Escape
Diolaine Gisle Kuri was a thief... an adventurer with this class... that the Supreme Council employed as a spy but also as a maid in the guest apartments. For a month, she was in the service of a strange half-elf from another world...
As a thief, spy, and especially as a maid in a palace, Diolaine had met a certain amount of eccentric characters.
The lovely, pink-haired teenager looked at Miriel in amazement.
The Summoner ran from one end of the room to the other to search through randomly stacked crates amidst luxurious furniture. She had bought sewing material, fabric, wool stuffing, as well as buttons at the Silksuntecks market.
And now, Miriel was sewing with an enthusiasm that the young maid never thought possible... Of course, for the needs of her infiltration's mission, Diolaine had learned to sew (but also to cook, style hair, iron linen, and even dress ladies). It was an important part of her spy work to be able to do what a real maid did. However, Diolaine took no pleasure in the work of a maid and was amazed that the Summoner (the one that the priests of the Six Religious Sects called 'demon worshiper') could take pleasure in something so ordinary!
Cutting a thread with small golden scissors, Miriel stopped to look critically at her creation and then turned to the Maid.
"Diolaine, what do you think? Do you think Antilene will like my gift?"
Diolaine Gisle Kuri shudders, wondering fleetingly if she would not prefer to answer an accusation of heresy before the Grand Inquisitor...
"Uh... how to say?"
The maid passed a pink tongue on her lips while rocking from one foot to the other.
"Maybe you should rethink this gift idea, milady..."
"Why?"
Diolaine made a heroic effort not to moan in despair.
"Milady, Lady Antilene might feel... offended."
Miriel blinked and grabbed the Teddy Bear she had just sewn. It was a two-tone bear. The left part of the head was white, just like the right part of the torso, the left arm, and the right leg... the other parts were black. The ears, the pawns, and the ends of the legs were also of the color opposite to the part where they were sewn, even the muzzle was part black and part white. That Teddy was a monochrome harlequin.
Moreover, it was made of irregular parts and the seams were coarse in appearance with big red thread... it was 'Frankenstein's Teddy Bear'. Disturbing detail even its eyes were mismatched.
Holding the bear against her cheek, Miriel countered her voice to turn it into a bear voice.
"Antilene didn't ask anyone to put her in a box filled with cotton wool tagged 'fragile'. Treat her like she treats herself!"
Before Diolaine could answer, the half-elf had taken the main by the hand and dragged her to the door.
"Come on, let's get him his present."
Rushing into the corridor like a hurricane, Miriel dragged not only the maid in her wake... but also the two knights guarding the door. The poor fellows were forced to run to catch them.
Hardly had they turned at the corner of the corridor a figure dressed as a servant of the palace come out of the shadows. He looked on one side, then on the other with a nervous air, and then took out a velvet case from the inside of his garment.
Unrolled on the floor, the case revealed a succession of alveoli occupied by instruments easy to recognize: locksmiths' hooks.
'Frankenstein's Teddy Bear' had changed hands.
It was very difficult to say if the gift had pleased Antilene. But the two-tone harlequin's girl wasn't very honest with her emotions. When she was not really bored, Antilene Heran Fouche pretended to be bored. She always seemed to be the unwilling participant of some sort of mind-numbing picnic...
Nevertheless, she had looked at the teddy bear long enough and had kept it in her arms ever since.
While Miriel was a bit disappointed that her new friend had not shown a more marked reaction, it was positive enough. Antilene didn't mince her words, it was even the least diplomatic person of Silksuntecks (the executioner of the Inquisition only arrived at the penultimate place... you know)! If she had hated 'Frankenstein's Teddy Bear', Lady Fouche would have found a way to express her displeasure. In fact, the entire city would have been informed...
Staring at Miriel in two colors, Antilene raised an eyebrow.
"Barbet is looking for you."
The half-elf blinked at the sudden change of subject. She was not even surprised that Lady Fouche did not use any honorific to speak of a bishop. As for many other things (actually, everything that was not the latest fashion, the latest trendy foodservice flavors, and the exotic booze), the heterochromia girl felt only boredom and lack of interest in Slane's state religion... even though she was Cleric, High Cleric and Inquisitor of the Six religious Sect!
"Monsignor Barbet is looking for me" repeated the Summoner.
Antilene simply nodded her head.
"The garden in front of the library. It looks urgent."
Miriel sighed. It was not as if she could afford to refuse.
"All right, I'll go."
On leaving the room, in the corridor, the half-elf faced the two knights of her escort, waiting for her with their usual impassibility. Diolaine was also there.
"Everything... everything went well?"
This made Miriel laugh.
"You really are not used to rebellious teenagers here..."
"So... sorry about that?"
The half-elf sighed.
"Lady Fouche wants attention... not because she is the most powerful human in the New World, miss level 88. Antilene wants us to be interested in Antilene, the flesh and blood person. And that's what I intend to do."
It was quite surprising that the Supreme Council had understood the very same thing. But they had asked Miriel to become friends with Antilene. They must have thought that, as a half-elf, she must have experienced things that would allow her to understand her. In any case, Miriel would never have thought that these old religious fanatics could show such solicitude. How one cannot judge a book on its cover (1).
While Miriel and the two knights were going towards the garden of the library, Diolaine turned around to return to her mistress's apartments.
She sighed.
Miriel had fun with her sewing work, good for her. But who would have to clean up the mess, and sweep the floor? Diolaine, of course!
As she inserted the key into the lock, she shuddered... the door was open? She was sure she had closed before leaving.
As a tingle descended along her neck, warning of her 6th sense, Diolaine quickly raised her skirt in search of the handle of her dagger... Alas, she was not fast enough.
A hand seized her throat and violently pulled her inside the room. The maid fell to the ground. As she had been taught, she cushioned her fall and rolled aside without trying to get up... a mistake all beginners made... unfortunately her f***ing skirt was so twisted around her legs that she was unable to draw her weapon.
The assailant was dressed in the uniform of the palace servants. But this colossus with a shaved head and a limp face was certainly not a servant. Without hesitation, he kicked her in the face. The shock was almost enough to knock Diolaine out.
Seizing the young woman by the hair, he lifted her with one hand, with an ease that emphasized the spy's herculean strength. Then he immobilized Diolaine against the wall while pricking her throat with the tip of a sharp cutlet. A drop of blood flowed.
"We're going to play a game. I ask questions and you answer. Simple? Obviously, like all games, there are rules. If you scream, you die. If you don't answer, you lose a finger. If I'm not happy with the answer, same price."
To make it clear that he was not kidding, the spy violently thrust his knee into Diolaine's belly.
"Got it? Say yes!"
Terrified, her breath taken away by the blow, with her widened eyes Diolaine looked around. The apartment seemed to have been crossed by a tornado, the drawers had been spread on the ground and sorted... a thief did not do this.
"Yes, I understand!"
"First question: when did the one you call Miriel arrive in the New World?"
The half-elf suddenly stopped in the corridor and snapped her fingers.
"My bag!"
Miriel had made room in her Inventory to do her shopping this morning. Among the items she had left in her apartments was a satchel full of books that were part of the loot of the Omalhu Dungeon. She had intended to show them to Monsignor Barbet. Knowledge coming from OOO, especially magic, but also religion would probably interest the clergyman.
Finding herself towards the knights, she smiles at them.
"Sorry, I forgot something in my apartment."
The face of the water-hydrant knights was invisible behind their ridiculous helmets, but one of them calmly replied.
"Milady, we are following you."
"Thank you."
It had been a month since she arrived. She had spent (in total) about ten days in the pontiff's palace. She had grown accustomed to the long corridors with white stucco walls adorned with religious paintings and panoplies of weapons, the sumptuous parquet floor partly covered with carpets.
She had become accustomed to the monks, priests, and knights she met.
Even the most extraordinary show became a routine if you saw it every day.
However, the palace was so large that Miriel always kept the 'local map' panel of her Inventory open. This kept her from getting lost.
Of course, the radar showed the explored parts of the map... there were practically no more areas covered by the 'fog of war' in this part of the palace... but also animals and inhabitants, in the form of blue dots (neutral/ ally).
It took her almost three seconds to realize that a red dot had just appeared...
In her... in her room?!
Next to the (anonymous) red dot appeared a green dot (party member) with a name next to it: Diolaine Gisle Kuri.
Everything happened very quickly.
Miriel began to run straight to her room, she abruptly pushed the door and stretched out her finger almost without looking.
"Magic Missiles!"
A kind of mist formed around the half-elf's hand, and the next moment several rays of different colors left his finger and hit the enemy.
Magic Missiles was often the first spell a Wizard learned. It was especially one of the most useful.
First, because this spell gained power each time the caster gained a level.
Secondly, it was an extremely precise spell... in fact, it never missed its target and hit precisely where the Wizard aimed.
The spy screamed in pain and backed back while holding his wounded arm. His dagger fell to the ground while Diolaine freed herself with a punch before running and hiding behind an overturned desk to rub her sore throat.
The man uttered a curse and turned to Miriel.
But he gains a simple word in return. A power Word. The word of a wizard.
"Friendship."
People always underestimated the magic of Illusion. An illusion doesn't hurt, an illusion doesn't make someone bleed, or doesn't burn something... right?
The man who was about to attack Miriel stopped with a strange expression and then suddenly smiled at her warmly... why not, after all? Had she not been her best friend for... exactly three seconds! The more loyal a man was, the more effective Friendship was. This spell of the school of Illusion changed only one thing in the mind of his victim, it overturned his alliances. The Wizard became his best friend and the enemies of the spellcaster became his enemies.
"Why don't you explain to me who asked you to come here and why?"
The man shook his head.
"Oh, it's simple..."
And he began to tell everything without forgetting anything. He had no secrets for his best friend.
The fountain was a circular basin surrounding a column on which was perched a brass fish spitting a stream of water.
A driveway of gravel surrounded, passing between rustles of flowers which undulated under the caress of the wind. Besides the water friselis, the air was filled with the buzzing of bees going from one corolla to another, crossing butterflies just as busy foraging.
Monsignor Barbet frowned, looking worried.
"A spy sent by the Eight Fingers?"
Miriel replied with a nod.
"Exactly, the order came directly from Hilma Cygnaeus... which seems rather strange to me." As Barbet gave her an interrogative look, she shrugged her shoulders. "According to my 'new friend', she would run the drug trade part of the Eight Fingers, not a spy service."
"I am even more shocked that the spy immediately gives the name of his leader."
"Friendship is a very effective spell," replied the half-elf, a little upset.
The bishop laughs softly, shaking his head while giving her an amused glance.
"Oh... my humblest and sincere apologies... I didn't want to seem to criticize The Great Magician Miriel in the exercise of her Art. I just wanted to say that most criminal or spy organizations have a compartmentalization system."
Watanabe Haruko had read many books, but especially Medieval Fantasy novels and she knew almost nothing about the workings of criminal organizations. She rubbed her eyebrow with an embarrassed look.
"Excuse me, Monsignor, what do you mean by 'compartmentalization'?"
"Most criminal organizations of this type are operating in cells. There is a leader for each cell, all members of a cell receive their orders from him, and only he knows the true leaders of the organization. There are sometimes several levels of horizontal and vertical compartmentalization. Dismantling a cell is therefore inefficient, with minimal real effect on the whole organization. Let's say the guards capture all the drug traffickers of Re-Estize. That will not allow them to learn anything about, for instance, the Slaves Traders operating in the same city because the two cells are operated completely independently."
Miriel smiled.
"Now, I understand... you mean that the order was given directly by a member of the higher echelon to an executing low-class agent, without any respect for this compartmentalization rule."
"Yes it's absurd but..."
Barbet thought for a moment.
"Let's not forget that the Eight Fingers is probably running out of staff. This criminal organization has practically been exterminated recently (3). On the same night as the demon attack on the town of Re-Estize, Princess Renner Theiere Chardelon Ryle Vaiself simultaneously attacked several camps of this criminal organization, a clean-up operation to free slaves and eliminate as many criminals as possible."
"One the same night as... "
The half-elf repeated that very sentence before interrupting at once, understanding that it could not possibly be a mere coincidence. Her reaction made the religious smile approvingly.
"Maybe it was just a mere hazardous occurrence... it was even what I thought until today. But I changed my mind because of this spy. Do you know why the Demon Emperor Jaldabaoth attacked Re-Estize during the Demonic Disturbance?
Surprised at first by what looked like a change of subject, Miriel searched her memory.
"Jaldabaoth wanted to recover a magical artifact, it seems to me."
"Exactly, a grotesque three-armed demon figurine called 'Armageddon Evil' (4). The cursed item is currently in the care of the Mages Guild of the Re-Estize Kingdom."
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"Oh, it's simple... the object was hidden in a warehouse belonging to the Eight Fingers... Yes, they were the first victims of the Demonic Disturbance."
Miriel was far from being stupid and while she connected the dots a sudden weakness forced her to sit on the white marble steps of the staircase leading to the library. Her face had just turned pale and her lips trembled as she spoke again.
"The Eight Fingers were attacked from all sides, by the demons, and by the Adventurers' Guild (sponsored by Princess Renner). It was a joint and planned operation, a coordinated operation!"
The implications were huge... because it meant that the own daughter of King Ramposa III was compromised with the Demonic Emperor! Either she had voluntarily collaborated with Jaldabaoth, or he had manipulated her to achieve the same result.
In both cases, the Demonic Emperor played with the royal family of the Re-Estize kingdom, as a puppeteer pulled the strings of his puppets!
Barbet respected the silence of the young woman, allowing her time to digest the shock before resuming the speech.
"In fact, I'm not surprised that spies have already arrived at Silksuntecks. The Black Scripture has given me several reports about incoming spies. For the past two weeks, demons in Jaldabaoth's service have been tracking you. They interrogated and tortured people in all the towns and villages where you stopped. The few survivors explained to their rescuers that the demons were inquiring about you. They look for you first with your description, then with your name, when they find it. The latest report came to me this morning. The Black Scripture intercepted a Shadow Demon inside the palace compound." The bishop waved his hand towards the windows overlooking the garden. "It is because of the Shadow Demons that I have appointed you here. We are in full sun. There is no shade where they can hide. Besides, I think the Eight Fingers agent who trashed your room was actually working for Jaldabaoth. It would not be the first time that a defeated organization has been forced to serve its victor."
Worried, the half-elf straightened up. The sun-lit flower garden, so welcoming a few minutes earlier, now seemed sinister and full of threats.
She shivered.
"I can't stay here."
"I have come to the same conclusion," replied Barbet. "We will leave tonight, discreetly and on foot. We'll have to go to Brass Fort, on the border with the Robble Holly Kingdom, west of here. There, two friends will join us. I'll explain the rest to you there."
"You go with me, but..."
He interrupted her with a wave of his hand.
"It is my duty. Because you came to help us, you are now being targeted by our enemies. The least I can do is help you too."
Taking Miriel's wrist, he placed a small metal object in her palm.
"Keep this, this will be useful in case we are separated.
Intrigued, Miriel recognized an amulet adorned with a pentacle.
"What is it?"
"An amulet of Portal, a High Tier Teleportation spell." Opening his collar, he showed an identical amulet around his neck. "They are linked. It is even possible to activate one of these talismans using the other... at least at a short distance."
They had been walking for several hours.
Despite the map of her Inventory and her elven's Infravision skill, Miriel was completely lost. Nevertheless, Barbet walked at a good pace despite the darkness, leaning on a gnarled wooden stick. The old man had exchanged the splendid garments of his office for a simple monk's habit.
They arrived in a clearing, the moonlight painfully filtered through the thick clouds. The weather had changed quite abruptly after sunset. The nocturnal wind carried the smell of rain.
The clearing was not natural, several raised stones - roughly cut- delimited the perimeter while several concentric circles of small stones emerged from the grass. She assumed it was a druids' sacred place.
The half-elf quivered.
Five blue dots had just appeared on the other side of the map
"Pierre!"
"I know" merely says Barbet. Then shaking his stick with both hands, he turned to the other end of the clearing. "If your intentions are peaceful, come out of the shadows."
A terrifying voice sounds in response.
"You are perceptive for an old man."
Five creatures emerged from the darkness.
Jaldabaoth... wearing his usual - and very tasteless- orange-colored tuxedo, the face hidden by a complex mask.
With him came four demons, two Overeating, and two War Devils... although these monsters are powerful, they seemed almost thin in comparison.
Jaldabaoth readjusted his mask in a gesture that must have been a tell.
"Old man, I have nothing against you. Move aside and you will not be harmed."
Barbet sniffed with contempt.
"What generosity," he dropped. "Let me be as chivalrous as you, let us pass and no one will have to die tonight."
"Brave" Jaldabaoth replied "but stupid. Do you not know who I am?"
"A tyrant vomits from hell to shed the blood of the innocent, a monster with no other purpose than to inflict pain, horror, and affliction."
Under his mask, Demiurge smiled. He appreciated these 'compliments'. But he had already spoken too much to this insignificant individual. Completely forgetting the presence of Bishop Pierre Avice Barbet, he turned to the Summoner.
"Miriel, I didn't come to fight you. In fact, a certain person would like to be introduced to you and I only came to organize this meeting."
The half-elf had taken advantage of Barbet's diversion to prepare some spells, but she replied all the same... hoping to gain some time.
"What if I refuse to follow you?"
Jaldabaoth laughed mockingly and waved his hand in the direction of his acolytes.
"I allow myself to insist," he replied in a falsely obsequious tone.
But Barbet suddenly intervened.
"Holy Ray!"
A white, dazzling, intolerable ray of light fell from the sky on one of the Overeating. The monster uttered a cry of pain and... disappeared... leaving only a burnt trace on the ground.
Without turning back, the bishop cried out to the half-elf:
"Miriel, flee, I hold them!"
Simultaneously, he used one of the martial skills of his profession 'fighter'.
"Taunt!"
This skill forced all the opponents of a lower level than the fighter to focus their attacks on him.
The three demons rushed at him... but not Jadalbaoth, of course. Strange wings had just appeared on the archdemon's shoulders. They were made of very long thin and supple black feathers... like real tentacles!
Having already faced Demiurge, Miriel reacts instantly.
"Sphere of Invulnerability!"
The feathers-tentacles surrounded the sphere of humming energy, unable to close on the half-elf or her orb, since the obstacle was not material.
But the Summoner really didn't want to stay within reach of the demon... the fate of a tentacle-play game heroine wasn't really enviable!
"Fly!"
She left the ground, extracting herself from the feathers-tentacles, and rose quickly. But she could not leave like that.
"Pierre!"
The bishop simultaneously fought the three demons with his staff. And he managed to keep them at bay!
Jaldabaoth had flown away in turn pursuing Miriel and once again tried to grab her with his tentacle-like feathers but failed just like the first time. However, he was a demon and he was not without resources. Of course, he could have directly attacked the sphere to break it... but he risked hurting or even killing Miriel. And since the resurrection spells did not work on the 'Players', he had no choice but to capture her without violence.
The Devil Emperor turned to his subordinates.
"Capture the old man. He will make an excellent hostage to calm our 'guest'."
Realizing that Miriel would never run away leaving him behind, Pierre Avice Barbet snatched the amulet hanging around his neck and brandished it uttering a single word.
"Portal."
A violet light surrounded the half-elf. Her silhouette became translucent; For a brief moment, the wizard looked like a purple spun glass sculpture, and then even her silhouette disintegrated and disappeared.
She had just been transported safely.
Pierre smiles, lowering his quarterstaff...
In his hand, his own talisman fell to dust, its magic charge having been exhausted.
He wouldn't leave here.
He looked around, the peaceful night, the moon glowing above the clearing, the menhirs, and the grass under the wind.
So this was the end of his road?
Barbet had always wanted his tomb to be in a quiet and beautiful place...
(1) What Miriel does not understand, it has nothing to do with solicitude. A century ago, the then Supreme Council manipulated Antilene's anger and used her public accusations against the Elven King (her mother's rapist) to start an invasion war by wrapping themselves in the flag of a 'good' cause.
But the current Council wants to END THE WAR... Not out of pity for the suffering of the elves... conquering the country, plundering the capital, and enslaving the inhabitants still and always seems a good plan for these fanatics except... yes, Ainz. With the growing danger represented by the Sorcerer Kingdom, the Council wants to end the war as soon as possible and reassign to the defense of Slane the troops engaged in the fight against the elves.
Except that they are somewhat Antilene's hostages. Thus, Antilene's revenge has gone from 'a useful banner to wave to motivate our troops' to 'Number 1 obstacle to the survival of the Slane's Theocracy'. They can hardly open talks with King Decem if the innocent 'poor victim' continues to crave for his blood to avenge her mother. So she has to calm down...
By the way, don't you think the Council is behaving strangely in dealing with Antilene? Here is this group of religious fanatics that are also supremacists and they tolerate the presence of a half-elf in their capital... worse she is an unbeliever half-elf! Not only were they not taking action against her, but they offered her two important positions. Again, it's not out of the kindness of their generous hearts but a mere cold calculation... Antilene is far too powerful not to use her.
And, until then, she was easy to control. It was enough to remind her that the Theocracy had started the war against the elves only to avenge her mother and she grumblingly accepted the most difficult missions.
But with Ainz's emergence, the Council cannot afford their best agent to be some sort of free electron who obeys only if it amuses her.
That's why they asked Miriel to befriend Antilene. They hope the Summoner can calm Antilene down and make her more controllable.
(2) Yes, Miriel continues to level up!
(3) Attention: I know that this information may not seem very important. Yet, although he himself did not understand the weight of what he just said, Barbet has just pointed to Ainz's Achilles heel. Keep that in mind, you will soon understand why this is such a weakness for Nazarick.
(4) Of course Barbet does not know that this is a mere prototype of the real 'Armageddon Evil' and how could he guess that this cursed artifact was placed in a warehouse by Jaldabaoth/ Demiurge just to give a plausible reason for the city attack?