Chapter 20: Small bit of self reflection.

As Cocytus was leading me down a hallway in the fabled Nazarick, I was too busy in my own mind to really admire anything.

'That was weird. I've never released killing intent before, or have even gotten that mad over… well, anything before. But the rage I felt at Albedo for talking shit about Tearwyn was unreal.

Honestly, I barely contained it, I was so very close to just murdering her. I don't understand why I had such a violent reaction like that though.'

I started to think over exactly what I felt towards Tearwyn. After spending several minutes I came to a singular conclusion.

'Holy shit. I am basically a Yandere sis-con thing. I totally see myself as the older sister of Tearwyn, and my desire to protect her and uphold her "honour" is unnatural. Hmm… I don't feel sexually attracted to Tearwyn in any way though. I just NEED to protect her. Is it because she has such an innocent feeling, even though she is a Dark Goddess?'

I was broken out of my musing by a question from Cocytus.

Cocytus: "I. Am. Sorry. For. Albedo's. Actions. Artoria. You. Hold. Lady. Tearwyn. In. High. Regards. Yes?"

Artoria: "I do, yes. Like I said, she is young, and I fancy myself as her older sister of sorts. It angers me greatly that anyone has ill will towards her."

Cocytus: "It. Is. Clear. You. Care. A. Great. Deal. About. Her. Indeed."

Artoria: "As much as you all care about Ainz, I would say."

A puff of cold mist leaves Cocytus as he nods and hums in agreement. Soon, we walked up to a door and stopped.

Cocytus: "This. Will. Be. Your. Room. I. Will. Call. A. Maid. To. Attend. You."

Nodding my head, I thank Cocytus before I open the door and walk into the room. Looking around, it was a very fancy guest room. There was a medium sized coffee table in between two black couches. The whole room was purple with a gold trim themed, and there were several paintings of various creatures on the walls.

Walking up to the door that was on the left side wall, I peeked inside to see the actual bedroom. It had a huge king size bed filled with a crazy amount of pillows. There was a large looking closet and a full body mirror on the right side of the room. Same colour scheme as the little meeting room. On the left side, there was another door.

Going into the room proper, I headed to the door and opened it. Much to my expectation, this door led to a bathroom. Inside there was a rather large bath. Five people could fit comfortably inside the thing.

Wanting to have a bath for one since becoming the new me, I dismissed my armour and clothes. While I don't need to shower or bathe as it seems I am somehow magically kept clean all the time, I still wanted to take a small dip.

After washing down in the cleaning station, while the tub filled up, I got in.

'Something is missing…'

But something felt off, and I couldn't really think what. Then I suddenly got an idea. I started to flood the tub with Black Water(AWE). In a matter of seconds, the whole tub was converted from normal water, to my Black Water.

I instantly felt calmer, and more relaxed after all the water was converted.

Artoria: "Aahhhh. Now this is relaxing. There is no temperature or anything now, but this just feels right."

I leaned back comfortably in the bathtub turned Black Water holder. While relaxing in AWE, I started to play with it a little. Causing little vortexes, tiny little hurricanes, and otherwise just playing around.

'I don't know what it is about AWE, but it relaxes me. Calms me down. Resting in it like this is almost as comfortable as when Tearwyn hugged me along with all her tails.'

Once again thinking about why I acted the way I did with Tearwyn being brought up, I really could only come up with that I was a total sis-con of sorts.

'Wonder why I attached myself to her so fast though. I've only spent like an hour tops with her so far. But I totally would go to bat for her.'

Thinking about all the Reincarnators that were sent after Tearwyn and her worlds, and the Light gods that sent them, I started to get angry. As if it was reacting to my mood, the Black Water rippled several times as if in agreement with me.

This broke me out of my musing as I looked down at it in wonder.

'Sometimes I could swear this stuff is semi sentient.'

Raising my hand out of the water and holding it out palm up, the Black Water followed. It coursed around my hand softly, as if trying to hug it.

I dropped my hand back down when I heard a knock on the bathroom door.

???: "Lady Artoria, are you in there?"

Artoria: "I am, you may enter."

???: "Excuse me, then."

Entering the room was a maid I was familiar with. I could only smile internally if she was going to be my maid while I was in Nazarick. She bowed deeply as she introduced herself.

???: "I greet you, Lady Artoria. My name is Yuri Alpha. I am the maid who has been assigned to you for your stay, and anytime you return."

{image}

Artoria: "Ahh, Yuri. It's nice to meet you. Your creator, Yamaiko, has done a wonderful job with you. Truly. Out of respect for your creator, and Ainz in general as well, I ask that you do not come near me. Or, more specifically the Black Water."

Yuri rights herself, and takes a few steps back with a tiny raised eyebrow.

Yuri: "You know my creator, My Lady?"

Artoria: "I know of her, yes. Several of the 41 actually."

She adjusts her glasses, and gives a nod. She then looks at the water and tilts her head.

Yuri: "That is not normal water, is it My Lady?"

Giving her a nod as I raise my hands out of the Black Water. It once again covers my arms fully, almost playful like in nature as it swirls around them.

Artoria: "That is correct. For this really isn't even water. Just looks like it. It's actually a substance called "All the World's Evil." The main reason I ask you to stay away, is as one of the properties of this water is to absolutely corrupt any being that touches it, to evil. It doesn't change their core principles, but does align them fully with Evil."

Focusing on the Black Water I try to reabsorb it for the first time since I have summoned it. I stand up, and cloth myself as the Back Water rushes up my body and fully covers me. Several seconds later, it seemingly recedes into my body and vanishes.

Stepping out of the now empty bathtub in my dress, I give a nod to Yuri.

Yuri: "Fascinating, My Lady. Thank you for the warning. Do you mind if I tell everyone else about this substance?"

Shaking my head I say, "Not at all, Yuri."

Giving me a small smile, she adjusts her glasses and nods.

Yuri: "Is there anything you require right now, My Lady?"

Artoria: "Some tea would be wonderful, Yuri. Surprise me, or if Nazarick has a brand they use exclusively, that would be fine."

Bowing to me she says, "As you wish, My Lady."

She then turns around and leaves my room. With a sigh, I leave the bathroom and head to the little meeting room. I sit down on the left sided couch and relax a bit while I wait for Yuri to return.

'It always feels disappointing to leave AWE. It is clearly more than what it originally was in my opinion. But I guess after spending several million years with the stuff, it was inevitable that it would change in some way?'

Lifting up my left hand, I summon a small amount of AWE and start to lightly play with it. Watching as it races around my hand and through my fingers, I smile softly.

'This AWE is clearly as much of a part of me, as my sword is. Oh, speaking of…'

Absorbing the AWE, I close my eyes and focus inwardly and summon my scabbard. Feeling a weight in my left hand, I open my eyes to see (not)Avalon. Brining my hand down, I rest Avalon on my lap as I look it over.

'Now, what to do with you. So your meaning and name changed, yet we're still connected. I can feel the connection, much like with my sword but it feels only one way. You recognize me, but I don't recognize you. Clearly, I don't believe in Avalon, and so for you to recognize me, you don't mean Avalon anymore. But what do you represent now, and what is your new name…'

For several minutes I focus and meditate on (not)Avalon. Trying to get a hint at its new nature, its new name. Feeling my, or rather its, connection to me I get an idea of its reason for acknowledgment of myself.

'It finds me worthy. Worthy of… something. It finds me the most worthy and enjoys my presence most when… when… Come on now. It's when I am doing something. But what?'

I frown in thought, as I try to probe the connection more. But (not)Avalon will not give me any more insight into it.

Sadly, I am broken out of my thoughts and speculations by a knock on the door. Turning my head to the door, I dismiss (not)Avalon.

Yuri: "Lady Artoria, it is Yuri Alpha."

Artoria: "You may enter, Yuri."

Yuri: "Excuse me"

She then softly opens the door, and brings in a trolley with a tea set on top of it. Pushing the trolley to the table, she starts to prepare my tea. Watching her do her work, I could only internally nod at her skills.

'Well, that's a creation of Nazarick for you I guess. Perfect in what she was created for.'

She is soon done with my tea, and places the cup on a plate in front of myself.

Yuri: "Your tea is served, My Lady. Please, enjoy."

Giving her a nod, I take the cup and the little plate under it and raise it to my face.

'Not surprised I know tea etiquette, honestly. What king would drink like a barbarian after all~.'

Finishing up with the tea, I set it back down on the table and smile.

Artoria: "As expected of Nazarick. This is wonderful tea, Yuri."

She bows and says, "Thank you for your praise, My Lady. Is there anything else you require at the moment?"

Shaking my head I say, "No, I am fine Yuri. Just let me know when Ainz is ready to meet with me."

Bowing again, she then sets the teapot on the table and pushes the trolley so it is out of view and not in the way. She then takes up a spot near the door and stands at the ready waiting to be addressed.

A couple minutes later as I was still enjoying my cup of tea she spoke up.

Yuri: "My Lady, Ainz-sama says he will be ready to meet you in an hour."

Giving her a nod I set the tea cup back down.

Artoria: "Thank you, Yuri."

Leaning back into the couch, I cross my arms in thought.

'An hour isn't too bad. Gives me time to go over exactly what I want to talk about. Which, honestly, is just continuing to be open about exactly why I am here. And see if he maybe knows of the Angel I am hunting. I think I'll do him a solid as well, and tell him about the Black Scripture and Blue Roses.'

Going back to enjoying my tea and thinking about (not)Avalon again, an hour quickly came and went.

Yuri: "Lady Artoria? Ainz-sama is ready for you now."

Breaking from my musings, I look towards Yuri and give her a nod. Standing up, and walking over to her she opens the door for me and lets me through. Waiting for her, she quickly closes the door behind her, and starts to lead me.

Artoria: "Are we meeting in the throne room, or his meeting room?"

Without looking back at me Yuri says, "Ainz-sama would like to meet in the throne room, so he can have more of his floor guardians present comfortably."

Artoria: "That is fine with me."

As we were making our way to the throne room, I fell into thought.

'So, after all the time I am at least a little closer to understanding (not)Avalon. It has something to do with fighting, is what I have come up with. But it's obviously not that simple. It'll take some more time and reflection, but I am at least sure of that.'

Several minutes later, we came upon the massive doors that will lead to the throne room. The majestic set of double doors were over five meters in height, and covered in intricate carvings. The left side was shaped into a beautiful goddess, while the right was made to resemble a cruel demon. As we approached them, they opened automatically and revealed the rather massive and open throne room.

{image}

'You can tell this was created by players in a game as a fighting arena. Massive, with several pillars to use for Line of Sight. But it still looks elegant, and impressive. Looking ahead, I can see Ainz sitting on the throne. With most of the floor guardians present, along with the Pleiades Six Stars.

To his right is Albedo, Shalltear, and Aura. To his left are Sebas Tian, Demiurge, Cocytus, Mare, and Victim.

'Really brought out everyone eh? Even Victim. Oh well, it doesn't matter.'

Following Yuri till she stopped some distance away from the throne, she bowed towards Ainz.

Yuri: "Introducing Lady Artoria Alter."

She then rights herself, and walks off to the side and joins her sisters.

Ainz: "Greetings, Artoria-dono. As previously stated, I would like to continue our conversation from before."

Giving a nod to Ainz I say, "Of course. We have several things to go over…"

[author] Whelp. Back to writing, because my PC seems to have problems running games now... Ugh. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter~.[/author]