On the 8th floor of the great tomb of Nazarick stood a mountain, Mount Ebott's jagged peaks faded behind, giving way to the soft glow of the Ruins' entrance. Flowey's watchful eyes followed every step through the cracked stone floors and quiet corridors, ensuring none slipped past unchallenged. Beyond the flower bed and the dim corridors, a narrow passage led onward, opening into the forest just outside—the Snowdin Forest. Shadows shifted between the trees, the air carrying the scent of pine and the faint crunch of leaves underfoot.
The path wound steadily, guiding travelers toward Snowdin Town, where the world felt warmer and brighter. At the town's edge, standing tall and unmistakable, was Papyrus—the area's guardian. His red scarf caught the breeze, chest plate gleaming, and boots firmly planted as he awaited anyone approaching. Every step toward Snowdin was met with his dramatic pose and wide, confident grin, a clear warning that while the town seemed friendly, its guardian watched over it with unwavering vigilance.
Leaving the cheerful streets of Snowdin behind, the path dipped into a shadowed valley where the air grew cooler and damper. The trees thinned, replaced by moss-covered rocks and the distant roar of cascading water. Sunlight glinted off the mist rising from the hidden falls, casting dancing reflections across the stone-lined pools.
Here, the path narrowed and twisted toward the heart of the cavern, where the Waterfall area began. The guardian of this domain, Undyne, moved with fierce grace, her armor catching the faint light as she patrolled the edges of the glistening waters. Her presence was commanding, every movement purposeful and alert. Anyone approaching the waterfall felt the weight of her vigilance, knowing that to pass through this area unchallenged would be no small feat.
From the rushing waters of the waterfall, the path climbed steeply into shadowed caverns, the air growing warmer and thick with the scent of baked goods and rich chocolate. Dim light glimmered off cobwebs that stretched across the ceilings, glinting like silver threads in the flickering torches.
At the heart of this twisting network of tunnels lay the Spider Caves, a labyrinth of sticky webs and twisting passages. There, perched atop a throne woven of silk and surrounded by her loyal spider minions, was Muffet, the stingy spider queen. Her many arms moved with precise elegance as she stirred a bubbling pot of sweet concoctions, eyes gleaming with both calculation and a hint of mischief. Anyone entering the cavern could feel immediately that this was her domain and crossing her without offering the proper tribute—or worse, stepping on her web—would not go unnoticed.
Leaving the shadowed Spider Caves behind, the path opened into a sweltering landscape of molten rock and hissing steam. The Hotlands stretched out like a mechanical furnace, with gears turning, conveyor belts clanking, and streams of steam venting from jagged cracks in the ground. Lasers cut through the misty air, cameras swiveling to track any movement, their faint red lights glinting ominously.
At the heart of this industrial labyrinth stood Mettaton NEO, the area's guardian, radiating a confident, almost theatrical energy. His sleek, armored frame reflected the fiery glow of the surroundings, and every movement was precise and deliberate. Conveyor belts hummed beneath him, machinery clanked in time with his presence, and any traveler daring to navigate the Hotlands could feel the weight of his gaze—an unmistakable warning that passing through this high-tech gauntlet would require skill, timing, and nerves of steel.
Beyond the scorching expanse of the Hotlands, the path led upward toward the looming silhouette of the Castle. Its walls gleamed faintly in the dim light, banners fluttering silently along the towers. Inside, the golden hallway stretched endlessly, polished floors reflecting the faint glow of chandeliers above. Every step echoed, carrying a sense of anticipation and solemnity.
At the heart of the castle, past the golden halls, lay the Judgement Hall. Here, the air felt heavier, charged with a quiet authority. Standing—or rather, waiting—in the shadows was Sans, the floor guardian. His skeletal frame leaned casually against the wall, eye sockets half-lidded in that familiar, lazy gaze. Yet beneath his laid-back exterior, every bone and sinew were alert, ready to Judge anyone daring to step further. The hall seemed almost alive with his presence, a silent warning that no one moved forward without passing through him first.
Sans: huh…something's not right…I can literally feel it in my bones…heh. (ba-dum-tss)
(thought Sans): hmmm…magic here feels alive…real, not like in the game.
well…I sure hope no intruders drop by the halls…unless they're lookin' for a BAD TIME.
Interrupting sans in his thought, sounds of footsteps can be heard by his non-existence ears just at the dimly slit entrance of the hallway emerge a beautiful lady with white horns wearing a with dress and black wings rested at her hips walking with elegance, albedo the guardian overseer of all floor guardians.
Sans: uh…sup, boss lady? what's cookin'?
Albedo / boss lady: Sans, it seems you are still slacking at your duties as one of the floor guardians.
"welp…guess that's what happens when no one sneaks past Demi. me? i'm just bone-chillin'."
Albedo stares intently at Sans lazy posture, seemingly unentertained at the thought that this skeleton is one of the floor guardian and has the power that can rival her sister Rubedo---the strongest npc in Nazarick and can rival her and demiurge's intellect in battle intelligence and strategic prowess, neither the less along as Sans is loyal the great tomb of Nazarick she doesn't mind tolerating his lazy personality.
"sigh Lord Momonga requests the presence of all floor guardians at the 6th-floor amphitheater. I strongly advise you not to be late."
"got it, boss lady…shortcut it is. heh. c'mon, i'll show you the fast lane."
Sans held out a hand, offering it to her with a casual grin. Albedo hesitated, wary of trusting this laid-back floor guardian she knew little about, curious to see what he would do next. After a moment, she placed her hand in his. Together, they approached the space between the pillar and the wall. In an instant, reality seemed to bend around them, and the next second they found themselves at the tunnel entrance of the 6th-floor amphitheater.
" …"
"See? told ya i've got a shortcut up my sleeve…"
Sans glanced up, raising an eyebrow beneath his hood. Albedo stood a few steps ahead, frozen, her eyes wide and unfocused. She looked dazed, as if still trying to process what had just happened. The shortcut—the sudden shift in space behind the pillar—had clearly caught her off guard.
He tilted his head, hands in his pockets, letting a small grin tug at the corner of his skull. heh…guess that one's got a "wow" effect, he thought. "uhh…boss lady? you good?" he asked, his voice casual but tinged with curiosity, watching to see if she'd shake it off or stay stunned a little longer.
" Sans…what…what was that?"
Sans shrugged, leaning against the wall with his usual slouch. "Heh…that little trick? my…uh, 'dad,' Gaster, using special magic made holes in spaces all over Nazarick. kinda like shortcuts. makes gettin' around a lot easier…if you know where to step."
He flashed a small grin, one eye socket flickering briefly. "Figured i'd show you one…trust me, it beats walking the long way."
Albedo took a deep breath, steadying herself. "I see… so one of the Supreme Ones is responsible for this… 'shortcut.'" She paused, her gaze sharp. "I'll be asking for a full report on all such shortcuts later." With that said, she composed herself completely and began walking toward the amphitheater, her steps confident and measured, leaving Sans to follow at his usual, relaxed pace.
Momonga turned at the entrance of the Colosseum, where he saw two figures enter. The one in front was Albedo, while a Man followed behind her like a lackey. Once she got close enough, Albedo smiled to Momonga and bowed deeply.
"Sup boss…what's rattling your bones (ba-dum-tss)"
He was about three feet and 5 inches tall, wearing a blue hoodie with a thick fur collar, white T-shirt, black shorts with white stripes, and worn pink slipper, and using a pink hairbrush to brush his…scalp?
(Momonga):...why is he combing his scalp?
"Ahem… it seems everyone is here"
"Then, everyone, let us pledge our loyalty to the Supreme One."
All the Guardians nodded as one, and before Momonga could interrupt, they had lined up before him. Albedo stood at their head, while the other Guardians formed a line behind her. All the Guardians had solemn, respectful expressions. They showed no sign of playing around.
Shalltear, who stood on one end of the line, stepped forward:
"Shalltear Bloodfallen, Guardian of the First, Second and Third Floors, presents herself to the Master."
She went to one knee, one hand pressed against her chest, and bowed deeply. After that, Cocytus stepped forward and said:
"Cocytus. Guardian. Of. The. Fifth. Floor. Presents. Himself. To. The. Master."
Much like Shalltear had, he knelt before Momonga like a vassal before a lord. Then, it was the twin dark elves' turn:
"The Guardian of the Sixth Floor, Aura Bella Fiora, presents herself to the Master."
"Al-Also a Guardian of the Sixth Floor, Mare Bello Fiore, presents himself to the Master."
They knelt respectfully and lowered their heads to Momonga. Shalltear, Cocytus, Aura, and Mare all had different bodies and thus they should have each taken their steps forward differently. Yet, the way with which they knelt was identical, and they lined up neatly.
After that, Demiurge advanced in a dignified manner.
"The Guardian of the Seventh Floor, Demiurge, presents himself to the Master."
Following his crisp words, Demiurge went to one knee in a graceful descent, as though expressing his heart through his actions, the smiling skeleton
"Uhh… guardian of the underground eighth floor, sans wingding, reportin' for duty, boss."
Suddenly the smiling skeleton can fell the gaze of all guardians, and a glare form the overseer, in response to this the skeleton just shrugged and bend one knee, Finaly albedo step forward.
"With the exception of the Fourth Floor Guardian Gargantua and the Eighth Floor Guardian Victim, all the Floor Guardians are gathered before you. Thus, do we offer up our utmost loyalty to the Master."
Momonga could not speak as he looked at the seven lowered heads before him. A strange pressure veiled the entire area, and perhaps only Momonga could bear the painful, crushing air.
—He did not know how to proceed.
He had never seen anything like this before in his life. In his confusion, Momonga accidentally activated a skill. A dreadful aura roiled out over the surroundings, and a halo of black radiance formed behind him.
Momonga had no time to cancel the skill as he frantically racked his brains to recall a scene from movies or television which would tell him how to respond appropriately here.
"Raise your heads."
With a sha, everyone raised their heads. Their coordination was so immaculate that Momonga wondered if they had practiced that movement together.
"Then… first, I thank all of you for coming here."
"There is no need for thanks. We are all Momonga-sama's loyal subordinates. To us, Momonga-sama is our Supreme Overlord."
"However, if Momonga-sama gives the order, we — all the Guardians will accomplish any task set to us, no matter how difficult or arduous, with every fiber of our beings. We hereby swear that we will never allow the Forty-One Supreme Beings of Ainz Ooal Gown, our creators, to be disgraced by our actions."
"This we swear!"
The Floor Guardians chimed in right after Albedo, Momonga smiled, although his skeletal face could not display any emotions. The points of crimson light in his eye sockets seemed to shine exceptionally bright. His prior unease had was no longer existent, and he simply spoke the words expected of a guild master.
"Excellent. Guardians, I know that you will understand my aims and successfully carry out my commands. There may be some things which are difficult to understand, but I hope you will pay attention and listen. I believe the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick has been caught up in some kind of unknown situation."
The Guardians' faces were still stern, and there was no trace of surprise on them.
"Although I do not know what has caused this incident, the Great Tomb of Nazarick has been transported from its place in the swamps to a vast plain. Did anyone foresee the occurrence of this strange event?"
Albedo looked back at the Guardians, and after seeing the reply written on their face, she said:
"Regretfully, none of us have any idea of what is going on."
"Then, I have a question for the Floor Guardians. Have any of you discovered anything strange in your floors?"
After hearing this, each Floor Guardian responded:
"Nothing strange has been sighted in the First to Third Floors."
"The. Fifth. Floor. Is. The. Same."
"Same with the Sixth Floor."
"I-It's as Nee-chan says."
"There are no abnormalities on the Seventh Floor."
"…"
Seemingly deep in thought Sans remember the abrupt change of mana flow and the Reality of it all, even the other NPC and the surrounding even then its still to early to speculate any reasonable conclusion about what is happening, all he know is that all this in now Real and not just strings of code
Momonga listen to all the report from all the guardian and their floors except one, the always smiling skeleton now deep in thought---Sans a Unique NPC in Nazarick, one of the Eighth-floor Guardian and one of the most intelligent and strongest Guardian however he is also the most fragile of all the Nazarick residence even the NPC maids has more health than him
Catching the quietness and the gaze of everyone present in the colosseum Sans snaps back from his deep thought and look at the supreme being and ask "uhh… boss, we're not NPCs anymore… right?"—catching of guard of the question the other skeleton's eyes shine bright indicating his surprise from the question of the smaller skeleton
Momonga:Huh?... HUH!? H-how did Sans know he's an NPC…? Wait—right, the flavor text given to him by Gaster.
["Sans – Eighth Floor Guardian.
A laid-back skeleton who's always been aware of his NPC nature, content to drift through scripted lines and pre-set paths. But if the game ever stops… so does the script."]
In his Stupor a green glow seems to envelop him, calming him and giving a nod to Sans
"Umu, what prompt you to ask this question sans?"
"it's just… y'know, I can go places now my code wouldn't normally let me go, without any… restrictions."
"Did you find any anomalies on the upper or underground levels of the eighth floor?"
"Nope, boss… nothin' suspicious. place is clean to the bone."
Just then, Momonga saw Sebas jogging over to them, until he reached the Guardians genuflecting before Momonga and went to one knee as well.
"Momonga-sama, forgive my lateness."
"It's fine. Then, your report on the surrounding conditions."
Sebas raised his head and looked around at the Guardians kneeling beside him.
"...The situation is critical, so obviously the Floor Guardians need to know as well."
"Yes. To begin with, the terrain surrounding us for a kilometer in each direction is a plain. There are no signs of man-made structures. I spotted some small animals, but there were no humanoid or large creatures."
"Were those small animal monsters?"
"No, they were life forms which had no combat power."
"...I see. Then, were the plains you spoke of covered in frozen grass which would cut you as you passed them?"
"No, it was simple grass. There was nothing special about it."
"And you did not see any sky castles or similar buildings?"
"No, I did not. There was no sign of man-made illumination in the sky or on the land."
"I see, so there was only a starry sky… Thank you for your hard work, Sebas."
As he praised Sebas for his efforts, Momonga was somewhat disappointed because he had not obtained any useful information.
He did not know why they had come here, but it would be wise to heighten Nazarick's combat readiness just in case. For all he knew, this might be someone else's territory, and he might be censured for having come here without permission. No, he would be lucky if that was all that happened.
"Guardians, increase the readiness of each floor by one level. We are unsure of what has happened, so do not act incautiously. If you encounter an intruder, do not slay them, but capture them alive at all costs. When you capture them, do as little harm to them as possible. I apologies for imposing such demands on all of you at a time like this."
The Guardians voiced their acknowledgement and nodded in unison.
"Next, I would like to understand the administrative operations of the Tomb. Albedo, how is the exchange of security information between the Guardians of the various floors?"
In YGGDRASIL, the Guardians were simple NPCs, and they could only act according to their programs. There was no way the floors would exchange security information and monsters.
"Each Floor is administered by its respective Floor Guardian, but Demiurge is the overall defense commander with the help of surveillances from Dr. Alphys, and everyone can share information with them though the camera drones."
Momonga was a bit surprised, but then he nodded in satisfaction.
"Excellent. Nazarick's defense commander, Demiurge. Guardian Overseer, Albedo. The two of you will oversee drawing up a more comprehensive administrative system for Nazarick with the help of Dr. Alphys"
"Understood. Will the plans for the management system include the Eighth, Ninth and Tenth floors?"
Remembering the eighth floor has a upper and underground layer manage by two separate floor guardian victim and sans, especially the underground layer where a monster kingdom is located and other sub area
"The Upper Eighth Floor is managed by Victim, so it'll be fine however sans."
"Yea boss?"
"Have all royal knight (Area guardian) be station at the first area 'Ruins' and don't let any may intruders pass without my permission"
"Ya got it, boss"
He then look back to albedo and said: "plan for the Ninth and Tenth Floor as one whole."
"Is, is that your will?"
Albedo seemed quite surprised. Behind her, Demiurge's eyes went wide, revealing his thoughts on the matter.
"Will the underlings be allowed to tramp through the domain of the Supreme Beings? Must they be given that much freedom?"
The underlings in question were not the NPCs and monsters designed by the members of Ainz Ooal Gown, but the automatically spawned (pop) monsters from the dungeon. The fact was that the Ninth and Tenth Floor lacked such monsters, barring very rare exceptions.
Momonga muttered to himself.
Albedo seemed to regard that place as a holy sanctuary, but that was not the case.
The reason why there were no pop monsters on the Ninth Floor was simply because if any intruders could overcome the NPC defenders of the Eighth Floor, the most powerful beings in the Tomb, then Ainz Ooal Gown's chances of victory would be slim. Thus, it would be better to play the role of a villain to the hilt and meet the invaders in the throne room for a final showdown.
"...It will be fine. The Royal Guards, along with Sans, will guard the underground entrance to ensure no one gets in."
All the guardians know the title of Sans 'The Lazy Judge' may it be lazy he is still regarded as the judge responsible for who is deep worthy to pass to the next floor
"Understood. I will then leave the matter to Sans and the Royal Guards."
"Aura and Mare… can you conceal the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick? Simple illusions don't seem very reliable, and thinking about the cost of illusions gives me a headache."
Aura and Mare looked at each other and began thinking. After a while, Mare spoke up:
"U-Using magic might be tricky. If we had to hide everything along with the surface… although, we could cover the walls in mud, and then add plants as camouflage."
"Do you intend to soil the glorious walls of Nazarick with base dirt?"
Albedo said that with her back turned to Mare. Although her voice was sweet and velvet, the tone it carried was anything but.
Mare's shoulders trembled, and although the surrounding Guardians remained silent, their attitudes suggested that they shared Albedo's opinion.
In contrast, Momonga felt Albedo was being too much of a busybody. The situation was hardly serious enough to warrant such a reaction.
"Albedo… don't speak out of turn. I am addressing Mare."
His voice was so deep that it surprised Momonga himself.
"Ah, my deepest apologies, Momonga-sama!"
Albedo's head was as low as it could go, and her face was frozen in fear. The Guardians and Sebas stiffened up as well. Perhaps they thought that scolding was directed at them as well.
A twinge of remorse struck Momonga as he observed the quick change in the Guardians' attitude, but he continued speaking to Mare:
"Can you conceal the walls by heaping dirt onto them?"
"Yes, yes I can, if you allow it, Momonga-sama … However…"
"Yes, an observer from a distance would think the ground was bulging up unnaturally. Sebas, are there any nearby hills or the like?"
"There are none. Regretfully, we are surrounded by flatlands. However, since there are nights here, we should be able to perform some sort of eye-deceiving camouflage while the sun is down."
"Is that so… if all we intend to do is hide the walls, Mare's idea will be enough. Then, what if we piled up the dirt from the nearby land to make dummy hills as camouflage?"
"Then we would blend in."
"Very well. I shall assign Aura and Mare to carry out this task together. While doing so, you may draw the necessary supplies from each Floor. Since we cannot camouflage the view from the air, we shall use illusions after finishing the earthworks, so nobody will be able to detect Nazarick from the outside."
"Y-Yes. U-Understood."
"uhh… boss, thinkin' I'll loan Flowey to mare. he's good with the leafy stuff and illusions, plus… y'know, bein' a flower, he can hide in plain sight while keepin' watch."
"Hmm… that would be useful. How capable is Flowey when it comes to security?"
"Yeah… he's good. real good. can size someone up in a blink while sittin' there lookin' like just another flower."
"Very well. Mare, take Flowey with you."
"Y-Yes. U-Understood."
"Then, you are dismissed for today. Everyone, take a break before beginning your duties. There are many things we do not know, so do not push yourselves too hard."
The Guardians nodded as one to show that they understood.
"Finally, I have a question for the Guardians. To begin with, Shalltear — what kind of person am I to you?"
"An incarnation of beauty. You are the most beautiful person in the world. Even jewels pale in comparison to your snow-white body."
Shalltear did not pause to think about her answer before she gave it. From the lack of delay in her reply, she must have been speaking from the heart.
"—Cocytus."
"One. Who. Is. Mightier. Than. All. The. Guardians. And. Deserving. Of. The. Title. Of. The. Supreme. Overlord. Of. The. Great. Underground. Tomb. Of. Nazarick."
"—Aura."
"A merciful leader with great foresight."
"—Mare."
"A, a very gentle person."
"—Demiurge."
"A wise leader who makes decisions and acts on them quickly. Truly, a man worthy of the title 'inscrutable.'"
"—Sebas."
"The one responsible for assembling all the Supreme Beings. In addition, the merciful leader who did not abandon us, but stayed by our side until the very end."
"---Sans"
"Heh… to me? you're the guy who kept this place runnin' when everyone else bailed. the one who didn't just leave us as lines of code. guess that makes you… my boss, yeah. but also, the reason i'm still standin' here instead of gatherin' dust in the data bin."
"And finally, Albedo."
"The man who rules over the Supreme Beings, and our highest, most exalted master. In addition, the man I love most deeply."
Sans caught site of the confession
"...I see. I have heard and understand your opinions. Then, I shall hand the tasks that were once performed by my former comrades to you. Carry them out faithfully."
After seeing the Guardians genuflect once more, Momonga teleported away.
The scenery before his eyes changed in an instant, from the Colosseum to the chamber of the Golems of Lemegeton. After looking around to make sure nobody was looking, Momonga sighed deeply.
"I'm so tired…"
Although his body did not feel tired, the mental fatigue was weighing down on his shoulders.
"...Those guys… why do they think so highly of me?"
They were describing someone else entirely. After hearing the Guardians take turns to share their opinions of him, he wanted to laugh and mock them, but from the looks on their faces, it did not sound like they were joking at all. In other words, their words were sincere, especially Sans the only NPC to know his is one.
Even after the departure of the master of their revered creators, nobody raised their heads. After a while, someone sighed in relief. The tense atmosphere was gone now.
The first to get up was Albedo. Her white dress was stained where her knee had touched the ground, but she did not mind at all. She flapped her wings to swipe off the dirt on her feathers.
After seeing Albedo rise, the others followed suit, though nobody dared to speak.
"That, that was scary, Nee-chan."
"Yeah, I thought I'd be squashed flat."
"As expected of Momonga-sama, to think his presence would have such a great effect on us Floor Guardians…"
"As. A. Supreme. Being. His. Might. Overmatches. Ours. But. I. Did. Not. Expect. Him. To. Be. This. Powerful."
「Despair Aura」.
Besides inflicting a fear effect, it could reduce the stats of its victims. Normally, it would not have an effect on the level one hundred NPCs, but on this occasion, its effects had been strengthened by the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown.
"Momonga-sama must have unleashed the air of authority that represents his right to rule."
"Indeed. Before we stated our positions, Momonga-sama did not exert his might. However, once we showed ourselves in the role of Floor Guardians, he must have revealed a fraction of his awesome power to us."
"In. Other. Words. Momonga-sama. Revealed. His. True. Ability. As. A. Ruler. In. Response. To. Our. Pledges. Of. Loyalty."
"That does seem like the case."
"He didn't radiate that aura when he was with us. Momonga-sama was kind, and gave us something to drink when we were thirsty."
Aura's words caused the other Guardians to emit an air of tension. It was condensed jealousy that was almost visible to the naked eye. The worst-off was Albedo. Her clenched fists shuddered and her nails threatened to rip through the fabric of her gloves.
Mare's shoulders trembled, and then his eyes went wide.
"That, that must have been the true power of Momonga-sama, the ruler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. It was amazing!"
That changed the mood instantly.
"Exactly! He showed us his ability as an absolute ruler in response to our feelings… as expected of our creator. The zenith of the Forty One Supreme Beings, and the kind master who remained here with us until the very end."
Albedo's words put a blissful look on all the Guardians' faces, although the expression on Mare's face was better described as "relaxed."
There was nothing which could delight them more than the master who created them, the master to whom they owed their utmost loyalty, revealing his true face to them.
The Guardians, no, every entity created by the Supreme Beings wanted nothing more than to aid their creators in some way. The next best thing would be to receive their trust and to be treated as useful servants.
This was a simple, natural truth.
This was the greatest joy in life for these characters who were created to aid the Supreme Beings. Then, as though to wipe away this jubilant atmosphere, Sebas said from the side:
"Then, I shall take my leave first. I do not know where Momonga-sama has gone, but I should stay by his side."
Jealousy was written all over Albedo's face, but she quashed her feelings and replied:
"I understand. Then, Sebas, serve Momonga-sama well and do not disgrace him. Report to me if anything happens. In particular, if Momonga-sama summons me, you must let me know immediately. Everything else is of secondary importance to that!"
A pained expression crossed Demiurge's face as he listened quietly from the side.
"But if he desires me in his bedchamber, you must inform Momonga-sama that I might be a while, in order to bathe and cleanse myself for him. Of course, if he wants me to proceed to him immediately, that is fine as well. After all, I do my best to keep clean for him, and my clothes have already been selected so I can heed his call whenever it comes. In any case, Momonga-sama's wishes will always come first—"
"—I understand, Albedo. If I waste too much time here, I will not have enough to properly serve Momonga-sama, which would be disrespectful. Therefore, forgive my abrupt departure, but I must take my leave. Floor Guardians, I bid you all a good day."
After saying his farewells to the wide-eyed and open-mouthed Guardians, Sebas immediately jogged away, as though to leave Albedo (who was preparing for a long monologue) behind.
"Speaking of which… it is fairly quiet around here
They saw the skeleton sleeping still on one knee with a comically Zzz and a snot bubble where his nose would be if he had one
"Zzzzzzz"
"Oi, Sans! Wake up already!"
The older twin called out to the skeleton interrupting his 'nap'
"Hmm… oh, hey kiddo. what's up?"
"You know this isn't exactly the place for a nap, right?" Aura said, crossing her arms with a smirk.
"Hmm? heh… tell that to countess chompula over there."
They all turn to see Shalltear that is also still kneeling
"What. Is. Wrong. Shalltear?"
She lifted her head after she was called on again. The dazed look on her face would make people think that she had just been woken up.
"...What. Happened?"
"Ah, after being exposed to Momonga-sama's awesome presence, I could not help but get excited… I fear my underwear has gone through a bit of a crisis…"
Silence.
Everyone looked at each other, unsure of what to say. The Guardians mused that Shalltear had, by far, the most fetishes among them, and that one of said fetishes was necrophilia. They facepalmed as they thought about this, although Mare didn't quite get it and was thoroughly confused. No, one of the Guardians was not content to simply shake her head and sigh.
That was Albedo.
The jealousy surging in her made Albedo come out and say:
"You slut."
Shalltear sensed Albedo's hostility as she heard those scornful words. Her lips curled in hostility, and she responded with a bewitching smile.
"What? Having Momonga-sama, the most beautiful of the Supreme Beings, bless us with his energy is a reward! Anyone who doesn't get wet from that must have something wrong in their head! Or could it be that you don't just look pure, but you don't have any fleshly desires at all, you big-mouthed gorilla!?"
"...You lamprey!"
The two of them glared at each other. The Guardians did not know if they would fight as a result of this, but the way they were looking at each other was very unsettling.
"My appearance was created by the Supreme Beings; are you unhappy with it?"
"Shouldn't that be my line?"
Shalltear slowly stood back up, and the two of them approached each other. Even so, their eyes remained locked. Eventually, the two of them came so close that they collided into each other.
"Don't think you've won just because you're the Guardian Overseer and can stay next to Momonga-sama. If you really think that way, I'll laugh my ass off."
"Hmph. That's correct. While you're stationed in a faraway place, I'll swoop in and achieve a complete victory."
"...What do you mean by 'a complete victory?' Teach me, Guardian Overseer-sama."
"As a slut, you should be fully aware of what that means."
Throughout their trade of verbal barbs, neither of them had turned their gaze from each other. They simply looked into each other's eyes with a blank expression on their faces.
With a pacha, Albedo unfurled her wings in a threat display. Black mist wreathed Shalltear as she responded in kind, unwilling to admit weakness.
"Ah — Aura, matters between women should be settled by a fellow woman. If anything happens I'll come to help, let me know when the time comes, all right?"
"Hey, wait, Demiurge! Are you planning to dump all of this on me?"
Demiurge simply waved lazily as he walked away from the feuding pair. Cocytus and Mare took a step back as well. Nobody wanted to get caught between them.
"Really, do they have to argue over this sort of thing?"
"Personally, I would be quite interested in the result."
"What do you mean by 'the result,' Demiurge?"
"I refer to the increase in our fighting power, the future of Nazarick, and so on."
"D-Demiurge, what do you mean?"
"Hmm…"
Demiurge pondered how he should answer Mare's question. For a moment, an evil impulse swept through Demiurge's head and he thought of infusing the simple Mare with adult knowledge, but he promptly discarded that line of thinking.
Demiurge was a devil, and he was cruel and ruthless, but that only applied to people outside Nazarick. To Demiurge, the characters made by the Forty One Supreme Beings were his comrades.
"Any great leader requires a successor, no? Momonga-sama may have stayed with us until the end, but if he loses interest in us one day, he may leave for another place like the rest of the Supreme Beings. Thus, there is a need for a successor to whom we can pledge our loyalty."
"I see. Then, which of us will be Momonga-sama's successor?"
"How. Disrespectful. As. Guardians. We. Are. To. Serve. Momonga-sama. Faithfully. So. He. May. Stay. That. Is. What. We. Were. Made. For."
Demiurge turned to the interrupting Cocytus.
"Of course I understand that, Cocytus. But do you not wish to pledge your loyalty to Momonga-sama's heir?"
"Hmm… Of. Course. I. Would. Like. To. Swear. My. Allegiance. To. Momonga-sama's. Heir…"
Cocytus began imagining himself running around with said heir on his shoulders.
Then he began to imagine himself teaching him swordsmanship, drawing his blade to defend the Young Master, and even hearing the full-grown Young Master giving him orders.
"...Oh. How. Wonderful. What. A Glorious. Sight… Uncle… Uncle…"
Somewhat unable to bear it, Demiurge averted his eyes from Cocytus, who was fully into imagining himself as a cool old uncle, faithfully serving Momonga's heir.
"Well, that aside, I'm quite interested in knowing what our children can do for the strengthening of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. How about it, Mare, do you want to make a child?"
"Er, eh?"
"Still, you don't have a partner… if you discover any Humans, Dark Elves, Wood Elves, or similar species, would you kindly capture them for me?"
"Eh? Ehhhhh?"
After thinking for a bit, Mare nodded and said, "If, if it helps Momonga-sama... I'm willing to contribute. But how will I have children?"
"Well, I'll teach you about that when the time comes. But if you decide to try some breeding experiments on your own, Momonga-sama might scold you. After all, the operations of Nazarick are perfectly balanced."
"That, that's true. I've heard that all the underlings were created after careful calculation by one of the Supreme Beings… if we carelessly increase our numbers, we'll be scolded. I, I don't want to be scolded by Momonga-sama…"
"Of course, I don't want to be rebuked by the Supreme Beings either… if only I could set up a farm outside Nazarick…"
As Demiurge thought of this, he decided to mention the one thing nobody had teased him about:
"Ah yes, Mare, why are you dressed as a girl?"
Mare grabbed at his miniskirt to hide his legs after Demiurge asked his question.
"This was Bukubukuchagama-sama's decision. She said this was called a 'trap,' so it should have nothing to do with my gender."
"Oh, so this was Bukubukuchagama-sama's decision. Well then, those clothes should be fine on you… although, should all boys dress in that way?"
"I, I don't know about that."
The Forty-One Supreme Beings were no longer around, but even so, the mention of their names still compelled obedience. Or rather, in the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, Mare was dressed as he should be, and nobody apart from another Supreme Being could change his wardrobe.
"...I wonder if I should talk to Momonga-sama about this. Perhaps all boys should be dressed like that. I say… Cocytus, it's time to wake up."
After hearing his colleague's words, Cocytus shook his head several times, a deeply satisfied smile on his face.
"Ah. What. A. Beautiful. Sight… Truly. it. Was. Everything. I. Have. Ever. Dreamed. Of."
"Is that so… well then, that's good.... Are Albedo and Shalltear still fighting?"
The feuding pair's eyes were slightly averted. However, the one that answered Demiurge was the tired-looking Aura, standing by the side.
"They're… done. Right now, they're arguing about…"
"The problem of who should be the first wife."
"It would be strange for the ruler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick to only have one wife. The question now is who is worthy of being Momonga-sama's first wife…"
"Boss can't… bone you, though… heh… get it? bone."
"Ah… speaking of Momonga-sama, Sans — as a skeleton like Momonga-sama — how does one multiply?"
Sans now chugging his favorite tomato flavor ketchup was interrupted by demiurge's question
"…and, while we're at it, how does a skeleton eat condiments when you lack the necessary organs to digest any food?"
"Simple… it's all magic. as skeletons, we're basically just bones held together by magic, so we cheat the whole "biology" thing. eat somethin'? magic lets us sense the flavor and break it down into fuel or mana. yeah, we can taste it — and the better it is, the more MP you might get. same deal with, uh… 'multiplying.' you use magic to pass your soul code and magic circuit into your partner's womb. whoever's got the stronger LOVE sets most of the form, and the rest's a mashup of traits from both sides."
"And what exactly does this "LOVE" indicate?"
"Heh, well… LV, of course. that's "Level of Violence." whoever's got the higher LV? yeah… they win."
"That is insightful, thank you sans"
The other floor guardian was stunned to hear Sans intellectual insight about something; they all know that Sans is a created joint process of five supreme being and is well known for his laziness about anything even sleeping on the job as a floor guardian.
"I dint know you were smart sans'' called by from the older dark elf twins
"Part of my charm kiddo"
"...While that is quite an interesting question, we should probably discuss that later. All right, Albedo, won't you give us our orders? There will be many things to do later on."
"Indeed, you're right. I need to issue orders soon. Shalltear, I'll discuss this matter with you at length soon enough. We'll need to spend some time on it."
"I have no objections, Albedo. No other matter is more worthy of our time."
"Very well. Then, let us move on to our plans for the future."
"Firstly--"
Players could produce a nearly infinite variety of original magic items in YGGDRASIL. Defeated monsters dropped data crystals, which formed a magic item when they were set into an item skin.
Therefore, people would immediately buy item skins that they liked.
That was the reason for this room's state.
Momonga picked out a greatsword from the weapons in the room. Freed from its sheath, the silvery blade sparkled in the light. The runes carved into the blade's body sparkled as well, etching themselves into any onlookers' eyes.
Momonga swung the greatsword around. It was as light as a feather.
Of course, this was not because the blade was light, but because Momonga was very strong.
Momonga was a mage and his spellcasting stats were very high, but his physical stats were lower in comparison. Still, the strength he had gained from reaching level one hundred was not an inconsiderable figure. If he encountered weak monsters, he could easily pulverize them with his staff.
Momonga slowly took a fighting stance, and then a loud sound of metallic clanging ran through the room. The sword he had been holding a moment ago was now on the ground.
The maid standing by in the room immediately picked up the greatsword and handed it to Momonga. However, Momonga did not pick it up, but looked at his empty hands.
That was it.
That was what confused Momonga.
Although the realistic NPCs made him think he was no longer in a game, the annoying sensation that bound his body made him feel otherwise.
In YGGDRASIL, Momonga had no levels in warrior classes, and so he should not have been able to use a greatsword. However, if this new world was reality, it only made sense that he should have been able to wield it.
Momonga shook his head and decided not to think about it. After all, he would not be able to find the answer no matter how much he pondered.
"Tidy this up."
"「Create Greater Item」!"
Once Momonga cast the spell, his body was sheathed in a suit of engraved full plate armor. It glowed darkly, and its surface was covered in gold and silver patterns. It looked very expensive.
He moved around in it to see how it felt. Although it was somewhat restrictive, he was not immobilized. In addition, the armor fit his body very well, which was quite unexpected considering the gaps between his bare-boned body and the armor.
It would seem that he could use magic-generated items, just like in YGGDRASIL.
As Momonga silently applauded the wonders of magic, he peeked at himself in the mirror from between the gaps of his closed helm. A dashing warrior looked back at him, nothing at all like a magician. Momonga nodded in satisfaction, and gulped in his nonexistent throat. Right now, he understood how a child felt when he angered his parents.
"I will be stepping out for a while."
"The guards are ready for you," the maid reflexively replied. However—
The truth was, he disliked them.
On the first day when the guards followed him around, he felt pressurized; on the second he was used to it, and then he felt like showing them off. And on the third day—
Momonga suppressed the urge to sigh.
It was all too stiff and formal for him. The guards followed him everywhere he went, and whenever he met someone, they bowed to him.
Maybe, if he could have walked around nonchalantly with his guards in tow, it would have been tolerable. But he could not do that, because he had to maintain the gravitas of the ruler of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick at all times. He could not allow a moment of laxity to ruin his image, so his nerves were constantly on edge. This caused a lot of stress to the formerly human Momonga.
Even though his strong emotions were promptly suppressed, his mind felt like it was sizzling in a low flame all the time.
And then there were the unbelievably beautiful women who plastered themselves to his side at all times, taking care of him in all ways. As a man, he was delighted by the attention, but the invasion of his personal space and his life was wearing him out as well.
That stress was another relic of his humanity.
In any case, it was not a good sign that he, the master of Nazarick, was being subjected to this emotional distress amidst these strange circumstances. It might lead to him making a poor decision in times of emergency.
He needed to refresh himself.
Momonga's eyes went wide as he came to that decision. His expression did not change, of course, but the lights in his eyes burned brighter.
"No... there is no need for the guards to accompany me. I simply wish to walk by myself."
"Pl-Please wait and reconsider, if something happens to Momonga-sama, we must become your shields. We cannot allow any harm to come to your person."
The maids and the other vassals wanted nothing more than to protect their master even at the cost of their own lives. In that sense, Momonga's request to go walking by himself — which completely disregarded their feelings — was a cruel one.
However, it had been over three days since this abnormality occurred, roughly seventy three hours. In this time, Momonga had been desperately trying to maintain the stern facade of the ruler of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, but now he needed a rest.
Therefore, even though he felt bad for them, Momonga thought of an excuse and said:
"...I have to do something in secret, and I will not allow anyone to follow me."
A brief silence followed.
Just as Momonga was starting to feel that it was dragging on, the maid finally replied:
"Understood. Then, please be safe, Momonga-sama."
♦ ♦ ♦
His first destination is the Eighth-floor 2nd layer the underground the only place in Nazarick where it felt almost welcoming—its layout calm, predictable, and closely monitored. While still under Momonga's watchful eye, it gave off a friendlier, more approachable vibe than the harsher, more fortified upper levels. While it appeared calm and familiar, he knew that its friendliness was only surface-deep; beneath it all, he remained aware that even a single slip could turn the controlled environment into chaos.
"So… this is the entrance to the Underground, huh."
He stand at the edge of the hole, pitch black is all what he can see even with his undead trait, it uses magic perception to neglect any racial skill or 5th tier spell to any low-tier perception/utility spells, he step forward and dive in the abyss, with a large and echoing thud he landed on a bed of yellow flower at the bottom of the hole daylight shinning from above—
(Momonga): so this is the ruins huh… its feels so isolated and calming for some reason --- just then he heard clanking metal boots running to his location --- I forgot I order sans to move all Royal Guard here, hmm… I really don't want them to guard me while taking a stroll… I know [Greater Teleportation].
After using Tier 6 spell he is arrive at the entrance of a snow filled town 'Snowdin', while walking through the center of the town where a Christmas tree is planted with décor a small yellow dino monster startled him,
"WOAH!!!, who are you?! Said the dino child with sparkles in his eyes.
"Uh… Momon" after a long pause the black knight address himself as Momon,
"WOAHHH!!, You look AWESOME!!!
Momonga seems to be more social and comfortable talking to this dino child than any npc in Nazarick even he has trouble talking to the maids, not sure if its his virgin mind at fault or just the authority he must uphold, while talking to the dino child he hears flopping noise form his behind and with a small head turn he saw sans walking towards him the smiling skeleton seems to be drunk??, while holding an empty bottle of ketchup and his other hand in on the back of his head scratching,
"Heh… hey, boss. Fancy *Hiccup* meetin' you here. wassup?" says the now drunk skeleton acting like it's all a coincidence but the truth is sans has been following the overlord from the moment he descends from the hole,
"Sans" (Is he… drunk? Can a skeleton even get intoxicated?)
"SANS!! LOOK AT THIS COOL DUDE!!"
"Yea kiddo that's nice… say why don't you go play go over there I have something I want to talk about with this buddy over here"
"Awwwww!"
"Sorry kiddo we have stuff to do"
"Aww, Bye, Dude"
Momonga waved them off, a flicker of curiosity crossing his mind. If Sans, an undead, could actually get drunk, then maybe—just maybe—there was a chance he too might one day find a way to taste food again, even in his skeletal body.
""heh… look at you, boss. traded the robe for some fancy black armor and a red cape, huh? guess you finally decided to put some flesh on those bones…so what's the occasion"
"Ah… it's complicated" (honestly, I just want to relax before going to the surface and the underground monsters are nice to be around)
Sans shrugged and put the empty bottle in his jacket pocket, surprisingly it actually fit "so boss where to?"
"Hmm?"
"Well, I don't mind you walking around unguarded, but the other will probably lecture me especially Undyne, so I'm tagging along"
If overlord is given a chance to have one floor guardian follow him twenty-four seven from the rest of his life, he would always choose sans given his approachable nature and laid-back attitude, quite opposite from his other Floor Guardian colleague, would be comfortable than the undying loyalty and servant like attitude they show to him neither the less even with his friendly nature he is not to be underestimated as one of the person who create him, he has a full background knowledge of what Sans is truly capable of from his base from to NO MERCY form, to his skill set and to his items.
His destination was a large hall. There were rows of narrow mortuary slabs on both sides of him, but there were no corpses on them now. The floor was polished limestone. Behind Momonga was a flight of stairs leading down, and at their end was a set of double doors, through which one could access the First Floor of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. The sconces in the walls had no torches; the only light came from the bluish-white moonlight streaming in from the outside.
This was the closest location to the surface that the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown could take him, the central mausoleum on the surface of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.
All he needed to do was take a few steps to reach the outside world. But despite the vast space before him, Momonga could not take those steps.
That was because of the thoroughly unexpected encounter before him.
The silhouettes of heteromorphic beings loomed before him. There were three monsters in total.
One of them looked like a fearsome demon. Fangs protruded from its mouth and its body was covered in scales. It had stout arms and sharp claws, as well as flaming wings and a snake-like tail.
Another was a feminine-looking monster with a crow's head, dressed in a tight-fitting bondage outfit.
The final one wore full plate armor that was open at the chest, proudly revealing its abdominal muscles. If not for the black bat wings and the two horns protruding from its temples, it might have been mistaken for a beautiful young man. However, its eyes held a desire that knew no limit.
They were the Evil Lords of Wrath, Jealousy(Lust), and Greed, respectively.
All the Evil Lords turned their attention to Momonga, but they did not move, only watching with their unwavering gazes. The grim atmosphere weighed down on everyone present.
They were all monsters around level eighty or so, and they should have been assigned to sentry duty around the Infernal Shrine where Demiurge lived, near the gate to the Eighth Floor. Shalltear's undead minions should have been stationed in the upper floors to stand guard. So what were Demiurge's subordinates, his elite guards, doing in here?
Behind them was one more figure. Momonga had not noticed him until now, but it had been watching Momonga from the beginning. Once he revealed himself, everything became clear.
"Demiurge…"
Once they had gotten close enough to each other, all the demons simultaneously genuflected, bowing their heads to him. The one at their head was, of course, Demiurge. His neat movements were slick and elegant, as though he were a nobleman.
"Momonga-sama. May I ask why you have come here, and dressed like this?"
"Its uhh-" but before he can give out a pathetic response Sans save his boney ass
"Boss has reason for it demi" Sans talk from behind the red cape Momon was wearing, given his small height demiurge would have not notice him if he hadn't talk
(NICE SAVE SANS!!)
"My deepest apologies for being unable to divine your fathomless intentions, Momonga-sama—"
"Call me Momon."
Pardon me, Momon-sama…?
The reason behind having Demiurge address him by a different name was quite simple. Although only Sans, Demiurge and his vassals were here at the moment, this place was an exit, and many underlings would be passing through here. Momonga simply did not want them to call him "Momonga-sama, Momonga-sama," wherever he went.
How much did Demiurge understand without knowing Momonga's thoughts? Just then, a look of enlightenment filled Demiurge's face.
"I see… so that's what's going."
(Eh? What's going on?)
"I believe I have some grasp on your profound schemes, Mo… no, Momon-sama. Truly, they are considerations that only the ruler of this domain would have taken into account. I ask that you permit me as well to accompany you. I am aware that it may inconvenience you, but I hope that in your boundless mercy, you will permit one of us to escort you."
"...It can't be helped. Very well,"
Demiurge smiled elegantly.
"My deepest thanks for humoring my selfish request, Momon-sama."
"...Just call me Momon, you can dispense with the honorifics."
"How could I!? To do so would be unforgivable. Of course, I can obey such an order while acting as a spy or performing special missions, but within the Great Tomb of Nazarick, how could anyone not show the respect due to yourself, Momonga-sama… no, Momon-sama!"
Demiurge's passionate monologue moved Momonga a little, and he could not help but nod in approval. He mused that being called Momon would lead people to mock him for having such a lame name, and he lamented picking that alias so casually.
"Forgive me for wasting your valuable time, Momon-sama. Then, you lot will wait here for orders, and explain to the others that I am on the move."
"Understood, Demiurge-sama."
"Well, it seems your subordinates approve as well. Then, Demiurge, Sans, let us be off."
Momonga walked past the bowing Demiurge, who raised his head and followed his master.
♦ ♦ ♦
"Why was Mo… cough, why was Momon-sama dressed like that?"
"I don't know, but there should be some reason for it."
The remaining Evil Lords muttered to each other in confusion.
After all, they had not seen through Momonga's disguise because he teleported here.
Momonga had no idea of knowing this, but the denizens of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, or rather, all of Ainz Ooal Gown's servants radiated a certain aura that the servants could sense in order to determine whether a stranger was friend or foe. Within the guild, the aura of the Forty One Supreme Beings that ruled Nazarick — now reduced to Momonga alone — was enough to tell them that the one before them was their absolute ruler. They could sense his mighty presence from a distance and they could not have mistaken Momonga for anyone else, even through his full plate armor. They would have seen through Momonga's disguise immediately, regardless of how he arrived.
It was easy to differentiate his aura from the others in Nazarick.
The doors to the first floor swung wide, and someone climbed the stairs.
Judging by the aura that came from the stairs, the newcomer was a Guardian.
The Evil Lords saw the beautiful face of the Guardian Overseer, Albedo, rising from the steps. They went to one knee as they realised that they were in the presence of someone who was the equal of their master, Demiurge.
To Albedo, the vassals kneeling before her was merely natural, and she paid them no heed as she looked around.
Only after Albedo failed to find the person she was looking for did she turn back to the Evil Lords. She spoke without addressing anyone in particular:
"...I don't see Demiurge around. Where is he?"
"He… a Momon-sama passed through just now, so Demiurge-sama decided to accompany him outside."
"Momon...sama? I don't recall a name like that among the servants… Which servant did Demiurge accompany? A Floor Guardian following a lowly servant? How strange…"
The Evil Lords did not know how to respond and looked at each other.
Albedo smiled gently to the Evil Lords:
"Could it be that mere servants like you dare to deceive me?"
Her tender, final warning made the Evil Lords shiver, and they realized that they could not keep hiding things from her.
"When Momon-sama came here, Demiurge-sama concluded that he was a person worthy of our respect."
"...Momonga-sama came here!"
Albedo's voice seemed to crack a little, and so the Evil Lords calmly replied:
"...His name was Momon-sama."
"...And his guards? Did Demiurge receive some notification from Momonga-sama? But I already arranged to meet him, so does this mean Demiurge did not know Momonga-sama was coming? Ah, forget it, I need to change and bathe!"
Albedo touched her clothing.
Her clothes were dirty from her work. Her hair was tangled at the ends, as were her wings.
However, such petty imperfections could not begin to diminish the appeal of a world-class beauty like Albedo. It was insignificant, like the loss of a point or two out of a hundred million. However, to Albedo, even the slightest blemish on her appearance was a mark of failure. She could not show this filthy self of hers to the man she loved so dearly.
"The nearest bath… the one at Shalltear's place? ...But then she might get suspicious… although I'll just have to bear with it. You lot, go to my room and get my clothes! Quickly!"
Just then, one of the Evil Lords called out to Albedo, who was pacing around. She was the Demon General of Jealousy.
"...Albedo-sama, though this might be rude, would your present attire not be better?"
"...What do you mean?" Albedo angrily retorted as she stopped in her tracks. She thought the other woman wanted Momonga to see her in this unkempt state.
"...No, I simply meant that a beautiful woman like yourself would be best served by showing the signs of your hard work. In the end, you will still benefit, will you not, Albedo-sama?"
The other Evil Lords added their suggestions, "By the time you could bathe and prepare herself to meet Momonga-sama… Dark Warrior-sama, much time would have been wasted. It would be a shame to miss a good opportunity because of that."
"I see—" Albedo mused.
They had a point.
"That makes sense… it seems I panicked because I have not seen Momonga-sama for such a long time. I can only meet Momonga-sama after eighteen hours, don't you think eighteen hours is too long?"
"Yes, it is."
"If only I could finish laying out the administrative framework and return to Momonga-sama's side… then I'd better not waste time griping and find Momonga-sama. Where is Momonga-sama now?"
"He just stepped out."
"I see."
Although Albedo's reply seemed curt, there was a distant smile on her face as she imagined being with Momonga, and she flapped her wings in an adorable way. She walked past the Evil Lords with hurried steps.
The footsteps suddenly halted, and Albedo asked the Evil Lords again:
"For the last time, do you really think Momonga-sama will approve of seeing me dirtied like this?"
♦ ♦ ♦
After leaving the mausoleum, Momonga was greeted by a beautiful sight. The surface area of the Great Tomb of Nazarick was two hundred meters square, protected by six meter thick walls, with an entrance and an exit at the front and back.
The Tomb's grass was trimmed short and felt refreshing. On the other hand, the Tomb's trees had leafy branches that shrouded much of the grounds in shade, and the extensive shadows gave the place a gloomy air. There were also alabaster tombstones scattered about.
The juxtaposition of the neat grass and the messy tombstones was quite incongruous. In addition, there were exquisite carvings of angels and goddesses all over the place, each of which was easily a work of art, but the chaotic tomb design was frustrating, to say the least.
Apart from the large central mausoleum, there were four smaller mausoleums in the north, south, east, and west, each defended by statues of armored warriors, each six meters tall.
The central mausoleum was the gateway to the Great Tomb of Nazarick, and it was from this place that Momonga had emerged into the outside world.
Momonga stood at the top of the stairs and quietly surveyed the landscape before him.
The Great Tomb of Nazarick had originally been located in the icy world of Helheim, which was perpetually shrouded in darkness. The atmosphere was grim and dark, and the sky was constantly overcast. Yet, what he saw now was vastly different from that.
He was looking at a beautiful night sky.
Momonga looked to the heavens and he could not help but sigh. He shook his head, as though unable to believe his eyes.
"Amazing… to think they could include such detail in a virtual world… the air here is so fresh that it must never have been polluted. People born in this world wouldn't need artificial lungs to breathe…"
He had never seen such a clear night sky in his life.
Momonga wanted to cast a spell, but he was hampered by his armor. There was a certain mage class that allowed for the casting of spells in armor, but Momonga did not have that class. As a result, his full plate armor kept him from using magic. Even armor created by magic would not allow its wearer to cast spells while wearing it. Currently, there were only five spells he could use in his armored state, but sadly, the flight magic Momonga wanted to use was not part of them.
Momonga reached his hand into his pocket dimension and withdrew an item. It was a necklace with a pendant shaped like a bird's wing.
He put on the necklace and focused on it. The power buried within the necklace took effect.
"「Fly」."
Freed from the shackles of gravity, Momonga floated lightly into the sky. He rose upward in a straight line, gaining speed as he did.
Although Demiurge was frantically trying to catch up, Momonga paid him no heed and ascended steadily. Before he knew it, he was several hundred meters in the air.
Only then did Momonga's body slow down. He forcefully cast aside his helmet, and said nothing — no, as he looked down at this world, he could not say anything.
The blue-white light of the moon and stars chased away the darkness of the land. The grasslands, ruffled by a gentle wind, seemed to be glowing. The countless stars and the moon gave off their own radiance as well, shining brilliantly against the light coming from the earth.
Momonga could not help but sigh:
"This is beautiful… no, beautiful would not begin to describe this… what would Blue Planet-san say if he were here?"
What would he do if he saw this world whose air, land, and water had not been polluted?
Momonga recalled his comrade from the past, the man who had showed up for the guild's offline meetings, whose stony face had broken into a delicate smile when he was praised as a romantic — that gentle man who loved the night sky.
No, he loved nature, which had been polluted and almost completely destroyed. He played YGGDRASIL because he appreciated those scenes which no longer existed in reality. He had built the Sixth Floor with his sweat, blood, and tears. Its night sky was his personal design, and it was a reproduction of the idealized world in his heart.
That man who loved nature was always particularly excited when the topic came up. Some might even call it an obsession.
How excited would he be if he could see this world? How passionately would he declaim its glories in his baritone voice?
Momonga suddenly realized that he missed his old friend very dearly. Hoping to hear him expounding his wide knowledge again, he looked to the side.
There was nobody there. There could not be anybody there.
The somewhat hurt Momonga heard the flapping of wings, and the transformed Demiurge appeared before him.
This was Demiurge's half-demon form, with a pair of large black leathery wings growing from his back and the face of a frog.
And Sans sitting on a flouting platform, it looks like large, floating, skeletal skulls resembling a dragon, The [Gaster Blaster] is Sans' signature weapon, a summoned skeletal construct shaped like a monstrous skull. Its primary purpose is to unleash devastating beams of concentrated magical energy, capable of tearing through defenses in an instant. More than just a weapon, its sudden appearance and sheer destructive force serve as both an intimidation tactic and a reminder of the hidden power lurking behind Sans' laid-back demeanor.
Certain heteromorphic creatures had multiple forms. In Nazarick, Sebas, Albedo, and Sans had other forms as well.
Although it was troublesome to train up levels in heteromorphic racial classes, they were very popular because they had different forms like final bosses in a game. In particular, people were fond of how these heteromorphic beings were weaker in their human and demihuman forms, but more powerful in their fully monstrous forms.
Momonga turned away from them, who was partially transformed into a demon, and looked to the sparkling stars in the sky once more. He spoke softly, as though to his absent friends:
"...To think one could see so far just by the light of the moon and the stars… it's hard to believe that this world is real. Blue Planet-san... this world is like a chest of jewels."
"Perhaps it is. I believe the beauty of this world exists to adorn you, Mo— Momon-san," Demiurge said in a reverent voice.
"Indeed, it is beautiful. You say these stars exist to adorn me… perhaps that is so. Perhaps the reason that I have come here is to claim this chest of jewels which belongs to nobody else."
Momonga clenched his fist before him, and it looked as though he was taking the stars into his grasp. Of course, that was simply because his hand was covering the stars up. He shrugged at his childish behavior and said to Demiurge:
"...No, this is not something I can claim for myself. Perhaps these jewels are meant to adorn the Great Tomb of Nazarick; myself, and my friends from Ainz Ooal Gown."
"...What a moving statement. If is your wish, then by your command, I shall lead Nazarick's forces to claim this chest of jewels. I, Demiurge would like nothing more than to present this chest of jewels to my lord and master, Momonga-sama."
Those cheesy lines made Momonga chuckle. He wondered if Demiurge had been intoxicated by the atmosphere as well.
"As long as we do not know anything about the beings which live in this world, I can only say that your idea is foolish. For all we know, we might be minuscule weaklings in this world. However, conquering this world might be quite interesting."
Conquering the world was something that only the villains in children's shows would say.
The fact was that conquering the world was not easy. And then there was the matter of ruling the world after conquering it, preventing insurgency and maintaining public order, as well as all the other problems that came with ruling a host of nations. When one thought about these things, one would realise that there was hardly any point in conquering the world.
Momonga knew all of this, but he still spoke of conquering this world, because seeing its beauty awoke that juvenile desire within him. In addition, as he was getting into the mindset of being the leader of the dreaded guild Ainz Ooal Gown, those words accidentally fell from his mouth.
And there was one more reason.
"...Ulbert-san, Luci★Fer-san, Variable Talisman-san, Bellriver-san…"
It was because he remembered what his former guildmates had once said, "Let's conquer one of the worlds in YGGDRASIL."
He knew that Demiurge, the wisest mind in Nazarick, would understand that taking over the world was just a child's joke.
If Momonga had seen the smile that had spread across Demiurge's frog face, he would surely not have left matters at that.
Deep in thought, Momonga looked over to Nazarick, and saw a curious sight.
A wave over a hundred meters across was moving along the land as though it were the sea. Little ripples rose from the surface of the plains, slowly heading in the same direction as they fused together, finally becoming small hillocks as they approached Nazarick.
The gigantic pile of dirt shattered against the sturdy walls of Nazarick, like waves crashing against the shore.
"...「Earth Surge」. He used his skills to enlarge the effective area, as well as his other class skills…" Momonga muttered in respect.
In all of Nazarick, only one person could use this magic.
may I ask about what you plan to do next, Momonga-sama?"
"Since Mare has carried out his task splendidly, I intend to check in on him. I also plan to give him a suitable reward in person…"
A smile appeared on Demiurge's face. It was a gentle look that seemed completely out of place on a devil's face.
"I believe your thanks will be the finest reward he can receive, Momonga-sama… my deepest apologies, I suddenly remembered something I have to do. As for Mare…"
"It's fine. Go, Demiurge."
"Thank you very much, Momonga-sama."
Momonga then turn to Sans, The smiling skeleton seems distracted by the majestic view Infront of him, and he can tell the reason for this as the floor guardian they have a fully constructed background and given on who is responsible for all of his background history—Tabula—Sans story is that he live underground and had not seen any real sky given the floor his station is Underground.
after some time, he look down to see mare with Flowey wrap in his arm and both are talking about something and look at Momonga and said: "hey boss wassup?"
"I'm going to greet mare and Flowey about the completion of their work"
The work was finished. What once was a bare patch of ground had been reshaped into a gentle hill, its surface dotted with clusters of golden flowers that swayed lightly in the breeze. It looked natural—almost nostalgic—yet held the quiet mark of deliberate design.
"Perfect, isn't it? Doesn't even look like a tomb's hiding under there, huh?"
"U-um… y-yeah, it looks really good. I-I hope Momonga-sama will be pleased…"
"Oh, don't sweat it, kid. If anyone can pull off a hide-and-seek game with a whole fortress, it's you. I just sprinkled in a little… flowery touch."
"T-thank you… it, um, wouldn't look so real without your help blending things in."
Flowey: "Heh, flattery'll get you everywhere. But between us, you've got some serious talent, you know that? You just need to
stop mumbling like you're about to apologize to the grass."
Mare: "…O-oh. Um, s-sorry— I mean, I'll try harder!"
Flowey: "See? There it is again. You really are too easy, Mare. But hey, that's what makes ya… kinda fun to mess with."
Flowey turned his face toward Mare, a crooked grin curling on his petals.
Their moment was interrupted by the crunch of footsteps. Momonga approached, armored in black and crowned with a crimson cape, while beside him shuffled Sans, hands still tucked lazily in his pockets.
"Mo-Momonga-sama, w-welcome ."
"heya, kiddo. flower face. looks like you've been busy. real green thumbs, huh?"
Flowey rolled his eyes. "Hilarious. You've been waiting all day to crack that one, haven't you?"
Momonga's hollow eyes scanned the hill. …Remarkable. If I did not already know, I would never suspect Nazarick was buried beneath this mound. Its simplicity is its strength.
"Well done. Both of you. Nazarick is that much safer thanks to your efforts."
Mare bowed so quickly he nearly dropped his staff. "T-thank you, Momonga-sama!"
"Mare, I am pleased with your loyalty. At the same time, I understand your reluctance as an NPC to accept this ring which symbolizes us. However, if you truly understand my intentions, you will accept my orders and this ring with them."
"But, but, why me… shouldn't everyone else have gotten one too...?"
"I had intended to give the others these rings; however you are the first. This is because I am pleased with your work. If I gave this to someone who did no work, then this ring would have no meaning. Or do you intend to devalue this ring?"
"No, no, of course not!"
"Then take it, Mare. After accepting this ring, continue working hard for Nazarick and myself."
Mare nervously reached out his hand and slowly accepted the ring.
Momonga felt somewhat guilty as he watched Mare. The truth was that he had an ulterior motive for giving him the ring.
That was because once Mare had the ring, it would be more difficult for people to tell that Momonga was teleporting around.
As Mare put on the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown, it immediately changed its dimensions to fit Mare's slender fingers. He could not help but stare at the ring on his finger, sighing in relief. Then he turned to Momonga and bowed deeply.
"Momonga-sama, th-thank you for this great gift... I promise that from today onward I will work harder so I do not disappoint you!"
"Then, I'll trust you with it, Mare."
"Yes!"
A determined look appeared on Mare's face as he gave his immediate answer.
"Ah, excuse me, Momonga-sama… but why are you dressed like that?"
"...Ah, about that…"
Because I wanted to get away — obviously he could not say that.
Mare's eyes sparkled as he looked up to the troubled Momonga. How should he bluff his way through this? If he failed here, all the acting he had done to appear like a commanding superior would have gone to waste. No subordinate would respect a superior who was trying to flee.
Momonga desperately tried to calm himself down, and then help came from an unexpected source.
"That's simple, Mare."
Momonga looked back, and his eyes were instantly drawn to the person he was looking at.
A woman who seemed to be the embodiment of all feminine beauty stood beneath the moonlight. The bluish-white radiance played across her body, which sparkled in response. It was as though a goddess had descended from the heavens to grace the earth. Her black wings flapped, creating a gust of wind.
It was Albedo.
Although Demiurge was behind her, such was Albedo's beauty that Momonga's eyes did not even register Demiurge's form.
"Momonga-sama wore this armor and concealed his identity because he did not wish to disturb the others at work."
"When Momonga-sama approaches, it is only natural for everyone to stop whatever they are doing and bow to him. However, Momonga-sama did not wish to interrupt anyone. Thus he disguised himself as Dark Warrior-sama so the others would not cease in their labors to pay him his due respect. Am I correct, Momonga-sama?"
After hearing Albedo's question, Momonga nodded repeatedly.
"As, as expected of you Albedo, you understood my true intentions."
"It is only natural, as the Guardian Overseer. No, even if I were not the Guardian Overseer, I am confident that I could read your heart, Momonga-sama."
As Albedo smiled and bowed deeply, there was a bizarre expression of Demiurge's face as he stood behind her.
Although it weighed on his mind, he could not object to the people assisting him.
"So, so that's why…" Mare said, with a look of realization on his face.
As he looked toward Mare, Momonga saw a sight he could hardly believe was real. Albedo's eyes had suddenly gone wide open, to the point where it seemed like her eyeballs might fall out. She was pointing at Mare in a strange way.
Just as Momonga was thinking about this, Albedo's face returned to its usual beautiful state, so quickly that Momonga thought it had all been an illusion.
"...What's wrong?"
"Ah, no, nothing… all right, Mare, sorry for disturbing you. Take a break, and continue the camouflage work afterwards."
"Y-Yes! Then, Momonga-sama, I'll be on my way."
As Momonga nodded to him, Mare rubbed the ring on his finger and left.
"Speaking of which, why did you come here, Albedo?"
"I heard Demiurge say you would be here, so I wished to greet you, Momonga-sama. However, I apologize for making you see me in this filthy state."
Momonga looked at Albedo again as he heard the words "filthy." However, he did not feel that the words were fitting. Granted, there was dust on her clothes, but it did not lessen her beauty at all.
"Certainly not, Albedo. Your radiance could never be diminished by something as insignificant as dirt. That said, I feel a little uncomfortable about making a beautiful maiden like yourself run around. However, since this is an emergency, I must ask you to continue working for Nazarick for the time being. I apologize for that."
"I can endure any hardship as long as it's for your sake, Momonga-sama!"
"I am grateful for your loyalty. Ah, yes… Albedo, I have something to give you."
"...What might that something be?"
As Albedo lowered her head and calmly replied, Momonga brought out a ring. Naturally, it was a Ring of Ainz of Ooal Gown.
"You will need this item in your position as the Guardian Overseer."
"...Thank you very much."
Her reaction was so different from Mare's that Momonga was somewhat disappointed. However, he immediately realised that he was mistaken.
The corner of Albedo's mouth was twitching and she was desperately trying not to let her expression change. Her wings were shuddering because she was trying her best not to spread them. The hand which took the ring had clenched up (when had she done that?) and then it opened up, trembling mightily. Even an idiot could see her excitement.
"Continue your loyal service, As for Demiurge… some other time."
"I understand, Momonga-sama. I shall continue working hard in future to prove myself worthy of such a mighty ring."
He then turns to look at the smiling skeleton, Sans one of the strongest Guardian, (surely giving him one would be beneficial to the tomb.) sensing the gaze sans turn to the knight
"don't worry boss, I have my shortcuts"
(shortcuts? Ohh the space gap around Nazarick, having space gaps screams security risk but as far as I know only Sans has access to this 'shortcuts')
"Is that so? Then, I have abandoned the tasks that I must take care of. I'd best return to the Ninth Floor before I get scolded."
After seeing Albedo and Demiurge lower their heads in response, Momonga activated the teleportation effect of the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown.
In the instant before the scenery changed, Momonga thought he heard a woman shouting "ALL RIGHT!" However, he felt he must have been mistaken, because there was no way Albedo could have made such a crude sound.
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