The group of Ainz and Narberal, also known as the adventurer group Darkness as Momon and Nabe. Along with Argent Silver and Vikki, also known as the adventurer group Shining Hunters, as Tanya and Vikki. They had come back to E-Rantel with Nfirea who had hired their adventurer groups along with the four members of the group Swords of Darkness who were by Ainz to help defend Nfirea. And of course, their new companion, the "wise king of the forest" who came back as Momon's pet, and the one Momon and Nabe were riding on.
It was not an arduous journey but it was a tense one as they traveled back. Particularly for Tanya and Ainz. the former was still peeved she let Aura get away due to one mistake and the latter was nervous due to still being unaware of how Aura was doing. Vikki and Nabe had ideas as to the true reasons why the two seemed tense, but Peter, Ninya, and Dyne just figured Tanya was for some reason upset it was Momon who tamed the giant hamster and Momon being nervous about that. Because all of them had seen how scary Tanya could be. Lukrut's "understanding" of the situation and how he explained it was why he had only regained consciousness in the cart just before they returned to E-rantel. Vikki and Nabe stared him down, both ironically for the same reason, how dare he suggest such a thing was happening between their masters!
"We should get Nfirea back home so he can put away all the herbs he collected," Peter suggested as it was already nighttime the quicker the Pharmacist could put the herbs away the better. "Nabe and I will join you after we register this creature with the guild" The creature was the giant hamster he was riding on. "I will go with you, need to turn in the report of the quest overall." Tanya waved some paper in her hands, finding that she needed something to distract her during the long trip she had written up a comprehensive report detailing all except her encounter with Aura. She felt that part was better kept in secret.
She also preferred detailed reports and had always disliked how quests in YGGDRASIL just made you click prompts when a quest was finished. Sure it was less work, but it was also less realistic. It is ironic for her to feel this way given it was a fantasy game. But even when she fought in a world war with magic or against actual demons she still had to write a report, it gave her expectations.
"Alright. We will make sure Nfirea gets back safe." Ninya said with a small smile. Despite the awkward journey back, they felt a small connection with Momon and Tanya, the latter made her feel confident about something they could tell them later because Tanya was both a female and an Elf who was seen as an equal by her teammate Vikki, who was a human. A rare case in human kingdoms for sure. "I'll be sure to include a bonus Momon. It was thanks to your efforts I was able to gather more herbs than I thought I would" Nfriea smiled a little as well.
"Much of those herbs were collected by me" the giant hamster tacked on. 'I should give him a name.' Momon thought that just calling it 'the giant hamster' was a mouthful. Tanya and Vikki got on the hamster's back. "W-woah not sure I can carry this many people at once," the hamster said despite the fact Tanya and Vikki weighed very little. "You also get to live. So you will carry all of us." Tanya sounded very unfriendly there. "Y-yes mam. I-if master is okay with it of c-course." Momon cleared his throat "It is fine. We should hurry so that we can collect our reward money from Nfirea."
Momon was silent for a few seconds as the hamster made its way to the guild hall with Vikki and Nabe's instructions. He looked at Tanya who was still avoiding eye contact with him. He doubted Aura had spilled the beans on his adventurer task, nor did he have any proof Tanya was Argent Silver just yet. But part of him also knew that if this was Silver, it would mean that other players including his guildmates were in this world. At least it was a larger possibility. So he wanted to keep her close for now, till he got more information. It was also just nice to see Nabe getting along with Vikki before, even if it was only because they both punished Lukrut. This led him to ask her "Say, what if you and Vikki combine with our group into one?" this got Nabe's attention, who did not say anything but wondered what Ainz could be thinking inviting an outsider to their group.
Tanya chuckled if this was Momonga, he certainly was being less cautious with her than he should be. "That's not up to me. Vikki is the leader of our group." she knew Vikki would listen to her of course, but that was not their cover. "And if it was just you?" Momon pressed just a little more.
Tanya sighed, remembering all the times she turned down joining Ainz Ooal Gown, though granted only once was it ever by Momonga himself. "If it was just me…" Tanya's eyes narrowed and beneath her mask, her mouth did as well. "I would decline. And before you ask why." Tanya looked up a bit "I would not want a conflict of interest to arise."
Nfriea and the four from the Swords of Darkness entered his grandma's shop and home. "I am back, we got plenty of herbs" Nfirea announced expecting to hear his grandma come out from the back. But there was nothing. "Hmm? Did grandma step out to buy something?" suddenly, just as Dyne closed the door behind them, a woman suddenly appeared and frightened Nfirea. "Finally, been waiting hours for you~" the woman said, licking her lips. Clementine snickered as she saw their frightened faces. "W-who are you?" Nfirea asked in a worried tone. "You don't know her?" Ninya asked with even greater concern. The specific look Clementine gave them made Ninya uncomfortable and scared.
"I am Clementine, and I am here not for valuables or anything like that." Clementine's freaky grin only grew as she looked directly at Nfirea "I came here for you." Peter and Lukrut moved in front of Nfirea, Peter saying "Stay behind us Nfirea." Clementine giggled maliciously "Oh Nfriea, I need you to use a magic item for me. To summon a horde of undead. So won't you be my magic item? Ehehehehe." Nfirea dropped his lamp after yelling from fear.
Suddenly Khajiit entered from the back door. "Clementine you play with your food too much. We only need the target. Kill the rest already, we need to leave before his screaming attracts attention." Clementine twirled her piercing weapons, or Stilettos, before saying "Oh come on. We have time. Surely I can have fun with just one of them~" as the Swords of Darkness went to defend Nfriea from the intruders, Ninya thought 'Momon. Tanya…where are you?' as well as a brief thought to their sister.
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'I feel like we look more silly than glorious heroes.' Momon thought as the hidden undead overlord rode atop the giant hamster through E-rantel. After registering the Giant hamster and after Vikki and Tanya handed in Tanya's report the four adventurers began to head back to Nfirea's shop. Along the way, amidst other onlookers, was Nfirea's grandma, "You're those adventurers my grandson hired" she said with a wide grin. "I am Lizzie Bareare." Tanya, Vikki, and Nabe just nodded in acknowledgment. "We were just heading over to your shop to receive our payment for his quest," Momon replied as Lizzie got closer.
"In that case, I will join you. Why don't one of you help me with getting on this giant furball." the hamster, a little insulted said "Hey! Master, did you hear what she called me?" Momon tapped his armor a bit "Maybe Furball is a good name?" The hamster gasped "N-no master please any name but that!" Tanya stood up after Vikki asked her to, the secret maid trying to hold back from calling her mistress and offering to do it herself. After Lizzie got on the hamster bellowed a bit "yet another to carry."
Tanya would say afterward "Another complaint, and I am buying you from Momon so that I can make you into a meal for Lady Vikki." Vikki's mouth started to water "Yes! Maybe Nabe will like to eat some as well!" Nabe smirked, "You can have my share, I am not hungry." Vikki held her cheeks and grinned wider "Really?!" The hamster was sweating heavily "My m-master would never sell me!" Momon tapped his armor again "Well I am having trouble coming up with a name. It would be weird to have a pet without a name." the hamster nearly froze in fear "DON'T TELL ME YOU'RE CONSIDERING IT!"
luckily for the Gaint Hamster, its master decided not to sell the hamster to Tanya in the end. Much to the disappointment of Vikki who rubbed her tummy even though it was not growling. "M-my food."
After they returned to the shop they found the shop proper was empty. "Nfirea? I am back. With those adventurers that helped you as well." Lizzie shouted out but there was no response. Before she could move in further a rustling noise was heard from the back room. Momon and Tanya moved ahead while Vikki and Nabe moved just a bit ahead of Lizzie to guard her. As they entered the room they saw the Swords of Darkness, well what was left of them at least. Until the corpses started to move, they were zombies. Peter, Dyne, and Lukrut started to move. "AHHHH! Zombies!" Lizzie yelled out. "How did they get in my shop? W-where is Nfirea?"
Momon quickly chopped off the head of Peter who was closest. Tanya shot Dyne through the head with an arrow just before Momon took down Lukrut as well. "N-nfirea? Where are you?!" panicking Lizzie went to look for her grandson, in the hopes he was not zombified or dead. As Tanya and the others inspected the corpses, the only one who had remained a corpse was Ninya. "I see…no wonder," Tanya said as she noticed what Momon did after inspecting Ninya's body. "Undoubtedly," Momon said as he saw Ninya had tapped down her breasts, and he thought back to the line from when they met the group 'Women often slow down adventurer groups.'
"She must have hidden it for that reason." it was ironic that Tanya felt more disgusted by this scene than Ainz was, if not for the fact he was undead he might have thrown up or have felt disgusted as well. After Momon had taken Ninya's backpack, having noticed her journal, and figured he could read it later to find out some more information about at least E-rantel if not more. "The zombies were not strong. The spell used on them could not have been higher than two or three at most" Momon said as he recalled how making or raising undead worked in the game and figured it was the same here. "Agreed. But to what end" Tanya crossed her arms and realized something, if the rumors were true about Nfriea being able to use any magic item then the kidnappers would have plenty of reasons to target him.
Lizzie reentered the room "Nfirea is gone, I can't find him anywhere." the old woman noticed they had covered the bodies "Were they friends of yours?" Momon quickly said "No, just adventurers that helped me on a quest one time. You grandsons." Lizzie was a little confused by that statement. "Nothing is out of place…" Tanya started looking around the room "No damage or things tossed aside. The only mess is the blood from those killed. Nfriea, your grandson, must have been their target considering he is missing."
"Nfirea? But why?" Lizzie looked at the ground and said "What am I supposed to do?" Momon looked over his shoulder at her "You're lucky Lizzie Bareare. Standing before you are the best adventurers in E-rantel. In this kingdom even." quickly getting what Momon was saying the woman said desperately "T-then I'll hire you! Please save Nfriea!"
Momon looked more at her "Our fee is quite expensive." Lizzie, unknowingly saying exactly what Ainz wanted to hear, said "I'll give you anything you want!" without a single shred of guilt or hesitation Momon said "All of it. I want everything. Including you and Nfriea." Lizzie backed up "What?" her face turned to one of distrust "They say devils will give you anything for your soul. Are you all devils?" Tanya laughed quietly at that statement. "Perhaps. But at this point what choice do you have? No one else besides us can track down and save your son."
Lizzie considered this, she was aware of what her grandson could do and if they got control of his mind there was no telling what they could cause. But all that aside, her grandson was the most important thing to her. "I'll do it. So long as you can save Nfriea all you ask of me will be yours!"
Tanya grumbled "Oi. you make it sound like Vik- I mean Lady Vikki and I will be helping you. But if you get all of it that doesn't seem fair." Momon nodded "That is true. And I am aware you are also curious about Nfirea. So I will give you half, including time to do whatever it is you want him to do whenever you ask. But I can only do so on one condition." Tanya's eyes deepened with anger, the only part of her face Momon could see. "And what is that?" Momon simply answered "I am under no obligation to share my reward with another adventurer group. Darkness will receive the reward. So…how about my offer from before?"
As Tanya stared at Momon, at Ainz, she briefly thought back to the last time he tried to recruit her.
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It was shortly after she started getting her own teammates together, planning to officially go from group to guild soon. She heard that Momonga and the others of his group conquered the great tomb of Nazarick and used it to form a proper guild base.
Argent Silver and her group were getting excited about the new uniforms she had mentioned and were talking about taking on a hard quest that was only for guilds that had a guild base. When she had received a Direct Message, from Momonga. "Hmm? Everyone I will be back." she went off and read the message. "Argent Silver, meet me at the forest where we first met. Don't worry, I have made sure not to invite the rest. Though Touch-Me was a little hurt I told him not to come." she grinned, what did she have to lose? Worst comes to worst if it's an attempted PK she will just come prepared.
After she got there she found Momonga, in a large undead overlord garb. Seems like he added more to it after taking Nazarick. "Thanks for coming Silver on short notice," Ainz said before using a chat emote to make a happy face icon due to his avatar being unable to emote physically. Silver's avatar did smile regularly "always a pleasure. Though if this is a trap, you should remember I am very particular with taking my revenge on someone."
Momonga did a sweating chat emote "n-noted." Argent Silver got closer before asking "What's this about?" Momonga simply raised a bony finger, obviously pressing stuff on his menu before a sudden invite message appeared.
-- Momonga has invited you to join his Guild, Ainz Ooal Gown --
Argent Silver looked up at him with vexation. "What did you think changing the name and getting an impressive dungeon as a guild base would suddenly make me want to join? I think I've made myself clear before Momonga. After turning your teammates down multiple times I thought at least you had accepted that I am uninterested." Momonga nodded a little "Yes that is true. Just hear me out."
Momonga sighed a little "Shortly before we disbanded Nine's Own goal and made it into Ainz Ooal Gown, with me as the leader instead of Touch-me. A member left. A large argument had happened and well. They are just gone." Silver's avatar shook her head "Tragic. I am sorry but I don't see why this would make me want to join." Momonga went silent again, for a moment Silver thought she should just hit [decline] but then he started to speak again. "We have considered many people to join. Both as replacements or to just join us. But all of us, myself included, would be lying if we said that you weren't our first choice." he looked back at her "so I had to try, at least once."
It was a little touching even Silver could admit that. But it could not happen. She hit [decline] right after that but yet was smiling without ill intent. "Momonga. I have my own goals. Goals that can only happen if I am in charge of my guild." her avatar wagged a finger "And just in case it's on the table, I would turn down taking the leadership position of Ainz Ooal Gown as well."
Argent Silver smirked widely "Not because I cannot handle being in charge of all of you. I could probably drill actual discipline into the more…perverse members." she then gave a warmer look to Momonga "But they made you a leader for a reason Momonga. Whatever it was. I would not dare try to take a position of leadership given to you."
Momonga laughed hard as his undead avatar shook with it. "That was never on the table to begin with…" he stopped laughing and said in a more serious tone "Thank you though, Argent Silver." as she went to activate Teleport to head back to her group Silver gave Momonga a wicked grin "Hope you enjoy that Tomb Momonga. Because I will take it from you one day." just as she activated the spell she heard him say "At least that way, you can see what the guild you turned down built. And what you missed out on."
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Tanya momentarily looked at the floor, then back at him. "As I said before. Its up to Vikki." the woman heard her mention, "up to me for what?" Tanya explained to her that Momon had offered them to disband their group and join his, Darkness. Vikki was not sure, was it a test by her mistress to see if she would remain loyal to her and turn down this man? But then she saw a thumbs up behind Tanya's back, she was trying to hide it. It was obvious that Tanya was saying to agree.
Vikki approached and shook Momon's hand. "We accept your offer. let Shining Darkness be formed today!"