Written by oblivon2991
proofreaders: aGuestfromGreece45
Thank you for reading my fanfic and giving me a chance.
My mother language is not English, so please be patient about the grammatical issues.
I don't own the Overlord(オーバーロードŌbārōdo?) novel or anime series created by Kugane Maruyama.
I would like to thank the excellent job that the Skythewood translator team has done with the light novel translation.
Without their hard and persistent work, I surely couldn't write this story.
Please review it. I know I will make mistakes and I intend to correct them, as well as try to learn from them and improve myself.
Thank you!
Now let's continue our little story!
Chapter 21: Bloody Dawn Looming Over the Horizon (Part2)
Facing each other, the two girls' eyes met.
Apathetic, disgust-filled onyx orbs stared ceaseless the girl before her. In return, two slit, cat-like oculars — coloured amber and blue — fluttered annoyed.
The girl with the fox ears audibly growled in annoyance. Her ears were twitching uncontrollably. She really hated how this dona stared at her.
It had been for a long time since Nabe was watching her. Motionless, not even blinking. Squinting her eyes, like a person who wanted to kill you. This certainly irked Elysia.
Narberal may have been beautiful – even according to Elysia's standards; unfortunately, the maid's appearance did not mirror her attitude. She was rude, scornful, swell-headed, and aggressive. Traits the kitsune girl hated the most.
Since Momon and Raidyn, or more like "Momonga" and "Esdeath" left — "Seriously, she stole that name from that manga… how uncreative." — The two girls sat in the room. Every time Elysia offered the chance to chat and know each other better; the maid refused to speak. Glaring at her, like she was an enemy.
"Please stop that…" her eyes twitched, she couldn't bear it anymore.
"What? Worm (shore fly)," replied the maid scornfully.
"I have a name, you know? It is E-l-y-s-i-a," she spelt her name letter by letter.
"Worms are worms. No matter the shape," the maid in disguise raised her nose prideful. "Consider yourself lucky the Supreme Beings tolerate your presence and provide you protection. If you ask me, slugs like you don't deserve their eternal benevolence. If it were to me, I would have given you to Entoma a long time ago. I still find it strange why Esdeath-sama tolerates you."
"Hmm… I don't think that Entoma person would enjoy me. I may spoil his/her stomach. I am quite toxic, you know?"
"She eats toxic things on a daily base. Much more toxic than you, a mere caterpillar."
"You know a lot of bugs. Does that mean it is your hobby? Ice Princess." Elysia flashed a mocking smirk. "Pretty strange if you ask me… girls like you usually like different things," the kitsune pointed out, and it seemed her allusion hit its mark. "Or, is there an old hag that hides behind that mask of yours, feeding on such things as a hobby? How shameful…"
"You miserable cretin!" Clicking her tongue, Nabe was on to behead her opposition with a single strike. Or, fry her with a well-aimed lighting strike. Smelling a cooked "cockroach" always felt good. "How dare you…!"
"I can only give you as much respect as you give me. No more, no less." Elysia crossed her arms, looking down on Nabe. "If you act as a brutish primitive, like you do now, I will, too, act as one. Remember that. No matter what, I will not let such an attitude slip."
For a moment, Nabe's expression froze. Her face turned apathetic. She boiled. How dare such a fly, such a lower lifeform speak to her like that!? She, one of the battle maids of Nazarick treated that way!? Unacceptable! Treason! If she let such thing slip, her sisters, no, the whole Nazarick would laugh at her like livestock! Worse, the Supreme Beings would lose their faith in her, a fate worse than one thousand years in the Black Capsule. Worse than a thousand deaths!
But, in the next moment, as she found the right solution, the mask of malice slid back onto her face.
"What is that expression?" Elysia needed to ask; she did not like that expression at all.
"Nothing. Bagworms would never understand it."
"Huh… whatever…" Looking out from the open window, it was already close to noon.
Raidyn and Momon had left a few hours ago. She really hoped everything was fine with them. Or at least with Raidyn. Under their time spent together, she was nice enough to consider her decent. Albeit, Elysia still hadn't forgiven her lies. The fact she had lied about who she really was. Even if she did imply Raidyn was not her real name.
"…"
Elysia knew not that skeleton guy — in the disguise of a black knight. "Seriously? A black knight? What a cliché." She just snorted, finding the whole black knight role too obvious. And honestly, he did not seem that trustworthy.
Kidnapping her using that butler? Organizing a raid and planning to kill Raidyn and her when they were the most vulnerable — by holding her captive? That was everything but not honourable or heroic. Some may say dirty, an act only villains would resort to. "He really is a dick…" The two of them spoke less than needed, as Raidyn and Momon spent most of the time explaining the happenings back in the guild, and smoothing out the matter with the guild receptionist. "I really need to speak to Raidyn about this; I don't trust that "Momon" guy."
They had left so fast, the only thing that skeleton guy managed to say was that there was trouble, and they needed to return to some kind of "Nazarick" immediately.
She wanted to go with them of course, but as Raidyn had asked her nicely to remain here and watch for suspicious signs, hearing her words and seeing her worried face, she couldn't help but oblige.
She really hoped that Momon was not really that bad as she thought he was — first impressions were crucial. The basic of every relationship. Albeit, they could be really delusory. "Raidyn" had definitely earned a few negative karma points with her constant lying. Elysia was aware; it was for her own safety. Still, it hurt when someone did not trust you this much.
"So, Narberal…" she started, "a need to know more" feeling arose in her mind. Maybe this "maid" — as she had introduced herself under the previous night — could blab out a few exciting things. Unintentionally if possible. Anything was better than sitting in the dark.
"Yes? What do you want, you slug?"
"So, what is this Nazarick and "Supreme Beings" you praise that much. Huh… I've never heard about them."
"Then you are just as stupid as you look," Nabe snarled, but Elysia did not even care about it. She expected such an answer to leave the maid's speaker.
"Well, excuse me if I don't know about a place that I've never heard about. You too would be clueless about places you had never visited before."
"Tch… A ridiculous statement!" Her tongue clicked so hard; it almost echoed in the humble room. "I! Who was handcrafted by the Supreme Beings! The great rulers of the Great Tomb of Nazarick! Don't dare to compare yourself to me! Disgusting worm!"
"Well, that's progress…" Elysia smiled calmly, drinking alcohol from her flask, the alcohol her "partner" had left behind and shared with her.
After the events that had happened last night, she was shaking violently. She was angry; she was scared. She had even shouted at Raidyn; she may have had gone a bit too far berating her.
Under her storm of shouts, she also recognized that Ainz stepped back one step. The radiating intent in Nabe's and that dark elf's eyes— if she remembered correctly, her name was Aura —to attack her was evident like the sunshine. The same dark elf who hauntingly resembled Raidyn, like they were relatives.
Only after utilizing some kind of skill to calm her down and giving her some alcohol she managed to be satiated. Even now, her hands shook slightly. Both because of her disturbed state, and the lingering memories that haunted her mind.
Watching Nabe, what she had said was only a small amount of progress, but at least Elysia had managed to make her spout some truth. "So, she is artificially created. Or at least thinks that way. Good to know…"
"And this Nazarick?"
"Hmph!" The maid raised her chin huffish, filled with pride. "The divine residence of the Forty One Supreme Beings — where Ainz-sama gathered his companions, to conquer the nine realms — as it is their domain. From there, they rule over us, humble creations of theirs."
"Nine Realms? Is she talking about the nine worlds the game contained?" Elysia listened carefully, thinking all of it through.
"So, they created you."
"Not only me, fly (bagworm), but everyone in Nazarick. They are our creators. They are our…"
"Gods?" Elysia guessed, and she almost hit the nail.
Nabe just smiled dreadfully, a sly smile curling on her face. "Almost, slug. They are beyond gods. The Supreme Beings hunt gods for fun. They are nothing more than a game of hunt for them."
"Bingo! Her pride can be easily manipulated." It was only a small smile; Nabe might have even mistaken it with a smile of embarrassment. But it was a great progress in Elysia's book.
"Then, answer me this. You bowed before Raidyn. Or rather, you call her Esdeath? Is she part of this band of Forty One?"
"Hmph! Of course, she is!"
"Then, where are the remaining thirty-nine?"
Nabe remained silent, biting her tongue hard. Only after a long, agonizing moment she answered. "They left to seek other things. With time, they will return. At least, Ainz-sama said so."
"And you believed what he said?" the kitsune asked with a raised brow, shaking her head. "You give him too much credit, not even questioning his reason. Only robots, or mindless puppets do that."
Narberal struggled to remain calm, but in the end, lost her cool. Like a flash, she jumped up and grabbed Elysia's neck, raising her high.
"Miserable bacteria!"
Although she was a magic caster, it seemed her frail arm held Elysia's struggling form firmly, not even budging as the desperate girl tried to free herself.
"Put me down…!" she gasped, hitting Nabe's arm with all her struggling strength.
"You went too far this time, slug…" she spat. "Ainz and Esdeath-sama may be generous to tolerate your treachery, but I am not so much…" Her grip is ever closing around Elysia's neck, slowly, just to cause pain. Torturing her, giving her a glimpse of hope, only to take it away in the end.
Fear filled Elysia's eyes; there was no way back, she would die now. She had stretched the string too far.
"You will die just like a stout dog." Her malicious expression returned. "Fried bugs always smell nice." Electricity gathered in Nabe's fingers as she raised her arm, aiming at the kitsune's forehead. "Slowly, I only use the minimum voltage, frying your brain. Your pain will be legendary."
"What will your masters say if you kill me? They gave you the order to look out for me." gaping, trying to breathe, the capillaries in her eyes bulged in desperation.
"Hmm… Accidents happen…" Nabe spat back casually, not even caring, the light at the end of her fingers intensifying.
Elysia was desperate, struggling, trying to come up with something that could save her hide. Then, the realization dawned on her. "What do you think…" she gasped, the crushing hand hugging her neck roughly, making her barely able to breathe. "What would your masters think if the person you intended to protect died…?"
Her eyes widened, immediately releasing Elysia from her firm grasp, who fell to the ground right away. 'A cough—cough!' She had to massage her neck. She had almost fainted. The traces of the rough treatment clearly visible on her throat.
"Grrrr…"
Looking up at Nabe, a threatening growl left her throat. The maid just scoffed, dusting her delicate hands. "This time, you can live — bagworm. But one more berating word…" her gaze turned towards the shadows, then back to the girl. "Let's just say, accidents happen out there. In any case, I will notify Ainz and Esdeath-sama about your behaviour, and your treacherous act against them."
"Tch… Do as you wish. Raidyn-san offered me protection in exchange for the hardships she caused to me."
"Hardships… Tch. You should be glad she graced your miserable self with her divine presence. Things like you should just die in a dark corner being in one space with them."
"!"
'knock-knock-knock!'
Elysia had just opened her mouth to fight back, but her words were halted by the sudden knocking sound coming from the direction of the wooden door.
The girl immediately pulled on her hood, as not everyone was aware of her racial "heritage", and someone could mix her with a simple beastman.
Nabe just ignored her, stepping on the door, opening before the second series of knock had been resounded.
"Oh! It is you, Nabe-dono." Before the door, a simple-looking, young man stood, bearing an iron medallion around his neck, and sporting simple leather gear and simple iron daggers.
"What do you want?" Nabe asked coldly, disturbing the already flustered guy who had spaced out seeing Nabe's exotic beauty. "Speak, I don't have all day," she repeated herself, as the messenger still spaced out, staring her and almost drooling.
"Ah, yes! Ainzach-dono convened the highest ranked adventurer teams of the town. It is an emergency situation. The guild master requested Momon-dono and…" Just now, he spotted Elysia's covered form sitting on the bed, and seeing her he couldn't help but feel excited, only able to continue after a long gulp. "… Raidyn-dono's presence. Of course, their team members are also invited."
Naturally, at first, he did not recognize her. Only after watching her a few moments the boy managed to acknowledge the sweet lower face of Elysia.
The face he had seen when Raidyn and Elysia returned from their heroic demon hunt. Since then, he couldn't get the kitsune's face out of his head. And every time he thought of her, a strange kind of warmness filled his heart. "She is beautiful…"
"What happened?" asked Nabe suddenly, disturbing the boy's daydreaming.
"Ah…" the boy hesitated, looking away embarrassed. "Please forgive me. I only received the task to search for you and give you the summon. At once, Ainzach-dono, Rakheshir-dono and the Major of the town, Panasolei Gruze Day Rettenmaier-sama are waiting for them eagerly."
"We will pass the information. Now, leave," Nabe waved him away coldly.
"Ah! At once! Please forgive me!" Bowing, the boy ran away. The last thing that left his vision was Elysia waving gently and saying, "Bye." Her voice was just as sweet as he had imagined. No, even cuter! He would treasure this moment forever!
Closing the door, Nabe's face was like an ice queen, displaying no emotion.
"Well, what now?"
"I will notify the Supreme Beings. You need not do anything." Thus, she did so, activating the [Message] spell.
"By the way, I need a new dagger. Is it possible to buy a new one while Raidyn and Momon are at that meeting? I suspect not all of us need to participate."
"Shut your mouth! I commune with Ainz-sama right now!"
"Asshat…" Elysia mumbled flat-faced.
Narberal ignored her, continuing her communication with Ainz.
Scene Change: Adventurer's guild:
Their way led up on the creaking stairs of the Adventurer's guild. Momon the Black, and Raidyn the White Wolf had arrived, drawing many adorning gazes in their direction. The metal plates indicated their rank gently swayed above their collarbones.
Their steps were steady, not faltering the slightest.
No people dared to raise words against them; no adventurer dared to open mouth and utter a word seeing them.
'creak-creak-creak.' the wooden stairs creaked hard.
Proceeding, everything Momonga and Esdeath had learned flashed through their minds. The investigation had brought unexpected results. Results both Supreme Beings hoped would not happen.
Somehow, someone had managed to brainwash both Shalltear and Auriel. Overwriting the absolute mental resistance of an undead was not easy — not speaking about the frustration that Esdeath felt.
Previously, under the creation of Auriel, she had made sure such thing could not happen just like that, equipping her creation with the best anti-mind control solutions she could lay up.
Trying to dispel the effect using Momonga's [Shooting Star] ring brought no impact — as both NPCs remained impassive, completely motionless even after the ring's power activated.
Because of this, only one feasibly real explanation remained. "Someone used a world item to overwrite their mind," Esdeath mused. But how it had happened, she had no idea. Thinking things through, asking Zero brought no effect.
Under the creation of the Automaton, she embedded the database of the known world items in him, their strengths and weaknesses; he should have had a faint idea which one could cause such effect.
"The closest item capable of such effect was the [Downfall of Castle and Country], but from the item's description, it can only affect one target. Damn! What caused it then? Is it possible it was that item, just its properties changed thanks to the transportation? Just like Momonga's [Shooting Star] ring changed? Just like a few of our spells and the overall effectiveness of our magic and abilities changed? If it's true, then…" she bit her lip uncomfortably.
"I know. I left that item in the care of those guys before the shit hit the fan. And the nearby country bearing a hauntingly familiar name with deities bearing similar names like them. Even so, according to the history, those "Six Great Gods" lived around six hundred years ago. Who knows what happened with the item under such a long time? It may have exchanged owners many times under the years. It may even has come to that it's not even transported with them, but its ownership transferred to others. "
Shaking her head, Momonga immediately recognized her uneasiness. "Are you all right?"
"I am fine…" she answered hastily, turning her head back forward.
"I cannot make baseless assumptions without investigating things first. Seeing the eagerness of the guardians and NPCs I've met until now, one bad word may cause total annihilation. I cannot allow that! Let's just not say anything until everything is settled and investigated further. An annihilated country amidst our cluelessness may alert others about our presence."
"All right then…" Momon nodded, continuing his steps.
Reaching the door, the two of them entered. It seemed the duo was not the first arrival. Or more like, they were the dead last who arrived.
"Oh! Momon-san, Raidyn-san! Come, come! Pull up a chair!" the joyous face of Ainzach welcomed them, beaming a smile.
There were six men in the room. Three of them were stout-looking men girt for war, while one of them looked similarly imposing despite his lack of arms or armour. He was the one who had risen to beckon the newfound adventurers over. Also, there was a skinny, neurotic-looking man in a robe, and finally, a fat man seated in the innermost part of the room.
The skinny man and the guild master of the Adventurer's Guild, Esdeath had seen them previously, as she had met them yesterday.
She especially felt uneasy remembering the neurotic looking man. Recalling him drolling on the demonic remains she brought back — trying to convince her to sell the remains of the demon for him. And she may say, he offered a terrific price for that trash.
"That guy really is weird!" she thought, trying to satiate the weird uneasiness she felt in her gullet.
"…"
Swallowing the lousy feeling accumulated in her throat, in the end, the two of them took a seat, under the eyes of everyone else, and then the standing man spoke once more.
"Allow me to introduce myself once more. I am the head of this city's Adventurer's Guild, Pluton Ainzach."
Seeing him, Ainz was sure he was an excellent warrior. The aura of a true warrior radiated from him, just like Cocytus, carrying some presence of might.
"This is the Mayor of E-Rantel, Panasolei Gruuze De Rittenmeier-san."
Ainz and Esdeath nodded at once, and Panasolei waved slightly in response.
He was fat — no, frankly speaking, he was almost entirely made up of fat. His belly was rounded and flabby, and his chins were overflowing with adipose tissue. The excess of fat made him look like a bulldog.
The hair on his head was sparse enough that his scalp reflected the light, and what little hair was left had already turned white.
"Pleased to meet the two of you."
Perhaps it was because his nose was stuffed up, but he made buhiiii noises when he spoke.
"And this is the leader of the E-Rantel Magician's Guild, Theo Rakheshir."
The skinny man — who looked as frail as a bamboo pole and seemed at least somewhat anorexic — nodded to them.
"And these three are much like yourselves, members of the adventurer teams which are the pride of E-Rantel. From right to left are Igvarge-san of Kralgra, Perote-san of Tenrou and Moknak-san of Rainbow."
Those three men each had metal plates around their necks — made of mithril — and each gave the impression of being commanding and even compelling. Their equipment was nothing more than junk to Esdeath and Ainz, but they were still far above the gear sported by most adventurers in this city.
Each of them had different looks in their eyes, but they all shared the same thread of curiosity. But one of them, Igvarge from team Kralgra glared icily at Ainz and Esdeath.
"Before we start the discussion, I would like to ask something, Guildmaster Ainzach. Who is this, Momon? I have never heard of him. What has he done to deserve a Mythril plate? And how come this, Raidyn, whoever she is, sports an Orichalcum plate only after solving a simple case. We all worked hard to deserve our rank. How come they got it right away? Ascending through the ranks without effort."
A little bit of hostility oozed from his tone, but as Esdeath was not sure she had heard it right, she dismissed the small amount of negative feeling coursing through her.
Dismissing the negative attitude, Ainzach replied cheerfully. "As you know, Raidyn-san stopped the demonic Armatt invasion, chasing the demi-human and demonic forces away by defeating their leader. She and her companion faced and defeated an army worth of demi-humans and demonic beings alone. Saving every captive, recovering the valuable equipment and supplies the creatures had stolen under the invasion."
Panasolei nodded to Raidyn, acknowledging her accomplishments. The equipment and supplies she had recovered and saved indeed worth much. Under the past months, Panasolei's head ached, knowing not what the guards did with the valuable wares. Losing those supplies would indeed have caused much damage to the city's financial status.
"Not speaking she saved the city from total annihilation, as it came to light. Stopping and destroying not less than a demon of a high echelon — who was planning to blow up the whole city with its well-placed explosives. Rakheshir -san confirmed this after his investigation. Am I right?" Ainzach watched his friend excitedly squirming on the sides.
The three present adventurer leaders — with the exception of Ainz — watched Raidyn with wide eyes. They had heard the story before, but they thought of it as the exaggeration of the survivors.
"Yes, as you say, Ainzach-san. It was indeed a high ranked demon. The strongest I ever investigated I may add. Once it would get loose in the city, I doubt anyone — with the exception of heroes of old and the Blue Rose — could face it. From the reports of the survivors, it was a country level threat. I may even dare to say above 100+ difficulty rating."
Being everything above difficulty rating 100 considered to be above humanly possible, the astonishment of the present people was well earned.
"Oh!" the people gasped all around. Previously, Momonga wanted to ask what really had happened. But due to the lack of time, he didn't yet have the chance. "Note to self, ask her later…" Musing, Ainz made a mental note.
"She also played a significant part in solving the graveyard incident last night. Along with Momon-san — who also tamed the Wise King of the Forest. A fearsome beast with peerless intellect."
Momonga felt ashamed, and his urge to face-palm rose anew. "How can they think of it as a wise beast? Why me!?"
"Graveyard incident?"
Unlike the confused Igvarge, Moknak of "Rainbow" exclaimed in surprise.
"You don't mean the incident concerning the appearance of vast quantities of undead?"
"Buhiii~ you're quite well informed. I instructed that the matter wouldn't be made public due to receiving some troubling news. Where did you hear that from?"
His words were frequently accompanied by a buhiii, probably due to a blocked nose or some other reason. Nor was there much intonation, perhaps because he was using his mouth to breathe. It made his words sound strange, as though he was reading off a script.
"Forgive me, Mayor. I merely overheard this, so it's difficult for me to tell you where exactly the news came from. In addition, I do not know much of the details."
The two of them looked at each other, and they smiled as their eyes met. Moknak's smile was forced, while the Mayor's was uneasy.
"Hm~ it rings false to me, but forget it. There should be a lot of people who know about the undead running wild. Buhiii~ forgive me, I interrupted you by accident."
"Its fine, Mayor. In any case, the Guild concluded that due to his contributions in that incident, Momon-san is a Mithril-ranked adventurer. And hearing the praising words of the masses, and after investigating the recovered demonic remains and the sewer system, Raidyn-san as well deserved her Orichalcum plate."
"Ridiculous!? Just by handling such matters? Hunting demons and eliminating undead? No adventurer who's gone through rank placement examinations would be happy with that, am I wrong?"
He was not even pretending to be polite any more. Igvarge displayed his naked aggression on his face, and then someone spoke coldly from the side.
"Hmph. Frankly speaking, I have to say that I'm not happy about their rank either, Guildmaster."
The man who cut in was the head of the Magician's Guild, Rakheshir. There was a derisive expression on his face, though Ainz understood that it was not directed at himself, but at Igvarge. However, Igvarge did not realise this and smiled at Rakheshir in a friendly way.
"I'm glad you see it my way, Guildmaster-san."
"Kukuku…" Rakheshir's lips grew thinner; it was like he had heard something amusing. The scorn just radiated from his eyes. "Do not get me wrong, Igvarge-san. But I think our points of view completely opposed."
"What?"
"Many in the guild think that Momon-kun deserves the Orichalcum, and Raidyn-san the Adamantine rank. Their feats are worthy of praise. There is no doubt about it."
"What?!"
Igvarge's face seemed to be asking how that was even possible.
As he saw it, Rakheshir's mocking smile grew so extensive that it twisted his entire face.
"The two of them alone broke through a horde of thousands of undead— no, they had the Wise King of the Forest as well, for a total of three people — and defeated the people conducting an unholy ritual."
"Tch! Anyone with some stealth training could do that!"
Rakheshir sighed, in a somewhat exaggerated way.
"Indeed, you are correct. Initially, I felt that this was not enough to qualify Momon and Raidyn-san in the aforementioned rank. However, the discovery of a set of bones bore testament to their might."
"Well, those skeleton dragons were really weak…" Raidyn mused, feeling slightly frustrated.
At that point, Rakheshir turned to Momon and Raidyn, a stern look in his eyes.
"...That is to say, the bones of a Skeletal Dragon. Momon and Raidyn slew a frightening undead creature that possessed total resistance to magic."
"Well, uh, yes! Skel-Skeletal Dragons are strong! But Mithril-ranked adventurers can still def—"
"—Can still defeat two of them at the same time?"
"Say what?!"
Igvarge's gasp of surprise was joined by the other two adventurers. Then, there was a subtle shift in their attitude as they looked towards him. They were like inspectors trying to plumb the depths of a lake.
"We found the remains of two Skeletal Dragons at the scene," added the mage. "So, you still say your team can break through the hordes of undead, defeat the undead horde, the two skeletal dragons, then eliminate the trained necromancers who conducted the ritual. All at once? Hmmm? Under such a short time? Other adventurers also reported the presence of Wraiths and Bone Vultures. Moreover, one of them reported the presence of robed undead beings. Most likely, skeletal mages or Liches."
"Shit! They saw them!" Ainz screamed inside, and when he had ordered Aura to command the Elder Liches to hide themselves.
"Then, let me ask you one more thing, Igvarge-kun. I heard Momon, and Raidyn-san only had one-one party members. And as they explained to us the story, as well as how the people the mentioned party members saved told us. The two party members only joined them afterwards they reported the undead invasion in the guild and saved numerous innocents from the undead that had spilled out on the other side. Now tell me this. Under such circumstances…. teaming up with an unknown person, no matter your might or training, and let us ignore now the presence of the Wise King. Let's say you are in the same situation. Could your team produce similar results?"
Igvarge bit his lip hard, turning his head away ashamed. Now, every present member watched Rakheshir wide-eyed, turning their attention slowly to Momon and Raidyn — who sat by the black-clad warrior's side.
Indeed, teaming up with an unknown person who you had no experience fighting along with was dangerous. Even more, if we were to consider the whole situation and the enemies Momon and Raidyn had to face back then.
A Skeletal Dragon was not a thing you could take easily. It was an epithet of catastrophe once it got loose. Fighting against it was hard, even for an accustomed Mythril ranked group. Facing it not even knowing what your partner was capable of anticipated a great disaster, and sure death for anyone who opposed the creature. The situation was even worse as warriors had an inherent handicap when they faced magic casters. And as it was explained, the two skeletal dragons were supported by veteran necromancers. Under such circumstances, facing the enemy was nothing more than suicide.
Yet, Momon and Raidyn had succeeded. More than that, they had defeated the opposition with great precision.
"…"
Bowing before Ainz and Esdeath, Rakheshir had to give away his heart's content. "Please allow me to thank the two of you, Momon and Raidyn-san. Without your swift response, the city would have fallen. Two times if we consider the underground invasion. And while I can only speak for myself in this matter, you have but to come to me with any request you have and I will do my best to fulfil it."
"I think…?" Raidyn looked at Momon, expecting him to continue. "We just did our job. Nothing else. Fulfilling Lizzie-san's request," he finished bowing humbly.
"So humble," Rakheshir nodded confidently; everyone else gasped at how easily they could dismiss their own accomplishments. Indeed, the humbleness of real heroes. For long moments, silence descended, which Rakheshir's laughter broke.
"Fufufuhahaha! Indeed, both of you are so humble! The two of you indeed deserve the Adamantine rank! No question about it! Tell me; I heard the two of your companions are magic casters. Till which tier they can cast?"
"Sorry, giving away information for free is not really our style, maybe if you ask them personally, they will tell you," Raidyn answered, making Rakheshir bow his head with a smile.
"What a shame, maybe next time."
Igvarge's ears turned red in his anger, breaking the casual chat.
"We could do the same thing if we got everyone together! Besides, it's their fault that they got so few teammates, right? It is because they are no good."
The air in the room grew tense even as it grew frigid, everyone watching Igvarge with wide eyes.
In the end, it was Raidyn who spoke after a long, frustrated sigh. "Haaah… I have no time for this dick measurement. If you want to do it, either way, do it without me; I neither have the part nor the mood to do it. Igvarge-kun must have a really tiny one wanting to showcase so vehemently. Wasting time under an emergency situation and boasting that much. It must have implied such a thing."
The people tried to hold back, but every present member chuckled suffocated. Even the major released a buhiii mixed chuckle.
"Did you just admit your lack of that part?" Ainz silently choke on his breath, watching his friend while blinking.
"What did I just say?" Esdeath blinked under her mask. Not realizing at first what she had said, she must have made a fool out of herself. "Shit… I didn't intend to say it out loud…"
"What did you just say?!" Igvarge flashed his eyes furiously, and everyone else turned to him with a raised brow, still trying to hold back their laughter.
"Shit, what now?" It couldn't be helped. Shit had already hit the fan. Either she withdrew from what she said; making a fool of herself and showing weakness before her fellow adventurers, or push forward in the direction she had chosen. Both carried dangers, but the first one would inevitably ruin her reputation.
After one more frustrated, tired sounding sight, she adopted the second option.
"I don't know what all of you think. But in my opinion, Ainzach-san called us here for a reason. And I don't think it was just to discuss our accomplishments, no matter how flattering it is. Sorry for saying this, or the fact I am blunt. — I was always like this. — But I have no time for this. Do you? The city must be in a shitty situation if the Guildmaster summoned all of us here. So, you either start the explanation, or I will leave myself to proceed to end the matter, alone if it's necessary."
The present representatives just gaped. Such was the courage! Facing the unknown alone. The willingness to act instead of boasting. Raidyn indeed showed the traits of a true hero — for her late distaste. All of them had to recognise that.
Watching Igvarge who was on the verge to jump on her, they had to agree. The Guildmaster must have had a reason for calling them here. Wasting time was pointless.
A buhiii~ rang forth.
"Raidyn-san is right. Let's leave the matter at that. We didn't gather everyone here to fight now, did we?"
After that last buhiii~, Igvarge seemingly deflated. However, he still glared hatefully at Raidyn. The two guild leaders watched this sight and shook their heads helplessly.
"I understand that you all value strength, but that is not the topic we are here to address, so why don't we settle the matter quickly?"
"Thank you, Mayor," Ainzach thanked him. But before they could proceed Igvarge risked one last stroke of luck. "Now then, let's get on the matt—"
"Before that, shouldn't we show some basic courtesy and remove our helmets?"
Igvarge cut in once more with mocking words. He was not incorrect in saying so, but he was also being quite annoying. The other adventurers frowned as well.
"It's fine. This time, he has a point. I have been somewhat rude." Ainz said so, watching Raidyn to say something. But it seemed she did not get the message; she just sat like a roasted fish. Seeing everyone watching her, she couldn't help but blush. "Hmm… Maybe he has a point."
Shaking his head slightly, Ainz proceeded with removing his helmet. His face was a plain one, which was not particularly attractive. Black hair and raven eyes.
"Since I come from another country, I wore my helmet to avoid drawing trouble. Please forgive my lack of manners."
Watching Raidyn, she proceeded after a sigh. "Fine then. Though, I don't like showing my face. It makes me feel uncomfortable when people are staring at me. Please don't do so."
"Of course, it's only natural," Ainzach nodded, his example followed by everyone.
Removing her hood, then pushing the side of her mask, the cover hissed, dematerialising.
Rakheshir's mouth formed an "O" in his surprise. He would have never thought her costume contained such a magical removing method.
Though, the reason for his surprise was not copied by the other participants of the meeting. Their surprise came from other reason — seeing Raidyn's exotic race. "A dark elf?" Moknach muttered surprised, slowly opening his tightly cut eyes. "I would have never thought."
"Cheh, a foreigner and a dark elf," Igvarge said this, though, watching Raidyn, a faint blush sneaked on his face.
"Shut up, Igvarge. Adventurers protect all humanity from monsters and as such, borders and racial discrimination do not exist for them. As a fellow adventurer, I am ashamed at your griping about the unspoken rules which govern our guild."
As the voice castigating Igvarge's second interruption rang forth, he realised that everyone else in the room felt that way, so he reluctantly fell silent.
Ainzach and Rakheshir both looked at each other surprised, suspecting what Raidyn's dual coloured eyes and pointy ears could mean. Despite the knowledge, for the time being, the two men kept their mouths tight and shut. Albeit, no matter what they thought, the development was indeed surprising.
"Well, this is why I like my comfy, dark mask. People who see my face usually have this kind of reaction."
"...Hmm, indeed, it's because of this sort of thing that people have loaded opinions of foreigners."
Several of the people smiled bitterly at the duo's words. Igvarge's own face turned from pale to almost white.
Seeing there was no more complaint, the two adventurers put their masks back on.
"Hmm, Raidyn-san. Once the mission is concluded can we speak about your armour? I have never seen such an interesting equipping method."
"We certainly can, Rakheshir-dono. But first, we need to survive to do so."
"Certainly."
"Then, I hope we won't get sidetracked any further. Let's get right to it."
"Well..."
It was like Raidyn felt it, turning to Igvarge her words interrupted him before more than half a word could leave his mouth.
"Anything more to add, Igvarge-kun?" Raidyn asked with a slight frown, expecting the man to swirl shit once more. But to her surprise, the man just lowered his head sweating and humble.
"Nothing, please forgive me, everyone." Seeing his humbleness, everyone nodded. And Ainzach couldn't help but give a nod to Raidyn that said: "Thank you, I would have kicked him myself if he continued his shit fest."
Raidyn's tone was quite displeased, and it seemed everyone recognized it. Her willingness to act instead of speaking inspired respect from everyone. Many stories said a hero's actions spoke louder than their mouth. Well, she was certainly that type of hero.
"…"
It was strange. At first, Ainz thought Igvarge would jump up to conduct a tantrum. To his surprise, the man remained put, sweat pouring from his forehead. "Maybe it was the intimidation factor of a woman?" Honestly, he had no idea. But it scared him slightly.
Watching his dark clad form, his fellow adventurers thought of him as a humble individual who treated the situation with cold head and patience. Thus, raising his heroic persona even further. Indeed, this day, Raidyn and Momon gained a great amount of recognition from all sides.
"Please forgive me Ainzach-san. Now, we can truly start."
"Thank you, Raidyn-san. I wouldn't have said it better." Yes, watching Ainzach, that must have been the case. Women could be terrifying.
"Ah, Esdeath-san. You truly have changed…" Thinking of it, he indeed did not want to get to know her wrong side.
"To summarise, about two nights ago, some adventurers patrolling the outskirts of E-Rantel encountered a Vampire. The Vampire killed five of them. I have gathered all of you here because of that incident…"
As they listened to the description, everything happened just as Zero had predicted and explained would happen. According to him, it was not a problem if the authorities got to know of Shalltear's rough appearance; as they couldn't build a standard profile using the survivor girl's shattered description.
…
Ainz was aware, at least fifty percent of the vampires either had white or silver hair — usually. Around forty-nine, almost fifty had black. Only a fragment of a percent bore different coloured hair. That was a universal truth, and players traditionally designed their characters and NPCs as such.
…
The sole surviving adventurer had been too afraid and confused to give a proper description and had only noted details like clothing, hair colour, and the like. However, the thing that had stood out most clearly was "silver hair and a large mouth".
Although very few people knew Shalltear's real appearance, it still worried him that someone had recognized her. "Shit!" he cursed. "I have no idea how things ended up like this, but things might go bad if I don't alter the memories of the survivor. I hope Zero's predictions were right and it will not hinder us."
As Ainz furrowed his illusionary eyebrows, the discussion continued apace.
"I see. I'm not too clear about this incident myself, but I would be wasting everyone's time asking for a further description. I will ask if anything I don't understand comes up."
"Very well then…" Ainzach nodded, continuing his description. Speaking about where the accident had happened, what happened to the surviving girl and her group.
"I assume it was not a normal vampire," cut in Raidyn.
"Indeed, it is a mighty one," the guild master of the magical association obliged.
"Ah, I see… classification? Mid-class. High class? Higher Class vampire? Vampire Royalty? Unseen One? No… that would be too much. Unseen Ones usually care not about the outer world. And usually would send higher vampires to end the city that bothered them." fondling her chin, for first, it seemed she wrapped in her thoughts, concentrating heavily on finding the solution.
Everyone watched her with strange eyes. "Unseen One?"
"Higher Vampire?! Isn't that the same as a High Vampire or a Vampire Lord?" many of them gasped.
"Raidyn-san. Are you knowledgeable about vampires?"
She only nodded, crossing her arms above her chest. "I have experience hunting them. As well have a Higher Vampire friend who shared his knowledge with me. He is a great storyteller I might add."
"A-A vampire friend?"
"High One?!"
"How is this possible..."
The reaction was expected, but Ainz still had no idea what Esdeath wanted to say. Maybe she wanted to scare the people around. Or she had a plan? Or simply want to mess with these people? Honestly, he had no idea. He only hoped for the best.
Just like back in the game. Her moves were unpredictable. Often using random, but calculated attack patterns that caught the enemy off guard. Only those who had fought her multiple times were able to predict her moves — somewhat.
Despite the people's responses all around, Ainzach and Rakheshir remained calm, waiting for Raidyn's response. "Please tell us what you know, Raidyn-san. First, what is a Higher Vampire? Does it differ from a high ranked vampire?"
"Hmm. Good question. I must apologise to everyone. Being I came here from a faraway land due to a teleportation mishap, our terms may differ. Please, can you first explain what you consider a high-class vampire? Then I can explain my version."
"Oh!" Everyone gasped. Rakheshir just rubbed his palm exited. "Raidyn-san! Once everything has settled, by all means, I invite you to a good meal. Then you can speak more about this teleportation accident, your exotic gear and the land you hail from."
"Certainly."
Ainzach started to get a little bit annoyed seeing his friend's attempts to get Raidyn on his side. He was also curious about the new heroes of his association, of course. But he at least could control himself. What his friend was doing just now going too far.
"Buhiiii! I am also curious. Isn't a Gold-ranked team enough to take care of such a monster? It is just a bloodsucker after all," the Mayor inquired, still unable to understand the seriousness of the situation.
"Uhh… it is not that simple Panasolei-san. From the report, we came to a conclusion it is a High-end Vampire… remember the Vampire Lord 'Landfall' who was mentioned in the Saga of the Thirteen Heroes? Do you remember those stories, Mayor?"
Panasolei gulped, his double chin shaking from the realization — remembering the tales he read about the thirteen heroes and the terrible Vampire Lord, Landfall. The creature who destroyed a whole country.
Ainzach just sighed, continuing.
"We do not know if the enemy is indeed a Vampire Lord, but according to the adventurer who encountered the Vampire, the creature could use the 3rd-tier spell [Create Undead]. I trust I don't need to tell you, adventurers, the implications of that?"
They had nothing to say. The hard looks on their faces spoke for them. Raidyn and Momon listened in silence.
"Hm~ I have no idea what that means, so could you tell me?"
"Forgive me, Mayor-san."
"Anything which could use the magic of that tier is of platinum-rank at the very least."
Panasolei frowned as he began getting a better picture of the situation.
"In other words… I won't speak like this any more."
Panasolei's eyes sharpened, and just that was enough to change the image he projected to everyone else. He had turned from a fat, lazy pig to a savage wild boar. Or rather, this was Panasolei's true face.
"In other words, it's exactly as what you're saying, Guildmaster-san. A monster on par with a platinum-ranked adventurer party, with platinum-ranked powers on top of that. Do you understand now? Raidyn-san? If we consider the fighting power of such a creature that is at least ten thousand healthy and strong battle-ready soldiers fully geared and bearing arms. Of course, the number are not final. And we consider the point that the undead neither need a drink, eat nor tire."
"Say what?!"
A look of shock came over Panasolei as he heard this, and he looked to the other adventurers, as though seeking their opinion of those words. Apart from Ainz and Esdeath, everyone nodded in agreement, replying the words of the Magician's Guild's leader.
As though picking up the baton from Rakheshir, Ainzach continued speaking:
"To continue where Theo left off, only about 20% of the adventurers in the Kingdom can be considered to be at or above Platinum rank. There are around 3000 adventurers in the Kingdom, so among the 8 million people of the Kingdom, there are only about 600 Platinum-ranked or higher adventurers. Do you understand now? Platinum-ranked adventurers are that rare."
This left the Mayor speechless, turning his head towards the adventurers with fright.
"So, what do you think, Raidyn-san? Does it resemble the Higher Vampire or that Unseen One you spoke about?"
"Hmm… it certainly shows the resemblance when it came to fighting capability. But there are a few things you must know about Higher Vampires."
"Please tell us," Ainzach nodded humbly; all adventurers followed custom, even Igvarge obliged as his curiosity overcame his hostility.
Even if the attacking vampire was not a "Higher Vampire" or an "Unseen One", it was better to know about them. Later they could need that plus information.
"Well then. First, you need to know. According to the history book and a lot of research, the creatures like vampires, doppelgangers and similar heteromorphic beings arrived at the land where I hail from around 1500 years ago, under the conjunction of the spheres. The magical phenomenon opened a magical gateway between the aligned worlds. Through that hole, they accidentally slipped through from their original homeworld, leaving them stranded in a completely alien environment."
"Is such a thing possible!?"
"Well, demon's have been lollygagging between worlds since the dawn of time, so why shouldn't it be possible?"
Looking at each other, most of the present people simply nodded.
"Lol… I don't know where you get such things… this is not really how it was described in YGGDRASIL. But well, if your goal is to confuse and discourage them from coming with us, good luck to you," Ainz mused, suspecting he knew the reason behind the act.
"Unlike most vampires, however, true Higher Vampires are incredibly rare and are often mistaken for their lesser brethren. True Higher Vampires can look exactly like a human being and can even evade detection from any magical divination methods, only revealing themselves at their own convenience. This makes them almost impossible to distinguish from a simple human."
'Gasp…' Everyone just watched her with disbelief painted on their faces. If it's indeed true, the vampire she spoke about was impossible to counter.
"Higher Vampires are also incredibly intelligent and possess numerous - and often individual - abilities. Unlike their lesser cousins, Higher Vampires do not need to drink blood to survive; however, the consumption of blood offers an experience, not unlike the consumption of alcohol."
"This already sounds dreadful. But please, continue," Ainzach urged her. Thus she did so.
"Because of the rarity of Higher Vampires, as well as the unique abilities they often possess, classification can be complicated. Fortunately, encountering one is an incredibly rare occurrence, with most going their entire lives without encountering one even unknowingly. Not all higher vampires are dangerous to humans; many avoid human contact, and some even work altruistically, if clandestinely, to aid humanity and other races, or any, as they call us, lesser races. Moreover, some of them even find happiness living their life in peace, mingling with people on a daily base."
"Tch! Ridiculous!" Everyone watched Igvarge as he once more disturbed the explanation. "A vampire helping humans? Mingling with them?! Don't make me laugh. Beasts like them possess no semblance of soul or goodness."
"Oh, Igvarge-san. If you wish and the opportunity arises, I could introduce you to my friend, Regis. He as well a Higher Vampire. Living amongst humans and other races for more than a thousand years. I can assure you, under that time he has learned a few things. And believe me, he is not that bad. Actually, he is a pleasant chat partner with thousand years of experience and numerous stories to tell."
"Hmph… and you call yourself an adventurer."
"Igvarge-san!" The guildmaster's eyes flashed "...Are you quite done yet? One more interruption and you can get your ass out of here."
Ainzach had spoken up. His eyes were filled with rage, and there was no trace of his previous calmness in his voice. Naturally, he was glaring at Igvarge.
Ainz was confused as he observed Igvarge's reaction. Given the hostility the man had shown before, it would not have been strange for him to break into a grade-schooler's tantrum, as though complaining to his parents. Why had he chosen to back down?
"It is fine Ainzach-san. People usually react like this when I tell them I have a Higher Vampire friend." She turned to Igvarge.
"To tell you the truth, Igvarge-san, maybe my current occupation is an adventurer. But in truth, I am a Witcher. A monster hunter for hire. And as such, I hunt monsters, remove curses or break hexes. Solving mysterious cases connected to the supernatural and magical. But I follow a certain moral code under the way. One of my rules is not to kill sentient beings if it's possible, or if the situation can be solved peacefully. I usually investigate things first, not kill everything that not looks humanoid enough. Fear often makes us act as such. Seeing the outer appearance of things often fills us with dread and fear. Out of our very nature and instinct, we are less likely investigate things we find alienating. Instead, to discover the unknown, we usually detest things we fear— announcing it as a bad thing, or painting it as an enemy. But I ask. What makes us better than the so-called monsters then? Or a simple beast? What makes us better than the things we fight against? Acting as such can we truly say we are better? Or we just project our own faulty, dark side to those creatures, blaming them for our own fault? Everyone has their own devils, Igvarge-san. The question is; Do you acknowledge them as yours, or try to push it down on the throat of an unsuspecting person."
Igvarge just rattled his teeth, unable to come up with a proper answer.
Everyone in the room fell silent.
Some felt surprised, some felt anger, but there was at least one who bowed his head, watching his clenched fist and thinking about how many fleeing creatures they had killed without a second thought. The creatures might have been harmful, but it might have been that they just protected their own territory.
"Sorry about this small elusory. If you'll allow me, I will continue my explanation… Now as I said. Not all Higher Vampires are so beneficent however; there were cases when people in my profession — amongst them I as well — encountered several, incredibly powerful Higher Vampires during my travels; however, while they can be defeated temporarily, not even a Witcher can truly kill them, as they can reform from literally any damage given sufficient time to regenerate. A Higher Vampire is also immune to silver, fire, and the rays of the sun do not weaken them — though, they still prefer moving at night out of instinct. They also have the power to call and command every lower and mid vampire to their aid."
"Then, how we can defeat one?" Theo started to get worried. If it's truly true, then the situation was worse than he initially thought. As the creatures possessed no usual weaknesses, other vampires have.
"The only way to permanently destroy a Higher Vampire is by the hand of another Higher Vampire. But as the unwritten laws of their society prohibit such a thing, it is not likely it will happen. Regis did so once, saving my life. Since then, he has been banished from his own society and attacked by every other vampire he comes across. There are things even the highest ranked of vampires can't do. Namely, treason and the murder of your own kind."
The dread froze on everyone's face, turning from white to pale. "Seeing your expressions, I don't even need to tell you what an Unseen One or the so-called Unseen Elder is. As it is unlikely it will ever come out from his lair, and if it does, humanity and most likely every other species will be turned into sentient cattle to butcher."
"Wha-What!?" Their eyes almost fell out, jumping up for a moment.
"But don't worry, unless someone is bothering it, it cares not about anything at all. Leave it as it is and it cares not about you."
"Why is that?" Ainz needed to ask. Despite the situation, he came to enjoy all of the fabrication his partner came up with. It just clicked with an alternate Vampire Lore with a complete vampire society and punishment system behind it.
Esdeath smiled under her mask, seeing she had managed to get his friend's attention.
"Would you care about ants walking under your feet? Or simple bacteria you are immune to? If they do not bother you, you simply ignore them. Even Regis — as a higher vampire — before his banishment was reluctant to meet the regional Unseen Elder. — as the creature possessed power and was old enough to dwarf him in every aspect, bearing the right to summon and order every vampire in the area, even ordering Higher Vampires and their subordinates as it liked."
"Impossible, if that's true then…"
"But I said…" she raised her index. "Don't worry. Unless you annoy it by messing up its hidden lair — that can be only accessed by higher vampires who possess the required key, only after conducting a serious ritual — it will ignore you as it is not interested in the outside world, neither the lesser races. Think about it as a grumpy retired old man. It only thinks you as bacteria. Or his son who did not visit him since ever."
"Truly is…" Ainzach gasped. "If it's true, then…"
"Muuu! Don't worry about it. I doubt it is a Higher Vampire or something similar from the land where I am from. As I detected neither of them when I arrived."
"That's a relieve then…" muttered Ainzach, and the others around could only nod.
"Thought, we cannot exclude the possibility. I found my way here; they could also do so. But as they usually keep their disputes with each other, and are rather fond of cities. Some of them even feed some kind of respect towards humans and try to live a normal life. In any case, a second Higher Vampire would have already investigated the area if one of their kind was messing things up. Most likely dispatched by the Unseen One or coming willingly. They usually prefer their incognito, others — even if it's their own kind — messing up this temporary peace is good for no one. Thus, I doubt that is the case. Of course, I can be wrong. In any case, if you accidentally meet and recognize one, don't attack them, for your own safety."
"Thank you for the thorough explanation Raidyn-san. You indeed showed us great expertise explaining all of this. If it is as you said, then it is doubtful our vampire is from your land. From what the survivor told us, the vampire was quite aggressive, and its mouth resembled a leech instead of a human."
"Hmmm…" Theo fondled his chin with a thoughtful expression. "Considering the graveyard incident, can it be this vampire is allied with Zuranon? If my information's right, they were behind the case."
Everyone looked at each other, knowing what kind of people joined the cult. And if they considered what was said, it became more of a possibility.
"Still, it's really hard to do anything without any concrete information. We really should investigate that cave!"
The opinions of everyone present gradually began shifting in favour of that extremely sensible proposal.
It would be very bad for Ainz if that came to pass.
Allowing Shalltear's appearance to become public knowledge would be catastrophic if not more.
In the end, there was only one way to avoid exposing Shalltear's identity.
Ainz gulped — though there was nothing for him to swallow — and said:
"To begin with, you are mistaken. That Vampire has nothing to do with Zuranon or Raidyn-san's homeland."
"Why is that, Momon-kun? Do you know something about this?"
"I know the name of that Vampire because I have been hunting that creature for a long time."
"What?!"
The air shuddered. Esdeath watched Ainz with wide eyes. "No! Momonga-san! Don't ruin my cover story! I just wanted to get on the part! I had built up everything so nicely!" she pleaded and was on to send him a [Message], but it was too late as Ainz's brain had already spun into overdrive — the main event was about to begin.
"It is an extremely powerful Vampire. In truth, the reason I became an adventurer was to collect information about them."
"Nooooo!"
This was a red herring, but Ainzach took the bait.
"Them? Momon-kun, did you just say 'them'? Why didn't you mention it before?"
"Honestly, I wanted to hear everyone's opinion about the case. Rushing before the enemy only brings death. I learned that the hard way. Please forgive me."
Bowing forward, Momon's form grew even more in everyone's eyes. Now, no one could doubt his humbleness. Mixing it with his prowess and strength, it was sporadic finding such an individual.
"So, two of them…" Ainzach rolled the sentence on his tongue.
"Yes. There are two of these Vampires, and one of them, the silver-haired female, is known as…"
He suddenly stopped here. Originally, he was going to say "Carmilla", but a name like that was far too normal for a female Vampire. If there were any other players around, that name would swiftly clue them in about their presence. Just as he was waffling over what name to give them, a flash of inspiration struck him, and he blurted a name:
"Honyopenyoko."
"Eh?"
That idiotic-sounding reply had not come from one mouth; just about everyone had exclaimed in the same way.
"...Her name is Honyopenyoko." He had come up with the name himself, and he was damn proud of it.
"Oh, strange name… a rare name amongst vampires…" Raidyn exclaimed though she didn't know why. She played along with Momonga's plan."That's a weird name… I mean, it is good work if you want to make sure no one recognizes us as YGGDRASSIL players. But still, who the heck could word that name? Honyo… Honyepenoko? Halapenyo? I can't even spell it in my head…" Turning her head away with an adorable pout on her face, she was upset. "I think my plan was still better. With cooler names. Next time I will make sure to discuss the plan before rushing here."
Filled with the absolute victory coming up with such name, Ainz was sure no one would recognize it as a fake one.
"So, Honyo…" Ainzach tried to spell it, but he was unable to do so. In the end, the guild master gave up and continued, asking Momon about her.
"Please tell us about that creature…"
The discussion continued with Ainz's explanation. Warning everyone who wanted to come with him. Warning everyone, who accompanied him would surely die, showcasing a sealing crystal containing "strong" magic.
It was not a rare thing in YGGDRASIL, and although it only contained a tier eight spell, Theo almost drooled on it. Making Esdeath remember the moment when the magic caster practically licked the remains of the demon. "That guy is just sick…" Snarling subtly, she'd rather not stay in the same room with Theo — for more time than it was necessary.
"…"
When Ainzach asked the price of the assignment, naturally, Ainz requested at least Orichalcum rank, and a few more things he would discuss with the guild master later.
As for Raidyn, being the time was already tight, she decided not to push the matter further standing up, proposing the discussion of the reward to be set in a later date.
"Well then. Let's head out," she stood up with a big smirk behind her mask.
"Are you sure you want to come? Under the fight, I can't guarantee your safety. You might die," Momon warned her. Though, it was only a small game between him and Raidyn.
"Oh, don't worry about me. I have survived battles you might never imagine."
"Hmmm… Is that so? In that case, I don't mind. Just don't hinder me when the time of the final strike comes."
"Don't think I'll leave it like this! If you go, I will go as well," grumbled Igvarge jumping up, refusing to listen to the warning words of Ainz. Oh, if he just knew what awaited him, he would have thought twice about going with Momon and Raidyn.
"Hmm… Very well. It seems I can't convince you otherwise. But don't forget, I warned you." Looking around, Ainz asked confidently one last time. "Anyone else?"
No one signed up. "Very well then. Everyone else, we leave the city in your care," he bowed, earning even more respect.
"Good luck to all of you," Raidyn added politely.
"Thank you. Do your best. We will protect the city in your absence," Moknach, the leader of Rainbow slightly opened his eyes — engraving the stature of Momon and Raidyn in his mind. If they accidentally died, he wanted to remember them as a positive example of being an adventurer.
"I-I still oppose Momon-san going forth and slaying the vampire. Can't we just send Raidyn-san and the gathered Mythril class? I am sure she can solve it, she is Orichalcum rank after all. Momon-san should protect the city in the meantime. Repelling the appearing vampire fledgeling and keep the artefact in reserve."
"He has gone completely insane," Ainzach concluded deep inside his heart. From the behaviour of his old friend, he couldn't think of anything else. First that demon, now this crystal. Yes, it couldn't be anything else. Why his heart had turned side so suddenly?
"And why is that?!" He had enough of Theo's unreasonable behaviour. The sudden urge to hit him really hard resurfaced in Ainzach's mind.
"Be-Because it would be such a waste…" if he had to choose, and no matter how it pained him, he'd rather send Raidyn and the remaining three teams to a certain death than lose such a precious magical artefact Ainz possessed. Ainzach was sure his friend thought things that way.
Swallowing his rage, Ainzach furrowed his brow. "Rakheshir, please stop making a scene, it is embarrassing."
As the message finally reached his subconsciousness, Theo retreated, lowering his head humbly. "Please forgive me."
"Umu…"
"Then it's settled. I will head out right away. Anyone who still wishes to follow me, do so. This Vampire suffers the penalty of slow movement under daylight."
"Penalty, ah? A weakness then? Our group will be ready soon."
"Then meet me in the main gates in one hour. If you back down, I won't bring it against you." Ainz watched Igvarge through the slit of his helmet. The lights in his eyes pierced the man like nails the wood.
"Tch…! We will be ready."
"Very well then. I will await for you near the gates."
"I as well will take my leave…" Raidyn headed towards the door. "Need to notify my companion about our leave. It has been some time since I fought a strong vampire. Eh… I hope it will be exciting. If she is truly as strong as Momon-san said, it will be an enjoyable clash."
Everyone gazed at her with disbelief-filled eyes, refusing to believe their ears. "Such courage…" many muttered.
With that, she walked out, waving back. "Keep safe the city, will ya? Hopefully, we see each other once again."
Momon just shook his head. Turning to the others, he bowed respectfully. "Until we meet again. Please, keep safe everyone."
"You can count on us, Momon-san."
"Very well then." With that, he left through the door, following Raidyn. His crimson cape fluttered heroically, drawing the picture of a true paragon.
"Truly… the two of them are truly fearless. Like the heroes of old…" Ainzach engraved the picture in his mind, gulping exited. For long moments everyone just stared at the closed door.
"So, how to proceed, Guildmaster?" Moknach asked, giving a look at Ainzach who immediately started to explain the distribution of the remaining two teams.
This was how Momon the Black, and Raidyn the White Wolf left.
The vampire hunt had started that day. Who will win, who will die, you will know nexttime.
A/N:
Ty for reading!
The next chapter came when it is ready!
Until that, stay safe, safe winds!
RnR!
Have a good time!
In the next chapter:
Let's the battle begin!
The Fallen Seraph and the Bloody Valkyrie vs the Overlord and the Hybrid