"Death is a mercy underserved by those that harm innocents", Tachimi.
Eternal Tower, Throne Room:
A long-awaited moment was about to happen. Ainz again pulled the strings of reality to his will and brought back something important to him. A person that was one of his dearest friends.
"I call you oh friend of mine and one of the 41… Arise! Tachimi, God-Warrior of Justice!"
Ainz chanted with the hope of succeeding in the ritual.
The light vanished, and what once was an artifact was now a ghostly being. It was not moving, just standing in the middle of the throne room. It was visible that it had some sort of armor on it, even when it was a ghost. But this being was not a mere ethereal being. It is a projection of someone. And this person was none other than Tachimi, brought to this world to aid Ainz in his quest.
The being spoke its first words, still being confused about where it was. "Where am I". It looked up to Ainz, only to recognize one of his friends sitting on a throne. "Momonga, is that really you?". It asked in a confused tone.
"Tachimi, it is so good to see you again, my friend. I've waited long to be face to face with you again." Ainz answered to the copy of Tachimi.
"I don't understand. The last thing that I remember is that I left Yggdrasil. But I can't remember anything further." Tachimi said in a regal tone. "And why do I look like a ghost? Wait, I am a ghost, but how?"
Ainz hurt to say such a thing to his friend that he is not even the real one. So he decided to tell a different story to him. "Tachimi, don't you remember when you got badly injured by a World Enemy? Your soul was unstable, so I took it and stored it in an artifact that would have respawned you in 12 days. But unfortunately, I got transported into this unknown world where we are right now. And I brought you back to life sooner than normal. And that's because you are a ghost. I needed to wait another 7 days for you to revive properly. Now it will take some more years for your body to reappear." Ainz was lying to the teeth. None of this had happened, it was all just to make Tachimi feel that he is himself and not just a copy. He hoped he could convince his friend with this small lie that sounded way too suspicious.
"I can't remember that I fought a World Enemy. But if I am here, then it must be true. For that, I thank you again, my friend, for saving my life as I once saved yours." He said in a tone full of justice.
"You had done the same, Tachimi. There is no greater honor than to lay one's life for his friend, is it not?"
"Exactly! Now, can you tell me where I am right now? And what is it with you and your thrones? Can you even sit on something else? It's always the same!"
"I just enjoy sitting on one of those. Don't blame me for being the Ruler of Death." Ainz put his argument into the beef, with full confidence that it would destroy any other. "To answer your first question, we are currently in my tower that I made recently. I discovered that in this world, magic differs somewhat from Yggdrasil. And I also saved a village on the way. They gave me some useful information about this world."
"I'm happy that we are in a safe place. But what makes me even prouder is that you have taken an example from myself and saved innocent people in the dearest hour."
"I did it purely out of information gathering. But maybe also to save them for the sake of justice. I'm not a total monster, just when it is needed."
Tachimi still had some questions left, but there seemed to be something wrong with him. "Momonga, what is happening to me?" Tachimi was nervous about this change. What was happening to him? "I am fading away. I can feel it."
"I didn't inform you about that, sorry. You have a cooldown for how long you can stay in the physical world. Forgive me for leaving such detail out."
"I would be calmer if I knew that! Now it seems I have to say goodbye again."
"Don't worry, I will work on a longer timer. For you, it will seem like a second has passed after you disappear. But for me, it can be days, months, or years." Ainz stopped talking because he realized his friend was already gone. Vanished from the world like he was never been there. Only leaving a small item behind, in which he resides until he can roam the mortal realm once again.
"Well, it was nice talking to you, old friend."
Eternal Tower, Research Lab:
The labs of the Eternal Tower were a sight to behold. It had a similar appearance to the throne room, but without the throne and the majestic carpet. On the left, there was a pod filled with green liquid between two pillars. And on the other side was a similar pod, but with a strange yellow-red mixture in it. These were very important to Ainz for one cause. He was experimenting with growing life out of non-metallic elements.
-Let's see how long it will take for the experiment to finish. The body will be created, but will there also be a soul, or do I need to provide one for it?- Ainz thought about the two creatures in the pod.
He looked at the pod to the left, trying to identify what had become of the being inside. -If I'm correct, there should be slime in this right now. The body seems stable enough. I could release this one right today. But the other will need some time to be ready.-
In there was a level 60 slime, born completely out of a chemical reaction between polyvinyl alcohol and borate ion, and with a bit of magic.
"I gave it all the information on how to transform into a humanoid shape and the ability to talk without vocal cords." Ainz was a little skeptical about this test, but he really wanted to see if it succeeded. He snapped his fingers and the liquid in the pod started to slowly disappear into the ground. It would be logical if there was drainage, but it just disappeared without a hint. A turquoise slime became visible to the eye and after all the water-like liquid went away, the pod opened and released steam from the pressure.
"Come forth artificial slime." He was beginning to sweat dark energy from his skull.
There was light, there was sound, and there was also a feeling of touch. This is what life is and what the slime began to experience. "Where am I?" It questioned itself, not even knowing its own name.
"You probably wonder where you are right now and who I am, is that right?" A deep voice filled the silence, and it scared the slime to know that it isn't alone in this weird room.
"What! W-Who are you? And what is this place? Why am I in here?" The slime rushed all the questions that it could think of.
"I shall provide you a quick information by telepathy." After finishing the sentence, the slime experienced an unfathomable feeling. Now it knew what it was, how it got here, and who the person in front of it was.
"So I was created by you?" It questioned Ainz.
"Of course, is there someone else?" Ainz laughed for a second, but continued shortly after. "Now, I should give you a name, to begin with… What about Miriel? That sounds nice."
"I have a name, but what is my purpose? I just don't understand." The newly named slime called Miriel applied.
"Your purpose is or was an experiment. For what you will do next is up to me alone." Ainz replied to Miriel.
For Ainz, the slime developed way too fast. It already could talk and ask the question every philosopher wants to solve. The meaning of life. Maybe he gave her too much information about how to think.
"W-Why should you decide what I should do? I want to decide what I want to do?" It said, leaving Ainz in a momentary shock.
-She isn't as loyal as the ones from Nazarick because she has no connection to me whatsoever. It's as if she is an orphan, and I'm a foster parent.- This was troublesome. If she doesn't comply, he would have no choice but to remove her. "I created you, and by that, you have to obey my commands. Do you understand, slime?"
Miriel felt the atmosphere change and get darker. She felt the danger the being before he radiated. "I-I understand, Lord Ainz."
And as soon as she complied, the pressure went away. "Good. I have sent you information on how to mimic a human body. Try to change into it as the first step."
The slime started to concentrate on the shape her master had given her. Suddenly she felt her body change into that form, slowly but surely. And in no time there stood a girl with a beautiful face and long blue hair and blue eyes. Still without clothes, but it didn't disturb her or Ainz.
"Here, take these clothes and put them on. I don't want you to be unprotected." Ainz pulled some clothes out of his dimension and equipped Miriel with them. Now she had a red coat and some light armor around her knees and elbows. Underneath the coat was a silver shirt, black pants, and grey shoes.
"For now, go to the armory and sort the artifacts according to alphabetical order. You can travel there by the portal." He told the slime that sort of knew what to do.
"Yes, Lord Momonga." And then Momonga disappeared into nothingness. "I will have to adapt to this lifestyle. I will obey Lord Momonga's command and go do my task."
Miriel disappeared into the portal and went to the armory. But she couldn't stop the feeling that she just wanted to run away and live her own life. It was an instinct that was telling her to run and not experience. Even when she was born a couple of minutes back, she had the intellect of a grown human. And with no loyalty to Ainz, she didn't have to stay in such a dangerous place. Ainz was hitting his head to make such a smart slime, but also being proud of it for thinking by itself.
When Miriel arrived at the armory, which is also a treasury, she was amazed by all the beautiful weapons and armors stored there. Divine quality items were scattered everywhere. "And I have to sort all of this."
Eternal Tower, Armory and Treasury:
6 days passed, and she was still on her first task. She didn't have to eat or drink because she found a [Ring of Sustenance] on a golden hand with many other divine rings equipped on it. She didn't inform Ainz that she took the ring. She feared he would be angry at her for taking it without permission. But somehow she knew she wouldn't stay long in this place. There were many powerful artifacts in the armory, and Miriel noted some of the artifacts in the armory to take with her when she has to escape the tower. Some part of her said to stay, but the instinct to flee this place was too great to ignore. It was as if something manipulated her to think that way.
{Miriel, it is I, Ainz. I will leave the tower for a short time. If you need any help, don't to hesitate to contact me.}
{Of course, Lord Momonga.}
This was her chance. Now that the one that hindered her from leaving was not in her way anymore, she could finally put her plan to work. Miriel sorted not only the items in the armory, but selected the most useful ones for her escape. However, she couldn't feel that it was too easy.
"It is time." She rushed to the items she wanted to take with her. She took a [Ring of Sustenance] and bow called [Centurions Masterbow]. This bow could pierce wood with even the lowest arrows. It was made of wood and had some interesting carvings. She chose the [Sword of Nature] as her melee weapon. It would poison enemies when hit with it. It is a standard shortsword with a medium range. As armor, she took the [Solitudes Hide] and [Cursed Hide Grasps] as gauntlets. Both would strengthen her resistance to unholy magic. The [Solitudes Hide] is of black and brown color and protects most of the chest area. The [Cursed Hide Grasps] were brown and had a small violet ruby on each one of them. This was all that she needed. But she wanted to be certain of her safety. She took a bag and put random items in it, hoping that they would be useful in the future.
-I can't leave from the main gate. The Dark Knights will surely stop me from leaving. I have to jump.- Luckily there was a window in her room, but it was hard to open. It was like a puzzle. She had to pull a lever on each side at the same time to open it. However, with her slime abilities, she could hold on to both of them and pull them down. The glass of the window went in all directions and opened itself, making the outside world visible.
This was the first time she saw the real world. For her, it was beautiful to see the birds fly in the sky and disappear behind the clouds. And the forest that was full of trees and bushes. Even when the tower was magnificent, the outside world with more colors felt more beautiful to her.
Miriel prepared for the jump to freedom. As a slime, she should be fine with falling from such a height. Nevertheless, the height was frightening. "I have to do this. Now. 1. 2. Three!"
The slime jumped easily from 50 meters down to the ground. A quick inspection of herself and she went off into the forest. "I did it. Now I just have to run away. Far, far away." She didn't feel it, but she was being watched.
"So, this is your grand plan, Momonga?" A familiar voice spoke.
"Tachimi, trust me, with her, I can explore the world how much I want. Now I don't have to do this on my own. I will learn through her eyes how she sees the world beyond this forest. Every movement will be recorded. I wouldn't send her away without a plan."
"You are cunning as ever, Ainz. But why don't you let her have a little bit of freedom? She became a living being just 6 days ago, and you already kicked her out of your house."
"That was her decision, with a bit of emotional manipulation from my side. I could just send her out with a command, but it wouldn't be as real. With her fear and hate towards me, she will surely ally herself with my enemies. And that's how I will know who to watch out for. She is like a camera, yet doesn't know it herself, isn't it brilliant?"
"Very clever, Momonga, but to face an enemy is the accurate way of a warrior, even when you don't know their abilities. Isn't that the fun of fighting, finding out your opponent's weaknesses? If you know everything already, that would be just boring."
"Preparation is everything, and you know that, Tachimi, as well as I do."
"Well, that's it on my part. It seems my time is over again."
"Don't worry, you already stayed longer than before. See you soon, Tachimi."
"Yes, Momonga."
And once again Ainz was now alone, floating in the sky as he was watching the slime run through the forest to the unknown.