Chapter 9: King of Fools Part 2

"Your Majesty."

Sebas said as he bowed before the king. The man on the throne was old, his grey hair symbolizing it even more. Only from smell, Sebas could tell he was fragile to the very point that stress could even kill him. Yet the king didn't seem to bother about his health issues and continued to take his weekly court meetings seriously. If not for him, who would keep an eye on the nobles?

"Please, raise yourself." The king's voice rang out, telling the stranger to look upon him. The nobles could only look with confusion at the remark.

Yet Sebas did as said, his firm gaze pointed towards the king. "I am King Rampossa the Third, the current Ruler of Re-Estize. I must say, it is a pleasure to meet someone who saved my Warrior Captains life." He chuckled, and the nobles were even more startled to hear that this man was one of the two that had saved the commoner's life. Now they looked at him either with disgust or honor. The nobles were either extremely loyal or extremely corrupt. There was some middle ground, but these nobles were exceptions that didn't live very long in the world of politics.

"It is a pleasure to meet you as well, King Rampossa the Third. I am Sebas Tian, a simple servant of my master, Ainz Ooal Gown." Sebas replied. He knew how to speak to a Supreme Being, so he surely could deal with talking to a mortal king.

"Sebas Tian it is. Then, on behalf of the kingdom, I thank you and your master for saving Gazef's life." With that said, the king bowed shortly to the newcomer, making most noble's mouth agape. Who was this person even the king turned to, and why did he bow? He was a king, one who shouldn't bow at all. Yet he did so before a simple servant, not even the real person that saved Stronoff's life. This only made them think more that the king was not fitting to rule anymore, putting prestige and honor to the ground by committing such an action. Most nobles would want to become kings themselves if it was that easy. But he had heirs, one princess, and two princes. The oldest was the sturdiest, and the youngest prince was smart, but seemed weak and didn't often train in the arts of swordsmanship, an ability every royal and noble alike should possess. And the princess was not even in the thoughts of most nobles. A girl should never think of becoming ruler of a nation or even an heir. That was tradition for ages, and like that, it should stay.

"I am not worthy of your thanks. I only followed my lords command, and that was to assist him rescuing the village and Gazef Stronoff. It is he who you should thank, your majesty."

The nobles of the kingdom were now where even more in a state of confusion and slight rage. Sebas said that his master was a lord, but they knew of no lord called as such. Such a thing was a crime, and the nobles hated it being used before them. No bit did they like Ainz Ooal Gown, not even having met him personally. Most would want to kill this man that dared to claim a title without owning any land.

"Your master, a lord? Please, who even is this Ainz Ooal Gown?"

"Just some mage that thought saving the Warrior Captain would give him some sort of noble title perhaps? Thats even a crime!"

"It was probably luck that he saved Stronoff. He doesn't even dare to come here by himself."

"We should request him to come to the capital immediately!"

All the nobles rang out in different tones and sounds. They talked and talked until the king mustered up enough breath to put them to silence once again. Sebas, hearing them mock his lord and last of the Supreme Ones, was filled with a rage he undoubtedly had to control, or else he would not be able to fill out his masters order.

"Enough!" He yelled, and the noble's mouths shut down. They did this out of courtesy, but they didn't truly believe the current king had enough power over them to make them silent. Thinking that their mouth slightly made up smiles, mocking the crown secretly. "Forgive me, Sebas, for my subordinate's behavior. And, please give many thanks to your lord, I had wished to meet him personally, but maybe that can be arranged in the future."

"Surely, your majesty. But that is not the only reason I came here today. My lord has another wish for you." With that said, Sebas took out a scroll from his jacket, giving it to a nearby guard who brought it to the king. He took it, inspecting the curious seal that seemed to be a sword pointing down, surrounded by circles he couldn't decipher. He carefully broke it, opening the scroll to its fullest. He read it, first without sound.

To his majesty King Rampossa the Third,

I hope this letter reaches you while you are in excellent mental and physical health. And please, forgive me for not being there personally. I have sent one of my most loyal servants instead. Now, to the reason for this letter. I have seen the cruelty that allowed knights and alike to plunder and kill villagers with no reason, just to lure out the Warrior Captian from the Capital and eliminate him. Such brutality acted just for one man. Innocent villagers were slaughtered just for one man. And all this was allowed on the lands of your kingdom, actions which should have been stopped immediately. Yet I see the corruption lurks deep within every man, noble and peasant alike. This I have realized quickly, and another thing as well. The world should be made a better place, a paradise where none should fear death as most do now. That is why I request that you give up the Fortress City E-Rantel and the surrounding lands to me. They are near my home, and I do not wish their fate to be the same as all the villagers in the fight between Baharut and Re-Estize. For their protection, I claim these lands as mine. It may be difficult for you, but it would certainly be better to release the city of your control without any conflict. If not, we will claim it by force.

I wish you luck, health, and happiness in the years to come.

Ainz Ooal Gown, Master of Nazarick

His hands went weak. His eyes shivered as his whole body reacted to the words written on the letter. Everything went well, but the world seemed to break down on him. He thought Ainz was a great man, yet this made him question everything about him. Claiming lands simply out of pity for the peasants, he knew the nobles wouldn't agree to such a thing.

"What is it, your majesty? Does he want a title of a lord or the hand of the princess?" Laughter overcame the nobles as Count Lytton made that comment. Even his rivals released a small grin. They found it equally hilarious, yet had to contain themselves to not to give him any acceptance.

"You are not far from the truth." The king replied, and soon every laughter turned to silence. "Ainz Ooal Gown demands E-Rantel and all lands around it to be released into his possession." As the king said, most nobles couldn't believe his words, and Gazef outright couldn't. He knew Ainz, he met him personally, and he seemed a good man with a great heart and even greater strength. Maybe it was all a plan of his. It was certainly a possibility.

"That is outrageous! Who dares to ask such a thing from the kingdom!"

"Then why not just outright give land to the Empire if they ask for it!"

"We should show this Ainz Ooal Gown not to mess with the kingdom! We should request his head immediately!"

And many other things were said that Sebas wished not to hear. Now, he couldn't allow anyone who said terrible things about his master to live. He remembered every one of them that dared to tell such things. His mind inscribed every face and every name connected to it. He would make sure these nobles would feel more than a simple death.

"Please, your majesty. This behavior of a nobody cannot be allowed! We must act!" Marquis Boullope spoke. "From the tales, Stronoff told us he might be strong, but he is still a magic caster."

"Ah yes, didn't the Warrior Captain say this Ainz was a great guy? Maybe he deceived him rather than saved him." Count Lytton added to the conversation. It was like adding a drop of tea to an already full cup. An unnecessary comment, only to fill the miasma of uncontrolled tension in the room.

"Enough! Of course, we will act accordingly. Now, Sebas Tian, we cannot decide this at the moment. And I must say I am disappointed. But, if your lord requests such requests, not even a king can grant him that. You and your escorts will be allowed to leave the kingdom unharmed, but if you come back, there will be consequences!" The doors opened, and a set of guards came inside, ready to escort the envoy out of the throne room. Their faces determined they could take the butler down, yet every time he would make eye contact with them, their eyes seemed to flee his gaze.

"Then I will take my leave, your majesty." With no more words, the butler left the throne room and returned to his carriage. Before the nobles could intervene to call for imprisonment or even to kill him for delivering such a letter, the king sent the envoy away.

"Please, your majesty. Let me handle this! I will make quick work out of this magic caster and deliver you his head!" Marquis Boullope said, getting the support of most nobles gathered behind him. It was a way the nobles would force the king to accept the request, and it had been found to be successful most times.

The king thought about it for a time longer than he thought he did. The nobles even began talking about their positions, disregarding that they were in the king's presence.

"Allow me to add something to that." A voice from the noble faction called out. It was Marquis Raeven, probably the most intelligent in this room. "We can first send a small force to capture him. A full-on war isn't necessary, as suggested by Marquis Boullope. And I am sure he must have some kind of army to have the courage to do even such a thing. We must not act careless."

"Mmh, I see your point. But what about the yearly battle at the Katze Plains?" The king asked Raeven.

"I believe a small force can surely be send to retrieve this magic caster before the battle begins. And as he wants to claim E-Rantel and all surroundings, he will probably be found there." Raeven replied.

"Then we will send a force to the village this Ainz Ooal Gown saved. Maybe they know more, and if they don't say a thing, we can use them as bait to lure the magic caster out." Boullope spoke, making him sound like the scum Ainz had written about in his letter. Rampossa could see his point now, but this request was still beyond doable. Not only would the nobles rebel, but he would be laughed at for giving land to a nobody. A man without face, honor, or record.

"I suppose this could be done. But tell me, who will lead the men?" Rampossa asked the noble with the most volume around his stomach.

"Perhaps your eldest son, Prince Barbro, could fulfill this task." Boullope supported the prince actively, so much was known. It would've been foreseeable that he would choose him as commander of this mission. It would let him gain more esteem, to be precise, and so a greater right to rule the kingdom when the current king perishes. Both knew the second heir was quite smart, and only strong deeds could let Barbro keep the title of heir to Re-Estize.

The king thought about this for a good amount of time. He knew Barbo wasn't the smartest, but his claim was important as his eldest son. Maybe this mission would allow him to gain more experience and more wisdom. Therefore, he decided what to do.

"Prince Barbro may act as commander of this force. He may not be present at the time, but he will be informed shortly after his return to the Capital."

"Thank you, your majesty." Boullope responded.

"Your majesty, I don't believe a troop will suffice. As I believe the words of the Warrior Captain seem to be true, Ainz Ooal Gown may be a powerful magic caster." Raeven added, making Boullope crack. Gazeff watched Raeven with surprised eyes, he thought of him as nothing more than an arrogant noble, but he was probably the only one who truly believed his words besides the king himself.

"If he flies, we'll shoot him with arrows. If he stays off range, we'll do the same. One magic caster won't be able to defend against an army of 500 men, and even he will tire." A most supported ideology in the kingdom. Warriors were strong, and mages were weak. This mindset is commonly known all around the kingdom because there aren't any powerful sorcerers around, just casters of the 1st or 2nd Tier. Blue Rose was an exception, with a caster of the 5th Tier.

"I don't think the Warrior Captain would lie about the strength of Ainz Ooal Gown." The king said, looking at his most trusted servant standing beside him. "We will hire some adventurers or mercenaries to aid Prince Barbro for the mission's sake. The royal treasury will pay for their hire, of course." Most nobles didn't know, but the kingdom's treasury was quite desperate for funds. They stacked their wealth in their castles, making them all more wealthy than the royals themselves. "If this has been cleared, my lords, you are released from this week's council."

The nobles bowed and left the room one by one. Outside, most started talking about the events immediately, their sly tongues unable to contain the gossip they wanted to tell one another. This left the king with only his guards and Stronoff, who stood proudly beside him.

"Your majesty! The envoys of Ainz Ooal Gown have left the Capital." A guard came into the room telling the news. The king dismissed the man and asked Gazeff a question.

"Tell me, what did you think of this Sebas?"

"I believe-, forgive me, I believed him to be a man of honor, he himself doesn't quite hit me like a person who would follow Ainz Ooal Gown, after he made such claims to the kingdom." Gazef replied, making the king put a hand up to his chin.

"I suppose. May this be over quickly. If he is captured alive, I will spare him for the sake that he saved your life, Gazef." The king told.

"But your majesty! His claims on the kingdom have enraged the nobles greatly, do you really want to anger them more?" Gazef's worries were understandable, but the king wanted it so.

"I wish not to kill a man that saved the strongest warrior of the kingdom, and a friend, Gazef. I will have to either imprison or banish him, letting him walk freely out of here would not be the best option, as the nobles are really sensitive to such matters."

"We will see if he is the man I met that day. Forgive me for letting the nobles make fools of yourself, your majesty." Gazef answered with a deep and honest bow.

"The nobles will always find a way to make my rule look weak, yet still, here I am, sitting on the throne." The king laughed, followed by a slight cough. "Well, I think it is time I return to my chambers."

"Your majesty." The Warrior Captain bowed as Rampossa made his way to the doors, slow as he may be.

Gazef could only think what would happen if Ainz would truly stand before the king for what he had done or for what he had written. The king couldn't allow such claims to become truth, and Stronoff understood that. But he could not comprehend why Ainz would write such a letter containing ridiculous demands. He seemed like a humble man, not putting wealth in the first place. Yet somehow, his instincts had failed, or Ainz simply acted the part. His inner warrior didn't want to believe that.

Great Tomb of Nazarick:

The setting in the tomb was still, mostly quiet, as the first act against the outer world had been done. Finally, their lord would claim the lands around Nazarick for himself. Most thought that would be quick work, yet the humans of this world were stubborn, so stubborn that they failed to see the power of Ainz Ooal Gown. But their mistake would soon be shown.

"Lord Ainz. Sebas has returned." Decrement spoke the news to her master. He simply nodded at her and allowed her to be dismissed.

"Then, the humans have decided to act aggressively," Demiurge said with a sickening smile covering his face, a somewhat standard expression he took when things went as he predicted.

"Indeed. But ultimately, they will fail." Albedo answered, making them two know what was going on.

"Yes, just as how we planned it." Ainz followed up, knowing what the hyperintelligent NPCs were talking about. It took him a while, but it seemed his mind was working faster than before. "The kingdom will attack first, thinking our base is probably near Carne Village, as we are demanding this region for us."

"And the humans won't think that a force greater than theirs lurks in the forests," Demiurge said, making Albedo pull out a chuckle that she tried to hold within her. Yet thinking that such pathetic beings wanted to hunt her lord made her truly enraged and amused simultaneously. She would end all their lives immediately, yet her lord had other plans, or rather Demiurge.

"Exactly. But I would like to fight this army myself. Maybe I'll find a player under them. Highly unlikely, but I'll have the staff with me. Now I can finally use it outside of Yggdrasil on a large amount of enemies. I don't expect to crack the 101st level with the amount of experience I would gain, but It could be enough. An indication showing how much exp I need for the next level would be nice, but this is real life, after all."

"And what about the empire?" Albedo asked, Demiurge already laughing at the things his lord had planned for them.

"The empire will think of this as a chance to strike. We claim the city of E-Rantel, then their forces arrive just months later, trying to use this to gain the town for themselves. Yet they won't expect our defenses to be even better than the kingdoms. They will fail and see our true power. With this, we can play around a little, forcing both parties to come to an agreement with us." Demiurge explained.

"Exactly so, but won't the kingdom attack us again, seeing that the empire wants to take E-Rantel? It will send forces themselves." This was the most logical thing that would happen when looking at the kingdom's nobles.

"Yes, but they are just humans, we are Nazarick. We have things they cannot believe exist. And we will use this to our advantage." Ainz told the two, finally raising a word in the discussion.

"It is just as you say, my lord. But still, how you will implement it is still out of my reach to define." The devil sure knew what could happen, but his lords thought were his own. Not even he could read them.

"Then the only thing that is missing is the army of the kingdom." Albedo said with a grinning smile, her thoughts long on how she would torture the nobles of the kingdom and Baharut for even making such moves against her beloved.

"We will punish them soon enough. But for now the only thing that counts is that the surroundings of Nazarick are given control to Nazarick, not some nation west or east of us."

"Of course, my lord. And after that, the second stage of your grandiose plan for world domination will take place." Ainz's mouth opened wide as Demiurge told of something he so dearly believed in yet didn't exist. Even Albedo seemed to know of this goal.

"What plan now? A yes, the thing I told him when we arrived here. Maybe it is truly time to conquer the world, seeing the inhabitants being such low level. And the rest can't even harm me now with the world item in my hand." He looked at the staff he held firm as a statue. "But there could be some monsters hiding, waiting for me. But that is more the talk of a paranoid man, such things simply have a low chance to exist here, yet still they exist, surely. Maybe some dragons, but that to be all this world has to offer."

"Ah, yes, Lord Ainz, his 10'000 year plan! Truly supreme.." Albedo replied, even though she knew only a small fraction of the things her lord wanted to set in motion in the future. But he truly surprised them most times by doing the opposite, or sometimes something slightly different that they hadn't calculated.

"Well, then I believe we all have a job to do."

"Yes, my lord." Both said simultaneously, awaiting the approval to leave Ainz his office, as great as it hurt them to do so. To be in the Supreme One's presence for infinity would be a dream come true. But the NPC's dreams were nothing compared to the ones of a Supreme Being.

"Albedo, Demiurge, you are dismissed." Said and done, the master of the tomb used his precious guild ring to travel on one of the outer floors, one which he didn't visit often. To be precise, it was the third floor of his tomb, one of the best looking out of the first three floors. There, he advanced to Shalltears chambers, having something important to give to her.

Meters before the giant doors, Ainz heard sounds coming out of the Vampire's abode.

"What is she doing in there?" Ainz asked himself and almost wanted to enter unannounced. Yet it would be rude of him to do so, even as the master of this place. "Its my worker's private chambers. I shouldn't come in without announcing myself." He knocked on the doors, marking the end of the pleasurable tones coming out of the room. "Shalltear? Are you alright in there?" The Overlord asked, truly worried about what his favorite Vampire was doing in there.

Then, the young Vampire suddenly opened the door with a slightly red face. "L-Lord Ainz! What brings you to this place?" Shalltear asked, having the door half open.

"I came to visit you, I have something you might like."

"W-Well then come in as you please:"

The doors opened as the Vampire Brides of her lady made way for Ainz, revealing the room. There was nothing out of the ordinary here, so he didn't know why they acted as such. He entered the room, which was different from the catacombs on the floor he was on. A red carpet lay on the ground, going all the way to a chair Ainz allowed her to place there. In Yggdrasil, the NPCs didn't need to sit or rest, and neither did Shalltear now, but he found it uncomfortable to let her just have a room with nothing to do in. So he granted her a chair made of the finest wood, carved to perfection, and truly worthy for the frontline Guardian. He also decorated the rest, leaving red banners with the sigil of Ainz Ooal Gown hanging down the walls. He didn't want to change anything in the other rooms, as they were already made to perfection. Shalltear was one of the few guardians that had such rooms for herself, which was something unfair to the other guardians. After all, Ainz was shocked when he learned Albedo didn't have a room. He immediately gifted her a royal guest room, so a lady like her could find rest in it.

"How do you like your new chair, Shalltear?"

"It is a treasure I value the most. it gives me the opportunity to sit once in a while when I'm surveilling Nazarick. I thank you deeply for this present."

"No thanks needed. But now, why I came here in the first place. Shalltear, how much do you like your armor?" Ainz asked the true Vampire.

"My armor? I quite like it, its blood-red design and that it was gifted to me by the Supreme Beings. More, I cannot say, it is just for combat." She replied, rather dusty and dry, as Ainz foresaw.

"It is fine legendary-class equipment, but it's not truly the best you could have, is it." What did Ainz try to say to her? She could not quite follow his words and would land back at the same place every time she tried.

"What do you mean, my lord?" Confused, the Vampire asked Ainz.

"I wanted to make it up to you, for what had happened. So, I decided to gift you something, if you accept."

She was out of her mind, truly blown away that her lord wanted to gift her something because she failed at not being mind controlled. How humble could her master just be?

"It was my fault, my lord! I do not dese-"

"Shalltear! I have said it many times. It was my fault! I sent you there, me! And you acted on my commands. If a king sends out his men to die, is it the fault of the men or the king?" Ainz interrupted her, asking her a question she understood somewhat. Her mind latched onto the words surprisingly well.

"I guess the king, my lord. It was his command after all. But you are a Supreme Being! Theres a difference!" She protested, even when he tried explaining it to her.

"But I am somewhat your king, am I not? Even I make mistakes. And in this case, you were sent by me, and died by me. It is a burden that I pay, and I payed the price with having to end one of my friends creations." While he spoke these words, the Vampire's eyes started watering, her emotions returning only to cry before the Supreme One. "So please, when I tell you it is my fault, then shouldn't you accept my command?"

"Yessssss, my lord!" Rivers flowed down her face, making the Vampire Brides act and bring her a tissue not to sully the ground.

"Good, then, let me present you this here. Bring it through!" He said, and a portal opened beside the two, Shalltear looking with curious eyes at what would come out of it. Two Dragonkin's emerged, carrying a large object covered by a large silk blanket. She didn't know what it could be, its form not revealing a single thing. "Shalltear, this here is a gift for you." He revealed the hidden object, pulling the cover away. As the light hit, she could finally see it.

"It. Is. Beautiful!"

A dark crimson armor was revealed, similar to her own, but with some major new details. It was darker, grimmer, and more intimidating than her old one. The shoulder pads now had spikes attached, and her metallic skirt was now made of even smaller metal parts, making it more flexible and even allowing the armor to hide the skirt completely. On the chest was an ornate red ruby, glowing slightly in a dimming red. The helmet didn't possess the small wings anymore, but horns directed to the back. It gave it all more of a demonic look than her old, more futuristic-oriented armor. This, here, was truly a work of art. And behind the armor hovered a cape made out of some liquid, almost similar to blood. Yet it ignored gravity and flew in the air in a moving motion. A liquid cape made out of blood-red liquid, nearly too good for the True Vampire.

"This armor is made by the prismatic ore called Scarletite, giving it its reddish and dark tone. It has almost all the enchantments that one could put on and is, of course, a divine-class item. Our first divine class item made in the new world, to be precise." It was a great success. Not only could he create the armor with the ore he produced, he could also even put the data in with his staff. Almost as if he was back in Yggdrasil. "This armor provides you with greater resistance to elemental magic, like fire, water, and earth. It even boosts your lance, gathering double the HP you normally would. And, of course, its durability has greatly increased, now even challenging the power of MK8 to be able to destroy parts of it. But I doubt one could destroy this armor with some blows with that sword. The passive protections on it allow you to take half as much damage from attacks when your HP drops too low, making this almost a cheat in the system." He explained carefully, not leaving any detail out. "It took me hours to fill out all the data in the armor, and I think I did well. Let's hope Shalltear finds it acceptable. It's also a great boost to her strength, probably making her impossible to beat by me without my own divine gear." He thought, but the Vampire was now beyond normal gratefulness. "All in all, it is a great armor, and I call it the [Vampiric Valkyrie Armor]!" He hoped this name would suit her, but as he looked into her eyes, he knew she liked it.

"Thank you, lord Ainz! It is something most beautiful. Truly a servant like myself doesn't deserve such honor. But as you insist, I will carry this armor with pride!" Almost kissing the floor before Ainz, she thanked him for this gift, which she least expected.

"Mmh, I am pleased that you like it, but that is not all. I have also added a divine-class item, the [Bloody Cape] to it. It protects the user from slashing damage. You will see how it works, as explaining it seems a little complicated. I forgot to ask, did your receive the world item Albedo was supposed to give you?"

"Yes, my lord! Here it is!" She opened up her inventory and took out the item Ainz asked for. He looked upon the object, verifying it was indeed within the Vampire's possession.

"Good, keep it with you. With it, you won't betray Nazarick ever again."

"Yes, my lord! I will guard it with my life, uh, unlife!" She corrected herself. The other guardians said this sentence much, but she was undead in her case.

"Then, why don't you try the armor on, Shalltear?"

"I would love to!"

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The wars have begun, and Nazarick shall be victorious!

This chapter contained little action, as the one before. But soon there will be countless fights!

Shalltears new equipment:

-[Vampiric Valkyrie Armor]: Divine class Item. Created by the prismatic ore Scarletite. Gives up to 50% more resistance to all elemental magic attacks. HP gained through [Spuit Lance] is doubled. Mobility is increased further, and an aura has been implemented, similar to a [Disaster Aura]. It also boosts the spells of the wearer significantly. And will allow to receive only half of the damage when HP of the wearer is too low(under 30%).

-[Bloody Cape]: Divine Class Item. A cape with a fluid liquid similar to blood. It doesnt fall to the ground, but hovers behind the wearer, protecting him from slashing damage(35 - 70% damage reduction from slashing damage).

It took Ainz a great amount of time making this armor, but his new skill allowed him to do so easily, at the cost of mana of course. And the Staff seemed to have all functions impemented to edit the armor created by it.

Also, I am going to add Rubedo in this fanfic sometime, but also some other NPCs from the 8th floor, to be clear, some OCs I invented, that are about the strength of Rubedo. They are all made to perfection, to be able to deal the best amount of damage an NPC of their race could. No roleplaying involved, maybe somewhat. But these were designed by analyzing what classes and races would work perfectly together. Still, they aren't as powerful to defeat Rubedo with a WCI. But without one, I believe the strongest of them to beat Rubedo.