[Chapter 3: A Tempest of Etiquette]
The crisp military uniform of the head of house Karsten was by no means for show. Crusch valued efficiency, as did most if not all people involved with the military, and this was certainly reflected in her messenger's capabilities.
Rem accepted the letter and the man immediately stepped aside, awaiting the presumably swift response of the group. The maid quickly ran through the richly decorated corridors of the residence, finally finding Emilia finishing her breakfast in the dining room.
"Lady Emilia, the representative of Lady Karsten is here to take us to her mansion." she said, adopting her formal mannerisms since this was official business.
"Already?" she asked, picking up her empty plate and moving it away from the table. "Well, I'm ready to go, but where's Ainz?" Emilia asked. The skeletal mage seemed to come and go with the wind, particularly during the evenings and early mornings. It was a habit of his that she found rather irritating at times.
And as if called from the beyond, the Overlord appeared in the corridor, smoothing out his perfect robe. He looked around quickly, before his eyes locked onto his two companions, "Ah, good morning." he said, "Any reason for you to be out and about so early?"
"Lord Ainz, the invitation from Lady Karsten has arrived." said Rem, walking up to him and handing him the letter.
He took it in one hand while putting his trusty translation glasses on with the other. After slicing open the red wax seal with a crystalline dagger, he began reading.
'To the Honourable Lady Emilia and Sir Ainz Ooal Gown,
As per our brief negotiations, I cordially invite you to my mansion for training. Sir Wilhelm Van Astrea has accepted your proposal and is eager to meet his new student.
Unfortunately, due to the circumstances concerning my knight, I am unable to provide you adequate accommodation. I hope this will not be a problem, and that our partnership will remain fruitful.
Regards,
Duchess Crusch Karsten, Head of House Karsten.'
'Well,' Ainz thought, looking at the beautiful penmanship, 'it's shorter than I expected. Then again, short and to the point does seem like her style.'
'And her style seems pretty good. Maybe I should ask her to make me one of those military uniforms…' Yet as his past returned with a vengeance, he shook his head and got his thought process back on track, 'No! I'm not going back to that!'
He shook his head once more, and returned back to reality, one which was far less terrifying than his chuuni past. "In that case, are you two ready? I can deal with our accommodations later, unless you have some idea?" Ainz asked.
Naturally, the option of just using one of his various items or spells to create a fortress of some sort existed, but perhaps either of the two had other ideas? After all, if he did everything for them, how would they grow?
"Actually, Ainz, I do. Remember that knight I told you about earlier? He told me we could stay in his estate at any time." Emilia said.
'Ah, so she's already making connections with neutral houses? Clever girl, very clever indeed.' Ainz applauded her in his mind. She certainly appeared to be less cunning than some of the other candidates, but his estimation of her was by no means wrong, she was still a sharp girl.
Unknowingly to Ainz, Emilia had no cunning plan concerning the expansion of her support. It, very simply, just seemed to be convenient. But alas, the Overlord was too caught up in the politics of it all to notice.
"In that case, let's go. I presume that knight requires no advanced notice?" Ainz said, walking towards the exit, the two girls following behind him.
In response to his question, Emilia shook her head, "Probably not."
Ainz mimicked the motion of exhaling, a habit from his mortal days, satisfied with the planning ability of his charge. Frankly, Emilia proved to be much more competent than Ainz had initially expected. The silver half-elf, who seemed to be so pure in the Overlord's eyes, was actually quite cunning.
The carriage awaiting them outside was clad in dark greens and blues, mixing quite well with one another. It was smaller and less grand than Ainz's magical carriage, but that was to be expected. Still, the craftsmanship was top notch and the inside of it was quite spacious.
As concerned about Ainz's looks as the carriage driver seemed to be, his hands evidently remained steady as the carriage began speeding up. According to Ainz's brief scouting, the duchess' estate was only a bit over an hour away from the capital.
With the two ground dragons pulling the carriage, the journey promised to be a pleasantly short one. And indeed it was, with Ainz's estimated time of arrival being on point.
Though many would have said that arriving so early, around 10 AM, was a poor idea, but the training would undoubtedly last quite a while, and the duchess probably expected the matter of accommodation to be a more complex one.
They arrived in front of a mansion that wasn't too dissimilar from Roswaal's in design. However, it evidently had Crusch's flare to it, with it being less stylised and more angular. It somewhat resembled the long residential blocks of Earth in its rectangular structure, however, the pristine white was much prettier than the concrete behemoths Ainz knew.
In front of it was a beautiful courtyard, with Crusch herself sitting at a small table and drinking some tea. Behind her was the man Ainz recognised as Wilhelm Van Astrea, dressed in a butler's outfit. When seeing him with his own eyes, Ainz recognised the man's build to be even more impressive.
His butler's outfit strained against his chiselled body, though he appeared to be no more than 180 centimetres tall according to Ainz's estimate. To have such looks at his age spoke of a discipline that the Overlord certainly wouldn't have had if he possessed flesh.
The driver opened the carriage door and extended his hand to those inside, as helping his passengers get out of the carriage was a required courtesy. Emilia went first, then Rem, and finally Ainz. The skeletal hand of the undead reached out, but the driver's instincts immediately told him to retract his own.
He quickly corrected his mistake, but the undead mage simply exited on his own. In an attempt to look generous, Ainz took out a gold coin, having exchanged a bunch of gems for them during his time out on the town.
The man bowed, accepting it and retreating immediately after. "Youth these days." Ainz muttered as the driver, who was perhaps seventeen years of age, got back into his seat and drove away.
Yet his host left him no time to lament how fearful the boy was, for Crusch had already stood up and made her way over to them. "Lady Emilia, Sir Gown." she said, offering each of them a respectful nod, "It's a pleasure to see that you accepted my offer so swiftly."
"It's good to see you too, Crusch." answered Emilia, before letting Ainz take over the conversation. As amiable as she found Crusch to be, it was the undead mage who was supposed to negotiate with her.
"It's best to start training as soon as one can." Ainz answered, "And I presume I have the pleasure of speaking to the renowned Sir Wilhelm Van Astrea?" he asked, turning to the butler.
"Indeed, a pleasure to meet you, Sir Gown. Though compared to the titles you boast of, mine are quite lacklustre." answered Wilhelm, a pleasant smile on his aged face, even though Ainz's skeletal body was on full display. He had either remarkable acting skills, had been prepared beforehand, or both.
"Please, no need to be so humble. I truly do thank you and Lady Karsten for this. Even though I may boast of the title of knight, my proficiency lies elsewhere." Ainz said. Sure, he could use [Perfect Warrior] but chances are that it would give him the stats without any actual skills.
"I'm sure this will be a fruitful transaction." said Crusch, "Though perhaps we should leave our own negotiations for later. Please enjoy my hospitality for now. Good luck with the training, Emilia." With that, the Duchess walked away.
Her gait was slow and measured, and yet Ainz guessed she was still quite stressed. He almost pitied her; after all, his performance at Royal Selection must have lingered in her memory. 'Maybe I did overkill it slightly… Did the ghost of Ulbert possess me?' he asked himself, although he was immune to such possession spells.
"Please follow me, Lady Emilia. I presume it's fine if we begin training immediately?" he said, walking towards an empty, grassy area. Some of it was flattened in a circular pattern, and Wilhelm made his way to the centre of it.
The trio followed behind him, and Emilia said, "Of course! It's an honour to be trained by you." Indeed, the Sword Devil was a legend. Emilia had read many fantastic stories of Wilhelm's youth and his days during the demihuman war.
When they arrived at the sparring spot, Ainz created an ebony table and two comfortable chairs. Out of his inventory he took out four glasses and a vast array of drinks. After rummaging for a while, he found some snacks that wouldn't buff those who ate them.
Ainz sat down, with Rem standing beside him. "I made the second chair for you, Rem. Sit down." he said, looking at the maid as if her behaviour was out of place, which in his mind it was.
She shook her head, her right eye which was always covered being briefly revealed, "No, my lord. As a maid it is my duty to be able to serve you." Her face was serious, like the first time he met her. In all honesty, it was kind of unnerving to see the typically frivolous maid adopt such an attitude.
"Rem, sit down. Consider that an order. It's not like I need serving anyway." Ainz said, his voice stern. He could only hope that his authority and the incentive of snacks were enough to convince her.
They stared at each other for a few dozen seconds, crimson flames meeting her sky-blue eyes. Eventually, the maid briefly pouted, and the unrelenting flames of Ainz's skull compelled her to sit down and help herself to some of the snacks Ainz had put on the table. Victory, as always, came to Ainz Ooal Gown.
In front of them, Wilhelm drew his sword and pointed it at Emilia, "Now then, please show me what you can do." His was a simple, straight blade with a protective hilt. On the aforementioned hilt was the symbol of House Karsten, which was the head of a lion.
Emilia drew hers, and the temperature in the area immediately seemed to plunge by several degrees. The blemishless, icy katana was truly a work of art. Evidently, Wilhelm could appreciate a beautiful blade, raising his white eyebrow as he looked at it.
"That is quite the blade, Lady Emilia." said Wilhelm, "Can't say I've ever seen anything like it." It glistened in the sun as Emilia pointed it at the aged swordsman, though he could already see weaknesses in her impromptu stance.
Ainz decided to chime in for a moment, "Indeed, and that may cause some problems. Emilia is here to learn swordsmanship, but that blade is meant to also enhance magic… For this spar, I shall do this, [Anti-Magic Zone]."
Unless Emilia was to get serious and try to kill the Sword Demon with her magic, this would make sure the capabilities of the blade were kept in check. It would be rather unfortunate if it turned out that some obscure flavour text manifested into reality and a single slash froze half the courtyard.
With the matter of magic out of the way, the two combatants began their battle. Emilia lunged forward with impressive speed. Obviously she wasn't out to kill her newfound mentor, but it was his idea to fight with real blades rather than wooden ones.
The Sword Demon frowned as the blade travelled towards him. When it was less than a metre away from piercing his chest, he stepped to the side, dodging it entirely. It was as if he had done this exact song and dance hundreds of times.
"You overextend yourself." he said, hitting Emilia's back with the pommel of his sword. She recovered quickly enough from the strike, regaining her balance with the skill of an acrobat, narrowly avoiding a strike from Wilhelm.
'I just hope her blade doesn't cut cleanly through his… It'd be rather annoying.' Ainz thought to himself, watching the performance with bated breath, or whatever the undead equivalent of that was. He recognised the value of practical training like this, but that didn't mean he wouldn't worry!
Emilia retaliated with several slashes, but Wilhelm deflected them with ease. Each strike of her pale blade was met with polished steel, sparks flying whenever the two met. One after another, she transitioned to another strike, and yet she found herself unable to pierce his defence.
Wilhelm was like a steel wall, not even budging whenever she attacked. Naturally, Ainz connected his appearance with the butler of steel of old, but his abilities were hardly comparable to the level 100 dragonoid of the tomb.
But even if he wasn't on par with the creation of Touch Me, the old man's strength and reputation was certainly warranted, parrying every other strike and leaving Emilia wide open. Even to an amateur like Ainz, it was obvious that the experienced swordsman could have ended this battle many times over.
Yet the silver half-elf didn't seem to be discouraged, recovering and beginning her assault anew each time. A small smile blossomed on Wilhelm's face, and he would have looked every bit the kind grandfather, one that was far too skilled with a blade.
All of a sudden, his strikes sped up, forcing Emilia to focus entirely on defence. One strike turned into another and on and on. There was no wasted motion in his movements and Emilia was just barely holding on.
His stance was measured, and he utilised the advantage in range that his larger size offered him. There were no holes in defence, not that Emilia could hope to strike him now. Once the swordsman decided the battle was over, Emilia's fate was sealed.
And, with just a single well-timed leg sweep, the duel was in fact over. Her concentration on Wilhelm's blade had left her oblivious to her surroundings and other threats, letting the old swordsman exploit this advantage to the fullest.
Emilia fell onto the ground, staring at the tip of her adversary's blade before she could even think of getting up. Her breath was ragged and dirt covered her previously white robes.
"Not bad, Lady Emilia. There's work to be done, but I believe I have an understanding of your abilities." he said, sheathing his blade and helping the girl get back on her feet.
"Thank you, Sir Wilhelm. Where do I start then?" she asked, and the man took a defensive stance, motioning for her to copy his movements. As a proper instructor should, he would start from the basics.
As Ainz observed the man, he thought back to Julius' own power. 'With his spirits, Julius is definitely stronger, but… In terms of swordsmanship, this guy is quite something. In his youth he may have had a decent chance against a Death Duelist.'
'Though that summon does have the advantage against humans in general. Still, give this guy some decent gear and he could be more than a match for most people I've seen here. And I must have some item that brings back youth, right?' Ainz asked himself.
He idly began to rummage through his inventory, but was interrupted by his host, "Quite good, isn't he?" asked Crusch, standing next to Ainz seemingly out of nowhere. It seemed that not only he had the ability to appear as if from thin air, though he knew this was just a case of him being distracted rather than proof of Crusch's magical prowess.
Naturally, no indication of surprise came from Ainz, and he only snapped his fingers, creating another chair for the Duchess, "He is impressive, though I bet he was even more so in his youth."
Crusch took a sip of the orange juice Ainz had put on the table, and her eyes briefly widened. But her neutrally polite expression returned within seconds, and she said, "You are correct, but none of us can turn back the wheel of time."
Ainz reached into his inventory and took out an ornately decorated mug full of what appeared to be beer. On it was an image of a one-eyed, old man. The undead mage looked at it for a second before saying, "Hmm, perhaps not usually. I've known quite a few who pursued eternal youth, and some were successful."
"And is that drink the result of their efforts?" she asked, taking a bite of one of the cheesecakes that were on offer. Judging by how her proper decorum slowly fell away, he knew that YGGDRASIL's food was as excellent as it looked.
"Oh, no. This I stole from the palace of Odin, the head of a certain pantheon of Gods. It's a fun trinket, a mug of beer that gives ancient warriors the strength of their youth, but I've never found much use for it." he said, putting it back into his inventory. The raid on Odin's palace was quite something, even if 90% of the main loot consisted of various types of alcohol.
"I believe we agreed to leave the negotiations for the evening." Crusch said, raising her eyebrow and gazing at him. Breaking such an agreement, even a verbal one, was frowned upon, and she expected Ainz to know better.
"Please, if I were to offer so pitiful at the negotiation table then I wouldn't be able to rest with a clean conscience." Ainz said, waving his free hand as if to get rid of her worries. Of course, in reality his mind was now racing for something that Crusch or one of her subordinates would value more.
"I see. In that case, I look forward to what you have in mind." she said, indulging herself in a few more delicacies. Thankfully, his stock of various food items was ridiculous in size, so he could always offer more.
'Actually, wouldn't Felt be bought pretty easily with these? Kids like her tend to have a sweet tooth, right?' he asked himself, not that he actually knew how to deal with children very well. He was decent, but he was by no means like Yamaiko, who could get even the most rowdy of children to obey her.
The two, with Rem quietly munching on snacks on the side, sat in silence, observing the training. It was quite awkward for the Overlord, but Crusch was entirely too absorbed in the goods offered to care, which only made Ainz pity his lack of taste more.
After fifteen minutes or so, Ainz stood up and said, "I'd love to stay a while longer and watch, but I trust she is in good care. I wouldn't want to face you at the negotiation table without my final preparations. I'll see you this afternoon, Lady Karsten."
And with those words, after putting on his mask and gloves, he found himself in the centre of the capital once more. "Ok, this isn't good." he muttered. He threw his option of granting eternal youth out of the window, and with that probably went most material things!
So what could he offer that was more valuable?! Undead? Magic? This would really be easier if he knew more about Crusch and her subordinates! In all the stories about wheeling and dealing devils that Tabula told him, they always targeted what the people desired deep within their souls!
Suddenly, as if the dice of fate pitied Ainz, the sound of an incoming [Message] resounded in his head.
{Roswaal?} asked Ainz, figuring that he was the one most likely to call him. Giving the noble a ring imbued with the spell might have been a blessing that Ainz had ignored before, especially now when his devilish assistance would be most appreciated.
{Indeeeeeed} And of course he still managed to speak like that even via magic, {Given that you negotiatiiing with Crusch today, I haaave information that might be usefuuul.}
{What is it then?} Ainz asked, grasping the lifeline that life offered him. Sometimes luck truly favoured the Overlord, or perhaps it was the Duchess who was so unlucky? It could be either, it could be none, but he didn't care as long as he didn't come off as a fool.
{Seee, Wilhelm's wife was killed by the White Whaaale. I've been tracking it via the mirror, and it just so happeeens that the beast is travelling towards theeee Great Tree. Wheneveeer it appears, the Witch Cuuult prowls.} said Roswaal, his network of information proving to be invaluable once more.
{I presume that allowing Crusch and Wilhelm to join the hunt in exchange for them being in debt is what you are getting at? It seems you've read my mind, Roswaal. Keep an eye on your territory, I'd rather not have cultists sneak in.}
{Of couuurse, master.} Roswaal answered, cutting off the connection soon after. As cringy as being called "master" was for Ainz, he didn't call back the noble to correct him.
'It seems Lady Luck smiled upon me again.' Ainz thought to himself, glad to be rid of the main source of his anxiety.
But his revelry couldn't last for long, as soon a sonorous and pompous voice reached his ears, "I've finally found you, monster!" Evidently the smile of Lady Luck was a contemptuous one, as another problem now arose.
Ainz turned to see Priscilla, with Al standing behind her. The former sword slave simple offered Ainz a shrug and a wave, evidently accepting his fate. It appeared that the man's scars had double or tripled since Ainz last saw him, and he thought he knew where they came from.
The people in the plaza gathered around, forming a circle around them, and Ainz could only sigh. Of all the people he could meet here, he met the one that irritated him most.
"Oh, it's you. What do you want now?" Ainz asked, already ready to teleport away. Dealing with this… lady, of all people he had met so far, was certainly not on his to-do list. Hell, even that sexy assassin from the first day would make for a more enjoyable encounter.
"Isn't it obvious, you scum!? I'm here to make you pay! Now that my sword has returned to my hand, you shall pay!" she said, the beautiful crimson blade from the Selection manifesting in her hand once more.
'Ah, I must have accidentally cancelled that effect when I was doing something else. Still, how unlucky must I be to have her find me here?!' Ainz asked himself. To each action there must be an equal and opposite reaction, a wise man once said, and it seemed that principle still worked here; Ainz's luck having rebound straight back in the form of Priscilla.
"Now take off your mask, so that all may see just the kind of monster you are!" she commanded, pointing her glowing blade at him.
"No." Ainz simply answered.
"What?" Priscilla asked, her face the epitome of the word "confusion." For someone to go against her will!? The future king!? Just the prospect of it was simply outrageous.
"I said no." Ainz said, turning around and beginning to walk away from the crazy woman. Did she really expect him to just reveal that he was undead to an entire crowd because she asked? She didn't even do so politely! What kind of supposed royalty didn't even know basic manners…
"You dare defy me, you undead filth!? Come here so that I may take your head off!" she yelled once more, the vein above her brow appearing ready to burst.
"Princess, maybe we can do this another time?" said Al, leaning forward and whispering into the ear of the one he served. She was stubborn, but hopefully she wouldn't cause a scene here were the knight's thoughts.
And they turned out to be nothing more than distant dreams as she immediately hit his helmet with the pommel of her sword. "Shut up! You're supposed to hold him while I execute him, you fool!" she answered, kicking her servant in the shin.
Ainz, meanwhile, got to the edge of the crowd and teleported away to a different part of the city. During his time in this world, he had memorised quite a large chunk of the capital, simply for the sake of convenience.
And given that he told Crusch he had some abstract and nonexistent preparations to conduct, he decided to just roam the city for now. The fresh air and architecture appealed to him, and it was always better than having his leisure time be interrupted by a delivery of corpses from Roswaal.
It was, all in all, a beautiful city in Ainz's eyes, at least as long as he stayed out of the poverty stricken areas. Those were just miserable to look at, and it's not like Ainz could really do anything about the structural problems of the country. At least, not yet.
In an effort to relax, he wandered the city for a while, only to be interrupted once more. "Don't try to run away from me again, monster! As the rightful ruler, I demand you bow before me and die!" yelled the familiar and unwelcome voice.
At this point, Ainz got curious. In a city this large, where he instantly teleported to the opposite side of it, it was nothing short of remarkable for Priscilla to find him in less than fifteen minutes.
"How did you find me?" Ainz asked. His magic would have blocked something like that, although it wouldn't cause a violent and explosive reaction as it might have if he hadn't disabled his counter-divination magic in order to make sure Roswaal didn't accidentally kill himself with the mirror.
"Hmph! The very world bends to my will, and so I will find you no matter where you go!" answered Priscilla, pointing her blade at him once more.
'So she got lucky. Or I got unlucky. Could be both frankly.' Ainz thought to himself, 'And if that luck was magic that it probably wouldn't work against me. Well, only one thing to do.'
"If I can't get away from you, then I'll get you away from me. [Teleportation]." And with a single word, the candidate and her knight were gone.
"I best make myself scarce as well, in case she is lucky enough to find an ancient metia that can teleport her back." Ainz mumbled, teleporting to yet another part of town, where this time he would go unbothered…
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Wilhelm dusted off his clothes and took a sip of water, glancing at his most recent trainee. The silver half-elf certainly had potential. Her physical capabilities were surprising for someone of her stature, and her instincts were keen.
However, she evidently lacked any sort of formal training. She used no stances, had no technique in mind. One may have called it the style of a killer, meant simply for dispatching enemies. Still, his measured approach to combat would serve her well.
She learned quickly, picking up the basics he had shown her with ease. Eventually he wanted her to start incorporating magic into her style. Alas, that would come later. Nevertheless, it was pleasant to have someone to train.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the man who was behind this endeavour. He was taking off his mask and revealing his skeletal build. He was certainly… curious, one of a kind one might say.
Crusch had told him of the crushing victory the man going by Ainz Ooal Gown scored against Julius Juukulius. To win against the finest of knights was no easy feat, and the way the duchess had described it was almost like a myth.
But, as the skeletal being approached Wilhelm, he felt no fear. "Does she have potential?" Ainz asked, looking over at Emilia, who was currently being handed some water by Rem. The flaming eyes of the undead betrayed no emotions, but the Sword Demon felt no inherent malice from them either.
The creature that many would have called monstrous had a voice befitting a king, and Wilhelm answered, saying, "Certainly, but she should still focus on magic. If that blade works as you said, then mixing magic and bladework could work very well for her."
"I see. I've never had much knack for the blade. It's a shame, frankly; I always thought it was very impressive." Ainz said, struggling not to simply say that he had always wanted to swing greatswords around because he thought they were cool.
"Truly? In all honesty, Sir Gown, many magic casters are elitist about their craft. To hear this from you, after what I have heard of your magic, is surprising to say the least." said Wilhelm. Most magi thought of the sword as a sharp stick, and so to hear it from someone who supposedly outdid even the head of the Mathers line was refreshing.
Ainz chuckled and said, "I've met my match against a few swordsmen in my heyday. And please, Ainz is plenty." Mages may have had better area of effect abilities and typically higher burst damage, but if a warrior outlasted them, or was competent enough to close the gap, the game was over.
Despite his grotesque appearance, Wilhelm found the man to be a pleasant conversationalist and more down to earth than the majority of magi. "Perhaps you would like to train alongside your liege then?" he asked.
His offer was certainly genuine, but part of it also came from curiosity. Just how strong was Ainz physically? One the surface he appeared to be nothing more than a skeleton in extremely fancy robes, but those same bones also gave him the impression of being harder than steel.
The undead mage brought a hand to his chin for a brief moment, "Perhaps another time. And besides, I wouldn't want to take the attention of the best teacher available away from Emilia."
Both of them chuckled, but soon enough it came time for business once more. "Sir Gown, Emilia, I'd like to treat you to an early dinner." came the voice of Crusch.
"While I can't eat, it'd be my pleasure." answered Ainz.
Emilia stood up with the help of Rem, clearly tired due to her training session, and said, "I'd love to, if I may just make myself presentable."
Crusch nodded, "In that case, I shall see you an hour from now…"
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They all sat down at the table that had been set beforehand as the servants buzzed around them. Everyone, besides Ainz, had steaming bowls of broth in front of them. However, Crusch did have a fragrant cup of tea put in front of Ainz, a gesture he appreciated.
Thankfully, there would be no proper business done at the table. Instead, it would be left for the very end. Ainz had to admit, Crusch was a much more reasonable and pleasant person than some of her competitors, the image of a specific, buxom woman flashing through his mind.
The Duchess sat at the head of the table and said, "I apologise for the fact that Felix couldn't join us today."
Ainz waved his hand and said, "I understand completely. My appearance can be frightening to many, though I haven't seen any other undead in this world… It's rather curious, really. Back where I come from, undead lurked in every shadow, or it at least felt like it."
"Necromancy is not common, and I haven't heard of undead simply appearing. I've had the displeasure of encountering several of them, but they didn't prove to be too challenging." Crusch said. Contrary to the idea of nobles being soft bureaucrats, the duchess was quite a skilled swordswoman, having purged several undead from her domain.
"In that case I believe it's safe to presume you faced simple zombies and the like? If one were to turn a powerful corpse into an undead, or simply into a powerful species of undead, it would prove to be quite bothersome." Ainz answered, explaining the necromantic process.
"After seeing your display and that creature you summoned, I've no doubt about it. Though, if I may pry, how come you can summon undead without a corpse?" Crusch asked, leaning forward.
"Have you ever heard the saying 'a magician never reveals his secrets,' Lady Karsten? But I suppose this is no secret. A competent enough mage can use his mana to summon anything they know how to. Besides, I am not so barbaric as to use actual corpses."
"An ethical necromancer, never thought I'd see such a thing." quipped Wilhelm, earning himself a spot at the table by virtue of being not just a butler, but Emilia's trainer now as well.
Ainz chuckled, "Indeed, many of my kind tend to be flexible when it comes to morality. Alas, I won't use a corpse unless it belongs to an enemy of mine." he said, lying through the bare teeth of his skull. After all, why would anyone let a good corpse go to waste?
"I see. That must have taken you quite a while to master, especially given how powerful that undead was." said Crusch, recalling the performance of the Death Duelist.
"It took me a while, yes. Believe it or not, I've never really been talented when it comes to magic. What you saw during the duel was the result of a lot of practice." Ainz said, remembering the thousands of hours he pumped into YGGDRASIL.
"As hard as it is to believe that, I suppose I must." answered Crusch, "Still, those black flames were truly very impressive. It's almost as if I felt the heat from them even from the stand."
Ainz chuckled, saying, "That's only a pale imitation of what one of my friends could do. I may be a good mage, and know my way around quite a few elements, but I'm still far from being a proper pyromancer."
"The only few mages that I have heard of that can utilise several elements are from the Mathers lineage, and yet he said you are more powerful than him. Actually, if you allow me to ask, how did you come to work with him?" asked Crusch, carefully selecting her words so as to not imply the Overlord to be a mere pawn of the margrave.
"It was a chance encounter, if you can believe it. I met Lady Emilia during my visit to the capital, and from there I met Roswaal. One thing led to another, and I found myself to be her knight." Ainz said, omitting only a few details from his days in the mansion.
"Fate and its strange turns… It seems we are all bound by it in one way or another." said Crusch. Had someone told her a few years prior that she would sit at a table with Death, who in turn was supporting a candidate for the throne, she would have called them mad.
Ainz shrugged, saying, "Maybe to some extent, but I like to think that fate can be broken just as much as it can be followed. Besides, in a world like this, with demon beasts aplenty, who would willingly follow their fate into the jaws of death?"
At the mention of demon beasts, Wilhelm's face tensed up, "And have you encountered any demon beasts during your time here?" he asked.
"Yes, I've had the displeasure of having to deal with a pack of wolgarms, and something called a Guiltylowe. Frankly, compared to the wildlife of my home, they were disappointing." Ainz answered, remembering how none of them could even deal with a few wraiths. Unlike YGGDRASIL's high-level monsters, these didn't have attacks that hit astral forms.
"In that case, just what kind of creatures are you used to fighting? A Guiltylowe is quite a deadly creature, though there are still several specimens that prove themselves to be superior." said Crusch.
"Hmm… I dealt with a variety of creatures during my travels; there were magical serpents who could manifest spells not so far in power from my own, gigantic birds who felled targets with the efficiency of assassins, and so on. Some proved to be quite tough." Ainz recalled, remembering the days of hunting for crafting materials.
The devs really had quite the imagination. He still remembered how a massive eagle-like creature swooped down in one of the mountainous regions of the game and almost one shot a half-health Wish III. Oh the creative curses that were thrown at the omnipotent assholes of YGGDRASIL…
"Ooh, can you tell us a story?" chimed in Emilia, finally finding something in the discussion that intrigued her.
Ainz glanced from her to the others at the table. Rem looked at him with curiosity blazing in her visible eye, while Wilhelm and Crusch each raised an eyebrow out of curiosity.
"I agree with Emilia. Can you perhaps tell us of one of those hunts?" asked Crusch, her words tinged with interest. On one hand it'd give her some insight into her adversary, who seemed to always hold the upperhand, and on the other it would be a truly enrapturing tale.
Wilhelm made his own contribution to the discussion, saying, "I too am intrigued. And, if I may ask, were there any swordsmen amongst your friends? A world as dangerous as the one you described must have created some fantastic warriors."
Ainz in turn scoured his memories for an appropriate quest or fight, and it came to him all too quickly. "There were several; one of them was called Warrior Takemikazuchi. He was the second greatest melee fighter in our group, and I remember one hunt he sent us on."
"He always wanted to create the most powerful weapon in order to duel our strongest member. During his time, he killed Gods and took their weapons, slayed beasts of mythical proportions for their bones, and so on." Ainz said, remembering how many expeditions the ambitious warrior spearheaded.
"And yet they were never enough. But one time he caught wind of a massive serpent, one that could encircle the very world. Its name was Jörmungandr, and he just decided that its fang would make the perfect blade." Ainz continued.
The World Serpent Jörmungandr was, as the name suggested, a world enemy. This, however, was far from being enough to discourage Takemikazuchi. As risky as the fight was, the drops from the boss certainly were fantastic.
Its blood was an invaluable regent for alchemists, its scales made excellent armour, and its fangs could create divine tier weapons with ease. Naturally, this was before the devs decided that fun wasn't allowed and nerfed the drops to the ground.
Ainz shook his head, remembering how the nephilim had barged into the central room of the guild and pointed at a map he summoned in the room. To say the expedition was rushed would have been… not entirely untruthful. Still, Ainz Ooal Gown was nothing if not adventurous.
"Excuse me, Sir Ainz, but forgive me for saying this sounds unbelievable. A serpent that can wrap around the very world? Is this a bit of artistic flare?" asked Wilhelm.
"Hmm, I suppose it might be a bit hard to believe if you weren't there. But I do have something that might change your mind. For now, let me continue." Ainz answered, discreetly opening his inventory under the table.
"Now, for this hunt, we had to travel to the world of Midgard, where we had a… reputation. It's a story for another time, but know that just going there was dangerous." said the Overlord, recalling the sizable bounty that was on his head.
"And so, we asked ourselves just how hard it would be to find a serpent so large. To our terrible chagrin, we wandered the lands, the 41 of us. Our greatest assassins and trackers, utilising beasts and skills that could sunder the world, were still struggling to find it."
"So where was it? Did it perhaps burrow beneath the world?" asked Crusch, figuring that such a serpent could only hide beneath the mountain ranges of the world.
"You are not entirely incorrect, Lady Karsten. See, it turned out that the beast dwelled in the depths of the ocean. Naturally, battle under water, while inconvenient, was not impossible."
"We dove towards the abyssal depths, fighting off fish resembling dragons, with jagged teeth that threatened to rip us apart, monstrous squids with clawed tentacles… It was a whole ordeal to just get down there. But, in the end, we managed to find the creature."
"It slumbered, deep in the depths of the ocean, and… Perhaps it is better for you to see it for yourself." said Ainz, putting a curious box on the table. Out of it came a series of lights, and after just a few seconds, those at the table could see Ainz Ooal Gown in action.
Naturally, this battle gave away little of Ainz's own capabilities, but he was sure that it was enough of a spectacle to bewilder even the composed Duchess…
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In front of the group lay a serpent covered in pristine golden scales that reflected the small amount of magical light that reached it. It appeared to be slumbering, and Takemikazuchi immediately turned to Ulbert, "Do you want to open up with a [Grand Catastrophe]? A beast such as this deserves no other opening attack." he said.
The goat demon shook his head, "We need to kite it up for maximum effectiveness, since the water will lower its fire damage. Instead, why don't you start us off with your combo?"
In response, the Nephilim nodded, drawing his massive odachi and inching towards the slumbering behemoth. Everyone buffed up and took their positions, expertly devised by Punitto Moe.
When he was right next to eye of the majestic being, he began chanting, "[Acalantha: Fudo Kensaku, Kurikara Sword], [Kundali], [Trailokyavijayarāja], [Vajrayaksa], [Yamāntaka]."
And with that, the Bright King combo was unleashed. The massive blade that the nephilim samurai wielded flashed six times, eviscerating the eyeball of the creature before him.
A snake snapped at the larger serpent, and three legendary figures materialised out of the ether to answer the call of one of the greatest of their ilk, a lance, a sword, and a club all striking at Takemikazuchi's desired target.
It was a combo he could only use once, but it was worth it. He dodged backwards immediately after. The damage caused by him caused the World Serpent to awaken, and it thrashed its massive head around, shaking the very seabed it laid upon.
Takemikazuchi checked the creature's health, noticing that even his strongest combo only shaved off slightly more than 7%. But, judging by the overall health of the monster, even Ulbert wouldn't be able to do much better under the current conditions.
With coordination forged from countless previous battles, Ainz Ooal Gown sprung into action. Bukubukuchagama rushed forward, dual wielding her shields as magical buffs surrounded her body.
Naturally, Takemikazuchi himself wasn't far behind. He may have pumped everything he could into damage, but his lack of defence could be compensated for with magic; his friends were already applying buffs to him, though he was still at risk of dying only from a couple hits.
He sliced at the terrible being's golden scales, deftly avoiding a stray bite from it. Given that its head was easily the size of a mansion, it made the visual of the pink slime holding the creature back all the more ridiculous. But this was no time to laugh, as he deftly avoided a tail swipe from the creature.
"Fuck! We should have seen this coming! Garnet! It's brought its bloody tail around; tank it!" yelled Punitto Moe in between casting healing spells at the few members that the swipe had caught.
Suddenly the beast's head reared back, and vile spews of a tar-like substance escaped its mouth. Right as the venom was about to hit Takemikazuchi, a death knight walked in front of him, blocking the hit and disappearing soon after.
"Thank you, Guild Leader!" he called out, receiving no response from Momonga, who was undoubtedly busy micromanaging his various summons.
The beast attacked once more, its assault relentless. Its fins sent out magical blades of water, several of them catching the frontliners of the group. Yet, with a few spells from their comrades, they swiftly returned to their peak condition.
As epic as the fight looked, it was actually rather tame by YGGDRASIL standards, with a few bullshit attacks, but mostly being simple. But, as always, such thoughts brought misfortune.
"Is it just me, or is our DPS dropping significantly?" asked Ancient One, only to receive a curious answer from one of the main ranged combatants.
"Not mine, and I'm just still hitting its eyes." answered Peroroncino, standing as far from the battlefield as his skills allowed him. His aim was immaculate, but he had to be careful, as the thrashing of the beast and underwater environment made his job by no means easy.
"Well that might just be you, since it's not looking too good out here!" yelled Nishikienrai over the voice communications, his daggers effectively scratching the beast by now. The golden scales of the beast now seemed to be even tougher than Touch Me's bullshit defences!
Suddenly, as if a sprite of light appeared above him, Takemikazuchi was enlightened with a brilliant idea. "Buff me!" he yelled, and the healers, casters, and wildcards complied. The confidence in his voice and the bond they shared made them trust him.
The serpent reared back once more, opening its maw and hissing at the beings in front of it. This was, quite literally, the opening he needed. The serpent had only a few percent left, but no one besides Pero could hit the vulnerable eyes.
To end this in one fell swoop, Takemikazuchi charged into the great beasts gullet with a battlecry that shook the very ocean, "Rrraaaaaagh!" The spirits of warriors past looked on as the nephilim put his heart and soul into his final assault.
His katana reached the roof of the mouth of the World Serpent and split it right open, blood spraying as the final life force of the creature left it. It uttered one more bone chilling cry as the warrior, with one final strike, sliced its forked tongue off.
The mouth of the beast began to collapse, and the valiant nephilim took one more trophy from the filthy beast, ripping out one of its fangs as he escaped the clutches of its maw.
He lifted it high into the air in front of his comrades, "Twas a good fight!" he yelled, laughing heartily as his comrades cheered…
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The smug aura that radiated off of the Overlord was overwhelming as the mouths of everyone sitting at the table fell open. He looked upon each of them. Rem's reaction, as always, proved to be more than satisfactory, as she watched his friends battle the mythical beast with stars in her eyes.
Wilhelm, similarly, couldn't keep himself entirely composed. He watched, amazed, as the theatrical moves of the warrior sliced and diced the snake apart. His eyes were so wide Ainz was concerned they may fall out of their sockets, although he had to admit, that fight did make for quite the show.
Crusch seemed to be equally impressed, looking at the recording with the awe of a child viewing their favourite fairytale come to life. And in her head a realisation appeared, 'So this is what he meant… No wonder. The Black Serpent is nothing compared to this creature. If such a thing existed…' she thought, a chill going up her spine.
Lastly, he looked upon Emilia. The radiant smile on her face warmed his nonexistent heart and he would've smiled if he possessed the necessary bodily structures. Still, he spied her looking at Touch Me each time he appeared in the background, even if he certainly wasn't the main focus of the video.
'Well, at least she's having fun.' Ainz thought to himself as the recording played out. When it finally came to an end and Ainz returned it to his inventory, the audience let out the breaths they had unknowingly been holding in.
"That was…" began Wilhelm, only to trail off. Ainz's pride in his friends only swelled as the Sword Devil starred into empty space, entirely speechless.
"I agree…" added Crusch, looking seemingly into nothing. Their reactions, while not as bombastic, were more than satisfactory for the Overlord.
But his liege didn't disappoint; "That was so coooool!" yelled Emilia, her voice slightly too loud. Evidently everyone thought the same thing, her statement earning nods from around the table.
Ainz chuckled, "It certainly was quite an adventure. Still, that monster was nothing compared to what happened afterwards…" he said, his tone becoming ominous and filling everyone with dread.
"What happened?" asked Rem, gazing up at Ainz from her seat next to him.
Everyone looked upon him, to hear the climactic ending of the saga of the valiant warrior, but Ainz decided to indulge them in only a fragment of the knowledge of the accursed events that followed.
The Overlord shivered as the memory came to him, "That reckless manoeuvre earned him a fate more terrifying than any monster. That is to say, Punitto Moe gave him a sit down… The horror…" Ainz said.
All the living beings in the room gulped as one and collectively decided not to ask any further. Instead, the two unfamiliar with Ainz's past decided to change the topic.
"Ainz, did he forge the blade in the end? That fang would have made something fit to kill the Gods." Wilhelm said, the image of the triumphant warrior holding it burnt into his brain.
The undead mage shook his head, "Sadly no. Even for a craftsman and warrior like him, motivation was not infinite. Once his adversary left… It was an unfortunate turn of events." he said, his emotional stabiliser making sure he didn't become too melancholic.
"What a shame." muttered Wilhelm and Crusch in unison, sadness tinging their voices.
Crusch slowly stood up from the table, her legs trembling slightly, "That was quite the conclusion to the meal; thank you, Sir Ainz. How about we take a break and then recuperate for our negotiations?"
Ainz, Emilia, and Rem followed suit, also standing up. "Of course. Please call upon me when you are ready." the undead mage said, exiting the room soon after.
Once he was outside of earshot of the Duchess, who was probably desperately trying to recover from the battle she witnessed, he spoke to the two girls following him. "Alright. Emilia, I presume you can contact that knight you mentioned and go sleep at his place with Rem while I stay to negotiate?"
"But Ainz! I'm also capable of negotiating!" protested the silver half-elf.
"Yes, I'm sure you are, but I have a few things planned, and it's best you rest anyway. That training must have been exhausting." Ainz said, not yielding.
Seeing his determination, Emilia pouted and walked off to the courtyard. With one adversary gone, Ainz sighed and then looked at Rem. Her face was that of a perfect maid, polite and neutral. Now this was a battle Ainz knew he couldn't win.
She certainly wouldn't allow herself to be dismissed, but he tried anyway. "Rem, shouldn't you go with Emilia?" he asked, looking down at the short maid.
"My lord, it is imperative for a maid to accompany and serve you, lest it reflects badly on your reputation when I'm not there." she answered politely.
"But these may stretch long into the night, and you need to sleep." countered Ainz, but it turned out that he himself would be his own downfall.
"Master, didn't you once say that my kind don't need much sleep?" parried Rem, her verbal riposte being devastating.
Ainz, with a heavy pseudo-sigh, accepted the maid's diligence and took out a simple ring with a diamond embedded in it. "In that case at least take this. It's a [Ring of Sustenance], and it will allow you to operate without the need for air, food, drink, or sleep. But you are to give it back later; it's not an excuse for you to overwork yourself."
The girl nodded and accepted the trinket, putting it on.
"Alright, in that case I believe we have a Duchess to outwit." said Ainz, smoothing out his robe once more…
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Emilia exited the mansion and looked out upon the courtyard. She was about to lift her hand and use a [Message] spell to contact Niklas, but she abruptly stopped.
Stood there, next to the gate and the carriage Crusch had so graciously sent for them before, was yet another one. It was painted in beautiful shades of silver, with the accents done in purple. 'That's… weird.' Emilia thought to herself as she looked at it.
Out from behind it came a familiar figure, this time dressed in a colour scheme very similar to the carriage itself. His gaze found Emilia and he immediately called out, "Lady Emilia!"
She made her way over to him, and he bowed deeply. "Lady Emilia, it's a pleasure to see you once more." He reached out to grab her hand, but she deftly took a step back.
"I was about to contact you, but… what are you doing here?" she asked, "I just arrived here today."
"Ah, it's actually a funny coincidence. I was passing by the estate earlier today when I noticed you were training out in the courtyard. So I went ahead and figured you might need to stay at my place." he answered.
"I see…" Emilia said, scepticism filling her voice. It was by no means a convincing story but… coincidences happened, and besides, it only made her life easier.
Seeing her expression, Niklas desperately attempted to change the topic, pointing at the carriage and saying, "Anyway, what do you think of my carriage? I designed it after your divine beauty." he said, pride oozing from his tongue.
"I'm flattered, I think?" she answered, moving to get inside. He extended his hand in order to try and help her, but she ignored it. She had hoped to be nicer to the young man next time they met, and yet preferred to keep her distance still.
Niklas' expression twisted briefly, but he told the driver of their destination, that being his mansion, and went in himself. He tried to sit next to Emilia, which only prompted the Royal Candidate to move and sit opposite of him.
"If I can ask, why did you do this?" Emilia asked, looking at the interior, which resembled her most often worn dress way too closely, "We only met a few days ago."
"It's very simple actually; I did so that all may know with whom lays my support." he said, as if he was boasting.
A small frown appeared on Emilia's face in response. She appreciated the support, but this was a bit much. None of the other knights or houses did such overt displays of royalty; it was, in a word, excessive.
Seeing her reaction once more, Niklas reached out and tried to put his hand on her thigh, saying, "Oh come now. I'm only doing this for my liege."
Before he could touch her, however, she moved away once more, turning away from him and looking out of the window. Finally taking the hint, he too turned away and waited for the time to pass.
And soon enough, they arrived at their destination. His mansion really was close by, as the journey had only lasted 20 minutes or so. Wasting no time, the two exited the carriage.
The mansion in front of Emilia was also dominated by various purples and white, only making her cringe more. Niklas on the other hand went ahead of her and announced, "Welcome, my lady, to the mansion of House Silar!"
She entered and immediately noticed the many servants busying themselves. Contrary to Niklas' claim from before, she found no demihumans to be here. Perhaps it was yet another odd coincidence?
"Please go just down the hall. I'll bring you a favourite cocktail of mine in just a moment." the knight said, and she found the living room with ease. The layout of the mansion appeared to be rather simple, lacking the long and winding corridors that nobles oh so loved.
After sitting down, she analysed the decorations in the room in order to occupy herself. There were several portraits lining the wall, portraying men that held a striking resemblance to her current host.
Several blades, axes and other weapons hung from the walls as well; the martial lineage of the house was evidently a point of pride. None of the weapons were particularly impressive, but they occupied her attention for the moment.
Eventually, right as she began to run out of weapons to scrutinise, Niklas appeared from behind the corner, carrying two glasses. The drink inside was of a dark red colour, similar to wine.
He put one of them on the table in front of her and said, "This is a mix of wine and various juices, quite excellent if you ask me."
She reached for it, taking a sip. It turned out to be quite bitter, which must have been an effect of some of the fruits that were used. After a few drinks, she decided that it didn't really suit her palate, putting down the drink.
"Thank you, but it's a bit bitter for me." she said, wiping her face with a handkerchief. As far as she could recall, she always preferred sweet things, as childish as that was.
"I-I understand completely." said Niklas, quickly standing up and taking away the glasses. A servant walked next to Emilia while the master of the house cleaned up, odd as it was, and said, "Please follow me to your room, my lady."
Emilia stood up and did so, still thinking 'That was really bitter…'
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Niklas looked on as Emilia took the first sip, waiting eagerly for her reaction. But, instead of what he expected to happen, Emilia just grimaced slightly at the taste.
He couldn't believe his eyes! This wasn't meant to happen! And yet it did. What could have caused such a thing to happen?! He looked at the appearance of the divine beauty in front of him, and then he saw it.
One of her beautiful rings emitted a faint light. It must have been an ancient metia of some kind, but one thing was sure, it had some part in ruining his plan.
He quickly picked up the drinks and made his way back to his kitchen. There several servants greeted him. "Poison is off the table. She has some metia or something that protects her from it. Unless one of you was so stupid as to use some expired herb."
The servants shook their heads, and Niklas sighed, "You are all so useless! How am I supposed to help our Mistress manifest if you fools can't even poison her right!?"
"Now listen carefully. Once she is asleep, you will go in and bring her to me. Make yourself useful for once! Mistress Satella demands it!" he hissed, turning around and leaving the kitchen.
A profound sense of anger boiled within him, but so did anticipation for what he had planned…
(AN from Edgy: And another chapter done. What can I say? Review, I guess. Oh, I should probably add, Aterro and I have a now! Where you will get, starting from the next chapter, earlier access, and some other nifty bonuses depending on the tier. Obviously chapters won't be made only, so don't worry. Also, take a look at Konahrik3115's [A Theory On Godhood]! I've never seen someone juggle so many characters so well! Check him out! As always, more to come and I hope you've enjoyed the story so far!)
(AN from Aterro: New chapter, hope you like it, and I advise you to look forward to the next one. As Edgy already mentioned, we have a now, so if you want to, go check it out. Keep feeding us reviews and enjoying our work.)
Pa tr e on DOT com / EdgyTheWriter
Answering Reviews:
Chapter?: Here - Edgy
Is steel the best NW metal?: With the exception of a few metias or legendary blades, most of the weapons seem to be steel or an equivalent metal. - Edgy
NPCs or Nazarick or Supreme Beings?: No plans for it as of now. - Edgy
Will Ainz use Return By Death?: Maybe. Maybe not. - Edgy.