Those who pick Up, and Those who are Picked up.
Sebas was walking into the mage guild to see what magic scroll selection they had today. He had come here often though only really to come off as someone interested in magic. "Evening Lord Sebas, how may I help you today?" after being asked by the clerk Sebas responds that he would like to see the directory, which the clerk brings out. Sebas looked at the spell directory through a special item that allowed him to read the language in the directory, though to anyone else the item just looked like a simple monocle. "May I ask what this one is?" the spell was called the floating board, which is used to transport items. He asks to purchase a spell scroll of floating board, to which the magic guild clerk happily complies.
Sebas pays and while he leaves he places the spell scroll on the inside of his suit. "Hmm, I have not been to that merchant's store since yesterday," Sebas said thinking of Deimano, or as the butler knew him, Damanti—the supposed father of Vikki, one of the adventurers on Lord Ainz's adventurer team cover. As well as a suspected NPC of Argent Silver, it was likely Damanti was an NPC as well. Sebas Suspected Damanti was a cover name as well. Sebas had looked into all stores and merchant stands, especially those that came from other countries like Damanti claimed he had. Sebas was told to look for items, particularly health potions, that could only be found from YGGDRASIL. While most stuff Damanti sold was high quality compared to most other merchants, he sold both blue and red potions. Red was what would have given Damanti away as an NPC, but he sold them in small quantities and they were quite expensive. He said he only had so much of them but Sebas could tell he made them himself.
Still, as per Lord Ainz's Orders, Sebas made sure to get along with Damanti. Both he and Solution had garnered a friendly relationship with the popular merchant and he's even been to their place before. Commenting how it was odd for such a large place to only be occupied by the two of them, the two were worried this gave up their cover. But if Damanti was suspicious of them as they were of him, he showed no signs of it. It made Sebas a little peeved because it reminded him of Demiruge when he was trying to play a trick or not give away secret plans. Calm and collected. He and Demiruge, much like their creators Touch-me and Ulbert, were most of the time not on the best terms. But having dealt with someone like the demon even now was taxing. But since it was his King's orders, he made sure to deal with it and be friendly with Damanti.
He even remembers their last conversation, as of yesterday.
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Sebas walked into the store, it had grown since Damanti started his business here. Having special Baharuth materials, special exports, and rare items allowed him to grow quickly in the Re-Estize Kingdom capital. Having already been considered one of the cities' important merchants. "Ah Sebas, is your lady not joining you today?" Damanti asked, since Sebas's cover was a butler working for a rich lady, Solution, addressed her as such.
Sebas shook his head "No, not today. But I have been sent on a special errand by her." Damanti tapped his chest "Then how may I be of service today, my friend?" his smile was as false as where he got his goods from, Sebas held his tongue though. "Thank you as well, my friend. She sent me here to get more of those special and higher-grade health potions, I hope I have not come too late to purchase some."
Damanti chuckled a little as he adjusted his glasses "You two bought the last three I had last week. I do have more now, but I find it hard to believe you and your lady got injured enough to require using all three of them already." Sebas hid his surprise and nodded having already come up with a reason on the spot. "My lady simply loves their color, says their rarity even from you allows her to show off her status to her peers," In truth Solutions only social interaction with higher class nobles and rich people alike were a minimum. In fact the most recent one was a social gathering Damanti had for all his most loyal customers.
"I see, in that case, I have four left. But can only sell you two." Damanti started to walk towards the back. "The others are set aside for special customers. She is a high-ranking adventurer, seems my daughter and her adventurer group have made quite of lot of strides. Since I've been getting more adventurer customers." when Damanti went into the back room Sebas clenched his fists, the adventurer group was led by Momon, his liege in disguise. Argent Silver being on the team does not change that, how dare Damanti explain it like Vikki was the leader! At least that was how Sebas thought.
Damanti returned just in time to see Sebas unclench his fists, the merchant grinned and placed down the two red potions. "At least let me make it up to you for only selling two to you, half price for both." a two for the price of one deal. Sebas nodded "I accept it, but I do not take charity. So I will repay you some other way another time." the burler said as he paid for the potions and pocketed them as well. Damanti smiled back "Of course, I would expect nothing less of you."
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Sebas walked calmly, having told his shadow demon to inform Solution he would be a little late. He planned on taking a longer walk through a different part of the city, hence his lateness in returning. The shadow demon left to do as it was told, leaving Sebas to his walk. By the time the shadow demon returned, Sebas had walked about ten minutes but the butler said nothing when it returned as he could feel it was there.
His walk was minorly interrupted by a man throwing a sack in his path and yelling about something in it before going back into his establishment. To determine if the sack is dangerous Sebas had the shadow demon cut it up, but when nothing came out he assumed it was trash and was about to move on when a hand reached out and very weakly grabbed Sebas's ankle. He looks down and sees it is a frail and sickly-looking woman, at first he wants her to let go of him, but he is met with silence only filled by occasional weak breaths from the woman. "Do you need assistance?" Sebas finally asks though the woman does not seem like she can talk.
The man that threw the sack out comes back out "Eh? What are you doing?" he asks Sebas but the Butler stares sternly at the man "Who is this woman?" the man frowns a little "She is an employee of mine." Sebas looks down at the woman and kneels down "She has multiple injuries, a dry mouth, and I can catch a whiff of some awful smell." The man could see Sebas was suspicious of him "Of course, I meant to take her to a priest to get her-" Before the man could finish Sebas was already lifting her and the sack she was in up. "Then you won't mind if I take her there instead."
The man scowls "Hey, you cannot take one of my- ah!" the man is lifted up quite easily by Sebas with one hand. Sebas looked like a simple old man so the "employer" of this woman was shocked when he did not even seem troubled when lifting him. Sebas dropped the man and said goodbye but the man knelt and said "W-wait. Please, if you leave with her I'll be killed by my bosses." Sebas at first ignored him but then the man begged further "t-they are the eight fingers, they basically run the underground of this country. Have some sympathy please!"
Sebas breathily remembered a certain time his Creator, Touch-Me, was talking to Sebas on his own even though Sebas at the time was unable to respond like every other NPC. " those who do not help others cannot call themselves strong. So if someone is in danger it is only natural you should help." at the time, Touch-me was griping in character about a recent conversation he had with Ulbert and it was just one part of the conversation. Still, Sebas remembers every time Touch-me talked to him. So he remembered every word ever spoken in them and viewed them as Touch-me's views. He drops a sack of coins by the man's feet. "That should be enough to help you flee the country and start a new life." Sebas left after that, carrying the sickly woman with him.
When Sebas returns to the mansion, Solution is there to greet him. But she spots the sickly woman in his hands. "Who is this, Sebas? It does not seem like you've brought her for me to snack on." Solution says with a curt smile as Sebas knows what the slime likes to eat. "I found her like this, I would like you to access her condition Solution."
Solution does not look all too happy when she says, "Why not just give her to a temple?" Sebas looks directly at Solution and simply asks her to do as he asks. After he leaves the woman in the care of Solution Sebas wonders why he saved the woman, and if his creator Lord Touch-me's lawful and justice views were truly the best for him to act on in this situation.
Solution goes to Sebas's office after she is done with her assessment. "She has syphilis and two other diseases, several cracked bones in her fingers and ribs. Her tendons are torn, as well as an anal fissure. Most of her teeth have been forcibly pulled out as well. I also found some dust I believe to be a drug she is most certainly addicted to." Solution had expected her superior to see this woman already had a foot in the grave and it was pointless to save her, either tell Solution to eat the woman or leave her outside. However, Sebas replied "Then heal her, please. She is probably hungry as well. I shall go out to buy food supplies."
After Sebas stands up and Solution can see that he is serious she asks "Then may I fetch Prestonya?" but instead Sebas says "No, simply use the one of the healing scrolls you have. If we use the potions it will not solve her other issues besides injuries, and if Damanti were to ask what we used them for it would be trouble. So just the scrolls." while Sebas was leaving Solution had a feeling, a bad one, so she asked "Very well, I shall do so. Should Lord Ainz be notified as well?" she could see a bit of hesitation from Sebas but he answered her "he should not be bothered with this. So for now, no."
Solution had returned to the room. Sebas would have a bit of time before he returned. "Perhaps I should eat her while he out," Solution said this because this whole thing was giving her a bad feeling, but ultimately deciding to still trust Sebas she decided not to. But a dark smile appeared on Solution Epsilon's face. There was one condition that she did not tell Sebas about, something inside of this woman. Something that would satisfy her hunger. So instead of eating this worthless human woman, Solution will settle for it instead.
Sebas later returns and makes some porridge, he comes to the room to see the woman healthy and awake, though she seems to be expressionless at the moment. He puts the food down carefully in front of her. "T-thank you," she says in a quiet voice eating quickly as if it were the first and last meal she will ever have. "You seem worried, scared a little. You do not have to worry, I will protect you" Sebas says to her calmly and without hesitation. "Why…why did no one ever save me before? No matter how many times I- hick- called out for it." Tears came flowing down the woman's face so Sebas used a cloth to dry her face while he comforted her, he asked for her name as well. "T-Tuare," she says nervously. Sebas nods "I am Sebas. You can rest easy miss Tuare. You are safe now." outside of the room Solution listens closely and she looks apprehensive.
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A vision of a fight with Shalltear flashed through multiple times before finally, the person dreaming the awful nightmare stirred awake. Brain Unglaus. He breathes heavily as he looks around, he is a home he does not recognize but sees he that everything he had when he fled the fight with that vampire is still here, including his sword. Brain rushed to leave but the moment he got to the bottom floor he heard "Morning Brain, glad to see you're finally awake."
Brain turns to the man, instantly recognizing him as the champion of the Re-Estize Kingdom, and the one who beat him in that duel. The very one he lost and that made Brain want to perfect his field technique. "Gazef…" Brain joins the man by the table for tea. Gazef and him catch up and reminisce about the duel. Granz told him that Brain was certainly the toughest sword fighter he ever dueled. Gazef even tells Brain about his blunder in Carne village and how he was saved by a Kind magic caster named Ainz.
Brain looked at his feet and asked "Hey Gazef, are we truly strong?" the question came out of nowhere, but Gazef remembered how Brain looked when he found his former rival in the streets. "Depends, I say yes we are. Though there are certainly those stronger than you and I." Brain smiles but only for a second and says something in a depressing tone. "We are weak. There are things out there so strong we cannot even hope or dream of fighting them. They are so strong that we may as well just be bugs compared to them." Brain can see Gazef is not responding, just looking concerned. Brain decides he should leave, but before he can Gazef stops him and insists he at least eat with him.
It was a new day and Damanti or Deimano to those of his comrades was preparing for a new day of sales. Before he left he had asked his creator, Lherich, how he should conduct himself as a merchant. Rerugen's memories of his work on earth made him tell Deimano to be respectful and charge people what he felt was a good price without under or over-charging them. Deimano was surprised by this, he figured his creator would want him to be as brutal as possible, but perhaps he and General Silver wanted this for their plan.
Deimano was also excited because General Silver was coming today with Vikki, their fellow adventurers a little later. "Hmm, maybe I will get a chance to see our enemy Ainz in his adventurer armor up close. Since my false cover is as Vikki's father I will need to give him the business and be tough, my 'daughter is on their team after all." he made one last chest to make sure his demon features were covered before opening for business.
The mornings were usually slow so only an hour in and he only had two customers so far, though each were gone by now after purchasing an item. Deimano did not mind waiting, he looked over at his "bodyguard" Vestige who was waiting inside, ready to stop any thieves. Vestige has caught quite a few, normally Deimano tells onlookers he is sending them to authorities, but in reality, Vestige sent them to Banaita Final for experiments or to eat. The hidden Goul was a reason Deimano's store was so safe and why customers found it safe to buy from him.
"Vestige, the general will be coming today. You do not need to be on edge." Deimano had no way of knowing if Vestige was on edge, his clothes, hat, and plague doctor mask covered anything that could give that away. But Deimano had his ways. When told that Vestige's shoulders lowered a little as if trying to hide he was on edge, the Goul barely spoke but was quick to react. "I can assure you I've made all the preparations. You just need to stick to the plan, and be ready for when we tell you to go into action."
Vestige nodded at Deimano so that the demon would stop talking to him. But Vestige sulked a little when Deimano walked up to him. "Come on, I know you always frown under that mask. But Banaita Final asked me to watch over her older brother, so I cannot help but worry" he just wanted to make sure Vestige was in top shape for later. But Vestige put a finger to the tip of his mask, and they could hear voices approaching the store.
Five people walked inside, all members of the Blue Roses, all female as well. The leader Lakyus. along with Gagaran, Tia, Tina, and Evileye. All had stories about them but Deimano was more interested in Lakyus and Evileye, something he would inform Silver of later. "Ah, Lady Aindra and her friends. I see you have finally returned." Deimano said as he bowed her head to Lakyus. The adventurer cleared her throat "Forgive me Mr. Damanti for being late despite asking you to set two of your potions aside for me. I am willing to pay you double for both." the other Blue roses sighed as they only found out when they returned from their mission what their Leader did.
Deimano smiled a little "I insist otherwise. I told you the price of them before and I do not intend to change my words." Lakyus smiled at Damanti but then Evileye approached him, from Deimano's check into Evileye, he had guessed she only wore a mask because she was not human like he and Vestige, Though Deimano did not require a mask. "I would take the double pay. I can feel you are like people I have met before, someone who will take advantage and ask for payback after your 'deal' I will not let our cruel leader fall for your tricks." Lakyus gasped "D-do you have to call me cruel now?" Tia would immediately say "But you are." Tina nodded.
Deimano smiled at Evileye and tapped her mask, well attempted to but she backed off a little. "Hmm, if only I had found you before you joined the Blue Roses. I seem to have a tendency to hire people who wear masks. Like my bodyguard here or that Elf I hired to protect my daughter on her adventures." Evileye scoffed a little "I would never take a job from someone I cannot trust like you." Lakyus pulled Evileye back "T-that is enough. But please Damanti, let me pay double, just to calm my teammate's worries about me." Deimano nodded "Very well."
Gagaran walked up to Vestige "No way, this isn't just a costume on a stand?" The muscly woman went to touch Vestige but the Goul lifted its hand and caught it. "Oh, he seems to be quite strong," Gagaran says and struggles a little to pull her hand away until Vestige lets go. Deimano snickers "he is a former knight from the Empire, so I would hope so. Also, he is not big on touching, even as his employer I cannot." Deimano walked up and reached out his hand but Vestige quickly caught it and held his wrist tightly, pulling it back a little. "S-see?" Deimano thinks the Goul enjoyed this a little too much because until Deimano looked at Vestige directly he did not let go.
While Gagaran "flirted" with the quiet bodyguard Deimano went with Lakyus to the counter and the two exchanged the coins for the two potions. Evileye was there to make sure "Damanti" did not try anything but she seemed to be a little in awe to see red potions as well, two of them in fact. "So your daughter is still in that adventurer group huh? That Elf you hired, Tanya, is with her along with that Momon and Nabe I've heard about." Lakyus asked casually. Deimano nodded with a sly grin "Yes, Shining Hunters is their name. The four of them raised through the ranks quite quickly. I am hoping to treat all of them to dinner when they are in town. Perhaps you can join us."
Evileye pulled on Lakyus because she thought it was a bad idea. Lakyus both smiled and sweated a little "Maybe, if we have the time. But please give them my regard as fellow Adventurers. Oh and Damanti, I look forward to doing business with you again." Damanti bowed his head "And I with you." Lakyus and others got Gagaran to finally stop nudging Vestige because it was clear he would stop her every time.
After they left Damanti looked at Vestige. "I have changed my mind Vestige" the demon held a hand out to Vestige "If the General approves when she gets here, I would like you to get something for me."
The Blue Roses had walked a bit away from the store by now. They had completed their mission of burning down a drug field held by one of the members of the Eight Fingers, the group the princess had the Blue Roses track down. That was their biggest raid so far but the team felt it was not enough. "You went to Damanti because you suspect he is a member of the Eight Fingers, right Lakyus?" Evileye's question caught Lakyus off guard but the woman responded with earnest "yes and no. admittedly I did want to buy these potions. But like you, I am suspicious of Damanti. Whether he is connected to the Eight Fingers or not is unknown, but something I wish to look into. We discuss it with the princess soon."
Elsewhere, a group of Eight people were gathered around. The members of the Eight Fingers. They were discussing the recent raid on the farm. "Though it was attacked it will not affect the current flow and we should be able to make up for the losses soon. Though it might affect distribution if I am not careful." the head of the drug trade, Hilma said with a nasty smile. The head of Security, Zero, asked if she needed help guarding it but she declined help from him instantly. Near the end of the meeting the leader of the Slave trade, Cocco Doll, asks Zero to take care of a woman he was supposed to get rid of. Zero happily agrees to this.
Actions were being made, plans were being sown. The capital of the Re-Estize kingdom would soon before a battleground for all the forces at play. It was just a matter of time before it all began.