Ch.14 Assault PT.1
With swiftness, Ainz and his guards arrive in the area that is under investigation. It is a an area resembling typical farmlands with shrubs, trees, and plenty of livestock, but it surprises no one that the grass is turning yellow, the livestock, cows, chickens, and pigs are not moving very much and look sickly.
Inspecting the area from inside the carriage, the overlord bewilders "Hmm, it does look quite troubling here." He calmly says to his guards.
Scratching her head, Aura explains "I don't get it all. I checked the land, the water should be fine, and I can't, for the life of me, get what's going on." Her tone sounding annoyed as she explains, Aura looks beside herself.
Nodding, Sebas adds "It's true, Sir. The farmers and other travelers appear fine even after eating the produce and meats here. They even drink the same water as the livestock."
Looking outside further, a large sparkling lake can be seen and it is immediately understood by Ainz that this lake is where all the water for this region comes from. He looks towards the farmer, many folks tending to the fields with many trying to keep a tree standing, others tending to the livestock, and others plowing the dirt.
Looking at the farmers closely, Ainz notices something as he looks at the workers and sees they are different races, humans, elves, lizard men, and even some goblins "Justina must use all kinds of races for her labor force. It's not a bad strategy, and they seem to cooperate so far. I guess the world must have gotten a bit more progressive since I've been gone." He thinks with a sense of appreciation.
Aura sniffs the air and puts on a smile "They must be baking pies nearby. It makes my mouth water just thinking about it." She exclaims with a look of joy.
"You must be very well acquainted with the food around here, Aura. I would suspect that you know most of the workings in this area." Ainz comments to Aura's enthusiasm.
Feeling confident, she remarks "Sure do, Lord Ainz. I've been working in these parts for a long time now. Lady Justina trusted me with the cultivation of the livestock." But she looks a bit bored when adding "But raising cows, chickens, and pigs isn't exactly helping with my collection." However, she immediately states "Not that I mind helping Lady Justina of course. I'd do anything for her or Lady Flamel."
Looking at her, he swiftly calms her "I understand, Aura. You have the spirit of a collector and the same farm animals could dull anyone's collection." He then looks upon her closer "Speaking of which, I was wondering why you and Mare haven't grown in the last centuries. You're both dark elves, but you both should have grown at least a little." Aura blushes with embarrassment a bit, and he quickly assures her "Oh, that was rather rude of me. I'm very sorry if that was uncomfortable for you."
The others remain stoic to this inquiry, but Aura lowers her head and explains "Lady Justina got mad at me some time ago, and she regressed my aging. All I did was make a joke about me being bigger."
Looking at her, Narberal comments "I don't think hiding details is appropriate for Lord Ainz."
Sighing, she admits "Fine, I made a joke about me growing and Shalltear not, and then Lady Justina used a powerful spell to age me back, and I made Mare do it too."
Thinking on it, Ainz laughs a little "Well, I guess my little overlord was giving you all a hard time in my absence." He looks at Aura "But I guess Bukubukuchagama would have preferred the twins stay the same, maybe. At least they look the same age as usual. I just hope that Mare is fine with this." He simply waits after this for the carriage to stop and begin his inspection.
Blue Rose's Camp
Still in the guise of Nikola, Pandora's Actor sits alone in the room he uses in disguise, unease "I cannot believe that Lady Flamel would do something so irrational. It's simply obscene and not at all…" His thoughts stop when he hears a voice.
"Pandora's Actor, I need to switch back with you." A familiar voice says as he looks around and sees Flamel appear from a warp. She is now wearing her Nikola attire and she has a panicked look "I need to be Nikola for now."
He looks at her, surprised "Milady, how can you be here when your glorious father is so worried about you." Almost as if impulse, he turns with a flourish and puts his hand to his head, despair emanating from his stance "His heart aches without knowing of your well being."
She grabs him from behind, frustrated "Look, Justina is in danger. I need to get the others to help me, but I can't ask Nazarick for help right now."
He turns to her "The other lady is in danger!?" he asks with concern in his voice. He then argues "But Nazarick's resources are the finest. Not using them is foolish…if you'll forgive my impertinence, Milady."
Putting her hand to her face, she panics more "I know, Pandora's Actor. But I can't save my sister with Nazarick's resources, and I'm ordering you."
In spite of his previous words, he nods and takes off the butterfly mask and hands it to her, but remarks "I cannot agree in not using Nazarick to save my beloved creator's child!" His voice getting louder, Flamel puts her hands on his mouth.
"She might hear you, idiot." She sternly says with her voice trying to be silent. She puts on her mask and her hair transforms and she completes her disguise. She puts her hands on her face, thinking, thinking, and thinking some more "Pernelle must the spy for mother. But she can't see me or Pandora's Actor, so I could take advantage of this moment. I could just send Pandora's Actor to father with a message, or just have him talk to him with magic saying I can't break my disguise. It's a long shot, but maybe I could save a little face at least." Her thoughts on strategy make a bit of an impact on her mood as she smiles a bit, delicately, and she tells Pandora's Actor "Fine, go to father, and tell him….."
Crimson Empire
Albedo wanders the palace, her face looking afraid, and her eyes sad "Lord Ainz was so angry at me. I've seen his wrath, but I never dreamed he would aim it at me so suddenly. He's as radiant as ever, but his anger seems greater than before." She thinks and pauses for a moment. But she then pauses as something catches her eye; she sees a portrait along the corridor she is walking around. In the portrait, Shalltear is depicted holding a baby Justina and is surrounded by vampire brides, but Shalltear's face appears malevolent as her gaze appears threatening despite the warmer gesture. She looks at the frame, touches it, and remembers "I was there when this was painted. That bloodsucker was glaring at me the whole time."
After glaring, Albedo hears a commanding tone telling her "Lady Albedo, what are you doing here?" the guardian turns her head and spots the Black Knight walking down the halls toward her.
Defiantly, Albedo turns her body "I am here to see Lord Ainz, and you are being brazen to speak to me in such a way." She criticizes.
Being bold, Lakyus puts her hand to her sword "Do not mistake my loyalties. Here, you are a visitor, and I am the commandant. Or, would prefer I allow my dark self to let her hair down."
Putting on a smirk and giving a sarcastic tone "Oh, the all powerful commandant and leader of the almighty Crimson Knights. Remind me again how you got that position?" Albedo reprimands
Lakyus grips her hand into a fist and punches the wall "I did what I had to for my friends."
Turning around, Albedo leaves with some parting words "Believe what you will. But I will admit your fortune. Lord Ainz would have never spared them for their transgressions, and neither would I." However, she walks and returns to having a frown and simply thinks "My lord, I never wanted your advent to be tarnished by my brash behavior."
Back in her throne room, Justina sits with her head lowered, and her body trembling from anxiety. She is in the company of her remaining servants and mother. Troubled, Justina looks to her mother "Mother, Would you please do me a favor?" She asks meekly.
Not hesitating, Shalltear replies "Of course, whatever you'd like, my precious daughter."
Smiling, the Crimson Empress requests "Would you please read a story to the children? They so love hearing your voice."
"Oh ho, have they really been THAT well behaved?" Her mother asks in response with a calm smile.
Looking sincerely at her mother, the Crimson Empress states "The children have been very well mannered and I simply want to treat them in the most appropriate way I can think of. "
Bowing, Shalltear simply says "Very well, I will grace them with a tale from my lips." And she takes her leave simply walking out of the room.
Then, looking at the remaining servants, Justina announces "I want all of you to make further preparations for father's ceremony tomorrow. Fortify our defenses, position yourselves to guard all possible positions for possible distractions, or even simply engage in decorating. No job is meager when it is to show the glory of my father!"
The servants collectively bow in silence and every one of them leaves without a second word. The Empress of the Crimson Empire sits on her throne and sighs a bit.
"Man, father's presence certainly has a lasting effect on people." She says to herself as she watches the servants walk silently down the hallway. Once the last servant leaves, a large door shuts in place leaving Justina alone with her fountain of blood.
She sniffs the air and mentions "Although, I wish I was permitted a minute of privacy in these moments." She then swipes her hand and a force slams an unseen object into the wall. Upon making a dent, a robbed figure appears from nowhere on the ground and coughs up some blood. Looking upon the figure, Justina adds "It rather clumsy to reveal your scent to me so abruptly, and rudely I might add."
The figure stands up immediately and reveals their face to be that of a young woman with yellow eyes and black sclera. She spits up some more blood and simply smirks "Terribly sorry, Crimson Empress. But I am here on a mission."
Justina simply walks over and picks the woman up by the collar of her cloak and mentions "You are the not the first assassin sent here this week, but I wish I was permitted a respite for week at the least." She then painfully slides her fingers into the woman's throat and adds "So I hope you won't mind if I simply cut the song and dance for a change."
The woman gasps for air as the veins in Justina's hand bulge up and the life and her body begins shriveling up as the life leaves her eyes. After all this, her body becomes a lifeless husk devoid of any blood. Once finished, Justina lets go of the husk and shakes her head "Not even worth the effort." She closes her eyes for a moment, but then…her eyes suddenly shoot open and she holds her throat and falls to her knees.
"What the hell is this?" She then starts coughing and feeling sick. "I shouldn't be feeling this way, I should immune to poison and paralysis, so why?!"
Then, suddenly, she begins vomiting blood. Violently, her floor below begins becoming stained crimson and a puddle forms below her face. Then, a barrier forms around the door to her throne room, and she feels a sharp sensation as she is propelled to her throne and many blades form around her, violently, her hands, forearms, shoulders, legs, feet, and her chest are pierced by blades that pin her to her throne.
Appearing now, four masked people wearing similar cloaks now appear. One asking in a feminine voice "Is she dead yet?"
Another, a male sounding voice, replies "Now, a monster like her wouldn't fall easily."
Another male voice adds "The blood was only meant for a brief moment, and that's all."
Justina recovers a bit as she looks up and her vision is blurry for a moment, until it corrects itself as she looks at her attackers.
The last voice, another woman's, sternly asks "No one can detect us, right?"
One of the figures opens her palm and reveals a glow, answering "Yes, but only for a limited time. We must act now, or risk ruining our centuries of work will be for naught."
Justina tries opening her mouth but she can't speak. Instead she only watches while her attackers' converse with one another, but her hearing is bad right now and she simply sits on waits in spite of the intense pain in her body.
Farmlands
Ainz stands in a field of crops, wheat, vegetables, and herbs grow in a vast view, that's what it would normally be, but the crops are dying before the overlord's gaze. He is personally escorted by Aura and Sebas as guides. He kneels down and inspects the dried remnants of a plant that would grow into a medicinal herb for the sick. He runs his skeletal finger through the brown dying plant.
From behind his view, Aura comments "I just don't get it, Lord Ainz. The water we use is fine, the soil hasn't been poisoned, and the manure we use is from my own personal collection of beasts."
He looks at the plants again "Hmm, knowing Aura, she wouldn't be careless in this regard. At least never letting the plants die on her watch. I trust her experience these last three hundred years. So what's causing these plants to wither and die." He thinks, until he looks at Aura and asks "Are there any clues as to why the livestock has been doing poorly? Any particular symptoms?"
'Aura puts her hand to her chin, thinking "Not that I can think of. Just usual stuff like fatigue, loss of appetite, and other stuff. But no black spots, their stool look fine, and they do have active desires to breed."
Thinking on it for a moment, Ainz wonders "If that's the case, I wonder if the cause of this is some kind of life absorbing ability. It would explain the lack of added symptoms and the unexplained fatigue. But somebody would have noticed something like a spell or item being used, and a traitor would have been seen. Aura is not stupid, and she'd probably set up security if that was suspected….wait a minute." Standing up now, he looks over and asks "Are there any areas where the roots converge?"
Blue Roses Base
In her private quarters, Evileye talks with Nikola, and asks her "Are you sure about this?"
Nodding, the masked Nikola adds "I'm certain. I had an encounter with one moments ago while patrolling the area. I'm certain they plan to attack the empress soon."
Thinking on it, Evileye replies "But would that really be a bad thing? I have some bad blood with that monster.
However, Flamel thinks "Of course, Keeno hates us. Aiding Justina isn't in her interest, but, on the other hand…" She argues "But if the empress were to die right now, in the midst of a national problem, the people would fall into panic and nationwide chaos would ensue. As the Blue Roses, I feel that we must ensure that the people don't fall into despair if we can help it."
Removing her mask, Evileye shows Nikola her face and asks "Nikola, do you what I saw when I met that empress?" Without any more words, Evileye's face becomes fearful, her voice trembles, and she explains "I'll never forget that time. She and some other woman appeared from nowhere, they burned down towns, slaughtered tons of people, and then we tried to stop them. I was helpless as those two beat me and my friends to the ground without any effort, and they took them."
In her visions, Evileye remembers the fires burning the Re-Estize kingdom, soldiers being slaughtered, townspeople fleeing in horror.
However, Nikola reminds her "And you want the Slain Theocracy to have their way in this land? You know what they're like, Keno."
Turning her gaze away for a moment, she simply replies "Hmm, I didn't think you'd feel this strong. Considering you called me by real name. Instead of Keeno." Smiling, she puts her mask back on and nods "You're right, those animals need to be caged up before they cause any real damage. I'm in." She then walks past Nikola and adds "Let's go tell the others we're going to save a tyrant."
Farmlands
While searching another patch of grounds with his guards, Ainz sees something particular, a small hole in the ground which he inspects. He places his fingers in the hole and pulls something out, some kind of shell with a strange design resembling a face. He looks around the hole and says "I think I know what's going on." But in his mind "But I have no real idea for what it would all be for. Ruining an economical structure? What would be the point? Justina is maintaining her structure for the moment, and I doubt she'd allow her people to die so easily."
However, before his thoughts are finished, a gate appears, and within a moment, Pandora's Actor walks through. He bows in the presence of his lord immediately as he proclaims "It is truly the greatest of all pleasures to be in my lord's presence once more."
Seeing his creation, Ainz immediately asks "Pandora's Actor, what brings you to me? Do you have news about my daughter?"
His commanding voice causes Pandora's Actor to tremble a bit "Oh, these words, every one of them, they are greater than any visage of all delicates beauties in the whole world combined." He then stands and salutes "Yes, My Lord, I have a message from our fair Lady Flamel."
With Pandora's Actor here, Ainz thinks "If he's here, then Flamel must be with Blue Roses now. But she sent him here, so I might as well listen to him Still, I wish he'd be less idiotic. You'd think after three hundred years…." He then commands "Then speak, Pandora's Actor."
The doppelganger continues his salute "Then I will recite the message from the beautiful daughter of my dearest creator!" He then immediately explains "She says that Lady Justina is in danger. She told me to tell you that she will meet you at the capital with backup to help, and that she'll explain the danger."
Upon hearing this, his jaw drops "Justina is in danger?" his voice worried, he then asks "You are sure that's what she said?"
Nodding, Pandora's Actor's voice sounds absolutely serious "She sounded quite panicked, My Lord. I believe her distress is genuine."
Dropping the shell, Ainz looks at his servants "This can wait. We're going back to Garudas right now. Sebas, contact Shalltear and inform her right away." He then opens a gate, looks back at his servants and orders "Follow me when you're done, all of you." He then walks through the gate immediately to get back to his daughter, who he believes to be in danger. As he warps, he thinks "I won't let another incident like with Shalltear happen again."
