Before we start, thank you so much for 100 followers on this story! I can only speak for myself when I say that I am honoured beyond words by the love you keep showing this story and I hope that I, and my co-author, can continue to do our best to provide you with the best work we possibly can!
(daniel: Hey guys! Really appreciate all the support and attention we're getting! Thanks for this first milestone and we hope it won't be the last!)
Before we get into this chapter, I want to apologise for the length of time this took to come out. Over the past week or so, I've been having more days again where I've been feeling flat and unmotivated to enjoy anything, including things I normally do such as watch anime, play games and write these chapters. So for that, and for any lack of quality you see in what you are about to read compared to my usual standards as a result, you have my sincerest apologies.
Now that that's out of the way, here's chapter 7, the beginning of the Adventurer's Arc with Ainz, Henry, Narberal and Albedo taking centre stage! As always, the usual disclaimer that neither I nor daniel own Overlord or any of its characters, locations, events or anything else related to the anime, manga or Light Novels. The only things we own are our OCs, Henry and Fengxian. ENJOY!
Chapter 7 – Adventurer Team Darklight
The board was set, and the pieces were ready to be moved. All that was left was to give the orders.
The first of those who were chosen to be entrusted with a task directly from the Supreme Beings was the automaton maid, CZ2128 Delta, who was to perform reconnaissance on the Lizardmen tribes at the Great Lakes. As always, the maid was emotionless as she accepted the task with only a few words of clarification, although all three of the former players could tell by the slight tremble in her posture that she was delighted to be chosen for such a crucial task.
Shinozaki was next to be dispatched, given the distance she had to travel, and her assignment too was relatively simple: Blend in with the inhabitants of the capital of the Baharuth Empire, Arwintar, and gather as much information as possible whilst maintaining absolute discretion. Given how infiltration was her speciality, the three had no doubt she'd be more than equal to the task at hand, and she took great pride in being chosen for such an assignment by her master and his compatriots. Both she and CZ left as soon as they'd received their orders.
Next to be summoned were Demiurge, Pandora's Actor, Cocytus, Yuri Alpha and Entoma, who were told to manage the Tomb and its defences to the best of their abilities. The chosen five were awed and honoured to be entrusted with the well-being of their great abode and swore to give their lives, souls and all to maintain it. Even if the three Supreme Beings were slightly wary of leaving Nazarick without one of them to manage it, they were confident in Demiurge's administrative and strategic competency, Pandora's Actor's financial management and Cocytus' tactical knowledge that would ensure the Tomb would remain standing by the time they all got back.
The next ones to be given their assignments were Shalltear, Sebas and Solution. Although she was greatly saddened by the thought of being parted from her beloved Constantine for any period of time, Solution vowed to do her utmost to not let her Crown Prince and her other masters down and assist Sebas however he needed. As for Sebas himself, he was honoured to be given such an important task by the Ruler and his Heir whom he respected and looked up to with his entire being and swore he would do his best to ensure their trust in him was not misplaced. As for Shalltear, she was excited to be let loose and honoured beyond words that she be working directly alongside one of the Supreme Beings. The three of them would depart the day after Ainz, Henry and the others left.
Lupusregina would be departing alongside Ainz and company, and like Solution, she too was saddened that she would be spending time apart from her Crown Prince. But, also like Solution, she promised to not let her love down and give her all to the crucial task they'd given her, even if that meant having to play nice with the weakling humans she'd rather be torturing instead.
The excitable Aura was delighted beyond measure that she'd get the chance to head into the world outside of Nazarick and was eagerly looking forward to seeing if there were any powerful beasts she could fight or tame.
The last ones to receive their tasks that night were Albedo and Narberal, who were not only delighted that they would be spending more time with their beloved Henry but also honoured to be chosen to work alongside the Lord of Nazarick and his chosen heir in what they believed was the most important task of all. Though they had misgivings about being in a city full of humans and potentially having to make nice with them, they trusted in their masters and would follow their plans to the letter.
Given their importance to Nazarick along with how dangerous it would be for all of the denizens of the Tomb should one of them be injured, compromised or put in danger whilst outside the Tomb, all of the Guardians who were venturing outside were to hold onto a World Class Item just in case: Albedo had possession of [Ginnungagap], the same WCI that Tabula had left with her before leaving YGGDRASIL, Aura was granted [Depiction of Nature and Society], Sebas was entrusted with [Avarice and Generosity], and Shalltear was given [Hygieia's Chalice] that the three had planned to give to Demiurge but, given how the demon was staying in Nazarick for now, decided it would be better for Shalltear to have it whilst on her assignment.
Once everything was set for the morning, the three Supreme Beings left to prepare in whatever way they saw fit. Ainz chose to use the time going over every last detail of their plans whilst Fengxian alternated between meditation and going over some of his military texts. As for Henry, given how he'd be without Solution and Lupusregina for the foreseeable future, he partook in one of his usual orgies with all four of his harem that would leave all of them satisfied until they were all together again.
~TNT~
The fortress city of E-Rantel was situated in a very unique location on the continent of the New World: the three-way border between the three most powerful human kingdoms of the Slane Theocracy, the Baharuth Empire and the Re-Estize Kingdom. Yet despite being recognised as a sovereign territory of the Kingdom, both the Empire and the Theocracy constantly tried to make their opinions known about what they thought were their rights over the town. In fact, the Katze Plains where the yearly conflict between the Empire and Kingdom took place was located not far from the walls of E-Rantel, and it was common knowledge by now that even if the Kingdom were losing the battle each year, it would take their complete subjugation for the Empire or Theocracy to even have a hope of laying claim to it.
Not only was E-Rantel a strategically important location, but it was also considered to be a major hub for not only citizens of each of these three nations but also for adventurers, mercenaries, traders and any other persons of import travelling throughout the lands due to its previously mentioned unique location. And since it attracted the best and brightest among weaponsmiths, potioneers, herbalists, merchants and most other kinds of vendors within its walls, it was widely considered to be the nexus of trade and traffic between not only the three human countries but also many of the other smaller nations out there in the world, with people, money, goods, and other commodities from all of these countries flowing freely through it. For these reasons, it was seen as THE place to go to for any traveller, adventurer or merchant worth their salt.
The city was also unique in how it was constructed as it was divided into three roughly equal zones each separated by the city walls. The innermost zone housed the city's administrative and judicial districts along with several warehouses that were used to store food, money and other goods and which were controlled by the richer elements of the city's population, whilst the outermost housed the city guard along with a small garrison of Re-Estize troops and all of their necessary military armaments. Between these two zones was the residential area for citizens, which was divided into several plazas. The biggest one of these was the central plaza where many merchants and vendors set up shop with all manner of goods including vegetables, spices and all manner of merchandise that they hoped to sell.
It also housed the town's Adventurer's Guild, the HQ for the city's adventurers where they usually congregated and communed with one another to gather information, exchange pleasantries, socialise and take on job requests. And it was outside this building where a mini disturbance of sorts was taking place due to the four individuals who had just departed from the building and who, despite their best efforts, were creating quite the impression from their mere appearance alone.
It was too late to stop the whispers, the looks of curiosity, awe and fear in one or two cases, so they instead chose to keep walking. The one in front, the tallest and mightiest of the bunch, made sure to keep his head held high and his demeanour proud as he strode up the road with confidence. He was clad from head to toe in black body armour adorned with purple and golden markings along with a purple cape that flowed from his shoulders, and on his back rested two colossal swords whose blades glinted in the mid-morning sun. This goliath's name was Momon, the leader of this new band of copper-plate adventurers and, known only to himself and those he adventured with, the false adventurer persona crafted by the one known as Ainz Ooal Gown with one goal in mind: To become one of the highest-ranked adventurers in E-Rantel and have his name known and recognised throughout the land as a mighty hero.
Walking dutifully alongside him, an emotionless expression on her face, was a beautiful young lady with black hair tied back in a ponytail, clad in an attire that consisted of a plain white shirt and black trousers held up by a brown belt which was currently covered by a thick brown cloak and who also bore a sheathed sword on her left hip. Her name was Nabe, the adventurer persona of Pleiades maid Narberal Gamma, and she served as the spell-caster for their team.
Following on behind these two, his attention focused on ensuring the comfort and well-being of the other member of their team was another strapping figure covered from head-to-toe in armour. In stark contrast to the dark colourings worn by his comrade Momon, this adventurer wore shining platinum white armour with a chest piece that had a large, dark blue sapphire embedded in the middle. In the light of the rising sun, the armour seemed to sparkle with pure and divine light, a reflection of the pure and kind-hearted being ensconced within. The figure was also adorned in a crimson cape with yellow accents attached around the left shoulder along with a draped coat tail from the hips of his armor at ankle length. As for his armaments, a white heater shield was attached to his back to complement the sheathed sword hanging off his left hip. The man's name was Alfred, Momon's sworn brother-in-arms, the tank of their merry band and the adventurer persona of Crown Prince Henry, the heir of Nazarick and Ainz's sworn son.
The last member of their group stuck to Alfred's side constantly, their whole posture radiating discomfort and nervousness as they shot furtive looks at their surroundings from beneath their hood. They were clad in a silver and olive green-coloured suit of armour consisting of a breastplate, waistguard, gauntlets and leg plates with their facial features being completed hidden by a black hood that they kept up at all times, and on their back was hafted a plain-looking spear whose blade also glinted in the sunlight above them. This figure's name was Eleanor, the adventurer persona of Guardian Overseer Albedo, and in this role she served as the quiet companion of Alfred who allowed the other members of the party to speak for her.
Though they had no official group name as of now, these four would eventually become known as Darklight due to the contrast between the dark armour colours of Momon and Nabe and the lighter ones of Alfred and Eleanor, and would quickly become known throughout the lands as the strongest adventurer group within the kingdom of Re-Estize.
~TNT~
Now that they had officially registered with the Adventurer's Guild as copper-plate rank adventurers, the group of four headed towards one of the nearby inns that had been recommended to them so that they could relax and socialise with other adventurers of their rank.
As Momon pushed open the doors of their chosen establishment, all conversation around them ceased as every eye in the building was drawn to him and those who followed behind. After sparing a quick glance at the hulking giant in black plate along with the gallant figure in silver at his side, most of the inn dwellers returned to the conversations they were having before, thinking nothing of what they had just seen. But the eyes of every male standing couldn't look away as their curious, and in many cases lustful, gazes were drawn to the black-haired beauty and the hooded girl at their sides. One or two were brave enough (or in this case foolish if they knew just what these women were capable of) to even wolf-whistle at them despite the stink-eye Nabe was giving them, and it took all of Alfred's self-control not to go over and deck them for ogling HIS girls in that way.
"Easy there Alfred…we're not here to cause a scene," Momon murmured quietly as the four walked up to the bartender.
"Let's just make this quick, get a room and get the hell away from these people…" Alfred whispered back as he fought to control his rising red-hot temper. "Besides, it's not me who you should be worried about losing control…" What Alfred was referring to was the trembling figure of Eleanor who pressed herself comfortingly into Alfred's side. To anyone watching, it would appear that the young girl was nervous around all of these strange individuals, but in reality, Albedo was roiling with rage that these foolish humans would dare ogle her and Narberal, two of the chosen lovers of the Crown Prince of Nazarick himself.
"Need a room? They'll cost you five bronze pieces for each," the surly bartender told them lazily as they approached, not even bothering to look at them. "If you want meals, it'll be an extra four bronze pieces each."
"We only need one room for the moment, and we won't be needing meals. We'll provide for ourselves," Momon replied smoothly, wanting to get this done as soon as possible so that they could leave without the others killing someone. Out of the corner of his eye, he could already see Nabe and Eleanor shaking with rage at the human's indifference and Alfred doing his best to placate them
The bartender raised his eyes and took a glance at the copper plate hanging around Momon's neck, the sight of which increased his surliness. "Bunch of copper plates, eh?" He sneered. "These rooms will be too expensive for the likes of you so I suggest-"
"As it's our first-time registering, we have to start as copper," Momon continued. "But I assure you, we have the funds and are more than capable of earning our way here…"
This only served to infuriate the bartender as he slammed his fist on the wooden surface. "Seven bronze pieces for flapping your mouth, and payment due up front!" He shouted in Momon's face, causing most of the patrons to look over at them.
"How dare he…" Nabe growled, hand resting on her sword. NO-ONE insulted her master/father-in-law in front of her and got away with it! But before she could step forward, Alfred put a hand on her shoulder and shook his head, causing her to calm down instantly as Momon reached into a pouch and put the requested fee on the bar top.
"The room is upstairs in the back," the bartender growled, taking the money and jerking his thumb behind him. "Just don't cause any trouble, you hear me?"
Alfred could tell that Momon and the girls were getting increasingly riled up by the bartender's continued show of disrespect so decided to intervene before tempers could be lost. "Thank you, good sir, we'll head up there now," he replied in a polite tone before putting his arms around the others and turning them away from the bar. But as they proceeded to take a few steps forward, both Momon and Alfred easily spotted the casual trailing legs of a group of male adventurers in their way. Judging by the low chuckles they both heard emanating from that direction, it was obvious they were looking to cause a scene.
(Hilarious…these idiots are really grating on my nerves) Momon told Alfred privately.
(They're obviously wanting to cause trouble, so I say we oblige them) Alfred replied as they walked forward. As they suspected, the adventurers raised their legs in a clear attempt to trip the armoured figures up, but their plan was easily thwarted as Momon and Alfred merely brushed their legs aside with their boots. But before they could pass them by, the troublemakers got in their path with angry looks on their faces.
"Oi, that really hurt! Watch where you're going, lowly copper plates!" One of them shouted in Momon's face, doing his best to intimidate the armoured figure by clenching his fists at them
"Stupid idiot thinks that just because he has some fancy armour and weaponry he can get away with whatever he wants," another of them sneered as he jabbed a finger in Alfred's helmet-covered face. "We're iron plates, and as such out-rank you lowly coppers. Show some respect!"
"THEY DARE?!" Both Nabe and Eleanor angrily thought to themselves. It was taking every ounce of self-control for them not to skewer the foolish mortals who dared put their hands on their Master and their beloved Crown Prince.
"Sorry about that, we didn't see your fat-ass legs from up here," Alfred replied sarcastically. Even he, the most level-headed of their group, was slowly getting fed up with these shenanigans. "But no harm, no foul, right?"
The surly men looked as though they wanted to lash out at his cocky reply, but then their eyes roved over both Nabe and Eleanor causing their grins to turn lecherous, a sight that nearly tipped Alfred over the edge. "Tell ya what…since it's your first time here and you are just ignorant coppers, we'll take it easy on ya," the one confronting Momon sneered. "If you let me and my friend here have your women for the night, we'll forgive you for your blatant show of disrespect."
Momon sighed as he felt Alfred's rage boil over beside him. Since these idiots had insulted and tried to lay claim to his women, he figured it was best to let him loose before Nabe and Eleanor decided to hack them to pieces. (Alfred? Go ahead. And Nabe, whichever one he doesn't deal with…cripple them)
(It will be my fucking pleasure!) (Yes, my lord) The pair replied as Alfred grabbed the man confronting him by the neck and lifted him high into the air. Before his fellow could do anything to assist him, his vision was full of an angry Nabe who strode forward and planted her foot square in his plums, resulting in a satisfying *CRACK* as the man's balls shattered causing him to keel over with a whimpering cry of pain.
"Let me make something very clear…DO NOT. EVER. DISRESPECT MY WOMEN. AGAIN!" Alfred snarled as he proceeded to give the man a solid punch in the face that shattered his nose and broke loose many of his teeth before throwing him across the room like a rag doll, sending him crashing through a table situated in the corner which caused the red-headed woman sitting there to scream in surprise and terror and the rest of their audience to gasp at the sight. After all, seeing a copper-plate adventurer easily throw about a man standing over 6 feet like it was nothing was quite the impression and would ensure no one would dare to approach them in a similar manner.
(Nice shot) Momon commented as he idly pushed aside the man's whimpering sidekick who was cradling what remained of his reproductive organs.
(He's lucky I took it easy on him. He deserved far worse for even thinking about laying a hand on my girls!) Alfred snarled so that all three of them could hear, causing Eleanor to cuddle lovingly into him whilst Nabe used all of her remaining self-control to not do the same, instead contenting herself with smiling happily which was interpreted as a grin of satisfaction from everyone around them. The four were just about to resume their departure when the redhead whose table they'd broken came storming up to them, not looking happy in the slightest.
"Oi, you! What the hell were you thinking throwing that idiot onto my potion?!" She yelled, jabbing a finger in Alfred's chest. "I'd saved up for weeks to purchase it and now it's broken thanks to you!"
Momon did his best to keep Eleanor and Nabe from erupting as Alfred tried his best to once defuse the situation peacefully. "My apologies, ma'am," he replied, keeping cool in the face of her towering temper. "If I had known that was the case, I would have thrown him elsewhere. Is there anything I can do to compensate for your loss?"
Brita hadn't been prepared for this response. She'd been expecting this adventurer to deny/wheedle his way out of repaying her which she in turn would have countered by screaming at him until he agreed to compensate her. But instead, he was being honest and upfront with her?! This was unexpected, but not unwelcome. "Sorry, I shouldn't have lost my temper at you like that. It's just…I had to skip meals and save for weeks just to be able to afford it, so seeing all that go to waste in the blink of an eye like that…"
"No need to apologise, miss. Your reaction is perfectly understandable. If I were in your situation, I would probably have reacted the same way," Momon added smoothly having sufficiently calmed down the two girls. "But if you are looking for compensation, surely it would be more fitting to have these idiots…" He indicated the mewling human at his feet and his compatriot who hadn't yet moved from being thrown through the table "…be the ones to do that since they were the ones who started this mess in the first place?"
Brita quickly appraised them before shaking her head. "As much as your words ring true, I doubt these idiots have the necessary means to pay me back given the shoddiness of their equipment. Besides, judging by the state of your equipment and your shiny weapons you probably have more than enough money to pay me back." Her expression then turned pleading. "Please…if you do this for me, I promise I'll never bother any of you again!"
"HOW DARE SHE?!" Nabe's expression was thunderous. "She thinks she can take advantage of my Crown Prince's generosity and wealth?! I'll be sure to show this little trollop who her betters are!" She was just about to speak up when Alfred suddenly reached into his pack and pulled out a vial containing a scarlet liquid. To them, it was a low-tiered healing potion, but judging by the way Brita's expression lit up in awe you'd be forgiven for thinking that she'd been handed a stack of diamonds.
"You make a valid argument, so take this," he told Brita magnanimously as he handed her the potion. "Seeing as I was the one who was partially responsible for destroying your potion, I hope this will be more than enough to compensate you."
"I-This is…more than generous," Brita replied tongue-tied as she took it with trembling hands. She'd never in her life seen a potion like this. "I should take this to Nfirea and Lizzie…they'll definitely want to check this out!" "Thank you. My name's Brita, by the way. I'll keep my word and stay out of your way from now on, but should you need anything from me in the future, you'll often find me here."
"Thank you, Brita," Alfred replied with a small bow. "My name is Alfred, and these are my companions. Momon is the lug in the black armour, Nabe's the one in the brown cloak and the hooded girl is Eleanor. And we shall remember your offer if we have any questions."
"I-I see. Thank you, Alfred. I wish you and your companions good fortune whilst you are here in E-Rantel." Having said her piece, Brita ran out of the inn at full pelt. After taking a moment or two to defuse the tense atmosphere around them, Momon, Alfred and the two girls headed away from the main area and up the stairs towards the room the barkeeper had told them about.
~TNT~
It was only upon entering their assigned room, checking the coast was clear and then shutting and locking it behind them that Momon/Ainz finally felt at ease for the first time since they'd arrived in E-Rantel. Between the curious looks that had followed them all the way from registering at the guild to the inn, followed by the dismissive attitude of the barkeeper and the scuffle they'd gotten into with those arrogant humans…it was a relief that they'd managed to get through all of that without anyone dying.
Truth be told, he'd been expecting Narberal and Albedo to come out swinging at the first insults directed towards him and Alfred/Henry. But he was glad and proud that they'd been able to maintain all of their self-control during all of that, doubly so given their views on humans. And given the way they'd both let out pent-up sighs upon entering the room, it was clear that they'd had all that they could take.
"I swear…if anybody else had come up to us intending to make trouble, there'd have been blood all over that inn…" He almost growled to himself as he took off his helmet, surprising himself with the amount of venom those words carried. "I guess this is part of what Ki was talking about the other day back in Nazarick in regards to us morphing into our new personalities. Every day I feel less human and feel more disdain for what I once was…" After putting up an Anti-Intelligence Magic Wall to avoid any magical intrusion or scrying, he dispelled the Mortal's Mask spell he'd cast upon himself, causing the human face he'd taken to morph back into his true, skull-shaped face.
"I'm just glad Ise was there to help keep us all in check. He's the only one out of the four of us who doesn't need to watch what he's saying…" he reflected as he gazed over to where his friend was standing in Touch Me's once signature armour and chuckled at the sight he saw. It would appear that Narberal and Albedo, now that they were away from prying eyes, were now releasing their pent-up worries by hugging their Prince desperately from both sides. Judging by how his arms had instantly wrapped around their shoulders and pulled them close to him as he whispered comforting words into their ear, it was apparent he'd been expecting such from the pair. And given how their expressions and postures were now completely at ease, whatever he was saying to them was working. "Excellent work so far, all of you," he praised them generously causing Nabe and Eleanor's expressions to light up even further. "I know the past couple of hours of having to deal with humans has been both a new and trying experience for the pair of you, but you are both coping with the situation very well."
"Your kind words are wasted on us, Father," Nabe replied straight away. "We exist to serve and carry out your orders. If that means having to put up with these lowly humans to do so, then I will gladly bear it for as long as you wish it."
"Even if she's still referring to humans as 'lowly', it's still progress," Alfred thought with a sigh as he pressed another kiss to Nabe's cheek, causing the black-haired girl to blush profusely. "I'm very proud of you both, my dears," he added as Eleanor's cheeks blushed as well from beneath her hood. "And rest assured we'll do our best to wrap up our business here quickly to ease the period of your discomfort. And remember, as long as we are undercover you are to call us Momon and Alfred, not Lord Ainz and Lord Henry or Constantine."
It was taking all of Nabe and Eleanor's self-control not to jump up and take their beloved prince right there and then as his kind words continued to wash over them. "As you wish…Lord Alfred…" Nabe managed.
"Just Alfred, dear…no need for Lord or any other honorifics," Alfred tried once more.
"I-I will try…Sir Alfred." Nabe managed after a moment of warring back and forth. "Eh…close enough…"
"I must thank you for your incredible foresight in making my alternate persona have a quiet and timid personality, L-Momon," Eleanor added, almost slipping herself. "It was all that was preventing me from ripping apart all of those foolish humans who dared disrespect my beloved Master and Crown Prince. But if I may dare to ask...could you please enlighten your ignorant servants as to how that exchange just now benefits our plans?"
"As you are both well aware, our main objective here is to ingratiate ourselves within these groups of adventurers and establish a positive reputation whilst gathering information on this town and the surrounding areas," Momon began to explain. "However, what you haven't been made aware of is our secondary objective that is essential for the future success of Nazarick. At the moment we are experiencing difficulties in acquiring knowledge of this world's potions, herbs and other medicinal resources to complement our current lack of these supplies. And since E-Rantel, according to the intel we gathered back in Carne Village, specialises in the trading of these supplies along with containing more herbalists than most cities, it is our interest to locate one of these herbalists and learn everything we can from them without attracting undue attention."
"I see…but what did that have to do with granting one of our precious supplies to that foolish woman?" Nabe pressed.
"Even if that potion we gave her is considered low-quality for us, it was obvious by the way she acted that it was nothing like she'd ever seen before," Alfred continued. "By giving her an unknown potion, we have hopefully ensured that she will take it to be examined and appraised by a pharmacist or herbalist she knows. And given that the potion will be unknown by this expert as well, they will no doubt have questions about its quality and where we got it from which will lead them to come and find us, which they will be able to do since that woman knows our names and where we'll be hanging out whilst we're here. Once they contact us, we can hopefully start working on them to foster a positive relationship that will benefit both sides: They will gain knowledge of a potentially high-quality potion, and we in turn will acquire a grateful source of information whose knowledge of herbs and potions will greatly aid Nazarick in the future."
"Such incredible foresight and planning…truly worthy of our great lord and his heir," Eleanor sighed, awed.
"I-I understand, my lords…forgive me, but wouldn't it be more effective to, once we gain knowledge of this human, simply abduct them and force them into parting with their knowledge?" Nabe asked, causing Alfred to shake his head.
"Whilst that would be the most effective, short-term method, it does nothing for us in the long-term," he told her patiently. "In the end, we want this person, or persons, to work with us and share what they know willingly. If we ensure a beneficial working relationship from the onset, they will be more likely to work for us diligently and effectively which in turn will benefit us and the Tomb in the long run. If we coerced them with violence or forced them to serve us against their will, they would be resentful, unproductive and constantly searching for ways to escape or compromise us for our heavy-handedness. We want a willing partner who will work with us of their own free will, not a slave. Does that make sense?"
"I understand, Sir Alfred. Forgive me for my impudence and short-sightedness in these matters," Nabe replied with a small bow. "If you so wish, I will gladly take my life in atonement for my shortcomings."
"No way in hell I'm letting you do that," Alfred growled possessively, making both ladies weak at the knees as he wrapped his arms around Nabe and pressed a loving kiss into her neck that made Nabe groan in desire. "Neither you, Eleanor nor my other ladies are ever leaving my side for as long as I live. Understand?"
"Y-yes, m-my lord. F-Forgive me for saying such words," Nabe moaned, doing her best to restrain herself even as she wished that her Crown Prince would take her roughly right then and there with her fellow harem-sister member watching. Speaking of said harem-sister, she was unable to stop her hands from rubbing all over her lower regions as she too struggled to suppress her desires.
"Can you three control yourselves for even a moment? We're meant to be undercover here…" Momon told them in a mix of exasperation and amusement. But given what they'd been through down below, he supposed it wouldn't hurt for them to relax for a short while before going back downstairs since sooner or later they'd have to get started on taking quests in order to make headway on making a name for themselves.
~TNT~
"Nfirea! Lizzie! Are you here?! I've got something that you need to check out!" Brita yelled as she burst her way into the alchemist shop run by the Bareares, a grandmother and grandson pairing who were both very knowledgeable and skilled alchemists in their own right. Lizzie, whilst getting on in years, still held onto her proud title of the most skilled alchemist and herbalist in E-Rantel. And with Nfirea's parents (Lizzie's son and daughter-in-law) having died in mysterious circumstances whilst their son was still very young, Lizzie had taken the lad in and raised him whilst teaching him everything she knew about herbs, alchemy, and potion-making so that he could successfully take over from her.
"What is going on-Brita?" Replied the young man currently manning the counter, dressed in raggedy work clothes and whose trademark bowl-cut blond hair waved about in front of his face as he lifted his head to greet the new arrival. "Is there anything I can get for you today or are you just visiting?" He asked nervously upon seeing her.
"Can the small talk Nfirea, you've got to see this!" Brita exclaimed as she took out the potion Alfred had given her and pressed it into Nfirea's hands before he could reply. "I've never seen anything like this before so I've got no clue what it is. And since I know you and your grandma can appraise potions, I bought it straight here."
His curiosity peaked, Nfirea lifted it in front of his face and brushed his fringe aside to get a good look at it, revealing a pair of blue eyes that immediately focused on the liquid in front of him. As his gaze roved over the contents which he shook several times in order to examine every millilitre, these same intense aqua eyes lit up in excitement and curiosity as they often did when confronted by a potion he'd never set eyes on before. The liquid was clear, the colour was rich and healthy and even the vial itself seemed to thrum with some sort of lingering power as he held it. Whatever this was, he simply had to know more about it! "Come with me," he told Brita eagerly before passing into the back of the shop.
Seeing Nfirea's excitement only piqued Brita's curiousness even further, and as she followed the excited young herbalist to the back of the store she found herself in a messy room filled with flasks, test tubes, distilling equipment, beakers, funnels, balances and various other items. The shelves on the walls were filled with all manner of herbs, potions, minerals and other strange ingredients and a pungent odour could be seen and smelt all around them. In the back of the room where Nfirea was heading towards stood a large, bizarre-looking pot over which stood a very old woman with a face full of wrinkles and who possessed pure white, shoulder-length hair. Her work clothes were stained even worse than Nfriea's and she stunk of herbs and various other plants. This was Lizzie Bareare, the owner of the shop and Nfirea's grandmother.
"Grandma! You need to see what Brita just showed me!" Nfirea called out excitedly.
"I'm not deaf, Nfirea, no need to shout!" Lizzie snapped in exasperation. Like Nfirea, she possessed a pair of sharp blue eyes that were now regarding the approaching pair sternly. "What could be so important to cause you to almost burst my eardrums?"
"Just look, Grandma! You'll see what I mean!" He told her as he passed her the potion. The moment she laid eyes on it, Lizzie's entire demeanour changed as she proceeded to examine the potion with the intensity of a battlefield commander studying a map of their surroundings. Once she'd finished her sharp gaze snapped over to Brita who almost jumped in shock upon seeing the intensity in the old woman's gaze.
"This potion is impossible. Never in my years have I seen anything so powerful and without any imperfections, which begs the question of where in the world could you possibly have acquired it from? Did you find it in some ruin, or a cave? Well?" Lizzie asked her sharply.
"N-no, nothing like that…you see, it's…" Brita was unable to answer properly as she struggled to recover from her shock. Even though it was involuntary, it wasn't helping matters as Lizzie took her silence for either reluctance or rudeness, neither of which she was looking for what right now. She wanted answers!
"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue? Just give me a straight answer girlie!" She snapped. "If you didn't find it in a cave, you must have stolen it or used other unsavoury means to acquire it. That's why you're not answering me, isn't it?"
"Grandma, stop it! You're terrifying her!" Nfirea reprimanded her.
"I am not! I am simply asking her a few innocent questions that's all, nothing to be scared about!" Lizzie huffed indignantly.
"Even so, can you please hold your questions so that she can answer? I want to know more about this potion too but we won't get anywhere if we don't allow her to speak!" Lizzie grumbled under her breath but grudgingly did as Nfirea asked, allowing Brita a moment to recover so she could answer.
"No ma'am, I didn't steal it or do anything criminal to get it. There was a scuffle in one of the inns just now, and as a result, the potion I'd just acquired got broken," Brita explained. "Though he wasn't directly responsible for breaking it, one of the adventurers involved gave me this as compensation."
"Hmmm…" It sounded too simple a story to believe for such an exotic potion but Lizzie didn't have time for that right now. "Appraise Magic Item! Detect Enhancement!" She called out, and as these spells appraised the potion the old lady's face widened into a massive grin. Never in her life did she ever think she'd lay eyes on such a perfect potion and here it was, brought to her by an adventurer as a gift from another! It was almost too good to be true!
"You see this, my boy?" She told Nfirea as she held the potion up for them all to see. "It's the perfect potion, the pinnacle of all alchemy right in our grasp! With words in the right ears, or name will be passed down for generations as the pinnacle of all alchemists…"
By now Nfirea had gotten used to his grandmother's long-winded rants and boasts and was usually able to tune her out, but this time he paid attention, and as the words continued to flow out of Lizzie's mouth, he started to formulate a plan. They had to know more about this potion and where it had come from, but in order to do so would require questioning the man who'd given it to Brita who apparently was an adventurer named…wait, that was it! He knew what he had to do.
"Brita!" He exclaimed, interrupting his grandmother as he turned to the crimson-haired adventurer. "I'll pay as much gold as you need and compensate you with any potions you want for a whole month if you'll let me keep a hold of this!"
Brita couldn't quite believe Nfirea's offer. Any amount of coin she wanted? And free potions for a month? She'd had to save for weeks just to buy one, and now she was being offered her choice of them for the next thirty days? When it was put like that, there was only one answer she could give as Nfirea turned to his grandmother. "Grandma, can you handle things here for the next few days alone? I'm thinking of going on a trip to gather ingredients in the surrounding area…"
"I see what you're up to boy, you may think you're clever but you'll never outsmart me!" Lizzie replied, but behind her stern words was a proud smile. "Just make sure you find a good crowd to keep you safe, and be sure to say hi to that Enri girl you're so fond of if you're going over to Carne Village!"
The sound of Nfirea's spluttered denials and Lizzie's resulting cackles followed a dazed Brita as she left their shop shortly after, which led her to wonder if both the boy and his grandmother had inhaled too many fumes from those potions they were so fond of brewing…
~TNT~
Shortly after they had taken a few hours to relax, Momon, Alfred and the girls ran into their first stumbling block. It wasn't anything major, but given how they wanted to make a name for themselves as quickly as possible it was frustrating more than anything. The issue was that being new adventurers in town, they'd had to be registered at the lowest rank offered by the Adventurer's guild which was copper. And as copper-ranked adventurers, there were only a splattering of quests available to them on the listings board of which none appealed to them, and they were blocked from taking on the higher-ranked quests that were more their skill level by the rules of the guild. If it were most other circumstances or they had been normal adventurers it wouldn't have been a problem, but given how they were on a time-sensitive mission they couldn't afford to waste time gathering herbs or fishing or performing menial tasks.
Unfortunately, there didn't seem to be any other means of gaining access to the quests they wanted. The receptionist at the guild had been understanding of their situation but had informed them her hands were tied by the guild's rules, and she wasn't willing to risk her job in order to satisfy the demands of a group of copper-ranked adventurers despite Momon's insistence. In the end, it had taken Alfred muttering a few words into his companion's ear to get him to back off, after which Alfred had apologised to the receptionist before retiring to where the others were sitting.
"This is insulting…having our great Masters perform paltry tasks for the sake of these guild's rules…if they only knew what you were capable of, they'd be accommodating our whims instead of the other way round…" Nabe snarled under her breath.
"I know it's frustrating, Nabe, but there's not a lot we can do, and we want to avoid making a scene as much as possible," Alfred pointed out with a weary sigh. "We just have to hope a solution will present itself sooner or later…"
"We don't have time to waste, Alfred," Momon muttered with a hint of impatience. "The others will be heading out on their tasks shortly, and we cannot afford to fall behind."
"Don't you think I'm aware of that?" Alfred hissed. As much as respected his leader, he was starting to get tetchy with his constant insistence that they keep to the plan as they'd agreed upon. Surely he had to realise that even the best-laid plans don't always work out? "But unless you can pull another method for us being able to take on a higher level quest out of your ass, I don't know what else to suggest, alright?!"
"Um, my lords?" Eleanor tried to interrupt nervously, but the quietness of her voice caused her objections to be unheard by the arguing pair.
"And what, you suggest we go around picking plants and delivering a few potions all day for the sake of a measly few coins like Nabe just said?" Momon's voice was beginning to rise out of frustration. "We're better and more skilled than that and should be treated as such!"
"Maybe from where we come from, but here we're the new kids on the block and we can't risk upsetting the establishment just to get our own way from the get-go!" Both men were on their feet now as Alfred stuck a finger at Momon's breastplate. "It sucks, I know, but like it or not we have to play by their rules or risk getting locked up for creating a disturbance! And I don't know about you but I'd rather not waste my time here behind bars!"
"Now you listen here!" Momon's impatience and frustration with this turn of events were causing him to rapidly lose his usual cool. "I'm the leader of our group, and I'm telling you that-!"
"Lord Momon!" "Lord Alfred!" Their girls both hissed much louder, indicating an area behind the arguing pair.
"WHAT?!" They both shouted as they turned their heads in the direction they were pointing, only to realise to their alarm that they had a small audience, more specifically a group of four adventurers who were watching their shouting match with a mix of nervousness and alarm.
"We couldn't help but overhear the situation you have found yourself in," spoke the leader of their group, a young man with blonde hair and blue eyes clad in chainmail armour. "We've just taken on some work that may require additional help, and we'd be happy for you to assist if you are willing."
The arguing pair were just about to brush them off when their eyes snapped to the plates hanging around each of their necks. Instead of the copper they and the girls had, this group had silver plates. The pair looked back at each other and, their argument seemingly forgotten, exchanged a quick nod before Momon addressed the man. "Is the work in question worth our time?"
"It pays well, and the four of us believe it will," the man replied, indicating his companions. "Why don't you and the ladies join us in a private room and we can go over the details?"
"If it is as worthwhile as you say, then you have our thanks. Please lead the way," Alfred answered.
As the group of adventurers led them, Nabe and Eleanor up the stairs towards the private rooms, Momon laid a hand on his companion's shoulder and addressed him via the Message spell. (I'm sorry about almost blowing up on you there, Ise. I was just getting frustrated with the whole situation, and in my anger, I was upset with you disagreeing with me. I hope you will forgive me for my uncouth actions)
(Nothing to forgive Suzi. I share your frustrations, but in the end, it looks like it worked out for the best. Hopefully what these guys have for us will be worth our time) Truthfully, Alfred had been expecting something like this to happen eventually, but he hadn't figured it would happen so soon. It seemed like his friend/father figure wasn't coping well with the sudden loss of his humanity and it was starting to affect his personality, and it was going to be up to Alfred/Henry, just as he'd promised back then, to keep both Momon/Ainz as well as Fengxian in the light as best he could for as long as he could.
(Thank you. I'll do my best to not act so rashly in the future) Momon replied as they followed their new associates into one of the private rooms.
~TNT~
Once the door was shut and they'd all taken a seat on opposite sides of a long table, the blonde-haired man from before addressed them all once more. "Before we give you the details of our new job, let's spend a few minutes getting to know one another and at least reach some common ground," he began. "My name is Peter Mauk, and I am the leader of the adventurer team Swords of Darkness. As you may have already noticed, we are currently a silver-ranked group."
(Snappy title) Momon commented privately to Alfred
(They seem pleasant enough so far. Although I don't like the way that one is eyeing up my girls) Alfred's gaze was currently fixed on the blonde-haired young man who was gazing and winking flirtatiously at both Nabe and Eleanor. If looks could kill, Nabe's almost-murderous gaze towards him would have disintegrated the man ten times over by now.
"I'm Lukrut Volve, ranger of the Swords of Darkness," he introduced himself before returning his attention to the girls. "And your presence here has filled the emptiness of my aching heart. Never have I known a love such as what I'm feeling right now! Please, when we have finished our business here, go on a date with me!"
"Stupid insect," Nabe glowered viciously as Eleanor made a show of leaning nervously into Alfred's side. "I'll kill you should you even think of laying a hand on my person or that of Miss Eleanor. Better yet, kill yourself and save me the trouble."
"Such honesty! Your words have only inflamed the desire in my heart!" Lukrut continued gaily. "Maybe we can start by simply sharing a drink as friends."
(Is he insane?! If Nabe doesn't kill him, I certainly will!) Alfred raged.
"I'll make sure to lace it with the most lethal poison that will stretch your death over several painful days," Nabe snarled.
"Oh no, this is getting out of hand…if I don't do something, either Ise or Narberal will end up strangling this idiot!" But before Momon could speak up, the bearded member of the group quickly walked over and cuffed the blonde over the top of his head.
"That's enough, Lukrut! Control yourself!" He said sharply before bowing apologetically. "I apologise and hope you take no offence from his behaviour. Lukrut is harmless really but his mouth can land him in trouble. I'm Dyne Woodwonder, druid of the Swords of Darkness. It's a pleasure to meet you all."
"M-my name is Ninya, and I'm the mage of the Swords of Darkness," the smallest member of the group spoke up hesitantly. She had brown hair and blue eyes and was the most youthful member of the group judging by her appearance. She was clad in plain leather garments and bore a staff between her hands. "I-I look forward to working with you all."
"Don't mind our little Spellcaster here. She may be a little shy, but don't let that fool you…she's got plenty of magic power to spare," Peter clarified, much to the mage's embarrassment and Momon, Alfred and Nabe's curiosity.
"Peter! Stop! You're embarrassing me!" Ninya whined, blushing slightly.
"No need to be embarrassed. Like I always tell you, be proud of your gifts! It's what makes you special after all!" Dyne told her kindly.
"What gifts do you possess, Ninya?" Momon asked, his curiosity piqued.
"I-I was born with a talent that allows me to learn magic in half the time it would take most people to do," she explained nervously. "And since I have an affinity for magic, it worked out really well for me. If I didn't have this gift, I'd be useless…"
(Oh my Kami! I knew our secondary objective here was to look for people with special talents, but I didn't think we'd run into one so soon!) Alfred exclaimed excitedly. (Even if we can't persuade her to join us, we have to keep her safe!)
(Easy there, Ise…we've just met them so rein in your excitement a little) Momon chided gently, even though he too was internally giddy. If she was already capable of so much as she was now, who knows what heights she could reach under the guidance of people like himself and Henry! If there ever came a situation where they could take her under their wing, he'd seize it with both hands. But for now, she seemed happy enough and friendly with the other Swords of Darkness so all they could do was as Henry suggested and keep her safe.
"Okay that's enough of embarrassing Ninya for one day," Peter chuckled, causing the aforementioned mage to pout and Lukrut and Dyne to let out a small laugh of their own. "Why don't you all introduce yourselves now?"
"I suppose we can do that," Momon said as he removed his helm, allowing the Swords of Darkness a glimpse of his face. "My name is Momon, and I am one of the front-line warriors of our group."
"Nabe. Spellcaster." Nabe huffed shortly.
(Easy there Narberal. I know you hold a low view of humans, but play nice for now, okay?) Momon chided her.
(Forgive me, Lord Ainz. I will do my best) She apologised.
"My name is Alfred, and I am the front-line tank of our group. My role is to keep the enemy's attention off of my comrades," Alfred spoke up before inclining his head at the last member of their group. "And this is Eleanor, she also fights on the front line of our party. You'll have to excuse her silence; she is very nervous around new people and doesn't say much. I speak for all of us when I say we are looking forward to what this new partnership may bring."
"No need to be so shy my dear. I, along with these strapping men you travel with, will keep such a delicate flower safe from harm," Lukrut spoke up flirtatiously.
"He wouldn't be saying that if he knew what Albedo was capable of, both in the bedroom and out of it…" Henry couldn't help but reflect to himself as Peter glared at the ranger.
"That's enough, Lukrut! You're scaring the young lady," he told him sharply before smiling at the others. "It is nice to meet all of you and we look forward to seeing what you are capable of. From the sounds of your earlier argument, I'm sure it'll be something special." His expression then turned serious. "As for the work we could use your help with…it's not a specific job per se, but it's still a vital task that pays well depending on what we find. We will be hunting monsters on the outskirts of town."
(Typical monster-clearing quest. We did lots of those when we were levelling up) Momon chuckled
(Certainly a lot more exciting than all the low-ranked quests we saw downstairs). "If it's not a usual request, how does it work in terms of the guild? And what do you think we'll run into?" Alfred asked.
"When we kill monsters, we take a part of it as proof that we killed it and hand them into the guild when we've finished," Peter explained. "The stronger the monster, the more coin it'll put into your pocket, and depending on the part you harvest and hand in you might earn a bonus on top of it. Not only is it a good money earner, but it also helps everyone who lives here and the surrounding areas by making the roads less dangerous for when they travel and do business."
"It's a good way for copper and iron plates to make a quick profit, especially if they are just getting started as adventurers," Ninya added.
"As for what we'll be up to, we'll head south and then west skirting the borders of the town and surrounding forests and killing whatever comes across our path," Peter continued. "If we're lucky, we might end up dealing with an ogre or two, but it'll mostly be wolves, bears and other large things of that nature."
"So nothing too exciting then…" Alfred couldn't help but feel a little disappointed but he didn't let it show on his face, contenting himself with the thought that it would be a good opportunity to see how he fared using a sword and shield instead of his usual dual blades.
Momon was also feeling slightly let down, but just as Alfred had done, he didn't let it show on either his face or tone. "Since we are two parties of four adventurers, I assume we'll be splitting what we earn 50/50?" With Nazarick's wealth they weren't stumped for cash in the slightest, but it was best to play the part of fair and reasonable adventurers.
"I'd say that's agreeable. What do you think, Peter?" Dyne spoke up.
"Agreed. If that's all sorted, shall we get moving?" No one objected to Peter's request, but as they got up to their feet to leave there was a knock at their door, and as it creaked open the room's occupants espied the guild receptionist from earlier standing on the other side of the doorway.
"I am sorry to interrupt, but is one of you Mr. Alfred? You have been requested for a job personally," the woman told them.
"That would be me," Alfred replied, frowning slightly. "How has someone already asked for me by name? We've barely been here a few hours!" "Who is the person who has asked for me by name?"
"Nfirea Bareare, Mr. Alfred. He is awaiting you downstairs," the receptionist replied. Her answer drew four sharp intakes of breath from the Swords of Darkness.
"Did she really say…Nfirea Bareare? Grandson of the famous Lizzie Bareare?" Lukrut asked breathlessly.
"Do you know why Mr. Bareare would ask for you specifically, Alfred?" Ninya was curious to know.
Alfred and Momon looked at each other for a moment. (Are you thinking what I'm thinking? Could my gamble from earlier have already paid off?) Alfred asked his friend.
(That depends. It sounds like this Nfirea is well-known, but we need to be certain) "I take it this Nfirea person is important?" Momon asked the silver-plate adventurers.
"Important? Momon, Lizzie Bareare is the best pharmacist in all of E-Rantel!" Peter exclaimed in disbelief. "She knows everything there is to know about alchemy and herbs, and her potions are sought after by everybody who visits this place! And not only has she taught everything she knows to her grandson Nfirea, but he's also got a famous talent of his own just like Ninya here. How can you not have heard of them?"
"We have journeyed here from lands far to the south and have never visited E-Rantel before, hence our lack of knowledge in these matters," Alfred clarified, doing his best to clamp down on his rising excitement. The grandson of the most famous potioneer in this city was personally asking for their help? Just how high had they rolled on their luck stat before arriving in this world?! "And what exactly is the talent this Nfirea person possesses?"
"No one knows for certain, but I've heard rumours and gossip that he was born with the ability to use any magical item without limit or restriction. Given the nature of his work, it would easily explain how he has already become as famous as his grandmother," Dyne answered.
(Did he say any magical item?! Without limits?!) Alfred was barely able to contain himself now. (Suzi, we have to meet him! This guy may not just be the solution to our problems but also our ticket to a whole host of knowledge!)
(Easy there, Ise. I'm excited as you are but we have to play this cool. No sense in getting too over-excited and playing our hand too soon) "Whilst this does sound interesting, we've only just accepted another job with these adventurers with us," Momon told the receptionist. "So please inform Mr. Bareare that we are unable to accept his request at this time…" "There's the hook…if I've gambled correctly, the Swords should take the bait and help us out here…"
His gamble worked out perfectly as Peter spoke up in protest. "Mr. Bareare requested Alfred by name, Momon. I know you're not familiar with how things work around here, but to be personally requested for a job by such an esteemed individual is a rare thing to hear of. This could be a big opportunity for all of you and I wouldn't you to miss out on our account."
Alfred could see exactly what his friend was up to and decided to play along. "You may have a point, Sir Mauk, but we did just verbally agree to assist you with your request, and where we come from it is common courtesy to keep our agreements which means yours takes priority."
"Correction, Mr Alfred. As we told you, our offer isn't an official request per the rules of the guild," Dyne pointed out. "It is simply a way to earn coin without the restrictions imposed by the guild's ranking system. So in this instance, I believe Mr. Bareare's request holds more sway than our own and I urge you to at least consider what he wants."
"Besides, depending on what Nfirea wants, you can always do some monster-hunting on the side whilst you handle his request," Lukrut pointed out. "Knowing him, he probably wants you to safeguard him whilst he picks some herbs or something. At least hear him out before you decide."
In the face of those arguments which had played out exactly as they'd hoped, Momon and Alfred no longer found themselves in a position to refuse. "Very well, we shall hear what he wants to say. But whatever request he makes of us, I'd like you to be part of it as well since we have already agreed to work together." Nobody present found anything wrong with Momon's words so all eight of them headed out of the private meeting room and back down into the main area of the inn. At the bottom of the stairs, they almost ran into a blonde-haired boy with a bowl cut that covered half of his face and who appeared to be waiting for them.
"E-excuse me," the boy began nervously upon spotting the well-armed group of adventurers coming towards him. "Sorry to interrupt your business, but are any of you named Alfred by any chance?"
(I believe this may be our man. Go on then, Ise. He did ask for you specifically) Momon prompted.
"I am Alfred, and I presume you are Nfirea Bareare, correct?" Alfred introduced himself once he'd reached the bottom of the stairs, offering his hand for the young man to shake. "I hear you've asked for me by name to help with a request."
"Yes, I-I am Nfirea Bareare, and that's correct. I'm heading out to the forest on the outskirts of a nearby village to collect herbs and other materials for my grandmother's business," Nfirea replied with a little more confidence. "I would like to hire you and your party to work as my bodyguards for the duration of the trip and if possible help me with harvesting what I need."
(That's too simple a request. He definitely has an ulterior motive) Momon pointed out. (The potion we gave that woman…it's the only occurrence we've had that lines up)
(Looks like my earlier gamble is indeed paying off) "Sounds like a simple enough job, but if possible I'd like to suggest bringing the Swords of Darkness with us as well," Alfred replied, indicating the group of adventurers behind him, Momon and the girls. "We may be able to guard you well, but that's all we are skilled at. These four adventurers have skills we do not possess which could be invaluable for your trip. For example…Dyne, you said you were a druid, correct?"
"Yes," the bearded adventurer replied.
"Since a druid is attuned to nature, Dyne could easily assist you in finding and helping you harvest the herbs you want. Besides, we already agreed to work with them before your request came in so if it's not too much trouble…?"
"Yes, they can join us as well," Nfirea answered quickly. "Given that the roads around here can be quite dangerous, it would probably be best to have more help than just the four of you, and my grandmother and I will able to compensate you for the job once we return. With that in mind, I'd like you to escort me to Carne Village where we can set up camp before we head into the Forest of Tob. Is that agreeable?"
"What a brilliant coincidence! We can check in on my darling Lupusregina and see how the civilians are recovering at the same time!" "I can agree to those terms, Nfirea. Does that sound okay to the rest of you?" He got seven nods in response. "Very well then, we'll be happy to accept your request."
"R-Really? Thank you so much! I'm looking forward to working with you all!" Nfirea replied happily.
"Nonsense, you honour us with your request, Mr Bareare," Momon told him kindly before turning to the Swords of Darkness. "If you don't mind giving us some privacy, we have one or two things we'd like to clarify with our client before we leave."
"No problem. We'll gather our things and meet you by the city gates. See you there!" With a wave, Peter and the rest of the Swords left as Momon and Alfred escorted a curious-looking Nfirea to a side table, with Nabe and Eleanor standing guard to ensure no one could see or overhear what they were talking about.
"What would you like to ask of me, Sir…?" Nfirea asked.
"Momon, Mr Bareare. And nothing too untoward, we just want to satisfy our curiosity regarding the nature of your request. We're only copper plates and have barely been in this city for a few hours, and you're already well-known in these parts to the point where anyone would be happy to carry this out for you. Why us, specifically?"
Nfirea was initially tempted to make some form of excuse, but judging the way the armoured giant was asking the question it was clear they already knew why he was asking for them. They just wanted to hear it from him personally. Besides, it wouldn't do any good to lie to the people he was trusting to protect him. "I do require bodyguards for my trip, but you're right, there is another reason I asked for you and not just anyone," he answered. "Brita told me all about the encounter you had earlier and showed me the potion Alfred gave her. Such a potion has never been seen or heard of before, and I wanted to get close to you and learn where you got it from along with everything else you know about it. That sort of knowledge…it's what alchemists like my grandmother and I spend our lives working towards understanding, so when that it drops into your lap like that…surely you can understand my curiosity?"
Both Alfred and Momon struggled to contain the glee they were feeling at Nfirea's words. The boy was obviously desperate to learn their secrets, and now they would be spending at least a couple of days with him which would be more than enough time to learn more about him and what he knows in exchange. "We appreciate your honesty, Mr Bareare. As long as you can satisfy any curiosities we have in return, we'd be happy to tell you all we know about the potion in question," Momon told him. Even though his hair prevented them from seeing his eyes, it wasn't hard to imagine they'd lit up at the armoured giant's response.
"One more thing…is there a particular reason why you want to head to Carne Village aside from its proximity to the Forest you want to travel to?" Alfred asked out of a sense of curiosity.
Nfirea's resulting blush was easily visible despite his bangs, which only served to fuel Alfred's interest. "I-I heard it got attacked by a group of soldiers recently," he finally admitted. "O-one of my best friends lives there and I'm worried about her, so I want to go and make sure she and her sister are okay."
"No way…it can't be that much of a coincidence surely?" Alfred thought to himself. They hadn't met many young people during their brief stay in Carne Village and had only run into one pair of sisters at the time. Was it possible…could the girl that Nfirea was referring to and who had caused him to blush…be the very same one he had saved along with her younger sister? It was only speculation, but still… (Suzi…I have a feeling that our trip to Carne Village could end up being very interesting) He privately told his friend.
(If you are thinking what I am thinking, and you usually are, I have to agree) Momon replied. (If we are right…I have one or two further ideas that may help us win Nfirea over even more…)
As the two continued their external discussion with their new client as well as the internal one between themselves, Nabe and Eleanor couldn't help but marvel in admiration as the carefully crafted plans of their Master and Crown Prince bore fruit. To be able to foresee and influence these events so far in advance towards the most beneficial outcome for themselves and the future of the Great Tomb…the two were humbled to not only have borne witness to it but to also have been trusted with such plans and been able to play a part in their success.
If this was a sign of things to come, then the future of the Great Tomb…no, the future of this world, would be a glorious one indeed with their Lord, Crown Prince and Grand Marshal at the helm! And as loyal servants to their cause, they would give their all and more to assist them as best they may!
(daniel: Well, the story of Re-Estize's greatest adventurer team has begun, and the father and son duo have zeroed in on their first 2 targets to acquire for Nazarick's ranks!)
That they have. Nfirea of course is the obvious first target, but we also have plans for a certain member of the Swords of Darkness. Watch this space!
Wow, that was more of a toughie to get through than I was expecting, but I hope you enjoyed our take on these events! If you haven't guessed already, Henry/Alfred is using Touch Me's old armour and weapons as his disguise, and as for Albedo's attire, we went with the Piercing Armour from Fairy Tail along with a hood to hide her facial features in order to play into the silent, shy persona we've had her adopt since Ainz and the others aren't fully trusting of her to hold her tongue around humans yet.
As for the team name, I took the word Darkness and added Light to it as a reflection of Henry's light-leaning persona balancing out the darkness of the other three members, hence Team Darklight.
As always, I will give credit where credit is due and acknowledge that many bits of this chapter were influenced by the following two Overlord fanfictions that I have referenced before: 'The Antichrist Cometh' by GoodguysRoverated and 'The Supreme Beings of Life and Death' by Ashkar. Make sure to give those awesome stories plenty of love when you have the time!
As for the next chapter…given how I struggled quite a bit with this one, I owe it to myself to take a few days off whilst I'm away over the weekend to really clear my head and re-motivate myself to enjoy writing again. So what I'll do is after I upload this on Thursday, I'll be taking Friday (also my birthday, not that it matters!), Saturday and Sunday off and will get started with chapter 8 on Monday with our motley crew's adventures out in the wild! Until then, on behalf of myself and my co-author daniel, thank you all so much for reading and for all the love that's been shown to this story so far, and we'll see you all again in the next chapter of the Nazarick Triumvirate!