Chapter 48: Mixed Feelings

A dense fog clouded the distant hills, swallowing the landscape in an eerie silence. No birds chirped, no wind rustled through the trees—only the steady rhythm of hooves crunching against the dirt road broke the oppressive stillness.

"How long until we reach the capital?"

Riding at the head of the caravan, Remedios Custodio, Grandmaster of the Paladin Order, narrowed her eyes at the mist ahead, barely able to see 10 meters ahead.

"I can't say for certain, Captain. This weather doesn't help us at all." Gustav, her second-in-command, answered. He was a man past his prime, his light-grayish-brown hair already showing signs of age. A neatly trimmed goatee framed his stern expression, giving him the air of a seasoned veteran. While he may not have been the strongest swordsman anymore, experience had sharpened his mind, a quality Remedios often lacked.

"Squire Baraja!" Remedios' voice cut through their ranks, and a particular blonde girl emerged, her back straightened despite her nervousness. She was quite a contrast to the Grandmaster, her posture suggesting her shy behavior around the Captain. Yet her eyes, a glare that seemed to pierce right through anybody they looked upon, made her quite frightening.

"Y-Yes, Captain Remedios!"

"Scout ahead! The capital should be right ahead of us." At her command, the squire ran forward. It was no mistake that she had been chosen for this task. She had a unique ability that allowed her to see much further. Perhaps she had her father to thank for that gift, but she did not utter such thanks to him. No, she would rather follow in her mother's footsteps and become a true paladin.

"I see pavement!" She called back, noticing the road change abruptly. Hard stone covered the ground, indicating that the city was near.

Behind her, Remedios signaled to move forward.

As Neia continued, she saw tall, dark silhouettes in the distance, different from the fog around her.

'Buildings.'

It was the city gate. However, as she came closer, her eyes made notice of the silence that remained. Normally, one would hear chatter, shouting, or bells ringing. But there was nothing. Only stillness.

'Strange…'

Neia's breath caught in her throat as the walls of Re-Estize came into full view. They were shattered, gaping holes exposing the ruined city beyond. No repairs had been made. No banners flew. Whatever attacked this city did so for good.

'No guards either.'

A chill ran down her spine as if every next step would lead her to her demise. It was a primal instinct to run away from such a place. If she was alone, she would have long run in the opposite direction.

"What are you waiting for, squire!"

Neia flinched at the voice behind her. She must have been in a trance, staring at the fallen ruins left and right.

"I'm sorry, captain. But you have to see this." She pointed at what was supposed to be the proud capital of Re-Estize.

Remedios followed her gaze, her mouth opening slightly as she took in the destruction. The proud capital of Re-Estize lay in ruin. The once beautiful walls now stood as broken remnants. And within them, the city had met a similar fate.

Since the war with the Sorcerer Kingdom, information from Re-Estize practically vanished. No one knew what had happened. Now, they did.

"The fog stops here." Neia murmured. Then, her eyes widened as they locked onto something in the distance. "I can see the Ro-Lente castle… It's still intact, but—" She squinted. "It's… glowing? Blue?" She couldn't quite describe it. The castle itself seemed to possess an illuminating presence, as if it was glowing from itself with an otherworldly glow.

"What?" Remedios moved her horse forward, wanting to see the castle for herself. One could see it from every angle of the city, as it was built on a tall hill in the middle of the capital.

"Captain Remedios, I would advise against going to that castle. We should—"

"There is no time!" Remedios cut him off. "If someone's there, and they're hostile, we'll put them down."

Her vice-captain could only sigh in defeat as his words were unable to leave a mark on the captain.

As they advanced through the city's remains, scattered chunks of ice lay strewn across the streets—massive, jagged formations that had no business being there. There was no snow nor frost thus, the weather had nothing to do with this ice.

"What in the world happened here…?" Gustav scanned their surroundings. He could find no corpses, nothing. It was as if the city had simply ceased to exist, its people erased.

"Keep your eyes open! We don't want to meet the same fate as the ones who lived here!" Remedios instructed her troops.

A shiver ran down Neia's spine. Not from her captain's voice but from something else.

Then—

"Stop! I hear something!" Neia called out, and the whole formation stopped. A tense silence stretched between them. Then, they heard it too.

Marching.

Steady, heavy, deliberate.

Most of the time, this meant nothing good.

"Draw your swords!" Remedios' eyes were fixated on the front.

There, armored figures emerged. At first glance, they looked like normal knights, but something felt off about them. Their armor was a crystalline blue, jagged ice forming spikes along their pauldrons and gauntlets. Beneath, a layer of dark metal hid any sign of flesh. Their helms lacked visors, their faces obscured entirely, and yet something within them pulsed—a haunting blue light flickering from their chests and eye slits, as if the armor itself was alive.

In their hands, they carried swords made from crystals. As imperfect as they were, they looked majestic to the onlooker's eyes.

Some bore shields, others two-handed greatswords.

"Who the hell are these guys…?" Gustav's grip tightened on his hilt. He could not place them in any category. They couldn't be knights of Re-Estize, as he knew what they looked like.

"Steady!" Remedios instructed.

The knights were tall and broad. Each footstep heavy as they marched forward, halting just in front of the paladins.

For a moment, there was an eerie silence as they stared at each other.

"Seek your name and purpose here…"

One of the knights addressed them, a voice almost as silent as a whisper. All of them felt a slight chill as he spoke. Remedios was the first to respond.

"We are from the Holy Roble Kingdom and wish to talk with the ruler of Re-Estize, or whatever is left of it." She declared, announcing the name of her nation with pride only she could muster in this situation.

The knights did not move or speak for a moment.

"Your request has been permitted…"

The knights turned without another word, marching toward the castle.

Gustav exchanged an uneasy glance with Remedios. "Should we really follow them?"

"Do we have a choice?"

The matter was settled. They followed them, keeping a wary distance.

As they got closer to the castle, it was much clearer what made it glow with such a turquoise color. It was frozen. Completely. Its surface glittered like jewels from a lady's earrings.

"Am I dreaming…?" One of the paladins muttered. It was a sight that belonged in a fairy tale, an ethereal beauty masking an undeniable dread.

Half of the knights parted in front of the second gate, standing guard on either side. The rest moved forward into the castle walls.

"Gustav, Squire Neia, follow me! Have the royal carriage moved behind us with four paladins on each side!" Remedios quickly instructed.

As they continued, their armor began to feel cold, their breath visible as the temperature dropped slightly.

"What a sight…" Gustav expressed as he stared at the Valencia palace, the heart of Re-Estize and home to the royal family. Compared to the surroundings, it was left unscathed, not even a crack visible on the frozen surface of the palace.

At the entrance, different figures remained standing.

Women—pale as snow, with flowing blue hair that obscured their faces. They wore long robes of white and deep blue, an aura of fog coiling around them like mist. The ground beneath them was solid ice.

Remedios chose to ignore them as she descended from her horse. Before she continued to the palace, she walked to the carriage that followed them.

"Is she alright?" Inside, her younger sister cradled their unconscious queen.

"She is fine, except that she is still frozen in this mysterious state. But don't worry about us; we'll be safe here." Kelart assured, and Remedios nodded.

"Fine. Don't hesitate to bring her to safety if you see anything suspicious." Remedios retreated from the wagon, going back toward the entrance of the palace.

Behind her stood her vice-captain and her squire.

"Let's go then." She made the first move. The heavy double doors opened on their own, welcoming them inside. Surprisingly, it was warm and pleasant compared to the freezing cold outside.

It took not long until they reached another set of grand doors, another two pale women guarding it.

They did not exchange words. The following doors simply opened, allowing them entry into the throne room. And what beheld them stunned the three as they gazed toward the person sitting on the throne of Re-Estize.

"Welcome, Grandmaster Remedios Custodio." She greeted, her voice carrying unnatural amusement. "I am Princess Renner Theiere Chardelon Ryle Vaiself, ruler of the Principality of Re-Estize. I have been expecting you." They had heard stories of the Golden Princess and her beautiful smile that could charm people on sight.

However, the princess did not seem that kind of person anymore. She wore a beautiful dark dress, contrasting her long golden hair. Her smile was arrogant and prideful, not what they expected she would look like.

After recovering from their initial shock, the three of them quickly knelt before the foreign ruler, displaying the proper courtesy due to her station.

"I thank you for granting us an audience, your Royal Highness." Remedios spoke first, her tone formal yet carrying a sharp edge. "You said you were expecting us. How so?"

They had seen no scouts, no messengers—nothing to indicate that their arrival had been anticipated. And that unsettled Remedios greatly.

Renner's lips curled into a knowing smile. "I have my informants. The moment you stepped into my territory, I knew."

"I see." Remedios narrowed her eyes, growing a stern face as she took in the princess's appearance. Where those bat-like wings on her back? "If you don't mind me asking, what exactly transpired here in the last months, Princess Renner?"

Neia could only watch as the captain confronted the princess directly. She had heard the rumors too, but seeing Renner now, she struggled to reconcile this creature before her with the beloved Golden Princess of legend.

"Can't you tell?" Renner motioned at the flag hanging behind her throne, letting out a light chuckle. "The Kingdom of Nazarick has conquered Re-Estize. I now rule as its vassal." Her words were calm, almost indifferent. But their meaning struck like a hammer.

Remedios, Gustav, and Neia stared in stunned silence.

"Is that the reason you turned on humanity? To stay in power?" Remedios' expression changed to anger as she accused the princess. "How could you do this?"

In her mind, the pieces were coming together. Renner hadn't been forced into servitude. She had chosen this path. And if that was the case, then she was beyond redemption.

But rather than being insulted, Renner laughed—a light, almost musical sound.

"I did what I had to do to survive. You, on the other hand… You would never have come here seeking aid from the Sorcerer King if you weren't facing an enemy you couldn't defeat. And yet, here you are." She tilted her head. "You accuse me of treachery, but in the end, are you really any different?" Her words struck like a dagger.

Remedios clenched her fists. She hated that the princess was right. They had come to seek aid from the very being they despised most.

"And as to my appearance. The Sorcerer King has seen the worth I possess. He granted me with an immortal body that would never age and a strength that I, as a human, never had." After the princess finished speaking, a silence hung in the air, until she continued. "But this is not the topic of discussion. You are here to ask the Sorcerer King for aid, correct?"

"Yes. We heard of an adamantite adventurer, Momon, who once slew one of these great beasts. A similar creature now threatens our kingdom. We have come to request his aid." Her face showed that she did not enjoy any part of this. Even talking to Renner, a traitor to humankind, clouded her mind as she had to concentrate on speaking with sense.

"I know of him. Unfortunately, I do not have the power to grant you his help or any aid in any form. You have to ask the Sorcerer King personally for that."

Remedios could see the princess took pleasure in this moment, taunting her, reveling in her discomfort.

Before she could speak again, Gustav stepped forward.

"Forgive my interruption, your Royal Highness. My name is Gustav Montagnés, Vice-Captain of the Paladin Order. Would it be possible for Your Highness to arrange an audience with the Sorcerer King?" Gustav spoke where Remedios fell short.

Renner's expression, however, remained unreadable. "I don't believe that is necessary." She murmured cryptically. "If you were allowed entry in this nation, it is because he chose so."

"If he truly is that all-knowing—"

Before Remedios could finish, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Gustav interrupted her before she could say something reckless.

"That must mean he wishes to hear us out?" Sweat formed on his forehead. Who knew what would have happened if he had not stopped their captain from saying any disrespectful words toward the Sorcerer King? If he knew of their arrival, he probably had spies in this very room overseeing their conversation.

"I would not dare presume to know my lord's thoughts. He is as intelligent as he is frightening." The Princess said ominously.

Just then, a low rumble of thunder echoed outside. Lightning flashed, illuminating the throne room for the briefest moment.

And in that instant, Neia saw it.

A shadow.

A figure hovering just beyond the window.

The Princess noticed it as well.

"It seems his Majesty has already sent someone for you." She glanced outside the window, prompting Remedios and Gustav to do the same.

Without any indication, the glass panes rippled, melting into liquid before parting and allowing a shrouded figure to pass through.

The moment he entered, the very air changed.

Remedios' hand instinctively went to her sword.

The being hovered within, the chandelier's light only now illuminating its form.

The being before them was tall, towering over them like a predator surveying its prey atop a tree.

A black cape flowed around him, hiding most of his form except the helmet and boots. A gap in the middle allowed one to see what was beneath.

Underneath the cloth was a dark grey suit of armor, and red, vein-like patterns pulsed across the metal's surface, moving as if alive.

His helmet was sleek and featureless, with no visor nor opening to show, as if its face was made of metal. Two horns sprouted from its temples, short but curved.

The figure commanded authority, and one could feel its repressive aura simply from standing in its presence.

Remedios acted instinctually, drawing her sword and pointing it at the intruder. Gustav did the same.

Neia, however, remained frozen.

And Renner… Renner simply watched, a glint of admiration in her eyes.

The figure tilted his head at their reaction.

"Is that truly wise, Grandmaster Remedios Custodio?" His voice was deep and smooth, laced with both amusement and menace. "Raising a weapon against a servant of the very king you came here to beg for aid?" His words were dripped with mockery, prompting any sane person to burst into anger, especially someone like Remedios.

"I don't care who you are, demon!" Before Gustav could hold Remedios back, she stormed at him. Her mind was no longer her own but possessed by her most fearsome emotions.

She went to make a full sweep, likely aiming to cut her opponent in half. But her adversary did not move; he simply watched her follow through with her attack.

CLANG!

"What!"

Remedios' eyes widened. Her attack did not even manage to touch him. Instead, her sword seemed to bounce off a violet barrier made up of many hexagons.

"As expected." Slowly, he lifted a gloved hand. "To tell the truth, I was waiting for this moment. When I heard of you, I just couldn't wait to finally meet you." Remedios made a confused face upon hearing those words. "Forgive me for not introducing myself. I am Pride, a vassal of Ainz Ooal Gown."

Remedios' grip on her sword tightened.

"You're a demon, thats what you are!" Remedios recovered, prepared to launch another attack at Pride.

"And this is reason alone to attack me? Truly, your ego knows no bounds." His words were too casual, as if he was enjoying the conversation and how predictable Remedios reacted to his taunts.

"Go to hell!"

"My dear, I just came from there." Pride replied with a slight chuckle following. "Now, let us turn to serious matters." He turned to look at Renner. "You have done your job well. My master is pleased."

"Then, to the three of you. I will forgive the actions of your Grandmaster, for now. I have come here to bring you to his domain. If you resist, you will not get a chance to meet my lord again." His proposal was simple, yet Remedios did not like it one bit. He held all the power if they accepted. Her fists clenched, her teeth gritted, until Gustav touched her shoulder.

"Calm down, Captain! Remember why we came here. Not to make new enemies, but allies." His words intruded into her mind, bringing up the state in which her queen was in. This could be their only chance.

Reluctantly, she sheathed her sword away.

"Good choice. Now, follow me." Without uttering another word, an anomaly sprung to life before the three, expanding about the height and width of a door. Their guide motioned for them to enter first.

"What is it?" Gustav asked, confused about what the floating oval vortex was here for.

"A portal, a gateway to my master." Pride answered, feeding on their aghast faces and confusion.

"Neia, you go in first!" Remedios commanded her squire.

"Me, why?"

"Just do it! Come back and let us know if it is safe to pass."Neia reluctantly agreed, hesitantly nearing the "portal."

She reached out to it, and surprisingly, she felt no pain. Soon, her hand followed, and then her foot, until she took the courage to pass entirely through. Out of fear, she had closer her eyes. But luckily, there was solid ground. However, nothing could have prepared her for what lay before her as she opened them again.

"Woah…"

She stood amid a garden—beautiful flowers she had never seen—placed ordinarily around her, forming a path forward. Their colors varied from blue, green, yellow, purple, red, and many other colors she didn't believe plant life could replicate. Their sheer beauty compelled her to stay in a trance she didn't know she could wake up from.

A subtle breeze awakened her, and as she looked up, she saw the most incredible sky. The sun stood high, yet surprisingly, it did not blind her.

In the distance, a figure caught her attention. He was occupied with tending to some flowers, his back turned to her.

"E-Excuse me?" She called him out, and as she did, the man halted his movements.

He stood up, and she could see he wore an elaborate robe. The under-part was grey with black lines, while the upper part was primarily black with intricate patterns. It reminded her of the dresses the pale women at the Valencia Palace wore.

The man slowly turned around, revealing a face she was not expected to see.

Black hair combed back, deep dark-red eyes, and an impressive jawline. Overhaul, the man in front of her was relatively older than her, but she still couldn't figure out who he was. The man was certainly good-looking. However, his expression did not change a bit when he saw her. It was simply a neutral stare devoid of emotions.

"Welcome. I have expected you." She was surprised as he spoke for the first time, his voice deep and noble. If any person had such a charismatic voice, she would be confident he could conquer the world alone through words.

"I– Uh, was sent here to see if it is safe to pass." Neia replied, but she did not expect the man to burst into laughter. She could only stare in confusion.

Suddenly, he stopped, and she could hear him to be somewhat discomforted.

"Forgive me. I shouldn't have done that." He apologized; however, Neia did not register that at all. She was still in amazement at what transpired around her.

"Uhm, could I know who you are– I mean, we were sent here to see the Sorcerer King. But this here doesn't seem to be the right place." A silence followed until the man erupted into a heartful laughter once more. Neia, however, could not grasp what was so funny.

"Don't worry, this is the right place. And the person you seek…" He outstretched his hands in a grand gesture. "...stands right in front of you."

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Neia and the Sorcerer King finally meet! And if you're confused about why Ainz has skin, remember the last chapters where he managed to create a custom 'skin' for his body. In the time they took to get to Re-Estize, he perfected it to allow some motion in the face to represent his emotions.

I saw that FFN isn't updating my chapters despite it being almost 24 hours out. Hope this gets fixed.