Chapter 10 - 『Doppelganger』

Eve was seated on her knees upon the bed of her brother's. Staring up at the large suit of armor waving a finger at her. It was surely speaking, but like another episode of Charlie Brown, all she heard was: "Wahwahwahwahwahwah."

It was the one and only Momonga, dressed in his full plate armor as he had been planning on leaving Nazarick to prepare to infiltrate E-Rantel. He was telling her to stop pestering the Floor Guardians about her brother's location. Especially that of the Dark Elf Twins Mare and Aura. She was starting to get on just about everyone's nerves due to her almost clingy nature.

However just as he was about to get done lecturing her, a portal gate opened up directly beneath her.

"Eh?" Momonga watched as the child form vanished into the purple swirling energy that was now where she once was. "What just… Jack?" He would've blinked several times if he had eyelids, watching as the portal vanished before his eyes.

Eve's knees came crashing down onto the wooden panel floors, like a rock, causing many of the wooden shoot up form the ground. It was like she had been a meteor and she was now surrounded by a small creator just about her size.

"Hello!" Eve bounced up onto her feet, as if nothing happened at all. A wide open smile on her face as she sprung her hands into the air and jumped at her brother. Wrapping her arms around his shoulders and burying her face in his chest. "Ainz-sama was being so mean!"

"Oh?"

"He was yelling at me, because I was worried!"

Jack stared down at her, she was clearly twisting the truth. That was what she always did in his past life, and since he had written her like she was without his own ideals on how a sister should be, he let out a light sigh and patted her on the head.

"Stop troubling Momonga," Jack watched as she slowly slid down his tall form and took a step back from him the moment she was back on her feet.

She had that inflated cheek and frown on her face as her arms were crossed over her chest.

"And stop it with the face," Jack ordered as he reached over, flicking her nose playfully.

Squealing and covering her nose, she tightened her lower lip before blinking a few times as she just noticed the surroundings. Her eyes took in the scenery. This place… It was horrible, abandoned and dirty. "What in the heck is this place?"

"This place," He rested a hand on the top of her head, "Is our forward operating base. It'll make it easier to work in this city if we own property here."

"Hmmmmm..." Eve stared at the ruined sofa, then towards the arm chair. Her eyes then glanced down at the rotten rug which was in front of a really dirty fireplace. "There's no way in heck, you're making me clean this place up!" She immediately snapped, ducking out from beneath his hand and lunging towards the fold out dining table behind her.

Jack simply chuckled lightly, "Even if I give you ten gold pieces?"

"Where in the heck am I going to spend it!?"

"Why are you suddenly using heck in every sentence?" Jack frowned slightly as she seemed a bit hyped. Did she eat a shit ton of sugar or something? "And in the market." He'd point toward the window that overlooked the defunct front yard.

That was when Momonga's voice erupted in the back of Jack's head, having used Message to speak to him from the Great Tomb of Nazarick.

"...Jack, where did Eve just go?"

"Hm? Oh right, you were in the middle of lecturing her, so she said." Jack snickered lightly.

"She has been bothering the Floor Guardians day in and day out about where you are... Where are you by the way?" Momonga was curious to what his friend and guild mate had been up to.

"I'm currently in E-Rantel. Just bought a manor we could use as a Forward Operating Base. Will make it easy to portal in and out without being seen."

Nodding at this, "That… That's not a bad idea actually."

"I might need some resources, to fix it though. It's in disrepair."

"Oh? This gives us an opportunity. I'll send Sebas and Solution over. You wouldn't mind pretending Solution is also your younger sister?"

"Hm.. That doesn't sound like a bad idea, why send them?"

"I'd like to gather intelligence. Having them assume the role of a wealthy Noble and their Elderly Butler may fit rather well with the situation you created."

Jack slowly nodded at this. Being nobility would definitely make it interesting, considering he had moved into the Noble Quarter in the first place. "Well, the manor is in the Noble Quarter of the City. So it would make sense to be a noble, wouldn't it?"

Momonga chuckled lightly as their thoughts were aligned, "I'll be sending them over soon."

Jack nodded, "Alright. I'll be having some company over in a little bit however, so be sure to check my location with a sensory organ before sending them."

"Company?"

"I'm hiring some adventurers to fix the house, apparently one of them has a Magic Talent."

"Talent?"

"In this world there are people who are born with talents, abilities. There's also one that has the power to use any magical item… I was thinking about absorbing him," Jack was still conflicted about the idea of killing someone just to get their abilities.

"Hm… He could be considered a Threat. So whatever you choose to do, it's up to you."

"I know, but eliminating him would mean we would have to eliminate anyone like him."

"True… And that wouldn't look good at all for those whom perceive or grow to know about us."

Jack looked over at his sister as she was watching the world outside the large window in the common room. Her eyes watched the people walk at the end of the property outside the gates.

"I was also thinking, why don't we start introducing some modern commodities?"

For a moment there, Momonga was silent when his friend made the suggestion. Was he suggesting that they manufacture things such as tampons, automated transportation, elastics and so on? It sure sounded like it. "Do we want to be remembered for making Tampons?"

"I mean, wouldn't a nobleman be happy if his wife is happy?" Jack snorted in sarcasm.

"..."

"Too much?"

Momonga sighed, trying not to die of suppressed laughter. "Going to assume the items are going to be cheaply distributed, so that even the commons could afford them?"

"We could also make money making exclusive magical items and spreading our influence. Think of it as… A monopoly, no one has our knowledge." Jack said with an assuring tone as he walked up behind his sister. His index and middle fingers on his temple.

His other hand began to lightly ruffle the top of his little sister's head, and she didn't seem to mind, as she actually leaned up into it.

"Taking over the Kingdom's economy will be quick once we have enough influence. Remember, whoever controls the money flow, controls the Kingdom in some aspect or another."

Momonga raised a brow bone at this, remembering how Demiurge had mistaken his intentions of conquering the world. Taking over the world itself, could be done in many different ways. Either through war, or covert operations, even economic and political espionage.

"Though it might not be that easy… At least not from E-Rantel, we're pretty far from the nation's Capital." He wasn't wrong. If this country was centralized, then it would be pretty hard to take it over, in the sense that it controlled itself; all from one place.

So their conversation went on. Analyzing the pros and cons of a large scale hypothetical plan, should they actually want to take over the world like Momonga had joked before with Demiurge.

Even if it was easy to take over the economy, that plan alone wouldn't be enough. To assert one's control, there had to be months of planning and execution of those plans. And if a plan didn't work, they needed more plans to cover for the failure.

The topic alone made Jack think of the Real Time Strategy and Tycoon games he used to play as a kid. A nostalgic expression captured his face, until about an hour or so had gone by and his eyes centered on the Swords of Darkness making their appearance at the front gates.

Brita was standing in front of the group, gesturing with her open hand towards the house.

The blonde men which accompanied her were looking over the house then back towards her. A brow raised slightly, before looking at the window which Jack and his little sister were standing in.

Ninya blinked a few times seeing the miniature person who looked like a younger version of herself. Brita, who had told her about that snippet of information Jack had given her, wasn't kidding. It was like looking at a Doppleganger!

As the crew was coming through the front Gates, Sebas and Solution appeared in the common room out of view from the window. Sebas was wearing his typical attire, whilst Solution was wearing a mustard yellow dress fit for the daughter of a noble.

The Predator slime looked around the room with a frown. This place looked like trash and the scrunching of her nose was sure to say that.

Sebas Tian however didn't seem all that fazed by the status of the house. Both of them had been informed by Ainz.

"Cipher-sama," The two of them bowed before the Supreme Being who had turned to face them.

"Please, while we are undercover here, I'd like you to call me Jack. I've introduced myself as Jack Graham." his eyes moved towards Solution. "Sol Graham will be your name, you are my younger sister, and Eve's older sister." He'd gesture towards the Homunculi who was now walking towards the front door with a cheeky grin on her face.

She wanted to meet her older look-alike and she was clearly excited about it.

Jack glanced over towards Sebas Tian, "I'd like you to assume a father figure role as the family butler. Our 'parents' are dead, you are the one who 'raised' us. It is my understanding Touch Me-san had designed you perfectly..."

One of the things that Jack saw in Sebas was the Hero that his creator was. It was the duty of the strong to protect the weak. However he also knew that was because Touch Me had left Sebas Tian as a blank slate, allowing his creator's actions and past influence to dictate his personality.

"Understood Jack-sama," the Butler bowed his head in respect.

Jack's eyes then moved towards Solution, alternatively now known as Sol, who was bowing her own head in respect and obedience. "No eating humans whilst inside the city, unless they are attacking. So... Try to respect the guests."

Solution looked up at him, "Yes, Jack-sama." Her eyes were so empty, and her frown so apparent, she definitely wasn't pleased. Jack was a Supreme Being, an entity of worship, someone they all looked up to; someone they needed. Even should she be ordered to follow him, she would've done it anyways. Even if she didn't like the idea of not being able to eat humans, she'd go with it. So as she had the tendency to go against her superior should an act not be beneficial to the Great Tomb of Nazarick, she had no choice but to obey.

Jack's nose crinkled up when Solution had called him Jack-sama. "It's Big Brother to you."

Solution shivered slightly even though she was immune to physical normalities. The supreme being wanted her to call him Brother. She'd stare at him for a few moments before nodding, "Yes… Big Brother..." The taste of the word was foreign. She only had sisters, yet now she apparently had a brother despite it just being a role to play.

"Lets begin..." Jack clapped once with his hands at stomach level. He'd then reach into his item box and pull out a stained black wooden container decorated with gold painted branches. "I'm sure you can scrounge up hot water?"

"Yes, Jack-sama." Sebas took the box in both hands, carefully handling it as he walked in the direction he could only assume lead to the kitchen.

In the container was a fine powder recognized as Matcha Tea and due to its high quality, rather expensive. It was one of Jack's favorite teas, especially after moving to Japan, even though he was horrible at preparing it himself. However either way, he had a habit of adding whole milk to stretch it out in order to continue consuming it.

As Jack walked up to the door, Solution joined in behind him, as Eve was now at his side.

Reaching forward, he would turn the nob and pull the door open the moment Brita was about to knock, causing her to stumble in.

"Oh, hah… I brought them as you asked." Brita said with a small smile across her lips, before looking down to see the little look-alike that he was talking about. "Oh.. Hello there," she tilted her head looking over the small homunculi.

"Hello!" Eve nearly exploded, her arms thrown into the air, turning her into a humanoid letter Y. She even hopped as she had greeted them.

The Adventurers chuckled at the young miss, before one of them rested their sights on Solution.

"Who is this bea--" Lukrut who was the group's lady's man didn't even finish his line when he felt a shiver go up his back. He was a ranger and had an excellent sense of danger. It was as if he was being sized up to be eaten by this blonde woman. Clearing his throat, he glanced away from her.

Peter and Dyne both raised their brows at this and looked over at the woman then over to their friend.

Ninya however just gazing down at the little clone. "Hi… My name is Ninya, what's your name?" She'd ask as she rested her hands on her knees as she bent down to her level.

The homunculi blinked a few times as the woman introduced herself as Ninya. For some reason, she felt like the girl was lying to her. Eve frowned a bit, her head lulling to the side. "Eve, my name is Eve." Glancing over towards her big brother, her cheeks were both inflated with air, until she released them in the sound of a disappointed fart from her lips.

Jack raised a brow at this, despite her childish and blatant personality, his sister could detect the lies of others. Especially when they are in close proximity. The fact that she had introduced herself and Eve thought she was lying about her name… It was clear that Ninya was hiding something.

"Interesting..."

"Hm?" Ninya looked up from Eve and to the girl's older brother. Her lips parted slightly. He was handsome and wealthy. Something she didn't notice right away, and he had this almost natural radiance permeating from his skin. What was that?

"Nothing, my sister just thought you had a different name."

A bead of sweat formed on Ninya's forehead as the boys all looked at her, curious. These four trusted each other with their lives. Even lived with one another for the most part.

"R-really?" Ninya laughed nervously, standing up with her hands outward and her arms close to her chest, trying to dismiss it.

Jack's eyes rested on her for a few moments before he shrugged. "My butler is preparing some tea, I hope you don't mind." He'd gesture towards the common room which was visible from the front door.

The moment they had gone to look over, the five of them didn't seem to like the look of the place.

"For the most part, I just need..."

Brita was staring at the small crater in the ground in the middle of the common room. "When did that get there?" She asked curiously, before looking over at Jack.

'How da--" Solution, who was trying to scold the feeble human for interrupting Jack, felt Sebas Tian's gaze from the corridor on her and immediately she went silent.

Eve raised her hand, "I jumped."

Brita looked to the small girl and then towards the crater before just shaking her head. "Why did you want this house again?" She asked as she looked over at Jack.

"Why not want the house?"

The Adventurer Party just stared at him for a few seconds before following suit and entering the common room per Jack's gesture for them to come in.

As they gazed around the room, they turned their attention back to Jack himself.

"As I was saying, I'd like you to move all the furniture in the house into this room in an organized manner. If you find anything of value, you will be further compensated on top of the promised payment for your services."

Ninya and the group blinked at one another, then over to him. Ten Gold Coins was more than what they'd make doing simple low ranked jobs. It'd already allow them to buy plenty of equipment and spell scrolls, now he was offering more money if they found anything of value in the house?

Solution and Eve looked up at Jack curiously, wondering what exactly he was planning.

It was mostly the fact that he didn't feel like dealing with all this furniture. So once everything was in one place, he could essentially get rid of them, having it be converted into coins through the use of the exchange box. If the exchange box itself still functioned as it did in the game.