This dress was of spun light, according to its 'flavour text,' woven from silk that had been bathed in a basen of pure moonlit water on the spring equinox. Ritually cleansed until the silk became like the moonlight itself, silvery and pure. There was symbolism of purity, rebirth, fertility, innermost desires and truths, freedom, as well as enlightenment.
'Adequate, but not perfect.' Albedo tossed it onto the growing pile of 'maybes' and went back to her closet.
A suit made from tiny iridescent dragon scales. 'Hopelessly gaudy, no.' Onto the rejects pile with that one. A corset of red velvet with black embroidering of scrawling infernal curses. 'Why do I even own this?' Rejected as well. A blue and silver variant of her normal attire, a set of chainmail undergarments, a beautiful dress of golden fleece that did not match her skin tone at all, one of Rubedo's spare uniforms 'Why is this here?'
A yukata made of living ivy with blossoming flowers giving off a sweet scent. 'Cute, maybe.' A cloak of feathers stolen from the goddess Freyja by the Supreme Beings, she put that one to the side as a possible accessory. 'With what though?' A tuxedo made of literal shadow, a very sheer dress of lace-of-silver, some abomination apparently designed for worse snowstorms than on the fifth floor, three wedding dresses she had sewn 'one day, not quite yet.' A bunny suit, a nurse outfit, another suit of dragon scales 'less gaudy but still no.'
'How is this closet even organised? Where is the logic and is anything actually good enough to wear?'
She had another four closets. The perfect clothes for her date to the ball must be in one of them.
They were not. She emptied everything into a heap and there were only a bare handful of tentatively adequate, nothing anywhere close to perfect.
She tossed the last unacceptable thing aside. "Fine, I'll just make one."
"I will fetch your sewing supplies, Lady Albedo."
Decrement had been eying the growing reject pile with apprehension for some time. The homunculus would likely insist that everything be properly washed, ironed, or whatever it is that they do for maintenance. 'Not that I actually want to even keep most of this.'
"Thank you Decrement, bring some of your sisters, we all have some organising to do."
"Of course My Lady."
Her third date with Momonga, enjoyed just a week ago, 'dating, we're dating' had been a somewhat whimsical picnic by the lakeshore on the sixth floor.
She had a ring of sustenance equipped, and he was undead. Still, it had been amazing. Momonga had brought them both walking arm in arm through the woods to the lakeshore where a quilted blanket lay with a wicker basket placed atop.
They had sat together for hours as the artificial evening passed, eating treats as the sun set golden over the lake. Well, she had eaten.
Momonga could not physically make the food just as much as he couldn't eat it. Neither of them possessed the relevant job classes and he had apparently never had the talent before the dive became permanent. He had wanted to try anyway, under Suis Cheif's guidance, but the mushroom despaired partway through and took back over the kitchen.
It had been a revealing story, Lord Ainz as less than completely perfect. That just made Momonga's trying anyway all the sweeter. 'Earnest, determined, and surprisingly cute.'
Albedo hadn't thought she could love him more. Love for Momonga was central to her very being after all. But she could, 'did, do'
They had gone down to the lakeshore after, skipping stones as he told tales of adventures with the supreme beings. A real history, unadorned.
As she had already known in her heart, none of them were special, none were remarkable. Or worthy, or great, or even decent in some cases, for all they he missed them anyway. 'Except Momonga. Momonga is perfect, the only one worthy of our respect and adoration.'
He adored her in turn, he had said so, as they looked at the reflection of a fake moon and did their best to break it with ripples from cast stones.
"You are special, Albedo. Adorable and majestic in equal measure. I am very glad to have gotten to meet you, to be here with you."
She had understood it, the depths of feeling in Momonga in a way none of them had before. As Lord Ainz he had expressed pride or satisfaction in the guardians, or professed love before, but always to Nazarick wholly. He had meant it then of course, she had been satisfied by that, but on the lakeshore it was so much more.
He meant that for her, Albedo as an individual. That she was special and worthy and lovely as herself, for herself. She felt real then, in a way she hadn't known she was missing, like she was finally whole, awake, 'and loved.'
She had flung herself around him, his throw of stone gone wide but neither had really cared for that. She had wrapped arms around Momonga's shoulders, a hand on the back of his skull, and pulled herself against his ribcage. He had put a steadying hand on wing and another lovingly caressed her face.
"And you are perfect Momonga. Just as you are, exactly who you are. Every part of you I see, everything I learn, I love you more. I need you forever, I love you!"
He had run phalanges through her hair, down her cheek and over her lip. Then up again as she opened her lips to caress a horn and gently lean her head in for a kiss.
"Every moment we have together I fall a little more in love with you Abedo. We will have forever together."
It had been a perfect affirmation, so very wonderful. Everything she had ever wanted.
'So this dress really needs to be up to par!'
There was going to be a ball, Entoma's idea and execution. Momonga had invited her to go dance with him there.
All of Nazarick had been invited, not all would attend. It was a busy time and neither she nor Demiurge wouldn't let security fall so far for anything, not to mention the delicate state of certain operations. But it would be a six hour event, and most would get at least an hour or two off duty during that time.
Probably. She wasn't involved in scheduling, the entire operation was Entoma with Cocytus's help and under Yuri's supervision. Momonga insisted to her protests at being uninvolved that events you had planned yourself were never as enjoyable to attend so she left them to it.
Which was for the best because she needed something perfect to wear and there was nothing suitable so she had to make something suitable and she had little enough spare time in these next few days already.
There was a knock on the door and Decrement let herself in, trailed by Fifth and Increment holding several bolts of material. Silk, starlace, other enchanted fabrics of many colours.
"Good," she said, "that's enough to make a few variations."
There were far too many forms of dancing. Albedo had ensconced herself in Ashurbanipal for research before practical practice ahead of the event.
Even restricting her study to single-partner dances there were still dozens of variations all with different moods, meanings, and backgrounds. The ball was in three days, she was good, but nobody could become an expert in all these forms so quickly.
Momonga had said she didn't need to master them. "The important thing is enjoying ourselves, Albedo. I only know a few dances myself, and we only need one or two for a ball. Would you like to practise with me now?"
She had wanted to. But more, she wanted to stand beside Momonga as an equal dance partner, not a student. "It's silly, but I want to learn on my own. To prove that I can grow and improve as myself; be someone worth standing beside you as more than a simple creation."
"You already are more than that, Albedo." He had said, gently taking her hands. "You are real, and important. I think learning to dance to prove to yourself that you can grow is a wonderful idea. But you never need to prove yourself to me, I'll love every aspect of you."
She would love him too, she was created that way. But more than mere consequence of that creation Momonga was someone she would want to love. Even beyond what was written for background. If she could have chosen this, she would have.
He had held her very close when she told him so. The embrace was close and fulfilling, she would have never wanted to leave it.
Albedo's head hit the book in the culmination of a slow faceplant, she had been literally falling into memory. She rested it there and sighed. There was so very much to learn about dancing, she could do it though.
The books kept harping on about practice being key to timing and rhythm. She put the three most useful tomes back, she had memorised them over the course of the morning anyway.
"I will just have to practise then."
No one was an adequate stand-in for Momonga, but she could still kidnap someone. Unfortunately Pandora's Actor was outside of Nazarick on a job, which meant nobody would even have the right proportions for her to learn against.
'I am adaptable, it will be fine.' Teaching is the best way to learn, someone had said that once. She would find out the truth of the statement.
She found Solution entering the library on her way out, the Pleiades curtsied and smiled. 'Solution is an acceptable choice.'
She stopped in front of the maid, "were you about to do anything pressingly important?"
Solution quirked her head to the side, eyes flickering to Albedo's empty hands and tousled hair. "No lady Albedo, just depositing a catalogue of new-world reference material and writings. What do you require of me?"
Momonga had declared that while most of it was frivolous and of no use, Nazarick would ultimately benefit from storing every scrap of writing they could lay their hands on. Preserving history against the future and being a repository of all the new worlds - presently rather meagre - knowledge.
"I need a partner to practise dancing." She wanted to master at least seven forms ahead of the ball, four of her selection were easy enough in theory, none of the others a real challenge. "Just to put the theory into practice before the ball."
Solution smiled widely. "I would be happy to help Lady Albedo."
Solution flowed as Albedo spun her, twisting her arm out so they separated, then whirling them both back together.
The move was flawless from the waste up. Alas their legs tangled together on rejoining and they fell to the floor of the commandeered office, Albedo's fluttering wings unable to keep them upright.
"This is more complex than it sounded." Solution said, muffled from where she lay below Albedo. She rolled off and pulled them both to standing.
"We have nearly got it, just synchronise the last rotation to come together on the downbeat."
"While counterbalancing each other's bodyweight to spin around one another, I know, Majesty." Solution extended hand, "from the top?"
'Majesty?'
They got it eventually, breathing hard and grinning madly. They moved on to the next dance, an 'Argentine tango.' 'This is a wonderful pastime.'
Lupusregina, arms windmilling, fell around the corner and crashed against Albedo with a soft "oof."
She caught the errant werewolf and looked up to find a distinct lack of pursuer. "Where are you off to?" Albedo asked as Lupusregina swooned in her hold dramatically.
"Anywhere! Far away from outside infection, they're crazy Lady Albedo, totally grossly crazy for me!" The maid shivered against her and fell back to lay an arm across her face in another swoon.
"Carne again?" She asked and Lupusregina popped back up to standing to a crisp parade rest.
"Yes ma'am, Carne again! The humans are gross, gross I tell you. Their love, their lust! It's terrible, icky!" The tone of Lupusregina's voice suggested she found the villagers' attention something other than terrible. Besides, anyone actually objectionable would have been destroyed out hand.
Lupusregina was one to be fond of dangling the forbidden fruit and had been playing with her food lately. Shockingly this had increased Balere's productivity through some competitive spirit Albedo didn't care to know the details of.
"They're so in love, it's gross, it's uncouth! Unclean! And they just keep looking! Staring! Drooling! Desiring."
"You poor dear!" She played along with Lupusregina's growing grin. "How monstrous, appalling even."
The werewolf nodded frantically, "I'll never be the same, my poor eyes, my poorer ears, my innocence is ruined!"
Albedo put on an exaggerated mask of dismay which Lupusregina matched to an exact quirk of an eyebrow.
"How dare they! Imagining such things about a beauty of Nazarick. Uncultured swine!"
'Honestly, how dare they. Lupusregina actually likes it, somehow,. But they have no right.'
Lupusregina grinned sharp and with a flex of shoulders stood from the swoon she had still been holding in Albedo's arms.
"Sinners! Heathens! Unclean and corrupting things! Icky majesty, it's icky! Ahhh! I will never be the same."
Nothing about Lupusregina's body language suggested she felt anything of the sort. Only pleasure, humour, playfulness, and her usual propensity for the overdramatic.
"There's nothing for it then." She said solemnly, grabbing Lupusregina's hands in hers. "You must be cleansed. Go! The spa awaits you."
Lupusregina clutched her hands tight, bending and wobbling her knees in a feign of hope and gratitude. "Oh what mercy! What great kindness! I shall remember this forever, a benevolent gift of my innocence restored. All hail the Queen of Nazarick!"
The werewolf let her voice fade away as if with distance as, hands still clasped, she stepped back so their arms were extended between them.
'Queen of Nazarick?' Not her title, but it could be one day. It would be, Ainz was God and Master and a dozen other things, but King was one of them, and they were in love.
Albedo smiled as she let go of Lupusregina's hand, their fingers slipping away as they made their dramatic ways in opposite directions.
Entoma dangled from the near ceiling, hanging by threads harnessed to several of her larger flying summons.
"Left! To the left, it's not even yet."
Cocytus, whom she was addressing, moved his side of the banner as indicated.
"Now. It is. Cluttering. With. The. Chandelier."
It was, the ceiling was a mess of hanging things.
"Eeeeh… this won't work at all!"
"What. About. The Wall?"
'It probably would fit on the wall, but there are already quite a few tapestries and… did this room always have so many tapestries?'
Albedo stepped into the room from where she had been listening by the door as the insectoids arranged the room decorations.
"You could put it over the entrance as well." The pair looked at her, Entoma buzzed up a little, then with a tug the ludicrously large mosquitos lowered her to the floor. Cocytus rotated and bowed.
"Overseer. Albedo. Welcome. We are. Not. Behind schedule. Despite. The. Mess."
"Entrance! Good idea M- Lady Albedo," she took off again and tugged the banner, and Cocytus, over to where Albedo had just been. "It will be entrancing!"
That was a strange stutter. 'I wonder what the other address would have been?'
Cocytus sighed at the terrible pun and Albedo stepped aside to let them pass and hang the last - hopefully, there was absolutely no more room - decoration.
"I see you've both been very enthusiastic." 'Understatement.'
"We're making it perfect! Something from every place in Nazarick."
That did explain why there were so many decorations, there were a lot of distinct places within Nazarick.
"Entoma. Was. Insistent. On the. Symbolism. Lady. Albedo. I. Agree. It's. Nice."
It was nice, an excellent idea. Albedo took the time to actually look around.
The vaulted ceiling was adorned with streamers and wooden hoops holding fabric discs embroidered with the faces or figures of all the many Floor and Area guardians throughout Nazarick. The tapestries that entirely obscured the actual wall visually designated parts of the room as representing different parts of Nazarick. The crypts took up the entirety of one wall, and had tables adorned with appropriately tomb-like place-setting for eating. The other side had woodland scenes in a seasonal progression, one corner a winter wasteland, the other a radioactive one representing the eighth floor. The far side across the dance floor had massive copper braziers ready to be lit and statues of stained glass that would refract hellish firelight. The entryway she was in had a cave-like appearance at second glance, and the water feature by the door was a fair substitute for an underground lake.
As Cocytus had said, it wasn't a complete work yet, but it was shaping up to be incredible.
A mural depicted the throne room with concentric rings artfully painted with scenes from each floor expanding out covered the floor. 'That. Was not there before, none of this was there before how did…?'
"Entoma," she asked, "Did you make all this art?"
"I did! I wove the hangers and mother Grant helped me with the mural and the extra tapestries! And the Chei Blacksmith did the sculpting and metal stuff! Cocytus moved all the heavy things and made sure it all fit together!"
That effort was well spent. "It looks wonderful, Entoma, Cocytus. You've done a great job."
"Thanks! But it's a surprise so no more peeking!" Entoma was still floating in the harness of her insects and pointed an arm in faux accusation.
Albedo grinned. "My mistake, I'll be sure to forget what I saw and be just as amazed the next time." She was unlikely to forget actually, this was amazingly impressive for just under two days of work. She did step back out of the room however. 'Actually.'
"Although, I could use your help with some weaving if you did have time?"
"Weaving what?"
"A new dress."
Entoma cut herself free from the threads tethering her to the mosquitoes. "Ooh! Sounds fun, I'll help!"
Albedo stepped out of the Gate into a large pentagonal room with five absolutely hideous thrones sitting before five somehow worse stained glass windows.
The roof opened in a spiral of actually decent architecture that was designed to let the Argland councillors fly in, this being the council room. A spiral staircase emerged from the floor in the centre and opened to a balcony-like podium from which one could address the thrones
'We are going to need to rebuild this entire place, it's too thematically built for a council.'
Shizu, disguised in pale silvery robes spiderwebbed with black embroidery like the entire mass of people congregating here, stepped out of the crowd.
"Great Harbinger." Shizu, or Tisiphone as her present high priestess disguise was called, knelt before Albedo. Behind her, the congregation followed suit, prostrating themselves and echoing her address.
Shizu's former experiences in creating a cult to Lord Ainz had clearly paid off, this assembly of several hundred looked just as devout as the mortals of the Holy kingdom in about half the time.
'Of course, that's also because someone from Narazarick is leading, rather than supporting a human leader.' They were naturally superior, designed for perfection. 'Though there is something to be said for an agent that can stay embedded permanently. We'll have to commit another three doppelgängers to the role of high priestesses to Lord Ainz-as-Death.'
Shizu's, Lupusregina's, and Solution's take on their characters, named for some legend they were fond of, had been much too effective to be given up lightly. 'Death in glorious battle and thence sainthood' would be less effective than just keeping them around for a few more decades.
'Plus, they don't need martyrdom for sainthood.' The dragon should be able to keep everything in line by then, established cults were much easier to maintain than nascent ones, without a firm hand on the wheel.
They weren't running out exactly, but doppels were a limited resource. 'Fortunately humans don't live long and die frequently anyway, we can always cause a fire and exfiltrate any doppels we want moved around.'
Albedo blinked out of her considerations as Shizu continued speaking.
"- faithful servant to the God of Death. We pledge ourselves to you, we are your faithful, we have seen the truth of this world in the White Death, your great servant…
The mortals echoed Shizu nicely. Pledging themselves to a service while living that would extend even unto the tomb. 'Not literally however, disgusting creatures.'
Albedo held her poise as the necessary speech droned on. She knew the points, she'd helped write it. A quick glance showed a few stenographers taking exact notes, they would be spreading this in the next few days. Probably as some sort of proto holy book.
Religion was a dangerous primary method of controlling these masses. Having the whole society reliant on Nazarick both economically and for security was a more sure method, and less likely to backfire under revolutionary ideas. 'Not that these mortals would ever get anything revolutionary done.' However, religious war was a good first step to building that reliance.
No, they would leave these budding theocracies intact, but ensure no holy wars of religious conversion into other nations. The literal proof of Ainz's divinity would eventually split the world between atheistic, and the two similar religions brewing here and in the holy kingdom. 'That's enough illusion of choice to keep them from getting any ideas until it's far too late for them.'
A truly masterful plan, brought swiftly into being with a few gentle nudges. Momonga was a genius.
At the appropriate moment Albedo inclined her head a bare degree and began her speech in return. 'So very performative.' But by the end these cultists would have a series of commandments, a variety of specific tennants, and a stated blessing of their actions as being the Will of God.
'God wills that: you deal with these pesky dragonlords, tear down these awful thrones alongside the whole room for good measure. Then, establish a properly subservient - and functional - nation and get on with your servitude so I don't have to bother coming back here.'
Alas, the will of the actual God of Death, Momonga, was a little more nuanced.
Shizu's whole congregation was staring at her worshipfully. The android herself blinked at Albedo in Morse code.
"Uwa! They're such great cultists. This is fun."
Albedo returned in the same code with subtle flexing of her foot against the floor, vibrations too subtle for anyone but Shizu to detect as she continued declaiming to the masses.
"They certainly look the part. Here's hoping they are as good of administrators." Cultists being not much of a step up from a mob on a good day. Unless they were a very old group with established traditions. Which this was not, yet.
"I've given them lectures in economics and legislative governance. Also redacted material from the library on building and maintaining a nation."
Yes, she'd approved that plan. Actually teaching the mortals led to the risk of setting off a technological revolution unevenly across the world or before Nazarick was prepared to manage it. The knowledge that such a technological revolution in Momonga's old world was what separated these mortals from something like Momonga's kin was rather troubling.
But the alternative here was micromanaging them for even longer, Nazarick had other plans to achieve. Besides, they were only giving enough to get Argland's successor state on equal terms with Baharuth or the Holy kingdom.
'Not to say that those kin were especially grand or powerful either.' Quite the opposite apparently, still it was best to maintain a tight leash over the entire world. And that included development.
"If it isn't enough you'll have to stick around and get them up to par. Since you seem to enjoy their company."
"Unfair." Shizu blinked out. "I want to do a good job on schedule. I also want to keep playing with the cultists. Unfair, Majesty."
Albedo suppressed a grin. Shizu managing to convey a pout though only eyeblinks was adorable.
Eventually the pomp and ceremony wound down and Albedo stepped back through the gate. Not before flexing out: "you've done a great job here CZ. You can go back to play with your cultists whenever there is time."
"Uwa!"
"Oh no, it's depressingly easy to distract this platinum fellow. Our optimal schedule will be perfectly fine, Lady Albedo."
Narberal's voice came across with the message spell. Neither she nor Pandora's Actor could be retrieved from their deep cover with the inconvenient dragonlord just yet, so the report was telepathic.
Albedo reached for another scroll. "Oh?"
An amused sound came across the spell. "Sure, just point him at Pandora's Actor and let them monologue at each other for a few hours. How the thing ever gets anything accomplished is beyond me."
"I believe dear Pandora sets a timer," she said laughing. "Though I'm not convinced this Tsaindorcus ever did accomplish anything but posturing."
"He will die for the glory of Nazarick, heralding the final end of his people, the old dragonlords. That's almost a respectable accomplishment."
Narberal was correct, but "hardly on his own merit however." Albedo responded reaching for her coffee, the true lifeblood of Nazarick.
"In spite of himself you might say. Alas for his best efforts, they weren't very good."
Albedo nearly spat out her coffee. An openly sarcastic Narberal was a great treasure once reserved for her sisters.
Seeing all the Pleiades, and more gradually everyone else, grow and bloom into a real family was one of the greatest of Momonga's works.
The greatest of course was dating her, in Albedo's unhumble opinion.
"Even the humble worm has its place, Narberal. Beneath our boots of course."
"This wyrm is rather far from humble, annoyingly enough.'
"Nothing redeeming at all over there?"
"In him, no. This guild base however has some interesting toys."
"Any world items?" Albedo asked, those were the highest priority of retrieval.
"Not as far as we can tell. We have mostly free reign but not enough to do a full sweep of the treasury. But we were shown a 'guild weapon' from these eight greed kings of theirs."
On the one hand that completely confirmed that their origin was also Yggdrasil, which Momonga would appreciate. On the other, the fact the weapon hadn't been destroyed meant that NPCs, traps, and anything else from their guild could still be active and lurking around somewhere.
"We will have to do a more thorough sweep after the operation then. But maintaining cover is more important than looting the place now." Narberal knew that already of course, Pandora too, but he could get carried away with magic items. She'd pass the reminder along.
"Of course, Majesty."
'There it is again.' Pleasing but not right, and premature 'unless…' Was Momonga going to propose? It wouldn't be shocking if the Pleiades knew before she did, they were something like a secondary council for Momonga by now.
Albedo would have assumed she would be jealous of such a thing. Instead she found she liked being surprised by what they came up with, and how much more open they all were.
Albedo took a deep breath and feigned nonchalance in the face of bubbling excitement. Her research had indicated that it was somewhat early for a proposal, however, she certainly didn't mind. 'Probably Momonga is just planning ahead and they are testing the waters.'
Albedo put a lot of cheer into her words to convey her approval which was not difficult. Rather, it was a struggle not to put too much in.
"Your sisters efforts with radicalising Argland civilians in support of Nixcerra and in devotion to Lord Ainz is actually proceeding ahead of schedule. The battlefield we agreed on initially is still the choice, you may depart anytime after another three days have passed." She paused to grin, "if the boys ever stop monologing that is."
"Unfortunately I'm not sure if quiet is in the forecast but we'll be there. I look forward to getting rid of this odious creature and having Pandora back to something like normal."
"I'd say that's part of his charm."
"Pandora's Actor, yes, most of the time but… Albedo they are just saying the same thing back and forth over and over. It's been days."
"Verbatim or…?"
A laugh is the whole of Narberal's next message, mirthful with a touch of madness. Then, "verbatim for the idiot dragon. Pandora's Actor is at least rephrasing things every time, I think he is actually enjoying it."
'He would enjoy that, it's entirely his style to make that sort of challenge game.' And win it, Pandora's Actor was a master of speechcraft and improvising, second only to Momonga.
"Well hold off on any justifiable electro therapy for a bit longer. We probably can pull you back to Nazarick for Entoma's ball if you need a break."
"I- thank you. I appreciate that, but the mission comes first."
Objectively, Narberal was correct.
"Let me know if you change your mind."
A laugh. "Lead me not to temptation, Albedo."
When Albedo stepped into the room Yuri had three pens set in her hair and was looking around the desk with pursed lips, the one she had been writing with being out of ink.
'We really need to get more of those enchanted everlasting pens.' Nazarick had been able to find adequate replacement for every consumable that they were in danger of actually using in the new world except two: halfway decent pen ink and special magical luxury foods like Fafnir steaks or Idunn apple cider. Fortunately all the not extraordinarily magical consumables, even the luxury ones, were self-replenishing within Nazarick; and they had rings of sustenance anyway, the supreme beings were thoughtful like that.
Albedo stepped forward and plucked one of the pens from Yuri's hair. "Found it." She said as Yuri smiled at her entry.
"Majesty. Wonderful to see you, I was just nearly finished with the accounts."
She leaned against the side of the desk and gestured for Yuri to resume her seat, which she did. "Any more troublemakers?" she asked as Yuri quickly finished her sums.
"None of any consequence but a few are closer to the red than we are accepting. Two of those are simply overzealous copycats trying to match their neighbours and the ideal city planning that Lord Ainz made for that one town and they've overstretched on their capital."
Albedo flipped through the pages of Yuri's folder, it was as she said. 'Actually…' those in question were regions very close or on the border with soon-to-be Belovodye, what they would be calling the former Argland council state. 'Could it be that Momonga planned ahead for a southern migration of war refugees and heretics?'
It would be a perfect setup, either they stay in a budding theocracy devoting itself to Lord Ainz via the God of Death persona and be swayed into the cult, or they migrate to a province of the Sorcerer kingdom where they would be naturalised anyway, if somewhat slower. The illusion of choice again.
'Amazing, as expected of my beloved.'
"Hmm. Make sure to give those counties adequate support, pull from the south if you need to, I see Lord Ainz's plan had another layer I hadn't noticed before."
Yuri nodded, "I will make sure they stay afloat."
"Good." Albedo smiled, standing and closing Yuri's book. "Now, I have a lesson planned for Renner in a few minutes if you would like to join me in teaching?"
Yuri stood swiftly. "I would love to Lady Albedo."
Albedo sat kneeling on a soft rug, eyes closed, wings folded, and hands resting in her lap. She exhaled, and slowly rose.
Foth stepped over and with an ironing item smoothed out the front of her usual uniform where it had wrinkled against the carpet. It was a handful of minutes away from the monthly public audience in E Rantel where civilians were graced with the honour of addressing their rulers. Her, most often, as Prime Minister of the Sorcerer Kingdom, though Momonga did try to attend himself when possible, which was usually.
He thought it was important that the people have at least the pretence of a direct line to their rulers, for all that any actual needs were identified earlier by the swarm of informats planted across every level of society.
Compiling those rumours, gossip, and judgments of mood was a job that required a swarm of Elder Liches and was highly effective.
Going out where plebeians could address her as though they mattered was neither as efficient, nor as effective. Rather, it was tiresome, hence, morning meditation. Momonga would as usual be joining her today though, which would make everything more than worthwhile.
"Thank you Foth." The maid curtsied and stepped back. "Could you get some refreshments for later? This will take a while and I dread whatever offerings they'll foist on us in the city.
Momonga had these addresses take place at town hall, rather than the palace. The idea was that it would really 'set the mood' with the citizens in thinking that their rulers were 'just like them' and 'just coming by to check on things,' it had worked marvellously of course. The spies reported that the whole city adored these days and contentment had sharply increased once they were implemented.
It also meant using largely new-world standards of service because all of the Nazarick people were over in the newly built palace.
"Of course Lady Albedo, I will also check that Lady Shalltear is ready with the gate."
Albedo nodded and dismissed the excited maid. The Homunculus servants very much enjoyed showing their superiority to the locals in matters of 'well… everything really.' and looked forward to these audiences as much as Albedo despised them.
'Not despise really just…' It was so much better to rule from a distance without having to actually see the snivelling things.
Nigredio thought that she was being pretentious. "So what if I am, they are all undeserving beasts who aren't worthy of any special attention."
"But you need to give that attention to the group to keep them happy. And Lord Ainz tells us that is important."
"Honestly Nee-san, I'd be just as content with them all suffering under Demiurge's more wild ideas."
"Lord Ainz wouldn't approve."
"No, and neither do I really. It's just, they are so persistent and enthralled by everything I do. I've no idea how Lupusregina enjoys that kind of attention."
"By imagining horrific fates for them I assume."
Albedo had laughed at that, and chuckles now at the memory, the werewolf certainly did do that but it was hardly the whole story. 'Surely it's not just confidence. I don't lack courage!'
And It's not like all the looks of lust and envy and more often both together were objectionable really, ' just… that I only wanted Momonga to look at me like that.'
She stretched her back and then stepped out of the room. 'Maybe I'll picture them being eaten by Grant's children and Entoma, find out if that trick works for me.'
If not well… 'Momonga is now looking at me that way so maybe I won't even mind this time?' One way to find out.
Albedo made her way out of her quarters to Shalltear's catacombs, stopping when she nearly ran into a frantic Cixous, with Foth standing anxiously behind and carrying a decanter and platter of glasses.
"Lady Albedo! You're here already!"
True, she raised an eyebrow.
"Umm…" Cixous wrung her hands, "Lady Shalltear is temporarily indisposed and ahh… I'm so sorry for the delay!"
'What has the lamprey gotten up to now?'
"No need to apologise Cixous, I doubt it is your fault. What is happening in there?" Albedo could now hear sounds of thumping and squealing, listening closer it sounded like… 'Oh by the Supreme Beings, now?"
Cixious curtsied more deeply than was at all required. "I'm sorry Lady Albedo, Lady Shalltear was very clear that I not say and instead umm… delay you?"
'Did she really think that-?' Of course she did. "Right. As you were Cixious, Foth?" Shalltear was unlikely to have remembered that other maids would still be free to speak.
Foth winced, which was not a good sign. "Lord Ainz and Lord Demiurge stopped by discussing something about the southern wastes, I didn't understand it. But Lord Demiurge needed a gate for large-scale transport and used Shalltear's since Lord Ainz is too important to bother with that." The maid paused awkwardly.
'Nothing extraordinary yet.' She made a gesture for Foth to continue.
Then umm… Lord Ainz said that Lady Shalltear had been of great help lately and thanked her before going to E Rantel. Ahhh…after he left Lady Shalltear was excited and is… indisposed with her brides right now."
Albedo sighed. 'Insolent lamprey.'
"Right, well unfortunately for her I have a schedule to keep." So saying Albedo stepped towards the door of the Adipocere and unceremoniously opened it.
"Ahhh!"
Shalltear fell off of the loveseat where she had indeed been indisposed with her vampire brides. Foth awkwardly stepped in after her as Albedo continued into the room. "E-Rantel if you would, the awful government building."
"~Ahh, right I… Right, gate!"
"Have fun."
So saying and not waiting for a reply Albedo walked through to the awful government building. The mortals hadn't been let in yet, at least.
"Lord Ainz" She, and Foth, curtsied to the overlord who was looking out a window at the city. It was objectively prosperous for the new world standards, having nearly tripled in size from when they originally took it and with a hugely booming population of natives and immigrants from across the Sorcerer kingdom and its assorted vassal states, client states or 'allies' which were increasingly shifting to either of the first two categories.
"Ah, Albedo, wonderful to see you, and you Foth as well. Good morning."
She walked over to stand behind his shoulder at the window. A crowd was already gathering. "Quite a few people today, I wonder if any will have an interesting idea."
"I doubt it, Lord Ainz."
He chuckled, "Ah, no formality please, we're about to get quite enough of that for one day."
"At least watching them grovel makes it somewhat bearable. I never thought I would get tired of their attempts at formality. Alas, they can do nothing right." Albedo sighed.
Foth made an aborted noise of triumph at the incidental complement so Albedo went on, 'she has been very great today after all.' "They have absolutely nothing on Nazarick in service or in manners, and show no promise of any improvement. You did amazing work building our home Ainz."
"Ah, well not just me but yes… Do you really dislike dealing with the citizens so much though?"
"They are… no, Ainz not… not really. Only they are just so far beneath us, and yet they look on us so lustfully or worse in-love whenever I'm down there and they don't deserve to. They don't even deserve to look upon perfection! Let alone how they keep looking."
"Ah, I… hadn't noticed. Do their looks bother you Albedo? We can change the tactic if you don't want to do this sort of thing."
'I would never be so selfish!'
"Well… I wouldn't say bothering exactly, Ainz." For all that it was exactly correct. "Just… it's fine, nevermind."
She shook her head as Momonga turned from the window towards her. "If you're uncomfortable we will do something else. Albedo you are much more important than any of them."
"No Ainz! It- I don't like it but I can deal with it, we don't need to disrupt your plan! The system is working very well just like you knew it would. And even if they are gross, disgusting, lecherous things I am better than them and can handle it so… so it's fine." She trailed off and Ainz cupped fingerbones to her cheek.
"Albedo. Our success, the plan, none of that matters as much to me as us people of Nazarick. And you are one of Nazarick's most important people, I couldn't do this without you. How you feel about things is more important to me than the thing itself."
'That… Oh that was sweet.' Unnecessary though, she was literally made for this.
"I…" She wasn't quite sure what to say. Momonga looked over her shoulder, "Foth, would you be so kind as to go outside and inform everyone that there will be a delay."
"No! We don't… Ainz we don't need to delay it's okay! Please ignore my outburst."
Foth curtsied again and left while Momonga led her to a couch.
"If you really want. But first can you tell me what you mean?"
"But Momonga, that's not important. I have a job and I can do it, I will!"
He offered a hand and she interlaced their fingers, clutching it against her.
"Okay." He said after a moment, "But Albedo, none of them matter. This plan doesn't matter. Nothing matters to me except Nazarick, except you. I know you can do this, but if you don't like it, if you don't want to, then you don't need to."
"But-"
"Albedo." He cut her off. "How do these audiences make you feel?"
'Ideal, gross, pretty, uncomfortable, desirable, like the very essence of attraction, the centre of attention but only seen on the surface, powerful, sublime, dirty… annoyed.'
"Annoyed, mostly just… annoyed." She said after a moment which wasn't quite right but the confusing mix was hard to put into words.
Few members of Nazarick went out with anything approaching publicity with any regularity, mostly the Guardians and Pleiades actually. Lupusregina and Solution could enjoy those kinds of looks, and could revel in them. Yuri and Narberal ignored them perfectly fine, Shizu and Entoma didn't even notice. Shalltear and Demiurge occasionally picked an indulgence but were completely unbothered by any of it. The lizards didn't even look at Cocytus like that. "And I'm a succubus so I should handle it too. I'm better than this.'
Momonga was looking at her, concerned, she went on. Not intending to say so much but the dam had broken.
"I know I'm perfect, physically. And I like that! I do, but these lesser things won't stop staring, or drooling, or looking. It's… they don't even try to hide their expressions, it's all desire and lust and enchantment and envy. And I should like that, I know, but the people are so weak and insignificant and unworthy and unrepentant that I can't! They aren't us, they are nothing like us. We are so very far above them that they don't even deserve to loop upon us and they won't stop staring."
Albedo smoothed out her wings, which were curling themselves around her of their own accord.
"I'm sorry I hadn't noticed your feelings Albedo. You're right that they are insignificant and unworthy! That they would dare-" He paused, "We will stop doing the audience like this immediately, I knew they were getting ridiculous and I should have stopped it earlier. Worthless creatures! To annoy one of us is unforgivable! To bother you is an affront against us all!"
Ainz was visibly angry at the civilians, before any massacre could take place however his undead emotional repressor kicked in with its usual shine.
"Ahh. I got too angry. Albedo I know I'm repeating myself but your feelings matter more than anything we could possibly do here. Please tell me if you ever don't want to do something, I know I rely on you a lot but don't think it means you have to do whichever job. I'll never think less of you for expressing an opinion or emotion."
He was still holding her hand, and stroking it with the bones of his other. She took a moment to savour the touch.
"It's not that I don't enjoy looks at all. Demiurge appreciates and Solution ogles and Shalltear envies, and everyone likes which is good. I… that does make me feel good because they appreciate but don't linger. They glance, the mortals stare. I don't like the staring is all… or that it's unworthy mortals."
"Thank you for saying that Momonga, and I will, but… I really can do this sort of audience without any problems. I may not enjoy all of it, but I don't really hate it either. It's just an odd sort of emotional grey area."
"Okay, right. We will, just… remember that you can pull out of uncomfortable situations any time Albedo."
It was really nice that he cared so much, nicer that he made it sound okay to be selfish. 'But I really do have a job to do,' and it being less than exclusively enjoyable was no excuse not to do it well.
"I will, thank you."
"You really are very pretty. I'm tempted to blind the whole city to keep the sight for myself."
That actually sounded really pleasant. Albedo laughed.
"You're pretty supreme yourself Momonga."
That was not a good pun, he chucked anyway and they stood still holding hands.
Foth, with perfect timing, knocked on the door to ask if they might possibly be ready now.
"Ready to face the music?"
"Could we arrange for music next time Momonga, something with a fast tempo to get them moving along quicker?"
"Hmm, I don't see why not."
They stood directly in front of an eastern window the whole morning, silhouetted by the rising sun. "The simplest of spells," Momonga had said, "We don't even need to cast it."
He was correct, it was all much better with the blinding light of day in the plebeian's eyes. They returned to Nazarick hours later having disliked the whole affair much less than she'd first anticipated.
With Momonga nearby, that was to be expected.
'I wonder what Entoma managed to do with that embroidery?'
Wonders, as it turned out.