Tears of Nazarick

Inside Nazarick.

Throne Room.

The magnanimous Overlord of Nazarick found himself sitting down on the Throne of Kings – An all too familiar sight as the Floor Guardians showed reverence before him.

Now, with Cocytus matter resolved, Ainz Ooal Gown could move on with the Overseer's proposal.

"Ainz-sama." The doppelganger turned to him in mirth, though for all other Floor Guardians and wards present only an air of seriousness could be gleamed from the treasurer consulting with his imperious father.

"Yes. You may begin, Pandora's Actor."

Following a quick salute, the newly-appointed Overseer spun on his heel to face the Floor Guardians, air of reverence ready to impart the will of the Supreme being.

"Meine Kollegen and Floor Guardians!" Pandora's Actor waved his hands dramatically as he spoke. "Listen well to the words Ainz-sama has allowed me to share tonight! It is a wonderful experience, to be let out of my Étage – The unreachable Treasury of Nazarick, to impart on all you the wisdom of Ainz-sama's World Domination plan!"

Ainz could see the emotions of the Guardians flare up with Pandora's words as his over-sized sleeves struggled to follow the doppelganger's arms. The Elf Twins took a step forward, their eyes growing large and gleaming with anticipation. Cocytus let out a hail of frost out from his mandibles, and Demiurge, though change was almost imperceptible in him barring the movements of his tail, took measured steps in approaching the Overseer.

"Pandora's Actor." The strategist of Nazarick began speaking. "Could it be that Ainz-sama has personally entrusted you with foreknowledge of the Ten Thousand Year Plan?"

'It would make sense. No – Has Ainz-sama done so because he is unsatisfied with our progress and wants us to accelerate?'

The words Pandora spoke keep repeating inside the Arch-devil's head. 'Is it because of Albedo's betrayal that our Lord seeks to push forward more aggressively, or is that Pandora's Actor own show of dominance? Perhaps…' Light shone brightly in Demiurge's crystal eyes. 'Had Pandora always held the crux of Ainz-sama's plan inside his being from the moment of his creation?!'

'How delightfully terrifying…' Demiurge smirked maddeningly, almost bringing a hand to cover his face as he pondered the implications. 'To hold such vast amount of knowledge from one's very birth… It is no wonder Pandora's Actor holds such eccentric mannerisms. To have the burden Lord Ainz's extensive planning without the intellect of a Supreme Being…'

Another realization crashed over Seventh-Floor Devil, like a tidal wave of forbidden knowledge threatening to engulf him whole, Demiurge took another step forward, wanting to speak but having the words locked infernally inside his throat. 'It makes the perfect amount of sense! Just like Ainz-sama once ruled and commandeered over the Supreme Beings, so must his only creation be poised to overseer us ignorant Floor Guardians! No one could fit into that role other than Pandora's Actor!.. But, that would mean…!'

Tethering on the edge of an epiphany, Demiurge felt the improper stares of his peers landing onto him and stopped himself before sinking further. Readjusting his suit and glasses, the dapper devil came back in line, cherishing his ignorance in the face of the truly enlightened.

The Faceless Phantom himself, after hearing the words 'Ten-Thousand Year Plan.', immediately felt his arms drop down to his side. For only one painfully long second, Ainz felt Pandora's Actor glancing back at him, the three dots that made up the doppelganger's face expressing sheer bemusement as best they could.

'...Nein, I can work with this.'

"...But of course, Demiurge!" Just as quickly as he broke character, Pandora sensed opportunity and acted on it, retrieving his dramatic flair as he held his hand over his cap. "I am the prestigious creation of Ainz-sama! Whom better made to serve him than me?!"

"Well, I can think of a few areas where I serve Lord Ainz better, mmm-arinsu~" The comment from the flirtatious vampire had the doppelganger drop his pose once more, flinching on the spot as if the very universe conspired against him speaking.

The elf Mare, too, suddenly felt a darkness growing besides him, his sister realizing she will no longer be in position to jab Shalltear whenever she steps out of line.

"...Ahem! As I was speaking! Just like Ainz-sama has said before, the forces of Nazarick have claimed the surrounding kingdoms all for ourselves, but what real rewards have been brought to us?"

The surrounding guardians perked their heads up as Pandora spoke, not fully grasping the meaning behind his words.

"Um… W-We spread the name of Lord Ainz far and w-wide… right?"

"Yeah! The idiots from the other nations should know better than to mess with us now! Isn't that the point?"

While the Elf Twins raised their proposal, Pandora nodded at them and raised his gaze to the dapper devil, crystal eyes trying to peer right through him.

"Ainz-sama has been earning the territory from all neighboring settlements – With terrifying ease when he acts alone, might I add. But we haven't found any resources to especially strengthen ourselves with." Demiurge spoke with a sway of his tail, never letting the faceless patron out of his eyes. "Is that your point, Pandora's Actor?"

The doppelganger let out a low, shrill laughter that raised the hair on Demiurge's nape before responding.

"...That's what you might be led to believe, Demiurge. But! Ainz-sama has been collecting rarities every step of the way. In fact, he had his eyes on these treasures from the moment he first stepped out of the Tomb!"

A collective gasp could be heard from the Floor Guardians as Pandora made his cryptic reveal, the meaning behind the words still sinking into Demiurge.

'From the moment he first stepped out of the Tomb? But that would mean…' The devil bit his tongue, frustrated at his inability to match-up with Pandora.

"I was accompanying Ainz-sama as his bodyguard when he first left Nazarick, it was there when I heard his proud declaration about taking over the world – Is that not-"

"Falsch! I said Ainz-sama, haven't I?" The doppelganger took a step towards as he towered over the devil, who held back his words in a flushed glare. "Momonga-sama left the tomb with you, Demiurge. But Ainz-sama made his great debut to the World in Caaaaarne Village!"

The Frozen Insectoid in line let out a cold wave of air while the twins gasped in awe. Shalltear, on the other hand, silently muttered to Ainz. "That feels awfully arbitrary, arinsu…"

"Carne Village." Demiurge muttered to himself, spinning webs of authority and importance in his mind, looking over every minute detail of value he could take out of it.

"It was the first stronghold to recognize Ainz-sama's greatness and still provides ample area for experimentation today. I still don't see how that can be considered a treasure, Pandora." The arch-devil frowned, his tail swishing anxiously behind him.

"That's where you're wrong, Demiurge. Looking into settlements on their own will never let you see results as I do…" Pandora depressingly lowered his arms besides Demiurge's shoulder, pressing low on them before dramatically flaring them back up. "The treasure I speak about is none other than Enri Emmot!"

Twin pin-prick flames lit up in the Overlord's eyes as Pandora recalled the name, as well a certain wolfish maid perking her head up behind in attendance.

"Enri?"

"That's right! The first human that Ainz-sama trusted his skeletal visage to… I'm sure she was the first gem he plundered for his collection!"

The gears finally began turning again in the despondent devil's head, letting the doppelganger's words simmer to make way for realization.

'If I shouldn't see the Kingdoms worthy of anything on their own, then…'

"...And because of that Enri Emmot, Ainz-sama could leash that pharmacist to keep working in Carne Village. Is that what you're getting at, Pandora?"

The doppelganger gave a brief nod to Demiurge as he continued.

"You're starting to understand, Demiurge. Enri Emmot was essential to keep Nfirea Bareare in place – And while his skills don't stack up to Nazarick's standards, his talent certainly does."

Ainz brought his phalanges near his face as he rested upon his memories of Nfirea's talent

'The ability to use any magical item, regardless of class restriction or otherwise…'

It wasn't something completely game-breaking, at least not alone. Ainz had [Perfect Warrior] already, but that cost him from using all magic. 'I could imagine being able to use Wands and Scrolls without needing the specific rings for it could come in handy…'

Meanwhile, the Doppelganger continued Demiurge's abashing.

"Now that you have that in mind, Demiurge! Let me tell you the treasures Ainz-sama has unearthed along the way!"

Raising his hand over his sleeves, Pandora began a dramatic counting, raising each of his fingers at a time.

"Carne Village – Re-Estize – Baharuth – Holy Kingdom! And what has Lord Ainz managed to harvest from those kingdoms each time?"

There were a lot of answers the Floor Guardians felt compelled to give, some more crude than the others, but they all let Pandora finish either way.

Dramatically pointing to each digit with his other hand, Pandora's Actor named the treasures of Nazarick.

"Nfirea Bareare – Princess Renner – Emperor Jircniv and Neia Baraja."

The temperature seemed to rise in the Throne Room as Pandora's words – the names he said hung low with expectation.

"...Neia is a treasure?" An automaton vocalized in the back of the room, promptly realizing she spoke out of line and burying her face within her scarf.

"I see. Those are all humans Ainz-sama has converted to work under his wing one way or another, but are they really worth enough to be counted among the gems this world has to offer?" The Devil questioned the Doppelganger, challenging his gaze head-on.

The Doppelganger, as usual, threw Demiurge for another loop.

"Perhaps it's your standards that are skewed, Demiurge?" The scathing accusation came out, woven in an innocent natural tone of voice.

For the most perceptive Floor Guardian that it was thrown against, however, he could easily feel the accusations behind it.

"S-Skewed?!" The Devil of the 7th Floor held a fist up to his chest before throwing it out behind him. "I am a loyal servant of Ainz-sama, my 'standards' are to bring only the best, the most prestigious offerings to my Lord! Shouldn't that be obvious, Pandora's Actor?!" The arch-devil fumed at what felt like a blow to his loyalty, no, at his devotion to the last remaining Supreme Being.

And that was exactly the reaction Pandora was after.

"Demiurge. Calm down and answer me." The Doppelganger turned to look at the Devil before reaching his hand into the dark void of his inventory, pulling out a golden longsword with dark intricate carvings.

"Now, what do you see in this item?"

As Pandora held the shining blade to Demiurge's neck, the devil gulped for only a second before realizing the sub-par quality of the weapon.

"...It is a weak sword. It's enchantment indicates that it may have origins in a Yggdrasil event, but with it's weak stats it has no business being held by a servant of Nazarick." The devil sadistically moved his neck far from the blade, his tail swiping anxiously behind him as he did. "…Much less to a Floor Guardian's neck."

When Demiurge looked on to Lord Ainz, however, he only saw the embers on the sockets of his eyes burn brightly in the blade's direction.

"You are correct that this is a weak blade, Demiurge." Pandora began speaking again, retrieving the item down to his inventory. "But following your own logic, why would that be an item Lord Ainz personally delivered to the Treasury, to be guarded and displayed much like our strongest artifacts?"

"T-That's-!" Demiurge stammered, realizing the blade tipped to his neck had been a better trap to fall upon than the one Pandora had him currently tied him up and wrapped to.

'Hah, I remember that. That's the [Neo Horseman's Blade] from the Headless Revival seasonal event in Valkyrie's Downfall. It wasn't even the drop I wanted at the time, but it's not like I was going to sell a unique item.'

"The truth is, Demiurge, is that Ainz-sama is a collector!" Pandora spoke close, moving his arms up and readjusting his sleeves. "That is how Ainz-sama can filter out the treasures of this world among the weak and useless!"

As Demiurge let the words settle, his head lowered in concession as he thought, the other guardians began chiming-in.

"Well, I suppose there's some merit to how Cocytus and Sebas can grow so fond of certain mortals then. I never would have understood myself, arinsu~"

For Shalltear, it was hard to see humans as more than the occasional pretty toy, but if Lord Ainz found them interesting, perhaps one day she could too.

"Tsuare has been adapting very well into the halls of Nazarick, Lady Shalltear. I'm glad you have her well being in your mind." The butler of steel spoke from the back of the room, making Shalltear wanting to reply with stern eyes for a moment before a quiet voice interrupted the both of them.

"B-but if these people are treasures to Ainz-sama…" Mare began timidly speaking. "Isn't it bad that they're going to die one day? T-They're only human- Huh?"

"You're exactly right, Mare-sama!" Faster than anyone could see, the Doppelganger of the hour had kneeled down besides the timid elf boy, hanging an apologetic hand on his shoulder as he spoke downcast.

"Das ist herzzerreißend… To think all the seeds Ainz-sama painstakingly sowed would wither away one day, does it not just break your heart, Mare?" Pandora spoke, dramatically gesturing a hand to his chest as he looked up to the heavens.

"Eeh?"

"But wait!" He suddenly stood up, leaving the elf boy paralyzed in awe. "Princess Renner was also a mere mortal – Before we so kindly gave her the means for evolution… Albedo's demon seed."

While Pandora took back his cryptic speaking stance, Demiurge finally snapped his eyes back into him, mind still reeling from the doppelganger's words.

"...You intend to distribute out more of the Seeds?" The arch-devil smirked, feeling himself supported by noticing an apparent flaw in the Overseer's plans.

"I would have thought you'd be against spending a limited resource such as that, Pandora's Actor." The devil's tail curled up as he spoke, the light in his crystal eyes glistening with dominance. "Besides, most of those so-called treasures won't meet the conditions to sprout the seed. Renner-" He reeled, still amazed by the princesses' audacity, but internally seething over her link-up with Albedo. "She is a prodigy. Her mind was that of a devil long before she turned herself into one."

The Devil's words hung tense in the air, apprehension building in the faces of the Guardians before Pandora finally reacted, angling his face ever so slightly from the side to stare straight back at Demiurge, the rest of his body still like a statue.

"...And who said anything about using the Fallen Seeds, Dämon?"

Demiurge's body stiffened, curling up as Pandora landed another blow on him to knock him back into his place.

'Again… I've walked into his trap again! How fantastic, how terrifying. Lord Ainz-sama's creation is…' Demiurge lips quivered as he tried talking back, but Pandora was quicker to keep his mouth shut.

"The Seeds of the Fallen are indeed limited, but they were not wasted on Renner-sama. The Prinzessin has earned her position in Nazarick, and her talent makes a worthy addition to Ainz-sama's arsenal." The Doppelganger started, walking to the side of the Throne before dramatically spinning on his heel again.

"However! There is another way Ainz-sama can subjugate those ill with mortality, one that does not depend on the resources of the Treasury!" Pandora proclaimed, flaring himself dramatically before pointing to the side of the Throne, a bewildered Shalltear suddenly in focus of the Guardians again.

"Spreading Vampirism!"