Disclaimer: I do not own Overlord or RWBY. Both are properties of Murayama-sensei and RoosterTeeth respectively.

Something Wicked This Way Comes

INTERLUDE

Lisa Lavender liked to spend her free time in the library when she was not busy working. It had a wide variety of subjects and tomes to offer, from what little historical facts that Vale had managed to preserve since the days of the Great War to her favorite horror novels. There were a few advantages to being in the library during the afternoon for her, such as not having to deal with so many people constantly asking her for the latest inside scoop or the perverts trying to ask her out for a date.

One of her more recent encounters was actually with a co-worker who was a little too touchy for his own good. She shuddered as his fingers ran across his waist and wanted nothing more than to break his fingers off, piece by piece. While she was no Huntress, that did not mean she was defenseless. In her younger, brasher days, she was a fighter in an underground arena beaten and beating down some poor idiot she was paid money to fight. Back then, she was a drug-addict and would have been a worthless nobody, if not worse. She had overdosed and would have died in some alley, left to disappear and not remembered by anyone, not even her parents who were disappointed with a failure like her. Were it not for the kindness of some man whose face she could barely recall, she would have definitely died.

The kindness shown to her that day, as well as the near-death experience, had given her a much-needed wake-up call to get her crap together. She left the underground fighting days behind and pursued a much better career. Becoming a news anchor was not her first choice, but it was better than becoming a Huntress that was for sure. Sure, people always dreamed about the luxurious life of becoming some kind of warrior of justice that defended the innocent from the monsters that hunted them, but she knew what that kind of lifestyle actually entailed.

Living the life of some kind of protector was not as glamorous as people said it was. They would sing praises and put the Huntsman or Huntress on a pedestal for a job well-done, but when that person fails a mission and lives are lost, those same people are all too quick to blame them. Lisa had seen one too many interviews or videos of reporters asking harsh and callous questions to Huntsmen and Huntresses who were unable to protect someone. She remembered their expressions and the looks in their eyes as the pressure mounted. Some kept a level head and a cool façade, a few even managing to give a retort that shut the reporters up. Some broke down and could not give them a proper response, already burdened by the incredible guilt for having been unable to save those lives. The rest either lashed out angrily at the reporters or coldly responded that there was nothing to be concerned with and had to focus on what was in front of them.

She felt that the last one seemed the most appropriate. People died every day. This was not some fairy tale where everybody gets to live happily ever after. It was real life. No one could save everyone. Anyone who thought that way was an idiot.

If Lisa had to choose something that made her choose the lifestyle of a reporter, it was that she would always have to look at the truth. The cold facts that was undeniable. The news was trustworthy, or at least the trust depended on the news station and the people who were giving the news. In her opinion, the Vale News Network was unbiased and simply told everyone the facts, unlike the news stations in Atlas who took almost every opportunity to jump to theories or go on tangents about the White Fang and their ruthlessness.

Speaking of the White Fang, the Director had given her what might have been her most important job to date. There was movement in the White Fang, and not the one ran by Sienna Khan. There was rumor that the old White Fang, the peaceful protest group from years ago, was making a comeback in response to the escalating violence of the new White Fang. She did not know the details, but the resurfacing organization was not being led by Ghira Belladonna, the original Fang's founder and former leader, but by someone else. Ghira was playing second fiddle and backing the organization, which of course led to a lot of speculation.

It was a rumor, of course, but it was definitely interesting. Moreover, that was where Lisa Lavender came in. She covered many stories about the White Fang in the past when she first started. It was the reason why she was transferred to the Faunus Coverage department and tasked on doing several reports about Faunus activities, be it civil right movements, prejudice and everything else. Assuming the rumor was real and that the old White Fang was being brought back from the dead, and Ghira Belladonna was running the organization as a mere backer, then there was definitely a story to be found.

There were a lot of questions Lisa had if this story was real. Why was Ghira Belladonna backing the organization and not running it himself? Surely he must feel responsible for what the White Fang had become since it was his decision to have Sienna Khan replace him. That would have been good motivation for him to start the old White Fang back up, but he chose to support it instead. Why was that, and who was running the show? Who was the mystery character that revived the old White Fang and managed to get Ghira Belladonna to back them? The more Lisa questioned and thought about it, the more excited she became.

It was in the afternoon when she had just finished her light reading. She checked her wristwatch and saw that it was time for her to return to the office. She had a long couple of weeks ahead of her and she assumed they were going to be quite busy. As she packed up her things, carefully placing her Scroll and borrowed books into her purse, she stopped and noticed someone out of the corner of her eye.

At first glance, they looked ordinary and unassuming, simply sitting at a table reading a book with an intense expression. The first thought that would come to somebody's mind was that it must have been a very engaging book. However, the book in question was "The History of Kingdoms and Dust." A simple and easy to find tome that could be found in almost every book store under the sun. There was also the clothing the individual wore; a slim and very expensive looking black suit with a dark gray emblem on the breast pocket, black gloves with a red necktie and dark dress shirt underneath the jacket.

The individual was male, that much was obvious. To Lisa, however, she wondered if she was staring at the personification of perfected handsomeness. His skin was pale but perfect, untouched by blemishes or facial hair, chin angular and nose small and narrow. His eyes were the color of wine, alluring and intense. His hair was as black as the color of the night sky and, while slightly messy, helped to contrast his otherwise perfect form. The thin-rimmed glasses that sat atop the bridge of his nose helped to complete the look and gave him an air of intelligence and cunning.

Oh my, a treacherous voice tempted. Lisa Lavender, meet Mister Sexy.

She gulped and tried her best not to stare. Here she was, a woman in her early thirties, and she was staring at someone who could not be no older than twenty-three like she were some kind of love struck high-school girl. He looked quite familiar for some reason, but she was too distracted. She felt her palms become sweaty and her throat painfully dry. He looked so perfect, an otherworldly beauty that had no equal, that it felt like a crime not to bask in his glory.

In the midst of her staring, mind hazy and clouded with treacherous and dirty thoughts, the man had noticed her at some point. She was a deer caught in headlights, especially when he offered her a small smile and waved.

She felt her heart skip a beat.

Get out get out get out get out get out get ooout!

She ducked her head and tore herself out of the library, not stopping even once until she returned to the news station. It would not be until evening that she remembered why the man looked so familiar and cursed her foolishness.

Not long after the woman staring at the man had left in a panic, clearly having been caught staring at him, another man dressed in a suit approached from behind.

"Shall I follow her?"

"Please do."

It was certainly odd that someone was staring at him so intently. He was simply here to pursue a little research since he had the opportunity. The library in Vale was supposed to be one of the most prolific and expansive, boasting the highest number of books about history regarding so many different subjects. It was a good opportunity to learn more about Remnant and its inhabitants. Yet, he caught someone spying on him.

It was possible the woman was just taken in, but he sincerely doubted it. Her gaze had been so intense, and there was that strange look in her eyes that resembled a predator locking on to her prey.

Ainz grimaced at his poor luck. Here I am, on my first visit in Vale, and already I am being watched.

He was not simply just here to read about history and gleam knowledge about this world so he could get a possible advantage sometime in the near future. He was here to progress his plans to integrate himself into society. So far, things had been progressing smoothly. He had enough currency to get him started and was already making a name for himself after having secured a backer to help him get on his feet.

He knew that excavating the Dust from the mine near Nazarick would have been of great help in the near future, but who knew that the quality was enough to get him in the graces of one of the leading energy producers?

Jacques Schnee was like his old boss. He preferred efficiency and quality over quantity. The mines under the Schnee Dust Company (at least those "officially owned") were small in number, with only a meager number of personnel assigned to the mines, but the quality of the Dust that was mined was more than enough to make up for it.

The better the quality of the Dust, the higher the price. For example, twenty small pieces of high quality Dust could earn three times as much lien as seventy large pieces of low quality Dust.

Initially, Ainz's plan was to get himself in on the Dust market, though a quick look at the businesses already invested in this plan made him rethink things. There were several corporations and businesses already involved in Dust operations, especially when it came to refining the stuff, but the Schnee Dust Corporation was the biggest player, if not the only one. They offered joint ownerships and cooperation with other smaller businesses in order to gain access to the mines they owned, but eventually the SDC would absorb those smaller companies and incorporate their strengths into itself.

When it came to hostile takeover, Jacques Schnee was a master. Moreover, that was more than enough reason for Ainz to be wary.

It would have been easy for him to get started by himself when you think about it. He could have sold a small meager portion of Nazarick's treasure and he would easily have enough lien to live like a king. However, using Yggdrasil currency was the same as announcing to everyone that he was a Player, and he could not afford that kind of attention to himself. Hence why he chose to play it safe by getting in on Dust mining operations, though he made sure to include in his partnership with Jacques that, in the event the Schnee Dust CEO did try and take over his own business, the only thing he would receive would be the rights to the Dust mine. Or what was left of it, anyway.

Given its close proximity to Nazarick, there was no way he could risk somebody getting the rights to it out of fear that someone may discover the Tomb. Since Dust was so easy to acquire, there was really no more need for the mine anymore. It was the reason why he managed to get on his feet in this new world, and now that he secured a good source of initial funding, there was no actual reason for him to keep it. He would need to make up some kind of excuse as to why the mine was no longer usable, though he imagined that one mine would not be too much of a big loss. Not when Jacques had access to arguably much larger and richer mines.

Dust wasn't the only market Ainz was interested in. He intended to get involved in the technological scene, though that would have wait a while. He needed to build up his company first.

Sheesh, making a business from the ground-up is hard. I think I have new respect for my bosses, especially considering the times we lived in!

"Lor-"

Ainz gave Demiurge a look. "What have I told you about that?"

"Right. Forgive me, President Momon."

"Momon Obsidian. Upcoming CEO of Obsidian Industries."

That was the identity that Ainz had created, using the shady underground connections Demiurge established for them in Mistral. Originally a merchant from Kuroyuri that was destroyed years ago, he had slowly built himself up and would eventually make his way into the cutthroat world of corporate businesses. It was a massive undertaking built upon threads of connections and lies, and a single tug in the right direction would cause everything to unravel. There were many things Ainz had to consider as he made his civilian identity, more so when Shizu infiltrated Beacon Academy. Building an identity for her was easier, compared to what Ainz was building for himself as well for the other NPCs he sent out into the world.

As far as family went, Shizu was his niece and under his care after her parents died in the attack on Kuroyuri. Aside from her, there was Sebas Tian and Solution Epsilon. Sebas was a close friend of the Obsidian family who Momon entrusted with his younger sister Sol following the tragedy of Kuroyuri. Sol had been a spoiled and sickly girl at birth, but traveling around Mistral had helped her get over her crippling disposition; eventually take over his merchant business as he ascended to corporate status.

Currently, Sebas and Solution were in a port city called Argus, located up north of Anima and served as a prosperous trading center. Things seemed to be going pretty well for them the last time they gave him a report. Sebas even managed to establish some friendly connections with the locals. To his amusement, the battle butler had somehow caught the attention of two local women, a married couple at that. At first, Ainz had been surprised to hear that same-sex couples were also a thing in the new world, though not for the reasons one might think.

It really said a lot about the depressing state of affairs about Earth when governments made same-sex marriages illegal and a grave offense simply because of a dwindling population.

Ainz looked at his hands, slowly curling and unfurling his fingers while noting how tight his skin felt around his bones. Demiurge noticed this and frowned. "Are you feeling unwell?"

"No, I'm fine. In fact, I've never felt better!"

The reason why Ainz was somehow in a human body was an item. In Yggdrasil, the [Create Item] function had a wide variety of uses. Often, players used [Create Item] to make potions, elixirs and low-tier equipment. Of course, in order to use [Create Item], the player had to have the materials required to make something from them. For example, a potion required a certain number of herbs and specific enemy drops.

The item Ainz used to give himself a human body was made through [Create Greater Item], a higher-level version of the ability. It was needed if one was to create Guild Weapons or even World-level Items, though that last one demanded some very intense item farming and was sometimes more trouble than it was worth. The amount of time it took to make the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown was a living testament to the sheer dedication and passion the guild members had for the guild, as the jewels in the snake mouths alone took countless hours to make.

"Mask of Illusions." That was the name of the item Ainz made through [Create Greater Item.] In truth, the idea of an item that changed one's appearance was already done. There were several items in Yggdrasil that allowed a player to hide their avatar and pretended to be of a different race or class. However, these usually tended to be mere illusions and would not last for very long, and they generally had little use outside of PvP since high profile players would be discovered immediately if they were using an illusion. Several powerful heteromorphic players tried this tactic once, but some were almost immediately found out and attacked anyways.

Illusions also lasted for as long as the user remained untouched. The second someone touched them while the illusion was active or if they were attacked, it would be dispelled immediately. Considering what was required of Ainz since he was planning on starting a business and meeting with people personally, the illusion would be destroyed instantly.

The thought of an undead monster making business deals was definitely amusing, but definitely not something he wanted to try.

So what made "Mask of Illusions" so different? The answer was simple, actually. So long as the player wore it, they would be under the effect of an illusion of a different kind. Specifically, they would undergo a temporary race change.

Items that changed races were commonplace, but they were typically only ever used by newbies and casual players. Seasoned players only kept items as mere trophies of accomplishment or were only used by players who were looking to undergo a big change of playstyle. The "Mask of Illusion" was not common, but it definitely wasn't rare. So long as it was worn, the player would be considered a human character.

However, there was a slew of problems involved with this. For starters, the "Mask of Illusion" inflicted a stat penalty that reduced all of his stats by three. Secondly, the use of Skills and Spells was restricted to tier one. In other words, it was impractical and therefore hardly ever used. In all honesty, it was made as a mere joke item by Luci Fer for little reason at all.

Changing races did nothing for Ainz aside from allowing him to integrate with society. He could not use abilities available to a human character, nor could he use any of his stronger powers. In short, he was weakening himself by a large margin. A major risk just to establish a presence, but this was also why he had tasked Demiurge with being his new company's Vice-President.

Demiurge was cunning as he was intelligent. Surely, the politics of business would be nothing to him. Plus, a powerful Floor Guardian was the best kind of protection he could have asked for.

Besides, it was either him or Albedo. Actually, him becoming a human character had raised quite the uproar once he revealed it to them. They were very vocal about him becoming an "inferior" race, but the discord did not last for long when he told them it was only temporary. As soon as the "Mask of Illusion" was removed, he would return to being undead. He did not want to think what their reaction might be if he told them about the stat penalties and skill restrictions.

Still, despite his assurances, the Guardians were still worried about the temporary transformation. In his opinion, it was actually a welcome change of pace. Since he was now a human character, the emotional suppression he often felt was no longer in effect. He could now fully enjoy things like meals and feelings like joy and happiness. He had secretly done a happiness in private when he first discovered this, though this also led to another worrisome problem. Since he was no longer a skeleton, he had to ensure that his expressions were within reason. He couldn't give too much away.

Ainz had spent so many long hours in front of a mirror, going over hypothetical scenarios and scenes that he devised and practicing control over his facial muscles with the help of a doppelganger under his personal command. After each and every session, of course, he would have to erase its memories to preserve the idea that he was a "perfect ruler" in the eyes of his Guardians.

He didn't like the bitter taste it left in his mouth, though. One of the many emotions he wished he didn't feel as a human. It did not take him long to realize just how adjusted he had become to his undead body.

Ainz sighed to himself as he closed the book in his hand. He had obtained a good enough understanding of Remnant's history, or at least what remained of it. Suffice it to say, he was actually floored by what little he had been offered.

The Great War that happened decades ago destroyed not just the old cultures of the Kingdoms, but also their histories and arts. The naming rule that was imposed now was a major attempt at keeping what little culture they had left alive, however odd it was aside. However, there was also the matter of records pertaining to outside the Kingdoms as well. Something that made him both irate and excited.

"I don't understand it. How is it that people have no knowledge of any countries, continents or landmasses outside the five we know of today war be damned?"

The were only a small number of landmasses known to humanity: Menagerie, Vytal, Anima, Sanus, Patch, and lastly Solitas. Outside of these known landmasses, there were no other recordings. It was almost as if these were the sole pieces of land left on the planet, but Ainz sincerely doubted that. With so little land available, humanity's number would be too small to support such large societies. At the very least, the societies had to be contained. Upon further investigation, though, Ainz learned that there have been no attempts to venture into the wilds and discover new lands.

There had been appeals to the various governing bodies to try and explore the outside world, but they were constantly met with rejection. The reasoning?

Grimm.

Just as the Creatures of Grimm attacked humanity on land, there were also known types of Grimm to inhabit the seas. One of the arguments meant to dissuade anyone looking to explore the outside world was that, since humanity had been so self-contained to what little lands they own, the Grimm that exist outside the continents must have lived for so many years that they no doubt evolved into Elder Grimm, perhaps even stronger. There were likely types of Grimm they had never seen before, some maybe more dangerous than the ones they faced now.

Despite the risks and dangers involved, it was still strange that no one attempted to launch an expedition by themselves. The promise of adventure, fortune and fame would have been a great enough incentive, so why had no one stepped up to the plate?

It was greatly unnerving for him, but at the same time, filled him with excitement. A vast world full of promise of adventure, it reminded him of the spirit he once felt each time Yggdrasil had undergone a new expansion.

Perhaps, one day, he could organize such an adventure himself. For now, he must focus on the present task.

"It's almost time for Shizu to call again, isn't it?" Ainz said as he and Demiurge left the library, bidding the librarian farewell. "How is she doing?"

"Her cover remains intact, and so far, it appears she's doing quite well for herself." Demiurge replied. "She's established connections to the other students there. She's also developed quite a fan base among the whelps as well for having defeated a second-year student. However, the teachers have not yet made any attempt to unlock her aura if it is at all possible."

"I see." Ainz smiled slightly. "Is she getting along with her friends?"

"It seems so, though I do raise some concerns." Demiurge frowned. "One of the second-year students, some insignificant spec named Roy Al Lint, has developed a romantic interest in her."

Ainz repressed a snicker. That was freaking hilarious. He understood that it matched the color naming rule, but did someone seriously name their kid "red lint"? His amusement stopped when he registered what else Demiurge said and felt conflicted. On the one hand, Shizu was a fully grown woman despite being a few years old. She was old enough to make decisions for herself. If she wanted to reciprocate the feelings of someone else, he would not interfere. On the other hand, he was not sure how to feel about someone taking an interest in Shizu like that.

"What do we know about him?"

"He's a pathetic welp." Demiurge said with obvious disdain. "Based on what we managed to gather, he has no combat abilities whatsoever nor any actual leadership abilities. Not that I honestly expected he would, but he's woefully subpar compared to other lower life forms. His comrades barely tolerate his presence, and the only reason he was even made a student was because his father holds a seat on the Vale Council and apparently blackmailed the Headmaster."

"Blackmail? With what?"

"We're trying to discover that as we speak."

Ainz frowned heavily. He never really did enjoy politics, especially with all of the red tape involved. Business was usually very straight forward, if a little complex when it came to managing resources and taking into account what decisions would hurt the company or its employees and what wouldn't. Of course, the governments on Earth had more or less become so trivial that they had eventually lost all presence. They were "governments" in name only, with the only actual power belonging to the corporations and business leaders who now had seats of political power.

In other words, the businesses had become the governments. That said, what he thought before still applied. As far as the big shots were concerned, it was the company and the profits that mattered. Everyone else was a secondary concern that held little to no value.

He did not understand why some political big shot was blackmailing a headmaster of some prestigious school just so his son could attend. If what Demiurge was saying was true, then the kid was going to die eventually. Why put his life in so much danger just to make him an adventurer? He could not rely on his teammates forever, gods knows Ainz knew that lesson by heart.

"By the way, President." Demiurge stepped closer to Ainz as he adjusted his glasses, his smile so wide he could see his perfect white teeth. "I must say, it was quite the ingenious ploy to send Shizu to Beacon. With her there, we can not only gather information about these semblances and their variety, but also the training these children undergo."

Though Ainz's face gave nothing away, his thoughts were another matter.

You were the one who sent Shizu to Beacon in the first place!

Internally, he wept. All he did was make a small suggestion that it would be an interesting idea if he could send someone to school if only to gain an education. He was genuinely interested to see if the NPCs could learn things that they did not know in this new world. Once, he ordered a maid with a low level in cooking to make him something complex by herself with no outside help or advice. She attempted five times to make him such a meal, but each time she failed and made only a black and charcoal mess.

Each time, the maid would get on her hands and knees and beg forgiveness. It really was an embarrassing sight and he didn't fault her for her mistakes. It was only a trial run made out of simple curiosity, but now Ainz wanted to see if it was possible for NPCs to learn something new.

Admittedly, Shizu going to Beacon Academy, a school meant to train teenagers into this world's version of adventurers, was a bit more than what he was thinking, but he did have to admit, there was merit to the idea. If it was possible for them to develop semblances and an aura, how different would it be compared to a normal person? Would they even gain one? NPCs were made out of data, after all. In a sense, they did not have souls. The same could possibly be said about him too. He was an undead, and his body was made out of data like the NPCs, but would be somehow be an exception?

It honestly made him regret killing those bandits. They had their auras unlocked, so it would have been more useful for him to just have them try the experiment. Instead, he had Shizu act as a test case. In the event she did unlock aura and develop a Semblance, he wanted to see what kind of abilities she would develop. And whether or not it was possible for him to gain an aura and Semblance as well.

Of all people, why Shizu though? Ainz thought genuinely confused. I mean, don't get me wrong. Compared to the other NPCs outside of the Floor Guardians, she was definitely made with combat in mind. But the Pleiades Battle Maids were made to stall anyone who ever made it to the lower levels of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. They weren't made with PvP in mind.

He did intend to ask Demiurge why he sent Shizu specifically, but he was not sure how exactly he could bring it up to him. What if he said the wrong thing and lose all trust from the NPC? What if Demiurge turned on him?

Those thoughts plagued him, so he did his best to keep them at bay. He simply accepted Demiurge's decision but made sure to have him keep him in the loop.

Speaking of being in the loop…

"What about our other venture?"

"Everything is proceeding as you expect, President." Demiurge's smile developed a hint of malice. "It won't be long before they're granted an audience with her."

Ainz smiled. "That's the best news I've heard all day."