Cocytus clearly didn't know what was going on; he ordered a Vermin Lord to bring a special chilled drink. "A Glacier-flavored drink, please, Lord Sig, try it."
Sig picked up the frost-covered glass, feeling the bone-chilling cold even through his gloves. Refrigerated drinks couldn't compare to it; perhaps this was the answer as to why there were ice cockroaches.
It seems Vermin Maid treats this place as a natural cold storage. Luckily, Cocytus has a good temper.
"Gulp, gulp~"
After drinking it all, Sig exhaled a puff of white cold air. "It's really delicious; such a delightful taste should be widely promoted."
"Lord Sig speaks wisely." Out of the joy of finding a kindred spirit, Cocytus also performed a one-shot chug.
Out of curiosity, Antoma picked up her own glass and took a very careful sip. She immediately felt unwell, making an indistinct sound, covering her mouth, and gesticulating wildly.
"It seems Antoma is also very happy."
Although she was a bit too excited, it shouldn't be because it tasted bad. She still felt quite cute, Sig thought.
Antoma is petite, and every sentence she speaks ends with a sweet, childlike verbal tic. It's impossible to treat her as an insect; she's like a well-behaved little girl, giving him the feeling of looking at his own daughter.
Cocytus hesitated before speaking, then changed the subject. "Lord Sig and Albedo are getting along quite well, aren't they?"
Ever since he heard about the Young Master from Demiurge, he often fell into fantasies. Now that he had the opportunity, he naturally had to ask.
Sig didn't know why the Guardian would suddenly be concerned about his romantic life. He vaguely agreed, "It's alright."
Cocytus visibly brightened. "Then, do you have any plans for conception in the near future?"
"Pfft!" This time, Sig really spat out the drink he had just consumed. After awkwardly wiping his mouth, he found that the soiled part had already frozen solid and couldn't be wiped away with the tablecloth.
With this little interlude, the awkward atmosphere grew thicker.
"Cocytus, why would you think that? She and I don't have the kind of relationship you're imagining."
Cocytus scratched his head and lowered it, saying, "Ah, my subordinate misunderstood. I apologize. Does that mean Lord Sig actually doesn't like Albedo?"
"Uh, this... of course not... Let's get back to business," Sig said helplessly.
"Understood."
Cocytus sighed, unable to hide his disappointment. Given the current progress, how much longer would he have to wait? He also wondered how things were going with Lord Ainz. Neither of them seemed to be in a hurry.
As a warrior, serving the Young Master was the greatest happiness. He would definitely train him to be the most excellent warrior. If he wanted to become a Magic Caster, that would also be fine. The Young Master riding on his back and laughing would also be a wonderful sight. He truly wished to be called "Old Man."
"By the way, Lord Sig, could you perhaps advise Lord Ainz? Clementine is relatively strong among humans, but bringing her along is truly a hindrance, and her safety cannot be guaranteed."
Although Cocytus genuinely disliked Clementine, what he said was also the truth. Demiurge had nagged him about it many times.
The two of them were drinking buddies, often going to Pich's bar to get drunk together, so they were quite familiar. They also knew that Clementine was Sig's direct subordinate.
Sig considered it carefully. After receiving his affirmation, Clementine would likely prioritize developing her followers. She couldn't focus on two things at once. Her reputation was already established, and her adventurer identity was somewhat redundant.
"That's true. How about having Nabe attend to the Guildmaster? After all, she's very experienced and possesses considerable strength among the Pleiades. She's the most suitable candidate."
Moreover, it could also make a certain off-track skeleton, the future Sorcerer King, settle down.
As for whether Ainz liked Nabe, that was another matter. She was clearly a great beauty, though she was slightly stubborn and liked to call humans "insects."
If it weren't for the difficulty of playing a Black Worker, which required superb acting skills, and more importantly, Nabe's inherent demeanor didn't quite fit the role, he would have brought Nabe with him.
However, bringing Lupusregina was also the same; he didn't dislike any of these NPCs.
Seeing Sig readily agree, Cocytus breathed a sigh of relief. "Then I'll trouble Lord Sig. As for Lord Ainz..."
"Don't worry, just remember to have Nabe and Lupusregina get ready, and I'll head back first," Sig said lightly.
Anyway, it was for Ainz's good, so it should be fine to take the initiative, right? That's what good friends do.
In the Capital of the Baharuth Empire, inside the palace.
A distinguished-looking man leaned back on a leather sofa. The crimson background intertwined with his golden hair, exuding the aura of a true ruler.
The Seventh Emperor of the Empire, the sole Supreme Monarch — the Blood Emperor, full name Jircniv Rune Farlord El Nix.
At this moment, he narrowed his long, slender eyes, his purple pupils filled with anger. The paper in his hand was crumpled into a ball. "What exactly does the Theocracy want us to investigate? Is that warrior, the Silver Knight, really so untrustworthy?!"
Through spies, they easily obtained information about the great Magic Caster Ainz Ooal Gown. As for that warrior, after some effort, they managed to get relatively accurate information.
The Silver Knight, one of the Thirteen Heroes.
Although this answer was hard to believe, it was news that came from the Golden Princess, making it highly credible. Gazef had also hinted that the person's identity was extraordinary.
To be honest, the Empire had already done its best. The knights unanimously said that Ainz Ooal Gown alone saved Karn Village. He truly doubted whether the so-called Silver Knight in armor truly existed.
But the Theocracy adamantly stated that the person was definitely not the Silver Knight, and to a large extent, might not even be human.
Not human... Could the Silver Knight not be human? Who knows what's under that armor.
The old man beside him noticed his impatience and gently comforted him. "Calm down. The Empire still needs the Theocracy's support. Just leave this matter to the secretary general."
Fluder Paradyne, the Empire's Chief Magic Caster.
The old man had a thick head of silver hair, and his beard almost exceeded his height. He looked very wise at first glance; "wise" here was used in a positive sense.
Having assisted six emperors, he was the Blood Emperor's trusted confidant and the only one who could influence his thoughts, second only to the emperor himself.
Jircniv looked at the few strands of hair slipping from his fingertips and reluctantly agreed. "Old Man, can our country's strength truly not annex the Kingdom?"
"It is possible, but to completely acquire the Kingdom's land, it might still require a slow attrition like this, at least a decade or more," Fluder said, assuming the best-case scenario, based on the Empire's most prosperous period.
"Tsk, how troublesome."
The Blood Emperor, widely acknowledged as having the most excellent talent of all time and a born ruler, was now in a very distressed situation. But he was merely complaining; for the sake of the Empire, he could only endure it. After all, the Theocracy was the strongest.