Leinas was impressed by the utility of the 'Gate' spell cast by her new lord, it took them countless miles in moments, from the view of a great city's many people, she had now come to something...very different.

No sooner than she'd stepped out, than she almost tripped over a goblin wearing a red cap. Leinas was a veteran warrior, she had fought and survived many life and death struggles, while she was proud of her skills, she was also cautious enough to know that there was always a more dangerous opponent. This long experience and innate caution had allowed her to evolve an excellent sense for danger, and the goblin she almost tripped over radiated power like a campfire emitted light and heat. Goblins were normally very weak, however this one was clearly not, it was such a contradiction to what she knew that she could not help but stare even as she backed away slowly, hand gripping her sword hilt while she tried not to appear threatening.

The goblin noticed her odd behavior, but if it felt her wariness it gave no sign. It looked at her with its head cocked, "Well hello there, where'd you come from lass?" He asked in a very curious voice, "How the 'ell could I miss you there?"

His answer was short in coming, but not from Leinas, rather it came in the form of the personage of the Sorcerer King who appeared behind her. The green skin of the goblin got noticeably more pale for a moment, and Leinas was quite sure that he was feeling from the Sorcerer King what she felt from the now much more pale goblin.

"Hello." The Sorcerer King said politely, and this snapped the frozen pale goblin back to his senses and he dropped to one knee immediately. The sudden appearance of the entire party drew stares from those around them, and these stares transformed into downward gazes as the various peoples knelt around him, having stopped whatever business they were about at the time.

When they knelt, Emperor Jircniv took a look around, getting a good look at the place he now found himself. It actually, to his surprise, reminded him of Arwintar, or how he imagined Arwintar had looked when it first began to grow from its village roots into a great city, it seemed as if he was looking through a window to his empire's distant past. Though the buildings were not enormous, they were well made, and the humans who knelt were all fit looking and clean, and his glance at them before they knelt had showed proud and contented expressions, like they knew they were a people on the rise, as if they sensed a special destiny in for those who lived on the foundations they laid.

That...was beautiful but not shocking. What DID shock the emperor was that the humans were not the only ones to look that way. Dwarves had walked with a comfortable swagger and elves had looked confidently at the projects they were overseeing, the undead walked without anyone even giving them a second glance, carrying heavy loads and following dwarves and elves, trolls stood behind them guarding a gate without laying a hand on humans and without being given a wayward wary glance by anyone who walked in or out, there were races he had never seen at all, but only read about, and they mingled freely with humans. A naga stood at a cart haggling with a human, a bear man was holding a pot bought from a honey vendor, and goblins were clearly changing shifts on a nearby wall and had appeared to interact in a friendly fashion. It was like the empire's capitol...but as if it were a dream.

Leinas was no less awed, as she looked around, she saw the smooth paved roads and the multiracial guards moving through the city, she even saw a goddamn lich hauling a cart like it was a donkey. She bit her tongue, not to keep back speech or even scream, but so that the pain would wake her if she were dreaming, or at least confirm that she was awake.

The Sorcerer King did not keep the population kneeling long, "Rise." He said, "You may go about your lives, and rest assured that I come to make them better ones tomorrow."

They stood and began to resume their activities, and the Sorcerer King said, "Follow me, I know the way from here."

The very strange party, including one young girl, one far flung nobleman, one emperor, one adamantite grade warrior, a portly arena manager, and an undead king, had no trouble making its way down the street despite its busy atmosphere. As they walked the party spent ample time observing their surroundings, while it still had the air of a village in the interior structures of the place, with village style homes, the wealth of goods that they saw bespoke a substantial amount of wealth flowing through here, and the intimidating looking walls looked like they were protecting something far more significant than a mere village.

It wasn't long before the Sorcerer King found his destination, a somewhat largish home, but still very clearly that of a peasant, was where the group stopped themselves. In front of them stood two goblins, they weren't excessively powerful seeming, but they did appear to take their work seriously and held their position even when they saw the Sorcerer King. The Sorcerer King raised a hand to stop them from the greeting he already saw forming on their lips, and he walked up to the door and knocked three times with his skeletal knuckles. Inside a strong, young, feminine voice replied, "I'll be right there honey, I'm sure its heavy!" And they heard the sound of a chair moving and the sound of echoing footsteps, moving quickly over a wooden floor quickly began, then ended with a fumbling with a latch, and the wooden door swung wide to reveal a pretty young blonde girl in good but simple clothing.

"Hello General Enri." Ainz said politely...and dryly, enjoying having caught her off guard. Jircniv raised a brow, finding it somewhat surprising that Ainz Ooal Gown had something of a mischievous streak to him.

Enri immediately knelt as if by reflex, "Your majesty!" She said in shock, "I-I had no idea you were coming!"

"Think nothing of it, I didn't tell you, so how could you know?" Ainz asked humorously.

She blushed, "Please, may I have the honor of inviting you into my home?" She asked.

"You may." He answered, and he gestured for her to stand, which she promptly did and stepped to one side, swinging her free arm out into the interior as she held the door open with her other hand. "Please, enter! Enter!" She said, "I was expecting my husband to return, truly I did not intend to refer to your majesty as 'honey'." She said with her face bright red.

Ainz laughed, it was a rare thing to hear, but it was deep and proud and unhesitating, "That of course, was the point General Enri Emmot. If a King cannot enjoy a laugh now and again, his life is so dreary that the crown is more curse than anything." He then walked in, followed by his entourage. Emperor Jircniv was profoundly confused, generals lived in palaces or castles in good times, or in richly appointed field tents during wartime, they did not occupy...a peasant home. Leinas was not significantly less so, and as they glanced around, no hint of clarity came their way from the others.

Enri's blush gradually faded as she gestured to a large table at the center of the room. "May I please offer what poor comforts my humble home has, for the use of my savior's guests?"

Jircniv kept his face neutral, but an inkling, a hint, of how she knew of the Sorcerer King was revealed by her words. 'Savior' was an unusually specific choice, he knew her very well somehow.

They sat one by one on the wooden chairs around the wooden table, it was none of it excessively comfortable, far from the cushioned softness of a throne, but it was nonetheless quite functional for its purposes.

"May I offer refreshments? I haven't much, but I can prepare tea if anyone is thirsty." Enri added.

"I will have some...thank you." Jircniv said, carefully ensuring that he was scrupulously polite to someone who must have known Ainz for quite some time and who seemed to have some form of military service to him directly.

The rest of the party also made similar requests, and she moved about the process of making it as if it were perfectly normal for her to do so, Jircniv noticed that there was no effort wasted in her efficient movements, but her actions also revealed a toned and muscled body, she might have looked the part of an ordinary village girl, and perhaps she once was, but clearly there was more to her than that. His musings were interrupted when another young girl walked through the front door and closed it behind her, and Jircniv noticed she was roughly the age of Kuuderika, and had a firm serious look about her to go with her tan skin and deep brown hair. She froze when she saw the people around the table her face went from serious to delighted, and her child-like squeal was clearly sincere and a delight to the ear.

She rushed forward immediately and, to the absolute shock of all those present, dove into the Sorcerer King's lap in an enormous huge. "Majesty! Majesty! Majesty!" she shrieked. If Ainz could have blushed, he might have, but his bones spared him that and he patted her head. Jircniv made sure he closed his shocked wide open mouth as fast as he could at the unparalleled display of affection for the undead king.

"Its good to see you again Nemu Emmot." He said. "How long has it been?"

She stood back up, only to have her head rapped with a spoon by Enri who said, "Proper manners before the King Nemu." She looked embarrassed by her younger sister, and crossed her arms tapping her shoulder with the spoon impatiently, Nemu rubbed the back of her head with an excessively dramatic gesture, then knelt until Ainz laughed and told her to rise.

"Its OK General Enri, you know I make an exception for the first human child to visit my home, the joy and praise she heaped on the labor of my precious friends offered them warms my...well whatever I have in place of an actual heart." He laughed again, prompting the entire table...plus Enri...to be reminded again that he was terrible at telling jokes.

"I know majesty, but its still good for her to remember proper manners." Enri said with a sigh and returned to making the tea.

"It has been six months sire, the last time I visited your home to borrow and return some books alongside Lupusregina." She said with a slight pout.

"Well you'll have to come again soon." He said warmly, prompting the pout to turn into a broad smile.

"I can't wait." She said.

"Now, I have business with your sister for the moment, so why don't you go and play for awhile." Ainz asked in a way that said he was definitely not asking. The pout returned, but she nodded obediently and went back outside.

Jircniv's mind reeled at the exchange, and from what he saw, his perception of almost total disbelief was quite normal, it showed the stark contrast between the Undead...and the Undead King, for a moment, Jircniv wondered if his majesty was truly undead at all.

His musings were cut off when Enri returned with cups of piping hot tea and some small home baked cakes to go with it. She laid it out on a tray in the center of the table, and each person in turn reached for a cup and a single honeyed cake.

"Please, sit Enri." Ainz said, and she took the last open chair at the far end of the table.

"Let me introduce Emperor Jircniv of the Baharuth Empire, Leinas Rockbruise, my new body guard, Osk, who runs the imperial arena, Kuuderika, Count Yvas, also of the Baharuth Empire." Ainz said, gesturing to each one in turn, who inclined their heads in a dignified way that spoke of their noble character. Enri was growing progressively more stunned.

"And this," Ainz said to them, gesturing to Enri, "Is general Enri Barear, she defeated the army of Prince Barbro with her goblin army, resulting in the death of the Prince and preventing any reinforcements from coming to the Katze plains."

Their expressions grew more interested as Ainz gave Enri far more credit than she was sure she deserved, and Jircniv for his part was absolutely certain that her plain appearance hid a great deal.

"Her husband is N'ferea, the second greatest alchemist in the world...though his grandmother now says he's surpassed her." Ainz added, and their looks became even more interested, this did not change with Enri's blush at the praise.

"General Enri has been to the Library of Ashurbanipal and schooled in strategy under the finest tutors I could provide for her, and she will be a great asset in the days ahead." Ainz continued, lavishing praise on the blushing girl.

Enri knelt again in deference. "I will be of whatever use his majesty requires of me." She said humbly.

"That use is fast coming." Ainz said, "Now rise and reclaim your seat, I will be blunt about what I require of you, and tell you all you need to know." He added as she stood and sat again.

"We are going to be going to war, and we are going to go soon." He said, "You will be commanding your goblin army during the conflict, as well as any volunteers from this village." Her eyes widened.

"War, sire?" She asked in surprise.

"Yes, not because I wish it, but because necessity dictates it, and I cannot avoid it." He said. "The Slane Theocracy is creating conditions ripe for conflict, spoiling for it I should say, and though I could end it with a spell, I would only plant the seeds of future wars by doing so, and so I will wage this one as mortals do, and end it decisively that way. You will be commanding one of my armies." He said.

"I will do as you command sire, but what of the village?" She asked.

"Its hardly a village now, isn't it?" Ainz asked with a chuckle, there are more people between humans and demihumans here, than there are in some small cities, and you're still growing."

"It is thanks to his majesty." Enri said with an enormous smile, "It is as you say, but to my heart it will always be a village, even if it becomes the very center of the world some day."

Things began to fall into place for the cunning emperor. Ainz had rescued the girl and her village, found a talent in her, nurtured it, and ensured her loyalty and that of her husband, and has been investing in her village to make it a great center of power for himself with absolute loyalty underneath him. For what seemed the ten thousandth time, Jircniv wished he had half the luck the Sorcerer King did in sniffing out and winning talent to his side.

"I know you will." Ainz said. "You have ample time still, perhaps a year, perhaps a little less, perhaps a little more, but the time will come, and when it does, you must be ready to march. Your village will be ruled by a council in your absence, so you needn't fear, no hazard will come close to it. You will serve in concert with several other generals commanding various armies, one of whom you've already met. You do remember Zaryusu Sasha, don't you?"

Enri nodded emphatically, "The lizardman, yes I do, a highly intelligent leader."

"I will be appointing him to command over lizardmen and other demihuman and heteromorphic forces from E-Rantel and the Abelion Hills, and the Empire's forces will be lead by one of the great knights of the empire, Nimble. Our Southern forces will be commanded by Neia Baraja, and I intend to summon her here to speak with you before I leave this place." Ainz said, and eyes around the table went wide as the Sun as they envisioned armies like that, and the beyond legendary strength it would posses, but Ainz was not finished.

"And you Leinas, will be taking command of the nationalized adventurer's guild in the securing of citizen and the care of prisoners as we move South. I trust you're familiar with security work?" He asked.

She nodded numbly and then his words registered.

"Wait what?!" She asked with shock.

"When the time comes for the invasion, I intend to take many prisoners, and I also expect that my enemies will seek to abuse anyone they suspect is not on their side, adventurers will be used to protect the people from harm and to guard prisoners." Ainz said, and she blinked again.

"Is this a problem for you?" He asked.

She shook her head in small jerking motions, "No sire, its just...the scale of it all boggles my mind." She said softly.

"You'll get used to it." He said flatly.

Jircniv could only mentally shake his head and think, 'No...you won't.'

"Now, there is much more to cover as well." Ainz said, "Firstly I wish to know the status of your education?"

Enri blushed again, feeling like a little girl answering to her father about her unfinished chores. (*AN: Proceed with the 'Bone Daddy' jokes, you know you want to)

"Sire I labor hard under the goblin strategist, and he has praised my efforts, also I have learned more about logistics and can now calculate all the requisite formulas for supplies needed over distance for the size of my force both with and without forrage as a variable. I can read and write in Elvish, and while I am not much of a fighter, I have won over ninety-five percent of practice engagements between squads and platoons in our wargames." Enri said, biting her lip and hoping it was good enough.

"Well done." Ainz said, giving his approval. "Then prepare for much bigger things." He let out a sigh, "On to another matter..." he gestured to Kuuderika. "This is Kuuderika, her parents sold her and her sister into slavery, and her sister died, while she barely survived. I would like her to stay here with you, and be raised in your house alongside Nemu, where she can receive a proper education and have a better life. Do you have any objection?"

"No majesty, none, its just..." Enri gestured around the house, "I haven't but a peasant's home, is this..." She began in a voice that said she was about to cast doubt on the merits of her residence, but Ainz cut her off.

"It is the people in the house, not the size of it, that make for a home." He said. "I will have some labor devoted to expanding and improving your residence as a reward for your service to me, and this will also accommodate her needs." Ainz said.

That settled the matter and Enri looked over to the very shy, nervous looking girl, she walked over to her and leaned in, "Welcome to my home, or perhaps I should say, welcome to your home, for as long as you want it." She said sweetly.

For any girl who had lived on the street, cynicism and doubt were the greatest security against danger, but Enri's voice was so filled with warmth and sincerity that it was hard not to believe that she meant what she said.

"T-thank you." The young girl said softly.

"Please excuse me a moment." Enri said and straightened up, she went over to the door, opened it, and called out for Nemu, who came running up a moment later. "Kuuderika, would you come here?" Enri asked sweetly. Kuuderika got up, looked to the Sorcerer King for approval, and when he nodded, she went to where Enri stood.

"Nemu, this is Kuuderika, she'll be staying with us from now on, would you take her out to play and give her a tour of Carne?" Enri said kindly. Nemu and Kuuderika stood looking at each other in silence for a moment, as if sizing each other up, their serious faces seemed to reflect some common trait between them, and then as if reaching common favorable decisions, they raised their hands at the same moment, and shook hands with approving looks at the feel of shared callouses that bespoke much physical work between them.

"Come, let me show you my home." Nemu said, "Prepare...to be...amazed." She said with enthusiasm as a skeptical Kuuderika followed behind her.

Enri closed the door behind her and returned to the table.

"This is...a lot to take in sire." Enri said.

"It is, and there is still more." He said.

"More...?" She asked.

"Yes." He replied, "But first I need to know more about how Carne Village's growth has gone, the layout of the city in the making and it's districts, my next building project will be begun and finished very soon, and I want to know what you can tell me about which locations are where so that I can pick the best spot to build." He added.

Enri got up and grabbed a piece of paper and then sat back down and began to draw, grateful once again to the goblin strategist who had taught her about the importance of maps. "Sire," she said as she drew a circle in the center of the paper, "this circle represents where we are here, in what some have taken to calling 'The Old Carne district' almost all humans except for the original goblins and a few specialized goblins from the main army, its from here that we govern and make decisions." She drew a square around the circle, "This represents the newcomer district, mostly demihumans, elves, dwarves, quoga, the earlier additions to his majesty's dominion who have settled here, its a large area now and those who do most of the industrial work live here, on the northern outskirts near the Great Forrest of Tobb, is where most of our actual industry is, the dwarves set their shops up there, the blacksmiths and others who make things work out of there, I learned about the value of districting and zoning in the Library of Ashurbanipal, and it did create some chaos at first, but we've relocated all centers of production to that area." She said, she drew another square to the southern part of her improvised map, "Here we have our actual commercial district, most buying and selling takes place here, but some businesses are interspersed throughout the other districts to ensure easy access to food and drinks and so on. The merchants usually rent apartments over their shops in that place, so it sort of doubles as residential. "Beyond that", she drew a large square encompassing the whole thing, "this is where our military positions are, all our fortifications, we have people manning the inner and outer walls at all times, and to the west we have the military training grounds where goblins, humans, and other military and militia personnel practice their military arts. All to the South of that rests our fields, we've expanded them dramatically and now they're almost exclusively worked by the undead, and a small temple of Black Justice has been built on the outskirts of those fields where the undead are rented and managed out of." She said it all quite proudly.

Jircniv could not help but be impressed, it was all neatly ordered and clearly well managed, and he very much hankered to get a look in the Library of Ashurbanipal.

"I see, so there is room in the east, very good, then I will build there." He said, "Who wants to watch?" He asked, and the entire table stood up in unison.