Sat cross-legged on the outskirts of Carne Village, Zesshi felt like she was being watched.
Even as she scoured her surroundings for a confirmation of her suspicions, everything indicated her worries were unfounded. Aside from the trees swaying in the wind, nobody else was in the area; only the corpses of her victims kept the half-elf company.
She had felt a magical presence up until not long ago, a soft hum of energy somewhere… but that had quickly disappeared without a trace. While she wasn't versed in any magic discipline, magic power was something that could be sensed through the body—or rather, the body's instincts. When it came to trusting her instincts over her eyes, Zesshi would choose the former every time.
Leaning her back against the scythe, she gave the unknown onlookers the impression that she wasn't paying attention to anything. Her eyes gazed blankly up at the sky, and she kept her breathing slow and regular. All of this was done to retain any minuscule advantage in case of an ambush—Black Scripture or otherwise.
The sun was at its zenith, the shadow's outline beneath her almost unnoticeable. Her companions should have secured the villagers by this point and be on their way to regroup… If they were still alive, anyway. Climb's boldness would catch up to him eventually, and it was only a matter of time before Clementine did something truly rash… even putting her nightly 'maid hunts' in Valencia Palace aside for the moment.
If those two ran into the Scripture alone, they would surely die.
Zesshi sighed inwardly.
From her spot on the ground, the half-elf resisted the urge to glance around again. Instead, she entertained herself with a felled body of a knight before her. This one, she recalled, she had aimed for the ankles. Although that may have been the case, his torso lay twisted unnaturally, his limbs splayed out at odd angles, mouth agape.
Well, one couldn't expect a regular human to absorb the impact of her swing without issue.
"…"
Zesshi was alerted to her observers' arrival when she heard an ominous whirr from behind. Pushing off the ground and patting off blades of grass, she removed her scythe from the dirt and held it aloft.
Having expected members of the Black Scripture, she was puzzled by the sight which greeted her.
A man dressed in elaborate, silken black robes, bearing a strange, red mask. He was accompanied by a single companion adorned in heavy, black plating. The armoured companion took no time to mirror Zesshi, assuming an offensive stance in response to her own.
The man held out an arm.
"Albedo, stand down."
He spoke calmly, yet his voice carried authority. 'Albedo', as the caster called her, seemed reluctant to lower the weapon, but quickly followed his command. Zesshi maintained her pose, weary of the situation.
"Please be at ease; We mean no harm."
She did not recognise these two.
Were there members of the Black Scripture she wasn't aware of? Or perhaps, new members were recruited after her defection? Either way, she had found the source of her unease.
Zesshi remained silent for some time, studying the strangers. Clearly, the one in charge was a magic caster, but she couldn't be too sure, for his robe concealed much of his physique. He could be hiding weaponry beneath, with the staff as just a decoy. However, if he was indeed the one who cast the spell, then the other was to provide support in close combat.
"We are merely passing through your lands, not here to cause a disturbance," he continued.
Zesshi's eyes narrowed at the magician's remark. A coincidence? She doubted it very much. Even if they dressed like eccentric travellers or adventurers, they were too well equipped. There was also the small fact that they had simply *appeared* through some sort of swirling, purple hole.
—A magic trick she remembered Climb mentioning in their discussion.
[Gate]
It was undeniable what she had seen.
A type of teleportation magic lost to the eras: capable of transporting anything instantly across untold distances. Climb claimed that the art was long extinct… and if it ever cropped up, the only explanation was…
Zesshi suppressed the smile that nearly marked her features.
Ah, so the two are from Yggdrasil.
The revelation was not as shocking as she had anticipated it would be. Coming face to face with her progenitors—one of countless who roamed the World Tree—all she could think of was what unknown strength they possessed.
"…Eh, erm. Not very talkative, are you? Is it possible… that you don't understand what I am saying?! Hold on… I may have a translation item somewhere."
The magician seemed to fumble at Zesshi's silence, trying to hold an entire conversation with himself. Albedo looked on wordlessly too, content to let her master do the talking.
Her theory was confirmed as the magician's hand disappeared into the ether to withdraw some strange trinket.
Also an inventory?
Zesshi raised her hand to stop the robed magician.
"There is no need," the half-elf finally responded, "your words are not of foreign tongue."
The caster paused with his hand halfway through his inventory, quickly retracting his hand, trying to regain composure.
"Ahem. I see, so you can understand me after all. That is good news. Then, I suppose an introduction is in order?" The magician cleared his non-existent throat. "I am Momonga of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. The supreme authority and guildmaster of Ainz Ooal Gown. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, miss…?" Momonga prompted the half-elf to reply.
"Zesshi, unaffiliated," she replied. "…probably."
Momonga raised his head, furrowing his non-existent brow at Zesshi's choice of words.
"Hm. While I am glad we are able to converse without any issues, I believe that something went lost in translation there. I'm sorry, but you said you were unaffiliated, 'probably'?"
"Where my loyalties lie is a rather complicated question," she responded with a slight shake of the head.
"Hmm," Momonga surveyed the corpses around him. "Miss Zesshi, it has become quite clear to me that there seems to be a lack of trust between us." Momonga gestured toward Zesshi's scythe, which had remained raised throughout their conversation. "How about we start by lowering our weapons? It's bad manners, after all. Albedo, I expect you to do the same."
"As you command, Momonga-sama."
The half-elf watched on as Albedo stowed her axe behind her. Momonga released his grip on his golden staff, allowing it to float beside him.
"Now then, miss Zesshi, I ask of you to lower yours as well."
While Zesshi entertained the idea of following the magic caster's will for a moment, she discarded the thought. Did they consider her to have the reasoning of an animal? So easily swayed by pleasantries and a polite attitude, she was just going to lay down her arms?
The two were from Yggdrasil. It was likely that they wielded similar strength, if not more, as herself, and being outnumbered two-to-one was hardly an enviable position. If Momonga could cast [Gate] again, she had to prepare for any flanking manoeuvre attempted to get behind her using the spell. Still, compared to a magic caster, Zesshi was confident her speed would eclipse theirs; The one she had to concentrate on was Albedo.
"I refuse," she stated plainly. "And on the topic of bad manners, if you sincerely wish to build some trust, I suggest you remove your mask. Could it be that you have trouble maintaining a straight face when you're deceiving another?"
"…"
Albedo could no longer hold back her rage.
"Insolence! You dare speak to Momonga-sama with such blatant disrespect?! He has shown you only courtesy, yet you spurn his kindness! I can only imagine the restraint Momonga-sama has beholden himself to!" The axe returned to her hands. "You ought to be grateful for even having the chance to speak with him!"
Momonga panicked as Albedo rushed to attack Zesshi.
"Albedo!"
The bardiche flashed through the air just before Zesshi's face, giving her only a moment to dodge beneath its arc. The speed of the attack startled the half-elf, but the attack was within expectations. Thrusting her scythe at Albedo, the succubus leapt over the blade, landing on the other side of the half-elf.
Maintaining the momentum, she brought her scythe toward Albedo once more, only for it to be swiftly parried away. The returned impact sent vibrations up Zesshi's arm, making her grimace. Her opponent was definitely no pushover.
Zesshi kept one eye on the magic caster as she fought, uncertain of his intentions. While he seemed to want to stop the fight on the surface, it could all be a deception. Again, the mask hid much of his true emotions, but he hadn't yet reached for his staff. In that case, she was afforded some precious moments to focus on Albedo.
Her opponent quickly responded to Zesshi's next strike, moving with surprising agility for someone so bulky. She attempted to follow up with another swing of her scythe, but Albedo's axe seemed to grow and shrink impossibly, responding to whatever action she took. Although the scythe's length should have given her an advantage, it was all nullified as the opponent's weapon perfectly matched the duelist's distance. The half-elf grunted in frustration as she struggled to find an opening in her opponent's defence.
Uwah… What should I do? Albedo started attacking my only source of info!
Momonga stood frozen at the sight of his Guardian Overseer battling with Zesshi. As things stood, she seemed content to humiliate Zesshi by exerting just enough energy to tire her opponent out.
His first thought was to immediately recall her, but he soon dismissed it. Zesshi had been provoked, and if he called out to stop Albedo now, the elf could take advantage of her defenselessness.
The situation had escalated for no reason at all; Zesshi was already defensive when they first met, and now things had turned hostile. But what was there to be afraid of? He was the guildmaster of Ainz Ooal Gown, having settled many arguments between his friends, and even a few powerful inter-guild disputes. Surely, he could placate a lone, level 70 elf?
While the majority of Zesshi's attacks were being deflected, dodged or parried, a few did connect. Fortunately, Albedo's armour quickly took care of those that did sneak through, leaving only scratches. Added to her specialised tank build, Zesshi would soon exhaust herself before drawing any significant amount of blood.
It seems there is no choice.
Momonga stepped forward, clearing his throat. Just as he was about to call out to the succubus, a distant voice cooed.
"Oh? A proper fight~?"
Momonga immediately scanned his surroundings to find the source of the voice. Eventually, he spotted a pair of crimson, cat-like eyes belonging to a blonde-haired woman. She was watching the duel from atop a roof of a village house, a content smirk on her features.
A companion? Hm… Probably not.
If they were partied with Zesshi, they wouldn't simply sit by and watch. Additionally, if they didn't have the same uniform as the felled knights, it was safe to assume they were a third party.
A strategy of Yggdrasil used without honour… waiting for a battle between players to finish, only to swoop in to attack the weakened victor to claim all the drops. Third partying. Momonga's heart sank at the prospect of witnessing another round of that kind of behaviour; He had to stop the fight before the battle drew any more attention.
"Albedo, stop this at once!"
Releasing a wave of [Despair Aura III], his command finally reached Albedo's ears. Her axe froze mid-strike upon hearing her master's voice. And before she raised a hand in protest, she could imagine Momonga's stern expression beneath the Mask of Envy, and decided against speaking.
Zesshi was stopped upon feeling a wave of confusion crashing over her, but managed to keep the scythe levelled at the two opposite.
"Ahem. I-I must apologise, miss Zesshi," Momonga cleared his throat, cancelling the aura. "I am aware of your anger towards my servant. However, please forgive her. She is… Her personality is rather hard-wired into her nature, if you follow?"
"…"
Zesshi eyes remained fixed on Momonga.
"The mask. Take it off."
"You—!"
"It's fine, Albedo. It's fine. I suppose this would qualify as my apology. Actions speak louder than words, after all." Momonga slowly reached for the Mask of Envy on his face but paused. "But first, miss Zesshi, would you happen to know that person perched up on that roof? If not, revealing my face here would be quite troubling."
Zesshi cast her gaze over at the village and scanned the tiled roofs. She sighed upon spotting the head of blonde hair peeking over one of the houses.
"Haaah… Clementine. Yes, I know her."
Momonga was surprised by the rare show of emotion from the elf. Even if it was just a small show of exasperation, it was progress toward a more open dialogue. From their interactions, he was beginning to think that Zesshi was one of those hikikomori types with difficulty communicating.
"I see. Then, that is a relief. I noticed her earlier and mistook her for an opportunist. She looked ready to take advantage of the fight if I hadn't ended it prematurely."
Zesshi blinked at the magic caster incredulously.
"That is… I think that is probably exactly what she was planning, actually. It sounds like something Clementine would do."
"Eh?"
"Hm?"
"Ah, no. But you said you knew her? So is she friendly or not?" Momonga grew more confused by the minute talking to Zesshi.
"Hm…" Zesshi looked to Clementine in the distance once again. "Perhaps the best way to describe her would be… Hm. Climb's pet? Whatever acquaintanceship I extend with that woman exists only as a feature of necessity."
Uwah… A pet?
Momonga turned to look at Albedo beside him, hoping to glean any insight. However, his hopes quickly turned to dismay upon seeing his Guardian Overseer's expressions obscured by the helmet adorning her head.
Zesshi… I understand why you want me to take my mask off now. I understand completely…
"Ahem. Well then, miss Zesshi, if it is not a problem, would it be alright if we invited your… Clementine down to join us? And you also mentioned a Climb? If that is their name?"
"Yes, that is the boy's name. And… Mhm. I believe he would find you two rather interesting."
"Oh?"
"And since Clementine seems to have some free time on her hands, they must be finished on their end. While I would love to continue this productive liaise out in this bloody field, perhaps it be best to preach your 'peaceful intentions' to the boss yourself."
Momonga sensed a hint of sarcasm in Zesshi's tone. Before the elf led the two denizens to meet Climb, Momonga sought clarification.
"Please hold on a moment, miss Zesshi. I mean no offence, but I am puzzled by your thought process. Despite Albedo attacking you, we receive an invitation to meet your leader? "
The half-elf tilted her head at the magic caster's questioning.
"…You are from Yggdrasil, am I correct in this assessment?"
The gears in Momonga's mind spun at the odd question. He had been transported into this world by proxy of Yggdrasil, but did that make him from there? In terms of origin, he was simply another player. Surely Zesshi would have asked whether he was from Earth, in that case?
"…"
Or perhaps… she was simply being mindful of word choice because Albedo was an NPC?
Ah! She's roleplaying! So that explains why she was acting so distant; That personality type must be her character! Ahh, I get it now. Now that I look again, it perfectly matches her character design. Mm.
Like finding the final piece to a puzzle, Momonga's chest swelled with pride upon uncovering Zesshi's intentions. Clearing his throat, he decided to follow suit; He wouldn't allow a fellow roleplayer's efforts go to waste!
"Indeed, you assess correctly, miss Zesshi. I hail from the realm of Helheim. A treacherous place for humankind to venture, yet, a place I am proud to call both my refuge and home."
Zesshi glanced at Momonga upon hearing his remark.
"Then it should be apparent why I'd have you meet Climb."
"I-Is that so?"
Momonga felt like he had missed something important here. He could conclude that Climb was some vague superior of Zesshi's, and Clementine was his… pet? Other than that, there wasn't much information to go on. What gave Zesshi the confidence to bring them to her boss after they'd just attacked her? Was she simply so confident in Climb's abilities that the overlord did not pose a threat?
The idea that she was luring him to an ambush was not impossible. Still, the Eight-Edge Assassins would have alerted him by now. He had already received a report that the village was devoid of traps or anti-divination magic.
"This person… is he your guildmaster, by chance?"
As soon as the word 'guild' was mentioned, he noticed Albedo's demeanour change. The question didn't elicit an immediate response from the elf but a long silence.
…
"Tsk. It's tiring to be questioned so repeatedly," she answered without looking back at them. "Why not ask the boy himself?"
Met with such a vague answer, Momonga brought his hand over his chin as he pondered how to proceed. It seemed he would learn nothing more about Climb unless he spoke directly with the person in question.
As things stood, Nazarick was left exposed and in the dark about this new world; oblivious to its dangers or customs. The overlord had no choice but to accept the elf's new side-quest.
"Well, Miss Zesshi. It appears as though Climb is one I ought to meet in person."
Zesshi's expression remained unchanged as her eyes flicked from the overlord to his companion, who seemed to be getting more restless as the conversation continued. Zesshi decided to leave her reservations unvoiced.
"Follow me."
.
.
.
"Oh, and I changed my mind. Feel free to leave it on; I've found that masks aren't much use against him anyway."
AN: Zesshi tests her strength against Albedo; The half-elf has some thinking to do.
Next chapter, Momonga meets Climb. Or perhaps, Suzuki meets the Marquiswould be more accurate? Just a nice, friendly chat over a cup of tea, or the beginnings of something greater? And would you look at the time, the Black Scripture is late to the party.