19 Re:Nazarick
(A/N: I know that for some that this 'arc' is getting slow and tedious. But, there is no need to worry. This is the FINAL chapter for Overlord: Season 1 before I move on to other things! This chapter is more of a wrap-up, so to speak. https://discord.gg/EKbWer23Un)
[Timeskip - 4 Days]
[Scene Change]
"Goodbye, Ordan Karris! Till we meet again!" Citrinitas turned his head to face Draudillion once more. The alchemist looked towards the upper half of the royal castle to where her voice came from. More specifically, an open window where he saw the Queen waving with both her arms in the air like her life depended on it.
'The Queen and her usual antics, huh? It's an unexpected, but welcome surprise. I mean, I certainly prefer her personality over other rulers that talk too much about politics or are drunk on greed. I'll have doppelgängers take the form of myself, Esdeath's and Shalltear's adventurer personas to complete quests here and there. So, it'll be roughly around a month before I see her again. Not like she'll know the difference between the real and the fake Ordan Karris.'
Citrinitas raised his hand slightly into the air and waved back before turning around and walking away from the royal castle.
'This trip has been useful and quite entertaining. Getting out of the Alchemy Lab was a needed change of pace. Exploring a part of Overlord which was briefly covered in the series was a thrilling experience. Furthermore, my handling of Esdeath and Shalltear was better compared to before. Well, I'm still worried about the atrocities they commit as a pastime along with their needy tendencies. However, I'm not locking myself in a lab for days on end because of it. At least not anymore…'
Once the was far away from the royal castle, and any other person for that matter, Citrinitas opened a [Gate] back to the entrance of Nazarick. Not before changing back to his typical outfit. Per usual with [Gate], Citrinitas walked through the opening in reality like nothing, leaving the Dragon Kingdom.
Not even a millisecond after the portal closed, Citrinitas was immediately jumped by two powerful forces. Those forces were none other than Esdeath and Shalltear, who were very eager to meet the alchemist after such a long time.
"CITRINITAS, I'VE MISSED YOU!!!" Both women shouted in unison as they attempted to latch onto the plague doctor like a parasite. "[Teleportation]." Citrinitas, with his quick thinking, teleported out of their reach before his soul was squeezed out of his body.
The troublesome duo, with nothing to cushion their jump, fell to the ground with a thud. "That's not fair, darling! We haven't seen you in what felt like years!" Shalltear pleaded as Esdeath nodded in agreement. 'It was like… less than a week. They overreact way too much. Blame it on the code…'
"Besides, Esdeath slept with you one more than me! I demand to sleep with you today!" "THAT'S BULLSHIT AND YOU KNOW IT, SHALLTEAR!" The ice Queen roared with fury at the vampire's statement. "I'LL RIP YOU DAMN JAW OFF YOUR FACE, BLUE BITCH!" Shalltear roared back.
The pair kept shouting profanities at one another with each insult being worst than the last. Citrinitas only watched from a safe distance off to the sidelines before he sighed deeply. 'Back to this, huh? And just when I thought they were somewhat getting along.'
"Ladies, can you please calm down?" By some miracle, Citrinitas' simple request actually made the duo stop arguing, albeit temporarily. "We're sorry for displeasing you, hubby." 'Hubby? This is a new nickname…' "We hope you can forgive us." They said simultaneously.
"And possibly use your fat cock to fuck my throat as a reward?" Esdeath quietly muttered to herself, which didn't go unnoticed by the vampire lolita.
"YOU BITCH! IF YOU WANNA CHOKE ON SOMETHING SO BADLY, I'LL GLADLY SHOVE MY SPUIT LANCE DOWN YOUR THROAT UNTIL IT COMES OUT YOUR ASS!!!" "YOU'RE SO FUCKING SHORT I DON'T THINK YOU COULD EVEN DO THAT!!!" "FUCK YOU!!!"
"I'm just going to pull a Demiurge and leave the two women to solve their own problems. I am not getting in the middle of that fight. [Gate]."
Quickly entering the purple portal, Citrinitas vanished from the entrance of Nazarick and back to his Alchemy Lab. "Home sweet home…" The alchemist said to himself, admiring the scenery of his domain. But, one thing that did catch Citrinitas' attention was that the lab was more active than usual.
'I wonder what all this commotion is about? It certainly isn't for the Lizardmen battle as that happens in around… 4 days if I remember correctly. I should just ask one of the acolytes.' Citrinitas didn't even need to call out to someone as Elaina came to greet the plague doctor. 'Speak of the devil…'
"Greetings, Lord Citrinitas," The witch greeted with politeness. "I hope your excursion to the Dragon Kingdom provided plenty of results." The alchemist only responded back in likeness. "Elaina, it's good to see the Head Acolyte after such a long time." Elaina only smiled from his words.
(A/N: I decided to start referring to the assistants that serve the Alchemy Lab as acolytes from now on. The reason for such a sudden change is quite simple, really. Acolyte just sounds cooler compared to assistants, lmfao)
'Elaina and Rimuru, huh? I wouldn't have expected them, along with Esdeath to be in Nazarick. I remember back in YGGDRASIL via Players that a few of my world's animes were popular in that dystopian shithole. Luckily for me, Peroronchino, Tabula and Blue Planet didn't alter the plot too much by adding more popular anime characters into Nazarick. Only those three.'
"Now tell me, why is the Alchemy Lab more active than usual? Not to condemn you for going beyond what was required. I'm just curious as I don't recall ordering you to do any of this." Elaina's facial expressions changed from that of worry to relief as Citrinitas spoke. "The Supreme One allowed Demiurge access to the lab in order to create more potent healing potions while you were away."
'Healing potions? I don't re- nevermind… it's probably for the Happy Farm.' Though Citrinitas was certain he knew the reason why Demiurge needed the potions, he wanted confirmation. "Am I right to assume they're for Demiurge's experiments?" He asked.
"Indeed, my Lord," Elaina spoke, verifying his thought. "Furthermore, Ikaria has been sent to aid Demiurge with his experiments in the Happy Farm by the will of the Supreme One. It'll be a few days before she's back here." The witch finished speaking, making Citrinitas temporary contemplate.
'Ikaria, hmm? That makes sense as she's the only acolyte that could go there without throwing up.' The alchemist mused before snapping back to reality. "One more question, where is the Supreme One, exactly?" Elaina was quick to respond. "I believe that he should be with Cocytus. Where exactly? I'm… not entirely sure as I only work for you. I'm sorry if this answer displeases you, my Lord."
'The salaryman's most likely in that fake base near the Lizardmen village. In that case, I'll just physically report to him like how I did when Shalltear got brainwashed. Regarding Demiurge… I'll just give him a written copy of what I'll say to Ainz. However, I'll have to talk to the demon too so I know what his new plans will be once he receives my report. That way, if something different happens compared to the plot, I won't be taken by surprise. I see this as an absolute win!'
"There is no need to apologize, Elaina. I'll figure out his whereabouts in no time. Regardless of that, I thank you for updating me on the current state of the Alchemy Lab. If there's anything else that is of interest, report to me. If not, you're free to continue your work."
"No, my Lord. That is all." The witch gave a slight bow for respect before attending to her duties. 'Welp, I'm glad that stuff is sorted out. In that case, I should visit the oblivious salaryman in that fake hut. Once that's done, I'll head back here, write a report, and have an acolyte deliver it to Demiurge.'
[Scene Change]
Ainz Ooal Gown sat in a rather exquisite chair within the Monument of Ruin, otherwise known as Fake Nazarick. Which, was located in the centre of the Great Forest of Tob. Though it was quite odd that such a beautiful seat was located within a simple cabin, the Guardians demanded that the Overlord could only sit on a throne worthy of a Supreme Being. Not a simple and plain wooden chair.
The skeleton tapped his boney finger repeatedly on the throne's armrest as he watched the actions of a certain lizard in a mirror in front of him. 'This should be a good enough test for Cocytus and to confirm some personal theories of mine regarding the NPCs.' Ainz thought deeply as he closed his non-existent eyes, unaware that a certain plague doctor appeared in front of him.
"Hello there." 'General Kenobi, hehe…'
'WHAT THE FUCK! WHERE DID CITRINITAS COME FROM?! I ALMOST HAD A HEART ATTACK AND I DON'T EVEN HAVE A HEART! HE'S SO SCARY! AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!'
"Umu, hello, Citrinitas. I see that you're back from your trip to the Dragon Kingdom. How was it?" The skeleton's regal and royal voice made it impossibly hard to discern any shock or worry he expressed in his mind.
"The excursion has been nothing but fruitful, my Lord. I, along with Esdeath and Shalltear, have accomplished many things regarding knowledge and theories in that region of the supercontinent. But most importantly, helping to set up your wonderful 10,000-Year Grand Plan." Ainz's jaw dropped.
"Umu, yes, my 10,000-Year Grand Plan! I'm very pleased that you're progressing my plan, Citrinitas!" Ainz repeated Citrinitas' last words, making it seem like he knew what he was talking about. The plague doctor, however, did his very best not to chuckle at the skeletons statements.
'This guy… does not know what he's talking about, haha! How in the 9 circles of hell does Ainz fool all the NPCs into thinking he isn't some idiot? I mean, I know the actual reason why. Ya know, lore and shit. But seeing this stuff transpire in real life is too good to be true, haha!'
"A-Anyways, fill me in on everything you've learned from the trip. I've heard quite a few rumours of a powerful adventurer team in that region coming to prominence. Are you sure you aren't attempting to steal the Dark Hero's thunder, hahaha!" The skeleton rhetorically asked before chuckling.
"Certainly not, my Lord. It's only due to the circumstances of the Dragon Kingdom that my adventurer team has more grand achievements compared to Darkness. In… around a month, the Grand Plan will fix that, hehehe…" Citrinitas' low laugh made Ainz's fictional skin shiver with fear.
"P-Please continue…" The plague doctor only nodded before giving his report. "We quickly established ourselves as powerful and mysterious adventurers. Due to this, we caught the attention of Queen Draudillion Oriculus, who wanted to thank me personally for protecting the nation from potentially losing another city." Ainz nodded as he processed the information.
"As a result of meeting the Queen, I was able to obtain the knowledge I sought out from the country. The piece of knowledge in question being held in this." Opening his inventory, Citrinitas pulled out what appeared to be a plain, hardcover book.
"Hmmm?" Ainz made a hum with his non-existent mouth as the book floated to his skeletal hand. "A book?" He said to himself, opening and quickly flickering the pages. "Not just any book, but a book on Wild Magic. While there were multiple books on the topic, I just composited all their contents to this one, singular book for efficiency." The sentence made Ainz ponder deeply.
"Wild Magic, huh?" Ainz murmured under his breath. "Definitely one of the mysteries that I would like uncovered. Citrinitas, could you kindly familiarise me with the topic? I have a few questions I'd like answered." Ainz asked politely, to which Citrinitas responded in kind. "Of course, my Lord."
"Do you think denizens of Nazarick can use Wild Magic to their advantage? Possibly even a substitute for Tier Magic in some regards? For example, using the magic system in a battle or crafting magical items?" Ainz questioned.
"With my current knowledge and understanding of things, only True Dragon Lords and their descendants can use Wild Magic. So as of now, the portion of the book that's filled with Wild Magic spells is useless." Ainz gave out what appeared to be the feeling of disappointment, though his plain skeletal face made it hard to confirm his actual emotions.
"Do not be alarmed, my Lord. I do have a couple of… theories that could possibly change that. Hypothetically, could a denizen of Nazarick use Wild Magic if I replaced their blood with that of a True Dragon Lord's? Perhaps transmute an organ or limb? Just a few out of many possible ideas that could combat the issue." The plague doctor concluded.
"Interesting… very interesting… the same process could have Nazarick denizens make use of Martial Arts and Talents too…" The Overlord mused, stroking his chin. "That is correct, my Lord. Your knowledge knows no bounds." Citrinitas made sure to compliment the salaryman every now and then to seem normal.
'I JUST POINTED OUT A SIMPLE OBSERVATION! NO NEED TO PRAISE ME LIKE THAT!!!'
"T-There is no need for the compliment, Citrinita-" The alchemist internally smirked. "Why of course there is, Lord Ainz. You're the last Supreme Being that stayed with his creations until the end. Your powers are unfathomable and your intellect is boundless. How are you not worthy of praise?"
Once more, Ainz's jaw dropped to the ground from the words that came out of Citrinitas' mouth. 'INTELLECT BOUNDLESS?! I DIDN'T EVEN GO TO MIDDLE SCHOOL!' While Ainz was overreacting, as usual, Citrinitas was laughing his ass off in his mind.
'Ahahahahah! Oh, how I wish I could read this guy's mind right now! I could never get tired of this!'
"A-Ahem!" Ainz faked a cough, doing his best to sound like he was clearing his throat. "Y-Your praise is well appreciated, Citrinitas. P-Putting that aside, can you go back to Wild Magic, please?" The plague doctor slightly bowed, showing compliance to the Overlord.
"Back to the topic of Wild Magic. The lost art, while it can do things Tier Magic can't in some regards, the whole system is inefficient unless you're a Dragon Lord. Unlike Tier Magic, which is powered by mana, Wild Magic is powered by the soul. Taking the Queen as an example, due to only being 1/8th of a True Dragon, the number of souls she has to sacrifice is not worth casting a spell."
"That's a shame…" Ainz slightly trailed off. "Though I am interested in what Wild Magic can do that Tier Magic can't. Nonetheless, I appreciate the information. I believe that Demiurge is working on some breeding experiments in the Abelion Hills and whatnot. If you need a True Dragon Lord to continue your research on Wild Magic, all you need to do is ask. I'm sure a dragon of that calibre would do wonders for the arch-devil as well as you. Setting that aside, I would love to read a written report on all your theories later on. Are there any other bits of information I should know of?"
'Demiurge and his Happy Farm… I'm gonna have to visit that place soon. How 'fantastic…''
"Other than Wild Magic, there is nothing else that warrants your attention, my Lord. Everything else regarding my excursion shall be on my report." Citrinitas summed up. Ainz raised his hand, levitating the Wild Magic book he held back to Citrinitas, who put it in his inventory once more.
'Being completely honest, thank god I don't have to continue with this report anymore. That shit gets annoying. I'll just add plot points onto the report like how World Items make you Immune to Wild Magic. Though for that statement, I'll just label it a theory as I have no actual proof of it. This along with whatever the hell is happening in the Sea City and that weird dolphin…'
"Very good, Citrinitas. I am pleased with your work." Ainz said as Citrinitas slightly bowed. "It is my pleasure serving you, my Lord." That was a slight lie. Though Citrinitas enjoyed being in Nazarick, he didn't really like having to act well-mannered all the time. It gets quite repetitive on occasions.
"[Teleportation]." The plague doctor vanished from thin air from the chant of a spell, leaving the Overlord alone on his luxurious throne once more. 'Ughhhhhhh…' The skeleton gave a deep sigh.
'Citrinitas is a scary person just like everyone else. Possibly even scarier due to his elusive nature. Though I think I managed well in the end. The plague doctor doesn't seem to suspect I'm some incompetent fool. Wait… what if… he already knows that and is just acting?! AHHHHHHHHHH!!!'
[Scene Change]
"You know, you really should marry that young Queen from the Dragon Kingdom, little Jir." Said an old man, adorned in robes of riches. His name was Fluder Paradyne, one of only four humanoid outliers on the entire supercontinent.
"Old man," Called out a little Jir, who was otherwise known as Jircniv Rune Farlord El Nix. The Emperor of the Baharuth Empire. "How many times have I told you that I'm not interested in some child?" Fluder only scoffed at the Emperor's words.
"I know, I know. It's just that… have you read the recent reports?" Jircniv gave a sly glance at the old man before popping a grape in his mouth. "Is this about that new adventurer team, Hope, that's stationed in the country?"
"Precisely, little Jir." Fluder confirmed. "Apparently, the leader of Hope, Ordan Karris can use 5th Tier Magic! Isn't that amazing?!" The Emperor's facial expression stayed neutral though internally, gears were turning. "That IS amazing. But my point still stands. There is no point in marrying her."
"Think about this carefully, little Jir," Fluder started. "5th Tier Magic is such a rare commodity! Only my most skilled acolytes can get up to 4th Tier! Think about the potential Ordan has for the Empire! Re-Estize would fall to ruin with the both of us!" The old man did his best to sound convincing.
"I know your antics and schemes, old man." Jircniv couldn't help but smile at Fluders attempts of persuasion. "You're just trying to get access to the Queen's unique bloodline with her ability to use Primal Magic, huh? Furthermore, you just want to make the adventurer your student. I know your games and you can't fool me, haha!" The Emperor laughed as Fluder grumbled.
"Fine," The old man sighed. "But, you cannot dismiss the fact that this adventurer and his team are extremely powerful." Jircniv couldn't help but agree with the statement. "You're right on that part. Though I don't plan on marrying the Queen, I do plan to rope Hope to our sides. Their power would greatly aid us in Baharuth's military."
Jircniv popped a grape in his mouth again before speaking. "With time, Ordan Karris will serve the Baharuth Empire. And when that happens, our country would be nevermore glorious…"
Next Chapter: If You're Happy & You Know It (Say Happy Farm)
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(A/N: Quite a short chapter, I know. Anyways, how has the story been so far? I know the early chapters were a bore as I pretty much copy/pasted Yellowness and that isn't something I'm proud of. Despite that, you've stuck through and helped me improve and I appreciate that! What do you think will happen next? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!)
