Goap: I prefer to write a story that has a plot that grows from one chapter to the next, rather than cramming all the important events in the first chapters. After this kind of beginning, authors often resort to... fights... always more fights, more adversaries... to compensate for their lack of inspiration. This is Hollywood's typical formula: three lines of plot, thirty tons of explosives.
Something23: I think Miriel will surprise you... a young woman who likes to make herself beautiful and is gifted in alchemy can have ideas that men will never have.
mrsam7679: The meeting between dragons has already occurred, and the dragons have separated without a majority voting to attack, only the Platinium Dragon intervened through a remote-controlled enchanted armor under the name "Riku Aganeia".
Guest: Cooking? Yes, one could see this fanfiction like that... but my story is an unusual recipe with strange ingredients.
Foundation Stones
Author note: Dear readers, I would like to bring your attention to the chapter you are currently reading, as it contains three major events that hold great significance. Each event on its own will have important consequences. But, together, they will have a GREAT impact on the future of the New World.
This chapter is not only one of the longest I wrote for this fan fiction, it is also one of those which required the most work... I even watched a video tutorial to learn how to make makeup... Being a male, I never thought I needed to know about something like this.
Dear readers, realize my dedication to you!
The Great Tomb of Nazarick, 9th Floor.
This level of Nazarick was as habitable as possible. The Forty-One Supreme Beings had given free rein to their creativity, creating apartments not only for all members of the Ainz Ooal Gown's Guild but also for some of the NPCs and even adding many rooms, like large communal baths, cafeterias, beauty salons, clothing stores, grocery stores, fitness salons, nail salons, and numerous other types of facility rooms.
Renner, the Witch of the Fallen Kingdom, lived on this floor in a luxurious apartment with several rooms that she shared with her 'Puppy'.
Anyone who saw her with Climb could not have suspected the true nature of the former princess of the Re-Estize Kingdom. She seems so sweet and harmless. The young woman spoke in a shy voice to her bodyguard, apparently worried that he could not fit in with the inhabitants of the tomb.
But their conversation was interrupted when the door was knocked.
A maid entered and bowed politely.
"Lady Renner, the Sorcerer King requires your presence. Would you be kind enough to accompany me?"
Renner smiled. Obviously, she could not refuse. The Sorcerer king had given her immortality and power beyond anything she ever dreamed of having... in exchange for her eternal faithfulness. And for the time being, she was determined to demonstrate her loyalty. At least as long as it would benefit her. After which... well, nothing was truly eternal.
"Let's not keep His Majesty waiting, I follow you."
As she got up from the couch, Climb followed her, visibly worried.
"Milady, I accompany you."
As always, seeing her lover's reaction, the young female Imp felt a feeling of comfort and warmth... Yes, Renner was a ruthless and manipulative villain. She could even poison all the children of an orphanage without experiencing the slightest hint of remorse... Nevertheless, she really fell in love with Climb... in her own way... that is, like a hyper-possessive and dominating yandere.
"That's very nice of you, Climb. I can't refuse," she said blushingly.
Nazarick's 9th Floor was massive. Despite the lack of windows, the visitors quickly forgot that it was an underground labyrinth. The place looked more like a Rococo-style pleasure castle. The walls and ceilings were decorated with plaster moldings. The floor disappeared under precious carpets. Paintings, mirrors, and consoles alternated with golden-leaf chandeliers.
Renner walked calmly a few meters behind the maid. After her betrayal, she became one of Albedo's direct subordinates... and was turned into an Imp.
She was proud of her transformation and did not hide her tail, nor her demon wings.
Climb too had been turned into Imp... However, he preferred to hide his demonic features. He was always under the effect of his innate metamorphosis ability and looked like a perfectly normal blonde male teen. Beside the former princess, dressed in his usual mithril armor, the bodyguard was vigilant, his hand on the pommel of a good quality sword.
Renner had a lot of fun with his refusal to accept his fate... she intended to corrupt him completely... but the Witch of the Fallen Kingdom was not in a hurry, quite the contrary. She even intended to take all her time... at least two or three centuries.
The maid stopped at a waxed wooden door and knocked before opening it, bowing down.
"Your Majesty, Lady Renner, as ordered."
"Let her come in!"
"Yes, Your Majesty! Lady Renner, please follow me."
The former princess entered the room. But as Climb intended to follow her, the maid blocked his way.
"Excuse me, sir, but you have not been summoned. Please wait in the hall."
Renner entered a long room with a coffered ceiling.
The young Imp made a graceful bow, lifting the bottom of her elegant black sheath dress while smiling... revealing canines longer than those of a human being.
"All Hail Ainz Ooal Gown."
Renner was a beautiful young woman with long golden hair that descended to her ankles. Her only trinket was a black cloth flower fixed close to her ear. Her eyes were green and slightly fluorescent. At her hips she has two bat's wings beating slowly...
She was pretty, almost adorable.
A falsely adorable she-devil...
The witch stood up to look around her, without hiding her curiosity. It was the first time she participated in a Nazarick's war council.
The Floors Guardians Shalltear Bloodfallen, Cocytus, and the Dark Elves twins Aura and Mare where sat on either side of a long table that was the heart of a majestic meeting room with gilded walls and a ceiling supported by Doric columns.
On a platform, Ainz Ooal Gown looked at them behind a vast desk of waxed wood. In front of him, a map was unfolded, showing a vast portion of the continent between the Fresh Water Sea to the west and the east plains. Standing to the right of the Sorcerer King, the Head Maid Pestyona Shortcake Wanko, a beautiful lady with the head of a dog, was waiting for orders.
"Please take a seat wherever you want, Lady Renner."
The former princess bowed humbly.
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty."
The Overlord waited until she sat down and then held out a bony finger toward the insectoid demon sitting at the conference table.
"Cocytus has submitted to me a plan of invasion of the Troll Kingdom. I have authorized this action, but do not wish to participate in developing the battle plan. Consider me a mere spectator. But I would like to discuss with you the diplomatic consequences of an attack on the Land of Trolls."
Renner had been trained in the delicate art of diplomacy. Even before officially joining Nazarick's forces, the witch had used her talents for the benefit of the Sorcerer Kingdom. During the invasion, she first isolated Re-Estize by presenting the kingdom as the aggressor. Then, she obtained that several nations such as the Dwarf Kingdom, the Frost Dragons Nest, and the Baharuth Empire (1) co-sign the declaration of war. In addition, Renner was one of the main strategists responsible for the invasion plan. In particular, orienting the axis of attack towards the northwest border was her idea... to isolate the kingdom of Re-Estize from its only true ally, the Argland Council State.
Renner's diplomatic machinations and strategic maneuvers had left no chance for the kingdom; Re-Estize had fallen into Gown's hand as an overripe fruit. Albedo had even said that the witch was the main architect of the victory.
The former princess remained silent for a few moments, the time to reflect on Ainz's question.
"Your Majesty, the Trolls are rough thugs who plunder the neighboring countries and have no diplomatic relationship with any other nation. Nevertheless, you are right to be careful. We must not appear as the aggressor. Having 'justice' on our side is an irresistible diplomatic weapon. The easiest way to do this is to intervene at the request the Emperor Jircniv..." The young Imp smiles in a perfectly evil way... "In eastern Baharuth, the inhabitants of farms and remote villages have been attacked for centuries by trolls. I am certain that Emperor Jircniv will not be able to hold back tears of joy if you offer to end the raids of these cannibal brutes."
Cocytus ejected a jet of icy steam.
"Brilliant. In. Its. Simplicity."
"The neighboring nations should be informed of this... humanitarian intervention," Aura remarked.
Ainz read the names written on the map using a magic monocle.
"Hum... the Karzanas City State Alliance and the Great Minotaur Nation." He turned to Renner. "I hardly know these two states, what can you tell me about them?"
Renner nodded and summarized her knowledge of these two regions. Karzanas was one of the few nations in the New World where humans lived peacefully with demi-humans.
Ainz silently listened to the former princess as she described Karzanas' architecture and customs... realizing that this country did not resemble medieval Europe, but rather a kind of legendary Asian kingdom. Moreover, the half-humans living in the region were Ape Beastman who reminded him of Sun Wukong, the monkey king of Chinese legends.
"... many Re-Estize's inhabitants emigrated to Karzanas after the fall of the kingdom."
"I see," Ainz simply replied. "And the Great Minotaur Nation?"
Renner spent a few moments remembering what her teachers had taught her.
"In the past, the Minotaurs were a barbaric race that treated humans like cattle. But a Player known as the Minotaur Sage unified all the Minotaurs into a great kingdom, he gave them laws and also taught them how to use magic to create many objects like chests in which the cold reigns... called... 'fridges' I think, or strange sort of helices called 'fan' that create wind while turning."
Initially surprised, Ainz laughs softly when he realizes that the Minotaur Sage had used magic to create replicas of modern household goods.
"And now humans are no longer treated like cattle in the land of the minotaurs?"
"No, Ainz-sama, now they are slaves." She shrugged "Humans have now a legal status. They are more than mere objects... at least there are laws about the treatment of human slaves."
Ainz Ooal Gown teleported himself outside the Great Tomb of Nazarick to attend Aura and Mare's departure. On the back of a Frost Dragon, they were going to visit Arwintar, the capital of the Baharuth Empire, and then the City-state of Karzanas before finishing their journey meeting the Minotaurs.
The nations close to the Land of the Trolls would be warned before the attack... no... before the "humanitarian operation" imagined by Renner. They would also be invited to attend the battle to demonstrate before their eyes the power of Nazarick under the guise of showing the good intentions of the Sorcerer Kingdom.
He sighed and shook his head. Unfortunately, he now had to return to E-Rantel... and be engulfed again by the tide of records awaiting his signature. The only exciting things in a king's life were wars and diplomacy with other nations. Most of the time, Ainz was doing almost ordinary office work.
He focused on a 7th-Tier spell.
"Greater Teleportation."
The next moment, the undead reappeared in the splendid office he occupied in the E-Rantel VIP villa.
A bunch of records waiting to be signed was stacked on the right side of his desk. Seeing this stack, Ainz felt a sudden urge to reuse "Greater Teleportation" to get as far away from this horrible trap as possible. Alas...
"Ainz-Sama!" Enthusiastic, Albedo had just jumped up behind her own desk... where ever more documents were piled up. "I am glad you have finally arrived, Fluder Paradyne is in the waiting room. He has urgent news for you."
Fluder Paradyne? This mage nicknamed the 'Strongest Wizard' had run most of the magical institutions of the Baharuth Empire... before betraying Emperor Jircniv in exchange for magical bits of knowledge... a fool's bargain because Ainz was unable to teach magic.
"All right, I'll see him."
A wrinkled old man entered the room.
He was the perfect archetype of a very old and a very wise magician. His hair and his impressively long beard were as white as snow. He was dressed in a long dress of a very light yellow with a wide collar. Around the neck, he had a necklace made of a red crystal ball and many magic rings on his fingers
He bowed politely a hand on the heart.
"I salute you Ainz Ooal Gown, the god who rules over magic."
The Overlord accepted this strange greeting with an apparent calm... but in fact, he was inwardly startled under the effect of a badly repressed guilt. Fortunately, as an undead, his emotions were regulated. Otherwise, his discomfort would have been visible.
"Welcome, my disciple."
The situation was perfectly absurd... Fluder Paradyne, a real wizard who had studied the mysteries of magic for nearly 200 years... had become his disciple... or more exactly the disciple of Ainz Ooal Gown a Supreme Being able to cast spells that - from the perspective of the inhabitants of the New World- were Legendary Tier (2) only mentioned in old legends. Except... it was his game avatar's abilities, acquired while playing Yggdrasil... and Suzuki Satoru was obviously unable to teach real magic.
To make Fluder Paradyne betray Emperor Jircniv, Ainz played the role of the tempting devil, enticing him with the most secretive intricacies of the most elaborate magic... As a first payment, Paradyne received a book: the Egyptian Book of the Dead. It was the most mystical book Ainz found while searching Nazarick's library. The book was very complex and written in Japanese... a language the Strongest Wizard did not speak. However, Ainz felt his (non-existent) stomach squirm at the thought that Fluder would eventually understand that he had been duped.
Tall and terrifying, Ainz leaned forward, contemplating his visitor over his desk.
"Prime Minister Albedo told me you made an important discovery, Fluder Paradyne."
"Indeed, Supreme Being, Master of the Abyss. I have just finished classifying and cataloging the objects and texts seized during the looting of the Re-Estize's Wizards Guild."
"I see."
Ainz had enlisted Jirniv's former magical counselor because he was a wizard famous for his unparalleled erudition. The Sorcerer King needed someone to do all the research since he didn't understand how magic works. Plus, by keeping Fluder Paradyne occupied, he prevented him from spending too much time on the translation of the Book of the Dead.
Turning to a younger wizard, Fluder took from his hands a small chest that he opened while continuing to talk.
"Among the magical items held by the Re-Estize's Wizards Guild, there was a real treasure... look!"
Fluder Paradyne was holding a crystal sphere, completely transparent... but the interior was filled with a white and golden light.
"Ancient Magic... how I want to research it. If only those with the bloodline of the Brightness Dragon Lord can use it, then the pedigree is the most important thing."
The eyes of the Overlord light up red.
"Ancient Magic? You speak of Wild Magic?"
"Yes, Supreme Being. This orb is one of the Seven Stones of Wisdom. They were created by the Dragon Emperor centuries ago. These seven stones contain all his magic, all his power, all his knowledge, all his wisdom!"
Fluder stopped speaking briefly and resumed in a less exalted tone.
"Do you know the story of the Wild Magic and its decline, Divine Master of Magic?"
Gown replied cautiously.
"Just in broad strokes, the Wild Magic doesn't exist where I come from."
Fluder needed only this brief encouragement for a long, detailed explanation.
In summary, the Wild Magic was the form of magic that existed in the New World before the arrival of the first Players. It was used by all magic users, as well for the monster's spell-like abilities. The masters of this magic were the dragons.
Everything changed with the Players' arrival. They used a different type of magic: the Tier Magic. Inexplicably, the Wild Magic declined in the following years. Users of the Wild Magic could no longer employ it properly, worse the knowledge itself disappeared. After five centuries of decline, the last users of Wild Magic became unable to compete equally against Tier Magic spellcasters. The Wild Magic had become second-hand magic, an inherently inferior magic, an outclassed garbage.
Even the spell-like abilities of the monsters have been altered or replaced by their closest counterparts in the Tier Magic.
But, for the dragons, the decline of the Wild Magic was especially catastrophic. Once undisputed rulers of the world, the dragons lost much of their power... and the Slane Theocracy hunted them down and annihilated most of them.
"If the Seven Stones of Wisdom were gathered, it would be possible to access once again all the unaltered power of the most powerful practitioner of the Wild Magic, the Dragon Emperor himself!"
A very dark blue aura began to rise from Ainz's body, a bit like smoke. Simultaneously the orbits of his eyes lit up with a red light.
He hit his desk hard with the flat of his hand and laughed, flipping his head back.
"All right, I am convinced. The priority of your office will be to collect all of the seven Stones of Wisdom. This power must not fall into other hands than the Sorcerer Kingdom!"
Arwintar, capital of the Baharuth Empire
Arwintar was a smaller city and half as populated as Re-Estize... or rather as Re-Estize before the Sorcerer King shaved it to the ground.
However, comparing the two cities based solely on their size and population would not be very equitable. Arwintar was a magnificent city of white stone, made of long rectangular buildings with pale blue tile roofs and tall rectangular towers.
But, above all, the city was very lively, very dynamic. Emperor Jircniv had practically wiped out the Baharuth's hereditary nobility, replacing all his ministers with competent people, reorganizing laws and regulations, and fighting corruption and crime, while drawing merchants, artists, and artisans from around the world to his capital.
If the ancient hereditary nobility (ruined and deprived of its titles) hated the emperor, the people loved him... even if the massacres that had marked his power grab earned him the nickname of 'Bloody Emperor".
Jircniv Rune Farlord El-Nix had a deserved bad reputation as a manipulative, cruel, bloodthirsty, and ruthless ruler. But he was also rational, calm... and he loved his people. His brutality had only positive consequences for ordinary citizens. The streets were safe, food prices had fallen, and the borders were quiet.
It was only in the last few months that the people began to have doubts about the policy of their Emperor. First, Jircniv allied himself with Ainz Ooal Gown... before transforming Baharuth into a vassal state, subservient to the Sorcerer Kingdom.
Seen from the outside, the Imperial Palace was a huge domed-roofed structure with many side apses around which narrow minarets rose. It was built in the same white stone as the rest of the city and the roofs were also made of blue tiles.
Inside the palace, only the columns, balustrades, and wall cladding were made of white stone. The dominant color of the walls and interior partitions was burgundy.
Everywhere there were draperies and curtains of a lighter red. The furniture was lined with cushions of the same burgundy color as the walls. In each room, green plants brought a note of calm. The light came from tall white stone windows or golden candlesticks hanging from the ceilings.
The imperial throne room resembled a church with many columns.
Where the altar should have been, there was a large couch surrounded by red draperies. Lying nonchalantly on this couch, leaning on an elbow, a young man listened to a counselor on his knees at the foot of the "throne".
"... Your Majesty must understand that farmers cannot compete with the prices charged by the Sorcerer Kingdom."
Furious, Jircniv stood up and sat between the cushions, pressing his chin on his crossed hands.
"And what do you want me to do? Forbid the merchants of the Sorcerer Kingdom to cross the borders?"
"But, Your Majesty, I..."
"Let me speak!" shouted Jircniv before passing a hand in his hair. "There is nothing I can do. We are a Vassal State, our suzerain imposes his laws. This is the situation, we must accept it." He snapped his fingers. "Iolev!"
One of the councilors waiting between the columns ran to the burgundy carpet and knelt at the feet of the throne steps.
"What can I do to help you, Your Majesty?"
'You are going to bring together a committee of agricultural experts. I want an agricultural reform. What crops should the peasants start next year... that kind of thing... You are free to reallocate part of the army budget to manage this crisis."
Half the army had been fired after the Katze Plains Massacre... which drastically reduced military spending.
On paper, this battle was a landslide victory for the coalition forces of the Sorcerer Kingdom and the Bahamut Empire. The only casualties had been 143 Imperial Knights... trampled to death by their comrades after Gown summoned huge monsters that were bleating like goats! Despite its 'victory', the Imperial Army had ended up flying. Thousands of good and loyal soldiers had gone mad, and even more had resigned. Traumatized by the sight of the monsters, most of the former knights were unable to resume a normal life... Jobless, they had become a burden to their families and the Empire.
Truly a great victory!
... the Empire would not survive a second victory of this kind! If Jircniv had 'prostituted' the Bahamut Empire into the Vassal State of the Sorcerer Kingdom, it was because he understood that it was impossible to fight Gown. He was an invincible monster!
"You have five days," said Jircniv Rune Farlord El-Nix while cutting through the air with an imperious gesture of the hand. "Dismissed."
The two councilors rose, bowing deeply to their emperor before turning back and moving away as quickly as possible... they did not run, but almost.
The long waiting line advanced a little, and a man in black armor holding his helmet in his arm knelt before his emperor.
"I hope Your Majesty is doing well."
Jirniv beckoned to a servant to serve him a glass of wine while looking at the Knights' general from the corner of his eye.
"Oh, stop wasting my time with this kind of nonsense, I don't have all day. What's the news, General Kerslav?"
"I just finished installing the undead troops provided by the Sorcerer Kingdom."
The four knights in armor who surrounded the throne knew their Emperor well. They saw his hand stop at the moment of seizing his golden cup while his shoulders stiffened. It was the symptoms of interiorized anger.
A few weeks earlier, Prime Minister Albedo had come to visit the Empire with a proposal impossible to refuse (literally impossible to refuse!). Why not replace with undead the human soldiers who had resigned after the battle of Katze Plains? The Succubus had praised the loyalty of the undead, their power, and the fact that they never slept, never ate, and did not need to be paid.
And Jircniv had smiled politely before answering that it was a great idea... even if he didn't mean a word about it.
Feigning a peace of mind that he was far from experiencing, the Emperor aims a sip of his golden cup inlaid with rubies.
"Did you follow my instructions?"
"To the letter, Your Majesty, our... new troops have been installed in garrisons outside the cities. Our people will continue to deal with patrols of human soldiers from the Imperial Army."
"Well... what about the special accommodation I asked you?"
The general bowed slightly.
"Your Majesty, as you requested a regiment of Death Knights was installed in the underground of the Imperial Palace."
Jircniv nodded. It would be helpful to have these undead at hand in the event of a coup. These warriors were unfailingly loyal... to Ainz Ooal Gown. The Emperor was not naive enough to believe that the undead were more than nominately under his command... Needless to say, the "new regiments" of the Imperial Guard were occupation troops tasked with keeping the Empire under control. As long as Jircniv was useful to Gown, they would protect him. He could not hope for more.
"All right, General Kerslav, stay alert and do not hesitate to inform me of any problems that may arise. Dismissed."
The general was replaced by the High Priest of the Four Great Gods... and he too had come to complain that undead were now forming the armies of the Empire and that food grown by undead was being sold on the streets.
"Jircniv Rune Farlord El-Nix, you may be the emperor of Baharuth, but you remain a mortal subject to the judgment of the gods. I am the guide of souls. My sacred task is to protect mortals from the undead."
The Emperor struck the armrest of the couch with his fist.
"I don't forbid you to preach in the streets! So, don't tell me how to run my country!"
The priest became livid.
"You indulge in sin, O Emperor, you err in an alliance with the Devil himself..."
"Fool, if you want to insult Ainz Ooal Gown go into the forest, scream at the top of your lungs among the trees and animals. No one but you will have to suffer the consequences of your madness. The people of Re-Estize insulted Gown, have you learned nothing from what happened to them? How many innocent people must die for your freedom of speech? Watch your mouth!"
Jircniv called two guards in black armor.
"The High Priest is not feeling well, he needs fresh air. Bring him back to his temple!"
While another sycophant had taken the place of the High Priest, a sound similar to violent wind was heard outside the throne room while a shadow covered the inner courtyard. Several guards rushed, opened a window, and...
A dragon hovered between the palace buildings and two humanoid silhouettes were on its neck!
Aura Bella Fiore leaped, passing over the heads of the guards, and fell nimbly to her feet on the floor of the throne room, making the V sign with both hands. Then she turned to the dragon, which continued to flap its wings in front of the window:
"Mare, come down!"
The young druid jumped to the ground... much more clumsily than his sister... especially because he was trying to prevent his short white skirt from getting up.
The guards recognized the two Dark Elves. On their last visit, several of the knight bodyguards had tried to stop them... and were quickly killed.
Jircniv stood up. He was a tall, well-proportioned man dressed in a long red tunic woven with golden threads. A short black cape covered his right arm draped from shoulder to elbow, dragging behind him to the ground. It had a slight crown of gold plate around the head as well as numerous gold necklaces, bracelets, and rings inlaid with precious stones.
But no precious stone was more beautiful than his eyes, two amethyst irises that shone with a passionate fire.
Although he advanced through the throne room as calmly as if returning to his apartments, Jircniv Rune Farlord El-Nix was terrified, wondering what new catastrophe was about to fall on his head. Had Gown already learned that the High Priest of the Four Great Gods had insulted him in public? It seemed absurd. But the undead was a rare breed of schemer whose every move was made with a purpose, like a chess grandmaster who was already ten moves ahead of his opponent. The Sorcerer King seemed to know everything, foresee everything, and exploit every weakness in his enemies... as in his 'allies' alike.
"Welcome to Arwintar, Aura Bella Fiore and Mare Bello Fiore. To what do I owe the pleasure of your presence?"
"Hello, Your Majesty. Mare, say hello."
The small Dark Elf dressed in white bowed down while squeezing his druid staff against his chest.
"He... hello, Emperor Jircniv. How are you doing?"
Always smiling, Aura turned towards the emperor of Baharuth.
"Ainz-sama, send me to you. I... uh... wait a minute."
The Dark Elf passed a hand inside her reddish-black dragon-scale leather armor and took out an envelope closed by a seal.
She smiles a lot.
"As you can see, Your Majesty, I play postman today."
"I see that."
Hiding his anguish under an apparent tranquility, Jircniv opened the letter, read... stopped, and... started reading again. Except that the content did not change, he had understood well the first time. The young blond man turned to the Dark Elf Ranger.
"I suppose you know the contents of this letter, Aura Bella Fiore?"
"Obiouvously, Your Majesty. Could you give us a quick answer? I have two more capitals to visit."
The Bahamuth Emperor forced himself to smile even though he was feeling angry... since his childhood, no one had dared to treat him so casually.
"I... I understand."
He returned to his throne, followed by the two elves.
"Scribe, note the following text: 'His Imperial Majesty Jircniv Rune Farlord El-Nix, for His Royal Majesty Ainz Ooal Gown, the Sorcerer King. Noting the depredations caused by the Trolls on our eastern borders, The Emperor of Baharuth asks his noble suzerain to take adequate measures to ensure the protection of the inhabitants of Baharuth.' Date and include the usual diplomatic formulas."
As the scribe finished writing the letter, Jircniv signed and affixed his seal before handing the paper to the two Dark Elves.
"Is that all you need?"
Aura smiled widely.
"Your Majesty, I am glad to see that you quickly understand what is being asked of you. Well, I see no reason to linger any longer. Have a good day, Emperor Jircniv."
"Have a good trip, Aura Bella Fiore."
The two elves jumped out the window and climbed on the back of the dragon that had landed in an inner courtyard. As the huge monster flapped its wings to take flight, the Emperor's bodyguards heard him speak for himself.
"Behold the Emperor of Baharuth administering his glorious Empire... a mere butler who could not argue with the orders of spoiled children."
His hand clenched one of the curtains around the window... his knuckles were white.
The tone of his voice revealed his strong emotions of helpless frustration, bitterness, and humiliation.
The Empire of Baharuth had lost its freedom to choose its enemies and make its own laws. It had become heavily dependent on the economy of the Sorcerer Kingdom and was forced to cooperate due to the presence of powerful undead garrisons. Despite this succession of humiliations, perhaps they had to thank heaven... at least they were still alive.
Daggerford, North of the Roble Holy Kingdom
At the highest spire of the castle, the wind waved the royal banner of Roble, testifying to the presence of Queen Calca Bessarez in this modest city.
Having no reason to land far from the city, Miriel flew over the ramparts and the descent began in front of the main gate of the castle. As the guards gathered on the ramparts pointing at them, the populace looked up from the nearby streets screaming in surprise.
The arrival of a wizard using a flying carpet was anything but impressive in the eyes of ordinary people. It used to annoy Miriel. She wanted to make a grand entrance that would capture everyone's attention and quickly be known by Jaldabaoth. The sooner the Demonic Emperor learned of her presence in Daggerford, the sooner he would leave the people of Targos in peace.
As the flying carpet came to rest on the ground, Baron Breval went down to present himself to the guards dressed in the white and blue tabard of the royal army who were on duty at the postern.
Although the man was a nobleman of a certain rank, the guards crossed their halberds in front of him.
"Stop, no one can enter without a valid pass."
The baron took out a letter adorned with the royal seal from the sleeve of his doublet and unfolded it before the eyes of the guards.
"I am Marcus Aquaire Breval, Baron of Targos, this is my wife Cordelia Monsagan Breval, the Wizard Miriel and her handmaiden. As you can see, I was summoned by Her Majesty the Queen Calca Bessarez."
The guards exchanged a glance. They had received no particular instructions concerning them and hesitated on the conduct to be held.
Fortunately, a woman with short brown hair, held back by a band of cloth, came down a staircase leading to a tower and advanced towards them. She was dressed in magical silver armor under a white surcoat adorned with the emblem of the Holy Kingdom. Her left hand rested on the bronze pommel of a knight's sword.
"Show me that letter."
The guard handed her the document.
"Immediately, Lady Custodio."
The young woman looked at the letter for a few seconds, then at the seal.
"Indeed, it is a letter written by the very hand of Her Majesty, and it is the royal seal. Welcome, sir and Madam Baroness. I am Remedios Custodio Grandmaster of Roble Holy Kingdom's Paladin Order. Please follow me, an apartment has been prepared for you." She then turned to Miriel. "We were also expecting you Lady Miriel... or is it Nimrodel?"
"Call me Miriel, Lady Custodio."
While servants had taken charge of the baron and his wife as soon as they arrived at their apartments, Remedios Custodio stayed with Miriel to show her where she was going to stay.
As they walked through the corridors, the half-elf felt the paladin's intense curiosity... and barely veiled hostility.
Finally, the paladin opened a door that led to a small two-room apartment, furnished in a rather pleasant way although the thick walls of cut stone reminded that the castle of Daggerford was not a palace of pleasure but a real fortress.
"Here's your room, I'll come and take you to Her Majesty the Queen tomorrow morning. You will have the honor of a private presentation at her apartments... please me and do not make yourself completely ridiculous."
"I will bear this in mind, Lady Custodio."
The paladin hesitated briefly and then turned around without even greeting her.
Miriel sighed while massaging her forehead...
"I have the strange impression that Lady Custodio does not like me."
Diolaine laughed, visibly amused. She was dressed again in her maid's outfit and had performed her role wonderfully until then, walking with her eyes lowered and silent...three steps behind Miriel. But now that they were alone, her excitable character gained the upper hand.
"Remedios Custodio only likes people born in the Roble Holy Kingdom, the only civilized country in the New World... provided of course that they are true worshippers of the Four Great Gods and not filthy heretics destined for the pyre. And, of course, they have to be completely human... because even demi-human children and half-breed humans pollute the Roble Holy Kingdom by their mere presence."
"I see... a fanatic."
"And this is the least of her faults," confirmed Diolaine.
"Is there anything worse?"
"Let's say that Custodio's fanaticism reflects her intransigence at all levels... intransigence that reflects her stubborn mind and lack of imagination. Since she leads Roble's army, these... hum... 'qualities' explain why the war against Jaldabaoth has so far ended in an uninterrupted succession of defeats."
"Let me guess, the fact that I was called for help by the queen..."
Diolaine did not let her finish, responding while nodding briskly.
"Yes, Custodio must be furious that Calca Bessarez recognizes your successes."
"Oh? I feel like my migraine won't get better..."
There was a brief silence and Diolaine spoke again.
"Tomorrow, you will participate in a fight..."
"A fight?"
"Yes, but according to rules you don't know. Your sword will be your tongue and your armor will be your make-up and the dress you will wear... what is at stake is your influence at the court of Queen Calca Bessarez."
A retort filled with a clear liquid was sitting on the table, and the liquid inside was slowly bubbling. Along a coil, the vapors condensed before falling back into a graduated beaker.
When the tube was half filled, Miriel replaced it with an empty container and filled several vials. Dipping a wooden tab in what remained of the liquid at the bottom of the beaker, she waved it and watched it flow... it was a syrupy liquid with the smell of vegetable solvent.
Just then Diolaine entered the room, carrying several packages. She was breathless.
"I did all the shops that sold dyes..."
"Let's see what you found."
Through her Inventory, Miriel identified plant pigments, mineral flakes, and metal oxides. Synthetic dyes had not yet been invented.
"Sit down, Diolaine. I finish the preparation."
She crushed the solid pigments in a mortar, mixed them with liquid tinctures; added glitter, and then... finally added the varnish she had distilled. The result was collected in several vials.
Turning back to her friend, the half-elf put on the table several jars and vials: nail polishes, eyeshades, lipsticks.
"Which color do you prefer?"
—In one afternoon of work, Miriel had just revolutionized the New World's cosmetic industry. Ridiculous? Maybe, but Roble was led by a queen... And all the women liked to make themselves beautiful... especially the queens.
The sun was low on the horizon, orange and strangely deformed, setting behind the hills.
Its bloody rays colored the forest of tall fir trees.
Standing by her flying carpet, the Summoner held a black book in her hands, the pages of which were covered with words that shone strangely. This evil book belonged to a collection of seven books that represented the seven deadly sins, it was called Greedy Clutches. The demon of the same name had materialized a few steps away and was listening to his 'mistress'. He was a humanoid creature with a horny forehead and red eyes, his skin was like tattooed, covered with strange black and red tangled scrolls
A demon... the kind of creature that needed to be summoned as far away as possible from a fanatic paladin, which explained why Miriel went into the forest to use Greedy Clutches.
The demon shook his chin, a little surprised. His 'Mistress' was not the frivolous type... usually. She bought him weapons, alchemical products, scrolls...
"A court dress?"
The half-elf blushed slightly and turned her head while coughing in her fist.
"I... I must be introduced to a queen."
The demon laughs warmly.
"I see...That kind of circumstance. Ah, forgive me, your humble servant Greedy Clutches does not disapprove of ambition... quite the contrary."
The demon of greed who disapproves of ambition? Unimaginable, indeed.
"Let's see what I have in stock..."
The demon was humming while looking at a virtual window that had just opened in front of him. With his finger, he was scrolling through a list... a very long list of objects.
"Next time, let me know in advance, I could have made an order to my suppliers...oh? Wait, I have this in stock? I don't remember buying it."
He scratched his right horn.
"Anyway, that's exactly what you need."
Greedy Clutches reached out, took out a beautiful dress from his Inventory, and displayed it on the flying carpet for his client.
"This is Eraingui's dress. This dress belonged to the Countess Mathise d'Eraingui, a noble lady who died of love for her fiancé Prince Erlan de Parye... the crown prince of the kingdom of Burgandi, who had his eyes only on the young Marguerie Favière, an adorable commoner. To get the love of Prince Erlan, Mathise d'Eraingui has enchanted a dress from one of the best designers... Now, the one who wears Eraingui's dress benefits from the effects of an enchantment that allows her to perfectly master the most useful talents in a royal court, such as the art of conversation, dance, seduction..."
Greedy Clutches boasted about Eraingui's dress without noticing that Miriel looked at him with amazement... as shocked as if lightning had fallen at her feet.
The demon was summarizing the plot of Mahō To Ai Gurimoa (Grimoire of Love and Magic)... an Otome game (2) that Watanabe Haruko had on her smartphone!
Except...
Except that...
Except that Greedy Clutches was a demonic book from the game Obscura Onihime Online... an MMORPG she had on her computer...
How Greedy Clutches could have items from ANOTHER game in his shop Inventory?!
Author's note: If you have not understood what are the three 'Foundations stones' mentioned in the introduction.
1°) The first mention of the 7 'Wisdom Stones'... these stones will have a central role in this fan fiction.
2°) The first appearance of Jircnic... one of the main characters of this fan fiction.
3°) The dress of Eraingui... in itself, the appearance of an object from an Otome game is a kind of joke, nevertheless this will lead Miriel to question what she knows about her own invocation abilities. Eventually, this will allow her to realize that she can summon creatures and objects that are not from OOO... like a Servant from the Fate universe, for example.
(1) In 'Miriel' the Roble Holy Kingdom did not approve the declaration of war. This is an important difference between the two Time Lines.
(2) Let's be clear 'Legendary Tier' is not a classification used in the game Yggdrasil... but it exists in the New Word. Any spell above the 5th Tier is classified as 'Legendary'... because no living wizard can cast them (they are however used in rituals that require long preparations, multiple spellcasters, a pentacle, and expensive reagents).
(3)Popular girl game where the goal is to 'capture' beautiful young men (nicknamed 'targets')... Do you see the genre? No? So you don't have a little sister...