Winter's Crown: Act 8, Chapter 17

Glückauf, Glückauf! Der Steiger kommt

und er hat sein helles Licht bei der Nacht…

A cheerful voice filled the air of Nazarick's Treasury. The voice rolled over waves of treasure, cresting over glittering peaks and dipping into shimmering valleys as it rose and fell in song.

Ins Bergwerk ein, wo die Bergleut' sein,

die da graben das Silber und das Gold bei der Nacht,

die da graben das Silber und das Gold bei der Nacht…

While Momon slept, the Treasurer of Nazarick toiled. Scaling veritable mountains of coins, magic items, and crafting materials, Pandora's Actor filled a container with valuables in his endless work as the Guardian of the Guild Treasury. Items and data crystals awaited his attention, to be sorted and ordered. Ordered and reordered. Those that might be of use in the near future were placed so that they could be easily accessed when the need for them arose. Those limited and most rare were meticulously arranged and stored away.

"Oh…"

His hands stopped as they fell over a glimmering object that differed from the coins, jewels and artifacts laid before him. Long fingers carefully plucked it from its place to be raised before his discerning eye. It was fashioned as a large jewel, yet it was not. A data crystal. It was as clear as a diamond, yet dark energy pulsed from within.

Greater Energy Drain. Hm…

He could understand why it had been deposited in the pile rather than stored away in any specific part of the Treasury. Going by how the equipment of the Supreme Beings' was fashioned, sets of gear from Yggdrasil were crafted to ensure a set of standardized traits.

Amongst these traits were various immunities to certain debuffs, and foremost amongst them was immunity to negative energy effects. These effects debilitated those affected, draining away attributes and even levels. Being susceptible to negative energy drains was ultimately lethal, as one could be afflicted more than once. Losing multiple levels in combat would result in a crippling disadvantage.

This being the case, the data crystal between his fingers held little value against Players, as all Players would presumably be immune to its effects through their equipment. In this new world, however, it was extraordinarily powerful.

He dug through the coins where he had found the data crystal. As expected, there were many more buried nearby. In the past, according to his Father, Genjiro-sama was the one who organized the treasures of Nazarick: sorting and ordering them into their appropriate places. After his disappearance, however, the Supreme Beings tended to empty their unsorted gains into the great trove that occupied the grand vestibule. Pieces of interest were reserved to be individually placed into specific shelves and alcoves.

After he was satisfied that he had located the rest of the hidden treasure, he looked down at the pile of data crystals cradled in his arms.

Energy Drain, Ensnare, Paralysis, Curse...kukuku...

As with the first data crystal, they were all effects that appropriately-equipped Players would be immune to. The common theme of the effects suggested that the Supreme Beings who had deposited them there had returned from some Undead infested area, or perhaps a noxious swamp.

Now...what should be done with these? A showcase item for the Adventurer Guild? Hmm, some of these are far too powerful. Utility equipment for the Guardians, perhaps?

His gaze ran over the gleaming pile that he held. There were quite a few duplicates.

Maybe I should test them out first...

『PLAYER!』

『AAH!』

Shalltear Bloodfallen's shout filled his mind. Pandora's Actor threw up his hands in shock. It took all of a split second for him to realize what he had done.

Mein Gott!

He stared up at the Data Crystals flying through the air. As a Level 100 NPC, one did not simply throw things. The data crystals were rapidly shrinking away, turning into a glittering constellation against the night-like canopy above. Wait, what did she say?

『Player?』

『That's right-arinsu! I found one!』

Pandora's Actor was torn. The presence of a Player was a matter of utmost importance, but he had also just sent several dozen data crystals over a kilometre into the air. Shalltear spoke again.

『A-anyways, you asked me to contact you first if I found any Players…』

This much was true. As a part of their ongoing collaboration over matters related to the Sorcerous Kingdom, he had asked Shalltear to do just that. Albedo had recruited him in recent months to join a task force formed to specifically respond to the potential appearance of Players. His work included sifting through local lore and legends while he performed his assigned duties. Shalltear's ever-expanding transportation network felt like it would be a useful net.

『Are you alright? Do you require any assistance?』

『Yes please, I'm in Ashurbanipal at the moment–』

『What!』

『What?』

『…did one of the Supreme Beings return?』

『Huh? No? Er…I was just looking for a book, arinsuga…』

『So there isn't a Player in Ashurbanipal?』

『No, of course not, arinsu…ah – sorry.』

Nervous laughter filtered over the Message spell, and Pandora's Actor released a sigh of relief. He eyed the space above his head: the data crystals were on their way back down.

Now...how do I catch these...

He had never dropped a Data Crystal before – and he wasn't about to let it happen now – but he only had two hands. The mind of one of the three peerless geniuses of Nazarick worked to devise a solution for the impending catastrophe.

As the data crystals plummeted closer and closer, the figure of Pandora's Actor melted to the ground.

"Toh!"

A high-pitched, feminine voice echoed around the vestibule. Pink tendrils shot out in four dozen different directions. They each intercepted a falling data crystal – some tens of metres away – and slowly withdrew back into Pandora's Actor.

"Whew…" the voice of Bukubukuchagama-sama rose into the air.

He quickly put away the data crystals and returned to his Doppelganger form.

Ah, I've committed a grave sin.

Never in his wildest imaginations would he have thought something like this would occur. To use the form of one of the forty-one Supreme Beings to catch falling items…

Pandora's Actor looked up towards the distant ceiling, silently begging Bukubukuchagama-sama for her forgiveness. He made his way back down to the floor of the treasury. After setting the container filled with unsorted items in a secure place, he teleported out of the treasury.

Several minutes later, he strode into the grand library of Nazarick, Ashurbanipal. An Elder Lich appeared from out of the aisles of bookshelves. It clasped a hand to its chest as it bowed in deference.

"Welcome, Pandora's Actor-sama."

"Good evening, Librarian J," Pandora's Actor nodded. "Have you seen Shalltear, perchance?"

"Shalltear-sama entered the library not fifteen minutes ago," Librarian J replied. "She came to search for something, but refused the assistance of the library staff…"

"Pay it no mind," Pandora's Actor raised a hand. "She messaged me several minutes ago, and I've come to assist her."

"Ah, I see. Shall I guide you to her, Pandora's Actor-sama?"

"If you please."

The Elder Lich turned and glided forward, robes whispering over the spotless mosaic floor. Soft light cast dim shadows as they passed through countless rows of ebony bookshelves and stands hosting glass-encased exhibits under the expansive frescoes of the ceiling above. As they passed a particular section, Pandora's Actor was reminded of his thoughts from before. He idly eyed the databooks that allowed one to produce item frames.

Crafting processes from Yggdrasil were far removed from those of this new world. The databooks contained templates that could be referred to by those with the relevant crafting classes. Raw materials were consumed to replicate the template and produce the item frame, wherein data crystals were later added to create the final product. The quality of the materials used and the skills – that was, the class levels, abilities and specializations – of the crafter determined the basic attributes and data capacity of the frame.

Anyone could take the data book with their desired template and required materials to the base's crafting NPCs to fashion the item frame that they desired. Pandora's Actor, however, could assume the form of Amanomahitotsu, or any of the other Supreme Beings who worked as dedicated crafters for the Guild, to personally create equipment beyond the wildest imaginations of any artisan amongst the citizens in the Sorcerous Kingdom – nay, the entire region – as far as they knew.

The millions of once-useless data crystals flooded his mind with visions of the plethora of items that could now be employed to great effect. There were also many data crystals with effects that remained untested in their new world. He would have to take up the topic with his Father at some point.

Librarian J led him from the antechamber, through the Hall of Reason, then turned to enter the Hall of Knowledge. In one of its side chambers, Pandora's Actor was greeted by the sight of Shalltear Bloodfallen, who was sitting at a long table piled with books. It was a sight that many of Nazarick's denizens might find unsuited for the oft-belittled Guardian of the First, Second and Third Floors, but he had seen it often enough as she worked tirelessly to lay the foundations of the Sorcerous Kingdom's transportation network.

With a thankful nod, he dismissed Librarian J and walked over to the table. He glanced down at the books scattered around the table. They were not tomes of Mercenary NPC data, nor data for producing items. Nor were they event items or anything magical in nature. They were simply books: books of lore; of setting information from Yggdrasil, and stories left behind by the Supreme Beings.

Shalltear's small frame was bent over the table, and she appeared too engrossed in her efforts to have noticed his arrival. Pandora's Actor gently cleared his throat.

"I have arrived as requested, meine Dame."

The Floor Guardian placed a hand on the desk and looked up. Traces of excitement lined her focused expression.

"You've been researching the presence of players in this world, have you not?"

"Indeed, I have," Pandora's Actor replied. "Their presence, however, has been limited to past events so far. Has this something to do with the reason you called for me?"

Shalltear closed the book she was reading, turning it over to face him.

"Konungsbók," he murmured. "If I recall correctly, it contains many pieces of lore that are similar or identical to what is found in Yggdrasil…"

"It was placed in Asurbanipal by the Supreme Beings, arinsu." Shalltear said, "Today, I found someone who was able to quote lines from it with near-perfect accuracy. Have you heard of the like?"

Pulling a seat from nearby, he sat down so he could converse with Shalltear face to face.

"No, I have not, but I have encountered many uncanny likenesses from other segments of the Supreme Beings' lore in the past. Who was this individual you found? Are they in your keeping?"

"The person in question has been secured where I found her. It was a Frost Giant, who immediately recognized me as a Valkyrie."

"Tell me more," Pandora's Actor leaned forward over the table.

Her tale was brief, but it possessed more clarity than any of the murky legends and tales that he had perused in his pursuit of Player-related information. It was as solid a piece of evidence of Player influence as could be found, barring the physical existence of items from Yggdrasil.

Moreso than those items, it was the impact that players had on the world's cultures that resounded more than anything else. Language, religion, cuisine, traditions and other cultural practices – these things were ingrained into the everyday lives of the people.

"So as a Valkyrie – or rather, through the setting knowledge that comes with your Valkyrie class – you were immediately able to make this connection to Player influence."

"That's right, arinsu," Shalltear nodded. "It was quite a surprise when it happened."

"To think that this was found within our sphere of influence," Pandora's Actor stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I suppose I should extend my research to the local Demihuman tribes. So, what will you do with this information?"

"Do? I just reported it to you, arinsune? Should I dispose of the Frost Giant we found?"

Pandora's Actor leaned back on his chair. It was more than likely that further information could be extracted from this new source.

"Rather than that," he said in pondering tones, "this feels like an opportunity…do you have any more information about these people?"

In response, Shalltear glanced over at two stacks of paper on the side of the table. She reached out and placed them before him.

"Baroness Zahradnik has been compiling information on them for the past few days," she said. "We lost track of her somehow, but when we found her again it turned out that she was out there playing her role as a diplomat for the Adventurer expedition."

"You and the others sure are working her to the bone," Pandora's Actor mused as he flipped through the notes. "Not many of the subjects could withstand what you put her through – they'd at least attempt to negotiate an increase in compensation."

"She seems perfectly happy to serve, arinsu," Shalltear replied, "so what's the harm? I'd rather have someone who is more in line with our own attitudes performing important duties."

This was a sentiment he heartily agreed with. Aside from a few outstanding individuals, no one qualified for crucial duties in areas where the government was showing signs of being understaffed. There existed competent individuals, and there also existed individuals who might be trusted to a certain degree. Trustworthy individuals that were also competent in the specific fields that they required, however, were few and far between.

Elder Liches were excellent when it came to compiling the nation's data and performing pre-ordered tasks, but they were decidedly lacking in the flexibility and independent thought required for middle management positions. Having them succeed in anything with more 'cultural' aspects was like trying to teach Gargantua how to swim.

"Well, you should at least ensure that your assets are secure. According to the expedition overview, the majority of her equipment is the equivalent of Level 10 gear. Most of it isn't even magical. Imagine what level she'd be now if not for all of those deaths…by Ainzach's report, she hasn't shown any signs of slowing down yet."

"Slowing down?" Shalltear frowned up at him.

"Erm, how should I put it…" Pandora's Actor gave the matter a moment's thought. "Simply put, we've discovered that the natives of this world have, for the most part, remarkably low level caps. For Humans and many Demihumans, there's a steep drop-off in individuals above Level 20, and they become exponentially rarer the higher you go. The so-called 'Realm of Heroes' – what amounts to the low-30s by our measure – is numbered by individuals per several million…well, there are certain biases that come with these metrics, which we will personally determine are true or not in time. At any rate, the natives can feel when they are approaching their limits, and it is loosely described as 'slowing down'."

"That's pathetic," Shalltear wrinkled her nose. "How do these people live with themselves? They're all just fodder if it comes down to a fight."

Pandora's Actor shrugged.

"I suppose when everyone around you is subject to the same restrictions," he said, "it doesn't seem out of the ordinary. The vast majority do not care about their combat capabilities, either. My point is that, since she does not appear to be 'slowing down', Baroness Zahradnik will eventually become strong enough that she will simply overpower any of the threats that have been causing difficulties at her current level. The sooner you get her there, the less likely she'll be to die and consume resources, and some opportunities can only be seized in the moment of their appearance."

"Don't think I haven't tried offering her equipment," Shalltear told him. "Her sense of propriety and pride is double-edged, arinsu. On one hand, it makes her easy to get along with. On the other, she tends to turn down anything she considers 'above' her. Even that glaive I gave her was snuck into her inventory under some other pretence."

A prideful vassal for a prideful liege…

Pandora's Actor understood this when he had first arranged for them to come together. While most of Nazarick's denizens had no empathy for Humans in the way that Humans did for their own, they could relate to certain feelings and notions under various circumstances. As Shalltear had noted, Baroness Zahradnik's strong sense of pride and propriety made her easy for the Floor Guardian – who had a strong sense of pride and propriety that lined up with hers – to get along with. Combined with many of her values when it came to duty and service, it created a shared understanding that appeared to keep Shalltear from otherwise acting too forcefully with her vassal.

"Well, I suppose you have more experience managing low-level vassals than I do," Pandora's Actor said, moving on to the next pile of notes. "Anyway, based on this information, I believe that my hunch about an opportunity was correct. We can probably bring these Frost Giants firmly under Ainz-sama with a bare minimum in collateral damage."

"Cocytus is doing his thing with the army," Shalltear said. "Won't we be interfering with that?"

"By the looks of it, Cocytus would be more than happy to have these people join the Sorcerous Kingdom. They appear to be just his type. Besides, the Sorcerous Kingdom doesn't have an expansionist policy, and Ainz-sama has demonstrated that he prefers prosperous relationships over ruinous ones."

At the mention of their Master, Shalltear finally relented.

"What do you have in mind?" She asked.

"As I see it," Pandora's Actor answered, "the stage has already been set. All you need to do is act out your part."

"M-my part?"

"Umu," Pandora's Actor nodded. "It shouldn't be too difficult: you need only be what you are. Now, here's what you need to do…"