novelVolume 9
| ← Ch.082 | Ch.084 → |
Jircniv's stern command was directed at his subordinates, but more importantly at himself, in order to recall himself to life. He could sense his men following him.
It was a very soft carpet, but to Jircniv right now, it seemed far too light and ephemeral.
He firmly shunted aside the innumerable glares directed at him and moved forward, keeping his eyes fixed on the person that lay before him ― Ainz Ooal Gown. He had a hunch that if he turned his eyes from his objective, his feet would no longer be able to move.
Jircniv was not an excellent warrior or anything like that, but the reason why he could move forward, leading his men where his royal guard feared to tread was because of the mental fortitude that had been bred into him as an Emperor.
At last, he reached the base of the steps, in front of Ainz' aides.
"Ainz-sama, this is the ruler of the Baharuth Empire, Emperor Jircniv Rune Farlord El-Nix, who seeks an audience with you."
The sweet voice came from the winged woman standing beside the throne. Her sweet voice matches her radiant looks, Jircniv thought.
In response, the being that was a veritable god of death spoke to Jircniv.
"I am glad you have come, Emperor of the Baharuth Empire. I am the master of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, Ainz Ooal Gown."
A faint pang of relief ran through Jircniv. His voice was more normal than he expected ― like that of a human being.
If that was the case, reading him from his words might yet be possible.
"I humbly thank you for your most generous welcome, Ainz Ooal Gown-dono."
One could not read facial expressions from a skull. What sort of opening would best fit the current situation? Jircniv carefully pondered that question.
However, the one who spoke first was neither Jircniv, nor Ainz.
"Ainz-sama. It is disrespectful for inferior species such as humans to address you as an equal, " a man's voice said."「Kneel」".
Jircniv heard the sound of metal plates clanking, but he did not need to turn around to know what was going on. His subjects must have knelt in response to the man's voice. At the same time he could hear the desperate grunting that came from those who wanted to rise, but could not.
It must have been some sort of powerful mental domination effect.
Had Jircniv not worn the necklace he never took off, he would be kneeling like his men.
Countless gazes affixed themselves on Jircniv, the only one to remain standing. They were cold, clinical stares, as though Jircniv were nothing more than a guinea pig.
"―That's enough, Demiurge."
"Understood!"
The toad-like monster called Demiurge bowed respectfully to its master.
"「Releasing control」."
He could almost see the pressure around them disappear, and he could hear sighs of relief from behind him.
"... Jircniv Rune Farlord El-Nix, my subordinate has done something rude to a noble guest who has come from far away to visit my domain. The sins of the vassal are those of the liege, and as such I beg your forgiveness. I hope this is a matter which can be resolved with a bowing of the head."
Commotion and activity rose from the two files of monsters behind them.
Countless feelings danced up in Jircniv's heart.
He was cautious, because he realized that Ainz was not the type who handled matters solely with brute force.
Similarly, he was relieved, because Ainz was not the type who handled matters solely with brute force.
Most importantly, he was afraid. He knew without a doubt that Ainz had the complete loyalty of all the monsters present here.
At the same time, Jircniv had the sickening realization that everything that had happened so far had occurred in accordance to Ainz Ooal Gown's wishes. It was the ominous feeling that everything had taken place just as Ainz had planned.
"There is no need to apologize for that, Gown-dono. It is not uncommon for subordinates to go wild and do as they please. Citizens from our Empire have done the same themselves. Truly, I am disgraced."
One of the royal guards who had been released from the domination began moving, and placed an urn beside Jircniv in a worried, nervous manner. Jircniv should have immediately taken it up, but he was delayed by his thoughts.
Were the actions of Gown's minion intended to make me say what I just did? If that's the case, should I go off-script? No, that's not an option. This is like a staged fight with real blades. A single misstep will result in severe injuries... that would be very bad.
"This is the head of the foolish noble who took it upon himself to send intruders into your tomb... although I do not know if tomb is the right word to use. I hope you will accept it."
The urn contained Earl Femel's head. He was the noble who had been induced by Jircniv to recruit and dispatch the Workers.
These nobles who were neither boon nor bane were raised to be used at times like these.
Dead men told no tales. Although he did not know how much information Ainz Ooal Gown possessed, it would be wiser to cover up his sins as much as possible.
It was quite likely that Ainz sent his emissaries to intimidate him because the Workers had barged into his domain. Because of that, his best option was to deny all knowledge of the incident.
The beautiful woman standing beside Ainz gently nodded her head, and the one called Demiurge brought the urn up the steps.
Then, he knelt before Ainz, and presented the head from within the urn,
Ainz lifted the head up.
"I will accept it. But what shall I do with it now? It would be a waste to simply throw it away."
... Hm? Ah, mockery, then? I see. He's certain that Femel was manipulated... the question now is where the information leaked from...
Suddenly, the severed head of Earl Femel twitched in Ainz's skeletal hand.
At a glance, one might think that Ainz was shaking it, but a closer look would reveal the truth. A black liquid swallowed the head, and Ainz let it fall from his hand.
Jircniv did not turn his eyes from the horrifying sight of a fountain of sticky black liquid erupting from the ground.
After the black fluid finished flowing away, what was left was an enormous suit of black plate armor.
It was a Death Knight.
As one, everyone behind Jircniv inhaled sharply in surprise.
"Im... possible..."
He created it. The maid's words were true. Jircniv desperately wanted to bite his lip but forced himself not to. He could not do such a shameful thing in public.
"Go. Get in line."
With a deep groan that seemed to come from somewhere far beneath the earth, the Death Knight obediently descended the stairs and vanished from Jircniv's field of vision.
How many more of these Death Knights can Ainz Ooal Gown still make? Don't tell me... an unlimited number, as long as he has corpses? No, that's just ridiculous ― wait, before that, can he make even more powerful undead? If he really could make such creatures...
"Then, Jircniv Rune Farlord El-Nix-dono."
Ainz's quiet voice brought Jircniv back to his senses, and he smiled easily to Ainz.
"Ah, Gown-dono, Jircniv will do. After all, it is a long name."
"Is it now? Well then, Jircniv-dono. To begin with, allow me to apologize for that unsightly display just now. Given that my ill-mannered vassal gave offense to you and those under your command, I will consider the matter of that noble's invasion of Nazarick settled. Then, that is all. Although I have made you come a long way, you are now free to leave."
"―Hah?"
Jircniv did not understand what he had just heard.
"Ah, forgive me. I fear I may have misheard your words. Could I trouble you to speak them to me once more?"
"There is no need for you to apologize. It will be fine if you return home. After all, we will be getting quite busy over here shortly."
Ainz shrugged, like he was joking.
Jircniv had no idea what was going on any longer.
Could it be that the apology was just a pretext to get him to come here in order to fulfil some other objective? Yet, the fact that he had been forgiven so easily was very strange.
Something did not add up here.
―Wait a minute! What did he just say?
"Forgive me, but what did you mean by 'getting very busy'?"
"Thanks to Your Majesty, we now know that we will be drawn into troublesome matters even if we try to keep a low profile. That being the case, I was thinking of moving to the surface and personally dealing with all these troublesome things."
"That, that would mean..."
"First, we will have those who plot against us pay the price for their foolishness. After that, we will crush all the troublesome people we encounter until the peace I so cherish is restored."
These words were the ranting of a lunatic.
No ― that would be wrong. He was not mad. When one considered Ainz Ooal Gown's abilities, his military and economic strength, those words were not mad at all. It was only Jircniv ― blinded by his limited experience ― who found it hard to accept the facts.
Ainz Ooal Gown was a man who could do all that.
An uncontrollable feeling of dread welled up from beneath Jircniv's feet.
The Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick. It was a monster which had secluded itself away quietly. Now it had opened its doors, and it was about to take its first steps on the surface world.
Could it be that he called me here for this? Is this a declaration of war?! What should I do? Ainz Ooal Gown is essentially saying he will declare war on the Empire in the future! I should be kneeling before him now, right?
In truth, he felt that was the wisest thing to do.
However ― he did not think the people would prosper by accepting a monster's rule. I f things went badly, there was a possibility that Ainz might simply kill everyone in the Empire and reanimate them as more Death Knights. That would be a fate worse than death..
Jircniv racked his brains like he had never done before in his life. By right, he should have brought this question back and consulted with dozens of sages over what the proper course of action should be. But by then, it would be too late.
With a smile that cut through everything, Jircniv spoke.
"I have a proposal. How about forming an alliance?"
"Are you confusing us with your lackeys ― uwah!"
A clear, bell-like voice rang forth, followed by the sound of something moving swiftly. The silver-haired girl frowned slightly, while Aura, standing beside her, pretended to act dumb.
Although Jircniv's dynamic vision was not good enough to see what had happened, it would seem the Dark Elf had just kicked the silver-haired girl in the leg.
"... Oi, you―"
"―You're making too much noise. Quiet down."
With a gesture befitting a demon king, Ainz majestically waved his left hand to motion for silence.
Such regal movements could only have been born of long years of rulership.
Jircniv's alertness level went through the roof.
I see, he has presided over this land as its ruler for a long time. To think he had such a dignified bearing...
The two girls spoke at once, expressing their regret for their foolishness.
He could not sense a hint of the arrogance that Aura had given off while in the capital. Right after that, he glanced at Ainz Ooal Gown, hoping that he had his subordinates fully under control. Then he screwed up his courage and prepared to speak.
This was the main event.
His tongue moistened his dry lips.
Jircniv picked the finest plan he could think of from the numberless plots and stratagems he had come up with in the short time until now.
"To build a nation here and to rule it as king ― I think that is a great idea. It is a position that best suits you, Gown-dono. Our Empire will gladly supply all the aid and resources you need to found this nation. How about that?"
Ainz's fleshless face did not move. However, Jircniv sensed that the bright points of red light in Ainz's eye sockets were glowing slightly brighter.
"... Jircniv-dono, I do not believe that plan holds any merits for you."
That was only natural, which was why he could confidently predict Ainz would ask that question. Mustering up all his acting expertise, Jircniv made his reply.
"I wish to forge good relations with the country that your esteemed person will eventually establish. This is also a consideration for the future."
"I see. Then, let it be so. I will leave the details to you."
Ainz had agreed so fast that it left Jircniv dumbfounded. It was almost disappointing. He had not expected things to go so smoothly.
To begin with...
Why didn't he ask me to swear loyalty to him? As an overwhelmingly superior individual in an infinitely advantageous position, why would he even accept this proposal?
He had prepared dozens of answers for when Ainz demanded fealty from him. But Ainz' answer had exceeded the scope of Jircniv's predictions.
What was he up to?
Jircniv could not understand Ainz's thinking at all.
When battling a stronger opponent, a weaker man would fight by thinking of how to trip his opponent up. This was how one exploited the arrogance of the strong. But if the stronger opponent was not an arrogant being, then that tactic was unusable. The weaker man's only way of fighting would have no effect.
That was how Ainz was. He would never act in a way that let others feel he was arrogant.
No―
As I thought, it's possible that everything up till now has been going according to Ainz's plans. After all, the delay in his reply was far too short. Did that mean he already predicted all my possible choices and prepared the appropriate responses?
Jircniv was keenly aware that the frightening thing about the being called Ainz Ooal Gown was not merely his matchless might, but also from his unfathomable intellect.
"Is, is that so. Then, that is wonderful. Could, could you tell us if there is anything we can do for you?"
"I cannot think of anything right now. However, I would like to establish a venue where I could station emissaries from our end. I would like some way of quickly communicating with yourself.."
If all was really going as Ainz planned, then there was no way he would not have thought of everything. In that case, had this entire exchange simply been a coincidence?
No, that might be a bluff as well. He must have thought that he would be seen through if he stated his demands immediately, . What a cunning monster he is. Or rather... perhaps it's because he's a monster that his intellect surpasses that of mankind.
"Ah, yes, indeed. How foolish of me for not having thought of that. I expected nothing less of you, Gown-dono."
"... Ah."
Is he not a fan of pleasantries?
After hearing that half-hearted response, Jircniv made a mental note of that data point.
"Then, I shall return first. I will leave my secretary here. Could you discuss the details with him?... Roune Varmilinen!"
"―Understood! I shall offer up my body and soul for the Empire's sake!"
Although Jircniv could not see Roune's face behind him, he could keenly feel the man's conviction in his voice. In truth, the decisions made here would decide the Empire's future. If he did not have to rush back to the Empire immediately to form the appropriate committees to deal with Ainz Ooal Gown, Jircniv would have preferred to stay here himself.
"An excellent answer. I can feel your loyalty to your Emperor in every word. Then, we will send out Demiurge. Granted, he was somewhat rude to you earlier, but since you have forgiven him, I will let him handle this task."
The frog-like monster bowed silently from the corner of Jircniv's eye, and he sensed that he was about to lose a valuable subordinate. He struggled to control himself so he would not let the fires of hate creep into the eyes as he looked at Ainz.
He's already making his move!
The frog monster (Demiurge) could dominate people with his words. This was clearly declaring his intention to turn Roune into his puppet and have him reveal everything he knew about the Empire.
These are not the actions an ally would take. The fact that he's so overt about this is proof of his insidious nature. Demiurge... he must be planning to send this stupid-looking monster to do intelligence-intensive work like coordinating both sides, so he can claim it was his subordinate carrying out spy work on his own later on. Ainz Ooal Gown, how many more surprises do you have up your sleeve? You son of a bitch!
Although he was cursing Ainz in his heart, Jircniv had to take his hat off to him.
The "mistake" from just now was calculated so they he (Jircniv) could not claim they had no idea such a thing would happen. If he had any objections, he had to voice them now, because once he let this chance slip, his silence might be taken as consent.
Just as Jircniv was about to say something, Ainz spoke before him.
"Demiurge is one of my most trusted followers. I am sure there will be no further problems if he and Roune discuss these matters."
"That would be wonderful."
Jircniv forced himself to smile.
This was the first time he had seen such a masterful exploitation of an opportunity. Since Ainz had already said this much, anything further would be a waste of breath.
However, as Jircniv heard Ainz' next words, he realized how naïve he had been.
"Now then, the present situation is different from before. You are now an ally of Nazarick, Jircniv-dono. To send you home in such haste seems rude. Since you have come all this way, why not spend the night here? I shall prepare a warm welcome for you."
So it's not just Roune, he wants to get everyone here as well?!
Worse, he might be planning an even more wicked scheme. No matter what, it was hard to believe staying the night was an innocent act of charity with no ulterior motives. He cursed the way Demiurge's ugly face twisted in a smile, as if to say, "I understand".
"No, no, no, we could not possibly trouble you. After all, we must return to make preparations."
"Is that so? That is a shame. Then, if it is convenient― no, please allow one of my servants to send you home."
The thought of riding a Dragon came to mind, and curiosity welled up at Ainz' suggestion. Still, Jircniv waved that prospect aside. There was no way Ainz would simply transport him home, and he did not wish to owe Ainz a favor.
"I am deeply appreciative of your most generous offer and I thank you for it. However, I feel that since I came on a carriage, I should return the same way."
"An undead headless horse could run day and night without sleep―"
"―Please forgive me, but I must respectfully decline."
"Must you? I see."
He could sense that there was some disappointment in those words. Was it an act, or was it the truth? Jircniv could not tell, although he suspected it might be an act.
In any case, as long as they did not fully understand their current circumstances, he wanted to avoid announcing the news of the Empire's alliance with the undead Ainz.
To begin with, if he rode a life-hating undead horse back to the Empire, leaving aside the priests that he brought with him, what would the priests of the capital's temples have to say about that?
"Then, we shall take our leave."
"Very well. Demiurge... escort our guests outside."
"No, no, there is no need to trouble... well, since this is a rare opportunity, how about the maids? I have never seen such beautiful women before."
Ainz cricked his neck in surprise.
―It was an incredibly fake movement.
Jircniv fought to keep his anger under control as he smiled to Ainz.
He must have known that they were wary of Demiurge, yet he had sent him out anyway, as though to mock them.
He had no intention of forming an alliance. This was a roundabout way of telling Jircniv exactly who was in charge here.
I've never seen such evil before... he's a threat to humanity's continued survival...
"Ah, thank you for your praise. Then, please speak with the maids waiting outside. Ah, what a fine day for forging an alliance. How I wish I could make it a festival."
You mean, to celebrate the day you made slaves of us?!
As he screamed internally, Jircniv smiled to Ainz once more.
"Indeed. Yes... Indeed."
Part 4
After the talks were concluded, Ainz gathered the Guardians ― Albedo, Demiurge, Aura, Mare, Cocytus, Shalltear ― in his room, along with Sebas.
He signaled to his kneeling subordinates to rise.
He placed both elbows on his table and meshed his hands, covering the lower half of his face.
His nonexistent belly ached. Now, they would probably start denouncing him. As he held that feeling in his heart, he peeked at Demiurge and Albedo.
They did not seem angry. Nor did they seem speechless.
However, who could tell if that was or was not a poker face? After thinking of that, he looked closely at them again, to see if their faces were frozen in anger.
I want to get out of here. In the first place, why did I sit here... no, it's too late. No use crying over spilt milk. Grow a damn spine, Ainz Ooal Gown!
The phantom pain in his gut seemed to have subside a little, but he still felt like throwing up.
When he learned the Emperor was approaching Nazarick as planned, Ainz indirectly asked Demiurge "What shall we do next", but instead the answer he got was "Since all is going as predicted, we shall stick to the plan."
But I don't know what the plan is!
Of course, he did not actually say that.
As the absolute ruler of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, Ainz had to adopt an attitude that matched the expectations of the NPCs (the children). Therefore, all he could do was pretend to look determined, smile in a kingly way, and reply, "Is that so."
When it came to following Demiurge's plan, however, Ainz was desperately flailing in the dark.
The actual talks with Jircniv Rune Farlord El-Nix had been played entirely off the cuff, trusting that there would be a way through no matter what. As for how confident he was of having said the right thing during the negotiations... well, simply put, he was not.
Like a student waiting for his test scores, he peeked at the two of them.
This is like a job interview...
He had sat for several interviews as he made his foray into the working world, and he felt the same then as he did now.
"Now then, the Emperor has made his move, just as predicted."
Ainz took a deep breath. Just as he was about to speak, a voice interrupted from beside him.
"Ainz-sama, I fear to offend, but I have a question. Why did you have to give the human emperor a position as a collaborator? Couldn't we have just conquered the Empire by force?"
Ainz' non-existent lurched in response to Shalltear's question.
The first step of their overall goal of world domination was to apply pressure to the Empire. They would allow the Empire's high command to launch an attack on Nazarick, and use that to threaten the Empire and force the Emperor into a direct meeting. Then, they would impress the overwhelming military might of Nazarick upon them. That was how this operation should have gone.
Ainz knew nothing else. The exact importance of why they had to impress Nazarick's power onto the Emperor and other such fine details were a mystery to him.
Because of that, he had no idea how to properly answer Shalltear's question.
Aura continued after her.
"Shalltear's got a point. We went to their capital and it's nothing much."
Ainz glanced at the other Guardians. They all seemed to have the same doubts.
While they had no intention of going against the decision made by their master Ainz, while they thought that whichever way he chose was correct, the doubts would still keep welling up.
In addition, they wanted to know why Ainz made the decisions that he did, to understand his true intentions, so they could be more useful to him.
If they did not know his motives, then they might accidentally work against his aims would be higher. Two of the Guardians in particular felt uneasy about this lack of knowledge; namely Shalltear and Sebas, who had already committed mistakes in the past. Both of them watched Ainz with serious looks on their faces, paying close attention to his words so they would not miss out on his intentions.
Ainz quashed the pressure he felt from being the focus of everyone's attention, and searched for a way out of this predicament.
First, I need to decide whether or not to affirm or deny Shalltear and Aura's words. If I affirm them, that means conquering the Empire is part of the plan. If I deny them, it means we won't be conquering the Empire for now... which choice should I pick to sync up with Albedo and Demiurge? Oh no, not good, I took too long...
Ainz laughed, in a tone he hoped was confident and fearless.
After that, he exhaled deeply.
The odds were one in two.
If he screwed up here, all he would have to do was correct his course somehow. And besides―
Shalltear is always messing up, so I should reject her in this!
"―I feel that would be a foolish course of action, Shalltear."
The light in the Guardians' eyes brightened as they heard Ainz's words. That was probably not a trick of the light. They wanted to listen to the words of their great master, the better to harvest the pearls of wisdom which fell from that brilliant mind of his.
I'm not what you think I am!
Ainz looked over to Demiurge. He did his best not to look like he was crying out for help, and spoke slowly and carefully.
"... Demiurge."
A smart man like him should understand even if I just speak his name. That was Ainz' hope.
"Yes! Please forgive these incompetents' inability to fully comprehend your plans!"
"Ah, no, no, incompetent is a bit too much..."
"Once more, I offer my apologies! I beg for your forgiveness!"
"... Ah, ahhh..."
It's not like that! Why didn't you say something else? This is bad. If I call on Demiurge again... why didn't he just give a straight answer?!
"... Albedo."
"I am moved to tears by the boundless compassion of Ainz-sama. I expected nothing less of our ruler, and our king!"
"... Umu."
He wanted answers more than he wanted praise.
However, there was nobody else he could turn to.
After gathering his resolve, Ainz began explaining his conclusion.
"We require just cause."
"Is. Such. A. Thing. Truly. Necessary?"
"Of course. Indeed, we could conquer the Empire with force alone. However, if we did that, we would raise too many enemies against us. It is different from dealing with primitive opponents like the lizardmen. If I had to explain this to someone, I would phrase it like this: 'While we were living peacefully in our secluded home, we were attacked and robbed by Workers from the Empire. In anger, we killed them and demanded an apology from their employer, the Empire, and they in turn said they would help us build a nation in order to make amends. ' That was the general idea. Thus, making the Emperor a collaborator is part of the plan."
"Oh, I see~ But Ainz-sama, will they accept an explanation like that?"
"Whether they accept or not is unimportant, Aura. It is the truth."
That was what he meant by "just cause". And Ainz had not told a single lie to them.
"Ah, could, could that mean, it was all for this? To, uh, to get the Emperor here?"
"Hm? What do you mean, Mare?"
"Y-yes. Er, talks, talks with the Emperor might leave traces behind, and because of that, you specially brought him here to minimize the amount of leaks when you spoke. I, I think that's it."
"―Hahaha. Indeed, it was. Well done, Mare."
Mare blushed shyly, and smiled.
As he looked at Mare's adorable smile, Ainz sighed in relief. It was true that negotiating in the Empire might leave a lot of evidence behind. However, by bringing a limited amount of Empire personnel here, they could minimize the number of leaks and ensure it would not go on the record. This would be very useful when conducting investigations.
Ainz was impressed by the foresight of Demiurge, who had arranged for events to take place here in the first place, and looked to the other Guardians.
"In addition, building a nation implies that we will be defending more people. Turning countries into graveyards will only damage the name of Ainz Ooal Gown. Now, has anyone noticed anything?"
The intention behind those words was to ask if anyone else had noticed anything special, like Mare did.
The eyes of all the Guardians were now focused on Demiurge. They must have felt that Demiurge, whom they believed was the brightest mind in Nazarick, would surely have picked up on something. Ainz strongly hoped that would be the case.
"―Kukukuku."
Demiurge's laugh echoed through the room.
"... Did you really think that was the extent of Ainz-sama's plan?"
"Kuhuhu..."
"U-Uhm... ??"
"Ehh?"
"What do you mean?"
"What. Did. You. Say?"
"Oh. '
"... Hm?"
"Everyone, you need to think harder. Ainz-sama is our master, who assembled all the Supreme Beings. Do you think that was the extent of his planning?"
Ainz swallowed, as though he had been punched in the face. Meanwhile, the Guardians were nodding and murmuring "Indeed".
The hell, why are you making things difficult for me?!
Fortunately, nobody could hear Ainz' internal screaming.
"Precisely. Aren't you being too hasty by thinking that you knew the depths of Ainz-sama's intentions just because he supplied you with that easily-understood answer? That's why Ainz-sama didn't tell you the deeper meaning behind his plans."
A vague hint of regret colored the faces of all the Guardians other than Albedo and Demiurge. They were probably worried that their foolish brains were incapable of being useful to Ainz.
All this made Ainz even more grateful for his current body. It was easier to maintain a poker face this way.
"Really... Ainz-sama. Should you not inform us of your true objective now. After all, it will inform our future direction."
Everyone's attention went to Ainz. Their earnest, pleading expressions seemed to say, "Please enlighten this foolish one".
After looking over everyone, Ainz took a deep breath. No, he took several deep breaths.
Then, he slowly rose from his chair, and turned his back to the Guardians. From this position, he offered praise to Demiurge over his shoulder.
"... As expected of Demiurge, and the Overseer of the Guardians, Albedo. To think you had discerned my true aims..."
"... No. Your schemes are elaborate and farsighted, AInz-sama. I cannot hope to compare. And I believe what I understand is only a portion of your plans."
Demiurge bowed respectfully in response to Ainz' praise.
"I have heard that some of the maids speak of you as a Wise King. I believe that name is best suited for Ainz-sama. To think, assuming the role of Momon the adventurer was part of your master plan. Now he has become an effective alternative to levelling a country."
Ainz nodded in smug self-satisfaction, but his heart was a vortex of doubt.
... What's he saying? Momon? What is the name of that adventurer from E-Rantel doing here?
"What does this all mean?"
Shalltear's question carried a hint of jealousy, probably because she could not tread the same ground which those two shared with their beloved master. Aura puffed up her cheeks in displeasure as she saw Demiurge's faint smile and the beaming smile of a victor on Albedo's face.
"Ainz-sama, tell us too. We want to be useful as well!"
"Th-then, um, uh, please tell me too. Please!"
"To. Begin. With. We. Should. Not. Need. To. Have. It. Spelled. Out. For Us. Please. Forgive. This. Foolish One."
"I pray you will enlighten us in this matter, Ainz-sama."
Everyone sounded quite desperate.
Ainz kept his back faced to them, and covered his eyes with a hand. The stress made him feel like he was going to faint.
―There is no greater joy in life for us than to serve you.
The Guardians behind him were saying something similar, all at the same time.
Ainz heart ached with guilt as he heard the sincere pleas from the Guardians behind him, and as he realized that he could not answer them. His strong emotions should have been suppressed, but yet this pain he felt continued unabated.
Should he come clean and admit his own incompetence?
However, there were many reasons which would not allow him to say that.
He cast aside his doubts and turned around, forcefully thrusting the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown toward Demiurge as he did.
"Demiurge. I permit you to explain what you understand to the others."
"Understood."
After Demiurge nodded, he began speaking to his comrades.
Part 5
The structure of the carriage had not changed between the journey to and from Nazarick, but for some reason, every slight bump and jostle along the way seemed magnified. Perhaps it was because of the gloomy atmosphere in the carriage's interior. Or perhaps it was because the people occupying the carriage had changed.
The troops escorting them to Nazarick were composed of men from the 1st Legion. The ones escorting them from Nazarick were from the 2nd Legion.
In place of Fluder was one of his disciples. In place of Roune was one of his scribes. The two original occupants of the carriage who remained were Jircniv and Baziwood.
Fluder was not here because he wanted to discuss what he had seen with his disciples. In his stead, he had sent one of his acolytes to take his place in Jircniv's carriage. Though the acolyte was skilled, he was still a far cry from his master.
In all likelihood, the discussion in Fluder's carriage was probably at a feverish intensity.
The mood in their carriage would probably be the polar opposite of this one. In Jircniv's carriage, there was only silence.
A grim mood filled the carriage.
The one who had made it this way was Jircniv himself. His face was hard, and his expression bitter, like he had chewed on a lotus root.
The man who was known and feared as the Bloody Emperor was a man who typically wore a thin smile on his face. In truth, that expression was carefully rehearsed. This was because he had to cultivate the impression of a strong emperor among his people. A person who stood above all others has to make a striking impression on everyone, otherwise it would cause unease among those who followed him.
However, it seemed that Baziwood, who knew Jircniv the best among these three people, had never seen this look on Jircniv's face. Everyone present knew this, which was why they kept quiet and remained in their places.
Even if he felt them looking at him, Jircniv did not plan to say anything.
The reason for that was abundantly clear.
Or rather, if anyone could think of anything else, Jircniv would split open that person's head to see what was inside. Chances are, he would find a brain the size of his pinky fingernail.
The Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick ― In truth, calling it a tomb was grossly inappropriate.
That's a demon king's castle.
Those frightening beings, and beyond them―
―The spectre of Death, which sat upon a throne.
And it was not just fear they felt.
They had seen myriad luxuries, glittering architecture, and all manner of decorations. Nobody could remain unawed by that.
Jircniv could easily predict the difficulties his country would have, in the face of that being which possessed superlative military and economic power, among other things.
If a country's leader was strong, he would give his people a sense of security. However strong a country might be, being led by a sheep would only fill it with unease. Fortunately, the Empire was a lion through and through. And then, all of a sudden, a Dragon had appeared before them. How would the Empire's citizens feel about that?
Jircniv stared down at his hands, which were clenched so tight all the color had gone from them.
No, it's not over yet. Our defeat hasn't been decided yet.
Jircniv smiled. It was a smile that fit the name of the Bloody Emperor.
Perhaps they were waiting for the return of that mocking smile, but a feeling of relief came over each of his subordinates. As he saw their reaction, his smile grew more and more genuine.
"Don't stare so hard. Aren't you losing your focus here?"
"Your Majesty!"
The three voices overlapped. There were hints of joy within them, joy that their Emperor had come back to them. As Jircniv realised what he should be doing, he nodded vigorously.
"To begin with, I would like to confirm if everyone feels the same way about that place. If anyone has a differing opinion, feel free to give it. Who knows, I might be the one who's gotten things wrong. Well then... I suppose we should start with the most important thing― What does everyone think of the ruler of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, Ainz Ooal Gown?"
Jircniv deliberately said the name of that incredible monster a beat slower than normal.
"Ainz Ooal Gown is a monster among monsters who can easily create Death Knights, and if we make an enemy of him, the Empire will probably be destroyed. However, even if we do not antagonize him, there is a chance he might kill us all anyway, because he is undead and he would take joy in it. Does anyone disagree?
"No."
"It is as His Majesty says."
"Ahh, we agree, then. To add to that, I don't think we can beat him with the power of mankind. Frankly speaking, I don't think we could even get within striking distance of him, even if we mustered all the armies of the Empire."
After receiving three similar replies, Jircniv continued speaking.
"In addition, I can sense that as an absolute ruler, he possesses a charm that befits a king."
"Ah, yes, his presence was truly formidable. It felt like he was more charismatic than our Emperor."
"Baziwood-dono!"
"It is fine. That is a fact. The frightening thing is that he said just one sentence, and from that sentence I could feel the immense pressure of a tyrant."
"'You're making too much noise. Quiet down. ' Was that it?"
Jircniv nodded lightly to the scribe.
That was without doubt the attitude which Ainz Ooal Gown adopted as the king of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick.
"Also... the scariest thing about that monster is the way he thinks. He's a rare breed of schemer whose every move is made with a purpose... don't look so surprised, you lot. Think about it. He's probably predicted the flow of everything we have discussed so far. Otherwise, why would he release us so easily? An opponent with so much power, who doesn't use brawn, but brains? He is no mere mindless brute."
That was the most troublesome part about him.
"After that, let us talk about his followers. What do you think of them?"
This time, he pushed his subordinates for their opinions.
"The ones near him must have been his close aides. And the black-winged woman beside him... she should be his queen, right? It seemed that way, from her attitude."
The jaw-dropping beauty in the white dress.
Even if there was no kindness in the thin smile she wore, it still possessed a charm that moved men's hearts. Given her beauty, there would surely be many men who would be consumed by the desire to see that smile directed at them.
As for the black wings at her waist, one could tell they were not magic items or items of clothing. The main reason was because they were far too natural. While there were humans with wings and other winged species in this world, she should probably be a demon, an outsider to this world, Jircniv thought.
"She might well be. I think it's possible that she's Ainz Ooal Gown's wife. If she's his wife, then, how shall I put this... is only his face made of bones? Or is he wearing a mask? Who knows?"
Still, despite Jircniv's words, none of them felt that it was a mask, and they did not think it was an illusion either.
"And there's also Demiurge, who can control people with his voice... is he a bard? Perhaps he's good at singing because he's a frog."
Bards could use performances with musical instruments to produce magical effects. The power of Demiurge to control people through words was very similar to that.
In addition, he had also heard that the fey creatures called Lorelei had an ability similar to his. However, that man was nothing like the beautiful beings that were the fey. He was absolutely certain of that.
"Ah, I see. A bard, then? That does sound quite similar. And there was a gigantic insect as well, I believe. What was that?"
"Although I think it could be some sort of insect-type species... I don't know much about Ant-men, so I think you would be better served asking Master about it."
The world was huge. There were many species that were not widely known, and some of them could spontaneously mutate. Also, according to the legends, monster kings were known to be more developed than normal. It was similar to how ant queens were different from worker ants. Jircniv thought that it was a possibility.
"In that case, the remaining ones are the silver-haired girl and those two Dark Elves. Leaving the latter two aside, who's the former? Judging from her huge boobs ― could she be a concubine?"
Laughter filled the carriage at Baziwood's comment.
"Ah, well, if she was just a concubine, then she wouldn't be brought out like that, no?"
"She's probably as strong as that Dark Elf."
"Oi oi oi oi... I think you're getting it wrong."
Baziwood's words were infused with seriousness.
"It's true, in all likelihood the ones closest to that monster Ainz are probably his aides. However, that doesn't mean they're all strong. Think about it. If the only criterion to be His Majesty's follower was strength, and he surrounded himself with a hundred people like me, don't you think the government would crumble in short order? Simply put, she was chosen to be his follower for reasons other than strength. Perhaps she's a very intelligent concubine? Maybe she singlehandedly manages the affairs of that fortress which calls itself a tomb."
"I see, " came the scattered replies.
Jircniv felt that he had a point.
Since their attention had been stolen by Ainz Ooal Gown's might, they looked at how she was lined up with the Dark Elves and automatically concluded that the silver-haired girl was a strong being. Of course, it would be scary if another person had the same power as that Dark Elf. However, being led into a false conclusion by prior prejudice was also a bad thing.
"That's probably it, " Jircniv said as he looked at his subordinates."I've considered that myself. Come to think of it, iI would be somewhat relieved if all his followers were undead... but it would seem he's gathered all sorts of monsters under him."
"Well, rather than call it a monster gallery, it feel more like a wealth of talent..."
Jircniv could not help but smile at Baziwood's blunt words.
"Indeed. We should probably try and learn more about these fellows. Apart from that... there's the matter of that fortress' grandeur. Surely there must have been something written about such a grand place?"
"Regretfully, I know nothing about it. When we return to the capital, I will immediately begin looking into it starting with myths and legends."
Jircniv graciously accepted the acolyte's apology.
"Ahh, I'll leave that to you. Is there anything else we've missed? I honestly can't believe such a wicked monster could create such a stately domain. Did you find anything which could be a clue? By which I mean, is it really a tomb built during that region's history?"
There was no answer.
Which meant that they were all wondering the same thing.
They could not completely discount the possibility that the fortress had teleported from somewhere else ― possibly another world known as the Demon Realm ― to a place under that tomb. Or rather, that was easier to swallow.
"We won't get an answer. As I thought, we just don't have enough information. All we can do is squeeze out as much as we can from Varmilinen, who's stationed over there, and from the fellow who's coming over to the Empire. Do you understand?"
"Of course. We will try not to make the opposition hostile or suspicious."
"There is no trying here. The enemy's strength is overwhelmingly superior to our own. You need to move carefully so you don't break the false alliance we have."
As the scribe lowered his head, Jircniv suddenly felt the weight sliding off his shoulders.
"... We've done a bad thing to the people we brought along, haven't we?"
Perhaps that was why he had brought up the girls who had not been released ever since they had been packed into the carriages.
Originally, the girls were to be offered to Ainz Ooal Gown in order to tie him to the Empire.
Sex was a universal weapon in any place or era. Perhaps the Imperial intelligence agencies should have prepared professional honeytraps, but since the use of magical investigation could potentially complicate things, they had instead selected pure, innocent girls instead.
"Although I think this is disrespectful to the courage they gathered up to bid farewell to their families, don't you think they should be happy about this?"
"Do you think so? Being able to gain that monster's love is a pretty impressive thing."
"Any woman who would gladly make love to such a monster would be very brave."
Baziwood was hinting that no such people existed, but that was a naïve way of thinking. Jircniv could confidently attest to that, being thoroughly familiar with the secret battles that women fought, with his mother poisoning her own husband as an example.
"Women are braver than men think, and they act for passion and gain. There should be no shortage of women out there who are willing to offer their bodies to that skeleton king. In that sense, we're the ones who should be happy now. After all, one of them might tell Ainz Ooal Gown that we threatened to kill her and her family."
Although the only response to his words were bitter smiles, Jircniv believed that might actually happen.
Jircniv's reforms, pushed through with autocratic power, had made him a lot of enemies in the nobles he had displaced. Of course, he had his allies, but in truth, the people he could really trust were only a few of his close aides and his mentor, Fluder―
Suddenly, a question struck him like a falling feather.
It was about Fluder.
Not only was Fluder his mentor, but he was also a pillar of the Empire and its trump card. He was a man that even Jircniv revered as the highest hero of the Empire. Jircniv was keenly aware that beneath his sage-like face was a near-fanatical desire to explore the depths of magic. It was because of that desire that he had his doubts.
―That had been far too unlike Fluder.
Ainz Ooal Gown was a great magic caster that far surpassed Fluder. He could effortlessly create the Death Knights that Fluder could not even control. Then, why had he said nothing and left the tomb with him?
If it were Gramps, he would probably beg that wicked monster for magical knowledge, right? He would genuflect before him and offer everything―
That sounded like what would have happened
Everyone had knelt before Demiurge back then. However, it might have just been a distraction to focus their attention on that bizarre situation while he used the opportunity to perform some sort of mind control on Fluder.
He could not imagine Ainz Ooal Gown wanting to take Fluder as a minion. Although Fluder was the Empire's trump card, when compared to that monster's power, he was little more than a speck of dust.
However, Fluder's accumulated knowledge was valuable in and of itself. In addition, if he could take control of Fluder, the Empire's military power would plummet, and they would lose their finest weapon against Ainz Ooal Gown.
It would be like putting a collar on a slave.
Is that the case? Gramps didn't say anything... was it because he already knew? Did he know about Ainz Ooal Gown's power beforehand?
―In that moment, shock ran through him like a lightning strike.
He broke out in a cold sweat.
"You Majesty? Your Majesty? You don't look well; are you alright? Shall we call a priest―"
"... No need."
"Eh?"
"I said, there's no need. That's right... no need."
Jircniv glanced at his panicked subordinates, and he was once more consumed in a maelstrom of contemplation.
Am I afraid? Me?
His mind was a chaotic mess, and he could not sort his thoughts out. Or rather, it was more like he did not want to think those thoughts and was trying to avoid contemplating them.
No! If I run away from this now, it will only invite disaster upon us! Calm down. I have to calm down. I have to calm down and think.
Jircniv continued to ponder the question as he was bathed in curious looks.
For starters, let's consider Gramps. Assuming Gramps already knew about Ainz Ooal Gown's power... no, if he did know about his power, then his weird actions could be easily explained. So Gramps has some kind of secret deal going on with that monster ― impossible! Unless...
Jircniv did not have the energy to worry about the shocked looks on his subordinate's faces.
No, that's not right, Jircniv. When Gramps saw the Death Knight, that fear on his face was genuine. Which is proof that he didn't know about Ainz Ooal Gown's power... or not. Maybe, what Gra... Fluder did not know was that fellow's ability to control Death Knights. He probably knew about Ainz Ooal Gown ―that incredible magic caster― from the beginning.
It was like putting the scattered pieces of a jigsaw together, to reveal a beautiful ―or horrifying― picture.
So, Fluder knows that monster. From how long ago were they in cahoots? From the beginning? That's right. Fluder was involved with every step of this mess, from the discovery of the tomb to the dispatch of the Workers.
He had finally made a connection between all the scattered pieces of the puzzle.
When one thought about it that way, most of the mysteries could be brought to light.
"Treachery, is it? Treachery. He's sold the Empire out."
Was it a voice of bitter resentment from the pits of hell... or perhaps, of a crying child?
His subordinates did not dare ask him questions; they simply remained silent as they studied his face. Jircniv turned to face them.
"Fluder Paradyne has betrayed us all. That being the case, what damage will this do to the Empire? Can we put him in a sinecure and place him under house arrest?"
Everyone could not help but stare at that unbelievable statement.
"How, how is that possible, Your Majesty? This is too much for a joke."
Uncontrollable anger burned in Jircniv as the acolyte spoke. He wanted to shout, "I don't want to hear such foolishness" but he held his tongue. The reason he did that was because somewhere in a corner of his mind, a young Jircniv was saying that he could not believe it either.
Jircniv had grown up watching the schemes and treachery of the dark side of noble society. With that, the adult Jircniv took a deep breath and expelled the blazing heat in his chest and the burning emotions in his heart.
"I will say this one more time. Fluder Paradyne has betrayed us. That being the case, what damage will this do to the Empire?"
His subordinates looked at each other, and after a few seconds of this, the acolyte spoke.
"It is difficult to imagine. The amount of damage cannot be estimated with a single glance. With master around, we could be confident of overcoming any other country. We have been able to remain uninvolved with the petty politics of other nations thus far because of that."
He looked at the scribe, to see if he agreed with the acolyte's words.. The scribe turned pale and nodded.
"If the neighboring countries know he's been sequestered, they might start making moves."
"Isn't that what the Imperial Intelligence Agency is for? Ah, I see. Thanks to Fluder, they haven't had the chance to gain much experience."
"It is as you say, Your Majesty. Master truly―"
"―The possibility is shockingly high."
Jircniv' interrupted the scribe.
"... But if that is the case, then we will have an incredible amount of work to do. First, let us decide who Fluder's successor will be. Are there any suitable candidates?"
The flames of desire burned bright in the acolyte's eyes as he heard those words, and Jircniv could not help but smile internally.
The position of being Fluder's successor as the Imperial Court Wizard was a mouth-watering temptation. After all, it was a position that gave one the right to administer and manage arcane magic casters throughout the Empire.
Because the position had always been filled by that great hero, nobody else could claim it. Even if one had the ambition for it, their opponent was far too strong to overcome by wicked means. And now, this hitherto sealed-off position had been offered to him.
Greed is good. Desire drives progress. I approve of that sort of desire. However, I should probably ask, just in case.
"However, one must bear in mind that as the Imperial Court Wizard, one may be called upon to do battle with that monster."
The flames of the acolyte's ambition went out in that instant. He could not even bring himself to be excited about it. The position he had longed for became one he wished to avoid more than anything else in the world.
He would have a better chance of surviving a jump off a five hundred meter tall cliff into a shoal of rocks than he would in a spell battle against Ainz Ooal Gown.
No, he might be better off dying on the spot.
As the acolyte thought about that prospect, a new look came into his eyes. It was the look of a frightened mouse which had been cornered by a predator.
The hopes in Jircniv's heart died. He could tell that this man did not have the courage to take on Ainz Ooal Gown. Or rather, he should never have expected that in the first place.
"Yes! In that case, I know some people who can use the 4th tier of magic; how about selecting one of them? Granted, I do know some spells of that tier, but I am not very versed with them."
"Aren't you the most skilled of the acolytes?"
"How, how could that be? There are many more excellent than I. When we return, I shall furnish their names to you immediately!"
It was only obvious that a man would want to surrender immediately when asked to fight an incredible monster like that. However, what he needed was a man who would not lose his fighting spirit even in that event.
... That won't work, huh. It would be naïve to think he's an exception. It would probably be better to consider that anyone who knows of Ainz Ooal Gown won't have the courage to fight him. That means I'll have to hand that task to people who haven't met that being yet. Perhaps these ignorant folk will be driven by desire and struggle even more desperately against him.
It was not the best of plans, but he had nothing else to go with.
"... I see. Then, gather information on them and then conduct interviews. After that, we'll want to have our intelligence people ready to deal with that fellow. However, we still need to help Ainz Ooal Gown, so for the time being, we'll have to be his obedient dogs, in order to build good relations with him."
"Understood."
'His obedient dogs. ' Nobody objected to that turn of phrase. How could anyone who had seen the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick do so?
"Then, Your Majesty. How long will we wag for that monster? Will our children have to roll over when he commands it? Our grandchildren?"
Jircniv looked around himself, in order to make sure that no spies had made their way into the carriage and checked that the door was shut tight. With all that done, and with no further problems apparent to him, Jircniv began explaining his strategy to fight Ainz Ooal Gown.
"We ―and by 'we' I mean the Empire, the Kingdom, the Theocracy, the Council Alliance, the Holy Kingdom and other countries― will come together in a coalition. It will be a grand coalition, aimed at defeating Ainz Ooal Gown."
Six wide eyes turned to Jircniv.
"What's there to be surprised about? No single nation can defeat that monster. Then, all we can hope for is to bring all the neighboring countries into a coalition so we can turn the tide."
"Are, are we really going to fight him?"
"Yes."
Jircniv's reply was simple and curt.
"Rather, if we do not fight, we have no chance of survival."
"Then why are we helping that monster found a country?"
"Because that is the first step in the formation of this grand coalition."
Jircniv looked at everyone.
"Are you listening? Good. We are currently on the outskirts of E-Rantel, which is a valuable location at the borders of the Empire, the Kingdom, and the Theocracy. If that monster Gown wants to found a nation there, he will be making enemies of all three of those nations."
Jircniv took a breath, and continued.
"And another thing. Gown is undead. I doubt he will treat humans ―the living― with anything approaching decency. The people will not suffer the rule of an undead king either. There will be rebellion, which will promptly be stamped out by that monster. The Kingdom will not be happy about yielding land to him either, and I doubt the Theocracy, the strongest nation in the vicinity, will do nothing."
"But! But, Your Majesty! If the Empire helps him in his endeavours, surely we will be seen as taking that monster's side, right? The nearby nations will be on guard against us! That coalition you speak of will not count the Empire among them! And even if they beat that monster, we'll be next, or worse, they might target us first!"
Hmph, Jircniv smirked.
"We will work behind the scenes. We need to let the other countries know that the Empire is spying on Gown's nation. It'll be difficult, but it's also the only way."
"Will they really believe us? If it were me, I would think it was a trap."
"Then, we will have to convince them by showing them Ainz Ooal Gown's strength. If only there was a way we could show the other nations his power... well, we'll have to arrange for such a situation. For example, letting him show his power on the battlefield."
"Couldn't the Empire just not help Gown build his nation, and feign ignorance of everything?"
Jircniv glared at the scribe as though he were retarded.
"We have to flit back and forth like bats just to ensure the minimum degree of safety for ourselves. What do you think the people in the Kingdom will do if he gains territory nearby for nothing?"
In other words, Jircniv was picking the not-quite-worst case.
"For that reason, the Empire has to pretend to be that monster's friend while aiding that coalition. In other words, if we're exposed, we're most likely going to be the first on that monster's chopping block. Or rather, if it were up to me, I would certainly destroy this country first as an example to others."
"Ah ―I'm sure you would go through with that if it were up to you, your Majesty."
"... I'll take that as praise and accept it. Because of that, we cannot be the ones to propose that grand coalition. We need to let other countries make the first move. What we should do is gather as much information about Nazarick as we can, as well as find someone who can defeat Gown."
"Do people like that really exist?"
Given the casual tone with which it was said, nobody would have believed those words came from the acolyte. Gown was an unimaginably powerful opponent, who might be unbeatable even by the mightiest Dragons. He was an opponent that made people think that way.
And to that, Jircniv issued a confident reply.
"Indeed, they do."
"People like that really exist?!"
"Don't they? Look within that throne room."
When he put it that way, it seemed obvious enough.
The monsters arrayed with Ainz. Aura. Mare. The silver haired girl. The insect. Demiurge. He was referring to them.
"... Do you plan to induce a revolt?"
"Although I don't think that may be possible, we should still prepare for it, just in case. We need to prepare wealth, prestige, members of the opposite sex and so on to make us seem at least a little bit attractive to them."
"Won't it be difficult?"
"Ahh, indeed, it will be. Ainz Ooal Gown styles himself as a tyrant. Thus, they won't betray him easily However, even if that is the case, we have to take action. This is not just a conflict between nations anymore."
Jircniv looked at the three of them with a resolute expression on his face.
"What comes after this will be a battle for the survival of humanity as a species. It will be a fight for the future. Devote your hearts and souls to it."
Part 6
"... And so, I think the Emperor will try to put a scheme like that into practice. If he were more foolish, his actions might fall outside the predicted range, but I think the chances of that will be low. Reading the movements of a slightly-above-average intellect that imagines himself a genius is easier than trying to predict the actions of a complete moron."
Demiurge raised a finger as he said that.
"In other words, the Emperor will try to form an alliance in order to defeat us ― to defeat Ainz-sama, right?"
"Mmm, he's surprisingly stupid."
"T-then, s-shouldn't we take the initiative and w-wipe him out first?"
Mare followed up after Shalltear and Aura, but there was no anger in his voice. It was more like he was deciding whether or not to pick up a rock he found along the side of the road.
"More important than this problem is―"
Sebas wanted to speak, but someone else had already anticipated what he was going to say.
"―Is the fact that he actually thinks we would betray Ainz-sama, is that it?"
"Really. Sebas. It. Seems. The. Emperor. Does. Not. Know. The. Meaning. Of. Loyalty."
Mocking laughter filled the room.
Did he really think they would betray Ainz, one of the 41 Supreme Beings who made them?
Although this was nothing more than Demiurge's hypothesis, it was enough to thoroughly displease the Guardians. A cold light gleamed in their eyes.
"Welp, it's not like I'm trying to speak like Mare, but I'm still pretty mad. Shall we kill them all?"
Shalltear laughed as she saw Aura in a foul mood for the first time.
"I'll turn him into a Vampire. After all, if he's good enough, there's no reason he can't serve in Nazarick."
Although Cocytus had remained silent, his large mandibles made a clacking sound of warning.
"Ladies and gentlemen, you do remember that we are in the presence of Ainz-sama?"
As they heard Sebas' cold, clear voice, Aura, Shalltear's and Cocytus' anger instantly vanished.
"Kuhu ― Mm. That's right, everyone, please calm down. Please recall what Demiurge just said. All of this has been arranged. What can we enjoy if not the antics of this clown? Instead, we should be grateful ― because all of this is nothing more than a part of Ainz-sama's master plan. Right, Ainz-sama?"
Hooh... Ainz-sama's plan, huh. I see. A special plan concocted by someone with the same name as me. Making the Baharuth Empire ally with and struggle against Nazarick was part of that plan too, huh... I have no idea what that's all about. If only I could ask this Ainz fellow about it!
However, running away from reality like this would not change anything.
Honestly, Ainz wanted to ask about the details of the plan, and what about Ainz that Demiurge and Albedo were imagining.
However, he could not do that.
Ainz turned his line of sight toward Albedo.
He saw a woman who was sweet as honey, her eyes glazed over with love and fascination, her cheeks a faint rosy pink.
She had reacted like this because she believed that everything was proceeding as planned, because she was so overcome by her master's insight.
As such, Ainz could no longer deny them. Who could say "What?" when the mood was like this?
With regard to Albedo's question, there was only one answer Ainz could give.
"I-Indeed. That is so."
He wanted to praise his voice for not wavering.
"Ohhh, " the Guardians chorused in respect.
"―Kuhuhuhu~"
Albedo spread her arms, and with them, her wings at her waist opened up as well.
"Ainz-sama wishes to take over a human city peacefully, and rule the region with love and compassion. Yet, the Baharuth Empire has decided to form a vile conspiracy against this paradise on earth. In the near future, Ainz-sama will show these countries the true meaning of kindness. Is that not the just cause that he seeks?"
"How I look forward to that day. Everything rests in the palm of Ainz-sama's hand. When that moron finds out, I wonder what sort of face will he make... after all, Ainz-sama always thinks several moves ahead."
As Demiurge delivered his reverent speech, Albedo continued with a suitably respectful expression on her face.
"Indeed, Ainz-sama's wisdom is beyond our ability to match. If Ainz-sama had not created the hero Momon, it would be impossible to rule peacefully. In that case, E-Rantel could only be controlled by violence and terror."
"... Perhaps we could use the Golden Princess to achieve similar effects, but that would be a waste of a trump card. She is a human being who is just as interesting ―no, perhaps even more so― than what I have determined from analysis of Sebas' intelligence reports. She will be an excellent pawn."
"Ah, after hearing that, I too wish to take a look at her."
"Then, after we found our nation, shall we have her be an envoy to us? After all, promises must be kept."
"... You. Two. Have. Gone. Off. Topic. You. Are. Wasting. Ainz-sama's. Precious. Time."
Ainz responded with a simple "It's fine" to their hurried apologies.
In truth, he had learned a lot from their casual conversation, and he had gained time to think of more excuses. To Ainz, that had been a valuable opportunity.
"But truth to be told, Ainz-sama is really amazing, " Shalltear said.
"Mhm. Yup yup, Shalltear. After all, Ainz-sama thought up a plan that managed to astound even Albedo and Demiurge..."
"A-as expected of. Ainz-sama. Y-you're too cool. I-I really admire you."
"... My. Foolish. Self. Is. Ashamed. Of. My. Lack. Of. Intelligence."
"All I can say is that our inability to keep pace with Ainz-sama's considerations is truly unbecoming."
The Guardians' praise stabbed at Ainz like swords.
Although Ainz could not help but think of it as mockery, the Guardians eyes were filled with respect and loyalty, and their worship of him was genuine. Therefore, Ainz did not contradict them, but instead used his acting skills to answer, as usual.
"There is nothing of that sort. It was merely a coincidence. And in the end, Demiurge and Albedo saw through it."
"No, if Ainz-sama had not responded thusly, I would not have been able to connect the dots."
"Demiurge is correct. Planning so far ahead without any knowledge of the situation is a feat only possible by the greatest of the Supreme Beings. I have fallen even deeper in love with you."
"As expected of Ainz-sama, whose intellect surpasses even that of Demiurge, the wisest mind in Nazarick, " Shalltear said.
"It's true! Ainz-sama is really amazing!" Aura exclaimed.
"Mm! R-really amazing!"
"I. Have. Long. Known. Ainz-sama. Possessed. Excellent. Abilities. But. I. Could. Not. Imagine. The. Extent. Of. His. Prowess... As. Expected. Of. The. Greatest. Treasure. Of. Nazarick."
"Well put. He is filled with compassion and overflows with wisdom. There is no better master for us than Ainz-sama, " Albedo said.
"... Ahh."
"Come to think of it, there is a matter that needs to be decided. Although I have no problems addressing Ainz-sama as 'King', such a simple title might result in his being conflated with the bugs surrounding us. I feel we must consider a more fitting form of address for Ainz-sama."
The Guardians unanimously approved Demiurge's suggestion.
"Do you approve, Ainz-sama?"
"It is fine. Do as you see fit."
Being called King Ainz Ooal Gown was bad enough. His emotion override had already kicked in several times when he thought about the implications of naming himself a king.
"Does anyone have any suggestions?"
"Then, allow me to begin, " Shalltear said as she raised her hand."The name we choose should obviously indicate Ainz-sama's surpassing beauty. I feel the Beautiful King would be fitting."
Ohhh, the Guardians chorused in approval.
Beautiful King Ainz Ooal Gown?
"Oh, me! Meee~" Aura piped up as she raised her hand."The name should highlight Ainz-sama's power! How about the Powerful King, or Power King for short?"
I see, the Guardians murmured.
Power King Ainz Ooal Gown?
"Then, then. M-may I try? Erm... because Ainz-sama is very kind, it might be good to let people know that. Then, then, m-maybe we could try, the Merciful King?"
The Guardians nodded
Merciful King Ainz Ooal Gown?
"As for me―" Here Demiurge paused for effect."―to praise Ainz-sama's exalted intellect, I propose the Wise King."
Wise King Ainz Ooal Gown?... I'm sorry, but I really have to pass on that.
"What do you think, Sebas?"
In response to Albedo's question, Sebas replied, "I think a simple 'king' will do."
"Then it is my turn. Because he is the Supreme Being who stands atop all the other Supreme Beings, I think the High King would be appropriate."
The Guardians once more murmured in approval.
High King Ainz Ooal Gown? How should I say this... all these names... sound awfully over-the-top.
Everyone's eyes rested on the only Guardian who had not yet spoken.
"How about you, Cocytus? Although it might be a bit difficult to compete with High King, do you have any titles you feel are fitting of Ainz-sama?"
"Umu. In. Future. Ainz-sama. Will. Rule. Many. People. Therefore. He. Will. Be. A. Magician. Who. Rules. As. A. King. I. Think. Sorcerer. King. Will. Best. Fit. That."
The Guardians did not reply immediately.
However, all of them looked at Ainz. From the look in their eyes, they all felt there was no better title than that one, although Albedo seemed a little disappointed.
"Very well. Then I shall use Cocytus' suggestion."
Ainz slowly rose to his feet.
"When our nation is founded, I shall name myself the Sorcerer King, Ainz Ooal Gown!"
Ainz waved his hands in embarrassment to ward of the thunderous applause which followed. In truth, he was feeling so uncomfortable that his whole body was getting itchy.
"Well then! Let us demonstrate the power of Nazarick in the battle between the Kingdom and the Empire!"
"It is as Ainz-sama says. They wish to investigate the limits of Ainz-sama's power. Little do they know, they have played right into our hands."
Demiurge continued, in an excellent mood.
"Before negotiations can take place, the most important thing is to strike a mighty blow to the other party and let them understand the difference between our might and theirs. Foolish creatures like humans will do foolish things because they do not realize how powerful their opponents are. Indeed, that Emperor is a foolish creature for not knowing that bowing his head and licking Ainz-sama's boots is the wisest course of action."
"I thought about that myself, but is letting humans lick Ainz-sama's boots not too good for them?"
"I see. As expected of Albedo. Ah, but if I had to lick Ainz-sama, I would choose his body~"
Ainz decided to pretend he had not heard Shalltear and Albedo whispering to each other.
"Then, everyone. Begin the task of exalting the name of Nazarick!"
"Understood!"
The Guardians' shouts of acknowledgement blended into one and filled the room.
| ← Ch. 082 | Ch. 084 → |