Overlord (LN)

The master shifted his gaze, as though he felt uncomfortable. Cocytus had no idea where his master was looking, but he seemed to have spoken quietly. His master’s face was skeletal, so there were no lips he could read, but he had probably said someone’s name.

“Oh, Ainz-sama! You actually said you loved me!”

Shalltear’s moved voice echoed through the hall.

Cocytus was behind Shalltear, so he could not see her face. However, her attitude said everything. Her voice sounded choked up, while her shoulders twitched.

He could see his master’s other hand gently caressing Shalltear’s face. It was holding a white handkerchief.

“There there, Shalltear. Don’t cry. It’ll spoil your beauty.”

Shalltear did not answer. She simply pressed her face — probably her lips — to the back of the hand stroking her hair.

Mare and Aura were already shedding tears.

Demiurge too dabbed at the corner of his eyes. Cocytus was somewhat envious of those people who could cry, and he looked longingly at the backs of his utterly loyal colleagues.

What Shalltear feared most was to be deemed useless, a troublemaker and disloyal, and then abandoned by the final, merciful Supreme Being who had remained with them.

However, her master thoroughly obliterated that unease.

He did so with the word “love.”

How happy must Shalltear be now? As someone in the same situation as her — no, his own situation was worse — Cocytus could only watch her back silently, with unbridled jealousy in his eyes.

“Then, Shalltear, you may lea—”

“—Ainz-sama.”

A cold voice interrupted her master’s words. Cocytus glared angrily at Albedo for her disrespect. And then, a thrill of dread ran through him as a wisp of unease curled through his heart.

“The meting out of appropriate punishment and reward is the way of the world. I feel she must still be punished.”

“...Albedo, do you dispute my deci...”

Her master’s words trailed off. He must have been left unable to speak by some reason about which Cocytus knew nothing, In the end, it was Shalltear’s words which swayed his final decision.

“Ainz-sama, I agree with what Albedo said. Please punish me as you see fit. The chance to fully express my loyalty would delight me as well.”

“...I understand. I shall do so after deciding on the appropriate form of punishment. You may return to your place.”

“Yes, Ainz-sama.”

Shalltear descended down the stairs, her already red eyes made even redder. She returned to her original position, and bowed with a matchless devotion to her master.

And then—

“Cocytus, Ainz-sama has something to tell you. Pay close attention.”

The air filled with tension.

It was his turn now.

Cocytus’s head was bowed very low. While that posture, which only allowed him to see the floor, was a clear display of respect, Cocytus had done so because he lacked the courage to look directly at his master.

“I have seen your battle with the Lizardmen, Cocytus.”

“Yes!”

“It ended in defeat.”

“Yes! The. Blame. For. That. Failure. Lies. With. Me. Please. Accept. My. Sincerest. Apologies. And. I. Pray. You. Will. Allow. Me. To—”

The sound of the staff striking the ground interrupted Cocytus’s apology. Then, Albedo’s cold voice made his hearing organs tremble.

“...You are being very rude to Ainz-sama, Cocytus. If you wish to apologize, do so with your head raised.”

“Forgive. Me!”

He raised his head and looked upon his master, who was seated at the top of the stairs.

“...Cocytus, what do you have to say as the general of a defeated army? How do you feel, given that you did not take the field and merely acted as a commander?”

“I. Am. Deeply. Remorseful. For. My. Inability. To. Achieve. Victory. Even. After. Receiving. Command. Of. My. Own. Troops. And. For. The. Loss. Of. The. Elder. Lich. Commander. That. You. Personally. Made. Ainz-sama.”

“Hm? Ah, you can get undead like that from just about anywhere, so it’s hardly a shame. There’s no need to worry about it, Cocytus. What I want to ask is how you felt when commanding a battle. Let me get this out of the way first — I do not intend to blame you for this defeat.”

The Guardians and the vassals behind them were confused by those words, with the exception of Albedo and Demiurge.

So Demiurge was right... oh!

Cocytus sensed his master was about to continue speaking, and hurriedly refocused on him.

“After all, anyone can fail. Even me.”

The air in the Throne Room turned uneasy. How on earth could the Supreme Being Ainz Ooal Gown fail? In fact, he had never once made a mistake up till now.

In other words, he was only saying this to comfort Cocytus.