Overlord: Little Mistress

Chapter 28:Hello Baharuth Empire

Ainz watched as Erika ran ahead of them looking through the windows of every shop they came across. The two were once again with Narberal in their adventurer disguises, only this time their current goals had led them to  Arwintar, the capital of the Baharuth Empire.

"These are happy times for the Empire," Ainz comments as he watches Erika try to pay a vendor for an apple only for the man to deny payment telling her it was on the house while patting her on the head.

"Oh and why do you say that?" Narberal asks, walking alongside him.

"The eyes of those walking past are bright. They're the eyes of people who believe the future holds promise for them."

"I've quite enjoyed the views so far." Narberal watched with a smile as Erika hummed with enjoyment as she ate her apple.

"Emperor El-Nix rules here, but by all accounts, he earned his title as the bloody emperor his reforms have greatly improved the people's lives. According to Fluder he removed all incapable nobles from power and chose their replacement based on merit alone." Ainz halted his steps, causing Narberal to do the same, making sure Erika was still in their line of sight. "The country is avidly researching magic and improving their military. Take a look at those Knights, these professional soldiers are the backbone of the empire's military."

The two soldiers looked back at them as if noticing their glances. "I must say they still seem rather weak," Narberal commented

"Indeed they are to our eyes but they are far stronger than any peasant levies or self-equipped nobility." He continues his walk catching up to Erika who was eyeing a bookstore. "Now then we came all this way, I'd like to visit the local adventurers guild. I'd like to do a simple job to get our name out. Though I heard the guild here is less active."

Ainz scooped Erika up and placed her on his shoulders when he noticed that she was deciding to enter the bookstore. He didn't have the resolve to do shopping of any kind today.

"I heard the same. Second-rate sellswords are common around here and are known as 'workers'."

"They're not necessarily inferior, they just take quests outside of the guild. They aren't protected by the guild nor are they bound by its rules. I imagine there's some merit in making such a choice."

Ainz felt Erika flop onto his helmet groaning about the injustice of not being able to roam around the bookstore. As they continued to walk his mind drifted towards the meeting he had with Demiurge before coming to the Baharuth Empire. Coming to the Empire was all a part of the demon's plan, a plan that they had made sure that Erika knew nothing about.

'Demiurge really did come up with a kick-ass plan. I'd be hard-pressed to come up with something better. I just hope that Erika believes that this is just all in-the-moment planning. But regardless...' Ainz stops, spotting the inn that they were going to be staying in for the night. "... the die has already been cast."

Erika gave her Papa a weird look wondering where his train of thought had led him for him to speak such a random phrase out loud. She had quickly decided to chalk it up to him being weird in the moment of them waking up to a dazzling inn.

Making their way closer she noticed two guards standing in front of the entrance clad in leather armor.  The closer they got Erika began to notice their suspicious gazes morph into ones of awe as they were inspecting her papa's armor and weaponry.

"Sorry if I am to offend you, Adamantite adventurer but may I see the proof of your identity?" One of the guards asked politely. The exchange was quick followed by a hasty acceptance inside. Erika marveled at the infrastructure of the inn; everything was pristinely built from the stone slab floors to the polished carved wood of the bar tables.