The situation was as follows. Apparently, I was the holy prince of Nazarick, making me only second to the supreme beings. With my intelligence and leadership, I was meant to lead Nazarick to a glorious future in case the supreme beings were occupied with something else.
With my status, I was promised to wed anyone I desired and lead Nazarick with her by my side, but because of Albedo's request, I had been forced to take her as my wife, making me incredibly furious.
As a holy angel, I only ever desired to have one wife and now that position was taken by someone I didn't love or even admired as she was just another demon lusting after me.
In my anger and unacceptance to recognize her as my wife, I basically told Albedo to go fuck herself and die alone in a ditch. I would never accept her.
In an attempt to hurt her feelings, I would indulge in my sexual desires with anyone I wanted but her. After our wedding, I wouldn't even give her as much as a glance if I weren't ordered to do so while she waited for my forgiveness.
She regretted her decision deeply as she realized it made me hate her. Though heartbroken, she wouldn't give up on the one she loves with all her heart and would rather die than give another what she promised her husband, even if I wouldn't do the same for her.
She wholeheartedly believed that someday her love would reach me and that I may forgive her. And even though she was jealous of the way I treat the other women of Nazarick, she didn't dare to voice her discontent for fear she would estrange her husband even more than she already had. So, she just stood to the side and accepted the fact that her husband flirted and groped the willing maids.
She looked on as I gave them the attention she so desperately yearned for. She could only stand there with a smile on her face to hide away the pain she felt as she waited for the day her husband would return her love.
Even if she had to wait for an eternity, she would stand by his side, waiting.
…
My heart was just aching hearing this.
I got what I wanted. My waifu as my wife and an untouchable position inside the tomb. They also added some lore that I was very popular with the female population of Nazarick.
They even went as far as to change the settings of their creations to fit the narrative. It also seemed like the female population thought that Albedo had subtly given them her approval of their pursuits since she never said anything about their approach.
It seemed like the other Players really didn't like my creator. Everything they wrote was something that went directly against his ideas of my backstory.
I, on the other hand, was fine with most. In fact, I welcomed some changes since who didn't enjoy being popular with world-class beauties?!
However, it really broke my heart when I read the things about my relationship with my wife! I was complete and utter trash and treated her like shit because she loved me? What the hell?!
They even wrote that she never intended to force me to marry her, and it was just the misinterpretation of her creator!
You know what? I wouldn't be that mad if I knew it wouldn't affect me. They could write whatever they wanted, and I could just treat her like I wanted the moment we transferred to the New World, but there were just a few tiny problems.
First, would my setting affect me? Now one could argue about whether Momonga was acting befitting for his role, but he did take on several characteristics of being an undead overlord and that was just an adaptation to his race.
What was to say that a setting that was written into my being wouldn't change me as my race would?? The other NPCs completely embodied their background settings and unfortunately for me, even if I wanted to deny it, I was an NPC!
I could only hope that it wouldn't encompass my entire personality as it did for the other NPCs. At least in his mind, Momonga was mostly the same as well, right?
Besides being a heartless undead, he didn't turn into a goddamn genius because of his intelligent stat, although that was still up for debate, to my knowledge. Some theories about his subconscious doing all the planning. And the 'coincidences' he experienced were just subconsciously caused by him. Sasuga Ainz-sama!
Second, how would Albedo react to my personality, making a complete 180? I fucking loathed her a second ago and now I suddenly wanted to cuddle her and shower her with affection? Yeah, right, as if she would believe that. Maybe she would even think that I was possessed or replaced by something, though that would be solved by looking at the guild's overview of the NPCs…
There were also other problems besides my broken relationship with my waifu. They wrote I was meant to lead Nazarick with my intelligence and leadership. Momonga will certainly abuse that to make me take over a country or take my ideas as his own designs!
Was I going to tell him I hijacked his friend's child and was, in fact, a random guy who just wanted to fuck his other friend's children?
Yeah, no. I would probably lose any goodwill from the NPCs if Momonga announced my little takeover. Maybe Albedo would think that I killed her husband's soul and that certainly won't end well for me.
Oh, fuck me sideways! What the fuck am I supposed to do?? Pretend that I am a genius?! I can't just 'humu' my way out of their questions! Unlike other clueless people, I had muscles on my face and would be capable of expressions!
The only saving grace I had going for me was the fact that I knew future events and supposedly plans Momonga 'came up' with.
Another thing to worry about was the fact that I was an angel with a positive alignment! Would I be able to stand by when I see hell's lamb splattering commoners that were dragged into a war?? Or go through countless villages and massacre all citizens down to the baby?! It was fine when it was fictional, but having to be an accomplice to numerous heinous acts against humanity was stomach-turning!
What if Momonga asks me to murder a person I had befriended to show that I was loyal like he did with Sebas? Would I be able to do it? If Momonga decided I was a traitor, they would make mincemeat out of me! I would be done Done, no escaping that for me!
Breath in.
Breath out.
After a moment, I realized something. I could breathe on my own. Well, not really. I could move my torso up and down a bit like an idle animation would look like. That's new… Maybe I could wrestle out more control?
I shook my head, focusing on the most important thing. Either way, I needed a plan. I still got some time until the transfer and I needed to use it wisely.
Alright, I would need to act to make any personality changes in the new world subtle and natural. To make allies with the other NPCs would be unnecessary since even if they liked me a lot, they wouldn't betray Momonga!
However, maybe if they liked me enough, they would overlook any mishaps or suspicious behavior. It was unlikely, but worth a shot.
Maybe if they loved me like Albedo, they might even change sides, but I couldn't rely on speculations. It was my life on the line, after all. I had to be meticulous about this.
Despite everything, despite the likely painful death I would suffer if I was found out. No matter how I thought about it, it would be better to remain with Nazarick. They would be uncontestable in the New World, and I just didn't see a chance for the inhabitants to win this war. There was probably only that one dragon on level 100, and that certainly wasn't enough to win against every one of Nazarick.
I just had to avoid being found out to be a human reincarnated into this body or to be regarded as a traitor. As long as I was not a traitor and it vaguely fit my programmed personality, they pretty much won't care what I would do.
What about magic and combat experience? I probably had to gather it in the New World. I knew I won't see much action considering that I was stationed to protect my floor.
It wasn't even an entire floor, as it was part of the throne room. It was just behind the throne itself, leading to a secret lair, where everything I needed was stationed. So, to be precise, I was more of an Area Guardian than a Floor Guardian.
From what I was I able to gather, they were planning to put some work into that Area befitting for a secret boss of the guild. One member of the guild was eager to abandon another project of his as he got bored with it and instead wanted to focus on creating the prince's secret Area on the floor.
Either way, the other guild members didn't hesitate, planning to create several horny maids for me that would help with absolutely everything.
With all the background information I had now, I wasn't sure if I liked that. Cheating just wasn't my cup of tea, especially if it was equivalent to intentionally emotionally torturing my wife.
Despite my morals, I couldn't find it in myself to oppose it completely, especially with that one NPC. The most critical thing they had created that would certainly spur future conflict with my wife, my lover. It seemed like I really liked this girl and had thoughts about marrying her. She was equally inclined with the idea before my sudden marriage put a wrench into this idea.
She was disappointed with my marriage with Albedo, though she was happy and gained a favorable impression of Albedo when she had 'approved' of our ambiguous relationship even though I was married to her.
So, she liked Albedo and thought that she was indebted to her, while the same could not be said about Albedo. The silver lining was that Albedo didn't have loathing her as her background setting, but that would be inevitable given the context of the situation.
On another note, I didn't know which glorious weeb had suggested it, but my lover would be Fubuki! She was goddamn gorgeous, and I could see why I would fall in love with her. Fubuki and Albedo, both top-tier waifus, and both would be into me. If Albedo didn't end up hating Fubuki, I could just die out of joy.
Of course, I would still have to think of a solution for the future headaches between these two, which I was guaranteed to get. However, these weren't unsolvable obstacles. That I had years to get my act together was comforting, at least if my assumption was correct.
There were still several Players in that wedding just now and since it wasn't a raid, having so many people gathered would only mean that most people in the guild were still playing, if not all of them.
With determination, I planned out my approach as I looked at Albedo, who was standing in the middle of my temporary room after we were ordered to go inside. The room behind the throne and its NPCs would be under construction for some time now, so it would take a while until we would 'move' there.
With the order of going inside this room and nothing following it, I could practically do anything. Of course, anything within the limits of the game.
Albedo was still wearing her dress/lingerie, which was a sight to be seen, but unfortunately, I could only watch and not touch.
I decided to sit on my bed as I thought about what to do next. I should start acting as soon as possible, so it would become natural to me, and I wouldn't slip up in the future.
As soon as I sat down, Albedo approached me and the bed, which scared the fuck out of me. In a panic, I pointed at the chair next to my desk, which was angled into the room.
She paused for a second before she turned around, walked to the chair, and sat down. She faced me and at that point, I was freaking out.
NPCs giving commands to other NPCs?? I didn't even say anything! Wait! Maybe…
I knew they had retained some memories of their time as an NPC, but did that mean they already gained consciousness? If they did, shouldn't the Players have already noticed that?
No… not if the NPCs only acted strange when no other Player was around. Maybe it was because they didn't dare to react out of their programming in front of the Supreme Beings? Even if they did, it would only be a bug for the Players which would only result in them cursing the developers. Didn't that mean I could try to act out as well? As long as I wasn't going too far with it, it should be fine…
I looked at Albedo, who was still sporting the same expression. I pointed at her and symbolized for her to stand up, which she promptly did.
There was also the possibility that I influenced the game as it interpreted my input as the input of a Player. If my thoughts were converted to input, wouldn't that mean I had access to the commands of the Players?
'Kneel.' I concentrated without gesturing and watched as Albedo kneeled in front of me. 'Rise.' She turned towards me again. I didn't know all the Player commands, but I had to know which input the game accepted.
'Undress!' I thought and saw Albedo lose all her clothes. Her body was now covered with a potato sack-like linen. I then looked at the chair she sat on a minute ago and pointed at said chair. 'Disappear… Sell… Store… Destroy!'
[Authorization denied for User ]
Interesting... should probably avoid causing errors, as that would get the attention of the developers. I didn't know how this futuristic VR device processed the thoughts of the Players, but they had to direct the input to an API, which would then process the given information and validate if I was authorized to do what I wanted to.
Seeing the chair remained unharmed and with the message, it was clear I didn't have the authority to destroy it. So, I didn't have any admin rights or could destroy Hermorah's or guild's items, even if they were mere decorations. Was I a Player or an NPC?
I looked at Albedo, who was still standing in front of me in the linen. 'Get dressed' It seemed I was thinking too much.
Albedo, back in her dress, was standing there unmoving. The NPCs were just that, NPCs, which was why I could influence them. I was the anomaly, who was simultaneously an NPC and a Player.
I had to follow the orders of the Supreme Beings, but in that boundary, I could act as a Player, which opened up several options for me and closed some others. However, this was a step in the right direction. If I know what I could and what I couldn't do, I could come up with some things that would make my life in the New World easier.
Albedo was just staring at me. Still, I had to learn how to act and what better way to do it with the NPC, which I would act for in the future? Hmm, but if she was able to perceive my thoughts as input, wouldn't it be better if I was nice now to her?
Would these memories be kept by her, would they be overwritten by her programming, or would she have no impression because I wasn't a Player?
What was the best approach? I could wait and hope for the best, but then I wouldn't remember any of the memories of me being abusive that might be implanted into her mind… Argh. What should I do?
Even after thinking about it for dozens of minutes, I couldn't come up with a satisfactory answer, but I thought it would be best to lean into whatever background they inputted for me.
If she remembered everything bad, I had thought/said to her, I would at least know what I thought/said, and I could control how far I took things.
If she didn't remember and had additional memories, I would have at least made it a habit and I could easily come up with something that was in line with my character in the future. The chances of me slipping up would be greatly reduced.
So, in the end, it was best to act in character than hope for the best. I took a deep breath and, 'D-did you really think I would sleep with you?' Fuck! My face would scrunch up from the cringe, fortunately, my expression didn't change! Come on with more confidence and without a quivering voice. Just do it! Shia LaBeouf, give me strength!
'Aeh... just because we are married, did you think I would love you??... I despise you! The Supreme Beings… just ordered us to live here together, but you can forget about sleeping in the same bed with me! Yes, that's right, you can sleep on the floor!'
That was good, right? Though thinking about it from her perspective made my heart arch.
After she had married the love of her life, full of excitement, wife and husband went back to their room to spend the first night together. Unexpectedly, her husband not only didn't want to sleep with her but wanted her to sleep on the floor after telling her he hated her.
I wouldn't be able to handle that kind of reaction if that was the supposedly happiest day in my life. If it was me in Albedo's heels, then I would have been broken.
She didn't move as if she didn't want to believe what I said or what was most likely the case. It was a too complex thought to be processed.
'You know what I said!' I reaffirmed to exclude the scenario of her understanding me beyond Player commands.
It took several seconds until Albedo half sat, half laid down on the floor. NPCs couldn't really lie down completely.
That's kinda scary. I thought NPCs only took in simple commands. Maybe the game converted my thoughts into something Albedo could understand? However, wouldn't that mean that the game processed my thoughts differently than the other Players? After all, they needed exact commands to order them.
I would huff in frustration if I could. I had enough time to figure the details out. For now, being an asshole to my wife was the best thing I could do. Not a sentence I ever thought would come to mind.
…
It had been several years since my awakening, and the end was coming soon. Let me tell you, it always excited me when I saw another Player give Momonga their armor and items. It might be a sad thing for wannabe Skeletor, but to me, it was a joyous occasion.
Why?
Well, because it meant I would soon have my freedom and not the kind of moving around in a room if I wasn't given a specific order, but true freedom! I had wrestled out some control over the years, but that would never compare to living in real life.
I would still have to follow along with Momonga's orders, but I wouldn't be restricted by the set movements I was given. I could do a handstand if I wanted! Or a cartwheel! I could finally touch another person! I could go out and touch grass!!
Although not unrestricted, I would be free like I would be in a society, for some time I guess. Not a slave, but a citizen. That was something I longed for after all this time, and I could see the end approaching.
Momonga was mopping about for the last few months, but that was something I didn't care for any longer. In the past, I would have sympathized with him, but seeing all this happen in front of me, I was just happy.
I looked at the glorious couch in the Secret Hallway behind the throne room. It was part of my Area that I was guarding, though it was just the entrance to the scenery of my Area. My entire domain was already long done, as were the other NPCs. As for why I looked at the glorious couch was because of what sat on the couch. Her curves were on display through her tight dress, which made me wonder how the game didn't ban this for being an 18+ display. I guessed the bra made it non-18+, which would be a stupid reason, to be honest.
Fubuki sat on the couch, waiting there as I had ordered her. Usually, she would rest inside my house in the 'Secret Royal Backyard', which was the main Area I protected with the hallway leading to it. The 'Secret Royal Backyard' comprised a little forest, lake, waterfall, shooting range, and my abode, well technically my and Albedo's abode, but I had never allowed my wife to stay there. By now I had already fully embraced my persona of hating her, but I was fully prepared to smoothen things out in the New World.
Good thing was that Hermorah had already laid down the tracks for a happy marriage inside my settings. I only had to follow them, and I could have an idyllic relationship with my wife, but obviously, I wasn't satisfied with just that.
With the free time I had on me, I spent most of my time fantasizing about things and with the numerous beautiful NPCs visiting me occasionally. It was hard for me to not get greedy. Especially since I knew they would have a thing for me.
I heard the clanking of a staff in the throne room and, just like the many times I heard someone enter before, I quickly stood up and walked through the secret hallway to the throne room.
I didn't know the exact date at which the game would shut down since, without a calendar, I couldn't really track when the end would approach, but I knew it was close.
So, whenever I heard someone inside the throne room, I entered it just in case it was the day. For what reason did I want to be in the throne room, you ask? Well, I had to do the damnedest to prevent Momonga from changing my wife's setting!
I stood next to Albedo at attention as I watched Momonga approach the throne with an entourage. I was wearing my official royal clothes. Couldn't go around my armor as it was only when I was battle-ready. We patiently waited for the guild master to sit on the throne.
The guild weapon he had never wielded after its completion, now clanking on the ground as he used it as a cane.
Today was truly the day.
I would tremble in excitement if I could, as I thought about what would happen in a few moments. I would finally be released.
Momonga sat down and then scrolled through Albedo's setting with as much patience as he showed in the anime, but I didn't focus on that. I was just prepared to use my passive to attract his attention.
I couldn't damage him to draw attention, but I hoped the visuals and the shock of me suddenly activating my passives would be enough for him to close the window.
It wasn't like any developer would bother fixing some bugs at this stage. I would know, I had done some things that would have normally attracted their attention…
Fortunately, Momonga just closed the window again, changing nothing. He then looked at me and opened my background settings and skipped through the wall of text. Most of which had been added by Hermorah over time.
I knew everything inside my settings like the back of my hand since the exact details were read out to me by Hermorah, but even without his help, I had been able to open my settings. The unfortunate thing was that even with a data crystal, I couldn't change my own settings. Maybe it was because the input came from me, the NPC, that the settings were about.
I figured the developers prevented circular dependency. Basically, an object couldn't edit one of its parameters because doing so would instantiate the object again, which would try to edit the parameter again and so forth. It had to be an external user to edit it.
Maybe it was some other reason, like a simple access lock to prevent race conditions. Me giving input looked like someone was already editing it and thus locking any further editing.
Either way, I couldn't figure it out just by thinking about it, and in the end, it might be something else completely. The important fact was I couldn't change my own settings. However, I was able to change other objects and even some NPCs, but that was only once in a blue moon and only when their data input didn't reach the max input limit.
It was incredibly difficult for Hermorah to give me a data crystal since they were that damn precious. Not to mention figuring out how to use them before he took them away again. There had been dozens of errors and even the notice of a developer when they saw a bunch of errors popping up as I figured out how to get into the settings and change it for some objects. It had only grown more difficult when Hermorah realized that his data crystals disappeared when he let me store them.
Momonga then told everyone present, the butler, the Pleiades, Albedo, and I to kneel, which we synchronically adhered to. Though I wouldn't say I was too unsatisfied with Hermorah's changes to my settings.
My creator was adamant about getting his vanilla couple and for that goal, he added a bunch of background knowledge, so it would end up with me loving Albedo. He spent almost all his time gathering data crystals to add more flavor text before he was satisfied.
So, despite not being allowed to change the setting the others had written, he got what he wanted by adding stuff. Though since that was just an outcome that would happen after some time, I could just take it as a suggestion.
I didn't only want Albedo anymore. I want my cake and eat it too!
To be fair, Albedo was still my number one and I wouldn't be dissatisfied with only having her, but Fubuki, my strong number second, had already long entered my heart. Not to mention all the other baddies in this tomb.
Momonga then reminisced about his friends as he looked and pointed at every flag as he called out the names. Afterward, the two red orbs in his eye sockets vanished, indicating that he closed his eyes.
After a few seconds, he opened his eyes again and tapped the air in front of him. I knew what he tried to do, but that wasn't where my focus was at the moment.
I took a breath, and my nose was assaulted with all kinds of scents. Albedo smelled like… flowers?
My eyes were as sharp as they never were. I could see every detail which used to be omitted by the limitations of the game.
The senses were almost overwhelming, and I had to close my eyes for a short period so I could adapt to them. I didn't breathe either, as I tried my best to adjust. It wasn't just my senses, my mind, my thoughts were sharp and clear as if an ever-present fog had been lifted.
I knew I could just jump around if I wanted to and oh how I wanted to do that, but I could feel my wife's gaze on the back of my head. I restrained myself as I watched Momonga standing up abruptly.
"What's wrong, Momonga-sama?" Albedo asked as she looked at the standing guild master in surprise.
His eyes glowed as his eyes roamed her body.
Oi!!
"Momonga-sama?" She continued trying to get his attention, but he just stood there in silence.
"Is everything alright? Momonga-sama?" She took a step forward. "Is there a problem?"
His eyes glowed as he looked down at her cleavage. Don't make me punch you! I obviously said nothing. I couldn't really risk it, after all. Momonga had looked through our settings just moments ago.
His mouth opened slightly, clearly overwhelmed by the situation. There was no green effect, which was something I expected. That was an anime-only thing to visualize the suppression of his emotions.
"H-huh? The GM call function isn't working." He said as if that would make sense to the NPCs. Well, it did, but that was only the case for the NPC that was me.
Albedo obviously apologized for not being able to help, to which he sat down on the throne again and cupped the side of his face with his resting palm as he fell into deep thoughts. Not going to lie, he looked majestically.
He watched his staff float for a bit before he gave some orders to Sebas and the Pleiades and went back to his thinking pose.
"So, Momonga-sama. What should we do?"
"Let's see. Then, come here." Albedo readily approached Momonga. She was just an arm's length away, which seemed to have flustered the lonely skeleton.
"Albedo. I'm going to touch you." A scene played out as he touched her wrist and accidentally hurt her since he had his passive still active. A pained expression flickered across Albedo's face. Momonga drew away his hand. Who would have thought that he preferred the attractive woman to do his experiment? There wasn't a need to interfere now. He would be uninterested in those things soon enough...
"Forgive me. I forgot to deactivate my negative energy touch skill."
After a brief moment, he reached out for her wrist again, confirming that she indeed had a pulse. Contrary to the anime or the novel, she didn't have any exaggerated erotic expression. No doubt because Momonga wasn't her target of affection anymore, but it was me, the ass that abused her for years now.
I hoped she wouldn't remember anything. I had said some awful things to her, especially after my frustration at being stuck in a game had built up.
Momonga seemed to hesitate as his eyes flickered down to Albedo's breasts.
"Albedo… I, may I touch your-"
I coughed loudly, attracting his and Albedo's attention. I looked at him with my eyes narrowed and a smile on my face. After all, I still had to keep up with the pretense.
"Is there something you need from me, Momonga-sama? It would be better if my Wife and I would work simultaneously to optimize our time."
Albedo looked surprised before she nodded in acceptance and looked back at Momonga, who seemed to be mortified and then relieved. He thought for a second before looking back up at me and Albedo.
"You are right. Tell the Guardians of each Floor, except for the Fourth and the Eight Floors, to meet at the Colosseum on the Sixth Floor in an hour's time. I will contact Aura and Mare myself, so there is no need to inform them."
"It will be done." We said simultaneously and swiftly departed the throne room.