Chapter 4 - Swords of Darkness

"Hey, at least it's not as bad as it was in Tokyo." Pero tried to cheer up his sister, who was wrinkling her nose at all the filth.

As for any city barely developing past the late medieval period, sanitation was but an afterthought. The smell was abysmal, from piles of garbage in side streets to animal droppings on the road.

"Don't remind me of that dump. For all I care, that place never existed." Buku replied while stepping over a puddle. "Somehow, I feel like Ulbert is doing his best not to blow this place sky-high."

"Hah! You got that right. Oops, watch your step!"

While Buku remained ahead of the two in her group, Pero continued playing the role of a gentleman, much to her sister's annoyance. For Lupus, however, she could not help but smile.

The maid gleefully accepted his chivalry, and while she overcame the obstacle below her, she started feeling lecherous stares boring down on her. Their eyes of envy quickly turned into fear when Buku glared hard at them.

"I should've expected degenerates around these parts of the city. Looks like I found your kind, dear brother."

"Funny how you tried not to stand out like a sore thumb, yet look at how many people are staring at you. Did you place a [Charm] spell on everyone while I wasn't looking?"

As the conversation turned into yet another angry bickering between the siblings, Lupus was busy thinking of a particular term that came up in their talks.

The mention of a place called Tokyo, which she had not heard before, piqued her interest. It wasn't every day you got to hear something new about the lives of Supreme Ones, and such information was beyond value when it came to servant circles of Nazarick.

"What is Tokyo? Was that in Yggdrasil?"

Lupus felt she was pushing her assigned role, but since Pero specifically asked for her to be a casual talker, she may be able to get answers to questions she otherwise would not dare to ask.

Buku, realizing her brother's mistake, inwardly cursed herself. She was about to reprimand the maid, but to her surprise, Pero responded before she could.

"Nah, that was a city in another world. Sis and I lived there together." Pero replied casually.

'This stupid…!'

Buku latched onto her brother's shoulder and jerked it back, causing him to stumble. Lupus, still holding Pero's hand, yelped as she almost tripped on the ground.

{ What the hell was that for?! } Pero's mentality instantly jumped into overdrive, knowing he was about to get scolded by his sister for whatever reason.

{ Didn't Momo and Ulbert tell you not to talk about Earth? You're going to get us into some serious shit, you know that? }

{ Relax, it was vague enough. What, do you not trust Lupus enough? }

{ It's not her trust I'm worried about. Get your loose tongue sorted out before you end up spilling even more valuable information. }

{ I still think you're overreacting. We've already done a decent chunk of research into investigating whether or not other Players are within this area. As far as I'm concerned, this isn't even remotely a hotbed of people like us. }

{ Fine, whatever. If someone did hear you earlier and gets away with it willy-nilly, losing your concubines will be the least of your worries. }

Buku glanced back at the pair with mild annoyance. As she predicted, both were flirting every chance they got, making her the third wheel of the group. And this was just an hour into their adventure, as things were likely to ramp up from there.

With a grumble, she marched on, looking around for a jeweler's shop. So far, they had yet to find it, but merchants of such luxurious goods likely would be found closer to the plaza.

According to a few locals who chatted them up due to their exotic appearance, the fortress city of E-Rantel was in better condition than most other cities. Apart from a significant military presence, the inner city was filled to the brim with inns, gambling houses, and brothels.

They did find a keeler near the plaza, and their workplace was a cozy little building with a bright blue jewel painted on the sign above the entrance.

Pero led the trio in with a loud bell announcing their arrival. The shopkeeper, an older balding man with a white shirt, eyed them carefully.

The two guards, dressed with partial plate armor at each side of the shop, did the same, but seeing the quality of the gear the trio had on them, they visibly relaxed.

"How can I help you?" The shopkeeper asked in a pleasant, deeper tone.

"Do you exchange gems for local currency?" Pero asked, approaching the counter.

"I can take a look at your selection, but at best, I'll pay about a third of the market price. However, if I see any semblance of illusion magic or other forgery methods within your goods, I'll have no choice but to hand you and your group over to the city guard. You can understand that, at least, right?" The man took a large monocle from his chest pocket and polished it with a handkerchief.

"I wouldn't come here if that was the case, sir. Then, I'll let you take a look so you can see for yourself that these are genuine."

Pero fished out the small gem pouch from his inventory by reaching into his pocket. A trick he practiced for about an hour before the departure.

With a casual movement, he untied the bag and poured the gems on the table.

The old shopkeeper raised his brow and immediately raised his hand, seemingly about to cast a spell. He pursed his lips repeatedly before loudly announcing the same word he had familiarized himself with for so long.

"[Dispel]!"

A wave of light washed over the gems. Seeing that none disintegrated, the shopkeeper approved, and he picked up the biggest one of the shiny bunch. To Pero's amusement, the shopkeeper now had a monocle on his right eye, and he watched with curiosity as the precious stone was being eyed with much more scrutiny than before.

"… Well, damn. I can tell you that it's not fake. No flaws whatsoever." The shopkeeper mumbled under his breath as he looked at each side of the glistening, purple stone.

Despite the gem's small size and high transparency, there seemed to be no problem with the shopkeeper's appraisals. He continued to mumble and look at the shiny jewel for a good minute before placing it back on the counter. The look of scrutiny on his face was now replaced with genuine awe.

"Sir, this is a flawless amethyst. A gem of this size is not common around these parts. Where did you get it?"

"Oh, we bought them in our homeland since, you know, a small pouch of gems is easier to carry than chunks of gold or silver." Pero casually explained, leaning over the counter. "Are you buying something or not?"

"Yes, I will buy this one." The man pointed at the purple gem he was inspecting. "I'll give you a hundred gold coins for it."

"Sounds good."

"And another thing; if you plan to trade out the rest, come by in a few weeks. I could offer the same rate for a few of the smaller gems."

The shopkeeper gave the guards a subtle nod and opened the money box under the counter. With a practiced motion, he counted a hundred gold coins and put them on the counter while putting the gem into the box.

After getting funds, they quickly detoured and exchanged a few gold coins for silver and copper. Gold was usually reserved for large purchases and nobility-level establishments. They likely would be allowed to enter once they reached a particular reputation as adventurers.

The adventurer guild came with the next set of problems. The trio sat at a small table, staring at the application forms, while the clerks and guild members eyed the group curiously.

"I can't read this," Buku whispered.

"No shit! None of us can. Why the hell didn't we think that this would happen." Pero said while taping the quill against the paper.

"Maybe Aureole can help?" Lupus suggested. It wouldn't be tactful to ask why Supreme Brings had made such a careless oversight.

'Maybe they are testing me on how I would handle things. They did ask me to be proactive if I have something to say.' Lupus rationalized the current circumstance.

"Good idea." Buku nodded, instantly messaging Aureole.

{ Hey, sorry to bother you, but can you use remote viewing and translate for us? We need help with filling out application forms. }

{ I'm honored to help, Lady Buku. One moment, please. I will request translation glasses from the Treasury. } Aureole replied enthusiastically.

After a short period of waiting, Aureole contacted the trio.

{ Lady Buku, I have returned with the proper gear. } While Aureole responded briefly, Buku's hearing captured a hint of sadness in the area guardian's tone.

{ Is there something wrong, Aureole? }

{ Forgive me. While I can translate for you just fine, I require additional data to help fill out the applications. I can safely deduce some of the words to be references to what is common knowledge in E-Rantel but are otherwise alien concepts to us. }

{ That makes sense. The translation glasses are probably suited to general terms rather than ones coming from the deeply rooted culture here. }

{ Indeed, you are completely correct, Lady Buku. Once again, I apologize I can't help you at the moment. It is the first time since Nazarick arrived here that I receive the honor of helping out a Supreme Being, yet I… }

{ Don't worry about it. We'll figure something out. } Pero joined the conversation.

{ Like my brother said, it's not a huge complication. How about this: if we send back some local books, would that be enough to guide us while we learn the language on our own? } Buku asked.

{ That would help tremendously. }

After some more exchanges via Message, Pero promptly ended the mental link and turned his attention to his team.

"At least we'll able to speed up some of the process. We could ask some of the locals here for help."

"I guess that could work," Buku decided to look around to see who she should approach.

As if fate smiled upon her, she noticed a man breaking off from his group, and it appeared he was now making a beeline towards them.

Buku looked closer at the man, and she saw he had blonde hair and brown eyes. His rather slim figure was clad in leather armor and had a bow strapped over his shoulder. With a confident stride, he walked up to their table and gave a friendly wave.

"Hey there! I noticed you have trouble filling out the application forms. Maybe I can help."

Buku looked him up and down, and she returned a similar gesture to the man.

"We would appreciate the help, but how about we start with your motives for helping first? We're fairly new here, so we have good reason to be suspicious."

"I completely understand! Let me get straight to the point, then. Even though you guys are registering, you look like people who can handle yourself out there quite easily. The gears you and your fellow people are wearing are no joke, either."

'It's true. We are standing out a bit more than I would have liked. There's no changing that now, though,' Buku mused.

"Mind you, we're not one of those happy-go-merry rookies with idiotic dreams of going out into an adventure without decent preparation."

The man's shoulders started to lower as a relaxed look appeared on his face. Buku felt the man was staring at her more intensely, making her a little suspicious.

"I see you guys have a fair share of experience, which brings me to this. After I help you out, would you guys like to join my team and me for some monster hunting? It'll be a good way for your team to know how adventurers work around these parts while familiarizing with various places of interest outside of E-Rantel."

Buku gave a long, thoughtful hum.

"…Alright. Me and my guys would love to help you and your team out."

The adventurer gave a wide grin towards Buku. He put his hand to his heart and made an announcement that made Pero raise an eyebrow.

"Wonderful! Call it love at first sight, but I have fallen for you. After our mission, would you go out with me?"

Buku paused for a moment.

'The guy is decently good-looking. Nice and slim, just how I like them, but… ugh, he gives off such Pero vibes. I'll just play it off for now.'

"That's a good one, but I'm not an innocent maiden who falls for such a line. Now, how about you fulfill your end of the bargain, and when everything's settled, our teams can go for a drink to discuss working together? We'll see where it goes afterward," Buku replied, still smiling.

Her tone of voice indicated that the guy had no chance with her, but her intentions seemed to have fallen on deaf ears. The man dumbly nodded, now sporting a stupidly wide grin.

By the time they wrapped up the deal, someone had already made their way to their position. Before Buku could have the time to ascertain the man's looks apart from him being blonde, the new arriver slapped him on the back of the smiling adventurer's head.

"Ack-!"

"Sorry about Lakrut. He becomes a complete knucklehead when around women."

Like the one in front of him, the new speaker was a young blonde man, with the difference being his blue eyes that did not look as lecherous in Buku's perspective. He had a smooth, unremarkable face with a hint of embarrassment, with chainmail over a leather shirt and pants set.

More people were before Buku and her group, though Lakrut seemed to warm up to their presence.

Besides him was a tall, bulky blonde man with a long blonde beard. His eyes looked closed, and he had a friendly smile. He was dressed in a complete set of brown leather armor with a white shirt underneath. The last was a short brown-haired boy or girl with blue eyes and a somewhat childish face, dressed in baggy pants and an oversized tunic.

"This is your team, Lakrut?" Buku questioned. Having said the name out loud for the first time seemed to make the addressed man swoon over her yet again, but a firm voice stopped his antics.

"Indeed. As for me, I'm Peter, the leader of the Swords of Darkness."

"Your team even has a name. That's cool. I'm Itsuki; this is Lucy and Akari." Pero introduced everyone.

"Nice to meet you all. I'm Dyne, and this young fellow here is Ninya." The bulky man introduced himself and the boy.

Buku looked over all newcomers critically and then messaged Pero and Lupus. { By how poor their gear is, I assume they think we can help them out for a while, as thanks for filling up our applications. }

{ Or that guy just wants to get in your pants. So maybe you'll have to take one for the team. } Pero replied.

{ With the blonde guy? Not a chance. But that boy is cute as hell. He was so timid he even looked away when our eyes met. }

{ I'm pretty sure it's a reverse trap. } Pero glanced at the boy critically.

{ Not every cute boy is a freaking reverse trap! If he is legal, I'm going for it. Don't be a dick about this! }

{ No need to sound so menacing. I don't want to deal with you throwing a tantrum when you find a cooch instead of a dick after the pants come down. }

Seeing the siblings staring so intently, Ninya looked down and asked in a soft and timid tone. "Is something wrong?"

"Oh, nothing. We are just curious about your classes." Buku gave the boy a thorough look up and down and then asked. "You're a caster, right?"

When the boy shyly nodded, Peter spoke on his behalf. "Ninya is a second-tier caster. He is a bit shy around new people, but don't worry. He'll warm up to you in no time. Oh, and he is also a talent holder, so don't look down on him, alright?"

"Talent holder? I'm intrigued." Buku raised her brow and continued eyeing the boy with interest.

"Peter, don't tell that to everyone!" Ninya shouted in a high-pitched voice and then added in a quieter tone, "My talent is nothing special. I can learn spells much faster than regular casters, and that's about it."

"They were curious, and you should be proud." Peter laughed it off.

Using the opportunity, Lakrut spoke up. "I am the group's ranger. Not to brag, but I rarely miss my targets."

"And I'm the team's defender," Peter added, giving his trademark smile.

"I'm druid by trade," Dyne said, keeping a respectful tone to his words.

"Another Ranger, huh? You are on, buddy. Let's see who has better aim." Pero taunted Lakrut with a cheerful laugh.

"I'm all for it. I'll prove I am the best. Akari, you'll see I'll be able to protect you in any situation." He went for another attempt at flirting with Buku, winking.

"You didn't notice that I'm wearing plate armor, huh? I'm our group's tank, so I'm one protecting soft boys like you." Buku snickered.

Even getting a round of laughter from his group didn't stop Lakrut. He quickly regained his confidence, his grin only becoming wider.

"In that case, I'll make sure nothing gets close to you!"

"Damn, you are relentless. I give you credit for that, but unfortunately for you, you remind me too much of my brother." Buku landed the last blow and then looked straight at Ninya. "But you have all the chances. I simply melt for cute ones like you."

Ninya blinked in surprise at the remark and became beet red, letting out a quiet, incomprehensible mumble.

"Fair enough. There are other fish in the sea. Ninya, you're up. Make me proud," Lakrut said. He walked up to the young mage and gave him a hearty slap on the shoulder.

"Ahrghh." Ninya let out another mumble whose meaning none could decipher and hid behind Peter.

"Please don't tease Ninya. He is a bit shy."

"Oh, I'm not teasing him. I was serious. He is just my type." Buku said, leaning to the side, trying to catch another glance of the boy.

"And I'm a cleric. It's nice to meet you all." Lupus finally spoke with a big smile on her face, interrupting the awkward silence.

With introductions out of the way, Lakrut helped fill Pero's application, while Dyne assisted Lupus and Peter, Buku.

There were next to no requirements, and pretty much anyone could join as long as they followed the guild rules and signed off the right to blame the guild in case of injury or death.

But as guild members, they could take only guild-approved jobs and perform authorized healing in the case of healers. Casters, in general, were permitted to use magic only to benefit their group directly, and healers could use their magic only on their group and immediate clients.

After exchanging the last few formalities, Buku and Pero received their copper insignias, now worn around their necks. This would let others know they were the lowest rank among the guild members, but the siblings were not planning to stay at the runt of the ladder for a short time.

When Peter suggested that they go to a tavern the Swords of Darkness often frequented, the newly endowed copper adventurers only agreed, following right behind the overly friendly team.

X

The moment they stepped into the low-end establishment, it became painfully apparent to both siblings how spoiled they had become in such a short period. The tavern smelled cheap booze, sweat, and who knew what else. The floor was covered with mud, spilled drinks, and food scraps. Lupus, in particular, wrinkled her nose in disgust. She suppressed the desire to burn the whole place to the ground.

{ Lord Pero, Lady Buku, I know you wanted to befriend these humans, but this place is disgusting. Under no circumstances should Supreme Beings like you be treated like this. } Lupus replied with a scrunched-up expression on her face.

{ It will be fine. And Lupus, you don't have to use honorifics privately, either. While we are on this mission, you are one of our own, okay? } Pero replied. He looked to his sister, who seemed to share the same sentiment as the maid, though she was doing far better concealing her feelings.

The tavern sure didn't look inviting. It mostly catered to low-end adventurers, though according to Peter, the drink and food were good, and it would be better when there was company.

With one glance around, it was easy for the trio from Nazarick to see that all the more prominent groups were teams. They mainly comprised copper and iron plates, but a few silver and gold plates were sitting by themselves in stoic silence. Unsurprisingly, the people gathering here were huddled in groups of their rank.

Peter and the rest of their new friends guided them towards a larger table with a single red-haired woman sitting at one end. Unaware of her surroundings, she clutched a small potion filled with blue liquid.

"Hey Brit, did you get what you wanted?" Lakrut asked, settling right next to her. He attempted to put his hand around her shoulder, to which Brita responded with a slap.

"Don't get all raunchy with me, especially after that stunt you pulled in our last mission," Brita spat out.

Lukrut heard sighs around himself, and the ranger defensively put his hands up.

"Anyone could've made that mistake! What matters is you got out of there, safe and sound, yeah?"

"Sure…"

Brita had already put on a face of boredom, not wanting to deal with any of the ranger's antics. When she saw Peter in the group, an enthused look crossed her face.

"Took you long enough to come here."

"Yeah, there was a slight delay in our schedule," Peter said, ignoring Lakrut's sulking. "Do you have everything you need, or should we wait a bit longer?"

"I can come with you now for a trial run. Beats having to stay in a shabby place like this. And this time, I better not be left in the dust!"

"Forgive us for that incident, Brita. The situation was quite complicated back then, but I should have been more observant of the treatment towards you. Even outside our team, you are still a fellow adventurer," Dyne said apologetically. Ninya only offered hasty nods, guilt apparent on her face.

"No, it's not your fault, Dyne. I appreciate your words, though," Brita replied with a small smile. "However, I can't say the same for a certain ranger in your team." Her smile was quickly replaced with a cold look directed explicitly toward Lakrut.

"I understand. As long as you tolerate Lakrut, we could give you a chance," Peter replied, smirking at the ranger's nervous laughter. "But you know, we weren't a mixed group before, so don't expect this to go well so soon."

"Right, I forgot about that rule of yours in the group. If you ask me, it's kinda stupid, but I won't press any further."

Unbeknownst to everyone, Ninya started to squirm out of discomfort. Brita curiously glanced at the mage before her eyes fell on three unfamiliar faces behind the Swords of Darkness.

"Oh? What's with the copper plates in the fancy armor? Since when were you taking rich kids?" Brita glanced at the trio with noticeable disdain.

Pero looked back at the young woman with a smile despite her bold attitude. Her sharp, blue eyes met Lupus's gaze briefly before lingering too long on Pero's face for her liking.

She wasn't the best-looking girl out there, but there seemed to be years of physical training judging by her muscular arms, though her body was slim enough to be easily discerned as a woman. Compared to the other people in the tavern, she stood out somewhat more with her wheat-colored skin and short red hair. Overall, her looks gave her a down-to-earth charm.

"Ranks don't define skills, girl. Maybe you want to go for a few rounds and see what we are made of. I would love to play with you." Lupus said with a smirk, showing her canines while eyeing the rude woman with a predatory gaze.

"You're an interesting one. I'm not in the mood to fight right now, so I'll pass," Brita replied flatly, and she again repeated the question to Peter, "So what's their deal? Did you guys find new members for your team?"

"Far from it, Brita; they're already a team of their own. They'll be joining us for the next monster hunt. Like always, we'll split earnings according to each team's kills."

"I won't judge your decision for inviting these guys, but they're just copper plates, right? If something happens to them…"

Pero and Buku ignored the jab, though they were slightly annoyed by how casual Brita sounded. They already understood that others poorly treated copper-ranked adventurers.

{ You thinking what I'm thinking, sis? } Pero sent a Message to Buku, who only nodded.

{ Yeah, give me a second. }

For whatever reason, Ninya was paying close attention to the intense looks being shared between the three people next to her. She saw Lucy's head seemingly tilt into confusion, followed by a look of understanding. Finally, her lips curved into a devilish smile that sent a chill down Ninya's spine.

"I'm confident they'll manage by themselves. Consider it an adventurer's intuition. Plus, they have a cleric in their group, so they'll be able to manage by themselves just fine," Peter replied, gaining approving nods from the trio behind him.

Seeing Brita's face soften, Peter felt that now was a good time to introduce the three copper plates to the red-haired adventurer.

"These are Itsuki, Akari, and Lucy. As for the adventurer sitting at this table, this is Brita. She worked with us a couple of times, but now she plans to apply for the Swords of Darkness. Usually, it's not the greatest idea to have one woman in an otherwise male team, but we've known her for a long time."

Pero and Buku went for their trademark smiles, with Ninya and Lakrut being encaptivated for entirely different reasons. Brita admitted that the new copper plate man was a looker, but she felt discomfort at the way Lucy continued to eye her.

"If you say they're good, then I won't pry any further. But once I'm officially in the team, I can receive healing from Dyne and buffs from Ninya, right?" Brita asked.

"Wait, you can't even heal and buff people who are not on your team?" Buku asked, feeling genuinely confused.

"The Adventurer's Guild and the Church don't allow it. If you're caught, you're bound to lose your license." Ninya explained, recalling the rules she was taught long ago.

"That's… kinda bullshit if you ask me," Pero said. Despite his bluntness, Brita and the Swords of Darkness found themselves in agreement.

"That's why I have this." Brita showed them the potion.

"What sort of potion is that?" Pero switched from trying to imagine how she looked under her thick leather armor to looking at the strange potion.

"Huh, you haven't seen a potion before?" Brita leaned back and looked at him like he had two heads. "Something tells me you guys are fresh out of the womb."

"Nah, that's not it. We are from a country that's far east of here, but frankly, I don't want even to remember my homeland. Some bad stuff went down, and we're not planning to go back there anytime soon." Pero replied quickly, coming up with a vague excuse.

"That's fair, I suppose. I'll remember not to bring that kind of stuff up in future conversations," Brita said, awkwardly rubbing the back of her neck. "But you seriously haven't heard of a potion? Did your country not have that sort of thing?"

"It's complicated, but all you need to know is that ours are different."

Pero then proceeded to fish out a basic healing potion from his inventory, though he had to resort to an actual bag instead of pulling things out of a portal. He placed it on the center of the wooden table where Brita was sitting.

"Whoa… I've never seen a red potion before," Brita whispered as the group leaned closer. "Where did you get it?"

"We found a box of them in the ruins we explored. We haven't tested them properly since we met Lucy not long before." Buku interjected before Pero could answer.

{ Just when I think you couldn't do anything stupider than leaving breadcrumbs of our old origins, you decide to whip out Yggdrasil stuff to a bunch of strangers! Ainz told us to be careful with this, remember?! How do you think the locals here will react when people like Enri treat it like it's some sort of godly artifact? }

{ So what? You just told them we found them in some ruins, right? We'll just build on that story. It'll be fine. } Pero dismissed her concerns for the umpteenth time.

The other patrons of the tavern who were close enough also eyed the potion on top of the rather rich-looking trio.

"You know, if you sold it to a pharmacist, you likely could get a few regular ones for the same price," Peter said. "Haggling also works here, but I'd recommend doing that when you and your team build a higher reputation in E-Rantel."

He and his team hid their discomfort from Buku, who whispered a series of words to herself that did not sound pleasant. Lupus was within earshot of the fast mumbling, and she did her best not to pale at her Lady's scornful language.

"Oh, in that case, we'll hold on to them in case we run short on money." Pero put it back in his inventory through his pocket, ignoring the tense air around him.

"You guys act way too weird for copper plates," Brita said, scratching the top of her head. She, like Pero, did not care what was happening in the flow of the conversation.

"Give it a rest, Brita. They just arrived at E-Rantel and didn't even know the local writing. They're obviously strong and experienced adventurers." Lakrut said.

"Strong, maybe, but experienced? Even your average child in E-Rantel knows a lot more about potions, judging by the way these guys talk."

Lupus twitched at what she could only interpret as an insult coming from the red-haired adventurer.

"Heh! It doesn't matter that you know more about this laughable excuse of a city. The truth is, we're a lot stronger than you. How about we settle the score over a bet, redhead? If you win, we'll give you one of our red potions, and if you lose… Well, we'll leave that up to you. Not like I'll ever lose, anyway."

'It's going to be good seeing Lupus utterly demolish this girl.' Both Pero and Buku thought the same thing.

They felt that Brita was starting to overstep her boundaries. Her current attitude made Lakrut seem like a saint in comparison. Knocking a peg or two would only be fair.

As soon as Lupus finished her words, she leaned forward and smacked her elbow on the table. The table audibly rattled, and it was already buckling from the newfound pressure.

Lakrut only whistled as the rest of his members gasped at the visible crack below Lupus's elbow. They were eager about how the red-haired adventurer would respond to the provocation.

"That's how you want to play it? Fine! I'm short on cash, so I'll accept this bet of yours. Since you're so kind as to let me decide the other end of the bet, how about we have the loser buy a mug of beer for the winner?"

"Fine by me."

Brita smiled as she jumped up from her seat. She sat down opposite where Lupus was sitting.

By now, their talks had earned curious gazes from bystanders. In no time flat, their arm wrestling match garnered the attention of virtually everyone in the tavern.

The moment their arms touched, Brita yelped in pain as hers hit the wooden table with a crack. She pulled away her arm and massaged her nearly dislocated shoulder, groaning.

"What the hell!? How are you so freakishly strong?" Brita grunted.

"Lucy, we agreed not to show off." Buku lowered her disapproving tone.

"I went easy on her. Don't be mad at me because she's so weak." Lupus leaned closer to Pero and wrapped her arms around his as if asking for protection.

"Chill, sis; I'm sure Brita is fine," Pero said, trying to calm down his sister. "Hey, how about we buy the first round of drinks."

"I'll live, but my shoulder is gonna be sore for a while. Seriously, how is she so strong?" Brita asked again.

{ Mind if I spin the tale of our origin? } Buku asked.

{ Fine by me as long as you aren't a complete bitch about it. } Pero replied while giving his sister a staredown.

{ Relax, I'll just retell the Chronicles of Astalia's main plot. It fits so freaking well, and I can use ourselves as the Gods who gave the blessing. }

{ Shit, sometimes I forget we are now in a world where no one knows about popular media. Make sure to notify Momo. }

With her brother giving a subtle nod of agreement, Buku started to retell the plot of one of her favorite games.

She did not go into full detail, but she remembered it being a tale of two siblings rising to the call to be the champions of their people, only to be betrayed by the nobles and exiled from their homeland. She did mention how they got a blessing from the Gods, using her and her brother's true selves as the Gods who gave the divine gifts.

Buku did avoid using their real names and instead mentioned only titles. It did rather well that she had the blessing of the Goddess of War while Pero ascended into the role of the God of Murder. She even spun the tale that Lucy had become a devout follower of the God of Life and Death.

While she spoke, the first round of drinks arrived. The ale she got was not the best-tasting one, but it was still better than the chemical-filled alcohol from Earth.

Ultimately, everyone was in mutual agreement that they would team up for monster hunting and other quests until their team outranked the Swords of Darkness.

X

The situation in the village was not getting any better. Not only did the villagers lack the hands for the rapidly approaching harvest, but the constant fear of being attacked again put everyone in a frantic state.

The daily patrols of the villagers to ensure they would have time to run next time only escalated the growing problem even more.

Enri and Mili worked from sunrise to sunset, trading shifts whenever possible. Nemu did her best, but even with the three girls' combined efforts, it would be difficult to replace what was lost.

In the last few days, Mili had chosen to live with Enri and Nemu so they could share the household chores.

As the morning before, they finished their breakfast and sent Nemu to clean the bowls while Enri and Mili planned the day.

"We should start stacking up on firewood for the winter. The harvest can wait a few more weeks." Enri started the conversation.

"You want to go close to the forest on our own? What if some monsters attack? Or animals? That bear we saw would have killed us if we were any closer to the tree line."

"We have to do something, or else we'll freeze during the winter. We can do this." Enri said while trying to sound optimistic.

"But what can we do?" Mili asked, sounding defeated.

"You promised not to be like this!" Enri pouted, picking up on her friend's rapidly deteriorating mood.

"But what can we do? There is no one to ask for help. Everyone's for themselves." Mili sighed. "I'm sorry, I know I promised not to lose hope but… but… I don't know."

Enri looked at her friend in silence while absentmindedly touching the two horns she wore on a string around her neck. She had received a gift from the mysterious strangers that saved her and the village.

'If I blow the horns, a bunch of goblins will come and help. They could guard us while we gather firewood, but wouldn't it be a waste to use it right now? I think it would be better if I use it for emergency use. But if we don't get enough firewood, we could freeze to death during the winter.'

Resoluted, she took it off her neck and put it on the table.

"We can use this."

Mili looked up and stared at the strange artifact. When she saw Enri giving an approving nod, she picked up the artifact and looked at it with a curious gaze.

"This is the strange gift you were gifted that once, right? But it will just call monsters. Won't they harm us and the village?"

"They can guard us while we work," Enri said, standing up resolutely to carry out her plan.

"I don't know. What if they attack us instead?" Mili asked, getting up and taking a step back.

"They won't. Nfirea once told me that summons always listen to their summoner." She recalled a particular conversation with a boy who loved to talk about all kinds of mysterious things.

She waved for her friend to follow and ran out of the house. Stopping at the village center where everyone could see her, Enri glanced around and then blew the small horn.

Nineteen figures popped up out of thin air in front of her. Only about shoulder length compared to her but much bulkier, the summoned goblins looked much more robust than their counterparts sometimes seen coming out of the forest.

Most were wearing breastplates and holding onto close combat weapons like swords and spears, but there also were two sitting on the backs of black wolves, two archers, and two dressed in robes.

One of them, a bald and very strong-looking goblin with earrings in his long ears, took a step forward and kneeled.

"We are awaiting your orders, honorable General Enri."

For a moment, she just stared at the goblin with a stunted expression. The rest of the villagers observed what was happening in silence. Sure, one of their own just summoned a bunch of monsters, but it was done with an item gifted to her by their savior.

"Umm, it's nice to meet you all. Please call me just Enri." She finally spoke.

"Understood. If that is your order, we shall address you as Enri." Goblin said with a nod.

"So, I need you to help me gather firewood. Also, do you know how to gather herbs?" Enri asked. "Ohh, and what are your names?"

"No, none of us know anything about herbs. We do not have names, but you can address us by our roles. I am the leader. Those are the mage and the cleric." He pointed at the two-robed goblins.

"Those are archers, wolf riders, and the rest are soldiers." The leader introduced all of them.

"You don't have names?" Enri said as she held her hands together to hide nervousness.

"Would it be rude of me to name you each?" She asked.

In a sense, it would be like naming pets; these creatures were just as intelligent as humans. While Enri did not fully grasp societal norms behind naming, she was still worried that the goblins might receive their names in a negative light. Either way, she wanted to make sure there weren't any misunderstandings.

"That would be a great honor." The leader lowered his head.

The first thing to come to her mind was to use the goblin names from a fairytale her late grandmother told her when she was little.

"Then you'll be Jugem." She pointed at the leader and then continued with the rest by saying a name and pointing at them, "Dyno, Cona, Shuringan, Gurindai…"

By the end of the tedious naming session, Enri felt fatigue encroaching upon her mind. Nevertheless, she was happy to see the goblins in an uproarious cheer.

Enri was more than surprised to see the newly named Jugem getting to work as soon as possible. He quickly moved to deal with one of the village's biggest issues: gathering food. All Enri did was watch as the goblins acted with a ferocious unity.

Wolf raiders were sent to hunt for food, while archers traveled in pairs to patrol the area. Later, Enri saw that the soldiers were trying to find firewood, and she informed them of specific gathering spots suitable for short-distance travel.

Although the villagers were not hostile towards the goblins, they did their best to keep their distance. Only Nemu and Mili were somewhat comfortable talking to them. Eventually, the village elder was the first outside Enri's small circle to recognize the goblins' usefulness, and he went around the village with a goblin mage, asking the demihuman to put up protective charms and heal people who had injuries.

Another thing goblins turned out to be incapable of was cooking. But with most of their work taken care of by the green-skinned creatures, Mili and Enri could take upon the task of making meals for them.

Like other villagers, Mili didn't interact with them beyond absolute necessity, but Nemu quickly got along with goblins, becoming the group's mascot.

In just a few days, things started to look up again. The game goblins brought home gave access to much-needed meat, which enhanced their diets tremendously. The creatures seemingly had endless energy reserves, and picked the most challenging jobs around the village without complaining.

To Enri's annoyance, most villagers still didn't interact with them directly but came to speak with her when something needed to be done.

Apart from the mildly annoying demands, Enri found her schedule more time-consuming. She had to start her days a bit earlier now that there were twenty-two mouths to feed.

On the bright side, Enri did not have to perform this grueling task alone, as Nemu and Mili were more than happy to help. The trio started the day right after sunrise, working on a massive pot of stew.

One of their neighbors came in at one point as she and Nemu peeled the carrots. From farther away, Mili was chopping up fawn meat for stew. Enri remembered that the neighbor was an older woman who lost her husband and two children during the attack but miraculously survived due to being knocked out at the initial attack.

She put a medium-sized bag of vegetables on the kitchen floor as a bribe and asked in a sweet voice.

"Enri, I'm sorry to bother you so early, but could I borrow some of your goblins? The roof of my shed is leaking."

"Oh, that is bad. I'll send over a few to help you with the roof," Enri said to the older woman, not looking up from her task.

"Thank you, bless your kind heart," The woman awkwardly left without saying anything else.

"Why does everyone think I just own them? She could ask Jugem or Unlai," Enri ranted to her friend, though she was self-conscious enough to keep her voice at a low whisper.

"But you did summon them; that would make them yours," Mili stated matter-of-factly.

"But I told everyone they could talk with them without asking for my permission. If they still want to do that, fine with me, but they should ask Jugem. He knows better than me regarding what goblins plan to do daily."

With Enri continuing to mumble under her breath, the trio finally finished all the preparations. Wiping the sweat off their foreheads, they worked in unison to put the massive pot into the oven.

It would take a good three hours for it to cook, and the only thing they needed to do now was to add firewood from time to time. Nemu took it upon herself to do this task, and when she did finish, she would go off to relax and play in front of the house.

Mili took charge of cleaning the house while Enri continued talking to the goblin leader about improving the village's needs. On a lesser note, she wanted to build rapport with him as she knew they would not be leaving any time soon, much to her gratefulness.

She found Jugem giving tasks to the rest of the group. Noticing Enri, he stopped and greeted her in a gruff voice.

"Good morning, boss." The rest of the goblins followed in unison, either revealing toothy grins or waving exaggeratedly. Both interactions made Enri giggle, but she started pouting when she realized something.

"Good morning. I thought we agreed on not calling me that, you guys."

"Sorry, boss! Er, I mean, General Enri. My apologies, I mean, Enri…?" Jugem laughed awkwardly, not sounding so sure of himself.

"I know you are doing that on purpose," Enri huffed, placing her hands on her hips. She theatrically showed her displeasure at the goblin's way of addressing her.

"Sorry, but we can't help it. It takes an effort not to call you General like we are made to do."

"I know, and I appreciate that you are trying, but I see you all as my friends. Anyway, I got some requests you could look at if you don't mind."

"Not at all. Who needs help today?" Jugem asked, letting out a hearty laugh.

"Well, the ol-" She stopped and turned her head at a black void appearing in the middle of the village.

The goblins instantly grabbed their weapons and formed a perimeter around her, watching the portal with suspicion.

Being of Yggdrasil origin themselves, they instinctively knew what was going on, but not knowing who would step through put them on edge.

A pale-skinned woman in a metallic maid's outfit stepped through and slightly bowed her head. She was a stunning beauty with an intelligent look, glasses on her face contrasted with massive bracers on her arms.

"Lord Ainz Ooal Gown sent me to assist Carne Village and make sure nothing bad happens. I am Yuri Alpha," She said in a polite, professional tone.

With the village elder out in the fields, the villagers looked at Enri, silently asking her to handle it. Seeing that she had to retake charge, the blonde girl took a step forward to approach the maid, but she was stopped by a bulky, green hand.

He spoke with a barely audible whisper, "Boss, she isn't human. Her presence alone may be too dangerous for me and my boys to handle," Jugem said in a harsh tone, which he directed toward the newcomer.

"Lord Ainz gave me the horn to summon you all. If he sends someone to help us, we need to show that we are grateful. Now, let me pass," Enri whispered back.

To offend their saviors felt like an unforgivable offense. 'No one else cares for us, but Lord Ainz gives us more than we deserve.'

Jugem stepped aside but followed right behind Enri as she approached Yuri. She bowed before the maid who towered over her at almost a full head height above, and spoke, "Welcome to the Carne village. We are grateful that our savior, Lord Ainz, wants to help us."

"You must be Enri. I see you have used the gift Lord Ainz gave you. Are you the appointed leader of this village?" Yuri viewed the simple farmer girl who was surrounded by goblins.

"No, but I can get the village chief for you."

"That would be kind of you."

"I'll get him," Matsu, one of the goblin soldiers, said and ran off.

"While we wait, could you tell me what are the main challenges this village faces?" Yuri asked.

"Umm… If I had to make a guess, it would be the monsters from the forest. The goblins greatly help day-to-day activities, and now that they're making patrols around the village, the monster problem isn't as bad as it was before they came here. I really think Lord Ainz has helped us more than we could ask."

"I am glad you recognize Lord Ainz's kindness and have used his gift well. As for your challenge, I propose fortifying your defenses."

"I-I see…"

As Yuri continued questioning Enri, the latter struggling to keep up with the maid's flurry of words, both started slowly walking around the village, with Enri giving as much detail as possible.

The village chief returned from the fields at the request of the goblin and found the pair at the edge of the village facing the forest.

"You called for me, miss?" He asked, catching his breath.

"As I already explained to others, my name is Yuri Alpha, and Lord Ainz sent me to assist the people of this village. Enri here has all the answers I need, so please forgive me for unnecessarily bothering you.

"She is a great help to us all."

The man removed his hat, scratched his head, and added, "Enri, you can take care of it, right? Lord Ainz seems to have taken an interest in you."

"But I… I'm just…" She stuttered. The village elder was more than happy to just push everything on her.

"Indeed. You are only one of two people outside Lord Ainz's home and his friends whom he has granted gifts." Yuri agreed.

"I'll be back to work in the field then," The man said, sprinting away.

'Wait! I am not ready for all this!' She wanted to scream at the man for putting all this responsibility onto her.

Unknown to Enri's concerns, the village chief had already decided as soon as he saw the blonde girl asserting herself towards the goblins.

He may have been a simple farmer like her, but he felt his duty would be better off in the hands of Enri, who was now heavily involved in the village's affairs. Meanwhile, the blonde girl looked up at the maid with a wary expression.

"I-I'll do my best."

"Please don't worry. Lord Ainz is a very kind man," Yuri said with a warm smile that faded just as fast as it appeared on her pale, almost sculpture-like face.

'I wonder why Lord Ainz and others forbid me to tell these people that they are Gods. I will have to watch how their adoration for him grows without them knowing the truth.' Yuri mused. There was something about the village, and this girl in particular, Lord Ainz saw in his infinite wisdom.

Bonus Story - Lucky Ones.

Solution, Narberal, Entoma, and Shizu stepped through the gate cast by their youngest sister, arriving in the cherry blossom sanctuary.

By the will of Lord Ainz, they could visit her as long as they didn't leave the secluded area and wander around the eighth floor, which was off-limits to anyone besides Rubedo and the Supreme Beings.

The picturesque place was the area she ruled over. The green garden had a small river flowing through it with a few small arching bridges. In the garden's center was a small temple surrounded by cherry trees with pink flowers.

The four maids entered the temple and found their sister sitting by a table with a row of remote-viewing mirrors.

Her appearance was that of a young girl, and one would be surprised to find out she was the only human in the Great Tomb. She was dressed in a traditional outfit of a Japanese shrine maiden or priestess with long red trousers and a white kimono jacket.

Standing up, she greeted them with a smile and crossed her hands. "It's so nice you could come."

"We brought snacks," Shizu said, showing no semblance of emotion in her voice. She was holding a platter that seemed to have an extravagant tea set.

"How are you doing? Have the Supreme Ones entrusted you with an important task?" Solution asked, showing none of her usual cold-hearted demeanor. When it came to her youngest sister, she couldn't help but be influenced by her infectious cheerfulness and positivity.

"I am mapping out the forest and watching over our sisters," Aureole waved at the mirrors.

She rushed off and brought more chairs. When everyone settled down, she continued to explain her duties.

"Lady Aura is taking over this part of the forest for Nazarick, but her new pet doesn't know where all the settlements of intelligent beings are."

"So cute and fluffy. I want to hug it," Shizu pointed at the giant hamster on the screen, widening her right uncovered eye.

"I think you can ask Lady Aura for permission to play with her pet when she returns to Nazarick," Aureole said.

Her servant, the fox-masked Uka-no-Mitama, appeared in the room and handed her tea cups to her sisters while they snacked on the treats they had brought. Currently, they looked like young, short-haired girls, as their beast forms were only practical in combat.

"Here you can see Yuri interacting with the villagers the Supreme ones saved," Aureole brought their attention to another mirror.

"They look tasty. I wonder if I could get a few of them." Entoma remarked.

"Those insects are not good for anything else," Narberal said while observing the simple humans with noticeable disdain on her face.

"Lord Ainz has other plans for them. Lord Ulbert explained that they are the first to worship Supreme Ones and are the test subjects in that regard," Aureole explained.

"I hope our Lords will not spare all of the humans. I surely would like to have a few," Solution said, licking her lips. "Slowly dissolved over the weeks, they would be an excellent meal,"

"Don't worry, sister. I'm sure Lord Ulbert has plenty in mind you could consume. Those lesser beings dared to offend him when he graciously appeared before them in the Re-Estize capital," Aureole said a lot quieter, with her positive, high-spirited demeanor all but disappearing.

"Knowing how cruel Lord Demiurge can be, I can only imagine how creatively sadistic his creator would be to those who offend him," Solution said, breaking into a smirk.

"Why did he not kill them on the spot?" Narberal asked curiously.

"The best meals need to be prepared first. It wouldn't be right sending them to their deaths without making them suffer for their grave sins," Entoma said, getting worked up as well.

"That we can agree upon, sister," Solution nodded.

"Lastly, Lupus, Lord Pero, and Lady Buku are befriending locals," Aureole pointed at another mirror.

"Ugh, that place looks disgusting," Narberal wrinkled her nose as if smelling the rather shabby-looking tavern.

"I would have loved to go with them, but I couldn't beat Lupus. She is so lucky to have been chosen by Lord Pero," Solution said, trying not to look overly envious of her sister.

"I'm sure you'll all get your chance to shine. I've heard many important missions are getting planned. And who knows, maybe Lord Pero will take more concubines. He is your best bet to being chosen as a concubine of a Supreme Being," Aureole once again spoke in an energetic tone to cheer up her sister.

"Surely none of us can compete with Lady Albedo. I wonder why Lord Ainz picked her over Lady Shalltear," Solution mused. It was no secret that both women were after the tomb's absolute ruler, but Albedo quickly snatched away the victory.

Aureole smiled knowingly. The rest of the maids, seeing her smug smile, gathered closer.

"You know what happened. You can't keep it a secret," Entoma pleaded.

Aureole leaned forward at their anticipating faces and said with a half whisper, "Lord Tabula gave his daughter away to Lord Ainz even before we arrived in this world. Lady Shalltear stood no chance."

Their eyes widened at the drop of such a piece of information. One Supreme Being entirely handing over his creation to another had not happened before. In such a case, Shalltear's chances were nonexistent.

They leaned back in their chairs, exchanging looks of silent agreement.

"Speaking of Lord Tabula, is it not only true that he is married, but Lord Ulbert summoned his wife along with the rest of those demons that roam everywhere?" Solution asked while taking a sip of tea.

Aureole sat down and picked up her cup, taking a sip and watching her sisters perk up in anticipation for the nth time today of what kind of answer she would give. Being the one who sees everything gave her an enormous advantage over them.

She turned one mirror to face them and waved her hand over it, revealing a lone figure lying down on the sofa with her legs crossed and reading a book.

The four maids practically jumped to the mirror, gasping in unison.

"She looks just like Lady Albedo!"

"Yup. I heard that Lord Tabula announced that she is Lady Albedo's mother, although Lady Albedo was not too happy about it."

"So that leaves only Lord Ulbert and Lady Buku," Narbreal remarked.

"Both picked a few of those demons for themselves, but I guess they could also pick someone from Nazarick. Lord Ulbert is into blondes, so Solution likely has a chance." Aureole giggled at the eagerness of their sisters to be noticed by the Supreme Beings.

She obviously would not turn down a Supreme Being if any showed interest in her, but she wasn't considering such a possibility either.

With her work duties not taking too much attention and her sisters being on required rest time, they had plenty of time to chat about everything happening in the Great Tomb.

Edited by Zirmeister.

Proofreading by Swiss, Visur Nyxan, Sad_Smiles, Aterro, aidan_lo, and Ethal07.

AN: Thank you for reading the story, and if you have caught up to the latest chapter, you can check out my other work or join my discord server (Link is in my profile) where additional chapters are available or if you are interested in becoming a beta reader (gives access to chapters months ahead of regular readers).