บท 9: "Shalltear Bloodfallen is dead, she was executed for treason."
The Homonculus maids of Nazarick were cheerful and obedient bunch. There is no joy better in their life than serving the last of the supreme being. Perhaps the only regret they have is that the supreme being is an undead and that they will never be able to serve him their cooking.
Then it happened…
The news spread like wildfire. From the mouths of the guardians, to the Pleiades, and to the fellow maids. The news that the Supreme Being, Ainz Ooal Gown has taken a human form. The news that for once since creation itself, the Supreme Being will be able to taste their cooking.
Chaos follows…
The Great Kitchen of Nazarick has never been more chaotic and lively since its creation. Hundreds of maids worked together under the guidance of the Pleiades and the stern eyes of the Overseer. They will be creating a feast for their god and they will not fail.
The very notion of him not liking their cooking was unthinkable. If he were to dislike their cooking, if he were to be disappointed in them, if he were to… Abandon them. The thought alone erases all forms of hesitation and exhaustion.
A midst the whirlwind of culinary chaos, there was a single human being. She ran along the kitchen, carrying trays of ingredients. Washing countless of plates. Cooking countless of food. Tasting plates after plates of food.
"Sally, one ounce dragon bone marrow, cooking station four!" a voice yelled from the distance.
"Coming!"
A red eyed little girl walked through the kitchen towards the raw food processing station. The body of a once mighty beast lies on the floor. A team of maids worked together to harvest every part of its body, taking what's edible, and discarding what is not.
"Take the flesh, but try not to break the skin," a certain Dullahan spoke in a calm manner. "Lord Demiurge requested the Dragon Skin for testing purposes and scrolls," she then noticed the girl walking towards her. "What is it, Sally?"
"Dragon bone marrow, one ounce," Sally replied.
A maid approached the girl with a bowl full of blood red marrow. "Here, now go," the maid spoke.
If anyone but her master were to speak to her like that, they wouldn't be alive for too long. She was an object of power and arrogance. She was one of, if not, the most powerful Guardian in Nazarick. She was a true vampire, a creation made by Lord Peroroncino.
She was Shalltear Bloodfallen, Guardian of the Third Floor.
"I will get right to it," Sally said, bowing a little politely before returning to cooking station. That's her name now, Sally. She's no longer Shalltear Bloodfallen. She's just a lowly human working with other homonculus maids.
This is her lesson and punishment. For the next fifteen days she would endure this humility and hardships. For fifteen days she will work under shackles of humanity. For fifteen days she will pay for her karmic retribution.
Sally handed over the bowl of dragon bone marrow to the head maid of cooking station four. "One ounce of dragon bone marrow," she said.
"Thank you, now help out in cleaning station three then make a round at the testing station," the maid said before shooing her away.
Sally nodded and walked towards the cleaning station. Mountains of plates and cooking utensils loomed before her. But it didn't disturb her. "[Mass Clean]!" she exclaimed and a mountain of plates and cooking utensils turned squeaky clean. She then stacked the plates and the utensils on their retrieval spot before walking away.
The girl walked towards a large table full of plates upon plates of food. The Library of Ashurbanipal was practically raided yesterday for any book that has the word 'recipe' in it. Thus, there were a wide arrangement of food from all over the First World.
Sally walked towards a noodle-like dish (spaghetti), took a bite of it, then write the score on the paper beside it. She walked towards the white cylindrical one (sushi) and took a bite. Then to the round sandwich (burger). Then the round flat bread (pizza). And she kept going until she made a full circulation and a full stomach.
Cook, clean, taste, repeat. These patterns repeats over and over again for the last few hours. Until the Overseer herself is satisfied by their work will them to get to rest.
"That's enough, lunch break," Overseer Albedo said. Her voice was soft and not too loud. But it reached all their ears and they all stopped whatever they were doing before walking away from the kitchen.
The maids of Nazarick walked neatly out of the kitchen towards the Staff Canteen. There, they will eat the 'discards' -- dishes that wasn't worthy of god. But even then, it was still a delicacy by the new world's standard.
Sally sat down and started to eat the feast presented to her. She wasn't hungry, but the ring of glutton would ensure that she can eat as much as she wants. She took a slice of the flat circular bread before eating the cylindrical rice wrapped in seaweed.
She noted how awfully they went together and put it in her notes.
"Sally chan, good morning!" a voice called out beside her.
"Good Morning Lady Lupusregina Beta," Sally replied.
"What's with the formality su?" the werewolf teased her. "You looked like someone who just got kicked in the ass by all 13 of the Supreme Beings!" she giggled a little, enjoying the pained look on Sally's face. "Oh wait, you DID, didn't you!?" Lupu laughed some more. "Ahaha, get rekt! Serves you right for challenging your own Gods!!!"
"What do you want?" Sally asked in annoyance before taking another bite of the circular bread.
"Oi, oi, Shalltear, don't you know? Meeting me is a sign of good luck su, you should be happy su!"
"My name is Sally…" Sally muttered. "Shalltear Bloodfallen is dead, she was executed for treason."
For a moment, Lupusregina didn't say a word. But then, the werewolf spoke, in a tone unnatural for the loud and mischievous maid. "Shalltear, you should forgive yourself, only then should you ask for Ainz sama's forgiveness."
"I don't deserve it."
"Shalltear…"
"Don't call me by that name!" Sally snapped.
Tears started trickling down Sally's face. "Demiurge showed it to me… I watched everything. I, I mocked the Supreme Beings, I belittled them, I tried to kill them…" she sobbed a little. "I watched Lord Touch Me striking me down, I watched my creator killing me from the heavens, I watched Warrior Takemikazuchi threatening me, and…" the dam broke and the human broke down in tears. "I saw Lady Bukubukuchagama… she, she was disappointed in me… I even laughed and mocked her as I accept my defeat… I hate her Lupu, I hate Shalltear so much… I hate her…"
Lupusregina gently put a hand over Sally's shoulder. "There, there, Shalltear chan…" she said. "Why don't you visit the twins on your day off tomorrow? I'm sure they'll be glad to see you."
---
The next day…
Sally stood in front of the majestic tree in the heart of the sixth floor. It was a direct order from her superior, Lupusregina Beta, to meet the elf twins. She's already told that they would meet her near the entrance, but so far there's nothing.
"Lady Aura? Lord Mare?" she spoke.
There was no response and Sally just stood there patiently. She truly didn't mind being in the sixth floor, being human made her appreciate more of the little things in life. The scent of grass and dirt in the air. Cool air caressing her face with every step she took. The voices of beasts coming from within the depths of the woods.
It is peaceful and tranquil. Something that Sally has never felt before in her life.
After a moment, footsteps appeared behind her. Sally turned around and found herself facing a gigantic wolf-like beast. She took a step back warily, taking care not to dirty her uniform. She still has her magic power, she can still kill the beast easily.
But she didn't dare to fight back. If this is her fate then so be it.
"Shalltear," Sally turned around and saw Aura standing behind her.
The human bowed at the presence of the elf. "Good morning, Lady Aura," she said softly.
Aura narrowed her eyes. "Why the hell are you speaking like Mare? Heck, even worse than Mare!" she folded her arms before sighing a little. "You know what? Just, just follow me, okay?" she turned around and led Sally towards the tree house.
To say it was just a tree house is like saying Nazarick is just a tomb. It is a gigantic, twenty meters tall tree, hollowed in the inside but living on the outside. The inside of it was as simple as a wooden cabin, but no less comfortable than a noble mansion.
Sally stepped into the house and found herself staring at a large spiral staircase. "Forgive my intrusion," she has never stepped foot in Aura's home before. Both as Shalltear or Sally. The former was too prideful to even consider visiting her fellow guardian, the latter was too busy with her work at the kitchen.
Aura led her upstairs to the living quarters of the twins. It is truly like a wooden cabin, but it spoke of comfort and peace beyond everything else. "Welcome to my, I mean, Mare's room," Aura said, waving her hand around. "I don't sleep here often, I prefer sleeping outside with my pets, so this is basically Mare's room."
"It's a wonderful room, Lady Aura…" Sally commented.
"Of course, Lady Bukubukuchagama made this room just for us," Aura said with a proud smile.
Aura sat down on a simple cotton bed at the side of the room. She motioned Sally to sit down and the maid sat down beside her. "Shalltear…" Aura tried to say.
"I'm sorry Lady Aura, but my name is Sally. Shalltear Bloodfallen is dead, she was executed for treason," Sally replied monotonously.
"Dammit Shalltear, that's not what happened," Aura took Sally's hand. "Ainz sama has forgiven you Shalltear, you never betrayed him, you were mind controlled," she said. "Dammit Shalltear, he's punishing you for your recklessness not for treason!"
Sally looked down and nodded slowly. "I know… I didn't betray the Supreme Beings but…" she put her hand over her beating heart. "That's what it felt like… Being a human made me feel, things, that I would never have felt as a vampire…"
"You're not supposed to feel that dammit!" Aura exclaimed. "I'm yelling at you, why aren't yelling back at me?! I'm mad at you, why aren't we fighting already!? I…"
"Forgive me…" Sally said. "I now realized just how annoying and obnoxious Shalltear could be. You were right to call me a Lamprey. I act like one, I never respected the supreme being, I never respected the other Floor Guardians. I wanted to hog the Supreme Being all by myself when in reality, he deserve something much, much better than me… I understand now why you hated…"
'SMACK'
Sally put a hand over her left cheek. She looked at Aura and found her glaring at her. "Lady Aura…" she whispered.
"Don't you dare finish that sentence…" Aura grabbed Sally's hand. "Never, ever, ever in my whole life have I ever hated you Shalltear. You're my cousin for Ainz's sake! I never hated you!" she pulled Sally into her embrace. "The truth is that I miss you… The truth is that I begged Lupu to give you a day off. The truth is that I love you Shalltear, I never hated you…"
It was the first time that Sally has ever had this kind of love and compassion before. Warmth spread within her as she hugged her back. It was at this moment that she realized the truth, the undying truth that she will never discover as a vampire.
This is love. It is love in its purest form without any trace of lust. It is compassion, it is comfort, it is affection, it is the unstoppable force that stopped the Supreme Being from abandoning them.
This is true love.
And Shalltear has never felt happier before…
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Haios_Paradox
Haios_Paradox I really feel like Maruyama is being lenient towards Shalltear. Like, Ainz is cruel, yes, but only to the New World humans. I wish he can be as cruel to the Guardians too, or at least like... More stern, you get what I mean???
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