novelVolume 9
| ← Ch.084 | Ch.086 → |
Gazef could see the logic in Raeven's words. However, he still had his doubts that the Imperial Army would use such underhanded methods (flanking troops) even after agreeing on the location of the battlefield. While this was a basic combat tactic, conducting a sneak attack like this after the agreement would only disgrace themselves among the surrounding nations. The Empire would be shooting itself in the foot.
"Although I don't feel I need so many soldiers, since the Marquis has graciously proposed the idea, I am left with little choice but to accept it."
"Many thanks, your Highness. Then, I have one more question."
Marquis Bowlorobe paused for a moment. Rather than catching his breath, the delay was to draw attention to what he was going to say next.
"Who will be the overall commander for this battle? I trust nobody will object to myself?"
The room's atmosphere changed.
This was an indirect declaration. It was phrased as a query, but it carried with it the unspoken weight and power of selecting the man who would wield authority over the entire army.
If asked who was the better commander between King Ranpossa III and Marquis Bowlorobe, many nobles would point to the latter. This was especially true given that the Marquis' forces made up one-fifth of the Royal army ― 50'000 men.
In addition, Marquis Bowlorobe also commanded elite troops. He had been inspired by Gazef's warrior band, and had thus created a unit of professional warriors.
They were very good fighters. Although they were still inferior to the warrior band under Gazef, they were still a match for the Empire's knights ― perhaps more than a match. Of particular note were their numbers, which were numbered around 5, 000. If they clashed with Gazef's warrior band, Bowlorobe's more numerous elites would triumph by a great margin.
If the king was not personally present, command authority would undoubtedly fall to Marquis Bowlorobe. But since the king was here, it would only be natural to have King Ranpossa III as the supreme commander, though the nobles of the Noble Faction would probably not accept that.
Gazef's face turned stern as Marquis Bowlorobe placed pressure on the King with his question, but Marquis Bowlorobe remained unmoved even as he saw Gazef's expression. To Bowlorobe, Gazef was merely a commoner who was good with a sword, and allowing one not of noble blood to remain in this room was nearly intolerable.
"... Marquis Raeven."
"Yes!"
"I'll leave it to you. Conduct the army safely to the Katze Plains. From there, you will also be in charge of the encampment and entrenchment."
"Understood."
Raeven nodded in acceptance of the royal decree. Although the spot Bowlorobe wanted had been snatched away from him, he could not complain if it was Raeven. He knew the man was talented, and as a result, criticizing him would be very difficult. More importantly, Raeven had broad connections, and many of Bowlorobe's men owed him favors. If he tried to criticize Raeven too harshly, it would only make them doubt him instead. As such, Bowlorobe had no choice but to grin and bear it.
"Marquis Raeven, my troops will be in your hands. Please let me know if you need anything."
"Many thanks, Marquis Bowlorobe. I will be counting on you when the time comes."
Gazef was as happy over the King's brilliant decision as though it were his own.
"Is there anything else?"
The King waited for a while, but nobody replied.
"... Then let us begin the preparations to move out. We shall leave tomorrow. It will take us two days to reach the battlefield, so do not grow lax in your preparations. Then, you are dismissed. Marquis Raeven, carry on."
"I understand, your Majesty."
The nobles steadily filed out of the room to begin their marching preparations, leaving only the King and Gazef.
Ranpossa III slowly turned his head. A cracking sound reached Gazef's ear. He must have been very stiff. After stretching, an expression of relief bloomed on the King's face.
"Thank you for your hard work, your Majesty."
"Ahhh, it was hard work indeed. I'm tired."
Gazef smiled wryly to his king."Tiring" was an understatement of managing the Royal and the Noble factions. However, there were still people who were more fatigued than Ranpossa III.
"It's about time―"
Just as Ranpossa III was about to continue, several knocks came from the door. Then the door slowly opened, and the waiting guest entered.
He was a plain-looking, plump bulldog of a man who seemed otherwise unremarkable. His scalp reflected the light, his hair was sparse to the point of nonexistence, and what little remained was snowy white.
His body was round, his belly was fat, and his chin and jowls were flabby.
Yet, despite his plain appearance, the light of intelligence sparkled within his eyes. Ranpossa III smiled amiably to him.
"I'm glad you came, Panasolei."
"Your Majesty, " said the Mayor of E-Rantel as he bowed to his liege lord. Then, he shifted his gaze.
"It's been a while, Stronoff-dono."
Panasolei was a noble, yet he was exceedingly courteous to Gazef, a commoner. It was precisely because he was a man like that which resulted in him being posted to this place.
"Greetings, Mayor. You took care of me back then.. My thanks for arranging to heal my subordinates. I was in a hurry to report to the capital, so I rushed off without properly thanking you. Please accept my apologies."
"Ah, no, no, think nothing of it. I understand how important it was for you to report the ambush, Warrior-Captain. How could I be so inflexible as to hold a grudge against you for that?"
Seeing that both parties were bowing to each other, the King laughed in joy.
"Panasolei, aren't you going to do that wheezing thing with your nose?"
"Your Majesty... There is no need to do so around people who do not patronize me. Or perhaps his Majesty and Stronoff-dono feel I am a jester who trades on that particular act?"
"Sorry, sorry, it was a joke. Please forgive me, Panasolei."
"Ah, no, your humble servant overstepped his bounds. It is I who must beg your forgiveness, your Majesty. Then... shall we begin?"
"No..." The King hesitated, and then replied, "No, there's still one more person who's yet to arrive. Let's wait for him."
"Very well. Then, may we first discuss the issue of food costs within the city? After that, I shall report the projections on the Kingdom's national strength for the next year, based on the data collected by the Marquis."
"Umu. The sooner we get these headaches out of the way, the better."
As Panasolei began to speak, even Gazef, who was unused to managing domestic affairs of state, ended up frowning.
His report concerned the alarming state of the country's present and future expenses. The collection of food throughout the Kingdom was making food shortages even worse. Of particular note was the fact that the country would continue declining even after the citizens here returned from their conscription.
Panasolei's predictions were on the optimistic side, and they still painted a dire picture of things.
As for the King, his face was a blank mask.
"How did it get like this..."
"If... if the Empire continues its yearly attacks, the chances of the Kingdom collapsing from within will be quite high. Keeping taxes as they are will cause a lot of people to starve to death, and if we reduce taxes, we won't have enough to fund our policies."
Ranpossa III placed his hands on his forehead, covering his face.
This was the result of responding to years of saber-rattling with the Empire. By the time they realized the Empire's aim of paring away at the Kingdom's strength, it was far too late.
"Your Majesty..."
"How... disturbing. If we'd known earlier... if only we'd dealt with this before the nobles had fully split into their factions... how foolish."
"Certainly not, your Majesty. I feel trying to address it would only have caused the Kingdom to split into two and triggered civil war, and the Empire would have taken advantage of our weakness to invade and conquer us."
Gazef was certain of this ― the King, Ranpossa III, had done a good job.
The conditions that had led to this situation were the result of the previous kings' inaction. It was impossible for one generation to erase the accumulated sins of all its ancestors.
"I just want to leave a decent Kingdom to the next ― to my children."
Although the King spoke slowly, every word was laced with powerful purpose.
"Then... is this not the chance to do so? I have many supporters now due to the disturbance. Should we not strike a telling blow to the Empire, no matter the cost, so we can win a few years of peace for the Kingdom?"
Gazef could see a light in the King's eyes. That light made him worry. He knew he should have opposed this, but he could not make a sound.
If the King had spoken to advance his own desires and ambitions, perhaps he might have been able to bring himself to chide him. But as he realised the King was speaking of ensuring the safety of his people and country, the words caught in his throat.
As a first-hand witness to the King agonizing over his country, the Warrior-Captain could not speak out against him.
"While that is certainly possible, I trust you're also aware that this is a very dangerous move. If you act to reduce the power of the nobility, the country may fall into chaos."
The King knotted his brows, and Gazef's heart ached.
"You've hit the nail on the head as usual, Panasolei. Although one might die during surgery, there's also a chance that one might live longer. If we leave things be, the disease will spread through the body and slowly kill us. In that case, shouldn't we step forward and seize the day?"
"My King, surgical operations are not reliable. It would be better to find another solution instead."
"If there were some magical solution to the Kingdom's woes, I would like to entrust my hopes to it. Unfortunately, there is none. The barbaric method of cutting open the body to remove the diseased portion is the only cure for our present predicament."
This frightening and crude procedure (surgery), advocated by the Minotaur Sage, was the only remedy for the Kingdom.
A gloomy silence dominated the room, which had seen a king forced to extreme measures to save his country.
Then, just as it seemed this oppressive atmosphere would last forever, a knock rang out from the door, as though to shatter the despondence in the air.
The man who entered without waiting for a response was Marquis Raeven.
"Gentlemen. I apologise for the delay."
Relief spread through the room.
"Ah, just the man we were looking for. Marquis Raeven, I put a great burden on you."
Raeven looked confused for a moment as he tried to figure out what exactly the King spoke of, but he immediately reacted by replacing it with a tired expression.
"No, don't take it to heart, your Majesty. In truth, entrusting command to Marquis Bowlorobe would have been foolish in the extreme. After all, he only knows how to order charges and retreats."
It was unclear whether Raeven sincerely meant his harsh criticism. Perhaps he might have said so on purpose to lighten the gloominess he had sensed when he entered the room.
"In addition, if your Majesty was to assume direct control of the army, a misstep might result in the Noble faction retreating on the eve of battle. As such, there is no commander better suited to the role than myself. That being said, I'd like a break from all this work without rest. I wish to announce in advance that after this war is concluded, I would like to rest on my own lands for several months."
With that, Raeven's expression suddenly turned severe.
"I apologize for my curtness, but we can't waste time here, so let's get this over with quickly."
Although his face remained as cold as that of a snake's, Gazef could sense human emotions within him, as well as qualities that he could bring himself to admire.
I was a fool to not have seen his true nature beforehand. Am I really so bad at reading people?
With regret in his heart, Gazef recalled the meeting in the King's chambers before they left the Capital. There had been five people present; King Ranpossa III, Gazef himself, Third Princess Renner, Second Prince Zanack and Marquis Raeven. The things which the last two had said filled Gazef with surprise and shattered his set-in-stone preconceptions about the court. In particular, there was that man whom Gazef despised, the man who reminded him of a snake and a scorpion... In particular, learning that the man Gazef despised as vermin was actually the man who worked hardest for the King shocked him beyond the capacity of words to describe.
"I seem to be constantly causing trouble for you, and my daughter, Marquis Raeven."
Ranpossa III lowered his head to the seated Raeven, a sincere expression on his face.
"Your Majesty, please don't do that. I've already acted on my own without consulting yourself; I only regret that I did not take action earlier."
"Marquis Raeven, allow me to apologize to you as well, " Gazef said as he bowed deeply."I was deceived by surface impressions and harbored disrespectful thoughts about you without understanding your true intentions. Please forgive this foolish one."
"Warrior-Captain-dono, there is no need to worry about that."
"Even so, if I am not punished for my foolishness, it will stick like a thorn within my heart."
Raeven's face seemed to say "really?" and then he shook his head several. After that, he dictated Gazef's punishment
"I understand... then, from now on, I shall not address you as Warrior-Captain-dono, but as Gazef-dono. Consider that a token of my respect towards you."
It was a punishment that did not even count as a punishment.
A thought ― that he had eyes, but could not see ― started growing in his heart, and Gazef replied with sincere gratitude.
"Many thanks, Marquis Raeven."
"Think nothing of it, Gazef-dono. Then, let us begin discussing the direction in which the Kingdom will go from this day forth."
Part 3
Gazef passed through the main gate and reached the company stables on the outer ring of the city. He exhaled deeply, to relieve the fatigue clouding his mind.
He was exhausted.
The meeting he'd just attended made him acutely aware that he was a mere commoner.
As he stood by the King's side and moved through noble society, he had gradually come to understand the way they thought.
Even so, he frequently encountered responses and attitudes that only those born and bred to the nobility would understand. Gazef could not understand why they would think that way, especially the concept of valuing the pride of the nobility over concrete benefits.
No, even more inscrutable than that was the idea of prioritizing one's pride over one's citizens.
Gazef slowly scanned his surroundings.
The soldiers, shouting as they ran back and forth ― they were the people. They were the people of the Kingdom, who came from villages all over the country to fight this war. They did not look too reliable as soldiers. Their hands were meant to hold hoes and shovels.
Protecting them should have been the duty of the ones who ruled over them.
If they handed E-Rantel over, they would be hurting the people who lived within the city, just like the King said.
However―
Gazef recalled the image of Ainz Ooal Gown, wearing his strange mask.
He had returned to Carne Village just after dusk, with no sign of having fought a hard battle.
That was right. The two of them had easily defeated the enemies which had utterly decimated Gazef and his troops.
Truly, he was a Sorcerer King ― those words suited his peerless form that night.
FIghting him directly was foolish. Rather ― but that would make the people suffer.
"Dammit!"
Gazef cursed, unable to think of a solution. What should he do? Confusion on the battlefield was a sign of impending death. Even the man hailed as the strongest in the region could still die if he could not focus.
This was especially true if his opponent was Ainz Ooal Gown.
It was true that he had not witnessed the battle which had saved Carne Village. And he himself did not say he had won, just that he'd chased them off.
But anyone could tell that was a blatant lie.
"Speaking of which... why did he have to lie that they'd run off?"
After Ainz and Albedo had left, he went to the plains where they had fought, but he found no signs of a slaughter. He had not found a single corpse, but burying dozens of bodies would have been very time-consuming. Without bodies ―without physical evidence― the statement of "they ran away" gained credence.
However, that was assuming Ainz Ooal Gown had not used magic. Who knew, there might be spells which could send bodies away or destroy them.
In addition, Gazef had a hunch.
Although it stemmed purely from his warrior's instinct, but when he saw the uninjured Ainz return to the village, he could smell the faint scent of death rising up from him.
It was not so much that they had fled, but he had "let them flee".
Because of that, Gazef trusted his instincts over what Ainz had said. There was no basis or evidence for this at all. The bodies of the Sunlight Scripture were nowhere to be found, but they were most certainly dead.
"... I don't get it..."
He was a magic caster who could annihilate the foes which had defeated Gazef, and he could do so without a scratch..
How powerful was he? Certainly, he was several levels above Gazef and his warrior band.
What would happen if a being like that appeared on the battlefield and used his magic?
Gazef once more looked at the people, filled with excitement, fear, despair and frustration.
When two magic casters using magic of the same tier, the stronger magic caster would naturally be able to bring forth a more powerful spell.
Then, what horrors would result if Ainz Ooal Gown was to cast a [Fireball]?
The fathers who had to feed their infant children, the sons who had to support their ailing parents, the youths about to be married, all of these people had left their families behind to come here. How likely was it that they could endure an attack like that?
It would be impossible, right?
They would expire in one hit with just a single spell from that great magic caster
If it was a fire spell, they would become charred corpses. If it was an ice spell, they would become frozen corpses. If it was a lightning spell, they would be electrocuted corpses. That much was certain.
Then, what about Gazef? Could he take it?
He was fairly certain he could take one hit without dying.
However, that sort of thinking might be too naïve.
"Ahhhh... why did it all turn out like this?"
Fighting against Ainz Ooal Gown was most definitely a mistake.
Gazef felt that Ainz Ooal Gown was not a heartless man, given the way he had saved Carne Village. Yet, at the same time, he sensed that he was no ordinary good Samaritan. The image he had of Ainz was that of a man who showed no mercy to those that opposed him.
They should have avoided conflict with him and treated him with politeness. After that, he might have been amenable to selecting a different location.
As Gazef looked out on the people surrounding him, a weighty feeling in his heart, he caught sight of a white-armored youth from the corner of his vision. Along with him was a swordsman who seemed to float lightly on his feet. It was Climb and Brain.
There was a third person behind them, and they were eagerly discussing something.
"Who's that? I feel like I've seen him before... ah! He's one of the formerly orichalcum-ranked adventurers under Marquis Raeven."
Gazef was familiar with the former adventurer team were the ones whom the common folk pinned their hopes on, given that they were all of common birth themselves. In some ways, they were his seniors, the ones who had come before him.
The paladin of the Fire God, whose job class excelled in battling evil-aligned monsters, the Evil Slayer, Boris Axelson, aged 41.
The priest of the Wind God, a warrior priest that could hold his own in combat with any fighter, Yorlan Dixgort, aged 46.
The warrior who incorporated dancing swords into his four-sword style, Francen, aged 39.
The wizard praised as a scholar, who had created several spells bearing his name, Lundquist, aged 45.
And finally, the thief known as "The Unseen", Lockmeyer, aged 40.
Gazef recalled them as he counted them off on his fingers. The one chatting idly with Climb was the thief, Lockmeyer. Speaking of which, he'd apparently worked with Climb and Brain during the demonic disturbance, helping them infiltrate enemy territory to rescue people.
They did not seem to have noticed Gazef, but it felt wrong to just barge in like that.
That being said, it would still be rude to not greet them at the very least. Besides, they would all be heading to the battlefield soon. Although the chances of them entering combat were low, given that they would be protecting the King, one never knew what might happen.
―It might be the last time they ever saw each other again.
If possible, he wanted to have a private chat with the two of them. As though the world was granting his wish, Lockmeyer waved to the two of them and departed.
Climb and Brain remained, smiling over something.
The bonds between the two of them had grown strong during the demonic disturbance in the capital. Be it as friends or disciples or companions, they had built a complex and mutually beneficial relationship.
And it was because of that relationship that Brain was now a comrade of Climb, a fellow soldier under Princess Renner.
Gazef could not help regretting the fact that he had allowed a warrior who could have rivalled him to be snatched away.
However, he managed to calm down as he watched the two of them. THis was how it should have been.
Gazef smiled as he approached the pair.
Still, that's a really flashy suit of armor. It's still all right in the capital, but on the battlefield he'll be easy to notice. Should I warn Climb about that?
There were many soldiers on the battlefield, but Climb stood out among them because almost none of them wore full plate armor. On top of that, his armor was painted an eye-catching white. Bowmen would aim at him, and cavalry would use him as a target. Although Climb's chances were pretty good against the average Imperial knight, there were still warriors who were stronger than him. The Four Knights of the Empire were one such example.
If I'm not wrong, Renner-sama gave him that armor... she must not be very familiar with the battlefield if she ordered it painted in that color.
She might be good with tactics, but it would appear she was out of touch with the realities of the battlefield.
If Climb dies, the Princess will be sad...
With magical dyes, they could temporarily change the color of the armor, and return it to normal once they returned to the capital.
He approached the two of them from behind as he thought about this. Brain turned his face, and his hand reached for the hilt of his katana.
As expected of Brain. He could sense me from a distance like this.
Metal armor made noise when its wearer walked.
It would not be strange for people to notice and react to the sound if it drew close to them.
However, there were many people here, all busy preparing for battle. It would be hard to notice the sound of him moving forward amidst the clamor here. Of course, it was a different matter for a thief, especially one with specialized training.
Brain widened his eyes. Then, he glanced at Climb and grinned, as if he had pranked him.
Although Brain seemed to have gotten the wrong idea, this was fine as well.
He grinned in a similar way and took care not to make noise as he carefully advanced on the still-unaware Climb. Although he had not been trained in moving silently and was wearing metal armor, Climb still had not noticed him, and seemed to be discussing something with Brain.
His challenge was to reach the spot directly behind Climb's back, which he succeeded in doing.
Gazef brought his hand down in a karate chop, directly onto Climb's unguarded head.
"Uwah!"
Climb stumbled back while squeaking in a thoroughly unmanly way. As his eyes recognized Gazef, they goggled open.
"This! Isn't this Strono―"
"―Quiet."
After Climb swallowed his half-formed words, Gazef continued.
"Quiet. Revealing my identity here will be very troublesome. Just call me Gazef."
Although he was the Warrior-Captain, the strongest man in the Kingdom, many villagers from the rural areas of the Kingdom did not know what he looked like. In their minds, the Warrior-Captain was probably two meters tall, bearing a gigantic sword, and armored in a suit of shining gold.
Gazef did not want to dash their expectations, and besides, drawing attention would be annoying.
"I-I apologize for my lack of―"
"No, you did nothing wrong, " Gazef said as he interrupted Climb's apology with a wry grin. Then, the grin took on a new meaning.
"Although, I have to say that you need to be more alert. After all, you did miss someone in full plate armor sneaking up on you. Still, there shouldn't be any enemies here."
"What are you saying, Gazef? Being relaxed isn't necessarily bad. Being wound too tight is."
"Then, Brain, how did you discover me from so far away?"
"Isn't that obvious? There was a strange presence in the air."
Gazef noticed that Climb was looking at Brain and himself with eyes full of surprise.
"Climb, as Princess Renner's personal guard, you need to be able to sense presences like that. If you miss a hidden assassin, your charge will be hurt."
"Ah, so that's what it is. I was wondering what you were up to. Now I see. Climb-kun, if I'm not wrong, you're using a self-invented style, right? Does that include training your senses?"
"Ah, no, it doesn't. I focused on combat techniques. My apologies."
"I'm not finding fault with you. I just wanted to make sure. To be honest, I used to be like that in the past as well. It's easy to forget about practicing sensory skills like that when you train by yourself. That's a dangerous habit. After all, a lot of the time you won't have a straight fight against an attacker that you know about."
Gazef's face was a little red. The look on his face as he glanced at Brain seemed to say, "You didn't have to tell him that here."
In the first place, training this hard-working young warrior was also a duty of the Warrior-Captain. He felt ashamed that he could not accomplish that.
Because Climb had been born a commoner like him, it was important not to let the nobles see them falter while in service to the royal family. For example, if Gazef crushed Climb in a spar, the nobles would whisper that Climb was not worthy of protecting the Princess. Meanwhile, if Gazef stumbled against Climb, they would turn their malicious gossip on him.
There was no need to praise a man like him for doing a little good deed ― not when that man had proudly declared that he would serve the King and thus abandoned a young warrior.
No, I shouldn't feel ashamed. If I have the time to do that, I should―
"―Ah, never mind, I'll leave it at that. Since you've been so kind as to point out Climb's weaknesses in front of me, I'll do my best to train them out of him."
"Thank you, Gazef-sama."
"... No, there's no need to bow to me. You serve the royal family like I do ― that makes you my subordinate. Even so, I have not guided you, and have instead passed that job to someone else. You need not thank someone like that."
The more Climb thanked him, the guiltier he felt.
"Isn't that a pain in the ass, being someone with a foot in noble society. People hold you back over pointless things, and you can't even do the things you want."
"Since you're Climb's comrade, protecting Princess Renner alongside him, doesn't that make you one of those people as well?"
"I'm as free as a bird. Being that princess-dono's flunky or whatever... no. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. Being the Princess' subordinate is only a temporary thing. Once I'm tired of it or had my fill, I'll move on."
Brain smiled, his expression as cool and clear as the autumn sky. The drenched man Gazef had met in the capital was nowhere to be seen.
He was envious of how Brain could live in such a free-spirited way.
"Come to think of it, is it alright for you to chat idly with us, Gazef-sama?"
"Well, I'm actually kind of busy right now, but I just wanted to take a break... Say, do you two have spare time?"
Brain and Climb looked at each other in response to Gazef's question.
"Spare time... huh."
"Yeah, I guess. Don't have much that needs doing, just prepping my gear."
"Then, I hope you... right, " Gazef said as he looked to one of the watchtowers on the city walls."Want to head over there?"
Nobody refused, and Gazef led the way.
As the Warrior-Captain, no soldier stopped him. In this way, they made it to the place Gazef had in mind, the place with the best view in the city.
E-Rantel's outermost walls were the highest point in the city Which was to say, they had the best scenery and one could see furthest from there.
And because the air warmed by the heat from the many people below them did not reach this place, the cool, fresh winter wind refreshed their bodies.
"What a great view!" the lad exclaimed in heartfelt delight as he looked toward the southeast.
"Those are the Katze Plains, right?"
"Correct. It's a place filled with undead, shrouded by mist all year round. It'll become a battlefield in a few days."
After answering, Gazef took a deep breath and then forcefully exhaled. The fresh air filled his body, and he hoped it would drive out the uneasy feelings he had about Ainz Ooal Gown.
"This is a magnificent view. It was worth becoming the princess' subordinate for this. Is this what magicians who can use the [Fly] spell see all the time? No wonder they have so many weirdoes among them."
"I guess seeing the world like this really changes your perspective, huh."
"As if. Why don't you bring a few nobles up here and see it if works? If they don't change their tune, we'll chuck them off the side of the wall. Two birds with one stone."
Gazef smiled wryly at Brain's joke. If people could be changed that way, he would drag them over in chains if need be.
Climb looked like he did not know how to respond, which made Gazef feel better.
"Haha. Coming here with you guys was the right thing to do. I feel relieved now."
"Well, that's good to hear. Then... why did you call us out here? Are you sure nobody's watching us? Don't tell me you gathered three strapping men together just to look at the scenery? Or is there someone you want dead?"
Brain's sudden surge of aggression perturbed Gazef.
"Well, I guess I won't be able to protect the Princess and it'll be a shame to not be able to train Climb-kun any more... but Gazef, I owe you. I'll do any dirty deed you want with a smile on my face."
Brain was not kidding. The look in his eyes was serious.
"It's nothing like that, Brain. I don't want you to do that sort of thing."
"... You do know I didn't exactly lead a clean and spotless life, right?"
"Indeed, Brain. Your sword was quenched in blood. However, so was mine."
"In your case, it was the blood of the Kingdom's enemies, right? Mine's the result of my own desires, and the blood I've shed is nothing like yours."
"... Are you trying to atone for your sins?"
"No, nothing like that. I've done all sorts of things to beat you. I dedicated my life to it. But even after finding out that the goal I've been working toward is nothing special, I don't feel any guilt for what I've done. But you did me a good turn, and I want to return the favor. That's all there is ― don't think too much about it."
"Then, my request is that you not think of doing such things. Besides, what did you mean by 'kind to you'? Was it when we met again in the Capital?"
Brain's answer was a bitter smile.
"Don't worry about it, I just felt like you helped me out."
"The more you tell me not to worry about it, the more I end up worrying about it..."
In the face of this unyielding refusal, Gazef decided to change the topic.
"Ah, speaking of which, you do know I had no particular reason for bringing you here, right?"
"Eh?"
Climb spoke, but Brain merely raised an eyebrow.
"... I was just thinking that it would be good for the three of us to have a chat while we had some free time, and that this was the only place where I could take my time to talk without worrying about what others would think of me. If we were in the capital, I know a place where we could have a quiet drink too."
"What, so we're really just talking? I thought you had some secret orders for me..."
"No, it's not like that. How shall I put it..."
We could die at any time on the battlefield, and this could be the last time we see each other. Yet, how could he say such inauspicious things?
"Never mind. Oh, that's right, Climb, that armor is a bit distinctive. Wouldn't it be better to paint it a different color? As it is, you might become a priority target on the battlefield."
"I'm sorry, Stronoff-sama, I'm afraid I can't do that."
Climb refused without hesitation.
"When I wear this distinctive armor and achieve excellence on the battlefield, I will bring credit to Princess Renner. In addition, many of the nobles know I wear white armor. If I change its color because I fear danger, they will mock me and it will inconvenience Renner-sama as well. Rather than that, I would prefer to meet my fate bravely on the battlefield, and win approval for her."
As he looked into Climb's eyes, Gazef swallowed the words he wanted to say.
"Princess Renner doesn't want you to die."
"Don't confuse bravery and foolhardiness."
"Endure a little hardship now for a better future."
However, nothing he had come up with was persuasive enough to sway Climb from his course.
It was as Climb said. His armor was like Princess Renner's flag. His heroic actions would improve her standing, and the reverse was true as well.
Climb had been saved by Princess Renner, and in his heart was the notion that "my life belongs to the Princess". Gazef had no way to shake that kind of conviction.
It was the same sort of thing as his loyalty to the King, and therefore―
"I would gladly throw my life away for Princess Renner."
Gazef had no idea how to respond to the youth who had already made up his mind.
"Oi, oi, oi. Why are you talking like you're going to die at any time? Don't worry, Gazef, I'll keep an eye on Climb-kun. I won't let him do anything stupid. No matter what kind of trouble he gets into, I'll pull him out of it."
"If it were only the Four Knights of the Empire, there's no question you'd win, Brain. However... against that man, Ainz Ooal Gown... I fear even you would lose your life."
"... Is Ainz Ooal Gown really that powerful? Ah, I remember you mentioned him before at your place."
After the demonic disturbance, Gazef and Brain had drunk and discussed how their lives had gone ever since the grand tournament. That was how Ainz' name had come up.
"I can confidently say no Imperial knight can beat you. The Four Knights, strong as they are, will be no match for you. Even if the Empire's mightiest magic caster, Fluder Paradyne, took the field, you could probably escape if luck was with you. But against Ainz Ooal Gown... Brain, I'm sorry, but your life will end there."
"That strong, huh. How powerful is he, really?"
"... All I can say, Brain, is that he's beyond your imagination. You can take whatever you imagine after that and multiply that by a few times."
"Well, if he's that strong... I wonder if he could stand against Sebas-sama?"
"Sebas? Is that the old man Climb was speaking of? Although that old gent does seem to be astonishingly powerful, I still feel Gown-dono would be stronger than him."
"I find that hard to believe, personally. I honestly can't imagine anyone could be stronger than Sebas-sama... but more importantly, why do you address an enemy with such respect?"
"He is a worthy enemy. Although, saying that would be troublesome for the King, given the person of whom I speak."
Brain shrugged.
"You've done a great deal for us, Warrior-Captain-sama. Climb-kun, you've done your fair share for the Kingdom. As for me, I'm okay with anything. That air-headed Princess-sama is really too kind for her own good."
Words like those suited Brain well. However, his disrespectful attitude toward the royal family could not be dismissed just like that.
Although the Gazef Stronoff who was a loyal vassal of the King might have knotted his brows in annoyance, the Gazef Stronoff who was a warrior would only grin at the man's boldness.
If someone else were watching, he would have had to scold Brain, but right now, only the three of them were here. That meant that he only needed to be his warrior-self now.
"Although it's true Renner-sama is too carefree... well, enough of that. I'll understand if Climb doesn't want to repaint his armor. Then, please take care of yourselves."
"I'm extremely grateful for the concern everyone has shown me. However, Princess Renner told me before that I would need to work hard to match this suit of armor. So, although I am very sorry I cannot meet your wishes, I will not be changing my mind."
"Is that so? Then I guess that'll do."
The cool wind blew past the three of them. The sky was a brilliant blue, and there was no feeling that a war was about to break out. Against this backdrop, Gazef saw Climb, with a serious look on his face. As he thought about not letting too many people die, his heart was filled with joy and sadness.
As though to wipe these feelings away, Gazef decided to change the topic.
"Speaking of which, what were you two talking about just now?"
Brain and Climb looked at each other, and then Brain spoke for them.
"Well, we had some free time just now, unlike you. So I had Climb follow me around on an errand. There was one more person, Lockmeyer; I had him show us around and take us to the messiah of the capital, that adamantite-ranked adventurer. We heard he was based in this city, so we decided to visit him."
"Oh, Momon-dono, am I correct?"
"Right, right, that's him. I saw him in passing in the capital. I heard them calling him the mightiest warrior ever―"
Here Brain's attitude changed. He was more serious now.
"―So I wanted to discuss some things with him."
"Discuss?"
Gazef repeated the word like a parrot learning to speak. Brain's expression was hard to read.
"About that vampire. Shalltear Bloodfallen."
Shalltear Bloodfallen.
The almighty vampire, who had shattered the spirit of Brain Unglaus, Gazef's rival.
She was a monster that humanity could not defeat, and she had appeared in the Capital.
Brain thought she might have had something to do with Jaldabaoth, but―
"... Speaking of which, did you know that Momon-dono used a very rare magic item to defeat the vampire Honyopenyoko? Apparently, a part of the forest was destroyed by a large explosion, and when Momon-dono returned, his armor was covered with signs of a great battle."
Gazef had heard that much from the Mayor.
"Ah, yes, I've heard of it too. That's why I wanted to speak with him. To begin with, in my opinion, Shalltear Bloodfallen is a being that not even an adamantite-ranked adventurer could beat. And not that I suspect him or anything, but I wanted to ask if he really finished it off. And I was also interested in the vampire Honyopenyoko as well."
"You mean, there might be other vampires like that around?"
"That's right, Climb-kun. From what I've learned, Momon is chasing two vampires. I wanted to confirm if they're Honyopenyoko and Shalltear."
"And then what happened?"
"Well, about that..."
Brain shrugged.
"Unfortunately, he wasn't around. He was out of the city because of a request. I have no idea when he's coming back."
"Well, that is a shame. I didn't have any luck either. I didn't have a chance to speak with Momon-dono. If I had some time, I'd like to talk to him. If nothing else, I'd like to thank him for saving the Capital."
"Is that so? Then... after this war's over, why don't we go together? If we're lucky, we'll be able to meet him. Climb-kun, want to come with us?"
"I would be glad to go with you."
"Alright! I'll have something to look forward to after this. He's an adamantite-ranked warrior. I'll be able to learn a lot, I'll bet."
"Indeed. We'll definitely learn something useful. What kind of enemies he's fought with... I look forward to hearing about his exploits."
"Well, this is a surprise. Gazef, you like this sort of thing?"
"Ah, yes. After all, I am a warrior; it's only natural that I'd be interested... So you'd better come back safe, all right?"
Gazef turned his eyes toward the Katze Plain.
"There's a tavern in the Capital with excellent food. Once this war is over, we'll go there to celebrate. It'll be my treat. Savings are meant for things like that."
"Let's hope we're going there to celebrate victory."
Brain walked up to Gazef's side, and looked in the same direction as him.
"Then, er, erm... could I come too?"
"Climb-kun, do you drink?"
Although the Kingdom's laws did not technically set a legal age for drinking, nobody would sell alcohol to a boy in his teens.
"No, 've never drunk before, so I'm not sure."
"Is that so? Then you should drink a little and see how it's like. There may come a time when you need to drink with others, like now."
"Indeed. It might be good to get drunk and see if you can deal with it."
"I understand. Then, I hope you will let me accompany you."
"Good! Then, the three of us must return safely. Don't throw your life away for nothing!"
After Gazef finished, Brain and Climb nodded to him.
Part 4
A crimson expanse spread before the eyes. It was a barren wasteland, devoid of almost all greenery. Those who waxed poetic called this land of death a field of blood..
It was the Katze Plains ― a place where the undead and other monsters wandered, feared as a dangerous place by all.
The most fearsome thing was the thin mist that shrouded its monsters no matter the time of the day. This fog produced weak undead reactions.
By itself, the mist did nothing to living creatures. It did not drain life energy, nor did it inflict damage. However, because the mist registered as an undead creature to spells, it negated attempts to detect undead beings, and as a result many adventurers had been ambushed by undead while inside it.
However, that mist was absent now. Visibility was excellent and one could see a long way. It was as though the land was welcoming the combatants of the upcoming war onto itself as future undead.
The undead had dispersed with the fog, and none of them could be seen. A silent, lifeless stretch of land spread before them.
Collapsed towers, built hundreds of years ago, jutted out from the earth like scattered tombstones. Of course, none of them was intact.
The towers were originally six floors high, but everything above the third floor had collapsed, and the debris was everywhere. Less than half of the thick walls were left. The cause was not so much weathering by time and the wind as battles between monsters.
Scenes like these existed right next to normal grass-covered plains, sharply demarcated by an invisible line. This was why the Katze Plains was called a cursed land.
***
The sun shone on the land which had not seen its light for nearly a year. As though to look down on this unhallowed land, a vast structure loomed high over it from the other side of the boundary ― the world of the living.
It was built with huge logs that were nowhere to be found on the surrounding plains, with sturdy walls that seemed to deny passage to everything in its vicinity. It was ringed by a shallow ditch that was nevertheless carefully excavated and filled with sharpened stakes. This was to ward against unintelligent undead.
On the other side of the ditch flew countless flags. Of these, the most numerous were the Empire's flags ― bearing the insignia of the Baharuth Empire.
That was only to be expected. After all, this building, this castrum, was the Imperial Army's Katze Plain garrison base.
The Empire had mobilized 60'000 knights for this operation. The garrison could house all of them, which itself spoke volumes about the base's size. And this formidable castrum, as mighty as a fortress, was built on a piece of easily defended terrain.
It was built on top of a hill. This hill was not native to the Katze Plains, but built up entirely through magical landscaping.
Even the Baharuth Empire, which had adopted a national strategy of increasing the number of their magic casters, could not complete work like this in a short time. This structure had been built over a period of several years.
Originally, this place was intended to be the starting point of invasions targeting E-Rantel. That was to say, this massive castrum had been built with the intention of withstanding an extended siege by the Kingdom's hundreds of thousands of troops.
The Kingdom had no answer to the creation of this castrum, simply because they had no spare manpower or resources to attack the garrison.
Although they would unite when the Empire invaded their own country, when it came to launching an invasion, they had to discuss things with fellow members of their faction. In addition, deciding who would foot the bill for declaring war despite none of their land being at stake was also an issue.
In the end, none of the nobles would bother unless they were in the line of fire.
Three Hippogriffs flew in the skies above that massive castrum. They began with a wide aerial orbit, followed by a slow descent. Any knight would know that this was the ceremonial descent of the Royal Air Guard ― troops under the Emperor's direct command ― which meant that an emissary of the Empire was about to land.
On the surface, there were around 10 mounted knights in a circular formation, each raising the Imperial flag. This was a return salute from the ground ― the ceremony for welcoming an Imperial emissary. The griffins landed in the center of the circle, and the accuracy of the landing was a test of the riders' skills, but all three passed with flying colors, which showed the excellence of their ability.
After landing, the Imperial emissaries mounted on the Hippogriffs revealed themselves. Although these knights were given the honor of carrying out ceremonial duties, they were so surprised that the flags they were holding wavered.
The reason for their brief panic was the man who was dressed in a manner completely unlike the other two people accompanying him.
Once he removed his helmet and revealed his handsome features, everyone immediately knew who he was.
The wind lightly tossed his blond hair, and his eyes were as blue as the sea. His mouth, which suggested an iron will, was tightly shut. He was the picture of the perfect knight.
There was no knight who did not know who this man was.
More importantly, there was nobody who did not know about the full plate armor he wore. It was made of the rare metal adamantite, and further enchanted with powerful magic. There were only a few suits of armor like this in the Empire.
The wearer of this armor was one of the highest-ranking knights in the Empire.
He was one of the Empire's Four Knights, "Violent Gale" Nimble Ark Dale Anock.
In a strident voice that matched the image he projected, Nimble addressed one of the knights.
"I seek your supreme commander, General Kabein of the Second Legion. Do you know where he is?"
"Sir! General Kabein is in a meeting now to plan the offensive against the Kingdom in a few days' time! I will have you escorted to the General's praetorium, Anock-sama!"
"I see. Then... has Sorcerer King Gown-dono arrived here as well?"
"Sir! No sir! The Sorcerer King-dono has not been sighted here."
"Understood."
Nimble sighed in relief at the fact that the General had been informed ahead of time and that he had arrived before him.
"Then, may I ask you to lead the way? I also have another favor to ask of you."
Nimble slowly closed his hands around something concealed in a breast pocket.
♦ ♦ ♦
The knights brought Nimble to a luxurious tent, where he waited for almost an hour, until the owner of the tent returned in the company of numerous guards.
He was an oldman whose hair was pure white, and he had a dignified air about him.
Although he was armored like all the other knights, he gave off a completely different impression from them. One could say that he looked like a noble, rather than a soldier.
"Welcome, Nimble."
The broad smile on his face made him seem even more like a noble than a knight. His voice was calm, far too out of place on a grim place like the battlefield.
Nimble responded in the approved ceremonial fashion.
Natel Inyem Dale Kabein.
He was a noble who had been overshadowed by others, but the previous Emperor had recognized him for his talents and placed him in command of the Second Legion. Although he was not possessed of martial valor as a person, he was famed for his ability to command, with rumors saying that he had never lost a battle. With him in command, the Second Legion enjoyed very high morale.
In fact, the knights accompanying Kabein were unable to hide their respect for him in every move they made.
"I do not know how to begin thanking the general-kakka, who came all this way to see me even though he is the supreme commander of this expedition."
The Imperial Army was divided into eight legions, and every legion's commanding officer was bestowed the title of "general". The general of the First Legion was known as the Field Marshal, and he was the commander-in-chief of the entire Imperial Army.
If the First Legion ― if the Field Marshal was not present, the general of the next legion would assume his position as the overall commanding officer. That was to say, General Kabein of the Second Legion was in command of the entire Imperial Army.
"No, no, Nimble. Dispense with the formalities. You're here on his Imperial Majesty's orders, right? You're not under my command. You need only speak to me as an equal."
Even as he said that, Nimble smiled bitterly.
The Imperial Army was loyal first to the Emperor, and then the generals.
The Empire's Four Knights, its strongest fighters, would often be tasked with carrying out the Emperor's will. In terms of authority, they would be considered equal to a general. However, in terms of age, experience and prestige, none of them were equal to Kabein. It was very difficult for him to treat Kabein as merely an equal unless an outsider were present.
Kabein smiled, as though he relished the disquiet on Nimble's face.
"It itches at me that one of the Four Knights, the Empire's mightiest warriors, should be so stiff and formal around an old man like myself. How about just dispensing with the honorifics?"
"Understood, General Kabein."
General Kabein nodded, as though to indicate his approval.
"Although, you picked a good time to come. The mist has dispersed, as though welcoming you."
"General Kabein, I think the welcome is not for me, but for the tragedy that is about to unfold. I shudder to imagine what will happen."
"A tragedy, hm... Well, then, Nimble. Can you tell me what this war is meant to accomplish? Until now, our strategic objective has been to exhaust the Kingdom, but this time round, it's different. Our current objective is to take E-Rantel by diplomatic means, and for that we will need to comprehensively defeat the Kingdom in battle."
Kabein's eyes hardened as he said this.
"... We face the largest army the Kingdom has ever mustered in recorded history. Although our knights are more than a match for any of the conscripts the Kingdom can field, quantity is a quality of its own. An open field battle will result in many casualties. And all of this is for the purpose of seizing E-Rantel, which we will then immediately hand over to this Sorcerer King fellow. What is his Imperial Majesty thinking?"
"Before I answer this question, I hope you will send away everyone present."
The old general opened his mouth as if to speak, then nodded his head instead.
"All of you are dismissed."
Kabein's advisors bowed as they retreated.
"Thank you very much."
"Wasting time would be foolish. Now, can you tell me why?"
"Yes. I was originally dispatched to inform the Field Marshal of the objective of this war."
Nimble shifted himself in his seat.
"The objective of this war is to build good relations with the Sorcerer King, Ainz Ooal Gown. As such, we are to obtain E-Rantel by any cost in lives, and then relinquish it at no cost to Ainz Ooal Gown, in order to strengthen the ties with both sides."
"If the knights who maintain order in the Empire are depleted, the Empire will be in danger. Is the Sorcerer King really worth all that?"
"Yes."
Kabein folded his arms and closed his eyes. That was only for a brief period.
"I understand. If this is his Imperial Majesty's desire, then I shall carry it out."
"You have my utmost gratitude."
"There is no need for gratitude... though we will have to work hard to meet with the Sorcerer King's approval."
"About that, I have a request, " Nimble said.
This was his main aim for coming here.
"We have asked the Sorcerer King to cast a spell to begin the attack. I would ask you delay the knights' charge until after that spell."
"And what does that mean? Are we not supposed to buy the Sorcerer King's sympathy with our blood?"
"Indeed, that is the idea. However, we also intend to investigate the power of the Sorcerer King. As such, we intend to have the Sorcerer King use the most powerful spell he is capable of. His Imperial Majesty has asked for this in order to see what manner of magic that might be."
"... So, the Sorcerer King... he is an enemy?"
"You seem to understand. The Sorcerer King ―Ainz Ooal Gown― is an enemy of the Empire."
"I see. Then I will have the knights charge the breach created by the Sorcerer King's spell in order to widen it. But what kind of spell will that be? I hope it's not a simple [Fireball]?"
"We do not know, so we must find out what he is capable of. However, we can probably assume it is more powerful than Paradyne-sama's attack magic."
Kabein's eyes widened, but that was only for a moment.
"I see, I see. Although I find it hard to believe anyone could be more powerful than that mighty magic caster, I can see why his Imperial Majesty would want to build good relations with him if he really possesses that sort of power."
Nimble remained silent.
"Slaying hundreds in a single stroke would be a mighty blow. It would be a good chance for a penetrating charge. With that kind of power at our side, we would take fewer losses."
If only that were all, Nimble thought.
After speaking with his fellow members of the Four Knights, "Heavy Explosion" and "Lightning Bolt", he realised that Ainz' power surpassed mortal imagination. He might be able to use a spell that slew thousands, perhaps tens of thousands if they were densely packed. Of course, he ahd his doubts, but there was a high chance that it was true if both of them concurred.
Just as Kabein said, the deaths of the knights which policed the Empire would be a huge loss.
While it would be a joyous occasion if Ainz, their latent enemy, turned out to be toothless, just this once, he wanted to believe what his comrades had said.
"Ah, General. There's another thing I want to ask you. The Sorcerer King will be bringing his troops to the front. I hope you will allow them to accompany you to the battlefield."
"Hoh. And how many thousand men does he have?"
"About that―"
"Forgive me for interrupting your conversation, Kabein-kakka, Nimble-kakka!"
A great cry rose from the knight outside the tent.
Kabein looked apologetically to Nimble, before speaking to the man outside.
"You may enter."
The man who came in was a highly-ranked knight.
"What's going on? Is it an emergency?"
"Sir! A carriage flying the flag of the Sorcerer King has arrived at the main gate. They request entry. Do we have permission to let them in?"
The knight's eyes turned to Nimble. Kabein looked at him as well. On his part, Nimble nodded.
"... Understood, let them through."
"Sir! Then... do we need to inspect the carriage?"
Nobody could enter the castrum without being cleared by the sentries. The normal procedure was to use magic to check the personnel in question, to ensure they were not intruders disguised by illusions.
If this were the Kingdom, they would not have used magic for inspections. The reason why it was used here was because magic and magical technology was a cornerstone of the Empire's might. They were aware of the terrifying power of magic, and were thus vigilant against its use.
This was especially true for a huge military base like this which employed the latest magical technology. Such technologies were the pillar which shored up their future, and if they were leaked, it might cause great harm to the Empire. Were Emperor Jircniv to show up in person, he would still be closely scrutinized by the guards.
As a result, even if the visitors were from an allied country ― no, precisely because they were from an allied country, they would be subject to inspection.
However, there were situations where such things would not be allowed.
Kabein glanced to Nimble again.
Weighed down by the oppressive atmosphere and the power of the item in his breast pocket, Nimble could only smile bitterly in response.
"General Kabein, I tender my sincerest apologies. They are extremely important guests to the Empire. This is a special accommodationg and an exception among exceptions. Please permit them to enter as they are."
Kabein's face, which had borne a warm smile until recently, froze into an emotionless mask.
That was because he knew that Nimble had given an order to the knight over his own head.
However kind a man was, he would not be happy if his own people were given orders by someone else.
Nimble understood the reason for Kabein's aggravation, but that was an order he had to give.
Otherwise―
While Nimble was hesitating about whether to reveal the item he was concealing in his breast pocket, General Kabein spoke up.
"If it is the Emperor's command, then we must obey. After all, the Empire and all within it are under the command of his Imperial Majesty."
"I am very glad you understand, General."
The object Nimble carried was an imperial decree. It was written on parchment, and said that the bearer was empowered to act with the full authority of the Emperor. Its remit extended to everyone involved within this war. Within this war, Nimble would outrank Kabein, and he would even be able to relieve him of command if needed.
For a moment, Nimble was relieved because he would not have to ruin the relationship between an elder officer that he respected. Then he tensed up again, because now was not the time to relax.
"Then, shall we go meet this Sorcerer King? After all he has received much favor from his Imperial Majesty, so surely he must be a man who can rival that great hero."
Personally, Nimble did not wish to go.
After speaking to the other Four Knights ―no, there were only three now, including himself― and remembering what they had said to him, Nimble's expression turned bitter. However, he had no choice but to follow the General.
"Of course, General Kabein. Do allow me to walk with you."
***
A magnificent carriage advanced outside the castrum, following behind mounted outriders. What made onlookers gasp was the fact that the carriage had no driver, and that the horse which pulled it was bigger than an ordinary horse. It was not a Sleipnir, but a magical beast which looked like a scaled horse.
Nimble addressed the surrounding knights and Kabein.
"Please present arms to our guest."
(TL Note: Highest form of military salutation, reserved for senior officers and high ranking dignitaries. )
What? Nimble could imagine that was what all the soldiers and Kabein were thinking, given the expressions on their faces.
Protocol dictated that one should present arms to the heads of state of allied powers.
However, that protocol did not exist in military installations. That was because foreign dignitaries would not normally come to a military base.
Even within human nations, there would be squabbles and infighting. Nobody would be that open-minded.
Presenting arms to an outsider was something which should be done in a safe, open place, and not in a military installation. That was what the soldiers present must have been thinking.
In addition, there was one more thing.
One would almost never present arms on the battlefield.
This is because soldiers might think that the person to whom their commanding officer was presenting their arms to was superior even to him. That was one of the unspoken rules of the battlefield.
As one of the Four Knights, Nimble understood their feelings perfectly. However―
"Gentlemen, please present your arms."
Nimble repeated himself in a voice which was underpinned by steel.
After that, he heard Kabein sigh.
"You heard him, didn't you? Present arms as the Sorcerer King approaches."
Kabein's orders calmed the disquieted soldiers. If it was an order, then all they had to do was follow. There was no need to think too much about it.
Nimble shot a thankful look at Kabein, but as he did, he noticed a mocking look on Kabein's face. It seemed to say it might be hard on you, but it's even harder on me.
The carriage stopped before them.
Nimble and the others gasped, for more than one reason.
The first was because the carriage itself was breathtakingly beautiful. Its base color was a black that seemed to have been cut from the night sky itself, and the entire chassis was covered in elaborate ornamentation. Said decorations had the subdued radiance of brass, while the leather was a copper color, giving the whole an air of elegance and classiness. Although the embellishments might have been a little overdone, it did not reach the point of tackiness. Instead, it resembled nothing so much as a giant treasure box.
Nimble had ridden the Emperor's personal carriage on occasion, and he was of the firm opinion that the one before him was superior to it.
The other reason why he gasped was because of the beast pulling the carriage. It was most definitely not a horse. The creature gurgled softly, a liquid "gurururu" sound, and its sharp teeth could be seen in the slight opening of its mouth. Its entire body was covered in scales that seemed to belong to a reptile, and underneath those scales were prominent, rippling bands of muscle.
It was like a horse-shaped avatar of brutality and violence.
Everyone around it was filled with an acute sense of alarm. Nimble himself was starting to hyperventilate, and sweat broke out on his back and palms. The beast was that terrifying.
Amidst the storm of panicked breaths, the carriage's door opened.
A dark elf girl alighted.
All thinking ground to a halt.
Nobody could speak. Their eyes were drawn irresistibly to her.
The girl holding her twisted black staff was adorable. When she grew up, she would surely break many hearts. Her beauty would be such that men would do anything for her. Even her demure expression was like a flower blossoming under the moonlight.
However, the things on her hands were utterly incongruous with the image she projected.
They were gauntlets.
The left gauntlet was an evil-looking thing that resembled the hand of some demonic lifeform. It seemed to be made out of some sort of ominous black metal which was covered in twisted thorns. Its fingertips were sharpened into points, and the dirty radiance surrounding it seemed vaguely metallic, but resembled some sort of strange secretion. Just a single look filled all who saw it with a distasteful feeling, like their very souls were rejecting it.
In contrast, the right gauntlet looked like the pure, immaculate hand of a maiden. It was white in color and its slender proportions were covered in elaborate gold embroidery, which further emphasized its exquisite beauty. It drew the eye like bees to honey, and just like seeing a world-class beauty, the onlookers felt like they might lose their souls to it.
"A-Ah, Ainz-sama. I think we've arrived."
"Have we now. Thank you, Mare."
With that, another figure revealed itself.
In that moment, the air suddenly turned stagnant.
The bodies of every man present was suddenly covered in goosebumps. This was not killing intent, but a feeling that was harder to describe.
Ainz Ooal Gown was dressed in the trappings that one would associate with an arcane magic caster. To begin with, he wore a jet-black robe, and on top of that, another black cloak, which was doubly curious. In addition, he bore a staff which was lavishly decorated, but not to the point of being overly ostentatious. Around his neck was a silver necklace set with a gemstone. And on his face was a strange mask.
"We bid you and your entourage welcome, your Majesty, Sorcerer-King Ainz Ooal Gown."
Nimble lowered his head. However, he did not hear anyone else following suit.
Despite knowing it was very rude, he had to turn behind to look. The general and knights behind him were frozen in place.
They had been overwhelmed by the Sorcerer-King's presence and could not move.
He could understand that. However, if this went on, it wouldn't turn out well.
In the end, it was the general who delivered the solution to Nimble's predicament.
"Legion!"
The roar belonged to Kabein. It was a crisp, bracing command that did not seem to suit a noble like himself, but which perfectly fitted his rank as a general.
"A salute! To his Majesty, the Sorcerer King!"
"Sir!"
The knights chorused their reply, and as one, they presented their arms to Ainz.
"I thank you for your welcome, you knights who are the pride of the Empire."
It was a thoroughly mundane response, which made it that much more frightening. It felt strangely out of palce, like something monstrous was trying its best to act like a human being. Having heard of the face underneath the mask, Nimble experienced that sensation even more acutely than the others.
"Please raise your heads."
The first time he said it, nobody responded.
"Can you not raise your heads?"
After the second time, they complied. After all, waiting until the third time was an honor only granted to one's own ruler.
"Your Majesty, please forgive those who did not immediately raise their heads."
A quick glance across the knights revealed that their lips were white and their faces were pale.
"They were so excited to see your Majesty that they forgot themselves."
"No, I should be the one to apologize. I was excited because we would be heading to the battlefield. I hope you understand that I hold none of you at fault."
Ainz cast off the black cape on his shoulders. The jet-black fabric flapped like a raven's wings as it spread open. In that moment, the cold, oppressive air that surrounded him vanished like it had never been.
All that was left was an ordinary human being, with the presence of an ordinary human being.
It was frightening.
That was the emotion Nimble felt most keenly now.
He had heard of Ainz' monstrous nature from his comrades. Even so, the man standing in front of him seemed too ordinary, which only deepened his fear. He felt like a large predator was slowly drawing close to him.
The knights, who knew nothing, were probably beginning to sense the oddity of the situation. The air filled with a growing disquiet. Kabein seemed to understand. He did not use his mind, but his heart and soul. Through them, he knew what sort of attitude he should hold toward the person in front of him.
"Please allow me, Nimble Ark Dale Anock, to lead you to your quarters."
"Is that so. Then, I am in your care. Do alow me to apologize for any inconvenience I am causing you."
"Understood. Then, this is the commander-in-chief of this expedition, General Kabein."
"I am Kabein, your Majesty, Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown. If you are inconvenienced by anything in this garrison, please inform me and we will immediately rectify it. Please, take your pick of the knights here to be your followers..."
"There is no need for that. I have a subordinate here."
He gestured to the dark elf girl.
"And I will provide for myself in case of any insufficiency."
Kabein froze.
The true intention behind Kabein's offer was to assign minders to Ainz in order to keep him from doing anything strange in the base.
Yet, the answer had been a flat denial, an answer only the powerful could give.
However, given Kabein's circumstances, he could not allow this sort of thing to happen. At this rate, they would never come to a consensus.
Although Nimble obviously understood Kabein's feelings, he could not leave this matter be.
"Is that so... then, Sorcerer King-kakka, please feel free to inform us if you require anything at all. General Kabein, I hope you will allow me to handle things from here."
"―Understood."
"Ah... there's something I forgot to mention."
"Is something the matter, Sorcerer King-kakka?"
"I believe that I am to open this battle with a spell. In that moment, I would like to have my troops participate in the battle as well. I hope you will permit this."
"We could ask for nothing more."
Since it had already been discussed, Kabein promptly acquiesced.
Yet, he wrinkled his brow in puzzlement.
"... However, the battle will commence in several days, perhaps as early as tomorrow. From whence shall your forces arrive, your Majesty? We cannot wait too long..."
"That will not be a problem. They are already nearby."
The answer raised doubts in Nimble's heart. Looking at the sky, there did not seem to be any airborne troops approaching.
Kabein must have had the same suspicions as him. Naturally, the garrison was surrounded by an extensive security net. The approach of anyone apart from Imperial troops would be immediately reported to general-ranked personnel. Could it be that a report had been lost?
Nimble looked around, but it did not seem like anyone present knew anything about it.
"My apologies. No, saying they're nearby would not be accurate. Well, I just wanted to say they can arrive immediately."
"I see..." Kabein did not seem able to accept that, but he continued to ask, "How many troops will be coming?"
"Around five hundred."
"Five hundred..."
Although Kabein hid his reaction masterfully, Nimble could not conceal his own disappointment.
In order to demonstrate their loyalty to Ainz, the Empire had to shed oceans of its peoples' blood. As such, Ainz' unit would probably not be used at all, so putting them into the Imperial Army's formation would be fine.
"General, will there be a problem integrating the Sorcerer King-kakka's unit with our formation?"
"If it's just five hundred, then we won't even have to rearrange our formation. As for the Sorcerer-King's honor guard, perhaps we should leave that duty to his subordinate."
He was hinting, "Don't be so eager to rush into the fray." The Imperial army would have to go in first and take losses in order to prove their sincerity to Ainz, so letting Ainz' unit do too much would be troublesome.
Ainz seemed pleased nodded in acceptance of Nimble's suggestion. A great weight lifted quietly from Nimble's heart, but when he thought about it calmly, it did not seem logical at all. What could a mere five hundred troops do? In all likelihood they were merely a guard of honor.
However, what happened next far exceeded Nimble's predictions.
Ainz seemed to have cast some sort of spell and was speaking into thin air.
"Can you hear me― Shalltear? Open a [Gate] to my position and then send the troops over."
The eyes under Ainz's mask seemed to move.
"Now then, General, I have summoned my unit."
As he finished saying that, a commotion rippled through the onlookers.
A black, hemispherical object appeared behind Ainz' back.
Nimble remembered something about a [Gate] being mentioned earlier.
The gate opened, and what came forth was―
The world went silent.
A strange absence of sound filled the surroundings. The proverbial sound of silence rang forth.
The five hundred troops revealed their forms. Compared to the 60'000-strong Imperial army, they seemed so few as to be sad. However, nobody could look down on these five hundred soldiers.
The bizarre forces before them made that abundantly clear.
"These are my troops."
Ainz merrily introduced his men to the speechless spectators.
| ← Ch. 084 | Ch. 086 → |