For a few seconds, I simply stared into the beautiful, inhuman eyes of the demoness, where wet tracks still lingered. Then, without a word, I lifted the silent girl into my arms and laid her upon the bed, sitting beside her a moment later to rest her head on my lap. Albedo didn't utter a sound; she simply curled up and trembled when my hand first brushed gently through her hair. I sat there, stroking the beauty's head, feeling her tears slowly dampen my robes. The Overseer said nothing and asked for nothing. I remained silent, involuntarily comparing this situation to what had recently happened with Nigredo, and wondering: would I need a bedside counseling session with the third sister as well? Knowing Tabula, behind the persona of a positive ruffian—the "genki tomboy"—there could very well be a lonely, sad girl who just wants family warmth and recognition but doesn't know how to express it, so she acts out and plays the brat to attract attention. Damn it... Why didn't Satoru read all the background lore for every key NPC, leaving me to guess based on Japanese fetishes and stereotypes?! Great Powers! And I have to... I must! ...properly speaking, I need to pull Rubedo out of her "prison" and socialize her too... Pandora's Actor needs it as well... Oh Gods! Wait, I'm technically a God myself now... Anyway, someone tell me where to find the time and emotional strength for all of this? Please! I'm a solitary, misanthropic bachelor who couldn't stand social dances and ritualistic interpersonal relations even in a professional team, for fuck's sake! I am an absolute zero in professional psychology and psychotherapy—why must I be the one doing this?!
Alas, no answer came... However, about an hour into our seclusion, I felt Shalltear's presence outside the door. Soon there were two silently weeping girls, but they were now pressed against my sides. I met the morning lying on my back, embracing two snoring beauties who had fallen asleep in the middle of the night from nervous exhaustion, whom I had tucked into bed using levitation. Naturally, we were all fully clothed, and there was no hint of anything lewd.
The True Vampire was the first to wake. Blinking a few times and scanning the object her head was resting on with a hazy gaze, Shalltear shivered and slo-o-owly looked up. Meeting my eyes, her ruby orbs widened as far as physiology allowed, and then...
"Zellos-sama-a-ah," the vampire's pale cheeks flushed, and her gaze clouded over with a misty veil.
The sound of my name made the girl on my other side flinch. Albedo stirred, opened her eyes, found her gaze buried in my robes... and bolted upright faster than I could perceive the start of the motion. One moment she was lying there, pressed against me in a relaxed, sleepy state—the next she was half-sitting, propped up on her arms, staring at my face with a mixture of disbelief and horror, unblinking.
And then there was Shalltear, her happy smile widening as she began to raise her hands with the clear intention of throwing her arms around my neck and climbing higher.
"What-what-what..." the confused and clearly panicking demoness stammered.
"The Lord was so kind and gentle with us..." Bloodfallen purred in response, finally locking her arms around my neck and beginning to pull herself up. "Our first night together in his bed..."
"Huh?.. Ah!" Darting glances from her friend to me and back, then at her own dress covering her chest, then at me again, then back to Shalltear. A second for the phrase to sink in... "Get off him, you disgusting leech!" She lunged to rescue me.
"No-o-o-o-o!" the vampire whined like a literal child, holding onto my neck with a death grip as she was being pried away.
"Girls, don't fight," I sat up and embraced both beauties, settling them once more on opposite sides of me. "Better tell me, do you feel better after yesterday?"
"Master..." Albedo shrank back timidly within the circle of my left arm.
"We are happy, Supreme One!" In contrast, Shalltear didn't dream of being shy, leaning into me even harder and clearly eyeing the distance between our lips again. "You gave us such a peerless gift and were so indulgent toward our foolish behavior... our unworthy appearance... Oh!" The girl's thighs rubbed together forcefully. "My beloved, perfect man..."
"Not yours!" The demoness was offended by the violation of historical truth. "Lord Zellos brought only me here; you invited yourself in, you shameless flat-chest!"
"But does his mercy toward his unworthy servant not prove that the Sovereign is the kindest and most merciful man in the world?" Reaching Shalltear, who was currently drifting somewhere not quite in our reality, was no easy task.
"D-don't play with words!" Albedo flushed. "You... For one who insolently exploits the Lord's magnanimity to call him her own!!!"
"Hey," Bloodfallen chuckled, clearly not listening to her rival, "after all, since Zellos-sama really is our father, he should marry you off as the eldest daughter as soon as possible, before it becomes impossible due to wrinkles."
"Yo-o-ou!" I had to apply considerable effort to keep Albedo from lunging to tear her "vile enemy's" hair out. "You are His daughter too, you canned food!"
"And I'm the youngest," the vampire rubbed her body against me with increasing vigor, oblivious to everything else, "the favorite, and I'll stay with Oto-sama for a long, long time!"
"Shalltear, stop teasing Albedo," I pulled the over-excited Guardian back slightly. "I have no intention of marrying either of you off, let alone driving you away. And don't you think the age joke is getting a bit stale? Albedo is a demon and can live forever, just like you, preserving her beauty through the centuries."
"Forever... with the Lord..." As expected, the horned beauty drifted into nirvana. I only sighed mentally. The reroll hadn't saved me from understanding female logic as performed by the denizens of Nazarick. All that's left is to learn how to play billiards with dice and thereby become a Little God... Ah, right... exactly. Already am.
"Master, perhaps while this cow has drifted off into her vulgar fantasies, we could..." Shalltear began. I would be lying if I said I hadn't expected this too. Or that the proposal left me indifferent. But now was not the time or place. Besides, the girls needed to cool off and get reacquainted with someone.
"Not now," I gave both ladies a brief hug but released them almost immediately and climbed out of bed. Daaaamn, it's not that I strongly objected, but a bed that takes a normal person twenty seconds to exit (to crawl from the center to the edge) is a bit fucking excessive. But the task was set, and the task was done—I rose from the realm of coziness and comfort, refreshed and straightened my robes with a mental effort... and froze, trying to understand how I did that. In the sense that there was no such spell in my arsenal. Repair charms existed, but that wasn't it. This was just a fleeting thought, not even a wish, something like "it would be nice to fix my clothes," and... voila! Well, I need to properly look into the matter of my own divinity... yeah, right after I settle the previous hundred urgent issues.
Left without my attention, the women glared at each other for form's sake, but a moment later, both were by my side in outfits as perfect as ever. Magic, no doubt. Though some kind of their own, feminine sort. Glancing at the beauties, I realized there was no point in delaying the matter further. Signaling them to follow, I headed for the exit.
"Master?"
"I want to show you something. It mainly concerns you, Albedo, but I believe it will be... interesting for you too, Shalltear."
"We are both entirely at your disposal, Sovereign!" It was said in unison after another brief exchange of glares.
"Then let's go." We didn't have far to walk. All the Supreme Beings' quarters were situated close together. Of course, given the size of these suites and their number, the total area of the "Nazarick player apartments" probably covered a good dozen stadiums, and that's not even counting baths, nail salons, and the like, but still, it wasn't a trek. And then I did something that made both of my companions short-circuit. I knocked on the door. Or rather, I had only raised my hand to knock when it swung open on its own, and I found myself with an armful of happy girl.
"Creator!" Nigredo greeted me in a voice full of joy and adoration. Uh... okay, now I don't get it.
"Hey, get off him!" Shalltear immediately flared up and began to go feral. "Whoever you are!"
"And I'm glad to see you too, little valkyrie. Hello, sister!"
"Ni...gredo?" Albedo stared at her sister in shock. "Is it really you?"
"Yes! Lord Zellos healed me, both outwardly and inwardly. He corrected the foolishness of Tabula Smaragdina." At the mention of that name, the girl radiated something... I would describe it as a "sense of death." Even though she tried to hide it, hiding bloodlust from a Death God is... difficult. Even if a beautiful lady in a single tight black nightgown is hanging off him at that moment.
"Oh!" was all the Overseer could say. "My congratulations." Albedo smiled somewhat awkwardly, clearly not knowing what to say or how.
"Wait a minute," the battle loli narrowed her eyes suspiciously, "you called Lord Zellos 'Creator.' You know?"
"Yes," Nigredo nodded, finally detaching herself from me, albeit with a reluctance that was almost openly displayed. "After all, I am Nazarick's strongest Prophet. And while before my madness prevented me from understanding what I saw, much less speaking of it, now... though the future is still misty, especially around a being as powerful as the Lord, the past—especially the recent past—is open before me like a book. Though I was not in the throne room, I was there; I heard and saw it all, I felt and shared your emotions. And it was so wonderful!" Ow... well, that's a twist! On one hand, such a talent is, no joke, priceless. A level 95 Prophet is formidable, even if in game mechanics most skills associated with that class were essentially analogs to the Mirror of Remote Viewing and similar methods of detecting or peeking behind obstacles. In fact, the scrolls enhancing my Mirrors contained spells from this very class. It would all be great, but... my already ghostly sense of having a private life just died a final, agonizing death. Though...
"Nigredo, may I ask a favor of you?"
"Anything in my power, Master!" Right, I definitely know this enthusiasm. Albedo version 2.0. Though, more like an alpha version. Gods and demons, the nonsense that enters my head.
"Could you, if not refrain from prophesying in my direction, then at least not share your knowledge regarding me," after a thought, I added, "without extreme necessity." In truth, I could buff myself with anti-peeping spells, but it would be better if she just didn't do it herself... for many reasons.
"Of course, Master," the girl agreed immediately. Feeling the sulkiness of the others, I decided to clarify.
"This is not a matter of trust," I sighed. "It's just, well..." Oh, to hell with it, I'll say it plainly! "If I want to be intimate with you, my dears... At such a moment, the awareness that someone is watching me is... not great, to put it simply."
"Ooh, hehe," Shalltear began looking at Nigredo with an entirely different gaze. Okay, I don't even want to speculate on what perversions just crossed her mind. The demoness, however, clearly agreed with me.
"Well then, I believe you should talk in private, as sisters. Now that Nigredo is healthy, she will be well able to serve as your assistant, so bring her up to speed, Albedo."
"Yes, of course!"
"Come, Shalltear. I have a task that only you can perform."
"Ah, a personal task from the Lord!" the loli purred contentedly, pressing against my arm. "And what will it be? Do you want Shalltear to show you something special?"
"No," the succubus who had started to twitch toward us stopped, becoming one giant ear. "As you might have noticed, Nigredo has some minor wardrobe issues, and as practice has shown, you are an expert in that area." At this, Albedo finally relaxed completely. Apparently, the fact that her sister wouldn't be jumping on the Sovereign in a single thin nightgown was fully endorsed by the Overseer.
"Mmm," the prophetess was subjected to the vampire's scrutiny, "yes, I think I already have a few ideas. I'll prepare a couple of outfits... more interesting ones."
"Just don't get too carried away." My burgeoning intuition, survival instinct, or divine foresight—who the hell knows—but all my senses signaled that the vampire needed to be controlled in this matter. To prevent the emergence of something that wouldn't be allowed in every brothel. It's not that I'm against such an outfit on a beautiful girl, but there must be a limit. And not all at once, yeah. "Furthermore, that's not the only task. You all need to prepare outfits for the upcoming meeting with the embassy, and those outfits must be befitting of true ladies."
"Oh! I completely forgot!" Shalltear caught herself, her eyes rounding. "But if I'm choosing outfits for everyone... we need to decide on a color scheme quickly! And the style! Ah, Master, we cannot waste time on such an important matter!" I was decisively grabbed by the arm. "Please, let's hurry! I need to know your opinion on a whole bunch of questions!"
"Yes, of course," I agreed and, nodding to the sisters left alone, allowed myself to be led away...
Meanwhile. The apartments left by the Sovereign.
"So, the Sovereign healed you?" Albedo addressed her sister.
"Yes," Nigredo nodded and dissolved into a dreamy smile. "I was in an endless nightmare of madness, and suddenly He appeared. I felt His will driving away the voices, how my mind, shattered by Tabula Smaragdina, was coming back together. It was so... so... I have never experienced anything more beautiful!"
"I see... and what do you want to do next?" the Overseer asked cautiously.
"My role is head of intelligence, responsible for gathering information. That is what I was created for, and it is what I do best." Silence reigned for a few seconds. "As for the question you actually wanted to ask... I more than share your point of view. Only Lord Zellos is our True and Only Creator. He stayed with us until the very end. And he puts all his strength into making us better, so we evolve and be happy. And... if there are other Supreme Beings in this world... I will help find them... and ensure they never trouble our Master again. But on one condition."
"What is it?" Albedo tensed.
"Tabula Smaragdina is mine."
"You crave his blood?" The Overseer arched an eyebrow in surprise. "I don't recognize you, sister. Always so kind and soft..." The demoness smiled with the tips of her lips.
"He flayed my face, crippled my mind, placed me in an endless torture chamber. Simply out of a whim. If not for Lord Zellos, I would still be in that place... alone, cursed just at the whim of that pathetic cadaver whom our Master kept in Nazarick only out of pity."
"Well, I am very glad we agree, sister," Albedo's smile was now much warmer and more sincere. She even took a few steps forward and embraced the "head of intelligence" who had not yet officially started her duties.
"I am too. But... we have other topics for conversation. Personal topics."
"Yes?" the Overseer asked warily.
"I want a baby... from the Sovereign."
"Grrr..."
"But right now he is too busy to think about it. And we aren't ready. However... we are sisters. And we can share like sisters."
"Hmm... True," Albedo answered thoughtfully. "Besides, your talent for foresight..."
"Will be very useful in the struggle against the canned food," Nigredo finished for her.
"How wonderful that we understand each other so well and get along so beautifully!" The succubus's smile was now extremely satisfied.
"Yes... so how would you like to bring me up to speed and... sew me a dress to spite that little one?"
"Oh, of course, sister," the demoness nodded, paying no mind to Nigredo's smile.
Though the prophetess loved her youngest sister and was characterized by a non-malicious and peaceful nature, that didn't mean she intended to give her savior to anyone. And her prophetic gift suggested that Shalltear, upon learning Albedo had decided to sew her a dress, would bend over backward to find a way to surpass the "gift of a rival intended to sabotage the successful execution of the Sovereign's task." In the end, both would give their all to ensure she, Nigredo, looked as good and as attractive as possible in the eyes of Lord Zellos. After all, she was the eldest here, and that little brat was no match for her when it came to winning a man's heart!
Toward evening. One God slightly tired from endless explanations and preparatory bustle.
"...well, excellent work, Demiurge; involving the Black Scripture was very wise. Though showing that we know local etiquette so precisely is not worth it; it will cause suspicion." Looking up from reading the urgently drafted report provided by the demon, I fixed my gaze on the Guardian.
"Undoubtedly, you are absolutely right, Master! That is exactly why I wanted to recommend allowing a number of minor but obvious errors in the organization of the meeting for local aristocrats! This will not offend them at all, especially against the backdrop of the overall impressions, but it will create the image we need," the Strategist beamed at the praise, even wagging his tail.
"Good idea." I lowered my gaze to the text again. These were exactly the kinds of ideas I wanted to get from the Guardians when I called that memorable meeting. And it's all quite obvious: though the Black Scripture are combat saboteurs, they are also all heirs to old noble families of the Slane Theocracy or, at the very least, have been part of high society for years, meaning they are perfectly oriented in matters of etiquette and organizing high-level meetings. "Sebas..."
"Yes, Master?" The butler bowed slightly; he was currently personally providing "sovereign's oversight," as all the Pleiades were busy making outfits.
"Since you are to be responsible for organizing the official part of the meeting, I think it's best for you and Demiurge to work out the general plan together. When you finish, show it to me."
"I will put forth all my strength, Master," the dragonoid assured, bowing once more.
"Fine. In that case, get to it, and I'll pay a visit to Shalltear." I ended the conversation and rose from my chair.
Sebas couldn't object to such a statement, and both he and Demiurge simply bowed. How could you object by trying to impose some escort "befitting a Sovereign" when Shalltear currently had all the Pleiades except Aureole Omega gathered, plus Albedo, Aura, Nigredo, and even Mare, who also needed a representative suit? This was not counting the own retinue of the mistress of the first three floors.
Teleportation delivered me quickly and without unexpected problems to the private quarters of Nazarick's chief pervert. When I had shamefully fle... I mean, departed to attend to other important matters a few hours ago, Shalltear had just moved on to choosing styles of underwear, offering with great enthusiasm for me to determine the most attractive combination. And not only did she start trying them on herself, she recruited all the Pleiades for the job! That was when I realized I was no longer a man, but a boss. Simply because my first thought was: "Have you lost your mind?! The clock is ticking! We have deadlines and nothing is done!" The second thought, granted, was in a different direction and boiled down to the fact that if I allowed myself to stay in the room for even a minute, I would begin mass rapes, because the sight of Solution and Nabe in black lace slips, not to mention the other girls, completely banished any thoughts of work, but... But I had already irreversibly degenerated from a man into a boss, so even at such a moment, I realized that such a development could not be allowed, for there was no time. No time for this, damn it!
In short, Nazarick once again forced me to suffer from an encounter with the harsh reality of its existence and the surrounding inhumanity. Honestly, I was still wary of returning to the female collective of monsters who had buried themselves in rags under the leadership of an extreme lewd nymphomaniac, but there was no choice. Firstly, I needed Albedo and Shizu, but that's fine, I could have just summoned them. However, the second point was that Shalltear's enthusiasm needed to be controlled. Whatever it cost my male pride, I couldn't let matters take their own course...
"I greet you, Lord Zellos!" One of the mistress of the first three floors' vampire brides, who was standing guard in the corridor where I appeared, bowed hastily.
"Hello..." All the vampire brides looked very much alike, but this one's face was familiar to me, as were the long black hair that fell freely down her back almost to her knees, "Marischka."
"The Lord knows my name..." The girl began to shake with excitement, hastily pinning her eyes to the floor and nervously interlacing her fingers.
"Yes, you were a great help to Shalltear during the bandit hunt. Well done." I had already reconciled myself to the reactions of the residents here. I wanted to believe that! "Is your mistress in?"
"Y-yes, Sovereign..." From my praise, the vampire's trembling only intensified.
"Good..." Nodding to the white-skinned beauty, I headed for the doors of Bloodfallen's apartments.
It wasn't far; even if I think it's wrong to teleport directly into a girl's room, it doesn't mean I'm going to teleport to the other end of her domain. In short, after about twenty steps, I was approaching the ornate double doors, behind which female voices could be heard and the presence of many strong monsters could be felt.
"P-please, enough!" A pleading voice suddenly broke sharply from the din of some scuffle behind the door. And it wasn't a female voice... "I'm... I'm too embarrassed in this..."
"Lord Mare, you are criminally cute!" a spirited voice replied... Yuri Alpha's?
I push the door open, already sensing I'm about to see some wild nonsense that will make me hurt, and-and-and... And, yes. Nazarick did not fail my expectations! The poor elf boy was dressed in something doll-like and lacy, white, with a full but short skirt, black tights, shoes with flowers, and... flowers were also woven into his hair above his left ear. And he... he... this trap! He was blushing, fidgeting, cowering, and looking so... Damn, maybe I should just say screw it and turn him into a girl? I still have one Wish, and that would immediately rid me of a pile of brain-ache problems. I'd just have two cute dark elves guarding my coliseum at once, twin sisters at that; he wouldn't even have to change his wardrobe, and then...
Stop! No-no-no-no-no!!! I know where that leads! Indirect yaoi is still yaoi! No way! Curse you, you fucking Japanese perverts, I almost fell into your trap! Wait a second, he was created by a yaoi fangirl, not a pervert... Yes! Exactly! Yaoi fangirls, burn in hell too! I will never forgive you for making me want to strip a boy's clothes off! I hate you! How I hate you all, you cursed guildmates of Momonga! I had just put him in pants! Just put him in them! HOW?! Why did this happen?!
"What is going on here?" I don't know how, but I managed to say it calmly, without shifting into undead form. Surely it was the merit of some divine will—one hundred percent!
"Lord!" Shalltear rushed to me... still dressed in nothing but a provocative red slip with a decorative corset and fishnet tights... "Doesn't it suit Mare perfectly?"
"Why is he in a dress?" Hold on, hold on, man! You can do this! They won't break you! No matter what stupidity they commit, you will endure and overcome! You're a God, for fuck's sake! Don't fall for the provocations! Even if I desperately want to grab this red-eyed brat, throw her over my knee, and give her a good spanking! And the fact that she's dressed in a way that says 'grab and mount' has absolutely nothing to do with this desire of mine! No role-playing games, only a ruthless educational paddling!
"But you ordered it yourself, Master!" The vampire fluttered her eyelashes innocently, suspecting nothing.
"I... ordered it?"
"Yes! You said everyone needs to prepare outfits and that they must be befitting of true ladies!" Shalltear assured me with a happy smile, under the confirming gazes of Albedo and Nigredo.
"..." The gazes of all six Pleiades gathered in the room bored into me with curiosity and a readiness to execute any orders, but without a shred of guilt. Aura was also blinking like a perfectly honest and decent person who sincerely sees no problems. And even Mare... oh, this terrifying trap... even he, though he looked at me with the gaze of a beaten puppy with tears of shame in the corners of his eyes (curse you, yaoi fangirls! Curse you!), showed not a shadow of suspicion on his face that he might have done something wrong. "You misunderstood, Shalltear," what it cost me to say this gently... "The girls should look like ladies, but Mare must be dressed in a man's suit. My order for him to wear pants was never revoked."
"Oh!" The vampire covered her mouth with her hand in horror. "Forgive me, Lord! I made a mistake! It was never my intention to go against your orders!"
"Yes... I know," I place my hand on Bloodfallen's head to interrupt her apologies. "It's just..." I shift my gaze to the elf boy... Oh Great Powers, I can't look at him! In that dress, in that pose, with that expression—he is some kind of thermonuclear-obscene provocation of a rapist's darkest and most primal instincts! Bukubukuchagama, burn in Hell! Do you hear me?! Burn in Hell! "Put him in a proper suit. And, Albedo, Yuri, Shizu, I need you. Please, follow me." Removing my palm from Shalltear's silky hair, I turned toward the exit and, trying not to creak too much with my wooden gait, left the room.
How... how I lack someone sane in my surroundings! Anyone at all! Honestly, I feel like going and catching a mutant hamster in the forest like the canonical Satoru did. That hamster was sane; he would have understood me! But... But no. You can't mistreat an animal. It doesn't deserve a horror like life in Nazarick. Besides, how will a mutant hamster help me? He's a hamster! An animal that's sat in the forest all its life. What advice can he give me on managing a nursery of super-strong chthonic monsters created by a team of Japanese perverts?
I want Hapsiel!
No joke, yes! I want Hapsiel! Even if he wouldn't help my psyche, I'd set him on the residents of Nazarick, and he'd make them understand my pain! Oh ye-e-eah, Hapsi would punish them, boy would he punish them... They would answer for all my suffering! Ah, dreams, dreams...
"Lord Zellos, did we upset you in some way?" Albedo caught up with me in the corridor, looking touchingly into my eyes and interlacing her fingers. Two Pleiades hurried after her.
"Um..." A single look into her frightened yellow-green eyes was enough for my entire charge of indignation to subside, replaced by helpless resignation. They really just wanted the best... But yaoi fangirls should be cursed anyway! Creative ones especially! "Don't worry, Albedo," I stopped and drew the demoness close, kissing her briefly on the hair, just above her forehead, "it's just that Bukubukuchagama loved dressing boys in skirts, but I find it..." ah, why the hell should I invent lies? "embarrassing. As is the fact that when Mare is dressed in a dress, my body reacts to him as a girl. While some of my guild comrades loved that sort of thing, I am not a fan of sexual perversions. I understand it's a bit hypocritical, given that I have nothing against two beautiful girls being good to each other, but today Mare caught me off guard. You are not at fault; it's my own fault for not being specific when I gave Shalltear the task."
"Don't say that, Sovereign!" Well, here comes the accusation against the rival... "That flat..." I stopped the Overseer's heated speech by placing my index finger on her lips.
"Albedo, I do not like conflicts within the family circle. Both you and Shalltear are very dear to me, and when you start arguing or slandering each other, it hurts me. I have already said that no one is at fault here, so there is no need to look for it, alright?" I was shamelessly embracing and stroking the beautiful demoness's hair, looking touchingly into her eyes and lowering my voice almost to an intimate level. Naturally, the enemy's defenses were completely shattered.
"You are so magnanimous, Supreme One... My beloved Lord," the girl, almost purring, tried to press against me even harder.
"Now, now, you're making Yuri and Shizu jealous... and Marischka too," I noted the vampire bride standing not too far down the corridor, "and, I suppose, all the girls who are currently diligently eavesdropping on us from Shalltear's room." A collective rustling, scuffling, and a stifled squeak from the indicated room bore witness to my correctness. "Meanwhile, we have truly important business," with a "gesture of my hand," I open a dark gate leading to the treasury beside us. "So, focus, alright?"
"Yes, Zellos-sama," the demoness stepped back and diligently straightened the folds of her dress. "I am ready to follow you anywhere!"
"Excellent..." I nodded and was the first to step into the arch.
On the other side, we were met by... a vestibule. Effectively, it was a sorting hall where loot was supposed to be dumped before being distributed to different sectors of the guild treasury. Along the perimeter of the circular hall, which had a radius of about a hundred meters, were several double doors, currently blocked by black barrier films. Between them, along the walls, towered giant shelves for gemstones and art objects, such as life-sized golden female statues, aquamarine mirrors, man-sized emeralds, gem-encrusted cups made of unicorn horn... and similar seemingly useful, but not really, junk that has no value other than its high price. The main space of the hall was occupied by literal mountains of gold coins, some a good ten meters high, from which various decorated weapons, various jewels, artifacts, armor, and entire half-buried chests protruded. And yes, as in the other, less pompous storerooms, no one had sorted anything here in a long time...
I had not even managed to take a couple of steps when a series of ecstatic gasps erupted behind me. Yuri and Albedo surveyed the treasures sprawling before them with wide, saucer-like eyes, while Shizu alone maintained her utter composure. Not wishing to waste time admiring their reactions, I closed the portal and shifted into my undead form. The air here was thick with magical toxicity, and I wasn't particularly keen on testing just how resistant the body of the God of Magic was to it. A lich possessed total immunity to all poisons, so Momonga had never bothered with artifacts that provided such protection; as a result, they were absent from my current gear. Rather than risk it, it was simpler to transform. After all, the local miasma was calibrated for level one hundred players.
"Lord Zellos," Yuri addressed me, adjusting her glasses once she had recovered her wits, "why are these treasures in such a state? Even with the use of protective magic, this can hardly be called proper storage. If you give the word, we shall begin cleaning immediately..."
"Not now. Furthermore, the gold is lying out here primarily because the main vault has no more room to cram it in."
"Oh," the girl adjusted her glasses again, a nervous tic. "I was disrespectful; please forgive my lack of attentiveness."
"It is quite alright. Mass Fly," I flicked my wrist, casting the necessary charms upon us. I could have managed without it, but wading toward the required door while sinking into gold coins like desert sands or February snowdrifts held little appeal. That is exactly what would have happened—mountains of gold choked the entire space of the hall.
"Sister Yuri, there is toxic magic in the air," Shizu noted, sensing something amiss once we had risen above the first "dune."
"What?" The Head Battle Maid didn't immediately grasp her meaning.
"The poisonous mist is one of the defensive perimeters of the Treasury," I explained to my companions. "It is generated by the artifact Blood of Jormungandr. If you lack immunity or an item protecting against poison, you would die within a few breaths." As a dullahan, Alpha possessed undead immunity; Shizu was an automaton, likewise invulnerable to toxins; and while Albedo lacked a pure racial immunity—possessing only the high resistance common to all Greater Demons—she was a powerful tank with a host of class-based defenses. Additionally, her necklace functioned as a Greater Health Amulet—an artifact providing immunity to all diseases, poisons, curses, and several other negative status effects.
"So that is why... excuse me... that is why you chose the three of us to accompany you?" Yuri continued to inquire curiously.
"Not entirely. That was the reason I did not bring anyone else, but I need each of you for your professional qualities as well. It is time to introduce Pandora's Actor to the life of Nazarick, and I want you to help him acclimate."
"Pandora's Actor?" Albedo asked in surprise. "The being created personally by Lord Zellos and stationed to guard the Treasury?"
"Yes. You know almost nothing of him, correct?" Without ceasing our forward flight or my guidance of the girls, I turned to them, receiving affirmative nods in response.
"Due to my administrative duties, I know his name and title," the demoness began to explain. "I know he is an Area Guardian, comparable in strength to the Floor Guardians, and is responsible for preparing the gold to activate Nazarick's defensive systems, but I have never seen him."
"Hardly surprising. Pandora's Actor inherited much from me and dislikes interfering in the affairs of the outside world," I began laying out my prepared legend. "By nature, he is a Greater Doppelganger, capable of taking the form of each of the forty-one Supreme Beings, as well as utilizing their powers and skills, with the exception of the most potent ones. Moreover, he is intelligent and skilled in tactical planning, able to select the perfect combination of forms and combat tactics for any foe. However, what you must remember specifically, so as not to be caught off guard during your first meeting, is that his behavior is intentionally designed to mislead the enemy, causing them to lower their guard and fail to take him seriously until it is far too late. Perhaps I even overdid it slightly when imbuing him with this trait, so be prepared for some... performative childishness on his part." Truth be told, remembering Momonga's secondhand embarrassment from the manga, I feared the first one who needed to be prepared was me. But I was in undead form, which meant the "emotional stabilizer" was with me; the girls, however, needed warning. Yes, I remembered that just recently I wanted to unleash Hapsiel on them, but... fine, let's just admit that in reality, I am not ready for certain kinds of cruelty. Speaking of which... "Also, he will most likely shower you with compliments."
"Compliments?" The demoness blinked in confusion.
"As I said, he inherited much from me, and I consider you all to be very beautiful women. It would not be surprising if he perceives you as extremely attractive individuals and attempts to convey his warm regard as best he knows how. Unlike me, he is not very restrained in showing his emotions, so expect it to be... exuberant."
"L-Lord Zellos..." All three averted their eyes and began to flush crimson. Even Shizu, though she didn't turn red, looked down quite awkwardly. Something told me they had only heard the part about me considering them very beautiful.
"Well, here we are," I said, deciding not to dwell on the subject, as I lowered us before one of the doors sealed by a black barrier. "I haven't been here in a long time, but I believe this is the passage to the Armory."
"The Armory?" Albedo surfaced from her embarrassment. "But... forgive my curiosity, Lord Zellos, but were we not going for Pandora's Actor?"
"Correct, but it makes little difference which door we enter through. The Chief Manager's quarters are located in the very center between the main vaults, but the path through the Armory is shorter."
"Are there several vaults here?" the demoness continued to inquire. Right now, she looked more like an ordinary girl who had found herself in a new and fascinating place where everything was curious and unusual, rather than the powerful Overseer. Her curiosity also confirmed the fact that most Nazarick NPCs are ignorant of matters that do not concern them directly.
"Yes, the guild's primary treasures were categorized, with specific corridors and halls assigned to each. Armor, weapons, accessories, consumables, raw materials for production, plain gold, and so on. Unfortunately, once I was left alone, I no longer had time to sort the trophies, which is why you see such a mess here."
"Mmm..." Albedo hastily lowered her gaze, pursing her lips and unconsciously clutching the hem of her white dress. Oh, don't tell me she thought she had made me remember something sad again and was now blaming herself.
"Anyway, we've gotten a bit distracted and time is pressing," I said, trying to inject some cheer into my voice to regain the girl's attention. "Shizu, come here, please."
"..." The android maid stepped closer in silence, her unblinking emerald eye boring into my face.
"You should remember all the passwords in Nazarick, correct? Remind me of the password for the Armory." This was actually the reason I had brought her along. Momonga had visited the treasury years ago and had simply forgotten the required phrase. I could have used the "Universal Password," which triggers a hint to help one remember, but it was easier to ask the maid. It was faster, and it made her feel useful.
"The password for the Armory is: 'Thus shalt thou acquire the glory of the whole world, and all darkness shall leave thee...'" the ginger-haired terminator girl intoned dispassionately. As soon as her words faded, the black shadow of the barrier collapsed into a single point and vanished, revealing massive double doors several times the height of a man.
"Thank you, Shizu, you've been a great help." Mindful of the attitudes and desires of all Nazarick's denizens, I didn't hold back and patted the Pleiad on the head, trying to do so gently despite my skeletal hands being clad only in gloves. Though she was an automaton with a face that showed nothing, she loved to eat, and she loved to cuddle cute toys as well as the penguin named Eclair Ecleir Eicler—a special NPC who was a total joke. The gist was that he looked like a cute anime penguin and was only level one, but his lore was written with a massive ego fueled by a dream of seizing control of Nazarick. Meanwhile, he was the butler's official assistant in charge of cleaning toilets, and took great pride in his work. In any case, Shizu loved to squeeze him, meaning tactile pleasure was available to her.
Still unable to tell from the gaze the android fixed on the floor whether she enjoyed it or not, I ceased the "sentimental fluff" and pushed open the door, stepping further in. The Armory was a wide corridor, essentially a long hall with a five-meter ceiling and a floor paved with black tiles fitted so tightly the seams were nearly invisible. And, of course, the racks... many racks, literally groaning under the weight of the most bizarre and simply strange weapons. There were swords made of crystals, whips with striking parts like the body of a centipede, runic greatswords, and blades of pure, naturally flickering flame. Everything was here: spears, axes, morningstars, hammers, bows, crossbows... There was even an artifact plunger with one point of damage but a humiliation effect: "always hits the victim's face with the suction cup and disorients them for five seconds." For some reason, I wasn't at all surprised that a guild like Ainz Ooal Gown had dedicated a separate pedestal for this item, engraved with the names of the players who had been subjected to it.
Eventually, the corridor-hall came to an end, and we emerged into a rectangular room from which several more similar passages branched out. The room was large but rather austerely furnished, at least by Nazarick's standards: just a few sofas and a couple of tables with a purely utilitarian look, like a reception room. That was essentially where the furniture ended.
"Prepare yourselves; he is about to appear," I warned the girls, already sensing a presence similar to Narberal's, but much stronger, in the darkness of the corridor directly opposite us.
Confirming my words, a formidable figure stepped out from the darkness, clad in white, seemingly enameled plate armor that radiated so much bravado it involuntarily brought to mind Japanese mecha. Touch Me's appearance even somewhat resembled an Autobot from an old anime I had watched in my distant childhood. Not Optimus Prime in terms of photographic likeness, but something clearly related.
"Pandora's Actor, take your true form," I requested of the Treasury Guardian, wanting to avoid any elaborate theatrics.
The body before us immediately began to warp and, a second later, shrunk down to the average height of a hairless humanoid with white skin and black pits where the eyes and mouth should be. He had four fingers on each hand, longer and sharper at the tips than a human's; the doppelganger possessed no nose, ears, lips, or eyebrows. His egg-shaped head was topped with a peaked cap, and a mouse-colored greatcoat hung loosely over his shoulders. Beneath it, he wore a perfectly tailored light brown, almost yellow uniform adorned with several orders and medals, reminiscent of an SS uniform, though it was actually a replica of an officer's uniform from one of the participants of the "European Environment Protection Infrastructure War" that had taken place in Satoru's world about twenty years prior.
This marvel clicked the heels of his cavalry boots loudly and brought his right hand to his cap in a dramatic salute.
"Welcome, my creator, Lord Momonga! I greet you in my office and must note that you have become even more magnificent since you last visited me!"
"I am also glad to see you. I hope your solitude has not been too burdensome..."
"What are you saying, Lord Momonga?!" the doppelganger shouted expressively, spinning theatrically on the spot and causing the hem of his greatcoat to flutter "majestically." "After all, you personally assigned me to this task! How could it be burdensome?! Every day I am full of energy!" He saluted me again.
"That is good." And it was even better that I was in undead form and the emotional stabilizer was with me. Cooling the skull was magnificent! "But you should know: I have changed my name. I am now called 'Zellos,' and I am no longer undead; that is now just one of my forms."
"Oh! As expected of my Creator!" Pandora's Actor spun again, managing to salute the ceiling twice to his right and left before finishing with a salute to us. And that was not counting the pathos in his voice. "You have managed to overcome the limitations of your race and step onto the path of metamorphism! Truly, you are my Creator, Lord Zellos!" Then he struck another theatrical pose sideways to us, holding his cap by the visor with two fingers. "By the way, what brings you here?" He switched instantly to an ordinary tone, discarding the histrionics. "You even brought with you the Overseer of the Guardians and the young lady maids..." His voice trailed off, and the fellow struck a theatrical pose of "terrible realization." "Could it be that you... finally have need of my strength?!" he finished breathlessly, drawing his hand from his face to his chest in yet another melodramatic gesture.
"In a sense." Wind, wind, you are mighty, you drive the flocks of clouds! You shall save me from shame, you shall drown this out... Bah, I couldn't finish the rhyme, but oh, how I love this emotional stabilizer! How could I live without it?! "Nazarick has been transported by unknown means to another world, and I could use your help in getting settled here. Since you are an expert in cataloging and sorting, I wanted to task you with conducting an inventory of all Nazarick's storerooms. Yuri will assist you with this, and at the same time, she will bring you up to speed regarding the state of Nazarick's domestic affairs. Albedo will help you acclimate to recent events, our plans, and politics. I hope you will get along and work well together. And by the way, since this is your first meeting, let me introduce you..."
The successive introductions of the beautiful Overseer, the eldest Pleiad, and the cute android gave them a little time to recover. If I had my emotional stabilizer, only Yuri among the girls could boast something similar, and perhaps Shizu had something related. However, since I didn't know for sure, I decided to do everything to give them time to adapt.
"Oh, beautiful ladies! I am immeasurably glad for our acquaintance!" the doppelganger spun again, placing his hand pathetically over his heart. "I am entirely at your disposal; I promise to put forth every effort to please such cuties!"
"Cuties?" It seemed Albedo's system had begun to malfunction. She didn't frown or twitch her eyelid, but she looked at Pandora's Actor with an expression that... well... was a mixture of pitiful, distrustful, and "can I run away? Pretty please?"
"Oh, my apologies!" the Treasury Guardian caught himself. Yes, by once again striking a pathetic pose worthy of a character from some glamorous anime about brooding boys. "It just slipped out, for you are so enchanting!"
"Well done, Pandora's Actor, give it to them! Let them also know a fraction of my Pain! Yes, my boy, we shall manage without Hapsiel, you and I..." My schadenfreude was interrupted by another gust of the emotional stabilizer in my skull. "Sigh..."
"Alright, I'm glad you've met, but time is short and there is much to do. Are you ready to go?" I interrupted their interaction, shifting the doppelganger's enthusiasm toward myself.
"Of course, Lord Zellos! I am entirely at your disposal!" During this short sentence, he somehow managed to salute three more times.
"Good," I opened a gate to my office with a mental effort. "Then let's go; you still need to be briefed on the current state of affairs."
---
Albedo's brief description of recent events didn't take long and was, in a certain sense, even curious. To the demoness's credit, she didn't distort a single real fact, but oh, the emphasis she used, the tone... If I were to summarize the general sentiment: I was magnificent, gorgeous, farsighted, and wonderful, and then some other stuff happened in the background—minor nonsense that was completely unworthy of attention. But I was so-o-o gorgeous, so gorgeous that the girls were squealing and rolling their eyes. To be fair, the girls present weren't actually squealing, but their entire demeanor supported their leader's sentiment.
Enduring this stage of my life stoically, and prudently remaining in undead form—though even then I wondered a couple of times if entrusting the briefing of Pandora's Actor specifically to the Overseer of all Guardians had been such a wise idea—I began doling out tasks. Specifically, determining which of the "lesser" vaults to clear out first and how best to organize it so as not to interfere with the visit of the diplomatic delegation. After conveying this joy... and no, jokes aside, the Pleiades were genuinely happy to receive a personal assignment from the Lord, as the fact that Narberal was currently receiving most of them saddened everyone, even if they didn't show it. In short, managing a female collective is difficult, especially if it doubles as your fan club. But one way or another, when the planning was finished, I released the ladies back to Shalltear to continue the war with the dresses... or for the dresses, it didn't really matter—and focused directly on the doppelganger.
"So, my many-faced friend..." Once the door had closed behind Albedo and the Pleiades, I steepled my fingers before my face, leaning closer to the desk. "While the ladies have left us, I would like to discuss a couple more topics with you." His intelligence should be comparable to Demiurge's, and his wisdom to Sebas's; it was to these traits I now wished to appeal.
"I am all ears, oh my beloved Father!" the jester exclaimed, drawing himself up straight... hmm...
Curiously, I understood him clearly, even though he had said the second part in something very similar to German. In any case, that "mein lieben" I perceived specifically as German. Furthermore, it sounded "foreign" to the world, even though one would think that if the speech of Nazarick denizens and the natives is translated so that you don't even realize its difference from your own, then the same should apply here. Yet, the phrase sounded exactly like German, without any translation, and at the same time, I understood it, even though I couldn't say I had mastered German in my past life—a few common words and phrases plus numbers from one to ten don't count. Another "undocumented" feature of divinity, like fixing clothes with a thought?
Interesting... Could it be something like the concept that Gods perceive the mental intent itself, regardless of how it is framed? And the local "magical translation" didn't work because... well, I don't know... Actor didn't want to be understood? Or was it because Momonga, or rather Satoru, didn't know German at all and had written phrases into the lore pulled from who knows where—possibly with errors—and half of them recorded in kanji by ear? That is, these very phrases weren't "translated," much like baby talk isn't translated, and...
I shifted from lich form back to my normal state. Because the thoughts beginning to flicker—"should I dissect a few test subjects to identify a pattern; perhaps a defect of the vocal cords temporarily acquired during resurrection might be hidden here"—were bad thoughts. And I wasn't interested in finding that out right now.
"First of all," I winced slightly, "speak and behave more calmly. I know you are perfectly capable of it. I am not forbidding you from complimenting the girls," because it causes them to hit a Blue Screen of Death and realize echoes of the Pain I feel, "but the flamboyance must be toned down. Fewer theatrical poses, saluting, and vocal overacting."
"You used to tell me it was 'cool,'" the doppelganger said, looking confused.
"Yes, but everything requires a sense of moderation. Expressiveness is needed to emphasize an important thought or action, but if used constantly, it loses its weight. For example, when a brilliant officer enters a room and salutes, clicking his heels, it highlights his brilliance—but only if done once, sharply and expressively, rather than being blurred by a sequence of similar actions for every single word and event. Pathetic poses are also appropriate only in certain situations where the atmosphere and solemnity of the moment call for them. Applied out of the blue or in perfectly ordinary situations, they can be perceived as... hmmm," but who was I to be shy around? "idiotic. Forgive me if I explained this to you incorrectly in the past; perhaps when I told you this, I was a bit overexcited myself and did not choose the best words."
"Oh, I see," the doppelganger touched his face with his fingers. "If such is the will of my God, I obey!" And once again I heard "Wenn es meines Gottes Wille" instead of the start of the second sentence, but I understood what was said regardless.
"And when you speak with the others, try not to use German. I fear most residents of Nazarick do not know it, and it might make them feel awkward."
"I thought of that as well," Pandora's Actor nodded without any histrionics. "It also occurred to me that Lady Albedo and the Lady Pleiades perceived my true form somewhat negatively. Perhaps it would be better if I used some other form for daily life?" Heavens! Yes! Actor, if you were a girl, I would have kissed you already! A relevant question right off the bat! On his own initiative! A clarification so the boss is shown exactly what the boss needs! Not "let's genocide all living things for the glory of the Lord!"
"I don't mind. Choose whichever one is convenient and comfortable for you. Though I must ask you not to take the form of Tabula Smaragdina. Especially in the presence of Albedo or any of her sisters."
"As you command, my lord, but may I ask why?"
"The fact is that they both feel quite negatively toward him. Due to personal reasons, including his departure from Yggdrasil. Almost all Nazarick residents took the departure of their creators very hard, but if you want to know the details, ask them yourself."
"Perhaps if this topic is unpleasant to them, I will not bring it up out of idle curiosity," Pandora's Actor informed me after a moment's thought. And again, without the slightest histrionics, but quite restrained and calm. "But that puts me in a rather difficult position," he continued. "I would not want to cause inconvenience or make anyone feel awkward, but in that case, I should not utilize the form of any of the Supreme Beings."
"You're likely right," oh Great Powers, he is actually sane, "but you can take some other form. It doesn't necessarily have to be powerful for daily life; it only needs to be comfortable."
"Then, with your permission, I shall take a moment to reflect on the task."
"As you wish," I shrugged, "I have no intention of limiting your decisions and actions as long as they do not harm Nazarick and its denizens. Well, once you've settled in a bit, I'll have more interesting assignments for you than inventorying our assets. Nazarick is beginning to interact with the outside world, and extra hands—and more importantly, a level head—will not go amiss in that interaction."
"Then I shall put forth every effort to live up to your expectations, my lord," the Actor bowed... hmmm, I'll have to think of a proper name. After all, "Pandora's Actor" is more of a title given by one nerd to a mob for the sake of drama, but it hardly resembles a proper name. Or should I not bother? A lich certainly wouldn't—as long as the unit works, there's nothing to worry about—but then again, I am no longer a lich... no, I'll think about it later; for now, my head is spinning and there's too much to do. And I want to relax... Speaking of relaxing, why not combine the pleasant with the useful and the promised?
"Glad to hear it. Well then, I won't keep you any longer: go, get acquainted with the others, and pick out a room among the guest apartments. You can't be running back to the Treasury every time you need to do paperwork or just rest." The doppelganger showered me with gratitude but... not excessively, and bowing once more, he soon left the office.
"Sebas, if you are free right now, could you come to my office?" I contacted the butler telepathically.
"I shall be with you in a minute, Lord Zellos," the dragonoid replied immediately. And not sixty seconds later, there was a knock at the door. Giving permission to enter and greeting him normally, I addressed my servant:
"I would like to discuss a punishment for the Pleiades..."
"A serious transgression on their part," the battle butler immediately understood what was being discussed. "I thank you, Lord, for deciding to discuss a possible punishment with me, but I do not know how I can help you... other than to ask that you forgive them after the penalty."
"I have already forgiven them," I smiled involuntarily. "I couldn't stay mad at you for long anyway." If anything, it's better to just incinerate them immediately and pretend such a thing never happened, but lately, despite all the intensity of the nonsense, the Guardians are showing signs of growing a brain—slowly, gradually, and not without hiccups—and that is good. True, their morality, worldview, and philanthropy are still not even in their infancy but in a pre-design state, but one cannot demand everything from them at once. "Nonetheless, there must be a punishment, otherwise they will learn nothing from this lesson. And since they love peeking so much..." And I began to lay out my plan to the butler. Frankly speaking, it was insane, nonsensical, and didn't resemble a punishment in the slightest, but given the local insanity, for some reason, I was sure it would be a hit. After listening politely, Sebas bowed his head respectfully.
"Truly, this is a most wise, gentle, and at the same time truly strict and educational move. I now understand Demiurge's admiration for your talents much better. Indeed, our Creator is incomparable."
"You flatter me, Sebas, but let us leave that aside. I see you don't mind?"
"No, Sovereign, this is indeed a worthy penalty... and a reward that will only intensify the punishment for the transgressors." Well, as expected. I have truly mastered the full mechanics of my monsters' thoughts.
"Excellent. In that case, we shall wait until they finish choosing dresses and then begin. You will inform them where and when their punishment will take place. Meanwhile, while there is time, invite Demiurge. You've finished drawing up the plan, haven't you?"
"Yes, Sovereign, everything is ready and awaits only your decision," the butler bowed.
"Wonderful, call him..."
Around midnight. Ninth Floor: Nazarick Spa Resort.
"So, ladies, do you all know why you are here?" Standing with my back to a low pool-bath and, accordingly, facing the six Pleiades and Albedo, I began the educational work.
"Y-yes, Lord Zellos," the Overseer replied nervously. The ladies had no idea what exactly lay ahead of them, and this uncertainty frightened them far more than anything else. Furthermore, the setting was undeniably confusing. Perhaps they would have felt more comfortable in a torture chamber than in the baths.
"Excellent. Then, to begin with, turn away." The girls obediently turned their backs to me. "Narberal, you need not turn away—I have no grievances against you." The battle maid stopped mid-turn and faced me again, her face a mask of total bewilderment. The others continued to feel nervous, their anxiety mounting.
"Now then, let me explain what your punishment will consist of..." Intentionally pausing, and keeping in mind a certain individual who recently appeared—or rather, returned to Nazarick's active forces—I began casting a complex of spells over the area against peeking, eavesdropping, and "history recording"—because I know these prophets. "As we recently discovered, you all want me as women. To call a spade a spade, you all want to fuck me. To such an extent that you are willing to watch me through a Mirror of Remote Viewing around the clock, completely transfixed by my most mundane actions. Correct me if I am wrong and any of you have designs on some other man."
"..." My response was a tomb-like silence in which not even the sounds of breathing could be heard. Furthermore, the ears, necks, and indeed all exposed areas of the girls' bodies were burning so fiercely you could have lit a cigarette off them. This was especially noticeable on Narberal, who was facing me.
"So then..." After allowing a proper pause, I began pacing unhurriedly back and forth behind them. "As a man, I understand you and must honestly admit that I feel similar sentiments toward you; after all, you are all very beautiful and extremely dear to me. To me, you are family, and I love you all—a fact that will not change even if you upset me in some way at some point. However!.." I paused again, giving the girls time to process and digest what had been said. "Precisely because I love you and wish you well, I must restrain you when you do something wrong, so that you might become better and not repeat your mistakes. This is the meaning of punishment: punishment must help you learn a lesson and reinforce it. This is especially important because you are all monsters, each with your own racial quirks of physiology and psyche that influence your actions and thinking regardless of your desires. Some of you are more passionate and impulsive, while others are more practical. This is not bad, but sometimes the urges of your nature can force you into committing foolish and at times harmful acts, as was the case this time when, for the sake of pleasure, you completely forgot your duty and your comrades. And to prevent that from happening, you must be able to restrain yourselves. This is especially important for you, Albedo, as my most trusted assistant and the possessor of the most power in Nazarick after myself." I stop behind the demoness and gently run my hand through her hair, letting a coal-black strand slip between my fingers. "A great responsibility rests upon you, for you are responsible not only for yourself but for all your subordinates and for Nazarick itself when I am not around. You must be an example to those around you, the one who cares for all Nazarick residents and in whom each of them will see an indisputable authority. This means that you, more than anyone else, must be able to restrain the urges of your demonic nature and control yourself, rather than becoming a slave to your own instincts. Do you understand me, Albedo?"
"Yes, Lord..." the girl exhaled in a trembling voice. "You are, as always, so attentive to your unworthy servant. Even when she has failed you, you explain everything so patiently..."
"I am glad you understand," I stroked Albedo once more, this time brushing her horns with my fingers. "It gives me hope that you will not bear a grudge against me for your punishment. Believe me, I would have preferred not to let it come to this, but the lesson must be strict and memorable, because if a transgression is merely chided and forgiven, it will yield nothing and will not help you overcome yourselves and your weaknesses."
"I would never dare to bear a grudge against you, Sovereign! I promise you, I shall endure everything!" The beauty's black wings fluttered and her hands interlaced before her face, but the Overseer did not dare to turn around.
"Good. I am counting on you," I said, running my hand through her hair one last time before taking a step back and... beginning to undress.
Nabe, watching me, flushed crimson instantly, but she didn't even think of looking away. On the contrary, her gaze slid hungrily over my body. It made me feel a bit self-conscious, but... in the end, when a gorgeous woman looks at you LIKE THAT, the discomfort fades quickly, while the satisfaction—hehe—does not.
"You are all forbidden from turning around or using any other means to peek at or observe what I am doing. Lupu, Solution—I know your body allows you to see in a wide range around you, but this is a punishment. You must endure it," I specifically instructed the Slime maid, who could literally move an eye to any part of her body or even outside of it.
"Yes, Zellos-sama, I understand!" the blonde assured me, clenching her fists and slouching slightly.
"Excellent. Now to the point. I intend to take a bath, and I will do so right behind your backs. You will know what I am doing, and you will hear what I am doing, but you are forbidden from watching. This shall be your punishment. This, and the realization that had you not abandoned your work for a whim last time—had you restrained your impulses—you would be joining me right now."
"L-Lord Zellos," Albedo swallowed hard, drawing herself up like a string and beginning to tremble violently.
"Yes, that is right," I smirked, feeling more like a terrible, wicked villain than ever before. "I warned you the punishment would be severe, but you must go through this." The poor demoness actually made her bones creak, her posture becoming so agonized, yet she did not budge. Good girl.
"..." It felt as if the general aura of Pain and Despair now radiating from the Pleiades and the Overseer of the Guardians was eclipsing the one "produced" by the Sunlight Scripture guys when they went to "visit" Neuronist.
"However," I noted, as my robe ended up neatly folded on a bench. Narberal's nose started bleeding... No, seriously! And she looked so ha-a-a-appy. "The punishment does not apply to Narberal. And speaking of which, why are you still dressed?" I looked into the eyes of my favorite samurai-girl.
"My Lord?" the Pleiad emerged from her stupor.
"I said the punishment only applies to the guilty. You, however, performed excellently in your role as my assistant. Despite the fact that your instincts demanded you slaughter the humans who annoyed you, you restrained them. You deserve a reward. So, how about scrubbing my back?"
"Ah?" Her eyes went blink-blink... "But I... you... with the Lord... in the pool... someone like me... and... wee-ee-ee!" It seemed she was feeling unwell. I mean, well, but... overwhelmed.
"..." Now the despair of the others became Full and Absolute.
"Of course, if you do not want to, I can ask one of the ordinary homunculus maids or borrow one of the Vampire Brides from Shalltear..." I removed the last piece of my wardrobe and stepped into the hot water.
"I-I... I-I... right now!" The Pleiad began to frantically disrobe, standing before me in just her underwear in literally ten seconds.
And it was then that I realized my plan had one ti-i-i-iny flaw. Well, technically there were many more—for instance, I seriously feared Albedo might snap and try to rape me regardless of the consequences, or that Shalltear would find out the dear Lord had gone to the sauna with the girls and come charging in—but I had accounted for those and developed countermeasures. This flaw, however, I had missed. It went something like this: "just how much Willpower am I going to have to exert to not take this beauty right here and now?" And I couldn't take her—no, she clearly wouldn't be against it, but it would hurt Albedo very deeply. The Overseer, by her nature and... hmmm, character, didn't mind "competitors" and certainly wouldn't object to the presence of ten or even a hundred mistresses; hell, she had suggested I "call the Pleiades and the maids" herself. But the problem was that she passionately desired to be the Chief. The sole one. That was essentially the root of her conflict with Shalltear—they were roughly equal in power and influence (the vampire was stronger, but the demoness held a higher rank), and neither wanted to yield. The others were by definition far below her and weren't perceived as a "threat." In such a setup, the fact that she would be bypassed by "just a Pleiad" could indeed wound Albedo deeply. She certainly didn't deserve that, so I would have to control myself and go no further than the most minimal caresses of the exotic beauty.
While I was lost in these thoughts, Nabe managed to get rid of her underwear too. Though she almost immediately wrapped herself in a towel. So this is what relief mixed with deep regret feels like?
For the next half hour, I enjoyed the care of a beautiful lady. Her class was Maid. A Battle Maid, yes, but a maid nonetheless. As it turned out, the Asians had packed into this concept not only the standard "servant-cleaner" but also everything their culture had stuffed into various hentai. So Nabe, once she got a bit comfortable, truly began to scrub my back—luckily the bath supplies were already on the edge of the pool—and she displayed remarkable skill in this procedure. Oh, those strong yet gentle fingers very quickly found the spots on me that I really enjoyed having pressed or stroked. And the towel quickly got soaked, clinging to the girl's figure in a way that emphasized her curves rather than hiding the "forbidden." In any case, when she began to lather my chest, pressing her upper beauties against my back, I could clearly feel how firm and tense the peaks of her hills were. And that hot, heavy breath against my neck... it was pure torture! Sweet, but the realization that I couldn't go past a certain line was a major buzzkill. Though the knowledge that soon, once the "proper educational effect" was achieved on the guilty, all this beauty would be mine, sweetened the pill. Also, the fact that I tried to convey my sorrow from the forced waiting to the others. Thus, I purred, rolled my eyes, and moaned blissfully, praising my maid's nimble fingers and commenting on how wonderful she was and how good she was making me feel.
So when it all finally ended and I donned a robe, the punished were nearly weeping in each other's arms, still not daring to turn around. As for Narberal... it seemed she very, very much wanted a continuation, and in its absence... perhaps she would go to Shalltear... or just borrow a couple of toys from her. Stop, don't think about that! I'm already holding on by Divine Will alone! And it isn't infinite! And I won't turn into the undead, because running away from pleasure is the ultimate low. Besides, I have no desire to lose the sensitivity of a scrubbed and steamed body. In short, I feel good... and if I pay a visit to the Sous-chef now and grab a mug of cold kvass, it will be absolutely perfect.
"I hope you have learned your lesson," I informed the Pleiades and the Overseer, "and I will not have to repeat it. You may turn around."
"Y-yes, Master, t-t-th-thank you, M-Master," the beauties' faces were sorrowful, with tear tracks glistening on some, and there were those sobs. For a moment, I felt like a real piece of shit. I wanted to rush to them. Hug them, start comforting them and apologizing. Doubts, suspicions that I had gone too far... no! I must endure this with honor! A punishment is a punishment! Negative reinforcement! Now they will know for sure that they shouldn't do that... or shouldn't get caught, but that's just paranoia. I did a good job, period! And now—for the kvass!
"Good, then pull yourselves together, wash up, and return to work. We have an important day ahead," and with that, I fl—I mean, majestically departed. For kvass, yes.
Meanly and despicably leaving Narberal, who was in a state of nirvana (though not quite, she definitely had certain desires, so total bliss hadn't been reached), to be torn apart by her friends. Though they wouldn't do anything bad to her, except maybe demand she describe in long and delicious detail what it was like to touch a certain modest God in various places and press against him almost naked like that. Well, whatever, let them blow off some steam; they probably need it. And now—kvass.