Chapter 45

The faithful day had come. Nazarick started the elf extraction at a rapid pace and now his task was to delay the execution of the remaining ones. The young King Alaf did his best to appear calm, but the slowly forming dents around his fingers on the handles of the throne betrayed his true mental state.

It would take some time for the Slane's leadership to find out what was happening, but no matter how careful the monsters were, they would not intercept all communication.

The report one of the bishops was giving about the agricultural expectations of the current year didn't matter one bit. By the end of the year, there likely won't be anyone left alive to harvest the fields.

A pale figure suddenly barged into the throne room and kneeled, panting, "The monsters are attacking your highness. They are taking our slaves away."

'So it begins. I can only pray they listen to me.'

The decorated wooden handle of his throne shattered under the pressure as Alaf loudly said. "Call the cardinals. Now!"

The pale-looking bishop jumped back to his feet, bowed, and left the throne room just as quickly as he had entered it.

{ Delay the execution protocol by any means necessary! } The demon's voice echoed in his head, reminding him about the deal he made.

'I will do what I can.'

{ We will see! }

It took just a few minutes for all three cardinals to arrive. Ever since he took the throne, the number of cardinals had remained the same, with each of them representing two Gods.

All three politely bowed before him, with Raymond being their voice as usual,

"My King, why haven't you activated the protocol yet?"

"I wanted your input on the matter. If we are about to cripple our economy so suddenly, I need to know how we will compensate for the lack of workforce? To resist the monster invaders and use the slaves as bait may be the better option."

"With all due respect, it was the will of our God Alah Alaf to not give the slaves to the monsters but use them as a sacrifice!"

"As much as I respect you, Raymond, God didn't tell me that personally in the vision. And you didn't answer my question. How will we compensate for the sudden lack of workforce?"

Alaf gazed upon the cardinal seeing nothing but madness in his expression. Raymond seemed to be ready to charge and strike him down for even asking the question.

"My king, we must hurry and execute the elves, not bicker now."

"Answer my question! Or maybe it was just your own idea to set up the protocol in a misguided desire to please the Gods and you didn't think about the consequences!"

Raymond snarled and then looked at Ginedine and Dominic standing beside him. Both of the cardinals clearly shared his sentiment of the King going against the will of God.

"I will remind you once again that despite sharing the blood with the God of Light Alah Alaf you, even as a king, are still just a servant. It is not your place to question the God's will!"

'He can't even answer that question. Even if the dark God Ulbert doesn't keep his word, there is no future for the Slane Theocracy. They have lost their minds.'

"You, Raymond, are not God! I can see you have lost all reason and just hide behind your assumed position of a prophet."

"Boy, you are crossing a line you will regret crossing." Raymond shouted at him and then addressed the remaining people in the throne room. "The King has lost his faith. You faithful ones stand against this heretic that has tainted his bloodline. He and his family will be put on trial for heresy! The heretics will b…"

The room looked in mute horror as the cardinal's head dropped to the ground. With one swift motion, King Alaf had taken the cardinal's life.

"Does anyone else share this maniac's opinion?" Alaf asked, pointing the bloodied spear at the two remaining cardinals. They may think none would stand against the word of God, but he was still the strongest godkin by a wide margin. Without their former secret weapon Zesshi, none present were able to defeat him.

When no one answered his question, Alaf asked again. "Does anyone here think I should be put on trial for asking what my people will eat during the next winter?"

{ Nice show my boy. But one of the bishops already ran and gave the order.}

'No! I tried my best. I stood against them.'

{ You did indeed. But we have taken less than a million at this point. }

'I did what I could. Please let Lumina and Alanus live.'

{ Unfortunately for you, one of the cardinals sent your black scripture friends to execute your wife and your son as soon as you killed one of them. They are stalling you for that very reason. }

Alaf paled and then ran, ignoring everything else. He had to get to them in time. Even with Lumina being a former black scripture member, she wouldn't be able to stop two black scripture members on her own and protect their son on top of it.

He charged through the doors of his private quarters, desperately praying for his family to still be alive. The scared cries of Alanus came as a small relief. His son was alive. Barging through the bed-chamber doors, he almost tripped over two corpses on the floor.

A lone figure stood in front of the bed, casually cleaning a bloodied dagger with a handkerchief. His wife was sitting in their bed with a shield cast around her, cradling Alanus and trying to calm him down despite shaking in fear herself.

'She is alive. Thank the Gods she is still alive.'

Alaf stared at the figure, quickly realizing that in front of him was a demon, and a high-ranking one at that. Looking almost human except for pitch-black eyes and two horns on his forehead, the demon was dressed in a fine silk suit. A quick glance down gave the answer to who the corpses were; The Divine Chain and the Lightbringer lay on the floor with their throats cut.

"Master always keeps his word." the demon casually remarked, putting the dagger away.

"Did Ulbert send you?"

"Yes, and I will tell you this once. Show my master proper respect!" the demon said in a much more menacing tone.

"Y-yes of course. Thank you for saving my wife and son."

"Your gratitude is wasted on me. I prefer to not waste more time here." the demon said as a black void appeared beside him. "Let's be on our way."

"What is going on?" Lumina asked with a shaky voice.

"We have to go. I will explain everything when we have time." Alaf said.

"No! Explain what is going on first. I will not follow that… Demon."

"Lumina. We can't stay. The cardinals have lost their minds. I made a deal with the God of Trickery. We have to go! Now!"

Lumina stared at him as if he was crazy and then turned her gaze on the two corpses on the floor. A monster just saved her life and did so with casual ease. She had no idea what was going on, but the only person she could trust just told her he had made a deal with one of the monster Gods.

'Has my husband gone mad? But then why would the cardinals try to kill me?'

Seeing no other option, Lumina reluctantly canceled the shield spell and stood up with Alanus in her hands. With Alaf beside her, she walked through that dark void, following the demon.

The room they arrived in was spacious and decorated with furniture of a quality fit for royals.

"Wait here." the demon said and disappeared.

Before Lumina could bombard him with questions, Alaf decided to explain what went down in the throne room.

"What will happen to us now?" Lumina asked after hearing about the events that transpired.

"I don't know. We can only hope they keep their word." Alaf said just as the doors opened.

A woman with red eyes came in and gave them a polite smile.

"Relzanu?"

"Captain, Divine Chant, welcome to the Empire of Nazarick."

"What did they do to you?" Lumina asked in shock.

"My mistress gave me eternal life." Relzanu said with a smile revealing her fangs. "Is that all you have to say to an old friend?"

"Y-you are a monster!" Lumina said, taking a step back, and casting a shield around her and Alaf.

"I am, but please don't hold it against me. You will have to get used to seeing monsters and nonhumans."

Not wanting to provoke the vampire in front of them, Alaf asked. "What happens to us now?"

"As far as I am told, you didn't fully deliver on Lord Ulbert's expectations but did what was asked of you. A small mansion is prepared for both of you in a coastal village in the northern parts of Re-Estize, with decent accommodations and a few servants. You both will live there and not tell anyone who you are and from where you came."

"That's it?" Alaf cautiously asked. No questioning, no demands to answer for what in the eyes of the monster Gods were heinous crimes? Just left alone in a distant corner of the Empire?

"What else do you expect? A standing ovation? Many of the Empire's citizens would not be thrilled to meet the former king of the Slane Theocracy. Both of you will lay low till the end of your lives under new names." Relzanu said, a bit taken back by their attitude. For her, being a vampire was not that big of a deal anymore, and seeing her former teammates look at her like she was about to attack them rubbed her the wrong way.

"Lumina, stop the shield spell. It gives a bad impression." Alaf whispered to his wife.

"But she is a…"

"We are guests here. If they wanted to harm us they would not have saved you."

Lumina sighed and stopped the spell and with a forced smile said. "I apologize for my reaction."

"I understand." Relzanu said, returning a smile equally forced. "But for your own sake, get used to non-humans."

"Is there anything else we should know?" Alaf asked. As confident as he was in his own abilities, they were at the complete mercy of Nazarick at this point. An uncalled hostility was not going to help them one bit.

"Not particularly, no. The book with the Empire's laws will be provided and that is all you need to follow."

To call the reunion awkward would be an understatement. How twisted it all felt... What once were his mortal enemies were now the saviors. His nation, his people, were doomed. Alaf gently touched the back of his wife who was still cradling their agitated son.

Relzanu left the room telling them to wait. Just then a maid came in with refreshments and silently put them on the table. The young woman just offered them a polite smile and quickly left.

"What are we going to do?" Lumina asked.

"There isn't much we can do. I don't think we can stand against them. They are…" Alaf started not sure how to finish the sentence. The moment they arrived at this place there was this feeling of being in the realm of Gods.

Lumina nervously shifted around, "They are the real ones. But they are monsters. I don't understand…"

"As long as we are together we will be fine." Alaf said reassuringly, not particularly believing it himself.

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The travel through the monster Empire turned out to be smoother than expected. The group of paladins arrived at the Capital of the Empire of Nazarick without much of the trouble. Getting inside it also proved to be an easy task with the visitors' passes.

To be once again confronted with various non-humans roaming the wide streets proved to be a challenge. Even with her new Goddess guiding her path, Acilia still had to get used to seeing demi-humans and monsters everywhere and not instinctively reach for her weapon.

The castle in the distance reaching towards the sky was beyond impressive. A true dwelling of the Gods. The Roble royal castle was not even comparable in grandeur.

"How are we going to reach the Apostles?" one of the paladins asked.

"The Goddess awaits. The path will be made clear. I know it." Acilia proclaimed and started to walk in the direction of the castle. There was no doubt in her mind that she would reach the Goddess and atone for her sins. The dream already told her to use a hot knife instead of a cold one to cauterize the wound and not choke on her own blood or simply bleed to death.

The rest of the group, inspired by her conviction, followed suit. There were a few curious stares from the local populace but the undead guards on every street corner assured none would seek a conflict.

Only when they came closer to the imperial castle did Alicia notice just how many monsters protected it, both on the ground and in the air. Undead, angels, and demons side by side not only were bizarre but also showed that under the watchful gaze of the Gods, even the creatures that would be mortal enemies otherwise could serve a singular purpose.

Even before the group reached the gates they started to open with a single maid waiting on the other side. The woman was very pale but otherwise had a very intelligent appearance with pitch-black hair tied in a bun and small glasses decorating her face. She waited for the group to approach her and then said.

"Empress Albedo is expecting you." she said, motioning for the group to follow her.

The imperial palace was just as impressive from the inside as it was from the outside.

The wide halls seemingly went on forever. The countless statues depicting the Gods and other pieces of art showed wealth beyond measure.

Even with the devotion she felt towards the Goddess, Acilia's nervousness grew with each minute. What if despite her willingness to give a sacrifice she was still rejected? What if the Goddess found her unworthy to be a servant?

'I must do this. I have to atone. Empress Albedo will show me mercy, she will show me the path forward.'

The moment of truth came quickly. The maid pushed open a large set of doors and let the group into the throne room. There were eight thrones total, with the biggest one in the center. The Goddess sat on one besides the central one with an unreadable expression. Besides the Goddess stood the six-winged angel with a gentle smile.

The maid walked closer and kneeled. The paladins took the cue and kneeled as well. Albedo looked at them. The lesser beings. But they had their worth as worshipers. Just how faithful they were only time would tell but for now; they had their uses.

"You all have come in hopes of getting forgiveness. Forgiveness can be bought only by actions. A tide of darkness is coming. You will fight under Nazarick's flag in Roble and protect your home in our name." Albedo said and turned her attention to the kneeling maid.

"Yuri Alpha, those who agree to fight will be led by you to the staging area. Remove the rest from the palace."

"It shall be done, my Empress." Yuri said, and stood up. The paladins stood up in unison and said as one. "We will carry out your will."

"Good. You may go. Acilia, stay."

'Let's see how willing to follow orders my new pet is.'

If nothing else, a fanatically loyal pet would provide some amusement. Her worth may grow over time but, for now, she was just a human, nothing more.

Acilia silently stood awaiting the order. The angel walked towards her with a knife in her hand. Seeing the sharp blade she gulped and mentally prepared for the pain, if such a thing was even possible.

The angel stood in front of her, carefully observing her for a moment and then produced a small flame in her plate-covered hand, heating up the dagger's blade. Acilia could feel the heat already. Once the blade was presented to her, she took it without hesitation.

With a trembling hand, she pulled her tongue out as far as she could and cut in with the searing blade, burning her lips in the process as well. The smell of burning flesh hit her nose just as the jolt of intense pain made her knees weak. Her hands let go of the dagger and the piece of the tongue, dropping both objects on the floor.

She looked at her Goddess while trying to breathe through her nose, smelling her own burned flesh. Was it enough? The Goddess twisted her face into a cruel smile.

"You surprise me, Acilia." Albedo said and then turned her attention to a column on her left. "Neia you can come out and join your mother's side."

Her daughter came into view. Despite the pain making it almost impossible to think, Acilia was happy to know Neia saw her willingness to atone. She couldn't express it in words and likely never would, but it didn't matter.

Neia stood beside her but didn't even acknowledge her existence. Empress Albedo looked at both with a satisfied expression saying, "Neia I trust you can take it from here?"

"Yes, Empress Albedo."

"Good. Eleleth, heal her."

'Heal? It was just a test?' A soothing light engulfed her as the tongue regrew in her mouth and the burned lips returned to their normal state.

As Acilia stood shocked, Neia quickly bowed and grabbed her by the arm pulling her out of the throne room. "Let's go."

Even if she wanted to resist, her daughter's iron grip and monstrous strength didn't leave any room for arguing.

"Neia… I… "

"Save it. I know what you did. It doesn't matter anymore. The Empress chose you as her Apostle."

Acilia stopped in her tracks "Wait!"

"What?" Neia asked impatiently.

"Did you just say I was chosen as an Apostle?"

"Yes. What do you think that test was for?"

"I thought that was my atonement for what I said to you and your father." Acilia said, looking her daughter in the eyes. Neia looked confused, uncertain.

"A simple apology would have been enough." she said with a sigh. "Now come; I will show you your quarters and explain your duties." Neia said, pulling on her mother's arm again.

"Neia, I am sorry. The faith had blinded me. I want to be better. For you and Pavel."

"Does dad even know you are here?"

"No, I didn't have a chance to see him."

"When you have time, write him a letter. I will deliver it myself, now we have to go."

"Are you in a hurry?"

"Yes. Something very bad is happening and all the Gods are meeting tomorrow. All of us Apostles will stand beside them. I have to make sure you are ready!"

Assuming a military mindset once again, Acilia quickened her pace to match Neia's. Her time to make up for her past mistakes would come, but now she had to assume the role entrusted to her. The Goddess had found her worthy of being an Apostle, and she was not about to waste this opportunity.

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The nervousness was palpable in the conference room. Ainz could not be more grateful for his emotional suppression at this moment. All of the Gods were present, with their Apostles standing by their side. Neia stood to his left with an uncertain expression, which she desperately tried to hide. Her fear was easy to understand, if a God said something bad was happening then there wasn't much elsewhere to turn for guidance.

The situation with the Slane Theocracy had turned out to be the disaster they feared. Ulbert sat near him with a stack of papers in front of him. Rearranging the piles and scribbling notes on them.

"Everyone is present, you may start." Ainz addressed Ulbert.

"Ahm, yes." Ulbert said, looking up and glancing around. "The situation in Slane was, as predicted, a complete disaster. Even with our best efforts, only about one point four million elves were saved. Luckily, Tabula's soul gatherers were filled to the brim with souls and at least that part didn't fuel the Great Old One's return. That said, I think we all felt that our efforts have failed and that thing has awoken."

None of the apostles knew about this creature of course and Ainz could see Renner covertly asking for permission to speak. With Ulbert's nod, she asked. "What is this Great Old One?"

"A very dark and terrible creature. A physical manifestation of a nightmare, if you will." Tabula said. Same as Ulbert, he had piled various notes in front of him and ached for a chance to explain. "The Great Old One was the original ruler of this world from times primordial. At some point in the past, it was pushed into a seemingly eternal slumber. Now he has accumulated enough souls and awakened to retake what was once his. The cre…"

"Tabula, get to the point!" Ulbert interrupted him. The brain eater gave him an annoyed glare.

"Fine. We are dealing with a godlike being that cannot be eradicated and wants to retake the world, plunging it into madness. Luckily, his greatest supporters in the form of the former Argland Council were killed. We should pay close attention to the dragons either way."

"If we can't kill him, what options do we have? Fight him for eternity?" Buku asked the question everyone present wanted an answer for.

The unease among the Apostles was only growing and Buku saw her friend trying to hold it together to not have a breakdown in front of everyone.

{ It will be okay. Take deep breaths and relax. We can do this. } She sent a message to the werewolf who was a step away from hyperventilating.

"For now we will have to. But there is an ally we can summon to help us find a solution." Tabula said, pushing forward a large scroll with a complex ritual inscribed on it.

"Please tell me it isn't that traveler!"

"Ulbert, how do you know about the travelers?" Tabula asked, leaning forward and eyeing his friend with suspicion.

"One visited us and as we found out he was behind many events including giving us the God roles. I think his name was Regoz." Ainz said. Tabula nervously shifted in his seat. Seeing his friend's nervous reaction, Ainz couldn't help but ask.

"You knew and didn't tell?"

"P-please understand there was no point in needlessly worrying anyone. If you talked with him you already know there isn't anything we can do. I didn't want anyone to be worried over a circumstance we cannot change."

"Don't worry. We are not holding it against you. Ulbert and I didn't tell others for the same reason. Let's return to your suggestion. Who is this ally you speak of?"

"Lilith. She is an Infernal Lord who offered to help us when the Great Old One awakens. It would take all of us to make her a suitable form to inhabit in our world."

'Another being we know nothing about.' If he was to approve of summoning another powerful being he needed to know more.

"Can we trust her?"

"I believe so. She was very adamant to help us and many of her sons and daughters are in our service."

Ainz scratched his skeletal chin with one finger, asking a follow-up question. "Are there any safeguards in case she turns on us?"

"She would not be capable of exerting her full power here and we could still kill her avatar if she decides to betray us, although I don't believe she would do so."

"We need all the help we can get. Is anyone against summoning Lilith?"

Without any voice of opposition, the matter was settled. "Tabula, you can make the preparations for the summoning."

The next topic was much more personal than some random powerful being agreeing to help. There were four million souls gathered from Slane and that meant four of their friends could be summoned in their full plate forms. Considering the current situation, summoning them as humans was not even an option.

"Speaking of summoning, who are we choosing this time?" Ainz asked everyone. He had his own picks of course but this wasn't just his choice to make.

"You said you wanted Punito?" Ulbert asked. Getting the guild's main strategist surely would help but beyond that, he knew what would be the other suggestion. Promising himself to not go on another tirade, Ulbert just awaited the dreaded suggestion.

"Yes. I also think we should get Touch Me and perhaps Warrior Takemikazuchi." Ainz said.

"Maybe Amanon as well. We could use a crafter." Peros chipped in.

"I would say Lucifer could be a decent choice. There is no one more suited for unconventional warfare than him." Ulbert suggested. He could practically see Ainz's skeletal face flinch at the suggestion.

"Are you sure about him?" Buku asked. The last thing she needed was someone to pull lethal pranks on unsuspecting soldiers.

"You remember how skilled he was at solving trap-based puzzles and making them himself."

"Yes, and most of them were made inside Nazarick with us to be their intended victims." Ainz said with a flat tone, remembering the spa incident.

"How about I keep an eye on Lucifer and the rest of you will keep Touch off my back?"

"So no one for Amanon?" Peros asked again.

"As much as I would like a crafter among us, we at this point do not have the means to fully replicate the best materials and data cores from Yggdrasil. He is a decent choice but right now we need those who can inflict the most damage on our enemies. Touch, Warrior, Punito and Lucifer would be excellent choices in that regard." Ainz said.

"I agree, as much as I wanted Yamaiko as well, those four are our best options." Buku said and then asked Tabula "When can we fill those soul gatherers again? Slane is not slowing down after all."

"Hard to tell. Once our friends are summoned I will try to activate them in a limited capacity. My guess is from weeks to months depending on how much the fabric of reality is destabilized." Tabula said as he started to scribble a formula on one of the papers in front of him with Nfirea looking over his shoulder with curiosity.

"In any case, start with summoning our friends and only then will we summon this Lilith. Ulbert, Buku, monitor the situation in the empire. If something we need to fight directly shows up, do not hesitate to call any of us for help."

The situation called for their direct involvement this time. They all have accepted their roles as Gods, and by all means, this world was theirs not only to rule over but to guard as well.

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As his friends left one by one with their respective Apostles, only he and Albedo remained in the conference room.

She gave a gentle smile touching his skeletal hand. "I will go see how Splendora is doing with her training, do not make me wait for too long."

"I won't, that is a promise." Despite everything, time spent with his family was needed even in this circumstance. Splendora would want to tell him every detail about how her training went.

As her wife departed with her new Apostle, Ainz was left alone with Neia. Sometimes he wondered about Eleleth's machinations, as it surely was an interesting choice to make Neia's mother the most devoted one to Albedo. He was well aware of how little his wife thought of humans in general.

"I assume you have questions." he addressed Neia who stood beside him.

"What is your will, master?"

"Neia, you can address me more casually when it's just us."

"I'm sorry. I am trying, master, but your presence is… I can't just speak casually."

Ainz chuckled in response. The divinity within him was manifesting much stronger lately. His poor Apostle could barely sit down in his presence, even if ordered to do so.

"It is fine, Neia. You will return home and help your father on the wall. Slane has sent their army towards Roble and it will arrive soon."

"I will do what I can, your imperial highness."

"I know you will. But the goal is not to hold the wall; you will take your father and retreat before the Theocracy's forces overwhelm the defenders. Despite everything, Roble is just an ally and Queen Calca needs to officially ask for our help. Only then will our armies be deployed."

"But many will die!" Neia exclaimed and immediately lowered her head. "I'm sorry for my outburst."

"It is only natural to worry about the people of your homeland, but for now they would deny our offer to help. They need to see who the real enemy is." Ainz said in a kind voice. The recent news and what the Apostles just heard could be a bit hard to process.

"Would their souls help bring new Gods?"

"If recent events didn't cause too much instability then yes. But rest assured, it is not the end of their existence, even if a large part of the soul is gone, they still can find afterlives." A partial truth but a necessary one at this moment. Ainz was not sure how well would Neia take the idea of reincarnation.

"Master, what should I do if my father refuses to leave the wall?" Neia asked.

"Remind him that I would not want my gift to be wasted in a pointless sacrifice in an unwinnable battle. Remember to show restraint yourself as well."

"Of course. I will practice caution, your imperial highness."

She had never seen it from such a perspective. For her or for her father to die foolishly would be an insult to the God who had given them both the power they now possessed. Armed with a newfound understanding, she left the conference room in high spirits.

There was one more thing to do before she teleported to the wall and met her father. A letter her mother was supposed to write.

'Once again, the Gods are solving my problems for me.' If not for the Empress' decision to take her mother as Apostle they would not be reunited any time soon.

Part of her didn't even want to believe that that was her mother, the same mother that scolded her for the smallest of things, one who rarely showed motherly love. Her life at home wasn't that much different from the time spent in boot camp training to become a paladin. It was always her father who let her have fun and spoiled her from time to time.

Her mother's quarters were near her own. With teleportation inside blocked, she at least memorized the general outline of the castle and could navigate it freely. Within a few minutes, she already reached the right door and after a moment of hesitation knocked.

Acilia opened the doors moments later. "Neia."

"I am going to the wall soon. Did you write the letter for father?"

"Yes. Come in." Acilia said, stepping aside and hoping that Neia would accept the offer. To her relief, it was the case as her daughter walked in. Quickly closing the door, she hurried over and picked up the sealed letter from the table, handing it to Neia.

"I already wrote it in the letter but please tell Pavel… your father that I am sorry for what I've said and done."

"I will."

"Thank you." Acilia said and hugged her daughter. It was something she had done far too rarely. Neia just stiffened up at the sudden expression of motherly love. Was her sudden change of attitude the result of her becoming the Apostle of Love and Family? At this point, it didn't even matter to Neia too much. Still, she found the sudden affection too weird to properly react to it.

After a moment of an awkward hug, Acilia let go of her and stepped back.

"I should get going."

"Neia...be careful."

'Be careful. Is that really all I have to say to her? She is my daughter and I can't even think of anything to say to her.'

"Don't worry, I will. I cannot waste my God's gift by foolishly dying." Neia said leaving her quarters.

'She is really trying. Why can't I just accept it?' Neia wondered. Of course, she had every right to be distant after her mother disowned her, but why then did her current desire to keep her mother at arm's length feel so wrong?

Putting her current predicament aside, she walked toward her own dwelling to pick up a few gifts she had prepared for her father. A war unlike any other was coming and the momentary peace was a blessing on its own.

Bonus Story - Time to relax.

It was always nice to relax at the spa. Ainz stretched out in the warm water letting out a content sigh. At least there was no worry of golems attacking again. One of Lucifer's infamous pranks was left unnoticed for far too long.

When Albedo and he decided to visit the spa together for the first time, one of the seemingly lifeless statues started to move and with Lucifer's voice exclaimed that their actions were inappropriate and promptly attacked them. If not for his elevated power levels, that fight would have been a hard one.

After a ruined evening and a lot of curses sent in the direction of the mischievous player, a thorough examination of the entire spa area revealed six additional statues with similar effects added to them.

'I will have to say a few words to him about that when he arrives.'

Not that it was the first time he fell for Lucifer's pranks. The worst one was when the devious fallen angel found a bug that could be exploited to get player avatars stuck in the wall. One moment he was walking in the hall and the next was him bening aptly stuck in the nearest wall with all his abilities disabled.

It took a lengthy exchange with GM to finally make them do their job and remove his avatar from the wall.

The arrival of Albedo took him out of the memory lane as she dropped the loose robe showing her beautiful body in all its glory. Ainz knew he could never grow tired of seeing his wife's perfectly proportioned form.

With a smile, she stepped into the bath and sat down next to him, letting out a sigh of contentment of her own.

"How is Splendora's training going?" Ainz asked.

"Cocytus can't praise her enough. She is growing to be a fearsome opponent for him. Demiurge took over after she grew tired of physical combat."

"Oh?"

"He is an excellent teacher."

"That's what I am afraid of."

"Don't worry my love, Demiurge is only teaching Splendora how to use the tier magic."

LIke that could ease his worries. She was monstrously strong after all. A child with the ability to cast a nuclear blast didn't sound like an idea he was willing to entertain.

{ Demiurge, for now, don't teach her overly destructive magic. }

{ Of course, Emperor Ainz. The first set of spells will be purely defensive and buffing ones. Highly destructive magic combined with her enthusiasm would lead to a less than desirable outcome. }

{ I am glad we understand each other. }

At least the archdemon had the sense to be careful about the spells he would let Splendora learn.

Albedo leaned into him while dozing off a bit. To prevent her from accidentally sliding under the water, he put his skeletal arm around her waist.

"Tired?"

"Mmm, yes a bit."

"You should sleep more often."

"But then we would have even less time together." she responded with a tired pout.

Ainz turned to look at her face. Albedo could barely hold her eyes open.

'For how long hasn't she slept?' Ainz wondered, trying to remember when she was last asleep. At least weeks had gone by. The ring of sustenance could only do so much as the mind would slowly tire out. Even he was faced with mental exhaustion from time to time, despite his undead nature.

With the water having a perfect temperature, he could let her sleep for a while like this. She, despite her own protests, deserved to rest as well.

Edited by Edgy.