CROWN

*Chapter 1*: Prologue

Prologue

The large double doors, decorated in masterfully crafted images of both the horrific and the heavenly, opened to reveal beyond it a beautiful demoness wearing a blood red skin tight strapless gown with a very deep neckline running all the way to her bellybutton. The demoness had a diamond shaped head, small but thick round lips, soft snow-white skin, jet-black straight hair, cut into a bob just over her jawline and bangs that concealed her brows. Her bedroom eyes were a golden red with goat-like pupils. But her most striking features were a set of kudu deer like horns and the tail peeking out from under her dress. The horns curled their way up from just above her temples, coming together at the top and almost touching, leaving just enough room for a regular man's fist. Her tail, which was not very visible, was thick at the beginning and small at the end, with the same jet-black hair covering the end of her tail like that of a lions.

All the denizens of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick had gathered to greet the demoness and bow down before her as she walked down the red carpet, like demonic bride walking down the aisle towards her future undead husband.

When the demoness finally made it in front of the steps before the throne, she too bowed down onto one knee.

"Kah'Ra Val'Hara," Albedo's voice boomed without losing its femininity. "You bow before and have the honour to address the Absolute Ruler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, the Sorcerer King of the Sorcerous Kingdom and Leader of all the Supreme Beings, Ainz Ooal Gown-sama!"

The demoness remained quiet, following the adequate that she had been taught in the shortest amount of time.

"Let's get to the point shall we?" The King waved with his free skeletal hand and one of his aids, Demiurge, strode forth to his side holding a velvet red cushion, lined with golden thread. On top of it sat a very plain looking Crown. It had no gems, no antiquate design or symbols on top of it, as if it were a mere base to later improve upon with such things – though a thief would simply melt it down and sell it.

Once that was brought forth, it was the demoness's turn to speak, swearing her oath and vows of fealty, to the undead king.

*Chapter 2*: Chapter One

Chapter one

In the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, on the ninth floor, in the room and specifically the bedroom of the weakest of all the Supreme Beings, something shimmered. Right in front of a huge mirror little lights made objects in the dark room gleam and glitter as the lights became stronger. Then, as if the heavens decided to lend their power, the lights flared up, flashing brightly. When they disappeared, a demoness stood in their place.

Kah'Ra looked in the mirror shocked. She was fully naked, which in it of itself was strange enough – she didn't remember putting her armour and other items in her inventory before logging off the last time – but what shocked her the most was the fact that her character's naked body was fully rendered, which went strictly against the games R-Rated guidelines. Curiously, she jumped for a moment and surely enough, her perfectly formed breast jiggled along with the motion. She looked down and saw black pubic hair covering her vulva.

So weird. She thought, feeling stupid for jumping once more. Why would the DEV's do this? Or did they remove certain rated R restrictions to save the game? It won't be popular with girls if they did, but oh well.

She regarded her surroundings slightly confused and moved her hands to touch something invisible, but nothing happened.

"That's weird." She muttered quietly, and made another hand movement, which caused all the lights within the room to come to life. "Glad that still works."

Her room was heavily styled like a fantasy version of the rococo, all furniture well thought out and expertly placed to make the most use of the size of the room.

Seeing as it was still exactly the same, she exhaled in relief, but got confused.

They must really upgraded the hell out of this, huh?

Though she did not understand why they would do such a thing if they had planned to shut the game down to begin with, but that was not really her problem. At least she could finish her last quest and say goodbye properly this time.

Maybe Momonga-san can show me how this new system works, what a drag.

The only problem now was to find out to access her inventory, but when she reached for to open her screen again, still, nothing happened. Sighing, Kah'Ra headed over to her walk-in closet. After years and year of being completely ignored, would finally be used.

But something wasn't right, she felt...off. As Kah'Ra let her manicured hand glide along the many different fabrics, she frowned displeased.

Like certain boundaries and restrictions had been lifted, like she didn't have a thing to worry about but herself and herself alone. As if she could fully indulge in all her deepest darkest desires, all the sins of the world without feeling a bit guilty about it.

In a word, she felt freed.

Kah'Ra grabbed a simple looking black dress from the rack and started to climb in it while she pondered further on the matter.

But from what? Why would the dev's program such a thing into the game? Trying to equip clothing was already a hassle, especially if one could not use their inventory to quickly go through them to see what would look best for the occasion...

They really must've been desperate to safe the game and really went for that hyper realism, huh?

But her understanding nature was quickly diminished when she was overflowed with frustration trying worm her way into one of the complicated dresses she had ever thought to wear in the world. She needed at least six pair of hands to get the thing on.

But after several minutes of quietly cursing at herself, she tied the last string into a sloppy bow and buttoned the last button.

There. She thought proudly. Now trying to find Momonga and ask ten thousand questions.

But as she stared at her own reflection, her eye twitched. Well, at least her most inner flaw had remained despite these weird game changes, her perfectionism would not allow for her to go outside with this half crooked monstrosity.

After fixing both her dress and hair, she walked over to the door that led to her studio/office and opened it, finding one of the 41 maids cleaning it up.

She and the maid stared at each other for a moment. As Kah'Ra was bewildered by how lifelike the NPC looked and the way it was emoting shock at seeing her, Kah'Ra was about to simply continue on out when the maid cried out, literal tears streaming down her face.

"Kah'Ra Val'Hara-sama?!"

"What is it?"

The maid dropped her cloth to the floor and ran over and fell to her knees, her hands put together like she was praying, as if at any moment, Kah'Ra would disappear again.

"You've returned! You've returned! Everyone will be so pleased!"

Okay, this over kill, what was wrong with the DEV's to do such a thing?

"There, there, don't cry…" Kah'Ra said, awkwardly attempting to sooth the crying maid, even though her heart wasn't really in it.

What was this one's name again? Fifth? Foss?

No, she remembered. "Fiore, do you know where Momonga-san is? I don't know what's going on, but I need to speak to him urgently."

Fiore wiped away her tears with her sleeve and nodded.

"Yes, I shall have Lord Ainz contacted immediately."

Lord Ainz?

Before Kah'Ra could ask about that, Fiore ran out the door, literally going as fast as she could.

What on earth was going on here?

Kah'Ra shook her head and examined the room, it was as spotless as she remembered, she had used a lot more warm tones in here than in her bedroom, but that had been a long time ago. Kah'Ra felt weird, her hands touching her face for some reason. She felt something moist on her cheeks and looked at her fingers. They were wet with fresh blood.

What?!

She walked over to the mirror, a really big one next to the door and stared more closely at her character. Tears made of blood flowed from her eyes, dripping down her face. Instead of being utterly horrified, like a normal human would be at the sight of blood, Kah'Ra was completely mesmerised by her own appearance. She was reminded of weeping angel or Maria statues from the catholic religion that were famous for crying tears of blood. But she still did not understand why she was crying and tried to understand it as she watched as her character touched the mirror. The mirror was cool to the touch, that sensation led to another, and finally, Kah'Ra felt this strange sense of…darkness, this evil presence in the air that made her now demonic heart leap with utter joy.

"This isn't right…" She murmured, finally breaking her own enchantment.

Cleaning her face off, she wondered what to do next. Fiore had just sped off to go contact "Ainz" and left here. Kah'Ra's tail flicked as she stared impatiently at the door, before she walked over to the door and directly into another demoness, one she recognized and absolutely adored.

"Albedo-chan!" Kah'Ra smiled and stepped a little too close to her. As she did, a weird feeling sprouted up inside of her. Something like recognition between a species, considering they were both demons, made Kah'Ra slightly frown.

Albedo bowed deeply before Kah'Ra, a soft gentle smile on her face as she did so.

"Kah'Ra Val'Hara-sama, Ainz-sama is right this way."

Again with the Ainz-sama's…

Kah'Ra looked confused but shrugged, following Albedo's lead to one of the ninth floor offices, being fascinated how the new update had radically changed everything and made everything feel so very real. Before going inside though, Albedo stopped and turned to Kah'Ra and bowed yet again, her beautiful face strained with worry.

"Please forgive my rudeness, Kah'Ra Val'Hara-sama, but would you please hand over any kinds of weapons you may carry before seeing the master?"

This kind of turned Kah'Ra off, this was a very weird request. Did something happen that warranted this? She couldn't possibly be a danger towards Momonga without her world item…but Kah'Ra didn't feel like making a hassle out of nothing.

"I do not understand why such a thing is necessary? Also, I currently am not carrying any weapons."

"Then please forgive me, Kah'Ra Val'Hara-sama, if I do a check?" Albedo asked while bowing.

This is ridiculous.

But Kah'Ra restrained herself from acting upon her irritation, which in turn only grew due to the fact that her irritation with this hyper realism system was just as annoying. Was she supposed to actually feel everything her character felt? Was she supposed to have little restraint as a demoness?

Kah'Ra took a deep breath and let Albedo frisk her, which was even more awkward due to the fact that the rated R system was changed as well.

"Thank you very much, Kah'Ra Val'Hara-sama, Ainz-sama will see you now."

Kah'Ra didn't answer back, just impatient to get this over with so she could go and do her thing. She didn't know how long the servers would keep running, it might be a few days still before she could actually finish her quest…if only her work hadn't gotten in the way back then, she could've finished it before the servers would have been shut down, well…they hadn't, so it didn't matter.

While she was thinking about these things, Albedo had announced their arrival to a maid who had then asked the permission of their master before letting them inside. Once inside, the doors promptly closed behind her again, two large fiends guarding the door behind her. Walking just behind Albedo, she saw that at either side of Momonga's large desk were two other floor guardians, Shaltear and Demiurge. In the middle, sitting behind the desk was her skeletal friend, Momonga.

Again, she felt something weird in correlation to Demiurge and the two fiends behind her, finally knowing what it was, simply felt even more putt off by the new system.

Really, they put instincts in the game?
Kah'ra wanted to groan, but didn't. Instead she gave a smile and wave to her friend sitting behind the desk.

"Hey, nice seeing you again, it's been a while, huh?" She greeted him nonchalantly and then looked Shaltear and Demiurge both in the face before asking. "Why are those two here, and those fiends, did something happen, are we being invaded right now?"

Albedo who had walked around the desk to stand behind Momonga's right side, looked as shocked as the other two guardians.

"Do you remember which floors they belong to?" The tone that Momonga used didn't fit in with what she remembered of him, but she answered anyway.

"Well, yes, that's why I'm asking what they are doing here?" Kah'Ra continued, looking confused. "Also, what's up with those fiends?" The Eight Edge assassins she kind of understood, but those two definitely did not belong on the ninth floor. "Shouldn't they be on the seventh floor along with Demi-chan?"

Demiurge adjusted his glasses and Kah'Ra felt something…bad. Did she offend him or something?

"This is ridiculous…" Demiurge muttered and Albedo shot him a glare. They looked so real it stunned her, she couldn't help but studying their faces.

"Excuse me, but what exactly is going on here?"

"Forgive me," Momonga spoke, a tad too loud, as if what he was about to proclaim something that was deeply unsettling. "Kah'Ra Val'Hara, it's just that I need to confirm whether or not you are really you, would you mind?"

"Yes, I would mind." Kah'Ra said mad. "Especially since you just used my full name which none of our guildmembers ever did, so wouldn't you mind proving to me if you really are Momonga-san?"

"Well, that proves it, now doesn't?" The voice belonging to Momonga didn't come from the person sitting behind the desk, but to the side. Walking out of the bedroom, Ainz strode forth like an unrivalled king and the being sitting in his chair stood and bowed, like everyone else in the room, its shaped changed to that of Pandora's Actor.

"So there you are!" Kah'Ra laughed, feeling as though she had just been pranked.

Ainz walked over to Kah'Ra and embraced her in his arms, his staff floating to the side.

"Momonga! Don't do stuff like that, the penalties-!"

"Don't worry about it, don't worry about anything. Welcome home."

He said this with so much emotion that it shook Kah'Ra to her utter core – what had happened?

"Okay. So that changed too, huh?" She concluded and hugged him back, still worried about the R rated penalties and being logged out. But as she hugged him, he hugged her tighter, shaking while he did so.

"Momonga-san, are you…are you alright?" He shouldn't be able to cry right?

She turned her face up to look him in the eyes. For some reason, she felt like his eyes were shut closed. Kah'Ra touched his cheekbones, but felt nothing like tears, still she thought her fingers felt a little wet.

He finally opened his eyes, she thought, and let her go before clearing his throat.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. It is good to have you back, you have no idea…yes, this all must confuse you as well?" He said, waving a bony hand to their subordinates still kneeling, their heads low and now also crying onto the floor.

"What a beautiful reunion…" Demiurge seemed to pink away a teardrop, while Shaltear blew her nose into a hankie.

Kah'Ra looked at the display of emotion and then looked at Momonga again.

"Yes it does. Could you explain how everything works now? I still have a quest to do and I-"

Momonga held his bony hand up and stopped her. "I understand, but first, let us talk in my room so I can explain everything to you much better without interference."

Kah'Ra looked at him through narrowed eyes.

"Riiiiiiiiight… Subtle. Fine. Okay." Was her fairly broken answer and she was about to head over when a noise caught everyone's attention. Kah'Ra was a little startled, since it sounded like a sledge hammer colliding with a brick wall, but when she and Momonga turned around to see what had happened, everything appeared to be as it was.

"Ainz-sama, there is no need for you to leave, if you give us the order, we will quickly vacate your office so you may make use of it for your discussion." Albedo smiled pleasantly.

Momonga seemed to compose himself.

"Yes, then everyone, including fifth and the eight edge assassins, leave us. Now."

"Well, that sure was interesting, so, what's up?"

Her way of speech was like heaven to his nonexciting ears, finally the casual conversation he had so desperately longed for.

Ainz had set himself down behind the desk, and Kah'Ra still stood nonchalantly looking around, seeming to be fascinated with the room.

But where to begin? How to explain to her the entire thing? He needed to organize his thoughts, think about what was most important at the moment. First came the fact that she was now also stuck here, how the world operates…nonononono! First he needed her to know what nightmares the guardian and the other denizens would bring with their expectations! No he must first apologize for everything that happened. Just before his emotion got out of hand, Kah'Ra spoke to him very gently, concern in her soft voice.

"Are you okay…I know this sounds weird, but you seem a little…pale? Do you need to talk? That whole quest stuff can wait, you know."

Ah, that's right, that's what always happened when Ainz got overworked one way or another, Kah'Ra would always listen to him whine and moan, without ever judging him or gossip it to the rest of the guild. He would simply have to start from the beginning.

As he began his retelling of the events from the beginning of coming to the new world after the servers had shut down all the way up to present where he felt like he was losing control of some of the NPC's to when he had slaughtered thousands and thousands of people with his Super Tier spell, Kah'Ra had first looked thoughtful – he was sure she had been doubting his words. Then when he continued on, her face became more and more unreadable, a mixture of disbelief and slight realisation. When he stopped talking and her silence continued, he grew as nervous as his emotion suppression would let him.

Then, finally, after what seemed to be too long await, Kah'Ra moved her hand again to touch something invisible, but nothing happened.

Then she looked at him in horror.

"So…so you mean to say…that I'm…we are…stuck here, forever? That can't be real right? It must be some kind of sick joke right?"

Ainz couldn't find words that would comfort her.

"Come, I'll show you."

"No." Her face looked more and more mortified. "No. I don't want you to show me anything but the new manuals…"

Ainz had gotten up at this point, where she had fallen to her knees.

"There are none Kah'Ra, really, please, belief me…"

"I don't want to! If what you're saying is true then I…then I…my job! My house! My life! Momonga, I don't want this!"

She began weeping, the red carpet concealing her bloody tears. In the middle of her crying, she tried to touch something invisible again and again with nothing happening.

He slowly walked over to her, uncertain what to do, he couldn't just leave her like this and he still needed to explain how things worked now – not just casting magic or what the situation was within in the New World, but also the importance of acting like a Supreme Being as their servants expected from them. What would happen if they saw her like this?

Finally he simply stepped forth and laid his bony hands on her back.

"I'm sorry, I'm so very sorry…" He said while Kah'Ra cried into his robe. He petted her head softly, before helping her up. "But I do think you need to see this." And he then took her outside, where the sun was just setting. They were floating high above the great tomb of Nazarick with the spells Ainz had cast. Finally, Kah'Ra seized her weeping and looked around, overwhelmed by this worlds beauty, something theirs had lost a long time ago.

"Blue Planet-san would have loved this, don't you think?" He asked, looking at the sun, just like her.

"Yes, he would've." Kah'Ra said quietly, feeling only more depressed. "I wish to return to my room, I'm tired."

"Of course. Take as long as you need, but I do need to inform you on a couple more things when you're ready."

Kah'Ra didn't nod, she simply asked for her ring and used it to teleport back to her room after saying a curt goodnight to Momonga.

Ainz floated back down to the ground where he was greeted by Albedo. He had so much more to think about at the moment, especially about Kah'Ra's mental wellbeing. She didn't have the emotion suppression like he did and that could cause a cascade of problems. It might even ruin the view the servants of Nazarick had towards the Supreme Beings and finally found out who they really were. He could not let that happen.

"Albedo, make sure Kah'Ra Val'Hara is well taken care of, whatever she needs, make sure those needs are met. Report to me directly if anything happens with her."

Albedo bowed deeply, her hair masking her face. "As you wish, Ainz-sama."

as within in the New World, but also the importance of acting like a Supreme Being as their servants expected from them. What would happen if they saw her like this?

Finally he simply stepped forth and laid his bony hands on her back.

"I'm sorry, I'm so very sorry…" He said while Kah'Ra cried into his robe. He petted her head softly, before helping her up. "But I do think you need to see this." And he then took her outside, where the sun was just setting. They were floating high above the great tomb of Nazarick with the spells Ainz had cast. Finally, Kah'Ra seized her weeping and looked around, overwhelmed by this worlds beauty, something theirs had lost a long time ago.

"Blue Planet-san would have loved this, don't you think?" He asked, looking at the sun, just like her.

"Yes, he would've." Kah'Ra said quietly, feeling only more depressed. "I wish to return to my room, I'm tired."

"Of course. Take as long as you need, but I do need to inform you on a couple more things when you're ready."

Kah'Ra didn't nod, she simply asked for her ring and used it to teleport back to her room after saying a curt goodnight to Momonga.

Ainz floated back down to the ground where he was greeted by Albedo. He had so much more to think about at the moment, especially about Kah'Ra's mental wellbeing. She didn't have the emotion suppression like he did and that could cause a cascade of problems. It might even ruin the view the servants of Nazarick had towards the Supreme Beings and finally found out who they really were. He could not let that happen.

"Albedo, make sure Kah'Ra Val'Hara is well taken care of, whatever she needs, make sure those needs are met. Report to me directly if anything happens with her."

Albedo bowed deeply, her hair masking her face. "As you wish, Ainz-sama."

*Chapter 3*: Chapter Two

Chapter Two

It had to be a lie. Some stupid prank that has never been and never will be funny. It really, really had to be a lie. But as she repeated this like a devoted monk in her head, another part of her brain protested, recounting the evidence – that firstly, as long as she has known him, Momonga has never once lied to her, in fact, he trusted her with secrets he'd rather not share with the other guildmembers.

Second, he didn't really partake in the childish pranks the rest of the guild had pulled on her time and time again. Then, third, was the fact that she was getting hungry and needed to pee, but she was denying her body any relief, since, it had to be a game, right? These things wouldn't really matter in a game, right?

But so far, the game was denying her access to her main menu to log out, which was extremely illegal and contacting the GM didn't work either. So her options were very limited when it came to forcefully logging herself out, but she didn't like either of those two options. One was just too embarrassing while the other was just plain awful towards Momonga and the rest of the Guild.

One dark thought crawled its way up her neck and in her skull - maybe death will set her free? That was too scary, way too scary. She wasn't that desperate...yet.

Kah'Ra grinded her teeth together, producing a sound as sharp and shrill like nails on a chalkboard trying to imitate the sound of a violin.

Then her thoughts were going from heavy denial to the worries of what would happen to her job, to her apartment and then her parents. They would find her in her ugly 'imma-stay-home-all-day' clothes...still attached to the game…

Her demonic stomach growled and she thought of the leftover spicy noodles in her fridge she got from her downstairs neighbour, a nice elderly woman whose husband had recently passed away. Her heart suddenly dropped as she realized her real body would probably wither and die before anyone found her, since completing her latest project she had requested three days off to chill. Panic made her heart race as her mind went through all the things a human body would need to stay alive and for how long…

Kah'Ra began pacing back and forth in her room, biting hard on the tip of her thumbnail while trying to think of her current options.

A knock to her door came, disrupting her thoughts as the door slowly opened. A maid appeared through the crack in the door and bowed.

"Kah'Ra Val'Hara-sama, we've prepa-"

"DON'T CALL ME THAT! LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Kah'Ra exploded, throwing a cushion with delicate flower patterns at the maid from the extraordinarily well crafted loveseat in the middle of the room. It missed the maids head by just an inch and the maid turned pale white, bowed and left immediately.

Kah'Ra felt a bit of guilt flourish in her heart, but it was immediately snuffed out. She vaguely wondered why until her stomach growled again. Taking a deep breath Kah'Ra laid down on the loveseat, simply not having the energy to think anymore. She turned to lay on her side and tried not to worry about her parents, job or apartment. But she was determined to find a way to log off, no matter what.

With that resolve, she closed her eyes and finally fell asleep.

Nazarick was a buzz of life, new instructions were being carried out and tasks were added to everyone's list to accommodate the returned Supreme Being. Especially all the servant type denizens were very excited to attend to all the whims and needs of a living Supreme Being. Not that they thought Ainz was less than because he was undead, but with an alive Supreme Being there was just so much more to do. Her clothing would actually need regular cleaning, she needed to bathe, eat, sleep and be taken care of more so than the undead would. So all of the 41 maids were gathered in neat rows to receive their orders for the coming day and who would be attending their Lady.

"Now then, as you all have heard, lady Kah'Ra Val'Hara has returned to us, woof."

The maids let out excited little squeaks, losing their composure as they began to whisper enthusiastically. Pestonya hushed them gently and the maids regained their military-like focus.

"We've received orders from Albedo-sama to take extra care regarding our Supreme lady's mental state, apparently, the New World has some effect on our ladyship that may last a while or might cause permanent damage if treated poorly. Woof-Woof!"

All the maids exchanged worried glances, some of them even clutched at their hearts and began quietly praying for Kah'Ra Val'Hara-sama's wellbeing.

"But I've been reassured by Ainz-sama himself that Kah'Ra Val'Hara-sama will make a swift recovery if we tend to her diligently with love and care. Woof."

Hope returned to the maids their eyes and smiles of relief were exchanged.

"Now then, as for who will be attending her ladyship," Pestonya got out a schedule and named the selected maids who in turn quietly cheered. At least four were to attend to their Lady and needed to report every single detail about her mental, emotional and physical state to Albedo-sama. Pestonya felt warily about this, but these were direct orders from Ainz-sama himself through Albedo-sama, so she couldn't object, especially after her last misstep. "Now, for the rest of the assignments."

Kah'Ra awoke to the sound of a soft knock and then the opening of a door. Not being used to people just walking into her bedroom in the real world, Kah'Ra hurled around – forgetting she had been sleeping on the loveseat in the middle of her office/studio space in the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, she fell.

"Kah'Ra Val'Hara-sama!" Four female voices exclaimed in a worried tone. As Kah'Ra simply got up, she was suddenly surrounded by four very blond maids.

"Are you alright, your ladyship?" Asked the first maid…Etoile?

"I'm fine…" Kah'Ra said, somewhat appalled by their new way of addressing her. But she could change that later if she needed to. "What do you want?"

The four maids blinked and then bowed, Etoile spoke for them it seemed.

"We have been your assigned maids for today, your ladyship. Please do accept our humble service."

Kah'Ra wanted to say no. But she was reminded of the dress she wore and the fact that taking it off would be just as much of a hassle as putting it on and she didn't have time to figure out how to managed that if she wanted to put her mind to other use. And again, she was very, very hungry.

"Alright, then. I'm hungry."

The four maids bowed deeper and expressed their thanks to the highest of heavens.

Did Momonga have to deal this too?

Etoile began to eloquently rattle off the breakfast menu Kah'Ra could choose from for that morning, which Kah'Ra simply replied with something 'hardy' and 'filling'.

"Shall we draw you a bath, your ladyship?"

Did she smell? Kah'Ra refrained from smelling her armpits and thought about it. Her muscle ached from sleeping in a weird position and she loved taking long baths when stressed from work, so that would be good…

Would they…undress me? She thought quizzically. If so, did that count?

"Alright."

Their seemed to light up like fireworks.

While Etoile and…ugh, remembering all their names was too much effort, dragged to her bedroom, the other two disappeared through another door inside her bedroom.

Where Kah'Ra had struggled for over half an hour to get the dress on, the two maids easily undid the mess she made in just a couple of minutes. And when the dress and her under things were off…nothing happened. Also, she did not feel a tad embarrassed by being fully naked in front of them. Whatever shame she would normally feel simply wasn't there.

The policy must have changed…that's right, that's it…

She tried reassuring herself as she was lead to her bathroom.

Entering her bathroom for the first time after a long time, Kah'Ra stopped in her tracks as she gaped at her own design. It was styled after roman bathing houses, with a wide open space and a gigantic square pool in the middle surrounded by beautifully sculpted columns depicting various religious Gods she and Tabula used to talk about. In the back, there was a place where one could simply shower or wash up normally, before entering the large roman bath.

On the left was another door which led to a late Victorian bathroom, which had a fully functioning toilet, sink and bathtub. Her assigned maids bowed as she entered, walking behind Etoile to the Victorian bathroom.

As Kah'Ra walked in, naked, she looked at the maids expectantly. Were they just going to stand there and watch her while she…?

"Could you…?" the maids started moving towards her and she stopped them. "No, I mean, wait outside."

They looked like they were going to protest so she quickly added "As soon as I'm done with this one thing I will call you in to help me bath."

"As your ladyship wishes."

"Kah'Ra."

They blinked again.

"I'm not a lady nor a ship, just call me Kah'Ra."

"As you wish, Kah'Ra-sama." Etoile and the other maids said teary eyed.

Kah'Ra kept herself from looking exasperated and finally relieved herself from her bodily functions. She called back in her maids and stepped into the warm bath.

She had to admit, the feeling was close to orgasmic. Her tense muscles melted away like butter, her worries leaving her mind, even if it was just a moment. Kah'Ra even kind of really enjoyed the soft hands of her assigned maids tending to her tired body, washing her hair, her horns, her back, her hands and feet and tail. But when they began focussing on her front, Kah'Ra tensed up again, but she let it happen, even if she really didn't want it to.

However, it had to be done, it was part of her experiment after all to see if anything would happen, since this went against the rated R policy.

Even if had changed, they couldn't possibly condone this, right? Or was it because they were the same gender? If so, she needed to change tactics, which would lead to an embarrassing out come she rather not think about but had to.

When the maids began to dry her off, Kah'Ra cleared her throat and asked.

"Who will be joining me for breakfast this morning?"

The maids exchanged panicked glances before answering.

"Who did you have in mind, Kah'Ra-sama?"

Good question, who would fit this particular nasty bill? She didn't have answer to this question herself, so instead she would ask something back.

"Do none of the Guardians require food?"

"Yes, they do, Kah'Ra-sama, but most of them are either on missions outside of the great tomb or have already eaten."

"I see…"

Kah'Ra let her disappointment show on her face, but didn't say anything more.

"If you wish it, Kah'Ra-sama, we could extend an invitation on your behalf for this evening?" One of the maids suggested, which would make Ainz proud if he had been present, but to Kah'Ra, this was what she had been hoping for.

The maids had dried her off at this point and walked her to her walk in closet.

Yet, she had to be careful, if they were on missions, it would be bad if she got in Momonga's way.

"Well, that only works if they are available, I do not wish to impose on them if they are working hard for Momonga-san"

The maids nodded, seeming to understand.

"Do you know which guardians are currently present and available within the tomb then?" Kah'Ra didn't want to go outside without her standard equipment, she was quite literally the weakest off all the guildmembers without them.

"Albedo-sama, Mare-sama and Aura-sama are currently working within the tomb, Kah'Ra-sama."

Not the NPC's she was hoping for, but Mare and Aura sparked her interest greatly. Kah'Ra had been introduced to YGDRASSIL by her online Bukubukuchagama, who had also been into other games Kah'Ra had played way-back-when.

"Are they still guarding the sixth floor?" She couldn't help but ask.

"They are still it's Guardians, Kah'Ra-sama." Another maid said.

"I see." Kah'Ra replied, still naked. She needed to get some clothes on. As if sensing her desire, the maids smiled and Etoile responded.

"What do you wish to wear today, Kah'Ra-sama?"

In the real world, Hana Ishikawa, had been more of a business first and pleasure later kind of woman, which was reflected by her wardrobe full of suits, turtle-neck sweaters and pencil skirts. Her favourite colours while wearing clothes had been blacks and whites with only a hint of deep red. Nothing, nothing, compared to this Victorian monstrosity that she had picked out. Not to speak of the ill-fitting undergarments that only a professional prostitute would wear.

Both of these garments came from the two players Kah'Ra had disliked the most due to their behaviour regarding her avatar. Ulbert, who loved playing an Evil Super Villain had kept bugging Kah'Ra about her lack of aesthetic, resulting in him buying loads and loads of these type of clothes for her avatar to wear so she's look more Villainous – which Kah'Ra didn't want. Peroroncino however, was way worse. Buying skimpy underwear and 'armour' that showed way too much skin.

But, for a lack of a better option, Kah'Ra had opted for the Victorian dress and coat because it covered her up and was far better suited to walk around in then all of her other garments at the moment, while in the underwear department she simply had nothing else that fit her.

So after breakfast, she sat out to go get her equipment back. Without saying so much as a word, to her attending maids, Kah'Ra teleported to the treasury. The surroundings were familiar, but again, it looked so much more real now than before. As walked around in this glittering dream, something caught her eye.

"Pandora's Actor, was it?"

"My Lady!" Pandora's Actor bowed deeply, his voice loud and dramatical as it ever was. "What a coincidence we find each other yet again! Tell me, without holding back! What is it that you seek?!"

A smiled curled the corners of her lips, she tried to hide it with her gloved hand, but it did little to stop her giggle escaping her throat.

So derpy, I totally forgot he had made this thing!

Kah'Ra cleared her throat as if that was what she was doing and walked closer to the bowing creature.

"I don't seem to have any of my standard equipment on hand, do you perhaps know if it lies within one of our vaults?"

"That I do, my lady! Your sacred treasures do indeed lie within in the vaults of our great tomb!"

Swallowing another laugh, Kah'Ra remained her composure as she continued.

"Can I ask you to get them for me? I wish to retrieve my World Item as well."

Pandora's Actor suddenly froze and then his head moved creepily upward and tilted to look at her directly.

"May ask, my lady, why you require a world item? Do you have something sinister in mind? A coup d'etat perhaps?"

Hana Ishikawa had been a well-educated person from a well and respected Japanese family, but she couldn't place that foreign phrase. But it sounded bad.

"A what? No, nevermind that, I simply wish to have what is mine, nothing more and nothing less."

"Angenommen!" Pandora's Actor exclaimed as he righted himself to give a salute.

Was that German just now? What the hell is going on?

"But under Ainz-sama's wishes, no World Items are to leave the treasury without his explicated permission, my lady!" He bowed again dramatically swaying his arms as he did, before asking darkly. "Could you ever forgive this one loyal servant."

Kah'Ra took a deep breath, a seed of wrath planting inside of her heart which she tried to suppress. It wasn't like she didn't understand. Even in YGDRASSIL Momonga had been like an old stiff when it came to their Resources and World Items.

It was better to have them than use them, if she recalled correctly. Besides, it was not like she ever needed it to go outside anyway, she was still a level 100 character, though her build wasn't optimized for anything like that of their fellow guildmates.

Kah'Ra sighed at the memory of them mocking her and chiding her for building such a 'throw-away' character and not taking the game as seriously. She had a good laugh when she unlocked something they couldn't possibly dream of with their 'pure builds'.

"I understand." She finally answered and went to sit on the bench, indicating she would wait for him here. Pandora's actor saluted somehow gratefully and turned to collect her equipment and items.

While she waited, a sudden sensation entered her mind and then a familiar voice spoke.

[Kah'Ra, are you there?]

Kah'Ra blinked and stood to look behind her but no one was there. "Momonga-san?"

It felt like he sighed in relief, before he spoke again angrily.

[Where are you?! Have you any idea what kind of panic you caused your assigned maids?! The entire tomb is searching for you!]

No one had yelled at her like that since her childhood, when she got lost and her father had finally found her and her mother had yelled at her when they returned home. Her mother's words had confused and frightened her back then, because she hadn't understood that her mother's anger came from a place of fear. As an adult, she understood, but that didn't mean Momonga could yell at her like that. She quickly came to a decision to keep the situation from escalating any further.

"I'm sorry." Kah'Ra responded, keeping her voice level and even. "That was not my intent and I hadn't realised I would cause mass panic by visiting the treasury to get my base equipment, I will be more mindful of my actions next time."

At that moment, Pandora's Actor had returned, carrying some of her equipment with the outmost care in his hands.

Momonga was quiet for a moment and when he spoke again, he sounded calm and sincere. [I apologise as well, I shouldn't have yelled at you. I should've explained the situation better, how the NPC's view us and how they felt when I was the only one left in the end.]

Kah'Ra watched Pandora's actor carefully lay out her equipment on the coffee table and then going back in search of her items as she waited for Momonga to continue, which he eventually did.

[I heard from Etoile that you wished to be accompanied for meals, is that correct?]

"It is…or at least, it was…whatever it is that you're still here for, I don't want to get in your way, Momonga-san."

Another silence went by.

[I can't share a meal with you, but I can be with you from time to time, if you feel lonely…while eating]

"What?"

[No, nevermind!] Momonga said hastily [Anyway, I will have everyone return to their posts, please do not just abandon your assigned maids the next time you feel like teleporting around the tomb. I will speak to you very soon, I promise.]

The sensation in her mind faded and Kah'Ra was left with the impression of being a married man's mistress in the way he just…hung up?

Kah'Ra's tail slammed against the floor as she stared angrily forward. She didn't get what he was saying, she didn't want to. She was getting mad, because he sounded like he wanted to comfort her in some way, help her in some way, but he wasn't helping her in the way she wanted and needed to be helped.

Pandora's Actor returned at that the moment with her other items and then laid them out before her as he had done with the other things. As Kah'Ra picked up Infection, her curved and cursed dagger from YGDRASSIL, her thoughts became darker still.

If Momonga is unwilling to help me, so be it. I will find my own way out, even if what he saying is real and this is no longer a game, I will find a way home to the real world!

With the help of Pandora's Actor, Kah'Ra managed to equip most of her gear and items, then he saluted her again and told her he needed to be on his way to E-Rantel as soon as she left.

So she did, to the sixth floor.

Author's Note:

Thanks for the reviews, favorites and follows!

Next week I'll post the next two chapters, have a good one all!

*Chapter 4*: Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Mare and Aura had returned to the Sixth floor by teleportation after their Master had found their Mistress. They, alongside the other Guardians, were to return to their designated station and resume their work. So they did.

"Phuu-waaah~! That was scary!" Aura exclaimed, stretching her arms out above her head. "Who'd thought that she would cause such a ruckus on the second day!"

"Y-you mean, Kah'Ra-sama, onee-chan?"

They walked through the hall toward the inside of the arena.

"Well, duh. But I guess it can't be helped. Ainz-sama had already warned us that Kah'Ra-sama's mental state would be unstable for awhile..." Aura sighed, shaking her head.

Mare didn't comment on that. His sister wasn't wrong in what she was saying, but he knew something she didn't and he didn't know if he should tell anyone, since it was a secret between his creator and Kah'Ra-sama.

"Whelp, I better go check the forest and then the village, will you be okay on your own-?"

As they walked inside the arena, someone teleported in the middle of the ginormous stadium. It was the devil herself, Kah'Ra-sama.

She was wearing a dress similarly to something Shalltear would wear, but then all black with red trimming. She looked around until she spotted the two of them. Of course, Aura was the first to respond by energetically running over to her until she stood in front of Kah'Ra, bowing.

"Welcome to the Sixth floor, Lady Kah'Ra Val'Hara-sama."

As Mare inched over like a scared rabbit, his sister turned to him and scold.

"Maaaa-re! Stop being such a slow poke! It's rude towards Kah'Ra Val'Hara-sama!" She yeld and he began to mildly run over, making sure his skirt didn't fly up as he did so.

"I'm sorry, onee-chan." he said shyly as he arrived by their side and then they bowed again to the second Supreme Being to grace their floor.

Aura was about to ask something, when the demoness said something under her breath.

"Excuse me, Kah'Ra Val'Hara-sama, did you say some-?"

Kah'Ra's face flushed pink a little and she looked away, her gloved hand covering her face. Then she cleared her throat and composed herself.

"No, it's nothing."

The twins exchanged a glance, it was just a movement of the eye and then looked back up to the demoness staring at them with questions in her eyes.

"May I ask, Kah'Ra-sama, if there is anything you want from us?"

"Not particularly, I just didn't feel like going to…my room."

She hadn't given permission to them yet to stand, unlike what their Master would do. Instead she simply kept staring at them with her golden-red eyes, it felt very unnerving as she did so. Both he and Aura didn't know what to do or what to say, since she still was a Supreme Being and they served her too.

Then Kah'Ra blinked, seeming to come to her senses.

"Oh, I'm sorry, please stand."

And so they did.

After that, their Mistress looked around, at each Golem, as if to count them. To everyone's surprise, it was Mare who broke the deepening silence.

"K-kah'Ra-sama, uhm…are you feeling well?"

Kah'Ra turned to stare yet again at the nervous boy, who seemed to be getting more nervous as she did so.

"Am I…am I scary to you, Mare-chan?"

He didn't dare answer that question, because, at the moment, he did find her scary. But only in that way when people say an unhinged person whose actions were impossibly to predict.

Seeming to come to her own conclusion, his Mistress smiled gently down at him, the crazy glint in her eye gone.

"I see, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to come here and frighten the two of you."

"N-no! You don't h-have to apologise!"

"Yeah! We know that Kah'Ra-sama isn't feeling well! So don't worry!" Aura joined in.

"Is that so?" Her expression changed again, but it wasn't scary. She put her hand over her mouth again and looked to the side. "Could I…could I spend the day with the two of you? Would that be okay?"

"Of course it would!" Aura said excitedly and continued like only children could "Do you want to see my new pets? I got them from the surrounding forest near the tomb!"

"M-maybe I can show the village and farm…?"

Their Mistress looked at them for moment and then nodded with a careful smile.

"I'd love to see all of those things."

Kah'Ra was sitting next to the edge of the lake, Mare sitting silently beside her as his sister was busy training her new pets in the background. The scene looked rather peaceful, the fake sun still shining brightly, though hanging a little lower in the fake sky.

Kah'Ra was staring into the deep blue water with her brows creased as she thought of what the twins had shown her. Up until they showed her the village within the Sixth floor, she simply used that to waste some time while she planned out her next few steps. But arriving at the village and seeing the farm fields, Kah'Ra's hands began to inch. The twins gladly showed her around, all the fruits and vegetables they were growing. Even real life mandrakes that Aura had trained to repeatedly shout "Hail Ainz Ooal Gown!" made her more interested into the workings of the sixth floor and it's soil, than the plans that she was concocting. Kah'Ra had asked Mare and Aura many questions that they didn't really know the answers too, but what Kah'Ra did discover was that Mare used magic to revitalize soil from time to time.

Her thoughts were disrupted by a soft beeping sound behind her and a familiar cutesy voice she hadn't heard in a long time

"It's time for lunch~!"

"Bukubukuchagama-san?" Kah'Ra said, shocked to hear her friend. Did she get stuck here too? Momonga didn't tell her that, did he keep that from her? She got to her feet immediately, looking around, searching for her friend.

Mare also stood, but looked at the distressed Supreme Being with equally concerned eyes.

"Oh? No, Kah'Ra-sama, it's my watch I got from Ainz-sama!" Aura had noticed the two getting up, assuming they were getting up to come along with her to have lunch. "See?" She pointed at the silver looking bracelet.

Kah'Ra walked over and grabbed Aura's hand, bending down to looked at it closer.

Surprised, Aura let out a tiny yelp. "K-Kah'Ra-sama?!"

"Sorry." Kah'Ra let go of her hand and tried to hide the whirlwind of emotions she felt.

"K-Kah'Ra-sama, are you okay?" Mare asked.

Kah'Ra stared off into the distance again and shook her head slowly, closing her eyes for a moment.

"I thought that…that maybe Bukubukuchagama-san was would be here too…"

The twins shared a look.

"Kah'Ra-sama and Bukubukuchagama-san were good friends, right?" Aura asked.

Kah'Ra nodded. "We liked to play games together…" She answered half-heartedly as she recalled all the times Bukubukuchagama had bugged her to join YGGDRASIL, in the end succeeding her after going so far as to buy the game for her.

"Really?! I didn't know that! What kinds of games did you play together? Can you tell us, Kah'Ra-sama?" Aura said excitedly and though he didn't say anything, Mare looked equally excited. The sight was very cute and Kah'Ra felt her face warm up again. She kind of wanted to continue to spend her day with them, but she needed to be on her way, she needed to get home.

"Hmm, I'm afraid I don't know how to explain it fairly well though…but-" But what? She couldn't say she's tell them another time if what she was going to do would work out, this could be the last time she saw then. Kah'Ra shook her head and bend down and embraced them in her arms. Both Aura and Mare shrieked, confused. "-I need to leave, take care you two."

She released them and before they could ask what she meant she teleported to the ninth floor.

Kah'Ra appeared a little further away from her room than she had planned, but that was fine, she wasn't going to abuse her ring for such a short walk. At least now she could maybe spot one of the maids and ask them to bring-

"My lady," Demiurge had walked around the corner, presumably leaving Momonga's office and heading out again. But when he spotted Kah'Ra, he stopped and bowed where he stood.

Surprised herself, Kah'Ra took a moment to respond.

"Ah, Demi-chan, good seeing you." She said somewhat uncomfortably. She had expected a little more time to mentally prepare herself for what she was about to do, but it seemed that fate would have it another way.

No, this is actually better, now I don't have to call for him, that would be awkward too. Would they ask why I called him to my chambers?

"Thank you, my lady." He said, still bowing, but his tail swayed. Kah'Ra was both reminded of a dog and a cat for some reason. "If I may be so blunt, I am grateful to bask in your presence once more."

Riiiiight.

"Demiurge, would you mind joining me for a bit? If you aren't too busy, that is."

He finally rose and Kah'Ra got the feeling that Demiurge was solving multiple difficult math problems very quickly in his mind before answering.

"Yes, I still have a little time before I need to go." He said and looked to the floor at his shadow. "Shadow demon, inform the others I will be arriving after another hour or so." The shadow at his feet disappeared and Demiurge looked up to smile pleasantly. "Well then, my lady, what can I do for you?"

"This won't take long, please follow me." That she managed to keep her voice level was an impressive feat at this point. Her thoughts however, were going over why this was a good idea again. Momonga was a skeleton and her friend, so that was a big no – Cocytus was a insect and wasn't present as far as she knew – Albedo was Tabula's treasure so she wouldn't dare touch her in that way with a finger – From what she heard from Bukubukuchagama at the time, was that Shalltear was her little brothers collected fetish monster, so double no – Mare and Aura were children, so she didn't even want to consider them – Victim and Gargantua were just too freaky – the maids didn't work for some reason – so all she had left to choose from were either Demiurge or Sebas. But Sebas had a girlfriend, she heard from the maids, so that was another big nope. Kah'Ra was sure there was a reason why she shouldn't be doing this with Demiurge too, but simply couldn't put her finger on why. It wasn't because she had a good relationship with his creator, Ulbert, who had annoyed her from the moment she started playing the game with his evil obsessed ways.

Demiurge had walked passed her at this point to open the door to her chambers, so there was no more time to think about what she needed to do and just do it.

"Thank you, Demiurge." She said as she entered her own room. Demiurge walked in behind her, closing the door after him and looking around observantly. This was the first time he had visited her own office/studio space, she faintly wondered what he thought of her custom designed room.

"I take it my lady wishes to ask me something in private, considering that we're alone?"

Oh, the maids, they were probably heading toward the sixth floor! Oops...Well, it's better this way, anyway.

"You could say that." Kah'Ra mumbled, she took off her jacket and laid it over the sofa next to the love seat. She looked at her hands on the jacket for a moment and then took a steadying breath. "Come over here please."

"As you wish." Demiurge said and glided over until he stood at arm's length of her. He was at least a head taller than her, maybe even two.

Since she needed it to be as forceful as possible, she didn't ask for his permission when she grabbed his tie and pulled him down towards her. His eyes were opened wide in shock, revealing the blueish crystals within his sockets which reflected the lights in the room.

So sparkly, I hadn't known Ulbert had given him such eyes.

His lips were very nice to the touch, soft and warm against hers, but as nothing happened, she began to move her mouth onto his to further violate his person. To her surprise, his lips willingly started to move with hers, almost hungry for more. Still nothing happened and Kah'Ra started to worry, but wasn't going to stop yet, she needed to push it further. A small part of her being, was starting to enjoy this immensely, but she ignored it.

She let her other hand slide passed his neck and into his hair, where she grabbed a fist full of his dark mane and pushed him further down. Demiurge groaned softly against her lips, Kah'Ra seizing this chance to slip her tongue inside his mouth. Now his arms embraced her, pulling body as close as possible to his.

Kah'Ra becoming sickeningly aware of her own desires firing up her demonic body. The hand that had grabbed his tie let go and joined the other in his neatly combed hair. She wanted to ruin his hair, she wanted to ruin his clothes, let the white of his shirt be stained by his own blood and cut open his skin and flesh with her sharpening teeth and claws…

What?!

Kah'Ra pushed Demiurge off of her, taking a few steps back as she looked at her hands, which indeed had turned more claw like. The shock of those deeply disturbing thoughts left her mouth agape, showing her teeth had turned into pointy spikes.

"M-my lady?" The usually confident Demiurge stammered. Looking back up at him, he stood stock still, like a manikin. He too seemed to have sharpened fingers underneath his gloves, his back slightly hunched. Kah'Ra no longer thought of a cat or a dog, but of a panther, trying to not move a muscle as to not startle its prey. Kah'Ra couldn't think nor breath and they stood like that for several seconds.

This is bad. This is so bad. This is so very, very bad.

Her entire body shook with adrenaline, her demonic body demanded action and Kah'Ra could feel what action it was lusting for – Violence.

She inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, before turning her back to the dangerous creature and making an attempt to make her voice even.

"That was all, leave."

A moment passed before Demiurge finally spoke, his gentle voice no longer stammering.

"As you wish, my lady."

The door behind her opened and closed normally two seconds later. After several minutes had passed, Kah'Ra kicked her elegant blue sofa in to the golden inlaid white panel wall.

"SHIT!" She screamed as she picked up her pink loveseat and threw it toward the same wall – the impact shattered the wood and the panels of both the wall and the seat. "SHIT! SHIT! SHIT!"

Something other than desire bloomed in her heart, it was a rage she had never felt before and there was nothing she could do about it, her pull on her emotions was gone and all she wanted to do was to continue destroying her room. Her body was like riding an angered bull instead of a tamed horse, the commands were there, but the bull didn't care about them.

The coffee table was send flying through the air, hitting a golden chandelier and making it rain all sorts of glittering gems. Her desk, bookcase and drawing table met a similar fate, all being flung towards walls and doors. If that didn't destroy them, they were send flying again.

Finally, finally when there was nothing left to utterly destroy, did her rage subside and Kah'Ra fell to her knees. She looked as her shaking claws turned back into hands and then hugged herself as her entire body trembled.

Kah'Ra, or rather, Hana Ishikawa, had no violent bone in her body – yes, she had been mad or irritated from time to time due to something going wrong or people being mean, but she never dealt with those situations with violence. Neither did she ever witness the violence she committed to her own furniture, her parents were well-mannered and well-tempered people, who had never once raised a hand to her or to each other.

"This isn't real." She crooked quietly and pathetically, trying to reassure herself. But she knew that this was a lie and there was only one thing left that she could do try and get back home. It pained her even thinking about it, but it scared her staying here.

Ainz leaned back into his chair after giving Demiurge his final orders as he left to go to the Roble Holy Kingdom. Today had been too long and his wary mind wanted to rest, even though he couldn't.

There was more work to be done, though officially his work for today was over, but Ainz eyed the stack of new documents on his desk and an entire pile of reports he had received through Albedo on Kah'Ra's mental state. After having flicked through a couple of them, he only got the sense that the situation could only worsen still.

Ainz sighed internally as he wondered what to do. It was obvious she wanted to leave, but he didn't know how to help her in that regard. He didn't even know how he got here in the first place and when he discovered that he was no longer in YGGDRASIL but in a new world, he had decided to stay here considering he didn't have anything special in the 'real' world. But Kah'Ra apparently did, otherwise she wouldn't be this depressed. It frustrated him somewhat that he couldn't change or help her with this. If he were to give out the order to find a way for Kah'Ra to return to her, their, home world, the Guardian would surely object. Or worse, try and come with her in search for their own creators. But most troubling, would be their discovery that they were all actually humans.

Scary!

And then I will also need a way to properly explain to them why they couldn't go…would they even be able to use their abilities there? Either way, I can't ask the Guardians to aid me in this, so the task of even trying to find a way to send Kah'Ra back is even more gruelling...

Besides, he had so many things to do now too in order with the whole 'taking over the world' business. He only just had founded the Sorcerous Kingdom and was already swamped with more tedious tasks that asked his attention. But Ainz would make time for her, so he could help her at least getting used to this world.

Eventually she would come to like it here, right?

Ainz returned his focus to his work, reviewing other documents then the disturbing stock pile on the observations everyone made of their second Supreme Being…

Ainz vaguely mused if they did the same with him, observing him like they did with Kah'Ra, he very much hoped they didn't. The thought alone gave him enough anxiety to trigger his emotion suppression.

After an hour or so of reviewing more documents and stamping them, Albedo suddenly spoke.

"Ainz-sama."

The serious tone with which she spoke immediately caught his attention.

"What is it, Albedo?"

Albedo inclined her head, before continuing.

"I've received another report on Kah'Ra-sama that requires your immediate attention."

"Hmm? Is she alright?"

"Kah'Ra-sama has retired to her bedchamber unharmed, Ainz-sama." Albedo said, almost coldly as she handed him another document. It was filled with a detailed description of Kah'Ra's chambers being utterly vandalized.

"Who did this? What happened?"

"It is unclear, Kah'Ra-sama has neglected to tell her four assignment maids that she returned to her room after they had gone all the way up to the sixth floor to ensure she would be fed, so they weren't present when her office space became like this. But when they finally returned, they found her chambers as described and Kah'Ra-sama sleeping in her bed. At present, she has refused to eat."

Ainz put the document on the desk and folded his hands together.

It is getting worse, but why? What can I do to make her feel better?

"Ainz-sama, I know that as a servant, I shouldn't say this about another Supreme Being, and I hope you will forgive me, but," Albedo seemed to hesitate for a second and then spoke in a grave tone. "if Kah'Ra-sama is not getting any better, she might form a danger to Nazarick and Ainz-sama's plans for world domination."

"What are you suggesting we do Albedo?"

"If it does appear that Kah'Ra-sama doesn't get any better, I can only think of two ways of dealing with her in such an event."

Ainz stared at the Guardian Overseer, wondering what those two ways might be. But he couldn't say he hadn't already thought about it, or had no ideas of his own.

"Interesting, though I have my own thoughts on this, I am curious how you think we should deal with those situations?"

Albedo smiled pleasantly as she began to explain her thoughts.

Author's Note:

Sadly, due to me running a D&D campaign this weekend, I sadly can only upload 1 chapter this week instead of the 2 that I promised. Next week will be the other chapter.

Again, thank you for the Fav's, Follows and Reviews, I really appriciate them!

Have a good one and until next week!

*Chapter 5*: Chapter Four

Reviewer Reviewed~!

[the part everyone always scrolls passed but I find important any to give a little appreciation back to my readers]
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Prof. BreastMilkTaster – Your username evokes the meme "I see you are a man of culture as well…" Honestly, your review left an evil smile on my face in the way Demiurge adjusts his glasses and goes "Sasuga Ainz-sama" when he realizes 0.00001% of Ainz-sama's amazing 10000 year plan. I am very curious for more of your thoughts when more chapters get released! They keep me warm and fuzzy at night giggling like a little school girl XD

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RyuujiVantek – Firstly thank you taking your time for reviewing twice! To react to your first, there are multiple chapters in the making that will give you a more solid answer to your question, I like drafting all my chapter beforehand into a cohesive Arc's, so don't worry. Second, yes, shit has been unleashed from the very depths of Nazarick and is hitting every ceiling of each and every floor before unleashing it's glorious Supreme Beings stink upon the New Worlds skies.

Now, back to chapter 4!

Chapter Four

Kah'Ra tightened the straps on her leg to secure the leather cuisse around her upper leg and then stared at herself in front of her mirror. Her black studded black leather armour was made from the hides of a Black Elder Dragon and a Red Elder Dragon and covered different portion of her body – her chest, shoulders, back and from her hips to her knees. In the leather itself were runes carved that glowed like streams of lava, making the armour glow lightly in the dark with the enchanted magic it was imbued with, along with the magic of the two hides of the dragon. It was a powerful magic item, one that Kah'Ra had worked hard for to be able to wear. Due to her obsessive way of levelling everything out at level one, she had a very limited set of equipment she was able to use or met the requirements for. She hadn't been a power gamer like Peroroncino or into role playing like Ulbert Alain Odle had been. They, and many others, of the guild had berated her for making such an useless throwaway character, that it had been a waste making her character 'look that way' but not put in the effort to either level up racial or job classes that fit with the 'looks' of her character.

Momonga and Bukubukuchagama had supported her then, saying that everyone played games for different reasons and that they shouldn't force their ideas onto others. Still, Ulbert and Peroroncino would make underhanded comments from time to time…if only she had listened way back when, she probably wouldn't have been so weak if she had, but she couldn't have known things would turn out this way.

Kah'Ra inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, ever since deciding to go through with her plan, her stomach had become very painful. But this was her last gamble, her last bargaining chip. As she stared at herself, her golden red eyes gave off the same glow as her armour, but what she saw with them was a despicable sight.

"At least look a little bit more confident…" Kah'Ra softly mumbled, a bitter smile pulling at her full lips. But again tears made of blood ran down her white cheeks. The contrast of the hot burning demon blood on her snow white skin was a striking sight to behold. But Kah'Ra wiped her tears away and slapped her own face.

"Okay! Let's do this!"

Kah'Ra strode forth out of her bedchambers into her main room. She had dismissed her assigned maids today, so she could be alone, giving her sometime to really commit herself to this stupid, idiotic and treacherous plan. She shook her head from those thoughts one last time as she walked out into the hallway, in search of Momonga for one last time.

Ainz walked out into the hall to his office, a maid trailing behind him as his heavy footsteps and staff echoed of the tall walls. The preparations were being made for his stay in E-Rantel as his new Homebase. Though many of his Guardians had objected to this change, they had finally conceded after a long discussion, but refused to let him go over if the room he would be staying and working in weren't upgraded to Nazarick standards. So he let them have their way with it, though it exhausted him mentally to think of what extravagant changes they had in mind, all he could do was tell them not to go overboard, especially Albedo.

He wondered if he should ask Kah'Ra to join him, but thought it might only upset her.

Besides, with her here, she can easily access the Treasury and defend Nazarick until me or the other guardians arrive as reinforcements.

Ainz mused over her stats and abilities again, she wasn't very strong, but she was versatile in what she could do, especially in the new world.

It would be good if she got used to it here and helped out with the Guardians…AH! Maybe she can figure out what's going on! If she were to inspect all current projects and report it back to me in private, then I will know what all of them are doing!

Ainz's walking speed increased as he thought about that, seeing the benefits of having a second Supreme Being acting as a health inspector of sorts and letting her ask all the questions that he couldn't ask since he had to pretend to know it all already.

He got so excited that his emotion suppression kicked in, but the happy feeling lingered. It really was, or rather would be, a relieve not to be doing all of these things alone anymore. Ainz hoped she would help share this burden of leadership with him, for he knew very well that he wasn't the most qualified person to lead.

What did Kah'Ra-san say her profession was again? Something with design…

As Ainz was trying to remember he arrived at his office, his assigned maid rushing forward to open the door before him and when he was about to step inside a voice called out his old name.

"Momonga-san!"

He turned to see Kah'Ra walk over to him, wearing her old adventuring gear from YGGDRASIL. As she got closer, she looked a little tense to say the least, but she didn't seem to be too depressed, which was good.

"Kah'Ra-san, I see you've donned your gear, are you perhaps heading out?"

Maybe she wants to ask if she can, Albedo will probably suggest that she will need guards to accompany her…

Kah'Ra shook her head and gave a nervous smile. "I was hoping if you could show me how to use magic in this world? And how to use my other abilities?"

Ah…

"Umu…I will have to do a couple of things first, so maybe later?"

The way her face started to crumble immediately made Ainz regret his words and sputter to change them.

"Wait! Yes, I could do with a little exercise myself! I will have to tell Albedo I will come in later, but I'm sure that will be alright!"

Kah'Ra blinked, she looked warily at him, as if she didn't trust his words yet. "Are you sure? I know that you're really busy…I can wait a few more days or so…since I'm not going anywhere…"

They way her voice broke on those last few words made Ainz suddenly feel the guilt he had for ignoring her the first few days and reached out to comfort her.

"It's alright, I'm sorry for being so busy all the time…wait here, I'll talk to Albedo."

A quiver of a smile pulled at her lips, deepening his guilt.

"Okay." She answered and moved out of the way, standing against the wall to wait for him.

Ainz rushed in, Albedo already waiting beside his desk and Ainz vaguely wondered how she always got there earlier than him from the throne room while giving out orders after him. It was an amazing feat that spoke volumes of her dedication and loyalty to Ainz.

Albedo bowed, her soft smile not leaving her face, but when Ainz did not take his seat behind his desk, she looked up.

"Ainz-sama?"

"Albedo, I am going to the Sixth floor with Kah'Ra for a bit, can you manage things for me until I return?"

Something new flashed across Albedo's beautiful face, something that looked like worry.

"Ainz-sama, forgive me, but did we not agree on training Kah'Ra-sama later when she fully recovered from the effects of the New World on her mental state?" She said this with urgency. "Pushing her to learn her abilities and how to use them in the New World might put an extra strain on her."

Albedo had a point, like she and Demiurge always did, but frankly, they didn't know what would and what wouldn't put a strain on Kah'Ra's mental state. Perhaps this was even needed to snap her out of current predicament.

"Albedo, I understand and we did agree upon this. But there are currently no changes in Kah'Ra's mental state, therefore, I will see what pushing her will do. If it worsens, I will take full responsibility for her."

"But-!"

"This is my decision. I will not let my comrade, my friend hurt all by herself. If this is what she thinks she needs, I will lend her my strength to do so."

"Yes!" Albedo bowed and shook. "Please forgive my insolence in questioning you, Ainz-sama!"

Ainz internally sighed.

"Umu, there is no need for that, it is good of you to share your viewpoint Albedo."

"M-might I request one thing, Ainz-sama?"

Ainz nodded, indicating that she could.

"Please allow me to join you!"

They walked through the halls of the Amphitheatre on the sixth floor towards the open arena, Albedo and Ainz his assigned maid for the day trailing behind them.

Ainz noted that Kah'Ra seemed slightly more composed, something like determination on her face.

Truth be told, Ainz didn't really know what she could do in a PvP fight except for the fact that she was never much of a fighter in YGGDRASSIL. As someone who was one of the last people to join their guild, being introduced to the game by Bukubukuchagama, Kah'Ra had the luxury to play the game however she liked with the protection of the guild. All Ainz knew was, that in terms of PvP, Kah'Ra was incredibly weak. But that didn't mean she was useless as Peroroncino had claimed. With her unique unlocked job and racial class, she was excellent to fill in the skill gaps of their guild and she wasn't a person who didn't want to return a favour or help when she could.

"Umu, Kah'Ra-san."

She seemed startled for a second, right as they walked into the morning light of the sixth floor. But she looked up at him steadily enough.

"Yes?"

"What kind of training did you have in mind? We might need to ask Aura and Mare to supply dummies."

"I see. Dummies would be good, I'd like to know how to use my abilities and items, so maybe you could coach me during that part?"

"That will be no problem, I have been pretending to be a fighter as well since coming to this world, though not nearly as good as Touch Me-san of course." Ainz and Kah'Ra both chuckled quietly at that part, both remembering the power of Touch Me.

"I think that if he were trapped here too, all he would have to do was to sneeze and mountains would crumble to dust."

Ainz laughed loudly at that, but again his emotion suppression kicked in, though the joyous feeling lingered.

"You're quite right. Now, could you remind me of your skills and abilities again? It might help setting things up."

They walked to the middle of the arena, Albedo still following them as the maid stayed next to the gate, Kah'Ra looked to be thinking hard.

"I don't really know them all, especially since they are all just level one job classes and racial classes, they normally wouldn't give me the unique skills that would come after you max level the low level job and racial classes, but due to [Jack Of All Trades/Traits] I just can't keep up with all of them."

"Ah, yes! That was what it was called!" Ainz spoke excitedly, remember the job/racial class that Kah'Ra had accidentally unlocked after she reached level 50, which everyone thought would be her max level with the 'throw-away' build she was making.

"Even if your skills and abilities are low level, the diversity they bring is quite strong and unpredictable, if you were to learn to use them effectively that is."

Kah'Ra snorted, her smile bitter.

"I kinda regret not learning it when this was still YGGDRASIL, but I never liked PvP, so there was no need back then."

Ainz nodded in agreement.

If Kah'Ra had learned to use her skills and abilities efficiently, it would be a pain figuring out a good strategy to win in a PvP.

"Well then, now is good as any to learn. [Message] Aura..."

Aura and Mare came running and helped set up shop as Ainz talked to Kah'Ra, showing her how to access her what he learned. She seemed listening intently, her face serious with a nervous undertone which Ainz interpreted as her being scared of failing, but she seemed to be getting better.

After the explanation, it was time to test it out.

"Aura, is everything set up?"

"It is, Ainz-sama!" Aura exclaimed in excitement.

"Alright then, Kah'Ra-san, why don't you give attacking one of those dummies a try."

Kah'Ra quietly walked over to the dummy until she stood within range, everyone watched as she did so. Ainz noticed her face getting pink as she drew her short-sword and very ungracefully slashed at the straw dummy. Her sword cut through the middle and hay flew in the air, but her awkward mechanical strike was kind of laughable.

The guardians present blinked and looked both surprised and confused at the same time, then they looked from Kah'Ra to Ainz, to see if he was going to comment on the worst sword play they had ever seen.

From the look of her shoulders, it was easy to see she was embarrassed.

Feeling that same embarrassment, Ainz's emotion suppression kicked in, which saved him.

"Well done. But do try to focus and aim for something, just swinging your sword like that will do you no good in a real battle, Kah'Ra-san."

As Kah'Ra continued to follow his instructions, Aura leaned a little closer to Ainz and whispered.

"Ainz-sama, I do not want to be rude, but has Kah'Ra-sama never used her weapons before?"

Ainz thought back to when they had been YGGDRASIL, trying to remember if he ever seen her use a sword before. But he actually didn't know, he was always so busy with running the administrative duties of the guild that he usually didn't deal with helping the newbie players figure out the game.

"I belief she did train under Touch Me-san for a while..." He said out loud as he continued to watch as she merely stabbed the dummy point-blank. No, he was sure that Touch Me had helped her level her fighting abilities, then why was she so bad at it?

"It doesn't seem that Touch Me-sama's fighting prowess left an impression on Kah'Ra-sama"

Albedo commented somewhat dryly.

"Umu...Kah'Ra-san."

Kah'Ra slowly turned to Ainz. He made a motion for her to come over to him and she somewhat unwillingly complied.

"Yes?"

"Maybe we should move on to casting spells, you do a have a couple of those right?"

Kah'Ra pouted her lips and Ainz became aware that his tone had been a little condensing, but giving the fact that she was so terrible at swordplay it made everyone's eyes hurt it wasn't a farfetched assumption her magic skills would be just as bad.

Nonetheless, she nodded.

"I do, but I'd rather first figure out one thing at a time, maybe sparring would help better?"

"Oh! I'll arrange for a couple of creatures for Kah'Ra-sama!" Aura said energetically already turning around to go find them.

"No, uhm, I'd rather spar with Momonga-san as agreed."

"Ah, yes, we did agree on that didn't we? Very well."

Ainz cast aside the staff of Ainz Ooal Gown and walked over to the centre of the ring, followed by Kah'Ra.

Once there, he cast the spell [Perfect Warrior], donning the Black armour and red cape of his Monon persona.

"Now then, what will be the rules to which we play by, Kah'Ra-san?"

"Hmmm..." Kah'Ra seemed to muse in thought for a little. "…the first to land three hits wins?"

Ainz nodded "Sounds good to me. Aura, would you mind keeping score?"

"Yes!" Aura's eyes seemed to sparkle as she stepped forth and continued in a booming voice to address the golem audience. "Ladies, Gentlemen and Others! I welcome everyone to the sparring match of the century between our beloved Supreme Beings!"

The Golems in the arena stomped their feet in thundering applause.

"In our right corner, only just returned to us, the beautiful and exotic demoness we all love and adore! Kah'Ra Val'Hara-sama!"

Again, the crowd went wild stomping their feet, even Mare clapped louder than usual. Kah'Ra seemed to be rather uncomfortable by that praise, Ainz could sympathize with how she felt, nodding internally at their shared discomfort with the ridiculous admiration of their subordinates.

"Then, in our left corner, the ruler of death and who brought all the Supreme Beings together and ruling over them, our kind and lord! Ainz. Ooal. Gown-sama!"

The cheering only died down after a couple of minutes, especially because Albedo kept clapping loudly.

Then silence as Kah'Ra and Ainz stared each other down, waiting for Aura to give the signal.

"Reaaaaaaaaaaaaaady?! Seeeeeeeeeetttt!"

Ainz drew his great-sword at the same time Kah'Ra unsheathed her short-sword.

"GO!"

Ainz immediately launched himself at her, swinging his single great-sword at her with two hands. As he swung down, Kah'Ra let herself fall and rolled to the side, thrusting her short-sword at his ribs.

Ainz twisted his body out of the way, his great-sword hitting and dragging through the ground towards Kah'Ra at a break neck speed, leaving Kah'Ra with no other choice but to defend herself.

A loud CLANG! sounded throughout the arena as their swords clashed. But having more strength than her, Ainz pushed through and managed to keep swinging his sword with his upper body strength, sending Kah'Ra flying through the air.

Shock crossed her face as she went up and up.

Aura and Mare looked in awe at the raw power Ainz displayed, while Albedo simply smiled happily at the playfight between the two.

Not wanting to waste this opportunity Ainz launched himself off the ground after her to land the first blow, but as he came into striking distance, the look in Kah'Ra's eyes was one of victory.

"Activate [Rabbit's Foot]!"

Something small and white on Kah'Ra's right hip began to glow as she spoke those words and Ainz swung his sword at her. He missed.

Worse still, Kah'Ra used this moment to manoeuvre over him, striking him from behind, winning the first round.

When both of them landed on the opposite of where they started, Albedo shouted at Kah'Ra.

"That's cheating! Using an item to win, that's unfair! Ainz-sama, this shouldn't count!"

"Albedo, calm down. Neither of us made a rule that states that one could not use magic items to help them out. Besides, if that's the case, I shouldn't be allowed to use [Perfect Warrior] as well." Ainz then ignored Albedo to give his compliments to Kah'Ra. "It seems I underestimated you, well done on being able to activate your item, I almost forgotten you had [Rabbits Foot]. Tell me, you only have two more uses for it left, right?"

Kah'Ra nodded, slowly holding up the literal white foot of a rabbit. "Yes, it's an item that grands the user [Good Luck] only three times a day. So only two left is correct, Momonga-san." Kah'Ra smiled bitterly again. "You really do know everything that's from YGGDRASIL don't you?"

It sounded like she was taunting him, but Ainz felt it was better take it as a compliment.

"Umu, it was and still is very important to me. Even now, I'm very grateful to everyone in our guild who spend time, money, love and care into building Nazarick. I feel the love and effort everyday now that I'm here. I know it may not feel that way to you now and it might never really replace what you lost, but I do hope you will feel the same as I do someday."

The guardians to their side were all drying the tears from their faces at Ainz's heartfelt speech, but he saw that Kah'Ra did not feel the same way.

He meant for those words to be comforting, coming from his heart, but he could see on her face that he had struck a nerve. She looked up angry at him, red drops of tears at the corners of her eyes.

"Let's just start round two. Aura!"

"Y-yes!" Aura was startled by the venomous tone coming from Kah'Ra's usually soft voice and straightened herself. "Alriiight! Readyyyy! Seeeeeeeeettt!"

Kah'Ra drew from her belt her dagger, so Ainz took his second great sword in his other hand. Both of them hunched over, ready to attack the other.

"GO!"

This time it was Kah'Ra who made the first move, coming in from his left, though she was nowhere near as fast as he was. Their blades clashed yet again and Kah'Ra was slowly being pushed back, behind her awes and oh's from the guardians who were genuinely impressed by their swordplay.

"Kah'Ra-san, I am sorry for you." Ainz said calmly while she groaned in the effort it took to hold him back, her arms shaking. Red tears streaming down her cheeks. "But you do not have to-"

"Shut up!" Kah'Ra growled and tried to kick him, but missed. Ainz had stepped back and when her foot flew by his chest and he kicked her right in the stomach, sending her flying backwards to the wall. As she hit the wall hard with her back, she took a little damage, but Ainz won this round.

Albedo loudly cheered and sang his praises, but Ainz was too focused on Kah'Ra getting back to her feet.

"Are you alright, Kah'Ra-san?"

As Kah'Ra wiped her tears away and picked back up her weapons, she merely nodded.

"What I do not understand," She said, slowly walking sideways like a predator about to circle its prey. "Is how you can be so calm about all this..."

The guardians backed away a little further from the inner circle to give her more room should she walk by them.

Ainz felt more pity. He was reminded again that she didn't have the luxury he had as an undead, it was thanks to his emotions being supressed that he was probably not suffering as she was.

"Well, I am undead."

Something like understanding dawned on her face and then again she smiled bitterly as she continued her slow pace, still not being passed the guardians yet.

"I see. That does explain a lot, for both myself and your behaviour. Very well, but I still wonder why you haven't even started looking for ways to return to our home world?"

Ainz quickly glanced towards the three guardians who looked stunned.

"Did I not already tell you that there is nothing there for me? Besides, there is no way back, I hope you will accept that."

Kah'Ra shook her head and stopped her circling. "I don't believe you have actually tried to get out, like you said, you have nothing left there, but I do." Suddenly, Ainz realized why she had slowly circled him and started a dialog with him - to distract him from her main objective...the staff Ainz Ooal Gown. "I also belief you haven't tried everything to see if you could get out, like destroying our beloved guild weapon for instance."

"Stop her!" Ainz shouted, but it was too late, Kah'Ra had grabbed hold of the staff and was imbued with its power.

"[Dark Shield]!"

Albedo's attack was suddenly deflected by dark and shadow like energy.

"How dare you!" Albedo hollered, attacking again but to no avail. Both Aura and Mare looked frightened and confused to what was happening.

"Albedo, it's no use, step back."

"But-!"

"STEP BACK NOW!"

It wasn't a shout but rather an angered growl coming from somewhere deep within his bones. Ainz slowly walked toward the egged shaped sphere and looked inside, Kah'Ra stared back at him with determination. Ainz embedded both his great swords into the sand and held out his hand as he continued in an eerily calm tone.

"I'm going to ask this once - hand over the staff or face the consequences."

"Only if you send me back."

His fist connects with dark sphere loudly.

"THERE IS NO SUCH THING!"

She looked a little startled, but didn't budge.

"I am sorry it had to come to this, but you can't expect me to just accept this and-"

"Kah'Ra...I will kill you if you destroy...no, just the fact that you already threatened to destroy OUR guild, that we build over years and years and years-!" Ainz was almost about to lose his mind but the emotion suppression kicked in, though it didn't do much this time around. He remembered something that he hoped Kah'Ra didn't and backed up to pick up his swords. He started in on the shield to satisfy his rage.

"It's not like I want to do this!" Kah'Ra yelled, trying to be loud enough to be heard over the sound of Ainz's blades banging and his angry roars. "Please just tell me and then I don't have to destroy the place we love!" Kah'Ra cried out cradling the staff her chest, tears pouring down her cheeks.

Right at that moment, the dark shield vanished and Ainz struck her down.

Blood dyed the sand red and Kah'Ra's upper body hit the ground, Ainz having her cut in two, the Staff safely being taken away by Albedo's hidden smile.

Authors Note:

Forgive me, dear friends, for I have yet to do a grammar and spell check on both chapter 3 and chapter 4. I am deeply ashamed.

As usual, thank you for the wonderful reviews, favorites and follows~!

Next week another chapter!
Toodles!

*Chapter 6*: Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Hana's phone rang – a phone only in the broad sense of the word, for in this day and age, these were implanted directly into ones brain. She stretched and removed both the plug on the back of her neck and her other gaming gear before answering the call. As she got up, her bones felt eerily tired, a sure sign she had been playing too long. She stretched out her short body and brushed her long hair away from her warm neck to let some of the cool air breeze by before answering lazily.

"Moshi Moshi?"

"Ah, Ishikawa-san, sorry for calling you this late."

Hana, took her thick glasses from her shirt and put them on before she took a glance at the wall clock illuminating in the dark room told that indeed it was indeed very late.

"That is fine Yamata-san, I assume you're only calling if it's urgent?"

"Yes!" Yamata said, sounding relieved that she wasn't mad. Hana wasn't, their current project was very important and she still had a couple of more days left in regards of her free time. "The clients want to push the deadline to next week!"

Hana didn't immediately respond before breaking out in cold sweat.

"WHAT?!" Panic engulfed her mind as she tried to calculate all the things that now had to be moved around in their schedule. Hana took a deep breath as she walked over to her closet and started to put on her work clothes. "I'll be right over! did Manager-san already agree to this? How much time do we exactly have?!"

Hana wiggled herself into her black pencil skirt and thrusted her feet into her red heels and as her colleague started to fully explain the situation, Hana was out the door and on her way to their office.

Her body laid on the ground, now lifeless and cut into two pieces, her organs spilled out like thick jelly in dark purple and red colours as blood slowly flowed out to further stain the sand of the arena. He had done this. He had done this to a friend. Ainz stared silently, his emotion suppression going off constantly as he did so.

He first had felt pure unadulterated rage for the mere fact she had the gall to even considering using the threat as a bargaining tool. Then he felt intense regret, because he could've handled the situation better if he had kept his cool. But the last one, was complete and utter grief that she was now dead.

Her mental state is too blame. If I only had taken it a bit more seriously…

Ainz dropped to his knees next to her and cast a max restoration spell and mending spell to put her body back together so he could properly resurrect her once he got one of his wands.

"Albedo, summon all the Guardians and have Aura and Mare put Kah'Ra's body in storage for preservation."

"Ainz-sama, please do forgive me for speaking out of line, but is it really not the best option to have Kah'Ra have her wish?"

Ainz looked up at Albedo's concerned face.

"What are you implying, Albedo?" His tone was dangerously low, which he usually didn't direct at her and Albedo seemed to cower in fear and immediately bowed down, her hair covering her beautiful face.

"Forgive me! I shouldn't have spoken at all!"

Ainz gotten back to his feet, his perfect warrior spell long gone. His eyes going back to Kah'Ra's still face.

He could still feel the lingering anger, sadness and regret in his non-existent stomach as he looked at her. He could guess what Albedo probably wanted to say, that even after bringing her back, Kah'Ra still needed to be punished for the very notion of trying to destroy the guild…but the troublesome thing about that was, was whether or not it would worsen her mental state or not. He already failed at helping her in the first place which resulted into this mess to begin with, this was why he needed the guardians to be summoned and inform them properly of the situation before asking advice.

Surely Demiurge would see this as my failure…

"Aura."

"Y-yes, Ainz-sama?"

Her trembling voice was unusual, so he looked in the twins direction to see them both kneeling to the floor, faces wet with tears.

He was a fool! How could he have done this in front of them! Of course they would become like this after seeing one of their mother's friends butchered like this!

Ainz internally cursed at Kah'Ra as well, she of course had no idea what affect her actions would have on the Guardians and their other servants if they were to hear that one of the Supreme Beings was so desperate to be away from them she would destroy them to do so… Ainz could easily imagine the havoc that would cause, but he couldn't lie about this either, so there needed to be consequences for her actions.

Yes, she did need punishment, but what kind? The things that Albedo suggested the other day came to mind, to simply take away Kah'Ra's memories that were giving her trouble coping or to have her go somewhere far away from Nazarick.

Banishing her seemed like a good idea now too, considering her treachery. But Ainz was reminded yet again of the fact that Kah'Ra was not explicitly to blame for her actions, keeping her mental state in mind yet again and Ainz's inactions in dealing with her properly.

He then noticed Aura still awaiting her orders.

"Make sure Kah'Ra's body is well preserved until I've decided whether or not it is worth resurrecting her. After that, come to the throne room at the time given by Albedo. I shall retire for the day."

And with that, Ainz used his ring to return to the ninth floor and seclude himself in his bedchambers to wallow.

The office building Hana worked at was empty and dark except for her department the 12th floor. Her team was scattered and running about when she entered the through the door, Yamata Kenjiro by the door next to her and bowed.

"Thank you for coming in despite you received 3 days off!" He said from the bottom of his heart. He was a rather tall and lanky looking man, with a mol on his forehead, so even as he bowed to her, he was still taller than her.

But Hana had already gone through that faze of being insecure of her height in her teenage years, so she paid it no mind, instead calmly observed the people working in a panic. Then she adjusted the glasses.

"Yamata-san, if this is the level of which we have to work with, this won't do, where is Ayaka?"

Hayashi Ayaka was Hana's personal assistant, whereas Yamata Kenjiro was co-working with Hana on their current project.

"I'm here, Hana-san." Ayaka was only a head taller than Hana, with short cut hair and in a dress suit with trousers. "These are the changes the client also wants to add to the building."

Hana took the papers handed to her and quickly read them. The current project Hana and her team were working on was in collaboration with the nations ecology and science department to revitalize Japans soil and slowly but surely eat away at the pollution levels of their nation, and the rest of the world, was facing. If this projected was successful, they could distribute it and sell it to the rest of the world, making this a billion dollar project, if you will.

But Hana and her team were one of many Architects to make the first models and designs based on what the scientist had presented in the meeting two months ago. Originally, they had six month to finish the complete layout of the combined ecological and agricultural centres that would be implemented on a small scale, competing with the nation's best Architecture Companies. But, due to pressure from the government in getting the fastest results in shortest amount of time as to please the public and further their own agenda's, they kept making more and more adjustments, ensuring that the deadlines set were already impossible to make and now, they even pushed the deadline two weeks earlier simply because of the upcoming election.

Hana exhaled loudly, everyone in the office currently panicking stopping in their tracks. They had finally noticed the arrival of the head Architect.

"Alright, firstly everyone calm down! We have a week and I will make sure Manager-san will not cut into our overtime pay for this! Then secondly, let's brainstorm how we can best manage the changes and demands of the client! As soon as we adjusted the plan I want everyone to go home and rest! You are no use to the company tired to the bone!"

The relief on their faces was almost comical, with tears streaming down some of their faces.

Demiurge arrived as most of the other guardians already stood in front of the two large doors to the throne room, Albedo was not among them. The first thing he noticed was the sorrowful faces of the Dark Elf twins.

"Good evening all." He greeted them kindly. Demiurge had several thoughts on why he was summoned back to Nazarick the day after his departure, but it could only be an emergency if all the guardians – excluding Victim and Gargantua – were all present.

"To. Be. Able. To. Arrive. On. Time. Despite. The. Distance. Is. Truly. Exemplary. Demiurge."

"Ah, thank you my friend." Demiurge smiled, happy to receive such a compliment, but his eyes glanced at the pained faces of Aura and Mare. He wanted to ask them what was wrong, but then the doors opened and they had to walk in. On the throne was their master was already seated, Albedo stood to his right.

Though the two of them were all but impossible to read, Demiurge felt a sense of dread filling his heart by the way his Master was slumped on his throne, seeming defeated in the way his skeletal hand was holding up his skull.

But they had to follow proper protocol first, before he could start asking questions.

Each of the guardians present knelt before the steps, their hands held over their hearts as they bowed their heads, showing their utmost loyalty to the Master and Great Ruler of the Underground Tomb of Nazarick.

"You may raise your heads." Albedo announced, her voice serious and solemn.

Demiurge felt that creeping sensation getting stronger. His excellent brain kicked into high gear as he thought through all the possibilities.

Something very bad most have happened…did the Empire see through our schemes? Or was it the Kingdom? Or is it the adversary Ainz-sama predicted? Did they finally show their heads and when they did, are they even more powerful than Ainz-sama anticipated?

Demiurge along with the other Guardians raised their heads, their Master still looking depressed on his throne. Albedo glanced at him as well, but after a moment, she inhaled and closed her eyes. Demiurge swallowed and his anxiety grew as he awaited for the Guardian Overseer to speak.

"Ainz-sama has called upon you to share grave news, some of you might already know." Albedo's tone was full of grief as she hesitated before continuing. "Kah'Ra Val'Hara-sama is dead."

Shock ripped through the other Guardians, except the two Dark Elf children who began silently weeping. Demiurge's mind stopped in its tracks, for the first time dumbfounded as the other Guardians present reacted before him.

"T-that c-can't possibly be true! Ainz-sama, please, tell us that it isn't true!" Their master remained quiet and Shalltears pleases turned into helpless cries. "Kah'Ra-sama…Kah'Ra-sama…no…no…why…"

Cocytus slammed the end of his weapon to the floor, breaking through the cries of the other three Guardians. "Calm. Yourselves. We. Must. Focus. On. Avenging. Kah'Ra-sama…Ainz-sama. Who. Did. This. To. Kah'Ra-sama?"

Again their master remained silent and the twins stared guiltily at the floor. For a second, Demiurge's eyes opened slightly, but he quickly banished the thought from his head.

They aren't like Shalltear, Aura and Mare, though children wouldn't make the same idiotic mistake as her…so it must be the unknown enemy after all. Besides, Ainz-sama will surely resurrect Kah'Ra-sama – there is no need to get too emotional about this…perhaps he had already done so…but why not tell us so? Is this a test? But to what end?

Again, it was Albedo spoke.

"Though your attitude would be appropriate if Kah'Ra-sama was indeed attacked and killed by unknown enemy, sadly, Kah'Ra-sama choose to oppose Ainz-sama and threatened to destroy the Guild, forcing Ainz-sama to…to…" Albedo's voice broke, not getting the words out.

The realization dawned on them, but Demiurge didn't belief it.

"Ainz-sama, where is Kah'Ra-sama right now?" He asked. He needed to confirm whether or not she was alive or a corpse so he could figure out what the real purpose of this meeting was.

His Master remained silent as Albedo yet again spoke for him, her voice no longer broken, which Demiurge noted down and filed away in his mind.

"Kah'Ra-sama's corpse is currently in storage."

"I see." Demiurge said. The other Guardians were trying to catch on as he continued. "Then may I ask why Kah'Ra-sama has yet to be resurrected?"

"Ainz-sama has yet to decide whether or not that is the best course of action Demiurge." Albedo replied sternly.

Baffled, Demiurge racked his brain to understand why that wasn't the best course of action and looked at and spoke directly to his master.

"Ainz-sama, forgive my impudence, but you could not possibly be considering letting Kah'Ra-sama stay…" He paused, but battled through the sudden the emotion clamping down his throat at the mere thought of it. "…to not resurrect Kah'Ra-sama at all?"

Everyone's eyes focused on their master as they awaited his response, except Albedo. She glared at the kneeling demon and her voice carried over her true anger.

"Demiurge! Kah'Ra-sama may be a Supreme Being, but she threatened to destroy everything what Ainz-sama has built! After staying with us to the end and taking care of us, going as far as fulfilling our whims and wishes, while the other Supreme Beings simply abandoned us, Kah'Ra…sama spit in the face of Ainz-sama in trying to destroy all of it! That cannot go unpunished!"

Demiurge eyes opened wide to show his own hostility, though his voice remained calm as he spoke.

"Overseer-san, I cannot help but wonder if you would say the same thing about Tabula Smaragdina-sama if he were as effected by the New World as Kah'Ra-sama? Isn't it a sign that we are failing our Creators if it drives them to abandon us and to wish to destroy what they created? Isn't it the right of a Supreme Being to destroy what they created? If Kah'Ra-sama is to be punished, so do we for failing to rise to the occasion and take care of her properly."

The other Guardians seemed to agree with him, but Albedo simply glared at him. She was about to speak again, when a thundering sound echoed through the throne room. The Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown silenced them all once more, all their heads were lowered once again – Albedo too was down on one knee and had lowered her head.

Their Master finally spoke and all of them were trembling in fear, with Demiurge's words in their hearts, they felt like this was indeed their fault. They failed not only their Mistress, but their Master at the same time who had no choice but to end her life when she became a danger to them all because of them.

"Do not squabble before me, I have enough of fighting amongst ourselves."

Demiurge couldn't help but hear the sadness in his voice and he feared that now would be the moment where they would lose two Supreme Beings in one day.

"Please forgive me, Ainz-sama!"

"I'm terribly sorry for showing such behaviour, please forgive me!"

Both Demiurge and Albedo spoke, lowering their heads even further.

"Raise your heads, in fact, rise all together, one cannot possibly hold a proper conversation while kneeling."

The Guardians complied with their Masters wishes.

"Demiurge," Ainz addressed him and looked at him intently.

"Yes, Ainz-sama!" Demiurge felt a bead of sweat start slowly down the nap of his neck.

"Though you are quite right, regarding that Kah'Ra cannot completely be held responsible for her actions, it is not any of you that is to blame, but myself. Please do away with those notions."

"I must sincerely object, Ainz-sama! While knowing Kah'Ra-sama's mental state has worsened in such a short period of time, we should have tried harder to accommodate for anything she might've needed! We as your vassals have failed the both of you for not anticipating-"

His Master held up his hand to stop Demiurge from continuing.

"I understand your feelings, which makes it even harder for me to forgive her foolishness, no matter her mental state, the fact that all of you blame yourselves fuels my resentment towards her and her actions. Though I know it must be hard for you to understand from my point of view, please try. For I will need your advice now more than ever."

Trying to understand from his Masters point of view was indeed a difficult task, considering his unfathomable intellect. But Demiurge would indeed try, just as the rest of the Guardians would try, even if it was beyond their capabilities. To everyone's surprise, Mare was the one to speak first.

"U-uhm…Ainz-sama?"

"Hmm?"

"I-I was w-wondering…huh, err…w-what Kah'Ra-sama meant with…with…" Mare became extremely nervous, but Demiurge was listening more intently, for he came to the conclusion the twins must have witnessed everything alongside Albedo. "Your…err…h-home world?"

Their master became eerily quiet again and they could feel his animosity, but it didn't seem to be aimed at them.

"Umu…it is where we…us Supreme Beings are from, Mare."

All of their eyes went wide.

"Is. That. Where. The. Other. Supreme. Beings. Have. Returned. To. When. They. Went. Away. Ainz-sama?"

"In-indeed it is, Cocytus! But it is impossible to return to from this world, the fact that Kah'Ra managed to enter the New World from our Home World directly is even a more impressive feat…"

The other Guardians seemed both relieved and disturbed by this knowledge and Demiurge was no different. His mind racing to properly process this new bit of information. Their master seemed somewhat unwilling to enlighten them further as he immediately changed the subject.

"But that is to be further investigated another time, what I wish to be advised upon is what to do with Kah'Ra. Albedo, I already heard your opinions, therefore I wish to hear from the other Guardians first."

"I understand." Albedo said and bowed her head.

"Now then Guardians, first answer me this, is Kah'Ra Val'Hara to be revived or to be left in death's embrace? Shaltear."

"Yes! I belief Kah'Ra-sama should be revived immediately!"

"Aura?"

"Even though she wished to destroy the guild, I do not think Kah'Ra-sama is bad!"

"Mare?"

"I-I agree! Kah'Ra-sama isn't a bad person!"

"Cocytus?"

"Kah'Ra-sama. Is. One. Of. The. Supreme. Beings. Who. Is. Supposed. To. Rule. Over. Us…If. She. Becomes. Stable. She Will. Be. Able. To. Do. So. Properly. Yet. Again…But. She. Cannot. Do. So. If. She. Remains. Dead. Is. What. I. Belief. Ainz-sama."

"Demiurge?"

"Yes. I too wish to be able to help Kah'Ra-sama regain her mental prowess, therefore she must be revived."

"I see." His Master held a hand to his chin in thought. Demiurge could not possibly imagine what thoughts his master had as he waited his verdict.

"Albedo?"

"I belief that if Kah'Ra-sama is revived, Ainz-sama shouldn't withhold a proper punishment, I feel it is Ainz-sama's duty as the one who, not only rules of us, but also all the other Supreme Beings to deal out such punishments."

Though he knew it was probably his imagination, Demiurge thought to hear his master sigh tiredly. All of them waited nervously.

"Then, let me ask all of you this, what punishment would be appropriate without damaging her mental state further?"

Their master looked at them expectantly, but it was Albedo who spoke before anyone else.

"I belief a few weeks or maybe months within the frozen prison with my older sister would do Kah'Ra-sama good, Ainz-sama."

Demiurge rebuked to Albedo in earnest.

"Albedo! That is far too harsh! Ainz-sama wishes to make sure Kah'Ra-sama isn't being damaged further, treating her like a prisoner would not achieve his goal!"

"I disagree, Kah'Ra-sama needs to be firmly confronted with the consequences of her actions, by doing so, she will be brought back down into reality, which would stabilize her mind." Albedo said this with a sincere smile.

Demiurge felt there was no point in arguing with Albedo who was blinded by her love for their master, so he needed to ignore her and focus on trying to figure out the wishes and conclusions of their master.

"Ainz-sama, if you would hear my suggestion?"

His Master nodded his head for Demiurge to continue.

"I belief Ainz-sama must've already thought about this, but in order for Kah'Ra-sama to make a full recovery, is if we prioritize her mental health and postpone her punishment to a later date when she is mentally able to deal with such a thing."

"Hmm. Though I have thought about that, Demiurge, it still seems too soft. But on the other hand, Albedo's suggestion is indeed too harsh." Their master seemed to sigh. The other Guardians simply fell silent as they bore witness of the three geniuses of Nazarick discussing such a difficult matter. "Not to mention that we are in the middle of various operations. I do agree we must prioritize Kah'Ra's health, but not at the cost of our current situation as well."

Then, Aura was the one who carefully chipped in.

"Uhm, Ainz-sama?"

"Hmm?"

"This might be a bit…untraditional, but I've heard Lady Bukubukuchagama-sama once mention her little brother, lord Peroroncino-sama, being punished by being 'grounded'?"

"Ah yes, I remember!" Their master's mood seemed to lighten a little bit at the memory before becoming grave once more. "Grounded, huh? Hmm…" He murmured.

"Ainz-sama, isn't being 'grounded' the same as being imprisoned?" Albedo asked. Demiurge too recalled the time of Albedo assaulting their master and being 'grounded' for three days.

"Not entirely, it would seem an appropriate punishment…yes. I'll go with that. Kah'Ra Val'Hara is to be confined to her chambers until her mental states has completely improved." Their Master stood and all of them knelt. "Aura, Shalltear and Cocytus, you shall retrieve Kah'Ra's body and bring her here. Mare will join me to the treasury to retrieve the wand of True Resurrection and the Master wand ring."

"Yes!" The four Guardians exclaimed in unison.

"Albedo, Demiurge, I task you to make the appropriate preparations for Kah'Ra's resurrection and work out a daily schedule that will have Kah'Ra's mental and physical recovery in mind."

"Yes!"

The last two guardians said, also in unison.

"Now then, Mare, let us go to the treasury." Ainz held out his hand, indicating that Mare should come join him.

"Y-yes!" The boy sputtered and ran up the steps to join his master and then the two disappeared.

The other three left via Shalltears [Greater Teleportation] and thus, Demiurge and Albedo were left alone to discuss the plan to help their mistress become healthy again.

"Well, then, Overseer-san, with Kah'Ra-sama's health in mind, how shall we plan for her swift recovery?"

"Hmmm. With her resurrection in mind, I'd say it will take even longer for her to recover, so please let us plan Kah'Ra-sama's recovery at her own pace, Demiurge."

"I cannot help but wonder, if you are not simply trying to postpone the ineffable because of your feelings for Ainz-sama, Albedo?"

"Ara, what could you mean by that, Demiurge?"

They locked eyes, Demiurge observing her carefully as Albedo simply smiled back at him.

"Come now, Overseer-san, you must have come to the same realization, haven't you? Ainz-sama will need a Queen eventually…"

Her smile became strained and she turned to him resolutely. "Let us begin Demiurge, we have wasted enough time bickering, Ainz-sama will be disappointed if we don't deliver on his demands."

Demiurge sighed, but went along with her anyway. Very soon his lady would be revived and all would be well again with the world.

Authors Note:

Did I say next week? I meant within 24 hours XD
Thankfully i had the time today to finish up chapter 5 and screw up my own posting schedule. Oh well! Enoy!
next chapter coming out soonish?
Anyway, thank you all for your reviews, follows and favorites!

Have a good one!

*Chapter 7*: Chapter Six

Chapter 6

After two hours of brainstorming, until about 2:30 in the morning, most of her team was sent home while Hana and Kenjiro were left behind, drawing the adjustments onto their hologram pads.

"You are very kind, Ishikawa-san."

"Not really, I just don't want them to exhaust themselves, otherwise, what good will they do the project?"

Hana knew that Kenjiro liked her, but she couldn't reciprocate his feelings for her. Her mind was always too busy with doing her job the best she could and currently she hated the comprises they needed to make in order to get this first draft done before the deadline.

After they had prioritized the things were essential to what the client wanted, Hana worked out a schedule with Ayaka to accommodate that. But it meant that she had to kill many of her darlings in her design, just to get it done before the deadline.

"Coffee?" Kenjiro asked, stretching out. He had deep dark bags under his eyes.

"No, but if you could grab the caffeine pills from my desk…" Hana replied somewhat disinterested. She was continuously redrawing the same line that just didn't want to stick, discovering it just simply wasn't structurally sound enough for the building to hold.

Great, another problem.

Hana clicked her tongue and rotated the hologram and enlarge the space what was giving her trouble.

Why is this suddenly being so difficult, I don't remember the conduct bridge being problematic…

Kenjiro walked up to her then, a cup of coffee for himself and caffeine pill for Hana, which she took and immediately swallowed, still staring at the hologram with her brows knitted together.

"Yamata-san, did you do something to this part?"

Kenjiro who looked more than exhausted had been leaning against a desk behind them with his butt, carefully sipping on the hot black liquid.

"Hm?" Groggily he leaned forward, squinting his tired eyes. "Nope. Wasn't this supposed to the…what did they called it again?"

"The Conduct Bridge, it's supposed to act as the filter for the entire facility, for some reason it's all fucked up." Hana showed him how to hologram kept denying the drawing Hana tried making.

"Hm." Kenjiro stood straight again and sipped his coffee while he worked his tired brain. "I see. And it's one of the essential parts we agreed to prioritize, right?"

"Yes."

He downed the hot drink in one go and slammed the mug on the desk behind him. "Alight, let me try."

Kenjiro was experiencing the same failure over and over again. The of them spend the rest of the night trying to fix the problem, but it was like a bug within the code, if worst came to worse, they would have to start all the way from scratch. Around 7:50, when the first office workers started to pour into their department, Hana finally managed to solved the problem. Apparently one of her team members had filed the wrong materials to the bridges construction, which made it brittle as all hell and would there for fall apart. If something like that made it to construction, the entire project would be fucked and they would all be out of a job. Hana was mad to say the least.

"Yamata-san, could you see who last checked in with the material file? I need to go meet my mother in a couple of hours for brunch and-"

Hana looked behind her to find Kenjiro sleeping in his desk chair. She sighed and smiled, getting his coat and cover his sleeping drooling body with it.

"Nevermind. You rest."

Hana put on her own coat and left the office, since she was technically still off duty and opened her office mail when she was sitting on the transport disk. They were much like old trains, but the round disk that connected to everyone personal ID and brought them to their designated neighbourhoods.

Hana mailed their manager, making sure to let him know that her team was making overtime for the current project and that her assistant, Ayaka, would come in later today to make a progress report. With that done, Hana looked outside the transport disk. Her office was in one of the better districts within Tokyo and so was her apartment – here it wasn't necessary for people to wear extensive masks or pollution gear. There were even a couple of trees that decorated the streets, which were considered to be a luxury item.

Hana exhaled as her own exhaustion of doing an all-nighter was starting to affect her.

Well, I'm pretty lucky, I shouldn't complain about being a little tired.

When she arrived at her apartment, she took off her heels and walked through her hallway to the large open kitchen and got out a bottle of water out of her fridge. She drank all of it at once. She then turned and walked into the centre of her large living room. There was a glossy oak dining table with eight crème coloured chairs and a fruit bowl on top of it from which she grabbed an apple, biting into its fruity texture.

"Angela-san, open the shades please."

Her home was installed with a home regulation system that worked on voice command that Hana named Angela. It regulated temperature, air flow, moisture, light, entertainment systems and also managed all the cleaning robots in her home.

With her command, the shaded windows became clear and showed the city scape. Her district was clean and pristine looking, with tall white buildings and some greenery here and there while other parts of Tokyo were covered in smog and desolate looking.

Hana didn't have any illusions, she knew she was one of the lucky ones, but she really hoped she could fix that, clean up the world one project at a time…maybe she was kind of foolish though, having a goal like that but not using all of her resourced to utilize her plans, but that was because she wanted to achieve those goals on her own merit and she was only human.

Hana finished eating her apple and threw both the bottle and apple into the waste compartment that Angela would sort.

"Angela, warm my bath and set an alarm for 9:30 please."

A beeping noise confirmed the command and Hana stepped into her bedroom and got changed into a bathrobe and got out an towel as she heard water pour into her bathtub in the bathroom adjoined to her bedroom.

"Hana-chan, I still do not understand why you insist working at a place like that. Ah, thank you, Kanra-san." Her mother thanked their butler who poured her a fresh cup of tea and set in front of the older woman on top a glass table. Hana's mother was still a very attractive for her age – aging with grace as they called it. Wearing a blue dress suit with red accents to match her red painted glossy nails and lipstick. "Really, sweetheart, all you need is ask and my bank will fully support whatever endeavour you choose to follow."

"Darling, our daughter will not learn anything from being cuddled too much, let her make her own way in life." Her father, a burly looking man in simple grey suit with a blue tie, said while reading the news hologram and taking a sip of his morning coffee. "Besides, the current project she is working is of high importance to the nation, I will make sure her project will get approved by most of my colleagues anyway, so there is no worry for her career."

Hana sighed quietly. This had been routine for years.

"Poppa, that's the same as Momma is suggesting. You already made sure I got assigned to the project with the company I work at, isn't that enough?"

"Not at all honey, in politics you will always need to be able to pull some strings, just see at as Poppa checking if he still has the same pull."

Both Hana and her mother rolled their eyes, shook their heads and smiled tiredly.

"Anyway, sweetheart, what did you think of the files of potential partners I send you? Didn't find any of them handsome?"

There was an undignified sound on the other side of the round glass table, but her mother choose to ignored it as she smiled intently at Hana.

"No, I haven't had the time to-"

"Oh, well, thankfully I have the copies right here."

"Mommaaaaaa…"

"I want to have grandchildren and your almost thirty!"

"I just turned 28, Momma, most career women have children in their late thirties."

"I can't wait that long! I'm now in my prime years to have grandchildren! Mrs. Hatoyama keeps showing offhandedly mentioning her three married children and all her grandchildren!"

"Oh no. The torture. The gall of that woman. We must exact revenge immediately."

"Honey, don't use that tone with your mother."

"Sorry, Poppa." Hana turned back to look at her mother. "But I really am not interested in getting hitched right now, Momma. How am I supposed to both start up a business and get married and have babies at the same time?"

"Oh, so you, so you are accepting my offer?!" Her mother asked excitedly.

"No, but I'm still not getting married either, most of the men you show me usually either handsome and boring or handsome and obnoxious as all heck."

"Come one, sweetheart, just try and go on a date with at least one of them and I will drop the subject for a week."

Hana and her father both rolled their eyes silently, knowing that her mother would never stay silent about the subject for an entire week. But Hana did decide to see how far her mother would be willing to go just for fun.

"Three months."

Fire burned in her mother's eyes as her business woman spirit was challenged.

"Two weeks."

Two weeks was already a lot, from the corner of her eye, Hana could see her father stealthily glance up from his hologram, hinting to push a little further.

"Two months and I'll let you pick which one of the snobs I'll go on a date with."

Her mother was very tempted by that offer, but she narrowed her eyes – two months was a long time and the deal did not include any second dates.

"Two months, several dates and I get to pick two of them."

Again, her father glanced up, this time hinting that she should cut her losses, but Hana was her mother's daughter and wouldn't go home empty handed.

"Three months, two picks and two dates for each pick. Take it or leave it."

"Deal!"

They even shook hands on it as brunch got served.

"Oh, look at this one, isn't he handsome?!" he mother cooed opening the folders their butler handed to her and showing off the picture of indeed, a not bad looking gentlemen. "He even went to the same private school you did when you were younger, isn't that nice?"

Hana just smiled and shook her head. Perhaps it was because she didn't have children of her own that she could barely understand why her career driven mother was being such a…well, a mother really.

Hana returned home later that day after doing some shopping with her mother who had insisted she needed at least four new dresses, one for each date. She would hear from her later that week when if she had the two men matched with her and when the dates would take place.

Hana merely sighed as she entered her home and plopped on the couch and opened her email.

Her manager had mailed back, asking if it was alright if they moved her other days off until after the deadline so she could come in tomorrow. Hana immediately replied that that was fine.

After contemplating what to do, Hana got back to her feet, ordered Angela to make her dinner and set behind her work desk, opening her office file to see what her team had done that day.

There were a couple of mistakes, miniscule, but still present that Hana noted down and then went over the all the files again. Rereading her notes at the side of each of the document, Hana twisted her building around and laid her head on the desk looking up at it. There was so much still left to do and so little time to do it in.

Angela bleeped, announcing her dinner was ready and Hana got up and grabbed the plate from the oven like cabinet where her food had been made and ate in silence, still staring at the hologram.

After she was done eating, she walked around the hologram, looking at every facet of it and bit her lip.

We could streamline it a little better…

Hana began to take down more notes and send them to Yamata, who would probably still knocked out from weeks of exhaustion, but Hana didn't care. Of course, if they did what she suggested, it would certainly take even more time and with the current deadline, that meant there was no time to sleep or to waste.

Hana grinned.

Yes, this is what she lived for, her work was her life after all and perfection was a small price to pay when doing a project with potential such as this.

Besides, wouldn't be the first time I hadn't slept for a week.

Plopping in her desk chair, Hana got out her pad and started immediately working on the improvements she wanted to make so that her team would have an easier time implementing them the next few days along with the other changes the clients wanted.

Her assistant Ayaka had told her once, in her first week working for Hana, that Hana was most certainly a workaholic.

The week had come and gone and Hana was dead tired. Her nice little old neighbour from the first floor gave her a homecooked meal, which was always better than what Angela could make and Hana gladly took it. Despite the upheaval from both her manager, Ayaka and Yamata, they managed to implement the changes smoothly through many sleepless nights – in fact, this was the first time the entire week Hana had returned home and she planned on sleeping the entirety of her three days off. Three glorious days of well-deserved days of rest.

Of course, her mother had been disappointed in finding out that Hana had no time for dates that week, but work and career came first – something her mother had instilled in her from the moment she could understand such things.

As Hana shuffled to her bedroom, she noticed her console still running in her office space, due to the call, she had forgotten to actually shut it off.

YGGDRASIL! SHIT!

Panicked she rushed over and plugged herself in, knowing fairly well it was already too late. Overcome with sadness, she put her helmet on to see…

The servers are still online? Did they postpone the deadline?

Hana knew she needed to go to sleep, but she didn't know how long the game would still be running for…besides, it wasn't like she would be physically doing anything, so it could be considered sleeping, sort of.

At least now Momonga-san won't be all alone at the very end…

With that thought, she logged into her account.

Kah'Ra gasped for air, her vision blurry and sounds coming in muffled and distorted, as if hearing through a glass window.

So it took her a moment to decipher the words that had spoken to her by a familiar voice.

"Welcome back."

She blinked a couple of times and tried to move, but her muscles felt like jelly. But when she looked, she saw that she was in the throne room and the voice came from her friend sitting on the throne while she lay at the bottom of the steps.

Two pairs of hands helped her sit up right.

"M-mo-momo…ga…"

Tears wet her face in streaks of red. But she wasn't crying because she was feeling sorry or because she was scared, she cried because even death did not return her to her home.

"It seems you only lost a level, that's far less than I anticipated. I wish to ask you many questions, Kah'Ra-san, for this is the first time I resurrected one of our kind in the New World, but I can also imagine you are quite shocked and confused, so perhaps when you've come to your sense somewhat, we can discuss how it was to die."

Whatever he was saying, Kah'Ra couldn't really put two and two together. Right now, it was over, she had basically tried everything she could think off, even the thing she didn't want to think about.

So as Momonga prattled on, she stared at the floor, not registering any of the things being said to her, she just felt empty inside as she thought about her parents that she would never see again…

"Ainz-sama, if I may, but I belief Kah'Ra-sama is a bit overwhelmed, is it alright to let her rest for now?" A gentle voice spoke, directed at the throne from somewhere next to her.

A moment of silence seemed to follow, then the exchange of the two pairs of hands to a single pair, lifting her up and cradling her within their arms.

Things moved around her, but she didn't care, simply looking forward as the scenery changed with a blank expression on her face, until she was finally placed on a bed. The gentle voice said something, but she couldn't remember what, both her body and mind too tired to really do much but close her eyes.

Something touched her cheek, it felt like fabric, perhaps to wipe away her last tears before sleep pulled her under.

Author's Note:

Alrighty, so, i know this chapter might be a little boring for some of you, but since people keep asking me why in the great heavens you would want to return home instead of living in a fantasy world, where here is your answer: Hana actually liked her life in the Real World. XD
Again, thanks so much for the follows, favorites and Reviews!

Next chapter will be coming later the following week!
Have a good one!

*Chapter 8*: Chapter Seven

Reviewer Reviewed~!

[the part everyone always scrolls passed but I find important any to give a little appreciation back to my readers]
-

Daniel-palacio – First of all thank you! Second, let us thank our lords and saviours The Supreme Beings for google translate XD

Lightblade23 – One of my favourite books on writing novels has this to say 'CONFLICT! CONFLICT! CONFLICT!' Which is a title for entire chapter based on how to make your characters suffer, because without suffering and struggle, there is mostly nothing interesting to write about (I'm kind of generalizing here, because going in-depth on the subject is kind of tedious). Thank you for the review! XD

Now back to chapter 7!

Chapter Seven

When Kah'Ra had awoken the next day, somewhere in the late afternoon, she had been greeted by her four assigned maids of that day, bowing to her and apologizing for failing in taking care of her needs more efficiently. Kah'Ra discovered that all the denizens of Nazarick felt this way, making her felt somewhat guilty before that guilt was snuffed out by a weird sensation that seemed like an outside force. But at that time, that had not been her highest concern. After firstly accepting the apology and trying and failing giving her own apology, she asked what her current situation was.

Apparently, as a punishment, Momonga had grounded her – which sounded to Kah'Ra as gentler word for temporary imprisonment. Not that she complained as she listened to the explanation of one of her maids. She was restricted to the confines of her own chambers, until she proved she was mentally and emotionally sound of mind – making Kah'Ra wonder who would be the judge of that, because as far as she knew, they didn't have a shrink on hand. She also felt like it was more of an excuse to make the punishment feel like it had more use, since at the moment, Kah'Ra had finally accepted the fact that she was stuck in the New World and would have to make the best of her situation.

But she took the punishment gracefully and without complaint, because she knew that what she did – or rather, threatened to do – was unforgivable and therefore, she accepted it.

If she had to choose between death and living in this world, she rather choose the latter. Kah'Ra knew that Momonga could have just as easily let her stay dead, but he did bring her back. She didn't know however, whether or not she should be mad at him for killing her in the first place. It more or less felt like they needed to talk it out in private where they could be themselves and speak honestly to each other.

After being informed on her situation, Demiurge and Albedo had made both a schedule for her with Momonga's approval – so that, while she was confined, she at least would not be completely bored out of her mind – and a questionnaire for her to fill in so that her servants could wait on her more effectively by knowing all her preferences. These questionnaires ranged from her preferences in food to her preferences in entertainment. They seemed normal enough, at first. But in the food category it went from 'Do you prefer desserts that are very, mild or not sweet at all?' to 'Would you rather prefer your food to be innocent, guilty or somewhere in between?'. The same went for a category Kah'Ra had not expected at all to find within the gigantic stack of questionnaires, which involved her preferences in partners, with questions like 'Do you prefer your chosen partner to be alive or undead?' which was immediately followed by 'Do you prefer your chosen partner to be taller, shorter or the same size as yourself?'.

Basically, as Kah'Ra started answering all those questionnaires, she wrote throughout that entire category with 'None of anyone's business'.

So for the first few days of her incarceration, Kah'Ra spend filling out those questionnaires while also following the schedule Demiurge and Albedo made for her.

In the mornings, she had activities that consisted out of filling the questionnaires, then learning to write and read the New World language and geography, along with learning the current situation of Nazarick and its current goals through reading the never ending stack of reports. Momonga wanted her to write down her own thoughts and ideas about the decisions he had made and their current situation.

Then why not just ask me directly if it is so important?

But Kah'Ra stalled in her reply though, because she first wanted to ask many questions herself as well so she could gain a better understanding of what the situation actually was to begin with. She had understood that Momonga had established a country of his own in the name of their guild and that their end goal was global domination, also known as taking over the world.

But that had to be a joke, right?

Kah'Ra did remember some of their more evil aligned guildmates joking about trying to take over one of the worlds in YGGDRASIL at a time, but that had been just that, a joke. So why would Momonga, of whom she thought to be a decent guild master and of average intellect, even try to do such a thing?

So Kah'Ra spend her time trying to decipher that question in those reports, taking notes and writing the questions down that she needed answered before she could comply with his demand of knowing her thoughts and opinions of their current progress in the New World.

The other things Demiurge and Albedo had scheduled in the morning and that took two hours of her afternoon, were things that involved experimenting with her abilities – considering they and she herself, didn't know what level she lost, they needed to find out which one of her 50 racial classes and 50 job classes had been effected. Not only that, but because she didn't continue levelling her job or racial levels past level 1, she wasn't particularly proficient in any one thing or had any defining features or traits of her racial class, which made it hard figuring out what she had levelled and hadn't.

The rest of her day she could spend doing anything at her own leisure, given that she remained within the confines of her chambers of course. But Kah'Ra knew a normal human being needed far more than what was given to keep a level head in her situation, so she decided to make her days trackable by wearing a certain colour for that day of the week – Monday was Red, Tuesday was Orange, Wednesday was Yellow, Thursday was Green, Friday was Blue, Saturday was Purple and Sunday was either Pink or Black. It amazed her how quickly the maids had caught on and started to represent clothing in the colour of the day that Kah'Ra had decided on giving. The questionnaires also helped in that regard.

What she also tried to experiment with what she could request from the servants around her, which was a lot – she had requested that for one hour and one hour only, they would turn their backs to her and stare at the wall, promising that if she needed something from them, she would immediately tell them. And so they did, for one hour straight, the four assigned maids stared at the wall until the clock one the wall chimed that the hour was over.

The other thing she requested were several note books with hardcovers and a lock on them, she received them the following morning, three notebooks with three different colours and beautifully exquisite covers.

In the first, a dull red one with golden inlay and a magical lock, she used as her personal diary, writing down a literal play by play of her day – at what time she woke up, what she ate for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacked, who had visited her if she had any visitors, who her assigned maids were for that day, how many times she went to the bathroom, what book she read that day and if it was worth to continue reading the next day, what she learned from the reports and language lessons, what she had to do that day to figure out her lost level, even going so far as writing down what she did in bed when she was finally alone – discovering that having a tail was a very interesting and intimate experience.

The second book, a dark blue one with shining purple symbols, she used to make a list of all the things she wanted to do and try out and experiment with when her punishment was over – the first things written on that list was 'Have a proper heart to heart with Momonga' and 'Try to figure out Albedo…'. The latter of those two important things on her list had very much confused and frightened Kah'Ra, for she didn't understand the last memory she had before fading into the dark pits of death.

The gleeful and victorious smile on Albedo's face as she secured the staff of Ainz Ooal Gown while Kah'Ra fell to the ground was a haunting image she couldn't place. Tabula Smaragdina and Kah'Ra had a very good relationship, she loving art and art history while he loved the more mythological aspect of it all. Tabula even bothered Kah'Ra with his tedious and complicated background stories for his NPC's, having her proof reading everything to check the spelling and grammar of his work. But Kah'Ra would have to investigate all that when she was no longer bound to her own chambers.

The third book, a golden coloured one with green gemstones – which Kah'Ra suspected to be Jade – decorating the side and front cover, she used for her current project idea's to entertain herself. For instance, in the new world, they didn't have holographic art software on which she could draw on, nor did she know if she could use her skills as a designer with her new body like she did in her Home World. So trying to draw analogue would be very interesting and was one of the first things she tried.

After requesting her three books, Kah'Ra requested a drawing board, paper, paintbrushes, paint and charcoal in her second week, asking her maids to pose for her so she could draw them. The first attempts were…to say the least…pitiful. She had never been good at drawing people, so she quickly gave up on that pretty quickly and shifted her focus on inanimate objects instead, which went a little smoother.

With that as a good practice to fill about an hour or so each day, she was still left with more than enough time to just lay about, if she wanted to, which she didn't. Boredom kept crawling its way into her mind the longer she did nothing.

The other thing she wanted to know, was how her new…state of being worked, both in body, mind, heart and soul. How much of her humanity was left within this demonic body? She had already noted the change in the very beginning, when she first appeared naked in front of her mirror in her room, but that didn't really constitute for everything that had changed. Most of her experimenting with her new body was at night, where the maids wouldn't freak out with what she did to herself. But experimenting by herself only got her so far. For instance, she didn't mind pain that much anymore, to the contrary, she kind of liked it very much. Which should freak her out. But it didn't.

So Kah'Ra wrote down the results of that experiment into her dull red book and tried to think what else she could do to figure out more about her new being.

So after thinking on it, she remembered that apart from her small collection of books in the bookcases in her room, the library contained many books on the occult, something Tabula Smaragdina had sought to do along with a couple of other guildmates. After receiving the books she requested on demonology and mythology, she began trying to understand more about her current state of being – but sadly, she couldn't get the information from them she wished for.

At least, nothing that she wanted to discover, like, physiology, psychology or society. Which meant she would have to discover on her own with experimenting. But she didn't know where to begin and consequently, gave up for now.

With that tried and done, Kah'Ra was three weeks in and now had yet another gab of time to fill in that her current activities did not cover. She had eyed the grand piano standing the corner of her studio/office space while sitting at her desk – she could try and play it, but she only put it there for aesthetic reasons, not because she could play it. Her parents, very typically and cliché, had put her through violin lessons when she was a child and teenager.

Kah'Ra put her face on her desk and sighed, knowing that in a few seconds her maids would jump up and ask if she needed anything.

I need to play FarmFarmOnline!, I think one of my chicken eggs was about to hatch…sigh. Actually, any kind of game would be good at this point.

FarmFarmOnline! was, as the name suggesting, a farm simulation game with cute chibi looking character designs with a story mode you could choose to ignore. Kah'Ra remembered all the minigames she played with Bukubukuchagama at the time in FarmFarmOnline! and how insistent Bukubukuchagama had been on her back then, to try YGGDRASIL.

As predicated, her assigned maids reacted almost instantly when Kah'Ra laid her head on her desk.

"Kah'Ra-sama, are you alright?"

"Is there anything we can do, Kah'Ra-sama?"

"I'm fine. I'm simply thinking hard on something, do not worry."

"Kah'Ra-sama, please do not push yourself too hard!"

"Yes!" The other maids said in unison.

When Kah'Ra was about to answer, there was a gentle knock on the door and Kah'Ra sat up right, watching as one of the maids rushed over to see who it was behind the door. From time to time, some of the Floor guardian would come to visit her, which was always somewhat pleasant or somewhat awkward depending who it was. Her regulars were Aura, Mare and Shalltear, with Demiurge and Cocytus as the exception. Kah'Ra had yet to be visited by either Albedo or Momonga.

The thought of Albedo coming made a wave of sudden stress shoot through Kah'Ra's neck and shoulders.

The maid closed the door again and turned to Kah'Ra.

"Shalltear-sama wishes an audience with you Kah'Ra-sama, but if Kah'Ra-sama is feeling unwell, I shall turn her away."

"No, it's fine, let her in, it is time for a break anyway. Etoile, could you arrange for tea to be served?"

"As you wish, Kah'Ra-sama."

They said, yet again in unison. Kah'Ra quietly wondered if they practised this every morning before work.

Kah'Ra went to sit on her sofa next to the fireplace and looked expectantly at the maid at the door.

The door opened and Shalltear walked in followed by two of her vampire brides, the three of them bowed when they were close enough. Kah'Ra had picked up at the fact there was some invisible agreement among all the servants that being a few feet away from their master, they needed to bow.

"Good afternoon, Shalltear, please have a seat." Kah'Ra waved her hand at the sofa across from her.

"Thank you, Kah'Ra-sama." The loli vampire looked particularly happy to see her, sitting down across from her while her vampire brides stood behind the sofa.

From all the guardians to visit her, Shalltear was the one who came by most frequently for some reason, which was not a problem necessarily, if not if Kah'Ra worried constantly about the pervert who made her.

"How are you doing, Shalltear? Have you already finished all your assignments today?"

"Yes! I'm doing fairly well and I have finished my tasks for today, arinsu."

"Is that so? You're always fast, it's no wonder you visit me the most then."

Shalltears face flushed and she put both her hands on her cheeks, shyly glancing up at Kah'Ra.

"Ah~! To receive Kah'Ra-sama's praise is the best after all…" Shalltear muttered while acting that way.

Kah'Ra kept her face straight and tried not to flinch away from the vampire loli.

Peroroncino-san really is such a pervert…

"W-well then, would you like some tea, Shalltear?" Kah'Ra asked just as two maids walked in, one of them pushing a service cart. She knew Shalltear, who was a vampire, didn't need to eat or drink, other than consuming blood, but that didn't mean she wouldn't be able to or unable to enjoy doing so.

"Yes! Thank you very much, Kah'Ra-sama!"

As they were served their respective tea's, along with sweets – Kah'Ra didn't have much of a sweet tooth and said as much on the questionnaire, so they provided a variety of confections that were less sweet. So Kah'Ra picked up one of the dark chocolate bonbon's and was delighted to find out they had mint filling.

"May I ask, Kah'Ra-sama, how your day has been so far as well, arinsu?" Shalltears deplorable attitude from before had completely disappeared, replaced with that of a dignified maiden.

Washing down the taste of dark chocolate and mint with her simple earl grey tea, Kah'Ra put her cup back on the saucer and looked at the liquid.

"Hmm, I would say it is going fine, so far, I still don't know what level I lost, but I don't think that's all important to know right now." Kah'Ra shrugged and looked at Shalltear and then asked. "Tell me, Shalltear, how do you usually fill in your free time?"

This was a dangerous question, but maybe there was something to discover in asking it anyway. As she asked it though, Kah'Ra something in the vampire brides body language, but it might have been her imagination at work.

"Welllll…" Again, that deplorable attitude reared its head. "How to describe it?"

"I do not need to know the details, you can answer the question in just a few words yes?" Kah'Ra immediately said, as if sensing Shalltear was about to get even weirder.

Shalltear's delicate brows furrowed in thought, being knocked off her train of thought and seeming to need a moment how to describe what she does with few words. Then, Kah'Ra could practically see light bulb go off on top of Shalltears head and the vampire loli held up one manicured finger.

"Playing games, arinsu!"

"Games?"

Shalltear nodded, her face getting somewhat pink again. "I like playing games with my subordinates!"

Kah'Ra blinked and slowly raised her cup of tea in thought as she stared at Shalltears excited face. When her cup touched her lips, a light bulb of her own went off.

"Kah'Ra-sama? D-did I say something wrong?"

Kah'Ra had completely zoned out at that moment of rapidly thinking and became aware that she had staring intently at Shalltear this whole time without moving a muscle. Kah'Ra was still holding her cup of tea at her lips and suddenly down it in one go, putting her cup back up the saucer. The hot tea didn't do any damage to Kah'Ra's insides, as she had discovered a few days ago, because of her infernal blood.

"I'm fine. Shalltear, do you have any time tomorrow as well?"

Shalltears eyes went wide and she turned bright red before excitedly replying in almost a shout as she leaned forward as if about to leap out of her seat.

"YES! Yes! I can definitely make time for Kah'Ra-sama!"

Everyone else in the room stared at the two with surprised looks on their faces, the maids even blushed, but none of them commented on it.

Kah'Ra nodded, still mulling it over in her head when she added. "Oh, yes, do not forget to bring some of your vampire brides, if it is just the two of us, it will be boring."

"Yes!"

"Now, if you wouldn't mind Shalltear, I need to make the appropriate preparations for tomorrow."

"I understand! I must do so as well, arinsu~!"

Shalltear immediately stood and bowed deeply, before taking her leave with excitement written all over her face.

Kah'Ra immediately turned to her maids to deal out orders.

"I need clean sheets and an empty bucket."

Aura was making her way to Ainz-sama's office, to give her report to Albedo, when her sensitive ears picked up peculiar noises coming from down the hallway. Curious, she listened in closer as she walked. When she got closer, she noticed the door to Kah'Ra-sama's chambers was wide open, the usual fiends that stood guard next to the door had a sweaty look on their faces and Aura could make out voices…saying very odd things.

"K-Kah'Ra-sssama~!"

Shalltears voice was strained and sounded out of breath. Aura stopped walking, her face warming up and eyes wide as she continued to listen from this safe distance.

"Just a moment, it's almost there…"

"I-I can't hold on any longer!"

It can't be that…right?!

Unlike her younger brother, Aura was slightly more aware of what adults did when alone, mainly because of Shalltear's and Albedo's antics when it came to Ainz. But now Aura was brutally reminded of the fact that Shalltear preferred the same sex as much as she did Ainz-sama…and with Kah'Ra-sama returned and in constant close proximity of the vampire loli's clutches and no competition, these event's shouldn't come as a surprise. But it did. At the moment, Shalltear succeeding in anything at the moment was like watching water burn, especially when she managed to get it on with a Supreme Being, which was wholly unfair.

And why did they leave the door open?!

Aura needed to get passed the door to get to the office where Albedo waited – she could sprint across or just leap, jump, roll…maybe she could summon her beasts to walk next to her on her right side so she wouldn't see or be spotted by the mating pair…but then she would have to explain to Albedo why she had taken her beast to the 9th floor and probably get scolded for it.

Aaargh! Shalltear, idiot!

Aura decided to act as natural as possible and started walking with her head held high and her eyes trained on the wall on the opposite end. But as she walked closer, other small noises irrupted from the Supreme Being's room, multiple female moans and groans along with the sound of flesh against flesh, skin against skin and the ruffling of fabric.

Aura freaked out and began running passed the door with her eyes closed, she really didn't want to see that.

"Aura?"

The voice that called out to her as she passed by the door, made her flinch and stop in her tracks. She was passed the door, so safe from seeing anything and as she turned back, she saw her mistress looking at her with worried eyes. Kah'Ra stood in the middle of the doorway, just before the threshold, for she couldn't leave her room. She was wearing a bright yellow suit and was holding something in her hands. Aura was slightly relieved to see her dressed.

"Are you alright? Is something the matter?"

"No! No! I'm great! Thank you, Kah'Ra-sama!" Aura said flustered and preparing to immediately turn on her heel after her hastened bow to the Supreme Being, who did not look convinced in the slightest.

"Marionette, could you take over for me for a bit?" Kah'Ra said over her shoulder and she gave the square looking objects to a maid who graciously took it and disappeared back into the room. Then the golden red eyes focussed on Aura again and Kah'Ra bend through her knees for a bit before she beckoned Aura to her. "Come over here for a second, Aura."

"I was just on my way to give my report to Albedo! Hahaha!" Aura's hands fluttered nervously around her as she said that, her young mind spinning with the fact that Kah'Ra-sama was possibly inviting her to join the orgy in the room.

"I see…" The golden red eyes turned somewhat forlorn and then thoughtful. "Well, if you don't have anything to do afterwards, maybe you'd like to join us afterwards? We're playing an old game from the Home World you see and I thought you might like it…"

The loneliness of her mistress voice felt worse then getting cold water in her shoes and making her socks wet.

I can't leave Kah'Ra-sama behind like this! Her mental has gotten better too! If I don't do this, it might get bad again!

But Aura was nervous, wasn't she too young to invite to this sort of thing? In the background, Shalltear shouted something angrily at someone stepping on her toes, followed by the sound of a slap.

Kah'Ra straightened, putting her fists on her hips and looked back with a scowl.

"Shalltear! Don't assault the others, they might loose their balance again fall, causing the other to fall as well and then we still wouldn't have a clear winner!"

Huh?

"K-Kah'Ra-sama?"

"Hm?"

"What kind of…ah…game are you playing?"

Kah'Ra gave Aura the sweetest smile.

"It's an endurance and flexibility game called Twister, if you wish, I can show you how to play it once you come back from your meeting with Albedo, okay?"

As Aura watched Kah'Ra turn and give her a little wave before vanishing back into her chambers, Aura felt a mixture of emotions – Relief, Happiness, Excitement and cruel embarrassment. Perhaps she was the degenerate this time around.

She slapped her cheeks and hurried to give her report to Albedo so she could quickly see what they were actually doing in Kah'Ra-sama's chambers.

Authors Note:

I'm taking a small break, so the next chapter will be posted not next week, but the week after.
Please let me know what other classic boardgames KahRa plays during her carceration and with who (Albedo and Ainz excluded), if there any fun ones, I will definitely add them in the stories, but not all sugesstions if there are any to begin with XD

*Chapter 9*: Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

Demiurge walked elegantly and with purpose through the halls of the ninth floor of Nazarick, bringing with him a report for his master and a request so he could finish his preparation of his plan - when he heard the sound of a piano echoing throughout the halls.

It was not a song, just the noise of individual keys of the piano being pressed, going from the low notes to the high notes and back again in a steady rhythm – much more akin to the beating of a drum.

As he continued his own steady pace and walked on, his anticipation grew. All who walked these halls knew that their Mistress had kept the doors to her chambers open, which delighted all the servants, for they often could catch a glimpse of the other Supreme Being who was temporarily confined in her chambers – and if they were lucky, they might be rewarded with an invitation to join their mistress with a new game she thought up from the Home World.

Demiurge was already in a good mood and he straightened out his suit, especially being considered of his tie just in case, before turning the corner and seeing his subordinates at either side of her doors.

The music got louder, the beat not wavering for a second as he got closer and closer to the sound.

Eventually, Demiurge stopped to look inside from where he stood in the middle of the hallway, his subordinates giving him a bow of the head as they kept watch.

Of course, Demiurge could not enter her room without her say so, and thus he watched her without a word.

Kah'Ra was sitting on the stool in front of her piano, wearing a purple silk dress. Her hair had grown since the last time he saw her, only about an inch, but still noticeable and the demon wondered if she was purposefully going to grow it out. Demiurge tried to imagine his mistress with long hair, but simply couldn't fathom the idea and wondered if he should point out the fact they had a barbershop on the ninth floor later on. He still had a little more time and he continued his observation of her form sitting at the piano, using only one finger to tirelessly press each key up and down and up again. From the reports Demiurge directly received from his subordinates, he knew that she had been dedicating 2 full hours of each day to learning to play the piano, letting each of her fingers do what she was doing right now over and over again.

First her right hand, then her left, always starting with her index finger and finishing with her thumb.

He did not dare disturb her concentration and was pleased seeing her doing so much better after only a month and three weeks.

Demiurge took a moment to take in her room, which had gotten a few new additions to it the last time he saw it.

Decorating the room now were a couple of potted plants varying in shape and sizes, making the room have the green touch of the outside world, a gift from Mare after their mistress had mentioned she missed the green of the lush forest of the sixth floor during a game of cards.

One of these potted plants, which looked like a small tree, was squarely placed within a huge birdcage off to side of the entrance door. Within the birdcage were all sorts of exotic looking birds of paradise, happily chirping and fluttering from branch to branch. Their exquisite colour schemes flashing in between the green of the tree. A gift from Aura when Kah'Ra mentioned during a game of memory that she always wanted to have a pet, but not being able to in the Home World due to most animals being extinct.

A pang of jealously stung his heart, not having the luxury of time to be preparing gifts like the twins had. Demiurge knew for a fact that both Shalltear and Cocytus had tried and failed in their gift giving, though he didn't exactly know what those gifts were, except that his Mistress had rejected them on the spot. He would not be so careless when he gained the opportunity to find a gift to please his Mistress like they had.

Demiurge did not dream to have the same gall as his colleagues had when it came to expressing his personal desires and impose on the Supreme Beings like they often did. Of course, if he were to be summoned to their bedchambers, he would fulfil their every desire there as well – that much was only natural.

But Demiurge knew that Kah'Ra-sama was off limits in that regard, for the same reason Albedo knew as well, that from the very moment their Mistress returned to them – that if their Master were to marry, she was the only one worthy, for she was his equal as a Supreme Being.

Demiurge accepted this and he would not dare lay a finger on the future Queen and wife of his Master. It was only a matter of time before Ainz-sama would announce their engagement.

But in a single move, Kah'Ra Val'Hara had completely shattered this idea entirely.

Thinking back on that moment made his tie feel more like a noose, and he unconsciously loosened it to give himself some breathing room. Truly, the flames of hell were cold compared to the passion that she ignited within him on that day. If she had said the word then and there, he'd be hers and hers alone for all eternity.

"Demi-chan?"

Demiurge felt as though ice cold water had been poured over him, bringing him back to the here and now. He had been so lost in his own thoughts he hadn't noticed the lack of noise produced by the now silent piano, the very Supreme Being occupying those thoughts staring at him with questions in her golden red eyes.

"M-my apologies! I did not mean to disturb you, my Lady." Demiurge said quickly and went down on one knee, hand over heart as he bowed his head.

"Please, rise and raise your head."

As he did so, he saw her draw closer to the entrance, seeming to be happy to see him.

"Are you on your way to Momonga-san?"

"Yes! I'm sure my lady has read the latest reports on the developments in the Holy Kingdom? I am about to finalize the last set-up of Ainz-sama's plans."

Her smile didn't falter, but it no longer reached her eyes.

"Yes, I did, I take it you are too busy to entertain me with a game then?"

Demiurge bowed from the waist.

"I am terribly sorry, if I could I would, my lady."

"I understand, you do so much important work for the guild, I do hope Momonga-san gives you some vacation time in the future."

By this point she stood as close to threshold of her chambers as she could, a literal barrier between them. Close enough for him to see the individual lines of her golden red irises. Her tail swayed calmly back and forth as she looked back and Demiurge realised he hadn't replied yet.

"W-working diligently for the Supreme Ones is not a burden that requires such a thing as vacation, my lady."

"No, perhaps not." She looked down at the floor, where the threshold was, seeming to be thinking something over. Then she looked back up at him, her face somewhat melancholy as she smiled again. "But it is quite lonesome for us Supreme Beings if we cannot enjoy your company from time to time."

Something inside Demiurge's brain clicked, the behaviour of his master and some of the orders in the past that Demiurge had yet to place finally made more sense. Whether that be bathing together or the games he played with them, even trying to give them days off. They were all such fools.

Demiurge adjusted his glasses with two fingers and opened his mouth to say something when his Mistress cut in front of him, staring puzzled at his chest.

"Demi-chan, would you mind stepping a bit closer please?"

Demiurge closed his mouth, suddenly remembering the other time she had requested this and feeling heat rise in the back of his neck. Regardless, he stepped forth smoothly, doing his best to keep his anticipation in check.

Her white hands, now with manicured shiny black nail polish on her long pointy fingernails, reached over to his tie again. Demiurge was sure anyone could hear his heart beating rapidly as he did. Normally, his brain was an engine he solidly relied on to decipher any and all encounters, the meaning behind peoples words and actions, ruining their plots with schemes of his own. But right now, he wouldn't trust himself with a task fit for a child. So he stood stock still, holding his breath as yet again her hands clasped his tie.

"You really must be working hard if you're being this forgetful of your own appearance, Demi-chan." She suddenly commented, undoing his tie completely and straightening it out first in her hands before standing on her toes to reach over all the way behind his neck again to push up his collar. "Would you mind leaning down a bit?"

He couldn't do much else but follow her instructions, two emotions overrunning his already clouded mind. One was of love, loyalty and burning desire, having her touch him again, having her care enough about him to correct a flaw she saw made his heart burst with emotion. The other emotion was dark and damning, the very fact she had seen a flaw and had to correct it was something too shameful to put into words, he would beg her forgiveness for his disgraceful appearance until his voice gave out if he had to.

Thankfully, his Mistress seemed unaware of his inner turmoil as she delicately worked her fingers around his neck, making the first fold out of what became eleven, creating a full Windsor Knot, instead of the half Windsor he normally sported – it gave the final knot that was visible more volume in size.

"There, perfect." She said smiling, folding his collar back and straightening it out before stepping back. "Is it too tight anywhere?"

Demiurge slowly straightened to his full length. He was unsure if he could speak, but one of the Supreme Beings asked him a question, so he had to answer.

He moved his neck back and forth, the tie was snug, but not choking him.

"N-no, my lady, it is not." He managed to croak.

"That's good. Will you be gone for a long time again, Demi-chan?"

With a breath and another adjustment of his glasses, Demiurge managed to gather his wits once more.

"I'm afraid so, my lady. But I do wish to ask you if you would like some kind of souvenir or anything else from the outside world for when I return to our Great Tomb?"

She stared and blinked at him several times before she laid a single hand on her face to cup her cheek in thought.

"Hmm…the Holy Kingdom is near the sea is it not?"

"It is, my lady."

"Then, if they have them, maybe some paintings of the ocean?" She looked up at the ceiling, her brows creased for a moment before she looked back at him, eyes wide with a sudden rush of excitement.

"Oh! Maybe some nice books or painting of their architecture, if that's possible?! No, just blueprints or something of the like would be good too! Or maybe books historical in nature about their art and architecture would be best?! Actually, any of those things would be really good! But if it is too much of a hassle, I won't be disappointed if you're too busy working to gather either one of those things! So, don't push yourself too hard!"

Her excited ramble left her breathless and Demiurge smiled before bowing again from the waist.

"I did not know my lady had such interests, I feel truly blessed with such knowledge. Do not worry, I shall return with the items you long for."

She cocked a brow at him underneath her long bangs and folded her arms over her chest.

"I do not understand with what you mean with the whole 'blessed knowledge', but if you're really that curious, I will have you know that I did study art and architecture for a long time before it became my job, not a hobby."

Did he offend her in some way? She did not look mad or upset, and Demiurge was delighted he got to know something about her that, for all he knew, no one else did. He did however, still feel the need to bow yet again and apologize.

She sighed and her arms fell to her sides.

"It is fine Demiurge, now, I have wasted your time and my own long enough, go on and say hello to Momonga for me, will you?"

"Thank you, my lady, I will surely send your regards to the Master."

"See you soon." She said, again with the melancholic look in her eye, before turning on her heel and walking further inside her chambers, where she entered the birdcage and sat down on a low hanging branch of the small tree. Her birds instantly flocked to her so she could pet them.

With that, Demiurge continued to walk towards his masters office, an extra skip in his step.

Almost three months...I have been here...almost three months...

Maybe Momonga has forgotten about me? That wouldn't be too surprising right? After three months...

Perhaps, because Momonga is undead now, his sense of time has changed for him? So that would mean that I'll be here for-!

Kah'Ra stopped herself from thinking such bleak thoughts, the fact that she might be 'grounded' for the coming century shook her to her core. With most of the guardians being outside of Nazarick on missions, including Shalltear who had visited her most often, Kah'Ra had exhausted her array of games she could play with her maids. She had tried to play games that would take longer to complete, such as D&D, but found it was hard to run a campaign when her maids differed with each day. And if she were completely honest with herself, all the other games with the level 1 maids was getting boring, since they didn't really present any kind of challenge to her like the guardians did. Not that the guardians let her feel abandoned in any way shape or form, that if they did have a few precious moments to spare, they would pop up at random in the front of her open doors to quickly greet her before they rushed to complete their tasks. So she needed to entertain herself in other ways while she waited out her punishment.

Kah'Ra brought her attention back to the keys of the piano, taking a deep breath and started her practice.

She had remembered her one and only lesson from her teacher that, before even learning to read notes, her fingers needed to get to know all the keys first. Her teacher had been a rather old and scary looking woman who was very strict, so she cried to her parents that she didn't want to learn the piano after just three lessons – which led them to force violin lessons on her later.

But now Kah'Ra was trying to get her fingers to learn each note by heart and had spent doing so each and every day for two whole hours for the past three weeks. Up and down, up and down, from low notes to high notes, from high notes to low notes.

First she started with her right hand and index finger, slowly going up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down.

Then her middle finger, slowly going up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down.

Then her ring finger, slowly going up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down.

Then her pinkie, slowly going up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down.

And then her thumb, slowly going up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down.

And the first hour was over, where she would take a fifteen minute break to stretch her hand out properly in case of RSI (repetitive strain injury).

She would have a cup of tea to go along with it and a single cookie, before starting the whole process over again with her left hand.

First her index finger, slowly going up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down.

Then her middle finger, slowly going up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down.

Then her ring finger, slowly going up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down.

Then her pinkie, slowly going up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down.

And lastly, her thumb, slowly going up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down.

Again, for fifteen minutes she did the appropriate stretches of her left hand to avoid problems in the future.

This level of dedication did not come from passion or love for learning a new skill, but from the fact that Kah'Ra was and always has been a perfectionist with mild OCD. So this level of dedication came from her obsessiveness to finish the pattern. It calmed her down and helped clear her mind from all her worries, since she only needed to worry about finishing the pattern.

She liked having those little patterns to keep her busy, her steady routine of doing things and doing those things perfectly because it needed to be that way. It couldn't be another way. It was impossible to even imagine that she would only practice one hand but not the other.

The same went for her choice in colour when wearing her clothes, with the excuse that it helped her with keep track of what day it was, it also helped calm her mind.

After the first week, she practiced with her eyes closed in the second. Up and down, up and down, trying not to think about the scary stuff that lurked at the fringes of her consciousness, like what the reports she had read that filled her with questions. Up and down, up and down, wondering if it really was world domination Momonga was after, why he was going about it in such a roundabout way? Up and down, up and down, why and how long her punishment was to supposed to be. Up and down, up and down, her breathing becoming steady as she memorized the keys with each finger.

This went on that by the third week, Kah'Ra had mastered this stage of the practice, but did not know how to go on any further. But Kah'Ra was not about to mourn, in fear her ready and reliable maids would report back unfavourably, so she kept her face blank of any emotion that might alarm them.

At the end of her practice, when it was time for a snack, someone new stood in the entrance way to her chambers.

"Kah'Ra-sama," One of her attending maids said, announcing the newcomer "Albedo-sama wishes to have an audience with you."

Author's Notes:

Well, this came out a week later then I thought it would – my sincere apologies! Due to being both sick and busy, me writing this took waaaaaay longer than I hoped, but sh*t happens, am I right? I hope it was worth the wait XD

Anyway, as always, thank you all for the reviews, follows and favourites!

I will now be posting biweekly as to not strain myself any further and try and keep up that kind of schedule ;)

*Chapter 10*: Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

When their master left Fake Nazarick, Albedo quickly grabbed Demiurge back inside by the arm over to the table in a fit of panic and laid out the blueprints of the statue – the paper wasn't exactly blue, but it had many sufficient sketches of the design and instructions on the structure and information of the materials on it to call it so.

Demiurge immediately caught on to the matter she wished to discuss and the two of them went over the statue to find the five flaws their master had seen.

"Could, could it be that a divine class artefact is missing?"

Demiurge saw no such thing, everything was present and resembled their master perfectly and said as much.

"B-but five flaws! We must find them immediately!" Albedo croaked helplessly.

Demiurge understood how she must be feeling, this was an unacceptable failure on their part. But even if he could stand here all day and discuss it with Albedo, he soon needed to return to the Holy Kingdom and make further preparations for the coming phase of his plan.

"Perhaps Ainz-sama has seen some fault in the pose of the statue?" He looked it over on another piece of paper, they had posed Ainz-sama's statue in a victorious way, so that all who laid eyes upon his greatness would be both in awe and instil further admiration. There shouldn't be anything wrong with that.

"Hmm? I don't think that could be it..." Albedo mused, a little less panicked.

Demiurge exhaled deeply and straightened his tie, not that it was messy, just a force of habit to make sure he himself didn't have any flaws. While he did so, he was immediately reminded of her again and an idea came to mind.

"There might be a quicker solution to the problem, if you feel like you cannot solve this on your own, but I happen to have learned that Kah'Ra-sama has great knowledge regarding Art and Architecture..."

Albedo fixed him with a smile.

"So you're suggesting I have one of the Supreme Ones mop up my mess?"

Demiurge wasn't about to start another argument and wasting more time, so he merely shrugged.

"Do as you see fit, Overseer-san, but as long as you are unable to find those five flaws, Ainz-sama will be disappointed."

Her perfect smile remained, though the underlying tone of her voice suggested she was anything but happy.

"You're right, we mustn't disappoint Ainz-sama, his wishes trump everyone else's after all." She turned back to the drawings on the table. "I can handle this from here, good-luck on your assignment Demiurge, may you succeed for Ainz-sama's sake."

With that he was dismissed, but as he walked off, he couldn't stop thinking about the way Albedo was acting towards Kah'Ra. Though her behaviour didn't suggest an outright dislike to their mistress, it did seem that due to Albedo's personality, she might be envious at the very least, causing her to act that way. But as always, he did not have the luxury of time to truly delve too deeply into the matter until later on.

As Demiurge used [Greater Teleportation], he wondered if he should seek advice from the one mind he knew would know better of all...but that had to wait yet again until after his mission in the Holy Kingdom.

Albedo walked through the halls of the ninth floor of Nazarick and gritted her teeth. In her arms she carried several long scrolls containing the original and revised versions of the Statue she had to put on halt. She had tried everything she could think of, but she could not find any of the flaws her Master had seen, which grieved her so. And now, she had to visit the one she could not rival, the one that would most likely take her beloved away from her forever. Why would a Supreme Being wish to share her Ainz-sama with her? This was not like her agreement she had with Shalltear, that one of them would be head-wife and form a harem to please Ainz-sama's every wish and desire. No.

If Kah'Ra became his Queen, it was impossible to ask for the sort of agreement as what she had with Shalltear. All she could do was hope and pray that the stain the other demoness made was thick enough that it couldn't be washed out. That the very reminder of what the other demoness had done would cause him to be revulsed be her very presence.

So far, Albedo's master had only mentioned Kah'Ra once or twice, asking for a brief update from Albedo, which Albedo gladly gave, in the worst ways possible. Any little thing, anything at all that could look negative, Albedo polished and refined until all the ugly colours bled out and stained the very paper she would handover to her master, hoping he would not see through her slight deception.

It was for her own good as well, of course. A large sense of guilt straddled Albedo's heart as well, for she knew that Kah'Ra and her creator had been good friends. Albedo knew for a fact that Kah'Ra had done a great deal in helping her creator bring her and her sisters into existence. She could feel it as much as she could feel the same thing about Ainz-sama, even though he had added only but one line, it had still changed the nature of her heart and soul.

And if all the others could follow their creators design, couldn't she as well? Even if that meant she needed to do the things she did to Kah'Ra so she had a chance at the love she was made to feel?

Albedo's primary goal was very simple, to keep separating her master from his potential future wife. It was as simple and as easy as that, even though Albedo knew damn well it would only be a matter of time, she wanted to extend that period of time as long as possible. That way, she still might have a chance to impress her beloved and make him want her instead.

Her heels clicked on as she approached the open doors with the two fiends standing guard on either side, her mistress was not yet done practicing yet and Albedo motioned for one of the maids near her to come over.

She informed the maid that as soon as Kah'Ra was done, that Albedo wished to speak to her if she was available.

"Kah'Ra-sama," the maid began as soon as she was sure her mistress was done. "Albedo-sama wishes to have an audience with you."

Albedo bowed deeply, even though she didn't really feel like it, it was still proper protocol and therefore she did. The Supreme Being approached her gracefully, her expression blank from all emotion as she spoke hesitantly.

"Albedo…-chan, it's been…too long."

Albedo kept her smile kind and pleasant before answering the other demoness.

"Yes, it has been, Kah'Ra-sama."

Albedo could feel those golden red eyes with the goat like pupils flash over her.

"Please rise and raise your head."

"Thank you, my lady." Albedo said and got to her feet. Albedo saw nothing but curiosity and amusement dancing in the eyes of the other demoness. Relief washing over her, as she felt safe in knowing that the other Supreme Being did not suspect her true feeling for her.

"Would you like to come in? Standing here is a bit awkward, don't you agree?"

Albedo continued to smile happily as she followed the Supreme Being inside the room and calmly sat down in the armchair Kah'Ra pointed out, holding on to the scrolls in her arms for a moment.

"Tea?"

The suddenly question startled Albedo some, for she had not anticipated it and she realized she had made a mistake in her behaviour by immediately sitting down without protest. Looking at the waiting face of the mistress, she quickly replied as she should have with sitting down.

"No need, but please do have some yourself, if you wish it, Kah'Ra-sama."

A slight raise of the eyebrows informed Albedo that, like her master, Kah'Ra didn't mind either way and wasn't testing her loyalty.

"Alright then." The other demoness signalled to the maid that she indeed would have some and turned her attention back to Albedo, who was getting a bit nervous.

Why must all the other Supreme Ones also possess such elegance and confidence…?

"Well then, Albedo-chan, how have you been?"

Not wanting to be in her presence any longer than she had to, Albedo answered as professional as she could while maintaining her smile.

"I've been fine, Kah'Ra-sama, though this must be rude of me, I have many urgent matters to attend to and wish we could keep idle chatter to a minimum."

There was a noticeable silence, from both the two demonesses as well as for the servants surrounding them and the Supreme Being stared intently at Albedo. The gaze unflinching as Albedo felt something like a whole appear underneath her, a large gaping whole that could swallow her up at any second. Surely she overstepped het boundaries, and yet she felt as though she could get away with it somehow, without falling into the whole. The maid who had been handling the tea cautiously set down the cup and saucer on the coffee table in front of Kah'Ra, finally breaking the intense eye contact.

When the Supreme Being finally spoke however, she made it very clear that she did not appreciate Albedo's attitude one bit.

"I see, very well. Then tell me what brings you here so you do not waste your time."

All Albedo could do was remain calm and try to continue on.

"I thank you for your understanding, Kah'Ra-sama." Albedo inclined her head and put her scrolls on the sofa next to her before grabbing the original copy and laying it out flat on the coffee table. The moment the mistress laid eyes on the drawings, Albedo could see some kind of amusement burning bright in the golden red eyes.

What was she seeing? Is she seeing so many flaws that makes this so amusing to her?

Albedo felt a flash of agitation through her as she waited the response of the mistress, but when she got it, it was anything but helpful.

"What is this supposed to be?"

The neck hairs of Albedo bristled, but she quickly squashed the feeling from entering her face.

"A statue to display Ainz-sama's greatness to the world. Currently, the project has come to a stop due to some…flaws Ainz-sama has seen, but I fear I am lacking in my ability to spot them."

Kah'Ra turned the drawing more toward her and after a moment, sat back in her own chair. Albedo no longer seeing the amusement on the other Supreme Being's face, which was a little more worry some than if it stayed. A blank face sipped at the cup of tea, staring back at Albedo with calculating eyes over the edge of the delicate cup.

The tension in the air grew for a bit as Albedo waited nervously.

"Albedo, you do understand you are asking a favour of me?"

"B-but of course!"

"Good." The Supreme Being smiled and then drank her entire tea in one go, handing over the empty cup to a maid near her. "I do not mind sharing my knowledge on the matter, but you do know that I will want something in return right?"

Albedo then understood the sudden excitement of the other demoness, and she straightened herself.

"All Kah'Ra-sama needs to do is to ask for something and we, her most loyal servants, will provide her with it, with or without us owing her a favour we owe our very existence to her. We will grind ourselves to dust if we have to."

"I see, so what you are saying is that even without a favour you'll do as I ask of you, no matter what?"

"There are limits to what I can provide, due to the circumstances, but yes, you are correct, Kah'Ra-sama."

"That is why it is important to me that if I provide you with my services as a favour, you will do something that exceeds those bounds as a favour in return, Albedo."

The smile no longer played on Albedo's beautiful face as she stared intently at Kah'Ra. The tension in the room rising to it's peak, causing all the other servants to stand stock still and holding their breath. Still, the Supreme Being didn't seem to mind at all, her expression blank as she stared back at Albedo.

"I will not betray Ainz-sama's-"

"No. No. No." Kah'Ra immediately cut in. "I would not ever ask you to do anything that would go against your moral compass or endanger the guild…"

Again.

Albedo's eyes slightly narrowed.

"Then may I ask what Kah'Ra-sama does wish of me?"

Suddenly, the perfect blank expression was filled with sadness and regret, as if Kah'Ra was about to cry. She even took a deep breath before speaking, seemingly from the heart.

"All I want in return is to speak to Momonga, I haven't had the chance to apologize proper for my actions back then…I will also understand if he doesn't want to see me ever again, as well, but just to say I am sorry for what happened, would be enough for me."

All around them, servants started to softly sob at her words, even the fiends outside the room started to sniffle as well. Albedo tried not to feel for her, but she could relate to the guilt Kah'Ra must be feeling. She refused to let it show and spoke in a clear and precise tone.

"Though I'm sure Ainz-sama will appreciate the sentiment, I do wish for you to know this will not lessen your punishment even a little would our lord decide to grace you with his presence, Kah'Ra…-sama."

"I understand, but the question remains, will you ask him for me?"

"I will consider it, especially since Ainz-sama is currently not available and very busy otherwise."

"Very well. Then I will wait for the moment Momonga does have time for me, when you have secured a time and day for when he can visit me, do return with those," Kah'Ra pointed at the stack of scrolls. Surprise filled Albedo, surprise and panic. Then the Supreme Being rolled up the one on the table and handed it to Albedo with a smile. "I really look forward at correcting all the mistakes I saw. Now, as you said yourself, you have urgent things to attend to."

Comprehension dawned on Albedo as a maid gathered her scrolls for her and walked her to the exit. When Albedo turned to bow, she saw the Supreme Being giving her a haughty little wave of the hand.

As Albedo turned into the hallway and made her way to Ainz-sama's office, she was fuming.

So that's it! Until I make the appointment she wants, she won't tell me a thing!

Albedo bowed deeply as Kah'Ra walked over from her piano to the entrance of her living and work space.

"Albedo…-chan, it's been…too long."

Kah'Ra kept her face blank with a lot of effort. She still wasn't sure if what she saw right before she died was real or not, but if it was, it scared her very much. Now the source of that very fear was bowing in front of her, requesting an audience with her for god knows what reason. On one hand, the very fact that Albedo had yet to visit her was a great relief in the sense that she could avoid facing her fears all together, but on the other it only made the idea that Albedo hated her, and therefore Tabula too, only worse.

"Yes, it has been, Kah'Ra-sama."

Albedo spoke the words perfectly calm and even, a gentle smile playing on her lips. In her arms, Kah'Ra immediately noticed the long scrolls Albedo was carrying carefully in her arms.

Curious, Kah'Ra regained some of her composure and matched the calm tone Albedo had. "Please rise and raise your head."

"Thank you, my lady." Albedo said and got to her feet.

"Would you like to come in? Standing here is a bit awkward, don't you agree?"

Albedo continued to smile as she followed Kah'Ra further inside her room, where Kah'Ra indicated that Albedo could sit on one of the armchairs right across from her.

There is nothing wrong with giving her the same hospitality I give the others, right?

"Tea?"

As Kah'Ra offered, one of the four attending maids stood at the ready, like a professional runner waiting for the gun to go off.

"No need, but please do have some yourself, if you wish it, Kah'Ra-sama."

"Alright then." Kah'Ra motioned for the maid to make her a cup and looked back at Albedo. "Well then, Albedo-chan, how have you been?"

"I've been fine, Kah'Ra-sama, though this must be rude of me, I have many urgent matters to attend to and would wish we could keep idle chatter to a minimum."

Kah'Ra felt a wave of emotions wash over her, but maintained her blank expression as they did. It suddenly felt like their roles had been reversed, that she was the one requesting an audience with Albedo instead. Which was ridiculous, but then again, what real power did Kah'Ra hold, besides being one of the Supreme Beings? Compared to Albedo, Kah'Ra might as well be the unqualified intern wasting the time of the CEO of a large important company.

And considering the fact that Albedo knew everything she did during the day, since every single one of her servants reported back to the Overseer who would compile those reports into a single file that would end up on Momonga's table, there really was no need for idle chatter indeed.

Doesn't this mean that she is the one who decides whether or not my punishment is over and not Momonga? Did he trust her this much? Why hasn't he visited me so far? I…

The soft sound of her cup of tea being put down in front of her on a saucer pulled her out of her thoughts. Kah'Ra picked up the saucer and raised the cup of tea to her face and took a deep breath as if she were smelling the tea instead of trying to calm herself down.

"I see, very well." Kah'Ra adopted the tone of Hana's mother, who herself had always been top dog no matter what situation she was in, with the grace and intellect of a hardworking woman. "Then tell me what brings you here so you do not waste your time."

"I thank you for your understanding, Kah'Ra-sama." Albedo inclined her head and laid the varying scrolls on the sofa next to her before picking one out of the pile. As she unfurled it onto the coffee table, Kah'Ra's interest piqued immediately.

Then she had to hold in her laughter, really biting hard on the insides of her cheeks and drawing blood.

What she saw where sketches of her friend, in a ridiculous victorious pose, along side it were suggestions for both size and materials.

"What is this supposed to be?" Kah'Ra asked once she was certain she keep her voice even. She already knew what it was, she just wanted to be sure.

"A statue to display Ainz-sama's greatness to the world. Currently, the project has come to a stop due to some…flaws Ainz-sama has seen, but I fear I am lacking in my ability to spot them."

Now that her funny flare up had died down, Kah'Ra put her cup on her saucer and put it down far away from the drawing before looking at it attentively – even turning the paper on the coffee table towards her so she could get a better look. She could already see many of the flaws that she was talking about, though they were minor. There was one major one that stuck out to Kah'Ra like a sore thumb.

As she thought it over, the architect in her would very much immediately start redoing many, many of the faulty lines and instructions on the side – actually redoing the entire thing from the ground up, no matter how ugly or tacky it looked, if Momonga was a client who wanted this, he most certainly would get his moneys worth. Yet, Kah'Ra restrained those urges and looked up from the drawing, taking back her saucer and cup in her hands before looking at Albedo who seemed to patiently waiting.

Choosing her words wisely, Kah'Ra finally spoke, invoking her father this time.

"Albedo, you do understand you are asking a favour of me?"

This took the other demoness by surprise, Kah'Ra could see it in those yellow cat like eyes.

"B-but of course!"

"Good." Feeling empowered, Kah'Ra drank the last of her tea and handed the saucer and cup to her maid, before she continued. "I do not mind sharing my knowledge on the matter, but you do know that I will want something in return right?"

Albedo had found her own composure and though her smile remained, it did not feel like it reached her eyes.

"All Kah'Ra-sama needs to do is to ask for something and we, her most loyal servants, will provide her with it, with or without us owing her a favour we owe our very existence to her. We will grind ourselves to dust if we have to."

To Kah'Ra this sounded like a round about way of saying that Albedo would continue to serve her in her regular way instead of doing something special in return.

"I see, so what you are saying is that even without a favour you'll do as I ask of you, no matter what?"

"There are limits to what I can provide, due to the circumstances, but yes, you are correct, Kah'Ra-sama."

"That is why it is important to me that if I provide you with my services as a favour, you will do something that exceeds those bounds as a favour in return, Albedo."

The smile no longer played on Albedo's beautiful face as she stared intently at Kah'Ra. Kah'Ra felt as though she was rewiring her entire nerve system with just that look, but she remained calm and kept her face clean of emotion. The maids were eerily quiet, standing stock still as they felt the sudden tension bloom between the two demonesses.

"I will not betray Ainz-sama's-"

"No. No. No." Kah'Ra immediately cut in. "I would not ever ask you to do anything that would go against your moral compass or endanger the guild…"

Albedo's eyes slightly narrowed.

"Then may I ask what Kah'Ra-sama does wish of me?"

Kah'Ra took a deep breath and let her regret show on her face. "All I want in return is to speak to Momonga, I haven't had the chance to apologize proper for my actions back then…I will also understand if he doesn't want to see me ever again, as well, but just to say I am sorry for what happened, would be enough for me."

All around them, servants started to softly sob at her words, Kah'Ra swore she could hear the fiends outside her door sniff as well. The only one who remained unmoved was the demoness sitting right in front of her.

"Though I'm sure Ainz-sama will appreciate the sentiment, I do wish for you to know this will not lessen your punishment even a little would our lord decide to grace you with his presence, Kah'Ra…-sama."

"I understand, but the question remains, will you ask him for me?"

"I will consider it, especially since Ainz-sama is currently not available and very busy otherwise."

"Very well. Then I will wait for the moment Momonga does have time for me, when you have secured a time and day for when he can visit me, do return with those," Kah'Ra pointed at the stack of scrolls on her couch and rolled up the one on her table and handed it back to Albedo, who looked surprised. "I really look forward at correcting all the mistakes I saw. Now, as you said yourself, you have urgent things to attend to."

One of the maids stood next to Albedo, who had gathered the scrolls for her and walked Albedo to the door.

Kah'Ra smiled and waved as Albedo turned and bowed before disappearing beyond her vision outside the door, her face obscured by her long black hair.

When the clicking of heels also vanished, Kah'Ra turned to one of her maids.

"I wish to be alone until dinner, please close the door as you leave."

"As you wish, Kah'Ra-sama."

"Thank you."

Once all of them were gone and the door closed behind them, Kah'Ra swung her arms around in to give her some form of comfort.

Momma, Poppa, that was terrifying! I think I might've messed up big time!

Author's Note:

Did I say biweekly? Yeah, I meant more like, I dunno, I have inspiration now, sooooooooo. Derp.

*Chapter 11*: Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

Ainz grumbled in his seat, absolutely dissatisfied. Thankfully, he was alone as he did so. So he felt free to let out a huff that contained all of his cooped up jealousy and frustrations.

I should be glad she is slowly doing better, but why can she do all those things while I'm stuck doing all this paper work?!

The things the overlord was referring to being the games Kah'Ra had been playing with all their servants and Guardians, holding casual conversations with them and just being generally friendly. Ainz did not consider this to be a bad thing, he too had tried playing games with the Guardians, which always seemed to take a turn for the worst because the NPC's were constantly viewing him as some genius with hidden motives. Where as Kah'Ra did not have to uphold such a high standard, being able to do whatever and not have the NPC's being disappointed in her.

Ainz knew that it was his own fault for the way the Guardians and the other NPC's viewed him, but he still couldn't squash the envy he felt and wished he could switch places with Kah'Ra, even if it was for just a day.

Though…she might be more miserable than I, all things considered…

Although Ainz knew that his friend was doing well in the sense that she managed to regain her level 100 status and had seemingly accepted this new reality of the new world, guilt still swelled up in his empty chest once again. He hadn't meant for everything to turn out the way it did and yet it did. And now it was too late. The only reason Ainz had not ungrounded her was due to his own shame. If she did not forgive him for what he did to her and was doing to her still, he was sure he would lose the only friend that had come back to him.

The thought of having to be alone and having to deal with everything on his own forever was truly frightening to Ainz. Especially after everything that had happened with the surrounding countries…

Though his skeletal body did not have any organs to speak of, Ainz still felt like his brain was throbbing from the headache that had been building up and up even since he arrived in the new world.

Still, this was no time to feel sorry for himself, he had a job to do and do it he shall.

Raising from where he had been sitting he made his way out his room and into his office, where Albedo and his assigned maid for the day were already waiting for him.

Finally. Finally he had returned and walked within the Tomb after being gone for so long. A slew of minions walked behind him, each carrying the gifts he had gathered at her request, along with one extra item she hadn't. It was the only gift Demiurge carried on his person inside one of the pockets of his suit jacket. The gift was sat within a black and gold inlaid box and felt white hot as it brushed his flesh with the fabric of his clothes. He knew better than this. He knew better than to bring along something she had not asked for, but it was worth the gamble. Demiurge was unsure if she would accept things she didn't ask for, looking back at Cocytus and Shalltears blunders, and wanted to know why she rejected the gifts given.

Still…if Kah'Ra-sama would accept mine…

Demiurge stopped before he had to turn the corner. His following stopped behind him as one. This was not just for his own sake or his own objectives or to fulfil her requests. He had an order and he needed to carry it out without fail.

Demiurge took a deep breath and checked his clothing, his hands freezing before touching his tie. Deciding against his own desire, he checked his tie as well and then rounded the corner in brisk steps. His subordinates followed at the same pace.

I am not like the Overseer…

The two hulking fiends at either side of her now closed door, greeted Demiurge with the bow of the head. In between them were the four maids that were to attend to his Mistress that day. Questions sprouted up in his head like weeds – wondering why the doors were closed, wondering why her maids were outside and wondering if she was willing to see anyone today.

Regardless, he wasn't here just to gifts her the presents she had requested of him, when the mission in the Holy Kingdom had been a success and Demiurge had tied up all the other lose ends to start the second phase, he had been in a meeting with his master alongside all the other floor guardians just a few moments ago.

It was time.

"Demiurge-sama, are you here to see Kah'Ra-sama?"

One of the maids asked gently.

"Yes."

"One moment please." The maid turned and opened the door behind them, stepping through and disappearing briefly.

"Kah'Ra-sama, Demiurge-sama seeks to have an audience with you."

He couldn't hear the reply or see her, but the maid returned from beyond the door and smiled.

"Kah'Ra-sama will see you now, Demiurge-sama."

Leaving his subordinates behind, Demiurge walked into her room, followed now by the other three maids who took their positions in each corner of the room. The door was closed by the first maid who kept her position by the large double door.

As Demiurge had walked in, he spotted the beautiful demoness behind her drawing table, smoothly sliding in rolled up papers into a wooden cylinder. She smiled brightly when she saw him, and got up from her seat, revealing a long blue dress that bared her white shoulders. Her face had a few spot of charcoal on it, probably due to her drawing.

"Demi-chan, welcome...back? Have you just returned from your mission in the Holy Kingdom? Did it go well?"

Demiurge returned her smile and bowed from the waist.

"Yes, my lady, the mission was a great success and will bear many fruits in the near future. I arrived yesterday and had a meeting only moments ago, but I came to see you as soon as my schedule allowed it."

"I'm happy to hear that, please, come sit with me." Kah'Ra gestured to the sofa and sat down, Demiurge walked over to the loveseat on the other side of the coffee table when Kah'Ra stopped him. "Demi-chan, I mean here." She patted the spot right next to her and Demiurge sputtered.

"T-to already be allowed a seat is…is already enough of an, of an honour! I-I couldn't possibly-!"

Kah'Ra narrowed her eyes at him and Demiurge feared for the worst.

"Demiurge, it's rude to refuse an offer like this, do not make me repeat myself."

"Y-yes! I am terribly sorry!"

He bowed from the waist again and quickly sat down next to her, trying to keep his nerves to a minimum.

"So how are you? I read a lot about your mission in the Holy Kingdom, you said it was a great success?"

"Yes! Would Kah'Ra-sama like to receive a detailed report of our exploits?" Demiurge asked excitedly, his tail whipping back and forth with the same excitement.

His mistress looked at him with amusement in her eyes, but pouted her lips slightly. Demiurges eyes honed in on her already full round lips suddenly puckering up.

"Demi-chan, I'm tired of reading all those reports." She poked his arm softly, he could feel her finger pressing the fabric to his muscle. Demiurge managed rip his eyes from her lips and pay attention to what she was saying, adjusting his glasses again.

"If, if it pleases my lady, I could do some retelling of my own personal experiences and ventures?"

Kah'Ra answered him with a grin, her own tail swaying from side to side in an excited manner.

"Yes, but first tea and snacks."

When both arrived, his Mistress kicked off her shoes and gathered her legs under her arms. Demiurge was both engrossed and entertained by seeing this slightly childish behaviour from her.

"Alright, I'm ready."

It took Demiurge a second to gather his thoughts and find an appropriate start – he needed to look away from her face, her eyes sparkled with anticipation. Having her full attention, her lava like eyes trained on his face, warmed his chest. But he tried to shrug the feeling off as he began his retelling of what conspired in the Holy Kingdom

By the time he finished his tea was cold and untouched.

Her face had made several different interesting expressions during his retelling, which Demiurge noted down for later exploration.

"Did you really smack the Holy Queens face in while using her as a weapon?" She asked when it became clear he was done speaking.

Demiurge chuckled quietly, he hadn't expected she would focused on such a trivial thing.

"Yes, well, not me, that was Wrath, my demon lord in my stead. But yes, he did swing her around a bit."

Her face stayed blank as she continued in the same tone.

"How would you feel if someone did that to me?"

Having seen what Wrath did to the Holy Queen, Demiurges mind easily replaced the Holy Queens face and body with that of his mistress. His reaction was a physical one. Demiurge minded his emotional reaction and cleared his throat with a smile.

"That would never happen to you." He stated firmly. The maids around them quietly nodded with grave faces.

"I bet those people felt the same way about their Holy Queen, don't you think? And yet something like that happened to her which they couldn't even imagine, like you can't right now. Isn't that bad?"

Was she…lecturing him? That couldn't be...

Or was it because he had left out too much so she didn't understand? No, it was something else. If Demiurge really thought about it, it wouldn't be surprising that his Mistress would be worried about getting hurt, since she was the weakest of all the Supreme beings. Even he could take her in a brawl, which said a lot of her strength, or rather, the lack there of.

"I and the other Guardians would never let that happen to you."

The maids around them nodded vigorously in agreement at that statement.

His Mistress blinked a couple of times and then sighed – did that answer disappoint her? Was he wrong for assuming she was afraid?

"That's not- oh, never mind." She said, putting her cup on her saucer and setting it down on the table, her feet sliding back into her shoes before she suddenly gently petted his head.

"You did a good job helping Momonga-san, so it doesn't matter what you had to do, Ulbert-san would've been proud."

His heart swelled up with joy. This was more praise than he had anticipated. His tail flicked up and down, and he could feel his cheeks getting warmer as she started running her fingers through his neatly combed hair.

It was probably only less than a minute, but it felt much longer than that. Adrenaline shot through his entire body as he contemplated how to handle the situation before it escalated.

But I don't want her to stop…

This was such a reward. He felt himself melt at her touch, his tail staying in one place but vibrating slightly in his attempt to control himself. He was undeserving of it, but he didn't dare speak, in fear he would beg for more.

"Demi-chan, are you alright?"

Her hand no longer touched his hair, and when he looked up, concern was evident in her eyes.

He cleared his throat again and straightened his back.

"Yes, thank you. I'm very grateful for your praise and recognition of my efforts."

Kah'Ra looked at him for a moment suspiciously and then did something unexpected. Without warning she put her forehead against his, making sure not to jab him with her horns – it only lasted no more than a couple of seconds before she was putting her cheek against his.

Then she pulled back, leaving Demiurge frozen in place, she was so unpredictable, his heart was surely going to combust if she did something like that again.

"Well, you don't seem to be having a fever, but you do look a little flushed."

The light flicked on in his head.

So that was what she was doing...

"I…I have immunity to disease and poisons, my lady." Demiurge managed to say with a smile. That she cared this much about him, could…no, that was wishful thinking and letting his own desires and emotions get the better of him. He was better than that, he would not dream of imposing such things on a Supreme Being.

"Ah, yes I forgot." Kah'Ra smiled and then sighed. "Well, I'm sure you will need get back to work right?"

Demiurge adjusted his glasses.

"It is as you say, Kah'Ra-sama, but before that, I did bring the souvenirs you requested."

Surprise flashed over her face and when she was about to open her mouth to say something when the maid standing by the double door opened them and Demiurges subordinates walked in. They carried beautifully decorated crates and chests in varying sizes in their arms – some needed two or three of the fiends to haul a single crate inside.

The first chest was sat down a few feet away from where they sat, and the fiend who carried it bowed onto one knee and opened it. Demiurge spoke as his subordinate revealed the contents.

"Though this is but a meagre offering to what Kah'Ra-sama requested, I do hope my lady will accept this collection of books on art and architecture of the Holy Roble Kingdom." The fiend closed the chest filled with blue leather bound books with silver letter on the ridge. The maids directed where the fiend should put the chest and then knelt down to the side.

This continued on until there was a nice stack of crates and chests of to the side, along with a long line of kneeling devils. All the while, Demiurge kept a close eye on her, the smaller gift still sitting in his pocket. His stomach was twisted and tied as he watch her face went from surprise to shock and then to her calm blank stare while listening to him.

Then the last crate was brought in by two fiends, who opened the crate and gently took out a small painting of the Ocean.

"Can I see that one?" Was the first time she spoke.

"Of course, my lady." Demiurge answered and got up to receive the painting from the maid who took it from the fiend. She had followed this exchange with her golden red eyes, and Demiurge was sure he saw something like excitement sparkle in her eye.

When he handed it over, she gingerly took it with both hand, careful not to touch the painting or damage the golden frame.

"Is this what the ocean looks like in the Holy Kingdom?" Her voice was so quiet, Demiurge could barely make out the words that formed her question.

"Hmmm." Demiurge hummed as he thought, looking over her shoulder. "From a military standpoint I must say I am not too familiar with the Holy Kingdoms coast line at sunset in terms of aesthetics, but I do think it is an accurate representation."

Then the supreme being did something odd and brought the painting as close to her face as possible and sniffed at it. She closed her eyes and exhaled slowly.

"Oil paint." She suddenly seemed to conclude. Then she turned her face to Demiurge at a break neck speed, cheeks flushed, red beads of tears at the corners of her eyes. "When! When I am no longer grounded and the Holy Kingdom falls under our banner, will you take me there?!"

The same excitement she had displayed when he'd last seen her overwhelmed him once again. Demiurge could merely bow his head.

"As you wish, I will make sure Kah'Ra-sama does not have to wait long for that to happen."

Lips pressed on his forehead briefly and the maids around them quietly gasped.

"Thank you, Demi-chan, for taking the time and find me all of these gifts, I know it mustn't have been easy." Again, she patted his head softly for a moment. "So don't worry too much about me waiting to see the ocean, I still can't go anywhere anyway." She chuckled softly, returning her attention to the painting.

This surprised Demiurge somewhat and frowned.

"My lady, forgive me, but you have received notice that I am to collect you to meet with Ainz-sama today?"

Her sudden wide-eyed stare of utter shock answered his question.

"N-no…I-I did not know at all…" She sputtered as Demiurge adjusted his glasses and rose to his feet.

"I see, considering I took up most of your time, I shall apologize to Ainz-sama." He looked down on her stunned face, still holding the painting with both hands. "Please do not worry, I shall wait outside and await for you to join me."

With that Demiurge left, along with his subordinates, whom he dismissed once they were outside. Only he was needed for this part.

Author's Note:

I do apologize my dear readers, for how short this chapter is and how long it took for me to submit it. I have been going through some shit and hit a writers block.

Anyway, as always, thanks for all the follows, fav's and reviews!

Until next time!

*Chapter 12*: Chapter Eleven

Chapter eleven

The door opened and closed, a long horned demoness entered. As Ainz looked at Kah'Ra, Kah'Ra looked around his office.

"We're alone."

"Ah."

Ainz motioned with his hand. "Take a seat."

"Alright."

The demoness walked over and sat on the sofa opposite of Ainz. He looked at her face and eyes, seeing no trace of the depression that befell his friend from the moment of her arrival.

"How are you feeling?"

It took Kah'Ra a moment to respond, which made Ainz a little worried.

"Fine. I'm fine. How are you fee-, no," Again she paused for a moment and smiled kindly. "I guess you can't feel much nowadays, so that would be rude. Rather… 'How are you?'"

"Hmm…yes, well, you're quite right." Ainz would've laughed a little, but he was still too wary. He'd thought she would be mad at him. "I would say that if the Tomb is going well, so am I?"

"Ah. I see."

Now what?

Ainz nervously tried thinking of something useful to say as the silence grew thicker, but what passed his non-existent lips was worse than he could've anticipated.

"I guess I should congratulate you for regaining your 100 level status."

"Thank you." Kah'Ra's words did not match her expression. Lips pressed together in a hard-line as if she smelled something bad.

As Ainz panicked over the fact he had just reminded her of what had happened between them, Kah'Ra spoke.

"Aaah, this is awkward isn't it?" a fry smile curled her lips as she continued. "Let's just get to point where I beg for forgiveness and you exile me, right?"

Ainz was stunned before exclaiming.

"Wh-what?!"

Kah'Ra blinked at him, startled as well.

"Isn't that the most logical conclusion? What I did, or rather tried to do, is unforgivable! So I understand if you'd never want to see me again! Isn't that way you avoided me all this time? Because you hate me now?"

Ainz's emotion suppression kicked in and he was instantly calm. Her small rant had overwhelmed Ainz in a way he hadn't thought possible. And as he looked at Kah'Ra, breathing heavily and tears in her eyes, he was at a loss for words.

A moment passed, and again silence reigned.

"I-I...was. I was mad at you, Kah'Ra-san, but.. I didn't hate you." his words came out slowly as he broke the silence. "To be honest, I blame myself for what happened, if only I had tried to help you sooner... What I did to you...I really wish I hadn't."

Kah'Ra looked at her hands, her brow furrowed and then she sighed and got up. As she walked Ainz got anxious, worried he said something to upset her so much she'd leave and never come back. But then she rounded the table and plopped down next to him, leaning into his side.

"We're both stupid." Kah'Ra announced and then inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. "Even though you killed me, you're still my friend, Momonga-san."

Ainz, neither used to or having any experience with women, cautiously put his arm around her shoulder in an attempt to make sitting against his skeleton body more comfortable.

"Umu..." Ainz nodded. "Even though you tried to destroy our beloved guild and home, you're still my friend, Kah'Ra-san."

Kah'Ra turned her head up and smiled.

"I guess we forgive each other than?"

Again Ainz nodded. "Yes, I guess we do."

After a moment of them sitting comfortably next to each other, Kah'Ra sat up right and looked at Ainz.

"What now?"

Ainz shrugged. "I don't know."

Being able to say that, to finally admit to someone that he actually had no clue what to do was the greatest feeling the world. Ainz felt giddy with relieve, but his friend made a face.

Kah'Ra pouted and then grinned evily at him. "Aren't you supposed to be like, the smartest and wisest person ever now a days?"

"That really isn't funny." Ainz groaned, slouching down his seat a bit, his giddiness disappating at the thought of their NPC's ridiculous views of him.

Kah'Ra giggled but didn't press it further. She looked thoughtful again.

"I have a couple of questions, regarding some stuff I read in the reports I got from Demiurge, -"

"You actually understand those?!" Ainz shouted.

Kah'Ra gave him a agitated look. "Well, not all of it, but it's not that hard. Demi-chan just really likes to make assumptions, the rest too by the way. It's really annoying."

Ainz nodded vigorously.

"Anyway, I know this will sound hypocritical coming from me, but I can't help but get mad that you left the one that almost killed Entoma-chan alive after you were done using her. Why haven't you done so? Did you forget?"

Ainz froze. He had forgotten. Shame filled his non-existent heart alongside panic.

"O-of course not!"

Kah'Ra's eyes narrowed.

"Then why is that evil-eye girl still alive?"

Ainz couldn't answer and hung his head.

Kah'Ra sighed loudly and leaned back against the sofa, folding her arms.

"Like I've said, I shouldn't be the one saying this, but anyone who harms us needs to be put six feet under. That's always been the guilds policy, has it not?"

Thanks to his emotion suppression, Ainz regained his composure.

"Umu, yes, you're quite right. But you don't have to constantly bring up the…incident whenever you wish to speak freely on these matters, you weren't yourself when it happened."

Kah'Ra was looking to the side and nodded absent-mindedly.

"If you say so…"

"But regarding the adventurer evil-eye, with all that is going on lately, I have been distracted quite a bit. I remember that Entoma wished to be the one to end the girl when and if such an order was given. So I guess now is as good a time as any to punish that girl."

Kah'Ra was still looking off to the side, deep in thought. Ainz wondered if she was finding all of this as disturbing as he did in the beginning.

"B-but if you do not want to have the girl killed, that is also possible, we simply need not to speak of it again,-"

"No!" Kah'Ra whipped her head back to face Ainz, eyes wide in shock before her expression turned somewhat flushed, her gaze aimed at the empty coffee table. "I actually really want for that girl to suffer more than what she did to Entoma-chan...it's just...so strange that these things have stopped bothering me, discussing how we can simply order an execution and be...excited about it." The colour in her cheeks deepened as she continued in a quieter tone. "If it's alright with you, I actually want to be the one to 'break the news' to Entoma-chan..."

Ainz simply stared for a moment, bemused by the fact that, like him, due to having an heteromorphic body, her mentality had changed drastically over the past few months. Like him, murder and death had become things that didn't bother either of them anymore, but Ainz suspected that Kah'Ra, now being a demoness, would actually take great joy from murdering a bunch of people.

What interested Ainz even more was the adorable way her body betrayed such underlying desires and feelings.

"I see no problems with that, I think it would be a good test run for you to practice giving out such orders. So be very thorough and careful with how you wish to word it, they will quite literally turn the entire world on its head if you say the wrong thing."

"Right!"

Ainz finally felt like they had gotten closer again, not just physically, but like how it used to be. Even with the changes, mentally, physically and emotionally, he felt like they had gotten a greater understanding of each other.

"Was there anything else you wanted to ask?"

Kah'Ra who had apparently been musing over how to give Entoma her order, looked up at him, with knitted eyebrows.

"What should I do?"

"Hmmm?"

Kah'Ra sat up right, Ainz letting go of her shoulder as she did so.

"You know..." She said bending over for a bit, bring her hands together and letting only the tips of her fingers meet each other. "You are the guild master, king even, that's a really clear role to play. But me, you know me, I've always been the figurative and literal 'jack-of-all-trades'..."

"And traits..."

Kah'Ra put her hand on his shoulder to gently push him in a friendly gesture as Ainz chuckled at her reaction.

"Very funny."

"And true."

Ainz felt his ribcage swell with pure delight at being able to joke again and seeing his friend giving him a deadpan look. This is what he missed.

"Yeah, yeah, Mister Wise Guy," Kah'Ra said, humor still there in her voice before continuing more seriously. "but you do understand right? I'm at a bit of a loss here..."

Ainz shrugged yet again, so happy to do so casually and honestly this time.

"I dunno. As long as you don't do things that would bring the guild into serious or any danger, do whatever you normally did?"

Kah'Ra pressed her lips together, showing her displeasure.

"As if the NPC's would let me do anything, maybe I should just go out and explore the new world on my own for a while-"

Ainz's red orbs in his sockets disappeared for a moment. She would leave and he...he would be alone again. Though his emotions were suppressed, this very dark one was not. Something about it seeped through his entire dead being to his core and without meaning to, he had grabbed Kah'Ra and pressed her into him tightly.

"M-Momonga-san?!"

Ainz's eyes lit up again and he looked down at his friend, who had called out to him in a panicked voice. Kah'Ra looked back up at him, her delicate white hands on his equally white skull. "What's wrong?"

"Sorry..." Ainz said awkwardly, quickly letting her go and putting a hand over his skeleton face. "...I don't know what happened."

The dark emotion ebbed a bit, but wasn't gone yet and at the moment he didn't have the head space to figure out what it was either, feeling quite embarrassed by what he just did.

Kah'Ra slowly nodded and waited, letting Ainz find his composure. Thankfully his emotions got suppressed and he could think pretty clearly.

"I could use your help, if you don't mind, with dealing with all this." Ainz waved his hand, gesturing everything around them. "Taking into account that I am no longer just a guild master but King now..."

"I can imagine..." Kah'Ra said somewhat sympathetically.

"I wonder if I should give you some kind of official title?" Ainz mused out loud, putting a hand to his chin. "Considering that all the NPC's are as loyal to you as they are to me. So we have semi equal power, it would be weird if you weren't highly placed with some lands of your own...right?"

"Pffft, you are making this way too complicated, though I kind of understand where you are coming from, since you are ruling a kingdom with common folk and whatnot, but can't I be like some council member?"

Ainz folded his arms and shook his head, already imagining the NPC's complaints to that.

"That's too informal, maybe some kind of countess? Or duchess?"

Kah'Ra looked equally puzzled.

"Yes, but where did I come from? I mean, shouldn't I have been announced from the moment you made the Sorcerous Kingdom? And I don't really think I want to rule over my own lands as a Duchess or Countess, that's not really my field of expertise."

Ainz chuckled darkly at that.

"Neither am I being a King."

Kah'Ra snorted and then a light bulb went off in her head and she excitedly got up from her seat.

"OR! -and bear with me for a bit here- we became siblings? I mean, I was literally a locked up princess just a few moments ago." Kah'Ra snickered while Ainz was still catching up.

"What?"

"I know men always hate this coming from women, but I have considered you to be a big brother of sorts."

Ainz was stunned for second, but then thought about it.

She wasn't wrong, though he himself didn't have any siblings of his own, he did consider his friends to be family. Everyone in Nazarick were the children of his dear friends, and his friends were the family he never had.

"That's actually not a bad idea...hmmm,"

"And that would make you my Onii-sama."

Ainz almost flinched at being called 'big brother' and then the two of them were silent for only a moment, before bursting out in laughter.

Kah'Ra laughed longer, though Ainz laughed louder.

Then Kah'Ra sat back down and leaned into him once more from the side, her head resting against his shoulder guards as she sighed.

"Isn't this uncomfortable?"

Ainz couldn't help but wonder out loud.

"Well, yes, since you're all bones after all...but it's strangely comforting, being able to lean against someone again without it feeling awkward."

Ainz could understand. It had been a long time since he felt so comfortable touching another person, without feeling the fear of any recursions. He raised his arm and put his hand on her bare shoulders again, gently moving his thumb continuously over her skin.

They didn't say anything else for a while, just enjoying the comfortable silence that they always had within each other's company.

Kah'Ra had her eyes closed and leaned in some more, her horns coming dangerously close in his face, but since he was an undead skeleton, he did not fear that they would gorge his eyes out.

After a moment more of this peace and quiet, it was Ainz that broke the silence with a fake coughed, since he was undead, to clear his throat

"I guess the first order of business would be giving you a clear position within the guild again, everyone had a task back then, though I dispersed most of them now among the guardians, there should be still loads of positions to fill."

Kah'Ra snorted, her tone sarcastic when she responded to him.

"Shouldn't I, as princess, just lounge around until I'm married off or something?"

Ainz poked her cheek with his boney finger.

"Don't get so cheeky with me, little sister."

"Very punny, Onii-sama," Kah'Ra then sighed and stretched out her arms above her horns, no longer sitting against Ainz. "Hmmm. Right, okay, so, though I kind of understand what you're saying, don't you think most of the guardians are extremely capable of the jobs you've given them? The guild seems to be functioning quite fine so far too, better even then we could ever manage it. To be honest, it's kind of scary, really."

Ainz suddenly placed his hands on both of Kah'Ra's shoulders, startling her somewhat, before exclaiming loudly.

"I KNOW RIGHT?!" the sudden outburst was immediately dampened by his emotion suppression, but the feeling of relief lingered on as Ainz removed his hands and continued in a calmer demeanor. "It is almost impossible for me to comprehend half of the things they are actually doing, no scratch that, I don't even know if I can say I know even half of that half! It's incredibly terrifying! Ever since I've been here, to the new world, it's been like that! Especially Demiurge and Albedo keep coming up with things that I didn't even think about and then make it sound like I was thinking that all along, even when I tell them that I don't!" Ainz grabbed at his skull, his head hung low. "Not to mention the fact that all of them think I'm some kind of super genius, their impressions of me are so warped! If they ever found out what we really were, they would definitely leave me and the guild behind! Scary! Too scary!"

Kah'Ra had listened to his rapid ramble quietly and attentively. When he seemed done, she softly patted his head.

"You're working so hard too, Momonga-san, you've always been working so hard for us...even now..." Kah'Ra furrowed her brow a little as she thought. Then her eyes lit up again like Christmas lights. "Oh! How about I try to reel them in a little?!"

Ainz, who had by this time straightened and looked directly at her, listened closely.

"Reel them in you say? And how would you do that?"

"Well, they all have their own tasks and wutnot, right? What if I would, in a way, inspect what they are actually doing and report back to you? You know, like a health inspector?"

"I see, I see," Ainz nodded thoughtfully "but that still won't stop them from interpreting it in the wrong way. Also, they are very sensitive children, if you find any flaws with their work, they might off themselves for it."

"Ah. Well, then we just have to say that's even worse than not trying to correct their mistakes, right? After all, they live to serve us, what use do they have if they are dead, right?"

His jaw flopped open as he stared her before Ainz collected himself again.

"Hmm, you do have a point, but I can't agree with that sentiment. They are the children of our good friends."

Kah'Ra nodded, but her eyes looked worriedly at Ainz.

"I think that's where you went wrong, Momonga-san, you can't treat them both as valid employees and as the children of your good friends. It's either one or the other."

This made Ainz a little angry.

"How so?"

"A good boss makes clear lines, rules and has a firm idea of what is and isn't allowed within the company. But if you treat the guardians as children, as little kids who shouldn't and can't know any better, then when they break the rules and cross the lines you set out, you won't be able to punish them properly." Kah'Ra lifted a single finger into the air in front of her face to emphasis her point. "My mother always said that a good boss is a boss first and friend second. Friendship comes naturally after working together for a long while with the same employees."

Ainz shook his head after a moment.

"That's easier said than done."

Kah'Ra shrugged.

"I know. Being a boss is a pain in the ass, but you gotta run with it." Kah'Ra softly patted his hand in a comforting way and smiled. "In all honesty, I personally think you're doing great, considering the cards you were dealt, Onii-sama."

Ainz snorted at that, still feeling bad and thinking about all the times he already messed everything up.

"If you say so, I don't think the others would agree with you on that…"

Kah'Ra rolled her eyes.

"By the way, look what I learned to do."

As she said that, she pointed to her demon ears, which were quite long and pointy. Ainz watched as her ears suddenly fluttered up and down, her earrings jingling along with the motion.

Then she stopped and grinned gleefully at him, like a child who was proud of their accomplishments.

"That was adorable." She was adorable.

Kah'Ra snorted, but kept grinning. "Oh, shut up! I just wanted to wipe that gloomy look on your face and let you see how much I've mastered this body."

To emphasize her point, she moved her tail all the way around and wiggled the fluffy end of her tail in front of his face.

Ainz put a hand to his face and laughed.

Author's Note:

Pffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffft!

My apologies yall for the long ass hiatus and not warning about it from the get go, but shizzles happen and when they do they happen fast.

Lots of personal drama going on with medical stuff, not getting the proper help yadayadayada XD

Anyway, I'm back but getting back into the same rhythm of posting will be a while, so lets keep it at once a month for now until I fully recover from my life, if not, just assume I am getting the help I need in the meantime :P

Anyway, I hope you guys liked this chapter, thank you for all the reviews both the ones that are critical and those that are praising.

Until next time!

*Chapter 13*: Chapter Twelve

Albedo felt sick. Something that couldn't be, because she was immune to disease as a level 100 warrior. And yet she felt sick. It felt as though with every step she took, another layer of her soul was being ripped apart, like a layer of skin was being pulled off, revealing the raw exposed flesh underneath.

But Albedo still didn't believe what she was doing was wrong or treacherous in any way. How could it be? If it was the way a woman in love would act? Wasn't this exactly why he made her feel this way? So she could do the impossible?

And even as the excitement of those thoughts fed her determination to see this through, every fiber of her being that was created to serve all the Supreme Beings made her lightheaded and dizzy, nauseous and break out in cold sweat.

Reminding herself of her small window of opportunity, considering this was the first time in a long time Kah'Ra Val'Hara left her chambers with no other servants in it, Albedo pushed the sick feeling down with sheer love-struck willpower. This wasn't the first time she would be entering a Supreme Being's chambers, so it shouldn't be that out of the ordinary to do so again.

Although Albedo had absolutely no interest whatsoever in fondling herself in the bed of the other demoness. No. Albedo had another goal, one that would not only solve several problems at once but make her win more favor with her beloved if she could get away with this small scale heist.

Entering unnoticed into the chambers of the absent demoness, Albedo walked cautiously into the darkroom, vaguely aware of the pile of chests off to her left, scanning the room for traps or alarms.

After confirming there were none, Albedo went over to the drawing table in search of the revised blueprints of Ainz-sama's statue.

Eventually, after taking great care and caution to make sure that she put everything back as it should be, she found them.

Albedo smiled widely as she opened the cylinders and unfurled the blueprints.

She didn't need to take them, just memorize whatever changes Kah'Ra Val'Hara had made so she could do it without the help of the demoness.

Her smile faltered a little.

Albedo openly glared at the blueprints as she pushed them down on the table, spreading them wide with a snarl.

H-How?! How was I unable to see this?! No wonder Ainz-sama wanted us to halt the construction!

There weren't just a few adjustments to the original build that Albedo had shown the other demoness. No, no. That would have been too easy, too simple, and Albedo was grimly reminded of the colossal sized difference between those who created them and herself.

Her heart dropped, as she realized that she had severely underestimated her opponent.

There were several entirely new plans drawn up from scratch, taking into account of the fact that the ever-growing populous of the Sorcerous Kingdom consisted out of Heteromorphs and Humans alike, meaning that the size differences between their people were...extensive.

To combat this, the demonic Supreme Being had drawn a few solutions to this problem but the one that stood out the most, that had been polished to near perfection, was an optical illusion of sorts. That made sure that everything and every one of their subjects would see the exact same thing from all angles. Whether from below or above, the glorious form of her beloved Master would be shown to all who gazed upon it without needing to stand from very far away to see all of it.

Gritting her teeth, there was no denying this masterpiece that lay plainly before her.

As Albedo committed the blueprints to her memory, she came across another problem. On the blueprints themselves were references to notes she had yet to find, notes that would explain the very complex construction of this brilliantly thought out statue.

What she desperately required to know were the materials, vital points, etc.

Albedo wanted to go through the books in the desk cabinet again to see if she could find them when her body tensed.

Her minions informed her of Kah'Ra Val'Hara exiting Ainz-sama's office.

Her very small window of opportunity had closed.

Quickly rolling the blueprints back up and into their respective cylinders, Albedo tucked them back in their neat drawer and walked out of the demonesses chambers, gently and quietly closing the door behind herself just as the dreaded demoness rounded the corner, the red-clad devil at her side.

When the Supreme Being spotted Albedo standing at her door, surprise graced her beautiful face.

"Oh, hello Albedo,"

Albedo couldn't help but feel those golden-red eyes seeing right through her scheme, but she smiled pleasantly anyway, reminding herself sternly she had done nothing out of the ordinary.

"Good day, Kah'Ra-sama, I presume your meeting with Ainz-sama went well?"

The demoness nodded slowly, brows knitted together and Albedo was acutely aware of Demiurge scrutinizing her as well. But Albedo had good faith in the mask she wore and continued on smiling confidently.

"Yes, we will be calling in a meeting with the rest of the Guardians soon," the demoness said, still looking at her intently with those piercing golden-red eyes.

"Ah, then I must go to Ainz-sama right this instant as to help coordinate this meeting!" Albedo chippered, feeling her heart lift when she knew she would be with her beloved.

"Oh!" Kah'Ra suddenly exclaimed, startling both Albedo and the devil next to her. "Before you go, I have to show you something!"

Before Albedo could protest, the demoness had opened the door to her chambers and strode forth to her drawing-table.

Does she...?! It can't possibly...?!

Demiurge smirked and looked expectantly at Albedo to take the lead.

Albedo, trying to push down the sudden wave of anxiety, continued to smile and pretended to happily follow the Supreme Being into the room she had just raided.

Entering the room after Kah'Ra Val'Hara, Albedo stood by and waited, desperately thinking up excuses as to why she had been there, rifling through a Supreme One's things to steal their ideas for her own selfish gain. How was she going to explain it to her beloved? Could she lie...no, that was too much, she could lie to anyone else, but not to him...although, if it were for his own good...yes, she could definitely do it. If she could just convince him, make him believe her instead of Kah'Ra Val'Hara...surely he would be her over the one who had threatened to destroy Nazarick,-

As Kah'Ra Val'Hara reached out for one of her cylinders, Albedo noticed the slight hesitation before the demoness grabbed hold of it. The first beaming smile had lessened some and when she taken out her blueprints her smile had all but gone.

"What is that?" Albedo asked, thanking her creator for giving her the ability to keep her voice calm and even.

The demoness blinked, shaking her head a little and then widely grinned at Albedo. All of her courage had sunk to the floor and beyond. She knew Albedo was sure she knew...could she make a run for it? No, wait, she had the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown, she could easily teleport right to him and,-

"It took a little while, but I have almost finished making the revised plans for the statue!"

Demiurge bend over the plans Kah'Ra Val'Hara had clipped onto her drawing table, gasping loudly.

"This! This is-! No wonder Ainz-sama wished for us to reexamine the build! Truly, we lowly servants would have never-!" Demiurge showered her with praise. The demoness puffed up her chest proudly, flipping her short hair over her shoulder and placing it back on her hip. Grinning even wider, the demoness looked expectantly at Albedo, who shuddered under that victorious gaze.

With Demiurge here as a witness, she would be able to convince Ainz-sama, so that was her plan all along! But I cannot give up yet!

"To think we would have almost put up that ghastly imperfect construction without his foresight," Albedo swooned, putting a hand to her cheek and sighing while gently shaking her head. "I am ashamed to admit that I had not seen all that was wrong until Ainz-sama had pointed it out."

"Right...well, there are still some adjustments to be made,-"

"You mean to say there is more?!" Albedo blurted out, covering her mouth.

Demiurge, who had been preoccupied with both praising the Supreme Being standing before them, gave Albedo an inquisitive look.

Kah'Ra Val'Hara blinked and then seemed to compose herself.

"Well, yes? The technology in this world is...primitive to say the least, so complex structures such as this might not even be possible, not even mentioning the very likely possibility that the materials needed to manufacture all the needed components is also very low…"

"I see, as expected from Kah'Ra-sama." Demiurge swooned, his attention returning to the demoness, pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose.

The demoness gave a sideward glance but then smirked knowingly at Albedo.

"Anyway, I'm sure with the instructions and a little bit of elbow grease, we can make it work!"

"I'm confident that with Kah'Ra-sama's guidance, we can create something that will make Ainz-sama very happy indeed."

All three the fiends smiled broadly at each other, though one was doing so through their teeth.

Kah'Ra was nervous, really nervous. Even though she was free to roam around and go outside, she didn't. She felt like she might die if she did. Of course, it was just an irrational fear, but she couldn't seem to push it way.

Maybe I've got Stockholm syndrome now…I've been locked up for so long that I feel safer staying in my room than going outside…

Kah'Ra shook her head violently, startling some of her maids who were being as busy as bees around her. After continuously telling them she was fine, just nervous for the 'coronation' the next day, they finally settled down.

She remembered her talk with Ainz two days ago, that after goofing around a little bit and making him laugh, she finally felt a little more human again. A bit more like her former self. If only she could hold onto that feeling…

Kah'Ra returned her attention to her box full of jewelry, not sure which she should wear tomorrow. She furrowed her brow, not completely understanding why it was necessary to begin with, but Ainz insisting they should after he had his meeting with the guardians.

Apparently it had been Demiurge's bright idea to have this coronation to usher in the new era, to celebrate the accomplishments of the Supreme Beings and show everyone Kah'Ra was returning to the fold. Not only that, but the devil also convinced Ainz that he should return all items belonging to Kah'Ra, as to display to the denizens of Nazarick that Kah'Ra was trustworthy. And not just any items, that wouldn't do. Of course not, why wouldn't be as simple as that, right? No, no. Instead of handing over all her things, which admittedly would look pretty awkward, Ainz would hand back her World Item as the true token of trust.

Without meaning to, Kah'Ra was squeezing one of her many bracelets too tightly, letting it go once it was too late.

Shit...oh well, nothing a mending spell can't fix.

She sighed and looked at herself in the mirror.

To some extent, Kah'Ra understood. Not just because it was a World Item, but this specific World Item had made her overpowered as all hell in the game and everyone in the guild had been gushing over it, trying to force her to wear the damn thing all the time and have her fight them. It wasn't what she liked to do, it wasn't what she was good at or why she played the game. Kah'Ra knew for a fact that Ainz would never push her to do anything she didn't want to, but Demiurge was becoming more and more of a reflection of his creator...a person she did not have a good relationship with or fond memories of.

Wasn't it then very ironic that the dress she choose to wear during the ceremony was the one Ulbert Alian Odle had given her?

Perhaps.

It had been the only dress that fit the aesthetic she was going for, especially knowing the last form her CROWN had taken. With that in mind, Kah'Ra opened another jewelry box and smiled when she finally found what she was looking for. Black gold.

Author's Note:

A shorter chapter this time! I hope you have enjoyed! ^^

*Chapter 14*: Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

In YGGDRASIL there were many World Items that could quite literally change the game world they had been playing. Some were so ridiculously overpowered that they had a one time use or some other kind of flaw in their design as to not break the game. From all these overpowered items, Kah'Ra's was severely underpowered in comparison.

From what Kah'Ra remembered Momonga and the other guildmates explaining to her about the [Crown] when they were still in YGGDRASIL, was that her World Item streamlines a players character builds to its ultimate potential - giving them the most powerful build within their chosen race and job classes, as long as they wear the World Item. It is the Ultimate buff item that makes a player's spells, abilities, stats and skills 3 times more potent. There was and still is only one requirement – a player must be level 100 in order to equip and use this World Item. Combining this with Kah'Ra's unique job and racial classes, [Jack of All Trades] and [Jack of All Traits], Kah'Ra could change her racial classes and job classes without needing to lose levels or using items which allowed for one-time use changes. The only drawback with it was a 30 second casting time to actually make the change, which really wasn't handy in combat at all.

But Kah'Ra wasn't a power gamer and didn't play games to min-max her character to perfection. She played games as a way to relieve stress, an outlet to express certain aspects of herself she neither had the time or social space to do so otherwise. So her World Item had only been used once, to see what it could actually do.

The World Item had given her the option to choose what skill trees she wanted and which would benefit her the most - the option had been dizzying in their staggering amount. Not to mention all the descriptions for each build she had to read to actually understand what she was choosing at the time.

At the time, the only time, Kah'Ra had chosen [Queen of the Damned] purely for shits and giggles. Making her a powerful Magic Caster specializing in spawning, not summoning, Demons and other fiendish creators to do her bidding. To say that regretted that decision afterward was an understatement.

As Kah'Ra recalled this, Ainz had cast a simple levitation spell [Floatation] onto the simple-looking crown, making it lift up from the red cushion Demiurge was holding and float over to her.

Kah'Ra kept her head still and withheld a sigh. She had just sworn to serve loyally to the one placing the World Item between her horns as one of the Guild Members of Ainz Ooal Gown. It all felt rather contrived and utterly unnecessary, but she bent the knee and bowed head and smiled despite feeling ridiculous doing so.

Kah'Ra felt the small simple looking crown is placed on top of her head and held her breath. The moment the crown made contact with her head, she felt its power surge through her veins like thick boiling lava. It didn't hurt, though she did feel like her internal organs were shifting and her muscles were being washed out as the [Crown] began changing her.

Her outer appearance change some as well - her horns elongated and became sharper, her already snow-white skin became whiter still and her once golden-red eyes with goat-like pupils turned crimson red with cat-like pupils instead.

And as she changed, inside and out, so did the simple-looking crown atop her head. First, it began rising of her head between her horns, stopping and floating in between them was the golden metal began twisting into itself until it became distorted. The gold-flecked off and was set aflame around the shiny black surface it revealed underneath. The distorted black lump then began to expand once more, it's surface crackling with fiery red sparks. It kept on growing until the new crown was fully formed and its transformation was complete. Five jagged points reached towards the sky like branches, each holding a diamond-shaped ruby in the middle. Decorative redlines were etched into its surface, creating veins that connected the rubies to each other. The fiery crackles from before had burst into a flame that encompassed the entirety of this demonic-looking crown.

Eh?

When this still was a game, Kah'Ra and the other players didn't feel any difference when leveling up or changing skills, job classes or racial features. So now that it was real, really real, she had felt a small difference going from level 99 to level 100 in power, where all her stats were finally 50 points across the board apart from her SPECIAL stat.

But this…

Demiurge took his position with the other Guardians at the foot of the stairs as his demonic Mistress rose to her feet, emanating the most terrifying of aura's he'd felt since his Master accepted their vow of fealty during that time.

As he lowered his head and placed his hand over his heart, Demiurge couldn't help but smirk happily at the idea that Kah'Ra was finally taking her rightful place beside his master.

This was how it was supposed to be and he accepted it, even though he knew he would not be content, he would simply need to be satisfied with being their servant.

"Kah'Ra Val'Hara, do you accept my offer of becoming my sister?"
The entire throne room was silent. Or rather, in a state of shock. It was as if all the guardians and servants had reached the point of synchronization where they had become telepathically linked and all were thinking the same thought.

WHAT?!

The demonic Supreme Being smiled with her eyes, her usual soft-spoken voice now strong with confidence due to the power she wielded.

"I do, Onii-sama."

"Umu, then that's settled."

"Onii-sama, may I sit next to you?"

Ainz nodded his head as the shock slowly seemed to subside from every servant who bears witness the birth of their new agreement.

With a single wave of her hand and not a word spoken, his mistress used an unknown magic spell to create an identical-looking throne to the one his master sat on but smaller in size.

When his mistress sat down beside his master and they spoke in whispers to each other that Demiurge would've been able to hear if he'd paid attention, did his mind go into overdrive.

They were not going to marry? What did that mean? Why postpone the inevitable? Was there some hidden meaning to this? What were they planning? Surely the two of them had a reason for this, right?

Demiurge had to ask.

"Ainz-sama, please forgive me, but may I ask a question?"

"Go ahead, Demiurge."

"Yes! At the risk of sounding impudent, I was hoping Ainz-sama could explain why Ainz-sama isn't naming Kah'Ra-sama his Queen?"

The other guardians and servants would've gasped if they too hadn't wanted to know the same thing. The one who answered his question, however, was not Ainz.

"How presumptuous."

Demiurge trembled where he knelt at her tone, which held none of the kindness he had grown accustomed to. Daring to look her way, her facial expression was blank apart from her scolding red eyes. "Who says I would agree to such a thing? Even if Onii-sama insisted on it, wouldn't I have just as much a say in it as well?"

"P-please forgive me!" Demiurge bowed deeper, his chest on his knee and his nose almost touching the floor. "I should've included Kah'Ra-sama in the decision making as well!"

Kah'Ra raised a single brow at him, her tail flicked once in what he could only assume to be annoyance.

"I'll think about it, but stop groveling, Demiurge."

"Yes!"

"Sister."

As Demiurge raised his head, he saw that his mistress turn to look at his master.

"You shouldn't be too harsh on him..." His master said as if he were very tired.

"You spoil them too much, Onii-sama, besides, these kinds of ridiculous ideas should be killed whilst they are still in the crib."

Demiurge felt as though she had stabbed him with a white-hot blade. Shame and regret filled every fiber of his being.

"...Umu. To be honest, I do not see anything wrong with the idea of marriage, it could be something to think about more seriously later on."

"Oh? And who exactly would you be marrying then?"

The room was suddenly filled with tension, everyone seemed to lean in and watch with fire in their eyes. Their master slunk into his throne and sighed.

"You're being difficult, let us discuss this another time. For now, I wish you all to accept Kah'Ra as my sister, making her the Princess of the Sorcerous Kingdom."

"Yes!" all who were present said in unison.

Demiurge still did not have his answer. Worse still, even though his master did defend him, his mood was still at an all-time low by the words of his mistress.

"That went pretty well."

Ainz commented when they were alone in his office, feeling good about their shared performance during the coronation. He was still riding on the relief he felt knowing he no longer had to do this on his own anymore, and with Kah'Ra's help, he was sure they could back each other up whenever the other failed to give an answer.

Still, wasn't she a little mean toward Demiurge? Now that I think about it, she and Ulbert didn't really get along back then too. Should I ask her about it? Hmmm...or maybe she was acting like a typical Hime-sama?

Ainz felt like it didn't really matter if it helped Kah'Ra maintain her role as a superior.

Maybe she is trying to do a 'good cop - bad cop' routine with me? Whatever the reason, it did seem to work...though I'm sure I wouldn't be able to sound as confident as she did.

As Ainz was pondering this and sat down behind his desk, Kah'Ra remained silently standing in front of him.

"Hm? Is something the matter, Kah'Ra-san?"

Now that he was looking directly at her, Kah'Ra's pupils seemed to be glazed over, her pupil's hair-thin as she was completely lost in thought.

"What? Oh sorry, Onii-sama."

"Eh? You don't have to call me that constantly you know."

Kah'Ra shook her head.

"I disagree, in case we slip-up, it's better to continue referring by the titles we have given each other as to not to confuse our servants, Onii-sama."

I didn't think about that!

Ainz nodded, feeling his shame being suppressed at the simple logic of her reasoning for continuing to refer to each other by their titles.

"You're right, sorry for not thinking about that myself."

Ainz bowed his head.

"Onii-sama, you shouldn't bow your head so easily at me either!" Kah'Ra continued in a chiding tone. "As a King, bowing your head is really dangerous for the reputation of your kingdom!"

"S-sorry, you're right!"

"Onii-sama," Kah'Ra exhaled deeply and then smirked, her brows knitted together as she looked at him. "You can't say you understand and then do it all over again…"

Ainz almost bowed his head a third time to apologize but managed to contain himself.

"Umu, going back to you then, is something wrong? How are you feeling now with the [Crown] on?"

Ainz was actually quite curious, he had felt the magical power increase in his...sisters...body as she adjusted to the World Item and wanted to know what her abilities were now.

This could actually really help with our shortage in manpower and being able to give vacation time...though some of them might decline if they have to hand over their work to Kah'Ra huh?

Kah'Ra's eyes widened along with her mouth, reminding Ainz of a sour-faced gekko pop-up sticker that was quite popular among players in YGGDRASIL to show their confusion to a situation they couldn't comprehend.

"I'm...fine?"

"Don't say that with that kind of expression!"

Kah'Ra looked even more confused.

Ainz sighed.

"What I meant to ask is - does it hurt? Are you uncomfortable? Can you tell me what you're skills and abilities are?"

"No nothing hurts and I feel fine, Onii-sama."

Ainz nodded and waited.

The sour-faced gekko expression returned.

"Sister, are you trying to be funny right now?" Ainz asked darkly, not knowing whether he should be mad or laugh.

"No!No!No! Onii-sama!" Kah'Ra giggled, quickly apologizing, making it plainly obvious she had been pulling his leg and then quickly answered his question. "I sincerely have no idea what my skills, abilities or features are at the moment - apart from what you told me in the throne about being able to, how did you call it again?"

"[Silent Caster], the ability to cast spells without the requirement of the Verbal Component, which cuts the casting time of the spell, outside that of Super Tier spells, in half."

"Yes, as Onii-sama says. But for the other things, I feel as though as long as I know what I want to do I'll have an idea if I can do it, if that makes any sense to you?"

Ainz nodded, understanding what she meant but wasn't satisfied with her lackluster approach with it.

"I see, so you have to first have a goal in mind before you find out if you can reach that goal, but that is kind of dangerous. Not knowing what you're able to do or not will make it hard for you to actually use that item, but without it…"

"I agree, that's why I would like some time to practice while we will also come up with a plan for what I can do in the future."

"Umu, we should have Demiurge and Albedo handle that part-"

"Onii-sama," Kah'Ra interrupted him, her eyes focused on his, even though he had no eyeballs, and Ainz felt as though she could read his thoughts. "If we are going to entrust important decisions like this to our subordinates, we should hold council meetings to ensure they do not go off the rails like they usually do behind your back."

If Ainz had flesh and skin, his entire body would be sweating buckets full. Having to pretend to know what going on was one thing, but having to come up with plans that rivaled or were even better than those of Demiurge and Albedo was more than a little terrifying.

"Absolutely not!"

Kah'Ra blinked at him as he had shouted at her again. Then she looked at him with a mad expression.

"Why not?"

His emotion suppression kicked in, but wasn't enough to extinguish the panic grasping at his non-existent heart.

"You know why! Those are really smart, much smarter than either of us, don't go saying such dangerous things!"

Kah'Ra stared at him with a shocked face and Ainz had the time to calm down, aided by his undead self.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to yell at you like that."

"..."

"I'm really sorry?"

"..."

"Oh, yeah...I shouldn't apologize, right?"

"See? You're not that hopeless, Onii-sama." Kah'Ra gave him a tiny cautious smile and then bowed from the waist down. "Please allow me to explain my idea."

Author's Note:

One thing I noticed during this pandemic is the number of new readers that have decided to follow or favorite me or my stories, so hello everyone! Hope we survive the apocalypse XD
Thank you all for your reviews too! The next chapter I'll post will be another 'reviewers reviewed' to comment back on and be thankful for those who take the time to review the story or new chapters I have posted.
I wonder if it's similar to an Q&A? XD
Mebby I should do a Q&A? Are there even people who are interested in a Q&A? Hmmmmm...I don't think I'm popular enough to do a Q&A XD
Let me know if I should do an Q&A? :P