"Are you excited for the trip, Na-babe?" Lupusregina asked, sinking deeper into the steaming water 'oh that feels good.' They were in the spa on the ninth floor of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.
Narberal was sitting on one of the rocks at the edge of the jungle bath, legs gently moving back and forth, sending small ripples that caused Solution, floating nearby, to gradually spin. She looked worried and tense, like she had this morning. 'Not if I can help it.'
"I am still nervous, it's the first time I'm playing Nabe since this started." She looked it too, Narberal usually looked fairly blank, but her eyes were expressive, she was staring into the distance of the spa pool.
Lupusregina let herself slip off the little ledge she was sitting on and turned, neck deep in water, to fully face her sister.
"The little cave adventure Sol and I went on was the most fun I've ever had. It'll be a good time Na-babe."
Narberal's mouth twisted nearly imperceptibly down in what was for her a frown. "That's what I'm worried about."
Solution twisted herself up at that, remaking into her usual shape instead of the floating yuzu impression she had been doing. Lupusregina made brief eye with her sister as she made that twist, agreement on timing passed unspoken between them and they turned to Narberal.
At their twin looks of curiosity Narberal continued, "I was always honoured to go with Lord Ainz on the adventures, to be chosen. But the adventuring itself was… it was only good because it was with Lord Ainz."
"You should ask him to something else with you then." Solution offered, "he will if you want."
She nodded in agreement. 'Definitely.'
Narbarel's lips twitched down again so Lupusregina twirled around in the water as she made her way over to her sister. While she turned she gave a meaningful glance at Solution, it was met by a bemused one, their usual roles.
The motion complete, Lupusregina let herself fall forward to grab onto her sisters now-stilled legs.
"I know Sol, and I will later, but this is still work." Narbarel's flesh morphs slightly under Lupusregina's touch, moulding into the grasp. She always did better when she could ground herself somehow, and morphing helped her do that, any contact did but it was best to start with something moving.
"I was only thinking that the adventure you two described was very different from the ones Nabe and Momon have gone on."
Lupusregina set to what would have been a massage on anyone else, but here was a little more, fingers plying over Narberal's calves.
Solution meanwhile, continued speaking. "That was formal work Narberal, I think the casualness made a real difference."
"For you, yes, but…"
Narberal was beginning to anticipate her movements now, flesh and bones moving like puddy under her hands. Narberal's whole posture beginning to relax under the attention but was still rather tense; she kept talking. "I'm just worried it won't be the same with me, because it's not new. It's silly."
Solution swept over as well, having noticed the continued tension and flowed up to the same rock Narberal was on. She joined Lupusregina at work, playing on Narbarel's shoulders and back.
"It is still new," Lupusregina spoke up, "it's the same task yeah, but with a very different perspective, and the downtime means something different."
Narberal made a sound of pleasure as they both worked at the grounding massage, flesh rippling and shifting. "I know, and I am excited. Just also nervous. I want us to both have real fun."
"We never get anywhere without being a little bit brave Narberal." Solution offered, splitting her arms into a half-dozen pseudopods. "It's okay to be nervous, but don't let it stop you enjoying yourself. You're lovely, be yourself and it'll go well."
"I know Sol, I need to try in order to succeed." She said, leaning backwards. "It's a few days alone with Ainz, and It'll be a great time."
'Yes. It will, Na-babe.' But her hopeful words did not completely match her present posture or vocal undertone, even with them both plying a morph with massaging hands. 'Drastic measures then.'
"Good!" Lupusregina declared, taking the opportunity to stand and pull all three of them back into the bath with a splash. In the ensuing chaos she gave Solution a meaningful brush, rapid finger tapping and light scratching communicating the change in plans. A three pronged pseudopod acknowledged.
"Because you are going to have an absolutely amazing time dragon hunting." She continued when all three had disentangled and come up to the surface.
Solution huffed. "I still have no idea how my trip to the council state led to the rogue dragonlord in need of slaying situation."
"Mystery to me too, but Albedo seemed happy about it." It had become a whole conspiracy and false flag thing almost immediately, with extra evidence-planting and a few massacres all apparently from unrelated things and thin air. 'Well no, a domino effect from Sol's mission, I just didn't follow it at all.'
"She's been very happy all week because Lord Ainz had just asked if he could take her on a stroll through the gardens on sixth for a picnic sometime, just before that meeting." Narberal added, "I overheard them, it was cute."
That did sound cute. It had been, and even cuter was Shizu's reenactment of the scene. Lupusregina squealed. "Finally!"
"It's only been two weeks, Lupu." Solution had wrapped herself around Narberal again, partially melting around their sister to keep providing stimulation and stability but on a grander scale. A pout conveyed that she thought the original plan had been working fine; and a bit lip that Lupusregina should be more patient in subtlety.
'Maybe.' However, Narberal was finally beginning to look properly relaxed, eyes closed and nearly melting herself. Which was the part that actually mattered.
"A whole two weeks of them still not actually dating Sol! It's about time!" 'It really was. Albedo had been waiting long enough for this.'
Solution smiled fondly, "your OTP bias is showing again Lupu."
"Because it's real!" She sunk down and twisted to float belly-up, reaching hands back to clutch Narberal's sides to hold position - and provide her another point of contact - and looking up at Solution.
"You're just upset that Shalltear stands no chance at Ainz's heart!" The accusation was entirely playful, but also true. 'I'm pretty sure we would have a better chance. Not that I'd get in Albedo's way, friendship is enough.'
Solution pouted cutely, not a message, but still feigned, and Narberal laughed. 'Mission success!'
"Shalltear just isn't playing seriously Lupu, they have a real connection, we all saw how Ainz cradled her in the throne room after the resurrection!"
"And that's like it!" This was an old debate, but one that they could draw out.
Solution rested her head atop Narberal's, making several rapid micro-expressions to convey that she knew exactly what Lupusregina was doing and thought this heavy handed. A roll of her eyes for commitment, and a twitch that said Lupusregina would follow Solution's lead next time, when Narberal inevitably caught on to how premeditated this spa day was.
Lupusregina stretched a claw, and scratched an acknowledgment into Solutions thigh. 'Bet.' The exchange hadn't even lasted a full second before Solution continued to play along.
"It's not! Remember how dedicated Ainz was to teaching her when they went off to the dwarf kingdom, that's love right there."
"But he always has Albedo on his mind! The dwarves was just for a short time, while my OTP built a whole kingdom so they could spend hours a day together."
Lupusregina pulled herself closer to them, then turned around, and Solution, having expected this, tipped the still nearly relaxing Narberal atop her, head resting against her chest. Solution then slipped down into the water and, arms reaching out, supported them both to keep the pair afloat as Lupusregina twisted her legs to act as a proper floating bed.
"A day of work, coworkers not lovers." Solution continued as if the whole motion hadn't happened. Lupusregina wrapped her arms around Narberal and held her tight.
"A slowly growing romance, hands reaching for the same paper, eyes meeting from across the office!" Lupusregina grinned, and nuzzled into the hand Solution was also running over her furry ears. 'Indulgent love,' that conveyed, and nuzzling reciprocated.
A flick said that Solution wasn't the one changing the plan halfway though and so didn't need to be indulged, to which Lupusregina made a pout that was teasing, before the petting resumed.
"And Shalltear is the mysterious contract worker, slipping in to steal his heart!" Solution continued with a terrible metaphor like they hadn't just had a completely different conversation.
"But that hasn't happened, Albedo is the real second, they have such synchronicity. Plus, if anyone's the mysterious other worker that would be Demiurge!" Lupusregina shifted Narberal slightly and began stroking her hair, which elicited a pleased noise.
"Maybe that proves my point Lupu, it won't be either demon because they're too focused on work. Meanwhile, Shalltear interactions are always special, she-"
"You two are ridiculous." Narberal interrupted, twisting her head out from where it had been buried in Lupusregina's chest. "You've had this exact conversation at least three times while I've been there."
"It's an important one Na-babe!"
"Sure it is." She sounded fond and amused. "Thank you for distracting me."
Solution looked at her with an 'I told you she'd notice' expression. Lupusregina stuck out her tongue 'it still worked anyway.' Sol rolled her eyes in a 'yes but I did still tell you so' kind of way.
"That's what sisters are for, Narberal." Solution drifted the three of them further into the bath.
"Always."
The hills in the northwest of the Baharuth empire were sprawling, lush, and might have been a good view. Were it not for the lower life forms swarming about them.
'This village is much better burnt to ash.' Narberal thought. Allegedly by the blue-sky dragon lord. 'Did the world a favour.'
Ainz, as Momon, was poking around a burnt out house, and pulled a charred skull from the rubble. Most, but not all of the flesh burnt or melted off.
'Pathetic lifeform couldn't even flee from fire properly.'
'They never make good choices while panicking, these humans.' Ainz's dry voice came through to her mind over the 'whisper chat' item she was wearing.
'Surely even the dumbest animals can tell that fire burns.' She thought, continuing to shift rubble alongside a mixed group of adventurers and workers.
They were playing the role of looking for survivors. There were none of course, Nazarick's quiet cleanup had been thorough.
'Ah but between a burning building, and a murderous dragon it at least knew fire. Not that the knowledge did any good.'
Momon shifted a large beam, revealing a 'hidden' trapdoor. "A cellar, someone may have been trapped." He declared, and several nearby people moved closer in case they could help.
'The 'dragon' was a swifter death. What an unthinking lower lifeform.'
While out loud Momon continued to draw people over so they would all see the 'evidence' of the blue-sky dragonlord's guilt in the basement firsthand, he continued their whispered conversation. 'They tend to forgo thinking entirely in panic.'
'I'm unconvinced they can think at all.' Narberal sent, also walking over. "It's been several days. Any survivors would be near death by now." She said aloud."
Some oaf began rambling about hope or courage and she tuned out the insignificant buzzing.
'Certainly they struggle with critical thought.' Ainz acknowledged, chuckling mentally while outwardly engaging with the oaf and prying open the trapdoor.
Solution and Lupusregina had been right, this was a good different. These 'adventures' were much more enjoyable this way. She and Ainz apparently shared a sense of humour.
Narberal did not bother paying attention to the 'discovery' of several bodies below, but made sure to appear expressive of the proper shock when a message cursing the dragon lord was found written with blood. Confirming the groups 'worst fears.'
'It's far too neat for someone who had actually been disembowelled.' She noted.
'The writing should be shakier, but the handprints are a nice touch.' Ainz mused as he presented Momon as outraged.
'You know. I think this message might be a trick!' Ainz sounded surprisingly earnest even in the shared mind space. Truly an amazing actor.
'It's certainly got all these insects fooled.'
'You're right, we should keep that to ourselves.'
Narberal hadn't known just how amusing Ainz's could be, he was very good at dry remarks and fake earnestness. She huffed a laugh and disguised it as a gag, the smell here was unpleasant enough after all.
The tent Nabe and Momon shared was unassuming to look at and befitted their role as powerful, but humble mortals.
Of course, only one of those things were true. The interior was a magically expanded demiplane, not so luxurious as anywhere in Nazarick, but much more appropriate for Lord Ainz. Thankfully with Adamantite rank, it was not a risk to their cover even if one of the creatures outside were to stumble in.
Not that they would get the chance to stumble out again either way of course.
Nabe passed through the silvery sheet that served as an entryway and relaxed, as she could be Narberal again. With a shrug of shoulders she changed to the much more comfortable maid outfit and flopped face down on a soft bed overloaded with pillows.
The space, being extra dimensional, was soundproofed so she did not hold back the scream of rage she unleashed into the soft and welcome bed.
The humans had been exceptionally irritating today. 'I hope I get to tear that worthless ranger's head off.' He already nearly lost a hand on several occasions.
"That bad?" Ainz asked from where he was sitting at his desk, glancing over maps and what testimony there was of the 'dragon menace.'
"I wish to kill a man, slowly." She declared, it was almost always true whenever Momon and Nabe had company on jobs. And they usually did so as to continue to spread their fame. She did not usually express this, however.
'Another perk of being more casual.'
"Well," Ainz turned to her, "I don't think anyone in the camp is particularly important. So long as you aren't caught."
She sighed and rolled over to look at him.
"It's that foolish ranger we 'need' to track the dragonlord back to its cave. And we're still days away from where Demiurge said it would be."
Ainz looked puzzled. "Demiurge said-" he shook his head "Actually, I'm pretty sure it wasn't the blue-sky fellow. So we don't really need the ranger at all." He picked up a piece of paper, "look at this, the massacres don't match a lightning dragon, if we-"
'What?'
"Lord Ainz." She interrupted, "what are you talking about?"
He stood and started rearranging papers. "I think it's a false flag, someone is framing the dragon lord for this."
'Yes. It was us.' They were doing the framing. And then the murdering. To weaken the council state and give Casus belli for Baharuth's war against them, which the Sorcerer kingdom would support without being seen as aggressors.
Narberal blinked several times in succession. "I- yes? Isn't that why we're here?"
It was Ainz's turn to look confused again.
"I don- umm, Narberal, can you tell me what you think we are here for?"
'Was that not it?' She outlined her understanding and Ainz sat back down looking… some emotion, Lupu or Sol would have been able to tell. Maybe bewilderment?
"Oh. That's what Demiurge meant with the puppeteer and search party comments." He said finally.
'It- well, yes. But also Solution's mission, Aura's scouting and brief beast deployment, plus the score of illusory tricks Demiurge organized, and the whole hidden cellar 'clue' we found today.'
'Was… had Lord Ainz not been paying attention to that?'
It's not like this plan was particularly crucial or complex, he might have been more focused on other things but… 'to just not notice?'
"Yes?" She answered after a long pause.
"And it's a whole plan to weaken the council state?"
Narberal nodded slowly, "and to draw out that Platinum one again, find his home."
'That part was pretty important actually.'
"Well," Ainz shook his head, "there's Demiurge for us, thinking five steps ahead."
This was one of his simpler plans, among the few she could follow without trouble; frantically thrown together when he realised the full extent of what Ainz had intended with Solution's mission. It had nothing on when Demiurge and Albedo got their heads together properly and left everyone else hopelessly confused.
Even more confused than on those occasions now, Narberal said as much. Ainz was looking… something, again. "I must have missed that." He said.
Maybe it was chagrined? Expressions were very hard to understand.
"But you're- I don't- …" she didn't really know what she wanted to ask so she just stared at Ainz.
After a long moment of 'wilting, maybe?' he spoke. "I did not know that. Well, no I knew they were smart but…" he trailed off.
Narberal pinched herself and did not wake up from any sort of dream. Ainz winced.
"I don't understand." She said after some more staring. "Is this not part of your ten-thousand year plan? Has Demiurge gone rogue?"
She thought it had been. It had all made sense, tracked with their usual expansion rate and began to use other states as puppets, which they would eventually have to do with the whole world. 'Right?'
"I actually… don't have a ten thousand year plan." Ainz said softly after some extended staring.
'He- what?' She kept staring.
"Demiurge and Albedo just kind of… think I do."
'Not just them!' Narberal tried to find an indication he was making a joke. Not that she could see but… 'Ainz can't possibly mean…"
But he did. "I've mostly just been improvising since we arrived in this world."
'That's not… possible.' Narberal dissolved and recreated her eyes and ears, in case they had been faulty. Then she remade her entire form for good measure, then sat up. "I'm sorry, could you repeat that."
Ainz looked, something again. 'Is it embarrassed? Expressions are so hard.'
"Ahh…" He began after a silence in which she remade herself a second time, just to be sure. "Back in my old world I never did… well any of this so I don't really… know what I'm doing most days."
'Am I hallucinating?'
Narberal used a racial skill to purge poisons and nothing changed. 'Not that. What is happening?'
"Are you… making a joke?" Narberal tried, she was not always the best at recognizing those as Entoma was fond of reminding her. 'I thought we had similar humour but maybe…'
"No, I- no I'm being serious." Ainz said after another moment.
She flopped back down to the pillows and screamed again before she was aware of what she was doing.
Then Narberal remembered that despite the more casual setting this was still Lord Ainz and bolted upright.
He had his head in his hands. 'What does that mean?'
"You're… a supreme being."
Ainz seemed to get smaller. "I didn't want to disappoint them."
That…Okay she understood that 'but it's Lord Ainz!' He couldn't possibly be a disappointment. Ever.
"But… you always had the perfect plan? Like the potion that led us to the alchemy-insect or Momon's fame ensuring a smooth takeover of E-Rantel?"
Narberal lay back down, arms in the air and morphing her hands back and forth in an outpouring of confusion. "And you countered the emperor-insect's betrayal and forced a full surrender in like an afternoon; Demiurge said that would take months!"
"And the Holy kingdom was the same with their new religion. I-" she stopped and looked over at Ainz who still, slightly slouching.
"Jircniv was going to betray us?" He asked like that was ever in question.
"…yes. You caught him that's why… why he begged for Baharuth to be a vassal state, you outmanoeuvred him so he gave up."
'What is happening?'
"We didn't realise how you did that so fast at first but after Nazarick got a spy in the Theocracy it made more sense. You interrupted their meeting at the colosseum and made the Theocracy think that foolish emperor betrayed them to you. Why else wo-"
Narberal reassessed. If Ainz wasn't making a joke then. Well, then she didn't know actually.
"Can… Ainz. What do you mean by improvising."
He coughed. "I mean that everything you said was kinda… dumb luck, on my part."
"Luck?" She whispered
"I went to the colosseum to get support for our adventurer's guild in the Sorcerer kingdom not umm… I never did know why the Baharuth wanted to be a vassal until now."
'I'm dreaming. Or hallucinating. Or insane. Or the butt of a joke. Or…' except no, it wasn't any of those things.
"That's it?" Narberal sat up and looked over at Ainz. He was still sitting in the chair, but now looked very… tired?
"Yes, I just liked the idea of a better adventurer guild so I went to advertise it."
She blinked. "Your advertisement took over an entire country."
He shifted posture. That was definitely embarrassed. "Well I always enjoyed going on adventures so… I didn't know about anything else. It's just… luck."
'He actually likes these adventures?' They were mostly terrible. This one had been almost fun, mocking everyone behind their backs and watching their expression of fear and horror at the brutal massacres. 'But the others were a either a tiresome exercise in patience, or a trivial operation usually delegated to lesser doppelgängers and Pandora's Actor, not fun.'
"You just enjoy going on adventures?"
"I do. That was why I played Yggdrasil, adventures with friends."
'He picked me for adventures.' The thought occurred to her immediately. Which was 'flattering probably?'
"Have you enjoyed our trips together, Ainz?"
He seems to sit up straighter, probably a positive emotion. "Especially this one, but yes. I really have, it's good to get away from all the expectations in Nazarick for a bit."
That was less flattering, which he seems to realize because he immediately backtracked.
"I don't mean… it's just how many people were so earnest and I needed an excuse to get away sometimes but I couldn't go alone and I thought you'd do best as an adventurer partner. But I do-"
'He's rambling.' the thought occurred to her, which was so incongruous to the Lord Ainz Ooal Gown of Nazarick image that she finally believed him.
He trailed off once she started to giggle. 'Just luck. Perfect luck.' Luck was a stat, they all had some amount, Aureole could even buff it, had buffed Ainz once and later commented on his maxed out luck stat.
"Nobody else in Nazarick would ever have caught you on this." She said once she stopped giggling, "perfect luck, exactly what you need at any moment."
He assumed a posture that Narberal decided probably was 'confused' rather than 'sagely waiting for you to go on,' it was a very common one, which now made more sense. She started giggling again.
"It's not that funny." Ainz said, 'lies, it absolutely was.' Then, "what do you mean nobody else would have noticed?"
Narberal flopped back onto the bed looking at him from her sideways position and pointed an accusing finger. "You went three years without anyone catching on. That should be impossible, then you were amazingly wonderful and kind and decided to be real friends with us Pleiades and the charade fell apart immediately!" She smiled an actual smile, for her anyway, "your perfect luck. The best possible outcome, every time."
"...Are you sure?"
"I will never be sure of anything ever again. But I think so. Just don't think about it and things will work out for you." Narberal started to giggle again, this time Ainz joined her in mirth.
After a moment he asked, "did you mean nobody but you, or nobody but the Pleiades would have caught on?"
"Eventually? I don't know, probably any of us, somehow." She mused, "Demiurge and I get dinner every time our days-off overlap. We talk about your plans sometimes, that's the only reason I knew what the dragon thing was really about or all the other things… other coincidences."
This really was very funny. 'It's all coincidences.'
"You flipped Demiurge and Albedo's schedule at the last minute for your picnic date next week. So I overlapped with Demiurge for dinner last night and he told me about the dragon plan. I wouldn't have known otherwise."
Narberal pointed another accusing finger. "Perfect coincidence."
"That's just one thing." He denied so she gestured vaguely at everything.
"That never happened for three entire years until just now, the first time we're doing this casually? The first time I would have questioned what you meant instead of thinking it was a weird sadistic test?"
He took a moment to think.
"That actually makes a lot of sense. But luck is so… nebulous. I should probably just keep doing like I was before then but…"
"I have no idea, Ainz. But that's what I would do."
He nodded. "Do you think I should tell Albedo or Demiurge?"
She considered. "Demiurge wouldn't believe you, ever. He just wouldn't, I don't know Albedo as well. Just don't think about it and things will work out, right?"
"I don't know if that's more or less terrifying."
Narberal laughed. "I don't know. Let's go kill a dragon and never think about it again."
"And that ranger who annoyed you earlier."
"Oooh he's going to suffer."