Chapter Sixteen

  Demiurge wanted to reach out and take the relic, his hand was moving on its own, there was no doubt now. No, none at all. There couldn’t be, there wouldn’t be. ‘My…father… he did not abandon us after all… he came back for us. He came back for me…’ Demiurge considered his comrades, Shalltear’s own impulse to chase her creator was something he all but sneered at as irrational until the very moment he caught that scent of brimstone from the little tuft. Until he saw that perfect grayish silver shade.

  He felt his hand moving of its own accord, and would have surely taken it if not for Albedo’s quick actions. “Could you leave us alone for a moment, we need to pray.” The young priest opened his mouth to refuse, but Albedo locked her eyes on his, and felt his sense of control yielding to her power.

  “Y-Yes, of course. I’ll be back in a moment.” He said and made his way through a nearby door.

  As soon as we are alone she swiftly said, “Demiurge, no, I forbid it!” Her hushed words gave her comrade pause, and he looked at her with genuine surprise, almost rearing back, his hand still outstretched to take the prize.

  “It’s a relic of a supreme being, you want to leave it with a human?” He asked.

  She shook her head as her mind raced, “No. But we must exercise the highest caution. We could send the Eight Edge Assassins out tonight if that is Lord Ainz’s will. But for now, no disruptions. It’s enough that we have the proof, and besides, Lord Ainz might want it kept here to spread the glory of… your creator, as they’re clearly deifying him.”

  That was enough to cause Demiurge to hesitate, he lowered his hand and let his arm fall limp at his side. She had a point, ‘We can take it tonight just as easily as now…’ He recalled the incident with the human maid that Sebas had taken in, the trouble it caused… and even though he couldn’t see trouble coming from reclaiming this little link to his maker… there was a far higher mission at stake.

  ‘He’s here. And he must be found. A few strands of hair, or the whole supreme being? That is an easy choice, put that way.’ That settled it in Demiurge’s mind.

  When Albedo stood, he stood with her, ‘Shalltear, the gate.’ Albedo gave the order, and the whorling vortex of darkness and magical energy opened a moment later, in front of them.

  They stepped through and vanished, leaving the temple and the human city behind… along with their wagon and their mule, neither of those things mattered, however, all that mattered was the report to Lord Ainz.

  They appeared in the throne room, and Shalltear immediately asked, “Did you find anything?” She twirled her parasol and for a moment Albedo hesitated.

  ‘Is she being sarcastic…’ Albedo slew the thought before it could form to completion, rather than leaning back relaxed or standing perfectly poised and ladylike, she was actually leaning toward them a hair’s breadth and practically standing on the tips of her toes. ‘No, she’s eager. I can’t blame her, if Ulbert were here, then why not Peroroncino?’

  “Yes.” Demiurge answered before Albedo could put her off, his voice didn’t have its usual measured depth and reserve, he sounded eager, excited, his entire body was atingle right down to a tiny, barely detectable tremor in his fingertips.

  “We need to hurry and report what we learned to Lord Ainz immediately, you can find out more when everyone else does.” Albedo quipped and giving no chance to Demiurge for further elaboration, she strode away with a quick but dignified step.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  “I suppose so. I’ll inform everyone later, when we have Lord Ainz’s orders on the matter.” He said, recovering himself, he pushed his glasses back up against his crystalline eyes and hastened to catch up to Albedo.

  It shouldn’t have surprised Albedo that Lord Ainz was there when she knocked at the door to his office, but it did. As soon as she realized she was surprised by his answer, she cursed herself, closing her eyes briefly. ‘They mean something to everyone else. I must bear that in mind.’

  “It is amazing, isn’t it?” Demiurge said, folding his hands behind his back as he took his place by her left hand. “We hoped for so long that they would come back, and now the first of them has returned. I can understand your eagerness, but if you would allow me to report it? Because he is my creator, you understand.”

  “Yes, of course.” Albedo said just as she let her hand fall back at her side.

  “Enter.” called, and the pair made their way into the office, kneeling at once and bowing their heads.

  “Your report?” Ainz asked without hesitation.

  “It is Lord Ulbert. He is here!” Demiurge said with a bright smile so wide that it bared the fangs behind his lips. “We found his name, his description, the picture is imperfect, incomplete, being only from the back. But the hair is the same, right down to the scent, and all the magic aligns with his known abilities. My Lord, if this is a fake, it is greater than any ‘I’ could accomplish!” Demiurge’s tail swished wildly in all directions behind him, his entire body was shaking with joy like a child waking up to find a snow day has canceled classes.

  Ainz reached out to accept Albedo’s drawing when she presented it, his hand traced over the lines, the clothing, the red and black, the goat head and horns, the top hat… time pieces were rare, so that was off but… ‘Even so, that would make sense, and Demiurge would definitely recognize his creator’s scent, even if there was no sense of smell in Yggdrasil, Tabula’s fanaticism about settings and flavor text got to all of us.’

  ‘Is it really possible? My friend… you came after all… ending up in a different place, a different time… I should be glad you’re here at all, better late than never…’ Ainz wanted to laugh, to cry, to sing and dance… but his emotional limiter continued to crash down on him in waves, suppressing his wild and rampaging emotions until he properly brought them under control and could finally give an order.

  “You will track him down. Meet him. Confirm that it is really him in person.” Ainz ordered once he was calm again.

  “My Lord, perhaps I should go alone? For two guardians to be away from Nazarick, it is a risk. I should go alone since I am the Overseer of all of the Guardians, and prove the truth of his name and esteemed self once and for all… and if it isn’t he, then…” She gestured toward Demiurge with her right hand, “I wouldn’t see my colleague crushed by the disappointment. Let me bear this burden alone.” Albedo asked, but Demiurge objected before Ainz could even answer.

  “My Lord, of course I respect the Guardian Overseer’s opinion on this, but he is my creator, my father. If anyone is best suited to know him, it is I.” Demiurge put a hand to his chest and added, “And I can bear it if I am disappointed, besides that, we shouldn’t risk our Overseer when there is so much to do regarding the affair in the Holy Kingdom. Albedo is managing the relief supplies, after all. I have no other immediate task. Please, send me.”

  Ainz inclined his head toward Demiurge. “Agreed. If you are right, and this is him, you as his creation should be the one to greet him first. Remain together until you find him. But then? You may go to him, Demiurge, and tell him where we are. Bring him home. Go… and bring my friend home.” Ainz gave the order and held the drawing to his chest before pointing to the door and commanding that they leave and obey at once.

  ‘I need some time for myself… suppressor or no, some things are too strong even for that to work quickly.’ Ainz thought, and when they were gone and the door was closed, he sat back behind his desk, not to do paperwork, but to look at Albedo’s crude drawing, and caress the outline over and over again, until the lines began to blur from the rubbing, many hours later.