With all the work-related tasks out of the way, Pero could finally prepare for the adventure. While he was standing in front of a mirror in his quarter's main living area dressed only in pants, trying to figure out how he should look as human, his sister barged in already fully prepared. If it was any other person, with the sole exception of being his concubines, he would have rattled them off for invading his private space.
'I'd still appreciate a damn knock every once in a while.' Pero withheld his mental grumblings to himself before meeting to face his sister.
"So we are going as our old human selves?" Pero asked, seeing his sister in her human form.
He couldn't help but notice that she had enhanced her looks a tiny bit. The changes were not enough to warrant complete surprise from him, but with his own perception being sharply enhanced, he could make out even the most minute of differences.
For starters, Buku's eyes were a tiny bit larger, looking much more similar to a European complexion. The bridge of her nose jutted out a little less, but it did not look awfully small. Her lips were equally plump on the top and bottom, giving way to a protruding expression. The once yellowish teeth she had going on back when she was just a human in the modern world were no longer there, being replaced with a pearly white color that did well to enhance her smile.
At this point, Pero knew not to question his sister as to why she would put a ridiculous amount of attention to her facial beauty. Instead, he was struggling to hold back in his laughter when he saw a particular change on the bulky plate armor she was wearing.
'The armor probably doesn't show it to other people, but I suspect she enhanced her figure as well. I can easily tell a woman's three sizes with just one glance even behind all that armor. Hah!'
The pride of his proficient eroge knowledge made Pero unconsciously nod a few times before he quickly cleared his thoughts.
It seemed that the gear his sister had chosen consisted of top-class plate armor. It looked a lot more down to earth compared to the legendary set she used in her default form. The only thing giving away that she was a woman when wearing a helm was a slight curvature in the midsection.
Thanks to Aureole's reconnaissance, they knew that adventurers for the most part had very practical gear and even intricate designs of top-class gear would make them stand out as a sore thumb.
Additionally, she had a shield, a broadsword, and a claymore all the same quality as the armor. Of course, both of them would keep their real gear in their inventory in case they needed to go all out but it was mostly an unnecessary precaution since if they did encounter something requiring a level one hundred player to deal with, a team from Nazarick would get dispatched immediately.
"We will stand out anyway, might as well have a visible reason for it." Buku shrugged. She then added in a teasing tone, "If you plan to use something overly attractive, I'll cockblock you every chance I get."
"Two can play that game."
Before Buku could make a retort, Pero was already in the midst of transforming into his old human self. He made sure to add some enhancements as the modern world's brutal environment severely degraded his physique.
There was a lot more muscle to his previously lanky form, giving way to an impressive tone. Finally, there was a bit more pronounced jawline, and overall Pero felt he did a great job at maintaining some of his old features while filling in some lost gaps.
He did not feel the need to make a change to his height in his new form. When he returned to his old height, he had stood almost a full head length taller than his sister.
Satisfied with the results, Pero turned around, spread his arms, and asked with a cocky grin on his face.
"So, what do you think? Not too shabby, right?"
"I think you should cover up before I go blind. And I'm not planning to fuck around. My boys are excellent at their jobs, so if I get bored, I'll call one over to the inn." Buku remarked flatly. She grew a half head taller to compensate for the height difference.
"Sure you will. I'm just taking Lupus with me." Pero dropped the bomb and looked at his sister's face for a reaction.
"Why? Did she agree to be your wingman on top of your regular shenanigans? Actually, I'm surprised Momo gave the go-ahead."
"Originally I actually wanted Shalltear to go with me, but Momonga and I had the same thoughts in the end that it was better for her to stay due to her important role as a floor guardian. In the end, she didn't want me to go without guards, and I felt Momo was going to say the same thing. I'll admit that I'm not the best when it comes to singling out candidates, but I decided that I might as well go with the adorable psycho."
"Correction; there's plenty of adorable psychos for you to choose from. But are you sure she can pull it off?"
"What do you mean?" Pero tilted his head, silently prompting his sister to explain.
"I know that every NPC is going to have to go through new experiences and stuff, but I have a feeling someone else would have been a better choice, like Yuri or Solution. Looks are one thing, but they might be more suited for this particular job." Buku explained to her brother while showing that she was still unconvinced of his reasoning.
"Oh please, Lupus is a natural actress! Have you already forgotten that I personally looked over the Pleiades' settings with Whitebrim and HeroHero during their creations? Yuri and Solution are capable, I'll give you that, but Lupus has that spunk the rest of the Pleiades are missing. Give her some pointers on how to behave, and she'll go way beyond your expectations." Pero pushed his sales pitch even harder.
"Sure… I guess that makes things easier. But you know, if you want to screw her, you'll have to pretend to be a couple."
"Pretend? Come on, what do you think of me? All my girls are special to me." Pero replied, rightfully feeling insulted.
"This isn't an eroge game, dear brother. There are no selective choices that put you on a fixed path, nor do you develop that bullshit 'relationship points.' If you want to actually put up a good effort into getting along with them, then it's better that you can't take advantage of the absurd strength given to you, me and our friends."
"Hey, I'm taking this quite seriously! There's no need to lecture me about the gravity of our situation. Plus, I've already looked into the potential candidates ahead of time. I still stand by my decision that Lupus is the best due to her sheer flexibility in acting."
A huff escaped Buku's mouth, and her foot that was impatiently tapping onto the ground eventually stopped. She was not being openly dismissive as usual which Pero immediately took into careful consideration.
"Right… And how long was your list? Two hundred types of candidates? I think I should ask Ainz to put warning signs all over Nazarick to let girls know that a perverted bird is on the loose."
"That is irrelevant. You know I put actual thought into this. And besides, I have a lot of love to spread around." Pero chuckled while reaching for a shirt.
"Yeah thanks, I didn't need to know that," Buku replied flatly with a deadpan expression. "Have you ever tried being subtle for a change?"
"As if it wasn't made aware to me that you ordered five maid outfits, but here we are," Pero replied, mimicking his sister's expression.
"Alright, you got me. Just get changed already," Buku grumbled.
He started to put on a chainmail suit with knee, elbow, and shoulder plating. Same as Buku, he chose top-class gear for his adventurer persona, but made sure to not look over the top.
"Oh, and by the way? I wouldn't try snooping around so much if you know what's good for you." Buku smirked as she watched her brother struggle to put on one of the armor pieces.
For whatever reason, Buku decided to veer off the topic of a potential candidate for the adventure, but Pero saw no need to jump back into it.
"Give me a break. My hearing has gotten better to the point where I can pick up faintest whispers regardless of what I do."
While the sharply enhanced senses were enjoyable to Pero, he lamented his inability to tone out the chatter of his concubines, particularly succubi who were very eager to discuss the private lives of anyone of importance. There were some things that were not meant to be heard by someone like him.
"If you are so sensitive, tell them to stop yapping around you then," Buku snickered.
Her mischievous smile dropped into a frown, something that Pero could not help but see and stare for a few seconds.
"Though I understand it's a pain in the ass to have excellent hearing. I'm not really the gossiping type despite what the guildmates thought of me and the other women in the guild."
"…Yeah."
To Buku, she was not surprised to see her brother barely changing his habits. It was quite easy for her to know what was going on around him.
In all honesty, she would not hesitate to resort to using ammunition against her brother should he ever step out of line, which was always guaranteed to happen in any time and place. But that did not mean she specifically enjoyed verbally torturing her brother.
There was a natural lull in the conversation, but no one questioned the silence. After another minute or two passed, Buku could see that her brother was finished with his preparations.
"Well, that should be everything, so I think I'm ready. I'll call in Lupus and we'll be ready to set off."
"Right. Did you take money from the treasury so we have a starting fund or should I go pick some up?"
"No need." Buku opened her mouth to say something, but stopped when Pero continued, "It's not that I had any problem, Ainz didn't let me get the funds. I think it was something about Yggdrasil coins betraying our origins…?" Pero asked that question more towards himself than his sister, but he received an answer anyway.
"It must be to prevent things from being traced back to us. As overly cautious our guild leader can be, I personally think this is a good decision from him," Buku replied without hesitation.
"Yeah, I was thinking the same. Anyhow, that didn't mean we weren't allowed to get something else valuable! I ended up grabbing a bag of the base gems which we can sell for the local currency." Pero pulled out a head-sized linen bag and jiggled it.
"I guess that works." Buku gave a nod at the decently sized treasure bag.
She turned her head upon hearing the sound of a door creaking open. Her tense shoulders relaxed when she saw that it was Lupus who entered with a deep bow.
"Lord Pero, Lady Buku."
"Hrm…" Buku eyed the maid skeptically. She specifically looked towards the more exposed parts of her outfit. "I can't help but have second thoughts now."
"Relax, sis. Alright, Lupus; While we are outside, we will use other names. I'm Itsuki and my sis is Akari. Whether we're in enclosed space or meandering with the locals, there won't be any honorifics and no bowing. You can start right away." Pero addressed Lupus.
The addressed maid straightened out, or rather she assumed a much more relaxed posture. Accompanied with her trademark smile, a glitter appeared in her golden eyes.
"Gotcha, Itsuki! So, when do we start?"
"I see what you meant earlier by being flexible. But she needs a different identity for her like us. Though, seeing how relaxed you are, I suppose you already got something under your sleeve, brother?"
"Naturally." Pero replied, already holding up what Buku quickly identified to be a doppelganger ring. The magic item was casually tossed at the maid who caught it in the nick of time.
"Go ahead and pick something on your own, I won't force you. But I'd prefer that you don't stand out too much."
"Understood-Ah, I mean, got it!"
Lupus caught the ring and put it on her finger changing into a pale blue-eyed beauty with light red hair bordering on a dark blonde. Both Pero and Buku almost sighed in unison as they both felt conflicted on whether or not the maid was standing out too much.
"I think this is good. But what about my name? Is it fine for me to use the same one?"
"It's better to be consistent on the name front. Let's see… If you go with a look that makes her blend in more with the locals, then you need a name that isn't too similar to ours. How about Lucy?" Buku suggested.
Either way, Lupus was not keen to give alternative suggestions to a Supreme Being.
"Yeah, that's perfect." Lupus agreed with a grin. "But, erm… If you don't mind me asking…" The maid began to nervously press her index fingers together.
Seeing Lupus's odd behavior, Buku decided it was her brother's turn to answer. Pero immediately figured out his sister's intention with just one exchanged glance.
"Is it something about your outfit?"
"Yep. I still need gear that is similar or of lesser quality than yours. I actually don't mind going with extremely low quality either, but I'm guessing we still need to make a pretty good impression if we're all traveling together, you get me?"
"I see where you're going with this. See, sis? She's a natural! We don't have to worry about Lup-Lucy slipping up."
While Lupus preened at the compliment, Buku only snorted.
"You almost slipped up yourself, birdbrain. I think I'm starting to have more faith in the maid not divulging important details than you."
"Fuck off, will ya?" Pero waved her off and took out the gear for Lupus from his inventory.
From a distance, Lupus watched the conversation play out between two of the Supreme Beings, somewhat fascinated by the casual use of slurs. It was even more interesting to see the two of them showing contented looks on their faces after they had just finished uttering out what sounded like insults to her.
The maid's brief look of interest was then replaced with that of concealed sorrow.
The hesitation was palpable on her face. Trying to take off Lord Beast King Mekongawa's god given artifact was aching her mind, body and soul.
For each Pleiades maid, their metallic maid outfits were their pride and joy. No matter the situation, it wasn't so easy to part with such a beloved creation meant for their hands only.
Lupus gently stroked her uniform before being filled with resolve. She ultimately felt that it was imperative to follow the Supreme Beings' orders above her personal feelings.
She started to take off her maid's outfit, albeit with noticeable reluctance. She put it away in her inventory, and she now stood in front of the siblings only in panties, much to Buku and Peros' mutual bewilderment.
'Right, NPCs are literally shameless when it comes to doing anything in front of us.' Pero and Buku thought the same thing, and both of them felt it was wise to not speak their thoughts out loud in order not to step on a proverbial minefield.
Once the separation from her main outfit was complete, she eagerly took her new gear from Pero who shamelessly watched the entire changing process unfold. She was a bit confused when she saw Pero scratching his head as though he was riddled with a dilemma.
"Damn, my bad; I didn't think about it until now. Were you hesitant because of your attachment to your outfit?" Pero responded rather slowly, and Lupus could identify a hint of guilt in her master's tone.
"No, of course not! If it is an order from you then I would not hesitate to-"
"-Cut with the bullcrap." Buku interrupted Lupus who was stifled into silence. "If you have any hesitation, you should let us know right now. This isn't something you're forced to do, after all."
Lupus clenched her fists. After a minute of looking down on the ground, she moved her chin up, facing the eyes of her masters.
"It's fine, Lady Buku. I made up my mind long ago. I can keep the act as long as I don't have to insult either of you. That… that is all I wish to ask," Lupus whispered, fidgeting with her fingers. Buku gave a gentle smile and nodded.
"Then, as for the fabricated story, we'll simply say that we saved you and that you feel very grateful towards us. That way if you slip up, we can write it off."
As Buku gave more details, she remembered an important thing. She grabbed her brother's face and turned his gaze away from the maid's gorgeous body, knowing that he would most likely resort to the idea of having some fun before the road.
"Hey! What are you doing?!" Pero protested, sounding as though he was being whiny.
"It's so that you don't try something funny, let alone think of something lecherous. Though you tend to do that wherever you go," Buku said, ignoring her brother's loud complaining.
Lupus, meanwhile, continued to dress up in silence. She began to wonder why her master's and lover's sister prevented him from looking at her while she was changing.
'Lady Buku can't be jealous of me, could she? I mean she doesn't have interest in her brother, and I wouldn't be able to compete with her anyway. Covering Lord Pero's eyes though… Does it have something to do with showing proper etiquette towards women, or something? I know Yuri tried to drill that into my head, but that shouldn't really apply to Lord Pero and Lady Buku since they're the Supreme Beings, right?'
Lupus felt that the Supreme Beings had complete and utter jurisdiction over her and the rest of Nazaricks' denizens. Should they feel the need to use their bodies, Lupus would not hesitate to bare herself in order to fulfill their desires.
But if a Supreme Being supposedly intervened with another Supreme Being's desire, that was where things would become too complicated for a mere servant such as her to solve.
'Ehhh… This is hurting my head. Yuri would maybe know a thing or two. But, then again, perhaps that is why Lord Momonga is the leader of the Supreme Beings? I have heard tales from the homunculus maids of how easy it is for him to mediate affairs between the Supreme Beings.'
Soon enough, jealousy wormed its way into Lupus's heart.
The homunculus maids were extremely fortunate to hold all of the accumulated wisdom that fell out of the Supreme Beings' mouths, like a waterfall filled with the most valuable treasures. Lupus did not remain feeling down for too long, however.
Her selfish feelings were soon replaced with a growing admiration for Lord Momonga who continued to lead the Supreme Beings to this day. Her undead master could stamp down arguments between Gods and even create a compromise that made everyone happy. It only spoke of how compassionate Lord Momonga was.
As for her earlier thoughts, they would likely require further investigation on her end, possibly with the help of her sisters. For now though, she had to abide by her current duties.
She put on heavy leather pants and chest armor with gloves and boots of the same type of dark brown leather and an open white robe with a hood. On her back was a long battle staff with a smooth massive metal ball at the end.
She admired her appearance in the mirror for a moment and then announced with a wide grin.
"I am ready to go. Then, if I heard correctly, we are going with a story that you two saved me and that I am an equal to you? I know that is what Lady Buku said more or less, but as for Lord Pero…"
"Yeah, she pretty much said everything I wanted to say. It will be easier that way. So if you're ready, then let's go right now, Lucy."
"He-he! Just leave it to me. I'd welcome anyone who would be daring to challenge any of us. But I also wouldn't mind that we get everything done in a jiffy. Getting home-sick can be a nasty feeling~su."
For a moment, Pero considered Solution as well since she was just as good of an actress. Ultimately, she lost out to Lupus due to the latter being one of Pero's concubines, but Pero still looked for more candidates since he did not want to be seen as extremely biased.
Now that Buku gave her own approval of the werewolf battle maid, Pero could safely say that, out of all the possible candidates within Nazarick, Lupus surely was the best choice for the adventure.
X
While his comrades were going out of their way to pick new appearances, Ulbert went for a simple approach to his outfit. His outfit was already convenient enough to the point where it only needed last-minute adjustments. When those were finished, he looked proudly at himself in front of a large mirror.
He had toned down his appearance a bit, removing a few accessories and turning on the cloak's shifting ability. However, an appearance of noble elegance was needed.
His default style had the finesse to pull it out, but he guessed it would look rather menacing and sinister to the locals. That especially went for one of his accessories in which it was a glove with blades for nails. That would not look inviting to anyone, and so that was taken off for the time being.
What Ulbert knew for sure was that the visit to the capital of Re-Estize was bound to put his patience to the test. Past interactions with the haughty and rich people had always gotten on his nerves, and he strongly felt that the nobility was identical to those people he truly despised.
Luckily he could take his new advisor, Flornohe, with him as not only an experienced diplomat, but also as eye candy.
The elder succubus, with her thousands of years of experience dealing with all kinds of entities both noble and crass, was eager to put her experience to work and assist the young God.
She, same as her new master, was doing her own final touches to get a perfect appearance.
With all her demonic traits removed, she looked like a young and very attractive noble woman moving around with natural grace. She was dressed in a long black dress accenting her looks with gem-decorated platinum jewelry.
"I am ready to go, my Lord." Flornohe announced the completion of her last preparations.
The succubus had been toiling day and night to not only make the best out of her appearance, but to also understand the inner workings of her new master. She could not, however, be able to hear the frustrations that screamed in Ulbert's mind.
'Final touches my ass! I always knew women would take their time to pretty themselves up for special occasions, but I ended up waiting for more than a fucking hour! Almost makes me feel bad that Touch-Me might have gone through a similar situation… Almost.'
Resisting the urge to blow a casket and start ranting, Ulbert breathed in and out deeply. He turned to Flornohe and made a stiff nod.
"Let's go then. Remember, we are not there to kill anyone… Yet. That can be saved for the truly foolish who are too blind to see our benevolence."
Ulbert reminded more of himself than her when it came to culling the masses. Still, he felt it needed to be said out loud, anyway. His words ended up being received with a genuine smile from Flornohe.
"Of course, my Lord. It is as you say; we are merely doing these pitiful creatures a favor by approaching them first. As for my other duty, I will just observe their desires that are bound to be leaking so carelessly. it is always within the powerful and bored people who always have so many delicious secrets to exploit." She gently held onto his biceps. "Shall we?"
Their first stop was the Tob outpost where two carriages pulled by regular horses were already prepared for them. One was for him and the demoness while the other was left in charge of their guard, though Ulbert doubted he even needed a guard to begin with.
The twelve horses were divided into two pairs of six for each carriage, and they were provided by Aura before she went to the Great Forest of Tob with her new pet. If Ulbert recalled correctly from the reports, the beast tamer was currently undertaking a mission of conquering small parts of the forest and placing them under Nazarick's rule.
Ulbert swept his gaze over the six horses that would be moving his and Flornohe's carriage. He walked up to the one at the front and placed his hand on the mane, and the succubus began following her master's moves by gently petting a nearby horse.
'Hm. I don't really remember much about Aura's skills, but I'm pretty sure these horses are not that high-leveled. Most if not all of her tamed beasts were not directly created from her own skills, either. Then… They probably came from [Create Beast], no?'
As someone with the 'Beast Tamer' class, Aura possessed a myriad of abilities suited for taming wild beasts, but she was not excluded to creating low-summons. Such ability could only come from the racial skill, [Create Beast].
Back in the game, the summoning skill let Aura create low-level fodder beasts that were found roaming the massive worlds of Yggdrasil. After arriving in this world, there were some slight changes in her skills, but one change stood above all which could make a vital difference in controlling the new world's fauna.
As long as Aura had a clear understanding of how a creature looked and behaved, [Create Beast] allowed her to not only replicate said creature, but also give her complete access to its abilities. Penalties and specific conditions were virtually wiped away as well, and Ulbert did not need to put much thought into the many boons the floor guardian's skills can bring to Nazarick's table.
After the Carne incident, it was clear that horses not only existed in this world, but were commonly used making them the most logical option to use for now.
In the past, Albedo and Demiurge had insisted on using bicorns who could be summoned with mercenary scrolls. There was some concern regarding their ghastly appearances which would instantly blow their cover, but the two dismissed the issues for some reason.
Their fierce resistance towards other alternatives vanished in the blink of an eye when they soon encroached upon Aura's ability to create low-level summons. They were also more than convinced when Momonga expressed excitement at the cost-effectiveness of [Create Beast].
At that point, showing disagreement with the application of a cost-free skill was utterly stupid, and both of the genius floor guardians could not help but agree with similar delight to their undead master.
'It was kinda hilarious to see Albedo and Demiurge's jaws drop when Momonga explained the [Create Beast] ability to them. That just goes to show he's far better suited to leading all of us.' Ulbert mused to himself, smirking.
"Are you alright, my lord?" Flornohe said out loud all of a sudden. There was a look of interest plastered on her face.
"Hm? Ah, yes. I was just thinking, don't mind me." Ulbert shook his head and turned towards the guards chosen for this mission.
Since for now, they were hiding their monstrous nature, all the Ulbert's guards were the high-ranking humanoid-looking demons clad in plate armor from head to toe. Despite their physical features being hidden, there was a silent malice underneath their armored layers.
Additionally, a small army of shadow demons was hiding in everyone's shadows, ready to be unleashed upon Re-Estize nobility. The faster a proper information network could be established, the easier it would be to take over the country.
Affirming his role of a gentleman, Ulbert helped Flornohe to get in the carriage, using one hand to lift her left arm while placing his right hand behind the succubus's lower back to prevent her from falling. Once she entered the carriage completely, he gracefully moved towards the open doorway.
The interior of their ride was just as luxurious as the exterior, not to mention that, despite its delicate appearance, each carriage boasted capable defense and easy maneuverability. It was as though they were specifically designed to be a mobile fortress.
Its exterior was built from nigh indestructible material, though Ulbert could not discern what it exactly was. They were covered with intricate golden decorations that occasionally glittered in the light.
Inside the air was magic attuned to creating a more luxurious lifestyle. In this case, the air was kept fresh with magic, giving way to a pleasant temperature that remained constant. Apart from lifestyle magic, the air was protected by spells that warded off against any sort of chemical and biological attack. All of the odors they might encounter in a large medieval city would never be able to enter the carriage.
With a gate provided by Aureole, the procession appeared on a dirt road about a half-hour ride away from the capital city. The bumpy road would have made it a nightmare for people riding in regular carriages, but Ulbert took pride in the fact that the carriage they were riding in was built with actual suspension. The carriage itself would not experience a bumpy ride for the entire journey.
Seeing the bright sun outside and the endless grass fields gently swaying with the summer wind, Ulbert opened the window and took a deep breath. His companion silently observed him enjoying the weather, seemingly indifferent to the scene.
Soon enough, the city walls came into view, and the once reclusive succubus could no longer resist her curiosity to look outside.
As they got closer, more detail of the fortifications could be observed. The massive city central gate was kept closed with smaller variations remaining open for those wishing to enter or leave the city. The stone walls, standing roughly at a height of twelve meters, were being patrolled from both the outside by soldiers bearing apathetic expressions.
'The soldiers here don't look that terribly impressive, but then again, it's not as though I'm expecting a reception from the royal guard at the very start, anyway.'
Though when one considered that Ulbert was supposed to be expected as an honorable guest, the receiving party would be obligated to give some sort of special treatment. Having expected this, Ulbert was not surprised to see that his procession didn't have to wait in line compared to the rest of the people in his line.
Getting both curious and not-so-friendly stares as he passed by, he closed the carriage window to obfuscate the view of him.
"Looks like people are not big fans of the rich here." Ulbert dryly remarked. "Even in this world, the lower class naturally despise the ones ruling over them with an iron fist."
"It's natural for the lesser to be envious of their superiors," Flornohe said, looking out of the window. "I am curious about that last part, though."
"Don't worry too much about it. That being said, if you only consider my own status, I'm no less different than the ones on the top. Are you envious of me?" Ulbert turned his attention to his companion.
She gave him a subtle smile while partly looking away. A thoughtful hum came out of Flornohe before she turned to Ulbert with an indescribable expression.
"My personal feelings would never impede my duties, Lord Ulbert."
"Is that so? Even if you're serving under someone like me, do you still think you are safe in your current position?" Ulbert asked. The scene had shifted from the gates to the city.
The dirt road was a lot muddier, the buildings made out of old wood and crude stone. Yet it paled compared to the sight of people watching the procession. As it always was with such cities, the poorest people lived closest to the wall.
Dressed in very simple patched-up clothing and often dirty, they stared with hatred-filled eyes.
'I was like them just weeks ago. How things change.' His thoughts drifted away from the conversation with the succubus. 'I can't help but see them as nothing but cattle now, just like the rich of the Earth saw someone like me.'
Disgusted at his own thought process and absolute lack of compassion towards them, he looked back at their hate-filled expressions.
'I don't have to be a saint to uplift those worth employing. Ainz can worry about making a better world for the wretches while I shift diamonds out of the sand.'
"I am confident in my abilities to not only be of use to you, but also grow in power while in your service. And while I admit that it does fill me with envy to see someone so young ascend to Godhood, I also am aware of the consequences of trying to force one's own evolution." Flornohe spoke with a smooth voice, not showing any fear in her response.
"You are confident, I'll give you that," Ulbert replied as certain words in her reply gave him pause. He suspected that she knew of the origins of not only him, but the other players as well. Her words from earlier had now all but confirmed his suspicions.
"I know my worth. Should I indulge in arrogance and plot anything against you, you would replace me easily with one of my subordinates or someone else befitting of my stature. Though I feel like my Lord has already seen through me, my ambitions are merely to be in your inner circle and build up experience. There are millions like me vying for the favor of the Infernal Lord my kind originated from, but if I play my cards right, I will be one of very few standing directly by your side."
"I see, so you're one of those people that carefully plan things to get what they want. For you to tell me this without hesitation, though… it seems you place a lot of trust in me, Flornohe."
"I have already bared my entire being to you, my Lord. For someone such as you, I see no need to act with impudence and hide any more secrets."
"Clever," was all Ulbert said, watching as the cityscape slowly changed to brick buildings, paved streets, and people dressed in colorful clothing.
'She is a temptress for sure. If I'm not careful she will get into my head. But then again, what would be the point of replacing her if the next one is the same? I could choose an incubus in her place or let Demiurge deal with her kind… Like hell I would do that. I just need to keep her on a short leash and remind her that there are always viable replacements. And if she gets too bold, I can just have fun with other succubi and keep her all high and dry. Abstinence is likely torturous for someone like her.'
His attention switched to the scene outside. Looking at certain parts of the scenery did not do well to simmer the boiling hatred in his mind.
'These rich bastards are hoarding all the wealth. Now that I think about it, I recall Demiurge being in need of some test subjects for his camps.'
The scenery continued to go up until they reached the palace. Once they stopped in front of the main entrance one of his demonic guards opened the carriage door.
Ulbert got out with Flornohe holding his arm. With practiced movement that spoke of noble elegance, they leisurely approached the entrance door where a man in a butler's suit awaited.
"Lord Ulbert, Lady Flornohe. Let me welcome you to Re-Estize. King Ramposa the Third is ready to receive you," the butler said with a deep bow.
"Thank you. It is a pleasure to visit this kingdom, but let's not drag things out, it would be terribly rude of me to make the good king wait." Ulbert returned the greeting.
"Of course, this way please." The man straightened out and motioned at the main entrance.
As they walked through a wide hall towards the throne room, the eyes of the castle staff soon became fixated on them.
It was obvious to Ulbert that Flornohe's stunning beauty enticed the men, but he was also self-conscious about his chosen form's devilish charm. A satisfied smirk appeared on his face when he saw that the women were completely engrossed as well. The faint whispers not going past their ears all but confirmed that.
{ Their lust is overflowing, my Lord. Such easy targets. Shall I make use of this? }
{ For now, just look for weak spots. We'll make a move once we gathered enough information. }
Initially, Ulbert worried about potential scrying magic being used, but he realized that he was a fool for worrying. It was extremely unlikely that the people within this throne room could discover the contents embedded within their [Message] spell.
After the mental order was sent out to the succubus, Ulbert subtly sent out the hordes of shadow demons to observe and have eyes on pretty much everyone in the castle.
{ There is no need to go that far, my Lord. All of them are like open books. For instance, look at that maid over there; she is absolutely smitten by you. } She glanced at a maid that barely was keeping her composure and biting her lower lip.
Ulbert glanced at the maid, almost raising an eyebrow. He flashed her a smile, guessing that the poor woman was probably filled with a torrent of obscene fantasies.
'…No, wait. I'm not like the perverted birdman. Still, any advantage is welcome. She could be made an informant rather easily with the help of a doppelganger. Let's see if there are better candidates.'
'She is right, everyone is so frustrated here.' Ulbert passively observed their surface thoughts. The trick he picked up to not be fooled by his new servants had so many uses. 'Petty, ambitious, and bitter. They can only be used as unwitting pawns.'
The people in the throne room were another case entirely. Their arrogance vexed him so greatly that he had to restrain himself to not look at them. He could not help but describe them as nothing but mere cockroaches.
"Presenting Lord Ulbert and Lady Flornohe, representatives of the Research Guild."
Ulbert's sinister thoughts popped like a bubble upon hearing the butler announcing them.
He recalled the short interaction Ainz had with the King. Taking that into account, he avoided giving specific details and used a rather generic cover. To him, it was more than enough for this particular mission.
There were four thrones at the other end of the room with an old gray-haired King sitting in the central one. Behind him stood Gazef. To his right sat a young and strongly built blonde man who looked at him with indifference.
However, Ulbert gave another look just to be sure, and he realized that his expression was bordering on a mildly concealed annoyance.
'That must be the Crown Prince. His look is already starting to piss me off. Maybe I should start with him.'
To the king's left sat a much shorter plump blonde man who observed them with curiosity, his head filled with countless plots on what he could gain from the situation.
'This guy seems to be more of the sensible bunch. If my assumptions are correct, I'm hard pressed to say that these two princes are polar opposites.'
The final throne was occupied by a young woman with long golden hair. She looked at Ulbert with a charming smile filled with the innocence of the youth.
Lastly on both sides of him stood about thirty nobles. Unsurprisingly, they were all scheming and plotting how to use the situation.
Ulbert did a light bow and took off his top hat while Flornohe curtsied, waiting for King to speak.
"First let me thank you for saving my subjects. I am in your debt." King spoke in a tired, but authoritative tone.
"It was our pleasure to assist the good people of Re-Estize, your Majesty," Ulbert replied with a professional smile.
'The King is the only one genuinely grateful in this whole fucking room. It seems the nobles are essentially acting as political cockblockers. Scheming fucks… wait, what is this?'
Ulbert subtly glanced at the young Princess sitting on a smaller throne further away. The Princess's mind was working at lightning speed. Observing his every gesture, analyzing his motives; even going as far as figuring out the reasoning of the nobles regarding the current situation.
'The hell? If I didn't know any better, she is as smart as Demiurge.' Ulbert got dizzy trying to follow her thought process.
"This guild you represent, where is it located? To call yourself a noble you would have to own lands." One of the nobles, a bulky older man with scars on his face, spoke up.
"We control vast territories within the forest of Tob. As far as I am aware no nation can lay claim to it." Ulbert turned to address the man, still speaking in a polite tone.
"That is preposterous! There are no humans living within that forest. Your claim to control the monster-filled forest is nothing but empty boasting!" The older noble raised his voice.
"As our actions in Carne showed, we have more than enough power to claim the forest as our own."
"Hmph! Then this makes this meeting all the more easier. You and your people should just come and work for us. When the Crown has recognized you as the nobles governing the forest, you can claim titles that relate to your status, though that doesn't mean you can act so high and mighty." The Crown Prince leaned against the armrest of his throne. His gaze was firmly on the beautiful woman.
'He really thinks he will just take her for himself? What a moron.' Ulbert read the Prince's thoughts even though he didn't have to. The arrogant royal's face already said it all. He was a spoiled brat who genuinely thought he could just take whatever he wanted without any consequences.
"We have no interest in joining a country we know very little about. When we have a better understanding of the current politics we will choose who to ally with."
"You dare to deny such a generous offer?!"
"And what would we gain by joining?" Ulbert asked, his tone now bordering on mocking.
"Gain? Are you really that much of an imbecile? No, why am I even asking this; you are merely just peasant trash. Be glad that we have the decency to offer you something as generous as this. It would not be wise to forget your place."
The Crown Prince rose to his feet, but quickly fell back as Ulbert's aura lashed out at him like a thorny whip.
Drowning everyone present in his overwhelmingly malicious energies, Ulbert took a step forward and said with a sneer:
"It is you who is forgetting yourself, boy. I am not here to grovel before your feet. We do not need anything from you. We have saved your kingdom's strongest warrior out of our goodwill and you think you are in a position to make demands?"
Ulbert glanced around at the terrified people while a barbed blade appeared in Flornohe's hand. She took a step in the direction of the older noble who had been the first to challenge her master's claims.
The older man froze in spot, putting his hand on the handle of the sword firmly attached to his belt that held in place a noticeable gut.
She gave the man a toothy sinister smile and shook her head in a clear warning of what would happen if he tried to pull his blade.
Even arrogant snobs like them instantly understood the danger they were in. One wrong work now could spell their doom before castle guards could rush in and do something about it, that is if they even were able to apprehend the strange guests.
But there was one person who had a different opinion.
In a fleeting moment, Ulbert caught the Princess's expression change to a soulless glee as she hoped her brother would dare to say one more stupid thing and get executed. If it came down to a slaughter, she was ready to drop to her knees and profess her usefulness to the mysterious stranger if need be.
'She is a monster, and a very smart one at that. This is great.' Ulbert gave her a quick smirk and ordered shadow demons to watch her extra carefully to pick any intel that could be used against her.
While Ulbert contemplated what to do next, the King slowly stood up despite his advanced age and put his hand to his heart.
"Please forgive my son for his poor choice of words. What he meant is we would be open to talks about you and your associates joining the Kingdom of Re-Estize if you are interested. Ours is the only nation bordering the forest."
"You better teach your son where arrogance leads. We were willing to cooperate and to some extent still are but we won't be joining your kingdom. No sane person would want to be part of a kingdom led by a moron like him." Ulbert pointed at the Prince who was close to soiling himself.
"If you have a reasonable deal in mind then we are open to negotiations but don't you dare harbor the illusion that we need you." Ulbert turned around to leave and added before exiting the room, "You know how to contact us."
X
Only when he left the castle completely did the dreadful weight of his presence lift and everyone could let out a sigh of relief.
Ramposa slumped down and held his head up with his right arm. He let out a tired sigh and addressed the Crown Prince, "Barbo, thanks to your reckless actions, we almost died. Do you understand the gravity of the situation you have put us in?"
"Father, that commoner-!"
"That commoner could kill us all! And he clearly didn't have a high opinion of us in the first place." Ramposa raised his voice.
"Your Majesty, whoever those strangers are, we cannot trust either their word or motives. In my opinion, this Ulbert was looking for an opening to show his supposed superiority." Count Boullope, a bulky man in his fifties spoke, raising his fist.
The stand-down with the young woman who gave him goosebumps had done nothing to lessen his resolve or dampen his otherwise authoritative presence.
As Barbo's father-in-law, he had everything to gain if the Crown Prince inherited the throne. Barbo was easy to control and was enslaved by his vices of drinking, women, and gambling. But he also was arrogant and thought nothing could touch him.
Unfortunately, for each such outburst, it was harder for him to keep the noble faction in line and push back against the royal faction who supported the old king.
"Whatever their motives were, at best we have lost a powerful ally that could have helped us against the Baharuth Empire and at worst made another enemy." King's tone grew softer and quieter as he spoke.
His tiredness was too apparent for him to hide it. The stranger's display of power had taken a toll on everyone with his aging body suffering the most.
"The possibility of this Research Guild allying with Baharuth cannot be overlooked either. Your Majesty, I propose using the adventurers guild in secret to confirm the claims of them controlling the forest." A tall man with sharp features resembling that of a snake gave a proposal, instantly getting all eyes on him.
Marquis Raevan, the secret leader of the Royal faction, had played both sides for almost two decades. As a brilliant politician, he was considered the most influential noble in the country, dwarfing even Marquis Boullope.
Once he schemed to take the throne for himself, but once his son was born, he lowered his ambitions in favor of the stability and prosperity of the kingdom, becoming fully loyal to the Crown.
It was a regular occurrence that he needed to divert attention away from the Crown Prince's foolish actions in hopes of maintaining the fragile balance of power.
As unsuited for the throne as Barbo was, if Ramposa would decide to choose his second son Zanac it would lead to the civil war and the subsequent end of the kingdom. Only united could they stand against the empire's slow but relentless aggression.
"Excellent suggestion, Marquis Raevan. We need to find out more about this group and their plans." Boullope instantly agreed, blessing his ally for the quick thinking.
"I'll permit it, but do not cause additional hostilities." Ramposa said and then turned his head to address Barbo, "And you, my son, would benefit by learning to be more subtle. A King needs to know when to be diplomatic and when to display power."
"Of course father, I will take your advice," Barbo replied through gritted teeth.
X
Being the God of Death should be easy and almost natural given that he was reborn as the highest type of undead and his human heart got quieter by the day. His old human part and his game avatar was slowly becoming one new self. The life part of this new title was a different story altogether.
In the game, it was never meant for an undead overlord like him to easily cast holy magic.
If one possessed certain classes, then even some undead like Shalltear could do it, albeit with a lesser penalty. Regardless, Ainz knew one thing had not changed upon arriving to this world which was the intrinsic properties of holy magic. In this case, healing any undead would hurt as much as a living creature being damaged by the simplest of negative energy spells.
Yet his determination to overcome this weakness was strong. With all his friends busy and most of the floor guardians occupied with their own duties he for a moment was standing alone in the sixth-floor arena.
But his solitude was not meant to last. The group of Eight Edge Assassins located him even before the first tests were attempted. Moments later, Rubedo was next to show up. She stood unmoving about five meters behind him.
His personal bodyguard was adamant to be by his side the moment Ainz left his office or the private living area and no amount of convincing that there were no threats inside the Great Tomb worked.
'Albedo probably encourages this behavior.' Ainz mused seeing his assistant and girlfriend showing up as well.
'Speak of the devil…'
Albedo walked up to him, flashed a smile, and said. "I finished all the urgent tasks. I hope you don't mind that I'll be by your side while you train, my love."
"Not at all, but I will just test some minor things," Ainz replied.
To call her clingy would be an understatement.
Apparently taking notes from Etzli, Albedo used every spare moment to be by his side. Not that he minded her company. Having a woman by his side was a novel experience and a very pleasant one at that. But in the end, it's not easy to overwrite loner tendencies with a snap of the fingers and go with the sudden changes just like that.
The last one to arrive was his maid of the day. The girl charged and took position by the nearest gate to Ainz, completely red in the face and wheezing.
'Shit, I forgot about her. Why did she run all the way there from the ninth floor? I should have known she would know where I am and run as fast as she could.' Ainz observed the maid who was still trying to catch her breath.
He instantly noticed the change that had happened during the short time of him teleporting out of his office and the maid catching up: she had reached level two. But considering that only one homunculus maid had gotten their limit upgrade it was a tiny bit of a surprise that this one managed to level up.
Most of them did have a limit of level eight to ten, but considering how low that limit was they shouldn't have seen any power increase any time soon.
'Hmm, maybe pushing past some limits accelerates growth.' Ainz mused. His own weaknesses at the moment were holy, fire, and he as a caster obviously was relatively physically weak and didn't know a thing about close combat or weapon use.
'I'll have to see how using holy magic affects my growth.'
The first thing he needed to test was the summoning of a base angel. As the lowest-tier holy summon it posed no threat, so if the now likely sentient being would decide to revolt against the undead who dared to summon it, there would be no problems of killing the creature.
Since the old spell cap was removed the moment they became their game avatars, his already impressive spell count was grown by additional sixty spells, most of them holy magic based.
Ainz extended his hand and used a silent cast for the summoning spell. The tip of his right index finger blackened a bit but quickly returned to its natural pristine white colors.
'That stung.' Ainz thought, clutching his hand to the fist and waiting for the pain to subside.
A plate-clad figure with white wings appeared. Although strictly speaking most angels didn't have gender they usually were addressed as male.
The angel looked up at his summoner and then lowered his head and silently awaited orders.
"Would you follow any order I give you?" Ainz asked. In the corner of his vision, he saw that Albedo was holding her weapon ready to strike the angel down.
The angel nodded in response.
'It would be a waste to make him duel an undead, especially if it hurts so much to summon even the lowest tier one.'
After a short contemplation on what to do with the summon, he sent the angel to the Tob outpost to be assigned a guard post mostly for decorative purposes.
The next step was to ram up the intensity of the spells and see how far he could go before the pain became unbearable.
With regular zombies as target dummies, Ainz first cast a second-tier heal spell. The spell ignited the zombie with the undead creature just standing and waiting for its end while letting out low grunts of pain. As before his hand blackened because of the holy magic reacting to his undead body.
Once again he clutched his hand in pain and waited for the regeneration to kick in.
The negative side of his low-tier magic immunity passive was that it protected him from all incoming magical attacks and effects but didn't help with his own spells.
Albedo's face twisted in worry as she stepped closer and asked. "Are you in pain, Lord Ainz?"
"I'm fine. I had already anticipated the differences in damage."
"Please do not torment yourself. Let me take this burden." Albedo's tone grew more insistent.
"Albedo. I chose to become the God of Life and Death. I have to do it myself," Ainz replied, dismissing her concerns.
"…As you wish," Albedo said with audible reluctance. She took a step back, and continued watching him with a concerned expression.
Ramping up the test even more, Ainz decided to use fifth-tier magic next. With careful aim, he targeted one of the zombies and cast [Light Bolt].
The moment the cast was done he grabbed his right hand with his left one. This time, he could not stifle the urge to hold back, and he let out a pained scream. The blackened and cracking fingers began to twitch in an adverse reaction.
'Why the hell it hurts more to cast than get hit by a holy spell? It's like my gear doesn't even try to guard me! Maybe elemental resistance works differently here…?'
Albedo was already next to him with a panicked expression. She grabbed onto his hand, refusing to let go.
"Lord Ainz, I can't let you continue!"
"I am fine. The damage is minimal." Ainz tried to pull his hand back but Albedo was holding onto it for dear life.
"I won't let you hurt yourself like this." Albedo's tone became plain authoritative with her grip on his hand becoming stronger.
She didn't back down. If anything, the succubus was seemingly ready to defy his direct orders.
"Let go of me. I know what I'm doing." Ainz tried to yank away from her grasp.
"No!"
At that moment Rubedo was between them and violently pushed Albedo away. She pointed her sword at her sister and said in a neutral yet demanding tone.
"Cease and desist, Guardian Overseer. You disobeyed Lord Ainz's order. Continuing to do so will-"
"-Rubedo, stand down!" Ainz shouted out an order and gently pushed her arm down.
Understanding the gravity of the situation, Albedo lowered her head and whimpered, "I'm sorry, Lord Ainz."
"It's fine, I understand you are worried but I know what I'm doing. You don't have to treat me like a child."
"I-I'm sorry my love, I overreacted." Albedo apologized again. 'Lord Ainz is right. I didn't respect his decisions. But he was in pain and I should be the one to bear it.'
For a moment, Ainz was unsure what to do next.
If the situation remained unaddressed, she likely would only ramp up her behavior. His Overlord side knew boundaries needed to be set, but his more indecisive side feared he would upset her too much and their relationship would start to break down.
This time he didn't want an inner conflict and tried to find a middle path.
"You have to put some trust in me. I do not wish to harm you or myself but I have to train for the role I have accepted."
"My…" Albedo looked up at his skeletal face and touched his bony cheek. "Ainz, you are right. I will not get in your way. But don't take too long."
She gave him a quick peck on his bare teeth and walked off to avoid looking at him in pain. For the first time she had called him just Ainz without any honorifics in the presence of others just like he wanted her to.
The Supreme Being, God had chosen her to be by his side, and now it was her turn to live up to his expectations and become the partner Ainz wanted.
X
Another adventurer's dying scream brought her to a climax. With her fair cheeks tinted red she pulled out the stiletto from the man's chest and let out a long exhale.
"Damn, that felt good. I should have left the Scripture years ago." Clementine said to none in particular and licked the blood off her weapon.
The gold-ranked adventurer team was nothing but prey to her. One by one, she took off their guild insignias and attached them to her armor.
During her short time of freedom, forty such trophies had gathered and now served as a dreadful decoration.
But as capable as she was there was a need to hurry. Two times her pursuers had almost caught her. Windflower scripture members may be weak compared to someone like her but their group tactics and brutal methods compensated more than enough.
Of course, soon she would be on unfamiliar turf as the Re-Estize border was only a day's walk ago but it was better not to leave anything to chance.
'One of the Zurrernorn crypts should be nearby. I should use them to shake off the hounds.'
She wasn't a member of the necromantic cult, but due to past run-ins and subsequent favors being filled, Clementine now had a good standing with some of the high-ranking members. It was a nice change of pace for her to see people who not only didn't ask questions, but even paid money for the dead bodies. For a sadistic killer, there couldn't be better allies.
She picked up the lightest body among her prey and tossed it over her shoulder.
The forested area didn't provide many clues on how to find the crypt but hidden signs were always there. 'Follow the stench of death and you find what you are looking for' sort of thing.
She took out a small amulet from her backpack and held it in her plate-gloved hand. A sickeningly purplish aura appeared to guide her.
Finding the well-hidden entrance and descending the dark stone steps didn't take long. In the first underground chamber, a hooded figure crossed her path.
"What are you doing here?" The figure asked with a deep voice.
"How rude. Is this how you greet old friends? I even brought a gift." Clementine faked an offended tone.
She didn't know the man personally as he was just a grunt, but plainly attacking him would complicate things, so she let the man's rudeness pass.
"Enough with the games. Your presence brings attention we cannot afford to have for now. What is your business with us?" The man asked.
"I need to cover my tracks. Is Khajiit around?" Clementine asked as she dropped the dead body on the ground.
"Oh, and you can find five more about a kilometer that way." She added pointing in the direction she came from.
"If you must know, Khajiit is in E-Rantel, harvesting. As for the payment in return for all six of them, you'll have to wait."
"I'm a bit short on time, but if you have something to entertain me with I can wait." She said with a growing smirk and juggled one of her stilettos.
The man, as if weighing his chances to survive, stood silent for a moment and then took out a money pouch with an annoyed grunt.
"Three gold and the bodies better be there."
"You better hurry then. I don't need a reputation as a liar."
Clementine grabbed the coins and started to ascend. Before disappearing from the man's view, she turned around, flashing an inhumane smile.
"Don't forget to be a good boy and throw off the Windflower Scripture for lil' old me."
As the psychotic woman disappeared from sight, the man dragged a hand over his face and mumbled to himself.
"While she rarely asks questions, I'm much more at ease with an undead than being around that freak. I should warn Khajiit that she is coming for my colleague's sake."
Bonus Story - The Murder God's chosen one.
Mistress Shalltear was in a bad mood again. She had the misfortune to be the closest target of her wrath.
The nameless Vampire Bride stood up with a stagger after being thrown against the wall with bone-shattering force. Her regeneration all but assured that unless the blow was lethal she would be good as knew in about a minute.
That did not do anything to stop the intense pain welling up within her stomach.
She assumed a neutral expression and bowed her head while waiting for her broken bones to regrow.
"All of you are useless. Get to cleaning. Father will be here soon!" Shalltear barked an order and disappeared into her bathroom.
With an unsteady walk, she followed the rest of the Vampire Brides to get the cleaning supplies. There was no hierarchy between them and only one of her kind to stand out was Etzli or how the rest of them addressed her; the blessed one.
Being chosen by the Supreme Being was an honor they could not dream of. One of them not only became Lord Peroroncino's concubine, but had even gotten a name. Even Mistress Shalltear spoke to her with respect.
Yet such dreams didn't help her in her day-to-day duties. She was just as replaceable as the rest of her sisters. It didn't even need to be her fault to be killed by Mistress Shalltear.
Now that she was back to her full health she could use a broom just fine. With careful sweeps, she gathered all the dirt from the floor while her sisters dusted off other surfaces.
Everything needed to be impeccable before Lord Peroroncino arrived.
Lately, only the mistress's father was able to make her smile. Ever since she lost to Lady Albedo in the battle for Lord Ainz's affection she was even more irritable than before.
As they finished cleaning the sanctuary's main greeting room, Lady Shalltear emerged from the bathroom and looked around. Not finding anything to complain about, she assumed position in the middle of the room and waited.
Minutes slowly ticked by as they waited and finally, the knock on the door came.
Lord Peroroncino had arrived.
He and his daughter settled down at the table and the assigned Vampire Bride brought tea and snacks that were previously delivered from the restaurant.
'I wonder what they taste like.' She glanced at the food of the Supreme Beings. As one of the younger brides, she hadn't had the chance to feast upon the crumbles that were left behind. There were rumors that on particularly blessed days even whole cookies or other wonderful pastries were up for grabs.
Just before the platter reached the table the Vampire Bride tripped and fell, spoiling the tea and pastries.
She flinched at the scene and desperately tried to resume a neutral expression before she too would be executed as the careless one was about to be.
Shalltear jumped to her feet with a snarl and yanked the careless Vampire Bride strong enough to tear out a handful of the bride's hair.
"Your stupid bitch! You will die slowly for this!"
Her mistress' rage sent a shiver down her spine. It was one thing to just get in Shalltear's way by accident but to make a mistake like this would promise a gruesome end. It was likely that her careless peer was destined for hours of torture before she would be put out of her misery.
"Sweety, calm down. It was just an accident. You don't have to treat the poor girl so harshly." Lord Peroroncino said while grabbing his daughter and making her look into his face.
"But daddy, she-"
"It was an accident. Sweety, you don't have to be so harsh to them. We can go to the restaurant and have our tea there."
Lord Peroroncino was so kind to them; simple nobodies who could be replaced at a moment's notice. 'He is our savior. I, no we, all must find a way to repay him for his kindness.'
She looked at God and his daughter leaving with lingering longing. Shalltear did order them to clean up, but that was to be expected, and the Vampire Bride immediately went to rectify her mistake.
Once the door closed she relaxed from her stony posture and looked around at her peers. Seemingly all of them were of the same opinion. They knew they didn't need to serve Mistress Shalltear at every moment, but that did not stop them from venerating the God who showed them so much kindness.
As she stepped towards the cleaning supplies, her gaze fell on a particular object on the ground. An unprecedented event had happened: Lord Peroronchino had lost one of his wing feathers.
He had shed fathers before and they were a valuable collector's object but this one was special. A forty centimeters long perfection of a feather was laying there for grabs.
It had to be a sign of the Lord's blessing. Only one could get it, only one of them would be the chosen one.
Without hesitation, she lunged for the feather with her sisters doing the same.
An out brawl broke out. She mercilessly punched, hit, and bit anyone who tried to get in her way. Right now the only thing that mattered to her was reaching the goal before any of her sisters would.
One of her sisters took out her eye, and initially she could not tell if it was an accident on purpose. But even in her half blind state, she could see herself being a hair's breadth away from her goal. Just before her vision fully recovered she masterfully kicked away her last opponent and grabbed onto the prize.
With a triumphant scream, she jumped back and stared at her sisters to see if any would dare to challenge her while holding the feather onto her chest.
"I won. I was chosen!" She hissed at the rest of the Vampire Brides who stared daggers at her in return.
She was honestly expecting them to gang up on her and tear her to shreds, but she had already resolved herself as soon as she aimed to take the invaluable treasure.
"…You are the Murder God's chosen."
One by one they announced, reluctantly lowering their heads in respect. If there was one thing they could all agree on, it was that God's gift could not be wasted.
Somehow, in some way, this particular Vampire Bride would reshape this feather into a weapon of murder.
Edited by Zirmeister.
Proofreading by Ethal07, Visur Nyxan, Swiss, Sad_Smiles, Aterro, Alassandro, and Sluethen.
AN: Thank you for reading the story, and if you have caught up to the latest chapter, you can check out my other work or join my discord server (Link is in my profile) where additional chapters are available or if you are interested in becoming a beta reader (gives access to chapters months ahead of regular readers).