Roaring Heroes Battle the Overlord (Ainz)

Chapter 102: A Passionate Speech

In the center of the arena, a tall lectern made of teak wood stood proudly. Atop the lectern, EeDeChi was as reluctant as a groom forced to marry Medusa herself.

Dangling from her chest were several shiny medals, honors personally bestowed by the old king. She faced the crowd, poised to deliver her inaugural speech as the Warrior Captain.

Below, among the audience, Brain looked up at EeDeChi with hope and admiration, while she returned his gaze with a look sharp enough to kill. Brain, intimidated, hung his head, puzzled by what he might have done wrong.

EeDeChi surveyed the crowd, standing ramrod straight, and cleared her throat before beginning:

"People, they don't know that they can't predict themselves. A person's fate, of course, relies on their own efforts, but historical currents must also be considered. I had no idea how, as an orichalcum-level adventurer, I got chosen as the Warrior Captain.

"So when Princess Renner spoke to me, saying 'The king has decided—you are to be the Warrior Captain,' I suggested she find someone more suitable. It wasn't false modesty; what was an adventurer like me doing in a royal palace?

"But then, Princess Renner said 'It's been decided by everyone.' Later, I recited the lines: 'Should there be a chance to benefit my country, I would do it with my life and death; how could I choose to embrace or avoid such a duty just because of my personal weal and woe?' And so, I arrived.

"In the capital, I've only done a little in these six months, roughly three things:

"One, I defeated the assassin known as 'Lord of Despair'; second, I protected Princess Renner from an assassination attempt; third, I competed in the Warrior Captain's tournament and became the Warrior Captain.

"If there's anything else I achieved, it was clearing out goblins in Sheep Horn. But these are minor; the main things are the three I just mentioned.

"I'm embarrassed to say, I've only done a little bit of work. Thank you, everyone."

After finishing her speech, EeDeChi gave a slight bow. A wave of enthusiastic applause erupted from the audience, the resonant and prolonged clapping shook the entire arena, refusing to subside.

Tears welled up in Princess Renner's eyes: "She has changed Re-Estize!"

... ...

In a dimly lit room, the red candle light flickered. Albedo knocked on a gilded floor-length mirror before her.

The mirror's surface rippled like water, the waves erasing Albedo's reflection and revealing a devil wearing round glasses and a red-brown striped suit.

"What brings you to contact me so suddenly?" asked Demiurge from the mirror. He was speaking through this magical communication device with Albedo.

"Lord Ainz has approved—you can stamp the parchment produced in the Roble Holy Kingdom with the mark of the Sorcerer Kingdom," Albedo said, a gleam passing through her languid eyes. "Also, I have some interesting news to tell you."

"Interesting news?" Demiurge adjusted his glasses. "Is it about the results of selecting the Warrior Captain?"

"How did you know I was going to mention that?" Albedo was surprised by Demiurge's astuteness.

Demiurge smiled. "Based on the timing, today is the final battle for the Warrior Captain. And the ultimate winner is Brain Unglaus. You would only rush to inform me if Brain won, proving that you won the bet. Am I right?"

"No," Albedo shook her head with a smile, "we both lost the bet. The winner is EeDeChi."

"Her? The level one hundred adventurer?" Demiurge was taken aback, frowning as he pondered. "What exactly is her intention by doing this?"