Some time later. The Office of the Overlord of Nazarick.
Having finished with the "recruitment" of my new friends, I returned to a most productive task—thinking and assessing the situation. The further things went, the more I... liked it. The members of the Black Scripture were roughly between levels twenty and thirty, so with equal gear, someone like Gazef could probably take them all down... if they attacked one by one. However, that wasn't the point. Given our level difference, applying control took only two seconds with a one-second cooldown. It took ten seconds for the Captain, but overall—simply marvelous. Now, the elite of the elite of one of the strongest human kingdoms was at my complete disposal. And best of all, everyone in that kingdom was firmly convinced of this unit's absolute loyalty to the state.
Somewhere on the edge of my consciousness, the thought flickered that I had just, without hesitation or regret, broken the will and subjugated the minds of these victims, turning them into slaves who couldn't even hope for freedom, let alone realize their predicament. The thought flickered and... triggered no response. These people were enemies who had entered my domain with an artifact capable of causing serious harm to both my servants and myself. What was the point of being ceremonial with them? Perhaps my lich nature played a part here, but I suspected it was negligible. Besides, the only alternative to "brainwashing" was death, turning them into undead, or other interesting experiments poorly suited for "good health." Though with Clementine, I feared that was the only possible use—she's a psychotic, sadistic maniac, and a loyalty vaccine won't fix that. Sure, I could forbid her from showing that side of her nature, but... who's to say she won't snap later? On one hand, she fits perfectly into Nazarick's collection of psychopaths, but on the other, I don't need locals to fill a collection of psychopaths. I need more rational individuals to dilute the general concentration of madness, not increase it. In short, I didn't know what to do with her yet, though some ideas regarding memory manipulation magic to try and "cure" psychiatric disorders crossed my mind, albeit very tentatively. The idea was promising and sparked a bit of research-itch, but logic dictated it wouldn't be easy; poking around in the head of a potentially valuable combat unit without preparation or preliminary trials was a bad idea. I needed less valuable test subjects I wouldn't mind losing.
Anyway, that's all academic. Besides material assets (including people), I gained access to some fascinating information. As it turned out, the Black Scripture hadn't come to me in full force. A lovely girl named Zesshi Zetsumei remained in the capital. "Certain Death," to translate literally. A half-elf, and on one side—the granddaughter of several Theocracy Gods at once (five hundred years have passed, after all; everyone's related by now); on the other—the daughter of the Elf King, whom she absolutely loathes. With good reason, too, since he didn't exactly seduce her mother with charm and tenderness, but kidnapped and raped her, cynically planning to obtain a lapdog with the blood of gods in its veins, or perhaps a few.
As a result, Zesshi grew into an interesting personality. According to the venerable Captain, the size of the "skeletons in her closet" is comparable to those in Shalltear's and Albedo's heads combined. Specifically, she was obsessed with the idea of submitting to a man stronger than herself and bearing his child, which just... triggered an uncontrollable stream of flashbacks involving the demoness and the vampire. Hearing about her other quirks, I constantly caught myself thinking that this sounded like someone from Nazarick's roster of fine ladies. As for her power level... that's more complicated. Apparently, she's powerful enough to solo the entire Black Scripture at once, which is why she holds a "Special Seat," answering only to the Cardinal Council... or rather, to the decisions made by the Council; she can and often does tell individual cardinals where to shove it. Nevertheless, that doesn't track power levels very accurately; any of the Pleiades has a good chance of taking down that team (sans "the dress") if they prepare and pick the right moment to strike. All the more so for a girl who's been in the same harness with them for years and knows every strength and weakness of the group. Plus, she was armed with a curious little thing described as being able to apply instant-death spells on hit. And yes, it was a war scythe that supposedly once belonged to Surshana, so I believe it. Nonetheless, the description of the girl sounded promising. Especially since, according to that same Captain, her level of loyalty to the Theocracy was highly questionable. Many in the Scripture felt she was only with them because she had nowhere else to go. People in this world look at half-breeds with great suspicion, and even more so with a lineage that everyone "in the know" is aware of.
The first seeds of a plan began to swirl in my head, but they still needed to be discussed with Demiurge. After all, when you have high-class specialists well-versed in the "delicate approach" at hand (and a super-elite sabotage group couldn't consist of anyone else), it's foolish not to use them for their intended purpose, while my "mutants and psychopaths" will continue to occupy "suitable positions in the Legions of Terror."
I checked my notebook; yes, that's right.
Speaking of plans, the information on why the hell they went on this trip in the first place made me somewhat doubt the sanity of the Slane Theocracy cardinals. So, a certain respected diviner produced a Prophecy that somewhere in this region, a certain Catastrophe Dragon Lord would either appear or be reborn. Since a citizen with that nickname already existed in this world and was once successfully laid to rest, everyone decided the second option was the correct one. Therefore, the citizens in power consulted and sent the entire Black Scripture (minus their "trump card"), armed to the teeth with the best gear available in the state, with the goal of controlling the dragon. I assume to eventually incorporate it into their armed forces. The idea itself is sound, but sending your absolute elite into enemy territory without any reconnaissance, based only on info that "somewhere in that region there's something interesting"... not even "there is," but "might appear"—that's... odd. I believe in prophets; it's hard not to believe when I have a defensive spell that works as "combat precognition" and moves my body out of the line of fire. Но acting purely on one murky prediction... Furthermore, they sent the prophet herself, who happens to be a rather cute girl, along with them simply because she's part of the Black Scripture... for some reason. I could see how a prophet might benefit a sabotage group, but... It seems someone overbelieved in their own power, let's call it that. A dangerous delusion I certainly don't want to follow. And yet... wait a minute. Aura and Mare have pet Golden Dragons! And they are from Nazarick, which already says a lot. Regarding power levels and the ability to cause catastrophes, definitely; level ninety, after all. And sooner or later, they'll come out even just for a flight. Was that prophetess talking about one of these lizards? Maybe yes. Maybe no. A Prophecy is a Prophecy because it lacks the banalities of exact dates, full names, distinctive features, and GPS coordinates. This means we increase vigilance and give the staff orders regarding a potential encounter with a draconic-type "What-is-that-thing."
By the way, since we're talking about controlling a powerful dragon, since the victim of a World Item is bound directly to the owner of said item, and in the Theocracy we have a sort of aristocratic democracy modeled after the ancient Roman Senate but with fewer "senators"... the fight over the hide of a dragon that wasn't even dead yet—or even spawned—was legendary. As expected, some were intimidated, some were bought with gold or favors, some "folded" on their own, but the result was interesting: the "rights to the birdie" went to Lady Kaire, no less than the matriarch of the venerable Demetia family, which has produced two of the six cardinals sitting on the Council. This woman knew so much about so many people that the results of our "brief, confidential conversation" would be enough to start two wars, five rebellions, and... raise some very uncomfortable questions for the country's leadership from a certain cute heterochromatic girl. And the question: "How did my mother end up almost alone, without gear or potions, right on the doorstep of an elite unit led by the Elf King?" would not be the most uncomfortable of them. Very promising and intriguing. Plenty to work with.
Having outlined the main points, I... went to give out the "Standard Operating Procedures," because frankly, I had neither the energy, nor the capacity, nor the desire to carry everything myself. I only took this whole thing on instead of ignoring it and diving into magic studies because the rational undead part of me clearly stated that leaving a legion of bloodthirsty Chaotic Evil characters unsupervised would not end well. So it's best to occupy them with something relatively harmless before they find their own fun. Besides, the Life Sense, perfectly developed in a High Lich, signaled that an extremely powerful demonic entity was heading my way. Since Albedo felt somewhat different, and anyway, she was currently busy screaming her lungs out at Shalltear—which started while I was dealing with the Black Scripture (the vampire ran over to satisfy her curiosity, the demoness stood in the breach to protect my workflow, and off they went)—there could be only one conclusion. Sebas had brilliantly handled the assigned task and brought the Chief Strategist out of his binge.
"Lord Momonga, Demiurge requests an audience," Solution Epsilon informed me primly.
"Fine, let him in." The Battle Maid bowed and allowed the demon in the orange suit to enter. The guest looked the same as always. Almost. Except this time, instead of the faint, barely perceptible smile that was always on his face, that face was inscribed with iron determination. In BIG letters.
"Lord Momonga," the Archdevil dropped to one knee.
"Stand, Demiurge. What brings you to me?" But the demon was in no hurry to rise.
"I ask that you assign me a punishment for my failure!" He bowed his head.
"Failure?" I understood that this perfectionist was upset by the "death" of a couple of Death Knights and the fact that things didn't go perfectly, but a failure? Apparently, the strategist's state was much more severe than I had assumed based on Albedo's words. Or another skeleton in his closet had just rattled.
"You spent your time, provided me with every possible bit of information about the target, and I managed to lose part of the troops entrusted to me. This cannot be viewed as anything other than a failure!" Right... I see. If I could experience a migraine, I'd be clutching my head right now, but as it is, I can't even purse my lips... for lack of them. At least the stabilizer is blowing over me; thanks for that. Fine, since he considers me the focal point of reason in the universe, ignoring my direct protestations that this is... not quite correct, let's say, we'll try to act according to his own logic.
"Demiurge, what do you think is more valuable to me—the life of one of you, or even millions and millions of simpler troops?"
"..." The demon struggled to answer, because from the standpoint of combat effectiveness, a flood of "fodder" could wipe out Cocytus, Shalltear, and all the other Guardians. Sure, they'd take down two hundred thousand, maybe five hundred thousand, but eventually their strength would run out, after which it wouldn't be hard to tear those elite warriors apart. But if it were that obviously simple, the Lord wouldn't have asked the question. In short, it once again proved that too high "Intelligence" combined with low "Wisdom"—due to both his programmed personality and alignment, as well as a lack of life experience—is not a good thing.
"To me, the answer is obvious. You are my vassals, no... servants and vassals are junior commanders like the Four Great Attributes; you are much closer, you are family." It's good to be undead; you can lie to an Archdevil's face and he won't smell the ruse, although... families differ; in some, wrapping a relative in a straightjacket or a small auto-da-fé is a burning desire shared by many family members. "And the Death Knights and other lesser undead"—from the perspective of the peak where the Lich Lord sits—"are merely tools. Consumables, nothing more. They were given to you precisely to be destroyed, drawing the attention of our 'guests' and allowing them to be captured as whole and valuable as possible. You don't worry about a sword getting a few scratches in battle, or the necessity of drinking a healing potion when wounded, do you?"
"No, but..."
"It's the same here; the tools just became slightly... more complex. But no more. So you did not fail; you won a brilliant victory with minimum losses, which are completely non-critical for Nazarick. We can easily replenish them and even gain a noticeable increase in troops just by clearing out a bandit gang or a couple of crypts in the E-Rantel city cemetery."
"Thank you for such a high evaluation, My Lord! Though I am unworthy of it, I promise to be more useful to you in the future."
"You are useful enough already, but I certainly won't object to your development. Now stand." The demon obeyed. "And while we're on the subject of usefulness. Your timing is perfect; I was already intending to order you to be summoned."
"How may I serve you?"
"I want to offer you another problem to think about, Demiurge."
"I am all ears!" The demon even leaned forward slightly.
"Listen to the conditions. We have a group of the most elite warriors of the Theocracy, who have access to the Cardinals themselves. This group is already completely loyal to me, literally to their last breath. But the rulers of our religious friends are unaware of this fact and are firmly convinced that the Black Scripture's loyalty belongs to them. I want to hear your suggestions on what can be achieved with these inputs. Oh, and on the condition that the mind-control artifact must under no circumstances return 'home'."
"Hmmm..." The strategist's eyes lit up with excitement.
"I am not rushing you; think for a few days, observe these people, talk to them, ask questions, form your own opinion, consult with the other Guardians if you wish. Then come back, and we will discuss the plans you've come up with."
"Yes! I will attend to this immediately, My Lord!" The Archdevil was immensely inspired. "At the same time, I can show you the completed reports on the Theocracy's magic, their formation, and traditions."
"Is there anything interesting regarding magic?"
"No, it's all the same as in the lectures of that caster Ninya that Narberal recounted for Lady Albedo." Poor maid; my Overseer has probably terrorized her already.
"Fine, then that is all for now. Carry on."
"As you wish, Master!" The demon bowed and left the office, heading off to execute the boss's valuable commands.
"Solution, be so kind as to invite Shalltear and Aura and Mare to see me." Since I've handled the threat of the Black Scripture for my vampire, I can safely realize one idea, and it's about time to break up their catfight before they work themselves up into a state where they wreck the entire prison block. "If Albedo wishes to attend, I do not mind."
"As you command, Lord Momonga," the Pleiad bowed and left.
Well, I have about twenty minutes. It's a pity I don't know the exact location, but logically, the bandit base where Brain Unglaus, or whatever his name is, was staying is on the western road from E-Rantel, in the same area where my Guardians were looking for the Slane Theocracy's sabotage unit, so we'll figure it out. The main thing is that Shalltear manages; she shouldn't fail, nor should she snap. At least when I invited her to try and hypnotize the Scripture members I'd subjugated, she was more than rational, and even failure didn't upset her much... though I comforted her immediately myself, but let's hope for the best.
The idea with Brain, since the last time I thought about it, had taken on a much clearer shape. One way or another, I could use my own high-ranking adventurer party. Not secret saboteurs, masked agents of influence, or necromants from local cults loyal to the grave, but an official and thoroughly lawful-noble group that can and should be used publicly as Nazarick's mouthpiece and cover. I don't intend to run around personally with a tag around my neck swinging iron under the envious glares of colleagues in the Adventurer's Guild, unlike the original Momonga—studying magic is much more interesting, and I have more and more directions for thoughtful analysis. Looming ahead is digging through the Great Library, which means dropping out of life for years just to read everything, let alone comprehend it. So, thank you, but no. We take this fan of Japanese swords and miniature high vampires, clean his brain of the veneer of self-importance, give him time for rehabilitation, and then we'll turn him into a classic fighter. He's already a celebrity here; add the appropriate gear to the famous name, pick up a couple more members like a cleric and a mage, and there's my Darkness Team version 2.0.
As a bonus to this plan, there will be several dozen bandits, thieves, and killers who can be rounded up in that cave to serve for experiments and replacing "losses" in the Death Knights. And finally, though certainly not least—I'll keep Shalltear busy with something useful. Demiurge has a task, the elf twins are setting up reconnaissance, the Pleiades are working, Sebas is watching them, Albedo is controlling everything, and only Shalltear is liable to get bored and, heaven forbid, decide to run off to Carne Village to "play with the cute girls."
"You called for me, Master," the voice of the vampire girl pulled me from my thoughts, "and faithful Shalltear has hastened to your call!" the vampire proclaimed solemnly, stepping gracefully from the Gate that had opened a moment earlier.
"The Master called for us!" Not stepping a single pace behind the first guest, the second appeared. Who could doubt that Albedo would want to oversee this lovely girl when she heads into the favorite boss's office?
"F-forgive us for being late, My Lord," Mare began to bow and apologize habitually, appearing next. Aura simply smiled and limited herself to a nod.
"Excellent. Thank you for coming. Shalltear, I have one small task for you, right in your favorite profile."
"I am all attention!" The girl even began to tap her foot quietly in anticipation.
"As I've already told you, I intend to establish a 'mutually beneficial' partnership with the local inhabitants." It wasn't easy to play with intonations, but I tried to emphasize with my voice just how "mutually" beneficial this partnership would be.
"Yes, I remember that my beloved Lord has a plan to make the humans work for us and voluntarily bring us everything we require." Hmmm... Well, a very... liberal interpretation, but overall it'll do. You can't demand everything from them at once.
"I have already taken the first steps in this direction, but it is time for a new stage. In short, I want to increase the attractiveness of the lands around Nazarick."
"B-but... what do I have to do with that, Lord Momonga?" The vampire blinked her crimson eyes in confusion. "Improving nature is Mare's department."
"Yes, and that too will be done... in time. Right now, I meant a different kind of attractiveness. This is a borderland, and as is typical for a borderland, there are many shady individuals, smugglers, swindlers, and simple brigands. So I want you to clear the surrounding lands of the latter. No one with a drop of blood in their veins can escape or hide from a True Vampire. Especially if they are aided by beasts and birds, as well as the trees and grass themselves."
"Oh!" the girl brightened. "You want to send me on a hunt! Ah, what a wonderful gift for Shalltear!" The gothic lolita broke into a blissful smile. "Ye-e-es, Master, you know how to please a woman!"
"Grrr..." Albedo, already not very happy, began to literally incinerate the "pleased woman" with her gaze.
"Oops!" The vampire flinched and, clearly remembering something, fearfully covered her mouth with her hand. "Forgive me, My Lord!"
"It's fine; I understand that it's not so easy to break... such a habit. And, I think, you won't have to break it." All three ladies tensed, and a sort of predatory excitement ignited in their eyes. And while I expected something like that from two of them, Aura... hmmm... well, yeah. Although we'll return to her regarding this question later. In fifty or sixty years, when she grows up. "But back to business. I want you to pay special attention to the western direction from E-Rantel. That is where the road leading deep into the kingdom is, so the brigands should be there as well. Surely Mare and Aura have already noticed some suspicious movement while they were looking for the Black Scripture. Bandits like to set up their bases far from human habitation, but close enough to the roads to easily hide and transport plundered loot. Caves are best suited for this," I specifically focused their attention, remembering the right place from the manga. "So, Mare and Aura, be so kind as to help Shalltear with the search."
"Yes, of course, we will put in a-all our effort!" the boy dressed as a girl nodded fervently... no, I really need to change his clothes; if his appearance "gets to me" even in undead form, what will happen with a normal body?
"I've wanted to take Kevin for a walk for a long time!" the dark elf declared positively, while I internally lamented the lack of eyelids, which I really wanted to close when Momonga's memory reminded me who she was talking about. Bukubukuchagama, you crazy yaoi fan, how could you name a level ninety Ancient Golden Dragon "Kevin"? He could solo half the Pleiades by himself... but... Kevin. Fine, compared to everything else, that's not the worst thing.
"Good. But there is one more thing. First of all, do not simply destroy the brigands, though I don't mind you eating well and feeding your servants; however, I will need their bodies for experiments in creating undead, so try to keep that in mind. Secondly, there may be those among them possessing Martial Arts and magic; do not kill such individuals, but take them alive. And do not forget that the local mages and warriors are much weaker than the level you are accustomed to, so try not to kill them with a 'simple Blood Boil' this time."
"Master, I!.." I stopped the mistress of the first three floors with a hand gesture.
"I already told you that I am not angry with you for that incident; I am simply reminding you just in case. Perceive this as care, not as a sign of distrust."
"You are so magnanimous," Shalltear beamed.
"The third point is especially delicate," I paused, ensuring my words reached every listener. "The bandits may have captives. Try to be courteous with them; they may be useful to me in creating the right image of Nazarick in these lands. Remember, Shalltear, your name and face are already known to the local authorities, and I do not want you associated with something filthy and shameful, like the murder of peaceful people incapable of offering even symbolic resistance. I do not want this because such actions would tarnish me and all of Nazarick through you. Eliminating brigands, by local standards, is a noble and worthy deed for which we will be respected and revered, but killing innocents will put us on the same level as that rabble. And I have no desire to stand in the same rank as nonentities who parasitize their own kind—is that understood?" The Guardians nodded vigorously, showing every bit of their shared opinion on the undesirability of standing alongside lesser beings. "Good. Therefore, transport the liberated to Nazarick, but in such a way that they do not know where they are and do not see too much. Aura, I believe you and your brother can organize a temporary camp in the forest on your floor to house such people. They will not stay there long, but for a while, as I decide how best to use them, they must be able to live there."
"Of course, Momonga-sama!" the elf girl hopped on her heels. "We'll do everything! I've already seen the houses in Carne Village; they won't be hard to replicate! You want them to not even guess they've gone beyond the borders of their own country, right?" the girl clarified, as if justifying her own words.
"You caught my thought perfectly, well done," I nodded to the tomboy, who was puffing up with pride.
"Now, the fourth point," I said, distracting the girls from their attempts to grow envious of the little one. "Among these brigands, there may be a person of interest to me." Now, how exactly should I describe Brain? Should I give his first and last name? No, I trust that Shalltear, being a good girl, would honestly ask every single victim if they were Brain before sucking them dry. But that felt a bit much. Or should I just not bother and turn them all into meat? After all, Demiurge's boys and a couple of the Pleiades could play the role of a "personal envoy" or even join the local adventurers' club. No... bad Lich! Thoughts like "I'll kill everyone unnecessary because I'm too lazy to exert effort" are the wrong thoughts! Drive them away, even if they seem so logical and wonderful! So how do I describe the swordsman? Oh, right! "He looks about thirty to thirty-five years old, his hair may have a bluish tint," who knows how accurate that actually is, "he is armed with a katana and practices a 'flash-strike' style. If assessing his power... somewhere around level twenty-five or thirty by Yggdrasil standards."
"I will obtain him for you even if I have to tear off his arms and legs!" the sweet, kind girl solemnly promised. The one with red eyes and fangs. Right... Chaotic Evil. "One does not simply take a basic assignment and not turn it into a bloodbath with countless accidental victims, destruction, and unmotivated violence." How could I forget? The icy wind in my head swept away the approaching weary irritation, granting me the ability to think absolutely clearly once more.
"No. I want you to demonstrate the difference in power that stands between you without breaking your image as a true lady and without showing that you recognize him. You may frighten him, you may trample his pride, but physically—not a hair should fall from his head. I have far-reaching plans for him, but in his current state, he will be of little use, so a small shock won't hurt him. Theoretically, he is quite capable of handling a single one of your Vampire Brides, so you may test him that way to ensure you don't accidentally finish him off like an ordinary bandit. Just don't let him actually kill her to make sure," I hurried to nip that potential development in the bud. "For identification, it will be enough if he can wound her; there are unlikely to be many people with katanas here. That is all. Once you find the bandit camp, contact me. You may proceed."
"As you wish, My Lord!" The vampire curtsied once more and, waiting for my permitting wave of the hand, departed with the elves... after first flicking a sharp glance at the remaining Albedo.
Silence fell. The demoness continued to stand nearby, looking at me with an enamored gaze. Everything was prim and proper, but the girl's tense face and slightly twitching wings gave her away completely. The Overseer was literally bursting with questions.
"You want to ask something, Albedo. Ask."
"Ah... thank you, My Lord!" the marvel smiled. "How did you learn of this man and... actually, it doesn't matter!" She brushed off the "insignificant" detail, just as I was considering cosplaying the original Xellos with his signature "It's a secret." "You mentioned that Shalltear would not have to 'break' her manner of speech; does that mean..." She looked at me expectantly.
"Yes. I have finished the necessary calculations and am satisfied with both them and the results of my observations of Fairy Vasilissa Zeta."
"Then... then... when?!"
"I'm not sure yet. I think in a couple of days—I need to decide on the final variant, and there is still quite a lot of work to do." Though, demons don't exactly need to sleep every day, do they? Albedo, for instance, had never been caught in the act, even if she periodically visited the original Momonga's bedroom... right, I definitely shouldn't think about that. Better to remember Demiurge—he hasn't stopped working or calculating, and in these two weeks, he hasn't closed his eyes once, yet he looks as fresh and energetic as ever. Even considering the small binge!
"I am certain the Guardians would take great pleasure in handling any matters you wish to entrust to us!"
"I know, Albedo. But besides the desire, skills and experience are required. You still have much to learn and discover. Take, for example, the very recent case. Had I not explained exactly what I wanted regarding that swordsman, Shalltear would have indeed simply brought me whatever was left of him after meeting her. And that—if not a failure of the plan—would be a waste of energy on healing and memory alteration."
"Hmph, what can you expect from her canned brains," the demoness snorted.
"And yet you would have done exactly the same, wouldn't you?"
"I? Um..." she began to blush, "well... yes... forgive me, My Lord." I made a level 100 demon blush. Again. You can be proud of yourself, man; you're cool.
"It is not your fault. Merely inexperience, which is why I clarify and explain what it is I want. And I do not tire of repeating: do not hesitate to ask if something seems unclear or wrong to you."
"Uuuugh... because of our weakness, the Master cannot undergo Rebirth," now she was sad and starting to shed tears. Fine, I'll have to take radical measures.
"It is only a small delay, my dear Albedo. What are a few days or even months when we have hundreds and hundreds of centuries and millennia ahead of us?"
"My... we have... with the Master... eeee!" Hmmm, the effect is still as strong and acts unconditionally. Excellent, while she's in nirvana or thereabouts, I should strike while the iron is hot.
"Very well, since we've closed that matter, I am heading back to E-Rantel to continue my research. Watch over Nazarick in my absence."
"Ah? Eh? Y-yes, of course, beloved!" And off she went into her daydreams... oh well, I really do need to go. Activate Teleportation.
E-Rantel. A day in the life of Narberal Gamma.
The Master had gone off on his business again, leaving her in the company of lesser beings to "watch over everything." Oh, of course, as a Battle Maid of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, she would fulfill the Master's instructions with joy and in the best possible way. Furthermore, he was so kind as to grant her a personal address. Nabe... the way He pronounced it somehow made her heart beat stronger and faster. To think, even Lady Albedo and Mistress Shalltear could not boast of such a thing! And she, a mere Pleiad... Ah, if only it weren't for the necessity of enduring these... But such a high reward is not gained for nothing, and therefore she, Nabe, named personally by the Master, would steadfastly endure all the hardships and privations of staying in this place with these... humans. Though with every passing hour, it became harder and harder. Even Lord Mom... Xellos's advice to perceive these mercenaries as mere filth was gradually ceasing to work. After all, a maid's duty required her to clean up filth! And this filth, with every passing hour, "smelled" worse and worse...
More than anyone, one of the mercenaries irritated the girl. The ranger Lukrut Volve. He was so insufferable that she had even memorized his name! And she tried to stay as far away as possible, because otherwise, she risked failing the Master's instructions and killing this misunderstanding, which was completely unacceptable! Even now, he was approaching the table where she sat studying the local written language—to be incapable of what even the weakest of lesser beings could do was humiliating! Besides, the faster she mastered this task, the sooner the Master would discard the services of the beggar woman he had hired out of pity. Though, the Pleiad was forced to admit, compared to the male mercenaries, that coarse woman seemed almost like a worthy being.
"Good morning, Mistress Nabe!" the blond man smiled cheerfully. "You'll allow me to call you that, won't you?"
"Only Lord Xellos may do so!" the maid snapped, mentally cursing the necessity to "watch over everything" in the Master's absence. "Call me that once more, and I shall end your existence in the most painful way possible," the Pleiad warned him honestly. She would have gladly refused any form of communication with this pathetic insect, but she could not. Leaving these lesser beings unsupervised meant showing disrespect to the Master's will. Besides, they were lesser beings! If left to their own devices, they would surely commit some loathsomely shameful mischief before the Master's return, and she could not afford to take such a risk!
"Give it up, pal, you don't stand a chance!" the leader of the party snorted at the scene. The maid nodded; of course, even their entire party couldn't leave a scratch on her.
"Thank you for the stern rejection!" the adventurer proclaimed to the whole room, listening to no one. "I am in love! It is love at first sight! Allow me to be your faithful admirer!"
"Worm, I will gouge your eyes out with a spoon!" the Pleiad closed her eyes on the last drops of self-control.
"You are so cruel, Mistress Narberal," the archer slumped with feigned dejection. "Am I already too late, and you are Lord Xellos's beloved?"
"What?!" The doppelganger even jumped from her seat, her heart racing at the blasphemy of the idea. "How could I? Lord Xellos has Overseer Albedo and Mistress Shalltear; it is not for me to compete with them in beauty and charm!"
"Forgive him, Mistress Narberal, he's constantly talking nonsense," Peter Moke gave his subordinate a preventative smack on the back of the head, though the Battle Maid didn't bother to memorize his name anyway.
"Hey, I just wanted to know if I had a chance and if Mistress Narberal's heart was free!" the ranger protested.
"Once again, please forgive our friend," the party leader bowed his head, delivering another smack to the archer and forcing the culprit to bow as well.
"Let him stay away from me," the girl grimaced, vexed by her outburst as she returned to her seat. "How is this phrase read?" She returned to her language studies.
"That's a description of the area," explained the red-haired adventurer sitting opposite her, noting out of the corner of her eye how one guy from the Swords of Darkness team was dragging the other away. "It reads: 'Formerly green and blooming, the Katze Plains are now a scorched and barren land, harboring legions of undead, the new masters of those places. Such is the legacy of the Greed Kings.'"
"Legions of undead?" the Pleiad grew interested.
"Well," her companion shrugged, "maybe it was like that before, but now there aren't that many deaders there, though there's enough. Some adventurers and mercenaries constantly make a living hunting them, but that's mostly in the Baharuth Empire. The Kingdom pays much better for forest monsters, and they consider the undead on the Katze Plains to be extra protection against Imperial attacks."
"I see," the Pleiad nodded, deciding she should inform the Master, as this information might interest him. "And this?"
The training continued. The doppelganger, who could instinctively compose and operate magic up to the eighth tier inclusive, handled the mastery of simple writing perfectly. By lunch on the third day, she could quite easily read simple sentences, only asking Brita about complex-subordinate constructions. And the process became unexpectedly engrossing. Descriptions of distant places or ancient events were far more attractive than the attempts of local male lesser beings to catch her attention, even if they were written by other male lesser beings. Perhaps she was drawn to the style, perhaps to the fact that all the lesser being authors were long dead and would cause no more trouble or worry. Whatever it was, she only looked up from the book at dusk. She even thought for two minutes about those novels the bookseller had mentioned. Perhaps it made sense to acquire those as well? That way, she could better study the culture and daily life of the local inhabitants. She should ask the Master when he had time to talk to her. Yes, that is what she would do. She was torn from her reflections by some loathsome sounds.
"What is that?!"
"Um... it seems Lukrut got a guitar and is trying to sing a serenade... to you," Ninya explained, blushing deeply and pulling his head into his shoulders while sitting at the next table clutching his dinner and another book. The young lad was diligently reviewing his old notes, preparing for new lectures and questions from the Master. Nabe nodded approvingly, but a new wave of vile noise quickly brought her mood back down to its previous low.
"...oh, your cold gla-a-ance burns in my sou-ou-oul!.." the brainless slug wailed, horribly out of tune, making the maid feel as though her bones were being sawed on every high note.
"Grrr," electrical discharges skipped across her fingers. On the remnants of her self-possession, the Battle Maid applied her new knowledge and shaped a Spark spell to maximize the duration of the pain without damaging the victim's body too severely, then stood up from the table and went out to the "singer."
"Ah, Mistress Narberal! You... What is that in your hands? Aaaaaaah!.." Watching the hapless adventurer run away clutching his rear to the snickers of his friends, Gamma smiled—the Master was right again, as expected. The ability to fine-tune a spell and teach the annoying piece of filth a lesson without causing a rift with the other pieces of filth the Master needed for some reason was unexpectedly pleasant.
---
My return to the Inn of Pantel was met without pomp or any fanfare at all, though Nabe seemed very pleased about something. Her dry report on her reading progress didn't seem to be the reason for her joy, nor did the information she had gathered on the Katze Plains. However, after confirming that everyone was alive and no one had lost any extra organs or limbs, I relaxed and didn't dig deeper, preferring to spend time clarifying information on that very plain.
The place, according to my consultants, turned out to be quite curious. Located to the southeast of E-Rantel, it was a sort of frontier—no man's land between two states: the Re-Estize Kingdom and the Baharuth Empire. The plain itself, due to the abundance of undead, was unsuitable for agriculture or settlement in general, but the neighbors constantly bickered over it. The Empire had built a chain of forts there and a large fortress on the forward front capable of briefly housing up to fifty thousand men, and, using these bases as a foundation, was slowly expanding into the region. They even had a special budget item to fund government contracts for clearing undead from captured areas of the plain, and the pay was good enough that even Re-Estize adventurers would occasionally travel there to earn money. The Kingdom acted similarly, but its main anchor was E-Rantel, while its forts and outposts served more of a monitoring and border function, with the main focus being on preventing wild undead from entering settled areas rather than countering the Empire.
But that was just geopolitics; something else about the plains was far more interesting. For example, undead detection spells completely failed to work there, which made the work of local hunters very difficult. Or rather, the spells worked, but they constantly signaled a nearby threat even when there was nothing but fog for kilometers around. This fog, incidentally, allegedly swirled over the plain year-round regardless of the weather, disappearing only when the armies of the Re-Estize Kingdom and the Baharuth Empire gathered there for their regular border battle, known locally as the annual war. Besides that, there were a lot of persistent rumors about flying ghost ships, terrible liches weaving plots, and other mysticism of varying degrees of horror.
But regardless, the place was interesting. It was even surprising that the manga hadn't mentioned a word about it, even though it was all nearby and Nazarick should have paid attention to such an anomaly. Then again, what do I know about the real state of affairs? Maybe it's all tall tales, or maybe in the later chapters that hadn't come out in my time, this plain was meant to be the centerpiece of a new arc. In any case, I'll form my own opinion when I have the time.
By the time I had extracted all available information from my adventurers, night had finally come into its own, and I had to break. But not for long. The motivated girls of the Nazarick Guardians (and Mare, one must not forget Mare!) had just reached an unremarkable little cave and sent me a Message.
"Master, forgive me for disturbing you from your business, but we have found a possible brigand camp. As you said, they have settled in a cave not far from the main road," Shalltear informed me with a delicate breath.
"Expected. How many of them are there?"
"About three or four dozen. I cannot be more precise—they are grouped quite tightly together," came the reply.
"Good. Clear everything out, but remember the potential prisoners and your primary objective."
"I will not fail you, my dear Lord!" the girl purred. I pulled out the Mirror of Remote Viewing, reinforced its power with a special spell so I could observe through the thickness of the rock, and... added another for sound. It wasn't very reliable and was quite specific, but when there are three loyal level 100 units in the zone along with their retinue, and the enemy has essentially no magic resistance, no problems arise. So, all that was left for me was to lounge in my chair and enjoy the "movie"... Sigh, a pity I don't have any popcorn... or the ability to eat it. Meanwhile, events continued to unfold.
"Are you sure there are no other exits here, Mare?"
"N-no," the unfortunate druid clutched his staff, "I-I mean, y-yes! There are no other such caves!"
"Then there is no more need for hiding, and I am simply not suited for such things anyway." The mistress of the first three floors leaned toward a nearby boulder (about half a meter in diameter) and tore it from the ground with one hand. "No-o-ow..." she aimed. "Go!" The rock flew toward the sentries on duty outside the cave with the speed of a high-grade projectile, where it literally splashed the chosen man's body into bloody spray, followed immediately by the thunder of the impact against the cliff. "Strike!" The vampire triumphantly squeezed her fist, sincerely delighted by the successful throw.
"Beautifully executed, Lady Shalltear," the Vampire Brides clapped their hands in impression. And they weren't acting; they were genuinely struck by the wit of their mistress's approach. Hmmm... I hadn't really thought about it before, but this reaction reminds me of something... Are you telling me that my Guardians' subordinates treat them the same way they treat me? As in, all these raptures out of nowhere and the perception of any act as a divine revelation—it's not a unique quirk of the Guardians and Pleiades, but the accepted norm of communication throughout the entire structure of Nazarick life?
"Th... The enemy is attacking!" While I was lost in thought, the second sentry managed to snap out of it and scream, though in the next instant, his head was scattered across the area in a bloody mush.
"Strike two!" The satisfied vampire froze in a theatrical pose, emphasizing the elegance of her throwing stance.
"Shalltear, what if that was the one the Master needs?" Aura asked, tilting her head to the side.
"Don't be a fool," Bloodfallen snorted. "That one is supposed to have a katana, not a spear."
"Who are you calling a fool, you bloodsucker?" The insulted child immediately went on the attack.
"Hmph." Fashionably inspecting the perfectly smooth nails on her left hand, the vampire snorted. "Is that the best you could come up with? Though what else should I expect from you?" The aforementioned "bloodsucker" turned up her nose. "Try growing up a little first! Maybe then you'll actually have something in that head of yours!"
"Oh, I'll grow up," Aura hissed ominously, "and I'll add... in all the right places. But you're going to stay a washboard for the rest of eternity!"
"Argh!" Dark elves certainly know how to hit where it hurts. But honestly, yes, I should probably hint to my dear vampire that Blood Magic, combined with her transformation abilities, should offer her a wide scope for imagination. And despite the "cuteness" of the gothic lolita, I wouldn't mind admiring her other incarnations, especially once I obtain a proper living body. "YOU!!!" The enraged lolita turned to her Brides. "Go forth and seize anyone who tries to escape! Report back if you encounter someone strong!"
The beautiful girls with elven ears and black-and-crimson eyes wordlessly sprinted toward the cave. Before I could even think about what was coming next, one of them fell into a camouflaged pit trap with a sickening crunch.
"Seriously?" The vampire's incredulous question, as she slumped her shoulders at the sight, matched my own chuckle with eerie synchronicity. "Get out of there before I finish you off myself!"
"I beg your par..." the pale-skinned beauty began (who, by the way, was leaning quite aesthetically against the edge of the pit with her impressive bust), but she was interrupted.
"I would very much like it," Shalltear growled in a low tone, as if reading my thoughts—or rather, arriving at the same conclusions (that bastard Peroroncino, as if to spite his own favorite creation, made all of Nazarick's Vampire Brides stunning beauties with assets ranging from a C to an E cup. Moreover, it was all covered by a clingy little dress with a very deep neckline and open sides, allowing one to fully appreciate the shape and naturalness of the "exterior"), "if you didn't disappoint me again."
"Right, Kevin," Aura turned away from the scene, "if a guy with a katana runs out of here, don't touch him. As for the rest—lay them out." After a moment's thought, the elf continued, "Just be gentle."
"Fffh!" The black mound about two hundred meters from the action exhaled small tongues of flame from its nostrils in confirmation, providing enough light to distinguish its form before it quickly scurried toward the group.
"I-I'll heal them if anything happens, Sister!" Mare assured the lady.
"I'm afraid there won't be much left to heal after those two..." the elf sighed, watching the Bride who had climbed out and was now fleeing at full tilt, "and certainly not after Kevin."
"Grrr." The dragon, having reached the clearing, made an insulted face.
"Enough!" Raising her voice, Shalltear drew the twins' attention. "Stop this idle chatter! Let us go, or the Master will be displeased with us."
"Eeeeh!" Tossing her hands behind her head, Aura stomped after her friend.
And so the girls went off to deliver shock and awe to the poor brigands. From then on, I simply watched a decent slasher flick, except instead of a maniac with a chainsaw, there were cute maniacs with a much more diverse and impressive arsenal. No, they honestly knocked out and dragged over a couple of men who managed to show off something resembling special moves to be watched by Mare and the dragon, but the rest were treated as snacks and future material for the undead. I should note that Shalltear's irritation vanished by the second person she encountered, and her face began to radiate complete contentment with life. Hmmm... perhaps the fact that I don't react to them playing cricket with severed heads (it didn't quite qualify as bowling) is a bad sign, but... the only thing I felt was a slight sense of pleasure that the girls had found some toys. And when I say "girls," I mean that Aura enjoyed the game too; pushing aside the Vampire Brides, they spent about five minutes entertaining themselves by competing in throwing speed and accuracy. Granted, the "pins" caught on to the trick quickly and bolted deep into the cave.
But then, a slightly unshaven subject in a light leather jacket with a katana at his waist stepped out to meet the "merry girls."
"Oh!" the ladies said in unison.
"You lot seem to be having a good time here," the guest remarked, assessing the Nazarick team's cricket performance.
"Ye-e-es! It's fun," the blood-splattered elf smiled happily. The man flinched.
"I find myself forced to disagree," Shalltear turned up her nose in dissatisfaction. She had lost the last two rounds because she was meticulously ensuring nothing stained her dress, which involuntarily gave Aura a head start. The elf, being no fool, caught onto this quickly and began to take active advantage of it, which was why she was so filthy, even though she had also watched her cleanliness at first. The vampire's revenge was a pointed ignore of her friend's bloodstains, though she carefully gathered the rest of the blood around her using magic into a "Blood Pool" sphere hovering in the air above her. "Everyone here is far too weak," the lolita continued her thought. "I am merely taking a stroll, boredly filling my Blood Pool."
"I've never seen magic like that..." the man stated, assessing the crimson sphere. "So, you're a caster?"
"In a manner of speaking," Shalltear deigned to answer. "My magic is based on faith."
"Well, it doesn't matter much," the swordsman reached for his blade. "Be that as it may, your fun ends here."
"Are you certain you wish to fight alone?" The mistress of the first floors didn't quite believe it. "Do you think you can manage? Perhaps you should at least call your friends?" My gods... she's actually showing concern. That solicitous, worried little face with those touchingly wide eyes...
A sharp gust of that nasty wind in my skull snatched away the whole flavor of the moment... I hate it.
"I don't think my boys would accomplish anything here. I'll manage alone." The bandit's voice was quite confident, even cocky.
"Hmm..." Shalltear exchanged puzzled glances with Aura. They looked hilarious, but as soon as I thought about it, I was cooled down again. Finally, the elf gave a frustrated sigh and spread her hands. "Very well then," the vampire nodded. "Marishka, go." One of the Brides appeared from behind the Guardians' backs and, baring her mouth in a snarl, lunged at the human. I noted to myself that my instructions were being followed diligently.
"Ha!" A lunge, and the pale-skinned girl's throat was "decorated" with a deep gash; if she hadn't managed to recoil at the last second, she might well have lost her head. Her mistress smiled contentedly. "Hmf, barely grazed her..." But the result clearly pleased the man. However, Marishka baring her fangs and healing the wound right before his eyes dampened his mood.
"Hssss!" She hissed like a disgruntled cat.
"So you're a vampire?" Continuing to smirk cockily, the man frowned slightly. "I remember the traits of your kind: regeneration, hypnotic gaze, life energy absorption, and turning humans into lesser vampires. And also, I believe you're immune to cold-attribute attacks. Perhaps there's something else, but it doesn't matter..."
While the man spoke, whether gathering his thoughts and strategy or stalling for an attack, the Bride attacked herself, using that very same hypnotic gaze. For a second it worked, dazing the opponent, but in the next, he exhaled and looked back at the vampire with completely sober eyes.
"So that's what your hypnosis is like... But my will is not so weak as to be affected by it." This small victory visibly boosted his self-confidence.
"Well now..." The cold, inspired voice of Bloodfallen, who was now wearing a broad, anticipatory smile, stopped the Bride who was already about to launch a new attack. "Switch!" The pale beauty shriveled at the command and even lowered her ears, stepping back behind the Guardians' backs in a dejected and guilty manner.
"Forgive me, Mistress..." the junior vampire murmured very, very softly. It's exactly like me with the Guardians and the Pleiades! It was perfectly clear that Shalltear hadn't even thought of scolding her, unlike the scene outside the cave, but the girl had managed to invent her own guilt for "failing expectations" just fine on her own.
"Oh, hush," the lolita waved her hand without looking back, already burning with enthusiasm. "The Master once again turned out to be more than accurate in his predictions!" Wait, there's no need to blow our cover.
"Mistress?" Now the man became very serious. "Are you a Vampire Lord?!"
"Is that what you humans call it?" Bloodfallen touched her finger to her lower lip in surprise. "Forgive me, I understand these human titles, but they don't work for us. There are lesser, elder, higher... I am a True Vampire!" the girl declared proudly with a wide smile. "If translating to your titles..." She pondered. "I suppose it would be something like a Queen," she stated somewhat uncertainly. "But definitely not a Lord." A serious nod. "A 'Lord' is much smaller than a 'Queen,' after all."
"Brain Unglaus..." After waiting for the girl to stop talking, the man introduced himself, gripping his katana tightly.
"..." Shalltear remained silent, carelessly blinking her eyes. Aura glanced at her briefly but chose not to interfere.
"And what is your name?" The swordsman was the first to break the silence, clearly feeling the discomfort of the situation.
"Oh?" The vampire blinked in shock. "So you were interested in my name? Hmm..." Her lips curled into a thoughtful pout. "Cocytus would undoubtedly introduce himself, but I don't find humans worthy of it..." This little brat shamelessly shared her doubts aloud. "Shalltear Bloodfallen," she introduced herself immediately despite her previous statement and, smiling happily, gave a curtsy. "I hope you entertain me well."
"And I'm Aura Bella Fiora!" Nazarick's chief ranger gave a friendly wave. "But you two carry on! Only, Mister, please don't die too quickly!"
"A dark elf and a Vampire Queen..." The swordsman's stance shifted, taking on a sort of perfected form. "What is even going on here?"
"Well..." Shalltear pondered again, "there's no great secret to it... We're just strolling around the area collecting material for Father!" And the vampire smiled happily again. "Common people can't be used, but bandits make a good source of material! You're all going to be hanged anyway, so this way—it's for the good of the cause and science!" Someone has been spending too much time talking to Demiurge... I'd just like to know when.
"Hey, you're talking too much!" Aura pouted.
"Well, I have to give Mr. Unglaus time to prepare!" With childlike innocence and a matching expression, the miniature lady began her excuses. "So, are you finished with your preparations?" This was addressed to the human.
He didn't answer, entirely focused on the blade in his hands, judging by the tension of his pose.
"Good!" A sweet smile returned to Shalltear's face. "Then it's time to trample you."
The girl began to slowly approach Brain, maintaining perfect posture like a true lady and holding the edges of her skirt with her fingertips. A step, another, a third...
The strike was fast... for a human.
*Clink.* Dainty fingers closed around the blade, stopping the lethal strike to the neck without the slightest effort. Furthermore, her hand wasn't in front of the edge; she had snatched the sword from the back side. In fact, I saw clearly that Shalltear had raised her hand and gripped the blade only when it was a couple of centimeters from her throat.
"I-Impossible..." the warrior stammered, unable to believe his eyes.
"That wasn't your best attack, was it?" the cute little girl inquired with naive blinking and a faint note of hope in her voice, after which she shifted her gaze to the weapon. "Hmm... Cocytus has many swords like this... but when there is such a difference in skill between owners, I see no reason to worry. If this is all you can do, then my only concern is boredom."
"You... you're a monster!"
"So you finally realized?" Bloodfallen rejoiced. "I am a cruel, ruthless, inhuman... and very beautiful monster!" The red-eyed darling practically bloomed with self-satisfaction.
"Don't flatter yourself, Fake Boobs!" Aura contributed her part to the conversation.
"Why you!.." Completely forgetting her opponent, the lolita flared up. "How dare you say such a thing while I'm working?!! You... you dress like a boy yourself!"
"Hey, this is a hunting suit! It's a cla-a-assic!" Puffing up importantly, the elf thrust out her chest. "Besides, boys like girls in men's clothes! Master Bukubukuchagama told me so herself!"
As soon as the girls were distracted, Brain tried to attack again, aiming for Shalltear's legs, but one careless gesture from the vampire and his weapon fell to the floor, knocked from hands numbed by the impact.
"Um..." Remembering why she was here, the lolita turned back to the man. "Are you going to use any Martial Arts or magic yet?" she asked with some concern, looking Brain over with feigned anxiety. "Not that I'm in a huge rush, but I'd like to take a bath and fix my manicure." Bloodfallen worriedly inspected the nail on her right pinky. "Or... you don't mean to say that's it? Oh!" She covered her mouth. I almost believed she was sincere. "I'd like to apologize, as I can only measure strength in meters, so I don't see the difference between one millimeter and three. I'm truly sorry, but if you're as pathetic and weak as the rest..."
That was the final straw.
"Aaaaaah!!!" Picking up his katana, Unglaus lunged forward. A dozen fast, strong, but disorganized strikes, and...
"No... you're not even fit to do my manicure," the girl inspected the perfectly orderly nail on that same pinky, which she had used to parry all the attacks. "Your sword is a bit dull... Hey, are you tired already?" She turned her attention to the man who was gasping for air.
"I... hah... I worked so hard... I did so much to reach this strength... My mastery..."
"Um..." The human's words genuinely puzzled the red-eyed little monster. "Aura, do you understand what he's on about?"
"Nope." The tomboy put her hands behind her head and stretched. Brain raised a hunted and bewildered gaze to the girls.
"I'm not sure what you mean," the vampire admitted, touchingly touching her finger to her lower lip and looking up at the cave ceiling, "but if we're talking about strength and achieving it..." Her crimson eyes found the man's face again. "We were born with this strength. We didn't need to put in any effort to obtain it. Yes, indeed, it is all thanks to Father!" And that sycophant broke into a lewdly-dreamy smile with a blush on her cheeks.
"Aaaaaah!" Driven to the final stage of despair, Brain turned and fled deep into the cave. The objective was complete.
"He's a bit high-strung," Aura delivered her verdict.
"Honestly, all the lesser beings in this place are flimsy and strange," the vampire shrugged. "Let's finish clearing the cave and go home—I wasn't joking about that hot bath. Ah, if only the Master would agree to scrub my back!"
"Dream on," Aura snorted, heading forward.
"As if you haven't thought about it yourself," the mistress of Nazarick's first three floors regally countered the jab.
"I'll pretend I didn't hear that," Aura accelerated her pace, proudly closing her eyes. "A true lady should be refined and delicate, not just blather on about vulgar indecencies like some people." A telling, triumphant glance followed in Bloodfallen's direction.
"Why, you little brat! I am ten times more refined and delicate than you!"
"Yes, yes, of course..." the dark elf "agreed," practically oozing irony.
"Grrr!.."
"Well then," I commented on what I'd seen and decided to shift the mirror's focus to the fleeing man. I found Brain quickly and began watching him dash through the corridors, bypassing traps and people who hesitated at his appearance. His path ended at a warehouse where, after tossing aside a few boxes, he squeezed into a narrow secret passage. Excellent. Canon preserved.
Extinguishing the mirror at that point, I experienced a very strange set of feelings. I realized I had just witnessed an act of mini-genocide, but nothing inside me flinched; instead, it was pleasant to watch my wards frolicking, though there was a small spark of dissatisfaction with their carelessness. My conscience, morality, and compassion have apparently died a happy death. Though... what morality and compassion can one have for bandits who don't even shy away from human trafficking? Serves them right. I hope the girls still capture someone else alive; those memory adjustment experiments might require a lot of the freshest material.