Valkyrie's Shadow

Chapter 7

In a dark pit somewhere on the Second Floor of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, Ludmila watched as a patrol of Undead equipped in golden armour made their way along the walkway above her. They were significantly stronger than the Nazarick Old Guarders, but it wasn’t until a few minutes ago that they started leaving their posts to patrol the corridors. She wasn’t sure why they had chosen that precise moment to become ‘active’, but there was a clear purpose to the movements of the forces in the area: they were keeping her from something.

Since Ludmila was trying to leave the Great Tomb of Nazarick, Lady Shalltear may have commanded her forces to keep her from finding a way out. That, or that they were guarding something else. The latter seemed unlikely since the powerful Undead above only came over after she arrived in the vicinity rather than already being in place guarding something important.

Now, how do I get in there…

As far as she could tell, the Undead were preventing access to a door at the end of the section she was in. The area was warmer and had a more living smell to it, so she figured that it was due to air flowing down from the surface. Fighting so many powerful Undead at once was out of the question, meaning that she had to either sneak by them, draw them away, or find an alternative escape route.

Another skeletal patrol marched by. They were a weaker variety than the ones in the golden armour, suggesting that security was limited. Or maybe unlimited in a limited way was a better way of describing it.

Back when she ran to the teleportation spot across the bridge from the Adipocere Chamber, it didn’t show any signs of activation. Then, some Skeletons nearby attacked her, so she had to destroy them. At first, the idea that she was destroying Lady Shalltear’s subjects appalled her, but she eventually realised that they kept reappearing. Even the Nazarick Old Guarders rematerialised after roughly five minutes, so she was forced to flee and reassess her exit strategy.

Any fight that she engaged in bore the risk of dragging on for long enough that other Undead nearby would wander close enough to join. The lesser Undead that made up most of the population were inconsequential in terms of their combat potential, but anything as strong as a Nazarick Old Guarder was a major hindrance. Getting caught by a patrol of the golden-armoured skeletons would likely result in her being forced back to Lady Shalltear for an unpleasant sexual encounter with her own corpse.

Once the next patrol went by and rounded the corner, Ludmila pulled herself out of the pit to investigate the way ahead. The corridor looked like all the others she had seen so far, with architecture that only vaguely resembled anything in the region on a purely functional level. Occasionally, she would come across what appeared to be words carved into the stone, but they weren’t in any script that she recognised.

I hope that none of those are signposts or the like…

Lady Shalltear didn’t seem to be the type to enjoy that sort of humour, but Ludmila couldn’t help but feel that someone was probably amused at her ignorance.

Tailing the patrol started leading her away from her target, so she took the nearest familiar route back to her hiding spot. It seemed like she would have to improvise a way past the golden skeletal guards at the door. Aside from the fact that they wore ceremonial-looking plate armour and wielded spears, there was little that she could discern about how they would potentially fight. She couldn’t even tell whether they were mindless or not.

I have a freedom effect, so they shouldn’t be able to restrain me. Could I just rush past them?

If they had a taunt, she would end up getting stuck fighting. Or the door could be locked. Whatever she came up with, she needed a way to disengage if she couldn’t force her way through. As Skeletons, they likely had the same weaknesses and poor physical power relative to other types of Undead, but their equipment was a complete mystery. As far as she could tell, they were at least as strong as herself, meaning they were probably higher level than she was. Those levels would mean more Skills and Abilities that might further add complexities to a fight.

Overall, there were far too many unknowns. All she could do was figure things out as she went.

Once the next patrol passed, Ludmila crawled back out of the pit. She unequipped her glaive and pulled out her longbow. The path above the pit had a clear line of sight to the door, so she nocked a blunt stone arrow and loosed it at the golden skeleton on the right. A distant clink sounded as her projectile bounced off of its breastplate, but her target didn’t react.

I suppose they’ve been ordered to hold the door. Well, there are ways to deal with that.

She put her bow away and went back into the pit to wait for the next patrol. Since her target didn’t even bother drawing attention to her presence, it was probably mindless. Her next attempt started with a taunt against the nearest one and it predictably came alone.

Ludmila backed away as it ran towards her, activating Invulnerable Fortress as it came within measure. The shining golden spear stopped against her abdomen. She snatched the haft and wrenched it to the side, bringing her glaive to bear against the strange gap in its nonsensical leg armour. A Crushing Strike shattered its exposed knee and she swept the skeleton into the pit with its own spear.

One down…

It was far from destroyed, but it wouldn’t be coming out of its makeshift prison anytime soon. Its partner joined it not long after, following a similar sequence. She made it to the door just in time to evade the next patrol. To her relief, it wasn’t locked and she slipped inside. She wasn’t sure what she expected to find within, but it certainly wasn’t anything like what she found before her.

The grey stone of the catacombs was replaced by cavernous walls of darker stone. A curious aroma laced the warm, humid air. She didn’t see anyone in her immediate vicinity, but, in the distance, a steady, squishing noise amidst the sound of dripping stalactites was growing closer. Ludmila held her glaive at the ready as a writhing shadow appeared around the nearest corner.

“Yes, what is it–oh, hello?”

The owner of the rather normal-sounding voice came into view. He was far from normal-looking, however. The source of the writhing shadow was a half-dozen tentacles attached to a body that resembled a stalagmite the same colour as the rest of the cavern. A single red eye the size of her head glanced at the blade of her glaive through a slitted pupil before going to her.

“Hmm…” the tentacles waved lightly around the being, “you must be the new Area Guardian that Lady Shalltear mentioned.”

“You know about me?” Ludmila asked.

“Indeed!” The answer came through a maw filled with four rows of curved fangs, “She mentioned that you would be visiting today, though I did receive a strange message just now…”

“Is that so…”

“Yes, the defence commander on duty ordered me to stay in my Area. Something about my life being at risk.”

Ludmila lowered the point of her glaive. It wasn’t as if she wanted to go around assaulting people.

“I apologise for my abrupt and unannounced entry,” she said as she unequipped her weapon. “I am Baroness Ludmila Zahradnik…though I suppose that you are already aware of that.”

“It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Lady Zahradnik. I am Holenyot, Area Guardian of the Cave of Obscenity.”

Lord Holenyot extended a tentacle. Ludmila tentatively reached out to grasp it, then suppressed a frown at the squishing noise that it made. Her hand came away with long strands of clear mucus stretching out between them.

“Ah, where are my manners?” Lord Holenyot said, “Please, come in and make yourself at home.”

Her host turned around and crawled away somehow with its legless base, leaving a trail of slime that Ludmila stepped around as she was led deeper into the cavern. Mosses and fungi illuminated the surroundings, reminding her of the other underground areas of the Sorcerous Kingdom. Lord Holenyot gestured for her to be seated at a table carved out of a stalagmite beside a small pool.

“Would you like some tea, Lady Zahradnik?”

“That would be wonderful. Thank you, Lord Holenyot.”

Ludmila watched the glowing fish in the water swim about as she waited for Lord Holenyot to return, wondering if they, too, were caught and delivered to the Royal Treasury to contribute to Nazarick’s operations. If she ignored that one part, it at least felt like there was an understandable economy in the Great Tomb. She hadn’t noticed anything like money lying around yet, so how people facilitated transactions for goods and services was still a mystery.

I suppose if the majority of the population is Undead, then there would hardly be any need for a domestic economy.

Lady Shalltear’s initially confusing ‘common sense’ should have been a hint. She was undoubtedly a generous liege within the bounds of that common sense, but it revolved around feal service and ‘how things should be’. It displayed little in the way of the resource-centric thinking that dominated the Human nations in the region. Even the Sorcerer King’s living vassals, from the Maids to the ministers, showed none of the scarcity-induced drive that was considered normal to most. Any activity that resembled it was purely a form of service to the Sorcerer King.

“Apologies for the wait,” Lord Holenyot appeared from behind a nearby stalagmite, “I took the liberty of preparing some biscuits, as well.”

“Please don’t inconvenience yourself for my sake, my lord,” Ludmila replied. “I have willingly imposed myself on you, after all.”

“It’s no imposition at all!” A set of tentacles simultaneously put down the tea set, set out a pair of cups, poured tea, and presented her with a plate of biscuits, “I am positively ecstatic that you decided to come and pay me a visit. I feel that we have much to discuss.”

“It would be my pleasure to keep you company.”

Lord Holenyot settled down across the table from Ludmila, his tentacles waving placidly in what was probably a pleased expression. She held his gaze, noting a vague reflection of her figure in his huge eye.

“Very good,” he chortled in delight, “very good. I haven’t enjoyed the company of the fairer sex in such a long time. Lady Shalltear only tends to come around to make sure everything is operating nominally.”

“I’ve also found that she tends to prioritise her duties above all else,” Ludmila nodded. “Not that it’s a bad thing.”

“I’m glad that you think so. Honestly, many of us had our misgivings when we heard that outsiders were being considered for the position of Area Guardian. You all seemed to be so different from us, wrapped up in selfish ambition and strange modes of thought.”

“I had a sense that this was the case,” Ludmila nodded. “My discussions with Lady Shalltear and her handmaidens made it very clear that we live in different worlds, so to speak. Still, I find many things about our liege admirable and worthy of emulation. I still have many questions as a relatively new vassal, however.”

Lord Holenyot shifted forward slightly, his tentacles waving about energetically.

“Please, do ask! As an Area Guardian, you are my very first junior, so I will endeavour to assist you in any way that I can.”

“In that case,” Ludmila said, “I’d first like to know what an ‘Area Guardian’ is. My current understanding is that it is something like the military governor of a territory.”

“Hmm…” Holenyot rubbed his nonexistent chin with a tentacle, “that is a pretty good way to put it. For instance, the Cave of Obscenity, which comprises roughly a tenth of the Second Floor, is my Area. I am charged with both its defence and management within a set of assigned parameters.”

“What is the goal of maintaining those parameters?”

“Aside from ensuring the Area’s defensive readiness, I tend to the various resources produced here. Those resources are delivered to the Guild Treasury, where they help shoulder the costs of Nazarick’s operations.”

“Guild Treasury?” Ludmila furrowed her brow, “Not the Royal Treasury?”

“Er…forgive me, I misspoke.”

“How does the Treasury utilise your contributions?”

“…I’m afraid I don’t know beyond the fact that it does. The Treasurer personally handles that end of things.”

Once again, the vague role of Nazarick’s ‘Treasurer’ set off various alarms in her head. It was difficult to imagine the austere Prime Minister allowing the existence of such an opaque process, but every organisation has its quirks and weaknesses. Adhering to ‘the way things should be’ was a common state of mind amongst the Sorcerer King’s vassals, so the Treasurer’s activities were potentially a point of failure that everyone simply accepted as normal.

“Do you know if the contributions of my ‘Area’ undergo a similar process?” Ludmila asked.

“They should if they’re material contributions like ours,” Lord Holenyot answered, “but I’ve heard that the surface territories may also pay in coin as well. In that case, there may be a different procedure.”

“How valuable are the resources produced in your territory?”

“I’m not sure.”

“…then, do you at least know what everything is?”

“I’m no crafter, but…”

One of Lord Holenyot’s tentacles snaked into the pond next to them. It returned wrapped around a glowing blue fish roughly the size of Ludmila’s forearm.

“This is a Niflheim Nightcarp. It is a Sixth-tier Fish.”

“A Sixth-tier Fish?”

“Yes, it can be processed into materials for Sixth-tier goods. Food, potions, etcetera…I believe it can be rendered into an oil used in metalworking, as well.”

I wonder if Warden’s Vale has any Sixth-tier fish…

Probably not. The administration used tiers to categorise various raw materials harvested from her territory, but Ludmila hadn’t considered food items in the same light. In hindsight, she probably should have. A mature buck yielded a First-tier hide, which could be processed into First-tier leather. Its antlers and some of its organs were considered First-tier alchemical materials. By that logic, its meat probably also counted as a First-tier good.

“What’s the difference between Sixth-tier food and First-tier food?” Ludmila asked.

“Oh, plenty!” The tentacle released the fish back into the pond, “Recipes that use Sixth-tier materials are vastly superior to a First-tier product. First-tier food, by and large, only satiates hunger. Not only does the quality of the food improve as the skill of the Cook and the quality of their materials improve, but the meals themselves will provide enhancements upon being consumed.”

“Do you have any examples of these effects?”

“They can make one stronger or give them special properties like regeneration and elemental resistance. Other effects include underwater breathing, levitation, replenishing stamina, and cleansing negative status effects. The potential benefits of well-prepared food are too long to list, to be honest.”

People lavished praise upon excellent food as if it were magical, but, as far as she knew, no one ever attributed real magical effects to food. Then again, some legends involved eating hearts of powerful Magic Beasts to gain their powers or finding mystical fruits for a similar purpose. As far as present-day realities went, however, meat from Magical Beasts and the like was only considered superior – and prohibitively expensive – fare reserved for the tables of the elite. In other words, it just tasted better.

“How long do these benefits last?”

“They are temporary, of course. The precise duration depends on the recipe and the skill of the Cook.”

“My lord, do you know any Cooks who might be willing to share what they know about preparing these special recipes?”

“I’m not certain where you’ll be going on your visit here,” Lord Holenyot replied, “But Shihoutsu Tokitsu, the Head Chef, is always on the lookout for fresh and new materials for his art. I’d wager he’d be amenable to sharing his knowledge if you offer something interesting in exchange.”

“Thank you for letting me know, I’ll be sure to do that.”

She didn’t know what she could offer in exchange for the knowledge of magical cuisine, but she had to at least make the effort. It could provide an undeniable edge to her subjects and would likely also serve as the foundation for a new culinary branch in her academy.

“Now,” Lord Holenyot said, “I would like to ask a question, if I may.”

“Of course, my lord,” Ludmila replied. “I will answer to the best of my ability.”

“Ah, it’s not one of those types of questions. I was just wondering what your Area was like. I’ve heard rumours, but some of them are so fantastical that they’re difficult to believe.”

Fantastical? Her territory? Ludmila wondered what they were saying about it.

“They say that your Area is vast beyond imagining,” Lord Holenyot continued. “That, even if nothing was blocking the way, one couldn’t see the other end of it. Is that true?”

Ludmila glanced at their surroundings. She supposed that to someone who lived in a modest grotto, her fief would seem indescribably huge.

“Yes, it’s true,” Ludmila said. “Originally, I had a single large barony of roughly a thousand square kilometres, but the advent of the Sorcerous Kingdom has allowed me to expand my holdings to over thirty times their original size. To be fair, it’s almost entirely undeveloped wilderness populated by Demihuman tribes.”

Lord Holenyot’s fanged maw fell open and his tentacles froze in place.

“Thirty…ah, hm. That’s, um, quite expansive. Whatever do you do with it all?”

“Less than five per cent of the total area is slated for conventional development,” Ludmila replied. “The rest is left wild and gleaned for its natural bounty.”

“Is that so? I can’t imagine the magnitude of your contributions to Nazarick.”

“It’s probably not as outrageous as you may think. The vast majority of the raw materials produced in my territory are only First-tier, and only a small percentage of it is taxed in trade.”

“First-tier, you say? In such a vast Area?”

“We occasionally produce Second-tier materials,” Ludmila added, “but most of the Sorcerous Kingdom is a mundane place. Various efforts are being made to improve things, but it’s still a distant objective.”

The tentacles in front of her resumed their gentle waving.

“I see. For a moment, I thought you had outstripped us all in your tribute to our Supreme Overlord. You must forgive me for my bout of irrational silliness.”

“I had many conversations that followed a similar vein early in my relationship with Lady Shalltear,” Ludmila said. “While I am naturally proud of my territory, I can’t say it can offer anything remotely as valuable as yours. To that end, I’d like to know what your territorial development policies are like.”

It felt a bit silly asking such a question when the territory in question was a cave, but the answer could potentially offer novel insights that would help with her efforts in Warden’s Vale.

“Up until recently,” Lord Holenyot said, “there was no development. It was mostly still as you see right now. However, Lord Ainz started encouraging us to explore potential improvements to our respective Areas in order to strengthen Nazarick. I’ve tried a few things here and there, but the Sixth Floor is where most of the progress has been made. They say that it’s because it’s the part of Nazarick that’s most compatible with the environs of the Sorcerous Kingdom.”

“Are there limitations to these new initiatives?”

“Oh, but of course! None of our activities are permitted to upset the complex balance fashioned by the Supreme Beings. As a whole, the Great Tomb of Nazarick is a realm that can sustain itself in perpetuity.”

Does that mean my development plans are in line with His Majesty’s will? What does that mean for everyone else?

The central administration did little to regulate development throughout the Sorcerous Kingdom, giving local leaders free rein in their respective territories. Compared to places that could produce Sixth-tier fish, the Duchy of E-Rantel was probably an insignificant economic factor in the grand scheme of things. Everything may have just been an experiment with expenses that were considered trivial by the Royal Court.

“I’m trying to achieve something similar myself,” Ludmila said. “Many of my peers question whether it’s the right thing to do, however.”

Lord Holenyot scoffed.

“Don’t let them get to you,” he said. “It’s your Area, after all. They have no more say in its inner workings than I do in the affairs of my fellow Area Guardians. Not even the Guardian Overseer is allowed to interfere unless something has gone terribly wrong.”

“That is reassuring to hear, my lord,” Ludmila said. “If you’d like, you’re more than welcome to come and visit my territory. I could even locate a cave that you could vacation in or use for experimentation.”

A pair of tentacles reached across the table to grasp her by the shoulders.

“Is that truly alright, my dear? I’m hesitant to take you up on such a generous offer without offering something in return…”

“You wouldn’t be the only one who has done so,” Ludmila replied. “More than a few of His Majesty’s vassals are in my territory doing things. Lord Mare is trying to propagate a new ecology. Lord Cocytus has sent some of his Lizardmen to establish a colony. Lady Epsilon is building something deep underwater, Lady Delta is helping out with Ranger training, and Lady Zeta…well, I guess she just comes over to eat. Everyone is using the place to help improve the Sorcerous Kingdom in their own way.”

“In that case, hmm…oh, I have so many things that I’d love to try with you! Ah, but first, I must ask Lord Ainz for permission to leave Nazarick. Then…”

Ludmila smiled as Lord Holenyot performed a sort of dance on the other side of the table, his surprisingly flexible body leaning back and forth as his tentacles waved in the air excitedly. After a full turn, he stopped and the tip of one tentacle went to the side of his head. His maw formed into a frown as time went on, and then he lowered the tentacle and looked towards the entrance of his domain.

“Is something the matter, my lord?” Ludmila asked.

“I received another communication from Miss Aureole,” Lord Holenyot replied. “She asked me if I was alright earlier. I said that I was, but now she’s contacted me again. When I mentioned that you were in my Area, she told me that she was sending help right away.”

“How odd.”

Ludmila glanced to the side. Did that mean she was going to be sent back to Lady Shalltear? Maybe there was some way to escape…

“I know, right?” Lord Holenyot responded blithely, “Anyway, about–”

The air in the grotto shifted, and the thump of the door against the wall heralded the arrival of Lord Holenyot’s reinforcements.

“Have you started yet? How far have you gotten? Don’t tell me you’re already–”

Lady Shalltear rushed in, wearing the same robe she had been wearing at the salon. Her crimson eyes glowed in excitement…at least until she took an inventory of the interior.

“Welcome, Lady Shalltear,” Lord Holenyot bent his conical body in greeting, “We were just–”

“Wrong.”

Lord Holenyot blinked.

“I-I beg your pardon, my lady?”

“Wrong! Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong! Everything is wrong!”

Ludmila exchanged a look with Lord Holenyot. What was she talking about? Was she expecting them to be locked in a desperate struggle?

“I’m afraid I don’t understand what’s wrong, Lady Shalltear,” Lord Holenyot said. “Ah, is it because there aren’t enough teacups? Just a moment–”

“WRONG!!! For Lord Peroroncino’s sake, this is the worst ero in the wrong way! Where’s your pride as a Roper?”

Lord Holenyot cringed all the way to the tips of his tentacles. He turned to offer Ludmila an apologetic look. Lady Shalltear crossed her arms, tapping her foot impatiently.

“I’m waiting…I expect to see a hot, dripping mess by the time–itah!”

A dark figure appeared behind Lady Shalltear and silenced her with the chop of a bony hand.

“Alright,” a deep, familiar voice said, “let’s not go any further than that.”

Ludmila’s lips parted breathlessly as she took in the maelstrom of obsidian radiance that was the Sorcerer King. Her knees went weak and she felt herself falling backwards. As the world faded into darkness, the last thing she felt was Lord Holenyot’s tentacled embrace.