Chapter 12: The Dragon Lord Regent
Sebas was nervous; he only had one more day to get the palace ready for his son's coronation and his lord master Emperor would be there, so everything had to be perfect. When he first came to the castle a month ago nothing was up to Nazarick standard but fortunately he requested for 10 maids from his former staff and received what he asked for. Sebas was standing on the balcony of the palace of the Dragonic Kingdom looking over the landscaping observing what the servants had done compared to what he asked to and also make sure it was up to his standard. Sebas was made Lord Regent a title that held the weight of King until his son Dracus would come of age and take over the kingdom but that was still a long way away. Although he was flattered with this promotion he was first and foremost the butler of Nazarick and longed to go back to his old job, but if his Supreme Being asked him to take his own life he would do it.
Suddenly, in the middle of his thoughts he felt a tug at his right sleeve, he fully expected Tsuare to be their as she always got his attention this way, but much to his surprise it was his son whom he sired with the Dragon Queen, Dracus. Dracus was a the son of Sebas there was no doubt, at his young age of 10 he already had his father's steely eyed look, serious attitude and ramrod straight posture. His hair already had specks of gray in his otherwise black hair. Dracus thought the world of his father but his father raised him very sternly to always respect the 41 and always respect those whom his father served. The only exception to the rule was how he would allow Dracus to play with Momonga, that was only because that was Momonga's desire.
Dracus would not speak until his father addressed him so he stood there waiting for his father to speak, Sebas cleared his throat and look down at his son and said, "Dracus what do you need? You know I only have 24 hours until the Lord Emperor comes and there is still much work to be done?"
Dracus bowed his head and said, "Father I wanted to know… was this where I was born?" Sebas eyebrows furrowed he looked at Dracus and said, "Yes you were born right in this palace, to be exact if you go down that hall and the third room on the left was the room where you were born." The subject made Sebas uncomfortable because he did not want his son to think he loved his adopted mother any less.
"Thank you father, the only thing I remember is living in glorious Nararick but that makes sense as mother did not have me. Did she even want me?" Dracus asked. The answer broke Sebas heart, as the answer was something a child should never hear nor would he lie to his son.
"No she was a deceitful, terrible women who did not respect Nazarick and died for her
blasphemy, but I must tell you that you are blessed to have a mother that can make up for the lost love your birth mother could and would never give and you must always be thankful to lord Ainz's wisdom to demand you stay in Nazarick until you came of age," Sebas said.
"I am thankful to the Emperor for his care, he told me a few years ago that I was one of his greatest treasures and he would never let anything bad happen to me." Sebas smiled he remembered when they presented Dracus to the Emperor and how pleased he was with Sebas and creating a suitable heir.
"Father how long will Momonga stay?" This was what Dracus really want to ask but did not want to be disrespectful. Sebas merely looked down and said, "Son I know when you were children in Nazarick and you would play together but the Emperor has plans for both of you he will be taking over a Kingdom as you will be. Rumor has it he will be married soon, the reason I am tell you this is that things will change for you will be his servant and if he desires a friend but you must serve now as I serve."
"Yes sir, I understand" Dracus Tian Gown said,
"But to answer your question they will be here tomorrow stay the night and leave in the morning for the Kingdom." Sebas replied.
"Thank you father! Dracus turned around and ran off, Sebas though that the sooner he grows and put his foolish childish nature behind him the better off we will all be. Although he could not say he was disappointed with his son's devotion to Momonga. As he looked over the land that he would rule he did have to admit the ancient city founded by the Brightness Dragon was beautiful. He could understand why God Emperor Ainz chose him and his line to rule this nation as he was a dragon himself but he was a butler as well, this fact would never leave him as he still wore the same suit made for him by his creator. Sebas was a simple man who had simple goals but by the 41's will he shall do whatever asked of him.
As he was still on the balcony his keen eyes saw a large amount of beings massing by the border between the Beastman province and the Dragon Kingdom. Something was wrong and he knew it he had heard from Prime Minister Zanacar that there was rumblings of rebellion between the ruling tribe and the main war tribe namely "The tribe of the Wolf". They were the main instigators of the last war and never accepted the treaty and vassalation but instead were beaten into submission. As news of the Dragon Queen's death made its way through the land the wolf tribe gained more popularity.
As far a Sebas could see they did not dare cross the border because of the hundreds of death knights that regularly patrolled the neutral zone and the minute they crossed it they would be slaughter. Sebas turned around and went down the hall to one of his minister's office a short fat man by the name of Gert and opened the door. Gert was working intently
on last preparations for the coronation and looked up in surprise to see the Lord Regent in his office. He comically tried to shuffle the mess of papers on his desk, which in turn made a bigger mess and spilled papers all over the floor. Gert then stood up a bowed behind his desk. "Lord Regent Sebas Tian Gown to what do I owe the pleasure of your holy feet gracing my humble office?" As all knew in the his Kingdom that Sebas was pure blooded dragon of the line of Nazarick worship of him started to begin and several temples that were now dedicated to him and his son. Although the Dragon Queen was only ⅓ his body was transmuted as a child to expel the human genes and replace it with dragon, Dracus was not be told until he was older as it was Sebas desire to have his son think he had something in common with his mother.
"Gert there is trouble at the border gather all key nobles, yourself, as well as a division of men we will ride out to the border this must be taken care of to save face in front of the Emperor." Sebas replied.
Gert was not a brave man by any account; he had never seen a battlefield and was terrified of the thought of one, as this was the worst case scenario to him. Gert was able to make his way into the position he had due to his hard work ethic and his intelligence, he was not a noble nor a hero. He was able to see the signs of the times and when he was a lowly scribe, spoke out of turn during a meeting in support the Sorcerous Kingdom at the time he was whipped and relieved of his position. Seeing no future for the nation he made his way to E-Rantel and started working any job he could. When his story reached Ainz he knew he would be a perfect candidate to become an ambassador to the Dragon Kingdom. Much to this dismay his peers he came back months later with a better position than them ambassador of the Sorcerous Kingdom. Then after the vassalization he was elevated to Minister of General Services the lowest position in his field, he had to do all the work of his the other Ministers. After the death of the Queen he became Head Minister all the other ministers were executed for treason. He wore the seal of Gown which meant he was the Emperor's property but he did not mind because he would have never had the chance to go from scribe to Head Minister in a thousand lifetimes.
"Lord Regent as you request what time do you wish for us to disembark?" Gert said with sweat pouring down his face. "Immediately the nobles should be all nearby in inns or at the castle so as fast as we can get mounts on the horses, now go!" Sebas replied, Gert comically bowed and slipped and stumbled on the papers that he had accidentally put on the floor and theb waited for Sebas to leave the room. He ran to the Minister of Defense office have him to ready the troops and horses then ran two more doors down to the Minister of Information and Intelligence to inform all the highest nobles in the land; those who were of mixed blood to report in front of the palace immediately with weapons and armor equipped and this comes directly from the Lord Regent himself participation is not negotiable. The Minister of Information was the second lowest job the court Ministers, he was not more than a paperboy but recently he had acquired many of the famed assassins from the conquest of the City State alliance so he could finally collect intelligence instead of recording court rumors. This had elevated his position much more so than before. It would not be long before the position would be considered third in line behind the Minister of Defense and War with such powerful tools.
Gert was surprised about how fast the force of nobles and soldiers massed and got into formation for the new Lord Regent, along all the high born nobles that were called along with were the detachment of soldiers and a frost dragon for air support. When Sebas came out of the castle to his mount a large eight legged horse "Sleipnir" that would strike the fear into anyone who could tame such a beast. In truth it was a low level summon that was given to him by Aura as a gift at his wedding. Once he got into the saddle of his horse that was around 10 ft tall he was in the perfect position to speak to the his newly formed group.
"The Beastmen have amassed at the border closest to the capital to no doubt challenge the rule of our Dragon Prince, we shall forever subdue any insurrection that comes before us and show them the power of Nararick's Dragon Bloodline." Sebas said in a loud but even tone with little emotion while releasing some of his positive aura to boost the spirits of the men with him.
Everyone started shouting nobles and soldiers alike, "Death to the infidels! Praise the 41! Hail the Dragon Prince the hope of the nation." A Nazarick priest came out and spoke an invocation over the group praising the 41 and calling this a new era a golden age with a new full blooded dragon prince that will bring peace of old as foretold in the ancient tomes of Nazarick written before time itself. After he spoke Sebas led the charge to the site where around his estimation one thousand Beastmen had amassed.
It took around an hour and a half hard ride to the border to get to the neutral zone where the Beastmen were, when Sebas approached he understood the situation exactly without having to be told. All of the giant blue Beastmen that stood ten feet tall and were wearing wolf pelts on their heads and crude leather clothes. They had monkey like faces with large tusks protruding from their bottom jaw which was a sign of a warrior caste. They had black beady eyes large pointed ears and long braided blue hair that covered their entire bodies and necklaces of human and other types of creatures skulls. They hand long claws that they used to fight they were so hardened that they could cut a man in half with one swipe even with armor on.
Sebas could tell the leader he was about fifteen feet tall with yellow paint on his face had a head of a giant timber wolf head and pelt on his skull and tusks that almost covered his eyes. They were sharpened and had strange markings inscribed in them, next to this beast was Zanacar in sad shape beaten and bloody. Sebas new that some type of tribal coup had happened and they took Zanacar the leader as prisoner for some reason. He was alive though and that was a plus Sebas thought, if he was killed Emperor Ainz would have massacred everyone in the tribe. As he looked he saw the women and children at the back of the formation in tents, the wolf tribe was the only group to refuse to conform to the new ways of farming and raising livestock as well basic trade and living in villages.
"Prime Minister Zanacar where are your death knights? How did you let this happen?" Sebas said. "I sent them to find the some of the lost tribes but I did it at the worst possible time and the Wolf tribe took me at night after they heard of the queen and think they can take over the council with me a prisoner." He replied.
"Enough! I am leader Lucudan Bakara and I make rule not weak one Zanacar!" The Beastman was furious stamping on the ground and kick dirt in the air. Murmurs from the Beastman could be heard,
"Oh Lucudan strong!" One short Beastman said.
"He never loose." Another replied back
"He did to to death man!" A shorter Beastman who seemed to have more sense said.
"Shut up he hear you" Then the two got into a fight biting and tearing at each other before they both dropped dead of blood loss from their injuries.
"Idiots." Sebas said under his breath, that was the only word he could use to describe this group he had met Beastmen before they most had the intelligence of a least a child except for the counsel and Zanackar who were as smart as a 15 year old human. The Wolf clan would never fit into his son's kingdom he would have to care of this because it was Lord Ainz's will that they two races slowly desegregate and become a unified nation. The key to this was to civilize the Beastmen and there was no room for brutes such as these who refuse to give up their old ways in live in ignorance.
"I am the Lord Regent Sebas Tian Gown and my son is the Prince and will be crowned King. Submit at once give up your old ways and all of you may live except for you Lucudan! You see that metal on Zanacar's neck that is the mark of Ainz or as you know it Nazarick it means that he is his property and you must die for what you have done."
"Ha! You little man with only a few of your other little men I can kill all men I see! No man stands before me and live. I hear you have no Queen we make deal with queen no more queen no deal that mean we free now!" Lucudan said. It made sense in his mind the perfect plan but unfortunately he had no understanding of treaties or vassalage or even basic math for that matter.
Sebas knew that there was only one solution to this problem an absolute slaughter, he did not like it but he could at least spare the women and children of the tribe, and Zanacar and the council sold them into society there leaders were so against. Sebas sighed and got down from his huge stead and walked in front of Lucudan and said, "Listen Beasts of the tribe of the wolf all those that are considered men prepare to fight all those who are considered children and women should leave now!"
The Beastmen began to laugh at the new strangely dressed new human leader how could they take him serious; he was only one man and the men with him were outnumbered ten to one. Lucudan was irate as he felt the human was mocking him and time for words were over he charged at Sebas while he steadied himself and took him fighting stance and concentrated his first plan of attack. Sebas held back his power because he knew if he let it out most if not all of the Beastmen would scatter making his job much harder later on.
Lucandan had never faced a being he could not beat except for the death knights and he was still fast enough to evade them so he was not scared in the slightest. He would be able to draw his club off his back and swing it at the man and crush him just like all the other opponents he had fought in the past. He even killed many so called human warriors that were adventures that were sent by the kingdom to kill him and his men but all failed. Lucudan was sure that this would be over in an instant as he rushed toward the small man, when he got to around five feet away he raised his club (that was made from an entire tree trunk that had been worn down over time to his liking from bashing and killing thousands of his enemies.)
With one swift blow that never missed his target; even if the man was able to dodge he would still be gravely wounded due to the speed of his strike that human eyes could not follow. The one mistake he made was that Sebas was not humans the next mistake he made was pride, he was sure that when the dust settled he would see a mangled body on the ground but much to his surprise he saw nothing; his club was clean no blood splatter as he had seen a thousand times before. Just as he came to this realization he turned around in time just to see the human's right palm glow and then say, [Shock palm of destruction] and before the Beastman could react the human appeared an arm's length away and struck him right in the middle of the chest with his glowing hand; it knocked Lucandan back and then he just stood there in shock.
He looked at his chest there was a red print where he had been hit but no damage that he could tell, Lucandan began to laugh this human was fast but could not break his armor like hide, he thought. Just as he was about to mock him a searing pain greater than anything he had ever felt in his life started all over his body, he had been stabbed, shot with arrows and burned with fire but he would trade all those experiences to get out of the pain he felt now. He dropped to his knees and began to vomit blood, it felt like his blood was on fire he could feel every muscle, every bone in his body were melting. Sebas stood in front of the once powerful clan leader who was now a mass of suffering. Blood now was gushing out of his eyes and ears and nose and he lost all strength in his arms and now was lying of the ground writhing in pain.
Sebas while standing over him said while straightening his gloves, "Although I doubt you will understand what I am going to tell you I feel as a gentlemen, I should explain what is happening to you. I used a strike that destroyed your core and then sent a shockwave throughout your body that will slowly liquefy all your bones then muscles and last your organs causing the one of the most painful deaths possible. As I know that reason does not reach you lot; but pain is a universal language that I think even you can understand."
Lucandan by now was just a pile of flesh rolling around writhing in pain he no longer had bones and all his muscles were nearly gone he was now in the last phase where his organ were shutting down, and all he could do now was scream a little in pain and wait for the sweet release of death. All of the other Beastmen were in shock; they had just seen their champion reduced to a wailing cub with one strike. While the Beastmen stood in shock trying to understand what happened Sebas walked over into the battle line that the Beastmen had made and broke the chains of Zanacar and motioned him to follow him back to the battle formation the Nobles and Army detachment had he created a formation in fear of a sudden attack from the Beastmen. This was out of pure instinct because the death knights would be suddenly transported to keep the peace and slaughter anyone that dared cross the border.
Sebas had achieved two of his three goals now he would execute the last phase of his plan the extermination of the wolf clan. He turned to the nobles and the Ministers he wanted this event to become the start of the legend of his sons reign. "Now you shall witness the power than I and the Prince have and shall protect our lands and bring our nation back into a time of prosperity and peace!" Sebas proclaimed, all the men the Dragon Kingdom had no idea what to expect but they all knew that the Lord Regent and Prince were full blooded dragons from the line of Nararick that had powers that rivaled any legend they were told a children.
Sebas walked toward the Beastmen, without their leader and due to there culture they needed a leader at all times, they had no idea what to do, fights had already broken out about who would be the next leader and challenger to the human leader. Sebas stood a safe distance from his own men then began to focus his energy to transform into his real form. He had never had to do this since he came to the new world so it felt like he could finally let loose and breathe. Suddenly, a mixture of white and black energy shot from Sebas straight into the sky, it was so bright that no creature could stand to look at him and either diverted or close their eyes both human and Beastman alike.
As all the creatures Human, Dragon and Beastman rested there gaze back where the Lord Regent Sebas was stood an enormous black dragon with grey scales on his head. One of the frost dragons noted that the strength and age of a dragon could be measured by the size of their horns, his were mere nubs and he was hundreds of years old. Sebas's horns look like mighty oak trees that branched out and twisted down half way down his body. The frost dragon had seen a dragon lord once and his horns were only a tenth of the size of Sebas and only a third his size he was truly in awe. Sebas looked like a dragon but his arms and legs resembled that of a human large and muscular with sharp claws instead of hands. Sebas did not have wings but flew with magic some other Dragon's, he was covered in black scales except for at were his neck was then the scales started to turn grey until he entire face was covered in grey scales. He had long thick scale covered whiskers that made him look like he had a beard and long hair between his large majestic horns.
Sebas looked up and flew into the sky; his massive body moving so quickly with so much force that it knocked down all the Beastmen he flew over. He finally reach the back of the wolf clan's army where tents were set up and women and children could be seen with terrified looks on their faces. A Beastmen young were told the legend of the Brightness dragon that destroyed their people with his breath that consumed them from the sky. One Beastwomen with a broken nose and scratches on her face holding her cub and looked up to the sky to see her worst nightmare. She was Lucandan's mate Trikan, daughter of the lion tribe chief. She knew this was the end and they would be consumed for their transgressions against the dragons as their ancestors did before.
The night before she called her mate a fool and tried to take her cub that was nameless because he not gone through the naming ceremony yet and go back to her father. Lucandan would not have it and beat her unto she agreed to stay. She was cursing herself now she thought should have gotten Lucandan drunk and left in the night but was to full of pride being the daughter of a chief. The lion tribe was not a strong as the wolf clan but they were much smarter and pragmatic, they taught their cubs and used simple machines but they were also very prideful and stubborn and that would be her death.
Trikan looked up at the dragon with tears streaming down her face holding her cub as tight as she could, she watched in horror as the dragon opened his mouth, she knew what was going happen next everyone one did from the stories of old fire would rain down an consume them. The Dragon opened its mouth wider and then sound came out of it mouth [Barrier],[Greater Barrier] and [Barrier Capture}. All of a sudden a light blue wave covered the tented area, a great dome of light that glowed blue and green that shifted and a changed covered the area. Then Tirkan noticed when she tried to run she could not move the same light that covered them was also forming bands and chains around her ankles and every other women and child in the camp. Panic broke out women and children started to scream and cry because they did not understand what was happening. Most of them thought the dragon was going to eat them alive so they could not get away, Trikan was smarter than all of the other women in the camp and saw a glimmer of hope, she was sure they would be dead by now but they were not; she could only stand where she was watch and hope for the best outcome, the Dragon man did take Zanacar so maybe he would not massacre them all?
Sebas has accomplished his first goal of separating and protecting the women and children now it was time for the second part of the plan trapping the rest of the rebel wolf clan and destroy the root of the problem. Sebas open his mouth and blew flames around the army of Beastmen, they found themselves surrounded by thirty foot flames that would burn them if they got within ten feet of the fire. The Beastmen were frantically running around trying to find a way out and in the process they were trampling each other, a Beastmen would get fed up and yell to follow him as he knew the way and gather a group and then when he could not find an exit, they would kill the leader for his failure and another Beastmen would take his place as leader and the event would play out again. It was almost comical if it were not so sad.
Sebas knew that this level of ignorance mixed with the wolf clan being the strongest tribe along with their desire to have a leader from within the clan was a dangerous destabilizing factor in the Beastman Province and must be eliminated. He took a deep breath and said, [Thermite Firebreath] and then exhaled covering the entire area where the Beastmen army was. Large white chunks of flaming goo flew out of Sebas's mouth and flew to the ground. Everything the sticky fire touched it burned and if a Beastman tried to brush it off with his hand it would just smear the fire more and catch his hand on fire as well. One Beastmen tried to roll on the ground but it just spread it all over the ground and him as well. The more they struggled the more the fire would spread it was a gruesome site; as the Dragon Kingdom's nobles saw the Beastmen melting like wax and were reduced to running round frantically and screaming like children having no idea what to do. One Beastman got the finally got the idea the dying by the blade was better that being burned alive and started to slay his friends, this idea caught on like a virus and spread until all the rest of the Beastmen alive were killing each other until not one Beastmen of the wolf was alive.
The Dragon Kingdom nobles and Minsters all stood watching Sebas plan unfold with their mouths all open. Suddenly, no matter how important they thought they were they felt like ants small and powerless. They also came to the realization why they were summoned, it was not to fight, or even to be courteous but to show how insignificant they were and hove powerful the Lord Regent and the Prince from the Empire of Nazarick were. They watched as there Lord Regent landed exactly were he took off from and just a few minutes ago then a similar blast of light enveloped him when he originally transformed and all the humans blocked their eyes then when the light abated the Lord Regent in his human form was standing in his normal attire and began to walk towards Gert who dismounted his horse and came to me Sebas shaking with respect. When he was about five paces away Gert prostrated himself and then said, "I venerate the Dragon Lord Regent who's power is greater than the brightness dragon whom we worshiped," Normally this sort of talk would be blasphemy but to all who saw what they had that day exceeded any of their tomes of the ancient creature who founded their nation. Not only that but that dragon had left them and many had felt betrayed that is why so many of them found a renewed faith not in legends of old but of a new Dragon dynasty that would keep them safe now and forever.
"Arise, Gert, we need to get Zanacar back to the tribe chiefs table and call a meeting to tell them that the wolf clan and his leader are no more and now they need not live in fear of raids for practicing farming and the "new ways". Zanacar come here! Sebas yelled.
Zanacar slowly moved his way up to Sebas knowing that he failed at his job he had a crestfallen look on his face. He prostrated himself before Sebas and awaited his punishment. "Zanacar this could have been prevented but since we were able to root out the problem with one swift action your punishment will be to find a way to supply the widows and children with food and shelter, their mates deaths are due to your ineptitude so they shall be your burden, do you understand?" Sebas said.
"Yes Dragon Lord Regent! I shall make sure, they will be dispersed throughout the population and be given jobs and shelter." Zanacar said with relieved tone in his voice.
Sebas smiled because this was exactly what he wanted with those women and children scattered throughout the population of Beastmen the story of the extermination of the wolf clan would become legend and subdue the population for any further insurrection for hundreds if not thousands of years.
"Now that this unpleasantness is over let us get back to work, getting ready for the arrival of the God Emperor! Sebas said with excitement in his voice. The noble lead the call, "Yes Dragon Lord Regent!" As they all mounted their horses and made their way back to the capital to prepare for the new kings coronation but from that moment on Sebas was no longer called the Lord Regent but the Dragon Lord Regent after the nobles and Ministers saw a fraction of his power.
Zanacar the Prime Minster of the council of chieftains walked around the smoldered ash that was once the strongest of the ten tribes of Beastmen and made his way to the small makeshift village of children and women of the mates by the time he made it to the barrier and capture magic had dissipated and he could see the women and the young cubs walking around in a daze as if they were in a dream. He walked around the tents and told them all meet in front of a large rock he had noticed when he passed by it earlier. After all the Beastwomen gathered he stood on the rock and started his speech.
"Women and cubs although you have suffered great loss of your mates the Dragon Lord Regent in his infinite mercy spared you and your cubs of a terrible fate. You also shall not have to worry about your future as I am have been charged with finding you homes, jobs, food, and even new mates if you desire! Now pack up we leave for the hall of the chieftain council today!" The Beastwomen in a daze packed their things and took a three day walk to the Beastman "capital" were the chieftains of the remaining 9 tribes divided up responsibility of the remaining Beastwomen and cubs. From that day on the story of the Dragon Lord Regent who consumed the mightiest warrior tribe with one breath, Beastmen are a society that value strength over everything and they truly saw their new leader worthy of being worship as a god.
Authors note:
As I promised a new chapter look forward to next weeks chapter it will be a lot of fun. On a side note I looked at my OG copy of this story and I wrote this almost a year ago and sat on it way longer than I first thought. Thank you for your support you guys give me the energy to finish what I started.
**Next chapter we will meet some new characters and very soon an old friend, i can not wait for the reunion. I am not trying to drop to many spoilers but it is about to get really crazy.**
Also any artist out there that want to tackle my vision of Momonga jr, I will use it! Thanks for reading and you will get full credit!