As Thoth half-heartedly scanned the stall, his gloved fingers brushed over humble carvings and simple medallions — little more than tourist trinkets — while the increasingly agitated merchant shook his head at the young woman across from him.
"Listen, lady, I told you. I don't have the... What did you fuckin' want again?"
"The medallion of the Four Great Gods," Neia said, her voice clipped and sharp. "And the carving of the Holy Queen." Her arms crossed tightly over her chest, the leather of her armor creaking.
"R-right, that." The merchant's bravado crumbled the second Neia's intense, hawkish eyes locked on him. He coughed awkwardly, suddenly very interested in rearranging his wares. "Yeah, well… I don't got those no more. They sold out yesterday."
"But yesterday, you told me you'd hold them—"
"Look, I can't control who buys what, alright? Now, unless you're buyin' somethin' else—"
Thoth resisted the powerful urge to roll his eyes as the familiar dance of bad lies and worse salesmanship played out before him.
Suddenly, Neia turned away from the merchant, dismissing him, and her sharp golden gaze fell directly on Thoth.
For a moment, they just stared at one another.
Thoth blinked.
Neia's brow furrowed, her eyes flicking over his pale, marble-like skin and pristine, almost doll-like features. A flicker of sympathy softened her expression, and then… she smiled.
It was an awkward, strained thing — the kind of smile someone gave when they weren't sure if they should offer help or just leave.
'Oh gods, this kid must have some kinda skin condition… Poor thing.'
Without another word, she turned and walked off.
Thoth stared after her, deeply unsettled.
"...What kind of psycho smile was that?" he muttered under his breath, still feeling the phantom chill of it settle at the base of his skull.
Hours passed in a haze of repeated rumors and general frustration. By the time the sun dipped low on the horizon, painting the sky in streaks of orange and crimson, Thoth and Aura finally reconvened at the edge of a large stone fountain in the now-quieting marketplace.
"Ugh…" Aura groaned dramatically, slumping forward with her head in her hands.
Thoth, his legs lazily kicking over the fountain's edge, arched a brow. "Cheer up a bit, will you? We confirmed the Holy Queen's in town — along with Remedios and the Queen's sister, that priestess figure. That's… something."
Aura let out an exaggerated sigh, her face still buried in her palms. "Yeah, but we already knew all of that! We wasted an entire day doing absolutely nothing! And now we're exactly where we started!"
"Welcome to politics," Thoth deadpanned.
Aura shot him a look.
Thoth relented with a small, almost amused sigh. "Alright, so… what's the next step, O brilliant tactician? You're the one masterminding this whole 'Get the people to worship Thoth' plan, after all."
"Don't mock me," she grumbled.
"I wouldn't dream of it," he said, eyes gleaming with mischief. "But you still haven't answered my question — how exactly were you planning to convince the entire Holy Kingdom to… like me? Just flash my wings and hope for the best?"
Aura's glare could've cut glass. "Screw you — at least I'm trying!"
"Not my point, kiddo."
"Kiddo?!"
Thoth raised a hand lazily, cutting off her outrage. "Calm down. I'm just saying… even if I look the part, we'll need more than just a dramatic light show and a few divine proclamations. If we want the Holy Kingdom to worship me, we need to give them a reason."
Aura tapped a finger against her chin thoughtfully. "A reason, huh…"
"Something to inspire desperation. A crisis, maybe—"
Suddenly, Aura's face lit up like a kid on Saturnalia morning.
"We need to kill them all," she whispered, eyes glowing with delighted revelation.
Thoth froze.
'Bitch, what?!'
Aura jumped to her feet, practically vibrating with excitement. "Yes! We need a threat — something so terrifying, so overwhelmingly dangerous, they'll have no choice but to beg for a savior! And guess who that savior is?"
She turned to him, grinning from ear to ear.
"God," she said with a wink. "And you, my dear Thoth, are going to play the part."
Thoth stared at her, waiting to hear the punchline.
It didn't come.
He slowly raised a hand. "…Aura?"
"Hmm?"
"Are you okay?"
"Never better!"
Thoth looked at her glowing, eager face and slowly lowered his hand. "Right. Just checking."
He pinched the bridge of his nose, inhaling deeply. "So, I guess that makes me the 'good cop' in this absurd little plan?"
"Exactly!" Aura beamed, her eyes glittering with excitement. "And I'll play the bad guy~"
Thoth glanced around the peaceful city square, the sound of laughter and soft conversation still filling the air. Innocent people passed by, completely unaware of the absolute nonsense about to unfold.
He sighed, long and heavy. Noticing a stall that was just about to close, a sweet aroma coming from it.
"Want some candies?"
Aura glanced at the stall, her nose quivering as she sniffed the air.
"...Well, sure. Why not."
The two made their way over, the man behind the stall greeting them with a worried smile.
The old man's hands trembled slightly as he bagged makeshift sweets, likely hand-made. Thoth tilted his head, watching the man's anxious glances toward the city gates.
Aura didn't miss it either. "Excuse me," she said, stepping up. "You look nervous. What's going on?"
The vendor jumped, nearly dropping his bag. He blinked at them, then shook his head quickly. "Ah… nothing, young miss. Just… bad rumors."
"Rumors?" Thoth's voice was soft, but there was a quiet intensity behind it. "What kind of rumors?"
The vendor hesitated. His eyes darted around, as if afraid someone might overhear. Then, in a hushed whisper, he spoke.
"The Wall's fallen."
Both Thoth and Aura went still.
"…What?" Thoth asked.
"The Great Wall that protects us from the demi-human tribes," the vendor said, his voice shaking. "They say it's been destroyed. Completely wiped out. Anyone heading in its direction disappears without a trace."
For a moment, there was only silence. The noise of the market faded into the background, and Thoth's mind began to race.
That Wall was the Holy Kingdom's greatest defense—more fortress than a barrier, heavily guarded and reinforced.
"How did rumors spread then?" Thoth asked quietly.
The vendor shook his head. "Nobody made it back, and anyone sent to reinforce the wall or to check it out disappeared like it's cursed or something. So people are assuming the worst..."
Thoth clicked his tongue, there was no useful information to be gathered from that. His wings, hidden from mortal eyes, twitched against his back. The many eyes embedded within them shifted, their gazes flicking toward the horizon.
Aura frowned as they walked away. "Angels?" She crossed her arms. "That's ridiculous. If there were high-tier summons like that, we'd have known about them. Not to mention the wall was decent enough, considering it was made by humans. It should have handled any threat from this world just fine."
"Well... Either somebody intentionally started the rumor, or it has some truth to it."
Aura raised an eyebrow, "Wouldn't there be more panic though?"
Thoth shook his head, "Nope, information takes a long time to travel, merchants are also more likely to know more things, cause they travel a lot and see a lot of different people. The commoners might still be in the dark. Not to mention the higher-ups wouldn't want a stampede of scared people."
Thoth shrugged, "Besides, these people have been hiding behind that wall for generations, none of them would believe in its fall, even if they saw it up close."
Aura pondered for a second or two and then sighed, exasperated by human stupidity.
Thoth smirked, 'I wonder how long you would be in denial if you heard Ainz died.'
The two made their way back home, with Thoth crawling through the window to avoid Mireille, they then changed into their normal outfits in separate rooms and went to their shared bed.
Sadly, they couldn't afford two rooms, on account of them having no money to speak of, and Mireille was only willing to give them one for free.
'...This was her intention, wasn't it?' Thoth thought to himself as Aura stretched herself out across most of the bed, leaving Thoth only a tiny corner to rest in.
His wings reached out and poked Aura in the cheek, trying to push her away gently. Not expecting Aura to grab onto it and use it as a pillow. Gripping the wings tightly.
Freaking out, the eyes scrambled as the wings tried to shake her off as gently as they could, finding no success against Aura's iron grip.
Thoth turned his head, discovering the chaotic scene.
Facepalming, Thoth pushed Aura away from him like the leech she had become, a chuckle escaping his lips as Aura mumbled angrily. Turning away from him with a pout.
The wings bumped into him with "the look," and Thoth could only shake his head.
"You guys seem more interested in her than anybody else, seriously. Aren't you supposed to be holy?" Thoth mumbled to his wings, which looked almost offended in response.
"Don't give me that look."
Ignoring their jaded attitude, Thoth laid back down and resolved himself to sleep, even if he didn't need to.
Thoth felt the world crumble away as he slumbered.
...
He woke up after sleeping not even half an hour.
It was then his wings froze up.
It was quiet outside. The neighbor had a loud dog that always barked at the same time every night, yet even he shut his trap. There were no birds either, no subtle running of thieves and rogues, or the chattering of patrolling guards.
How didn't he notice sooner? He must've gotten too relaxed.
Standing up, understandably troubled, Thoth looked outside.
Nobody was there, not a soul.
Well, if he ignored the invisible creature crawling on a nearby rooftop.
It was similar to a leopard, except its skin was made out of what appeared to be clay. There was no fur on its body, instead, its skin was painted black, with golden lines going in jagged lines across its structure.
It moved quickly, yet it made no noise. As if it was concealed by magic. It ran along, a slew of other panthers following after it.
His wings shifted forward, as if prepared to protect him from the panthers, the eyes taking on an uncharacteristically serious look.
Thoth felt something behind him, roughly as large as he was.
It grabbed his shoulder, his heart, closer to an engine, beat in his chest.
"Boo~!" Aura whispered in his ear.
"Are you fucking serious..." Thoth muttered to himself, "Now is not the time, something is going on."
"Yeah, I know. They woke me up like half an hour ago when they entered the city."
Thoth paused for a second.
"So you were awake when you clung to-"
"A-Anyways! We should probably either get out or figure out whatever is happening."
Thoth smirked and played along with her smooth getaway.
The door to the room next door slowly swung open with a menacing creak, there wasn't a single noise of battle or struggle.
Their door swung open next, and before the panther could even see the room in front of it, its head was ripped off.
A black, oil-like substance began leaking everywhere as Aura looked inside the body, finding a strange, muscle-like structure, yet one that was clearly metallic and artificial.
"...That isn't an animal." Aura noted, "It seems like a machine, not a golem, but a straight-up machine made out of steel and iron with a clay-like layer of skin covering it all."
Thoth poked her cheek, "Yeah yeah, we can do a detailed autopsy later, right now, we have to stop whatever the hell is going on."
Aura nodded, and the duo made their way downstairs, ignoring the smell of blood coming from the other room.
Downstairs, they discovered Mireille, groggily walking out from her room behind the counter.
Thoth pointed a finger at her and cast "[Sleep]," she tumbled to the floor immediately as Thoth caught her in his arms. He then muttered some incantations, pointed at her, cast "[Invisibility]," and hid her under her bed in her room.
Both of them were second-tier spells, yet they took Thoth a while to learn. But with his insane stats, his [Invisibility] spell should be more than sufficient to hide Mireille from the enemies for the rest of the night.
Thoth nodded at Aura after he had hidden Mireille under her bed behind a few cushions.
The two of them made their way outside. Where it was still extremely silent. The moon hung high in the sky, providing barely enough light for Humans to see, though neither Thoth nor Aura needed it.
They snuck through the cold and empty alleys, finding paths and quietly killing enemies whenever given the chance. Until they encountered two humanoids, that is.
The two figures stood on the rooftop, illuminated by the pale moonlight — and immediately, Thoth knew they were not human.
They were tall and slender, their frames draped in flowing white robes that shimmered like liquid silk. But their humanity ended there.
The first figure had no face — only a smooth, mirrored surface where its features should've been. The reflection rippled unnaturally, distorted images of the city twisting and bending across its surface as if reality was curving.
From its back sprouted six wings of stained glass, each fragment moving independently, rearranging and shifting into jagged, kaleidoscopic patterns that reflected the moon's light in violent, splintered colors.
The second was shorter. Its body was covered in pale, marble-like skin — similar to Thoth's own — but riddled with golden cracks that pulsed like veins, glowing faintly with holy light. It too lacked a face.
Its arms were far too long, ending in delicate fingers made of what looked like polished lapis lazuli, and from its back unfurled a pair of wings, though calling them branches felt more appropriate… they were not of feathers or glass, but black, iron chains that writhed and twisted like living serpents.
Thoth looked at Aura, and motioned to his neck, signaling that they would kill them.
Aura nodded, though she looked cautious, far more than Thoth, who felt a surge of confidence as he looked at them.
Like how a lion could asses the strength of another lion, he too could asses the strength of his kin.
After all, they were also constructs, that much was clear. Whatever force this was, they were creating weak but undoubtedly similar constructs like Thoth.
Thoth flew up to the roof. His wings spread wide, invisible to mortal eyes still.
The machines didn't seem shocked, the lack of face made it hard to judge, but they turned to Thoth nonetheless, acknowledging his presence.
The chained one attacked first, the chains surging forward to Thoth, gripping his leg with what felt like a playful tug.
Abruptly, from his leg, a black tentacle extended. Enraged, it gripped and crushed the chain in its grasp. More and more such tentacles extended from Thoth's body.
They shot forward, and the creature sent out its chains to protect itself, but they were crushed into powdered dust.
The creature tightened its fits, clearly enranged, its chains growing thicker and stronger, yet were powerless nonetheless.
Suddenly, as the Limbs of Wrath were nearly upon it, it was teleported away by its comrade.
They were a few rooftops away, and they turned to run, though the chained one hesitated.
They wouldn't have long to regret however, as an arrow struck through them both, killing them instantly.
Thoth looked behind him where the arrow came from, finding Aura holding To Your Heart, a large, silver and gold bow.
She blinked, surprised that was enough to kill them.
"Huh, I was worried there was gonna be more to it, they looked super menacing right?" She let go of her bow, and it disappeared into dust, reforming as a ring on her right hand.
Thoth shrugged, "Well, I would put them at maybe level twenty or so." He stroked his chin, watching their corpses in the distance.
"Though to be fair, we didn't give them a chance to shine either. Chain Man was probably just buying time for the Mirror Guy to do something, but when the latter saw the former failing, they just teleported and made a run for it."
"Y'know," Aura said, stretching with a dramatic yawn, "for a supposed invasion force, these guys are pretty weak. I was hoping for something a little more exciting."
Thoth raised an eyebrow. "Don't get cocky. Weak or not, they're moving fast and they've already taken down the Wall it seems. If we keep running into them like this, they might just be the vanguard."
Aura hummed thoughtfully. "So what? We crush the scouts, and when the big ones show up, we handle them too."
Before Thoth could respond, the sound of movement snapped both their attention toward a nearby alley. The footsteps were rushed but cautious, the unmistakable shuffle of worn armor and tired bodies moving through the dark.
Aura's hand went to her weapons immediately, but Thoth held up a hand, signaling her to wait. He strained his ears, listening.
Whispers. The clink of metal. Labored breathing. Fear.
"…They're close. Keep your guard up."
They moved quickly and quietly toward the sound, slipping through the shadows like ghosts. Thoth's wings twitched against his back, the eyes scanning their surroundings as they approached the source of the noise.
And then they saw them.
A small group of soldiers — maybe a dozen, at most — huddled together in the darkened alley. Their armor was battered and dented, and their weapons were worn and poorly maintained. Some were bandaged hastily, blood soaking through the cloth. Others simply looked exhausted, their faces pale and hollowed by fear.
At their head stood Neia Baraja.
Her sharp golden eyes swept the alley, alert and watchful even as fatigue weighed on her shoulders. Her ponytail was slightly disheveled, and her leather armor bore fresh scrapes and scratches, but she stood firm — the only one who still seemed ready to fight. And seemingly the only capable scout in the group of knights and paladins.
"Hold position," she whispered harshly to the others. "We move when I say, not before. Stay quiet, stay sharp."
Normally, a squire making such orders would be met with immediate consequences, but fear and exhaustion silence any semblance of pride.
Thoth exchanged a glance with Aura. "So," he murmured, "think they'll be happy to see us?"
Aura grinned. "Wanna find out?"
Before he could stop her, Aura stepped into the open.
"Hey there, Sunshine."
The reaction was immediate — weapons rose in an instant, the soldiers spinning to face them with a mix of panic and desperation. Neia's sword was halfway drawn before she froze, her eyes locking onto Aura's casual stance.
"Who—"
"Easy," Thoth interrupted, stepping up beside Aura. He raised his gloved hands in a show of peace, though his wings twitched irritably behind his back. "We're not your enemy."
"Not yet, anyway," Aura added with a smirk.
The soldiers didn't lower their weapons.
"Identify yourselves," Neia ordered, her voice steady but cold. "If you're with the enemy—"
"Would we have announced ourselves like this if we were? Besides, you saw me at the market earlier, right?" Thoth asked dryly.
She did remember him, but his strange appearance was only fueling her paranoia now.
"Could be a trap."
Thoth sighed. "Of course, it could. But I think you've got bigger problems than two suspiciously good-looking travelers."
Aura snorted.
Neia's eyes narrowed. "You didn't answer the question."
Aura shrugged. "We're travelers. Mercenaries, if you want to get technical. Saw the mess going on and thought we'd lend a hand."
"Lend a hand?" Neia repeated, skepticism clear in her voice. "Why?"
Thoth gave her a slow, wry smile. "Let's just say… I don't like competition."
That made her pause.
Before she could respond, one of the soldiers let out a quiet, broken noise — part fear, part despair. "We're all going to die," the man whispered, his voice trembling. "Those things… those things killed everyone at the Wall. We didn't stand a chance—"
"Quiet!" Neia snapped, but the damage was already done.
The soldiers' fear was palpable. Some looked ready to bolt, others barely kept their composure. It wouldn't take much to break them completely.
Before Neia could speak, a sharp voice cut through the tension like a blade.
"Stand down, all of you!"
A figure stepped forward from the back of the group — tall, broad-shouldered, and clad in polished armor that looked far too pristine for someone supposedly fleeing an invasion. The armor gleamed even in the dim light, the sigil of the Four Great Gods emblazoned proudly on the chestplate. A flowing white cape trailed behind him, utterly impractical for stealth but perfectly suited for dramatics.
His face matched his demeanor — strong-jawed, with perfectly combed blonde hair and a perpetually smug expression. His eyes, a cold and piercing blue, looked down on Thoth and Aura as if they were insects beneath his notice.
"Captain Beldon Marsay," the man announced, his voice ringing with the kind of authority that demanded attention… and the arrogance that made one hate giving it. "Commander of this squad and defender of the Holy Kingdom."
Neia's shoulders tensed the moment the man spoke. Thoth noticed how her eyes flicked downward, her frustration and resentment carefully masked. She stayed silent, standing just behind Beldon like an afterthought.
Beldon's lip curled in disdain as he looked them over. "And who are you supposed to be?"
Aura opened her mouth — but Thoth stepped in smoothly, cutting her off.
"Travelers," he said, his voice calm and collected. "We saw the situation and thought you might appreciate some… assistance."
Beldon snorted. "Assistance? From a couple of vagrants? Children no less?" His eyes flicked over Thoth's pristine clothing and pale skin, clearly unimpressed. "The Holy Kingdom does not need the charity of outsiders."
"Yeah, you're doing great so far," Aura muttered under her breath.
Beldon's eyes snapped to her. "Watch your tongue, girl. You speak to a captain of the Paladin Order!"
"…And I'm supposed to care why?" Aura tilted her head, her tone all innocent curiosity.
Thoth had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from chortling.
Beldon's face darkened. "This is no time for insolence! We are in the midst of a crisis—"
"Yes," Thoth cut in smoothly, his voice low and steady, "and you're wasting time. Those creatures are still out there, and your people are terrified."
Beldon's nostrils flared. "I will not take orders from some—"
"I'm not giving orders," Thoth said softly. He took a step closer, and though his wings remained hidden from mortal eyes, the air grew heavier. As they surrounded the arrogant captain.
"I'm pointing out the obvious. You need help. We are offering it. Or would you rather let your pride get more of your men killed?"
The alley went silent.
"Pride?" He muttered, his voice simmering, "What pride? I stand in the face of adversity with no hope, and stand fucking tall! I lead my men, and I will lead them into victory, whether that suits your goals or not!"
It was Neia who finally broke the silence. "Sir—"
"Silence!" Beldon barked without even looking at her.
Thoth's eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
"Sir," Neia tried again, her voice tighter, "we do need help. We've lost nearly everyone. These two might—"
"I will not be undermined by a squire!" Beldon snapped, his glare icy. "Your job is to listen and obey — nothing more."
The muscle in Neia's jaw tightened, but she said nothing.
Aura leaned toward Thoth, her voice a low whisper. "Can I kill him? Just a little bit?"
"Tempting," Thoth murmured back.
But before Beldon could continue his grandstanding, the distant sound of screams and metal clashing rose from the streets beyond the alley. The noise grew closer — fast.
Neia's head snapped toward the sound. "They're coming!"
The soldiers stiffened, their fear returning in full force. Some clutched their weapons tighter, while others looked ready to bolt.
"Form up!" Beldon commanded, and while the soldiers obeyed, their movements were rigid and desperate. The fear was overwhelming them.
They weren't ready for this.
Thoth sighed softly.
"Captain Marsay," he said, his voice smooth and commanding, "if you want your men to survive, you'll listen to me now."
Beldon whirled on him. "How dare you—"
But Thoth wasn't looking at him anymore.
He was looking at the soldiers.
"Listen to me," Thoth said, and this time, his voice carried weight. His wings shifted behind his back — still invisible, but their many eyes glimmered faintly, their presence felt even if not seen. "I know you're afraid. But fear will not save you. Despair will not protect your people. If you want to survive — if you want to win — you'll need something more."
The soldiers stilled.
"You'll need strength. Resolve. Faith."
Beldon opened his mouth — but Thoth's voice overrode him.
"Faith in what?" Neia's voice was quiet but clear.
A panther suddenly jumped onto Thoth from a roof above. Thoth grabbed the animal and threw it to the floor, and without casting his gaze to the lesser being, stomped on its skull. He smiled at the group standing before him.
"In me."
-x-x-x-
Hope you liked the chapter guys! Its 4293 words, so I'm quite happy with it. I also fully recovered from my sickness, though now my whole family is sick instead xD
Nonetheless, I hope you are still alive and have not starved to death without my fanfic.
See you next time!