Hi Guys!!! Exams are over so I have a double chapter for you all 😀
Negotiations Part 4
Translator: Frostfire10
After listening to the story, Demiurge closed his eyes. Ainz was panicking in his heart, but he spoke calmly and took care to prevent his worry from showing.
"So it was bad?"
"Yes."
Hearing Demiurge's immediate reply, Ainz nodded in his head.
"….Ainz-sama's kindness had backfired. If you had acted like their superior, there was a chance that it would not had turned out like this."
"Is that so…."
He expected it, but having it said to him was painful nonetheless.
He made the mistake of killing them in anger. If he left them alive they could have been used. And even though he acted with such an intent, he had completed neglected them at the most important moment.
If a fight against the Kingdom were inevitable then such would have been an acceptable course of action. However, in the current situation where many things were unclear, he had no intention to be hostile. If this results in a result that threatened the continued existence of Nazarick, he had no idea how to apologise to his friends.
"However…. It is true that the Kingdom was crude."
Ainz gestured with his chin for Demiurge to continue.
"The preparation of the carriage and the sending of the messenger. It basically means that they do not view Nazarick to be of any importance."
"Sebas."
"Ha. I have the same opinion as Demiurge."
"Is that so. Then what should we do. If they do not view us with importance, this will only repeat. No, they will be better next time. However, I want to do something about low evaluations. And about Blue Rose."
"….If that is the case, Ainz-sama. The method I recommend is to send a monster into the capital."
"What? To destroy Blue Rose?"
"Exactly. If a level 70 monster is sent, it shall rampage within the capital. If Blue Rose can defeat it, it shall prove that they are indeed powerful. If they are destroyed, it means that they are not an enemy of Nazarick. Ainz-sama can also spread your fame by killing it."
What Ainz was truly cautious of were Yggdrasil Players.
At the point where it was not clear how many existed, it would be foolish to make enemies by causing a massacre. He did not want to battle Yggdrasil Players who were on the side of justice.
However, even after collecting all this information, it was true that he felt dissatisfied due to the current leaks and unease.
Ainz considered for it bit, and nodded.
"Let's do that."
At those words, Demiurge made a cruel smile. He was probably imagining the horrible scene in his mind.
"Shall I decide on what to send?"
"Yes…. Could I ask that of you?"
"Of course."
How many human would taste despair at the monster he sent in? Just thinking that caused Demiurge to become excited.
Even though Demiurge would probably not fail, it would be best to have a direction for this, and those Ainz gave him a warning.
"….Demiurge. I believe you already understand, but you must prevent the fact that we were the ones to send it to be realised."
"Yes, I shall send it in with caution."
"…….."
If Demiurge, who was much better than Ainz, said so, then there would be no problems. The moment Ainz thought that, a spell was activated and something connected.
It was the activation of the familiar <message>.</message>
Despite not wanting to, Ainz heard Yuri's voice echo in his ear.
As he listened, he noticed Demiurge and Sebas' gaze on him. They probably noticed that he was sent a <message>.</message>
"….Haaa." Ainz sighed. He then looked at Demiurge. "A <message> came. The front runners from the Empire have arrived, and informed us that the Emperor is arriving soon."</message>
"Ho."
Demiurge raised a cry of admiration. Sebas' eyes widened slightly.
It was an expression of surprise that a non-friendly neighbouring country would send its number one person. Basically it meant that the Emperor well understood Nazarick's importance. Considering that it was a noble of the Empire who sent the workers, it might be related.
Demiurge ran countless simulations in his head.
"However, what is their goal in coming?"
Demiurge's face froze for an instant. Without time to think, he had but one answer.
Ainz caught that change in expression.
"Demiurge, answer."
"I believe they have come to meet Ainz—"
"—Fool."
Demiurge's body froze after hearing Ainz's scolding.
"I want to know why. Why has the Emperor himself come? What is their goal in coming?"
"That is…."
Demiurge could not answer. It was natural. With such little information, he could not answer. He could come up with a few possibilities, but he did not wish to tell his master such baseless claims.
Unable to understand his master's actions, and as a result performing a rude action, Demiurge's shame caused him to want to hide in a hole.
Thus he did not see Ainz make a sigh of relief.
"It's fine. It's fine Demiurge. That was a mean question. I was unhappy due to my terrible failure. Please forgive me."
Seeing Ainz lowering his head, Demiurge and Sebas started to panic.
"What are you saying! It was merely that those fools that dragged Ainz-sama's kindness through the dirt!"
"Exactly. Thanks to my stint in the capital, I fully understand the value of kindness if it can prevent waves from forming."
Ainz looked at Sebas in surprise, and then faced downwards.
"So you realised."
"Originally…."
Demiurge looked between Sebas and Ainz, and he felt like he grasped the meaning behind why Ainz acted as if he were beneath the messenger.
What Sebas did was not wrong. However that was only if one looked at it from the sidelines.
It was not clear what conditions the shop was operating under, but since it could continue functioning it definitely had some connections. Attacking it and abducting the people inside would definitely be picking a fight with its backer.
If Ainz was introduced as the savior of the Kingdom, it would be a simple discussion, but if not it could be dangerous. If the backer were a noble, it would even more dangerous to wait in the Kingdom with a strong power.
Of course, this was only a problem if the person known as Sebas became public, but it was questionable if this could be kept secret.
On top of considering the case of a leaked secret, they also had to make a plan.
Considering the person that came, the idea that he was the Kingdom's savior disappeared. Then since he had the card known as Sebas, it would not be dangerous. Should he randomly anger them and have to throw away his cards, he would be troubled. For example, if he had to hand over the criminal Sebas.
If Ainz had to act, and without using force, he would use himself as a sacrifice to protect his subordinates.
Thinking the same thing, Sebas started shivering with Demiurge.
Because they fully understood how Ainz treasured his subordinates—
As his subordinate's loyalty scores broke through the max level and continued climbing, Ainz felt an illusion of cold sweat running down his undead body.
This was walking a tightrope.
Ainz felt that he would make more mistakes if he continued talking, and so wanted to end everything quickly. However, he needed to apologise to Sebas.
Sebas was not a bad person, but it felt like he was the villian here.
"My bad, Sebas."
Ainz lowered his head. This was more than enough to shock the two. Why was their great master lowering his head?
"If I did not make you, Sebas take such eye-catching actions, you would not be troubled in the first place. I can only say that I was naive. Thus there is no need for you to mind."
A light shone in the corners of Demiurge's and Sebas' eyes.
Ainz was such a kind and generous master.
—This is why he stayed until the end.
The Supreme Beings that created them had disappeared. However, there was a person who remained behind—A person who would not abandon them.
At that, Demiurge and Sebas' loyalty rose further and reached the realm of fanaticism.
As the two burned with passion, Ainz believed they had forgiven him and spoke.
"Now…. Why has the Emperor…. His reasons are unclear…. Demiurge!"
Demiurge bowed. He understood Ainz's intentions even without him mentioning.
"Shall I take care of the preparations?"
"Ah. I leave it to you, Demiurge."
"Understood! I shall work hard to meet your expectations!"
Demiurge's reply was filled with vigour.
Ainz gave him a standing ovation in his heart.
Thank you for doing this. If he were not acting, he would shake Demiurge's hand.
Without letting that thought leak out, Ainz nodded.
"I give you my full authority. Do what you wish. I permit the usage of half of Nazarick."
"Thank you very much, Ainz-sama. Then could Ainz-sama please change your clothes."
"Hmm?"
Ainz looked at the white and gold clothes he came in.
"Ainz-sama is a person who is best suited to exist as one with the darkness. These clothes are excellent but…."
"….Sebas. Arrange my clothes according to Demiurge's words. However, excessive accessories are a bit…."
"Understood."
The two spoke in unison. Ainz was relived and spoke to Demiurge.
In Ainz's mind, he believed that Demiurge would handle everything and so this conversation was over.
"Now, Demiurge. What should I do?"
"Yes. I do not mind if Ainz-sama simply sits on the throne and becomes the absolute ruler of Nazarick to the guests. We shall handle the rest."
"……..?" Ainz widened his eyes. "So I still have to address them."
"Oh, Ainz-sama. As expected, you do not like to address such weak humans. However, the other party has gone all out for this, thus we should reciprocate it. Even if they were the lowest of insects."
No, it was not that.
Ainz suppressed the desire to say that. If he could shout not to bring a new recruit to an important meeting he would feel so much better. However he could not do that. He was the person sitting at the top of Nazarick.
Thanks to the failure of the kingdom, the resolution Ainz felt earlier was blown away somewhere.
Ainz strongly felt his uselessness and spoke to himself to get motivated.
—Do your best, me.
—Don't lose, me.
He felt that he was being an idiot, but he needed it to welcome the Emperor.
"I see. When I am ready I shall wait there."
Six well decorated carriages dashed through the plains.
Despite the fact that this was grasslands, the carriage did not bob up and down. This was as a large amount of money was spent on things other than its appearance.
First were the wheels. They were magic items known as <comfortable>. And the carriage itself had
"—What?"
"Yes. A maid is waiting outside the log house of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick for His Majesty."
"The Kingdom's carriage?"
"Yes. We are currently unable to locate it."
"Hmm."
Jircniv placed a finger on his lips as he thought. Did they hide it and was there a need to hide it? Both were possible.
"….Any other reports?"
"That is it."
"Your Majesty, will you not look for the observers?"
"Stop stop Baziwood. They sent their subordinates on their own. If I searched for them, they will know it was me."
Jircniv sat down deeply in his chair.
"Well, everything will happen in an hour. Let's look forward to it."