight, Lupusregina straightened up and began to walk normally again. “Apologies if I got too close, master.” She whispered as soon as they entered the room.
Ainz locked the door and looked around, it was a single bed, not unexpectedly, but it was quite large and covered with thick furs. “It’s fine, why did you start pretending to be drunk, anyway?”
“A message, master. From Sebas, they’re ready for you, and the next phase, to meet his tool and make it yours.” Lupusregina said and rubbed her hands together. “But the beer really was pretty good, and I like that big one. She’s fun, I wonder what that big smile would look like, all twisted and ripped open even wider, and what she sounds like when screaming in pain.”
“Just get some rest, I’m going back to get ready, wait for me here and neither leave nor admit anyone.” Ainz ordered.
Lupusregina nodded rapidly, “Yes, My Lord.” She said, and sat down on the bed when her lord vanished through the gate, and left her alone to wonder what it would be like to torture her new friend.
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For a moment, Arche’s vision was gone, there was nothing, and then when she could see again, she had only one string of connected thoughts. ‘Did Sebas kill us? Are we dead? Is this Heaven?’ She could be forgiven for the question, because beneath her feet lay the softest ground she’d ever felt. Rolling hills of perfect green, a bright blue sky and a light springlike breeze caressed her skin the way she imagined a loving parent would their own child.
To her right, a great lake stood still but for the small waves created by the breeze that lightly billowed through her hair. In the distance, a high tree grew with great broad branches in every direction. Her sisters’ fear, and her own, were rapidly diminishing when Sebas walked from behind her, stood between herself and Solution and said, “Welcome to the sixth floor of the Great Tomb of Nazarick.”
“Tomb… this is a tomb? Did… are we dead?” Arche squeaked out in disbelief, her bright blue eyes wide as the sky whose color they mimicked, or so they felt for a moment.
“No, you are very much alive, and I have informed my master of what an asset you have been to him, and your willingness to go to any lengths for your siblings, it is a sentiment shared by all the occupants of this place.” Sebas said, and then added, “Follow me.”
Unable to think of anything else to ask, or anything else to do, Arche followed Sebas toward the tree, it proved a pleasant walk, though her nerves were getting to her in spite of the tranquility of the place.
As she drew closer, she realized it was ‘not’ just a tree, the tree was also a ‘house’ of some sort. There was a door cut into the trunk, and the high branches had additions that lay balanced or seemingly ‘grew’ from the branches themselves in some instances.
When they were nearly to the door, two dark elf children emerged that Arche could only describe as ‘beautiful’. With their bright heterochromatic eyes, the girl in the dress wrung the staff in her hands like she was afraid she would get in trouble, while the young boy stood bold and brash with hands on his hips. “Hey Sebas, Lord Ainz is inside already, best not keep him waiting, he’s busy.”
“I understand, Lady Aura, I won’t be long.” Sebas said and bowed to the pair.
“Ah, will my… my sisters be coming?” Arche stammered, ‘Sebas isn’t actually a lord?!’ She mentally exclaimed, the feeling of drowning hit her, like she was being overwhelmed with sensory and world shattering experiences and a new revelation had just been piled on top of it all.
“They can wait outside.” Sebas said as reassuringly as he could, and Arche set the girls down. She put a firm hand on each of their shoulders and squeezed to keep their attention.
“Stay right here, alright? Don’t wander off. Understand?” She asked and ordered both at once, and found it needless. They seemed not to have her sense of distress.
They gave happy nods and flopped themselves onto the grass, Kuuderika lay on her back with her arms open, while her sister seemed to prefer to rest her back against the tree and stretch her legs out. “OK.” The pair said at once, then Arche followed Sebas through the door.
The door shut behind her, and it did nothing to allay her fears, nor did the impossibility of the house itself. Everything seemed to have been ‘grown’ into place, the tables, the seating, nothing betrayed the marks of having been ‘cut’ or ‘carved’ into being. ‘I’ve heard of plant based magic that was used on crops, and even to make some unique artistic shapes with trees, but… nothing like this?’ Her estimation of the power of Sebas’ master went up ever higher as she followed the older man deeper into the tree.
It wasn’t long before they entered a room with a single long table, grown into place like everything else, where a human male sat at its head. Sebas knelt when he entered, “Master, I’ve brought the person I spoke of, as you instructed.”
Arche went to one knee as quickly as Sebas spoke, she lowered her eyes and waited for him to speak. Handsome by most measures, with dark hair and eyes, chiseled features and a fairly solid looking build, it was difficult not to acknowledge the power of his penetrating eyes even from where they knelt at the entrance to the room, at least twenty feet from him.
He stood, and said, “Raise your heads.”
When she did so, he said more. “My name is Ainz Ooal Gown, I am the master here, and you would be Arche Eeb Rile Furt, isn’t that right? Sebas has spoken much about you.”
The noble tone was kind, but firm, commanding. ‘He… he is a nobleman.’ She felt the certainty crystalize, everything about him fairly ordered her to beg to serve his will. The air of command and authority came off him as it did off of the Emperor himself, but moreso.
“I-I, yes, My Lord. That is my name… I hope you’ve heard good things about me.” She flashed a weak, hopeful smile, the man in front of her was dressed as a magic caster, with flowing dark robes, a golden staff of carved twisting snakes with jewels in their mouths, everything about him screamed ‘magic caster’ and yet… she sensed no magic.
“If it weren’t, then you would not be here now.” Ainz said and approached her, “I’m told you have a talent, a very unique one that I might consider to be quite valuable. Is that true?” Ainz asked, but before she could answer, he put it to the test. “What tier of magic can I cast?”
“None, My Lord, I can sense no magic from you.” Arche said with confidence, ‘Just tell the truth, flattery will not end well.’ She told herself, wondering why someone with no talent for magic would ask such a thing.
It seemed to take him aback for a moment, and then a deep, rich laugh came from his squared jaw, “Oh, of course.” He stepped back. “Forgive me.” He said, and stepped back another pace, he held out his hand. “My ring, it hides my magic. So your talent, if it is real, is not unlimited. Good to know.” Ainz said and reached for the little gold ring, then slid it off.
It felt like a star exploded in Arche’s face. She covered her mouth to keep the threat of vomit from coming past her lips, and covered it by throwing herself at his feet. “You are god! The god of magic my master spoke of! Lord of the Abyss!” She cried out and cared nothing for the stinging pain when her head struck the wooden floor.
‘Well, that was a favorable reaction if ever there was one.’ Ainz reflected with dry discomfort at her adulation. “That doesn’t answer the question I asked, however flattering your answer was.”
The words tumbled from Arche’s lips like water over the falls, she rushed them out with a desperate urgency that threatened to either harden her soul or shatter it into a thousand tiny fragments just by being in his presence. “God of Magic… there is no tier number for what you can use. Even eighth tier is merely legendary, ninth tier I once heard a story of, and someone drunkenly once told me about a legendary creature that could use the tenth tier… but even the existence of something more… you don’t just use a tier… you are a God! If we have to name it, I would name it God tier magic!”
“Good enough.” Ainz answered with glib acceptance. He slipped the ring back on, and the supreme power he exhibited vanished like it had never been.
“With such… power, what can I… you offer me everything I want, but I can do nothing- nothing for you with your power.” Arche pushed herself back up to a kneeling position, but kept her eyes downcast.
“There is one thing you can do, one thing which will prove very valuable, but may put you at great risk. If it fails, and you die, your sisters will be kept safe, but if it succeeds, you will rise beyond your deepest dreams of strength.” Ainz said, and held out his hand. ‘Acting is hard.’ He thought briefly, ‘I should give Pandora’s Actor more credit for his skill at the craft.’
Arche saw the hand when it entered her field of vision, “Take my hand, Arche Eeb Rile Furt, swear to submit to the will of Ainz Ooal Gown, swear your absolute allegiance to the Halls of Nazarick, and even the dreams you don’t yet know you have, will come true.”
“Master… if my sisters live free and happy lives, the only dream I have that matters, will have already come true. I swear, I am yours, do with this body whatever you will, I will obey. I will test my comrades, tell you everything about my country, and follow you even to the point of death, or beyond it if you bring me back.” Arche swore, and taking his hand, she turned the palm down, and pressed her lips to the ring he wore on his finger.
“Then my first order is this, follow me.” Ainz said, and walked past them out of the room, leaving her to snap to her feet and follow as fast as she could.