Lucy Heartfilia

Demiurge once again sighed as he sat rubbing his forehead with David seated across from looking a bit awkward. Was this perhaps what it felt like to be an uncle who just found out his Niece got knocked up by some punk from the streets? Maybe that was taking the analogy a bit far since there was certainly no guarantee that she got pregnant just from that one time, and it wasn't as if Demiurge had that strong of feelings towards Lupisregina or David that, that particular setup was entirely applicable. "David... you said that Lupisregena scratched you but then cast healing and lesser restoration on you, right? That should protect you from becoming a werewolf at the very least, but I'm a bit more concerned about the potential damage you may have done to her in the not so distant future."

David awkwardly poked his fingers together with a blush on his cheeks. "Well... I sort of figured there might be some sort of magic that might prevent that sort of thing from happening? Or maybe Lupisregina would have let me pull out before that happened."

Obviously he was wrong on both accounts since Yggdrasil did not support 18+ content, and birth control magic was not something the developers of the game would have supported. Demiurge wouldn't know about such details, but he did know that there was no such thing as birth control magic in Nazarick. "At first I must say I was quite furious with both of you, but it did at least confirm a certain hypothesis I was loathe to experiment with. The act of conceiving life within the sacred halls of Nazarick shouldn't be an issue between its denizens and those outside its walls. We already knew it was fine to have denizens who were not originally of Nazarick to perform such activities within its walls, but Nazarick has specific parameters that might have been endangered by the addition of offspring of the supreme beings creations."

David looked at Demiurge as if he was growing a second head and the demon sighed again with an adjustment of his glasses. "In simple terms, the addition of a baby might have disrupted the delicate balance of forces within Nazarick and destroyed us all."

That got David's eyes to widen with shock and a slight bit of fear. "You're kidding right? How the hell would someone getting pregnant cause all that!?"

"I tried to explain it to you in the simplest manner I could, but your eyes glazed over and you seemed to ignore me. Obviously you weren't a very skilled student if you had a formal education." Demiurge's words made David flush with just a hint of withheld anger, but he held his tongue because the demon wasn't wrong per se. It wasn't that he was a bad student, it's just that he rarely took an interest in topics he thought were boring.

"Since we've safely ruled out that possibility, let's move on to the matter of your wellbeing. Lord Ainz has instructed me to look after you to make sure that you don't get yourself maimed or killed, and you leaping into the arms of one of the most predatory women in Nazarick does not exactly make that job easy for me. You're lucky she was being as gentle as possible with you, otherwise you likely would have broken most of the bones in your body as the least of your problems." David had laughed at this statement at first, but Demiurge's glare silenced David's humor and he gulped nervously.

"I don't know if I'd exactly call that gentle. She did scratch me up quite a bit before that healing spell, and then tied a ribbon around my-" Demiurge held up a hand with a hint of disgust on his face. "Spare me the sorted details! And believe me, for Lupisregina that is incredibly gentle. She's the sort of woman who tortures humans for fun, much like her sister Solution. I wouldn't even be surprised if she would have eaten you alive and screaming if given the permission to do so."

He had hoped these words would have woken David up and put fear into his heart, but much to his amazement it seemed to put a dreamy look on the bard's face. "Really? She'd eat me alive? Damn that's... uh... terrible?" It seemed he realized just how he was coming off at the last second and tried not to look like some sort of pervert, but he missed that boat by about a mile. It did give Demiurge a plethora of ideas he could implement in the not so distant future with the impulsive bard.

"Interesting..." Demiurge said as he adjusted his glasses and looked at David in a slightly different light much to the bard's apparent dismay. "David, you're aware that resurrection exists in this world are you not? Lord Ainz has forbidden me from letting you experiment with it in your current state since your body would crumble to dust, but if you were willing to undergo some training we could let Lupisregina eat you if that is something you're interested in experiencing."

David's face paled and he looked a bit nervously at Demiurge while pulling the collar of his shirt as if it was choking him. "I... appreciate the offer? But I'm not exactly that keen on dying so horrifically. I may be slightly masochistic but not so much that I would actively want to die just so that I could be torn to shreds. Maybe if there was a way I could be swallowed whole and painlessly digested?"

Demiurge stroked his chin in thought at David's request since he knew that was entirely possible with Solution Epsilon. "How about this then? If you were willing to experiment with resurrection, Lord Ainz might be willing to give you anything you desire in return. He has nearly the assets of the entire world at his disposal, so anything you desire would likely be a trivial matter to grant you. This experiment is potentially the most important experiment in all of Nazarick, as it pertains to the possibility of resurrecting our lord since he also hails from Earth."

David's eyes widened and he thought carefully about Demiurge's suggestion. He couldn't exactly tell the demon that Ainz was human on Earth and since he's in his Yggdrasil avatar the rules might be different. At the same time it would probably give all of Nazarick great peace of mind if they thought their lord could be resurrected? He was certainly torn on the possibilities, but the biggest fear was what if it really didn't work for him? That would be an incredibly big gamble to take. Was he really willing to die with so much more he wanted to do in life? Then Ainz's words echoed in his mind, Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

"I'll do it. I'll get strong enough so that you'll be able to resurrect me, and then I can prove to all of Nazarick that I am completely loyal to Ainz and all of you." Demiurge was surprised by the determination in David's voice, it was not the words of an impulsive decision without considering the consequences which is what he might expect from David thanks to his tryst with Lupisregina. Had he perhaps underestimated David? He had to admit he had a certain grudging respect for the young man if he really was as loyal as he claimed to be.

"Then we should get started as soon as possible. What weapon do you believe you would most like to train with using?"

---

"You what!?" Ainz was in shock when he heard what David was requesting with Demiurge at his side.

"I want to be trained to become strong enough to withstand resurrection, so we can test if I can be brought back. I figure coming here was kind of a fluke in the first place, so if I'm going to die someday anyways, I may as well put my life to good use right?" Ainz had heard him right the first time but he still couldn't believe it. David had only been in Nazarick for a week, and he was already willing to die for it?

"Demiurge... did you put him up to this?" The glowing red points of light in his sockets turned towards the demon who merely shook his head.

"No my lord, I merely told him that if he wished to be eaten alive by one of our predatory maids that enjoys human flesh, he would need to be strong enough to survive resurrection. It was from there that he asked about the nature of resurrection and then proceeded to volunteer for the experiment." Ainz had several questions, many of which he did not actually want the answer to. He was afraid to know just what kind of freaky kinks this young man may have! His guild mates were bad enough, but David seemed like he may have a few screws loose if being eaten was on his bucket list.

"I see... Then let me ask you something David. You are aiming to make the ultimate sacrifice with the knowledge that you may not come back. What do you hope to gain from this? What goal do you have in mind that you're willing to risk your life like this?" To Ainz... David was one of the closest thing he had to one of his old friends besides the NPCs. He was a human who'd come from Earth and knew about him and everyone else. He didn't want to lose that but at the same time he wanted to respect his wish.

David was giving Ainz a smile that seemed almost wholesome. "Honestly? There's a ton of reasons. I'm hoping it will put your guardians a bit more at ease if my resurrection means there's a decent chance of yours. I would like to be able to fight for Nazarick and I doubt enemies will hesitate to try killing me just because I'm playing music. I would also like that as a reward you find a tropical island you can claim and build a beach resort with a portal to connect it just outside Nazarick. I want to take you, the floor guardians, the maids, pretty much everyone on a fun summer vacation!"

---

He was going to die. It was the fate of all living things to die but this was far sooner than David had asked for! His training with Demiurge was like diving headfirst into hell and he hadn't ceased having regrets the entire time! He ran until his lungs burned, he swung his large ungainly weapon again, and again in monotonous repititions! He endured unspeakable agony as his flesh was torn off his body! He was certain he was going to die, and yet every time he came close he felt a healing touch wash over him.

"Hmm... better. You might be able to last against a few skeletons now." Demiurge stopped a timer he held in his hand as David finished running his laps in full gear. The bard just whimpered as he collapsed to the floor, the scythe shaft falling on top of him. Ah yes, the scythe. David had thought that would be the ultimate edgy weapon for a bard working in the great underground tomb of Nazarick. Little did he know that this infernal weapon was so cumbersome and obnoxious to learn!

"Do stop being so mellow dramatic, you haven't even reached a level where resurrection won't turn you to dust. You have quite a ways to go before your training is marginally sufficient." The demon seemed to lack any mercy or empathy for him while they were training. As David took several deep gasping breaths on the floor, he asked Demiurge a question that had been bothering him for a while now.

"Demiurge... how the hell do you know what my body is capable of handling so well? Don't get me wrong, as a personal trainer you leave a lot to be desired! Yet somehow you always know when I'm on the verge of death?" The uncanny smile that found its way onto Demiurge's face chilled David to the bone.

"It's quite simple really. Not only can I see how much life force you have within you, I have had *extensive* practice with seeing the bounds of human limitations. You asked me for the fastest way to get your body sturdy enough to withstand resurrection, and I have been doing exactly that. You can quit any time you like, but then all your effort thus far will have been for nothing." David was fairly certain Demiurge was lying to him about several things. He doubted that skinning him had served any purpose than satisfying Demiurge's morbid curiosity about the kind of spell scrolls an Earth human could make, and testing David's threshold for pain. Fortunately it had been done quickly enough that it wasn't the worst experience that ever happened to him... unfortunately it meant that he had experienced worse while enduring Demiurge's wondrous twenty four hour training program.

"Just remember, if I'm not strong enough after following your instructions to the letter, your soul is mine!" That was the contract Demiurge had made with David. He was so certain in his methods that Demiurge was willing to offer David his soul and thus his undying loyalty if he failed. That was why he put up with the agony of having himself skinned alive, and running himself ragged for the demon. He knew no matter how bad it was, Demiurge wasn't allowed to cause him permanent harm, or kill him, and this would only last twenty four hours. It might make for the worst day of his life but he would prove to everyone just how loyal he truly was! He just... wanted to curl up in a ball nd cry for a little bit.

"Well then David, now that I have you alone... What part of Earth are you from exactly?" Ainz had brought David to his own private quarters, which he hadn't used as much as he used to with the takeover of E-rantel. He had let David take a seat at his desk since humans were bound to tire eventually unlike the undead, so he could stand with little difficulty.

"Oh I'm from the United States, I was the manager of a fast food restaurant before coming here because of how messed up our society can be." Ainz just stared at him blankly which seemed par for the course for an undead entity to a certain degree, but Ainz had no idea what he was talking about. The United States? Didn't that country fall apart over a century ago? He probably wouldn't make up something that stupid if he was trying to simply bluff him, so what was going on?

"The... United States? Of America?" He had to confirm that's what he meant, because perhaps he was referring to one of those small democratic republics that popped up now and then, but David nodded confirming Ainz's question. David then seemed to realize that Ainz didn't seem to believe everything he was saying, so he cleared his throat trying to explain.

"Well... for starters I feel like I should tell you that my Earth might be... quite a bit different than your own? As I understand it you're from the year 2208 or something?" This statement of David's baffled Ainz, because he had assumed anyone from Earth would be from his Earth! How could the guy have gotten the year wrong by nearly a hundred years?! Did he really come from over a century ago?! How the hell would he know about Nazarick like that?! What the hell was going on?!

"2138 actually... am I to understand that you're from some time before 2020?" That was the time of the fall of the United States if he remembered his history lessons correctly. Something about a civil war that broke out during some sort of pandemic? He suddenly wished he'd learned his history lessons just a little bit better.

"2022 actually." Now Ainz was... utterly baffled, and he felt the need to sit down on his bed before all these revelations made him just reel from shock. Thankfully his emotion suppressor was able to kick in again, and that allowed him to start thinking things through a bit more clearly.

"Hmm... I have a theory, but in order to confirm it, could you tell me everything you know about Nazarick? And this world?" So David explained the full extent of the Overlord anime as he remembered it, even explaining that in his world that he learned all of this from an anime called Overlord. He talked about Ainz's days as Momonga, Hero Hero's goodbye and the final moments of the Yggdrasil server, his rescue of Carne Village to repay his debt to Touch me, he even explained the details Ainz didn't know about, like Clementine's former involvement with the Slane Theocracy's black scripture, Shalltear confronting the black scripture and their use of the world item Downfall of Castle and Country, and how Shalltear had managed to kill the one who used the world item on her before she could be given any orders.

"Hold on a moment, are you telling me that all this time it was that damned theocracy that had mind controlled Shalltear!?" David's face blanched as he saw Ainz's anger swell to a peak he had yet to witness in person. Again the emotion inhibitor kicked in and Ainz shook his head. "Forgive me, we've been searching for years and I think I've left the theocracy to its own devices too long. Make no mistake, if this is true Nazarick will be preparing for war. But please, continue."

As David did continue, Ainz was left still rather... baffled by everything he was hearing. His life here had been turned into an anime in David's world? It did sort of confirm a very far fetched theory he once heard from Tabula, but Tabula was pretty well known for his love of the occult and rather bizarre concepts. Every detail David shared that Ainz was aware of, was completely accurate, even small little comments he hadn't even remembered, that came rushing back to him with certain amounts of cringing embarrassment, like moments such as using Shalltear as a chair. He had no idea that this anime would focus so heavily on the lives of his enemies like the daily life of the lizardmen, the workers who'd invaded Nazarick, the daily life of the Blue Rose adventurers, even some of the hero worship of Albedo and Demiurge when he wasn't there to hear what they were thinking of 'his' plans. It was a lot to digest, and Ainz urged David to keep going, saving the rest of his questions until he finished going over the events of this anime.

"I was going to be a bit more skeptical about whether the information about my enemies was actually correct, since our versions of Earth seem to differ so greatly, but every bit of information you've shared that I do know about has been on point. There are certainly gaps in your knowledge, but that's likely because they'd have been deemed as not very interesting. Now to explain the theory I had... it has to do with the nature of parallel universes. Tabula and I once discussed this, and he was the one to suggest the theory that if there is an infinite number of possibilities, it is possible that every story that was ever told is its own parallel universe, and that those who tell those stories are actually channeling the parallel universe rather than having imagined it on their own. That could explain why your anime has described the events that transpired here so accurately." David himself seemed a bit skeptical about that theory, but he didn't really seem to have any better theories to offer. He was here after all.

"I had rather hoped you might have been able to tell me if one of my friends was in this world, but it seems like that might still be a far-fetched hope on my part. Judging from what you've told me about the Slane Theocracy and the Platinum dragon lord, the players that came here from Yggdrasil in the past were from centuries ago as I had suspected. The fact that you know about my origins and as much as you do know about my old friends means that you have quite a lot of sensitive information in your head that I would not like to have leave this room. I could kill you, or erase your memories to ensure this, but you have done me an immense favor by sharing this information with me, and I do not like to repay kindness with cruelty." David had paled considerably when Ainz had casually suggested that he could kill him, but seemed to relax again when Ainz mentioned that he didn't want to do that.

"Since I don't want to kill you, let me see if I can bribe you. As you are well aware, I have an entire kingdom that I manage so I'd like to hear what you would wish for most from me if I were to offer you anything your heart desired." Ainz watched David carefully, judging just how greedy his new acquaintance might decide to be if given free reign to do so. He never promised he'd give him anything his heart desired, he simply implied that he would give it to him as a way of saying thank you and to shut him up. If he were going to ask to be made the second in command and be allowed to do anything he wished with Nazarick, Ainz very well might decide he simply wasn't worth the trouble and erase his memories of Nazarick. It would be a pity to waste such potential, but he did not want to deal with an over-ambitious or greedy fool. He had promised David's safety back in the throne room, and David was still from Earth, so he definitely didn't want to kill him even if he might suggest it. There was no way in the world Ainz expected to hear the words that came out of David's mouth.

"Well for starters, I'd like you to start up a romantic relationship with Albedo."

"..."

Ainz jaw just dropped, the shock causing his emotion suppressor to kick in again and he eventually rubbed his skeletal hand against his head with a pained expression. He really had over-estimated this guy's ambition! Seriously?! The first thing he asked for when he was offered anything was that?! Did he know that Ainz was testing him? Or... "Did she... put you up to this as some sort of condition for your survival? Because I can promise you, I won't let her hold you to that!"

David shook his head with a grin at the Overlord's flustered look. "No, I just think that it's the right thing for you to do. You altered her so that she is in love with you, so I feel it is only appropriate that you take responsibility for that. She's incapable of not having feelings for you, so the only thing you're doing by not letting her pursue those feelings is leaving both of you unsatisfied. You obviously liked her enough to make the silly change in the first place, even if you thought it was just something for fun before the servers shut down. Why run away from those feelings she has?"

Ainz facepalmed, feeling as though he was the one being grilled here, when he had originally intended to gauge David's intentions and motivations! "The fact that I was the one that put those feelings inside of her just makes it worse, doesn't it? I was being a fool with impulsive desires, and I overwrote Tabula's carefully constructed characterization!"

"I don't know if that was a very carefully constructed bit of characterization you decided to overwrite, and then you should also think about the other members of Nazarick and how they feel about you. Do you really think that it's impossible Albedo wouldn't have feelings for you even if you hadn't written them in there yourself? Her feelings are just that much stronger because of what you did, and she would likely be a lot friendlier to everyone around her with you as her romantic partner. Also I think that if Tabula knew you were thrown into another world all by yourself, without any of your family or friends from Ainz Ooal Gown, he probably wouldn't mind if you fell in love with and found happiness in his creation. He might even be flattered!" Ainz let out a groan, burying his face in his bed sheets since he knew that he could act this way in front of David without losing face with him.

"David, the fact that I made her be in love with me... and then to act on that by... it would be almost akin to rape!" Ainz wasn't looking very ruler like from his position with his face down in the bedsheets, but he supposed this was the first time in forever he had been able to relax and be his true self.

David just shook his head with a disapproving look that Ainz couldn't see. "Hardly. You hadn't changed her settings knowing this would happen, and if anything she's the one who's tried to rape you once isn't she?" Ainz groaned because a lot of what David was saying made sense, but this was an issue he still wanted to run away from!

"I believe I may have forgotten to mention this with all the other things I've mentioned, but Albedo can't even ride her Bicorn because she is a virgin. Her feelings for you make her incapable of betraying you by sleeping with someone else, so she is actually weakened by the alteration you've made to her until you act upon it. She's too ashamed to bring this information to you herself, because she didn't want you to do it just out of pity. Think about it, the poor girl is a succubus who is incapable of doing what a succubus is supposed to do!" This time Ainz did stop to consider David's words much more carefully, because strengthening Nazarick was one of his top priorities.

"I suppose that everything you've said does make some sense, but it still feels like I'd be crossing a line that I shouldn't. Also in case you haven't noticed, I'm undead. How exactly do you expect me to have sex with her so that she's not a virgin?" David simply shrugged, which caused Ainz to facepalm again at how stupid he felt this conversation was.

"Why not let her worry about that? She and Demiurge are quite clever, and he's been doing all sorts of research into that very concept. Why not ask them if they have any solutions that won't cause you any permanent harm or alterations? Also I don't think Albedo minds very much about the state of your body if the time she almost raped you is any indication." Ainz felt like his emotional suppression was working in overtime with the amount of embarrassment this conversation kept piling on him.

"Alright already, enough! Give me some time to think about it. Surely that can't be your only wish, right?" If it was, he really had to wonder what kind of crazy anime fan this guy was! Was he one of those crazy shut in Otakus? Why else would he be so obsessed with the relationship of two people he thought were fictional before today?

"Well I'd love to be able to play that Lyre of yours some more, but you'll probably need me to be in a safe environment to do that right? That's not really on the top of my list, but it kind of pertains to part of what I'd love to do I think. Really when I was on Earth my dream was to be a rock star, but as you might be familiar with, that's not a very easy profession to get your talents recognized. Now that I'm here and I'm talking with the ruler of probably the most powerful nation in the world, my dream hasn't really changed very much, it's just that I can more likely make it come true. I'd love to be able to just perform my music for you guys, and maybe live here in Nazarick if you don't mind lending me a room. I promise I'll try to work hard for you, if you're worried I'll just be some sort of free loader!" Ainz never ceased to be amazed by this guy. Rock stars were sort of a relic of a bygone age in his world, but if he was being honest? David's 'dream' worked out perfectly for his own plans! He had been this close to keeping him locked up in Nazarick no matter what he said, and David just saved him the trouble of looking like the bad guy by asking to stay! Okay, play it cool Ainz.

"An intriguing proposal. And what would you expect your daily life to be like in Nazarick? Many of those that work and live here don't have much of a concept of time off. You're only human, so I would not want to force you to follow such a rigid lifestyle." This time David seemed to stroke his chin in thought, as if he hadn't entirely considered that far ahead.

"Well I imagine that I'd likely be put to work trying to help you manage some of the administrative duties that comes with running your kingdom. You're low on trusted personnel who can handle all the paperwork that is likely to be piling up, and if I'm going to be asking you to pursue a romantic relationship with Albedo that will mean she'll have less time to work on all her administrative duties. When I'm not working on paperwork, I suppose I'll have time to try to work on my music, and then besides that I might have free time to explore the various facilities on these floors like the spa. Maybe I could even befriend some of the NPCs here, or even start to train myself to become stronger so that I can help Nazarick on the front lines when the time comes for that war. I don't know how much good my music can do in combat, but I suspect that Lyre isn't just for the sake of flashy musical numbers. I think I remember you starting up a training facility in E-rantel, so maybe I could visit that, or perhaps you could set up something similar in the upper floors of Nazarick if you're worried about my well being? Personally I'd be a bit worried that any training your subordinates would try to give me might be too much for me to handle, but maybe the lizardmen could help train me in combat?" If Ainz had thought David hadn't thought far enough ahead, he apparently was sorely mistaken, because David was thinking pretty far ahead! He was already thinking of things Ainz himself had been debating, since the guy seemed like he'd probably die the minute someone stabbed him. He was such a twig of a person, he kind of wondered if he even bothered to eat regularly.

"You do realize that in order to do paperwork you would need to be able to read and write the writings of this world, right?" David slumped in his chair slightly, that thought having apparently slipped his mind.

"Perhaps we can impose on princess Renner to teach you, so that you can be of some assistance. I believe that might be a worthwhile investment, even if it means that we'll be eating up some of her time to help us with administrative paperwork. As for your combat training? I think it might be beneficial for you to consider discarding your humanity to become a different race from Yggdrasil. You may feel free to take your time to consider it, and I will leave you with some options to choose from, but your human body is quite limited. It looks like you didn't take very good care of your physical fitness, so your singing voice and your mind are some of the only things that body of yours has going for it. Both of which you'd retain if you were to change your species to one from Yggdrasil, as you've seen with princess Renner." David seemed rather excited by the prospect of changing species, which took Ainz a little by surprise, but perhaps David realized his own physical shortcomings and wanted to take a shortcut? He'd find out it wasn't so much a shortcut as just changing his physiology so that it would be possible to get stronger through training than his frail human body could.

"Could I be a doppelganger?! Then I could transform into anyone right?" Oh... was that why he was excited? Was this some sort of long lived fantasy of his? To be able to transform into others? Well it certainly wasn't something that could happen on Earth, so he could understand the appeal...

"That... might be possible. Doppelgangers tend to have certain weaknesses to balance out their transformation capacity, but I suppose as a bard you'd already have certain weaknesses anyways. Just bear in mind that if you do learn to transform into other forms, you won't have the same strength of the being you transformed into. I might be able to have Pandora's actor educate you on the ins and outs of being a doppelganger if you have your heart set on it. Narberal isn't exactly a good example of your typical doppelganger, so I doubt you'd have much luck learning anything from her. For the time being I think it will be best for you to learn the ins and outs of living in Nazarick, so I will ask Albedo who she'd like to have give you a tour. You've given me much to think about, so I will be busy for a while." David nodded, standing up as he sensed from Ainz's words that he was finished talking with him. Their conversation had been rather long, since David had to explain everything he knew about the Overlord Anime, and he was starting to get a bit hungry.

"Thank you Ainz, and please don't forget to think about Albedo. I know you find it embarrassing, but she is your second in command, and her happiness greatly effects how productive your entire kingdom will be." Ainz simply sighed as he lead David back to the throne room, where everyone was still waiting for them. Nazarick was still on high alert, and the throne room was where the Pleiades, Sebas, and Albedo were often assigned for a siege against Nazarick. It seemed he was going to have to face the consequences of Albedo's infatuation much sooner than he'd hoped with David pestering him to make a move, and just looking at Albedo now made him feel nervous. She was so gorgeous! He'd been playing the part of a supreme overlord for a while, but that didn't mean he was any good with women! Aw man... why couldn't David have just been someone who didn't care about his love life?

Lord Ainz? The message spell rang in his head, and he instinctively put a hand to his head to receive it, signaling David to wait for him with his other hand.

Shalltear? Were you able to find anything?

No milord. I've been exceptionally thorough, but there's not a trace. Whatever brought this human to Nazarick either didn't use magic that can be detected, or they covered their tracks so carefully that it's impossible to trace. Ainz inwardly sighed at Shalltear's words, disappointed but not surprised.

It seems that is one mystery we have yet to resolve. On another note, this human has been able to provide as with a plethora of valuable information, one piece that I think you may find quite interesting. It seems that you managed to slay the one that took over your mind before she could give you orders.

She!? You mean we know their identity now!? Shalltear's voice sounded almost beside itself with emotion.

Indeed, it was a woman from a sect of the Slane theocracy. Not only that, but it seems you were able to ascertain the fact that you were about to come under her control, and fought against it long enough to slay her. Shalltear, I know that you felt you had failed Nazarick when you learned of this mind control you'd fallen under, but I want you to know I am immensely proud of you. You not only fought someone who used a world class item on you, you arguably won against them too! If we had known the full details of all that had transpired, I would have likely rewarded your efforts rather than punished you. Shalltear, I cannot change what has already been done, but I want you to know I'm sorry, and that I always believed in you.

There was silence from Shalltear's end for a moment or two, and then it was evident it was because she'd been crying. Oh Lord Ainz! My beloved lord Ainz! You're much too good to me! I am hardly worthy of such praise from you, but thank you so much! Thank this human for me too! I swear to you that when the time comes, I will wreak terrible vengeance upon the theocracy!

Hearing Shalltear's response made Ainz smile, glad to hear Shalltear being able to look at that troubling event positively now. The other guardians and she herself had been quite hard on her for turning against them, but he'd known all along the fault was not hers. He only agreed to punishing her to give her some means of closure, but now he felt he could give her genuine closure in the knowledge that she fought valiantly for Nazarick. She would definitely be able to fulfill that vow she made, because Ainz was going to do far worse to the theocracy than he'd done to Re-Estize!

Why don't you come thank him yourself? He will be staying with us in Nazarick full time as a new member. I'm telling you first, that I'd like everyone to treat him as a treasured and trusted companion. He is quite weak, so please be sure to be very gentle with him.

Of course milord! I will treat him with the utmost courtesy if that is your wish, and spread the word.

Satisfied with the results of that conversation, he made his way back to the throne with David following him, up until Ainz was within a few feet of the throne. The young man was quick to pick up on the fact that he shouldn't come too close to the throne unless summoned. Ainz had to learn quite a few of the nuances of royal courts mostly through spying on the empire. With David patiently waiting off to the side, Ainz made his announcement.

"Albedo, David has provided us with a treasure trove of invaluable information, and his musical talents will be quite useful to us in the near future. Furthermore he has pledged himself to our cause, and shall be living here in Nazarick as a trusted ally. Henceforth he shall be known as David, the bard of Nazarick!"

"As you wish my lord, it shall be done. I will instruct everyone who is not present that David is now a trusted member of Nazarick." Albedo kneeled to Ainz with the others following suit, including David who wasn't exactly sure if he was supposed to stand or not. That poor guy was probably going to really struggle fitting in, but maybe after the first few days he'd adapt? Ainz was glad he at least had someone he didn't have to be a supreme overlord with in private! Which reminded him... It pretty much was David's only request, so he could at least try...

"And Albedo? ... Try to schedule in some time later for the two of us to have a... date." He was facepalming at the sheer awkwardness of his delivery, but Albedo looked like she was going to explode with joy.

"OF COURSE MY LORD! If you like I could put something together for us right now! We don't have to wait if you'd like to spend time with me, that takes precedence over anything else! If you want to just skip the date and take me to your bed chambers, that's fine too! Is there anything you'd like me to wear for our date? I could make something new if-" Albedo's wings were flapping wildly, and she looked like she was going to be hyperventilating in a matter of moments, which made Ainz wave his arms wildly.

"Calm down Albedo! Like I said, later! We need to see David is settled in, there's some preparations to be made for the coming war against the Slane Theocracy, and you have your own duties that I'd like to see done first!" Albedo pouted trying her best to look utterly adorable, which even affected Ainz undead heart, and then David spoke up.

"If I may interject? I believe Lord Ainz may also be trying to set the mood with anticipation. Your date will be all the more meaningful if you have to wait a little while for it, and this way there will be more time to plan something special." This seemed to perk Albedo back up, and Ainz was starting to gain another level of appreciation for David. Like Demiurge and Albedo, he seemed to have a knack for interpreting his actions to others to be more meaningful than they really were. Truth was he had no idea what he was doing when it came to women, so he was glad David at least seemed to... or maybe that was just specific to Albedo? He'd definitely have to have Demiurge discreetly keep an eye on him, just in case.

"It is as David says. So please be patient Albedo."

"Of course my lord! The fact that you would go to such lengths just for me?! AHH! It fills my heart with such joy!"

---

David sighed as he was escorted out of the throne room by Sebas for his tour of the lower floors. He felt bad because there were a few secrets he was still keeping even from Ainz. He hadn't told Ainz how the poor Emperor of Baharuth really felt about him, or how Lupusregina Beta had been hoping Carne Village would burn. Some of those things he suspected Ainz already might know about, and bringing them up would just make things worse. But perhaps the most controversial thing of all? He had not told Ainz the true identity of the sheep Demiurge had on his farm.

There were a number of reasons for this, like he did not want to create a splinter between Ainz and his most trusted advisor, and he didn't want to get on Demiurge's bad side. The most important reason of all was that he wanted to give Demiurge a chance before telling Ainz. Ainz didn't mind using criminals or captured enemies for any number of purposes, but the people Demiurge had originally kidnapped were innocent citizens of the holy kingdom. He wasn't just skinning them for spell parchment, he was feeding them to one another, and letting them get raped by monsters to try to experiment with breeding humans and other species.

If he told Ainz the full truth, he wasn't sure if he'd be entirely believed, and he wasn't sure what sort of punishments might await Demiurge. Despite Demiurge's sheer evil and cruelty for those outside of Nazarick, it was simply how he was made to be, and David had an almost grudging respect for that sort of evil creativity. So he wanted to give Demiurge the chance to clean up his 'farms' before he told Ainz about them. Perhaps there was also a guilty part of David that was morbidly curious to see with his own eyes if it really was as bad as all that.

David was a masochistic man, so he had kinks that actually lined up with some of the more sadistic tendencies of those in Nazarick. Perhaps a part of him had wanted to see Demiurge's farms before they were shut down, so he could imagine what it was like to be trapped there. He shuddered at the very thought as he walked down the hall, and Sebas turned to him astutely.

"Are you alright young David?" He was certainly the kindest of the fighters in Nazarick as far as David was concerned, and he couldn't help but smile at the old butler.

"Yes, thank you Sebas. You know, the way you referred to me just now reminds me... have you had a chance to meet with Climb yet?"

"Ah, you're familiar with young Climb too are you? Yes, I had the opportunity to meet him in the Re-estize capital, but have not had the chance to speak with him since he and Renner joined Nazarick. He's still recovering from his resurrection, and subsequent transformation into a demon like Renner." David was surprised to hear that, because he thought the fall of Re-Estize wasn't quite that recent, but perhaps Renner was keeping him locked up in her room? Well there'd be time to talk with him about it later if he did get those reading and writing lessons from Renner.

"Sebas... Did you hear what had happened to Brain?" David wasn't sure if he should bring it up since Sebas had befriended the swordsman along with Climb, but Sebas surprised him by his solemn nod.

"Cocytus had informed me of how he faced an honorable human warrior by the name of Brain Unglaus in the capital, and had wanted to know more about him. War brings with it many such tragedies, where former friends become enemies. I had suspected something like this might happen when master Ainz declared his intentions, and that was why I wanted him to listen to Nigredo and Pestonya's concerns. In his mercy, he agreed to let many more humans live than he originally planned, but Brain was not willing to let Ghazef's death go so lightly. I suspect there was no way to avoid the confrontation that ended his life." It took David a moment to remember Albedo's sister and the dog headed maid to understand the full context. There was quite a bit of wisdom in what Sebas had just said, but hearing it still made his heart ache.

"But... couldn't we still resurrect him? He was your friend! And Climb's too! You even said that one day you'd repay the kindness he showed you!" Much to David's surprise, Sebas patted his head in an almost fatherly way.

"And I did just that David. Who do you think suggested Princess Renner to Demiurge? Why do you think Renner hired Brain? I had hoped that with his connection to Renner, he could eventually come to join Nazarick in the end, but it simply wasn't meant to be. As for resurrection? Do you think he'd really accept after everything that's happened? The spirit must be willing to return to the world of the living, even with the most potent magic." David's shoulders slumped, because it just felt like such a tragic waste.

"Well... he might if you and Climb asked him to?" That made Sebas pause, to stroke his beard in thought.

"Yes, I suppose he might if the two of us were by his side, and urging him to return to us. However I do not know if he would be willing to join Nazarick the way Climb was. Climb's absolute loyalty is to Renner, while Brain was a very troubled man who had to reevaluate his life. He was a man ready to die the night we parted, and I'm uncertain if he could bring himself to join the man that slew the man he respected most." David once again deflated at Sebas' solid arguments, and seeing this Sebas gave him another reassuring pat on the head. "But it's still something to consider. Cocytus preserved Brain's body in ice, so it should still be possible. Perhaps with young Climb's help, we might be able to convince Brain after all."

David felt a wave of warmth wash over him at Sebas' words, and he even surprised the old butler by giving him a hug. "Thanks Sebas!"

Sebas seemed rather baffled by the sudden show of affection, since he didn't really know David that well, but his master had instructed him to treat him like a trusted ally, so he just continued to pat the teenager's head. "I could see that Brain's fate, and the friendship we had shared, and subsequently lost was bothering you, so I'm glad to see my words have reassured you in some way. From everything I have seen of you David, you're an exceptionally compassionate young man, so I believe you will be a rather positive influence in Nazarick."

David blushed, withdrawing from his impulsive hug and flailing his arms a little. "Oh no, no! I'm not that compassionate! I just-"

"David. I know you were the one to make the master agree to date Albedo." Sebas had cut David off with insight that managed to baffle David.

"How did-"

"It was rather obvious David. The only thing that changed between today and yesterday between our master and Albedo is your arrival here. Albedo has been trying to suppress her feelings for years, and the Master has been lonely for even longer without the other supreme beings. I believe that the two of them pursuing this relationship will be a good thing for everyone, and I believe it takes a very compassionate person to care enough to try to give them the push that you did. If you combine that with your song being something that could touch the hearts and minds of all of Nazarick, and your concern for Climb and Brain? I can only conclude that you're a very compassionate young man." David had no way to refute Sebas' words no matter how embarrassing they were, so he just stood there dumbfounded.

"Now I believe you mentioned to Master Ainz that you were hungry? It is lunch hour for many of the maids in Nazarick, so if you go through those doors you should be able to help yourself to whatever you like. However, if you would prefer to dine with me and Tsuare? I wouldn't mind." David was once again dumbfounded, and also just a bit honored. It probably was a rare opportunity to spend time with the head butler but...

"I'm really honored Sebas! I'd love to join you two but... I also have really wanted to try out the different foods here, and meet more of Nazarick's residents. May I ask for a rain check on that invitation?" Much to David's relief, Sebas smiled and nodded.

"Of course young David. The offer remains open. Simply ask any member of Nazarick where to find me if you wish to dine with us on another day at this time." David instinctively checked his wrist, but forgot he no longer had a watch.

"Heh... I'll certainly need to find a way to keep track of time with all your busy schedules. Thank you again Sebas!"

David was certainly feeling nervous as Albedo lead him through a portal to the more civilized portion of the great underground tomb of Nazarick. In many ways the lower most floors could be compared to an elegant royal palace combined with the modern comforts and conveniences of a shopping mall. One might be baffled that this place would house so many different shopping centers when they were confined to an underground tomb, but the great underground tomb of Nazarick could be considered its own small community. There were so many residents in Nazarick from the player and guild crafted npcs like Albedo, to the summoned swarm minions, to hired magical mercenaries, and even a few new inhabitants from this world like Princess Renner, that all of these places still saw use. Rather than an exchange of coin or currency, products and services were given to those who worked and lived here as part of their benefits to simply living here. They did not work because they were paid to do so (although perhaps some of them initially did), they worked because they wanted to serve the greater glory of Ainz Ooal Gown.

Perhaps that is what made David so nervous to be walking down these halls towards the throne room. He had rather different motivations, and yet if he were to remain in this world he would ideally like to share this same living space with those that lived here. There were alternatives that might not be too terrible, but the worst of fates would certainly be the frozen prison... or even worse than that, Demiurge's "sheep" farms. He supposed his first priorities were to secure his life and his usefulness to Ainz, then he could worry about his living arrangements.

The double doors of the throne room opened, and Albedo lead him towards the throne where Ainz himself was seated. It was all well and good to see him on a TV screen where he was a bunch of animated pixels, but a real life undead was quite another matter entirely. He could see the glowing points of red in his eye sockets that were surely scrutinizing him, and he couldn't help but wonder if Ainz had his passive aura of fear enabled, of if he simply was this intimidating while seated on his throne. He was so taken in by the sight of Ainz he had barely noticed the battle maids, or Albedo making his introductions until she turned to him expectantly, and he offered Ainz a humble bow.

"So, you are the human from Earth I have heard about? You're a bit younger than I had expected, but that is of little consequence. You have caused quite a stir here in Nazarick with your arrival David, but let me cut to the chase by asking you a question. What is your goal now that you are here?" Ainz had a rich voice that David found rather soothing in contrast to his skeletal form. It wasn't that he even disliked or was terribly afraid of skeletons, but Ainz certainly knew how to be intimidating when he wanted to be... or simply when he wasn't thinking about it.

"If I may be frank Lord Ainz, my first objective is to simply survive. I know what can happen to those you deem to be enemies, and death can be a mercy compared to what some of them go through." That statement earned a chuckle from Ainz, one that given the context was a little bone chilling. Sometimes he wondered where his undeath began and his humanity ended.

"Forgive me, I wasn't trying to make light of your concerns, but I would like to assure you that you have nothing to fear in that regard. From everything I have heard from Demiurge, you are a victim of circumstance, and the fate you are referring to is reserved for those who have truly angered me. At the moment you may consider yourself a guest, and I will promise your safety until you leave." As Ainz gave an imperious wave of his hand, David heaved a massive sigh of relief. They didn't see him as some sort of invader, so he was probably safe from the worst of the treatment he might receive. As a human the other denizens of Nazarick probably still didn't like or trust him very much, but he could work towards that.

"Now I would like to wait on hearing the full details of the information you claim to know about Nazarick and its enemies until I have time to speak with you privately, but before that I understand you wished to offer your services to Nazarick? Services that we currently lack no less? Tell me David, what services do you believe you can provide for Nazarick besides the information you plan to share?" Ainz was scrutinizing David again, and he could hardly blame him since he wasn't exactly a being of phenomenal comic power or anything, but rather than the nervousness and trepidation he'd felt before, this time he had a surge of confidence.

"Lord Ainz, I have examined the strengths of your guild closely, and it's almost impossible for me to find anything I'd actually call a weakness, but there are a few classes that are missing in your arsenal... so to speak. Most glaringly, I have noticed that you lack anyone in all of Nazarick with any professional musical talents. I would like to be your bard, or minstrel, or musician by any other name you can think of, and I think you may find my talents in that regard quite satisfactory." David finished his sales pitch with a flourishing bow, and Ainz simply rubbed his jaw bone in thought.

"An interesting notion... Bards were not a very popular class in Yggdrasil due to their lack of decent damaging combat abilities. Typically a player would need to find a guild that was willing to babysit them, or they would need to supplement the class with some more combat oriented classes. Ultimately the buffs or debuffs a bard could provide were deemed not useful enough by most of the players, when other classes could achieve similar effects by simply using spells. I am not overly familiar with everything the bards in Yggdrasil could do since they were so uncommon, but we are not in Yggdrasil now, so perhaps the rules are different for this world. Undead were usually immune to the buffs a bard could grant since they were usually morale oriented, so my experience is even more limited in that regard. Tell me, do you use a musical instrument?" David had listened to Ainz speculate the pros and cons of bards in Yggdrasil for what felt like an eternity, and his mind had begun to wander. When he was asked the question regarding an instrument it wasn't until Albedo turned to look at him with an arched eyebrow that it registered that Ainz was referring to him!

"Oh! Yes, yes I do! I can play quite a number of musical instruments, but my specialty is electric guitar. When you learn to play an instrument it's pretty easy to pick up other instruments since you already know the notes. I also write music, poetry, lyrics, and I can conduct, but my passion is really singing and guitar." Ainz did look somewhat impressed, and he looked like he was reaching into the void of his inventory for something. What he pulled out was what appeared to be a small harp, that seemed to glow with a golden hue.

"David, I'd like to see if you're capable of playing this instrument. It is an item from Yggdrasil known as Bragi's lyre, and it should turn into any instrument its wielder desires, if they have the skills necessary to use it." David looked to Albedo for reassurance that it was okay to approach, and she simply nodded. He knew it probably was okay since Ainz himself asked him to, but he wasn't sure if he was supposed to approach Ainz and take it, or wait for someone to bring it to him. He didn't want to offend anyone, but it seemed like that shouldn't be an issue here. When he reached Ainz, he took the instrument from his bony hands, and his eyes widened as he did!

This was no ordinary harp! Or Lyre! Or whatever the hell you want to call it! His mind felt like it had expanded just from touching the thing! Inspiration poured into his very soul, as he felt the instrument transform in his hands into the comfortable shape of his beloved guitar from back home. He knew that he could play just about anything with this instrument, but more than that, this instrument could create an entire orchestra of sound from just one wielder! He knew exactly what he wanted to play for Ainz to showcase he knew what he was doing, but he could make this even better with just a little help.

"Lord Ainz! Could you summon some death knights for me?! Twelve should work, or any undead with deep monotonous voices!" Ainz seemed slightly surprised that not only had the lute changed form so readily, but that David would make such a request. It was hard to tell since Ainz was undead, but it seemed almost as if he was smiling?

"Am I to take it then that you intend to give us a performance with your borrowed instrument? I'll confess I'm quite curious to see what results you will produce, so I shall allow it, and grant you the use of twelve death knights. Everyone? This should be quite a memorable show if my hunch is correct, so pay close attention." Ainz rapped his hand against his throne twelve times, and a dozen death knights rose from the floor through portals. It would seem the throne room had its own defenses that could be implemented, and Ainz found it simpler to summom them this way.

"Death knights! Obey this man's instructions!" The death knights turned as one to David to await their orders, but David was already gesturing for them to form up behind him. If he understood the magic of this instrument correctly, because they were relatively mindless beings instructed to follow his orders, the instrument itself would compel them to do their part in his musical number. This was going to be his finest performance ever!

My name is David Case, don't scratch your head trying to think too hard about where you've heard my name before, because I'm not really anyone important. I'm just your average fast food store manager with dreams of being a rock star. I'd say I'm fairly intelligent which is why I was able to climb the ranks of what I'd originally hoped would be just a part time job. My true passion is music, but the problem with this world we live in is that more often it's about who you know, rather than just your raw talent being recognized. So I've been stuck managing a pack of brainless stoners for the last few years, trying to make them slightly competent.

If you ask me? Earth kind of sucks... or more correctly, humanity and the governments we've formed do. Earth probably would be a pretty nice place to live on if we hadn't polluted it and made it so only the richest people can enjoy most of its benefits, but that's just human hierarchy for you. So like any person trapped in a situation they hate, I've turned to escapism. Some people choose video games, some people choose D&D, some people choose anime or fantasy novels, me? I chose all of the above with a healthy dose of musical accompaniment.

Now my favorite genre of writing has always been fantasy because it's probably the furthest removed from Earth as you can get. The laws of physics might be completely different, there's magic that can do possibly anything you can think of, and there's all manner of cool and impossible creatures like dragons and phoenixes. I got into second edition dungeons and dragons as a kid from games like baldur's gate, all kinds of fantasy novels and tactical games like heroes of might and magic, and basically just fell in love with your typical fantasy genre.

Then I was introduced to the concept of Isekai anime, manga, and light novels and suffice to say? I hate it. Don't get me wrong, I love certain anime that fall into the Isekai category technically, and it's one of the few forms of fantasy anime I can find with good writing, so I'll take what I can get! But... what bothers me is that they feel the need to tether the protagonist to modern day Earth to make them more relatable. Because these people come from Earth, they're often the product of Earth's dysfunctional societies and are just as dysfunctional if not more so. From a story telling standpoint, I almost always feel like it holds the story back when the protagonist is some schmuck who was magically brought to another world from our own.

So why... WHY THE HELL DID I FIND MYSELF MAGICALLY BROUGHT TO ANOTHER WORLD!?

Okay... so maybe this could still work out as a dream come true? I'm intimately familiar with all sorts of fantasy worlds, so maybe I can live the dream I've always wanted of being a bard rather than just a rock star. The kind of guy who not only writes and performs music, but also gets loved by all the people, and charms everyone from kings and queens to dragons and mighty spell casters! There's only... one small problem with all that.

"YOU VILE INSECT! HOW DARE YOU DEFILE THE GREAT TOMB OF NAZARICK WITH YOUR DISGUSTING NAKED BODY! EXPLAIN YOURSELF, OR YOUR DEATH WILL BE SLOW AND EXCRUCIATING!" That shrill female voice confirmed some of my greatest fears. First and foremost I'd found myself in the world Overlord takes place in, which meant I was royally screwed unless I found a way to remedy this situation. Secondly I was freaking naked!? Seriously!? Most isekai would at least give their protagonist the clothes they were in last! Hell, the protagonist of the world I'd just been brought to got his entire freaking guild, with all its contents and npcs! So why am I stuck with literally nothing!?

Making the best of a bad situation, I got down on one knee and bowed my head as a proper sign of respect. "Please forgive me for my sudden appearance and state of undress Lady Albedo. I am David Case, a lowly human from planet Earth and I wish to speak to Lord Ainz, formerly known as Momonga about matters of grave importance regarding Earth and his many enemies."

Just as I suspected, (and really hoped!) my words seemed to take Albedo by surprise and stayed her wrath... or so I thought. While she had momentarily widened her eyes at my words, she was now shooting me dagger eyes, and addressing me with a cold as death tone.

"How do you know that name you filthy peasant? You are not one of the supreme beings or members of Nazarick who should have access to that information, which could only mean you've been spying on us, or are one of our enemies from Yggdrasil! AND THAT'S LORD MOMONGA!" Well at least I'd been promoted from insect to peasant? Of course it sounded like I could be in even more trouble if I didn't explain myself better.

"Please think about this situation calmly and rationally Lady Albedo. Of all the guardians of Nazarick, you, Demiurge, and Pandora's actor are the most intelligent and rational. If I were an enemy who planned to do you or Nazarick any harm, would I really have come here naked? You and the others found yourself brought to this world by unknown means, and I fear the same is true of myself. I assure you I am no threat to Nazarick, unarmed and weak as you can surely see that I am. You can probably check my hp or mp for yourself with magic and you'll discover that I'm probably below average, even by human standards! All that I have is what you see before you, and the knowledge I have up here." I tapped my head for emphasis before continuing. "If you would please lend me some form of garment so that I might be presentable to your lord, I would like to speak with him and convey all the knowledge I have."

Albedo was considering me, clearly still hesitant to trust me but likely agreeing with my line of logic. Perhaps she might think I was some sort of exhibitionist pervert to show up on the steps of Nazarick naked, but if this was some sort of planned trap it would be the most idiotic thing in history, and I clearly had enough knowledge about the denizens of Nazarick to be a threat if I were to roam free. I might still be in danger of seeing their head torturer or being mind dominated for my information instead if I was not careful, so I thought I had better up the ante.

"I have information about the ones who mind controlled Shalltear, as well as a skill set that is presently absent in Nazarick that I am willing to offer if you will let me speak with your master. If everything goes according to plan, I might even be able to help you achieve your goal of being your master's lover and wife. I personally fully support your goal, and hope you do manage to start a family with him." That last bit had the effect I was really hoping for, where Albedo turned into a bit of a blushing girlish mess of a woman at the idea of her and her beloved Lord Ainz as a couple. If she wasn't so close to killing me just for being here against my will, I'd probably have found it kind of adorable, but just as quickly as she'd started acting like a giddy school girl, the moment passed and she was throwing a length of fabric at my feet.

"I do not entirely trust you yet human, but if even half of what you say is true, you may prove yourself useful enough to live. Wrap that around you, and follow me." I couldn't help the sigh of relief that escaped me, although I definitely was feeling a bit worried she might be lulling me into a false sense of security before dropping me into a pit of man eating cockroaches.

I walked down the cold stone halls of Nazarick, smelling the stench of death that hung in the halls of the upper floors. Perhaps I wouldn't have noticed how cold or hard it was if I wasn't naked save for to meager cloth wrapped around me. I keenly remembered how the workers had met their ends while invading these halls in season three, and I definitely did not want to share the same fate. I didn't know the layout of Nazarick quite as well as most of those who resided here, but I felt I at least had enough knowledge to have a general idea of where key points were... that being said, I had no idea where Albedo was taking me.

"Demiurge, if you would please?" Albedo spoke as she continued to nonchalantly walk down the hall, and her words definitely made me worried!

"Halt!" Even if his words were not magical I likely would have obeyed, but my body felt as though that wasn't good enough, and I couldn't even move my eyes to try to look at him! Oh shit! Was this the part where they dominated my mind for my information and then fed me to the cockroaches!? Shit, shit shi-

"Speak only the truth as you know it." Oh... okay that command wasn't nearly as bad as I feared, and Albedo did seem to be smiling an almost smug expression, which for some reason I found slightly reassuring? I probably shouldn't since it was clear that she had no qualms about being absolutely merciless with humans she smiled at, but if she wanted me to speak the truth I had done nothing but that so far!

"Thank you Demiurge. Now then, David was it? Have you spoken nothing but the truth to me up to this point?" What took me by surprise were the words that came out of my mouth next, which made me feel like dead meat on a hook!

"No Lady Albedo, I have lied to you." She smiled again, but this time a much more venomous one.

"I thought as much. Tell me, what lies have you told me? We might give you to Entoma as a snack if we don't like your answers." Well it wasn't being fed to a pit of cockroaches, but it was probably close to as bad if I were going to be perfectly honest, which I was being compelled to do at this moment. Seriously? When did I lie? What did I lie about?! I'm such an idiot! I thought I had handled all of this masterfully! I must be the worst isekai protagonist that ever lived if I die this shamefully in the first episode!

"I said that of all the guardians of Nazarick, you, Demiurge, and Pandora's actor are the most intelligent and rational. I do not believe that to be true despite the fact that it is often said about the three of you." ... Oh yeah, I did say that didn't I? I hadn't even thought about the fact that could be considered a lie, but I suppose if I don't entirely agree with the statement but say it anyways it could be considered a lie. Demiurge and Albedo seemed a bit baffled by this lie of mine as well and Albedo prompted me as if hardly believing what she was hearing.

"Anything else? Particularly that part about what you said regarding me and Lord Ainz?!"

"No Lady Albedo, I spoke the truth. I will do everything in my power to ensure Lord Ainz marries you and you alone. I think of you like a motherly figure in Nazarick and Ainz as the father, and I want to see the two of you happy together. I personally do not feel any sexual attraction to you because I already view you as a married woman and a mother. That is why I feel no qualms with giving you my full support." Well... that was a lot more than I would have liked to divulge! I didn't even realize that was why I had always felt no attraction to Albedo, but it would make sense? I did have a thing about married women. Meanwhile Albedo seemed beside herself with glee while Demiurge just seemed confused.

"Lady Albedo, please enlighten me. You did not explain to me in full detail what you discussed with this human over the message spell. Just what exactly does he plan to do that would help you achieve this dream of yours to be the master's wife?" Demiurge's question did have a certain amount of merit, since I hadn't exactly explained all of the finer details of the knowledge I have, but Aldbedo managed to surprise both of us with knowledge I had forgotten about entirely.

"This human claims to be from Earth, and if you will remember the words of Blue Planet, the supreme being who so meticulously sculpted the 6th floor of the great underground tomb of Nazarick as well as the bar and lounge, all the supreme being originally came from Earth. If what this man says is true, it means that he could have knowledge about what happened to the other supreme beings, and the state of our lord's homeland! That alone might be enough to bring our master such joy!" Oh yeah, I almost forgot about blue planet, since I only really caught tidbits from what Ainz and the others said about him. He was kind of a nature lover right? Too bad he's from over a hundred years in the future in an Earth that's probably way more polluted than the Earth of today. I just hope that the fact that my version of Earth might be considered a bit antiquated in comparison doesn't come back to haunt me.

"I see... that would be rather nice, but don't forget that many of the enemies of the supreme ones also may have called Earth their home. It may be too soon to assume that he is an ally, but I believe it is safe to say that he is hardly a threat. He is under my control, and from what my keen powers can discern, he is almost utterly powerless, though perhaps possessing some meager potential when it comes to his mind." Thanks Demiurge... way to make a guy feel special. I know I'm only human, and it's not like I've ever had military training or anything, but come on! I'm not that pathetic am I? Well at least they didn't view me as a threat... if anything I felt more like a pet they planned to proudly display for their master's approval, but I suppose it was better than being devoured by bugs.

"Release!" I staggered against the stone wall of the tomb, apparently my body was starting to cramp up from staying still so long. Demiurge could definitely be a scary demon to deal with if you weren't careful, no matter how polite he might be to fellow denizens of Nazarick. "I believe that this does warrant the supreme one's attention, so I will notify him immediately while you make certain that he is made presentable. I trust you have clothes that will adequately fit this man? If not I could always ask Éclair to find something for him."

"That won't be necessary Demiurge. If what he says really is true, then I see no problem in lending him an outfit I had set aside for a special occasion." That seemed like a slightly odd statement to me, but I felt like I was in no position to question anyone at this point. I very nearly escaped death and I was really hoping I wouldn't be treading those dangerous waters again any time soon.

"As you wish." Demiurge disappeared with a flash, while Albedo chuckled while reaching into a rift of void space she created, which likely housed any number of her belongings. From it she produced a black set of clothes with gold leaf lining that was clearly of intricate design. Albedo handed the clothing to me, a much more genuine smile on her face than I had ever seen in person, although I recalled one or two scenes from the anime where she looked this happy.

"Please forgive my earlier rudeness, but it's very rare to meet any humans who are worth being polite to. There was no way to be certain you were telling us the truth without using some means of verifying what you said, which is why I summoned Demiurge. You will be wearing this when you present yourself to our master and I hope for your sake you do not disappoint us." That got a bit of a nervous laugh out of me as I began to pull on the clothing that was more comfortable than anything I'd ever worn, and clearly of an elegant and refined design.

"Don't worry Lady Albedo, I have no intention of doing that! If I might ask, did you make this outfit yourself? I remember that you are quite adept at making clothing and other crafts, but the only men's clothes I remember you making were either for your master himself or your future children. Surely I'm not worthy of those, am I?" I didn't want to sell myself short, but I definitely didn't want to be over presumptuous when it came to Albedo and the others either.

Albedo merely chuckled shaking her head. "You are the first human male I have met who has had no sexual attraction to me which is quite honestly refreshing. If it had been because of my wings or horns I might have been upset, but you said with full honesty that it was because you viewed me as my lord's wife already. I have high hopes for you, so I have let you use a prototype I designed for my son when the day finally comes. I do hope you'll prove yourself worthy of the honor."

I had been prepared for many scenarios going into the great tomb of Nazarick, most of them unpleasant, one or two of them quite pleasant and optimal, but I really was unsure about what my current circumstances meant for my future. It was definitely weird when your most honest thoughts that you yourself did not even think about came to light and then were used without your consent. This was probably the best case scenario of a lot of bad case scenarios? I definitely felt embarrassed and I couldn't be sure whether or not my face was beet red at changing in front of a woman who I'd just met today, or because of the revelations I'd been forced to confess, but I suppose there were worse fates. At least she hadn't put me in a dress like Mare or anything.

---

It was last call at the Fairy Tail guild hall, and most of the members had gone home at his point, with only a few stragglers and regulars still here. Strangely enough, Erza was sitting in the corner nursing a beer. It wasn't too unusual for her to have the occasional drink, though usually the more sophisticated kinds like wine or martinis, but what was particularly peculiar about this evening is that Erza was still here so late, and that she seemed a little more sloshed than she'd normally allow herself to become. Mirajane was standing behind the bar cleaning Macao and Wakaba's mugs as they shuffled out the door with Cana waving goodbye from behind them.

It was just Erza now, but she didn't look as though she intended to move from her spot, and Mirajane suspected she knew the reason why. She'd been so sure she and the guy she'd picked for her would hit it off, but given that she was still here, she had to assume she was wrong. Dropping all pretense of formality, Mirajane grabbed a pitcher of beer and a mug and sat across from Erza at her secluded little booth she'd picked at the back. Erza barely even seemed to be acknowledging Mirajane's presence for a little bit, and she had to wonder if she was holding a grudge, or she was simply lost in her own thoughts. So she broke the silence by pouring them both fresh mugs of beer, years of serving drinks letting her pour it just right.

"Do you want to tal-" Mira was halfway through speaking when Erza gave her a look through her bangs that spelled death, and it caused a bit of a shiver to run down Mirajane's spine. It wasn't too unusual to see Erza angry, though she hadn't seen her direct this level of anger and displeasure in her direction in years. Not since they were young and wrestling each other all over the guild hall, days Mira tended to look back on almost fondly, most of those rebellious angry teen instincts having been curbed with age and wisdom.

"Mirajane." The words came from Erza rather coldly and almost methodically, as if she were a golem programmed to kill. "Where did you meet this disgusting creature that you called a man?" To say Erza was displeased would be a fatal understatement. Mirajane was once Erza's equal in battle, and as a mage, but that was before... she knew she'd have to be very careful with how she handled the powder keg of anger bottled inside of Erza. She really should have known better, there were subtle signs, but she figured anything to breach the titanium walls Erza had erected around her heart might not be a bad idea. While this may not have been the ideal matchup, at least she wouldn't have any misconceptions on what they were doing.

"I take it that you didn't like Ichiya then?" Saying his name sent a shudder through Erza so fierce that Mirajane blinked in surprise, not even aware Erza could react like that. "D-Don't speak that thing's name! I sent him crawling back to where he came from time, and time again, and he kept crawling back for more! He was more tenacious than a cockroach in a tux! He wore enough purfume to make a person gag, his every word was like it was dripping in grease and... GYYYAAAGGGGGHHH!!!" Mira backed up as Erza looked ready to pounce her and pummel her to the ground, but she simply sighed and let her head sink into the table. "You ask me why I never date, and then you set me up with something like that!? I think Loke is still in the infirmary from the punch to the face I gave him for even remotely reminding me of that thing."

Mira wrapped an arm around Erza's shoulder trying to be a comfort to her. "Come on Erza, I'm sure it couldn't have been quite that bad. He was listed as one of Blue Pegasus' most eligible bachelors for years, and he was telling me all about how he always admired you from afar." Her words weren't meant so much to be comforting, as to give Erza more excuse to vent, but she wondered if perhaps she went overboard, because she thought she could see steam coming out of Erza's ears as she almost heated up like a kettle. "He smelled me! That disturbing little imp actually smelled me, and he just wouldn't stay down after I beat him to a bloody pulp either! He followed me around all day until he was finally carried off in a stretcher while swearing his 'undying affection for his sweet honey' and if I ever see him again I think I'll either run screaming, or slice his head off!"

That earned quite the wince from Mirajane. She'd heard he could be eccentric, but it seemed things had gone even more poorly than Mirajane could have possibly imagined. She downed her own beer and patted Erza on the back, though she probably heard it more than felt it thanks to that breastplate she always wore. "Well that's sort of how the dating scene goes Erza, there's always going to be one or two bad apples in the bunch, and sometimes you're going to take a bite of one and have a mouth full of filth. That doesn't mean you should give up on apples altogether though! So things didn't work out with I-... it this time." She just narrowly avoided saying his name again and causing Erza to throttle her.

Mirajane sighed and gave Erza an affectionate nudge. "Come on, at least the rest of the guild doesn't look quite so bad when compared to a guy like that does it?" That actually caused the edges of Erza's lips to curl up ever so slightly from ther scowl to a bit of a strained smile because she didn't want to. Mirajane just had a sort of infectious good will and cheer that even Erza's hard iron shell had a hard time keeping at bay. "I'm still not going to ever let you 'hook me up' with anybody ever again."

Well the pout that made its way onto Mirajane's face was probably expected on Erza's end, but probably not what Mirajane had in mind for Erza's next date. "Please Erza? I know this really cute lovable person I know you'd like if you gave them a cha-"

"No. Absolutely not. I can only handle one abomination per life time, and just the one in ten billion chance of there being two of something like him is a risk I'm not willing to take." Erza's hand covered in a steel gauntlet firmly gripped Mirajane's hand so that she knew there was no room for argument on this front. She had to be stern and not cave in on this, because for all Erza knew, Ichiya actually was the best of the bunch Mirajane had in mind for her. What surprised Erza was the look of determination in Mirajane's own eyes when she looked up at her.

"One more date Erza, and I will never fix you up with anyone ever again if you don't want me to. This time it will be different, I swear to you upon my sister's grave I won't fail you this time." It was not an oath Mirajane gave lightly, because it was that very grave that had changed her life in one of the most defining and permanent ways she could think of. She'd lost her confidence as a mage, she'd lost the will to fight when she felt she couldn't even protect her own family she'd taken up her magic for in the first place. She didn't have much left in her life, but she had this guild, she had her brother, and she wanted to at least try to make everyone be able to live out their lives to their happiest and fullest... for her sake...

A heavy sigh escaped Erza as she stood up from the table. "One more Mirajane, I will give you one last chance, but I will personally punish you if I find out this was some sort of 'practical' joke." Mira's face paled slightly, because she knew what would be in store for her most likely, but she shook her head with a weak laugh holding out her mug towards Erza. "Don't worry Erza, I will personally see to it that you have a good time tomorrow!"

Perhaps if Erza had thought about that a bit more, she'd have known what Mirajane had meant by that. Perhaps if Mirajane hadn't had a bit of alcohol she wouldn't have thought this was such a brilliant plan. Perhaps if Ichiya had been a bit less over the top he might not be in a full body cast at the Blue Pegasus infirmary. The stars had aligned just wrong fortunately enough for them, and so Mirajane was already jotting out plans for the date she was going to have with Erza.