He wanted to get his hooks into Mare, that panicky little girl, and strip her bare before him. Then they would use the dirty little secrets they could dig out of her for their own aims.
To begin with, we would get her attention with promises of emancipating her enslaved kin. In exchange, she would do some simple favours for us behind Gown’s back. After that, we could use those incidents as blackmail material to have her do more things for us. At least, that was the plan…
Just as Jircniv was mulling over his schemes for Mare, Yuri responded to him.
“Your Imperial Majesty is most kind to say so. However, our master Ainz Ooal Gown has explicitly ordered us not to show any rudeness or disrespect to the Emperor, and as such, I regret that we cannot accede to your generous request.”
“Is that so? Well, that’s a shame.”
Jircniv shrugged in an exaggerated manner, like he was putting on a comedy act.
“Still, please feel free to address me as intimately as you see fit. How about Gown-dono?”
“Understood. Our master is still making his preparations, and he will need a bit more time. I pray you will be patient and wait for him.”
“I see. Then, where shall we wait? Inside that cabin?”
“No. We hope you will wait here.”
Jircniv raised his head to the sky. Although it did not look like it would rain soon, it was hard to call the weather good with those dark clouds in the sky. In addition, there must be a chill in the air since it was winter, although Jircniv could not feel it through his enchanted clothes.
What is he thinking, telling us to wait here? Could it be that he wants us to know our place?
Since he had been ordered to come to the offended party’s home to apologize, Jircniv’s
circumstances were already quite bad to begin with. And then, on top of that, Ainz Ooal Gown wanted to demean him further with this. Clearly, Gown had a bad personality.
“Is that so?”
Jircniv narrowed his eyes. He would take things as they came.
“Then, we shall return to our carriages and await him therein.”
Jircniv could feel the anger boiling out of his numerous royal guards as he said those words.
They might be in a neighboring country ―and one which might end up being an enemy to them―
but even so, letting the Emperor of a great nation wait in a place like this was far too rude.
However, nobody could vocalize these feelings. Since their liege lord had clearly accepted these terms, there was no room for them as loyal servants to say anything else. Unless―
Was it because they saw the carnage that dark elf could wreak? If that is so… Gown, you’re a hard man to deal with. With just one move you’ve struck fear into all our hearts. Even if that ability could only be used once a day, who would be brave enough to put that to the test? And then there’s the fact that it was a child doing it. You’re giving us the impression that even a child can be that powerful.
“I pray you to wait.”
Yuri’s clear, quiet voice cut through the air before Jircniv could move.
“Since the delay originated from our side, we would be poor hosts and in defiance of Ainz-sama’s commands if we did not extend every courtesy to you in compensation.”
Jircniv was somewhat surprised.
Ainz… he allows his maids to address him so directly? Maybe they’re not maids… no, I see. At the very least, they’re that close to each other. Has he claimed their bodies yet? No, any man would understand why. With such beauties in his employ, the difficulty would be in keeping one’s hands off them.
Jircniv made his reply with exaggerated politeness, though his tone was tinged with tenderness.
“Ohhh! Then, we must be grateful to Gown-dono. Well then… what sort of reception can we look forward to, and where can we expect to find it?”
“That being the case, permit us to begin our preparations. To begin with, the weather does not look very welcoming. Let us change that.”
“What do you…? Uooooh!”
Jircniv was not the only one gasping in surprise. The magic casters, royal guards, Baziwood, Leinas, even Fluder, all of them could not help but exclaim in wonder.
The dark clouds above them began to move slowly.
Within moments, they had vanished without a trace, as though some invisible giant had scattered them with his hands. The hippogriff cavalry in the air were thrown into confusion, which was something those on the ground could empathize with.
“Why is it that… it feels… warmer…?”
“You too? You mean it’s really happening?”
As Jircniv heard the quiet exchanges between his guards, he shucked off his cloak and dispelled the magic which maintained the temperature of his body. Just then―
“Yo-Your Majesty!”
Roune exclaimed at Jircniv’s sudden disrobing, but the Emperor did not answer his subordinate.
“Hu… huha… huhahaha. What is this… what on earth is this? Gramps! What’s going on?!”
Jircniv abandoned his calm and looked to Fluder with a twisted expression on his face.
The refreshing, clear air which surrounded him now should only have been found in spring. The chill grasp of winter was nowhere to be found. Jircniv had never heard of magic like this during Fluder’s lessons. In that case, what kind of spell was this, anyway?
“This should not be the work of arcane magic… I seem to recall a druidic divine spell that could control the weather…”
Fluder seemed unable to control the broad smile on his face as he spoke.
“Weather control should be a 6th tier spell. However, judging by Your Majesty’s reaction, this may not be a simple manipulation of the weather. It must be a higher tier spell… how incredible…”
“And this spell is the work of that dark elf ― of that emissary, then?”
Jircniv could force himself to accept that this spell was the work of that magic caster who could cause the earth to swallow his men up in its cracks. No, in truth, he hoped that was the case. He did not want to believe that there was another magic caster out there who was stronger than her. That would be a nightmare.
“Indeed, that might be the case… but I cannot be sure.”
Fluder seemed to find all this terribly amusing, which lit the embers of agitation in Jircniv’s heart.
Although his mentor was an excellent teacher who was worthy of respect, he became nearly useless once magic was involved. It was extremely irritating when he got like that.
“I believe that should have refreshed you somewhat. Then, let us begin the next phase.”
The maid ignored Jircniv’s rising panic and tossed out another bombshell at him.
The young emperor was fighting the urge to throw up his hands and give up on maintaining his dignity. The temptation to succumb to the tremors in his heart were very strong, but in the end, his obligations as the Emperor of the Baharuth Empire won out and he managed to control himself.