Ainz cast the Gate spell a few minutes after his message was sent. Every time he saw it, Jircniv marveled at the blunt utilitarian nature of the spell, an empire linked by such a thing had no limits on its reach, every city was one or two steps away, no border was beyond the reach of a hand. He cursed the limits of humanity that could not reach out and take such power, but there was little time to contemplate this, because a moment later a woman stepped through, a woman whose face he knew immediately, he'd never met her in person, he'd never even seen a picture, but there was one feature that stood out in every report he read, a feature so overwhelmingly uniform in its description that he could not have mistaken her for anyone else, even if he had not known who he was about to meet when she stepped through the gate.

Terror. Unbridled nightmarish terror. The Mad Eyed Archer, the acolyte of unlife, the founder of Black Justice, paladin's bane, Her face embodied it, her eyes seemed to have the eyes of a predator at the pinnacle of power, when her gaze fell on him, he felt as though he, perhaps the greatest emperor the Baharuth Empire had ever seen, were nothing more than a bird, so proud in the sky, being sized up by a hungry serpent for a meal.

The narrow look she gave as she moved from one person to the next did not make Jircniv alone shiver.

Osk took one look at her face and imagined the martial lord himself shuddering. He'd spent a lifetime among heroes and warriors, he thought he knew how to determine the powerful from the weak, but she blurred that line. He didn't feel like she was exuding power on the scale of his majesty, or even the martial lord, or even the powerful swordsmen and adventurers he'd encountered in the past, truth be told he got the feel of someone at most on the upper middle ranks, but a look at her face and he felt it was nothing but a disguise on her part, as if she were suppressing monstrous power just beneath the surface, he couldn't take his eyes from hers, it was as if they sucked him in and consumed him whole, like the unhinged jaws of a serpent. It was a great relief when her eyes moved on.

Enri Barear managed to maintain a polite smile at the woman as she looked her over. Neia Baraja was not overly tall, they were in reality almost the same height, and even a similar build, but Enri felt as if she had to crane her neck to look up at her, as if she were the size of a troll, her presence was impossible to not notice and feel dwarfed by. The forest green armor she wore had to have been that of the Grand King Busar, the monster beyond all but the greatest heroes that she'd defeated, even this far away, the story of her crushing the monster had been carried on the mouths of bards. Enri had found the story doubtful at first, but now looking at the girl who carried a godly bow on her back and wore the armor of an overwhelming demihuman lord...it seemed unlikely that the monster had ever truly stood a chance, the girl reminded her of what she felt concealed beneath the playful guise of Lupusregina Beta, only revealed instead of concealed.

Leinas had only stepped back once in her life, the day she encountered the monster that had cursed her. Today she added a second time, the eyes of the mad eyed archer were fearsome, fanatical, powerful. She was spellbound and speachless, and when she stepped back, she felt herself stop against the chest of the Sorcerer King, she blushed in shame, an stepped forward again, relieved that the Sorcerer King did not see fit to reprimand her, in all probability, she felt he must have understood why she'd just done that.

Count Yvas took one look at her, and though he felt the awe and terror at her face as much as any other, his artistic spirit was stirred, and he looked at every feature, memorized every line of her form, every dimple, every mark, every stray hair falling from her head, and every detail of lips and nose and cheeks...and above all...her eyes. He was saved from his fear by his desire to immortalize what he saw. It would be a defining moment for the life of the artistic Count, in the many years that would pass between that encounter and his eventual final rest, he would immortalize her in painting and sculpture, her face would be put to goddesses and demons, to heroes and villains, one of the many legacies of the mad eyed archer.

Ainz looked at his acolyte, his most devoted human follower, the bearer of his justice, and he was duly impressed...and very uncomfortable, with the power and devotion her eyes gave away. Unlike Jircniv, Osk, Yvas, Leinas, & Enri...Ainz knew why they were feeling the things they were. He recognized the power of the evangelist in her, she exuded charisma, terror, power far beyond what she physically possessed, she had presence and a sense of authority that could move the hardest hearts and terrify the bravest, depending on her mood, and she must have been in a terribly angry state before his summons. He wondered what it was she was dealing with beforehand.

"Oh...right." She said, and took her visor out and put it back on her face, the aura she'd exuded on the others vanished as if it never were. Then she approached and knelt in front of Ainz Ooal Gown. "Your majesty your servant stands ready at your command." She lowered her gaze with genuine deference.

Jircniv felt it was fitting that she should serve the only one he'd ever met who was more terrifying.

"Rise." Ainz said in his noble voice, "It is good to see you again Neia Baraja, you've been very busy it seems."

"Never too busy for you, your majesty, and only ever busy doing what needs to be done, spreading your majesty's justice to all those who need to know of it." She said, her voice, though not loud, boomed with power as it hit the ears of those around her.

"I would have it no other way." Ainz replied as she stood, allow me to introduce you.

"This is Count Yvas, arguably the finest patron of the arts in the Baharuth Empire, his students will be working on my new Arena here in Carne."

Neia reached out with one hand after removing her glove, and shook the hand of the man in front of her, she sensed a powerful obsession in him, and she felt a part of it directed at herself, a disconcerting and curious thing given that she was just now meeting him, but she shrugged it off and gave him a polite hello. She thought for a moment he would critique her for not bowing to a nobleman, but Neia had resolved that she would bear such a critique, there was only one to whom she bowed now, too many human nobles had disappointed her to give deference to anyone, only one should be bowed to, all others...could either shake her hand or receive nothing.

"This is Osk, he'll be running the Arena here." Ainz said, and Neia held out her hand again, she carefully read the man in front of her, he was no warrior, but she could sense talent in him, an able figure, a mind of worth if not a body. He shook her hand without hesitation, something she approved of.

"This is General Enri Barear, ruler and commander of the Army of Carne." Ainz said.

Neia carefully took measure of the girl as she held out her hand, for all the world she seemed an ordinary peasant, but that was of no account to Neia, before Ainz, she'd been an ordinary squire, a little more talented in some unique ways, but perfectly ordinary otherwise, if she was called to something great, others could be too...though she felt a little jealous over it, she pushed that aside, the girl's hands were calloused and her body was fit, both things Neia approved of, the woman seemed to take her in stride as well, an unusual thing in its own right, and that left her wondering what oddity of experiences that Enri had experienced with the Sorcerer King, a question she would have to ask when time allowed her to indulge herself.

"This is Leinas Rockbruise, my bodyguard and a new servant to my court." Ainz said, and Neia reached out to shake the woman's hand, the woman thrust her hand forward quickly as if she were reaching into the fire, and she squeezed tight as if to test Neia's body, Neia squeezed right back, and lowered her gaze slightly so that she was looking slightly over the visor, she caught the woman's eye, and Leinas released her grip, her attempt at testing Neia had not gone quite as she expected. Leinas had indeed squeezed tight, but if this Neia had felt anything, she'd held it back, and her death gaze told Leinas that she had not appreciated the test. Though her return grip had not been excessively strong, she deeply suspected there was more power there than she let on.

"And this, is Emperor Jircniv of the Baharuth Empire." Ainz said, and Neia turned to look the emperor over in greater detail. He was richly dressed and he did not appear to be a fit combatant, but service could take many forms and she knew he had been a vassal of the Sorcerer King for longer than she had served him...so he must be very skilled in his role, so she held out her hand to the emperor who for a moment seemed dumbfounded, then he responded quickly and reached out and shook her hand.

"Its a pleasure to meet you all." Neia said, "Some of you I have heard of, and I must say at first glance at least, you live up to your reputations." She gave them a warm smile that, with her eyes hidden behind the visor, sparked a warm reception.

"I called you here for introductions." Ainz said, "But also another matter of some significance. I will be blunt. War is coming."

"Majesty, wisest of the wise, god of justice and wisdom, may I speak freely?" Neia said deferentially.

"Always." Ainz said.

"For me, war is already here. The fall of Prart and my influence in Yanana, the siege of Kedyn and the troubles with the South, I am already fighting a war." She said softly.

"True." Ainz said, inwardly rejoicing at her honesty, the kind of feedback he craved but could never get from his guardians. "However I speak of a wider conflict. The Slane Theocracy has been very active in the South and in the North of the Roble Holy Kingdom, Neia has been instrumental in disrupting them, but all out war is inevitable at this point, and I intend to respond. What is more, the Slane Theocracy is also active in the Re-Estize Kingdom. I fully expect this to be the largest war in the last six centuries at least." Ainz said flatly.

"The legions are already being mobilized. General Enri's army is ready to march, Neia, I want you to take official command of Black Justice as a formal military operation, gather your finest and when hostilities break out, conduct a fighting retreat from the South, slow them down, you can't beat them, not by yourself, but you can slow them down while we march to your aid. Zaryusu Sasha will be commanding an army as well, raised from the lizardmen, dwarves, quoga, my nationalized adventurers, elves, and human volunteers and I will send armies of my own devising into battle as well, of both undead and demihumans and heteromorphs raised from the Abelion Hills. Leinas, you will be taking command of the undead and demihumans I raise, that is...assuming you can handle that." Ainz said firmly.

And as he spoke Neia imagined the size and scale of such a force...Re-Estize levies, Scriptures & Slane Theocracy armies...Southern Knights and Paladins, Northern allies of the South, & Remedios Custodio's renegades on one side...and the vast armies of the Sorcerer King's vassals and subjects on the other, it was just too much for her brain and she could scarcely imagine it all.

"Majesty, what of your magic?" She asked.

Ainz nodded. "I intend to negotiate away the use of my highest tier spells in exchange for certain concessions to rules of war, if they agree to treat prisoners well, treat all wounded equally, accept surrenders that are offered, and a few other minor details, I will fight through conventional means and crush them completely without overwhelming force from my singular ability, in this way I will usher in a new era showing that all together are stronger than any alone."

It was a stirring moment for them all, and Leinas spoke up, "Your majesty, I've been a bodyguard and an adventurer, but I've never commanded an army in war before. If you command me, I will obey, but I fear disappointing you through my inexperience."

Ainz stroked his chin as if in thought, "I will ensure you are properly taught beforehand. There will be some months before war breaks out, probably before the Synod, but I admit even I can't say for sure whether or not it will begin before, during, or after, according to my calculations each one is definitively possible. Its the random factors that throw the matter off, it all depends on how successful attempts are on King Caspond's life."

That brought stares of shock. "Do I have something on my face?" Ainz said, and began to move his skeletal fingers over his cheek.

"No majesty, its just...you said about King Caspond..." Jircniv began.

"Oh, according to my calculations based upon his friendly relations with me that will make him a persistent high value target for assassination, I offered him body guards, but he refused on the grounds that it would appear he was my prisoner and not my ally, a brave position...but one unwise I fear. If he is killed sooner, there will be war sooner, if he is killed later, there will be war later, but he has to die or be otherwise incapacitated and unable to rule before war can break out." Ainz said as he laid out his predictions.

There were blank stares as they saw the undead genius lay out the future as if he was unrolling a map on a table, and once again Jircniv mentally congratulated himself for yielding when he did.

"Whenever it happens however, I intend to be ready. So Neia, whatever you're doing in Wenmark, make sure you're done soon, I would not want to be stuck there when a hostile government exists in the North and aid cannot reach you easily." Ainz said bluntly, Neia swallowed.

"Yes your majesty." She said. "I intend to finish work there as fast as possible and then move North again before things get worse."

"That is why I am touring my domain, tying up loose ends, ensuring everyone is ready when the time comes for combat, I will leave nothing to chance, the future of the world is on the line here, and it must be won decisively or the next generation will fight this war all over again. If you wish to end this conflict in such a way so as to spare your children and grandchildren and great grandchildren the repetition of it all in the future, then it must be won thoroughly and decisively, destroying forever all thoughts of rebellion. A narrow victory will lay the seeds of war a generation later, or even prevent its ending in the present, it must be total and complete, or it might as well be a defeat." Ainz said simply, as the generals exchanged glances at one another.

"Now, I'd like to see where the goblin armies train for combat." Ainz said, "General Enri, would you lead the way?" Ainz asked politely.

"Of course my lord." She said and they walked to another area well outside the village, and from the top of a low hill they looked down and saw the goblins stabbing spears into straw dummies, and some of them working with humans who were doing the same. Nearby, goblin battle mages sent fireballs at individual and group targets, near that, they saw an assassination team storm a building manned by human defenders, though the goblins were clear victors, the humans who served as their opponents not only didn't seem to mind, they put up a very good fight along the way.

"Your people are growing stronger." Ainz said. "You should be proud, Enri." His voice was polite and noble, and Enri blushed.

"Thank you your majesty, we've been working hard." Enri replied. "I'm sure when I tell them about the call up, you'll have many of the humans here volunteering to offer up their lives to you."

"You think so?" Ainz asked curiously.

"Yes your majesty, you saved many of their lives, many of their children's lives, many of their parents and grandparent's lives, from being slaughtered by those terrible Theocracy knights. The people have been promising to someday pay you back for your generosity by laying down their lives for you, many will see this as the chance they'd long been denied, and will immediately volunteer, their only question will be whether or not they'll be issued equipment or need to bring their own." Enri said with absolute confidence and certainty in her voice.

Neia admired her conviction. "I won't argue with their devotion." Neia said as she looked down where they were, "But I will be frank, they'll fight hard and die quick as they are right now, Enri, will you object if I send a few of my instructors from the capitol to you, our combat style will suit many of them quite well, and it will complement the more rigid and professional goblin forces that you already have. If they had more time, I'd say leave them to train as they are, but since his majesty says a war is coming fast and at an uncertain hour, I think extra manpower and instruction will be vital for ensuring as many survive as possible."

Enri didn't have to think about it long. "Thank you Pope Neia." Enri said politely, "I would be pleased to accept your offer, anything that prepares my people to live through war, cannot possibly be a bad thing, I regret having to send them out, but if I can do more to bring them back after winning, then more I will do."

"And that is why you will make a great general." Ainz said bluntly.

"It is one thing to send soldiers out to die, it is another to do so uselessly or indifferently, it is a poor general who cares nothing for their subordinates, and I will not have any bad bosses in my employ. Fight to win, but make sure you give your soldiers the means to fight and win handily, the only true victories are the big ones, anything else is not that different from defeat, since at most it guarantees the same conflict all over again." Ainz added with firm conviction in his voice.

Enri and Neia shared a look of mutual understanding, and as Neia looked over her visor at Enri and they met one another's gaze again, Enri found herself to be not nearly so intimidated the second time around.