NOVEL NEXT Chapter 26: Chapter 17
Hekkeran gazed ahead of him... And he couldn't believe it.
How could it be after all?
A wealthy noble had sent them, countless groups of Workers from the Empire, to investigate that light that could be seen rising in the sky even from the capital of the Baharuth Empire. Arwintar.
It was just a reconnaissance mission, but still, it was suspicious that they would gather so many groups of such renown. From Green Leaf, Heavy Smasher in its entirety, Tenmu, and even his own group, Foresight.
But money was money, and the mage of his group, Arche, really needed money.
In fact, they hadn't discussed it yet, but Hekkeran knew. Their group was going to dissolve eventually. Roberdyck, the cleric of the group, would surely join some temple in the capital. Arche wanted to move with her two little sisters somewhere far from the capital, away from their ex-noble parents who were heavily in debt. And Imina and he wanted to settle down and live as normal lovers in a two-story house with the soon-to-be child of the couple.
And with the reward offered by this noble, this could well be their last mission as a team...
But, once again, their mission was to investigate that light deep in the Tob forest. Nothing that would normally be dangerous or special except for the origin of such light.
They encountered strange structures, mostly empty and irrelevant, and strange black birds that seemed to want to chirp but made no sound, and finally, they found something incredible.
A wall.
Made of a stone as white as the moon, and harder than adamantite... Hundreds of meters high. Impenetrable. Of course, that was an exaggerated assessment.
After a discussion with the group, they decided to take advantage of the night to inspect the wall, and they found an open door. It was massive, of course, large enough to be bigger than the doors of the emperor's palace...
And upon crossing the threshold... It seemed like they had entered another realm. The Realm of the Gods.
An enormous palace, shining like a beacon. From which waterfalls sprang from windows, and... It was indescribable.
They almost believed they were stepping into the gates of some legendary hidden realm...
But there was no one.
"This is... Strange..." Arche had whispered at the time, feeling uneasy about the silence of the night in the magnificent city that seemed to be taken from a fairy tale... Alive and fanciful, yet at the same time, quiet and motionless.
"Yes... It's like a ghost town... But it shows no signs of degradation over time... Not even that nature is reclaiming it..." Roberdyck had murmured, looking at one of the architecturally incredible houses.
Of course, there was the possibility that there were Golems or such things that kept the place by order of the once dead ruler of this place, but there were no signs of that for now...
Imina was restless. She had all her senses as an Archer and Ranger at maximum... And she felt nothing but the steps of the other Workers... It was so... Unnatural... Terrifying even.
"... Let's check one of the houses." Hekkeran had proposed then, and after confirmation with the rest of the team, they burst into any house.
It was... A treasure in itself. All the objects there, from forks to furniture, were treasures, both in value by itself and artistically. After all, even the wooden spoon was magical, and the oldest pans were made of enchanted platinum.
In the subsequent meeting with the rest of the teams, they confirmed that all the houses were filled with things that alone would be worth a fortune... That is, here they had the equivalent of surely all the treasure of the Empire and more...
They even found things like 'savings' in the form of huge pure gold coins and jewels, as if they were simple common exchange coins...
This was... A golden opportunity. Literally.
While they wouldn't fulfill their initial mission, this could compensate for it to a large extent.
They were about to arrange how they would distribute the exploration, as this place seemed too interesting to let go, but they decided to return to the Empire with the information about this place, taking some things along the way, and then they would obtain the appropriate rewards.
They agreed to return the way they came, to the annoyance of the leader of Tenmu, and they started looking for the door...
But when they stepped on the threshold, magical circles appeared beneath them...
And here they were.
In an incredible place, full of hills, mountains with waterfalls, a huge river, and lush trees...
And it was only them, Foresight. No other team was nearby, and Imina confirmed this after a little exploration within a perimeter of 10 meters, which was worrying considering that Imina was a Half-Elf and a Ranger Archer.
"Hekkeran, what do we do? I don't hear anything..." Imina said cautiously.
Only the sound of tree leaves rustling, the water current, the waterfalls, even the wind hitting the mountains, almost paradise-like.
And as the leader, Hekkeran had to guide the group out of this.
He grimaced and looked around.
"For now, let's try climbing the trees to see if we find a point of reference. Otherwise, we'll just follow the river upstream, and if we don't find anything, we'll go downstream. Eventually, we might or might not reach some village, town, or city."
And so, the group began their attempt to escape.
…
He was, obviously, one of the strongest individuals in the world. He was as strong or even stronger than Gazef Stronoff himself... He was Erya Uzruth.
And now, he found himself alone, albeit with the three bags of flesh called Elves who were his slaves.
"Tch. And now what?" He growled as he looked around.
Where was he? In what seemed to be a library.
A huge library. The shelves went so high up to the ceiling that they disappeared into the darkness of the roof like a showcase that led to the depths of the sea, but it was dark.
And there were so many books that you couldn't really see between each shelf... And the truth. It was practically a maze.
"Oi! Find the way out." He shouted at one of the Elves.
She flinched and just nodded, starting to walk shakily between the aisles.
She had to admit that the carpet soothed his sore bare feet. She had never been able to wear shoes...
And they had been walking for several minutes... In circles it seemed, as they had seen different books that were identical...
"Oi! Stop wandering and take me to the exit!" He roared... And the rule was broken for the first time since its creation.
Several books began to fall off the shelves, causing Eryu to unsheathe his sword immediately.
Sharp giggles came from all directions, causing the Elves to cower and shrink.
Eryu swung back on instinct... And his sword bounced off.
He blinked as he saw his sword rebound against the silver gauntlet.
And he saw the black skull, with an infernal glow coming from beneath his armor like a tunic of metal and dark red and black cloth... With five books coated in orange energy floating around him...
{Unknown Overlord PNG}
A sense of pure dread instantly washed over him, one so strong it made him forget everything, freezing his blood. It was the worst feeling. One that focused his attention on the Undead while his body failed to respond to his mind.
He didn't even feel the hands that emerged from the books, nor did he hear the frightened screams of the Elves as Specters, Gremlins, and other creatures arrived immediately with noticeable rage.
Anyone who dares disturb the perfect silence of the Library of the Curious Fae will suffer their full wrath.
...
Gringham was a short man, almost like a dwarf. And covered by his heavy armor, he looked like a giant silver beetle.
And he was a member of the Heavy Smasher Worker group. A group of 14 members, all of whom were present at the insistence of the contractor... And here they were... In a jungle.
"Hm... A teleportation trap... However... Where are we?" He asked aloud. After all, there were no jungles near the Empire or Re-Estize. Surely there would be more going to the center of the continent, but near the Forest of Tob.
They heard sounds of birds, insects, and... Monkeys? Even at night, the jungle seemed alive.
One of their members, one especially focused on location and exploration, shrugged.
"I don't know, leader. I can't come to such a conclusion so easily..." He said. After all, they could be anywhere... Of course, it's not like he knew many jungles, as there were none in the territory of human countries, but he should at least rule out the ones he knew.
"Leader... Something is approaching..." Their group's ranger whispered in his ear.
"Defensive positions." He ordered instantly, accustomed to the ranger saying that. And so they obeyed, positioning themselves among the 14 in a stance practiced so many times...
And being 14 members who had perfect teamwork, he was sure they could even handle an adamantite-level threat.
A shiver ran through him even in the warm humidity of the jungle. Because all the sounds fell silent.
Not even the wind whispered.
The birds closed their beaks, the insects stopped chirping, and the monkeys fled.
And an arrow shot out from the trees, embedding itself in the eye of one of the Heavy Smasher members at an incredible speed.
"What the-!?"
... Heavy Smasher didn't last more than 5 seconds under the hail of arrows.
From among the trees, tall, slender figures, pale as bone, and faceless but clad in tribal garb and enchanted bows emerged, looking at the bodies and examining them.
They would make fine hunting tribute for the Supreme Ladies for disturbing their incredible garden.
…
Green Leaf, the Worker team, was led by Parpatra, an elderly man, but still with the power of an Orichalcum-ranked Adventurer. With equipment befitting an Adamantite adventurer and years of experience, he was truly one of the best in all the groups.
However, not all his experience could prepare him for this.
In an instant, he appeared in mystical-looking catacombs... And immediately began to be chased by giant bone monsters like cheetahs with long stinger tails.
Even with his advanced age, he and his team managed to outpace the unknown Undead beasts through narrow passages, reaching dungeons...
And as soon as they saw the first cell, several of his team members couldn't help but vomit.
The cells... They held people. Humans... Each one labeled with a number above, as if it were a laboratory or prison...
And although they wanted to free them, the cells were... Indestructible, to say the least...
So they resigned themselves and departed, ignoring the smell and sight. Even the cries of pain and pleading.
Parpatra looked into one cell and saw a child... He was crying as he ate what seemed to be feces...
The child looked at him silently, crying.
Parpatra could only give him the mercy of death.
So, using his spear, he killed the child quickly and painlessly.
... A bad decision.
Gates in the ceiling opened, and a pair of creatures like needle machines with red lights looked at the intruders.
One of them extended a hand with great speed, grabbing one of the Workers.
The other had its main light, like its eye, shining intensely, and a red laser burst from it, incinerating another.
And the rest of the group had to run.
Who knows how far they'll get... A pity they entered the room where experiments with high-level summons were conducted.
...
Dont sighed with relief.
They had been monitoring the intruders for a long time. She let them enter Titania without any problem for fear that they might be stronger than expected, as they were already at the gate when she arrived, and Gandolfo was still inside Titania. She saw them plundering the homes of her people, of her folk.
After seeing them only interested in low-level items, she concluded that they were mere thieves...
And how angry she got...
She had them teleported to different points in Titania.
The ugly blond and his Elves to the library.
The group of 14 to the Seelie Forest.
The old man's group to the Unseelie Cemetery, which then led them to the Dungeons as they fled from the Ocelopilli Xibalba, level 55 Undeads with the form of Cheetahs and poisonous stingers.
And finally, the last group, to the Mystic Lake. Or near it at least.
Why didn't she kill or capture them instantly?
She was angry, yes. But she wasn't foolish.
After a long meditation on the fate of the intruders, she decided to use them as an experiment. Something that would help her at least a little to know the defenses of Titania without resorting to Custom NPCs or Black Abyss or herself. And of course, without all the non-free traps. She wouldn't waste valuable Yggdrasil gold for these rats.
She was going to take advantage of this opportunity to test Titania's defenses, in short.
And how they work.
With just the not-so-strong NPCs and POPs, she could kill almost all of them without a problem. Those who didn't die by them were just unlucky and died by stronger creatures.
The issue was that only the group of 4 remained. She could send POPs or NPCs from the area, like the Immortal Nymphs... But now she wanted to deal with this personally. She wasn't going to investigate; she wanted to catch them herself.
She would give them to Miku as punishment for them. And they definitely wouldn't be given to her dead.
…
They walked in silence upstream.
Upon climbing one of the trees, Imina failed to see anything noteworthy, so they could only pray to find some village following the river.
None of them spoke at any moment. After all, it was a collective agreement that they felt they were being watched.
They didn't know how, where, or why, but they could only go with the flow and not do anything abrupt.
Of course, years of teamwork paid off, only needing signals between them to understand each other.
And they kept walking... For a long while... They passed by the river, through the trees, bushes, rocks. Imina ensured it wasn't safe even to get too close to the river, as she could discern and feel that there were many... Many things there. And they weren't just fish.
Anyway, eventually, the river ended in a waterfall...
And well, another magic circle trapped them.
As the bright light faded... They blinked.
"This is... A lake?" Arche furrowed her brow.
The lake seemed undisturbed, and the water... It only seemed to flow in, not out, which made no sense considering that the 'lake's exit' seemed to be downstream... Were they atop the mountain...?
It's worth noting, it was a huge lake. And its surface as perfect as a mirror prevented seeing the bottom.
At the same time, it was a marvelous sight, as the shore shimmered mystically in a beautiful navy blue.
Hekkeran grimaced and sighed.
"It seems there's nothing here..."
They would have to see if they found something downstream then. Although the lake was strange, it wasn't so odd considering all the weird magic that existed throughout the world.
Roberdyck, as the group's optimist, wanted to brighten their long faces.
"Don't worry. At least we can rest and have a drink. That water doesn't seem toxic, and I can cast [Purification] just in case."
Imina didn't object, as it was true that they were somewhat tired, and she trusted Roberdyck's spell.
"Alright. Just be careful. That the water isn't toxic doesn't mean there's nothing in it." Hekkeran warned, with a slight smile towards Roberdyck.
Arche sighed and looked up at the sky, trying to understand where they were.
This... Strange situation they were in... Was her fault... The group mainly agreed because of Arche's financial troubles...
She even wanted to apologize for dragging them into this, but she knew they would just dismiss her apology.
She had some good friends... The best friends...
"If you drink from that water, your insides will turn into liquefied organs boiled by acid even with [Purification]." And a voice came from another side, putting the four on guard as they faced the unknown.
And they saw... It was a woman, if based on the incredible curves and breasts visible from her strange black outfit with a strange skirt made of leather and belts.
Her black hair and the red flower on her head...
But her face... It was obscured by a black mist that swirled sinisterly.
"... Who are you?" Hekkeran asked, with his two swords in hand.
"Mm? Dare you enter a place without knowing to whom it belongs? It seems you're nothing more than dirty thieves without honor or forgiveness." She spat with a slight laugh... The woman stood in the middle of the lake, not sinking beneath its calm and still surface...
Arche had heard of Water Fairies... Were they... Facing a Fairy...? She blinked at the possibility.
On the other hand, Hekkeran frowned.
So, there was someone really in this place...
Well, she couldn't blame them. The place was empty. There were no animals, no birds, no fish anywhere. No traces of them. Nothing. It was as empty as... That city...
A certain level of understanding came to Hekkeran, and he kept that discovery for the forthcoming conversation...
He had to find a way out of this somehow...
"E-Ejem. Firstly, we'd like to apologize, Miss..." He paused, not knowing how to address her. This would at least prompt her to use some nickname. If not her name.
"... Elizabeth. You can call me Elizabeth." The woman responded after a few seconds.
"Of course. Miss Elizabeth. We apologize for entering your domain without permission. We didn't know it belonged to you. If you can forgive us, we'll make sure to compensate for the inconvenience monetarily as necessary." Hekkeran said with some charisma and experience. He had dealt with a few aristocrats or wealthy merchants.
"... So you think everything can be solved with money? You're not much different from rats." The woman spat with annoyance and a hint of venom.
Hekkeran bit his tongue.
"But well." She shrugged, shaking her head. "I didn't expect much from humans. They're as unpleasant as slugs." She said somewhat humorously.
(Isn't she human?) Hekkeran furrowed his brow. Indeed, the possibility that she wasn't human arose when she appeared standing in the middle of the lake, but it was still good to confirm.
"... Humans aren't slugs..." He retorted.
"You're right, my apologies."
Hekkeran's eyes widened upon hearing the apology. Was she really retracting that?
"It would be an insult to slugs. You are less than that. Trash is even purer and cleaner than any of you~" She said amusedly, causing Foresight to furrow their brows collectively.
This was a new level of insults...
Arche used her vision, detecting no magical power from the woman, which she didn't expect from something that could be a Fairy. And she didn't seem like a fighter, so they could potentially defeat her easily unless she was stronger than she appeared. Obviously, they didn't underestimate her. There were many non-humans who seemed weak but were superior to humans, like Vampires.
"After all, you invaded a city that could have had people living there, looting their belongings out of your disgusting and unpleasant greed without a second thought... I really dislike it." The woman spat. Her voice was laden with lethal venom... "...But it would be hypocritical to judge you for taking advantage of the weak. That's nature in any aspect. And so it always will be. Anyway... As someone who despises rats eating from my plate, I'll get rid of this pest. Personally." She said with finality, sending shivers down Hekkeran's spine.
"N-No, in fact, there is a rea-"
"I don't want any more dirty, disgusting lies. You invaded my home, and you will pay the consequences."
"And what if we had permission?"
The woman froze for a moment.
"Huh?" Her previously seductive voice was now sinister, giving Hekkeran another chill... The already dim light in the middle of the night seemed to grow dimmer...
So that phrase... Really had such a big effect on this woman... That meant if he played his cards right, they might be able to get out of this.
"Do you think I'm stupid?... Tch." She clicked her tongue as she placed a couple of fingers on her temple. "Lying to me like that will only make your punishments worse." She said with annoyance.
"And if it were true?" Hekkeran insisted.
The woman fell silent. She clenched her fists and took a deep breath.
"... Fine. Just in case, tell me, human. Who gave you permission to enter my palace?"
"Don't you know her?" Hekkeran seized upon the mention of the palace. She must be some kind of queen or empress... Ancient, magical, and forgotten. Or maybe just hidden by the Forest of Tob.
She didn't respond, but she seemed to raise an eyebrow behind the cluster of darkness covering her face, judging by how she slightly tilted her head.
"Because she knows you very well... You and all your people."
"My people...?" She muttered. "What was she like?"
"She was tall like you... But she looked more..." Hekkeran thought carefully about what he was going to say. For now, the most similar thing he imagined this woman could be was a Fairy... Or some kind of Forest Spirit. Therefore...
"Mhm?" The woman grew impatient, forcing Hekkeran to speak.
"She looked more like a plant..." He finally said.
And the woman took a step back. She put her fingers back to her temple.
"What was her name?" She practically growled. Hekkeran gained a bit more confidence.
"She didn't tell us her name... But she had a wonderful voice... She sang quite a lot..."
The woman clasped her chin. "She sang, huh..." She murmured. "Was she a human, an Elf? What race was she?" She asked gently.
Hekkeran sweated a little. This woman didn't like humans... But he couldn't say the second so hastily.
"... She was something close to an Elf, yes... But I'm not sure... Like I said, she seemed more like a plant..." He said with a confident smile, but behind it, he was trembling.
The woman seemed to cover her mouth and think deeply.
"... And what did she tell you to do once you arrived here? I imagine she didn't send you to rob my house."
"... Before that, could you ensure our safety?" Hekkeran tried, looking around for any means of escape.
The surroundings were a forest, so they could flee. And there didn't seem to be any animals. Although the problem was that if they were indeed on top of a mountain, it would be difficult to descend.
"If my dear friend sent you, then you'll be honored guests, although you'll be thoroughly interrogated." She dismissed.
She was a friend. That was very useful.
So 'Elizabeth' had a friend she wasn't in contact with... That... Could save them. The problem was that this friend might not have used the nickname that this woman was currently using; it could be a pseudonym, as she said they could 'call her that'.
"If you don't answer in 10 seconds, I'm going to kill all of you." Her tone of voice returned to a deadly seriousness, causing Hekkeran's heart to skip a beat.
His palms were sweaty.
"... He said that once we found a beautiful palace with white walls... Let's greet its queen." He said with false confidence.
"... Her queen?" she asked casually. Even the sound of the wind and the water's flow stopped.
Hekkeran avoided sweating more and kept an expression that wouldn't give him away.
"... Yeah... You know. The woman the king liked the most among all..." He gathered his courage, lying.
Elizabeth didn't respond, grabbing her chin while slightly lowering her head.
"... Certainly... Jamon was hitting on me a lot after that... He(?)... Or it could be towards... He(?) himself... Umu..." She murmured audibly, sounding doubtful, but cautious, something that Hekkeran effectively noticed, making him nervous at the same time.
Jamon... It seemed to be a nickname, or a strange name, but he wouldn't judge at the moment.
Ugh... This was getting dangerous...
"... And if that woman wasn't there... Did she give you instructions on how to talk to other individuals in this place?"
Hekkeran was about to faint. The woman's questions continued. It seemed he failed to identify her as 'the king's favorite' in a certain way. And apparently, that king's name was Jamon...
"... It's possible..."
"What is my name?" She asked Hekkeran, who blinked.
Was it a trap question...?
"If my friend sent you, the answer should be obvious." He replied.
Hekkeran was sweating rivers. Either he had incredible luck, or he was losing his facade... So he risked everything with an answer.
"... Jamon." He said seriously. Maybe it was a clue, and she let it slip... He prayed for that to be the case...
"I see. What a relief~" The woman relaxed, causing Hekkeran to almost let out a sigh that would take all the stress off his back. "Miku, kill them."
Hekkeran opened his eyes, only to see the lake rising on its own, and a claw made of water lunging towards them.
Both Hekkeran and Imina and Arche, who were the most agile, managed to avoid the heavy attack...
But the kind and gentle Roberdyck... Turned into piles of blood and minced flesh between the water claws.
"You.... YOU! PIECES OF SHIT!" A furious roar came, making the water tremble like gelatin as it seemed to freeze and retreat.
And a terrifying aura emanated from the woman.
"BASTARDS OF WHORES! HOW DARE YOU! HOW DARE YOU NOT ONLY INVADE THE BEAUTIFUL HOME I MADE WITH MY FRIENDS! MY BELOVED FRIENDS! AND DIRTY IT WITH YOUR HORRIBLE STENCH!"
The lake trembled as it seemed to distance itself from her. The sky darkened with the stars disappearing, as if terrified.
The slender and elegant hands turned into brutal dark claws as they opened and closed, as if unable to decide whether to express their rage in a fist or simply tear everything apart.
"PUTAIN DA MERDE! AND FURTHERMORE! YOU DARE TO USE THE NAMES OF MY FRIENDS! OF MY BELOVED FRIEND! TO TRY TO DECEIVE ME! WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!? ESPÈCE DE MERDE! ¡FILS DU PUTE! ¡MEURS! ¡MEURS MEURS MEURS MEURS! I'LL BATHE IN YOUR BLOOD WHILE YOU'RE STILL ALIVE IN FUCKING HELL!"
It wouldn't be surprising if her fury lasted forever. And indeed, she continued cursing for several minutes, her aura being so strong that a creature made of water began to move away through a river mouth, making sounds as if it were the equivalent of a frightened dog.
Hekkeran couldn't move. The sheer aura of hatred, rage, and malice she emitted... It was incredibly powerful.
Arche cried as her legs trembled, with Imina trying to cover her.
And then she suddenly stopped.
She stood there, static, not emitting her aura as she looked at the starless sky.
Only her soft and calm breathing could be heard for several seconds...
Imina just blinked. That was all it took for her to stop feeling her body.
After all, now it was a head falling lifelessly to the ground.
The last thing she saw was how Hekkeran looked at her with horrified eyes, as the monstrous jaws slowly approached his beloved's head...
…
Miku trembled in silence as she watched her queen shake with fury in front of the corpses that were once a human and a half-elf. Only the blonde mage remained.
"... I will have these three revived so that their punishment may be prolonged for eternity... Miku, I entrust you with the fat one. Make sure not to drown him too quickly, and use your healing abilities to keep him alive and conscious." Upon the order of the Queen of Titania, Dont-Say-My-Name, Miku merely made the closest sound she could to confirmation. The sound of water moving slightly.
And then, the queen looked at the crying blonde mage.
"... YOU WILL TELL ME EVERYTHING." She said in a brutal tone.
…
"... The Baharuth Empire, huh..."
"Y-Yes, my queen."
An Alraune of exceedingly high beauty. Carmellitian, that was her name.
Her skin was of a very faint green hue, her hair long green vines, some thorny and some not, which she could control at will, seeing that the non-thorny vines molded into hands at the end of their length.
Upon her head, she bore a plethora of purple flowers, almost like a grand crown of them, matching the color of her eyes and the lavish dress she wore.
The dress revealed a generous cleavage, also showcasing her curves down to the waist, where it extended greatly to cover all the giant thorny vines and roots that formed her from the waist down. The dress itself resembled a flower, with a frame underneath to maintain the flower shape, and much like the crown of purple flowers on her head, her dress boasted giant purple blooms.
Her arms were bare save for purple flowers adorning her wrists, while with her clean and delicate hands, she presented a report to Dont, although she had already told her everything. However, it's not as if any details would escape Titania's agents, formally delivering reports written by themselves.
{Carmellitian PNG}
"... They will suffer the consequences for this insult." She spat with hatred.
Even Carmellitian, one of the most wicked NPCs in all of Titania, shuddered at Dont's words. She couldn't help but feel a hint of empathy for those worms who had earned her queen's wrath.
The Demon Queen turned around and began to walk towards the exit, leaving behind the Alraune and the tortured blonde mage.
"W-Wait... P-Please..." Came the pitiful whisper from what used to be a 'smiling' girl.
Dont halted, and Carmellitian felt her heart lurch. She was about to silence the human, but Dont stopped her by raising a hand.
"... M-My s-sisters... P-Please... S-Save them..."
Dont's hand almost formed into a fist.
"... Your sisters, huh... Don't worry about them." She said with a gentler yet still furious tone. "As a sister myself, I will be... Merciful... I will grant them the mercy of fairness."
Arche, the mage, blinked with a 'Huh?' just like Carmellitian.
"... Like everyone in the Empire, they will die. Such is my mercy." She said with a wide, wicked, and unhinged smile, sharp teeth glistening with black saliva, as she glanced sideways at Arche.
…
Dont flew over the capital of Arwintar.
She had to reward Eyesight for the effort she had put in all this time with the use of [Gate] and the surveillance everywhere.
She wasn't even going to give them the privilege of doubt. No chance of redemption... She knew she was acting very hastily... But she wasn't going to forgive them.
... They would have to change their plan a bit... Well, let's be honest. She had to brutally change all the plans... Ugh, Black Abyss was going to kill her...
In the middle of the night, just before dawn... She pulled out her rifle.
Dont admired the beauty of her divine-class weapon... And she configured it.
The weapon, obeying its owner, changed the data of the ammunition load inside, ready to fire.
With the configuration done, she aimed with one hand and without much difficulty at a point.
The emperor's room in Baharuth.
...
Jircniv Rune Farlord El Nix, the Blood Emperor, absolute ruler of the Baharuth Empire, woke up in the late hours of the night.
He massaged his temples and yawned.
It must be dawn already anyway.
He sat on the edge of his bed and looked back, seeing the back of one of his concubines.
He smiled with some pride and got up, not bothering to cover his lower area. It was his room, the safest place in the whole Empire after all, what could happen?
Having sent those criminals who were the Workers to investigate that light from several days ago, perhaps he would find some power to help him deal with Re-Estize, thus advancing his eventual conquest.
The empire was superior in technology, soldier quality, magic, economy, and politics. It was practically completely superior to the kingdom.
It just didn't invade it completely because it would be a great loss of soldiers, even if it could anyway.
Also, there was the variable of Gazef Stronoff, who could turn a lost situation around. But Jircniv only had to coordinate his Four Imperial Knights, and/or convince Fluder to fight against him, and his problems would be solved.
He approached his balcony. He wanted to see the sunrise.
Looking at the starry sky, he looked down, seeing the capital of his empire.
The empire that flourished thanks to him.
A smile crossed his face, and he looked up again.
How strange... Wasn't the sun too close...?
…
The towns and cities near Arwintar woke up startled... After all, a light as bright as day suddenly arrived and disappeared.
They could only look into the distance as a huge mushroom of fire and smoke rose where the capital should be...
And the shockwave reached them, sweeping away every house, wall, castle, and fortress.
...
Dont looked emotionless at the effects of the shot, which was basically a maximized [Nuclear Explosion].
The damage didn't even affect her.
It was an 8th-level spell of fire and explosive type. She had natural resistances to both. And the poison left by the spell in the area, or well, radiation, was so weak that it didn't surpass her defenses either, as it was mainly a secondary effect only efficient against low-level beings, or at most low-medium. Only the shockwave pushed her several meters, but she just let herself go, enjoying how she seemed to swim in the sky now illuminated by the tower of fire born from her shot.
... It wasn't enough.
While flying without needing to do it herself thanks to the shockwave of the nuclear explosion, she turned around and fired. A couple more shots across the Empire, and they should already have their punishment.
She was greatly surprised to hear a powerful explosion seeing an object traveling at an extremely high speed, even with her vision she could barely notice that it was a spear, which seemed like a lightning bolt at the speed it was going...
What confused her the most was that... It was one of Black Abyss's spears.
In a second, she saw it disappear into the distance, seeing that the weapon was already falling and that... Well, it would be something more merciful than her, but if Black Abyss threw that spear, it meant that he had already found out. And he didn't seem... to be against what she was doing...
Umu... She released one last [Nuclear Explosion] at a point she roughly calculated as 'safe' for the other nations.
With a more relaxed sigh, she spread her wings, stopping her thrust, and called Eyesight.
...
In the surrounding countries, columns of fire and smoke could be seen rising from the Baharuth Empire. Its shockwave was such that it even reached some of its border towns even if the explosions were more in the center of the empire.
That day became known as 'The Fire of the Empire'.
The few survivors, that is, the peasants from the border towns, could never live normally. They were affected by a poison that no one had ever seen. Only 2 individuals in the whole world would know what it was.
The tremor of the explosions was such that it was felt even in the Holy Kingdom... And powerful beings from all over the world looked in that direction.
…
Back in one of the most protected places in the world, the Throne Room of the Pact Palace of Titania, Dont sat down, resting her elbow on the armrest and her head on that hand.
Black Abyss entered shortly after, while Bachelory, Superbia, Carmellitian, and the permanent summons Dont used and managed to bring from the capital of Re-Estize were kneeling in front of the throne.
"Let's start with the first question... How did they manage to enter...?" Black Abyss asked, beginning to pace in circles.
"Well, actually... The alarms went off when they crossed the 100-meter radius perimeter of Titania's walls. I arrived immediately. Since there was a curfew, there was no one inside or outside the walls. They entered the village and started looting. Based on their fascination with junk items, I understood they were weaklings, and my analysis of what to do was simple... I decided to lead them throughout Titania, to points where they would suffer from the monsters there to test their efficiency in case of a real invasion... My mistake if it bothers you so much. You were with Bachelory, so you must have been busy, and Eyesight told me she was watching Riku, so I didn't inform you instantly..." Dont breathed after such an explanation. "I hope you've read the report of what... happened..." Referring to that group of 4 she faced herself.
"Yes. It's alright that you decided not to inform me immediately, perhaps it was for the best, after all, I would have dropped everything and come instantly... But while I was there, we kept Riku in place, with what you did next, undoubtedly would have dangerously attracted that guy to Titania and its surroundings... And... I never thought I'd say this, but keeping them alive and suffering for a while will be good, Titania is one of the most precious things to me in this world... That they tried to do something to it... It bothers me more than anything..." Black Abyss growled.
Dont didn't respond for a moment, somewhat... Contradicted. She didn't really expect that from Black Abyss... But she felt somewhat happy that they could have a common thought on how to act.
"Umu~ However... This disrupts the plans a lot... But well, so be it." She sighed. "Make a report of what happened with Riku. Bachelory, you will do the same from your point of view and conclusions."
"Aye, my liege! I doth feel exceedingly honored to have been of service to the Supreme Ladies." The masked Doppelgänger said with loyalty.
"And well done, Bachelory. Let this not overshadow how well you did today." Black Abyss said to Titania's minister with a smile.
"Indeed, it is so. Well done, Bachelory. From what I heard, you made a very good impression." Dont smiled slightly at her creation.
"V-Verily, I am not deserving of thy commendations, my ladies. I merely complied as befits any servant of Titania." He kneeled deeply.
"Nonsense~" Dont said somewhat amused. "Now, Superbia. Well done on how you handled the defenses while we were away. It would have been interesting to see what you would do if we were invaded, but we'll do a simulation later."
"Of course, my queen~" The Moth Woman smiled elegantly as she responded with pride and happiness.
"Carmellitian... I hope you understand that those invaders cannot die. And if they do, they will be revived." Dont's words were serious.
"O-Of course, my queen. They will be punished for their audacity." The Alraune responded somewhat nervously. She still remembered her queen's anger as if it had been seconds ago instead of minutes...
"Anyway~ You, along with Eyesight, will be rewarded~ You can claim your reward at any time you wish and how you wish~ Then we'll see if what you ask for can be fulfilled~" She congratulated the 3 with a smile.
And after many seconds of them kneeling and expressing their gratitude and love towards the Supreme Ladies, Black Abyss looked with a raised eyebrow at Dont, now alone in the throne room, letting out a sigh.
"Come on, get that butt off the chair." Black Abyss said somewhat tiredly. "You've been working hard this whole time, I'll take care of it now. Rest."
"Eh? Ah... Well... I guess..." Dont scratched her head as she looked to the side.
An image hit her in the face, taking the offended photo and looking at it.
"It's the beach of Titania, it should help you relax." The Paladin said somewhat amused. "You used to go there when there were summer events~" Black Abyss exclaimed with a smile, remembering the times.
Dont blinked, indeed remembering it.
"Mm... On the other side of the Seelie Forest... To the south... How will that work? Will the sun make it warm above the temperature of the Temple or the jungle?" Dont murmured curiously. Certainly, she hadn't explored every facility of Titania.
"Well, I have no idea... Someday I'll go too, so tell me when you come back." Black Abyss exclaimed.
"Mm~ Bien~ Lo tomaré~ Merezco un descanso~ Fufu~ {Fine~ I'll take it~ I deserve a break~ Fufu~}" Dont said as she got up from the throne and already imagined what to do there. "Nos vemos, cariño~ {See ya, sweetie~} Don't have too much fun with the PRISONERS~" She said with a smile and a kiss to the air.
"Yes yes, I certainly won't..."
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Name: Carmellitian
Creators: Ghøst, Habano, °Mulin123°
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Greetings, my darlings~ As promised, I am back~ I hope you enjoyed the last chapter of this arc~
Incredible, isn't it~? Baharuth was eliminated from the equation by literal nuclear bombardment. Ah~ So American~ Nevertheless, obviously, things will be very different without Baharuth. And yes, I really enjoyed depicting Dont's furious part~ Hehe~ It came out similar to Ainz-sama's moment, but well, that was a good part too~ Rarely can one see Ainz-sama angry.
And if you found some parts short... Well, the truth is I summarized the entire arc 7 of the original canon in half a chapter, and I was too lazy to develop these idiots. Those who are here at least have already seen season 3 of the anime, so they already know what happened to them and such. In fact, I want to believe I was much more generous than Ainz-sama~ The fat guy and his team were either eaten by Kyohukou's offspring or tortured by Neuronist. Erya indeed had a fate worse than being killed by Hamusuke. Parpatra, well, he wasn't killed by skeletons, but by high-level monsters~ Or well, who knows what happened to them~ And Foresight... Well, one forced to be drowned and crushed over and over again, the other two murdered and who knows if revived or not. And Arche with Carmellitian. Seems very kind to me~
Anyways~ The arc hasn't actually ended yet. There's still an interlude~ Which will be published next week on its respective Wednesday~ As always~ So look forward to it~ Hehe~ Additionally, I have no mercy, Arche's sisters didn't survive, Arche didn't survive, none of that. Honestly, I care little for humans. Did Ninya matter to me? No. Did Tuare matter to me? Neither. Did Enri matter to me? Only because she was pretty. Did Arche matter to me? No, she invaded Nazarick, how could I care about that woman? Haha~
Oh, yes, you also have Carmellitian's profile there~ I hope you like our lovely little plant~
Feel free to comment, vote, share, etc, etc~ I'll respond whenever I can~ And I'll at least vote on the comments~ You can read this story on Fanfiction or Archive of Our Own just to support other platforms if thou wish, or in Wattpad with 1 chapter more, but in spanish. Goodbye~ See you on Wednesday~ Have a good day or good night~