บท 73: Azazel's origin
Ainz couldn't help but feel anxious as he walked through the halls of Nazarick. Azazel had called him to the throne room to have a talk, which caused his imagination to run wild. Unfortunately, Azazel hadn't given him any hints about what this was about, so it made him rather nervous as he imagined all kinds of things, each of which was worse than the last.
It also reminded him of how he had told Azazel that he wanted to talk to him only to do it after the mission was over. At that time Azazel had to be quite anxious as well. It was quite ironic that he was now subjugated to the same feeling he had put the angel under.
It felt like he had become the NPC who was being called by the Supreme Being of Nazarick, especially with Ainz being 'ordered' to meet him in the throne room... Though, it was rather strange that Azazel called him to the throne room, wasn't it? Wouldn't it be usually the king to call his subjects to come before the throne? He could imagine that it was a no-go for someone to call in the ruler instead of the other way around, right?
No- now that he was thinking about it, it was definitely strange for him to be called like this! Although he didn't really like the position of the 'Supreme Being', he was still the guild master and de facto ruler of this tomb, so why did he feel like he was about to be exiled??
His emotional dampener kicked in as the paranoia was about to spiral, making him calm down to a reasonable degree. Sadly the emotional dampener didn't erase emotions completely and just brought it in, so even though he wouldn't get a panic attack, he could still feel perpetually anxious, which wasn't that fun.
The homunculus maid pushed open the throne doors for him, revealing the long throne hall with the pillars decorating both sides. Next to the throne stood the prince of Nazarick. Somehow Ainz expected the angel to sit on it with his followers on the side to reveal his rebellion and his takeover of the tomb.
Ainz approached the throne with a steady pace, the staff he was holding- not the guild weapon- made a clinking sound as he walked towards the prince, who hadn't even realized he was approaching. He had a deep frown on his face and looked at the ground as if to inspect it.
The way he held his chin in thought made Ainz painfully aware of how ingrained this extraordinary bearing was in every facet of the prince's existence. Just simply standing there made him look like an elegant scholar analyzing some sophisticated mystery. Either way, the lone figure of the prince didn't scream rebellion and Ainz should stop thinking about him in this way.
Azazel had been nothing but understanding and helpful since coming to the New World. Without him, he would be going completely blind in Demiurge's and Albedo's plan to conquer the world. Hell, he wouldn't even realize that they were trying to conquer the world!
Without a change of expression -not that he could change his expression-, he walked past the prince to sit down on the throne. "Azazel." He finally called out with the most regal voice he could muster as he leaned into the seat, while the prince finally looked at him.
"Why did you call me here?" "Why didn't you teleport here?" They spoke at the same time.
"What?" Ainz uttered a bit dumbfounded.
"Why didn't you teleport here?" Azazel asked again, making Ainz curse internally for asking instinctively.
With a cough, Ainz waved his hand. "Doesn't matter." He simply said and hoped the angel would just leave it at that. He certainly couldn't confess that he panicked and wanted to use the walk to calm his mind and think about what this was about, right?
Azazel opened his mouth with the corners of his mouth twitching slightly. For some reason, Ainz tensed up as he mentally prepared himself for a pointed question or a remark that would leave him embarrassed, awkward, anxious, or frustrated. Even though he didn't have one, he held his breath.
Unexpectedly instead of a pointed question or a comment, he just coughed like he was suppressing some teasing remark. "Right. You're right." He simply said while nodding his head. "I have something important to tell you." After saying that, Azazel's demeanor changed completely. His face was solemn and his eyes were sharp unlike what the angel would usually look like. He could count the numbers on one hand when he adopted the seriousness that he displayed at this moment.
It wasn't even his usual demeanor befitting for royalty. No, it felt like he was standing in front of Gazef again just before he rode into battle. Azazel wasn't the prince right now, he was a general about to fight to the death with his enemy. "It is coming soon."
"...What?" That short sentence was certainly not enough to clear up anything. It was so painfully vague that one could have said it in almost any situation. His remark seemed to make the prince recognize that he didn't reveal much or rather he didn't reveal any information.
"You know. It's coming and I would like to request Nazarick's full support in this. If you have any information about what we can do then the better. We should prepare as soon as possible. I'm not sure when it will arrive, but I don't want to wait another second, better yet-"
"Timeout," Ainz called out without caring how crude his words were going to be and how ignorant it made him look since Azazel was the only one around at that moment. "What are you talking about? What is coming?" Azazel's frown deepened at his question, making Ainz wonder if he had missed the latest report about something so significant that Azazel wanted the entirety of Nazarick to work on this.
Although he wasn't good at delegating their resources, he did have some experience in organizing raids. He knew that there were several things that needed attention and they were already spread thin. If everyone had to stop whatever they were doing for- whatever Azazel was planning, it didn't seem like a good idea. Of course, if the situation was dire enough everything could be relocated and prioritized.
To be honest, if Albedo, Demiurge, or Azazel said that this needed their utmost attention and support from the entire tomb, he wouldn't be the one to stand in their way. In fact, Azazel wouldn't even need to inform him and just send him the report as he would have just signed it. They were smarter than he was and he didn't want his incompetence to sabotage their plans.
"You know, what Nazarick had saved me from, Yggdrasil, the World Tree," Azazel emphasized but it only caused Ainz to blank out. We had saved him from Yggdrasil? How would that be possible? The world tree wasn't something that could be interacted with, unlike any other NPC.
Certainly, in the lore, it held significant importance, especially concerning World Enemies and as the background setting, but there was no indication that it had some sort of agency besides some hints that other players blew out of proportions and weaved it into all kinds of wild theories that held less ground than a castle in the air.
"We saved you from Yggdrasil?" He muttered only to regret it immediately afterward with the way Azazel's frown deepened and looked at him strangely. Although he had conversed with the prince much more leisurely, he shouldn't be overdoing it, and certainly not if the topic concerned Azazel's background.
What if this little tidbit was the reason why the prince remained loyal? At least, it sounded like it held significant relevance to his origin. It also implied that, unlike the other NPCs, he didn't think that Ainz and his friends had created him… which put up the question of what we were to him. Were we his saviors to whom he was indebted for his life, and would their intentions be relevant to him?
Would he still remain loyal if we had never the intention of saving him- "Ah, right. Hermorah probably hadn't revealed it to you." Azazel began as he realized his lack of knowledge. "He had feared that the more he talked about it, the higher the chance of outside manipulation would be. It seemed like he hadn't even told you and just kept it between the two of us. Though since it came to this, it's best to clue you in." He explained leaving Ainz a bit overwhelmed.
"Outside… manipulation?" Ainz questioned as he thought about the meaning of it. He wasn't sure but there was a sneaking suspicion building up inside him.
"Yes, it seemed like there were forces that wanted to change me, my body, and even my mind. If it hadn't been for his intervention, I might not be the same as I was." Azazel revealed, causing Ainz's heart to sink. He knew what Hermorah was like and the changing of Azazel's character had always been something that bothered his friend. He had taken it rather personally and had been the cause of some conflicts even months after the incident.
Despite his undead body, he couldn't help but gulp heavily. "What- what kind of forces did he mean? Did he ever tell you who he was talking about?" Fortunately, the prince shook his head.
"No, he just described them as harem-loving weaboos. Either way, those forces aren't important anymore and I have the feeling that I am out of their reach now. What is important is Yggdrasil and his imminent arrival. I know I am asking for a lot, but-" Ainz raised his hand, interrupting the other.
"What do mean with Yggdrasil's arrival is imminent?" How could a tree arrive anywhere? From what he knew about trees that weren't treants, they were literally rooted to the spot where their seedling was placed. Of course, they were talking about the World Tree, so it was to be expected that it could do things that shouldn't be possible, but he still couldn't come to terms with the idea that it would… arrive here.
As for whether the tree truly existed… he and his entire guild were in a New World, weren't they? It didn't take any effort to convince him that it- that everything from the game truly existed.
"It's trying to find a way to this reality. I felt its presence, it was already able to create a connection between the two realities." Azazel explained anxiously, but Ainz found it hard to wrap his head around what would happen if this tree which leaves were worlds arrived in this one. Would it just crush this world with its appearance?
And what did it imply that Yggdrasil was truly looking for Azazel? Didn't that make his background settings real? Ainz knew that everyone in Nazarick felt like what they had written was real, but it usually was just subject to experiences, emotions, and character traits.
Did writing Azazel's setting truly create a feud with a tree that existed since the conception of time and space, from the beginning of entire worlds? What the hell did Hermorah write into his settings??
Ainz tried to focus on something since he could feel himself spiraling down. He would get a panic attack soon if he thought about the implications of his words any longer.
"How can you feel its presence- No, wait. Since you know I am not informed, how about you explain from the start?" Ainz asked, making Azazel take a deep breath to calm himself, slightly stepping back and straightening his posture as he hadn't realized that he leaned forward in his anxiety. This was probably the most distraught he had seen the angel.
Although it came at such a dire situation and at the expense of Azazel, it was soothing to see that even the perfect prince had his moments of weakness. Ainz felt bad for feeling that way, but he couldn't deny that it eased him somewhat. He wanted to stand up and point at him while shouting for the NPCs to hear that even he was fallible and so could Ainz be with flaws.
"Right, sorry. I am just anxious for what is to come." He confessed, seemingly not at all worried about how he would come across to Ainz. "When Hermorah guided my existence from the ether and allowed me to reform myself in the depths of the tomb, he had inadvertently saved me from the World Tree's pursuit through the axis of fate…" Azazel began and Ainz could already tell that he wouldn't understand most of it.
However, he would do his best to listen to what Hermorah had added to Azazel's background and decide what to do then. Just going with the flow was something he had already mastered by now.
"With the protection of the tomb's anti-divination, it was able to muddy the waters, but it obviously couldn't keep away the World Tree's perception forever. So, he gave me this." Just as he said it, he unsheathed his sword, causing it to chime in an ethereal tone that caused the tomb to tremble slightly as if it was resonating with it.
"This sword allowed me to hide from its watchful gaze. It's an otherworldly sword from an unknown reality, allowing its user to separate himself from the rest of the world by cutting the concepts themselves. If I hid in some corner of the world, no one would be able to find me even Yggdrasil wouldn't be able to. Of course, it doesn't make me completely invisible when I actively attract someone's attention. When I activated [Celestial Radiance], my aura leaked out and apparently, it was strong enough to attract the World Tree's attention."
The item that gave him international fame by clearing the sky to a starry one seemed to have gained him the attention across worlds. However, what he said didn't really explain why the World Tree was hostile to Azazel. As if he sensed his doubt, he continued to explain. "During my conception, before I was created as an NPC-" How could he be conceived before being created?
"-the World Tree instinctively knew I was a threat if I grew in power inside its realm. To prevent my rise and its eventual enslavement, it tried to nip me in the bud. However, it wasn't able to kill me as my powers were too vast when I was born, so it opted to take away my powers and abilities. It tried to cripple me before sending its minions out to kill me for good."
If it could cripple him, why not kill him after he took away his powers?
"It wouldn't have been able to kill me since my soul had already become part of the world. It only really could do something when I was a mere concept of fate, future, and potential, but then I was already able to superimpose its rules."
"Interesting." Ainz muttered as he rubbed his chin, while internally thinking 'Shit's confusing!' Wait, why did he even explain it without being prompted, could he read his mind?! He asked himself for the nth time during his many conversations with the prince since coming to the New World.
"After that- well I already told you, Hermorah found me and gave me a chance to live. Although I had to remain in the halls of Nazarick in fear of Yggdrasil finding me, it was the best that could have happened to me at that time." He finished his explanation, while Ainz had a sense of realization. Although it was rather vague, he remembered Hermorah being somewhat smug for a couple of weeks though no one had been able to tell why. It was also around the time, he had finished creating the divine sword Azazel was carrying.
"We need to find where it's trying to enter this world next. The previous attempt was only probing, but if it decides to go all out, we won't be able to react in time if we aren't prepared. I want to have the entire tomb on high alert and search for any clues that reveal its next attempt. If we can find it in time, I can close it and even analyze how it's trying to enter and earn us some time by preventing its methods."
Ainz nodded though his mind was still a bit chaotic. To be honest, he thought Azazel would continue to speak about how the other guild mates had changed him, but once he thought about it, it wouldn't make sense for Azazel to know about it. They didn't change much of his background setting besides him having flirted and pursued the women of Nazarick.
It shouldn't be a surprise that he wouldn't talk about their changes as most of what they changed was turning him into an extremely lustful angel that couldn't even go without having sex for a week. Just a short period without fulfilling his desires would be mental torture.
Honestly, most of his mates not only wrote it to spite Hermorah but also because they weren't getting any. Azazel was supposed to be incredibly powerful, intelligent, and diligent with the only thing screwing him over being the indulgence of his lust, turning him into a perverted slacker. Of course, there was also what they changed about his view of Albedo since they knew it would fuck with Hermorah the most.
Strangely, since arriving in the New Word, he hadn't seen him slacking much. He heard that... he did the deed sometimes, but it wasn't to the point of affecting his work, right? His misunderstanding with Albedo had been cleared as well, which honestly made him question how much of this setting ended up sticking around. Or perhaps this was also part of Hermorah's input that turned their changes void.
He could already imagined how Hermorah depicted the scene of them changing Azazel only for him to come up with something that completely negated everything. Perhaps, this was the reason why Azazel was able to make up with Albedo and seemed to be unfazed by his desires.
He was so deep in his thoughts that Azazel had seemingly misinterpreted his silence, "Of course, if you think the risk is too great, I will draw its attention away from this world. It should leave you and the others alone if it's occupied with chasing my tail-"
Ainz waved his hand before grasping Azazel's shoulder. "Don't be ridiculous. This tomb is your home and we are... your family. You won't have to go through it alone." Azazel looked stunned for a moment before lifting him in a bone-crushing hug, spinning for a moment as Ainz didn't shout like a little girl.
"Azazel, stop!" He called out before being swiftly placed on the sweet stable ground.
"Thanks, I appreciate it a lot." Azazel once again asked, causing Ainz to wave his hand again as nonchalantly as he could without losing his balance as everything spun.
"Right." Ainz began as he turned his attention back to what it meant for them. "We need to prepare... What do you have in mind?" He set anything concerning the implications of background settings turning into reality and Azazel's evidently extraordinary history and change of character aside. The most urgent was how they could deal with this threat of apocalyptic scales.
"I already have Yuri, Aneko, Sueko, and Tatsumaki who are each working on something that will widen our information net across the continent. With the others, Sebas's and Demiurge's group as well as the hidden tasks from the Pleiades and Mrea and Aura, we will have a pretty wide range."
Just thinking about having to go against the World Tree was sending trepidations through his nonexistent gut. This was an entity that held several worlds and literally made up the reality of which all his items and skills came from. He had never heard of Yggdrasil turning on an active role, but since arriving in this world, impossible wasn't something he would attribute anything with absolute certainty.
Ainz nodded, trying to not show the anxiety that was creeping in once more. "That's a good start and probably the only thing we can do right now. I will equip them with some items to detect Yggdrasil's aura, once they react it will narrow down the range to a couple of hundred meters."
"Wait, we have such items?" The prince asked dumbfounded.
"Of course- well most are out of my personal stash, but we also have some in the treasury. Usually, some rare items near caves or entrances held or were wrapped in the condensed aura from Yggdrasil, which made it somewhat necessary to carry such equipment if one wanted to detect them."
"Oh, I see... Anything else that might help us ward against the World Tree?" Azazel asked with hope in his eyes though Ainz could only disappoint him with a shake of his head.
"Warding against the World Tree or even going against it, was something one came rarely across. Usually, they were cursed items that held significant disadvantages in any world. If any player found something like that, they would discard it since most even make trouble when merely storing it inside their inventory. However, some other things might help. I will organize them and equip the others with the necessary tools."
"I- thanks again, Ainz. It means a lot." He waved his hand for the third time.
"Could you stop thanking me? I'm already feeling awkward." Ainz complained getting a slight smile from the angel.
"By the way, if you find the tree's aura, call me first. I will take on the tree by myself, though I'm expecting that it will send some of its minions to attack us, so we should be prepared for a fight."
"You want to take on the World Tree?" Ainz asked in disbelief to which the prince just snorted before donning a fierce smile.
"Yes. It's time to strike back. The tree will be in for one hell of an awakening when I am done with it." The prince exuded a confidence that Ainz was currently lacking.
Ainz was already thinking about a plan b for a retreat. As for abandoning one of his friend's children? It wasn't something he even considered.
"There is a lot to do," Ainz muttered.
"Indeed... Oh, by the way, I 'conquered' the Holy Kingdom. It's now our allies or vassal state if we want to establish our own kingdom." The prince mentioned nonchalantly.
"You- you conquered the Holy Kingdom? How?" He definitely didn't read about it in any report- no, wait there were some mentions of the progress going smoothly.
"Oh, I just fucked the Holy Queen and her best friend. They are now my women and would do anything for me. Offering up their kingdom would be something they would do in a heartbeat." The response left Ainz stunned.
"Y-you fucked them into becoming your subordinates?" Ainz looked into the far end of the throne room, contemplating about the world and what his life had come to.
"Yep." The angel popped the p. "It took a bit longer than expected since I wanted her to bring her to the brink of her control. Of course, I could have just locked her into a room and had my way with her for a day, which would have sufficed to turn her to my side, but it wouldn't be ingrained as deeply as now."
"I see..." Ainz didn't know what to say to that, though he didn't need to as Azazel suddenly motioned to his ear, and according to his expression, he looked like he had been called.
"Hm... Sure. Hm... I will be there in a moment." He lowered his hand and looked at Ainz with an apologetic expression. "Calca- the holy queen just notified me that the ambassador of the Baharuth Empire is waiting to meet me. I will go over and fuck her. We will have a pretty high-ranking spy in that nation then as well."
While waving his hand, the prince disappeared from his sight, leaving behind the exasperated ruler of Nazarick. With a shake of his head, he couldn't help but mutter, "It seems like our input didn't leave the prince unaffected... What kind of monster did we create?"
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