Chapter 3:
'This day was turning into something out of a bizarre fever dream.' Guifei thought distractedly.
Just a couple of hours ago she was gritting her teeth while nodding along to her sponsor's lectures, and now the world she knew as a game became real, she was in the body of her game avatar, and the NPCs came to life and were pledging themselves to her.
This was something straight out of a third-rate light novel written by an edgy teenager. Next thing you know, she would be chosen as the great hero of a secretly morally corrupt kingdom, seducing everyone she met by simply having the bare minimum of morals and common decency - because everyone besides herself and the heroines was irredeemable evil villains - and cheesing through the whole plot due to her Lvl9999 cheat skills.
'Wait, since Ainz Ooal Gown is supposed to be an "evil guild", wouldn't that make us the villains in this scenario?' Ignoring the ridiculous direction her thoughts went, Guifei brought her attention to those kneeling in front of her.
"Guardian of the First and Second Floor, Shalltear Bloodfallen. I pledge myself to the masters." True Vampire, one of Nazarick's strongest NPCs, was designed with overwhelming strength and speed in mind.
"Guardian of the Third Floor, Vritra. I pledge myself to the masters." Destruction of enemy forces using debilitating debuffs and the sheer might of the Dragonoid race.
"Guardian of the Fourth Floor, Iniquitous Baptist. I pledge myself to the masters." Abyssal Priest, elemental mastery, mana draining, and curses.
"Guardian. Of. The. Fifth. Floor. Cocytus. I. Pledge. Myself. To. The. Masters." An incredibly powerful insectoid warrior that uses prodigious mastery of arms to overwhelm opponents.
"Aura Bella Fiora, Guardian of the Sixth Floor-"
"Likewise, Mare Bello Fiore, Guardian of the Sixth Floor,"
"We pledge ourselves to the masters." The only NPCs to share the title of 'Floor Guardian' of the same floor. One faces her opponents using both quality and quantity of tamed beasts, while the other engages them with magical supremacy.
"Demiurge, Guardian of the Seventh Floor. I pledge myself to the masters." A tricky devil who used a mixture of overwhelming strength and punishing debuffs to face his opponents.
"Guardian Overseer, Albedo. I pledge myself to the masters." The NPC with the highest defense stat, designed to be a damage sponge against any who made it to the Throne Room.
"With the exception of the Eighth Floor Guardian Victim, all the Floor Guardians have assembled per your wishes. Here and now we pledge ourselves to your Radiance and promise to fulfill your visions. So we swear!"
"So we swear!"
As an Idol Guifei was used to dealing with simps; people were quick to fall to their knees in worship for her, whether it was genuine or simply because they wanted something from her.
What was infront of her was a scene that wouldn't be out of place in one of her Meet & Greet events.
It was then that a menacing aura from her right stopped her mind from getting lost in the sense of familiarity. She was so surprised that she reflexively released an aura of her own in defense. Her [Blessings of The Ancients] matched Momonga's [Despair Aura] skill and lessened the effects that it had on the ones present.
"Excellent, my servants! I gladly accept your pledge of loyalty." Momonga said dramatically and spread his arms wide as if he was offering them salvation.
Judging by the teary-eyed smiles and quivering lips, that wasn't too far from what he did.
"Now, moving on to the purpose of this meeting: Nazarick is facing an unprecedented situation." At these words the mood immediately became serious. "I have sent Sebas to investigate the situation outside, and he will be returning-" he paused as he spied the butler in question standing respectfully to the side. "-now."
"Impeccable timing, Sebas!" Guifei chirped in greeting and motioned for him to come closer. He moved next to Albedo and kneeled. "What news do you have for us?"
"We are no longer in the marshes of Helheim. The surrounding area consists entirely of grasslands."
"Grasslands?" Momonga muttered.
Guifei frowned. The theory of Nazarick itself being transported increased in likelihood.
"Anything special about these lands? Noticeable landmarks, monsters, anything?" Guifei asked.
"No, my Lady. There is only flatland with no landmarks of note, and the only animals I have encountered were mostly grazing animals and a few rabbits."
'This sounds like the starting zones in Midgard.'
"You mean to say we are completely exposed and completely detectable to any unlucky fool who happens to wander into this territory…"
"Yes, that is so, my Lady."
The swamps in which Nazarick was located were the guild's first layer of defense. The tomb could not be accessed from the air, so you would have to trek through the poisonous swamp filled with dangerous monsters until you found the guild. At which point you would be beset by the POP monsters at the entrance.
They may not be particularly powerful, but they did not need to be. The whole point was to force the invaders to waste resources on recovery.
In this case however, their defense had been reduced to just the POP monsters, and they were too conspicuous. A bunch of shambling skeletons would attract more attention than a single tomb in the middle of nowhere.
Even worse, those trash mobs wouldn't do anything against a max-level player.
"I see. Umu. Then our first step should be to hide the existence of the tomb from outsiders." As expected, Momonga came to the same conclusion as her. "Does anyone have any suggestions?"
The Guardians remained silent until Mare hesitantly raised his hand. "I-I can use some spells to move the earth and c-cover the walls with vegetation so-"
"You would smear DIRT on the glorious walls of Nazarick?"
The young elf let out a squeak while everyone else became tense.
"Albedo." The words were spoken softly, yet the fallen angel felt a weight press down upon her. "Mare is speaking right now. If you have anything to say, wait until he is finished." Cold eyes gazed down at her and fear gripped her heart.
"M-My apologies…"
Those frosty eyes continued to look down at her… until they blinked. "Okay! As long as you understand." Guifei smiled brightly full of warm cheer, the tension in the air completely dissipating as if it never existed.
"Umu. Mare's idea has merit." Momonga brought everyone's attention back to the topic. "Sebas, are there hills in the area?"
"No, My Lord. The surrounding area is entirely flatlands."
"I see, a single hill would just attract attention. What if we were to make some dummy hills?"
"Then yes, I believe it would be convincing."
"Excellent! Now does anyone have any objection regarding this course of action or a plan they wish to put forward?" Seeing everyone, even Albedo, remain silent, Momonga continued. "Umu, we will be proceeding with Mare's plan. Mare, if you require assistance, don't hesitate to ask."
"Next: Albedo and Demiurge will work together to create a more comprehensive and efficient communications network between the floors."
"Yes, Lord Momonga!" The two demons replied.
"Next: Each Floor Guardian must conduct a thorough examination of their respective floors and provide a report to the Guardian Overseer."
"As you command!"
"Now for my last question: What do you think of us?"
Momonga's question had Guifei side-eye him. The topic was something she was curious about, but she wanted to take her time over weeks and observe their behavior around herself and her bony friend to see how their attitudes changed.
Being part of the Idol industry, Guifei was used to seeing people wearing masks. They would approach you with a smile, fully intent on using you as a stepping stone for their success. With years of experience under her belt, she was confident that she would be able to discover any threats to herself and her friend.
Would they seek retribution for being forced to die repeatedly every time there was an invasion?
Do they seek to topple their rulers?
"Lord Momonga is a being of wisdom beyond compare, gathering great beings of power under his rule. Lady Guifei is as cunning as she is beautiful, a delicate flower blooming in a blood-soaked battlefield." Demiurge said as he adjusted his glasses.
"Lord Momonga is super cool, and Lady Guifei is very awesome."
"You are both very kind people."
Aura and Mare's words made Guifei all warm inside. It seemed like they were more comfortable around her.
"Lady. Guifei. Is. A. Warrior. Who. Has. Laid. Waste. To. Those. Who. Become. Enemies. Of. Ainz. Ooal. Gown. And. Lord. Momonga. Is. The. Supreme. Master. Of. The. 41. Supreme. Beings."
"Lady Guifei is the one who defeated my previous incarnation and used the remains to grant a new form, freeing me from the Samsara the wretched Devas had trapped me in - even granting me the very weapon they used to slay me. She is an audacious individual whose blasphemies against the heavens without a second thought. And Lord Momonga is the one who rules supreme over such blasphemers. Ki…hee…hee." Vritra cackled.
"The High Priestess is the Voice of the Living Flame, the one who gathered the lost flock. Lord Momonga is our most benevolent benefactor who allowed our wretched flock to serve under his banner and granted us sanctuary." Iniquitous Baptist said in his raspy voice.
"You are both the epitome of beauty!" Shalltear was blunt and straightforward with her compliments.
"Lady Guifei is the most wise consultant of the Supreme Ones and a long-time friend of my creator. And Lord Momonga is the man I love!" Albedo's declaration brought Guifei's mind to a stop, and she couldn't help but turn her gaze towards her friend.
"You are our merciful lords who chose to stay behind," Sebas said with a dip of his head.
Despite the lack of facial expressions, his discomfort and awkwardness was obvious to her eyes. It was obvious that he was being overwhelmed by the NPC's earnest praises.
The same could be said for her. While she was used to having praise and worship lavished upon her, none of them were based on her RP persona. Even then it was always as part of a skit.
"Excellently said, my servants!" He said grandiosely and spread his arms wide. "Continue your diligence and I promise to repay your faith in me." Finishing his statement he vanished, teleporting - or rather, escaping - away.
Left alone with the Guardians, Guifei suppressed a flinch as all the NPCs turned their eyes toward her.
"As today has been quite hectic, I will be retiring to my room for the night." She gathered her confidence and met the eyes of Guardians. "If anybody requires my assistance, do not hesitate to call for me."
With her piece said, she quickly teleported to her room on the fourth floor. As soon as she confirmed that she was alone she jumped onto the bed, buried her face into a pillow, and screamed her heart out while kicking her legs. The criminally comfy cloth bag muffled her screams and was the only reason nobody barged into her room to check on her.
After a minute or so of releasing her frustrations, she lay on the bed and simply gazed upon her room. It was the very definition of opulence, beautifully carved furniture made of wood and jade, silk pillows and satin covers, a large aquarium containing some weird and cute sea creatures…
Guifei let out a sigh. This room was by far the most simple thing she designed. Yet never had she imagined that she would be able to enjoy the fruits of her labor.
As she buried herself into the covers and welcomed the embrace of sleep, only one thought crossed her mind:
'I could get used to this.'
Xxxxx
6th Floor, just after Guifei left:
A few minutes after the Supreme Ones left, the Guardians started standing.
"Whoa!" Aura exclaimed as she stretched. "By the Supreme Ones, I thought I was going to die!"
"Yes, that was very scary." Mare, the boy in the skirt said.
"To. Think. That. Lord. Momonga. Would. Hold. Such. Presence…" Cocytus marveled at the power he had witnessed.
"That was Lord Momonga's answer to our pledge of loyalty." Albedo was smug as if bragging about her lover.
"And the High Priestess showed us her favor by protecting us from the full brunt of Lord Momonga's might" Iniquitous Baptist rasped out in reverence.
"Truly awe-inspiring." Demiurge mumbled, pushing up his glasses.
Vritra noticed the last remaining Guardian was silent. In fact, she was still kneeling.
"Is something wrong, Shalltear?" Glasses-Demon asked the kneeling vampire who started to tremble. And like a volcano, she erupted.
The platinum-haired shorty shot up from position squealing like she was in the throes of ecstasy, releasing a particularly lewd sound to the discomfort of everyone present.
"The feeling of being crushed by the mighty presence of Lord Momonga, and the warm, comforting embrace of Lady Guifei…" Ms. Fake-knockers panted out like she was dying of thirst, visibly shuddering while covering her blushing cheeks. "It was truly the height of ecstasy!"
The depraved smile on her face was disgusting and made Vritra scowl. 'Just because you're right doesn't mean you get to make it weird you leach!' Judging by the looks of disgust or exasperation on the others' faces she wasn't the only one with this opinion. One of them seemed more offended than others.
"You disgusting slut!" Albedo screamed, a menacing aura surrounding her.
"Huuuuh?! This was a reward from the Supreme Ones, the fact that you aren't trembling in bliss makes YOU the weird one!"
'No, you're still the weird one.' Everyone thought as one.
"You-" Deciding that she wanted no part in their quarrel, Vritra and the other Guardians quickly made their getaway, leaving only Aura who seemed frozen in place unable to look away.
Sebas also made his escape, using his duties as an excuse.
When they got far enough that the screeching became quieter, Demiurge spoke up.
"It is quite an interesting idea."
"W-What do you mean, Demiurge?" Mare questioned.
"I mean to say that an heir to Lord Momonga would be a great addition to our forces and the future of Nazarick." Demiurge began. He then added somberly, "Lord Momonga and Lady Guifei chose to stay until the end. However, there is no guarantee that someday they will not leave for another place like the other supreme beings."
Vritra hated to admit it but she understood the demon. Her mistress may have stayed until now but that was all due to her loyalty to the master of Nazarick.
For someone as whimsical as Guifei, long moments of boredom are unacceptable. In fact, during her now infrequent visits, she mentioned finding something new and fun to do.
And why wouldn't she? A blazing soul like her could not be contained in a dark, cold tomb. At least now, with their newfound independence, the residents of Nazarick could convince their remaining masters to stay.
"If it comes to that, it would be preferable if Lord Momonga were to leave an heir for us to swear fidelity to."
"O-Oh." Mare peeked at Albedo and Shalltear, the two women still not having ended their standoff. "So they would give birth to Lord Momonga's child?"
"What. Blasphemy. Is. This?" Cocytus demanded.
"But wouldn't it be nice to pledge ourselves to Lord Momonga's descendants?" The demon asked with a smirk.
Frosty mist escaped from Cocytus's mouth. "Hmm. That. Does. Sound. Appealing-No. Wonderful! What. A. Wonderful. Thought."
As the guardians watched Cocytus fell into a fantasy of being the beloved uncle who would teach the young lord the ways of the sword.
Vritra watched her fellow Guardian get lost in his delusions and wander off. "Are you listening to this-" She turned to Iniquitous Baptist but was shocked to find him stroking his chin.
"A child born of Lady Guifei would inevitably receive the blessings of the Great Old Ones." His voice rasped. "Lady Guifei will need assistance in raising the child, especially in regards to their education in the Great Old Ones. I would gladly take on the honor of being that child's tutor. Ku Ku Ku."
"What?" Vritra couldn't believe the nerve of this guy. "Obviously Mistress's child would want to lead a dragon flight. Between riding the symbol of power and majesty into battle and becoming a boring and gloomy cultist like you, I think the choice is simple."
"Excuse you! You dare call the High Priestess's position boring?" the cultist growled out.
"I wasn't calling the position boring, I was calling YOU boring. And gloomy. You'll make the kid cry."
"The only thing that would make a child cry would be your stench, you filthy newt!"
Vritra gasped at the insult and staggered back as if struck. "I-I am not smelly, got it?! I bathe properly every day, you know?!"
Xxxxx
It was about an hour after the meeting and Momonga spent the time doing some extra tests on his body.
Specifically, he had to test something that was vital for the future and he couldn't afford to postpone it.
Next to him were two carts full of food and drink, while Yuri Alpha and Narberal Gamma stood to the side awaiting further orders.
When he came into this world he had mourned his loss of sensations. His emotions and all his senses were muted. But the drink Guifei gave him proved that he could still taste food. It was better than anything he had ever tasted.
As soon as the meeting ended he called the maids and had them prepare various types of food for him to try. Using the guild staff, he discovered that he could view his status screen and those of other NPCs. As such he was able to see the buffs he received from Guifei's drink.
He tried a simple chocolate cake first. It fell through his mouth and over his cloak and sent the maids into a tizzy as he got his cloak dirty. It was simple enough to clean with a spell but it proved he could not eat all food and needed to be more careful.
Further tests showed that his ability to consume food depended on the quality of the food. Or 'rarity' in gaming terms. Low-tier food made using common ingredients was out. As far as the test shows he could consume any food from mid-tier and above, which consisted entirely of rare and mystical ingredients. Interestingly, while he did not seem to have a limit to how much he could eat - since the consumed food just disappears as soon as it enters his mouth - it seems he was not able to receive any buffs other than the first meal he had.
Momonga slumped in his seat. After a lifetime of eating nothing but cheap synthetic meal paste, he was able to eat actual meals and enjoy it. But now he was forced to cut back and deprive himself of this joy as he wasn't sure there were any high quality ingredients in this world. For all he knew, this world might be occupied by completely mundane, non-magical animals.
With his mood ruined and appetite lost, Momonga pushed away the plate and stood up. Walking over to the weapon rack by the wall he took a sword from the rack. Inspecting it he found it to be a rather simple steel sword, the type most warriors would use at around LV20 or so.
Quickly storing the staff in his inventory he gripped the handle of the sword with both arms and attempted to slash down. As he raised the sword and attempted a downward slash, the sword fell from Momonga's hands. Not because he dropped it, but the sword literally removed itself from his hands.
'So I'm still bound by some limitations of the game, huh?' From the Overlord's discoveries, while a lot of the game's rules were removed, like sense of touch and the profanity filter, some of the game mechanics were still active. Such as mages not being able to equip warrior class weapons. While some job classes allowed a player to fight with both spells and sword, Momonga had invested in a pure mage build. Which meant that he was completely unable to wield a sword despite being able to physically carry it in his hands.
'Unless…'
"[Perfect Warrior], [Greater Create Item]" Immediately Momonga was clad in a full set of black armor with gold accents and a red cape. Grabbing the fallen sword he once more performed a downward slash. This time the sword did not leave his hands and the force of the slash caused strong winds to buffet the room.
Yuri and Narberal said nothing, not even flinching in the show of physical might.
If Momonfa had a human body he would be sweating buckets by now. Due to the two maids' constant oversight, he had been getting more and more anxious by the minute and constantly second-guessing his actions.
'What did these two think as they watched their boss playing around with a sword after gorging himself on food?' The armor-clad undead thought pessimistically.
He had gotten too impatient with running these tests. He should have tried getting a smaller serving of food instead of this whole feast.
He couldn't bear looking at the plates of leftovers without feeling an ache in his currently non-existent heart. His body felt no hunger, but in his fear of losing his ability to eat he had selfishly indulged himself without any consideration for his subordinates and probably tainted his image in their eyes.
'...I need some time alone.'
"I will be heading out." Momonga stated as he made to move.
"Of course. Please allow us to prepare escorts for you." Yuri bowed her head.
"That will not be necessary." Momonga swiftly refused as that would defeat the point. "I will be going by myself."
The two members of the Pleiades looked alarmed at his words. "To go out without any form of protection is-" Narberal was cut off as her Lord raised his armor clad hand to silence her.
"Do you believe me to be so easily challenged?" He said those words with a light chuckle, to make it seem as if he found the idea to be hilarious. However given the way the two sisters immediately paled and bowed begging for forgiveness, it might have backfired.
Momonga suppressed his first response of apologizing and explaining the situation. He felt like a bully, but right now his image as the unfathomable ruler of Nazarick was what kept the NPCs from turning on him. As much as it discomforted him, he needed to stick to what they see him as with as little deviations as possible.
"Stop. I am simply taking a stroll outside, there is no need for me to bring guards for something so trivial." The maids still did not seem convinced but were not capable of speaking against his orders.
"I will be returning shortly, please clean up the mess." He used the ring to teleport to the first floor, hoping that he was able to assuage their concerns with his final words.
As he made his way towards the exit he felt the gazes of many who were present on the floor. They seemed curious but were soon returned to their own duties, which let Momonga breathe a sigh of relief. 'Good. I'm almost out.'
Just as his goal was within his sight, he ran into an obstacle.
"Halt! No one is allowed to leave without permission from the Floor Guardians, or the Supreme Ruler himself!"
Standing before him, blocking his path were three demons. A scantily clad woman with an avian head, a large, monstrous looking demon with flaming wings, and a humanoid demon with wings.
They were Envy, Greed and Wrath; three members of the Evil Lords, a group that was subordinate to Demiurge.
As he racked his brain for a way to get out of this mess without causing a commotion, another figure stepped in front of him.
It was the devil himself, walking in like he was summoned by his thoughts.
"What is-?!" As he approached Momonga, he stiffened and immediately kneeled, surprising everyone. "It is a great honor to have you visit us." Hearing his words the Evil Lords shocked everyone and they also immediately imitated their leader.
"May I ask the reason you have graced us with your presence, with no guards and in that disguise…?"
"There are reasons for this." The Undead player simply said, trying to hide how uncomfortable he felt from the demon's stare.
Hearing this the demon's smile widened. "I see, so it's like that…" He seemed to have gained a sort of revelation from that response.
"Umu, that is how it is." Needless to say, Momonga did not know how it was. "I wish to take a brief stroll outside by myself."
"If I were to guess, you do not wish anyone to disturb you during this stroll?"
"Y-Yes!" Surprised by Demiurge's deduction, Momonga unconsciously raised his voice. "Ahem, yes - that is exactly what I wish. A full escort will only be a distraction."
'Yeah. That sounded cool.' Mentally patting himself on the back, he started to make his way to the exit.
"However, we cannot simply let the esteemed ruler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick wander around unguarded." Seeing Momonga ready to object he pushed on. "Please allow me to insist. It would greatly calm our minds if there was someone to accompany you."
Seeing that there was no getting out without rejecting their 'requests' and casting suspicion on himself, he had no choice but to give in.
"Very well. I will allow one of you to accompany me."
"I thank you for this honor!" Demiurge was on his feet immediately and bowed his head with his hand on his heart.
"Hmph. Let's go."
'AAAAGH!' Despite his nonchalance he was internally panicking. As the NPC was designed to be one of the smartest individuals within Nazarick, this demon was the most likely to expose him. He would need to be more careful around him.
If it wasn't for the emotion suppressor working overtime, he would have been caught several times over by now.
He hurried out of the tomb with Demiurge on his heel. Upon stepping out, the first thing that captured his eyes was the night sky.
Despite his emotion suppressor, he could not suppress the quiet gasp that escaped his throat.
As someone from the corporate-dominated 22nd-century world, he had never seen a clear, starry sky. The sky he knew was polluted by toxic fumes, the rain was acidic, and not being mindful while on the street was likely to get you dragged into an alleyway and killed. He had seen pictures of what the world was like before, but they did not do the real thing justice.
Reaching into his inventory he grabbed a particular item. A necklace with a silver wing attached to it. Wearing the necklace he activated the spell, "[Fly]" and took to the skies, his escort following after him.
Flying high above the clouds he threw away his helmet and gazed down at the world below.
The stars twinkled and shimmered like jewels above.
The earth showed a world larger than he imagined, endless possibilities overwhelming.
Even without lungs, he felt as if his breath was taken away.
"Beautiful… like a box of jewels…" He muttered. 'BluePlanet would have loved it here.' He thought somberly.
The so-called 'Romanticist' of Ainz Ooal Gown had confessed that the main reason he joined the game was to recreate the lost natural scenery of their world. He was the lead designer of the lush and green forests of the Sixth Floor and was a collaborator in the design of the mountain range of the Third Floor.
'I wonder what he's up to now? Did he manage to get a job at those greenhouses like he wanted? Or did he become an environment designer for a VR company? I remember him mentioning something about that…' The overlord's musing of the past was interrupted by his escort.
"If you command us, my lord," He began. "the entirety of Nazarick will dedicate ourselves to acquiring this box of jewels to adorn yourself with."
"It would be beyond selfish if I were to take those jewels for myself. I would prefer to adorn them on those who I love, rather than enjoy them by my lonesome."
'Honestly, do they really see me as some sort of world conquering, genocidal maniac? That sounds too scary.' Momonga let out a light chuckle at that. "Although…"
"World conquest, is it? Hmph. It does sound somewhat appealing."
The [Message] spell did not contact any of his friends, but that might have simply been because of the spell's range. 'If I spread the name of Ainz Ooal Gown far and wide… maybe, just maybe…'
"Umu. If I remember correctly Guifei once mentioned the Court of the Old Gods. If the Blind Idiot God could do it…"
He remembered the time Tabula had recommended a new player to join the guild. He hid the identity of the player, wanting to surprise the other members. People were definitely surprised when they found out who exactly Tabula had recommended.
Yu Taizhen, who also went by her streamer handle 'Guifei', was at the time only had some fame as a cover singer. She had a decent following at the time but nowhere as massive as now.
There were mixed reactions of course. Some wanted to refuse her entry based on several reasons. One being that she was not only not a heteromorph, but also formerly a member of an all human based PK focused guild. Another reason was that some did not consider streaming an actual job. Another was because she was of chinese descent. It had been decades since the war, but the tension between the countries never went down.
The only argument tabula could give for her entry was that Immortal humans were extremely rare, less than five in the game at the time. No to mention her Job as a priestess of an Old God - they were not really popular among the human players.
After much deliberation, and a lot of pity, it was voted that she would be a probationary member until they could decide if she would make a good member or not. She would have less privileges than a normal member, but none were allowed to bully or harass her.
While Guifei called herself a casual player, no one could accuse her of being complacent or negligent. She attended every guild meeting she could, took part in raids, and did not hesitate to help other members to farm experience or complete quests.
After six months Guifei became a full-fledged member of Ainz Ooal Gown, and since then she has been an invaluable part of the guild.
The fact that she would often fund various guild projects out of her own pocket might have been a significant factor.
Another factor would be that when she attained fame and recognition, she did not turn her back on the guild. If a guild member had some financial struggles, she would lend some money. She even helped some find better jobs, like helping Bukubukuchagama get better roles in the VA industry so she wouldn't have to settle for voice acting in obscure HGames.
"If it pleases you so, we will establish a court that will even surpass those Old Gods."
That wasn't Demiurge that spoke just now. Hearing the flapping of wings, Momonga and Demiurge turned back to see Albedo ascending to their level. Once she reached their level she bowed in greeting.
Momonga could only laugh at that. "I look forward to it." He appreciated how they went out of their way to play along.
"But… talking about my plans is not why you sought me out here, is it?" At least, Momonga hoped it wasn't the reason.
'I just wanted to take some time away from your constant monitoring. If I couldn't even achieve that, how am I supposed to make a plan that will satisfy you all?!'
Albedo's eyes widened in surprise before she chuckled. "You saw through me so easily, as expected of Lord Momonga." Albedo schooled her features and stared at him resolutely.
She was staring at him with such intensity that Momonga thought that if he still had a human body he would be sweating buckets.
"Earlier… In the throne room… Lady Guifei, she-" Albedo seemed to cut herself off, seemingly at a loss as to how to convey what she wanted to say.
"No need to say anything Albedo." The Overlord motioned the Succubus to calm down with a wave of his hand. "I understand completely."
"You are speaking of that event."
Albedo seemed to hesitate, before nodding. Demiurge on the other hand looked very confused. "That event?" He asked in worry.
"You can ask the details from Albedo and Vritra." Momonga waved the demon off.
Momonga completely understood what Albedo was feeling. Even he panicked momentarily when his friend suddenly collapsed before his Emotional Suppression kicked in.
For the NPCs, to see someone they saw a god - an indomitable figure - collapse so suddenly… They must have been worried out of their minds.
"There is no need to worry. In fact, in hindsight, the sequence of events was completely expected."
"Completely expected…?" Albedo could only murmur in astonishment.
Momonga nodded his head. While he was surprised when Guifei suddenly collapsed, he was able to infer the reason why the situation occurred in the first place.
"There are many words one can use to describe Guifei," he began, turning his back to the Guardians as he gazed upon the night sky, "upbeat, egotistic, whimsical, spendthrifty… but none dare call into question her passion - her devotion."
Guifei was an unparalleled genius when it came to music. Like a protagonist out of a light novel, she would perform feats that would be unreplicable by the average human; such as creating three different songs in their own unique styles, completely in one day.
She also expected others to work at the same standards she places on herself. Which meant she would push others to improve until she deems them 'acceptable'. This made her notoriously difficult to work with, but those who stuck with her have grown immensely in fame, wealth, and success.
So it wasn't a surprise she was exhausted after all the back-to-back rehearsal sessions. She had been going on about it for weeks, often having to cancel their meetups due to how busy she was - or rather, how busy she was making everyone else.
So with all the accumulated stress, the physical and mental exhaustion pushed her over the edge when the shift happened. Her quick recovery was most likely due to her new body's physical and mental defense skills.
"Honestly, I am surprised this didn't happen sooner." He could only shrug his shoulders about it.
Turning back to face the Guardians, he saw that Albedo was looking down in shame. 'Was she blaming herself for Guifei's lack of self care? I have to nip that in the bud.'
"Your worries aren't completely unfounded, but there is no need to distress over it. As long as there is someone to curb her recklessness there will be no need for worry."
He was pleased to see that his words managed to ease the succubus's worries as she looked at him with a determined expression.
"As you command, Lord Momonga."
Nodding to her words, Momonga turned his gaze downwards and noticed movement of dirt and vegetation heading towards the walls of Nazarick.
It seemed that Mare was doing his job as expected. He should probably present him with a gift to encourage him.
And he new the perfect gift for him.