Overlord: World of Gown

Chapter 5: Change in Heart

Since days, Ainz had left the city of E-Rantel and returned to Nazarick. It wasn't a relief in the slightest; in fact, it was quite the opposite. Once again, he found himself pursued by the NPCs wherever he went.

It wasn't necessarily a cruel predicament, but he longed for the days when it was just him and Narberal, finding comfort in their solitude. But he couldn't abandon his creations, as others had done. He resolved to stay and endure for their sake and preserve his memories.

As a portal opened before the throne, Albedo gracefully bowed as the entity who ruled over her entered the sacred halls. An imposing undead figure emerged, his gaze locking onto her before he gestured for her to rise.

She obeyed, and he reclaimed his seat upon the throne.

"My Lord." She addressed him.

"Albedo." He replied with a simple word. She yearned for a more passionate greeting, but she knew better than to push for further explanation.

"Has everything gone smoothly within the tomb so far?"

"Everything is as it should be, my lord." She assured him in a soft tone, briefly summarizing her work.

"Good. Now that I have returned from my short adventure, I will place someone else to play Momon." He informed her, but she seemed somewhat perplexed. "So let me introduce to you Pandora's Actor." With a wave of his hand, a portal opened to his right, and a figure clad in a yellow military suit entered. Albedo quickly noticed the distinctive mask adorning the being's face, a simple design with only three holes, two for the eyes and one for the mouth. It was unmistakably a Doppelgänger, as even his fingers counted less than five.

Ainz couldn't help but feel a twinge of embarrassment as he observed Albedo's scrutiny of Pandora's Actor.

'Come on, he's not that bad.' He silently berated himself. However, as he thought this, the Doppelgänger executed a fluid, old-fashioned pose.

"Mein Führer! Mein Gebieter!" Pandora's Actor continued, striking various respectful poses that left Ainz overwhelmed by an inexplicable green aura. He thought to intervene, hoping to deter Pandora's Actor from this peculiar display, but it became evident that the Doppelgänger's programming was relentless. In the end, he could only blame himself, for he had included these eccentric motions into the Doppelgänger's programming.

'I take back what I thought. But what will Albedo think of him?' Ainz glanced back at Albedo, her expression an enigma to him.

He cleared his throat and began the introductions. "Albedo this.. this is Pandora's Actor. My.. Only creation."

The Doppelgänger turned towards Albedo, doffing his hat. "A pleasure to meet you, Guardian Overseer Albedo!" Once again, he embarked on a series of extravagant gestures and words that Ainz found increasingly difficult to endure.

"Likewise, Area Guardian of the Treasury." Albedo replied, maintaining a formal tone in response to Pandora's Actor's greetings.

"Good. Now that this has been done, let me tell you how Pandora's Actor is involved. As you know, I have created a persona called Momon, but I cannot always be Momon. Now Pandora's Actor here will replace me for most of the time, playing as Momon the Black. This allows me to even appear at the same place with him when some have gotten suspicious. Do you follow?"

Ainz provided a straightforward explanation, and Albedo nodded when asked.

"Now I understand it. Brilliant, my lord! As good as any plan you make."

"If this has been cleared, you can leave again for the Treasury, Pandora's Actor." Ainz motioned to an open space behind his creation, and another portal materialized. Before entering it, Pandora's Actor executed his distinctive poses once more.