Chapter 29: A VIP in Distress: Bonds Tested and Hearts Exposed

Lupusregina's accident left Solution frozen in shock. With Solution immobilized, the young master took charge, barking orders for a bath.

"Everyone, prepare a bath at once! Our guardian goddess from Carne Village, Lupusregina-sama, has had an… incident and soiled her clothes! Hurry!"

Lupusregina lay face-down on the guest room bed, fresh from a bath, her clean clothes crisp but her mood sour. "I wanna go back to Carne Village…" she muttered, like a country girl scarred by the city's harsh lessons. "Albedo-sama was terrifying. So intense. I was totally freaked out."

"Cheer up, Lupu," Solution soothed, not out of sisterly love but to gather ammunition for future teasing.

"How do you live with that guy, So-chan? He's pure evil!" Lupusregina groaned.

"Brother's gentle as long as you don't badmouth Albedo-sama. Though, deep down, he's probably rotten," Solution replied.

"That's not okay!" Lupusregina protested.

"Is it?" Solution shrugged.

Nazarick was a den of villains, and opinions on who was "better" varied, but some found the young master appealing. "Albedo-sama cherishes him, and Demiurge-sama seems quite invested too," Solution added.

"Demiurge-sama!?" Lupusregina gasped.

Speak of the devil, and he appears.

"I hear you've mastered reading and writing sacred scripts," Demiurge said.

"I'm honored. The magical language posed no comprehension issues. The abundance of ideograms and traditional expressions took some effort," the young master replied, kneeling alongside Lupusregina and Solution, who inwardly puzzled over his stilted speech.

Demiurge gave a small nod of approval. "There's a slight awkwardness, but it's passable. Have you learned to speak as well? One note: 'habitual' is better than 'traditional' here."

"My thanks for the correction," the young master said.

In this world, language was enchanted, translating into Japanese—or any known tongue—for the listener. Ainz called it a "translation konjac." The young master's words were undeniably Japanese.

"Likely thanks to Shalltear's tutelage," Demiurge mused.

"Her reading lessons were most enlightening," the young master agreed, averting his eyes. Demiurge did the same. Solution stared at the floor, while Lupusregina muttered, "Shalltear-sama teaching Japanese?"

"Your linguistic skills are sufficient. Now for formal education." Demiurge dropped a stack of thick tomes onto the desk, each as wide as Lupusregina's outstretched fingers, not from thick paper but sheer page count—roughly 5,000 pages per book.

"According to Death Beast Heavenly Suzaku's notes, these take six years to master," Demiurge said, referring to Ainz Ooal Gown's eldest guild member, a real-world professor. "But we don't have that time. My mission ends in six months at most, one month at least. Read them all and submit a report. You can do it, yes?"

Lupusregina shuddered. Impossible. Even sixty years wouldn't suffice. Peeking at a page crammed with tiny text made her dizzy. Six years' work in a month? Demiurge was a demon—literally.

"…Assuming an industrial model, predict population dynamics and draft an urban plan?" the young master ventured.

Lupusregina gaped, confused by his incantation. Demiurge's smile widened. "Impressive grasp from a glance."

"Writing a report may take time. An oral presentation instead?" the young master asked.

"You're saying you can do it?"

"No need for a month. Ten days will do."

Unbeknownst to him, his mind was extraordinary, starved from years of restricted information. Everything—sights, sounds, freedom—was thrilling, absorbed voraciously. Even when he seemed idle, his brain churned ceaselessly. Demiurge's refined knowledge was a treasure he regretted rejecting before, now eager to devour.

"Reliable. I expect great things," Demiurge said, departing reluctantly after his busy visit.

"You actually understand that stuff?" Lupusregina asked, staring at him like he was a monster.

"Not yet. That's why I'll learn," he replied, eyes gleaming as he grabbed a book, only to falter. "…Heavy."

"Is he, like, a big deal?" Lupusregina whispered.

"Demiurge-sama thinks so," Solution replied, keeping her own ambitions secret.

"Plus, he's handsome, and his blood's supposedly delicious. Shalltear-sama's smitten, wants to claim him. Albedo-sama's refusing, though."

"Shalltear-sama!?" Lupusregina exclaimed.

Night fell—vampire time.

"By Ainz-sama's decree, I'm to join his expedition! Praise my honor!" Shalltear declared, hands on her slim waist, chest puffed out. Without Ainz present, she skipped padding her modest bust. Still, she was adorable, dressed in a sexy mini-bustier dress, far easier to move in—or remove—than a ball gown.

"Sorry, but I won't be around for a while. So today, I'll shower you with tons of love♡," she purred.

"…Thank you," the young master said.

"Kufu, you could be more excited!" Shalltear teased.

Their relationship persisted post-reading lessons. He'd hinted at ending it, but Shalltear flashed a document he'd written, saying, "Really? I could claim you with this. Pitying Albedo, I won't, but in her absence, you obey me." Her cunning was unmatched.

"Let's go!" She leapt into his arms, wrapping hers around his neck, licking his jaw, pointing to his bedroom.

"How about Solution joins us?" Shalltear offered.

"A kind offer, but I have matters with Lupusregina," Solution declined.

"Lupusregina?"

"The same, my lady," Lupusregina echoed.

"Hmm… Well, enjoy yourselves. The night's long," Shalltear said, smirking lasciviously as she was carried off.

The Pleiades sisters remained. "What's going on?" Lupusregina asked.

"You don't need to know," Solution snapped, leaving.

"Where're you going?"

"Don't follow!"

"You said not to follow, but that just makes me curious!" Lupusregina trailed Solution.

"Haa… Doing it fully clothed? You're naughty," Shalltear's voice echoed.

"Shalltear-sama?" Lupusregina whispered.

"Shh! No noise, no light," Solution hissed.

"Stick out that tongue and lick properly. My pussy's delicious, right? Drink every drop. I'll lick your cock too… Ahh…" Shalltear moaned.

"She's sitting on his face…" Solution muttered. "Look how big he's getting."

"What are they doing!?" Lupusregina squeaked.

"This is called face-sitting. My butt's soft, your licking's amazing, and we're both happy♪" Shalltear cooed.

A peephole, usually sealed, went unnoticed by the room's occupant. Shalltear, however, spotted Solution and winked.

"Are they… mating!?" Lupusregina gasped.

"It's not dogs or cats—call it sex," Solution corrected.

"Sex… But Shalltear-sama's a candidate for Ainz-sama's consort. Does he know?"

"What're you on about? She plays with her kin all the time."

"Right… True," Lupusregina conceded.

"Ahh… Your cock feels so good. Say you love me, that I'm the best. Don't worry, only we know. I really like you too♡," Shalltear purred.

"Shalltear-sama's got him wrapped around her finger," Solution said.

"Wow…" Lupusregina breathed.

"You're still here? You get it, so leave," Solution urged.

"Sure, but it's too intriguing!"

"You're lewd."

"You're the lewd one, peeping so boldly!"

"Quiet!" Their eyes met Shalltear's through the peephole. She flashed a thumbs-down, unseen by the young master.

"Yikes! Let's go, or Shalltear-sama will scold us," Solution whispered.

"Got it," Lupusregina agreed.

They fled as Shalltear's cries continued: "No, not there! It won't fit… Ohh, I'm feeling it anyway!"

"He's gotta be important, right?" Lupusregina asked.

"Definitely. Albedo-sama set up this mansion for him. And that room you met him in? Ainz-sama designed it," Solution revealed.

"Ainz-sama…" Lupusregina paled, realizing the gravity of nearly killing someone cherished by Albedo, the Guardians, and even Ainz.

"About what you did? He probably doesn't care," Solution said.

"He said that, but I half-killed him! He's gotta hate me!" Lupusregina wailed.

"Not him," Solution assured.

"So-chaaan!" Lupusregina clung to her.

"Ugh, fine. I'll ask him," Solution relented.

Shalltear stayed until dawn, leaving the young master to rise near noon, lounging after a naked lunch. Solution arrived, noting Albedo's visit in two days meant tomorrow was abstinence day. But first, she honored her promise to Lupusregina.

"Do you dislike Lupu?" she asked.

"What brought this on?" he replied.

"After yesterday, and you barely spoke today."

"Yesterday was Shalltear-sama's time, and today we only exchanged morning greetings. I don't mind her, nor do I dislike her. Narberal-sama's attack was worse."

Lupusregina had left him with fifteen minutes to live, but Narberal's chest punch crushed his sternum, nearly fatal without Ainz's intervention.

"Then do you like her?" Solution pressed.

"Too soon for that. Like or dislike? Neither."

"Then what?"

"No interest."

"Wow…" Solution muttered.

Love and hate were close; indifference was love's true opposite.

"If I disliked her, I'd do something drastic—like banishing her from Nazarick," he said.

Solution gasped. Banishment was every Nazarick servant's worst nightmare, worse than death by Ainz's hand.

"Ainz-sama would never allow that!" she protested.

"Exactly. He loves Lupusregina-sama, Albedo-sama, Shalltear-sama, Demiurge-sama, Narberal-sama, and you, Solution. All of Nazarick."

"Why no honorific for me!?" she huffed.

"A sign of affection," he teased.

"Ugh, fine," she conceded, recognizing his romance novel-inspired rhetoric.

"Ainz-sama loves all of Nazarick. Could he weigh Lupusregina-sama against it? If so, which way would the scales tip? He's forgiving—one or two mistakes, even five or six. But would Albedo-sama forgive? Demiurge-sama? If Lupusregina-sama's actions threatened Nazarick, despite Ainz-sama's love, what then? You know her impulsiveness, Solution. Manipulating her is easy. The quickest way? Have her kill me brutally in front of Albedo-sama."

"You… wouldn't, right?" Solution asked, hearing a crack in her worldview.

"Nope. No time or interest," he said, his face bitter. He could, but wouldn't—didn't want to. It reminded him of Rana's old tricks, which he loathed mimicking.

"Albedo-sama wouldn't involve me in such schemes, and I doubt she'd even think of it," he added.

"What about Lupu's looks? She's my sister, quite beautiful," Solution probed.

"A passionate beauty, unseen in the kingdom."

"Her personality?"

"Honest, straightforward. She doesn't dwell on the past. I find that admirable."

"Then why say you're not interested?"

"You know why. Demiurge-sama's books come first. No room for anything else."

Solution sighed. He's such an idiot.

"It's not 'no interest'—you're just too absorbed in something else," she corrected.

"Isn't that the same thing?"

"No!"

He'd learned much, but remained clueless where it mattered. "That's what Albedo-sama meant by tact," she said.

"Ugh," he clutched his chest.

Solution giggled. He didn't dislike Lupusregina; he was just preoccupied with Demiurge's task. Time would resolve Lupusregina's worries. Her promise fulfilled, Solution bared her chest and hugged him.

"Last night was fun with Shalltear-sama, but you must've missed some chest action. Enjoy mine today♡," she purred, cradling his head as he nuzzled her, sipping her special "Solution juice." He'll need tasty, nutritious milk for what's coming.

Lupusregina returned to her room, unable to hear the full conversation. The second "no interest" broke her, and she fled. Alone, the room echoed with the chattering of her teeth, clenched in frustration.