Breeding Issues

by The Ruff Pusher

Momon the Dark Hero encounters Zesshi Zetsumei. mature content/smut

9. Chapter 9

This story uses the same setting as my other story "Momon, Big Black Changeling". Essentially, Ainz Ooal Gown is the same type of creature as in that story, although this and that story happen in different worlds.

---

After a brief period of time where everything was prepared, the order was given for the caravan to be readied. Blue Rose took to their assigned role as supervisors of the process, each taking turns watching over the furtive preparations by the Holy Kingdom's men.

Not a single one of Blue Rose had ever expected that their secretive, mysterious client from the Holy Kingdom was in fact the Holy Kingdom itself. They had expected to be greeted by some high noble, and had partly accepted the job in order to assuage the Princess' thoughts about the relations between the two nations. They had even prepared themselves to work on one side or another in case civil war broke out, though they hadn't quite finalized that decision yet. Thankfully, that didn't come to pass.

No matter how much Remedios insisted that she was the client doing things of her own volition, no one believed her. None of them bought the clumsy excuse that she wasn't taking orders from anyone, as it was quite obvious to people with the vast amounts of experience they possessed whenever a client was acting on behalf of another. And who would have the gumption to command the former grandmaster of the paladins than her own country, to whom she at least owed no small measure of loyalty?

They didn't have many chances to grill the paladin, as she was only present a couple of times to look in on their quarters and receive reports. The rest of the time they met only her subordinates or some other paladin assigned to this secret task. They were always careful not to present themselves as too curious, or else the Holy Kingdom would wise up to their attempts at some simple espionage.

As with any clandestine operation, the preparations proceeded in a tense, high-strung manner. Blue Rose was set to watching over the proceedings, initially acting as bodyguards for the operation. Various individuals passed by their vigilant gaze to do something at their "base", whether it was to deliver a message or an object to their patrons inside, or to perform some task such as construction or magical enchantment.

Blue Rose, acting as bodyguards in disguise, watched each of them come and go as the days passed. It was clear from mere observation that most of those people who had been summoned were totally unaware of their role in the project, or that they were even participating in something like it at all. They could only assume that they had been called for their own respective specialties, and nothing more than that.

The operation was very neatly done, and briefly they wondered in their private discussions if it was wise of them to show something of their modus operandi to Blue Rose, who belonged to another nation altogether.

"You never know," Tia had said. "There could be layers beyond layers here."

"This whole thing could be just a ruse to fool the Re-Estize Kingdom by fooling 'us'," Tina affirmed.

It was natural to be suspicious, since after all they were also acting under their own directives from Lakyus' contacts. Though nothing explicit was ordered, the rest of Blue Rose were sure that anything they saw was bound for a report somewhere after they were done.

Today, on this supposed last day of preparations, it was Lakyus who drew the duty, and she performed to her utter best. She oversaw the loading of the various carts, the harnessing of the horses and the final round of magical inspections, to ensure no sabotage. At midday, the rest of Blue Rose joined her, fully equipped beneath the uniform brown cloaks they were made to wear.

In this next phase, their new task was then to guard the moving caravan while also taking care not to announce their presence as formidable adventurers. They were to blend in among the crew and keep a close watch. The outward security for the caravan was left to Remedios and a bunch of her fellow paladins who would be serving as outriders for much of the journey.

At the peak of the afternoon, right before they set out, Lakyus conferred with her comrades one last time. They went over their strategies and contingencies, in particular the need for everyone to stay sober despite the many expected camping stops they would be making along the way.

The caravan was expected to move through the territories of the Re-Estize Kingdom, following a long, arduous road made up of many leagues, towards their intended destination at the Sorcerous Kingdom. There, the Holy Kingdom would do their business, then return back through the Re-Estize lands towards their home. All in all it would take upwards of a week or two to accomplish. The head of the caravan would be carrying a writ that Lakyus herself checked, to ensure that it would be recognized as belonging to a company from the Holy Kingdom, and that it would pass muster for any guards in their path.

It was expected that they would be passing many towns and villages along their way, as well as various toll bridges, each belonging to this or that noble. While Remedios had assured them that the caravan would be well-equipped to provide the requisite bribes if needed, Lakyus was firm that an official documentation would be enough. The fact that they would be passing through a town was also a concern for Lakyus, who knew that the people would be gravitating to the taverns, which were sure to be fonts of troublemaking. As it was their task to ensure that everyone remained safe, Blue Rose "regrettably" had to be the ones to stay sober and ensure no brawls or stabbings ensued from their patrons getting soused.

Gagaran, always eager for a friendly bout or two, clucked her tongue at that, but a job was a job.

Their first leg of the journey on the road would take them back within the borders of the Re-Estize Kingdom. Being adventurers familiar with that part of the land, it fell to them to suggest any camping areas. As they were leaving at the peak of the afternoon hours, they would only be able to travel a short distance before they had to stop. Lakyus deferred to the twins' suggestion of a camping site at a certain distance beyond the road, and relayed the details to Remedios, who promptly instructed the rest of the caravan.

They set out right on time, and their departure was unmarked by any in the town they were staying in. It seemed that the ongoing reconstruction was pulling much of their manpower inward towards the affected areas of their kingdom, leaving only a fraction of people behind at the various towns dotting the land. They made it out onto the road with little incident, and were able to travel some good distance on the road.

All told, there were about ten main carts that were to be used as transport for their important goods. These goods were said to be gifts to be given to Ainz Ooal Gown, as well as a certain amount of goods to be used as trade to acquire the things they needed. On this mission, they were considered to be their main escort targets, and were required to pass relatively unmolested if they wanted to retain a full reward for their job. Their horses were of a sturdy sort, and the carriages had been enchanted for a long-distance job to lighten the load on the beasts, ensuring that they would last for the whole duration of the mission.

The rest of the caravan were the smaller carts carrying supplies for the drivers, driven by the cooks and quartermasters who would mainly help in setting up camp. There were also several carts dedicated as small mobile armories for the paladins. One of these was guarded by Gagaran herself, as part of their stratagem. Should any trouble to break out, the attackers would be hard-pressed to capture the cart containing the weapons and other various wargear, unless it were a foe that could overcome Gagaran.

Lakyus was disguised inside one of the empty main carts, hidden away behind a façade of cloths. As her magic would be vital in any sort of armed emergency, she had to maintain her distance and keep a close watch from a place hidden from the enemy, to ensure that Blue Rose would always have an advantage. The twins were similarly placed in concealed positions in the smaller carts, closer to the guarding paladins. The latter rotated around the marching caravan routinely, pulling back and charging forward one after another to alternate between the vanguard and the rear. Though they were concealed to spring an ambush, they were ironically at the front-lines, vulnerable to a sudden attack but also poised and ready to immediately spring into action once trouble was spotted.

They made good time for the initial leg of the journey. The beasts they were using were strong and feisty, which made for a speedy, if bumpy run over the road. Long before sunset had struck, they had gone back over the border to the Re-Estize Kingdom, just as expected. They passed no other traveler on the road going in either direction, which added to their quick movement.

Eventually, they came to their first stop—a clearing in view of some forests to the south. The workers, still emboldened by the relatively positive energy of their journey, set to work with gusto, making for a rather cheery atmosphere all around. The only ones who seemed tense were the paladins and Blue Rose themselves, as they set about to arranging the guard shift for the evening. That was part of their duties, after all, and as adamantites they never wanted to disappoint.

After that was done, they set to dinner. As they were settling in on their corner of the camp, Remedios joined them.

"All the rest of my party are men," she explained when they looked at her quizzically. "I thought it better to be here. You don't mind, do you?"

"Not at all," Lakyus said gracefully. "You are always welcome at our campfire."

The rest of Blue Rose returned to their playful banter while Remedios remained silent as she ate. Lakyus didn't know what to make of the woman, whom they had last met at the Capital City, when she had met them to discuss the war with Jaldabaoth. At the time, they had categorically refused to aid her or her country, citing the fact that they were entirely too weak to handle demon lords, nor less the army of demihumans and demons under him. She wondered if the woman yet bore a grudge, as it would make things highly awkward later on.

Lakyus observed her for a few more minutes before she turned her attention to her surroundings. Sensing that there were no observers nearby, she turned to Remedios and cleared her throat.

"Now that you're here, though, perhaps you could illuminate us with some answers?" Everyone else stilled once they heard their leader ask the question.

Remedios looked up from her bowl. "Pardon?"

"We have been unable to ask this question for weeks," Lakyus explained. "But now that you're here, and in some relative solitude, I may finally ask: why did you hire us for this mission of yours?"

Remedios blinked slowly, before frowning. "Pardon? Is there something about the arrangement you do not like?"

"Oh, it suits us just fine. You did pay up front." Lakyus took a carefully measured sip of ale. "But the question is why we were specifically chosen. We are, after all, an adamantite-ranked group. Our expertise is vast, as is our experience with adventuring. Our fee, therefore, is also as large, which not everyone can match. Therefore, we are only called for the most outstanding situations—where it might be literally life and death. And it's fine, we are always prepared for those kinds of situations. So why hire us on this particular job, which appears to be quite simple on the surface?" Lakyus narrowed her eyes. "Or is there more to this than meets the eye?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"For instance," Tina then said, speaking for her leader. "If there was something very important we were escorting. In secret, maybe. Something bold."

"Forbidden," said Tia.

"Illegal," Tina said.

Lakyus looked at Remedios expectantly. "We know from the outset that we were going to go the Sorcerous Kingdom. We know your purpose there. But is the reason for hiring Blue Rose more to do with something dangerous you're carrying? Something you haven't disclosed to us?"

"What?" Remedios said in protest. "There's nothing of the sort! How dare you accuse the Holy Kingdom of resorting to such evil, underhanded methods! If there is any trickery to be found, then it will be with the minions of the undead, whom we have to deal with, despite my many objections." Remedios shook her head. "It is they whom you must watch for trickery, not me. Or my men."

The venomous way with which she addressed the undead felt quite genuine, though it was clear to them that perhaps Remedios wasn't told anything, and that by extension she didn't know anything.

"Very well," Lakyus said, shrugging. That was the signal for everyone else to let up, as nothing could be gained by pursuing this avenue of inquiry. "But that still leaves the question of why we were chosen specifically. You could have hired several lower-ranking groups, got them to work together, and their combined fees would have barely made a dent in your coffers. They would have hardly asked for half of what we did. Please, enlighten us."

Remedios paused, looking around at the campfire at each of them with a look that was almost guileless. It was as if she genuinely didn't know what or how to answer. "Well, it's quite obvious isn't it?" she said. "I thought you lot would have already known the answer by now."

"What do you mean?"

Remedios blinked. "Even I see it, and I didn't need to think hard," she said. "As I said, it was very obvious."

"Please, do go on," Lakyus said. She could sense that the others were also paying close attention to her answer.

Remedios sighed. "Well let's see. Let me reiterate the mission that was given to me by my superiors." She gestured to all the carts that were arranged at the very center of the camp. "We are to carry various assortments of gifts from the Holy Kingdom to be given to Ainz Ooal Gown, or to any of his legal representatives who are present in the city of E-Rantel. Such gifts include several loads of precious gems, some magical books and scrolls, and certain treasures offered by generous nobles. We did not, and I must emphasize this—we did not bring any sort of contraband or any other thing that would be seen as illegal in both of our home Kingdoms. While I know that this could be solved by allowing you to inspect the cargo, you must understand our own position and the orders we have been given."

"Very well, we do understand," Lakyus said.

"To continue, upon the completion of our initial task, we then proceed to acquiring grain, construction material, relief goods, and other objects of importance from the city of E-Rantel, and not necessarily the Sorcerous Kingdom itself. You know that several traders had set themselves up in that city, some from foreign lands. Nothing precludes us from acquiring what we need from them. With that, I end my recitation of our mission.

"Now, you're asking why my country wished to ask Blue Rose of all people to aid us. Yes, I know full well that you are expensive to hire, and that your presence here might seem like 'overkill' for such a simple-seeming job. But there is a particularly important reason for your being here." Remedios looked pointedly at Lakyus. "And a major part of it is you."

Lakyus blinked. She glanced at her fellows. It didn't take long for the realization to hit.

Of course, it was one of the reasons that they discussed among themselves. But it didn't seem definite, which was why they had pressed Remedios for the information. Since the majority of the caravan's trail would be passing through pretty much the entirety of the Re-Estize territory, getting a group who was familiar with the land would be very beneficial. But that was not completely everything.

Lakyus was also known throughout the land as a former noble of the Kingdom, who yet had ties to the nobility despite her status as an adventurer. Many a former client had hired their group for precisely that, a fact which had rankled their former member, Evileye. In most cases, Lakyus would have to explain to their client that her former status did not allow anyone to bypass the long divide separating the nobility in order to broker business deals or for other reasons. After all, she and her brother were taboo subjects in the noble circles they left, no matter their apparent fame or status as powerful adventurers.

She explained such thoughts now to Remedios, now that they had confirmation of the Holy Kingdom's intention. "I must inform you now that I will hardly be a panacea should there be any problems that will arise from any possible contact with… the nobility," she said, frowning. "Neither can you use my name as a passport for safe conduct. But you must have known this. After all, how would your nation treat nobles who turned their back on their birth right?"

"I would not be able to answer your question, strictly speaking," Remedios said. "And while I do acknowledge that we can hardly bank on your name or status to act as a ward against any possible trouble, it will still be a good symbol to take you on."

"How's that?"

Remedios set aside her bowl of food. Her face changed expression, turning a lot more serious. "Come now, let's not dance around the subject. Ever since that disastrous incident with the demon Jaldabaoth, the relations between our two countries have become… cooler. The Re-Estize Kingdom, after all, refused to so much as give the slightest aid to her beleaguered neighbor, especially when the Holy Queen asked, repeatedly. We were given the cold shoulder, as if we didn't matter." She looked around them all, her eyes glittering coldly. "And I should remind you all that I was myself witness to such blatant display of selfishness. Don't you try to deny it. I came to you on bent knee, pleading for your aid. And yet you refused me, as your nation did mine. You forced us to seek succor with the hated undead, and led us to be indebted to that thing masquerading as a king. Well, you can imagine the sort of sentiments the rest of my countrymen feel towards yours—something I think has been duly reciprocated."

"What do you mean by your last statement?"

"Tell me, Blue Rose, are you not aware that the relations between our two nations have been tense since the end of the Beastman war?"

"I… cannot say." In truth, they had been aware of it, ever since it began. The twins and Gagaran had a good nose for rumors, and Lakyus had a ready channel to Princess Renner, who was a frequent client of theirs. They had been able to discover that several diplomatic dispatches between the nations—in the aftermath of Jaldabaoth's apparent defeat—had been tense and explosive, almost akin to two nations just about to declare war. The effects of this hidden, smoldering conflict had spread all throughout the land, affecting nearly everyone. Still, there was ever that lingering hope that war would not be the destined outcome, especially coming so soon after the previous war.

"They are," Remedios declared. "It should then follow that the Holy Kingdom does not trust Re-Estize. It has no reason to. Therefore, we did not wish to announce ourselves on a simple, peaceful mission to retrieve valuable supplies for our people. Your lands may well be enemy territory, and we have no wish to be waylaid by anything for any reason. And so, we come to this." Remedios shrugged in a manner that seemed conclusive. "We would use Re-Estize's people, you in particular, as our shields. I mean no offense; and I mean what I say. But that's what you've been paid quite highly for. A deterrence for any unpleasantness, and competence where it is needed."

No one at Blue Rose said anything after Remedios' declaration. Soon, the paladin excused herself from the fire, perhaps finding it rightly uncomfortable to be sitting with those she had openly admitted to be just "mercenaries" for hire. Whatever her reason, she left Blue Rose in a pensive mood.

It wasn't just that Remedios or her words had become hostile. She had said some very unpleasant truths, ones which had laid at the back of their minds for quite some time.

"You really think it will come to it," Gagaran said, speaking the one thought that was most prominent in their minds at that very moment.

"I pray to the gods that it won't be the case," Lakyus said.

"But even the Princess said so, right?" Tia said.

"It's times like these that I wish we had our Evileye with us. I bet she could have some insight to share," Gagaran said wistfully.

"She'd tell you to focus on the job," Lakyus said, her eyes still focused on the bonfire flames. "Since naught else matters yet."

"Still, even there's some sort of friction, it's not like they'll be declaring war immediately tomorrow right?" Gagaran said.

"This trip is going to last for longer than that," Tia pointed out.

"If it does happen, it's not like this lot is flying the Holy Kingdom colors," Gagaran said.

"True, all the paladins are in dirty rags," Tina observed.

"It will still make the mission a hundred times more difficult," Tina said. "Especially if the caravan finds itself stranded in the Sorcerous Kingdom."

"Well, we can always ditch them then."

"Would the Boss actually do that though?"

"Let us not speak of these matters for now," Lakyus declared. "I must repeat as our absent member would: stick to the plan, and let's just see it through."

They arrived at a town in due time. Since it was close to dusk, Lakyus proposed that they stop here instead of pressing on until the next campsite. They could also try replenishing their supplies here, just to be on the safe side.

Things didn't end up as simple as they wanted.

There were several men sitting along the road leading inside the town. "Hello there, strangers," said one of them as their horses approached. "Welcome to town." They glanced towards the caravan behind them. Their eyes traveled over their appearances, as if they were sizing them up. Then they saw Lakyus, with her adamantite badge in full display. The men frowned and spat. They spoke among each other for some time before the man said, "Ain't nothing here for your people, friends. I suggest you lot move on. There's nothing here for sale."

"Why?" Remedios asked. "We are prepared to pay."

The men smiled. "You can't pay for what's not here, ma'am. Board's all cleaned out except for the essenshuls. Unless you're the bandit sort, of course, in which case you've got another thing coming."

Lakyus shared a look with Gagaran. She turned to Remedios and murmured, "Allow us to go in first. We'll get a feel for the place."

Many emotions warred in Remedio's face; as if she was still deciding whether or not to whip the men or not for their impudence. "…Aye. Thank you." Then, after shooting another glare at the three men, Remedios kicked in her stirrup and turned her horse back in the direction of the waiting caravan.

Lakyus nodded to the men in courtesy, then she and Gagaran continued onward.

"There won't be any work for you here, adventurers," the man called after them. "No monsters to cull or anything like that. But there are always rats to kill 'course. Perhaps you go for that thing?" The men roared in laughter.

The two ignored the men and continued onward. At first Lakyus had assumed they were set as gatekeepers of some sort, as highwaymen and bandits were wont to do. They would send signals to their mates in the distance, either to call for an attack or to stand down. But neither Tia nor Tina had reported to her via Message that they had observed any tells. As of this moment those two were proceeding ahead in perfect stealth, to act as scouts.

When they entered the town proper Gagaran was the first to remark what was immediately in Lakyus' mind. "Well this is bleak."

The town was decently large, which meant that except for the deep evening hours, its streets should at least be bustling with people. But no faces greeted their arrival, at least out in the open. Lakyus did feel a whole bunch of eyes tracking them, judging them, from behind windows or foxholes or whatever hiding place.

"Damn." Gagaran clucked her tongue. "You think this is some sort of cult place?" Such sights were indeed the signs that this town was closed off deliberately for the sake of some cult, but it was too early to make that conclusion.

"If that is so, then we cannot do anything," Lakyus said. "We still have our job."

"I thought those paladins would be thrilled to cleanse a place of corruption."

"Not when they have their own tasks. If we do find something damning, then we'll tell Remedios."

They came to the tavern and found it closed. Gagaran seemed almost broken-hearted when she beheld its dilapidated signs and the boarded-up windows.

"Yep, this is definitely some creepy place," she declared. "No one sane closes a tavern."

"Let's split up," Lakyus said.

"That seems like a bad idea considering our current location, but alright."

"Just keep your weapon ready." Gagaran shrugged and nudged her horse down a side road.

Lakyus spotted a woman walking out in the distance, and she hailed her.

"My pardons, but is there anywhere in town we might be able to procure supplies?" she asked.

The woman didn't look suspicious or cagey, but her demeanor was closed. "Not for another few months, m'ladies. Most everyone in the town's left."

"Left? Left to where?"

The woman hesitated, and offered a smile. "I… I can't really say, ma'am. But I'm confident they'll return. At least long enough for me to deck that foolish man for leaving for so long."

Lakyus blinked. "So there are no merchants…?"

Here the woman's face twisted. "Arr, the grocer's gone and left. A moon ago that was. And the man what ran a pawn shop also packed up not long ago. A shame. He was decent enough to settle everyone's accounts, though now we got none else to borrow coin when we need it. Ah well, we'll manage. Just bear it for a few more until…" The woman trailed off. "Was there anything more you wanted to ask m'ladies? I'm due back home for feeding my child."

"No, you've been very helpful. Thank you." Lakyus watched her go off and disappear.

"Interesting."

Lakyus went around to confirm what the woman had said. There had indeed been a pawn shop, and indeed looked like it had been recently vacated. Some sort of mascot was still standing in front of the door, and it didn't look too faded by time and the elements. Next she went and found the grocer, which also looked much the same, though someone must have been working to dismantle the building, as its sign was down on the ground, its edges littered with old nails.

It was hard to imagine a reason for two merchants to up and leave their businesses one after the other. The pawn shop doubled as a lending place, which was vital in some areas (though a pawnbroker being driven out of town due to universal dislike was not unheard of). A grocer was even more essential, especially if they also offered other services like mail or delivery. For distant towns like these that traveling merchants rarely had a reason to visit, the departure of a grocer was like a symptom of its imminent decline. It was as if the merchants no longer had any faith that the town would be a good place for business.

Perhaps she was overthinking it. Maybe the merchants were exchanging one business for another. She had borne witness to many business maneuvers over the years that she considered absurdly foolish, only to find much later that it had been part of a stratagem that she couldn't grasp.

Gagaran returned. "Got nothing on my end. How about you?" Lakyus told her about the woman she'd interrogated. Then a Message came to her. "Yes?"

"Leader, we're done. Nothing of interest, unless you want us poking any further," came Tina's voice.

"No, that should be enough. We'll head out to tell them the bad news."

"Look at it this way," Gagaran said. "Least we don't need to babysit those guys at the tavern. Nothing would be worse than going in that tavern and being forced to remain sober."

When they came out, the trio of men at the entrance had disappeared somewhere.

"I'm afraid we can't use the town," Lakyus announced when they approached Remedios. "Apparently there're no shops to buy from and no room available, unless we want to dragoon your people in their houses."

"No, none of that," Remedios said. "But it's still a shame." Judging by the noises the workers made when Remedios relayed those news, she wasn't the only one feeling the sentiment keenly.

The next days of travel passed by without much incident of note. Well, it was unusual that the towns they'd passed afterwards were also not as welcoming as the first.

When consulted, Blue Rose saw nothing unusual to that, as there were many far-flung provinces of the Kingdom that were less prosperous than the rest. Some couldn't even host an adventurer's guild branch office, which meant that most problems remained unresolved for a long time. Such was life, though it did mean that the caravan was unable to restock for the road. And that the workers would still not be able to kick back and enjoy some liquor that wasn't rationed out. This ended up being a little beneficial to Blue Rose, who no longer had to corral and babysit the workers going to the taverns, as no taverns were open. On the other hand, the workers' morale was noticeably lower, with only the promise of a feast at the Sorcerous Kingdom being the prize they were most looking forward to now—assuming they didn't find a single open tavern along the road at all.

But this was not seen as a problem yet, as they were well-stocked already. It just meant the workers had to be a lot more frugal with their supplies until they found a town that had larders ready for sale. Some, who were hunters by trade, also had to go and ply their skills during camp, bringing back the occasional game for a small feast.

Still, Lakyus couldn't help but feeling a faint sense of foreboding at the back of her mind, like there was a scratch she knew was there, but try as she might she could not get at it.

"You know it is kind of weird," Gagaran ended up saying one night, around the fire after they'd had their supper. "You hear it all the time, of hick towns where literally nothing happens. They're so fucking bad you're forced to think it's far better to just make camp outdoors instead of even paying them one piece of gold."

Everyone grunts in acknowledgement. Each of them had experienced that in some way or another in the past. Even Lakyus had to bear that indignity several times, though she was sure that it was far fewer than the others. She had always been meticulous in choosing a job, and she was only ever blindsided a few times.

"Well, we're seeing the same thing, all the way down this road. What was it, five towns now? All the same fucking story. And I'll bet you those towns didn't all belong to some lazy, incompetent noble. And while we like to joke about it, out of maybe five nobles, they can't all be incompetent. I hope."

"That's still a chance," Lakyus said. "But I do agree that this case is rather unusual." She had herself made her inquiries about the situation on each town. The inhabitants had been rather reticent, but she was able to gain some clues.

First, most of the able-bodied men at the town had all disappeared. That left wives and daughters and sons barely of age to handle the markets and taverns and other businesses, if they were even open still. It would have been an understandable situation during wartime, but it had been months since the end of the war, and the men should have already made their way home, even in spite of the terrible devastation Ainz Oaal Gown had wrought upon them.

When she asked where these men had gone, no one was able to give a straight answer. That some had indeed returned, safe and sound, seemed evident, as Lakyus had been unable to spy any signs of grief or coping. No, the absent men were treated as if they had duties abroad, and would not be expected for a good while yet.

Another clue was the noticeable absence of merchants in the towns. While not all settlements would be blessed with the odd entrepreneur, it was still very telling that all the shops that would feasibly be driven by the efforts of a merchant family had just recently been closed. As ever, the inhabitants were reticent to offer any details as to what exactly happened. Unlike the previous issue, the people were ready to denounce the owners, calling them ungrateful cowards who fled at the first sign of trouble. When Lakyus asked what sort of "trouble" they were referring to, though, their silence returned. Importing shops, delivery services, and other unique commodities had completely shut down, and that was usually a sign that the town was on its last legs. Yet the people still lived as if everything was fine, as if they were waiting on some good fortune to land on their laps.

Another curious fact, and one that was very damning, was the fact that only one out of all the towns they had just visited had any mayors or aldermen present. In that one particular town, the mayor was an ineffectual old thing, who took one look at their caravan and shrugged indolently. In the other towns, the word was that the mayor was "out". No one could again tell her why they had ever left; nor on when they were expected to return. When the topic of speaking to an appointed deputy was raised, the people simply shrugged to themselves, as if the thought of even having a deputy had never once occurred to them.

Mayors were often appointed by the noble in charge of the land, and were more likely to be close friends or loyal retainers specifically chosen by the house in charge. They acted as stewards of the noble's will, and were often called upon to ensure that taxation was a smooth, painless thing; that numbers could be accurately gauged in official census, that each town could contribute men when the noble had need for them. If a mayor disappeared for any reason, then it was usually the noble's prerogative to appoint another in their place. If they didn't do this, then the administration of their lands would be quick to fall apart, which meant that the noble was an incompetent. Those houses usually did not prosper, and it would become an inevitable fact that the noble would lose all privilege and have his lands sold to a better one.

All in all, it did not paint a very good picture. The towns' general lack of energy and warmth pointed to declining fortunes, which pointed to inept or absent administration, a lack of determined merchants; and ultimately pointed to a noble who was on their way to losing their lands and their privileges entirely.

She laid out all her observations to them. "What about you? Did you find anything?" she asked the twins, whom she had tasked to do some digging at her request.

"We saw pretty much the same things you did," Tia said. The twins had infiltrated houses, and eavesdropped on conversations. "We didn't find anything new."

"We found some letters," Tina said. "But they were old. Nothing newer than the time around the Katze battle. Whatever or whoever called the people away, no one wrote their thoughts down."

"We could have missed some hidden holes," Tia said. They had skills useful in breaching ancient ruins, in order to find hidden recesses or holes. "We were using them at the start, but we found nothing but embarrassing crap. And we didn't have enough uses to cover all the damned houses."

"It's fine," Lakyus said. "If we had to make it a little more thorough there would have been questions. Not just from the people, but our clients too." They had to remember that they still had a job, and were therefore beholden to their clients. They justified their inquiries in that they were seeking better accommodations for the caravan, but as long as Remedios said it was fine, then they could do nothing more than surface-level investigation.

"You think there's some giant conspiracy at work?" Tia asked. "Could be some Zuranon thing."

"Either that or it's something simple and stupid. Like what if some noble was offering wagonloads of gold for someone to work their lands, and no other noble was able to make the same offer?" Gagaran said.

"Gagaran may have a point," Tina said, half in thought. "But instead of a noble, it's the Eight Fingers." Her eyes narrowed. "Maybe it's some secret new drug. Could be they're desperate and accepting anyone who can work."

They waited on Lakyus to make a firm declaration.

"There's nothing more we can do while we're on the job," she said. "Let's just keep to it for now. But keep your eyes peeled."

A day later, they were back on the road, and this time chose to bypass a town entirely. They had gotten Tia and Tina to go investigate the town first before the caravan committed to stopping. When the twins returned, they reported to Lakyus and Gagaran that the town belonged to the lands of the Montserrat. Even Lakyus was quick to shake her head and immediately inform Remedios that they should move on. Though she was never one to judge just from a name, she had heard enough rumors about the Monsterrat clan to already assume that this town would just be the same as the others. Even if there was a chance she was wrong, it was still more prudent to move farther along, and hopefully get to E-Rantel sooner.

Remedios returned to her horse beside Lakyus and mounted it. She breathed out a sigh, her gaze turned towards the town they were about to leave. "Are you certain about this?"

"As in all things, nothing is certain," Lakyus said. "But in this case, I feel it more prudent not to roll the dice."

Remedios glanced at her. "Very well. I shall defer to your judgment in this."

"That's why you hired us, right?" Lakyus said.

Remedios signaled, and the head driver started moving his horse. She and Lakyus stayed by the side, watching the rest of the caravan go, before they started moving as well.

"If you don't mind me asking," Remedios said. "I am curious about your reasons. I was watching your face when your comrades returned. You frowned as if you'd discovered that Ainz Ooal Gown himself had been living here."

If Ainz Ooal Gown had indeed been here, Lakyus thought she'd be making a different reaction. Still, she didn't belabor the example Remedios offered. "It is nothing so significant," she said. "When I heard the name of the noble whose house owned these lands, I had the instinctive feeling that we would only be getting the very same situation as all the towns we have visited."

"Ah. So is this name familiar to you then?"

Lakyus shook her head in a negative. "I have only heard rumors, and I am not one to take things on face value. But in a situation like this… you understand right?"

"I see…" Remedios said, though she looked uncertain.

"Is there a problem, Remedios? Does the caravan actually need something from a town?"

"No, we're good still," Remedios said. "We're having the men ration their food, just as before. It is fortunate that the majority of them have experience serving in the army—that's made them more tolerable of the current circumstances."

"Well, if you're sure…" Lakyus wanted to empathize, but this was something that Blue Rose had no say over. Privately, she admitted that taking on the duty of managing logistics was something that would require demanding additional payment.

Remedios made to spur her mount along, to leave, but she paused and stopped. "By the way, I only just noticed—did something happen to your other member?"

At the thought of Evileye, Lakyus looked away awkwardly. "Oh, um…"

"She got pregnant," came a voice from the side. She turned her head and saw Gagaran on her wagon, grinning unabashedly.

She shot her a furious look as she passed on by, before sighing and turning back to Remedios, who looked back wide-eyed. "She's… left for her personal reasons."

"She's pregnant?" Remedios asked.

"Um… right… yes." Lakyus fought the urge to cringe and instead smiled politely.

Remedios took a breath and started drifting away. "Well, that's certainly something of a… surprise. In any case, let us converse again." She cleared her throat, and it was as if she didn't really know what to say. But it was not as if Lakyus knew any better.

"Understood."

Over the past few days Remedios had been something of a constant presence at their bonfire, even if she did end up leaving quickly after finishing her food. She was a rather unsociable sort, only speaking when she was spoken to. It was that or she was guarding her words carefully around them. She did not engage in small talk unless she was pulled into it, and by this time Blue Rose no longer had any reason to interrogate her. She also seemed a frugal eater, as she left early, mostly to return to her own tent, or back to the command tent.

Lakyus didn't know what to make of Remedios' behavior—it was not as if she was grilling them in turn for information on Re-Estize. Could she really be only socializing with them because they were all women?

Some time later, they came to a crossroads of sorts. The caravan stopped there, awaiting the command to take whichever road would be decided. Remedios returned, approaching her and Gagaran, who was also present.

"Are you sure about this?" Remedios asked.

They had discussed this last night. They were about to come to a split in the road, and remarkably enough both would lead them down the same general path, as the roads would converge again after a few more miles. But one road would lead down a forested path, hemmed on all sides by trees. Here, there would be a few more towns to pass. The other road featured the forest only on one side, but was hillier and would pass no settlements on the way. This road actually branched inward, towards the Capital City, though that obviously wasn't important to the caravan now.

Lakyus had to admit that she wasn't quite familiar with the geography around this part of the Kingdom. If they were traveling by themselves, there was little reason not to take the other route and make use of the towns. Or if they wanted to speed their way to the Capital, they would also take the other road.

Now, their consideration was in covering all eventualities. Though they weren't expecting an attack, Lakyus had to agree that it was entirely possible for either monsters or bandits to make a play. In that case, which road presented the better tactical advantages for their caravan?

For this discussion in particular, Lakyus had to rely on the expertise of Gagaran, who had arguably spent the most time traveling the lands than any of them. She would remember how these particular roads looked, and would be able to compare the two of them to discover some insight into their situation.

"We take the left path, no question," Gagaran had said. "I dunno how things have changed since I went through this place, but I'd lay some odds that the woods are still there. And those woods are a very good place to set up an ambush. And when it's on both your sides, whoo boy you better hope you're bringing a literal army on your back. You're gonna get crushed right in the middle."

Lakyus had come to the same conclusion. But she'd still asked—"Would we not be hampered by the lefthand road?"

"The hills would make for poor fighting ground, true," Gagaran had said. "But at least we can see the fuckers coming. With our paladin buddies, we can scout out any trouble before they come. And if they're planning an ambush from the other side, we can at least ensure we get a good defensive line without having to worry about our backs."

The vote among Blue Rose was unanimous, and that was the answer that Lakyus gave Remedios once the morning came. Now she had come to confirm it, and the answer still hadn't changed.

"Yes, to the left," Lakyus told Remedios. "Towards the hills." The latter nodded, then signaled back to someone at the head of the line. The paladin informed the head driver, and then the caravan turned towards the road on the left, towards the hills.

Despite the confidence that they could work the terrain to their advantage, they still nonetheless planned for everything. Should trouble be sighted, the drivers of the main, larger carts were told to immediately close-up ranks, and form a rough semicircle. If possible, the horses were to be released, and the drivers themselves becoming their riders, ready to flee at a moment's notice.

The rest of the wagons were then to be used as points of resistance. Their secondary importance precluded them from being protected from immediate danger, though they would fight to protect them first. The cart bearing food supplies and the one bearing weapons and gear were especially important, as these would definitely be the first targets if the enemy was aware of them.

Lakyus looked around at the land before them. She had some doubts about the drivers' ability to form a semicircle in this type of terrain, but at least they could flee into the hills, and from there towards civilization, should the worst definitely happen. Once again, she missed their former comrade's magical ability, as she had the means to scout out the surrounding area from a distance.

Upon cresting the first hill, Lakyus sensed the drivers murmuring among themselves. Stretching far into the horizon were similar hills, and the road snaked right into their midst. At one point, the road was able to completely bypass the forest right near them.

"It won't last," Gagaran said. "A few miles more, and the road winds back close to the forest. There's some pretty treacherous hills off to the left by that point. Places where even the goats don't walk. If it was raining…" She shook her head. "Now that I think about it, that's actually a pretty good place for an ambush…"

Lakyus sighed. There was nothing to it but keep on going. She laid her hand on the pommel of Killineiram and urged her horse forward.

Owing to the uneven terrain, their progress through the hills was slower than before. The horses were especially burdened during the uphill climb, and the beasts were not the only one to feel the constant strain of fatigue. After a few more hours, Lakyus could feel her own mount struggling, even under the effect of the enchantments. She placed her hand on its mane and muttered a quick prayer, to bolster the creature's spirit.

A moment later, Remedios returned. Her lips were pursed, and Lakyus could sense the faint hint of displeasure on her expression.

"As you can see, the men are not taking it well," Remedios said. "Though I do see how this is a safer alternative than the other road." Lakyus said nothing. "The animals are straining against the men's commands," she continued. "I think we will be needing a break soon."

"Can't be helped then," Lakyus said. What was she trying to do, garner sympathy from her?

"Hopefully we can—" Remedios stopped when she heard a peculiar sound. She cocked her head. "What on—"

But upon hearing that sound, Lakyus had immediately stilled. She swiftly cast her gaze about: sweeping towards the hills on the left and then onto the forest to the right. That sound had come from one of the twins, and with that particular verve—that meant they had spotted something. And it was just not some curiosity, they had seen hostiles.

"Remedios," she said in a low voice. "Signal to halt."

It took one second for her to register Lakyus' urgent voice and the look on her face. She held up her hand, the gauntlet clamped in a clenched fist. A moment later, the caravan paused, coming to a complete halt.

Ahead, Gagaran had vaulted from her place on the wagon. She ran to the side of the road, facing the trees. Behind her, the paladins were moving into position. Thanks to the unfavorable terrain, the drivers could not move the carts into the design agreed upon, but they did quickly move and unbuckle the horses. Remedios went and murmured something to a paladin on horseback, who nodded and move towards the gathering mass of drivers hastening to get on their horses. The paladin joined them, even as Remedios joined the others in facing the woods.

Lakyus went to her position hidden inside one of the wagons, and prepared herself. She drew Kilneiram. She laid the black-edged blade on the seat beside her, its baleful form hidden in darkness. She peeked through the hole in the canvas to observe the next few seconds in tense silence.

"Come on out!" came Gagaran's loud challenge, her voice echoing out into the trees. "We know you're there, so either come out or flee! Your choice to get whacked!"

"Identify yourselves!" cried Remedios, her bellow no less threatening and equally as loud as her fellow. "You stand in the presence of anointed knights! Challenge us at your peril!"

No answer came, and the only sound they heard was the whistling of the breeze through the trees and the forlorn creak of wagon axles. Behind her, the horses could be heard whinnying nervously. In fact, if it were not for her confidence in the twins' abilities, she would have decided it was a false alarm.

"Get to cover!" someone shouted—one of the paladins—as something red and fiery streaked through the air, making a loud, keening voice. With a loud crash, it impacted the wagon a few meters behind Lakyus' position. From here she could smell the wood as it began to smolder and burn. That was a fire spell, Lakyus determined. The fact that they had fired first without making any sort of challenge meant that they were weren't looking for any survivors. Though it was less clear if they actually wanted to seize the caravan, considering that was one of the food wagons that got hit.

"Message," Lakyus muttered, using the spell to contact Gagaran. "You saw that right?"

"Of course!" came the reply. "Saw the fireball as clean as day."

"What can you see?"

"There's a whole bunch of them. Easily a small army, maybe more. The slope works for us, though—they can't have picked a worse place to attack."

"It seems they don't want to talk. We must defend ourselves."

"You don't have to tell me that—oh, here they come!" Lakyus heard the clamor of many footsteps, of the shouts and cries of a multitude of men. Lakyus spied them beyond Gagaran's upright back—soldiers wearing simple plate and bearing all manner of weapons rushed forward from within the trees. They flew no banner, and bore no recognizable sigil. They seemed to be blackguards then, and if not, they were at least garbed competently to be a competent fighting force. Only combat would see if they were any more than what they appeared.

"You bastards!" came Remedios' bellow. "You really want to die, huh? Have at you!"

There was a loud clatter, and a chorus of shouts and yells. Lakyus felt their approach as the ground rumbled beneath, causing the wagon to vibrate.

---

The first thought in Gagaran's mind, as she stood in front of the rest of the paladins, further than even Remedios, was if the enemy had any archers. If so, they couldn't really do anything about it without Evileye to back them up. Pregnant, happy Evileye, one who had acquired a measure of domestic bliss. She hefted the hammer in her arms and took a wide stance. Today, she would have to take part in yet another round of bloodletting. She had long gone past the point of feeling sad about it.

The paladins behind her were no less formidable than any high-ranking adventurer. They were still considered among the Holy Kingdom's best, trained from birth to be warriors of much skill and power. All of those here were veterans of the most recent war, and had fought at Remedios' side during the climactic battle that had seen Jaldabaoth defeated at last. They knew little fear, particularly from mere human soldiers, as they had hardened their blades and their bodies on myriad demihumans, each with fearsome abilities and the intelligence to enforce it.

They had torn off the muddied, faded cloaks from their shoulders, revealing the brilliant, burnished armor of their order. These were blessed by powerful protective enchantments, that made mockery of simple blades and spells. Their swords had been kept sharp and strong by constant care, and wreathed in sacred oil to smite evil.

Despite their formidable strengths, these paladins were still few in number. They arranged themselves in a formation two men deep, with the front-most paladin bearing a shield. The ones at the back wielded bow and arrow, and at the first sign of combat, they shot into the approaching enemies with a bit of haste. They felled several of the charging mob, shooting right through their eyes. They continued to shoot as their enemies crashed into the first row, repelled smartly by shields used in unison.

There was a small slope that climbed upward to the road. This small feature of the land became quite crucial in denying the enemies' initial advance. The soldiers were unwilling to climb upward, and those that did were quickly shot full of holes. The enemy had to walk the long way on either side of the caravan to reach more favorable terrain, which was daunting with the archers ready to pick them off. And none of the soldiers saw this opportunity, and instead lumbered forward to dash themselves against the implacable paladin wall of steel.

With their defense thus secured for the moment, that left the main powerhouses on the very front free to concentrate on scything through the opposition with ease. Gagaran's wide sweeps of her hammer never once wavered or slowed, no matter how many bodies she mauled and swept aside. She was able to shatter even weapons in their owners' grasp, but nothing was better than cracking open skulls and ribcages instead. With each head she cracked, the bodies were forced back, causing the next poor sap to trip or stumble.

On her side, Remedios was as a terror of blades—her quick footwork and devastating swordplay eviscerating through hapless necks and cutting off hands with barely any effort. Soon her pristine armor was stained a deep red, though her blade remained pristine and white. In the initial surge of combat, she had beheaded six foes in a single moment before the rest managed to reach the shields behind her. Any soldier who managed to wander into her range found a quick and bloody death.

Together these two made for a fearsome wall of blade and basher all on their own. They carved out a large area in front of the defensive line that never failed to decimate those who got inside, thereby leaving a trail of corpses on the ground before ten seconds had even passed. Still, despite their fearsome power, they refused to charge forward to make even more of a mess in the enemy ranks. Instinct told them this was a foolish idea, and even the impulsive Remedios kept to her space. They each understood that with such numbers they could not force a decisive breakthrough, and instead they should hold the lines and brace for the storm.

Still, that initial surge did not mean the end of it. The soldiers kept on coming, and while some stood back, wary of the two titans in their way; still others kept charging on, betting their lives on one final burst of idiocy. It was here that their sacrifice sparked a change in the battlefield, as their bodies kept piling up, one on top of the other.

First the pile of bodies around Gagaran and Remedios piled up to such a point that they became literal walls impeding progress. The enemy force was thus forced to move past them, straight towards the paladin defensive line behind. There, those that died formed another man-made pathway—the corpses becoming building blocks to create the perfect wall to traverse the small slope. With this, the enemy was able to assault the line directly.

At first the defense remained undaunted. But the sheer mass of bodies kept piling up, forcing the line back through sheer force. Though no breaks or breaches appeared in the paladin's defensive line, they were still very much hard-pressed; forced to take one step back, then two.

Noticing this, Remedios immediately leaped to her closest side, and repositioned herself directly right in front of that particular line. In that brief moment, Gagaran was therefore left by herself, a sudden breach through which more were allowed to pour.

While Gagaran was hardly inconvenienced by being suddenly surrounded and cut off from Remedios, it still meant that the enemy could now assault the defensive wall directly on three fronts, like the points on a great trident. With sufficient pressure, which the vengeful mass of soldiers definitely possessed through sheer numbers, the center would fold regardless of the paladins' stout defense, and would lead to a complete disintegration of the orderly line.

It was then that Lakyus finally acted, just one minute since combat began. She thrust out her hand and intoned her spell, causing a wave of restorative energy to bathe the bodies of the defensive line. The center held, buying enough crucial time.

Next, Lakyus cast a spell of pulsing power on Gagaran, a staple favorite of her comrade's. With a bellow as loud as thunder, she swung her hammer up then down onto the earth, causing a massive shockwave that sent corpses and soldiers flying backward, stunned. This caused a disruption in the flow, and allowed Lakyus the time needed to quickly vault over the defense line, and take her place at the vanguard directly beside Remedios and Gagaran. With dark blade in hand she took the place of the center, with her armor gleaming bright and true.

"Glad to have ya here!" Gagaran shouted. "Everything alright?"

The stratagem was to keep Lakyus safe for as long as possible, until they managed to gain some more insight into their foe. Lakyus had bided her time, waiting for the twins' reports and observing the battle as best she could. The fact that she was here now meant that it was fine for her to show herself at last.

Just seconds ago, she had received the report by message from Tia. Right from the start, before the enemy had even begun showing themselves, they had already left their positions to infiltrate the forest. There they had slipped through the ranks to scout out the situation, and had even discovered where the magic casters were. After one of them had fired off that spell that had destroyed one of the food wagons, the twins waited for the opportune time to strike. As soon as the small army had mobilized, they executed their tasks with neat and ruthless precision. Before the enemy had realized it, their casters had been crippled, all without their realizing.

"There's still more we didn't manage to get," Tia had said. "Those ones were already on their way with the rest."

Lakyus instructed them to find a way to return to them without being seen, all so they could perform yet another subversive task. The magic casters were still their prey to track, as they were the ones who could do damage to the caravan carts, or the paladins themselves, who were not fully equipped to weather sustained magical assault.

"Understood, leader. Please try not to die before we're done."

With Lakyus now in the midst of it, their line was bolstered, as she was no inferior swordswoman. But her specialties lay in her protective and defensive spells, which could not be put to good use as she swung the dark sword Kilineiram in wide, oppressive arcs, feasting on the blood of their enemies. The evil-looking blade was in direct contrast to Lakyus' brilliant armor, as well as the other blade slung behind her back. It was loyal to the image it projected, as Lakyus swung it with careful swings, never overextending herself beyond the area she had chosen to defend.

This impromptu battle reminded her so much of that fateful night at the Capital City, when the hordes of demons summoned by Jaldabaoth had rampaged throughout the streets. The adventurers had also formed a desperate line there, determined to banish the monstrosities even if it cost them their lives.

This battle was no less desperate, but to Lakyus, it did feel cheap. These were simple soldiers, bandits and blackguards laying down their lives for nefarious means—but still ultimately humans just like them. Whether through desperation or malice, none but each of these unfortunates could say why they had turned into this course; why they had chosen to take up sword and join a cause with such questionable basis, only to fall to paladin and adamantite might.

"Who is your leader?" she shouted. "Can't you recognize you're beaten? You face adamantite ranks, fools!" She recognized a flicker of recognition in the soldiers about to lunge. They hesitated for but a second, and Lakyus gave them that. But battle lust or some other desperate emotion won out, and they swung their swords—a moment later they joined their fellows in the halls of the dead.

Despite that, they were still coming, almost as relentless as the demons of Jaldabaoth had been. She wondered why they still kept going, as they did not seem like mindless thralls slaved to some sinister spell. Arrows continued to rain down on them, striking down a multitude, but they still kept coming. They also did not seem like simple bandits, who would have been repelled at the first sign of strong resistance. Their cause must be so desperate that death was an acceptable alternative. Or perhaps their leader was so fearsome that death was preferable to failure or retreat.

"Oi leader!" Gagaran shouted. "It's getting all slippery here!" She grunted and swung, taking another two down with shattered heads.

"Agreed," Lakyus said. She shouted at Remedios next to her. "We need to pull back! Extend the line! Let's get to higher ground!"

Remedios nodded grimly and bellowed a command to her paladins. As one, the three foremost vanguards retreated one step, heading up back to the road, even as the line split in two—each now flanking them on either side. With this, the enemy soldiers were free to advance as a single wave, but they now had to contend with wading up a blood-slick, gore-filled slope. Still, this meant that they could definitely start clashing with the shield-bearers in earnest, meaning that the line was now fully engaged.

For a full thirty seconds they continued to fight, driving back the relentless wave of soldiers with ironclad will. For every brief lull Lakyus carefully reconstructed every defensive spell she could spare for the paladins, while also reserving the very best for Gagaran.

She heard the shriek of the fire spell streaking through the air before she saw it. The fireball shot through the trees and impacted right onto a paladin. It would not have been a problem for his shield—but he had been busy slicing open a soldier's gut. The spell surged onto his armor with a bang. The man cried out in pain as flames engulfed his body, and he staggered backward. A paladin behind him grabbed hold of his shield, and another took him away. Without missing a beat, the paladin surged forward to take the place of his fallen comrade, though it was clear that the line had been shaken up by the casualty. Slowly but surely their collective wounds added up, as nothing in the world could completely shield their mortal bodies from harm—at least, not forever. Even the arrows stopped raining down: a sure sign that they were spent clean of the projectiles.

As if she was making that exact same thought, Remedios hollered out something she didn't hear—thrusting her blade up into the sky. A bright light shone and bathed the line, and even on them. Lakyus felt her body imbued with an enchantment, though she didn't know exactly what—and there was no time to ask Remedios about it. She was still thankful for the assist.

Off in the distance, another explosion rose. Lakyus braced, anticipating another magical attack. But nothing happened.

"Leader," came the shrill voice of Message in her ear.

"Huh?"

"We might need help," came Tia's voice, though she still sounded calm and composed.

"What's going on?" she shouted, deflecting another blade swing and knocking the soldier back to his fellows.

"We cornered the magic caster who fired off that spell," Tia said. "Now we're surrounded. We're cutting our way out, but…"

Though the twins were certainly skilled in any sort of scrap, they were undoubtedly specialized more for assassination than a straight up brawl. Without any support, they could get quickly overwhelmed, even killed. Though they would definitely be taking a lot of enemies with them.

The need to extract them right as the battle itself was progressing would have been something for which she'd scold them. But there was no choice now; they had to act or lose two comrades at once.

"Gagaran!" Lakyus shouted. "We have to move!"

Gagaran understood her meaning without needing much more explanation. "Goddamn those two! Really making our jobs hard!"

"I've got you!" Lakyus cast her strongest enhancing spell on Gagaran, a secret move that was meant to make average soldiers into legendary warriors. Gifted to an experienced veteran like Gagaran, and she would achieve power approaching that of heroes for a brief moment. Lakyus hoped that was enough.

"Hraaaaghhh!" Gagaran charged into their enemies, swinging her hammer around like a typhoon into the midst of charging bodies. Bodies were sent flying here and there, bones irreparably shattered from a battering force almost equal to a giant's full blow. She kept going onward, almost disappearing into the mass of bodies, her merciless advance sending ripples through the opposing ranks.

With Gagaran's departure, the line shrank to shore up the line, and her absence was sorely felt. While she was right inside the enemy's lines, disrupting it and causing as much havoc as she could, the other soldiers still kept on going, and now there was nothing truly stopping them from swarming the line like ants. While Lakyus could hold her own, and Remedios' blessing still did wonders, the battle was starting to wear down on the paladins. Even Lakyus herself felt a little winded, though she would never admit it out loud.

Only Remedios appeared to be unaffected. She was as a berserker warrior, no, a god of battle gleefully destroying all who came before her. Yet she could only do so much. The assault eased up on her part of the line, like water meeting a great unscalable border. But this only funneled much of the force towards her and the rest of the defensive line, and she was rather hard-pressed. The paladins had to resort to pulling out when a chance came, allowing the hard-pressed paladin to be replaced by his fellow behind their, who'd discarded the bow and taken up the shield in their place. It was remarkable that such fellows remained undaunted despite the odds, but perhaps that was merely battle instincts honed from years of conflict with the demihuman tribes.

Light caught her gaze. For a moment she allowed herself to focus—and there off in the distance came a flare rising to the sky. That was an artifice made of firepowder, and was a signal that "objectives had been met". That meant that Gagaran had managed to reach the twins just in time, with no difficulty. But since it wasn't the signal for "all clear", that still meant that the three had a running battle ahead of them to fight their way back to the line. And without being able to see them, she couldn't cast any sort of defensive spell to bolster them, further frustrating her.

Though her heart was already racing from adrenaline, she still braced deep in her heart for her friends. She feared healthily, as all mortals must, and the prospect of death was ever something that each in Blue Rose had to address. But to face it so keenly, and even at a point where she was herself at risk from dying, was another thing entirely.

She cursed the soldiers in her mind. Why on earth were they still attacking? What was driving them to do so?

She could hear Gagaran approaching. Her boisterous bellows were appended by the sound of cracking bones and soldiers shrieking in pain. Then she could see them, just a fair distance away, just a short, crucial distance, yet it felt like so deep and vast a divide. She longed to run over there, to push forward through however many enemies there were, and stand with her fellows once again. But now she could only watch as they came back, fighting through inch by bloody inch, as their enemies continued to swarm over them in such numbers.

There. She could see them now. Gagaran was doing her very best—swinging her hammer with fearless abandon. She could spy the twins right next to her, using their bigger companions' attacks as an erstwhile shield. In the meanwhile, they darted in and out, stabbing and slashing at whatever vulnerable part they could reach before withdrawing back into relative safety. Again and again, they repeated this delicate dance, one step at a time. So close now. It was so close she could just barely touch them with the tip of her sword if she pushed her body forward over the precipice. And yet it was still so far away.

"Gagaran!" Time seemed to slow as she saw her friend stumble forward, unbalanced perhaps by the slick ground. She managed to right herself, but that left her completely exposed to an attack from all angles. The pause in her swing also left the twins very vulnerable, though they were already moving to adjust. But by the time Gagaran would recover, it would already be too late.

She moved without thinking. Uttering a short apology to Lord Momon in her heart, she drew the white, gleaming sword from her back and threw it like a javelin. It streaked through the air like a runaway comet. To her surprise, it cleaved straight through armor and bone, cutting through a nice, large swathe of enemies before disappearing.

The sudden death of so many gave Gagaran the opening she needed, and she was able to make a bullish charge straight through the middle, with Tia and Tina in hot pursuit. The paladins quickly parted to let them through, even as the enemy swarm surged in their wake like high tide.

"Made it! Fuck!" Gagaran said behind her. Without turning her head, Lakyus swiftly cast a healing spell on her comrades. On the whole, it wasn't enough, but even she felt completely tapped out. She was close to her breaking point, and there were still so many here stubbornly refusing to break. All around her the paladins strained to defend. About the only person who didn't manage to look tired at all was Remedios, who continued to slash through all opposition with remarkable ease. The sound of rattling steel echoed through the air as the once iron-clad defense began to unravel. Though the wall held, their opponents' relentless numbers meant that they were straining like a dam about to burst.

Now she could no longer even land decisive blows. Each swing of Kilneiram sent a soldier reeling, but not enough to kill. She had lost a bit of the focus she'd needed to keep on going—and it didn't take long to lead to something disastrous.

A figure dashed out, a soldier daring to strike with a reckless swing. She saw him coming, but her defense was too late, and the strike sent her backward, reeling from the blow. Pressing forward, the soldier swung once more, forcing Lakyus to twist her body in an attempt to cycle her sword around in a retaliatory swing. But the wide cut bit deep into her shoulder, causing her to hiss in pain and recoil. She stepped back, unable to swing upwards to defend against the next blow, as it had been her dominant shoulder that had been hit.

The man seemed to smile as he thrust his sword forward, aiming right for her exposed belly. There was a gleam through the slits of his helm, as if he had been looking forward to this or a long time. Though she was armored, any strike there would certainly bite deep.

"Leader!" someone shouted from behind.

Lakyus watched the tip of the sword approach closer and ever closer, almost in slow motion. She was oblivious to everything else in the battlefield. It was as if she was watching her own death approaching as sure as the sun rising at dawn. She should surely have felt afraid of it, but all she felt was a deep calm, as if all her worries were about to fade all at once.

Then everything turned white.

---

There came a rush of wind that blew through the trees. From within the mass of enemy soldiers the white blade that had been gifted to Lakyus suddenly flew through the air as if it had wings, cleaving straight through the marrows of the unfortunate soldiers who were standing in the way. The blade streaked backward, whirling all the while, until it landed on Lakyus' outstretched hand.

Light engulfed the area for a second time.

A momentary pause came to the battlefield, as each combatant gazed in wonder upon the extraordinary sight that came to pass.

There, Lakyus stood, and she held a blade of pure white in one hand, and a blade of inky black in the other. They gleamed not as ordinary swords did, but as of a bolt of lightning grasped in one's palm. They were as pillars of pure, concentrated power, crackling and hissing. Lakyus' eyes had also changed, as each eye now surged with the same glow of white and black, a form quite terrifying to those who looked directly on her visage. A strange halo surrounded her body, taking the form of a haze-like aura that half-obscured her form.

Before anyone could move or react to the sight, Lakyus had already moved. She made a wide slashing arc with her white blade. The power it unleashed was so swift and decisive that no one was able to believe that it had happened even when the evidence was right before their eyes.

Nothing remained where the blade had struck—no man nor armor, no blood and even no corpse. It was as if they had been wiped clean of existence, as if a painter had blotted their colors clean from the canvas.

"The fuck?" someone said.

The moment passed, and while the enemy was unnerved, they nonetheless took heart in their superior numbers. They moved to attack once more, filled with the same bloodlust that had kept their fellows going despite imminent death. Into this fray did Lakyus walk, her strange black and white blades in hand.

"Lakyus!"

"Damn it, stop!" came the protests from her comrades behind her. But it was as if she heard nothing. She waded, fearlessly, into the midst. And just when they thought all was over, when even Remedios could not possibly aid her, her body moved—quick as a flash of lightning. She danced between their blades, able to move so nimbly despite her armor, despite the jagged steel bared her way. She ducked and dove, while she whirled her arms like a dervish, obliterating everything the hot blades touched.

"She can't hear us," said Gagaran, watching from behind.

"She could be in a trance of some sort," said Tina. Her gaze narrowed at the two weapons on her hand. "And I think it's obvious why."

"The blades?" Tia said. "Sir Momon did say that they would do something if they were wielded together…"

"This is bad," Gagaran said, already leaping forward, despite the creaking protests of her tired, bruised body. "Leader!"

"What the hell is your comrade doing?" Remedios snarled, pushing forward, as if to follow. Unlike before when Gagaran had pressed forward, the former grandmaster could not comprehend the situation in her mind. But she instinctively knew this was unusual, judging by the way her comrades were also following along like fools into the enemy ranks. "Paladins!" Though each as tired as Gagaran and the rest was, the paladins followed their superior's cry, darting down the path in an attempt to rescue Lakyus.

Again, Lakyus did not hear above the din roaring in her mind. All she could see before her were the enemies she needed to kill—destroy, crush, annihilate—and her body was eager to fulfill her wish. The twin blades soared like fell wings, and nothing withstood their wake. Light and dark left none in their path, turning flesh and bone and blood and iron to dust in less than a second. As the ones behind watched, each elegant sweep and twist of Lakyus' body permanently erased all those who thought to stand before her, leaving only smoke and ash.

Lakyus had never felt so strong—so free. She had often spoken of how the strange, demonic powers of Kilineiram could take hold of her mind and her body with ease, yet she'd never expected it to feel just like this. Tremendous power flowed from within her body, crackling at the tip of her fingertips. Though the two swords were large enough that she needed more training to hold them in each hand, now she felt as if they were as nothing in her hands. They were as the twins' daggers, light and sleek and deadly. She felt as if she were standing on some high peak, challenging the world of both man and the gods.

Forward she went, undaunted by the enemy's number. The others had no choice but to clean up after her, clearing out the stragglers that managed to escape the wrath of those twin swords. The enemy was ripe on the field, and she was ready to harvest them all. So complete and so overwhelming was her power that those watching from afar felt fear for the first time in the battle. Hearts blackened by hate and greed faltered. To gamble one's life on a duel to the death with an enemy, hoping for that small chance of everlasting glory, was one thing. To be mercilessly scythed down without appeal, without even the chance to fight back—such was the fate of beasts. And they did not wish to die as beasts.

And so, finally, the enemy line collapsed. Every man scrambled backwards, retreating into the trees and back to their hiding places deep within it. They had come to fight and plunder and survive. They had not come to be wiped out in such unceremonious fashion. For some, they did not wish to be like those many thousands they had witnessed on the Katze Plains, banished to oblivion at the snap of a finger. Such was the might of Lakyus' twin blades.

And yet not all of them would be able to just escape. Guided by some unknown power, she brought her arms together, such that black and white were placed together. Then she raised her arms upward, as if she were thrusting straight into the sky. Energy gathered in the blades, and they both flared ever stronger and brighter, like twin fires burning greedily, ever burning. Lakyus felt so exhilarated them, as if nothing else could and would ever matter. Then, as the enemy scattered like ants before her, she swung the blades down with deadly purpose.

Baleful light and coruscating black erupted in a wave, incinerating everything before it. It was over in a flash, and when Blue Rose's eyes cleared, they beheld before them the after-effects of such ruinous power. Nothing had been spared: no trees, no grass, no corpses nor artifice of man. Everything had been decimated in a long area, blasted into nothingness by the sheer power of the twin blades. Only the earth survived, yet its surface cracked and seethed from the blades' burning touch.

There were survivors. They had been fortunate to be standing just beyond the spell's area of effect. When they looked behind them to see what had happened to their comrades, they felt fear grip their hearts even more. They wasted no time fleeing, babbling like madmen as if the slavering demons of hell were nipping right at their heels.

After they disappeared, all was still. Only Lakyus' constant, ragged breathing filled the silence. All of them—from Blue Rose to Remedios to the paladins, to even the drivers who had witnessed all, could but stare in awe at Lakyus' form, as if they had just witnessed the apotheosis of a god. And perhaps that was not too far from the truth.

Then, as if she was a puppet whose strings had been unexpectedly cut, she slumped to the ground. The blades' glow faded in her hands, as if all of its luster had been spent in that cataclysmic outpouring of energy. Now they were but simple blades as before—thick and beautiful, and definitely quite heavy, as they dropped to the ground from Lakyus' nerveless fingers.

"Leader!" Gagaran wasted no time in rushing over, making sure Lakyus didn't completely fall. The twins followed right after. Lakyus herself felt as if she had been running a marathon for miles. She wasn't exactly sleepy, but the fatigue in her body was bone-deep, and nothing she could do could make her limbs move.

Only a gasp escaped her mouth, an exhalation of her tiredness. She lay slumped against Gagaran, oblivious to the cries of her team-mates. The presence in her mind had left her, leaving her with the inexorable descent to darkness.

---

Though all were curious to know about what kind of sorcery had just happened, they were all experienced enough to remember that this was not the place for idle woolgathering. The paladins who had been wounded in the battle were immediately given emergency care as the drivers bustled about, pulling herbs and poultices from the wagons. Fortunately, only one wagon had been destroyed, though its contents had still been saved.

Though no one had died, there were plenty of casualties. Remedios took a quick count and saw that over half of her paladins were of no use to fight, and would require complete rest to recover. Most of these were of course those who had taken up the shield to form the defense; most cuts and wounds they had ignored in the heat of battle now caught up to them after the fact as their adrenaline wound down. So great was the resulting aftereffects of the battle that they could no longer be fit to fight, even if they were all raring to go just a few minutes ago.

Remedios moved among them, offering her aid as needed. She knew some spells of healing and recovery, which she used on her fellow warriors without reservation. To no one's surprise, she alone among the Holy Kingdom's warriors bore no wounds or fatigue, and only looked winded, as if she had run a long road and nothing else. It seemed superhuman, but then again, this was the former grandmaster.

Remedios looked up as one of the twins from Blue Rose approached. "We found this on one of the soldiers." While Lakyus' mysterious attack had completely annihilated the corpses that had been present, leaving nearly nothing behind, there were still those who had died outside the area affected. The twins had gone around sifting through their corpses for clues about their enemies.

The woman offered up something on the palm of her hand. It was some sort of badge—denoting an officer in some army.

"What is it really?" Remedios said. Though she recognized its significance, the identity of the sigil was lost on her, a foreigner.

The woman hesitated for a moment. Then she said, "It's a little trinket given to the commanders of the Kingdom's armies. Usually these are for those who do not have peasants to call—they are given the privilege of leading parts of the army instead."

Remedios breathed out a sigh. "I see. Please excuse me." She turned and went to her men to issue a command.

Tina went back to Gagaran. She was still cradling Lakyus' unconscious body, off in the corner. Her blades had been wrapped in cloth and laid beside her—no one but Gagaran had the stones to even hold the things after seeing what they could do. But grasping the swords had not affected her in any way, which was a relief.

"It's not good news," Tina said grimly. They both glanced towards Tia, who was still carefully inspecting other outlying corpses in the distance. "We found some noble brat's corpse. We got no choice but to show it to Remedios. But half of me wanted to keep it to ourselves."

Gagaran shook her head. "I would've agreed with you, but that wouldn't be what Leader did. And at this point we'd damn well remember what she wants, after all that she did for us."

"…Yes." Tina said nothing to that. "You know this will end badly, though, right? With those numbers, those weapons… That wasn't just some trumped up bandit group. That was some nobleman's army, through and through."

"The fuck were they thinking though?" Gagaran hissed. "Things got so bad they turned to banditry now?"

Tina shrugged. Nobles could turn their fiefs to their own use for whatever reason, as long as no one found out. It was only treachery if someone proved that they had been responsible for various nefarious acts—and if one wasn't stupid then there would be no trace of their involvement. That was how the Eight Fingers had even risen, for at the start they had been funded and aided by smart nobles who knew how to avoid the Crown's attention as they pleased.

Tia approached, shaking her head. "I found nothing else. Seems we really hit 'gold' with the one we found. The rest of these guys are just grunts." She glanced down at Lakyus. "Anything change?"

"No. She's actually a bit worse. I think we should be—"

"Blue Rose." Everyone turned to see Remedios. This time her face was scrunched up. A pale wrath glinted in her eyes. She looked at each of them deliberately, as if she was weighing her words. "We thank you for your aid. Yet now I fear I must dismiss you from your duties. Again, we thank you for accepting the job, and fulfilling your part of it, up to this point. You have all performed more than adequately in your tasks."

"The hell are you talking about?" Gagaran asked. They all glanced beyond the woman to see the paladins gathering up their casualties and hauling them up on horses. They spotted a few horses already away at full gallop—and judging by the clouds of dust kicked up in their wake they were going back towards the direction they had just come in. It was clear that Remedios had already sent them as an advanced force, perhaps carrying a message. That did not bode well.

"The mission, such as it was, has been cancelled." Remedios sighed.

"What? Just like that?" Tia said incredulously.

"I did it myself, just now. I was already on the fence after that battle, but this new bit of news has only solidified my stance." Remedios narrowed her eyes. "I don't know if this army was acting independently or not, but this was still a coordinated assault on the citizens of a sovereign nation, while traveling peacefully on Re-Estize soil. To be harassed would have already been a grave insult—to be so brazenly assaulted is already declaring war. I am only thankful to the gods that your leader was able to do what she did—else I would have been forced to make my own sacrifice to get the word out. Not that it would have been a bad thing, if I'm saying honestly." She said that last as if she were talking to herself. Then she shook her head.

"But this wasn't ordered by any of the higher ups! Not even the King! You have no proof that this wasn't just some plot by some jumped up upstart, setting his men like hounds!"

"And what would the conclusion then be? It would still not affect the outcome. That the King of this land should allow any of his subordinates to run rampant, to the point that they have assaulted the citizens of another nation? That speaks ill of the leader. And besides that, we have definite proof that this was planned." She turned and gestured to one of the paladins who was carrying a decapitated head. Before any could react, Remedios had grasped it by the hair and held it out to them. "Recognize him?"

While the twins could only raise their brows in surprise at the gruesome display, it was Gagaran who reacted. "But that's—" she shouted, realization dawning on her. That was one of the men who had accosted them outside that first town, all those days ago. "Then that means—"

"It doesn't take a genius to put things together." Remedios flung the head away, its purpose now fulfilled. "For whatever reason: greed, intrigue, I do not care—this was planned for a while. Perhaps those men we met were lookouts, and upon seeing our caravan they were able to see a mark. Perhaps they had been tracking us for a long while, waiting for an opportunity to ambush. Still, this proves our point: that we can no longer trust the King or his people."

"But still, you must realize this is just goading on a war. A big, bloody mess that no one wants!" Gagaran shouted. She didn't care if she woke up Lakyus—in fact, the leader should really be awake for a situation like this.

"War… Yes, another war would be very disastrous. But I cannot change what has happened." Remedios sighed. "Perhaps… there is hope. Perhaps dialogue can solve this. I am after all, only reporting what I have seen, and experienced myself. Perhaps the new King does not wish for war. Regardless, I am moving forward with the expectation that anything can happen, that this is hostile land from this point on. I am returning with my wounded, and I shall be working extra hard to guide and protect them from anything. But such is my duty."

The workers had taken out two wagons and loaded the rest of the wounded inside. They noted that one of these was Gagaran's ride—the wagon with all the weapons. And the other carried supplies. That still left a huge size of the caravan they did not touch.

"We cannot afford to bring the rest of the caravan all the way," Remedios said. "It would only slow us down, and we need all the time we can get."

"You're just gonna leave it here?" Gagaran asked. "What the fuck was the point of defending it then?"

Remedios said nothing in response to that, and continued, "Feel free to take any of the remaining wagons as you wish. Though please do understand that we're taking the beasts as is our right."

"What, you're just gonna leave us here?" Tina asked.

Remedios raised her brow, as if the question genuinely surprised her. "Did you mean to come with us back to the Kingdom?"

"No, but Lakyus is hurt! You could just bring us to the nearest town—"

"We're not stopping at any town," Remedios said grimly. "Not until we reach our own lands again. We cannot risk a second army waylaying us. I'm sorry, but we cannot bring you unless you're going all the way. Or if you want, we can just toss you over the side of the wagon at any point in the road."

"You fucking—" Gagaran made to rise, wrath evident. "Lakyus saved your fucking hides, and this is how you repay her?"

"While we are indeed grateful, you have already been paid. In full. Upfront," Remedios reminded them. "And from now on I shall not and will not appropriate property that rightly belongs to the Holy Kingdom for the sake of those who do not belong to it. I am sorry." Remedios turned to walk away, as if that was the end of it.

"Fucking bitch!" Gagaran hissed. Remedios paused a step, but continued on, back to her men. They watched as the final preparations were made, as the last of the horses were harnessed to the wagons they were bringing. "The fuckers… They're really going without us. Really just leaving, just like that." The twins remained silent as the new caravan, much diminished from before, began to move. Remedios didn't even look back. None of them did.

As the clamor of their departure faded into the distance, all that was left was a long, lingering silence. The rest of the wagons were left on the road in derelict fashion, silent witnesses to all that had happened here.

"Fuck, we need to go."

"Where?" Tina said.

"We got no choice. Without Evileye here to help diagnose her, we don't have any other option. We have to press on to the Sorcerous Kingdom."

Tia and Tina looked at each other. "Evil boss won't like it."

"Well, you try asking her. Unless you wanna be left behind here, then help me get her loaded so we can go. With any luck we can find a place selling a horse…"

They went to one of the empty wagons and laid Lakyus there. The twins quickly loaded it up with some of the food and supplies that had been left behind. Gagaran chugged several fortifying tonics before grasping the front of the wagon. She grunted and made an initial pulling motion, straining with all her might. Then, after gauging her strength. she started running at a trot, dragging the wagon behind her down towards the other end of the road.

---

"Oh, Ainz-sama…"

"Um… Ainz-sama…"

In his office deep in the labyrinthine halls of Nazarick, Ainz laid his hands on each of his lovers' bellies. On one hand was Narberal Gamma, who had grown quite fat and heavy with her children. The woman was smiling proudly as he caressed her belly.

On the other was Neia Baraja, newly pregnant, and in perfect health according to the healers. It was not yet clear, but there were indications that she was bearing twins, which was joyous to hear. That she was pregnant at all was already something to celebrate.

He was also glad to see that Neia had opened up, at least to the point of interacting with the other mothers at the communal Hall. She still didn't want to join any orgies though, which was perfectly fine for Ainz. But it was better for all his mothers to get along, even outside the hours of debauchery. The wholesome friendship that had sprung up between Albedo and Zesshi, for example, was something he was greatly pleased to see.

Ainz was quite satisfied that at least all of his lovers now bore children. The fact that Calca and Kelart had taken a bit longer still puzzled him, but he let it lie for now. At least in the end Kelart had managed it, even if it had taken long. Maybe it was just one of those things in life that had no explanation. And perhaps there didn't need to be one.

Another mystery he did still ponder was the fact that near half of his lovers were expecting multiple children. He didn't know if that was the norm or not for childbirth, even in his own fading memories of the last world. As ever he speculated that his new body had something to do with it—whether it was his race or his high level, there certainly was one unknown factor that was making his lovers quicken with twins or triplets.

One such contribution to this was Zesshi Zetsumei, one of the most powerful in this world and a human/elf hybrid, who was giving him triplets. The combination of one who carried "Player" genes and an actual "Player" was sure to result in powerful children, and by extension having multiple of them seemed "logical" to Ainz, not that he could really explain it other than a gut feeling.

A counterpoint to that fact was Albedo and Shalltear, two of Nazarick's own powerful, who were each bringing him just one. They were also as powerful as Zesshi, but their circumstances became different. Perhaps this was due to the fact that it was unclear how he had impregnated them. With Zesshi she had made it clear that she had taken immediately when he had been disguised as the human sir Momon. But the other two had been taken much later, and their babies were sure to have been conceived during their many orgies. In those orgies he had taken on many forms, and had therefore cum in those two while transformed into so many different things. So perhaps it was a question of compatibility between species. After all, Nabe, whom he'd knocked up as a fellow doppelganger was also bearing more than one.

Could that really be it? Ainz wondered. But wait, I took Clementine as a human and she's also giving me multiple. Perhaps the answer was not that simple after all.

Truly a mystery.

The Message rang in his ear, interrupting his lazy thoughts. He cleared his throat and motioned his lovers to their seats.

"Yes?"

"Ainz-sama!" It was Albedo. "There's been an unexpected development!"

---

Chapter commissioned by UltraSpink of Da USA, thank you. A reminder that the story is commissioned.

If you'd like a story commissioned, feel free to contact me here, or on archiveofourown under "RHoldhous".