Shiraori PoV:
Location: The Office; 10th Floor of Nazarick
Haa, I'm finally free from all the work that was backlogged! I stretched my hands lazily without caring about my image even if Albedo was present. I was sitting by the imposing mahogany desk sat in the centre of the office.
The room was lined with tasteful and exotic furniture, every single piece being of exquisite design and decoration. The crimson carpet upon the floor was thick and soft, swallowing the footsteps of those who trod upon it.
Flags bearing assorted insignia hung upon the walls in the depths of the room.
Since I know the NPC's true character unlike Ainz, I don't see any reason to put up a false façade when there is no reason to do so. All my actions will be filtered by them to look positive anyway.
Truthfully speaking, it was just my parallel minds doing the work but who cares? I have to go on my next trip soon.
The doppelgangers had been called back to Asgard and might have successfully infiltrated into their ranks. Or so I hope. But I have plans in place in case things actually went south so I am not really worried about that.
Demiurge had apparently taken away the dead bodies of the Asgardian soldiers after Cocytus had slaughtered them. If I remember correctly, he said something about studying undead. I wonder how he, or rather any of these NPC's are able to work so tirelessly.
While my parallel minds were 'earnestly' working, I used that time to play around with the wisdom-chan some more. Well, I used the wisdom skill to try and check what sort of progression the NPC's have.
After all, they are also not bound by YGGDRASIL's system anymore. It should be reasonable for the wisdom skill to spit out some sort of evolutionary pathway for them as well, right?
Analysing a little bit of the cosmic pathway wisdom-chan displayed for me, it was obvious that it was custom-designed for me. Perhaps, a similar custom pathway would exist for them as well.
Primarily, I checked what pathway would Demiurge have. As I had stated earlier, for me to have a comfortable life, Demiurge's safety is of prime importance. After all, he would be doing most of the important work.
I felt more relaxed concerning the other NPCs as they mostly resided in Nazarick and even if they did go out, they would return not long after. Nazarick was safely secured in my pocket dimension for now, barring the whole Mini-chan fiasco, of course.
Even Shalltear, who would leave today for her assigned mission had been ordered by me to not stay outside for long periods of time.
There were still some lingering hesitations in my mind regarding her IQ, but I had personally witnessed how much effort she had put into preparing for this mission under Albedo and Demiurge's guidance. I was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt.
I could make the other NPCs stronger at a more relaxed pace. Of course, I was not looking down on the dangers that Marvel's bullshitery would throw at me. I was not a stereotypical young master villain who could only shout 'courting death'.
I could use the magic knowledge I would obtain and some future plans I had in mind to slowly increase Nazarick's strength as a whole. This was already what I had planned earlier.
But, Demiurge would require longer periods of time exposed to the outer world and thus a higher chance of being entrapped by someone else's plot armour. It was simple mathematics that a higher exposure rate to said plot armour equated higher rate of being killed.
Especially for an evil demon like Demiurge and by extension me as well as the rest of Nazarick. Anyway, the result I got from my search was this:
[Minimum Conditions For Possible Optimum Evolution Into A Chaos Tyrant:
1. Control a 'Hell' Dimension (Become a Hell Lord)
2. Obtain One or More Sin Skills
3. Use the Chaos Catalyst To Become a World Enemy
4. Demon Lord Skill/Title
5. Become a Lord of the Seven Deadly Sins Using the Chaos Catalyst As Well As Having The Corresponding Ruler Title/s
6. Karmic Change of Fates on Universal Scales. Karma >-500
7. Make the Virtue Which is Opposite To One of the Sins You Embody Lose Meaning in One Universe for @%$ Cosmic Timescales
8. Access and Understanding of Cosmic Energies
9. Outlier of The Multiverse (Requirement Satisfied)
Note: These are minimum requirements for a possible path of evolution into a Chaos tyrant. While easier paths might exist, those are not accessible due to not fulfilling the required criteria.]
Well, this is what it would have looked like if I removed the random gibberish in the way that had of course shown up like the last time when I checked the results for my evolution into a cosmic entity.
Speaking of the results, some of these are definitely doable. I planned to give Demiurge the Chaos Catalyst anyway and this just gave me more of an incentive to do so. He would then become a world enemy and gain a massive power boost.
Of course, I can also bestow a sin skill to him such as gluttony. This would tick off the easier to do conditions on the list while also making him stronger.
I planned to give the lust skill as well as the 'Ruler of Lust' title to Albedo by the way. A succubus having the lust skill seemed fitting. Well, I'll also give the pathway that Wisdom-chan deduced for her as well as the other guardians to them later.
Anyway, I had already spoken to the guardians about all of this while simply telling them that I wanted them to be stronger for the safety of Nazarick. As expected, they were of course very moved by the 'kindness' of their supreme being as well as proclamations of working even harder.
Albedo was also quivering slightly while giving those creepy smiles. Her succubus instincts must have come into play hearing about the lust skill.
All of that aside, I had already decided to take Vampy and Cocytus with me on my next trip to space. Yes, I will be going to space this time. I realised that I had gone so far as to time travel but not explore space in my own timeline.
There would be a very high chance of running into some dangerous characters in space even at this point in time so I will have to tread carefully.
Speaking of vampy, NPCs seem to be getting along well with Sophia as far as I can tell. After reading the Overlord light novels, the NPCs had basically understood about each other.
They had understood how each of them acted in different situations in the novel outside of what they were coded to already know. It was appropriate to say that they were already familiar with each other.
Vampy was the exception to this as I had obviously not written her into the Overlord light novels. I simply passed this off by saying that I had died before I even had the opportunity to create Sophia so they don't really know her very well.
A quiet knock on the door caught my attention. Albedo glanced at my expression, then bowed deeply and headed to the door. Sebas was not present here so this duty fell on her. After verifying the identity of the visitor, Albedo replied:
"Shalltear seeks an audience."
'Shalltear? That's fine, let her in.' I am free now anyway.
After recieveing permission, Shalltear entered the office wearing a black ballroom gown with a bell-like skirt like always.
"Greetings, Lady White." She said while bowing. I simply returned her greetings being in a good mood.
'Is there something wrong, Shalltear? Why have you come to the office?' I asked in doubt. Shalltear normally did not come all the way to the office as she was patrolling her three floors.
"Naturally, it was to admire your beautiful features, Lady White."
Well, I had no aversion to being referred to as beautiful. It was undeniable that Shiraori was good looking but the details of my past life were already blurred at this point by all everything I had experience.
I simply took it as one of the usual pleasantries that the NPC's gave. Nothing more, nothing less. But the other person in the room was not as calm as me. I could see the smile on Albedo's face twisting as she looked upon Shalltear's crimson eyes.
How had Ainz put in the novel? 'It was still a smile, and her beauty was not diminished in the slightest, but it was no longer a pleasant expression.
Rather, it resembled the grinning of a demon.' His description was apt for this situation.
"Then, seeing as you have looked your fill, you may leave, Shalltear. Lady White and I are currently deciding the future of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. Would you mind not interfering with our important work?"
"…It is basic courtesy to greet someone politely before launching into the main issue… aged old hags are so annoying. Could it be they're desperate because they're past their expiry date?"
"…Don't you think that food without an expiry date because it's stuffed full of preservatives is the same as poison? Expired food would be safer compared to that, don't you think?"
"…I'd advise you not to look down on food poisoning. You might get an infection."
"…The important thing is whether it can be eaten, right? Compared to what looks like a large display of food, but the truth is… well, you know what I mean, right?"
"…A food display? You'll die for that, bitch."
"…Now who's the expired goods, hmph."
Well, isn't this the exact same conversation between Albedo and Shalltear in the novels? Of course, the only difference is that I am the cause of the argument. Did they decide to stage it in front of me after reading about in the novels? Why? The NPC's jealousy is tiresome.
'That's enough. Shalltear, do you have anything to say to me?' I asked once more as the two guardians reverted to their previous expressions. Well, I already knew the reason after inferring it from the context of the situation.
"Yes, I will be departing for the task soon. I came to bid farewell before leaving." She said.
'I see. Shalltear, work on the task and return safely. Remember there are no time constraints so you don't have to rush. As I had said earlier, safety and secrecy are important.'
Shalltear looked like she would start crying if I continued so I just stopped my little speech there and bid her farewell. I then looked towards Albedo and said:
'I will go have a bath in the spa resort on the 9th floor. Tell the Pleiades or whichever maid is in charge to come there. Also, inform Cocytus and Sophia to get ready. We will depart after my bath. Take care of the preparations for the trip.'
Being the ruler of this place had some obvious merits. If this was the New World, living a life of absolute luxury with tons of servants was absolutely possible.
Unfortunately, such treatment could be enjoyed fewer times in this multiverse to the survival pressure that has become a constant factor after my reincarnation as a spider.
Regardless, even for mundane things like having a bath, I can have maids and servants take care of it. All I had to do was sit back and relax.
"As you wish." Albedo replied while bowing. I could see some faint sadness or regret in her eye as well as thinly veiled jealousy. She also seemed to be breathing heavily and her cheeks were reddening.
She was probably sad that I will be away from Nazarick for a while and jealous of Cocytus and Vampy for being able to accompany me. Maybe I should take Albedo on a trip with me sometime?
Considering that Albedo had also done quite a bit of work for me and will do so in the future, I feel like I should promise her something small.
Anyway she will think of it as a great gift from the supreme being. I had not really rewarded her anything except Tabula's item until now either.
'Albedo, don't worry. I'll take you on a trip with me the next time. Well, I'll also make sure to return to Nazarick once a day. It's in my pocket dimension anyway. If you want you can join me when I go to the spa next time.'
Well that's all I could think of for now. That said, I knew just this was too much for these fanatic NPC's.
"YES…,ahem, I mean of course, Lady White. I would be glad to accompany you on both those occasions." She replied while kneeling down as if I had bestowed the greatest gift in history to her.
'I see. I'll get going then.' I replied and teleported to the spa for my relaxing evening missing the loud shouts that filled the entire office.