Although they presently covered the sky nearly in its entirety, none of the light grey clouds within sight appeared to be storm-bearing, ensuring the calm and bright weather conditions would continue heavily benefitting the enemy. But this was of no consequence, as the Sand-Step clowder was highly unlikely to face any noteworthy resistance today. There was no need for siege weapons to break through the city's great gates. There was no need to attack under the veil of night's darkness, where their species' natural dark-vision would provide an advantage against the physically dominating minotaurs who lacked it. There was no need for just about any manner of preparation. There was no need for the catfolk to fear for their life or limb, no need to feel even the slightest bit bothered as they marched towards enemy fortifications.
The Emperor was here, after all.
Soon enough, it came into view. Gytheion. A walled settlement of medium size and little strategic value.
"Halt."
Giving an order with both gesture and magically-enhanced speech, Alaart focused his senses. As expected, a superficial inspection of the area with the naked eye yielded no results.
"[Undersight]. [Bird's Eye]."
Even after observing the area from above with the use of a spell that exposed all but the most powerful forms of illusion, there appeared to be nothing out of the ordinary. No ambush, no suspicious persons, creatures, objects, or land features... Indeed, it was most likely safe to proceed. Turning to his second-in-command, the head of the clowder, Alaart shouted an order with great volume and clarity, yet his tone was more akin to that of a bored housewife about to perform a mildly inconvenient chore.
"Remain in position while I take the city."
"Understood, Your Majesty!"
"[Levitate]. [Transparency]."
Rising freely into the air from his Giant Iguana mount, now under the protection of a low-tier stealth spell, the Emperor flew towards the enemy position with steady speed. Even as he neared it, even as the battlements of the outer walls were directly below his feet, no attack came. Was there no one here who could see through even that spell?
'No matter... It's time. I just need to...'
It still took a moment, but Alaart steeled himself and cast the spell.
"[Widen Magic - Mass Frenzy]."
\\\
"They're still just standing there! What's going on, father?!"
"I have no idea..."
Krasius struggled not to allow any fear to worm its way into his words, determined to keep the pair's morale as high as possible. Leaving his firstborn to focus on the horde of cat-men, the old archer took a moment to sneak a glance at the other nearest lookout tower peeking over outer city walls. Much like his own tower, it was not considered an especially important fortification for the upcoming battle, also manned with a mere two archers, as the bulk of the fighting force was needed atop the battlements and in their vicinity. Focusing his old eyes, Krasius managed to glean that the other lookouts were not much more privy as to the invaders' plans.
The minotaur grit his teeth. Whatever that army was doing must have been terrifyingly effective, considering how quickly they had managed to penetrate this far into the country, their advance not slowing in the slightest even as the capital sent their species' brightest and strongest to reinforce the front lines.
But how? What was going to happen now? Did they have some sort of secret way to breach any city gates? Were they preparing something? Where are the siege weapons?
"Father?"
"Y-yes, son? Sorry, lost focus..."
"Just... if things go bad, what should we do? Should we go back and try to protect mother and Therisa?"
"I... I understand what you mean, but let's not add to the chaos. We must make a stand and fight where our commanders think we will do the most."
"R-right..."
Krasius restated an old lesson that was drilled into every recruit from early on, though it must have been hard for his son to properly accept it considering he received his training during such a crisis, during a time when many had begun to lose trust in the current chain of command and its ability or willingness to save its own people.
But surely the Parliament and the commanders were doing something… Surely the great descendants of the Sage would be sent to the front lines to fight the invasion back at any time, right? Well, surely they were already doing so somewhere else, destroying other detachments of the catmen!
Unless the Sage's descendants were already defeated by now, that is.
But that was impossible… surely…
Just then, a great flash of red came from somewhere to the duo's right, drawing their gazes immediately. Time seemed to slow down for a moment as the pair scanned the scene. There was some sort of figure flying above distant battlements, near the main gate. Who were they? Did they use some sort of spell just now? How did they get so close? Why did no one raise alarm? What just happened?
Just like that, the apparition was gone yet again. Not long after the minotaur's mouth opened in confusion, the eyes followed suit and widened in horror.
The troops atop the battlements began to fight some threat.
What madness was this? Where did more enemies come from? Immediately reaching for his bow on pure instinct, the archer searched for the enemies, though he knew that at this distance, his bow would be of no help.
But then came a realisation that nearly brought the man to his knees.
The minotaur soldiers were fighting each other.
All while the horde of cat-men leisurely kept its distance, the city's defenders began to slaughter each other.
What sort of horrible nightmare was this? What sort of cruel joke? How could this be happening? Did the Gods of Sea and Sky abandon them?
Just then, something blocked Krasius' view of the scene. An armoured person with the face of a feline appeared out of nowhere and uttered two words.
"[Frenzy, [Transparency]."
The first uttering summoned yet another red flash from somewhere behind, and with the second, the figure was gone. The archer was too stunned to move, both horrified and baffled. It truly felt like an impossible, bizarre nightmare. What was going on? It was nonsensical yet terrifying. What did-
And suddenly, great pain pierced his back.
"Aaargh!"
Krasius screamed as he turned, but he only saw his son looking back. Reaching for the source of the pain, the minotaur found a dagger.
"W-what?! Trei! F-fuck!"
The young man drew his axe with a disgusting smile the likes of which Krasius had never seen infest his son's face before.
\\\
After using [Frenzy] to also get rid of some archers in a series of raised fortifications, Alaart sighed with bitter relief.
The effects of this spell always left a deeply unpleasant scene to unfold below. The screaming, the begging for their comrades to stop, the hopelessness... Still, these were soldiers fighting to preserve a truly degenerate nation, a cesspool of moral rot. That Minotaur Sage character did some good here and there, but clearly it was not enough. No matter. As he did many times before, Alaart intended to force upon this nation a more civilised, more enlightened, more compassionate era.
The emperor continued scanning the scene despite knowing the sight would ensure the rest of the week's nights would be sleepless, knowing the sight of a massacre he himself caused would force his heart to pound and his fur to stand. But no matter how hard Alaart looked, he found nothing suspicious, not a soul of a high enough level to pose any sort of threat, let alone see through a simple [Transparency] spell. Were this nation's boasts of its many great heroes empty? The most powerful person he had encountered in this shithole so far would have barely been a match for Lingshui, and that was quite a while ago, near the start of the invasion. Perhaps that attack on the minotaurs' capital years ago had something to do with this strange absence of any powerful individuals.
Regardless, it was thankfully time to take a break and simply let the chaos unfold. As usual, the current leadership of the city would probably be firmly ready to surrender by the time the first cast of [Mass Frenzy] wore off, any morale or hope for victory crushed entirely. On the off-chance that they chose to fight more, Alaart would simply wait out the duration of a second [Mass Frenzy]. Maybe even a third if they were as stubborn as the Holyan centaurs, though there might not be much of the city left by then.
Looking up at the sky, the catfolk wondered if that skeleton was watching today.
\\\
Suzuki Satoru stared at the Mirror of Remote Viewing with some boredom.
This Alaart definitely knew what he was doing. All the mana-efficient spells, using the same abilities and strategies every time to expose as little of his skillset as possible, all that searching around for ambushes... Seeing someone of this world massacre their enemies in a way even Punitto Moe would give his seal of approval was rather impressive the first time, but at this point, the experience was more akin to watching a looping clip of the exact same stretch of gameplay.
Regardless, it will be a shame to break apart the catfolk empire one day, seeing how efficiently it was built up and governed. Not that such a thing would be possible anytime soon, considering the high competence of its despot. His death would almost certainly be necessary one day.
...
"[Twin Widen Magic - Gate]."
Two great portals opened before Shalltear, who did not hesitate before stepping through one of them with confidence. On the other side, she was met with the familiar scene of several catfolk bowing before her in some sort of large, mostly empty warehouse.
"Greetings, madam."
"Hm. Greetings."
Following her somewhat disinterested response, another set of hurried footsteps quickly emerged from behind.
"Shalltear! Lord Ainz said we're supposed to go through at the same time!"
"Oh, right. Sorry."
The young elf sighed before addressing their hosts.
"Hello!"
"Greetings, madam."
The catfolk raised their heads after the second round of formalities. A brief and rather awkward pause came after, but soon enough, the two guests received a [Message].
"Nothing out of the ordinary."
It seemed the Hanzo had finished its secret inspection of the surroundings. As always, the demi-humans had not prepared a trap of any sort. With a nod to herself, Shalltear spoke in a matter-of-fact tone and approached one of the catfolk with an invoice in hand.
"Here. Everything seems in order..."
"Thank you. Let us proceed, then."
Shortly after Aura's silent signal to Mare, several dozen undead began pouring in through one of the two instances of [Gate, carrying barrels, crates, and boxes of various goods.
"Alright, fruit goes in that corner, grain goes over there..."
The catfolk quickly took over the task of organising the deliveries according to whatever sorting methods they had, leaving Shalltear to watch in boredom until it was all done and sorted. It would not take long, but this kind of uneventful guard duty was still some of the most boring busywork she could be tasked with.
... ... ...
The Parliament of the Great Minotaur nation has been in session near-continuously for weeks now. But there was little to discuss at this point, little to say during these gatherings which were now warped beyond all recognition. Gone was the vigour and bombast that usually radiated throughout the room as ministers debated and voted on the country's future. It was all replaced by a crushing veil of despair and dread. Those members of the Parliament that were still among the living could only watch helplessly as messengers rushed in from all corners of the Nation to announce that cities upon cities had fallen to the enemy with little resistance as that emperor from afar somehow compelled their countrymen to slaughter each other.
There were no more Awakened, no more powerful descendants of the Great Sage. Those that remained after the mysterious attack on the Nation's Great Vault were eliminated seemingly without retarding the eastern horde's progress in the slightest. In less than a season, those foreigners have already taken almost half the country. A thousand unanswered questions weighed on the minds of everyone present. What could they tell the people? What could they tell the remnants of their army? The invaders were approaching the capital, and still, none had the vaguest idea how to avoid a one-sided massacre perpetrated by their own fathers, sons, and brothers who fell prey to that foul mind-destroying magic. What were they supposed to tell their people?
What would happen if they told the country that the catfolk refused peace talks? What would happen if the soldiers found out that even the lives of those who surrendered would not be
spared? Would that make their people fight to the bitter end, or worsen the riots and cause a mass exodus?
What was that emperor's goal? Was it truly to crush the nation beyond repair? Or perhaps the focus was on utterly destroying a country's army and morale. Perhaps such extreme measures were the only option with such large territory, lest separatist militias might become a major destabilising force.
But in the end, even if one could arrive at a satisfactory explanation, it would be utterly pointless. Regardless of why or how, the Great Minotaur Nation was on the verge of total collapse. With the fall of the capital, most local governments would jump at the opportunity to secede in a most decisive manner, hoping such an act would increase the likelihood of their own safety.
In such circumstances, it was only natural that the Parliament's sessions were silent. There was nothing to be said because there was nothing to be done. Nobody within the great marble hall believed that any amount of strategising or diplomacy would change anything anymore.
This painful, near-permanent silence was interrupted by a hurried knock. Almost certainly another messenger here to curse the exhausted men with painful knowledge of which settlement was the site of a slaughter or riot this time. The First Seat Minos shouted with what little energy he could muster.
"Enter..."
A lean young man opened the grand door and sprinted towards Minos with the knowledge that there was no need for most forms of formality, handing him a quality scroll of foreign make. With a ragged voice, the messenger spoke between laboured gasps for air.
"First Seat!... A message!... From the Sorcerer Kingdom!..."
With a raised eyebrow, Minos hurried to undo the wax seal and inspect the document's contents.
... ... ...
With a caramel lollipop in her hand and a burst of confidence in her heart, the young princess was energetically hopping her way through the mansion's walls, enjoying a view of the morning sun as its warm rays danced across her brilliantly golden hair, freshly washed and brushed with the help of Emma, her dearly beloved second mom.
A good amount of hopping later, Ayame finally arrived at her destination, where she only barely remembered to knock.
"Come on in, sweetie!"
Entering her parents' bedroom, the angel found the pair in front of a mirror, with mom seemingly making some miniature adjustments to dad's cool clothes. Considering that and the fact that he was being a skeleton, he must have been going somewhere. The girl spoke as she closed the door behind her and began hopping on closer.
"What's going on, daddy?"
"Hey. I'm going to a pretty important meeting with some foreign rulers."
"A meeting with a bunch of monarchs at once? That's gotta be super important."
"It is. It's about that war between the catfolk and the Minotaurs."
"Isn't that over?"
"Yes, but now is the time to discuss many details regarding territory and policy."
"Ohh, okay! So now you have to have one of those meetings where you agree on the new borders and stuff, like slicing up a big cake, but the cake has people and cities and important things that everyone wants but you still have to agree, right?"
"Yes, it's one of those."
"Those sound so hard! I'd just beat them all up because I wouldn't know what to do! You're so smart for not doing that, dad!"
"Thank you. Well, I have many very smart people to help me."
Thinking of other smart people father knew, Ayame's mind immediately went to Albedo. She was so beautiful and nice... the princess always liked her a lot, even though the two never saw each other much. Hopefully Albedo also liked Ayame back.
"Good luck then, dad!"
"Thank you, sweetheart."
...
After giving a nice goodbye to his family, Suzuki Satoru teleported to the agreed spot, where Albedo and Demiurge were already waiting. Upon seeing him, they of course bowed.
"Please raise your heads. I hope I'm not late?"
"Not at all, Lord Ainz."
"Hm hm. Let's proceed, then."
...
The large marble hall itself was rather impressive, though its furnishings and decorations seemed to be put together in a somewhat disorderly manner. Were any changes made to it at the last minute? Well, the whole event was rather sudden, so perhaps the minotaurs ran into trouble with some of their own etiquette regarding such things…? Regardless, the two other parties were both already present. Everyone previously seated at the great round table in the centre of the hall stood up to address the newcomer, with most of them also bowing.
"Greetings, Sorcerer King."
The first to respond was a catfolk who did not bow, so that must have been Emperor Alaart without his helmet. Although reading the expressions and body language of what was essentially a human-shaped cat proved difficult, the man's tone was strikingly calm, collected, and indifferent. Everything he wore seemed to be some sort of magic item. The coat of plates, a full set of ten rings, two earrings, those mismatched boots, the gaudy pants, and even that golden-thread scarf. The only object identifiable as an item from Yggdrasil was Charon's Passenger List, a rather dangerous area-of-effect weapon which took the form of a ragged book floating beside its wielder. Satoru was quite interested in what exactly all the rest of the items were.
"Welcome, Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown..."
The primary representative of the Minotaurs must have been that man named Minos, dressed in something that resemebled an ancient Roman toga that seemed fancier than those of the other minotaurs present, with more golden pins and red accents. Naturally, there was a hint of unease in Minos' voice.
"Greetings."
Once the undead king arrived at the table, the three leaders took a seat all at once, with everyone else following suit a moment later.
... The undead monarch found the subsequent series of drawn-out and dry introductions incredibly boring. Thankfully, once that was finished, it was finally time for the real talks.
"Now, I believe that's all for the formalities?"
The catfolk answered quickly.
"I believe so too. Shall we get started?"
The gazes of nearly everyone involved shifted over to Minos, who seemingly took a moment to steel himself.
"Yes, let's… Then, I would like to reaffirm my request that the Great Minotaur Nation becomes a vassal state of the Sorcerer Kingdom, according to terms I wish to discuss here."
All of the minotaur diplomats present were visibly uncomfortable despite how quickly the initial decision was made to accept Satoru's proposal. This was how it felt to be forced into making a massively undesirable decision that was nonetheless the best available.
"I, Ainz Ooal Gown, hereby officially accept."
Of course, the only reason the minotaur Parliament accepted such a thing in the first place was also the same reason this summit was necessary. An ongoing, massively successful invasion of their country. Emperor Alaart who spoke up with the tone of someone discussing the most banal of idle gossip over a mediocre but overall serviceable dinner.
"Then, let us come to an agreement on the matter of territory."
In the centre of the great table was the war map meant for internal use by the minotaurs. Today, that map would be used to carve up their nation between two nations of far greater power.
Grabbing a nearby pointer stick of needlessly exquisite make and decoration, the catfolk continued.
"By right of conquest, I claim the territory that stretches from my empire's borders up to and including the following settlements, along with an area of seven tauric miles in all directions from their edges..."
... With the gaudy object as his aid, the emperor listed and pointed to a series of cities and villages, drawing an imaginary line that split the country in half and nearly grazed the capital.
"So? What do you say, First Seat Minos, Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown? As you can see, I merely seek to retain the territory I already control. Are you interested in negotiations over any specifics, such as exchanging a settlement here or there, or would you propose an altogether different arrangement?"
As soon as Alaart was done, the minotaurs visibly shifted their attention to Satoru, seemingly even holding their breaths in anticipation. Seeing as they were eager to become his vassals and were in no position to resist their invaders, the undead now had all of the bargaining power. They clearly hoped to coordinate and leverage this power to the benefit of both themselves and their soon-to-be liege.
But Satoru was not interested. These matters were already settled long ahead of time.
"... Yes, this is acceptable to me..."
Most of the minotaurs immediately shifted to various extents in their seats. The undead paid them no heed, continuing with confidence.
"As you say, you have earned the land by right of conquest. I feel there is little for either side to gain from challenging this, but I suppose the representatives of the Great Minotaur Nation might disagree?"
Minos stared right into Satoru's eyes with an expression the latter could not identify. Instead, another person spoke up in his place.
"P-perhaps the Parliamentarians could discuss the specifics of new borders amongst ourselves, and give an opinion on the second day of negotiations? For now, w-we would prefer to cover all the other matters pertaining to the topic..."
"Of course."
"I have no problem with that."
Albedo and Demiurge both predicted that the initial proposal should go unchallenged, and so Satoru did not worry about it, moving on to addressing the catfolk instead, intending to keep the Minotaurs waiting for now.
"Then, Emperor Alaart, seeing as we are about to share borders, perhaps we should discuss foreign relations? Perhaps a peace treaty?"
"Naturally. First, I would like to inquire about the supposedly somewhat theocratic nature of your kingdom. Would you say this is the case?"
The king raised a non-existent eyebrow.
"Yes, I would say this is true."
"In that case, I suppose it would be prudent that high-ranked representatives of our nations' respective clergy also hold a series of meetings of their own?"
"Agreed."
'How strange. None of this is part of the script. The newly vassalised Minotaur Nation should serve as a sort of religious buffer zone where Neia's church will have little influence for years upon years to come, preventing it from naturally spilling over into catfolk territory, so is this really of that much import? I better not be missing something obvious...'
"I have already taken the liberty of preparing something that will most likely help..."
One of the catfolk silently slid some sort of thin book in Satoru's general direction with a deep bow before Alaart continued.
"... as a state that expands by conquest frequently, my Empire is naturally deeply multicultural at every level. Members of my court monitor the commoners' attitudes closely, ensuring internal strife is minimised. For this reason, we already have experience dealing with all sorts of theological conflict both great and small. The document you have received just now contains some information that we believe the Sorcerer Kingdom's clergy might find useful to possess ahead of time, hopefully ensuring smoother proceedings."
"Hm, very good."
'So, a sort of introduction to religion within their nation? That could certainly streamline the process, or at the very least, make it easier on Neia.'
Unfortunately, neither Satoru nor the Guardians anticipated this off-script proposal, so they currently had nothing similar to present in turn. Maybe he should have someone quickly teleport away and fetch a similar document so that it could be handed over once the summit comes to an end?
"I suspect their discussions may have a bearing on several matters relevant to our present dealings. I suggest further sessions of this summit be delayed until all else is done and sorted."
"I agree. First Seat?"
"That is fine by me."
... The rest of the summit's first session went as expected, with no other deviations from the script.
... ... ...
A day later, in a cosy bedroom...
"... me and mom are going to do some work now. Are you sure you want to stay, sweetie?"
The princess looked up at Satoru from his lap, thin book in hand.
"Yes!"
"Isn't it going to be too distracting? You need to practise reading."
"If it is, I'll just stop and continue later."
"Alright, if you're sure you won't forget again... Neia?"
While the cheery priestess simply grabbed her copy of the text, the king had a bit of difficulty following suit and trying to read along due to Ayame, forcing him to hold the book at chest level in a somewhat awkward manner.
"Ohh, there's a table of contents... Should we start anywhere in particular, darling?"
"Let's see..."
The king quickly skimmed through, not expecting that anything would be especially boring, or especially interesting. But towards the end, there was eventually an item that did give Satoru some pause.
"Hm? One moment..."
Quickly finding the indicated page, the father skimmed through a tiny bit of that, too.
"What is it?"
Neia shuffled over to get a look, resting her chin on one of his shoulders.
"Huh, it seems some catfolk rarely practise living life as the opposite sex..."
Satoru cringed somewhat as he remembered all those times Peroroncino brought up the "real-life futa" coworker he was always trying to hit on… With no success, naturally…
"That's rather strange. Is it noteworthy? Should we condemn that?"
"No, I just remembered hearing about someone like that a long time ago, back in my homeland… Uhm, the practice itself should be fine..."
... ... ...
Sixteen days later, shortly before the summit's second session…
Entering through the gilded double-door once again, Suzuki Satoru looked around the marble hall and found that it felt a little more proper this time around, though he did not pay enough attention last time around to know if the decor had actually been changed, or if he had simply gotten used to it. Proceeding with Demiurge and Albedo in tow, the undead was greeted with only some of the ministers from the Minotaur Parliament, and nobody at all from the Emperor's people. This was simply because Satoru had arrived earlier, and subsequently chose to wait here as opposed to the suggested common area. With nothing else to do, Satoru decided to simply take a seat and make some small talk with his advisors. A superior was in the best position to diffuse any tension, after all.
"I must say, I did feel quite good about those meetings Neia and her people had with the catfolk's clergy. Considering she believed herself to have handled it especially well, I am rather optimistic about how it could affect the talks. I feel like something good could come of it."
The catfolk leadership did seem to hold very progressive ideals by the standards of this world filled with prejudice based on things such as species and religion, which of course pleased Satoru, who came from a world that lacked such tensions and thus found them all to be rather asinine. Neia even said she was fond of that Krissha, so overall, their plans to break up the empire at some point truly felt like a huge shame. Maybe Satoru could ask the Guardians to figure out something else?
To the undead's left, Demiurge did not hesitate to erupt into praise.
"Of course! With both Lord Ainz and Lady Neia working to prepare for those meetings together, success was nothing short of inevitable."
"Well said, Demiurge."
The king sighed internally. He was not trying to boast.
"Ah, thank you both… Though to clarify, I am mostly just trying to state that I don't think we've anything to worry about. I trust all will go well today."
... In the end, there was little room for any more small talk, as everyone else arrived shortly. And once again, Satoru hid his mild boredom until the formalities were once again dealt with.
"... Shall we start by discussing the vassalisation of the Minotaur Nation?"
"I have no problem with that."
The First Seat nodded solemnly before clearing his throat and speaking.
"Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown, I accept the terms proposed in the current draft of the vassalisation agreement. As First Seat of the Parliament of the Great Minotaur Nation, I am ready to sign its confirmation."
"Very good. Emperor Alaart?"
As was discussed last time, great emphasis would be placed upon the catfolk empire's official recognition of this outcome, as it would truly cement the legitimacy of official peace between the previously warring parties. Unless the catfolk wished to wage war against the entirety of the Sorcerer Kingdom just after recognising the document that would ensure such a thing, of course. But that's what the peace treaty would be for.
"Of course, I will recognise and respect the document's authority. Let us all commit to doing so with our signatures and seals..."
... All three leaders did as agreed, though the First Seat could not resist hesitating and sighing ever-so-subtly when his turn came. Nonetheless, the collective relief of the other minotaurs could be sensed quite easily. With this, their part in the summit was more or less over, though the details of upcoming talks would still affect them, possibly to quite a large extent. A satisfied Satoru met the emperor's gaze.
"Emperor Alaart, shall we move on to the topic of the peace treaty next?"
"Ah... The peace treaty... Hmm..."
Maintaining unblinking eye contact with the undead, Alaart extended a claw from the left paw's index finger and pushed its point against his chin, the gesture and tone of its accompanying vocalisation marking the very first instance of the emperor's uncertainty which Satoru could discern. But what was there to be uncertain about? Silence filled the great marble hall, the attention of its occupants fixed firmly on the man whose oddly-placed display of uncertainty compelled all others to share precisely that feeling. Retracting his claw, Alaart instead extended the paw towards Satoru and spoke in a tone whose amiable warmth was yet another first for the undead.
"My apologies that the time we have already spent on it might go to waste now, but that won't do..."
The Sorcerer King felt his body tense up instantly. This wasn't part of the deal. But Alaart quickly continued.
"Those meetings between representatives of our nation's clergies... It seems I was right in suspecting that they would have a marked bearing on this summit. In light of their outcomes, I, Emperor Alaart, request that the Second Catfolk Empire become a vassal state of the Sorcerer Kingdom, on to-be-decided terms."
Satoru repeated those mystifying words back to himself. And then again for a second time. And then a third, at which point emotional suppression had to kick in to curb a burst of shock. It seemed the others would make good use of it, as the mouths of almost every single person in the room opened to varying degrees, including those of the emperor's own aides.
'Huh?... What?... What the fuck?'
... ... ...
Two days earlier…
The pocket mirror closed with a familiar click, only to open yet again.
As always, the man's appearance seemed different than last time. As always, it was warped. It was wrong.
The pocket mirror closed with a familiar click, only to open yet again.
As always, the face staring back from within the mirror had somehow changed. But it was wrong in a different way now. Different, yet the same. The same, yet unfamiliar. Unfamiliar, yet clearly different from how it should be.
The pocket mirror closed with a familiar click, only to open yet again.
'... Will my reflection ever seem right again? Maybe it never did...'
A knock interrupted the thought.
"Your Majesty?"
The pocket mirror closed with a familiar click. Alaart did not look up from it as he responded.
"Come in."
The human did as asked, closing the door behind him with a sigh.
"May I get some light, Your Majesty?"
"[Continual Light]."
"Thank you."
Guided by the spell, Cahara dexterously weaved through the piles of books littering the Emperor's temporary lodgings.
"Are you sure you're not some sort of rare nocturnal breed?"
"I am not. I have a serious matter to discuss."
Alaart looked up at his subject for the first time.
"Aren't those the only matters we discuss, Your Majesty?"
"Mm. I suppose that's true… Let me get straight to the point. At the upcoming summit, I will see if I can arrange for my empire to become a vassal of the Sorcerer Kingdom."
The blackfang agent's face froze for a moment before it began to rapidly cycle between puzzling, unfamiliar expressions at an alarming rate, as if none of its muscles could agree on what they should be doing.
"W-what? Is this some sort of test? A joke? Are you the real Emperor?!"
"It will be hard to keep this brief, though I will try..."
Alaart paused to yawn before continuing.
"But where to start?... Let's take the situation at hand, for example. The Sorcerer Kingdom comes to me with a plan, a plan to carve up a country in secret. It's a cunning plan, too.
Enough food to supply the entire war, preferential treatment in future trade, and the promise of long-lasting peace in exchange for half the territory we would have otherwise taken for ourselves, which we are now able to do with massively diminished costs. With access to an incredibly efficient workforce in the form of undead, land by itself is more valuable to them than it is to the average country, so of course they'd be interested. In case we went back on our word and marched deeper into the Minotaur Nation, that hungerless workforce of theirs makes the food they provided a negligible loss, while the other offerings are just some promises, so they have almost nothing to lose.
And now, I followed their terms, and they get everything they want. Taking over half a country, and maybe even being seen as something akin to saviours for doing so, considering the alternative was the completion of an invasion that could best be described as a one-sided massacre.
But back then, I asked myself... Why? Why did the Sorcerer Kingdom suggest this? What a strange move for a nation known for its invincible monarch, a man who supposedly destroys armies with a single spell. Why resort to such underhanded schemes? And so, I decided to investigate. This investigation was, well, both a success and a failure. Let me summarise some findings, in no particular order.
How about that wall built between the Dragon Kingdom and Beastman Country? Utter over-achievement from a tactical standpoint, but the humans sure are impressed with it, and the fact that they can use it to defend themselves even without the undead is accepted as a sign that the Sorcerer King cares for their well being.
When Ainz Ooal Gown took over a large human city named E-Rantel and made it his kingdom's capital, there used to be great fear regarding the futures of those living there, but it's said that mass panic was prevented by a human hero when he promised to defeat the new king if he harmed the innocent people of the city. It was only a hunch, so even I was rather surprised when that great hero, Momon of Darkness, turned out to be undead himself under all that armour.
It was somewhat difficult to piece together the details, but during an attack on what was the old Elf Country's capital, some sort of slaughter occurred at the palace, resulting in the elven king's death. This should have meant victory for the Slane Theocracy, but something scared them off, and Gown declared war on the humans soon after. Obviously, he was involved somehow, though the details are not important to my point at the moment.
What about the dwarves of the Azerlisia Mountains? Missing a head of state, their kingdom is run by a regency council whose sway has only been dwindling. After Gown saved the dwarves from a defeat at the hands of demi-humans, it seems that everything was mostly going well for the regency council up until a turning point during some unemployment crisis, where they turned away aid in the form of food offered by the Sorcerer Kingdom. The crisis was a result of a dry spell when it came to ore veins, which could simply be a result of that demi-human species' consumption of minerals, and records of which areas were previously explored being lost. Those same mineral-eating demi-humans were, however, subjugated years earlier by Gown, and it was he who made an expedition to the dwarves' lost capital, where such old records would have been. It's all a bit convenient, considering the pattern.
And then there's Jaldabaoth... A great demon once fought off by Momon in the capital of Re-Estize. Later, he would invade Roble and nearly destroy it before Gown interfered personally and alone, even though it was Momon's help which the Holy Kingdom sought... I was not entirely sure what to make of the whole ordeal, until the Sorcerer King was accompanied by two high-level demons to that summit. A succubus and some sort of imp, I believe?
Well, I could go on, but I mentioned that my investigation into the matter was also a failure in some ways. Although it is clear that public image is of great importance to the Sorcerer Kingdom, I could not discern precisely why. Perhaps merely for the sake of Gown's own ego? I'm not sure it matters in the end. What matters is that the Sorcerer Kingdom is never to be trusted, always to be thought of as an enemy to all but itself. And with an ever-expanding army of undead, Ainz Ooal Gown's power is more akin to a snowball that has been kicked down the side of a mountain. I fear it might be too late to directly challenge the avalanche he had become by now. Do you understand what I am saying?"
"W-well, I- I uhm... This is a lot to take in..."
"... I see. Then let me state it plainly. I will follow in the footsteps of El-Nix and Oriculus. At this point, I believe the only winning move is not to play Gown's game at all. The meeting between Krissha and Neia Baraja gave me some more insight into their religion, and the final confirmation I wanted that a potential vassalisation should not be detrimental to my own people."
"B-but... I- I just don't get that! Aren't you just saying you're giving up?!"
"I didn't think you'd be this invested in a personal goal of mine."
"I'm not. But I admired Your Majesty's determination..."
Cahara's words almost knocked the air out of the emperor's chest. Unsure what to say, he opened the pocket mirror and gazed into it.
Would his mother still recognise him? Would she be proud? Was he even any closer to a world where she would be happy?
It felt as though Alaart was passing the torch to a stranger with questionable intentions. But how much longer could he go on? How many more sleepless nights? How many more people could he bear killing? For how much longer could he go on, uncertain if he was creating a better world or merely ruining it in the pursuit of some unattainable, utopian ideal?
The pocket mirror closed with a familiar click.
"Anything else, blackfang?"
"Well… I'm still not sure why you're telling me all of this, to be honest."
"I suspect it might be better for me to go into early retirement. I doubt the domestic reaction will be all that positive. You've proven yourself passably competent and at least somewhat loyal, so I want you to be one of the people keeping an eye on the mess. I suspect that would be difficult if you were not privy to the Sorcerer King's nature."
"I... I see. What if I refuse?"
"It's unlikely to be my problem either way."
The human shrugged in an exaggerated manner.
"I suppose someone has to do it, eh?"
"Good."
"Out of curiosity, what are you going to do if you do abdicate?"
"Same thing I'd do one way or another, mostly. Adopt a few kids with Krissha, move to the countryside... maybe take up fishing?"
... ... ...
Present day...
Suzuki Satoru could still not believe his non-existent ears.
'What did that oversized cat just say? Is he fucking with me? Is this a joke?'
Well, no one was laughing, so hopefully that would serve as a good lesson not to jest in such an idiotic and inappropriate manner.
The king could sense both Albedo and Demiurge's gazes suddenly begin to drill into him from each side as most of the room turned to blinking rapidly or clutching their foreheads in an
attempt to kickstart their minds again after receiving such a debilitating blow, all while the feline emperor patiently awaited Satoru's answer.
'He's serious, isn't he?'
\\\
'I've dealt quite a serious blow to his plans just now, haven't I? Yes, Gown most likely had all sorts of schemes to further profit off my expansionist aggression. But once that has outlived its usefulness, the goal would shift towards breaking apart my empire and absorbing it piece by piece. I give it about a thirty-five percent chance that he will refuse, at least for a while. Judging from their expressions, his underlings seem to have no clue what to do.'
The others must have found this long silence downright deafening, Alaart simply continuing to stare the skeleton down.
In the end, it was that imp who stood and spoke up, voice somewhat ragged.
"I apologise for my rudeness, but may I suggest a brief recess of no more than fifteen minutes? Lord Ainz?"
"Hm. Yes, I would like to request one."
The First Seat scrambled to respond.
"I- yes, I approve."
Alaart blinked in response, though only briefly.
"I take no issue with that."
...
The silence followed Satoru and the Guardians to a more private space, and lingered even there. The king knew not what to say, or what the two must have been thinking, though it must have been something similar considering the way both chose to stare at the monarch with widened eyes.
"... Lord Ainz?"
The undead coughed fakely.
"Yes, Demiurge?"
"Lord Ainz... I... I apologise!"
'Huh? Don't confuse me even more!'
Albedo joined the conversation, nearly shouting the words infused with a tone equal part baffled and passionate.
"I apologise, too, Lord Ainz! When you mentioned that you had a feeling something good would come of that meeting between the clergies, I did not expect anything even remotely approaching this much of an achievement!"
'Oh, that's... I did say that, didn't I? Fuck, this sort of thing hasn't happened in so long...'
"I hope you can forgive us underestimating your and Lady Neia's combined genius! I believe I speak for both myself and Albedo when I say that I am deeply ashamed!"
'Should I stop them? What do I do here?'
"Demiurge is right! Thank you for once again showing us how-"
"Wait. Stop right there, please. I uhm... Uh, I must admit, even I was not entirely counting on this sort of... level of success... Let's just focus on the situation at hand now. Please."
The Guardians responded in unison and teeming with vigour.
"Of course!"
"Thank you... Now, I want to hear your thoughts on this. Could it be some sort of trap?"
Both geniuses paused to consider and formulate their answers. Demiurge was the first to provide his.
"It seems unlikely. With our present understanding, I believe there is almost no way whatsoever in which such a manoeuvre could open us up to a costly betrayal."
"I agree with Demiurge. This might warrant some investigation before we accept, but presently there is no reason to believe this could be used to significantly harm us. May I also ask if this means you no longer intend to keep with the original idea to exploit catfolk aggression further in the future?"
"Hm, do you think the original plans would be better?"
"I personally very much doubt that could possibly be the case, but even if it were, it is almost certainly far too late to refuse without considerable consequences. Unless we provided a very convincing excuse, it would be taken as a disinterest in diplomacy, and would thus cripple our existing plans."
Satoru was thinking the same.
"Do you agree, Demiurge?"
"Yes, I believe the Guardian Overseer's assessment to be on point."
"Then, Albedo, do you believe I'm right to assume that this will be a massive administrative undertaking?"
"Yes, Lord Ainz."
"We'll need to come up with a plan to take over very gradually, correct?"
"I believe so."
"We'll have our hands full for years, won't we?"
"Most likely."
Satoru sighed internally. What was that demi-human thinking? He was one of the stronger and more competent natives of this world that Nazarick had encountered so far, and that made this move rather suspicious. Nonetheless, all they could do for now was accept and take exercise caution.
Well, maybe this Alaart being so powerful could be the very reason this move from him might've been inevitable. Satoru had seen his performance in battle, after all. No one who acted so carefully at all times could also be capable of deluding themselves into thinking they alone could stand against an established faction boasting several combatants of similar level. If Demiurge's theory that the catfolk were once hosts to a player who left an especially large amount of information behind is correct, then maybe it all makes sense... A player would never feel safe with an enemy guild operating right on their doorstep. Any agreed upon alliance of sorts could lead to backstabbing. To a player, all others were potential enemies...
Unless they were part of the same guild, of course.
And this Alaart may have inherited the way a player thinks.
Or maybe Satoru was just grasping at straws. Yes, that was more likely.
Regardless, theorising on the feline's exact reasoning was a waste of time, at least right now.
"We'll accept, then…"
... ... ...
Two days earlier…
"... Though, Your Majesty... What about all the national treasures of the catfolk? Surely you won't let them fall into the hands of just about anyone..."
"I won't, of course. I'm taking the truly powerful relics of the Good Ancestor with me."
"Ah, good. Of course."
'Especially the World Item... Sword of Damocles, huh? A fitting name for something I'll keep around with me just in case Gown decides to follow his undead instincts at any point in the future…'
… … …
Hello. The Lucy is back.
I'm really sorry if you don't like this chapter. As I've said previously, I'm trying to wrap this story up sooner than I thought I would, so the events of this chapter were originally supposed to be a lot different, and take place over the course of an entire arc. This big rewrite is the main reason it took me so long to get this one out.
Regardless, I hope it was still an enjoyable read! Please do tell me what you think!