29 A lost opportunity never returns

"Come in."

On Albedo's order, holding the golden staff plated in silver, Narberal opened the door and entered gracefully, while Marquis Raeven was walking beside her. Golden lightning chain was restricting his arm movements and he could only mobilize his legs and head. It was the result of one of the function of Narberal's staff, Keraunos MK 3.

"Lady Albedo."

Narberal politely greeted Albedo with a slight bow.

"Hm.."

Albedo also responded with a nod and turned to look towards the chained Marquis. In the reports, she imagined him to be a kind of a smart person, but looking at him, she only felt disappointment. No respectful greetings or anything to show respect.

Although he was chained in lightning, his life was on her hands and it was clear that we kidnapped him, but being ignored by a lowly human, Albedo's disgust towards him began to grow much and more.

On the other hand, Narberal was also of the same mindset. So, she directly turned around and hit Marquis's kneepit in a flash causing him to kneel on the ground with a thud*.

She coldly stared at the kneeling Marquis and said.

"Even a lower lifeforms like you dared to be disrespectful."

On the contrary, Marquis Raeven felt a sharp pain on his knee. His knee was almost thrashed in the floor and blood was oozing out of it. But controlling his emotions he calmly greeted Albedo.

"It's a pleasure to meet your excellency. I'm Elias Brandt Dale Raeven, who was entitled with title of Marquis by the late king, Ramposa III."

In the first place, he wasn't ignoring Albedo. On the contrary, he wanted to have a better relationship with this new power, but when he entered this room, he was already immersed in his thinking. He was thinking about possibilities and strategies to have a good talk.

But from outside, it seemed like he was ignoring Albedo on purpose and disrespecting her. It was his fault, and even if it wasn't what could he do? The strong - in whatever sense - do not need the logic to control the weak, in nature, the weak are subject to the strong by definition.

Then, he turned his towards the princess.

"Greetings, your highness."

Renner responded with a slight nod, while Marquis's words didn't get any reaction from Albedo. His greeting was not soon enough for Albedo, meaning too late to be useful. So, her impression of Marquis didn't change in the slightest.

Anyway, it wasn't anything for Albedo. That delay only caused her to have disappointment towards the lowly humans. If the marquis had made a positive impact on Albedo, then she might consider some things as her impression of Renner wasn't bad.

But now, she was clear that humans aren't worthy for that. So, she directly got to the point.

"Marquis Raeven… Our lord, the great Ainz Ooal Gown has decided to bestowed his grace to the kingdom of Re-Estize and support the princess of this kingdom as she is both intelligent and dignified. You're hereby given a chance to make a decision to either work for the princess or to perish on the road to lord Ainz's greatness."

She paused for a moment to look down on the kneeling marquis and released an outburst of the congruence energy of warrior through out the room. Although warriors class has less MP, they can incorporate five energies according to their levels, and being a level 100 warrior, Albedo can conjure all the five of them.

Congruence, or alignment, is based on trust. Do you trust life when you reveal who you really are? Do you trust that when you are completely yourself people will understand and accept you? And for her, the only people that matters is her master, Ainz, resulting into a higher level control power.

The released outburst of congruence energy was perfectly controlled and was of low level - that's why - marquis and princess only felt the extreme pressure without affecting their physical state.

Looking at the cowering marquis, Albedo continued.

"And don't even think about deceiving. Death is the only lightest punishment for that."

She stopped her coercion and looked towards Renner.

"You can discuss with him, and report it later. I'm returning."

She slowly got up in disappointment and walked past the kneeling marquis who was still shivering, while Narberal followed her. She really felt that this marquis wasn't worth for her to intervene personally. For her to pay close attention, a lowly human whose strength ranks in the lowest end should have some unique characteristic.

Such as: the princess, who is detached to human emotions and has walked on the path of the spiritual demonization, while the marquis is only a sly opportunist with a little intelligence, who can't offer much contribution in the Nazarick's glory.

The only reason why she stayed behind to personally interview the marquis was because she believed marquis to be of same mindset as princess. A person who controls two large faction of the Kingdom should know how to control their emotions and analyze the situation.

So, if she displayed Nazarick's power, he would definitely change the sides and it would be easier. But when he arrived, the result was only disappointment.

Such a terrifying powerhouse is sitting in front of you and you dare to ignore. Even if you don't know her personally, being a leader of royal faction, he should be able to analyze the situation, but he failed.

A lost opportunity is a loss. In Nazarick, failure isn't allowed. So, he isn't qualified to get the attention of Albedo. At best, he would be puppet in the hands of Renner, or die resisting, then replaced by another doppelganger. Nazarick doesn't need these kinds.

It might be true that, he had contributed a lot in balancing the Kingdom in late years. But for Nazarick, these are the average quality of politician not a genius. The only genius worth noticing was, the princess Renner who has both position and quality.

Conclusion: Albedo wasted ten minutes for a tiny fly which could be dealt by the princess. In that time, she could have returned to Nazarick and had a good time with her beloved master, Ainz. So, she was even more regretful and angry.

On the way, Narberal messaged Shalltear to create a [Gate] to Nazarick for Albedo, and she stayed back to continue her work along with Solution. Hell Guard was also left behind to ensure their safety on Albedo's order.

...

After Albedo and Narberal walked away, the golden chain wrapped around marquis Raeven also disappeared. He calmed down and slowly stood up, but he was shivering from the huge coercion of Albedo.

At this time, a hand appeared in front of him with a vial of blue liquid.

"Drink this and relax a bit. Then, we will start the talk." said Renner.

It was the basic healing potion in new world. The price of a standard recovery potion goes around about one gold coin and ten silver coins. It was quite expensive, but being the princess, she has quite a few of them.

She gave him such a expensive potion, but it wasn't out of sympathy for him. She provided it for her own comfort. She had to talk with the marquis for future plans, and marquis was not in a shape to continue the talk.

He had lost most of his will under such a tremendous pressure from Albedo. For Albedo, it was of low level, but for a human like marquis Raeven, it was like a giant mountain crushing him. That was an outburst of energy from a level 100 warrior class, and the marquis was in lower 20s. How could he even handle a low level of congruence energy of Albedo.

Renner wasn't the target of such outburst yet she also felt chill from the filling of energy in the room. If Albedo didn't have such control over her energy to not let it escape outside the room, then all the guards in the Ro-Lente castle will be in cold sweat.

She felt even proud of herself for behaving well in front of Albedo. Otherwise she would also be same as marquis Raeven.

Now that the marquis has calmed down a little. Although his mind might be a little fragile, Renner had to start the discussion. She had to do other work too. She can't waste time just for the purpose of sending all the nobles to their own fiefs.

Yes, the purpose was simple, but the procedure was difficult. So, she had to involve the balancer of all nobles who has gain their trust.

Just as she was about to start the conversation, marquis Raeven interrupted her.

"J.. Just.. Who.. is.. that..?"

Marquis Raeven gritted his teeth. Almost blood was coming out from his mouth, and his face was pale as a sick person. Although that pressure didn't affect physically at critical level and healing potion was taking effect, his physical condition was not so great.

Renner looked at zombie like marquis and said lightly.

"She is the envoy of the power behind me, lady Albedo."

She didn't feel any sympathy for him. On the contrary, she was grateful. He let her witness that her decision to submit to Ainz was the best decision she had made. Such power, and such subordinates. Ainz is surely destined to rule this continent, and she would be by his side representing him in the Kingdom of Re-Estize.

Seeing her indifferent look with a blossoming heart, Raeven was getting more and more angry. A little ignorance and that envoy did this to him. An envoy should negotiate in peace, but what kind of negotiation is this? Thinking about it more and more, his original personality of sly opportunist was ready to collapse.

But at this time, the princess spoke again.

"You shouldn't hold resentment for such a thing... She had given you an opportunity and you failed to grasp it... In her eyes, you totally lost the little value of being the leader of the royal faction... A lost opportunity never returns. So, now you're dealing with me."

"Then should I just silently do as she said and follow you?"

Raeven shouted directly at the princess. He even didn't think about his position as only of Marquis level, anyway the kingdom's government was in unstable phase and it didn't matter, at least to her.

"Yes, that would be best for you. And, control your attitude. You're dealing with me now, so that your head isn't rolling on the ground. Those people won't forgive such insolence. You're a mere easier path for them, and it would only delay them for a few days if you're dead."

Renner's word directly hit the critical point. His current condition was the result of a slight ignorance. If he showed such attitude then, he would probably be dead the next moment. But he was talking to Renner, she doesn't have such strength. So, he didn't gave much thought to it.

But Renner's next word made his face even more uglier.

"In the coming future, you should watch your attitude in front of me too. If it was still before, then you might just get some light punishment considering your high status among other nobles... But that's not the case now. Lady Albedo said that I would be joining Nazarick and should maintain the posture to never sully the name of the supreme lord Ainz Ooal Gown."

Renner words wasn't a bluff to make Raeven correct his address of herself. Albedo had already given her a hint of joining Nazarick, but hadn't told about the specific position. She also said the exact same words of maintaining the image of Nazarick and Ainz.

But Raeven was somewhat unsettled in his heart. He snorted and said.

"So what? You don't have strength to do as that lady did."

"Oh! You don't have to worry about that, Marquis Raeven. According to lady Albedo's words, a guard will be dispatched to protect me soon. Once she confirms my joining to Nazarick with the lord of Nazarick, I'm one of the staff of Nazarick. Also, the guard I'm talking about is a high level one, whereas low-level ones are roaming here and there in the castle for my safety."

"Level?"

"That I also don't understand clearly, but you can consider it to be stronger from low to high. Lady Albedo said the guards will be at least as strong as her maid, Narberal."

Listening to Renner's words, marquis Raeven's condition was getting more bad. A guard on the level of that maid who intruded in his room regardless of his guards and used unknown magics. Also the news of low-level guards protecting her secretly in the castle.

It means, Renner has gained more power than she was princess to have such strong guards. The position might low or to be precise a higher position is added above her.

"Anyway I don't have much time to chitchat. Let's get to business."

"Uh.. Huh.."

Then, the discussion for marquis role started. He didn't even considered about not cooperating, because that option would only lead to death. He might die he next second he rejects the princess's proposal as there are hidden guards here.

In this way, marquis became a subordinate of Renner and mole in the faction of royalty and nobility. His job was simply to persuade nobles to return to their governing fief and confuse them at certain period of time.

After a brief talk and a final warning from the princess, he walked out of the princess's office. The warning from princess was for her own safety as Albedo might get pissed at her for not handling the marquis properly.

Marquis Raeven went to villareal palace by walking as Narberal wasn't here. Anyway, brining him out of villareal secretly was only necessary to avoid suspicion. Now that he is here, he can get out of royal residence secretly and it was much easier as all the guards were with Gazef on princess's order, while shadow demons were guarding the residence.

He could also make excuses on why he was outside when he should be inside while entering his office room and no one would even suspect him. Which idiot will suspect their leader for being in the opposition's side?

...

A/N: The next chapter might be about Nazarick's Army. So, folks wait for the grand army of the Great Tomb of Nazarick.

And this chapter might have gone a little longer than others, and next chapter might not be this long. Who knows? Let's wait and see.