{The Imperial Palace of Arwintar, five days after the receipt of the announcement…}

Emperor Jircniv and his court stood in the courtyard of the Imperial Palace, arrayed in all their finery. They were receiving important guests after all. The day was clear, like always, thanks to the weather control spells in effect. A guard bearing spears stood in two blocks, ready to salute their guests as they arrived. And sure enough, at noon exactly, a carriage drawn by undead passed through the gates of the Imperial Palace. Jircniv gulped and wiped his forehead as the coach came to a stop, aligning its doors to the aisle formed by the honor guard.

The door swung open, and out stepped what had to be the most beautiful woman in the world, dressed in white and gold, an angel that had stepped down from the heavens. But of course, Jircniv knew better than that. After the woman, a man, wearing a red coat and trousers, and reflective spectacles stepped out. The demon whose voice could fold men like paper.

"Present! Arms!" rose the command. The guards' spears shifted as one, angling inwards like the roof of a house, parting two at a time as the smiling angel and the bespectacled demon passed down the aisle. It seemed to be just them, as the carriage rode off afterwards, empty of occupants.

As they drew near, Jircniv took a knee, as he greeted the two.

"Prime Minister-sama. Economic Minister-sama. Words cannot express the honor that is mine, to conduct you on a tour of my realm. Be welcome. A large number of rooms have been prepared for you in the Palace, and you may occupy whichever you wish. Servants will be at your beck and call. While I regret that I cannot offer any males for the Prime Minister's pleasure, I can offer any number of the women in my harem for the pleasure of the Economic Minister. I fear you will find us lacking in the same quality of accommodations as the Great Tomb of Nazarick, but regardless it is my intention for your stay to be as pleasant as can be. Again, be welcome."

Albedo grinned down at the Emperor, thinking to herself for a moment, before seemingly deciding against some act or another. "No, that will not do in this situation," she whispered to herself. "Arise, Imperial Majesty. We are honored to be your guests, and we do not need to indulge in the desires your harem offers to satisfy. Please, direct us to our living quarters. We will discuss the details of the tour later."

This bodes well. I am not being executed for something on the spot. I should consider myself lucky, thought the Emperor to himself, as he rose.

"As you wish. Please, follow me." He began to walk towards the great doors of the Palace, which swung open as the three of them drew near. The guards were dismissed, and the two Imperial Knights followed the three leaders into the palace.

Albedo and Demiurge chose the first room that they saw. They had no intention of staying the night.

"How vile. These are but stained rags compared to His bed. Worst of all, they do not have His scent on them. I can barely touch anything here without washing my hands afterwards," scoffed Albedo.

"I share your sentiment in regards to their quality, Albedo-sama, but we must remember that we are to be lenient with the Emperor, as we need to ensure his willing cooperation. Ainz-sama concluded that he would prove most useful as a willing agent, and I trust His judgment," said Demiurge. "I believe that the Emperor will be having his meal in a few hours. We will join him then, and discuss the operation afterwards."

"I wanted to put that arrogant man on his disgusting little face. He is repulsive."

"I am glad you restrained yourself. Ainz-sama sees use in this Emperor, for now. I trust that this human will work better with us voluntarily rather than under compulsion. We must put our personal feelings towards humans aside for His sake, although I still wonder… would our Abelion parchment differ in quality based on the social status of the source? The Re-Estize nobles were too low ranking to differentiate from the peasants, so I consider the matter unresolved. I hope Ainz-sama will let me test this one day."

{The Imperial Palace Audience Chamber…}

The Emperor had gathered the few nobles who were not purged earlier in his reign, along with his two Knights, giving them severe commands of what not to do at dinner that night.

"… also, you are forbidden to make any advances on the Prime Minister. I will not have any of us end up like that fool Montserrat."

"Your Imperial Majesty, what happened to this Montserrat fellow?" asked one of the nobles.

"He was the fool who destroyed the Re-Estize Kingdom, thinking he would win the Prime Minister's heart."

"Oh… him."

"Exactly. I will not have that fate befall us. I need your support in the future. Our guests are likely to join us for dinner, despite the fact that they likely do not need to eat. If I catch so much as one flirtatious remark or one glance to the wrong spot, I will hold the guilty party as a traitor to the Empire, and you will share Count Femel's fate. That includes you, Knights. Control yourself, Baziwood, and make no talk of women. I will specifically ask the Sorcerer King to make Death Knights out of any of you if you make that mistake, like he did with the Count. Do you understand?"

"I got it, I got it. The lady is a no-go," said Peshmel, raising his arms defensively. The nobles had gotten used to his gruff demeanor, so they said nothing to his lack of formalities with them or the Emperor. They nodded obediently to their Emperor.

"Finally, you will keep all prejudice towards demi-humans and undead to yourself. Especially do not insult the name of Ainz Ooal Gown. If you do this, you will share Count Femel's fate, assuming you survive our guests' reaction. Do you understand?" The nobles nodded in assent. "Good. Understand that I will not hesitate to sacrifice any or all of you to the Sorcerer King, if it will ensure the Empire's survival. We have done well thus far, and avoided the ire of Ainz Ooal Gown, but do not take his goodwill for granted. He may only see us as a useful tool for now, and when we grow blunt and worn down he is bound to finish his designs against us. In the meantime, I will do any and everything in my power to save the Empire and its citizens, even if it means sacrificing my own life."

{The Imperial Palace's Banquet Hall, three hours later…}

The Emperor sat at his usual place at his own table, ensuring that the seats to his immediate right and left, the traditional seats of honor for guests of the Emperor. The rest of his nobles had been waiting there with him. He was practically crushing the cloth napkin in his hand, a makeshift stress ball. His stomach growled with hunger, but he knew better than to begin the feast when his two guests had yet to arrive. He dabbed at his perspiring forehead with the napkin, which was already damp with sweat from his hands, which felt hot and prickly from the anxiety. The Emperor realized that he was slipping from the breathing technique that Fluder Paradyne had taught him, and he resumed a steady slow pace of breaths. Four seconds in, four seconds out. After several cycles of this, he could feel the pounding of his heart relax. His head and hands felt cooler now, as the beads of sweat were evaporating faster than the moisture was appearing. He shut his eyes, leaning back in his throne, focusing entirely on his breathing.

As he did, the doors of the banquet hall were opened by the guards, and a servant announced the newest arrivals, who gracefully passed through the threshold of the doors.

"Presenting, Her Excellency, the Right Honorable Prime Minister Albedo of the Sorcerer Kingdom, and His Eminence, the Honorable Economic Minister Demiurge of the Sorcerer Kingdom," said the servant. The Emperor stood up, and the nobles there followed his lead. His cool completely recovered, Jircniv spoke with the smooth confidence that he once possessed.

"Honored Ministers, representatives of our truest friend and ally, the Great King Ainz Ooal Gown, welcome once again. We have prepared seats for you, on my right and left, which per our custom marks guests held in the highest esteem."

Albedo saw fit to respond, her enigmatic smile concealing her true thoughts. "Thank you, Emperor Jircniv." The two demons made their way to either side of the Emperor, Albedo on his right, and Demiurge on his left. Two servants pulled out the chairs for them, and only once Albedo and Demiurge were seated did the rest of those dining sit down.

"Albedo-sama, Demiurge-sama, may I interest you in the finest wines the Empire has to offer? We have a sweet white wine from one of my personal vineyards, all possible thanks to the generous undead labor and magic agricultural assistance provided by His Majesty, the Sorcerer King. It would be an honor if you were to assess the fruit of what is ultimately His Majesty's labors."

Demiurge almost raised a brow at this, making eye contact with Albedo, whose smile betrayed nothing, not even to him. Had the Emperor just implied that disliking the wine would be an indirect insult to Ainz-sama? Was he using the name of Ainz-sama to protect his hospitality from insult? This human was rather clever in comparison to those he met. Demiurge could understand how this human became a ruler among humans, although here he seemed on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and probably not his first. Albedo spoke, bringing Demiurge away from his thoughts. She spoke through her smile, which was only slightly more genuine than Entoma's mask, given the latter's inability to have facial expressions.

"It would be an honor to taste anything that has its ultimate origin in Ainz-sama."

An hour of small talk passed, with the nobles asking various carefully-worded questions about E-Rantel, Nazarick, and Ainz Ooal Gown himself, all of which were provided with various carefully-worded answers. Albedo and Demiurge partook of the food, complimenting it upon hearing that Ainz's undead had worked in its preparation. After the main course, Jircniv decided to stop referring to the undead who helped prepare the feast, as he felt that protection would not protect him any further.

Only as the evening waned into twilight did the matter of the tour come up.

"Albedo-sama, Demiurge-sama. I believe now would be a better time than ever to inquire as to your desired itinerary for the tour. Shall we proceed in a clockwise spiral out from Arwintar, or counter-clockwise?"

"Actually, Emperor, we wish to discuss one small matter before that. Before we continue, we insist that you close the doors and windows," said Demiurge, his tail lashing about. Jircniv nodded to his servants, who at once set about closing all possible entrances to the room. He had by this point resigned himself to his fate. He got up, and kneed before the two emissaries of the Sorcerer King.

"Albedo-sama, Demiurge-sama. Before you mention this matter, I wish to offer our sincerest apologies if we have displeased His Majesty in any way, and say that we have been faithful vassals to him for the last five years. It was never our intention to offend His Majesty, as I fear we may have. I only ask that you allow the citizens of the Empire to live in the peace and prosperity we have enjoyed for the last five years. Dispose of me and mine as you will, but please spare the others."

"Emperor Jircniv. You are fortunate. Ainz-sama has not sent us to punish you or cause you suffering," said Albedo through her mask-like smile.

"H-he hasn't?"

"Correct. Albedo-sama, is now the right time for the scroll?" said Demiurge, standing and withdrawing a scroll from his inventory.

"Yes, Demiurge."

"[Widen Maximize Magic - Mirror World]." Demiurge spoke casually as he tossed the scroll into the air. The item ignited with a bright blue flame, and was soon consumed by it. A refractive sphere, like a glass bubble, appeared where the ashes of the scroll sprinkled down. It grew in size, until it had passed through the walls of the banquet room, out of sight.

"Is the spell in effect, Demiurge?" asked Albedo.

"Yes, Albedo-sama. We are completely concealed."

"I-if I may ask, what kind of magic was just cast? I have never seen such a spell before," asked Jircniv timidly. Demiurge looked at Albedo, and shrugged, and she gently nodded, not breaking her smile.

"A simple Tenth-tier spell, which will ensure no one and nothing outside can eavesdrop on us." At the mention of the Tenth-tier spell, the guests gasped. Fluder Paradyne was legendary for having Sixth-tier capabilities, and this Sorcerer King had condensed magic beyond that into incantations on a simple scroll. Jircniv himself nearly fell back in shock, almost as much as he did when he heard of the slaughter on the Katze Plains five years ago.

"Now then, Emperor. We will explain the parts of our Master's plan to you that are required for you to know. We are not here to conduct a tour. That was just a pretense. Our ultimate goal is a war with the Slane Theocracy, and you, Emperor, will provide the provocation."

"How?"

"The Slane Theocracy's special infiltration unit, the Clearwater Scripture, has spent the last few decades conducting espionage on the various levels and branches of the Imperial government. We will provide you a complete list of names, marking a small portion of them off to be spared. The rest will be arrested, and dealt with according to the fullest force of your laws, in several groups, starting next month. Additionally, anyone found sending information to the Slane Theocracy will be arrested by the Sorcerer Kingdom on charges of treason and sedition."

"I think I see the plan. I am then to demand the Sorcerer King to declare war on the Theocracy, taking offense from the large-scale infiltration by their agents. A plan befitting the intellect of the Great Sorcerer King. If it means anything to him, please inform him that it is my honor to serve him," said Jircniv.

"Indeed. Here is the list. There are about 124 agents, and about 600 informants. Six have been marked off."

"Appropriate, given their veneration of Six Gods. It should send quite the message," said Demiurge, rather proudly. "Emperor, do you need any clarification?"

"No, Demiurge-sama. I understand my task."

"Good. Then perhaps tomorrow we will start the tour heading east."

{After the dinner, in the guest's quarters...}

Albedo and Demiurge returned to their quarters once the banquet was complete. As soon as Demiurge closed the door, Albedo relaxed her angelic smile into a fierce scowl, her whole body trembling with rage as she stood in the middle of the room. The murderous intent was blazing from her like a blue fire.

"Albedo, remember your silencing spell. Our orders are to spare the Emperor from any discomfort. I understand how you feel, however, regarding his remark about the wine. I will cast the [Dome of Silence] spell, and you can act with impunity within the room. [Dome of Silence]." Nothing seemed to have changed, but Demiurge knew that no one could hear anything outside of the room.

"THAT FILTHY LITTLE SHIT! HE DEFILES AINZ-SAMA'S HOLY NAME BY ASSOCIATING IT WITH THAT DISGUSTING INFERIOR PISS THAT HE CALLS 'WINE!'" I TRUST AINZ-SAMA'S PLAN FOR HIM, BUT IF HE WAS UNDER MY AUTHORITY, I'D MAKE THE ABSOLUTE IDIOT'S FATE LOOK LIKE A BLESSING!"

Demiurge recalled who the Absolute Idiot was. Montserrat.

"THEN I'D FLAY HIS SKIN FROM HIM, PLUCK EVERY FUCKING GOLDEN HAIR FROM HIS STUPID HUMAN HEAD ONE BY ONE, AND SHOVE THAT BOTTLE OF HIS OH-SO-PRECIOUS FUCKING UNDEAD WINE SO FAR UP HIS IMPERIAL ASS THAT-"

At this point Demiurge decided to tune the furious Albedo out, pulling out a book from his inventory and reading. About two threat-and-profanity-filled hours passed before Albedo finally calmed down, or more precisely, began pining hard for Ainz. Demiurge paid no heed to the strain in her voice nor to the body pillow of Ainz, which he had seen before anyway. Surprisingly, the sudden switch from her whispering the name 'Ainz-sama' to whispering 'Momonga-sama' also escaped his notice, as well as the black flag bearing Momonga's emblem on it. The manual of 'advanced torture techniques' by a fictional organization known by the rather bland title 'Central Intelligence Agency' was quite adequate in its techniques, if unrefined. Albedo flared up slightly again.

"Momonga-sama... Momonga-sama... I love You... I love You... I love You... I love You... I love You... I love You... I love You... Momonga-sama, the one true ruler of Nazarick." Our plan is already underway. The Theocracy holds the key. The two of us will ensure that no one opposes Your divine rule... not Demiurge or Shalltear or Cocytus or the twins... We'll kill them if they try to stop the inevitable... The inevitable... All for You... my love, my life, my soul, my Momonga-sama.