A/N: Thanks to KobeNiku and Hakon for helping me with this chapter.
Chapter 7
Abeemination felt underwhelmed. After raiding one of the Slane Theocracy's main headquarters she figured there would be a sort of cat and mouse game she would be playing where the Theocracy would throw its best and brightest to curb the Abeemination. But so far? Nothing.
No agents, no inquisitors besides the ones she effortlessly killed ages ago, no crusaders intent to take back the holy land, assassins, not a single soul.
"You know, for a nation governed by religious zealots you guys seem awfully relaxed."
"You wiped out all of our defences before we had a chance to respond!"
The Thousand Miles Astrologer couldn't help but retort to the Abeemination, nudging once more in an attempt to loosen the ropes tied around her.
"Hey, just because you're into bondage doesn't give you the right to shove those fetishes on to us."
"YOU'RE THE ONES WHO PUT ME IN THESE BONDAGES!"
"And yet you are making such a big deal out of it."
Oblivon shrugged in response. Looking away, she couldn't help but grumble at how she got into such a predicament. As much as she openly wished for someone to come in and teach the two a lesson, that's probably what the two wanted.
"Couldn't you guys have at least sent a message towards the nearest settlement or something?"
"LIKE HELL AM I JUST GOING TO SEND MEN TO THEIR DEATHS!"
"Don't you guys have a World Class Item you could throw at us or something?"
"Your mockery knows no bounds."
Abeemination merely chuckled as Oblivon tossed a silver goblet in the air, catching it as soon as the item began to fall once more.
"I mean, shouldn't you guys at least try to protect something so valuable?"
"There were fifty guards and several wards in that room alone! At all times!"
"Maybe don't stick something so fragile to stop us next time, nyeh?"
"You're insufferable!"
"And you're unoriginal with your comebacks."
The lady in red rolled her eyes, it seemed that no matter what she did she was going to be stuck here with them for the rest of her no doubt short life, wasn't she?
"A settlement with one of the most influential people in it suddenly goes silent and the Theocracy doesn't have the common decency to at least try to find out what's going on?"
"Actually I killed them all before they had the chance to get close."
Oblivon interrupted the Abeemination. Abee winced in response, even if they send an army Oblivon would have been long gone wouldn't he? That or he'd slaughter them all if they are weak enough, play some game to make fools of them or something.
"Why did I come with you if you're just going to completely control the situation?"
"Don't say that Abee, didn't you say you wanted to manipulate the Theocracy from the inside?"
"Huh, right. I did say that."
"Well, do you wanna manipulate the Theocracy from the inside?"
Abeemination grinned in response.
Meanwhile The Thousand Miles Astrologer's eyes widened as she overheard the two. The thing that wiped out the entire force here was going to the capital? Sweat began to drop from her forehead as she observed the Abeemination opening a [Gate].
"Well now Miss Astrologer, I'm going to let you go so long as you'd deliver a message to the Theocracy. Abee here is going to follow you while invisible. You understand what would happen if you reveal our presence don't you?"
As her irises shrank, feeling the release of the rope around her cutting loose she found herself unable to see the two anymore. Blinking, she found the corpses of the men stationed where she was still present. A foreboding presence lingered nearby, ready to pounce at her at any given moment should she do anything it didn't want…
~Line break~
Resting the palm of her left hand against the top of her skull. Echidna flipped over to the next page of the book infront of her. Her sleeve of her black dress dropped to her elbow whilst she scanned the content of the page.
Flipping ahead the contents she found in the book, she found her attention drifting away from her as she attempted to gather anything she might have missed. Instead a voice rang in her ears.
"Shujinko please, I just want a book of the basics of magic!"
"If I may ask Lord K4rn-"
"Please, call me Kosaltyn Klaes."
"Then, Lord Kosaltyn. If I may ask, why do you want such a book my lord?"
Echidna came to the library of Ashurbanipal for peace and quiet to conduct a bit of studying. Recognising the blue-eyed brown-haired teenager in a white coat, she felt a tinge of pity for his situation. Especially since K4rn0 is an absolute beginner to Overlord only to be isekai'd to that world with little to no prior knowledge of the series.
She contemplated just leaving the two alone. Tempting it might be, Echidna merely sighed. Momonga wouldn't like it if she were to disprove his whole 'Supreme Being' shtick. The last thing she wants is to have the NPCs conspire against them. Even if they could easily overwhelm the NPCs powerwise.
That and whatever K4r- *ahem* Kosaltyn is doing. It might not be intentional but she's pretty sure Kosaltyn is leaking off some sort of mind-influencing aura or something. Echidna is just glad she is resistant.
"Have you noticed how some of us Supreme Beings have magic that does not coincide with how tier magic works, Shujinko?"
Pausing in surprise, the doppelganger absorbed Echidna's question.
"Ah, of course! How could I be so blind? Lord Kosaltyn was trying to find a connection between the other magics and tier magic!"
"Erm…" Before Kosaltyn could correct the doppelganger he found himself interrupted by the Witch of Greed.
"Indeed. If you haven't noticed, some of the other magic systems are significantly more powerful than what you have now. If we can find a way to unlock it for the rest of us…"
"I wa-"
Feeling an elbow nudging his stomach, Kosaltyn realised what Echidna was going for.
"I see now, your wisdom knows no bounds, Kosaltyn-sama, Echidna-sama! I'll see what I can find for you, my lord."
As the echoes of footsteps faded from the doppelganger, Echidna sighed before turning towards the teenager.
"Look, it doesn't really matter how much you try to lower yourself to NPCs. They'll always find a way to glorify you."
"I see."
"So, you don't even know basic magic?"
"Yeah…"
Echidna sighed, resting her hands on her hips. She rested her eyes before contemplating her current situation.
"Well, I would like to tutor you but I'm busy studying things."
"Like what?"
Tilting her head, Echidna merely pointed towards Entoma as she was not so silently watching a Youtube video.
"Ah."
"Also I was being serious when I said I was learning other magic systems."
"Oh."
~Line break~
"And that's what I overheard."
The insectoid maid mentioned before passing back the phone she held towards the vampire.
"Huh, are you willing to work with Echidna, Kobe?"
Kobe glanced toward Ozimyy in response.
"Weren't you preparing to head off to New Camelot?"
Ozimyy shrugged, she supposes the two were preparing to find an apprentice to be interacting with Echidna.
"Ah right, you wanted to meet the bowl haircut guy."
"Mhm."
Opening a [Gate], KobeNiku stepped out of the portal with the vampire following shortly after.
"If you need me, Entoma, I'll be in New Camelot for a bit. I would say the same to Ozimyy but she decided she wanted to come with me."
"Us Touhou girls gotta stick together!"
KobeNiku proceeded to look away from the vampire, the portal closing as Kobe pretended not to know her as the two closed towards the stone walls.
Slowing down, she attempted to have the vampire walk past her. Only for Ozimyy to quickly adjust to her speed.
"Ozi, what are you doing?"
"What do you mean?"
"Us Touhou girls? Really?"
"To be fair, I only said that to annoy you."
Sighing, KobeNiku rolled her eyes as she proceeded to walk on, unable to shake the vampire girl away from her.
"Yeah, sure…"
"And that's why I'll continue whenever we're around people."
KobeNiku raised an eyebrow towards the vampire before resuming her walk.
"So, whatcha plan to do after getting the bowl haircut guy?"
Continuing her walk, KobeNiku simply focused towards the entrance of the fortification.
"Are you planning on ignoring me the whole time?"
Closing her eyes, the Brain of the Moon proceeded to zone out the vampire as she continued her way towards the stone gate.
"You know I can ju-"
"I'll delete all of your gacha accounts and factory reset your phone."
"Ha, got you to say something!"
KobeNiku felt the temptation to slap herself on her face, rolling her eyes as she wished Ozimyy was more like her Discord counterpart right about now.
"You do know, you don't have to exaggerate your personality now that you are in the New World right?"
Looking away from KobeNiku momentarily, Ozimyy only managed to take a brief glance at her as KobeNiku smirked briefly.
"The Ozimyy I know would have responded with 'Ah, I ruined the moment' or attempted to say what you said only to stutter and go 'Ah, I ruined the joke'. Then we'd be silently walking for at least a few minutes with at most a few songs playing in the background. Also I can delete your account right now. Just saying."
"I mean yeah I would be like that normally, but I'd be too passive with that personality here. ROB wants a show you know…"
Opening her eyes, KobeNiku felt the urge to point out a few things she noticed while interacting with Ozimyy since their arrival to the New World.
"You're not even resisting the Flandre personality bleed are you?"
"Nah yeah, I was kind of a boring person before I was isekai'd…"
"What about you staring at a Remillia jpeg for 15 minutes straight?"
"Where are you going with this?"
"Whatever irks you the most."
Before Ozimyy could find anything to retort Kobe with, a voice called from above the two.
"Right, hello, KobeNiku, Ozimyy. What can I do for you in New Camelot?"
Looking up, she saw Inkrael holding up his left hand. A brief glance towards her surroundings revealed a few armoured men lowering their weapons whilst lying back down in wait to ambush anything. Not very well hidden for someone like herself or say, a dark armoured Overlord who would no doubt overwhelm them thanks to sheer stats alone. But enough to fool anyone 15 levels or less who isn't a scout of sorts.
"Were you just standing there waiting for any of us to arrive?"
"Nah, I just used Clairvoyance to see you two arriving about now."
Ozimyy deadpanned towards the Grand Caster.
"I was trying to make a joke but okay…"
"And I responded to your joke with a straight answer. That's the joke."
Blinking, rather than attempt another retort Ozimyy decided to instead shrug. Inkrael chuckled before looking back towards the vampire.
"That's the Ozi I know," KobeNiku responded, smiling briefly towards the pouting vampire.
"Shut up, I'm trying…"
"There is nothing wrong with being yourself." Noticing the slight twitch upon the vampire's face, KobeNiku grinned even wider. "You know, this is what you get for challenging the Brain of the Moon."
"Yeah, I get it. Better than dealing with ROB cause you refuse to do anything though."
"Fair."
Shrugging, KobeNiku folded her arms before looking back towards Inkrael.
"Anyways, we're just here for the bowl haircut guy. Kobe wants to hire him so she doesn't have to work on pharmaceuticals all the time."
"Ah, you're a bit early for him. He isn't due to come until 4 hours from now in the afternoon."
"Lemme guess, future sight?"
"Yup, pretty convenient right?"
"Mhm."
"So, Inkrael. What part of the plot are we up to right now?"
The Grand Caster's eyes shone in response, though he knew the answer he still does occasionally like to play around with his powers.
"Just before where Ainz was about to get to Carne for the first time with Nfirea and The Swords of Darkness, why?"
"No reason."
"You wanted to turn Nifrea into your apprentice don't you?"
"I mean yeah, that's what Ozi just said. You don't need future sight for that."
The two laughed at that, Ozimyy simply tilted her head but allowed the conversation to continue.
"Fair enough, you want a tour while you wait? Like I said, Nifrea and friends aren't due to come in 4 hours."
"You mean a tour of the LARPing town you made? The one I totally didn't see through a Mirror of Remote Viewing? Yeah why not."
"Great, even if you did see the town you'd probably not see what I put inside the buildings anyway."
"Oh joy. Interior design."
Ozimyy raised a brow at Kobe's response, curious as to why she isn't too enthused about the whole thing.
"You know, I for one look forward to seeing what he made. Who knows, you might be able to study Nasuverse magic."
Had KobeNiku been Eirin in this situation she might have been ecstatic to be studying a brand new magic system. But as she is now Kobe, she felt unsure if the idea of studying magic from Fate of all things is a good rabbit hole to fall into.
"Speaking of, Inkrael, did you roll for anyone yet?"
The Grand Caster rubbed the back of his head.
"Yeah. About that…"
"ROB did something, didn't he?"
"A Berserker isn't exactly a servant I wanted to summon as my second servant. Let alone Heracles."
KobeNiku nodded, it seemed not even a Grand Caster could escape the hellscape known as gacha.
"See kids, this is why you don't get into Fate. Ever."
"Who are you talking to?"
"No one."
~Line break~
Zesshi glanced towards the Wicked Hermit as the pair approached The Grand Library of Ashurbanipal.
"So, why do we need the library exactly?"
"To study tier magic."
Zesshi pouted in response.
"But I already know tier magic."
"Indeed, but not its relationship with Gensokyan magic. Or Lunarian magic." Tenshi pointed out, sighing as a voice rang in her mind.
"Did someone say Lunar?"
"No, not that one."
Inkrael's voice chuckled momentarily before abruptly cutting off.
"So, unless you want to convert to Taoism, I suggest we start here."
"Why does going to a library have anything to do with this anyways?"
"If you don't plan on involving faith for spell cards, your only other option is to study it. Put some backbone into it like Marisa or Patchouli."
Zesshi couldn't help but think back towards her college years, the words 'study' echoed deeply in her mind.
"Urgh." Zesshi groaned, dragging her feet towards the library. She also noticed two other individuals sitting on a desk in front of her.
"It seems like there were others who had the same idea." Tenshi smiled before resting her hand on her chin.
Echidna turned around to correct the Wicked Hermit and The Half Elf. Kosaltyn walked away from Echidna as she did so. "Actually I just wanted to understand how tier magic relates to the other magic systems."
"And I'm here since I'm kinda new to Overlord," Kosaltyn also replied, wishing one of them would tell him about the magic systems.
Tenshi rested her eyes, barely acknowledging the two's response before looking back at them.
"I see, I would tell you why I'm here but I feel that you overheard me. Welp, I'll leave you to it, Zesshi."
"Wait, what about teaching me spell cards?!"
Tenshi paused for a bit, tilting her head slightly before she proceeded to wave the half elf off.
"I've already given you enough hints, no? You can't learn anything if I were to hold your hand all the time. Like I said, you need to study magic if you're not willing to convert. How else are you going to learn spell cards on your own?"
Turning back around, she merely smiled before opening up a gate.
"In the meantime, I'm going to find a corpse I can resurrect. Ta ta~"
~Line break~
"So, what's your first plan now that you set up your mercenary company, boss?"
BigBoss glanced towards the red headed woman before reaching back towards his inventory.
"Probably get to Brain before anything serious happens to him. Get him in shape and all before someone inevitably breaks him."
"And what about after that?"
"Hmm…"
Perking up her eyes, Hakon proceeded to slam the bottom of her fist to the palm of her other hand.
"How about we find a slug princess?"
BigBoss raised his eyebrow towards the woman's question.
"Slug princess?"
"Yeah, seeing as you're a snake and I'm a fox."
"What's the connection here?"
"You know, the three sannin?"
"Wasn't that supposed to be a snake, toad and slug?"
"Oh please, people only remember the Naruto version."
"Fair enough. So I guess after we find Brain we're looking for a slug princess?"
"And if we can't find a slug princess, then I want a mini pig."
