44 「Rings」 (2/2)
”I want to capture some of the animals and monsters near the village.”
”And what will Mare do exactly?”
”Help?”
Jack just stared at the girl for a few moments before shrugging. ”That works I guess?”
”It always works. Mare will go and do anything I make him.” She grinned deviously with her hands at her hips. Her eyes though quickly flickered over her shoulder towards the room Shalltear was exiting. ”Oh, looks like it's time to go.”
Whistling to herself, the Beast Master went running down the corridor to find Mare where ever her brother may be. Though it was likely that they were in the library talking to that Skeleton Mage.
Turning his sights to Momonga, Jack bowed respectfully to the man. ”As I was saying, it is time for me to go. I look forward to visiting Nazarick more often. I hope you keep the door open...” The moment be felt Momonga grabbing his wrist, he glanced down at his sharp boney fingers. He could only blink a few times as he had placed a ring in his hand.
”What's this?”
”If you wish to formally integrate your guild into mine, it would be an honor to have you in the Great Tomb of Nazarick as a full member. The Round Table is very… Empty. It would be nice to have another occupied seat for a change.”
Jack stared at the item which was in his hand. He was not only invited to join, but he was given the ring that allowed him to transverse the Tomb itself.
”It would make sense to join you wouldn't it…?” Jack said as he believed that they were both now Kings of the Sorcerer Kingdom to be. While he was a PvPer and a better direct fighter, Momonga was a mastermind, while Jack always took the frontal assault, he would manipulate the political atmosphere of the entire continent. ”Considering I've already formed a pact between us.”
”Consider it a continued invitation from the first time I asked,” Momonga placed a hand on his shoulder. It was like a business arrangement or a father and son moment. Jack couldn't quite tell. Yet to Momonga, it appeared to be an investment in a lasting friendship.
Jack lowered his head with a nod as he watched Momonga give a lax wave as he vanished to another part of the Great Tomb. Meanwhile Jack himself used the guild ring to make his way up to the surface before slipping the item into his item box in order to avoid wearing it out in public.
Then that was where he was found by Demiurge again as he was about to leave the visible ruins.
”Jack Cipher,” he didn't use any honorifics or titles. He wasn't as friendly as he appeared inside the bar either. The Devil in red landed beside him, facing him. ”If you're planning on betraying Lord Ainz, then you should be more discrete about it!”
”Still sour that I locked you out of the village?” He asked as he looked over towards him with a brow raised. He really just wanted to leave and go see how Carnve Village was doing.
Demiurge's nostrils flared in annoyance. ”It wouldn't be wise to test Lord Ainz. I will personally crush any feeble attempts, and he will surely destroy you.”
”...” Jack stared through the Devil for a few moments before shaking his head. ”I don't think you're understanding what is going on here.”
”Oh, is that so?” The Arch-Devil began to circle the man, looking him over. ”Seducing Shalltear? Manipulating her mind, turning her against her master? You were alone with her for quite a while.”
”That didn't happen. Plus, Ainz was watching the entire time.”
Demiurge had misunderstood what had occurred down in the Great Tomb and seemed to have come up with a circumstantial idea.
”You and your comrades are so quick to call each other and others out for betrayal where there is none, and deem others failures where they have yet to show their potential. Or if their potential is blocked...” Jack accused the Devil, as he knew very well that Shalltear's feeling of guilt and fanciful bouts of pretend self-destruction were caused by being looked down upon amongst other things.
”And what exactly did you help her with? Your punishments only appeared self-demeaning.”
”She was demeaning herself long before I did anything, I was just helping her see herself for who and what she was, in which she was denying herself. That was her punishment, understanding herself.”
”Understanding herself…?” Demiurge straightened out his bifocals. ”And what of corrupting Lady Aura's allegiance?” He had seen how she acted around him, how she hung around the village more and more often.
”By feeding her preserves and entertaining her as a guest? Besides that, it wouldn't be corruption.”
”Explain, Cipher.” Demiurge was getting annoyed with his antics, but it was clear Jack was also hiding the fact that he was getting annoyed as well. Yet he himself wasn't even using honorifics to address him once more. He had no real respect for Momonga's fellow player. Even though he'd be the only one who could have their allegiance pledged to should their Supreme Being disappear.
”Momonga has offered me a seat at his round table, as I have handed him a throne. He had offered an invitation to me once before,” he glanced around the fake hills and grasslands around the Ruins. ”Before this New World.”
Demiurge blinked a few times. ”So you already had Lord Ainz's approval,” the Devil immediately went to drop to one knee, only for Cipher to stop him by tucking a hand under his shoulder.
”No apologizes. Not for this,” Jack would appear to smile, though no one could be quite sure what his true expression promptly was.
”Lord Cipher...” Demiurge frowned, though he hadn't even thought of apologizing to him. Only kneeling to him, but not to ask forgiveness, but to implore him to accept Momonga's 'demands' that he join the Guild.
”Just remember before you kill a human being, that Momonga was once one himself not too long ago. I will always make sure he remembers, but it is up to you to keep a mind out for that...”