Chapter 44: A Dishonorable Wardrobe Crisis!!

The sixth floor of Nazarick was a sprawling forest, dense with towering trees stretching endlessly under a blue sky. It felt like an untamed wilderness, yet it was undeniably a layer of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. The largest floor by area, its crisp air made it an inviting place to linger.

Thus, many brought from outside Nazarick lived here. A village even existed—underground, indoors, yet a village. The sixth floor's vastness was no joke.

Residents included dryads and forest spirits, brought by Ainz, tending fields. Lizardmen, trained by Cocytus—ten elite warriors—drilled alongside Hamsuke. And one more group.

The sixth floor, dubbed "Jungle," was the domain of the dark elf twins, Aura and Mare, who lived in a home carved from a massive tree. There, elf maids attended them.

Three elf women, once slaves, had endured unimaginable horrors. Hopeless days ended when their master invaded Nazarick, only to be swiftly killed as Hamsuke's sparring partner. Left as empty shells, devoid of hostility, they were saved by the whims of Nazarick's great ones.

Their lives spared, their severed ears restored, their loyalty skyrocketed beyond the heavens.

Now, forgetting their slave days, their purpose was serving Nazarick, tending to Aura and Mare, and raising them into fine gentleman and lady. Occasionally, their zeal was… a tad bothersome. But Ainz had assigned them for the twins' upbringing, so refusal wasn't an option.

Their days brimmed with fulfillment—until an anomaly struck.

It began when Aura and Mare bolted out at dawn, before the sun fully rose. Uninformed of the reason but told they'd return soon, the maids started breakfast preparations. Serving delicious meals to their beloved Aura-sama and Mare-sama was a core joy.

"I'm back," Mare called.

"Welcome home!" the three elf maids chorused, overjoyed at their master's return.

Their adorable masters, greeting insignificant beings like them, were treasures. Today's breakfast was crafted with love. They'd awaited Mare-sama's return eagerly. Where was Aura-sama? Her hair still needed brushing.

So many words to say, but voicing them would be overbearing. They held back, determined to serve Mare-sama with devotion for a fulfilling day.

But…

"Um… please prepare a bath," Mare said. "And some clothes, too."

"Yes, understood," a maid replied. "By the way… who is that?"

Mare hadn't returned alone. It wasn't Aura.

"Thanks to Mare-sama's kindness, I'll be staying briefly," the stranger said.

It was a being they'd never seen since joining Nazarick. Rumors spoke of humans in deeper floors, but none had ever come this far. To see this here?

"He's my guest," Mare said.

The figure bowed gracefully.

It was a human man.

"This is delicious!" the man said. "Ingredients from Nazarick reach my mansion in E-Rantel, but nothing like this. The freshness, the setting—it's perfect."

So, our cooking doesn't matter, just the ingredients? The elf maids served, hiding their irritation, far from joy, struggling to stay neutral.

"Really?" Mare said. "This is normal for us."

"Trying something different might show you how great your meals are," the man said. "Mare-sama."

"But Ainz-sama…" Mare hesitated.

"Ainz-sama wouldn't mind you exploring," the man said. "Though, leaving precious Mare-sama alone might worry him. A tough call."

"We're tasked with Mare-sama's education," a maid snapped. "Mind your words."

"My apologies," the man said.

This brazen pervert dared dine with Mare-sama. An enemy trying to steal him away.

No matter their cold glares, he kept a serene smile. Never trust him—he'd devour them to the bone. A human man, after all.

Yet Mare chatted warmly, relaxed, even smiling naturally—unlike the slight tension when with the maids. Sure, he looked decent, but why show him such a face? A rude, disloyal creep deserved a million lashes.

All three maids shared the same thought: Get out now. Yet he showed no sign of leaving, casually sipping tea with Mare-sama.

Usually, Mare-sama left after breakfast, but now he lingered, chatting with this pervert. Why him when the maids were right here?

Unable to bear it, one maid left to clear empty plates, praying he'd be gone when she returned.

"!?"

(Don't make a sound.)

The moment she reached a blind spot, a strong hand clamped her mouth. She froze, dropping the plates, but no crash came. Somehow, she was in the kitchen's depths.

(I'm speaking via magic. I'll release you, but don't speak. Think, and I'll hear. Understood?)

She nodded dumbly. His words were absolute.

The one restraining her was the supreme ruler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick: Ainz-sama.

Ainz had finished expedition preparations. Only a send-off ceremony remained, which Albedo was finalizing for tonight. With time to spare, he felt restless, like a child before a field trip, unable to focus.

He decided to visit the Guardians. He'd be away for a while, so seeing them now felt right. He'd just left Cocytus on the fifth floor. Shalltear was joining the expedition, so no need there. Demiurge was away.

That left Aura and Mare. Not wanting to interrupt their meal, Ainz timed his sixth-floor visit for after breakfast. If they were eating, they'd prioritize him over food—unfair to growing twins. So, he cloaked himself to check, ever considerate.

Peeking in, his Emotional Suppression triggered.

Why was that man from E-Rantel here? A trivial question.

Calmed by Emotional Suppression, he looked again.

It triggered again.

Forcing calm, he tried once more.

It triggered again.

Emotional Suppression flattened his emotions, but didn't build tolerance. Each glance shook him deeply, nearly triggering it just recalling the sight. Burying his feelings, he questioned the elf maid.

(Why is he dressed like that?!)

Not calm at all.

The trembling maid couldn't speak, but Ainz, usually attentive, was too rattled to notice.

(Wha…)

(What!? Is he actually insane?!)

(N-No! Mare-sama lent him the clothes. He insisted on his own wardrobe. We suggested others, even Aura-sama's, but he refused.)

(Mare…?!)

The human man wore Mare's clothes!

Mare, forced into feminine attire by his creator's tastes despite being a boy. A grown man couldn't fit a ten-year-old's clothes, but Nazarick's enchanted garments—especially a Floor Guardian's—adjusted perfectly, cruelly so.

He wore a frilly blouse, a ruffled bolero, and a fluffy skirt. White and pink, adorable on Mare, but on a rugged adult man? A nightmare.

Ainz's Emotional Suppression was justified.

The maid, interrogated by Ainz, trembled. They'd chosen the outfit—not Mare specifically, just from his wardrobe. Unisex options existed, but they picked the girliest clothes for revenge against this man tempting Mare-sama. No longer pure elves, they'd been corrupted by Nazarick's villainy.

They planned to mock him, but Mare's "It fits, great!" ruined it. If he'd joined the jest, their revenge would've landed. Why did this man wear it without protest? Because he's a pervert, obviously.

If only they could scream to Ainz: He's a pervert!

But with Ainz's hollow eyes staring into the void, what could they say?

"Nabe-sama? No, I'm unharmed. I just finished eating with Mare-sama. Yes, enlightening conversation. Before I go, since I'm visiting Nazarick, I'll stop by the Great Library—no, the Ancient Library, thank you. I'll borrow some books. No, I won't trouble you to return them…"

The man's voice echoed from the dining hall.

"Eek!" the maid squeaked, earning Ainz's glare. Even Guardians would've yelped at the emotional storm radiating from him.

(Never let him walk around like that. Absolute order. Understood?)

(Y-Yes, sir. But borrowing Aura-sama's clothes… and Mare-sama's…)

(Damn it! I curse you, Chagama-san… Sebas has male servants. I'll arrange it. Get the clothes later.)

(As you command.)

(Good. Tell no one I was here. Not even Mare.)

Ainz vanished as he came.

The maid stood alone, legs shaky but refusing to dirty her uniform. She forced herself back to the dining hall.

"That was quick," a colleague said, puzzled.

It felt slow, but Ainz's time-stop magic hid the truth. No time to dawdle—she had to fulfill Ainz-sama's decree. Trouble was, she had little right or means to leave the sixth floor.

"Mare-sama," she said, "when escorting him to the Ancient Library, shouldn't he change? Others might be startled."

"Huh? This won't do?" Mare asked, surprised.

Her colleagues' silent protests—Let him wander and be ridiculed!—met her silent retort: Shut up! He's changing!

She wanted to humiliate him too, but Ainz's command was absolute.

"It looks fine, but it might shock others. Could we borrow clothes from Sebas-sama's male servants?"

"Um… Sebas isn't here… Is that okay?" Mare asked.

She couldn't say Ainz had arranged it. Sweat poured from her brow, cheeks, back, and sides as she recalled Ainz's intensity.

Her colleagues, sensing her distress, chimed in: It suits him, but it's too luxurious for him. Their support swayed Mare.

"Okay," Mare said. "Let's go together."

"No, no! Let me accompany him! For my growth, please allow me the honor of walking glorious Nazarick with you, Mare-sama!"

Ainz's order forbade letting him roam like that. Leaving to change would defeat the purpose.

"Some might envy me wearing Mare-sama's clothes," the man added.

"No way…" Mare said.

Her desperate persuasion worked. Mare took one maid to the ninth floor.

Moments after they left, a brown-haired elf maid, her face openly stern, spoke.

"Hey, you. Stand up."

The man raised an eyebrow.

Meanwhile, Aura was locked in a pillow fight with Shalltear, escalating to pillow swordplay—irrelevant, but notable.