Pestonya completed her tasks; per the norms- as Head Maid she had more tasks to do than the maids under her but not as many as, say, the Pleiades. Basic tasks and management work she could handle but something had caused her normal confidence to wilt. Maids, and even some of the other Area Guardians would normally flit back and forth like a well oiled machine- today was no different... however- almost everyone who passed her would for a split second lock eyes with her, and she knew exactly why. She had disgraced herself and had actively gone against the wishes of the Supreme One, Ainz Ooal Gown. This was tantamount to blasphemy. While Ainz had considered her request and complied, she felt shame and the bitter taste in her mouth; jealousy. Jealousy towards her co-conspirator Nigredo. They had both pleaded with Ainz to spare some humans from the utterly brutal beheading of the kingdom they were currently facing. She did not have to leave her home as she had been punished and placed within the Frozen Prison, which was already her home. She did not have to bear the continuous weight of others silent judgement. She did not have to silently endure the newborn hesitation of other Nazarick denizens to follow her commands. Pestonya bore it, if it was what the master wanted, it was what the master would receive. Ainz had listened, complied, released, and forgave both of them- each of those displayed alone would have been a blessing. Altogether, it was practically disrespectful to have received each bestowal of his compassion and mercy. It had produced many mixed feelings within her, gratitude and shame.. Despite her willingness to work tirelessly and endlessly to erase this debt, Ainz-sama had said she still deserved a break and had told her to collect her thoughts during it. She had spent those days and nights wringing her hands and though her body did not have the ability to cry, she had done so without the tears. The dark fog of feelings had loomed over her and kept her lost within. She once more braced herself and returned to the grace one of Nazaricks maids was expected to have. She knocked on the (comparative to the others) plain wood door. This wasn't to say it didn't belong- the fine engravings upon it swirled into each other, leading the eye on a slow tour of tastefulness. But when compared to some of the other enchanting decorations on the 9th floor, it was... unique. Within, a voice beckoned her in. --- As she entered, she recalled something she had witnessed once, long ago. "You aren't HIDING anything are you?!" a gruff, booming voice proclaimed "You wouldn't want to get in trouble with the other would you?" A tall armored man was ranting and raving, gesturing wildly, and... making odd poses. The man was one of the 41, Touch Me-sama. Anyone could tell he was 200% not serious, and was joking glibly with another. Her creator, Ankoro Mochi Mochi-sama. In comparison, the normally soft voice was practically screeching and she was likewise smacking at Touch Me continuously. Touch Me had puffed out his chest and was laughing haughtily- "HO HO HO!" he bellowed, as each smack of Ankoro's hands displayed a gentle "0 dmg" marker. In a more subdued voice, he mumbled something to her with his hands on his hips, something which caused Ankoro to renew her vigorous assault and somehow, in an even higher pitch- "NO! I AM NOT A FURRY! SHUT UPPPPP!" "Then why are both your NPCs animal people..? Hmmm..." Touch Me mocked a pose which would normally invite deep introspection. They had continued with these jabs as they traded items which they thought were interesting, or the other might like, simple presents between them- a soft, gentle feeling of mutual respect and closeness. Pestonya, lost in thought, had no clue what a "Furry" was.. Along with her natural kindness, gentle tone, and sympathy towards the otherwise despised humans she had taken this to mean "Fury." Ankoro Mochi Mochi-sama had intended for her to be compassionate to those around her, and she had gladly done so. But she had no right to assume what her creator had meant.. --- Pestonya snapped out of her daydream and entered the office of Sebas-sama, the walls were bare, and the room, likewise, had a desk covered in neatly stacked papers which Sebas sat behind. Sebas had the glint of gentleness in his eyes and none of the derision the others sometimes let slip. Not only had they talked over the memories of their creators fondly with each other, they were close colleagues as well, both heading management positions.. -they had also bitterly talked about how they had felt they betrayed Ainz-samas' kindness and gone against his word. At first, this had led to awkward silence and uneasy shame but they both bonded over willingness to pay back Ainz-samas mercy 10-fold. "Pestonya-sama, welcome." They both traded the customary bows and sat down opposite each other. "Sebas-sama.. ah.." she could barely get the words out and she trembled slightly trying to. Sebas simply waited patiently and his firm gaze braced her to answer for what she wished to request. --- Eclair Ecleir Eicler walked proudly, he had finished another piece in the grand battle to take over the throne of Nazarick. He laughed haughtily, and loudly proclaimed his mission statement "I Ecl-" Before he could even get his name out, he was shoved violently down the stairs and tumbled down the grand staircase. After the dizziness wore off, he looked up at his assaulter.. A freezing cold stare met him, backlit by a chandelier and slightly heaving shoulders stood the Floor Guardian Mare. His normal shy flower-like disposition was more akin to a fist that had crushed a bouquet of flowers. Maybe those flowers were lilies intended to be placed on his coffin. --- Fluder Paradyne traced the usual path he made when he was ruminating. As his master and teacher had surmised, Jircniv had him cut off from tactical speeches and high-end gatherings. Either way, it did not matter to him as he could dedicate more time to studying the tome he had been graciously given- and Jircniv had stopped giving commands to even his knights since they had been vassalized. The floorboards creaked and groaned from his pacing, and indeed, one could faintly make out wear and tear that made a path back and forth that he trailed. This entire floor was his to do as he pleased, he had restored a shaky position with his disciples, and even then, they rarely saw him anyways. On this floor there were two guards, and a third "guard." While his master had said that the Shadow Demon was there to deliver and inspect the average goings on Fluder did. A bitter pang in his heart stabbed at his feelings. He had betrayed Jircniv for his new master, and it was rather obvious his Master had him monitored for betrayal- but compassionately let him keep his pride by stating it was there in case he quickly needed assistance or to contact him. He wouldn't dare simply send his master a [Message] whenever he wanted to, and he had been rather busy lately anyways. His rumination led to deep introspection over the tome he held in reverence, his new tasks, and more. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and was chastising himself lightly, as he felt like a young boy again. Every time he dipped out of sight of the two guards, despite his ruminations- he would absent-mindedly add flourish to his pacing. A little spin here, a little hop there, and so on. This was undoubtedly unbecoming for the "pinnacle" among his magic using peers; however, he was no longer the wise teacher but the learning student. He remembered the meetings with his teacher, Ainz-sama, and they could be counted on one hand. However he did not say anything on the matter as they had been massive moments each time. He was also taught just how minuscule he was and that he had a long ways to go. He had occasional visits with several casters from Ainz-samas Great Underground Nazarick. He had the lady known as Narberal, and the shrinking violet Mare-sama, to explain deeper meaning in magic. Both were the quiet type, so he could easily ask questions rapid-fire. "Ahhhh.." he mumbled over and over. He had to ask every possible question regarding in specific detail or they would silently sit there. The meetings were short and when over they would quickly leave through a [Gate] . Again "Ahhhh.." he heard about some of the resources in Nazarick which piqued his interest in what sorceries he might yet hold in his hand. If he provided good results maybe he could someday be allowed admittance.. A sound notified him of a [Gate] spell entering, he had been scheduled one such visit, and thus ready to greet him and vice versa. --- Pestonya walked the same path she had done a week before, and knocked on the door to Sebas-samas' office. However, when it was heard one of the maids announced her visitation. Unease. Incredible unease. She entered and practically imploded seeing Ainz-sama seated on what was usually Sebas-samas' chair. She knew what was coming and her subsequent execution was writ in stone. It was obvious Sebas-sama would talk about this to Ainz-sama, but she still felt slightly betrayed. "I have finally disrespected Ains-sama enough so to be unforgivable" she thought. She bowed to Ainz-sama and with her heart in her stomach she waited for her punishment. Ainz asked her to stand up straight, and waited for an explanation of her previous actions. --- Leinas Rockbruise. She had come upon good fortune. The Sorcerer Ainz Ooal Gown had benevolently graced her what she wanted for so long. Her once festering curse had been alleviated. She recalled Jircniv-sama willing to take her request and submit it to Ainz Ooal Gown-sama. The offer was not free however. She had been required to work towards this objective, she would sacrifice anything for it. And indeed she had, despite a sum of gold coins and her magic weapons delivered forward. This was accepted but not enough. thus she struggled an ungodly amount espionage on the surrounding cities and slowly but surely she proved herself worthy of such a cure. Meandering in the city was her due diligence, it did not matter anyways as the knights were not needed comparatively to undead might. The city seemed almost split in half- citizens would walk (albeit hugging the wall) on the streets and the others simply chose not to go outside. Her curse no longer haunted her and sometimes she might be looked over as practically a princess. Some argued this didn't matter or compare to those special women from Nazarick. It didn't matter- she had already gotten accustomed to peoples rancid grimaces to her previous pus riddled face. She quietly went through an alleyway to explore. She saw a small girl, Mare, hunched over something she could not tell was. Leinas half walked, half-jogged away. If even being in their presence was punishable, how precarious a situation to distract a Guardian might be? --- Pestonya shivering slightly and with her tail trying to curl down out of fear, awaited the mete of punishment. Ainz-sama stared right ahead, almost through her even. Although, she had a lofty position as head maid it would not be as forgivable as Sebas-sama had. Likewise, Eclair was also forgiven as this was what he had been imposed. But, she had acted on her own volition. What she had requested from Sebas-sama, it was only natural it would reach the Supreme One. As if reading her mind, Ainz-sama spoke. "Pestonya it seems you had a request to make? What would that be?" She wanted to deny it, that it was a error on her part. "Pestonya?" She snapped to attention and said her piece- "Ainz-sama, I- I wanted to wish upon you and wanted to rid myself of inexcusable action. I wished to ask y-you to allow me a boon of mercy, if you could, I wished to go to some of the cities to take their orphans into our care and provided a larger abode and budget." Ainz leaned into one hand supporting his chin. Pestonya gulped. --- Eclair was picked up, transported back up, and thrown again. --- The [Gate] did not send that woman, but a different one- a maid in plainclothes of her profession. "Ainz-sama has ordered you to report immediately. Please do." she said, and went back through the [Gate]. This was unusual, Fluder had only been invited once, eagerly he pondered- was this going to be good or bad? But the possibility of seeing his Teacher, and what he might let him spectate. He walked quickly through the [Gate]. After this, he was eventually led to that room- outside the Throne Room .No matter if he saw it before, his eyes swept over everything and anything he could see. Preparing with the waiting maids, they slowly opened the doors majestically. Albedo-sama, an unknown maid, and his Teacher- Ainz Ooal Gown were waiting and kneeling. "Approach." Albedo spoke, Fluder did so and genuflected at his feet as was expected of him. He noticed that Ainz-sama paused briefly before he spoke. "Pestonya. Repeat your earlier request." --- She did so. --- Ainz deliberated unto her. "I shall grant you this. However, you must also be reprimanded for your earlier actions as you said so." A mixed wave slopped over Pestonya- which one had affected her the most? Ainz finally ordered Fluder to lift his head, he must be getting punished as well as her. What exactly had he done so? Silence, and then Ainz explained: "You will tutor Fluder with deciphering a tome, however he must have a challenge in doing so. You are allowed to use your own judgement as you see fit." I will have a doppleganger be in charge of adopting them once more accommodations are ready." "Yes, Ainz Ooal Gown-sama, that is merciful as always granted by your infinite compassion!" Both retorted. --- Fluder was sent back to his floor in the Empire, heart aflutter. He had been frustrated before at his inability to properly translate the tome. It wasn't so much deciphering it as there were symbols, kanji, which were complicated and seemed to mean whole words. He was granted this, he was granted this! 200 years? "Feh." Fluder spat at the time he had once thought had implied great performance and magic aptitude. He now was finally finding a roadblock which tested him. It left him with feelings of having a purpose, a challenge. Determination caused people to act differently and do things they might not normally do. As such, Fluder pulled his sleeves up and tied his lengthy hair back into a ponytail and cracking open the tome. --- Pestonya was assigned, among her other duties and running the orphanage, to help Fluder slightly, she visited when she could. For the most part, she usually only hinted at a kanji or two and then left him to it. A [Gate] opened and a small metal cart followed by Pestonya emerged. Fluder usually didn't partake of it, but it was obvious to grant him the choice of it. It had been a little while since she was ordered to do this. She could call him an acquaintance, but Fluder usually was ensnared by translating it, and usually it was mostly silent punctuated by muttering and the crisp sound of pages turning. It was not her favorite thing to do as she could be doing errands, but it was an order and she was bound to it as any further actions would probably result in her termination. She acted on compassion, and took to her assigned tasks, as again, she had been granted immense mercy. She was slowly bonding with Fluder, each visit was a reprieve of the stress she would build up. --- Mare was furious, it showed slightly on his face, but otherwise, had his usual worried look. He had thrown Eclair down the stairs roughly 20 times, and did not seem to be stopping at any time soon. Aura was understandably hesitant to hand over the present she had received from Ainz-sama; a watch that played a female voice, their creator Bukubukuchagama-sama. However, their master had created them both and to be stingy with it wasn't fair. They traded it every 2 days. Gleefully, Mare had it today, well, HAD it. He didn't notice that he dropped it at first. Panic set in quickly, and he was frantically searching for it while tears poured down like rain. Eventually, he had traced it back through the efforts of various staff. It had ended up in Eclairs' care, and he had thrown it into a care package which was to be delivered to the Baharuth Empire. To be fair, Eclair had found it near where the package was, and assumed that it went in there. Mare had a silent stare as he listened to this explanation. He would be punished and chastised by his sister- and worse this precious item, if lost, would be unforgivable for the rest of his life. He did not hate anyone particular, the same for the others, who often held him favorably despite his skittish nature. Hate was bubbling over, and with it, tears as well. It was an honest mistake, and Mare could not fault him for it. However, Eclair was boasting about it while explaining and it would drive anyone beyond infuriated. Before that, Mare used his ring of Ainz Ooal Gown to teleport away before he acted on those feelings. It didn't last long, and Mare who had imbibed of shame and anger approached Eclair from behind and chucked him down the stairs. --- As luck would have it, Ainz had granted leisure time when Mare asked to be allowed to visit. He was tasked with rendezvousing with a doppleganger to bolster their efforts in finding and adopting children. As he was a child as well. Ainz had granted him however much time he wanted, as long as he could return if needed and took some Hanzos with him. Mare almost felt like he was betraying Ainz-sama as he had not mentioned WHY exactly the purpose of the visit. After preparations of taking vassals, receiving information on where or what the package was. He took several shadow demons and two Hanzo with him, and was teleported there. There was hustle, bustle, and whispering and some eyes followed him. They hadn't been terribly acquainted with Mare being a guardian of Nazarick and those who did remembered the Re-Estize massacre, promptly silencing them. The package had been delivered to some run-down building, despite carrying grain and supplies for the Empire to be stored. This was a sham. The packages actually contained several low-powered enchanted weapons, the delivery was foremost meant to be delivered to minor thugs to bait people who would resist the vassalization. Mare reconnoitered with the shadow demons he sent out to find it after his task was finished. They had found it, and led him there. Mare walked timidly down a seedy alley that out of the Empires' near golden living situations, would of course have people who couldn't afford such things or wished to do anything illegal. Knocking upon the door with a rap-tap-tap that was so quiet no one heard it. Gathering his resolve he tried a bit louder. A slit at a height of an adult human to peek through opened with a scraping noise. The man who answered it peeked through and only saw the top of Mares' hair. The man paused to go through a checklist of people who would be allowed or disallowed. --- Once the door opened a crack, the man saw a small dark elf with golden hair and clothing he assumed to be a girls. Perhaps thinking him as a play-toy delivered, let him in. He led him slightly into a large hall with all sorts of people who operated in the dark, shady recesses of society. The man turned and asked- "Who's your master, here?" he turned and yelled "OI! WHO OWNS THIS THING?" Several people looked at him but didn't respond or shrugged. He would ask a barrage of questions, but, the dark elfs' eyes were cloudy and looked on the verge of breaking out into tears. Obviously the expression of someone destined to be a sex slave and facing the lifetime trial of permanent servitude. Mare gulped and shakily asked "D-do you ha-have a m-magic bracelet? It's very imp-p-portant a-and my master gave it t-to me. I ah- would l-l-like it b-back, please." The man thought and without thinking answered "That? How'd you know about it being here?" The man had a creeping feeling up his spine, he felt more weird every second he stayed around this runt. "P-please?" he whimpered. "Fucking hell, weren't you trained properly you goddamn brat?" his patience was nil as he was annoyed how long it took the dark elf to spit out their words. "I-I'm not allowed to u-use magic in th-this city b-but I w-want it b-back please." A threat on top of an annoying speech pattern drove him to fume. He had long since lost his patience and the threat was the breaking point. He raised his hand balled into a fist, clearly to strike the child as he had long given up his scruples. "Teach you to shut your fuckin' mouth and obey your master, runt." He had punctuated 'runt' as he would land his hit across their face. In a flash, Mare grabbed his hand and tore the arm out of the socket. Agony would take a second to register to the man. He did not receive this as Mare used his newly acquired weapon to smash his face into what looked like cave paintings across the wall. Newly acquired silence partook deeply, as the patrons in the room blinked over and over. They too were now doing some interior decorating as Mare had ripped the arm in half and with a cute "Uwah!" thrown them. --- This hiding hole only had one entrance (the entrance Mare was now blocking) due in part as they had been "warned" they would get caught "tampering with the foundations of the building." This exchange of life to death hadn't been realized as the victims were killed too fast to yell. "I-I hope I d-don't get m-my clothes d-dirty..." pouted Mare. With an inhale exhale he teetered deeper in. There were rooms of course and seated within the one Mare shuffled into were a cavalcade of people, it was like an average bar but for undesirables. Some of them looked to him shivering as if their gaze was ice cold. "Ahhh.." they thought "That's the goods there isn't it?" One heavily armed man, who towered over Mare in his heavy armor walked thus. If no one would claim him, then first dibs! He was obviously imagining something lurid and his hand went to grasp the elf by the hair to drag him to a room. With another exclamation "Y-yaa~" Mare looked like he was off balance by their large stave as the man was promptly split in half. The strike hadn't so much cut him in half, but having the middle of your body spontaneously be crushed into the floor pulped them and the split halves popped free and landed with a crunch and clatter of bone and metal armor. Stunned. Maybe mortified about the unbelievable thing happening before them. They snapped from it and rushed as a group as what had happened was surely a fluke. Mare struck hard in a horizontal swing and an expression like they were going to be scolded for their actions. The swing struck clean through abdomens and pelvis, raised hands and whatever they were wearing or holding. The resulting shockwave of the swing had enough force to do something. Something that could only be described as "emulsification." Like that, nearly 30 of them now decorated the wall behind where they had been. There was a handful of people left, shuddering in fear. Mare noticed a few droplets of blood had landed on his vest and began tearing up. Several of them realizing this do-or-die moment rushed Mare with obvious killing intent. The first one, just as large as the man in the armor from before had his legs lopped off from under him, launching them into another man and the wall. Again! Some blood had appeared on his pure white clothes and he was crying about it, threatening a crying fit as the last two people in the room were somehow still trying to fight, Mare kicking his foot like he was kicking up dirt- relocated his pelvis into his chest, the other was pushed by Mare with two hands outstretched like he was trying to push a bully. He was launched as well, and was embedded into the wall in front of him. A sigh of relief escaped Mare, searching the room and finding his beloved treasure improved his mood substantially. His clothes might have been sullied, the bracelet was worth it. Pressing a button down caused a familiar females' voice to say - "Heeheehee~! Momonga-saaaan~ come play with me~!" Mare burned up into blush and he jumped in the air several times, with his legs being lifted up and the bracelet was held to his cheek in love of their creator. With this trial complete he was ready to go home. He remembered that some of the denizens of Nazarick enjoyed human meat, both Entoma and Solution had asked in a roundabout way and why not do it to make them happy too? The only problem was finding adequate pieces, unless he wanted to scrape off the walls and give them smoothies. After much deliberation he had tied up the pieces he picked into a tablecloth and dragged it outside. In the alleyway before he sent a [Message] some pieces fell out due to poor knot tying. With a panicked voice and a squeak, he knelt down and redid it. Thus he was home free to return and bring souvenirs home too! --- Mare clapped his hands, and a "Yaaay~" of him congratulating these fortuitous situations. Retroactively, Leinas was right to flee when she did, relief that she had chosen the right option would appear in the back of her mind. The totally legitimate hideout would later be rumored to have been haunted or cursed. The people who had been in there were unidentifiable and the only clues they might have were bone fragments, crushed armor, and a ledger that had been put into code-words and said nothing of real identities or aliases.