Time Divergence I
At the southern border of the theocracy, a carriage had just arrived carrying three 'nobles' from the Re-Estize Kingdom, three ladies.
A dark haired succubus dressed in a long white dress.
A pink haired vampire in crimson attire.
A blonde slime royal maid.
The panorama that received the three ladies was much different from what they had anticipated; everywhere as far as the eye could see there were more knights, sorcerers and priests than actual civilians.
When they entered the city they were asked a plethora of questions and even with their status as foreign nobles disclosed, the security was no lenient at all. Only after half an hour of check ups that Solution was easily able to produce, they were allowed in.
'I detect magical fluctuations, there are magic detection arrays placed all over the area' Albedo sent mentally to the two of them through their private communication channel.
'What is going on here? From your intel, only the northern border should be this heavily guarded' Shaltear frowned and asked Solution who looked as confused.
'Indeed, from the information I have recauded, Osiris should be invading from the north... rather than spread this much militia to the south, it would make more sense to send them either to the north, or the capital... I am just as confused'.
'We should get more information before making any rash decisions' Albedo commented as if finally finding an excuse to back off.
...
The trio spent a total of five days in the southern border upon arrival in which they came to know that the massacres of the theocracy aristocrats were taking place not only in the north side but also in the south side.
"Ains-sama is being framed for this?!" Albedo growled in outrage in the royal room in which they had been staying.
"They intend for the theocracy to focus on Ains-sama's campaign in the Argland Council State. This could become a major setback for Ains-sama if we don't do anything about it. We should first inform him–" Shaltear said but then she looked at Solution who was glaring at her and bit her lips.
She knew very well the real reason she came to the Sloane Theocracy for.
"I will inform Ains-sama, however... I think having a diplomatic meeting with Black Scripture would be more beneficial".
!!!
"You mean... we should work together with Black Scripture?" Albedo hissed with a rising aura.
"Why shouldn't we? Isn't Osiris a powerful enemy we have in common?~ we must not forget Ains-sama's objectives in this world. After Osiris is taken down, a weakened Sloane Theocray should be easy to conquer".
Solution's words left no room for argument, but they left Shaltear in deep thought.
'What are you planning, Epsilon...?'
**
**
I know my loyalty to the Supreme Beings is undying. I, Shaltear Bloodfallen, was created by Peroroncino-sama and appointed as a floor guardian due to my overwhelming strength, it was my greatest honour. Since Peroroncino-sama has gone missing, Ains-sama has become my de-facto master and I have lived to serve and protect Nazarick.
But I failed miserably.
In my absence Nazarick was destroyed by Osiris; in the only footage we could retain of the incident, the image of that gigantic golden fox was firmly engraved in my mind.
'That fox is the one I must kill' I thought I had engraved this conviction in my mind; I deeply blamed Albedo for this failure, even if I had to remain silent about it.
Ains-sama was always so kind that even in his rage he didn't wish to do something so vain like blame-shifting. Such a kind Ains-sama, when I have such a wonderful master... why can't I stop thinking about HIM!?
Osiris... Osiris... Osiris' blood!
From the moment I took a sip of the accursed blood from a god, I was a goner... I could no longer stop myself. The desire and the hunger corroded my mind like a vicious parasite that wouldn't allow me peace.
No other blood could sate my hunger any longer.
That's why when Solution proposed to launch an offensive against him, I didn't decline. No, I would make sure to convince Ains-sama if necessary that this offensive was necessary!
I had no other way to get closer to him, but even now that we were in the Sloane Theocracy it would not be easy to track him.
That's what I thought, to find him was easy... to get his blood would be my challenge.
**
**
I left Haku to take care of her end, I had no doubt she would defeat and perhaps even massacre that Zesshi girl for disrespecting me, given her nature. So I didn't have to worry about Black Scripture discovering anything.
Rather than stick around unnecessarily I entered Limbo to prevent another annoying array from tracing my location and headed to the south where I was expecting to meet a certain troublemaker.
"Ugh..."
I didn't have any problems tracking her.
In all of the theocracy, she was the only one emitting this time aura. When I arrived she was sitting lazily in the hall of a massive mansion. She yawned and then looked at me and giggled as if happy to see my arrival. It would be a cute scene if not for the fact that hideous hands imbued with darkness were tearing apart corpses and sinking them into shadow as she essentially devoured them whole.
Like a beast, no wonder she called herself 'Nightmare'.
"Kurumi" I greeted.
"Ray-san~ how have you been? I didn't think you would come to visit me so soon" She stood up and bowed courtly like a noble lady. She spoke as one, behaved as one... but didn't eat as one.
"I heard you had some perchances..." I mumbled, originally I thought this task would be tough for her but her surroundings didn't look like she had any problems like Haku had said.
"Nothing too strenuous... I died a couple of times trying to do your bidding~" She taped two fingers on my chest playfully as if death wasn't such a big deal.
More than doing my bidding, it was as if she was having a lot of fun.
"How many people have you killed?".
"Who knows?~ but I have gotten years' worth of time. I have killed lots thanks to you, Ray-san".
I didn't like the way she phrased it.
After she finished her 'meal', her shadow expanded and wrapped the ground and from it bodies began to appear... they were the slaves she had saved, although that was clearly not her primary objective, but instead a byproduct. Hundreds of them, all unconscious.
"This is my end of the deal".
I used the moonlight mist and took all the slaves inside in one go while mentally apologising to Lucilla and the girls who surely weren't expecting such a huge batch.
"Do you know the names of the aristocrats whom you devoured?" I asked as we had kept track of them for diplomatic purposes.
The girl tilted her head to the side cutely as if confused, "You never told me to do such a thing, Ray-san".
I face-palmed, "Okay, there is no problem... thank you, Kurumi".
"You are very welcome~" She caressed my face longingly, "What about my end of the deal?".
I knew what she wanted in exchange and she was very far back in a massive queue of people who were expecting me to resume my therapies, starting from that woman who was getting rather impatient I even had to give her a priority that even my wives and pets didn't have.
"I am busy now, Kurumi. But once I have some time I'll promise you–"
Her countenance fell, unhappy. The hand that had been resting on my chest pinched a bit in a sign of disapproval.
"But that's a shallow promise, Ray-san... there are so many customers craving your touch... how do I know I have priority? You must give me something now to keep me quiet" She approached me, her lips ever so close.
I gulped a mouthful, not because I was nervous but because of what she was expecting of me.
"Something like what...?" I could hardly decline her since she alone had covered more area than the five princesses; I had no idea how she pulled this out with her powers but she did and now I owed her.
I could choose to be a hooligan, but that wouldn't be me.
"I don't know... that's up to you. Give me something to boost my confidence in you~".
As her lips closed in, Kurumi looked at me expectantly. I sighed and pressed her shoulders, turning her around.
!!!
"E-Eh?".
"I'll give you a shoulder massage".
"..."