Chapter 269

Layali's breathing became shallow as sleep came over her, she never heard the old man cast his spell, and when Oddval was sure it had taken effect, he finished his work and wiped his hand on his shirt before turning to Brain. "You get a chance, you kill that sonofabitch." The old man's deep set eyes had lost their mirth, becoming coal dark and hard. "Back when I was a boy and I set off to be an adventurer, I seen monsters. I seen bad things happen to good people, bad things happen to bad people, an' bad things happen to people what just had no luck a'tall. I seen dead kids of all kinds in a year, 'for I had my fill an came home. I know'd that life weren't for me long 'for you were born. But ah ain't never, not in all my born days, seen anythin' like that." He pointed to the sleeping half elf, and watched while Brain covered her with a blanket.

"Whatever done that, that's a monster somebody gotta put down. You do that, you drink and sleep for free ever' time you come to my place." Oddval hissed out. "Kinda monster do that to any kinda kid?" He shook his head, "Hard to believe she still livin' an' breathin'."

"I know." Brain answered, "She somehow survived at least three days in that river, I guess she could be lying, most grown people couldn't have lasted even one. But somehow she made it for three?" He scratched his head beneath his blue hair and said, "If nothing else, she's tough. Poor thing. Listen," he glanced at her again and then at the old man, "I'm short of money, is there any chance-"

"None." Oddval answered. "Even a cheap horse'll cost about thirty days wages for this place, and I ain't got that just sitt'n around. And the healer? I didn't wanna say this round her, but he'll know what she is when he heals her, an' that'll make things hard. This is the Theocracy, you be lucky if he don't report ahead… you want my advice, buy a potion. Cut the priest out."

"Great." Brain said and a little smile formed on his face, "Can I-"

"Nope." Oddval answered, "The priest took em with him after the bandits. Thing is, they shoulda been back days ago. Folks're gettin kinda worried, you know? There's talk of sendin' for a garrison."

"How long will that take?" Brain asked, his smile turned upside down.

"A week, maybe two. Less you wanna leave her like that…?" Oddval trailed off, it was a rhetorical question and Brain immediately shook his head.

"What kind of bastard do you think I am?" Brain stiffened his back at the mild hint of an affront.

"Nah, guess you could go out there yourself, probably get a potion as a reward. But… guess you don't got clothes for her?" The old man asked.

"No, of course not." Brain clipped his words short, "All I had was my cloak."

"I see… listen, I brought some old stuff with me, down in the basement, I gotta finish gettin' ready for my customers, but listen, you go down there, go through some of them old crates, maybe my grandkids left some clothes behind. Probably musty, and a bit patchy in places, but she needs some shoes and somethin' to wear."

"Thanks Oddball, you're the best." Brain answered and glanced at her. "How long will she be asleep?"

"Most of the day. She's young, maybe under a hundred years, hard to say with half elves, but for some reason they seem to have more vulnerability to magic… not that I knew that many of 'em… but still. Yeah," he rubbed his double chin with his thumb and forefinger, "yeah, most of the day is about right."

"Right so… rescue the priest, maybe get a reward and a potion, find your grandchild's clothing, and be out of here soon." Brain repeated the list, and then asked, "Can you bring up some food for her? She hasn't eaten much, and I'd rather she not go down there on her own."

Oddval clapped his hand on Brain's shoulder, "Maybe you are her pappy after all, eh?" He chuckled a little and Brain pretended to wince under the ex-adventuring peasant's meaty old hand.

"Nah." He shook his head, "I'm just taking her somewhere, and she's going to keep camp for me…" He looked at her sleeping face, her one good eye, the other a mere socket smeared with black poultice goo as dark as the inside of the eye socket was raw. "Plus she's tough as nails to survive this long, she's got some old injuries that I don't think this magic will get rid of… I guess I feel a little bad for her, and it's no trouble for me, not really."

"Uh huh." The old man said with a snort, "Whatever you've gotta tell yourself, but… she is a kinda cute kid, or would be, if she weren't all banged up."

"Yeah, I s'pose." Brain said, "Now about the food for her?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll bring it up during my off time, just get going." Oddval said and they went outside, leaving Layali to sleep in peace.

She woke up to see the sun setting through her open window, for a moment she woke with horror, crying out, "I didn't mean to oversleep!" And shooting up to a seated position, breathing hard, she looked around and realized, 'I'm alone, the human is gone.'

The first thing she noticed was the smell of lukewarm stew, and beside it she saw a few pieces of cheese, fruit, and a strip of lamb which had obviously gone cold, but which was well seasoned. The next thing she saw was a set of clothing sitting on the same table where the food sat waiting for her.

The clothing reminded her of her lack of it, and her first instinct followed quickly, her hands went to her body to check, 'Did they… he do anything?' She asked herself, and found no evidence of anything except for the goop the old man referred to as a poultice.

Suspicion tainted her quite thoroughly, 'The old man knows magic. I was tired… but not that tired.' She yawned, her mouth gaping open, and the pain was only bearable because of the material the human used to make it so. Still… She furrowed her brow, 'Humans don't do things without getting things in return, so… what is he, or what are they getting?'

Layali could think of nothing offhand. 'The gods know I'm so ugly now that even the elf king wouldn't want me.' She thought with matter of fact dismissal, though it did sting a little, 'At least he's not interested in me.' That made for the unpleasant consideration, 'Maybe that's why he wants me healed? So I'm pretty again.' She shuddered. 'I need a knife.' She told herself when she stopped shuddering.

She then slid off the bed and, putting as little weight as she could on each step, inched her way over to the table. She sat and snatched up the slice of cold lamb and tossed it into the stew to warm it up again.

She then began dunking the bread and cheese into the brown broth and swirled them around before shoveling them into her mouth with no semblance of good manners to be had. The flavor assaulted her senses and even the dull ache in her jaw was not enough to dissuade her from finishing it as fast as she could. It felt like mere seconds before she was tilting the wooden bowl to her lips and rubbing her fingers over the inside to shove one last bit of broth over her tongue, and then licked the bowl clean.

With that done, she set the bowl down with slow reluctance, looking at the two meals she'd turned into one and willing there to be more. But there was not, so she let go of the wooden dish and plucked a stray splinter from her hand before turning to the clothing left for her.

'Old.' She thought and plucked at the moth eaten green fabric, there were holes in various places, some of which were patched, some of which weren't. 'This isn't really a shirt, it's more like patches sewn together.' She thought, and the smile spread over her face, larger than she'd ever had. 'This is the finest thing I've ever worn!'

She was grateful in that moment that at least her arm was numb, but did her best to touch it as little as possible, slipping the arm through the sleeve and drawing it up before putting her head through the hole at the top, then sliding her good arm up inside the shirt and successfully putting it on.

The rest was no more comfortable, but at last she slipped her feet into shoes, and gave herself a look over. Her whole body ached enough that she immediately went on tentative steps and laid herself down on the bed. Just to wear what she had, crude, hand-me-down clothes that smelled of moths and touched with dust, riddled with multicolored patches that outnumbered the original cheap green dyed fabric and themselves often having small holes… still felt good. Good enough that in spite of herself, Layali smiled a little and closed her eye with contentment.

Evileye poked at the flames, 'I was a villain. I was a disaster. I was a Princess. I was… I am… a hero. Will being all those other things matter to Lord Momon? I can't… I can't not tell him. I just can't.' She thought, and yet she feared to do so. The sparks leapt up from the fire and winked out of existence in the cool air. The others were gone, but given the way her sisters, and Momon's partner, Lupu, were teasing at her taking a chance, she had the distinct expectation that he would be sent back to her soon.

Lupu's most recent taunt touched a nerve.

"Meh, what good is it to be in love if you're not going to do anything? That's like having a cake and not eating it, that'd be dumb, the whole reason to 'have' cake, is so you can eat it. Course if you don't actually want him, I'm his partner, always at his side, maybe I should…" And then the radiant red haired cleric gave out a silvery laugh and sashayed away, leaving Evileye fuming.

'Would she really, though?' Evileye wondered, the curious relationship between Momon and Lupu was one she never dared truly broach. 'Sometimes they seem like they're almost… siblings, or childhood friends. But when she talks like that, could they actually be lovers?' That thought kept the vampire sleepless more than once. 'If I don't say anything, if I don't do anything but blush behind this mask, what can I expect? He can't even read my face, but if I show my face, my eyes?'

That too, brought its own turmoil.

'I'm a vampire, he's human. Maybe even a godkin. A valiant defender of humanity, a peerless defender of justice… and a bit of a dramalord.' She added the last part with a tiny smile of her own. He reminded her of Lakyus, prone to dramatic gestures and grandiose statements.

Had he not had the power to back them up, it would have been a mockery, but as it was? They inspired, in part because his power was so obvious and his reputation so widespread.

'If he knew what I was, would he slay me? Would my sisters?' Evileye shivered even to think of it. It was telling to her when she thought of either end that she was equally disturbed by both possible rejections. 'You've got it bad, Keeno, really bad.' She told herself and felt her long still heart threaten to start beating again, just so it could skip with anxiety.

'I have to tell him, I don't have to tell them. I want… I want him. I want him. Is that so bad? I can't give him children but, so what? If he wants a child, let some other woman carry it. As long as I can have him… but can I at all?'

The answer was a plain and unilateral 'no', not without telling him the truth, not without taking off her mask and opening her eyes.

'No man will remain with a woman whose face he's never allowed to see.' She looked down into the fire and poked it with a stick again. 'I have to tell him. Whatever happens, happens. I've fought for a lot of stupid things in my life, risked myself for everybody else more times than I can count. But now it's time I did something for myself! What's the point if I can't be happy too?! Why shouldn't I be?!'

Evileye did all she could to mentally fortify herself just as she heard Momon come crashing through the woods, there wasn't an attempt at being subtle, nor was there a need for it.

He emerged into the firelight and said, "Mein Fräulein, they said I should come and keep you company, that they are better at scouting than I, and they are right, I fear!" He slapped his armored chest as if he were wounded by their words, but the twinkle in his eye told her it was more amusement and he was being performative.

"It's fine, please, join me… Momon." Evileye said and 'almost' gestured to the log opposite herself, but instead she patted the mossy space beside herself, inviting him to sit with her instead.

Momon obliged and took off his helmet, he sat it between his feet and looked into the fire.

He felt Evileye's gaze turned upward and looking at him. "Is there something on my face?" He asked and touched his cheek briefly.

"No!" She eeped out, "I was just thinking how impressive you looked."

"I am but myself, I think that is a good thing, but there are others greater than I by far, my father, for example." He said, and winked down at her.

It was only then that it occurred to Evileye… 'I really don't know anything about where he comes from, his family…?'

But he sounded warm, content to speak of the man, and so Evileye felt safe asking, "What was he like?"

"What ''is' he like, mein Fräulein." Momon answered, "The greatest of all beings, powerful beyond all words, gentle, generous… His greatest wish is for the happiness of all his children. So powerful is his love for us all that he was willing to leave us if we needed him to. The greatest caster and the greatest warrior this or any world has ever known, or ever will, the paragon of-" Momon went silent, snapping his jaw shut.

Never in his life had Pandora's Actor cursed his performative nature, his love of drama, or his love of his creator. Yet all he said in his gushing affection could only lead to one singular answer in the mind of the little vampire about who his father was.

Nor did she miss it.

"You're the son of the Allfather of Nazarick… aren't you? You're Ainz Ooal Gown's son…" Evileye guessed, and when Momon stiffened involuntarily, she knew she'd struck home.

Her mind reeled beyond all reason. On the one hand she counted the Allfather's friendly policies toward nonhumans to be a good thing, as was his general defense of humanity and promotion of order. On the other hand, his ruthless crushing of Baharuth's army led directly to the near collapse of the Empire, and his intervention left a Demihuman Kingdom of dubious intent forming in the Abelion Hills.

"I should not have said what I did. I must ask that you keep it secret." Pandora's Actor said, leaning over her slightly to whisper the request.

'It does answer a lot though… there's a strong resemblance, and that kind of power doesn't just spring from nothing.' Evileye felt some degree of comfort at least recognizing one mystery was resolved, only to notice another compounding it.

"Siblings, you have… brothers and sisters?" Evileye asked, and Momon groaned and wiped his face.

"I do. You know one of them. Lupu's true name is Lupusregina, she is the child of another… we are many, the children of the One Who Stayed, united in our devotion to our father. Hence his name, the 'Allfather'." Momon explained, and Evileye connected the dots, it explained Lupu all too well.

"They're not all human, are they?" Evileye pressed the question gently, she reached up and touched his face, "You can tell me, you can trust me with anything."

"Why do you ask that?" Momon allowed her touch, but he was more interested in the wild guess that was right on the coin.

"Because of his policies. He rules numerous nonhuman races. Dark elves, wood elves, dwarves, I've even heard of lizardmen and frogmen, not to mention others. It's just sensible that he'd be this way if his children weren't human." Evileye felt the certainty of her rightness crystalize when Momon was silent in return.

"You are right." He finally answered, free briefly of any grandiose gestures, natural if not relaxed, he was stiff, but not aggressive or demanding of her silence, and so Evileye felt emboldened.

She sidled up a little closer, so that her leg was against his. "Do the undead have a place in your father's world? What are they to you?"

Pandora's Actor was still mentally cursing his foolish slip of the tongue, but he heard her question, and knew very well why she asked. "Have you seen vampire quests in the adventurer's guild?" He asked in return.

"No… now that you mention it I haven't." She replied, and then asked… "Why?"

"Because they were found and relocated. A few, I'm sure, were killed, but father's will is that all who accept the social contract should be allowed to exist." Momon said with a hint of pride tinging his voice.

"The what now?" Evileye was briefly at a loss, 'What do merchants have to do with any of this…?'

"Social contract. What father calls the agreement among intelligent beings to reside together as a community. Simple guides such as that the higher your status, the more that is expected out of you. That you may do as you will if you harm none, that a mutual respect should exist between those who live together, for each other's lives and possessions." Pandora's Actor explained, and Evileye turned it over in her mind like a curious object of uncertain use.

"So the vampires he found?" Evileye pressed.

"Sent to the Kingdom of Nazarick's far flung corners, border towns made up of multiple races, the newly built areas. They live normal lives there and sometimes buy blood from others when the impulse comes to feed. Or so I have learned, I have yet to go there myself." He said, and Evileye knew one thing for sure…

'I have to see it. I can't say anything to him… not yet. Not until I see how he really reacts staring a vampire in the face… I've waited this long, what's a few more weeks?' She thought and said, "I have to see it. Would you mind if we diverted our traveling path a little? We can still make the tournament in time…"

"Ja, mein Fräulein. I would be honored to show my father's home… but your sisters?" He asked.

"I won't say anything about where you come from, but… when we get to the town, present them with the truth, if they feel they can't go in, let them camp outside the walls. If they promise to behave, I trust them to keep that promise." Evileye said, then asked only a gentle, small, "Please?" before falling silent.

Pandora's Actor gave a little bowing of his head which served as a nod. "Then we will go. We will pass through the dwarven mountains, there is a road we can take, it will save some time. Then you will see my father's work, and know why we revere him so."

He then took up the stick Evileye was using a moment ago, and stirred the sparks from the orange and red glowing fire and watched them drift up toward the stars, dying on their journey up, and the pair enjoyed an amiable, but eager silence until the others returned.