"Lord Ainz will see you now." The maid gestured for him to enter. Preparing himself to face the existence that was the undead spell caster Ainz Ooal Gown. Entering the palace library the emperor nearly stumbled when he spotted the undead sitting at one of the reading desks, a large tome open before him. The spell caster was dressed in a suit of clothes unlike those Jircniv was familiar with. It most resembled the attire of Sebas Tian one of Aniz' minions. However, this appeared to be on an entirely different level. The jacket and pants were primarily composed of cloth black as a mine when your last candle has just burnt out. The long lapels were also blak but shipered like lake water in the moonlight. A ribbon the color of blood encircled Ainz's skeletal body. The gap between the lapels was filled by an expanse of silk the color of fresh snow. A ruby three inches across set in gold sat at just where the silk gave way to the white of exposed bone. While not possessing the wealth sense of a dragon Jircniv felt certain the ensemble could be exchanged for enough gold to net one a barony. Striking as this was the pearlescent gleam of Aniz's fully exposed skull was what caused this leader of a nation's breath to catch.
The skull turns in his direction the soul embers appearing to blaze as they met Jircniv's gaze. What is this? My tongue feels as dry as Ainz's bones. Eyes desperate to escape the undead's gaze the emperor's gaze fell on the book ainz was reading. Eyes widening in consternation realized that he recognized the text. It was "The Book of the Undead" an anthology of scholarly works on the various types of undead. Much of the later works had been written by Fluter. Since first meeting the undead Jircniv had perused these pages many times thinking they would reveal weaknesses he could exploit. How naive he had been in those days. But what could the Sorcerer King want with such a text?
"Greetings Emperor Jircniv Rune Farlord El Nix. I did not expect you at this hour. I hope you don't mind me borrowing your library." The voice came from the immobile skull.
He could feel those unblinking points of red burning into his defences. Jircniv would have gritted his teeth if he didn't think it would give him away. Ainz had outmaneuvered him completely and so easily. He could scarcely berate his vassal Lord for using what was technically a public area. Ainz's outfit made his own look like farmer's clothes by comparison. The scheming skeleton had even denied expecting to see him! Denying him a purpose for being there. And that book was still nagging at him. Surely the undead king of the Sorcerers kingdom had no need of what was probably little more than a children's primer compared to his own knowledge. Understanding bloomed with in Jircniv's brain and caused his skin to prickle. Aniz wants to know what we know about the undead. #*%$! The well thumbed pages might as well have been titled "Ways to Rebel Against your Undead Overlord." A bead of cold sweat inched its way down his spine. "I see your Majesty has taken an interest in one of the books."
"Oh this? Just merely something to pass the time. As you know as an undead I don't sleep and thus have a lot of hours to fill."
In other words, no matter how hard I work you will always be ahead of me. "It must be great being a part of a race that never needs to stop for rest or food. I once had Fluter conducting research on using skeletons for labour... The golden haired boy cut himself off. While Ainz had never made any declarations about his brotherhood with other undead outside of his own creations but caution was probably warranted.
"Yes the undead make excellent workers. They are handling the bulk of the kingdom's vegetables and grains production. Although there still seem to be issues with having them raise livestock."
"Oh, then perhaps I should have our research sent over for you."
Ainz nodded. "That would be most useful."
Ainz's skull smiled up at him and Emperor El Nix felt like grinning back at him. I dodged your trap undead.
"I suppose I should get back a rulers duties never end." Raising the book off the table, Aniz asked, "Do you mind if I borrow this?"
"Not at all my Lord." And with that Jircniv was able to let some of his tension go as the undead and his maid departed via a swirling black and purple portal. The emperor shook his head even in leaving the Sorcerer King had displayed overwhelming military might. What hope would any land have against an enemy who could deposit troops directly into their strongholds?"
Marie Southford raised the chalk stick to write her name on the special wall that Lady Albedo had provided. She had called it a black board despite it being a dark green. Not for the first time she wondered about the differences between the rulers of Sourcer Kingdom and herself. Lady Albedo's eyes had looked so inhuman maybe she saw the slate as being black. She mostly suppressed a shudder as she turned back to face her students and their special guest.
Don't scream just turn around. Marie you can do this, no I have to do this. "Good morning class. My name is Marie Southford I will be your homeroom teacher this season. Today we have a special guest, His Majesty Ainz Ooal Gown." The one who murdered Robert.
Ainz nodded acknowledging her before he began to speak.. "Thank you Mrs. Southford. Children you have been selected as the brightest members of your generation. The task your country asks of you is to use your glow to ignite the torch of knowledge so that your fellow citizens can see farther down the path. You may be wondering what is this path of which I speak? It is the path this country travels into the shadowed lands of the future. Will you lend me your light?"
The children stared up at the skeleton asking for their aid. Clapping her hands she prompted the children into dutiful applause. She didn't want the monster to take offence at the Children. The Death knights she had seen surrounding the school on her way to work reminded her that the penalty for offenses against this king were harsh indeed.
Finally he's leaving. Now if only I could get rid of that creepy portrait at the back of the room. Sigh. Its not going to happen he is the King and it wasn't as if she could stand against him anymore than her deceased husband had been able to on the katze plains. "We will now start on the alphabet so please take out one of the sheets of paper Lady Albedo has supplied the school with.
Ainz POV
[MESSAGE] "Lord Ainz I have left the school."
"Excellent work Pandora's Actor please return to your duties as Momon."
"At once father."
Ainz activates his mirror of remote viewing and switches to the anchor concealed in the classroom's painting. Finally I have a chance to learn the local language. Through some unknown method Ainz and the rest of the inhabitants of the Great Tomb had been granted verbal fluency in the local dialect. This convenience however had not been extended to the written word. Ainz's true purpose in setting up the school had been to educate himself.
Tier Han-salen sat back in his silver plate chair with a sigh. What was the world coming to? There had been rumors of stirrings to the south but this latest set of reports was indeed worrying. A kingdom of Darkness had apparently risen where the undead walked the public streets. The thought of such threatened to curdle his life blood. The unquiet dead were usually put back in their place fairly quickly by the living that existed in the area. However, this time the abominations seemed to be led by an elder lich of considerable power. The Imperial protectorate of High Hallen should be safe from the scourge for the moment. But it was prudent to keep an eye to the future. Tier's eye was however being drawn to the plate of snacks on his desk. Popping one of the sweet pastries into his mouth he savored the light buttery flavor before biting into the sugarmelon center. The juice combined with the pastry to form a light syrup in his mouth. "Ah, delicious." The snack had been made by his eldest daughter. At 120 she was one of the best, in his opinion, pastry chefs in the Imperium. Turning back to his papers Tier reread the account of the battle on the katze plains. Even if the things opponents were mere humans it was still an impressive, if reprehensible deed. If the locals proved unable to deal with the undead action may very well be called for. But then there was this other report of the Kingdom of Darkness selling grain to the Re-Esties kingdom their former enemy and opening trade with the mountain dwarves. A reticent lot if rumor was to be believed. It all painted quite the confusing picture.
How was he going to present this to his imperial majesty. Nuisance was not throne's strong suit. So it was much better to have a solution at hand before raising an issue. He pitied the functionary who sought the Imperator's guidance on any matter of import since once said guidance was given it had to be followed, no matter how daft.
Pulling a string taught he connected it to a conch shell before speaking. "Bearneard get Mr. Fiszlebottom for me. I believe I have a job for the night brigade."
"At once Chancellor."
Ainz looked over the notes he had made on the first day's classes in his new school. How nostalgic. Gaining literacy in this new world without the use of unique items from Yaddrisil would be a definite help. But perhaps of even greater value was the introductory magic class. This class served a multitude of purposes. While ainz had come to this world capable of casting a wide variety of powerful spells he had no actual knowledge of their mechanics. If he could glem the knowledge of this worlds magic then he could branch out. The class restrictions from the game did not seem to be as rigidly enforced in this world. It might even be possible that he would be able to add light magic to his arsenal. A chuckle emanated from the gleaming skill of the head of the Great Tomb when he pictured himself as an undead paladin. Putting his notes aside Ainz moved his gaze over to his inbox. Pulling the first report from the pile he noted it was from Coycytus apparently the population of lizardmen village was undergoing a rapid increase. Well I suppose it is only to be expected in the wake of a war. Or maybe it had something to do with the suit of armor he had gifted to the father of the rare item er lizardmen?
And this is a report is from our spy in the sorcerer's kingdom.
Crash. The emperor's cup shattered as it struck the table. Jircniv paid the tinkling porcelain no mind as he stood gripping the table. "What spy?"
"Well, he was our man in that fortified border town." The white haired man's head bowed to the authority of his papers. "Ah, yes, E-Rantel. So when the city was handed over he simply sheltered in place and got on with business once the dust settled."
Jircniv was finding it hard to believe the man's calm. With everything he had done to preserve the Baharouth Empire in the face of the tsunami of power that was Ainz Ooal Gown. How could this fool not see the danger of leaving an empire spy in place. The best security in the world had failed to blind the undead to Jircniv's own scheme. "So what has this man risked his life to report? Perhaps, that Ainz Ooal Gown is powerful beyond reason? Or maybe he has observed the brilliance with which The Sorcerer king operates?" Closing on the man Jircniv leaned down towards him, "Maybe he told you of the utter insanity of the risk in provoking a being who can casually kill 70 000 armed men in a single instant as a warm up exercise?"
Sensing that the young emperor was not as overjoyed to receive intelligence on the undead as Baracus had assumed he would be, he decided to change tack. "The sorcerer King was spotted flanked by four angels. Although the agent insists that they were of a higher tier than the known examples from the Slane Theocracy."
The emperor was forced to admit that Aniz having more summoned creatures than just death knights and, shudder, baby goats to call upon was of academic interest. But he didn't see how it made a practical difference. If a mage could burn a city to ash with fire magic how much difference was there in learning that said mage was also skilled with water manipulation?
Have you man seek passage within the diplomatic coach that is being dispatched to the Sorcerer Kingdom. Perhaps we can still preserve the peace.
If I might beg our magesies indulgence. What diplomatic coach are you referring to?" asked the minister of state John Absinthe.
"I'm having all our research and reference material on the undead shipped to King Ainz. It was a personal request direct from the Lich himself."
The minister of state's fist slams the table. "You understand the implications of such a move?"
"Oh that knowledge is the currency of power and that with one polite request Ainz has beggared us all? Yes Minister, I do understand." Jircniv retook his seat, a fresh cup of steaming liquid awaiting him.