00:00:01… 00:00:02… 00:00:03…
"...Qua?" Dont blinked as she frowned. "Did those motherfuckers lie about the shut down or delay it?" She said with notable anger in her voice.
And then, she made a confused expression.
Her voice… Why didn't she sound sickly and hoarse? In fact... It sounded more melodious, beautiful... More seductive. She looked to the sides expecting to see a model for a moment, but she saw nothing.
Although... A sensation in her hand caught his attention. She was still caressing Black Abyss's head, and she could feel the softness of the almost metallic pearl hair that she had, it couldn't be possible...
Yggdrasil did not have such features nor did she have the equipment to be able to feel tactile sensations in the game, no matter how illegal they may be...
"Eh…?" She blurted out confused, not thinking about anything for a moment, until she heard a sob.
"Oh... My queen... Your splendor scarcely endured... Yet, even so, it was magnificent!" An elegant, noble voice, grave and soft, like velvet came from below.
Dont looked towards the bottom of the stairs, and saw Bachelory just kneeling... Only trembling slightly, as if he was crying.
Ah, it must be nothing... Just schizophrenia hitting harder than before...
Dont blinked as she dismissed the depressive thought with surprising ease, almost feeling... Ready to kill someone in a mixture of annoyance, expectation and confusion.
Dispelling such a thought herself, she looked towards the kneeling NPC.
"Am… Bachelory...?"
And instantly, Bachelory raised his head, his visor looking directly at his creator.
"Ah! My newfound queen! Thou art still present!" The nobleman said with incredible emotion, as if he was in the happiest moment of his entire life. "And Lady Black Abyss as well! How wondrous!" He extended his arms to his side, connoting his joy and excitement, as well as his state of amazed happiness.
*Yawn*
Dont heard a cute yawn to the right of her, where Black Abyss was.
"What is this scandal...? Did I fall asleep In-Game...?" … Dont looked to the side perplexed. She blinked a few times, a woman was speaking with a very beautiful voice, but she didn't see her.
"Who's there?" Dont said in a fierce, murderous tone, almost excited at the expectation of an intruder.
Emotions that she didn't know where they came from, but they didn't feel wrong.
Then Black Abyss looked up, seeing Dont sitting on the now different throne.
"Oh. So the servers haven't closed yet." Hm? Why did Dont have such a shocked face all of a sudden? She was looking at the Paladin as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing.
"A-Are you…? No... Are you Black Abyss's girlfriend or little sister or something?" Dont said confused, looking at Black Abyss as if she was a stranger.
And then, Black Abyss noticed that there was something strange about Dont. And it was the fact that she was making an expression of confusion, of shock, of surprise… No, forget that…
Her avatar was making an expression in the first place!
Black Abyss instantly stood up, looking at Dont with a raised eyebrow.
"Is this an updat-? Wait... My voice... Huh!?" Black Abyss raised her hands towards her face as if she was trying to touch the microphone, but she simply moved her hands without being able to touch anything.
"My Queen, my lady, is aught amiss? Have I, in some manner, perturbed you?" Bachelory spoke from the side, with concern and fear and care, as if he was afraid of irritating either woman in the slightest.
"Could it be that the joke that I have schizophrenia was always true? I just heard a voice coming from Bachelory..." Black Abyss said with a doubtful expression.
"Ah! If what vexes my ladies be my speech, this humble servant shall henceforth hold his tongue!" Bachelory practically hit his forehead against the ground, in a position of pure submission.
Reacting quickly and confused, Dont spoke.
"Uh... No, nono. That's not the problem, Bachelory... It's... Am... A technical problem! Go and wait outside the room until we call you back!" Dont said almost hurriedly, almost stumbling over her words as she made something up out of pure reflex.
"Dont... You know that NPCs don't obey such complex orders."
Black Abyss fell silent as she saw Bachelory quickly get up.
"Indeed, my queen! I shall patiently await, obedient to your command, as you and Lady Black Abyss deliberate upon any weighty matter demanding the attention of both my esteemed ladies!" Bachelory bowed deeply before turning around and,
With his hands behind his back, he walked elegantly but hurriedly towards the door of the throne room, his footsteps echoing softly through the room, until the NPC opened the doors and closed them behind him.
"This shit turned serious..." Black Abyss said seriously. "Touch, smell, echo, expressions, my voice, your voice... Is it perhaps an update of extreme capabilities...? The counter is past midnight, it must have already closed..."
"But the whole closure announcement... That wouldn't make sense... If it were an update they would let us know. This is already a virtual kidnapping... And I doubt that the developers of Yggdrasil would risk a crime of such level just to give a surprise... In addition to the fact that smell and touch in virtual reality games are already illegal in the whole world except in the market black or for rich people..." Dont reflected, clearly somewhat upset, clutching her head almost in panic and leaning on an armrest to steady herself. "Could this be...? An Isekai...? I had a lot of time to read those things lately when I had permission to miss work due to my illness... Although they deducted it from my salary..." Dont complained while she was more immersed in her own thoughts. But then, she shook her head. "No, no. It can't be. Let's see, we have to contact a GM or see if we can log out." The woman said tiredly after a sigh, unconsciously settling into the surprisingly comfortable throne.
"An isekai? The kind that takes you to another world when a truck hits you? It would be too much of a coincidence if it happened to us..." Black Abyss said cautiously, thinking about the possibilities and even more around her...
Everything seemed real, as if she had all the virtual reality equipment on. Although…
"The logout button is missing…" The all-white woman said seriously.
"It doesn't even open a HUB of anything…" The woman in the darker attire added in disbelief. "T-There is still the possibility of it being a virtual kidnapping, even if it is minimal… S-So let's calm down…" Dont said almost fearfully as she clutched her forehead in worry.
"Hm... But it's too... Real. Okay, let's do this." Black Abyss stood in front of Dont and brought her face closer. "Hit me. If it's a virtual kidnapping, then I shouldn't feel pai-"
Black Abyss saw her sentence interrupted by a fist that collided squarely with her face, although her head only receded a little, but she didn't stagger or retreat.
"What did you say after 'Hit me'?" "Dont asked distractedly, only to retreat her hand and caress her knuckles. "... Aw… You have a hard face..."
"Pain... If I'm not mistaken, Virtual World 3 hasn't been released, the sensation of pain is not allowed in virtual reality... Would they really break so many laws just for this...? It doesn't seem logical." Black Abyss said rubbing her newly bruised nose a little, although it looked the same as before.
"I-I still want to believe that this isn't an isekai or shit… T-The virtual kidnapping could even be from an outsider with illegal things who is playing with us… Yes… That could be…" Dont said upset while clutching her head. "Do those even exist…?"
"The NPC's name is just the activation for a command, if I call it and it comes, would mean… Bachelory!" Black Abyss knocked on the door.
The large doors opened almost hastily, with Bachelory there again.
"Doth thou require my presence for aught, my ladies?" He asked with concern and nervousness, as if he was afraid of not meeting any expectations.
"Tell me Bachelory, what is happening? About... Us, what did you expect would happen?" Black Abyss asked, Dont looked cautiously, an NPC couldn't answer such a complex question, he have never been programmed for that, but… If he really answered what he expected to happen during that server shutdown… It would mean that he wasn't just an NPC…
"W-Well. Thou, Lady Black Abyss•White Flower, did appear to swoon, and I dreaded thou had forfeit thy eternal will, or that thou wert on the brink of departing... The fresh Queen, Lady Dont-Say-My-Name, bewailed an alarming ailment, and uttered a lament as one on the brink of demise after proclaiming her newfound sovereignty over the forsaken crown... I must confess, a dire expectation gripped me that both of thee, my ladies, would vanish and forsake us, akin to the other Supreme Lords of Titania..."
"Dont... This is beyond a virtual kidnapping... It seems real..." Black Abyss said with a nervous smile.
The 'new queen' just looked blankly between Bachelory and Black Abyss, and came to a conclusion as her mental crisis became strangely clear with strangely efficient reasoning.
"Am… Well… Bachelory… I order you to… Hm… Yes. Send some of Achernar's subordinates to keep an eye on the surroundings, and send a couple of maids to ask the Fairies in the village if they noticed any changes. After that... Gather the Commanders at... The Mystic Lake. There we will give our next orders." Dont said with some complication, but her thoughts and words were efficiently ordered to give the order firmly.
"Yes, my Queen! This humble servant shall execute thy command with utmost precision!" Bachelory gave a deep bow, before turning on his heel, and quickly heading towards the doors again, with the pair of women waiting in silence, until Bachelory closed the doors behind him.
"…Huh…"
Black Abyss sighed and walked down from Dont's side, stomping on the beautifully decorated floor, it looked metallic.
"Everything seems real…" Dont raised an eyebrow as Black Abyss knelt down and raised a hand, making a fist and, in an instant, slamming the ground.
The vibration spread throughout the room, Dont herself felt a little strange as she felt the vibration pass through the throne towards her. "The metal behaves like real life... Do you feel the residual vibrations...?"
"I can feel that you are hitting the ground that I proposed to be made. So better stop before I shoot you." Dont said with irritation rather than amazement, looking with a slight frown at Black Abyss and scolding her.
Black Abyss stood up and looked at Dont, raising her hands towards the woman on the throne and giving a loud applause. The wind blew up Dont's hair.
"The air behaves like real life..."
"... Okay now! We are isekaised!... Although in reality it would be necessary to prove if…" Dont said thoughtfully while grabbing her chin.
"Hm? What's missing to try?" Black Abyss asked with a raised eyebrow.
Dont then did something that left Black Abyss completely blank, expressionless.
"Mm, mm. Yes… Soft and round~ As always, but a little bigger." Dont said as her hand squeezed her own right breast.
"Beyond your lack of shame, I haven't heard you cough even once since the server shut down." At this, Dont stopped.
"... Ah… Well that's true… And with that from before… There is not even a warning or sign that I was doing an inappropriate action… Surely I should have been banned for touching my breast…" Dont said with some disbelief, caressing her gooseneck underneath of the choker.
"There is no other option, we are really inside Yggdrasil now..."
"... ª… B-But what could that mean!? Literally anything can casually kill us! Even the most random Mini-Boss of all! Fucking Gollum!"
"That's why we must increase Titania's defenses to the maximum. If the meeting you called is held, it will be the first thing we do. Although... Why did you call a meeting in the first place?" The bright woman said with a sigh as she sat on a step.
"W-Well… If all this stuff in the Palace became real… If the NPCs are real… Doesn't that mean… They could rebel? I mean... There was no 'loyalty' factor in Yggdrasil. They were only affiliated with the Guild and were just… That... Allied NPCs in our case... Is there even friendly fire? Even if there wasn't… Would they consider themselves allies independently…? The bastard from Arigameplayn't gave his NPC something about wanting to have all the knowledge to beat the king in a game of chess and take the throne. Though, in theory, it only applied to Rey Jamon… And he is not… Here anymore… Or what if…?" Dont said overwhelmed, with many thoughts in her head.
Concerns since she would be passing on to her real body, that she would pass on to her sister. If they were going to survive or what. In theory, the World Eater revived every so often, and she was sure that the last time he was killed, it was a couple of years ago due to lack of activity across the server.
And if that thing now had freedom of movement, it could literally wipe out not only Black Abyss and herself, but the entire Titania Palace in one breath almost literally. They didn't have enough Level 100 entities!
"Speaking of kings, why is the throne like this?" Black Abyss asked with a raised eyebrow looking at Dont. "I fell asleep for 5 minutes and you already staged a coup d'état..." She said funny.
"H-Hey! Although it sounds like something I could do, it's not like no one is here to stop me! I mean, you were literally asleep and there were only the NPCs and so in the entire Guild, so well... I adjusted the throne for my cute little ass and changed the skin to one more appropriate for my beautiful existence~" Dont said, putting aside all worry and demonstrating incredible egocentrism while she had a proud face and placed her hand on her chest with pride.
"Poor Rey of Jamon~ He guarded his throne the entire game only to have it changed at the last minute~ Pfu~" Black Abyss chuckled, getting up from the step and walking around. "Still~ Isn't this great~? It's like fate has heard us~ We're here~"
"Obviously~ Everyone knew that I should have been the queen from the beginning~ Ohohoho~" Dont said still in her own world.
"Yggdrasil~ I can't wait to see it again~ This time in real form, not just programmed textures~ How amazing~!" The brilliant woman raised her arms joyfully, she almost didn't behave as... Manly as before... Was the character herself like that? Although the same thing seemed to be happening with the one on the throne, minutes before she was not behaving so... Extravagantly.
"Anyways. You know that practically anything couldn't kill, right? Even if you're a Tank, even the two of us together wouldn't be able to survive if we were ambushed by a sudden group of level 90 Unseelies like what happened when we went to look for fruits of I don't know what to make the Fruit Juice Cauldron in the kitchen... And there were 15 of us... We died! Half! Fucking black fairies!" Dont said angrily at the mere memory, gritting her teeth in fury, remembering how she died several times even when the group's support revived her 3 times.
"True... I guess we'll always have to carry a World Item if we go out to the outside world... It's more dangerous than the streets at night, hahaha" Black Abyss said gracefully, spinning around.
"Even having a World Item doesn't ensure our survival!" Dont cried pitifully, collapsing face down onto one of the armrests. "Oh, and we should go to the Mystic Lake… Miku should be there… And if its is loyal to us, we have at least one Level 95 Water Elemental in a tremendous lake to support us in case the Commanders go crazy... What did you configure for the Achernar? He's not going to betray us, is he?"
"Well, I did it based on the G.I Joe movies... He's a ninja, an expert assassin loyal to the cause. In this case, the cause is us. So we don't have to worry about him. I did it in what in my mind is a man of perfect conviction, faithful, steadfast, reliable and results-providing. In his code I made him capable of any reconnaissance, espionage, assassination, kidnapping, capture and sabotage mission. Plus I made him super cool~" Black Abyss said quite proudly, smiling as she quickly explained her creation.
"... Uh-huh. How much Karma does he have again?" Dont said with a flat expression in response to Black Abyss's pride.
"+100~ As an assassin, it wouldn't be very Lore Accurate to give him karma very similar to mine~"
"... At least half of the palace NPCs have positive karma... I have -500, and the other half of the NPCs have negative or neutral karma... Do you understand the implications?"
"Are you saying there might be conflicts among them?"
"Obviously! You can't put Superman and the Joker in the same room and expect them to get along!"
"But there's a big difference~ They all have a common origin~ The Guild members, their creators. So, as long as we're here, there shouldn't be major problems. Just look at us! Someone with karma -500 alongside someone with karma +500, everyone would think we'd be killing each other, but in reality, we experienced great things!"
"... Although it's true that I wanted to shoot you in the back a few times... More than once... Many times... Sometimes in the face." Dont said with a smile, recalling moments when, while aiming, she playfully moved her sight toward her tank companion's nape, tempted to take a playful shot. It was likely that she wouldn't one-shot kill her.
"And yet you didn't despite having a 1000 karma difference with me~"
"... You do know that Karma is a term within the game, right? If I really had -500 karma in real life, I'd be starting a new Nazi regime or something. And I'd give you a -1 karma for how messed up you are." Dont said inquisitively and amused.
"Well, I doubt it. I've seen many things in raids against us that would support that -500 karma in real life... Literally, the Rey of Jamon and I were pillars to keep things from getting out of control with you doing... Abuses of power..."
"Aw~ You flatter me~" The gothic girl said somewhat blushing but snapping out of her stupor. "No, anyway. Let's go to the Mystic Lake. Let's not waste any more time. I still want to try some things that may or may not ensure our survival, and our potential power and authority in general..."
"If Miku is there, she should be loyal according to her programming. Puli made her quite obedient. Almost like Penguin. In fact, she made her with a pet in mind; that girl, for some reason, really liked Slimes..."
"I actually suggested she base it on Nimue~ And I remember she got her Neutral Karma because Nimue judged the soul from the perspective of a Fairy and all that~" Dont said dreamily, causing Black Abyss to raise an eyebrow at the unfamiliar name.
"Nimue? What's that?" The radiant woman asked.
"Oh, a... Fairy from Arthurian Legends..." Faced with Black Abyss's confused look, Dont simply gestured for her to dismiss it. "Right, you weren't in the missions of that campaign."
Rising from the throne, Dont stretched leisurely, feeling, for the first time in months, the sensation of flexibility even greater than she had in her best moments.
"Phew~ Anyway~ Do you have the G.O.D.S's medal?"
"Uh, yes. Always~" She exclaimed as a silver medal appeared in her hand.
"Okay... Teleport to the Mystic Lake if you can... I'll follow. Between you materializing inside me, or I materializing inside you, I prefer the second option."
"Why not neither and be done with it...? Haa... Fine, I'll go first." Black Abyss then looked at the medal, and it shone, to which the woman disappeared in a celestial light in an instant.
Dont was left in complete solitude, gazing at the spot where Black Abyss had been.
"Okay... If you die because I materialize inside you and you explode, it's not my fault~"
And her medal also glowed slightly, before Dont vanished in the same celestial light.
…
"What a fascinating place~" The woman who had appeared in a celestial trail exclaimed, looking at the tall mountains and the vegetation around, while a large body of water remained in the center of everything.
Waterfalls everywhere and a great cloudiness. A marvel.
"We certainly outdid ourselves creating this place~ It's even better than Machu Picchu in pictures~" Black Abyss said with a smile, approaching the crystal-clear water. As she walked, she dipped her armor-covered feet into the water; it seemed to be quite shallow. She continued advancing to the other end of the water.
She walked among the trees on a small path, and at the end of it, a small stone arch over a crystal-clear water pond could be seen. She stopped in front of this pond and looked around with a smile, observing the beauty of the creation they had made.
"I hope to be welcomed in your home~" Black Abyss spoke towards the water with a smile. And what seemed to be a large column of water rose, vaguely forming the appearance of a somewhat reptilian neck and head.
The head made almost playful movements, swaying from side to side, splashing water everywhere.
Black Abyss smiled at the appearance of the large creature.
"Are you pleased with the home the 34 of us built for you, Miku~?" She asked, raising her hands around.
The head nodded vigorously, splashing a bit of water on Black Abyss, causing Miku to retreat almost fearfully, sinking a bit deeper into the water.
"Fufu~ It's alright, Miku, you don't have to worry about something like that~" The woman said gracefully, starting to approach the creature, dipping her feet in the water until it reached her knees. "In fact, I came to ask you something. Quite important." She exclaimed with more seriousness, looking at the creature. "Do you believe you can answer my question?"
Miku nodded gently, making sure not to splash water.
"Good~ Something very strange is happening. And I want to know one thing~ Are you loyal to the 34~?" She asked softly but very seriously at the same time, looking at the creature.
In response to the question, Miku produced many water-made heads, and all of them, in perfect harmony, nodded with a deep bow.
"I see~ It's a relief~ Not that I haven't trusted you, Miku, I'm just making sure~ Do you understand~?" Black Abyss clarified with a smile. Miku nodded with its larger head, as if dismissing Black Abyss's apology for even questioning its intentions.
Black Abyss then approached the creature more, which looked somewhat curious, and trembled when it started receiving pats and caresses on the head.
"You're such a good Elemental~ Good Miku~ Pat pat pat" The radiant woman was instantly petting and patting the large creature.
On the other hand...
"The new queen has arrived!" A mature and almost seductive voice said with excitement while looking at the wonderful place. Dont-Say-My-Name seemed very excited, looking at all the greenery in the massively sized room she had never seen beyond pictures of her old life on Earth. Clear water, not black, muddy, or toxic.
"Who's a good Elemental~?" Dont then heard a watery sound. "Exactly~! It's you~" Just like Black Abyss's voice. She could follow the path that led to the main pond, where hundreds of players had fallen during raids, and that creature that had killed countless beings seemed like a docile animal playing with Black Abyss.
"... Ahem. Greetings, Miku, Guardian of the Mystic Lake." Dont cleared her throat and composed herself, walking with a more feminine and healthier stride than she had ever been able to due to her poor physical condition on Earth.
"Hm~? Ah, you've arrived~" Black Abyss said turning around, to which Miku quickly recomposed itself, ascending tens of meters into the heights and slowly bowing with all its heads.
Black Abyss exited the pond, clearly covered in water but with a smile.
"No need to worry about Miku~ It remains the same adorable creature that Puli made~"
"Ah, yes, the Primordial Water Elemental Hydra, right. But well. It's good to see you're well, Miku." Dont said, shaking off her stray thoughts and looking at the Elemental.
It bowed deeply again, perhaps even more than before, towards Black Abyss.
"... Anyway, in a few moments, the 5 Commanders and Bachelory will arrive here to discuss some important matters. We count on you, Miku, to act as our bodyguard during such a meeting. In this room, you are one of the strongest entities in the Palace of Titania." Dont said with a certain level of authority in an instruction, simultaneously a friendly request, not overplaying pride or ego to avoid any dissatisfaction.
The creature descended and nodded with all its heads, while slowly reverting to nothing more than a natural water source. "Very well~ Undoubtedly, with Miku, our security is assured. But still, if the commanders can really have disagreements with us... Wouldn't it be good to have the Easter Egg? Just in case." Black Abyss exclaimed, making a gesture with her hand as if holding an egg and breaking it with her hand.
"No. Keep it. You just have to act as the good tank you are and prevent someone like Achernar, Miia, or Alucard from one-shotting me. I have enough speed to avoid Bulldoger, and Superbia doesn't specialize in attack. With Miku's support, Bulldoger, Miia, Superbia, and Alucard will be busy enough, while Bachelory takes the form of one of the Commanders or other guild members while I land critical shots." Dont quickly explained in a low voice to avoid Miku hearing such a thing. "By the way, I want to try something... [Message]..." Dont sang with a vague frown.
Strangely, it was very natural for her to say such a thing, instinctively knowing the spell's consumption level and the effect it would have.
Black Abyss felt a kind of connection that was requesting entry into her mind. It wasn't forced; it was a request that awaited acceptance or rejection.
Black Abyss considered accepting the request.
(Do you hear me?)
(Wah… This is a new level of schizophrenia...)
(Eh… No, it's me, Dont. I'm just testing the [Message] spell to see how it works. My idea of coming here earlier is to see if things like spells or abilities work. The Duel Field might be a better place for this, but there we'd only have individuals from Level 60 and below to protect us or help us if the Commanders go crazy.)
"Couldn't [Dimensional Lock] cut off this connection?" Black Abyss asked outside her mind.
(Eh… No. That's only for teleportation. Or travels to different 'dimensions,' like when I enter the shadows.)
"I see. In any case, we shouldn't rely too much on this. Achernar has ways to easily cut off mental connections to isolate someone completely."
(... And Superbia can interfere or use [Message] to her advantage, as I recall Camello-Soberbio telling me...)
Dont cut off the connection, closing the 'chat.'
"However, if they end up being loyal, we can use [Message] to discuss things not so... Noble, let's say... We can't ensure that if we don't show an attitude befitting Supreme Lords, they will remain loyal to us."
"I guess I'll have to use all the info I got from watching anime and reading manga..." Black Abyss said with a sigh.
"Let's see. Being an Otaku doesn't necessarily help the situation... I memorized more mechanics than almost anyone in the guild because I literally had nothing better to do... Only the obsessed Jamon guy knew more... And since he had the World Champion class, he was literally invincible even if we knew all his abilities and strategies..."
"What a jerk... Anyway, we need to prepare." The radiant woman instantly summoned a dark metal spear with golden details, along with a shield of the same characteristics, embedded with blue gems. "Just in case." She said, swinging her spear, which could be heard cutting through the air.
"No, no! Put those things away! Or at least 'sheath' them... If we literally welcome them with weapons in hand, it won't look like a friendly emergency meeting..." Dont shouted hysterically.
Black Abyss sighed. "Fine..." She brought the spear to her back, where it remained floating as if sheathed, along with the shield, placed on top of it without any harness supporting it.
Dont, on the other hand, manifested what seemed to be a massive railgun with a large blade beneath the barrel.
The weapon had a rather lightweight and complex design, meant to deliver massive damage per shot, with a red buttstock and handle, and the rest of the weapon made of dark gray metal, with several red details giving it a somewhat sinister and lethal appearance. The blade beneath the barrel extended about 20 centimeters in front of the barrel tip, adding a certain essence of a toxic-looking lance.
Dont adjusted the weapon and placed it on her back, in a position where it was easy to draw and fire quickly, with the weapon clinging to her clothes as if it were indeed in a sheath.
Although, in comparison to Dont's waist size, both ends of the weapon protruded significantly, but it could be dismissed as a perpetual 'equipped' state.
"Ugh, well. In the meantime... Let's see... Try casting a spell on... This little creature. [Order Low-Mid Tier Demon: Shadow Demon]" Dont extended a hand to the ground, where a bunch of shadows gathered, forming a creature of short stature, somewhat irregular but resembling a small Imp made of pure shadows, nothing more than a silhouette.
"Hm..." Black Abyss pointed her hand at the small creature and spoke. "[Exorcism]"
Upon the spell, a light shone on Black Abyss's hand, and a circle with a white hexagram surrounded by a white circle appeared beneath the summon. The creature screamed, unable to withstand both the spell and the magical and divine power behind it when cast by a Level 100 Player. The Demon vanished into motes of darkness, purifying into fleeting flashes of light as the spell ended.
"Mm~ Well, summonings work, and divine spells too... Let's see..." In an instant, upon using an ability from her classes, Dont disappeared from Black Abyss's view, and she felt a massive level of killing intent behind her.
Black Abyss found herself a second away from unsheathing her spear due to the fear that surged from within her at the presence behind her. But upon recalling knowing that ability of Dont's, and her suddenly disappearing, she forced herself to calm down as her resistances freed her from that moment of fear.
"W-Well... So this is what the minions and others felt when you did that combo... It's quite impressive..."
"Fufu~ It sure is~ I am the Pact Hunter after all~" Dont said proudly while Black Abyss turned around, seeing her with her hands on her hips and chest puffed out proudly.
Then, some kind of shield emanated from Black Abyss like a shockwave, though it didn't hit Dont since it didn't cause any damage. However, it did render her immobile for a few seconds.
"They really work~ It's good~"
"Wah... You son of a bitch, don't ever CC me again... It's like sleep paralysis... Ugh..."
"Haha~ CC can be really irritating~" Black Abyss said while thinking about her abilities. "Certainly~ With all the support abilities I have, I could leave someone very immobilized with all my CC~ Although... That jerk of Maverick was a pain with all his CC... You could be unable to move for like 30 minutes with all the stuff he threw at you..." The woman sighed, remembering such a thing.
"Well, but he could hardly attack. And CC abilities have their daily or temporary uses... But still, he's a pain for those with low Resistances... The son of a bitch could immobilize me for 2 hours if I couldn't snipe him from a distance!" Dont complained, but there was still a tone of joy in remembering the old times, and a thought invaded her. "Oh, let's see... [Message]..."
(Lady Dont-Say-My-Name?) A young voice, somewhat deep but indifferent and relaxed, greeted Dont.
(Ah, yes. Gandolfo. I already asked Bachelory to send 2 maids to interrogate some Fairies from the village, but I want a report from you. Is there anything unusual you need to report?)
(Um, yes, my lady, there is indeed.)
Upon the confirmation from the Gatekeeper, Dont patiently waited for a response, but after 30 seconds, she spoke again with a raised eyebrow.
(... So?)
(Yes. The sky is less bright, and I am sure we are no longer surrounded by the Oberon Fairy Forest. Instead, everything seems simpler and duller, different from Alfheim. Still, I can only see kilometers and kilometers of trees after a wide meadow. No mystical or magical trees; they seem like ordinary oaks. There's also no evidence of magical creatures at all. I took the liberty of sending some knights to investigate, and they only found common and small animals, without a hint of power.)
(Oh... I see... Hm... See if there's any structure in the sky or any spell.) Dont said cautiously but satisfied with Gandolfo's initiative.
(Not at all. The sky is perfectly normal, though simpler than Alfheim.)
(... Do the meadows have grass like ice-sharp leaves that cut when stepped on?)
(No, just normal grass.)
(I see... Mm... Then I want you to leave your post to Kronos for the moment, and I want you to come to the Mystic Lake. We will gather the Commanders, so I want you to report in person about it.)
(Yes, yes... On my way, my lady.)
The message was cut off, and Dont held back a sigh, looking at Black Abyss, who was staring at her with curiosity.
"I contacted Gandolfo with a Message... Apparently, the Palace of Titania and its village are no longer in Alfheim..."
"... Uh... Isn't that very impossible...? Transporting the entire palace and its village would only be possible with a World Item..." Black Abyss said doubtfully, but if Gandolfo said it, it must be true. "What would be the purpose of moving all of Titania to another place...? Furthermore, why didn't any of our alarm systems give us any alert? It's like Titania just appeared out of nowhere in another place instead of being transported..." Black Abyss theorized, but there simply was no certain explanation for the current situation.
"Mm... Either way, for now, we deal with Titania itself before dealing with the outside." Dont concluded.
A few seconds after saying that, Dont felt someone approaching at a very high speed, sensing the instinct to grab her weapon. And suddenly, from among the shadows, someone emerged.
"My Ladies. I, Achernar, have arrived at your summons."
Black Abyss had been in front of Dont before Achernar appeared before them, a man standing at a height close to 191 cm, quite substantial, with highly developed muscle mass. He had dark blue tattoos all around his exposed chest and arms. His hands and arms up to the elbows were covered in blue bandages, much like the light clothing he wore.
A jacket left his chest exposed, fastened by a kind of silvered pointed chains, but with a hood that concealed his head, adorned with silver decorative lines on that part of his attire. He wore a lighter blue rope belt, contrasting with the rest of the dark ensemble, and had dark, entirely black pants that ended in tight bandages at the shins of his feet, covered by dark shoes.
His face was covered from his nose to his neck, wearing a garment attached to his attire from the back of the inner hood. However, his bright yellow eyes were very visible, almost identical to those of Black Abyss•White Flower.
"Achernar..." Black Abyss said, looking at the man. Although she didn't sense any violent intentions from him, she chose to remain on guard. She watched as he kneeled before her.
"I am pleased to have the honor of seeing you, creator. I understand that you will be a part of the gathering declared by Lady Dont-Say-My-Name." With a calm yet imposing voice, he declared.
"Uh, yes, yes, I'll be there too," Black Abyss responded with a casual wave of her hand, indicating that it wasn't a big deal.
"In that case, I would like to stand by your side during the meeting, my creator. I realize it might be a selfish request, so I understand if you decline."
Black Abyss looked at him curiously. It was almost as if she were looking at a son, and truth be told, as the NPC she created, she held him in high regard. Having to doubt him bothered her.
"Achernar, before that, I must ask you a question," Black Abyss said seriously, to which the man placed a hand on the ground.
"Yes, my creator."
"Are you loyal to the 34?" The question seemed somewhat startling to the man, who looked somewhat doubtful for a moment but then lowered his head and responded firmly.
"Just as you gave me life, I, Achernar, am more than willing to give my life and services to the 34 Supreme Lords of Titania. I would die for any of the 34 and kill for any of you, my ladies. I will always remain faithful to your cause." The man answered quickly, with conviction, without lifting his head before the women.
"Mm~ It's good to see that Black Abyss created a good Commander~ I hope you don't mind that I ordered Bachelory to use some of your subordinates to monitor and explore the surroundings of Titania." Dont said from the side, hands on hips, chest puffed out, maintaining a dignified and firm posture.
"I have trained my subordinates with the sole purpose of serving the Supreme Lords, providing them protection and information. If I cannot use them, they would have no purpose. Please, use my subordinates and me for whatever you need, Lady Dont-Say-My-Name." The man responded with determination.
"Mm... Good. Perfect, in fact. In the current situation, we probably need the Special Forces a lot." Dont remarked.
"Rise~ You can stay by my side~" Black Abyss exclaimed to Achernar.
"Yes!" He responded, quickly getting up. He was of the same height as the two women and positioned himself beside his creator.
"Achernar, have you noticed any strange behavior from the other Commanders?" Black Abyss asked, to which the man instantly responded.
"Nothing out of the ordinary, my creator. Everyone behaves exactly according to their roles assigned by our creators. Did something happen?"
She nodded.
"Yes, something important. We will discuss it in the meeting. In the meantime, you will take care of us along with Miku." Black Abyss declared, to which Achernar nodded.
"I will do everything in my power to care for you, my creator." He then disappeared into a shadow, his presence felt around, watching from the shadows.
Dont could feel him more easily, though it still posed some difficulty. Thanks to her Rogue, Assassin, and Pact Hunter classes, she was better protected against stealth entities. Although, if a Level 100 specialized in full stealth came at her, she wasn't sure if she could sense it at all.
Suppressing a sigh, she felt the presence of a great entity approaching slowly. And from among the trees emerged someone...
At first glance, it was a massive, heavily armored man.
Full-body armor made of a black, robust metal, with some scars from what seemed to be legendary battles. The armor was adorned with golden embroidery, with limb joints shining with a bright red metal. A red fabric with red embroidery and a golden symbol covered the knight's armored groin, which had no difficulty moving despite the heavy armor. With large pauldrons that seemed forged to resemble tiger heads or some similar creature, holding a large black and red cape with golden embroidery, also held by a pair of golden clasps resembling clovers. Around the neck, a large amount of white plush surrounded the helmet, falling gently to the middle of the back, attached to the cape and giving a somewhat lush appearance to the already robust figure. Although beneath such fluffy fur, there was a great bastard sword in a black scabbard with golden decorations, with the sword's hilt also bathed in gold decorations, and a black handle.
Finally, the helmet, resembling that of a feline, left no openings, with two ears armored with red insides, with golden decorations, and a visor of a bright red that was somewhat intimidating to Dont, more due to the difference in direct physical strength than anything else.
Regardless, Dont, who was crazy enough to memorize all the NPCs, easily recognized the towering figure of over 2 meters, perhaps about 2.5 meters.
"Bulldoger. I see you've arrived as well."
He pounded his chest with his hand, bowing.
"I will be wherever the Supreme Lords request me." He said with an excited tone, as if expecting something good from this.
"Well, well~ I suppose Superbia, Miia, and Alucard are on their way with Bachelory as well~" Dont said without distorting her proud and firm pose. "By the way. Have you detected anything strange lately?"
"Many things, to be honest... As the Supreme Ladies present know, I am in charge of the East Tower of Titania Palace, and... The exterior has changed. It happened suddenly; I turned around for a moment, and the entire landscape changed. I thought it was a high-level illusion, so I sent several soldiers to check, but... The landscape really changed on its own. My Goddesses, have I been called to annihilate those who attacked Titania in this way?" Bulldoger asked with a clear desire for an affirmative answer, although not at all insistent.
"Mm... For now, we are identifying the source of such a sudden shift of all of Titania. I have already sent some reconnaissance forces to explore the surroundings, and Gandolfo is coming to report in person so that we can be clearer about the situation. All the Commanders have been called here to discuss this matter. Achernar is already here, in fact. Just keeping an eye out for any possible attacks, along with Miku."
Bulldoger seemed to take a deep breath, then pounded his chest again.
"I will await your information, then, My Goddess. But... I want to make a request, even if it sounds selfish of me..." The huge man bowed as he spoke, patiently waiting for a response.
"Uh, sure. Speak without hesitation, Bulldoger." Dont gave permission with a smile, although internally somewhat concerned about such a request.
"I need... Just one thing... When we find out who caused this, I wish to be sent to the front lines..." The man trembled for a moment, then stomped his foot, surprising both women. "I cannot allow someone to have done this to the beautiful landscape chosen by the Supremes with so much effort! They must pay for what they have done! With their blood! They have defiled the decision of the most perfect beings in existence! That's why... I humbly request this." He went from being angry to calm as a leaf in an instant.
Although for Black Abyss and equally for Dont, one thing was very clear: he was not a danger, he was more than welcome. Especially for Dont's ego.
"Hm~ Fine~ If there is any culprit in this incident, you will be allowed to do so~ Although not before an intense investigation of the capabilities of such individuals. We cannot blindly charge just based on some grudge. Understood, Bulldoger?" Dont said almost as a reprimand, but still carefully. MichiXMichi told her a bit about the configuration of her NPC. She remembered the words 'It's better if no one makes him angry,' while using the 'LwL' emoji.
"More than understood, My Goddess. I infinitely appreciate the compassion of the Supremes for allowing this request of mine." With calmness and clear happiness, Bulldoger responded.
"One thing, Bulldoger." Black Abyss said, to which the Commander turned to her.
"Yes, My Goddess?"
"Is there any Commander or other creation of us, the Supremes, who may... Be a danger to us?"
The man seemed quite shocked by such a question but quickly bowed.
"In my humble opinion, there is no such thing. No Commander or Servant would ever dare to even cut a strand of the divine hair of the Supremes. But... I suppose that such doubt from you, Supreme Black Abyss, comes from all this commotion." She nodded, to which Bulldoger stood firm. "If anything dares to represent a danger to the Supremes! I will annihilate it!" He loudly exclaimed, pounding his chest.
"Very well then. You can stay by our side, Bulldoger." Black Abyss said with a smile, to which the very tall man nodded excitedly.
"Hmp~ The silly cat and the elusive lizard arrived first~" And a proud, arrogant, noble, and mature voice was heard arriving from above.
Looking up, everyone could see the next Commander.
She was like a Goddess in White, with a long white silk dress that reached beyond her feet, surely trailing on the ground if not for the fact that the woman was floating. With a slightly wider inner skirt, with textures reminiscent of a starry sky, the dress extended to cover almost her entire body, still showcasing feminine and generous curves, but not exaggerated, rather more proportionate and modest compared to someone like Dont, showing some bust, white skin like the purest marble, and with some black lines in the upper area of her dress.
Her dress had incredibly long, loose sleeves, surpassing any length of the arm the woman might have, and with the excessively long sleeves tied with white bows to close, with the excessively long sleeves tied with white bows to close. Also, with a couple of openings on the inside of each sleeve for the black, slender, and delicate hands to come out.
On her back, a large plush scarf as white as a cloud, worthy of a diva or a wealthy woman, surrounded her neck, covering her shoulders and falling forward to her hips. At the same time, emerging from behind the scarf, more like sprouting from the woman's back, a pair of large and beautiful insect-like wings of a mystical and wonderful white were spread wide, with beautiful hypnotic patterns of white lines that shone divinely, with a slightly pinkish tone at the tips of each wing.
While flying or floating, her wings left behind a beautiful, glittering powder, enhancing her beauty incredibly.
Her neck was covered in black chitin, contrasting with the white skin of her bust. Following that, her face. It was a work of art, easily able to rival the two women already present, although one of them would not admit it aloud or even bring up the matter in any case.
Her incredibly white skin only made her beauty more supernatural, with her delicate and thin lips painted a light purple, and her pink eyes showing a look as dead as a fish, yet, haughty and seductive, as if she knew she was above everyone.
Her hair was as white as her skin, and it looked incredibly fluffy, styled so that two large strands resembled wings or ears on the sides, and two more large strands falling on the sides of her face to her bust.
She had some kind of black ribbon on her hair, which extended into two more ribbons that accompanied the strands falling to her face, stopping there, accompanied by two objects similar to earrings with the shape of drops of a dark blue and muted crystal.
From the sides of the ribbon on her head, two large semispheres of amethyst color, like compound eyes, were placed as a jewel decoration adorning her hair, although everyone present knew they were not jewels.
And finally, two long feather-like antennas sprouted from the woman's head, beautifully combed and complementing her elegant appearance.
If Dont was a mature, gothic, and seductive beauty, and Black Abyss was an innocent, pure, and saintly beauty, the new woman present was a fine, elegant, and vain beauty.
"Could you not get so close to the Supremes? It would be a monumental tragedy if you infect them with your ugliness," Bulldoger exclaimed towards the newcomer, who smiled with a clear smirk on her face.
"It's okay. Don't fight, we're here for something important." Black Abyss interrupted before the newcomer got too close to the heavily armored man. Instead, she approached the two women.
"Ladies~ I, Archduchess Superbia, have answered your magnificent call~ Appreciating a pair of beauties as grand as mine pleases me~" The white-haired woman proudly declared, while maintaining a respectful tone.
Dont cleared his throat.
"Superbia. Welcome, as you know, Bulldoger and Achernar are already here. We summoned the Commanders for an important meeting due to the situation. Anything out of the ordinary to report?" Dont said, trying to maintain composure. She had to admit she got too excited seeing a Moth Girl in the flesh, almost breaking her composure.
"Hm~? Out of the ordinary~? Not much more than my beauty~ And that of the Supremes, of course~ Has something happened~?" She asked, tilting her head to the side.
"We'll tell you when everyone's together; for now, stay here with us. The others, along with Bachelory, will arrive shortly," Black Abyss explained.
Dont looked to the side, sensing someone approaching.
And with a leap from the trees, a woman landed softly on the ground, followed by a thunderous sound that shook the earth.
The woman immediately stood up, as did the giant armor that mimicked her movements behind her.
"Commander of G.O.D.S. Offensive Forces, Miia and Echidna, at your service, Supreme Ladies." She said with a monotone voice, saluting with a hand on her forehead in a military posture.
"Achernar, please sheathe your blade." The Paladin said, and a shadow receded behind her.
"Forgive me, you approached the Supremes too quickly." A voice came from the shadows.
"It's understandable, Achernar. We were just very excited to answer the call of the Supremes."
"Welcome, Miia. You're just in time; not everyone is gathered yet." Black Abyss exclaimed with a smile, to which Miia nodded firmly.
She was a tall woman with a beautiful face, white skin, and a straight posture. Her short blue hair had two metallic protrusions on her temples, parts of a headband visible above her head. Her grayish eyes had a neutral, monotone expression, but determination gleamed in them as she looked at the Supremes. Her neck was covered with tight fabrics, forming a leotard under her light armor, covering her entire torso, neck, and arms, including her hands. White fabrics fell from her shoulders.
Above the leotard, white fabrics covered her from the waist to the upper thighs, with silver embroidery and black ribbons. Beneath these fabrics, there was a white pleated skirt, and above all that, on both sides of her waist, she had silver metallic plates with a black cylindrical object anchored to it with a golden base. She wore silver gauntlets on her arms, and her legs were covered up to the thighs with long black stockings. Over this, she had light armor with metallic white plates on her thigh, a ribbon on her left thigh, black like the shoes she wore, metallic and shiny with white soles, while her right hand held her white bow, attached with a golden base, which had a cannon-shaped sight and two purple gems pointing to the center of the bow.
Behind her, a giant armor floated, with an imposing appearance. Its torso was made of white plates, with a more feminine orientation. Its sides were dark plates, joined by golden screws. Its arms looked like hardened rubber in the form of strips joined like black cables, covered with white plates up to its hands. In one hand, it held a scale like a sword aflame, while in the other, it carried a long white lance, its blade elongated like a halberd, with a bright white edge and a black pommel shaped like an arrowhead.
From the waist down, it wore a warrior's skirt made of floating white plates with a black interior. The armor's head consisted of a black knight's helmet with a golden visor, having another transparent visor on top of it. From the top of its helmet, a bright purple fabric fell to its waist, adding to its brilliant extravagance.
"I ran as fast as possible from the other end of Titania once I heard, from the Prime Minister, that I was needed by my Goddesses. It's a relief to know I arrived on time."
"Hm~ And at least I'm satisfied with your enthusiasm about it~" Dont said proudly, inflating her chest a bit more as she looked at the Kuudere who had become her guildmate, Juan.
"I can see which other Commanders have been summoned. I assume it's an important occasion." Miia said, looking at the other Commanders and then ending with both Supremes.
"Indeed~ Only Alucard and Bachelory are missing, and the subsequent arrival of Gandolfo. Au fait {By the way}~ Have you noticed anything strange lately, Miia?" Dont asked the kuudere, earning a confused look from almost everyone at the pair of unfamiliar words she used before the question.
"Well... Some things. I was notified by G.O.D.S Defensive Forces that there was some spell that changed the exterior of Titania. Just in case, I sent troops to the walls to reinforce defenses. But I don't know much more than that; I apologize for my lack of information." The woman said with a bow.
"Hm~ Don't worry about it~ Knowing your own perspective is already very useful~ And I approve of the initiative to send extra defenses in our precarious situation~" The gothic one said with triviality, though internally, she not only rolled her eyes because there wasn't much new information.
"Oh. It looks like everyone's here." Black Abyss said, looking to the side, where they had initially arrived at the pond.
A young man, quite human in appearance, the most human indeed, came behind Bachelory, who in a short time arrived in front of the two women. The young man had white hair and marble-like skin, quite similar to Black Abyss in that sense. He wore a very ostentatious outfit, with a black suit adorned with gold ornaments that maintained a white jacket with grayish flower engravings ascending to his neck and ending below his waist, openly displaying the dark suit on his chest and abdomen.
A white cape with silver tones at the limitations at the end of the cape rested on his shoulders, with a dense strip of black plush around his shoulders. While a second cape was held by a gold piece at his waist, descending to his feet without touching the ground, instead reaching to the arrowhead-shaped ornaments at each end of the second cape, which touched the ground.
He had two gold plates in a strange shape similar to an oil lamp on his knees, protecting both joints, while on both wrists, he had wristbands of the same material protecting them. His dark shoes showed a sole of ostentatious metal, while it rose upwards in strips to create the laces.
He was undoubtedly a handsome and very well-dressed man, with a friendly smile.
"Alucard at your service. Have I arrived late, my Goddesses?" He asked, bowing to the two.
"Oh. No, actually, everyone just arrived in a very short time; you did well." Black Abyss said, bringing a smile to the young man, who looked to the side when Bachelory took a step forward.
"As ordered, my Queen, I have brought the Commanders of G.O.D.S. before your presence." Bachelory said with a slight bow.
At the mention of that word, the Commanders couldn't help but frown.
"Queen?" Alucard muttered to himself, with a certain level of anger towards the Prime Minister of Titania.
"Ah. Um. Yes. One of the topics we wanted to discuss..." Dont said somewhat nervously, fearing the possible reaction of the Commanders. She was sure that at least Bachelory and Miku wouldn't attack her immediately, and possibly Achernar, Superbia, and Miia, but the other two... Could be a problem.
"Stand behind me just in case..." Black Abyss whispered to Dont, taking a step forward.
"Um. Well, you see. As you may have noticed, the entire Pact Palace of Titania and its surroundings have been mysteriously and forcibly moved." Dont began, turning around to add a touch of mystery, discreetly walking to stand behind Black Abyss, and approaching the edge of the lake. "Between Black Abyss and me, we've tried a few things to get in touch with other Supreme Lords... Unfortunately, there was no success... But... Before the end of Yggdrasil... Before the mobilization of the palace, I made a decision of great weight and significance..." Dont fell silent, unsure whether to speak or not.
"In the absence of total authority, I agreed to relinquish the guild's rule to Dont-Say-My-Name. Since she has been in the presence of Rey69Jamon many times while he worked, and we shared many experiences together and learned from him. In this way, Dont will be the reigning Queen. Any objections?" Black Abyss said more forcefully, placing her hands on her hips as she looked at the Commanders.
"Absolutely none." Achernar said emerging from the shadows.
"The decisions of the Supremes are meant to be accepted, I have no objection." Bulldoger declared.
"I'm sure Dont-Say-My-Name will be a good Queen in conjunction with you, Black Abyss•White Flower." Miia said.
"Hmp~ I see no one better suited for the position than someone equal in status to me~" Superbia said with elegance and glamour, but without any complaint at all.
"Alucard." Black Abyss said the name, drawing his attention while waiting for a response.
After a moment of surprise, he smiled again.
"It's been a long time since my creator, Rey69Jamon, left... And although there were still Supremes governing us, there wasn't a specific King or Queen... I am more than happy to have a Queen again to whom I can pledge my service." Alucard said with a bow and clear emotion in his voice. "I know that even someone like Lady Dont-Say-My-Name can be a benevolent and good queen."
('Someone' like me?) Dont complained in her mind but dismissed it. Surely, Alucard was referring to the Karma issue. That wretched Jamon made his creature have +500 Karma, the limit of how good someone could be. It would be normal for him not to have an entirely positive opinion of her.
"Umu~ Magnificent then~ I'm glad to hear of your acceptance, expectations, and loyalty, my Commanders." Dont said with semi-renewed confidence.
"Now, onto the next topic." Black Abyss said, looking to the left.
"We've noticed that you've arrived, Gandolfo. Do you have information about the exterior of Titania?" She asked the newcomer.
"Oh, yes." A lazy voice responded with triviality, causing some to roll their eyes, turning to see Gandolfo, now present.
At first glance, the man was dressed elegantly and nobly, with a certain air of mystery about him. Wearing loose dark blue and black robes that covered every bit of skin like a noble-looking sack that reached to his heels, only revealing the black and well-polished shoes.
At his waist, his robe opened up, giving way to intertwined chains on the dark blue vest, like belts, tied to a strangely small platinum pocket watch for the size of the chains, with the chains also holding the robe together.
Next, the white shirt could be seen with a white handkerchief protruding and tied around the neck covered in black fabric, like a small scarf worthy of the Victorian era.
His robe had internal silver embroideries, as well as showing a small extension on the sides like fabric shoulder pads, displaying long sleeves ending in silver-decorated ornaments, showing hands made of what seemed to be opaque metal, as if they were the hands of a robot or a metal doll.
His face was covered by a completely white mask, flat, with only two pairs of holes, one above the other, on both sides of the mask, shining with red lights that didn't seem natural. Long light blue hair fell to his lower back, like a portion of the sky, with a pair of circular golden earrings. Finally, a large dark blue and black top hat, with platinum decoration like a 'V'.
The man's walk was perfect, elegant, and dignified, but somehow, he seemed disinterested, bored.
"Speak then~"
"Yeah, like... I've, you know, dispatched some exploration forces to the, uh, nearby forest, and, well, nothing really powerful was found. Just some animals with, like, zero power vibes and magical creatures below level 20. No magic leftovers or spells detected whatsoever. So, I sorta summoned this defensive army on the walls, and they're like super alert. The citizens are all set to be evacuated whenever you say the word or if, you know, there's an attack. Oh, and I kinda boosted up the external defenses of the Palace, just, you know, took the liberty." Gandolfo said disinterestedly, without appearing truly polite or amazed in the presence of the two guild members.
Black Abyss touched her chin while thinking.
"Ah... So, there are no traces of magic... It must have been a natural effect then, like the effects of a World Item. But who would use a World Item just to move the entirety of Titania to another place...? Although... It may be more than just that." Black Abyss looked at Dont then. "We have to prepare for the possibility that we may not even be in Yggdrasil."
"Hm, indeed... Well, for now, I want Achernar to go accompanied by a series of 6 level 80 and higher NPC Mercenaries specialized in stealth and exploration along with Cristofer to explore the surroundings and secure a perimeter with traps and some disposable POP monsters, and some Level 40-50 Monsters hidden. Someone tell Eyesight to keep an eye on such a perimeter." Dont instructed after thinking for a bit. It was best to secure an area. And Dont still wanted to ensure a couple of things.
"I'll take care of it right away." Achernar said, bowing again and disappearing into the shadows, instantly disappearing from the perception of all present.
"Thanks for the information, Gandolfo. But for now, return to the walls, keep them at the maximum defense level until Achernar finishes inspecting the surroundings." Black Abyss said to the being who had arrived not long ago.
"Yeah, yeah." Gandolfo only said lazily, turning around and walking away with an almost lazy step.
"Bulldoger, we entrust you with managing the defenses of the Palace and the Fairy Village."
He hit his chest and bowed.
"As the Supremes order, nothing will dare to touch an inch of Titania in my presence. The Fairies will be safe with me." The man exclaimed with strength, then turning around and walking quickly but firmly towards the exit of the pond.
"Miia, I want you to keep a force ready to intercept any intruder. The minimum level should be 90, or 85 if necessary. If anyone dares to approach, they must be ready to destroy them instantly."
"I will go now to fulfill your orders, Queen." The woman said in her calm and monotonous tone as she bowed, with her armor accompanying her, turning around, and quickly leaving the place.
"Superbia, your job is clear, make sure everyone succeeds in their missions." Black Abyss said to the woman.
"Hmp~ Obviously, it has to be me who ensures that everyone does their job perfectly~ They won't be as perfect as me, but I won't tolerate failures~" Superbia said with pride, spreading her insectoid wings and starting to float away. "Lady Black Abyss White Flower~ My queen~" She bowed her head as she bid farewell.
"You did a good job, Bachelory." Black Abyss said with a smile, then looking at Dont. "You created a very good NPC~"
"Fufu~ Obviously~ Only the best of the best comes out of this cute little head~" Dont said proudly, puffing her chest out while showing a smug smile.
Then she blushed a bit and coughed falsely into her fist.
"Anyway. Alucard, I want you to act as my bodyguard at all times. Compared to Black Abyss, I am delicate like a rose~ And your Positive Karma can be useful against especially deadly attacks on my person, like divine magic." Dont said, with an invisible droplet falling from her forehead as she imagined what could happen if a level 10 divine spell hit her head-on.
The man smiled and bowed.
"Of course, Queen Dont-Say-My-Name, I will take care of protecting her personally. Should I look for my combat gear? Like my armor, for example."
"Um... No. I don't think it's necessary..." The idea of having Alucard, a level 100 NPC knight with Karma +500, with all his combat equipment by her side at all times made her more nervous than secure. "Besides, surely Black Abyss will be close most of the time... Because she is... Uh... My shield! Yes! Black Abyss is the shield of the queen of Titania, haha..." Dont improvised on the fly, with some sweat dripping from her forehead, but going unnoticed by the looks of Alucard, Bachelory, and Miku, although Black Abyss could notice it.
"Uh... Yes, that's right..." Black Abyss nodded, scratching her cheek, then looking at Alucard. "I am the first line of defense in case something tries to attack us, so just take care of keeping things away from Dont; hardly anything could surpass me in physical combat." She explained, although of course... Although she wasn't the strongest in the guild, she was undoubtedly one of the toughest characters in it.
"I understand. I will take care of fulfilling my assigned role as effectively as possible, for the protection of the Supremes." Alucard said, bowing his head to the two women.
"Oh, yes. Um... Bachelory..."
"Yea! What dost thou wish from this servant, my queen?" The noble said with a bow, patiently waiting for her orders.
"I want you to spread a summary of this entire meeting throughout Titania, so everyone knows who their new queen is and about the current situation. Then... Um... Manage the castle in the best way possible and as you see fit. Send us... Reports with summaries of it..." Dont said somewhat unsure of the last part.
At most, she was a history teacher on Earth. She had 0 real administrative experience. Only the vague experience she had once as a fish bigwig's archivist thanks to her mother.
"Talk to Mimosa; she will help you with a good part of that." Black Abyss added. "After all, I created her with all my administrative and organizational knowledge." She finished with a smile.
"I hope they're not 0." Dont murmured absentmindedly.
"Pff~ Don't project yourself onto me~ I've studied quite a few things."
"Oh, look at him. The one who had the money to pay for education." Dont said sarcastically, but noticing the confused looks of Alucard and Bachelory, she coughed into her fist. "I mean... Uh... Let's learn together... Black Abyss..." She said somewhat reluctantly to keep up appearances.
"Fuhaha! Of course~" She said with grace. "What are you waiting for, Bachelory, go go~". The Supreme told him.
He was puzzled by the unfamiliar words, but he just bowed, turned around, and withdrew with elegance and nobility.
"I take my leave, my ladies. Ensure thou dost not leave the queen unguarded, Alucard. 'Twould be cause for concern if thy inclinations brought forth an undesirable tragedy."
"Bachelory... You don't have to worry, I would give my life for any Supreme, regardless of their personal tendencies." The man said, putting a hand over his chest, as if making an oath.
The noble just waved with one hand to the knight as he disappeared among the trees.
"... Right." Dont sighed under her breath.