"I'll admit, your individual strength is truly impressive, Sir Feifei… but at this point, do you still believe you can drive all of us back on your own?"
Ren Kuroda's defeat at Shalltear's hands had been part of the script from the very beginning.
After all—
A kingdom only needed one hero.
And as things stood, anyone with eyes could see it clearly: the kingdom's side was at an overwhelming disadvantage.
On the enemy's side stood their greatest forces—the demon Adabao and the vampire progenitor, Shalltear.
On the kingdom's side, their strongest were the jet-black adventurer Feifei and the battle maniac Ren Kuroda.
But now that Ren had fallen…
If the battle resumed, Feifei would be forced to face both Adabao and Shalltear alone.
"Enough!"
A commanding voice suddenly rang out across the battlefield.
"I am here as the representative of the Re-Estize Kingdom—on behalf of His Majesty, I come to negotiate a ceasefire!"
Those present were either royal guards or adventurers—none of them had the authority to decide the kingdom's fate.
Just as Lakyus was about to suggest a tactical retreat so they could regroup…
One of the Six Great Nobles of the kingdom—the most powerful among them, Marquis Reibun—arrived, accompanied by the Second Prince, bearing the king's formal decree.
The kingdom… had chosen to compromise.
Though negotiating with demons would tarnish their honor, they had no other option left.
Even from afar, the royal palace had been monitoring the entire battle. If possible, the king and nobles would have preferred the adventurers to defeat Adabao outright.
But after what they had just witnessed—
After Ren Kuroda's defeat at the hands of the vampire—
It was clear that victory was no longer within reach.
Moreover, Adabao's words had reached the palace as well.
He did not seek territory.
He did not demand reparations.
He only wanted a specific item.
Whether it was due to the overwhelming power displayed by the adventurer Feifei, or simply because the demons had no real interest in ruling the kingdom—
In the eyes of the nobles, trading a few treasures to make the entire demonic army withdraw was an incredibly выгодный deal.
Were Adabao and his forces truly searching for something?
Of course not.
It was merely a convenient excuse to complete their performance.
Their objectives had already been achieved.
A large number of nobles had been captured.
Immense wealth and resources had been seized.
And the image of the heroic, unyielding adventurer Feifei had been firmly established.
Conquering the royal capital outright and ruling the kingdom was certainly possible—
But doing so would bring no benefit to Nazarick.
Worse, it would expose them openly and draw the wary attention of neighboring nations.
And so—
The demon Adabao strode arrogantly into the royal treasury of Re-Estize, took several of the kingdom's most valuable relics, and then departed without a second glance—leading his demonic army away as casually as if nothing had happened.
Though the royal family felt the sting of losing their treasures, there was at least one consolation—
The demons kept their word.
That very night, the barrier surrounding the capital vanished, and the entire demonic force withdrew.
As for the so-called "national treasures"…
To Nazarick, they were little more than junk.
But if one was going to put on a performance—
It had to be flawless.
—
"The kingdom ultimately reached an agreement with the demon Adabao at the cost of several national treasures. However, the nobles who were captured were not returned.Before departing, Adabao spoke highly of the adventurer known as the Black Feifei, even stating that if not for the burden of his allies, he might have been defeated."
Inside the imperial palace of the Baharuth Empire, the young emperor, Jircniv Rune Farlord El Nix—here rendered as Kirschniv Ruun Farudo in a more localized style—leaned back in his chair as he listened to his secretary's report.
The Empire and the Kingdom had clashed for years.
No one understood the Kingdom's strength better than they did.
Which was precisely why this incident—
The kingdom being invaded by demons, ultimately forced into compromise—
Had sent shockwaves across neighboring nations.
"Adabao… the vampire progenitor Shalltear… where did such monsters come from? And what exactly are they after?"
The emperor tapped his fingers thoughtfully, his expression darkening.
"And those adventurers—Feifei, and Ren Kuroda… their strength as humans clearly surpasses even the kingdom's greatest warrior, Gazef."
One of the Empire's Four Knights, known as "Raikou," frowned in confusion.
"But didn't Adabao say it himself? He was searching for something within the capital. The kingdom was simply unlucky."
"No," Kirschniv replied immediately, shaking his head.
"If that were the case, the demons could have struck the palace directly from the start. There would have been no need to ravage the capital for an entire week—nor to capture so many nobles."
He brought a finger to his lips, biting lightly as he thought.
"Searching for an item… is likely just a pretext. What truly concerns me is the fate of those captured nobles. How did they manage to relocate so many people without a trace?"
The emperor had never held any affection for nobles.
After all, it was through purging his own empire's aristocracy that he had earned the title—
The Blood Emperor.
What troubled him now was something far more dangerous.
If Adabao had targeted the Kingdom today…
Would the Empire be next?
And if that same demonic force descended upon them—
Would they be able to stop it?
"…Investigate that adamantite-ranked adventurer known as the Battle Demon—Ren Kuroda."
The emperor's voice cut through the room.
"If possible… attempt to recruit him. Offer whatever it takes—far beyond what he earns as an adventurer."
The secretary blinked in surprise.
Even the Four Knights and the court's chief magic caster, Furruda, exchanged puzzled glances.
"If we're recruiting an adamantite adventurer, wouldn't it make more sense to approach Feifei? He was the one Adabao praised so highly. Why target Ren Kuroda, who was defeated?"
At that, Kirschniv let out a faint chuckle.
"Because that man… Feifei… is far too mysterious. And now that he's become the kingdom's hero, there's little chance he would accept our offer."
He leaned forward slightly, eyes gleaming with calculation.
"But Ren Kuroda… based on his actions and track record, he's clearly a powerful individual—and more importantly, adaptable."
"A man like that… suits my tastes."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"And one more thing. Regarding the powerful magic caster previously spotted near the Empire's border—Ainz Ooal Gown…"
"After further investigation, a massive ruin has been discovered in the nearby hills. Its scale is immense… and it may very well be connected to that caster."