With victory over the Baharuth Empire secured and a treaty signed, a new decision had to be made, and Lupusregina, whether she meant it or not, offered him exactly what he wanted in order to make that decision. ‘An adventure…’

The various denizens of Nazarick were easily distracted by the sudden explosive growth of new land to govern, and it had been easy to distract both Demiurge and Albedo with projects to survey and establish his Kingdom’s peacetime government.

Ainz himself had his mind on something more. Something even more important to him than ensuring the continued growth of his new team of loyalists. ‘With the bodies of the Empire Champions secured, perhaps I can do something with them. Leinas I don’t have to worry about, but perhaps turning them to undead…’ He sighed alone in his room and unfurled the newly made map.

The area he ruled now took up a fair amount of area bordering a swamp, the center of which had a truly massive lake.

‘The land to the north of that is mine, but the swamp and lake itself… those belong to the native frogmen and lizardmen… I can’t imagine a better place for an adventure. However, it is also true that in Yggdrasil, those were some of the most dangerous places for human players. I’ll need security…’ The decision hardened in Ainz’ mind an instant later.

“Shalltear.” He said instantly. ‘I should be able to defeat her handily and disable her ability to escape if I have to, plus we’ll be far from home, I can justify a visit on a diplomatic basis…’

Any doubts were instantly erased. He activated the message spell and reached out to Shalltear Bloodfallen. ‘Shalltear, join me in my office in ten minutes, and bring Leinas Rockbruise with you.’

There was a moment of silence, and it for one instant Ainz wondered, ‘Is there interference with the spell?’

The wonder was refuted when he heard her squeal with excitement in his head, ‘Yessssss! Of course my Lord! I’ll be there with Leinas as fast as I can be!’

The connection was terminated and Ainz left his quarters a moment later. When he arrived at his office, he found Shalltear and Leinas already waiting outside, and unsurprisingly, they were down on their knees. Ainz, for his part, wore not only his rich robes, but also his mask which would obfuscate his change of form.

The black fabric danced around his legs until he stopped moving at the door, they were down on both knees and gazing up at him with absolute reverence etched on their faces, eyes wide, staring, quiet admiration filled their faces with warmth, little blushes on them both made them appear at once both demure and filled with desire for his grace.

Leinas now wore her hair loose and behind her back, baring her once tainted eye.

Ainz said nothing, his heart pounded, his heart ached, his heart trembled, he couldn’t help but fear the turning of Shalltear’s love for him as the child of a dear friend, turning and twisting into hatred. The dread clawed at his soul, though he covered it by turning away from her and opening the door to admit them both at his back.

He went to his desk and sat down, folding his gloved hands together, he opened with something passive. “Leinas?” Ainz asked, and she sank down to both her knees immediately.

“My Lord?!” She almost squeaked.

“Are you adapting well?” He asked.

“Y-Yes of course, My Lord! Everyone has been gracious to your servant!” She was clearly nervous, a little tremble in her body, she bit her lip.

He turned toward Shalltear, “Tell me, Shalltear, how do you feel about…” He wanted to say ‘humans’ but instead he substituted, “Leinas?”

“She’s human. The others are too, but all humans are inferior, they’re weak, not that I doubt My Lord’s wisdom, but I do find it hard to have any human around without… hunger.”

Leinas didn’t flinch away from Shalltear’s words, which almost caught him by surprise, but then he realized, ‘They probably had that discussion already. Leinas is brave at least, her courage holds even around my Shalltear.’

“I see. Leinas, when you made your oath to me, you offered me even your body. If that’s what I wanted, did you mean it?” Ainz asked as clipped as he could, though he blushed behind the mask and shifted his feet like a boy caught stealing cookies out of a cookie jar.

“Yesss! Anything my Lord commands!” Leinas replied with fiery determination.

“You’ve seen the others, the ones who defeated your companions. They were once mere mythril ranks until an experiment here confirmed that I could strengthen them.” Ainz said and then waited while she let that sink in.

Sink in it did, the blue eyes of the tall blonde woman blinked several times in rapid disbelieving succession.

“However, we need to know more about how strength is increased. For example, when one becomes another kind of being, what changes? You will be the test subject.” Ainz pronounced. He waited for her to ask if it was dangerous, if she had time to prepare, she didn’t.

Instead Leinas simply lowered her head, “I am prepared. Do whatever you want to me, My Lord.”

“Shalltear, were the bodies of her comrades recovered?” Ainz asked.

“Yes, My Lord. We’ve had them preserved for now. But they await your use.” Shalltear replied.

“Good, Shalltear, you will turn Leinas. Then we will resurrect one of her companions. Leinas will then turn one of her companions. The last to be raised will be kept human, and they will all be subject to training while you and I are gone, and we’ll see how strong they all are when you and I return.” Ainz explained.

Shalltear felt her rising excitement. “Return?”

“Yes, you will be escorting me into the great lake region, and will be responsible for protecting me. Can you do it, or should I ask another?” Ainz asked her, and her bright red eyes lit up.

“Of course! I can’t wait, My Lord! I will work myself to the blood and bone for your life! Nothing will harm you, I promise!” She squealed and clapped her hands together as fast as she could, like an overjoyed child given just the right gift on Christmas Day. The sound of her clicking bright red fingernails reminded Ainz of rapid typing on a keyboard, and her fangs were instantly bared and ready.

Leinas for her part, only tilted her head and moved her hair out of the way. “You’d think I’d feel like I’d miss my humanity,” she said, glancing at her Lord from her tilted posture, “but I don’t think I will. But maybe one more breath for the road.” She said with a laugh while Shalltear got up, went behind her, and cradled Leinas’ body just below her breasts with one arm while the other went up to hold her at the forehead.

Leinas inhaled deeply one time, then exhaled, nodded, while Shalltear, who waited for that exhale, touched the tips of her fangs to Leinas’ neck just over the vein.

Leinas lay completely relaxed and at ease, her body in its repose was limp as if she had just died, her eyes closed, the sharp points stung only a little bit at the touch. The beautiful little vampire’s long tongue came out and licked over the throat, and where the tongue touched, Leinas felt only numbness, the sort one felt when falling asleep the wrong way on an arm.

Then they sank in. Her body stiffened at the sudden penetrating sensation, she couldn’t see the shifting face of the monster, but she could hear Shalltear’s muffled words. “Mmm… salty… tastes good…” Leinas blushed a little at the appraisal by the young vampire of how she tasted. It did answer a longstanding question.

‘When monsters eat us, do they enjoy the taste or is it just a chore for them?’ At least with vampires, she now knew the answer. The tongue continued to travel over her flesh as the bite tightened and she felt light headed as blood intended for her brain was siphoned off to feed a monster.

Leinas began to feel weak, part of her, her warrior instincts, stiffened her body, urging her to fight. But she proved her courage and restrained herself, forcing her entire body to accept its fate and be food for the monster under the eyes of their common master.

‘So… I’m dying. I’ve heard it said that the body dies before a vampire is born… I guess that’s true after all. I didn’t think it would be th-this cold.’ She could see her hand from the way she lay, it was always somewhat pale, but now it was white as a sheet as she lost more and more blood.

Then, to her great surprise, the vampire that hated humans, lowered her with great gentleness down to the floor. Leinas lay there, still clad in the simple clothing she’d been given on arrival, a pair of green pants, high riding boots, and a red cloth shirt, each far more comfortable than she’d ever worn, but simple nonetheless.

She no longer felt that comfortable cloth, she felt nothing. Nothing but a floating sensation, followed by a sensation of falling deeper and deeper into a black abyss while her eyes closed in her last moment of life. She tried to remain aware, instinctively, without the proper energy to understand her actions or thoughts, her consciousness a mere fog, perhaps it was a mercy then, that Leinas Rockbruise did not feel the actual moment of her death.