Chapter 374

Brain's heart felt like it was ready to explode as he went down, sank to one knee, and said, "All my life I've wandered alone, ever since I was a boy. That won't change now as an Emperor. I'll wander all over the Empire to see that it is what it should be, what it could be, and make it the kind of place our daughter will grow up happy in. Join me. Be my Empress, and we'll wander the Empire, and our neighbor states, together."

Zesshi's brief panic when he began to fall to one knee, redoubled when she realized what he was asking, and that he still had her hand and could no doubt feel her rushing pulse. "You can't… you can't just catch a woman off guard like that!" She squeaked out.

"Just say yes, mama!" Layali shouted, breaking the stillness of the disbelieving crowd.

"I'm getting there! Obviously the answer is yes! But I can't have your papa thinking he can just take me by surprise like that! It sets a bad precedent!" Zesshi exclaimed and yanked him to his feet.

They kissed, passionately, even violently as if engaged in another duel.

And the roar of the unexpecting crowd began again.

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Empress!" The crier shouted, and the crowd took up the call as if it were a religious chant, swords, spears, fists… all echoed the refrain.

Up above, the royalty around Ainz stared at him in dismay, save for one. "But… you appointed Aureole Omega, you… I don't understand…" Calca's voice was full of questions, but Albedo was quick to stop the curiosity with a silvery laugh.

"You're still a novice at this game, I suppose." Albedo said with a winsome smile when her bosom stilled and her heady laughter died. "When our Lord decided upon Aureole Omega, I of course perceived a fragment of his plan, though I had to explain it to her first. You see, the Kingdom of Nazarick is new, its power spreads far and wide, but this can only create more fear since so few of our people are known anywhere. His master plan goes all the way back to the winning of our first outside champions, by recruiting those of this world to his side, our master has ensured we have 'ambassadors' of a sort. People with ties to new lands who will set those peoples at ease. If we had sent Aureole Omega to fight, she would have won, but who knows her? Such ignorance creates anxiety. But by recruiting famous names who are well known or recognized, Fluder, the Four Knights, the adventurers, Momon, and more, we make others comfortable with our dominion."

"So Brain Unglaus… he wasn't yours from the beginning?" Draudillon asked.

Albedo's smile was inhuman in its breadth across her face, "Precisely, we made him one of ours, he will rule, and slowly make the Empire comfortable with us again, if it takes a generation to forget the lost war, so what? We have time." She gave a dismissive wave and turned her head to watch the new royal couple hold up the new 'Princess' and announce her as such by raising her overhead together and calling out her name.

"But you had this all planned, all the way back from the beginning, from the moment the tournament to decide the strongest and win the throne was even suggested?" The Wolf Queen asked, looking straight at Ainz.

Ainz's mind was racing as he tried to grasp how Albedo came to the conclusion that she had, recalling the day of selection he muttered out loud, "It won't even be a contest."

One and all, save for Albedo, they gasped as the significance of Aureole Omega's words hit home.

"What?" Ainz asked when the gasp went up. "Did I say something odd?"

"No, my lord, you have only astounded them with your foresight, as expected of my child's father." Albedo said and put his hand over where her child grew.

"His intention to wander the Empire while governing might be a good one, at least at first, settling them down and making them comfortable, consolidating power… but that is still potentially dangerous." The Queen of Frost remarked. "I had to do the same when my rule began after the war, and every now and then I still had to put down trouble."

"That too has been arranged." Albedo said with a smirk.

She raised one finger to call for a moment of silence until the Gate opened.

Through it came five figures familiar to only two of those present.

Renner, for once, was caught entirely unawares. "You didn't…?" She snapped her jaw shut in disbelief.

The five were clad in white armor and cloaks taken from the treasury of Nazarick, and they knelt when Ainz stood and faced them all.

"They're not quite themselves, at least not as they were… Demiurge has improved them somewhat." Albedo said as she moved aside to allow the other royals to look the arrivals over. "They're not exactly human anymore, but… they can look like their old selves, and that's all they need. A few more famous names to set the common people and nobles alike all at ease, and protect our new ally."

The woman in the center drew her sword and pressed the tip to the stone, bowed her head, and as the others put their hands over their hearts and lowered their gazes in turn, she spoke. "Lakyus presents herself to her master, her Lord Creator, crusher of the cursed blade, and true lord of this world, tell me, tell us, what commands will you give to your Unholy Roses?"

"She and the small one are still a bit melodramatic." Albedo critiqued offhandedly. "But having a few extra greater doppelgangers around has made Pandora's Actor extremely happy, and of course, that is what our master wants, for all his children."

Glad to know the answer to at least one thing, Ainz immediately agreed saying, "Yes, it is. That is exactly what I desire. Now, perhaps we should go meet with the new Emperor and Empress, and celebrate their coronation before we acknowledge them and secure the Empire's stability, or does anyone have anything more?" Ainz suggested, and when there was not he looked down at the face of Lakyus. 'A pity she had to die, but she couldn't adapt as she was, and she's fine now at least.' He acknowledged to himself, his heart skipping a beat when he realized how little that meant to him despite having at least briefly been comrades.

"Come with us." He said to the Unholy Roses, and the royals who found themselves within his sphere, and led the way out.