"Ah, Vahn. It pleases me to see you've returned. I understand this is a matter I should resolve personally, but I was hoping to speak with you and hear your opinion," expressed Ainz, his crimson eyes flashing at the sight of Vahn.
"Welcome back, Lord Vahn..." appended Albedo, sporting a slight smile as she closed her eyes and offered Vahn the slightest of bows.
"It's only been a short while, but it's been nice seeing everyone again..." Vahn affirmed, removing Aura and Mare from his lap in turn before rising to his feet and questioning, "Shall we speak privately? Or is what you have to discuss a Guild matter?"
"Hmmn..."
Meeting the gazes of Cocytus, Aura, and Mare in turn, Ainz briefly cupped his chin before acquiescing, "Very well. As this matter ultimately concerns the future of all Nazarick's inhabitants, let us discuss it together..." with an affirming nod. With a wave of his hand, he then produced himself a throne with a back that was nearly eight meters in height before sitting down and providing explanations of what had transpired, how he planned to resolve the current matter, and the stance he believed Nazarick should take given what the situation had revealed...
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'This isn't at all how I expected things to develop...' thought Vahn, his expression calm as he listened quietly throughout Ainz's explanation. The latter believed that Shalltear had come under the influence of something called a World Item—powerful artifacts from YGGDRASIL that, based on their description, functioned similarly to Authority. More specifically, she appeared to be under the effects of mind control/dominance. However, as she was currently idling in the middle of a forest, Ainz didn't know to what end...
Reaching the end of his explanations, Ainz glanced at Vahn and stated, "I will be frank, Vahn. While I am convinced of my ability to defeat Shalltear and return her to us, that confidence is based on the presumption that no external forces will interfere in our battle. If this is a trap laid by an enemy Player, I could very well be walking right into their scheme..."
"It's possible..." confirmed Vahn, his affirmation causing Aura and Mare to tense and faintly tremble at his sides.
"Now, now...there's no need to be afraid..." Vahn hummed, caressing the twins' respective heads before meeting Ainz's gaze and asserting, "I have absolute confidence in your ability to overcome this matter. But if you will accept my help, it is within my power to ensure your and Shalltear's battle is not disturbed..."
"Nice! I knew Lord Vahn would help us...!" exclaimed Aura, pumping her gloved fists and grinning excitedly.
"I appreciate your willingness to assist us, but would this not violate your policy on interventionism...?" questioned Ainz, sounding more than a little surprised.
Shaking his head, Vahn confidently asserted, "I may have given up most of my power before coming to this world, but I'm still the Dragon God of Infinite Possibilities. The principle I espouse more than any other is that people should be free to think and make decisions for themselves. If I did not believe as you do—that this is an opportunity for you to grow into and cement your status as Nazarick's Supreme Leader and Overlord—I would go there and resolve this matter myself."
"Are you claiming that you could undo Shalltear's brainwashing...?" asked Ainz, his tone expectant and eyes blazing.
"Without a doubt," Vahn confirmed, his answer utterly devoid of doubt or hesitation.
"I see..." muttered Ainz, the intensity of his eyes dimming greatly as he cupped his chin and added, "Once this matter has been settled, I would like to discuss the specifics of your abilities—only what you're willing to reveal, of course. For now, I will accept your offer to ensure that mine and Shalltear's battle is not disturbed."
"Consider it done—" Vahn responded, prompting Aura to pounce on him and exclaim, "Lord Vahn is too cool~!" while rubbing her face against him rather aggressively. He didn't particularly mind it, but Albedo took it upon herself to chastise the boyish Dark Elf for being disrespectful toward one of the Supreme Beings. Aura protested, and as the two argued back and forth, the oppressive atmosphere in the chilly conference room noticeably lightened...
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Following some last-minute preparations, Ainz, wearing tattered red-brown robes and a dark red mantle in place of his usual lordly-looking mage attire, was walking alongside Vahn through the forest where his battle with Shalltear would take place. Aura and Mare followed closely behind them, but neither uttered so much as a peep.
"It's strange...I should feel afraid. But even though I'll be placing my life on the line in this coming battle, I feel...at peace. I wonder if this is how those who believe in Gods feel as they prepare for war...?" Ainz mused aloud, his tone containing a hint of whimsy as he stole a glance at Vahn.
"The curious thing about belief is that the strength you receive from it ultimately comes from within," Vahn hummed. "Make no mistake, there is such a thing as Divine Protection, but due to the nature of Gods, you will never receive more than they take in turn. So, have faith, Ainz. Not in me, but in the convictions that brought you here."
"Indeed, I shall..." Ainz affirmed with a curt nod. Then, stopping mid-step, he turned to face Aura and Mare, startling them as he stated, "Listen well, Aura, Mare. Though he may not need it, I will be entrusting the two of you to defend Vahn. You will also obey any commands he has of you until this matter has been settled. Understood?"
"Lord..." responded Aura and Mare in concert, their expressions forlorn, full of reluctance. As Floor Guardians, they were programmed to protect the Supreme Beings, even at the cost of their life. Witnessing their leader march into a battle in which they weren't certain he could win filled them with considerable unease.
"Hmmn..."
Noticing the twins' discomfort, Ainz briefly deliberated before turning around and borrowing a page from Vahn's book by extending his skeletal hands to caress their heads. He didn't imagine the sensation would be all that pleasant, so he was relieved to see them raise their heads and close their eyes contentedly in response.
"All will be well, Aura, Mare. You have my word as the Supreme Overlord of Nazarick. And that is far weightier and more valuable than even gold..." asserted Ainz, his voice low and soothing.
"Yes, my Lord..." muttered Aura.
"We shall await your return..." Mare appended.
"And return, I shall," Ainz affirmed with a nod. Then, after retracting his hands from the duo's heads, he turned to Vahn and extended his right for a firm handshake. He didn't speak, but Vahn could tell from the look in his fiery, flame-like eyes that he was being entrusted to look after Nazarick if things went south.
"I'll prepare some warm sake for your return..." Vahn remarked, squeezing Ainz's hand reassuringly.
"Indeed..." hummed Ainz, a soft chuckle emanating from his throat as he retracted his hand from Vahn's grasp and continued his march toward the battleground alone. In his wake, Aura and Mare bowed low, their postures full of respect and yearning for Ainz's triumph. Vahn didn't bow, but as he watched Ainz's figure receding into the shadows of the forest, he couldn't help but see himself in the man. Ainz could have overcome Shalltear with Nazarick's sheer numbers or by requesting his intervention, but to protect his friends' cherished creations and to prove to himself that he had what it took to continue ruling over them, he was risking everything.
'What a man...' thought Vahn, staring in the direction Ainz had departed for several seconds before raising his gaze to the sky and extending his left hand, adorned with five rings and a gem-encrusted golden bracelet, toward it. His power may have diminished after the relinquishment of his Authority, but his Inventory was inundated with S and even a handful of SS-Rank items. Thus, while he lacked the ability to sequester the forest using his own power, there was nothing to stop him from using powerful equipment as a substitute.
Seeing the sky above become a nebulous tapestry of black, purple, and gold, Aura's eyes widened to their limits. Mare was similarly surprised that he could no longer sense anything beyond the DxD-style barrier Vahn had erected, but instead of reacting with shock, his heterochromic, blue-and-green eyes focused intently on the accessories adorning the latter's hand and wrist. He could ascertain the quality and data value of magical items, and even compared to the contrasting black and white gauntlets he was currently equipped with—a World Item known as Avarice and Generosity—the accessories Vahn was wearing were in a league of their own...
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After relocating to a cliff overlooking Ainz's and Shalltear's battlefield from a safe distance, Vahn observed the spectacle that followed while heating a bottle of sake in hot water. Ainz had carefully crafted a near-perfect strategy to defeat the Valkyrie-like Shalltear, and though there were moments where it looked like he was at a disadvantage, he had a plethora of Cash Shop Items from YGGDRASIL to fall back on.
'The power ceiling of this setting may not be very high, but I'm beginning to understand why the Gacha Gate sent me here...' Vahn mused, his eyes gleaming with intrigue as World Items and Super Tier Magic functioned in a manner remarkably similar to Authority. They were items and spells that imposed their or their user's will onto the world, so without the protection of his Authority, it was unlikely but conceivable that he could be defeated if someone were to employ such means against him.
With such thoughts in mind, Vahn couldn't help feeling a touch excited as he watched Ainz conclude the battle with a Super-Tier Holy Magic called Fallen Down. Its range wasn't particularly wide, only a kilometer or so, but it bathed its area of effect in purifying light that reduced even matter to its constituent elements. The result was a glassy, rainbow-hued crater where no life would be able to grow if the lingering, purifying energy weren't first expelled.
"What a relief..." exhaled Aura, interrupting Vahn's musings by throwing her arms around his neck and shoulders from behind. He had been seated on the cliff's edge with the twins standing anxiously behind him. Now that the battle had concluded with Ainz's triumph, the elder twin permitted the tension to leave her body while clinging to Vahn like a giant stuffed teddy.
Noticing Aura's forlornness, Vahn gave her right forearm a comforting pat and stated, "Shalltear will return. And now that we're aware that this is a possibility, you can rest assured that Ainz and I will take steps to prevent something similar from happening in the future."
"I would feel more at ease if you or Lord Ainz remained at Nazarick and oversaw its daily affairs..." Aura muttered, tightening her hold on Vahn as she appended, "It would be even better if you joined my menagerie and helped to secure the forests around Nazerick..."
"Mmmn...that would allow Ainz to move more easily..." Vahn conceded, shaking his head and smiling as he supplanted, "But I am not an animal you can tame, Aura. And while my path might run adjacent to Nazarick's for the time being, our destinations are not the same. I will not suddenly disappear one day, but there are many more worlds for me to visit in my quest to accumulate experiences..."
"Fuuuu..."
With Aura blowing hot, pheromone-infused air past his ear, warming his left cheek, Vahn's skin briefly prickled. Aura possessed a passive ability that allowed her to influence the emotions and sensitivities of those she breathed on. This ability, Breath Composition, was exceedingly useful for taming. But in Vahn's case, he just got goosebumps for a moment before shaking his head and calmly remarking, "We should go and congratulate your Master on his triumph."
"Tsk..."
Though she obediently released Vahn as he rose to his feet, Aura couldn't stop herself from clicking her tongue in mild frustration. As far as she was concerned, Vahn was the ultimate beast. So, while she respected him as a Supreme Being, she couldn't suppress the urge to capture and add him to her collection of pets and mounts. Unfortunately for her, while Vahn was willing to transform into a variety of creatures and allow her to ride on his back, his imperviousness to her taming methods had proven, up until that point, to be absolute...
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