Disclaimer: I do not own Overlord, all credits to Kugane Maruyama.
I would like to thank Awareness Bringer for his help as a Beta Reader.
RonaldM40196867: Just the name, 'Zuranon' is enough to stir fear, they would make a great scapegoat and stepping stone.
Awareness Bringer: Hopefully most will be none the wiser, otherwise it might be quite unfortunate for them.
denisegalante1009: Thank you!
Danthebossman: Thank you for your kind words.
ShotoToshiro: You're welcome!
Undeadlord22: A year and a half between chapters, man this project is probably as undead as Momon is at this point, but in all seriousness, thank you for sticking around.
Paradox009: Thank you, I appreciate it!
prabhjiv: Thank you!
Keano 2: Momon in this story is not actually using [Perfect Warrior], if you are referring the spell that he casts while in his Momon persona in the anime/LN. On the topic of using magic, I think the story would be a lot more restrictive if he cannot use it, since something as important as information gathering would be more difficult if not using his summons, and instead reliant solely on himself or entrusting those in the NW with it. Momon will have plenty of time to shine as a warrior, don't you worry, but thank you for your comment.
Powermax5998: Thank you, I'll make sure the wait won't be as long as last time.
SlowdownV2: Momonga, for the most part, has always been a logical and analytic person. It is one of the reasons why an undead nature suits him so well.
Onii-Chan 69: Your instincts on are point.
Sieg: Thank you!
ILikeGoodStories: It's good to be back. Thank you for sticking around all this time!
sebasthebutler: Thank you, I'm glad you've enjoyed it thus far!
Beida: Thank you!
WarlockofVainglory: In lore it is stated that the Black Scripture worship Surshana, the god of death, and Rufus seems to be an undead who was once in the service of said god. Perhaps there is more to the prophecy that was foretold.
jenraloka: Writing is a hobby of mine, and I try to get some writing done whenever I am able to. I do plan on finishing the story, though I am unsure how long that may take.
Ashen Author: Momonga is sure to experience the NW with a interesting perspective without Nazarick present.
RANGER1863: My hope is bring to show how capable and reasonable Momon actually is especially when it's just him and his wits to help him navigate the NW. Thank you for your praise.
E: Your wish is granted. Enjoy!
Guest: Thank you for your kindness, my upload schedule leaves much to be desired for sure.
Dialogue Tags:
[Spell/Martial Art]
'Inner thoughts'
{Message}
Dawn was fast approaching, with the sun beginning to peak over the horizon, it showered the world in a faint orange glow. The massive walls of E-Rantel were no exception, as this was one of the few occasions when the pale white walls were splashed with colour.
A sentry stationed atop of E-Rantel's outer western gate leaned over the side to take in the view. The sunrise meant the changing of the guard was soon to take place, but he knew to stay vigilant, as early mornings meant that the beasts who hunt during the day would begin to stir. There was a medium-sized forest in the distance, and it was not uncommon for some beasts to roam onto the plains. He had heard rumours that a bandit group was operating out of that forest and the caves just beyond, but he paid no attention to such rumours.
His station atop the western gate was notable, as the cemetery that was located within the outer district was nearby. While the massive city walls were a staggering twenty meters in height, the walls that enclose the cemetery were only four meters in height.
If there was an emergency in the cemetery, he wouldn't be called to assist, as his objective was to maintain security of the outermost walls. This meant the western wall was not the ideal place to be in the event of an outside invasion, as you could be caught in a pincer movement between outside forces and the undead, should the undead breach the walls surrounding their resting place.
Each guard stationed atop the outermost wall knew this, but did not feel threatened by the fact, because the undead have never once breached the cemetery walls, and their numbers that have attempted to do so in the past were relatively low.
A sentry scanning the horizon noticed a small dust cloud in the distance. While initially quite small, it was growing rapidly. The large amount of dirt being kicked up meant a large party was moving towards E-Rantel. This is in itself was not a cause for concern, as merchants frequently moved together in large caravans to ensure their safety.
As per protocol, the sentry kept a close eye on the group, hoping to discern any useful information in identifying the approaching party, despite the kicked up dust, he was still able to make out a few vague shapes, and among them, what caught his attention the most were the tall humanoid figures that couldn't possibly belong to any human.
Humanoid figures that large could only mean one of two things; Ogres, or Trolls. Either meant that the far more numerous Goblins were likely to accompany them. There was also a possibility that even more powerful demi-humans could also be within that party. Confident with his observations, the sentry wasted no additional time in alerting his companions.
"Raise the alarm! A large party of demi-humans is approaching the western gate!"
Another sentry, situated within the gate, heard his cries and ran towards a large bell to ring it three times. As the bell chimed out, life began to stir in the barracks located just beside the gate as the sleeping garrison began to awake. A single rider was dispatched towards the second district to alert the garrison there and to inform the Adventurer's guild, as this incursion involved demi-humans, in which adventurers were more skilled in dealing with.
The sentry did his best to keep calm, because if his eyesight was to be accurate, the appearance of Trolls and Ogres was quite alarming. Trolls were smaller than Ogres, but were foes that even a party of gold-ranked adventurers would struggle against. The garrison would have no chance in defeating it, and they could only attempt to ward it off from the safety of the walls. He gripped his spear tightly as he prayed for reinforcements from the Adventurer's Guild to arrive soon.
...
Business throughout the previous night was booming for a small tavern located in the western residential district of E-Rantel. Though most of the patrons had already left, there were still a few who dropped in for a drink before their work day started.
A large, burly man smiles warmly as he polished tankards. It was quite easy for him to fall into the soothing mechanical rhythms of his work, especially after a night filled with rowdy customers.
The doors of his tavern swings open, and he eagerly looks up to greets the newcomer.
"Welcome, please take a seat wherever you like."
The smile on his face quickly disappears as he sees a cloaked figure walking in without a sound. The figure was doubtfully of a woman, judging by the voluptuous body that laid hidden underneath the cloak.
Most of his regular patrons were working class men, usually a bit rowdy, but deep down they were good men. They lived hard lives, but still went about their lives with vigor that most would not expect.
The cloaked woman first started appearing a few nights back, and she was one of the few female patrons that would regularly visit, but she was not any normal day labourer. That, the tavern owner knew for sure.
The tavern owner was a large man, and was accustomed to drunken violence. Owning a tavern meant having to break up a lot of fights.
Because of that, be was keenly aware of the aura that the cloak figure was exuding. There was an air of subdued menace hidden underneath that he, along with all the other patrons, could keenly sense.
All the men turned their heads away from the newcomer and quietly sipped their drinks. Despite being objectively attractive, none had the courage to stare at her form.
These were all men who were accustomed to physical labour. Because of that, they were able to vaguely tell when someone was their superior, and this cloaked woman was one who would even bring the most drunken men quickly back to their senses.
The cloaked woman nimbly approaches the counter and sits down silently without hesitation.
She orders a drink and despite the cloak concealing her face, the tavern owner could still see glimpses of a savage grin hidden beneath.
He grunts in an attempt to hide his nervousness as he pours a mug full of her requested beverage.
As he sets it down on the counter, he is made aware of a new patron who had just walked in.
He scowled as soon as he recognized the one other patron he did not look forward to seeing.
The man who just walked in was a scrawny looking man who wore red, fancy clothing that did not suit him. Despite looking clean, he kept scratching himself uncomfortably, like something was itching him constantly. He looked more like a weasel than a man, and he carried himself like one.
He looked around nervously as he entered, and his eyes didn't dare meet with the ones of the working men drinking quietly. His eyes finally rest upon the cloaked woman and he began to walk closer as if he spotted something of interest.
Though when he got closer he averted his eyes as he also keenly felt the menace that seemed to be dripping off of the cloaked woman.
He too also orders a drink and as he sips on it, he seemed to be sneaking glances at the cloaked woman seated next to him. Though, he quickly shrinks away as the cloaked woman returned his gaze.
"Oyaa~ You like what you see?"
She says in a smooth voice that was oozing with false kindness.
The scrawny man, despite shaking with fear, nods his head vigorously even as he sees the savage grin peaking just beneath her hood.
Even the tavern owner, who had seen his fair share of fights, felt goosebumps breaking out on his skin. Most of his patrons at this point quietly left the tavern, as they could all feel the air slowly beginning to freeze.
The tavern owner prayed that there would be no trouble, as the cloaked woman puts a finger to her chin.
"Hmm~ You're a little scrawny, but I think you'll be fine," she says while lifting the finger and resting it on his terrified cheek. "Come with me, I have something to ask you~"
Her fingers turn into a vice-like grip on his cheek as the scrawny man is yanked out of his chair. He was not able to put up any resistance as he was soon pulled out of the tavern by the cheek, like a mother would scold their child.
A few coins sat on the counter where the two patrons previously sat. At that, the tavern owner sighs in relief as his prayers were answered. Though he hoped that they would not return anytime soon.
...
His cheek was burning from the pain, and tears began to well up in his eyes.
Even so, Zach counted himself lucky. A beautiful woman was currently forcibly laying her hands on him.
Usually it was the other way around, but right now he was counting his blessings.
"I see it in your eyes, you are prey who sees himself as a predator. I wonder how many you've come across."
Zach sweats in response to words of the woman who was forcibly dragging him away.
"Wh-what do you mean?"
"Oya~ Don't think you can lie to me. Your desires are written all over your face. You are a part of something that you shouldn't be. I want you to tell me everything you know or else you're in for a baaaad time~"
Zach began to struggle. He could not allow this woman to have her way any longer. He did not look down on her because she was a woman, for he knew very well that there existed strong women. The Kingdom's Adamantite team, Blue Roses, was a testament to that fact.
Ultimately, his resistance was futile, as he had never felt such a strong grip in his life, and her fingers which had dug themselves in his cheek started to draw blood.
"Pl-please let me go, I'll tell you anything you want, pay you anything you want!"
Zach felt his blood run cold as he knew his plea fell on deaf ears. The woman turned her head and began to flash an even more wicked smile than before. A stiletto appeared in her free hand as she did so.
"Oh, you'll definitely be doing some talking~"
Zach did not even have a chance to comprehend those words before the stiletto was stabbed right into his shoulder.
He howled in pain. He had escaped his life as a peasant to avoid pain, and to dish it out to others less fortunate than him. Never did he expect to be on the receiving end of a blade.
Strangely enough, the pain started to disappear, and his thoughts turned cloudy. He felt like he could trust this woman with anything he knew.
"I hope you didn't mind my little prank, I hope you'll still want to talk~"
"No problem, what do you want to know?"
...
The journey between E-Rantel and Carne Village was not a long nor difficult one. Out of the Northern gate of E-Rantel laid two paths, one which headed north, before heading east as the road bordered the Great Forest of Tob. The second path first headed east, before turning north towards the small village. On foot, most travellers would be able to complete the journey within two days.
The main reason why the caravan had wrapped around and was approaching the western gate was due to a request made by Gazef himself, to regroup with some surviving villagers that were left to the care of some of his men stationed within the destroyed villages.
Despite the detour, along with the added luggage and people, the caravan still moved smoothly. This was mostly due to Momon's generous use of healing magic, alleviating the fatigue of the horses who were tasked with moving the many carriages carrying those too young or old to walk.
Such a journey should have taken three or more days, and left the party completely exhausted. Instead, it had taken a little over a day, and left the party winded, but still able to move at a brisk pace.
The humans of the caravan felt their spirits lifted as E-Rantel's enormous walls began to appear in the distance. The demi-humans were a little less thrilled, but kept their calm as they trusted the words of their lord. They had faith that no harm would befall them under his protection.
As the group drew closer to the massive gate, Gazef called out to his vice-captain to join himself and Momon.
"Momon-dono, I believe it would be best if the two of us rode ahead of the others, it would be best for us to announce our intentions and to not come across as a hostile raiding party. I will have my Vice Captain take charge of the caravan in the meantime. Do you have any objections?"
"I have no objections, let us ride forth, Gazef-dono. I understand that our party may be a cause for alarm."
The vice-captain waved as the pair began to pick up speed and soar ahead of the party.
Despite going at the fastest speed possible, it had taken over ten minutes for the pair to stop just outside the massive gates. As Gazef looks up, he notices there were many more sentries present than what would normally be found at this time of day.
"Halt! Who goes there?"
A voice could be heard coming from the top of the gate house.
Gazef remains on his horse as he replies, "I am Gazef Stronoff, the Warrior-Captain of the Re-Eztize Kingdom. Open the gate and show me to your commanding officer!"
The sentries a top of the wall looked at each other, but they saw no reason to doubt the words of someone proclaiming to be the Warrior-Captain. It was public news that he was in E-Rantel a few days prior. A sentry descended into the gatehouse as the others stayed as they were.
It was not long before the gates slowly began opening themselves up. On most days, the gates would have already been open around this time, but due to the raised alarm, the gates were kept shut.
Gazef and Momon rode forward as they were the subject of stares by what seemed to be the entire garrison on duty.
Gazef stopped his horse and hopped off of it as he caught sight of the commanding officer for the gate. The officer seemed to be an older man, with tanned skin and greying hair. His face marked with various scars, but his eyes remained keen and ready for battle.
The officer saluted as Gazef approached.
"Stronoff-sama! I am Simon Brigar, the commanding officer of the Western gate. I heard from my men that you wished to speak with me?"
"At ease, soldier. I am here with my companion, Momon, who saved my life and lives of my men. We're here to announce the arrival of my warrior band and the surviving villagers we found."
Gazef sweeps his arm towards Momon and the officer takes a good long look at the imposing figure of the dark warrior. Momon was easily the tallest man he had ever seen, with his broad build completely encased in plate armour, he was a literal mountain of steel. The hilts of two great swords could be seen behind his shoulders, which gave the impression that he was ready to pull them out at a moment's notice. Seemingly satisfied with what he's seen, Simon raises an important question.
"Stronoff-sama, my sentries report that there seemed to be demi-humans travelling with you, is this true?"
Gazef nods in confirmation.
"Yes, travelling with us is a band of demi-humans, they are under the leadership of Momon. They are seeking our aid in their plight against a herd of basilisks."
The news brought on by Gazef caused a wave of commotion amongst the surrounding soldiers. Despite the fact that cold sweat was breaking out on their faces, that did little to hinder their gossip.
"Silence!" Simon quickly turned his head to stop his men from gossiping amongst themselves like schoolchildren.
"My apologies, Stronoff-sama, but is what you say true? Then what of your party? We cannot possibly let demi-humans into the city. Even if news of the Basilisks is to be believed, what can we do about it?"
Gazef made a difficult face as he looked towards Momon, seeing the cue, Momon finally decided to speak.
"I understand not allowing the demi-humans into the residential area, but is it possible for them to stay in the outer district? I can give you my word that they will not bring you any harm nor trouble. As for the basilisk herd, we will confide first with the adventurer's guild."
Momon's firm voice gave the impression that he had nothing to hide, but of course, you cannot take a stranger's word completely.
"I mean no disrespect, warrior, but I do not have the power to make those decisions. I'm afraid you will have to speak to the mayor about the request to allow the demi-humans shelter. If it will be any help, you can have them within the walls, and you will have my full recommendations towards your request. As for the adventurer's guild, we in the garrison have no say in their affairs. I apologize, as that is all I can do for you now."
Simon began to lower his head, but both Gazef and Momon quickly stopped him.
"Raise your head. I understand my request is a difficult one to grant. I greatly appreciate your understanding."
Momon calmly thanks the officer for his help as Gazef begins to speak.
"Why is the entire garrison on alert, is it related to the approaching party?"
Simon's face dawn in realization of what Gazef was asking.
"Yes, the demi-human presence meant we also sent a messenger to inform the Mayor and Adventurer's guild. We should be expecting them soon."
No sooner did he finish his sentence that, right on cue, more than a dozen adventurers arrived on horseback.
Behind this initial group were the rest of the adventurers, who were all on foot.
It was a group of fifty odd, all equipped with a myriad of equipment, there seemed to be warriors, mages, rangers, and thieves among their number. Though they all differed in appearance, the one thing they all had in common was a small metal plate that hung around their necks. The ones on horseback all had mithril plates, whereas those on foot had plates of platinum, gold, silver, or iron.
Three of the men on horseback descended and began to walk towards Simon.
As they walked, the surrounding soldiers muttered with disbelief at their presence.
"Are those three the leaders of the mithril teams within E-Rantel?"
"Yeah, it is them. The fact that they're all together can't be a good sign, right?"
A stout man with blond hair stops a few feet away from Simon. He slightly bows his head in respect.
"You must be the commanding officer. My name is Moknach, leader of the mithril-ranked team, Rainbow. I am joined by Belloete and Igvarge, leaders of the mithril-ranked teams of Sky Wolf and Kralga, respectively. We, along with ten other parties of various ranks, were all dispatched by the guild master to assist you in defending the gate from a demi-human invasion."
Momon eyed all the newcomers with intrigue. It was not often he was given a chance to gauge people's strengths, but now was a perfect opportunity to do so. The mythril-plated adventurers all looked to be seasoned veterans, while the platinum and gold-plated ones were not too far behind. The silver and iron plates, while still looking inexperienced, were quite a bit stronger than the rank and file soldiers of the garrison that were stationed at the gate.
Simon returns a salute as he introduces himself.
"I am Simon Brigar, the commanding officer of the western gate." He motions his arm towards the figures of Gazef and Momon, which all eyes followed. "I have with me the Warrior-Captain, Gazef Stronoff, and his guest, the warrior Momon."
While the soldiers were a little more disciplined in their whispers, the adventurers were not so quiet in their mutters.
"Whoa, that is the Warrior-Captain? I thought he'd be taller from all those stories."
"No kidding, I thought that massive dark warrior was him. He gives me goosebumps just looking at those great swords on his back."
Moknach quickly shuts up the adventurers interrupting the conversation, at which Momon couldn't help but smile bitterly at how similarly the soldiers and these adventurers had reacted.
'I suppose that would be a normal reaction in this world, as aside from gossip and the odd poster, it would be difficult to know exactly how one would look like, even if they were a famous figure.'
"My apologies, we adventurers aren't exactly well-trained in manners."
"No need, we aren't standing within a noble's court now, are we? We in the garrison are similar to you adventurers. Moving on, Stronoff-sama here and his guest informed me of some shocking information which needs to be relayed to the Mayor and the Guildmaster as soon as possible."
Gazef began a lengthy explanation of all that had happened thus far, starting with the supposed attack on the various frontier villages. In order to not make it an international incident, the involvement of the Sunlight Scripture wasn't mentioned to the adventurers or the rank and file soldiers. It was simply an attack by bandits masquerading as knights from the Empire. What truly happened would be only for the ears of the mayor and the king himself.
Those who heard that bandits were the ones to attack were a little skeptical, but had no reason to distrust information presented by the Warrior-Captain himself.
'A boon granted only to the strong and famous.' Such was an idle thought by Momon as he listened to Gazef's explanation.
Once Gazef mentioned how two kings of the forest had arrived at Carne Village, all eyes began to turn towards Momon, who was mentioned to have their loyalty.
Their intense gazes filled with awe or doubt would have likely caused him to feel uncomfortable, at least in the past. But in his current condition he felt as calm as ever, even as countless eyes were watching his every move, all the while trying to assess his strength or capabilities.
One gaze was openly hostile, and it was not well hidden at all. The leader of one mithril-ranked team had a scowl etched onto his face as he glared at Momon.
The reason for the mass exodus of the forest was what truly made everyone go pale as they felt a sense of dread. If hearing that demi-humans would submit to a human, let alone rulers of the forest, was outlandish, the news of what drove them to do so was even more so.
"Basilisks? A herd of them? I can't believe it!"
"If they're coming this way, they must be following the scent of the fleeing refugees!"
The adventurers and the garrison quickly began talking amongst themselves again, but it couldn't be helped if such events, which have never happened before, were to occur during their lifetimes.
Amid the flurry of fevered discussion, one man, more scornful than he was worried, raised a question.
"Warrior Captain-sama, we are adventurers. While we enjoy and take part in gossip and rumours, it is because our lives may hang in the balance if we do not have enough information. As a soldier yourself, shouldn't you be telling less outlandish tales?"
Gazef, for his part, was not too offended by the adventurer's words. He was well aware of how outrageous the information he had put out there, but the other members of the garrison, especially Simon, weren't as forgiving.
"Watch your tongue, adventurer! Disrespect to the Warrior-Captain can be taken as disrespect to the king himself!"
Even Momon chimed in, not wasting the chance to chastise the unruly adventurer.
"If you were really an adventurer, as you say, wouldn't you try to figure out the validity of the claims before just denying their truthfulness right from the start?"
The enraged adventurer quickly swung his head as he heard Momon's rebuttal, and began to walk up towards the hulking warrior.
The air was thick with tension as he approached, with everyone present eying the scene with anticipation. They were all men who made a living based off of their strength, and they would not allow such spectacle to go to waste. Of course, Momon was not phased at all, and was in fact amused at Igvarge's childish antics.
Igvarge stopped before Momon and attempted to stare him down. Though, it was not an effective tactic when Momon was well over a head taller than he. Upon realizing how foolishly he had acted, he decided to doubled down, as he pointed a finger towards Momon.
"What he said about you subduing two rulers of the forest was most absurd of all. How can you, whom no-one has ever heard of, possibly do such a feat when even he cannot?"
All pretenses of titles were thrown out the window when he referred to Gazef as simply, "he". In his anger, he had completely forgotten his place.
For the time being, Momon and Gazef were not bothered in the slightest, but the other leaders of the mithril-ranked parties could not possibly allow this to escalate further, as the garrison members were beginning to grow more discontent at Gazef's mistreatment.
"Igvarge! Settle down! The guild master made me the leader of this expedition, and while I avoid ordering you around, you must at least be courteous to the Warrior-Captain!"
"Moknach's right. You need to cool it, Igvarge. Or else you'll get us all into the trouble."
Igvarge still had plenty of anger to spare, and he wasted no time in turning on his fellow adventurers.
"Shut it, Moknach. You aren't going to be ordering me around. And you, Belloete, like the rat you are, just following along with his words."
It was clearly seen, that all the adventurers present had a disgusted look on their face as they looked at the way Igvarge was conducting himself. Even his other party members were embarrassed at the scene.
It would seem that this would continue on for much longer, had it not been for a sentry shouting at the top of their lungs.
"Sir! A large party of humans and demi-humans is approaching the gate now!"
Simon looked towards Gazef who confirms the incoming party were with him.
"It is fine, raise the gates!"
Simon bellowed out, and all eyes which had previously been on Igvarge quickly shifted towards the gate as it began to rise and open a path for those outside.
The first to appear was a human soldier riding atop horse who was flanked by powerful looking creatures. On his left was a large, silver furred beast who cared little for its surroundings, while on his right, was a wise looking Naga who eyed its surroundings with caution.
Behind the initial three were an assortment of beings walking side by side. Nagas, Goblins, Ogres, Human villagers, Re-eztize soldiers and even a troll could all be seen accompanying the many wagons drawn by weary horses. It was a surreal sight to behold for the garrison and especially for the adventurers present, who for most of their lives, had been fighting against demi-humans.
The various soldiers and adventurers instantly tensed up, and many reached for their weapons, especially after being bathed in the gaze of the older looking Naga. Even Igvarge who had been swallowed by rage earlier cooled off in an instant as his instincts were screaming at him to address the threat that had just appeared in front of him.
Momon and Gazef were the only ones who were unfazed by the appearance of the two creatures, and that made the surrounding men respect them all the more, much to the chagrin of Igvarge.
The leading soldier riding atop the horse hops off of it and salutes Gazef, who returns the action.
"We've arrived, Captain. No issues of note."
The Vice Captain gives his report, in which Gazef responds as he motions his arm towards Simon and the gathered adventurers.
"Good to see you again, Vice Captain. This is the commanding officer of the gate, and these are adventurers dispatched by the adventurer's guild, in response to spotting our party."
The Vice Captain smiled bitterly, as he could see how such a large party moving around at dawn could be seen as an attacking force.
The older naga and the silver furred beast walked towards Momon and prostrated themselves at his feet. Following the pair, the rest of the demi-humans quickly did the same, signifying Momon's complete dominance over them. Even the unruly troll from before had swiftly learned his lesson and was now kowtowing his forehead as deep as he could into the ground.
This sight drew the shocked cries of all present, as they could not believe such powerful looking creatures could recognize a human as their superior. Igvarge was especially disturbed at the sight, but his anger remained steadfast, unreasonably so.
"Whoa, that silver furred beast has such intelligent looking eyes. Is that truly the rumoured 'Wise King of the Forest?'"
"Who knows? That naga there made my blood run cold when he looked at me. It looked like he would have devoured me in an instant if I turned my back to him."
The adventurers, who were much more accustomed to seeing demi-humans than the garrison, started singing their praises while in awe of the presence of the two rulers.
Momon listened to the praise with a hidden smile as he motions for the demi-humans to rise in a grandeur fashion before turning his attention back to Igvarge.
"Now then, do you wish to continue our conversation from before?"
Even though Momon's face was obscured by the visor on his helmet, Igvarge could still clearly feel the predatory gaze seeping through it. He quickly lost his nerve, but spat on the ground to cover it up as he began to walk back towards his party, who at this point, wanted little to do with him.
Moknach quickly stepped forward as Igvarge disappeared into the crowd of adventurers.
"My deepest apologies, Igvarge is not known for his temperament, but such disrespect can hardly be forgiven."
Gazef gave his assurances to the stoutly adventurer before turning his attention to Simon.
"I must rush to give my report to the mayor as soon as possible, I will leave my Vice Captain in command of my warrior band, contact him should the need arise."
"Of course, Stronoff-sama, I can send the villagers into the residential district, but as I had spoken of before, we cannot allow the demi-humans in. The prisoners will be sent to E-Rantel's prison for now."
Simon fearfully looked towards Momon as he finished his sentence, and was relieved when Momon nodded his head magnanimously.
The Village Chief of Carne Village spoke for the first time since arriving into the city.
"My lords, if I may speak, we will happily stay out here in the military district. I feel that we will be safer being close to our travelling companions, and it would be best not to trouble the residents of this city."
Simon responded positively to the village chief's request, though in truth he also wanted the villagers to help keep an eye on the demi-humans.
Satisfied with this, Gazef hopped once more onto his horse and began the trip to the heart of E-Rantel.
Seeing as Gazef had just left, Moknach turns to face Momon, and he made a difficult face, as if he had trouble explaining his thoughts. In response, Momon took the opportunity to speak first.
"Moknach-san, you seem troubled. If it has to do with the demi-humans under my command, you need not worry."
Moknach shook his head.
"What concerns me is the fact that all magical beasts in the city must be registered to someone. It's to ensure someone is responsible should anything happen, not that I doubt you, of course, but I'm afraid I will have to ask you to accompany me back to the Adventurer's Guild."
"Of course, I have no problem with that, just allow me to pass command over to the Vice Captain."
Momon says as he turns his attention to the Vice Captain, Ryraryus and Hamsuke, who had, at this point, had become quite familiar with each other.
"Ryraryus and Hamsuke, I want you two to cooperate as much as possible with the Vice Captain. I apologize for troubling you, but I will leave them in your most capable hands, Vice Captain."
"I will do my utmost to meet your expectations, Momon-dono. You will have my word."
The Vice Captain gave his word, before being followed up by Ryraryus and Hamsuke.
"Have no worries, my lord. We will be on our best behaviour."
"This one will not act out of line, Mi'lord!"
Seeing Hamsuke's earnest response, Momon couldn't help but pat Hamsuke on her head. He enjoyed the sensation of her soft fur through his gauntlet, which Hamsuke responded positively in return, by pushing her head into the palm of his gauntlet.
"It tickles, Mi'lord! But it is such a cool, relaxing sensation…"
Momon quickly pulled his hand back, much to Hamsuke's dismay, and he cleared his throat.
"My apologies Hamsuke, I couldn't quite help myself due to your cute appearance."
"No need to apologize, Mi'lord! This one actually quite enjoyed the experience, and mine head awaits a petting anytime."
Hamsuke's black beady eyes seem to shine as she found a task only she could accomplish, but thewhole exchange left the adventurers particularly in shock.
"Momon-san, you find this magical beast's appearance charming? Especially those powerful looking eyes? Unbelievable, I expect nothing less from a warrior of your calibre."
Moknach seemed to have the wrong impression, but Momon figured that it was not worth correcting him. Instead, Momon brought out a small statue of a horse from under his cloak and activated its power.
Much to the awe of the surrounding adventurers, he quickly hopped onto the golem horse that was summoned. By all accounts, the golem summoned was indistinguishable from a real horse.
"Now then, please lead the way, Moknach-san."
...
Gazef quickly inspects his equipment as he stops in front of the beautifully crafted door. While he regretted showing up in such a sorry state, compared to a few days earlier, he had little time or choice.
He knocks lightly, hoping his dusty gauntlets would not stain the door.
"Come in."
After confirming his permission to enter, Gazef slowly turns the knob and opens the door to see the mayor, Panasolei Gruze Day Rettenmaier, seated at his desk. The man wasn't very impressive to look at, but it was his cunning and intelligence that had granted him the opportunity to rule over the one of the most prosperous cities in all the Kingdom.
"Greetings, Mayor. I apologize for my unsightly appearance before you."
"Pay it no mind, Stronoff-dono, I know exactly how hard you've been working ever since you arrived to E-Rantel just a few days prior. Please, sit down and rest."
Panasolei pointed his flabby looking hand towards one of the expensive looking chairs placed before his desk, in which Gazef accepts graciously.
Gazef relaxes for a second in the comfortable chair before his face turns serious. Panasolei did not miss a beat as he anticipated what news Gazef had to bring to him so abruptly.
"Mayor, what I'm about to say, will only be told to you, the king, and only his most trusted advisors. For those directly involved, they have promised their silence, and I see no reason to doubt them."
The Mayor quickly nods his head as he knew what he was about to hear was of the upmost importance and secrecy.
"The attacks on the frontier villages, which I was tasked with investigating, were entirely orchestrated by the Slane Theocracy. Their knights would attack villages and leave some survivors to draw us out. We were then ambushed by the Sunlight Scripture, and the countless angels they had under their command."
Panasolei grew pale as he felt sweat dripping down his face.
"The Sunlight Scripture? A supposed task force from the Theocracy? Within our borders? I'm just glad you are safe, Stronoff-dono. It would be a great loss to us all if you were to fall in battle."
Gazef gave the mayor a warm smile. He knew the mayor was one of the few nobles that did not discriminate against commoners, and that factor was one that allowed him to rule E-Rantel so well. The mayor was genuinely concerned for Gazef's wellbeing.
"My men and I were outmatched and outnumbered. I fear we would have been wiped out had it not been for a passerby who intervened and saved us from certain death."
Panasolei seemed to understand that there was something more to this 'passerby', but would inquire more about him later. For now, he returned to the discussion at hand.
"The Theocracy's objective must have been you then, Stronoff-dono, and I fear to offend you, for I am no warrior, but isn't your current equipment quite lacking? Why were you not sent out with the nation's treasures?"
"No offence taken, Mayor. His majesty wanted me to take the treasures, but the nobles, led by Marquis Boullope, resisted by stating it was a waste to bring the treasures out to a patrol."
The warm smile on Gazef's face quickly disappeared as the one who led the Noble faction quickly came to mind.
"I apologize on behalf of their behaviour. I know that even some of my colleagues don't think too kindly of you, Stronoff-dono. The foolishness that exists within the royal court greatly pains me, for I think their treatment of commoners is absurd."
A wiry smile breaks out on Gazef's face.
"Thank you for your kind words. As for what I have said publicly about these disturbances, I placed all the blame onto bandits who had dressed themselves as knights from the Baharuth Empire. While that doesn't explain the presence of all the magic castors, that were captured, that should at least suffice for now."
Panasolei seemed to be in deep thought as he processed all that he heard.
"What do you plan to do with all the captives, Stronoff-dono?"
"The commanding officer of the Western gate has sent all the captives to E-Rantel's prison for now. When my men are fit for travel, I hope to transport them all to the Capital for trial, but that would be an arduous task at the moment."
"I see, for the time being, you will have my full support in keeping them imprisoned here in E-Rantel until you and your men are fit to travel. Rest assured, I will have the prisoners looked after and fit for trial till the day comes."
Gazef bows his head, for he thought that was the least he could do.
"Thank you, Mayor. I apologize for the trouble I will be causing you."
"Think nothing of it, Stronoff-dono. The fact stands that these fiends have killed our fellow countrymen. I will gladly assist you in bringing them to justice. Now, I received a report this morning from the Western gate, stating a possible demi-human invasion. In response, I had asked the Adventurer's Guild for their help. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you, Stronoff-dono?"
Gazef had a complicated look on his face as he contemplated how to explain the situation he found himself in.
...
Momon and the mithril-ranked adventurers accompanying him stopped in front of a grand three-story building. There was some text written above the doorway, which he couldn't read.
Two wooden signs were present beside the doorway, with one on each side. Etched onto them were the drawings of two crossed swords.
As the adventurers hopped off their horses, they were approached by teenagers wearing uniforms that bore the same crossed swords symbol as the ones on the wall. The youngsters took the reins of the horses from the adventurer's and led them to a stable that was located at the side of the building.
The teenage boy who approached Momon was dumbfounded when the horse Momon was riding atop disappeared into thin air as soon as Momon dismounted. The astonished look on his young face was enough for Momon to let out a chuckle in response.
"My horse has no need for maintenance, but thank you. Keep up the good work."
Momon's firm voice clearly had an effect on the young teen, as the teen was completely awe struck seeing Momon's appearance and demeanour.
Despite being outside, Momon could clearly hear the chaos and the shouting that was taking place just past the wooden doors before him.
The mithril-ranked adventurers led Momon into what appeared to be the main lobby. It was quite spacious, with a staircase that led to a second floor located on the right side, and nearby it was a board that had many papers stuck to it.
The lobby, that was in chaos just moments prior, turned to silence as they watched the mithril-ranked adventurers enter the room. As the people inside began to recognize who had returned, they began to break out into cheers.
"The mithril-ranked teams are back! They must have been successful!"
"As expected of the highest ranked teams of E-Rantel, that invasion force must've been nothing to them!"
In the face of all the cheers, all the mithril-ranked adventurers but one had an awkward look on their face, as they couldn't take credit for something they didn't do. Only Igvarge seemed to be bathing in the praise.
In all the excitement, a woman in uniform approached the group and bowed her head.
"Welcome back, please follow me to meet with the guildmaster in his office."
The receptionist quickly turned around, but she stopped in her tracks as soon as she saw an older man standing on the second floor.
"No need for the formalities, please go ahead with your report."
The cheering in the room quickly died down as the guildmaster made his presence known.
Momon studied the man descending the stairs with interest. The guildmaster looked to be a man in his 40s, dressed in cleaned and prim clothes. He had well-kept graying hair, a trimmed moustache and firm muscles that were the result of countless years in the field.
Though past his prime, the guildmaster looked to be someone who was still quite formidable, as he was most likely a retired highly-ranked adventurer.
"Guildmaster Ainzach, the incursion at the western gate was merely a misunderstanding. There were demi-humans involved, however they were merely travelling with Stronoff-sama and the surviving villagers of the frontier villages. The demi-humans present are all subordinates of the man before me."
Moknach spoke as he indicated his arm towards Momon. Like clockwork, everyone present turned their gazes to Momon.
It was almost a familiar at this point, how everyone would turn their gazes at Momon. Any lesser man might've been crushed under the pressure exuding off of all the attention, but to Momon it felt as if a light breeze.
The Guildmaster seemed to be deep in thought, but nodded while everyone else in the room was muttering to themselves.
"I see, then we will need to get to registering them to…"
The guildmaster stopped his sentence as he studied Momon. Taking the cue, Momon introduced himself.
"My name is Momon, and I will comply with whatever procedures you must undertake."
Momon inclines his head slightly as a sign of respect to the older guildmaster, and the gesture is seemingly a positive one as the guildmaster nods his head.
"Momon-kun, is it? I am Pluton Ainzach, the guildmaster of E-Rantel's Adventurer's Guild. We will proceed with the registration of all your… subordinates at a later date, because it seems like there is something else that Moknach-kun here wants to add."
Even as Ainzach was talking to Momon, he did not miss the anxious expression on Moknach's face. This level of observation impressed Momon, who decided to speak on behalf of the confused adventurer.
"Yes, guildmaster. There were certain circumstances that led the demi-humans to being under my care, but the main reason is that they were all driven from their homes in the Great Forest of Tob."
The mention of the Great Forest of Tob piqued Ainzach's interest.
"The Great Forest of Tob? We can certainly sort out the details later, but could you enlighten us as to who are under your command?"
"Certainly. Roughly one hundred twenty Goblins, mainly women and children, six Ogres, two dozen Nagas, one of whom is known as the Serpent of the West, a single Troll, and a silver-furred beast known as the 'Wise King of the Forest'."
The mutterings between adventures heard before exploded into full-blown conversations as people couldn't quite believe what they were hearing.
"No way, he has that 'Wise King' under his command? Is he a legendary tamer of sorts?"
"Who knows, but what kind of tamer would be equipped with those massive great swords?"
Even Ainzach couldn't seem to hide the surprise that was felt throughout the room.
"T-That is quite the line up there, Momon-kun, but you said they were driven out of their homes in the forest? What, or who, could possibly exile so many powerful beings?"
The surprise he felt slowly turned to suspicion, as it was hard to think of anything that could force those beings out of the forest, except for the man who claimed to be in charge of them.
Momon did not miss a beat, and quickly dispelled the suspicion that he was responsible.
"I only happened to come across the demi-humans as they fled into Carne Village. I subdued them with my power, fearing a skirmish that would injure the villagers. The goblins reported the sightings of a dozen Gigant Basilisks, and the destruction of their village deep within the forest was the catalyst for all the forest inhabitants to come together and flee."
The mood within the lobby quickly turned dark as Momon claimed that a dozen Gigant Basilisks were present in the Great Forest of Tob.
Ainzach spared no effort in calming down the adventurers in the room, who were almost in a state of panic, before turning his attention back to the dark warrior.
"Momon-kun, you mentioned a dozen Basilisks? Gigant Basilisks are solitary beasts, I have never heard of them cooperating with each other."
"I understand that you may doubt my words. If so, I encourage you to ask Gazef-dono and his men, or any resident of Carne Village."
Ainzach seemed intrigued that this man before him could casually refer to the Warrior-Captain of Re-Eztize by his name. It seemed all the adventurers, except for the mithril-ranked parties, who had already seen it happen, thought the same.
As the guildmaster decided what to do with all this information, the entrance to the guild was opened and three very notable people walked in.
The round figure of the Mayor strolled into the lobby, and he was accompanied by Gazef and a skinny looking man in a robe. The mayor passed an inquisitive look at Momon's towering figure, and only began to speak once he saw Ainzach present.
"Guildmaster, we must prepare with most haste! We do not know how long the Gigant Basilisks will stay in the Forest of Tob, but if they decide to roam, then I'm afraid our countryside will be decimated! I spoke with The Guildmaster of the Magician's Guild as we approached, and he agreed with the notion that we must act quickly!"
Ainzach noticed Gazef accompanying the Mayor, and quickly deduced that Gazef likely shared similar news to the Mayor as Momon did to him. There would no longer be any question as to the accuracy of the information if even the Mayor and his long-time friend, Rakheshir, were deciding to take action.
"I understand, Mayor. I will immediately send out messengers to contact every Adventurer's Guild in all of Re-Eztize. Gigant Basilisks are creatures only adamantite-ranked parties could deal with. We must alert our two adamantite-ranked parties at once."
Despite all the chaos swirling around the Adventurer's Guild, Momon smiled warmly under his helmet. The opportunity presented to him was too good to pass up.
"Guildmaster, may I raise a point?"
Momon continued, as Ainzach saw no reason to deny him.
"More information will be key in dispatching the Basilisks. If no one else is able or willing to take on such an important role, then I offer my services to the Adventurer's Guild, as I have to Gazef-dono."
News of the Gigant Basilisks have finally reached the first of many ears. Though it remains to be seen whether or not the response will be adequate. Momon on the other hand, is keen to take full advantage of situation presented to him. With the Sunlight Scripture detained for the time being, it spells the end of their assassination plot, though it is doubtful that mere prison guards can keep such powerful prisoners in their custody.
Thank you for reading! I hope everyone has been enjoying Season 4 of the anime as much as I have, along with the steady fan translations of Volume 15 and Volume 16, courtesy of our wonderful translators, such as Hitori and everyone else who has contributed.
As always, please feel free to leave your questions, comments or concerns.