HPDBC Before the Storm: Act 5, Chapter 11
Before the Storm: Act 5, Chapter 11
Before the Storm: Act 5, Chapter 11
Chapter 11
Ainz-sama! How about another?
How about it, Aura?
Crap, how is she going to respond?
Sure! Aura smiled, but then the smile faded, I wonder if Ive eaten too much todaydo you think Ill get fat?
A chuckle rose from Ainzs throat, half out of relief that she hadnt replied with something outrageous.
What was I thinking? Aura has always been the dependable sort.
At times, it was difficult to imagine that Aura and Mare had been created by the same person.
Its too early for you to be worrying about that, Ainz told her. Youre still growing, after all.
Auras bright smile returned as he patted her head.
Thats right! She said, Ill grow and grow until Shalltear cries tears of frustration!
Ainzs hand stopped. What did she mean by that?
I just heard something unpleasant-arinsu.
The atmosphere cooled by a degree as Shalltear stepped into the shade of the booth. Auras stance immediately changed, as if she was preparing to fight for her seat at Ainzs side.
Itll be more than unpleasant in a hundred years, she said, just wait and see!
As the two locked gazes, Mare stepped into the tent behind Shalltear, along with the intruder from that morning. Mare ran over to take the seat on the other side of Ainz white Shalltear was distracted. Baroness Zahradnik spread her skirts out into a deep curtsey.
Good evening, Your Majesty. I must apologise for my shameful conduct this morning.
Shameful? Ah, think nothing of it. If anything, your activities turned out to be somewhat useful.
The Baroness looked up at him curiously before blushing and turning her gaze away.
Useful, Your Majesty?
Umu, Ainz nodded. For instance
He pondered his selection of examples. Lady Zahradnik was not only a part of the Sorcerous Kingdoms middle management, but also a Commander of its security forces. It was a combination that one would never find in a corporation on Earth outside of fiction. Admitting that she had helped to identify weaknesses in their defensive schemes wouldnt sound very reassuring. As far as the aesthetic tastes of the locals went, Shalltears floors werent very impressive, either.
for instance, we never considered that one would take apart the masonry to fashion improvised traps. That was rather surprising.
The young womans face paled and she turned her gaze down to the stone floor.
Please forgive me for my destructive behaviour, Your Majesty. I will happily provide compensation for the damage that Ive caused.
No need, Ainz held out his palm. The damage is trivial and will restore itself in time.
But I should still make up for the cost of labour and materials
You misunderstand me, Lady Zahradnik. Damage to Nazaricks structures willmagically restore itself. No labour or materials are involved in the process.
He wasnt sure if the guild bases features could be considered magic magic, but he couldnt think of a better term. As far as the natives were concerned, it may as well have been the case.
Such a degree of artifice is befitting of a divine domain, Lady Zahradnik said. Once again, I must thank Your Majesty for the invitation and generous hospitality. Ive been here for less than a day, yet this has already turned out to be a priceless opportunity to see how I may improve on my own demesne.
Think nothing of it. You have been good to the children of my friends, so you will always be welcome in this place. Be sure to come and visit once in a whileahem, I should see about ordering those hot dogs
Ainz leaned over the railing to speak with Tokitsu. The Head Chef and his stand hadnt budged from its place below the VIP booth, so it had become something like Ainz Ooal Gowns personal hot dog stand. In his haste to move things along, Ainz ordered one for everyone in the booth, including himself. He stared down at the loaded bun in his bejewelled hand.
What do I do with this? Furthermore, three of the people here are Undead. Can those two even eatnever mind, theyre eating them.
He felt a twinge of envy at Shalltear and the Baroness ability to eat. Going through the motions of eating was possible for him, but he didnt want to leave a mess of chilli, cheese, and onions on the inside of his robes.
The Head Chef has been asking for feedback on these, Ainz said. What do you think, Lady Zahradnik?
On the far side of Aura and Shalltear, the young noblewoman stopped mid-chew. Her brown eyes glanced about before she visibly forced down her mouthful.
Its veryindulgent, Your Majesty. I believe that the hawkers catering to the Grand Arena in Arwintar aim for something similar. The offerings there fall far short of this, however. This food item feels like it has been painstakingly refined explicitly for occasions like these.
He nearly lost the toppings on his hot dog as he listened to Lady Zahradniks analysis. Aside from the first part, it didnt have to do with the taste at all. Food culture was growing in the Sorcerous Kingdom, however, so he was at least somewhat equipped to render an appropriate response.
So you think it would be well-received in the Sorcerous Kingdom? He asked, I was considering the introduction of various dishes with the surplus of available ingredients.
Something like this would be considered a luxury by nearly everyone, Lady Zahradnik answered. Short of seasonal festivals, there are very few occasions that would be appropriate for it.
Its just a hot dog
What about the league matches? Aura asked.
Ainzs nonexistent ears perked at the suggestion.
League matches?
The Commanders training in Wardens Vale have practice matches every day, Aura said. Once a week, they have an official league match that people come and watch.
Hoh
The Sorcerous Kingdom had a distinct lack of entertainment, particularly for the masses. He struggled to think of special occasions and relevant events and most of what he anonymously submitted to the suggestion box was met with the withering disapproval of Albedo. Everything that the NPCs came up with grew into over-the-top affairs with his name plastered all over them. Now, out of nowhere, it seemed that Lady Zahradnik had established a sports leagueor something close to it.
Its nothing special, Your Majesty, Lady Zahradnik said. I just thought it might serve to promote the martial culture in my fief. Its nowhere near as extravagant as this or even what goes on in the Empire.
Martial culture?
An image of Knights at a tourney manifested in his mind. He hadnt been to Zahradnik Barony, but his travels around Re-Estize and the Empire hadnt shown him much of that either. Then again, territories with a strong martial presence had little need for Adventurers so it was natural he would never frequent them as one.
That may be the case for now, Ainz said, but I still think its a wonderful idea. Who knows: one day it may spread beyond your territory.
to other military bases, Your Majesty? I suppose the Frost Giants had something similar before we started in Wardens Vale.
How could he explain spectator sports to her?
You mentioned the Grand Arena in Arwintar, he said. Someone once told me that the Imperial Army rarely participates in the matches held there.
I believe thats correct, Lady Zahradnik replied. At the same time, however, the Grand Arena is a powerful propaganda tool for the Empire. The matches make violence palpable to the citizenry, bolstering the recruitment efforts of the Imperial Army and causing the people to be more amenable to militaristic expansion and the costs that come with it. The Grand Arena is a platform that glorifies imperial policy on many levels.
Hmm
When she framed it in those terms, he was reminded of a certain ramble by Punitto Moe about team sports being a conduit for tribalism and nationalism. Before their time, Buenos Aires a city that once existed in South America had been destroyed by a thermonuclear device because of a football match.
But this world doesnt have anything like that, so shouldnt we take advantage of the benefits?
Having a unifying sense of identity in the Sorcerous Kingdom isnt necessarily a bad thing, Ainz said. Do you not use these matches for a similar purpose?
I do, Your Majesty, Lady Zahradnik admitted. But the military has always been a part of Wardens Vales identity. I am afraid that using the same methods on the rest of the population would lead to public attitudes that run counter to national policy. Countess Corelyn has mentioned that the Slane Theocracy has this exact problem.
Is that so?
Yes, Your Majesty. Perhaps due to their conflict with the Elf Kingdom in Evasha, belligerent attitudes towards other races were encouraged and allowed to run rampant. As Your Majesty knows, the majority of the Theocracys population has shifted from a Human-centric stance to a Human supremacist stance. When the Duchy of E-Rantel was annexed, Countess Corelyn noted that the Theocracys forces posted along the border were just as worried about their own people causing an incident as they were of an Undead invasion.
I see, Ainz nodded. Then we should proceed carefully on the matter.
He would have to consult with the three great minds of Nazarick. Whether they wanted them or not, there were bound to be international conflicts in the future. Using sports to foster a sense of national spirit seemed like a good idea, but the Sorcerous Kingdoms population wasnt supposed to demand blood and conquest. Any Players who saw that sort of thing would surely use it as a reason to band together with others against them.
That matter aside, Your Majesty, the Baroness said, I believe that the culinary artisans in my demesne would be very interested in learning how to create such wondrous food.
Its just a hot dog, right?
Shihotsu Tokitsu, Nazaricks Head Chef, would be the person to approach regarding that, Ainz said. Hes the fellow running the stand below us.
I-Is that so? Ainz said.
Yes, Your Majesty. Lord Mare seems to have a far greater number on his side.
How does she know that?
In the green corner, Auras voice sounded again, we have
Mare-sama!
Mare-samaaaa!
A great chorus of voices roared out before Aura could finish his introduction. The entire area to the booths left seemed to erupt in great fervour as the denizens of the Sixth Floor all at once stood and offered their support for Mare. Massive banners were raised by treants and smaller beings wildly waved flags with Mares face printed on them.
Hm? Whats Yuri doing in that bunch? Shes not a part of the Sixth Floorwhy is she cheering for Mare and not Sebas?
Yuri did work with children a lot, so maybe that was it. One wasnt obliged to cheer for employees in the same department, after all.
ANYWAY! Aura shouted into her mic, In the green corner, we have Nazaricks number one crybaby, Mare Bello Fiore!
O-Onee-chan! Thats not what I wrote for my introduction!
I know! Aura grinned.
For the second time that evening, Mare sent a look of tearful betrayal at his sister.
Onee-chan he said as he raised his staff into the air, you big dummy!!!
Raging torrents of mystical energy swirled in the air over the arena, coalescing into a vortex of power that illuminated the arena like a second sun. Aura looked up, her mouth falling open.
Mare, you
Petit Catastrophe!
Aura dove to the side as the maelstrom of energy came crashing down. She rolled over the sand once before vaulting herself into the air with her free hand and landing on her feet.
Match start! She shouted into her mic before leaping away.
That Mare, Ainz grumbled, he overdid it.
He is a boy, after all, Lady Zahradnik said. After getting embarrassed like that, its not surprising that he lashed out.
I-Is that so?
The Baroness looked over at him curiously, then just as quickly averted her gaze.
It is the case in my humble experience, Your Majesty. Perhaps it isnt so with Elves.
As far as Suzuki Satorus experiences went, society frowned upon aggressive tendencies in its members. Any children who acted up were quickly medicated and their parents were charged for the treatment. The cost of that, of course, would bankrupt any regular person, so parents made extra sure that their children wouldnt put the familys finances at risk with undesirable behaviour.
Down on the field, Sebas was patiently waiting on his side of the arena while Mare calmed down. Ainz pondered the outcome of the duel. He was certain that Mare would win at first, but expending a huge chunk of his mana on Petit Catastrophe significantly altered the odds.
No, Mare still has the advantage, doesnt he? That Touch Me was damn cheap when it came to equipping Sebas.
Rather than purposely skimping out on Sebas items, Touch Mes priority was making sure he looked like a butler. Stationed as he was behind Nazaricks ultimate line of defence, no one expected any of the NPCs placed on the Ninth and Tenth floors to put up much of a fight against any invading force that broke through.
Of course, the other guild members who designed NPCs on those same floors at least put some effort into properly equipping their creations. Touch Me, however, reasoned that being a Monk was enough to get by. As such, he crafted item frames that most closely portrayed what he imagined a butler should look like and didnt use any top-tier materials or data crystals to craft them.
This would have landed most characters in a pitiful state, but Touch Me was right that being a Monk made up for basic equipment shortfalls. To top it off, Sebas race was very strong in the natural equipment department. Unfortunately, it probably wasnt enough to overcome one of the strongest Floor Guardians of Nazarick.
How would I win if I were him?
Monks were usually a terror for magic casters to deal with, but Sebas equipment situation meant that he didnt have the obscene magical defences that a Player Monk would. His best bet would be to close the gap while using Skills to weather Mares spells. Once he got into melee range, he couldnt grapple his opponent since Mare likely had a Freedom effect active, but Sebas could pummel him with a non-stop barrage of unarmed attacks.
Trying to cast normally through a Monks insane attack speed was nigh impossible, so Mare would need to rely on his arsenal of Druid abilities and metamagic. With a good portion of his mana already spent, the Druid would be in big trouble unless he pulled off something ingenious.
Th-Then, Mare said in a quavering voice. Here I come.
Sebas raised his gloved fists and dropped into a balanced stance. Mare pointed his staff at his opponent.
Reverse Gravity.
The Monk punched downward in an attempt to create a handhold in the ground, but he fell upward at the same time. As Sebas went into the air, Mare cast another spell.
Triplet Maximise Magic Sunbeam.
Brilliant light lanced out from the Shadow of Yggdrasil. Unable to control his trajectory, Sebas took the beam full-on but managed to shield his eyes to avoid being blinded.
Oof, Shalltear made a face, its a good thing that Sebas isnt Undead.
Its still an effective combo, Ainz said. With Sebas falling up through the air like that, he cant dodge the beams.
As they spoke, another beam struck the hapless Monk. Ainz frowned as the third beam hit Sebas, who was by now several hundred metres in the air.
Why are the beams still hitting him? He should be out of rangeah, wow, thats dirty.
Ainz furrowed his nonexistent brow as Mare turned into an anti-air battery a hundred times more powerful than an arcologys defence lasers. Much like the First-tier spell Magic Arrow, the Seventh-tier Sunbeam allowed the caster to emit an additional beam for every tier of the caster. The difference was that each beam could be independently used at will and was far more powerful than a Magic Arrow. Since the spell only checked to see if the target was in range upon casting, it didnt matter how far away they were after the fact.
To top it off, it wasnt a channelled spell, meaning that Mare was free to cast other spells even while attacking Sebas with additional beamsand he was doing exactly that.
Greater Stoneskin, Magic Shield, Power of G
A dark streak fell out of the sky, smashing into Mare and throwing a cloud of dust and debris high into the air.
Looks like Sebas assumed his racial form to fly out of Mares Reverse Gravity effect.
Ainz leaned forward, trying to see what was happening, but the only thing he could make out was the sound of a violent scuffle. A moment later, Mare flew across the field, bouncing several times as he tumbled through the dirt. He started to get back to his feet but Sebas, who had reverted to his Human form, was on Mare in a split second.
Owie!
Mares head snapped to the side as the Monk caught him in the face with a flying kick. The Dark Elf Druid fell to the ground again. He curled up into a trembling little ball, trying to shield his head with his arms.
I-It hurts
Sebas fist froze mid-swing. Mare looked up at him with tears in his eyes.
S-Sebas-san, it hurts!
Whispers started to rise from the crowd.
The poor boy
Look at how much blood is on Sebas-samas gloves!
Mare-samas beautiful face is ruined!
How could he? Oh, Mare-sama!
Should an adult be beating on a child like that?
Uh, theyre both the same age just so you know
Of course, no one would think that given what was happening in front of their eyes. A powerful man in his prime was beating a little boy bloody. As with Suzuki Satorus world, it seemed that image was everything.
I sent my footmen to train at Lord Tians dojo, Lady Zahradnik said. I hope he isnt teaching them anything problematic.
An awkward atmosphere fell over the arena. Sebas lowered his fist and straightened the lapels of his coat.
I shall concede this match, he said.
Um Aura looked down from her judges stand, Winner: Mare Bello Fiore.
Sebas exit was accompanied by polite applause. Ainz could only scratch his head at Mares ingenious victory.