The gateway was...very narrow. And the door at the end was very sturdy looking, it hadn't even been damaged, it was made of orichalcum and platinum bands interwoven over thick stone strips, it was clearly meant to allow only three to pass abreast, and it did not take a genius to realize that this was to limit the ability of beastmen to assault the position. As it was completely intact, Ainz concluded that the beastmen had recognized its nigh invulnerability and had instead gone over the walls.

Ainz touched the massive door with his skeletal fingers, he imagined the countless hours stone cutters had spent shaping stone strips, the number and exhaustion of the many smiths that had worked in sweltering heat to shape the mineral into these bands, so that the people beyond them were kept safe. He wondered if they lived to see the fall of the city, if they lived to know the frustration of their efforts by simply avoiding them. He traced the workmanship with one fingers, his bone moved over it, feeling how smooth it was, how any hours of work went in to this one thing to let people come and go, while also providing them with what safety they could manage?

Later he planned to ask the queen about it, he hoped he'd learn that they had died generations ago, and didn't live to see their work come to nothing.

"Whatcha doin majesty, ain't we goin in?" She asked as she rocked back and forth on her heels with her hands behind her back.

"I am paying my respects to the craftsmen who made this, their masterwork never fell, and though I will now destroy it, I want to remember the labor so I may have it recreated some day, when things are safe here again, a testament to the danger and their fulfillment of their duty to prepare against it." He said solemnly.

"Whassit matter?" She asked. "They dead, didn work." She said bluntly.

"It did work." He said, "See, it is intact, this gate never fell."

She pondered that for a moment, "M'kay, king stuff, ahl take yah word fer it sire." She said and continued rocking back and forth on her heels until he was done.

"Greater break item." He said, and the gate shattered like it had been kicked in by a giant, the pieces of the powerful minerals and stone flew inward like shrapnel and several bodies were cut to pieces. The screaming of beastmen had stopped, but human voices and shouting could still be heard.

"Go and begin freeing people, but caution them not to flee, a city this large must have an amphitheater or public speaking place of its own, tell them to go there, and the one who saved them will speak with them." He said.

She touched two fingers to her head and snapped them forward, "Gotcha majesty, ahm gonna do good!" She grinned and began to skip down the street.

"Fly." Ainz said, and he levitated off the ground and rose above the city. He found it very easy to spot Vanysa,, she skipped along, she'd untie someone, she'd pause, speak to them, and then skip off. Then it was on to the next person. Curiously, the ease of this did not change at all, she just kept at it, he could follow her even as she became a dot far down below him, the way she moved was so whimsical...but he also noticed that it was methodical, she moved in a zig zag pattern as she went down the street, careful to check everything. The people she helped either went directly to the destination she'd told them about...or they were muddled and random, seemingly moving from one place to the next with absolutely no evident plan whatsoever.

Had he still possessed eybrows, he would have lifted one in curiosity, for all her whimsy, bouncy playfulness, and seemingly 'off' behavior...the persistent unbroken pattern of search and rescue betrayed a methodical and rational mind that one steeped in madness should not have been capable of.

As he also noted, she was the first person to point out that he must have been 'alive' before if he was 'undead' now, most simply considered him undead and that was the end of it, what he was before never seemed to enter their minds. To come to that conclusion...just as she had followed his brief lesson in the economics of wealth creation...she had to have some of her higher functions still intact. What 'broke' who she was? Could she come back from it? It was questionable.

After several hours, humans all over the city were searching for others of their fellows and gradually gathering in the center of the city, the moving crowds told Ainz where he needed to go, and he descended behind the actor's staging area where he could not be seen and waited for Vanysa.

He did not wait long, a few minutes after that she skipped down the steps, humming a tune, taking two or three at a time, from where Ainz stood he could see her approach, she moved like a fawn, the grace of a wild dear leaping through the fields, free and unafraid, her long blonde hair carried into the air behind her. She reached the stage...having now acquired the eyes of the entire crowd, and when she reached the center she spun on her heel.

"Hiya!" She said and jumped up and down and waved to everybody with an enormous smile on her face, she radiated sunshine in the half dead city.

There was no response. She put a pout on her face.

"Ah said HIYA!" She repeated and waved to them all again.

A much confused crowd...waved back.

"I'm Vanysa, an ah gots good thins to tell yah! So pay close attention!" She said and leaned forward wagging her finger in warning.

"See, yah gots saved, yah saw them beastmen go and die screamin right!"

She asked with a shout, and was met with a cheer.

"Wouldja like ta see the one what done that to em?!" She asked.

She was met with a thunderous cheer.

When it died down she said, "M'kay, well thas mah god, he done killed all of 'em what ate yer friends an family, an he killed em all at Hearthlight, and he killed em all at Ha'ak Pale! Evry damn beastman in evr city they done took from us...they DEAD!" She shouted with glee, and the cheers redoubled.

She wagged her finger at them again, "Now listen 'ear, yah think the one what done all that killin of the killers is normal lookin? Yah think that maybe? Well nah, he's a god, and gods ain't normal ah they?!" She asked.

There were many shaking heads.

"Thas right! Now this'n, well he's real scary lookin, see he don't breath, he don't got no skin, he's an undead king what the Queen done asked to come an save us all, he's from a far away place, an I'm gonna get outta the way an let him talk to yah, but yah GOTS ta stay calm m'kay?!" She asked them, there were muted nods and shocked expressions.

"No really! Now ifn' yah turn an run...well that'll hurt is feelins, he's been right nice ta me, and ifn yah hurt his feelins...you'll be hurtin mah feelins." She clasped her heands together in front of her chest, her eyes watered and a catch entered her voice. "Yer...nae gonna hurt my feelins...are yah...?"

As bizarre as it was, they couldn't imagine hurting that sweet looking little Vanysa, so there were many shaking heads in the crowd. Ainz quietly palmed his face...she was...quite expressive.

"A'right sire, they ready!" She turned to face the back as she spoke, and Ainz emerged from where he stood, the crowd was 'prepared' sort of, and so they neither panicked nor fled, instead they simply stared.

Ainz went to the center of the stage, and when he stood next to Vanysa, she went down to both knees next to him, and sank back onto the balls of her feet.

"I am Ainz Ooal Gown, Sorcerer King. I came here because your queen asked me to do so, she asked that I save your lives. Your lives are saved now. You are free, but you cannot stay here." Ainz said.

"You must withdraw to your capitol, and you have little time to do it." He continued, my servant has told you about the destruction of the beastmen of your other two cities...but you will note she said nothing about the villages."

A low murmur began, and Ainz held up his hands to still the crowd.

"The villages where beastmen ventured have no doubt been overrun, and we know that they have sent out others to search for humans in hiding, and we know that cities like this one were sending out other humans to the occupied villages to sustain their forces. With all three cities captured, the beastmen of the villages are presented with a choice!" He said, and the crowd edged forward, fearful of what he may next say.

"They must either advance in search of more, or they must withdraw to their own lands! No matter which choice they make...they will join forces into another army, and if you are caught out in the open, how well can you protect yourselves?!" He said firmly, his voice carrying the pronouncement of doom.

There were fearful looks exchanged.

"Therefore you must withdraw, there are many villages, and I will send aid to free those I can, but I myself am going to advance in to the beastman kingdom itself, you then must be GONE by the time the village forces realize that no more help is coming to them from here! They may know about the other two cities, they may even have sent others to check them, and if they have they will be getting desperate! You must NOT be here if you want to live!" He said firmly.

He scanned the crowd, their faces showed their understanding. "Gather the pregnant, the wounded, the sick, the injured, load all those who cannot move onto carts, all others stay on foot, use what horses you can to haul as many as you can, you must be gone within hours of now. Pack what you need, but ONLY what you need. I leave tomorrow morning with my servant, I expect you to be gone long before then!" Am I clear?!" He asked.

There was a rumbling of acknowledgement from the crowd, but someone spoke up, "Can you not come with us, protect us maybe?!" Someone asked, their voice caught up in fear.

Ainz shook his head, "No. I have further work to do, you have had your rescue and now you alone must make the most of it, take weapons if you need them, but you are not so far from help, they will be expecting you by now I think, and may even send parties to meet you, so if there is nothing more, GO!" He closed out his sentence with a startling shout, and people jumped to their feet and began to rush out of the area.

With many exits, the crowds were gone and the city was abuzz with activity, leaving Ainz & Vanysa alone on the stage.

Ainz turned and looked down at Vanysa. He touched her shoulder and she looked up at him. "D'ah do good sire?" She asked.

"You did." He said.

"Cahn ah learn more a them letters and whatnot then?" She asked with a grin.

"Aye, do you have your book?" He asked.

"Mah book...yah givin this tah me?" She said with a whisper as she pulled it out and looked down at it.

"Aint nobody never gave me nuthin...nuthin like this for jus...nuthin...nobody...thout want'n...somethin fer it." She said with awe as she looked down at the title, "D is for Dog."

"Why'r yah so nice tah me? Huh?" She looked up at him. "I don do nuthin really, ah cain't give yah nuthin...all ah gots isa body...an..." A bitter expression crossed her face, "Yah don need ta be nice...yah gots all that power...so why...why'r yah kind ta me?" Her eyes watered a bit and she hugged the book to her chest as if to cover it.

"Do you not want me to be kind?" He asked. He cocked his head in confusion, "I do not know your culture, is it required that kinds and gods be cruel for some reason?"

"Ah, no, no nae that sire, its just...ah gots no way ta say thankee, an strong'uns, they don't gots ta be nice ta get they wants, you strong, so...idn it so that yah can just...just..." She stopped and closed her eyes and shook.

"That is not who I am. I do not want what does not want me." He said.

Her eyes snapped up to him, "But ah wants to make yah happy sire, I really wants tah."

"Wanting to make me happy, is not the same as wanting 'me'." Ainz replied, "And too, I am undead, a skeleton, there is nothing I can do with your body that you would enjoy, not in the sense you are thinking." He answered.

"But...yah used ta be alive right?" She asked.

"Yes." He answered.

"Andja liked girls when yah was, didncha?" She asked.

"An yah liked these didncha?" She asked and removed the book and 'bounced' her body again. His red orbs went there immediately, and she giggled.

"Ah knew it." She said.

"Ahhhh..." Ainz said, somewhat flummoxed.

"And yah member yer life, right?" She asked.

"Yes..." He answered hesitantly.

"So even if yah cannae do the things yah wanted to do b'for, well...yah can still have me...close, ah can lay with yah, let yah touch me, ah can letcha look, ah can make yah happy some." She said...quite reasonably.

Ainz kept silent for a long time, and then said, "You are my servant. You bow to me as your god, even though you are willing, while I have power and you none, it would be predatory of me to take advantage of that difference in status, even though in this moment you are willing. Nobody has a right to touch you, and you should not have to offer your body in exchange for kindness, I am not that kind of king, and I would not be that kind of god." He replied.

She prostrated herself to him, lowering her face to the stone and casting her arms forward, "Ah don know much about kingin, an I don know much bout gods, but yer what ahm gonna measure everone in both gainst ferever!" She said softly.

Without raising her head she asked again..."But why'r yah so nice ta me?"

"Perhaps...I needed to be." He answered, "Only continue to be yourself, that is sufficient."

The answer had her quite confused, but before she asked anything more, he asked his own question.

"Tomorrow I venture into beastman territory, are you sure you do not wish to head back with the other humans? It may be more dangerous in the days ahead. I cannot guarantee that something will not appear that might be able to defeat me, or that something that I cannot save you from might appear. If you want to go back, I will provide you with a sum of money sufficient to allow you to live well in your nation again." Ainz asked.

It was the wrong question, she snapped up to her knees and stared up at him, then hugged him as tight as she could from that position and said, "No...please no...don wanna go master, don wanna go...if'n ah was bad...ah promise ahl be good, jus lemme stay, ahm not strong...but ah can be brave for yah, ah can be ah promise!"

He gently disentangled himself from her and knelt down in front of her. "Out of the tens of thousands of humans to be freed in these last few days, only one has chosen to follow me, I do not doubt your courage." Ainz said firmly.

"But you are mortal, I am immortal, and you should not be rewarded for good service with death." He replied.

She looked up at him with shining eyes, "Sire if'n yah tell me tah go, ahl go, whether yah gimmie stuff'r nae, cause yah gimmie life already, like a true god ottah...but ah tell yah, if'n yah gimmie a choice...I wanna stay wit yah...so...can ah do that?"

Ainz stood and threw his back, and first he sighed, then he laughed. "Very well, you're a stubborn one Vanysa, and I admit I've gotten used to you, very well, you may continue to follow me for now. But if I allow you to do so, and I tell you that you must flee, then you must not question me next time."

She looked down..."Sire...ah will obey, but...ah wanna be a good servan, so ah gots tah stay by master till masters done...kay?" She asked.

Ainz laughed, "If you'll bargain with a god this hard, I wouldn't wonder that you'd seized a kingdom out from under its king."

She grinned. "Ah can be right sharp yah know, aint know much, but ah never paid full price fer nuthin!"

"Now, lets get back to learning, take a seat over there." He said, pointing to a long seating row.

"Aye sire!" She said and skipped her way over.

She opened her book and when he said, "Write down each letter, say them as you do so, and say what the picture is of for each page. The first letter of each picture shown, is the letter you're writing down, so get to it, and keep going until I say stop."

He took out quill and paper and set her to it.

She scrunched up her face, stuck her tongue out of the corner of her mouth and bit down on it for focus, he showed her how to hold the quill and how to make the shapes one by one, and this she did with great alacrity, she proved a quick study, and as she did so...he saw her eyes shift, the bouncy look began to vanish and a sharp and clear eyed look overtook her, as she focused fiercly on what she was doing, she seemed like another person.

The letters took shape on the page, once, twice, ten, fifty times each, and when she was done he taught her simple sentences, and all the while the city around them began to empty as time passed and the masses began to form up outside, there were more left alive than one would have expected, but it was still only a fraction of the former population.

That however, did not disturb the process of her education, and for hours Vanysa worked studiously and with clear eyes. When he was satisfied with the simple things, Ainz said, "Now I wish you to read to me."

So word by word, she recited from the book until her pronunciation started to improve.

"Th-an-k...you...sire." She said, when he at last gave her a break, she wiped the sweat from her brow, the mental effort was considerable, and she was clearly tired.

By then it was evening, and she stood and stretched out, giving him a playful look as she held the stretched pose in front of him for far longer than she needed to do.

She grinned, "Can I go sleep sire?" She said...carefully pronouncing her words to ensure it was just the way he was saying things.

"You may, but be ready to move first thing in the morning. We are moving into beastman territory, and I do not wish you to be sloppy." He said.

"As yah...you...wish sire." She said, carefully trying to correct herself, she took a posture that was...imitative, of a polished formal bow, but it was clearly only a crude imitation, unpolished by an unpracticed peasant life.

He looked at her oddly. "Vanysa?" He asked.

"Ah wanna be a good servan, nae jus some peasan thing tha look stupid." She crunched her eyes shut tight when she realized what she'd just said and how she'd said it.

"I...want...to...be...a...good...servant. Not...sound...stupid. Mayk yah look bad sire." She said, speaking slowly as she sounded out the words in the polished way he'd said said them, before, and then slipped back into the speech of her upbringing.

She bit her lip and looked down. "Ah...I...will..." Ainz interrupted and raised a skeletal hand.

"Do not think further on it for now Vanysa, just sleep, the act of learning will change you, but you should do so for its own sake, not for any other." He said, "Now go, sleep."

She nodded her head silently, and scurried off to find a place to rest in the now almost completely empty walls.

Vanysa looked over her shoulder as she left the amphitheater, as she climbed the steps, each footfall echoed from wall to wall and back again. The Sorcerer King was now out of sight, and as her steps echoed, she wondered as the sounds moved on and faded from her hearing...would they carry on forever, growing smaller and smaller, but never truly gone, and would they continue, even if none were to hear it?

She sighed, and listened to its echo as well, and left the place behind. As the sun began to sink beyond the horizon, it cast night's cloak behind it as it left the world behind again. She quickly found a space for herself, a small residence of little note. The door was gone, smashed in to pieces. Splinters of wood were everywhere, and within there were small splotches of blood, that indicated that the previous occupant would not require the residence anymore.

The blankets were still on the bed, the pillow had been thrown aside, there were even some clothes, Vanysa went through them by candle light, and found a green cloak and a pair of well worn boots that seemed to be her size, there was little else of note, just a small dagger which she secured to her belt, and a shirt that was to tight in the torso to wear.

When she'd gathered what she could, she set it aside to pack in the morning, and slowly removed her clothing. It had been a bit since she'd had a good bath, but she doubted the public baths were worth using now, and she doubted any of the residences in this area had one for the owners. So she let out a regretful sigh and removed her clothing in the darkness. When she was naked save for the covering night gave her, and that flesh that was covered by the long hair she undid and let fall down to her waist she stood beside the bed, her back to the open and shattered door.

She thought for a moment how vulnerable she should feel...but the city was empty now, only she and her master, her god, her savior, remained any longer, and in this almost total emptiness, there was no danger left.

She let out a slow exhale and spoke to herself as she pulled back the blanket and laid out the pillow. "Ah've spent mah whole life afeared a people, an now here ah am, tha onla thing makin me safe...an undead." She said in almost total disbelief. She paused, as one listens for the unexpected in the dark.

She didn't turn around. "Ah know yer their sire, yah c'n...you can come in if you want to." She said.