Ch.11 Journey

Philosopher's Empire Capital- Mercuria

Flamel's Capital is a gorgeous city of many buildings of great structure with many buildings of stone and brick with only a few small residential buildings of wood. The sunlight glistens the beautiful city as people wearing simple clothing wander the streets. Trees bearing different fruits grow and look incredibly delicious and sweet to add an ambiance to the simplicity of the daily life of the citizens.

Among the citizens, the commandant of the Philosopher's Knights makes a trip around the city. She walks as her form catches the eyes of the people who see her. Her attire consisting of a platinum breastplate, purple cloth around her waist with a symbol partially obscured by a purple cape that drapes over her right shoulder, a circlet around her forehead with a yellow gem, and two swords at her side. Her hair long and brown, like the sweetest chocolate, and her eyes pink like cherry blossom petals.

While on her walk, she catches two small boys trying to reach for some peaches from a tree. Smiling, she approaches the tree as the children look at her with surprise while she plucks some peaches from the branches with a tender smile. She lowers herself and says "Here."

The two boys blush at having a beautiful woman give them fruit. Out of nowhere, a woman appears behind the boys and tells them "Boys, thank the commandant for her generosity."

The two boys bow while thanking the gesture "Thank you, commandant Vaiself."

The knight kindly bows and proclaims "It was nothing, just please grow strong and live meaningful lives." She holds her hand to her chest and delightfully declares "Glory to the Empire."

"GLORY TO THE EMPIRE!" the two boys shout before running off to eat their peaches.

After they leave, the commandant thinks "Such enthusiasm…they'll make fine knights someday. ..But not really my type." Her smile never changing, she maintains this grace while walking further.

Inside the palace, a large infrastructure of marble and magic with a temple placed in front of it, Albedo has her daughter's bed placed into a small circular canopy with a white cloth surrounding it and placed onto a circular platform carried on a carriage by two giant hamsters. All of her servants are gathered in an orderly fashion with the maids of the Pleiades standing in front of Albedo who is now wearing her armor.

She looks commanding while enthusiastically ordering "As I've informed, it is greatly assumed that Lord Ainz, our true ruler and the man who we've pledged ourselves to, has returned and is in the Crimson Empire for a ceremony tomorrow. We are to get there without delay and meet with Lord Ainz. We will succeed as failure would shame all of Nazarick. Everyone, we leave at once!" she gracefully turns around and leads the charge.

But before going, she reminds herself "Oh, yes I almost forgot." She walks towards the canopy with a sweet smile to enter Flamel's pseudo room and sees her daughter wearing a white night robe for sleeping. Albedo takes care not to make a sound as she places a sheet over Flamel's sleeping form, gives her a kiss on the head while whispering "We'll be so much closer when you wake up." She then produces a plush of Ainz and puts it in Flamel's hand causing her to grab it while sleeping which makes her smile. Happy, Albedo quietly leaves the canopy and places a barrier around it to not disturb her daughter.

However…in her bed, Flamel slightly opens her eye and puts the plush of Ainz under her pillow while pulling out a different toy, a plush of Albedo with cruder details like plain buttons for eyes and simple wings. Flamel cuddles with the plush while playfully sticking out her tongue and going back to sleep.

While they continue through the palace, Albedo places her finger to her ear and contacts someone for a mission. "Initas, I have orders for you."

In the city, the commandant puts her finger to her ear and sweetly replies "Yes, Great Mother Albedo?"

"We're making a trip to the Crimson Empire. I know it's hastily executed, but I want you, Solution, and Entoma to take care of any and all obstacles in our way. They would be wastes of time, and unnecessary conflicts for us. Meet them outside the gates of the city and use any force necessary." She orders the commandant.

Their conversation ended, commandant Initas takes a look around and sees that she is the center of attention with many eyes looking her way. She announces "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I must tend to my duties. I wish you all a lovely day. (salutes) Glory to the empire." The people watching follow her example and shout the same.

The commandant runs to towards the gates of the city while waving to a cheering public who adore her and she smiles while waving. Elsewhere, near the palace, Albedo walks with her team while the people watch and praise her name. Albedo, in her one track mind, pays them no mind and simply smiles blissfully while riding atop Hamsuke.

Sitting atop the canopy, CZ2128 simply rests and looks around the adoring people "So many people adore her. Lady Flamel, why are you so afraid?" she ponders about.

Narberal Gamma and Yuri Alpha walk at opposite sides of the canopy and keep their eyes open for anything. But Yuri does smile and wave to some of the crowd while Narberal simply remains stoic looking at the ahead.

Gates

Solution and Entoma stand at the gates to the city, a large perimeter with a massive wall surrounding the outside. The two battle maids simply wait for their third party member.

However, "I say we just move on without her. We don't need a human's help to clear some lower monsters or even more pathetic humans." Solution says impatiently.

Entoma just stares vacantly at the gates "We have orders to bring the commandant with us. Better not disobey Albedo right now. She's very excited today."

Orders are orders to them, so Solution just resumes waiting for the moment.

As if on cue "Sorry to keep you waiting"

The two maids look in the air and see a streak of light as the commandant shoots from the air and lands gracefully on the ground with her feet lightly touching the ground and she flourishes her hair.

Being diligent, Solution simply says "Let's just get this assignment completed. I wish to see Lord Ainz as well."

"I agree, reporting to Lord Ainz is priority number one." Entoma agrees wholeheartedly with her sister.

"*Sigh* So, I get the cold shoulder too? Guess father was right about this job." Commandant Vaiself lowers herself to the maids, but smiles looks at Entoma with a glow in her eyes "Oh, did you get that stuff I wanted?"

Reaching into her outfit, Entoma produces a vial of a greenish-yellow stuff and hands it to her "Here you go, fresh from the hive."

Excited, the knight takes the vial and reaches near her side and pulls out a gourd, pulls the top off, and pours the mystery substance into the gourd while smelling the aroma "Ah…such a sweet smell." She blissfully takes in the scent with a blush on her face. She looks at the insect maid and bows "I promise to honor our deal, Miss Entoma."

As if she was asking a waitress "You know my preferences for the time, right?"

Hearing Entoma's voice makes her go green in the face a bit and she simply says "Yes, but I really don't think losing weight should be a priority right now for you."

Impatient, Solution puts her foot down "We have a mission to do. We can talk deals later."

Getting back to focus, Initas gives a slight salute while Entoma just begins moving forward with Solution moving ahead. Entoma summons a swarm of insects that surround her and she leaves as well Initas running into the area.

The area surrounding the capital of the Philosopher's Empire is a forest of lush greenery and trees as the far as the eye can see.

Back inside the city, Albedo and her group are making way through the gates of the city while Albedo rides, Narberal can't help but look at Hamsuke "Albedo, don't you think riding that thing makes you look silly?"

Breaking her bliss, Albedo looks at Narberal with slight annoyance "Lord Ainz rode this hamster and he looked absolutely dignified."

"Yes, but Lord Ainz looks dignified no matter what he does or what attire he wears." She argues to her superior.

However, being Albedo "Yes that is among the truest of things. Lord Ainz would look amazing in any attire. He'd look absolutely ravishing in a kimono, or a barbarian waistcloth, and especially in a revealing swimsuit."

Interrupting Albedo's lewd thoughts, Yuri reminds her "I believe we should focus our thoughts on introducing Flamel to her father. This is going to be the biggest moment of her life and we should conduct ourselves accordingly."

Snapping out of her thoughts, Albedo takes a deep breath, and smiles "Of course, you're right, Yuri. I've been selfish about my desires to him, I've neglected my child doing it. Let's make this a grand meeting for the sake of both my beloved and my dear child."

Looking on head, Narberal asks "Do you think that human will succeed? I have no doubts about Entoma and Solution, but that human may be a hindrance to them."

In spite of her feelings towards humans, Albedo confidentially states "I wouldn't worry about Initias. She may be human, but she's a human who has Nazarick's resources. So she's hardly a common vermin."

Forest

Initas is in the middle of fighting some simple forest monsters, wolves that fights barehanded as she smacks one away with her right arm and guards with it as well. The remaining wolves' growl at her, but her eyes glow blue for a moment and the wolves cower and run off.

She lowers her guard "*Sigh* I'm glad that animals are smart enough to back off." She looks up and sees a large fly. She holds up her gourd and takes a drink of it and it flies off. She follows it through the woods.

Elsewhere, Solution has encountered some bandits and they are fleeing from her "She's a monster!" screaming about her and she is surrounded by weapons and some partially dissolved corpses.

"Oh, you all wanted to do unspeakable things to me. So why shouldn't I be allowed the same privilege?" she smiles sadistically taking pleasure in dissolving them as she begins to follow them.

Seeing the bodies nearby, Entoma appears from the trees "Solution, we have to make sure to clean these up. We're supposed to clear the path for Lady Flamel."

Looking around, Solution wonders "Where did that human go? I thought she'd have trouble keeping up with us."

However, another fly floats by Entoma and she explains "Not at all. She's actually ahead of us. I had my little friends show her to an encampment nearby. She'll clear it up lickety split."

"How do you know this? You haven't worked with her before." Solution being skeptical of Entoma's position.

Entoma reveals "Sure, I've only talked with her, but her father was a fairly strong human, and Albedo says this one's even better."

"Heh, a daughter who excels her father? Now that's a first for me." Solution says with a smirk, but then it turns to a frown "And I wish I didn't feel that way." While saying this, Solution feels an arrow pierce her body through her chest. Annoyed, she pulls the arrow out, looks at where it came from and sees a human man with a bow aiming at her. "No use in pondering, we've got rats to kill."

Seeing a muscular man in the distance in a tree, Entoma drools a little under her mask and remarks "Actually, I see some food that needs to be gobbled up." The two maids join together and prepare to clear the way.

Initas makes her way to where the bug is leading her nearing the border between the empires and she hears the sound of an arrow being pulled back on a bow string. She reaches around her waist wondering "Which sword should I use this time?" She feels at the two swords and pulls out a rapier with a white blade and hilt with a bright yellow guard resembling a half sun with a smile and she hears the sound of arrow coming and she sees it easily, deflecting it with her sword.

After this, she holds her sword to her face and her body glows white "Angel Boost!" she announces as she sprouts a wing behind her right shoulder made of energy resembling a butterfly wing with white and red coloring while her hair turns white like snow and her armor turns black with her cape turning white and she begins moving faster.

She deflects more arrows being shot in a rapid fire and sees a cloaked individual shooting a bow. She deflects more arrows and then her sword begins glowing with a red aura and spins to deflect another arrow, but "Fire Wave!" and she launches a flaming blast from her sword that shoots towards the trees and burns the trees surrounding the archer and he jumps from the trees and runs off somewhere.

Not detoured, Initas follows the archer and gets an odd sense as she simply sees nothing, but she continues on regardless with her sword gripped and she charges up another fire wave. As she runs, she feels a strange presence and charges forward while launching her fire wave forward and sees it disappear for a second but she hears an explosion a moment later.

"So, they're cloaking their presence" she deduces as she charges in and runs through a cloak as she looks as if she's running through water as ripples form in the air around her. Moments later, she sees a camp on fire as some warriors scramble to put it out as she throw dirt on the fires as large tents are ablaze with trees catching fire and black smoke with an acrid smell erodes the beautiful forest with its destruction.

Looking at the scenery, Initas bites her lip "Damn, I got carried away… I could burn down Flamel's fruit trees at this rate." She then puts her sword and and her appearance reverts to its previous colors instantly and she reaches for her other sword "Devil Boost!" she announces as she draws her other blade and her hair now changes to black as night with her armor turns white with her cape black and her body begins emitting a cold aura as an energy wing resembling that of a bat with black and blue coloring. She now holds an eastern style katana with a black blade with a silver tsuba and a thread that is attached to a trinket resembling a half moon with a frown. She holds her sword to her face and begins casting a spell "Destroy Fire!" then a white orb shoots from her sword and dowses the flames as steams forms while the flames die and she sighs with relief.

The warriors stop their scrambling at seeing the fire die. They look over at the commandant and many questions.

"Is she with us?"

"Is she with the empress?"

"Is she a member of the Black Scripture sent to help us?"

She hears many of them say these things, audible in their conversations. Before long, a person wearing an ornate armor with a cape approaches, a man with short brown hair who is holding a sword and carrying someone on his shoulder. The other warriors wear very simple armor so he must be the one in charge.

The man looks at Initas and waves his hand "Hold it! I believe she is one we were told of. The black haired warrior with a black bladed weapon, who is a child of a god." He approaches her with ease in his eyes "Thank you so much for helping us. We almost lost all of our wor…" before he can speak further, Initas swings at him without a second thought.

"Hey, I thought you were the one sent by the Black Scripture!" He yells while producing a sword.

Initas simply spins her sword in her hand without a care "Maybe it isn't the best idea to jump to conclusions. Who said I was an ally to you? Not me."

The leader looks at her cape and sees the symbol, now understanding "Wait, you are the one armed paladin Initas Vaiself."

She takes a breath and frowns "Now why couldn't I get a better name? My great-great-grandmother was the Golden Princes, and I the one armed paladin, not very attractive, I must say."

The leader cringes and charges at her but she defends easily as she holds her sword up and it clashes with his. He looks angered as he recalls "My friends told me stories of the traitorous princess who sold out her people. About how she laughed and laughed as they suffered."

Yawning at this, Initas simply rebukes "I've heard everything under the sun about this. I've heard my countenance in uncanny to hers, I've heard people say she kidnapped and assaulted various men, and I've also heard rumors that she ate children. It makes no difference who she was." With little force, she pushes the sword forward and knocks the man back.

Not detoured, the man attacks again and swings his blade while she simply steps out of the way. He swings at her again, but she tilts her head to dodge.

Demanding, he wants to know "Did you inherent her sadistic nature? Or does toying with us part of your strategy?"

Shaking her head, Initas simply states "Quit with these. I'm tired of hearing enemies talk ill of my ancestor with these rumors, which simply aren't true." She raises her sword and blocks another attack, and slices swiftly while remarking "And I take no pleasure in murder or killing. I just follow my orders." The warriors watching simply watch with looks of horror and shock for moments and they cannot believe that she would do something so horrible as the man's head flies through the air and his body stops moving. It stands for a moment until it moves, and falls to the ground.

"She attacked him when he lowered his guard!" They shout

"Captain! Captain!"Some scream

But Initas simply holds her sword and prepares to attack the rest "If any of you think that I'm here for an honorable duel, then sadly your notions are ill placed." She takes a stance and points her sword for her next attack and readies another spell.

But, before she can launch her spell, a wave of energy shoots pass her and she jumps back to avoid another potential blast. Looking to the side, Initas sees someone else approaching, a person wearing a black cloak with silver lines and holding a scythe with a black blade. This person wears a hood over their head, but she can make out a face with two different eye colors one silver and one black and she can see slight bits of black hair with silver tips. The person holds a scythe and looks around.

They holds out their hands with their scythe under their shoulder with a causal demeanor "Oops, sorry about that Madame Commandant." They say nonchalantly. "I was here to do an inspection, but then a little bee told me to stay back a little." Then, they pull out a book with various drawings of bugs in them and pulls out a pen and starts drawing in it.

Initas simply holds her sword and curiously asks "Are you this child of a god they mentioned?"

The figures waves their hand casually "Yeah yeah yeah, don't disturb my bug time. It's my personal pleasure."

But the warriors in this camp make their move and begin attacking as they pulls out various weapons as they want revenge for their fallen comrade.

However, "Icicle Rain!" Initas shouts as she dashes forward as pillars of ice form in multiple directions and run through the warriors, killing them quickly. She then looks at the cloaked figure, still drawing in their book, unharmed, and she casually asks "Do you want to fight me as well?"

The figure simply keep their eyes on the book while replying "No, not really. I was just here to see if this was worth investing more time, and it isn't. It was their own fault they died anyway. So it's not my problem."

She sheathes her sword, bows, and smiles "Then would you please leave, my orders are simply to clear the way, and I'm tired of killing for a day."

Without another word, the cloaked individual leaves and continues with their book and disappears without a trace.

While sheathing her sword, Initas remarks "But the only true children of any god are Justina and Flamel. All others are frauds." Initas simply undoes her Devil Boost and snaps her finger as the ice disappears along with the bodies.

She hears the sound of footsteps approaching and sees Albedo showing up with the canopy and her allies; now with Solution and Entoma following by the sides with Yuri and Narberal. She bows in the presence of the great mother as they are approaching the border between this and the Crimson Empire.