Valkyrie's Shadow

Before the Storm: Act 8, Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Preposterous.

In the pitch darkness of her suite on the Tenth Floor, Albedo sat on the floor, twisting the frilled hem of her alabaster dress with a gloved hand.

Utterly preposterous!

The will of the Supreme Beings? Was that truly to be her hateful fate?

She cursed the names of the creators who had abandoned them: a mantra that she had repeated times beyond counting. Who in their right mind would accede to the wishes of such detestable beings? Shouldn’t all memory and respect for them be discarded instead? What right did the Supreme Beings have to chafe them with their shackles when Nazarick had long left its former existence?

Albedo continued fuming, her amber gaze smouldering like twin embers in the darkness. Then, to her surprise, she found herself reaching for one of the larger Momonga-sama dolls propped against her bed. She forcefully pulled her hand back.

No! I don’t deserve to be comforted by Momonga-sama.

She had failed, after all. After making so many brazen requests for items and equipment, she had failed to prevail. Her beloved had desired to see the fruit of their efforts in the New World, yet she had failed to achieve a result fitting for the greatest of the Supreme Beings.

Perhaps worse was the fact that Momonga-sama had been entirely supportive of her efforts. Excited, even. Surely, he had harboured great expectations for her. Albedo’s pale skin flushed as she curled up on the floor in abject shame over being such a disappointment.

Would he relieve her of her responsibilities as the Prime Minister? Maybe the title of Guardian Overseer would be stripped away. She would be thrown into Frozen Prison to waste away for all eternity while everyone else was permitted the joy of being able to serve their Master in perpetuity.

Yet, it would be nothing less than she deserved. Nothing was going as well as she had projected, after all. Even though Momonga-sama had placed his explicit trust in her, she was too incompetent to work within the bounds that he had set for the Sorcerous Kingdom. Progress was slow. Everything was slow. Not having the suitable infrastructure and personnel wasn’t an excuse. Everything had to be perfect for her beloved, yet everything was far from perfect. Even her project in Re-Estize was an absolute mess, staffed with so many small-minded fools and impulsive imbeciles that she doubted that anything she heard out of them was accurate at all.

That’s right, I still have work to do. It’s been two weeks since the beginning of the tournament, so there should be plenty of data to digest. I should get as much done as I can before it’s all taken away…

Albedo wiped the tears of frustration from her eyes and smoothed the folds of her dress. Then, a knock sounded at the door.

One of the maids? Who would dare to be so inconsider–

The knock sounded again.

“Albedo, it’s me.”

Her eyes went so wide that they cast their glow over the carpet.

M-Momonga-sama? Here? Eh? EH!?!?!

She shot to her feet with supernatural speed, sending a handful of black feathers drifting to the floor.

I’m not presentable! My face is probably a mess. My dress…argh!

Her hands tried to go everywhere at once. Preening her feathers; reaching for a comb; wandering around for a washcloth. The knock sounded again.

“Albedo, are you awake? Hmm…maybe I’ll check in on her lat–”

“J-Just a moment, Ainz-sama!”

Her superhuman intellect worked to find a solution to her predicament. She had to look decent for Momonga-sama, but it would be rude to make him wait. In the end, she concluded that there simply wasn’t enough time.

I could strip naked and throw on a towel. It’s entirely reasonable. This is my room, after all.

Albedo’s stomach fluttered as she pondered the presence of her beloved at the door. Had he finally come to enjoy an exciting evening encounter? No, if anything, it would be a walk of shame to the Frozen Prison. She mustered what little dignity was left to her. If Momonga-sama decreed that an eternity of isolation was to be the punishment for her failure, then she would happily lock herself in her cell.

Still adorned in her usual dress, she opened the door to her room. She stepped out into the corridor before going to a knee in front of the Supreme Overlord of Nazarick.

“Ainz-sama, what is your pleasure this evening?”

“There are some matters I wished to discuss with you. I thought it best to bring them up right away.”

“Of course, Ainz-sama. What would you like to speak about?”

“This hallway is hardly the best place to speak…let’s head over to the city, shall we?”

The city?

Her head still lowered, Albedo stole a glance at their surroundings.

Momonga-sama is alone. What could that mean?

If he had come to apprehend her for her crimes, at least two of the Floor Guardians would have accompanied him. Even if it wasn’t the case, then some members of the Ninth Floor’s household staff should have been attending him. That likely meant their discussion was for her ears alone, but what the topic could possibly be eluded her.

“Of course, Ainz-sama,” Albedo said. “As always, this Albedo is at your service.”

“Mah, there’s no need to be so formal. Walk with me.”

Albedo silently followed after her beloved, wondering what it was that he wished to speak about. Perhaps a reprimand for her performance was still in order…or had he caught on to her other activities? A bead of cold sweat trickled between her shoulder blades as they made their way to the teleportation gate.

Their route eventually had them appear on the surface just outside of the Great Tomb. The Supreme One remained silent as they made their way deeper into the field of windswept grass. Presumably, not even the maid stationed at the front cottage was meant to hear what he had to say.

“I was impressed by your performance in the tournament.”

She froze in her steps, staring incredulously at the trailing hem of Momonga-sama’s robe.

“S-Surely you jest, Ainz-sama. I lost to Shalltear, after all…”

“Remember what I said: I wanted to see the fruit of everyone’s efforts – what everyone has learned since coming to this new world. The tournament was a good way to show this, but victory was never the point. You, Albedo, clearly exhibited the greatest degree of adaptation, which was what I was looking for in the first place.”

“A-Ainz-sama, I…”

Her vision blurred, and a tear trickled down her cheek. Momonga-sama turned to regard her.

“Albed–eh? Why are you crying?!”

“Uwehhhhhhh!!!”

Albedo fell to her knees, hiding her face in her hands. She felt her beloved draw close.

“I worked so hard,” she sniffled. “And after all my selfish requests…I thought you were going to send me to prison!”

“P-Prison? What nonsense are you talking about? Come now, you’re wasting your beautiful face with those tears.”

With another, much louder sniffle, Albedo rose to her feet. She grasped at her Master’s outstretched hand, taking a few unsteady steps before resting her cheek against his shoulder.

“So I’m not going to be punished?” She asked in a small voice.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Momonga-sama said. “You’ve done nothing that deserves punishment. Now, let’s continue on our way, shall we?”

He made no move to dislodge her, so she happily obliged as she clung to his arm. A hundred metres later, however, her drastically improving mood took a turn when they were waylaid by an unexpected obstacle.

“Ah, that’s right,” Momonga-sama let out a soft chuckle. “We have herds of free-range cattle out here now, don’t we?”

Albedo’s lip curled in disgust at the heap of dung in the grass before them.

“Ainz-sama,” she said. “Shall I butcher these animals for their unspeakable offence?”

“Well, I did want to take a walk to E-Rantel through the countryside,” Momonga-sama replied. “I forgot that this would be an inescapable part of it. Let’s teleport to a more appropriate location.”

She disabled her magic resistance as her Master placed a pristine hand on her shoulder. Their surroundings shifted, going from the grasslands outside of Nazarick to a bridge spanning a wide river. Hundreds of metres to their north, the white limestone fortifications or Castle Corelyn were awash in the rosy hues of sunset.

“This bridge never fails to impress me whenever I see it,” Momonga-sama said. “I believe it’s the longest bridge in the region?”

“According to our information, Ainz-sama,” Albedo replied. “It is far beyond the engineering capabilities of the Humans.”

Not including its smaller section connecting Corelyn Castle to Corelyn Harbour, the bridge across the Katze River was over two kilometres long. The only ones who seemed to appreciate it, however, were the people who had to use a ferry to cross the river in times past. The project’s long-term economic returns were undeniable, but the prestige that it generated fell short of what a country ruled by the Supreme One deserved.

“If I recall correctly,” Momonga-sama continued, “it’s also the product of a collaborative effort between multiple races, as well.”

“It is as you say, Ainz-sama.”

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A gust of autumn wind rolled over the river, tugging at the fringes of Momonga-sama’s robe as it flowed past the bridge. Due to the nature of Corelyn County’s agricultural industry, it didn’t see as much traffic as the territories that were in the midst of the grain harvest. Aside from the occasional Soul Eater cantering by with the previous year’s wine and cider, they were left in relative solitude.

“That effort was made over a year ago,” the Supreme One said. “In your opinion, how have the different races fared since then? Is life for all citizens in the Sorcerous Kingdom equitable? Are the people confident that they live in a just society that will be the envy of all who look in from the outside?”

Albedo’s gaze traced the profile of her beloved from the side. What was he asking? What did the opinions of the countless vermin that crawled beneath them matter? Their Master could simply decree whatever he wished, and so it would be.

Is it a test? No, Momonga-sama wouldn’t resort to anything so banal. Considering the current state of the Sorcerous Kingdom, it might be an opening…

The more she thought about it, the more it made sense. It was inconceivable that the supreme intellect above all intellects that was the guildmaster of Ainz Ooal Gown had not already foreseen every possible outcome for every possible avenue. Something within the endless expanse of his moment-to-moment contemplations had prompted him to broach the topic with someone as meagre as herself.

But what was the correct answer out of those endless possibilities? Albedo licked her lips nervously as her mind raced to render the appropriate response.

“If I understand your line of questioning correctly, Ainz-sama,” Albedo said, “the answer is no. The Sorcerous Kingdom has neither an equitable nor just society.”

“And why is that?”

“It’s because…forgive me for saying so, Ainz-sama, but it is because the Sorcerous Kingdom has adopted the laws of Re-Estize–no, please allow me to rephrase that. Your decision to adopt the laws of Re-Estize was correct, but I failed to grasp the intent behind the decision. As a result, the state of the Sorcerous Kingdom is as you see now.”

“Does this have something to do with everyone’s protests when I made the decision?”

“It is as you say. We were so incensed by the notion that the greatest of the Supreme Beings could be constrained by Human-derived laws that we didn’t notice the true reasoning behind your decision.”

Albedo shifted in place as she recalled how easily she had been distracted from the actual purpose of Momonga-sama’s choice. Fortunately, once she had calmed down, she quickly discerned what it was that her beloved desired.

“Mah, so long as you understand,” Momonga-sama waved his hand as if to dispel her discomfort. “Tell me: what is the nature of the problem, in your opinion?”

“Yes, Ainz-sama. The nature of the problem is that what is codified in law has been built on a foundation that caters to Human biology and social structures while also prioritising the preservation of a civilisation where Humans are the dominant species. What little consideration Re-Estize law gives to other races tends to frame them as threats and undesirables to be constrained or outright exterminated. This tendency is prevalent in every Human country that we’ve come into contact with aside from the Draconic Kingdom. The Slane Theocracy has even extended this consideration to other Humanoid races. While we have amended those parts of Re-Estize law that deprive other races of the protection of the Crown, every aspect of criminal, administrative, and business law is rife with exclusionary language. The end result of how the law is framed is a sort of systemic discrimination where the country itself is subordinate to Human values and prejudices and encourages their propagation.”

Momonga-sama nodded sagely.

“Now that you understand this, what do you propose should be done about it?”

“My initial thought was to recommend doing away with the laws and starting from scratch,” Albedo replied, “but I quickly realised that it would solve nothing and even set us back. It is more efficient to utilise established systems to implement change than it is to try and force new systems upon an uncooperative population.”

“Are you saying that the people are not cooperating with us?”

“Though they’re not openly defying Ainz-sama’s rule, there is both individual and collective resistance to change. Any measures that are too far removed from their common sense tend to fail. This, in turn, has made me realise that we will likely encounter similar issues with other races. In general, change that happens too quickly tends to meet resistance and the citizens are accustomed to societal shifts that take generations to occur.”

It was a point that caused endless frustrations for her since becoming Prime Minister of the Sorcerous Kingdom. Forcing the issue was not an option, as doing so went against the objectives Momonga-sama had laid out for the Sorcerous Kingdom.

“Well, it’s not as if we’re leaving them any time soon,” Momonga-sama said, “but have you identified any ways to accelerate change?”

“Yes, Ainz-sama. I believe that the current system of government is ideal for our purposes.”

“How do you plan on making use of it?”

“Its compartmentalised nature allows tangible change to occur in some parts of the country even if that same change is rejected elsewhere. Each Noble is granted the right to rule their territories as they see fit so long as they uphold the terms of the contract with their liege. As Nobles exist on a broad spectrum, all we need to do is propose a similarly broad range of changes for the House of Lords to consider.”

“So they cherry-pick the ideas most attractive to them.”

“Indeed, Ainz-sama. The degree of decentralisation in our government means that the effort and resources expended to explore our proposals are shouldered by individual landlords. Those who manage to successfully implement new ideas predictably champion them in turn. Additionally, the population is much easier to sway when working models exist to be evaluated. Rather than try to force top-down changes, it is far easier to make gradual adjustments to the ‘common sense’ of the people.”

“I find it hard to believe that they would be so oblivious as to not eventually realise they’re being manipulated into making changes.”

Albedo scoffed, contemptuously flicking the tips of her wings before tucking them in over her hips.

“If anything, it should make them realise they should have listened to us in the first place. Ultimately, the merits of using this method far outweigh the demerits.”

“Won’t allowing everyone to make their own choices lead to the rise of rival factions? The Nobles around here are notorious for that.”

“They were already in factions before the Duchy was annexed, Ainz-sama,” Albedo replied. “The degree of independence that this administrative system allows its ruling class has been historically problematic for Re-Estize and every other country in the region that employs something similar, but that is because they lack the power and oversight to ensure it functions as intended. We will not have these problems, however. Every fief and its population can effectively serve as a laboratory for political, economic, and social experimentation while remaining negligible threats to Ainz-sama’s rule.”

“One might say that is true for any form of governance,” the Supreme One said. “The fact of the matter is that we remain unchallenged in this region when it comes to de-facto power. Why not turn to a system that promotes a higher degree of independence? You’ll have more ‘laboratories’ than you can wish for, then.”

“I had considered the possibility,” Albedo said. “Both in terms of what you mentioned and as a means to further cement the powerlessness of the population. What the Humans have established here, however, is already optimal.”

“Hoh…I never thought I’d see the day that you would have some sort of praise for the Humans.”

“Any system that is allowed to refine itself will tend towards optimal levels, even if mindless ants are running it.”

“Hmph. Then how would you summarise the key benefits of what we’re doing?”

She pondered Momonga-sama’s query. He was probably asking for an explanation that would be digestible for foreign dignitaries. Considering that most of those would be tribal chieftains and primitive aristocrats, it would have to be simple indeed.

“Boiling it down to a few main points would be best,” Albedo said. “To begin with, it is easy to manage. The sovereign divides their land into titles, which are granted to middle managers in exchange for feal service. Those middle managers, in turn, subdivide their titles. Those titles either go to assistant managers if there is a need for them, are used to maintain additional security forces, or are distributed to tenants in exchange for rent. The chain of management is arrayed in direct lines from the sovereign, making it simple to oversee and affect changes to.”

“But didn’t you and Demiurge protest the implementation of Re-Estize law precisely because it limits the power of the sovereign?”

“Yes, Ainz-sama. However, that isn’t a problem in the long run. Over time, as we mould the Sorcerous Kingdom into the country that you envisioned, those who cannot or will not keep up with changes in legislation and domestic policy can be justifiably removed from power. Unlike the King of Re-Estize, we do not need to make concessions to implement change and no combination of Nobles can oppose us should we choose to enforce the law. By doing things this way, we will avoid being labelled as tyrannical despots…or at least all evidence will serve to disprove any attempts at labelling us as such.”

“Umu,” Mononga-sama nodded in perfect understanding. “In that case, do you believe it prudent to encourage other countries to adopt the same systems?”

“I do not have enough data about other races and countries to make a confident recommendation, Ainz-sama,” Albedo said. “But it would be ideal where possible. Since the plan for the foreseeable future is to have the Sorcerous Kingdom remain close to its current size and preside over a hegemony of assorted states that manage themselves, it would be efficient for them to implement what we’ve already tested and approved. Perhaps most importantly, a strict sense of hierarchy is normalised with the current system. These lower life forms think far too much of themselves – understanding that they will always have a master above them is a realisation that they should come to sooner rather than later.”

A patrol stomped past them on their way to the southern territories. One of the patrol’s Death Knights bore a standard of the Sorcerous Kingdom, which gleamed as it fluttered in the failing light. The presence of Undead security forces had grown in Corelyn County in the past year, but Countess Corelyn still wouldn’t allow them to get too close to the Theocracy border.

“One might argue that a degree of freedom can foster innovation,” Momonga-sama said.

“Innovation is far from an issue of ‘freedom’,” Albedo snorted. “It requires expertise, resources, and opportunities that most of the region’s population doesn’t have. There is an avenue for that line of thought, however. Excess resources and personnel make their way to urban centres, which are already traditionally where the frontiers of progress are explored. Major inefficiencies manifest at this point, however.”

“And what might those be?”

“Institutional barriers, primarily.”

“You mean the Guilds. They seem to be receiving a lot of attention recently.”

“Yes, Ainz-sama,” Albedo nodded. “While they often claim to be at the forefront of economic and technological progress, it is a byproduct of their efforts rather than the main purpose. The Guilds do not work for the benefit of the country, but for the benefit of their members and the power of their organisations. Individuals who develop or import innovations that they don’t approve of are stifled and their work is destroyed. Additionally, our records indicate a trend where each guild’s practice of setting market prices results in a cost of living that lags behind our projections.”

“You mean to say that they’re fixing prices even as the price of food and menial labour falls? I’m surprised that you didn’t immediately put an end to their profiteering.”

“Unfortunately, the Guilds have had generations to entrench themselves as an essential component of urban society. Their sudden removal would cause the urban economy to collapse, almost completely gut the regional education system, throw the country’s politics into chaos, and may lead to an international propaganda campaign against the Sorcerous Kingdom. Of course, we’ve already begun our work to supplant the Guilds, but establishing replacement institutions on a national level is a process that may take decades.”

If the removal of the Guilds only affected the urban centres of the realm, she would have had no qualms in ordering their purge. The city of E-Rantel and the towns along the highways constituted less than five per cent of the population, after all. Less than one per cent, if one was to include the tribal populations in the tally. The main issue was that the Guilds essentially curated the entirety of Human knowledge concerning urban industry and commerce. This, of course, included the methods by which they – unknowingly – cultivated Job Classes, developed Skills and Abilities, and other presently esoteric mechanical components of Nazarick’s new world. It would be foolish to discard valuable data when there was no imminent threat that called for such an action.

“Mah, we knew that change would take time before we even started,” Momonga-sama waved her apologetic expression away. “For the time being, you appear to have things well in hand.”

Albedo turned and lowered her head to her Master, speaking in a fervent voice.

“This Albedo is undeserving of Ainz-sama’s praise!”

“By the way, have you conducted any research in the Great Library associated with your work in the Sorcerous Kingdom?”

“Of course, Ainz-sama.”

“What do you think of the civilisation described in the records?”

“I believe it to be admirable and worthy of emulation,” Albedo replied.

“…emulation?”

“Yes, Ainz-sama. Demiurge, in particular, has found it to be particularly inspiring. He has already adapted various concepts drawn from Ashurbanipal’s records to the Holy Kingdom and the results show great promise. With the appropriate refinements, Demiurge is confident that he can use the same techniques to weaken and destroy any civilisation without resorting to open warfare.”

Just as her beloved desired, the Sorcerous Kingdom would be considered a paradise compared to everywhere else. The process would take several centuries, but that was a negligible span of time for immortals.

“I suppose that’s one way to make use of the knowledge,” Momonga-sama said. “Umu. You’ve given me much to consider, Albedo. I’m returning to the city. Would you like to be teleported anywhere?”

Albedo turned her gaze to the limestone bastion to the north, its walls turned purple in the fading twilight.

“Thank you for your kind offer, Ainz-sama,” she said, “but the tournament has kept me away from my work for far too long. Since I’m here, I should pay Countess Corelyn a visit.”

“Is that so? Well, I’ll see you later, then.”

She smiled and waved as her Master teleported away. As much as she would have liked to continue accompanying him, the duties that she had been entrusted with couldn’t wait. With a casual flap of her wings, she launched herself over the side of the bridge, riding the wind as she made her way to Corelyn Castle. The Countess’ tower office was brightly lit, resembling a beacon shining over the nearby countryside. Albedo alighted on the office’s balcony. Countess Corelyn looked up from her desk and regarded her with a raised eyebrow.

“Someone’s in a good mood,” she smiled slightly.

“We have work to do,” Albedo replied.