Imperial galas were not only hosted by the Imperial family to flaunt wealth, but were more often used to garner and establish deeper connections between compatriots and outstanding talents. Whether these talents stemmed from the kingdom itself, or from outside, there was no monarchy adverse to poaching, especially if it regarded heroes that saved the capital.
It was a fair evaluation that bordered more on common sense than intuition or ambition. If a connection could be formed and solidified, the political factions warring for dominance in Re-Estize would obtain an incomparable edge.
The members of the Blue Rose were tempting, but Lakyus had made it clear that the team would remain neutral in the kingdom's power struggles. That didn't mean that other adventurer's would be the same.
Team Darkness, the unknown adventurer team that arguably played a decisive role in saving numerous lives in the attack was the center of focus. Rather, the one capable of producing top-tier weapons faster than any blacksmith or dwarf, was being heatedly fought over in a subtle game of glares and barbed words.
Merlin's statement that he and Shirou hailed from Roble intensified efforts several fold. Imagining Roble equipped with Shirou's skills left sour tastes in every political faction's mind, as weapons always defined the state of war.
This was to say, Shirou and Merlin were swarmed by aristocrats from the start, unable to get any breathing room. Ladies young and old flocked to Merlin and his flower parlor tricks while Shirou consciously avoided making a scandal from women who were too forward and men who were insistent on establishing ties.
Sidelined, Pandora's Actor and Narberal stood by the drink bar.
Spurred by Ainz's perceived directive, Pandora's Actor did his utmost best to fulfill the role granted upon him by staying true under Momon's guise. He stood tall, a towering knight who wielded massive greatswords and wore obsidian-like armour. The contrast between his combat attire, and his current dress shirt appealed to many. It only helped that Pandora's Actor was a doppelganger and assumed features similar to Narberal.
The exotic black hair, fair complexion, and stoic demeanor attracted its own sort of attention, but unlike Pandora's Actor who had no issue, Narberal was doing her utmost best not to break her expression.
"Nabe," Pandora's Actor warned, noticing the subtle twitching of Narberal's eye.
"I know," Narberal hissed, lips twisting unpleasantly into a scowl. The men staring at her did not take the message and continued to regale her with tales of their exploits.
"Smile, smile," Pandora's Actor whispered.
Narberal stomped on his foot. It was the third time she'd heard the story of a brave noble's action in the capital's attack which she knew damn well was a lie.
"Where were you then?" Narberal had enough and snarled.
The noble blinked, perplexed and embarrassed. "I, ugh, I of course was leading my retinue of knights. The order of Count Ross would never cower to demons!"
"Funny," Narberal glared scathingly, directing murder into her eyes. "Your shaking knees say otherwise, count."
Count Ross flinched, carefully backing away and stammering excuses. He couldn't understand why he was reacting this way and embarrassing himself in front of others. His mind could not keep up, but his body was honest to the danger. Narberal was more threatening than any monster that laid siege to the capital.
"A-Ahem," Count Ross coughed awkwardly, and pointed at Narberal in a fluster when the crowd's judging eyes deemed him incompetent. "That's slander!"
"Deplorable insect." Narberal said icily.
"Nabe-" Pandora's Actor tried to warn, but was drowned out by the giggles of spectating ladies and laughing men at Count Ross's failed attempt at wooing.
Angered, Count Ross tried to grab Narberal's arm, but that was the end of Narberal's patience.
The sound of a slap echoed through the gala, Count Ross's jaw dislodging from the sheer force, preventing him from speaking or closing his mouth.
"Nabe!" Pandora Actor grew genuinely angry, Narberal freezing.
Demiurge was coordinating a plan with Albedo that required Pandora's Actor and Narberal to ingratiate themselves with Re-Estize's political leaders to maneuver troops during the annual skirmish with the Baharuth Empire. It didn't have to be anything too close. All they needed was the trust or consideration for their opinions to hold enough weight in the coming conflict.
To fail before they could even start was inexcusable.
Narberal's complexion fell rapidly as realization set in, and the intensity of Pandora's Actor staring at her caused her to shiver.
"Ugh! Uah!" Count Ross babbled, trying and failing to close to his unhinged jaw and screaming from the pain of it.
What a disgusting baby.
Narberal bit down on her lips, unwilling to apologize yet even more unwilling to disappoint the will of the Supreme Ones.
"Nabe," Pandora's Actor warned, insisting that she hurry and salvage her situation.
Narberal's mouth opened and closed, but nothing came out even if she knew the words. Can't she just kill him and leave no witnesses? Her shivering grew stronger as the scale of her blunder began to be noticed by more and more people. Even if she wanted to silence Count Cross, it was already too late.
Shakily, she approached Count Cross and tried to help him up, but was stopped when a hand blocked her way.
She blinked, staring at Gagaran from Blue Rose with a degree of acceptance as Gagaran sneered at Count Cross.
"None of that." Gagaran told Narberal while the rest of Blue Rose's members sauntered over.
"We saw it all, so don't lower yourself to the pressure of these fops. Serves the letch right." Gagaran snorted in contempt. "He forgets that one cannot touch a lady's skin lightly."
"Shall we demand compensation?" Tina asked, poking up from Narberal's right.
"Yes, due compensation," Tia insisted on Narberal's left. "A man with no awareness."
Narberal continued blinking, the action shared by Pandora's Actor, neither able to catch up with the situation in time to react.
"Surely, the man should have got the message." Finally, Lakyus stepped in between Narberal and the others, Evil Eye whispering to Narberal in a subtle breath. "We could feel your coldness all the way from the otherside of the drinking area. Men, they just don't take the hint."
Ah? Narberal realized that she was being helped right now.
"I, ah, y-yes! That's right!" She was quick to agree with anything, especially as she could sense public sentiment shifting.
Narberal plastered a strained smile on her face as Blue Rose smoothed things over, leaving Pandora's Actor wondering if his outburst of anger was wasted. W-Was his acting sense out of touch? No, it cannot be!
Surely the result of injuring a noble was not to this degree of forgiveness!
Pandora's Actor was the one who now looked the most confused.
Were women so strange, or was it simple solidarity? How confounding…
Pandora's Actor scratched his head as Naberal was led by Blue Rose to a small meeting of higher ranking women laughing over glasses of wine. In that one instant, Narberal had made more progress in their task than Pandora's Actor for the entire gala.
Well, whatever if everything worked out well.
Pandora's Actor uselessly consoled himself.
He grumbled, annoyed at the smug look Narberal sent him as if she'd intended this from the start.
Demiurge surveyed the grass field ahead of him with a critical eye. He would not let go of even the smallest negligence to blemish his preparations. Lumbering monstrosities herded groups of weeping humans and wildlife through newly created breeding and production facilities. All of which were concealed through a shroud of magic, and terrain manipulation with Mare's help.
For the most part of several weeks, he'd been having his familiars kidnap numerous humans and demi-humans to use as materials. Skin was used in grafting plants to manufacture message and skill scrolls, while the dead were reanimated into a standing army in preparation for battle and strategic use. To create renewable resources, artificial insemination, growth enhancers, and incubators were created and maintained to realize an ideal long term industrialization plan.
Moans and screams of despair filled with grief echoed through the air, but those muffled voices were doomed to not be heard.
Demiurge inspected the area, and then moved on to the location of the standing army of undead.
Lord Ainz had been making preparations against the Rune Witch ever since the incident with Cocytus, and to that end, Ainz had provided high-tier necromancers for Demiurge's use. They were the ones animating the dead while Ainz operated in the field.
Data collected from the attack of Re-Estize's capital revealed the horrible weakness of throwing numbers at the Rune Witch. Combatants could just be absorbed into a summoned gate which was ground for a revision of plans. Quality would have to suffice against the Witch, but those who were capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with Lord Ainz were far and few.
Obviously, Lord Ainz must have considered everything Demiurge had thought of.
Ah, surely even now, the Supreme One was lying in wait to assist in the grand operation to swallow a kingdom?
Lord Ainz had been staying low, and Demiurge understood the necessity.
Roaming dangers that even the Supreme Ones were wary of were not enemies that Demiurge could take lightly. However, caution did not mean fear.
Demiurge stared at the vast army of undead led by a dozen necromancers and numerous infernal demons, and could not imagine any human force capable of stopping them.
Only certain individuals of worth may destabilize matters.
Provided by Lord Ainz was detailed data collected on various individuals that denoted weaknesses and strengths obtained from careful analysis.
Demiurge could only see the gathered intelligence for what it was, a guide. And what use was a guide?
It was like a hunter catching prey!
Humans were fragile things. Bears and animals documented by their best rangers could be labeled dangerous, but they could still be killed. Habits, tendencies, and natural environments were all factored in.
The information gathered by the Supreme Ones was nothing else if not a record of dangerous big game prey!
Demiurge's eyes gleamed.
As expected of the Supreme Ones, not even lethal targets could cause them to balk. Rather, like true entities that stand above the masses, everything is planned and executed to their directive.
Oh, how Demiurge wished Tabula, chief strategist of the Supreme Ones, could be here to see it all!
"Demiurge," Albedo's voice came from a newly manufactured message scroll, the texture a macabre collection of skin stretched white. "Preparations are complete. The Emperor of the Baharuth Empire has taken the bait. Meanwhile, Narberal and Pandora's Actor have assured me of their progress and the condition of the honorary human."
"Marvelous." Demiurge perked up.
"Then what of Nero?" He inquired. "Lord Ainz listed her as neutral and a target for cooperation should the opportunity arise."
No answer.
Instead, there was a suspicious sound of gnashing teeth through the line.
"...I read Narberal's report." Albedo finally managed to force out. "That manipulative bitch has been put in charge of a territory, but she's returning to the Empire's capital at the Emperor's summons."
"How about the Witch?" Albedo asked, changing the topic as her tone grew slightly apprehensive. "Do you have any clue what Lord Ainz could be thinking to combat her alone? The other Supreme Ones stated in the guide that it would take many of them combined to face her."
Demiurge hummed at the reminder because he himself could not come up with an answer. But at the same time, that was his own and even Albedo's own shortcomings.
"Do we dare try to fathom the thoughts of a Supreme One?" Demiurge reiterated, frustrated with himself for his lacking qualities. "We who are limited in view and capability should not question the direction of our leader."
"Mmm," Albedo hummed with mixed feelings. "For Ainz Ool Gown."
The name must be propagated.
Yes, that was right- the first and foremost!
Demiurge burned with an unwavering desire.
Everything became imperative after Ainz had shared the potential chance of other Supreme Beings present yet lost in the new world.
Ulbert, was he there too?
Demiurge chuckled. Albedo had reminded him of his overarching purpose. Indeed.
"For Ainz Ool Gown."
Demiurge donned the mask of the Demon Jaldaboath.
Sorry, this is about as much as I can get out after calling a sick day at work today. I'm not feeling too well.
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