'Is Ainz losing it, or is there something I don't understand?' Ulbert asked himself as he stared at a massive tome detailing all known trickster gods and dealmaker demons, pondering what was going on. And that was nothing compared to the list of Ainz's nightly activities for the last week Demiurge had detected through his spy network of NPCs and various spells, primarily through circumstantial means, as Ainz didn't have to report what he was doing to anyone. The latter often clashed against Ainz's own magical barriers and spells, perpetually paranoid of outsiders peering in.
What's worse was that Demiurge was standing before him, nervously shifting around as he, too, had tried to understand Ainz's motives and had utterly failed. His son, who took pride in his intellectual capabilities, found no greater joy than discovering what the Gods were planning, and now such a monumental failure filled him with both awe and a sense of inadequacy. Ulbert needed to say something, to explain how he saw his friends' actions to his son, and he had nothing to produce.
Just a few days ago, Ainz had done some sort of ritual, and now one of the flames in his eye sockets was white, the other a borderline black with only slight tinges of red remaining. At first, Ulbert considered asking straight up what Ainz had done or asking Tabula, who likely knew as well, but he had no desire to get a long speculative lecture about what the overlord had done by the latter, and the former was already becoming suspicious of pretty much everything, assuming Regoz's involvement. Nor did he want to pester his friends, who already had a lot on their plates. It surely had nothing to do with his growing pride and desire to figure things out himself, just like his son tried to.
"Father?" Demiurge cautiously spoke after a prolonged silence.
"This likely is not the full list, only the instances we managed to observe. It seems Ainz interacts with four to five people each night, but we have notable gaps." Ulbert thought out loud in response.
"Would the full list help you understand Lord Ainz's plans? We should be able to find everyone the Emperor talked to within a week," Demiurge inquired.
'Adventurers, young and old. A blacksmith. A tavern wench, a child, a prostitute, a city guard, a pair of goblins, a lizardman. There is no goddamn pattern at all! I am 99% sure he didn't screw the prostitutes, so it wasn't an exchange of anything. Recruitment? Unlikely either. Maybe he's just losing his marbles. What is the point of just handing out items and money to random people?' Ulbert downed his cup of rum-laced coffee in one go and groaned. 'There was no point trying to figure out what all of it meant, and the best approach was to, as usual, bullshit his way through it.'
"You know… Ainz has a long-term plan. Best we monitor these people and plan around them. If Ainz wants our help, he'll tell us. Just treat them as important and ensure they don't become collateral damage if shit hits the fan." Ulbert ordered. Making sure that a few dozen humans survived the civil war wasn't that hard, and if it came to the worst, he could just order Renner or ask Neia to save them directly.
"I see. It seems Lord Ainz's planning capabilities far exceed even yours. No wonder you were so adamant that Lord Ainz remain the absolute ruler of the Great Tomb." 'Could it be that everything that has happened thus far was by the design of Lord Ainz, even Shalltear's capture? She is becoming more capable due to her trying to overcome her guilt, and the Supreme Ones, including my father, treat Lord Ainz's authority more seriously. That must be it! Everything is part of a grander plan, and I must accept that even my father and I's actions were predicted by Lord Ainz a long time ago.'
This revelation came with an immense sense of relief. Lord Ainz always knew better, and even his father knew better than to question the decisions of the ultimate ruler. There was always a plan in the works.
Neia's decision to reveal the truth was an unfortunate turn of events, but at the same time, Renner now had to be even more clever to keep Blue Rose on track while dropping a curated truth on their heads. If anything, this challenge kept her on her toes, and she needed to always be on the top of her game to keep up with all the challenges.
Renner put on her mask of the golden princess and called in Climb with a ring of a bell. Her puppy barged in without hesitation and bowed, "You called your Highness?"
"Climb. I told you, you can call me Renner when no one else is around or only Gazef, Blue Rose, or Neia are present." She pouted theatrically.
"I'm sorry." Climb bowed even deeper.
"Sorry?" she questioned.
"Sorry, Renner." He hastily corrected himself.
"Much better." Renner smiled, "Climb; I feel tired and plan to nap. Please make sure no one disturbs me." She yawned.
"Of course. Pleasant dreams." Climb wished as he closed the door behind him.
Renner quickly reviewed the talking points in her head and all the potential complications, of which there were many. Lakyus could outright reject her after learning the truth, or Evileye could figure out more than she was supposed to, among other things. Renner knew she couldn't hide the things Neia's team knew, but at the same time, she could twist the truth without a single lie. The best deceit was one built on solid foundations of truth, to persuade the pursuers not to peer further.
With a deep breath, she was ready for her performance and picked the location to teleport to. At this time of day, the Blue Rose was usually gathered in the living room of their manor, spending leisure time together, and that was the exact location Renner picked and cast the spell.
Her vision blurred, and the next thing she knew, Tia had thrown a knife toward her face, with Lakyus reaching for her sword and Evileye casting a barrier. Renner barely dodged out of the way, and the knife buried itself in the wall behind her. The twins were always ready to fight and never separated from their battle gear, unlike the rest of the team, who had switched to casual attire while relaxing.
"What the hell!" Lakyus screeched at her, "Who are you?"
"Who do you think I am!? Why are you attacking me on sight!" Renner screamed back, just as agitated. Dying at the hands of Blue Rose wasn't on her to-do list, even if she could be resurrected later.
"You just teleported in, you, whatever you are!" Lakyus grabbed her sword, which rested at the side of the armchair, and pointed her weapon at Renner, shrieking.
"I am Renner! You can't-"
"The hell I can't! Begone, foul shapeshifting beast!" Lakyus sent a holy bolt at her, which was utterly harmless to humans.
"Holy magic! Really!?" Renner blinked in surprise. "Holy magic does not harm humans!"
"Can you two stop screaming! This is not helping! She is clearly a human!" Evileye joined in. Though just as suspicious, she preferred to figure out if the one standing before them was the real Renner before they accidentally killed a royal.
"Shorty is right. Maybe trying to kill the princess isn't the best idea." Gagaran nodded in agreement.
"But… you are right." Lakyus took a sharp breath, putting her sword away.
"I expected you to be surprised but not attempt to kill me on sight." Renner pointed at the knife lodged in the wall.
"The Renner we know can't use magic." Evileye pointed out.
"You can teleport as well!" Renner shouted and immediately forced herself to calm down. Being borderline hysterical from agitation wasn't conducive to talks. "I apologize for dropping in like that, but there are things you should know."
"Yea, like why you can teleport?" Gagaran asked the most obvious question.
"Let's calm down first. I can teleport because I started learning magic recently and was empowered just like Saint Neia." Renner replied and sat on one of the sofas, grabbing an open wine bottle and looking around for a clean glass.
Tina didn't hesitate to bring one from the glassware cabinet.
"Thank you. I hope you don't mind if I help myself to some of your wine. Almost getting stabbed in the face and then blasted with magic has gotten me quite worked up." Renner accepted the glass and poured an impolite amount of wine into it, downing it.
"Who empowered you?" Evileye asked, grabbing her glass and taking a gulp as she sat near Renner while Gagaran and Lakuys did the same. The twins chose to remain standing, eyeing Renner suspiciously.
"I'm sure you know. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Yes, I serve the true Gods and have done so for a while, but I couldn't reveal it for obvious reasons, even to you, no matter how much I wanted, by the commands of the Gods. But things have changed. Barbro has been empowered as well, but his power comes from a failed divine test, and it is only a matter of time before the next demon gate appears, this time by the hand of my brother."
"Renner, what's really going on?" Lakyus eyed her wearily, tense.
"Will you let me talk and explain everything in order without attacking me?" Renner asked. With how volatile things already were, she wasn't convinced Lakyus wouldn't attack her again.
"I promise, but you better make sense," Lakyus warned her.
"Very well. As you already know, players once again walk our world, but this time, unlike all previous times, the players are real Gods, as they are the only players who performed the deification ritual."
"Renner, are you suggesting-" Lakyus protested.
"Yes, the great six were just players, not actual gods. I know it is hard to believe, but it is true; you know I wasn't religious before, but now I am a devout follower of the new gods. In fact, I am Lord Ulbert's chosen, the Apostle of Diplomacy, just as Neia is the Apostle of Life and Death. You may think I have a bias towards the old religions now, but the fact is, you can feel when you are in the presence of a real god."
"The new gods have come to save this world and rebuild it how it was supposed to be, with all races united, not in constant wars. But they won't just conquer the world; we mortals must do the work, not just expect them to solve everything. The first demon gate was a test we failed, and now, since my brother failed his test and accepted undeserved power in exchange for bringing tyranny, we all will have to rise to the occasion."
"We couldn't stop the previous gate. If Barbro is as powerful as the Slane cardinal behind the first one, we won't be enough." Evileye commented. Lakyus was already out of the conversation and having an existential crisis.
"Indeed, but more and more champions will rise. All of the apostles were empowered; people are rising to the occasion as we speak. The Gods will give us the power to fight and to join their Empire, to prove our worth and strength. The truth is, something dark, some hidden threat lurks, and the whole world needs to be ready. Slane has already fallen to a dark influence, and soon, other nations will follow." Renner continued to speak with conviction.
"So…they won't come and fight themselves or send that half-elf girl?" Gagaran asked while taking large gulps of wine directly from the bottle.
"Her name is Antilene, and she is the Apostle of War. The Gods and their servants will come where necessary. The God of Wisdom is in Baharuth, giving knowledge and talking with Emperor Jircniv to form an alliance. The Goddess of War and the God of Murder are in the Dragon Kingdom and dealing with the conflict there, and Lord Ulbert is overseeing Re-Estize and trying to make our nation functional, with me as his instrument. The opposition against Barbro is already forming, and all the competent nobles are ready to embrace the new ways."
"What is this test you speak of, and who is behind it?" Lakyus asked.
"Lord Ulbert performed a ritual that reached into higher realms to test the mortals. My brother and the cardinal were not forced to accept the deal; they were offered power at a high cost and took it for selfish gains. Who else is given such a choice, I cannot tell, but it is people in power — those who should know better. If I hadn't accepted Lord Ulbert as my god, I likely would be tested as well. Zanac has joined our cause, and he is safe."
"Why was it necessary? A lot of innocent people died?" Lakyus asked.
"As Neia put it, weakness is sin. Humans and many other races have grown weak, accepting injustice against ourselves and merely dreaming of salvation. These tests will weed out those without the will to carry on from those who will fight. They won't be in the way when the real war for the future of our world starts. I don't know what sort of threat is hidden, but it will be the biggest challenge the world has ever faced."
"It sounds to me that your god is just starting conflicts to get more power over people. How can we even trust you are not just roping us in the schemes of your gods?" Evileye demanded.
"Tell me, if there weren't any real threats, what would stop the gods from taking over?" Renner suddenly disappeared and then reappeared with a tome in her hands. "Here, read the diary of Alah Alaf. It's just a translation, but the real one was retrieved from the vault in Slane."
The Blue Roses huddle closer, all flipping to and reading the chapter about the invasion of Nazarick. None of them spoke as they read about the war of players in the mythical realm of Yggdrasil, of the brutal war that occurred and the hundreds of players that perished.
"Wait, that's Shalltear!" "Each guardian killed multiple players!" "This can't be real?!" "Ainz Ooal Gown killed them all!" They commented as they read.
"I have been on the ninth floor, the inner sanctuary," Renner commented when they finished reading.
"This doesn't prove anything. And even if this tome isn't a falsification, all it shows is that players wanted to defeat monsters and those who controlled them." Evileye retorted.
"The point is, they are far stronger than any of the players that came before. They do not need your compliance or that of any other mortal, they could take what they want. I and many others have made the choice, and more will follow. But as your friend, I urge you to see reason. I know you won't take Barbro's side, and no one is forcing any of you to worship the new gods. Please, Lakyus, you know how much I value you as a friend. I need you to remain with me."
"What happened to Slane Theocracy?" Lakyus inquired quietly. There was something off about Renner and her revelations, but she couldn't pinpoint what exactly. Part of her already knew that the new players were real Gods and that the ones she worshiped weren't, but she was not ready to discard her system of beliefs just yet.
"They used a divine artifact to brainwash Shalltear and sent her to kill his imperial majesty, Ainz Ooal Gown, which was quickly reverted. The only reason that nation still exists is that the gods do not want to punish the common people for the mistakes of their leaders, only those responsible faced the consequences. Much effort is being put into cleansing the Theocracy and saving its people."
"We will join the fight against the king if necessary, but I need to see what these new gods truly plan before I venerate them. Their actions are suspicious." Lakyus declared.
"Agreed. We'll join the fight if another demon gate appears," Evileye nodded.
"Would you join an attempt to remove my brother Barbro alongside Neia, Gazef, and me?" Renner asked.
"Who would take his place?" Lakyus had a question in return.
"Zanac, with me as his advisor alongside Boullope and Raeven."
"Sounds good. If Gazef is following the plan, it must be the right thing to do." Gagaran commented.
"Seems so." Evileye agreed.
"Then we will join your attempt, but Renner, I want you to keep out of trouble, especially now that you can teleport." Lakyus urged.
"I will. Looks like my time is up, and I promise I'll inform you the next time before arriving. I can use message spell as well." Renner downed the last of her wine, stood up, and teleported away.
"Was that even the real Renner…" Lakyus mumbled, somewhat shaken from the interaction.
"I think we just saw Renner's real face for the first time, and everything before this was an act." Evileye shared her opinion.
"What makes you think that?" Gagaran grabbed another bottle and took a large gulp with a hiccup, downing half the container.
"You know how nobles are and how smart she is. Think about it: she likely started her act of naivety in her early childhood to be safe. With how caged she always has been, it's no wonder she jumped at the opportunity to join the players. Although, I'm not sure if she can be trusted." Evileye leaned back on the couch and stretched. "But she is right about one thing. Players would not just play games in the background, especially with how strong these players are. There is something bigger going on."
"I pray that many innocent lives are not swept away. If we fail to deal with the King, there will be bloodshed and likely a civil war." Lakyus sighed and rubbed her eyes with two fingers. Her inner darkness had grown tenfold in mere minutes, fed by Renner's revelations, and she needed to do her best not to fall.
Editing by Nich L and aidan_lo.
Proofreading by fvvck, Mfkz_rocker, IAMTHEPLOKOKIOPO, Sluethen, Omnax, Ivan Chechnya, and aidan_lo.
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