Chapter 2
Part 1
Industrialization is a wondrous thing. The shift from production by a few skilled artisans to workers running powered machines, then rapidly advancing automation in factories. Long before electricity became widespread, mechanical and steam power advanced production technology across the continent. Mass-production delivered luxuries to the common people unimaginable only a hundred years prior, and of course war was no exception.
Whether you look at a post-depression United States of the history I know, or the very Empire of the history I lived, it is these titans who could build a war on the scale of the entire world. Without the industrial capacity to assemble millions of machine guns and billions of bullets, there is only so much you can do even if you are able to conscript your citizens by the tens of millions – though the Federation may have something to say about that.
Indeed, the industrial revolution was one of the core foundations for the peaceful, modern life I so miss, but one must not neglect the social progress born from the cruel working conditions of the early industrial period. Now, I will never defend the lunatics who start a thought at a reasonable point and somehow end in communism, but for now, I will take one idea from them, just one idea.
Could we please introduce child labor laws already?
Tanya carefully set the huge crossbow down onto a wooden rack, having finished the final set for the day. While they were not nearly at the size of a ballista, each of these crossbows was easily taller than herself, a fine chunk of metal weighing in at no less than forty kilograms, capable of firing bolts which themselves weighed two kilograms at an extraordinary speed.
Obviously, these were not intended for human use, though a certain meathead from Blue Rose could probably make decent use out of one. Tanya herself could trivially augment her strength with a formula to draw and wield one, though the size mismatch meant she looked absurd holding one, not to mention uncomfortable balancing something that size.
She had actually tried test-firing the first prototype herself. Hoisting the massive bulk towards the target, she pulled the trigger, and as intended, the bolt shot towards the target. The experimental runic enchantments in the oversized frame did their job, loosing the projectile at close to two hundred meters per second, outstripping any contemporary crossbow by leaps and bounds.
Then, the law of conservation of momentum took effect. The heavy bolt shot out in one direction, while Tanya's petite body – armor and crossbow included – reacted to the recoil by flying in the opposite direction.
Had it been too long since she used a weapon with a physical projectile, and thus, with recoil? Thinking about it later, the result should have been obvious, but it had utterly slipped her mind at the time.
One moment she was holding a massive weapon, the next she was airborne and flying backwards. Her surprise in the moment even caused her to emit a silly-sounding squeal, although the observing dwarven runesmiths were too terrified of the consequences to dare laugh. Their primary concern was in fact not their own safety, but that of the prototype she was still holding onto, which might yet meet a tragic end were her irritation to turn into anger.
Thankfully for them, her confusion lasted only a moment, then reflexes from years of flight experience kicked in, and she immediately righted herself, landing on her feet and sliding to a stop. Her annoyance was self-directed for doing something stupid, rather than misdirected hatred towards the runesmiths' newest child (crossbow).
Only after she returned it to the four of them and departed did they collectively let out a sigh of relief.
This first prototype 'runic siege crossbow' was the product of these four dwarves, commissioned for the job on Tanya's own authority two weeks prior, around the same time she had started studying this world's written languages.
Remarkably, they had worked day and night to develop this first model in only that short time – no doubt the unlimited budget and rare metals provided by the Sorcerous Kingdom helped to entice them.
Even though the relative size of the wielder made for some comedic side effects, the bolt itself had accomplished its task, piercing both the thick straw target, and even cracking the boulder the target had been propped up against. Tentatively speaking, the experiment was finished, and so the dwarves went out for a celebratory drink.
Little did they know, their labor nightmares had only just begun.
Certainly, the results were a resounding success, given what they had been asked for. A focus on power without hampering accuracy too severely, slow to fire but devastating when it hits. Considering the irregular request and rushed schedule, this outcome was spectacular.
Such an unbalanced weapon carried all the same issues as giving an aerial mage a handheld 40mm cannon – it would tear through any defensive shells without resistance, but the only things it would ever hit are stationary ground targets. Adding in the loss of maneuverability from carrying both cannon and munitions, it made for such an overspecialized loadout that it became worse than useless on the field.
Thankfully, there were no aerial mages in this world, at least not by her standards. Tanya could confidently assert that every single man, woman, and child in the 203rd Aerial Mage Battalion could fly by some fifty meters over two dozen such heavy crossbowmen, and not one of them would receive so much as a scratch.
In contrast, the magic casters of this world loved standing still, casting basic anti-projectile defenses, maybe summoning some monsters to fight on the front line if they were able to, lobbing fireballs at the other side, then retreating when enemies tried to charge into melee range. Even those who flew did so to hover above the reach of pikemen, not to engage in magical interpersonal dogfights.
Third-tier magic to shield against projectiles could deflect attacks from longbows and light crossbows without too much difficulty. Even early non-rifled firearms wouldn't break through, at least not in a single shot.
In front of oversized and enchanted crossbows with kinetic energy closer to an anti-tank gun than a rifle? They would be tissue paper.
This was a monstrosity of a weapon built solely to execute magic casters at range, and it would do exactly that.
With the first prototype completed and successfully tested, normal product development might now advance into production. Were this product researched done on behalf of a company or country, there might be a few kilometers of bureaucratic tape and approval to navigate through first, but in this case it was a project run by her initiative. Tanya could freely advance or cancel the project, depending on whether it could produce the sort of weapon she was looking for, and she could definitively agree that it fit all her requests.
All that remained was sending it into production.
Therein lay the problem. There were obviously no factories in E-Rantel; workshops were barely fit to produce weapons for human use, let alone mass-produce such specialized equipment. The dwarves who had immigrated into the Sorcerous Kingdom were not weaponsmiths but runesmiths, and she had only managed to commission a few of them for the project because it was close enough to their normal research. Sending them to the forges for three months was out of the question, and even then, only a couple dozen could be produced in that time.
As much as she hated to admit having shot herself in the foot with this plan, the entire task of manufacturing equipment fell on her. Well, the enchantment would still be given to the dwarves as she currently had no ability to do so herself, but the manufacture itself – which had taken up three-quarters of the prototype's two weeks – could only be done by her.
The method was of course magic: [Create Greater Item] did exactly as its name suggested and trivialized the task of outfitting an entire army. Or at least, that was the plan from before she started putting it into practice.
The upside was that despite having only a cursory understanding of a crossbow's mechanical workings, she was able to accurately recreate the prototype down to the finest detail, including the orichalcum-reinforced frame, since it was apparently a low-level metal by YGGDRASIL players' standards.
The downside was that she lacked the mana to create even a single such weapon. As evidenced by how the physical manifestation of mana was only barely attained after years of diligent work by an entire team of Imperial researchers – and even then only in a single case, with Being X's interference – outright violating the laws of physics carried an immense cost. As expected of arbitrary creation magic, the efficiency was simply horrid.
Tanya had no idea how Ainz was able to casually use such magic to create swords and armor in an instant, without so much as breaking a sweat. Unlike her reproduction magic, his original version cost next to no MP for the same effects, which was to be expected, since in YGGDRASIL the spell only created one of several temporary weapons.
For reasons unknown, some tiered magic seemed to simply be cheaper to use than should be possible by their effects, the prime example being the Super-tier magic she had yet to decipher, which had zero MP cost for Ainz, impossible as such a thing should have been. For all the normal and realistic parts of the world which could be explained, those few game-like elements confused Tanya to no end.
As such, like so many others, the magic became a utility with only situational use, unable to make any equipment she could personally make use of. It would still serve its intended role of manufacturing the first set of army equipment, though their numbers would see cutbacks.
After renting out some unused MP-recovery equipment from the treasury, splitting the weapon into several created components to be assembled, and leaving the enchantment off the product being created, she was at least able to complete a couple after slaving away for the rest of the day.
The dwarves did not get out either. When they came back from their celebration the next day, companions in tow to show off their newest masterpiece, they found three more of the siege crossbows, ready for enchantment.
With the added manpower, these were engraved with runes within a few days. Having refined the process through extensive practice, they were speeding up, if only slightly. However, when they turned around to leave for another drinking party, another dozen were lined up on neat racks, as if to block the front door.
From there, it was a worker's horror story. For every one they fully enchanted, six more would fill the gap. They tried to clear out the living space by setting those up inside the workshop, only to find scores more in their place. As they worked, more and more would be erected outside the room, as if delivered by an army of invisible demons.
If they stopped working, would they continue pushing in until they were crushed under the weight of their unfinished tasks? They could not say. However, shying away from the runes they had dedicated their lives to had never been an option for them.
Having unintentionally created a series of legends and ghost stories among the dwarven people, Tanya got the training equipment ready. Of the planned 240 sets, only half would be made, with two-thirds of those being left unenchanted. Fewer still were ready when their users – the Lizardmen – arrived in the plains.
All this really meant was that they would organize into squads of four instead of two, working together to reload and aim the weapons, which were large even for their muscular bodies. Few among them were trained in the use of ranged weapons, but by organizing these squads around their hunters, they should learn quickly.
With the removal of all threats from the surrounding lakes, plus the rapid improvement in fish farming, the Lizardman population had grown explosively to nearly 1,600, though several hundred of that number were newborns and children.
Whether their loyalty had reached the point of fanaticism, or they were simply a belligerent species eager to make use of their warrior training, the 480 Lizardmen sent were selected from a larger group of volunteers.
Selecting them for this task had largely come about by process of elimination: unintelligent undead were poorly suited for using weapons they did not have when summoned; golems were disqualified for inflexibility; ogres and trolls were too few in number, not to mention unable to distinguish normal human soldiers from their magic caster targets; giants were far too obvious as targets, and despised using ranged weapons as the greatest dishonor imaginable; abominations lacked the appendages to so much as hold the equipment.
The strong but plain Lizardmen wouldn't be able to make use of their swamp mobility in the grasslands of the Theocracy, but neither would they be impeded by it. With comparable intelligence to humans, great muscular limbs, skin and scales comparable to basic armor, if one were to simply give them equipment to make up for their lack of metallurgic technology, they would make for very capable soldiers.
Issues with production and logistics were annoying, but they could be resolved with sufficient effort on her part. Were Tanya to name the biggest problem she was struggling with, it would not be equipment, but rather this: the humans were simply too useless.
She didn't like the conclusion, but there was virtually no military value to a human army, even with all the restrictions already placed against her ability to recruit from Nazarick. Only a tiny proportion among them had any usable strength, to the point where the rest didn't even have value as cannon fodder.
Maybe if she could train and outfit them to use breech-loaded artillery, they could be made useful, but such daydreams were nothing but a waste of time. Even if she could somehow develop it, distributing that kind of technology would never be permitted.
Ordinary people could gain strength through extensive training, so perhaps subjecting an entire army to the 203rd's training regiment might reveal some capable individuals. That plan was unfortunately contingent on the humans being willing to participate in the training, as she didn't have time to waste on hostile recruits. Neither the Kingdom nor the Empire gave her much hope in this regard.
The humans had to be there for propaganda, so letting too many of them die would have consequences. Simply by being present, they became a liability. Deploying them wasn't strictly mandatory, but letting them sit idle would raise questions about why they were requested to begin with.
"Thinking about it now won't help, too much of it depends on who they actually send. I should have taken the time to observe their military and give specific requests instead of just leaving it to them…"
Tanya muttered to herself, disappointed. There were two more days until the goblins were scheduled to arrive, then another two for the Kingdom, and the Empire the next day, weather permitting. Before then, she had much work to finish.
Part 2
Captain Gregory Hansen of the Baharuth Empire's Royal Air Force was a very loyal man. He held the deepest respect for his Emperor, who had allowed a commoner like him to lead one of the branches of the royal guard. He had no family of his own, nor any interest in starting one; more than anything, he wished to repay the Emperor for the trust he had been graced with.
His unique Talent allowed him to mentally communicate with the creature he was riding, an ability which led him to the peak of the Royal Air Force, as well as being the one and only among their number who rode upon a pure-blooded griffin rather than a hippogriff, as he had gained the creature's trust without the need for lengthy training.
Of course, riding ability alone could not make somebody a captain, so he tirelessly practiced combat with spear and lance to make up for his limited martial talent. Certainly, he was far from being able to fight the Four Knights in single combat, but his strength came from riding upon his partner, and he was certain that no airborne threat short of a dragon existed which could best them together.
Three years later, the family of nobles who had headed the Royal Air Force for generations were stripped of their titles for incompetent management of their territory, and the captain himself had been executed. With the nearly unanimous support of his peers, Hansen was granted the position by the Emperor.
Unfortunately, his rank had since plateaued. Even with a vacancy among the Four Knights, he could not perform that job while riding a griffin behind the Emperor. His men saw him as a capable leader, but he was far from a match for General Kabein, nor for any of the other Legion Generals.
Worse yet, he had committed a terrible mistake by allowing the golden dragon to land in the castle courtyard, slaughtering a great number of his friends and threatening the Emperor personally. Even if he knew that stopping it had been impossible, he had failed in his responsibility, and the lack of censure from the Emperor only served to heighten his guilt.
A few days later, the Emperor went to visit the tomb where the dragon's master resided, naturally accompanied by the Royal Air Force. Their job was to not reveal themselves, but to remain invisible, not approach or enter the tomb, and return to the Empire should the Emperor not come back out.
He could no longer be trusted to protect His Majesty.
When the Emperor finally came out, he was no longer the same man as when he had gone in. He had lost his radiance, the unbreakable Blood Emperor left sulking and depressed. Less than a year later, the Empire capitulated, becoming the first vassal state of the undead king and his Sorcerous Kingdom.
It's all because you couldn't stop that dragon when it flew right past you.
What was the Royal Air Force doing when the Emperor's Four Knights, and even his scribes followed him into the great tomb?
Everything that has befallen His Majesty, all of them are your fault.
Nobody would actually say these things to Captain Hansen, but he didn't need to be told such things to know they were true.
He was afraid. Losing his post he could still accept, the punishment for his incompetence should be no less. What he feared was letting the Emperor suffer as a result of his mistakes, without having a chance to amend them.
Then, the orders from the Emperor came, directly to him: He was to lead the elites of the Empire's army to join up with the Sorcerous Kingdom for 'training exercises' in the Katze Plains. The Emperor did not say it directly, but the implication that this campaign would not end with mere training was plain enough.
Additionally, he was warned, in no uncertain terms, not to antagonize the Sorcerous Kingdom in any way. Hansen desperately wanted to frown, to call out or question why the Emperor was so willing to lower his head to those monsters instead of standing proudly. But he said nothing. It was not his place to question the Emperor's orders, nor to bring personal feelings into the equation.
That was his loyalty to the Emperor. The Captain should say only one thing in this situation.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
The regiment advanced in neat formation from Arwintar through to E-Rantel. Though they sent outriders to resupply as they passed the city, they did not pass through. Normally, the legions would parade through the city on their way to skirmish against the Kingdom's army, making a show of their national power, but mobilizing the Royal Guard like this would only rouse suspicion.
Concealing the entire army would be impossible, so they wouldn't even try. However, the hippogriff riders flying above, who would normally be the first to be spotted, were making full use of their Obfuscation Cloaks to remain hidden.
The Obfuscation Cloak, a magic item of Fluder's design from around three decades ago, provided a long-term invisibility effect to the rider and mount alike. Although the stealth effect was a far weaker variant inferior to [Invisibility], for a hippogriff flying in the distance, there wouldn't be much of a difference between the two. In exchange, the effect could be maintained semi-permanently, flying two hours, then landing to recharge for two hours.
Of the forty or so hippogriff riders accompanying the army, one third would be in the air at any one time, with the remainder following along on the ground to rest and recover. This formation allowed the flying outriders to scout at a much greater distance than they would be visible at, so as to get the drop on any opposing force not aware of the magic item's existence.
They weren't exactly on a secret mission, but many of those marching were the hidden elites of the Empire. No doubt at least a few of the neighboring countries would love a chance to observe them in detail, if given the chance. Thus, they navigated around cities, redirected travelers around them, and stopped merchant convoys who tried to follow them for protection.
Exactly on schedule, they arrived at the now-defunct fortress by the Katze Plains, then after a brief rest, continued following the road towards E-Rantel. Before long, the training grounds came into view.
As the one flying near the front of the column, Captain Hansen was among the first to spot the encampment in the distance. Both common sense and training dictated that a knight flying at high altitudes should avoid opening his mouth needlessly. His brain was aware of this, but just knowing wasn't enough to stop his jaw from dropping.
He had not personally been at the battle in the Katze Plains, but he had heard the stories from fellow knights and officers alike. Yet, there was a clear difference between listening to a tale he thought exaggerated, and actually seeing them himself.
Gigantic black knights born of all the malice and hatred of humanity, carrying immovable tower shields and clad in impenetrable armor which pulsed as if circulating blood.
Horse-like undead beasts which radiated an aura of death and decay, the gaps between their bones filled with a glowing blackness, a void which consumed all life.
Pale-blue dragons and giants whose threat need not be explained, gathered in numbers previously unheard of.
A mammoth skeletal centipede, its insides filled with cargo crates, the whole creature having been converted into an unliving convoy.
Hansen held his breath, for fear of it being stolen away by the distant creatures.
He should be invisible, but did that really mean they could not see him? Should he flee now, when he might still have a chance to escape with his life?
His heart rate skyrocketed, his breathing grew shallow. In his mind, he heard the panic of the griffin below him. It was not being paralyzed with fear like a trained warhorse, but an instinctual fear. It wanted to flee if only he would allow it, but the responsibility they shared as rider and mount meant there was no such choice for either of them.
They dropped to half their previous altitude, pushing the horrors past the edge of the horizon and out of view. As he slowly recovered his breath and calmed down, he focused his eyes to look around in the surrounding air, trying to spot the nearby shimmers of the other riders in his squad.
As expected, they had done the same thing he had, falling closer to the ground to stay out of sight of the encampment.
No wonder so many of the Empire's knights had chosen to retire after that last battle. If the prestigious Royal Air Force could briefly fall into a panic from observing those things, what would happen to ordinary knights suddenly made to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them?
He pitied the Kingdom's soldiers, who had to stand opposed to monsters like- no, worse than these, if rumors were to be believed.
Hansen took a deep breath, then started to ascend. He was a proud knight of the Empire. Those things were not his enemy. He was a soldier. They were allies. They are not hostile.
Pulling off his cloak and carefully folding it into a bag, he flickered into view as the invisibility effect was cancelled. Voices would never carry across the loose formation of hippogriff knights, so all communication had to be done by signals or by magic. All eyes should be on him since he became visible, so he raised his left arm above him and gave an order.
'Pull back; Remain above the main force.'
They would approach with the army, while he would go on ahead to announce their arrival. Normally such a task would never be performed by the commander himself, but he was not optimistic about the outcome of sending an ordinary knight as a herald into that camp. "Heavy Explosion" Leinas might be able to bring herself to enter, though her unique arrangement with the Emperor meant that he only barely held the right to give her orders, and she was more or less free to ignore them as she saw fit. Besides, sending somebody with her appearance as an envoy could be interpreted as an insult in and of itself.
The griffin leveled out its flight, steadily gliding towards the camp. As they approached, he could feel many things watching him enter, but no attackers came to intercept him. They were letting him pass.
With the first hurdle cleared, Hansen sighted the largest building in the compound, a central fortress which might as well have sprung out of the ground just for this purpose. No doubt that was a command center, where the general to whom he should introduce himself would reside.
He had no idea what sort of fiend could be the leader of an army like this, so he would need to be directed by somebody else.
Looking at the clearing in front of the fortress, he saw two figures watching him approach. One was a long-haired maid, the other looked to be a smaller girl with a silver tail. Since they were waiting here, the two of them should be servants of whatever creature was the leader.
Nodding once, Hansen resolved himself, then warily brought his griffin down to land in front of the two servants.
Tanya stood with CZ near the entrance to the fortress. Reports had already come in that a detachment from the direction of the Empire was approaching on schedule, though that report had come in hours ago. It was only by coincidence that the two of them had stepped outside to see the incoming griffin come into view, only to dip back down a second later. Seeing through simple pseudo-invisibility was trivial for either of them, so both of them watched with a mix of amusement and curiosity as the griffin approached.
"It looks similar enough to the mythology that I know, but I'll ask to make sure, what is that thing?" (Tanya)
"… Ordinary griffin juvenile. Adults can reach around level 20, at this age it should be near 15. The strongest subspecies I know of is the level 76 Griffin Storm King, which Aura-sama keeps on the 6th floor." (CZ)
Her question got an immediate answer from CZ. It certainly didn't seem particularly strong, but it was better to ask a specialist than to rely on her superficial knowledge of legendary monsters.
How do so many different worlds end up developing such parallel myths? Or were these also created based on that game a few hundred years ago? Yet another story to research when I find time…
As Tanya thought about such trivial things, the griffin spiraled towards the courtyard where they stood, diving down and flapping its wings once near the surface to ground itself. The landing itself was gentle enough, but their close proximity to the site meant that both of them had their hair scattered by the wave of air pressure.
For Tanya, her hair wasn't long enough to really get in the way, so she just brushed it aside lightly with her left hand to keep it out of her eyes. As for the maid, her long, straight hair naturally went everywhere, yet somehow settled perfectly into place as soon as the wind finished blowing past.
How such an event could happen without the slightest tangling was a mystery unexplainable by modern science. Though CZ's facial expression wouldn't change so easily, it was clear enough that she was getting irritated.
Looking down on the two of them from atop the griffin's back, Hansen called out with the booming voice afforded by his body size.
"My name is Captain Gregory Hansen of the Imperial Royal Air Force. We have arrived with five hundred of our elite men in response to your invitation. Please direct me to your general so that I may convey this information directly to him." (Hansen)
"…uwaaahh, what a rude person…" (CZ)
As Tanya watched in genuine shock at his actions, CZ was the first to interrupt and say what both of them were thinking. It was a quiet murmur, just barely loud enough to be heard, but from how the corner of Hansen's mouth twitched, he had obviously heard her.
"What-" (Hansen)
"Does your excuse for an empire not have the tradition of dismounting in front of a superior officer, or are you simply incapable? Get down." (Tanya)
Before he had the chance to speak again, Tanya cut him off with an accusation. Her voice couldn't begin to compete with his in volume, but the weight of the implied threat was in no way inferior.
Hansen flinched from the utterly unexpected response, having suddenly been mocked by the maid and-
He froze while thinking about her words. Without a doubt, she had called herself their superior officer. From the building fear he could feel from the griffin linked to his mind, she must be considerably powerful, easily surpassing the magic beast.
A single rumor came to mind, from the mouth of a trader hailing from the Kingdom. He had spoken of a mythic fight between two demons in the skies above the capital, one massive and one-
"I told you to dismount. Would you prefer it if I treated you as insubordinate instead of simply incompetent, Captain?" (Tanya)
His thoughts were again interrupted by the demon, who was now radiating an aura of hatred which made griffin and rider alike tremble. After receiving the first warning, he had remained frozen in place as he thought, earning her ire. There would be no third chance.
He swung his right leg over to the left side, vaulting over the side of the griffin in one smooth action to land on the ground a short distance away. Despite this, his height still towered over the two as he turned to face them again.
"May I confirm something? Are you the highest authority at this camp?" (Hansen)
"Correct. Strategic Officer and General under His Majesty, the Sorcerer King, Ainz Ooal Gown-sama, Tanya Degurechaff. On behalf of His Majesty, I have been tasked with training and organizing the armies gathered here into a cohesive force." (Tanya)
She did not exchange salutes as she might upon meeting Imperial High Command, nor greet him cordially as she would her own subordinates. From his initial attitude, he would likely be a subordinate in name only, an ally who gave only the bare minimum support to avoid censure. He was too loyal for his own good, to the point where it harmed his flexibility.
Personally, she might have preferred to just cut her losses and replace him immediately, but they were currently far too lacking in commanders to discard a potentially capable candidate so easily. Unlikely as it seemed, if he was the type who could properly set aside personal grudges to work, she wouldn't have any issue getting along with him.
Although, even after getting the explanation, hints of doubt remained on his face.
"I'll give you one piece of advice, Captain: Whatever assumptions you may think to make based on species or appearance, discard them now. Around here, they will only cause problems." (Tanya)
If he listened and followed orders, he would stay. If he couldn't understand even with this, then he was beyond help.
"Thank you for the suggestion, General… I will relay those words to my men." (Hansen)
Rigid and stiff, but not an inappropriate response. For the time being, it was acceptable. Tanya nodded and continued.
"Good. Just this once, I will write off this as an incident caused by a simple misunderstanding. Do not allow it to happen again. Then, I'll hear your report on the composition of the forces you brought." (Tanya)
There were quite a few complaints Captain Hansen wanted to give in reply.
It's a misunderstanding because your side's letter said nothing about it. Nobody could predict this outcome just from that.
How do you expect us to know anything about your kingdom's rank insignia and organization?
The Emperor and his Knights described the monsters who looked to be warriors, but how do you expect anybody to guess that looking at you?
The list rushed through his head, but there was nothing he could actually say, not after being warned as he had just been. There was always the possibility that this was all some intricate trap to justify disbanding the Empire's legions even more than they already had. If he spoke his mind, his generation might be the last Royal Guard.
With that in mind, he held his tongue, and began the requested report.
The detachment from the Empire numbered 540 in total: 40 were Hansen's aerial cavalry, every last member of the elite squadron; 80 were arcane magic casters of various ranks, including two of Fluder's former disciples who could use magic of the 4th tier; 60 others were divine magic casters, though fewer than ten of their number had reached the 3rd tier; 60 members of the royal guard, half of whom had recently been promoted to the position and given what equipment could be salvaged after Mare's earthquake. The remainder were selected from the most capable Imperial Knights stationed in the capital, accompanied by a small number of noncombatants in charge of managing their supplies.
A single Captain being assigned over five hundred men, isn't that a few ranks too low, or do they have completely different standards?
The thought came up during his introduction, though since it might have been her error for not knowing about the Baharuth Empire's officer rankings. If it were her empire, commanding a unit of that size, he should have been a Major at very least, although considering they were made up of several elite groups pushed together, a Lieutenant Colonel would have been more sensible.
The people selected were certainly the Empire's elites, but there was very little coordination between them. Most were not exactly independent groups and didn't have officers of their own, and although they were all part of the same army, they had never been deployed together like this.
To begin with, the magic casters were not sent against the Kingdom in large numbers, as they were too valuable to risk sending to the front. Each year, only a few dozen would see combat, and even then they would either support a legion from its center. Similarly, most of the knights and guards present had been promoted through the ranks of regular imperial knights, and those few who went into battle did so as the generals' guards.
Without the legions which serve as the backbone of the Empire's army, this unit would be far less potent than it appeared on paper. While calling them 'weak' would be an exaggeration, their lack of coordination with each other would definitely have shown had they been ambushed by strong monsters on the way. However, thanks to the reconnaissance by the Royal Air Guard, they encountered no such difficulties.
In total, it was nearly three times the 200-strong unit sent by the Kingdom, though the difference was hardly surprising considering either country's current situation. Both had now settled down in their own camps, making the difference in both size and quality obvious. Whereas the Empire had maintained and expanded their permanent standing army over the past decades, the Kingdom had been slowly starved of their manpower in the yearly skirmishes, and just last year had the majority of their military command annihilated.
As they were already drained of men to the point of having to import food from their overlord, a new draft was out of the question. Well over half the remaining soldiers were employed by the nobles who had since been nearly wiped out, and were thus effectively disbanded. In summary, the couple hundred royal guards who had survived the war were the only force available to be sent out.
Led by Gazef Stronoff's second-in-command, this force was a sort of successor to his warrior band, having been formed with their remaining members at its core. Though they could be called elites of the Kingdom, comparing them to the Empire's regular knights would still be generous. Only a couple were near the level of the elites they had brought out now. Worse yet, the Kingdom couldn't even deploy a full dozen magic casters for this group, and those who had were at or below the 2nd tier in arcane magic.
The Empire's Magic Academy required a term of service after graduation, so as to ensure that talent remained in the country. Naturally, attempting defection was punishable by death. Exceptions which resulted in capable magic casters dropping out to become adventurers or workers were considerably rare, and even those few who did were bound to not leave the country if they didn't want to be hounded by assassins.
On the other hand, as the Kingdom had no such education program established, there was virtually no reason for a capable magic caster to work for the country. Unless they were bound to service, such as with children of nobles who had learned to use magic, a third-tier magic caster would certainly either become an adventurer, or find employ with rich merchants or nobles who could offer far more generous terms than the meager payment the Kingdom could afford.
At the same time, the lack of state-run training for divine magic casters meant that the few who were able to use healing magic were affiliated with the churches. The leadership of the Kingdom had little sway over them, and they maintained their monopoly carefully, to the point of pushing for laws which made it a criminal offense for adventurers to heal those outside their party without compensation. Admittedly, this was one of the guild's rules internationally, but only in the Kingdom was this enforced this as law rather than internally in the guild.
At the core of their faith was the tenant that undead were the enemy of all life, so not surprisingly they weren't exactly eager to offer support to the Sorcerous Kingdom. The rare few who were either brave or stupid enough to openly oppose Ainz were summarily removed, but those who simply did nothing were allowed to remain. With all the dangers of this world, healing was a vital service for the nation and its people alike, so shutting them down on a whim would only serve to agitate them and buy animosity.
Once Nazarick's rule over the surrounding countries was more secure, the churches would inevitably become more malleable to their control. In particular, removing support from the Slane Theocracy – whether monetary or moral – was a critical step in that process. Before that, there would be little to gain by making demands of them; as for what to do with them after that, they had not yet decided.
Demiurge argued that the humans should be made ready to worship Ainz as a god, so that as soon as Ainz himself gave the order to do so, they could begin doing so without delay. As he himself had demonstrated in the Holy Kingdom, even the most devout of humans could be converted, and it was only natural that Ainz who sought to conquer the world would stand atop it as its sole deity.
Tanya insisted that it would be much better to exterminate the organized religions as soon as they had a good chance to do so. Were churches worshiping Ainz to become entrenched, getting rid of them later would become next to impossible, no matter what form they took. When the target of their worship could be demonstrated to exist, conflicts between what the doctrine taught and how the real thing acted would quickly spiral out of control. Even in the best case, they would lose control of the churches sooner or later, thus they should all be rooted out before they could start converting.
It was one of the rare topics in which Tanya firmly disagreed with Demiurge, and refused to back down on. No matter how much glory it might bring to Nazarick, even if it was incredibly effective in spreading the name of Ainz Ooal Gown, and in both conquering the continent and stabilizing it, Tanya wanted to avoid that outcome. Becoming servants of the Supreme Divine Being might be great fun for the Floor Guardians, but she was convinced that letting organized religion of any form survive would get in the way of her peaceful life in the future.
Thankfully, she was being left in control of destroying the Theocracy, so she could influence it to some extent. Utterly crushing their faith in a short time was wouldn't be possible, but she could at least make some progress in the meantime. Even if it wasn't part of her mission, as long as she wasn't forbidden from doing so, she would further her personal goals.
Much like an independent 'recon-in-force' against the Brest Naval Base, it was a legally permissible action, if only barely. Except, this time, she wouldn't stop to ask for authorization. There were many lessons to be learned from war, but the one she chose now was to not let future problems survive to threaten her peace.
Tanya smiled, thinking about the life to come. The sudden change caught CZ's attention, who had been waiting in the room without a word, which in turn caused Tanya to revert her expression. The maid never gave her reason for being here, so she might well be an observer sent on behalf of Demiurge or Albedo. She had no obligation to give them hints about what she was thinking.
That worry would be resolved much faster than expected.
She sensed a living mist rapidly approaching, navigating the halls of the fortress to arrive in front of her door, where it reformed into a humanoid. There was no use waiting for it to knock when she already knew it was there, so she just called for the Crimson Maiden messenger to enter.
"Reporting. An army of five thousand humans is approaching from the west, to arrive in one hour. Their identity is unconfirmed, however they are raising banners of both the Sorcerous Kingdom and Holy Kingdom. How should we proceed?"
"… She's here. Let them in." (CZ)
CZ seemed to be pleased, which only served to confuse Tanya further.
"… Who?" (Tanya)
Part 3
Three girls stood facing each other inside a neat, modestly decorated office.
The Officer, who had still not received an explanation about the current situation.
The Archer, who was glaring at the aforementioned Officer with unrestricted hostility.
The Combat Maid, who stood watching over the interactions of the other two from the side.
Strange as this collection of individuals may appear to outsiders, at some point this sort of military command had become the norm for the Sorcerous Kingdom. To be precise, one was not officially associated with them, but her love and loyalty for Ainz were in no way inferior.
Tanya watched the girl who CZ had brought in, the one who had been glaring at her with a profound hatred ever since she had first entered the room. This was without a doubt the first time they met – in fact they hadn't even met yet, as a single word had yet to be spoken – yet it seemed she already had no interest in friendly relations.
Did she have a particularly extreme hatred for demons? Considering what 'Jaldabaoth' had done to the Holy Kingdom, that wouldn't be surprising. Although, she had come this far by her own volition, and the story Ainz had given at the time described CZ and the rest of the Pleiades as demons themselves. The more she thought about it, the stranger the girl's reaction seemed.
Her expression hasn't changed much at all since she entered, except when she glances over at CZ. Could it be that she isn't trying to be hostile, but rather her face just looks that way?
"… Neia, self-introduction." (CZ)
"Yes, CZ-senpai!" (Neia)
The first to break the silence was CZ, who got an energetic reply out of the evil-eyed girl.
Senpai?
"I am honored to meet you, Honorable General Degurechaff. I am Neia Baraja, temporary squire of His Majesty, the Sorcerer King, now the leader and orator for all who recognize Ainz-sama as the embodiment of true Justice. After CZ-senpai sent that letter, I came with five thousand of our most devoted to repay even a fragment of the salvation we received from the Sorcerous Kingdom." (Neia)
It helps that she's not angry, but why does she sound so excited? And what's that excessive title, did she practice pronouncing my name before coming here? What did CZ write in that letter, and just what the hell did Ainz do in the Holy Kingdom to get this kind of devotion? The Ministry of Public Enlightenment would love to study under you!
Tanya looked over at CZ, who was evidently the mastermind behind this, though she probably had not done so out of malice. The maid took no notice of her glance, instead choosing to walk over and pat Neia on the head, ruffling her hair despite. The strange scene briefly made Tanya lose her words, watching the sisterly act, so out-of-character for the emotionless girl that she didn't want to step in and interrupt.
Not long after, Neia looked past CZ, her eyes stopping at Tanya's breast. Above her usual dragonscale armor, she wore a dress shirt in the style of her old military uniform. Although, since Nazarick had no military history or decorations of its own, it was a replica more than anything else. What drew Neia's attention was, stuck on in place of a medal, was a single sticker.
"Ah- then, you are CZ-senpai's- no, you are also one of His Majesty's maids?" (Neia)
"Maid? I don't recall becoming a maid." (Tanya)
"… She's not one of our sisters. But, it's hard to say who's the senior and who's the junior." (CZ)
"Thinking about it normally, that would have to be you, right?" (Tanya)
"… nn, in terms of time serving Ainz-sama, but the one called senpai should be stronger." (CZ)
"Could she be even stronger than CZ-senpai?" (Neia)
Neia who had been listening to the exchange cut in. She found it hard to believe that anybody except Jaldabaoth or Ainz himself could stand above those difficulty rating 150 maids. Well, there was the Momon who they had originally searched for in the Sorcerous Kingdom, but they were obviously unrelated. But, the savior she looked up to didn't hesitate for a moment before confirming her confused question.
"… Far stronger. Level is lower, but could fight against Jaldabaoth." (CZ)
"Stop it, you're saying too much." (Tanya)
Tanya tried to stop CZ from pointlessly leaking information. At the same time, Neia herself only looked at her with bright eyes, though they were tinged with loneliness.
"Everybody around His Majesty is amazing… to be just and powerful, but continue to gather strength nonetheless… is that what it means to be strong?" (Neia)
"That is simply comes from understanding that there is always something more powerful, no matter what you are." (Tanya)
Three beings came to mind. The one she had finally managed to entrap and see destroyed, then the other two – the white and black – whom she could never reach. Two who could erase her at a moment's notice, all while she remained utterly incapable of responding. Tanya's fist unconsciously tightened.
"Um, General, if it wasn't through Jaldabaoth, how did you come to serve His Majesty? Would you please explain that?" (Neia)
At this, Tanya paused for a second, debating what to say. This wasn't a question she had prepared for, so she had to be careful of contradictions. The truth was obviously out, but refusing to answer might just make her more curious. She glanced over at CZ, who nodded, likely misunderstanding her concerns.
She sighed, then began slowly circling the room while narrating.
"There once existed a great demon by the name of 'Teikoku'. It was a being whose might spanned an entire continent, with an unrivaled mind for strategy and subordinates numbering in the tens of millions. Young and ambitious, it reached out towards its arrogant and decadent neighbors, consuming allies and enemies alike by the millions. Before long, the entire world rose against it, but even still it continued to fight and push back. For almost half of this life, I had no choice except to serve as one of its soldiers." (Tanya)
Tanya paused, observing the other two's reactions without turning back towards them. Neia was captivated with a slightly pale face, and for some reason, even CZ seemed to be listening with interest.
She does already know the real version, doesn't she?
As she was still facing away from them, there was no way for them to spot any changes to her face. Her dramatized story continued.
"With that being said, I don't know how it ended. An even more powerful entity interfered, and I was separated from the control of 'Teikoku' for a brief time. During that period, I was picked up and saved by Ainz-sama. No doubt the battle still continues, undecided to this day." (Tanya)
"… ohhhhhh" (CZ)
CZ chimed in, whereas Neia remained pale.
"If it is still alive, is there a possibility that demon lord would come attack the Sorcerous Kingdom in revenge?" (Neia)
Tanya thought about it. Although it was on a whim, now that she had written up this backstory, it might end up turning into one of Demiurge's grand plans.
"I won't say it's impossible, though I expect it will remain occupied with its fighting for centuries to come. Although, I was only ever a mid-rank officer, so that prediction could easily be off." (Tanya)
She gave an ambiguous answer, one which left plenty of leeway for rewriting the schedule as necessary. The story was stitching together fragments of truth without context or explanation, so she had some confidence in being able to expand if it were to become necessary. Just as she said, a Major was roughly halfway up the officer ranks, and would naturally have limited access to strategic plans.
The personal connections she had with Zettour, Rudersdorf, and Lergen in Strategic HQ gave her more than the average officer, but even after taking that into account, she rarely heard more than she needed without taking the initiative to dig deeper. Theoretically her promotion to Lieutenant Colonel had only been a few days away, though her sudden disappearance and de-facto defection obviously nullified that.
It was wasted effort on her part.
Neia heard the full story, committing it to heart to the best of her ability, but the words that echoed in her mind were the General calling herself 'mid-rank'. Demons were hierarchical, extremely so; perhaps there were exceptions, but for them, a higher rank would nearly always correspond to greater personal power.
An archfiend like Jaldabaoth – the Demon Emperor – stood at the very pinnacle of their kind, or so she thought. Only a couple years ago she would never have believed a being like that could exist, but he did – as did the great Sorcerer King.
CZ had personally identified Tanya as being comparable in strength to Jaldabaoth. As she was somebody who His Majesty had personally selected, that much was only natural.
However, such a girl had identified herself as mid-rank. As far as that Teikoku was concerned, her own strength was only average; hence, many tens of millions of demons were incomparably more powerful than herself.
Neia shivered. Forget the Holy Kingdom, could even the Sorcerous Kingdom survive an invasion of that magnitude?
A small hand settled on her head. It had almost no warmth of its own, but to her, it was more reassuring than anything else.
"… Leave it to Ainz-sama." (CZ)
"Yes, CZ-senpai!" (Neia)
Her mood performed a perfect 180 with just a few words from CZ. The atmosphere spreading between the two was once again something Tanya felt she didn't want to interrupt. They were a pain to deal with for completely opposite reasons to somebody like Hansen: one was an ally, the other had been nothing but respectful; snapping at either of them was hardly appropriate.
Part of her wanted to just leave, but she still had work to do. The girl clearly adored Ainz, perhaps even more than that, so her loyalty wasn't in question. However, learning the circumstances behind her bringing troops from a foreign country in these numbers were extremely important for cutting off potential political issues.
"So, setting that aside, why are you here? Although you mentioned a letter from CZ, is it the official position of the Holy Kingdom to send these soldiers?" (Tanya)
"Er, no, I do not represent the Holy Kingdom, this is only a personal action on my part. When CZ-senpai asked, I gathered volunteers and traveled here with them." (Neia)
"Wait. You mobilized five thousand soldiers just for that? Does your army permit that level of autonomy?" (Tanya)
"Um, as I've said, although I am a former squire, I do not currently have any relation to the national army. Everybody within the Holy Kingdom receives military training, and many former officers volunteered, but the organization is not under the command of the Holy Kingdom itself. The total number of combat-capable individuals in the organization is a little short of forty thousand, but I was advised to only bring this many, as we would be unable to supply more than that." (Neia)
"… So you have an independent standing army, under your personal control? Without any oversight or regulation from the government itself? Are you serious?" (Tanya)
"Yes, that is correct…" (Neia)
Neia wasn't entirely sure why Tanya was so surprised by this. The nobles in the Southern Holy Kingdom each led thousands of knights, while some of the great nobles in the Re-Estize Kingdom commanded upwards of eighty thousand, if their vassals were included.
The present situation in the Holy Kingdom had been rapidly changing over the past few months. As the Northern Holy Kingdom had disproportionately taken damage from Jaldabaoth's invasion, a great many of their citizens had died, their economy had collapsed, their cities razed and their fields burned.
When the North lacked the means to recover on their own, the South responded not with aid but with sanctions, designed to curtail Prince Caspond's power, pushing for him to abdicate his seat as Holy King in favor of an indirect relative from the South. In the months since Jaldabaoth's defeat, material aid to the North had actually decreased.
The amount of wealth held by the people grew, if only slightly, but food and other living costs were rising faster. Discontent and civil unrest was widespread, and the majority of the North's population saw the nobles from the South as oppressors rather than fellow countrymen.
In such desperate times, they were offered salvation and protection under a foreign monarch, a great being who had personally come to save them from the Demon Emperor. Tens of thousands had personally been rescued by him, but those spread word of his heroics to millions. After countless iterations, those actions had been embellished to the point of perfection.
Unofficial it may have been, but those followers guaranteed the stability, prosperity, and safety of His Sorcerous Kingdom for those who offered their support. With the lack of aid coming in from the South and evasive promises from their own government in the North, their words spread throughout the entire country like a virus.
Of the 3.5 million citizens in the Northern Holy Kingdom, nearly one million were sympathetic to their cause, of which 200,000 were active supporters, a fifth of whom were ready to take up arms on their command. Many among those were openly against the government.
It wasn't hard to guess the future of that country. For Tanya, the primary concern was how much of those circumstances were planned by Demiurge during his invasion. As he had already left meticulous notes on both his own actions as well as those of Ainz, she – who had received permission to read through them – would be expected to understand their cryptic motivations.
Nazarick was not some worker-friendly company where she could just ask for an explanation. Were they already gathered for some meeting, she could stop him to ask for advice, but she did not have that luxury.
Faced with the thread of a [Message] being forged, any restricted information could only be exchanged in person, usually by one of the parties teleporting to the other. Since his time was far more valuable than hers, asking him to spend it for her would mean a serious demerit against her.
Unfair as it may seem, she would be punished for interfering with Demiurge's ("Ainz's") well-laid plans – plans which she was expected to know about without being told. Such was the challenge of working under a near-perfect genius.
With that in mind, she wasn't about to start complaining about receiving the authority and independence she had originally requested. All it meant was that she had to tread carefully; though she would honestly have preferred not to get involved with somebody like Neia, who was almost certainly at the core of at least a couple plots in the Holy Kingdom, a living landmine of sorts.
"Well, fine. How much were you told about what you were sent here to do?" (Tanya)
Tanya chose to drop the subject and move on. Watching CZ's completely informal interactions with Neia made it difficult for her to remain serious as the discussion drew on, and hearing her switch between nervous and excited based on who she was speaking to was getting exhausting.
"Truthfully, we only heard where and when to come, not what we came to do. Some of my advisors suggested that we respond to later request similar assistance when we need it. Although, since we are already indebted to His Majesty, I couldn't do something as audacious as asking anything in return. Please, use us as you see fit." (Neia)
While Neia bowed her head, Tanya tried to think her motivations.
Is she stupid, or just single-minded? Since she knows how to use advisors to make up for her own inexperience, the latter? To plainly speak their goals without negotiating, she trusts us simply by association with Ainz, and after only a few months of interaction. Or on top of that, how her relationship with CZ turned into this. They're a mystery.
I get the feeling that we could make good use of her soldiers, and especially the officers she brought along. Getting some information about the Theocracy out of them might save a lot of effort. Though, it's a stretch to hope for them to know of a national secret we haven't found yet.
Breaking in to steal intelligence… would have to wait until we can attack them openly; even those Hanzo monsters couldn't get into the capital's vaults without killing any guards. I'd love nothing more than to just strike the capital with overwhelming force and wipe out everybody Dunkirking out with treasures, but… they might have some hidden means of escaping which we can't track. Besides, open aggression won't be good for future diplomacy.
There's not enough intelligence, so we have to let them take at least one action. Since we don't know what we're looking for, they have to be the ones to bring it to us. We need to cut them off from any other options except a decapitation attack against myself, a fight they can only win using that item.
Everything after that is just a bonus.
She silently watched the two once again slipping into their own conversation. She had already heard most of what she was interested in learning.
On second thought, let's just leave her to CZ.
Part 4
The fortress city of E-Rantel was considerably busy in the middle of the day, as one might expect of its size. The hustle and bustle of residents, travelers, and merchants was enough to disturb conversations over more than a couple meters at street level.
However, among the numerous amenities of the Shining Golden Pavilion – befitting its incredible rent – were soundproofed rooms. One particular corner room, which unlike its neighbors was left unlit, dark and dreary; not only were the curtains drawn shut, but a second layer of drapes was overlaid to block out all traces of sunlight even in the middle of the day. Such was the owner's preference, as well as for her safety.
For all the activity just downstairs, the only source of sound audible in the room was that of shuffling paper. One sheet would flip. A few seconds pass, then again, another turns.
And although the report was long enough to be called a tome, the one reading through it was doing it at such a pace that a single page was open for only a few seconds, the full document less than half an hour.
She was by no means skimming or skipping the contents. If one were to watch the inhuman pace at which her eyes were darting around the page, it would be clear that she was taking in every single detail that had been recorded.
Though the pages themselves were closer to research notes than a formalized proposal or report, both the detail and accuracy contained within were a testament to the author's talent and expertise alike.
By the time she reached the end of the notes, she had recorded and committed the contents to memory; further analysis could wait until a later day. More importantly, the initial analysis and translation had been completed. With these, she could start decrypting and experimenting with the remainder herself.
With practiced dexterity, she flipped back to the front page with a single motion, setting the report back down onto the table. She had no further use for the original.
"Should I say, as expected of a specialist, to figure this out in only two months. The results are perfect, well done." (Tanya)
"I'm not interested in your praise, just compensate me properly. The work is finished." (Keeno)
This much was a normal exchange between Tanya and Keeno, employer and contracted researcher. Twice before she had come to check on the process of the work, and their conversation went much the same each time.
"How about working on our research officially? I'll see about getting your own department." (Tanya)
"Spare me from that, just this is already getting more involved than I should be." (Keeno)
The difference was that this time, the contract had been fulfilled. Tanya made a similar offer each time, but it was rejected all the same. Although her original objective in commissioning this research was now fulfilled, it would be unfortunate to let a valuable card slip out of her reach.
"It's stable employment under a reputable government organization, what's there to complain about… well, fine, I'll leave that for another day. What do you want? Money? Artifacts? Just so you know, while requesting a country to be destroyed is fine, I can't do anything about Momon-dono's work schedule, so give up on that ahead of time." (Tanya)
Though it was barely audible, Tanya could clearly hear the sound of a tongue clicking in disappointment.
"… Forget about it then… In that case, pay with an investigation of your own. Far to the south of the continent, across the desert, there exists, or rather once existed, a kingdom by the name of Inberia. Several centuries ago, an undead calamity turned its entire population into undead. Find the cause and culprit, and destroy them." (Keeno)
Keeno Fasrith Inberun
Tanya thought back to the full name she had heard a few times, once from the princess and once from the person herself. It didn't take too much of a leap in logic to figure out why she was interested.
"Inberia… the task itself isn't unreasonable, but if the country is far enough out to not appear on local maps, it's not something I can take care of in a couple months. A conservative estimate would put it at a decade before you see any progress." (Tanya)
"A decade or two after this long won't make a difference. Although, even if I'm the one suggesting it, can you really handle that yourself? From all the research I've done, this isn't some natural phenomenon. Whoever it is, they're capable of creating several million zombies at once. Isn't that already at the level of your Sorcerer King?" (Keeno)
There was a pause. Tanya didn't immediately response, as the question could easily be meant to probe for Ainz's power. Giving any definite answer, positive or negative, could easily be extrapolated to estimate how strong he was by comparison.
"When it comes to that, I'll think of a solution." (Tanya)
"I can only hear that as sheer arrogance." (Keeno)
Another pause, but now Tanya simply shrugged. Level increases aside, getting beaten up by Shalltear on a daily basis made for spectacular training. She had even fought to something that could reasonably be called a draw, albeit only once out of nearly a full hundred rounds. Winning against Ainz would be a stretch, but she was confident in having at least coinflip odds in a serious fight against Demiurge.
Of course, she was under no obligation to explain any of this.
"What's with you, are you actually worried about me?" (Tanya)
"… If you want to get yourself killed, suit yourself, just don't go complaining that you weren't warned afterwards." (Keeno)
This time, it was Keeno who shrugged. Considering the possibility of resurrection magic, it might not be impossible for her to protest to her master after the fact. Still, she recognized the intent behind the joke, so she let the topic drop. Picking up her own research notes to flip through, she continued with a new question.
"Where did you pick this magic language out from, anyway? Not even original magic developers would try breaking spells down to this level, there's just no good reason to. Just how ancient is it?" (Keeno)
This question as well had been brought up several times, though Tanya had only ever explained what the symbols weren't: they weren't related to dwarven runes; they were neither demonic nor draconic; they had nothing to do with the secret language of the Theocracy, whatever that was.
She was mostly certain that nobody else from her world had come here in the few years since the Type-95 was developed, so trying to find connections would have been a waste of time. She had made this much clear already, but now that the first stage of research was complete, Keeno tried asking again.
Though somewhat hesitant, Tanya did reply.
"… The creator was a patriot and researcher whose obsession with magic could rival Fluder Paradyne, a fanatic zealot whose technology briefly reached the realm of divinity, an obsessive perfectionist who never understood the meaning of restraint, and a lunatic dedicated to making every possible effort to blow me up." (Tanya)
"What the hell? Does somebody like that really exist?" (Keeno)
"Unfortunately…" (Tanya)
The room quickly returned to silence. Keeno tried to think through the implications of what she had just heard.
Just what kind of person could traumatize a demon? Or, were they the memories of her human past… in which case, her actual age at the time would have been younger still.
Over the past couple years, Tanya's physical growth had all but halted, to the point where she had gone out of her way to get tested for abnormalities at a military hospital on multiple occasions. They had found nothing wrong with her body, but that didn't change the fact that looking at her, guessing nine would be no less reasonable than twelve or thirteen.
Her misunderstanding turned into sympathy, then to curiosity.
I'm not surprised that there are others with this kind of past, we found a fair few over the years as adventurers… though nearly all end up incapable and dysfunctional. This world isn't kind to those without ability, but… was she saved by the Sorcerer King? Is that where her loyalty comes from?
What would it have been like, to be saved and grow up under the protection of that kind of being?
She laughed at herself, albeit only inside her mind. It was a silly thought; the odds of two intelligent undead running into each other like that were beyond astronomical.
Meanwhile, Tanya was looking away, looking away from Keeno, who was busy spacing out.
Visitors?
She was caught somewhat off-guard by a group of four approaching the inn. Unexpectedly, they had gotten that close without her recognizing them.
Because [Detection] was as potent as it was, her perception could reach almost anywhere inside the city walls. Tens of thousands of people were shuffling around in the city, a volume which she had nowhere near the computational capacity to observe simultaneously with her current mastery over the ability.
Additionally, even though the four were notably stronger than the citizens crowding around them, the many high-level undead stationed around the city conversely made it harder for her to spot them. Amid the hundreds of powerful Soul Eaters and Death Knights, a couple relatively powerful humans would inevitably get masked and hidden.
Meeting in a crowded place was a simple way to get ambushed. Having realized her failure, Tanya chided herself. Were it a truly powerful enemy specialized in stealth, she could well get herself assassinated with this kind of carelessness. Granted, it had worked out this time because they weren't hostile, but it was a foolish mistake to make.
"Seems you've got guests." (Tanya)
"Who… oh, has it been a week already? As usual, your information gathering is uncanny." (Keeno)
There was nothing in particular which Tanya needed from them, so she started to leave. Before she could, Keeno cut in again.
"You may as well stick around at this point. Believe it or not, those guys are here to join up with you, after they're done visiting acquaintances in E-Rantel." (Keeno)
Not long after that, a heavy knocking came from behind the door. Less than a second later, without waiting for any response from inside, the lock clicked, and the door was thrown open.
"Yo, we thought you'd be lonely here on your own, so we came to visit… wait, why are there two of you here?" (Gagaran)
The one to push the door open with nearly enough force to tear it off its hinges was Gagaran, followed by Lakyus and the twin assassins, of whom one was still in the process of hiding lock-picking tools behind her back.
"Three months and that's what you come up with?" (Tina)
"She never bothered to visit even though it would only take an hour to teleport." (Tia)
"It has been a while, Keeno; and to you as well, Tanya-sama." (Lakyus)
Each gave their greetings in turn. Aside from a brief handshake with Lakyus, Tanya herself sat back to let the party reunite after a few months apart. If they chose to leak some information in the process, all the better.
"Let some light in, not all of us have darkvision. Not perfect vision at least." (Tina)
Tia didn't hesitate to pull apart the carefully-sealed window, flooding the dark room with bright light from the midday sun.
"That hurts, dammit! What are you trying to do?" (Keeno)
Keeno complained while picking a red cloak off one of the bedposts, which she immediately pulled over her head. Though irritated, the mild burns on her exposed face barely registered as damage to undead without a sense of pain. Within a few seconds, they had already regenerated and closed up.
"So much dust… isn't this a luxury inn?" (Tia)
"No matter the inn, you have to leave once in a while for somebody to come clean…" (Tina)
"She hasn't actually left the room in months, has she?" (Tia)
"Probably not. Are we really surprised at this point?" (Tina)
"When the Granny found her again, she'd already spent forty years in seclusion. Digging her out after only three months barely counts." (Tia)
"Fair enough. Should we come back in another ten years?" (Tina)
"… Let's not. We'd get old while they're exactly the same. Somehow I can't accept that." (Tia)
"… Agreed." (Tina)
The sisters quietly relayed questions and answers between the two of them.
Similar conversations went on for a few minutes before the topic of discussion turned to business. Without warning, Gagaran turned towards Tanya and abruptly asked,
"So you're the one leading the invasion against the Theocracy, right?" (Gagaran)
Perhaps jumping straight in was her way of trying to catch Tanya off-guard and leak something, but all they got out of her was an inscrutable mask.
"We are currently in the process of training allied armies to fight alongside undead from the Sorcerous Kingdom…" (Tanya)
"But that's just a front to prepare for an invasion of the Theocracy, right?" (Gagaran)
"… I can neither confirm nor deny any information about military plans…" (Tanya)
"When the Princess explained the job, she was certain the target would be the Theocracy, and that you would be the one in command for publicity reasons." (Gagaran)
"… Just stop talking already." (Tanya)
Gagaran let out a hearty laugh.
By now, it had already become an open secret. Anybody involved would quickly notice how many of their exercises were about combat against large numbers of magic casters. Rumors about crimes committed by agents of the Theocracy were spreading through the streets. The few living witnesses to the village raids by the fake knights were, after some slight adjustments to their memory, brought to the city to speak of the horrors implanted in their minds.
As this was happening, they intentionally left gaps in the anti-divination defenses around both E-Rantel and the training camp. Over the course of a month, they detected several instances of hostile divination, revealing both the assembled armies, as well as Ainz's absence. He (Pandora's Actor) had not left the castle, and would continue to take no part in the upcoming war. Similarly, Tanya was making a point of only displaying a limited set of abilities while under observation.
"We didn't come here to start trouble over it. Several years ago, shortly after Blue Rose came to have its current members, we encountered a secret unit from the Theocracy in the process of killing off a hidden village of elves. We drove them off, but by the end nearly the entire population was already dead." (Lakyus)
"- And that's why we want to take this chance to go beat them up some, even if it means fighting for you all."
Lakyus stepped in to offer an explanation about their circumstances, followed up by an addendum from Gagaran.
"Personally, I still can't support your logic, not even now. Theoretically, you could argue that the Sorcerous Kingdom could take over the role of protecting weaker species from the Theocracy. However, even if your Sorcerer King and officers are immortal, the Platinum Dragon Lord might come and burn it all to the ground one of these days." (Keeno)
From Keeno's dissent, an unexpected name drew Tanya's attention.
"The Platinum Dragon Lord? You've actually met him?" (Tanya)
"I have, and I can't predict who would win if it seriously came down to it. But, know that if you really do take out the Theocracy then get wiped out yourselves, humanity might well be heading towards extinction. If you ever thought that the unbalance between humans and demihumans was harsh around here, it only gets worse when you leave the Theocracy's area of influence. Even if they do it by killing a few innocents, that may be the lesser evil." (Keeno)
"As usual, I don't get your reasoning. Even the Princess is suggesting we side with them in this case, it seems pretty obvious who'd accept you more easily, what with your condition. Why still defend the Theocracy?" (Gagaran)
"Honestly, I'd like to, which is why I've been giving what support I can. With Momon-sama, that 'Guardian Overseer' Albedo who challenged him in the city, and your Sorcerer King, you could probably drive off the Platinum Dragon Lord with strength to spare, but the story changes if the rest of the True Dragon Lords get involved. They may not like the Theocracy either, but going too far may mean waking them up. I don't mind playing along for now, but I know my limits. If you start that war in heaven, don't blame me when I leave the continent." (Keeno)
"… She says that, but really it's just about being on the same side as her lover." (Tina)
"Why is it that you two can never let me have a serious conversation?" (Keeno)
If Keeno's analysis was correct, they were not enemies Tanya could fight against; she could perhaps hold one off were she in peak condition to fight, but given the choice, retreat would be a far more reliable choice. That said, when two or three guardians were a match, she only had to make them fight in her place.
Demiurge and Albedo would already have been made aware of the threat the Dragon Lords could pose, and prepared some countermeasures against them. Giving her own independent report on the subject had its benefits, but they were not a priority.
The simple fact that they had not already come to attack implied that they were not a single cohesive group, simply a collection of individuals. Should they take action, they would do so one at a time.
In summary, they were likely hostile and probably a threat, but not her immediate concern.
"Your warning is noted. I will look into both matters further; however, we will not alter any plans on account of it." (Tanya)
"Right then, we'll be coming along for a while. For the sake of form, it'll be a commissioned request for Blue Rose to aid in the training? We can't be blamed for getting involved in any conflicts that come after that." (Gagaran)
"I thought I said I wasn't getting involved… though it wouldn't make sense to drop out when it's just training, so fine. Lakyus, take care of the details." (Keeno)
They came to an agreement without needing too much negotiation. Rather, as far as regular rates for adamantite-ranked adventurers were concerned, it was virtually free. From how even their disagreements flowed smoothly towards a resolution, this outcome was already planned out, a foregone conclusion.
On paper it was only to guide the training of some of the human armies, but Blue Rose had officially, if temporarily, transferred their base of operations into the Sorcerous Kingdom.
With 'Red Drop' choosing to return to the Republic during this period of instability, and both 'Darkness' and 'Blue Rose' having relocated to their sovereign, the last symbol of independent force within the Kingdom was removed.
A/N:
Obligatory notice: Most of you reading this are probably human, so do try to stay healthy.
The action will start in earnest next chapter. That may not come out for a while, don't be surprised by delays.
