EeDeChi had once infiltrated the Imperial Palace of the Baharuth Empire and had been invited to the palaces of the Re-Estize Kingdom. She considered herself familiar with the most luxurious aspects of noble life in this world. Yet, upon arriving at the Great Tomb of Nazarick, she had to admit that even the combined grandeur of the Empire's palace and the Kingdom's royal palace paled in comparison to the splendor of the Great Tomb of Nazarick.
The Great Tomb of Nazarick, with its unknown number of levels, descended layer by layer. The diverse architectural decorations became increasingly magnificent. Everywhere she looked, she saw resplendent gold and brilliance. The towering dome almost made it unimaginable that this was an underground structure.
Finally, they arrived at a magnificent hall, where they sat on silver fox fur chairs arranged for guests.
In front of them, seated on a luxurious throne, was a powerful undead skeleton emitting a strong aura of dignity and solemnity.
image [https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/pjimage-(6)-16.jpg]
He was Ainz Ooal Gown, the demon lord whom EeDeChi had sworn to confront with determination.
Surrounded by the undead, a diverse group of subordinates of various races stood scattered on either side. A team of exquisitely beautiful maids encircled them, their appearances strikingly different.
With a quick glance, EeDeChi recognized many faces she had encountered before at Peyton Manor—the insect maid, iron fist maid, and the gothic lolita in black dress were all present.
They formed a formation around Ainz, like wings spread wide, totaling over a dozen individuals. Each was either a pinnacle powerhouse level 100 or a formidable figure above level 50.
Their gazes, proud and imposing, were firmly fixed on EeDeChi and Barrett, resembling the intensified glare of the midday sun through a magnifying glass.
Barrett lowered his head, avoiding the intense scrutiny of these dozen people, his forehead and back sweating coldly. He struggled to calm himself, preventing his legs from trembling.
Meanwhile, EeDeChi appeared completely indifferent, locking eyes with Ainz without a hint of fear.
No one spoke a word; not even the sound of breathing could be heard. The scene was as silent as a graveyard, tense and oppressive.
EeDeChi stared at Ainz, feeling like she had seen this transcendent undead somewhere before.
She thought for a moment, then slapped her thigh in realization, "Ah, I remember now! I saw you at the Imperial Palace of Baharuth before! You were carrying a little notebook, seemed like you were recording the Emperor's words and actions."
"Oh? No, no, no, no, no, I was just monitoring Emperor Jircniv's loyalty to the Sorcerer Kingdom. I suspected he wasn't sincere, so I went to observe," Ainz quickly refuted EeDeChi's words.
During that time, because he had nothing else to do, he often sneaked into the Baharuth Empire's palace to peek—no, observe and study Emperor Jircniv's speech and behavior, trying to imitate and practice to enhance his demeanor as a superior.
This was something he did secretly without his subordinates knowing, a part of his own dark history. He hadn't expected EeDeChi to reveal it as soon as they met. He originally intended to show his authority to her, but now he finds himself losing the upper hand instead.
"I remember you didn't say that at the time, you said..." EeDeChi believed in her memory, not letting go of the matter.
Albedo stood at Ainz's right side, clearly displeased with EeDeChi's unrestrained demeanor. As her loyalty to her master flared, she snapped, "Impudence! Do you dare to speculate on the unmatched wisdom of Lord Ainz? Before the supreme and paramount Lord, shouldn't you kneel and pay your respects?"
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image [https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_3K094JNLNI/sddefault.jpg]
"No need, Albedo, she's our invited guest after all," Ainz graciously waved his hand, indicating he wasn't bothered, while also glad that Albedo could shut down EeDeChi's unfiltered mouth.
EeDeChi shrugged, too lazy to argue over this trivial matter.
Actually, she felt a bit embarrassed herself. Ainz was the big demon lord she had been obsessing about defeating. Yet, when she first met the demon lord, not only did she fail to recognize him, but she also ended up chatting with him amiably. She felt like a disgrace to the world of heroes.
Afterward, the two began to chat, and the atmosphere surprisingly became quite harmonious. Ainz subtly inquired about EeDeChi's origins, and finally, EeDeChi, showing a bit of intelligence expected of a level hundred powerhouse, spoke vaguely, beating around the bush in her speech.
Barrett listened attentively to the conversation between these two powerhouses for a while. He noticed that his captain was finally showing some elite adventurer qualities, no longer causing the conversation to stall after just a few words, nor revealing her own details recklessly.
He breathed a sigh of relief and began to survey the exquisite decorations on the walls of the luxurious hall. A tall figure in black and white approached with a silver tray in hand, gliding like a breeze. Barrett was stunned to find it was the iron fist maid he had encountered and battled at Peyton Manor.
During that battle at Peyton Manor, Barrett had engaged in a fierce exchange with this maid wearing iron tooth gloves. They fought dozens of moves with no clear winner. Later, an Insect maid appeared, prompting Barrett to abandon the iron fist maid and pursue the Insect maid instead. In retaliation, the iron fist maid turned to attack Stella and Sean, fracturing Sean's shoulder blades.
At the critical moment when EeDeChi abandoned her teammates, Barrett, despite knowing he was outmatched, bravely confronted the iron fist maid to save Stella and Sean from certain doom. It was the most perilous battle in Barrett's twenty-year adventurer career, akin to fighting a dragon on the edge of a blade. He barely withstood the ferocious assault of the iron fist maid, leaving a deep impression of her soft physique and deadly martial skills.
The silver tray extended before him interrupted Barrett's thoughts, the red tea in the white porcelain cup on it rippling slightly. As he looked up, his gaze met a pair of gentle black eyes. Instinctively, Barrett straightened his posture, his mind in a tumult of unfamiliar noble etiquette, unsure how to comport himself before the elegant woman.
The iron fist maid no longer wore her sharp tooth steel gloves. She was still dressed in a black and white maid's dress with a light gray waistband. White patterns adorned the collar and sleeves, her smooth black hair pulled into a bun behind her head. Her high nose supported narrow-rimmed glasses, giving her an air of dignity and grace.
However, unlike the other beautiful maids, she wore around her fair, slender neck a black steel collar about three fingers wide, adorned with a string of sparkling diamonds. The purpose of this restraining collar, which constricted her neck and hindered her breathing, remained unknown.
The maid smiled at Barrett, causing his adventurer's heart, which had been calm for nearly a decade, to suddenly surge with waves. His face reddened slightly as he reached out to pick up a small white porcelain cup from the silver tray, trying his best to behave politely. He thanked the iron fist maid and took a deep sip of tea while discreetly stealing glances at her.
The iron fist maid then offered the tray to EeDeChi, who took a cup of tea without even looking, continuing her casual chat with Ainz Ooal Gown on the throne. She seemed completely oblivious to her former sparring partner now serving her tea.
Taking back the tray, the iron fist maid gracefully left the hall with light footsteps. As she departed, she intentionally or unintentionally glanced sideways at Barrett, causing his heart to skip a few more beats.
Turning around the corner of the hall, heading towards the corridor leading to the kitchen, a girl with twisted braids of reddish-brown hair and a bright, hearty smile suddenly jumped out.
image [https://media.tenor.com/tIyiH4x1oIAAAAAe/lupusragina-overlord.png]
This braided girl, also in maid attire, had a light brown complexion unlike the fair skin of the iron fist maid, paired with her sunny, cheerful eyes, exuding a wild and free beauty.
Snatching the silver tray from the iron fist maid's hands, the braided girl teased, "No wonder our big sister Yuri volunteered to serve tea. You've been staring at that human adventurer. Are you falling for him?"
"Don't be ridiculous!" Yuri Alpha pretended to be angry. "I just admire him more. He fought with me knowing he might die, just to protect his teammates. He's much stronger than that EeDeChi who's all bark and no bite."
Poking Yuri's elbow, the braided maid teased, "Really? I don't believe you."
Yuri sighed, "Stop with the pointless talk and go check the pantry for suitable human ingredients. You're too laid-back, which is why Ainz keeps sending you to Carne Village."
"Why don't you ask Shalltear about it then," the braided maid pouted unhappily. "Besides protecting those villagers, I've done a lot! I killed the kingdom's crown prince, and it was brutal!"
"Okay, okay," Yuri nudged the braided maid forward. "You don't need to vividly recount it again. Solution is tired of hearing about it."
"Sigh, if only Lord Ainz would let me have my way with the villagers, my life wouldn't be so boring..."
The braided maid sighed, then playfully pushed Yuri back, and the two laughed as they headed towards the pantry.