Harbingers of Change

Chapter 23

The plaza before Falmuth's Royal castle was filled to the brim with both local people of importance and foreign dignitaries. It was awash with uncertainty, its stones bearing the weight of history in the making. With the nation having now been fully annexed by the Tempest Hegemony and a new monarch about to be crowned, the Western Nations had sent their representatives to witness the occasion and use the opportunity to forge diplomatic ties. Not many were optimistic about it, considering the circumstances.

In an age where the notion of a monster crowned as royalty would have been scoffed at, the rise of Tempest had shattered such archaic prejudices, especially as more adaptive minds took over the reins. Many of those stuck in their ways had been… rapidly retired, to say the least, lest their nations get annihilated as well.

Momonga emerged onto the grand balcony, his presence commanding immediate silence. His consorts and claimed children trailed behind in unison.

Kaede, Hakurou, and Momiji stood as statuesque figures, all three dressed for the momentous occasion. After some deliberation, Momonga decided that Kaede would be the de facto leader and Hakurou would serve as her Royal Consort since she had far more experience as a ruler than the old kijin. The latter was better off managing military affairs than handling the squabbles of nobility, anyway.

For his part, Momonga quickly gave a brief speech, bestowing upon them the authority to rule over the fallen nation in his stead, as he put crowns embedded with various precious stones on each of their heads. The tengus were now officially the territory's rulers.

The real show, however, was yet to unfold. Veldora, as the divine guardian of Tempest, was scheduled to make an official appearance and give his blessings. Momonga made sure that Buku drilled the dragon to hold restraint, though while knowing that he was as unpredictable as the winds.

With his expressionless skeletal face, he glanced up at the clear sky awaiting the dragon. If there was one thing he understood about Veldora, it was that the more you tried to make him behave, the more prone he was to do the exact opposite. But that was the plan from the very start.

There was no better way to scare the remaining human nations into inaction than the Storm Dragon showing off his unrivaled might. His aura alone was a relic of bygone nightmares, a living reminder of the cataclysm that had once befallen the lands three centuries past. Momonga's own feat of extinguishing a hundred thousand lives with a single spell had thus far kept the human nations in check. But with the simmering conflict with Ruberios, additional measures and extra assurances were always better to possess.

It wasn't that Western Nations posed any threat by themselves, even combined into a single unified fighting force. The simple fact was that Tempest had enough power to end every human life with ease, but they didn't yet have the logistic capability to fully control hundreds of millions of people spread through a region as large as the lands of Jura. In fact, at this point, the bulk of the standing forces were committed to maintaining order within Falmuth, to ensure no rebellions and foreign provocations occurred. It was a task that had already stretched their resources as thin as possible, only working as effectively as it could be thanks to the likes of Albedo and Demiurge.

Adding in the rest of the humans was simply not feasible.

Driving them to near extinction wasn't an option either. Ramiris had warned extensively that such an act could lead to grave repercussions. It was almost certain to provoke a direct conflict with Guy Crimson, whose power surpassed Veldora's, given that Guy's purpose was to mediate the world and prevent extreme changes. As it turns out, the potential extinction of humanity is one such change.

{ Veldora, it is time for you to show up. Remember not to go overboard. } Momonga sent the message, seeing as how everything was ready to proceed.

{ Fear not Chief, I know I can't unleash my aura upon the mortals. Be there in a moment. } Veldora responded with palpable excitement.

Any thoughts lingering in Momonga's mind were abruptly severed as the heavens themselves seemed to split open with a thunderous roar, and the colossal shadows of two dragons darkened the surroundings.

Ayin and Behemoth appeared in the sky above, paralyzing the crowds below in fear. The two impossibly large beasts were truly a sight for the ones who would dare to look. With each mighty beat of their wings, gales swept down, bending trees and sending a shiver through the sea of people.

"Behold, mortals! Rejoice, for Lord Veldora descends to grace these lands with his blessing!" Ayin's voice boomed, resonating with the might of the ages, as she carved out a space in the sky for the arrival of the true dragon.

Then, a laughter that seemed to infuse the air with absolute power echoed across the realm, a sound both exhilarating and terrifying. The Storm Dragon materialized amidst his kin, his presence so immense it seemed to dwarf the very world around him, almost bending light itself in his wake.

With a flourish that belied his gargantuan size, Veldora performed an aerial somersault, diving toward the castle with the grace of a falling star. His landing was a spectacle in itself, the castle roof yielding to his strength, sending stone and title scattering like leaves in a tempest.

"Veldora, join us!" Momonga called, his voice exuding authority, amplified to reach even the furthest onlookers.

The dragon's gaze swept downward, his boisterous demeanor melting away with a puff as he appeared next to the undead ruler, with the other two dragons rapidly following suit.

As Ayin and Behemoth knelt at each end of the balcony, Momonga beckoned Veldora to come closer. The dragon, still sporting a grin that could inspire both awe and mirth, nodded to the hushed masses.

"Be at ease, no harm will come to you all! As the Guardian of Tempest, I bestow my blessings upon the new King and Queen! From this day forth, Falmuth shall thrive under my protection, governed by my good friend Momonga! Veldora announced with as much finality as he could muster.

Such a declaration was hard to ignore. It was unchallengeable by any save for a true dragon or the true hero, making this proclamation effectively set in magisteel. Falmuth had officially become part of the monster nation and no human was, or would be able to, protest this turn of events without incurring the wrath of the walking natural catastrophe.

Yet amidst the crowd, one individual stood with a visage carved from stone, his gaze unwavering. In the millennia he had weathered as the Guardian of the West, Granbell had kept humanity safe and didn't intend to stop his duty, his resolve unbroken. To the onlookers, his expression was one of expected shock, but beneath the surface, a vow simmered with undying fervor.

'Enjoy this victory while it lasts, Momonga. Sooner or later, I will reclaim what was lost.'

<X>

Momonga hated admitting it, but he often found himself wrestling with the weight of leadership and the intricate web of relationships it entailed. It was rare for him to quite plainly misstep on such delicate matters, but in the case of Aura and Mare, he felt a twinge of regret. Buku's maternal shield had been a double-edged sword, safeguarding her creations yet inadvertently stunting their growth as floor guardians. It had started to affect their mental health negatively, and that could not go on. Truth be told, he hadn't met either of them without Buku present for quite a while, and they needed important duties assigned to them to keep their morale up.

To remedy the situation, he settled on entrusting them both with jobs to sabotage Ruberios' defense. It would be a great way for the duo to get themselves going again, with them being the direct counters to the holy nature of Ruberios' protectors, specializing in the control of beasts and druidic magic respectively. For now, full occupation of the detestable country was impractical, but that didn't mean Tempest couldn't destroy its leadership and defenses to weaken it as far as they could. The weaker it was, the fewer troubles they would have in the future, and fewer troubles were always desirable.

With the meeting scheduled on the military floor, Momonga flew to its heart, the central war room. The Overlord arrived to discover that there were several figures already present. Buku and her children were there, with the room also hosting the formidable presences of Demiurge, Cocytus, and Shalltear. Souei and Hinata were similarly attending, though the latter found herself the target of glares from virtually every direction.

The moment Momonga touched down upon the polished stone floor, all conversation ceased. Save for Buku, who was lazily lounging in her chair, everyone dropped to one knee in a display of fealty. Momonga motioned for them to rise and take their seats, as he settled into his own, the seat of honor beside Buku.

From her lack of response, it was clear that his good friend was in her overprotective mother mode and wasn't delighted in the slightest about his decision to send Aura and Mare on a critical and guaranteed dangerous mission. She would much rather keep them in Tempest, forever protected under her umbrella.

Any mother would want their children to stay safe, and Buku was no exception. She had shot down numerous proposals from Pero about using the two elves as messengers and the like, citing that they were safer surrounded by tamed monsters and dryads and were already performing their regular duties just fine.

The twins, in complete contrast to their mother, were visibly excited, though nervous, as Momonga's gaze fell on the both of them. Both were noticeably taller than they had been at their initial arrival to this world, showing their first true signs of growing into adulthood. Since they now aged at the same speed as the local elves, both were about thirteen in terms of human growth, not that elves cared much for human years. Another thing of note was that while Aura still had the same outfit and the short somewhat messy hairstyle, Mare was different. Buku had changed his default guardian outfit to be similar to Aura's, with white pants instead of a skirt. The elven boy had also grown out his golden hair quite a bit, which he kept tied in a neat ponytail.

'Come to think of it, we haven't established the official ages of NPCs and when their birthdays are. Perhaps I should bring this topic up with Buku and Pero later.' Momonga mused.

That idea was entertaining, but one to be discussed with the two at a later time. For now, the gravity of the meeting at hand demanded his full attention.

"Let's get this over with. Did you prepare guards for Aura and Mare?" Buku questioned him, her sharp voice cutting through the tension.

"I've arranged for death emperors to lead several teams. There'll be plenty of sacrificial units in case Ker gets her lackeys involved. I won't send anyone to Ruberios without proper backup," Momonga replied.

Buku shifted around in her seat, a sigh betraying the flood of emotions she was holding back. She gestured for Momonga to continue, though her eyes lingered on the twins with worry.

{ They want to be useful and feel valued. You can't shield them forever. } Momonga shot her a silent message.

{ I know! But… Momo do you think I am overreacting? } Buku's tone was low as if knowing that she'll get an answer she would not like.

{ It's natural to want to protect them. But remember, Aura and Mare are floor guardians, and they see their peers having been trusted with important tasks. They are on the verge of a mental breakdown from the developing inferiority complex. } Momonga's response was a diplomatic yet firm answer.

{ But they're still so young. } Buku protested, crossing her arms defensively and furrowing her eyebrows.

{ In a sense. At some point, we should establish everyone's ages and define their birthdays. } He tried to distract her by changing the topic. There were times when he could just put his foot down and act on authority to keep things flowing healthily, but right now, there were other strategies that would work more effectively. It was time to use the birthday trick.

Momonga's suggestion had an immediate effect. Buku sat up straighter, her protective stance momentarily forgotten. { You're right! No one has been celebrating birthdays, not even us! But how the hell will we figure out the dates? Does Nazarick keep any logs of when everyone was created? }

{ It does. We can go over it after we are done with our current plan. }

{ Alright then, let's continue. }

Momonga allowed himself a moment of silent appraisal before continuing. The faces around him were a mosaic of determination and readiness. "First off, Hinata, do you have anything else to add?" Nazarick's newest thrall had given up everything she knew about Ruberios' defensive network and their weak spots, including the vampire sanctuaries. However, Momonga knew the value of thoroughness. A single overlooked detail could be the difference between victory and stalemate.

The protective barrier over the entire religious empire was kept up by powerful holy energy batteries located in highly secured locations, guarded by the church's greatest forces. Additionally, the capital as well as the hidden sanctuary under it had a defensive barrier of its own in case anything went wrong. The plan thus far was to conduct a multi-pronged assault designed to knock them out all at once and destabilize the nation by sowing chaos within its ranks. The objective would be achieved through the team led by Shalltear, who would invade the sanctuary through a brute-forced gate, courtesy of the combined might of Veldora and himself. Theoretically, they should be able to keep it active through the defensive grid long enough for Shalltear to annihilate the battery found there.

And if they happened to defeat any crucial figures in the process, all the better. However, these same figures could pose problems if they were stronger than anticipated, which meant that the utmost caution had to be taken.

"There isn't much to add, Lord Momonga. Luminous has likely concentrated the remaining forces around these strategic points and her closest confidants are the ones guarding them. Without myself and the ten saints, only seven Luminaries and the two vampire Lords remain, along with anyone else who may now serve under her. Neither Ray nor Louis should pose any threats though, since I have defeated them in the past, and the rest are small fry," Hinata assured him.

"Then Aura will take the southern battery and flood Ruberios with rampaging beasts. Mare will target the one in the west, and once both are down, assist the dryads in infiltrating the forests and turning nearby nature against the locals. Cocytus is assigned to the northern battery and Demiurge the eastern one. Whoever has completed their task first can move on towards the capital. Shalltear, you will take Hinata and capture the vampires. Make sure a sizable population is captured alive. As far as we know, the entirety of the world's vampire population lives there, and we do not want to lose valuable experimental specimens. Any questions?" Momonga finished his instructions while Demiurge handed out the plans to each participant.

As always, it was the cunning demon who formulated the strategy, only changing up who struck what targets at Momonga's request.

"Everything is clear, Lord Momonga."

"N-no, Lord Momonga."

"NONE. LORD MOMONGA."

"Your directives, are as evident as day, my Lord."

"I have no questions, beloved."

One by one they responded with a chorus of affirmation, eager to strike the enemies of Nazarick down.

"In that case, good luck. And be sure to prioritize your safety above all else," Momonga stated conclusively. That last order needed to be said out loud for his own mental sake, knowing that they would otherwise sacrifice everything they had, including their own lives if not explicitly forbidden from doing so. It was a reminder to them all that, while they were the instruments of Nazarick's will, their existence was not expendable - not on his watch.

Editing by aidan_lo and Zprotu.

Proofreading by Sluethen, atharv, Antilene, Lightflan, aidan_lo, Cakeeight, Cay, NuggetLover, and Zprotu.

AN: Thank you for reading the story, and if you have caught up to the latest chapter, you can check out my other work or join my discord server ((https://discord.gg/WmGKVU3XG2) where additional chapters are available or if you are interested in becoming a beta reader (gives access to chapters months ahead of regular readers).