Ainz felt his mind racing like a frightened rabbit, and he covered his surprise with a cough, "Ahem, ah, yes of course, all is going according to plan."

Albedo looked at him with moony eyes, admiring and desirous, "My lord, I understand that by allowing the King to be assassinated and replaced with a new monarch in a weak political position and by allowing the potential allies heirs to be kidnapped, the Theocracy will succeed in drawing the incompetents of Re-Estize into war on their side and against us, thus giving us casus belli to invade and take over the whole country...but if you would forgive my foolish self..."

"And myself as well..." Demiurge interjected, earning a rare and grateful smile from Albedo who appreciated not being the only fool in the room not to understand their unfathomable lord...

"Neither myself nor Demiurge understand why you allowed the boy Climb to be held hostage as well. Princess Renner is already wailing, it is my understanding that we were to keep her pet safe during all of this, does this not break our word?" She asked in confusion.

Ainz laughed deeply and loudly as his mind continued to race, "Not at all," he improvised as fast as he could, "for you see, now Climb is more safe than ever. Had we guarded him directly, our guards might have been exposed, and our presence with them, they might have uncovered our dealings in Re-Estize. This way, the Slane Theocracy will guard climb closely, they will keep him as safe as they possibly can, rather than risk the princess turning on them and complicating their plans. They're doing the work for us, and we can rescue him at any time, while ALSO giving us further justification for war against the Theocracy when their actions are 'officially' made public. We have the moral high ground." Ainz looked at them both pointedly. "But I must ask...you DID have agents monitoring them silently did you not?"

The pair looked at each other and kept their eyes deeply downcast. "My lord I regret to say that our weak minds are so far behind your own, that we did not see or know the depths of your plan, truly your wisdom is far beyond ourselves. We regularly visit the palace, but we have not monitored the pet or several other figures." Demiurge said, he and Albedo shared a deeply troubled look, they were both sweating bullets. For them, failure to their master was the very worst of sins, and the trauma of the loss of all the other supreme beings was such that they lived in terror that if they disappointed the last of the supreme ones, their great lord...that he might give up on them and leave as well. They swallowed hard.

Ainz leaned back in his throne, put his skeletal hand over his face and sighed heavily, thinking, "I truly am a terrible boss. I so hate to make them think they've disappointed me...but better that than to shatter their perceptions."

From their perspective he appeared sorely disappointed in them, and Albedo quickly spoke up, "My lord, I sincerely apologize for not seeing the true depths of your thoughts, and I...we...apologize for our failure. Command us to atone with our lives, and it will be done!" She said, frantic tone lacing her words.

Ainz shook his head, "Think nothing of it, the fault was mine for not sharing my plans with you, I assumed it was...obvious." He looked down at them from his throne, "Well no matter, they lack the means to instantly transport themselves, so they will be on the road some time, simply find them, that shouldn't be beyond you, find and follow them, but do not interfere. When the time comes, we will rescue the heirs and the boy Climb, and we will be the heroes of Re-Estize who saved their loved ones and indeed their very houses, from being rendered extinct by the Slane Theocracy. When the rescue is done, whatever armies the more reluctant commanders have left can be turned against the real supporters of the Slane Theocracy. Now...this I will make clear to you...when the time comes to engage these armies, identify ones lead by men who are acting because their families are hostages...and take the fight easy on them. While by contrast, be harsh with the armies of those who have joined with the Theocracy by choice, this way when one side turns upon the other, the fight will be one sided. Also, ensure we have dopplegangers prepared to take the place of the hostages so that the Slane Theocracy is none wiser when we free the captives. Let it come as a total shock when their allies turn upon them." Ainz steepled his hands together as he leaned in, using diabolical pose number three.

"Yes my lord! We will not disappoint you!" They snapped in unison, and immediately rushed out to carry out his orders.

It was later that day when offical word was delivered of the death of King Caspond, and Ainz duly drafted a message of deep condolences to the people of the Southern Holy Kingdom, who had endured so much hardship, only to lose the last scion of the old dynasty.

...In the palace of Re-Estize...

Renner alternated between screaming and crying, none of her maids had ever seen her like this, but she was beside herself, calling out for Climb as if he were still there and tearing at her hair, her eyes were the core of madness and her breathing was heavy as a predatory beast in a long chase, she swore that she would punish the Slane Theocracy, she would stand over the battered bodies of the cardinals, they would suffer then thousand screams for every scratch they put on her Climb, and gods preserve them if he died. She had immediately dispatched a desperate message to Albedo, reporting what had been done in a way that only the traumatized can convey, Albedo had promised to speak with her master, and instructed her to wait alone in her room until a representative approached her.

That seemed to take forever, but in reality was only the briefest of periods, and it was Albedo herself who came into Renner's chamber.

Renner could barely bring herself to the necessary presence of mind to kneel, but she managed...barely, and she pleaded immediately to the succubus, "Well...what says the master?" Her words quivered in desperation.

Albedo shook her head, she couldn't fault the woman for not concluding what she herself had not grasped, and she said, "Truly my master is ever the genius, such that I have failed once again to grasp his intent."

Renner looked deeply hopeful and very confused.

Albedo continued, "As long as Climb remained here, he remained a target of assassination to get to you during the inevitable war, our lord however, in his infinite wisdom, concluded that Climb was far safer as a 'hostage' which they would desperately protect in order to maintain leverage and influence over you. In short, his greatest threat is now his most absolute security, he is making them do the work, and when the time is right he will be plucked away from his captors and returned safely to you, when it is time to turn the tables. You have, before your present madness, concluded the same as we have, I hope?" She asked.

Renner's calculating eyes returned as she gained comfort from the knowledge of Climb's safety. "I did, I would not be their sole target, they also killed my father," her voice was coldly indifferent at that statement, "and I have no doubt that they also targeted anyone who would impede the push to join with them. My brother will inherit, but he will be far to weak politically and the royal faction backing him will have to keep the kidnapping's secret as well as support the pro-war faction that joins with the Slane Theocracy." Renner's breathing eased more and more..."But mistress," She said, "How can I cope without my puppy, is there nothing I can do to even see him?"

Albedo was about to snap at her, however she was moved in a rare moment, likely due to her recent terror about Lord Ainz's disappointment in them and the thought of his leaving them, and she instead in a measured voice said, "Go along with their plans for now, your brother is not a complete idiot, he will eventually understand that one kidnapping means another, and that the king's death is not coincidence. Serve us well during this time, and I will provide you an item that allows you to see your Climb intermittently, after he's arrived at his holding area. Then when we are ready to turn the tables, convince your brother to offer his Kingdom as a vassal state in exchange for security on his throne and both defense from and revenge on the Slane Theocracy."

Renner nodded, awed at the towering intellect of Ainz Ooal Gown, who saw so far down the line of events to come. She felt like a rank idiot at the moment, and prayed she could be useful within her own limitations, a sentiment she was unaware that the other guardians shared whole heartedly.

...On the road...

"Who the hell are you? Where are you taking me?!" Climb snapped out as the cart raced along the road in the dark. He was bound hand and feet, and chained far to tightly for any martial art he knew to help him escape. He spoke more quietly this time, the last two times he'd shouted, and they'd knocked him out again, this time when he regained consciousness, he had the sense to speak emphatically but not loudly, hoping for a different outcome.

As the wheels bounced along the not well to well maintained road, their rattling providing a constant ambient noise, and the man at the head of the cart stared straight ahead, several more men around him raised torches over his face and looked down at him. "Awake again are you?" One of them said.

"Learned your lesson about making noise by now then." Another said with a laugh. Climb kept his mouth shut.

"I'll take that as a yes." Another said. "Short version, you're in a cart, coming with us, and who we are doesn't really matter, you're a hostage. Cooperate, and you won't have to change places with Princess Renner."

Climb tried to imagine his beloved Princess Renner in his position, and he shivered at the thought of it, nodding numbly. The man was bluffing, but Climb didn't know that, or need to know that, as far as they were concerned.

"Good lad," the same man said, "for what it's worth, you're not going to be harmed, you're far too important, you're here because the princess holds some affection for you, and as long as you're held in safe custody with us, she won't get in our way. That means you're too important to kill. Probably a first for you eh?" He said with a laugh. Climb stayed silent, and not just because he didn't find it humorous.

"Just bear with it for the duration of the war, then after we've won you'll be turned loose." He said amiably.

"You really think you'll win?" Climb asked softly, and incredulously. "You're doomed, you're walking dead men." He said with absolute certainty. "Don't you know what the Sorcerer King is capable of?!" He exclaimed in a soft hoarse voice.

The man laughed, "Oh I've heard the stories. But they're just that, stories."

Climb shook his head, "No, they're not. I was THERE, I was AT the battle...no...the Massacre of the Katze Plains. I was as close to the Sorcerer King as you are to me right now. I saw him cast a spell, I saw seventy thousand men and beasts die in an instant, I saw monsters rise from the ground after consuming the dead, and kill a hundred thousand more, then I watched him duel with Gazef Stronoff who was wearing the great treasures of the Kingdom. He simply willed Gazef to die, and he died, Gazef fell dead into the Sorcerer King's arms in an instant, he said it was a 9th tier spell, I asked about that...nobody...not even the six great gods, were said to use spells of that power."

The man shrugged, "I don't believe you, why would he let you live, if that were true?"

"I was with Gazef, he seemed to have had some familiarity with the Sorcerer King, the latter saved his life is how I heard it, and he respected the Chief Warrior, so he let myself and Brain Unglauss live to take his body home, and he stopped the massacre allowing the rest of the people to flee." Climb swallowed, it was a dark memory and more than once the bleating of sheep haunted his nightmares.

The man looked at Climb's face.

"Look at me." Climb said, "Look closely, do you see lies in my eyes."

The man kept his eyes on him, and slowly shook his head. "Doesn't matter, we have our own secret weapons and we will bring him down with those." The man said.

Climb sighed, and resigned himself to a long captivity, but he didn't bother to vow revenge, he doubted very much these men would live long enough for him to get to them when all was said and done.

...Kami Miyako...

Zeshi was pissed, and she let the cardinals know it.

"You made WHAT kind of deal with that thing?!" She raged. "I ought to resign right now, I ought to go over to the Sorcerer Kingdom and offer to side with him, he'll give me a chance at that bastard father of mine!" She screamed and slammed her scythe down on the table where they sat, severing the sturdy table apart as if she were tearing paper. "You promised you'd make him pay for what he did to create me!" She snarled, "I should fucking kill you all for this."

"Wouldn't you rather kill him?" Dominic asked.

That got Zeshi's attention. "What?" She said.

"The elf Kingdom is not the least bit loyal to the elf King. What's more, he's going to be conveniently in reach for quite some time. It doesn't matter what deal we made with him, because he's never going to get a chance to take us up on it." Dominic continued.

"Go on." Zeshi said, "I'm listening."

"He'll go with us, he'll fight, he's strong enough to do some serious damage, and when things are over and done with, you can simply kill him before he can take us up on our 'offer'. Unless you don't think you can defeat him?" Dominic said, certain of what words would tweak her the most.

"Oh I can, and I will kill him." She snarled.

"Good. Then its no problem then is it? All this means is you kill him at a different location than in his throne room, and that he'll come to you instead of you going to him, doesn't it?" Dominic asked.

Zeshi frowned. "I suppose, but you should have told me first."

"Maybe, but just remember, you'll also get to fight the servants of the Sorcerer King along the way, and those promise to be some very powerful foes." Berenice said.

Zeshi grinned...finally, much to the cardinal's collective relief. "True, perhaps I will find one worth having a child with." She said, prompting a long suffering roll of the eyes of every cardinal familiar with what they considered to be her bizarre proclivities.

...In Nazarick...

When Ainz finished and dispatched his condolences to the Holy Robel Kingdom, he made quick preparations to depart again, he summoned Leinas to him again, and opened up another 'Gate'. When he stepped through, he found himself in a nearby swamp, but not mired in the muck, instead he and Leinas looked around, and saw an unusual statue representation of Ainz himself. "My lord, where are we?" Leinas asked curiously.

"We are in the village of the lizardmen." Ainz replied. "Have you ever encountered them before?" He asked.

"Only once." She admitted, "A traveler bearing a blade of ice, many years ago. I always wondered what happened to him." She said with passing curiosity.

"Well, then your curiosity is about to be satisfied, I believe he lives here, unless there is another copy of 'Frost Pain' at large in the world." He looked around in the darkness, "Perhaps I should have come in the morning, it looks as if nobody is awake." He said, only to have his words proved false when an albino lizard woman saw him and stopped dead in her tracks. She paused only for a moment, then rushed over to him and threw herself at his feet. "My lord, Crusch Lulu welcomes you to our village, and begs to know how she may serve your will."

Ainz felt a moment's gratitude for his skeletal frame, that he could neither blush nor role his eyes at this attention. "Rise, and know that you may serve me by guiding us while I am here, I would like to see what fruit is growing from the tree of my contribution to your lives." He said.

When she stood, he gestured to Leinas. "This is my bodyguard, Leinas Rockbruise, a recent addition to our forces." Leinas looked at the lizard woman, they were of very dissimilar heights, where Leinas was tall and upright, Crusch was almost half her height and stooped ever so slightly forward, they were bizarre opposites, yet she could see a keen intelligence in the red eyes and at least some amount of magic power.

"A pleasure to meet you Crusch." Leinas said, inclining her head slightly in greeting.

"And you." Crusch replied in turn.

Crusch returned her attention to the Sorcerer Kig, "Your majesty, surely you have more to do than to visit our humble village, we can scarcely offer the hospitality that your station is deserving of?" She said.

Ainz dismissed the concern with a nonchalant shrug, "If you do what you can, I can ask no more of you. I am touring all of my realms, yours is next on the list. Now, can you take us to your husband?" He asked in a way that was definitely more courtesy phrasing than true request.

She turned red in surprise, "Yes, yes of course your majesty, please, follow me." She said.