Hello Scrolls and Nazarinos, with more chapters from this arc in my fanfic The One Who Came Back.
Renner will have to face an impossible challenge: face a Dragon.
With you
The one who came back
Chapter 64: Kings, Emperors, and Princesses
Gondo stepped forward.
"I am Gondo Firebeard. I'll give a summary of the events so we don't waste too much time."
For the next two hours, Gondo gave a "summary" of recent history, how they had almost been wiped out and how they had now become a prosperous people.
"Sir, you're not of any royal house," stated the black dwarf.
"No, I'm not. Despite there being other nobles with more credentials, I was still raised to this position by my peers by acclamation. I became Lord of the Dwarf Kingdom of the Azerlisia Mountains just a year and a half ago."
"Perhaps because of your relationship with the... Sorcerer King."
"Probably, cousin. A relationship that saved my land."
"And now you submit to deals that lead to the monopoly of runic weapons by the Sorcerer Kingdom."
"Still, I swore to defend my people and do whatever is necessary for our survival."
"Surface-dwellers bend too easily," openly scoffed the black dwarf.
"Lord Ardork, if you wish, we can forget that right now you're speaking to a king and we can go outside so I can show you what my fist is made of when I send you back to the hole you crawled out of," growled Gondo.
"It would be a pleasure, cousin," retorted the black dwarf, rolling up his sleeves.
"STOP! Lord Ardork! Compose yourself! Your Majesty, I apologize for my colleague's outburst. There are no words that can remedy the damage caused by such a rude attitude, but I ask that you can forgive us."
"I also apologize for my reaction. As pointed out, I don't come from a noble house, so maybe I don't have the proper manners for these occasions."
'From what I could see of the other dwarf nobles, Gondo seems to be the most level-headed among them,' Ainz thought.
"The Quagoas," interrupted the rabbit woman, "what happened to them? You said their armies vanished, where did they go?"
"I have no idea. I only know that they faced the forces of the Sorcerer King, and for me, that's enough."
"They were almost exterminated," interrupted Jircniv, "only a few thousand remain."
"For me, they could have all disappeared."
"Quite the consideration from a race who were in the same situation until recently."
"We were in this situation exactly because of them. How do you know what happened to them, Your Majesty?"
"Because now your people live in the empire."
"You gave shelter to our tormentors."
"We gave shelter to refugees."
Albedo was about to intervene but was stopped even before she could express her intention, stopped by the slightest gesture made by Ainz with his index finger. He wanted to see where this would lead.
It's because of this kind of discussion that kings and emperors don't personally participate in war meetings. Their egos speak too loudly. Leave two of them alone, and there's still a chance for dialogue, but in front of several people, they simply try to impose themselves on each other. Again, speaking metaphorically, sometimes it's not such a good idea to bring machine guns to knife fights; they can cause more damage than you want. So, whenever possible, it's representatives, ambassadors, or diplomats with years of training who attend these meetings.
The advisors watched as the two sovereigns argued.
"Lords, Your Majesties, I see that many points seem to generate conflicts, but I think we should stick to the subject."
"I agree with Lord Malios," said Ainz, shutting down any attempt to continue the argument. "When I assisted the dwarf people, I did it for commercial interest. It took more strength than we expected to contain the Quagoa army, and what was left of their tribe was expelled. I'm glad to hear they found a place to live in their lands, Jircniv, my friend. The Empire inspired many of the laws we established for multi-racial coexistence."
Jircniv was embarrassed; now, he was pointed out as the centerpiece of the strategy that inspired the acts of the Sorcerer King. Another trap he fell into.
"Your Majesty gives me too much credit. The Empire's situation regarding Demi-human races has long been established, and sheltering a homeless people must be the right thing to do."
"Hmm, an interesting point. Maybe I should just focus on ensuring the safety of the dwarf people. Expelling the Quagoas from the mountains may have been too much; now, perhaps a gap has been left to be filled by something else."
As the discussion unfolded, Riku Aganeia observed every move with sharp eyes. He "represented" not only the interests of the Dragon Lords but also carried with him the distrust of some of those present in the room. His instincts told him that something beyond the surface was at play, something that needed to be revealed to ensure everyone's safety.
"Emperor, could you tell why you decided to make the Baharuth Empire a vassal state?" Riku's sharp question cut through the constant murmuring in the room.
All eyes turned to Jircniv, the Emperor of the Baharuth Empire. He maintained an impassive expression, but tension was visible in his eyes.
"Lord Aganeia, the decision to make the Baharuth Empire a vassal state was not taken lightly. Over the last few decades, the world has faced increasing threats, and the rise of the Sorcerer Kingdom has added an even greater element of uncertainty. As a responsible leader, I sought to ensure the safety and prosperity of my people," he replied, carefully choosing his words.
Riku was not satisfied with the answer and continued his line of questioning.
"I understand the search for security, but becoming a vassal state implies a loss of autonomy. Do you not fear that this could compromise the independence and integrity of your empire?"
Jircniv sighed before responding, acknowledging the gravity of the situation.
"The decision was difficult, but it was made based on a pragmatic assessment of available resources. By accepting vassal status, we maintain a cooperative relationship with the Sorcerer Kingdom, mitigating potential conflicts that could be detrimental to both parties."
The Baharuth Emperor's response did not assuage the concerns in the room. Some expressed mistrust, especially considering the cunning nature of the Sorcerer Kingdom and the uncertainty about its true intentions.
Riku decided to leave the topic for now; his suspicions persisted. He knew that the real battle often occurred behind the scenes, in the shadows where words did not reach, realizing that alliances and political decisions could have deeper implications than they seemed.
Meanwhile, Albedo was attentive to every move. Her piercing eyes watched the interaction between the representatives, especially those who expressed distrust toward her lord.
Ainz, while maintaining an apparently calm demeanor, was also attentive to the subtleties of the conversations. He understood that politics and diplomacy were like a complex game, where pieces moved according to hidden interests, his hidden interests according to Demiurge, interests so hidden that not even Ainz knew what they were.
Ainz, observing the dynamics of the room, sensed the growing tension. The discussion seemed to escalate again more and more; so, it was time to intervene and redirect the meeting to its original purpose.
"Lords and ladies, I believe we can proceed." The Sorcerer King's voice was calm but contained unquestionable authority.
The representatives and members of the Council, aware that they were under the watchful gaze of powerful leaders, complied with the Sorcerer King's suggestion.
"Your Majesty is right; any other issue can wait. We would like to have a better understanding of how the changes in Re-Estize unfolded. Unfortunately, we only have second-hand or conflicting information," said Lord Murios.
"Hmm, I know many people have visited my kingdom, many merchants. I imagine they might have given various reports."
"Yes, Your Majesty, but it all varies greatly depending on who is asked."
"So would you like to use some kind of magic to ensure the testimony isn't false?"
Indignation seemed to be widespread; questioning a king or sovereign would already be an affront worthy of war. Subjecting any of them to a spell would be unimaginable.
'So, that's what the wizard was planning, bringing kings and emperors so no one dares to openly doubt his words, thus they will manipulate and...'
"I accept!"
The dragon's thought was cut off by the statement.
There was a new consternation when the human spoke.
"I, Princess Renner Theiere Chardelon Ryle Vaiself, last member of the Vaiself house and your representative, offer myself and submit to your questioning supported by magic."
"Miss Renner, you don't have to go through this trouble," said Lord Malio, the human, with an extremely condescending voice.
"Princess."
"What?"
"Princess, Lord Malio, my family may no longer rule Re-Estize, I may no longer have lands or the power of my name, but I still hold my title, and you! You will call me Princess Renner."
...
Author's note
About the fact that the curse detection spell doesn't realize that Renner is a demon. Well, this happens to me because she is not cursed, she changed race due to a spell, it is different from what happened to Leinas.
If the spell detected your race now, a demon would probably appear, but that's not what it's for.