Chapter 393

"You can play with them for a while." Ainz said when the trio clung to his legs, the eldest of the three, his son through Calca, was still stronger than his younger siblings, however that was something he was fairly sure wouldn't last. 'Chagama and Goan haven't grown wings yet, but they're rapidly building strength.' Chagama had the dark hair of Albedo, while Goan's was bone white. Their faces were almost identical, such that when they were dressed, their hair was the only thing to distinguish one from the other.

Even their cries were alike, thankfully the slightly elder Auralion seemed to enjoy helping his younger siblings, and in this instance he helped them by lifting them up to climb higher on Ainz's robe until the Allfather could hand them over to Cocytus without even bending over. The heteromorphic Guardian was almost shaking with happiness as his master's heirs were one by one placed into his waiting hands.

'Cocytus has done a great deal for the image of heteromorphs in the Holy Kingdom.' Ainz noted, recalling the steady training of paladins and his studious sense of honor toward the Queen and her son. Calca's trust in the Guardian seemed unquestioned, and this too set others at ease. 'I made the right call there, I'm sure of it.' He thought, though a familiar pang of guilt came over him for the role he played in her Kingdom's near collapse, he comforted himself saying, 'It was already corrupt, what happened was inevitable, I only hastened it and made sure it wasn't going to be worse than it would have been.' Or so he told himself as such when the Guardian held three practice weapons in hand and said…

"Who wants a lesson in swordsmanship!"

And the trio raised their hands and shouted, "Me!"

The 'swordsmanship' was mock cavalry training with Cocytus as the horse, and the long track around the open space held dangling targets at head height for most people. When Cocytus approached, each of the three would try to whack the target with their wooden swords, and most of the time… they missed.

'Will that excuse do for me forever?' Ainz wondered about what he told himself, and then crushed the question as ruthlessly as he crushed the Eight Fingers.

Ainz watched the wooden targets shatter one by one, it was a testament to their coming strength. The wooden targets, far from simply swaying back and forth, snapped from their ropes and went skittering or bouncing off into the grass until their momentum was expended and they fell flat. Triple cheers went up while Cocytus urged them on as he made his dash around the course at a slow but steady pace.

"That will keep them busy, I should at least try to get some work done." Ainz said under his breath and returned to the palace.

The guards pounded the butts of their halberds on the stone in a respectful salute before opening the double door and admitting the Allfather to the interior.

Ainz navigated the now familiar halls without effort or pausing for directions, slowing only when Kelart Custodio appeared around a corner. Her white and blue flowing robe was that of a member of the Royal Council, and in her hand was a clipboard with a small stack of documents on which her eyes were focused. "My Lord." She said with genuine warmth when she saw him out of the corner of her eyes.

"Kelart." He said, and expected her to pass him by, but instead she fell in at his left hand and began to speak.

"Has your visit gone well?" She asked, a little mirthful smile spread over her face, "Your son was certainly happy to see you."

"It has, and that would make it a good visit even if everything else went wrong." Ainz said as he adopted 'royal walking pose number three', holding his hands behind his back to keep his posture picture perfect. His steps were slow and majestic, allowing time for easy conversation.

"Good parents make for happy children, they say, and the Prince has a frequent smile on his face, so I suppose it must be true. Are you on your way to see my-" She blushed, cleared her throat, and continued, "your wife?"

Ainz let the 'almost' impropriety pass, the bond between the two was publicly denied, but it was a known and acceptable compromise in the eyes of the Allfather. A small way of tempering the lingering guilt and to keep Calca happy. "I am. I will be returning to Nazarick soon, Shalltear should have finished assisting the Queen of Frost with her capture of the Black Scripture by now, or will soon if she hasn't yet, and that will almost certainly require some of my attention."

"My Lord, may I ask… what sort? It seems fairly simple. If they're caught, they can be broken, or bribed, or held hostage, or…" She trailed off when the Allfather stopped.

His superior senses told him nobody was near, on this level of the castle, unless someone worked directly for him or was exceptionally trusted by the Queen, they wouldn't be. Even her elder brother seldom came up to the area where they now were. "Tell me, Kelart, do you know why I chose to indulge the Queen of Frost's request?"

"Because you wish to add her as a vassal state." Kelart said at once, she then lowered the clipboard to her side and when he didn't affirm that immediately she added, "Right, Majesty?"

"No." He shook his head, "I could have done that without a joint operation. The truth is I could have snatched the Black by myself at any time, and the Frost Queen would integrate her Kingdom eventually just for trade and security. I did this because we have something in common. She bridges the gap between human and nonhuman, and because she bridges that gap, just like me, we share some ideals in common. That all our races can share this world. Her Kingdom, just like mine, proves that this is true. She has ideals that I want to preserve."

"I-I don't understand, how does this play into the capture of the Black Scripture." Kelart felt a faint tendril of ice threaten to rise up in her spine.

"There are probably fanatics among them, people who will never embrace her ideals. I won't let that stand. Even I can't change every mind in the world, but a few powerful ones? Yes. Yes I can." Ainz answered and resumed his walk to the Holy Queen's chambers leaving Kelart briefly numb and standing still before she returned to her senses.

'I… really wish I hadn't asked. I don't think I like the sound of what he said.' Kelart told herself and then rushed to catch up to his side, she chose to let the matter drop and instead said, "My Lord, about your plans for the 'Académie Royale', the Allmother reached out to us regarding early education and suggested that we build primary schools for the earliest age here in Hoburns, but I'm afraid we just don't have the budget for a place that can hold so many."

"You do if the nobles set their estates here." Ainz pointed out, "they'll build their own accommodations and run their domains through functionaries, the 'traveling royalty' of Baharuth seems to be a very good idea, wouldn't you agree?" Ainz asked.

"My Lord… you mean for the nobility to uproot?" Kelart asked.

"Only those who are not the royal family of the Kingdom. The others can travel and 'inspect' the holdings of one another, and keep their primary residence in every capital. That way power only settles around the throne of each Kingdom, and your primary school can educate their children without too much interference from family politics before they come of age to go to the boarding school we have planned." Ainz explained the plan concocted by Demiurge and Albedo as if it were his own, and it left Kelart wide eyed and dumbstruck at the brutal simplicity of it all.

'Anyone who doesn't move might as well be confessing to disloyalty, and anyone who does will lose their power and have to invest most of their wealth into the budget of the capital and the education of their heirs or lose out on future opportunities for success… if every nation does this, and the young heirs are then under the Allfather's direct guidance at a single school?' The ties between families across vast miles will grow tighter and the opportunities will explode… all while beholden to the highest throne. 'Even if he weren't a god, he'd be as powerful as one after this, at least in terms of getting his will accomplished.'

"Ah, yes, of course." Kelart said as if it were obvious and to avoid looking up at the piercing eyes of the supreme monarch, she brought her clipboard back into view, "I should have realized your intent, I will be more thoughtful in the future, Allfather." Kelart promised, and relief then flooded her as the Queen's chambers came into view.