Chapter 18 - Allies and Enemies.

Marquis Raeven lets out a heavy sigh while no one is around and walks towards the throne room. It was getting increasingly difficult to even be near the next king. Barbo's arrogance and pride were almost insufferable. The only solace was the fact that Marquis Boullope had just as much problem dealing with his son-in-law as everyone else.

Marquis Boullope at first, though he was now in control of the Re-Estize but soon realized that Barbo mostly simply ignored his council. And since both Noble and Royal factions were now supporting the next king, Barbo was under the impression that he could do whatever he wanted.

In a strange twist of irony, Marquis Boullope found an ally in prince Zanac who was the second voice of reason, trying to suppress the most moronic ideas of his brother.

Marquis Raeven snaps out of his thought process, assumes a natural expression, and enters the throne room.

He is greeted by the Boullope's loud voice right away,

"My king, we can't afford to start another war. We are only two months away from the yearly conflict with the Baharuth Empire, and there are no signs of the Bloody Emperor backing down this year."

"Those monsters are the insult to Re-Estize and insult to me. An undead leading a country in our neighborhood and you want me to back down. Where is your sense of glory, justice?" Barbo says with an angry expression.

Everyone present knew the real reason for Barbo's anger was his wounded pride and desire to get revenge. It was a recent revelation that the Lords of Ooal Gown were not human with the emperor himself being an undead. In the past, the Slane Theocracy would attempt to crush a monster-run empire right away, but since they have withdrawn from the world, the stance on non-humans has softened.

"Brother, you saw what they are capable of. Even if we go to war, how do we defeat such power?"

"Monsters are not invincible. We have an army and we have adventurers." Barbo announces, determined to ignore any advice and just go with his plan.

Marquis Boullope's expression said it all. He was clearly thinking that it was a mistake to marry his daughter to the crown prince and should have sided with the much smarter Zanac from the start.

"My king, no matter the offered reward, there will be few adventurers willing to venture inside the empire of Nazarick." Spoke the adventure guild's guild-master.

He and many other leaders of various organizations were present in the king's court. With growing instability and the new emerging empire on their doorstep, even the most stubborn nobles became willing to cooperate with various organizations within the kingdom and let their representatives offer their own thought's on various political matters.

"And here we thought adventurers were all about courage." The representative of the merchants' guild says. It was no secret about the guild ties with the Eight Fingers and how openly the merchants' guild pushed their agendas.

Reaven for a while suspected that something had changed inside the crime syndicate, but he had no concrete info on it. Just that woman named Hilma was almost single-handedly running it and was untouchable, even by the nobility. He was again phasing out, lost in thought on how to prevent the war with another empire, only partly listening to the continuous pointless arguing.

He snaps out of it once he hears Barbo is gathering an army and taking back the village of Carne and using it as a hostage against the Empire of Nazarick. It was a monumentally stupid idea at its very core. There was no obvious information on what kind of forces the empire had, and Reaven suspected that someone was feeding information back at them.

'But who is the traitor?'

Then it clicked. Lately, one person was not attending the meetings anymore but got all information from her brother. Renner was a psychopath that didn't care about her father's death at any kind of emotional level but still played how much it has affected her. She was always playing against the nobles for her own gain, but now just sat in her room and listened to rumors and reports from her brother, who had gotten suspiciously close to her lately.

'She has chosen a side already!' Came the realization. Raeven knew he had to find out more. With the new king's foolishness, the best scenario he could hope is to keep his territories as an independent small country once Re-Estize collapses, but even then the two neighboring empires would just crush the smaller states and claim territories.

After the meeting, he catches up with Zanac in the hall as the prince is clearly going to visit his sister.

"How is princess Renner doing?" Raeven asks.

"Plotting as always," Zanac answers as he walks beside Raeven. There was no point pretending around a man like him.

"Would you mind if I visited her with you?"

"Not at all. With my brother's latest plan, I think it's beneficial."

Climb was guarding the entrance to Renner's quarters as usual. Raeven felt some pity for the boy. The wide-eyed kid did not know what kind of monster his mistress was and truly believed the facade of the Golden Princess.

Princess herself was looking out the window with her back turned to the guests.

"Brother, Marquis Raeven!" She greets them without turning around.

Raeven wondered how she knew who entered the room without even turning around, but part of him didn't want to know the answer.

"Princess, I wish to discuss the future of our country with you if you don't mind." Raeven is first to respond.

"With our 'kings' latest idea there may not be a future for Re-Estize."

"How can you be so calm about it? Or maybe this just what you want all along?"

Renner turns around and, with her genuine soulless expression and asks in an icy voice,

"Are you accusing me of something, Marquis Raeven?"

There was horrific confidence in her demeanor. Raeven got the impression that if he doesn't play his cards right, he is not walking out of this alive. She was in league with Nazarick without a doubt, but now the question was, would she accept his allegiance?

"No, I fully understand your position. I only wish for a bright future for my son, my family. But with the current uncertainty, there are few options left."

"There will be no backing out if you want to walk the path I offer. Think carefully."

He would become a traitor as well, but if someone as smart as Renner has already chosen, she has already seen the merit of it.

"If you can guarantee the safety of my family in a total invasion, I will agree."

"There will be no total invasion. You and your family will be safe if you agree to serve loyally to my masters."

Her tone gave the impression she already knew what will happen. Some kind of grander plan was already going on in the background.

"I agree then."

Renner's face twists into a grin as shadowy figures rise. Zanac has seen this already. He knew better than to interfere.

"These are shadow demons. I will leave a few of them in your care, Marquis Raeven. They can be your eyes and ears, same as they are mine and my masters. You can use them to communicate with me or, in a dire case, with Nazarick directly. Use them wisely."

Raeven left Renner's quarters with four monsters hidden in his own shadow. He could only hope that the choice he made was the right one. It has to be, no same man would stand against the empire housing beings with powers far beyond even the strongest humans.

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Arche hurried through the wide halls of Nazarick to her destination, the sixth-floor arena. Her team was already there to start the training under hers and their new lord. Just two days ago, they came as intruders and were defeated without an effort.

Now part of the new empire, the team Foresight was to be trained as specialized assassination teams. Arche knew what it meant. Eventually, they will be sent out to eliminate those who oppose her new home. But it mattered little to her. Her two sisters were safe and taken care of and her parents had a run-in with the Eight Fingers after they had carelessly sold their own children.

For once, the uncertainty for the future was gone. No need to worry about where to get money or if her family is safe.

Walking through the stone corridor of the colosseum is still unnerving no matter how many times she tried to tell herself that it was fine. But it ended up in relief when she finally got to the ground floor of the arena and found her friends waiting for her.

Roberdyck and Hekkeran seemed to be cheerful, unlike Imina, who looked rather grumpy. Arche could easily guess that the reason for the grumpiness was the lack of alcohol, as this was only the second day in this new place and although they could visit the ninth floor, most places were still off-limits to them.

"Sleeping in, as always?" Hekkeran asks with a laugh.

"Sorry for the delay I was with Ure and Kuude."

"I hope your little sisters are doing fine?" Roberdyck asks with genuine concern. Despite how strongly he believed in his new god, the old habits died hard and he was weary around non-humans.

"Yes, they seem happier than they were before."

"All seems well under the light of the god," Roberdyck says returning to his silent demeanor.

They didn't have to wait long for the Swords of Darkness to arrive. Both teams have been set to train together because of their similarities. There was still some animosity between them. The Foresight couldn't just forget their painful defeat and the Swords of Darkness considered them the intruders upon their home.

During the training, she found out the fate of two other teams that came with them. The Heavy Masher were eliminated completely, and Erya Uzruth was captured by a goddess named Bukuma. Arche had grown to despise the man as he treated his slaves poorly and did so for no other reason than his belief that only humans mattered and other races deserved to suffer. The capture and imprisonment by the very race he tormented most often seemed like a karmic justice.

The Swords of Darkness also let it slide that they originally were humans and got their current forms after the resurrection. The most unbelievable part was the Emperor Ainz could boost one's power by a mere touch. Arche grew increasingly curious about the powers of the five gods, but the one time she saw them her special ability didn't work and she sensed no magical ability from them.

She, however, didn't dream to get answers so soon as when the training time was ending, a dark void appeared in the arena. A dark-haired maid in metallic maid dress came first, followed by Lord Peros and Emperor himself. Both teams took the knee almost on instinct. Emperor spoke in his deep voice,

"Rise! I came to perform a little test. Arche, do you know how your talent works?"

"M-my t-talent. I can see the magical power of a caster, specifically what tier spells someone can use, your highness."

"Interesting. So your talent doesn't show the power of a warrior, for example?"

"No, your highness."

"Narberal, let's start with you. Take off your ring."

The maid does as instructed and takes off the ring from her delicate finger. A power Arche had not felt before radiated from her. A maid in Nazarick was a tier eight caster. At least now she knew why her talent didn't work before. Everyone with power was hiding it.

"Arche, can you tell her power level?" Emperor asks her.

"Y-yes, she is tier eight, your highness. I have not seen such power before."

In response, Ainz chuckles and casts a summoning spell. Arche sense it was incredibly powerful, more powerful than the maid. A moment later, a floating skull appears surrounded by a colorful aura. It blasted Arche with unbelievable power, with its mere presence. Her mortal mind can barely comprehend what she is seeing.

"10th tier. That thing is the tenth tier. How is it even possible?"

"At least you could tell that my summon could use tenth-tier magic."

Ainz says, sends the elemental skull away through a portal and nods at Peros, who promptly takes off his own ring. In terms of pure caster spells he used, just Blink, Teleport, and Perfect Unknowable. He had a super tier ability, but in strict terms, it wasn't considered a magical spell.

"I sense the ninth tier from Lord Peros, but there is something more I cannot grasp. I… I think Lord Peros could use stronger spells if he wished. His magical aura is stronger than the creatures you summoned, your highness."

"Very good Arche. Now the ultimate test. I want to see what you can tell about me." Ainz says and takes off his ring.

The moment he does so Arches eyes glaze over and she falls to the ground, convulsing. Peros does a quick shudder and Narberal is shaking a bit. Anyone else is shaking on their knees. Ainz quickly puts his ring back on, making a mental note to not take it off anymore.

Ainz quickly casts a mass heal just in case as Peros speaks,

"Ainz, what the hell was that? I know you are stronger than you were, but Arche is twitching like a junkie that just overdosed."

"I didn't realize that my level would affect them so much. Arche, are you alright?" Ainz asks the girl, who slowly opens her eyes and looks up.

"Y-yes, your highness. I think I'm fine."

"Before you passed out, did you get at least some information?"

"I saw tier twelve, maybe higher. It felt like being burned alive for a moment. I am sorry I can't tell more."

"Tier twelve, you say. Interesting. Thank you Arche, this test was more fruitful than I expected." Ainz says.

"Members of team Foresight come forth one by one."

As each of them approaches him with caution and reverence, Ainz increases their potential to match that of the Swords of Darkness.

With words, "Now you all will have an easier time getting stronger, don't let us down," Ainz with Narberal disappear through the portal.

A simple test with a girl had revealed to him something he hadn't even considered. Tiers could go beyond super tier. The only problem was to create spells on that level. There was just one person in Entire Nazarick who could help him research the topic, Tabula.

'Let's see if Tabula and I can make something out of it together.'

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A hysterical scream awakened emperor Jircniv. The concubine, he was spending his night with, also awakens alarmed. By the voice, he guessed it was the maid tasked with cleaning his quarters early in the morning wh screamed.

"Get dressed!" Jircniv says to the concubine and quickly puts on his morning robe made of the best silk available in the Baharuth.

A frantic knocking on his bedroom door as the loud voice of Baziwood is heard through the door.

"Your highness, are you alright?"

'What the hell is going on?' He thinks to himself as he opens the door. Jircniv was already prepared to tell Baziwood of when he saw it. A bloodied, decapitated head sat on the coffee table. By the pale face of his chief bodyguard, he already guessed that Baziwood also just found out about it.

Someone was in his private quarters while he slept and left a bloodied trophy. It was an easy guess. The head belonged to someone from the worker teams. A clear gesture from Nazarick.

"Who was on guard with you tonight?"

"Leinas, but neither of us left the door for the entire night."

"Get rest of the guard, get Fluder, get everyone!" Jircniv hisses, letting his mask of calmness slide a bit. Never he was outplayed to such a level. Nazarick's message was clear: they knew and they could take him out if they so desired.

Baziwood hurries away, giving Jircniv a chance to calm down and collect his thoughts before everyone arrives. The wait wasn't long it took less than twenty minutes to get all four imperial guards, Fluder Paradyne, the emperor's secretary Loune and the spymaster.

Jircniv addresses Fluder first, in his usual calm and polite tone,

"Fluder, are wards still up?"

"Yes, my emperor, there is no disruption in the magical defense matrix. It still works as intended."

"Then maybe you can explain how a head appeared here in the middle of the night?"

"If it was transported here by magical means, then it goes beyond my knowledge how such a feat was possible."

"Leinas, Baziwood, I will ask this just once. Did anything suspicious happen during your watch?" Jircniv asks.

Baziwood answers first, looking nervous.

"No, your highness, nothing out of the order, even guard patrols were on time. Doors to your quarters were not opened until a maid came this morning to clean and discovered the head."

Leinas stands beside Baziwood, scared and with her visible part of her face almost as pale as snow. She, after all, never swore loyalty to the emperor and was employed solely because of her skills. From the first day, Leinas had stated that she is taking the position for money and would resign if a better offer comes around. Leinas would be the obvious suspect and the emperor could order her torture or execution on that suspicion alone. She tries to sound calm, but her voice is unmistakably shaky.

"There was nothing out of order, your majesty."

Jircniv could see clear as day how scared she was of the possibility of being accused. It would be easy to write it off on her, but she was a capable warrior and had not failed him once. Besides, it was obvious the Nazarick could pull off something that even his best advisors could not predict.

"Leinas, I'm not accusing you of anything yet. You have been an excellent royal guard until now and I trust you will continue to be one."

The emperor's statement seems to calm down the young woman, at least a little. Jircniv was not about to throw her away on a mere suspicion that was most likely unfounded. She would easily betray everyone and everything for the possibility of curing her deformed right side of the face. The curse she had was so potent that even the best priests of the country couldn't remove it.

"For now, it is safe to assume it was a response from Nazarick about the worker teams we discreetly tried to use for scouting," Jircniv says.

Loune, who was silent all this time, finally uses the momentary silence to speak up,

"Your majesty, we have received an official letter from the Empire of Nazarick. It arrived yesterday at the late evening by the courier who just appeared outside the royal palace. Additionally, a courier from the Dragon Kingdom, delivered a letter from Queen Draudillon."

"Let's start with the one from Nazarick," Jircniv says extending his hand.

He quickly breaks the seal and reads the contents.

'They invite me personally to visit as a potential ally. A trap? No, they could just kill me if they wanted. Could the head just be a warning to not overstep boundaries and nothing more?'

Jircniv admitted to himself that it was a perfect setup. Nazarick had shown their superiority, but at the same time, invited him to discuss a potential corporation between the two nations. In terms of territory, they were neighbors. The border connecting both empires was tiny. Even so, there was direct access. A nation not hellbent on conquest would naturally seek friendly relationships with neighboring countries.

Draudillon's letter seemed unimportant at the moment, most likely a request to help with the beastmen problem, but Jircniv took it to read right away.

'Queen is going to visit Nazarick as well and is only requesting safe passage!'

Jircniv's mind goes into overdrive trying to make the full connection between all the events. This was an additional opportunity. All he had to do was coordinate with Queen Draudillon to visit Nazarick at the same time. It made almost too much sense. Nazarick's leaders were revealed to be, in lack for a better term, monsters. Emperor himself was an undead.

Yet by the correspondence alone, it was easy to assume that they wanted to conduct business like a human nation would do it, not one run by beastmen.

With Slane Theocracy openly hating all non-humans and Re-Estize getting a new king who openly despised the Nazarick for personal reasons, only two human countries remain. The Baharuth Empire and the Dragon Kingdom. There was also the Roble Holy Kingdom but it was also human-centric and rather far away from the Nazarick.

'They want to be seen as a legitimate country who can act with civility.'

"Loune inform Queen Draudillon that Nazarick also invited me for a visit and I express wish to make it a joint event. Also, send a response to Nazarick. I accept their invite."

Jircniv then turns to Fluder,

"Prepare all the precautions possible in terms of magical defense, just in case. Maybe we can take a student or two of yours to show the empire's brightest."

Fluder's expression said it all. He looked like a kid who was promised to go see a parade. For over a century, he was considered the best caster in the world. Finally, an opportunity to learn something new and maybe reach the fabled seventh tier of magic by learning from the beings far greater than him.

He had only one person in mind to take with him at this momentous opportunity, his star pupil.

"Yes, my emperor, I will make the preparations. I have a pupil in mind to take with us."

"Excellent, then all of you are dismissed. Start preparations now."

Left in silence, Jircniv couldn't help but repeat all the newfound information in his head again and again. He was adamant to find a way to come out of it on top.

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Fluder was almost running, despite his advanced age, to visit his star pupil. He had teleported back to the magical academy, but his own wards prevented him to teleport inside it. The excitement made him feel like a young man again. The speed he climbed the stairs made the students turn their heads in disbelief.

He had a very good reason to be so excited. For the first time in well over the century, he might have a chance to learn from casters more knowledgeable than him and he had to share the news with his star pupil, someone who was just as obsessed with magic and knowledge as he was.

Not paying much attention to the stares, he rushes to the laboratory the top student of the academy occupied. With a knock, he opens the doors and found the young woman with her back turned to him hunched over the table and mumbling something unintelligible quietly.

A long messy coat hid her form and her dark purple hair was cut to shoulder length unevenly, as if she cut the hair herself.

"Sophie."

"SOPHIE!"

The woman suddenly jumps, startled, and swings around.

"Master Paradyne, I have wonderful news. My latest experiment was a success, see?" The young woman points to her left eye, who instead of her usual pink now has a blood-red iris. There was some scaring around the eye as well.

"It is red now, Sophie, please explain?"

"Oh right. I successfully transformed my left eye to give it full properties of one that a vampire would have. Increased vision in general, night vision, and even heat vision. Compared to a regular human eye, it is about a nine hundred percent increase in its ability. I had to perform the blood injection and transformation spell over eighty times, with me able to only cast the third tier with a fifth or sixth tier spell process would be much faster, of course." Sophie speaks at a rapid pace, forgetting to breathe.

"Child, you are getting over-excited again. Take a deep breath."

"Right, of course, master."

"It was a terrible risk to perform the experiment on yourself, Sophie. Academy has an array of test subjects for a reason!"

"I know, master. But a firsthand experience was necessary to get the results. It seems at least a fifth-tier transformation spell is needed to finish a full transformation, even for a small body part in a single attempt."

"I have lost one excellent pupil already, I don't wish to lose the second one."

"Arche? Yes, a shame that my greatest rival for the position of the top student had to leave the academy, but master, I was careful. See the spell, the calculations I did everything right." Sophie says and turns to point at a large parchment decorated with a scribbled writing and poorly drawn images.

"I urge you to at least consult with me before performing such dangerous experiments. "

"I will in the future, I promise," Sophie says quietly, turning away from her master's concerned gaze.

"I hope so. Now then, I have excellent news. Our Emperor is invited to visit the Empire of Nazarick and you and I will be part of his retinue."

"Master, I have never heard of such a place. What is so special about them?"

"It is an Empire that emerged in the forest of Tob, run by beings of incredible power. They have performed magic I do not know and related to your research, none of them are human."

After a moment of wide-eyed stare, her face twists in a smile almost impossibly wide for a human. Fluder sees she is likely to overreact and ads,

"That means you will have to learn proper etiquette."

"Yes, master I will. What species are they? How does their society work? What…"

"Calm down, we will find answers in due time. First things first. We can't afford to cause an incident by ignorance."

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An old woman walked a decrepit street of a forgotten place. Once the dreaded Greed Kings ruled their empire from this city. Now time picked the marvelous floating city away with the dry desert sands grinding its walls and buildings with a help of the harsh desert winds.

Rigrit Bers Caurau, a hero from the past, has visited this place before. Once she was a part of the famous Blue Roses. Rigid even lead them for a while. It was because of her efforts the team got Evileye. Rigid was instrumental in stopping the vampire and turning her back to good.

Long before that, she was one of the thirteen heroes. When a group of heroic and just 'players' showed up in this world, she naturally joined them, guided them on the path of good. But it was not meant to be, with them also monstrous being arrived, the Demon Gods. Although the monsters were killed, heroes perished as well.

Very few know her origins. A century before the thirteen heroes, she arrives in this world without knowing how. One day she was playing a game and then poof, Rigid the necromancer stood in the green field, overwhelmed with senses, all alone. Not knowing what to do, she blended in with society and studied the magic and the world around her, finding the way to extend her life and be the one of world's protectors from the shadows.

Rigid still remembered the world she came from, earth. Life there was nightmarish. Her one regret leaving that place behind was not saying goodbye to her family. Even after two centuries, she still remembered their faces.

Walking through the abandoned wondrous city always brought back the memories, both good and bad. One of her very few remaining friends who lived here guarded the place against looters. The long stairs to reach the central palace reminded her of her age. Despite slowing down her aging, her body was already in her seventies and no matter where she looked, there was no method to gain immortality without becoming something monstrous.

Inside of the palace was eerily silent.

'Sleeping on his duty again', Rigrit chuckles and walks towards the central chamber.

She opens the heavy doors and is met with a loud voice.

"Rigrit, have you forgotten your old friend that you don't visit without an invitation anymore?"

"That piece of metal was my friend way more often than you," Rigrit says with a cheerful, if not a mocking, laugh while pointing at a white armor set near the entrance.

"You know very well that I can't travel among humans as my true self," retorts the immense light grey dragon, missing the humor in Rigrit's voice as usual.

"You are always so easily riled up, my friend. It is good to see you Tsar." Rigrit says with another laugh, gazing upon one of her oldest friends, Tsaindorcus Vaision, the Platinum Dragon Lord.

She looked like an ant compared to the enormous dragon, whose scales glow with a light shine. There was a natural majesty exuding from the creature. He was the only son of the Dragon Emperor, but tried to play down. It was his very father who brought the first players to this world.

"I need your counsel once again, Rigrit. Another set of Yggdrasil 'filth' has appeared."

"I am 'one of those 'filth' remember, besides, isn't that hypocritical thing to say when you have surrounded yourself with the treasures from Yggdrasil?" Rigrit asks, raising her eyebrow.

"You know what I mean. You weren't there when the Greed Kinds almost wiped out my kind!"

"True, but I wasn't there when the six great gods saved humanity from extinction, either. But I get your sentiment. Each time the new set of players is summoned, the world is shaken up by it. I guess you want to know if I know anything about the newcomers. I'm sorry to say but I know little of the world evens these days. Travelers seldom visit my farm."

"Newcomers set up a new empire in the forest of Tob. They sent angels to the Slane theocracy to terrorize them after one of their 'monsters' was attacked. I think the empire is called Nazarick."

"Nazarick, that name rings a bell, but I'm forgetting things from those times. Maybe you know more?"

"Not much they have been rather secretive in their movements. I know they call themselves the Lords of Ooal Gown and the emperor calls himself Ainz Ooal Gown."

Rigrit face pales as she looks up at Tsar.

"No, gods no, not them!"

"Rigrit?"

"Tsar, Ainz Ooal Gown was the name of the most notorious guild in entire Yggdrasil. Players who reveled in being monsters. They were feared even back them. If they are ones transported this time, may the gods help us." Rigrit says, shaking her head.

"Do they have guild base with them?" She asks with a slightly shaking voice.

"I am not sure, but all signs show that it is hidden somewhere deep in the forest."

"Tsar, please, if it is possible, try not to fight them. They were as vile as they were cunning."

"You know, my duty is to protect this world. I will not look the other way if they start a rampage. But I will head your advice and don't antagonize them if it's unnecessary."

"I hope war with them can be avoided. Not all players turn out evil after all." Rigrit says, reliving some of her memories.

She was a casual low-level player back then. Yggdrasil was in its prime when she was transported. The monstrous players had killed her more than once. From the very start, the game was set in a way that it was natural to hunt and kill heteromorphs and at first players with more human-like avatars were one's doing all the killing, but then things shifted. The oppressed retaliated, bitter at the unfair treatment.

It was the way the game was set that gave the birth of the most notorious and villainous guild, the dreaded Ainz Ooal Gown. And now this world may have to pay the price for it.

Bonus Story - Master and Apprentice.

Nfirea was hunched over the large parchment with complicated alchemical ritual drawn upon it. His master Tabula stands next to him being just as invested in the process as his apprentice. Both have had lost any track of time, as usual, this time trying to figure out how to create a water crystal.

"Master, if we would infuse the bloodroot and water berries at this point in the process, it, in theory, should provide the liquid to start the inverted cycle of water production inside the crystal's matrix."

"Bloodroot would provide the catalyst but, I fear, it will also taint the initial water and thus make the crystal ineffective at best. I think a pure arcane replacement would work better, but then again it would need at least a seventh tier spell and thus make a mass production impossible."

They have tested many ideas, but for now, nothing had worked. In last month, both had created few products that could be mass-produced by liches. Emperor has tasked both prepare simple alchemical goods that could be mass-produced and exported to other countries.

The enormous forest area was perfect for growing various herbs used in alchemy, but the empire lacked farmable lands and thus, at first, needed to rely on produced goods for successful trade with other countries. Their first success was a diluted healing potion. Much more effective than the regular blue potions sold around the human nations, but at the same time, much cheaper to produce.

At first, Ainz had entrusted Tabula to start up the mass production, but because of his forgetful nature, it almost fell apart and both Albedo and Ainz ended up taking over the task and starting the first healing potion factory in the world.

Both Nfirea and Tabula were geniuses, no doubt about it, but when it came to more practical matters, it was best to entrust such tasks to others. Their current project, the water crystal, was an attempt to make a portable and cheap water source usable in more arid lands.

But as it happened way too often lately, their work process was interrupted.

"You two have lost a sense of time again. Nfirea, your wife had sent message three times already looking for you!" Mariposa says loudly with a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"Dear, we are in an important part of the research, it would be best to not interrupt us."

"You two are stoping for today and that final!"

"Mari, I'm a lord here. I love you, but you can't just stop our work like this."

"Do I need to go tell Emperor Ainz that you are ignoring his order to take breaks again?"

At the threat of involving Ainz, Tabula twitches, and whispers.

"No need to go that far, we will stop for today."

"Good, then send Nfirea back home," Mariposa says and then turns to Nfirea, adding,

"And you, better take care of your wife, she worries about you!"

"I will, lady Mariposa." Nfirea mumbles and steps through the gate.

Mariposa then embraces Tabula, saying,

"And no pouting, you need to rest too."

AN: Rigrit is not a player in LN but I felt she was a great candidate for being a remaining player from the past.