Magic Caster of Destroy

With regret in his heart, Gazef recalled the meeting in the King’s chambers before they left the Capital. There were five people present; King Ranpossa III, Gazef himself, Third Princess Renner, Second Prince Zanack and Marquis Raeven. Upon hearing about the last two, Gazef felt a shock that could have brought down the palace. In particular, there was that man whom Gazef despised, the man who reminded him of a snake and a scorpion… a word like shock could not fully express his reaction when he learned that Raeven was one of the most diligent and loyal nobles, working tirelessly for the benefit of the King.

“I seem to be constantly causing trouble for you, Marquis Raeven, as well as my daughter.”

Ranpossa III lowered his head to the seated Raeven, a sincere expression on his face.

“Your Majesty, please don’t do that. I’ve already acted on my own without consulting yourself; I only regret that I did not take action earlier.”

“Marquis Raeven, allow me to apologize to you as well,” Gazef said as he lowered his head. “I was deceived by surface impressions and harbored disrespectful thoughts about you without

understanding your true intentions. Please forgive this foolish one.”

“Warrior-Captain-dono, there is no need to worry about that.”

“Even so, if I am not punished for my foolishness, it will stick like a thorn within my heart.”

Raeven’s face seemed to say “really?” and then he shook his head. After that, he laid sentence upon Gazef.

“I understand… then, from now on, I shall not address you as Warrior-Captain-dono, but as Gazef-dono. Consider that a token of my respect towards you.”

It was a punishment that couldn’t even qualify as a punishment.

A thought ― that he had eyes, but could not see ― started growing in his heart, and Gazef replied with sincere gratitude.

“Many thanks, Marquis Raeven.”

“Gazef-dono, think nothing of it. Then, let us begin discussing the direction in which the Kingdom will go from this day forth.”

Part 3

Gazef passed through the main gate and reached the company stables on the outer ring of the city.

He exhaled deeply, to relieve the fatigue clouding his mind.

He was exhausted.

The meeting he’d just attended made him acutely aware that he was a mere commoner.

As he stood by the King’s side and moved through noble society, he’d gradually come to understand the way they thought.

Even so, he frequently encountered responses and attitudes that only those born and bred to the nobility would understand. Gazef couldn’t understand why they would think that way, especially the concept of valuing the pride of the nobility over concrete benefits.

Or no, even more inscrutable than that was the idea of prioritizing one’s pride over one’s citizens.

Gazef slowly scanned his surroundings.

The soldiers, shouting as they ran back and forth… they were the people. The people of the Kingdom, arriving from villages all over the country to fight this war. Although they didn’t look too reliable as soldiers, that was unavoidable; their hands were meant to hold hoes and shovels.

Protecting them should have been the duty of the ones who ruled over them.

If they handed E-Rantel over, they would be hurting the people who lived within the city, just like the King said.

However―

Gazef recalled the image of Ainz Ooal Gown, wearing his strange mask.

He had returned to Carne Village just after dusk, with no sign of having fought a hard battle.

That was right. The two of them had easily defeated the enemies which had utterly decimated Gazef and his troops.

As expected of the superior being who titled himself the Sorcerer King.

Rather than fight him directly ― no, that would only make the people suffer.

“Shit!”

Gazef cursed, unable to find an answer. What should he do? Confusion on the battlefield was a sign of impending death. Even the man hailed as the strongest in the region could still die if he could not focus.

And on top of that, his opponent was Ainz Ooal Gown.

It was true that he hadn’t witnessed the battle which had saved Carne Village. And he himself hadn’t said he’d won, just that he’d chased them off.

But anyone could tell that was a blatant lie.

“Speaking of which… why did he have to lie that they’d run off?”

After Ainz and Albedo had left, he went to the plains where they had fought, but he found no signs of a slaughter. He couldn’t find a single corpse, but burying dozens of bodies would have been very time-consuming. Without bodies ―without physical evidence― the statement of “they ran away”

gained credence.

However, that was assuming Ainz Ooal Gown had not used magic. Who knew, there might be spells which could teleport bodies away or destroy them.

In addition, Gazef had a hunch.

Although it stemmed purely from his warrior’s instinct, but when he saw the uninjured Ainz return to the village, he could smell the faint scent of death rising up from him.

Rather than say “he let them flee”, it would be more accurate to say “he let them live”.