As Ainz struggled to come up with an excuse to delay Shalltear's rather excited fervour for a Punishment from him, Hyortr's words came as a God send for him.
"My Lord, if I may?"
"Hm? Yes Hyortr?" Ainz spoke, maintaining an exterior of the Overlord his guardians envisioned.
" I have a perfect punishment for Shalltear's situation in mind."
"Ah, don't be afraid to tell me then Hyortr. Speak in the simplest way possible that even children like Aura and Mare would understand." Ainz spoke.
'And me too.' he added to himself.
"Yes. I propose that you punish her with a sentence of house arrest in the Great Library of Ashurbanipal. Where she will be required to read all of the strategy related tomes, books and scrolls left by the Supreme Beings."
'Hmn...such a punishment is indeed a lesson for Shalltear. She was careless in her mission which led to being mind controlled. If she were a little more cautious and mindful of her actions then maybe she might have avoided her fate.' The more Ainz thought about it, the more favourable it was for both Shalltear and Nazarick.
"Very well, we shall do as Hyortr said. Shalltear, from this moment forward, your every missions and tasks is now null. You will stay at the library and study all of the strategy related scriptures for a month." Ainz declared.
"Thank you Lord Ainz! For giving me a chance to redeem myself before you!" Shalltear praised.
"Thank Hyortr for suggesting such a suitable 'punishment' for you." Ainz redirected.
"Thank you to you too Hyortr." Shalltear complied to Ainz as she also expressed her gratitude to Hyortr.
"It's nothing Shalltear. It was as Lord Ainz had predicted. Infact, he had already known I will suggest such a proposal, he was merely waiting for me to speak it." Hyortr confessed.
"Lord Aniz already knew?" The gathered Guardians exclaimed as they heard Hyortr.
'I did? When?!' Ainz asked internally as he recounted his every words he spoke, he didn't see anywhere as close to what Hyortr said.
'' It is as I say, Lord Ainz had already known I would propose her punishment. He wanted me to speak it so that Ainz may make a precedent where we can voice our own thoughts to him without fearing of it getting outright rejected. Isn't it right Lord Ainz?" Hyortr asked.
'I never thought I would find it fun to tease a middle aged salary man in an Overlord's body. Maybe the speculations of the netizens were true, Demiurge did know Ainz was incompetent but found it amusing to continue the farce.' Hyortr laughed internally as he could practically see Ainz struggle internally.
'I did? When?!....but thinking it, it is right for the employees to voice suggestions to the boss so he may add to their advices. Hyortr's statement is sound, I guess it comes with the High intelligence he has comparable to Demiurge's and more wisdom than anyone.'
Ainz thought to himself, he was finding Hyortr more scary and helpful the more he interacted with him.
Hyortr was an Intelligent man that Ainz feared would find out his true identity just like he was with Demiurge, or maybe he already knew and was trying to help Ainz keep his image?
The very thought made him shudder even as an Undead. As for his helpfulness, it showed every time Hyortr would voice an Advice or Questions, it will inadvertently be useful.
'Maybe, when I find a roadblock in the future, I could consult him?' Ainz considered.
Soon, Ainz returned to the situation at hand. With all the guardians staring at him he gave a mild cough in his hands as he spoke.
"*Ahem* It is as you say Hyortr. As expected of you, you already found out my true intentions." Ainz spoke the typical lines that one may use when one is stuck in a hardspace and doesn't want to reveal he doesn't know anything.
A lesson he learned from one of the books he read.
"I cannot compare to your unfathomable wisdom my Lord. It was merely a glimpse of your true intellect that I could decipher." Hyortr gave a short bow.
"Indeed. *Ahem* Guardians, I hope you have learned a lesson today . Especially you Shalltear. Always be vigilant, be careful of your surroundings and don't act rashly. We now know that there are also World Items.
From now on, every Guardian will be handed with an World Item to negate the effects of the opponent's World Item." Ainz decreed.
"As you wish My Lord." The guardians spoke in unison as they bowed towards Ainz.
"Is there anything else?" Ainz then asked.
"Lord Ainz, I am currently working on a project of mine. Which might be helpful in generating resources for Nazarick. One of them being materials for Magic Scrolls. But I am currently requiring some more test subjects. The ones I have are not too strong since I was restricted by my movements."
Demiurge asked.
"Hmm, indeed your work could be useful to Nazarick." Ainz spoke as his selfish mind immediately thought of the benifits this would bring to Nazarick. He completely forgot to ask what type of project Demiurge was working on.
"Lord Ainz..if I may." Cocytus exhaled mist as he asked, emboldened by Hyortr's previous president.
"Speak Cocytus."
"During the search in the forest of Tob. Aura discovered some tribes of Lizard Men, we could use them." Cocytus proposed.
"Will it work Demiurge?"
"It will be a good start my Lord." Demiurge bowed.
"Then, prepare the army. Cocytus, for being the one to propose this, I assign you the task to conquer the Lizardmen Tribe. You will lead the army I provide you with but don't show yourself, you may take some help from your fellow guardians if need be." Ainz declared as a scheme ran in his eyes.
"I thank you for giving the honour to lead the first official conquest of Nazarick Lord Ainz. I shall not fail you." Cocytus bowed as he accepted Ainz's arrangment.
------
The events unfolded as Hyortr had anticipated, with Cocytus restricted by the troops he was granted and being unable to show himself, he was 'defeated'.
More precisely, he underestimated the resolve of the Lizardman who initially fearing the unknown, gathered together to face it.
This earned the acknowledgement of him after which he pleaded with Ainz to spare them.
After some back and forth from Albedo, Ainz then revealed his true intention of this campaign. He was satisfied with the lessons that Cocytus learned. So he gave another task, a form of punishment, without the assistance of any one from Nazarick he was to conquer the Lizardmen himself.
Which, after a glamorous display of Power by Ainz Ooal Gown, Cocytus completed. He was now responsible of the Lizardman and was required to train them to be loyal to Ainz Ooal Gown.
★★★★★★
You guys have already read Infinite Overlord Fics before, repeating everything word to word is both Boring and tiring for me.
I would rather add what is needed and summarise the rest, hope you guys don't mind.