Demiurge quickly walked towards Ainz's office in E-Rantel, and after knocking on the door, Albedo's voice granted him permission to enter.
Upon entering the office, Demiurge only saw Albedo sitting in what should have been Ainz's seat, engrossed in the documents on her desk.
"Albedo? Where is Ainz?" Demiurge asked.
"He has already returned to Nazarick. If you have anything to say, just tell me, and I will relay it to Ainz." Albedo didn't even lift her head, still concentrating on the regulations in her hands.
After all, this was a task Ainz had given her! The incredibly important task of formulating laws suitable for the Ainz Ooal Gown Magic Kingdom.
"It would be better if I reported some matters to Ainz personally," Demiurge said. He hadn't seen Ainz for a long time, and it would be a great honor to see Ainz, report his work progress to him, and then receive Ainz's praise.
"Then you might have to wait a little longer. The current Ainz is with Nigredo," Albedo understood Demiurge's desire to see Ainz.
"Oh? Ainz is with Nigredo, then…" A cold glint flashed across Demiurge's glasses upon receiving this information.
"Yes, Demiurge, I advise you not to disturb Ainz right now," Albedo said.
"Hmm? Is Ainz busy with something?" Demiurge pushed up his glasses. In fact, Demiurge already knew what the wise Ainz was busy with.
"Of course," Albedo replied.
"Haha! Let me guess, Ainz must be busy with matters related to Princess Elizabeth, right?" Demiurge said with a laugh.
"That's exactly right! Demiurge, have you also noticed?!" As soon as Albedo heard Iri's name, she immediately brightened up, her face flushed as she looked up at Demiurge.
"These past few days, Ainz paces back and forth in this room at this time, then asks me if Iri has sent any messages. After that, he returns to Nazarick to check on Little Yi's situation with Nigredo. Ainz, who cares so much about his daughter, is truly amazing! Demiurge! I really wish you could see Ainz's worried expression for Little Yi! It's just… just…" Albedo couldn't stop talking once she started about Ainz and Iri.
"Haha! Albedo, I came back this time to report to Ainz about Princess Elizabeth," Demiurge said.
"Hmm? You're already too late for that, Demiurge." Albedo patted an open scroll on the table, motioning for Demiurge to look at it himself.
Demiurge was quite curious, how was he too late? So, with curiosity, he picked up the scroll and began to read it.
"Hmm? Sent by the Dragon Kingdom? Hmm! Alliance request?! When was this sent?!" Demiurge's eyes widened. This was too fast, wasn't it? He had just received news from the Beast Kingdom that Princess Elizabeth had stopped the Beast Kingdom's invasion and had also ordered him not to attack the Dragon Kingdom, but as soon as he turned around, the Dragon Kingdom had sent an alliance request? As expected of Princess Elizabeth!! Demiurge was shocked!
"Just an hour ago," Albedo said.
"Does Ainz know about this?" Demiurge asked.
"Of course, Ainz returned to Nazarick after seeing this alliance request. Ainz told me on his way back that if I could contact you, I should tell you… Demiurge, Ainz said that this is merely his preliminary plan, so he wants you to know that." Albedo replied with a doting smile.
"This… I don't understand, Ainz… No, perhaps this was part of Ainz's plan from the very beginning, but… I just didn't comprehend it, unable to see through Ainz's and Princess Elizabeth's actions. This… I can understand the action of letting Princess Elizabeth infiltrate the Slane Theocracy, but… the target suddenly shifted to the Dragon Kingdom, which has little value." Demiurge was bewildered, completely bewildered, and also very annoyed that he couldn't see through the true intentions of Ainz and Princess Elizabeth.
"Demiurge? Do you also think the Dragon Kingdom has no value?" Albedo asked.
"Also? Albedo, you too?" Demiurge noticed that Albedo no longer had the smiling face she had when she mentioned Princess Elizabeth just now.
"Although I really don't want to admit it, my view is the same as yours. Why would Ainz choose such a weak and strategically worthless small country first?" Albedo replied.
"This only shows… that you and I are only at this level, completely unable to understand the intentions of Ainz and Princess Elizabeth! This… as Guardians of Nazarick, it's truly shameful, we've disappointed Ainz." Demiurge turned his face away, somewhat annoyed.
"Since Ainz has said so, and Little Yi has done so, then the Dragon Kingdom must have its important value. Moreover, Ainz just reminded me three times that this matter must, absolutely must be conveyed to you. This shows… Ainz knows your thoughts, knows that you, like me, consider the Dragon Kingdom to be a country of no value, and naturally, the focus wouldn't be on the Dragon Kingdom. However, Ainz acted on his own, letting Little Yi act without telling us anything!" Albedo was no better than Demiurge, also looking annoyed at not being able to help Ainz.
"Have our actions disappointed Ainz? So Ainz and Princess Elizabeth stepped in to correct our mistakes?" Demiurge said.
How could this be… Even though as subordinates, they failed to understand Ainz's feelings and disappointed him, Ainz and Princess Elizabeth used their actions to remind them of their mistakes. No wonder Princess Elizabeth used the Beast Kingdom to convey information about the Dragon Kingdom to him, and also told him not to 'interfere' with the Dragon Kingdom's affairs. Princess Elizabeth's intention was to make up for the mistakes of incompetent subordinates!
"Demiurge, Ainz's thoughts are beyond our reach… Before this, after Ainz mentioned whether Little Yi had contacted him, the next person he mentioned was you. Ainz must have some dissatisfaction with the overall plan you proposed," Albedo said.
"Yes, Ainz's wisdom, and the thoughts of Princess Elizabeth, who inherited his wisdom, are beyond our reach, but! Albedo! Why didn't you contact me sooner?!" Demiurge said, somewhat displeased.
"What good would contacting you do? Could you immediately grasp Ainz's thoughts and make the Dragon Kingdom voluntarily propose an alliance request?" Albedo asked.
"This…" The answer was no, Demiurge understood. The original intention of instigating the Beast Kingdom to invade the Dragon Kingdom was merely to serve as a deterrent.
Although the Dragon Kingdom was indeed very weak, the Dragon Kingdom's Queen's identity as a Dragon was still something to be wary of, so they instigated a large-scale invasion by the Beast Kingdom, which had always coveted the Dragon Kingdom.
It would be even better if the Beast Kingdom could take down the Dragon Kingdom in one fell swoop. Those brainless Beastmen would quickly submit as long as your fist was harder than theirs; this was his original plan.
If the Dragon Kingdom were to voluntarily initiate an alliance request on this basis, they would have to be assisted in repelling the Beast Kingdom's invasion.
However, if the newborn Ainz Ooal Gown Magic Kingdom were to send troops directly without an invitation from the Dragon Kingdom, it would look like it was premeditated.
While doing so could indeed 'force' the Dragon Kingdom to ally with the Magic Kingdom, it would also sow the seeds of rebellion. It should be known that Ainz would show no mercy to anyone who dared to draw swords against Nazarick.
Thus, the Dragon Kingdom would have to be purged, but doing so would violate what Ainz had said earlier: ruling over scorched earth and ruins would tarnish the name of Ainz Ooal Gown!
Therefore! He truly had no way to make a stable remedy in this situation, yet Princess Elizabeth achieved it… In such a short time, almost at the same time he received the message from the Beast Kingdom, the Dragon Kingdom's alliance request arrived, and!
Demiurge looked at the end of the Dragon Kingdom's alliance request, where the Dragon Kingdom requested the Magic Kingdom to lease a considerable number of Undead.
Princess Elizabeth not only achieved it, but she completed it perfectly. The Dragon Kingdom voluntarily proposed to lease Undead from the Magic Kingdom.
This already strongly indicated that the Dragon Kingdom was not forced into an alliance under some pressure, but rather did so willingly.
It should be known that Undead are unwelcome in any country, yet the number of Undead the Dragon Kingdom requested to lease already far exceeded the number of its own national troops.
If the request were made under pressure, no one would be foolish enough to voluntarily request an enemy country to send in troops far exceeding their own national defense capabilities. This also indirectly showed that… the Dragon Kingdom already had the intention of submitting to and relying on the Magic Kingdom…
"Demiurge, I can understand how you feel…" Albedo saw Demiurge holding the Dragon Kingdom's alliance request for a long time, and sighed, saying.
"It's… it's incredible." Demiurge, who had been silent for a long time, seemed to have realized something.
"So, Demiurge, what are your plans now?" Albedo asked.
"I want to see Ainz! I want to personally apologize to Ainz," Demiurge replied.
"Don't you understand yet? The benevolent Ainz isn't blaming us… Otherwise, Ainz wouldn't have repeatedly reminded us after quietly having Little Yi make up for our mistakes! Ainz wants us to realize his painstaking efforts!" Albedo said.
"That… that is…" Demiurge could only admit it. If Ainz had truly intended to blame them, he would have spoken up immediately after he devised this plan and executed the wrong actions, instead of quietly letting Princess Elizabeth clean up the mess.
"Albedo, please tell me when Ainz will return from Nigredo!" Demiurge asked.
"It's usually about half an hour, so it should be soon," Albedo said.
"Good! I'll go see Ainz in a bit. I… I… want to thank Ainz!" Demiurge said.
"I'll go with you," Albedo nodded wordlessly, then stood up.
Half an hour later, Demiurge and Albedo appeared on time in the Great Hall of Nazarick…
And so, Ainz's stomach began to hurt again, even though he didn't even possess that organ…
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