The Child of The Tomb

Lesson 9 - Bane

'What to do what to doooo....' I grumble. 'How can I protect them without making them suspicious...' I huff. 'Maybe I could act busy? But with what, I don't do paperwork like... Nii-san..' I bite my lip. 'Talking- err, thinking about Nii-san is still a raw topic... it just feels awkward and uncomfortable to even think or talk about him right now.' I groan and roll over onto my stomach. "Why's everything so complicated?" I whine.

'Well... maybe I should just... leave them alone?' I frown and turn back onto my back. 'But... that sounds lonely... I don't want to be lonely. Err... well...' I raise my arm up, looking at my hand. 'Wasn't I practically alone back in the original world..?' I let my hand and arm fall back down. '...' I stare into the top of my bed. 'That's the hard truth... I was alone- I was always alone...'

I blink, feeling something cloud my vision. "E-eh?" I nervously chuckle as I reach up to my eyes. I sit up and wipe my eyes, but something keeps coming back to fog my eyes. "A-Am I...?" I mutter, pulling my hands back and staring at the water in my hands. "Am I... crying?" I mumble, sniffling right after.

I laugh pitifully. "I am..." I whine, making my voice crack. "It hurts." I grit my teeth and slowly bend my back forward, still sitting. My forehead touches the covers of my soft bed, letting my tears stain the (f/c) bed.

'Nii-san used to say there was a word for this... what was it again?' I sniffle.

"Bane..." I mutter. "It means... a cause of annoyance or distress... I think." I let out another sniffle. "Am I a bane? Or... is that just what I feel?" I mutter, holding onto my shirt tightly.

"I-I... don't know..." I cry. "I don't know..." I whimper.

"Maybe I should stay away... or maybe I just shouldn't be near them anymore... would that be best?" I take in a sharp breath, my breathing starting to become more rapid. "O-Or maybe I should just become a recluse, l-like N-N-Nii-san..." I hold onto my head, gripping it tightly.

I shake my head, my thoughts becoming more rapid and disorganized at the minute. "I-I-I... do-don't know... I don't know.... I don't know!" I whimper.

. . .

"Lady (Y/n)?"

I freeze. Everything seems to stop, my tears, my breathing... everything.

'Y-Y-Yuri...???' I stare at my sheets wide eyed. I shake my head and wipe away my tears, trying to control my breathing the best I can. I take in a deep breath before hopping off my bed and walking over to the door. I flinch, almost forgetting my mask, and toss it on.

I straighten up my posture and open the door.

Yuri is standing there with a silver tray, on that tray is a glass of water, a knife of sorts, and a envelope. I raise a brow and wave for Yuri to come in.

She swiftly does so and walks over to my desk, setting the tray down. I shut the door and go over to my desk, sitting in the chair as Yuri sets the items on my desk. She sets the envelope in front of me, along with the knife thing.

I instantly feel nervous, not understanding what I'm supposed to do with the knife thing. I clear my throat before picking up the letter and looking at the back, blank...

"Yuri... who is this from?" I glance up at her. She fixes her glasses before answering. "It is from Lord Ainz, Lady (Y/n)."

My heart sinks as I look back at the letter. I resist the urge to crumple it and simply tighten my grip on the edges of the letter, making the edges crumple slightly.

I can feel Yuri's nervousness from behind me. I let go of my grip on the letter, still not knowing what the knife thing is for. I let it glide down onto my desk.

'Maybe I could get Yuri to open it for me... that should work.' I sigh. "Yuri, open it for me." She does so quickly and takes the knife thing and cuts open the top of the envelope, handing me the folded up piece of paper.

I take it from her and give her a curt nod, making her nod back.

I unfold the piece of paper and stare at it for a moment before reading it.

'To, (Y/n).

I have heard about what has happened in the Nazarick Hallway. I will be sure to go over what happened in full detail with you once I get back. I suggest you meet with me when I call you once I get back, without struggle.

I'm expecting to hear what happened without any cut corners, if you choose to be difficult, you will not go unpunished.

As your older brother, this is an order, and I prefer for you to lose any attitude you may have during our future discussion. I am only doing this to protect you, I only wish the best for you and do not wish for your reputation as a Supreme Being to be tarnished due to this hiccup.

We are Supreme Beings, as such we have a reputation to uphold.

I have heard about you telling others about your age. Now that you know this, I do hope that you will quit sharing that information. You are seen as a leader and will be treated as such, that is how things work. You should know this.

With that, I look forward to our future conversation about all that you have caused and done in the past few days.

Sincerely, Ainz.'

"Lady (Y/n)?" Yuri looks over at me.

I let out a deep sigh as I turn the letter sideways. "Yuri." Yuri immediately straightens up. "Yes, Lady (Y/n)?" Her voice is firm.

I hold the paper on both sides as I suddenly—

—rip it.

"L-Lady (Y/n)?" Yuri says with obvious surprise and nervousness in her voice, replacing the firm one she had just seconds ago.

I put all 4 papers on top of each other and—

—rip it again.

"L-Lady (Y/n).." Yuri mumbles.

I let out another deep sigh as I let the pieces of ripped paper fall on my desk.

"Me and, Lord Ainz, have been having a few... disagreements. I'm sorry for causing you such bane. You may leave now." I continue to stare down the ripped letter pieces on my desk, not sparing a glance at Yuri.

"L-Lady (Y/n), I promise that you have not caused me ba-"

"Yuri." I interrupt her, making her flinch. "You may leave now." I wave at the door.

I don't pay attention to Yuri, nor her expressions as she leaves.

I sigh and rest my head on the desk.

I let the tears fall, ignoring the discomfort my mask brings as I cry onto the desk.

'Ahhhh, I think I shouldn't have said that to Yuri... I think this'll just make her more worried and might make her come to me.' I click my tongue as I continue to cry silently. 'That isn't my plan... but I guess Nii-san-... no, Lord Ainz, was right. He and I are Supreme Beings, the NPC's are our creations, made for purposes that they must fulfill, whether it be cleaning or protecting Nazarick. They aren't friends, just servants I suppose.'

I grit my teeth. 'But servants... seems like such a... horrid term.' I sigh and walk over to my bed, throwing my mask onto the floor.

I hold onto one of my pillows for dear life as I cry.

'Why is this world so complicated?'

———

A/N: Another short-ish chapter. Around 1940 maybe words. Also, updates might be a lot slower due to situations in the real world, just letting you all know.