The hall of Nazarick was filled with a nervous, but unspoken comprehension between the two powerful beings at the obsidian table. Lord Draegor and Ainz Ooal Gown—two undead kings, two giants of unimaginable power, now performing a wary dance of words and will.
It was not a fight of swords, but it was a battlefield nonetheless.
For the past hour, both leaders had engaged in half-diplomatic, half-bluff talk. Neither had moved in a definite direction towards alliance or attack. Instead, the discussion had been a game of psychological cat and mouse—a battle waged not with bullets, but with words.
Draegor observed Ainz intently. The bony overlord was impenetrable, his voice steady, his movements deliberate. But still Draegor knew that the giveaway characteristics of a king hiding his true thoughts behind an unbreakable mask were there.
Similarly, Ainz observed Draegor with a fascination that was more than mere curiosity. This was no typical undead warlord. Unlike the death knights and mindless liches Ainz had previously seen, Draegor had something unusual: true ambition, a will of his own, and genuine intelligence.
For the moment, they had formed a delicate peace.
How long would it last, though?
A Private Walk Through Nazarick
Following their first encounter, Ainz had given Draegor a tour of Nazarick—something which Draegor had accepted freely.
This was a test.
Both of them knew it so.
Ainz was curious as to how Draegor handled the sheer potency of Nazarick, while Draegor was curious as to see the inner workings of this undead empire.
As they made their way through the halls of Nazarick, Albedo walked behind Ainz, her yellow eyes still full of suspicion regarding Draegor. Trailing behind him in silent vigil were Korrak, Synthia, and Velgrin.
The corridors of Nazarick shone. Walls of gold and obsidian, covered with runes of great magical power, marked their path. The finest undead knights stood guard at every turn, their gleaming eyes watchful for the first hint of peril.
And yet, it was not the structures that drew Draegor's gaze.
It was the presence.
He felt the presence of Nazarick's guardians on him—hidden eyes in the shadows, watching him every step of the way.
Draegor sneered.
Ainz wanted to let him know he was under surveillance.
Good.
A king always has to watch out for a potential rival.
The Guardians of Nazarick
They started at the 6th Floor, a dreamlike and vast space that was not a mausoleum at all but an enchanted forest. Spooky creatures roamed the horizon, their gruesome bodies blurring into the floral vegetation.
It was here that Draegor encountered the Twin Guardians of the 6th Floor—Aura Bella Fiora and Mare Bello Fiore.
The two dark elf twins appeared before them, their personalities as differing as could be from the beginning. Aura, elder sister, radiated a dynamic and confident demeanor, while Mare, younger brother, seemed nervous and demure.
Draegor eyed them intently.
Lest anyone assume they were there due to their comparatively youthful appearance, their aura of strength could not be overlooked.
Ainz beckoned to them. "These are two of my most powerful guardians. They protect the 6th Floor of Nazarick."
Aura grinned. "And we can beat anyone, too! Right, Mare?"
Mare squirmed around, adjusting his robe nervously. "U-Um… y-yes…"
Draegor raised an eyebrow. "Fascinating… Even among your guardians, you possess variety in personality."
Ainz grinned. "I do believe in variety."
Draegor nodded approvingly before proceeding.
The Treasury and Its Guardian
Following Nazarick's Treasury was the place where Draegor encountered Pandora's Actor—the flamboyant shape-shifting guardian of Nazarick's treasures.
The moment they met, Draegor could sense that this one was. different.
Dressed in a flashy military uniform and strutting around with exaggerated theatrical movements, Pandora's Actor exuded a strange aura that was unlike the other guardians in every way.
"Ohoho! What a most GLORIOUS meeting this is! The great Lord Draegor, standing before ME, the one and only PANDORA'S ACTOR!"
Draegor scowled at him.
Ainz coughed dramatically into his fist. "Ahem… Pandora, please…"
Pandora's Actor stood up immediately, his actions becoming much more dignified. "Excuse me, my great master. I will behave as is proper for my station."
Draegor smiled weakly. A strange, but undoubtedly powerful creature.
He could respect that.
A Conversation About the Undead
After their tour, Ainz and Draegor finally retired to a room of their own, this time in the presence of some of Nazarick's top-ranking undead commanders.
Albedo stayed by Ainz's side, and Demiurge, the tactician of Nazarick, eyed Draegor with a calculating, sharp gaze.
Across from them, Draegor stood flanked by Korrak, his bone warlord, and Synthia, his shadow sorceress.
The discussion that followed was one of power, conquest, and the undead.
Demiurge spoke up.
"Lord Draegor… I must say, your way of commanding the undead is very interesting.".
Draegor raised an eyebrow. "Oh? How so?"
Demiurge shifted his glasses up his nose. "Unlike the forces of Nazarick, which are produced by a highest hierarchical structure, your control over the dead through assimilation is more. flexible in its structure. You assimilate the dead into your own ranks rather than simply producing them en masse."
Draegor smiled. "Same outcome, different process."
Demiurge's eyes glinted. "Maybe. But I must wonder… if you had a say, do you prefer loyalty or efficiency?"
Ainz ran a light hand over the table.
Draegor took a slow breath.
"Loyalty is a weapon, as is efficiency a method. I do not require mindless obedience, nor do I tolerate weakness. My undead are bound to me by will, not mere command."
Albedo's eyes contracted a fraction. "You're telling me your subordinates have. free will?
Draegor chuckled. "Not exactly. But I give them enough will to think. To grow. A mindless army is only good for as long as its master lives. A thinking army… can build an empire that lasts."
Ainz leaned forward, his scarlet eyes burning.
"An empire… that lasts."
There was a moment of silence in the room.
Then Ainz nodded, slowly.
"You and I… have more to discuss than I originally thought."
Draegor smiled.
This was only the beginning.