Chapter 561

Letting the Kingdom participate in the Empire's war was merely to allow the Kingdom to reap benefits from it.

Now that Ainz has tripped up the Kingdom, preventing it from participating in the coalition of nations, Shengzai naturally has no choice but to initiate Plan B.

"Shengzai, what do you mean by this 'Plan B' of yours? And what is this about a King of the Demi-human Nation?"

The Kingdom, pressured from within, is certainly unable to send reinforcements to the Empire at this moment.

Yet, upon hearing Shengzai mention the Demi-human Nation, Zanac and Marquis Raeven were clearly stunned for a moment.

They knew of the demi-humans, but they had truly never heard of any "Demi-human Nation."

No, rather, is it even possible for the wild, multi-racial demi-humans to establish a nation?

Even if they did establish one, wouldn't the entire country collapse in a matter of days due to infighting between their races?

After all, it is common knowledge that humans are the most mediocre race on this continent, often reduced to nothing more than food for other races.

And in the eyes of other races, demi-humans are also considered an inferior group.

Although their physiques are stronger than humans, they lack intelligence, spending their days doing nothing but fighting and killing.

To Zanac and Marquis Raeven, the idea that a race only slightly better than wild beasts could build a nation sounds like a fairy tale.

"Brother Zanac should know that I went to the Holy Kingdom some time ago, right?"

"This Holy Grace Demi-human Nation was established with my help."

"As the King of the Kingdom, you are pressured by internal forces and cannot participate in the conference of nations, but although I am the Third Prince of the Kingdom, I represent not the Kingdom, but the Demi-human Nation I founded. That shouldn't be a problem, right?"

Shengzai's words left Zanac and Marquis Raeven greatly shocked.

And as intelligent men, they quickly understood Shengzai's intent. Marquis Raeven looked at Shengzai with extreme admiration: "Your Highness Shengzai, so you went to the Holy Kingdom to subdue the demi-humans there because you had already predicted what would happen today?"

Seeing the look in Marquis Raeven's eyes—like a fanboy looking at an idol—Shengzai swallowed the explanation he had prepared and nodded, feeling very insincere.

"That is truly amazing! I never expected Your Highness Shengzai to have calculated up to this point."

"His Majesty Zanac forms an alliance with the Sorcerer Kingdom in the name of the Kingdom, while Your Highness Shengzai participates in the conference of nations as the King of the Demi-human Nation."

"This is equivalent to hedging our bets. Regardless of whether the Sorcerer Kingdom or the Baharuth Empire wins, our Kingdom can remain invincible and not worry about being held accountable later."

"Is this the reason why Your Highness Shengzai refused the throne back then?"

"After all, if Your Highness Shengzai were the King of the Kingdom, you would now be facing the same predicament as His Majesty Zanac."

"But now, although you are the Third Prince of the Kingdom, you cannot represent the Kingdom, yet by joining the conference of nations in this capacity, other nations cannot call our Kingdom a traitor to humanity or say we stood by and watched."

Marquis Raeven's words effectively blew Shengzai up to the heavens.

And upon learning that Shengzai had "planned" so much, Zanac also bowed deeply to him in gratitude: "Shengzai, I never expected you to have calculated so much for the sake of the Kingdom."

"Father was right; perhaps you are more suited to be the King of the Kingdom than I am."

Shengzai: (＿；) No, I didn't! Don't talk nonsense! Why is there always a 'brain-filler' in every faction!

Shengzai really wanted to explain that subduing the demi-humans was partly because he felt those guys used as cannon fodder in the Holy Kingdom arc were quite miserable.

On the other hand, he simply wanted to find some muscle. As for being "all-calculating," that was complete nonsense.

Wanting to build a nation and arbitrarily erecting statues of himself, worshiping him as the "Demi-human God"—those were all spontaneous actions of the demi-humans; it had nothing to do with him, Shengzai.

Of course, Shengzai also knew clearly that no matter how he explained it, Zanac and Marquis Raeven probably wouldn't believe him.

So, to avoid his words being misinterpreted into other strange meanings again, Shengzai decisively chose to shut up.

When the news spread to surrounding nations that Albedo had brought a delegation to the Kingdom and established an alliance, Jircniv, far away in the Baharuth Empire's palace, slammed his fist onto his desk in a rage and let out a miserable, bitter laugh.

The Kingdom chose to side with those monsters, and he had personally visited the Holy Kingdom as well.

The Holy Queen coldly indicated to him that if the Kingdom participated in the alliance, then their Holy Kingdom would do the same.

And when Jircniv asked for the reason in confusion, he learned that the Kingdom's Third Prince had actually done the Holy Kingdom a huge favor some time ago, and was now even a hero of the Holy Kingdom.

And from the many versions of stories he heard in the Holy Kingdom's capital, Jircniv finally understood why that woman, the Holy Queen, had rejected his marriage proposal earlier.

It turns out that woman had already scouted a better target.

With the Kingdom and the Holy Kingdom no longer options, Jircniv could only turn to the Slane Theocracy for help.

After all, as the most powerful force among human nations, the Theocracy had always touted itself as the spokesperson for the gods.

So now that monsters were about to ravage human lands, shouldn't they refrain from standing by?

However, Jircniv, thinking this way, was instantly dumbfounded when he saw the Theocracy's reply.

The Theocracy stated that if the Sorcerer Kingdom was indeed a nation established by the undead, they would certainly not stand by.

But before that, they could not confirm that Jircniv and the Baharuth Empire were trustworthy.

Ainz Ooal Gown's strength was unquestionable, but hadn't the Empire's group returned unscathed after going to the enemy's headquarters?

In short, the Theocracy worried that the Empire and the Sorcerer Kingdom were in cahoots and using the "conference of nations" as a front for fishing.

If they wanted the Theocracy to join the war, it wasn't impossible, but the Baharuth Empire had to first fight the Sorcerer Kingdom to prove itself; only then would the Theocracy join.

Or, the Empire needed to find another major human nation to vouch for it; otherwise, they would not mobilize the Theocracy's combat power to help the Empire based on the Emperor's one-sided words.

Make them, the Baharuth Empire, fight the Sorcerer Kingdom first?

Jircniv even doubted whether their Baharuth Empire would still exist after the first war!

Not to mention Ainz Ooal Gown himself and the monsters beside him.

Their super-soldiers were Death Knights, one of which even the "Four Knights" combined might not be able to defeat.

With an army composed of such monster-level undead, what could their Empire's army use to fight them? Use their heads?

And to fight them first? This feels like they would be wiped out in one wave!

(End of chapter)