44 「Rings」

Shalltear Bloodfallen stared at herself in the mirror as she was now seated on the bed. Her eyes traced over her chest, her lack of large breasts. She raised her hands to feel and verify. She remembered how she screamed at the top of her lungs over the disappearance of the pads.

How could she have been so foolish?

Jack had told her that it wasn't her fault, and she knew her one and only master Ainz-sama believed the same thing. It wasn't something she had control over. If anything, someone else had complete control over her destiny until Momonga had put her down and brought her back.

Part of her was sure to have already known that it was in no way her fault. Even as the others looked down on her, they would have all been in the same boat if they went off against the foes who had trapped her.

Jack stood by the door, his arms crossed over his chest as he watched her sighing on the bed. At least she wasn't drowning herself meaninglessly in Alcohol. Especially since she couldn't get drunk as a Vampire or a member of the undead.

That was rather depressing though, the idea of not being able to get drunk. However he did find it amusing that she was able to take on the role.

He glanced away from her as he stared at the bird cage she had been lugging around, around her waist. It was definitely a feat for anyone to wear such a contraption.

From what he could recall, those things have actually killed people throughout history on Earth. Crushing their hips or even the ribs. Being killed by just about anything seemed to be a human talent.

Letting out a sigh of his own, he would push off the wall and walk over to her as she was seated at the end of the bed. Her eyes were shining red as she glanced over towards him.

That little face of uncertainty became a fanged smirk. It was like a target had wandered into her web, as if she was a venomous spider of some sort.

"Uh… Shalltear?"

"Jack," She leaned to the side on the bed as she gripped at the blanket around her, rubbing it with between her thumbs and forefingers.

Pursing his lips at this, he glanced over his shoulder towards the door. It wasn't that far away and it would be easy to leave. His eyes went back to her and she was immediately standing in front of him.

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"Did you like pulling my hair?" When she had said this, he hadn't imagined she'd use such a erotic tone coupled to the question.

However he just found himself looking down at her calmly as she was trying to inch closer to him. From what he could tell, she was into the undead or at least people who looked that way. Especially the Yuri Alpha, a Dullahan, according to Momonga.

"I don't think that was the point of your punishme---"

She gripped at his tunic, curling her fingers into the fabric it was made out of it.

"Behave," Momonga stepped into the room. He had been watching the entire time. It wasn't due to mistrust, but he was indeed wanting to supervise and make sure nothing went too far. The last thing he needed was for one of his most powerful Guardians to go after another player. Even if it were for some strange romantic inclination.

"Yes Ainz-sama!" She practically skipped and hopped away from Jack, feigning innocence, as she scooped up her dress and accessories as she made her way behind one of the overhanging curtains which decorated the bed.

"Thank you," Jack turned his head towards the larger Skeleton before the two of them would walk out of the room. He let out a quiet sigh and scratched the back of his neck.

"Oh?" The Overlord looked to him as they moved their way into the corridor and towards his quarters. "It seems your punishment had a lasting effect," he could only chuckle at the result.

"It has her distracted and I reminded her, as the Supreme Being of Nazarick, you will always dote on her. She's your family." He appeared to smile at the Elder Lich before folding his hands behind his back. "Now I must really get going. I--"

Cut off by the sudden blur of movement, Jack finds himself face planted on the ground. On his back stood Aura. Her eyes rested on the back of his head and a grin formed over her lips.

"Oh, sorry… I thought you were Mare for a moment there," she'd snicker jokingly. She definitely jumped on him on purpose, and if he really wanted to, he could've dodged.

"I don't believe you," He'd say as he turned his head to look up at her. "Having fun up there?"

Momonga just stood there, watching the two of them. It was similar to watching two siblings rough housing. Or at least one of them being violent and the other passively taking it in order to not hurt the other.

"No doubt about it," she'd step off his back and bend down slightly extending a hand for him to take.

Rolling his eyes, he chuckled and grasped her small hand as she yanked forward to give him enough momentum to get back up onto his feet.

Stretching slightly, he looked over the girl for a moment. His eyes resting on the little watch her wrist. Then looking over towards Momonga. "I'll be heading back to the Village. When we go back to the Capital we'll talk some more about our future plans and the announcement."

Aura was doing a jig to keep herself entertained while the two talked before looking up at Jack, "Hey, can I take Mare to the Village?"

Jack nodded and chuckled a bit at the idea of the twins showing up at the village.

"What would you two do at the village anyways?"

"I want to capture some of the animals and monsters near the village."

"And what will Mare do exactly?"

"Help?"

Jack just stared at the girl for a few moments before shrugging. "That works I guess?"

"It always works. Mare will go and do anything I make him." She grinned deviously with her hands at her hips. Her eyes though quickly flickered over her shoulder towards the room Shalltear was exiting. "Oh, looks like it's time to go."

Whistling to herself, the Beast Master went running down the corridor to find Mare where ever her brother may be. Though it was likely that they were in the library talking to that Skeleton Mage.

Turning his sights to Momonga, Jack bowed respectfully to the man. "As I was saying, it is time for me to go. I look forward to visiting Nazarick more often. I hope you keep the door open..." The moment be felt Momonga grabbing his wrist, he glanced down at his sharp boney fingers. He could only blink a few times as he had placed a ring in his hand.

"What's this?"

"If you wish to formally integrate your guild into mine, it would be an honor to have you in the Great Tomb of Nazarick as a full member. The Round Table is very… Empty. It would be nice to have another occupied seat for a change."

Jack stared at the item which was in his hand. He was not only invited to join, but he was given the ring that allowed him to transverse the Tomb itself.

"It would make sense to join you wouldn't it…?" Jack said as he believed that they were both now Kings of the Sorcerer Kingdom to be. While he was a PvPer and a better direct fighter, Momonga was a mastermind, while Jack always took the frontal assault, he would manipulate the political atmosphere of the entire continent. "Considering I've already formed a pact between us."

"Consider it a continued invitation from the first time I asked," Momonga placed a hand on his shoulder. It was like a business arrangement or a father and son moment. Jack couldn't quite tell. Yet to Momonga, it appeared to be an investment in a lasting friendship.

Jack lowered his head with a nod as he watched Momonga give a lax wave as he vanished to another part of the Great Tomb. Meanwhile Jack himself used the guild ring to make his way up to the surface before slipping the item into his item box in order to avoid wearing it out in public.

Then that was where he was found by Demiurge again as he was about to leave the visible ruins.

"Jack Cipher," he didn't use any honorifics or titles. He wasn't as friendly as he appeared inside the bar either. The Devil in red landed beside him, facing him. "If you're planning on betraying Lord Ainz, then you should be more discrete about it!"

"Still sour that I locked you out of the village?" He asked as he looked over towards him with a brow raised. He really just wanted to leave and go see how Carnve Village was doing.

Demiurge's nostrils flared in annoyance. "It wouldn't be wise to test Lord Ainz. I will personally crush any feeble attempts, and he will surely destroy you."

"..." Jack stared through the Devil for a few moments before shaking his head. "I don't think you're understanding what is going on here."

"Oh, is that so?" The Arch-Devil began to circle the man, looking him over. "Seducing Shalltear? Manipulating her mind, turning her against her master? You were alone with her for quite a while."

"That didn't happen. Plus, Ainz was watching the entire time."

Demiurge had misunderstood what had occurred down in the Great Tomb and seemed to have come up with a circumstantial idea.

"You and your comrades are so quick to call each other and others out for betrayal where there is none, and deem others failures where they have yet to show their potential. Or if their potential is blocked..." Jack accused the Devil, as he knew very well that Shalltear's feeling of guilt and fanciful bouts of pretend self-destruction were caused by being looked down upon amongst other things.

"And what exactly did you help her with? Your punishments only appeared self-demeaning."

"She was demeaning herself long before I did anything, I was just helping her see herself for who and what she was, in which she was denying herself. That was her punishment, understanding herself."

"Understanding herself…?" Demiurge straightened out his bifocals. "And what of corrupting Lady Aura's allegiance?" He had seen how she acted around him, how she hung around the village more and more often.

"By feeding her preserves and entertaining her as a guest? Besides that, it wouldn't be corruption."

"Explain, Cipher." Demiurge was getting annoyed with his antics, but it was clear Jack was also hiding the fact that he was getting annoyed as well. Yet he himself wasn't even using honorifics to address him once more. He had no real respect for Momonga's fellow player. Even though he'd be the only one who could have their allegiance pledged to should their Supreme Being disappear.

"Momonga has offered me a seat at his round table, as I have handed him a throne. He had offered an invitation to me once before," he glanced around the fake hills and grasslands around the Ruins. "Before this New World."

Demiurge blinked a few times. "So you already had Lord Ainz's approval," the Devil immediately went to drop to one knee, only for Cipher to stop him by tucking a hand under his shoulder.

"No apologizes. Not for this," Jack would appear to smile, though no one could be quite sure what his true expression promptly was.

"Lord Cipher..." Demiurge frowned, though he hadn't even thought of apologizing to him. Only kneeling to him, but not to ask forgiveness, but to implore him to accept Momonga's 'demands' that he join the Guild.

"Just remember before you kill a human being, that Momonga was once one himself not too long ago. I will always make sure he remembers, but it is up to you to keep a mind out for that..."