“Naiyuan seems to really like Mare.
Is it because he was created by Bukubukuchagama?”
Herohero walked slowly over to Naiyuan and asked.
“Lord Herohero!”
Seeing the pitch-black humanoid slime approach, Mare spoke with a tremor in his voice.
Compared to the gentle Lord Naiyuan, the steady, heavy voice of Lord Herohero made him very nervous.
He couldn’t help but turn his head to look at his sister, who was standing by watching the scene.
Aura noticed his gaze, but she could only offer a helpless look in return.
As a Guardian, she wouldn’t dare criticize a Supreme Being.
“Alright, Herohero, you’re scaring Mare.”
“As for why?
It’s probably because I helped Bukubukuchagama when she was creating Mare.
Come to think of it, you could say Mare is like a child to both me and Bukubukuchagama!”
Naiyuan retracted his hand from the boy’s hair and spoke in a nostalgic tone.
“Something like that actually happened?
But Naiyuan, if you say it like that and Bukubukuchagama finds out, she’s going to beat you up.”
Herohero was somewhat surprised, but then he began to tease Naiyuan.
He knew Bukubukuchagama’s personality well; as the only other Slime player in the guild, they were on good terms.
With her temper, she’d likely be charging in for a duel right about now.
“Hey, it’s not like I’m lying.”
Naiyuan shrugged indifferently.
“Um…
is Lord Naiyuan my father?”
Mare, listening from the side, became quite agitated.
Since their creator, Lady Bukubukuchagama, was no longer there, Naiyuan’s words sparked a longing he couldn’t suppress.
He couldn’t help but ask.
“Yes.
In a strict sense, I am.
After all, your creation was a joint effort between Bukubukuchagama and me.”
“And Aura, even though I didn’t help much with your specific creation, as Mare’s sister, it’s the same for you.”
Naiyuan smiled and ruffled Mare’s hair while speaking warmly to Aura, who was standing nearby.
“Is that…
is that okay for me too?
Lord Naiyuan?”
Aura, who had been standing to the side feeling a bit jealous of her brother, now felt as if she were floating on air.
Her voice became a bit clumsy.
“As long as you are willing, I have no objections.”
Naiyuan smiled, then opened his arms to draw the two figures into a gentle embrace, softly stroking their hair.
“Lord Naiyuan, may I call you Father?”
“Mare wants to too!”
“You may.”
“Then…
Father?”
“Yes.”
…
Standing to the side, Herohero and Momonga were staring with lines of black frustration on their faces.
*Good grief, are we at a family reunion?
Putting on such a show right in front of us.*
“Naiyuan is actually quite impressive, Momonga.
With just a few words, he successfully won over the NPCs created by Bukubukuchagama.”
Herohero spoke with an impressed tone as he watched Momonga, who was observing the scene with interest.
“Well, I can only say ‘as expected of Naiyuan.’ To be able to go that far…
I certainly couldn’t do it if it were me.”
Momonga also admitted defeat before his friend’s performance.
They had originally come to check the NPCs’ loyalty, but somehow his friend had gained two children.
Truly, the world was full of wonders.
However, thinking of Albedo’s figure brought another headache.
She was loyal, but he really couldn’t stand the way she looked at him.
It made him feel like he was being seen through.
“Alright, alright, don’t cry.
Momonga and Herohero are still here.”
Naiyuan patted their backs and whispered into their ears, reminding them that his two friends were watching.
“Ah!
My apologies, Lord Momonga and Lord Herohero!
Making the two Lords wait for us is a crime worthy of ten thousand deaths!”
Aura quickly stood up and bowed to the two.
If they were to hold a grudge against her Father because of her, she couldn’t even imagine the horror of it.
“Uu, sorry, Lord Momonga, Lord Herohero.”
Mare reluctantly left Naiyuan’s embrace and hurriedly bowed in apology to Momonga and his companion.
Momonga looked at Naiyuan and Herohero, as if asking what to do next.
“This guy could clearly handle this himself, yet he still has to ask us.
As expected, even though he’s turned into an Undead, his essence is still the same as always.”
Seeing him like this, Naiyuan opened a private Message spell to complain to Herohero.
“Don’t be like that.
Momonga must be very panicked suddenly becoming a ruler.
It’s normal to want to rely on his partners.
If he were alone, he’d probably be worried to death,” Herohero replied with a chuckle.
“If he’s like this, how am I supposed to slack off properly?”
“Eh?
Naiyuan, you’re quite wicked, aren’t you?
Trying to push all the work onto Momonga while you slack off.”
“You have the nerve to say that to me?
You’re the same.
Didn’t you secretly laugh when we pushed Momonga to the front?
You want to slack just as much as I do, yet you have the gall to criticize me!”
“Tsk, tsk.
You found me out.
Seems my poker face isn’t deep enough.”
“Get lost!”
…
On the surface, everything was calm, but after his ‘friendly’ exchange with Herohero, Naiyuan finally looked at Momonga and sent a Message.
“Respond to them with the posture of a ruler.
That will help you establish a majestic image.”
Momonga froze when he heard the message.
*Good grief, how is that any different from saying nothing at all?*
“A majestic image?
I’m just a salaryman; what do I know about that kind of thing?” Momonga said to Naiyuan in a frantic tone.
“Momonga, think about how your old boss used to sell you empty promises.
Just speak like that.”
Naiyuan thought for a moment before giving the suggestion.
“That’s a pretty good idea.
You should try it, Momonga.
I think those two little ones are about to be scared to tears by your silence,” Herohero, who was eavesdropping on the private conversation, chimed in.
“Even you, Herohero…”
Momonga looked at Herohero, who was snickering, and Naiyuan, who was busy comforting the two children with a smirk on his face.
Seeing that smirk made his brow furrow—wait, he didn’t have eyebrows.
Fine, his bone marrow furrowed.
There was no other choice.
He had to do it.
Momonga sighed internally and entered character, adopting a majestic expression as he looked calmly at Mare and Aura.
A dignified voice echoed from the skeleton’s mouth.
“Mm.
Very good.
You both seem to be in high spirits.”
“Pfft.”
Naiyuan almost burst out laughing when he heard Momonga.
Those words almost broke his composure.
Beside him, Herohero had already turned his back to the group; from the way his shoulders were shaking, it was clear he was secretly laughing.
“Of course, Lord Momonga!
This is the standard state for us as Floor Guardians, isn’t it, Mare?”
Aura seriously reported her status, though her eyes frequently darted toward the figure standing nearby.
“Yes!” Mare echoed loudly.
Next to him, Naiyuan was gently stroking his hair, as if saying he did a great job and this was his reward.
*This should be enough, right?*
Looking at the two of them, Momonga let out an internal sigh.
Then he froze.
Wait, he was a skeleton now; it seemed he didn’t need to breathe anymore.
Momonga felt a bit dejected.
He couldn’t breathe, his emotions were forced into ‘Sage Mode,’ he probably couldn’t eat, and sleep was likely out of the question—after all, he’d never heard of an Undead needing sleep.
Most importantly…
Momonga silently glanced at his lower half, then closed his eyes in despair…
fine, he didn’t have eyes either.
He didn’t need to close them.
He was tired.
Just let the world end.