Roaring Heroes Battle the Overlord (Ainz) - Part 1 (Chapters 1 to 200)

Chapter 91: A Secret Talk with the Princess

In the shadows of the dimly lit chamber, a man knelt on one knee, raising his hands high as he respectfully offered a kraft paper bag to a blonde girl.

"Your Highness," the man said, "this is the intelligence gathered by the Merchants' Guild. Please take a look. With your wisdom, I'm sure you can figure out which faction the assassin who attacked you belongs to."

Princess Renner took the kraft paper bag, her eyes like frozen ice—dark, cold, and utterly devoid of emotion.

She pulled out the papers inside, skimmed them quickly, and said flatly, "I've already suspected a few people, and this report confirms my hunch. I'll inform my father the king and send them all to the gallows."

"Assassinating a princess should be treated as high treason," the man suggested, his voice dripping with flattery.

"I know that—no need to trouble yourself. Leave through the secret door to the south, skirt around the music hall, and make sure Climb doesn't see you."

"Yes, Your Highness." The man stepped back and melted into the darkness.

A maid's voice came from behind the chamber door, "Princess Renner, sorry to disturb you. The adventurer EeDechi you've hired is here to see you."

"She came on her own? I was just about to go find her," Princess Renner murmured to herself. She took out a silver mirror and adjusted her expression in it—the ice in her eyes thawed into a warm spring pool, her smile blooming bright and cheerful like a daisy.

One moment she was a cold, merciless goddess of vengeance; the next, she played the part of an innocent, carefree girl next door. If the actors from the royal theater could see her performance, they'd feel utterly outclassed in her presence.

...

"Her Highness is still doing her makeup—it'll take a little time. Please have a seat for now," Climb said. He was dressed in full court regalia, standing ramrod straight, his light golden short hair looking sharp and efficient.

EeDechi sat down on the silk velvet sofa and nodded. "Girls, you know—totally understandable."

The passing maids couldn't help whispering to themselves at the sight, wondering what kind of big shot this adventurer was to act so laid-back and cocky right in front of Climb. After all, Climb was Princess Renner's right-hand man. In their eyes, even though Climb had no shot at marrying the princess, he was already her chosen lover.

Climb didn't notice the gazes around him; his eyes sparkled with fervent admiration and reverence. "When Her Highness was targeted in that assassination attempt before, it was all thanks to you being there. Otherwise, with just me alone, even if I'd fought to the death, I couldn't have protected the princess. I never imagined you'd be a powerhouse who's stepped into the Hero realm."

In the previous attack, arrows rained down from outside the window while a red-robed killer struck from inside. EeDechi fended off the arrow storm on one side while unleashing a 5th Tier spell that blasted the roof sky-high—the spectacle was massive, cutting off the assassins' plans right then and there.

"It's no big deal; protecting you all is just what I do." EeDechi turned her head and spotted Princess Renner walking toward her from behind Climb.

The adventurer captain glanced at the Justice Value hovering above Princess Renner's head—it was 194—and she couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. She remembered the last time she'd seen the princess's Justice Value, it was -261, smack between vicious and utterly evil, and it had scared the hell out of her.

"Let's talk inside." Renner smiled at EeDechi, her expression warm and friendly. "Climb, guard the door to the room and don't let anyone in."

EeDechi followed her into a secluded chamber with thick walls on all sides, etched with soundproofing rune arrays—clearly a perfect spot for private discussions.