The Reeducation of Arche Eeb Rile Furt

Chapter One: The Last Job

It was only by chance that Ainz happened to overhear the discussion. After his earlier questions, his conscience, such as it was these days, was clear; these workers had already agreed that the risk of their lives was balanced against the reward of this job. He had nothing to apologize for now.

As he walked over to see Nabe putting up their tent, however, he happened to catch a few words from a nearby worker team huddled around their campfire. If the girl had not been so emotional, perhaps her voice might not have even reached his excellent hearing. As it happened, though, he paused as he heard the girl's bitter voice.

"They're probably going to be sold into debt slavery by my worthless parents if I die here! Damn it, damn it, damn them—"

"Arche, you're not going to die here! You'll go back, take your little sisters away from them, and keep them safe. Then I promise that they'll have at least one good uncle and aunt to come by and visit." A soft, kind voice replied.

"Hey! Are you saying I'd be the bad uncle?" Ainz could hear the ham response, and sure enough there came a quick reply.

"Hekkeran, you're the one who jumped to that conclusion..."

The group chuckled, and the young girl dried her tears.

"Arche, when you get back you'll be sure to find a better way to get by. You've got a talent just like that Triad Caster Fluder Paradyne, right?" A deep gentlemanly voice said.

"Thanks, guys. I'm sorry." The girl sniffled. "It was just... worse than I expected when I saw them at... home. I'm sorry that my parents' stupidity had to get even you guys involved."

"Come on, we agreed to do this job. We're teammates, right?" The soft, woman's voice asked soothingly.

"Helping a friend in need... that's just common sense, Arche."

Ainz twitched as he heard the last remark, and saw the burly man reach out a hand to pat the blonde girl on the shoulder. He walked on to Nabe.

"Momon-sa—san, your quarters are now finished. Please excuse the delay."

"Don't bow, Nabe. It's fine."

"Thank you, Momon-san."

Ainz sighed, then shook his head. "I'll check the rest of the gear. I have a task for you, Nabe." He almost qualified "an important one," but then recalled who he was talking to.

The raven-haired maid straightened up and brought her full attention on him. "Command me, lord."

"Nabe!"

"Apologies, Momon...san."

"Nabe, I want you to invite one of the workers there to speak with you about magic. She is the blonde girl just there, her name is Arche. Walk over and introduce yourself. Ask politely for her to come to our tent for a conversation. I want to ask her a few questions." Inwardly, Ainz was hoping Nabe's tact was up to the task.

OL

Arche couldn't shake the feeling that this job was going to be different. Probably because it might be the last one she planned to take part in, it was assuming strange dimensions in her mind. She'd run with the chance of death on every one of Foresight's previous jobs, naturally, and had been fighting to escape from her parents' stupidity for years now, ever since she had had to walk away from the Imperial Magic Academy.

Her future had long ago been truncated by events beyond her control. In another world, she might have been a young, talented, attractive, noble magic caster, student of the greatest mage in the empire.

But this was not that world, and she was never going to be that girl. Instead, she was fighting for her life and the lives of Ureirika and Kuuderika. It had taken her a very long time to come to the understanding that her parents were good for nothing, in fact an active danger to her and her sisters. It was an unpleasant realization, that there was truly no one to save her. If she could just finish this last job, she could leave her parents behind for good, and save her sisters from whatever was going to happen when the creditors finally came calling.

She looked around at her teammates. Roberdyck was tending to the fire, occasionally glancing her way with poorly concealed worry. Hekkeran was busy teasing Imina, who was smiling softly. They were a good group; she was lucky to have found them.

The magic caster shivered. She truly hoped her bad feeling was misplaced.

Suddenly she felt a tap on her right shoulder. She turned quickly, surprised since she had heard nothing behind her at all.

Looking up, Arche saw the placid, staggeringly beautiful face of Darkness' magic caster, Nabe. Her companions paused, apparently having noticed her as well.

"Aphid, I am Nabe, of Darkness. I would like to speak with you. Please." The woman's voice was flat and her eyes showed no warmth at all.

"Ah, well, may I ask what you'd like to speak to me about?" Arche asked, a bit uncertain.

The members of Foresight eyed the visitor curiously.

"Magic."

Arche looked at Imina quizzically. The half-elf quirked an eyebrow, then shrugged.

"I'd be glad to speak with you, Ms. Nabe," she said politely as she stood up.

"Excellent. Come with me to m...Momon-san's tent. Please."

Somewhat mystified by the other woman's behavior, Arche nodded. "All right." She turned toward her friends. "I'll be back after while then."

"Have fun!" Hekkeran joked.

Nabe said nothing, and simply walked off. Arche followed quickly.

OL

Walking into the tent, Arche saw the huge figure of Momon, oddly enough still wearing full armor, sitting next to a small sideboard with what appeared to be snacks laid out.

"Welcome, Ms. Arche. I am Momon, of Darkness," the adventurer said as he stood to greet her.

"Ah, hello, sir, it's very good to meet you." Inwardly, Arche was a little concerned. It was hard to imagine that Nabe was entrapping her for some peculiar interest of Momon's, but why was he here to listen to their chat? Was she just being paranoid? A young girl, invited to a man's tent at night... she had already seen a demonstration of his tremendous strength...

Before she could dwell on it too much, Momon motioned for her to sit down. A moment later, he motioned Nabe to sit as well.

Arche reflected that the relationship between these adventurers seemed rather peculiar.

"Ms. Arche, my apologies for having Nabe invite you over here under false pretense. I actually wanted to speak with you myself."

Arche's eyes widened slightly, and she tensed. What exactly was this about?

"Ah, really? Well, may I ask what you wanted to talk about, Momon?" She felt a sudden coldness from Nabe, but the magic caster's expression hadn't visibly changed.

Momon cleared his throat. "I wanted to ask you something, to satisfy my curiosity about workers."

Workers, she thought, relieved. Then it was business, or just curiosity. This looked to be above board. Maybe she was just being paranoid.

"What would you like to know?" She asked with a little more warmth than before.

"It seems that you workers are willing to balance your lives against the possibility of financial gain. While I can understand that to an extent, I was wondering, first, whether you would accept a job like this if the place you were to plunder... belonged to someone."

She recoiled slightly at the suggestion. "Mr. Momon. I would never do such a thing. I... that is, all of Foresight, we are no thieves. This job, as best as our research has shown, is to investigate a newly discovered ruin that is owned by no one and is unknown to history. There is absolutely no way we would take a job as thieves or brigands." Her tone was sharp, and Arche knew her face must look somewhat angry, but the question was quite offensive.

None of her friends would do such a thing. They were honorable people.

Realizing her feelings, Momon raised his hands. "I am sorry, truly. I just want to know what exactly motivates you. I am an adventurer myself, you see, and am unfamiliar with workers. I did not intend to give offense."

Mollified, Arche relaxed slightly. "My friends in Foresight are honorable people. I can understand your concern, though. Not all workers are such... Well, I imagine that you noticed that swordsman with his elf slaves?"

"Yes," the adventurer replied. "It was not an appealing introduction to workers in general."

Arche sighed. "My teammate, Imina, is a half-elf. I have a high regard for all beings, not just humans. Although slavery is legal in the Baharuth Empire, there are those among us who find it immoral."

"Interesting," Momon said. "I appreciate that. I find the practice barbaric, myself."

The girl smiled slightly at this. She felt she had a better idea of the kind of man Momon was now. In this more relaxed frame of mind, she glanced over at Nabe.

The black-haired magic caster was still silent, and kept her gaze fixed on Arche. It was a little unnerving. Apart from his habit of wearing armor all day, Momon seemed pretty relatable. Nabe on the other hand was extremely rigid. There was just something about her...

That's when she noticed, or rather noticed that she did not notice anything. She'd been so out of sorts all day that it hadn't occurred to her before.

"Ms. Nabe, you asked me here to speak about magic, and you're known as the magic caster of Darkness. But why can I not sense any magic about you at all?" She asked before thinking.

She saw a moment of worry on Nabe's beautiful face, before it hardened.

Momon cut her off before she could speak. "Nabe, just a moment. Ms. Arche, can you see the flow of magic? Is it a talent?"

"Well," she glanced at Momon before replying. It wasn't like it was a secret anyway. Her talent (and her history) was pretty well-known around Arwintar between the Academy, the workers, and the adventurers. "Yes, I can. It is the same as that of my former master, Fluder Paradyne. The 'All-Seeing Eyes,' it is called."

While Arche started fixedly at Nabe, Ainz's mind was in a whirl. Fluder's former pupil, with the same exceptionally rare talent? He'd called her here to find out more about her, after Foresight's conversation had piqued his interest. Although he did not find himself feeling much about the fate of humans in general, individual humans could elicit his interest.

Ainz's thoughts went to the little Nemu Emmott girl, her older sister Enri, and Nfirea, then to Tsuare and her late sister. All those humans were quite valuable to him for various reasons. In fact, it was becoming apparent to him that talented human agents were very useful; there were only so many in Nazarick who could safely be dispatched, and then there was always the lurking threat of those who had enchanted Shalltear.

Demiurge and Albedo intended to found a kingdom for him, and he frankly knew nothing about how they were intending him to do this, but he did know for certain that he would be ruling over mostly humans. He had been upset by their plan to allow raiders to test Nazarick's defenses, and had refrained from speaking up about it... but maybe finding another useful human could be a hidden benefit, maybe even help him dodge Demiurge and Albedo's inevitable questions about what was to come next when he drew a wild card like this. Plus, no matter how influential and knowledgeable he was, Fluder was something of a basket case... having some more reasonable human agents in the Empire could prove to be very useful, depending on what Albedo and Demiurge revealed next.

It was worth a gamble. As usual, Ainz decided to wing it.

"Narberal Gamma, cast silence about the tent and remove your ring." He commanded.

Obligingly, Narberal stood, quietly cast the spell, and removed the ring. The moment she did so, Arche gaped and fell soundlessly out of her chair, her wide eyes never leaving Narberal's face.

"Impossible... impossible! How, how can you be this powerful? More powerful than my master? Magic of the seventh tier? Are you... are you a god of magic?" She wondered aloud. Then, at the moment she managed to bring herself to her knees, trembling, she heard a voice.

"Very well then."

Arche turned her attention from Nabe just in time to see Momon remove a gauntlet, exposing a skeletal hand. But the girl had no time to react to this extraordinary sight.

Because then he removed a ring from one of his fingers, and her vision whited out completely.

She vomited onto her hands, shaking in sheer terror at the unbelievable pressure she felt. She could not cry out, or even move. Every nerve was on fire as she felt the unimaginable mana present before her.

It was a long moment before the young girl could raise her eyes to see him. Momon had removed his helmet, showing only a bare skull with piercing red glowing pinpricks for eyes.

"Who... who..." she stammered, gasping.

"I am Ainz Ooal Gown, master of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. The place you and your friends intend to invade and burglarize." Red eyes bored into her own and she found herself unable to move at all. Even her trembling had stopped.

Everyone is going to die.

The thought entered Arche's mind and she could think of nothing else.

We're all going to die. We've drawn the ire of a god, and now he's going to kill us all.

Arche did the only thing she could, and ground her forehead into her own vomit.

"Please, please Lord Gown! I swear to you I will not enter your Great Tomb! Having seen your majesty I know you are a god to us! Please, please, spare us!" The girl's voice trailed off.

She was crying now, but was unable to close her eyes. Arche felt hysteria rising in her breast but dared not scream. Anything that might offend this one before her, anything at all, had to be avoided.

Please give me a way out, some way, anything! Anyone, I just want to see my sisters again!

Then he spoke.

"Arche, what is your full name?"

"Ah, Arche Eeb Rile Furt, your majesty." For a brief moment she panicked, thinking she must know some more exalted form of address, but he responded before she could think of one.

"A noble?"

"No, not, not anymore, your majesty." She wondered whether she should elaborate, but again he replied.

"Your parents are ruining your family with debt, and you fear for your sisters' fate should you fall. Is that right?"

A horrible choking sob came from the girl. He had cut her to the quick.

"My lord, please, yes, I, I love them, please, I will do anything..." Again she trailed off, crying now. What could she do? Her life would surely end this very night. Perhaps the being before her was just indulging its curiosity. Surely she was no more than an insect to such a one.

The tent was silent for a long moment.

"Arche Eeb Rile Furt. It is within my power to safeguard you and your sisters from all harm."

Hope blossomed in her breast and she struggled to stay in control of herself.

"My, my lord? I don't understand..."

"Raise your head and look at me."

Arche jolted upward and wiped her face quickly, then gazed at the figure before her. It was still blinding, but she was trying not to tremble.

"Arche, if you swear to serve me faithfully, I will reward that service by saving you and your sisters. They will never want for anything, and no one will harm them." He leaned forward slightly. "In exchange, you will give your absolute loyalty to the Great Tomb of Nazarick. Will you serve me willingly?"

There was no alternative presented, but Arche felt she could imagine what would happen if she refused. She was speaking to a god of magic. She had no bargaining position. She could only make one decision. It was fortunate that her noble upbringing had prepared her to be convincing.

"My lord, I swear myself to your service willingly, and I thank you for the opportunity to do so. I will do everything in my power to carry out your will."

The skeletal face did not change expression, but Arche felt as though he was pleased.

"Excellent. Now, Arche, you will prove your loyalty to me, and then we will see about your companions."

Her companions. To Arche, at that moment, it felt like they were ten thousand miles away.

She bowed her head, too terrified to ask anything further of him. "As you wish, my lord."

OL

The day, in Imina's opinion, had not had an auspicious start. For one thing, Arche had returned from her meeting with Nabe last evening with a drawn expression, and only offered curt replies before heading to sleep. Even for the normally taciturn caster, this was odd behavior.

Then this morning, Arche had been peculiarly chatty, speaking happily over breakfast and even giving Roberdyck a hug. In combination with the emotional display from last night, Imina was very worried about her young friend's emotional stability.

Heading into an unexplored tomb, though, was no time to start yammering about this. Arche was a professional; they all were. So she had put on her game face, strung her bow, and headed into the tomb behind Hekkeran.

When your everyday job was a life or death fight, caution was first, second, and third nature. Imina trusted her teammates to have her back, and she focused on watching theirs as the job began.

Now her worry about Arche had been obscured by the ludicrous series of battles they had faced, one after another, as they were no longer exploring, but rather trying to escape this infernal tomb.

Suddenly, though, things had changed. They had hit a teleport gate, from what Arche said, and now they were before the gateway to some strange arena.

"You know, the guy who runs this place may just be using those teleport gates as a leftover from whoever built these ruins. There's no reason to overestimate their power." Roberdyck's calm voice helped her focus.

"Yeah, who knows how old this place is?" Hekkeran added. "Let's not lose the plot just yet, ok?"

His voice was light as usual and served to break the tension. Imina appreciated it, as always. She could always count on Hekkeran.

"Well, any other ideas? I say we go forward. If we can talk to this guy there's always a chance."

Imina nodded her assent, and Roberdyck gave a thumbs up.

"Arche?" Imina said, noticing her teammate's silence.

"Right," the girl shook herself, but did not turn away from the corridor. "Just... don't get careless."

Apparently Hekkeran's words hadn't much reassured her, Imina reflected. But it was time to move, so she patted the blonde on her shoulder and offered a smile. "Let's get through this."

OL

When they entered the arena, there were too many amazing things to notice at once. Imina, for her part, saw the golems and the high stone walls, but the thing that caught her eye was the open sky. "We're outside?" She asked wonderingly.

Just then she saw a small figure fling itself from about six stories up, only to land flawlessly onto the arena ground level.

"Haaaa! Here they are, the foolish invaders of the Great Tomb of Nazarick! These four have been given a great privilege today, to meet the most supreme of Supreme Beings, Lord Ainz Ooal Gown! What will they say? How will they act? Will they live or die? Only our Lord knows!"

With the dark elf's words, the opposite arena gate rose to reveal three figures. Imina could not tear her gaze away from them. The first was a skeleton bearing the most amazing staff she had ever seen, with piercing red lights where his eyes might once have been. Alongside this figure, slightly behind and to the right, walked the most beautiful creature Imina had ever seen. The dark-haired woman had horns on her head and wings coming from her lower back, but these only added to her attractiveness. To the skeleton's left walked an extraordinarily beautiful girl a little younger than Arche, dressed in a dark red gown with a matching bow.

When they stopped walking Imina shook her head as if in a daze, trying to make sense of this sight, then looked at her teammates. Hekkeran's customary grin was gone, leaving a serious, calculating expression in its place. Roberdyck looked grim, but ready to fight. And Arche...

Imina could not believe her eyes.

"Arche, come back!"

The girl was walking boldly toward the skeleton.

"What are you doing, Arche?" Hekkeran called out.

"Arche! Stop!" Roberdyck sounded almost frantic.

But none of them moved, because at that moment Arche, their ever-reliable magic caster, their little sister, the companion who had fought with them for years and never once complained, the young girl Imina recalled thinking had to be lying about being able to use third tier magic, was genuflecting.

She did not merely bow her head, but rather sank to her knees and placed her head and hands onto the sand of the arena floor.

"Your majesty, Lord Ainz Ooal Gown, I have come with my companions as you ordered. Please, command me."

The voice Imina heard was Arche's, but she was having a hard time believing her own senses.

"You have done well, Arche Eeb Rile Furt. Raise your head." As she did so, he called out, "Shadow Demon, show yourself."

From Hekkeran's shadow, to his visible amazement, Imina saw a form black as pitch drag itself into view and fly quickly over to Ainz Ooal Gown.

"Lord Ainz," the black figure bowed.

"Has Arche spoken of me to her companions, or revealed in any way her knowledge of what was to befall these invaders?"

"She has not, my lord."

"Excellent. You are dismissed." He gestured the figure away with a regal motion of his hand, then turned back to look at the humans.

"You have upheld your vow, Arche. As I promised, you will have an opportunity to convince your fellows. Rise, and speak." At his imperious gesture, Arche stood, bowed once more, then turned to face her friends.

"Arche..." Imina did not know what to say. Both Hekkeran and Roberdyck were stunned into silence.

The girl met each of their eyes in turn. "Imina, Hekkeran, Roberdyck. I met Lord Ainz Ooal Gown and observed his magical power. He is no mere magic caster. He is... a god of magic." She shook slightly, then continued. "I offered him my service, and he graciously permitted me to give you, my friends, the same chance. Please, accept this offer and swear fealty."

Imina did not know how to react to this declaration. She was simply stunned into silence.

Then Hekkeran spoke up.

"Arche, no, Lord Ainz Ooal Gown, we heartily apologize for entering this place. I would be glad to offer appropriate—"

"Hekkeran," Arche cut him off, here eyes very wide. "You need to give me an answer, now."

"Arche, how can we—" Roberdyck began, but was unable to say anything further.

"Stop," Ainz intoned. "Arche, they do not have your talent. They clearly do not understand as you did."

The girl's face went white, then she turned around quickly and genuflected again.

"Your majesty, please, I—"

Imina immediately felt the terrible killing intent coming from the two beside Ainz Ooal Gown. It froze her in place, like nothing she had ever felt from an opponent or monster.

"You would beg for yet more from our kind master, who has given you the chance to serve him personally?" The horned angel spoke, clearly enraged. "You need to learn your place."

"Albedo!" Ainz gestured to silence her. "Enough. A lesson may be necessary."

"My deepest apologies, Lord Ainz," Albedo bowed immediately.

Imina glanced over at Hekkeran. She could see the fear from her own eyes reflected in his. If Arche wasn't being magically controlled... what exactly was going on here? What should they do?

Before they could say anything, though, Ainz spoke again.

"Shalltear. This exercise let these intruders trespass onto the floors you guard. I ordered you to abandon your duty there, which I know you take pride in. To give you a measure of peace over this, you may demonstrate the power of Nazarick to these three, so that they understand. Do not kill them."

"I am honored to carry out your wishes, Lord Ainz!" The girl said happily, then strode forward calmly past the still genuflecting Arche without even looking down. "I am Shalltear Bloodfallen, floor guardian of Nazarick. Now, insects, you may attack when ready. I have been ordered to leave you with your lives."

"Can..." Imina spoke, her throat dry. "Can Arche fight with us?"

Shalltear looked to her lord, and Ainz put his hand to his chin. "Very well. Arche, stand and fight with them."

"As you command, your majesty," she replied, then stood and walked over to the rest of her teammates.

"Arche!" Roberdyck said in a harsh whisper. "What is going on here?"

She looked at the priest with damp eyes. "I'm not being controlled, Rober." She glanced at Hekkeran. "Lord Ainz Ooal Gown is more powerful than you can imagine. I did not exaggerate. He is a god. I beg you, please accept his offer."

Roberdyck looked at her fearfully.

"How can we trust this?" Hekkeran whispered tightly in reply. Arche's face twisted.

Imina reached out and put her hand on Arche's, then took a deep breath. "I trust you with my back, Arche."

The girl sniffled audibly. "Please do as I asked, once this fight has ended. I beg you, please."

"Are you truly so convinced?" Roberdyck asked, looking over at the slender, pale girl in the red gown. She looked as though she were attending a party.

"You do not understand," Arche replied softly, taking Imina's hand and squeezing it. "But once you do, I ask that you accept his offer."

Imina looked worriedly at Hekkeran and Roberdyck. The former showed a tight smile, while the latter looked very dark.

"Come on. Let's do this."

OL

Ainz and the others retired to the stands with flight magic, leaving Shalltear Bloodfallen before them.

"Finally ready, insects?" She asked, her beautiful face twisted with an ugly smirk.

"We are," Hekkeran said forcefully, then looked at Imina, then Roberdyck, then last, worried, at Arche.

"You have dishonored my lord twice so far today. I will not forget it. Well then, come," she replied, offering her hand palm down, her fingers extended, as though waiting for a kiss. The party could see that her delicate nails appeared to be painted.

Imina knew that they were going to have to trust Arche here. She nocked an arrow and activated a skill, and three arrows flew toward the girl even as she saw Arche casting Lesser Strength on Hekkeran.

The team was working together. Arche would not have betrayed them. She had to hope that—

The girl was gone.

Without any notice at all, she simply disappeared.

Turning as quickly as possible, she heard Roberdyck's hoarse shriek of agony. When she saw him she almost threw up. She noticed that Hekkeran and Arche were similarly affected.

Roberdyck's legs had been removed at the knee, and his heavily muscled arms were simply shredded to ribbons of skin and muscle tissue. But the blood was not falling into the sand.

It was instead floating into a grotesque ball over the now crimson-stained face of the girl, Shalltear Bloodfallen. The ghastly figure dabbed a finger into the stream of blood and delicately placed it between her lips. She smiled.

"Hahahaha! For a priest you don't taste half bad!"

Imina shuddered. All she heard in that voice was enjoyment, like the girl was looking at a piece of cake.

She saw Arche cast magic arrows and Hekkeran move forward, but the spell vanished when it came close to the girl, and as Hekkeran swung his sword the girl simply caught it.

"How disappointing. You're worse than that idiot in Re-Estize."

Imina dashed to the side and sent out more missiles.

The girl just brushed them away, and in the same moment brought her hand across Hekkeran's chest.

She could hear him choking on his own blood while he screamed in agony.

Before Imina could even start screaming, though, before she could move, she felt a cold hand at her neck.

"You're all so very worthless, you know?" She heard the breathy voice in her ear, and then there was nothing but pain as Shalltear leaned down and tore her left leg from her body.

The half-elf lay there in the sand, the abrupt pain so intense and overwhelming that she was going immediately into shock. She vaguely heard voices around her, but she was losing consciousness fast. She saw Arche's face, crying, and there was a brief feeling of being shaken.

Then, this is the end. Her mind flashed briefly to Hekkeran, but she couldn't turn to see him. If only we could have had more time together... I love you...

Just as the blackness closed in on her, she felt a soaring sensation, like the time Arche had flown her over the tree line and done a flip in the air. Then she felt the cold fade away, and her vision cleared.

Imina pushed herself out of the sand with trembling arms. My leg, she thought wonderingly. It's fine.

She wondered briefly what sort of magic could perform such a miracle. Then her eyes found Hekkeran, miraculously unharmed. Behind him Roberdyck was on one knee, eyes wide but apparently uninjured.

She let out a sob and ran toward Hekkeran. He embraced her, shaking, and she wept, her tears falling onto the arena floor.

OL

The four of them were bowing before Ainz Ooal Gown now.

"Raise your heads," he ordered. They did so slowly.

"Members of Foresight. You came here for money, but you sought that money to help your companion, to help her sisters. Is that right?"

"Yes, your majesty," Hekkeran began haltingly. "We wanted to help Arche."

"She absented herself from the decision, and we made it for her," Roberdyck stated, his deep voice soft in the expanse of the arena.

"It was our hope that we could help her," Imina finished for them.

"And you were willing to risk your lives to do so..."

Imina watched as the skeletal figure placed his hand to his chin. She wondered what on earth such a being even thought of their worries, of a young girl, sisters, the debt of fallen nobles.

What were they to this Ainz Ooal Gown, whose servants could kill them barehanded, or bring them from the edge of death, with no effort at all?

"I believe," he began after a moment's pause, "that there is no greater honor than laying down your own life for that of a comrade, human or no. It is not a measure of power, but a measure of one's character, that one should do so. The greed of the other invaders that trespassed here has been dealt with in kind, but the honor of these humans is worthy of note, and should be held in esteem. All in Nazarick should recognize this."

Behind him, the two women, the dark elf, another elf, and several other figures bowed at his words.

Imina was frankly astonished to hear this. She was prepared to follow Arche here, purely for self-preservation, but this went beyond her expectations. Ainz Ooal Gown sounded not like a lich, or a monster, or even a noble.

These were the pronouncements of something higher. For Imina, now, Arche's decision made perfect sense. It was not just cowering before absolute strength. They were not swearing themselves to a monster, but to a thoughtful figure who wielded force greater than the four gods.

She truly hoped that Hekkeran and Roberdyck shared her thoughts.

"Arche Eeb Rile Furt."

"Yes, your majesty," Arche answered promptly.

"I have shown your fellows some evidence of my strength. You now have your last chance to ask them to join you in your service. Stand, and speak."

At his regal gesture, Arche stood and faced her friends. She waited a moment, gathering her thoughts, then began.

"You are my companions… my friends, and I wish for you to join me in service to my new master. His power, and his honor, you have seen. I believe in Lord Ainz Ooal Gown. Now, please, give me your answer." Her voice broke as she looked at them.

OL

I'm so glad they said yes, Ainz thought.

It would have been unbearably embarrassing if they had refused, particularly after his impromptu speech that had been motivated by thinking of his old companions. Sometimes just bringing them to mind was enough to make him chatty.

After they had sworn themselves to Nazarick a few hours ago, he'd left them with Narberal Gamma, with instructions to prepare rooms for them on the ninth floor near the servants' quarters.

Ainz had little hope that Narberal would learn to get on well with humans, but he supposed that a little more practice wouldn't hurt. Plus, he needed some time to figure out what to do with the new human servants.

I probably want to strengthen them a little, then send them out on some simple errands. I need to get Arche's sisters too...

Both Albedo and Demiurge had been thrown for a loop by this new development, happily. He had kept this plan restricted to himself, Narberal, and the shadow demon he'd tasked to observe Foresight, so they were taken entirely by surprise. Being a little in control of things was good for his composure.

He already had Pandora's Actor ready to manage the worker support party's departure from the tomb. The next business was to send his emissaries to report the crime to the Emperor. He still wasn't sure what this was all supposed to accomplish, but hopefully he would find out soon.

AN: Well, here I am writing a fanfic despite the fact that I have too much to do already. There are so many good Overlord fanfics out there these days… I just wanted to write one centered on Arche. This story actually came about after I saw a conversation on the Overlord subreddit the other day concerning Arche's fate in the Web Novel. One of the people in the thread didn't know anything about it, and someone kindly linked the text for them. Anyway, I read through the WN part again since it was linked… and I thought of this.

If you have not already checked out Overlord fics by atheistbasementdragon, InkBlotches37, meisking01… you should do that.

Hopefully I'll have another chapter written this weekend, but it depends on the workload as usual. Hope you enjoy it!