Chapter 553: Lachesis: The Fiancé

Ainz Ooal Gown, as a name, was familiar to Gilgamesh.

The Holy Church once impersonated imperial soldiers, intending to kill the Kingdom’s War Chief and frame the Empire.

That conspiracy failed because of the current Steel-rank adventurer “Shi Luowang,” and the powerful magic caster Ainz Ooal Gown, who supposedly happened to pass by.

Lachesis of the “Azure Rose” is Prince Shengzai’s fiancée, and the “Shi Luowang” at that time was said to have been hired by Prince Shengzai, so it was no surprise to Gilgamesh that Lachesis knew more details.

But he never imagined that Ainz Ooal Gown was actually the owner of this ruin.

“That is correct. Our supreme sovereign is indeed Lord Ainz.”

“If I recall correctly, you are from the Kingdom, but our orders were to welcome the Emperor of the Empire.”

The "Azure Rose" had previously interacted with, and even fought against, the battle maids of the Pleiades.

However, Yuli and the others in the capital had disguised themselves and concealed their auras with magical artifacts, so even Ebele could not recognize them now.

Lachesis’s direct use of their Great Sovereign’s name, combined with past grievances from the capital, made Yuli and the others deeply resentful toward the “Azure Rose,” even considering immediate action.

“Stop! [Stop!]”

Just as Yuli and the others were about to summon the surrounding Death Knights to attack Lachesis and her group, Gilgamesh’s voice and Old Bone’s use of “Information” sounded out simultaneously—one loud, one faint.

“Though the ‘Azure Rose’ are Kingdom adventurers, they were hired by our Empire and thus are part of this diplomatic delegation.”

Frankly, Gilgamesh was also worried his actions might utterly enrage the powerful magic caster Ainz Ooal Gown.

But now, he had no choice but to speak up and stop them.

For one, if the Empire allowed the “Azure Rose” to be killed here, his authority would plummet, and no one else in the team would ever respect him again.

What would the Steel-rank adventurer team “Silver Thread Bird” think, aside from the Four Knights’ loyalty?

Gilgamesh even now believed that Ainz Ooal Gown was deliberately trying to kill a chicken to scare the monkeys.

Second, Lachesis’s identity is too special—he still needs her as a witness to carry this information back to the Kingdom.

If she died here, wouldn’t her fiancé, the Kingdom’s Third Prince Shengzai, blame him?

Against a non-human foe, alliance between the Empire and the Kingdom is the wisest course—anyone in the delegation may die, but Lachesis must not!

Otherwise, he would have no room left to negotiate peace with the Kingdom.

For the same reason, Old Bone stopped Lupusregina and the others—he had gathered intelligence beforehand and knew Lachesis’s connection to the Kingdom’s Third Prince.

Before they attacked the capital, frankly, even Old Bone and the others of Nazarick had underestimated the Kingdom’s Third Prince.

They had always thought the famed genius prince was merely a human with slight talent.

Wasn’t the Kingdom’s strongest War Chief, Gajeff Stolnoff, famous enough?

His name was known and his title as strongest War Chief acknowledged not just by the Kingdom, but also by the Holy Church, the Holy Kingdom, and the Empire.

Yet in Nazarick’s eyes, Gajeff Stolnoff was barely on par with a super soldier.

Previously, Old Bone and the others like Little Dee believed the Kingdom’s genius prince was at most equal to their strongest War Chief.

Even if strong, his strength was surely limited.

But what was the result? The Kingdom’s Third Prince alone had a level of 85, plus the extraordinary twin innate abilities: mastering any martial skill instantly, and excelling in both magic and martial arts.

When Old Bone first saw him, he even believed the Kingdom’s Third Prince was the strongest human in this world!

Moreover, besides the Kingdom’s Third Prince, the Kingdom had another unknown Steel-rank adventurer: “Shi Luowang.”

Beside “Shi Luowang” was a giant dragon, and another max-level elf queen—both powerful enough to rival Ma Xiu and Aula.

In short, in Old Bone’s current view, the Kingdom of Riejesute’s depth exceeded his expectations—he did not wish to fully antagonize the Kingdom yet.

Though they were strong, directly provoking a major human nation of this world was simply too foolish.

Even if they intended to confront the Kingdom, they must first bring the Empire and other human kingdoms like the Holy Kingdom under their rule.

“Please forgive our earlier rudeness. Our great supreme sovereign, Lord Ainz, says he has known the Kingdom’s adventurer ‘Shi Luowang’ for some time.”

“He has long admired the Kingdom’s Third Prince as well, so the Kingdom’s adventurers are naturally honored guests of Nazarick.”

Hearing Yuli’s words, the “Azure Rose,” who had been tense and ready for battle, now breathed a huge sigh of relief.

Meanwhile, Emperor Gilgamesh, upon hearing Yuli’s words, was not pleased at all.

Because the maid had made it clear: Ainz Ooal Gown had not attacked the “Azure Rose,” nor treated them as guests, because of Emperor Gilgamesh’s face.

He had done so because of the Steel-rank adventurer “Shi Luowang,” and the unknown Kingdom’s Third Prince.

To Gilgamesh, Ainz Ooal Gown’s actions were a deliberate humiliation.

His own face as Emperor of the Empire was less valuable than that of a Kingdom prince and an adventurer?

Beyond humiliating him, Gilgamesh suspected Ainz Ooal Gown also intended to provoke him, thereby deepening the rift between him and the Kingdom.

Ainz Ooal Gown had not even been met yet, but his cunning and strategy had already reached this level—what a terrifying enemy!

Bone King: (▽｀) I think you might be the second Demiurge—if you hadn’t said it, I wouldn’t have realized I was this clever…

“Lord Ainz, that was truly brilliant!”

“You effortlessly humiliated the ignorant Emperor of the Empire, and even stirred up tension between him and the Kingdom.”

Before the throne of Nazarick, Little Dee knelt on one knee, lavishing praise on the Emperor’s thoughts.

Under Little Dee’s influence, Sherry and Corthes and the other guardians now looked at Old Bone atop the throne with admiration.

Bone King: “(Д)” That’s about right… No wonder you’re Demiurge—I never expected you’d see through me.

(End of Chapter)