King of Fools Part 2

"Your Majesty."

Sebas bowed respectfully as he approached the throne. The man on the throne seemed old, his grey hair showing the restrains of life. Only from the smell alone could Sebas tell he was fragile to the very point that stress could even kill him. Yet the king didn't seem bothered about this and continued to take his weekly court meetings seriously. If not for him, who would keep an eye on the nobles?

"Please, raise yourself." The king's voice echoed, calling Sebas to meet his gaze. The nobles could only look with puzzled looks at the remark.

Yet Sebas did as said, his firm gaze pointed towards the king.

"I am King Rampossa the Third, the current Ruler of Re-Estize as its king. I must say, it is a pleasure to meet someone who saved my Warrior Captain's life." He chuckled, and the nobles were even more startled to hear that this man was one of the two who had saved the commoner's life. They either looked at him with disgust or honor.

The nobles in the kingdom were extremely loyal or extremely corrupt. There was some middle ground, but these nobles were exceptions that didn't live very long in the world of politics.

"It is a pleasure to meet you as well, King Rampossa the Third. I am Sebas Tian, a simple servant of my master, Ainz Ooal Gown." Sebas replied with a sophisticated demeanor. He knew how to talk with a Supreme Being, so he surely could deal with a mortal king.

"Sebas Tian it is. Then, on behalf of the kingdom, I thank you and your master for saving Gazef's life." With that said, the king bowed shortly to the newcomer, making most noble's mouth agape. Who was this person even the king turned to, and why did he bow? He was a king, one who shouldn't bow at all. Yet he did so before a simple servant, not even the real person who saved Stronoff's life. This only made them think that the king was unfit to rule anymore, putting prestige and honor to the ground by committing such an action, their own as well.

Most nobles would want to become kings themselves if it was that easy. But he had heirs, one princess and two princes. The oldest was the sturdiest, and the youngest prince was smart but seemed weak with no talent in swordsmanship, an ability every royal and noble alike should possess. And the princess was not even in the thoughts of most nobles. A girl should never think of becoming the ruler of a nation or even an heir. That was tradition for ages, and like that, it should stay.

"I am not worthy of your thanks. I only followed my lord's command, and that was to assist him in rescuing the village and Gazef Stronoff. It is he who you should thank, Your Majesty." Sebas humbly deflected.

The nobles erupted in an uproar of insults, in a state of confusion and anger. Sebas said that his master was a lord, but they knew of no lord called as such. Such a thing was a crime. They did not like Ainz Ooal Gown, who proclaimed himself to be a lord. Most would want to kill this man who dared to claim a title without owning any land.

"Your master, a lord? Please, who even is this Ainz Ooal Gown?"

"Just some mage that thought saving the Warrior Captain would give him some sort of noble title, perhaps? That's even a crime!"

"It was probably luck that he saved Stronoff. He doesn't even dare to come here by himself."

"We should request him to come to the capital immediately!"

All the nobles rang out in different tones and sounds. They shouted and screamed until the king mustered up enough breath to put them to silence once again. Sebas, hearing them mock his lord and last of the Supreme Ones, was filled with a rage he undoubtedly had to control, or else he would not be able to fill out his master's order.

"Enough!" The king yelled, and the noble's mouths shut down. They complied more as a courtesy than as an admission of the king's power. "Forgive me, Sebas, for my subordinate's behavior. And, please give many thanks to your lord, I had wished to meet him personally, but maybe that can be arranged in the future."

"Surely, Your Majesty. But that is not the only reason I came here today. My lord has another wish for you." Sebas produced a sealed scroll with an unidentified emblem on it. It resembled an upside-down sword. After accepting it, the king silently opened the seal and read the contents.

To His Majesty King Rampossa the Third,

I hope this letter reaches you while you are in excellent mental and physical health. And please, forgive me for not being there personally. I have sent one of my most loyal servants instead. Now, to the reason for this letter. I have seen the cruelty that allowed knights and alike to plunder and kill villagers for no reason, just to lure out the Warrior Captain from the Capital and eliminate him. Such brutality acted just for one man. Innocent villagers were slaughtered just for one man. And all this was allowed on the lands of your kingdom, actions which should have been stopped immediately. Yet I see the corruption lurks deep within every man, noble and peasant alike. This I have realized quickly, and another thing as well. The world should be made a better place, a paradise where none should fear death as most do now. That is why I request that you give up the Fortress City E-Rantel and the surrounding lands to me. They are near my home, and I do not wish their fate to be the same as all the villagers in the fight between Baharut and Re-Estize. For their protection, I claim these lands as mine. It may be difficult for you, but it would be better to release the city of your control without conflict. If not, we will claim it by force.

I wish you luck, health, and happiness in the future.

Ainz Ooal Gown, Master of Nazarick

The king's hands trembled as he absorbed the meaning of the message. Everything went well, but the world seemed to break down on him. The impression Ainz had made on Gazef made the king think of him as a great man, yet this thought was cast into the abyss the moment he understood the man's intentions. Claiming lands simply out of pity for the peasants, he knew the nobles wouldn't agree to such a thing.

"What is it, your majesty? Does he want a lord's title or the princess's hand?" Laughter overcame the nobles as Count Lytton made a jest. Even his rivals released a small grin. They found it equally hilarious, yet had to contain themselves not to give him any acceptance.

"You are not far from the truth." The king replied, and soon every laughter turned to silence. "Ainz Ooal Gown demands E-Rantel and all lands around it to be released into his possession." As the king stated those words, most nobles couldn't believe it, and Gazef outright couldn't. He knew Ainz, he met him personally, and he seemed a reasonable man with a generous heart and even greater strength.

"That is outrageous! Who dares to ask such a thing from the kingdom!"

"Then why not just outright give land to the Empire if they ask for it!"

"We should show this Ainz Ooal Gown not to mess with the kingdom! We should request his head immediately!"

And many other things were said that Sebas wished not to hear. No, he couldn't allow anyone who expressed terrible things about his master to live. He remembered every one of them who dared to tell such things. His mind inscribed every face and every name connected to it. He would make sure these nobles would feel more than a simple death once his master invaded this nation.

'Fools. To talk about a Supreme Being that way means an agonizing death!'

"Please, your majesty. This behavior of a nobody cannot be allowed! We must act!" Marquis Boullope spoke. "From the tales, Stronoff told us he might be strong, but he is still a magic caster."

"Ah yes, didn't the Warrior Captain say this Ainz was a wonderful person? Maybe he deceived him rather than saved him." Count Lytton commented. It was like adding a drop of tea to an already full cup. An unnecessary comment, only to fill the miasma of uncontrolled tension in the room.

"Enough! Of course, we will act accordingly! Now, Sebas Tian, we cannot decide this at the moment. And I must say I am disappointed. But, if your lord requests such requests, not even a king can grant him that. You and your escorts will be allowed to leave the kingdom unharmed, but if you return, there will be consequences!" The doors opened, and a set of guards walked inside, ready to escort the envoy out of the throne room. Their faces determined they could take the butler down, yet every time he would make eye contact with them, their eyes seemed to flee his gaze.

"Then I will take my leave, Your Majesty." Sebas nodded respectfully at the king's command and left the throne room. Before the nobles could intervene to call for imprisonment or even to kill him for delivering such a letter, the king sent the envoy away.

"Please, your majesty. Let me handle this! I will make quick work out of this magic caster and deliver you his head!" Marquis Boullope declared, getting the support of most nobles gathered behind him. It was a way the nobles would force the king to accept the request, and it had been found to be successful most times.

"Allow me to add something to that." In the midst of the chaos, Marquis Raeven offered a more measured approach. "We can first send a small force to capture him. A full-on war isn't necessary, as suggested by Marquis Boullope. And I am sure he must have some kind of army to have the courage to do such a thing. We must not act careless."

"Mmh, I see your point. But what about the yearly battle at the Katze Plains?" The king asked Raeven.

"I believe a small force can surely be sent to retrieve this magic caster before the battle begins. And as he wants to claim E-Rantel and all surroundings, he will probably be found in the surrounding regions." Raeven replied.

"Then we will send a force to the village this Ainz Ooal Gown saved. Maybe they know more, and if they don't say a thing, we can use them as bait to lure the magic caster out." Boullope proposed, making him sound like the scum Ainz had mentioned in his letter. Rampossa could see his point, but this request was still beyond doable. Not only would the nobles rebel, but he would be laughed at for giving land to a nobody. A man without face, honor, or record.

"I suppose this could be done. But tell me, who will lead the men?" Rampossa asked the noble with the most volume around his stomach.

"Perhaps your eldest son, Prince Barbro, could fulfill this task." Boullope supported the prince actively, so much was known. It would've been foreseeable that he would choose him as commander of this mission. It would let him gain more esteem, to be precise, and so a greater right to rule the kingdom when the current king perishes. Both knew the second heir was quite smart, and only strong deeds could let Barbro keep the title of heir to Re-Estize.

The king pondered about this for a good amount of time. He knew Barbo wasn't the smartest, but his claim was important as his eldest son. Perhaps this mission would allow him to gain more experience and more wisdom. Therefore, he decided what to do.

"Prince Barbro may act as commander of this force. He may not be present at the time, but he will be informed shortly after his return to the Capital." The king declared, quelling the nobles' objections.

"Thank you, your majesty." Boullope responded.

"Your majesty, I don't believe a troop will suffice. As I believe the words of the Warrior Captain seem to be true, Ainz Ooal Gown may be a powerful magic caster." Raeven added, making Boullope crack a laugh. Gazeff watched Raeven with surprised eyes, he thought of him as nothing more than an arrogant noble, but he was probably the only one who truly believed his words besides the king himself.

"If he flies, we'll shoot him with arrows. If he stays off range, we'll do the same. One magic caster won't be able to defend against an army of 500 men, and even he will tire." A most supported ideology in the kingdom. Warriors were strong, and mages were weak. This philosophy is commonly known all around the kingdom because there aren't any powerful sorcerers around, just casters of the 1st or 2nd Tier. Blue Rose was an exception, with a caster of the 5th Tier. But she was regarded as more than a mage.

"I don't think the Warrior Captain would lie about the strength of Ainz Ooal Gown." The king said, looking at his most trusted servant beside him. "We will hire some adventurers or mercenaries to aid Prince Barbro for the mission's sake. The royal treasury will pay for their hire, of course." Most nobles didn't know, but the kingdom's treasury was quite desperate for funds. They stacked their wealth in their castles, making them together more wealthy than the royals themselves. "If this has been cleared, my lords, you are released from this week's council."

The nobles bowed and left the room one by one. Outside, most began speaking about the events immediately, their sly tongues unable to contain the gossip they wanted to convey to one another. This left the king with only his guards and Stronoff, who stood proudly beside him.

"Your majesty! The envoys of Ainz Ooal Gown have left the Capital." A guard came into the room telling the news. The king dismissed the man and turned to the Warrior Captain.

"Tell me, what did you think of this Sebas Tian?"

"I believe-, forgive me, I believed him to be a man of honor. He himself doesn't quite hit me like a person who would follow Ainz Ooal Gown after he made such claims to the kingdom." Gazef replied, making the king put a hand up to his chin.

"I suppose. May this be over quickly. If he is captured alive, I will spare him for the sake that he saved your life, Gazef." The king revealed.

"But your majesty! His claims on the kingdom have enraged the nobles greatly, do you really want to anger them more?" Gazef's worries were understandable, but the king wanted it so.

"I wish not to kill a man that saved the strongest warrior of the kingdom, and a friend, Gazef. I will have to either imprison or banish him. Letting him walk freely out of here would not be the best option, as the nobles are really sensitive to such matters." The king mused, acknowledging the delicate balance of power within the kingdom.

"We will see if he is the man I met that day. Forgive me for letting the nobles make fools of yourself, Your Majesty." Gazef answered with a deep and honest bow.

"The nobles will always find a way to make my rule look weak, yet still, here I am, sitting on the throne." The king laughed, followed by a slight cough. "Well, I think it is time I return to my chambers."

"Your majesty."

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The tomb seemed silent. Today marked the day, signaling the beginning of their campaign against the world. Ainz Ooal Gown, their master, was ready to take the regions surrounding Nazarick. The people in this world were unaware of the full extent of Nazarick's strength. But their mistake would soon be shown.

"Lord Ainz. Sebas has returned." Decrement informed. A nod from Ainz dismissed her.

"Then, the humans have decided to act aggressive." Demiurge remarked, grinning with a calculated smile, a typical expression when events unfolded according to his planning.

"Indeed. But ultimately, they will fail." Albedo affirmed.

"Yes, just as we planned it." Ainz followed up, knowing what the hyperintelligent NPCs were talking about. It took him a while, but it seemed his mind was working quicker than before. "The kingdom will attack first, thinking our base is probably near Carne Village, as we are demanding this region for us."

"And the humans won't think that a force greater than theirs lurks in the forests." Demiurge remarked, making Albedo pull out a chuckle that she tried to hold with all her being. Yet thinking that such pathetic beings wanted to hunt her lord made her truly enraged and amused simultaneously. She would end all their lives immediately, yet her lord had other plans or, rather, Demiurge.

'Exactly. But I would like to fight this army myself. Maybe I'll find a player under them. Most unlikely, but I'll have the staff with me. Now I can finally use it outside of Yggdrasil on a large amount of enemies. I don't expect to crack the 101st level with the amount of experience I would gain, but It could be enough. An indication showing how much experience I need for the next level would be nice, but this is real life, after all.'

"And what about the empire?" Albedo asked, prompting Demiurge to elaborate on the details of their grand plan.

"The empire will think of this as a chance to strike. We claim the city of E-Rantel, and then their forces arrive just months later, trying to use this to gain the town for themselves. Yet they won't expect our defenses to be even better than the kingdoms. They will fail and see our true power. With this, we can play around a little, forcing both parties to come to an agreement with us." Demiurge explained.

"Exactly so, but won't the kingdom attack us again, seeing that the empire wants to take E-Rantel? It will send forces themselves." This was the most logical thing to happen when looking at the kingdom's nobles.

"Yes, but they are just humans. We are Nazarick. We have things they cannot believe exist. And we will use this to our advantage." Ainz told the two, finally raising a word in the discussion.

"It is just as you say, my lord. But still, how you will implement it is still out of my reach to define." The devil sure knew what could happen, but his lords thought were his own. Not even he could read them.

"Then the only thing that is missing is the army of the kingdom." Albedo said with a grinning smile, her thoughts long on how she would torture the kingdom's nobles and Baharut for even making such moves against her beloved.

"We will punish them soon enough. But for now, the only thing that counts is that the surroundings of Nazarick are given control to Nazarick, not some nation west or east of us."

"Of course, my lord. And after that, the second stage of your grandiose plan for world domination will take place." Ainz's mouth opened wide as Demiurge told of something he so dearly believed in yet didn't exist. Even Albedo seemed to know of this goal.

'What plan now? A yes, the thing I told him when we arrived here. Maybe it is time to conquer the world, seeing the inhabitants' low level. And the rest can't even harm me now with the world item in my hand.' He looked at the staff he held firm as a statue. 'But there could be some monsters hiding, waiting for me. But that is more the talk of a paranoid man, such things simply have a low chance of existing here, yet they still exist, surely. Maybe some dragons, but that is all this world has to offer. Until we find something more dangerous, we should be fine.'

"Ah, yes, Lord Ainz, his 10'000 year plan! Truly supreme..." Albedo replied, even though she knew only a small fraction of the things her lord wanted to set in motion in the future. But he truly surprised them most times by doing the opposite, or sometimes something slightly different that they hadn't calculated.

"Well, then, I believe we all have a job to do."

"Yes, my lord." Both said simultaneously, awaiting the approval to leave Ainz his office, as great as it hurt them to do so. To be in the Supreme One's presence for eternity would be a dream come true.

"Albedo, Demiurge, you are dismissed." Ainz declared, using his guild ring to transport himself to one of the seldom-visited outer floors. His destination was Shalltear's chambers, where he had something important to give her.

Approaching the grand doors, Ainz discerned bizarre sounds emanating from within.

'What is she doing in there?' Ainz asked himself and almost wanted to enter unannounced. Yet it would be rude of him to do so, even as the master of this place. 'It's my worker's private chambers. I shouldn't come in without announcing myself.' Suppressing the urge to intrude, he knocked, interrupting the pleasurable tones within. "Shalltear? Are you alright in there?" The Overlord asked, genuinely worried about what his favorite Vampire was doing in there.

The doors creaked open, revealing Shalltear with a slightly flushed face. "L-Lord Ainz! What brings you to this place?" Shalltear stammered, having the door half open.

"I came to visit you, I have something you might like."

"W-Well then, come in as you please."

The doors opened as the Vampire Brides made way for Ainz, revealing the grand hall.

There was nothing unusual here, so he didn't know why they acted as such. He entered the room, which was different from the catacombs on the floor he was on. A red carpet lay on the ground, going all the way to a chair Ainz allowed her to place there.

In Yggdrasil, the NPCs didn't need to sit or rest, and neither did Shalltear now, but he found it uncomfortable to let her just have a room with nothing to do in. So he granted her a chair made of the finest wood, carved to perfection, and truly worthy for the frontline Guardian. He also decorated the rest, leaving red banners with the sigil of Ainz Ooal Gown hanging on the walls.

He didn't want to change anything in the other rooms, as they were already made to perfection by Pero. Shalltear was one of the few guardians with such rooms for herself, which was somewhat unfair to the other guardians. After all, Ainz was shocked when he learned Albedo had no room. He immediately gifted her a royal guest room, so a woman like her could rest in it.

"How do you like your new chair, Shalltear?" Ainz inquired, considering her comfort.

"It is a treasure I value the most. It allows me to sit once in a while when I'm surveilling Nazarick. I thank you deeply for this present." Shalltear expressed her sincere gratitude.

"No thanks needed. But now, why I came here in the first place. Shalltear, how much do you like your armor?" Ainz redirected the conversation.

"My armor? I quite like its blood-red design and that it was gifted to me by the Supreme Beings. More, I cannot say, it is just for combat." She replied, rather dusty and dry, as Ainz foresaw.

"It is fine legendary-class equipment, but it's not truly the best you could have, is it." Ainz hinted. What did Ainz try to say to her? She could not quite follow his words.

"What do you mean, my lord?" Confused, the Vampire asked Ainz.

"I wanted to make it up to you for what had happened. So, I decided to gift you something if you accept."

She was out of her mind, truly blown away that her lord wanted to gift her something because she failed to be mind-controlled. How humble could her master just be?

"It was my fault, my lord! I do not dese-"

"Shalltear! I have said it many times. It was my fault! I sent you there, me! And you acted on my commands. If a king sends out his men to die, is it the fault of the men or the king?" Ainz interrupted her, asking her a question she understood somewhat. Her mind latched onto the words surprisingly well.

"I guess the king, my lord. It was his command, after all. But you are a Supreme Being! There's a difference!" She protested, even when he tried explaining it to her.

"But I am somewhat your king, am I not? Even I make mistakes. And in this case, you were sent and died by me. It is a burden that I pay, and I paid the price of having to end one of my friends' creations." While he spoke these words, the Vampire's eyes began watering, her emotions returning only to cry before the Supreme One. "So please, when I tell you it is my fault, shouldn't you accept my command?"

"Yessssss, my lord!" Rivers flowed down her face, making the Vampire Brides act and bring her a tissue so as not to sully the ground.

"Good, then, let me present you this here. Bring it through!" He said, and a portal opened beside the two, Shalltear looking with curious eyes at what would come out of it. Two Dragonkins emerged, carrying a large object covered by a large silk blanket. She didn't know what it could be, its form not revealing anything. "Shalltear, this here is a gift for you." He unveiled the hidden object, pulling the cover away. As the light hit, she could finally see it.

"It. Is. Beautiful!"

A dark crimson armor was revealed, similar to hers, but with some major new details. It was darker, grimmer, and more intimidating than her old one. The shoulder pads now had spikes attached, and her metallic skirt was now made of even smaller metal parts, making it more flexible and allowing the armor to hide the skirt completely.

On the chest was an ornate red ruby, glowing slightly in a dimming red. The helmet no longer had small wings, but horns pointed to the back. It gave it a more demonic look than her old, more futuristic-oriented armor. This, here, was truly a work of art. And behind the armor was a cape made out of some liquid, almost like blood. Yet it ignored gravity and flew in the air in a moving motion. A liquid cape made of blood-red liquid was nearly too good for the True Vampire.

"This armor is made by the prismatic ore called Scarletite, giving it its reddish and dark tone. It has almost all enchantments and is a divine-class item. To be precise, our first divine class item made in the new world." It was a great success. Not only could he create the armor with the ore he produced, but he could also put the data in with his staff. Almost as if he was back in Yggdrasil.

"This armor gives you greater resistance to elemental magic, like fire, water, and earth. It even boosts your lance, gathering more HP you normally would. And, of course, its durability has greatly increased, now even challenging the power of MK8 to be able to destroy parts of it. But I doubt one could destroy this armor with some blows with that sword. The passive protections allow you to take half as much damage from attacks when your HP drops too low, making this almost a cheat in the system." He explained carefully, not leaving any detail out.

'It took me hours to fill out all the data in the armor, and I think I did well. Let's hope Shalltear finds it acceptable. It's also a great boost to her strength, probably making her impossible to beat by me without my own divine gear.' He thought, but the Vampire was now beyond normal gratefulness.

"All in all, it is a great armor, and I call it the [Vampiric Valkyrie Armor]!" He hoped this name would suit her, but as he looked into her eyes, he knew she liked it.

"Thank you, lord Ainz! It is something most beautiful. Truly a servant like myself doesn't deserve such honor. But as you insist, I will carry this armor with pride!" Almost kissing the floor before Ainz, she thanked him for this gift, which she least expected.

"Mmh, I am pleased you like it, but that is not all. I have also added a divine-class item, the [Bloody Cape] to it. It protects the user from slashing damage. You will see how it works, as explaining it seems a little complicated. I forgot to ask, did you receive the world item Albedo was supposed to give you?"

"Yes, my lord! Here it is!" She opened up her inventory and took out the item Ainz asked for. He looked upon the object, verifying it was indeed within the Vampire's possession.

"Good, keep it with you. With it, you won't betray Nazarick ever again."

"Yes, my lord! I will guard it with my life, uh, unlife!"

"Then, why don't you try the armor on, Shalltear?"

"I would love to!"