The dark office inside the Tomb of Nazarick, lit by flickering candlelight casting long shadows across the room, was the office of Shalltear. The walls are adorned with intricate gothic patterns, and the furniture is made of dark wood, giving it an ancient feel. In the center of the room sits a large desk, upon which rests a quill pen and inkwell over some paper. On one wall hangs a portrait of the greatest King of all, Ainz Ooal Gown.
Shalltear Bloodfallen, the vampire guardian of the first to third floors, sat behind an ornate desk with papers in her hand. It was the report from CZ2128 Delta.
Shalltear's eyes scanned the piece of paper. It contained details about a recent mission, and she tried to be analytical without omitting any detail. She traced with her fingers over the words, committing them to memory before moving on to the next page.
She continued to read through the document, and her gaze landed on a familiar name, Roman Torchwick.
"Hmm. A small problem," Shalltear murmured, her voice a silken whisper in the quiet room. She then changed the page, and as expected, CZ2128 added details of the individual.
Roman Torchwick is a notorious criminal in the Kingdom of Vale known for his cunning and ruthlessness. His involvement suggests a change in his motives, as he is now working with extremists.
"Extremist, ha? Well, that's a good way to put it," she muttered under her breath as she came across another familiar term: 'White Fang.' This was the group of beastmen who terrorized humans.
Unfortunately for Shalltear, CZ2128's report doesn't include information on how they started working together.
Shalltear took a cup of tea from her desk and drank it. She grabbed a small cookie and delighted her paladar for a moment, thinking that the food in Nazarick would never be overpassed.
After eating that cookie, she saw the other report and took it, this one from Clementine. The report again showed the name "Roman Torchwick" stood out prominently. Shalltear's brow furrowed as she read further.
The information about their connection was more detailed, including details about their approximate numbers in Vale and the weapons they normally use. Shalltear wondered how Clementine was able to do a task better than a Pleiade.
Shalltear leaned back in her chair, tapping her fingers thoughtfully on the desk. The infiltration was progressing well, but the emerging details required careful navigation. The mission was a simple reconnaissance and a complex operation involving multiple factions and hidden agendas.
Shalltear then tried to think harder, "What would the Supreme do?" Then, she decided to go and read the other two reports. Neia Baraja and Lupusregina Beta's reports. Their observations were meticulous, filled with insights into Beacon Academy's structure and its students. Despite Lupusregina's usual playful demeanor, she had taken the mission seriously, blending in seamlessly among the young huntsmen and huntresses. However, her report was relatively simple. Neia, on the other hand, has approached the report to give more details about the living style of the citizens, their powers and strengths, and the cosmovision of the locals.
To Shalltear, all the information was essential to conquer the place in the name of Ainz Ooal Gown and Nazarick. But she still did not know what to do.
She read the reports again, especially CZ2128's report, and read again about the White Fang. They were originally formed to seek equality for the Faunus but later devolved into violent extremism. They seem to have originated in Mistral, a kingdom close to the island where they were confined.
Shalltear then grabs a past report and reads a small report about Mistral.
Mistral is located on the continent of Anima, the second-largest landmass in Remnant. The Kingdom of Mistral controls most of the territory of all four kingdoms, encompassing a wide range of ecosystems and many diverse cultures. High society contributed to the fashion and entertainment industry, but the Kingdom also hosts the biggest black market.
Shalltear read again, and a smirk appeared on her face. After that, she decided to call Mare and was about to call Aura but restrained herself. She knew that she could call Aura and Demiurge to get the information she needed, but she restrained herself from doing it.
/*/
The next day, in the early evening, Shalltear decided to visit Carne City. Her whole body was still covered by clothes; in her hands, she had a parasol, and on her face, a mask. Her clothing stood out in the small city, a feat difficult to do, as the city had become close to a small metropolis.
Even though the whole city is still relatively small, with its economy going around harvesting vegetables, some alchemic ingredients, and hunting, the city has become an important point as it's now the home of different species living together in peace and harmony. Goblins take care of the security in the city's perimeter. At the same time, some dwarfs have made a home there to do their research about runic art. Some lizardfolk have moved closer and helped with the water system, while some free elves, especially dark elves, have made the Great Forest of Tob their home, helping with finding the best alchemy ingredients that grow in the forest.
Due to all of this, Carne City has become a commerce point for many, especially for the Beharut Empire, whose localization makes it closer to it.
In her stroll, the different citizens looked at Shalltear but tried to be civil. Lizard men thought of it as another species, dark elves looked at her as a child elf, and humans looked at her as a normal rich child. But most of the Dwarves looked at her as a beautiful woman whose only mistake was to not have a beard.
Shalltear then stopped in front of one of the biggest houses. One that looks out of place for its architecture and size but, at the same time, feels like it deserves to be there due to its exterior garden. She knocked on the door, and a young woman came out with a baby in her arms.
"Good day, Tsuare. Is Sebas available for a chat?" said Shalltear.
Tsuare bowed and answered, "Yes, Shalltear-sama. Please, come in." She moved out of the way to let Shalltear enter the house. Tsuare closed the door after she entered and then moved away to put her baby inside a small crib. "Let me go and let him know you have arrived." After that, Tsuare walked fast to the second floor of the house.
In the living room was Shalltear, who closed her parasol and removed her mask. She looked around the house, and then her eyes stopped at the baby. The small baby looked at Shalltear with his eyes like an eagle, just like Sebas, but the hair was brown.
Both eyes were connected, and the baby seemed to be examining Shalltear. The vampire looked at the baby until Sebas and Tsuare took steps to let her know that they were coming down.
"Good evening, Shalltear-sama. How may I be of your assistance?" asked Sebas.
"Good evening to you, Sebas," replied Shalltear.
Tsuare smiled and announced that she would go and make some tea for them. Meanwhile, Sebas gestured to Shalltear to sit on one of the couches available. Shalltear took the main couch while Sebas sat in front of her on 3 sits couch next to the crib. And the vampire couldn't help but look at the baby, who was still looking at her again.
"I have come to ask for information from the new residents of the city," said Shalltear.
Sebas nodded, "you want to talk with the beastmen that called themselves Faunus?"
Shalltear nodded, "Yes, I have received some reports, and I want to confirm some information."
Tsuare then arrived with a trail. She offered the tea to Shalltear and then went and grabbed her baby, who looked at Shalltear. Tsuare smiled, "It seems that little Ninya is interested in you, Shalltear-sama."
Shalltear grimes a little but composed herself right away. "I didn't congratulate you on your safe delivery. Congratulations on becoming a mother," said Shalltear while the baby finally decided to look elsewhere.
"Thank you, Shalltear-sama," said Sebas while Tsuare bowed down.
"Can I ask why the name Ninya?" asked the vampire.
"It is a beautiful name, isn't it?" replied Tsuare, smiling. "The Great Sorcerer King, name her himself." Tsuare started to caress the head of her daughter. "I don't know if His Majesty knows, but that was my younger sister's name."
"I see," was the only thing that said Shalltear. She then sipped her tea and added, "Well, it is a great name, especially if the Supreme One chooses it for her. I'll wait great things from her in the future, then," Tsuare nodded, and Sebas smiled.
Sebas then turned to see Shalltear, "Shalltear-sama, about your desire to talk with the Faunus people, I advise you to first talk with the city leader, Enri Emmot. She should be able to help you, I can help you to be your contact."
"That would be good, please, if we can do it right now," said Shalltear, sipping the tea one last time and then standing up. Sebas nodded and stood up, and once they were at the door, Tsuare bowed with her daughter in her arms.
Sebas took a coat close to the door and turned to Tsuare, "I'll be back in a moment." Then Sebas and Shalltear left the home.
Enri's house has not changed a bit, even when the village grew to become this prosperous small city. When they were close to the door, a young girl with reddish brown hair and pigtails called Sebas, "Mr. Sebas. Good evening!"
Sebas turned to see the girl who had a bag of vegetables in her hands, and to her side was a goblin who looked suspiciously at Shalltear.
"Good, evening, Nemu. Is your sister available?" asked Sebas.
"Yes, she should be…" said the young girl and then turned to see Shalltear. The beauty of Shalltear made her lose herself for a moment. Suddenly, she felt self-conscious of what she was doing and blushed, "Sorry… Yes, my sister should be available. Please come in."
Before they could move, the Goblin tugged Nemu and whispered to her, "Lady Nemu, I don't think we should be close to them. Especially that woman."
Nemu frowned at the Goblin and whispered back, "What are you saying? She is friends with Sebas-oniichan. Don't be like that."
"Is there any problem?" asked Sebas.
Nemu only shook her head, "No, nothing. He… just thought that we forgot something from the groseries." The young girl smiled and then opened the door.
Once they entered the house, the smell of stew impregnated their noses. The house consisted of three rooms, two of which were bedrooms, and the main room was where the kitchen, dining room, and living room were located. Close to the walls were some bookshelves and drawers. Surprisingly, on one wall was a cloth, a flag of the Sorcerer Kingdom, and under it was a small drawer with a small painting of Enri, her husband Nfirea, Nemu, and some Goblins. The painting was really well made and realistic, almost like a photo.
"Were you able to find everything, Nemu?" asked Enri while on the steel stove.
"Yes, Sis. And if you could turn around, you could see that Sebas-oniichan came to talk to you with one of his friends," Nemu said while handing the bag with the vegetables.
Enri turned and smiled, "Oh, I apologize, Mr Sebas." She then left the stove and cleaned her hands, though she did not offer it to Sebas or Shalltear. Instead, she bowed a little with her head. "It's nice to meet you again," she greeted him politely. Turning to Shalltear, she added, "And hello, miss. Thank you for visiting us."
Sebas bowed slightly. "Greetings, Enri. This is Shalltear Bloodfallen, one of our leaders. She wishes to speak to someone regarding an organization and its activities."
Enri nodded understandingly. "Of course. Anything for His Majesty. If you need anything, please feel free to ask."
Shalltear stepped forward and introduced herself more formally. "Greetings, Enri. My name is Shalltear Bloodfallen, and I work directly under His Majesty, the Sorcerer King, Ainz Ooal Gown. As the leader of this city, I would appreciate it if you could arrange a meeting with a citizen who could answer some questions about an organization."
Enri nodded slowly and then bowed again, not knowing what the correct protocol was, "I… of course. I'll do my best to help His Majesty. But… ah, is someone in any problem?"
The Goblin put his guard high when he saw Enri nervous. But Shalltear only moved her hands dismissively. "No, not really. This is due to an ongoing investigation. We believe that they can help us understand such organization."
Enri sighed in relief, "Oh, good." After that, she smiled, "Can I ask who you are looking for?"
"Anyone from the so-called faunus," Shalltear said.
Enri nodded, "Very well, I think I can do it, but until tomorrow. Is that all right?"
Shalltear sighed in defeat, "Sure. I'll be back around the same time tomorrow then."
Enri smiled, "Oh if you want to accompany us for dinner."
"That won't be necessary," said Shalltear before doing a small curtsy and then opening a portal back to her house and leaving.
Enri and Nemu were surprised by the display of magic. "Wow," said Nemu with a smile, but the Goblin next to her was trembling in fear.
Sebas then bowed slightly at Enri, "Well, I think I will be leaving too. Tsuare should have already prepared dinner."
"Oh, of course," said Enri. "Please say Hi to Tsuare for me."
Sebas nodded and left the house.
When Sebas left the house, Nfrea entered. "Did Mr Sebas come to visit?"
"Yep, he and a beautiful girl. But they left, but tomorrow they'll come back". Replied Nemu.
/*/
The next day, Enri walked through the bustling streets of Carne. The sun was still hung high in the sky, casting a warm glow over the small city.
As she made her way towards the fields where the villagers were hard at work, she was bombarded with greetings all around. Some old woman also got close to her and gave her some vegetables from their harvest. Fortunately for Enri, she was accompanied by some goblins who carried the gifts they gave her.
She had chosen to speak with a faunus who she knew was a hard-working individual who had quickly become an integral part of their agricultural efforts.
She walked through fields that stretched out before her, with vibrant green and gold crops that would sustain the village through the coming seasons. She spotted the Faunus among the workers; his frame was of any other human man if it wasn't for the donkey ears.
Enri approached him, and as she drew nearer, the faunus paused in his work and turned to face her, his keen eyes meeting hers with a mixture of curiosity and respect.
"Good afternoon, Enri," he greeted her. "What brings you to the fields today?"
"Good afternoon, Romeo," Enri replied, offering him a friendly smile. "I hope I'm not interrupting your work."
"Not at all, and please call me Lampwick; that's how my friends call me," the faunus said while wiping his brow with the back of his hand. "What can I do for you?"
Enri took a deep breath, "There's something important I need to discuss with you. There is someone from the Kingdom who wants to talk to you. They'll be arriving near the evening."
The Faunus's expression shifted to one of mild surprise. "Someone from the Kingdom? What could they want with me?"
"I don't have all the details," Enri admitted, "but I was asked to arrange a meeting. They said it was important, and they needed to talk to a faunus."
The faunus considered her words momentarily, his brow furrowing in thought. "I see. Well, if it's that important, I'll be ready. Where should I meet this person?"
Enri felt relief wash over her at his willingness to cooperate. "Thank you. You can meet them at your house. They'll come to you."
"Very well," he agreed with a nod. "I'll make sure everything is in order."
"Thank you, Lampwick," Enri said sincerely. "I appreciate your understanding."
The faunus gave her a reassuring smile. "No need to thank me. This Kingdom helped me and all the faunus that came with me when we were lost in the sea. I would have died either in the sea or from overwork back home. If this meeting is important, then I'll do whatever is needed."
Enri returned his smile, feeling renewed confidence in her leadership. "I'll let them know where to find you. Thank you again."
With a final nod of agreement, Lampwick returned to his work. Enri watched him for a moment before she turned to leave.
In the afternoon, Lampwick went to clean himself, ate, and went home. Once inside his 1 room house, he felt a sudden nervousness as he remembered that someone from the Kingdom was going to visit him. 'Should I clean my house?' he thought to himself, but he decided against that, and instead, he just put some order to his place. Though the house has only two drawers, an improvised stove, and his bed, he had a lot of small things he had acquired from to the dwarves.
Suddenly, a knock on the door stopped his cleaning. "Coming!" said Lampwick, and he went and opened the door. Enri was there, and a different goblin was next to her, but on the other side was a girl who looked familiar to him, but he couldn't say from where.
"Come in, come in," said Lampwick, grabbing some chairs he normally used to talk to and drinking with some friends he had made in Carne City. "Please sit."
Enri smiled at the faunus, "Thank you, Lampwick, but I just came to walk Lady Shalltear here. She is the one I told you about."
The faunus heard the name, and his mind tried to link her with something, but he could not recall, 'Enri said that she is a worker from the Kingdom; maybe she was there when I arrived.' Lampwick only nodded and moved away to give space to Shalltear to pass. "Well, all right. Then I'll see you later, Enri," said the Faunus before looking at Shalltear. "please, come in."
Shalltear entered the small house and graciously took sit in one of the wooden chairs. Enri left the place, and Lampwick closed the door, "Can I offer you some water to drink?" asked the faunus.
"No, thank you." Said Shalltear coldly.
Lampwick nodded, and slowly, he took a seat in the other wooden chair. Shalltear then moved her arm above her head and took a small pad from her bun, "I have some questions about certain organizations."
Oliver nodded slowly, "I-I'll do my best to answer, ma'am."
Shalltear then, with one hand, produced a pen and asked, "What do you know about the White Fang?"
The donkey faunus' eyes went wide, "the-the White Fang? I-I am not part of it. I would never-"
Shalltear rolled her eyes, "calm down. I am not accusing you. But as a faunus, and someone that lived in Menagerie, where many members of the White Fang reside, or resided."
"Yes. That's true," said Lampwick, and then he did a heavy sigh. "I… I was invited to join them a few years ago." Lampwick was somehow sad about talking about it.
"Well, then maybe you can tell me whatever you may know. First, I heard that they started as a group peaceful group and then went violent. Is that correct?" asked Shalltear, not empathizing with the whole older brother story.
Lampwick felt somehow relieved that she did not press on about his personal experience, "Yes, it is. They used to believe in equality between humans and faunus. With peaceful protests here and there. But there were no real changes, and over time, their methods became more extreme and aggressive."
Shalltear raised an eyebrow, "because they were not heard? Or because they want to profit from it?"
"Pardon?" the faunus was not ready for that question.
"The attacks, the killing, the kidnapping. Was it all because of the whole charade of victims desperate asking for equality, or were you trying to get money out of it?" Shalltear elaborated.
"I-I… I don't know, really. I don't think so, no. Or at least, the normal faunus don't do it because of it", said Lampwick.
Shalltear tilted her head, "Then tell me from where the White Fang gets its money for uniforms, materials, weapons, transportation, and food?"
The faunus never thought about it, "I-I was told, or at least in Menagerie is told, that they get it from donations from sympathetic people. But, I personally believe that they get it from robberies, smuggling, and protection rackets."
Shalltear nodded and wrote it down, "I see, I see." Then she read a note she had on the pad. "And do you know if the White Fang would work with other criminals?"
Lampwick frowned at the question, "I guess it will depend. If it is a Faunus organization, yes, I believe they would. But not with humans."
Shalltear looked at the faunus, "not with humans?"
Lampwick nodded, "Yes, never with them. They are their enemy, after all."
"I see," said Shalltear before asking her next question. "And do you know anything about how or where they acquire their weaponry?"
The faunus man thinks for a moment, "Well, many people donate their old weapons to them, in Menagerie, I mean. But If they got them by stealing them, I won't be surprised."
Shalltear nodded and wrote it down.
Lampwick looked from his chair to try to see what she was writing, but then she made her next question, "And do you happen to know how they recruit their new members?"
The faunus sat straight again and sighed, "At Menagerie, they have a post. It seems more like a church, and they say they fight only where they are needed. But a friend told me... It seems that they go to the mines where the Faunus are treated as slaves and 'rescued them.' And then there are the recruitment in the cities where they look in places where the discrimination normally happens."
"In other words, they hunt them down?" said Shalltear.
Lampwick nodded, "yeah, that sounds about right."
Shalltear nodded, wrote something, and then read another note. "And How do you feel about all of this?"
The faunus froze, and blink, "ah-ah. I don't know. When I was younger, I was an idiot, and I caused a lot of problems until humans captured me. I was rescued by the White Fang, but I couldn't go and fight with them."
Lampwick fidged, "I-I feel bad, for everything, the discrimination in the kingdoms, and about the violence the White Fang uses. I just want to live a peaceful life."
Shalltear nodded, "Good."
The vampire stood up, ready to leave, but Lampwick spoke before she could open her portal, "Can I ask you something? Is the White Fang attacking the Sorcerer Kingdom?"
Shalltear turned to see him, "The Sorcerer Kingdom is the most peaceful place in the world. You don't have to worry about it." Then she finally opened her portal and left the place.
Back in her office, Shalltear sat on her chair and looked at the notes she took. "Argh. When I barely thought I knew why the Supreme Being chose this plan, I'm now at zero." She put her hands in her face. "Think Shalltear, what would the Supreme being do?"
The vampire looked again at the documents in front of her and saw Clementine's document. "That's it! He experimented and made a new follower out of it... If I can do the same... but with whom? It needs to be a warrior."
"Who should I choose?" she mused aloud, her voice echoing softly through the empty room. The usual arrogance that accompanied her speech was absent, replaced by a tone of genuine uncertainty. "I cannot afford failure."
She started to ace around her office. "An elf? Or a Lizardman? No, both the Lizardmen are already loyal, just as most elves," she muttered.
She paused, her gaze drifting to the window that overlooked the dark sky. "Perhaps... an old enemy?" A faint smile touched her lips as a memory surfaced, one of a swordsman, a human who had once dared to challenge her. She recalled their encounter as nothing noteworthy, but in terms of strength, he was the strongest human they had ever encountered. He had been so proud, so determined to stand against her, only to be utterly crushed by her overwhelming power.
"What if... what if I brought him back?" The idea made her smile go wider. "Yes... I could resurrect him. But his memories, his will... those would have to go."
She laughed, "Yes, just like Ainz-sama did with Clementine!"