The coronation of Queen Renner and King Climb resulted in a celebration that spanned three straight days, the streets so overwhelmed with music, performances and not to mention drunkards, it was harder for Gagaran to navigate the streets than it was to navigate a battlefield. ‘At least on the battlefield I can swing my hammer at things.’ She groused a bit, but all in all, her spirits were high, and at least the alcohol was cheap, a collaborative project of multiple guilds to temporarily lower the price on everything.
‘A popular opening move. I always thought Renner was naive, but maybe I misjudged her. Or maybe that was the people she appointed, making their own opening moves to win favor?’ Gagaran felt her head start to hurt at even the prospect of trying to work all that out, and quickly put it out of her mind.
Instead she focused on the matter at hand, getting to her favorite booth.
Weaving around or slightly shoving her way through the crowd of revelers on the corner, including a few adventurers as she drew ever closer to her goal, might have been time consuming, but it was worth it. It was worth it because of what she saw when she went in. Lakyus stood and waved her over. The twins remained seated and raised their cups, but Evileye, their… her ‘Shorty’ jumped up on the booth and waved her hands like a wild monkey for Gagaran to join them.
Though she couldn’t see the bright eyes of her sister behind the mask she never removed, it didn’t stop her from imagining a young girl with bright blue eyes overjoyed at everything good in her life. Gagaran felt herself almost skip to the booth before she claimed her seat.
“Can you believe it Gagaran?! Sir Momon is here! And he’ll be here for a long, long time! I’ll get to see him often, without having to wait for jobs!” She clapped her hands together and let out a joyful little ‘weeeee’ noise.
“Yeah, great, but… I kinda miss Little Red.” Gagaran chuckled.
“Little who?” The twins asked at once.
“Oh, his little red haired cleric, she was fun to drink with, but she’s gone all the way to Carne, a whole other Kingdom now, or it will be next week, or tomorrow, or however long it takes for the rider to get the signed treaty from Re-Estize to there.” Gagaran put the math out of her head and instead brought a mug of beer dropped off for her, straight to her lips.
“Does she know about that nickname?” Lakyus asked with a funny cockeyed look.
“I’ll tell her about it over drinks, which… we know you’ll be buying.” Gagaran winked at Evileye, who groaned goodnaturedly at the reminder.
“So what’s next for us though, other than watching Shorty try to seduce Sir Momon?” Gagaran asked, prompting Evileye to fume and pout in the corner of the booth.
“A lot, actually. The Draconic Queen is begging for help from everyone she can ask, and there isn’t much else in the way of contracts right now, so I was thinking we head there, at least for a season.” Lakyus suggested.
“Can she afford us?” Evileye asked.
“We’ll find out soon, but for now, we drink.” Lakyus ordered her team, and five sets of frothing mugs sold on the cheap were raised and crashed with a splash together at the center of the booth.
“To the future of the Kingdom!” They shouted, and a diminutive little masked caster added under her breath…
‘And my future with Sir Momon.’ If anyone heard her, and they certainly did, they were kind enough not to say so.
Arche wobbled and fell over into the sand, she remained on all fours there, while Sebas poured water and handed it to her. “You’ve done enough for now.”
“No… I haven’t. I have to repay him, and you for what was done for me… for my unworthy self.” Arche did not raise her head, and Sebas sensed that reluctance was not due to physical weakness.
“Arche, you and your companions have been working so hard that even the Supreme Being himself, the One Who Stayed, has praised your efforts.” Sebas replied with the steady, stable voice he commonly used.
“Sir Sebas, that isn’t it. I know how many died in the tomb, how many workers suffered terrible ends, but the truth is, I’m no different than they were. If Foresight had been offered the chance to raid here… the chance to rob this place and… well, would I have done it? I think so.” Arche bit her lower lip.
“The only thing that separates me from a deserved death and who I am now, alive and growing stronger, is a bit of luck in encountering you and your… kindness. You’d have been within your rights to throw me aside a dozen times that night in my home. Don’t even try to deny it.” Arche said with a bitter smile staring down at the sand.
“I won’t deny it. But that isn’t what happened, and even if that had been the case, Arche… you would have been acting out of love for your sisters, enough that you would have given up your life for them. Yes, you and your team would have been villains, and killed for it… but you’d have been villains for the right reason. Now you have a new chance, don’t dwell on the wrong you never did, only focus on the right you can do.”
Arche wiped her face on her green sleeve, “You’re amazing, Sir Sebas … ah, would it be alright if I… if I asked you to at least let me make you dinner at my little cabin. Kuuderika and Ureirika haven’t seen you in days, and they miss you.”
“I would be honored, thank you.” Sebas gave a half bow and held a white gloved hand out to help Arche up. “Now, take a break, we need to see if your level has gone up, and the rest of your team. Lord Ainz has a use for you on the Katze Plains.”
“As you wish, and… ah…” Arche felt blood rise to her cheeks as she looked up into the rugged face of the one to save her sisters and herself, “may I just call you ‘Sebas’ please?” Her blush went much, much deeper for an instant and she squeaked out, “If not, that’s OK. I don’t want to be too forward or…”
Sebas let out a low, dignified, gentlemanly laugh, “If it pleases you, it pleases me… Arche, now let’s go, we have to see about increasing your potential.”
“As you wish, Sebas. As you wish.” Arche responded, and followed where he led her.
The three former elven slaves bowed deeply as the master of Nazarick passed, ‘Once I end the Empire’s army at the Katze Plains, I’ll have proven my claim to Kingship, and I’ll have to come up with a proper title, just ‘king’ is so banal. Plus all the coolest rulers had great titles… wait… am I being chuunibyou again?’ He asked, and shuddered with worry that he might be.
Instead of lingering on that unpleasant thought, he turned his mind toward something better. Almost everybody now knew of his ‘changing’, all that remained was Solution, Narberal, Demiurge, Albedo, and Shalltear. ‘Before or after the battle… when is it better…? Lupusregina had a good point about the ‘greater good’. If I win just one decisive battle, I might save lives in the long run. Trying to avoid making enemies of anyone, trying not to hurt anyone, trying not to offend anyone, I’ll just end up with no one on my side at all.’
It was this sort of thinking that made Ainz turn over the events of the Re-Estize Civil War, ‘Enri made hard choices, so did Nfirea, and Ninya, so did King Ramposa and Renner… I need a model of Kingship to study, and he’s dead now. I’ll have to think about whom to watch.’
His thoughts rambled on, independent of his desire to focus, and his desire to navigate, which was no doubt why he found his way to his room and was through the door before he really noticed where he’d gone.
The smell of perfume coming from off his sheets, it was enticing beyond all measure, and all he wanted was to slide between them and sleep. ‘I may sleep fine away from Nazarick… but, maybe because this is my true home, I always have the best dreams in my own bed.’ He thought, but instead forced himself to sit down at the desk and review at least some of the reports that had been delivered.
“If the name ‘Kingdom of Nazarick’ doesn’t get the attention of any players, it’s because there are none here.” He muttered under his breath, and his heart skipped a beat. ‘You’re alone here.’ The thought was one that filled him with dread, and he pushed it down. ‘No, it seems like the founders of the Theocracy were players, and some of the other ones to appear, they may have been NPCs, even if there are no players now, we seem to be appearing at different points in time. My friends might come later… or…’
The thought began hopeful, but as he thought about it, a new kind of dread came over him, hostile players were bad enough, at least they’d still have human memories, and would likely be cooperative in a new environment. But there were NPCs as dangerous or more so than his own. ‘In game bosses who lived only to spread destruction.’ The thought gave new urgency to his constant training to increase his other skills. ‘I was worried about my own NPCs’ reactions, but the true danger might be worse than that!’ Ainz began to breathe hard as he recalled some of the worst dangers of the game, and then imagined them real, alive, and driven by their backstories.
‘The greater good.’ He thought to himself, recalling Lupusregina’s words not that long ago. In a few days the Kingdom of Nazarick would take the field for the first time against, if the papers he was sent were right, thirty thousand Baharuthian Imperial knights. ‘If the rest of the world is no stronger than what I’ve seen so far, that will be easy. But I also know I can break the level caps of others now, though how far that goes remains to be seen. Could Arche surpass Blue Rose? Could Blue Rose reach level one hundred? Just how powerful are the individual knights?’
When the knights arrived, his first plan was a ‘battle of champions’ pitting Foresight against a few of the Empire, a formal duel likely wouldn’t be rejected. After that… ‘What spell will I use?’ The thought of ending so many lives made him physically ill, his stomach rebelling against the idea, he covered his mouth and swallowed the reflux back down. ‘The greater good. If destructive NPCs come this way again, or destructive players, maybe, I might be the only one who can stop them. Or at least the only one who can give those in this world the power to stop them.’
Ainz noticed the paper in his hands was shaking, he set it down, then rested his hands on the smooth onyx surface and breathed in slowly and deeply for several minutes until his hands stopped the incessant trembling.
He took up the next one, it was still sealed. He cracked the red wax and opened the tan paper to find a royal greeting.
‘From the House of Oriculus, greetings,’ He read, “Oriculus… oh yes! Queen Draudillon!” He let out a little smile of pride at the accomplishment, memorizing names of various rulers paid off. He read on.
‘It is with a glad heart that we welcome you to the family of kingdoms…’ As Ainz read on, he felt a profound sense of dignity from the author, the Queen’s prose was flawless and suggested an abundant education in royal mannerisms. ‘She’s been ruling for a very long time… and there’s an invitation to visit her kingdom…’
The idea was profoundly tempting, even if they were in the middle of an invasion. ‘When I’m done with the Empire’s army, my territory will somewhat border hers. The beastmen don’t seem like the best neighbors. Perhaps I can peacefully acquire some territory in exchange for some form of aid.’ It wasn’t a bad idea, but then there was the other matter. ‘I need more resources, and the Dwarf Kingdom is right there…’ It made him reach to the right side of his desk, one of the little things picked up in the Empire as a curiosity. A dagger with a rune on it. ‘Runecraft… enchanting without resources…’ For the salaryman he was in his old world, it was the equivalent of free meals. ‘Perhaps I can send Albedo, Demiurge, or Shalltear there and… put off the truth a little longer…’
He clenched his eyes tightly shut against the rising sense of frustration, keeping the secret of his transformation felt like betrayal, avoiding them might have even stung them a bit, but Ainz knew it couldn’t be put off forever. At level one hundred and fifty now, he wasn’t worried about losing… but the notion of hurting Peroroncino’s daughter, or Tabula Smaragdina’s, or the son of Ulbert… having to raise his sword or cast his spells against them… it was far too much.
‘You’re a coward, Satoru…’ Ainz told himself, but that didn’t change his mind. He set the royal greeting from Queen Draudillon aside and took up the next paper in the stack, mostly to avoid thinking about which of three were most dangerous, to tell next. This seal, he recognized. ‘Slane Theocracy.’ He thought, and broke the seal, then began to read.
‘The nations of humanity are beset on all sides, we object, not to the founding of this nation, but that the Kingdom of Nazarick and that the empire of Baharuth should begin by destroying the precious gift of human lives… if a path to peace may be found, we pray to the six that you both will seek it, for the common good of man.’ He set the letter down and immediately tossed it aside. ‘Hypocrites. They were slaughtering peasants as easily as fishermen hooked fish. Who are they to object to anything?’ He asked rhetorically, not that he thought they were entirely wrong… ‘This world is dangerous for the weak, no question about that.’
But still he saw no reason to respond, ‘I should pay them a visit however, I’m curious about their abilities beyond those pathetic scriptures.’ He made a mental note, and his thoughts turned to Nigun. The surviving Sunlight Scripture members were probably being ‘baptized’ now. ‘They’ll be as useful as Hilma, or better… eventually.’
About that, he felt no guilt to speak of, and it fell away from his thoughts. He leaned back in his chair and began to rock it as he considered his options.
“Decisions, decisions, decisions.” Ainz recited and crossed his arms over his chest.
“I can’t put it off forever… but… maybe just a few days more. I’ll take care of Baharuth first… and then… we’ll see.” He told himself, and even though he knew it was procrastinating just a little bit, it felt pretty good to feel like had some room to breath. That would be good enough for now.
The former Madam Furt sat at her little fruit stand, she took several copper coins and handed over a banana to a customer. Seemingly with an expression of greed, she put the coins into a heavy iron box beneath her wheeled stand. But the truth was the coins were an afterthought. Instead, her eyes were turned up toward the auction block. ‘Another pair of dark elf slaves…’ She cursed. And again tried to fight back tears, listening to the bidding go on, seeing the fear on their little faces, ‘Is that what my Kuukuu and Reirei went though? My girls… I’m sorry! I failed you! But I’ll find you! I’ll go to every auction, ask everyone I meet… and one day, some day, I’ll find where you are and beg your forgiveness. I promise… I will never ‘ever’ give up… I will find you, buy you, and set you free, after that, whatever you say or do, I will accept… I deserve nothing less.’ She thought, and watched as a young man ascended the block, while she idly handed another customer their order, and dropped a copper coin into the box without breaking her rhythm.
I'd to point out to the Author that The word "kuuku" means vagina in my language and It was kinda shocking, so to me she said "my little vagina" which was hilarious
the name she said was kuukuu
@ravencroft and it also sound like toenail in my language
Thanks for the chapters~
Thanks for the chapters~
Arche's mom putting in effort
Feel for her but the sympathy is limited