Two months later, Re-Estize Capital
Renner Theiere Chardelon Ryle Vaiself, the golden princess of Re-Estize, favored daughter of King Ramposa III and beloved by the people, found herself in a conundrum. She was currently embroiled in affairs of state with two of her closest confidants, the Marquis Raeven of the Royal Faction and her brother, Zanac Valleon Igana Ryle Vaiself.
As the third princess of her kingdom, Renner understood well that she would never see the crown itself. She knew that, before her current situation, her best outcome would have been to be married off to a noble of high standing. Her eldest brother, Barbro Andrean Leld Ryle Vaiself, would likely inherit the throne, but Zanac was doing everything within his power to delay that inevitability.
However, that was just the backdrop to what her true concerns were at the moment. Over the course of the last few months, E-Rantel had fallen. The undead infested the patch of dirt where the city once stood, effectively creating a second Katze Plains. This in of itself proved both a blessing and a curse, since those undead would help to deter the Baharuth Empire from fully invading on that front.
The destruction of the Fortress City also incited riots from the common class, a class she had found favor with in the past regarding her policies. The survivors, in particular, proved to be the loudest voices, sowing dissent. Only in the last week had the capital guard managed to finally calm down the people, but whispers in the court reached the nobility of a second rebellion brewing in the shadows.
And, at the center of it all was one particular group of individuals, those who proved rare to meet and rarer to find. Individuals who, if left unchecked, could just as easily annihilate Re-Estize and everything it stood for. Individuals with the potential to conquer the world as they knew it.
"At the very least, we can take comfort in knowing that some of the Sirs of Ainz Ooal Gown are friendly to us," Zanac sighed, leaning back on the couch of their meeting room. "Warrior Captain Gazef's reports provide a glimmer of hope, but until we can establish steady contact, we're left stumbling in the dark."
Marquis Raeven rested his head on his fist in thought. "Carne Village has so far rebuked our efforts to send couriers for information. The members of the Sunlight Scripture remain on guard and have significantly improved the village's defenses. Even if we were desperate and tried to force an answer from them, we'd face heavy resistance."
"Only a fool would challenge Carne Village, especially with the guardian angels perched on its shoulders. From my point of view, we can only wait and watch," Renner commented, sipping from her cup of tea.
She set her cup down, placing her hands in her lap. "Anything we do at this point would be a gamble with the village. If we were to attack, we'd destroy the goodwill of the Sirs and destroy our chance of an alliance with Sir Sebastian. No, we must allow them to come to us first so that we do not risk retaliation."
"I would suggest that we seek out the Argonauts for their help, as they were present to help push back the first wave of undead when E-Rantel fell, but neither the Swords of Darkness nor Pluton Ainzach know where they are. They have vanished off the face of the world after the city's destruction."
"And for all we know, they could be connected to the Sirs of Ainz Ooal Gown too!" Marquis Raeven bitterly laughed, "Just these last few months numerous highly powerful people have appeared, seemingly working in conjunction. They are disjointed in their operations but familiar, as if they're all involved in separate parts of a grand conspiracy."
"Or they're merely gaining comprehension about their surroundings. Marquis, Zanac, do you recall the land from which one of the Sirs mentioned they came from? Captain Gazef reported that they hail from a nation known as 'Japan'. If they are foreigners to Re-Estize, then it is entirely possible that what they do is a consequence of meddling in places where they should not."
Zanac crossed his arms. "Perhaps, but you cannot entirely rule out that they don't seem to have an agenda of some kind. What if Raeven is correct in that they are involved in some conspiracy, slowly weakening our own nation's security so that they could take over? They could be in league with the Baharuth Empire for all we know."
Renner softly smiled at the irony of that statement, recollecting how one of the Six Great Nobles, Blumrush, had recently been outed as a traitor for the Baharuth Empire. All that man's patriotism, all his bluster, only to turn tail and run to an enemy nation for his own benefit.
Blumrush's betrayal was kept quiet for the most part, so as to keep a potential second rebellion from the working class from erupting. Renner had an estimate as to how long the nobility would keep it hidden, but she was likely being too generous with her guesses.
"Granted, I cannot deny these claims either. However, I do have reasons to believe that the Sirs of Ainz Ooal Gown are not plotting our downfall."
"And what would those be, might I ask?" The Marquis leaned forward in his chair.
"The first is that Sir Sebastian played his hand too early. He displayed the sort of power he is capable of by reducing all of E-Rantel to pack-dirt with a single strike. Captain Gazef's report also indicated he is fully capable of taking on the entirety of the Black Scripture, the Slane Theocracy's most elite fighting force, all without getting harmed himself."
"Second, they don't seem to have a standing army, or one that is easily visible. Why bother engaging with Carne Village and enforce it to the degree that they have if they did? Either they are in the middle of creating their own army out of whatever mercenaries they can find, or they are sending requests for reinforcements from their homeland."
Both Marquis Raeven and Zanac nodded in agreement. "If that second reason is true, Princess, then we do have some time to muster ourselves. We can try and reach further out to villages closer to the border. We still have time for the annual war, though I am loath to think that we must further deplete our numbers after such a terrible loss."
An air of frustration settled over the trio. It was common knowledge by this point that the annual war between Baharuth and Re-Estize was a slow and steady war of attrition. Many of the nobles joked that the annual war was no more than a "parade" of arms. A way to display the might of both countries.
Those with their actual heads on their shoulders knew that their kingdom was all the worse for it. Every year, the war happened around harvest season, when Re-Estize most desperately needed crops to replenish their stores. The annual war served to weaken Re-Estize by stealing away the men needed to harvest said crops.
Captain Gazef knew this well enough, which is why Renner felt he was so desperate to gain the support of Sir Sebastian and the other Sirs of Ainz Ooal Gown. Of course, the warrior captain had his orders, but that was a subconscious desire that the princess suspected that Gazef had, fueled further by the apathy of the nobles towards their plight.
"Under normal circumstances, having a second Katze Plains spawn from E-Rantel would be a horrible situation to deal with," her brother started, "But unless a miracle comes along to rebuild the fortress city in only a few weeks, it's our best case scenario."
Marquis Raeven hummed. "It is rather strange that a greater detachment of Baharuth troops hasn't arrived there. I have no doubt that they would be hesitant to face undead of any variety, but I'd think that, with their superior training and equipment, they'd send more than mere scouting parties."
"Which can only mean that the Empire itself may be facing some sort of internal turmoil. Not necessarily from the nobility but from an external source. Their court mage, Fluder Paradyne, should be able to handle a majority of the lesser undead and the greater undead with his acolytes," Renner commented.
Fluder alone could likely handle an entire surface cleanup of E-Rantel. Perhaps there are issues with supplies on their end, in whatever form that might take. The warrior captain's ability to take down the Imperial Knights may have shaken their faith, and the appearance of the Sirs would also stay their hand, provided they do know of the Sirs.
Given that Blumrush was ousted as a traitor, the likely answer was that the Emperor already knew about the Sirs and Sir Sebastian. It was not everyday that one came along with the power to level a city. That was sure to draw some eyes upon Re-Estize.
"At this rate, you may want to have Climb accelerate his training with Captain Gazef for the war. How he ever manages to find the time to train when dealing with your… attitudes is beyond me," Zanac snarked, relaxing further into the couch he sat upon.
The cup of tea that Renner grabbed audibly creaked. Both Marquis Raeven and Zanac snapped to attention when they heard that. Renner made sure to smile as sweetly as she could at the pair, allowing a small part of her true image to leak through.
"Why, whatever could you possibly mean by that, brother dearest…?"
Zanac, with great poise, said nothing. His face was thoughtful as he considered how he might respond and then formulated an answer to her question. He always did take great care with his words, usually, which meant that his comment was made out of a misunderstanding.
"I was under the impression that Climb was aware of your… eccentricities," he said diplomatically, "I meant no disrespect of course, but rather I was speaking in terms of how Climb handles himself when he is with you in private."
"My Climb is not aware of what I am. He sees me only as his savior with that gaze of his, the one I pulled out of the slums. Sometimes, I wish I could chain him up and raise him as my personal puppy."
Marquis Raeven understood well of what she was capable of and the lengths she'd go to in order to accomplish her goals by this stage in their professional relationship. However, even he was taken aback by her casual statement. Zanac merely raised an eyebrow.
"That seems a rather… exotic form of love, if I've ever heard of such a way. It's one I could never understand myself," the Marquis said, "Your highness, I was not aware that you held such feelings for the young man.
"It does not matter to me if you understand how I love him, only that I do. Climb has been training day in and day out to be able to protect me better under the Warrior Captain's tutelage. It is only right that I in turn take care of him forever, on a leash preferably."
A thought occurred to Renner then. "Although, I wonder if perhaps I missed an opportunity by not sending him alongside Gazef to E-Rantel to rescue the people. There was a high chance that he could've died, but then I'd be able to have him resurrected with Lakyus's help. I could take care of him quite well then."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Actually, no, it is good that I did not send him. He can be here with me in the event that the Sirs of Ainz Ooal Gown appear. Sir Sebastian might also be able to instruct him as well. Having Captain Gazef and Sir Sebastian as teachers would improve his skills exponentially."
She shook her head. "In any event, my love for Climb is not an important topic of discussion. What we should be discussing is what to do in the event that the Sirs do actually appear. Sir Sebastian is evidently a man of great honor according to Captain Gazef, so I believe that the chance of them coming is almost certain."
Her brother's mouth drew thinly. "While we can expect some semblance of integrity from their number, that is only taking into account that we're speaking of the members that we know of. Knowing you, Renner, you've already taken into account that their actual population is greater than merely four or five extra members. Eight to nine if we assume the Argonauts are connected to them like Marquis Raeven suggested."
"That's also believing that they don't somehow have the capacity to summon more reinforcements on the fly," Raeven noted, "Though I'd rather just take my chances and possibly lead the Royal Faction into a secret alliance with the Sirs, as we've seen the behavior of the other Great Nobles."
"Both of you would be correct in making such addresses. Based on what we do know, I can guess with a reasonable degree of certainty that if the Sirs come, it will be for an alliance. Furthermore, I can say that they will present their own terms, but also be open to ours. We can use their innate powers to our advantage, as well as leverage of a kind."
Marquis Raeven frowned. "Leverage of what variety?"
"We know that the Sirs are more than willing to work well with others, but I suspect that this is only a recent change from previous behavior. Rather, they are only coming out to interact with the people to gather their own information about this land. Furthermore, they have always presented themselves as a helpful force, going out of their way to give aid to others, even if it is for a selfish benefit."
Renner took another sip of her tea. "The Sirs will be eager to please, to prove themselves as a potential ally, even with the situation that Re-Estize is in. They cannot stay hidden forever, and they know this well because of the fact that they have become so active. They are powerful beyond our wildest dreams, but even they cannot move forward without proper info about their neighbors."
"You think that they're on the cusp of coming out in full force," Zanac stated, getting what she was saying. "They're hesitant to join the wider world, but they're readying themselves beforehand. A catalyst will need to present itself before they commit."
"What kind of catalyst would force a group like the Sirs of Ainz Ooal Gown to react? If something of that caliber can scare them into revealing themselves, then what would that mean for our kingdom?" the marquis asked, looking pale at the notion.
"Of that, we can only theorize," Renner said.
From there, the three were content to sit in their meeting room. Renner felt that the Marquis and her brother needed time to fully appreciate the weight of their conversation. In a way, the possibility of the near future was more daunting than their present.
That of itself was a feat, since Re-Estize was overloaded trying to care for E-Rantel's survivors. The underbelly of their nation was teeming with activity in response, taking advantage of the chaos. Nobles that previously lurked in the background of their esteemed peers vied for power.
It was a subtle kind of anarchy, held together by thin strings that could be snapped at any second. The Sirs of Ainz Ooal Gown were likely to be the shears that cut them loose and unleashed damnation upon them all.
Renner knew full well for years where she stood with her loyalties. All that mattered to her in the end was Climb. She could not allow anyone to stand in her way, which meant she was always plotting her way to victory, even if she had to don a radiant personage to do so.
Which is why she smiled to herself with the knowledge that she was already taking care of such matters. Six Arms and Eight Fingers be damned, their days were numbered already. All she had to do was wait.
Zanac stood from the couch. "I must take my leave. I have duties to attend to, and I cannot dally upon issues that will only drive me mad with anxiety. Sirs or not, our current problems will need to be dealt with a Re-Estize hand."
"On that I agree as well, Prince Zanac," Marquis Raeven pushed back his chair. "Although, I wish to check up on my wife and son, to make sure that no one else has come by to harass them for my whereabouts."
The pair curtseyed to her on their way out, greeting the maids that patiently waited outside. Renner heard the footsteps of one of them preparing to enter the room, to check on her and see if she needed further freshments.
Renner held up a hand. "It is quite alright. I wish to be left alone for now. The atmosphere is quite pleasant when not speaking of matters about potential doom."
The maid left without a word, closing the wooden doors with an audible click. It was just Renner in the room now, quietly sipping her tea and enjoying the soft sunlight that filtered through the gaps in the curtains. It really was a gorgeous day. Perhaps she'd take a walk through the gardens with Climb once he finished his training. Yes, that's what she'd think she would do.
"You know well how to care for your guests. You also know well how to keep them in line. The look on your face when your half-brother insulted you… why, it was quite exquisite!"
Her shadow buzzed with the excitement of the new voice that joined her in that meeting place. It sounded as if it were speaking directly into her ear, making it impossible to ignore. As soon as she heard it, she dropped her guard completely, able to take off the mask she wore and relax.
"It pleases me that you are here with me, Mr. Junichiro. I take it that matters are progressing smoothly upon your end?" She asked, smiling.
"All goes well on the Western Front, so the saying goes. These last couple of months have proven studious, if nothing else. Though, based upon my observations, events have been considerably more exhilarating for you."
"Many of the criminal organizations have kept me on my toes, unfortunately. Your agents have equipped me well in anticipating their next movements, which has made disposing of their Black Dust farms considerably easier. Blue Rose sends their appreciations, even if they don't know who they're sending it to."
"Yes… those adventurers of yours, the Blue Roses, are valuable assets. I would wish to meet them, if that I may employ their services myself. Having natives as allies would provide me the insight I so desire."
Renner's satisfaction with Blue Rose shot up when she heard that. "When you and the rest of Ainz Ooal Gown arrive, I shall arrange a meeting. It is the least I can do for everything you have helped me to learn, Mr. Junichiro."
"With our partnership, it is only natural that I do my best to send aid. Of course, such deals run both ways. How goes the more… subtle indoctrination of the people of Re-Estize?"
"The adventurers of E-Rantel nearly exhaust themselves singing the praises of Sir Sebastian and the Argonauts, and I've made sure to sprinkle in some rumors of the Sirs of Ainz Ooal Gown saving Carne. Needless to say, the people are hoping for an appearance from your associates sometime soon."
"Excellent, that is most excellent. A smoother transition of the balance of power is always appreciated. We have no shortage of arms on my end, but what we lacked most was our ability to influence anything beyond our own politics. Your help is sorely appreciated."
Renner let out a hum of satisfaction. "So long as my Climb and I are assured a place for ourselves among everything else. Having Six Arms and Eight Fingers dealt with will also remove a thorn that's lodged itself in my side. I look forward to meeting you, face-to-face.
"As do I Princess, as do I."
The shadow that attached itself to her ceased talking. Renner wasn't sure what sort of magic could produce such an effect to carry over Mr. Junichiro's voice. She couldn't exactly ask those among Blue Roses, as that would give away her position as an informant of Mr. Junichiro.
The month they'd spent speaking or so was enlightening, to say the least. They'd only ever spoken through the shadow method, where her shadow would come alive and speak to her as if he sat right next to her. It felt invasive at first, but as she got to know Mr. Junichiro and his offer to her, it began to feel commonplace, welcome even.
She anticipated that those of Ainz Ooal Gown would not arrive for several more months, right before the annual war. That was when tensions would be highest among the government. It would be a perfect time to take advantage and assume power through an alliance.
And Renner, of course, would be rewarded for her own part. She neglected to share those particular details with her brother and the Marquis, but so long as they did not stand in Ainz Ooal Gown's way, they would be spared.
"A fine day it will be indeed," she said to herself, taking another sip of her tea. She frowned slightly, as she realized now it was cooling too much for her liking. Ah well, she could always have a fresh batch brewed if need be.
It would be just in time for Climb's training to finish. She wished to savor that with him, as a reminder of why she is doing everything that she is.
Throne Room of Nazarick, around the same time
"Now, kneel to your lord and master, swear your fealty to me!" Boomed Momonga's voice, echoing throughout the mammoth hall that was the throne room of Nazarick.
A few couple dozen knees clacked to the floor in unison, heavy armor clamoring against itself as the wearers moved to obey his command. Those of the crowd did not say anything, since they were still learning to speak, but insectoid chittering filled the air as a suitable replacement.
"That was a good start, but I think your inflection is still a bit off. Even with your deeper voice, you still need to work on your 'commanding' presence."
The Overlord looked to his left. "You think so? It's better than when I first began two months ago, I hope."
"Oh for sure! I'm so proud of your progress so far Momo," answered Bukubukuchagama, coaching him from her spot right next to him.
Momonga was seated on the Throne of Kings for today's "Overlord practice" as his slime friend called it, since she felt that it would help to cement the aura of power and authority that he wished to convey. He agreed with her, coming to the same conclusion she did.
Today was merely another day in a long string of days encompassing his training, beginning almost two months ago to the day he decided that he needed to be more firm in his decisions. From the books he gathered from the library, one of the more vital aspects of his wish was to establish himself as more authoritative in his very presence.
What that entailed was hours of voice projection training, public speaking skills, stance and movement awareness, quick decision making, and, most importantly, social image among others. He could've learned everything on his own, but he felt that it would be better if he had someone experienced in the field who could help him learn those skills.
Hence Bukubukuchagama leading the way to a better and more confident him.
"Thank you, Buku. Everything I've learned up to this point is thanks to you. I could have never made it this far without such a stellar teacher by my side," he complimented back.
Bukubukuchagama held up a tendril, waving it like she would a hand in a bashful manner. "Oh, but you're the one putting in all the extra hours of self-study! There's no need to butter me up, smooth talker."
"Even still, there's no one else I trust more to help me with this than you. Plus, it helps that I also have an audience to practice my skills on."
He refocused on the crowd in front of the throne, which knelt without moving. They were eerily still, statues of Yggdrasil equipment. The first two generations of the Bug Queen's soldiers were a sight to behold, especially after receiving proper training from his guildmates.
"You ever think maybe Takemikazuchi went a bit overboard with his regiment though? They're good practice, sure, but I feel like being a military commander doesn't suit you," Bukubukuchagama said, leaning closer to his ear as she spoke.
"I see no reason why he shouldn't have employed the methods he did. His military experience, along with Dynamite's, Suratan's, and Rasputin's, shaped up a competent force in theory. What better alternative could there be for my own benefit?"
To that, his oblex guildmate made a shrugging motion. "Maybe, but I figured something more… casual would be better. Soldiers won't be as useful as regular people, or our other friends."
To that, Momonga did see her reasoning. He primarily wanted to use the bug soldiers as his audience since they were Nazarick's best representation of a free thinking, sentient army. They were a hive-mind, certainly, but the last few months of basic training showed a remarkable ability to be innovative.
Growing from hatchling to adult in only a few days did nothing to hinder their ability to learn. If anything, it increased the rate at which they retained information. All of them were blazing through their basic training regiment that the four guildmates with a military background designed, forcing them to begin making more "specialized training".
"Perhaps you are right," Momonga said, rising from the throne. He stepped down the dais to a bug soldier directly in front of him. The creature raised her head to look at him, but quickly lowered it again once he stood before her.
"Please, remove your helmet. I wish to see your humanoid form," he asked the soldier politely, wishing to treat her with respect as a denizen and protector of Nazarick.
The soldier complied immediately, lifting off her helmet. Blond locks fell out of the confines of the closed, roman styled helmet, framing a somewhat human face that was segmented with different lines. Those lines were the gaps in-between the chitin of her head, a reminder of just how far removed the bug soldiers were from their progenitor, Clementine.
"They're pretty much all clones of her," Bukubukuchagama remarked, suddenly next to him while he lifted the Clementine look-alike's chin to study her crimson eyes. "I guess it'll make it easier to blend in if somehow they lost their helmets while out in public."
"The armor they wear is bulky enough to hide them already. Which does remind me, Amanomahitotsu and Gore have really outdone themselves with the design. They feel like a proper part of our home."
"Eh. They're good, but I've never really been a fan of the aesthetic that the Valkyrie's Downfall update brought to Yggdrasil. Why try to shove a bunch of sci-fi and mecha in a fantasy game? I'll never get what the devs thought they were doing with that update. Both parts of that update, that is."
Every one of the bug soldiers was outfitted with a suit of semi-futuristic roman praetorian armor that covered them from head to toe. The armor was sealed tight with interlocking plates, to better hide the chitinous plates that created their humanoid form. Underneath, a skin-tight body suit would further obscure the heteromorphic features of their bodies, making only their unveiled heads a risk factor for discovery.
Each set of equipment was made of top-tier class materials and imbued with data crystals of the same type. Amanomahitotsu was able to craft those data crystals easily enough, and the guild had more than enough top-tier materials before the blacksmith player would need to start duplicating said materials. They were then forged with the color scheme of Ainz Ooal Gown, a combination of purple and black with trims of gold along their armor plates. In addition to this, they were given a red mantle to wear that was emblazoned with the sigil of their guild, a sign of their allegiance for all the world to see.
The helmet was fashioned in the same likeness of a praetorian's but mixed with the design of a skull, Momonga's skull to be more precise. Pieces of smith-forged glass the same tint as Momonga's eyes were fitted in the helmet's sockets, while the piece that closed the helmet up looked like the front of his skull. Red plumes adorned the helmets for that bit of flourish that Amanomahitotsu was known for.
The blacksmith had taken it upon himself to draw up all the designs of the bug soldiers' equipment, from the armor they wore to the weapons they'd use in the future. Some pieces of their arsenal were being worked on, but there was no shortage of items to experiment with.
Nazarick's treasury, for example, housed all of the wealth that the guild blacksmith needed, across all rarities. Low, middle, high, top, legacy, relic, legendary, and even divine tier items were well accounted for, personally managed by Pandora's Actor, Nearata, and Genjiro. It was from the top tier class of items that Amanomahitotsu primarily drew from, since it was still high enough level to be optimal in the New World , but hardly a drain on Nazarick's resources.
"Do you remember when Takemikazuchi wanted to get these guys out of the tomb? I recall he said he wanted to get them some 'field work' to test and see how well they'd hold up in actual combat," Bukubukuchagama asked.
Momonga retracted his hand, allowing the soldier's head to fall. "Sometime later this week, once he has this latest generation trained up. It'll be some time before we have the numbers to consider them a true army, but their levels and equipment should more than make up for that disadvantage."
"I'm not sure where he's gonna find enough enemies to have all of them fighting. Maybe he'll decide to hire them out as mercenaries."
"That's not a bad idea, actually. Though, I was thinking we could station a few dozen or so at the villages under our influence. Carne and the Spriggan Settlement could use the extra firepower."
The oblex slime hummed in thought. "Doesn't Carne already have the Sunlight Scripture training up the villagers? Feels like we could do better to place them in other places. I do see where you're coming from though. It would make us feel more… official."
"Something to contemplate for the future then. There is no particular rush to begin with, unless we were being attacked or the village was a security risk," Momonga said.
It was then that he noticed that Bukubukuchagama was speaking to him not in her usual childish tone, but in her true mature voice. Usually she spoke in the former, as a way to tease others and put them at ease, but lately she was speaking to him as she would if she were speaking to Peroroncino or if the situation was dire.
He briefly wondered if she might be taking his training too seriously, a notion he contemplated only because she initially began by teaching him in her childish voice. Subconsciously, he noticed that shift in the two types of voice over the last two months, but now it was practically blaring itself to him.
The likely answer was that she was becoming more comfortable around him, since they were spending a substantial amount of time together. Before all of them left the first time, Momonga thought he and her were close. However, he was no idiot: he'd seen the knowing grins from his friends every time the pair of them were together.
It doesn't mean anything. They're just joking around anyways, so I see no reason to focus so much on their reactions to us. I spend plenty of time with them too, so really, me and Bukubukuchagama are not special.
Idly, his gaze did meander to where his slime friend's hand would be if she were still human. A tendril that undulated on itself was in its stead, temptingly close to his. Momonga noted that while he made no missteps in expressing his thanks for Bukubukuchagama verbally, he hadn't done anything yet through physical actions.
"Everything okay, Momo? You're awfully quiet now. What's going on in that shining, bone dome of yours?" she half-jokingly asked, tilting her head at him since she lacked facial expressions.
Screw it. That's too adorable, and she does deserve a worthy thanks for everything she's done for me.
He reached for the tendril that substituted as her hand and held it gently. The slime that acted as Bukubukuchagama's head immediately shot down at the connection and then back up to stare at him. He got the impression she was stunned by his sudden action, but not upset by it since she didn't yank it away.
"Nothing is wrong, Buku, but I was thinking about how I've told you my thanks but never actually showed you. I feel as if it is a travesty that cannot continue, wouldn't you agree?"
"Oh? And what did the big, scary overlord have in mind to show his appreciation?"
Momonga made a show of holding his chin in mock thought. "How about you and I have a picnic together? Someplace nice out near the Forest of Tob? We can bring the twins along and enjoy the sunshine. The Sixth Floor has its wonders, but it's been sometime since I've been out and about."
A fold in the gelatinous bulb of Bukubukuchagama creased, like an eyebrow being raised. "Momonga, I don't know if you know this or not, but last I checked skeletons can't eat. Unless you suddenly became a zombie when I wasn't looking."
"That's alright. I do not have to eat in order to spend time with you. It's the thought that matters more than my actual act of eating, no?" He laughed lightly at her jest.
"Then why not. We'll go out at the end of this week when Takemikazuchi takes his toy bug soldiers out. I'll make sure to prepare a picnic basket for all of us."
Momonga held up his free hand to her. "There is no need. I am the one pampering you, so allow me to handle basket preparation. I'll cook up something special."
Bukubukuchagama leaned in slightly. "You're the boss then. Just for your information, but I can be a hard lady to impress. You'd better bring your A-game, 'cause you wouldn't want to disappoint the twins."
"I wouldn't dream of it."
They gave their own approximations of a smile towards one another to seal the deal. It was a small moment, a lapse of time nearly negligible. Momonga felt like he'd just taken the first step towards a certain direction. He wasn't sure what it meant, but he felt a strange warmth bloom in his chest, intense enough to acknowledge it, but not so deep that his emotional inhibitor prevented him from cherishing it.
Reality came crashing down upon them both when Momonga's messenger pinged. He let go of Bukubukuchagama's tendril and held two fingers to his temple. "This is Momonga. What do you need?"
"It's Punitto Moe. Get your ass down to Nubo's scrying room now. We have a situation here that we need to address, possibly immediately," the battle priest's critical inflection came through.
The skeletal overlord mentally raised an eyebrow. "A situation of what variety?"
"A situation of the 'you' variety. Get here as quick as you can and take a look at what Nubo found. You have some explaining to do."
Just as quickly as Punitto's message came through, it cut off, leaving only silence in Momonga's head. He sighed when he realized that there wasn't a way to hold off the meeting. It wouldn't look good to his friends if he didn't make it to a possible emergency in a timely manner, especially if it concerned him.
"Duty calls, I'm afraid. We'll have to continue this later," he said, disappointed. "After I resolve whatever has upset Punitto Moe this time around, I'll come find you to continue where we left off, I promise."
It may have been his imagination, but he could've sworn he saw the slime player slightly shrink in dejection when he said he had to leave. As soon as he said he'd come back and find her, she "brightened".
"You know Punitto. He'd blow a fuse if so much as a sword was out of place in his armory. Go check out whatever he needs you to see. I'll be holding you to your promise," she lightly teased him.
Having settled that, Momonga turned to the bug soldiers. "You are all dismissed. Return to Takemikazuchi for the time being, and thank you all for being such extraordinary listeners."
The insectoids practically scrambled over one another to obey his command, filing out of the throne room. The overlord and oblex's guild rings lit up, teleporting them to their next destinations.
As with the first time that Momonga saw it, Nubo's scrying room had hardly changed. It was still a madhouse of varied mirrors floating around like computer monitors. The surface of each mirror would ripple, flashing between different still shots of locations that the ophanim kept several eyes on for Nazarick.
Currently, Momonga saw Punitto Moe, Bellriver, Garnet, and Nubo in the room. Ancient One was curiously absent, but he did not pay it any mind. He figured that the seer was off performing his own duties within the tomb, or he hadn't been called yet to address the situation that popped up.
"What's going on?" Momonga asked as soon as he teleported in. "What sort of emergency has befallen us that makes it a 'me' variety?"
Punitto Moe's arms were crossed, but his eyes were not red. He huffed, agitated. "Momonga, when you, Bellriver, and Garnet went to Carne the first time to save it from attackers, you mentioned that you guys left a few alive to spread the word that Carne wasn't to be messed with. I'm correct in remembering that detail?"
"Yeah, we already explained that to you Punitto! Bellriver thought it would be a good idea, to help get the word out there about our name too. It worked, didn't it?" Garnet answered.
"Yeah, but now I'm thinking we may have been a bit overzealous with that idea, given what Nubo just found," Bellriver rubbed his forehead with a sigh. "This is not what I had in mind at all. I don't even know why I thought it was a good idea in the first place."
"What? What are you all talking about? What has Nubo discovered, and how does it involve me? I haven't even been out of the tomb since E-Rantel."
Rather than respond, the battle priest pointedly jabbed a finger at one of the mirrors Nubo was scrying though. Confused, he walked up to Nubo and motioned for him to move, to which the angelic player did so. Momonga was able to watch everything unfold as it happened in real time.
Centered in the mirror was the scene of a village being attacked, six death knights tearing through the pathetic walls and ripping the village guards to pieces. Several lesser undead strode through the surviving ranks and slaughtered any survivors, their corpses rising again as new members of their macabre onslaught.
Near the back line, Momonga saw a heavily armored warrior leading a small batch of lightly armored men and women, expressions of horror, disgust, and awe etched on their faces. He guessed them to be the Knights of the Weeping King, the same group that Peroroncino, Ulbert, and Dynamite encountered those couple months ago.
I wonder if the one in front is the Tsuareninya that they met that day. Her name still sounds strangely familiar, but I can't seem to put my finger on it. Ah well, I suppose that doesn't really matter at the moment.
He kept watching as the leader cut down any guards that somehow escaped the undead, a sword with a purple edge slicing through them like warm butter. After each death, the warrior would turn to their group and gesture to the body, saying something that the mirror couldn't convey.
"So it seems the Knights have discovered another group of Zuranon. The more of their number dead, the better. I still don't see what this has to do with me."
"Just keep watching. You'll see in a second. Look, they're bringing out the stone now," Punitto Moe said, confusing Momonga even further.
Indeed, he saw one of the death knights carrying a colossal pillar of stone on its shoulder, swinging it every so often to smash a house that had guards inside. When it reached what was likely the village center, it set the heavy stone down and took a step back.
The other members of its kind surrounded the stone, banging their swords and their shields together, though the deafening noise was not heard by anyone in Nubo's scrying room. This went on for a minute or so, until the leader and their entourage arrived to kneel before the stone. The latter were more reluctant than the former, but they all knelt nonetheless.
It was here that Momonga saw an ominous shadow fall over the group and the stone, emitting black smoke that coiled about the obelisk. Each tendril struck deeply, shearing entire portions of the rock to create a new shape out of it, one that became intimately familiar.
His jaw nearly fell open when he recognized the bony pauldrons that sat on his shoulders, the flowing robes that exposed his rib-cage, and the orb that hovered just below that. In no time at all, a statue of his likeness appeared before the warband. All showed their fealty to the statue, the shadows dissipating once their work was done.
"As you can see, you're proving to be a popular figure these days. It seems Bellriver's plan worked after all," Punitto Moe commented dryly.
"I don't see how they'd know that he was undead, since he wore a mask and gloves," Bellriver shot back in defense. "He- No, wait, he wasn't disguised when we first rescued Enri and Nemu…"
"Except we only let some of the soldiers go after we came to Carne Village proper, and Sensei was properly disguised then. So were you," Garnet said.
The death vine player crossed his leafy arms. "Which can only mean those former members of the Slane Theocracy that didn't defect to us did their job. You are right in questioning how they know that Momonga is undead. Those Knights have been keeping busy too. Look at what else Nubo has found."
At his cue, several of the mirrors' surfaces switched to live feeds of other villages, similarly devastated. They ranged in size and purpose, some serving more for farming, as evidenced by the burning fields of crop, and others were merely residential areas.
What they all shared in common was that at the direct center of each village, there were more statues of Momonga placed down. Crowds of people surrounded those statues, leaving offerings of food, clothes, and bowls filled with dark crimson fluid.
Some of the villages had pikes set up around the statue, where the heads of men were impaled upon them. It was a grim scene, from an objective standpoint. As per usual, Momonga remained unbothered by the displays of death.
"This is not the sort of fan club I would have hoped to cultivate. How on Earth have I spawned a death cult?!" he exclaimed.
"It might have to do with that Tsuare girl," Nubo interjected, "I've been keeping an eye on her for a while now like A.O. asked, but what's strange is that sometimes when I scry her, all I get is a blank mirror, or I just see black."
"Anti-scrying measures? Against you of all people? But that's absurd, as the only way that someone could possibly hide from your sight is if they were a player, or had a piece of anti-scrying equipment from Yggdrasil."
Bellriver's mouths all drew into a thin line. "That sounds like our answer then. Somehow, Tsuareninya is able to protect herself against scrying with the help of a player. Shouldn't Ancient One's shadow demon have reported something back?"
"Not if it was killed, or was charmed by someone who has the power to do so," Punitto Moe said, "I'm more willing to bet on the latter than the former, since the death of a shadow demon would have set off our alarms."
"Then who is this other player? Maybe it's whoever this 'Weeping King' is? I don't see why they'd call Sensei that, since I don't think undead can cry. What if they're actually just worshiping another overlord who happens to look like him?"
It was a weak suggestion, and everyone in that room knew it. While the heteromorph player base in Yggdrasil initially surged after Nazarick's successful defense against the Eight Guild Alliance, the amount of heteromorph players was still smaller than demi-human and humanoid players.
This wasn't even taking into account the fact that to randomly make a build and appearance that was similar to another player was astronomically tiny. To have a similar build, cosmetics, and items would require intent. Intimate knowledge of the source material was needed, since there were nearly six-hundred races to choose from and hundreds if not thousands more classes on top of that.
That didn't mean overlap with races and some classes couldn't happen, but to have a near identical copy of someone else as one's playstyle was pushing his suspension of disbelief.
"It could be another situation like with Grover and Blue Planet," Momonga suggested, "It seems another equally likely answer. However, if this were the case, why does the Weeping King not reveal himself to us? If this behavior is recent, then surely he knows that we are present in some capacity."
Nubo's rings rotated with a huff. "What the hell kind of name is 'Weeping King' anyways? Sounds like some edgy teenager's idea of a cool title. Blegh, it reminds me too much of Temperance and his 'Master of Puppets' nickname."
They all groaned at the reminder. Temperance's obsession to be the "personification of darkness" made the core spawn seer try out some odd behaviors. He was more of a chuunibyou than Ulbert and Wish III were. It was the shadowmancer who gave the trio of evil players their unofficial name: The Unholy Triumvirate.
"Good lord, don't bring that up please," Punitto Moe said in a pained voice, "I don't want to even think about him and Ulbert discussing their 'ideas of evil', or about how Temperance made Painkill Neuronist for the dungeons."
"Plus, I'd rather not consider the notion that if this situation is similar to Grover and Blue Planet's, that my own fan is a chuunibyou on the level of Temperance."
"What, you don't like the blood sacrifices they're making in your name? They'll be disappointed to hear that, Momonga."
"Shut up, Moe."
The tension in the atmosphere broke. Cult or not, there was another breach in their security. What was unfortunate was that Ainz Ooal Gown as a guild did not know where this mysterious player aligned. It was easy to make the assumption that based on the statues of Momonga, there was some favorability.
However, it was probable that it was all a trap. A way to lure Momonga out into the open to investigate so that he could get ganked by unknown assailants. The overlord was not eager to see how well his PvP skills held up when reality assured his true death if he was beaten.
"In any event, they haven't done anything egregious enough to warrant intervention from us," Punitto Moe said, allowing his rare moment of humor to pass. "I'm going to speak with Ancient One about this and see if anything might have come back from his spy. Nubo, continue your surveillance for now. Hopefully this fanboy of Momonga slips up and we get an idea of who we're dealing with."
"You got it boss," Nubo acknowledged, focusing back on his mirrors for the time being. The death vine player turned to Bellriver and Garnet.
"Thanks for coming in and clearing this up. It seems we won't need part two of the newspaper for you three like last time. You can go back and finish up whatever you were doing, especially Garnet. Brisingr is missing you already I'm sure."
Both guildmates nodded and left the room, Garnet patting Momonga on the shoulder as he walked out. There were just three of them in the room, but Momonga suspected that Punitto Moe wasn't done with him yet.
"Momonga, why don't you and I walk around the Ninth Floor for a bit."
It was phrased as a casual suggestion, but hardly was there ever a time that someone of the guild didn't know better. The overlord shrugged. "As you wish, lead the way then."
Once they left Nubo alone, it was clear that there was no real destination in mind that the battle priest had. The Ninth Floor offered a number of amenities that made it paradise for those who lived on it. Every denizen of Nazarick could access the bar, spa resort, salons, grocery stores, theater, dojo, water park, and more.
They were quiet almost the entire time they walked together. It wasn't until they passed Nazarick's panic room that Punitto Moe finally spoke. "Momonga, I wanted to get you alone since you've spent the second most amount of time with him, but have you noticed anything different with Bellriver lately?"
That caught the skeletal mage off guard. "Er, no? I can't say I've seen anything out of the ordinary with him. Though we haven't exactly hung out since our little adventure in Carne Village. Why, is everything alright?"
"I've been thinking over recent events since we've started allowing the others to visit the different villages. I recalled something in Blue Planet's report from when he and the others with him fought the corrupted Grover. I didn't think much of it at first, since I assumed it was just the green eyed entity messing with their heads, but that comment it made about Bellriver has started to bother me."
"Do you mean the jab it made about it somehow 'gifting' Bellriver to us? I was in the same camp as you when Blue Planet mentioned that in his report, but I figured it wasn't worth pursuing the panic it would cause. Why not ask Blue Planet himself? They're best friends, after all. He would be more able to tell you about oddities in his behavior."
Punitto Moe shook his head. "That's just it. Blue Planet is too compromised by their friendship to speak on the subject objectively, and if I just start asking everyone about it, then I'll be sowing distrust among ourselves. The only people I've asked are Garnet and Ancient One, but both have said much the same thing."
"So then what has brought about this surge lately? If this is about the potential security breach with the Knights, then surely Bellriver is not the cause for it. He would never betray us."
"Not voluntarily, at least."
The gravity of that sentence struck Momonga in the chest, metaphorically winding him. "Punitto, you cannot be serious! You don't really believe that-"
"That Bellriver could be a sleeper agent for the bastard that killed the kid in the forest? I can't say for certain. All logic points at Bellriver being Bellriver, just with four years of memories lost since he died in the real world. But I can't get rid of this gut feeling I have. I don't have any evidence, I don't have anything tangible to go off…"
The leafy guildmate sighed, slumping. "The best thing we can do now is to start limiting the guild in its visits again. Bring back everyone that's in the field currently, save for summons. We send out more spies to figure out what the hell is happening while we do an internal investigation. We keep this idea about Bellriver on the downlow, keep an eye on him and watch for any suspicious behavior."
"You wish to enact another lockdown? Our friends will understand, and yet I can't help but feel bad that we're going to restrict their freedoms so soon. Isn't there another way that we could handle this without having to keep them on house arrest?" Momonga asked in disbelief.
"It will not be a full lockdown, but we will limit the amount of places we can visit. I wanted to speak with you first before I did, to make sure I wasn't missing any vital information. We double the scouts and search harder for this hidden player, see what the hell his endgame is before we engage. Whether we wanted it or not, we've stepped into a war with this green eyed entity, and I intend to win this for us through whatever means necessary."
"Then, if I might make a suggestion, I believe we should start bulking up on Carne's defenses as well. If you and I are thinking the same thing, Carne and the Spriggan Settlement will be our sole connection to the outside world. We must defend them adequately."
His idea made Punitto Moe give him an approving stare. "That's an excellent proposal. Takemikazuchi wanted to take the new bug queen soldiers out for a test drive, so to speak. We can assign a few to each village in case the Knights start making their way towards us."
With an agreement reached, the battle strategist began to leave Momonga, heading off towards where the grocery stores were. "I hope I'm wrong about Bellriver, but only time will tell. Temperance and him are supposed to finally settle their data crystal debt, so maybe you can sit in and make sure things go smoothly."
And then it was just him in front of the panic room, pondering the creation of Garnet while he mulled over their conversation.
Bellriver, a sleeper agent? It was an absurd accusation, one that was designed on a shaky foundation at best. If it came from anyone else, Momonga would have laughed off the allegation and assumed the one who brought it forth was joking.
Except this wasn't anyone else. This was Punitto Moe, who was renowned for his battle strategy and ability to assess possible enemy tactics. He wasn't a "people person" like his counterpart was, but he understood enough to know what combatants could be planning.
He briefly wondered if the battle priest had invited Bellriver to that meeting to try and confirm his suspicions. Momonga hadn't noticed the gibbering mouther acting strangely when the images of the villages came up, so if he did know about it in some way, he hid it well.
If Bellriver was somehow a sleeper agent for the green eyed entity, then Momonga wasn't sure how it could be when he and the entire guild showed up at the same time. It was frustrating trying to untangle such a mystery. After all these months, they still knew next to nothing about Grover's possessor and Nfirea's assailant. Since the radio silence, now there was a new player making moves by conquering villages and converting them to worship of him?
It's too big a coincidence to ignore, as loathe as I am to admit it. The security breaches in the past usually came from the actions of the guild directly, but the only connection we have to this newest one is too tenuous. The information about myself had to come from somewhere. I can't help but feel as if we're being… manipulated somehow, pushed towards a place we can't see. How does this all end?
The ornate doors leading to the elaborate panic room offered no reply to his internal questions. Whatever came next, Ainz Ooal Gown would have to come together as a guild and face it.
He only hoped that the sinking feeling in his gut was not a premonition of things to come.