7 A Lesson in Torture

[Narrators POV]

Thousand Leagues Astrologer, A girl with short, very light brown hair and orange eyes. She wore a female school uniform and purple framed glasses. Usually, she was a bubbly and uplifting person. Someone that can bring life into any group of friends just by talking. However, right now, she was afraid and shivering in fear.

She was assigned by Raymond Zarg Lauransan, the Cardinal of Earth, to watch over the Sunlight Scripture. It was supposed to be a simple task. Observe that Nigun successfully accomplished his task in killing the Warrior Captain of Re-Estize, Gazef Stronoff.

However, something unforeseen happened. She wasn't able to spectate Nigun's mission. She tried using magic to bypass whatever blocked her. But, it was no use. No matter what information prying spell she cast, the invisible wall didn't budge.

Before she was cut off from watching, she caught a glimpse of three unknown beings. One clad in black armour, another with a large frame covered in robes and a smiling mask. However, it was the last one that put her off. Astrologer couldn't help but feel … off. The feeling was comparable to how you know you're being watched in the dark.

She could never forget those dark robes, those dark feathers, the mask and top hat and eyes. Those white, glowing eyes. Every time Astrologer thought of them, she couldn't help but shiver. 'So mysterious … so ominous … so hypnotic …' Astrologer thought. It felt as if her soul was being judged.

It wasn't until a few minutes of failures when Astrologer could finally view what happened. To say she was shocked would have been an understatement. The whole Sunlight Scripture was … gone. One moment, they were about to kill Gazef. The next, they vanished with Gazef being saved.

She could only presume a fight occurred and that the Scripture lost. However, no evidence said otherwise. There were no holes in the ground nor bloodstains. She tried detection magic but that was no use. 'Beings that can evade my 4th tier magic? By the Six Great Gods …' She thought. Her prying wasn't useless though, she was able to catch the names of who the beings were.

The woman clad in black was Albedo. The ominous figure was Citrinitas. The last one, presumably the master or boss, was Ainz Ooal Gown. "Whoever they are … those beings are a danger to humanity. The Cardinals aren't going to like this." Astrologer said to herself, exiting her room.

'Ahh, and there's the issue of Zesshi Zetsumei. I wonder if her attention is caught by these … mysterious outsiders.' Astrologer could only wonder. 'If by some chance that either this Citrinitas or Ainz Ooal Gown is stronger … she's going to chase them to the ends of the Earth. Wanting either of them to impregnate her or something.' Astrologer sighed, heading to the office of the Cardinals to report her findings.

[Scene Change]

[Citrinitas's POV]

I, with the aid of the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown, teleported back to my lab. More specifically my room. It was probably the only place in Nazarick where I can take off my mask and act like myself. Putting my mask on the desk, I sighed before jumping into a modern swivel chair. 'Ahh, I have to thank [Create Greater Item] for this.' I thought, moving around the room on the chair.

"I accomplished quite a lot today. Tried out more magic, killed some things to test out passives and gave a teddy bear to a girl." I said to myself, turning my attention to other thoughts and ideas that crossed my mind during my time in Carne Village.

Firstly were the slight personality changes I noticed. When I used [Poison of Ouroboros], a powerful 8th tier spell, the soldier suffered a terrible fate. Of course, I didn't know to what extent how the spell would react to a living being. I only knew that it was a powerful damage over time spell that could only be removed by a similar power spell. That's what the spell description on the book said anyway.

I was fine with killing people in my previous life. But there was a difference between a gunshot wound and seeing someone bleed from their eyes, mouth, ears, nose and puke their innards at the same time. I'm sure if I saw that in my previous life, I would have PTSD. Not here though.

Just like Ainz when he killed the soldier with [Grasp Heart], I felt indifferent. Nay, a small part of me in the back of my head enjoyed his suffering. 'Tabula didn't write in my lore that I'm some sort of sadist, right? Maybe I 'enjoyed' the guy dying because he was going to hurt someone innocent?' I pondered. 'Only time will tell what my personality is. Right now, I still have my feelings and emotions. At least I'm no monster.' I thought.

That brought up the next issue, my emotions. When I finally got control over my body, my emotions were all over the place. But the most prevalent emotions included caution and fear. Out of all anime and light novels in my previous life, Overlord was by far the most entertaining and captivating.

The characters, their personality and interactions. Let's not forget the lore and world-building. If I wasn't fighting a war or hanging out with some friends, I would be reading the light novel online while eating breakfast.

So, when the fictional world became real, of course, I freaked out. Most beings here are sadistic, monstrous and care little for human life. Beings that can break every bone in your body and go back to eating their lunch.

However, as time passed, I slowly became more comfortable around some of the inhuman NPCs. Hell, I even said to my 'sister' Albedo: "Just because they are human, doesn't mean they are parasites." I didn't have the balls to say that on the first day. Knowing full well that she hates humans. However, I will still do my best to avoid Shalltear

It could be that whatever Tabula put in my flavour text is subconsciously affecting me. It could be my -500 karma value or job classes. Maybe a mix of all three. I have no fucking clue. Maybe that since I had a past life, my old personality and flavour text is slowly blending together, just like Ainz in the show. That too is another possibility.

That could explain why people act the way they do around me. When I handed Enri the [Lesser Health Potion], her eyes were filled with fear. 'Maybe it was a passive of mine?' I thought. 'No … it could be that my character has a natural aura similar to Ainz. Everyone thinks of him to be some royal and all-knowing figure just by a glance and an exchange of a few words.'

'When the sisters and the Slane Theocracy soldiers met me, they were unsettled and hesitant. If I have such a natural aura of that calibre, how can I be an adventurer?' I pondered. 'Maybe pull an Ainz and be some mysterious hero from a far off land? That could work considering I was made to be mysterious.' I concluded, getting off from my swivel chair.

"I guess I should start with that 'report' Ainz wanted me to make." I said to myself, going to a shelf to get some paper and a pen. 'I'll just write out what I know so far. Maybe add a few extra bits of useful or speculative information.'

Writing the report was quite easy. I just wrote about how Martial Arts are only available to new world denizens and the use of low tiered spells. Of course, since Carne Village was only my first outing, I could only write so much. Nothing about Fluder Paradyne as I'm not aware of him. Nor, the use of wild magic and the dragon lords. For now, that will be a secret only I shall know and will reveal when the time is right.

I gave the report to the first assistant that I found, Elaina, before reading another book related to alchemy. I wasn't aware of how long I was reading for. It could have been minutes or, it could have been hours. Either way, one of my maids stopped me from reading to inform me of something.

"Uhmm … l-lord Citrinitas." Rimuru interrupted me, talking rather meekly similar to Mare. "Hmm? Yes?" I simply replied, getting back into character. Rimuru's cheeks slightly blushed. 'Either the world has anime-like elements. Or, the chick has a crush on me. Probably both.' I concluded.

"Well …" Rimuru hesitated before finally talking. "Lady Esdeath wishes to see you." Rimuru finished, adding a slight bow in the end. The mention of the name didn't make me shiver out of fear. Unlike a few days ago, though my heartbeat increased slightly, I was mostly calm.

'What could she want with me?' I thought. 'She is in love with me. Could it be … a date? No, it couldn't be.' "Where is she now and what does she want?" I asked. I was curious but Rimuru seemed to think that my voice was filled with annoyance.

"W-w-w-well … she is on the 5th floor. As for what she wanted … I do not know. She kept that piece of information away from me." Rimuru said in a hurry. 'That just enforces the idea of me having some natural ominous aura. This is gonna be annoying. I need to figure out a way to turn that off.'

'I guess I don't have a choice. Besides, it would be a good idea to get a gist of what Esdeath is like. Who knows what Blue Planet put in her bio. It could be totally different from her Akame Ga Kill counterpart. If that's the case, I overreacted for nothing and acted like a fool.' I considered different possibilities before coming to a decision.

"Alright. I'll be heading to the 5th floor right now. I'm not doing anything of importance anyway." I said to Rimuru, she bowed and left me to my own devices. 'Thankfully, I have the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown. If not, I wouldn't be able to teleport anywhere and have to go to the floor manually.' I thought, internally smiling at the gift my 'creator' left me.

Like before, I went to the door of the alchemy room. However, I instantly casted the 10th tier spell [Gate] to the 5th floor. A purple swirl opened and expanded to my size for me to enter. I walked through the gate without hesitation as the scene around me changed.

The place was an icy barren landscape filled with snow. The place seemed huge with the surrounding hills littered all over the place. Shards of ice were a frequent sight as well. Some seemed to be by themselves while others were in clusters of different sizes.

In the distance, I could make out a building with two floors. In simple words, the building reminded me of a grand mansion. In reality, it was the Frozen Prison. The prison's finer details were covered in snow and ice, making the building more bleak and eerie.

'That must be the building Nigredo and Neuronist Painkill inhabit. Nigredo controls the upper portion while Neuronist controls the underground. I'll stay away from that place for now.' I concluded, walking and wandering around the area for a short while.

Despite the place looking colder than the Antarctic tundra, I didn't feel an ounce of cold on any part of my body. 'Either the gear I'm wearing has some magic enhancements. Or, I have some immunity to harsh temperatures. Either way, this is fucking awesome. I won't sweat in super hot places or shiver in cold ones.' I concluded, happy with the new realization.

I continued to wander around the frozen area when a voice called out to me. "Citrinitas! You're finally here!" The feminine voice called out. I turned to where my name was called out and was met with Esdeath standing on a snowy hill.

She wore her typical costume. A white general outfit that made her curved body stand out more. It contrasted my black clothes and robes. She was giving a warm smile, contrasting her cold nature. She waved and gestured for me to go in her direction.

'This doesn't seem so bad. But, what the hell does she want from me?' I wondered. "[Fly]." I casted the 3rd tier spell, quickly arriving at the ice queen's location, softly landing in front of her but keeping some distance.

"Esdeath. It is a pleasure to meet you." I said with politeness. Esdeath slightly gasped, as if her heart skipped a beat. "It's a pleasure to meet you too, beloved. I'm glad you came. I thought you would … ignore me and focus on your alchemical studies." She said, turning away slightly.

'Ignore her? Ohh, I understand what she means.' I realized. As an area guardian, I have special privileges. I can choose to listen and/or follow the orders of floor guardians. Even if I were based on the 7th floor, Demiurge can't order me around.

Only the Overseer Albedo and Ainz himself can order me around. Though most area guardians listen and follow orders of floor guardians out of respect, I kept to myself to keep the image of what my character is supposed to be.

Thinking about it now, I definitely overreacted. 'Demiurge can't just order me to be flayed alive. I guess whatever is in my lore is helping me see new angles and viewpoints on things. It has only been 4 days since I've regained freedom yet, my mind is being affected. I wonder how long until I succumb to whatever monster I was intended to be.' I thought.

"Well … with recent events, I have been forced to stay in my alchemy lab. Doing tests on each potion to see if the transportation affected the alchemy process." I said. Esdeath seemed to understand my situation, looking back at me. "Well …" She started to rub her thighs together. "I'm glad you answered my call. As your fiancée … we should spend more time together." Esdeath said, reaching for my hand and holding it.

"I don't recall being engaged." I stated. "Mou, it's because you stay in that lab of yours, silly. Your creator, lord Tabula Smaragdina, along with my creator, lord Blue Planet decided for us to be engaged!" Esdeath exclaimed, now using my arm as some sort of cuddle pillow and rubbing her cheeks on my arm.

'That explains it.' I thought. 'Hey, if the chick isn't like her Akame Ga Kill counterpart, I am perfectly fine being engaged to this beauty.' I concluded. "I don't remember much from the time. However, lord Tabula and lord Blue Planet met up and said something along the lines: "Suck it, Peroronchino!" Ahh, how I couldn't stop smiling for days!" Esdeath exclaimed.

"Uh-huh." I said, slightly surprised by the story. "Of course, that beautiful face of yours under that mask will attract the attention of other … women. That vampire whore!" She said as her smile and joy instantly turned cold as her voice filled with anger. 'Maybe she's just jealous? I'll give her the benefit of the doubt.' I thought.

"However, as long as you make me your first wife and don't flirt with that flat vampire, I'm perfectly fine with you having other women. Though, I'd prefer if I'd have you all by myself." Esdeath said, in a rather seductive voice. She crossed her arms to emphasize her already exposed breasts.

'Well, I can't leave now, can I? Let's just go with the flow and hope for the best.' Deciding to let fate guide me, I stayed. "Let's cut to the chase." I said. "Why did you bring me all the way from my alchemy lab to here?" My voice sounded both soothing yet filled with anger and annoyance.

'Ahh, I love it when my beloved is harsh. So strong and manly.' Esdeath thought. "Ahem," She cleared her voice before speaking. "A date." She stated. "A date?" I questioned. "Indeed, my beloved. As I want to spend more time with you, a date is the best option! I read it from a book in Ashurbanipal."

"Ok, and what are we going to do on this … date?" I asked, curious as to what Esdeath would say. 'I've never been on an actual date in my past life. The girls in high school just wanted me for my looks and were pretty much assholes.' I remembered my past life for a bit before focusing on the present.

"Why torture the people you fought in Carne Village, of course!" Esdeath said with cheer and glee. 'I fucking knew it. The girl is a crazy psycho! I can't torture people! Well … I've never tried in this new body of mine. I know I can handle gruesome deaths from killing the soldier but … actively inflicting pain to gain information? I'm not sure.'

"Why not go on a more … normal date? Eating food or watching a movie?" I offered. Esdeath pouted at the words. "But honey, I wanna spend time with just you! I don't want anyone interrupting our date!" She retorted, now giving puppy eyes. 'This is such a pain.' I thought.

With reluctance, I sighed before agreeing to Esdeaths 'date.' Her mood instantly cheered before ripping off my mask and suffocating my face in her boobs. 'What the fuck? Why is she so strong?!' I tried pulling away but I didn't budge one bit. 'Her physical attack must be higher than mine.' I concluded.

"[Teleportation]." I used the 5th tier spell to escape the grip of the ice queen. The human and sex-deprived part of me wanted to stay like that forever. However, I must keep my composure and facade as a mysterious NPC. Therefore, I teleported out of her grasp.

Esdeath sighed before regaining her composure. "Well, if you'll follow me, I'll lead you to where we will have our date and spend our time together." She said, acting more mature and noble-like. I put my mask back on before closely following behind her. We had small talk before arriving at the mansion I previously saw when arriving on the 5th floor.

Instead of heading into the visible building itself where Nigredo was stationed, we entered a secret compartment that led to the basement of the prison. 'So this is the Chamber of Truths, huh? I wonder if the existence of Esdeath negated the existence of Neuronist Painkill. Nazarick had a limited NPC level cap, after all.' I wondered at the thought as I looked around the prison.

The main portion of the prison was mostly dark. Only lit up by flaming torches and candles. The floor had an odd but unique pattern that reminded me of waves at sea. The pillars were no different and had a similar pattern. Chains, gates and metal bars were commonplace. Chains hung from walls to pillars. Both for the use of decoration and cuffs.

The prison cells themselves varied. Most were empty and filled with the typical items. Chains, torture devices of all shapes and sizes. I wouldn't be surprised if there's an entire warehouse filled with torture devices somewhere in the place.

"This is your domain, huh?" I asked, looking around the area. "Indeed. Are you impressed?" Esdeath asked, as she softly gripped my gloved hands. 'Lowkey, I'm petrified.' "It's alright. It reminds me of my alchemy lab in a way. The lighting and all." I replied. "Really? You should bring me to your lab sometime in the future." Esdeath said.

She stopped, turned to her right, and leaned closer to where my ear would be if it wasn't covered by my mask. "Maybe … we could spend some time in your room, kufufufufu." Esdeath blushed red as her breath grew hot. 'I'm not as scared as I use to be. However, never stick your dick in crazy!' I thought, keeping my composure.

"Who knows." I replied rather ambiguously. We continued to walk for a few more minutes. The place was bigger than initially thought. But, we finally arrived at one particular cell. Esdeath opened the gate as we entered.

I was met with a blonde man held by chains bolted to the wall behind him. His arms stretched out with his legs slightly separated. His position reminded me of a jumping jack where you move your arms and legs outwards. Of course, he was naked with a metal bar strapped to his mouth.

"I believe that this is the Captain of that Scripture you fought a few hours ago. He hasn't woken up yet since the fight. I wanted you … us to personally torture him as a way of bonding together." Esdeath said, slightly blushing from the sentence. 'I wanna go back to Shalltear. Never mind, she is also crazy. Can I have a less insane woman as a love interest?'

There was nothing notable about the man. Except he had a micropenis. That I did find funny. "You don't have any assistants here?" I asked, curious to see if my existence removed Neuronist Painkill from Nazarick. "Indeed. It is just me. I could summon assistants, which I will later to torture the other soldiers. Other than that, this is my domain as co-guardian of the 5th floor." Esdeath replied.

"Well … we better wake the guy up." I said. Esdeath agreed, walking up to the man and slapping his cheek with a force so hard it could have broken a brick. Nigun instantly jolted awake, attempting to break free. I saw his eyes look around frantically, noticing the restraints and then myself.

Nigun tried to scream but the bar in his mouth didn't allow that. "Hello, Nigun." I said. My voice sounded ominous, making every hair in his body freeze up. "I wanna play a game." I stated, continuing to act in character in front of Esdeath. "To keep it simple, we have questions that you have answers to. You can choose to answer them. However ..."

I walked up to a tray that held multiple torture devices. "If you don't want to answer us or, lie … there will be consequences." I said, showing the device in my hand. A small stick that was rounded at the end. Just big enough to fit into the urethra. Covered around the end were sharp spikes that could easily rip flesh.

"What will it be, Nigun? Spill your knowledge, or face eternal suffering?"

(A/N: Look, I'm out of pre-stocked chapters. This is because I have school work to do. Being a high school freshman sucks. 2 novel studies, 2 math tests in a week and a medical studies project. If you're on Webnovel, drop a review or a nice comment and maybe some power stones? If on Wattpad, vote and leave a nice comment to decrease my sadness xD)