Reincarnated as Itsuka Shido: Collecting Spirits as Lovers

6th Floor Amphitheater

"So, where are we heading?" Shido asked curiously, his eyes scanning the halls around them. He wasn't familiar with Nazarick's structure, which was built in a strange yet undeniably impressive way.

"I wanted to see your power, so I planned to let you fight here. Is that okay?" Ainz replied, continuing to walk side by side with Shido.

He treated Shido more like a friend than a subordinate, which left Albedo, Demiurge, and the others quietly at a loss.

To them, Ainz looked like a child who was excited to have found a playmate, and it left the guardians unsure how to react. Yet, it had been a long time since they had seen their master genuinely enjoy talking with someone, and for once, it also made them quietly happy.

"I don't mind." Shido shrugged, finding the request reasonable. It would also serve as a way for the other Floor Guardians to witness his strength firsthand.

"Good."

They continued walking until they arrived at the amphitheater located in the 6th floor, which resembled a grand colosseum.

The colosseum was oval in shape, measuring 180 meters along its long axis and 150 meters along its short axis. It stood 40 meters tall, modeled after the grand arenas of the Roman Empire.

Above them stretched a clear, starry night sky, a breathtaking sight that would be impossible to see in the modern world.

As Ainz's group continued forward, Aura and Mare suddenly appeared, jumping down from the spectator stands to welcome them.

"Welcome, Ainz-sama, Shido!" Aura greeted brightly, her eyes shining with excitement.

"W-Welcome…" Mare echoed softly, his voice meek as he fidgeted with the hem of his robe.

The two had gone ahead of the group earlier, following Ainz's instructions to handle the preparations.

"Good work. We'll be using this area for a while."

"Yes!"

Aura and Mare responded in unison, as Ainz stepped forward, making his way to the center of the colosseum under the vast, starry sky.

"Yo, Aura. Erm… Mare, can I call you that?"

Shido asked hesitantly, unsure how to address Mare properly. Although he knew Mare was technically male, his appearance so closely resembled a girl that it threw Shido off.

'It's a trap!' he thought wryly.

"Y-Yes." Mare blushed when Shido called his name, but strangely enough, he didn't dislike it.

"Thank you. You can call me Shido too."

"Y-Yes, S-Shido-san."

"Good."

As the two spoke, Aura, who was watching from the side, felt she was being completely ignored. Her cheeks puffed up in a visible pout, clearly displeased.

"Mooo, don't ignore me, Shido!" Aura stomped her foot on the ground, a slight pout on her face as she felt a twinge of jealousy toward her brother.

"I was just introducing myself to your brother, okay?" Shido replied, feeling a bit speechless at Aura's sudden reaction. A wry smile tugged at his lips, it really was hard to predict a woman's mind.

"R-Right… Sorry…" Aura mumbled, realizing she had overreacted, her cheeks turned slightly red.

Suddenly, she felt a warm hand gently resting on her head, softly ruffling her hair.

"S-Shido?"

"Nothing, you were just so cute that I patted you subconsciously. Is that not okay?" Shido smiled down at her, his voice gentle.

"…I… don't mind." Aura blushed at the close physical contact but didn't push Shido's hand away. Instead, she quietly enjoyed the warmth of his hand as it gently caressed her head. Meanwhile, Mare watched his sister with confusion, noticing the faint redness on her cheeks.

Many might assume that Shido had a romantic interest in Aura, but in truth, Shido only saw her as a younger sibling.

"Ehem."

As Shido continued to pat Aura, a soft cough from the side made them pause. Both of them turned toward the source of the sound.

"Hello, Itsuka Shido-san. My name is Shalltear Bloodfallen, the Floor Guardian of the first, second, and third floors. It's a pleasure to meet you again."

Shalltear had appeared quietly at their side, unable to hide her jealousy after seeing how close Shido and Aura were. Deciding to interrupt, she gracefully stepped forward, introducing herself with the refined courtesy of a noble lady.

"Hello, nice to meet you. My name is Itsuka Shido, but you can just call me Shido."

"Okay~ Then you can call me by my name as well," Shalltear replied, her crimson eyes glinting as a small, satisfied smile formed on her lips.

"Yes, Shalltear." Shido nodded with a gentle smile. "And also, thank you for saving me earlier. I owe you one."

He thanked her sincerely, remembering how Aura had mentioned that it was Shalltear who had proposed bringing him back to Nazarick.

"Un~ don't mind it."

Shalltear blushed, feeling her body grow warm as Shido spoke to her directly. Still, she managed to hold herself back, not allowing him to see the lewd excitement rising within her.

"Shalltear, what are you planning to do?" Aura interjected sharply from beside Shido, glaring at Shalltear. She could already tell that the vampire's motives were far from pure.

"Huh? What are you even talking about, Shorty?!" Shalltear snapped, her eyes narrowing.

"What did you say, you fake-breast vampire?!"

"Huh?!"

"Say that again!"

The two glared at each other, sparks practically flying as their voices rose. Shido found himself caught between their crossfire, a headache already forming as he sighed inwardly. He had known they could be like this, but experiencing it firsthand was harsher than he expected.

"Stop it!"

Fortunately, Albedo stepped between them, her sharp gaze immediately silencing the two. "You're showing disgraceful behavior in front of a guest," she reprimanded coldly.

"..." 2x

The two fell silent, an awkward tension settling in as they realized Shido had witnessed how they usually behaved with each other and fell embarrassed.

"I apologize for their behavior, Shido-san. Is it all right if I call you that?" Albedo sighed, turning toward Shido and offering a slight bow to make up for Shalltear and Aura's childish squabble.

Because Shido was also a non-human like the rest of them, Albedo didn't hold any prejudice toward him. Her only concern was whether he was truly trustworthy.

Yet, what troubled her even more was the faint attraction she felt toward him, a feeling that made her uneasy. Her heart belonged solely to Ainz-sama, and the fact that she was feeling something for someone else made her feel quietly guilty.

"No, no, it's okay." Shido quickly waved his hand, stopping Albedo from apologizing further and bowing.

Yet when she bowed, Shido couldn't help but catch a glimpse of the deep gulf between her white, generous twin peaks, causing him to swallow hard. Fortunately, it seemed no one noticed.

Shido also caught a whiff of a sweet, citrus scent coming from Albedo, a fragrance that was both calming and subtly charming.

He had to admit, Albedo truly had a luscious body, the kind that could easily enchant any man in the world. It wasn't surprising, considering she was a succubus, but what did surprise him was the fact that, despite everything, she was still a virgin.

'Anyway, this isn't the time to think about that,' Shido scolded himself, shoving those thoughts to the back of his mind.

"Then, can I also call you Albedo?" Shido asked.

"Of course." Albedo nodded with a soft smile, giving her permission.

"…However, they sure are close." Shido remarked, glancing toward Shalltear and Aura, who were still awkwardly standing together yet glaring at each other.

"Yes, they are close," Albedo agreed, following his gaze.

"We're not close!""We're not close!"

The two, hearing Shido and Albedo's exchange, immediately snapped back in unison, their embarrassed voices echoing through the arena.

Shido and Albedo exchanged a smile, a quiet laugh shared between them as the tension eased.