Chapter 8: Albedo's Remorse

Albedo POV

"I'll personally help her out.... by..."

"Ending you."

"*Gasp*" Albedo quickly arose and stood up from her nightmare. As she rose up she felt pain course throughout her body. Albedo examined her body to see no visible wounds on her and remembered that the "wounds" she sustained during her fight not real. It seemed that the trauma she experienced from the illusionary attack made her have some phantom pains on her body.

Albedo observed her surroundings and found herself in a room that seemed to scream "nature". Nearly everything in the room was made out of wood except for the mattress that was inlaid in a mahogany bed frame, pillows, and green blankets that she was kept in. Beside the bed there was a wooden mahogany nightstand with a lamp on top. The medium sized wooden lamp had dozens of sleeping fireflies but there was also dirt and plants inside, creating a miniature ecosystem inside the lamp. The room also had large green and red vines that covered every wall of the room except avoiding the door and the round window with a small wooden stool by it.

Albedo walked towards the window where she saw a large, luscious jungle. She realized that she must still be on the sixth floor, where Mare and Aura reside. She never got to examine how beautiful and vibrant the jungle was as she was always couped up in the throne room with no free time to leave.

The door opened in the room Albedo was in, causing her to turn around towards the noise. The two dark elves, Aura and Mare, entered the room.

"Ah! So you're awake! You've been out for a couple of hours." Aura said with a smile on her face.

"M-Miss Albedo it's nice to see that you're awake and well.." The shy Mare whispered. Albedo noticed a small gold ring with a jewel inlaid in the middle was on her finger. Albedo thought to herself.

"Since when did Mare have a lover?"

Noticing that Albedo was looking at the ring, Mare explained to her that she got the ring from Lord Momonga for successfully camouflaging the entrance to the Tomb of Nazarick. Hearing this, Albedo was slightly jealous but understood that there was no ulterior motive to Lord Momonga's gift to Mare. She sadly looked at her hand, wishing for Lord Momonga to give her a ring in the future. Albedo quickly realized that she had a mysterious silver ring with multiple small emeralds inlaid around it. She was about to take it off until Aura yelled in desperation before she could do so.

"ALBEDO WAAAAAAAAAIT! DON'T TAKE THE RING OFF!!!!!"

"The ring on your finger is called the minimizing ring. As long as you have the ring on, it gives you one level into the minimum racial level while shrinking you. Y-You see, the only way that you could get into the gigantic tree's entrance (Aura and Mare's place of residence), is to have a level in minimum or an item that shrinks your size." Mare thoroughly explained to Albedo.

When Albedo heard this, she started to nervously put the ring further down her finger, trying to make it impossible for the ring to possibly fall off. She imagined herself taking off the ring before they could warn her and her getting squished into red goo everywhere as the room became too small for her now normal sized body to be in.

"Jeez you almost gave us a heart attack..." Aura said as she exhaled from her mouth. She then turned around and yelled towards the door.

"DEMIURGE YOU CAN COME IN NOW!!" As soon as she yelled those words, Albedo saw Demiurge enter the room.

"Albedo how are you faring?" Demiurge asked in concern while adjusting the glasses on his face. 

"I'm doing well. Thank you for your concern, Demiurge." Albedo reciprocated Demiurge's kind gesture.

Demiurge bowed towards Albedo before quickly continuing.

"Now that the pleasantries have been said, we would all like to discuss your behavior towards Bellerose. For lack of better words, it was unsightly to witness. You not only berated a fellow colleague of ours, but you also questioned the legitimacy of her position as a floor guardian too. Did you not account that she is the creation of the only supreme being who didn't leave us? Could you truly take responsibility if he decided to leave us due to your childish behavior?!" There was anger and venom in Demiurge's voice. His eyebrows were furrowed, and he had veins popping out of his neck and face. Albedo could tell that he was genuinely holding his anger back.

"Albedo. Imagine how you'd react if one of us said that you didn't deserve the position you were given by our creators. You went too far. Sheesh for someone who's seen as smart, sometimes you act like a fool. Because of you, we're all going to be punished for it except Mare here!" Aura said, clearly annoyed by the results of her actions.

"I....." Albedo couldn't say anything. She felt weak. She was too consumed by jealously and hatred to think clearly every time she saw, heard, or thought of Bellerose.

"I'm such a fool....I can't believe I did such heinous things to her.. To the youngest and newest addition to the floor guardians at that! I don't know what to do...." She put her head down in despair. She was clenching her hands so hard that blood was dripping from her fist. Suddenly, someone grabbed her fist, It was Mare.

"M-Miss Albedo, p-please open your hand." Mare requested in a timid voice. Albedo was confused on what he was trying to do to her. Albedo opened her hand towards Mare. Mare then took the ring of Ainz Ooal Gown off her finger and placed into in Albedo's hand.

"I truly believe that you are genuinely remorseful for your actions. Y-You still have time to apologize to Bellerose, even if she might not accept that apology. Uhhh.... after you're done though.. P-Please give me the ring back."

Albedo held the ring towards her chest. She was truly grateful to Mare's kind gesture, even if she didn't deserve it.

"I...I will definitely apologize to Bellerose right now. I will make things right. I swear upon my position as guardian overseer!" Albedo resolutely said as she looked at Mare, Demiurge, and Aura."

Albedo saw Demiurge, Mare and Aura nod to each other in satisfaction.

"Ah! While you're at it, please talk to Shalltear and Cocytus. They didn't want to see your face after what you've done, but they might've calmed down considerably. Cocytus actually might not have though. He's a little stubborn. Try not to get punched in the face." Demiurge added in before Albedo was about to teleport away.

"I shall.. and.... thank you all." Albedo said before she finally teleported away, leaving Mare, Aura and Demiurge behind.

(A/N YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO GET ONLY 2 CHAPTERS TODAY?!? NO! YOU GET A 3RD ONE! *DIO VOICE*)