AN: English is not my native language and this is my first fanfiction.
"I love cookies" → thoughts
"I love cookies" → speech
"I love cookies" → spell, Martial art
please review
Chapter 16
→ Re-Estice / Blue roses, Litzelot and prisoners ←
The rest of the trip went without any further complications. Gagaran had recuperated as fast as possible and was nearly as strong as before. The casters, who were taken prisoners, were quite docile and did not try any tricks. The half elf on the other hand only creeped out blue roses while aggressively "flirting" with Litzelot. This was mostly because in the eyes of Zesshi blue roses were in her way to her dream. Zesshi on the other hand was just happy about her newfound "partner" and planned to get him out of the fold of blue roses.
Lakyus and Evileye meanwhile just went with the flow and tried to ignore Zesshis flirting. Tia and Tina stayed out of the whole mess. Litzelot meanwhile just decided to get this job done as quickly as possible.
After they reached the City of Re-Estice, blue roses and the rest rented rooms at their favorite inn. Lakyus decided that she would send a message to Renner and that they would take the day off and make possible preparations for their prisoners.
Their prisoners were kept in the room with Litzelot, since he didn't need to sleep, while blue roses took their room. Afterwards they simply let the prisoners eat and then talked about their next steps and how they would meet Renner with their prisoners.
"Renner will send for us tomorrow. We will then meet her in the so-called "Pit", where the royal guards would usually train. There would be a good view on them and we could keep them from fleeing. There it will be decided what will happen. But I don't expect much, because they were not members of eight fingers." Lakyus said. To that the rest of blue roses and Litzelot nodded.
→ Re-Estice Royal Palace / Renner, Gazef and Climb ←
Renner had gotten the message from Lakyus and was meeting Gazef and Climb. She had prepared for a small tea party. While Gazef and Climb drank from the tea, Renner told them about the news.
"Lakyus said that they were ambushed, probably because of Litzelots heritage, and had taken three prisoners. I would like to have the "pit" tomorrow around afternoon. They seem to be strong." Renner said while the other two nodd.
"So we should watch after the prisoners, so that they don't escape" stated Climb.
"That could be difficult, since at least one of them seemed to have forced Litzelot to use higher magic than he usually would." Renner stated.
"How dangerous are they?" asked Gazef.
"Not that much. We have Litzelot and blue roses, which defeated them and more of their unit once. Aside from that one of them, and I quote, "is madly in love" with Litzelot. She only goes on the nerves of blue roses with her flirting on Litzelot" Renner said.
"I just want it to be on an open field so that it would be easier to watch after them." Renner stated. Gazef Climb understood and thus it was decided.
"What else should we know?" Gazef asked.
"They have a bunch of documents, we will look over them for the next target." Renner answered.
→ Near E-Rantel / Group around the Captain ←
The mission thus far was a disaster. Not only weren't they unable to retrieve the traitor or the item, but they also ran into a vampire. Luckily they were able to partially use "Downfall of Castle and Country", which allowed them to escape, even if none of them was without injury. They would meet with the rest and prepare the retreat southwards.
The retreat sadly would take some time, as Kaire was heavily wounded and The Captain was in barely any better condition.
Divine Chant had prepared three tents and helped her comrades into them when they rethought about the battle. The vampire was nothing like they had ever encountered before. The raw strength and bloodlust was drowning.
"We need to take it out" The Captain stated.
"First we need to retreat, then we need to heal. After we train more, then we can think about attacking that vicious monster." Kaire stated. Divine Chant nodded, not wanting to lose the Captain.
→ Nazarick / Ainz ←
Ainz was in his office, while his emotional suppression was working overtime. There were many developments, most of them either unforeseen or unwanted.
There was the problem with Shalltear, which seemed to be mind controlled. Even his Ring with three wishes didn't do anything, which meant that he would need to fight her, kill her and then revive her. This would be hard and expensive. She wasn't one of the strongest NPCs for nothing.
This resulted in his thoughts about another problem. Ainz didn't know who did it, but it was likely that they were enemies to his tomb. And it was also likely that it was an ambush.
He also heard rumors about an adventure group, which was once hired to hunt down a dullahan. It is said that this dullahan has since moved elsewhere. Ainz suspected that the dullahan was Litzelot. The problem was that he moved a lot and was therefore hard to track. He hoped to at least ensure non aggression.
There were also rumors about another person accompanying an adamantite adventure group called blue roses. It seems that the individual was quite strong and helped them. It also seemed suspicious that it was the same group that was sent out to fight the dullahan near E-Rantel.
There was also the anger of some NPCs against Litzelot, since he once refused to become a part of Nazarick, which needed to be mended, since he could become a strong ally.
It was no wonder that the emotion-suppression worked overtime. Because of all this he had sent out Solution and Sebas to look into the society and look for people that are able to perform "Martial Arts".
→ Re-Estice / Blue roses and entourage ←
After a long night for Evileye and Litzelot, and a shorter night for the rest, they all ate breakfast and prepared. Thanks to the sleeping in of Lakyus and Gagaran they didn't need to wait to get to the palace, as it was already afternoon.
The group was partly ecstatic, since they could finally get to their next goal, after they met the princess. The prisoners were not that excited about meeting the princess, as she would have the power to decide their fate, unbeknown to them she didn't have that much power but what do they know.
The group got easily into the palace and were led to a place called "the pit", which was like a smaller arena. There was a table with prepared tea and cookies. Princess Renner, Gazef Stronoff and Climb were already there. While Renner simply sat and drank her tea, Gazef and Climb looked at the prisoners warrily.
"Good Afternoon blue roses, Lakyus." Renner greeted.
"Good Afternoon, your grace." Lakyus greeted.
"How did the mission go?" Renner asked.
"We got to Re-Limetane, when Litzelot used his "Headless Horsemen" to scout the area. While they scouted for eight fingers we treated ourself to some rooms of an inn. In the Evening Litzelot got the information in form of a map from his "Headless Horsemen". The next day we prepared and in the evening we stricked down. Afterwards we took the prisoners and documents and were moving here. Sadly the prisoners escaped when we were ambushed. Then we took those three prisoners, as they were from the part that ambushed us" Lakyus explained and pointed to their prisoners. Renner nodded.
Meanwhile Litzelot took the crated documents out of his inventory. This slightly startled Renner, Gazef and Climb.
"Arent that too many documents for one day?" Gazef asked.
"Then I better get started after we decide what will happen with the prisoners." Renner stated.
"They are quite strong. All three of them could handily beat you Gazef Stronoff." Litzelot simply said.
"That means they are dangerous" Gazef replied, while having a frown.
"If I might make a proposal?" Zesshi grinned, trying to seem less threatening, with not much success.
"I might be able to get us out and get closer to my treasure, hehehe" shot through her head.
"And what proposal would that be?" Renner asked.
"As it seems, you have problems to get rid of that group, which you call eight fingers right? Well I am sure that my companions and I could help. As long as we will get our freedom at the end." Zesshi stated, while Renner thought.
"They are seemingly strong. When Litzelot even thinks that they could beat Gazef. We couldn't hold them down, even when we would try to. But we could use that kind of power for our advantage." Renner went through.
"But whom would you answer to?" Renner asked.
"Lizelot. Since he can beat me, he is able to beat us all. Aside from that he is the one I want to marry and have children with" Zesshi told Renner, while blue roses groaned and the other two prisoners wanted to sink into the ground and disappear.
"Is she always like this?" Gazef whispered to Lakyus, who simply nodded.
"Since she was beaten by him, she in between tried to free herself too, and I quote " get to it as soon as possible". She wants him, so much I have learned about her." Lakyus groaned.
"How do we know that you don't run away, or even attack us, if we would agree to your proposal?" Renner asked the other two prisoners.
"She would easily beat us till we are six foot deep, if we would dare to say anything negative about him." Astrologer said and pointed at Litzelot, who was cuddled against by Zesshi.
"I will follow Zesshi, since I have a drive for survival." Infinite Magic said, pointing to Zesshi, who seemed to get a self induced High. Renner meanwhile had long since decided.
"Ok but if you run, without doing your part of the agreement, I will send Litzelot after you, and I think he would have at least one companion with him to do the job." Renner warnend.
To that Astrologer and Infinite Magic shuddered.
"After that is cleared I let you all have a relaxed tea party, while I will look at the documents, after all, we are now all allies, aren't we?" Renner started grinning at Astrologer and Infinite Magic, who shuddered but relented and sat at the table.
→ Re-Estice in a mansion / Solution and Sebas ←
Sebas was walking through the mansion, which would be his base of operation for the foreseeable future. He was a butler with a black, gray outfit. He had a silver beard and silver hair. His eyes were piercing and one of his eyes was seemingly covered in shadow at all times. The Dragonoid was working with Solution. Solution was a predator-slime. Her true form was hidden, since she formes herself into a blond woman with curled hair, a bigger than usual bosom. While she would usually wear a french maid dress, for this mission she was wearing a yellow dress and played a rich woman.
Solution and Sebas had direct orders from the Supreme Being, Ainz Ooal Gown, to gauge useful information. While he understood that they were to look out for users of "Martial Arts". He didn't know why they would need to get information on this Litzelot.
To him Litzelot was nothing more than a powerful stray. To Solution, Albedo and Demiurge however he was some kind of arch-nemesis. Even though Ainz had ordered that Litzelot shall be treated with dignity and should, if possible, be approached with an invitation to speak, there was still a big fracture in Nazarick. There were those like Sebas, who simply would follow Ainz orders on that matter. On the other side were Demiurge and Albedo, who had big problems to allow the continued existence of Litzelot. This would make the mission even harder.
Luckily they had heard rumors of blue roses being in the city, unluckily they were unable to approach them, since they were seemingly here for a short duration and would spend most of the time within the palace.
"Quite sad that we can't finish that part now. It would make the rest so much easier. Huh. So close and yet so far." Sebas thought, writing his report.
→ Re-Estice Palace /Renner, Gazef, Climb, Blue roses and co. ←
While the group of adventurers and others talked and drank tea, Renner worked herself through the documents. She was able to work through two crates worth of documents, which astonished the rest of the group. In the evening Renner decided that she would not open the third crate that day and would ask them to come back tomorrow.
"Lakyus? Would it be possible to recommence the meeting tomorrow? It is shortly before dinner, and I don't think I have enough time to look at the third crates today." Renner asked, while Lakyus simply nodded. Litzelot heard this and had started to store the documents in his inventory.
After a short while the group around blue roses and Litzelot moved out of the palace. Meanwhile Princess Renner was going to dinner.
There was nothing new at the dinner table. No new delicacies and no news, except that a vampire called Honyopenyoko was defeated by an adventurer group called "darkness", which was a group of two, a man called the "Dark Hero" and a woman called "Beautiful Princess". She decided to get more information on this adventurer group. That news was brought in by a messenger of the adventurer guild, so that the royal family knew not to think about that problem any more.
"Who could have guessed that the nobles are so blind to the abilities of the adventurers. They laugh at adventurers and make fun of them, when the adventurers could easily kill them. Quite an interesting lot" Renner thought happily, since she had good friends with blue roses and their new friend on her side. She also decided that she should keep good ties with them.
"Quite some rare gems in the lot" Renner smiled to herself, and was overheard by Zanac.
"What do you mean?" Zanac asked.
"Adventurers. It is interesting how they are overlooked and yet the strongest. But what can the nobles and some of us do other than pay good money for their help? And think about our dear brother. What Does he think about them? And yet I am sure that he would lose to most adventurers" Renner answered in thought. Zanac meanwhile remembered the royal tournament.
Meanwhile Barbo was fuming. He saw the women, who met Renner. He also saw how one of them was obviously in love with the only warrior among the adventurers. He was fuming that he, the perfect man in the realm, does not have her. But that didn't concern any other occupant of the table, except Renner. She took mental notes, to avoid future problems.
The rest of the dinner went without any trouble and Renner reserved the garden for the next day. Afterwards she went to bed.
→ Re-Estice / Blue roses and co. ←
After leaving the palace the group decided to prepare for their next quest. It was also decided that Infinite Magic, Astrologer and Zesshi would receive their weapons on their quest. Knowing that their next trip was just around the corner, they prepared for a trip, which could last up to two weeks.
After some time they went back and had their own dinner. Afterwards nearly everyone was going to sleep, except the usual ones, who decided to play UNO. In between Litzelot had to keep Zesshi calm, since the envious half-elf was too close to turn psycho and attack Evileye, who was shocked about the ferocity of Zesshi.
After a short cuddle, at least for Zesshi while Litzelot saw it as creepy, Zesshi went back to bed.
The next day the whole group moved back to the palace to meet with Renner.
→ Re-Estice Palace /Renner, Gazef, Climb, Blue roses and co. ←
Renner had the staff prepare a tea party, since she decided that the flowers would be a lot nicer to be around than the "pit". In the afternoon she had seated herself in the garden, together with Climb and Gazef. She drank her tea and looked at Climb until she saw her tools approach her. Shortly afterwards she had the last few documents. She had taken notes of named locations.
"I would recommend a visit to E-Rantel, Re-Commetis and E-Triar. They are named the most frequent and recent. But please be careful." Renner said and smiled.
"Then we shall start the trip tomorrow." Lakyus replied, daydreamily looking at Litzelot and Zesshi.
Renner caught that and remembered something she heard.
"I will be careful in the future. My oldest brother had seen you, Litzelot and our new "companions" yesterday. He was fuming how he couldn't have a woman such as her. I would recommend that in future we meet elsewhere." Renner said, not concealing her concern.
"Is it so dangerous for us now?" Lakyus said, remembering the "offer" from Prince Barbo, that she could be his concubine and her rejection.
"I rather not risk anything, since we both know of his views on some things. I would also shudder at the thought of Sir Litzelot being assaulted or insulted by Barbo. That could be dangerous, since we both know that Loitzelot is hard to beat in battle." Renner stated.
Lakyus shuddered at the thought and agreed.
After some more time blue roses and the other moved out of the palace and rested the rest of the day. Just in time, since Prince Barbo was searching for them. He was left fuming and Renner was sighing and smiling.