Chapter 13: Intermission (Start of Arc II)
E-Rantel's response to the graveyard incident was nearly unanimous. After details of the mitigated disaster began to spread among both adventurers and civilians, the city rejoiced with thanks towards their saviors. Despite being nascent adventurer teams, the groups now called Darkness and Demon Silver had been promoted from Copper rank all the way to Mythril. Many wished to see them be granted Adamantite rank, but such a large jump from a single event was already unheard of.
While the city would have to rebuild their mausoleum and most of the graveyard, it was a small recompense in comparison to what could have happened. The fact that there'd been no casualties besides the Swords of Darkness was more than enough for everyone to celebrate. Yet while the city reveled into the night, the adventurer duo Darkness was nowhere to be seen. Even the socially unbecoming Diablo had forced himself to go to the guild so he could receive his promotion. Not long after escaping the mausoleum, the dark warrior had quickly mentioned that he needed to be somewhere before hastily taking off with his companion, leaving the worn out demon to deal with the ordeal's conclusion.
Diablo had offered Lumachina to stay with himself and Rose at their inn, but she had declined for the time being. She told Diablo about the makeshift clinic that she'd started in the city's more impoverished district, and that she had a duty to oversee it until they were able to operate without her present. He couldn't help but worry about her safety, but with Batutta gone, and the death knell expunged, the biggest threats to her safety had been dealt with. With a promise to visit him whenever she had the free time, and a vow from Emile and his comrades to keep an eye on her, Diablo decided it was best to let her dictate her own fate for the time being. Her faith had kept her safe up until now, even if it required his own intervention every so often.
…
Night had finally passed, and after begrudgingly attending his promotion at the guild office alongside Rose, Diablo wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of his life in bed.
Ugh… Why did so many people have to show up? I guess I should be thankful that I only had to stand there and receive my new rank plate. If the crowd had started chanting 'Speech!' I think I would've had a heart attack from sheer anxiety!
Rolling over from his face down position, Diablo fiddled with his new Mythril plate, as he noticed Rose smiling off to the side of his bed. While it had originally creeped him out a little, it was now a welcome sight knowing that he had a powerful warrior like her watching over him while he slept.
Sometimes I feel bad that Rose can't take a break or rest in the traditional sense, but she seems awfully happy just watching me lay here…
Seeing that her master was now properly awake, the magimatic maid posed an important question to him.
"Diablo, what are your thoughts on the request from the Guildmaster? Is it really something we must bother ourselves with?"
After allowing his brain to rest a little, the demon lord had all but forgotten the passing words from the Adventurer Guild's leader Ainzach. Perhaps because they implied more work on a very short notice, he'd simply banished them from his headspace.
"The appearance of a powerful vampire in the nearby Land of Karst, one that slaughtered most of an iron ranked team of adventurers. It's hard to describe it as powerful based on that information alone, but Ainzach must know more if he's calling in a team of Mythril adventurers. The only reason I'm getting this much needed rest is because the guild is having trouble locating Darkness, so as soon as they make contact, a messenger will come by to alert us."
Rose simply sighed vicariously, as she wasn't plagued by fatigue the way her master was. Seeing him in a state of discomfort however, was enough to lower her mood as well.
"If the guild is going to obligate us with participating in their extermination mission, the least they could do is send us alone so we don't have to waste time dealing with weaklings."
No matter how much his companion acclimated to being around others, she would never tolerate being bogged down by those beneath her in strength. The only reason she had come to appreciate their other allies was due to them proving themselves in dire scenarios time and again. Yet while Diablo somewhat agreed with her, at this moment, he much preferred if someone else could handle it.
"There's an unfortunate level of bureaucracy that's built into these kinds of institutions. We play by their rules for now, and then reap the benefits that come with being the highest rank. Finding Rem, Shera, and anyone else stranded in this world will become so much easier, we just have to stick it out."
There was wisdom in the words of her master, as a man who would go to any length to achieve his goals. Rose felt pity for those who held such a narrow view of what a demon lord was, seeing them as mindless creatures of destruction. These fools had the equation backwards, as Diablo himself defines what it means to be a demon lord, all others who claim the title are mere pretenders. Such were the thoughts of his most loyal follower.
"Your wisdom is unparalleled, Diablo. I'm undeserving of learning from the true demon lord himself."
Jeez, it's not like I said anything super insightful… But it does feel good to have my ego padded sometimes, it makes up for all the past social blunders, if only there wouldn't be any future ones…
Thankfully, Diablo didn't care much for what others thought of him. In the past, his goal was to be feared by all who knew his name and legacy as the true demon lord of Cross Reverie. Now, he'd finally had a chance at being himself, at least, whenever his true self managed to leak out of his demon lord persona.
"Your loyalty is a great strength Rose, but greatness isn't defined by just one trait. You must be adept in all the relevant fields of life. Perhaps one day you'll grow to be just as well rounded as myself."
What am I even saying… The only thing I'm well rounded in is my magic stat allocation…
Although he wasn't willing to acknowledge it, Diablo had truly grown as a person throughout the past several tumultuous months. It had just required him to literally become a whole different person, in a whole new world.
…
None of it made any sense.
Staring down at the《Mirror of Remote Viewing》, Ainz Ooal Gown continued to ponder an impossible scenario. Shown in the live feed of the mirror was none other than the motionless figure of Shalltear, standing solitary in an empty clearing. This alone could not cause such an upheaval within Nazarick, it was the fact that her name had appeared red on the guild's admin system, which meant only one thing.
Looking at her current state, she's been put under an incomplete form of mind control… Left without orders, thus leaving her frozen in place…
Before confirming her location, Ainz was inclined to believe that she had revolted of her own volition, whether it be from dissatisfaction with his leadership, or the result of her backstory written by Peroroncino-san. Yet seeing her now, he was forced to acknowledge another difference in this world from Yggdrasil.
Whatever the means, whether it's a talent, martial art, or magic item, this new world has factors at play that must be considered… To think that even an undead like Shalltear would be susceptible to mind altering effects… It really is a shame, but I'll have to resort to using one of my most rare gacha items in order to fix this mess…
"Albedo, we're going to be teleporting to Shalltear in order to free her of this suspected mind control. However, Narberal and I must first make our appearance at the guild, for the sake of maintaining our adventurer personas. Obviously we won't allow any other adventurers near Shalltear, but we have to dissuade them from going in the first place."
The overseer of the guardians nodded in response, yet she quickly raised an important question that Ainz had neglected to consider.
"Your word is law, Lord Ainz. Yet, what about Diablo and his companion? They don't strike me as the type to be talked down from going on a mission like this."
Ainz had to swallow a confused 'ah?' before it escaped his bony throat. As his emotional suppression washed over him, the embarrassment of forgetting such an important factor dissipated.
Of course Diablo and Rose would be called to this meeting as well… The last thing I need is them encountering Shalltear in this state before I can assess the situation properly…
"An astute observation Albedo, well done. That was a test of your abilities, and you passed. As you said, Diablo and Rose's involvement would be too large a variable to allow in a precarious situation such as this. Before Narberal and I depart for the guild, send one of the eight-edge assassins to tail the guild messenger that will inevitably be sent for our adventurer 'comrades'. However, it's key that the messenger remains alive, we can't arouse suspicion with such an untimely disappearance. Keep them in a secure location until I can perform 「Control Amnesia」, I'll leave the rest of the details up to you."
Once again, Ainz managed to maintain his facade as the all-knowing ruler that his subordinates viewed him as. Unfortunately, he knew this wouldn't be the last time he'd be forced to think on his feet.
"I am undeserving of your praise, Lord Ainz. Your orders will be carried out at once."
Phew… I handled that better than I'd expected…
"Very good. I'll rejoin you here once my time at the guild has concluded. Then we will deal with Shalltear, hopefully uninterrupted."
…
Several hours had passed since Diablo first arrived back at his inn room. If there was anything that annoyed him more than being at someone's beck and call, it was being left in a state of anticipation with no defined end.
I know that the guild has to locate Darkness before we can move forward with the mission, but what is taking them so damn long? Should I just go to the Guild right now and see what the holdup is? I'd rather sit this mission out and keep resting, but getting this out of the way seems like the better option instead of waiting around for some messenger to show up…
"Alright Rose, I'm making an executive decision. We're heading to the guild right now, I fail to see how there could be such a hold up. They've insulted me enough by forcing us to wait around for this long."
As Diablo began equipping his gear, Rose wore a palpable look of anger as she let loose her own frustrations over the matter.
"For them to think they can order around a demon lord is laughable, but to treat you with such disrespect as to make you wait around for nothing, it is hubris of the most despicable form. Perhaps I should dole out a fitting punishment to that man who calls himself guildmaster?"
This type of reaction from Rose was only to be expected, but the last thing Diablo needed right now was having the entire adventurer's guild turn against him.
"Come now, Rose. While there's no reasonable excuse for their actions, or lack thereof, we live in a very unreasonable world. We should at least hear them out before resorting to violence."
I say that, but how hard is it to send a damn messenger? Or to locate a single adventurer team? It's not like Momon is hard to pick out of a crowd!
The peculiarity of the whole situation made Diablo harken back to his conversation with Momon that was cut off by their impromptu mission in the graveyard. This man he was dealing with wasn't just a powerful adventurer, but an otherworlder like himself. Someone who originally was from Japan, and through some incomprehensible means, had been brought to another world in the form of his game character. Whatever game he was from, Diablo was certain it wasn't Cross Reverie.
I'd always suspected that I wasn't unique in how I was brought to the Cross Reverie inspired world, but I find it alarmingly unlikely that I'd find someone like me so soon after arriving here… There's still no major reason to be suspicious of Momon outside of that fact, but his poorly timed disappearance could be a factor in all of this…
For the time being, it was all just speculation. The most he could do was remain vigilant, but that had become the norm for him and his companions after all of their perilous escapades together. With his gear equipped, and Rose's rage satiated for the time being, they exited the inn and began the short walk to the guild headquarters.
"When we arrive, Rose, please allow me to do the talking. I understand your annoyance over their ineptitude, but we need to be amicable for the time being. The guildmaster serves no purpose if he no longer trusts us, or worse, is dead."
"I would never allow my emotions to get in the way of your plans, Diablo. I will play my part as required, anything less and I'd be a failure as a servant of the Demon Lord."
With his worries of Rose causing problems mostly quelled, Diablo felt he could enter the guild with a little more confidence. Not fully confident of course, as that would be impossible with his underleveled social skills, but at the very least he didn't have to weigh the possibility of a violent outcome in his decisions.
The best case scenario here is getting this extermination mission moving along, and then finally having the opportunity to investigate the whereabouts of Rem and Shera… Or anyone else who managed to be brought to this world, as it seems the list keeps growing with each passing day… What are the chances that I've encountered all these acquaintances, yet still have heard nothing of those two girls? It feels like some sort of cosmic joke…
Diablo still had no confirmation that the girls had even been brought to this world, it was still just a hope of his. Yet, the fact that so many other natives of his previous world had run into him here, it felt stronger than a mere possibility. He was the last person to believe in something as nauseating as 'the power of love', but he couldn't deny the very real connection he felt to Rem and Shera. The 《Marriage Rings》 that he had given them were proof of that.
Never in a million years would I have thought I'd care so deeply about another person, let alone two… and not just them, all the comrades I've made along the way… Even now, they continue to aid me in times of need, whether it be Emile, Lumachina, or Sasara, and especially Rose…
He'd never considered what he would've done if he'd been sent to this new world alone. The idea of having to start from scratch all over again was so daunting he didn't even want to think about it. At least in his previous world, he'd been summoned by Rem and Shera. The 《Enslavement Collars》 that had been placed on them as a result of his 《Magic Reflection》 forced them to work together in order to find a way to remove them. Everything else just worked out from there. Now he could only count the days without them as they went by, as new situations continued to arise that prevented him from taking the time to properly search for them.
As Diablo stewed in melancholy over the absence of his wives, his destination finally came into view. He'd been expecting to see more activity around the guild with this impromptu request in the works, but things seemed like business as usual, to his confusion. Pushing open the door, Diablo saw some of the mythril adventurers that he assumed were also called upon by Ainzach, yet they didn't have the appearance of people about to embark on a potentially dangerous mission.
"You there, has Ainzach called the meeting yet? Or is he still waiting for word from Darkness?"
Pointing towards one of the adventurers who had a mythril plate hanging from his neck, Diablo was expecting a quick response, but he was instead met with a confused look.
"Diablo? What are you doing here? The meeting already happened, Momon and his partner came by earlier and said that you weren't going to be participating in the mission."
What is this guy talking about? I never discussed that with Momon, and that messenger should've alerted us about his arrival long before the meeting was ever held… More importantly, why are all these mythril adventurers still here, and where is Momon now?
"I told him no such thing. But that confusion can be dealt with later, when are we moving out for the Land of Karst?"
"Uh, Momon convinced us during the meeting that this was beyond our paygrade, and that he had actually been tracking this vampire called 'Honyopnyoko' for some time now. He even showed us a magic sealing crystal that apparently contained an eighth tier spell! The fact that he was willing to use an artifact like that was enough proof for me that I wanted no part in this fight."
This new information was a bombshell for Diablo. Here he had thought that himself and Rose would be the ones asking to handle this on their own, yet Momon had beat him to the punch. Moreover, the fact that Momon claimed to know of this vampire as well, it made him think that the man's status as an otherworlder was actually relevant to this whole debacle.
Momon definitely hasn't been in this world much longer than myself, if at all… That means there's no way he's actually been tracking this 'Honyopnyoko' vampire for a long time… So either he's lying about that altogether, or it's an enemy from before he arrived in this world!
There were obvious ramifications from that line of thinking. It meant that like himself, Momon had been summoned to another world before appearing in this one. The dark warrior had never mentioned such a thing in their original conversation, which forced Diablo to question just how many other details had been left out, or ones that were just fabrications.
"So Darkness went to take on the vampire by themselves, that's what you're saying?"
The mythril adventurer shook his head in reply.
"No, Igvarge and his adventurer team Kralga insisted on joining them as a part of the scouting team. He didn't seem to believe Momon's claims about this vampire being such a powerhouse."
Why would he allow that? It seemed like his motive here was maintaining a level of secrecy in how he planned to deal with the vampire… I don't want to believe it, but there's a very real possibility that Igvarge and his team won't be returning from this mission… Whether it be as a meat shield or something more sinister, Momon might have them killed before they ever get to report on the details of this vampire… Even if I'm wrong about this, the stakes are simply too high to ignore it!
It felt like a reach based on Momon's prior heroic behavior, but there was no denying how he'd lied in order to keep himself and Rose away from this mission. Diablo couldn't think of any benevolent reasons for such an act, and all it left were nefarious possibilities. After encountering several cunning enemies in his time since becoming his game character, Diablo was forced to give in to his paranoia.
I don't owe these people anything, but I can't have it on my conscience that innocent people died because of my inaction… I've already made a promise to myself that I'd never allow such a thing to happen again!
"Tell me, did Ainzach go over the exact whereabouts of the vampire during the meeting?"
"Yeah, what about it?"
This was the only confirmation he needed. Now it was time to take action. Diablo grabbed the man by the shoulder and corralled him over to a map of the region that was framed on one of the walls.
"Point the location out to me, now."
The adventurer was about to protest over Diablo manhandling him in such a crude fashion, but after seeing the cold gaze that stared into his soul, he banished the thought immediately.
"Of-of course! I'm pretty sure it was right around here…"
As soon as his finger hovered over the specified area of the map, Diablo began digging through his 《Item Pouch》. After a moment, he had procured the item he was looking for.
"Rose, the location is a fair distance away from the closest roadway that we've traveled on. I'm going to teleport us there with the 《Angel's Plume》, but I'll need to fly the rest of the way, and there's simply no time for me to use 《Adzet》 on you. Once we arrive, use your keen senses to comb the forest for Darkness and Igvarge's team, we may be able to beat them to the punch. If you manage to find them, do everything you can to convince them to return to the guild. Should they refuse, you have permission to take them back against their will, but do not harm anyone outside of that, do you understand?"
Diablo was speaking fast, and despite his best attempt at hiding it, Rose could hear the worry in his voice. She couldn't imagine why he cared at all about these insignificant humans, but orders from her master were binding no matter the reason.
"Of course Diablo. After I complete my task, shall I accompany you in terminating the vampire?"
"I doubt that it'll come to such a thing, but yes, return to me immediately after securing Igvarge's team. We have little time, grab my hand."
Relishing in the brief moment of intimate contact with her beloved master, Rose shot a killing glare at the adventurer who now looked stupefied over the giddy face she was making.
"《Teleport》!"
Before he could even ask Diablo what he was planning to do, the duo adventurer team called Demon Silver vanished in a flash of light.
"Teleportation magic, huh? First a legendary magic crystal, and now this. Maybe it's a sign that I should consider early retirement…"
…
*FWOOSH*
Just as quickly as they'd vanished, Diablo and Rose had appeared at the empty road outside of E-Rantel that was closest to the Land of Karst.
"You know what to do, Rose, now it's time for me to do my part."
Imbuing his 《Empty Sky's Gambol》 boots with MP, Diablo took off into the air, soaring over the treeline as he pushed his equipment's flight ability to its limits.
If I can take out this vampire before Darkness arrives at the location, there will be no reason for Momon to silence the other adventurers… Even if things somehow take too long, I'm confident Rose will find them before that… Maybe this vampire will offer some kind of information about Momon that I've yet to uncover as well, but my main priority is securing the safety of Igvarge's team!
Had he traveled on foot through the forest, there would've been little chance of him catching up with the other adventurers, but flying above the treeline at his fastest possible speed, Diablo was confident he'd be able to prevent this possible disaster. Before long, the clearing in the greenery that he was looking for came into view, with a single figure standing motionless at its center.
Is that… the vampire?
Diablo kept his distance in the air, but he was close enough to make out the details of the person in the clearing. It was a young looking girl with snow white skin and light pink hair, clad in a gothic lolita dress. It was hard to tell from this distance, but she looked far too beautiful to be the beast that Ainzach had described when he'd first told Diablo about the incident.
Also, since when could vampires stand around out in the sun?
The whole scenario was puzzling, especially given the fact that the girl hadn't even glanced in his direction, despite him being easily visible in the sky. As he cautiously flew closer, the peculiar weapon that the girl held grabbed his attention.
It looks like a giant pipette… I've never seen a weapon like that in Cross Reverie, but it's giving off an incredible amount of magical power… I hate to say it, but Momon might have been telling the truth about this vampire's strength at the very least…
Diablo focused his perception towards the girl herself, and he nearly let out an audible gasp when he saw the aura of magic surrounding her.
She's wielding a melee weapon like a warrior-type build, and she still has that much magical power?! Does she have multiple classes leveled up like myself? What kind of opponent is she?
There was one other peculiarity regarding her aura that Diablo had picked up on, it seemed almost entirely stagnant. It was incredibly strange, almost like she had been frozen in time.
Could that be part of the reason for her inaction despite my approach? I still don't fully understand it, but it's as if she's under the effect of some sort of mind affecting magic, but Cross Reverie never had a spell potent enough to cause something like this…
Steeling himself for the possibility that he was being lured into a trap, Diablo readied a defensive spell in his mind in case he had to act fast. He slowly descended until he landed several meters away from her, keeping his 《Tonnerre Empereur》 pointed at her the entire time.
"You there, vampire! Your tricks won't work on a Demon Lord, so drop the act!"
Despite his inciting words, the girl remained motionless, as if Diablo wasn't even there.
So weird, it's almost like a bugged NPC… I guess there's no trap after all, which means I can take her out with a single attack and be done with this…
Diablo pondered what spell he should use, and while part of him wanted to use a potent contact based magic, it was still far too risky to get that close to an enemy like this. Given her insane magical aura despite the outward appearance of a melee build, he had to assume she was very high level. There were very few spells he could use that had a chance of taking her out in one blow, especially if he couldn't use his contact based ones.
It won't benefit from the multiplying effect of my 《Tonnerre Empereur》, but this spell will at least spare most of the surrounding area from being torched compared to my other high power magic…
He began walking in a large circle around the vampire, maintaining his gaze on her at all times. Every few steps, he tapped his staff on the ground, establishing the magical points of power that this spell required as setup. Before long, he had laid out all thirteen points, completing the prep of one of his strongest spells.
"It's a shame we couldn't have a proper battle, vampire. Yet it's very generous of you to allow me such an easy win, you've made completing my plan that much easier. Now, feel the torrent of the four great elements, and return to oblivion! 《Apocalypse Abyss》!"
As he chanted the name of the forbidden magic, the thirteen contact points shot beams of light towards the sky, establishing the perimeter of the spell's area of effect. Upon reaching a near blinding level of brightness, the spell was activated. Massive torrents of each major element materialized and began wreaking havoc, with the unsuspecting vampire at their center. Lightning flashed all throughout, magma melted everything it touched, icy gales roared with temperatures approaching absolute zero, as all the elements coalesced into a massive tornado that rose towards the heavens. Diablo watched with confidence outside the contained area, as the spell finally began to die down, until only silence and a perfect circle of devastated terrain remained.
I haven't had a chance to use that spell since my fight with Klem… It wasn't enough to fully take her down, but that's only to be expected of the strongest Demon Lord… Against a powerful monster, nothing should remain-
"Hehehe… Ahahahahaaa!"
As the smoke began to clear, a shrouded silhouette came into view at its center. It let out a taunting chorus of laughter that grew in volume, until it locked eyes with an aghast Diablo.
"So you're the annoying Demon that my master told me about! I never could have imagined a low tier being like you would be capable of magic like that!"
Diablo couldn't muster a reply. The fact that this vampire was not only still alive, but had the gall to laugh at him, was too much to process.
"Still though, it doesn't come close to the awesome power of a supreme being. Yet, compared to the weaklings of this world, you're pretty strong! Who would've thought that I'd get to fight another powerful opponent so soon after the last!"
With the air finally clear, he was able to see the surprisingly unscathed vampire. Instead of the lolita dress that she was wearing previously, she was now donned in crimson combat armor, with a pair of white wings sprouting from her back. Even with the shock of his 《Apocalypse Abyss》 being largely ineffective, Diablo immediately shifted into his demon lord persona. This was far from the first time he'd been surprised by the power of an opponent.
"Hahaha! You truly believe you can talk down to the Demon Lord Diablo? That spell was a warmup, what fun is there in crushing a challenger before they've had a chance to realize their fate?"
Wait a minute, she said 'another powerful opponent', who did she fight before this that was comparable to me? Ainzach only mentioned that an iron ranked team had been slaughtered, who could she be talking about?
Before the maniacal vampire could respond, Diablo posed his question.
"Tell me though, who was it that challenged you that managed to earn comparison to the one true Demon Lord?"
"Oh please, you may be strong, but you're no Demon Lord! But in exchange for pulling off such an impressive spell, I'll answer your question before killing you. While I was fulfilling my master's orders, I came across a petulant woman who gave me quite a surprise with the hidden power she showed off. Not only that, her cat ears and tail were so cute, I was going to make her one of my brides until I was interrupted by those irritating adventurers!"
Diablo's mind went blank. His ears began to ring until the words of his opponent were drowned out entirely. There was only one person she could've been referring to, and his mind immediately went to the worst case scenario.
"You… What did you do to Rem…"
The vampire girl let out another unhinged bout of laughter.
"Ahahaha! I said I'd answer one question, not two! Come now, do you expect me to go back on my promise like that? My memory is so foggy, I can't remember exactly what happened anyways. But the fact that I'm still standing should be enough of an answer for you, right?!"
He refused to believe what he was hearing. She had to be lying, there had to be another explanation. It simply wasn't possible. Before he could think on it any further, Diablo's vision went red as he pulled out a handful of magic boosting potions from his 《Item Pouch》, popping off their corks and chugging them in a single swig.
"Forget it… I can't save anyone… Not even the ones who matter the most to me…"
"Huh? What was that? You're mumbling mister demon, speak up!"
As the potions began to take their effect, Diablo's magical aura that he normally contained came flooding out as he was overcome with emotion. The sadness that swept over him was immediately stifled and overpowered by another feeling.
Rage.
"I'm going to kill you, that's all there is to it. Now shut up and fight! 《Flare Burst》!"
…
It had only been a few minutes since her search started, but Rose finally managed to sense the presence of a group of humans not far from her. Dashing through the forest with graceful movements, the magimatic maid burst through the greenery, stopping directly in front of the dark warrior Momon.
"R-Rose! What are you doing here?"
The armored giant wasn't able to hide his surprise at her appearance, as he cleared his throat and held out a hand to stop his adventurer partner from doing anything rash.
"I'm merely carrying out orders, and they don't include you."
She turned her attention to the gaggle of adventurers that were following behind Momon, who also appeared surprised by her sudden entrance.
"Igvarge, you and your team are coming with me. Diablo has ordered that you return to the city at once."
Stepping forward with a look of noncompliance, Igvarge spoke for himself and his team.
"Ordered? What kind of authority does that creep have to order us around? He opted out of this mission, we didn't! Now why don't you let us do our jobs and-"
Before he could finish his sentence, all of their attention was drawn towards a deafening cacophony from further into the forest. A chorus of sound that could only be generated by magic of unfathomable power.
"Diablo has ordered you on that authority. That should be evidence enough that the threat has been dealt with, now follow me, unless you want to throw away your lives challenging a power like that."
Igvarge and his team were stunned, but it only took a moment for them to oblige Rose's 'request'.
"Good, now get a move on, the sooner I confirm your arrival in E-Rantel, the sooner I can return to Diablo's side."
Before departing, Rose casted her gaze towards Momon and Nabe, who also both looked shocked, albeit for different reasons.
"I was given no orders regarding you two, but I imagine Diablo would prefer you don't interfere. Do as you wish, just don't get in my way."
With that, Rose turned and began leading the other adventurers back to E-Rantel. Once Ainz was certain that she was completely out of earshot, he immediately cast the 「Message」 spell.
"Yes, Lord Ainz? Are you ready for our arrival?"
"Albedo, there's been a problem."
…
Hey everyone, I know it's been far too long since my last update. I've said that a lot throughout my time writing all these stories. Between a lack of motivation, and some family related issues in my life, my writing got left in the background. But as you can see, the How Not to Save the New World is back, and we're headed into the big opening act for the second arc of the story! How will Diablo fare against Shalltear? What happened to Rem? All will be revealed in the next chapter. No idea when it will be released, but I can promise it won't be six months later. Remember to leave a follow, favorite, or review, and see you then.