22. Archbishop Sakura

Blood sported ties were what made a family. Kindled by its strings called for its relation with the other, sparking a bundle of strings coating the other with its touch. That was what family was, connecting everyone with a string of blood. For blood represents honor strength and an old historic and lengthy past. But for those immortal such relations were fickle as a cat's tail. Family?An obligation for the rich. Blood? A prospective endeavor to gather more soldiers. Even the fabled blood of an old historic house could not promote love towards the family. Resulting in a means to an end.

Ruthie Menemor, A prodigal child of the long-standing Menemor family stood once again in the cathedral of the great one. The past was not kind to him, for deception and treachery were what plagued his long-standing family. His sister was more interested in an incestuous relationship with him to the point she apparently killed his older brother. But still, their action although frowned upon but never hated by Ruthie. For he loved them as alike family as it was only her that never looked at him in disgust or hate.

For such, even the crude notion of love between siblings was not unbecoming of him. For whatever trials existed for his love, he was sure to overcome it. Ruthie, A boy with blonde hair, blue eyes sporting a winning smile to all others, living a mediocre life without the burden of hope and expectation of his peers.

Ruthie was conceived by the wayward uncle of the head of the family but soon after he died in a horrendous death while fighting against the Romans. After such events, he was adopted to the family as their brother and so forced on the race of power. The notorious power struggle was what showed Ruthie that fighting against his brothers was a sure-fire way to death.

And so he distanced himself from the family. The reason for which they took this low born birthed from a scuffle with a maid was for his inherent power. The power to see glimpses in a faraway time that what it took to gain others recognition, a mystic eye.

The first time he came to the cult was to barter food for his estate. But everything changed after meeting with god. But calling the head of this religion god was something, blasphemous?!! If not, what he saw with his eyes.

The power exuded from the archbishop Sakura was not something small. It felt evil, the darkness rampant in her heart was seen by one such as him. For such he never moved against her but simply decided to watch her on her activities afar.

Eventually, the visits became more and more frequent until the point he was a regular of this place. Food, education, and a place to stay, It was basically heaven to the poor.

"Another long day. How I wish that I could spend every day in this place"

The more and more he saw Sakura, the more interesting she became. At first, he thought of it as love but the notion was simply discarded. There cannot exist anything between them for she was above him and all others.

The thought of sakura beheading him for even insinuating such words was more believable to him. For she was evil. The one born inherently with it. Later on, the girl participated in the war with the Britons. It was around such time he heard her speak with another probably her father?

"Sakura. A war is coming in the future. This fight is one you would be participating in."

"As you wish Caster. Anything for you"

The other party seemed to get a bit irritated by her chosen words.

"Sakura, I have never forced anything on you. Seeing as you made this decision without a moment's thought intrigues me, pray do tell, why accept such endeavor which might, in the end, result in your death or the death of countless others? "

Sakura thought for a moment then replied with a smirk, " The reason is quite simple. For I have a wish to make as such I will face this trial."

Ainz contemplated for a moment and with a small smile said, "You don't need to go through any trial to get a reward from me. For I will do anything to full fill your wish, my dear"

Sakura looked flabbergasted an expression that if laid visage by anyone other than Ainz would indeed result in a traumatic death. She became an archbishop of life and death by not simply aiding the poor. The woman was known in the shadows for her notorious killings. She boasted her achievements and reveled in the blood of others, innocent or not.

Anyone or anything that dares mock Ainz directly simply disappeared the next day. Though he thought of the possibility of Ainz being the culprit, the notion was simply discarded for sakura in those days smelled of blood.

"Hey did you know Rivel's, the head of the Auburn house?"

"Yeah. Found his body mutilated in various places. What of it?"

"Is it not getting very common? The deaths I mean."

"Why, yes. it is. What of it?"

"Isn't there something we should do of it?"

"What do you want me to do? Cut off your head? The forces we are facing are beyond our control. I rather not get my head impaled for such thoughts."

"Some of their body parts are encased in ice. The archbishop has a weapon similar for enacting ice on others."

"Have you gone insane?!! Or is your age finally caught up to you? Demented fool, Going against the archbishop who controls the food chain of most of Britain is a sure way for a merciless death!!"

"..."

"The queen of ice sees all and watches all. I rather not get killed because of you"

"But"

"There are no buts If you want justice get it yourself. I have no part to play here with you."

"Leaving now in cowardice would be showing your back to the god. Can you live with that?"

"Of course, I can. God does not feed me and my two children. It is the Archbishop Sakura and her religion. I have no reason to sell it for a meager recognition." As such the man left leaving Ruthie alone.

He made his way to get out of the alleyway to head towards his home. Another day lost in futility but then a figure stood in front of him smiling. A calm and cold smile adorned her face looking at him with blank eyes. It felt to him as he was being measured like a cattle sent to slaughter. The pros and cons of killing him here and now or leaving him in constant fear of his death. The air went on to become colder and colder. The atmosphere itself strangling him in fear. But she never stopped smiling like a mother wishing to embrace her fallen child to her arms.

Ruthie in his fear took out his knife and tried to stab her. But in the end, the action itself was futile. With a slap of her hands, the knife fell to the ground. He fell face forward due to a well-rounded kick to his legs. Gravity lost its force and suddenly he felt liquid coating the ground and was unable to stand anymore. Looking at his legs was the worst possible thing he could have done.

Broken and mangled was their appearance. The ever so present wrath kindled her eyes but the smile never left. As if expecting such and wishing for a different outcome. Ruthie born of the nobility, of a status higher than of peasant, living a life of luxury with his dear sister had never felt so insignificant. He was no protagonist of his story or even a villain but a simple bystander who strived for something over his station. The sound of small footsteps echoed in the deep recesses of his mind. Calling him to run in cowardice to beg for a chance to live another day.

Before he knew it by some unknown force he was lifted above the ground. She still looked at him with a derisive smile.

"Mon..ster.."

"Senpai. You should not talk of others behind their back. It's bad manners, you know. What will your sister, think? If she was alive now?"

His heart crumbled, what had he done. He failed and doomed not only himself but even his own family.

"Please..spa.re..me.."

"Is it not the time you ask for your sister's life than your's own?"

"..." silence was the only answer that she got.

"Why not play a game? After all, I'm kinda bored"

Getting close to him, Sakura poured a liquid down his mouth.

Instantly Ruthie got his completion back. He was about to go in his knees and beg for forgiveness. for humans cannot face things which he had faced now. The beast hiding in the body of this girl.

The girl continued, "You have until dawn. If you can reach your mansion before time to meet your sister then I would spare her but if not then you know the consequence. Now then let the game begin~~"

Just like that, the monster disappeared. Ruthie frozen in fear could not even get much out his mouth and got himself strung along like that.

Before he knew it, he found himself running. Running on the streets to find a carriage to board towards his home. Unexpectedly, he found none.

Adrenaline coursed his feet. He ran and ran without stopping with a rugged breath. The love for sister and the luxurious life every debt he incurred by the Menemor household forced him to run.

"I...made..it.."

Calming his heart Ruthie entered the estate to look for his sister.

Blood. The first thing he laid visage too. The entire manor was coated in it. Arms and legs cut apart and thrown on various places of the lobby without a hint of pity. Like a morbid painting of a demented artist the lines grew. It felt alive, it felt good. A resonance born from his fleeting emotions. Dark energies conversed inside him. Expanding his morbid desires. Little by little his legs moved to approach his sister's room.

The door opened as he approached the dark uncanny room. The sheer atmosphere chilling him to the bones. His sister looked at him with fear and expectation. A light of hope in her unbridled, murky eyes. Suddenly he raised something. His mind going against it while his body refusing to listen to it.

With a kind smile, he swung with full force towards her approaching hands. Like that her arms split two.

"AAaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...."

Excitement rose from hearing her screams. More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!More!!

Hands, legs, fingers, torso like a fine sculptured painting he performed his art. Butchering the very thing he loved. Lust soon followed forcing him to violate her armless torn body. The light of life was still there in her eyes.

"Please...s...t..o.!"

"...KUKUKUKUKUHAAHAHAHAHAHA....." A burst of laughter bellowed from somewhere not belonging to his own. He discarded his reason to search and madness ensued.

Minutes turned to hours and hours turned to days. Ruthie no longer knew how long this was going on. Violating her over and over without end. His mind refused to function any longer hoping for death but not even getting the extravagance of it.

Suddenly a voice spoke, this is the future you know. He blinked as eyes were once again found clarity. He was here once more on the alley in front of the monster who destroyed everything he had.

"Why? Why did you do this?? Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?Why?" He spoke like a broken record without my incoherence of his words.

Sakura let him continue with his ramblings as she smiled coyly at him which broke him from his trance.

"You know that was the future. If you had charged at me with the knife that's what would have happened~.Quite an interesting power you have, you know."

'That was the future'. the liquid spread through his lips. Ruthie fell to the ground in despair and agony. Before he knew it his heart overloaded in cardiac arrest resulting in his death.

"Wow. It seems there is always a first time for everything. I did not even lay my hands on you and you are already dead. Boo~~~"

In a depressed state, sakura left. Pondering on what wish she would make before Ainz while she puts forwards another new expansion to the greatness of Ainz Oowl Gown and his merry band.

"Book Of Nazius"

The women in ice show pittance to none,

For her god proclaims death for all,

Innocents and evil,

Lying with other,

fear her anger for her wrath consumes all,

from priests of ancient to the cowards of pestilence,

Shrouding all in its ever enclosing ice,

Beware for the girl is but an executioner,

Giving no mercy without toil,

Impaling others as turned hollow,

Beware, sweet child, for your sins,

Paid not in love,

But in the pain of blood.

Elsewhere:

Two people acting suspiciously in a deep dark alley. One wearing a false mustache while the other covering himself as a whole. Ainz seeing them act like such from afar decided to watch this exchange. Judging from the aura alone made Ainz think of Sakura. But he refused the notion for sakura would not act as such.

"You brought the good,good stuff"

"The finest of all."

Suddenly the one fake mustache brought a suspicious book out of the robe.

"Finally. My Holy Bible. Oh, how I longed for you."

"It ain't free. You know the exchange." Giving a dirty look the one with the mustache spoke. Ainz felt an unknown pride bursting from his heart by looking at the haggling skills of this unknown individual. Such was the ideal individual of Suzuki Satoru's black heart. Instantly it brought PTSD from his time working overtime with short pay from his black company.

'He might be a perfect recruit for Nazarick. I can surely dump all my work to him.'

The guy finally brought a book from his bag. It looked oddly suspicious, for sakura had something similar on her home. Ainz as the perfect gentlemen as he is did not pry on her secrets but now his curiosity was peaked.

Suddenly blood flowed from the nose of the other individual startling Ainz "Truly. It is a masterpiece. How could none appreciate such beauty."

"It was quite hard to get hold of it. Markets pretty tight, you know"

"*Sniff* Don't worry. I'll pay double" spoke the other individual.

'What the hell is that book to make grown women cry? Is it some sort of ancient lost tome forgotten in the sands of time or maybe a rare book. Interesting. This might prove to be a great asset to Nazarick. Now the question on how to steal it?Hmm..'

[Time Stop]

"Such a broken ability. I must say. Let's see, let's see. Whose our mysterious individual."

Ainz went closer to the individual peaking inside their cloaks. Seeing their faces Ainz covered it instantly. He was never here and did not see anything.

He then looked over the book. His curiosity forced him to open it, "Momon carcasses Arthurs smooth body. The touch made Arthur squeak in pain but he failed..d to refuse his touch. Their li.."

Instantly he closed the book and went to his home. That day Ainz could not sleep plagued by dreams of Artoria genderbending and confessing to Ainz.

"I'm not a woman just a man but my heart beats for you. so accept my love and let's light the stars bright"

"NOOOOOOO!!"

The struggle continues for this poor overlord.

...............

Next would be the fallen arc.

Also been thinking if I should seriously start another route as vol. 3

Like The harem route

Or sakura route

Or the loli route Illya Prisma (Best girl. Bye the way)

Or simply a normal Illya route instead of berserker would be Ainz.

Would be happy to know your thoughts.