Chapter 20 - 『Return』

Materializing in the center of the common room, the man known as Jack stood there facing the big window overlooking the front of the property. His eyes would rest on the young form which was resting in the windowsill, one leg lazily hanging off. A small smirk formed over his stoic face as he looked over the napping face of his little sister Eve. Her chest slowly rose, and fell, at a slow steady pace. Walking over, he would squat down before the window, stroking her hair from her forehead with his hand. Then that's when his eyes would rise from her sleeping face to the world outside once more.

E-Rantel was an interesting place, many things were happening. He could sense death just about every day and even though he had cleansed that cemetery, zombies and the like were still rising. Necromancers? It didn't seem like there were any, so he was sure it was now just a phenomenon involving the restless spirits of the dead. Hatred and regret. He let out a light sigh before standing and looking behind himself.

Quickly, he took note of the hand crafted furniture made from dark wood and red velvet patterned cushions. The couch had silver buttons and inlay trim. It looked to be made by a master of its craft. Trailing over, he locked his sights on the grandfather clock right by the open wall leading to the foyer and chuckled quietly. Watching as the golden pendulum on the inside, shielded by a sheet of frosted glass, shifted to and fro. The clicking filled his ears with nostalgia.

Slowly he would walk over to the item before narrowing his eyes on various pieces of art which were hanging on the walls. They were all paintings based on what appeared to be a ruin overtaken by nature, but was fine to say that they were all originals.

"Hm..." Jack would turn his attention to the front door as he moved into the foyer, only to pause as he heard the clacking of loafers on the floor.

Before he could turn around, he felt the face of his younger sibling press against his back and wrap her arms around his waist. "Welcome Home Oniisama!"

Rolling his eyes slightly, he turned to look down at her, placing a hand on the top of her head and lightly coming his fingers through her short brown curly hair. "Someone seems to be awake," Jack would chuckle before looking around the house from where he stood. He didn't even hear a mouse move, there seemed to be no one else here. "Where's Solution and Sebas?" He'd ask as he looked down to his little sister.

"Momo-tan sent them to the Royal Capital in order to gather information, Shalltear went with them." Eve reported as she giggled a bit, mischievously, after calling Ainz Ooal Gown a rather adorable nickname such as Momo-tan.

Jack just stared down at her awkwardly, as from off the top of his head, the name Momo is written as Peach. "Call him Ainz-sama, okay?" He patted her head a bit more before letting his hand fall to his side.

Looking up at him with a pouty face, a fake one at that, she would grasp at his sturdy robes which were in actually his armor. "Why Oniisama?" Her eyes had gotten bigger as she was attempting to sway his order with the same eyes as Cat in Boots. Something that never really worked on him, or even his parents, even though she always tried it as she curled her fingers into the 'fabric' of his clothes.

Jack rolled his eyes at this and pinched her cheek. "Because he might just ground you, or worse, I'll ground you." He had this smart ass expression on his face, smug and entitled with the power of an older sibling who's in charge while their parents were away for the rest of eternity. "So... Call him Ainz-sama, okay?"

Poking her tongue out at him, she swatted at his hand playfully until he let go of her face. "Fine! Fine! Fine!" She let out a whining tone before scrunching up her face and glaring up at him. "Where were you, Oniisama? Ainz-sama said you were asleep for a long time."

Chuckling a bit as he rubbed the tip of his nose with the side of his index finger. "Eh, I didn't feel too good about something I did, so I had to come to terms with it." He closed his eyes partially, he didn't necessary seem all that much effected anymore. Yet he continued to feel this hollow sensation in his heart, created by his mind. "I'm going to be going out."

"Ooo! Can I come with you?"

Jack looked down at her with a brow raised. While he probably haven't seen her in four days, he wasn't sure if he should bring her along. "Where is Momonga-san?" He asked curiously as he poked her forehead, going with his habit of answering questions with another question rather than giving a straight forward response.

Eve groaned slightly in annoyance before pouting up at him as she spoke, "He went to the Inn to get a place to stay."

"It would cut expenses if he were to stay in the house," Jack chuckled quietly to himself and shook his head, "And make it easier for him to transverse between here and Nazarick." Pursing his lips he shrugged, "So you said he went to an Inn?"

"Yeah, after he stopped by here, he said so."

Nodding slowly, "Well, I'll be back at some point. Don't wait up for me," He said as he patted her on the head, his stomach growling as he went out the front door.

"Oniisama! Wait! I made food!"

Jack turned his head and looked at her standing in the doorway, her face red from shouting so suddenly and loudly as it was.

Some of the people passing the property glanced over, some of the women giggling.

Rolling his eyes yet again, Jack couldn't help but return to his sister's side and follow her inside. The door would slam shut on its own as the wind brushed against it.

Entering the Kitchen, he watched as she pulled out what looked like a small ice box which held a small box inside. Jack stared down at the simple black painted wooden rectangular box inside of it until his sister took it out and placed it on the island at the center of the room. His eyes traveled over the fully furnished place. There was all the appliances needed for a modern kitchen, of course powered by mana rather than electricity.

She would proceed to open the little box, revealing several pieces of sushi made from top-tier ingredients from Nazarick. It was quite clear she had raided the cafeteria on the ninth floor in which the Maids and other residents received nourishment.

A small grin formed over his lips before he traced his eyes over her hands. There wasn't a single cut even though the pieces of fish were sliced so thinly, it was hard to believe. However because he knew how her production skills were practically maxed out, it wasn't too far fetched that the food she made would be spectacular and prepared without so much as a cut finger.

"Thank you," He said as he plucked a piece of sushi out of the box and popped it into his mouth. Casually chewing it as the sweet taste of the rice mixed with the subtle kick of the natural taste of salmon settled in. Scooping up the box, he would close the lid. He planned on eating it on the go.

Smiling up at her big brother as he had enjoyed the first bite, she'd follow him to the door, even open it for him. "You better come back soon Oniisama, or I will tan your heckin' behind."

Jack halted a few steps outside before turning his head to look over at her, a brow raised.

"Just kidding!" She stuck her tongue out before playfully slamming the door shut. Her loafers could be heard clacking all the way up the steps to the second floor of the manor. Then there was just silence.

Jack could only shake his head once she was gone, before going out through the front gate of the property and meeting the stone streets of E-Rantel once again as he had done plenty of times before. His eyes surfed the crowd as he'd make his way towards the market square. Soon enough when he finally arrived, he could take in the smell of fresh bread which had just been baked front he flour brought in from the village farms within the territory around the Fortress City. Nudging the lid partially off of the wooden box in his hands, he would pluck another piece of sushi out of the container and settle it into his mouth before chewing.

He was far from ignorant of the stares he was getting from the people. Admiration was in their eyes, word had clearly spread about him after his little episode in the cemetery with the Iron Ranked Adventurer and the child at his side. So without further adieu, he made his way through to the front doors of the Inn and lightly nudged it open.

Almost immediately his eyes locked on a man who was airborne, and while tracing its trajectory, he narrowed his sights on Brita who was sitting there with a red potion in her hands.

"..." Stepping forward in a blur of movement, he punted a chair at the airborne male, ultimately changing his trajectory and sending him flying into a wall.

The entire room was silent. The Adventurers, Inn Keep and the two familiar beings were boring holes through him, in both shock and awe. Though he could clearly see Momonga was trying not to laugh, even though he couldn't really see through the full plate armor he was wearing.

Jack just tilted his head to the side slightly at those who were looking at him as if he were some sort of comedy act that recently walked in.

It wasn't until the man full clad in Black and Gold Armor came walking up to Jack. Everyone seemed to become tense, seeing the two strong men standing in front of one another. Facing each other with what thy could only think was serious expressions. Jack remained stoic while facing his skeleton friend who wore a helmet to hide his skull of a face.

"I see you've finally come to E-Rantel," Jack said this after several awkward minutes of silent staring, as he held out his hand for his friend to shake, "It's good to see you again."

"Likewise," Momonga said as he shook Jack's hand, firmly. He then gestured towards Narberal Gamma who came walking up beside him. "This is Nabe, I believe you met her before you left the homeland."

Jack nodded as it appeared that Momonga had attached their two backgrounds. Their story seemed to be that they escaped the destruction of their Island Nation to the West by the hands of the Beastmen. "It's good to see you two in one piece," Jack would pat Nabe's shoulder for a moment before taking a step back and looking towards the others present.

The Adventurers which had pulled such a stupid prank earlier, seemed to be avoiding eye contact with both of them. Jack couldn't help but chuckle to himself before hearing the footsteps of Brita's boots as she approached the two.

"You know each other?" Brita looked at Jack and then towards Momon, noting the Copper tags around both of the adventurer's necks. "Interesting," she said with a light smirk.

Momon glanced down at the red potion which she had in her hand. She seemed to have just gotten done admiring it. He then narrowed his vision on Jack, he casually returned his gaze.

"I gave her team a few vials of Lesser Healing Potions as hazard pay," Jack said with a light nod, "And I also gave some to the Magician's Guild and the City's famous Pharmacist in order to see if they could reverse engineer them."

"Oh?" Momon saw the efficiency in giving the task to multiple people, despite them being strangers. It was likely that now that his renown was pretty high in the area, people could be trusted just a little bit more to respect Jack.

"It's a little competition between them, of who can make it first." A sly grin formed over his lips as he crossed his arms now.

Brita rolled her eyes slightly, "My bets are on Lizzie. Theo may have more hands, but he's no pharmacist," she was well aware of the former adventurer which lusts after magical items and artifacts. "Speaking of which, you wanted to go buy spells from the Guild, didn't you?"

Jack nodded lightly, "I'm going to be heading to the Baharuth Empire soon, so the more scrolls and tomes I have the better. I plan on playing in their Arena some, test the waters."

"Huh? You finally got some good furniture, and now you're heading out?" Momon asked with a somewhat teasing tone. "Are you going alone?"

"Ah, right. You did say hello to my little sister, that made the little brat happy." He said with a light snicker at the teasing tone of his before giving Nabe a glance, before looking at the cold hard plate mail Momon was wearing. "I ran into Shizu on the way over here, she'll be accompanying me to Arwintar."