“My Lord…?” Zaryusu asked when the distant walls came into view, “We could settle this for you… let us be your sword today…”

It was a bold proposal from the chief who, without thinking and without it even occurring to the others to object, took the front and center position.

“They may be stronger than your numbers still.” Ainz cautioned the lizardman at his back.

“You will be behind us, my Lord… let us prove to you we are not a burden. If we run into trouble, it is enough for us to know you will be along to help… plus the sooner we get there, the sooner your august self can tend to more important matters.” Zaryusu suggested, and when the lizardman pointed that out, Shalltear turned a hopeful gaze up to her Lord.

Ainz felt that compelling, longing look from his guardian. “Let them handle the bugs, my Lord, you can collect the spoils after.” Shalltear pointed out.

Ainz nodded at long last. “Follow them then, let them do the fighting, only involve yourself if there are any champions capable of turning the tide, you are their trump card, Shalltear.”

“My Lord!” Shalltear said with pride, and when Zaryusu conveyed the words of their master, a warcry went up from the masses, ready to engage the hated frogmen.

[Fly]. Ainz uttered the spell. “I will be watching over you.” He said with godlike charm and began to ascend toward the sky.

“A god watches over us… we must not fail.” Shasuryu uttered the admonition and the lizardmen army advanced across the frozen lake, the chiefs falling in on either side of Shalltear Bloodfallen.

“So how will you fight this anyway?” Shalltear asked while the ice crunched under her dainty little feet.

“We chiefs will control the flow of battle from the rear and then go in where there is trouble.” Shasuryu explained, clapping his brother on the shoulder.

“Hit frogmen to death.” Kyuku punched one fist into the other.

“I will handle the mages and ranged combat in support.” Crusch Lulu added.

“So you put some thought into this…” Shalltear admitted somewhat begrudgingly.

“Yes, Lady Shalltear, the lake is not new to war. Though nothing this large has ever happened before.” Zaryusu admitted.

“Alright, then…” A delightful thought came to Shalltear, “I will watch, if you run into real trouble, say only ‘Long Live Ainz Ooal Gown’ and I will help you.”

“Long Live Ainz Ooal Gown…” The chiefs chanted with soft reverence.

Above the lizardmen, Ainz watched, with a mix of worry and curiosity. Shalltear was with them, and though it was unlikely, he couldn’t help but fear that somehow she might be injured. Imagining her small, frail looking little body in any pain at all, it filled him with anxiety that set his whole body on edge.

‘She could likely ruin whole nations without so much as having a nail clipped, and yet I worry over her like a father watching his little girl ride a bicycle without training wheels for the first time.’ Ainz could only roll his eyes at his own absurdity.

Still, knowing it was absurd and ridding himself of the worrisome fatherly feelings over his children were two very different things, and he found the worry remained as the distance closed between the forces. ‘I could end it all with one spell… but perhaps this is better. Shalltear will gain some experience while the lizardmen will reveal something of their present abilities.’ It was comforting in a way, to know he should do nothing, and it helped him cope with his worry over Shalltear’s safety.

The distance shrank far quicker than he expected it to, or at least so it felt, and so, he waited.

“To the wall!” Heketi yelled after she’d given her people all the rest that they could, lizardmen were now clearly visible, and her forces still weary and worn down, the mana of her casters was still too low, but her forces obeyed their Queen to the fullest of their ability.

They went to the wall and made ready, some bearing swords taken from the undead, but most stuck with the familiar spears or more recently adopted clubs.

“Lizardmen! Those are lizardmen!” One of her warriors shouted in utter disbelief he bounced up and down, restraining the urge to leap toward the invaders and attack.

“They are… they must be behind this somehow…” Heketi muttered, but at their center there was one very clear figure in red who was obviously not a lizardman. A pale human looking knight with a long lance in crimson colored armor that exudes power.

‘That must be the caster responsible… the one responsible for all our calamities… that one must die…’ Heketi vowed, but aware of her delicate circumstances, when they came within shouting distance, she tried to negotiate with the stranger.

“Stop there!” Heketi called out, “I’m willing to negotiate!”

The ranks stopped when the armored figure raised her hand.

“Oh?!” The figure had a voice Heketi could vaguely place as female.

“Yes!” Heketi shouted, “Tell me what it is you want, perhaps we can meet halfway!”

“Really?!” The young looking smooth skin in armor shouted back.

“Really!” Heketi shouted, her back erect and spear planted firmly on the wall, she held out her free hand with the webbed palm upturned. “I’m telling the truth!”

“So you really want to negotiate?!” The red knight asked again.

Heketi felt her eyeballs twitch, “I do! I really do!” She shouted back.

Her warriors at her back and at her side were staring up at her, she glanced down at them, she knew that they knew what she knew, ‘We are not in a position of strength…’ Many were dead, many more were wounded, their eggs were vulnerable, everyone was needed at the wall. ‘The lizardmen will not show mercy to us… not now…’ Heketi vaguely felt regret at her harsh treatment of the captives and for her promise of eradicating them.

“I have lizardman prisoners at another camp, I will set them free as a token of goodwill!” Heketi shouted the promise.

“No you don’t. The lizardmen already killed everyone there and set your prisoners free!” The red knight shouted back.

“I still want to negotiate!” Heketi shouted.

“That’s nice.” The red knight shouted back and raised her lance with the tip toward the sky. “But I don’t!” Heketi felt a chill down her spine as the lance was lowered toward her walls.

Whatever the red knight said to the lizardmen after that, Heketi missed it, but it was enough to get the lizardmen to charge.