Chapter 360

"Do you want to attend the early fights, Ainz?" Calca asked as she set their son down in his cradle.

"Not particularly." Ainz remarked from where he sat beside Albedo. She held a fork up to his mouth with a small hunk of meat on the end, and one hand beneath to catch any juices that should drip off. He managed to keep from blushing at her smiling face, opened his mouth, and allowed her to feed the bite to him.

"Oh, well if you don't wish to." Calca said, lightly touching the cheek of their now sleeping child.

"Though if you like, we can have Cocytus tend to Aurelion and go. But the only one of the others intending to visit the first day is Queen Baraja." He chuckled, "She tried to convince the Golden Queen to go, and Renner said it was 'too sweaty' for her liking."

Calca had to titter a little, holding one hand up to her lips, "That does sound like her. But it's good that the two of them are getting along so well. Harmony among so many nations is so rare, we need space to breathe."

"I couldn't agree more, of course once we've brought the Baharuth Empire into the fold, that will make things far easier. With those vast resources at our disposal a truly massive Empire from the borders of the City State Alliance in the east, to Argland in the north, the Elf Kingdom in the South, and the Southern Holy Kingdom in the west, and of course, the Draconic Kingdom in the south east, is feasible. We just have to deal with them." Albedo said and sliced another piece of meat free of the whole, then stabbed it with a fork and offered it up to Ainz.

Calca left her son and strode to where the pair sat, then reaching for a pitcher, she poured it into a silver chalice, then taking it up in both hands, she offered it out to Ainz, he took it without hesitation. "Have the elves already given up?"

"Almost without a fight." Albedo answered, "Aura and Mare simply demonstrated that there was no hope of resisting, and now 'King Mare the First' is on the throne. Right about now, Aura should be on her way by dragonback to Kami Miyako, or…" Albedo paused and touched the dimple of her cheek before looking away, "I didn't tell her to go right away, knowing her, she's probably having the elves bring her examples of the local beasts for her to tame. But that will be fine, a few days, a week, when they visit Kami Miyako, there will be peace there as well."

"What about the Elf King? Does he know his Kingdom has been taken from him?" Calca asked as Ainz drained the chalice, and without thinking, the Holy Queen refilled it.

"Not yet." Ainz answered, a slightly vindictive smile forced Albedo to pause in her romance play plan number seven, 'feed the lover'.

"I'm allowing Queen Draudillon to inform him, from the dais where we will be standing, when he has taken his position in the arena. He will find out in front of everyone that he is the King of nothing. And if he tries to strike, I will finish him myself. If he doesn't, he'll die on the sands. He will not leave this city alive."

Ainz leaned slightly forward, took the meat from the fork, and then brought the wine to his lips. He chewed and swallowed before adding, "I will have a world where all my children can be happy, and what threatens that world, must be removed."

"As the Allfather wills it." The mother and mother-to-be said in unison, and, briefly caught off guard, they met one another's eyes where each saw themselves reflected in the other, smiles small and thoughtful spread out, but neither said another word.

Instead, Albedo cut another slice of meat, Calca refilled the wine, and they ensured that the father of their children ate and drank his fill.

It was easy. Layali slipped a little herb into the cups of both Brain and Zesshi that night, and waited for them to fall asleep. Neither were especially talkative. Not from the time they left the arena, nor all through the rest of the afternoon.

She lay in bed on the other side of the room, the pair had fallen asleep beside each other, but neither had shown interest in more than that, even without her interference, Layali could tell they were distracted by troubles of their own, troubles which made them exceptionally tired.

When she was sure they slept, Layali curled up tighter one more time, terror thrummed through her veins, her body felt taut as a freshly drawn bowstring. Her small fingers clenched into fists as she clutched the sheets. They were the softest things she'd ever touched, the blanket over her kept her so warm… she closed her eyes…

'I can't lose them… I can't… I can't, I can't, I can't. Not again.' Aureole Omega's warning lingered on in her mind, and though the night was dark and fear of being alone without the pair again haunted her greatly, she slowly slipped the thick crimson blanket off of her body and planted her feet firmly on the floor.

She'd kept her clothes near at hand just for this purpose, and thanks to her mother's senses, the darkness was no real obstacle to getting dressed.

Clad in her travel clothes, she slipped out the door and headed for the stairs, leaving her momma and papa behind her, but even though she could no longer hear their snoring. The stairs she descended were of golden wood and polished smooth with a vibrant red carpet running down the center and a high rail that Layali had to reach up to hold onto. She descended the steps as fast as her feet could carry her, every step causing her shadow to dance in the candles that flickered overhead.

Her breath quickened as she made the double turn to reach the ground floor and rush to the desk at the front. She reached up to the surface and tapped her hand on it. "Hello?" She asked, then stepped back so she could see over the top to where a young human woman of chestnut hair done in a ponytail behind her head, sat with a warm smile plastered on her face.

"Yes, young lady?" She asked in a lilting, lute-like voice, leaning forward so as to not loom too large over the little Layali.

"Ah, is there an Aureole Omega at this place?" Layali asked, "It's important."

The woman gave a gracious smile and said, "I can tell you she is here, but I can't give out her room number, but if you'd like to speak with her I can send someone to ask. It's late though, are you sure she'd be willing?"

"I think so… tell her… tell her it's a matter of life and death, and who gets either." Layali replied and began to chew on her lip, her eyes darting around a little.

The woman behind the golden colored wooden counter furrowed her brow just a little and pulled a red silk rope which hung by her right hand.

A moment later a young boy dressed in green from head to toe approached her. The woman scrawled a quick note, handed it to him, and he was gone.

It was not a long wait, the boy returned, nodded, and the woman pointed toward the hall. "Room forty-one." She said, and with a tiny bob of her knees, Layali rushed for the room as fast as she could without actively sprinting.

Despite not sprinting, Layali was breathing hard and felt herself to be on pins and needles when she reached her slender arm up to knock on the door. Her knuckles rapped against it, and she heard the click of the handle turning to allow her within.

The black haired woman was there just as Layali recalled her to be, prim in dress, straight in posture, but with a delicate and almost playful smile on her ruby lips.

"What is it you wanted to see me about?" Aureole Omega asked, then gestured to a chair not far from where she stood.

"You said you can give power… but… that was… was that like, training or something or… more?" Layali asked.

Aureole Omega let out a girlish little giggle and bent forward with hands on her knees so that she was close to Layali's face. "Why, do you want power little one?"

"No… I don't want mama or papa to die… and there's some bad and powerful ones here… and, if you can keep them alive… I want you to. You said you came from the Kingdom of Nazarick, so… s'at mean you represent them or… you just from there?" Layali pressed and kept her eyes up on the pretty, pale face.

"I speak for the Allfather in all my actions." Aureole Omega replied.

"So… if he got somethin really important, really good, would he… protect my momma and papa…?" Layali inquired.

"I suppose." Aureole Omega said, then straightened up, "That's not really why I'm here, but… then again, he might qualify…"

"What if… what if someone has the power to not die." Layali asked, her heart threatened to leap through her throat, but she kept her voice as steady as she could.

"That would be something the Three Geniuses would very much like to see… such a person could ask almost anything for a chance to study them. Do you know such a person, little girl?" Aureole Omega asked.

"Bring me a knife, and I'll prove I do." Layali replied, closing her eyes, and bracing herself to prove what she knew. 'This is for momma and papa… be brave, it's easier than what Cerebrate did.' She told herself, and when the blade was in her hand, she got to work.

Three hours later, Aureole Omega was more than convinced.