Tears of Nazarick

"...I see. Healing her will be no problem, but I didn't expect something like this from you, Cocytus-sama. Woof."

"She. Collapsed. Onto. Herself. After. Our. Fight. I. Also. Fear. She. Upheld. Mental. Damage."

Cocytus clacked his mandibles as if biting his tongue. It's unfitting for a servant of the Supreme One to preoccupy himself with the mental state of a prisoner, yet he accidentally let himself speak aloud.

"Hum, it wouldn't surprise me, woof." If she caught any deeper meaning onto it, she wasn't letting it show. "I'll mend her wounds before she wakes up, the Frost Virgins should be able to restrain her in time, isn't that right? Uh, woof."

"That. Is. Correct." Cocytus exhaled a triumphant wave of frost as he left his subordinates behind with Pestonya. Even in the disarrayed state the Frozen Cell was currently in, it will be no issue for the Frost Virgins to repair it to it's proper, perfect standard.

The Insectoid soon turned to leave the cell behind, but another word from the head maid whistled it's way behind the warrior to stop him in his tracks.

"Cocytus-sama, should I be the one to report the condition of the prisoner to Lord Ainz, woof?"

He held his breath for but a single moment, flashes of Entoma's words in his first trial and of Sebas' judgement repeated before his mind.

"You. Won't. Need. To." He turned his head to the heteromorphic maid. "I. Will. Be. Telling. Lord. Ainz. Myself."

Whooooosh!

The sound of the Dark Elf twins playing could be heard as they hopped from tree to tree at inhuman speeds, carelessly unsettling some of the dryads trying to make their living in the sixth floor.

"Tag! Mare, you're it!"

"N-No fair, sis!"

Aura was dashing wildly with her huntress skills and naturally higher agility, graciously jumping and landing acrobatics befitting of her small but agile build. Mare, on the other hand, had to rely on wiser tricks if he wanted to catch up to his sister.

"Humph…" The little Dark Elf pouted, holding in his breath for but one second and listening-in to the ruffling leaves Aura was making her way through…

'She'll be over there… [Silent Magic: Woodland Stride]'

To the onlooking eyes, Mare stood next to a tree for just one second before vanishing in the next. Only some of the higher-leveled dryads could conjure up an idea of what he had done.

'But to have refined that ability at such a young age… How terrifying!'

Pinison shivered, trying to forget what she saw and returning to her routine duties.

"Haha, Mare! What's the issue, can't catch up?"

Aura was over-excitedly taunting her little brother over her higher agility, she was always better at him in these games, but she figured it was a good training lesson for them too, Lord Ainz had said once at least.

Then she realized.

'Wait...Where is Mare? I can't feel him anywhere-' "A-Agh!"

"G-Got you!"

The dark elf girl who was scouting for Mare above a tree branch had been suddenly pushed off, a seeming impossibility in her mind as she dramatically fell towards the floor. Of course, she failed to account for Mare using [Woodland Stride] to silently warp throughout the trees in the area, which the Sixth floor was full of.

Sensing his master's imminent collision with the ground, Fenn quickly used his [Forestwalker] ability to phase through the dense forests at an inhumanly accelerated pace, catching the dark elf moments before she'd mildly hit her bottom on the soft dirt floor. Saving Aura from that predicament, the holy beast got a well-deserved pat on his head.

"Mare! How did you- How is that fair?"

Aura had a sly grin to her face she was trying to hide as she realized what Mare had done. She wouldn't admit it to him, but it was a pretty clever way to trick her. She'd just have to pick up her pace and sharpen her senses even more now.

Her brother, on the other hand, timidly got on the defensive.

"L-Lord Ainz said we should find all sorts of uses for our spells! Especially to cover our weaknesses!"

"Humph, whatever!" Aura couldn't disagree when Mare brought up Lord Ainz's words. "I'll just catch you before you can even say-"

"Eeh! Y-You're it! [Woodland Stride]!"

"MARE!"

Unfortunately for Aura, Mare activated his spell moments before she could reach him, now it was her turn to find a way over Mare's skill.

The dark elf smiled from ear to ear, letting her heterochromatic eyes shine with eagerness.

"Hehe, he's really getting better at this."

It took some time, but the twin's game was finally over. As expected, Aura came out on top once again, proving her superiority in this game of tag.

It was a closer match this time, though. One could see how exhausted the twins looked as Aura had to keep using her skills to pursue Mare whenever he managed to catch her off guard.

"Aaaaaah!" Aura stretched her arms out, almost falling over and landing on Fenn's fur again. "Mare, I'm beat!"

Mare too wanted to refresh himself. He didn't win, but…

"I'll-I'll get you next time, sis!"

Aura got a chuckle out of it, not to put her brother down of course, but she finally fell behind while clutching to Mare's shoulder after failing to give him a push.

Both fallen atop the comfort of the divine beast's fur, the siblings pouted at each other before the silence slowly broke into mirthful laughter.

With the siblings at rest, the dryads could finally feel at peace once more.

"Lord Mare!" One of the elven servants cheered as she saw the misshapen boy wander inside the giant tree once more.

"I-I'm back…" It didn't take long for the other servants to take notice and come over to overlook the little boy. Mare couldn't even step inside without someone wanting to brush his hair or tidy up his clothes.

"You look tired, Lord Mare. Should I prepare a bath for you?"

It was the Elf with crimson hair flowing over her shoulders that gave the suggestion, much to the chagrin of the other girls for implying she'd be bathing him herself.

"I-Umm...That sounds nice, I guess…"

'Is this how Lord Ainz feels? No, he's so cool, and he made us with the Supreme Beings, so he must like all the attention! I just hope he doesn't make me rule over the Elf Kingdom now…'

Mare's bright smile remembering the Supreme Beings and his own creator was misinterpreted as eagerness in the eyes of the servant, who hurriedly went to prepare his bath for him. Mare was at least glad she was gone for now.

Aura, on the other hand, couldn't be feeling more exasperated than she was now. Mare was never going to grow up if these three kept babying him! And she knew damn well she should be the only one allowed to tease her little brother! Bukubukuchagama-sama wrote it in her as so!

'What's even worse is the way they keep pampering him too! It's totally different from when I'm alone with them, is it because he's a boy? If so…'

An evil smirk grew across Aura's face, she didn't even give the other attendants the spare moment they wanted to offer her a change of clothes.

"Hey Mare, what did you think about that Half-Elf girl you fought? Wasn't she pretty strong?"

Aura made sure to put just the right intonation at the fact Mare came across another Elf just to annoy the servants. She could already see her plan coming to fruition as one of the servants looked away to hide her eyes twitching.

"Eh? What's with the question?" Mare was too innocent to understand Aura's motives. "She was powerful… Ainz-sama said her skill was 'totally broken', but I don't think most of us would have any trouble beating her..."

Mare explained to Aura earnestly, leaving her unamused as he didn't add any fuel to the fire she was starting. She had no choice but to press further.

"Right, but what did you really think of her?" Aura scooted up next to Mare and nudged him on his shoulder, flashing him a big smile. "Did you think she was prettyyyyyy~?"

Aura could practically hear the hearts of the elven servants sinking at her question. What Mare answered almost didn't matter now as she planted the seed of doubt inside their heads.

"Eh?!" Mare's face flushed. 'What's with Aura right now?' "I- I think-"

Before Mare could even answer, though, something interrupted the thoughts of both dark elf twins.

A familiar voice spoke into their mind, their eyes suddenly widening and their ears twitching cutely in sync.

[Floor Guardians, Ainz Ooal Gown-sama has summoned each of you for a meeting in the Throne Room. Please step through.]

Aura and Mare only gave each other a short nod of acknowledgment before crossing their arms together and stepping through the iridescent vortex that Aureole summoned for them, all eager to hear the words of their Lord.

In the gigantic tree, all three of the Elven servants hung their heads low, almost collapsing to their feet.

"We…" One of them whimpered. "We still have a chance as concubines… Right?"

"Enri-chan! How is my favorite little chief doing?"

"Lupusregina-sama!"

It was another quiet day at Carne Village. Well, as quiet as one could hope it for be, at least.

The sounds of hammers smashing against anvils from the workshop Ainz Ooal Gown had rented to the dwarves was a bit grating on the ears on the best of days, but that was really the only complain they could have living under the Sorcerer King.

'Not to mention the dragons! I've only heard stories about them before, now we see them on the daily!'

It was overwhelming, really. But since everyone said she was the most fitting for village chief…

She was about to hug Lupu again, but suddenly closed her arms together in a pout.

"Wait a minute! I still haven't forgiven you for that prank!"

"Whaaat!" Lupusregina dramatically posed as if struck in the heart by an arrow, holding her hand over her chest. "Come on Enri-chan, it was just a harmless joke! It's going to break my heart if you never forgive me!"

"You said Ainz-Sama had been killed! That is anything but harmless!" She put her arms on her waist as she began scolding the wolfish maid. Lupusregina could even almost feel the tiniest bit of apprehension as it reminded her of her previous scolding, but she wasn't going to let this toy get the best out of her.

"Awnn, Enri-chan, you must be ruling this village with an iron fist if you can speak to me like this." She held a scary face for only one second, letting her alluring golden eyes make Enri's next words choke on her throat. Only a second later and she was all cuddly and cute again.

"Besides, since Ainz-sama didn't come under any harm in the first place, then it was a totally harmless joke, su~"

Enri seemed like she was going to speak up again, but decided to just let her shoulders hang in defeat, she didn't have any counter arguments to that.

"Sigh, I guess you're right." 'It's not like I could argue with her over my mental state, I should be thankful she's here to take care of the village at all.'

"Of course! Big sis Lupusregina is always right, su~!"

"Hey, wait!"

Lupus then came uncomfortably close to Enri, grabbing her for a hug from behind that she knew she hated.

"G-Goodness, I don't know why you are so touchy…"

"I'm just a big, cuddly dog keeping the village safe, isn't that nice, Enri-chan – Ah!"

The maid suddenly let go after feeling Enri's belly after hugging her from behind. She thought she had sensed something, but now…

'My my, how naughty… I need to have my fun with this!'

"Sorry Enri, I didn't realize how bigger you had gotten!"

"E-Eh?!"

'Immediate reaction, typical~'

"W-What do you mean, Lupus-sama?"

Enri began trying to make herself smaller, looking down on herself to see if she truly was…

"I'm just saying, Enri, the quality of the food here must have really improved, right?"

"!-"

'So she is saying that! How cruel!'

Enri knew she wasn't a princess in term of beauty, especially with women like Lupusregina and the accompanying wizard of Momon, Nabe around. But she looked after herself! It's true, she might have been getting cravings recently, but…

"Aww, come on Enri-chan, maybe Nfir likes bigger girls!"

She could practically taste the despair in Enri's face now, so beautiful. Well, it's not her fault that they're human, she just wished she was there to watch while it happened.

'I could have made things a lot more fun for the two lovebirds~'

"Do-do you really think so, Lupu?"

"Ahem- Of course!" She made a gesture to Enri so she would get closer for her to whisper something.

"Some men love it when things get bigger, especially…" She sneakily-not-sneakily-at-all put her hands forward to grope Enri's chest, but the village chief scooted back just in time.

"Eek! I- I see." Enri suddenly had a more confident, albeit still unsure stare. "I'll try to believe you, Lupusregina-sama."

"Of course! Don't worry, if you want, big sister Lupusregina can always- Ack!"

The wolf maid hung her head low as she felt something metal striking her from behind. Enri, who had witnessed this scene before, only took one step back before returning to her senses.

"Yuri-sama! And…"

There was someone else with her, she didn't recognize him, but he looked mighty strong! Even if he was a bit old, he looked like he could handle himself better than anyone else in the village at least.

"Forgive me, a lady shouldn't have to introduce herself first. My name is Sebas Tian, it's a pleasure to make acquaintance of the village chief, Miss Enri Emott."

"Wow…" Enri couldn't help make her surprise shown. 'Such a gentleman!'

"Ah- I mean, it's a pleasure to meet you too, Mister Sebas."

"Uhum." The man brought a hand to his chin, taking in the scenery of the village for himself. She had no way of knowing he was the first to see their own predicament years ago, but it was of no surprise to him to see the village prosper under the rule of his Lord.

"I hope I'm not interrupting any important affairs, I have just come here to collect Miss Lupusregina for a moment." He declared matter-of-factually to the small village chief, not even bothered she might be confused as to who he is. "Lord Ainz requires her presence in his halls."

Enri could see Lupusregina suddenly shift from where she was standing, like a chill had gone down her spine. Enri didn't enjoy payback too much, but it did bring a smile to her face.

"That's understandable, Mister Sebas. I hope you had a nice stay here in the village, brief as it was."

The iron butler smiled. "It certainly was." He turned his back to her, looking at the rest of the Pleiades that had gathered back and out of view of the village. "Lupusregina shouldn't be gone for too long, I hope it won't worry you too much."

He turned to look her in the eyes again, such direct stare making her heart skip a beat.

"A lady should take utmost care of her health when expecting a child, after all."

And with that, they all went away, leaving a very perplexed Enri standing alone at the edge of her village.

"Eeh?!"

In the most secured, sacred place in this whole world, a Doppelganger sat in a marble chair, gently caressing a gilded sword.

'Safarlisia, one of the four Holy Swords, regarded as the Sacred Sword and one of the treasures of the Roble Holy Kingdom.'

"Yet not even strong enough to lay a scratch on us, much less Mein Vater…"

Pandora's Actor laid the sword down, already decided on which part of the treasury it should go to. Frankly, he wished he could get his hands on the rest of these so called "Holy Swords".

'Not to mention those "Swords of Darkness" Vater heard about, we know one of them lays in the hands of the adamantite adventurer, yet Vater has made no effort to ensnare it…'

The Doppelganger coolly adjusted his cap, silently treading the halls of the treasury as a spiral of different thoughts overcome him.

'My father, how lucky I am to still have you here. But now to have such a weight land on my shoulders…'

Pandora's Actor knew his father well, he probably understood him better than anyone in Nazarick. He would never say he knew every intricacy of the Supreme Being of course, that would be blasphemy, but there was a deeper emotional connection between the too.

'Ah, Vater. I'll be just as you are… Seiten der gleichen Münze."

'Not that I'll be an Overlord, or that your majesty is a Doppelganger, but we both know what you're sacrificing, Vater.'

"Please...You're Lord Ainz's creation, I beg you! What you saw of him in the room… What did you think?"

"Pain. He was in pain, Albedo."

He often imagined going in adventures with Ainz, both of them unearthing treasures untold, discovering what secrets this world had to offer.

But Ainz-sama chose Nazarick above all else, above even himself.

'If you had left us like the rest, would I even be able to move now?'

An unknown existence, hidden deep inside the bowels of an unreachable tomb.

Such a lonely existence.

'But compared to you, Vater…'

Pandora recalled every time he saw his father, still when he was Momonga, enter and leave the Treasury.

Each time, carrying the armaments of another Supreme Being, adorning Golems with their personage.

Pandora could feel the strength of the Treasury growing then, but it brought him no such joy.

The Doppelganger made his way into the depths, mimicking his father's footsteps as he'd walk the Mausoleum.

There it laid, the thing that most pained Pandora's heart.

A promise unfulfilled, a wish he hopes never comes true.

"See? There's an empty spot, right? I plan to put a statue of myself there one day."

He clutched his fists at the memory.

Doppelgangers could not shed tears.

[Lord Pandora's Actor, Ainz Ooal Gown has summoned you for a meeting in the Throne Room]

Turning back from the empty grave-spot, Pandora's Actor walked forth to his first meeting as Overseer.