Chapter 3 – The Two Opportunists

Ainz POV

The moment my master and I neared the church, I instantly sensed something, it's faint but I can feel it, a holy aura but one tainted with a smidge of... Negativity, not only that but it's potent, it may have something to do with being near a church.

Nonetheless that aura is focused unto one specific point, though to understand better. Like a small iron ball, like in its description small but it's heavy for its size because of its density with iron.

I want to say that it's actually a servant I'm sensing, but if the information from the grail is correct, I can instictively sense if there's a servant nearby, unless it's an Assassin class servant, then I can immediately tell if I'm near one if... well... I'm near one hahaha...

And what I'm sensing is different, it's aura is potent enough to be a servant, but at the same time it's small enough to be not. Whoever it is, I'll find it out sooner, I immediately notified of my master with this discovery, 'Master, I suggest you keep your guard up.' of course my master didn't show any reaction outwardly, but she immediately asked 'Why Caster?"

'I sensed something unusual master.' I answered

'What is it?'

'A mix of a holy and negative aura, a disorienting matter.'

'Alright then Caster.' she answered

Of course all of this conversation was made by telepathy, we can't risk being heard, even if we're in a kinda neutral ground, that unusual aura made me cautious. Whoever has that aura, is someone that must be approached with caution, I might be paranoid, but this paranoia kept me from getting pk'ed too often even before Touch Me came for my rescue on that fateful night.

So as we opened the doors of the church, I focused on the source, and what I saw was an extremely exotic man, he has white hair, with brown skin, his eyes were amber, and has an average height. He smiles warmly at us or at my master more likely, but I know that the smile was a play, a trick to fool a common man.

"Welcome to the church young lady, what are you doing here?" he questioned my master

"I'm here to register as a participant of the War." she answered, walking nearer to the white haired priest, the doors of the church automatically closed with a resounding clap. Strange, but I won't focus on that matter.

"Ah, so you're a master, can you show me your command seals?" he asked, staring right into the eyes of my master, but he seemed to take a fleeting glance to where I'm at, it can't be that he can see me right...

"Here it is." my master showed her seals to the priest. He looked towards the seals and said while smiling.

"Well then, you are officially a participant." he said

"And clearly an ally of mine until we have defeated the master's of black"

"So you're the church mediator who is sent to help us." my master said, narrowing her eyes on the man, hmmm... It looks like she suspects him also.

But the man doesn't seem to notice, and just smiled, he opened his mouth saying "Yes, my name is Shirou Kotomine, you may call me Shirou."

"And what is your name young lady?" Shirou asked my master.

"My name is Jean Rum, and you may call me Jean." She answered, but she was still narrowing her eyes to him, looks like Shirou noticed, he gave her a sheepish smile and asked "Why do you show hostility to me Jean?"

"I don't trust you Shirou." my brunette master straightforwadly said.

"And why is that?" the Asian priest questioned.

"Call it a hunch, but I feel you'll stab me in the back once we killed the Masters of Black." she answered

"Besides I like working alone, if you don't mind." she continued

Seems true enough, with that mask she's wearing, I doubt she wants to risk someone finding out about it just for the sake of being close to people often and the fact she is clearly suspicious of Shirou.

It's unhealthy if I think about it but I won't judge, though I still don't get her character fully though I have the gist of it.

Oh looks like the priest wants to talk, "I won't, though it would be better if we're informing one another." he said.

"Yeah, it's fine, though I still won't work with you unless necessary." my bespectacled master said

"Like I said, I won't mind if you want to work alone." Shirou looks like he was contemplating something, that's not good.

"I've thought of something, would you like to hear it?" he asked

My master looks like she knows where this is going, well I do too but I don't want to, though my master's eyes seem to glint... Ugggghhhh I don't like this.

"Go on"

"So we can trust one another more, maybe we can show our servants to each other?" there it is in whatever setting I'm in, I really hate it to be put in the spotlight, but it looks like I can't avoid it, if my master's eyes of pride were to tell. "I'll go first then, don't be surprised though." this sly vixen, I can just hear the mischievous and proud tone she has.

"Go on Caster introduce yourself to them." 'You know master, if my legend didn't reach up until now, I would've fervently deny that order.' I spoke to her telepathically, 'Oohh, we're so gonna talk about this Caster.'

I then materialized myself, with blue and a little black motes of light exploded to announce my presence. "Servant Caster, my name is Ainz Ooal Gown the Sorcerer King of the Sorcerer Kingdom." My deep voice resounding through out the church, I noticed that the priest's face looked a little pale, hahaha.

It looked like he was gonna stutter, but it seems he got himself under control. "I'll gladly return the favor." Shirou said with a forced smile at the end.

"I am the Assassin of Red, my true name is Semiramis, nice to meet you." She smoothly said, though I can pretty much tell that she forced that one out. An Assassin class, hmmm so that's why I felt a bare presence beside the exotic man.

"Discern Enemy" I quietly casted at both of them, and surprise surprise, our mystery man has a level of 62, while Semiramis' level is 57-70. Weird, why can Semiramis' level reach to 70 hmmm... A mystery that I'll get the bottom off but first, looks like Shirou's a servant or equivalent to one at least... My master then suddenly spoke halting my thoughts. "So the first poison user is your servant, at least your servant is good."

"I truly am luck to have summon her." Shirou said calmly

"So is there something you like to inform us about, or can we go now?" my master questioned Shirou, clearly she wants to get out of the church.

"Ah yes, a new type of servant will be summoned for this War." he answered, a new type of servant, what type I suppose?

"And what type of servant will it be?" my master asked, "A Ruler class, summoned by the grail to govern the war." he answered, maybe this man is the Ruler servant, a twist that I don't like to experience.

"It makes sense, having a 7v7 battle royale differ from past wars, a mediator from the grail itselfis fair enough." my master said, yes truly it makes sense, without a neutral party, who knows what kind of actions that other masters would do.

"When will this servant be summoned?" she asked, why does she want to know though, if we want to make the Ruler an ally it'll be impossible to do so, unless the Master of Black somehow cheated.

"That I don't know."

"Then we'll get going Shirou."

"Take care, I suppose." Shirou said, as we stepped out of the church with my master closing the doors. "So where will we go master?" I asked, instantly switching to my spiritual body when we were near the town, "There's an inn that will accommodate us, we'll go there." she answered.

"If you say so master."

"Caster, have you noticed something odd about the priest?" She asked, I want this little detail all to myself since I'm not sure what to make of Shirou, but what the heck.

"That man may potentially be a servant master." I answered, she was seemingly surprised, but she schooled her expression soon enough.

"Is that so, but why?" it seems like her suspicions on the man was growing, understandably so, a man from the church is not only our ally, but he is also a potential servant.

"He may be the Ruler class servant of the War." I answered, not liking that possibility at all.

"It's too early to call him the Ruler servant, but it's possible." hmmm... She's right, it's too early to call Shirou that, but I can't think of something else... Hmmm... It's possible, "He may be a surviving servant from the previous War." I answered.

Looks like she understands, but skeptical "But as soon as the War ends, all servants would disappear, as there is nothing that will supply them mana." she said.

"Unless they have independent manifestation, or worse incarnated."

Haaaahhhh, my master sighed audibly, looks like she understands that this is troublesome. "It looks like the War became more complicated than it seems." she said tiredly, "Indeed" I answered, after that, only silence accompanied our journey. It wasn't long before we arrived at the inn, it has a humble and cozy feel to it, very rare these days I suppose.

We entered our room, she removed her shoes before jumping into bed. After that she instantly fell asleep, with the resounding snores accompanying said sleep. I looked around, then materialized myself on the corner of the room, sitting on my throne while I'm at it.

I placed my bony knuckles under my chin, thinking, planning. If I need to win this war I have to go all out, then I'll return to my world, to my family.

I looked towards the sleeping form of my master, I don't know why I feel attached to her, but I don't mind. Maybe after the war I'll ask if she wants to go with me, but first things first, I must win the war in order for me to do so. I won't lose this War, I will eliminate those who gets in my way, or my name isn't Ainz Ooal Gown, the former name of the most powerful PK guild in Yggdrasil.