Chapter 31

King Ramposa looked over the man who presented himself, Ainz Ooal Gown, the description given by Gazef definitely fit this man down to the last jot and tittle. Expensive robe, mask and all, plus a magnificent staff of twisting gold with gems in the mouths of coiled snakes. When one heard the words 'supreme magic caster', this was what they pictured.

The King chose to stand up, "You saved the life of a dearly treasured servant, and for that I am very grateful." Ramposa ignored the hushed babble when the King chose to stand to speak to the one who bowed to him.

The sharper nobles understood that it was precisely because Gazef himself had been rescued by the guest of the King. The less sharp thought they smelled weakness in the old man. The sharpest, such as Marquis Raeven, saw the old King reaching out across the divide to a new potential ally of great importance.

"A dearly treasured companion from long ago gave me words I never forgot. That helping the weak is only common sense. Your villagers were in danger and couldn't protect themselves, I did only what anyone with common sense would do." Pandora's Actor said, and slowly straightened up to meet the expression of the ruler of Re-Estize.

"A sentiment worthy of embracing, but a difficult one even in good times. You can't save everyone, after all." Prince Zanac said from where he stood a few feet away.

"Perhaps not, perhaps not. But I saved what I could, even if some were lost before I came. Isn't that how it always is?" Pandora's Actor asked, projecting his voice powerfully across the space between himself and the Prince.

"It is, and it is because of that, that I am alive at all. An entire scripture of the Theocracy driven off by one man is unheard of." Gazef said with equal force, openly praising the guest full of might, and the political winds within the hall shifted considerably.

"My magic may be potent, but my timing poor. I arrived well ahead of when I was invited, and I hope I may be forgiven for arriving without proper notice. If it requires more than a bowing of my head, tell me." Pandora's Actor then bowed his head to his host, and the King was quick to respond.

"Not at all, travel is often a dubious thing at best, all manner of things may get in the way, or everything may go smoothly, a few days or even a week is more than acceptable." There was no hint of disagreement in that, as every noble present had endured the challenges of weather, a sick horse, a bandit attack, or worse in slowing their travels.

However, what set them abuzz was the King's next words, "Just to show that there is no trouble, please, stay as the guest of my house. In my palace, I can afford you whatever servants you require and my most luxurious apartment for your use until the feast."

Pandora's Actor raised his head, "Thank you, King Ramposa, I accept your hospitality with gratitude. I do have a servant of my own who will be joining me shortly, I sent her ahead to acquire accommodations on my behalf, but… as you are offering your own generous hospitality, I will have her recalled at once."

"If… I may ask, Lord Gown, may we hear the full story of just how you defeated the Sunlight Scripture?" Marquis Raeven asked with the greatest of diplomatic tones. Of all the nobility, he alone took the question of magic seriously. And the word of a magic caster who could defeat an entire Slane Theocracy special unit was cause for great concern.

"In the simplest of terms, my magic was greater than theirs, and my bodyguard stronger than theirs." Pandora's Actor answered, "I could be more specific, but… and not to be rude, unless you have a great deal of education in the field of magic it would make no sense to you."

Eyes began to glaze over around him at the prospect of a lecture almost nobody cared about, but Raeven's were not among them, 'Power lies in his hands that he is not revealing, and that must be addressed.' the Marquis privately acknowledged, but he sensed the disinterest of the fools among the other noblemen and women. 'Later then.' He concluded.

The King seated himself again, and gestured to Gazef, "I'm sure you two have to catch up, why not take advantage of the moment, take him personally to a room, and we'll send his servant to him when she arrives."

"Of course, my King." Gazef said, turning to bow to his lord with an open hand pressed over his chest.

Gazef took long steps away from the throne and looking up slightly to the masked magic caster, he put a hand on the arm of his rescuer. "Please, come with me."

"As you wish, Gazef." Pandora's Actor said with the utmost courtesy, and the pair exited the throne room.

When they were alone, Gazef didn't delay himself in speaking. "Thank you for coming, Lord Gown." He didn't care that he had no idea if the honorific he used with the magic caster was accurate or not, in his own mind, Ainz was a Lord in nature and in power if not as a matter of law.

"You're welcome, but I admit, I get the feeling this is about more than proper thanks and a reward as a show of gratitude, am I wrong?" Pandora's Actor asked, and Gazef's dark skinned face showed a hint of shame in the way his jaw clenched.

"No, no you are not, but please, when we're in your room." He said with a whisper, and Pandora's Actor went silent.

The rest of the walk was silent except for the sound of their feet and Gazef's armor. The hallway was polished to a shine and reflected the natural light which the high windows allowed to filter into the hall. Paintings sat at intervals between the windows, all of which depicted Re-Estize, and the royal family in particular, in glorious moments throughout its centuries long history.

"Your country has a rich past." Pandora's Actor finally said, breaking the unhappy silence coming off of the Royal Head Warrior.

"Yes, yes it does, I love this country, and my King. We've survived great and terrible things, won our freedom from the Empire, and built something great." Gazef answered with a note of sadness as much as pride.

"Really, Re-Estize was once part of Baharuth?" Pandora's Actor asked as if he hadn't been more or less reading the warrior's mind.

"Yes, and we've had the same royal family since, but times are hard now." Gazef snapped his jaw shut after speaking, and held his tongue until at last they came to a door. "Here." He said, and reached for the brass handle. He opened it as a servant would and stood aside, allowing the magic caster to duck under the arched door frame and enter the room.

"Thank you." Pandora's Actor said, and Gazef entered after him, then closed the door.

"Times are hard, because our nobles are selfish bastards, they keep the King weak, and so keep us weak to the Empire. Our war every year is draining us of our wealth, our peasants die by the thousands and many harvests go uncollected because we have to pull them from the fields to go fight. You were right to ask what you did, we need help. Mighty help. Your help." Gazef spilled the words like they were milk in a tipped over milk pail.

Alone with the man that saved his life, Gazef went down to one knee and bowed his head. "You saved a village because they were weak, you said that was common sense to do. Please… Lord Gown. Help my kingdom the same way."

Pandora's Actor fell to silence, taking in the request, it was the crudest and most direct of actions, far from savvy political maneuvers that he sensed intended from most of the court. 'A warrior, direct, to the point, and without games… almost disappointing in a way, but honest.'

"That is… uncommonly direct. I admit I expected some attempt to harness my magic, but nothing so blatant as that." Pandora's Actor recalled his master's orders, 'Commit to nothing'.

Gazef did not raise his head when he answered, "I know, but I am a warrior, and my kingdom, my king, has no time for games. The annual war is going to take place in a matter of months, and when it does, thousands of my people will die, and thousands more will starve. Even though we will win, as we always do, we will lose as we always do. We will be weaker, they will be stronger, and my kingdom will be a step closer to total collapse."

The warrior tensed every rippling muscle, "I know it is shameful, but I must beg for your help a second time, despite my rank, I am still only a peasant. I can beg for this without disgracing my king."

"I will… consider your request. But you'll forgive me if I don't offer an immediate answer." Pandora's Actor said with a slow, even speech that was more than the warrior could reasonably ask.

"I can ask nothing more, hope is good enough for now, and it is more than I had this morning." Gazef said when he got up to his feet. "Thank you, Lord Gown." He added, and exited the room.

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Demiurge was in his office going through the reports of the shadow demons that had been scattered to the four winds. The Slane Theocracy capital of Kami Miyako, the Baharuth Imperial capital of Arwintar, the Draconic Kingdom, the Roble Holy Kingdom, Re-Estize… 'It's such a big world and we have only so many shadow demons.' His lord's wisdom made a great deal of sense.

But finding worthwhile servants among insects was an ordeal at best, and even then, Nazarick still needed its defenses tested against 'forces' in this new world, which was only adding to his stress.

Albedo entered without knocking and sat down opposite himself, the two geniuses did not always agree, yet neither doubted the loyalty of the other, and the visit of someone whose mind could match his own was doubly welcome in times like this.

She postured herself in a maidenly way, her legs pressed together beneath her white dress, her hands demurely clasped and in her lap, and a sweet, girlish smile on her face. Her wings fluttered pleasantly, the state of her mood was beyond question.

"You're in a good mood today." Demiurge said, opening the conversation with the succubus and setting down the document in his hand.

"Well yes, I had the most wonderful dream the night our lord stayed in his room, it was strange, but… it was also wonderful. I can't wait to tell him about it when he comes back." Albedo answered with a shiver of delight.

"Yes… when he comes back… he hasn't spoken with you personally, has he?" Demiurge asked, his lips tensed with unhappiness.

"No, no he hasn't, he seems to be quite busy, but the waiting! Oh the waiting will be worth it!" She exclaimed, her yellow eyes wide and intense.

"Yes… I also miss his presence, but it troubles me that I can't see as deeply into his plans as I wish. I know he wants a rebellion in the Re-Estize Kingdom, and I know he wants to find a use for the lower life forms in the wider world. I would have suggested the Lizardmen, but they won't work well with the human nations. Plus they are very few." Demiurge tapped his finger on the desk as he struggled to grasp the depth of his master's intentions.

"I know, he just thinks so far ahead, I often don't know what I should do, he hasn't had us retaliate against the Slane Theocracy, only continue to pump Nigun and the others for information. It's very difficult not to accidentally kill such weak beings." She rolled her eyes, "Worms. But at least he's found a place for some of them."

"You're referring to Carne Village?" Demiurge asked, and Albedo nodded in answer.

"Yes, we can conduct all kinds of experiments there, cohabitation between lesser races, military exercises, strengthening weaker fighters to prepare them to fight for our Lord… and that pharmacist seems to have an aptitude for his work as well."

"Not to mention talents, Ninya learns twice as fast as a common caster, the boy Nfirea can use any item without restriction, and there are clearly more, some of which may be extremely useful." Demiurge added.

"Is that what you're hoping to find in Baharuth?" Albedo asked.

"Yes, they and the Slane Theocracy are advanced in magic, as far as this world goes, but we need to know so much more before we can truly 'emerge'." The Archdevil let out a deep sigh from his long face.

"I assume that is why Lord Ainz has stayed away for so long, he's saving us inadequate servants the shame of failing him, and yet… I can't put my finger on it, something else is profoundly different." Albedo said with a tentative air and tightened her fingers grip on one another with self induced annoyance.

"Different?" Demiurge arched a brow. "How?"

"Cocytus is aloof, Lupusregina has, with one exception, remained even closer to our master than before, if I am reading her own reports accurately. Sebas chose 'Solution' to take to Arwintar, she blends well, she is a gifted assassin, but she hates humans, and so being around them is profoundly uncomfortable. A better choice would have been Aureole Omega, or Yuri Alpha. So why Solution? He had to know she was suboptimal for this, and yet he chose her anyway and has not answered except to say, 'It is what is best.' over and over."

Albedo clenched her jaw, "If my lord is having his way with Lupusregina and they know about it… that is his right, but… what is wrong with me?!" Albedo shot her hand up and put it over her heaving breast. Her happiness melting away beneath the stress of rising concerns that she had not yet given voice to until that moment.

"Are they aware and staying back to avoid letting it slip?" Albedo asked and stared intently at Demiurge, the most cunning and far thinking of the Guardians, and aware of her own potential for self bias, she desperately sought his counsel.

"No… No, I don't think so. Have you spoken to Shalltear about this?" Demiurge's brow furrowed. The 'other' candidate for wife to The One Who Stayed, she was as fanatical as Albedo in her own way.

"No, I sent her out to search for a talented swordsman that was rumored to exist with a group of bandits east of E-Rantel. Supposedly he has considerable skills and was only ever defeated by the Royal Head Warrior. He might prove useful to us if he is properly tamed." Albedo explained, and at that Demiurge could only offer silent agreement.

"Excellent, even a common stone can have a use to the right craftsman." Demiurge suggested, and then added, "Don't spend too much time worrying about Lord Ainz and Lupusregina, I'm sure she's just cautious because of their situation, and the others likely just concerned with their own performance of their first outside missions." Demiurge said, hoping to allay her fears.

"You're right," Albedo said, her smile slowly returning, "I'm being silly, thank you for your words of confidence, Demiurge, I'll be visiting my Lord's room, and I'll be there for the rest of the day… and night. Let me know if anything of importance happens."

"I will, just… don't take it too far." He said, recalling the shockingly well made body pillow of their master.

She laughed when she stood up, then asked, "Demiurge, when do I ever overdo anything?"

'I wonder.' Demiurge reflected, but said nothing as she left the room, and went back to his reports.

Albedo made her way to her master's room a short while later, her Ainz pillow clung tightly under one arm, and opened the door.

Before the door even shut, she knew something was different. She raised her chin and sniffed the air, a musk was present, an unfamiliar musk, like someone else had been in the room. Someone male. The pheromones were exceptionally strong. She reverentially laid the pillow upright against the wall and followed the pheromones over to the bed, she went down to her knees and pressed her nose to the sheets. Her own powerful succubus scent was still detectable, her faint spray of perfume was to be expected.

But what was not, was what else she found. The masculine musk was flooding her nethers with desire, hunger, wanton and reckless beyond all reason, and she followed it from the foot of the bed, to where a tall man's crotch would have been, and then all the way up to the head.

The height was perfect, the scent wasn't of bone, but of flesh, and the way her body was responding, with trembling desire on a whole other level…

With the utmost devotion she rose, placed a delicate hand of impossible strength down on the place where a heart would have been beating, and Albedo felt a smile begin to form.