"You…" I struggled to utter a single sound. What the Floor Guardians had presented to me was so completely flabbergasting that I almost fainted. Several of them knelt before me, arms across their chests, bowing deeply. All of the Guardians were present, save for Gargantua and Shalltear. Everyone on their knees had a knowing, proud smile plastered on their faces.
"You did what?" I managed to get out. My deadpan expression was hiding a mass of emotions that were subdued by the calming force one after another. I was experiencing such a flood of sensations that it nearly couldn't keep up.
The doors to the Throne Room opened behind them, and Shalltear marched in with the clicking of heels against stone. In one hand, she held her parasol overhead. In her other hand…
"You've got to be kidding me," the words fell out of my mouth. I ignored every professional instinct I had to stop myself from making unnecessary comments, but this was just too much.
Shalltear held a thin, red cord that dangled daintily from her white fingers. My eyes immediately followed it until it reached the neck of a half-naked creature crawling on the cold floor. I swore that I could feel the bones of my brow twitch as I took in the scene.
"Momonga-sama," Shalltear called out with her singsong voice. "In accordance with your orders, we have taken him into custody!"
My orders? Slack jawed and tired, I said the only thing that came to mind, "Hah?"
The tan-skinned man scuttled on his hands and knees across the velvet rugs leading up to the throne. He had been stripped of his orange robes, leaving him in nothing but his bundled undergarments. Well, not nothing, exactly. He still had his elephant mask hiding his face. His straight, black hair was a mess, sticking out in several places like he had just awakened from a tumultuous sleep.
"Come now, dog," the Vampire tugged the cord sharply, causing the man to jerk violently. "Greet our Supreme Being with the respect befitting your superior."
Shalltear's glare was monstrous. The man shied away from her dangerous eyes. Under the pressure of her stare, he whimpered as he pressed his forehead against the floor in what appeared to be a well-practiced Dogeza. In a quiet voice, he muttered, "I am Ganesha."
As the scene unfolded, I rubbed my skull with my fingers, staring into the distance at nothing in particular.
Did they—
Did they seriously kidnap a god? In what way is this 'according to my orders?' How in the hell did they come to that conclusion?
"No no no no NO NO NO!" the petit girl slammed her foot into the Deity's back as she screamed her reprimand. He let loose a yelp of pain. "That is NOT what we discussed! You will follow my orders to the letter, or I will have Demiurge strap you to his table again!"
The god stayed glued to the floor, the shaking of his body causing his mask to bounce against the stone, eliciting a rapid tapping noise. The fear stricken in him was enough to completely immobilize the Deity. His stuttering voice leaked out as he made an attempt to speak, but the frog in his throat prevented the forming of any words.
What did they do to him? What in the name of all Deities could they have possibly done to frighten a god so much that he bowed to some unknown person? I was perfectly aware of what we had stored all over Nazarick. Whether it was poisons, torture devices, or mind-crushing magics, Nazarick was a sadist's wonderland. Given enough time in Nazarick, anyone could be broken.
"I-I am—
He swallowed his words. He wanted to call himself Ganesha again, didn't he? This god's conceit knew no bounds.
"Now, dog," Shalltear stood tall, domineering over the prostrating Deity. "Speak."
The order was absolute. Her sanguine gaze burned holes in the god's skin when he lifted his head. The elephant mask never budged as his hair whipped back. Sweat poured from him in torrents as his mouth moved to say what it was he needed to say. Rearing back, he let it out.
"WOOF!"
I was sure they could see my eyes dim. Everything seemed to be going dark. I cupped my head in my hands. What did they do?!
"Good dog!" she praised the Deity. Ganesha turned his head slightly, but dared not look directly at the Vampire. Despite not seeing it firsthand, he could feel her terrifying, fanged grin as she raised her foot yet again. "Now here is your reward."
She dug the pointed end of her heel between the god's shoulder blades. The Deity groaned under the stabbing pains of being ground under the Vampire's foot. I watched on in horror as she continued stepping on the god. I let out a long sigh when Ganesha's breaths suddenly became heated and his skin began to flush red.
All the Floor Guardians looked on with pride, having fulfilled the order from their Supreme Being.
Beside me, Albedo giggled cutely into her open hand. "Fu-fu-fu-fu, how shameful," she sneered, her golden eyes looking down on the man with disdain.
"Ha-ha-ha-ha! That's hilarious!" Aura held her sides as her boisterous laugh echoed through the Hall.
"Nee-chan, you're too loud," Mare attempted to placate her.
"As expected. Of Shalltear," Cocytus' broken sentence was followed by a puff of frozen rime.
The newest addition, Victim, merely tilted slightly to the side as he watched. In my eyes, I supposed that was the best a pink fetus with stick-like wings could do to convey confusion… or curiosity. To be perfectly honest, I have no idea what it means. Victim's mannerisms were so ambiguous, it was difficult to discern them. Everyone else seemed to be capable of understanding him, though.
"To make such swift work of a god, Shalltear's methods must indeed be effective," Demiurge pushed his glasses up his hooked nose. "He was surprisingly easy to break."
"What have you done?" I asked quietly. I remained in the same position, my head in my hands, shaking it back and forth.
They've really done it now. How are we supposed to get through this? There is no doubt in my mind that Ganesha Familia is searching high and low for their missing Deity. Soon enough, the word will spread and people will start asking questions. If I still had a heart, it would be pounding in my chest. Surely, I would have had a heart attack if my flesh and blood remained. If they realized that something was amiss, we would be in serious trouble.
Wait a minute, I paused. Will they even check the dungeon? Gods weren't allowed to enter the dungeon. Supposedly, that isn't just a Guild Law, but it is one of the rules by which the Deities abide. Secondly, is there any evidence of our involvement in the first place? No one would even think it was our doing, not without probable cause. It isn't like people know the name of Ainz Ooal Gown yet. I can count the number of people who know the name in this world on one hand, unless they started blabbing about it.
My silence was enough to pull the gazes of the Guardians. Outwardly, I must have looked like I was wrestling with something significant. My body leaned to one side or the other, visibly weighing the options going through my head.
As far as I know, gods have the ability to sense other gods, but not their locations. Not even their Familia members can find them. Sure, there might be some skills that allow people to search for individuals, but unless they are in the dungeon first, I don't believe Nazarick would be within range, my thoughts were starting to flesh out. The calming force no longer needed to work so hard.
I knew this had to happen eventually, I just wasn't expecting it so soon. Yes, that was it. This was nothing to worry about. What's done is done.
"Have we displeased you, Momonga-sama?" Albedo had been watching my internal struggle with apprehension. The other Guardians appeared just as concerned, Shalltear's foot slowly lifting from the drooling, wriggling Ganesha's back.
I took a deep breath, even though I didn't need to, and praised them, "No, I am most pleased with this. True, I had not expected you all to act so quickly and precisely, but now that it is done, we may move forward with our plans. Well done."
I hope they bought that. This was one of the few times I was glad to have that calming force. If any of my emotions leaked through, I was sure that the Floor Guardians would have speedily lost faith in me.
Sure enough, happiness bloomed on their faces. Well, I think Victim is happy. He just kind of… bounced there. With a nod, I stood from my throne and approached Shalltear and the writhing Deity. I leered down at the creature piled on the floor, still relishing in the Vampire's reward. When he caught sight of me, he froze and promptly fainted, bubbles erupting from his mouth.
"So weak, despite being a god," I muttered. I had cast the [DESPAIR AURA I] spell, just to see its effects. The Deity barely stood a moment in it, and passed out from the fear alone. "I suppose the sealing of their powers is quite extensive. If they are susceptible to even the most basic of my spells, then they don't pose a threat at all…"
I trailed off, contemplating the fact that the gods were practically mortal at this point. I had faced god-like creatures back in Yggdrasil. Those were hard fought battles that my friends and I devoted a lot of time and effort to winning. Many of the God Artifacts embedded in the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown came from those fights. Just knowing that the gods of this world couldn't hold a match to our previous endeavors was somewhat disappointing.
Unless the Deities decided to become serious and set aside their rules to take us out.
Before we make enemies, we should first make some allies.
Our first order of business was to decode the Falna, then we could move onto inter-Familia relationships. "What have you learned?" I asked the Vampire.
Shalltear folded her parasol and planted it on the floor. She placed her hands on its handle in front of her with the red leash wrapped loosely around her fingers. With a smile, she began, "It seems the Falna is much less complicated than a simple magic spell. In fact, it isn't a spell at all."
"So Momonga-sama will be incapable of using his Dark Wisdom ritual to learn it," Albedo mused, her attractive features scrunching in dismay. Did she just want to see me use Dark Wisdom?
"True," Shalltear nodded, spinning the folded parasol. "Momonga-sama will be unable to learn it via Dark Wisdom, but that does not mean that we still cannot use it. Demiurge, if you will?"
"It would be my pleasure," the orange-suited demon stepped forward. "As you are aware, Momonga-sama, this world's language is known as Koine. It looks to be a widely accepted language across many cultures and countries. It has been quite simple to decipher with your assistance."
I nodded with acceptance. The Koine language was an odd one. The characters themselves seemed to be altered versions of Roman characters back on Earth that make up a majority of the languages of Europe and the nations of the Western Hemisphere. However, their phonetic pronunciations were closer to that of Japanese. Knowing that, all I needed to do was correlate which characters were used in place of Japanese characters. The language practically unlocked itself after that. It will take a bit of time to memorize the character substitutions, but that was the only hurdle remaining.
"However, we have been made aware by this god's testimony that the Deities of this world use a language of their own. It seems to be comprised of several different characters known as hieroglyphs," Demiurge explained, the devilish grin never leaving his face.
"Once the hieroglyphs for the ritual have been inscribed onto the flesh of the mortal's back," he made a writing motion in the air for effect, "the Deity will prick their own finger to produce a droplet of blood containing their ichor. They allow the blood to fall on the hieroglyphs and imbue the markings with power, and with that, the Blessing is complete."
I waited for him to continue, but I ended up standing there in stunned silence for a few moments. The Falna is that simple?! Really?! Just scribble some symbols, pump them full of ichor with some blood, and let the rest run its course?
That seemed way less complicated than using Dark Wisdom. I only needed to learn the correct hieroglyphs to use and then infuse my ichor, or mana in my case, into the inscriptions.
"We will need to find a way for you to impart your mana, since Momonga-sama is devoid of blood," he shrugged nonchalantly. "But I am sure that your ample mana will be sufficient to do the job with simple contact. After all, you are the most Supreme of Beings."
"And the divinity?" I asked, crossing my arms. There had to be more to the Blessing system. If all one needed was to impart some magic to hieroglyphs, then anyone could give a Falna. The process must have required some semblance of divinity when transferring ichor. Giving mana wasn't a problem, but fooling a system with fake divinity might not be as easy.
"Momonga-sama has defeated many gods," Albedo spoke up next. Her eyes were kind, and her thin smile framed her pink, blushing face. "The Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown is evidence of that. Are there not plenty of God Artifacts readily available to be used at your whim? I am certain that a Being of your stature, one who has subdued gods and created this wondrous Tomb, is perfectly capable of mustering the level of divinity necessary to fool such an archaic system."
I grunted in affirmation. I myself may not have obtained divinity, but the God Artifacts in the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown only responded to me. Since they were all part of a set, they were even stronger now as part of the Staff, making it the equivalent of a World-Class Item. Perhaps I could trick the system in such a way that it would take the divine power from the God Artifacts as I put mana into them. Regardless of how it was done, it still required testing.
"Momonga-sama is, of course, the undisputed God of Death," Shalltear let her parasol fall to the ground with a clatter. She folded her hands under her chin, sultry eyes sparkling, and a blush high on her cheeks. "His beautiful form will spread across the land. These animals," she yanked the red cord, lurching the unconscious form of Ganesha a foot into the air, "will finally understand his majesty, his greatness, and his striking presence. Hah…"
"The surface worms. Shall submit. To the. God of Death," the frozen beetle added his two cents. Slamming his axe onto the stone, icy breath whistled through his pincers.
I chuckled. When I awoke in this world, I hadn't expected things to turn out as they did. The NPCs could have been empty, lifeless shells. I could have been alone. Thankfully, my friends and I had put quite a bit of effort into our creations. Without that, they most likely wouldn't have been here at this moment. Seeing them act for the good of their home could put a smile on anyone's face.
There had been a lot of uncertainties since the Server Down. There could have been forces in this dungeon that could have destroyed us in a blink. Adventurers could have noticed our existence and slaughtered a great deal of my people. We were lucky that the guild members of Ainz Ooal Gown had the passion necessary to make the Great Tomb of Nazarick truly great. Though, I bet my friends never expected their creations to walk and talk as if they were alive. If they had, the NPCs probably would have ended up as different people.
A groan from the god on the floor dragged me from my rumination. I sighed, feeling somewhat sorry for the man. He didn't deserve what he got, but there was nothing to be done about it now. I turned toward the Deity, white foam still pouring from his mouth.
"Now, what to do with him," I crossed my arms in thought. "We need him to tell us about the hieroglyphs. Once we get all the information we can, we should alter his memories and let him go. How long will that process take?"
Demiurge hummed, putting a hand to his chin. "I believe we can have it done in one or two days; three at the most."
"I see. Any longer than one day is much too long. His Familia will be looking for him. If he returns and can't answer their questions, they will start looking into it. I think we should avoid that. Do your best to finish quickly."
I gave my orders, causing everyone present to bow; everyone except Shalltear. When I focused on her, she appeared taken aback that I had noticed her trepidation. She read my inquiring stare and piped up, "It seems this Deity will be hosting a banquet to which the other gods of Orario have been invited."
"And when is this banquet?" I asked, hoping that we could get everything done in time. The hope slowly drained from me with each passing moment that Shalltear remained silent.
Gulping audibly, she replied, "The banquet is tonight, in just a few hours."
That…
That is bad. Very, very bad.
I glanced at the Deity again. He was completely dead-to-the-world at the moment. Even if we cut our losses and skipped getting the hieroglyphs, altering his memory, waking him up, and giving him time to recover from his ordeal would still take too long. It wouldn't do for a Deity to miss the banquet he had planned for his compatriots. If he showed up in this condition, people would certainly figure that something was wrong.
Was there a way someone could take his place? It would just need to be a single night. After that, Ganesha could go back home and sleep it off.
A single face flashed in my mind.
I cringed.
I guess I will have to ask him.
I let out a very loud sigh, startling all of the Floor Guardians present. Resigning myself, I explained, "I suppose I will ask Pandora's Actor."
Everyone froze, probably not expecting me to mention my own creation. All of the members of Ainz Ooal Gown created a number of the NPCs. It went without saying that I too created one. He was a Doppelganger who resided in the Treasury. Unlike Narberal Gamma, his stat points were put in all the right places for him to be an effective copycat. He was designed to copy the appearance and skill set of any living thing, making him a deadly infiltrator.
I was extremely reluctant to call upon Pandora's Actor's service. He was eccentric to say the least. Normally, that wouldn't be an issue, but since I knew exactly why he was as strange as he was, I wanted to avoid interaction with him.
Let's just say I may have ruined him with my strange tastes. I wanted to create an interesting character. I didn't think putting all the things I thought were cool together would turn him into such an annoying creature. He was embarrassing, and I didn't want the other NPCs to see the weird thing I made.
"Will Momonga-sama finally call upon his own creation?" Albedo asked, her eyes wide. Taking a moment to think, she nodded to herself. "Yes, that seems to be the only option."
"Also," I paused, a perilous glimmer flared in my eyes. Albedo's head tilted with confusion. "This may be a good time to introduce Orario to Ainz Ooal Gown."
The Floor Guardians' eyes lit up as twisted smiles grew on their faces. If Pandora's Actor took Ganesha's place, I could have him invite me to the banquet. This would give us some semblance of control over the proceedings if things were to go awry. If I went as myself, under the name of Ainz Ooal Gown, and dubbed myself the God of Death, the other Deities would have to accept me. Once they knew of my existence, then the Familia could be formed without people asking questions.
Making a positive impression could also be a good thing, but I was sure many of them wouldn't so much as look me in the eye, let alone shake my hand.
With a hearty laugh, I ordered everyone to prepare. From that moment, the rise of the God of Death and Ainz Ooal Gown Familia began.
I entered the modern, anachronistic room. The floors were solid purple, like hardened enamel. The walls were gray, the color of dust. Along the walls and ceiling ran several green, glowing lines that acted as both light sources and the circuitry for the Nazarick maintenance room. At its center were a pair of dark sofas surrounding a wooden table; a place for private meetings.
I glanced over my shoulder at the hallway I had just gone through. Several weapons and artifacts lined the walls in glass cases like a museum. They were the fruits of the labors of the Guild of Ainz Ooal Gown. My friends and I fought long and hard to accrue everything that was present in the Treasury. There was no other place in this world, or even in Yggdrasil, that I would have considered safer than this floor of Nazarick.
The Treasury was actually a separate entity from the rest of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. Those who did not have the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown could not reach the Treasury proper. Even if an enemy had managed such a feat, there were security measures in place to prevent anything from being stolen. This included poison gas, a password protected wall, and golems armed with the Divine Class items that once belonged to my guild mates that would attack if anyone met the criteria. I may have been wary of Yggdrasil players in the past, but in this world, I did not believe that there were any people capable of breaching our defenses to such a degree.
I came upon a woman in maid attire at the end of the hall, tapping busily at a terminal that emerged from the wall. Hearing my approach, CZ2128, otherwise called Shizu, turned to me and bowed. My vision was filled with a full view of her rosy, golden hair. It gave me a moment to take in her interesting clothing. As Yuri and Narberal wore proper maid clothing, there was always some variation that made it individualistic: Yuri had her blue choker and Narberal wore it in the traditional style. Shizu was an automaton with a military motif. Her outfit was designed with camouflage stockings, gloves, and headband.
She was also given a white assault rifle. I understood why, but it always seemed out of place to me in a game like Yggdrasil.
She peered up at me with her blank, green eye complete with crosshairs over the cornea. Even with the eyepatch, I could tell she was giving me her undivided attention. In a monotone voice, she greeted me, "Welcome back to the Treasury, Ainz-sama."
I grunted in affirmation. The Floor Guardians sure are diligent. It's good to know a message can spread so quickly. At least a change of name is easily understood.
"I take it everything is going well," I glanced at the screen over the keyboard, only to see lines of code I couldn't even begin to fathom. "Is the security system in working order?"
"That is so," she replied, returning to her work. After a few fevered dances of her fingers, dozens of lines of text and functions filled the screen. "Every system is currently functional. However, considering The Great Tomb of Nazarick's current status, some aspects of the Defense System appear to be obsolete"
"Hm?" I tilted my head. "How so?"
"At the moment," Shizu's voice never changed. The robotic nature of it matched the way she looked and acted. "The Tomb is situated in the middle of a forest on the 18th Floor in a dungeon. Nazarick also stretches several levels underground, but the scouts have found no evidence of alternate entrances into the Tomb."
That is true… When we first sent out Aura's subordinates, they reported that the subsequent levels of Nazarick could not be found in lower floors of the dungeon. It made no sense to me at first, but I realized that meant Nazarick inhabited a separate space with just a single entry point, that being the Mausoleum. The only way I could fully understand it was to compare it to those item bags in RPG games that have dozens of slots that can hold stacks of items without deforming the bag… or something like that. I believe they call it a Pocket Space.
Shizu continued speaking, even though my brain was struggling to keep up as it was, "The Defense System is designed in such a way as to prevent intruders from making it further into the Tomb. With no other entrances, the system can focus on required pathways and offer the highest level of resistance. I am merely amending some of the rules to support that method."
"I see," I nodded. It was simple to understand at least. There was no point in placing spawn points near dead ends, other than to trap unsuspecting trespassers when traps could be just as effective. Right now, this was the most efficient way to defend the path to the throne. Only until we learned more about how Adventurers acted in this world, we could tailor the Defense System to constantly strike at their weaknesses. "How clever…"
Shizu seemed to be finished with the conversation, but there was still something I wanted to know, "Since you spend the most time with him, how are you getting along with Pandora's Actor?"
Shizu was meant to be robotic, but I was shocked to see the molded expression on her face turn into a frown. She then proceeded to avert her gaze. At the sight of how she responded, I couldn't help but sigh.
It's okay, Shizu. I won't be angry if you tell me he's annoying. Believe me, I know…
As if she was mortified that I had seen her reaction, she hurriedly bowed to me repentantly, "My deepest apologies, Ainz-sama! I did not mean to insult your creation."
She bowed repeatedly, though the fact that she was an automaton made it look like her waist was on hinges. You look like one of those drinking birds, Shizu…
The sight made me chuckle deeply in my chest, "Rest assured, Shizu, I do not blame you for not getting along with him. It is impossible to like every aspect of a person. The point of relationships is to accept someone for who they are, both good and bad. I am not going to force you to interact and be friendly with him, but I will expect you to make the effort befitting one of our creations. He is your family, after all, so he deserves that much."
Shizu returned to the completely deadpan expression that was part of her image. I watched her eye color dim and her eyelid spasm in the rhythm of what seemed to be a disc reader. After a few moments, her eye refocused, and she bowed yet again, "I have logged Ainz-sama's words into my memory banks. I will use them to consider my future actions regarding Pandora's Actor."
"Excellent," I reached out and patted her head. I expected her to blush slightly like a normal girl, but nothing happened whatsoever. Her dead eye stared back at me without a single change in demeanor. Then her eye began to blink and twitch again. Are… Are you logging this too?
"Now, I must ask that you give Pandora's Actor and me some privacy. He and I have some important matters to discuss," I removed my hand and stepped aside.
"Order received," her monotone words seemed to be in a different tone this time. Is that disappointment? However, before I could ask, she was already making her way back through the hallway.
Gazing after her, I turn away and enter the open meeting area. A man was sitting on one of the sofas, if he could be called a man. He wore a yellow soldier's uniform with red trim over a red shirt and black tie reminiscent of the German military from a few decades ago. I had always liked how they looked normally, but I added a brown overcoat that was shrugged off of one of his shoulders. His black and brown cap with the crest of Ainz Ooal Gown sat atop his bald head. Instead of a face, he had just three black holes like that of a bowling ball for his eyes and mouth. This was Pandora's Actor; the Overseer of the Treasury, and the NPC of my own creation.
I had come down here some time ago, shortly after the Server Down. I was curious about my creation as he toiled away down here in the Treasury. I also wanted to see if all of the items of Ainz Ooal Gown came along with Nazarick to the new world. I ventured with both Albedo and Yuri Alpha so that I could give them access to the facilities down here. I was hoping that if there was anything that required their attention, perhaps they could handle it themselves without tying me up. Also, if anything were to happen to me, they would have access to the plethora of weapons, armor, and funds.
It never hurts to be cautious…
Their meeting with Pandora's Actor was— less than enjoyable. It was much the reason why I came alone this time around.
He stood to receive me and saluted while clapping his boots together, "Greetings, Momonga-sama! To what do I owe this most gracious visit?"
His buttons, medals, and chains jingled sporadically when his long, clawed hand met his forehead. His eccentric way of speaking caused my spine to straighten. All I wanted was to create an interesting, suave NPC. I thought everything that went into Pandora's Actor was cool, but all I ended up doing was make some kid with Second Year Syndrome pretending to be some soldier wannabe.
Swallowing my embarrassment, I greeted the Doppelganger, "Hello, Pandora's Actor. Things are going well down here, I suspect."
"Ja!" he responded in German. The Chuunibyou is strong with this one. He gestured grandiosely, extending his arm toward me, "As per your order, I have placed the items you have provided into the conversion box and recorded their values. Would you like to hear my findings?"
"Not at the moment," I shook my head, allowing the calming force to take those feelings away. Just go about your business and leave. "Report your findings to Albedo when you get the chance. She will inform me of the results at a later date."
"Verstanden!" he shouted, causing me to sigh. Why did I write that into his Character Bio? "So, Momonga-sama, if the outcome of your task is not the purpose of your visit, what, may I ask, can I do for you?"
"As proper as always, I see," I noted offhandedly. It was a trait of his of which I was most proud. Unfortunately, he commonly made the mistake of being accidentally condescending. It was just his manner of speech that put people off quite often. As long as the others understood that point, hopefully Pandora's Actor won't end up a social pariah in Nazarick. "There is quite a bit to explain. Listen carefully."
I then recanted the happenings from earlier today. I mentioned the kidnapping of Ganesha and all of the information regarding the Falna. Pandora's Actor nodded along, making grunts of affirmation all the while. When I got to the part about the banquet, he could barely contain himself.
"Ah! A divine party would not be complete without Momonga-sama!" his arms shot out wide at his proclamation. "A Supreme Being befitting the title of the God of Death should be the headliner of such an event!"
"Yes, well, my introduction to the Deities of Orario will be happening tonight at this banquet," I continued. It took everything I had in me to not take him by the shoulder and squeeze until he popped. "That is where your involvement comes in. Ganesha is indisposed and cannot attend. Therefore, I require you to take his form and act in his stead for a few days.
"During this party, you are to have the Ganesha Familia announce my arrival as Ainz Ooal Gown, the God of Death. You are NOT to call me 'Momonga' when I am in my current form. Am I clear?" I spelled it out for him.
I had already instructed the Floor Guardians to do the same, and to spread the change throughout Nazarick. I told Aiz Wallenstein that our Familia's name was Ainz Ooal Gown, so the Deity must carry the same name. Since she already knew the name 'Momonga,' while I was in the form of the Silent Swordsman, I had to split my identities. Momonga will be the name I used when I acted as an Adventurer, while Ainz Ooal Gown will be the God of Death that oversaw the Familia. This is going to be a fun balancing act…
Well, none of this would have happened if I hadn't said anything back then.
"You are most clear, Ainz-sama!" the Doppelganger bowed with one arm across his chest and the other wildly swung out to the side.
"Good," I nodded contentedly. "If you understand, go find Shalltear. She should be with Demiurge, extracting information from Ganesha. Once you get an idea of his form, head to the surface and take his place. As for his mannerisms, just be yourself," I shrugged. I thought both Pandora's Actor and Ganesha both shared some similarities, so if he acted as passionately as he usually did, he should fit in just fine. "Don't stand out too much. If they realize you aren't their god, it could ruin all of our plans."
"Dein Wunsch ist mir Befehl!"
"Also, Pandora's Actor," I glared at him, the red of my eyes coloring his expressionless face. "Stop speaking German. No one can understand you."
"Vers—
My eyes flared once again. The Doppelganger fell silent. If Pandora's Actor was feeling any emotion at the moment, he didn't show it at all.
"Understood," he bowed again, this time with less enthusiasm.
"Good, now get going. I will see you at the banquet tonight."
Pandora's Actor saluted me yet again. Maybe I can work the weirdness out of him over time…
"Sorry, Bell. I have somewhere to be tonight," the Goddess of the Hearth rifled through her closet. She pushed all of her clothing aside, looking for anything that she would consider nicer than her usual clothing. As each article left her hand, the grimace on her face grew. She didn't really mind being a poor Familia, but there were some times when she just wanted to have nice things.
"Where are you going, Kami-sama?" the white-haired boy asked, his head tilted cutely to the side. She almost couldn't tell from his expression that she had just turned down his invitation to get dinner somewhere tonight.
"Ganesha is throwing a banquet for all the gods of Orario. Normally, I don't go to these things, but a few of my friends are attending, and I would like to see them."
Catching sight of a medium-quality blue jacket, and a white one-piece dress, she grabbed them off the hangers and jumped into her changing room. It wasn't quite a changing room, as it was just an offshoot of her closet that gave her a bit more privacy when dressing. She may be after Bell's innocence, but shamelessly flashing him her naughty bits wouldn't do for a proper lady. She didn't want him to lose respect for her, but she always wondered how far she could push him.
Stepping out of her "changing room," she emerged fully dressed in her dress-dinner jacket outfit. She had forgone the blue ribbon she used for "support," as it would have been uncomfortable. She grabbed her white heels and slipped them on before heading for the door. She turned, her twin tails whipping through the air, and held her finger up to her one and only Familia member.
"I may not be back for a few days. I have some matters to which I must attend," she shook the finger like a parent admonishing her child. "You better stay out of trouble while I'm gone. I don't want to come back to an empty home."
"I understand," he nodded gladly. "I'll be careful."
The goddess smiled sweetly before her eyes went dark, causing Bell's body to clench. "If I find out you brought any girls over, there will be hell to pay."
When her Child went pale, she relished his reaction. She just wanted to be sure that what she planned to do for her precious Bell would be properly received. If she came home with the spoils of her victory to some slut in bed with Bell, she would most likely lose it. Not that she believed Bell had the guts to do such a thing.
Without waiting for him to respond, Hestia marched out the door and left the boy all by his lonesome. He wiped the sweat from his brow and sighed. It must have been true what they said, you can't lie to a Deity.
He didn't want to go against his goddess, but to be perfectly frank, he was debating whether or not to see the girl on his mind tonight. She didn't actually ask him out, but she invited him to eat at the establishment where she worked. This morning, on his way to the dungeon, he hadn't expected to be called to by a young woman with kind eyes and grayish hair, brandishing a Monster Stone. Apparently he had dropped it, though he didn't believe her at first. She then invited him to come to the tavern tonight for some good food.
It was a common ploy to reel in customers, using a small Monster Stone as bait to break that interpersonal barrier. Once contact was established, then came the offer. The Monster Stone she handed him wasn't worth more than a few Valis anyway. The amount he would have ended up spending if he accepted her invitation was worth much more than that little potential loss.
Sure enough, her invitation came soon after the two of them began talking. Bell was about to take his leave when his gut decided to sing the song of its people. The woman, who he came to know as Syr Flover, then did something that nearly made him question his entire thought process; she gave him her lunch. Syr's actions threw him for a loop, dumbfounding the boy further. He couldn't just take a girl's food, right? He did his best to turn her down, but she repeatedly insisted. He was too hungry and embarrassed to deny her, so he graciously accepted.
Of course, now he was sitting in the lower room of the rundown church that was his Familia's base of operations, staring at an empty lunchbox that he had just scrubbed clean. This whole time, he was thinking that all he did was accept the kindness of an altruistic stranger. Now, though, he thought that, perhaps, she had played him. He had to return the lunchbox after all. Now he had to go to the tavern and see her.
He rubbed his forehead in exasperation. "I really am a pushover when it comes to pretty girls," he muttered. She didn't have to give him her food, but this kind of thing happened all the time to other passersby. He crossed his arms and thought aloud, "Maybe I'm just being paranoid."
It had only been two days since he signed his name on the Guild Report against the Silent Swordsman. Ever since Wallenstein-san told him to be cautious, he had been the living definition of the word. Any chance he got, he glanced over his shoulder and stayed in crowded public places. He even took roundabout ways to get back home to make sure he wasn't being followed. So far, he hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary, but just knowing there were people like that out there seriously put him on edge.
It was clouding his judgement. Everywhere he looked, there was someone or something out to get him. Even kind strangers like Syr were being painted in a negative light due to this fog of anxiety. It wouldn't do to allow the fear of the unknown to ruin the good things that appeared in his life. He didn't like being involved, but if he wasn't, then he wouldn't have been introduced to Aiz Wallenstein. He just had to accept it.
Regardless of his hesitation, he had to return the lunchbox; that was a given. Steeling himself, he shot up from his chair, grabbed the lunchbox and his wallet and made his way onto West Main. Hestia Familia's church was far enough away from the center of the city that there were very few people on the street at this time of day. The sun had already set, but its light still lit up the western sky behind him. He turned toward the dark sky in the east and set out, giving a cursory glance around himself for good measure.
The tavern he was headed to was called the Benevolent Mistress. It had a prime location on West Main, in near vicinity to the Tower of Babel. It was a popular spot for Adventurers to unwind after spending a day in the dungeon. It also helped that the wallets of the patrons were full after a hard day's work. Their popularity was not only a result of location, but also the workers there. It turned out all of the servers were incredibly cute ladies in maid-like attire. Adventurers went to eat, drink, and ogle lovely women.
"Uwa, it's really crowded," he walked up to the storefront and peeked inside. All of the tables were taken and people were singing, laughing, and seemingly having a good time.
As his eyes flitted about, a familiar voice called out to him, "Bell! You came!"
The girl named Syr came jogging out of the building in her green maid outfit with a white apron and brown boots. Her tied-back, gray hair bounced as she made her way to the boy. Her happiness at his arrival caused his body to flush. The grin on her face blew away every little doubt he had about her. All he could bring himself to do was nod.
Syr ran around behind him and began pushing him into the tavern, "Come in! I saved a seat at the bar for you!"
Bell tried to protest, but Syr was much stronger than he expected. No matter how he struggled, he still ended up inside the Benevolent Mistress and seated at the bar. Syr giggled as she threw herself onto the stool next to his. She grabbed his hand in hers and shook it up and down.
"I wasn't sure if you would come tonight," she voiced through a fit of giggles. "I'm so happy you accepted my invitation!"
"Well," the boy swallowed the lump in his throat. He reluctantly broke away from her grasp to reach behind his back and grab the wrapped lunchbox tied at his waist. "I had to return this, so…"
"Ah!" Syr clapped once, the expression of joy never leaving her face. "Thank you for returning it. I hope you enjoyed the food! I-I made it myself," her cheeks blushed a brilliant pink as she accepted the lunchbox.
Her sheepish smile seared into his brain, turning him red up to his ears. He rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment, "I-It was delicious. Thank you."
Her bright smile returned as she stood from her seat with the box in hand. She grabbed a fresh pewter mug filled with a light wine and placed it in front of him. He stared down at the rippling, slightly opaque liquid, unsure if he should drink it. He was not too accustomed to alcohol, but it seemed Syr took his inexperienced youth into account by giving him a less potent brew.
"This round is on me as thanks for coming tonight. I have to go put this away, so why don't you order something while I'm gone?" she snapped her fingers so loudly, it could be heard across the din of the other patrons. The head of the woman behind the bar perked up immediately. She was quite burly, but had distinctly feminine features, typical of a dwarven female. Syr then called out, "Mama Mia, this boy would like to order!"
Without another word, she disappeared into the back room, leaving Bell alone with no idea what kind of food the place even served. The woman approached wearing a chiseled grin. Her uniform was similar to that of the waitresses, only hers was a deep, navy blue covered by a white apron that was speckled with different shades of sauces. She placed her thick hands on her hips and laughed haughtily. Her long, brown locks of hair that weren't tied back in a bun swayed with each guffaw.
"It seems Syr has taken quite a liking to you!" she shot him a broad smile that was both warm and welcoming. "The name's Mia Grand, but everyone calls me Mama Mia. I'm the proprietress of this fine establishment!"
Surprised by her energetic personality, he bowed his head slightly in greeting, "I am Bell Cranell. Syr helped me out this morning, so I'm here to, um—
Ignoring the rest of his sentence, Mia clapped him on the shoulder with a bold chuckle, "Nice to meet ya, young man! Say, I haven't seen you around before. You must be new to Orario!"
"Th-that's right. I arrived here from the country about two weeks ago," he replied bashfully.
"So you've only been an Adventurer for a short time," she nodded with her eyes closed, humming her own affirmation. "If that's the case, I'll whip up something extra special for you. It'll help you fill out, and make you nice and strong. You won't go dyin' in the dungeon after one of my meals!"
He tried to stop her, but she stomped off with a renewed vigor. He watched as her hands worked tirelessly with various meats and vegetables. In a flurry of chopping, slicing, and peeling, she cooked the dish over the fire in a frenzy. Bell observed with widened eyes as an entire, family-sized meal was cooked in mere minutes. Mia slammed the plate down in front of him, shaking the entire bar. Everyone seated at the well-polished, wooden slab caught sight of the mountain of food, and offered nods of sympathy. Surely, this could feed him and his goddess for days, let alone one young man in a single sitting.
"I gave you an extra portion on the house! Be sure to eat it all!" she flashed him one last toothy grin before returning to fulfill her other patrons' orders.
Bell attempted to look over the towering pile of food. He stretched his spine to its absolute fullest, his gaze finally clearing the giant fish that sat atop a heap of seasoned rice. A blackboard with chalk writing lied beyond it. The meal he was served was written under a particularly artistic label. It read, "Special: Fish Fry 860 Valis."
"Eight… sixty," his stomach sank. That was almost all of his money. He may have had a few thousand Valis stored away in the back of his dresser drawer, but he vowed never to spend that money.
He stared at the food, wondering what he should do. Turning it down would be rude, but leaving any remaining would be even more ill-mannered. With a dejected sigh, he prepared to devour the entire thing. After all, with all the money he would be spending, he wouldn't be eating for a little while. Uncertain where to begin, he grabbed his utensils and dug into his meal.
He quickly realized that no matter how hard he tried, the amount of food didn't seem to diminish. He theorized that Mia was secretly shoveling more food onto his plate from behind the pile. After what seemed like an hour, only about a tenth of the dish was eaten. Syr had checked in on him from time to time, but couldn't stay for long; she was working, after all. Bell leaned back and patted his distended gut. With a pained sigh and a cold sweat, he glared at his current delicious enemy. He grunted, nearly admitting defeat.
Before he could call Mia over, someone tapped him on the shoulder. "May I sit down?"
A woman's voice? She sounded incredibly chipper, almost too cheerful compared to some of the people here. Bell turned his head and caught sight of a red-haired beauty. Her fiery, untamable mane was wrapped in two thick braids that trailed behind her. Her large, brown eyes were extremely light, almost like a darker gold. They were framed by flawless tan skin and slight features that made her pleasing to behold. She was a bit shorter than Mia, and her limbs were thinner, yet still plump. He also noticed that her chest was rather large. Any man would have noticed…
Her outfit seemed like that of a maid's, but with a few differences. For one, it was a bit frillier than those of the waitresses of the Benevolent Mistress. She wore a white blouse swathed in a full length black dress. Her arms were covered in black gloves all the way up to above her elbows. There was a small, triangular, orange apron around her midriff; it was hidden behind a sash that was tied off in the front acting as a belt of sorts.
Her skirt, the bottom of which had fluffy, white fur sewn into the ends, reached all the way to the floor. A slit in the fabric ran all the way up to her waist, exposing white, thigh high stockings and a tantalizing peek at the skin of her hip. Her black shoes had straps that wrapped around her calves. Finally, instead of a maid's headband, she wore a black and white hat with a gold crest he had never seen before on the front. Two points protruded from her hat in a curious way. Was she a chienthrope? Perhaps a werewolf? He didn't see a tail, so he couldn't quite tell.
Bell felt he was staring for far too long without saying anything. Stunned by her gorgeous looks, he nodded his head dumbly. With a thankful grin, she sank down onto the stool next to him. He continued watching her, unable to tear his eyes away. Her profile was just as alluring. She had a maturity about her, but she seemed playful and bubbly.
She glanced at his food and her nostrils flared, "Smells good! How's the taste?"
"Eh?" shaking his head and blinking, he peered down, or up in this case, at his partially eaten food. The sight of it caused a bubble to rise in his throat. Fighting it back, he replied, "It tastes great. It's just too much…"
The woman hummed with her finger on her chin. "So you're not going to finish it?"
The daunting task of consuming the rest of his meal weighed on him. His stomach was full, and he couldn't eat another bite. "I honestly don't think I can," he admitted.
Her eyes sparkled hungrily as she leaned in closer to him, "If that's the case, I'll make a deal with you. I will pay for half of it if you give me the rest. What do you say?"
Bell blinked with confusion. If she wanted food, she could have just ordered it; it would have been hot too. He wasn't sure why she would want lukewarm food when she could have something fresher. His brow furrowed the more he thought about it.
"I just figured we shouldn't have to pay the full price for only part of a dish," she explained, the reasoning for her proposal dawning on him. "Since you're not gonna finish it anyway, you might as well only pay for what you ate and let me pay for the rest. The food would go to waste, otherwise."
That was certainly true. There was no way Bell could eat the rest. He also didn't think that he could eat it all by the time it went bad. It would be a real waste if he paid all that money for food he had to toss anyway. He then imagined his tab being instantly cut in half, and he was sold. He may not have eaten half of what Mia gave him, but four hundred Valis for a satisfying meal was more manageable than the full price.
With a nod, he pushed the plate to the woman who accepted it graciously. Before Bell could say anything, she dove heartily into the food. He was taken aback with how violent she was with the fish. She grabbed it with both hands and tore into its flesh like a rabid animal. In just a few moments, the fish was reduced to nothing but bones. The boy stared at the pile of bones that appeared in front of him, surprised she didn't eat them as well. When he glanced back at the plate, almost all of the rice was gone.
Bell's mouth was agape when the last of the food was swallowed by the red-haired maid. Using one of the fish bones, she picked her teeth as she happily patted her stomach. She hummed a joyous tune with a contented smile on her face. The slight werewolf woman polished off Bell's remaining food in just a matter of minutes.
"Man, that was really good!" the maid giggled. She then rapped him on the shoulder, the same way Mia did earlier. "Thanks for that, kid!" She placed a few coins in front of him to cover her part. She even left a little extra, most likely because she had more than half. "Our chefs are great, but this lady can cook! I think I'll have another plate."
Bell bore witness as the maid ordered and consumed another mounding plate of food. What he had managed to put away, she had devoured twenty times as much. Where she managed to fit it all, he couldn't tell. She exhibited no outward physical change. The food was simply gone.
Picking her teeth again, she leaned toward the boy, propping her elbow on the bar. "So, what's your name?"
"My name?" he blinked for a moment. The maid looked around for a moment, wondering if she had perhaps said something else. When she nodded encouragingly, Bell introduced himself while trying his best not to stammer.
"Bell Cranell, huh? Well, nice to meet you, Bell-chan. My name is Lupusregina Beta," she waved her hand dismissively. "That's pretty long, so you can call me Lupu."
"I-I see, L-Lupu-san," he recited cautiously. He had never seen her before, but she was acting quite comfortably. Maybe they had just never bumped into each other on the street. He himself hadn't been here for very long. "Are you an Adventurer, Lupu-san?"
"No," she shook her head, her fiery locks swinging about her face. "Not yet, anyway. For now, I'm just a maid."
Not yet? Bell wondered what would get in the way of her becoming an Adventurer. He figured she couldn't get much time away from work to dungeon dive. Some noncombatants were in difficult situations. They got attached to a Familia for whatever reason, preventing them from leaving too easily. Familias were secretive in that respect. They tended to avoid having strangers in their headquarters, since some Familias had trade secrets for their products. It all stemmed back to the privacy each Adventurer wanted when it came to their status and abilities.
Curious, Bell inquired further, "Where do you work?"
She gave him a quick glance, before taking a swig from her cup. "I have maid duties at a residence just down the road, here on West Main. It was recently bought, so it needs a lot of work."
"I see," he nodded. Once things got in order, she would probably have more time on her hands. Whatever or whoever it was that had been holding her back, hopefully she got to do what she wanted in the end. "I'm sure you will—
"Be-ell," his hair stood on end when he heard the biting voice behind him. He felt the shadow drape over him like a blanket. Slowly, he turned to see two, leveled, gray eyes glaring at him. "I see you are properly entertained."
The waitress' scowl froze the white rabbit as if she were a predator. She then dragged her eyes to the maid seated beside him. She looked the redhead up and down, taking in her entire figure. After she ran her eyes over the woman's body, her cheeks slowly puffed out in one of the cutest pouts Bell had ever seen. Lupusregina tilted her head in confusion, before the realization dawned on her.
The werewolf covered her mouth and let out a charming giggle. "It's okay, miss," she smiled knowingly. "I didn't come here to encroach on your territory. I just wanted to eat, that's all."
"Eat what?" Syr's eyes narrowed further, the malice spreading. Lupusregina seemed to be trying to diffuse the tension, but Syr wasn't about to let it go.
Bell observed the pair as they stared each other down. Syr's eyes were trained on her adversary while the cheerful Lupusregina remained smirking the entire time. It was as if a lion and a wolf crossed paths and decided to see who was at the top of the food chain. Bell raised his hands to placate the two, but his mouth was glued shut. He felt that if he were to make any sound at all, the two warring women would turn their animosity in his direction.
Before the situation could deteriorate any further, one of the cat girl waitresses called out, "The group reservation has arrived ~nya!"
The loud tavern quieted as heads turned toward the door. In walked several people who Bell had only seen in passing. Despite only having seen them once or twice, he immediately knew who they were. The jade-haired elf, the blond pallum, the light-haired werewolf, the brown-haired dwarf, and two, tan-skinned Amazons, all of whom were members of Loki Familia. They were all very powerful, first-class Adventurers.
In recent years, Loki Familia had been quickly developing in the limelight. Their growth had been faster than most other Adventurers. Anyone who aspired to dungeon dive hoped to do so under the flag of Loki Familia. However, from what Bell had heard, they were very selective. With the way he was, he could never have joined them when he first came to Orario. How could he? Their standards were incredibly high, though much of the responsibility for said standards were partially the fault of the woman who walked in last.
Her golden hair shimmered like a wave as she entered. She caught everyone's attention no matter where she went. Aiz Wallenstein was the pinnacle of Adventurers, and she was one of the most powerful, influential people in Loki Familia. Even though he spoke with her at length, Bell's heart still skipped every time he laid eyes on her. However, it seemed the same could be said about every other male in the tavern.
The Sword Princess' eyes promptly scanned the room, most likely a habit beaten into her during the years she spent exploring the dungeon. Her golden orbs met his and lingered for a moment. To Bell's surprise, she gave him a meaningful nod and a slight curl of the lips. He was in a stupor for what felt like several minutes before realizing he needed to respond in kind. Inclining his head and smiling, he acknowledged her greeting. A warmth bloomed in his chest as he did so. As if it hadn't happened, Aiz turned away and sat at the table with her other Familia members.
Bell was still smiling. Fireworks were going off in his head as he replayed the scene over and over again. He was so preoccupied that he hadn't detected that Syr had begrudgingly returned to work. His new acquaintance, Lupusregina, hadn't moved at all. In fact, she watched the entire scene unfold. Even as she studied his face, witnessing the blush spread to his ears, he didn't notice the evil glimmer in her eyes.
"Ho-ho~," he snapped out of his daydream at the werewolf's mocking laugh. "I see, I see~. Such a popular young man you are, Bell-chan."
Bell gulped, noticing the change in her grin. Her sharper fangs glinted in the lamplight as she shimmied closer to the boy. The screeching of the stool's legs grated on his ears as the voluptuous figure of the mature werewolf inched nearer. She tugged lightly on his shirt, beckoning him to lean toward her. It didn't matter if he complied, since she was going to get close to him regardless.
She licked her lips and whispered, "So which one do you like more, the waitress or the Sword Princess?"
"Wha?!" Bell shot back. His blush disappeared as he paled, and then it returned and intensified. The sudden rush of blood to his head made it go foggy. In a fit of lightheadedness, he blurted out in a loud voice, "W-what do you mean?!"
"You know what I mean," all of her facial features sharpened to a point. Every one of her words was meant to poke and prod at his fragile mental state. "Let me rephrase. Of the naughty things you want to do to either of them, which is the naughtiest?"
"N-n-n-n-nau—
"I mean, you honestly can't tell me that you have those two girls on both your arms, and you don't even think about what you would do to them," her hot breath blew into his ear.
In a daze, Bell's brain stopped working, "Naughty… naughty…"
"I think you can get the waitress on her back pretty easily," Lupusregina smirked as she fiddled with the edge of her blouse. "She has some pretty large knockers, that one. There's no way you don't find her attractive. I'm sure if you asked, she would flip her skirt for you in a heartbeat."
The steam was overflowing now. Bell's ears were redder than red as the thoughts ran through his mind's eye. He could practically see an image of Syr lying on a bed. Her clothes were disheveled and her skirt had ridden up to the middle of her thighs. She enticed him with a beckoning gesture and a "come hither" glance. It took every ounce of his control not to go any further with this fever dream.
"And then there's the goldie over there…"
Bell's breath caught in his throat. His eyes were immediately drawn to the back of Aiz Wallenstein's head. He caught glimpses of her sides every time she spoke with the people sitting next to her. The sight of her porcelain white skin was too much for his brain to absorb.
"She doesn't seem the type to roll over and take it," Lupusregina was gearing up for the kill. She leaned in even closer, her lips nearly making contact with his ear. With as much heated breath as she could muster, she struck, "I think she would prefer to be… on top."
"On-on-on-on-on—
The stuttering mess Bell had become couldn't fathom the words the werewolf put into him. The boy's head instantly transported him to a dim room. He lied panting on the bed, the heat too much to bear. Then, a golden haired vixen began slowly crawling up his body. Her eyes were locked with his as she came up to meet him face to face, running her hands over his chest. Her cherry lips drew closer to him when…
"-top?"
The blood vessels in Bell's nose burst before he could go further. Shakily fumbling for a tissue, he pinched his nose as hard as he could. He didn't care if the blood started pouring from his ears. He didn't want anyone to see it. His skin was so crimson that people would think it was his natural skin color. Swaying dangerously, he nearly slid from the stool upon which he sat. He didn't care if he fell into a pile on the floor; that was just too much for him to handle.
"And we have a winner!" the werewolf shouted as she shook him by the shoulders, laughing riotously all the while. "You are just too easy to tease, Bell-chan!"
Teasing… Yes, she was teasing him. Of course she was. Why did he let her take him away on a journey of lascivious thoughts? She knew exactly where and when to hit. She didn't have to say much either. All she had to do was plant the seed and let his mind do the rest of the work. He was weak in that respect as well, it seemed. He glared at her as he checked how badly his nose was bleeding.
He couldn't help but think that he had met quite a troublesome woman.
"Oh, don't give me that," she shook off his admonishing expression. "It's not my fault you can't get your own emotions sorted. It isn't easy for anyone to have their feelings pulled out and scrutinized. It just means you have a lot more work to do, kiddo.
"Especially when it comes to work in the bedroom," he heard her say as she turned from him. He would have blushed again if all of his blood wasn't shooting out of his face.
He really couldn't handle this type of woman.
"Hey, Aiz! Why don't you tell them the story of the Tomato Boy?!" a rowdy voice echoed over the crowd. "You know, the kid you splashed with Minotaur blood!"
As if the previous conversation hadn't taken place, Bell's body went ice cold.
"I only saw the aftermath, but I really wish I had been there to watch that weakling get scared half to death!" the gray-haired werewolf of Loki Familia shouted with no regard for those around him. "He was just running around, screaming. Blood was flying everywhere! Ha-ha-ha!"
The elf sitting next to him leveled a glare in his direction. The daggers in her glower showed her contempt for his behavior, "Why ask Aiz to tell the story when you can just do it yourself?"
"Hah?!" his mouth was wide open. He leaned back in his chair, crossing his muscular arms. "Aiz knows more about it than I do! Who else would know what happened before we saw him? So, Aiz, did he curl in a corner and wait to die? Did he beg for his life? Did he piss himself?! Ha-ha!"
Bell's eyes trailed toward the male werewolf, defeat already apparent in his gaze. His embarrassed blush that had been caused by Lupusregina was now an entirely different kind of shame. He felt the stomach-twisting grip of humiliation in his gut. What was worse was that he didn't have the words to defend himself.
"You're the worst," the more developed of the Amazons spoke up, almost perfectly copying the elf's expression. "I have no idea what you find so funny about it. The whole thing was our fault anyway."
"So it's our fault the kid couldn't handle a single Minotaur? Give me a break!" he waved his hand with a sputter if indignation.
"Well, last I checked, Minotaurs aren't supposed to be in the upper floors. Sounds like our fault to me," the smaller Amazon noted casually, not contributing anything else to the conversation.
"You too, Tiona?! You were laughing your ass off at the time, too!"
"Well yeah, it was funny. That doesn't make it any less our fault, though."
The werewolf shot her a disgusted look before turning back to the swordswoman, "What do you think about it, Aiz? A little twerp like that couldn't hope to make it as an Adventurer in this town, right?!"
Bell stared at the wooden floor. He felt sick to his stomach. All of Mia's delicious food threatened to come up and make a second appearance. It was kind of the other members of Loki Familia to accept some of the blame for what happened several days ago. However, the werewolf was correct. Bell was weak, and he knew it. He had been growing quite well as of late, but it still wasn't enough to erase his shame.
First-class Adventurers had plenty of experience to lead and guide those who were just starting out. Unfortunately, the werewolf's views were not so strange. The weaker Adventurers often got in the way of those who were doing significant work for their Familias. If they had to spend their time taking care of people who couldn't protect themselves, their productivity suffered. Guild taxes were no joke. For high-ranked Familias, the default payment to the Guild numbered in the millions of Valis. Without everyone's assistance, they could fail to reach their goal, costing them dearly in reprimands and fines. It was understandable that those in power frowned upon those who couldn't handle their share of the work.
"What's with that face, Aiz?" the wolf man narrowed his eyes after studying his compatriot's look. "Don't tell me you of all people feel the same way they do?"