Obsession: Albedo’s Desire

Dark clouds brought rain at night, washing away dust. By morning, the sky was a dazzling blue, clouds gleaming brightly.

Gazing up at the mausoleum on the surface of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, its majestic structure, cleansed by the rain, shone whiter than the clouds, like a ruler's divine form.

Endless grasslands stretched around, a refreshing breeze blowing through. A picnic here would be delightful. Once, the empire's emperor was entertained in this very spot.

Turning, a large log cabin stood beside a grand four-horse carriage, driven by a beautiful maid.

"Two days, today and tomorrow. Please take care," the man said.

"Leave it to me," Yuri replied, smiling brightly.

In E-Rantel, the three sisters' rivalry over escorting the man resolved by morning. Solution and Narberal were unavailable for reasons, leaving Lupusregina victorious.

Narberal, watching Lupusregina gleefully rush out, messaged the man to return directly. He replied that Yuri would escort him from Nazarick to E-Rantel, no worries. Lupusregina was too late.

Albedo, most concerned for his safety, wouldn't let him walk alone. She assigned Yuri and a lavish carriage—regal by kingdom standards but modest for Nazarick. The horses, undead, were masked by tack, unnoticeable at a glance.

Waving back to Cocytus at the log cabin, the man's carriage journey began.

He sat beside Yuri on the driver's seat, not inside. He wasn't delicate enough to mind solitude in a fancy carriage, nor was he scheming to sit by Yuri. Nazarick had already filled his plate.

His choice was simple: it was his first carriage ride. Moving without walking was novel, the breeze pleasant, birdsong delightful. Looking back, the massive mausoleum shrank to palm-sized.

"Don't stand; it's dangerous. I'd prefer you inside," Yuri cautioned.

"Thanks for the concern," he replied.

"Don't make me repeat myself. Next time, I'll tie you up and toss you in," she warned.

"So, no standing?" he teased.

"That's not—ugh!" Yuri groaned.

She yanked his collar to sit him as he acrobatically twisted, gripping the backrest. He'd been like this since the ride began. His excitement was clear, but a fall would mean Yuri facing Albedo's wrath. She wanted to tie him down but couldn't help a wry smile at his childlike sparkling eyes.

"Look forward, not back. Carne Village is in sight," she said.

"That's… not a village's size," he remarked.

A long wall spanned the horizon.

Carne Village had a strange fate. Without incident, it would've remained a timeless rural hamlet. But political strife led to a massacre, and Ainz, newly arrived, saved it. Enri, a village girl, gained a goblin army, got entangled in war, then acquired a massive goblin legion. With their efforts and Nazarick's aid, the village thrived dramatically.

If E-Rantel was the Sorcerer Kingdom's hub, Carne was Nazarick's first foothold. Lupusregina, tasked with its protection, had slacked and earned Ainz's reprimand.

"As expected, a goblin village," the man noted.

No gate barred Nazarick's carriage. Inside, curious gazes abounded—mostly goblins, as Enri had summoned over 5,000 with a magic item. The wide, paved road led to a mansion where a girl, a younger child, and sturdy goblins waited.

Ignoring their mix of curiosity, caution, and awe, the man leapt from the driver's seat before Yuri could stop him.

"I'll stay in Carne Village for two days. Can you introduce me to its leader?" he asked.

"Eek!?" the child squeaked.

The goblins and child realized the apothecary boy's budding romance was doomed.

Enri, alerted by a lookout about Nazarick's carriage, hurriedly prepared with her sister Nemu and goblin guards to greet the guests.

She knew Yuri Alpha, who seemed kind and stunningly beautiful, reportedly Lupusregina's sister. The man was new, his presence rivaling Yuri's. Surely a noble or prince—perhaps a god descended to save mortals. Yet, he said:

"I'm the youngest of a merchant family. Ties with Momon led me to mediate between the Sorcerer Kingdom and E-Rantel's citizens. I'm no politician, just making minor reports."

In the Emmot mansion's guest room, across a sturdy table, his musical voice and breathtaking beauty, honed by privilege and divine favor, overwhelmed the naive Enri.

"S-So… that's how it is," she stammered, biting her tongue, teary-eyed.

He chuckled. Enri blushed and looked down. Jugem, her goblin guard, clutched his forehead. She was a general leading a goblin legion and Carne's elevated village chief, but still a simple girl. Facing nobility was beyond her experience; she was rigid with nerves. Ainz and his ilk were divine saviors, a different kind of awe.

"You may know, Enri-san, but the Sorcerer Kingdom's key base is near Carne. I travel between it and E-Rantel, so I'll stay here occasionally," he said.

"T-That's… great! Stay as long as you like!" Enri nodded repeatedly, red-faced.

She wished Jugem could take her place, but as village chief, she had to face him. Without Jugem and Yuri, she'd be too awestruck to speak, yet she was still on edge.

"Is big brother married?" Nemu piped up.

"Nemu!" Enri gasped.

"Not yet," he answered, looking down.

Shockingly, he had Nemu on his lap. After greetings, he'd beckoned her, lifted her up, and asked, "Hug or piggyback?" Nemu chose "Hug!" and stayed glued to him. Enri feared her sister's rudeness.

"What about big sister? She's the prettiest and super popular!" Nemu said.

"Nemu!" Enri squealed.

"I don't choose my spouse; I'm not that important. But Enri-san seems wonderful," he said.

Enri wanted to disappear. His compliment, likely polite flattery, left her flustered.

"Marriage is just men binding women to households. States prefer managing families over individuals. What do women think?" he mused.

Good thing Solution wasn't here, or her Zoom Punch would've gutted him. Yuri wouldn't relay this idle chat.

"W-Well, uh…" Enri's gaze darted. Yuri smirked, Nemu beamed, and she couldn't meet his eyes. Jugem nodded gravely, dependable as ever.

"May I ask somethin', sir?" Jugem said.

"They call me Young Master in E-Rantel. Not quite 'sir' yet," he replied.

"Brother, then?" Jugem asked.

"Sure."

Jugem stepped forward. A goblin, child-sized but broad as a man, with a squashed nose, pointed ears, jutting fangs, and green skin.

"We're goblins, yet you ain't fazed. Ain't goblins scary?" Jugem asked, eyeing him.

Enri and Nemu tensed, but Jugem focused on the man. His beauty suggested more than human, perhaps hiding strength like Nazarick's elite. If so, he couldn't approach Enri.

The man smiled nostalgically. "Someone asked me that before. Fear comes from death's presence. In peaceful Carne, I feel none. You guard Enri, right? You'd protect me too, I bet."

"Sorry for the rude question. Who asked you before?" Jugem pressed.

"Ainz-sama," he said.

Yuri was present. Enri and Nemu saw Ainz as a savior, but Jugem caught the implication: he didn't fear Ainz. Stunned, Jugem saw the man's dark smile—not mocking him, but something else. Even Solution hadn't seen it.

"Your question assumes humans don't attack humans. I can't say that," he said.

Enri and Nemu, orphaned by human hands, winced. Jugem faltered, having stirred painful memories. The man's lack of tact darkened the mood. Yuri coughed.

"I'll tidy the house. I can't stay glued to you. Carne's safe, but please, please behave. If anything happens to you, my head's on the line," Yuri said.

Enri and Jugem gaped at his importance; Nemu didn't get it. He laughed. "That's a Yuri-class joke!"

"No! I'm serious!" Yuri snapped.

As a Dullahan, her detachable head made it no joke. He mistook her warning for humor. She listed childlike cautions—don't approach danger, don't fall in wells, don't eat off the ground, don't wander—then stormed off, fuming.

The serious air vanished.

"I'd like to see a place in Carne. Can someone free guide me?" he asked.

"I'll do it," Jugem said.

Promising to dine with Nemu, the man left the Emmot mansion. Studying urban development, he found Carne's growth fascinating, quizzing Jugem on its zoning and construction.

When his questions paused, Jugem spoke. "Tell me the truth."

"Truth?" the man asked.

"Your origins. A rich imperial merchant's son wouldn't say humans attack humans," Jugem said.

His beauty, captivating even to goblins, and Yuri's words hinted at his significance. Jugem hoped he wasn't a threat but needed clarity if he was from Nazarick.

"What I told Enri was the public story. Whether you tell her the rest is up to you," he said.

"Stop with the 'san.' It's awkward," Jugem said.

"Got it. I'm from the capital. At Nemu's age, my face was burned with boiling oil. I was imprisoned until recently, saved by that great one," he said.

"From her age… until recently? The whole time?" Jugem asked.

"Ten years, at least," he said lightly.

It was no light past. Jugem couldn't tell Enri or Nemu. He'd wanted him gone to spare Enri, but now pity stirred.

"Still not there?" the man asked.

"Almost," Jugem replied.

"Ha, I came to Carne to meet her," he said.

They headed to the Bareare workshop to meet Lizzie Bareare.

As an E-Rantel alchemist dabbler, the man longed to meet Lizzie, E-Rantel's top apothecary. Lacking magic talent—confirmed by Ainz—he still hoped to learn from her non-magical potion-making.

Asking to observe her work got him kicked out. Peering through a window on Jugem's shoulders earned him a foul-smelling liquid splash. Jugem, noting Lizzie's usual calm, retreated with him to a well to wash off.

There, they met a timid boy—Nfirea Bareare, Lizzie's grandson, a genius alchemist. Instead of asking for Lizzie, the man requested to watch Nfirea work. Nfirea's talent was undeniable.

Their talk was fruitful. The man's vast knowledge, especially non-magical extraction methods, offered mass-production insights. Lizzie, initially glaring, acknowledged his skill. Asked where he learned, he said he puzzled it out. Nfirea was impressed.

His dexterity stunned—splitting a hair twice with a dagger. He lived a life requiring delicate hands. Their shared interest made time fly, and they agreed to meet again tomorrow.

"Why'd you chase him off? He's amazing!" Nfirea said.

"Hmph. He'd distract me. If I were ten years younger…" Lizzie mused.

"Fifty, you mean," Nfirea muttered.

"What!?"

"Nothing… He's really beautiful," Nfirea said.

"Snap out of it! He's a guy!" Lizzie snapped.

"I know!"

Unlike bustling E-Rantel, rural Carne slept early. Sunset signaled dinner, even at the Emmot mansion.

Usually, Enri ate with goblins or Nfirea. Today, she and Nemu hosted their guest. Spurred by Nemu, Enri cooked a feast. With goblin-hunted game and Nazarick's aid, food was plentiful, though not noble fare—just Enri's best.

The guest praised her meal, surprising her. No leftovers, and he asked about ingredients and methods. Perhaps the pre-dinner drink helped—a sweet liquor Jugem pushed on her, which she didn't touch but served.

Despite his noble air, he knew commoner life, connecting with Enri over cooking. Leading the talk, she enjoyed herself.

He'd leave for E-Rantel tomorrow. Nemu secured a lunch promise, as breakfast would be rushed.

Leaving the Emmot mansion, the man headed to a house Yuri arranged. Carne's dark paths were safe, and he knew the layout. Yuri had returned to Nazarick, promising to fetch him tomorrow—an hour's ride, half if she hurried.

Yuri had prepped the house; bedroom and bath were ready. A bath in a village was rare, but Lupusregina, its former occupant, demanded one. After a quick bath, he changed into casual clothes, loosening his daytime suit.

Carne's night was early, unlike E-Rantel. No entertainment here—work instead. Nazarick's chaos left no rest, and Carne was no exception.

He left the house. No sunset glow, only a dim moon. Few homes leaked light; villagers slept early, rising before dawn.

Returning to the Emmot mansion, a ten-minute walk stretched to thirteen with careful steps. After eating and bathing, less than two hours had passed.

The mansion was dark; Enri likely tucked Nemu in.

Steeling himself, he stepped onto the path.

"Stop there," a gruff voice called.

Jugem emerged from the shadows, joined by more small figures blocking the way—goblins, surrounding him.

"You're not scary like them, but we can't let you pass. Go back," Jugem said.

Enri's goblin guard stood firm.