(In case the notifications for FF still aren't working, and provided the site is back online, this note is to acknowledge that the chapter was uploaded on schedule on Sunday 14th July 2024)

Edster: Hello there everyone and welcome back to chapter 33 of the Nazarick Triumvirate! I hope you are all doing well and are enjoying a good start to this latest season of anime. As I expected, Fairy Tail started off as strongly as ever, and the rest of the series I am watching, both new and returning, have gotten off to solid starts as well. Special to mention to 2.5 Dimensional Seduction whose MC and his thought process is a good reflection of what I'm like in real life and whose girls are GORGEOUS! Looking forward to more of that fan service going forward!

daniel: Hey guys! Hope you're doing great! The site has given us problems but thankfully thanks to e-mail we have been able to keep communicating and working on this chapter! Hope you all enjoy! And as my co-author said this season of anime is amazing! FT is the highlight for me!

Edster: Now that's all out of the way, here is what you are all here for where we set the scene for the beginning of the end, and the dawn of a glorious new regime! 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 33 – Prelude to War

A month after the meeting between Emperor Jircniv and the Supreme Beings in the Great Tomb of Nazarick…

It all started with the official proclamation, from the pen of Baharuth's Emperor and the content of which had been altered and approved multiple times by the likes of Jemima, Demiurge and all three of the Supreme Beings, that was suddenly and inexplicably delivered to the ruling monarchs/powers in each of the major kingdoms of the world. Even though only a few copies were delivered to each, it didn't take long for its words to spread throughout the capitals and out into the nations themselves eliciting mixed reactions from all who heard them, including fear, curiosity and disbelief:

Imperial Decree No. 454 of Emperor Jircniv Rune Farlord El Nix of the Bahruth Empire – Recognition of the Sovereignty of the Great Tomb of Nazarick and its rulers

Issued on this day, by the authority vested in His Majesty Emperor Jircniv Rune Farlord El Nix, ruler of the Baharuth Empire, and in recognition of the sovereign power of the Great Tomb of Nazarick:

I. Recognition of Sovereignty

Whereas, the Baharuth Empire acknowledges the Great Tomb of Nazarick as a sovereign and independent entity under the rule of their Supreme Beings: His Imperial Majesty Ainz Ooal Gown, absolute ruler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, His Imperial Highness Crown Prince Henry Edward William Augustus Constantine Trajan Plantagenet-Caesar, Lord Ainz's adopted son and recognised heir, and Grand Marshal Fengxian, commander of the armies of the Great Tomb of Nazarick.

II. Alliance and Mutual Cooperation

Whereas, the Baharuth Empire hereby enters into a formal alliance with the aforementioned Great Tomb of Nazarick, pledging mutual cooperation, support, and non-aggression, to promote peace and stability within our respective realms.

III. Territorial Cession

Whereas, in the interest of strengthening our alliance and acknowledging the strategic importance of territorial integrity for the Great Tomb of Nazarick, the Baharuth Empire demands the Kingdom of Re-Estize to cede the city of E-Rantel and the surrounding lands to the governance of their rightful owner, the Great Tomb of Nazarick and its rulers.

IV. Implementation and Compliance

Whereas, this decree shall be implemented with immediate effect, and all necessary measures shall be taken to ensure its full compliance by the concerned parties. The Baharuth Empire shall stand ready to support the enforcement of this decree and the peaceful transfer of said territories.

~TNT~

Naturally, such a proclamation and its implications caused a series of different reactions from the ruling parties of each of the nations it was sent to.

As expected, given their view on non-human races in general, the Slane Theocracy expressed outrage and scorn at the Empire's recognition of Nazarick, condemning the exaltation of a nation full of non-humans and viewing their claim to both power and territory as an affront to their religious beliefs and blasphemy against the gods they worshipped. However, a verbal lambasting was all that the Six Cardinals who ruled the Theocracy could do at this stage given how they were still reeling from the near-destruction of their Black Scripture and the ruination of the majority of the Sunlight Scripture at Carne Village, with the rest of the Scriptures unwilling to go against such powerful beings who had driven their comrades to near ruin. As a result, the Theocracy would avoid direct confrontation with Nazarick for the moment, choosing instead to focus on rebuilding their numbers while observing the Annual War between the Empire and the Kingdom with interest in case they could exploit the situation to their advantage, especially if one of the nations involved was weakened dramatically.

The only one in the Theocracy who seemed pleased at these events was a small teenage-looking girl with black and white hair who saw this as a chance to test her strength against someone of her power…and maybe find the man who would give her the all-powerful children she so desired in one of these so-called 'Supreme Beings'

Given how they were absorbed in their own problems against the various monster races poised to attack their kingdom, all the Queen of the Holy Kingdom, Calca Bessarez, could do was ponder if this Nazarick might have the strength to help her nation out. At this point Calca would take any possible ally, even a nation of undead and non-humans, if it would save her people, such was her desire for peace, innate kindness and practicality, that she sent out a diplomatic envoy to open relations and perhaps find common ground.

In contrast, the Draconic Kingdom and their queen, Draudillon Oriculus, viewed this announcement with caution, wary of the potential threat of expansion that this alliance would cause. Rather than make any diplomatic overtures, they would instead prioritize their own immediate security and bolster their defences while waiting to see how events in the forthcoming months would play out.

The Reaction of the City-State Alliance was one of caution, due to one of its members, Bebard, having amiable relations with the Bloody Emperor. They decided to give Nazarick the benefit of the doubt and sent envoys to establish a non-aggression pact.

The reaction of the various factions that formed the Argland Council States was of significant shock and alarm, with a council meeting between the various heads of states hurriedly organised to debate what this could mean for their people and the world as a whole. While one or two saw the formation of a new non-human state as a potentially positive sign of change, the predominant suggestion was to approach this new revelation with caution as they sought to understand this sudden rise of a new nation before making any moves. They agreed to send envoys to both Nazarick and Baharuth to both gather information and form non-aggression pacts so that neither nation would pose a direct threat to their federation while at the same time strengthening their own defences much like the Draconic Kingdom.

The regency Council of the Dwarven Kingdom was up to its neck with problems that threatened to put an end to their nation so they paid no mind to these happenings. Instead, they decided that once their problems were fixed, they would seek a non-aggression pact with Nazarick.

Given their isolation and detachment from the rest of the world outside their battles with the Theocracy, the elves of the Elven Nation viewed this decree with guarded caution, wary of any nations that could threaten their power and independence. They would make no direct moves but instead focus on fortifying their borders and gathering information from without.

~TNT~

Meanwhile, in the royal palace of the capital of Re-Estize…

After word of this new declaration of the new nation of Nazarick, its alliance with the Baharuth Empire and their joint demands for the Kingdom to hand over the fortress city of E-Rantel to Nazarick reached the royal palace, the King hastily convened a council of all the influential nobles on both factions, all of his children and Gazef as his bodyguard in order to discuss what was to be done regarding this revelation. Once they were all gathered, Ramposa bid one of his squires to read the contents of the decree out in full so that all present could understand just what they were dealing with, and once the reading was over the discussions over how to proceed began.

"Before we begin, I would like to highlight the claim in the decree that states that the Great Tomb of Nazarick has a claim to both E-Rantel and its surrounding territories," Ramposa spoke up first. "Our historians have double-checked this claim and have found no records of a nation known as Nazarick, nor any of the three individuals named Ainz Ooal Gown, Henry Plantagenet-Caesar and Fengxian who claim to have rights to E-Rantel and the lands around it. There is not a shred of legitimacy in their demand." This drew a sigh of relief from all parties who had been wondering if that claim had been true.

With that out of the way, the King opened the floor to everyone else to hear their views, and it was Marquis Boullope, the leader of the Nobility faction who spoke up first. "Then it would appear this 'decree' is nothing more than the ravings of upstart lunatics with such delusions of power that they invent a false claim to try and unbalance us."

"As often as they invade, it would appear that the Empire has finally run out of legitimate reasons to bring about our annual conflict," Count Lytton, another member of the Nobility Faction, said in agreement with his fellow noble. He was handsome, as was befitting one of his station, with light brown hair with bangs that partially covered his right eye, pale skin, a pencil moustache, light grey eyes, and the clothing befitting his rank. "This decree smacks of desperation…only a fool would take it seriously."

"That could very well be the case…but in any event, I still must advise we approach this with caution," Marquis Raeven, ever the voice of reason, countered. "The Empire no doubt sees these three individuals as some sort of threat to them, hence their willingness to go along with their demands, outrageous as they may be…"

Lytton turned his head and scoffed at Raeven's response before turning his attention back to the King, whose eyes had narrowed dangerously upon seeing another spat between the factions arise at a time when it was the last thing they all needed. Perhaps sensing his king's anger, Lytton changed tack. "Be that as it may, I can't help but feel we've heard one of these names before…yes, this Ainz Ooal Gown who claims to be their supreme ruler." His eyes then shifted to Gazef standing as stoically as ever at the King's side. "From our chief warrior no less. Can you confirm this Ainz Ooal Gown fellow is the same one you met back at Carne Village?"

"Yes, there is no doubt that he is the same magic-caster who, along with his comrades, saved my life," Gazef confirmed bluntly. Since neither Henry nor Fengxian had been brought up by the noble he refrained from saying anything about his growing suspicion that had been gnawing at him ever since he first laid eyes on the decree that those comrades of Master Ainz who had helped save him, Sir Constantine and Sir Fen, were actually the other two referred to in the decree. The similarities between their names were too hard of a fact to ignore, and if it was true…Gazef worried what beings of such power as they'd displayed back then could do if their requests weren't upheld

"Oh, I see how it is," Lytton mocked, bringing Gazef out of his musings. "Once he and his friends had saved your life, did he offer you to kneel and kiss his royal ring, and perhaps the boots of those who accompanied him?" The Count's words drew a round of chuckling from the rest of those who were both part of and supported the Nobility Faction.

"Control yourself," the sharp voice of Margrave Urovana, one of the senior nobles of the Royal Faction and a stern and venerable man in his own right despite his elderly years with wrinkled pale skin, snow white hair that he styled back with long strands of it falling over his shoulders from his sideburns, a perfectly maintained full beard, fine clothes and a sceptre that he used as a cane due to his age, rebuked them, causing the mockery to cease immediately. "You stand before the king and the royal children…comport yourself with more dignity, Count."

"Well, I still highly doubt we need to get so worked up over a simple magic-caster and his associates," Marquis Blumrush of the Royalty faction, a man in his forties with fair skin, light grey eyes and curtained blonde hair with matching pencil moustache, puffed out, causing both Zanac and Renner to narrow their eyes since they were both aware of this greedy Marquis' treachery. He would have to be watched very carefully as he was potentially one of those who stood to gain the most from these events.

"If I may speak up, your Majesty?" A handsome noble with short, wavy blonde hair and grey eyes spoke up respectfully as he stepped out from behind Blumrush and bowed politely. This was Marquis Pespea, the youngest member of the Royalty Faction and the King's son-in-law, having married Ramposa's eldest daughter as soon as both had come of age. He was widely regarded as a competent man and politician by both factions, and many including the King often sought his counsel. After receiving a nod from his father-in-law, Pespea made his point. "The claims of this 'Ainz Ooal Gown' and his associates are baseless and their demands unreasonable. We have no choice then but to see this as an aggressive move on the part of the Empire, and there is only one suitable recourse. We must go to war." Pespea's words shocked everyone present before causing them to dissolve into quiet murmuring between one another as they considered the young Marquis's words.

"That is a drastic measure, young Pespea, but given this insult by the Empire I fear you are right in saying this might be our recourse that can suitably repay them for such a threat," Ramposa conceded reluctantly before turning to look up at Gazef whose eyes had went wide and body completely stiff upon hearing Pespea's words. "Still, before we can make a hasty course of action…I would like for you all to hear Chief Warrior Stronoff's opinion on the matter, as well as his views on Ainz Ooal Gown." Having already heard Gazef's full accounting of what had happened in Carne Village, Ramposa really didn't want to feel ill will towards the individual who had saved his most loyal friend's life, but the man's current actions were leaving him little choice in the matter.

"Your Grace, I…hmph, very well then." Gazef coughed once before steeling himself as he noticed all those assembled, except for Raeven, watching him warily and in some cases with disdain that was hard to miss. "In my humble opinion, this looming conflict will not end so easily as our Annual Wars against the Empire usually do. Not only will be facing the full might of the Baharuth Empire, but we will also be going up against Master Gown and those who fight alongside him. Having witnessed first-hand how he and his comrades so effortlessly wiped out the Sunlight Scripture while appearing to show mere fractions of their power and might, I shudder to think of the suffering that will result if we face their full strength as their enemy." Memories of the brutal carnage wrought by Sir Fen when he'd first arrived at Carne Village came to mind, and to the day he died he'd never forget the sight of the terror-stricken expression on the corpses of the Theocracy's foes and their mangled bodies that had been seemingly been casually sliced into bloody chunks. Gazef forced himself to suppress a shudder as he returned his gaze to the King who was watching him with concern. "Your Majesty…how valuable do you consider the city of E-Rantel to be? Because in my humble opinion, I think…to avoid casualties on a scale we …no, the entire world, has never seen before, we should cede the land without resistance and avoid all-out war at any cost." He then bowed, awaiting his King's judgement for his seemingly treacherous words. Ceding territory without a fight was one of the gravest insults a kingdom or indeed even an empire could ever experience, and Gazef had been loath to suggest such a thing, especially to a king he so highly respected, but the reality of the suffering he knew could result from all-out war had moved him to speak his honest words.

And as Gazef expected, the insults against his person started from one of his fiercest detractors in the King's court. "Heheheh…so rare for the King's loyal dog to act like a whipped pup! I always knew commoner scum couldn't be trusted, and your treacherous words just confirmed it!" Marquis Boullope sneered.

"Even the thought of giving away some of our land without a fight is highly distressing, the Chief Warrior's proposal is not without merit," spoke up one of the other nobles whose name escaped Gazef's recall who possessed well-groomed brown hair, a pencil moustache that matched it, pale skin, purple eyes and close befitting his station. "We could avoid a costly war by simply ceding a single city, sparing the lives of our soldiers and civilians in the process. It is a King's duty to protect his people from needless suffering after all. Would a true King not be willing to make such an honourable sacrifice…before letting his people suffer?" The teasing question at the end caused many around him to snicker, which in turn caused Zanac's insides to twist with disgust even as he maintained his usual neutral expression. It sickened him to see how little some of these pompous oafs cared about the people living in their lands.

"The land of E-Rantel is under the direct control of the King. If you think it right to give that land away to the enemy then why not offer your own as well?" Though Blumrush's retort sounded serious, it was obvious he was piling on the mockery of Gazef's opinion which for a brief moment seemed to have united both the Nobility and Royalty factions.

"Chief Warrior…while I have no doubt the words you have spoken were only meant in good faith, they invite needless suspicion onto where your true allegiances lie. Those with more suspicious minds would think you would gladly join up with this Ainz Ooal Gown figure in order to save your own life." Marquis Pespea's words drew shouts and nods of agreement that Gazef was not to be trusted which caused Ramposa's eyes to narrow dangerously at them all.

"Enough!" He stated firmly with a raised hand, causing everyone to fall silent. "The Chief Warrior's loyalty to me has been tested and proven beyond dispute, and I will suffer no more talk of him being treacherous. Therefore, this magic caster and his comrades must be strong enough to warrant such words of caution." Ramposa sighed before turning to look apologetically at his old friend. "I appreciate your counsel and respect your views, but I cannot simply cede E-Rantel. A ruler cannot give up his cities freely, and it is my duty to protect them."

"I understand your Grace. Forgive me for speaking so foolishly," Gazef said with a deep bow. "If that is your order, I will gladly give my all to see it through." Ramposa nodded gratefully at his Chief Warrior.

"This situation calls for practically. Whether we desire it or not, war is inevitable." As was usually the case, the level-headed Raeven brought the meeting back on track. "Since this is a matter of the defence of our kingdom, everyone here must be prepared to lend their aid."

"But Marquis Raeven…only his Majesty has the-"

"Enough." Raeven's stern interruption and glare were enough to stifle Lytton's objections, whatever they may have been. "Think clearly for a moment…if His Majesty's armies were to go off to war and fall, then why would the Empire stop at conquering E-Rantel? With such a valuable territory and its resources in their power, the Empire would lay waste to the rest of the Kingdom within weeks, maybe even days. In order to stop this, and to keep our own lands safe, it is therefore the only logical prerogative that we assist His Majesty in the defence of our lands. All of our lands are at stake here, not just E-Rantel."

"Of course you are only thinking about your own land and what you stand to gain," Blumrush scoffed. "I, for one, would go further and state that it should be the duty of any and every noble, whether gathered here or not, to stand with His Majesty in the defence of our Kingdom."

"I concur," added Urovana

"My blade is His Majesty's to use as he sees fit," Pespea said determinedly, prompting several others affiliated with the Royalty faction to pledge their own resources and manpower to the defence of the Kingdom.

"Ever since the defeat of that 'demon king' Jaldabaoth by the combined strength of both His Majesty's forces and the adventurers, the Royalty faction's power has increased considerably," Gazef thought to himself as the nobles began to once again bicker between themselves, with the Royalty faction's argument for a united defence gaining traction while those of the Nobility faction struggled to come up with a suitable objection that wasn't along the lines of 'My lands are not under threat' or 'I cannot spare the resources or manpower right now'. "That's why it's essential for His Majesty to maintain the image of a strong king and go along with this if the majority are in favour…" Gazef once more looked down at his old friend who was watching the bickering with a calm and poised expression. "Even so…I cannot help but fear for us all if this is the action we are forced to take…"

"My decision is made." The King's strong voice immediately stopped the bickering as every eye, including those of the royal children, shifted to the monarch as he made the choice that would define the future of his nation. "We will not ignore this act of aggression on the part of the Empire, nor the wild and illegitimate claims of an upstart sorcerer and those who serve him. We will go to war, but in the meantime, we will delay our response to this 'decree' for as long as we can in order to fortify our defences and ready our troops."

"A wise course of action, Your Majesty," spoke the squire who had originally read the decree as most of the nobles nodded in agreement with the King's proposal. "I believe the maximum amount of time we can afford to delay proceedings for would be two months."

"That should be enough time for us to rally our troops and have them gather at E-Rantel while the Empire and this Ainz Ooal Gown await our response," Ramposa said with clear determination. "I, of course, will lead our armies personally and-"

"Father!" All eyes turned to the Crown Prince as he got up and knelt before the King in a rare show of decorum for the normally braggadocious prince. "It would be my honour to accompany you and bring glory to our Kingdom by defeating our foes together!" This bold and passionate declaration drew gasps of astonishment and approval from most of those gathered, but not everyone was fooled by Barbro's sudden change of attitude. His siblings especially saw their brother's words for what they really were…nothing more than a foolish attempt to increase his own reputation and strengthen his claim to the succession.

"This seems a bit reckless of you, brother…you are first in line to the throne after all," Zanac tried to 'dissuade' him in a tone that oozed concern even though the Second Prince desired nothing of the sort for his brutish sibling. "I should be the one to accompany our father in this-"

"No!" Barbro spat, his respectful expression turning instantly to ire as he glared back at his brother. He would not let Zanac steal his rightful glory, not now! His pig of a younger brother was the last person who should be on a battlefield, he should know! For all the hours he spent training relentlessly in the training yard, Zanac spent his stuffing his face in the kitchens like the slob he was.

"Crown Prince Barbro, you are our invaluable heir to the throne and the future of this kingdom, as well as the fiancé of my own dear daughter," Boulloupe tried to play peacemaker, even though it was obvious to most of those present that he was simply brownnosing to raise his own station.

"I will not cower here while my father goes off to war!" Barbro stated fiercely, his eyes daring anyone present to dissuade him.

"That's not what I was suggesting at all…it is only right for a man of your prowess to prove himself in battle," Boullope replied quickly, hands raised in supplication. "Thus I will send my finest soldiers to fight alongside you…I believe 4,000 will suffice. Is that acceptable, your Majesty?"

"By all means," the King answered, much to Barbro's delight.

"Then I will cleave the head from El Nix's shoulders and bring it along with the head of this upstart Ainz Ooal Gown to you all on a silver plate, for the glory of his Majesty and the Kingdom of Re-Estize!" While some among those gathered genuinely cheered at Barbro's fierce declaration, most just chuckled in amusement at the spoilt prince begging for scraps from his daddy's plate and getting them. Zanac and Renner did their best to hide their own smirks. Whatever the outcome of this war was, it would be a victory for them if their arrogant brother met an unfortunate end during it.

The only person not to show any measure of joy or amusement at this turn of events was Marquis Raeven who watched all of this unfold with a grim expression on his face. Gazef's words of the might of this Ainz Ooal Gown and his compatriots had truly shaken him…

~TNT~

"UGGGGH! Damn that idiot prince!" Raeven snarled once he'd returned to his residence and collapsed into the chair of his workplace, poised to tear his hair out in frustration over what had just gone down back at the castle. " 'I'll cleave the head from El Nix's shoulders and bring it along with the head of this upstart Ainz Ooal Gown to you all on a silver plate'…what a stupid thing to say!" He then slammed his fist into his desk to vent his frustrations. "Him and the rest of those fools are damn imbeciles! How can they not see the danger the kingdom is in?!"

With an angry palm to his face, he got to his feet and started pacing, wracking his brains to try and see any way out of this mess with not only his own head remaining on his shoulders but also the lives of the commoners who had nothing to do with this upcoming war, nor the petty personal conflicts of his fellow nobles. "Each one of those morons would rather fight each other than fight the Empire…Marquis Blumrush being the worst of them, selling the Kingdon's secrets to the Empire! The damned traitorous scum…" he muttered to himself. "Even the King himself can't see the full extent of the foolishness of this endeavour…" He messed up his perfectly combed hair with all the times he ran his hand through it to ease his frustrations short of just tearing it straight out "Though he is at least doing this out of compassion and to defend our people, he's using his heart rather than his head and not thinking things through…if the Second Prince doesn't come on top in the succession and end this squabbling, our nation will be on the verge of ruin. His Majesty, and even that commoner Stronoff can see it clearly, yet he doesn't have the courage to disinherit his brute of a first-born. Such a foolish parent…I-" Raeven's mutterings came to an end as he heard a knock on his study door, and after taking a moment to hastily recompose himself from the state he'd worked himself into he bade the person on the other side to enter, and as the door opened he found his mood instantly brightening as he saw both his beloved wife, just as beautiful as the day he met her with her long and luscious dark blond hair that she had done in a braid around the back of her head, compassionate grey eyes, warm smile and pale skin, dressed in the finest clothes he could find for she deserved nothing less, and his darling son on the other side, his and his wife's pride and joy with his innocent grey-blue eyes, pale skin, sun-kissed locks of hair, a beaming smile and like his mother the best clothes a noble could hope to dress in.

"Rii! My handsome boy! Come to Papa!" He exclaimed joyously, plumping himself back on his chair and opening up his arms as his five-year-old heir ran to his father's lap as his mother watched on with an adoring smile. "What's this all about, huh Rii? Did you miss your papa while he was away?" He cooed at the apple of his eye as he planted kisses on his forehead, causing the child to squeal in delight. As much as she wished he wouldn't stunt their son's growth by speaking to him in such a childish manner, the Marchioness couldn't bring herself to do it given how adorable this whole display was. After all, it had been Rii's birth that had transformed their initial loveless marriage which had been made only for political reasons into one of genuine love and affection.

"So tell me little Rii, what's going on that you wanted to speak to your papa about, eh?" Raeven asked his little boy teasingly.

"I wanted to come up with Mother to let you know dinner is almost ready," the young lad answered. "The cooks have made one of your favourites, that fish you really like!"

"You mean Gabura Fish à la Meuniere? How wonderful! Papa is so happy!" Raeven cooed once more as he wrapped his son in another warm hug, pressing his face against his shoulders and holding him tight. "Papa loves you, little Rii…both you and your mama. And he wants to give you both the very best in life…" He murmured, causing his wife's smile to brighten that little bit more. "So he's going to work as hard as he can to make that happen…" "I promise…I'll do whatever it takes to keep you two safe…even if I have to bash some sense into all of those fools in the process…"

~TNT~

Two months later, at the King's official residence in the fortress city of E-Rantel…

"Everyone!" The King, the Crown Prince and the rest of those gathered turned to look at Raeven as he took his place at the head of the massive table that contained not only a map of the Kingdom and the surrounding area but also all of the notes and details they had gathered on not only the supplies and composition of their own forces but also that of the Empire thanks to the intel of their scouts. "Thanks to all of your hard work, the preparations for our war against the Empire and the upstart Ainz Ooal Gown are complete. Now we can discuss our strategy for the battle to come." As the rest of the nobles made various noises of approval, the Marquis then reached over and picked up one of the sealed scrolls resting on the table next to him. "Three days ago, Emperor Jircniv sent us a missive stating where his army would be awaiting us.

"Why? Won't it be the same place as always?" Boullope asked dismissively, causing the Marquis to nearly growl in frustration.

"Yes, we'll be fighting among the cursed fog of the Katze Plains once more," Raeven replied while keeping his irritation with the boorish man out of his tone.

"Then can we assume they'll be deploying their usual tactics?" Blumrush queried with his usual navally sniff.

"Unfortunately Marquis, I do not think that is likely…" Raeven answered with a frown while moving a few pieces on the map from E-Rantel to the location of the Katze Plains. "A few days ago I sent my subordinates, a team of former Orichalcum adventurers, to scout their army. They reported seeing six different coats of arms." The implications of his words shocked those who understood, but for those who looked clueless Raeven cleared things up with his next words. "That means for every two men they brought last year, they've brought another, making it three-quarters of their total armed forces. In addition…" Here Raeven's expression shifted nervously. "We have to expect the magic-caster Ainz Ooal Gown, as well as his subordinates 'Crown Prince' Henry…" He used the title loosely since he, like the rest of them currently, saw these upstarts from this 'Nazarick' as nothing more than jumped-up pretenders "…and Grand Marshal Fengxian to make their presence known as well."

"Heh! A simple magic-caster, and what passes for those who serve him, can't sway the results of this battle, no matter how strong he is." Boullope's sneering words caused Gazef, standing in full armour next to his King as always, to narrow his eyes dangerously as a shiver went up the veteran's spine as he could already picture the disaster that awaited them if they continued to underestimate his saviours so much. As if remembering what Gazef had warned them about two months ago the moustached Marquis quickly dropped his sneering tone and got serious. "But just in case, we should estimate that he has the strength of five-thousand foot soldiers and his subordinates at least two and half thousand soldiers each."

"What? Why so many?" Count Lytton asked disbelievingly as nearly everyone else gasped at Boullope's summary.

"I'm equating the strength of 'Chief Warrior' Stronoff…" And this time there was no hiding the disdain at being forced to use the man's title "…to that of a thousand foot soldiers. If this caster and his accomplices have a warrior like himself on guard, 5 times and 2 and a half times that number sounds about right." His beady eyes narrowed as they locked with those of the Chief Warrior. "In matters such as this, I trust the trained eyes of our strongest warrior…"

"I appreciate it, Marquis," Gazef, even knowing the loathsome man was being far from genuine, answered with a small bow, though secretly lamenting that even that estimate was as far from the power of the trio that had saved him as it could possibly get, as the noble then turned to face the King and the Crown Prince who had been watching all this unfold without a word on their part.

"Your Majesty, in regards to this magic caster Gown…was it not reported by the Chief Warrior that he alongside those he was travelling with at the time saved the village from raiders purporting to be from the Empire but were instead from the Theocracy?" The elderly monarch nodded once at Boullope's inquiry. "If that is the truth, we should send some soldiers there to gather some information from the villagers." His eyes then shifted to Barbro. "I suggest we give this critical task to the Crown Prince…"

"Marquis!" Barbro spluttered indignantly. He would not be shifted on some side errand when there was a war to be-!

"A fine idea, Marquis," the King answered, speaking over whatever objections his eldest son had been about to launch before turning to look at him. "The Marquis is right…whatever information the villagers of Carne can provide us about one of our enemies could be crucial in whether or not we can defeat him. I would not trust this task to anyone else, so you are to travel to Carne Village at once and question the people there. Consider this an order from your King, my son."

"I-If that is your order, then I must obey…" No one could miss the obvious reluctance in the Crown Prince's words, and some in the room actually chuckled at seeing him shunted so easily aside on a side errand. Raeven especially couldn't help but smirk upon witnessing Barbro's obvious discomfort.

"I just have one more question, your Majesty." Everyone's eyes turned back to Boullope who had now puffed himself up proudly. "Have you decided who shall lead our forces in the battle to come? I believe I would be the worthiest candidate to lead them to glorious victory!" Everyone was shocked and/or appalled at the Marquis' brash and blatant attempt to claim the glory of this war for himself. Even Barbro, full of himself as he was, was stunned at the Marquis' nerve to do such in front of both the King and those assembled.

As for Ramposa, his only reaction was to narrow his eyes before looking past the expectant Boullope and finding the man he'd deemed worthy. "Marquis Raeven," he called, and in response the noble in question stood a little straighter and bowed his head. "I shall leave the distribution and direction of our forces in your hands."

"Your Majesty…I am honoured and vow to give my all to repay your faith in me." Despite his current lack of faith in the King's decisions, Raeven's promise was spoken with both respect and determination. The likes of Lytton, Blumrush and Boullope all sighed openly but grudgingly accepted the King's decision and verbally agreed to place their men under Raeven's command. The King then asked if anyone else gathered had something they wanted to bring up, and when they all remained silent he dismissed them and ordered them to prepare their troops for battle. One by one they all left until it was just the King and Gazef remaining in the room, and as the doors closed the King allowed himself to crack and stretch his aching and ageing bones to regain some feeling in them after the long hours he'd spent having to sit in the same pose while listening to the prattle of his retinue and servants.

"You handled that very well, Your Majesty," Gazef said as the King stretched his arms to both the side and over his head.

"Good…because it took a lot out of me…" Ramposa sighed as he leant back on his throne before casting an aside gaze at the throne where the Crown Prince had been sitting earlier. "My eldest is headstrong and foolish," he lamented forlornly. "He aches for battle, but I could never stomach the thought of losing him." While Barbro may have for the longest time been his most troublesome to deal with, with his three daughters and Zanac all causing him little to no trouble at all, he was still his heir and treasured him deeply. If he were to die, even despite his own foolishness…Ramposa wasn't sure whether his old heart would be able to take it.

"Marquis Boulloupe feels the same, hence why he offered to go with him," Gazef pointed out. Though he highly disliked Barbro, he could never wish death upon his Crown Prince…especially for the sake of his old friend.

"I agree…he is loyal, there's no doubt about that, but he does wish for Barbro to inherit the crown. Whether that is the only reason he agreed to do remains to be seen…" Ramposa mused.

"I see…so he came up with the mission because if the Crown Prince fought in the main battle alongside us, he'd have trouble protecting him," Gazef speculated. It wasn't a wild theory given how chaotic battles could be, especially right now if they were to face his all-powerful saviours

Ramposa only sighed before looking out of the windows towards the Katze Plains, knowing in his heart that the future of the Kingdom, and perhaps even of the entire world itself rested on the outcome of what would take place there. "This battle could end us, old friend. If I had known this was where we'd end up, I would have made moves to end Baharuth long ago before the nobles split into factions and started nipping at each other's throats." A single tear of regret fell from his eye which he hastily moved to clean up, not wanting to show any form of weakness at this crucial time even in front of Gazef. "I am not long for this world, and my only wish is to leave a good, strong and peaceful kingdom behind for my heir, whoever it ends up being. This battle, and what comes after it, may be my best chance to do so, as I cannot ignore my resurging influence after the Jaldabaoth incident and the impact it has had on our people and the country as a whole. We are united for the first time in decades, and if we win this battle perhaps we'll earn a few years of much-needed peace."

"Your Majesty…" Gazef was moved beyond words by his King's heartfelt words, although in his heart of hearts Gazef found himself considering them to be nothing more than wishful thinking given the overwhelming odds they were up against with Ainz and his companions as their enemies. But before he could speak both men's eyes turned to the doors of the meeting room as Marquis Raeven passed through them, his expression and stride oozing determination as he came before the pair.

"Marquis Raeven…I was hoping you'd return…" Both the King and Gazef inclined their heads respectfully at the influential noble. "I am sorry for placing such a heavy burden on your shoulders, but I could trust no one else to-"

"Not at all," the Marquis interrupted with a waved hand as he knelt for a brief moment before rising back to his feet. "I am honoured to be able to serve both yourself and the Kingdom in this way." His expression then lightened slightly. "And if I may be frank, it would have been foolish for one such as Marquis Boullope to lead our forces. The only commands he knows are attack and retreat." His frank words drew a chuckle from both the King and Gazef. "Furthermore, if you had wished to command the army yourself, the Nobility faction would have resisted and even pulled out of the war altogether. As such, I turned out to be the only viable candidate you had. This will be exhausting though, and I would appreciate it if Your Majesty allowed me to retire to my lands for a few months once the war is over."

"As you wish…it's the least I can do given I should have asked you if you would do this…" Much to Raeven and Gazef's shock, the King visibly inclined his head as a show of respect for his most powerful and loyal noble

"Your Majesty, please…this is the very least I could do given everything you have done for me over the years," Raeven moved to reassure him as he felt this was completely unnecessary. He was just doing what any noble with a shred of honour would: Looking out for his country, its people and especially his family's well-being. "Besides, there are plenty of times I have acted without receiving your permission and…perhaps even could have taken measures to prevent us from being in this position."

"Marquis, I humbly beg your forgiveness." Much to Raeven's shock, the chief warrior had lowered himself into a deep bow, a look of shame on his face. "Out of ignorance, I thought of you as a dishonourable man, but now I understand your good intentions."

"There's no need to apologise for such a thing, so raise your heads please, both of you," Raeven again reassured them both, a genuine smile on his face.

"Even so, I must be made to atone for my foolishness, otherwise my mind will never be at peace," Gazef insisted, refusing to raise his head.

"If you insist…" Raeven sighed as a cheeky smirk passed across his face. "If you are so desperate to atone, I insist that from now on you allow me to call you Master Gazef instead of Chief Warrior." The Marquis' request startled both Gazef, who instantly lifted his head to gaze at Raeven in disbelief, and Ramposa. "I haven't gotten to know you well, but I have always had respect for you and would like to have a positive relationship with you going forward."

"You have my thanks, Marquis," Gazef intoned gratefully as Ramposa sighed contently, a warm smile spreading across his ageing face as he allowed himself to relax for the first time since these meetings had started.

"Now then, while it is just the three of us present, I would like for us to discuss the Kingdom's future and how we might move forward once this war is over…with us victorious, of course." This was a course of action all three had unifying views on, so Gazef and Ramposa happily agreed.

~TNT~

"How many of these men will come back alive?" Gazef thought mournfully as he passed through the bustling streets and barracks of E-Rantel on his way to the watchtower. Everywhere he looked, young and earnest men proudly bearing the armour and emblem of Re-Estize were training, mingling, or taking respite where they could in preparation for the coming battle such as taking smoke breaks or singing war songs. "Is it not the duty of those who stand on top to protect the people?" The veteran sighed, casting his mind back to that fateful day all those weeks ago, even though it now felt like another lifetime entirely. "Master Gown…Sir Constantine…Sir Fen…what could they possibly be thinking right now? Is this what they wanted all along, or did circumstances lead them to this point, much as they did for all of us here right now?"

Gazef shook his head, dismissing the questions that would otherwise linger in his mind for hours. "Whatever the reasons…it has led us to this confrontation. Even though I will do my part for my King and country…I am not looking forward to facing any of them on the battlefield, let alone the three of them standing together…"

As he walked, Gazef spotted Brain and Climb exchanging conversation with the adventurer Lockmeier, whom they had fought alongside back at the Capital. As Lockmeier departed alongside the rest of Marquis Raeven's regiment, Gazef caught Brain and Climb's eye and motioned for them to follow him. The sun began to set, casting long shadows over the city as the three warriors sat atop one of E-Rantel's many watchtowers. They drank, japed, and swapped stories of past times, the events that had led them to this point, and what lay ahead should they survive.

As he watched his younger comrades tease one another, Gazef couldn't help but smile. He'd watched Climb grow so much ever since he arrived at the palace and was proud of the young man he'd become, with his dedication to duty and to his Princess, unlike anything the veteran warrior had ever seen before. And though he still had a ways to go, Gazef was confident that Brain would be there to pick up where he left off if anything happened to him in the battle to come. Outside of his King and Climb, there wasn't a soul Gazef trusted more than his old rival who had done so well to pick himself up and find purpose again after the traumatic experience he'd been through at the hands of that monster.

With those two around, along with the wise counsel of Marquis Raeven and the good heart of Princess Renner, Gazef knew the Kingdom would be in good hands no matter who took the throne once the King passed on. Though he hoped that day was still years away, he took solace in the knowledge that his beloved Kingdom had a chance at a brighter future, even in the face of the dark storm that loomed on the horizon.

~TNT~

Much like both the Empire and the Kingdom, Nazarick had not been idle in the three-month gap between the meeting with the Baharuth Emperor and the eve of the climactic battle at the Katze Plains. After all, planning and preparation for a future Empire would not take place overnight. There was much to sort out, write up and prepare for implantation at a rapid pace if events went as Ainz, Henry and Fengxian had planned, and thus not a second had been wasted as every member of Nazarick, from Ainz himself to the lowest of the Homunculus maid, had dedicated themselves with the utmost seriousness to ensuring everything was ready by the appointed day.

Under Fengxian's watchful eye and stern guidance, the living members of Nazarick's forces continued to drill themselves intensively in preparation for whenever they would be called upon. Though they would not play a part in the upcoming battle, their strength, prowess and knowledge of combat tactics would be a key factor in ensuring Nazarick's military superiority once the Empire was established. During the times when the Lizardmen and Hamsuke were recuperating from training, Fengxian was still hard at work refining the plans for the conflict at the Katze Plains. This included ensuring the undead troops they would be taking were sufficiently equipped and garbed to create a lasting impression as well as overseeing how they would deployed once Ainz had completed the demonstration that he had promised Jircniv once they had agreed upon the terms of their 'alliance'.

Also under the Grand Marshal's guidance, new security protocols had been implemented throughout Nazarick to safeguard against potential espionage and sabotage attempts in the future including the creation of magical barriers and the shoring up of their surveillance measures to ensure the safety and secrecy of their operations.

While his friend had been refining their military preparations, the Crown Prince had thrown himself into the implementation of their new domestic and social guidelines and legal frameworks which would be implemented in Carne, E-Rantel and throughout all of their future territories once the Empire was established. With meticulous planning and attention to detail, as well as drawing on the advice of many of those in Nazarick on both sides of the karma spectrum as well as those who had been part of this world for longer than they, he focused on initiatives that would prioritise justice and stability, thus striking a suitable balance between ensuring Nazarick's authority and prioritising the welfare and happiness of the citizens who would come under their rule. These would include social welfare initiatives, the establishment of a fully functioning and fair legal system and infrastructure developments aimed at enhancing the quality of life of the average citizen. In addition, Henry also oversaw the preparation for their three sects, led by the former members of Foresight and who would be assisted by some of the Homunculus maids until they could attract more of a following from the populace, who would be key in spreading and promoting the values Henry and the others were looking to implement.

After the announcement of the establishment of their nation through Jircniv's decree, several of the world's nations had sent diplomatic envoys to establish ties and lay the framework for tentative alliances and/or non-aggression pacts with Nazarick. As the head of all matters concerning foreign relations, Demiurge meticulously negotiated and drafted responses and terms depending on the nation concerned, promising cooperation and future aid as long as it could secretly benefit Nazarick in the long run. At the same time, Albedo continued to oversee their espionage efforts in both the Kingdom and the Empire, with the Shadow Demons continuing to give her regular updates on the activities of the key personnel within Re-Estize and Shinozaki providing a constant flow of information from with the palace of Arwintar. As for Henry's gamble in reaching out to Leinas of the Imperial Knights, it had borne fruit as the lady knight, emboldened by the Crown Prince's promise of a cure to her curse, had secretly passed on information of the Empire's inner workings and the Emperor's secret plots to unite the other leaders of the world against Nazarick to Shinozaki and thus Albedo, thereby ensuring a plan could be put in place to deal with Jircniv once the Empire had been established.

Under Pandora's Actor's guidance, the coffers and resources within Nazarick's vaults were effectively and efficiently distributed to ensure that everything that was being planned so far could be financially supported when the time came, especially all of Henry's future plans for civilian infrastructure and law and order. This also included working with Demiurge to ensure beneficial trade agreements with their potential allies as well as further investment of coins and resources from their current allies in Baharuth to get all of their projects off the ground immediately.

Preparations were also underway for the grand coronation ceremony that would take place once the events at the Katze Plans were over. Jemima, with her knowledge of this world's customs, protocols and rituals, took the lead in meticulously planning every detail of the event. She was assisted by Yuri Alpha who would ensure all of the logistical concerns regarding the event would be taken care of when the time came. The secretary also passed all of these details as soon as they were finalized to Sebas and the homunculus maids who were overseeing the preparation of the regal garbs, crowns and other ceremonial items that would be present during the ceremony. Given that this would not only be the official crowning of Ainz as Emperor but also the official wedding of Henry to his consorts and their crowning as his future-to-be empresses, every member of that team gave themselves fully to the task ensuring it would be the grandest spectacle this world had ever seen.

Finally, after three months of constant planning, discussions and preparation, everything was ready. In preparation for this momentous event that would forever change the history of this New World, Ainz called all the key personnel of Nazarick to his Throne Room to finalise all of their preparations. Those who responded to his call were Henry, Fengxian, all of the Guardians aside from Albedo who, rather concerningly for everyone but especially Henry and the rest of his harem, hadn't been feeling very well lately, Pandora's Actor, all of the Pleaides maids bar Lupusregina who had remained in Carne Village in case anything unexpected happened, Sebas, Ninya, Jemima, the Lizardmen chieftains, Hamsuke and all of the former members of Foresight.

Ainz surveyed the assembled group from his throne, a sense of purpose emanating from his every movement. His eyes moved over each member, taking in their presence and dedication. "Everyone, thank you for gathering here today," he began, his authoritative voice resonating through the Throne Room. "We stand on the precipice of a monumental event, the establishment of a Sorcerer Empire that will bring about a golden and prosperous age for this world that will last until the end of time itself. The preparations you have all diligently worked on are nothing short of extraordinary and have led us to this moment, and I am truly thankful for all of your efforts." Everyone kneeling before him lowered their heads even further, so touched were they by their leader's stirring words.

"Father…the foundations for our laws and governance have been planned and laid out meticulously, and are ready to be implemented upon the foundation of our glorious Empire," Henry spoke up first, his tone and expression full of giddy anticipation as the day he had been dreaming of for years was finally at hand. "We are ready to establish order and prosperity under our Empire's banner."

"Our defences have been fortified, and our forces stand ready for your command," Fengxian added shortly. These declarations from both the Crown Prince and Grand Marshal were also unspoken confirmation that they were fully on board with the plan Ainz had come up with for their demonstration at the Katze Plains.

Before proposing his idea to them both, Ainz had wavered on the pros and cons of what he had planned before concluding that his demonstration would be essential to solidifying Nazarick's reputation and power, and the showcase of such would be crucial in installing fear and respect and discouraging future challenges to their rule. As he presented this idea to his friends, he emphasized these necessities and rationalized that this act, while morally wrong as well as having the potential to cause untold amounts of unnecessary suffering, was crucial for the greater good of Nazarick's future.

While he was a little troubled by the amount of suffering this would cause, Henry had understood the necessity of using overwhelming force to ensure Nazarick's future prosperity and had further rationalised it in his heart that this demonstration on Ainz's part, as well as the unfortunate casualties that would result, would serve as a deterrent and would thus prevent future conflicts in the long run, ensuring peace and stability under their Empire's benevolent rule. In addition to this he also perfectly understood what this was: war, plain and simple. No war was ever going to be had without its casualties, as his idols' many military campaigns had demonstrated. In addition, they had given the Kingdom the chance to end things peacefully without conflict, only for them to reject it. The people that they would be facing at the Katze Plains would be soldiers, so unlike the innocent villagers that the Slane Theocracy had slaughtered, these people understood what they were getting into: that each time they stepped foot on the battlefield they did so with the knowledge that said battlefield could be their grave. And so, knowing full well that you could not make a better world without cracking some eggs, Henry was fully behind Ainz's plan.

Fengxian, for his part, had instead looked at it with a pragmatic and strategic mindset and concluded that it would be an effective and necessary act to eliminate potential threats and assert Nazarick's dominance, rationalizing it as part of warfare where tough decisions needed to be made in the short-term to ensure long-term success and stability for their future efforts. Thus, Fengxian had been immediately on board with the proposal and had readied their military preparations accordingly.

Demiurge spoke up next, his gleaming eyes and customary smile hiding the inner calculations that were always going on within his mind. "Our efforts to establish diplomatic relations with the rest of this world's nations are progressing slowly yet fruitfully, as to be expected. In addition, our spy networks within both the Kingdom and the Empire are both secure and informative. We are getting constant reports of all the movements and actions of our observation targets."

"My master, the preparations for your coronation ceremony are now complete," Jemina intoned reverently as she and Sebas both raised their heads. "Every detail has been finalised, all of the necessary articles have been crafted and sewn to their exact specifications and the invitations to every nation are ready to be sent. The whole world will bear witness to the grandeur and majesty of Nazarick as you ascend to your rightful throne."

"The sects for yourself, the Crown Prince and the Grand Marshal's new faith are now fully prepared to be established." Having been the first among Foresight to surrender to Ainz, Arche had become their de facto voice that spoke for all four of them when required. "Once E-Rantel has been ceded to your control, we will begin spreading their word throughout both the city and the surrounding regions." Hekkeran, Imina and Roberdyck all nodded to confirm her words.

Ainz nodded his appreciation, his piercing gaze sweeping over the entire assembly of his most loyal and dedicated servants once again. "Thank you, all of you, for your hard work and dedication to our cause over the past few months," he proclaimed. "Everyone here…nay, everyone in Nazarick has played a crucial role in bringing us to this point, and all of your efforts are about to pay off. At the Katze Plains, we will demonstrate the might and magical mastery of Nazarick that will usher in a new dawn for both us and this world, the dawn of our new Empire." Everyone gathered proceeded to let out a massive cheer at Ainz's words, followed swiftly by all manner of proclamations and oaths of undying loyalty to the new Empire and the soon-to-be-crowned Sorcerer Emperor Ainz Ooal Gown. Amidst this swirl of excitement, however, Henry suddenly frowned as he received an urgent communication via Message from Lupusregina, and as he listened to his red-haired paramour's report his face set into a reluctantly grim expression.

"Father, everyone gathered…may I have your attention?" All eyes turned to the Crown Prince as he stepped forward. "I have just received a report from Lupusregina in Carne Village. She has spotted an army numbering around five thousand troops from the Re-Estize Kingdom approaching the village, led by Crown Prince Barbro himself." The room buzzed with surprise and concern as most of those present exchanged worried and confused glances, unsure how to respond to this news. The only ones who remained unfazed though were the three Supreme Beings and Demiurge whose calm demeanours were a stark contrast to the rest.

"There is no need to be anxious, my loyal subjects. Though this news is surprising, it wasn't wholly unexpected," Ainz reassured them with a raised hand, causing everyone to relax in the knowledge this sudden development was under control as he looked over at Demiurge. "Are the necessary documents ready?"

"They are, my lord, just as you and the other Supreme Beings in your omniscience foresaw," Demiurge answered reverently.

"Jemima, you will keep them close, and be ready to deliver them on the Crown Prince's order," Ainz instructed the secretary who nodded in obedience to this command before turning to Henry. "My son, you know what to do, yes?"

"I do, Father. Once the situation is resolved, I will join you and the Grand Marshal immediately." Henry had just bowed before his Father when everyone's eyes turned to the doors of the Throne Room as they swung ajar, revealing an unusually nervous, but overall much healthier looking than she had in recent days, Albedo. "My love." In the blink of an eye, Henry had bolted down the stairs and met his primary consort halfway as she'd been walking towards them with a warm hug. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better, my beloved Crown Prince, thank you for your concern." Albedo smiled happily, allowing herself a moment to feel relaxed and reassured in her darling's embrace before, taking his hand in hers, walking up to the throne and prostrating herself at its feet, her head flat to the floor in deference. "My beloved. Father. Grand Marshal, I beg forgiveness for my recent absences. I understand that my presence and vigilance are essential, and I deeply regret any disruption this may have caused. Please grant me your forgiveness as I redouble my efforts to serve you faithfully."

"There is no need for forgiveness, Albedo. We are just glad to see that you are looking much better." Ainz reassured her magnanimously, a sentiment echoed by everyone else present. "We had just finished confirming the final preparations for the events to come and were about to depart when you arrived."

"Thank you, Father. I am deeply grateful for your kindness and understanding," Albedo replied as she straightened, a radiant smile on her lips and her heart swelling with anticipation and pride. "It would seem that, by your infinite grace, my return has come at the perfect moment, just in time to witness the culmination of all our efforts. The future of Nazarick is indeed coming to pass in more ways than one, and I have news that will bring even greater joy and strength to both this day and the birth of our glorious Empire." She took a deep breath while relieving the events of the past few weeks that had brought her to this moment.

It had started when feelings of nausea, fatigue, and inexplicable mood swings had begun to plague her days. Despite her high constitution and unwavering resilience, these symptoms had eventually become impossible to ignore. At first, she'd dismissed them as stress from the preparations for the final battle, but as the days passed, the symptoms had become more obvious that those around her had begun to notice, especially her beloved. He had approached her several times during that period, concern etched on his face, asking if there was anything he could do, and each time she had respectfully declined, not wanting to distract him from his crucial duties.

She had then begun to conduct her own research, pouring over the texts in Nazarick's vast libraries to find any answers. Her search had initially revealed little, forcing her to ask for Ninya's help due to her better understanding of where the necessary texts might reside. Having been sworn to secrecy by the unusually anxious Guardian Overseer, an initially perplexed Ninya had committed to helping her find out the cause of these symptoms.

Even with the pair of them now on the case, answers continued to be elusive until one evening, as they had been deeply engrossed in their research, Arche had stumbled upon them while doing her own research, and after confiding in her what Albedo had been going through Arche had provided an immediate answer that had shocked both Albedo and Ninya. Deciding they needed to confirm this for certain, they had sought out Lupusregina and, between the four of them, had conducted several magical spells and rituals to ensure their suspicions were correct, and the results had confirmed it.

"My love? Are you okay?" Her beloved's voice snapped her out of her reverie, and as she looked into his eyes she saw him watching her with a concern and tenderness that filled her with love all over again.

"Yes, my darling. I couldn't be any better." Taking his hand, she led him before Ainz's throne in full view of everyone present before turning to face him, her eyes and expression shining with emotion, joy and anticipation. "My beloved Crown Prince, Lord Ainz, Grand Marshal Fengxian and everyone else present on this momentous day, I am overjoyed to announce that I am with child." She placed her free hand on her belly. "My beloved Crown Prince's first-born, and the future of Nazarick and our glorious Empire."

For a moment Henry was stunned, seemingly unable to process what he had just heard as a gasp went up from everyone else present. "Y-you're pregnant? Are you sure?" He asked hesitantly, needing to be sure. Instead of replying, a tearful Albedo brought his hands to her belly, and as his palms made contact he could feel the faint pulse of a life growing there. "I-I'm going to be a dad?" Another nod from Albedo was all the confirmation he needed as he proceeded to lift her gently in his arms and plant a searing kiss on her lips before proceeding to spin her around happily, his heart bursting with pride and joy as one of the dearest dreams of his past life, starting a family of his own, was now truly at hand, yet another thing he had to thank this New World for providing him with, as all around them the various denizens of Nazarick celebrated the happy news.

Fengxian was the first to react, stepping forward and squeezing Henry's shoulder proudly. Despite his now nearly emotionless visage, he had enough humanity remaining in him to allow him to be happy for his friend and brother, and as he moved back the other two members of Henry's harem that were present, Solution and Narberal, ran forward to join in the happy moment with their beloved and harem-sister.

"Such wonderful news as befitting this momentous day!" Demiurge exclaimed, allowing himself to be caught up in the celebratory air around him, his usual composure slipping a little. "Congratulations to you both, my Crown Prince and Grand Overseer Albedo! May this be the first of many heirs for the glorious legacy of our Great Tomb!"

"I'm. Going. To. Be. Uncle. Cocytus!" The mammoth insectoid Guardian shouted over and over again, his whole frame shaking with joy as Aura and Mare hugged each other and clapped their hands enthusiastically at this wonderful news. Even Shalltear, prim and proper as she was, couldn't help but let her mask slip as she placed her hands over her heart, her crimson eyes glowing with emotion. Her first 'grandchild'! She couldn't wait to spoil them as soon as they appeared, and as she looked across the room she could see the same emotions reflected on the face of Yuri Alpha as the eldest among the Pleaides maids allowed herself to cry tears of happiness.

"My most heartfelt congratulations to you, Lady Albedo, and to you, my Crown Prince. This is one of the greatest blessings upon Nazarick any of us could have ever asked for." Sebas exclaimed, his expression one of both pride and joy as he led the rest of those present, including Ninya, Jemima, Hamsuke, Entoma, CZ, the former members of Foresight and the Lizardmen chieftains, in a round of congratulatory applause for the happy couple.

From his place above them all, Ainz watched the joyous scene and allowed himself to indulge in a rare feeling of pride and happiness as warmth seeped into his heart, a sensation he hadn't experienced in a long time. Despite his undead nature, seeing his 'son' and best friend's happiness as well as Albedo's tearful joy gave him a deep sense of satisfaction in the knowledge that the future of Nazarick, which was already looking bright, was now positively radiant with this wonderful announcement. As the celebrations died down, all eyes turned then turned to him as they awaited his next words.

Ainz stood, his imposing figure casting a regal shadow over the assembled crowd. He raised a hand, and the room fell into a reverent silence. "First and foremost, I wish to extend my own heartfelt congratulations to my son and heir, Crown Prince Henry, and you as well Albedo." This prompted fresh tears from the happy couple who hadn't let each other go ever since Albedo's announcement. "This joyous news heralds a new era for Nazarick, one filled with hope, pride, and the promise of a prosperous future."

He paused, allowing his words to sink in, his red eyes gleaming with a rare, paternal warmth. "This child represents more than just the continuation of our lineage. It symbolizes the strength, unity, and unwavering spirit of all who reside in Nazarick. With this announcement, our future is not just bright—it is certain to be glorious." His voice grew stronger, filled with determination. "We have spent these past months preparing for the days ahead, ensuring that every step we take leads us closer to the realization of our grand vision. Now, with the future of Nazarick secure in more ways than one, it is time for us to go forth and make it happen. Let us show the world the true might of Nazarick and carve our destiny with unwavering resolve!"

He raised his staff, a symbol of his supreme authority. "For the glory of Nazarick! For the future of our empire! Onward, to victory and beyond!" The Throne Room erupted in a resounding cheer, the denizens of Nazarick filled with renewed vigour and purpose. Albedo's joyous news, and Ainz's speech, had solidified their resolve even more so than before, and so with hearts burning with pride, they prepared to follow their Emperor and fellow Supreme Beings into a new era of unparalleled glory under their divine rule.

~TNT~

"Damn you Marquis Raeven…" Barbro hissed as he rode at the head of his army towards the outskirts of Carne Village. "I should be the one to inherit Father's crown, but instead he is siding with my brother." Barbro's eyes narrowed at the sheer gall of his brother daring to even think he had a chance at the throne while he still lived. The throne was his birthright, damnit! "I should be distinguishing myself in battle against the Empire, but instead I've been sent to this backwater village on a child's errand, on the orders of my Father no less!" Barbro's eyes suddenly widened once more as a disturbing thought came to mind. "Hold on….could it be that Father sent me here to stop me from proving myself? Does he, after all this time, favour Zanac like that fool Raeven?"

"Prince Barbro!" The Crown Prince was snapped out of his reverie by the snivelling voice of Baron Cheneko, the vassal of Marquis Boullope who had been chosen to accompany the Crown Prince and who was a weaselly man with light brown hair styled in a quiff, curly moustache, matching eyebrows, pale skin and the small beady eyes of a sycophant, as he rode up alongside him. "Are you quite well? You looked lost in thought."

"No, I am quite well. Just focusing on our mission and how best we might complete it," Barbro answered immediately. "Tell me, Baron…do you have any thoughts on how we should proceed?"

"Not at this moment, your Highness. I'll leave such crucial matters to the future King," Cheneko toadied before dropping back behind Barbro, who sniffed in disgust at the man's obvious attempts at flattery.

"As expected of such a craven opportunist…no matter, I will seize this moment with swiftness and glory and make it back in time for the main battle!""You, captain." Barbro addressed the soldier riding on the other side of the Baron who snapped off a salute. "Order the men to double-time it so that we can reach Carne quickly. That way we can finish our job, return tomorrow night and then take a short nap so that we can be at the Katze Plains as the morning sun rises."

"But your Highness…out of our five thousand soldiers, four and half thousand of them are on foot," the captain protested. "At that pace, some of them will collapse from exhaustion before we even reach the village…

"That's an order I just gave you, see to it!" Barbro snapped "We will deal with this side objective, and then we will do our part in bringing down the Empire's army. Defeat at the Katze Plains is not an option, so make them run! Whip them if you have to!" "I'll be damned if I let some weak-willed soldiers stand between me and my ambition!" He raged internally as the cowed soldier immediately left to carry out his orders.

From her vantage point atop the fortifications surrounding Carne Village, Lupusregina observed the approaching army through her telescope with a sadistic grin on her face. Eager to do her part for their impending Empire, Lupusregina leapt down to start carrying out the orders from both her beloved and Lord Ainz.

These foolish humans had no idea what they had let themselves in for!

Edster: A lot to digest in that chapter! Hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as we enjoyed writing it!

A couple of things to mention that we did differently. First off, as we alluded to earlier, the announcement proclaiming Nazarick's status as its own nation headed by our three Supreme Beings, but this time, unbeknown to anyone but ourselves and Jircniv, an Empire will rise rather than a Kingdom, and the world will not be ready for it!

We also decided to take out the conversations between Gazef, Brain and Climb from the episode and instead reduced them to a summary just to prevent this chapter from being much longer than it is. You can safely assume that what they talked and japed about was the same as what was in the episode.

And of course, the big change, and something daniel and I both agreed upon way before we even started on the first chapter…Albedo is now pregnant with Henry's first child, the future heir to Nazarick! I am a big sucker for writing happy moments, as I have said before in my previous stories, so I wanted this to be as heartwarming and wonderful as it deserved. And you can be rest assured, this will be the first of many children as the rest of Henry's harem will now be eager to bear heirs of their own! Our boy has got his work cut out for him!

daniel: And another chapter done! One step closer to the absolute bloodbath that will be Katze Plains! Thanks as always for reading! And as my co-author said the world will NOT be ready for our Empire! More happy moments! You gotta find comfort in between conquering everything in sight right? And boy Barbro will get a taste of what awaits those who are foolish enough to challenge the Supreme Ones! We DO NOT take those under our protection lightly

Edster: Alright then, that's all for this time around. On behalf of myself and my co-author, thank you all so much for reaching this point and for all the love and support you have shown this story. In the next chapter of the Nazarick Triumvirate the Third Battle of Carne Village will take place, and oh boy Barbro is about to learn just what it means to fuck with those under the protection of the Supreme Beings! Until then, take care everyone and stay safe!