As Demiurge was about to speak, a private <<Message>> was activated.
<Demiurge-sama, the lizardmen have returned without any issues.>
<Oh? In such a short time? I must thank Rimuru-dono when I go back next time for being earlier than expected. Notify Cocytus and lead them back to the village.>
<Understood, Demiurge-sama.>
The <<Message>> cut short.
Demiurge turned his attention towards Ainz, bowing deeply
"Pardon the interruption, Ainz-sama. I just received a message that the lizardmen have returned safely in tip-top condition, and they came to us faster than the otherworld nation's leader predicted."
"So you're saying the lizardmen weren't severely punished or anything?"
Demiurge nodded promptly.
"Yes, Ainz-sama. Other than a few injuries from what seems to be magical weaponry, they don't seem to be in a fatal condition whatsoever."
"Ho..."
I expected them to be more ruthless. Guess I was overthinking things.
As Ainz began to wade in his own pool of thoughts, Demiurge interposed.
"Ainz-sama, there are also two more things I would like to report."
Ainz looked up.
"Ah, yes. I did tell you to disclose everything. Continue."
Demiurge bowed once more.
"First, the leader of the otherworldly nation wishes to sign a nonaggression pact with you, Ainz-sama."
"A nonaggression pact?"
"Yes. It is in exchange for the lizardmen, though I'm not entirely sure why that leader wanted something so trivial..."
Ainz began to doubt his initial impressions on this otherworldly nation.
Maybe their leader is a pacifist?
Ainz nodded.
"I assume Ainz-sama plans to betray them in the end, yes?"
"Hm?"
Demiurge clears his throat.
"Ainz-sama is only signing the nonaggression pact for the sake of temporary peace. However, peace is all just preparation for another war, yes?"
Pardon?
"Y-yes, I was planning on such a thing. But we need to set the foundation first, so don't think too far ahead."
Demiurge bowed apologetically.
"By the way, before you show your last report, did you find anything or anyone interesting over on the other side?"
Demiurge smiled smugly.
"Of course. There were three in total, including the leader, but this one guy by the name of 'Diablo' caught my interest. It seems that he is one of the strategists of their nation and could be one of the people responsible for the leader's actions."
Diablo, huh? That's definitely a demon's name. Is he someone like Demiurge? Maybe that's why Demiurge's attracted to him.
Ainz quickly snapped himself out of his delusions and cleared his throat.
"I see ... We can deal with such matters later. For now, I would like to hear your last report."
"Ah yes, that's something related to a human."
Ainz felt a sense of shock from surprise.
"A human, you say?"
Demiurge bowed.
"Yes, Ainz-sama. According to the hanzos Ainz-sama so gracefully have bestowed upon me, they noticed that a human using tier-one magic near the area of the portal."
Oh shit. This is not good. What if it's from...
"Y-you confirmed the human's origin?"
"Yes, Ainz-sama. He originated from the Slane Theocracy."
I figured!!!
Ainz gave a deep sigh.
"This is going to be a hell of a mess to cover up. Having the Slane Theocracy know such a thing would definitely catch their attention."
"Ainz-sama, I have a proposal."
Ainz's eyes blinked red with curiosity.
"Speak."
"What if we could do Slane Theocracy like we did with the Re-Estize kingdom? After all, we just need to find a good reason to blame them on."
"Mmm ... that is something worth considering, but the fact that the Slane Theocracy possesses items from Yggdrasil concerns me as they violate our safety. I guess we can wait it out and strike the iron when it's hot. But for now, we should stay low."
"I see, Ainz-sama! Forgive me for my short-sightedness!"
Ainz chuckled nervously.
"Now, now. No need to be too formal here."
Demiurge raised his head.
"*Ahem* Now that all the things were disclosed, Demiurge, I would like you to reassign you to a similar job."
"Ainz-sama, I shall fulfill any requests you throw at me."
"Umu. I would like you to help strengthen our diplomatic relations with the otherworldly nation. Come to think of it, they do have a name, right?"
"Yes, Ainz-sama. They call themselves as the 'Jura Tempest Federation'."
That's an unnecessarily long name.
"I see ..."
A small black portal appeared beside Ainz's arm as he reached inside it, pulling out a piece of paper that looked like some sort of governmental document. He then takes out a golden fountain pen, riddled with carvings and emanating a sort of aura. The black portal disintegrated as Ainz pulled out the pen.
He then scribbled something on one of the blank spaces on the bottom of the document. The document glowed an eerie blue light for a few seconds.
Ainz handed the document to Demiurge.
"This is a magical document, in which anyone who signs it cannot defy it. The rules written above are the terms for a nonaggression pact."
"Ainz-sama, to use such an item on trivial matters such as these ... I'm highly intrigued!"
Ainz chuckled nervously once again.
"Well, I wouldn't call such a thing 'trivial'. Details aside, I would like you to get the Tempest Federation's leader to sign this. And I assume the leader's name is ..."
"He goes by the name Rimuru Tempest."
Rimuru? That's a pretty tame name. Maybe he's a pretty chill guy.
"I see, Rimuru. Anyways, my point is that after you diplomatic-small talk, get him to sign this so we can fulfill the conditions he demanded."
Demiurge bowed deeply as he folded the document and put it into his suit pocket.
"I understand, Ainz-sama. Oh, and also ..."
"The World Item?"
Demiurge nodded gleefully.
"Yes, Ainz-sama. If you may observe it here..."
Demiurge revealed the World Item Shalltear possessed, which looked gray.
Why is the World Item gray?
Ainz picked off the World Item from Demiurge's hands and closely observed it.
Has this thing been tampered with?
"But Ainz-sama... we tried to keep our composure, but..."
"Something was, somehow, controlling our emotions?"
Ainz put the World Item on his table. He glanced at Demiurge.
"I'll look more into it. Anything else to report?"
"That is all, Ainz-sama. Now I must take my leave."
Ainz nods casually as he sees Demiurge slowly walk out of the office room, approaching the door. He opened it slightly and slid out to the hallways, closing the door with a loud thud.
Ainz looked down at the pile of documents he had to sort through.
The World Item concerns me, but I should first resolve the human-from-Slane-Theocracy incident as soon as possible. That way I can focus on this matter.
But who should I entrust for this investigation?
Ainz pondered long and hard, sorting through the documents in the process.
Ah! I should call him in then.