On the Ninth Floor of Nazarick, when Clementine opened her eyes, her face looked like a perfectly frozen reaction meme straight out of a smartphone sticker pack.
It was as if she had stepped into a dreamlike castle. Magnificent chandeliers hung from the soaring ceiling, and the vast corridors were paved with precious materials that shimmered with a faint, otherworldly glow.
Luxury and opulence, solemnity and splendor coexisted in perfect harmony. That was the only thought in Clementine's mind.
"Th-This…"
Like a country bumpkin entering the city for the first time, Clementine stared around in stunned disbelief. As a former member of the Slane Theocracy, she was no stranger to grandeur. But when she compared the Theocracy to this place, she realized that what she once considered magnificent looked no better than a slum beside it.
"Pfft!"
Watching Clementine crane her neck this way and that, Naohara—who had been teasing Entoma—couldn't hold back his laughter.
The sound snapped Clementine out of her daze. She turned in confusion, her gaze locking onto him.
"Naohara-sama, were you laughing?"
It was phrased as a question, yet Momonga and Herohero both heard the certainty behind it.
"How could that be? You have to trust me. No matter what happens, I would never mock anyone."
Naohara spoke with righteous conviction. Entoma, nestled in his arms, nodded repeatedly, as if to say that Naohara-sama was absolutely right.
Momonga hesitated for a moment before adding,
"Unless you really can't hold it in?"
Naohara shot him an incredulous look, as though silently accusing him of betrayal.
Herohero, who had been watching the whole show unfold, finally burst out laughing. This was great. He loved seeing Naohara get put on the spot.
"Momonga, I'll repay you for this."
Naohara narrowed his eyes at his longtime friend, his tone heavy with meaning. Momonga instinctively took a step back.
This was bad.
After living with Naohara for over a decade, Momonga knew his personality all too well. Whenever Naohara said he would "repay" someone, it never meant anything good.
"Hey, Naohara…"
Momonga raised a hand, intending to make one last attempt at damage control, but Naohara gave him no chance. Leaving behind only a bright smile, he activated the ring.
"I need to step away for a bit. Blackie, keep an eye on Momonga for me."
With that single sentence, Naohara disappeared on the spot, taking Clementine and Entoma with him.
Momonga, who had been about to explain himself, grabbed at empty air. He then glanced at Herohero, whose hand was already resting on his shoulder. The skeletal Momonga let out a helpless sigh.
With Herohero here, there was no way he was getting away. All he could do now was pray that Naohara's "repayment" wouldn't be too extreme. He really couldn't handle any more trouble.
"Come on, Momonga. Let's head to your room and play a couple rounds of cards."
Herohero gave his shoulder a sympathetic pat and extended the invitation. Better play a few rounds while they still could.
Once Naohara came back, there probably wouldn't be a chance. By then, Momonga might very well want to kill the both of them.
Herohero knew exactly what Naohara was planning. The two of them had conspired about it long ago. When? Back in Chapter 65.
"Alright."
At the mention of cards, Momonga agreed without a second thought. He might be worried about whatever Naohara had in store for him, but that didn't dampen his enthusiasm for the game.
Playing cards and studying magic were among Momonga's few hobbies.
Setting his worries aside, Momonga eagerly led Herohero toward his room, completely failing to notice Herohero's odd look. Well, to be fair, Herohero was a Faceless Man—he didn't even have eyes.
Momonga's room wasn't far, and before long, the two of them arrived at the door.
Just as Momonga reached for the door, it suddenly swung open from the inside, and a breathtaking figure stepped out.
She wore a pure white gown, a golden necklace shaped like a spider's web resting against her collarbone. Curved horns like a goat's rose from her head, and a pair of black wings extended from her back, stirring all sorts of imagination.
The one emerging from Momonga's room was none other than the Guardian Overseer, the "workhorse" the three of them had assigned to manage the affairs of the Great Tomb—the succubus Albedo.
A faint blush colored Albedo's cheeks as she stepped out with a radiant smile, looking as though she had just done something a little mischievous.
"Momonga-sama!"
The moment she saw the two figures outside, her eyes lit up with delight. She hadn't expected to run into the one she loved right after finishing her daily duties. As she called out, the flush on her face deepened.
"Oh, Albedo. What were you doing in Momonga's room?"
Recognizing her, Momonga and Herohero immediately dropped their joking expressions and turned serious. Noticing Albedo's slightly unusual demeanor, Herohero asked curiously.
After all, even while respecting Momonga's privacy, he couldn't help being curious.
"This subordinate hoped Momonga-sama would return to a more comfortable resting environment, so I… sprayed a little specially made perfume and lit some incense in the room."
Albedo paused briefly before answering. She wasn't lying. It really was perfume and incense. The only special detail was that the raw materials were of her own making.
"Perfume? Not a bad idea. Later, go and take care of Naohara and Herohero's rooms as well."
Momonga felt somewhat helpless. In his current state, he didn't even have a sense of smell. He couldn't sleep either, so all of Albedo's effort was essentially wasted on him.
Of course, if he used the item [Mask of the Dead], he could temporarily transform into a human and regain his sense of smell. But he only used that item when eating. Under normal circumstances, he rarely activated it.
Since Naohara and Herohero still had functioning senses, Momonga figured they would benefit from it more.
"Uh… well…"
"What is it?"
Momonga looked at Albedo in confusion when she hesitated at his order.
Was this difficult to arrange? Had she run out of perfume? Or was there some other issue?
He genuinely didn't understand.
Beside him, Herohero seemed to pick up on something. His face rippled and shifted into an exaggeratedly comical expression as he looked at Momonga.
"Momonga-sama, may this subordinate arrange for Aura and Solution… to apply the perfume for the two Supreme Beings?"
Albedo asked with a gentle smile, though the slight curl at the corner of her lips suggested there was more to her words.
"Alright, Momonga. For Naohara's room and mine, let's go with Albedo's suggestion. Have Aura and Solution handle the perfume."
"After all, Albedo is the Guardian Overseer. She's already busy enough. No need to trouble her further."
Herohero spoke up at that moment and discreetly gave Albedo a small nod, neatly steering the conversation to a close.
"Since Herohero has said so, we'll do it that way, Albedo."
Seeing Herohero take a stance, Momonga didn't pursue the matter any further. After giving Albedo a few additional instructions, he stepped into the room first.
"Yes, I understand."
Albedo bent at the waist in a deep bow. Only after Momonga had fully entered did she straighten up and turn her gaze to Herohero, who was looking at her.
"Thank you, Herohero-sama."
"No problem. I completely support what you and Momonga have going on. Do your best."
Herohero reached out and patted her shoulder in encouragement before walking straight into Momonga's room. As soon as he caught the strange scent lingering in the air, the comical look on his face became even more pronounced.
Behind him, Albedo quietly closed the door for the two Supreme Beings.
"Herohero-sama… It seems I misunderstood you before. Unexpectedly, you're quite a fine Supreme Being…"
Albedo's favorability toward Herohero rose dramatically!