Return to Nazarick

Dōji and Kiyomi went back to the Tomb in fast steps after getting the message from Albedo.

There wasn't anything more important at the moment.

When they reached the Tomb, Dōji immediately felt the difference. The Sentries were much more numerous than before they had left.

The moment Dōji stepped onto the first floor, he felt that none of Shalltear's subordinates were present.

"It seems Albedo already switched out all the people under Shalltear..."

Kiyomi heard the words and understood that all people under Shalltear were now under suspicion as well.

It made of course sense, as they couldn't risk anything in such a serious situation.

"Let's go down to Albedo..." Dōji didn't care too much and started to descend deeper into the Dungeon. His goal being the Throneroom.

Kiyomi followed silently behind him.

The two slowly made their way down to the 10th floor, different from Albedo and Mare, Dōji didn't have a ring of Ainz Ooal Gown, and truth be told he didn't want one right now either.

As he had no gate ability, it made no sense to get one in his opinion.

Walking along the long corridor on the 10th Floor, the two soon came to the entry to the throne room.

And stood inside the hexagonal room where the Gates of Lemegeton were placed.

Standing in front of the Gates, Dōji couldn't help but marvel at it, "I have to say, no matter how often I see it, it is again and again simply magnificent to look at."

Kiyomi on the side nodded, she as well had seen these Gates once before, when all the vassals had gathered to hear their Lord's new name.

"Anyway..." Walking up to the door, it opened by itself, Albedo of course should be able to know that he was on his way here, so it was natural that the door would open by itself once he reached this place.

"Let's see what's going on..." Walking through the now open gates, the Throneroom came into view of Dōji and Kiyomi.

But Dōji didn't care about its magnificence at the moment, he simply walked towards the person standing there beside the Throne.

Albedo was standing there and seemed to be waiting for someone.

'Probably waiting for Lord Ainz...'

"Yo Albedo..." Dōji spoke up while walking towards Albedo, who was standing beside the Throne.

"Hello Dōji, it is good that you are back early. I want you to prepare your armor..."

Before she could continue Dōji interrupted her with narrowed eyes, "Where is Lord Ainz?"

Albedo narrowed her eyes, "I have already informed Lord Ainz and am currently waiting for him to come here."

Dōji nodded and then continued after he reached the steps in front of the Throne, "Don't even think about sending someone after Shalltear for now."

Albedo's eyes went wide and a Wrath-filled Aura started to emanate from her as she questioned Dōji, "What are you talking?! Do you also want to betray..."

Dōji didn't care about the Aura she was emanating at all and simply said, "You may be the Guardian Overseer, but the one giving commands to us is Lord Ainz, not you."

Then his eyes narrowed at her and his own Aura burst out, "You have no right to prepare a unit to hunt down another Guardian when you don't even know what happened to the former."

The Aura's clashed in the Air and Albedo's was easily suppressed as he continued, "For now you should tell me how you concluded that Shalltear betrayed us instead of trying to get me to hunt her down!"

Albedo didn't care about her Aura being destroyed, she simply opened the system control unit and searched for the name Shalltear Bloodfallen.

Soon it was displayed, different from the others that were white, it was black.

Doji narrowed his eyes and asked, "And this means she betrayed Nazarick? Or could something else have happened like being mind controlled? Didn't we confirm that players like Lord Ainz have come here ahead of time, could they have brought a World Item with Brainwashing as effect? Or a Unique skill that only appears in this new World? What if we go after her and walk into a trap? Did you confirm her whereabouts?"

The questions rained down upon her one after another mad Albedo stunned and annoyed, She would love to retort against Dōji, but she couldn't. She had no answer to any of the Questions.

Seeing this Dōji took back his Aura and sat down on the ground taking his Guardbottle out.

*GuluGulu*

*GuluGulu*

*GuluGulu*

*GuluGulu*

He just started gulping down a lot of the wine, after finally taking the Guardbottle away from his mouth, he turned to Albedo and said.

"For now wait for Lord Ainz, he will know the meaning of the way Shalltear's name is displayed." He then beckoned to Kiyomi to sit down behind him.

"We will wait for Lord Ainz and then see what truly happened to Shalltear."

Suddenly remembering something he asked, "Did you recall the other Guardians? If not that would be a good beginning, especially for Sebas, he may know more. Didn't those two go out together?"

Albedo was already biting her lower lips with an absolute annoyance on her face, she still decided to call back the rest of the Guardians.

But before she could do so, a gate opened inside the Throneroom, and through it stepped the person the people were waiting for.

Ainz who came through the Gate was a bit stunned by the strange atmosphere in the Throneroom.

Dōji and Kiyomi stood up, before Dōji greeted Ainz, "Greetings Lord Ainz. I have fulfilled my information-gathering mission in the Empire already and have successfully brought back the traitor and placed her in Carne for now. Albedo informed me of Shalltear's betrayal."

Ainz nodded at Dōji, "You should talk with Demiurge about this information. Thank you for your head work Dōji."

Ainz then turned to Albedo, who also greeted him at this time.

"Greetings Lord Ainz, please allow me to gather our forces and lead an extermination mission against..." Albedo wasn't allowed to finish.

Ainz interrupted her, "Tell me, why do you think that Shalltear betrayed us? How do you come to such a conclusion."

Albedo was a bit taken aback, but obediently explained her reasons and Ainz checked it himself, but he fell silent after seeing the blackened name.

At this time Dōji asked, "Lord Ainz, could this have something to do with other players and World items? Or maybe a unique ability of this world?"

He paused for a moment and then continued, "I don't believe that Shalltear would betray you Lord Ainz.

The red orbs in Ainz's eyes flickered as he mumbled, "A world Item... a unique ability..."

He seemed lost in thought for a while before turning to Dōji, "This blackening of the name shows that one of you is controlled by an enemy force through mind control."

Albedo's eyes went wide, while Dōji nodded at himself and Kiyomi didn't even dare to look at Ainz right now.

Most likely because of her conduct in the Empire.

Dōji narrowed his eyes, but he didn't speak.

Ainz continued, "Albedo, do you have found Shalltear's current Location?"

Albedo shook her head, "No, Lord Ainz. I deeply apologize for my..."

Ainz waved his hand at her, "We will visit your elder sister first, Nigredo should be our best option to find Shalltear."

Then his gaze fell on Dōji, "Dōji, I want you to recall all the Guardians who are currently outside of Nazarick."

Dōji bowed his head, "As you command, Lord Ainz. I shall immediately contact all those who left Nazarick."

Ainz nodded at Doji and then turned to Albedo, "Albedo you will be coming with me."

"Yes Lord Ainz. As you order."

Ainz touched Albedo's shoulder and the two disappeared from the Throneroom after Ainz cast [Greater Teleportation].

After Ainz and Albedo disappeared, Dōji didn't speak for a while, gazing at the position where the two had disappeared.

He mumbled to himself, "What are you going to do now Ainz? Will I be sent after her or will you fight her yourself?"

Dōji knew that fighting and killing Shalltear, who was controlled through external influences was something absolutely necessary, this was something that couldn't be changed no matter what.

But he also understood that this was the moment where the player Momonga truly became Lord Ainz Ooal Gown and established a new Prestige among the Guardians.

As none of them believed that Lord Ainz could win against Shalltear.

He soon shook his head and took out a couple of scrolls from his inventory.

Dōji took one and opened it.

[Message] Sebas

"Sebas, Dōji here. I was ordered to call you and your company back to Nazarick immediately." after the Message spell connected, Dōji didn't give Sebas a chance to speak, before he gave Sebas the orders of Ainz.

"I understand Lord Dōji. I will make haste to immediately return to Nazarick."

"Good, and there is no need for the Lord Sebas. You can be counted as a Floor Guardian yourself, so don't bother with such formalities with me."

"I understand, goodbye Dōji."

"Goodbye Sebas."

After saying Goodbye, Dōji terminated the magic and took on the next scroll opening it.

[Message] Aura

Dōji wasn't as fast as Aura this time.

"Hey, who is contacting me? I'm on work duty for Lord..."

"Aura. Dōji here, I was ordered by Lord Ainz to call all of the Fllor Guardians currently outside of Nazarick back."

Aura was silent for a while and then continued seriously, "Okay I understand Dōji, I will take Mare with me and return as soon as possible."

"Thank you, then there is one less person in contact. See you later, Aura."

"No problem Dōji, see you then!"

He terminated the Message spell and then took out another scroll as he mumbled to himself, "Now comes the difficult one..."

Dōji opened the scroll and again cast the spell.

[Message] Demiurge

"Did something happen for me to be contacted outside of the planned schedule?"

"As perceptive as ever Demiurge."

"Oh Dōji? Did you already complete your investigation mission in the Empire?"

"Yes, I want to have an in-depth conversation about this with you in the future, but right now there are more important things."

Demiurge grew silent after hearing the second part, waiting for Dōji to continue.

"It seems that Shalltear Bloodfallen has been Mind Controlled. Lord Ainz asked me to call all Guardians of Nazarick, who are on duty outside, back to Nazarick..."

Silence. A long moment of Silence passed before Demiurge answered, the usual playful slyness in his voice completely gone.

"I understand Doji, I will make haste and come back as fast as possible."

Demiurge himself disconnected the connection right after speaking.

"Haaa..." letting out a long sigh, Dōji massaged his temples with both hands.

Kiyomi behind him suddenly spoke up, "My Lord... may I inquire as to why you only told Demiurge about the situation?"

"Because Demiurge would find something wrong in everything I tell him if it isn't the truth."

While speaking, Dōji took his Guardbottle and took another few sips...

.

.

.

5th Floor the Glacier

Ainz and Albedo appeared in the icy landscape of the 5th Floor.

Walking towards their destination, Ainz explained to Albedo what had happened in E-Rantel the day before.

"...and so we defeated the uprising of the Undead and were promoted to Mythril-rank."

Albedo beside him nodded, she seemed to be shivering from the cold in this hellish landscape as she only wore her regular white dress.

Seeing this Ainz decided to do something about it, 'This should be fine.' He took out a red cloak and hung it around Albedo.

"Take this Albedo."

"Thank you Lord Ainz!" Albedo squirmed and rubbed her body against the cloak and continued to mumble, "A gift... a gift from Lord Ainz..."

'I didn't say I would gift it to you now, did I?' but seeing the happiness dripping from her beautiful face, he couldn't bring himself to speak it out.

The two soon came to the place, which Ainz wanted to visit.

"The Frozen Prison..."

A Two-story building that looks similar to a house in fairy tales, though its surface is completely frozen, making its appearance rather bleak.

This was the place where Ainz Ooal Gown's enemies were locked here and it was guarded by Wraith-type undead monsters.

It was also the place where the men of the Sunlight Scripture ended up, being interrogated by one of the Area Guardians here, one of the "five worst" called Neuronist Painkiller.

"Let's go..." Ainz said as he entered the Prison, with Albedo following two steps behind him.

After entering, the two made their way straight towards a certain room but paused before entering.

Ainz turned to one side and took something out from a hidden place to the side, a small creature with an appearance similar to a baby.

After taking to baby Into his hands. Ainz and Albedo finally walked into the room.

Inside, what came into their view was a woman with hair similar to Albedo but even longer, dragging on the ground. She had beautiful eyes and teeth, but there were no lips whatsoever, only beautiful pearly teeth and no eyelids, only brightly shining eyes.

Her face had no skin whatsoever, showing the bare facial muscles, which normally lie beneath the skin.

The creepiest part was the whole atmosphere inside the room combined with how she held a baby doll, carefully cradling it.

'I still remember the first time I saw this scene, I, as well as the other guildmates were completely freaked out by her...'

Just as he thought about it, the woman, holding the baby suddenly threw it away wildly.

"This isn't my baby! Where is my Baby??!?!? Where is my Baby?!?!?"

She turned toward Ainz and Albedo who just entered, but the two didn't panic, even when the woman charged at them with her giant scissors in hand.

"Where is my Baby!?!?"

Just before reaching them, Ainz stretched out the hand holding the baby and spoke up.

"Here is your baby."

She suddenly stopped and looked at what Ainz was holding out to her, she soon took the baby carefully into her arms and then brought it to a cradle placed inside the room before turning toward the two at the entrance again.

"Oh Lord Momonga, little sister, since when have you been here?"