Strings Wrapped Around A Bone

The Necromancer and the Puppeteer

Well, this is something he has to test out. "Sebas! Pleiades!" He called out, "Approach the throne!"
"Understood." They cry out in unison. Proceeding as told towards the throne. 'If this were an attack then...' Momonga turned his skull to the present leader of the Pleiades, "Sebas, bring a suitable Pleiades sister to accompany you in the investigation of the outside terrain of Nazarick. The others will be moved to guard the Ninth Floor and intercept any intruders from the Eight. Begin immediately." Momonga took clear notice of his voice now, it definitely fits his character. 'Is this an update? No, it should have been announced.' To force a player to test out a game beta was illegal. 'Why would they do this? There is nothing to gain from this. The risk is too high for a reasonable person!'

The Throne Room's door opened and closed shut as he was pondering his thoughts.
"Do you have orders for me, Momonga-sama~?" Momonga almost forgot that she was here with him, he supposed she should be tasked with finding Bijou.

"One of our members is missing, Bijou Luada." Upon hearing the name, Albedo's face contoured, was she disgusted?

"Momonga-sama, you wouldn't consider that cowardly outsider to be a supreme one, would you?" Her voice is laced with venom.

'Eh?' Momonga still for a moment too long. 'Wait, wait, wait! Cowardly outsider? Bijou? Why would she think that?!' He took a moment to calm his thoughts, Albedo ever so patiently waited for the supreme one's answer and command.

'I understand the outsider part, Bijou isn't part of the guild in game coding after all. But why cowardly?' He went through his memories, believe it or not, he may know why Albedo said that.

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The scene that is playing before him was of one the first few raids that the guild or rather clan at the time 'Nine Own Goal' partook in. Some of the more boisterous guild members would tell a tale of a clean and successful raid operation, however, the truth couldn't be more different.

Amidst what seemed like a coordinated block and dodged between what should be presumed a tank and a healer, were actually two mages one of whom is on low health.

"Let me take cover behind you, Mochi-kun!" A plea echoed across the battlefield.

"Like hell I would! Don't forget, I'm also a mage!" A more masculine voice returned.

"Oh please. You have more health than me at the moment. Haven't you heard that sharing is caring? Now be a good teammate and let me hide behind you!"

"Just heal yourself! Didn't you make Suzu a buffer healer summon?"

"Exactly! I have no mana left!" An almost screech came out. Bijou, by now, has lost over half of her health and is nearing the last 10%.

The current predicament is that of a skeleton mage dodging and another human mage trying to cover herself with the frame of the former.

This comedic scene continued for a few more minutes before the raid boss finally aggroed on Bijou, causing Momonga to have the need to leave Bijou to her own devices.

"I'm sorry, Bijou-san. But I can't die along with you. I have to gain the exp from this boss to reach my potential." The way he said it was like a drama movie where the hero's sidekick betrays the hero to save his family from the villain.

"OH! What a drama queen you are. Admit it, you just want to see me walk all the way from Niflheim to Múspellsheim, don't you?!" Bijou's shriek is definitely perceived by Momonga due to him jumping a bit at the volume of proximity chat.

"Of course not! You're my dear friend. Why would I want to see you suffer?" A very unsubtle snicker can be heard.
"If that's the case then why are you moving away from me?"