Thud!
The charred corpse fell to the ground with a dull sound. Demiurge cared not in the least for Lakyus's death. His eyes were cold as he commanded the summoned demon beside him, "Go and kill all humans in this building."
"Yes!"
After the summoned demon gave Demiurge a brief salute, it rushed out of the waiting room with heavy steps. Since its large body couldn't move freely in the narrow corridor, it simply crashed through the wall, creating a terrifying rumbling sound of destruction.
In a special vision indiscernible to the physical eye, a transparent soul slowly emerged from the charred corpse on the ground.
Lakyus regained consciousness, but now she felt her body light, intangible. She observed her peculiar condition, a faint, hovering light. "So this is what believers of destiny look like after they die. Extraordinary," she murmured, a faint note of awe beneath her shock.
The emotion lasted only a few seconds.
As space fluctuated, another figure suddenly appeared in the room. Lakyus's attention instantly fixed on the newcomer.
It was a tall skeletal magic caster wearing a pitch-black scholar's robe. When Demiurge saw him, he immediately bowed respectfully, like a loyal servant before his master. "Ainz-sama!"
Is he Ainz Ooal Gown?
Through Demiurge's address to the skeletal magic caster, Lakyus instantly recognized his identity. A new fear gripped her, but also an idea sparked in her mind.
Fortunately for her, the two terrifying beings seemed completely unaware of her presence. This afforded her a valuable opportunity to eavesdrop on their conversation, to gain intelligence that might change everything.
"Demiurge, have you arranged the next course of action?" the skeletal magic caster asked him, his voice deep and calm.
Demiurge replied, "Do not worry, Ainz-sama. I will release some surviving humans later, surround the Re-Estize Royal Capital with [Gehenna Flame], summon an army of demons, and force King Ramposa III to submit to Nazarick."
"In that case, it's time for you and Albedo to take the stage."
Lakyus couldn't help but frown when she heard that.
This demon said before that he would threaten His Majesty the King, but I didn't expect it to be true.
They're planning to attack the Re-Estize Royal Capital... This is not good. We must inform Princess Renner and the others immediately! A sense of urgency burned in her soul.
As she was thinking, she heard the skeletal magic caster respond to the demon, "I understand. When the time comes, we will appear and drive you away. At the same time, we will show the people of the kingdom that I am the true Ainz Ooal Gown, and that everything Nazarick did in E-Rantel before was merely a conspiracy by an imposter."
Demiurge nodded. "Exactly. Ainz-sama, if we wish to rule this world, we must have a good image. After all, we are surrounded by powerful enemies. Attacking other countries with force can create more enemies for us. We also need to consider conciliatory policies."
So dangerous!
Listening to their conversation, Lakyus couldn't help but clench her hands—though now intangible—feeling utterly enraged.
If their plan succeeds, many people will surely be deceived and believe Nazarick is an organization benevolent towards humanity.
Fortunately, now I know the truth.
But how could she revive?
Lakyus observed the charred corpse lying on the ground. She tried, but she couldn't touch anything in her current state. It was impossible for her to leave any trace for others to find and revive her.
If I can't be revived in time, even if I know Ainz Ooal Gown's conspiracy, I won't be able to stop it!
What should I do!?
Just as Lakyus began to grow agitated, the conversation between the skeleton and the demon resumed.
"By the way, Demiurge, what will you do with the Golden Princess?" The skeletal magic caster asked him.
Suddenly hearing the name "Golden Princess," Lakyus was startled, her full attention instantly fixated on their conversation.
They want to do something to Princess Renner!?
Lakyus thought so.
After all, the Golden Princess was renowned in her kingdom, and Lakyus had witnessed her wisdom firsthand many times.
These monsters feared Princess Renner's intelligence and were afraid their plans would be exposed, so it was not impossible they planned to harm her.
But in the next instant, she heard something from the demon that shocked her to her very soul.
"The princess and I have had a good chat. Compared to humans, I think her mind is closer to us, the heteromorphs. She has also expressed her willingness to pledge loyalty to you, which will greatly aid us in controlling the kingdom."
Princess Renner surrendered to Ainz Ooal Gown!?
Lakyus felt her head buzzing, and her first reaction was to think that this was utterly impossible. Not a single fiber of her being could accept this reality.
They were talking about no one other than the Golden Princess who had worked tirelessly for the future of the kingdom, and Princess Renner, her gentle, kind, and wise friend.
How could someone like Princess Renner ally herself with a horrifying monster like Ainz Ooal Gown, let alone pledge loyalty to him?
This is an absolute lie!
"Bastard! Don't insult my friend!"
Lakyus screamed, her soul charging towards the demon and throwing a punch at his face.
But it was meaningless.
Her body passed through the other person, and her screams did not attract their attention. It seemed they were on different planes, and neither of them could feel what she felt. A profound despair washed over her.
"Look at me! I'm here!"
As if to vent her anger, Lakyus continued to 'punch' Ainz Ooal Gown and Demiurge non-stop, until the skeletal magic caster spoke again.
"In that case, let us proceed according to plan. Kill King Ramposa III and the other heirs to the throne, and let the princess ascend the throne and become our pawn to control the kingdom."
Demiurge nodded in agreement, with a chilling tone that betrayed the cruelty of their plan. "Precisely. When the time comes, we can use the kingdom's official power to oppose the Church of Destiny. Even if we cannot destroy them, we can suppress their development. Once we have gathered enough strength, we will annihilate them in one swift move and avenge the defeat we suffered in E-Rantel."
"Alright, let's begin. I also need to prepare."
"Yes."
The skeletal magic caster gave the command and used [Greater Teleportation] magic to depart. Demiurge also turned and left the waiting room.
Lakyus floated in the air in a daze, feeling utterly bewildered for a moment.
The skeleton and the demon couldn't sense her presence, so what they said must have been without any pretense whatsoever. Unwittingly, they had revealed all their secrets.
In other words, this was the truth. A bitter and horrifying truth.
She recalled the disgust Kael had shown upon hearing the Golden Princess's name in their previous meeting.
Perhaps Kael realized something was amiss with Princess Renner back then?
No! I want to go and see that person!
In an instant, Lakyus felt a strong desire for knowledge in her heart, and she wanted to verify the truth of the matter! This was no longer just seeking information, but an urgent need to understand this betrayal.
Not only that, the only person who could now shatter the conspiracy of Ainz Ooal Gown and the others was that adult—Kael.
The anxious Lakyus cared not for her current condition as a soul, nor did she care that the Re-Estize Royal Capital was hundreds of kilometers away from E-Rantel. With burning determination, she rushed out of the Six Arms stronghold, attempting to fly towards Kael.
But after she flew for a certain distance, an invisible force pulled at her body, preventing her from moving even an inch towards E-Rantel. An unseen, impenetrable wall.
"Damn it! Why is this happening!?"
Lakyus, who didn't believe in the malevolence of fate, screamed like a madwoman and tried again and again to break free from the shackles. Far behind her, the sounds of destruction grew closer.
Behind her, the summoned demon was destroying the buildings of the Six Arms Stronghold, filling the air with dust and debris.
With a loud explosion, the entire stronghold seemed unable to hold on any longer and collapsed into ruins, burying the remnants of the battle and perhaps Lakyus's last hope to act!