Chapter Forty-Eight

  “How did you find him?” Albedo asked as she sat at the table with Pandora’s Actor. They were in the Nazarick Bar consuming Nazarick Specials, despite the soft cushions, the truth was neither one of them felt comfortable. Discussing the Supreme Beings, normally a delight, was different now.

  “Every bit himself.” Pandora’s Actor said plainly, with not one iota of dramatic flare, “He cast spells that devastated wide areas and eliminated all enemies, just as the investigation suggested he could still do. Though for his armaments he is still the cannon of glass, wearing few defensive things, in keeping with his style of looking the part even when serious work needs to be done.”

  It was something of a veiled criticism, and it felt wrong to the core to even suggest a Supreme Being could be wrong. But Albedo knew from Lord Ainz’s own mouth that they were capable of mistakes, even he, though Demiurge would never imagine it possible.

  ‘I know better, because I know him best, I know all there is to know of our glorious lord except what it feels like to bear his children…’ Albedo’s right hand subconsciously drifted down over her belly and her eyes closed to briefly fantasize about the day that dream would finally come true.

  ‘He decided I should love him, he made it part of my being, he must be waiting for an act of supreme loyalty, something to prove I know it too, with more than words or the common service all the others offer too. Once I prove it to him… he’ll love me, he’ll see me as more than just the daughter of his friend, he’ll give me the same love he created inside me… and it will be glorious!’ Albedo dreamed, then emerged from her self indulgent fantasy.

  “That does sound like him. And on another point, I’ve sent out minions to scout remote regions for any advantage we might seize. Everything has changed,” Albedo said with a huff, “Game Changer’ was a truly well chosen name for him.”

  “I would agree, but even if you find an advantageous place, remember that we will have more territory soon, much more. Lord Ulbert will marry the Draconic Queen, she will have his child, the Draconic Empire will come under Nazarick just as Baharuth has. Whatever you find… das darf nicht gest?rt werden!”

  Albedo inclined her head to one of the only minds in the tomb that she counted her equal. “I know. Not even if we found one, would I risk our future now.” She vowed, “But of course, everything will be ready regardless?”

  “Ja.” Pandora’s Actor replied and raised his glass. “For Lord Ainz, my father, and all Nazarick,” he said with a steady blank stare at Albedo then exclaimed, “Wir werden siegen oder Sterben!”

  “Naturally.” Albedo said, and clinked her glass against that of the son of Ainz Ooal Gown, and after that, they drank together, content.

  Demiurge and Ulbert hovered over the seemingly empty city, the archdevil’s hand out and the blue pulse of magic circles continued for several seconds while his father waited for the answer. “There are no beastmen here, father. The residents have abandoned it. I suppose slaying all of the magic casters they sent out was enough to persuade them to give in.” Demiurge cracked a cruel smile and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, “They are at least somewhat intelligent.”

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  “Only somewhat?” Ulbert asked.

  “Yes, father,” Demiurge turned his attention from the view of the great stone structures with their empty streets and swaying trees to his far preferred view of his creator’s long face, “if they were truly intelligent, they would have come out to pledge fealty to you and begged to serve you for eternity. The humans Jircniv, Neia, and Renner devoted themselves to Lord Ainz very soon after meeting him. That these,” he waved a dismissive hand out in the direction of the remnants of the beastmen Kingdom, “haven’t, is an insult worthy of ten thousand deaths in agony.”

  Ulbert snorted, “Humans are proud, beastmen, I suppose, prouder, there’s more of it to grind down with the latter than the former. Still, this is the fourth city since the battle and we’ve seen no sign of them except evidence that they were fleeing east. I think the fighting is over, all that remains is to let my bride-to-be know the land is mine, and reclaim some of my people from the beastmen ranches. How many does that make now, have you kept count?” Ulbert asked, and Demiurge’s smile widened.

  “Naturally such trivial details are beneath the notice of a Supreme Being, so I’ve seen to that myself, you needn’t even ask me, father. Each of the nine ranches we’ve found has had one thousand breeding pairs of adults and five hundred children of both sexes.” Demiurge tapped one finger against his cheek, “My Lord, may I suggest something?”

  “Please.” Ulbert said and took in the vast view of the open land, it was another beautiful day unlike any of his own world, the clouds drifted below the pair, the endless sky so blue and the sun’s rays so warm… ‘I’ll never tire of this, not for this immortal life.’ The demon among demons thought with blissfulness filling his heart.

  “Why don’t I finish this for you? I can contact Shalltear to handle transport, inspect the chosen lands to ensure they’re abandoned, and make sure the Beastman King is aware that he and his people must never travel west again. You are a King, an Emperor, a God… the adventure is over and this is mere grunt work. Leave that to me, and you return to the capital to inform your bride that the price is paid. I will bring a suitable treaty back to you in a few days.”

  Ulbert rubbed his jaw, the notion did have an appeal, ‘It does look like we’re all but done, Demiurge can handle any remaining camps without me, I doubt the last cities will pose a problem even if they do have anyone left who is willing to fight. Plus…’ His goatish sense of desire that he’d put aside while undertaking this task, reasserted itself. Her body was a pleasant one, warm, pretty if not stunning, mature, and she was pleasant to talk to so far…

  He made his decision. “Yes, I’ll do that. Thank you for your hard work, Demiurge, son.” He slapped the demon on the shoulder, “Come see me when you’re all done, and I will introduce you to the Draconic Queen. I don’t know how she stacks up against Renner, Neia, or Jircniv, but she’s held a falling country together for longer than most, so she can’t be stupid, I’m sure of that.” Ulbert affirmed, and Demiurge took a deep bow when his father’s hand pulled away.

  “I look forward to it, father.” The archdevil said, and with one flap of his wings, soared off at a rapidly accelerating pace to ensure that the ranches and cities were both ‘cleansed’ in the way his master and maker intended.

  Ulbert watched the demon go and thought to himself, ‘I designed you to be evil… but somehow, I don’t love you any less… I don’t know how much of me will be a demon and how much of me will stay as myself… but I hope that never changes at least.’ And with that thought, Ulbert flew away toward his new home in the Draconic Capital where a warm bed, a wife to be, and a whole new life waited to begin for the Game Changer, Ulbert Alain Odle.