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"As you command, **Zarathustra**-sama!"
Hearing Orion's command, which seemed designed to utterly trample her pride, Albedo didn't hesitate for a second.
The beautiful, pure-white demoness responded respectfully. She walked towards him with graceful steps, her form-fitting gown accentuating her figure.
Albedo moved with delicate, elegant grace, like a well-bred noble lady. Her slender jade hands were clad in white silk gloves. She approached Orion, bent her impossibly alluring waist, and prostrated herself fully on the ground in the deepest obeisance.
A subtle, intoxicating fragrance wafted towards him. The scent, so alluring it could tempt mortals, caused the black flames forming Orion's demonic body to flicker slightly.
Orion raised an eyebrow. This demoness possessed an indescribable allure for males, making one want to keep her as a captive plaything, imprisoned forever within one's grasp.
However, despite her respectful tone, Orion saw it as she knelt – a flicker of morbid obsession and a twisted, intoxicated love distorting her flawless features.
*Hmm, what were Albedo's original settings again?*
Orion wore a thoughtful expression.
He had watched the first season of Overlord and knew Albedo's initial settings. But that was ultimately just a memory.
In this reality, due to his close relationship with **Touch Me**, Orion knew Albedo's settings must have deviated somewhat from his memory.
The NPCs created by guild members were only visible and editable by their creators while those members were still around. Orion genuinely feared that some brain-dead guild member might have added a 'traitor' flag to their NPC's settings. If that were the case, the NPC would *actually* become a traitor!
"Zarathustra-sama, please give your command!"
Albedo pressed her forehead to the floor, prostrating herself fully, her voice a soft, seductive murmur filled with reverence.
"Any command?" Orion asked, sitting upon his throne, one hand propping his chin, his head tilted slightly, a faint, enigmatic smile playing across his features.
"I will unconditionally execute any command you give."
"...Or, perhaps you wish for me to serve you here? Ah, that would be wonderful! But please, do not tell Touch Me-sama."
"Of course, if you insist on informing Touch Me-sama, I would be even more excited! I believe Touch Me-sama would forgive my betrayal of him!"
Albedo's face flushed, her expression hopeful, eagerly awaiting Orion's next command.
*'Definitely Touch Me's style.'* Orion sighed inwardly, already having a good grasp of Albedo's probable settings.
Momonga, meanwhile, was utterly dumbfounded, bordering on panic. Watching the interaction between Orion and Albedo, he felt flustered.
*Hey, hey, this game is rated All-Ages! Any R-18 behavior is strictly prohibited and impossible! What's going on? And why is the NPC alive?*
The kneeling Albedo presented a perfect curve with her alluring figure, her seductive posture stirring excitement within Momonga's male instincts. However, in the next instant, a deathly chill surged from deep within his being, extinguishing all desire and calming his agitation.
This was the passive skill '**Emotion Nullification**' intrinsic to the 'Overlord of Death' race in Yggdrasil. It allowed the Overlord to eliminate superfluous desires and maintain absolute calm. In the game, it was merely a stat boost adding resistances. But in this reality, it genuinely allowed Momonga to cast aside distracting desires and retain his reason.
This made perfect sense. As a skeletal undead, he shouldn't possess male desires for females anyway. Besides, his current body lacked the requisite physical capabilities. Momonga was grateful for this skill, as it enabled him to think more clearly now. As for the lost desires, the skill effectively erased them, leaving no sense of regret.
Momonga was no fool. While his real-world emotions might have clouded his judgment, now aided by passive skills and his talent for information gathering, he quickly pieced together the situation through the changes in the game interface, the altered game functions, and the miracle of the living NPCs.
*'Why did Zarathustra give Albedo such a strange command? Is he interested in her because she's beautiful?'*
*'...No, that's not it. I see! Now that the game has changed strangely and NPCs have come alive with their own consciousness, they could potentially betray us.'*
*'...Zarathustra is testing Albedo's obedience with an extreme command!'*
*'If Albedo resists, it means she's dangerous. This is the Throne Room, and Zarathustra is the World's Strongest. He could easily deal with Albedo and warn me not to be careless with other NPCs.'*
*'...The NPCs in **Nazarick** are all high-level. If they all attacked together, even Zarathustra would be in danger.'*
*'So, transforming a potential group battle into individual confrontations leverages his World's Strongest abilities. That's the optimal solution for this situation.'*
Thinking this, Momonga marveled internally, *'...As expected of Zarathustra! He analyzed the situation and made the best judgment in such a short time, while I was still panicking.'*
*'...He's just like before. Having him in the guild always brings a sense of security.'*
Orion noticed Momonga's gaze and looked back questioningly. From the crimson light in Momonga's eyes, he saw admiration and a strange sense of dependency.
*Is this guy thinking something weird?* Orion was utterly baffled.
His reason for commanding Albedo was actually simple: when a peerless beauty is completely at your command, yielding to your every whim, only a young, shy boy would hesitate. As a normal male, Orion believed taking the initiative was the correct approach!
Shaking his head, Orion knew now wasn't the time for such thoughts. While he had anticipated the world's transformation, he needed to confirm his own situation first.
He rose from the throne. "**...Follow me**," he commanded Albedo. Then, turning to Momonga, he said, "**...Momonga, summon the Floor Guardians.**"
Hearing this, Momonga thought carefully and felt he understood Orion's intent. *He wants to gather the strongest Floor Guardians in **Nazarick** together to test their loyalty?*
"I'll be taking this. Any problem?" Orion walked towards 『Avatāra』 floating in mid-air.
"Of course not!" Momonga replied hastily. "That was always yours, Zarathustra. It never belonged to the guild."
As he spoke, Momonga had another epiphany. *Zarathustra is reminding me to quickly take a World-Class Item for protection, just in case!*
Orion stored away the 『Avatāra』, this simulated Star Atlas. As he was about to leave the Throne Hall, he suddenly stopped and turned back, his voice dropping to a low, resonant tone:
"...Momonga."
"Huh? I'm here. Is there something else?" Momonga, lost in thought, jolted slightly, asking in confusion.
Orion looked at him with an inscrutable gaze and chuckled softly:
"**God is dead!**"
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