Everyone around it was filled with an acute sense of alarm. Nimble himself was starting to hyperventilate, and sweat broke out on his back and palms. The beast was that terrifying.
Amidst the storm of panicked breaths, the carriage’s door opened.
A dark elf girl alighted.
All thinking ground to a halt.
Nobody could speak. Their eyes were drawn irresistibly to her.
The girl holding her twisted black staff was adorable. When she grew up, she would surely break many hearts. Her beauty would be such that men would do anything for her. Even her demure expression was like a flower blossoming under the moonlight.
However, the things on her hands were utterly incongruous with the image she projected.
They were gauntlets.
The left gauntlet was an evil-looking thing that resembled the hand of a demon. It seemed to be made out of some sort of black metal, which was covered in twisted thorns. Its fingertips were sharpened into points, and the dirty radiance surrounding it resembled some sort of strange secretion. Just a single look filled all who saw it with a terror stemming from the depths of their souls.
In contrast, the right gauntlet looked like the pure, immaculate hand of a maiden. It was white in color and its slender proportions were covered in elaborate gold embroidery, which further emphasized its exquisite beauty. It drew the eye like bees to honey, and just like seeing a world-class beauty, the onlookers felt like they might lose their souls to it.
“A-Ah, Ainz-sama. I think we’ve arrived.”
“Have we now. Thank you, Mare.”
With that, another figure revealed itself.
In that moment, the air suddenly turned heavy and somber.
The bodies of every man present were covered in goosebumps. This was not hostility, but a feeling that was harder to describe.
Ainz Ooal Gown was dressed in the trappings that one would associate with an arcane magic caster.
To begin with, he wore a jet-black robe, and on top of that, another black cloak, which was doubly curious. He held a staff, which was not as lavishly decorated as one might expect it to be. Around his neck was a silver necklace set with a gemstone. And on his face was a strange mask.
“We bid you and your entourage welcome, your Majesty, Sorcerer-King Ainz Ooal Gown.”
Nimble lowered his head. However, he didn’t hear anyone else following suit.
Despite knowing it was very rude, he had to turn behind to look.
The general and knights behind him were frozen in place. They had been utterly overwhelmed by the Sorcerer-King’s presence and could not move.
That much he could understand. However, if this went on, it wouldn’t turn out well.
In the end, it was the general who delivered the solution to Nimble’s predicament.
“Legion!”
The roar belonged to Kabein. It was a crisp, bracing command that didn’t seem to suit a noble like himself, but which fitted his rank as a general perfectly.
“A salute! To his Majesty, the Sorceror King!”
“Sir!”
The knights chorused their reply, and as one, they presented their arms to Ainz.
“I thank you for your welcome, you knights who are the pride of the Empire.”
It was a thoroughly mundane response, which made it that much more frightening. It felt like something monstrous was trying its best to act like a human being. Having heard of the face underneath the mask, Nimble experienced that sensation even more acutely than the others.
“Please raise your heads.”
The first time he said it, nobody responded.
“Can you not raise your heads?”
After the second time, they complied. After all, waiting until the third time was an honor only granted to one’s own ruler.
“Your Majesty, please forgive those who did not immediately raise their heads.”
A quick glance across the knights revealed that their lips were white and their faces were pale.
“They were so excited to see your Majesty that they forgot themselves.”
“No, I should be the one to apologize. I was excited because we would be heading to the battlefield.
I hope you understand that I hold none of you at fault.”
Ainz cast off the black cape on his shoulders. The jet-black fabric flapped like a raven’s wings as it spread open. In that moment, the cold, oppressive air that surrounded him vanished like it had never been.
All that was left was an ordinary human being, with the presence of an ordinary human being.
It was frightening.
That was the emotion Nimble felt most keenly now.
He had heard of Ainz' monstrous nature from his comrades. Even so, the man standing in front of him seemed too ordinary, which only deepened his fear. He felt like a large predator was slowly drawing close to him.
The knights, who knew nothing, were probably beginning to sense the oddity of the situation. The air filled with a growing disquiet. Kabein seemed to understand. He didn’t use his mind, but his heart and soul. Through them he knew what sort of attitude he should hold toward the person in front of him.
“Please allow me, Nimble Ark dale Anock, to lead you to our field camp.”
“Is that so. Well, although I feel I have given you trouble, I am in your care.”
“Understood. Then, this is the commander-in-chief of this expedition, General Kabein.”
“I am Kabein, your Majesty. If you are inconvenienced by anything in this garrison, please inform me and we will immediately rectify it. Please, take your pick of the knights here to be your attendants…”
“There is no need for that. I have a subordinate here.”
He gestured to the dark elf girl.
“And I will provide for myself in case of any insufficiency.”
Kabein froze.
His true intention had been to assign minders to Ainz in order to keep him from doing anything strange in the base.
Yet, the answer had been a flat denial, an answer only the powerful could give.
However, given Kabein’s circumstances, he could not allow this sort of thing to happen. At this rate, they would never come to a consensus.
Although Nimble obviously supported Kabein, he could not leave this matter be.
“Is that so… your Majesty, please feel free to inform us if you require anything at all. General Kabein, I hope you will allow me to handle things from here.”
“―Understood.”
“Ah… there’s something I forgot to mention.”
“What’s the matter, your Majesty?”
“I believe that I am to open this battle with a spell. In that moment, I would like to have my troops participate in the battle as well. I hope you will permit this.”
“We could ask for nothing more.”
Since it had already been discussed, Kabein promptly acquiesced.