[Chapter 2: The Chaos After The Storm]
Rem jumped back as two figures materialised in front of her. The glass of water she had been carrying flew out of her hands and she lost her balance. To her surprise, however, she instantly found herself back on her feet, cup in hand and not a single droplet spilled.
"Are you alright, Rem?" asked Ainz, smoothing out his robes from the teleportation, though the spell had no real effect on them.
"Y-yes." she answered, slightly disoriented by the strange occurrence, "How did the meeting go?"
"According to plan is the best way to summarise it." Ainz curtly said, "Oh, and please be on the lookout for a letter from a certain Duchess Karsten. I doubt she'll be complacent after the demonstration I gave."
"Oh, alright." the maid said, deciding that Emilia would be able to provide a more detailed testimony later on, "What will you do now? It's still early." Indeed, the sun was still out and the crowds in the various markets most certainly hadn't dispersed yet.
"Maybe we can go shopping?" interjected Emilia, appearing from behind the skeletal mage, "I always wanted to do some shopping in the capital."
Ainz brought a hand to his chin as the two girls stared at him, one with stars in her eyes and the other barely concealing her own excitement at the statement.
'It would be a good opportunity to see if there's any good craftsmen to buy over to my side and look at the materials on offer…' he then looked at the pouting Emilia and at Rem, whose one eye looked at him expectantly, 'And I guess even my undead heart isn't fully immune…'
"Fine, we'll go. Just in case though, Rem, take these. A [Message] and a [Teleportation] ring. Last time we were here things got a bit dangerous. Should something ever happen, use those to contact me and retreat; though you will be with me for most of the trip." Ainz said, handing her two rings that were identical to Emilia's.
The maid curtsied and put them on. Once she was equipped, Ainz put on his own disguise. Once word of him spread he most likely would be able to walk around without it, but for now it was better to be safe, rather than to have someone call for the guards.
With the quick preparations complete, Ainz put a gloved hand on each of the girls' heads and teleported them in front of the place he remembered best, Kadomon's fruit stand.
The fruit seller was not as surprised as the last time and offered a quick wave to the mage, receiving a nod from Ainz in return. Understanding the unspoken message, the merchant remained silent while Ainz spoke to the two girls.
His hand disappeared into the void, returning with two bags. He put his hand in one, taking out a ruby the size of his palm and of magnificent quality. Some of the small city-states on the continent would have most likely been worth less than it.
He put it back into the bag and gave it to Emilia, saying, "This bag will let you store much more than you normally could carry. Also, there's plenty of various gems inside to pay for whatever you want. I'll run around with Rem and look at some mundane things like groceries and craftsmen. Meet Rem and I here in three hours, alright?"
The girl nodded and Ainz asked, "Are you sure?"
She nodded once more.
"Then off you go. Have fun and stay safe." he said, earning himself a hug from Emilia, who quickly ran off towards the area that undoubtedly was filled with tailors.
'I guess girls liking shopping doesn't change from world to world. Then again, I spent my fair share of time at the auction house, so maybe people just like new, shinier things?'
He handed the other bag to Rem, "We can do some shopping for you as well, but first we need to settle the matter of groceries and then I wish to look around local blacksmiths and the like. I hope I'm not being too much of a bother."
"Of course not; such is the duty of a maid." Rem answered, though surely invigorated by the promise of some free time to go shopping.
Ainz offered the short maid a head pat and then turned to Kadomon, who silently chewed on the twig in his mouth. "Good to see you once again, Mister Risch." he said.
"Likewise, Sir Gown. I hope you've come to me for the very shopping you've mentioned." Kadomon said, knowing well of how generous the man on the other side of the stand could be.
"If Rem deems it so, then I am indeed. After all, I am a mage, rather than a scholar of fine fruit." he said, causing Rem to walk up and begin pointing to various fruits on offer.
Kadomon swiftly handed them over to the maid, and then extended his hand in order to receive the expected payment. Rem accepted the fruits and put them in the bag, which acted akin to Ainz's inventory. He had hundreds of random bags filled with who knows what, but the two he had taken out only contained a few hundred kilograms of precious gems.
She then put her hand in the basic, brown bag and appeared to try to fish something out of it. After a few seconds, her hand emerged, in it a sapphire the size of her own eye. "Uhm, Ainz?" she asked, looking up at the mage.
"Yes?" he answered, having previously been idly observing the passersby.
"I wanted to take out the smallest gem, and this is what I got." she said, evidently sounding guilty as Kadomon's wishful thinking had propelled him to hope for such a gem as his reward.
Yet his hopes were not to be dashed, "Hmm? In that case that must be the smallest gem. I'm sure Mister Risch will be so gracious as to keep the change. After all, we've plenty of such things to spend." Ainz said.
Naturally, neither of them could believe that Ainz's inventory contained enough gems to put any dragon's hoard to shame, but Ainz nodded, gently guiding the hand of Rem that held the sapphire to Kadomon.
With his eyes wide and his face betraying his disbelief, Kadomon's hand trembled as the gem landed on it. All he could say was "T-thank you." to which Ainz nodded and motioned for Rem to follow him.
Needless to say, quite a few merchants made a killing that day…
ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ
Veronica's blacksmithing career may have began on a rocky road, but now she was firmly on a paved path. When someone thought of a blacksmith, they typically thought of a dwarf, and indeed there were many such shops in the city, but hers was still considered to be the very best.
Few people would expect a random woman of no renown to become the prime blacksmith of the city, but here she was. Business, at the moment, was slow. The whole royal selection brought a surge of business, but once all the knights had their gear perfected and the nobles had their commissions done, things slowed down.
Her high rates and intimidating appearance, being quite muscular and covered in scars from her apprentice days, made sure that only those with the most serious requests came to her. And so she was ready for another slow day, with only a few browsing and little to no orders. Not that it bothered her, since it only left her with more time to tinker with metal on her own. After all, even a master smith like her could always improve.
Yet, as she settled in and was about to unpack her lunch, the door to her shop opened. Her eyes widened as the figure entered, followed by one that looked tiny in comparison.
The man was clad in robes of midnight that most certainly weren't made by mortal hands. His mask was a piece of art, and he radiated power. She straightened up to her own full height, which normally put her ahead even of the knights that visited her, but this time she felt tiny.
Next to the man was a short maid with blue hair, though she by no means seemed intimidated by the man, leaning onto him when they walked to the counter. The head of the man turned to the pouting girl and he said, "Come now Rem, I'll settle my business here and we'll get something to eat, and then we can go get you something nice."
Her pout lessened, but she retaliated by leaning further into his robe. She sunk a bit into them and he simply shook his head, walking up to the counter.
Veronica was still in awe of the man's clothes, however, she managed to compose herself, saying, "Welcome to The Dragon's Anvil, how may I help?"
Perhaps it wasn't the most original name in the kingdom, but it got people to come in and it was snappy enough, so she couldn't complain too much about her past choices.
"I'd like to take a look at your wares, particularly any magical weapons that you have in stock. Oh, and what is the rarest metal you have in stock?" asked the man.
"Magic weapons? Unfortunately I don't deal with metias. As for the metal, I deal with steel. It's what I make the weapons of the royal knights with. Is there anything else I can help you with?" she asked, idly wondering if he was perhaps a foreigner.
"Hmm, let me rephrase." His hand reached into his robe and returned holding a brilliant, silver sword. One edge of it was serrated and the other seemed to be razor sharp. The pommel of it featured a horned skull, and the very presence of the blade seemed to radiate a frightening chill.
Her jaw nearly fell to the floor and the man spoke up, "I had something more like this in mind. I understand you are a blacksmith, but do you perhaps know an enchanter who could deal with the magical part of the process?"
He held the sword as if it was an everyday blade and not an ancient relic of immense power. "I-I don't think I've ever seen quite something like that, nor have I heard of this enchanting, except in legends."
The man put the sword back into his robe, as if there was an all consuming void there, and instead took out a chunk of dark blue ore. "In that case, are you open to commissions?"
She nodded enthusiastically, intrigued by the ore the man held. A true smith would never pass up such an opportunity, especially not after seeing that sword from before!
"In that case I would like you to attempt to create a weapon from this ore. When it is complete, or if you run into any issues, send word to the manor of Margrave Mathers. I will take it from there, and, if your work is as impressive as your reputation, then I'm sure I will find some work for you." he said, tapping the girl named Rem on the shoulder.
The maid put her hand into the bag she carried and took out a beautiful ruby, putting it on the counter. "Consider this a part of the payment." the man said, promptly turning around and leaving alongside the maid.
'So something for the Mathers, eh? Let's see what that crazy guy managed to find this time.' Veronica thought to herself.
She stashed the gem into her pocket and went to the door, locking it. Just that ruby could probably fund her expenses for a while, and now she had a much more interesting thing to do than to look for more customers.
After making sure everything was in order, she picked up the large chunk of ore and sped off to the forge behind the shop…
ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ
As the two exited the blacksmithing store, Rem turned to Ainz and said, "Ainz? Can I ask you something?"
Ainz glanced at her and said, "Of course. What is it you want to know?"
"Well, you're forced to walk around with a mask and gloves, but you mentioned you had a body, right? Since you're so good at magic, can't you, um, get it back?" she asked, looking at his mask.
"It is… complicated." Ainz said, letting silence overtake the space between the two. 'Should I really tell her all this?' Ainz asked himself.
Knowledge of his days in YGGDRASIL certainly always made for an interesting tale, but the loss of his body was still an open wound. After all, the physical joys of life were now nothing more than a distant dream.
Still, perhaps it could be an opportunity as well. His curiosity, ever since he saw her single horn, had caused the question of why it was only a single one, rather than the two he expected an Oni to have. But… it felt rude and invasive to ask that.
Now, however, he could exchange one personal titbit for another, and so he said, "I can tell you, if you tell me why you have only a single horn. To my knowledge, Oni are supposed to have two."
Her curious expression darkened and Ainz immediately regretted his choice, "Oni twins are only born with one each. We're seen as a curse and a bad omen. Sister lost her horn when the Witch Cult attacked our village. Some called her an Oni God because she was so powerful when she had it. Now it's gone…"
'I could probably use some restoration spell to heal her horn if I ever need extra firepower. Still,' he glanced at Rem's saddened expression, 'doesn't make me feel much better about asking. An eye for an eye I guess.'
"I see. My body is not the result of foreign influence. See, where I come from, power is everything. Flesh has its uses, but I always found undeath to be superior. I have no need for sleep, food, or drink; I don't die when I'm stabbed through the eye." Ainz said, trying to distract the girl from her own sorrow.
"But… Don't you regret giving those up? I mean, is the power worth it?" she asked.
Ainz remained silent for a second, weighing the scales. Naturally, in the game he was from the optimal build, and he had gone mostly for style, but then again, how was he supposed to know he'd end up here? Yet, even if he could regain his flesh, his old, anxious self would have returned as well.
Emotional suppression was a tool one couldn't underestimate, and so Ainz said, "Yes. You see, giving me flesh would be like taking away your horn, or the claws and fangs of a mighty beast. Could I possibly do so and experience your wonderful cooking? Yes, but I am already too used to this."
"Isn't there a way to let you eat, even in this body? You're a better mage than Roswaal, so there must be a way, right?" the girl insisted.
"I appreciate your concern, Rem, but such ways are few and far between. Besides, I wasn't too fond of my flesh anyway." Ainz said, remembering his old form, that of a skinny salaryman with ashy skin.
If he were to use [Wish Upon A Star] or a World Item, he probably would be able to eat as a skeleton, but to use such trump cards for a simple, material desire was unthinkable to the Overlord.
"Aww, but I'm curious! I'm sure you looked great!" Rem said, "You must have had a beard fit for an archmage and looked so wise!"
Ainz chuckled, nodding along. Internally, however, all he could say was 'I wish…'
ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ
The shop in front of them was decorated to the high heavens. Red and gold patterns lined the walls, and even the curtains appeared to have gold weaved in.
"Really? This place?" Ainz asked, looking at the building in front of him. 'I like gold as much as the next guy, but come on! This place is so overkill! Did none of the designers know what subtlety is?'
In response to his question, Rem nodded enthusiastically and grabbed his hand, pulling him inside, saying "Master Roswaal always marvels about this place!"
'Ah, Roswaal's a fan of this place? That explains a lot.'
The strength of a max-level overlord was nothing compared to the enthusiasm of the girl and Ainz had to wonder, 'Does Roswaal never let them go shopping? Maybe I should buy something for Ram as well…'
He certainly didn't have to worry about budget constraints, but the appearance of the shop made even him worried. Millions upon millions of YGGDRASIL coins were stashed away in his inventory, but this place seemed like a genuine vacuum for cash.
The pleasant sound of a bell chiming rang out as they entered, immediately after being greeted by the deep voice of a sophisticated gentleman. "Ah, I see I have the pleasure to be greeted by a guest of supreme fashion sense. Welcome to my shop, I am Ezen Kulon."
He offered a small bow and Ainz responded by raising his hand in greeting. But before the mage could speak, Rem rushed forward and said, "Sir Kulon! It's an honour to meet you!" she said, her voice raised thanks to her excitement.
The man took a step back and turned to Ainz, "Sir, I do not mean to be disrespectful, but aren't you the one who is supposed to do the shopping?"
Ainz shook his head, saying, "As you can see, I'm sufficiently dressed. This trip is for her, though I do have a request." Out of his inventory he took out what appeared to be a roll of silk. He unrolled a part of it, and the eyes of Ezen nearly fell out of his head as it changed colour.
On one hand, Ainz was here to get Rem something nice, but on the other, his efforts to get the greatest craftsmen on his side continued. "This thread is one of my homeland. While you weave, simply think of the colour you wish for it to be and it'll be as such. This should be enough for what I had in mind. I want two sets of robes, preferably usable in combat. One white and one light blue." he said, tossing the fabric to the man.
Ezen successfully caught it and gulped as he analysed its texture. "Y-yes, of course. And where shall I send the products once they are done?"
"Send it to the mansion of Margrave Mathers." Ainz answered, glad that the tailor was up for the job.
"Ah, a man of my own taste! I should have expected the good Margrave to work with someone who has equally immaculate taste!" Ezen answered, his face lighting up. He then turned to Rem and said, "In that case, young lady, what is it that you would like to get?"
Rem leaned in and whispered something Ainz couldn't quite catch into his ear. The man nodded enthusiastically and then walked off with her, leaving Ainz slightly worried about just what the maid was going to get.
Alas, it was not his place to speak on the matter and he instead turned to observing the clothing that was on display. He couldn't lie, some of the pieces were rather garrish.
'Is the taste in this world just off? I mean, Roswaal is still seen as a weirdo, but then this guy is the most sought after tailor.' Ainz thought to himself, 'Maybe it's just my taste in this case…'
Naturally, Ainz being the collector that he was, snatched up any half-decent cosmetic items that he could get his hands on. Many of those were, in traditional YGGDRASIL fashion, rather outlandish. Yet, many of the clothes that now surrounded him resembled them just a bit too much. They were simple cloth, but their eccentric appearance was uncannily similar.
There were massive dresses that looked overly cumbersome, with enough frills to make even the monarchies of old on Earth blush. Colours clashed in garish displays of decadence. If one were to say that the nobles were poorly mimicking peacocks, Ainz would have to agree.
Sadly, as… intriguing as the pieces on display were, none of them were enchanted. 'I guess I'll need to do the basic enchantments myself…'
Any mage could do basic enchantments, but someone like Ainz, who didn't have any proper enchanting classes, would easily be outmatched by an actual crafter. Of course, he wouldn't be willing to use the limited data crystals he had with him either. Those would be saved for very specific times, or most likely hoarded for all eternity.
But the idea of enchantments brought another thought into the overlord's mind, 'I should probably give Rem a better weapon as well; that ball and chain she uses is really quite crude.'
It really felt unfair to not give the diligent maid some sort of reward compared to the items Emilia had gotten, 'I hope she didn't lose that legendary katana… And is she alright? She hasn't sent a [Message]... Maybe I should check in? Just to be safe? What if someone steals it or if she's attacked? Like I was by those thugs!'
As his worry spiralled and he reached towards his temple in order to send a [Message] and assuage his fears, Rem returned from the back of the store. His hand stopped mid-air as he looked at her, Ezen standing next to her with an extremely proud expression, his grin splitting his face from ear to ear.
She wore robes of light purple that matched well with her light blue features. The sleeves of it ended with curious ribbons of the same colour as her hair. Unlike his own robes, hers weren't oversize, instead being rather form fitting and highlighting the girl's features. Subtle accents of a darker blue gave the robe an ornate appearance.
Did it look good on her? Well, perhaps it was Ainz's own taste for purple robes, but he had to say that it did indeed. Still, he couldn't help but notice that it, oddly enough, slightly resembled his own robe. Naturally, it was smaller and the materials were quite literally worlds apart, but the general aesthetic of it matched perfectly.
While he was still stunned by her choice of attire, Rem walked up to him and asked the tailor, "How do we look?" Her eyes shone with an excitement Ainz couldn't comprehend. Was getting matching clothing really that big of a deal? Or was this some inside joke he wasn't in on?
"You match perfectly, young miss, just as you requested. I knew someone else would finally come in with a proper taste for sagely robes!" the man exclaimed, only slightly less excited than Rem herself.
Slowly, the undead mage recovered from the shock and turned to the girl. She looked at him expectantly, and Ainz reached out, patting her head the way one might that of a child. In all honesty, wanting to match with him was very cute.
"Alright, in that case I believe we'll be on our way. Please send word when you are done with my request." Ainz said, turning towards the door and walking away.
Rem rushed into the back briefly, grabbing two woven baskets filled with various clothes, dropping them into the seemingly endless void of the bag Ainz gave her, and then followed the undead mage. Ezen, meanwhile, closed shop for the day and went on to weave true masterpieces…
ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ
With her shopping at the shop of the renowned Ezen already done, Emilia decided to drop her things off at their place the trio was staying at before she went on to explore the markets further. The bag Ainz gave her was very useful, but she didn't know the exact capacity of it all, and it was better to be safe rather than sorry.
Now she stood in front of the gate and wondered, "Where do I go next?" She wasn't terribly familiar with the capital, but perhaps simply wandering around would let her find something of interest.
She turned towards a seemingly random direction and began walking. As usual, she was rather carefree. The Royal Selection was stressful, but the presence of the seemingly omniscient Ainz helped her keep her nerves in check.
At the moment it was a waiting game, with the ball in the court of the other candidates, though the thought of Priscilla trying to get back at Ainz did cross her mind. Thankfully, even the hot headed Bloody Bride seemed to at least take the time to recuperate.
Still, the fight between Julius and Ainz came to mind from earlier that day. She knew Ainz was a powerful mage, but that was the first time she'd seen him actually try. Beforehand it was all casual, primarily during training sessions, but here…
The weather changing as if it was nothing, the black flames reaching towards the heavens, which in turn struck the ground with ferocious lightning. It was still registering in her mind.
As the turmoil caused by the events of the day consumed her attention, she kept on walking. She turned next to the right of the building they were staying at and fell backwards.
Being forcefully knocked out of her reflections, she looked up at the man she had bumped into. He appeared to be young, perhaps Reinhard's age. His blonde hair was long, reaching down his back, which was either a sign of skill and confidence, or foolishness. After all, grabbing the hair of one's enemy was a strategy as old as combat itself.
He appeared to be lean, but given that he wore the uniform of the Royal Knights, he must have still been an impressive fighter. His blue eyes displayed surprise but quickly became warm and kind.
"Ah, Lady Emilia, fancy meeting you here. I do apologise for the way we noticed one another though." he said, bowing and extending his hand to her. His pale skin glistened in the sunlight, though it wasn't near the levels of paleness of Emilia.
She grabbed onto his hand and got back on her feet, quickly making sure that her clothing wasn't dirty, before saying, "It's no problem. I should be the one to apologise for not paying attention." she said apologetically.
A kind smile graced the well-formed features of the handsome young man, "It doesn't befit a Royal Candidate to be so humble. Please, the fault lies with me, my Lady."
Emilia looked at him, but she just couldn't pinpoint his identity. "Sorry, but I don't believe we've formally met?" she said. He was undoubtedly one of the knights that was there during the opening of the Selection, but it was hard to memorise every face that was there.
"How foolish of me. Sir Niklas Silar, of the noble house Silar. At your service, my Lady." said the young man, bowing deeply. That told her quite little, as she still hadn't memorised every single noteworthy noble, the way someone like Crusch might have.
She hadn't heard of him before but then again, up until now she had barely ever even been in the capital. However, she knew of his house. They were one that could be considered neutral in this selection, declaring no allegiance to any candidate.
"If I may ask, Lady Emilia, what are you doing venturing out alone?" he asked, gazing around as if to find any companions. Emilia, however, was quite confused by his statement. Aside from Priscilla, none of the candidates seemed like the type to walk around with an entire entourage.
"Well, Ainz is out doing some business, so I decided to go shopping by myself." she answered, seeing nothing out of the ordinary about her situation. She was more than old enough to go about her business on her own! And she had Puck, although nobody knew that.
"To have your knight leave you alone after what happened at the selection… He is no doubt skilled, but he needs to take better care of you, my Lady. Would you object to me accompanying you? The capital is not always the safest place." Niklas said.
"Sure, but weren't you going somewhere?" asked Emilia, unwilling to inconvenience the knight for no reason. With the Royal Selection starting today, they must have been extremely busy making sure the capital was secure. Taking up a knight's time when he could instead be saving innocent people felt wrong.
The man shook his head, "I was supposed to meet with a few friends a couple days ago, but they didn't appear and I haven't reached them since. Knowing them, it must be some urgent business and they'll reappear soon, but for now I am as free as can be. My shift is covered as well, if that is what you were worrying about."
"Oh, alright then." Emilia said, walking ahead. The even path made for a pleasant walk, and the temperature outside was just right. She still had over an hour and a half left before she was supposed to meet up with Ainz, and so she walked at a leisurely pace.
Niklas fell into step next to her and said, "So what is it you are looking for, Lady Emilia? I'm sure I can recommend some of the finest shops in the capital, and perhaps even negotiate in your stead."
"Ainz gave me plenty to pay with, but thank you for the offer. Let's see… I already bought some clothes, and I don't really know what else to get… And please call me Emilia; there's no need for formal things after that selection." she said, exhausted when it came to such things after the meeting.
"Thank you for being so kind and for giving me such a privilege, Emilia." the knight said, "And if you do not feel like shopping, why don't we get some food? I know a fantastic place we can always get a table at."
She considered the proposal for a second, before her stomach reminded her that she had barely eaten all day. "Alright, let's go." she answered before continuing, "And it's not a big deal. I prefer when people call me Emilia anyway, since protocol can be so tiring."
For a girl like her, the world of nobles was foreign and tiresome. Ainz didn't seem so fond of titles either, and he was most certainly nobility of some kind, so maybe it was simply a universal feature for many. Then again, maybe for Ainz such titles were obsolete as they didn't do his past justice?
"I see…" the young man simply responded. It was probably a trick of the mind, but she thought she saw him frown for a second. But she dismissed the thought, following Niklas towards whatever establishment he had in mind.
"Emilia, if I may ask, where exactly is your knight? I would never leave my lady alone, unless a matter of the utmost urgency arose." Niklas said, pride filling his voice.
'Should I say anything about that? Ainz did just say to not reveal information for no reason…' Emilia thought, recalling what she had been told earlier that day.
She settled on not risking a scolding from the undead mage, answering with, "It's just routine business for the selection. The details really don't matter." she answered. Whatever Ainz was planning was most likely very important, but this part of the mysterious plan he had in mind seemed rather mundane.
The man put a hand to his head with a flourish, as if checking his temperature, "My ears must deceive me, Emilia. How could you let your knight leave you for such trivial business. Such a thought wouldn't even be able to cross my mind!"
"He's better at administrative things, and it gives me a few hours of free time, so I can't complain." she answered. It seemed that this knight was closer to Julius in allegiance, trying to be as virtuous as can be.
'I just hope he isn't mad that Ainz beat Julius in the duel…' she thought to herself. On one hand, many would respect him for his strength, but on the other, seeing one's friend be beaten so easily didn't exactly earn Ainz much favour.
"Well, I suppose that is one way of looking at it." he simply said. Alongside a silence that could be called neither awkward nor pleasant, the two walked through the city.
After a while, they found themselves in front of a large black and blue building, the likeness of a dragon above it. A board next to the entrance read "Freshly Reopened!"
Emilia looked at Niklas and said, "The Draconic Inn? But isn't this place booked all the time?" This place was notorious for two things: the quality of the service and the hoops one needed to jump through in order to get in, both when it came to its rooms and its restaurant.
"Don't worry about it. Even alone I would be able to get in easily, but for you I would make it through hell and high water to get in." he answered, walking past the massive queue of people standing outside.
Emilia had the social graces to ignore the latter comment, quietly following Niklas as they made their way inside. The massive queue of people that stood outside looked upon them with envy and anger, their stares digging into their backs.
But they could do nothing. The host of the inn, which was more famous for its restaurant rather than rooms, glanced at the knight and offered him a subtle nod.
Weaving through the restaurant which made up nearly the entire first floor, the two managed to make it to a secluded corner of the restaurant. Only one table appeared to be free, and Niklas sat at it with the confidence of one who would own it.
Gingerly, Emilia followed suit and sat opposite of him. She picked up the menu, but didn't get to choose anything as a waiter quickly approached the two.
"Ah, a fresh face. Please, give us a minute still. After all, we just sat down." Niklas said, looking at the waiter. The average, brown-haired man nodded, but spoke up anyway.
"Sir, the owner would simply like to inform you that the special is no longer on offer." A few drops of sweat ran down the man's forehead as he spoke, but for Emilia the temperature was still pleasantly neutral.
'Maybe this is the side effect of one of Ainz's rings?' she wondered, although neither Niklas nor any of the other patrons seemed to be bothered by the temperature.
Then again, the items Ainz had really seemed to be able to do anything and everything. The katana he had given her was able to cut through everything, increase her magical power, and probably solve all her problems somehow.
She left it hidden in her room for now, as she still had Puck and since the capital was relatively safe, but her rings stayed on nearly permanently. She kept a few of the gems from the back on her as well, just in case she would have done more shopping. It turned out to be a boon, as she expected to split the bill.
"I know, I know. I've heard, and I'm not at all surprised. Now give us a bit, will you?" Niklas said, prompting the waiter to bow slightly and walk away.
He turned back to Emilia, saying, "Sorry about that. I've known the owner for quite a while, so I get the inside scoop on things. My friends and I always come here, and a few of us knew of the brief closure beforehand, but it was still rather inconvenient. Anyway, shall we figure out what to order?"
The half-elven girl nodded and scanned the menu. There was a massive variety of foods on offer, and she couldn't narrow it down. Rem was a great cook, one might say that she was even one of the best, but she also typically preselected the food to be made for dinner.
Picking from such a wide list, where nearly everything would be purely amazing, was difficult. She was so engrossed in her study of the choices that for a while she failed to notice Niklas' gaze. Perhaps it was because his gaze wasn't aimed at her own eyes.
While wondering about her choice, she leaned backwards into the cushioned chair, putting the menu in front of her chest. Eventually, she settled on getting a set of ribs.
When she came to a decision, the waiter appeared. Evidently he had been watching her table and realised she was done by her putting down the menu. That, or he had an obscure divine protection that helped him in his job, though the latter was unlikely, while the former was expected of effectively VIP treatment.
They ordered, with Niklas getting a well-done steak, and turned to idle chatter while the meal was prepared. "Emilia, if you ever need a place to stay outside of the capital, then please tell me. My estate is near Duchess Karsten's and I understand you may eventually have business around there."
"Oh, I may actually take you up on that pretty soon actually. I'll be getting training from Sir Wilhelm Van Astrea, who works for her. I could probably stay at her estate, but I'm afraid it could be pretty awkward… Especially with Sir Argyle and Ainz being in the same place" she said.
The Duchess certainly seemed to be capable, yet Emilia doubted that she could simply stay there. Associating with her so closely while her reputation was still subpar, given that such information would undoubtedly reach the public sphere eventually, didn't seem like a move Crusch would be willing to make.
Besides, Crusch's knight certainly didn't take seeing Ainz's real appearance well. The chances of another incident like that were worryingly high, and Crusch most definitely wouldn't wish for something like that. To have one's knight display such cowardice, especially after her invigorating speech that brimmed with confidence, reflected badly on Crusch as well.
"Really? Very impressive, Emilia. The Sword Devil is still a legendary swordsman, and I'm sure he will make a fine teacher for your august self. Should you require additional training, I'm at your service." he said, bowing his head slightly.
"Thank you, but I'm not particularly amazing with a sword right now, so I'm sure the training will take a while." she answered, swatting the man's offer aside and causing the corner of his mouth to briefly quiver.
However, he recovered quickly enough, even though Emilia remained oblivious to his inner turmoil, "I understand, but I insist that you call upon me should such an opportunity ever arise. My loyalty lies with you."
"R-Really?" she asked, surprised that any of the knights of Lugnica would even think of such a thing. After all, prejudice against demihumans and the like ran deep in the upper crust of the kingdom ever since the war with them.
"Indeed. Your message about equality really resonated with me. Many of my friends and acquaintances would be outcast, or worse, if they were to be themselves. Obviously, I also treat everyone in my family's domain as equals. Besides, you are both the most virtuous and the most beautiful of the candidates." he said.
"U-Um, thank you." she answered, flinching slightly and being taken aback by the compliment. It was a very strange feeling to be complimented in any manner, one much stranger than being cursed or insulted.
Evidently discouraged by her reaction, the two sat in definitely awkward silence. Their meals eventually arrived and quickly disappeared. The conversation was deader than Ainz's corporeal body, and Emilia was in no hurry to revive it. She did spy him glancing at her periodically, but maybe it was simply him thinking of another topic to talk about?
Soon enough, however, they were done with their meals. Despite the fact that Emilia looked every bit the noble lady who would savour her meal, she ate quite quickly. Niklas called for a check and, after insisting on paying, did so, and the two left the inn.
"It was a pleasure to talk to you, Emilia, but I'm afraid that duty calls. Even for you I can't delay this meeting, so I hope we will meet again." the man said after walking for a while.
"Likewise." she simply said, already walking towards the designated meeting spot with Ainz. As she walked, she reflected on her interaction with the knight.
'He tried so hard to be nice to me, and I just came off as cold…' she thought. Maybe it was the stress caused by the Selection, or Ainz's advice about being tight-lipped, but it certainly made her feel bad for the young man.
'If we meet again then I'll try to be nicer…'
ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ
She glanced at the time tower in the distance. "Still half an hour?" she mumbled. There really wasn't much left to do in this span of time, and so she decided to head over to Kadomon's stand early.
Yet when her mind was made up, she spotted a short girl walking towards her. She was dressed in white fur and had flowing purple hair, identifying her as the Royal Selection candidate from earlier that day, Anastasia Hoshin.
"Ah, Emilia! I've been looking all over for you!" said Anastasia, walking up the startled half-elf.
"Oh! Anastasia. Were you looking for me because of the, um, thing that happened at the Selection?" Emilia asked, putting her hands behind her back. It appeared that she was going to go from one awkward fire to the depths of awkward hell. Anastasia certainly didn't seem to be the vengeful type, yet Emilia still worried.
It was quite obvious that Julius and her shared quite a bond, as supporting a foreigner in the selection by an upstanding member of the Royal Guard was pure madness. Still, Emilia didn't spy anyone with her…
Her anxieties rose and rose, but the purple-haired girl waved her worries away, "Please, that's water under the bridge. I'd like to actually ask you about the potions he gave me. It's a matter of utmost urgency for a merchant like myself, especially since Ainz holds a monopoly on them!"
"So… you're not angry?" Emilia asked once again, looking at the merchant girl with her eyes wide. Was this the attitude of a proper candidate? Was she still being too emotional?
"Why would I be mad? It was Julius' idea to fight anyway. If anything, I should be at him. And besides, I wouldn't be worthy of the name Hoshin if I let something like that get in the way of business." she calmly explained, "But standing around and talking really isn't my style, and I know a great pub not far from here. Want to go get something?"
"Thank you, but I actually just ate. Why don't we head to the nearby park instead?" Emilia proposed, still feeling rather full from her previous meal.
'So the skeleton has outsmarted me once again… He definitely knew I'd try to get info out of her. Well, there goes plan A.' Anastasia thought to herself. Either way, she nodded and followed the silver half-elf for a few dozen metres to a nearby park bench.
The capital of Lugnica was a rather green place, with several parks spaced out throughout the city, though Anastasia planned to add in a couple more streams once she became king. It would take a lot of resources, but it would be good for approval ratings among the nobility.
The two sat down, and Anastasia prepared herself for the covert interrogation she had planned. Her entourage being left behind slightly complicated things, as she preferred a controlled environment, but it seemed that she had once again underestimated Ainz.
"I'd like to ask you about these potions. Julius healed right up after I gave him one." she said, taking out two ornate bottles from one of her pockets. One of them was empty, while the other still remained filled with ominous, red liquid.
"They are quite effective from what I've seen. What do you want to know?" Emilia asked, thinking to herself, 'I can probably talk about the potions, right? Ainz said that word is already spreading about them, so…'
"Well, where does Ainz get them? I've never heard of such things and I'm sure they'd sell like hotcakes. I'd be glad to become his distributor for a cut of the profits." Anastasia said, putting on her kindest smile.
'But only a fool would sell something that valuable. Monarchs would start wars over a supply of this. So come on, Emilia, tell me what's the source of these.' Anastasia thought. Ainz would certainly not disclose such vital information, and her greatest tool was locked away against him.
As a merchant who had climbed through the social ladder step by step, she knew how to read a person like a book. But that required a few things, first and foremost, someone to actually have facial expressions. Just from someone's eyes darting around or a small twitch in their lip, she could tell a million things.
And yet Ainz's head was either covered by a mask, or simply skeletal! Not to mention that the movement's of his body in general were also off limits, since his robe covered his detailed movements! He was simply her nemesis, and he undoubtedly knew that.
One could only imagine how frightening an army in which each knight can instantly recover would really be. The Sacred Empire of Vollachia would start a campaign like no other for just a small supply of these potions. As useful as healing magic was, it required healers to perform and was much slower.
"Oh, I don't know. Ainz just brings them out of nowhere. I really don't know, so you'll have to talk to him about it." Emilia answered, nervously scratching the back of her head. The undead mage's method of bringing things out of nowhere was still a mystery even to her, and the creation of these potions was something she didn't have an inkling of knowledge on.
Anastasia kept up her smile while silently scrutinising the mannerisms of the girl. Yet no matter how hard she looked at her, Emilia's expression and movements betrayed nothing but the seemingly genuine and apologetic tone she used.
'He must have trained her, and probably Mathers as well. Tch, no wonder she's a tough opponent if both Ainz and the clown are involved. Sending me right over to Ainz and leaving me no space for manoeuvring… Did he plan this as well? Did he predict this entire day? And here I thought I could catch her off guard right after that fiasco.'
"No worries, I know how it is to have people bring things out of the blue. My subordinates do it all the time, and I swear, it's the most infuriating thing." she said, hoping that her complaining would endear her to the half-elven girl.
"But enough about my troubles. I have just a couple questions, mostly from Julius. Like, what was that thing he fought? He really just won't stop asking, so I need an answer, or he'll never let it go! He's been nagging me nonstop and I'm so done with it." Anastasia said, leaning back and pouting.
However, once again her typical strategy seemed to fail, as the girl shook her head and said, "Sorry, but I really don't know. I'm sure Ainz would tell you though. After all, he told me he doesn't want Julius to hate him."
'So he's interested in diplomacy, and he holds all the cards. I can't even get a peek at his hand, because she's being so tight-lipped. This is going nowhere. My plans are falling apart like a house of cards, except I don't have any cards!'
Truly, there was little in life that infuriated Anastasia more than feeling helpless and out of her depth in the field she practically owned!
As she prepared to get up and get going, since time is money and this appeared to be a waste of time, she nearly had her soul leave her body when a deep voice was heard from behind them. Her eyes widened, and her face became so pale many would have sworn she was a ghost.
"Emilia? Oh, and Lady Hoshin. A pleasure to see you. I hope my Lady didn't bother you about the little duel Julius and I had?" Ainz said, appearing behind the two seemingly out of thin air.
'Is she unwell? Or is she usually that pale? Maybe it's just the lighting… Eh, she probably still has the potions, so there's no point in offering anything.' Ainz thought to himself, looking at the girl clad in white furs.
Perhaps the most frightening part of her adversary, besides his intellect, was his lack of presence. If not for his appearance, she would not be able to notice him in a crowd. Having death sneak up on you was by no means a pleasant experience. Still, she tried to quickly recover.
"N-no, not at all. Actually, I was asking her about the potions you gave me. They are truly wonderful, so I was wondering if you'd like me to distribute them? I'm sure the profits would be huge." she said, turning around to look at the masked mage.
Her attempt to salvage the situation appeared to be momentarily effective, as Ainz put a hand to his chin, uttering a dignified "Hmm."
"I'll think about it, Lady Hoshin. You know better than anyone that such business requires deliberation. And, unfortunately, Lady Emilia and I were about to regroup and go home for the day. So, if you'll excuse us." he said, eager to finally get to relax.
"Of course. I best be on my way as well. Please reach out to me if you change your mind, Sir Gown!" she said, getting up and walking away. If the one who led the negotiations said that they were on hold, then on hold they were. Today was not a day during which she wanted any possible business to fall through.
'Maybe not all is lost then.' she thought, taking his statement as a positive sign. Nevertheless, she still shivered at the thought of dealing with him, 'Who knew Death would be a great merchant?' she asked herself.
Dealing with Ainz was certainly a dangerous gamble, but it was a risk with benefits Anastasia was eager to reap…
ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ
The moon was high in the sky, and all his companions were already asleep. During times of tranquillity like this, when the night was only filled by the sounds of owls and crickets, Ainz enjoyed sitting outside. As during most nights, he teleported to the gazebo in Roswaal's garden.
After magically creating a comfy chair for himself, the undead mage reflected on the mess of the day he had been through. The royal selection went favourably, but even his undead mind was exhausted after that. All the fighting and acting really was Ulbert's forte rather than his.
Then there was all the walking around town and encountering Anastasia with Emilia… It was all so much for the salaryman behind the Overlord! At least Rem and Emilia seemed to have a decent time.
And now, unbothered by any knight or nobles, he could relax. He closed his eyes, or rather did the skeletal equivalent of extinguishing the flames that were his eyes, and simply enjoyed the sounds of nature.
"Ah, as expected of youuu, master. You knew I would be readyyy." came a voice from behind the gazebo.
'Okay, that is either a very odd species of owl, or my one chance to relax is gone.'
As far as Ainz knew, noble voices belonging to a specific Margrave didn't just appear out of nowhere, and so it seemed that he would in fact be pestered by the noble clown.
He opened his eyes and stood up from his cushioned chair, the obsidian-coloured masterpiece turning into motes of mana. Turning around, he saw Roswaal, dressed in the exact same manner as always.
What attracted his attention though, were the bodies neatly laid out on the grass next to him. Ainz looked from the smiling noble to the bodies and back again.
They appeared to be in various states of decay, with some being skeletal and others entirely intact. Somehow following the movement of Ainz's flaming eyes, Roswaal smiled and said, "Are youuu satisfied with the selectiooon? Severaaal of them are magic casters, but I presuuumed that it was better to get mooore." he said.
Ainz's mind was working at speeds that would make the super computers of his day blush as he tried to decipher the meaning behind Roswaal's words, 'Wait, did he gather all of these bodies because I mentioned I need those of casters to use this world's magic?'
'And I'm guessing he knows that I need corpses because of the wraiths prowling about… But how the hell did he get this many!? There have to be at least fifty here!'
His emotional suppression kicked in, and he cleared his non-existent throat, "Well done, Roswaal. However, I have to ask, where did you get these bodies? If we reveal our undead in the future then many may connect it with the random disappearances, if only to slander us."
If Ainz was to ever stroll out with an army of death knights and his beck and call, with convenient disappearances of villagers and the homeless around Roswaal's domain, then it certainly wouldn't bode well for his reputation.
"Pleeease, do not worry about such things. These corpses are frooom village graveyards, prisons and so ooon. Nobody will eveeer notice." Roswaal said, a pleasant smile on his face all the while.
'Well, whatever one can say about his fashion sense, he certainly knows how to be stealthy and efficient.' Ainz thought. Of course, 50 corpses wasn't a lot by army standards, but 50 death knights were still quite a force. Out of those he had seen in this world alive, only Reinhard, Julius, the captain of the Royal Guard, and Roswaal would be able to take such a foe in a one on one.
Much of that came from the inherent strength of the undead, such as not getting tired. Death knights were always a pain in the ass to kill, and in this world a battle of attrition against one was a battle already lost.
"Alright. In that case, which bodies are actual casters?" Ainz asked, walking forward. [Dark Wisdom] would most likely work on even the decayed and skeletal corpses, but there were no guarantees. Knowing Roswaal, however, such a worry was most likely a non-issue.
And, as expected, it indeed was already thought of by the mage, "The four on the leeeft, which are quite freeesh, for your convenience. They were low-level caaasters of water, wiiind, yin, and yang magiiic. Unfortunately, I waaas not able to secure better specimeeens."
Ainz put his hand on each of the corpses, turning them to ash, and said, "It's fine. I doubt grabbing any high-level caster bodies would be either easy, or something that can be done covertly. Do you have any ideas, though, for who I may target in the future?"
As he spoke, he felt the four remaining elements be unlocked within him, along with the basic spells for them. 'Yin and yang are light and shadow, rather than the spiritual ones from YGGDRASIL… Shame I never dabbled in those.'
"Hmmmmm… The only ones I can thiiink of that nobody would miiiss are the archbishops of siiin. They must have sooome skilled casters. But thaaat is already on the agenda, iiis it not?" Roswaal said, gazing curiously as Ainz used his passive.
"That they are, though I doubt I'll find any soon. Still, keep on the lookout for any activity in your domain." Ainz said, overlooking the rest of the bodies, "And do you have any area to store undead? They require nothing but a room, so any place will be fine."
"Deeepends on the size of the undead you wiiish to make." Roswaal answered, "Althooough wouldn't it be better to create stealthyyy ones?"
'Hmm, he makes a good point. A few death knights won't make a difference, but death assassins patrolling the area would.' Ainz thought, cycling through the middle-tier undead he could summon.
Sadly, even he wouldn't be able to summon more than twelve middle tier undead in one day. Still, he could always just come back the next day. It wasn't like he had anything to really do during most nights.
He walked from corpse to corpse, creating one assassin after another. From the black goo that covered the remains, arose humanoid figures clad all in black, revealing only the red eyes of the creatures. In each hand they held curved, ebony blades.
Their armour consisted of leather dyed to be a midnight black, although their actual stealth skills weren't particularly great. What they really excelled in was burst damage. They had an obscenely high chance to critically strike in YGGDRASIL, and they could be dangerous combatants whenever underestimated.
And even though their stealth wasn't perfect, it would be more than enough for a makeshift patrol of the domain. After creating the twelve undead he could for the day, they kneeled in front of him, awaiting orders.
"Patrol the region and report any activity that you deem suspicious. Report to either me or Roswaal, and listen to his commands as well." The twelve death assassins nodded and disappeared in an instant, speeding off into various directions.
"Impreeesive, but what about the other bodies?" Roswaal asked, staring at the rest of the corpses.
Ainz, not wanting to reveal his limits, said, "Store them somewhere for now. If I deem that we require more stealthy undead then I'll use them then, and if not then I'll find some other use for them."
Roswaal bowed low, saying, "As you wiiish." Ainz could appreciate the noble's assistance, particularly thanks to the fact that Roswaal didn't seem to be bound by any sort of morality. It was nice to be virtuous and all, but in the end underhanded moves always paid off the most. It was the same in the world of business as it was in the world of fantasy combat.
With this matter settled, the undead mage offered the noble one last nod, before using [Fly] and moving upwards. He flew towards the room, creating for himself a cushioned chair on one of the towers. The laws of physics were defied once more, and the chair floated in mid air, allowing Ainz to finally relax.
He marvelled at the star-filled night sky once more, appreciating what only a select few could dream of in his old world. Yet, as he rested, an idle thought entered his mind, 'Are these stars different from the ones on Earth? I think I have a copy of Tabula's notes somewhere here… He always liked constellations.'
Ainz rummaged through his inventory, eventually picking out an old tome bound in blue leather. Upon it were the three stars that could also be seen on the exclusive and ultra-rare Shooting Star ring. He idly flipped it open and browsed the pages, comparing the contents with the sky above him.
Tabula, ever the scholar he was, recorded most of the important constellations throughout humanity's past, and Ainz couldn't find a single one that matched the stars above him.
He continued looking through the book, finding that the thick tome ended prematurely, with hundreds of pages left blank. The undead mage looked up at the clear sky once more, materialising a quill in his hand.
"I might as well finish what you started, Tabula. I know you'd want me to." he said, putting magical quill to ancient paper…
(AN from Edgy: WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! 1k follows on ! I can't thank you guys enough, so have this chapter instead! Sorry that it took so long, but this is the busiest time of the year for me. Also, check out [Supreme Fear] by Aterro and I {Notably still on my account}. It's an Overlord-Chainsaw Man crossover and part of the reason this took so long. It's pretty good if I say so myself. And to our webnovel readers, firstly, I apologise I do not interact with you as much as I probably should, and secondly, asking for updates for this fic on [Supreme Fear] will not help you. Now hand over the reviews! Also, hello to those on AO3. As always, more to come and I hope you've enjoyed the story so far!)
(AN from Aterro: Wow, 1000 follows, well… what can I say, congrats to us, couldn't have done it without you dear readers. Check out the other great story Edgy and I have written and keep enjoying our works. Your reviews are as always, welcome.)
Review Answering:
Where chapter?: Here - Edgy
Is it possible for Ainz to summon a spirit?: If we count the elemental spirits from the Staff of AOG, then yes. But he can't summon New World ones. - Edgy
Does Ainz have Return by Death?: - Yes. It also takes precedence over his self-resurrection ring. - Edgy
Was that a Darkest Dungeon reference in C1?: Yes. One of my all time favourite games. - Edgy
Do we have a schedule?: No. I sit down and write at random intervals and drop the chapter when it is done. - Edgy