Work Text:
Narberal walked quietly through the woods. The diminutive human by her side was frustratingly skillful at stealth, matching Nerberal’s careful steps. Why did she have to be paired with this crane fly? She certainly wasn’t fond of any of the members of the adamantite adventuring team Blue Rose, but Narberal despised this woman most of all.
I wish Lord Ainz had told me to get rid of her while the rest of those insects are distracted, Narberal grumbled to herself. Then she blinked and shook her head to clear it of treasonous thoughts. She knew her master hated the human beside her just as much. If he in his great wisdom showed restraint, Narberal would be incorrect to question it.
“How long was your and Momon’s journey from your home to the Kingdom?” Evileye asked.
“I don’t have to answer anything, centipede,” Narberal snapped, not even deigning to look at the human. Evileye didn’t press.
A moment later, they came across a large fallen log, almost as tall as Evileye. With only a glance at each other for confirmation, they stopped and knelt down behind it. Cover was important for casters, especially when they didn’t have any frontliners to soak up damage. Normally they wouldn’t be in a situation like this, but it was a special case.
Reports had told of a skeletal dragon dwelling in a cave nearby. Along with it was a small horde of undead. Since the dragon could not be affected by spells (or rather could not be affected by Nabe’s spells), the two warriors, Momon and Gagaran, were to take on the behemoth. The rest of the undead would be led out of the area by the rest of the Blue Roses and the two casters would assist to take them all down.
Narberal glared icily at her companion. The other adventuring team was only a handicap. Her master could have dispatched all of the undead with a single spell. Having to work with these mayflies, even for building rapport, just seemed pointless. Narberal wished she had the intellect of Albedo so she might understand why Ainz didn’t just have all the Blue Roses killed.
Evileye tilted her masked face to the side, confused. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” Narberal turned her gaze away, landing on a nearby rabbit instead and softening ever so slightly.
“Is Momon a noble from where you two are from?” Evileye asked. Annoying. Couldn’t she just keep her mouth shut?
“Sir Momon is one of many great rulers,” Narberal replied, always happy to talk about the supreme one. She frowned. Was that too much information? She feared she might receive another karate chop on the head from her master for being careless.
Evileye leaned forward a little, curious. “Are you actually a princess like everyone calls you?”
“No, I’m a m-” Narberal stopped short. That would definitely reveal too much. “I am only a servant.”
“What country are you two from?” Evileye inquired, her voice dripping with interest. “I haven’t visited the South in a very long time.” Why wouldn’t this cricket stop chirping?
“Ask Sir Momon yourself,” Narberal said curtly. She didn’t know what her master wanted the answer to that question to be and she didn’t know the names of any countries other than ones nearby anyways.
The little human fell mercifully silent. Birdsong filtered through the green boughs overhead. A warm breeze rustled the leaves. Narberal closed her eyes, trying to discern sounds of a faraway struggle. Lord Ainz must be cleaving through that skeletal dragon like butter. The Blue Rose warrior woman would definitely be in awe. As she should be.
Evileye giggled quietly and Narberal cracked her eyes open, deeply irritated. “What?”
“I think I can count on one hand how many times I’ve seen you smile, Nabe,” Evileye replied. She awkwardly cleared her throat as if realizing that was a little too familiar and averted her gaze. “What were you thinking about?”
“Sir Momon,” Narberal tossed the answer carelessly out.
“Ah.” The twinge of jealousy in that little sound almost made Narberal smile again. Worship him until you are no longer deemed useful, then die with grace, she thought to herself, maybe then I could consider forgiving you.
She was about to close her eyes again and wait out the bothersome time with this unworthy creature, but Evileye wouldn’t let a silence ensue. “Where did you learn to cast?” Truly Narberal had no idea how Lupusregina managed her job of looking after that human village. She would have exterminated the lot of them after only a day.
Actually that gave Narberal an idea. Lupusregina had once told a story about how she had made that village’s chief shut up for a moment. To the other maid it had been funny, but Narberal only took a mental note in case she needed the technique, even if it was a little repellant. Perhaps now was a good time to test it out…?
“At a certain point you need to be self-taught, of course, but I wondered if-” Narberal shifted forward with inhuman speed. One hand shot out to grip Evileye’s small shoulder, the other found the edge of the woman’s mask and swiftly peeled it away. There was a flash of a pale, youthful face and scarlet eyes. And then their lips crashed together.
Were Evileye more on guard, she might have cast a spell or leapt away, but she was not expecting an attack of any sort, much less this kind from the beautiful princess. Credit to her reaction time though, small hands grasped Narberal’s wrists the instant the kiss began. Red eyes widened as her brain spun, trying to process the new situation.
“Wh- Huh?!” Evileye spluttered when Narberal pulled back to study her. Was she properly silenced now? Fingers twined tighter into the fabric of Narberal’s sleeves. Evileye’s cheeks were darkening, almost to the same color as her eyes. Was that supposed to happen? “N- Nabe, what-?? We can’t- I-”
Narberal frowned. “Tch. Not long enough.” She surged forward and kissed the human again. Evileye squeaked in the back of her throat and it sent a pleasant little shiver through Narberal’s jaw. The hands on her wrists relaxed after a second but remained there. Narberal pressed closer and Evileye parted her lips.
As if it had a mind of its own, Narberal’s tongue slipped forward into the gap. First she found teeth- two sharp canines. A vampire? Lord Ainz will surely be pleased with my information gathering. Then Narberal found Evileye’s tongue. They twisted together in the theatre of the vampire girl’s mouth. Another pathetic noise came out of Evileye.
Something warm blossomed in Narberal’s chest. It tingled and made her heart beat faster. The feeling demanded more of the kissing- more of the detestable mosquito. Was there a status effect like this? She drew back sharply and glared daggers at Evileye. “What have you done to me?”
The little vampire was blushing beet red now and finding it very difficult to look Narberal in the eye. “I didn’t do anything-! You’re the one who-”
“Are you trying to make me your vampire thrall?” Narberal snapped. Her hands still had not left Evileye’s shoulders. She had seen Shalltear charm people before. Was that what this was? It had to be. Why else would her eyes fall to those soft pink lips again? Why else would her own ache to feel them once more?
“Thrall?!” Evileye shook her head in absolute confusion. “Even if I had magic like that, you’re definitely too strong for it to affect you!”
“I don’t believe you.” Also, clearly Lupusregina had been lying. Or maybe it was because the kissing technique didn’t make vampires shut up? Ugh, this was frustrating! And Narberal still wanted to kiss this abhorrent worm again! For the first and only time, she was glad her creator Nishikienrai was gone, because he would definitely have turned away from her in disappointment. “Despicable maggot-”
Evileye cut her off by rushing up to seal their lips together a third time. Narberal almost fell backward onto the forest floor in surprise. A small hand curled round the back of Narberal’s head and pressed her closer. The fire in her breast ordered her body to copy the movement, tangling her fingers in Evileye’s long blond hair. Their tongues fought for dominance. Narberal refused to sully the honor of her master by losing this strange battle.
“You’re altogether too beautiful,” Evileye muttered grumpily when they finally pulled apart again. She was practically in Narberal’s lap now, arms looped around her neck. “It’s really unfair.” Another short kiss.
“I am exactly as the supreme beings created me,” came Narberal’s smug reply. “It’s not my fault you’re a tiny cockroach of a vampire.” Another attack upon each other’s lips.
Evileye was a little breathless now. “You’re not supposed to just kiss people out of nowhere, idiot!” They were resting against each other’s foreheads. “You come from the same country, but Sir Momon would never be so uncouth!”
“Sir Momon won’t kiss you,” Narberal hissed into Evileye’s mouth. Leaving aside the fact he literally didn’t have lips, Narberal was certain Ainz would never dirty his supreme self with the likes of this tick. So then… what was Narberal, a being created by the supreme ones doing?
At last she found her self-control and turned her face away. Enough was enough! She was going to throw off whatever spell the vampire had cast on her and- Narberal froze. Her master and the four other members of Blue Rose were standing a few meters away. They all looked a little beat up and covered in rotten blood and gore (Momon’s armor was of course, the shiniest of all). Every person wore an unimpressed expression and had their arms crossed.
Evileye followed Narberal’s gaze and practically melted into the ground. Really that didn’t seem so bad of an idea. Under the immense weight of her master’s stare, she almost shifted her body into some sort of slime so she could vanish from view forever. She hoped her life would be enough to atone for her crimes and it wouldn’t be too much trouble for the other Pleiades to erase her from memory.
“I thought I had you all figured out,” Gagaran grinned at Evileye, breaking the tense silence. She nodded to Momon. “Guess you’re available then, huh?”
““No!”” Evileye and Narberal both shouted at the same time. A moment of barely suppressed mirth passed before the other Blue Roses couldn’t hold it anymore and the forest was filled with laughter. Even the reserved Momon seemed more relaxed. As Narberal rose and went to her master’s side, she caught a final glimpse of Evileye’s crimson face before she concealed it behind her mask again. She wished she had a mask to hide behind.
“I’m sorry, Ma- Sir Momon.” Narberal bowed as deep as she could. Down came the heavy hand on her head. She flinched and looked up at her master through eyes welling with tears. It always hurt so much! She deserved several more bonks than just one, but Momon only sighed and gestured for her to follow away from the Blue Roses who were gleefully dressing down Evileye.
“Narberal, that was very foolish,” Ainz said levelly once they were out of earshot.
“I’m sorry, my lord. Please don’t dirty your hands with my death. I will do it myself.”
“No.” Ainz heaved a very deep sigh and Narberal cringed. “It’s simply that… I already promised Entoma she could kill that one and take her voice. I can’t promise her to you.”
Narberal dipped her head again, brimming with shame. “My lord, I do not want that beetle. I was only testing a technique one of my sisters suggested.” Ainz stared at her for a long time, no doubt weighing her very life in his head. “I want nothing more than to deliver her to Entoma.”
Ainz chuckled. “Ah, I get it now. You’re trying to gain her trust and lead her on.” He nodded and patted Narberal on the shoulder like a proud father. “Mm, well done, Narberal. You’re taking initiative.”
“M- my lord?” Her mind couldn’t work fast enough to understand the greatness of his plans. Was all of this his intent from the beginning? Did he put Evileye and her together expecting this to happen? Narberal looked at her ruler in deep reverence. Only Ainz could predict her foolish ideas and work them into his schemes.
“Let’s go talk to them about another joint venture sometime in the future,” Ainz said, sounding positively jovial now. “You can spend more time with Evileye!”
Narberal followed obediently behind him, wondering how exactly she had done the right thing and how she was supposed to continue doing it. Worst of all, deep, deep down she rather wanted to kiss Evileye again. After getting any charms that may or may not be afflicting her removed, she would have to have a long conversation with Lupusregina.