Chapter 5, Part 15

Ainz let out a sigh of relief, as he watched Renner leave the throne room, the large doors closing shut behind her. However, it was far too soon to feel relaxed. First, I should confirm that there were no issues, he thought. Demiurge and Shalltear conveniently turned to face him, waiting for him to speak.

“I’ll need some time to prepare for my speech, but first, did you note anything unexpected during my audience with Renner?” Ainz asked.

“She seemed surprised and somewhat taken aback when Albedo revealed our plans for the nobles,” Shalltear offered.

“Fufu, it would be a bold move for a human king to make. However, it’s but a natural choice for the one who stands above all, Ainz-sama,” Albedo replied, her wings trembling with excitement.

“As expected of Ainz-sama,” Shalltear said with reverence.

Oh, you think she was surprised? She wasn’t even half as shocked as I was, Ainz thought bitterly. He had learned of the plan during the audience with Raeven, and was able to keep his cool when it was revealed to Renner. Luckily, I’ve learned about it in time and can make appropriate changes. Had I gone with my original speech, it would’ve been a disaster. I’ll have to ask Pandora’s Actor as to why he hadn’t told me about this detail in the overall plan. Don’t tell me, he didn’t realize this part of the plan that Demiurge and Albedo had come up with?

The thought was highly unsettling. Over time, Suzuki Satoru had developed three methods of learning what exactly the great Ainz had planned. The first was his tried and true approach of having Demiurge or Albedo explain the details to the other Guardians. Because of it, he tried to ensure that another Guardian was always present whenever he met the two NPCs. The second and more recent method was to ask Pandora’s Actor. While his questions were pretty straight forward, he didn’t reveal the truth about his incompetence, but rather explained his motivation by wanting to understand the others’ plans to make sure they don’t interfere with his grand scheme. Lastly, there was the method which he tried to avoid at all costs, speaking to the two alone, in hopes of deciphering their plans. It was the least fruitful and the most dangerous option.

If Pandora’s Actor’s deductions become unreliable, it would really put me in a tough spot, Ainz thought dejectedly. He wanted to massage his temple but restrained the impulse.

“Was there anything else that you noticed?” Ainz asked, pushing the many thoughts out of his mind.

Demiurge pushed up his glasses and looked at Albedo. “That time, right?” He asked a cryptic question.

“Indeed, she shouldn’t have behaved like that, unless…” Albedo didn’t continue speaking, instead turning toward Ainz and bowing. “As expected of the leader of the Supreme Beings,” she said, her cheeks turning red from a mix of blush and excitement.

Demiurge face-palmed and let out a laugh. “Truly unfathomable. Nothing can be hidden before the one we all call master.”

Stop speaking in codes! Ainz wanted to yell. This! This is the reason I can’t talk to them alone. A shiver ran down his spine, in anticipation of being asked something like: “How did you learn the truth?”

“What are you two talking about?” Shalltear asked, frowning in annoyance.

Oh, thank God, Ainz gave a silent prayer when he heard Shalltear’s question.

“You should’ve noticed it too. When Ainz-sama asked her about Climb, Renner became quite agitated,” Demiurge said, after seeing Albedo shoot Shalltear a look of superiority.

“So? She is quite close to the boy. You even told me not to kill him back then.”

“Yes, but she claimed that keeping Climb around was a fetish of hers. Her reaction was inconsistent with such a claim,” Demiurge explained.

“Oh. Then what is the true nature of their relationship? Could it be something as simple as love?’ Shalltear arched her brows as she asked.

“Inside, she’s a cold and calculating monster, I doubt she’s even capable of feeling love,” Albedo said.

“One doesn’t exclude the other,” Demiurge said as he caressed his chin. “You should know this better than anyone,” he added.

“Fufu, it’s only natural for me to feel such an emotion toward Ainz-sama,” Albedo replied, her face reddened from excitement. “The boy can’t possibly inspire such feelings.”

“Then, what’s the real reason Renner values Climb?” Shalltear asked Ainz, the others turned to face him too.

Et tu, Shalltear? Suzuki Satoru wanted to cry, the gratitude he felt toward the vampire before was replaced by dejection. The real reason, huh? I can only think of love as the reason, but Albedo already dismissed it. Should I say I don’t know? No, I can’t do that. Then what should I… oh, no, I took too long, Ainz thought as he realized the Guardians were waiting for him to speak. He was thankful for his undead body, otherwise, he would be dripping with sweat. The lack of visual reflection of his inner thoughts made him appear calm and relaxed.

“As expected of the two greatest minds in Nazarick,” Ainz began while trying to figure out how to get himself out of his predicament. “It’s natural for people to lie during negotiations. One could even say that misleading the other party and hiding what’s important to you are the fundamentals of dealmaking. Therefore, her attempt to get the most out of the deal, by misleading you, is not surprising.”

Ainz managed to come up with some more meaningless words, buying himself precious seconds as he looked for an escape path. He fell silent for a moment, as his mind suddenly stumbled on an idea.

“Being able to read people and understand their motivation is important, yet it’s rare to encounter someone of such high intelligence as Renner. This could be a good opportunity for you to improve your analytical and reasoning abilities,” Ainz said as he caressed his chin. I did it, I managed to talk my way out of that, Ainz thought triumphantly, some of his joy reflecting in his tone of voice.

“Thank you for the opportunity, Ainz-sama. We shall put our all into solving the problem you’ve presented us,” Demiurge said, giving a slight bow.

“Ahh,” Shalltear sighed, disappointment clear on her face.

“Fufu, the real reason isn’t important. What’s important is that not only do we now know that Renner values Climb’s life extremely highly, but she also knows that we know. The explicit understanding that we won’t act so long as she fulfills her role perfectly will work better than any threats,” Albedo explained after laughing at Shalltear’s reaction.

“Albedo is correct. This matter has given us another leash to use on Renner,” Ainz nodded. “How are things going in the Slane Theocracy?” He asked as the red dots in his eye sockets focused on Demiurge.

“Tensions are high, though we have avoided any open rebellions. Neia Baraja has been moved there and is now making rounds throughout the cities of the former Slane Theocracy. Once she completes her mission, the unrest should end,” Demiurge supplied

“She’s that effective?” Ainz asked in surprise.

“Indeed. Her ability to influence and inspire others has steadily improved since she left the Holy Kingdom,” Demiurge replied before his lips spread into a wicked smile. “It’s thanks to Ainz-sama’s plan that Neia’s potential was fully unlocked. Truly, while we are focused on what’s in front of us, Ainz-sama sees the whole picture.” The lenses of his glasses seemed to glow, as Demiurge rubbed his hands excitedly.

“You give me far too much credit, Demiurge,” Ainz replied. Come on, I didn’t even know about her existence until she began to proselytize the church of Ainz Ooal Gown. After a brief pause he continued: “I shall take my leave now, we’ll reconvene once it’s time for the final step in the Re-Estize’s conquest,” he said, choosing to end the meeting before he fell into another trap.

***

Neia Baraja was the biggest prize he had obtained from the events that took place in the Holy Kingdom. A trainee paladin in the Capital, her parents died during Jaldabaoth’s invasion. Her father was a hunter in one of the villages wiped out by the demons, her mother an adventurer of the mithril-ranked team Claw, that was eliminated during their investigation into the missing villagers. Apparently, she had seen Ainz in the capital, as well as his fight with Jaldabaoth. Inspired by what she had seen, and using it as a new purpose to continue on living after her parents’ death, she dropped out of her paladin training and started a new religion.

It seemed ridiculous, but unexpectedly, the girl had unlocked some sort of persuasion skill, enabling her to convert people. The Church of Ainz Ooal Gown, it was called. Ainz looked up some of the information on this new religion, after becoming aware of it. The religion seemed quite simple, with only one core tenet: “Strength is justice, weakness is sin.” This naturally led to the one demand imposed by this faith – the believers must do their best to become stronger. Only by becoming powerful could one stand up to fate.

It sounded like a rambling of a mad person, but timing was everything. After witnessing the fall of the strongest adamantite team in their country, those known as protectors of humanity, the morale was at its lowest, many citizens feeling dispirited. Neia’s message of self-reliance and changing fate through personal power struck a fertile ground, her message quickly spreading throughout the country.

Ainz didn’t want to be treated as God. It was bad enough with the way the NPCs worshipped him, the thought of being surrounded by religious fanatics made him shudder. But he understood the benefits that such a cult would bring. Not only would it lessen the likelihood of civil unrest among the territories he controlled, but should any players appear in the future, they would face difficulties finding collaborators to go up against Nazarick. Reluctantly, Ainz decided to make use of Neia’s talents.

***

Ainz teleported into the office part of his quarters and was greeted by the maid that was assigned to him for the day.

“There are important matters I need to focus on. Do not disturb me,” he dismissed her with the usual line and walked to his bedroom.

After the doors closed behind him, Ainz’s eyes swept the room, to make sure no one else was there. After confirming that the coast was clear, Ainz let out a sigh of relief, his shoulders slumping down. He walked a little closer to his bed, then jumped, diving onto it. It was a magnificent dive, one he had obtained after considerable practice.

He spent some time rolling around on the bed, enjoying the way it cushioned his weight, as well as the fragrant smell of the sheets. After a while, he laid on his back feeling relaxed and refreshed. This effect of his actions was somewhat strange, as there was no physical basis for it, but Ainz had grown to accept it. He lifted his hand toward the ceiling and focused on his bony fingers, flexing and relaxing his hand – a method to focus his mind, which he discovered a while ago.

He brought his hand down to rub his face. The matter regarding the nobles is troublesome but should be simple for me to act through. However, the speech to the commoners… Hmm, actually, if I make some changes I could even use it to push my agenda further. Yes, that’s the direction I should take, Ainz thought. He turned to look at the clock on the wall – an elaborate frame made of gold and silver, with grooves and wavy patterns, the face of the clock was a painting of a grassy field and blue sky, in the middle, a knight in shining armor fought against a demon of darkness, the weapons of the two fighters were used as the clock hands. Mm, I still have a bit over an hour, he noted. He spent it going over the exact words he would use, as well as practicing certain gestures in front of a mirror.

***

Sometime later, Ainz, Demiurge, Albedo, were seated in a certain fireplace room. A maid that was assigned to Ainz stood slightly behind his chair, while several Eight Edge Assassins were suspended from the ceiling. Ainz and the others were focused on the Mirror of Remote Viewing, as they observed the throne room of the Valencia Palace in the city of Re-Estize. Renner was also in the room, sitting respectfully some distance away. They watched as Zanac, who was speaking for a while, got up from the throne and stepped to the side of it.

“That’s our cue,” Ainz declared, as he got up. An oval of darkness appeared in front of him and he stepped through it. He was followed by Albedo and Demiurge, Renner bringing up the rear.

***

After Ainz departed, Shalltear bid farewell to Demiurge and Albedo before she opened a [Gate] and walked into it. She emerged on the other side, finding herself on the second floor of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, in front of Adipocere Chamber, her residence. A pair of undead monsters guarding the door saluted her as she walked over. She gave them a nod and entered.

Inside, she was greeted by the sweet, fragrant smell that hung in the air. She ignored several Vampire Brides that bowed to her, her eyes locked onto a man’s figure. She waved him to follow her and walked into one of the inner rooms – the playroom of her residence. It was a medium-sized chamber, a comfortable couch set against the opposing wall, various sex furniture was located on one side, while the other housed all sorts of implements.

Taking her seat on the couch, Shalltear enjoyed the look of growing discomfort on Brain’s face. The silence stretched for some time. Finally, Shalltear let out a long laugh.

“Why are you here?”

“I heard that Shalltear-sama has returned from her mission, and came to pay my respect,” Brain Unglaus replied, trying to keep his eyes from wandering to the side.

“Mm, it’s good that you are here,” Shalltear murmured, “it’s been a while since I had been… served,” she continued as a wide, wicked smile split her face.

“As your servant, it’s my duty to serve you…” Brain began.

“You know exactly what I mean,” Shalltear interrupted him. “Come here,” she ordered.

Unwillingly, Brain walked over to stand near her. Leaning forward, Shalltear dragged her nails over the skin of Brain’s arm. She laughed hysterically as she saw him flinch in discomfort.

“Ah, playing with you is so much fun,” she said while fighting back her laughter, “but I wouldn’t let you sully this body of mine, which belongs to Ainz-sama.” Having said that, she regained some of her composure, taking a closer look at the man. “How’s your training going?”

“The progress has slowed down, but I am still growing stronger. Since I no longer need to sleep, eat, or rest I am able to train far more than I ever could as a human,” Brain replied.

“Good. Work hard and don’t embarrass me in front of Ainz-sama with mediocre results,” Shalltear told him. She was about to dismiss him when a mischievous thought flashed through her mind. “I’ve just returned from a meeting with Ainz-sama and the others, an idea was floated to turn Climb into a monster.”

She watched closely as Brain tensed up at her words. Not fully satisfied with his reaction she pushed further. “What do you think? Should I turn him into a vampire, like I did with you?”

A shudder ran through Brain’s body, as he fought an inner-struggle. A few seconds passed before he spoke: “I am certain Climb would be overjoyed to become Shalltear-sama’s servant.”

“Is that so? You seemed to struggle with that answer. Are you perhaps dissatisfied with your circumstances?”

“How could that be? Shalltear-sama has given me power, an unlimited lifespan, and the best place to train. As a swordsman, I couldn’t possibly wish for anything more.”

“Is that so? In that case, you can continue with your training,” Shalltear said, waving him off.

After Brain left, her eyes moved onto the thin, sexy figure of one of her Vampire Brides. Shalltear felt the fires of desire begin to burn inside of her.

“You, come here and kneel in front of me, I want you to ser…” she suddenly stopped as a thought flashed through her mind. “Actually, get some guards and go bring me a couple of prisoners from the Frozen Prison. What were their names again,” she mumbled and pulled out a scroll. Unfurling it, she looked through the list of the Black Scripture members, though many had unknown names. “Hm, Bring me Loras, the Black Scripture Captain, and also the eleventh seat, a girl with blue hair,” she instructed, looking up from the paper.

Sometime later, the two prisoners had been brought into a different chamber in Shalltear’s residence. While the previous room was designed for the pleasure of the flesh, the current one was designed for torture. It wasn’t quite as elaborate as Neuronist Painkill’s torture chamber, but it was adequate for Shalltear’s needs.

She walked up to Loras, who was strapped to a standing table, and stroked his long, black hair. Smiling at his attempt to pull back.

“I plan on turning you into a vampire,” she told the gagged man, “but, it seems like the original personality doesn’t fully vanish upon the transformation. Demiurge suggested I break you down first, before turning. That way I’ll be able to observe the difference between you and Brain,” she explained. “So, I am going to torture you, physically and mentally, until you break. For science, of course.”

She picked up a scalpel from a nearby table and walked up to the bound man. She ignored his attempt to break free and calmly removed his eyelids.

“We don’t want you to close your eyes, now do we?” She asked a rhetorical question, a wicked grin on her lips.

She picked up another implement and walked over to the naked woman who laid bound to another table. She looked at Loras to make sure he was watching, then stared into the terrified eyes of her first plaything. Her lips spread into a smile of a predator that was about to catch its prey.

“Now, it’s high time I make you pay for the pain Ainz-sama had to suffer because of you!”

*****

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