A week had passed.
Neia sat around a campfire with a few others, the low flames casting tired shadows on their faces. Nearby, a group of rescued civilians—including Mireille, the unnervingly chipper bartender with a penchant for younger men—were huddled around a large pot of stew, stirring with salvaged ladles and prayer.
Roughly a hundred people milled about the camp. Mostly adults, though a few children played nearby with wooden sticks and ragged dolls, too numb or too young to understand the weight of survival.
A civilian handed Neia a wooden bowl of stew. She accepted it with a polite smile and a soft thanks. It smelled like roots, smoke, and desperation. But it was warm, filling enough to keep her upright—and alive.
She glanced to the side. A few tents stood nearby, one belonging to Thoth and Aura. A faint, unnatural glow leaked from its seams.
Neia sighed, stirring the stew with a carved spoon.
'Why me?' she wondered bitterly.
Somehow, a squire—a squire—had been promoted to equal footing with paladins in the chain of command. But no matter how many stripes they gave her, she was still a servant. A helper. A footnote in the holy order.
And now she was supposed to lead?
According to Thoth, she was meant to represent the voice of the lower ranks.
When she'd asked why her, he'd shrugged and said,"Because I like you. And because you're moderately competent."
So now Miss Moderately Competent was moderately screwed.
The glowing tent flap shifted as Thoth and Aura stepped out. The surrounding air shimmered slightly in their wake—some residual magic no one dared question. Powerful. Gifted. Ancient. Royalty. Whether or not those descriptions were accurate, it felt that way.
No one challenged them anymore. The few paladins who had tried were swiftly, terrifyingly silenced. One word, one glance from Thoth was all it took to break a man's pride like brittle glass.
They made their way over and sat beside Neia.
"You good, um... whatever-your-name-was?" Aura asked, flopping down like she owned the dirt beneath her.
Neia blinked.
Not good. Not even close to good.
She could never get used to being near them—They were too important, too powerful, and most importantly...
'They're so weird!' she screamed internally, aging another ten years.
She disliked Aura. Too friendly. Too bright. But it was surface-level—Aura treated people like background noise. Pretty, distant, until she decided she wanted a new wardrobe and you were in your grave.
Thoth, at least, didn't pretend to care. And Neia preferred that.
He remembered her name. He listened when she spoke. He gave her the dignity of honesty, which, in a twisted way, was a kind of respect.
"You do look a bit sick, yeah…" Thoth muttered, waving off a civilian trying to hand him stew. He'd just returned from Nazarick. This wasn't food to him—it was a compromise.
"I'm quite alright, Miss Aura," Neia said quickly, offering a tight, nervous smile.
"Ugh." Aura groaned, flopping back onto her elbows. "I told you, it's fine. Stop being so weird."
Neia nodded out of sheer instinct, though fulfilling that request was impossible.
Only elven royalty had two-toned eyes. Aura had those, plus strength that could crumple steel and a face that belonged on temple murals. Of course, she was royalty. Of course, Neia, a commoner, should bow. But Aura kept insisting she shouldn't.
'Which only makes it worse!'
Thoth chuckled, dry and flat. "Well, ladies," he said, "changing the subject. We're getting close."
Their target—an abandoned city—was only a few days out now. One of the larger settlements on the road to the capital. Every village they'd passed so far had been hollowed out. No bodies. No signs of struggle. Just... emptiness.
It wasn't natural.
Thoth felt it, too. He was concerned—but not alarmed. Not yet. At his level, few things could truly threaten him. Anything harmful used against him that was lesser than a World Item, and he would have time to react.
Aura sighed. "Yeah. Hopefully, we learn something this time."
Her voice was heavy with frustration. She was trying—really trying—not to seem disappointed, but it leaked out around the edges. More than Thoth, Aura was desperate to prove herself. To be more than a spare tool on the shelf. More than a useless older sister while her little brother was useful..
She wanted to be of use to Lord Ainz. It was only natural; how dare she be baggage to the Supreme Beings?
Neia stood abruptly, wiping her hands on her cloak. "W-Well. I apologize, but I must excuse myself. It's getting late…"
Thoth waved her off casually.
Most people had already finished dinner and slipped into tents. The night was winding down. Only Thoth and Aura remained awake now, and they rarely slept at the same time.
The campfire crackled, casting flickering light across the forest as night settled in. The smell of burning wood mingled with faint traces of blood from their earlier battle, though the bodies had long since been dealt with.
Aura sat near the flames, arms crossed, eyes flickering with thought. Beside her, Thoth lounged in the dirt, looking as apathetic as ever. The faint sound of sleeping paladins murmured from the tents around them.
"It was probably something to do with their faction, right?" Aura finally said, breaking the quiet.
Thoth exhaled, watching the embers float. His mind drifted back to the emblem they'd found—a cross enclosed within a sphere, humming with unmistakable holy energy.
It didn't belong to Nazarick. That much both of them knew, though they haven't reported it yet. Aura was determined to prove herself, for some reason, by getting more information first.
"Maybe," he muttered, reclining further. "What are we supposed to do about it, though?"
Aura nearly choked. "Thoth! Don't you see—?!"
His eyes flicked to her instantly, and she shut her mouth like a trap.
Right. He hated shouting.
Thoth lay back, staring at the stars above.
Lowering her voice, she leaned in, excitement spilling out in a conspiratorial whisper. "This is why Lord Ainz sent us here! He wants us to figure out what these guys are up to—and crush them!"
Thoth blinked slowly.
'Yeah, that's bullshit.'
If Ainz knew about this faction, there'd be a full-blown Guardian War Council already, not just the two of them.
He gave her a slow, skeptical nod.
"...Uh-huh."
Aura frowned. "What?"
"Whatever, princess. We'll go with that."
Her ears twitched at the nickname. Thoth caught it—that tiny flush of color on her face.
"Don't call me that," she grumbled.
Thoth smirked. "Hey, it's kinda your fault. You forgot to hide your ears, those two-tone eyes—you're now walking elf royalty. I'm just following the narrative."
Aura's eyes sparked with mischief. Fine. If he wanted to play, she could play harder.
"Well then," she purred, tilting her head. "Since you're my escort now, maybe treat your charge with a little respect?"
Thoth chuckled. His unseen wings—visible only to the two of them—fluttered in amusement, a few even glancing away like embarrassed spectators.
"Hmmm..." He tapped his chin in mock thought, a dangerous smile tugging at his lips. "I always thought I was too young to be an escort, but..."
He sat up.
Without warning, two of his wings swooped in—metallic, yet surprisingly gentle—and curled under Aura's legs, lifting her off the ground and placing her in front of him within reach.
"I'll make an exception for you."
Thoth leaned forward with s cocky smirk.
The moon loomed behind him, casting silver light across his marble-pale skin. His ruby eyes glowed, shadows slicing his features sharp. Feathers drifted lazily through the air, like snow caught in slow motion.
His touch was cold. Gentle. Careful to match his image.
"Ha—Wha—I mean—Pff—"
Her brain crashed.
You're confidence incarnate, Aura. Come on. He can't win just because he's cool—
She crossed her legs quickly, regaining her composure on her new feathered throne.
"It's bold of you to assume you ever stood a chance," she shot back, flipping her hair like a challenge.
Thoth's grin widened.
"Oh," he purred. "Has this humble servant not proven worthy?"
From the shadows, his [Limbs of Wrath] began to stir—smoke-like tendrils traced with glowing red cracks. Silent. Curious. Hungry, in a way.
Aura didn't even notice them at first. Too focused on maintaining control.
"Hmmm..." She leaned in, eyes narrow. "Well... I'm not too sure..."
Then she felt it.
One of the limbs gently twisted her hair, patting her on the head. Another traced the curve of her arm, its chill oddly comforting.
Aura stiffened.
Thoth, completely unfazed, pulled a pipe from his earring, took a slow drag, and exhaled. Smoke curled upward, crystallizing into silvery bubbles that floated like tiny stars.
"Look at me go," he murmured. "Aren't I great?"
Aura was dying.
'AAAAAAAAAA—'
Thoth, meanwhile, was a bit worried.
'Shit. Did I go too far? She's just... not saying anything??'
His wings hesitated. His eyes flicked to the [Limbs of Wrath], who were, shockingly, having the time of their lives.
They were, of course, not doing anything inappropriate. Professionals had standards, after all.
'It's my first time flirting—I don't think I fucked up right? She's way more flustered than I imagined...'
He cleared his throat. "...You good?"
Aura blinked, her brain rebooting.
"Oh—uh—yeah! Totally!" She leapt to her feet. "I—I'll head to bed now! Super sleepy!"
She was lying. Obviously, but Thoth didn't call her on it. "…Okay."
She walked off. Then jogged. Then broke into a full sprint.
Thoth watched her vanish into the night. His wings twitched, amused.
'She's probably going on a walk.'
Then—
His wings exploded. Figuratively.
They flapped into each other like they were fist-bumping, feathers scattering. His eyes swirled with excitement. The [Limbs of Wrath] high-fived in celebration, patting Thoth's back like proud dads.
He pressed a hand to his face. And with a sigh, he could only admit the truth.
"…Yeah, alright. That was pretty fucking clean."
His wings celebrated with him like frat bros.
After a minute of internal fireworks, Thoth stood, stretching. The firelight rippled over his skin as he stared into the dark.
Part of him wanted to follow—to make sure she was okay. To check that he hadn't crossed some unseen line.
But another part of him knew better. Aura could handle herself.
A few steps into the woods, Aura finally slowed.
She hadn't gone far—just far enough to breathe.
She leaned against a tree, clutching her heated chest.
What the hell was that?!
Her thoughts were a tangle of static. Her legs still tingled where his wings had touched her. She gently brushed her hair where the Limbs had patted her.
'I mean—I kinda liked him but...!' She sighed with anxiety.
She didn't want to say it. Not even to herself. But there it was, forming like a crack in glass.
'...A crush?'
Her heart froze and then beat again as if trying to fix itself. For once, turning it on and off wasn't enough.
'Pff—no. I mean... maybe??'
She liked to think of herself as mature. Composed. Mission-focused.
But she'd never dealt with this kind of thing before.
Worse—what if he didn't like her back?
What if this was just him being playful? What if she got too close and—Her thoughts caught on that darker truth.
'If even Bukubukuchagama—the one who made me—thought I wasn't worth sticking around for...'
The cold grip of insecurity gripped her shoulder. She had to be mature, strong, independent, she had no guardian to shield her and her fragile brother. She had to be useful to Lord Ainz, if he left, there would be no purpose to her suffering.
She had to get her shit together, now.
Besides, even if they did end up together and Thoth learned more about her, even half as much as Bukubukuchagama knew...
'What if He ends up feeling the same way?'
Aura clenched her jaw, shaking the thought away. She focused on something else—anything else. Frustrated, she slapped her cheeks, clapped her hands together, and stood straighter.
"Okay!" she whispered. "I'll just... do nothing. See where it goes. Not screw it up."
Simple plan. Fine. It was never gonna work, but Aura learned that a bit too late.
The morning came, and the group walked onward.
They marched past forests and marched, marched until the sun was high in the sky once more.
Finally, they saw a town.
-x-x-x-
Shorter than usual, but I just wanted to get this out there. I'm pretty excited for the next arc, though!
Hint: Our favorite vampire Loli will be getting some spotlight... >:D
Have a good one, guys. See you next time.