VIII

Sounds of footsteps eerily echoed across the barren stone field, amidst the foggy atmosphere which granted any bystander a veil of semi invisibility. it was an arduous path to cross even so, in spite of the pitfalls and the coldness of the night, a figure was rapidly approaching that location.

"It has been a while, my friend. Please be at ease. I am not here to take your life just yet".

The sound of his voice, greatly amplified by the magnitude of the place, was not dissimilar to that of a feral beast.

The only person who would've been able to hear it was already on his knees, his head hanging to the side as if already abandoning any hope of salvation.

"Hohoho. You do realize that my lifespan is at its limit anyways. Not killing me right now wouldnt be considered an act of mercy, rather, you seem to enjoy making me suffer".

The figure came forth and revealed itself to their captive, lighting a torch up next to their face.

"Mayor, you seem to harbor discomfort and hatred towards my family. You always have. Even though my father is to blame, I will defend my grandfather's worth to the grave and beyond. And I... I am just like him. Unlike my father, I want what is best for this city and its inhabitants. I'll soon be head of state and many things will change, starting with the suppression of the corrupted Elves of Purity and their vicious ways".

His interlocutor weakly shook his head in disapproval. Despite this, his lips were sealed.

"You've always had a soft heart. You're unable to see the big picture, to sink your weak teeth into anything more than local affairs. But what we need is a firm hand and a solid grasp on reality. And that reality right now resides in global politics''.

Rokkan looked at the stone ceiling in awe. His eyes were sparkling with delight oozing from his wildest fantasies.

"You needed to listen closely to the sounds of war, to the winds of change that the Sorcerer King was animating! This place could've been a magnificent vessel for his glory and with it, we could've reached heights only dreamed of by our ancestors! But your vision is so narrow... why is that? Why cant you see the true beauty I see?"

"Hoho... you dont know what you're saying, Rokkan. You are young and inexperienced. And above all... your heart is not in the right place".

The old mayor addressed him directly for the very first time since his imprisonment, "your delusion of grandeur will be your demise. I've told you that again and again, even when you were just a kid. Remember your achievements... before all this, before the wars, before you became an assassin... such a talented kid, you were. A beautiful tomorrow, squandered. A life of righteousness, diluted in sin. Now it is my turn to ask you why...".

He seemed genuinely concerned. Rokkan could tell. That was why he was hesitating. His hand reached for the old mayor's pure white hair.

"You know... in another life, perhaps, I would've been able to follow your advice. But reality is a crushing thing, isnt it?

As a child you can be anything and anyone. Dreams, illusions, passions. They all take up your time, they fill the void in your heart and make you complacent. I cannot go back to that time, now that I have tasted reality".

"And what would that be?"

"... the reality of true power. Pure, unadulterated energy. The fury of the elements. The force that moves us forward. In this world, it is closely tied to evil. And I intend to embrace it and make it mine".

Rokkan pulled a single thread of hair from the mayor's head. He looked at its pure white colour as if contemplating the meaning of life and Death.

"Farewell, mentor. One thing I can promise you right here and now, is that I wont fall for evil. I will merely make it mine to use. The people you have neglected, the humans... I will save them all. This is my pledge to you, as a token of my gratitude for all that you've done so far".

A wry smile appeared on the old mayor's face. His eyes looked in the distance.

"Such wasted potential. I will never understand the intricacies of fate, hohoho".

Rokkan pulled his mantle up and left. That area of the catacombs was well hidden by several traps and multiple secret doors behind fake walls, however he had made sure to put an additional patrol of six experienced assassins between the innermost section and the surface so that truly nobody, not even the most skilled militiaman would dare approach.

He wanted the deed done soon, relishing in his own temporary triumph.

"Make it quick, queen of Nazarick, my sweet, sweet trump card. Be at my side for I shall give you what you need. Me, and only me... I cannot wait to part ways with this mortal shell and become the first demigod to ever grace the Star City".

Rokkan moved faster as he approached the light of day, nearing the catacombs's entrance. There, a messenger and two assassins greeted him.

"Any news?"

"Yes marquis. It would appear that your brother has moved away from Drykven manor".

"Moved? When and where?"

"After midnight. We have seen his carriage leaving the city by the front gates. I... regret to inform you that he successfully eluded our patrols twice before getting out of the manor. He seemed to know our movements quite well".

"What the... why would he do such a thing..."

Rokkan was deeply troubled. He had always thought that his religious brother would never leave the manor. His greatest fear was that he might have involved himself with the likes of lord Flannar and his entourage. However, it now appeared that it wasnt the case; leaving the city meant that he might have either had some sort of connection with the nearby kingdoms of the desert, or he was able to reach out to the Sorcerer King and thus had a proposal in mind.

Both cases seemed rather innocuous now that he had the backing of none other than Albedo herself, however, he did not trust his brother's fanaticism one bit.

"Who knows what kind of machinations that devious mind of his might be up to right now" he thought while kicking dirt next to a broken gravestone, "fanatics like him cannot be trusted. I thought I had him under my spell but... this might complicate things".

He looked at his messenger and handed him three gold coins.

"Make the necessary preparations and follow his tracks. No matter what, do not let him return to the city again. I want him out of the picture until my election is over".

"It will be done, marquis. Umm, if I may ask, would it be okay for me to..."

"No, dont harm him in any way. I dont want my own family's blood on my hands. I will not follow in my father's footsteps''.

"Understood. Then if you'll excuse me".

Both the messenger and the assassins moved out of the way and disappeared as quickly as humanly possible without the aid of magic.

Rokkan looked at the pale sky; a foggy morning was slowly crawling out of night's shadows.

"Today is the day. Today I will become mayor. And tomorrow... everything will change".

He eagerly awaited the moment when the populous would finally acknowledge him as their leader. He could almost taste it, the sweetness of his revenge. Revenge on his father, for having wronged him so many times, for having no confidence in his abilities nor will to listen to his humble requests; revenge on the city's centuries-old traditions which could not sustain the advance of society, and revenge on the gods themselves for not granting him the power needed to make the difference.

Now he had that power, he thought. Through his own merits, and his own intellect. Brute force wasnt enough, one needed intimidation and cunning strategy to be able to succeed. He was always one step ahead of his peers, that's why he was able to impose his will on others.

He firmly believed it, even more so as the time of his election approached.

There would be one last obstacle to get rid of: soon he would have one of his men trap his own father and confine him into his room. Then, he would force him to witness the electoral college declare him mayor, and after that he would give him a choice.

"Poison or sword. Which one will he choose?" Rokkan asked himself that question over and over, "knowing him, poison would be the easiest way out. That coward doesnt deserve an honorable death".

He clenched his fist, his eyes burning with anticipation.

Despite the fact that Albedo was the de facto president of Nazarick's council with foreign powers and manager of all Guardians, she chose to reach her destination by means of a simple carriage. Granted, it was far larger and more beautiful than any nobleman's vehicle that had ever crossed these lands, however, it still remained an old fashioned means of transportation. It was extremely comfortable and fast, for four black bicorns enchanted by dark magic of unknown origin were moving it onwards. It barely touched the ground, as per instructions, as it flew more than rode. If a regular horse had tried to challenge it to a speed contest, it probably would've been crushed in a second.

Despite their speed, the animals were extremely aware of their surroundings and completely submitted to Albedo's commands. If she willed it, the carriage would have halted abruptly without making a sound nor causing her any discomfort.

She had departed two days prior from Nazarick's very core, and yet the Star City was almost in sight. To think that she would have reached the far ends of the known world so soon, she thought, was just unconceivable up until a few years prior. However, the wars waged against the human populations and the alliances of the southern regions had helped in that regard.

"... we sank it. All of it" she remembered fondly, licking her lips with a mixture of malice and boredom "what a waste of time. Such an unproductive land. I'm glad lord Momonga left it up to me".

It was true in fact, that she had been granted the graceful benefit of ensuring Nazarick's ultimate victory on the frontlines. And she had opted for a quick and easy solution, when given the chance, to wipe out the menace in her sector; the populations of the southern regions were nuked and their lands completely and utterly destroyed. Part of the continent now resides underwater, submerged and unaffected by the whims of men and monsters alike. A large pool of unseen bodies, a dead mirage, a vision of deeds past that would have made any regular human insane just by looking at it.

It was the ultimate solution. Lord Momonga wouldhnt have approved of it perhaps, but she made sure to cover it up. While on the field, she had always been honest and open to him, showing her affection at any given chance. Yet, since a few years prior, her attitude towards the other inhabitants of that strange new world had slowly but steadily changed. She just couldnst stand the current state of affairs. Coexistence seemed such a frivolous thought, desired by her master, yet unattainable. It wouldnt do, for a woman of her caliber, a maiden fit to rule, a spouse, a lady ready to breed a new generation stronger than ever; she wanted to rule over her own people, not those insects barely capable of thinking for themselves.

A thought had formed into her mind: "One day I will get rid of those monkeys". She encompassed everyone and everything into that single thought. At times, her mind wandered aimlessly to a place darker than her own soul. Other times, she would remember fondly her time in YGGDRSIL and just revel in the pleasures that her own flesh could grant her as she waited impatiently for her lover to give her what she truly desired.

A child. No, many, many children. She wanted to breed so badly, hold her progeny so dearly. Yet the more time passed, the farther that ephemeral thought seemed to go. It gave her anxiety and endless frustration.

Initially, she had tried speaking to Shalltear about her major worries. However, seeing her as competition, she couldnt bring herself to open up properly. Then, she tried Aura, however her assignments made it very difficult to communicate. As a last resort, she went to the person closest to Ainz, Pandora's Actor. but speaking to him felt like stepping on a minefield.

Thus alone, as much at home as she was on the battlefield, she couldnt do anything more than wait for the return of her beloved Momonga. A seemingly endless wait, as he took quite a lot of time pursuing his latest goal.

The carriage swiftly reached the mountainous chains leading to the exotic paradise within the desert.

She could almost see it. The city that lord Ainz had described. The place where the precious artifact from the "gods" was held for her.

Cooperation with that person could prove useful. At the very least for the foreseeable future, that would be what he needed to think.

Mutual benefit between nations wasnt a novelty, however in this case it was a personal matter; she was risking her own reputation among Nazarick's denizens to meet her selfish goals. She was well aware that operating outside of the scope of lord Ainz's plans was frowned upon and nobody would have given her a tougher time than her lover himself, had she been caught. Therefore, she needed to advance steadily and secretly.

At the very least, for a few more days.

Just outside the great forest surrounding the city, it existed a large plain covered mostly in tall grass. Amidst the green foliage, Albedo could see a mass of corpses being piled up ready to be burned. A large number of horses and men alike were scattered everywhere, guts hanging out of their lifeless carcasses, intestines wrapped up around their necks, blood still oozing out of their deep wounds.

She smiled.

"It would seem that Demiurge had had quite a bit of fun here. I will join him soon enough" she thought.

Following her contact's directions, Albedo instructed the pale driver to lead the carriage towards a secret entrance in the southern walls, well concealed behind the rocky formations that surrounded the outer border of the city. Once there, she would have waited for her envoy from the Erich String Orchestra. There was nothing more to be done for the time being: she had no reason to expose herself more than that. It had been brought to her attention that marquis Rokkan Drykven wanted to meet her, but she had no intention of honouring that request.

"A mere gift will suffice" she had thought while considering the marquis' own goals, "borrowing one of our prestigious and talented actors is well enough for any mortal. Whether the city actually remains intact after my mission has been completed... that is yet to be decided".

She looked at the large wooden doors leading inside the city with malicious intent. To say that the idea of destroying everything inside didnt cross her mind would be a lie. However, she was still a lady and a high ranking official, therefore she gracefully conceded those peasants the luxury of being alive for the time being.

Even so, her own frustrations as well as a constant hunger for anything fending off her boredom were taking their toll on her mind.

.

The plain was unusually calm. Animals could usually be heard very loudly from several kilometers away in the early morning, however, for some reason that was not the case. No birds, nor wolves howling. Dead silence, coldness, foggy sky. The atmosphere was reminiscent of a horror story, despite it being set in broad daylight. No, perhaps it was even more dreadful and sad that way.

So the captive thought as he awaited for the boss of that place. Of course, the whole plain wasnt the domain of a single entity, yet it felt like the ominous presence just around the corner could very well own the whole forest with a single motion of their hand.

The sheer power residing within their person was so strong, fueled by such anger and resentment, that the poor prisoner felt compelled to look away. Part of him though had already accepted his fate.

"Troublesome times, young man" a suave voice spoke to him from behind a large tree.

"I... guess so, sir. Umm, who am I addressing now?"

"Please be quiet. I'll be the one asking questions from now on, is that understood?"

Plurimo could clearly sense a quiet rage infused in those words. A tall figure revealed itself under the dim light of the early morning.

"My name is Demiurge. As I understand it, you are one of Mare's new friends. This puts you in an unusual position. You'll be treated as an honoured guest, within the confines of this land. Please do not move away from the plain in any way, or I'll be forced to end your life".

The person talking to him looked like a well mannered man with pointy ears and large crystal glasses. Plurimo was impressed by his demeanour and his exotic attire. However, he was also intimidated enough to not point out how a group of beautiful ladies seemed to have appeared just behind him.

"Shizu, would you be so kind as to guide this young man away from my observation post? Prepare some tea, have him seated ninety degrees to the right. Entoma, kindly move away the cannons if you please".

"Cannons? What on earth..." Plurimo didnt understand. That situation was so surreal his brain could barely process anything. Despite him being a genius, he thought of himself as a rat. But, as Shizu came closer to him, he also thought how lucky of a rat he was; if he had to be killed, it would've been a pleasure to be eliminated by such a cute lady. And what of that large breasted one directly behind Demiurge, long red hair, exotic skin, big friendly grin? There was much to please the eye.

Plurimo looked at Shizu's tiny hands. She invited him to follow her without speaking a word. Then, she smiled.

"Kill me" he said, instinctively, nonchalantly, almost casually. Why did he say that, he wondered. Thankfully his hand had covered his own mouth just before those words could escape his lips; she paid no mind to it, instead her thumb and index gently poked his forearm, then pinched his elbow. He let her carry him wherever she wanted.

In a few moment he was sitting away from Demiurge's spot, looking directly at the Star City. There was something amiss in that scenario. Beside the animals not utter a sound, he could tell something unusually heavy was moving towards his direction. Yet he could not perceive it anywhere near his location.

"This must be very advanced magic. They must be the same as lord Flannar, for sure. Maybe even greater" he thought while desperately trying to contain a mixutre of excitement and pure terror, "I want to see it. What they have in store for us".

In a couple minutes, his wish was granted: to his left, a thick file of a hundred cannons came forth from the underground where they had been previously hidden among large trunks. To his right, a large number of what appeared to be heavily armoured soldiers with exceptionally large shields and swords materialized from thin air. Plurimo slowly turned around, assessing the situation with precision; the big breasted woman he had previously seen next to Demiurge was conducting some sort of ritual, with the aid of someone who appeared to be a high level skeletal mage. A pile of fresh corpses belonging to the city militia had been stored below a gentle slope, one at a time they had been transported to that location so that they could be transformed. The lifeless bodies melted like butter, only to be reshaped into those terrifying giants wielding instruments of death. Plurimo saw the process with curiosity and fear, terror and amusement. So many conflicting emotions emerged from the very depths of his soul.

"Fascinating" he said, taking mental notes of what he saw.

"Oh? What an unusual response. I was sure a provincial nobody would merely tremble in fear. I guess I was wrong about you".

Demiurge's calm, soothing words echoed into Plurimo's mind.

"You're a curious individual. But of course if Mare deems you worthy of being his friend, there must be something special about you. I am slightly intrigued. To think he would go as far as hurting himself to try and protect you... I would've never expected as much".

Plurimo tried to recall what had happened the day before. Indeed that strange little elf had saved him, clashing directly with lord Flannar in the process. Both had fell to the ground but only Mare managed to fly away immediately.

That little elf must have been a terribly strong opponent. Yet, the mere fact that he had not been killed but offered tea instead, seemed to indicate that for the time being he could be trusted. That could've proven itself to be a great opportunity to get to know the enemy in detail, or perhaps even a chance for Plurimo to ask questions to a larger pool of girls discreetly. He never had time to interact with a woman that wasnt Asta for more than 5 minutes, but now he was literally surrounded by sweet ladies. None of them seemed to have the aggressive behaviour Luma had either, so he felt more comfortable being around them.

... and so, it began. His new life as a prisoner.

A few hours passed. Mare came to visit him as soon as possible; the little elf had a big black patch on his forehead, despite the fact that normal healing magic would have made the bruise go away immediately, he still wanted to keep it there.

"Are you still hurting? It cant be right" Plurimo asked innocently, with a mixture of real concern and trepidation.

"N-No, you are correct, I'm, I'm fine. Ummm, its just that... this is a badge of honor for me".

"Honor? Why?"

"Because, I umm, never did anything like that before. I was always following orders. Or worrying about my friends. But now... now you're a friend too. And it fills me with joy to be able to find new people to talk to".

Mare bowed slightly, then he pulled out of his side purse a large book full of golden inscriptions and intricate embroideries.

"Here, this, this is for you. It's a gift. Dont, dont worry I dont need anything in return. Just read it when you have time and, ummm, maybe tell me some stories from your land!"

Plurimo was uncertain at first, but then his trembling hands reached out and grasped its texture firmly. It was an incredible book, the craftsmanship was stellar. As a whole, it looked like it could sell for millions of gold coins.

He opened it and timidly started to read a few passages. Those were stories from YGGDRASIL's past, but some lines were marked with black ink and a few notes had been added on the side. THe writing was pleasant and gentle, as if those notes had been taken by a graceful girl attending university with the utmost diligence.

"I know some of these. Thank you very much, this is a fantastic gift".

"I'm glad you, you like it! Ummm, as you heard Demiurge said you couldnt leave so, so you cant go back for a while. But, but I'll tell him to avoid your house, okay?"

"Avoid... my house? How so?"

"We-Well, if it comes down to that..." Mare indicated the cannons, all set up and ready to go "then it could be bad for your creations, right? Especially miss Bley".

"Thank you... I suppose. But … would you remind me why you are attacking our city? We have done nothing to you people. Please just leave us alone" Plurimo spoke bluntly but firmly, as he felt his words could reach his new self proclaimed friend.

"I'm sorry but, ummm, Demiurge says anyone who hurts his family and friends must be eliminated. And... well that snake man probably didnt want to hurt me but... it cannot be avoided now, can it?" Mare looked at Plurimo with ice cold eyes while still retaining his innocent visage.

Plurimo gulped loudly. That was enough to make his skin crawl.

"Initially wwe just needed some information... it is a pity that it had to end this way. I'm, I'm really sorry, I mean it. But dont be afraid your house will remain intact. And if you need a place to stay you can, you can come with us!"

Plurimo glanced at the large breasted redhead still performing rituals below the gentle slope. "Maybe... I will take you up on that offer".

Suddenly, his mind made a weird connection.

"Your leader, lord Ainz Ooal Gown... can he... create life?"

"We, Well he can do all sorts of things! Why?"

"What if... I asked him to create life for me? How much would that cost?"

"Ummm depends. Can you be more specific?"

Plurimo took a deep breath. He was certain that if he had muttered those words in any other context people would have taken him for a mentally insane loser. However, he was in the right place, at the right time, with the right conditions. And so, he spoke, with his heart jumping up and down his throat.

"Can Bley... be turned into a living human being?"

Mare smiled.

Plurimo's eyes were suddenly wet with tears. He didnt know why, but something inside him felt like that was the right decision.

.

It was dark and wet. THe air felt oppressive, almost as if the planet's atmosphere was about to crush her body.

Sweat covered her forehead, then her shoulders, and slowly it made its way down towards her naked legs.

It was very unpleasant. Yet, that shouldnt have been possible, for her body was not human. Even so, it was occurring.

Slowly but surely her thoughts came back to her. A jumbled mess of reminiscence and emotions, twirling and gasping. Her eyes suddenly opened.

She was completely immersed in a pool of water; it looked like a natural sorgent, probably a lake.

Confused, she shook her head and tried her best to wake up from that unnerving and unsettling torpor.

The ball of her foot slipped on a smooth surface, and then she fell. Once, twice, thrice. Her bare soles were soaked and red.

She wanted to cry, but it felt like tears wouldnt be able to come out. She wanted to speak, but her throat was sore and coarse.

A dry scream in the depths of her lungs barely escaped her lips. There was no way anyone would even know she was there.

All around her, grey rocks, muddy stones, and crystalline waters. The light of day came down from above, expanding on the water's surface. It irradiated everywhere but a single point which was shrouded in darkness. She crawled towards it, attracted to its mysterious shape.

She discovered that it was indeed a passage leading somewhere. It looked like a cave of some sort, however her vision was still poor and so she had no idea if that was true or not. Calling upon all of her strength, she gripped on a granite block and forced herself to stand.

"Dead.. I am dead... am I?" she thought. Her recollections of her own self made her realize that it should've been the case. Someone or something had done terrible things to her. A feeling of dread beyond belief. She was sure that whoever they were, she had once trusted them.

The more she tried to recall, the less her brain wanted her to remember. All she knew is that she should have been long one from the world of the living. Yet she walked.

She put a hand on her chest, as if making sure that her own self was still intact. Her palm slipped downwards to her belly, then her pelvis.

She could not believe what she was feeling. Her body was whole. Her sense of self had been restored. Her mind was slowly regaining purpose.

But her memories were not. Something inside was broken beyond repair. She felt like it would be a bad idea to mend it back to its previous state.

A surge of happiness took a hold of her as she realized that she could move on her own accord, not relying on any support. She timidly approached what she perceived as the entrance to the passage that was just ahead of her position.

There, a small candlestick was barely illuminating a large room full of books and a couple structures that she felt she should be familiar with.

Two large metallic objects that looked like chairs but were incredibly more advanced than the regular ones she was used to. They were both connected to a table with lots of cables and monitors of varying sizes and shapes.

A loud beeping noise suddenly came out of one of them. A flash of pure white light blinded her for but a moment.

"Subject terminated. Restrictions applied. Denied. Subject alive. Restrictions applied. Allowed" a robotic voice spoke from the depths of the cave.

"I... feel like I should know..." a thought formed into her mind. Her legs moved on their own. She reached a small alcove with a round platform on it, then she stepped on it and pressed a hidden button in the granite wall. The platform stated moving upwards immediately. She looked downward as she hovered above the cave; the platform gained momentum, then it launched itself upwards for several seconds. During that time, she saw many more walls and mechanical devices, tubes, rocky formations and metallic structures intertwined between one another fly by her in rapid succession. When the platform finally stopped, she fell on her knees. The force of impact had been considerable, but not impossible for her to sustain.

When she regained her posture and looked ahead of her position, her eyes widened. A large, pulsating myconid-like creature was observing her reactions. Their head looked like a gigantic mushroom covered in mud and dry blood. Its body, completely soaked in blackened fluids, was being covered by wires and tubes of varying sizes. As the creature slowly raised its head, a large quantity of muddy water came out of its porous orifices.

"Do NOt bE aFRaiD mY chILd. COMe CLoseR. ThE wAy fORward iS pERILioUs bUT yOU cAn MAke it".

The creature had spoken. Their voice sounded nothing like any human being, nor elf could produce.

"Who... are you? And who am I, do you know me?" she wanted to ask, yet her voice could not come out. Regardless, the creature nodded.

"YoU aRE oNe of THe thrEE sAVIors of tHIs CiTY. THe azURE vaLKyrie. ClAIm YOur pLACe, my cHILd. CLIMb upWARds tO THE SurfACe aND never cOMe bAck HERe".

These words sounded like an order. Her brain could not register them as anything else. And somehow, she wanted to obey.

Any instinct of self preservation she previously had was gone. She came closer to the creature and touched it. It was weak and frail, almost insignificant. She could have smashed its head easily. However, her mind firmly prevented it. If she had tried to do any harm to it, she felt like her very soul would be instantly destroyed.

Guided by the creature, her body moved on its own. She reached a large elevator behind the room containing the creature; the structure appeared to have been a very large freight elevator once, repurposed for other uses. It started moving just as fast as the platform earlier. She didnt know for how long the elevator had moved upwards, minutes, hours or days. The concept of time itself seemed useless in that place. Time manipulation wasnt anything new, but it still required a large amount of resources and incredible skill. She thought that creature must've been so powerful it probably powered up that entire place.

As time passed, reality warped around her. The scenario changed several times, from a rocky, blocky granite compound to a large open area with hilly fields, to a city area with large avenues full of pedestrians and carriages. Then it finally stopped.

She found herself in a grassy flatland, barely any tree around her. A single door was standing in front of her. She inspected it from all sides, it appeared to be just a regular wooden door. She felt someone important to her had opened it once, and so she steeled herself and tried doing the same. The moment her hand touched the handle, her body got sucked in. She was now standing in another location: a crowded marketplace full of merchants, rich people bidding, middle aged men stockpiling wood and foodstuffs. Some noticed her presence and their eyes immediately sparked with interest and lust.

"What's a beauty like you doing here naked? Come, I'll get you something to wear" one of the middle aged men came forth, licking his lips.

Only then, the girl realized that she truly was naked, in a place full of people. She covered her chest and instantly turned around to enter the grassy field again, but her nose hit the hard surface of a stone wall. There was no door there, nor entrance to any other place.

"What a cruel joke!" she thought, her cheeks red with embarrassment, her knees trembling, "I-I need to run!"

She rotated on her heels, then she assumed a sprinting stance. Her body bolted like lightning, to the point that wherever her feet would land a small crater as big as her toes would form, on any surface including granite.

She ran through the streets, the busy alleys, the crowded plazas and rubble-filled quarters, until she was completely alone again. She landed on a metallic sidewalk beside a large stone bridge, just outside the bustling city. She knew that place somewhere in her heart. She didnt know why or how, but it felt like her body told her to wait there.

She sat on the ground with her knees up to her chest and waited. Someone would come for her soon. She could feel it in her bones.

A group of children passing by was playing with a small leather ball. One of them saw her and waved. She waved back for some reason.

They reminded her of her days as a young servant, still able to play with her fellow guardians of the guild base.

"Guild... base? What is that, and why do I remember it?" she asked herself. Maybe she had visited it previously. It felt important, almost as much as her own connection to her parent.

"Mom... mom is gone..." she recalled. That dreadful day. She had tried to hate him, but she couldnt. She loved him. She would not betray nor want revenge. It was necessary. Mom approved of it.

"I miss mom and brother so much..."

She wanted to cry, yet she could not. All she could do was wait.

Hours passed, then days. Soldiers came in and out of the gates nearby and moved into the city from all directions. The commotion lasted a few weeks at most, then it all returned quiet. She had found a nice little niche between two large rocks and a couple old blankets to cover herself with, stored on an unguarded carriage that seemed to have been abandoned a long time ago. There was food there, but most was rotten. At times, she could see some kids playing with it, throwing it at the militiamen with gusto, and then fleeing in the woods. They seemed so carefree and happy.

"Simple life... simple folk..." she muttered. She knew them from somewhere, she was sure of it.

Then one morning, as she slowly woke up, a loud noise got her attention. She looked around; there was smoke coming out of the woods, firemen coming and going. Militiamen fending off a large rebellion of some sort. She sneaked past them and observed the situation with interest and worry. A tall man with a large moustache was giving instructions to the militiamen, hurriedly coming to that little corner of the world in great numbers.

"What are you doing?! Keep moving! THey've been barricading the entrance!" he shouted while indicating a large building about three or four streets away.

"Sir! The leader is inside! She's got... guns!"

"What's that supposed to mean? We have muskets on our side!"

"No sir, you dont understand! They're... some sort of mechanical pistol. They can rotate at high speed to shoot out continuous volleys. We have no chance to even come close to their location".

"Damn it all! How can the situation be so dire? They were supposed to be merchants!"

"They clearly are not. Those cant be human beings either. I shot one between the eyes and yet they still moved".

"What on earth..."

The conversation kept going for a while. The exchange of info was happening while their comrades tried to shoot a great deal of what appeared to be armoured gentlemen with large guns and portable cannons mounted on their arms.

They shot once, then advanced. A hail of bullets penetrated the fragile wooden barricades erected by the militiamen to protect themselves, many fell in a pool of blood and guts, the survivors limped back to their second line of defense. The holes left in their bodies were very large and round, as if they had been shot point blank by canister fire.

The girl had observed the retreat with a hint of sadness. She didnt know why, but part of her felt it necessary to help them. Something had to be done soon or else they would've all been wiped out. She estimated that at least 50 people had been killed in that single volley, two or three more would be the end of the militiamen present on the scene.

She wrapped the blankets around her upper torso as if they were large black mantles and then she sprinted towards the building from which the armoured gentlemen were shooting. Coming closer to the enemy, she noticed some peculiar features of their faces; they seemed to be in a state of trance, almost catatonic. Their bloodshot eyes were looking upwards at the sky, their mouths were full of either foam or blackened fluids, and their complexion was very pale.

"A spell. It must be" she thought while coming even closer to their location. They could have also been drugged, although that would have been much more difficult given how many were in the same condition. She counted almost 100 men with double rotating guns and portable cannons wandering around the building, not to mention the ones that were looking at her right then from inside.

She could feel their eyes following her every move, many were probably taking aim as she approached.

She bolted forward, zigzagging towards the entrance. She didnt have to wait longe as bullets started flying all around her in an arch from the top of the building to the windows on the ground floor.

Shattered glass shards, debris and wood flew in all directions as the neverending stream of projectiles kept flowing from inside the structure.

She did not know how her body was capable of predicting the direction of every single bullet, nor how she was able to evade most of them. As for why she didnt die while getting hit by a couple, well, her mind couldnt even process the notion of being hit, as her flesh simply rejected the bullets and deflected them.

She reached one of the large windows leading inside, then she threw herself at it and smashed its reinforced glass with ease. Her feet landed on the wooden floor with a loud thumping noise, breaking it. She immediately realized that she had sunk into it up to her ankles. It took a small jump upwards for her to get back to the ground floor, and then she saw her.

A tall blonde girl with a malicious smirk. She wore a large top hat with beautiful feathers on one side, roses on the other. Her large breasts were exposed almost to her nipples, her long violet dress was covering the lower portion of that gargantuan chest with an ornate silver key ring and below it, exquisite lingerie and a pair of expensive boots covered her lower half with just the right amount of clothing that would make any man fall to their knees.

She was holding a large gun almost twice her size with apparent ease. There was no trace of anger nor hostility towards the girl that had just stepped inside the building. Rather, from her visage it looked like she was awaiting a new opportunity.

"Greetings. Another wandering merchant, I suppose. Hmm no, your clothes are not quite fit for the role. Who might you be?" she inquired pointing the large gun at the girl who had just evaded her defenses.

"I... wish I could tell you. I dont remember".

"Oh? So we have an amnesiac sneaky little tank here. Say, would you like to work for me? I am Varna queen of the merchant guild. I have come from a faraway land to seek more riches and fortune for my family, but the men in charge here keep telling me that a certain person by the name of Flannar meddles with their businesses and, what's more, the authorities demand tax payment! Can you believe that? How can honest merchants like us do our job?"

As she spoke, the woman came closer, one step at a time. She lowered her weapon but did not lose her grip.

"Beside all this, the church says we have to pay tributes to them too! Unbelievable, even more money wasted! What a terrible world we live in! So you see, our protest is justified. If you believe so as well, please lend us a hand. You will gain riches beyond your imagination, power, authority, and of course a large indemnity directly from the city's coffers".

"That sounds too good to be true".

"Oh, but that's just because it is!"

The woman named Varna reached out for her hand. THe girl took it, as a sign of respect. They both looked at one another.

"Beautiful aquamarine hair you got there. Truly a marvelous work of art. Why dont we become friends? I can show you the way upstairs if you wish, there's plenty of combs and many extravagant dresses that would make you look lovely. We cant have you covered in dirty blankets for much longer can we? After all, if you truly wish to be a representative of our little movement, you'll have to behave properly and look great".

That said, the woman gently put her arm around the girl's shoulders. Then, she let go of her gun and took her hand with her own.

Varna slowly encouraged her new guest to move alongside her. The girl complied, intrigued and confused. Conflicting emotions were emerging inside her. She wanted to help those militiamen, but why? For what purpose? And then, the woman she just met seemed so nice to her. Was it bad that she felt so warm inside?

Her innocence led her to believe that her actions were not bad. She could still help those men bleeding out in the streets if she complied. It felt okay for her to just get along with Varna and then ask her to stop.

As she started climbing the staircase, she felt something cold on her neck. A presence tickled near the nape, an entity of some kind had manifested behind her. She immediately reached for her back and grabbed whatever was trying to touch her: with great surprise, she saw Varna's arm, twisted and fluid as rubber, turned into a large needle.

She smirked maliciously as she jumped downstairs. Her arm dissolved in a multitude of smaller appendages, retreating into her dress and then reemerging back as a single arm.

"How curious. It would appear that you are immune to my concoction. What's more, I cant penetrate your flesh. This seems problematic enough" she stated as she took back her large gun, "Too bad. I really wanted you to be part of our revolution, but I tend to kill what I cant control. I learned this from years of espionage, you know".

She didnt wait for a reply. Varna retook her gun and opened fire on the poor girl who panicked and started cowering in fear midway through the staircase.

She closed her eyes, and waited for death. But Death never came.

As she timidly reopened her eyelids, she could see the destruction caused by the bullets flying all around her.

The staircase collapsed, and so did she. Her body fell down and crashed on the wooden floorboards, partially destroying them. The walls were full of large round holes caused by the massive amount of projectiles. Eventually, Varna stopped shooting. She wasnt smirking anymore; a pure evil stare and a horrifically disfigured mouth seemed to inquire lots of unanswerable questions.

"Annoying... truly, you're not worth wasting bullets on" she commented, giving her back to her opponent.

The girl looked at her, still fearful yet questioning her own survival. She inspected her wounds, only to find that not a single projectile had been able to penetrate her body. She was perfectly intact, albeit her arms presented small bruises here and there.

"What in the world... is this?" her mind tried to find a rational explanation, but it just couldnt.

"Message. Yes, it's me. Tell lord Demiurge that we have a problem... no, wait. Maybe... we might have a solution".

Varna seemed to be talking with someone invisible. Then as soon as she had finished, she turned around and faced the girl once again.

"Tell me, are you loyal?"

"I dont know. How can I be if I dont remember a thing?"

"Fair point. THen... do you hate me?"

"Should I? You just shot me... so I guess I need to hate you now".

"That was a test of your skills. You see, to enter our graceful revolution you must be someone special. Many men have failed but you have proven yourself worthy of my respect, be proud of yourself".

Varna sounded completely crazy to the girl, yet she could maintain a perfectly relaxed facial expression. It looked reassuring and calming. Something in the back of her mind told her that she should flee at once, or prepare for combat. However, she chose to listen to the part of her soul that was closer to humanity. She felt pity and compassion.

"Come, take my hand. I promise that I'll stop playing with you. Follow me quietly and everything will be alright".

Varna extended her hand once again, smiling. She let go of her gun and dropped all her ammunition on the floor, as if discarding a sinful burden.

Still with a lingering hesitation deep within, the girl reached for Varna's hand and pulled herself up.

"Where... are we going?" she timidly asked, looking around like an anxious kitten.

"I'll take you to my place. You see, your ability to resist bullets leads me to believe that you might be one of us".

"One of us?"

"Yes. You are probably not of this world. But my boss can help you understand who you are and what is your purpose. I know that I have been mistreating you earlier, but I assure you that was just a miscalculation on my part. Let's continue where we left off, shall we?"

They were walking outside the large building which was covered in black smoke, debris, and glass shards everywhere. The streets were filled with corpses and large puddles of blood. At every corner a militiaman dying or gasping for air was pleading for her help with miserable eyes.

"Poor people" she muttered looking away, "I should help them..."

"They were asking for it. Dont worry about them, they're soldiers, after all. Dying for one's country is the ultimate proof of one's existence, isnt it?" Varna smiled complacently "I'm sure their... god... will take care of their souls".

It had been more than two weeks since Plurimo had been abducted. Flannar was looking at the cathedral's round decorations sprawling across the large columns sustaining its ceiling. A beautiful sight, reminiscent of times of great wealth and plentiful harvest.

His gaze then followed along the marble statues, passing by the wooden pulpit, and finally reached a small person resting on the floor, covered with a white blanket, his head gently undulating on a large and extremely soft pillow.

"So young, yet so brave. A true example of what a man should be" he thought. The young Drykven lord who had performed the resurrection ritual was deserving of a rest. His task had been performed perfectly.

Next to him, elector Hendrickvor kept close watch, not only as a personal friend but most importantly as a member of the municipal assembly.

"It wont be long lord Flannar, please try to rest for a while yourself".

"I cant. Not after what happened. I need to remain vigilant at all times".

HE woudlnt forgive himself. He couldnt. Losing Plurimo in front of his eyes had been the greatest defeat he ever sustained. Truth be told, that being his only experience in battle, it hardly seemed worthy of reprimand in Hendrickvor's eyes. "There are so many talented artisans and mechanics in our city. You'll find a suitable substitute until we rescue him" he had tried to convince him earlier. However, Flannar was deeply attached to Plurimo as a person. That was because he was one of his mother's gifts to humanity. If a human from the New World was born with a set of unique talents such as Plurimo's, it meant that from a small pool of specially bred human beings infused with the Elves of Purity's EXP acquisition methods, he would be able to produce naturally born NPCs. Thus, it would come a time when he wouldnt need to create NPCs anymore: new worlders and NPCs would be perfectly similar in everything, including their abilities and racial traits. Everyone would be able to level up to 100, with max stats and naturally gifted of wondrous talents.

A high priest peeked from below the pulpit.

"Lord Flannar, she's almost ready. Do you wish to attend to the final preparations?"

"Yes. Please take me to her. I shall await no more".

That said, Flannar took his cane and approached the pulpit.

"Do watch your step. Recovering your strength will take a while" the high priest admonished him with severe concern "may lady Hilda always watch upon your merciful path".

Flannar gave him a stern gaze.

"Godhood is such a burden. The more merit it gets, the less effective it becomes. Let me be me, for a change. I am just a person walking among other people. No more, no less. Please address me as head of state, from now on. No more, no less".

The high priest nodded, then bowed. The two quickly went downstairs and reached the secret path leading to the large stone slab that contained Asta's body.

The newly resurrected archbishop of the church of lady Hilda was intent on executing the most delicate operation; her head had been firmly reattached to her neck, but her soul still lingered in between Life and Death.

Flannar observed with a hint of disgust as the senile old Elf of Purity licked all over her neck, where the wound wast still open and fresh blood sprouted from it like a flower in full bloom. Red ripples quickly ran through her clavicles, open veins twisted and turned all around the archbishop's tongue smoothly descended into her esophagus and solidified. He licked her twice, then a couple more times. A stench as putrid as the scene that was unfolding in front of his eyes made Flannar nauseous. He was used to the process, yet it still bothered him quite a bit.

As a final act, the archbishop took Asta's body and embraced it at full force. His tongue twisted from the nape of her neck to the middle of her back, his eyes rolled backwards as he ascended in a state of euphoric trance. A tenuous violet light descended on them for but a brief moment.

Asta's eyes acquired their natural colour once again. Her mouth opened slightly, and a deep sigh emerged from it. Her toes moved slightly, then her fingertips.

"Gh... wha... where..."

Relieved, Flannar let go of his cane. It was still difficult to move around reliably, yet he would try. He needed to come closer and see for himself that she was still intact.

Asta realized where she was, yet she couldnt comprehend why that creepy old man was embracing her with such intensity. It took her a few seconds to realized that his tongue was glued to her neck, still moving around, savouring the rich flavours of her young blood.

Her eyes went wide with horror.

"F-F-For which purpose am I here? Can I get off? Please? Please let me go? P-Pretty please?!"

A surge of panic gave her enough adrenaline to charge a powerful kick. Her bare foot slammed onto the archbishop's crotch at full speed. He let go of her instantly, despite not feeling a thing, for his state of trance would last several more hours.

She sat on her rear, confused and frightened. However, as soon as her eyes met Flannar's she smiled.

"Oh my goodness! Thank lady Hilda you're here! Hmph, and here I was, worried that we might have lost the war or something like that! Come on, come on, tell me I've been a good girl! You saw my pigeons, yes? Ha! I dont recall exactly but I bet I guided you to town so incredibly well, heheh".

Realizing that she was still seated on the floor, she jumped upwards and tried to bow. But Flannar wouldnt let her. Instead, he embraced her.

"W-What is it all of a sudden? Why is everyone so affectionate today? Uuuh did I do something good or bad? I cant tell..."

"You exist. That's what matters now. You are here, and you're alive" Flannar uttered those words so casually she felt like he was mocking her for some reason.

"Thank you for what you did. Things got... a little out of hand from where you left off, but the city hasnt fallen. Yet''.

"What... Do you mean by that?"

"Come. I will give you a brief rundown of what happened in your absence. We must hurry to the merchant's quarters as soon as possible, so forgive me for my rudeness but we need to move while we talk".

"Merchant's quarters? Why is that?"

"Because that's where the Merchants' Guild is, you fool!"

A loud voice came from the entrance to the cathedral and expanded through the gigantic naves.

Asta's face became pale as she recognized the figure opening the large doors leading inside.

"Come quick, missy! We dont have all day, stop blabbering like a buffoon and park that ass in the carriage!"

Strangely enough, the girl obeyed without complaints, although unwillingly so. No matter what, Flannar made eye contact with the Judge as the entrance to the cathedral closed behind him; he had been weeping a while, his eyes still wet. Their gaze met and they both understood. Flannar nodded, then took Asta's shoulder and pulled her upwards towards her seat.

The municipal carriage was a gigantic structure counting 2 floors, one for passengers of which there were 25 seats, and one for panoramic sightseeing. Only the very wealthy could afford to ride it, but it did make discounts for visitors during special occasions such as lady Hilda's death or the city's foundation so that even commoners could get a taste of noble life.

Once inside, Flannar explained the situation to the confused Asta. He told her how her mission had failed, how the Sorcerer King was approaching the city, how they were desperately trying to find a way to track the lost artifact of the gods, Rose & Chrysanthemum, that once had been Cledna's throne of thorns; and finally, Flannar told her about Plurimo's involvement and how things had gone terribly wrong.

Still in disbelief, Asta closed her eyes for a moment.

"That idiot... I cant believe it. He really got himself into all this, did he. Whatever. ... No, that's not what I meant. Hell, that's not what I want either. Gggh, I'm so...very... angry...!"

She started crying, silently, stoically. Flannar took a deep breath and kept going.

"We need to reach the Merchants' Guild as soon as possible. I know this is tough to ask right now, but I need you to focus. Cyrus, my loyal servant, is tracking down Rose & Chrysanthemum as we speak. I'm confident that he will find its location shortly. Meanwhile, we need to fend off the Sorcerer King's advance. One of his agents has infiltrated the city and-"

Flannar had to stop. He coughed a single time, enough for Asta to be worried.

"What happened to you lord Flannar? Arent you immortal? Why... is that blood?!"

"Patience, child. Being immortal doesnt mean being invincible" he replied calmly, "I have spent much of my HP in the last two weeks. Thank my mother, it will regenerate soon enough, but at present my condition is less than ideal".

The Judge interjected, visibly frustrated.

"You dont need to know every detail, just focus on your own mission and let adults do their business".

"No, that's not what I want. She needs to know everything. I want her to trust me".

Flannar wasnt happy with the Judge's reply. He accepted it, and reluctantly returned to his own thoughts.

"There is... someone, among our ranks, whom I can occasionally summon for help. His payment is very heavy. He only accepts the blood of the gods. In this case, my blood.

However, what he can do for me is infinite. As long as it involves material things that are present inside the city, no matter the type, race, trait, composition... he can alter it at will. He can add traits, remove protections and exchange talents for skills of unrelated types. He can even dip his fingertips into the forbidden abyss and restore the lost data of the gods. The true essence of the world we come from".

Asta's gaze was getting restless. She tried to look out the window to prevent her heart from bursting out of her chest. She was hearing things that only a select few could know, forbidden knowledge of the world of YGGDRASIL that not even her adoptive father had ever had access to.

"... last week, I grew too anxious to keep on waiting for news about the throne of thorns. So, whilist reorganizing the militia and assisting with the preparations for the defense of the city, I made a decision. And... I asked this agent of mine to restore Cledna's body fully. Plurimo had done a great job with what he had, but we could not afford to keep on waiting for long. This is why I am in this dreadful condition right now.

But I felt that it was necessary. Whether this is true or not, I cannot know".

Asta was very surprised by that speech. It felt almost like Flannar, the entity she had been told to worship all her life, was closer to a regular inhabitant of the New World than a god. He seemed to have emotions, regrets, burdens and what was more, he suffered. Something she thought was exclusive to mortals.

Flannar continued, "I have been informed that Cledna's body has vanished from her previous location. That is normal, as my agent needed to move it to the Guild Base in order for him to restore it. And now it appears that the process has been completed. She is waiting for me at the Bridge of Salutation".

"Ah... that would be near the Merchants' Guild, is that it?"

"Precisely".

"But, why would the city guardian be waiting there of all places? Cant she just... I dont know, teleport to your bedr-"

Asta shut herself up. She didnt know why she made such a connection, yet Flannar didnt seem to be bothered by it. He dismissed the thought, rubbing his temple.

"That would be impossible. There is only one way to reach the Guild Base: through the center of this world, deep underground at the very core of the planet. And the only direct gateway to it is in my castle, far above the clouds. Conversely, there are only two ways out of the Guild Base. One is through the Great forest of Tob, far away from this land, and the other is here at the Bridge of Salutation".

While they were speaking, the carriage was fast approaching the location Flannar had described. The gateways were open, and most of the local population had either been evacuated to other quarters or forbidden from coming outside of their homes for the time being.

As the gigantic vehicle passed by the designed destination, Flannar looked outside. He let go of his cane and rushed out on his own as the carriage was stopping.

"Why isnt she here? What is happening?"

Asta got off of the vehicle as well. She attentively sniffed the air around them.

"Smoke. In that direction. And... blood? Yes, definitely blood".

Flannar turned around; the Merchants' Guild was burning, and the corpses of several militiamen were gathered at every corner of the streets.

"Lord Flannar! Get away from there!" the Judge shouted as he tackled someone with brute strength.

He came closer. The person who had been tackled seemed a middle aged nobleman, still wearing his richly embroidered clothes. He was in possession of a large gun with a double cylinder capable of shooting repeating shots. His bloodshot eyes were looking nowhere.

"Damn it all! We are too late!" the Judge shoved the nobleman aside after punching him several times in frustration.

"No gentlemen, you are right on schedule".

Someone had spoken from behind the carriage. Flannar was relieved to be seeing his most brilliant strategist on the field, for the first time in several years. Bormeliar, the man with the highest amount of responsibility at that time second only to himself, had come to direct the actions of the militia.

"I would love to say that it is good to see you, however I'm afraid that we'll have to postpone our reunion till this matter is cleared. Please enlighten us".

"Of course my lord. Please be at ease" the tall man with glacial eyes bowed as he prepared to speak "I have sent several decoy militiamen where needed. They are guiding the infiltrator where we want them as we speak".

Bormeliar indicated a host of back alleys to the side of the Merchants' Guild.

"Miss Cledna is with the infiltrator at the moment. Apparently her memories havent fully awakened yet. I took care not to bother them to ensure miss Cledna's safety. The infiltrator doesnt know her nature, which gives us an advantage".

Bormeliar addressed the Judge with a cold stare. He knew what he needed to do. Without a word, he pulled out a small box with an inscription on its lid.

"Wonderful. I take it you havent opened it yet?"

"Hmph. Who do you take me for, old man?"

Bormeliar smiled. He took it back, then lent it to Flannar.

"It was meant for Plurimo, but given the circumstances we will have to manage. Lord Flannar, please keep it closed. This box contains corrupted data from a Tier 5 spell capable of turning people into stone".

"Such dangerous material... how did you obtain it?" Flannar seemed troubled. He took the box with the same care a sapper would with a devastating explosive.

"I too have access to the Guild Base's repository. What's left of it, at least. If you want to revoke my permissions, please feel free to do so at your own discretion. But I would suggest you listen to what I have to say first".

"You have my attention. Let's hear it. What is your proposition?"

"Please shoot the infiltrator with this. If my calculations are correct, it should incapacitate her just enough. Once her movements have been impaired, I'll send in a squad to collect her and secure miss Cledna".

Solution was light on her feet while walking at a fast pace throughout the dark corridors and back alleys leading outside the city. She had that whole section mapped out in her head, as she had often crossed those paths before in the 3 weeks leading up to that very day. There were fewer chances of her being caught there than on open ground. Despite the high amount of militiamen still surrounding the place, there was no reason for her to deviate from her original destination. In fact, their numbers encouraged her to proceed forward.

She felt emboldened by her own strength, her weaponry, and her new companion. The girl she had found seemed to be useful as a meatshield, as well as an actual chess piece for Demiurge's future plans.

Whenever she felt threatened by a bullet, she would escort the girl in front of her and let her absorb the hit in her stead.

The musketballs simply fell to the ground as soon as they made contact with her body.

"Wonderful work, thank you for your cooperation" she said, amusingly observing her reaction while her oblivious companion got hit in the head by a large lead bullet, "I couldnt do this without you. It almost feels like you were meant for this!"

"Please... dont bully me like that...'' the girl wept, visibly frustrated. Solution laughed it off and pat her on the shoulder.

"Come now, out of the way. We have quite a lot to do still. Leave the rest to me, and you'll be back to normal in no time".

Solution was looking forward to being praised by lord Ainz himself upon her return. She had been committing all sorts of atrocities in the last decade, happily carrying the banner of Ainz Ooal Gown on her shoulders for everyone to admire. However, it felt like lord Ainz was a bit distant at times. She ended up thinking that it was her fault for not trying hard enough. She needed to kill more people, to destroy more nations, to break more innocents into submission. And she fully intended to do so now that she had a whole new settlement at her disposal.

"Just watch me at work, lord Ainz" she thought while pushing her new companion onwards, "I'm going to destroy this filthy city bit by bit and I'll send you the leader's head on a platter. That way, you'll acknowledge my merits for sure!"

Her sense of duty had been greatly distorted in the past years of near constant warfare. On one hand, she fully understood her place in the hierarchy of Nazarick and the Pleiades' own group, however her ego had grown more and more with each passing feat. She started questioning why Narberal should be treated in higher regard than her, despite not achieving the same results, likewise she saw Sebas as too diplomatic for the job and thus she looked forward to being commanded by Demiurge himself in the near future. She would go as far as to complain directly to Albedo at times, revealing a side of her that was hidden to all but the overseer herself. Although no one seemed to pay any mind to it, a small number of Nazarick's denizens had started to notice friction among the Pleiades in lord Ainz's absence. It typically resolved peacefully in a matter of minutes, but sometimes it lasted several days with Solution, Narberal and Entoma often not talking to one another.

"I hope Demiurge sees what I'm capable of. Maybe one day... I'll be the one in charge. After Sebas, of course" she had dreamed of it several times. And it was precisely that dream pushing her forward at that very moment.

A group of militiamen ran towards them, knelt and aimed. Solution grabbed her new companion's arm and jumped upwards, reaching a ledge near the top of a building. With another jump, she was able to reach the rooftop. No matter how many bullets she anticipated, they would all be absorbed by the girl's back as they ran in the opposite direction. More soldiers came, this time heavily entrenched in defensive positions all around the building they were currently occupying. Solution kept going as if that was the least of her worries.

They both jumped towards the nearest building, through wooden planks, construction sites, and crumbling ruins. As they moved, part of the city's layout changed accordingly to seal the gap between them and the outer walls.

"What an annoyance. I cant waste my time on such trivialities" she said while blasting a wall preventing passage with a hail of bullets. She kicked it, making it crumble easily. Behind it, more militiamen were waiting in ambush.

"So you think yourselves smarter than me?" Solution mocked them with a smile. Then, as she prepared to fire, a flock of birds entered her field of vision.

"Pigeons? Really?! What the..."

The perception of her surroundings distorted as countless trails of blue magic swept in her eyes and hit her from multiple directions. Illusions, barely stronger than a fingertip touching her cheek. But enough to make her hesitate.

"Fire!" someone ordered their men to open fire.

"Tch! Useless humans, get lost!" she roared as she moved out of the way, slightly changing shape to account for the bullets' trajectory.

"Now my lord! Shoot!" an elderly man with an imposing chest and unusually cold eyes stared at her as she readjusted her posture.

Solution scanned the area as quickly as possible in order for her to evade the incoming bullet. It would have been easy as her natural quickness

defied the common laws of that world. However, nothing came at her.

"Hmph. No trump card? Seriously disappointing. Whatever, I shall grant you the honor of being the first loyal subjects of this parade of jesters you call gods to be turned to lord Ainz's side".

She leaned forward, preparing to sprint. Both her legs and forearms mutated form to accommodate miniscule needles infused with a deadly concoction capable of destroying men's wills.

But as she sprinted towards the gap in the wall right in front of her, with deadly intent and murderous, lustful eyes anticipating a great slaughter, someone grabbed her arm firmly. As she was already moving when this happened, she lost momentum and balance, falling on her rear.

"Stop it. Now I have enough of this running away nonsense. And... you wont hurt them, wont you?"

Solution could feel her new companion's grip getting stronger. She jumped back on her feet, red with embarrassment and anger.

"You should know your place. Didnt I promise that we'd make it out of here together? In fact why won't you deal with them yourself? Go, take them out!"

"... no. That's wrong... I feel like I shouldnt do that".

"Reload! And... steady!" the commander of the militia gave the order to reload and alternate positions between ranks. The first file moved backwards as their fellow countrymen from the second and third advanced, muskets on their shoulders, and knelt.

"I wont get out of here empty handed, so you better prepare yourself" Solution threatened the girl with a cold stare "let go right now and follow me".

Her temporary companion obediently let her go, but she hesitated to follow. Something inside her was changing. She felt emotions she didnt have until a few moments before. Information surged from deep within, little by little.

"I... I think I shouldnt go with you. Sorry. I need to-"

Solution had enough. She strengthened her arm and threw a powerful punch on the girl's stomach with all her might. The innocent bystander instantly lost consciousness and fell to the ground.

Free from her annoying presence, Solution swiftly moved away as the new file shot their volley. Then, she grabbed the girl's waist and carried her on her back while the intense smoke from the musket fire prevented the militiamen from seeing her movements for a while.

"Message. It's me again. I need backup. South of sector B. Yes, same as last time". Solution ran towards the militiamen, albeit slightly slower than before. She still had the upper hand, however she wanted to be absolutely sure that her route was clear. She was no fool: she had conducted several simulations with Demiurge's assistance earlier that week, assessing her positioning and the enemy's movements around the city's perimeter. She was perfectly capable of taking out a hundred men with their ridiculous peashooters. Moreover, she alreadly knew where she needed to go and how far the extraction point was; as if that wasnt enough, it was guarded by Evil Lord Greed, proud of his recent massacre in the plain outside the city. Still eager to slaughter more humans, the demon was awaiting for her return.

Solution came closer to her opponents; they instantly moved out of the way, opening their line in two. All of them turned around, facing the same direction she was directed towards.

"Oh? Scared are we?" she smirked as she passed by "I guess I could let you go for now. Do not fret, your time will come soon enough".

She resumed her run only to realize that more illusory birds were fast approaching.

"Not falling for it this time" she remarked. She rotated on her heel and changed direction for but a moment to avoid the incoming flock.

A man was waiting for her. His bloodshot eyes were reminiscent of a demon, his hair flew like a mass of snakes with glowing red eyes in the wind. On one hand he had a cane helping him stand still. On the other, a component of some sort that seemed to glitch in and out of existence.

"How did I not feel his presence?" Solution wondered. It was a fleeting thought, suddenly stopped by an unknown force.

All her senses rang alarm bells as her body shut down. First, her legs halted abruptly. Then, a sense of vertigo gave way to a buzzing noise in her ears. Her brain stopped functioning at regular intervals, as if her physical body was being sucked into the vacuum of space.

Her appendages glitched out as if they were being controlled by a computer program gone haywire. Her form as a human being reverted back to what she originally was: a high level slime, soaked in primordial fluids. Only her face remained somewhat preserved as her original creator intended. Everything else became a putrid mess of blue and transparent compounds of unstable fluids.

"We... We did it!" someone among the militiamen dared speak.

A loud roaring noise elevated from the ranks, as if that were the end of the war. A warcry like no other had been performed before. The men rejoiced as their enemy was laying in a pool of their own making.

Exhausted, Flannar knelt for a moment. He looked at the unconscious Cledna, partly submerged in that putrid pond. His emotions were indescribable. He did not know how to express any of them, let alone process what had just happened.

"My lord, we have made it. Please let me handle it from here" Bormeliar pulled Flannar up, slowly shaking his shoulders "do rest a while. You are in no condition to go on like this. And I apologize for the mismanagement of your time earlier. I thought you would come sooner".

"It was my fault. I truly consumed too much HP this time" Flannar replied with a mixture of anxious worry and perplexed happiness "I just hope Cyrus can find the throne of thorns on time. I feel like we are already running out of options".

"Indeed. But do enjoy your brief respite, my lord. Take as much as you can get. This small victory is good for the soldiers' morale. We shall fight another day... for now".

Flannar smiled bitterly as he reached for Cledna's aquamarine fringes, gently undulating on her forehead.

"Please wake up. Let me see your face once again. Even now... there is a chance I might not be able to".

While surveying the outer border of the city walls, an impatient Evil Lord Greed, who had been informed of Solution's impending arrival with a new guest, started getting worried.

"Lord Demiurge will be angry with me if this mission fails" he thought to himself, "I should probably recon the area. It's not as big as it seems from inside".

Annoyed, he was about to take off when something unusual moved his curiosity.

"Hmm? Is that pale rider? And the carriage over there... is someone from Nazarick here?"

He steadily approached, unseen, ready to take action should any threat be nearby. As he approached, an unsettling presence reminded him of someone. His spine shivered when a familiar voice reached him from behind.

"... get lost".

"L-Lady Albedo?! I-I wasnt informed, I'm deeply-"

He turned around only to find two demonic eyes greeting him with hatred and disrespect. The entity he was facing was an unimaginably blackened, obscure, angered version of the overseer. A true devil of immeasurable destruction and deviance, a fiend of excruciatingly horrific level.

The expression she was making would kill a regular human instantly. A mere look at her visage would destroy the strongest of the elementals' resolve.

Evil Lord Greed gulped loudly as he sat in disbelief. Why was the overseer there? What business did she have in the city? Why was lord Demiurge not informed about this? Was lord Ainz aware of her presence?

He thought he should call Demiurge and let him know, to clarify his position and whether he needed to pursue his goal of waiting for Solution or let Albed deal with it. But as soon as he tried to use Message, Albedo was on top of him.

"GET LOST! GET LOST! GET LOST!" she screamed in his head.

Flustered and terrified, Evil Lord Greed knelt and apologized, trembling in fear. Albedo did not want any of that. She just wanted to be alone, to prepare her own triumphant arrival. But none of that was possible now that she had been discovered. Eventually, someone would know and pass the info.

She had to make sure. She raised her hand to the sky and landed the hit.

The demon expected a slap, which he was fully prepared to take. Instead, that would be the last thing he saw. For he lost his head.