Chapter 6 - 『Relief Effort』

Within the hours that followed, and the full blanket of the starry sky over the world as they knew it, tents began to prop up around Carne Village. The Warrior Troop was staying the night and it seemed so was Jack, in an effort to relieve the Village people and the troops.

Standing beneath a massive white and blue striped canopy, Jack had set up a makeshift cafeteria with portable benches and plastic trays. It was fully equipped with a self-sufficient kitchen.

"And here I thought you were going to leave me at home!" Eve snapped as she was standing on a small step stool in front of the stove topped counter.

"Was definitely thinking about it," Jack snickered as he glanced over at his sister from behind the serving table. His eyes then focused in front of him as he noticed the Troops and Villagers gathering around the tent.

"Grab a tray and line up for some fresh grub!" He'd shout, motioning them over with his hands above his head. His wings folded behind his back as he grinned slightly.

Gazef, the Chief of the Village along with Enri cautiously walked into the canopy, looking over all the items. Then their eyes laid on the trays.

"What are these made out of, Cipher-Dono?" Gazef asked as he looked over at the armored Angel with a brow raised slightly as he stood at the end of the metal tray track.

Cipher just crossed his arm, "Hardened Plant Polymers."

Gazef blinked and nodded slightly, bending it ever so slightly in his hands before placing it down on the track.

Enri watched, listening along with the Chief. She would pick up a tray herself and smell it. The item didn't smell like a plant, it didn't really have all that much of a distinctive smell either. "Hm.." Her eyes moved to her savior with curiosity. Then towards the girl who was at the stove top and blinked a few times. "Who's that?"

Jack chuckled a little, "My little sister..." Though his voice faded out slightly when he had called her his sister. Realistically, she was just an imitation made from his memories.

"My name's Eve!" She'd announce, flinging a metal spoon into the air, before catching it and continuing to stir whatever was in the pot on the stove.

"Nice to meet you, Eve." Enri smiled seeing those warm blue eyes. She was getting a general idea of what Jack might look like beneath that helmet of his. It felt strange that he hadn't taken it off yet, but he must have his reasons, right?

Seeing the three people who were generally in charge, the Vice-Captain lead the rest of the warriors and the villagers to the Canopy. Women and Children lining up behind the Chief of the Village.

Nemu immediately running up behind her sister and snatching a tray, "Hehe!" Then when she turned her head, she saw a young girl in the Kitchen near Jack. "Oh, who's that!?" She'd ask with a blatant and adorable squeal.

Jack shook his head and placed a hand on Eve's head. "My little sister," his voice didn't really fade out this time. He was getting used to it by the second time around. "Her name's..."

"EVE!" His sister would bounce on the stool with a giggle, waving the spoon in the air before looking over towards Nemu. "Hai~"

So as Gazef came up to the serving table, his eyes traced over the foreign gourmet foods. Salisbury steak with gravy, succulent mashed purple potatoes, french fries, fried chicken strips, broccoli and garlic. There were tons of things to choose from, it was almost as if it was a King's feast. Even the Head Warrior's mouth was filling with saliva from all the smells.

"Who made all of this?" Gazef asked, before his eyes moved to the only other person in the kitchen.

"You are correct," Jack pointed to his little sister with his thumb, "The majority of her production skills are honed to a high regard."

"Production skills..." Gazef nodded slowly as if he entirely understood what he meant by the term. He was rather curious of what other things she could create.

"Each food has its own serving utensil. Be sure not to cross contaminate," Jack smiled casually before gesturing for the people to begin gathering the foods they wanted to taste or eat. "No eating in line!" Jack warned as he watched one of the kids bringing a chicken tender to their mouths. "Wait until you sit down," he'd advise, not wanting them to drop their trays and waste food.

The hours of the day were gone and as everyone had their food. Joyful chatter could be heard among those sitting down and others who stood by the poles holding up the canopy.

That's when Enri and Nemu walked behind the serving table and up to Jack while Eve was sitting down and eating.

"Hm?" Jack glanced over at the two sisters, "Can I help you?"

"Um uh..." Enri cleared her throat, "Is Ainz-sama really a--"

"Do you want me to say no?" Jack asked with a dull look on his face, though of course the expression couldn't be seen by them.

"...That's not what I meant."

"I know," Jack sighed quietly and tugged his lips into a smile. "It's best not to tell anyone. From what I can tell, most people don't trust members of the Undead, even if their intentions aren't harmful."

"What are his intentions?" Enri asked curiously, taking a step forward with her fingers held in front of her chest, her hands clasped together.

"... To make a name for himself, and those who follow him."

Enri blinked hearing the Angel defend the undead. A holy being and an unholy being side by side. It was a strange sight indeed.

"Why do you follow him?"

"Because he's my best friend. When I had no one, he was there." Jack smiled faintly, though his eyes softened, his eyelids relaxing.

"When you had no one?" Enri's eyes moved over towards his supposed little sister who was chowing down on the fried chicken strips and didn't seem to be slowing down at all.

"That's a homunculi," Jack knew what she meant by that inquisitive question. Hearing those words though, he watched as her eyes widened as she appeared knowledgeable about magic. "Eve died a long time ago."

Nemu's eyes were just locked on Eve as she was hearing this. Dead? But she looked so alive. Nemu didn't seem to understand what a homunculi was.

"So you made an imitation of your little sister...?" Enri had a sympathetic smile across her lips. This man must be skilled with magic if he had made such an artificial life form. That or this 'Ainz' character had made it for him.

Jack nodded, confirming that he had made Eve.

Eve glanced over towards the two and waved casually, a strip of fried chicken sticking out of her mouth.

Nemu giggled a bit, tilting her head a bit. For a fake person, she was rather life-like, a living person.

Enri's eyes moved between Jack and Eve, before having a curved smile to one side of her lips. "Do you live nearby or something...?"

Jack stared through her for a few moments when she had asked the question. She was probably becoming curious of where his sister had suddenly come from and doubted that she had come here on her own if they were from a distant place.

"Should our relations grow, you will eventually know more about us." He'd dismiss her question with the statement. Jack wasn't going to give them the location of the Great Tomb of Nazarick.

Enri rolled her eyes and looked to the people enjoying themselves. Bonding and even meeting with the warriors from the Capital. She had these people to thank for that.

"Either way... Thank you Cipher-dono and Thank Ainz Ooal Gown for us." Enri said with a small smile across her lips, "We might not have survived without your assistance. My sister and I... We definitely are in your debt."

Jack shrugged, "Pretty sure you wouldn't have." He definitely wasn't going to be modest. The Angel wanted it to be clear that, if they hadn't been around. The entire village would have perished along with the Head Warrior.

Enri shivered at his confidence, he was sure they would have been wiped out.

"Would... He have come if you weren't around?" It was almost compulsory for her to ask this question, would Ainz have come if this Angel hadn't charged through that portal first?

"He would have, without a doubt." Jack assured with a chuckle. The girl was cute, she seemed kind, but at the same time he didn't see her as anything more than a village girl.

Other than having lost her parents, she didn't seem to be going through a tragedy or have all that much of a definition to her other than people of the village looking up to her. On top of that, she had no visible power to him.

Jack would let his arms rest at his sides before turning to look at his little sister. She was stuffing the some of the food into her item box. The main reason she was doing this was because Homunculi eat and drink more nutrients than any normal human being in order to maintain themselves due to their artificial nature.

"Once everyone has been served, we'll be heading out. You're welcome to keep the setup as a gesture of goodwill."

"The Kenku Flute," Enri took a step forward as she pulled it out. "Would it be a--"

"Yes?"

"...Would they be able to build walls around the village?"

"Er... They'd have weak bones and typically use ranged and magic attacks. If you're looking for a labour force, I'd choose the Horn." Jack had quite a few of those horns, including higher ranked version such as the Trumpet of the Gnoll King which summons higher tiered Gnolls rather than just a troop of Goblins.

"I... I see," Enri tucked the flute away and took out the horn, looking it over. Then her eyes moved up to him, blinking a few times with that small smile across her lips still. "It's been bothering me for a while now... What does your face look like under that helmet?"

Jack could only snicker at this curiosity she was showing him. "Perhaps, when you see it, you'll know." He would have winked, but she wouldn't have seen. So he didn't wink, and she didn't see.

Walking over to Eve as he noted everyone had gotten their food, he turned his head to look back at Enri. "Good luck Kiddo," the moment he rested his hand on his sister's shoulder. The two figure vanished into a flash of golden light.