S.M.I.L.Es and Secrets

Demiurge PoV:

Location: SMILE Laboratory; Hidden Pocket Dimension

Demiurge had just finished inspecting the newly set up happy farms. For now, each farm had been designated to hold a single type of life form each. Eventually though, cross-breeding experiments would be conducted.

Some of them were very likely impossible due to reproductive isolation, but they would merely serve as a past time for him. If he ended up getting significant results out of them, then great. If not, he would at least derive pleasure from their despair and perhaps a few laughs along the way.

Of course, these farms housed living varieties only. Undead organisms were kept in a separate hold and variety of experiments that Demiurge had outline previously were already underway in regards to them.

As compared to the happy farms, the holds for the undead were packed to the brim, boasting a vast collection of undead whose lives were plundered across the timestream.

Demiurge had also successfully conducted operations to capture specimens of the so-called mutants. These operations were carefully enacted in select points of time based on prior knowledge from the comics.

He chose the weaker, lesser known and easier to incapacitate ones for obvious reasons. As much as he wanted to study omega-level mutants, that would have to be on hold for now.

Ultimately, there was still a space reserved for them in the happy farms. In fact, the spaces for these more special, higher lifeforms were even more 'luxurious'. The treatment they would undergo would certainly be top notch, even by Nazarick's standards.

Demiurge grinned, struggling to hold back the thought of conducting experiments on these more powerful beings.

For now, other than research related to undead, Demiurge's focus was on grasping scientific concepts as much as possible. As for the superpowered lifeforms like the captured mutants? They were obviously first in line to undergo experimentation related to obtaining the horde immunity.

Lady White had granted him total access to this pocket dimension, going so far as to manipulate the flow of time in the dimension to a certain degree. This way, Demiurge had spent much more time silently conducting his research than what many in Nazarick believed.

Since they could travel to any point in time, it was the most worthless thing to denizens of Nazarick. Still, he preferred conducting experiments in this pocket dimensions instead of doing so at some other remote point in time.

This way he could always be ready to assist anyone in Nazarick whenever required. Needless to say, there was also the fact that the pocket dimension was connected to Lady White, so it would be easier for him to protect her as well.

As much as he liked research, there was nothing more important protecting Lady White as a guardian. Perhaps from the point of view of other species, he was already being overworked.

By the standards of other civilizations, Lady White would be considered the evil employer and Demiurge, the pitiful employee. This could not be far from the truth! In fact, he was the object of envy in Nazarick for the amount of responsibilities he shouldered.

The SMILE laboratory was set up after Demiurge drew wisdom from one of the many scriptures in Lady White's collection called 'One Piece'. He could not be more grateful that he had the opportunity to draw inspiration from Lady White's experiences.

Yes, he was certain that all of these scriptures in the library were the result of Lady White simply noting down whatever she had personally seen or experienced for entertainment.

If not that then, she might have used some sort of magic to divine them like she had with the Marvel comics. Those pathetic lifeforms whose actions were noted down by her should feel delightful for obtaining this privilege.

That fool called Caesar Clown had the right attitude towards experimentation but he was too pathetic and lacked the drive to achieve anything of substance. Regardless, Demiurge liked his naming sense. It just sat well with him for some reason.

So much so that he borrowed the title and the general aesthetic of the place. He studied technology and conducted experiments on the mutants in this laboratory.

'Hmm'. Demiurge turned his head in mild surprise. Multiple spider babies charged into the laboratory carrying multiple corpses on their back. They were generally of two types. Some were bald humanoids with pointed ears, furrowed chin and green skin.

The others were insectoid creatures with jaws which were more like fangs, heads that were flat with unique marks between their large eyes and tentacles as front legs. Just with a cursory glance he could make out their identities. He had studied the comics in depth, after all.

The skrull and the brood. Moreover, not all of them were dead. There were some living specimens as well. It was clearly evident that these alien creatures had run into Lady White while she was touring the vast stretches of space, somehow provoked her and ended up being crushed.

Since they had been handed to Demiurge under Lady white's directive, it seemed that he could make use of them for experiments as and when he desired. Despite this, Demiurge refrained from dissecting them immediately.

He did not know plans did Lady White have in store for them. He just ended up storing them away in the empty farms for now.

Another thing to note was how the spider babies looked. They were draped pitch black in shadows instead of their usual appearance. He did not know for what reason and decided it was best to talk with Lady White in person.

And so, Demiurge just ignored the babies who seemed to hold some sort of competitiveness or animosity towards the brood and made his way towards Nazarick.

***

Location: 6th Floor of The Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick

Upon enquiring Lady White's whereabouts, Demiurge had been directed to the 6th floor by the area guardians. He could see Lady White sitting in the distance against the backdrop of the colosseum on one side and the forest on another.

A table had been prepared and Sebas placed some refreshments and delicacies in front of her. Albedo and the twin guardians were also present. Although, Albedo looked visibly depressed for some reason.

"Welcome back to Nazarick, Lady White. Was your outing to space pleasant?" Demiurge bowed down and greeted the supreme one. Depending on her answer, how demiurge treated the new arrivals in his happy farms would change.

'It was quite relaxing! Did you get the gift I prepared for you? It's been a while since I let loose and fought against anyone,' She replied. The brood and the skrull were apparently gifts. Demiurge was so touched that he almost shed tears.

Of course, he was also concerned about Lady White having to fight in person. But seeing how visibly happy she looked, he might be a bit more lenient in treating his new specimens.

"Yes, the Horo Neia dropped them off in the laboratory. Thank you very much for the gift. Is there any particular use you have in mind for them?" He enquired just in case.

'Oh right. I was going to speak with you and Albedo regarding somethings. Well, let's talk after a while. Relax for now! We were just having a casual discussion. Have a seat,' She spoke while pointing at one of the empty seats.

As he sat down, Demiurge breathed out a sigh of relief that he had not started dissecting specimens out of curiosity.

'Is there anything you want to know? I am in a good mood so I will answer anything,' Lady White enquired.

There were lots of questions that ran through Demiurge's mind the second he heard what she said. This could not be helped. The Supreme Beings were enigmatic gods for everyone in Nazarick. They would be fools to let go of such an opportunity.

"How did you meet the other Supreme Beings?" Aura started off with a simple question. It seemed that she was reserved about asking something more hidden and private.

'Hmm, I met them back when I was an Arachne. All of them ran into me in the great elroe labyrinth.'

"I-isn't that the name of the floor you created, Lady White." Mare asked sheepishly as usual.

'That's right. The great elroe labyrinth is where I was born. It was a high level dungeon back in YGGDRASIL. So when I became a member of Ainz Ooal Gown, I simply cut an entire strata of the labyrinth and converted it into a floor,' She replied.

Everyone present was shocked. After all, they just had a revelation regarding the origins of a Supreme Being. A dungeon that could give birth to a divine entity like Lady White. What sort of mysteries did it hold?

Moreover, a section of it is present in Nazarick? While all of them considered Nazarick a divine realm that exists for their creators, it was even more so if Nazarick actually held the grounds that birthed one of said creators.

'It is nostalgic now that I think about it. Back then I was just a weak little Taratect. In fact, I might even have been the weakest in the entire labyrinth. All I could do was claw my way to the top and eat everyone in my way!,' She spoke with a reverie in her voice and a longing expression.

Almost as if she was missing those times. That could not be allowed! Although Demiurge had doubts about her claims about being the weakest, it would be a tragedy if Lady White ventured into dangerous realms in the multiverse to 'relive' her past experiences.

Based on the grim expression on Albedo's face, it seemed that she thought so as well. The twins on the other hand were oblivious.

"I don't believe that Lady White could be the weakest. That is impossible!" Aura vehemently denied what she had heard.

Speaking of being the weak, he remembered that Lord Momonga also made a similar claim in the overlord novels.

"Perhaps you can tell us something about YGGDRASIL that we don't know," Demiurge shifted the topic. Not to say that he was not interested in knowing more unknown facts.

'Something you don't know…hmm, I guess the fact that YGGDRASIL was a game created for entertainment?'

"…E-entertainment?"

'Yes, it was just an artificially created world for the sake of entertainment.' Lady White calmly repeated once more.

Demiurge was shocked as well just like the Mare who had asked for confirmation in shock. It was not hard to understand why. YGGDRASIL had been their home world for many years, but it turned out to be a world created for the entertainment of Supreme Beings.

There was also a darker fact to be considered. Lady White had previously spoken about her origins and it was clear how she seemed to miss the times when she was a Taratect.

Adding on that the Supreme Beings considered everything that happened in YGGDRASIL as entertainment, isn't it very much likely that she will put herself in danger for experiencing thrills?

'I guess its about time we start discussing about what I wanted to talk about earlier. That's enough of breaktime!' Lady White spoke after she finished the vast assortment of delicacies in front of her.

Demiurge also put aside his thoughts after brief eye contact with Albedo. It was clear what both of them had to discuss later. For now, there were more important issues to discuss.

***