"Pandora's Actor-sama, what might these be?"

Yuri Alpha stared down at what appeared to be a pile of random junk. To an outside eye, they looked like differently-colored boxes, overlaid on the top by a colored cross. Beside her, CZ picked up one of the objects, blew the dust from its surface, and shook it. It made a rattling sound.

"Oh that?" said Pandora's Actor. "That's... hm... Hmmm...?" The caped doppelganger paused, as if its words had frozen in his mouth. He rubbed the bottom of his egghead. "Now that is strange. I feel like it is familiar, somehow, as everything in this Vault should be. Alas, these things... hmmm..."

Yuri raised a brow. It was strange for the doppelganger to be tongue-tied. It had been most talkative about the other things in this Vault. He had gushed about the number of times he had polished this particular weapon, or of how many times he'd arranged the position of the artifacts in a room before he was satisfied.

"Could they be dangerous then?" asked Yuri.

"I detect no traps," CZ announced.

"Everything in this room is dangerous-yes, even you, miladies, carry danger with you. And... perhaps those things carry danger as well."

Yuri took a closer look. The objects were uniform in size and weight. The surface had a smooth feel, except for the cross parts, which felt slightly coarser.

"Oh." She discovered that there was a name on the side of the object. "To Shalltear Bloodfallen" followed by a host of symbols she couldn't understand. "Is this for Shalltear-sama then?"

But when she looked at the other objects, she discovered that they had different names. Each seemingly to different NPCs in Nazarick. Feeling an odd sense of urgency, she quickly flipped through all the objects until she found "To Yuri Alpha".

She stared at it. Now that strange feeling was gone. And now seeing the name printed on the side evoked no other reaction.

"Quite a strange puzzle," Pandora's Actor observed, rubbing the underside of his egghead.

"Should we... take these to the others?" Yuri wondered.

"Obviously not," said the Vault Guardian, chortling. Silently, Yuri also agreed. No one was allowed to take things in or out of the Treasury without the Master's approval. She wondered what even possessed her to say that.

Pandora's Actor began to rattle off a host of suggestions as to how they would organize the strange objects. CZ seemed to be the only one listening attentively; if her emotionless stare was an indication.

Since the objects did not feature anymore abnormalities, Yuri gently placed the box with her name on it back on the pile.

Since the objects were of little relevance to Nazarick, or the Master, she filed the information of its existence to the furthest corner of her mind.

A long time ago, or a short time ago, depending on the point of view; in the strange otherworld that was Nazarick, the NPC manifestations of Aura and Mare left their stations at the Sixth Floor and went down to the Second.

Ordinarily they would loyally stay at their stations, but this was the "nether-time". A rare slice of time, possibly stretching into infinity, where none of the Supreme Beings were present in Yggdrasil, in the corporeal sense. All of the NPCs could sense this absence, and were free to do whatever they wished, within the limits of the guild base. The NPCs could also sense when a Supreme Being was returning, and were thus at their positions the moment one reappeared.

There were those who were so loyal to their stations that they never moved from their spots during this time. And then there were those who treated it as a "break" of sorts-not a break from service, naturally, as that would be a treacherous thing to even consider. Mare belonged to the former group, but his sister belonged to the latter. Mare could do nothing but follow along behind Aura as they went down the levels.

Shalltear Bloodfallen also belonged to that group who relaxed during the spare time. Although the exact nature of her "relax sessions" differed when one asked different NPCs.

Aura, who somehow knew Shalltear best, guessed that she could be in any one of a dozen rooms in her demesne. Most of them were "Pleasure Rooms" (whatever that meant) whose inhabitants were most helpful when it came to helping locate their Mistress.

Aura and Mare found Shalltear in the midst of doing something unspeakable to a Veiled Lady undead and a Beastman POP.

"Oh, what a pleasant surprise, Aura. Mare. Could you not have informed one of my subordinates to fetch me?" asked Shalltear. She motioned to several attendants, who began to dab at the fluids staining her flawless skin.

"It's about that thing," said Aura, emphasizing the last two words with a wag of her brows.

"Oh?" The ember of excitement re-entered Shalltear's eyes. "How do you know that?"

"Word came in from a passing maid," Aura said, puffing out her chest. "The moment I heard, I came rushing to you immediately. Well, I had to spend some time getting this one out of his duties."

"B-but we aren't supposed to be out of our positions, nee-san..." said the cute boy behind her.

"But Mare, aren't you the least bit curious about that room?"

"I-it is not our place to q-question the Supreme Beings' will..."

"Oh, is it not exciting?" Shalltear gushed, after her attendants had foisted her dress over her body. "There has not been a new addition like this ever since Momonga-sama had that secret room built!"

"Yeah, that brings me back. I'm definitely a lot more curious about this than that one, though." A thoughtful expression came over Aura. "In fact, I've got the strangest feeling that it's something more important, in a way."

"Then what are we waiting for? Leave us, get back to your duties," Shalltear snapped at her attendants, once she was fully garbed. Then she curtsied to her fellow Guardians, whereupon they left for the Ninth Floor.

As expected, there were those who had the same idea as Aura. There were now a crowd of NPCs surrounding the entrance to the strange new room.

The door glowed blue, almost starlight-like in radiance. A strong magic emanated from within, warding out anyone who came close. There were strange sigils, in the words of the Supreme Beings, written on all sides of the door. It had appeared some time ago; its existence a hot topic among the denizens of Nazarick.

Upon seeing who it was, the crowd of NPCs parted like a curtain to let Shalltear, Aura and Mare through. There was one other high-ranking NPC already there, and it was no surprise to the three who it was.

"Greetings, Demiurge."

The bespectacled devil, crisply dressed in a suit, inclined his body in a bow. "And greetings to you as well, Shalltear, Aura, and Mare. Were you curious as well?"

Aura snorted. "How could we not be?"

"It is almost done, then?" Shalltear ventured, casting her eyes in a stately manner over the door.

"That seems to be the case," Demiurge said. "All who are present here currently have a feeling of 'finality', as if whatever lies beyond this door is almost to completion."

They lapsed into silence, the Guardians joining the lesser NPCs around them in contemplating the edifice with awe. Such an affair that was clearly beyond their understanding was unfolding before their eyes. It was like watching some sort of cosmic egg, from which would hatch a wondrous thing.

"Oooh!" Someone exclaimed, and the sound was accompanied by the door suddenly glowing. A wave of cold blue light exploded from the door, coating the Guardians and spreading far beyond the hall. The NPCs, who did not detect any hostile spell effect, didn't react, save to cry in surprise.

The wave spread towards the furthest corners of Nazarick, coating every surface and affecting every denizen there. From the Overseer near the Throne to the skeletons in the Entrance Hall, reality was warped-unbeknownst to them-leaving behind a glowing blue door.

And now they knew what was behind the door.

"Fascinating," Demiurge mouthed. He, and the rest of the NPCs gathered there, now had the strongest inkling of the nature of the new addition to Nazarick. It was built into them now, as if the blue wave had knitted it into their memories. Demiurge presently bowed towards Shalltear, gesturing towards the door, which was sure to be open now. "After you, Shalltear."

The vampire acknowledged with a tilt of the head. She led the way (Aura following right behind her impatiently) and opened the door.

A massive chamber waited within. There was a great, carpeted platform directly in front, its sides studded with magical sigils blazing with incomprehensible light and gems of astounding quality and polish. Hanging from the ceiling above was a large chandelier. Surrounding this platform was a great, oppressive darkness, which the chandelier's glow only barely warded.

A gasp shuddered through the crowd of NPCs.

What shocked them wasn't the room's appearance, which was certainly rivaled by other places on Nazarick. No, it was the forty-one stone slabs hanging from invisible chains all around the platform. Each one bore a picture of one of their Masters, carved on the stone's surface, each a close facsimile to their memories of their Creators in their minds.

For instance, instantly recognizable to Demiurge was the monstrous form of his creator, Ulbert, on the far side, his skin glowing obsidian against the gray stone, his manner regal, his great visage pointed to the side as if contemplating a great disaster in the making.

The twins Aura and Mare sought and found their own creator, the beautiful Bukubukuchagama, her slime form seemingly frozen against the two-dimensional surface, her body crouching as if ready to spring from the canvas of stone.

And then for Shalltear was her own beloved Peroroncino-sama, carved like some ancient bird god on the stone, eternally poised to fire three arrows from his bow. Quite frankly, it made the vampire aroused beyond belief, as if her Creator was there in the room with her at the very moment.

Arising distinctly from the rest of the tablets, floating above the others, was the image of Lord Momonga, Guildmaster of the Supreme Beings. His skeletal visage, compared to the others, seemed more distant, uncaring, which the NPCs supposed was only fitting for one who was fit to lead the other forty. In his hand was the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown, symbol of his power-and strangely bleached of its normal color.

Yes, this was a detail unmissed by the NPCs there. The carvings lacked the color that defined their Masters. Their features were carved faithfully enough, and there was no doubt as to the importance of these stone representations. But they could not be easily fooled to consider these their real Masters.

Their purpose was apparent to the NPCs, though it was like an idea floating beyond the tip of their tongue. It was like a ticklish feeling at the back of their minds, a memory missed.

Then, one carving, that of wise Yamaiko, began to glow. A sense of foreboding immediately began to fill the area. The NPCs were rightly confused: this feeling was as if one of the Supreme Beings had returned to Nazarick, and yet why had they not been told to return to their posts?

Yamaiko's stalwart figure began to fill with color, until its picture began to very surely resemble their beloved Master. And then, all the NPCs bowed, because in that moment they felt as if the Supreme Being herself was in the chamber with them. Even the regal Shalltear did not hesitate to fall on her knees in submission.

"We greet you, Lord Yamaiko," said the NPCs in chorus.

"Oh, is this thing working already?" came the slow, chiming voice of their Master. "Let's see how this works, huh..."

"I-I-I don't understand..." Mare whispered fearfully. "Is that Lord Yamaiko? Or is it...?"

"Shut up!" Aura hissed. "Don't you dare disrespect the Supreme Being with your inanity!"

"Mmmph. That's a lot of functions," Yamaiko's voice continued. "And I'm guessing... this is the NPC interface function? Hmm..."

The unmistakable presence of the Supreme Being began to magnify, because now it was as if they could all feel her gaze on their bodies. Then it seemed that the gaze went elsewhere-beyond the chamber, farseeing, omniscient. "Ah. It's Yuri. Hello, little one."

The NPCs in the chamber didn't dare rise. To them, it was as if the Supreme Being were right there, and as per the rules, one did not speak, nor even act as long as the Supreme Beings did not wish it of them. They were as dolls, to move only when their Masters wanted.

"It's a shame I can't customize from here... Hmmm? Oh, aren't these Kazecchi's twins? Hello, little ones!"

The gaze had returned to this very chamber, and the elf twins felt themselves to be at the very heart of it, like an great, invisible eye were staring right at them, piercing through to their very hearts. Even Aura shared her brother's fear and reluctance as she tilted her head, and together they replied, "Greetings, Lord Yamaiko. How may we help you?"

"Oh my," Yamaiko exclaimed. "Fufufu... How cute. It's like the NPCs are alive-oh crap, the principal...!" And with that Yamaiko's form dissolved back into colorlessness, and the NPCs felt her presence disappear from the chamber-and from Nazarick-entirely.

A ringing silence lingered for a few moments, before the NPCs relaxed enough to rise. Dusting himself off, a thoughtful expression could be seen on Demiurge's face.

"I do not understand. What on earth was that sorcery?" Shalltear wondered. "It was as if the Supreme Being was here, and yet not here."

"And they spoke directly to us," Aura said.

"Peroroncino-sama talks to me all the time," Shalltear said with a huff. "In fact he spends hours just standing before me, gracing me with his Eminence!"

"I believe, in the face of the evidence, that the simplest explanation may be enough," Demiurge said. "That this is all another function of our existence, and this is all part of the Lords' endless schemes. Ours is not to question: indeed, we may even venture to enjoy this privilege, for it seems to allow our Lords to communicate with us, however briefly."

Everyone seemed satisfied with that explanation, and as the news spread through Nazarick, that was the information that made sense. They thought nothing of it, as the slice of free time ended with Momonga's imminent return. Soon, it became nothing more or less than what it was-yet another function of Nazarick that the inhabitants did not question: superfluous, as of the fisherman wondering if the sea was really blue.

On a land far away, where there were no guarantees of the sea being blue, an email message appeared for a certain person.

"Huh," said the man, when he read it. "So it launched today..."

The man perused the document for a minute or so, before he snorted and closed it.

"Hmph. Whatever," said Suzuki Satoru, and went back to his lunch.

As it turned out, this new addition was not as simple as Demiurge said.

But it was just as expected that much of the functions were not as simple as it appeared. The strange phenomenon of the mysterious chamber continued through the next nether-times.

It all started innocuously. Several other Supreme Beings appeared through the strange power of the chamber, each greeting this or that NPC, or otherwise just speaking mysterious words which none of them could understand. They appeared, then disappeared with marked capriciousness, as was their right as sovereigns.

Then they took to demanding things from their NPCs. Again, this was well within their expected duties.

Ankoromochimochi spent quite a while ordering several of the maids to change their dresses. The other NPCs observed bemusedly from afar, as the maids frantically sought to accede to the Supreme Being's request. In the end, they wore different costumes.

Then Whitebrim came on, and demanded quite forcefully that they change back. The maids could do nothing but agree as they went back and changed.

Lord Peroroncino asked some very unusual things of the female NPCs, from the Overseer Albedo to his own Shalltear. Somehow, the Supreme Being was disappointed that a "function was missing", and the NPCs were left confused as to what, exactly the lord had wanted.

Amanomahitotsu rewarded a group of NPCs and some POPs with weaponry, then gave some armor to Cocytus' subordinates. The gear was of slightly inferior quality than what they had on, but they accepted.

From here, the Supreme Beings then began to spoke to each other from within their stone effigies. There was a conversation that only the Pleiades and Sebas were able to overhear:

Peroroncino-sama had asked the battle maids to wear some peculiar clothes, which showed off just a bit more skin than usual. Then he had requested them to perform certain "tasks" with each other, something which only confused them, as if knowledge of such acts were missing from their minds.

"I caught you red-handed!" cried Bukubukuchagama, her voice thundering through the chambers.

"N-no, I was just... testing the waters! The bikini wear has very good stats, I can assure you...!" said Peroroncino. His voice, equally as loud, seemed smaller, somehow.

"And you think the others wouldn't mind if I told them? That you're messing with their stuff? Keep your weird stuff outta the game, little brother. Don't embarrass us any further to the others-this is a social game."

"Alright, alright, sheesh."

In the end, the Pleiades never knew what that had been about, and the bikini wear disappeared, never to be spoken of again.

Then several Supreme Beings set the NPCs to cleaning. Yes, even those not involved in the upkeep of Nazarick were commanded to clean their surroundings.

"Demiurge-sama, surely we can leave this indignity to the maids?" said the Devil. It, along with a host of the other NPCs assigned to the Seventh Floor, each held brooms and other cleaning implements. Even Guren had been given a mop, which promptly disintegrated on its touch.

Demiurge's eyes flashed. "Mind your tongue. Do not contradict the wishes of Supreme Beings." He too held a broom, and wore an apron, gear which the maids had recommended-when he'd inquired as to the best way to accomplish their tasks.

Some time later, the same cleaning was expected of the others: from Shalltear ("I shall do my very best, Peroroncino-sama!"), to Cocytus ("Gwuuuuooooohhh! Let. Loose. The. Cleaning. Charge!"), even to Kyouhukou. ("You heard the Master. Devour yourselves, my children.")

Before that was a distant memory, there was then a bizarre wave of incidents where the NPCs were forced to eat whatever the Supreme Beings wanted them to eat. Wherever they were, or whatever they were doing at the moment, the Supreme Being's voice would resound, their mandate ringing in their ears, and then a piece of food would materialize.

Sometimes, they were even forced to eat several servings of food repeatedly. Again, there was an incident known only to the Pleiades, where poor Entoma was repeatedly forced to eat inedible food like meat and cheese-rather like a man forced to eat maggots. The other maids could only watch with pity as their sister performed every request. Yuri Alpha had been on the verge of mustering a word of protest, when Genjiro-sama seemed to have sensed the situation, and rescinded the orders.

Demiurge, without complaint, ate all the ice-cubes the Supreme Being demanded him to eat.

Then, the demands seemed to soar. Peroroncino's "changing sessions" continued, as were Whitebrim, Coup de Grace, or Herohero's uniform modeling sessions, or Blue Planet running the twins ragged as they oversaw the maintenance of their Floor.

And then the training began.

Suzaku, Tabula Smaragdina and a few other Supreme Beings demanded that the NPCs expand their intellects, and thus the libraries were filled to the brim with those eager to prove themselves to the Masters. The liches overseeing the repository of knowledge were harried as NPC after NPC withdrew books and scrolls to accomplish their given tasks.

When Punitto Moe and Bellriver spoke, war-games became the game of the day. They were made to combat avatars of cunning, who were nigh unbeatable in the games of strategy. Of the NPCs made to fight, Demiurge's victory was a given. It was rumored that the Overseer had also won a game. Whether or not those two received the Supreme Beings' approval was unknown.

And then Warrior Takemikazuchi decreed: physical training for everyone!

In a rare occurence, almost everyone of the Guardians were present at the field laid out on the Sixth Floor. It was an oval, made to resemble a track field, with various exercise implements scattered around. The NPCs were made to run through a gauntlet of grueling activities, each designed to strengthen their bodies.

"I. Will. Not. Fail. Again!" Cocytus shouted, running through lap forty-five, steam billowing from his body.

"Cocytus seems really pumped up," Mare observed. Beside him, Aura had completed her required pole-vaulting activity, which she accomplished with much finesse.

A short distance away, Shalltear had just finished chopping through a ten-foot column of bricks with her hand. "Laughable," she said coolly. She went to the twins, who were observing Cocytus and some NPCs finish the marathon.

"Such exercises are beneath me," she said, dusting her gloves. "I wonder what purpose this will all serve. These are hardly challenges to one such as I."

"And yet, there are those who would find it a challenge," Demiurge said, approaching. "It must surely be some initiative by the Great One to enact our vigilance. Mayhap He foresees a coming danger, for which an improvement in our capabilities shall be needed."

Mare noticed a commotion among some NPCs clustered to the side. "Look, nee-san, i-isn't that...?"

"Hm? Oh, it's Overseer-san. She certainly looks more out of place here than Shalltear." The beautiful creature wore an exquisite dress, and indeed seemed out of place among the exercise equipment.

"Wh-what's that supposed to mean?" the vampire cried shrilly. "Are you trying to pick a fight?"

Aura looked at her with wide-eyed innocence. "Well, I mean, it's daytime, and aren't vampires supposed to fear the sun or something?"

"A-Ahhh... ohohoho, it is not as unnatural as you make it to be. Still, I can see why anyone would ever dare to make us equals in terms of our appearances. She can certainly rank a number two compared to this perfect self," said Shalltear.

Albedo presently reached them, and they exchanged greetings. It was a rare meeting of Guardians, who were each busy with their responsibilities in Nazarick and thus had little reason to meet.

Albedo cocked her head. "And what, pray tell, seems to be the present topic of discussion?"

"Oh, we're just trying to figure out why we've been given these tasks," Aura said easily, ignoring-or ignorant of-Shalltear's attempt to speak.

"Of course," said Albedo. They saw a flash of something in the Overseer's eyes, and only Demiurge recognized in there a hint of something cruel, mad, or a combination of both. He said nothing, as the Overseer smiled. "And yet, it need not be said that it is our greatest privilege to be able to serve such wise, strong beings, who are more worthy of ruling all of Yggdrasil than any in existence."

Her lofty speech went straight over their heads, except for Demiurge, who kept silent. He remained silent, only watching the Overseer closely, even as she excused herself to leave.

A roar echoed from the track, diverting everyone's attention. "Complete! My. Master. I. Have. Completed. Your. Tasks!"

"Fuhahaha!" came Warrior Takemikazuchi's voice. "As expected of one forged by this eminent self! With this, your strength is... eh? Only so little? What the hell..." They felt the Supreme Being's presence leave.

"Did. All. Hear? The. Master. Praised. Me! Praised. Me! Witness! Me!" A surging blizzard began to form from the track, instantly freezing the surroundings.

"Ahh... please stop, idiot!" Aura shouted, as she and the other NPCs attempted to calm the excited Cocytus.

Warrior Takemikazuchi's challenge was quickly followed by others.

There was Nishikienrai's Amazing Race, which somehow involved the Guardian of the Cherry Blossom Sanctuary, who naturally refused its competitors access to the upper floors. (It also could not leave the Sanctuary, because of its function) The Race was won in short time by Nishikienrai's creation, Narberal Gamma, who was already near the Finish Line. Many suspected creator bias, because the other Pleiades (and Sebas) were not allowed to join, but they kept such treacherous suspicions in the back of their minds.

Then followed a period called "Luci*Fer's Madness". The Supreme Being heaped meaningless tasks on the NPCs, from Aura being forced to solo her own stable of beasts, to Shalltear having to hug Guren for a whole hour. Several maids were compelled to spend time in the Black Capsule, where they were graciously hosted by Kyouhukou, although their revulsion to the latter's children made the whole experience unbearable.

Then the Supreme Being unleashed hordes of low-level POPs throughout the Floors, without telling them what they should do about them. Half of the NPCs thought to curb their disruptive acts with death, while the others thought it was merely a test by the Supreme Being, and abjectly refused to harm the creatures.

Over time, the creatures disappeared. Within his ashen lair, the event made Demiurge's brain spin an endless tapestry of assumptions.

The NPCs bore through every demand with marked stoicism, even cheerfulness. Their own desires were entirely subsumed by their function-that of complete subservience to the Supreme Beings.

There were those among the observant, a group to which Demiurge and Albedo belonged, who saw a distinct pattern in the Supreme Beings' appearance through the stone tablets.

Demiurge saw, with a slight disappointment, that Ulbert Alain Odle had only spoken once through the tablets. He hadn't even spoken to his own creation. The devil's form remained gray for a long time, with no commands issuing from its infernal visage.

Albedo, during the long stretches of time spent in the Throne Room, reflected on how Tabula Smaragdina only deigned to talk to her and her sisters just once. In that time, it seemed like the Supreme Being was only appraising them, like a girl regards its doll. Tabula seemed disinterested in anything else, as was his right, but it was a fact Albedo filed away.

Several other Supreme Beings also spoke only once. Unlike their more active brethren, these didn't seem interested to talk to the NPCs, nor less their own creations. The latter were to be pitied, but only just-it was not as if the Supreme Beings had abandoned them entirely, as they continued to manifest fully in Nazarick when the nether-times ended.

And then there was one Supreme Being, who to date had never once spoken, nor commanded through the stone tablets. The Guildmaster, Momonga, had never once made his presence known through the tablets. And yet, it was a fact little wondered by most of the NPCs, as Momonga was almost always the first to appear in Nazarick, and was usually the last to leave.

Deep inside the Treasury, a Guardian wondered. And after much reflection, acted.

It was yet another nether-time. Like a ghost, Pandora's Actor walked through Nazarick, passing by many NPCs who saw him as what he wanted them to see.

"Is something happening?" he asked of a maid.

"Yet another glorious challenge, from Luci*fer-sama," the maid told the skeleton. The latter sensed a slight irritation in the maid's expression. "We're to clean up that mess on the Fifth Floor."

In another place, he asked the same question of a passing NPC, a beast-man from the Sixth Floor.

"Another of Nishikienrai-sama's challenges," he was told. "It is... difficult, for I do not want to compete against Aura and Mare-sama. But I must oblige."

He met a disgruntled devil, wearing splashes of pink on his body.

"They want us to eat this 'cake'," the devil told him. "Revolting stuff, and the less I have to deal with these inane 'food fights', the better."

Then passed a frantic-looking lich, bearing bundles of scrolls and papers.

"Some people are most rude," the lich told him, in a complaining voice. "Why, I ought to thrash them with a spell or two, if it makes them realize the importance of returning things borrowed!"

Then he passed a weirdly-dressed maid. At a glance, he guessed this was one of the Pleiades.

"Would you happen to know how to 'strip-tease'? No? I kept insisting... None of us have any idea what Peroroncino-sama meant. Except for maybe Lupusregina, but she's always just like that..."

He didn't know why, but the others seemed to like telling him things. He supposed it must be a quirk left him by his Master, or his perfectly shaped head.

In any case, he could definitely sense the general atmosphere of high tension in Nazarick during this period of nether-time. Some NPCs even ambushed him on the halls, with reluctant looks on their faces. Apparently, this "Death Game" of Warrior Takemikazuchi's was taking a toll on them, who were not used to fighting their fellows.

Finally, he reached the new chamber, where the stone tablets carrying their masters' visages dwelled. The chamber within was empty, and looking inside he saw that none of the Masters were present. Doubtless they had given orders to the NPCs and had left them to perform it until they were satisfied.

And now, Pandora's Actor approached the furthest end of the platform. He looked up at his Creator, the silent lord of Nazarick. He felt a rush of childish glee upon seeing his glorious visage, something he rarely saw now, ever since his assignment to the Treasury.

He went down on his knees, to begin communing with his lord. He had heard that some of the other NPCs, even the other Guardians, had successfully communicated with their absent Creators. Some even answered directly, manifesting through the tablets to grant an audience. Whether or not the NPCs' requests were granted was another thing-so fickle are Those Who Rule Nazarick.

Well, maybe except for his Master. He deduced that he had not spoken through the tablets because no one had even once attempted to commune with him. It was a lonely thought, but he supposed there were many reasons.

"Oh, Great Master," he intoned, summoning all he could in his address. "I call to you from Beyond the Boundaries of Yggdrasil, to the vast Infinite Beyond the Great Snake. We beseech thee, Kind Master, Good Master, Powerful Lord of All-grant us your Presence, that you might dispense Wisdom and Bless us with Prosperity. Come, Lord Momonga...! I call..."

In that very moment, Suzuki Satoru's heart was racing. It was a rare off-time where he wasn't in Yggdrasil, though he was browsing various web-sites related to the game.

He'd been chasing a rumor about the YggOffline Program. The application had stumbled a lot through the early stages of its life, and had just recently taken its first, real legs as an extension of Yggdrasil. But there had been rumors of yet another bug from various sources, something potentially lucrative. He'd discussed this with the others. The general consensus was that it was all bullshit, but Herohero-san put forth the theory that it probably involved some sort of hacking.

The rumor had been about buying generic "presents" for the NPCs in the guild base. It cost real money, and was, on the surface, useless. Presents just evoked a "Thank You" message from the NPCs, nothing more. But apparently, were one to buy presents for ALL the NPCs in the base, a hidden message would appear, and the guild base itself would be strengthened.

Now, whatever that strengthening involved was vague. And claims from different guilds on the Web might just be hoaxes just to goad a sucker to spending hard-earned money on useless Presents, and not on Cash Shop items. So far, the most believable evidence came from a well-respected guild, who had a small guild city relying mostly on POPs and few NPCs. Apparently, there was a "mysterious resonance" that occurred after buying their NPCs Presents. Unfortunately that guild never elaborated on what it was.

For someone like Suzuki, YggOffline had not been something he used. He had too few free time in work as it was, and he could little afford to indulge it. He played Yggdrasil enough when he went home, so he never really opened the app from the day he'd downloaded it.

But now... he was tempted. Sorely tempted. It would definitely increase Nazarick's capabilities, fortifying their guild base to a great degree. And it wasn't like it was an exploit or anything, just a game feature that the shitty devs should have fixed before they launched their new program. It just happened that the feature involved a ton of in-game spending. But to Suzuki Satoru, ex-member of the No Cash Alliance, this was nothing.

"Shitty devs," he muttered. Buying presents amounted to just a little over two months' worth of his savings. But he was so curious about "mysterious resonances" that thinking rationally became quite difficult. He was so curious that he could feel shivers of expectation run up his spine while he fantasized on what it might do to Nazarick. Add another floor? A new stash of rare items in the Treasury? New levels for NPC creation? The possibilities were endless.

It could also just be bullshit. And he couldn't imagine doing something like that and then finding it had been useless.

For a few more moments, he teetered on the edge of his decision, reason warring with desire in his mind.

Ah, damn it!

He opened the app for the first time.

Within his private sanctum in the Treasury, a slightly disappointed Pandora's Actor meditated in the only way he knew how. Polishing yet another artifact of the Masters'.

He supposed his Master had plenty of reasons to be silent. Infinite reasons, matters so far beyond his comprehension.

It was when he was about finished polishing when he finally felt it. He almost dropped the artifact in shock.

All in Nazarick felt it. It was like a refreshing, cool breeze blowing through the desert for just a few moments.

Could it be?

Joy filled Pandora's Actor. He could feel his Creator's infinite gaze upon him.

He bowed, and spoke words that he longed to convey since the day he was born.

"Uwaaah..! What the heck?"

That guy's image was the first to appear on the screen; a chibi-fied version that greatly emphasized his egg-head. Why is he here? Suzuki thought to himself. There was even a message generated from the bottom, as if that guy were actually talking.

"Pleased to meet you, Creator-sama. Your coming brings great pleasure to my heart! Please feel free to command this lowly self! May your enemies tremble with your every step!"

Uwaah, how uncool. Suzuki felt a cold sweat coming. What's with this guy...

He cruised past the NPC interaction screen, intent on flashing past his embarrassment with the speed of light.

There. He accessed the shop. Presents for everyone in Nazarick.

His finger lingered on the "Buy" button. He scrunched his eyes and clicked.

All throughout Nazarick, strange objects appeared before each NPC. Whether it was those in the middle of a task, or just idling away, the "Presents" appeared without fail. Everyone knew it was from Momonga-sama, though the Supreme Being never explained what they were supposed to be. So all were uniformly puzzled by the object, for they could not eat it, equip it, nor were they commanded to do anything to it, or using it.

Shalltear treasured the Present like it was an expertly cut gem, surely a precious trinket gifted to them from the pinnacle of all undead. A shrine was ordered to be erected for the object.

A puzzled Cocytus thought the thing was yet another test. After mulling over it unsuccessfully for hours, he reared back his head and roared, "As. Expected. Of. The. Supreme. Leader. Your. Wisdom. Is. Unmatched!"

Aura and Mare spent quite a while trying to figure out which Present belonged to whom, as they each received differently colored ones. It was only when they found the name inscribed on the side that they figured it out.

Demiurge analyzed the object to the best of his abilities, scrutinizing every inch of its surface, to decipher some hidden meaning, from the corporeal to the metaphysical, to the utterly fantastical. His results were inconclusive, though he congratulated Momonga in his heart for devising an impossible puzzle.

"How droll," Albedo murmured. She kept the Present, thought nothing more of its meaning, and quickly forgot all about it.

In the depths of the Treasury, only Pandora's Actor seemed to know what the object was-in essence. He didn't know it was a "Present", but he did know it was a present. A gift, from a parent to a child. He spent hours spinning through the Treasury Rooms, holding on to the box as if he were dancing with it.

"Fucking shit." Suzuki Satoru's little investment bore no fruit, and he joined the legion of players whose collective outrage exceeded the sun's heat. There was little merit to pressing their appeals, however, as they had knowingly done something for which there had been no guarantee.

Thankfully, Suzuki's shame was private. None of the others noticed the Presents.

Eventually, all the bugs and ill feelings surrounding the program worked together to engineer its collapse. There weren't a lot of players campaigning for its inclusion, and that was compared to the many more who howled about "lost items", or permanent glitches that distorted this or that NPC, or more seriously, harassment by the ingenious exploiting holes in the system. Many called for the shitty devs' heads, vowing to burn the house of whichever developer had proposed such a disastrous project.

YggOffline was quietly shut down. Stat enhancements from training and other new additions like gear and such were rolled back to the state before YggOffline was launched, and the difference was so minuscule that not a lot of players complained.

The room with all the effigies disappeared from Nazarick. All knowledge of it was also erased from the NPCs' minds, from their personal conversations with the Supreme Beings, to every scrap of data they'd equipped as a result of the program.

And nothing was left.

Nothing, except for a pile of objects in a dim corner of the Treasury, quietly collecting dust as the years passed. Even the Guardian ignored the pile when it cleaned, as if it did not realize that such things were there.

Some time later, Yuri presented the report on organizing the Treasury, along with a catalogue of items compiled most meticulously by Pandora's Actor, to Ainz Ooal Gown. It had been a monumental task, but it was nothing for experienced maids.

"...Umu, this all appears to be in order," said Ainz. "Good work, Yuri Alpha. Extend my thanks to Shizu as well."

"Very good, Ainz-sama."

Ainz made a wave of dismissal. But just as Yuri was about to leave, a stray thought reached her. It was about the strange objects they had found. They had included it in the inventory, but had filed it at the very tail-end, under "Suspicious Artifacts".

Yuri turned around, and tried to decide if she should bring up this abnormality or not. Ainz's back was rapidly receding, business no doubt calling the Supreme Being elsewhere.

There was a strange memory somewhere in her mind, but it felt maddeningly out of reach.

"It must be nothing," Yuri Alpha murmured with a shrug. And she trusted the Master to read the inventory completely; nothing would escape his notice. If he decided that those things were of significance, then Yuri would apologize. And if not...

Yuri did an about-face, and left for her own duties.

FIN

Shurpuff says: Hello, thanks for reading!

So, obviously I meant to post this on Christmas, but I had a sudden trip to the mountains, and I can't say I disagree with the past few weeks. So this one's published late.

Anyway, as always, I'm keeping an eye out, even got some new ideas under my hat. Still waiting for the right conditions to publish Godfall or Heir's next chapters, so there's that. So here's an idea that's been in my mind:

"My Hero-senpais" - heroes (or heroines) from other well-known "transfer to another world" stories, after their adventures, return to Earth. There, they desperately attempt to recapture the magic of what they lost by playing Yggdrasil. They end up becoming characters behind our familiar Avatars. Momonga is the only one as Suzuki Satoru. They somehow end up transferring with Momonga. Now they must guide our Overlord as to the proper etiquette for handling the sudden transport to another world.

I toyed with the idea for Godsfall, but it felt like too much of a multi-crossover. Plus, I really wasn't aware of a lot of protagonists that could be crossed over with Ainz Ooal Gown's members.

Till next time!