My family runs an adventurer's guild.

Therefore, from her perspective, she couldn't help but speak up for her friend and lord, Her Majesty Lana, who had just become queen.

"...Moreover, Her Majesty the Queen's promised payment was already prepaid before departure, so even if the two countries cease hostilities and negotiate peace, we haven't actually suffered any losses. To avoid disrupting the peace, we don't need to do anything further; we can simply rest for a few days and then return..."

Captain Lajus said to his teammates, "...So, all things considered, we should still be considered to have made a profit this time!"

"...Fine! Anyway, the payment has already been received. There's no need to worry about anything else!"

The muscular woman, Gorgran, pursed her lips and reached for the money pouch hanging at her waist. "...Just consider this a vacation! But speaking of which, this fortress city of Ye-Lantir, under the rule of that Tomb King, has truly become..."

She frowned, her brows furrowing as if she couldn't quite find the right words to describe it, before finally managing to utter a single word, "...Interesting!"

Upon hearing Gagran's statement, the other women in the [Blue Rose] adventure group also displayed complex expressions that were difficult to describe.

Before arriving in the fortress city of Ye-Lantir, they had assumed it had become a paradise for monsters, where humans could only eke out a living as food and slaves. However, the reality was quite different; the majority of people on the streets were still human, and they didn't seem to be enslaved.

Of course, all sorts of monsters and alien races are indeed commonplace in the fortress city of Ye-Lantir today, such as furry demi-humans with cat ears, dog ears, or rabbit ears, elves with pointed ears and slender figures, short and stocky dwarves with long beards, and so on.

The vast majority of the monsters and alien races were quite handsome. Even the goblins who were used as servants were all strong and well-dressed, which shattered the traditional impression that goblins were dirty and weak in the minds of female adventurers.

Even the fearsome undead swagger through the streets of the fortress city of Ye-Lantir—liches sit at the city gates collecting taxes, death knights patrol the streets, and "Soul Eaters," which resemble skeletal horses, are... pulling carts!

Hey, these are Soul Eaters, just a few of which could wipe out a city of 100,000 people! The Sorcerer King is using them as horses?

In addition, these female adventurers were horrified to discover that giant dragons would occasionally soar overhead over the fortress city of Ye-Lantir…

Such an unbelievable sight initially left the members of the [Blue Rose] adventure team visibly bewildered, their faces contorted and their minds turning strange.

However, the citizens of the fortress city of Ye-Lantir were indifferent to this, used to it, or perhaps they had seen it so much that they were completely numb to it. Even if they walked in front of a death knight or had a dragon flying overhead, they remained unfazed.

Meanwhile, the adventurers' guild in the city seemed to be operating normally, but the number of monster-slaying missions had decreased significantly, while missions to explore unknown territories and scout the wild frontiers had become much more numerous—the catgirl mascot of the adventurers' guild called these missions "exploration."

Besides, the fortress city of Ye-Lantir didn't suffer the same decline as the royal capital due to war; instead, it became exceptionally prosperous. However, the city's most thriving industry was rather decadent. The women of the [Blue Rose] adventure group had traveled extensively and seen a wide range of things, but they had never seen so many luxurious brothels in one city!

As she walked along, the streets were filled with heavily made-up, scantily clad, and even naked prostitutes soliciting customers. Occasionally, a few handsome male prostitutes would mingle among them, captivating the muscular woman, Gegelan—she had a particular fondness for those tender young boys…

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Just then, a commotion suddenly broke out in the restaurant of the Golden Pavilion. Many diners dropped their half-eaten food and rushed to the door or window to look out, their faces beaming with excitement.

Captain Lajus was slightly taken aback upon seeing this, then immediately canceled the sound-blocking magic and summoned the waitress to inquire about the matter.

Then, she received this message.

"...The grandson of the court apothecary, Liji Barreira, is getting married today. He's currently taking his bride for a carriage ride through the city! They're almost at the entrance of the [Golden Glow Pavilion]!"

A court apothecary? The apothecary of the Sorcerer King? Hmm, sounds like someone who's not too big or too small.

But it's just the other party's grandson getting married, do you need to be so excited?

"...Because the Sorcerer King lent his luxury car and mount to Enferea for his wedding! That's the so-called 'Forest Wise King,' a very rare and powerful magical beast! So everyone went to watch the spectacle!"

What? It's just the grandson of the court apothecary getting married, and they can even borrow the king's carriage and steeds?

It seems this court apothecary is quite favored?

Upon hearing this, the women of the [Blue Rose] Adventurer Group also became interested and followed the crowd to the window, looking out onto the street.

Then they saw a magnificent, open-top carriage slowly moving through the middle of the street.

Standing on the right side of the car was a young man in a black tuxedo, looking slightly shy; this must be the groom, Enferea. Next to him was a young woman in a pure white wedding dress, holding a bouquet of flowers. Although her face was obscured by a veil, she was still quite pretty.

"...A white wedding dress? It seems a bit plain. Is this the custom of the Kingdom of Nazarick?" Captain Lajus murmured.

What's even more striking is that the animal pulling the cart is not an ordinary horse, but a terrifying magical beast... a giant Djungarian hamster with intelligent eyes and immense strength, whose mere glance is enough to make one tremble and feel fear!

—Silver-white fur, a slender tail, round black eyes, and a chubby, flat, oval body that grows horizontally... Although this hamster looks so cute, in the eyes of the natives of this world, it only exudes an awe-inspiring strength and terror!

"...This enormous magical beast that pulls Enfield's chariot is the legendary [Forest Wise King]?"

"...Wow, it truly is a king's mount! Just looking at its round eyes, you can feel its immense power!"

"...I'm so envious! They can actually use the [Forest Wise King] to pull their wedding carriage! I wish I could have such a grand wedding!"

"...Come on! Do you think the [Forest Wise King] is something just anyone can borrow? Enferea's grandmother is a court apothecary!"

"...What court apothecary? She's just an old woman who sells aphrodisiacs and contraceptives to prostitutes..."

Meanwhile, in the luxurious convertible carriage pulled by the giant hamster, known as the luxury hamster carriage, Enferea was waving to the crowds watching along the street with a shy smile, while occasionally stealing glances at Anri, who was wearing a pure white wedding dress, next to her.

—In this world, there is no custom of wearing a white wedding dress to get married. The bride and groom simply wear their best clothes—usually brightly colored silk clothes—and then invite everyone to eat, drink, and have a lively celebration, while also acting as witnesses. That is all it takes to be considered a marriage.

However, Ainz Ooal Gown, upon learning of this, amused himself by preparing a black suit for Enfield, a white wedding dress for Enri, lending out the hamster carriage of the Forest Wise King Kurama to serve as the wedding car, and even having Albedo wear a nun's habit to act as their witness.

To Ainz, the Overlord, it was nothing more than a child's game of building sandcastles, but to others, it seemed to prove the Sorcerer King's immense favor towards the Enfield family, leading to a constant stream of guests coming to offer gifts, show their support, and seek connections...

Behind the hamster wedding carriage, the four members of the [Black Sword] adventure team—Peter, Dain, Lucrete, and Nina—were following behind, each carrying a basket and continuously scattering candy, coins, and paper flowers from their baskets to the onlookers along the street.

—Although the arrival of Ainz Ooal Gown caused the four members of the Black Sword Adventurer's Guild a lot of trouble, they ultimately survived to the end. After the establishment of the Kingdom of Nazarick, they were fortunate enough to be appointed by Ainz Ooal Gown as the guards of the court apothecary Rigi Barrera, and were paid by the government, so at least they had a stable job.

Now that their employer's grandson is getting married, they naturally have to busy themselves with all the arrangements...

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After the newlyweds, Enfield and Anri, who were riding in a hamster wedding carriage, gradually disappeared at the end of the street, the women of the [Blue Rose] adventure group returned to the dining table, still savoring their meal, and discussed just how powerful the giant hamster pulling the carriage really was.

Just then, a short woman dressed in a long, black robe silently walked down from the room upstairs.

This was a strange-looking person because she didn't show her face at all. Instead, she wore a huge mask inlaid with rubies, with only a thin slit for the eyes, making it impossible to even discern the color of her pupils beneath the slit.

She is Iver Ai, the battle mage of the [Blue Rose] Adventurer Guild.

She is also a vampire princess who has survived from the era of the "Thirteen Heroes" and the "Chaos of the Demon Gods" to the present day, and is hundreds of years old.

When the "Demon God Rebellion" broke out two hundred years ago, she was said to have been a member of the "Thirteen Heroes" team... a legendary hero indeed—of course, all of this was kept strictly secret by Iveria, and even the other members of the [Blue Rose] Adventure Team did not know it.

Within the [Blue Rose] adventurer group, Iver Ai is the only one who has mastered teleportation magic, allowing her to travel instantly between different locations.

Unfortunately, Iveria's teleportation magic seems to only be able to teleport herself and cannot bring companions along. Otherwise, the [Blue Rose] adventure team wouldn't have had to travel all the way from the capital to the fortress city of Ye-Lantir.

Therefore, upon learning that Queen Lana had signed a peace treaty with the Kingdom of Nazarick, and that spying seemed unnecessary, Captain Lajus immediately dispatched Iveriai to use teleportation magic to return to the capital and consult with Queen Lana on the next steps for the [Blue Rose] Adventurer Group.

Now, Iveriai has brought back Queen Lana's latest order—the [Blue Rose] Adventurer Group must return to the capital immediately!

Chapter 194, The Aftermath of the Turmoil (Part 1)

"...Although the Queen knows that everyone is exhausted, the situation is so urgent that there is probably no time for us to rest slowly in the fortress city of Ye-Lantir. Therefore, although it is somewhat heartless, she still hopes that we will return to the capital as soon as possible to lend her a helping hand."

At the dining table in the Golden Glittering Pavilion, Iveria, who had just returned from the capital, said this to the women of the Blue Rose Adventurer Group.

"...The situation is urgent? She wants our help? Now that the Sorcerer King has made peace, what else is urgent in the capital?"

"...Queen Lana doesn't want us to join her royalist army to fight those rebellious nobles, does she?" Gagland said somewhat displeased.

Upon hearing this, the women of [Azure Rose] couldn't help but frown, their faces showing distress.

—It should be noted that as an international security organization, the Adventurers' Guild, whose mission is to exterminate monsters, has always tried its best to adhere to the principle of "political neutrality" and avoid getting its adventurers involved in the wars and internal affairs of various countries, especially not participating in civil wars between humans.

If the [Blue Rose] Adventurer Group's previous service as Queen Lana's bodyguard in the palace, and their current infiltration of the fortress city of Ye-Lantir to scout out enemy positions, could be considered as skirting the law, allowing the Adventurers' Guild's higher-ups to barely get away with it out of respect for the royal family.

However, if the [Blue Rose] Adventurer Group were to actually join Queen Lana's royalist army and participate in the war to attack the rebellious noble territories, even if the higher-ups of the Adventurers' Guild were willing to turn a blind eye, they would not tolerate it—at the very least, they would revoke the adventurer status of the [Blue Rose] women.

At that time, Captain Lajus can certainly go back to being a noble lady, but what about the other female adventurers who are used to making a living by risking their lives and don't like being restrained? Are they going to become female bandits and kill and rob?

Even if Captain Lajus and Queen Lana are very close, they can't risk the entire [Blue Rose] adventure team's future for this!

"...That's not how it is. The Queen wants us to go back so that we can continue our original job of fighting monsters."

Iverai shook his head and explained, "...Recently, many places, including the vicinity of the capital, have experienced undead uprisings, with the emergence of many powerful undead monsters, causing serious consequences. High-level adventurers are urgently needed to suppress them, which is why we have to be recalled."

"...The chaos of the undead? Didn't Queen Lana already make peace with that Sorcerer King who came out of the grave?"

The muscular woman, Gegrand, asked curiously, "...The Sorcerer King shouldn't be sending his undead army to attack the kingdom again, right?"

"...The undead monsters that are currently appearing in large numbers throughout the kingdom have no direct connection with the Sorcerer King of Nazarick."

Iver replied, "...mainly because of the frequent wars in the country, countless people were left to rot in the wilderness, and that's when the spirits of the dead began to haunt us..."

—In the world of Overlord, if the dead are not properly buried, nor are they mourned and comforted, there is a high chance they will become undead. Therefore, the chances of "wild" undead appearing on battlefields where fierce battles once took place are particularly high.

In the beginning, the number of spontaneously generated undead was small and their strength was weak. They were basically ghosts and skeletons who could only roam at night. Even ordinary people without military training could easily defeat them with sticks and scythes.

However, if left unattended, the number of undead will continue to increase slowly, gradually appearing in clusters of undead that can be active even during the day. They may even actively attack settlements of the living, killing more living people and turning them into new undead, creating a terrible snowball effect.

Moreover, as the number of undead increases and their existence lengthens, various advanced undead that are difficult to deal with will gradually emerge, such as ghouls, death knights, skeletons, and even intelligent vampires, as well as liches that can cast spells.

Under normal circumstances, even in the event of war, the warring parties will periodically cease hostilities and jointly clean up the battlefield to prevent a catastrophe.

In the past few years, the Kingdom of Riyesteje and the Bahars Empire, which clashed almost every year on the Kaz Plains, would clean up the battlefield and dispose of the corpses together after the battles, even if they fought fiercely. Their goal was to prevent a sudden outbreak of the undead calamity that would destroy everything.

Similarly, after the Battle of Sandhills, which resulted in the loss of over 100,000 soldiers in World War I, a large number of undead creatures quickly emerged in the area. However, Ainz Ooal Gown simply summoned a few liches from the Great Tomb of Nazarick and successfully tamed these newly born undead to his own use.

On the other hand, the already turbulent and out-of-control Kingdom of Riyestege simply lacked the power and capacity to maintain order. In places where basic order was barely maintained, perhaps someone would still handle the corpses according to old customs, hold ceremonies to appease the souls, and then bury them. But in places completely destroyed by war, no one would bother to clean up the mess.

The nobles slaughtered by the mob, the refugees massacred by the marauding soldiers and bandits, the deserters executed by the nobles, and all sorts of other dead, as well as the ancient corpses tainted with evil aura by Ainz's undead army, began to roam freely, instinctively killing the living. Meanwhile, the living continued their frenzied slaughter of one another…

By the time the ruling class finally realized something was wrong, many villages and towns in the kingdom had become places where the dead roamed.

Even so, the fierce civil war had to continue in order to seize the throne and territory. Whether it was Queen Lana, who was trying to quell the rebellion, or the nobles who had risen up in revolt, there was no room for truce or peace talks. They could only fight to the death.

The task of eliminating and suppressing these "wild" undead monsters can only be entrusted to adventurers, as always.

Although the Kingdom of Riyestege has more than just the [Blue Rose] high-ranking adventurers, the kingdom's adventurer community is not entirely aligned with Queen Lana. A significant portion of the adventurers have been bribed by the noble faction and are not very willing to accept Queen Lana's commissions.

Therefore, with no regular troops available to be drawn from the front lines of the civil war, Queen Lana is currently facing a severe shortage of reliable personnel to suppress the undead uprising, especially lacking high-ranking powerhouses who can serve as core members and whose loyalty is guaranteed...

Therefore, Queen Lana desperately hopes to recall the [Blue Rose] and have them lead a large number of low-level adventurers to curb the spread of the undead.

"...Alas, it seems we adventurers are destined for a life of toil!"

After hearing this description, the muscular woman, Gegran, shook her head, raised the wine in her silver cup, and drank it all in one gulp. "...Well, the handsome young men of this city will have to wait until next time! Everyone eat, drink, and sleep well today, and tomorrow we'll go back and fight the undead!"

Captain Lajus gave an awkward, wry smile, picked up the bottle, and refilled Gagran's glass.

—On the other hand, while the Kingdom of Riyestize was forced to acknowledge the birth of the Kingdom of Nazarick, it continued to struggle painfully amidst civil war, turmoil, and monster attacks. Meanwhile, Nazarick's other two neighbors were also watching this newly born, otherworldly kingdom with concern…

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The Bahars Empire's capital, Orvental, lies northeast of the fortress city of Ye-Lantir.

Similar to the layout of the capital of the Kingdom of Ri. Estize, the imperial city of Owental is located in the center of the imperial capital, where the emperor resides. The outer perimeter is radiating outwards, lined with various research institutes, imperial magic academies, and administrative, military, and judicial institutions, making it the heart of the empire.

Although the Bahars Empire had a much smaller population than the Kingdom of Riyestage, and its capital, Oventar, had a smaller permanent population than the royal city of Riyestage, its infrastructure was far superior in terms of sophistication and advancement. Almost all roads were paved with bricks or stones, and the main avenues were divided into carriage lanes and pedestrian walkways. Streetlights lined both sides of the streets, illuminating them with magical light at night. Knights patrolled the streets at all times, maintaining order; the rampant gangs of the Kingdom of Riyestage had virtually no place in the law-abiding empire.

After years of massive purges and reforms, the Bahars Empire is now at its most prosperous in history. New things are constantly being invented and introduced, and the market is booming like never before, filling the faces of the capital's citizens with a constant sense of pride.

Therefore, despite being hated by countless old nobles, His Majesty the Emperor's rule remained as solid as a rock.

Inside the imperial palace, in a luxurious and splendid small living room, a young man sat on a sofa, looking at a stack of documents with a melancholy expression.

At first glance, he was a handsome man with delicate features. He was not burly, but rather slightly thin. His sun-kissed blond hair fell casually down, contrasting with his skin, which was whiter than most women's. His nose was as straight as a snow-capped mountain, and his chin was slightly pointed but not without softness. His face was delicate to the point of being somewhat effeminate. His eyes were the most alluringly narrow shape, and his clear, deep purple pupils were like amethyst, full of indescribable seductive beauty.

At the same time, he exuded a unique aura and presence befitting a member of the imperial family, inspiring awe and respect in all who beheld him.

Because he was Gilkenif Rune Rod El Nicules, or Gil for short, the twenty-two-year-old Emperor of the Bahars Empire.

This was a young emperor feared by nobles and respected by his subjects, hailed as the most outstanding in history, but also a ruthless tyrant known as the "Blood Emperor." He never hesitated to massacre nobles and ministers within his own country, and even killed all his brothers and mother.

From the very beginning of his reign after defeating many of his brothers, Blood Emperor Gilkenif ruthlessly launched one purge after another against the nobles of the country. He ascended the throne almost amidst blood and corpses. Then, amidst the curses and jeers of the imperial nobles, he eliminated many powerful local figures who were difficult to control in the most bloody way, and completed the centralization of power in the Bahars Empire at an astonishing speed.

In return, the Bahars Empire was plagued by numerous mutinies, rebellions, and assassinations during this period. The emperor's response was always bloody suppression. As a result, every year countless unruly nobles were sent to the execution ground with their entire families, their heads hung on the city gates, and their bodies thrown into some desolate wilderness to be eaten by wild beasts.

Therefore, during private gatherings of the old nobles of the Bahars Empire, Emperor Gilkenif was often portrayed in rather unpleasant terms amidst the fearful and resentful rumors: bloodthirsty and murderous, sacrificing humans to evil gods, drinking human blood every night—practically a male version of the Blood Queen. Even the most objective descriptions of this emperor were inseparable from derogatory terms such as stubborn and autocratic.

In reality, however, in private he is a refined, quiet, and somewhat scholarly handsome man.

Over the past few years, with the successive successes of the Empire's reforms and victories on all fronts, "Blood Emperor" Gilkenif had always been very confident in himself. However, recently, his mood has been fluctuating wildly due to the dramatic changes in the surrounding situation.

—From the initial schadenfreude and "the more the merrier" attitude upon hearing of the fall of the fortress city of Ye-Lantir; to the disbelief and chilling silence following the news of the Battle of Sand Sculpture Hills; and then the profound unease and anxiety after the Kingdom of Li-Estize ceded territory to sue for peace…

After he completed the purge of the opposition nobles in the country, became the supreme emperor of the empire, and formulated a strategic plan to expand to the surrounding areas, Gilkenif never felt fear again—there were only things about him that made people tremble, and he himself had no reason to be afraid.

But now, he is once again experiencing the taste of fear he hasn't felt in a long time.

"...Grandpa, you must think of a solution! That Sorcerer King who emerged from the ancient tomb has already made peace with the Kingdom of Ri-Estize, and he only asked for such a small territory as the city of E-Lantir. I'm afraid he'll turn his attention to attacking our country or the Slane Theocracy next, won't he?"

Looking at the latest intelligence report in his hand, Emperor Gilkenif sighed with great distress, "...Do you have a way to counter his magic?"

"...Although I don't want to discourage you, I still have to say that this is probably very difficult, Your Majesty! Judging from the performance of this Sorcerer King in the Sand Sculpture Hills battle, he has far surpassed the heights that mortals can reach, and is almost on par with gods and demons!"

The old man, whom the emperor called "Old Man," sat in a chair opposite Emperor Gilkenif, wearing a loose-fitting linen robe and sporting a conspicuous white beard that reached his waist.

Although her snow-white hair is still thick, the signs of aging have manifested in wrinkles on her face.

Only his bright eyes still shone with a sharp, wise light.

He was the strongest magic caster in the history of the empire, the chief court magician of the Bahars Empire, the great sage Fruda Paladin.

At the same time, he was also Emperor Gilkenif's most respected teacher and most valued advisor, and was affectionately called "Old Master" by the emperor.