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Medusa exhaled slowly through her nose, concentrating on her opponent's every move.

Alice, or at least a Servant who chose to use that name, looked at Medusa almost emotionlessly. Like a porcelain doll simply artfully imitating human movements without any of the emotions. And although Alice could clearly use her powers to end Medusa - or at least Alice herself might think so - instead of taking any action, she only continued to silently watch Medusa deal with the Trump Soldiers who attacked Medusa incessantly…

Medusa dodged another sweeping movement of a spear. An attack that although an ordinary person would say was performed quite professionally, for a Servant like Rider it was nothing more than a hesitant attack by a novice holding a spear for the second time in his life. With a flick of her wrist, one of her blades pierced through the soldier's card-shaped body, punching a hole in the paper-like figure of the golem. Only Medusa's deft handling of her blade prevented it from travelling further, it seems almost like the golem was indeed made of paper.

The Trump Soldier, who had lost what counts for its head, which in this case is the 'face' of the card, did not fall to the ground. As Medusa dodged the attacks of the other Trump Soldiers, she could see the hole that she had punctured through slowly healing, after a while it was as if there was never a hole in the first place.

After Fran retreated, Alice tried to use five Trump Soldiers to defeat Medusa. However, Medusa had easily dealt with them or rather, incapacitate them quickly enough to leave Alice vulnerable. A situation which forced Alice to create more and more soldiers - resulting in the entire small street to almost be completely jam-packed with Trump Soldiers.

While Medusa could easily deal with even such a large number of weak enemies, at the rate the fight is going, she would lose. Despite the fact that the Trump Soldiers could not hurt Medusa and were themselves weak opponents for Servants, they had an ability that would put Medusa in a losing position.

Regeneration.

Alice's card soldiers regenerated any wounds inflicted on them with ease, regaining their original appearance in just five or ten seconds. Although it might be possible that they were damaged in some way after each regeneration, it is impossible to ascertain because they continued to move and fight just as they were before. And worst of all, unlike Medusa, the Trump Soldiers seemed completely unaware of fatigue.

Well, even within all that, it would still take days for Medusa to show any loss of ability from fatigue alone, if such a thing is even possible to happen to Medusa in the first place. With the unceasing font of Mana that is Ainz, it is unlikely that such a thing could happen.

Still, the way the Trump Soldiers unceasingly charged even when they were being torn to pieces was quite... Intimidating.

In the end, the Trump Soldiers were summoned magical creatures - their summoning and upkeep needed the user's mana - as their regeneration also would probably exacerbate the Mana usage. In the end, a few dozen Trump Soldiers, even if they were weak, with their regeneration, would use as much Mana comparable to using a Noble Phantasm. A low-ranking one, of course.

But the very fact that their cost could be so easily supported in reality, without even a regard should one of them be torn to pieces… Was pretty scary.

At least it would appear so, if Medusa could not see the figure of Alice, hmm... Quite ironic - right through. Though the fact Alice herself did not pay attention to the waste of mana… could only mean that she is a Caster Class Servant.

In the end, if the battle comes down to a simple exchange of blows, and she couldn't get to Alice, then Medusa will lose. Even with Ainz's support and even if she asks Ainz to remove her Mana limits - all she can achieve is a stalemate...

At least, Alice herself would think so. Medusa herself was not sure about it, but the likelihood of such speculation was not zero.

In reality, Medusa could tell that the battle had been going… Going well for her. However, at the same time - Medusa also didn't like the stalemate that she's currently in - albeit for other reasons than others might normally think.

'If she doesn't show any new abilities…' Medusa frowned. 'Then in the future... No, it doesn't matter.'

Medusa shook her head - at the same time moving her head away from a thrust from one of the Trump Soldier's spears - and then with a sharp knee kick threw another soldier away.

'Hmm... I might have to use Bellerophon…" Medusa thought about it for some time, before shaking her head.

If Medusa had not used the Grail, then the thought that she would have to use her main trump card against the enemy at this early stage would cause her some shock. Though more as a surprise rather than anything more serious.

At the very least it would cause her to feel some pressure, that she was in a really serious and difficult battle. But, after her Master had given her the Grail, right now, at worst, the only complaint she could have is that using Bellerophon would also reveal her identity.

Still, because she had used the Grail, for the enemy to know her as 'Medusa', is not a crippling weakness it would otherwise be. Any enemy that would be complacent because they know of her past 'self' would be easy targets for her new abilities.

Medusa breathed out in disappointment, after which she crouched down sharply - and, straightening up, jumped with such speed and force that the rumble of a broken sound barrier was not a surprise.

Alice reacted to Medusa's sudden actions by using some of her abilities. None of her strongest though as Alice also knows that Medusa could not escape from their battle - as long as she doesn't use some of her trump cards - which Alice did not fear. Like any Servant, she knows the limits of her strength intimately- and the Servant in front of her cannot push her enough to approach this border. At least that's what she knows.

A second later, a snow-white pegasus appeared under Medusa's feet - after which the voice of Medusa announced the use of her Noble Phantasm - "Bellerophon."

Alice just looked up at Rider, then opened her mouth, - "Medusa Gorgon... I have read your story. It is a sad one." Alice's voice was not supportive, neither was it mocking. It is rather cold and detached, as if she was just listing the facts.

"It was", - Medusa smiled as she used her daggers as a bridle of sorts and galloped forth. In an instant, like a white comet, Bellerophon crashed with an impact so harsh that nothing remained where the pegasus had struck. Houses, the streets, and the very ground itself turns to ash where the pegasus passed by.

Yet, Medusa had done her best to try and minimize the amount of destruction on London of this time. Even if she could not prevent the appearance of a shining pegasus in its skies, Medusa could only hope that the people of London would take the shining horse as some kind of meteor or even mass hysteria or hallucination caused by the destruction she had caused the city. At the very least she hoped that the changed history wouldn't be too ridiculous..

If another magi could perhaps see the spells cast by Paracelsus in a second - then they would have a heart attack. Or, perhaps, they would have fallen on their knees in tears, having seen the most beautiful magecraft in their entire life. Or more likely than not, plot on how to steal the Magi's research, at the very least a Sealing Designation.

Still, Paracelsus was certainly not comparable to a magi of the Age of the Gods. His skills, while great, are not miraculous. The Witch of Colchis, Medea, surpassed him utterly in magical skill. Medea was more skillful in magic than Paracelsus, and yet she is also lesser than Paracelsus.

Compared to the miracles that Medea could create with just her desire and with a movement of her hand, Paracelsus could not compare. Paracelsus was like an artisan who roughly hews stamped figurines, nothing when compared to a great sculptor sculpting meticulously a great masterpiece that will be remembered for centuries after his death. And, of course, one shouldn't think that Paracelsus was bad, he was a genius of magic - Medea was just that great. And yet in some ways, Paracelsus had surpassed Medea.

Indeed, Paracelsus, while not as skilled in magecraft as Medea, was, paradoxically, a more dangerous opponent than Medea. Because while the sculptor is creating a masterpiece, the craftsman has created a thousand handicrafts.

Therefore no Magi would not feel their insignificance when compared to the genius that is Paracelsus. No Magi that would not feel jealousy that their Magecraft is nothing more than paltry tricks for Paracelsus. No Enforcer that wouldn't feel fear when they see the hundred and hundreds of spells that Paracelsus could cast with but a word.

"O' fire," And that was enough. One word from Paracelsus then a dozen fiery flashes covered the sky. Those flashes then turned into dozens of fireballs that heated the air in their path towards Da Vinci. At the same time dozens of columns of fire rose from the ground, hiding Paracelsus behind the all-burning shields. It was a level of magecraft that magis could only dream of. It was not magecraft - it was the essence of magic, clothed in the form of a human.

And that is why it seemed so strange just how calmly Da Vinci looked at the approaching armada of fire which would have devoured her in a flash.

"Amazing", - Leo broke into a smile, then put her glove forward.

Da Vinci did not utter a word - however, in an instant, a wave of cold, freezing, invisible air particles engulfed the entire area. In an instant the blazing fire disappeared, neutralizing both Paracelsus' defense and offense at the same time.

"Oh, you were able to finish the 'All-purpose Matter Analyzer'?" - Paracelsus, in spite of the fact that his magecraft was dispelled so easily, smiled. It is as if he expected nothing else to happen. "Incredible."

A second later, the ground under Da Vinci's feet exploded into a hundred fragments of stone shrapnel. After which a whirlwind of razor sharp wind engulfed Da Vinci. It seems that Da Vinci had activated one of Paracelsus' many traps.

However, the whirlwind of air, rising upward, only slightly ruffled Da Vinci's hair, making her smile.

"Oh, you used your skill" Paracelsus nodded, realizing what had happened, - "Natural Born Genius... And using, hmm… Protection of the wind?"

"You got it right", - Da Vinci answered easily, and then she went on the offensive.

For a moment, the staff lifted from her hand - after which, with one sharp movement, seemed to leave a light whitish trail in the air. A trail of light that immediately turned into a hundred sharp blades that flew towards Paracelsus.

"O' wind" One more word were uttered, and a stream of wind that arose out of nowhere swept away the deadly blades directed towards him, and then lifted Paracelsus into the air with ease, allowing him to look down at Da Vinci, - "Hmm, that was clearly not just an ordinary spell…"

"Of course", - Da Vinci smiled easily, looking at her blades being swept away by the wind that had just appeared. - "It was a trick spell!"

Moments later, each of the blades created by Da Vinci's staff exploded with monstrous force, instantly engulfing Paracelsus' figure.

The attack was unexpected, the blast monstrous, it was a sure-fire hit. A perfect hit that in any other circumstances Da Vinci could easily claim that her opponent was killed.

That is, if her opponent was not Paracelsus.

A rapid stream of wind swept away the dust that had risen from the explosions, revealing the figure of Paracelsus whose body was hidden behind a formless pile of stones seemingly hanging in the air on its own.

"Oh, an earth elemental!" - Da Vinci seemed to be delighted as soon as she saw the group of stones, "Great, Philip! Moreover, I can see that is not a normal elemental. It also has one of the philosopher's stones inside it. How interesting!"

"Thank you", - Philip answered with a smile, accepting the girl's praise, and uttered another word - "O' earth…"

After another second, the ground under Da Vinci's feet opened, seemingly trying to swallow the girl. At the same time the Earth elemental summoned by Paracelsus rushed forward, intending not to allow her to deviate from her fate, to be devoured and crushed by stone.

"Oops, ha-ha", - Da Vinci smiled - after which her body turned into an imperceptible ephemeral smoke, easily passing through the colliding masses of stone and Earth elemental. The great mass of stone and earth passed through Da Vinci without doing anything. A second later, Da Vinci reappeared as the smoke coalesced. - "Huh, that was dangerous."

"I don't believe you", - Paracelsus smiled, Da Vinci, - "The genius Da Vinci is never in danger."

"Right.", - Da Vinci shook her head to the side and shrugged her shoulders, - "But I thought I would offend you if I didn't say it."

Da Vinci raised her glove forward again. With a flash, a storm of electric discharge passed through her fingers. The lightning suddenly burst forward, its passing rending the air like a dragon's roar, Paracelsus was struck, dead center.

"Oh, do not worry, Leo, I will not be offended by such a thing." The lightning that had struck Paracelsus, which could not be called anything other than divine judgement like, suddenly seemed to rush to a single point in Paracelsus' hand.

After the wave of lightning had died down, Paracelsus opened his hand to reveal that he was holding a crimson blood colored gem, a Philosopher's stone. "You really are so superior to me that I simply cannot take offense at the truth." As he finished talking, Paracelsus threw the Philosopher's Stone towards Da Vinci.

If the philosopher's stone that had absorbed Da Vinci's magic exploded now, then at least half of London in this time period would cease to exist as a fact. Da Vinci, of course, could not allow this.

Therefore, instead of throwing herself from the bomb thrown to her, capable of rivaling a small nuclear warhead in its destructiveness - Da Vinci instead rushed forward. After which she grabbed the Philosopher's Stone with her glove.

After another second, a light, almost invisible pink colored film absorbed the stone. And so the explosion that was supposed to take away the lives of thousands was reduced to nothing more than a sparkle inside the small film. As soon as the spark died, the Philosopher's Stone turned to ash.

"Don't insult yourself, Paracelsus", - Da Vinci smiled at the magi, - "You are really good - and if you consider yourself weak - then my title of genius will not be half as good. I am Leonardo Da Vinci, a genius among geniuses. And I like to be just as great against the background of other great people, not against the background of mediocrity who does not value their merits."

"Hmm, well, I will take note", - Paracelsus smiled, then turned his gaze to Da Vinci's glove, - "By the way, how exactly did you do it? I thought that even you couldn't hold on to that kind of power so easily."

"Pseudo-Noble Phantasm, Lord Camelot (Reverse)", - Da Vinci dismissed the words of Paracelsus, as if copying and modifying a Noble Phantasm was an insignificant trifle, - "I once worked on it out of boredom. And wow…"

Da Vinci sighed slowly and lifted her glove, looking at the damage to her glove.

The little finger of her glove was completely twisted and covered with soot, which did not match the azure pretentiousness of the glove.

Da Vinci exhaled - after which, with a quiet creak, as if on its own will, the little finger of her glove separated from the rest. As it fell to the ground the blackened part of the glove turned to crumbling ashes.

"Still, I had not yet finished the prototype and now…" - Da Vinci sighed and looked at Paracelsus a little disapprovingly, just a little bit, - "The analyzer broke..."

"Oh…" - Paracelsus froze in shock. As he exclaimed in surprise, the air currents that had lifted him to the air, slowly lowered him to the ground. He was now very close to Da Vinci. Once he was on the ground, Paracelsus looked at Da Vinci guiltily, - "I beg your pardon... Maybe I can fix it somehow?"

"Ah, do not worry, I still wanted to modify it anyway. Making another one is no trouble.", - Da Vinci instantly brushed aside the words of Paracelsus. - "But you are really good. I was planning to use it in case you used your Noble Phantasm."

"Oh, thank you, I'm flattered that you came up with a whole special counter against my Noble Phantasm", - Paracelsus smiled at Da Vinci affably, - "That's really nice."

"Paracelsus, stop it", - Da Vinci rolled her eyes, - "You are one of those people against whom I would not dare to fight without a plan."

"You have a plan to fight against everybody.", - Paracelsus chuckled quite a little knowingly, as if referring to some kind of inner joke known only to the two of them.

"Aren't you perceptive...", - Da Vinci shook her head, then looked at the earth elemental who continued to stand beside her, and hit herself on the forehead, - "Oh, yes, that's right, the battle!"

"You just stopped because you felt that the Frankenstein Monster was running past us." Paracelsus smiled, looking at Da Vinci.

"Your attentiveness can sometimes be annoying", - Da Vinci grudgingly raised her eyes to the sky and sighed, - "So, let's continue?"

"Let's continue", - Paracelsus smiled, after which the monstrous bulk of the stone elemental rushed forward, allowing Paracelsus to move away from the enemy, - "And I do beg your pardon…"

Da Vinci's glove crashed into the elemental's hand, after which, violating all laws of physics, the elemental staggered from the collision. However, Da Vinci was not happy about this, only rolling her eyes to the sky, - "When you apologize too much - you start to annoy me even more…"

Bellerophon's blow swept away the card soldiers like a… a House of cards.

Still, even when she used Bellerophon, Medusa could not destroy the soldiers to a state from which they could no longer regenerate. And even if it did, Alice would simply summon new ones. However, Bellerophon's strike was able to provide Medusa with exactly the necessary few seconds in order to break through to Alice, through the encirclement of the Trump Soldiers.

Medusa was sure that it would not have been difficult for Alice to take Medusa's blow. Just as it would not be difficult for her to fight personally. Alice was not defenseless. Not at all.

However, Medusa also knew that Alice would not do it. Because 'Alice' was not Alice. She was not the 'protagonist'. The Alice that was in front of her did not participate in the action described in the books.

And therefore, when Medusa's fist encountered an obstacle, she was ready for it.

However, her entire speed was only a fraction of an instant ahead of the creature's own blow.

"And as in uffish thought he stood," - Alice's voice was emotionless, reading the lines, - "The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,"

The monstrous creature that appeared next to Alice exhaled - and then roared with such force that Medusa felt her body being pushed back from the sonic boom.

Force, wild and suffocating, striking with the power of dozens of blows fell on Medusa's shoulders, forcing her to strain only in order to resist.

"Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,", - Alice's voice finished the quatrain, - "And burbled as it came!"

The monstrous creature roared again.

It was a nightmarish creature, as if someone took the body of a giant and replaced his head with a stone mask decorated with primitive but frightening symbols, granting him disproportionately small wings, as if made from tree branches, and arms and legs, ending in huge gloves and boots made to look like the bark of a tree.

Medusa sensed that the creature's power was simply abnormal, surpassing any Berserker she knew, surpassing even Hercules in it's raw crushing power.

Medusa smiled, after which her eyes sparkled with dull golden sparks again.

However, the monstrous creature, the Jabberwock, did not charge forward as Medusa expected. Instead, Alice took a step forward, glancing at Medusa, making her tense.

If she decided to fight on her own, the matter could get seriously complicated...

"What do you mean - 'was'?" - Alice looked at Medusa carefully with a sense of curiosity.

"Hmm?" Medusa frowned at Alice's non-sequitur question.

"I said that your story is sad", - Alice said measuredly and calmly, - "You said that 'it was'. What do you mean - 'it was'?"

Medusa froze for a second, assessing her next step, then exhaled and smiled, - "I say that my story was sad, but now it is not."

Alice looked at Medusa attentively, - "You returned to the past and changed it?"

"No", - Medusa chuckled at the ridiculous idea involuntarily, and then carefully looked at Alice, - "I just think that my story is not so sad now."

"Why?" - Alice stared at Medusa, expecting an answer, - "You were raped by Poseidon, after which you were cursed by Athena. Of course, there are different versions of your legend - but this is the legend with which you were summoned, isn't it?"

Medusa froze for a second, at the reminder of her horrible past, then breathed out, - "This... Yes, what happened then was… Saddening. However, it's all in the past, and now that sad past no longer weighs me down."

"Hm?" - For the first time during their entire battle Alice showed human emotion for the first time. Confusion."You are the Servant, Medusa Gorgon. The finished book."

"For the Servant Medusa Gorgon, it is indeed really a complete book.", - Medusa answered calmly and looked at Alice carefully, - "But that is not me. I am Medusa, Servant of my Master. I continue to live and change."

Alice slowly looked up, - "Here... How?.."

"Yes, that's right," Medusa smiled back, thinking about her Master.

The past cannot be changed. And there were really many terrible things in her past. Things that were done to her, and things that she did herself. There were too many tragedies to count.

And Medusa accepted them in the end. She accepted herself for who she is.

Therefore…

"You are strange, Medusa Gorgon", - Alice slowly turned her eyes, - "The book of this world has come to the end... There are only a few sentences left until we reach the epilogue... However - I would like to know more about you."

"Perhaps at the end of the Singularity, if you come to Chaldea," Medusa smiled at Alice.

"Chaldea…" - Alice blinked.

She shouldn't have known what Chaldea was. Even a Servant, when being summoned into the world, could not receive such knowledge...

However, there have always been exceptions to any rule.

And so Alice smiled, - "It would be like a dream from which I would not want to wake up…"

"It can become a reality", - Medusa smiled kindly at Alice.

"Perhaps", - Alice exhaled, looked at Medusa, then turned around, - "We're leaving."

"Hmm?" Medusa blinked. Of course, such an outcome is one that benefits her. But for some reason this outcome somewhat… upset her.

After all, she planned to use her abilities to the fullest to deal with her opponent. After all this is the first chance she got after receiving the grail to go all out... However, to find that the battle has to end so abruptly… Perhaps she's been hanging out with Cu Chulainn too much?

Medusa exhaled. It's a pity, but in the end, it was better that this fight ended this way. Having to restrain herself from destroying the city would limit her capability too much. Who knows maybe the next she has to fight it would be in a deserted wasteland and she can go all out without having to worry about changing history too much… Maybe it would just be corrected as a meteor impact?

Alice, after she was sure that Medusa was not chasing her, let out a sight. After which a massive book appeared in her hand that was at least half the size of her body - and probably weight.

Alice exhaled and looked at the book, - "Meanwhile…"

"As it was possible to understand from my story, this is the end goal of my Master's plan," Shakespeare exhaled and leaned back on the back of the sofa, looking at Ainz.

Ainz frowned at him.

First of all, Shakespeare said that, at the moment, he was under the control of a command spell and could not directly reveal the identity of his Master. However, he still brought books containing information that could clue in Ainz on his identity.

As it should be in this case - the pile of books that Shakespeare had brought was resting next to Ainz - waiting for Da Vinci's perusal. He trusted Da Vinci's metal capabilities to discern the enemy's identity much more than his own.

Ainz wondered how exactly he could remove - or even bypass the command spell placed on Shakespeare.

He knows for sure that Charm Magic would definitely not work. The command spell was worded in such a way that it physically deprived the Servant's ability to talk on a certain topic, and not due to their own desire or disposition towards the Master.

Of course, he could have tried to literally remove the spell from Shakespeare with his Dispel Magic, or perhaps even directly going into his mind and memory to search for the information. Nevermind the fact that using spells of such a high level would require him to discard his body first - it could also affect Shakespeare himself.

Without any practice… and the severe lack of test subjects, Ainz is not really confident in his ability to control memory and to invade another person's mind. At least not without risking damaging the mind of the Servant or some other side effects. As Ainz has learned with Medusa's sisters, Stheno and Euryale, such a thing might be more permanent than he would like.

He also cannot risk using too strong of a Dispel spell, as it might even dispel Shakespeare's existence. As a summoned spiritual being, Shakespeare is definitely in danger of being dispelled by some of his higher tiered spells… Never mind the fact that he would disappear, Ainz was unsure of the more esoteric effects some of his stronger might have. What if he somehow deleted Shakespeare's existence entirely? Who knows what kind of effect that would cause.

In other words, it was a risk that Ainz was reluctant to take in the current situation when Shakespeare was a potential ally.

"And yet," Ainz breathed out, "Why did you decide to betray your master and help us?"

"You can not betray someone to whom you were not loyal to in the first place.", - Shakespeare smiled, - "And, in the end, it is not about loyalty, but the story my master is creating. The story in which the hero wanders in the dark until his sad predictable end, without even ever knowing the identity of his opponent… What kind of BORING story is that!? It is barely a third-rate tale whose only good point is subverting the expectations of the reader! I just wish that in the end I was not a participant in such a third-rate story - but of a great masterpiece that I could add to my list of works - not a tabloid novel that I would be ashamed of for the rest of my life."

"Ah, I see…" - Ainz nodded.

'My head hurts from trying to understand his speech' - Ainz resisted the urge to massage his temples.

"I understand", - Ainz nodded. He really did, kind of, caught the rough message of Shakespeare's speech... Something about wanting to create the conditions for a good scene that he could be proud of.

In other words…

'He's a Chuunibyou' - Ainz sighed, looking at Shakespeare. It's another one…

Usually, of course, chuunibyous was only concerned by their desire to pretend to be something like a demon king or something like that… But to desire not to aggrandize yourself, but instead to create conditions for the reenactment of some of your own fantasies...

Ainz remembered the NPC locked in Nazarick's treasury and shook his head. Oh yes, Ainz knew a thing or two about chuunibyous.

"What do you want in return?" Ainz looked at Shakespeare carefully.

"Me?" Shakespeare looked at Ainz in surprise, then smiled, "Nothing but a great story. A hero fighting an invincible enemy at the end of the world with its fate hanging in the balance. What could be more exciting and dramatic than the death of a hero and the death of the world intertwined into a single plot? Let this masterpiece be short-lived - as at the same time, it will become eternal. Indeed, a great creation, which I will admire until the end of my - not so, unfortunately, long - life."

Ainz exhaled.

Many times Shakespeare mentioned the invincibility of his Master and the inevitability of the end, But every time, as soon as Ainz asked a question - Shakespeare would brush Ainz's question aside, justifying himself that he's under a command spell...

Although Ainz was absolutely sure that the command spell did not capture so much of Shakespeare's memory and mind that it would not allow him to answer Ainz's question.

However, Ainz did not consider it necessary to risk a possible ally just to satisfy his curiosity. Perhaps, Shakespeare really could not answer Ainz's question. Checking it using some kind of charms would definitely ruin Ainz's relationship with him...

Ainz thought about it some more while looking at Shakespeare flailing about and talking about some kind climax, and then sighed while looking at him.

"Oh!" - Shakespeare, out of nowhere , instantly got up, - "I just learned that my dear friend is heading to the Master. I should hurry - the discovery of my betrayal does not fit into my plans so much... Let my life be short - but I do not want to shorten it even more!"

"Of course", - Ainz nodded to Shakespeare, then stood up and glanced at him.

Was Shakespeare an ally to him? Was he his opponent?

Ainz did not know what he should expect from Shakespeare...

But…

'For some reason, I'm sure nothing good will come of it.' Ainz was strangely sure of this.

Extract from "An Analysis of Legendary Dragons, The Art of Fighting Them and Its History":

...The most common interpretation of pre-Christian legends about a champion's victory over the dragon most often refers to some kind of victory over death, the ritual of growing up, or with the ritual of 'rebirth' and the 'acceptance of a new life'.

In particular, the 'dragon' often personifies the traditional ritual of marriage that is practiced in some more tribal communities, 'bride kidnapping'. Because of which a victory over the 'dragon' is often interpreted as a victory over death, as the return of a beloved, or, in the end, as gaining some kind of 'treasure' for passing the test.

'Fighting a dragon', in this case, could be interpreted as fighting against a rapist. Which is why it is almost impossible to find in Western mythology a positive interpretation of the dragon as far back as pre-Christian times. After the spread of Christianity - which additionally connected the image of the dragon with the image of the Serpent-Tempter, the Devil - the image of slaying dragons became an image not only of doing a good deed, but also of opposing the Devil. As a result of which, for example, the legend of the dragon-slayer - Saint George is widely known and revered.

However, in view of the early policy of the Christian Church, who is forced to interact with the traditional beliefs of the pre-Christian peoples of Europe and their drive to integrate the pagan beliefs than in later times - it is not so difficult to see the reason for the similarities of the stories about with that of the hero Siegfried, a hero whose story is very muddled in the first place. After all, the benefits of sharing such a commonality for the early Christian churches cannot be understated.

One of the most blatant examples of such an effort, is the way Siegfried's battle with the legendary dragon Fafnir were transposed in such a way as to 'cross' the stories of the two legendary heroes. In particular, it was done by 'moving' the dragon Fafnir to France (The Orleans region in particular), where the battle of the dragon slayer would take place. While there exists a version of the story where and Siegfried were somehow the same person, the more 'mainstream' version of the story however has them both working together.

Both being heroic dragonslayers sharing a common goal, they worked together to bring down the tyrannical dragon. Of course in the retelling of the story the heroic Siegfried lost to the dragon and required the aid of Saint George in healing the curse that was placed on him by the dragon. In an almost predictable manner, it required both of the heroes fighting together to defeat the dragon.

One part of the story that shows the clear influence of Christianity, a part where, demonstrating a great similarity with Christian folklore and the legend of the Devil, Fafnir takes the form of a human (all the while demonstrating demonic rather than classical dragon features). An action which prevents Siegfried from striking a killing blow.

Then, in an almost obtuse telling of a propaganda, George reveals the dragon essence of Fafnir to Siegfried (likely an interpretation of 'opening the eyes' of the pagans to the teaching Christianity), allowing him to strike his blow, destroying the dragon at the cost of his life. An end that symbolizes the death of the pagans and their rebirth into Christianity.

An end that is extremely characteristic of early Germanic and Scandinavian Christian mythology…