She is OVERLORD
Interlude
"The attacks have stopped?" Ramposa III, the aged King of the Re-Estize kingdom blinked. They were in the reception hall, where various nobles were gathered, watching.
Gazef Stronoff, the Royal Champion, nodded gravely. "Three powerful adventurers apparently fought and defeated the raiders," the muscular older man revealed.
"Adventurers? Like Blue Rose?" a fan said in the back.
"No, they appear to be unknowns," Gazef said, adding, "but from witnesses' reports I feel certain they are at least Mithril ranked." Actually, he was concerned they were Adamantite ranked, or possibly HIGHER, but he couldn't just say that without proof.
There were cried of surprise and alarm in the crowd. An unknown, uncontrolled band of adventurers who could destroy a raider group was a matter of concern. And, of course, there were nobles there who were unhappy that their plot against Gazef had failed.
"Well," Ramposa III said soothingly, "at least our citizens are safe. That is all that matters." With that the public reception ended, and the various nobles shuffled off.
"I'm sorry our soldiers couldn't catch the raiders," Gazef gravely apologized once they were mostly alone.
Ramposa III waved that off, "In some ways we're lucky you didn't find them. We both suspected it was a trap, after all."
Gazef made a face. He had been sent out without the magic blade Razor Edge or his champion's equipment, due to various political pressures. If he had run into the raiders and they caught him alone, well... "I have heard rumors there were also mages involved in the plot," he added, "if my guards had run into them too, it would be bad."
Ramposa nodded grimly. Bad, in this case, would be an understatement. "What did you not want the nobles to hear?" he asked.
"I'm reasonably certain the mystery adventurers were actually Adamantite class," Gazef admitted. "The three of them apparently never even drew their weapons fighting the raiders. They defeated them all hand to hand."
Ramposa looked shaken.
"We arrived at Carne village not long after they left. One of my men is a very good tracker, and we were able to follow them to the site of a second battle not far away," Gazef revealed. He continued, "There were nearly a dozen men dead, and from what gear we could find they were Mages."
Ramposa got it immediately as he muttered, "The adventurers both have immense physical power and very destructive magic."
"Exactly," Gazef agreed.
"Do you think you could defeat them?" Ramposa asked.
"I have not met them," Gazef quickly cautioned, "so please keep that in mind." Once the King nodded he admitted, "With all my weapons, I MIGHT be able to face one of them."
Ramposa nodded gravely at that. "Did you read the letter the chief or Carne village sent with you?" he then asked.
"I would not," Gazef said quickly, "it was a sealed communication."
"It would be simpler if you had," Ramposa said with a depressed sigh. "The villages near Carne have declared their independence from us, instead saying that they now follow the 'Empire of Ainz Ool Gown.' Whomever that is."
"WHAT," Gazef yelled, "That's treason!"
"Is it?" Ramposa mused aloud. "The oath of fealty goes both ways. We, as a country, had an obligation to defend them. We failed."
"My king..." Gazef started.
Ramposa waved that off. "They will be coming here to negotiate the seperation, in a few days," he added calmly.
"Your son won't take that well," Gazef sighed.
"Nor many of the nobles. But what must be must be," Ramposa said.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
The news about the village attacks hit the city, and the Swords of Darkness team were already on the move.
"I'm not sure this is a good idea," Peter Mauk addressed their employer.
Nfirea Bareare nodded as the younger man said, "Perfectly understandable. I know I rushed you to get this expedition to Carne going."
"So why the hurry?" Brita the adventurer asked. She had been recruited as a temporary member, for added muscle.
"There are people my family have done business with in Catne. I want to find out if they are all right," Nfirea admitted, blushing a bit.
"Well, well," Dyne Woodwomder murmured, smiling faintly.
Ninya poked him to keep him from teasing the kid. Not that Ninya was that much older. He addressed Peter, "So what's the plan?"
Peter nodded, "Basically, to make the best speed we can to Carne. We're also hauling some extra medical supplies, just in case."
Lukrut Volve, the handsome blonde ranger, got nearer to Brita. "After we make camp tonight, would you..." he started.
"No," Brita laughed, "Go away."
The group took the faster, but slightly more dangerous route that skirted the edge of a monster infested forest. That ended up being a poor risk, as they were jumped by a band of goblins with two huge ogres.
"Shit," Peter cursed softly. "Nfirea, stay with the wagon! Ninya, stay with him and support us from the rear!"
Dyne drew his heavy axe, even as Lukrut readied his bow. "We can handle this," Dyne said, possibly to boost his own confidence.
Brita drew her sword calmly. "I think Peter and I need to engage the ogres," she suggested, "everyone else, kill goblins then come support us."
"This is going to suck," Lukrut observed as he drew and fired his bow.
It did, indeed, suck. The goblins were mostly a threat due to numbers, so they were lucky it wasn't a large band. Lukrut dropped a few with his bow, then he and Dyne finished the rest with their close range weapons.
The ogres were brutal to fight. Their armored hide and huge strength meant that direct combat was foolish. Instead the fighters dodged and weaved as they slashed and cut. Along with the occassional magic spell. Eventually after long, grueling combat, they managed to put the huge monsters down.
"Light healing," Dyne cast.
"Light healing," Nfirea also used the spell, the combined aura restoring some of the fighters' life forces.
"That was awful," Brita sighed.
"You did really well," Peter noted.
The group collected proof of the monster kills, then quickly fled the area. The bodies would draw scavengers, and they didn't want another fight. As night began to fall, they set up camp.
"Fair Brita, would you care to share a bed roll..." Lukrut invited.
Brita kneed him in the nuts.
"URK..." Lukrut yelped.
"LUKRUT," Peter growled, dragging him off.
"Sorry," several group members apologized to Brita.
The next morning they set out, again taking the fastest route. As they travelled, they noticed a lot of smaller, woodland monsters being out, but mostly just at the edge of the trees.
"Dyne, any idea why they'd be so active?" Lukrut asked the druid,
"Someone or something may have driven them out from the deeper forest," Dyne suggested.
"That's NOT a comforting thought," Peter sighed.
Nfirea sighed, "So we're in more danger than usual?"
"Probably," Peter agreed.
(The group was unaware that the Sunlit Scripture had based themselves in the woods not too far away. They had used their Archangel Flames and magic to force out various creatures, in turn driving them out to the road...)
The adventurers and Nfirea came over a rise, the looked down into the valley where Carne village was. They could see damaged buildings, but otherwise there were bustling people... and a fence that was being built around the village,
"More people than I expected," Nfirea noted.
"Trouble?" Peter asked warily.
"I don't know. But either way we need to go there and see," Nfirea observed.
Two young men were standing guard at the gate, wearing roughly made armor. "Hey, Nfirea!" one young man beamed, "I see you made it here okay! We were worried!"
"Business first!" the other boy hissed at him.
"Uh, right," the boy cleared his throat. Stiffly he recited, "Welcome to the Empire of Ainz Ooal Gown. Past this point, you will be under the authority of the Empress Kobayashi..."
The Adventurers blinked in surprise as Peter yelped, "WHAT."
"It's a recent development," the boy added.
"NFIREA!" a young woman's voice cried, then she rushed by the boys to hug him.
"Enri," a visibly relieved Nfirea hugged her back.
To be continued...
Notes: I've changed 'Head Warrior' to 'Royal Champion.' Head Warrior just seems awkward as hell to me, even if it's a correct translation.