PROLOGUE

The maid walked down the empty halls of Nazarick adjusting her glasses. She looked around with a small sigh. Her beloved Nazarick was usually so full of life and energy, but as Their Lord and Master Ainz Ooal Gown now had his sights set on two new areas of interest... a large amount of Nazarick was out on work. Just about every floor guardian was busy preparing for their respected missions. As this was the first time Nazarick would be this "open to enemy attack" Their Lord was also busy summoning wave after wave of high-level guardians using his mana and money. Albedo had suggested "extreme overkill" when Lord Ainz asked her how many mercenary guardians he should fill Nazarick up with. In all reality, Nazarick would probably safer during this time of 'medium alert'. As these creatures were considered largely "expendable" so more " direct and brutal" methods of attack would suffice if anyone was so foolish as to try and attack this fortress of power.

"Where the heck is she..." Yuri Alpha grumbled as she looked for Solution Epsilon. While most of Nazarick was busy preparing for their 'adventures', The "Pleiades Battle Maids" were still on 'Nazarick' duty, even as Solution had escort duty lined up later on for Shizu, she still should be around getting ready for that. The only place Solution could be was her office... but she only used her office for..." Yuri let out a disgusted sigh as she now realized that's exactly where she was... she turned around and headed for Solutions personal office. Honestly, those two... she better not Make Lady Shalltear and herself late!

Solution Epsilon walked alongside her 'little sister'. Shizu was excited, not that you could tell, but Solution had been around her long enough to know that Shizu was looking forward to going back to the Holy Kingdom, if only for a day.

"You really like this Neia person that much Shizu?" Solution asked the little girl clad in camo maid armor. Shizu silently nodded "yes" before speaking.

"Yes, she wasn't very cute when we met." She said. Solution cocked her eyebrow dubiously, Shizu would not normally give something she deemed "not cute" the time of day.

"Yet... the more we talked... the cuter she became. I became interested." Shizu said in an emotionless voice. Solution looked again at her... had she missed something? Why would Shizu talk so highly of someone not from Nazarick? She frowned, this Neia... better not try and take her little sister from her. To that end, she wanted to see this Neia for herself.

"So you don't mind me coming with you?" Solution asked Shizu shook her head.

"It would be nice for you two to talk... but really..." She kinda trailed off a bit.

"Just want to see Neia..." She said finally. Solution frowned even deeper. Was she simply jealous of Shizu and Neia's relationship? It's true that out of all The Pleiades Maids, while they all loved and doted on Shizu like she was their little sister... Solution and her "clicked" the least. It wasn't that they didn't get along, it's just they never had anything to talk about. But as neither were highly emotional individuals this was a nonissue, but it bothered Solution to think there might be another that Shizu liked more than her... one of her fellow Pleiades! Shalltear passed them in the hallway but upon seeing Solution she averted her course to walk alongside the two Pleiades maids.

"Good evening ladies!" Shalltear said with a smile to the girls. They both nodded hello. As they walked Shalltear saddled up closer behind Solution so only she would hear her speak lowly.

"So uh Solution, when will you be free to do that thing I like?" Shalltear whispered softly, her face showing signs of blushing. Solution smiled, she had been spending a lot of her, required, "free time" with Shalltear as they had a lot in common. Solution laughed slightly and gave her a look.

"Do you want too..." Solution said silently pointing to her stomach with a mischievous smile.

"Or do you want me to..." She then pointed down to the floor. Shizu just rolled her one eye, she would never understand such 'lewd acts'. Shalltear Blushed even harder and a smile ran up her pure white face.

"I uh... don't think we have time to..." Shalltear said pointing to Solutions stomach. They each gave one another a sly grin.

"But if you don't mind a fast..." She giggled as her finger pointed down. Solution nodded to her friend.

"Well I was just on my way here to escort Shizu to The Holy Kingdom, but we're not going to leave for another hour..." Then Solution leaned toward Shalltear and lowered her voice.

"...so I guess we could get in a quick one before I leave!" She told her vampire friend, Shalltear began to blush even more slightly and there was a slight skip to her step.

"Then... then I will go to the usual place?" Shalltear asked. Solution nodded and turned to speak to Shizu.

"I'm going to... talk with Shalltear for a bit Shizu, I won't take long, so wait for me okay?" The beautiful slime woman asked her friend, Shizu just nodded as they broke company. Solution walked in silence next to Shalltear they headed to a room and entered together. As soon as she got into the room with Shalltear and the door was shut the vampire threw her umbrella into the corner. The room was mostly dark, there were pictures of Ainz on the walls and there was a desk in the center of the room, this was Solution Epsilons personal office, all the maids had a personal room, as Solution never slept, she simply turned it into an office space, but as of late her friend Shalltear and her have found another use for this room...

Without a word Solution and Shalltear went to the center of the room where the desk was, they gave one another a knowing smile before Shalltear dropped to her hands and knees in the "doggy position"... she waited anxiously for what Solution would do to her next, that's when she felt her friends weight press down onto her back, Solution smiled as she sat on Shalltears back and crossed her legs. As she looked lazily at some of the documents in front of her. And for the next thirty minutes or so Solution caught up on some writing and notes she'd been meaning to get done, all the while using her panting and blushing friend as a chair. Every now and again she would feel Shalltears spine crack a bit and a shudder of pleasure would run through her favorite piece of furniture. Sometime Shalltear would begin to make some low moaning noise, at which point Solution would have to "remind" her friend that chairs do not talk, they only get sat on!

"Hmmm... it would seem my chair has developed a creaking noise!" Solution said in exaggerated annoyance as she smiled and applied significantly more pressure to her "chair". A loud squeal of pleasure was cut off by its owner as 'Shallchair' tried her best to please the one sitting on 'it' in practice for when her Lord Ainz would once again "don his true throne". Solution had discovered from experience what would happen if she applied any more pressure to her "chair". And they simply did not have time for that so...

They spent the next twenty more or so minutes in such a state until alas, it was time to go.

The two women exited Solution office with smiles plastered across their lovely faces. But met a maid that was not too happy. Shalltear shot an "uh-oh busted look" to Solution over her shoulder before walking away.

"So if you are quite finished "doing your office work". Yuri said as her adjusting of glasses intensified.

"Shizu is waiting for you." She finished before turning around and heading to her next destination. Solution gave a sorry look but smiled coyly at the same time.

"If you ever need help with your personal "office work" Yuri I could "lend a hand," she said teasing her boss, she knew just the kind of reaction she would get. Yuri simply turned and let out a...

"Humph!" And walked away rolling her eyes.

Solution saw Shizu waiting for her by the caster that would use [GATE] to send them to The Holy Kingdom. The strange bird creature waved as they approached and began casting his spell, he had been told where exactly to send the [GATE]. the two maids walked through the portal, instantly the weather changed and they were in a room with two guards in bright armor and a young girl wearing a green armor adorned with a red scarf and a bow slung across her back greeted them waving enthusiastically at Shizu.

CHAPTER ONE: Uncanny Likenesses

"Looks like it will be hot again..." A very young man said pointing to the blazing sun, his blue eye squinting at the light. Upon his head was a gold circlet that radiated a self-healing light to all that stood by him, it made his blonde hair even more yellow looking. He wore armor that flashed with red light and felt weightless yet even adamantite blades would not leave a knick or scratch. The gloves were matching red but made from leather, yet were just as hard as mythril, maybe even stronger somehow. On his back were two swords that shone like they were made from metal rainbows. His black leather pants had thin plates of some kind of metal plates attached to them. His boots left snowy footprints, even though they walked upon the warm and hilly region of The Slane Theocracy under a beating hot sun.

"I don't mind, ever since I got this baby I always feel nice and comfortable." A slender teenage youth said he was the brother to the one who just spoke and looked almost exactly like him if not five or so years younger and about a foot shorter. He pointed to one of his two magical rings. His bow that he had strapped to his back was made of some kind of white translucent wood, and his leather armor looked very plain. Yet, whenever he stood in the direct sunlight one could make out the faint image of ghost-like plate armor adorned onto him, just as hard as his brother's red armor was yet could not even be felt when worn. Oddly enough he had no quiver or arrows to go along with the amazing bow.

The third person in the group did not say a word. He or she looked more spooky than impressive. Even though their black hooded coat that coved even the face was made of some unknown amazing fabric. To its side were three throwing daggers, one lit up like the fire, the other ice, the third like lightning. To the other side of the dark figure was a shortsword that had an invisible blade. This person was the oldest among the three noble blooded adventure team Dead Gods Incarnate. Adamntite plate adventure tags hung from all three of their necks.

The one in the flashy red armor was about to say something to his little brother when the sound of a roaring wave belonging to the ocean beaches raged from one side of them unexpectedly. To match the sound, all three members of this new adamantite adventure team saw a giant wave at least eight or nine feet tall about to crash upon them. Instead of leaping into action like any true adamntite team would, the three just stood there dumbfounded by this ocean wave about to hit them appearing in the middle of a dry and hot hilly area. In landed down on them with enough force to send all three flying helplessly along its path. they tried to cry out in shock but lung full of water is all they received.

Finally, as the wave knocked them to the ground and ran its course over them they could breathe. All three coughed and belched out salty sea water as they lay huddled over gasping for air and stunned from the surprise attack. They had no idea that two matching ninja twins were silently and invisibly removing all the weapons and trinkets of power these adventurers. They did this easily by using some kind of high-level ninja talent. The matching young girl ninjas had their blonde hair tied back in ponytails, they had light cloth armor and each wore masks to cover their faces. One had a blue scarf while the others was red.

Once all the stealable items and weapons were gathered the matching ninja twins ran to the direction the giant wave had come. There stood another woman in her mid-twenties, her long blond hair was tied into two nice twin tails, and upon her head was a crown with a blue rose attached to it. her sword was the length of her and it was deep blue with an image of a wave etched along the side of it. She wore impressive looking red and silver armor that shone with amazing craftsmanship.

"Good work girls." This woman said as another large figure emerged from nowhere at all, in truth it had been flying and was hovering in the air the whole time using an amulet with a wing hanging from it. This person was probably a man due to the size but it had large breasts sticking out of the chest plate. The entire adamntite plate armor was red and had a menacing looking helmet coving the whole head and face. In its hands were a giant and impressive war hammer with a spike attached to the end of it. They stood menacingly over the coughing siblings.

"Hurry up and strip them, that armor they have looks expensive, it'll fetch a nice price." A small girl said. She hovered down behind the defeated group also flying. She had a tattered but still impressive looking red cloak all around her body, all that could be made out behind it was a black suit and black boots. Her face was covered with a magical white mask with slits for eyes barely visible. Her light brown bangs hung in front of the mask. The large red armored man began removing the magically enchanted clothes and armor from the brothers, they only took the magic gear and of course, all their gold.

"I hate to do this to you boys, but we heard you were looking to turn us into the authorities, and we can't be having that." the woman holding the dark blue greatsword said as she helped collect the stolen equipment, the three gave no protest, understanding they had been defeated. And just as fast as they had come, this bandit group that looked like The Blue Roses were gone. The naked and broke brothers decided they had had enough of the adventures life and wanted to go back home.

Many miles away and sometime after this event, a blonde woman in a white dress smiled. The streets of E-Rantel were alive with business and trade. Some dwarves could be seen yelling directions at some working undead to "pick up the pace" which was an order they just gave out of habit as the undead would always work to the best of their capabilities. The golden-haired princess looked over at her bodyguard and her puppy. The one who joined her service shortly after the rise of the Sorcerer Kingdom, Brian did not look particularly pleased at the moment, whereas her puppy was staring wide-eyed and in awe, at the progress, E-Rantel had made. She knew why, but it would be fun to make him say it out loud, plus her little dog didn't seem to be picking up on Brains sour mood.

"You seem upset, is everything okay Brain?" Princess Renner asked in a dignified tone. Even though she had directed the question to Brain, the blonde haired boy next to him straightened up and became serious. "So cute." She thought the way he would always pretend at playing soldier. Brain however just frowned more.

"I never cared for this town... less so now." Brain said as he looked at a Death Knight standing guard. Renner could never understand why people were always so unnerved by The Sorcerer Kings undead. She sighed inwardly, it was just the nature of people to group everything up into one pile and throw a simple label over it. She understood that most people didn't view the world from her perspective. Climb looked like he wanted to begin barking but his owner raised her hand at the puppy to keep it's voice down.

"You are reminded of that time?" Renner asked Brain. He looked out the window.

"Of course, the day I witnessed His majesty use his most powerful spell... it was the same day he was lost." Brain said scowling now more than frowning. Renner knew of how Brain felt about Gazef, but it didn't matter.

"His most powerful spell? Hmm, I wonder about that." She said in a bored tone. Both of men looked at her with a shocked looked, they understood when Renner spoke, it was always for a reason, even if they were not privy to such reasons themselves.

"No, I very much doubt that was his most powerful... maybe his favorite, or one he just chose because it had suitable "shock and awe" value, but I am very certain The Sorcerer King sits on power more... efficient than the one with the black goats... " She said still bored and looking out the window of the carriage as it trotted lazily down E-Rantel's streets. Both men looked as if they had eaten something terrible, her puppy was scared and stopped "wagging its tail". This made her frown, her little pups was so much cuter when he was looking at her with those eyes.

"Why, do you say that?" Climb asked.

"Because those things he summoned vanished after some time right? A dead body is important to a necromancer as a resource, it seems to me. If I had an entire army of 'resources' at my disposal, to consume so many that would just go to waste after their purpose was served... no, The Sorcerer King could have killed that entire army easily and still have access to all those bodies, the fact that they were never returned upon the disappearance of the black goat's means he was simply making a point. She said as she practiced her 'sweet princess smile #5'. The color of both men's face seemed to drain. But she simply shook her head.

"Oh don't worry, as his "point was made" I doubt we'll see anything like that ever happen again." Her puppy seems to feel better but her guard was still in a foul mood, some things can't be helped. But it seemed he was thinking of another thing, oh it was probably that thing people were saying about them.

"Are you bothered by the rumors?" The Princess asked. Brain clicked his tongue but Climb just shot up to attention, he knew what rumors she spoke of and they were... Climbs face began to turn red as he remembered what people would whisper behind their backs. He stammered a bit.

"They uh... are saying, that you... all of... that... we, all um..." She was certain steam would shoot out of his ears any minute, how adorable he was when this embarrassed. She clapped once in joy but as this was a strange reaction it caught their attention back to her and not the images in their heads. But she just laughed.

"Worry not, rumors like this always surface of unpopular royalty". To be honest, it seemed a little too "on the nose" for something for her opponents to be saying, it made them sound petty and gossipy, which was one of the reasons she spread such rumors.

"Still, why are we meeting The Blue Roses here?" Climb asked, usually they would come to the palace to meet with Renner if she needed them, but she was going to E-Rantel to meet with them, it was odd Climb thought.

"Well as you know, His Majesty is holding a gathering for all the... "up and coming nobles" of The Kingdom, I was actually asked to be in attendance for this event. She explained smiling.

"So after our meeting with the Blue Roses, I will stay for a day longer for this event." Both men seemed satisfied with her answer. But to be honest she was most looking forward to seeing Albedo at some point in private. Princess Renner had always longed for someone like her, someone who understood that there was only "one thing that mattered." And someone who she could talk freely to without any judgment. If she knew that she would also have gained a best friend from her unknown betrayal, she would not have waited the 3.6 seconds she did wait before answering the demon in an orange suit about her answer to her actions.

Their carriage pulled up to an extravagant hotel they would be staying at and her servants opened the door and helped her out of the carriage in a manner fitting a Princess. Escorted by her guard she made for the hotel lobby.

"Princess Renner? Why they said you'd be speaking but I didn't expect to see you at the same place i was staying at!" She wondered just who the heck would address her so loudly and without any class. As to answer her question a man, comically ran his way over to the group.

"Yes, um..."Renner asked, his name not coming to her. He frowned a tad wiping the sweat from his forehead that had developed form him running across the lobby.

"Princess Renner surely you jest! You know me, PHILLIP, I'm one of the up and coming nobles in your father's kingdom!" The man said splaying out his hands and opening his arms for a hug. Renner withdrew away from him and scowled. As soon as Brain saw that this man was a bother. He knew what to do immediately. He silently walked up behind the man and in a chummy but still rough manner slapped his arm over Phillips' shoulders.

"HEY!... YOU!" Brain said in an overly friendly way, the man was startled and let out an "eek" He was not expecting to be approached like this.

"You... you must be that guy that, I've heard SO much about right?" Brain said walking with the man and forcefully leading him away from the party, oddly enough the man seemed more than willing to answer Brain.

"Oh, well yes, Indeed, it's not a surprise I'm so popular around here!" He began, Brain looked back over his shoulder in an "I got this manner" Renner bowed slightly to thank him for jumping on this particular dull blade for her.

"Riiiight! So, tell me, what are your plans for your um... place?" Brain said trying to guess this man was someone who had land of some kind... at the very least. Again, he was all too eager to indulge in conversation about himself. Renner smiled a mouthed a silent "thank you." As she and Climb made their way past the lobby and to the room they had on reserve. Upon entering they saw The Blue Roses, well at least two of them.

"Hope you don't mind, we got here a little before you so took the liberty of providing the refreshments." A young blonde woman said wearing amazing leather armor and wielding a dark and mysterious blade on her back. This was the "blue blood" noblewoman turn adamantite adventure Lakyus Alvein Dale Aindra. She motioned to a spread of food that was suitable for the company in the room which was brightly lit. But there was one who sat away from the bright window, she was wrapped in a red cloak and had a weird mask covering her face she did little to greet the ones who entered.

"I was expecting your newest showpiece to be here..." The masked girl said noting that Brain Unglaus had not entered with the princess. Princess Renner just sighed and shook her head.

"Yes, I'm afraid he is currently 'doing battle' with a would-be assassin." She said smirking (this was funny smirk #2, a personal favorite of hers). The two members of Blue Roses suddenly looked serious but calmed down when they saw Renner's smirking. They exchanged glances and shrugged.

"Well, we all know why this meeting is happening?" Renner asked looking at the two adventures. The smile disappeared from Lakyuses beautiful face. Renner nodded as Evil Eye became visibly agitated.

"The "Blue Rose Bandits"?" Evil Eye said in a growl. Renner nodded. There had been a group of, oddly powerful, bandits cropping up lately, and one such powerful bandit team had the gall to masquerade as the blue roses when robbing carriages and merchants on the roads they traveled on. When reports of "The Blue Roses turned bandit brigade" began surfacing The Adventures Guild took great steps to prove that the real Blue Roses were nowhere in the area of the robberies. Plus minor discrepancies here and there also lent to the innocence of the real Blue Roses.

"So what do we know of them exactly, or rather, what have you been able to find out?" Lakyus asked the princess.

"Well, as far as looks go, they look just like you guys, mostly..." Princess Renner said.

"Mostly?" Evil Eye asked.

"Well as for you Madam Evileye, while your mask makes you easy to duplicate, as does your robe, her color of hair was noted to be "brown" not "blonde" as is yours." Evileye lifted up a strand of her long blonde hair that hung aside the mask."I see..." she thought to herself.

"The one pretending to be you Lady Lakyus... Well her weapon was noted to be very powerful, but not on the same level as yours, also it's worth mentioning that men who had been robbed that have seen you say she "isn't as pretty as the real one". Lakyus blushed a bit but quickly returned serious.

"As for you're um, "sneaky friends," Renner said looking around the room, expecting one of the ninja twins to pop up, but they did not.

"While both have similar body structure as them, they are not a perfect match as twins would be, the skin tone was off slightly, also they wear face masks to hide their faces, clearly not twins, but both highly skilled in the same field as them. Lakyus frowned as did Evileye under her mask.

"Finally there is um ahem Gagaran..." Renner said with an odd tone.

"Her double seems to have the same armor has her, but wears a helmet to hide the fact that it's actually a man under there." Climb could be heard snickering a bit. He knew how..."not well" the real Garagan would take that. Lakyus thought for a bit then nodded at Evil Eye.

"Well, I see why you asked us to take care of them." But Renner shook her head.

"No, we originally intended to have Sir Momon and his 'beautiful princess' handle them, but it would seem Sir Momon was not able to take the job, the reason being is that they... rival The Real Blue Roses in power... somehow." Evil Eye scoffed but Lakyus nodded. It was a disturbing trend, strong adventures and bandit teams were crawling out of the woodwork... it was like there was some "big secret" that weaklings were finding that elevated them because the strength always seems to come from their gear as opposed to personal strength like true 'heroes'. BUt Evil Eye had just perked up.

"Is uh... sir Momon... here, um nearby?" She asked her arms betraying how she felt as they were clenched in a wishful pose. Lakyus smiled, she knew all too well how Evil Eye would always 'lose herself' around the mysterious armor plated hero.

"No, sadly he said he was called away to do some... "cave exploring deep underground". So we can only imagine when he will return. The pep left Evil Eye and she returned to her serious demeanor.

"Then all that's left is to tell us their last known location." For the first time, Renner frowned. The news was bad.

"They were last seen... wiping out the new Adamantite team from the Slane Theocracy..."Dead gods Incarnate" near the border of The Slane Theocracy and the Empire." Renner continued in a tone that carried a lot of weight with it. Lakyus also frowned now, they were the newest team of "adamntite upstarts" but reported to very strong, for them, to lose and nobody to hear of it means The Theocracy or even the adventures guild or both were keeping this news quite... this "fake Blue Roses" were dangerous indeed.

"As they have hit all over the place in many different countries, all but The Sorcerer Kingdom, their current location does not matter as everyone agrees they need to be stopped immediately." She said handing them a scroll with some information they might use to track down the bandit group. Both adventurer women stood up immediately, it was clear they wanted to get this mission over with as fast as they could.

"As for pay..." Renner said about to wrap everything up, but the two women were already leaving the room.

"Just pay the adventures guild for all the hard work they've done for us in keeping our names clear. As for us, this is obviously very personal, we don't need compensation." Evileye said speaking for the members that were not present before exiting the room completely. Climb was glad his presence had been overlooked by Evil Eye, she was usually very curt with him, but he was especially glad Garagan had not made the meeting, although he secretly wondered if she would have a new nickname for him with all the recent rumors spreading around. Princess Renner stayed in her chair thinking about something before Brain walked in, joining her and sitting where Lakyus had just been. Back outside the door, the two adventure women spoke in low tones.

"So, how will we be handling this?" Evileye said keeping her eyes straight as they headed outside the hotel. Lakyus frowned a bit as she was in deep thought.

"Well, I had originally planned to split up the team to search for them, but after hearing how they defeated Dead Gods Incarnate... that would be a bad idea I think, we should try to engage them as a full group," Lakyus told her younger looking comrade.

"That will be a problem with Garagan all the way in The Holy Kingdom, who knows when she will be done with "her thing," Evileye said coldly. Lakyus nodded.

"Tia and Tina can be here within three or four days if we tell them to drop their search and group up." Evileye said out loud to herself as Lakyus already was aware of this as well.

"So then we gotta do this without a "tank". That's dangerous ." Evil Eye said shaking her head, as a caster she did not like the idea of not being able to hide behind Garagens massive form while casting ranged attacks at the enemy, it was a simple but effective strategy, without her she'd have to use Lakyus has her "meat shield" but as Lakyus also doubled as the teams healer this was a terrible idea as well.

"I actually have an idea on that... there is a woman I did some work with some time ago before we formed The Blue Roses, she's a long way from home but I think she will be willing and able to help us." Lakyus said smiling.

"Another Adventure?" Evileye asked curious now cocking her head up at her boss.

"No... nothing like that, but she's still very strong, just...not all that smart." The leader of the Blue Roses said frowning a bit.