Chapter 4 Well-Laid Traps Part 3

So—

Snatch victory from the jaws of death, was it?

He'd heard Vesture use that phrase once.

The only way he could defeat Cocytus was to strike faster. But a blow to the

head or body would do nothing to the speed of that swing. At best, they'd take

each other out.

He'd have to aim for the sword hand.

Moving faster than a Shalltear-class monster and striking hard enough to

sever their limb—what kind of sick joke was that?

And yet—

That's the only way. I've got one shot.

Brain lowered his hips.

The technique that had chipped Shalltear Bloodfallen's talon—the Nail

Clipper.

—No.

This was no longer the Nail Clipper.

Originally, the Nail Clipper had required Domain (which guaranteed a hit)

and Divine Strike (which boosted his speed) to set up an attack with Fourfold

Slash of Light. That had been the crystallization of all his arts. And he had

barely managed to shave off a sliver of Shalltear's nail with it. Arguably, that

itself was a feat that would go down in history—but knowing creatures like her

existed meant he could not rest on those laurels.

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He had sought greater strength. Sought out Gazef Stronoff's teacher, the

retired adamantite adventurer Vesture Kloff Di Laufen, and trained like a

madman. The result had been the acquisition of the Sixfold Slash of Light.

Sadly, he had not managed to get as far as Gazef had.

Domain and Divine Strike were still in place, but his technique now used

Sixfold Slash of Light instead.

Martial arts were fueled by focus, and the stronger the art, the more focus it

required. A skilled warrior—a high-level one—would have a greater capacity for

sustained focus, but using multiple powerful martial arts at once was still a

challenge. Brain certainly had a greater reserve than the average warrior. But the

version of Nail Clipper he'd used against Shalltear Bloodfallen had pushed him

to his limits.

Sixfold Slash of Light took far more focus to pull off than the Fourfold

version—so he should not have been capable of swapping it in.

He'd pulled it off—for one reason.

Brain Unglaus had surpassed Gazef Stronoff—and reached the realm of the

heroes.

And he'd gained a new art—the True Nail Clipper.

Cocytus shifted his leg forward ever so slightly, edging closer. It was the

most minute of movements.

Given the gulf in their physiques, he could easily have lunged forward and

cut Brain down.

So why do this?

The answer was clear. He'd chosen to bury Brain as a warrior.

Brain's respect for his foe grew only greater. He was in the True Nail Clipper

stance now, thinking.

Not yet.

Still not there.

With three potions applying three buffs, Brain was stronger than he'd been

when he fought against Shalltear.

And yet.

Brain Unglaus was merely human. No match for a monster like Cocytus.

This was no surprise. An ant could not fight a dragon. This was a truth he

was forced to accept.

But he did not wish to lose. So what could he do? How could he close the

yawning chasm that lay between them?

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I'm a warrior. I must do what warriors do.

"Ability Boost."

Brain activated a martial art.

True Nail Clipper, by its nature, took all the focus he had. There was nothing

left to activate another art.

And yet—Brain's eyes were turning red. Blood poured from his nose.

Capillaries were rupturing.

With an almost audible snap, he went past his limits.

The art had taken hold.

Power surged through his body.

Yet, it was still not enough.

He still stood no chance.

What next?

There was only one option.

Brain activated another martial art.

"Greater Ability Boost."

Once again, Brain Unglaus did the impossible.

The man himself didn't realize it, but his talent allowed him to increase his

focus capacity. That was the only reason he'd been able to develop Nail Clipper

in the first place, and by leveling up still further, he'd been capable of mastering

True Nail Clipper.

But this was supposed to be Brain's limit. He could not activate any further

arts. That was the rule the world ran upon.

And yet, in this instant—Brain broke the world's rules.

A second miracle.

The first had happened when he'd cut Shalltear's nail.

And once again, he'd made another miracle happen.

Blood gushed from his nose.

His soft flesh was paying the price for breaking the rules.

Within a minute, Brain would no longer be moving.

But a minute was a long time with anyone this strong.

Cocytus stepped forward—

—and into Brain's range.

Zanshin swung down—

Brain's sword swung back—

And then—

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the loud sound of flesh being cleaved apart rang out.

Cocytus swung the imperial blade once more, cleansing it of blood and fat.

He stowed the katana in space once more and plucked his halberd from the

ground, gazing down at the man he'd slain.

A fine warrior.

Cocytus had not a scratch on him. His foe's blade had never reached him.

Yet, this was still a warrior worthy of praise.

FAR FINER THAN I'D HEARD.

It was a shame to kill him.

If it was up to him, Cocytus would have spared the man's life and had him

swear loyalty to his master. He could easily have snapped the man's blade,

deflected his blow, or broken his legs. But that was not the way of a warrior.

Cocytus had felt it when he spotted this man in the distance and had become

certain of it when they stood face-to-face. This warrior had made his choice.

And he did not have it in him to disrespect that choice.

He knew placing a warrior like this beneath him would be immensely useful,

and yet he still slew him. Perhaps he had let Nazarick down.

But he had to respect it.

A warrior staking his life on his blade in battle.

If the Warrior Takemikazuchi had been here, would he have backed

Cocytus's decision?

HE WAS LIKELY LEVEL FORTY.

That one blow aside, he had not seemed all that high level. Perhaps he had

used a particularly strong skill, like Cocytus's own Acala.

Compared to Cocytus, the man had been weak. But by the standards of this

world, he had been very strong.

Cocytus picked up Brain's blade.

"I'LL KEEP THIS."

It was by far the weakest blade in Cocytus's collection—it would be of no

use to him. Perhaps it would be better to leave it sticking in the ground next to

this man, in place of a gravestone. But Cocytus chose to take it with him.

And he did not wish to leave his body where it lay.

He turned to the frost virgins. "FREEZE HIM," he said.

Ice began to cover Brain's body.

Cocytus was about to step over him—but then he stopped.

He looked up at the castle ahead.

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"..."

And then he silently turned away.

He went left down a narrow side street, following it until he reached a fork.

There, he turned right, making sure the castle was dead ahead, and then made

another right at the nearest side street, emerging back on the main road.

Cocytus glanced to his right.

To where Brain's body lay.

Without a word, Cocytus turned left—and headed toward the castle.

"Don't you try and stop me!" Aura yelled.

She was talking to the frightened soldiers on the castle walls as she ran up the

side, her feet finding footholds in the smallest depressions.

The soldiers above tried to stab at her with their spears, but she moved like

no human could, vaulting over their heads, spinning in the air—

"Hyup!"

—and landing on the battlements behind then.

"V for victory!" she said, throwing up a two-finger salute.

Aura may have looked like a child, but the eyes upon her were filled with

fear. After that unnatural display of acrobatics, no one here thought she was a

normal child. Besides, she had a number of beasts with her.

Paying the humans no attention, Aura pulled a piece of paper out of the

pouch at her hip.

The soldiers were slowly surrounding her, but she didn't seem to notice their

spears.

"Listen up, everyone! I'll say it one more time. Don't try and stop me."

She unfolded the paper and began comparing the city before her to the map

on it.

The landmarks matched up.

She found her first destination right away—the Wizards Guild.

Pleased with herself, Aura turned to look at the soldiers surrounding her.

Quite a few spears were leveled at her, so close they'd stab her if she moved at

all.

"Look, just because I climbed up here first doesn't mean you should all be

focused on me. I'm not alone!"

The soldiers glanced at one another and then threw themselves against the

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outer walls. Too late. Aura's beasts were swarming over the top.

The soldiers' pathetic shrieks echoed all around her.

Aura was far more powerful, but looks mattered.

Losing all will to fight, the soldiers scattered.

Some definitely thought they had to stand their ground, but it was hard to

remain calm when everyone else was already running away.

These were the outer walls, so the top was fairly wide. But as fear

overwhelmed them, the fleeing soldiers began pushing up against one another.

An orderly retreat would've been much faster, but they were too busy fighting

one another to do much more than rout.

It would have been simple enough to chase after them and wipe everyone out,

but none of Aura's familiars saw the sport in that, and their master gave no such

orders, so they ignored the fleeing soldiers.

Except for one. A level-71 beast, the largest pet she'd brought with her—an

Iris Tyrannos Basileus. This looked a lot like a tyrannosaurus rex. But it had fins

on its back, and like the goddess it was named after, it gleamed with all the

colors of the rainbow.

Aura didn't know the details, but she'd once heard her masters say it was

based on the king of monsters.

The Iris Tyrannos Basileus let out a roar.

One so loud it shook the very earth.

This was no intimidation tactic nor an emotional outburst.

It was a special ability—the Howl of Fear.

Against someone who was around the same level, with ample resistance

against psychic effects, it was just a very loud cry. For anyone else—well, the

fleeing soldiers made it very obvious.

They crumpled to the ground as their faces contorted in absolute terror.

The shock alone caused instant death.

The great big beast took no pleasure in slaughtering fleeing foes—it had

likely just seen the throng and thought they were in its way. And for that reason

alone—they all perished.

The Iris Tyrannos Basileus was not unharmed. The cost of using this power

was significant.

It was surrounded by five of the six other beasts Aura had brought with her.

A level-78 fenrir. A level-77 Hound of the Wild Hunt. A level-76 Kirin. A level76 Amphisbaena. And a level-74 Basiliskos.

The Kirin's backward kick connected first. The Hound of the Wild Hunt

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followed suit, and then each of the others attacked the Iris Tyrannos Basileus in

turn.

Possibly just telling it to shut its mouth already.

Actual strength aside, all of them were higher level, so the Iris Tyrannos

Basileus let out a plaintive cry, hoping to earn Aura's sympathy. This only made

the others redouble their attacks.

If this outburst had started at the intensity of teammates messing around with

a loudmouthed rookie, now it had escalated to outright hazing.

The one beast staying far above the fray was a level-58 Toad of Greed.

This was a giant, nightmarishly misshapen toad, its mouth lined with stained,

yellowish molars, and eyes like an aging human driven mad with desire.

"Oh, stop that. I'm not mad, so let's all stop being mean to Iris."

She had her hands on her hips, glaring at them through narrowed eyes. They

all whined.

"It's fine—I'm not mad at you, either."

Every one of her familiars except the Iris Tyrannos Basileus gathered around

Aura, rubbing up against her.

"Mmph!" Her squeak was adorable. She might be stronger than any of them,

but with their massive bodies all coming at her from every direction, this

reaction was expected.

"Hey! Gimme some room!" she yelped. They all obediently jumped away.

"That's enough playing around."

She clapped her hands—but they were all huge, so it wasn't like they could

line up on the wall. They wound up simply perching wherever they could, trying

to look impressive and formidable. Their goofiness from earlier had all but

vanished.

"Right! We're headed into the city to capture a few buildings. Not all of you

will get to do things!"

The Iris Tyrannos Basileus looked dejected. It was the largest beast here.

"But I've got a special mission for you! I want you to walk around the city

walls crushing everyone beneath your feet!"

"Rooooar!" Its howl shook the air, but that swiftly died away. It looked

sheepishly around at the other beasts, then at Aura.

"…Uh, okay. Everybody else, commence operations! Move!"

Aura jumped down off the wall, entering the city proper. She landed on the

roof of some house at a run and dashed across the eaves.

The beasts all jumped after her, touching down with impossibly light

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landings considering their size.

She glanced back once to make sure her pack was still with her. She spotted

the Iris Tyrannos Basileus's long neck and tail waving and waved back. Its tail

wagged even harder, sending a chunk of the masonry flying.

—Get to work already!

She shot it a telepathic order, and it got startled before it started stomping off

along the wall.

Aura first led her beasts to the Wizards Guild. This place kept a lot of magic

items and had high security to match their wards; the siege planners had deemed

it the one location in the capital most likely to put up the stiffest resistance.

The enemy combatants weren't an issue, but it could take a while to collect

all the magic items stored there. She might have to call in reinforcements.

Mulling that idea over, Aura made a beeline across the rooftops.

The capital was large but not large enough to pose an obstacle to Aura's top

speed.

She reached her destination not long after leaving the wall.

None of her beasts dared lag behind. Well, the toad was on the slow side, so

the Basiliskos had to carry it.

Surrounded by a long wall, the guild building was composed of three fivestory towers connected by long two-story buildings. The doors were barred shut,

with watch stations on either side of the gates.

No signs of anyone outside, but plenty of faces in the windows, keeping

watch on the world outside.

Aura came in for a landing in the grounds, unrolled her map, and gave the

building a look over.

"Hmm, if that's…then this must be…"

The kingdom collaborator had provided them with enough information to

work out a basic floor plan—which included likely locations for the stores of

magic items.

But there were several possibilities and no information on what might be

stored where. Capturing a high-ranking caster and coaxing the intel out of them

had proven a tall order. Aura would have to do that herself.

That was a pain, but given this sprawl, it would be more effective than

throwing numbers at it.

"Fine, let's do it."

Aura headed for the front door, and several humans filed out of the guard

rooms. Five men, one woman. The man in front was quite old.

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Oh, Aura thought.

If this man was a high-ranking guild member, that saved her some time. But

closer inspection left her disappointed.

He seemed to be some sort of warrior.

His fighting gear was of good make: black bottoms and blue-green top. Two

swords hung from his hip, and a plate covered his chest.

His hair had long since gone white, without a trace of color left. His arms

were as scrawny as his age seemed to imply, but that didn't mean they were

sagging. His overall impression was thin, but he looked hard as steel.

Narrow, hawklike eyes bored into Aura.

His attitude suggested he had a lot of confidence.

"Just to be absolutely sure…kid, you work for the King of Darkness?"

Aura glanced at the group behind him. They were all dressed the same, but

none had swords. Likely he was the master and they, his students.

She didn't really get why a Wizards Guild would have anyone like this on

hand, but they were probably here to protect it.

They might have more information than the average caster but probably not

anything really important.

"What, no answer? I won't hesitate because of your age."

Despite the beasts backing her, he kept his bluster up—likely because none

of them showed any hostility, any interest in a fight, or any signs of blood lust.

And their foes had courage, duty, and confidence.

"Hmm, if you show me around, I don't need to kill you. I won't even hurt

your students."

She meant it. Mare would probably kill them later, though.

"Big talk, boyo. But we can't let you take one step farther. There are

dangerous items here that spawn demons or the like. Can't let you have 'em."

Aura grinned.

That proved the good stuff was still here. She would have to gather them all

up and send them to Demiurge.

"Oh yeah? Then my offer is—"

"Rejected. As my name is Ves—"

The old man crumpled to the ground.

Aura had nocked and shot an arrow.

It was so fast, his head had burst like an overripe pomegranate before he got

more than a few words out, spraying the contents in all directions.

"No time to waste on idle chatter. Next? Or are you all gonna say the same

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thing? In that case, I'll just go grab the most important-looking caster."

The crowd behind the dead man all looked stunned. Aura couldn't be

bothered waiting for their minds to recover. She turned to her beasts.

"Kill them," she said.

And with that, she headed to the door while her beasts moved like the wind,

attacking the remaining humans. They left nothing but blood and chunks of flesh

behind.

Mare was sitting alone on the second-highest tower of the castle, looking down

at the city below.

He'd killed a lot of people in the fight three days ago on their way here. But

those were all men, no women and children. But that described most of the

people here—all in all, very weak.

Mare looked very sad.

He kept doing the math in his head.

—It just wasn't possible.

"What now?"

He wanted to ask someone for their advice, but there was no one to talk to.

No, there were probably some Hanzos, but they wouldn't show themselves

before him, and even if they did, they couldn't help.

Um, so how do I efficiently destroy this huge city and cleanly kill everyone in

it?

On his way here, he and his master had destroyed a bunch of towns. He had

quite a lot of experience now. But that was why he knew just how complex and

difficult destroying cities and exterminating entire populaces was.

If he cast a whole lot of spells, he could knock down all the buildings and

turn the city to rubble. But that alone wouldn't kill everyone.

For example, if he used a spell that caused an earthquake, that was perfect for

knocking buildings down and destroying everything underground. A lot of

people inside would get trapped under the collapsing buildings and die.

The earthquake would only occur in the area affected by the spell, and

nothing outside of it, so there was no risk of people hiding in their houses in

other parts of the city noticing the spell itself. But the sounds of the houses

falling and the people inside screaming were another story.

Things like that would give away what was happening, or at least make

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people come outside or go to the windows.

People who knelt down with their eyes closed and their hands over their ears

were the best. Anyone who thought they could weather this disaster in their own

homes, curled up in bed—Mare could easily kill them all with one more spell.

The problem were people who realized they'd be crushed next and moved on

instinct or a flare of courage. And even worse—the weaklings who panicked or

flailed out in desperation. People like that often ran in the direction you least

expected.

And desperation was contagious.

Anyone who saw people running was likely to leave their house and start

running, too.

It was one thing if they ran somewhere that still had standing buildings. But

in their panic, some people would run into the pools of blood and rubble. There

were even those who'd try to save survivors from the collapsed buildings.

I wish they wouldn't try to run…

If they ran the wrong way, he'd have to use more area-of-effect spells to

catch them. It was double the trouble.

If he had time, that was no big deal. But he couldn't spare a single moment

when his master was watching.

His master's time was precious, and it was embarrassing to admit he couldn't

wrap this all up on the first pass.

The other problem with earthquakes was that they didn't guarantee kills.

There were actually a good number of survivors. And they tended to start fires,

which could kill more people but be seen from a distance, sparking primal terror

and increasing the number of runners.

If it wasn't one thing, it was another.

I've got to practice more and get better!

BubblingTeapot had designed Mare to be good at crowd control. He was

quite proud of the fact that none of the other guardians were as good at area-ofeffect attacks.

So being in a position where he couldn't easily demolish a city and slaughter

the populace really undermined his primary purpose.

If BubblingTeapot saw him like this, she might blow her top.

"Sniff…"

Imagining her scolding made tears well up in his eyes. But he wiped them

away before they fell.

"I've got to try. Lord Ainz said so, too."

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Mare was filled with gratitude and respect.

If Ainz hadn't let Mare practice destroying cities and taught him to learn

from his mistakes, he never would've gotten this good at it.

Mare remembered the first village he'd demolished. It had been a total mess!

It did his creator a great disservice.

But even when he'd been reeling in horror, Lord Ainz had been so nice to

him. Mare remembered being so happy he almost cried.

Lord Ainz had said if you knew you were lacking in experience, all you had

to do was work hard and get better at it.

If that had come from another guardian, it wouldn't have affected him the

same way. But Ainz was like BubblingTeapot—a Supreme Being.

Mare made up his mind.

He had to destroy more villages and towns and cities and slaughter way more

people so he could live up to what BubblingTeapot wanted him to be.

"Okay!"

An adorable child's voice but far brighter and forceful than anything that

typically came out of Mare. If the other guardians could see him now, it

probably would've shocked them. They had no idea he could be this positive.

"It's time!"

He clenched his hands together.

Putting everything he'd learned to use.

"I'm gonna destroy this capital and kill everyone in it! Let's goooo!"

He raised both fists in the air.

The Hanzos secretly watching did the same.

In the hall, Climb was gazing through the thick glass windows at the view

outside.

Renner had sent him out here before they went to meet the king, saying she

needed to have proper makeup on if the Nation of Darkness was coming. She

might have to change her dress, too, so he figured this would take a while.

His gaze turned back to the deserted hall.

The few remaining knights had gone to their posts, sealing the entrance to the

castle and settling in to wait for the Nation of Darkness's armies.

Some might mock this as a futile show of resistance. They weren't exactly

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Gazef Stronoff's Royal Select—most of them were only slightly better than the

typical kingdom soldier. The Nation of Darkness's monsters would likely crush

them without breaking a sweat. But the royal family had knighted them, and they

were loyal to the crown. This was their sworn duty. Climb pitied anyone who

would laugh at that.

Given their respective backgrounds, there were precious few knights he'd

had good experiences with. He'd assumed they'd all run the first chance they

got. How wrong he'd been. He was still kicking himself for it.

Their loyalty had been true—and that was exactly why they'd been so against

a street urchin serving at the hand of royalty. Climb had never understood the

strength of their feelings.

Climb looked toward the palace doors.

Wondering if perhaps he should go stand with those knights—but he soon

dismissed that notion.

Climb had not been saved by the crown but by Renner herself.

If Renner had ordered it, he would have joined them at once. But as long as

she did not, he would serve at her side until the very end. It was his duty to

ensure she lived at least an instant longer than he did.

The moment she'd reached out to him, he'd become hers, body and soul.

Here in this deserted, silent corridor, Climb let his thoughts run wild.

Reflecting on the past, on Renner herself, on futures that might have been,

and—

He looked to his side. No one stood by him now. The man who'd once been

there, Brain Unglaus, had left the palace behind.

How far had he made it?

If the Nation of Darkness's armies were already at the castle, perhaps he'd

already perished.

Climb's heart ached.

Brain had taught him a lot, shown him the way forward.

He'd been like a mentor, a friend, and a brother.

He'd been closer to Brain than he ever was to Gazef. Renner was his

everything, but Brain had come close to being just as important.

"Why did it have to end this way?"

His whisper melted away in the empty hallway.

He couldn't help but wonder.

He'd thought peace would last forever. Tomorrow and the day after. But now

— His thoughts were interrupted by the door slamming open.

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Climb jumped at the unexpected noise. He spun around to find Renner

standing there. Her dress unchanged, her makeup so lightly applied he could not

tell if she wore any at all.

For all the time she'd taken, Renner looked just like she always did.

In her hands, she held Razor Edge, scabbard and all.

Had something happened? Before he could ask, Renner said, "Climb, we

must make haste."

"Right!"

Without another word, Renner dashed off down the hall.

He hurried, pulling up alongside her.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

Her eyes briefly glanced his way, then turned back to the hall ahead.

"Yes. I remembered some urgent business. A little payback for the Nation of

Darkness. We must reach my father at once. To his chambers!"

"Right!"

She handed Razor Edge to him on the way to the king's quarters.

Here, too, there were no knights.

Renner never broke stride. She rammed her way through this door as well.

Ramposa III looked up in surprise.

"Renner, what—?"

No one had ever entered his quarters this loudly, least of all his daughter. His

words died in his throat.

When the king's gaze shifted from the princess to him, Climb bowed his head

apologetically.

"Oh, there you are, Father! I just thought of something ever so important,"

Renner said.

She'd been half running the whole way here but didn't seem to be out of

breath at all. Neither was Climb, but he had almost never seen Renner run

before, so it struck him as odd. But they hadn't been going all that fast, so

maybe it was nothing.

"What is it, Renner? Why throw the door open like that?"

"That hardly matters now."

Renner was speaking slightly faster than usual.

"Fair enough," Ramposa III said, shaking his head. "What brings you here,

Renner? You said it was important?"

"Yes! You see—" Here, she tilted her head adorably. "Why are you here,

Father?"

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"You're aware he locked me up?"

"Oh, my brother?"

"Yes. That fool, Zanac! Both my sons, dying before their father…"

The king's face twisted up in grief. Seven days ago, their armies had set off,

and everyone knew by now that none had returned alive. Their fates were

beyond imagining, but it took very little thinking to understand what their

disappearance meant.

"…I was freed yesterday and knew I had much to prepare before the King of

Darkness arrived. I was busying myself with those tasks. The knights did offer to

help, but I ordered them to leave. I can only hope they made it out in time…"

Climb knew full well those knights had joined the last stand at the castle

gates but said nothing. Renner also held her tongue on the matter and spoke

about something else.

"You were getting these ready?" she asked.

"Precisely."

On the table lay the king's crown, several treasures, and a number of books.

"…But why are you still here, Renner? Did he…not urge you to flee?"

"I could say the same to you, Father."

"I'm going nowhere. He was still but a prince! This is my duty. Yet he—mm?

That sword…"

Ramposa III's eyes had locked onto the blade at Climb's hip. He glanced

behind them, then turned to Renner.

"What happened to the man you hired? The one as strong as Gazef?"

"Brain left. Said he was going to defeat the King of Darkness."

"…I can't imagine that happening. But if that's true, why leave the sword

behind? With that in hand, perhaps…"

"It never would've made a difference. Not against someone who defeated our

captain so easily. And frankly, at this point even if someone did slay the King of

Darkness, it would not matter."

"Yes…yes. Right you are. There is no point if the Nation of Darkness's

armies do not withdraw." The king glanced out the window, then added, "You

asked why I remained here. I did so because I thought there was a need for

history to record that the crown officially bowed before our conquerors. To meet

my end in a manner befitting the last king."

Ramposa III looked very tired. He undoubtedly was.

"Climb, the crown commands you to take Renner with you and flee. I am

aware that will be difficult, but there are hidden passages leading from the palace

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out of the capital. If you use those as the Nation of Darkness's armies pour into

the castle, perhaps you will manage to slip away to safety."

"…No need for that, Climb," Renner said.

The king and princess had never given him contradictory orders before. This

was the very first time.

Climb considered it briefly but chose not to move. His fists clenched tight.

He did not want Renner to die. But obeying her wishes was more important.

If he was going to go against her, he would have forced her to flee with Evileye.

"Climb."

"Climb."

When he didn't move, both spoke his name as one. But the emotions in their

voices were diametrically opposed.

"Father, Climb belongs to me. He will not obey your orders."

"Yes, it appears so. I feel that if you were truly loyal, you would take her

away from here, Climb. There is meaning in preserving the Vaiself bloodline. If

you can take her away from here, she is yours."

Climb's eyes went wide.

The offer was so tempting, he was momentarily swayed. He had certainly

dreamed of such a thing. There were many moments when he found comfort in

thoughts of her.

But he had already chosen to be Renner's shield, to die as her shield.

"I do not deserve it," he said, like choking up blood. "The offer is most

appealing, but I must refuse."

When he glanced in Renner's direction, he discovered a mysterious smile on

her face. Perhaps approving of this display of loyalty.

"And I came rushing here for a reason, Father. Hand me the crown."

"But why?"

"Our family's historical treasures, the crown included, must not be given to

the King of Darkness."

"...The man would destroy our kingdom. Why would we not offer up this

storied crown? As long as it exists, our family's history will live on. That is why

I brought it here from the treasury."

"I think we should hide it somewhere in the city. And tell the King of

Darkness this: All symbols of the royal family are hidden within the city. If you

destroy the place, you will never find them."

"…Ah. That is certainly…a good idea. If he desires the crown even slightly,

perhaps it will stay his hand. My life is of no consequence, but we should take

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all measures that might spare the lives of our people."

Ramposa III removed the crown from his head.

"Father, not that one." She pointed at the table. "The ceremonial crown used

during coronations."

"Oh. Oh, right."

"What else have you brought…the scepter, the coronation jewels, and the

seal. Everything that symbolizes the authority of the crown and the kingdom.

Can I take them all? The more cards we have the better."

"…Mm, very well. Go ahead."

"Climb, can I ask you to hide these?"

"Of course, Lady Renner. But where should I hide them?"

"Don't worry, my brother and I discussed it already."

"What? You and Zanac?!"

"Yes, Father. This was actually his idea. We've already decided exactly

where these should go. Although I do worry he might have been fed the idea by

Marquis Raeven…"

"He thought that far ahead," Ramposa III whispered to himself, tears welling

up in his eyes.

"Climb, you know the warehouse district that was pillaged during

Jaldabaoth's attack? We have a little storehouse there."

Renner detailed the route, but it was rather complicated, and he was less than

confident he would find his way. Perhaps she picked up on that, because she

asked her father's permission, took a piece of paper from the table, and drew

Climb a simple map. Just the bare minimum to get him there.

"There's a hidden basement inside. Put these there."

"Right away!"

"And when you're done—"

Climb looked right at her. Hoping she wouldn't say not to come back. He

wanted to be at her side to the bitter end.

Perhaps that got across because she hesitated, then said, "Make sure you

come back safe."

It was not clear how far the Nation of Darkness's armies had come, but they

were likely already in the city and in the process of razing it to the ground.

Leaving the castle at all was a risk. But Climb never hesitated. His lady had

given him his orders.

"Lady."

"Please," she said. "You must come back. Don't fight. Always run."

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Renner recognized his resolve but clearly had little faith in his skills.

"I will," he said, nodding emphatically. This time, she believed him.

"Good. Father, leaving the palace now might be rather difficult. Could you

tell Climb the way?"

"The hidden passages that lead to the capital streets?"

"Yes."

"Very well. Listen closely."

What the king said next was genuinely astonishing. Climb had walked right

by these passages countless times. He had no idea anything could even be hidden

there.

"Climb, take the time you need. You must be extremely careful so those

don't get stolen."

"Of course, Lady Renner. Even if it costs me my life!"

"And once that's done, come straight back here. Even if you see something

concerning. There's no telling when the King of Darkness or his armies will

reach this place."

She was using different words but was basically saying the same thing again.

Was she just that worried about him? He gave a sharp response, hoping to

alleviate her concerns.

"Of course! I'll be back before you know it."

"…Make sure you do. Now please go."

She was wearing her customary smile again. As Climb turned to leave the

room, he saw Ramposa III hand her a little bottle.

He could imagine what it contained.

Climb bowed his head and left the room, heading for the hidden passage.

He followed it out into the capital.

The streets were so quiet, it felt like there was no one left alive.

In the distance, he thought he heard a noise like the howling of a giant beast,

but from here, he couldn't tell what was going on. The capital was massive.

Even if he climbed up the walls around the castle or city, it would likely not give

him a clear picture of its scale.

But that wasn't Climb's mission. He ran straight for the storehouse.

He reached it without spying another soul. He'd gone as fast as he could, but

it had been quite a distance—and he had kept his guard up the whole way, so it

had taken a while to get here.

The storehouse was smaller than he'd expected. As he drew near the door,

Climb saw it standing open.

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He'd taken out his bell but put it back in his bag and stepped through the

open door.

There was nothing inside. Just an empty room.

The scent of dust greeted him. No lanterns and the shutters were closed, but

enough light slipped through the cracks that it was still possible to see in the

gloom.

Climb lurked by the door a long moment, keeping one ear focused on the

sounds outside.

When he was sure nothing was approaching, he moved to the opposite wall,

following his instructions.

Rows of empty shelves stood in a line. He pushed the third set of shelves

from the right.

At first, they didn't budge, but he slowly pressed harder, and at last there was

a click, and they gave way. The shelves swung open like a door.

The opening yawned black as pitch. This room had no gaps or windows.

Climb donned his helmet.

The enhancement on it allowed him to see freely despite the complete lack of

light. The room itself was empty save for a handle on the floor; when he lifted

that, it revealed a spiral staircase descending into the depths.

At the bottom of that was another small room lined with shelves.

These, too, were empty. Nothing was stored here. Quite a lot of dust had

piled up. This was where he placed the royal treasures.

His task was complete.

Climb went back up the stairs and was outside again.

From here, he planned to run the rest of the way back.

But when he caught a glimpse of the castle up ahead, he gasped.

It was white. The castle itself was surrounded by thick walls, but these, too,

had been turned white—the whole structure was sparkling in the sunlight.

A stranger to these lands might have thought it beautiful, but anyone who

lived here knew just how abnormal it was.

"Oh! G-good, you weren't crushed. Um…it's not safe to be here."

A child's voice.

He looked up and saw a little girl sitting on the storehouse roof. She carried a

black staff and had dark skin—likely a dark elf, judging by her appearance.

"And you are…?"

"...Er, u-um, well. I was planning on destroying everything here, so, um.

You'd better get going before you get caught up in the aftermath."

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That alone told him who this was.

This girl was from the Nation of Darkness.

His hand reached for his sword, but then he stopped himself.

She might not look strong, but he couldn't imagine she was here alone.

What's more, she'd made it this far into the city. Best to assume this was no

ordinary child.

Maybe he could win, but the noise would definitely draw in the Nation of

Darkness's undead—and lead them straight to Renner. His mission was not to

fight the enemy but to be by her side.

And she had insisted he come right back.

He almost looked at the warehouse again but forcibly kept his eyes looking

anywhere else. If he couldn't seal this girl's lips, then he had to avoid arousing

her suspicions.

Climb turned around and bolted. He was worried she would take this

opportunity to hit him from behind. But more than anything, he was driven by a

need to get back to Renner as fast as he could.

As he rounded the first corner, he heard buildings collapsing behind him. He

wanted to look back but immediately pushed that thought out of his mind.

No one seemed to be coming for him, and after a short while, he safely made

it to the secret passage. He looked around one more time to see if anyone was

following him and saw black smoke rising toward the sky.

"The city's burning?"

Buildings blocked his view, so he couldn't be sure where the fires were

exactly, but smoke was pouring out from quite a few places.

That girl had not been a scout; there were already quite a few Nation of

Darkness armies in the city, ransacking it.

Yet—he could hear no screams.

Climb pushed his doubts out of his mind.

There was no time to question it. He had to get back to Renner and report his

duty complete. Then all that was left to do was serve at her side until the end

came.

Climb raced down the hidden passage into the palace.

It was quiet here, too. He didn't know why.

The castle outside had looked frozen solid. The Nation of Darkness must

have attacked. The few remaining knights should be busy manning the defenses.

He was some distance from the site of their last stand, but he should still be

able to hear the clash of blade upon blade. And yet…

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It's quieter than it was before.

This silence was genuinely unsettling. A desolate stillness had settled over

everything, like there was no one else in the world, let alone the palace.

Climb ran to the king's room, intentionally making a bit more noise than

usual. He considered stopping to knock politely but decided to skip the

formalities and charged inside.

The room was empty.

No sign of Renner or the king.

There was a room next to this one. Wondering if they were in there, he took a

step forward—and spotted a note on the table.

The same kind of paper Renner had used to draw the map.

Climb picked it up and looked it over.

It was in Renner's handwriting. She'd scribbled a note, telling him to head to

the throne room.

Climb raced out the door.

He drew up short as he neared the throne room entrance. He'd spotted figures

on either side of the entrance—and neither of them was anyone he'd ever seen

within the palace before.

Women far too pale to be human.

Clearly agents of the Nation of Darkness. They obviously saw him coming

but showed no signs of aggression. They didn't seem interested in him at all.

Should he draw his blade or keep it sheathed?

When he hesitated, one of the women spoke.

"Go in. You are the last human in the palace."

With that, she settled back into a bored silence.

The ominous phrasing made his hair stand on end.

He ran between the women standing guard and burst into the throne room.

There were so many things to take in that his mind spun.

That was not Ramposa III on the throne. It was a skeletal monster, death

incarnate—Ainz Ooal Gown, the King of Darkness. He was flanked by a man

with a tail and the Nation of Darkness's prime minister, Albedo. There was also

an insect-like monster seemingly made of ice attending him.

Not far from them, Ramposa III was lying facedown, immobile. His clothes

were stained dark red. Renner was sitting on the floor nearby, her clothes

drenched in blood—and Razor Edge lay on the ground beside them.

The sword's blade was covered in blood. Clearly, this weapon had been used

to slay the king.

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"Princess!"

"Climb."

Everyone not human laughed. Was it mockery?

He moved in front of Renner, his sword drawn. They would both die here.

But it was his duty to protect her until he did.

"That is not how one behaves in the presence of Lord Ainz. On your knees."

Climb went down on his hands and knees. It was impossible to disobey. His

body obeyed before he even realized it. He could sense someone behind him,

doing the same thing.

Renner.

He remembered how Lakyus had acted under mind control, and it suddenly

all made sense.

"You used this to control Lady Renner?!"

A tragedy had unfolded here. He could see in his mind a charmed princess,

forced to kill her own father. Rage coursed through him, but he couldn't move a

single muscle. It was like his body didn't belong to him.

"Oh, I remember him. You were there for the duel with Gazef Stronoff.

Release him from your influence."

"Yes, my lord. You are free."

The bonds vanished. Climb rolled sideways, grabbing Razor Edge from the

floor before rising to his feet instantly. Getting his breath under control, he

raised the sword, facing the King of Darkness.

He knew this would mean nothing. The King of Darkness had slain the

captain so swiftly, he hadn't even seen what exactly happened. But he was

Renner's shield, and it was his duty to always stand between her and death.

The King of Darkness rose from the throne and slowly moved toward him.

"Be grateful," he said. "I am king, but I will grant you the honor of a duel.

Should I win…I'll take that sword."

The king moved slowly, seemingly oblivious to any threat.

Anger washed over Climb.

It was all his fault.

If not for this monstrous king, their lives would have been peaceful. No one

would have had to die.

"—And the princess would never have had to grieve!"

This seemed to amuse the King of Darkness.

It was possible that even if he swung, his blade would go nowhere. He

remembered how the captain had died without knowing what had killed him.

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What was his best move?

Climb gripped Razor Edge tight—

And when the King of Darkness took another step forward, Climb threw the

sword as hard as he could.

Even the King of Darkness had not expected that.

He batted the blade aside, but this left him off-balance.

Climb leaped at him, fist balled tight, and swung as hard as he could.

His punch connected with the King of Darkness's head.

"Climb!" Renner shrieked.

Skeletons were supposed to be weak against blunt damage. Sadly, it was his

fist that seemed the most hurt.

The King of Darkness appeared to feel no pain at all.

"If this were a story—"

The king's hand snapped out and grabbed the front of Climb's armor. He

tried to get away but couldn't free himself.

"—these powerful emotions you're feeling would have awakened the hidden

power within you, allowing you to defeat me."

The King of Darkness lifted Climb into the air. His desperate struggles were

in vain. It was like punching a brick wall.

"However, this is reality. A plot twist like that will never come to pass."

Climb was flung aside, his body hanging in the air for far too long before he

finally crashed to the floor. His back hit the ground so hard it forced all the air

from his lungs.

Climb scrambled back up and looked toward the king, who had not bothered

to take a single step after him. As if no one this strong needed to pursue their

opponent.

"You will die here. You are not worth saving. You lack any special talent or

skill. But do not despair."

The King of Darkness didn't even seem to be looking his way. His eyes

seemed to be staring into the distance.

"This world is hardly fair. Inequality begins at the moment of birth. Some are

born talented, and others are not. Even the circumstances of birth are unequal.

Some families possess great wealth, and others do not. What's more, the

personalities of one's parents or siblings can make all the difference. Those

lucky few lead blessed lives, while the rest are subjected to lives of deprivation

and misery. Yet, let me say it again—this inequality is not worth lamenting.

Why? Because death awaits all. And by death—I mean me. I am the ruler of

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death, and my mercy brings equality to this unfair world."

Climb understood little of this rambling, but he was being told to embrace

death at best.

It was too much.

The King of Darkness had just declared himself death personified, and that

fact alone threatened to consume Climb.

How could he challenge that?

He'd always known there was an insurmountable gulf between the king who

could slay entire armies and a lowly warrior of no particular skill. But it was far

greater than he'd ever imagined.

The scale was so vast, it was like an ant gazing up at the sky above.

But it had never been his desire to win, and he never believed it was possible

for him. His mind had only ever focused on one thing—to serve as Renner's

shield until he could do so no more.

That gave him courage.

The flames in his heart no longer flickered.

Yes.

All for Renner.

The girl who'd saved him that day in the rain.

The girl who'd made him human—

"…Ah. Those eyes."

He didn't know what the King of Darkness meant by that.

Perhaps he'd realized Climb still had fight left in him. Yet, the King of

Darkness turned his back, leaving himself exposed—and then he picked up

Razor Edge from the floor. He tossed it to Climb.

"Pick it up."

The King of Darkness raised a hand, and a black sword appeared in it.

Judging from the length, it was a kind of longsword.

Not taking his eyes off the king for a second, Climb picked up Razor Edge.

He had no choice. He remembered Gazef's fight—or rather, what the King of

Darkness had said just before it. If a weapon's enchantment was too weak, it

could not even scratch him. But this sword had been imbued with enough magic

to kill him.

His first attack had proved his armor—the magic armor Renner had given

him—was sadly not strong enough to penetrate that defense.

"Climb…" Looking worried, Renner took a step toward him.

He managed a faint smile and whispered, "Princess, I'll buy you some time.

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If I…then make haste."

She must have caught his meaning. Renner nodded.

He moved a step away from her, raising Razor Edge.

"Have you said your sweet partings?"

"Tell me. When I am dead, is she next?"

The King of Darkness said nothing.

That struck Climb as odd. Why fall silent here? But his doubt was washed

away by a tiny chuckle from the king's skull.

"Which answer would hurt you most? I suspect it must be no answer at all."

"King of Darkness!!"

He swung Razor Edge hard, and the King of Darkness easily blocked it. They

exchanged a number of blows, but Climb could not even make his foe budge.

The king also didn't attempt to fight back. He was toying with Climb. Like an

adult humoring a child's tantrum.

But that was how Climb wanted it.

He raised Razor Edge high, putting all his willpower behind his next blow.

Like he had before, the King of Darkness moved the black blade to block it.

Here.

This was where he would risk it all.

Climb activated a martial art. And not just that—he relied on the power of his

ring as well. For one instant, Climb's power received a massive boost.

The blows before had taught the king how Climb fought. That meant this

blow would come as a surprise.

He made it look like he'd put his back in it—but actually pulled his swing. It

was easily blocked—but Climb was already pulling away to aim a swift stab at

the red orb in the king's belly.

He had long suspected that this was the King of Darkness's weakness.

Even if it wasn't, shattering that orb should do some damage.

"—Hnk."

"—Interesting. A good hit!"

Climb had put everything he had into that strike—and the King of Darkness

had caught it with his bare hand.

Searing heat enveloped Climb's shoulder. He could feel something seeping

out there. A moment later, that heat became pain.

Climb leaped back. His shoulder had been lacerated.

The King of Darkness had cut through Renner's gift like butter. Still, it didn't

seem like there was a gear-breaking effect, so the armor wasn't falling off him.

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His arm still moved. But his best bet had come up empty.

He had to assume he was not going to do any damage here.

"Can Razor Edge destroy a World Item? A potentially fascinating

experiment. If it could scratch this, that sword's value would be immense.

Still…" The King of Darkness tossed his sword aside. It vanished into thin air.

"That can wait until I've killed you."

He was switching to magic.

Climb almost smiled. The King of Darkness resorting to magic against a foe

of his ilk.

Nothing good would come of giving him time to cast.

Climb charged in. He heard the words "Grasp Heart" and then the sound of

something tearing inside reached his ears. The pain was immeasurable.

"Well done."

And then—

—his vision—

—went—

—dar—

"If you'll excuse me, woof."

An unfamiliar voice and the sound of a door slamming shut.

That was what woke him up.

He was sure something had happened—but exactly what escaped him. Those

thoughts slipped away like memories of a dream in the morning.

He had no strength in his muscles or bones, like everything had melted. He

could barely turn his head.

With great effort, he looked around.

Renner's chambers were the most luxurious rooms Climb had ever seen, but

this place was even fancier. He was certain it was impossible to forget a room

like this, so he clearly wasn't in the palace.

What had happened to him?

Why was he alive?

And most importantly, where was his mistress?

He couldn't move, but he could sense someone else was here with him.

"Ah…"

He tried to call out, but his voice failed to form into words. Yet, that alone

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was all the room's occupant required. He could hear her rushing over.

"Climb! You're awake!"

He couldn't answer. Every part of him felt weak, and he didn't have the

strength to speak. But that wasn't what stopped him. Too many emotions were

washing over him, and no words came to mind.

Tears ran down his cheeks.

Oh. It was all a nightmare.

A horrible dream where the Nation of Darkness attacked and Renner faced

certain death.

"Ah…y…"

"Yes, it's me. Renner."

The same smile as always.

No—he'd seen her smile often enough to know. This smile was a little bit

different.

Had something happened?

Climb's eyes shifted around, spotting something strange over Renner's

shoulders.

Black wings.

Like a bat.

They were flapping.

Fake? No, those were far too real. He could not convince himself otherwise.

Renner's smile faded. She realized the source of his shock.

"These…well, the King of Darkness changed me. I'm not human anymore.

I'm a demon."

Climb's eyes went wide.

"Rrrrr…"

"A shame, I know. I alone survived."

He wanted to refuse this, but all that came out were groans.

Tears flowed freely from his eyes.

Renner gently wiped them away.

Climb shook with emotion. She might look different, but Renner's heart was

still hers.

"And…I'm sure you're wondering why you still live. Before I answer…

Climb, will you do me a favor? I'm a demon now, and I'll live forever. But I

can't face eternity alone."

She leaned closer.

"Climb, will you become a demon with me?"

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No time to hesitate. All of him already belonged to her.

His body could barely move, but he forced it to nod.

"Thank you! And there's your answer. I promised to serve the King of

Darkness. And in return, he brought you back to life."

Climb's eyes went even wider.

"Don't look so shocked. I don't think it's a bad deal. This way, I don't have

to be alone. Climb, will you swear loyalty to the King of Darkness?"

"I…do."

This time he did hesitate, but if Renner had sworn loyalty, then he would,

too. No—he had no choice but to swear.

"Thank you, Climb. I'm sure the King of Darkness will test you, see if you

are truly loyal. That won't be easy for you. Or for me…"

"Not…a prob…lem."

"…Thank you again, Climb. That's enough talking for now. Get some rest.

I'll look after you."

Renner smiled and moved away.

"Sleep now."

He could not see where she went, but he heard a door open and close.

Climb went limp.

And sleep soon came for him.

Like sliding into a bog, Climb passed out even as the tears kept flowing. The

emotions they contained were too convoluted for even Climb to explain.

Outside the bedroom, Renner moved to the next room over and hastily knelt

before the woman on the couch.

"Lady Albedo," she said, bowing her head. "Pray forgive my tardiness in

offering words of gratitude. For the poison you supplied and the performance in

the throne room—His Majesty honored us with his cooperation, and I cannot

thank him enough."

"Heh-heh. No matter. You need not trouble yourself over it. We spare no

effort to acquire worthy talent."

"Thank you, Lady Albedo."

But she had put a slight stress on the word worthy that made Renner shiver.

Albedo mostly likely caught that but let it pass without comment. Yet, her eyes

bored into the back of Renner's head.

"...…Heh-heh. No need to be so tense. The events in the kingdom

proved your skills. To me and to Demiurge."

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Ninety percent of what had happened from her first encounter with Demiurge

to the ultimate destruction of the kingdom had been Renner's proposal, and she

felt confident she had done her part in guiding events. When the plan had shifted

to the wholesale slaughter of the kingdom, she had certainly worried they'd cut

her loose, but everything else that had happened fell well within the allowable

range of error.

"We ask only that you apply those skills to the benefit of Nazarick—working

directly under me."

"Of course, Lady Albedo."

"Lord Ainz has sung your praises, so it would never do to disappoint."

She caught a minor—almost imperceptible—shift in Albedo's tone.

Renner kept her head down, saying nothing. She'd deemed that the wisest

choice.

"But first, let us give you a reward worthy of the next few thousand years of

your hard work."

She heard a clunk. Something placed on the table.

"A second Seed of Corruption, same as the one you used. You need merely

prepare the sacrifices. Take care of it once he's recovered his strength. Magic

would hasten his recovery, but as you wished, we have done no such thing."

"Thank you, Lady Albedo. Please convey my gratitude to His Majesty as

well."

"Renner, I will say it one more time. Do not disappoint us. We are giving him

to you as a gesture of faith in your labor to come, not because we deem him

valuable as a hostage."

Her tone was soft, almost warm. Renner bowed her head even lower.

"…Understood, Lady Albedo. I shall return this generosity with work equal

to—no, in excess of the reward."

With a light laugh, her superior rose to her feet and walked away.

Renner did not look up until she heard the door close. She let out a long

breath that disguised a faint hint of fear.

She had made it past the final checkpoint.

Albedo was a demon, after all. It was a relief to find she had not been getting

Renner's hopes up only to relish snatching them away at the last possible

moment. But Renner was perfectly aware she could never assume she was safe.

She was not here because they trusted her. She had gained all these boons

merely because they thought she would be useful to them. Renner would have to

work hard and prove she had more value than they expected, or it would not end

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well for her.

She was in the monsters' den now. And she was painfully aware there was

nothing she could do to oppose them. Yet, that alone was hardly enough.

Renner had been forced to supply a weakness. Several in fact. It was like

wrapping a leash around her own throat and handing the end to them. A clear

demonstration that she was their dog and they were her masters—that they held

her in their thrall. Without that, there would not even have been a show of trust.

Hence, the performance in the throne room.

Climb was Renner's greatest weakness—and to that end, on her first meeting

with Albedo, she'd spent some time describing just how important he was to her.

By not letting him see the truth of what had happened, she'd placed a collar on

herself.

And she'd demonstrated exactly what value he had as a hostage. She'd had

an ulterior motive, and they'd clearly known that from the beginning. This had

actually worked in her favor, so she was not concerned about it.

Only one thing had not gone according to Renner's plan.

She had never imagined the King of Darkness himself would take the stage.

He is truly terrifying.

Each time Renner thought about Ainz Ooal Gown, a shudder ran through her.

He had not left the performance in the hands of his prime minister but played

the clown's role himself—did that mean he had that high an opinion of Renner's

potential? By deigning to dance in a farce of her own invention, the price was all

too clear.

And Albedo did not approve.

She worshipped the man and did not appreciate seeing him debase himself

like that. And by allowing that to happen, Renner had earned her enmity.

It's even worse if she voiced those objections and he insisted on taking part.

If I show even a hint of incompetence, she'll have me eliminated.

Her original plan had been to demonstrate a high level of skill and leave

something in reserve just in case. But because the King of Darkness had joined

the play, she was now in no position to hold back.

…That must have been his plan all along. When the man in charge is too

brilliant, it makes things hard for those beneath him.

Yet, there was a smile on Renner's lips.

Once, her dream had been far smaller. Meeting them had allowed it to swell

until it grew into the miraculous fantasy she now lived.

What a stroke of luck that the price had merely been one kingdom.

Page 297 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com

She was ready to dance.

To burst into song.

To give voice to the joy bursting out of her.

She thought the sheer bliss might drive her mad. She was only half sure it

hadn't already.

Demons lived lives eternal. And if that life was inside this tomb, she was safe

from all external harm.

Renner turned to the door behind her. To the boy on the bed inside.

"Climb, we'll be together forever. We'll have to start by exchanging our

firsts—let's do that today."

Her eyes were blank and unfocused.

"Or should we make it even more special? Stop just one step before and build

the anticipation? Mm-hmm-hmm. I'm not sure I've ever had such a hard time

deciding! Oh, how am I this blessed?!"