Hello Scrolls and Nazarins, Mr.Bones brings another chapter of my fanfic The One Who Came Back.
The revelations happen in an unexpected meeting.
With you
The One Who Came Back
Chapter 51: Reencounter
"RENNER!" Lakius shouted as she jumped out of the carriage, followed by the other Blue Roses.
She hit the stairs with such force that if there weren't a rune on each step, the marble would have been crushed.
"RENNER, COME WITH ME, EVIL! TELEPORT!" the adventurer yelled, grabbing the former princess by the wrist and pulling her towards the mage.
"Lakius! What are you doing here? What's happening?" Renner asked with a concerned expression.
"We're leaving."
"Stop, Lakius."
"We don't have time. Let's go!" she spoke, but then received a jolt and looked at her friend. For a fraction of a second, she saw a smile on Renner's face, something so fleeting that her mind barely registered. When she looked at her directly, all she could see was her frightened face and the effort not to move.
"Stop, Lakius, you're hurting me. Calm down, my friend, what are you doing?"
"I, I... I'm saving you. Maybe this is the only chance we have."
"For what? Escape? To where? And then?" Lakius didn't know how to answer. In fact, until now, she hadn't even imagined that her friend was still alive.
"I-I don't know, but maybe we can get out of here. H-how are you still alive?"
"Calm down. We don't need to escape like this. This is an incredible coincidence. What we need is to talk. Come, it's a bit late, but I think we can still have some tea. Right? Come on, let's go inside," the princess said, taking her friend's hand and indicating the way into the town hall.
Of all the things this moment could be, a coincidence was the last option. Renner had already been informed of the Blue Roses' arrival since they left Arwintar. From this moment on, a Shadow Demon had kept constant surveillance. It was particularly amusing to estimate when would be the best time to show herself to her friend on this specific day, arranging for the right carriage to pick them up at the Guild and take a route that passed by the town hall, using events that led the coachman to decide on such a path without involving bribery. It was all just child's play.
The former princess Renner was already known for having a quick mind, but those closer to her knew that this was an understatement. In fact, she had a mind at a genius level, by human standards. Now, with the change of race, her intelligence and reasoning jumped beyond that scale. Her new demonic mind was still hers, but it seemed as if a world of new information and possibilities had opened up.
Despite all this, in terms of intelligence, she still felt she was at the feet of her direct superiors: Lady Albedo and her organization, her mentor Lord Demiurge with his planning, she didn't even come close to Lord Pandora, someone unparalleled in the performing arts, which she herself was so proud of but seemed like a child acting alongside him. But now she had time to learn, an eternal life for it. She intended to someday be able to emulate those characteristics. Her only urgency was to show herself as efficient and helpful as possible. After all, if her superiors were in such unattainable standards, what about the Supreme Master of such beings? Divine would be the only way to describe him.
Meanwhile, Ainz was in a village in the Great Forest of Evasha, trying to learn something from an old dark elf.
Renner walked through the corridors of the prefecture. No one gave more than a glance to the group following the Prime Minister's advisor.
"Right this way, we can sit in the reserved room. I'll order some tea. Would you like something to eat? Maybe some cookies."
"I... yes, please. Some cookies would be good."
Only Lakius could be considered a "friend." The others, at most, were her colleagues to be tolerated. When they reached the room, the twins preferred to lean on a distant sofa, while Lakius and Evileye sat at the table with Renner. She would have preferred to have this conversation alone, but the presence of the other Blue Roses was not unexpected.
"What happened to you, girls? It looks like you came out of a fight. Did you have any problems in the city? I can ask someone to help you if you're in trouble."
"No, no. We went to explore the Training Dungeon. I think we got carried away, and... BY THE GODS, HOW ARE YOU ALIVE!!!" the leader exclaimed.
"Alright, I think I'll need to tell you about the last day of Re-Estize and the fall of the Vaisef house. As far as I remember, the city was surrounded and being invaded."
"Yes, the Sorcerer King's army had reached our gates. We were saying our goodbyes when I was betrayed," she said, casting a glance at the friends who showed no reaction.
"That's right. The Blue Roses did what they did to you because they cared. They contacted me, and we planned your withdrawal for your own good."
"For my own good? I would fight to save as many people as possible."
"And die uselessly, saving people who would probably die shortly after. Remember, the city was surrounded. Understand, you were important, a valuable warrior, but you wouldn't stand a chance against someone from that army."
"How do you know that? We might have defeated some group, or a general, and created an opening in the siege."
"Perhaps it was a premonition or luck that led us to make that decision. Because after you... were taken, Brain said exactly the same thing. Went out with the same intention, and still didn't return or stop the army's advance."
"We are better, and in greater numbers. We might even face the Sorcerer King himself."
"No, you couldn't. You have no idea who you would be dealing with. Perhaps, I say, perhaps a Dragon Lord could match His Majesty."
"How can you say that?" the warrior huffed, discontent.
"Remember, he faced and defeated Jaldabaoth himself, and alone! Moreover, he wasn't at our gates; he was in my house," said Renner, lowering her head and showing profound sadness.
"What? How? What happened?" Lakius asked, concerned for her friend.
"Sniff!... It's hard, but you need to know. After they took you to a safe place, I stayed with my family. I asked my father to hide the royal treasures throughout the city. If they were part of the objective of this war, maybe it would avoid destruction. But... it didn't," she said, hiding her face in a handkerchief this time.
Lakius was getting up to console her friend but was stopped with a gesture.
"I'm fine, sniff! The memories of so much suffering hurt, but I'm fine. I asked Climb to hide the treasures. While he was out, the Sorcerer King arrived at the palace.
"Protect the king!" shouted the palace guards.
The Sorcerer King walked calmly down the corridor. Only his presence overcame most of the defenders. The strongest ones were driven mad.
Upon reaching the throne room, the doors opened by themselves.
"I see that the Sorcerer King himself decided to be present at the moment of the destruction of my kingdom."
"Good afternoon, King Ramposo. I regret that everything has come to this point. But it gives me no pleasure to see all this pain. As a king, you understand that a lesson needs to be taught. I regret that it was you who served as an example, but that's not why I'm here."
"No? What reason would bring one king into the presence of another?"
"I'm sorry to say, but I come with bad news." The Sorcerer King then signaled, and a Death Knight entered, carrying an ornate urn.
"No, please no." Whenever something like this happens, it can only mean one thing: someone's head. "My son, please, not my son."
"I regret it; Prince Zanak came to me trying to negotiate the end of the war. We talked for a short time, but my respect for him grew immensely."
King Ramposo held the ornate box, opened it partially, and then closed it.
"How did he die?"
"At the end of our conversation, he understood that there would be no peace and, with determination, even wished to meet on the battlefield. But that chance was stolen from us. His own nobles rebelled, and treacherously killed him. They brought his head to me as a trophy, trying to gain some benefit. But all I gave them was suffering. I lament your pain."
"Thank you. I know you have no reason to lie. You could have just come here to boast. But from your words, any sense of victory seems erased."
"Yes, some things simply take away the little satisfaction we could have."
"So, Lord Sorcerer King, as a grieving father, I again request your mercy for my kingdom. And I offer my head once again in return."
"I sympathize with your loss, King Ramposo. But your kingdom cannot be saved."
"Then let it be the last good I have, my daughter."
"NO, FATHER! PLEASE, NO!"
"I am still your father and your king. If I can save only one life, my death will have been worthwhile. So let it be yours, Chardelon."
"Please, my father, don't do this."
"I... accept," said the Sorcerer King, "as a favor from king to king."
Ramposo rose from the throne and walked to the Sorcerer King. On his waist hung the kingdom's greatest treasure: the Razor Edge sword, which once belonged to Gazeff Stronoff. The king drew the weapon. Someday, he might have been a great warrior. He skillfully spun it and offered the hilt to his executioner.
"Would you?"
"It would be an honor. No one would dare to take that right from you."
The king bowed in gratitude and lowered his head, awaiting the blow. He didn't even feel it. A quick and clean cut ended his life.
"'This belongs to you,' said the Sorcerer King, handing the sword to me, sniff!"
"Oh, Renner, I'm sorry," now Lakius held her friend's head against her chest, "but since you're here, you could have left."
"I couldn't leave what's left of the kingdom with an uncertain fate. Nor let my Climb die."
"What did you do?"
"I did the only thing I could have done. I negotiated, negotiated my last possession: my own freedom. I offered it so that the surrendered cities would not be tormented, and that... Climb could stay with me. I argued that, being the last living representative of my family, if I stayed here, people might accept His Majesty's rule more easily. As Momon, I would become a guarantee for the people's peace. He accepted. Since then, I work with the prime minister for the well-being of our citizens."
"But he's still... undead. His only desires are to destroy life and rule everything."
"Do you think the Sorcerer King is a common undead? So far, from what we know, he only responds to attacks. You're right; he may not feel remorse for killing his enemies, but he also doesn't seem to take pleasure. Everything he does has a purpose. If his goal is conquest, it seems he will do it by protecting what is his."
"Evileye, anything?" said Lakius, turning to the sorceress.
"No, I don't feel any mental control over her."
"Do you think I would be enchanted? My friend, the Sorcerer King doesn't need that."
"I thought it might be. You're working for the one who killed half the kingdom."
"And kept the other half alive, and now more prosperous than ever. Free from corruption, drugs, or slavery. Without betrayals and without the old factions fighting over scraps of power."
"You admire him!"
"Yes, after seeing what his government is capable of, I admire him. He showed more honor than most humans. He would have no reason to keep this kingdom alive, yet here we are. Admit it, now that you've seen what this city is like, do you still think the Sorcerer King is evil?"
"I... don't know. The idea I had about this city was totally different, but we haven't seen everything, and we won't stay long. We're going to..." Lakius looked around as if expecting to see spies hidden behind the curtains.
"Don't tell me. You know, one city might not be enough to get an idea of how the Sorcerer King rules. If you're going to travel, pass through the cities that remain from Re-Estize. You know them. See your people. See how the lives of those people have changed. See if they are suffering or if they are happy. Make your judgment based on facts. Ah! The tea has arrived. Now, my friend, changing the subject, tell me what you've been up to these months?"
...
AUTHOR'S NOTE
As for how the events happened in the throne room, this version of the story told by Renner may or may not have happened that way.