Interlude: Medusa (Echidna) (Patreon)

After the meeting with the twins, if one could call the disaster that, Ainz returned to his room. A place where he spent almost a day trying to digest what he had just witnessed.

Did he regret what he had done?

No, no, and no matter how many times it takes for him to repeat it until it’s etched into the world itself, no. Perhaps this was Ainz's main problem as a boss.

He felt that he had to empathize in one way or another with the two sisters who had done, to him, an almost unforgivable act. But, he did not empathize with them at all. Yes, perhaps he felt somewhat unpleasant, one way or another, from the fact that he caused two of his Servants to cry. Especially when he had already staked his name to protect them for the sake of Medusa when he accepted them as his own Servants.

But, nothing more.

Ainz felt no remorse at the ‘punishment’ that he had bestowed upon them. No empathy for their motives, and he would not be making any attempt to ‘put himself in their shoes’ so to speak. He felt no forgiveness for their sin.

Not as Ainz Ooal Gown, but as Suzuki Satoru. He, truly, cannot forgive them.

Stheno and Euryale had committed an inexcusable sin, whatever their reason might be. And they were punished for it, by his own hands in fact. Some people would have called it justice, in a sense.

Ainz sighed, he needed to talk to someone, someone like Touch Me…  Ha, he would really like to talk to Touch Me about this issue. What is ‘justice’ and how to properly administer it.

Alas, Ainz could not get an answer from his friend, no matter how he wished for it. And therefore, had to rely solely on his own judgment. And, Ainz, in all honesty, was forced to admit that, in the end, after everything that had happened, he considered his attitude to be the correct one.

It was possibly abnormal, Ainz did not take pleasure in seeing the twins cry and found the scene itself repulsive. He even found it to be ‘just’ even.

A suitable amount of penance for a horrid sin.

And if he were to boil down his lengthy reflections on the matter, which had lasted several hours, this is what Ainz's main idea boiled down to.

"My actions were correct, even if they and I did not like it."

In the end, after a long period of reflections lasting till midnight, Ainz was able to find his center once again, shake his head and add another detail to his understanding of himself, resolving another conflict in his soul.

Was the story of Ainz and the twins finally over? No, of course not. Unfortunately or fortunately, it was unlikely that Ainz could even imagine what the end of the relationship would look like when it came to what had happened. Of the two appropriate endings of this…  conflict of theirs, perhaps that was how one could describe what is going on between them, none of the endings looked realistic.

Ainz was not going to admit his guilt no matter what happened, since he felt none, so this avenue to end the conflict was swept aside. The second possible ending, that the twins could forgive Ainz and admit that he was right - also looked extremely unrealistic.

As a result, in other words, Ainz was not sure that this conflict had any endpoint at all…

“I wish Genjiro was here… ” Ainz sighed. “As a professor, he would surely be able to tell me what is the best thing to do in this case…  Or…  Genjiro was a professor right? Yes, it seems he was the one… "

Ainz sucked in a deep breath of air and leaned against the wall, staring blankly at the clock. As he looked at the hour and minute hands, it was already twenty past one in the morning… he was lost in his head again.

It was already very late, definitely, and he couldn't sleep. Although Ainz knew that Servants did not need sleep as much as normal people do, very few Servants choose to abstain from such an opportunity. Even Cu Chulainn or Drake, who preferred to get together at night for a drinking bout, still slept in the afternoon before continuing their libations.

Ainz was sure of it, except perhaps Cainabel and, maybe also now Jack, as they are Undead, most Servants are now sleeping. Either that or they are currently in a drinking binge that Ainz do not want to get into

Although, if even Ainz somehow could have something that is a semblance of sleep, then why not the two other representatives of the undead? Even if he wanted to talk about his worries, everyone is already asleep, and those that aren’t, don’t really make good conversationalists.

Ainz sighed and shook his head at the idea before once again checking the time. It was half past one.

Most likely, everyone had already gone to bed…  Well, he’s not going to get any sleep any time soon, so maybe a walk might clear his head? Ainz sighed, he had never walked the halls of Chaldea in the night before…

Ainz was not exactly the kind of guy to find late-night strolling romantic. And, frankly speaking, the empty halls of Chaldea were not exactly the most romantic place for a midnight stroll. But of all the ways to somehow clear his head, it was the only one available to Ainz at the moment.

Therefore, with a sigh and after giving his clothes a one over, to make sure he’s presentable, he went on a walk. Mayhap, even an enthusiastic one.

As expected, even despite the changed time of day, the corridors of Chaldea were flooded with the same bright fluorescent white light as always. And even if Ainz had made his way to a window overlooking the outside, he would not have seen anything different that what he saw on the supposed day… Not that he’s expecting the view outside to change anytime soon.

Ainz shook his head before slowly walking down the corridors again.

The hallways of Chaldea, if it was even somehow possible, feel even more empty than it is in the day. Still, his previous dislike of the silence was now forgotten. Now, he was even somewhat glad for this silence.

Slowly walking along the corridors, Ainz was no longer paying attention to the world around him.  And, perhaps for the first time in a while, that restless part of his mind that kept thinking about whether or not his actions were correct, the part that worries about his plans for the future, his relations with the Servants and with the girls…  was calm.

Gradually, as he walked through the empty corridors of Chaldea, Ainz began to feel the thoughts that were eating him slowly recede, leaving behind only a pleasant emptiness and a kind of relaxation that calms his mind. Then, as if by an unexpected whim of fate, he remembered that he had never drank coffee before.

The real thing, of course. Instant powder, identical to natural coffee, at least that’s what they advertised, entered his usual life as an office worker. It has become part of the everyday morning routine of the millions of residents of the twenty-second century. But REAL coffee, beans and all, was the privilege of the rich in Ainz' world.

It was not even a drink that he liked, only something he takes as a necessity to complete his long work day. And so, having lost access to it in this new world, he simply stopped drinking it. And so as an act of simple random thought, and as if to replace his previous worries, he directed his feet to the cafeteria. Now that he has access to the real thing, he might as well indulge.

Besides, it’s on the way. And, before long he’s arrived.

First, he peeked from behind the door, to see if there’s anyone inside. A quick peek to make sure that all the Servants and the attendants were sleeping at the moment - or at least they were busy with their own business far from the cafeteria. And, after finding the cafeteria empty of anyone suspicious, Ainz finally entered the cafeteria. As he entered the brightly lit hall, he immediately headed to the coffee machine. And as he stood in front of it, he froze in confusion.

“I didn't think about that… ” Ainz sighed, looking at the machine in front of his eyes, trying to determine, at least by sight, how this or that button was related to a certain action.

After waiting a few minutes, as if hoping that an unexpected insight would suddenly come to his mind, he was forced to admit defeat. That, after a series of victories over terrifying monsters and great magicians, the end of his streak of victory was the eldritch machinery called a coffee machine. He was contemplating just creating a coffee machine and just ‘borrow’ a bag of beans before he was interrupted by the sound of an opening door right behind him.

Ainz was frozen in place as his mind ran a mile a minute to come up with escape plans. Right now he was feeling that teleportation is the best route of escape. That is, before he shakes his head reminding himself that such a reaction was just stupid. He did not do anything illegal or terrible, and, strictly speaking, after hours of reflection, thoughts about the fate of the Medusa sisters did not bother him so much that he had to refuse a casual conversation with someone.

Perhaps, under the current conditions, Ainz would have felt some awkwardness only if he had met the twins - or...

“Master?” Or with Medusa, really shouldn’t have taunted Murphy there. “Oh, Ainz, I didn't know you were here.”

"Medusa," Ainz exhaled at his luck. Though, he couldn’t really say whether his luck was fantastic, or whether it was misfortune skillfully disguising itself as good luck. “Just going for the…”

Ainz blinked at the coffee machine, thinking about just how ridiculous he would look if he were to say that he was defeated at the hands of a fairly simple machine. His eyes immediately roamed his surroundings for something that is less embarrassing. “Snack.”

“Late snacking is unhealthy, you know.” Medusa smiled a little at the joke. “However, it's not like I need to be worried about your health, no. The facts speak for themselves.”

Ainz glanced over at the smiling Medusa.

Perhaps…  Ha, really, this unexpected meeting with Medusa was another event that he really didn’t want to happen anytime soon. Never mind having to contemplate how to disclose his relationship with Olga. And, the less said about the awkwardness he felt after the ‘meeting’ with the twins was difficult to overestimate. Therefore, feeling a lot of nervousness even just from trying to make eye contact, Ainz averted his gaze, instead noting Medusa's clothes.

Instead of her very familiar costume, if the short dress with an almost scandalous cut could be called that way, at the moment Medusa was dressed in a turtleneck sweater. A way of dress that clearly highlighted her rather large bust, and jeans that fit her very prominent…

"Y-you're dressed differently," Ainz praised his emotion-suppression skill for failing and saving him in roughly equal proportions before continuing more confidently. "Decided to change your image?"

“For a while,” Ignoring, and hopefully maybe even not really noticing the slight hitch in Ainz’s voice, Medusa calmly continued on. She then went around Ainz before placing a mug, under what Ainz assumed is the nozzle, then pressing a button on the coffee machine. After which, with a little buzz, the machine slowly began to pour thick liquid into the mug. “These are not my clothes as a Servant, but sometimes I do want to change my image. Especially while we are here in Chaldea, between the Singularities…”

“Yes, perhaps it is as well,”  Ainz sighed before catching the sweet smell emanating from the contents of Medusa’s mug. “Is that… is that hot chocolate?”

"Yes," Medusa smiled before turning to Ainz with a small smile, "Do you want some?"

“Yes, I would love some.” Ainz replied with a smile before taking a look at Medusa again as she turned around. With nothing to do, and a little unsure of what he could do, Ainz decided to just take a seat as he watched Medusa control the coffee machine.

For a minute, while Medusa was busy with her work, there was silence. And although maybe for Medusa even if this silence was not comfortable, then it was at least not annoying. Ainz, on the other hand, felt very uncomfortable in this silence.

Did Medusa already talk to the sisters? What should he say to Medusa about Olga? How did she react to the last Singularity? If he was in… some kind of ‘relationship’ with Olga, should Ainz then should Ainz asked Medusa out too? And if so, what would a date with Medusa look like? What kind of music did she like? She was reading The Lord of the Rings, so she likes fantasy? Or…

Ainz flinched a little when a mug of hot chocolate was placed unceremoniously on the table in front of him. Before following the hand holding the mug towards Medusa. Who easily, as if it was something normal, settled down next to Ainz, sitting uncomfortably close next to him.

“Treat yourself,” Medusa smiled warmly, as she held out a bowl of marshmallows towards Ainz. “Chaldea has a lot of sweets in their stores…”

"Thank you," Ainz answered before glancing into his own mug of hot chocolate, watching his reflection.

Yeah…  In such conditions, an attempt to start some kind of serious dialogue would look strange. And if not, extremely uncomfortable.

Ainz lifted the mug to his lips, instantly appreciating the sweet taste of cocoa and milk spreading over his tongue before swallowing and setting the mug aside. It was delicious.

But, ignoring the elephant in the room would also not bring Ainz any satisfaction. Even the hot chocolate, something so sweet and tasty that his inner child was jumping with happiness, had a smidgen of bitterness. And all from the awkward situation he’s in.

Ainz became silent, closing his eyes, and after taking deep breaths of air, he decided to take the plunge. Of course, the skill that is suppressing his excessive nervousness that had arisen in his mind, was also a great help.” I slept with Olga-Marie.”

Ainz calmly waited for the fallout, fully expecting that his words would have the effect of an exploding bomb. At the very least causing Medusa to at least choke on the chocolate. But instead she just took a sip slowly before turning to look at Ainz with the same smile on her face. “I know.”

“You do?” Ainz was so surprised that his suppression of emotion immediately activated when he looked at the calm Medusa.

“Chaldea is not really well-known for the thickness of its walls. I think that’s on purpose, actually.”  Medusa just shrugged her shoulders.

“So I and at least half of the inhabitants of Chaldea probably already know about it. And thanks to how much people like to gossip, all of Chaldea will probably know by tomorrow.”

Ainz blinked in surprise once more at the news, then felt his face strive to match the color of Nero's dress in its redness, before praising his suppression of emotions once more.

“I see…” Ainz was forced to just calmly sigh before taking another sip of delicious cocoa. With his sip of poison already in his system anyway, he decided to just completely show off his cards, and simply express the rest of his worries. The part that concerns Medusa anyway. “And I met with your sisters…”

“Yes, I know,” Medusa slowly nodded once more. And then, after seeing the surprised expression on Ainz’s face that even his suppression of emotions could not control, started to laugh softly. “Both of them practically live in my room. It would be strange if I actually didn’t know what happened.”

After these revelations, Ainz could only avert his gaze before taking another sip of hot chocolate and taking another look at Medusa again. And with it all open in the air, he decided to just finally deal with all the thoughts and worries disturbing him. “And you… Are you okay? With all of this?”

At Ainz’s question, Medusa was silent, causing Ainz to actually sigh in relief.

That’s good, it was good that Medusa did not instantly give out some meaningless answer slash exclamation like ‘I'm always glad to please my Master!’. But, the fact that Medusa was actually thinking about her answer made Ainz nervous on some primitive instinctive level so deep that even his suppression of emotions could not cope with this nervousness.

“I can't say that it doesn't bother me at all,” After a couple of sips and a dozen of nerve-wracking seconds of reflection later, Medusa came up with her answer.

“I…  It would be stupid if I, being the one that proposed this whole scheme in the first place, would now decide to be angry about the plan actually being initiated. And… I cannot say that I actually did not envy Olga and that I did not feel any jealousy when I heard the screams. But…  I am not actually worried about what had happened. The love between you and Olga does not diminish the love between me and you. Therefore, I am not against what happened last night…” Ainz was not sure whether he should feel mortified that Medusa was re-telling something that private, or that the rest of Chaldea also knows.

“As for what happened with my sisters…” Medusa again thoughtfully took a sip of chocolate, before reaching out to the bowl of marshmallow and swallowing one, then started talking again. “I understand you, and perhaps… perhaps I also understand my sisters. They’re… they are not bad people. I know that they did something bad, something that is unforgivable for most, but I don't blame them. I was never actually mad at their actions. And, in the end, it did not have any lasting consequences, so I cannot say that I can be angry with them at all. But I understand you too, so I accepted what had happened after as well.”

After Medusa’s candid confession, Ainz dropped his gaze into his mug, where there was only enough chocolate left for one sip. Deciding that he needed to return the gesture, he swallowed the rest and started talking.

“You know…” Ainz started slowly. “I… I had friends in the past… Many friends in fact, once… And one of them, well most of his friend circles considered him a pervert. And, in general, he was. He had so many fetishes and admired so many women that I would not have enough time in existence to list them out. So, one day I asked him if he actually loves them?” At Medusa’s raised eyebrow, Ainz knows he had just asked a stupid question.

“I know, I know it was probably a stupid question to ask. But you’ll be surprised by the number of stupid things that I have said in my entire life.” Ainz chuckled a little. “And he told me that he admires all girls and his lust cannot be stopped…  But the girl that he loved did not have a single characteristic that should have lured him. I asked him about this discrepancy, and he told me quite the answer then…”

Ainz thought for a second, remembering Perroroncino's words. He was a full-blown pervert and just a child at heart. But through all his stupid and perverted remarks, sometimes there’s…  amazingly beautiful things.

“A man will always desire a body but love a soul,” Ainz smiled, as he recounted his friends’ fiery declaration. Surely it was one of the lines in the hundreds of porn games that he had completed, he wouldn’t tell Ainz the source though. “Lust is a fire, it burns brightly, but quickly, leaving nothing behind but emptiness. But Love, Love is an ocean, it is slow and all-consuming. There is an ebb and flow, but even if it recedes at the end, it leaves behind canyons that will stand the test of time longer than any of people’s lives…”

At the end of his re-telling, Medusa smiled. She then turned to Ainz and, in a slightly playful gesture, brought her thumb and forefinger close together, squinting. “A tad over romantic I think.”

“Khm-hm!'' Ainz, somewhat feeling uncomfortable by the teasing. And, as if only now realizing that he had just blurted out perhaps one of the most cheesy romantic lines at his perhaps significant other, started praising the fact that his suppression of emotions did not allow Ainz's cheeks to go red. And it was one from Perroroncino of all people! He immediately turned away, again

“No, no need to feel embarrassed, I liked it.” Medusa, smiled and waved her hands. “It was just…  too romantic, not exactly something that people say out loud.”

‘Curse you, Perroroncino!’ Ainz complained in his head indignantly. ‘Why did you make me remember that particular quote out of all of them?!’

“But, as I said before, I liked it.” Medusa looked away as she lowered her arms, this time it’s her turn to be embarrassed. “And… I am pleased that you told me about what happened. I knew about it, but… you’re really dear to me, and I'm glad you told me about what happened.”

Ainz turned his gaze to Medusa, wanting to start talking. But, catching something in her lowered gaze, or in the way her smile slowly faded, he chose to stay silent.

“And… ” Medusa sighed slowly as the smile faded from her face. She then swallowed the last of her cup of hot chocolate and looked up at Ainz. “I have something to tell you too…”

Ainz didn't even have time to panic at the second most dreaded phrase in a man’s relationship before Medusa continued. “I also killed my sisters…”

Ainz paused for a second at what he thought was Medusa breaking up with him, before actually realizing what she said.

“I…  In the past, in my ‘real’ story, perhaps I should say it that way.” Medusa paused for a second, and Ainz could see how difficult speaking these words were for Medusa. “When I was born, I was born as a goddess along with my sisters, we are actually triplets you know… But, in the end I died as a monster. The Gorgon Sisters were supposed to be immortal, unchanging things, but I was cursed and…  my sisters tried to save me from the curse by staying on the Shapeless Island. They took care of me and protected me when I was weak…  but I failed. They protected me, but gradually my curse grew in strength and I surrendered to it. Many heroes tried to kill me, and my sisters saved me time and time again… but one day I killed a hero, I killed him and…”

Medusa became silent and Ainz, who had realized where her story was leading, was frozen in indecision.

“And then, I killed the next hero that came to the island,” After an uncomfortable minute of silence,  Medusa was able to gather her courage and continued her story. “And the next and the next… In the end as I killed more and more, my strength and curse grew…  my thirst for blood grew stronger and stronger. And then…  my gaze turned to my sisters. It was a senseless cruelty, nothing more. And they, Stheno and Euryale, my dear sisters who protected me, who cared about me... surrendered. No, they accepted my cruelty…”

Medusa was once again silent. But Ainz knew that this was not the end of her story. Again he doesn’t know what to do as he waits for Medusa's tale to finish. Should he put his hand on her shoulder as a gesture of support? Or perhaps he should tell her that he understands? He doesn’t know what to do. How does one comfort someone that is currently hating themselves?

“One day, they just came to me and let me kill them.” Medusa said quietly with unshed tears. “I, I…  I regret it, even now. When they decided to kill me, I accepted it. I thought that it was simply what I deserved, of course they would hate the monster that had killed them. But, I was wrong, they were still the same sisters that I love... I had killed those I cared about so much, but…  I…  the Grail, your present. I…  I was able to accept myself, but… Would you?”

As she finished her story, Medusa looked up again. She looked at Ainz with tears frozen in her eyes and with a smile. Not a joyful smile, but rather a desperate one, as if to say that she was expecting a rejection.

Ainz didn’t even have to think of his answer. “Of course.”

Medusa was frozen by the simple answer, making Ainz chuckle at how their roles had changed from the beginning of the conversation.

“I know that the ‘right’ answer must take account of justice and punishment, about equality and so on…” Ainz exhaled and shrugged his shoulders, “But, if I have learned anything in my entire life, it is that I’m a hypocrite.”

“I know hypocrisy is considered a bad quality to have in a person, but there is probably nothing more useful in the world than hypocrisy,” Ainz shrugged as he watched the tears dry in Medusa’s eyes. “I’m a hypocrite, and I know it. I…  Ha, I do believe in free will. A person has the right to commit actions that he considers acceptable and necessary, and to use the concepts of ‘justice’ and ‘equality’ only when he wants it. Today I am an incorruptible judge, and tomorrow I am a hypocrite. And that's okay. I…  I’m not going to talk about how your actions differ and I do not think that I have the right to ease your guilt and convince you that what you did was justified, while the act of your sisters cannot be justified in any way. But…”

“If the question is only whether or not I accept you, then I have no problem with that.” Ainz shrugged his shoulders. “I don't care, because I am a hypocrite. And because I love you.”

Medusa lowered her eyes before looking up at Ainz again.

Tears, previously frozen in Medusa's eyes, slowly rolled down her cheeks, but in the end she smiled. This time, joyfully.

“Thank you,” Medusa closed her eyes, as her eyes widened. “Thank you, thank you, thank you…”

Ainz smiled. “Everything for you.”

***

Archer glanced at the clock in his room.

Two and a half in the morning…

Archer rolled onto his side, then put a pillow on his ear and pressed his ear into the other pillow, trying to block out the outside world as he tried to sleep.

Olga's office was actually quite far from his room, so yesterday Archer could sleep. Although the screams and the louder groans still reached his room then.

But that was no match for tonight! One quite small fact, that anyone that knows him would see as only expected, is that his room was the closest one to the kitchen. And so as a consequence was also the closest one to the cafeteria.

Archer tried to squeeze his head harder into the pillow, trying to ignore the moans and screams coming from behind the wall.

What a mess Ainz and Medusa will leave in his kitchen at the end of this night…

***

Ability: Chrysaor

Level: Special

This ability allows one to summon a monster controlled by the caster with no level that can attack, move, use objects, and perform other simple actions. The monster does not have any active abilities, but cannot be destroyed by any attack or ability that is lower than a “special” level. The monster itself is capable of attacking and has relatively high parameters, but none of its attacks can reduce the HP of its target below one. In other words, this ability allows you to summon a ‘training dummy’.

Ability: And the blood was spilled…

Level: Special

An ability that allows one to summon a monster with specified parameters.

In other words, the caster himself is able to determine the abilities of the monster summoned in this way. Its parameters, active and passive abilities, type of attack and other features can be specialized. In other words, it is an extremely unfair ability that can create the best counter for almost any opponent.

This ability however has several limitations. The most limiting being that only one monster with a somewhat limited number of abilities can be summoned at a time. Which is why this ability is not very effective against two or more opponents at a time.

Second, is that the monster's abilities cannot be changed after it has been summoned, except by dismissing the previous monster and summoning a new, changed one. Which is why the user of this ability needs to carefully study his opponent to be able to create the best counters.

Last of all was the standard weaknesses of summoning, a time delay between casting and the summoning, and a long recharge time.

However, as long as the user of this ability understands its limitations, it is extremely difficult to overestimate the power and usefulness of this ability.