Bell looked up in shock. From his position, he couldn't see her face, but Aiz Wallenstein was looking in the direction of the gray-haired wolf. Judging by how sour his face was turning, she must not have been smiling or anything of the sort. The silence was starting to spread as people started listening in on their conversation. Most of the Adventurers here were probably of a lower level. If someone as strong as the Sword Princess were to look down on them, the reputation of Loki Familia could drop. Several glares were lobbed their way as the silence continued.
"I think," her calm voice quieted the whispers of nearby conversations, "it's rude to talk like that about people you don't know."
"Rude?" he grimaced incredulously. "Is it rude to call a weakling a weakling? Is it rude to point out the truth?"
"Sometimes, yes," she answered matter-of-factly. It caused quite a few heads to tilt.
Bell was flabbergasted. The Sword Princess, Aiz Wallenstein, was defending him. He never thought such a day would come. The grasp on his stomach lessened slightly, but he still hadn't felt any better, despite the help. Why wasn't he glad? He should feel proud that someone like her was willing to enter a conflict on his behalf. He should be happy.
But he wasn't happy. If anything, Bell felt even more helpless. He didn't need the truth to be pointed out to him; he already knew it. However, he was trying his best. He was growing as fast as he possibly could to pick up the slack caused by his weakness. His livelihood counted on it. His goddess' livelihood counted on it. Regardless of what they said, he would continue to fight for it. He wasn't going to get anywhere if he let someone else fight his battles for him.
He heard Lupusregina giggle, causing him to look up. She was observing his internal struggle with indifference. He could feel his face hardening into a stern frown. Her dangerous eyes flashed for a moment when she tilted her head with an encouraging smirk, as if asking him, "What are you going to do about it?"
Bell stood. His body moved of its own toward its destination, but, to his surprise, it wasn't toward the door. His footsteps drew stares from the other patrons. Some appeared concerned that the young boy was about to get involved, while others rubbed their hands together in anticipation, hoping the show would get that much better. Syr's form filled his eyes for a brief moment, pressing a tray into her chest with widening eyes. In the next second, he was focused solely on the golden hair cascading in front of him.
"I think it's disrespectful because—
Tap-tap…
The girl jerked slightly when the contact was made. She paused midsentence to turn her head and see the source of the fingers on her shoulder. Normally, people didn't approach her, because she didn't particularly like physical contact, so it was a surprise when someone even tried. She was even more surprised when the person she least expected was standing behind her with a thin smile and bright red eyes. The other members of Loki Familia also gave pause to the intruder at their table.
"It's okay, Wallenstein-san," he reassured her. Somehow, his voice remained level. Something like this usually sent him into a state of catatonia. However, he knew what he wanted to say and he was ready to say it. "You don't need to say anymore."
"But…" she trailed off. He wasn't sure if she actually had more to say or if she was sincerely dumbfounded by his assertion.
"Who the hell is this wimp?" the man scowled at him. "You know him, Aiz?"
The Sword Princess tore her eyes away to look at her comrade. Still blinking with confusion, she clarified, "He is the one who got chased by the escaped Minotaur."
"This kid?! Ha-ha-ha! I thought I recognized you! What's going on, Tomato Boy?!" he did his best to talk through his snickering. His disdain still came through quite well.
Bell's lips tightened. Starting a fight here would be quite bad, especially if it was with Loki Familia. He just had to say his piece and leave. He couldn't be too confrontational, but he couldn't be too much of a pushover either. There was a delicate balance in place, and he was not very good at keeping it. Nevertheless, if he walked away now, nothing would change; he wouldn't change.
"I just wanted to say… um…" he stammered, the impatience showing on the wolf man's face. Swallowing his saliva, he continued, "Everyone starts out where I am. I am weak, and I have a lot of work to do in order to grow and become stronger, but it can't happen all at once. Asking me as I am now to do something unreasonable for a Novice Adventurer, like taking on a Minotaur for instance, would be irresponsible.
"But if I've learned anything from that experience, it is that I now know my limits, and I am aware of my mortality. The only precaution I can take from now on is to do my best until I have to test that limit again. Calling me weak because I couldn't do it is fine. It's the truth. But saying I can't do it at all because I couldn't do it once is just plain wrong. And it's just as wrong to look down on all the others put in similar situations, especially when they weren't fortunate enough to make it out alive."
Uh-oh… that was way more than he had intended to say. The more words that fell out of his mouth, the more his body started to quake. Bell wasn't exactly susceptible to stage fright, but the leer he was getting from the werewolf was eating into his confidence. The jaws of all the patrons were dropped, even those who were expecting a show. Syr was as pale as he was, and Lupusregina was apparently just watching from the sidelines, completely unmoved. Aiz took a similar stance, closely observing.
"You sure got guts, kid," the wolf remained unperturbed by his words. "I respect that. Not many can do what you just did."
Bell was glad the werewolf didn't just leap over the table and cut his neck. He didn't have time to feel proud about his speech, though. The wolf leaned back in his chair, crossed both his arms and legs and sneered at him.
"Let me tell you something," he was deadly serious. His normally boisterous voice was now a horrible monotone that carried foreboding. "I have seen countless people like you. There have been so many starry-eyed hopefuls who came to Orario to make it big as an Adventurer. So many of them met their Deities, joined Familias, and ventured into the dungeon.
"But time and time again, they always ended up dead. Those idiots didn't realize that the dungeon was even more dangerous than the wilderness," he began to grow bored. He stuck his pinky in one of his wolf ears and dug around like he was scratching an itch. "They couldn't overcome their weakness, and the dungeon took them. After that, nothing else mattered. Everyone they left behind, the distraught Deity that must overcome that loss, all of that pain just wasn't worth it.
"From what I've seen of you, you have a pretty decent head on your shoulders," the man pulled his pinky from his ear, glanced at it, and then pointed it at Bell. "But you still don't have what it takes. You're going to end up dead like all the other weaklings. So, do us all a favor and give up, because you and those like you simply don't belong here."
"Bete!" the pallum was the one who spoke up. He hadn't said a word the entire time, but he must have had enough. "You've gone too far."
"I'll say!"
All heads turned toward the maid standing by the bar; like the male werewolf, the female werewolf's arms were crossed as she leaned against it. Her lips were pulled taut in a challenging grin. Her eyes were hard, and sharp, like blades, but she still managed to somehow keep her merry exterior. Ignoring the stares, she made her way up to where Bell was standing and placed her hands on her hips.
"Lupu-san?" Bell blinked and fell into stunned silence.
The woman turned to the boy with a playful smile. "I have to say I was quite impressed. Unfortunately, those with thicker heads will be a bit more difficult to convince."
Patting him on the shoulder reassuringly, she turned her attention to her counterpart. The werewolves glared at each other, neither one budging an inch. The air in the Benevolent Mistress was growing tenser by the moment. Everyone was completely silent, even the employees. The only one seemingly able to keep an objective eye on things was Mia. She stood behind her bar while rubbing her forehead in exasperation.
"This doesn't concern you, She-Wolf," he smugly jerked his head toward the door. "Why don't you just leave? I have neither the time nor the patience to deal with you."
The maid's eyes flashed again, but this time, the danger level rose significantly. Behind her sterling smile, Bell could see the rage bubbling. At a moment's notice, this building could become a battleground.
"I just wanted to offer a suggestion," she shrugged calmly. Bete appeared like he wanted to tell her off again, but she cut him off before he could start. "I figured that if you're such an expert on who belongs where, I thought that perhaps you ought to teach Bell-chan here a lesson."
""Hah?!""
Bell and Bete blurted with confusion. The boy's body suddenly broke out in a cold sweat. The male wolf merely stared back in disbelief.
"Why don't you teach him that he doesn't belong?" she clapped him on the shoulder and shook him about. His dumbfounded eyes never left the maid's face. "I doubt the kid's gonna stop even if you tell him he should give up. That makes it your responsibility, as someone who can both see and judge weakness, to show him that he can't make it."
"L-L-L-Lupu-san! W-what a-are you—
"Shush, Bell-chan. I'm helping."
"You most certainly ARE NOT!"
"Have you lost your mind?" Bete looked on nervously, unsure how the conversation had gotten to this point. "I'm Level Five. He's Level One. He doesn't stand a chance. He'll die."
"So?" the maid dropped her smile for the first time. She tilted her head, baffled by the notion that the boy's death bothered him. "Didn't you just say you had seen people like him die before? What's the difference whether you do it or the dungeon? He's going to die anyway, according to your knowledge."
Everyone paled. She was serious. This psycho-maid was serious. It seemed as if she was honestly confused by Bete's hesitation to fight Bell. Bete's voice was back to its hoarse shout, "Are you insane?!"
"Maybe," she glanced away in thought. "If you're really so adamant about not fighting a Level One, how about I take you on instead?"
"What?! Who is this bitch?! Is it just me, or is she crazy?!" Bete was losing it. Even the crowd around them was unable to follow these leaps in logic.
"Y-you can't, Lupu-san!" Bell snapped out of his stupor and grabbed her arm pleadingly. "You're not an Adventurer, you're just a maid! For someone without a Falna, fighting against a Level Five would be like snapping a twig in half!"
"And?" the maid turned her apathetic gaze to the young man beside her. "This guy thinks anyone below his rank doesn't belong in Orario. If he wants to prove that, he shouldn't care whether he fights a Level One or a noncombatant."
"What makes you think you can win without a Falna?!" Bete was flustered. Even he was surprised he could still chain words into coherent sentences. "Do you have a death wish?!"
"Honestly, it's all relative," the female werewolf shrugged again, beginning to grow bored. "It doesn't matter what level you are. You're all weaklings to me anyway."
Her statement froze everyone present. Did… Did she just tell Loki Familia that they were weak? The same thought traveled through all the patrons' heads. Every member of Loki Familia was staring at her with expressions bordering on the sympathetic. Bell could tell they believed that this poor werewolf must have escaped an asylum of some sort. Like everyone else, Bell now viewed her in a saddened light; a woman in over her head and oblivious.
"Are you saying I'm weak?" Bete's voice went cold. His entire demeanor changed from astonished skepticism to an expressionless statue. "Is that what you said?"
"See, Bell-chan? The thickheaded ones are difficult to deal with," she elbowed the boy as she pointed her thumb at the gray-haired werewolf. "Even if you spell it out for them, they still don't seem to understand."
"Let's hear it again, bitch!" he shot up from his seat and stomped over to his shorter, redheaded counterpart. He marched toward her until he was mere inches away, looking down from his greater height. The outraged glow of his bestial eyes flickered with wrath. "Think you can get away with calling me weak?! HUH?!"
Lupusregina seemed unimpressed by his anger. Normally, the shadow of a powerful Adventurer was enough to turn someone into a cowering ball. However, despite his close proximity to the woman, she only appeared disgusted, as if she had an aversion to his mere presence. Never breaking eye contact, she drew up even closer until their bodies were nearly touching.
"Did that get you all riled up?" she tilted her head with her signature smile, but there was none of the previous cheer hidden behind it, just unbridled fury. "Last I checked, you were the one who said that it was alright to call a weakling weak."
She flashed him another dangerous grin, but Bete's blood was already boiling. He wanted nothing more than to rip her to shreds. Everyone watching saw his muscles twitch with anticipation. Bell's gaping maw could not drop any further. The terrible images flowing through his head nearly made him ill. The maid he was having a friendly chat with not too long ago was outwardly challenging a well-established member of Loki Familia. There was no precedent for such audacity, and it left everybody speechless.
Bete's fists shook with anger, the tension from clenching causing them to spasm. He wanted to crush her with every fiber of his being. But, to the surprise of everyone present, he took a deep breath and all of the tension flowed out of him like a calming wind. Controlling his irritation, he spoke while stepping back, "I'm not particularly fond of thrashing weaklings, especially losers who don't know their place in the world."
The maid laughed, but it wasn't joyful or spirited; it was blatant mockery. "That's cute, buddy. Really cute," she nodded knowingly with her eyes closed. "There's nothing like a blind fool who thinks he has a good grasp on things, only to delve deeper toward his death."
The wolf man's eyes narrowed, undoubtedly not liking that she had just insulted him. He clearly had had enough of her and was growing weary of her rhetoric. Slumping tiredly, he shook his head, "Who the hell do you think you are, anyway?"
The woman's eyes widened for a moment. Then, as if she hadn't just spouted words of challenge bordering on the insane, she blurted in genuine revelation, "Ah! I never introduced myself, did I? How silly of me."
Sweat beaded on everybody's heads when she knocked herself on the temple impishly with one of her knuckles.
With a practiced curtsey, she lifted the sides of her skirt, revealing more of her luscious legs. With a slight bow, she named herself, "I am Lupusregina Beta, Pleiades Battle Maid in the service of the God of Death, the great Ainz Ooal Gown. I am pleased to make your acquaintance."
Bell's eyes went wide. It wasn't the first time he heard the name of that god. He wasn't sure what to do. He had come face-to-face with a member of that dangerous Familia. Looking for answers, he turned his head to Aiz Wallenstein, only to see a similar expression on her face. The question marks popped up across the entire tavern. All of the patrons present gave each other confused looks. Some of them whispered their inquiries, but when no one was able to answer, their eyes returned to the redheaded maid as she rose from her curtsey.
When the maid locked eyes with Bete, he sneered contemptuously as he folded his arms, "'Ainz Ooal Gown?' What kind of backwater Deity is that? The 'God of Death?' Don't make me laugh."
At the callous mention of her Deity, the redhead's eyes hardened as her hand slowly began to disappear behind her back. Suddenly, a burst of gold whipped in front of Bell's face, obscuring his vision for a moment. In the next second, Bell saw the gray-haired werewolf flying backward with a yelp and landing flat on his back. Lupusregina seemed just as surprised, as the Sword Princess was the one who tore him away. She had grasped him by the shoulder and thrown him to the floor in one smooth motion, faster than anything Bell had ever seen. If that had happened to him, he would have been seriously injured.
To the boy's shock, Bete merely sat up, rubbing the back of his head painfully. With a wince, he peered up at his comrade's back with one open eye, "Aiz?! What the hell was that for?!"
"Not my family," the hostility in her words turned the atmosphere sanguine. The golden haired Adventurer grasped the hilt of her blade with such strength that it visibly began to deform. Even the sheath that had been grasped in her other hand had cracked all the way down to the tip. In a rare show of anger, the Sword Princess bared her fangs, "I will never let that happen."
"Hmph," the wolf woman glanced down at the girl's hands wrapped around her weapon. Despite the show of open aggression, the maid didn't appear to move at all. Then, she returned to her original stance, with her hands on her hips and the now unsettling smile, "It seems you are already aware of my Deity's existence. If that is the case, then you already know just how bad a conflict between us would be."
The Sword Princess' eyes narrowed, and her jaw clenched until her teeth gnashed. It was a hard expression most had never seen on her, one that Bell didn't even know she could make. However, how she acted changed nothing. The feelings she felt were emotions he understood in his own heart. She was protecting her Familia, her family; even if she had to take on an opponent that she knew she couldn't defeat. That was what it meant to be an Adventurer. That was why she was the Sword Princess. If Bell idolized her before, he was falling for her even harder.
But this was bad. This Lupusregina, a self-proclaimed member of Ainz Ooal Gown Familia, had voiced a challenge to a member of Loki Familia. Even though it was a completely offhand comment made by some supposed crazy person, the damage had already been done. Everyone at the tavern understood what had happened.
Words of challenge were spoken. Loki Familia would either need to accept or refuse. If they accepted, a duel would ensue. If they refused, their reputation could take a hit. If word spread that Loki Familia fled with their tails between their legs at the ravings of an unblessed lunatic, others would call them cowards, regardless of the circumstances.
Reputation was difficult to build in this city. A sterling reputation like that of the Loki Familia could easily be marred by a single confrontation with a local nut-job.
As if knowing that she had caught them between a rock and a hard place, Lupusregina's lips curled into an evil smirk. With loaded words, she urged her, "I take it you may want to try your hand at fighting one of us. This is the perfect chance for you. I am perfectly fine with having a friendly duel; we don't need to kill each other. Unless, of course, if you are feeling a bit too spunky, a head just might fly. So, how about it?"
Bell's anxiety went through the roof. The murmuring of the patrons should have filled his ears, but he was certain that he was surrounded by a deafening silence. His eyes shifted between the werewolf and the Sword Princess. They were still, but the air between them was electric. They were feeling each other out, gauging the other's strength. Lupusregina remained smiling, while Aiz's teeth ground.
Bell watched as the blonde considered the proposition. There were very few people who knew about the power of Ainz Ooal Gown. If Momonga was any standard to go by, even someone associated with their Familia not blessed with a Falna could be incredibly dangerous. This would not normally be an issue with other Familias, but Ainz Ooal Gown hadn't abided by the norm with which they were most familiar. If anything, expecting the unexpected was the only way to combat the absurdity that was the strength of these people. Aiz knew that, and Bell was starting to learn it.
Aiz's gaze hardened, finally coming to a conclusion. Without a word, she nodded. Lupusregina wore a cruel smile, one that Bell hoped didn't spell doom for his savior.
A ring of Adventurers lined the edges of West Main in front of the Benevolent Mistress. Jingling coin purses were tossed around to gentlemen with parchment and quills. As values were called out, they kept careful track of the odds that could decide entire fortunes. The betting was getting heated as people clamored over each other to put in their wagers before they closed. In their minds, this was a surefire win. It wouldn't pay out much, since there were so many bets, but a win was still a win.
On one side, the Sword Princess stood inspecting the sword at her hip. Drawing it, she glanced at the damage she herself caused to it. The blade itself hadn't broken, but the hilt was split and crumbling, only held together by a strip of leather for grip. She worriedly tightened the bindings, hoping the grip would hold out long enough. If the blade slipped free of the hilt in the middle of the duel, she would assuredly lose.
She tapped the tips of her boots against the trampled street, clearing some of the packed dirt from the soles. Spinning her upper body, she stretched out her back muscles. She knew she would need every ounce of strength and reach she had. Should this Lupusregina be even half as powerful as Momonga, she would need every advantage she could give herself. She wasn't wearing her armor set, but neither was her opponent. Since it was a friendly duel, they would be pulling their blows, but that didn't mean someone couldn't get hurt.
"Are you alright, Aiz?" the blond pallum approached her amidst her preparations. Finn Deimne was the captain of Loki Familia, and, as one would expect, he was quite concerned with the upcoming duel. "I understand why you're doing this, but to fight an unblessed person—
"There's nothing to worry about," she replied bluntly and continued her stretching. "She is no ordinary person."
"And how would you know?" he leveled his gaze at her. "You know I don't like it when secrets are kept from me."
"I'll explain later," she tilted her head to work her neck muscles, eliciting light popping sounds. "Loki-sama must be present, as per her orders."
Any other protest he voiced to her, she merely spouted the same words. Loki told her to keep it to herself for the time being, and she would keep her word to the best of her ability. Finn had no choice but to back down. He would get the answers he wanted, but he preferred to have them before one of his subordinates was about to leap headfirst into a trap.
Apologizing to her captain, Aiz glanced at her opponent at the other side of the ring created by the growing crowd of Adventurers. Compared to Aiz's own preparations, Lupusregina tapped her foot patiently, looking around with curiosity. The werewolf wore the smile Aiz had seen earlier, completely carefree and without any hint of aggression. She did not seem to be worried in the least that she was about to duel with a Level Five. Even another Level Five would be securing their own equipment in a case such as this. Aiz's opponent must have been truly insane…
Or she had complete confidence in her victory…
It was a concerning stance to take for Aiz. She had no idea what Lupusregina could do. The redhead could be lying about her power, but she could also be hiding quite a bit; unknown Skills and Magic were the most troublesome. As much as she wanted to know about the members of Ainz Ooal Gown Familia, this was the most dangerous way to obtain that information.
The white haired boy shuffled nervously over to the werewolf. Aiz couldn't hear his words over the din of the influx of Adventurers joining the fray, but she wasn't worried. Judging by the flailing of his arms and pressing his hands together in a pleading gesture, she was sure that he was trying to talk the redhead down. After he made his case, his shoulders immediately drooped when the werewolf ever so slightly shook her head. The boy made his way back to the edge of the ring, sending a worried glance Aiz's way.
She did her best to assuage his feelings with a small nod, but that was all. There was no way out of this at this point. The reputations on both sides were on the line. Backing out now would do nothing but tarnish their records.
"Are you prepared?" Lupusregina called out, her braids shifting as she tilted her head. "I'm ready when you are!"
The crowd immediately silenced. Whatever bets were placed had been logged and finalized. Now the onlookers waited for the show, some of them rubbing their hands together in apparent giddiness. It wasn't every day they could see the Sword Princess in action, but it was even rarer that such an easy bet could be made. Like the Sword Princess could lose to some idiotic upstart.
Aiz, on the other hand, wasn't so sure. She approached the situation with a caution that others would deem unnecessary. She nodded, raising her sword in front of her. Her feet moved into her battle-ready stance. Her eyes locked with her opponent's expectantly. Lupusregina remained standing rooted on the spot with a perfect smile and her hands on her hips. Despite signaling the start of the duel, she hadn't budged.
Blinking with confusion, Aiz inquired, "Are you not going to get ready?"
"Eh?" the werewolf similarly blinked. "I am ready."
The women looked at each other bewilderedly. When her words sank in, Aiz sighed dejectedly. The maid was underestimating her, but Aiz knew that her confidence could be well founded. Calming herself, she nodded. "Then I will be striking first. Prepare yourself."
Steeling herself, the Sword Princess dashed forward to the excited shouts of her peers.
Bell rubbed his sweaty palms together with anxiety. His eyes were locked on the blonde swordswoman's lithe body twisting. It was one thing seeing her out of her armor, but to see her making such movements made him feel lightheaded. As she stretched in preparation, he turned his head to the redheaded maid waiting across the clearing. She peered around with interest, taking in all the Adventurers gathering around them. They scrutinized her, making sure that their bets were the correct ones. Some called out questions her way, but she ignored them completely.
He glanced at each of them worriedly. Lupusregina, despite being from Ainz Ooal Gown, didn't seem like a bad person. Just knowing that she didn't have a Falna was enough cause for concern. Going up against the likes of Aiz Wallenstein was too much of a stretch, even for someone with a Falna. However, Aiz never looked down on people, no matter what. Taking things so seriously was one of the reasons she was strong.
Even so…
Bell was at a loss. His confidence in the Sword Princess' strength notwithstanding, he still wanted to do something to avoid this fight. If Lupu-san was as strong as they feared, Aiz was in grave danger. Gulping, he approached the werewolf cautiously, catching her attention. Flashing him a toothy grin, she immediately put him at ease.
Drawing close to speak over the crowd, he pleaded, "Are you sure you want to do this, Lupu-san?"
"It doesn't really matter whether or not I want to do it. I have to do it," she replied nonchalantly. "Though, honestly, I also want to do it."
"B-but if Wallenstein-san gets serious, you could die, you know?" he waved his arms frantically in an effort to show how crazy she was being.
"So?" Bell sputtered in the face of her disregard for her own life. His mouth was agape, causing her to chuckle heartily. "Really, Bell-chan, you are an interesting person. If you recall, my Deity is the God of Death; he is one with complete control over it. How could I be afraid of something that my master could turn on its head on a whim? Surely, you must understand that those in Ainz Ooal Gown Familia cannot possibly fear death."
He was speechless. The maid had clearly lost her mind, though he knew it would be rude to point it out. For someone to spit in the face of death, it would be like going into the dungeon without weapons or armor, and screaming as loud as possible for monsters to eat you. For people like Bell, who have had close encounters with death, it was definitely something he did not want to experience often, if ever again.
Bell must have been wearing a sour expression, since Lupusregina giggled softly. When he turned his eyes up to peer at her, she had placed her hand on his shoulder. "I suppose I should thank you for worrying about me. I'll be fine. I promise."
Was he truly worried? He had found out who her companions were, and frankly, those people scared the ever-living piss out of him. Nevertheless, he didn't want to see her get hurt. Grinding his teeth, he gave her one last stare. Without realizing it, he was flashing her a decent set of puppy-dog eyes. "Is there really nothing I can do or say to make you reconsider?"
With a warm smile, she slowly shook her head, "There is not a single thing."
Whatever words came next, Bell swallowed them all. Instead, he walked away gloomily after having failed in his endeavor. He glanced at Aiz, who seemed to notice his exchange. He lifted his shoulders in a shrug, trying to hide his well of shame. He couldn't help at all. Just as Lupu-san had said, there was nothing he could do.
As if she knew that he had tried, the Sword Princess nodded and continued her preparations.
It felt good to be acknowledged, he thought as his chest swelled. Bell joined the wall of Adventurers that made up the ring surrounding the duel. All he could do now was witness the two girls do battle. He was scared for them, but he knew that the only one who was feeling scared was he himself. The two women glared at each other, ready to enter combat.
They exchanged a few words before Aiz settled into her stance. A few men behind him started whispering loudly, "Oi, oi, the werewolf maid ain't got a weapon. Is she out of her mind?"
Bell glanced over his shoulder and saw a plain-looking man in a flowing robe. Perhaps he was that party's mage? "You heard what she said in there," he rolled his eyes as he explained to his less intelligent counterpart. "She called Loki Familia a bunch of weaklings. There must be something wrong in that pretty little head of hers."
"Even if that's true, what is with the Sword Princess? Is she really going to fight an unarmed person?"
Before his compatriot could answer, Aiz dashed forward with intense speed. A cloud of dust caused by her wake shot into the air well after she reached her destination. Bell's eyes widened to their limits. So fast! She had closed the distance to Lupusregina in an instant. Face-to-face with the maid, her blade was already poised to strike. With a straight stab, Aiz hoped to end the duel in a single blow. He wondered if she was aiming for a nonlethal area. It was better for Lupu-san to bow out before things got sickeningly gory, rather than taking too much of a beating.
Just when everyone thought the fight was over before it started, Lupusregina swiped the air in front of her. With a clash of metal and a shower of sparks, Aiz's blade was deflected to the side. A gust of wind blasted forth from her diverted sword, knocking several bystanders down. The shouts of anger were drowned out by the shocked murmurings of the crowd.
"What the hell?!"
"How did she—
"Where did that come from?"
Everyone's eyes were focused on the massive weapon the maid pulled out of thin air. She hefted the beastly armament made of black and silver metal with a single hand, and slammed it against Aiz's blade. Sensing danger, the Sword Princess jumped back to put distance between them. It seemed she too had been surprised by the appearance of the maid's weapon. The cross-shaped object was taller than the werewolf, and possibly several times heavier than she. The design was similar to a torture device used to asphyxiate criminals, but it was just being used like a glorified club.
Aiz's golden eyes flashed as she took in the black crosier. Firstly, she could tell it was a powerful, high-tier weapon, but she couldn't put a finger on its material or abilities. Secondly, its sudden appearance was a cause for concern. Some Magic Weapons could be called from a trinket worn by the user, or from nothingness, but those were few and far between. If this was a Magic Weapon, its destructive power was more than enough for Aiz to take caution. The only issue was that Magic Weapons broke after only a few uses. Using something so valuable in a duel was either extremely stupid, or she had completely misjudged the item's type and origin.
Finally, the maid herself, despite the start of the duel, still wore an expression of bubbling joy. Her round, innocent eyes and simple smile as she swung that giant weapon with ease sent alarm bells sounding through Aiz's mind. Similar alarms were ringing in the white-haired boy's head. It only solidified that members of Ainz Ooal Gown Familia were seriously dangerous. Even without a Falna, this redheaded werewolf easily deflected a blow from one of the most powerful and famous Adventurers in Orario… no, the World!
Appearing to come up with a course of action, the blonde dashed forward yet again, this time coming in from below. With a low center of gravity, she could change direction quickly. A blunt weapon user had few options when it came to attacks, but if any were to connect, she would experience some real pain. Should a downward strike come her way, she could easily dodge left or right. Her hope lied in taking out Lupusregina's legs.
The werewolf reacted quickly, forgoing finesse and skill, and whipped her weapon across her body. The crosier swept too close to the ground, denying Aiz the chance to duck beneath it. She had no choice but to jump over it. With a small hop over the arc of the maid's swing, Aiz passed over the crosier as it screamed by less than an inch from her boot. The swordswoman prepared to jab her through the ribs, only to catch a glimpse of the weapon flying toward her in another pass.
Bell gasped. The Sword Princess was suspended in the air with nowhere to go. He saw her gaze drawn to the crosier as it came closer at lightning speed. Lupu-san is fast too… but how?
In a last ditch effort, she placed her blade in the path of the incoming weapon. When the metal clashed, Aiz's weapon screeched painfully, nearly cracking under the pressure. The impact sent the blonde tumbling where she hovered, spinning like a trommel; it made Bell dizzy just from watching. Lupusregina's massive armament was deflected and driven into the ground. An explosion of dirt and debris filled the air as the ground shook. Those with poor balance crumpled to the ground in heaps of flailing limbs.
Bell attempted to squint through the dust cloud as it engulfed the clearing. The next detonation of sparks was completely obscured. As soon as the cloud had appeared, it was blown away in entirety. Chaotic winds buffeted the crowd in waves as the Sword Princess shot across the street and skidded to a halt just before the people standing behind her. A newly formed, two-meter-wide crater graced the formerly flat, trodden ground.
The two women straightened themselves to a standing position. They didn't appear tired at all. They weren't even out of breath. Bell felt he shouldn't have been surprised, since only a handful of blows had occurred. If he were the one in the duel, his heart would be pounding, nearly sapping all energy from his body. The figures of the two warriors in front of him were the perfect image of tranquility. Nothing could disturb the serenity they exuded.
Aiz glanced down at the thin sword in her hand. Even from where he stood, Bell could see the beating it had taken. The blade's edges were warped in multiple places, the pommel and grip were shattered, and the fuller was bent beyond repair. There was no doubt in his mind; even if it were straightened out by a master smith, it would never be the same again.
The Sword Princess huffed, "As expected of someone from Ainz Ooal Gown. Even without a Falna, you are able to keep pace with me."
The maid let out a similar breath through her nose, not bothering to check her armament. There was no need anyway; it was completely undamaged. "You're not half bad yourself, Princess."
Everyone surrounding the duel wore a dumbfounded expression. The onlookers who were unlucky enough to be caught up in the bout were so baffled that they didn't bother wiping the dirt that had caked onto their faces and hair. The Falna was humanity's way of overcoming its limits; without it, they would be nothing more than above average civilians. The excelia gained from killing monsters was repurposed to increase an Adventurer's status. Until it was repurposed, excelia merely accrued in a proverbial pool within a person's spirit, offering no benefits to them. Someone without a Falna, even if they had managed to gain some excelia, couldn't stand up to an Adventurer, even a Level One.
At least that was what everyone in the street thought. They were all as baffled as Bell was. The speed, strength, the way she carried herself, everything about the redheaded maid exclaimed "experienced Adventurer." However, they overheard that she wasn't Blessed; she didn't have a Falna. Going toe-to-toe with the Sword Princess and not getting destroyed in an instant was already a notable achievement. Doing so without a Falna? That was a funny joke. No one was laughing, though; save for the nervous chuckles that piped up here and there in the crowd.
Bell's eyes were trained on the blonde swordswoman. He could feel the anxiety rising within his chest as it tightened around his heart and lungs, choking the air out of him. Ainz Ooal Gown Familia is truly terrifying. If their support members are capable of fighting on par with first-class Adventurers, how powerful are their dungeon divers? Bell then thought of his encounter with the Silent Swordsman, and promptly shivered with fear.
"Though, I must admit," the redheaded maid shouldered her weapon. The wry smile she wore was almost completely hidden by her naturally bright eyes. "I think this would be much more enjoyable if you stopped holding back. Honestly, do you think you can afford not to?"
Aiz's brow furrowed for a split instant before she sighed exasperatedly with a smirk of her own. "I could say the same of you, couldn't I?"
"Heh~" the maid's drawn out reply seemed playful, but the wave of cold dread spreading across Bell's skin told him otherwise. "You are growing more interesting by the minute, Princess. No wonder Momonga-sama is so taken with you. It almost makes me jealous…"
Bell's muscles clenched. What did she mean by "taken?" The icy chill the boy had been feeling was replaced with a hot, leaden ball sitting in the center of his chest.
"But if that's what you want…" the maid's grip tightened upon her crosier. She lowered her stance, prepared to take off. "I would be happy to oblige. Just don't die too quickly."
Aiz's face relaxed. She settled into a fencer's posture, her blade pointed directly at her opponent. When she exhaled, a wisp of green air twirled around her as the atmosphere became charged with magic. Bell gasped.
She knows magic?! Bell wondered what form it would take. From what he heard from his goddess, magic was learned at random, but they required both knowledge and willpower to manifest. If a person had the aptitude, a spell would usually take a form that the caster would need most at that time. It all hinged on the person's desires. If they needed to hide, they would gain concealing magic; if they required medical attention, they could spontaneously gain healing spells.
Bell had always wanted to learn magic, but he wasn't sure if he even had the aptitude. Anytime he updated his status, he eagerly checked the Magic section on the paper. He had yet to see anything listed beneath it, much to his disappointment.
Before the feeling of magic could intensify, a booming voice broke through the silence and rattled the eardrums of everyone present. Aiz's magic instantly dissipated, and the stances of both fighters faltered. The ground itself shook with the force of one man's words, "LUPUSREGINA!"
For the first time, Lupusregina showed another emotion other than cheer. Her tan skin began to pale as she slowly turned her head. The wall of people standing behind her parted to make way for a silver-haired, elderly man in black clothing. It was a proper, black suit over a black shirt with a white tie. His jacket was trimmed with lines of gold. There were silver buttons up the front and on the cuffs of his sleeves. A white pocket square was settled in his front pocket, matching his well-kempt, short, white hair and beard. One of his white, gloved hands was wrapped around a sack of items that seemed to be an assortment of food and utilities. He was the definition of the word "butler."
Behind him, Bell took in the striking visage of a blonde woman following in the butler's wake. Her yellow hair was done up in impressively long spiral curls that danced about her shoulders. Her lifeless, blue eyes stood out well against her pale white skin. Her outfit left little to the imagination. The top was similar to Lupusregina's, only instead of a white blouse, this new maid wore black. Her white apron over her abdomen had a silver, star-shaped insignia of no denomination. Her black skirt was incredibly short, only falling to her upper thighs, and had a slit up the side. Instead of stockings like the werewolf's, the blonde wore a pair of full length greaves of an intricate design of layered steel; at least he thought it was steel. The greaves stretched all the way down her long legs to her feet, culminating in unnecessarily high heels.
The two of them marched into the ring of people, all eyes upon them. The butler came up to the werewolf, taking in the surroundings before leveling a glare at her. When his eyes settled, Bell felt the energy wafting off of him. His suit was almost taut against the rippling muscles lying beneath. He may have appeared old, but his body was in top condition. His stance had absolutely no openings, meaning he was always prepared for a fight. The boy knew that if he took just one step toward him, he would enter the butler's killing range.
"Your orders," the man's voice was deep and dignified with a hint of impatience. The werewolf trapped in his vision stood at attention before he continued, "They were to remain behind at the mansion. Why is it that as soon as I turn my back, you are gallivanting about, causing trouble?"
"I was hungry," the redhead looked away sheepishly, sweat beading on her forehead. "I just wanted to get some food, so I figured I would check out the neighborhood while I was at it."
"It's such a shame that you choose to spend your precious time among lower lifeforms," the blonde covered her mouth as she giggled. Every word dripped with condescension. Her breathy voice slithered into the ears of everyone nearby. Despite the disdain leaking out with her words, no one dared to object. "It is such a waste for someone of your stature."
"I think I can do what I like, Sol-chan," Lupusregina scoffs. "I don't call you out on your 'hobbies.'"
"You may do as you like," the butler cut into their aside with his commanding tone. "However, if you willingly ignore your orders to satisfy your own needs, I will have no choice but to report it to Ainz-sama. It will be up to him to decide how to deal with your insubordination."
The werewolf gulped, finally stepping down in dejection. Her head drooped when she conceded, "I understand. I apologize for my actions."
"Good," he nodded with acceptance, but there was something in his voice that made everyone think that discussion of this particular topic wasn't completely finished. He turned away from the maid and angled himself toward the Sword Princess and Loki Familia. Each member had their own expression of amazement. He walked up to Aiz, adjusting the bag in his arm enough to prevent it from falling as he bowed. "My name is Sebas Tian. I am the Head Butler under Ainz Ooal Gown. I apologize in my subordinate's stead. Her disobedience will not go unpunished."
Lupusregina's shoulders shook when she heard his words. The other maid shot the werewolf a glare after seeing what this 'Sebas' was doing. The blonde did everything she could to shame the redhead, making her bow as well. Aiz looked on with wonder, utterly baffled by the man in front of her.
The top of his white-haired head disappeared when he righted himself. Bell saw Aiz's mouth gape as Sebas stepped away from her and made his way into the tavern. The blonde maid returned her gaze to her redheaded counterpart. Even with her calming air, she was failing to hide the rage that was welling up within her.
"Lupu-chan, this isn't over," she warned just loud enough for everyone to hear. "Sebas-sama had to lower himself to match the station of these ingrates in order to apologize on your behalf. If you believe you will get away with humiliating your superior—
"It's a good thing you're not the one in charge, Sol-chan," Lupusregina managed to pull herself out of her rut enough to cover her mouth in jest. "Otherwise, everyone would just get eaten."
The blonde maid's porcelain skin flushed red. Just as she was about the burst, Mia's voice exploded through the door of the tavern. "ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND VALIS?!"
All of the bystanders blinked with confusion as the old butler reappeared through the doorway. Through the door, Mia could be seen draped over her bar with her two female cat people employees fanning her while an elf glared at the man. Breathing heavily, she clutched a coin purse filled close to rupturing to her chest. The butler spun back to her, and coolly offered, "Again, I am terribly sorry about any trouble one of our maids may have caused. Do continue doing business with us in the future."
Did he just drop one hundred thousand Valis and walk out?!
Stepping back into the street, the man approached his subordinates. With a grunt of affirmation, Sebas turned to the maids. Without another word, the three of them left the circle of people. The werewolf maid twisted slightly toward Bell and gave him a curt wave with a bright smile. He reflexively returned the wave, but he still wore a mystified expression.
Even as their footsteps faded, the silence continued. The patrons glanced at each other before realizing that no winner had been declared. There were raucous shouts of collectors attempting to stiff people out of their bets. Some small scuffles broke out around the street, but nothing major occurred.
Loki Familia, on the other hand, was still trapped in a cloud of confusion. Bell merely stared after the three people of Ainz Ooal Gown, the atmosphere of dread slowly dissipating. Did they come here for me? Could it have been about the Guild Report? It had only been two days! Did they know about him already? His body broke out into a cold sweat. He had only seen one of them in action for less than a minute, and yet he felt that if he went up against any of them, he would get eviscerated. It didn't matter how strong or weak he was. He would be dead.
"Bell Cranell," a voice he recognized spoke up. Bell spun on his heels to see the Sword Princess shooting him a worried glance. "Have you been careful?"
"I-I have!" Bell waved his hands in front of his face, trying to wipe away the blame. "I haven't done or said a thing, not even to my goddess. I have even been making sure I wasn't being followed while I'm out in the city."
Aiz raised her hand to her chin in thought. Bell, too, searched his memory for anything that could have pointed back to him. Honestly, two days wasn't enough time. There was a chance Eina hadn't even submitted the report yet. It still required work and possibly time to go through certain procedures before it was brought up to the courts. No one else was aware of our report as of yet.
"They must've been tailing me," the girl mumbled. She glanced up at him with apparent anxiety. "They may have been following me. That's the only way they would know about you. They must be trying to prevent me from doing anything drastic. Approaching you is their way of telling me that they are aware of our movements."
"But why?" Bell was almost in a state of panic. "Why would they be following you? Did something happen?"
Aiz bit her lip, the consternation filling her chest. Bell's head tilted, wondering if there was something she had hidden from him. Aiz seemingly knew that 'Momonga' guy from a previous experience. The time the boy saw him must have been their second meeting of sorts. Something serious must have happened if Ainz Ooal Gown had someone following her. Now that they knew about him, he wasn't safe.
Then an icy chill ran down Bell's spine. If they were following her, perhaps they were following me? With an unsteady gait, he started to shake, "D-does that mean that they could go after my goddess and me too? They probably know where I live now!"
Bell was ready to dash back to the rundown church when he felt a familiar hand grasp his arm. The Sword Princess read his body's movements, knowing that he was going to run. She shook her head reassuringly, "I doubt that. They would gain nothing from going after a Deity, especially one of a small Familia like yours. Besides, most of the Deities are at a gathering tonight. I assume your goddess is there as well?"
He nodded abruptly, "Yes, she said she would be gone for a few days; something about seeing some friends."
"I see," she inclined her head calmly. "Then she should be fine. I don't think they would pull something with all the other Deities present. However…"
Bell was panting, the fear crawling over his skin. He believed the Sword Princess, but he felt uneasy. Ainz Ooal Gown Familia had no issue coming to an Adventurer's tavern and hurling threats at a powerful Familia. They even challenged one of the most powerful Adventurers in Orario to a duel, and that was just one of their maids. He didn't want to think what would happen if anyone from their higher echelons decided to show their face. I wouldn't want to face that butler…
"Aiz," the jade-haired elf approached her from behind. "We're leaving."
Bell saw her nod with acceptance. He didn't want to leave just yet. He didn't feel safe. He wasn't aware if they were waiting for him in an alley so they could snatch him. If they were truly after him, they would know that he was alone for a short while. It was the perfect time to do their dirty work and leave undetected. Whether they kidnapped him or left him to rot deep in the dungeon, he wouldn't be able to sit still without looking over his shoulder. He had no idea what to do. Perhaps the Guild could help? Eina-san would know what to do. Trying to shake off the chill, Bell turned to leave, only to be stopped. Aiz had yet to remove her grip from his arm.
"You're coming back with us," she stated, leaving no room for negotiation.
"Eh?" Bell's eyes went blank. Going with her?
"You met the maid firsthand. Loki-sama will want to hear about it."
"Eh?!"
"You can't be serious, Aiz!" the werewolf, Bete, objected strongly. "We can't bring this whelp back to HQ!"
"He is a witness to what happened tonight," she explained in her commanding tone of voice. It seemed the other members of Loki Familia knew it all too well. "He is coming with us."
Bell went pale. Was he really going to Loki Familia Headquarters? Wasn't that sort of thing frowned upon? He put his hands up to protest, but Aiz was having none of it.
"Let's go," she ordered, dragging the white rabbit away from the tavern.
The boy caught sight of the figure of Syr glaring at him angrily from the doorway at his proximity to the Sword Princess. The tray in her hands bent in response to her frightening strength. He will have to apologize later…
Bell realized that his life was about to get that much more complicated.