"It's Archon, I've told you not to call me that. By right you should address me as your excellency…"
As Archon opened his eyes he flinched as Zesshi's face was now only inches from his. In just that small interval that he had closed his eyes she had soundlessly approached him like an assassin would, well it was only expected of her.
I've told you not too look down on me too much little Ar-chan, now let's go to the meeting room, the others are waiting.
Archon chose not to try reason with her any further and instead continued to make his way further into the sanctum towards the meeting room of the black scripture.
It was a dim room with artificial light that insufficiently illuminated this place. If one would be generous one could say it compared to Nazarick's conference room where the 41 supreme beings used to gather. The main difference was that this room was far smaller and much less luxurious. Besides that it did compare due to the large round table in the center with 21 chairs placed around it. Yet this room seemed empty and devoid of joy as were the people that were sat down in it.
Only half huh? Well at least most of them are manageable.
Archon looked at the seven chairs that had been filled.
In one of them sat a youth with long hair, from his appearance you couldn't tell for certain whether he was a man or woman. The Archbishop knew him well however, this was the captain of the Black Scripture and one of the three god-kin, Sylvan Grad Bastion. A mighty talent holder and even at his young age unmatched by any of the lower seats and the almost the only one amongst the members of his unit that Archon could have a conversation with.
"Good to see you're here Sylvan-kun, I hope life at home is going well."
Sylvan didn't respond, he had recently gotten married and thus his life at home had changed quite dramatically. The woman he was paired up with wasn't particularly pretty but did come from a family which had produced a god-kin before so her pedigree was good. Her personality was quite a different matter as she was only sixteen and still quite wild and immature.
"Oi, Archon, don't just ignore the rest of the group like that! At least exchange former greetings will ya, even if you don't like us."
The voice that lectured Archon came from a man sitting in the far end of the room. He was a large muscular man with dark skin and with white hair which seemingly tended to grow in every direction as did the hair of his beard. This was the tenth seat of the unit and the one with the epithet 'The One Man Army' and also one of the wild ones of the Scripture.
"ah forgive me Bahmeth-san, I just felt that greeting the captain first was the right thing to do, Ahem… well then everyone thank you for coming let us begin the meeting shall we?"
"Haaah? Not everyone's here yet, why start already?!"
Bahmeth voiced his complaints with an awfully loud voice as always, which reverberated through the room.
Bahmeth-san, I'm afraid that your my time as well as yours has become rather valuable these days. The others will just have to make due with a report, don't worry Efris will minute this conversation so it's alright. Now can we begin the meeting?
After the question was met with an eerie silence, Archon along with the priest each proceeded to sit down in one of the chairs as well as Zesshi who quietly got into one of the chairs herself with a silent grin on her face.
"Ahem… well then let us begin with the monthly meeting. First order of business is to give you an update on the investigation into Ainz Ooal Gown. As our spies in E-Rantel show there is still no change in social situation or stability, the inhabitants if still petrified seem to start getting used to the rule of this sorcerer."
"Archon, don't bother with pointless updates that stay the same! Instead give us a new piece of information or a mission will ya!"
"I understand that continuing to listen to the same report is boring Bahmeth-san but please bear with me here it's very important that this unit has an understanding of what sort of foe we face."
Archon showed a wry smile as he attempted to calm down the barbarian on the other side of the table.
"As I was saying, since a revolt that would draw out the sorcerer seems unlikely to occur we will have to set up an opportunity to engage him ourselves. That's what the Windflower Scripture is busy with right now."
"Ah forgive me for interrupting you, Archon-san. But shouldn't they still be searching for Clementine?"
The one who addressed the bishop was a lean but well-built young man sitting next to Sylvan. His name was Quaiesse Hazeia Quintia also known as the 'One man Army' and the fifth seat and… Clementine's older brother.
Elfris rapidly responded to the question he knew that Quaiesse would ask.
"Ah sorry Quaisesse-san, you just got back from your mission so you don't know. The matter of Clementine has been officially closed due to strong evidence that she was killed."
The words spoken by Archon visibly made Quaisesse's eyes widen in surprise. But not because he was sad she was dead but because someone being capable of killing her besides a member of the Black scripture was unthinkable.
"How did she die?"
The question carried no emotion, but the man asking it was visibly anxious to hear the answer.
After confirming that he was allowed to speak from Archon, Elfris began his explanation.
"As far as the Windflower scripture was able to tell, the traitor known as Clementine left the Slane theocracy with the weapons she carried around with her as her non-mission equipment and the sacred treasure of the earth-miko. We have confirmed that she threw herself into the shady group known as Zuranon to avoid the Windflower Scripture tracking her down. We have strong suspicions that she then went to E-Rantel to meet up with another member of Zuranon to help him with his ritual. Before it was completed however, she was stopped and killed along with her partner. We have confirmation that one of the bodies there matches her description, even though it was damaged heavily by her killer."
"Who killed her?"
"About that, uhm… a two man adventurer team led by the now famous adamantite-adventurer {dark hero} Momon."
No one wanted to believe it. Everyone in the room excluding Zesshi had a look of disbelief on their face. To fight Clementine was one thing, even though that alone was a risky venture that would prove fatal for some of them. But to do so while having to deal with an unknown enemy from Zuranon was a very disadvantageous battle.
"Most likely…" the one who spoke and then paused was the captain himself. "… most likely this Momon used another powerful item to beat her."
That was the only explanation that the other members could accept. After hearing that the mysterious vampire that they had encountered whilst on a mission to prevent the resurrection of a dragon lord they had been destroyed with a powerful magic crystal, they had fervently refused to believe the report.
Fighting Clementine head-on without such a weapon would also be impossible, but to use a magic weapon against her who only had her stilettos was a different matter.
"Ahem, we seemed to have gone off topic, as I was saying the most important matter now is to find an opportunity to use [downfall of castle and country] the other archbishops and I have long debated this matter and we came to the conclusion that that was the safest bet in order to take down this enemy. By mind controlling him we can manipulate his entire force and systematically start wiping them out."
This statement caused and deadly silence to form in the room. Every member of the group wanted to say the same thing but no one really wanted to be the first to say it.
"Archon-san, how can you and the other higher-ups still come to that conclusion even after all that has happened?"