Chapter 2, Part 3

Old Original Characters mentioned in this part
Yavon – the head and founder of Zuranon, Surshana’s first disciple, first appearing in Volume 13: Intermission.

The city of Krozno in the Draconic Kingdom

The building which served as a make-shift church was packed with people. All of them wanted to hear Neia speak and to have their spirits uplifted. While the concept of Neia’s sermon was somewhat off-putting at first, her message would quickly grow on people and many became increasingly fanatical in their faith.

Behind the small podium at the front of the hall, Neia was delivering one of her spirited speeches.

“Ask not what Ainz Ooal Gown can do for you, but what you can do for your country! To be weak is to be unworthy of Ainz-sama’s greatness. You must become strong so that you can take care of your own needs yourself, only then will you be worthy of following the great Ainz-sama,” she proclaimed.

“Praise Ainz Ooal Gown,” the gathered people replied in a chorus of voices.

“I know most of you have lost those dear to you. You might be wondering why it had happened to you, or cursing that the help didn’t arrive fast enough to save them. I was like you, unsure of how to proceed forward and questioning the value of my life. It was then that I saw him – the great Ainz Ooal Gown. Facing off against the vile demon Jaldabaoth, he did not display a hint of uncertainty. Even as the fight progressed and it became evident that Jaldabaoth was more powerful than expected, Ainz-sama did not lose faith in his victory. In the end, he had to sacrifice his own life, but he accomplished what he wanted, defeating Jaldabaoth. It was then that I realized the truth – to be righteous is to be powerful,” Neia preached.

“You might have faced the beastmen rather than Jaldabaoth. And you were saved by Momon-sama rather than Ainz-sama. But there is no difference there. The reason Momon-sama saved this country is because he could – he was powerful enough to do so. It’s the same reason Ainz-sama could stay resolute in front of Jaldabaoth. The strong can do what they will, while the weak suffer what they must. Weakness is a sin. Therefore, each one of you must become strong. Only when you have reached beyond your limit and can do no more, only then will you be worthy of Ainz-sama’s help,” she made a small pause and looked around the room. “So, go out there and strive to surpass your limits. Do the impossible, and become worthy!” She delivered the final line of her sermon.

“Praise Ainz Ooal Gown,” the people replied once again.

The sermon over, some people went to speak to Neia personally, while others discussed the passionate speech as they left the building. CZ2128 Delta, who sat facing the room, near a wall to the side of the podium scanned the people approaching Neia. Because the people of the Draconic Kingdom were not saved by Ainz, and have not seen friendly undead, it was decided that Neia’s security would be handled by CZ alone, without the two Death Knights, which accompanied Neia in the Holy Kingdom.

And so, CZ had to attend every sermon. She didn’t particularly care to listen to every sermon, however, she liked that Neia praised Ainz as much as the Nazarick’s residents did. In this way, she felt a certain camaraderie with the young girl.

CZ took out a chocolate drink, inserted the straw in it and began to drink, though her face remained expressionless. She swept over the people surrounding Neia once again. She recognized some as the regulars who tried to speak to Neia every time, while others were new and she paid special attention to them. Granted, if Neia was attacked, CZ wouldn’t be able to make it to her, but she judged she’d be able to shoot down any assailants before they could do anything. Besides, if she stayed next to Neia her view wouldn’t be as good, not to mention she’d get pushed by the crowd. Too troublesome.

And so, CZ calmly stayed in her spot while drinking her chocolate milk. Meanwhile, Neia was dealing with the crowd – a quick word of inspiration to one, a promise to meet later to another. One by one the number of people began to recede. Still, it took nearly an hour before she was left alone.

“Uh, finally. Seems like there are more and more people coming every day,” Neia swept the sweat from her brow.

“Krozno was hard hit. More suffering, more people seeking salvation,” CZ said in her usual deadpan tone.

“I guess you are right,” Neia said with a smile. Ah, Shizu’s way of speaking is just too cute, she thought.

“What to do now? You should eat. Ainz-sama said eating three meals a day was important,” CZ said.

“D-did Ainz-sama really say it? Then, I shall engrave this words into my memory. Let’s eat then, I guess I do get pretty hungry after delivering one of these sermons,” Neia said. “By the way, is there any place you want to visit here?”

“No cute things to hug. No place to visit,” CZ replied as she walked toward Neia.

“Aww, am I not cute enough to hug?” Neia teased the maid as she giggled.

“You are here. No need to go anywhere,” CZ replied with an expressionless face.

However, she made a few quick steps closing in on her target and threw her hands around Neia, pulling the girl in for a hug.

“To-too tight, can’t breath,” Neia gasped as she was squeezed by the enthusiastic Shizu.

“Uh, sorry. Human, weak,” Shizu replied while relaxing her embrace.

That doesn’t sound like much of an apology, Neia thought, as she hugged Shizu as well, pressing her body against the maid. After some time, Neia pulled away.

“We can’t spend all day like this. Let’s go eat,” the girl said.

Although CZ’s facial expression didn’t change, Neia felt that the maid disagreed with her statement and was slightly annoyed that she was no longer hugging the cute girl. However, she didn’t walk far when CZ touched her on the cheek.

“Uwa, what was that?” Neia cried out in surprise.

“Can’t hug, must mark with sticker,” Shizu replied as if it was obvious.

“Ugh, this again? Do I have to wear it? People were asking me about it the last time,” Neia complained as her shoulders slouched.

“Sticker means cute. No reason to complain,” Shizu was merciless in her assessment.

“Fine, fine. I’ll wear it if it makes you happy,” Neia begrudgingly agreed.

The two left the church and went to the only operating inn of the city to get some food.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in Krozno

A woman with short, blonde hair walked through the streets. She was twenty years old and wore a brown cloak which concealed her other clothing. Aside from her being young and fairly attractive, she didn’t stand out too much among other passersby. She walked through the rebuilding city until she came to a nondescript house. After a quick glance around, she entered.

Inside was a large, mostly empty room. The few pieces of furniture looked rather beat up and consisted of a table, two chairs, and a small cabinet. In the corner, there was a sleeping bag, on top of which laid a short, middle-aged man. He was skinny, with a thin face and a crooked nose that made him look like an eagle. The man, called Tigul, stirred when he heard the door open.

He looked at the woman, but she ignored his silent question and instead took one of the chairs. Visibly irritated by such behavior, the man got up and walked over to her, taking the other chair.

“Well? Are we going to do it or not?” He asked.

“Patience is an assassin’s greatest weapon, don’t you know?” The woman asked with a grin.

“Screw you, Clementine. I am sick of this place. Besides, Yavon told us to finish things quickly and return to the base. We have more important things to do than killing some girl. So, either do it or we are leaving.”

“Cheh, you think I like listening to that brat’s sermons? But, that woman is too dangerous, we need to be careful or it won’t end well,” Clementine remarked.

“What can she do? She just sits in a corner some forty feet away. Surely she can’t cover that distance before your weapon reaches its target? Not to mention the distraction I will provide,” the man shook his head. “Honestly, I have no idea why we didn’t do it as soon as we got here.”

“I am now seen as one of the regulars, she should be less wary of me. Anyway, you can relax, we’ll do it tomorrow, right after the sermon. I’ll make my way towards her, and you will provide the distraction.”

“Alright! Now you are talking,” Tigul exclaimed excitedly.

The next day

The church was packed full of people once again. Neia’s sermons weren’t always so popular. In fact, when she first arrived in the Draconic Kingdom’s capital and tried to hold her usual speech, the response to it was quite dismal. Few people came, and the ones that did weren’t all that impressed. Neia blamed herself, and her inability to complete the task she was given by the servants of the great Ainz-sama.

It shouldn’t have come as a surprise though. An unknown, foreign girl trying to peddle the idea of an undead magic caster being some great God wasn’t taken too seriously by the capital’s residents. For one thing, they were saved by Momon, and have never even seen any undead who didn’t hate the living. Secondly, while the Draconic Kingdom had become a part of the Sorcerer Kingdom, this development brought little change to the everyday life of these people. And so, Neia failed to achieve much success in the capital.

However, this result was expected, and Neia was sent to the city of Decoza. The number of people who had suffered greatly due to the beastmen invasion was much greater here than in the capital, and Neia’s speeches received a much better reception. Her sermons helped uplift the spirits of those most desperate and had shown them a new path to take. Her reputation began to spread and the crowds of people wanting to hear her became larger and larger.

By the time she moved to Krozno, Neia was pretty well known throughout the Draconic Kingdom and there was already a crowd of people at her first sermon. As Neia improved in her delivery, the fanaticism displayed by her frequent listeners grew as well. So much so, that Neia was becoming a bit apprehensive of her own prowess. Still, as her listeners left the church with their eyes blazing with the fire of conviction, the word about Neia and her religion of Ainz Ooal Gown spread at an ever increasing speed. Soon, she would be leaving for the last city to be liberated from the beastmen.

With the place full, Neia delivered another passionate sermon. She ended it with her usual catchphrase: “Go out there and strive to surpass your limits. Do the impossible, and become worthy!” The crowd responded with: “Praise Ainz Ooal Gown,” and the sermon came to an end.

As usual, most of the people began to leave, while some walked toward the podium to talk to Neia. The one at the front of the latter group was a young blonde woman. Neia had talked to her many times by now, and knew her story quite well – the woman had lost her entire family during the beastmen invasion. Confused, uncertain and without a clear reason to live, the girl sought Neia’s help to figure out her new path in life. Since her own circumstances were rather similar, Neia sympathized with this woman and tried her best to help her.

As such, Neia had a smile on her face when the woman got within a few paces of her and began to talk. Suddenly, there was an explosion outside the church’s entrance, followed by screams and another explosion. Neia looked over the heads of the crowd, trying to see what was happening. It was at this moment that the approaching woman lunged forward with a stiletto aimed at Neia’s throat.

CZ’s perspective

She was sitting in her usual place when the explosion rang out from the entrance. Immediately, CZ got up and pulled out her gun. However, unlike all of the people in the church, she wasn’t looking toward the entrance, instead, she was looking toward the blonde woman who also ignored the noise and lunged at Neia.

With the smooth, practiced motion of a professional, CZ lifted her gun and fired. She fired two more times right away, before rushing toward the podium.

Neia didn’t even have time to scream as the tip of the weapon almost reached its target. However, just then, something flew from the side and hit the woman’s arm, pushing it to the side. Neia felt the stiletto scrape the side of her neck. Sticky blood began to trickle down Neia’s shoulder and arm.

The attacking blonde didn’t give up though, she already had a new stiletto in her other hand and stabbed at Neia’s neck again. However, she got hit in the leg and lost her balance, resulting in the weapon stabbing Neia in the stomach. There was a “clang” sound, as the orichalcum chain mail, which Neia wore under her clothes, stopped the attack. The blonde was then hit in the shoulder, her blood spraying everywhere as if from a fountain. She cursed and jumped into the crowd, quickly pushing her way through toward the exit.

It all happened so fast that even Neia could barely comprehend it, much less the other people, all of whom were still staring at the entrance, completely oblivious to what had just occurred. CZ rushed over, she pointed her gun at the retreating Clementine and fired, hitting her in the back. However, there was no reaction to her shot. Yet, CZ didn’t seem to care, she simply stood there, scanning the room, as she spoke to Neia.

“Are you hurt?” CZ asked.

“Um, I think I am… fine,” Neia replied after checking herself. “I got nicked on the neck, but it seems like a superficial cut,” she added.

“Good, now, follow me,” CZ said, as she grabbed Neia’s hand and led her through the back room and left the church from the rear exit.

She didn’t slow down and moved through the streets until they reached the inn where they were staying. As they entered their room, there were already five figures there – four Death Knights and a human dressed as a ninja.

“Neia, I want you to stay here for now. You four, guard her until I return,” CZ ordered the four undead monsters. “You, come with me. I’ve marked her, but we need to move fast before she flees,” she added while addressing the Hanzo.

Accompanied by the Hanzo she ran out of the building and sprinted toward the mark she had placed on Clementine.

***

Clementine cursed silently as she tore a piece of her cloak and used it to bind her wounds.

“I knew that woman was dangerous, but who would’ve thought she was this good? Damn it!” She spoke out loud, unable to hold back her emotions. “And what the heck did she attack me with?”

With her wounds bound, she walked out of the narrow passage between two buildings and ran toward the house she and Tigul used as a rendezvous point. However, because of her wounded leg she wasn’t moving all that fast. The fact that the house was on the other side of the city from the church didn’t help either. Finally, she made it to her destination.

“What happened to you?” Tigul asked, his eyes widening as he beheld Clementine’s sorry state.

“That damned woman,” Clementine cursed.

“Did you at least get the target?”

But Clementine only cursed in response. Tigul didn’t waste any time.

“We need to move, now. Your description is going to be given to every guard and every churchgoer in this city, if we don’t leave now, we won’t get a second chance.

“Damn it, damn it all! Fine, let’s go,” Clementine clenched her fist.

This was her first mission in three years, and she couldn’t even accomplish it. What will Yavon say? She wondered. However, this was no time for such thoughts. She grabbed one of the bags while Tigul grabbed the other, then they left the building.

“We’ll move separately,” Tigul said, as he moved away from Clementine,

She cursed at him silently, though she understood that his actions were correct. Tigul slowed down, allowing Clementine to get a good distance in front of him, which allowed him to keep an eye on her as he slowly followed.

It was thanks to this maneuver that he was able to see a figure jump down from a building, landing directly behind Clementine. A quick chop to the neck and Clementine’s lifeless body was dragged into a nearby alley. A few seconds later CZ Delta ran into the same alley.

Recognizing the maid, Tigul understood exactly what happened. He picked up the pace as he headed for the city gates. There was nothing he could do here now.

Their mission had been a total failure.

 

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