Roaring Heroes Battle the Overlord (Ainz)

Tepno, part of Re-Estize and located on the border between Re-Estize and Baharuth, is one of the cities closest to Sheep Horn.

Due to its location on the frontier of a hostile nation, it is constantly on high alert, imposes heavy taxes, and suffers from poor economic development. Similarly, the rewards for adventurer tasks in Tepno are lower compared to other towns.

EeDeChi's plan is to head north to Yellan, a territory of the Sorcerer Kingdom. They plan to stay here for a day, see if there are any suitable adventure tasks to take, and then continue on their journey.

The Last Defender of the Way adventurer party, consisting of four members, is leading four highland brown horses with the twin sisters Kuuderika and Ureirika. After paying a hefty entrance tax, they entered Tepno.

At the city gate, due to the presence of the twin sisters, the local constables mistook them for human traffickers and conducted a thorough inspection. After all, it's quite rare to see an adventurer party with two young girls.

EeDeChi, believing she stood on the side of justice, was prepared to give a lengthy explanation about how she had rescued the two blonde little girls from a brothel in Baharuth's capital, and then journeyed through rough terrain and crossed the border to reach Re-Estize.

Meanwhile, Barrett knew exactly what the constables were really after. He simply pulled out 2 gold coins and handed them over, and they were immediately allowed to pass.

For the adorable twin sisters Kuuderika and Ureirika, Barrett's usual advice is to either send them straight back to their parents or to the temple or orphanage.

However, the little brats didn't want to look for their parents. They wanted to find their sister Arche. It was a ridiculously childish idea, but Captain EeDeChi insisted on following their wishes and heading to the Great Tomb of Nazarick to rescue their sister, who was missing and presumed in danger.

Barrett couldn't quite understand the kind of mental drive that motivated EeDeChi to undertake such a grand quest. Barrett had hoped to follow EeDeChi's example by summarizing meetings afterward, but his lack of literary flair made it hard for him to find the right words to describe this kind of spirit.

What was strange, though, was that EeDeChi hardly took care of the twin sisters herself. Instead, it was Stella who was always responsible for looking after them. Stella, with her saintly heart, was completely charmed by the blonde twins' cuteness and treated them almost like her own little sisters. She took meticulous care of them, unable to stand even the slightest inconvenience for them.

After settling into a small inn, Stella took Kuuderika and Ureirika to a local church to pray. Sean, worried about a Baharuthian being mistreated in Re-Estize, volunteered to accompany her.

EeDeChi was about to point out that Sean was also from Baharuth and would likely face the same discrimination and hostility, making it unnecessary for him to join Stella at the church. However, Barrett quickly stopped her from speaking.

EeDeChi and Barrett were walking down the street, heading towards the Adventurer's Guild to see if there were any suitable tasks available.

As they passed through a narrow alley flooded with sewage, they turned around to see a crowd of ragged people gathered in front of a dilapidated street.

In the center of the crowd was a fat man who looked like a noble, whipping a bundle of tattered rags on the ground.

With each swing of the whip, the sound of the noble's commands, the crack of the whip, and the victim's screams were painfully clear.

As they got closer, they realized that the bundle of rags being whipped was actually a scrawny beggar.

It was winter and the weather was cold. The poor, frail beggar had scavenged a pile of filthy clothes and burlap from somewhere and wrapped himself in layers, making him look like a dirty bundle of rags from a distance.

With each strike of the leather whip, the beggar curled up, emitting cries of agony. The filthy, greasy clothes he had collected provided no protection against the whip. The noble's sturdy leather whip tore through the ragged clothes and left bloody marks on the beggar's dark, dirty skin.

"Are you begging in front of me? How dare you grab at my pants! My luck's gone to hell because of you! I'll beat you to death!" the short, plump noble shouted, swinging the whip and cursing.

Seeing this, EeDeChi's face was twisted with anger. She rolled up her sleeves and took a step forward, ready to jump into the crowd.

Barrett grabbed her arm.

EeDeChi's eyes widened in disbelief. "Are you trying to stop me?"

Barrett shivered under EeDeChi's fierce gaze but insisted, "Captain, doing the right thing is great and all, but go easy on him. We don't want to be hunted down for killing someone."

EeDeChi brushed him off. "Don't worry, young man, I know my limits."

Just as the adventurer captain pushed through the crowd and the fat noble's whip came down harshly on the beggar, a sweet yet anger-laden voice echoed from the other side of the street. "Count Kurar, you're really rough on those beneath you."

Bashir Kurar, the noble, paused mid-swing. His fat neck twisted around to see the speaker, a young girl in a pink, cinched gown with a wide-brimmed white hat.

The large brim of her hat cast a shadow over her face, obscuring her features.

Kurar, used to throwing his weight around, was about to retort when his eyes fell upon the blonde, blue-eyed bodyguard in silver-white armor standing next to the girl.

His pupils contracted. The word "bitch" that had been on the tip of his tongue was swallowed back down. He dropped the whip, lifted the hem of his luxurious robe, and half-knelt on the ground, bowing his head with his hand over his chest. "Princess Renner… I apologize for not coming to greet you. It's my negligence!"

The girl, referred to as "Princess Renner," slightly lifted the brim of her hat. Underneath was a cascade of golden hair and an even more delicate and charming face.

She smiled slightly, her smile enchanting.

"Count Kurar, you're so busy with the paperwork; how could you have time to welcome me? I understand, you needn't blame yourself."

To Kurar, her angelic tone felt more like a devil whispering in his ear.

Does she know everything? I'm just a minor count who merely gave a small gift to the second prince to show some goodwill. Surely the princess won't come after me, right? Was her comment about "being cruel to those of lower status" a hint at something? Could she have discovered the embezzlement of relief funds and taxes? And other issues…

Sweat dripped from Count Kurar's forehead as he knelt on one knee. He recalled the fate of the small nobles who had openly aligned with the second prince, thought about Princess Renner's political maneuvers, and the rumored cunning behind her beautiful face. He nearly lost his balance.

In the chilly early winter, beads of cold sweat soaked through his luxurious silk robe.

I can't let our family's centuries-old foundation in this city be destroyed. Maybe there's still time to destroy the evidence if I act quickly. Gritting his teeth, Count Kurar forced himself to look up at Princess Renner and said, "Your Highness, I've just realized I have an urgent matter that needs my immediate attention…"

Princess Renner's smile remained gentle. She nodded slightly. "If it's more important than beating a beggar, then go handle it quickly."

Count Kurar stood up, his fat body stumbling as he turned and ran, followed hastily by his two kneeling attendants.

Princess Renner watched the rotund Kurar sprint away faster than a mouse, her gentle smile unwavering.

She knew exactly what Kurar was trying to do, but it was already too late for him. All the evidence of his violations of the kingdom's laws had been collected, and the noble officials who had conflicts with Kurar were already united.

Soon, within a few days, Count Kurar would lose his lands and title, and this city would be taken over by nobles loyal to her.

As she thought of this, Princess Renner's smile grew even more enchanting. She turned her gaze to her ever-present blonde, blue-eyed bodyguard, who stood tall in his silver armor, looking at her with admiration and respect.

Yet behind the sapphire-clear eyes of the young guard lay a deep, hidden affection beyond mere loyalty.

Princess Renner smiled inwardly, thinking, Ah, my dear Climb, you must believe I've performed another heroic act of aiding the weak. The most loyal man to me is so pure; I'm truly blessed.