Overlord And The Blue Citadel 19 『The Three Musketeers』

Her green and blue eyes centered on the strand of hair, before resting back down on the brush. A deep and sharp inhale filled her torso and broadened her shoulders before she let it all out in a single sigh.

Aura wasn't known for spending time in the Tree House on the Sixth Floor of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, as since her arrival she preferred sleeping outside amongst her pets. Her gaze shifted to the vanity mirror that stood atop her desk. A frown emanated from her lips.

Grasping the grip of the brush, without looking down at it, she brought it up beside her head. Staring at her reflection for a few seconds, she closed her eyes briefly before opening them.

Hesitance wasn't something she ever thought was possible, but it was there. She didn't want to brush her hair out, it reminded her too much of those who did it for her often in YGGDRASIL.

Her next couple of minutes she just spent time staring at herself, in an almost frozen pose. That was until she finally pressed the bristles into her hair and began to stroke slowly. As if ironing out her hair she continued to brush it out.

A faint smile crept over her lips, kicking away the frown that once held them hostage it was as if feeling a warmth take over a cold heart. A hot shower in the dead of winter.

"Bukubukuchagamsama... JakkuGurahamu-sama..." In her mind, she could feel herself sitting on Bukubukuchagama's lap as she brushed her hair and as Jakku did the same. How they'd dress the two elves, put them in boy's clothes, girl's clothes.

The secret flirting between the two of them that only she had heard and how the two Supreme One's loved one another until they didn't. It was hard to think of a world without them, although they had both been gone for so long. Ainz-sama seemed to have been the only one who even stayed, while Jakku had completely left the Guild of Ainz Ooal Gown completely some years prior to coming to this New World.

With her hair straightened out slightly, the elf stared at herself in the mirror.

"I am Aura Bella Fiora," she muttered cooly to herself, "High Tamer of Nazarick!" She raised the brush above her head as if presenting a holy blade, grinning to herself.

An Image in the back of her head, remembering how the one she knew as Jakku, lifted her up and held her up to the ceiling while standing on the bed. Proclaiming, in confidence, that if he and Bukubukuchagama got married she'd be officially his child. That never came to be, but she could recall his voice and how cheerful it was.

How could something that incredible break apart like that, so easily? She couldn't help but wonder. When she saw him last, before he vanished and left Ainz Ooal Gown behind, he had been completely despondent.

While he had indeed brushed her hair during that time, it wasn't the same.

If only she could've moved and said something on her own. In a way, she felt like a failure for not being able to do anything in his time of need. Though her creator wasn't all that different, she seemed much more lively and attentive to her following the fallout.

Aura wasn't quite sure what to think, though her loyalty still remained with her creator, especially since Jakku had ended up leaving in the end. These thoughts clearly weren't healthy.

Maybe she could go down to the bar area and get some juice, or perhaps talk to Eclair Ecleir Eicler. There was a possibility of him being able to help her out when it came to sorting her feelings, considering their closeness to her and her brother.

A light sigh emitted from her lips.

Jakku had spent hours in her room, just staring into s.p.a.ce in the same spot, as if he was hiding in the room. Or maybe he was even sleeping with his eyes open, as he didn't move whatsoever, hardly a single spark of life insight. Then he up and vanished for a month. Still, Bukubukuchagama would come by, take her to the Round Table room and comb out her hair.

Aura's eyes drifted up towards the Red Musketeer Hat with a Cotton Candy blue plume.

Memories were such a fickle thing for some, but looking at that hat, she could remember the time when he marched through the winding corridors of the Great Tomb. Jakku ahead of her and Mare following behind them dressed as the Three Musketeers. She could recall everything perfectly, the adventures, the play pretend. Even though they couldn't respond normally or act on their own without being prompted to do so, those memories were truly significant.

Her eyes then moved to the weapon that rested against the wall beside her bed. It was a graphite black dagger-like sword that lacked a crossguard, the blade itself was twisted with nordic runes inscribed along with it that gave a holy glow.

Although it was a sword, the weapon itself was designed for a Tamer to wield and even had a Sympathy spell that attracts beasts. From her knowledge, Mare had a similar one, made for a Magic-Caster that buffed the user's Area of Effect Spells.

An indistinct smile continued to prevail across her lips, resting the brush down upon her desk.

In a way, she was thankful for the things that he had done for and with them. It felt like she had a family, other than just the Supreme Beings being on top of them. At the same time, being treated as a child infuriated her, despite the fact that she was very much in the body and partially the mind of one.

She saw herself as on top, the big sister, the oldest Dark Elf out of the only two in Nazarick.

Turning her head, she glanced at the door of her room. They were on the second floor of the Gigantic Tree that was their home. It consisted entirely of wood in appearance, but it was nearly indestructible and couldn't be completely modified.

"Mare, are you there?!" She called out, but after a few seconds of waiting, there was no response. "Must be down in the Library again," she huffed as she placed a balled hand on her hip, "Oh well..."

Humming to herself, the young Seventy-Six-year old elf would make her way down to the first floor, going down the spiral staircase until she stepped into the kitchen.

There was no one here, Mare was definitely not in the Tree. Though other than the Library, he could be in the Amphitheater, but at the same time, she doubted this to be so.

She didn't waste any time as she went out the front entrance of her tree home, and stepped into the forests which surrounded the amphitheater. Taking in a deep breath once more, she could smell her nearby pets who ultimately came running towards her.

"Fenny!" She cheered as she saw a Holy Beast known as a Fenrir approaching her, "And Quadracile!" She squeaked seeing her two beasts coming to her, throwing her arms in the air as she ran towards them in return. As a High Tamer, she adored her creatures and loved the idea of collecting more of them from the New World.

Fenrir head bobbed up and down as he bound towards her, he dwarfed her as he was a giant black wolf with glossy fur and blood-red eyes.

Right behind the Wolf was a ma.s.sive six-legged green chameleon-iguana hybrid, its legs trampling the gra.s.s beneath its feet.

As the two of them converged on Aura, they both nuzzled their faces into her as she put her arms out to hug their faces. Then as they were just finishing their greetings to their master, Fenrir used his head to throw her up into the air, having her land on its back before letting out an excited breath.

"Aw! I love you too, guys!" Aura giggled as she rested on the back of the wolf, her hands resting behind her as she leaned back a bit. Her eyes went up to the hyperrealistic sky above.

Her mind went wondering again, though this time to where Mare could be and what he was doing. She was supposed to be bossing him around, that's what big sisters did, according to her creator and Supreme Being.

After a little while of spending time with her pets, she wandered off to the Arena area of the sixth floor. Her gaze pa.s.sed over the stands, the platform in which she had jumped off of to greet Ainz. A smile remained curved over those lips of hers as she turned to look towards the spot where he had given them water. How he had treated them nicely without holding back at all.

"I wonder if Ainz-sama is back from the Village," She inquired absently as she was putting her index finger under her lower lip in thought. Then she banished the thought as her eyes narrowed upon a number of Dragonkin which were cleaning the grounds.

A small grin formed over her lips as she imagined them wearing Musketeer Hats with little Plumes on them, whilst reciting lines from a play Jakku, Peroroncino and Flatfoot had done some time in the past.

Personally she thought it was rather funny, another memory that she held from before she had her own free-will if it could even be considered that. Her mind didn't ponder on the idea of her kneeling before the Supreme Beings, thinking they were G.o.ds, above everything else.

The simple fact was, they were.

All of the NPCs inside of Nazarick would dote on their Supreme Beings if they were all here with them. She could only imagine how the world would be if they were all here together.

It would be like a complete family, the NPCs finally being able to repay their creators for just creating them, making them what they were. That was enough reason to admire them, to love them, to l.u.s.t for them.

Aura crossed her arms over her chest as she began to think about the future, and how Shalltear's bosom would never grow. Her subtle smile became a direly smug smirk, thinking of how she could rub it all in her face. A giggle escaped her as she walked in a slow circle along the arena floor. Shifting her arms from over her chest to behind her head, she huffed triumphantly.

+ + +

Mare sat there on the counter, a book in his lap and his Divine-Cla.s.s stave called the 'Shadow of YGGDRASIL' resting by his side. Dressed as a girl in a vest, white dragon top, a skirt, and long socks. He didn't at all seem to mind, despite his timid demeanor, where he was seated.

Slowly his legs were dangling, lightly kicking as he read the book in his lap.

His fingers trailed silently along with the words of the book, reading as he listened to the shuffling of the Overlords presently overseeing the Grand Library called Ashurbanipal.

This was his sanctuary where he could relax away from the world and everything else within it.

This place was filled with books, be it about magic or narrative. His gaze lifted from the item in his lap and over towards another entire shelf filled with books just like it. A faint simper formed over his lips.

t.i.tus, one of the powerful Skeleton Mages and Mare's closest friends that inhabited the library, stood behind the counter sorting magic scrolls. His bead-like eyes watching the young Floor Guardian, with an every lasting skeletal grin across his face.

The two of them were a lot alike, preferring isolation over overbearing social interactions. The silence was their mutual friend, something they both respected. Though they were also considered rather fond of one another.

"Hath ever read mine personal collection?" The Skeleton Mage asked curiously, looking over the blonde-haired Dark Elf. His gaze locking with the right blue eye and green left eye as they turned to meet him.

"N-no..." Mare smiled a bit more soft-like toward his friend as he tilted his head to the side in a not so overly curious manner. "I don't think... You've sh-showed me your personal collection," albeit shyly, the young elf would slide off of the counter and land on his feet with relative ease.

Collecting his staff, he then made his way over to the Skeleton, holding his divine weapon close in both hands tucking it slightly against his left shoulder.

Mare could remember the first time he came here, though he wasn't necessarily in control at the time, Jakku had brought him and Aura down here whilst dressed as the Three Musketeers.

Smiling a bit more fondly at the memory, he continued to follow after the Skeleton as he put down what he was doing. The two would go forth, wandering deeper into the Library.

The place alone was ma.s.sive, even though it was on the same floor as the throne room and all the other things such as the Lemegeton and Room of the Pleiades Six Stars.

"My collection should be around here, somewhere," t.i.tus lead Mare through the metaphorical maze of books, his pearly white hand running along the decorated binds of each book-shaped item. Those eyes of his scanned over each one he pa.s.sed over, reading the t.i.tles and lightly clacking his teeth together.

Mare simply watched him, happy to simply follow his friend.

When they finally reached one of the tallest bookcases, Mare stared up at the various colored vintage looking grimoires, skill books and narratives. This place was a treasure trove of information, especially regarding YGGDRASIL.

"Ah, here it is," snickered the skeleton as he plucked a book ripely with his pointed bare-boned fingers. "Would thou... Like a peek?" t.i.tus turned his gaze to his young friend and bent down to his level, holding the book out in front of him with one hand for the boy to take.

"Umu..." Nodding to his friend, Mare grasped the book firmly before resting it in the palm of his other hand and spreading the pages open. His eyes drifted over the cover page. "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," Mare slowly read aloud to himself before opening to the next page.

This was the second book that was written by Mark Twain which was available within the Library, the other being The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

After flicking through a few pages, Mare was rather enjoying the story so far. The comedy was gold, and the adventure was only just beginning if hardly at all. The wording of the old piece of literature kept him reading though, and ultimately, t.i.tus was enjoying just watching the young one do so.

"Come to think of it, my belief is that the 'late' JakkuGurahamu-sama has a book in here as well," t.i.tus could recall as he turned and started looking over the books within his collection.

Mare blinked up at him as he heard the Skeleton refer to his creator's former lover as deceased. Though quickly brushed it off as he watched those lifeless hands begin to glide over the colorful bindings of books once more.

"Hath thou ever heard his book? Hamlet?" t.i.tus asked as his finger came to rest over the Shakespearan book between Romeo and Juliet and the Tale of Macbeth.

"Y-yes, I have. He quoted it often... Anou... 'To be or not to be' I think..." Mare nodded lightly as he closed the book in his hands looking over the Shakespeare book, having never read it himself.

t.i.tus looked down at the young elf, "Would thou like to read it?"

"Does... Does it end like Romeo and Juliet...?" Mare asked as he went onto his tippy toes and slid the Tom Sawyer book back into its resting place, after memorizing the page he left off. He then put his hands out for the other book.

"My deductible thoughts are that it ends in tragedy, Shakespeare's books never end on good terms." t.i.tus proclaimed with a small movement of his jaw, stroking it with his one hand.

"I... See..." Mare looked over the book before opening it to the first act. Like most of Shakespeare's writings, it was indeed a melodrama. The King of Denmark is slain by his own brother in order to gain the crown and the brother's wife for himself.

His son is soon driven mad, seeing through the plot. Mare didn't hesitate to flick one page over to the next page, over and over again. For some reason though, Mare's eyes glossed over as he read the pages of the book.

As he read over the events, he could see Hamlet's despondence over his father's death and he could see Ophelia's own depressive state. The way things were, he could relate them to his reality and to the things he had seen in the past.

To him, Ophelia was Jakku and Hamlet was Bukubukuchagama. His creator mad with vengeance for feeling wronged, and her former lover going mad himself, driven into misery. Though he did enjoy the romantic undertones of a love that was never to blossom past its infancy stage, Mare didn't finish the book and instead by the second to last act, closed it between his two hands.

"Do thou need a tissue?" t.i.tus leaned over to the Guardian of the Sixth Floor, placing his hand on his friend's shoulder in comfort.

Mare sniffled in response to his friend's comforts. "Do... Do you think they'll ever come back?"