Valkyrie's Shadow

The Tiger and the Dragon: Act 3, Chapter 4

The Tiger and the Dragon: Act 3, Chapter 4

Chapter 4

9th Day, Upper Wind Month, 1 CE, 1400 Hours

?Report.?

?Yes. Queen Oriculus has been located and secured. The invaders in the immediate area have been vanquished. Baroness Zahradnik is en route to clear the transportation corridor to the inland sea.?

?So the opening steps of the plan are complete. What about the condition of the Draconic Kingdom??

?Poor. If our reconnaissance reports thus far accurately represent the state of the entire country, the population should be decimated in the areas subjected to the longest periods of occupation. Areas more recently occupied should have also experienced significant amounts of predation by the invaders. The capital was already overrun by the time we arrived and tentative estimates by the local authorities place losses at close to half of the citizens that took refuge within the walls. Food supplies are dwindling and there are concerns that public order will be difficult to maintain.?

A long silence stretched over Entoma’s Message as the battle maid relayed Sebas’ report to the Guardian Overseer. He stood quietly to the side of Queen Oriculus’ throne, where the child-like sovereign bent over a writing surface with a look of concentration on her face. With the capital of the Draconic Kingdom secure and the people stirring from the brief, yet brutal nightmare they had been subjected to, tasks piled onto a government that was absent most of its members.

?Excellent, ufufufu…or so Albedo-sama says.?

Sebas frowned at the Guardian Overseer’s response, but it was not his place to offer any commentary. Entoma’s voice sounded through the Message again.

?What about the government? Is it functioning??

?The ministries and rural administration are still unaccounted for. For the time being, members of the palace staff are filling roles in the government.?

?What is the state of the Draconic Kingdom’s economy and finances??

?The state of its economy is yet to be seen, but the attitudes displayed by the Royal Court suggest that things are dire. As for their finances…they lost the ability to collect taxes some time ago. Their Royal Treasury is limited to funds for palace overhead and illiquid assets.?

?Were there any interesting magic items??

His jaw shifted slightly at the out-of-place question.

?…did Albedo-sama truly ask that??

?No, that was Pandora’s Actor-sama.?

So he was present as well. Sebas wondered how much of a hand the two of the great geniuses of Nazarick had in the plans for the Draconic Kingdom.

?The Queen has been busy seeing to the immediate affairs of her kingdom. I have heard no accounting of their treasures yet, but Queen Oriculus mentioned perhaps needing to liquidate a few to stimulate trade with the Sorcerous Kingdom.?

?Then she is inclined to favour dealings with us? – Albedo-sama asks.?

?I believe we were successful at making a favourable impression on her.?

?Good. When Countess Corelyn’s delegation arrives, work with them to strengthen our position. Beware of other interests moving in the shadows. – Albedo sama tells you.?

Other interests…

With recent events in the Draconic Kingdom, Sebas would have liked to think that the people would set aside their differences and work together to achieve a swift recovery. Queen Oriculus appeared to care a great deal for her people; it was only right that they should reciprocate their sovereign’s feelings.

Then again, the King of Re-Estize was a goodly man and many of his subjects – from all walks of life – trampled on his goodwill and did as they pleased. The Emperor of Baharuth ruled with an iron fist and played his subjects against one another, yet his country did well by comparison. He wondered what the Draconic Kingdom would be like.

?Sebas-sama.?

Hm?

Entoma hadn’t disconnected the Message yet, so it seemed that she had something of her own to say.

?What is it, Entoma??

?There’s a war going on down there, right? Many Beastmen are being killed…could you ask Baroness Zahradnik to send a few bodies over? It doesn’t have to be too many – I just want to try…?

?…would she not find your request disturbing??

?She won’t! Woodlouse is a good Woodlouse. Even Narberal-nee doesn’t mind her.?

Narberal Gamma? She would be one of the last that he would suspect to form bonds with outsiders out of the Pleiades. While not outright belligerent, she cared little for the affairs of outsiders and even less for their attempts at interacting with her. Most of the time, she would refer to people as insects, vermin or other ‘lower lifeforms’.

Still, that should be taken as a sign of progress…well, maybe not – they’re calling Baroness Zahradnik ‘Woodlouse’.

?I will inform her of your request at the next opportunity.?

?Wai~!?

The Message cut off with Entoma’s happy expression. Sebas furrowed his brow in thought. Entoma seemed confident that her request would be granted.

Considering that Baroness Zahradnik was also Shalltear’s vassal, did that mean the noblewoman was actually quite evil? She was certainly not what he would consider ‘good’. While she was highly accommodating, the way she carried herself was for the most part neutral. There was no sense that she took particular delight in acts benevolent or malevolent.

A tiny yawn issued from the throne. Queen Oriculus stretched partway, then stopped. She looked over her shoulder at him with flushed cheeks before turning to focus on her work again.

“Sebas Tian.”

“If Your Majesty so desires, ‘Sebas’ is fine.”

“I-is that so? S-Sebas…Sebas…Sebas…hehehehehehehe…”

On the other side of the throne, Lady Yorsten cleared her throat. The Queen froze, and then her pen started moving again.

“Is there something you wish to ask, Your Majesty?”

“Umu. Erm…are you sure you would not like food or accommodations, Sebas? You have been guarding Us without rest since your arrival last night…”

“Thank you for your concern,” Sebas replied, “but I am perfectly fine. I will attend to my duties for as long as necessary.”

“Would you at least join Us for Our meals?” Queen Oriculus’ shoulders slumped slightly, “We would feel terrible if We could not at least show some hospitality to the one who saved Us.”

Sebas pondered the Queen’s invitation. Would it be appropriate to do so? Would it be safe? Beastmen had allegedly infiltrated the palace before, breaking into the throne room through the balcony window. A Shadow Demon was now positioned there, but a Beastman in what the region’s locals called the ‘Realm of Heroes’ could easily sneak by the sentry unchallenged with the right Job Classes.

While it was not by his Master’s direct order, Sebas had finally been assigned notable duties abroad. Considering the trouble he had caused for everyone in the past, it would be for the best if he remained vigilant.

“I am more than happy to attend to Your Majesty, but I cannot lapse in my duties. You are far too precious to lose over a moment’s indiscretion.”

“That’s right,” Miss Yorsten nodded empathetically from the other side of the throne. “Our people have been through so much. If we lose you, everyone will surely fall listless in the streets and never recover!”

A sigh rose from the throne and the Queen returned to her work. Miss Yorsten had an admirable attitude towards her sovereign. He had witnessed many a household servant on his travels indulging lazy and irresponsible masters. Not everyone could be blessed by a peerless Master such as Ainz Ooal Gown, so Sebas thought a certain amount of prudence and discipline was required on their part.

“Mmh…this is more annoying than I expected,” the Queen scratched her temple with the end of her pen. “Ioena, could you grab me the lists for the central region?”

“Right away, Your Majesty.”

Lady Yorsten went over to a long table piled with parchments, binders and tomes bound in nondescript leather. She returned to stand beside the throne with one of the tomes.

“Where shall we begin?”

“Let’s start with the titles between here and Seagate – the ones on the south side of the river.”

Queen Oriculus rolled out a map of the capital duchy over the table. Unlike the reconnaissance maps rendered for the Royal Army – which focused on population centres, topography and strategic elements such as fortifications and transport routes – this one was marked with political boundaries.

“Landsdown.”

The scent of carefully-maintained vellum traced through the air as Lady Yorsten flipped through the tome. She stopped at a certain page, her eyes following her finger running down lists of names.

“The third son of House Landsdown…I believe he went to serve as a footman for House Feston in Blighthold. There are a few dozen cousins…”

“We’ll stick with heir apparents for now,” the Queen said, her pen flowing over a parchment laid on the map. “Brighton.”

Several minutes passed before Lady Yorsten sighed.

“I think everyone on the list was in the duchy, Your Majesty. Poor Lord Brighton and his family were always close.”

“This is far worse than any precedent,” Queen Oriculus muttered. “This is a hope beyond hope, but how is recruitment for Our government faring?”

“Not well,” Lady Yorsten shook her head. “Never mind having the appropriate education, youths who can read are difficult to find. The Temples and the Guilds have their members, of course, but we can’t recruit from their ranks.”

“Then We hope that the lot of you have an unhealthy love for paperwork,” the Queen grumbled.

The dejected looks of the two women made Sebas wonder what could be done to help.

“Your Majesty, might I ask if the Sorcerous Kingdom can assist in some capacity?”

“The problem is that all of Our bureaucrats and administrators have been eaten,” Queen Oriculus explained. “They are not common vocations, so replacements are next to impossible to find on short notice in sufficient quantities – or any at all. To qualify as a bureaucrat, one must have a certain degree of education, training and trustworthiness. Almost all bureaucrats come from the ranks of the aristocracy, as their management duties encompass the same work as the ministries on a local scale.

“Liberating Our lands is the best that can be done, and it is already being done. To be honest, with the losses to our country, it will by necessity have to shrink. We no longer have the population to manage Our entire kingdom.”

“Can you not raise new Nobles?” Sebas asked.

Queen Oriculus leaned back on her throne, holding the map up in front of her.

“We could certainly enfeoff new Nobles,” she answered, “but it is not the same. We are unfamiliar with how things are done in the Sorcerous Kingdom, but, in the Draconic Kingdom, pedigree and tradition matter. It will take many generations to recover – maybe even centuries. We did not just lose many people: everything that they embodied and should have passed on to the next generation has been lost as well.”

It was a troublesome aspect of the world that Nazarick had mysteriously been transported to. People with Job Classes did not automatically know everything that came with those Job Classes. Furthermore, Skills, Abilities, Spells and other aspects of said Job Classes were not instantly obtained. Instead, they were the product of time-consuming and often expensive development.

Perhaps they were not quite the Job Classes of Yggdrasil, but many were clearly ‘incomplete’ as the capabilities of those classes were unknown to the people. More often than not, powers were accidentally discovered or the product of chasing after rumours and ideas.

“I understand the necessity of education and training,” Sebas said, “but is pedigree truly that important?”

“It makes a big difference over a long time with large populations,” Queen Oriculus replied. “Most exceptional individuals can attribute their quality to some part of their lineage, as well. Even those that randomly pop up from unassuming families at times can likely trace things back to some ancestor. The strong and highly successful tend to scatter their seed around and even fastidious sorts like those in the Theocracy cannot keep track of it all.”

Sebas stroked his beard thoughtfully. While the natives of the world that they found themselves in sometimes put great stock in lineage, it was essentially irrelevant to Nazarick’s NPCs. As creations of the Supreme Beings, what they were and what they were not was a product of purposeful design. All of their weaknesses and strengths existed because it was meant to be so.

To have such uncertainty in their lives…to be bereft of the blessing of the Supreme Beings was truly a thing to be pitied.

Queen Oriculus shifted on her throne with an awkward look.

“I-It’s true, you know! We are proof of this. It may not look it, but We are around one-eighth Dragon.”

“Is that so?”

“Umu, it is so. Due to Our Draconic lineage, We are capable of wielding sorcery that regular Humans cannot use at all. There are some other things as well, but they are not flashy enough to be interesting to most…”

His thoughts drifted back to his time investigating Re-Estize’s capital. A part of his duty then was to investigate magic that did not exist in Yggdrasil. It seemed that he once again had an opportunity to gain valuable information.

“I have heard that Dragons possess innate magical ability,” Sebas said, “but I wasn’t aware that they had magic unique to them.”

“Ah, that is because the Dragons born today are incapable of using the magic that We speak of. There is something that many refer to as the ‘Magic of Dragons’, but it is confused with the magic of today’s Dragons, which is essentially sorcery that uses Tier Magic. The type of magic that We are referring to is a type of primal sorcery sometimes called ‘Wild Magic’.”

“How does this Wild Magic differ from Tier Magic, Your Majesty?”

“Hmm…We suppose the defining differences are that Wild Magic is not as limited in scope as Tier Magic and it does not use what Tier Magic casters call ‘mana’. Also, as it is sorcery, it is easier to wield as one’s mastery increases. Tier Magic has Sorcerers as well – many of whom We suspect are the product of Draconic ancestry. From what We understand, the way they learn is much the same as Us. We do not ‘study’ as Wizards do. Instead, We ‘feel’ and bend the World to our will.”

Magic casters that did not rely on mana? That sounded extraordinarily convenient.

“If it is not too much trouble,” Sebas said, “might Your Majesty provide a demonstration of this Wild Magic?”

“We cannot do anything too impressive without borrowing power,” the Queen’s voice turned self-deprecating, “will something minor suffice?”

“Of course, Your Majesty. It is simply curiosity, after all.”

Queen Oriculus looked around her desk until her eyes settled on her empty cup. She placed it to the side.

“We would like another drink.”

Lady Yorsten frowned. An innocent smile graced the youthful face of the Queen. Sebas retrieved a bottle of wine from the table behind the throne, filling the glass.

“Now,” she said, “watch.”

Wisps of vapour drifted from the cup as frost formed on its exterior. The Queen lifted it to her lips and took a deep draught.

“Not much to look at, yes?” She asked.

“Your Majesty changed the temperature of the wine? Or perhaps the vessel?”

“Hmm…it may seem that way,” Queen Oriculus said, “but that is fundamentally wrong. Those familiar with Tier Magic assume that what We enacted is similar to temperature-changing spells, so We can understand how such misunderstandings may occur. In reality, what we desired was an ‘icy cold drink’ and so reality changed. We actually saw one of those temperature-changing Tier-magic spells being used one day and decided to use Our magic to produce a similar outcome for, well, having cold drinks on hot days.”

“It seems that you are a brilliant Sorceress in addition to being Queen. Magical research is a long and involved process that requires an intricate understanding of one’s craft.”

Queen Oriculus put down her cup and looked away, pressing the tips of her fingers together.

“I-it’s as We said, yes? It is sorcery. We can feel our way around until the desired result is achieved. Plus, it is just a drink. Small things are entirely within Our reach, but it is not the result of any ‘brilliance’. We are nothing compared to Dragon Lords like Our great-grandfather.”

“Is your great-grandfather still alive?”

“He is. The Brightness Dragon Lord is something of a wandering scholar, trying to solve a problem that has plagued the World for centuries now. We have not seen him since We were young.”

“I see. One might think that he would come to save a member of his family.”

“That is the thinking of many races, yes. Dragons, however, are more than capable of fending for themselves the moment that they hatch. A Dragon flying in to rescue their offspring is outside of their consideration because they are so strong. Furthermore, Dragons must be strong. If they are not, it is better to make room for one who is, for they will not be able to do what they are meant to do.”

To do what they are meant to do…

Was it a callous line of thinking, or was it appropriate? From the perspective of Nazarick’s NPCs, it was an appropriate perspective. If one could not serve in the capacity that they were created to serve in, they would consider themselves unfit for existence. Sebas had taken that very approach when training Tsuare to be the Head Maid in E-Rantel, but Yuri Alpha’s intervention had blunted the severity of his instruction somewhat.

“Do you believe as your great-grandfather does, Your Majesty?”

“It is the truth,” Queen Oriculus told him. “Whether one believes it or not changes little. At the same time, it is not a matter of simply lying down just because someone stronger comes along. Who is fit for their place in the world is something that is ever in flux and all free-willed beings will struggle to maintain their existence.”

The throne room’s main doors – which still had a hole in them – opened and Captain Scavo walked in. Though the middle-aged man’s face was haggard, the energy in his steps was undiminished from the last time Sebas had seen him.

“My Queen,” the Captain bowed, “preparations for the afternoon appearance have been made.”

“Good work,” Queen Oriculus nodded. “How is the order of the city?”

“Things are still quiet,” Captain Scavo said. “The people are starting to come out of their hiding places, but they’re still very cautious about doing anything. The palace staff who volunteered for law enforcement duties have recruited their quota of temporary militia. They await your inspection on the grounds.”

“What of the Beastmen?” The Queen asked, “Has there been any sign of them since the morning?”

“There have been no reports of disturbances since then, Your Majesty. We’ve closed and barred the gates by your orders, so we have no idea what’s going on in the duchy beyond what we can see from the battlements.”

“What of our guests?”

“They’re still in the northwestern tower,” the Captain shifted on his feet. “I think the only time we see anyone go in or out is when the living working within use the latrine.”

“Well, make sure their needs are seen to should they make any requests for provision.”

“By Your Majesty’s command,” Captain Scavo lowered his head in acknowledgement. “When–”

The throne room doors opened again and Lady Soruel entered. She lowered her head as she curtsied before the Queen.

“Is something the matter, Lady Soruel?”

“The Temples have started conducting services for the dead, but there are so many…they’ve requested permission to place the bodies outside of the city until they can catch up with the backlog.”

“We see,” Queen Oriculus nodded sagely. “The Temples wish to transform the city from a feeding ground to a restaurant where the Beastmen can pick up convenient meals.”

Lady Soruel appeared to be untouched by her Queen’s sarcasm.

“If the dead remain uninterred,” she noted, “we’ll have Undead inside the walls…”

“A few Skeletons and Zombies once in a while are easier to get rid of than tribes of hungry Beastmen,” Draudillon told her. “Hmm…use the palace quarter for storage. Place a few of the palace guard as sentries at each location.”

“But the smell…”

“If they don’t want to smell corpses all day, then they’ll conduct their rites faster! Enough talk of the dead: what of the living? How are the people doing?”

“I’ve delivered the first set of mandates to the relevant parties, Your Majesty. There have been no objections made so far, but the people are still anxious. Rumours and misunderstandings may cause problems with their state of mind. Once they see that you’re safe, however, I believe things will settle down.”

A sigh rose from the throne.

“Then it can’t be helped. We will go and see the newly-recruited militia. After that, We will make an appearance before the people.”

Queen Oriculus rose and set aside her blanket. Once Lady Yorsten checked over her appearance, they left the throne room and made their way to the palace exit. As their steps echoed through the halls, Captain Scavo ventured a question.

“Your Majesty, should we not put the militia to work right away? Public order will only get worse as time passes, so having them standing around on the palace grounds is a bit…”

“The Nobles know what they are doing, Captain Scavo,” Queen Oriculus said. “The men that were recruited may be willing to work, but one cannot go up to random people, say ‘you’re in the militia now!’, and then expect them to function perfectly in that capacity. It is likely that they do not even know a tenth of the laws and regulations that they are responsible for enforcing. Better to ensure that they meet a minimum standard of knowledge and conduct before sending them out to police the streets.”

They went through the palace gardens and to the road leading out into the city. On the grounds before the gate, several dozen men were loosely organised on the grass. The Queen’s entourage stopped on the road nearby and a group of young men in footman's uniforms jogged up to greet her.

“My Queen! You honour us with your glorious presence!”

While their features were slightly different from the Humans of the north, they had the characteristic general appearance and demeanour of Nobles. The olive eyes of the man who greeted Queen Oriciulus met Sebas’ own before flickering back to the Queen.

“We thank you for your hard work,” Queen Oriculus smiled brightly. “Your steadfast efforts instil Us with great confidence!”

Though the words lent a precocious air to her, the men before the Queen brightened.

“Ever shall we be at Your Majesty’s service!” The olive-eyed Noble said, “Though we face difficult times, we are glad for the opportunity to rise to the occasion and offer our utmost to support our precious Queen. It is to be expected, but the men who have volunteered for militia duties are rough around the edges. Their regard for Your Majesty, however, is second only to ours.”

Sebas ran an appraising eye over the noblemen. Their attitudes had a distinctly different flavour than the Nobles he had observed in Re-Estize. The man’s words had the same, superfluous feeling to them, but they expressed themselves with a fervour that might be more commonly found amongst Nazarick’s denizens when speaking to the Supreme One.

“Will they be able to work properly?” Queen Oriculus asked.

“We’ve organised things to suit the impromptu nature of their service,” the Noble answered. “By wearing a militia uniform, they will be a presence that reminds the people of Your Majesty’s order. In terms of law enforcement, they can act as muscle but matters of justice will be left to us. I suppose we are something like militia officers for now.”

“We understand that you all have experience helping out in your territories,” the Queen said, “but remember that the city is a different beast. Be vigilant for Our sake!"

“By Your Majesty’s will!”

“Umu,” Queen Oriculus gave them a nod. “Now, We will see your men.”

The Nobles exchanged looks. Two of them turned around and jogged back to the freshly-recruited militia. Shouts rose and they all seemed to collectively panic before reordering themselves. Queen Oriculus came forward on dainty steps, casting a bright-eyed gaze over the assembly. She placed her hands on her hips.

“Thank you so much for coming to our aid!” Her flat chest stuck out proudly, “We are Queen Oriculus.”

Sebas was fairly certain that they already knew who she was, but her declaration still brought forth looks of awe and admiration.

“Hard times have fallen upon the Dragonic Kingdom and its people, so it brings Us great joy to see that strong and brave men are still willing to stand and help Us through these trials.”

Many of the men visibly teared up and struggled to hold their composure. This much was understandable: if Ainz Ooal Gown expressed himself in such a manner, many of Nazarick’s denizens would surely react the same way.

“Now, let us go before the people,” the Queen said with a smile and a nod. “There is much work to be done.”

Orders rang out and the men formed ranks. They marched out of the gate with looks of determination on their faces. Captain Scavo went ahead to the gatehouse where men in the uniform of the palace guard awaited. A sigh rose from in front of Sebas as the Queen watched the men make their preparations.

“Do you think Us an unfair woman, Sebas?” She asked, “Or perhaps a pitiful one?”

“I believe that inspiring one’s vassals to aspire to greater heights is the mark of a great sovereign, Your Majesty,” Sebas replied. “His Majesty the Sorcerer King often does so.”

A sardonic smile played over the Queen’s lips.

“Somehow, We do not think that the Sorcerer King becomes what he believes his people want to see and attempts to act accordingly. We pray that you will not think ill of Us in your time here.”

The Queen strode off towards the gate. It appeared that she was having confidence issues. Possessing alternate forms was not uncommon in Nazarick. As the sole being amongst millions who could do so, however, he imagined that she might see herself as the strange one.

“Your Majesty, the Sorcerous Kingdom is a nation where many races live in harmony. Of those races are those who can alter their appearances. They are not ashamed of using their abilities where appropriate.”

“I-is that so? Then, you do not think there is anything wrong with Us?”

“On the contrary,” Sebas offered a gentle smile, “it is my sincere belief that you are a wonderful woman, no matter how you may appear.”

Queen Oriculus picked up her pace, scurrying into the gatehouse with bright red ears. Sebas hoped that she wasn’t falling ill.

They ascended the steps to the top of the gatehouse, where a wooden platform had been prepared. On either side were members of the palace guard, their uniforms cleaned and armour polished to a mirror sheen. Above, banners of the Draconic Kingdom fluttered against the clear spring sky.

Sebas eyed the platform. Stepping atop of it would expose them to attacks from below. He prepared several Skills to protect his charge in case arrows and spells came her way.

Queen Oriculus’ shoes tapped over the wooden stairs. A great roar swelled and swept over the battlements. In the square across from the gate, a multitude cried out, waving their arms over their heads in excitement.

“It’s the Queen!”

“Thank the gods she’s safe!”

“Your Majesty!”

Tens of thousands of people clamoured over the Queen’s appearance. There wasn’t a trace of hatred or resentment over what had befallen them, only jubilation. Below her on the wall, Sebas shook his head.

This is how a people should greet their sovereign!

He wondered why the citizens of the Sorcerous Kingdom didn’t do the same. Never mind any fanfare, after a year of peaceful rule, they were still wary of Ainz Ooal Gown when he walked the streets of E-Rantel.

The Queen smiled and waved with an energy matching her expression of childlike innocence.

“Everyone!” Her voice somehow projected over the crowd without the aid of magic items, “Thank you so much! With the help of Our new friends from the Sorcerous Kingdom, the invasion will end soon! We will have peace again!”

A renewed wave of cheering crashed against the wall. Queen Oriculus continued to cast her gaze back and forth over the square, waving as she did so. The very air seemed charged with an abundance of energy many times greater than any place Sebas had visited before.

Without interrupting her actions or losing her brilliant smile, the Queen addressed Sebas again.

?We will ask you again, Sebas. Do you think Us unfair??

Sebas looked out over the teeming throng and their tremendous fervour, no longer certain what it was that she was asking.