Actually, I haven't been in this world for a very long time. Therefore, I am not that informed."
They all wear an expression of understanding now. Only Cardinal Raymond had an expression of expectation and a bit of smug too.
"We understand. I am Berenice Nagua Santini, Cardinal of Fire." The one standing on the left side responded with a slight bow.
"And I am Ginedine Delan Guelfi, Cardinal of Water." this time one standing behind Nagua-san responded also with a slight bow.
"I am Maximilian Oreio Lagier, Cardinal of Darkness.". This time the last one on the left side with also a slight bow. oh! I get their pattern now, the next one will be the first one on the right side.
"I am Dominic Ihre Partouche, Cardinal of Wind." I was right.. First one on the right side said with an unusual bow.
"I am Yvon Jasna Dracrowa, Cardinal of Light." one between Raymond and Dominic said with a warm smile and also a bow.
"I am Raymond Zarg Lauransan, Cardinal of Earth and also the commander of the Six Scriptures." you didn't have to introduce yourself.. You have already introduced yourself to me.. Guess, he did it for courtesy..
"I am Jagrath, Guildmaster of Mortifier. Please call me Mortifier. I'll be in your care. Then." I ended my introduction with a slight bow. And look at Azael to indicate that it's your time to introduce yourself.
Truth to be told, I could have introduced him but I didn't want to. I want to hear him introducing himself.
"I am Azael, Guardian of Asgard, and also Butler of Lord Jagrath." he introduced himself more elegantly than any of us… He is the Guardian of the main guildbase of Mortifier, After all.
Oopsie .. I should have introduced him myself or at least I should have told him not to use the word 'Guardian'… Raymond-dono asked me the meaning of that word. Apparently one of the minions of the 'Evil Undead' also used the word 'guardian' in their titles.. That sure almost got me in trouble at that time. I "somehow" explained the meaning of it and convinced him at that time...
By "somehow" I am talking about a whole 2 hour made-up explanation..
But what should I do now? The word 'guardian' is already out and I don't want to start explaining some made-up stuff for another 2 hours.. nor I think it would work this time…
I can't blame Azael for using the word 'guardian' in his introduction… I had the chance to tell him to not use that word in his introduction, But I didn't. So I too am to be blamed for his mistake.. And I should shoulder his mistake as his creator too, it's also kinda one of my responsibilities as his creator too.
Now that I have to explain it anyway, shall I try a simple and short version or a long and lengthy version which I tell Raymond?
Ugh I am not really in the mood of speaking for hours straight. I'll try a simple and short version first and if they are stupid enough to not get it then, I'll have to go with long version.
"Guardian is a role given to those who protect an important area of Guildbase with the help of many other subordinates under them from invaders."
For some reason they were directing their amazed gaze toward me and after some seconds they were directing their amazed gaze toward Azael while nodding their heads. Probably now my words settled down in their heads.
"*cough. Everyone, please take your seats. We have a long discussion ahead of us" Cardinal Raymond brings everyone's attention toward him with a cough. And also reminded everyone to take their seats as they all had forgotten about the discussion and lost themselves in their fantasies.
After that Cardinals took their seats and I took my throne.
Cardinal Nagua, Cardinal Delan and Cardinal Maximilian seated on my left in this order. Cardinal Dominic, Cardinal Yvon and Cardinal Raymond-dono seated on my right in this order. And Azael standing beside me.
He could have casted [ CREATE GREATER ITEM ] to create a chair. He could use magic in this fantasy world. So, it's not like he was unable to do so and that's why chooses to stand beside me. I think it might be because of one of the AI programming done by Touch Me-san for me that he is standing there as my butler.
"Cardinal Raymond-dono, By 'long discussion' are you saying that we will be discussing for hours?"
Normally I had to think twice before I say anything but because of our conversation in the carriage, I don't have to stress my choice of words in front of Raymond-dono anymore. This may be my carelessness but I like it this way.
Please say that it will be a short discussion and you misspoked. Please… I really don't like long meetings… they are just like long interrogation… please say so misspoked..
"Uh yes, it could be a long discussion…."
God damnit.. ugh..
Yvon added "And drinks should be arriving any minute now"
Now I really want to believe that this world is very, very different from the old world.. I just wish that this meeting wouldn't turn out to be that interrogative type.
Leaving it aside, I thought that he misspoked because there were no drinks on the table but apparently they were on their way…. Their way to hell!
Calm down.. calm down..
"I understand." That's all I could say in a total calm voice.
"I believe that Cardinal Raymond-san informed your exalt self about the threat this undead poses.-" I merely responded with a simple nod of my head."-We got the information that he is currently residing in E-rantel."
"E-rantel is the capital of his kingdom Sorcerer Kingdom, right?" I asked Yvon. To which he confirmed with a confused nod as though not understanding where I am getting at."-then, shouldn't it be obvious that he is residing in his capital?"
"No, uh umm I mean yes, normally it would be obvious however, until recently he was residing somewhere else-which we believe to be his main residence but sadly, we are unable to find it or confirm it." Yvon shuddered at the start but soon composed his voice.
Raymond-dono didn't tell me this.. he never said anything about him staying elsewhere. But I guess that was normal considering that he just summoned me. so, he wouldn't want to lose my opinion of them that early by telling me that they are so useless that they can't even find his residence.
To be honest, if he had told me that they could neither find it nor confirm it's existence or its location. I would have thought that they are useless and probably wouldn't even have given this much thought of helping them. it's not like I have ever thought of helping them anyways.
"He also just recently captured E-rantel- and considering that E-rantel is a city with no Royal mansions or any luxury enough mansion for a king to live in. He probably had to make a completely new royal mansion but making a completely new royal mansion should have taken more time." Yvon added but this time with a bit of confusion and down casted eyes.
Everyone looked at each other to see who could answer it but no one had an answer good enough to give.
"He is undead. Right? And he also could summon undead. right?" I looked at everyone but they all responded with a weak nod. But they still wear their confused faces.
It's not like that they couldn't understand where I was getting by saying all that. But they still had confused and troubled expressions which I find odd. By their expressions it's clear that they already had arrived at that conclusion but it's something else which they find odd or it's something else which is troubling them about it. So, to find out what it is I decided to wait for their reply. Eventually one of them will speak and reveal what it is they are really troubled about.
After several seconds of them just looking at each other and nodding their head later. One of them eventually decided to speak.
"Undeads don't sleep or eat or get tired. Which makes them good for labour IF it is in complete control. And if he were to summon and use undeads as labour he could easily create a large royal mansion even in this short time. And we know that he could summon an undead using a corpse by him summoning undeads and using them as patrols to maintain peace within his kingdom.-" I am pretty sure I heard someone grinding his teeths at this line."-but we are worried that he might have slaughtered a part of his city to summon all these undead. And to make a mansion he probably would have killed more of his citizens to summon the undead necessary to complete the mansion… we think that those undead that are to keep peace within his kingdom might be there for some other purpose other than peace-"
"What peace!. They are THERE WAITING TO SLAUGHTER THEM!.. THOSE-" with a 'thum' noise of his hand striking at the innocent table Dominic stood up in rage and started yelling at Maximilian.
in the mist of all this. I saw a body shake behind me and then in the next instant I saw a white sword travelling in the air. Aimed at the neck of Dominic. I interrupted Dominic's yelling and shouted the name of the owner of that white sword.
"AZAEL"
For the records, I don't want to stop you Azael. I really was enjoying this little quarrel of them. So, I didn't try to stop him. But I think killing him now would probably get us in big trouble later on the line. I am sorry Azael.
The sword travelled in the air and barely stopped before his neck. Sword left a white trail behind in the air as it traveled toward it's target and stopped inches away from its target's neck. Really! It was barely inches even. Sword was-in a way- touching it's target's neck.
Whoa! I am surprised Azael was even able to stop his attack.
I heard several gasps. Some of horror too. But I didn't mind it.
"Lord Jagrath. This worthless insect tries to raise his voice in front of you. A Supreme Angel. He should be published for his crime. A crime of being disrespectful toward the leader of the Supreme Angel." Answered Azael in a voice filled with disgust, rage, respect and loyalty.
What…? Am I hearing things now..? Supreme Angeles?! What! Showcase disrespect toward me is a crime.. what is happening! What is going on?! What the heck is Supreme Angel… We are just normal players! We are no Supreme Angels… what is this amount of respect and loyalty?! UGHH…. is this really Azael…?
It took several seconds for me to just calm down… this was a lot more than I could handle… I am still barely able to stay composed… I am pretty sure that if they hadn't been as shocked as they were, they probably would have noticed my shocked expression.. I was so shocked that for a moment I checked whether I was still seated in my throne or not.
Azael did bring his sword back and took his previous position. But he still hasn't forgiven Dominic for his actions. He was still looking at him hatefully and with extreme disgust. On the other hand, Dominic-who was receiving his hateful stare-shuddered to no end.
But I didn't feel bad for him. And why I didn't feel bad for him?. I don't even know but for some reason I didn't feel a little bit bad for him at all.
While this extremely uncomfortable atmosphere was continuing. A maid arrived with a couple of cups of tea like a life jacket for a drowning person. And saved us from this uncomfortable atmosphere. She placed each cup of tea in front of everyone gently. When she places a cup in front of me. She stops and asks Azael how much sugar he likes. And here we all immediately looked at her and thought "Angel, What are you doing?. Please don't anger him.".. and she simply brushes all ours worried stares with a sweet smile of hers. Azael -even though still angry at dominic- didn't put out on her but still rejected her. But with respect not with rage. She entered in an extremely uncomfortable atmosphere but left in a calm and bit of comfortable atmosphere…. Every country should have maids like her.
With that last thought of her, I return my focus on the remaining of the meeting.
And I suddenly realised that I don't even know that undead's name. So, I decided to ask it. In other words, I decided to take the initiative to start the conversation and dispel the remaining of the uncomfortable atmosphere.
*cough.. I faked a cough to bring everyone's attention to me.
"What is the name of this 'Evil Undead'? I have been hearing his nickname but never have I ever heard his real name… even Cardinal Raymond-dono only referred to him as 'Evil Undead' everytime he speaks of him. So, I still don't know what his real name is?"
They looked at each other to decide who would be brave enough to speak. It wasn't like they were afraid of the uncomfortable atmosphere that's why they weren't speaking even after me taking the initiative to spark the conversation. They were afraid of the being standing beside me and afraid of saying something which may make them the victim of that being's anger.
While they were deciding who would speak. I decided to take a sip of my tea. I was curious to know whether I would be able to taste it or not. It's not like I couldn't have known it in the entire journey. I could certainly have known it by tasting the food they were eating. But when I asked them how they bring this food all the way here, they replied that they made this food with the help of magic.
And immediately I refuse to eat it. I had the ring of sustainability. so I didn't need to eat. But I didn't want to know whether I could taste it or not by eating food which tastes bad. But now, I can at least assume that this tea won't disappoint me. That is if I could taste it.
By the time I took a sip, I noticed that brave Raymond-dono was going to reply.
"Umm yes, I apologise for not telling you sooner. His real name is Ainz Ooal Gown."
Spfffff.. *cough..*cough..,*cough.. I spilled all the tea in my cup without tasting it.
"What did you just say?!" I question him more in shock than in question tone.
I was baffled by the sudden appearance of their name. But I was now in more confusion than I was in just a second ago. I was trying to figure out why I suddenly hear their name instead of an evil and cruel being?
What's this supposed to mean?
Why would they do something like this?
Would they even do this?
No definitely no. They wouldn't do this… no matter how much they hate their old world, they won't lash it out here… on this new world..
But I only hear the description of one being instead of 41… or 4…
But even that description... matches with one of the 41.. their leader… their guildmaster… momonga-san… undead race.. black academic robe edged in violet and gold… golden staff.. seven serpents around… the body of the staff… that's the exact description of their guild weapon…"the staff of Ainz Ooal Gown"...
But momonga-san wouldn't use his guild name instead of his.. he cherish it way more to use it as his… and he also won't kill a hundred thousand people… he is way too kind to be able to kill even one person…
Then, just who is this with that name?
"Are you alright?, My lord" asked Azael with concern in his tone. While the maid was cleaning the spilled tea.
"Uhh.. ye-yes, I just wasn't expecting to hear that name again."
"Then, does your exalt self know him?"
"Umm, know him… you say?" I unintentionally asked a question while I got lost in the memories of us raiding, planning, creating NPCs… and… having a great time.
"Uhhh yes…?" Replied Cardinal worrily from not knowing how to currently respond to it. Clearly he was still afraid of agonizing Azael.
"It's not him. Cardinal. It's they…. It's they... Ainz Ooal Gown"-now I look straight dead in his eyes. And with a dead serious face, as to get a message across his tiny brain. 'Don't you dare forget it.'-"Ainz Ooal Gown isn't the identity of one person. It's the identity of 41 legends. And the one who is "pretending" to be them probably doesn't even know the shrewd of their overwhelming might. "
That's right. It's someone trying to be them. Someone trying to impersonate them. Someone trying to create a bad image of them… someone who doesn't even know what he is about to face by trying to spread a terrible image of Mortifier's best friends Ainz Ooal Gown…
'Fake' Ainz Ooal Gown, I am coming for you.
TO BE CONTINUED