Interlude: First Lady of Chaldea (Patreon)

It would be wrong to say that Ainz had become confused by what he had just learned from Angrboda.

He was indeed confused about his own ‘history’, his abilities, and even the simple basic things like how this world 'works’. He didn’t even want to begin to untangle the mess that is what had actually happened to him in the first place to bring him here. The Servants he could ‘understand’ enough. A super secret conspiracy that was running full steam in the background of the world? Ha! That was a simple fact of life!

The strange fact of his existence in its current state though? He didn’t understand a single thing from the get-go, so it would be wrong to say that he was only completely confused only now...

So, Ainz simply treated it as a simple fact of life that he understood absolutely nothing about what was happening. So he simply gave up trying to understand, not even bothering to dream that he would one day somehow figure out all the intricacies of what had happened.

He was not that smart.

After all, from what he could tell from Angrboda’s story, he had just played a game, which turned out to be not a game. And played it for twelve years, which was actually lasting at least several hundred years. Only to then end up in the past somehow after the first game was turned off, but in fact, the game he ‘thought’ he had played was not a game at all!

And now he is fighting a magician that travels through time and wants to destroy humanity, all the while fighting alongside legends that have returned to life…

As Ainz added more and more ‘facts’ to the pile, the more complex and paradoxical the pyramid became. Who summoned him? Was he even ‘summoned’ in the first place? Did he actually ever ‘play’ YGGDRASIL at all? Where did Cainabel, Baal and Angrboda come from? How did they know about him? Why did they know things about him that he did not know at all?

Therefore, as he had decided a long time ago when dealing with puzzles, Ainz, trying in futility to organize the dozens of paradoxical facts in his head that were ready to tear his mind apart, simply gave up. And so, instead of trying to build a single coherent through line from the thousands of facts piled up in a single heap that would only fall on him and crush him - he just left the pile of facts lying in their place, periodically pulling out one or two facts at a time when it was necessary.

Of course, Angrboda's words were a mountain of facts and conjectures that had added an uncomfortable amount of things into the ‘pile’. An event that had suddenly collapsed the barely put together act of balancing that is his understanding of the world…

Though, is it really called ‘understanding’ if he actually understands nothing?

Still, Ainz was mature and even self-assured enough to be able to look himself in the eyes and admit his weaknesses.

Ainz did not possess the mental capability to understand these complex mysteries that seems to become more bizarre the more he thinks about it. In the past, he was very glad that Ainz Ooal Gown was a PK Guild that everyone basically hated. No need to trouble himself with the complex system of personal relationships between the heads of guilds, when everyone is a target or wants to kill them right?

So, how was he supposed to understand the almost quite literally, for him, eldritch mess that is the system of magic of this world that is based on such unprovable and unverifiable concepts such as ‘legends’ or ‘mysteries’?

The moment he understood even an iota of the system, something new and radical that changes everything would suddenly be added to the mix!

Of course, Ainz was not an absolute idiot when it comes to something more difficult than waving a staff and pressing buttons. It is simply that he had just soberly assessed his abilities in building or god forbid understanding really complex schemes with dozens of variables and unknowns, and had found that he was complete shit at it. And so he preferred to give the opportunity to scheme and understand elaborate mysteries to someone, who really liked and was interested in doing it, rather than charging in himself and making a jumble of everything.

In the past he had managed Ainz Ooal Gown as a Guild Master through direct democracy, the simplest of all possible forms of government, without division into any strata. Something that is less of a consequence of their small size but more of a means of trying to wrangle so many conflicting personalities in his guild.

Furthermore, in the past, if he had encountered any complex system with many variables in front of him, he preferred to simply brute force the solution. Simply memorizing and training himself in as many possible answers to the most diverse options as much as he could, rather than really trying to puzzle out the hundred different factors affecting the final outcome…

‘No plan survives enemy contact’ is a truism that he believes in. And so, rather than having a ‘master’ plan, he prefers to have ‘all’ the plans. A preference which would also explain why his inventory is always so cluttered with stuff.

All this, of course, excluding Ainz's preferred fighting style. To any outside observer it was definitely an exception to Ainz’s attitude towards anything else. And even then, his seemingly incredible adaptability in any combat situation, was not so much an indication of his ability of improvisation. It was simply ‘experience’.

Ainz was a ‘veteran’ of many ‘battles’, he was simply prepared for any possibility in how a fight could go…

In any case, having once again spent precious time pondering and trying to fit the information that Angrboda had dumped on him, Ainz nodded to himself and came to a very important decision.

That he’s going to let Da Vinci talk to Angrboda and sort things out on their own. After all you shouldn’t trouble yourselves with things that you cannot fix or understand.

Da Vinci will probably even be ecstatic of such a chance.

Angrboda’s issue though. Ainz breathed out, he had forbidden Angrboda from eating people in Chaldea, but regarding her attitude towards people…

Ha… At least Cainabel is showing marked improvement after she started teaching her ‘kohai’.

For Angrboda though? Could Ainz do anything about her distaste of humans at all?

Hmm, probably in the future he might even somehow convince Angrboda to treat people better. Or, on the other hand, Da Vinci was a much better debater than him. Da Vinci herself will probably only be happy to deal with Angrboda’s attitude problem as she plied the giantess with her favorite questions and prodding.

And then, when Da Vinci had puzzled out the mystery herself, Ainz could just learn about it from Da Vinci herself. Maybe even using something from the ‘I'm wondering what you found out about me’ series of stock phrases or a similar enough kind of line.

Ha, surprisingly, Ainz has been getting better and better at this kind of lying lately. Certainly not the best kind of thing to add to his resume, ha…

Ainz blinked and shook his head, shaking off the depressing thought.

Yes, he had once again become dumbfounded and stumped as shocking facts were dropped on him. Apparently, at least from Angrboda's point of view, his adventure in YGGDRASIL was somewhat more, for lack of a better word, Epic than Ainz remembered it.

But, can you really blame him for ‘checking out’? When something like his own memory of events suddenly becomes something that he couldn’t really trust being something that is the least shocking thing that he had experienced in quick succession? It was not even the top ten craziest things in the mess that is Ainz’s current life.

Being transported to the past, getting press-ganged into some kind of superhero group responsible for saving the world. Discovering that magic is real after he is forced to travel in time, to fight legendary heroes in the body of his game avatar in order to save humanity. Humanity which was actually already destroyed and would stay extinct if he fails. And just recently, he discovered that the reason as to why Humanity was destroyed was because an ancient magician wanted to destroy Humanity… for some reason.

Oh, right… how could he forget? Gaining the affection of multiple really attractive women that are way out of his league.

Was his life actually an isekai story? No, that’s impossible, he actually has a spine.

And so, after experiencing such a coterie of strange events, finding out that some of his Servants, people he needs to rely on to complete his mission, perceiving him as another person was no big deal.

Okay, heh, Ainz let out a small chuckle. Considering everything Ainz just listed out, it was difficult for him to even imagine anything in the future being shocking enough to top all of the above.

However, he could not help but feel worried. The pile of incomprehensible facts only grows and grows and Ainz was not getting any closer to an answer.

Ainz paused his steps for a second before shaking his head, slapping his cheeks several times, trying to fully let go of his worries.

Let his much more competent subordinates deal with such problems!

Ainz made another grin, it seems that he is beginning to resemble the bosses of his past world, ones that do nothing but receive paychecks while making all their subordinates do all the work. And then taking all the credit of course. Although, if Da Vinci herself is happy to take on the assignment, it could not be said that Ainz was in the wrong to benefit from her work. If she herself was more than happy and glad to receive the work, then Ainz was more than happy to provide!

Ainz’s jaunt through the hallways came to a sudden halt, as the word ‘Boss’ triggered a particular memory.

Ah hell, he had completely forgotten what he was supposed to be doing! He was going to go to Olga-Marie and ask her about the things for Tesla's laboratory! But then he heard Angrboda talking to Jack about eating people and suddenly all thoughts about anything else seemed to fly away.

Ainz exhaled and rubbed his eyes, is his memory deteriorating because of his age? Can an undead even get older in the first place? His mind was definitely affected by his transformation into an undead, so did his personality change as well?

Still, even as a normal human Ainz couldn’t be considered old, he was only thirty-five after all…

Thinking about his age, Ainz thought about something for a second before frowning. He hadn’t seen a calendar for a long time, actually since he was dropped here, and he didn’t know the current date. All his travels to the past also definitely did not help with his perception of time. Like everything that happens in this world…

He'll have to check today's date, maybe he was actually already thirty-six years old?

Or, according to Angrboda, three hundred something?

Ainz shook his head and exhaled. There is no point in worrying now about something that he cannot influence in any way - or even understand.

Better to deal with the problems of his subordinates right now. And so, onwards to find Olga-Marie it is!

***

Olga-Marie, slipping out of the towel she was wearing to preserve her modesty, plunged into the hot bath. The hot water soothes her sore muscles, causing her to let out a sigh of relaxation joyfully. As she felt the healing effect of the hot water on her tired muscles, Olga could literally feel her desire to live returning to her body.

Medea was an excellent teacher, there is no doubt to that. Any magus worth their Magic Crest would sell their soul, and a lot more than that if necessary, for the opportunity to learn from her Master that she was receiving for free. It was just… so tiring!

Perhaps it is shocking to learn, training as a magus was not only exhausting for the mind, but also for the body. Furthermore, training with the legendary mage from the Age of the Gods, was not only a matter of trying to understand complex, esoteric magic theories, but also of... But of...

Push ups!

Olga-Marie could hardly resist clutching her head as she remembered the terror.

Push ups! Squats!

What does a magus need muscles for?! No, of course, a magus must have a certain minimum level of physical fitness for them to function as a capable magus. Medea, on the other hand, definitely did not understand, or even accept such a concept as a ‘minimum acceptable level’. Something that is especially vexing when Medea herself would probably not be able to complete the exercises she had assigned to Olga if she were not a Servant!

Why did her Master make an exercise routine that one could not complete without the strength and endurance of a Servant anyway?! And seeing the diminutive Medea, a person who looked like she couldn't carry a bag of groceries from the supermarket by herself, berating her over her lack of physical capability made her launch complaints after complaints!

But when it came to Olga-Marie, any objections were instantly rebutted by Medea’s assurance that she was here to give the best possible training that she could give. And, apparently, the best training combined not only practice and theory about magecraft, but also physical fucking exercises!

What kind of Magus fights with physical strength anyway!?

Remembering the hell she had experienced, Olga-Marie slowly lowered herself deeper into the tub. As her nose submerged below the water line, Olga indignantly blew out air in a silent scream of frustration. Which, together with hot water and Olga-Marie’s boiling inside, completed the image of a boiling kettle, a funny sight to any onlooker.

After releasing enough of her anger toward her Master overbearingness, Olga re-surfaced and leaned on the bath’s wall.

That is, of course, Olga-Marie was not complaining about Medea’s teachings, she was doing no such thing, and no one could prove it! Olga-Marie is the Chief of Chaldea, this position accepted only the best and unshakable people. A group to whom Olga-Marie, of course, belonged to.

It’s just that… She had never expected to return to such a routine after she was han… she accepted the position as the Chief.

Slowly Olga-Maria relaxed her shoulders, as she felt her tired muscles ache in her tense state.

There were a lot of things in her life that were not at all anything she expected lately. And that was quite the understatement!

Her training… Ha, when was the last time Olga-Marie even attended classes at all? Or even actually have time to study Magecraft? It was quite a long time ago… Maybe when she was still a student back in the Clock Tower, a time before her father passed away.

When was the last time legendary teachers were available to her as personal tutors? Well, such legendary magi as Medea never did, so, strictly speaking, never. But, her teachers in the past were also… Okay, they were actually pretty bad, preferring instead to flaunt their talents rather than actually teaching anything. Though there is that one teacher… Velour? No, that sounded wrong.

Olga-Marie shifted a little before exhaling.

Lately, there was a lot going on in her life. Which was especially ironic, considering how, at the same time, there was so little going on in her life.

No parties, no momentous decisions, no meetings with heads of corporations. Nothing that she does now, as many as there are, are as incredible as she did in the past. Things like… Olga-Marie chuckled for a second remembering the time she had rented a yacht when she wanted to sail the Mediterranean Sea.

Actually, didn’t she do that last year? She remembered being so disappointed when Lev rejected her invitation. And yet even when it happened not so long ago, with everything that has happened, it felt like a whole life-time ago.

And in a sense it did, didn’t it? After all, it literally did happen a ‘life-time’ ago.

Olga-Marie scooped up some water and splashed it on her face, calming herself down before getting up to wash her hair.

It's strange what petty things she was doing right now. The Singularities were handled by Ainz, the Servants were mostly handled by Da Vinci and Roman, and all the equipment was monitored and also repaired by the surviving staff. People whom Olga did not even know by name, except perhaps a few, were the ones that were critical for its function. Were one of them to die… At least, they’re more important to Chaldea’s function than she did.

Yet, right now, in a strange way even when nothing she does really matter and for the first time in a long time, Olga felt that there was a purpose for her life. Something that she lacked in the past.

Although few people will have a different answer to the question ‘which sounds more important, the head of a mega-corporation with multibillion-dollar funding or a chef determining the composition of the daily rations for several dozen people’. Most people that answer with the latter, are naive, and idealistic. Still, in a strange way, Olga felt that her actions as she figured out how to ration their supplies were a lot more... significant.

Not so much because of its scale, but because before, while performing seemingly such significant actions, Olga did practically nothing. All negotiations took place without her participation, at most - with the presence of her body, not her mind as she was only senselessly watching her former deputy, Lev, ha... Agreeing on something before nodding and putting her signature on the agreed upon contract that did not even require her to mutter a single word.

And therefore, in a strange way, finding herself in the current conditions, for the first time in a long time, Olga felt that she... was really doing something. She was doing something meaningful - even if it's small. She did something on her own,  not just nodding to the dictation of her deputy. For the first time in a long while she actually thinks, decided - and did something out of her own will.

And this was just one of such significant changes…

Her current schedule of training and studying. For one, it has been a long time since she was following such a routine, and it was even longer since her training was not a meaningless pastime, she only did because it was expected of her. Even if not her favorite thing to do with her time, she chose to do it.

And… that was it, isn’t it? She was free now.

Olga-Marie understood that her life had drastically changed. The things she had lost, and the things she had gained…  She found that her current life was nothing like it was in the past. Perhaps even more than any other inhabitant of Chaldea. And that even when taking into account the fact that a large part of the current inhabitants of Chaldea was Servants. Even when compared to them, Olga could say that her life probably changed the most.

From her work to her hair care, from her study and to her habits, everything in Olga-Marie's life had turned upside down in such a short time.

And the reason for most... No, in truth, for all these changes….

Ainz Ooal Gown.

A man, could she call him that at all, who had managed to scare all the inhabitants of Chaldea several times till their stomach cramps as they were exposed to his might and evil presence. And yet, he was also the one to take the salvation of mankind into his own hands. A terrible unknowable creature that destroys dozens of Servants in a wave of his hand and had challenged Solomon himself and forced him to retreat.

But most importantly, the one who had saved Olga-Marie. The one who inspired her to take her life into her own hands again. The one who healed her of her greatest curse.

The one to whom Olga-Marie confessed her love to. And the one with whom her, albeit strange, but still relatively understandable, romantic relationship had taken the strangest and most unusual of turns.

Indeed, everything in Olga-Marie's life has changed - and the reason for this was Ainz.

Olga ran a hand through her hair, rinsing off the remaining shampoo before reaching for the towel.

And so, Olga-Marie is now changed and yet still the same in most ways.

Still the same inexperienced magus as before…  But now trained by Medea and Mozart in the art of magic.

Still an incompetent in managing Chaldea… But able to cope now that she only has several dozen subordinates.

Still the one abandoned by her father and betrayed by Lev…  But able to walk away from the sting of betrayal, letting go of her past.

Olga ran the towel through her hair before glancing at her naked figure in the mirror.

There were small circles under her eyes, the proof of her many sleepless nights. An accessory that most inhabitants of Chaldea, other than the Servants, now sported. In other conditions Olga probably would have felt horror from the perceived mar in her appearance. The circles under her eyes would be a mark of her incompetence that she cannot hide. But now, in a strange way, Olga felt even a little peculiar pride from this.

It was like her little personal confirmation that she was busy. That she couldn't afford to sleep until lunchtime because she had to work, to do something. Whether it was to listen to Medea's teachings, to resolve disputes, or even to check Chaldea's systems.

Olga-Marie was doing something. For the first time in a long time, she was not useless. Not cursed. And not...

Olga blinked when she heard a light knock outside the bathroom. She hurried to put on her clothes before rushing out of the bathroom - “Yes, yes, coming!”

After a few more seconds, still pulling on her clothes, Olga found herself inside her office, before quickly making her way to her desk and taking the pose of the most serious boss before uttering with an imperious tone for the guest to come in. “Come in!”

After a few more seconds, a face appeared behind the opening doors… One that she was quite ashamed to admit, also appeared quite often when her mind began to wander.

“Ainz!” Olga smiled. - “Come in, sit down…”

“Thank you, Olga” Ainz took a step inside, soon finding himself at the seat opposite of her. “I came here because of Tesla's request... Do we have some free laboratory equipment and space where Tesla can use as his laboratory?”

“Hmm?” Olga blinked before shrugging her shoulders, the request was not one she expected. “If you have a list of equipment that he asked for, I can check it later. And as for the room, there’s no problem of course. Most of Chaldea is empty…  At the moment.”

“Um, okay, thanks.” Ainz nodded, then began awkwardly staring at Olga’s face as the silence began to hang, hesitantly saying. “Honestly…  That's all I came in for.”

“Oh…” - Olga blinked before slowly nodding, trying to hide her disappointment at the quick parting. “Okay, I understand... Are you busy?”

“Hm?” Ainz, distracted from some thoughts stared at Olga in surprise. “No, not really. Do you need me for something?”

“No, it's just…” Olga fell silent for a second, feeling that what she wanted to say would sound pretty… needy, but she unconsciously blurted out what she wanted anyway. “It’s that, we just haven't talked for a long time…”

“No, no, never mind!” Finally catching on what she just divulged, Olga immediately tried to say anything to distract Ainz or to at least make her sound less desperate for his attention. “You were busy in the Singularity, with the trouble with our communication and all… Furthermore, with Solomon appearing out of the left field, and with your important mission and…”

“Olga,” Sensing Olga’s panic, Ainz looked commiseratingly at Olga, making her shut up. “I… I apologize if I make it seem as if I’m ignoring you. It's just… a lot has happened lately…” Ainz said haltingly as he rubbed his neck awkwardly.

Olga, hearing these words slowly nodded, smiling a little a bit sadly, “I understand…”

There was an awkward silence before Ainz spoke first, “Olga… I...”

After that, Ainz could no longer continue talking. In the past Olga would probably have been annoyed by the silence and staring. She would have probably started demanding something like ‘You! Speak up already, and if you don’t have anything to say, just shut up and keep out of my way!’ But with Ainz, her previous short-temperedness and irritability seemed to evaporate.

No, maybe it was not only with Ainz…  Olga could sense that she was gradually becoming more and more calm. More…  balanced, if that was the right word.

Although, this was also due to Ainz’s influence… And then without preamble, Ainz began speaking again.

“Hah, I'm sorry for ignoring you Olga. It’s just that lately, some shocking facts were revealed to me, Revelations that troubled me somewhat. I just didn’t want to burden you with them.” Ainz smiled sardonically, his thoughts clearly still in disarray.

“Try me, I don’t mind.” However, instead of retreating from Ainz’s admission, Olga only smiled as she looked at Ainz. And then, seeing the surprise on his face, added. “You know… I… once again I thought about what you had done for me, for all of Chaldea. And, even if only for a small bit, I want to help you…  At least try telling me what had been bothering you. Even if all I can do is listen to you… Of course, if you don’t want to talk about it, I won’t insist... Just…”

Olga suddenly smiled. “I'm always happy to help. And besides as the Chief, it’s my job to make sure that important personnel are in their optimal state. So tell me, what’s been bothering you?” Olga finished cheekily.

After Olga’s offer, Ainz looked up at Olga before smiling a little. “Thank you for the offer Olga, but it’s nothing special. Just some things…  Minor stuff, I think, are somewhat bothering me. They’re nothing to worry about.”

“Okay”, - Olga stepped back without putting pressure, after which the room again plunged into silence for a few seconds.

There was another awkward pause before Ainz suddenly looked up.

“You know…” Ainz suddenly smiled, “This awkward dialogue set the awkward tone of our entire conversation… Maybe we can talk about something else?”

“Talk about what exactly?” Olga calmly looked at Ainz, forcing him to think for a second before exhaling slowly.

“You know,” Ainz nodded slowly. “I don't really know that much about you…”

***

“And I, sooooo I fucking fired him!” Olga thundered as she slapped the bottle of alcohol she was holding on to the desk, not paying attention to the splashes of expensive alcohol falling to the floor. “And I-hic!said to him! Like, “While I, Olga-hic-Marie Animusphere, retain at least the drop-hic! of influence, you’re not gonna get any fu-hic-king work other than as a fucking janitor!”

“And his wife?” - Ainz, although he could not get intoxicated in the literal sense of the word, as if succumbing to the spell of alcohol and Olga-Marie’s exuberance, also felt his mind become a little clouded. At least that’s the excuse he would use if anything happened. “If I were on in your place, I would…”

“Ha, that’s the best part!” Olga-Marie raised the bottle, then, disregarding all the rules of etiquette, gulped down the contents of the bottle. As she pulled the bottle away, tears started to flow. “Oh... Lev knew his stuff!”

“So it was Lev's stash?” Ainz's mind easily slipped from the previous story about a couple of Chaldea workers' unfaithful husband onto another topic.

“Who-hic-else can make a stash of alcohol in my own hic-abinet?!” - Olga leaned back in her chair. “Just me and Lev! It's good that I remembered about his stash!”

“Yeah, good thinking.” Ainz smiled and then looked at the drunk Olga.

Their little conversation suddenly turned into a conversation about Ainz. Then about the past, about stories of the past. About his interests and hobbies, about their favorite genres of music and films.

Ainz was surprised at first that Olga preferred opera, and Olga was surprised that Ainz never listened to opera. Ainz was further surprised when Olga pulled out a stereo from her desk’s many compartments. She then turned it on and made Ainz listen to… something.

Ainz assumed it was an opera judging by the bevy of strange words it has for a title.

He couldn’t make out any of the words spoken by the singer, but their singing voice was beautiful, which Ainz could easily agree with.

Olga then forced Ainz to confess about one of his terrible secrets, that he once loved to watch shōnen anime. But only when he was a child! This is normal no!

Then the topic suddenly turned into their childhood...

And that’s when Olga found Lev's stash, and she desperately needed not to be sober when talking about her past. Without the numbing help of alcohol, Olga would prefer not to remember a lot of things from her childhood.

Ainz also didn't want to talk about his past much, he didn't want to pick on the barely healed wounds. But the stories he could tell made Olga feel sad anyway.

It wasn’t long before they moved to the sofa, with Ainz hugging the crying Olga.

He did not want to talk about his past - but some stories from his life still leaked out, forcing Olga to also hug him in return.

Then they talked about their family, then about work. And against the background of these two topics Olga remembered the story about the married couple in Chaldea. About an unfaithful husband who used his official position to get to young employees. While at the same time constantly sending his wife on business trips, arguing that she was the only one he could trust.

Ainz, thinking about the story, turned his gaze to Olga who was now sitting next to him. Although he was no longer hugging her, she still sat very close to him.

Her flushed cheeks betrayed the fact that she was very drunk. Her disheveled hair only made the picture even starker. And the whole ensemble was completed by the two unbuttoned buttons on her chest. Under which Ainz could see that Olga was wearing a white lace bra without any problem.

However, instead of indulging in the view, Ainz instead looked away before taking a deep breath. Their talk of family and loyalty made him think…

“Olga,” After waiting for the girl to turn, Ainz exhaled. - “Why... Why did you agree to…”

Ainz was ashamed of talking about his… harem. So instead of talking about it outright, he preferred to circumvent the topic. “The other girls?”

Hearing Ainz’s question, Olga fell silent before looking at Ainz with clear if drunk eyes. Ainz also raised his gaze to Olga, looking into her eyes.

For a few seconds, both of them were silent, before Olga smiled and answered the only way she could. “I love you.”

“I know it sounds like a cheap cliché, but…” - Olga pulled back a little to turn her face completely towards Ainz, looking at him with a serious expression as she shrugged her shoulders. “But I just want you to be happy... No, of course, I would like you to only be mine…  I…  I also once dreamed of wearing a wedding dress too, you know.”

“With Lev?” Ainz, perhaps due to the influence of the phantom alcohol in his blood, couldn't help but joke, forcing Olga to roll her eyes.

“Yeah, with that guy, now shut up!” Olga snorted before continuing. - “That is... I mean... I want-hic-ed a wedding…  With a white dress and a white chapel…  Two rings, then a cool vacation on an ocean-hic liner and…”

“I would be very happy if it happened that way.” Olga exhaled and looked down. “Then together, we would have ruled Chaldea. There I would always know who I can trust, that wouldn’t betray me…”

“But, I know that those girls are also dear to you,” Olga suddenly grinned. “Or, ahem, at least some of them. Therefore, I know that if I forced you to choose between us, then... I could lose you.”

“Olga, I…” Ainz tried to answer without hesitation that he would choose Olga, but she just shook her head instead. Perhaps she instinctively knew that it would be a lie.

“Even if I want to hear those words…  Hic, I really, really want to…” Olga shook her head. “ You don't have to tell me anything. I... I know that even without you saying it, that… I don’t mind, so, it's okay. And... I just don't want you to be hic-urt. Even if for this I have to give you some space…”

“Oh…” - Ainz blinked in surprise, looking at Olga with a warm smile before slowly looking away, - “Thank you…”

“It’s fine.” Olga again kissed the lip of the bottle and suddenly broke into a sly grin. “Although, aren’t you lucky? You-hic-know…  If you think about it... You now have a whole-hic... Harem!”

“Well, that is indeed the word to use.” Ainz’s smile froze in his face as the taboo word leaked out of Olga’s mouth, allowing Olga to continue.

“You know-hic…” - Olga suddenly reached for Ainz. And he, not smelling any malice, expecting, at most, another hug, unexpectedly discovered Olga suddenly grabbing the collar of his shirt. A shirt coincidentally, that was also unbuttoned by several buttons. Olga then pulled him towards her. “At least... Now you’re only with me… ”

“You know…” Olga broke into a smile. “I've never actually seen Da Vinci's creation… in full that is.”

“What do you mean?” Ainz, still not completely sure where the conversation was going, looked at Olga with some small amount of caution.

“With no clothes on.” Olga grinned now with a sense of perverseness to it as she let go of Ainz. Ainz whose mind was now running a mile a minute. Olga then sensually started stretching, causing Ainz’s to involuntarily focus on one very specific part of Olga’s body. And judging by the wide smile on her face, Olga had noticed. “And I quite noticed-hic that you were looking at my chest…”

“Hah!” Ainz hurriedly looked away.

“Come on now,”, - Olga, seeing Ainz’s face that is starting to blush, and not just from the non-existent alcohol content of his blood, just smiled a drunken smile, - “I li-hic-ed it... That you like it… I know I’m not a match-hic for Medusa in this… department… ”

At Olga’s self-deprecating words, Ainz only exhaled slowly before looking at Olga with seriousness. “But I am sitting here now with you… and to my eyes you’re very beautiful.”

At Ainz’s assurance, Olga leaned back for a second before laughing at just how serious Ainz looked. “Hahaha… You are such a charmer!”

“I don’t think so,” Ainz breathed out. “I was never good with talking with girls, or complimenting them and all that…  I’m just saying it as I see it”

“Oh stop it!” Olga just dismissed Ainz’s compliments, before, unable to keep her body taut as she finally felt the full effect of the alcohol she had imbibed, falling on her back. She tried to push her elbows out, before failing and laughing again, - “So what about what we were talking before... Let me look at Da Vinci's work up close…”

“And so that it is fair,” Olga spread into a drunken grin, - “I can let you see mine too. And from there… we can see where everything goes…”

Ainz, even if he was not the best negotiator in the world, could not help but understand such a clear hint, - “Olga, I’m…”

At Ainz’s hesitance, Olga got up from her stupor, before putting a finger to Ainz's lips. While still wobbling a little under the influence of alcohol, she grinned again. “No, I am Olga! And I know what you’re going to say now! Something about the first time and-hic all that. Know that I'm serious! We are both drunk, on my couch and in my office... Furthermore, outside the window, a fiery arma-hic-geddon! The End of the World! It’s the most romantic and hot environment to lose your virginity!”

Ainz just blinked at that. "You’re a…  virgin?"

“What?” Olga just grinned even wider, playfully wagging her hair to the side. “Do I not look like one?”

Ainz remained silent at the obvious trap question. “If you are sure…”

“I’m completely sure!” Olga shook her head energetically. - “Totally drunk - but sure! So close off the door and take off your clothes!”

“Ha, on it, chief,” Ainz just sighed before making sure that the door to the room was locked.

Even if Olga has become kinder, she definitely has not lost her chief-like manners… And hey! That’s one more point to the fact that he was not an isekai hero, he’s about to lose his virginity, again!

***

The next morning, Da Vinci received a strange order of the highest urgency from Olga-Marie.

She urgently needed laboratory tools for Tesla...

Although, what a cleaner for a leather sofa and a pregnancy test have to do in the list of equipment needed for Tesla, Da Vinci could only guess...

***

Olga Maria got (5) levels!

Magician ~ Ancient Greece (3); Mage ~ Hecate (1); Athlete (1)

HP: 10 (+5)

Mana: 33 (+13)

Physical Attack: 4 (+2)

Physical Defense: 1 (+1)

Dexterity: 10 (+3)

Magic Attack: 28 (+5)

Magic Defense: 4 (+3)

Resistance: 10 (+3)

Special Abilities: 0