35 「TheHuntBegins」 (2/2)

The Staff had become an Essential Item.

”I didn't choose it,” she looked up to him, ”It named itself.”

Momonga paused for a moment hearing her say this and took a gander. While he couldn't appraise it, he was quick to notice the embedding was moving about the staff like that of a snake. The weapon, it was intelligent. It was an intelligent weapon, one that could be considered an artificial life form. Perhaps the staff itself was a golem!?

Just as she went to sit back down on the couch with the item on her lap, it started to spasm slightly like liquid. Suddenly as if it had become living ooze, it leapt from her hands and onto her own wooden staff which was propped up on the arm of the couch.

It consumed it and took its place, reasserting its form as it did so.

”Did… Did that staff just eat the other staff?” Momonga and the three others in the room just stared at the item as it would stand independently from the couch before absently flopping onto Ninya's lap.

Ninya just sat there, staring at it as if a shadow had been cast over her face.

”Um...”

Albedo appeared to lean to the side slightly to get a better view of the staff, but in reality, she was just using it as an excuse to be leaning into Momonga. The man whom she had been programmed to fall deeply in love with. ”Ainz-sama… I think it leveled up.”

Momonga wouldn't blinked if he could, instead his eyes just flickered in and out. ”Could it be based on his assimilation magic…?”

Ninya blinked several times when she heard this word, Assimilation, from that of Momonga's disembodied voice. ”Assimilation Magic?”

”It allows him to assimilate other beings and magic in order to get stronger. He got it from a wish.”

Ninya slowly nodded before she placed a hand on her stomach and went wide eyed. ”Like an Experience Potion?” The assimilation of other beings and becoming more powerful? That sounded an awful lot like the whole Experience Potions, being different depending on the 'ingredients.'

”Experience Potion…?” Momonga looked at her without an available expression. ”Perhaps.” From this very question he was pretty sure Jack not only used assimilation, but tricked Ninya into drinking the byproduct. Which if he was still effected by mortal morality as he used to while he himself was human, would have been disgusted with the idea that he had essentially turned her into a one-time cannibal. ”Why?”

”Aft-after drinking a potion Jack gave me… I… I raised in knowledge and magic tier,” she was breathing uneasily. ”I recently found out that I'm capable of casting tier six magic.”

Momonga was silent for a few seconds before shaking his head. ”That's most impressive...”

Ninya looked at him with her mouth hanging open slightly at the side, ”Did I drink a person?”

”No,” Momonga didn't hesitate to say no. It was immediate, as if he knew the question was coming. ”The Assimilation magic discards the physical being and assumes form of the data left behind.”

”...Data?” Ninya knew the word, but it seems that she ate words rather than flesh? That didn't make much sense, but him saying things like this did make her feel a little better. ”Where did he get this data you speak of?”

”When probably went after the organization the girl formerly belonged to, the girl who killed your Party. They were sighted near E-Rantel and he went out to intercept them.”

”Organization?”

”The Black Scripture.”

Ninya could recall him saying something about wiping them out at some point prior to them coming here. She just had no idea what he used or how he had done so. They were a powerful group, Demi-Gods according to that of the Slane Theocracy.

Her chest began to tingle slightly, like the bones wouldn't stop shaking. Since he couldn't kill Clementine, or save her friends, he went after the people they originated from?

And he intercepted a military unit that crossed the border of the Kingdom!?

Ninya just stared at him, her eyes felt like they were shaking now. Was this excitement? Was this fear? She closed her eyes and rested back into the couch, taking solace from the cushions.

Momonga's eyes rested on the staff for a few more seconds before he turned forward. ”Sebas, I leave the rest to you. I have been asked to attend at the Royal Palace.”

”Understood, Ainz-sama. We will take our leave to begin the operation.” He bowed his head again, Ainz and Albedo vanishing as quickly as they had arrived. As he then took an errect posture, he turned his head to take a glance at Ninya.

Staring at the staff which seemed to be purring in her hand, she caressed it with her thumb.

He was quick to noticing that the staff itself was emitting an ambient Calming Aura of the Fifth Level. Once the initial panic had settled, she was completely fine.

That smile was across her lisp again. The one which seemed to be able to be cherished by just about anyone and everyone who had seen it. Sebas was beginning to understand the reason behind Jack's attraction to her aside from her Convictions, Morality, Shy and Humble demeanor.

In a way, she was cute. And soon enough he was beginning to wonder, what would she look like if she allowed her hair to grow out to boast her feminine charms?

Shaking his head subtly, he made his way out of the room.

Ninya rose from the couch and quietly followed after him. She held the staff awkwardly in both hands, continuing to examine it as she walked behind him. Using the sound of his shoes to guide her out of the house. Soon enough they would be out on the stone streets of the Capital.

She quickly noted the presence of soldiers along with the patrols. Did something serious happen?

Sebas walked casually, as if he wasn't even bothered with the sight of armed men.

She followed closely, walking up beside him and assuming a calm posture as she walked with the staff horizontally at her side. Ninya didn't seem to know where they were going, but he appeared to know the way or at least the general location.

As they walked through the cold hard stone streets of Re-Estize, they came to a stop at the entry of an alley. It was empty for the most part, but there were plenty of buildings here.

Ninya's eyes darted from door to door. None of the places looked suspicious, and they didn't have signs over them. The brothel clearly wasn't advertised. ”My sister is somewhere around here?”

Sebas nodded, ”I've personally observed a noble walk down this alleyway after leaving his carriage. He didn't take his personal entourage with him… He was gone for hours and returned, his knuckles were bruised and he smelled of sweat, blood and pheromones.”

Ninya bit down on her lower lip hearing about the bruises on some man's knuckles and him smelling of blood. Could it be that they beat the women here?

The two began walking down the alleyway. Ninya's eyes were stuck on Sebas however, watching as he intently listened to his surroundings. Just what was he possibly going to hear?