No matter how soothing and pleasant her voice was, Albedo's lengthy report about Nazarick's inner workings started to get boring. At least he didn't have to feign interest, as his skeletal face portrayed no emotion.
The main points from the overly detailed report simply boiled down to Nazarick not needing gold to function anymore and generating a magical aura similar to Veldora. Same as in the proximity of Veldora, despite his imprisonment, monsters just appeared inside Nazarick as well.
Most followed the same rules as before and were usually the types seen before, but on rare occurrences, some divergent pop-ups happened. The first three floors saw new types of undead. The fourth floor started to generate elementals. Even the fifth through eighth floors generated monsters suitable for the environment. Most were rather weak, but additional forces didn't hurt.
Most curious was the ninth floor. Next to forty-one already existing homunculus maids, a few new ones appeared, giving the head maid Pestonya an additional headache of figuring out what tasks to give to these new maids.
"For now, there are no additional servants on the tenth floor." Albedo concluded her report about the changes.
"Thank you. Is there anything else?"
"There is a list of proposals from Demiurge. Should I just read them or leave the report for a later inspection, Lord Momonga?"
"I think we can go through them. I would like to hear your input too."
Albedo smiled happily for a moment before returning to a neutral expression.
"The first proposal is to allow floor guardians to test the naming to see if there are any differences compared to ones you named yourself directly, my lord."
"Interesting proposal. Do you have anything to add?" Momonga asked. It seemed that letting two of the smartest Nazarick's denizens propose improvements worked like a reward for them, especially if he approved the propositions. On top of that, it meant fewer chances to mess things up as, even with |Dark Sage|, he could barely keep up with Demiurge and Albedo, whose intelligence went far beyond his own.
"I think the additional experimentation with granting titles could be beneficial as well. Even with lower life forms, such as goblins, the results of giving names and titles were astounding. Taking Rigurd as an example, his magicule count compared to a regular goblin went up about seventy times, almost putting him on the level of the strongest pop monsters."
"As always, you are on point. I approve both suggestions."
"Thank you, my lord. You are giving me too much credit," Albedo responded with a light blush as her wings fluttered a bit, making Momonga's non-existent heart skip a beat.
With a tactical cough, the Overlord inquired further.
"What is next on the suggestion list?"
"Considering we have limited information about the outside world beyond the forest of Jura and Veldora confirming having siblings of similar power, not to mention a group called Demon Lords, it would be best to not draw attention for now. Demiurge proposed to use Veldora's name as a disguise for our operations."
"Hmm, if we use his name, then it would be for the best to get his agreement on the matter."
"We could use Lord Peroroncino's blossoming friendship with the dragon to coerce it into agreeing with you, taking over his territories and leaving him as a symbolic protector." Albedo said.
She may have not liked the idea of putting Nazarick and the Supreme Beings in the shadow of some local dragon God, but at the same time, even imprisoned, his power was undeniable. Local lesser life forms worshiped him as their protector God for a reason.
The friendship between Lord Peroroncino and Veldora was a worrying turn of events in itself, but the likely explanation was their similar personalities. Even Demiurge thought that Lord Peroroncino didn't aim to usurp Lord Momonga, as he simply didn't desire to rule, only enjoy the benefits that the status of a Supreme Being provided.
Lady Bukubukuchagama was more worrisome, as her goals were unclear. But for now, there was no open conflict between her and Lord Momonga.
"If that is all then I will return to my duties, Lord Momonga."
"Yes, that is all for now, but I plan to visit Veldora later."
"Of course, I will prepare the escort. Shall I accompany you as well?"
Momonga knew very well what that question meant in reality. Either she will be at his side or she will go overboard with security measures, leaving him with a simple choice.
"Yes. I always welcome your presence."
Predictably, the answer was the right one and Albedo left his office with a radiant smile and humming softly.
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Before talking to Veldora and sorting out political questions, Momonga decided to talk with two floor guardians he had neither seen nor visited since arrival in this world. Namely Aura and Mare, the guardians of the sixth floor, both creations of Buku. He also knew she had not been to the sixth floor and the twin guardians hadn't left their domain to visit their creator.
Albedo cleverly had reunited Shalltear with Pero, relieving him from the task of taking his friend to visit his own creation but in this case he would have to do it himself.
{ Buku, I'm going to the sixth floor. Would you like to accompany me? }
{ I think I'll pass. }
{ They are your creations. }
{ I know. How to put it… facing them for me is the same as you showing player statues from the treasury. }
{ That bad? }
{ Come on, we both know what I am talking about. }
{ Buku, they are not just digital data anymore and they know you are in the Great Tomb. }
{ God damn it Momo, why did you tell them? }
{ I didn't. Everyone is connected through |Nazarick|. They just know you are present. }
{ You can't make me. }
{ What should I tell them? }
{ What do you mean? }
{ What do you want me to tell them when they ask why you are not visiting? }
Silence. Momonga waited and waited. She was not responding. He was all alone again. Even if they were floor guardians, the elven twins were about ten to eleven in human age, just children. And now he had to go and tell them their creator will not visit.
{ I will wait outside your office. They are my responsibility. }
Both teleported to the sixth floor without exchanging a single word. A large arena came into view. Once upon a time, the guild members dueled here, testing their builds and gear. Designed after the Roman Colosseum, the enormous arena was perfect for fights between players of the maximum level.
The clear blue sky above gave the illusion of them being outside. The floor designed by the nature-obsessed Blue Planet was his tribute to nature. Besides the arena, the floor consisted of a large lake and lush forest.
Momonga looked around but couldn't see either of the floor guardians, but his search ended a few moments later when a golden-haired head popped out from the balcony about twenty meters above the ground level.
The elven child jumped down from the balcony, did a somersault mid-fall, and landed, creating a dust cloud. Then she looked back at the stone door behind her back and ran towards the two Supreme Beings, stopping right in front of them.
"Lord Momonga, it is an honor to greet you on the floor Mare and I guard." Aura said in a cheerful voice with a bow, then bowed to Buku and added in an ice-cold voice,
"Lady Bukubukuchagama."
Buku knew that tone well. She used it when she was beyond pissed at someone.
Momonga could feel his friend deflating beside him. The second twin appeared from the stone door in the distance and ran towards them while holding down his short skirt. Both shared a curious feature, that being heterochromia, although their green and blue eyes were colored opposite.
There it was, the reason for Buku's shame. Two golden-haired, cross-dressing elven children. Aura was the brash tomboy, modeled after Buku herself as the loud and domineering older sister. She was dressed in a white suit over leather armor made of a red dragon. Momonga quickly looked into her new abilities.
The first one was the rather predictable |Unique Skill - Beastmaster|. It united her beast tamer and beast summoning abilities. The skill also held already tamed beasts for Aura to call them out at her leisure. Another one of her key skills was |Unique Skill - Ranger| that gave her the ability to move faster in uneven and forest areas and a magical summonable bow with an entire list of tricks to perform with it.
Mare was the shy younger brother, dressed in a short white skirt and vest over leather armor, made of blue dragon skin. He also sported thigh-high white socks and held a long wooden staff. Buku made him as a mockery of Pero in an image of how she claimed the 'younger brother should act towards his older sister.'
Despite his shy nature, Mare was the second strongest floor guardian and only Shalltear could defeat him alone. His first skill was |Unique Skill - Lord of Nature|, giving him almost unlimited control over nature around him. On top of that, he had a list of nature-based spells, including mass healing. Another one was the |Unique Skill - Earthwarden|, a skill that let him move and control earth. It also stored his two earth-dragon familiars and allowed him to create and summon earth elementals.
Same as his sister, Mare bowed once he ran close enough and said,
"Lord Momonga, Lady Bukubukuchagama. W-welcome to the floor Aura and I guard." Unlike his sister, Mare flashed his creator a shy smile.
"Aura, Mare, good to see you. We will not intrude for long. I just wanted to see how you both are doing and if you need help with your new abilities?"
"You are the Supreme Ruler of Nazarick, Lord Momonga. Your presence is an honor, not an intrusion." Aura said.
"Y-yes, we are doing fine. No problem with the new abilities." Mare added while clutching his staff.
"That is good to hear. I may want to borrow your skill sets for some tests on local flora and fauna."
"We are ready to serve!" the twins excitedly responded in unison.
"Then it's settled. I will bring you both outside to interact with the world. Buku, I hope you don't mind if I borrow your children?"
'Children?' Momonga clearly didn't call them her children by accident. After all, Pero and Shalltear considered each other as father and daughter, why would she and the elven twins be any different.
In the eyes of the twins, she was a mother who abandoned them. The shame she felt for making them crossdressers paled in comparison to the guilt of forgetting and abandoning them. They were just a bunch of digital data but a few days ago. Why did she feel such a pang of intense guilt suddenly?
Buku deflated against the sandy arena floor, wishing to disappear into it.
"N-no, not at all Momo," she finally stammered.
"Great, then I will leave you three to catch up," Momonga said, and teleported away.
'Wait, don't leave me alone!' She wanted to scream at him, but Momonga was already gone.
Buku looked up, afraid to meet her children's gaze. Mara looked afraid, uncertain, but Aura…
Aura's face displayed rage. She felt betrayed.
"Who wants to sit in my lap first?" Buku asked, trying to put up her high-pitched cheerful voice, but it just cracked and came out weird. When it was still just a game, she liked to put them in her lap, comb their hair and gush about how cute both were. Maybe that happy memory can bridge the gap her absence has made.
She assumed a chair-like form and extended a tentacle, inviting them. Mare took slow, wary steps towards his creator while glancing at his sister, who stood unmoving with her hands crossed. Once he stepped close enough, Buku did her best attempt at smiling and pulled her little boy into her soft lap.
Mare looked uncertain, even afraid. Buku patted his head and then said,
"Aura, you don't want to join your brother in my lap?"
"Is it an order, my lady?" Aura asked in the same indifferent tone.
"No, if you don't want to then that's fine. I just wanted to keep my children in my lap for a short while."
"I'll pass." Aura said and turned away, but after a moment angrily stomped towards her creator and sat in her lap while looking away.
To say that the scene was awkward was an understatement. Buku gently patted twin's heads and whispered,
"I am sorry. I was immersed in my own problems that I forgot…" How selfish she sounded. She tried to rationalize herself to two children who waited for her. From what she already knew, they remembered Yggdrasil. They knew how long she was away.
"I have no excuse. If you don't want to see me again, I will understand. Momonga can take care of you both better than I ever did."
The twins remained silent. Mare bit his lip and teared up with an expression of silently begging for her to stay. Aura sat unmoving.
"Lady Bukubukuchagama, please don't leave us." Mare whimpered.
"Of course, I will not leave. I want to stay with you both."
"Promise us! Promise you will not leave again!" Aura said in a broken voice, still facing away.
"I promise."
Aura flipped around, hugging Buku's gelatinous mass tightly as she mumbled again and again.
"Please don't leave us, please don't leave us again."
Buku embraced both of her children as much as a gelatinous body such as hers let her without having them sink in. She could never have imagined how happy she would feel about meeting her creations once again, now as living, breathing children.
Once both calmed down and let go of her, Buku said in her cheerful high pitched voice,
"Now who is up for some dress up. If I remember, Aura had mountains of dresses we still need to try on."
With a screech, "Not the dresses," Aura tried to wiggle away from her creator to no avail.
"You looked so pretty in a long frilly dress. Mommy wants to put her precious girl in a pretty dress."
"Not the dress, please Lady Bukubukuchagama, anything but the dress."
"W-we could wear matching dresses sis," Mare quietly added fuel to the fire as Aura let out another screech in desperation to get away from her two tormentors.
"Ok ok, I will not torment my little girl for my own amusement."
Aura stopped wiggling and eyed her creator suspiciously. She was her mother's copy after all and knew that deceit clearly was not out of question.
"How about you both show me around instead?" Buku asked as she grabbed both of her children by their hands.
"No dresses?" Aura asked with clear suspicion.
"No dresses unless you want to." Buku chuckled.
Not that she herself was against wearing dresses but someone else making that decision, even if it was her own mother, would have enticed the same reaction from her too.
Both children slowly led her towards a huge tree. Even if she found the way back to earth to her old life and body, she could never abandon them again. A familiar bound existed between them, stronger than she would have imagined possible.
Edited by Edgy.